Dead fish in creek near Eagle mine likely killed by cyanide, Yukon officials say

Officials with the Yukon government say dozens of dead fish found earlier this week in a creek near Victoria Gold's Eagle mine were likely killed by a discharge of contaminated water from the mine site.

At a briefing on Friday morning, government officials and scientists said Victoria Gold personnel discovered at least 68 dead Arctic grayling and slimy sculpin in Haggart Creek on Aug. 2.

Officials said contaminated water discharged by Victoria Gold between July 31 to Aug. 2 is the most likely culprit. The company has been responding to a major failure that happened in June at its heap leach facility at the Eagle mine, releasing cyanide into the environment.    

Over the weekend, the company was ordered to construct a series of barriers to protect fish, and voluntarily stopped discharging water from the mine treatment plant.

"The death of a large group of fish like that, of multiple species, in a really short period of time is completely consistent with what we would expect from cyanide toxicity," said Dr. Mary Vanderkop, Yukon's chief veterinary officer, at Friday's briefing. 

It's unclear whether the water discharged from the mine site was released deliberately, or whether it had been treated at all. CBC News requested a comment from Victoria Gold but did not receive a response by deadline.

In a July 30 news release, the company said it had "augmented water treatment capacity on site."

Asked by a reporter on Friday whether the discharge of contaminated water was unintentional or unexpected, a government spokesperson said that was "outside the scope" of the briefing. 

Response to 'salvage as many fish as possible' downstream

Following reports of dead fish, Fisheries and Oceans Canada issued a legal order for Victoria Gold to construct seven fish barriers throughout Haggart Creek. 

They were also ordered to "salvage as many fish as possible" downstream, said Yukon Government fisheries biologist Cameron Sinclair on Friday.

Officials hope to establish a "no-go-zone" to help fish to avoid the areas most affected by the discharge event. Sinclair acknowledged that this may disrupt fish migration patterns.

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun has requested a long-term monitoring plan to understand impacts on fish as well as the spread of heavy metals in the environment through other animals such as moose and caribou.

Vanderkop said on Friday the government will be collaborating with the First Nation to put those plans in place.  

"In order to support the testing for these metals, we have put out a request to those that will be harvesting north of Mayo," she said. 

Hunters are being asked to voluntarily submit frozen kidney, liver and jaw bone samples from animals they harvest, to help with long-term surveillance.

While people have been advised against drinking, fishing or recreating in Haggart Creek and immediately downstream, officials said there are no concerns yet around hunting, drinking water, or recreational water use in the McQuesten River. 

Groundwater samples collected by Victoria Gold at the mine site reveal cyanide concentrations 10,000 times greater than long-term water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life. 

Brendan Mulligan, a groundwater scientist with the territorial government, said at Friday's briefing that efforts were being made to contain that water on the site. 

"We do not yet have evidence that impacted groundwater is discharging directly into Haggart Creek," said Mulligan. 

Political response

In early July, Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Chief Dawna Hope called for an immediate halt of all mining activity in the First Nation's traditional territory until a land use plan can be established for the area — a right established in the Umbrella Final Agreement in 1993.

Premier Ranj Pillai said in a statement earlier this week that his government is "committed to advancing regional land use planning ... should they [the First Nation] be ready to proceed."  

WATCH | Cyanide has been found in groundwater: 

2 months after a cyanide spill, people in Yukon are worried

3 months ago

Duration 2:55

People in Yukon are worried that toxins from a massive cyanide spill at the Eagle gold mine in June have already caused irreversible harm to the land and animals they rely on.

Pillai said his government had proposed a series of compromises to the First Nation, including a two-month pause on the issuance of mining licences in the area and a ban on heap leach facilities until an independent review of the Eagle mine failure can be completed.

He also proposed "a prohibition of entry on the staking claims in areas of cultural or environmental significance."

On Wednesday, Yukon NDP Leader Kate White told CBC that promise was "inadequate" and indicative of a "long-term failure" to respect the First Nation's wishes around land use planning. 

"There's a certain amount of irony of having a Yukon government say we're gonna put like a two-month pause on staking and let the Nation identify what's culturally important and environmentally sensitive because … that's land use planning," said White. 

"The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun  has been incredibly clear for a lot of years that they want a full moratorium on staking prior to land use planning being completed."

In an interview with CBC, Yukon Party Leader Curry Dixon was also critical of Pillai's comments. He said without any clear regulatory tools in place, Pillai's "verbal commitments" have led to confusion within an industry the territory can't afford to alienate. 

"If we want a truly prosperous and healthy economy that's driven by the private sector, we need to have the mining industry," he said.

"Ultimately, our goal should be that we get that site cleaned up and then the mine returns into production. That would be the the best outcome."