will be completed during the summer of 2013 along with the regrading of the grounds around the construction site and removal of construction

Transcription

1 Rio Algom limited & denison mines inc. community RepoRt June 2013 stay on AppRoved trails But no hunting or camping Rio Algom and Denison join the Penokean Hills Field Naturalists, Coureur de Bois and other outdoor groups in encouraging community residents to enjoy our local trails but request that you respect trail etiquette and Stay on the Trail! The map insert shows where these public trails cross onto Rio Algom mine property (there are no approved trails on any of the Denison sites). Persons entering onto these former mine sites are reminded that they do so at their own risk. The sites are rugged with boulders, protruding objects, washouts, depressions and slippery, steep sections that may be obscured by vegetation. Anyone entering onto the property is advised to exercise caution and restrict their travels to sections of the trail that can be safely negotiated taking into account their own individual physical fitness and the hiking gear and equipment they are using. Respect trail signs, clean-up after your pet, and leave the wild flowers and wildlife for others to enjoy. The mine sites are private property and both Rio Algom and Denison prohibit motorized vehicle access, hunting and camping on our properties which include unmarked claim areas. We have observed an unfortunate increase in destructive forms of trespass and as a result we have increased the monitoring and notification efforts at our facilities and will prosecute trespassers as necessary to comply with our Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) license requirements. So stay safe, respect private property and keep to the established trail system in and around Elliot. For more information on the trail system call the Elliot Welcome Centre at or log onto www. cityofelliotlake.com/tourism Delivering lime please do not park at our gates denison 2013 WoRk plans treatment plant located on the edge of the discharge channel and reagents added from within the building using a peristaltic pump. Beginning in October, 2012, the overburden adjacent to the overflow channel at Tailings Management Area 1 (TMA-1) was stripped in preparation for construction work on the relocation of the Denison TMA-1 treatment plant. The improved treatment system will allow more effective control of reagent addition and effluent water flow rates as well as room for expanding the treatment regime as part of a plan to improve the overall water management strategy for the site. Denison Treatment Plant Upgrades Water levels in TMA-1 were historically controlled passively through the discharge weir (when water rose from rain or melt, more water flowed over the weir) and chemical reagents were added using gravity feed into the open channel immediately downstream from the weir. An improvement to the method of treatment commenced in the fall of 2012 where water levels in TMA-1 would be controlled by siphons that run through the relocated WhAt s inside... Maintaining and Monitoring our SiteS Toward A Common Language Rio Algom and Denison are committed to a high standard of operation, care and maintenance to ensure the continued safe and reliable performance of our tailings management areas (TMAs) and effluent treatment plants (ETPs). Our maintenance plan requires us to regularly evaluate the age, performance and life expectancy of our equipment and facilities for replacement and repair as required. Maintenance activities at Rio Algom properties completed in 2012 and planned in 2013 include: Ryan Outlet Maintenance: Rio Algom completed maintenance of the Ryan outlet structure and channel during 2012 summer low flow. This involved replacing the overflow culvert in the outlet structure with a spillway and adding additional erosion protection to the upstream and downstream slopes. The berm that separates the Ryan outlet channel from the Historic Precipitate Pond was restored by raising with sand and gravel and capping with rock. The Ryan outlet structure and channel are located within the Canadian We ve try to minimize the technical jargon in our communications, but some terminology is unavoidable. The following are definitions of some of the terms we commonly use in our newsletters and public documents. If there are other terms you would like explained, just let us know by completing We d Like to Hear From You on the back page of this article or call one of Nuclear Safety Commission licensed Nordic tailings management area. The structure was originally constructed to supply water to the former Nordic townsite and currently the golf course. The Voyageur hiking trail passes over the crest of the structure. Rio would like to thank the local golfers and hikers for their cooperation and patience during the construction period. Remote Monitoring Network: Upgrades to our remote monitoring communication network are in progress and will be completed by the end of June The work involves replacing the data radios used to relay information from the treatment plants to the central control computer and upgrading associated software. All of the Rio effluent treatment plants are instrumented and relay key operating information (ph, plant flow rates, pumping status) and other alarm features to a centralized computer. These features allow the plant operator to access the central computer remotely by laptop to monitor plant operating conditions. HWY 108 Gravel Pit Dam D Dam K1 Treatment Plant Dam K2 Evans Maintaining our Quirke Tailings Management Area (water colour is the result of adding lime to the water in the tailings management area to neutralize acid and remove iron prior to treatment) Quirke Tailings Management Area Maintenance: Maintenance of Dams D, K1 and K2 at the Quirke Tailings Management Area are planned for the low flow season during the summer of Work at Dams K1 and K2 includes restoring the design height of the dams and applying rock to the slopes to improve erosion protection. At Dam D we plan to replace the five overflow control pipelines with a single concrete spillway and increase the height of the dam by 1 metre to increase storage capacity. Dams K1 and K2 located at the West end of the tailings facility were engineered and built to keep the tailings flooded and control generation and release of acid. The dams are 30 years old and have settled less than 1 metre from the weight of the clay, sand, gravel and rock used to build them. The clay core of the dam is Testing our communication over 7 meters wide and independent engineers have confirmed the settlesignals ment has not impaired the long term performance (e.g. stability and seepage control) of the dams. Dam D controls the release of treated water from the first of three ponds used to settle and remove treatment solids from treated water. The five existing overflow control pipelines in Dam D are over 30 years old and need to be replaced. Replacing the five pipelines with a single spillway will eliminate having pipelines through the dam and provide a single point of operating control. Inspecting the completed Ryan Increasing the height of the Outlet Structure dam will increase the pond area and volume, providing more time for solids to settle and be removed. treating the water from tailings Rio Algom and Denison operate eight water treatment plants in the Serpent River Watershed. The plants treat surface water and seepage collected from the tailings management areas with lime and barium chloride to neutralize acid and remove radium and metals (primarily iron). Tailings are crushed rock the consistency of beach sand that remain when rock containing uranium (or other desirable minerals) is ground up and the uranium has been removed. In Elliot, 95 percent to 98 percent of the uranium that was in the ore was removed in the milling process. The amount of uranium remaining in the tailings is less than percent, or the equivalent of half a teaspoon of sand in a 45-gallon drum. Sampling for quality control In addition to residual uranium, tailings contain small quantities of radium and natural sulphide minerals primarily iron sulphide or pyrite which, when exposed to air and moisture, produce a mild acid. Production of this acid is curtailed by covering the tailings with water, and if necessary, treating the surface waters from the tailings before the water is released to the Tailings water is collected in basins or collection channels and directed to the treatment plants where lime and barium chloride as required, are added before the water is sent to the settling ponds. The lime and barium chloride form very small particles with the radium and iron that settle out in the settling ponds much like flour stirred into water will settle if it is not stirred. It is the clean water with iron and radium removed that is released to the Acidity: A chemical characteristic of a liquid that indicates how strongly it will react with other chemicals by donating a proton or accepting electrons. Examples of acidic liquids include vinegar, fruit juices and carbonated beverages. Effluent: Surface water and seepage collected from tailings management areas that are directed to the treatment plants. Effluent Treatment: The addition of lime and barium chloride to surface water and seepage collected from tailings management areas. This process neutralizes acidity and removes metals and radium. The water is later released to a settling pond, where treatment solids settle out and remaining clear treated water is released to the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller): Equipment that collects information from plant equipment and instrumentation then uses the information to control how equipment in the plant operates based on instructions programmed in the PLC. ph: A measure of the acidity and alkalinity of liquids. A ph of 7 is neutral. Any measure less than 7 shows increasing acidity. The ph of lakes and rivers normally varies from 6 to 8. Radium-226: A naturally occurring element created by the breakdown of uranium. Radium-226 was not removed during milling at Elliot sites. There are only about 20 pounds of radium-226 in all of the 150 million tons of tailings in the Elliot area. SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition): Computer software that receives operating information (e.g flow rates, pump speeds) from industrial plants and presents it graphically on centralized computer(s). Operators can access and review the information remotely and send information back to the plants to adjust operation of plant equipment as required. Settling Pond: An area downstream of a treatment plant where treatment solids settle to the bottom and treated water is discharged. Clear, treated water is released to the environment from settling ponds. Tailings: Crushed rock the consistency of beach sand. Tailings are what remain when rock containing uranium (or other desirable minerals) is ground up and the uranium has been removed. Tailings Management Area (TMA): Areas used to permanently contain tailings. TMAs are generally located in natural rock basins. Dams are constructed in low-lying areas of TMAs to ensure containment of tailings. Treatment Solids: Remaining material after water collected from the tailings management areas is treated with lime to neutralize acidity and remove metals and radionuclides. Uranium: A naturally occurring element which, when purified and concentrated, is used as fuel to generate nuclear power. The amount of uranium in the rocks (ore) mined in the Elliot area was 0.10 percent or about 2 pounds per ton of ore. Since up to 95 percent of the uranium was removed during milling, the amount remaining in the tailings is less than percent, or the equivalent of half a teaspoon of sand in a 45-gallon drum. New Faces at DeNisoN Since forming Denison Environmental Services (DES) in 1997, we have worked to seek out and recruit skilled staff to work with our firm in Elliot. In 2012, DES saw the addition of two new faces to the Elliot team, Kevin Ramsay and Jessie Luchinski, who transferred to Elliot following completion of DES s Care and Maintenance operations at the Faro Mine Complex (FMC) in Faro, Yukon in March Kevin Ramsay is the Environmental Manager who joined the DES team at the FMC in During his 3 years with DES in the Yukon, Kevin oversaw and participated in implementation of an extensive environmental and geotechnical monitoring program, and supervised a team of 8 environmental profession- als and technicians. He was also instrumental in the commissioning of a new analytical laboratory at the site, development of a successful remediation plan for treatment of 6 billion litres of metal-contaminated water, and design and installation of a 50-person potable water system. Since transferring to Elliot, Kevin has been involved in the Denison treatment plant upgrades and the new SCADA system at Stanrock and Denison, as well as a number of consulting and contracting projects primarily involving work on water management systems. With his B.Sc. Chemistry from the University of Northern British Columbia and over 12 years work experience in the natural resource, Jessie Luchinski Collecting sample of treated water All of our treatment plants are instrumented to enable continuous operation and monitoring. The programmable logic controllers (PLC) adjust the rate of lime addition to achieve the desired degree of neutralization as determined by ph measurements. The PLC will shut-down the plant and dial-out to an operator if the plant is not operating in the programmed ph range. Operators visit the site daily to inspect equipment and conduct quality control checks. When not at the plant, operators can check on plant equipment, ph, flow rates and other operating conditions by accessing a central computer that integrates the operating information from all of our treatment plants. Water released from the settling ponds is routinely monitored for ph, total suspended solids, radium, uranium, iron, manganese and cobalt with results reported to the government agencies on a monthly and annual basis. All water released from our treatment facilities since 1990 has been better than limits set by the government agencies and water quality for mine-related elements in the lakes and rivers of the Serpent River Watershed is better than government guidelines established to protect human health and aquatic life. Maintaining and Monitoring our Sites mining and environmental sectors, Kevin has proven a valuable addition to the DES Elliot team. Jessie Luchinski, B.Sc. Chemistry, is an Environmental Chemist who, like Kevin, also joined the DES team as part of the FMC Care and Maintenance operations in At the FMC, Jessie s main focus was the installation, commissioning and operation of a new $1,000,000 analytical laboratory, but she was also responsible for development and oversight of a comprehensive QA/QC program for the site-wide water monitoring program, preparation of monthly and annual environmental reports and technical memoranda, and advising on potable and wastewater treat- ment issues. Since transferring to Elliot, Jessie has become involved in the assessment and optimization of environmental monitoring and data management programs at several of DES s care and maintenance projects in Ontario and Quebec, and has also been extensively involved in a number of environmental consulting projects. Kevin Ramsay New Faces at Denison Serpent River Watershed Monitoring Program The entire existing treatment system was relocated to a new building, to house the treatment system and reagents in a more secure facility, to install of a new communication system (see New SCADA System at Stanrock and Denison), and to install four parallel siphon lines leading from the settling pond into the treatment plant. By early 2013, the building was largely complete and the treatment system was migrated into the new facility to begin operation. The new system began treating water in February and overall treatment performance has improved following these changes. It is anticipated that the exterior of the building will be completed during the summer of 2013 along with the regrading of the grounds around the construction site and removal of construction debris. For questions or comments, please contact Ian Ludgate at iludgate@ denisonenvironmental.com. New SCADA System at Stanrock and Denison Work is nearing completion on the installation of a new Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) at the Denison and Stanrock sites. The selected contractor, Stroma Engineering, has been working closely with Denison Environmental Services (DES) to plan and execute this project which is expected to be completed in June SCADA systems are used in industrial facilities to allow for the automation and remote control/monitoring of processes so that upset conditions can be quickly detected and corrected. In simple terms, SCADA systems are comprised of instrumentation to allow plant condition monitoring (e.g. water ph), a communications system that allows instruments to communicate with a central computer, and a human machine interface that allows plant operators to view and change operational data in the plant. Currently there is no SCADA system installed at the Denison TMA-1 Treatment Plant and a radio-based alarm system for the Stanrock Treatment Plant that can initiate a callout to a site operator if a plant upset condition exists. The new SCADA installation will include the Stanrock Treatment Plant, two pump-houses on the Stanrock Mine Site (Dam G and Dam M) as well as the treatment plant at TMA-1 on the Denison site. This system will allow monitoring and control of plant operation including intrusion and fire detection for each of the buildings, reagent addition, water level monitoring, ph, reagent addition rates, pump operation, etc. All of this information will be continually transmitted to the master computer (located in DES s office in Elliot ) which will allow the plant to be monitored and controlled from anywhere with an internet connection. For questions or comments, please contact Ian Ludgate at iludgate@ denisonenvironmental.com. TMA-1 Treatment Plant (Denison)

2 Maintaining and Monitoring our SiteS Rio Algom and Denison are committed to a high standard of operation, care and maintenance to ensure the continued safe and reliable performance of our tailings management areas (TMAs) and effluent treatment plants (ETPs). Our maintenance plan requires us to regularly evaluate the age, performance and life expectancy of our equipment and facilities for replacement and repair as required. Maintenance activities at Rio Algom properties completed in 2012 and planned in 2013 include: Ryan Outlet Maintenance: Rio Algom completed maintenance of the Ryan outlet structure and channel during 2012 summer low flow. This involved replacing the overflow culvert in the outlet structure with a spillway and adding additional erosion protection to the upstream and downstream slopes. The berm that separates the Ryan outlet channel from the Historic Precipitate Pond was restored by raising with sand and gravel and capping with rock. The Ryan outlet structure and channel are located within the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission licensed Nordic tailings management area. The structure was originally constructed to supply water to the former Nordic townsite and currently the golf course. The Voyageur hiking trail passes over the crest of the structure. Rio would like to thank the local golfers and hikers for their cooperation and patience during the construction period. Remote Monitoring Network: Upgrades to our remote monitoring communication network are in progress and will be completed by the end of June The work involves replacing the data radios used to relay information from the treatment plants to the central control computer and upgrading associated software. All of the Rio effluent treatment plants are instrumented and relay key operating information (ph, plant flow rates, pumping status) and other alarm features to a centralized computer. These features allow the plant operator to access the central computer remotely by laptop to monitor plant operating conditions. HWY 108 Gravel Pit Dam D Dam K1 Treatment Plant Dam K2 Evans Maintaining our Quirke Tailings Management Area (water colour is the result of adding lime to the water in the tailings management area to neutralize acid and remove iron prior to treatment) Quirke Tailings Management Area Maintenance: Maintenance of Dams D, K1 and K2 at the Quirke Tailings Management Area are planned for the low flow season during the summer of Work at Dams K1 and K2 includes restoring the design height of the dams and applying rock to the slopes to improve erosion protection. At Dam D we plan to replace the five overflow control pipelines with a single concrete spillway and increase the height of the dam by 1 metre to increase storage capacity. Dams K1 and K2 located at the West end of the tailings facility were engineered and built to keep the tailings flooded and control generation and release of acid. The dams are 30 years old and have settled less than 1 metre from the weight of the clay, sand, gravel and rock used to build them. The clay core of the dam is Testing our communication over 7 meters wide and independent engineers have confirmed the settlesignals ment has not impaired the long term performance (e.g. stability and seepage control) of the dams. Dam D controls the release of treated water from the first of three ponds used to settle and remove treatment solids from treated water. The five existing overflow control pipelines in Dam D are over 30 years old and need to be replaced. Replacing the five pipelines with a single spillway will eliminate having pipelines through the dam and provide a single point of operating control. Inspecting the completed Ryan Increasing the height of the Outlet Structure dam will increase the pond area and volume, providing more time for solids to settle and be removed. treating the Water FroM tailings Rio Algom and Denison operate eight water treatment plants in the Serpent River Watershed. The plants treat surface water and seepage collected from the tailings management areas with lime and barium chloride to neutralize acid and remove radium and metals (primarily iron). Tailings are crushed rock the consistency of beach sand that remain when rock containing uranium (or other desirable minerals) is ground up and the uranium has been removed. In Elliot, 95 percent to 98 percent of the uranium that was in the ore was removed in the milling process. The amount of uranium remaining in the tailings is less than percent, or the equivalent of half a teaspoon of sand in a 45-gallon drum. Sampling for quality control In addition to residual uranium, tailings contain small quantities of radium and natural sulphide minerals primarily iron sulphide or pyrite which, when exposed to air and moisture, produce a mild acid. Production of this acid is curtailed by covering the tailings with water, and if necessary, treating the surface waters from the tailings before the water is released to the Tailings water is collected in basins or collection channels and directed to the treatment plants where lime and barium chloride as required, are added before the water is sent to the settling ponds. The lime and barium chloride form very small particles with the radium and iron that settle out in the settling ponds much like flour stirred into water will settle if it is not stirred. It is the clean water with iron and radium removed that is released to the Collecting sample of treated water All of our treatment plants are instrumented to enable continuous operation and monitoring. The programmable logic controllers (PLC) adjust the rate of lime addition to achieve the desired degree of neutralization as determined by ph measurements. The PLC will shut-down the plant and dial-out to an operator if the plant is not operating in the programmed ph range. Operators visit the site daily to inspect equipment and conduct quality control checks. When not at the plant, operators can check on plant equipment, ph, flow rates and other operating conditions by accessing a central computer that integrates the operating information from all of our treatment plants. Water released from the settling ponds is routinely monitored for ph, total suspended solids, radium, uranium, iron, manganese and cobalt with results reported to the government agencies on a monthly and annual basis. All water released from our treatment facilities since 1990 has been better than limits set by the government agencies and water quality for mine-related elements in the lakes and rivers of the Serpent River Watershed is better than government guidelines established to protect human health and aquatic life.

3

4 toward a common LaNguage We ve try to minimize the technical jargon in our communications, but some terminology is unavoidable. The following are definitions of some of the terms we commonly use in our newsletters and public documents. If there are other terms you would like explained, just let us know by completing We d Like to Hear From You on the back page of this article or call one of Acidity: A chemical characteristic of a liquid that indicates how strongly it will react with other chemicals by donating a proton or accepting electrons. Examples of acidic liquids include vinegar, fruit juices and carbonated beverages. Effluent: Surface water and seepage collected from tailings management areas that are directed to the treatment plants. Effluent Treatment: The addition of lime and barium chloride to surface water and seepage collected from tailings management areas. This process neutralizes acidity and removes metals and radium. The water is later released to a settling pond, where treatment solids settle out and remaining clear treated water is released to the PLC (Programmable Logic Controller): Equipment that collects information from plant equipment and instrumentation then uses the information to control how equipment in the plant operates based on instructions programmed in the PLC. ph: A measure of the acidity and alkalinity of liquids. A ph of 7 is neutral. Any measure less than 7 shows increasing acidity. The ph of lakes and rivers normally varies from 6 to 8. Radium-226: A naturally occurring element created by the breakdown of uranium. Radium-226 was not removed during milling at Elliot sites. There are only about 20 pounds of radium-226 in all of the 150 million tons of tailings in the Elliot area. SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition): Computer software that receives operating information (e.g flow rates, pump speeds) from industrial plants and presents it graphically on centralized computer(s). Operators can access and review the information remotely and send information back to the plants to adjust operation of plant equipment as required. Settling Pond: An area downstream of a treatment plant where treatment solids settle to the bottom and treated water is discharged. Clear, treated water is released to the environment from settling ponds. Tailings: Crushed rock the consistency of beach sand. Tailings are what remain when rock containing uranium (or other desirable minerals) is ground up and the uranium has been removed. Tailings Management Area (TMA): Areas used to permanently contain tailings. TMAs are generally located in natural rock basins. Dams are constructed in low-lying areas of TMAs to ensure containment of tailings. Treatment Solids: Remaining material after water collected from the tailings management areas is treated with lime to neutralize acidity and remove metals and radionuclides. Uranium: A naturally occurring element which, when purified and concentrated, is used as fuel to generate nuclear power. The amount of uranium in the rocks (ore) mined in the Elliot area was 0.10 percent or about 2 pounds per ton of ore. Since up to 95 percent of the uranium was removed during milling, the amount remaining in the tailings is less than percent, or the equivalent of half a teaspoon of sand in a 45-gallon drum. New Faces at DeNisoN Since forming Denison Environmental Services (DES) in 1997, we have worked to seek out and recruit skilled staff to work with our firm in Elliot. In 2012, DES saw the addition of two new faces to the Elliot team, Kevin Ramsay and Jessie Luchinski, who transferred to Elliot following completion of DES s Care and Maintenance operations at the Faro Mine Complex (FMC) in Faro, Yukon in March Kevin Ramsay is the Environmental Manager who joined the DES team at the FMC in During his 3 years with DES in the Yukon, Kevin oversaw and participated in implementation of an extensive environmental and geotechnical monitoring program, and supervised a team of 8 environmental professionals and technicians. He was also instrumental in the commissioning of a new analytical laboratory at the site, development of a successful remediation plan for treatment of 6 billion litres of metal-contaminated water, and design and installation of a 50-person potable water system. Since transferring to Elliot, Kevin has been involved in the Denison treatment plant upgrades and the new SCADA system at Stanrock and Denison, as well as a number of consulting and contracting projects primarily involving work on water management systems. With his B.Sc. Chemistry from the University of Northern British Columbia and over 12 years work experience in the natural resource, Jessie Luchinski Kevin Ramsay mining and environmental sectors, Kevin has proven a valuable addition to the DES Elliot team. Jessie Luchinski, B.Sc. Chemistry, is an Environmental Chemist who, like Kevin, also joined the DES team as part of the FMC Care and Maintenance operations in At the FMC, Jessie s main focus was the installation, commissioning and operation of a new $1,000,000 analytical laboratory, but she was also responsible for development and oversight of a comprehensive QA/QC program for the site-wide water monitoring program, preparation of monthly and annual environmental reports and technical memoranda, and advising on potable and wastewater treatment issues. Since transferring to Elliot, Jessie has become involved in the assessment and optimization of environmental monitoring and data management programs at several of DES s care and maintenance projects in Ontario and Quebec, and has also been extensively involved in a number of environmental consulting projects.

5 Elliot lake Dams: safety REviEw and HazaRD ClassifiCation Dams play an important role in the safe operation of both Rio Algom and Denison Mines closed mine sites. Most of the tailings management areas are submerged in order to prevent them from oxidizing (reacting) with open air, and a system of dams, berms, dykes and spillways helps maintain the water cover. All dams in the Elliot area are subject to a rigorous program of dam maintenance. The dam maintenance program involves inspecting the dams for any evidence of structural distress including shifting or slumping of the dam, formation of cracks in the surface, or the effects of erosion such as wind or water. Further, the dams are kept free of any vegetation as penetration of roots can undermine dam stability. Finally, annual geotechnical dam safety inspections (DSIs) by the engineers-of-record are arranged in order to ensure the dams are staying within design specifications for all of the above-mentioned risk factors. Periodically, an additional safety study by third-party engineers are required in order to comply with applicable regulations. These studies are called Dam Safety Reviews (DSRs). From the MNR: The Dam Safety Review (DSR) is a systematic review and evaluation of all aspects of design, construction, maintenance, operation, and surveillance, and other factors, processes and systems affecting a dam s safety. The DSR includes all components of each dam system including the dam itself, spillway, foundation, abutments, and even the tailings management area being maintained. The important thing is that the DSR evaluates the system based on current standards, which may be different from the acceptable standards at the time of original construction (or prior DSR). Concurrent with the DSR, the dams are classified according to their potential level of risk as a result of dam failure, a process called Hazard Potential Classification (HPC).These classifications are based on the potential environmental or socio-ecomic losses from a dam failure, and can change as a result of new downstream developments. This would not have an impact on the high standards of care and maintenance that are applied to our dam inspections and maintenance. For all Rio Algom sites, inspections took place in 2012 with results expected in the first half of Denison site inspections are scheduled to take place in June, with results later in These studies will take into account both the Canadian Dam Association s Dam Safety Guidelines and the Ministry of Natural Resources Dam Safety Review Best Management Practices in order to ensure the dams are in top shape. Initial comments have Dam 10 (Denison) indicated that the dams are in excellent operating condition and would be expected to withstand hundreds of years even without maintenance. For specific information on the criteria for classification, see the MNR s Technical Bulletin at gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@ mnr/@water/documents/document/stdprod_ pdf keeping in TouCH we D like to HEaR from you You are invited to keep in touch and stay informed about Denison Mines and Rio Algom s activities in the Serpent River Watershed. Each summer the Nuclear and Mining Museum organizes tours of the mine sites as part of the Jewel in the Wilderness festivities (Thank You Darla Henessey!). If you prefer written material, our newsletter is published annually in the Standard and our technical reports on the Serpent River Watershed are available at the Elliot library or by contacting either Ian Ludgate or Debbie Berthelot. If your group or organization is interested in a presentation on our activities or would like to arrange a group tour of our sites, please complete the response form on the right. We d like your thoughts about our performance in the operation, care and maintenance of our closed mine sites. Please call us or send us a note. We ll respond as quickly as possible. Cut out this coupon and use it to mail your comments to: Debbie Berthelot Reclamation Manager, Elliot Rio Algom Limited P.O. Box 38 Elliot, Ontario P5A 2J6 debbie.berthelot@bhpbilliton.com or Ian Ludgate Manager Denison Mines Inc. 1 Horne Walk Suite 200 Elliot, Ontario P5A 2A5 iludgate@denisonenvironmental. com Elliot Closed Mine Site Operation, Care and Maintenance Question(s): I d like to know more about: Your name and address (please print): Telephone: Date: Thank You! Fax: