Reflections on the mine from an Aberdeen resident

I received the following this week and, while the author asked that it not be published in The Daily News as he prefers to remain anonymous, I find it a particularly thoughtful reflection on the Ajax mine proposal, and worth sharing. Here it is, with the writer’s permission but without his name:

Dear Mr. Rothenburger

I am writing to comment on the proposed Ajax mine near Aberdeen in Kamloops. I don’t want to post a letter in the paper – I guess I just want to vent. I appreciate your opinion and I appreciated your column on the matter in today’s paper.

First let me say that in general I am in favor of mining. I appreciate the jobs and the taxes and I am aware that most of the products that I use come at least partially from the earth with some environmental cost. In fact, this mine would very likely be of direct economic benefit to me. However, I also believe it is possible to locate a mine too close to a population center of 85,000 people. Environmental impacts that may be tolerable 50km away from a city are not necessarily tolerable when located 2km from a city.

These concerns are coming from an intelligent person with a scientific background who believes in rational analysis and comment, not groundless hysterical blather. Yes, I live in Aberdeen but I believe many of the impacts will affect other areas of Kamloops as much or more. I hike and run in the area bounded by Highways 5 and 5A, the Goose Lake Road, and Aberdeen several days a week, year round. I also travel extensively in the Chuwhels, Greenstone, Inks areas. I believe I have a fairly good idea of the conditions and topology of the area.

I understand the Ajax group will be providing details on plans for mitigation of environmental impacts resulting from the mine, rock crushers, waste rock piles, tailing ponds, water supply, blasting, trucking, etc. Clearly Ajax will be attempting to minimize the apparent impact as part of this process. I would hope to see the specific plans for mitigation publicly posted for review by all.

Several of my concerns are as follows:

Dust:
The mine will be a massive generator of metallic ore dust from the blasting and crushing operations. Also, the many hundreds of daily trips by the ore trucks will generate immense dust plumes if roads are dry. The wind blows vigorously toward the east and north east almost every day through the valley between Jocko Lake and Coal Hill. This constant wind will carry all metallic ore dust, blasting fumes, and exhaust from vehicles toward South Kamloops, Valleyview, Dallas, etc. and will deposit at least the dust in those areas. I believe much of this wind may also often circle around to blow back into town across Sun Rivers.

Each person who is interested in the impact from this mine should take a drive out to Highland Valley mining operations to see the dust there. Drive up to the office parking lot where you can see the daily accumulation of metallic dust. Rub some of it on your fingers to see that it is not just normal ‘dirt’ dust – it doesn’t come off. Stop on the side of the road 1km, 2km, 4km, and 8km from the main processing area and look at the impact of the dust in forest. I think everyone should see the widespread impact of all this dust.

Kamloops already has a severely compromised air-shed due to the pulp mill. Do we really need another major source of air pollution?

Waste Water:
I assume that much of the mitigation for the dust created by the mine will revolve around water spraying on roads and ore removal operations. Also, the stunning amount of water used in the various ore processing operations will all be released back into the environment. Unfortunately, the area of the mine has very limited water outflow options. All of the water that is pumped up the hill from Kamloops Lake will of course eventually return to the river.

The many square kilometers of destruction that will be formed by the tailings ponds will be with us for many more years than the 23 year proposed lifespan of the mine. Again, a quick trip out to the Highland Valley will show the stunning impact. Or perhaps a drive by Craigmont mines – 30 years after the close of the mine the tailings ponds are still an ugly scar.

All of this water must flow downhill into one of Cherry, Alkali, Guerin, or Peterson creeks.  Much of the runoff will flow into the urban Peterson Creek where it will flow right through the center of town. How does Ajax propose to preclude the total death of these stream systems? How much of the daily millions of gallons will join the already troublesome groundwater flow down through Aberdeen? How can this properly be assessed?

It seems that Ajax will be permitted to alter the course of Peterson Creek for several hundred meters. I find this interesting in light of recent
rulings by DFO where not so much as one meter of alteration can be permitted in Peterson Creek where it flows through downtown Kamloops.

The waste rock piles will be hundreds of feet high and many kilometers long. Many people think they will be only an unsightly byproduct of the mine. However, from February until July each year vast amounts of melt water will run off and through the waste piles collecting metals and poisons. The resulting toxic stream will flow down via the Alkali and perhaps Cherry Creek systems to the river. The photo above (sorry about the poor quality) shows the brilliant orange run-off from the waste piles at Gibraltar mine. This water then flows untreated into the surrounding watershed. I have seen this sort of runoff at several BC mining operations. What is to stop the same runoff here in Kamloops?

Tourism:
Unfortunately, Kamloops is already known as a smelly mill town. It seems that discharge from the Domtar mill is acceptable to MOE but it is not acceptable to many residents and certainly not to tourists. The visual impact of the mine from the Coquihalla will be striking but not a tourist draw. The impact on the air-shed will only strengthen the perception that Kamloops is a smelly, polluted place. Does Kamloops really want to be perceived as another Trail or Sudbury?

Seismic:
I really don’t know anything about this but I question the impact of thousands of explosions over many years located a scant 3.5 km from many houses. Who will be attesting to the safety of this – Ajax?

I would like to see the environmental assessment process more open so that the citizens of Kamloops can feel like a proper evaluation will be made. There is no question that people in Ottawa, Victoria or Poland will not have to live with the impact of this mine; it will be borne by you and me and our children. I cannot see how this mine could be permitted.

Best regards.