Environmental group claims water tests at gold mine site have high arsenic levels | 24CA News

An environmental group in Nova Scotia says a gold mine is chargeable for excessive ranges of arsenic in waterways close by.

Members of Water is Life Nova Scotia have been doing common water testing close to the tailings dam on the Touquoy Gold Mine situated in Moose River, about 65 kilometres northeast of Halifax.

What they found in late August close to Scraggy Lake, which is situated subsequent to the mine, prompted them to return again and take extra water samples.

“There was a yellow and orange liquid running through the woods,” stated Sydnee McKay. “We were quite shocked to see this.”

The group, which has 200 members, has now collected a number of water and soil samples on the web site.

Some of the lab exams confirmed arsenic ranges 5 instances greater than industrial approval limits. Further exams carried out in subsequent weeks confirmed ranges have been decrease however nonetheless nicely above the restrict.

Those outcomes, together with the GPS coordinates of the place the exams have been taken, have been included in an data bundle that was shared with provincial and federal atmosphere departments.

McKay says water from Scraggy Lake flows towards the shoreline, ultimately flowing into the ocean.

“We have not heard from the provincial government on this and it concerns me,” stated McKay. “I’m really worried about the water systems on the eastern shore.”

A spokesperson for Nova Scotia’s Department of Environment and Climate Change confirmed they acquired the knowledge bundle and are reviewing it. When requested if the division has carried out any of their very own testing on the web site, the spokesperson stated a willpower on whether or not extra testing is required will probably be made as soon as the assessment is full.

The firm that operates the mine, Australia-based St Barbara Ltd., says it does each day inspections on the web site and no latest leaks have been detected. They’re additionally required to do common water testing.

“Arsenic and other metals are naturally occurring elements in surface water and groundwater throughout the province of Nova Scotia and are tested as part of our routine sampling programs,” Sarah Brannen, a communication guide with St Barbara, Atlantic Operations, stated in an electronic mail assertion.

“Our testing and sampling procedures for ground and surface water are completed to meet federal and provincial requirements.”

Part of a wall surrounding the open pit on the gold mine collapsed in late September following torrential rain from post-tropical storm Fiona. Material from the wall situated above a manufacturing space slid into the pit. The storm additionally knocked out energy on the facility for per week and a half.

McKay says ongoing excessive climate occasions are sure to trigger vital impacts on the tailings dam. The group will proceed to take water and soil samples within the space. So far the testing they’ve carried out has value about $5,000.

This is not the primary time environmental questions have been raised on the gold mine web site.

Last yr, St Barbara was fined $10,000 and ordered to pay an extra $240,000 in monetary penalties after pleading responsible to federal and provincial environmental expenses. The firm admitted it breached environmental legal guidelines by failing to correctly check for the extent of sediment in water that could possibly be hazardous to fish habitat. It additionally did not commonly report findings to authorities as required.

Local anglers are involved to listen to about excessive arsenic ranges in latest exams.

“We fish Scraggy Lake and some other lakes in the area that are all connected,” stated Ryan Dickie, whose household has a fishing camp on Scraggy Lake. “This really makes us wonder if it will have a big impact on the habitat for all the fish back there.”

In 2021, a provincial investigation right into a discoloured substance discovered on the tailings dam concluded there was no danger to the atmosphere within the incident.

At the time, an orange-coloured substance was noticed across the rock wall that separates the tailings pond from the encompassing space on the Touquoy mine.

Environmental teams have been involved that the tailings pond, which incorporates materials left over after ore has been crushed and processed, was leaking into the atmosphere. But provincial atmosphere inspectors took samples of the substance and their investigation concluded it was from elevated iron concentrations from groundwater coming into the gathering pond.

The possession of the mine, which employs 292 folks, has undergone change.

When it first opened in 2017, Vancouver-based Atlantic Gold operated the mine. St Barbara bought it in 2019. Last month, St Barbara introduced it will probably be merging in June with Genesis Minerals Ltd., one other firm primarily based in Australia.

Since manufacturing commenced on the Touquoy Mine, 400,000 ounces of gold has been produced.