Mount Polley Mine Disaster: Never Again!
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- Published on Thursday, 16 April 2015 17:17
- Written by editor
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Take action to prevent another tailings dam catastrophe
Hi PAOV,
Remember the massive Mount Polley mine disaster that happened last August near the town of Likely, BC? The one that released more than 17 million cubic metres of wastewater and contaminated slurry into nearby fish-bearing streams and lakes, and was dubbed the worst tailings pond breach in Canadian mining history?
Well, less than a year after the tailings pond dam gave way and flooded the natural environment with tailings and wastewater, the mining company – Imperial Metals – is applying to the BC government to re-open the mine. Government officials have said it will take years to restore the area’s lands and waters to their original state, yet they are already considering a move to begin mining again at the troubled site.
An independent investigation into the mine failure concluded that it was caused by the design of the dam, which didn’t account for instability in the underlying deposits. The panel that conducted the investigation also made one important recommendation that should apply not just to Mount Polley but to the mining industry as a whole: stop storing tailings in massive ponds mixed with water, and instead store tailings dry in a process known as “dry stacking.”
You can read the full report from the Mount Polley review here.
The BC government is accepting public comments on the application to re-open the Mount Polley mine until April 29, 2015. This is a great opportunity to voice our concerns about the way mines are operated and regulated in the province, so I’m asking you to please take action today!
Please use our online letter-writing tool to send a message to the BC government, and ask officials to take two important actions to prevent another disaster like the one at Mount Polley:
- Reject the application to re-open the Mount Polley mine.
- Enact regulations that prohibit BC mines from storing tailings mixed with water in large ponds, and instead require companies to use the “dry stack” method to store tailings.
Click here to write your letter now >>
Instead of re-opening the Mount Polley mine, Imperial Metals needs to clean up its mess. With new mines being proposed (and approved) by the BC government each year, it’s critical that we let decision-makers know how strongly we feel that the disaster at Mount Polley MUST NOT be repeated.
Thank you for joining us in demanding better from BC’s mining industry!
For the wild,
Joe Foy | National Campaign Director
Wilderness Committee
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