Government of Yukon provides eighth technical briefing on heap leach failure at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold Mine

On August 23, 2024, Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker joined by officials and technical experts from the Department of Energy, Mines and Resources and the Department of Environment, held the Government of Yukon’s eighth technical briefing since the heap leach failure at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold Mine site on June 24, 2024.

The Government of Yukon will continue to update the Victoria Gold Corporation Eagle Mine heap leach failure online hub, found at yukon.ca/victoria-gold-updates.

Independent Review Board

• The Government of Yukon determined that the Independent Review Process, outlined under Section 3.2.3 of the Mine Waste Facilities Management Guidelines, is the most expedient path to uncovering the causes of the June 24, 2024, heap leach failure and identifying lessons learned.
• In July, draft terms of reference were shared with the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun for their review and feedback. Terms of reference were finalized this week and discussions with experts who are interested in serving on the Independent Review Board are nearing completion.
• The Government of Yukon anticipates soon being able to announce the Independent Review Board membership.

Groundwater monitoring wells

• Work is underway by Core Geo to install up to five groundwater monitoring wells at the mine site, at locations far enough from the slide area that it is safe to do so.

Safety berm

• Pelly Construction is being mobilized to start work on a safety berm across the slide area and its access road in the coming days. The safety berm will allow for groundwater monitoring wells to be safely installed near the slide area.
• Precautions are being taken to protect workers building the berm. That includes having adequate onsite monitoring to detect any slope instability and having plans in place to stop work and move workers away from an area if new slide movement is observed.

Water monitoring

• Following the failure, and prior to August 8, 2024, a diversion pipe carried clean water from upstream of the mine site, around the failure, and into Dublin Gulch.
• This water was then mixing with highly contaminated groundwater surfacing in Dublin Gulch and resulted in high levels of cyanide detected in surface water samples collected from Dublin Gulch.
• This was the main source of the elevated cyanide levels observed in Haggart Creek since the failure.
• As of August 8, under an inspector’s direction, the diversion pipe was extended directly into Haggart Creek, bypassing Dublin Gulch.
• This measure has had a significant positive impact on the levels of cyanide observed in Haggart Creek.
• From August 9 to 15, 2024, much lower concentrations of cyanide were observed at all surface water monitoring locations in Haggart Creek.
• 80 per cent of samples received during this period have been non-detect for WAD cyanide.
• This is still a dynamic situation that always has potential to change.
• Water monitoring results for each day and sampling location can be found online at Yukon.ca/victoria-gold-updates.

Fish monitoring

• The 68 dead fish found in Haggart Creek following the discharge event are now in the possession of Environment and Climate Change Canada. Department of Environment staff are working with them to gain access to those fish to scan for tags and determine the number of Arctic grayling, slimy sculpin and other species that may be in the collection.
• An aquatic life monitoring plan has also begun, as developed by technical experts with the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun, the Department of Environment, federal departments and technical consultants. 
• This program focuses on sampling aquatic insects for abundance and collects tissue samples for metal analysis in Haggart Creek, both upstream and downstream of the mine.
• Combined, the fisheries and aquatic programs are aimed at providing the Department of Environment with an overview of how these populations may change over time, including if they are affected by heavy metals.

Animal and plant harvesting

• As stated in previous briefings, the Department of Environment’s Animal Health Unit is asking hunters harvesting moose and caribou north of Mayo to collect liver, kidney, muscle and incisor bar samples and freeze them as soon as possible before dropping them off at Department of Environment offices.
• Sampling kits are available at the offices of the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun and at Deparmeent of Environment district offices in Mayo, Dawson and Whitehorse.
• Sampling kits will not confirm whether meat or organs from a harvested animal are safe to consume. Samples collected will help develop baseline data for long-term monitoring of ungulates in this area. There are no indications that the meat of harvested animals in this area is not safe to consume at this time.  
• For those engaging in on-the-land activities such as hunting, fishing, or gathering in the area, our current data suggests no increased immediate health risks from these activities outside the immediate area of the mine.  
• Due to the instability at the mine itself, the Chief Medical Officer of Health continues to recommend that you not consume water or eat fish from Haggart Creek.