Mount Polley could restart “within months,” says Imperial Metals

Imperial Metals Corp. on April 30 told the Canadian Press that about half Mount Polley’s 370 employees would be back at work. — Photo courtesy Imperial Metals/Mount Polley MIne

The Canadian Press is reporting that the open-pit, gold-and-copper mine hit by a devastating tailings pond breach that caused an environmental disaster in central British Columbia could be operating safely and near full capacity within months, Imperial Metals has announced.

Steve Robertson, vice-president of corporate affairs at Imperial Metals Corp. on April 30 told the Canadian Press that about half Mount Polley’s 370 employees would be back at work if the Vancouver-based company is granted a permit to restart operations.

“If we get a permit approving the restart of the mine in June, it’s going to take a few weeks, but within a few weeks we would be able to be up and running,” he said in the CP interview. “What we’re proposing is a modified restart.”

He said 276 people were employed doing restoration in March, but those numbers are fluctuating.

B.C.’s Energy and Mines Minister Bill Bennett has stated that Imperial Metals must prove to a mine development technical review body Mount Polley can resume operations safely, on a temporary and permanent basis.

The review body looking at the re-opening includes representatives from government agencies, First Nations, local governments, the community of Likely, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada.

“There are a lot of families up there worried about their jobs,” Bill Bennett said. “You get pulled in both directions. I want to make sure it’s done absolutely flawlessly from a policy point of view. I also want to see those families working.”

A 30-day public comment period on Mount Polley’s application to reopen ended on May 2, 2015.

Source: Canadian Press