Ottawa now ensures the remediation of the Clinton Creek mine

Almost 50 years after the closure of the asbestos mine Clinton Creek, in the center of the Yukon, the territorial government is understood with the federally so that the maintenance and maintenance of the site is now assumed by Ottawa.

The Clinton Creek mine, located approximately 65 km north of Dawsonat the confluence of the Yukon river and the river Fortymilewas operated by the Cassiar Asbestos mining from 1967 to 1978.

With its approximately 500 inhabitants, the mining city has become for a brief moment a dynamic community with its school, its health center, its tavern, a curling center and its own newspaper, the Rock Fluff. Then the mine closed and the mining ended up declaring bankruptcy and abandoning the site in 1992.

Since then, the work to ensure the stability and security of the site has continued, first taken care of by the Government of the Yukon, then by Couronne-Northern and Affairs of Northern Canada (RCAANC), as part of its program to restore northern abandoned mines, with the participation of the First Nation Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin.

And RCAANC is unable to share a timetable for remediation work, the federal point indicates that the objective is to manage to close the site by 2036. Priority will be granted to the batteries of rock waste and mining residues which are still in the area as well as to the residues responsible for the formation of the lake Hudgeon.

This lake represents a large part of our remediation efforts because, if it were to yield, it would pose a significant risk for the regionexplains the director of natural resources for the First Nation Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin, Alice McCulley.

In order to minimize these risks, the First Nation had installed, at the turn of the 2000s, infrastructure to allow the passage of water, reduce the risk of downstream and erosion of the dam. However, the canal arrives at the end of its life cycle.

The Director of the Environment for the Yukon with RCAANCMartin Guilbeault, underlines that a flood could have an impact until the mouth of the stream Clinton and river Fortymile.

However, it reassures the inhabitants that a surveillance system is in place on the site. We know that there are a few residents [le long de la Fortymile]he said, adding that there would be Enough time, considering the surveillance in place, to warn the population.

Martin Guilbeault also ensures that the risk of flooding is not great, but that the possibility is taken seriously by the government. The teams therefore work to strengthen the dam, which is more like a backfill, and to improve the channel.

He also underlines that the stability of the site and the passage of fish in the stream Clinton are two other priorities.

An important site for the First Nation

Alice McCulley explains that the stream Clinton was an important fishing location for the first nation Trʼondëk hwëchʼin before the mining city settled.

The stream Clinton is of crucial importance and offers a habitat for young quinnat salmon. These are the biggest we find in Yukonshe said, adding that before the arrival of the asbestos mine, the river flowed freely to the river Fortymile.

But the landslide [survenu en 1974] blocked the streamshe is sorry.

Restoring the passage for fish along the watercourse is therefore a priority for residents, in addition to safety measures to allow access to the site.

The First Nation also asked Ottawa to prioritize the hiring of members and companies held by its members for remediation work in order to create economic benefits for the community.

According to the Director of Natural Resources for the First Nation Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin, remediation works in recent decades have been slow. Alice McCulley Also specifies that it will not be possible to bring the site back to what it was originally, but that they are now working to improve its ecological functions.

There are 50 to 60 years of impact on the region. These are generations of our population and this has definitely had an impact on the knowledge and use of this region, but we certainly hope to reconnect people and rebuildshe evokes.

With information from Caitrin Pilkington