A letter from the Mount Polley team
Everyone at Mount Polley Mine has been busy commissioning the mill and preparing the mine for full scale operations. We are at full production mining in the pit, stockpiling materials for future milling, and have been operating the mill at reduced throughput while additional refurbishment occurs.
We are actively recruiting talent. Mount Polley will employ approximately 355 people for full scale operations. This is a very diverse, multidisciplinary work site and if you are interested in a career in mining, please contact us at hr@mountpolley.com.
Covid-19
Mount Polley employees continue to take additional precautions to minimize the risks of COVID-19 transmission, though many workplace restrictions have been rescinded.
Site Operations
Operations in many departments have commenced or are coming online soon. Mill operations were commissioned and initial mill throughput was achieved in Q2.
Refurbishment of equipment is ongoing to reach nameplate throughput, but the crushing, grinding, flotation and filtering circuits have come online and are ramping up to full scale operations.
Pit operations continue and are nearing mining production targets.
Environmental and water management activities are ongoing and continue to be on track.
Mount Polley has built a strong, mutually beneficial relationship with Indigenous communities through partnering on training, employment, environment management, socio-cultural awareness, business opportunities, and capacity investment.
Environmental Monitoring Update
Recent and ongoing monitoring activities completed:
- Weekly Water Treatment Plant (WTP) water quality sampling including weekly/monthly/quarterly toxicity sampling.
- On June 9, 2022 the WTP was shutdown due to an exceedance. Trigger Response plans were initiated and following completion of all the other steps contained in the Permit 11678, the effluent discharge resumed on June 22, 2022, at approximately 5:30pm.
- Monthly & quarterly water quality sampling of surface & mine affected waters including groundwater and mine seepage.
- Site wide flow monitoring.
- Specialized biological monitoring (benthic/invertebrate, tissue, periphyton, plankton etc.)
- Water quality sampling and monitoring of Springer, Cariboo and Wight pits.
- Monthly/quarterly site inspections including waste management.
- Reporting—monthly, quarterly, annual.
- Comprehensive Environmental Monitoring Plan (CEMP) development/revision.
Environmental monitoring is conducted in accordance with the Environmental Management Act (EMA) Permit 11678 and the ENV ministry approved CEMP requirements.
Water Treatment Plant Performance Update
Hazeltine and Edney Creek Remediation
A small amount of remediation work was completed in Q2 2022. All in-stream work was completed in 2021. Monitoring is ongoing and in Q2 2022 studies focused on water quality, trout population, plankton, wildlife and physical stability. These studies are intended to further understand the effects of the remediation success.
Tree and shrub planting as well as ground cover seeding was completed in Q2. Approximately 113,000 seedlings were planted including target species of Douglas Fir, Lodgepole Pine, Spruce, Sitka Alder and rose. The alder and rose seedlings were grown from locally collected seed.
Vegetation community monitoring is ongoing and is showing that self-sustaining vegetative communities are developing. Numerous species are emerging as a result of natural regeneration and germination of vital tree species.
MPMC Events
Quarter 2, 2022
- April 7, 2022: Public Liaison Committee Meeting
- May 4, 2022: Williams Lake First Nations Tour
- July 7, 2022: Public Liaison Committee Meeting and tour at the mine
Resources
mountpolley.com
imperialmetals.com
BC Mine Information Page: https://mines.nrs.gov.bc.ca/
BC Ministry of Environment Natural Resource and Enforcement Database: https://a100.gov.bc.ca/pub/ocers/searchApproved.do?submitType=menu
Interested applicants may send their resume and cover letter to: hr@mountpolley.com
Any questions regarding the Community Update, please email Gabriel Holmes at gabriel.holmes@mountpolley.com