Duncan Lake

[Deaddog]

Has any one been following the environmental review for the new mine up north. They want to use a six kilometer alpine lake that is full of fish as a tailing pond. It looks like it is going to go ahead, I guess money talks:evil:

[Jagermeister]

What new mine?

[pmj]

I believe it is the Kemess Mine Expansion Project. Region 7-39, S.E. of Spatsizi Plateau, East of Tatlatui Park in the upper Finlay River Water Shed. Here is a link to news article fro the Georgiastrait:
http://66.94.231.168/search/cache?p=%22kemess+mine+expansion%22&toggle=1&ei=UTF-8&meta=vc%3DcountryCA&fl=0&vc=countryCA&fr=FP-tab-web-t340&u=georgiastraight.com/content.cfm%3Fid%3D21529&w=%22kemess+mine+expansion%22&d=d8B1rpIFN3xM&icp=1&.intl=ca
You can also find more by searching under "Kemess Mine Expansion".

[Deaddog]

that would be the one, it is an expansion but located several miles away from the present mine site.

[Deaddog]

Just for your info, I highly doubt they would get away with this if Duncan lake was anywhere near the lower mainland

Dear Messers and Madame:

Re: Use of Amazay/Duncan Lake as a tailings and waste rock facility

The 4 Nations continue to state that Amazay/Duncan Lake cannot be used as a tailings and waste rock facility. This would set a precedent for the destruction of lakes throughout Canada. We note that you have legislation that protects lakes from this destruction. 4 Nations have similar concerns as the residents in Wabamun Lake in Alberta. You cannot make what is illegal in Alberta to be legal in British Columbia.

The current environmental review process has commenced without the involvement of the 4 Nations and therefore we insist that any reference to the use of Amazay/Duncan Lake be removed from the draft guidelines for the Environmental Impact Assessment.

We have included the November 9th, 2004 letter to Northgate Minerals that was copied to both federal and provincial government ministries.

Sincerely,

ORIGINAL SIGNED BY

Gitxsan House of Nii Kyap
Kwadacha First Nation
Takla Lake First Nation
Tsay Keh Dene First Nation

[CanuckShooter]

I think the idea stinks......It's not the only option just the one that is cheaper for them...I hope they can the idea.

[tuchodi]

Thats pristine wilderness, I walked through there a few years ago. It would be nice for them to at least leave the lake intact.

[Deaddog]

It is pristine and remote, I believe because it is so remote and most of us have not had the privledge of strolling thru there that it is flying under the radar, it is a crying shame

[BCLongshot]

Deaddog phone a TV station !

[SUAFOYT]

Has any one been following the environmental review for the new mine up north. They want to use a six kilometer alpine lake that is full of fish as a tailing pond. It looks like it is going to go ahead, I guess money talks:evil:

Unfortunately $ do all the talking. Not enough people like yourself that ask the pertinent questions. All you have to do is read some of the other threads on this site and it becomes apparent to me IMO that it's all about stock value and keeping the shareholders happy no matter what. Remember, mining creates jobs jobs jobs- that's all you need to know, and that's all that matters.

[Deaddog]

The media is aware of this "situation", has been in the papers in PG over the past couple of years, but to far away from the greater population so no coverage from bctv etc. I usually do not jump on these type of bandwagons but on this one I just do not understand what those in the decision making postions are thinking, money I guess,

[pmj]

You can see the existing south mine and tailings pond on google earth. Duncan lake is just north of it. I read some of the hundreds of pages of environmental impact studies on the net. If you google them watch out if you are on dial up some of the reports are several hundred pages long and you will be downloading untill spring bear season!
Here are some "interesting" :roll: things I found out (if I remember correctly)aka THE HUNTERS SUMMARY: If the mine goes ahead: the area G/O will be compensated for losses. There is a trap line in the area and the owner will receive 2x the average yearly take as compensation. Both are for 14 years I believe. Fish from Duncan lake; raninbow trout, white fish and dolly v will be caught and relocated to two other local lakes which at present have no fish because of natural barriers. A heard of 5 to 20 cariboo and approx 15 mtn goat will be affected. As well as moose, grizzly and I think it was marten. The report mentioned that hunters use the area but that is all that I could find. The economic impact on Prince George will be $20 million per yer. Workers will be flown in. It will be a dry camp. Workers at the mine will not be permitted to hunt or fish. You can see the existing big #ss hydro line on google earth that was brought in (140 km I think) for the first mine. This is my interpetation of the part I could not find very clear discription of: :confused: Dams will be erected at both ends of Duncan lake. Tailings will be dumped into the lake from the mine over a 12 year period. They need to be covered with water, if they are exposed to air and rain they create acid run off.

[Odd-6]

Greed is powerful....mankind will never learn until mother earth has no more to give. When that happens, the greedy buggars will go to other planets and mess those up also.

[CanuckShooter]

""Dams will be erected at both ends of Duncan lake. Tailings will be dumped into the lake from the mine over a 12 year period. They need to be covered with water, if they are exposed to air and rain they create acid run off.""

I would think there would be concerns with the dams failing....and I wonder what would happen if the water levels ever fell?? If they allow this project to go ahead as it is currently being proposed we will have an environmental land mine just waiting to go off !! It wasn't all that long ago that just such a disaster was reported to have happened in some euorpean country [dont recall which], a poison pond just waiting to be unleashed upon us.

One hell of a legacy to leave our kids...all for the sake of corporate profits and short term jobs.