YANKEE GIRL TAILINGSREMEDIATION PROJECT

YMIR BCNOAMI Case Study Presentation – Part 1

Friday, November 14

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HISTORYHISTORY

Morrell, Lester G 1940 courtesy of British Columbia ArchivesMorrell, Lester G 1940 courtesy of British Columbia Archives

3SITEOVERVIEW

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September 2000 BC Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum resources collected water and tailing samples at the site.

November 2000 Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society (SWSS) published a report entitled “Inventory of Mine Tailings and Ponds in the Salmo Watershed”, which included information on the subject site.

November 2001 BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (MWLAP, now Ministry of Environment or MOE) collected additional tailing samples.

January 2002 MOE provided results of sampling and reconnaissance programs in a report entitled Yankee Girl Tailings Environmental Impact Assessment Summary Report.

January 2002 SWSS advocated for site restoration by sending “Yankee Girl Restoration Outline” letter to property owners along the Salmo River.

March 2003 SWSS and MOE provided a presentation to the community.

May 2003 Fisheries and Oceans Canada issued a Directive to the Province requiring a site investigation and prevention of further erosion of tailings into the Salmo River.

2003 The Crown Contaminated Sites Branch (CCSB) was established to assume a lead role in implementing a provincial government strategy with respect to the management of contaminated sites for which the province is responsible; Yankee Girl is identified as a priority project along with a number of other sites.

July 2005 Technical review of remedial options initiated and completed.

November 2005 Installation of interim erosion control barrier.

May 2006 Interim erosion control barrier augmented where necessary due to 1:10 year river level event.

October 2006 Completion of additional site investigations and human health / ecological risk assessment.

April 2007 Selection of Preferred Remediation Option

August 2007 Award of Contracts to implement Preferred Remediation Option

ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT HISTORY

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PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

November 2004 Public Meeting #1 – by CCSB presented project objectives and field activity details related to a detailed siteinvestigation (DSI), risk assessment and remedial options evaluation initiated in November 2004.

July 2005 Public Meeting #2 – by CCSB presented the results of the DSI, risk assessment and remedial options investigation.

October 2005 Public Meeting #3 – by CCSB presented information on the planned interim erosion barrier installation, preferred remedial option, and supplemental assessment work required to address data gaps and confirm remedial options.

November 2006 Public Meeting #4 (Open House) by CCSB presented information on the interim findings of the supplemental assessment work and preferred remedial option, as well as solicited community feedback on the conceptual end land use.

February 2007 Public Meeting #5 and #6 by CCSB presented information regarding specific concerns raised after the November 2006 open house.

6DETAILED SITE INVESTIGATIONHUMAN HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT

Sampling of soil, groundwater, surface water, sediment, benthics, plant/fish/small mammal tissue.

Rainbow trout

7PRIORITY RISK ISSUES

1. Direct erosion of tailings by Salmo River and Ymir Creek; exposed tailings surface was eroding into surface runoff (deleterious substance).

2. Leaching of metals and acid rock drainage into groundwater and Salmo River side channel.

3. Side Channel was not functioning as aquatic habitat.4. Metals in surface soil (arsenic, lead) presented an unacceptable human health

risk, particularly due to use of the site as a recreational area by families with toddlers.

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OFF-SITE OPTIONSLocal Sanitary Landfill Hazardous Waste Landfill Sullivan Tailings Pond in Kimberley, BC DeLamar Mine IdahoGoldstream Tailings Pond near Revelstoke, BC HB Tailings Pond, Salmo, BC Re-processing at Teck Smelter in Trail TCML Hazardous Waste LandfillDisposal to Custom Built Facility Near Site Underground mine working

ON-SITE OPTIONS1. Leave all tailings/soil in place beneath an engineered cover 2. Excavate and consolidate:

tailings (only) from the lower and southeast lobe tailings areareactive soil (only) from the mill areacurrent tailings stockpile and place on top of the upper tailings deposit in an engineered secure containment cell

ON-SITE CONSOLIDATION AND CONTAINMENT OF REACTIVE MATERIALS SELECTED AS PREFERRED OPTION

REMEDIAL OPTIONS ANALYSIS AND SELECTION

The closest landfills Permitted for Hazardous Waste were in Alberta

~5,000 Tandem Loads

~1,200 kms round trip

3,500,000 Liters of Diesel

7,000,000 Kg CO2 emission

~1/22 risk of a vehicle accident fatality

9FLOODPLAIN RECONSTRUCTION EROSION PROTECTION, HABITAT ENHANCEMENT

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Excavation of Southeast Lobe TailingsExcavation of Southeast Lobe Tailings

Excavation of Mill AreaExcavation of Mill Area

EXCAVATION OF REACTIVE MATERIALS

Lower Tailings AreaLower Tailings Area-- ExcavationExcavation

11CONSOLIDATION OF MATERIALSREPOSITORY COVER PLACEMENT

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FINAL CONFIGURATION

It is noted that the site is valued as a recreation area by the local community who desires continued use of the property.

The Province recognizes that there is added value by incorporating the community’s desires for final land use into the remediation plan, so that there will be ongoing beneficial use of the rejuvenated area and stewardship of the site.