KGHM Ajax Mining Inc. is looking at the possibility of using treated waste water from the city for mining operations.
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
January 15, 2014 - 9:33 AM
KAMLOOPS — KGHM Ajax Mining is asking for samples of treated effluent waste water to determine if it is a viable water source for operations at the proposed mine.
The company and city have previously had informal discussions on the possibility and according to the Environmental Assessment Permitting Manager Nicola Banton and External Affairs Manager Yves Lacasse the company is now interested in exploring the possibility a little more closely.
The company needs to first assess the chemical compatibility with mine processes before the possibility can be fully explored but believe there are potential benefits to the company, city and residents should it prove viable.
This is not the first time this request has been made of the city and in the past samples have been provided as requested, as well as data from previous city samples if requested. Typically the city also requests copies of the laboratory data from the provided samples.
The reuse of treated waste water reduces the amount of effluent water entering the river and the city encourages the reuse whenever possible. Providing the samples does not require any additional sampling and is not expected to accrue any additional expenses outside of what would be done for normal operations.
Meanwhile the city has also received a response to a December letter to the Minister of the Environment requesting the current status of the environmental assessment for the proposed project.
Because KGHM recently postponed submission because of possible changes to the proposal, the EA office cannot determine a timeline, schedule or approach to complete the EA. Once the schedule and approach is determined the EA office will be in contact with the technical working group, which the City of Kamloops is part of.
KGHM Ajax announced in August it had possibly found a new ore source and would put off submitting the environmental assessment until it fully understood what the possibilities were for the proposed mine.
To contact a reporter for this story, email jstahn@infotelnews.ca, call (250)819-3723 or tweet @JennStahn.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014