De Beers still waiting on Snap Lake call
Water board approves temporary change to allowable limit of released salts; long-term limit increase decision still pending
Stewart Burnett
Northern News Services
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
De Beers is remaining silent on the latest recommendation from the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board allowing the company to increase the allowable amount of mineral salts at its Snap Lake diamond mine.
Todd Slack, representative of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, said the Yellowknives want the TDS level capped at 684 millgrams per litre in Snap Lake. |
The company declined comment following the decision released last Thursday which granted De Beers increased levels of allowable total dissolvable solids (TDS), which are seeping in from the underground walls of the diamond mine and being pumped back into the lake.
While the company waits on a long-term approval of 1,000 milligrams per litre of total dissolved solids in Snap Lake, which the company has stated it needs to keep the mine open, the board has approved its application for a temporary level of 684 milligrams per litre from its current 350 milligrams per litre.
Glen Koropchuk, chief operating officer with De Beers Canada, told the board in March that De Beers requested the temporary allowance because it didn't want to be a company perpetually operating out of compliance.
Being out of compliance with a water licence can trigger stop work orders and charges under the Northwest Territories Waters Act.
The Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation recommended the board reject De Beers' request for an interim allowance, saying the company had not done enough to prevent this situation in the first place.
In the March public hearing, Koropchuk said raising the TDS limit in Snap Lake is necessary for the mine - and 800 jobs, 300 of which are for NWT residents - to survive.
"Snap Lake Mine ... cannot continue to operate if a level of TDS is set that is not sustainable," he said.
De Beers seeks a long-term TDS level of 1,000 milligrams per litre for Snap Lake, which is almost triple its current 350 milligrams per litre limit.
Snap Lake Mine has not been profitable yet and is expected to close operations in 2028.
Yellowknives Dene First Nation expressed concern at the March public hearings about change of taste to the Snap Lake water and potential contamination of MacKay Lake downstream. The Yellowknives want the long-term TDS limit capped at 684 milligrams per litre. Todd Slack, negotiator for the Yellowknives Dene First Nation, declined comment on the board's approval.
Erica Bonhomme, environment manager at the Snap Lake Mine, said that would result in the mine's closure.
It is now up to Environment Minister Michael Miltenberger to approve the interim TDS level.
A decision on the long-term TDS limit is expected late May.
The land and water board did not comment on reasons for decision.
