Soil and sediment samples collected along Hazeltine Creek by Mount Polley Mining Corporation between Sept. 3 and Oct. 3, 2014, are consistent with samples taken by the Ministry of Environment on Sept. 4, 2014.

Mount Polley Mining Corporation collected a total of 108 soil samples from 18 different locations in the spill impact area between the tailings storage facility and Quesnel Lake. Both tailings and native soils were tested at an independent lab for exceedances of the contaminated sites regulation (CSR) Urban Park Land Use standard.

Tailings samples showed exceedances for total copper and vanadium, with a single sample indicating an exceedance for total arsenic. No other metals reported in the tailings samples exceeded the CSR standards. These results are expected due to the known quality of tailings stored in the tailings storage facility when it breached.

Elevated levels of copper and vanadium do not mean these metals pose a risk, as they may exist in forms that are not bioavailable. Additional geochemical testing is necessary to help determine potential impacts to the environment. These tests are currently under way.

Mount Polley Mining Corporation is expected to develop a comprehensive plan to address tailings exceeding CSR standards, following the results of the geochemical testing. This information will be considered in the ministry’s review of the company’s remediation plans.

Total metal results for native soil met all CSR standards with the exception of a few samples exceeding total chromium, manganese, nickel and selenium. Areas where mines are located often have elevated levels of metals, meaning naturally occurring metal concentrations are potentially much greater in this region than elsewhere in the province. The presence of elevated metals in samples from native soils and the lack of exceedances in the tailings indicate metal levels are the result of naturally occurring metals.

The CSR is used to regulate the treatment and clean-up of contaminated sites throughout the province and is the appropriate regulation to apply when evaluating the contamination levels as a result of the tailings storage facility breach.

All test results have been shared with local First Nations, the First Nations Health Authority, Interior Health and the Cariboo Regional District.

All results and explanations are publically available on the Ministry of Environment’s dedicated Mount Polley site: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/eemp/incidents/2014/mount-polley.htm

Media Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Environment
250 953-3834