SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The cleanup of Giant Mine may be a hugely expensive environmental headache but there is a silver lining to be reaped once the real work begins.
According to the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development, which is responsible for mine's cleanup, the workforce needed for remediation is expected to peak at around 300 employees over the next decade - more than the number of workers the defunct gold mine used to employee before shutting down in 1999. The mine employed approximately 280 workers before closure.
Some work will begin this summer as the Giant Mine remediation team begins dismantling the mine's heavily contaminated roaster complex, where gold ore was once smelted and deadly arsenic trioxide was created as a by-product. The bulk of the estimated $449-million cleanup is expected to begin in 2014 once approval has been granted by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board
"At the peak of implementation there could be up to 300 workers on site at one time," confirmed Yose Cormier, a senior communications officer with the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada.
"Numbers fluctuate greatly on almost a daily basis on a project such as this, depending on what's happening at the site."
A large part of the work includes the freezing of 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide dust in 15 underground chambers - a controversial plan as it calls for the arsenic to remain there indefinitely, and will require constant monitoring.
There will also be considerable work in taking down the roaster complex and other mine buildings, stabilizing underground chambers, and capping tailings ponds.
Some city councillors said the benefits the cleanup will bring to the city's overall economic picture.
Questions remain as to how many local bidders will get contracts and how many southerners may be required to move here.
As city council contemplates a new economic development strategy this week for the next five years, the Giant Mine cleanup will factor high on its list.
"It is unfortunate we have to go through this whole exercise first of all, but the potential of getting a labour force similar to an operating mine, that is a silver lining," said councilor Adrian Bell.
"It definitely will have a huge impact (on the city's economy) and shouldn't be overlooked."
Coun. Cory Vanthuyne agreed there are both positives and negatives to consider.
"It is a good news/bad news situation - good news from a city perspective that it will have an economic impact to our city and a positive one as it relates to economic opportunities and others relocating here to satisfy the capacity requirements," he said.
"It is also disturbing to realize there is that much damage being left behind and that much cleanup that is going to be required to deal with the environmental mess after many years."
