Lac Des Iles tailings pond overflow raises concerns

Superior Morning6:39Lac Des Iles Palladium Mine

We have local reaction to the news that the Lac Des Iles palladium mine will discharge water from its tailings pond into the natural environment. Concerns are being expressed by a Thunder Bay environmentalist and from the Chief of the nearby First Nation

An environmentalist from Thunder Bay says people should be concerned about the release of water from a tailings pond at the Lac Des Iles mine.

The mine announced last week it would dump water from a tailings pond, after failing to achieve what it calls "water balance."

The Ministry of the Environment says the release so far involves 120,000 cubic metres of water, with elevated levels of suspended solids, aluminum and iron.

Meanwhile, Peter Lang, with Citizens United for a Sustainable Planet, says the mine's explanation of high rainfall filling the ponds is a poor excuse.

"That's not an excuse and that's not acceptable," he said.

"We have to have provisions somehow to refine the products, have backup tailings ponds, or not do the mining itself until we can prove that we can do it safely." 

Lang said he hopes the breach will work as a wake-up call for the company, and ensure it repairs its tailings ponds to ensure they are in working order.

He worried the case could also be precedent setting. "Then we'd have a carte blanche for anybody who ever plans a mine, [using the excuse], 'oh yeah, there was too much rain that year and that's why it breached'."

'Substantial' spill

Lang also wondered if environment regulators "have any teeth."

"Is it going to be simple, or are they going to be charged with a breach of the environmental policies or act. Will they be fined?"

The Ministry of the Environment says it has ordered the mine to take all necessary measures to prevent the failure of the tailings dams. The order also requires the mine to minimize any adverse impacts that may result from the discharge of tailings effluent.  In addition, the mine is also required to submit a daily monitoring report that outlines the integrity of the dams, water levels, volume of discharge, and effluent quality.

Meanwhile, Chief Wilfred King of the Gull Bay First Nation says his community was never consulted about releasing the water into the environment.

"A press release does not constitute consultation. The magnitude of the spill is quite substantial, and the area in question is quite massive." 

King said he's heard the discharged tailings water has now stretched 7 km from the mine to other bodies of water.

The tailings pond breach is alarming, said Jamie Kneen, communications co-ordinator with MiningWatch Canada.

He noted it is surprising there was no contingency plan to deal with excess water. Tailings ponds should be designed for excess capacity, and worst case scenario, he added.

Kneen asserted that many companies take shortcuts to try and save money.

"[It] makes more business sense to see if you can get away with things."

But it's very unusual for a company to face consequences for a breach like this, Kneen continued. The main goal is to bring the company back into compliance

"The key steps are to make adequate provisions in future for a possible combination of unforeseen events, such as heavy rainfall and high water flows during spring and the necessary repairs to old tailings and water containment ponds as well as construction of new facilities as outlined in the mine plan," said John Vincic, investor relations, with North American Palladium.