WHITEHORSE, YT – In the latest release from Victoria Gold, the company says there can be no assurances that they will receive authorization to restart production at the Eagle Gold mine.
This comes following a landslide at the site’s heap leach facility on June 24th.
Victoria Gold also says they can not guarantee that they will have the financial resources to repair damaged equipment, or remediate any impacts resulting from the incident.
“Production operations remain suspended and may not restart without authorization from the Yukon Director of Mineral Resources. Victoria will continue to work to minimize impacts to the environment, with the safety of employees as a foremost priority. There can be no assurance that the Company will receive authorizations necessary to restart production, or that the Company will have the financial resources necessary to repair damage to equipment and facilities or remediate impacts caused by the incident or restart production. The Company will provide further updates in due course” – excerpt from Victoria Gold’s update on Eagle Gold Mine, July 12th, 2024
Victoria Gold estimates that roughly 4 million tons of ore had moved during the incident, with half of it moving beyond the heap leach facility embankment. The Company adds that they took immediate actions and had establishing a pumping and diversion system to manage water and material.
Water sampling conducted by Victoria Gold has revealed traces of cyanide downstream from the mine within Haggart Creek, which has also been confirmed by the Yukon Government. The cyanide levels detected were recorded as 0.04 milligrams of cyanide per liter of water, revealed by the Yukon Government during a technical briefing on July 4th.
For Yukon NDP leader Kate White, this is the Territory’s worst fear playing out in real time.
“What we’re seeing is our greatest fear playing out in real time…. If it turns out that they don’t have the capital to do the clean up that means it will fall to Yukoners to do, and that’s been a fear since the incident on June 24th, and continues to be a fear” – Kate White, Leader of the Yukon NDP
Kate White says that while the mining industry is something the Yukon NDP can get behind, it has to be done in a way that’s forward looking while utilizing the latest proven technology. White adds the companies involved must take worse case scenarios and climate change related disasters into account when developing a mining project. She plans to advocate for these requirements to be reflected within updated mining regulations for the Yukon.
Production at the Eagle Gold mine is currently suspended, and may not resume without authorization from the Yukon’s Director of Mineral Resources.
Victoria Gold says they will be providing more updates in the future.
