Mount Polley Mining Corporation an Imperial Metals company Box 12 Likely, BC V0L 1N0 T F

Transcription

1 Mount Polley Mining Corporation an Imperial Metals company Box 12 Likely, BC V0L 1N0 T F February 11, 2016 Ministry of Environment Mining Operations Environmental Protection 2080 Labieux Road Nanaimo, BC V9T 6J9 WEEKLY UPDATE REPORT FEBRUARY 5 TO FEBRUARY 11, 2016 Water Management Springer Pit The total volume of tailings deposited in the Springer Pit as of February 9, 2016 is 2,78,932 tonnes (1,796,327 m 3 including water retained in tailings). Water elevations are recorded daily at the Springer Pit and the surrounding groundwater wells and presented here in Table 1. Monthly water quality monitoring is conducted at Springer Pit and the surrounding groundwater wells. All results are reported to Ministry of Environment each quarter, and monthly results are included here as they become available. Results were last reported in the January 21 st report which is available on the Imperial Metals website here. A map of the groundwater well locations is included as Figure 1 of the July 23 rd weekly report available here: Note that the suffix a indicates the deep well in the pair, and the suffix b indicates the shallow well in the pair. Water Treatment and Discharge Water discharge continued this week, with discharge rates averaging 0.15 m 3 /s. Page 1 of 5

2 Rehabilitation Work Hazeltine Creek Rehabilitation There were no activities in the creek this week due equipment access restrictions. Environmental Monitoring Program Water Quality Monitoring All water quality monitoring as required by Permit is current. Samples are collected weekly at end of pipe at the water treatment plant (station HAD-03) and throughout Hazeltine Creek. Table 2 shows the most recent data collected at HAD-03 on February 1 st compared to the permit requirements. Profile data and samples were collected on Quesnel Lake on January 25 th. The profile data is provided in Figure 1; the sample results from the edge of the initial dilution zone in Quesnel Lake (QUL-58) since the last report are shown in Table 3. For previous results see the February, 2016 report available on the imperial metals website. A map of monitoring stations is available on the Imperial Metals website. Figure 1 shows field parameter profile results for turbidity and temperature at station QUL-58 in Quesnel Lake (station 100m from the Hazeltine Creek outflow diffusers, at the edge of the initial dilution zone). Figure shows field turbidity readings for upper, middle and lower Hazeltine Creek. Figure shows a time series graph of turbidity readings at site QUR-1 in the upper Quesnel River. Page 2 of 5

3 Table 1. Water elevations for Springer Pit and groundwater wells Last Week This Week Change 3-Feb Feb-16 (m) Springer GW12-2a GW12-2b GW15-1a GW15-1b GW15-2a GW15-2b Table 2. Sample analysis results for HAD-03 (end of pipe from the water treatment plant) Lab Analysis Results for HAD-03 Permit Feb-16 mg/l Total Suspended Solids (mg/l) Nitrate (as N) (mg/l) Copper (Cu)-Total (mg/l) Molybdenum (Mo)-Total (mg/l) Selenium (Se)-Total (mg/l) Sulphate (mg/l) Cadmium (Cd)-Total (mg/l) N/A Table 2. Sample analysis from the Quesnel Lake initial dilution zone (QUL-58) Page 3 of 5 QUL-58-S QUL-58-MID QUL-58-B BC Aquatic Life Guidelines 25-Jan Jan Jan-16 Maximum 30-Day Average Max Total Suspended Solids (mg/l) <3.0 <3.0 < Nitrate (as N) (mg/l) Copper (Cu)-Total (mg/l) ¹ ¹ Molybdenum (Mo)-Total (mg/l) Selenium (Se)-Total (mg/l) no max guideline Sulphate (mg/l) no max guideline ² Cadmium (Cd)-Total (mg/l) < < < ³, ³ ¹ hardness dependent Cu guideline: BC max WQG (mg/l) = (0.09(hardness)+2)/1000; BC 30-d WQG(mg/L) = at hardness 50mg/L, at hardness >50mg/L = 0.0*hardness/1000. ² hardness dependent sulphate guideline: BC-30d WQG (mg/l)=128 at hardness <30mg/L, at hardness 31-75mg/L =218, at hardness mg/L=309, at hardness mg/L=29, at hardness >250mg/L determine base on site water ³hardness dependent dissolved Cd guideline: max BC WQG(mg/L)=(exp(1.03*hardness)-5.27))/1000; BC 30-d WQG(mg/L) =(exp(0.736*ln(hardness)-.93))/1000 Dissolved Cadminum WQG

4 Figure 1. Turbidity and temperature profiles at QUL-58 on December 7, 1, 21 and 30, 2015 and January 20 and 25, Page of 5

5 Turbidity (NTU) Turbidity (NTU) Hazeltine Creek Outfall Middle Hazeltine Creek Upper Hazeltine Creek Figure 2. Time series graph for May 15, 2015 February 9, 2016 showing turbidity levels at monitoring locations in upper and lower Hazeltine Creek Figure 3. Time series of turbidity readings at site QUR-1 in the upper Quesnel River. Samples are collected every second week from this site. Page 5 of 5