Mount Polley Mine Water Breach Report

A Three-person Panel Convened by the B.C. Government Two Weeks After the Mining Water Disaster "Concluded that Evidence Indicates the Dominant Contribution to the Failure Resides in the Design

First Nations reacted with firm resolve to a report that found design flaws had led to a tailings pond breach at Mount Polley mine last August that sent four billion gallons of mining waste gushing into British Columbia salmon habitat.

AthreepersonpanelconvenedbytheB.C.governmenttwoweeksafterthedisaster"concludedthatevidenceindicatesthedominantcontributiontothefailureresidesinthedesign,"theexpertssaidinastatementonJanuary30.

The experts said the design did not take into account the instability of sediment layers underneath the retaining wall, a failure likened to a "loaded gun," according toCBC News. The breach occurred when the embankment foundation failed in a layer of glacial sediment, the panel said in its statement.

Making the slope of the embankment too steep was like "pulling the trigger" in causing the August 4 breach, CBC News reported. Moreover, the volume of water was not an issue when it came to the dam break, though it did influence the amount that flowed into the waterways, the report said.

The report was delivered to the Ministry of Energy and Mines, the T'exelc First Nation (Williams Lake Indian Band) and the Xat'sull First Nation (Soda Creek Indian Band). After taking the weekend to study the 150-page document, the indigenous leaders issued a measured but firm response.

"While mining is an important industry and provides jobs for many it cannot be at the expense of the environment or public safety," said Grand Chief Edward John from the First Nations Summit. "The best available technology (not the best practices standard) is required for existing and future mines instead of water/tailings storage and the use of lakes."

The First Nations officials backed the panel's recommendations for better mine safety and the provincial government's vow to implement them, as well.

Source: Indian Country

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• Environment
• Governance & Planning