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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWNIFE
Holes are being drilled in the ground at Giant Mine, in part to give clean-up crews a better picture of what's going on in the arsenic chambers underground.

Depending on the results found during test drilling along Baker Creek, including the public parking area near the Giant Mine boat launch, the fence might be coming down in the near future. - Danielle Sachs/NNSL photo

Drilling started along Baker Creek on the Giant Mine site in late November and is expected to take about a month to complete.

Approximately 16 holes are expected to be drilled around various spots near Baker Creek, including the public parking area near the Giant Mine boat launch. Crews began drilling on Nov. 29.

So far, five holes have been drilled and there are two crews from Tli Cho Landtran Transport Ltd., each working 12-hour shifts with work continuing around the clock.

The work is taking place as an investigative measure to see what's happening underground at the Giant Mine site, including the exact size and shape of the underground chambers where 237,000 tonnes of deadly arsenic trioxide – a byproduct from decades of smelting gold – are being stored.

"There's approximately 16 holes being drilled along Baker Creek and in the vicinity," said Adrian Paradis, acting manager of the Giant Mine Remediation Project.

"We applied for a five-year permit so this is just the first round."

Depending on what's found, the fencing surrounding the pond near the A-shaft headframe at Giant Mine, could come down.

Orange snow fencing was erected in March 2012 in the popular day use area, after fears arose over how stable the ground was underneath the mining display.

The pond and heritage mining equipment are located directly overhead a large stope, an underground cavern that's left behind after ore is mined out.

In September, more permanent chain link fencing was put up and the mining equipment moved away from the site.

The drilling around this site is to see how thick the crown pillar actually is. The crown pillar is the thickness between the empty cavern and the ground.

"It was put up as a preventative measure," said Paradis.

None of the chambers that are being drilled into contain arsenic trioxide, the toxic byproduct of gold roasting. Taking measurements from the chambers is supposed to help decide how much fill is needed for the final remediation plan.

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