Keeping Watch: Prosperity Mine

Prosperity Mine's New Challenge to Fish Lake

2011-11-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

Taseko Mines Puts New Prosperity Proposal to Federal Government

Taseko Mines has submitted a new proposal for the Fish Lake Prosperity Mine.

The "new" proposal would see a tailings pond created upstream from Teztan Biny (Fish Lake), rather than draining and filling in the lake itself.

Others have done a much better job of summarizing the risks this new proposal creates for the local ecosystem, the rivers and the people of Xeni Gwet'in. Below are a set of links to recent articles:

Why Culture Matters: Prosperity Mine's Impacts on the People and Land of the Nemaiah Valley

Mining Threat to B.C. Sacred Lake Persists

Teztan Biny Facebook Page

Fracking Poisons Aquifers

2011-03-20T12:56:00.001-07:00

URL: http://oilspillaction.com/the-fracking-war-a-fight-over...

How can a modern nation like the United States allow poisons to be pumped into aquifers?

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bvi5o

Fracking Pumps Poison Into Groundwater

2011-03-20T12:55:00.001-07:00

Fracking pumps poison into the aquifers but the industry wants us to ignore that:

This is the industry’s “let’s be reasonable” talking point. It’s the industry saying it wants to dump a bunch of poison into our water. Then we say: “Hey, don’t poison our water!” And the industry responds with: “Well, let’s compromise. We’ll just dump less poison in your water.”

Fracking is FRICKING suicidal!

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bvi5l

Philosophy of the Globalizing Market Economics Versus Capitalism

2011-01-05T21:25:00.001-08:00

URL: http://www.scribd.com/doc/41833059/Philosophy-of-the-Gl...

To ask hard questions such as what is wrong with the currently used Economica of Capitalism that brought the Recession of 2007-09 has been avoided for a very long time, but finally these questions must be directed and answered appropreatly if the next recession is to be avoided indeed.

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bkoaa

Williams Lake Tribune - First Nations get the short end of the stick

2010-12-15T11:27:00.001-08:00

URL: http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_cariboo/williamslaketribu...

Great letter by Ashton Cooper of Tl’etinqox to Walt Cobb, asking Cobb to quit blaming the Chilcotin people for Prosperity Mine's demise. Good reading and great letter Ashton!

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/igru

Prosperity Mine Recent News and Notes

2010-12-14T23:08:00.000-08:00

I thought I would run through some recent news on the Prosperity Mine just to keep myself and all of you updated. I've picked out some things I hope you find interesting.

Globe and Mail Says YES Side Manipulated Mine Poll

The Globe sponsored a web poll back in October to measure public opinion on Taseko Mines' Prosperity Mine project. I followed the poll at the time and wrote encouraging the NO side to vote. Well it turns out that some NO side keeners (the First Nations Women Advocating Responsible Mining) were actually watching the poll results as they came. Turns out the YES side managed to rack up the majority of its votes in the last few hours before the poll closed, some 3000 votes in that short time.

That was enough to create a 54% lead in the opinion poll. How did they do it?

According to Globe Communities Editor Jennifer MacMillan this sort of thing isn't uncommon. While the Globe's polling system doesn't allow you to vote more than once, enthusiastic voters can simply press the "delete cookies" button on their web browser and they system thinks they are new to town. In this way, multiple voting is easy to accomplish.

Vote YES, delete cookies. Rinse and repeat!

I suppose, to be fair, the NO side could have done the same thing, but there is nothing to indicate that happened. The Globe stresses that "the polls at globeandmail.com are meant to be entertaining for readers, rather than scientific".

Fair warning!

Sequester This!

2010-12-10T14:52:00.001-08:00

China tries to blackmail Europe to keep paying for fake offsets. Sometimes I really wonder how any person or country can be so short-sighted and ignorant. This article is about China gaming the Clean Development Mechanism to reap huge profits with no work done. Scammers!

Amplify’d from www.ens-newswire.com

"The insistence that developed countries must continue to squander billions on fake offsets that actually increase production of greenhouse gases is irrational," said Fionnuala Walravens, with Environmental Investigation Agency.

"China is not the victim here," she said, "and it's unlikely that a world order that is responsive to climate change can be predicated on the basis of unrepentant greed."
Read more at www.ens-newswire.com

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/i4qg

Relationship between Taseko and First Nations crumbling

2010-12-09T16:12:00.001-08:00

URL: http://www.bivinteractive.com/index.php?option=com_cont...

This is interesting: BIVInteractive.com reports that the Feds turned down Taseko Mines' Prosperity Mine project because then-minister Prentice was in bed with "aboriginals"

BIV writes that Prentice was previously minister of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, a position which produced “close relationship with many aboriginal communities and leaders."

Ouch.

Imagine, a federal minister and CONSERVATIVE no less turning down a mine proposal because he likes aboriginal people. Where is WikiLeaks when you need it?!

It's a conspiracy.

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/i1lb

Relationship between Taseko and First Nations crumbling

2010-12-09T16:00:00.001-08:00

URL: http://www.bivinteractive.com/index.php?option=com_cont...

"Relations between Taseko Mines Ltd. (TSX:TKO) and B.C. First Nations hit rock bottom this year"... REALLY? no kidding. Who'da thunk?

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/i1ko

Williams Lake Tribune - Alphonse: Canada’s UN endorsement ‘long overdue’

2010-12-09T15:58:00.001-08:00

URL: http://www.bclocalnews.com/bc_cariboo/williamslaketribu...

Joe Alphonse says Canada's endorsement of UN Rights of Indigenous Peoples legislation is hopeful http://goo.gl/cV8bd

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/i1kg

Taseko's Prosperity Mine in the News Again

2010-12-09T15:55:00.000-08:00

Taseko Mines' Prosperity Mine project is in the news again.

The 100 Mile Free Press reports that Donna Barnett, MLA for South Cariboo has travelled to Ottawa to speak to Federal ministers on behalf of Taseko Mines. The goal was to find out what went wrong with the Prosperity Mine proposal as submitted.

Barnett was quoted as saying that “We want to know whether there has to be a brand new proposal or if there can be amendments to the existing proposal, and that’s the big one. Taseko, in its public statement, said it was willing to look at things and make changes.”

Squidoo Lens Earns $ for EarthJustice

2010-12-01T18:05:00.000-08:00

I thought i would share this bit of fund-raising... it is after all just a BIT of fund-raising.

I have a Prosperity Mine Squidoo Lens that I started more than a year ago. Squidoo is a "Web 2.0" site, sort of a high-ranking site that lets you set up good-looking pages about anything you want. The site is called a "lens" and your lens comes with a high ranking in search engines because Squidoo.com itself is very highly ranked. Search engine spiders crawl the site once a day at least so updates are quickly picked up and placed on Google, Bing or Yahoo.

All lenses automatically have context sensitive advertising. So my lens about Taseko Mines always has little ads on the side relating to mining products, stocks and businesses. When you create a lens you get to choose what to do with the income from advertising. In the case of my Prosperity Mine lens I chose to contribute all the revenue to EarthJustice.

Here is a snapshot of recent advertising income:

Squidoo Lens Monthly Earnings

Alright alright, it's pennies, I just thought it was interesting that it was anything at all! You have to be up in the 1000 views per month to really see income. This squidoo lens gets about 10 visits per day from different sources. It provides a backlink to this blog and is part of the reason that this blog is ranked so high in Google for phrases like "Prosperity Mine Taseko".

Interested in promoting your cause? making sure your message and website are getting the attention they deserve? Contact me here and I will be happy to give you tips and resources.

Thanks for reading!

Keeping Watch: Prosperity Mine: Feds May Have Leaked Taseko Prosperity Mine Decision

2010-11-25T20:55:00.001-08:00

URL: http://prosperity-mine-vs-fish-lake.blogspot.com/2010/1...

Massive sell off of Taseko Mine shares (TKO) two weeks before federal announcement likely means someone in federal government leaked the news so that a few lucky investors wouldn't lose everything.

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/gh2w

Feds May Have Leaked Taseko Prosperity Mine Decision

2010-11-25T14:05:00.000-08:00

Very interesting news out of Ottawa that the Feds may have leaked news of their Prosperity Mine decision about two weeks before the final decision was released.

There is it in mid-October:

Someone saved themselves a spot of cash, not doubt about it! The thing is, it's easy for regulators to figure out who sold the stocks and started the sell-off, so can't they catch them?

That is the problem with mining: it's a short term game for the financiers, a medium term game for the mining company, and a long term time bomb for the environment.

Taseko Mines says it doesn't know how such a thing could happen. The federal government has tried sidestepping the issue but it's looking pretty stupid in the process.

Time for an investigation!

RabbleInterview With Chief Marilyn Baptiste

2010-11-19T09:34:00.000-08:00

This is a good interview of Xeni Gwet'in Chief Marilyn Baptiste about the Taseko Mines Prosperity Mine project post-Federal decision to nix the mine.

You can get the original here at Rabble.ca. Chief Baptiste is talking about their trip to Vancouver for their land claim appeal in Vancouver on Monday November 22, 2010.

(I tried to post the audio directly here but it didn't work, so you will have to go to Rabble.ca to hear it)

Map of Prosperity MIne location

2010-11-16T20:21:00.000-08:00

The map below shows the location of Fish Lake (Teztan Biny in Tsilhqot'in) and the ore deposit. The deposit is under the pattern of trails you can see just to the northwest of the lake.

View Fish Lake on Google Maps in a larger map

Click on the lake and it will open in Google Maps, or use the zoom and pan arrows to look around. Just to the west of here is the First Nations community of Xeni Gwet'in (pronounced "hunny guteen" more or less). The mountains to the west are the Coast Range, and you'll see how close to the end of Bute Inlet via the Hamathko River.

Amazing country. I planted trees in Bute Inlet several years in a row back in the 1980's.

Taseko Mines Sincere About New Mine Proposal?

2010-11-11T21:31:00.000-08:00

It is very interesting that Taseko Mines is pondering a new mining proposal for Fish Lake.

After more than a decade of stating categorically (as recently as a week ago on a CBC phone in show) that the only option for their Fish Lake or Prosperity Mine, Taseko Mines has stated that it will look at other options.

I understand this from one point of view, they (or their investors) have spent about 100 million dollars to get this far. There's a lot of pissed off investors out there, and knowing the mining promotion industry this can't feel good to all the joes who sweat it out broadcasting "buy" alerts to their clients.

Ever do a search for "Taseko Mines"? What you get is a whole lot of investment advice (sales advice). Try it, it's amazing just how extensive the results are. Buried in there are other things like news and information, but the vast majority is about selling shares.

Most Taseko Mines search results are from stock promoters

How Sincere Is Taseko Mines?
So just how sincere is Taseko Mines in re-vamping their mine proposal?

My guess is that they want to a) shore up their stock price, and b)sell more shares so they can make share prices climb again. In my last post about Taseko Mines stock plummeting we saw that their stock price has gone all over the map in the last five years.

After all, Taseko has been completely steadfast in their assertion that there was only one way to develop this mine:

Throughout the more than 15 years that this project has been undergoing an environmental assessment, significant First Nations and public interest in preserving Fish Lake has been expressed. Notwithstanding the inherent difficulties of trying to preserve a lake in the midst/immediately adjacent to a plant site/ concentrator and open pit, Taseko has left no stone unturned in trying to find a way to preserve Fish Lake and develop the Project. …

It is not possible to preserve Fish Lake as a viable and functioning ecosystem while at the same time maximizing the full potential of the defined resource. From a mine planning perspective, in order to meet the objective of maximizing the full potential of the mineral resource at Prosperity, mine planners and decisions makers need to contemplate and prepare for the development of a pit that infringes on Fish Lake. (from West Coast Environmental Law website who got it from the Federal Review Panel report.)

So they have left no stone unturned (that's a geologists joke, by the way) in trying to avoid destroying the lake, but they missed one? Sounds like they are putting on their stock promoter's hat.

Marilyn Baptiste, chief of the Xeni Gwet'in band near the proposed mine, stated on a CBC open line show that they would not just jump on board if the lake were not to be destroyed, which is sensible. Who knows what the ramifications would be of another version of the mine.

Could they go underground? avoid open pit altogether? With gold over C$1300 per ounce you'd think that would be a possibility. A lot less tailings to generate acid mine drainage, too.

Here are the latest gold prices from Goldprice.org:

Taseko Mines Stock Price Plummets

2010-11-03T08:04:00.000-07:00

Well I have to feel a bit sorry for the shareholders of Taseko Mines after seeing this:

That says it all, doesn't it? I thought this looked pretty bad, but notice it's just this week.

Here is a five year stock chart for Taseko:

Doesn't look so bad really. They've been up and down before. The discussion now from the business community is around BC not being mining friendly. My thought is that this is a good message to the mining industry and business in general

the land has value all on its own and a mine doesn't necessarily mean a positive return to society, and
First Nations people count, their opinions and their values count.

Interesting, too, that the Mount Milligan mine has gotten the OK from the federal government. To me that is balance. They say the Mt Milligan mine is designed to minimize damage to the environment, whereas the Prosperity Mine never was.

Ecological Economics

There has been some good articles on Ecological Economics lately. Ecological Economics isn't just a fancy new term, it's placing a value on the environment to compare with something like a Prosperity Mine. And what it tells us is that an area the size of the Prosperity project does not outweigh the value of a mine, especially when you add in the massive risk of things like acid mine drainage leaking from the lake-cum-tailings pond.

It is a very human-centered way of looking at the world, but it tells us that the environment provides us with services like clean air, fish, grizzly bears, clean filtered water and so on, and a value can be placed on all of this.

To my way of thinking, mining companies need to come to grips with this way of thinking. Ensuring a mine's value outweighs (or possibly even improves...) the value of all the services provided for free should be their starting point. Telling society that the mine must be developed or we'll all suffer is old school and blackmail.

Try Listening Next Time

I like this quote from Marilyn Baptiste on Reuters:

"We hope today's decision will demonstrate the need to find a way forward for industry and governments to work with First Nations from the outset to identify and develop projects that are environmentally and culturally acceptable," said chief Marilyn Baptiste of the Xeni Gwet'in First Nation, in a statement.

Good on her.

Feds Turn Down Taseko's Prosperity Mine!

2010-11-02T20:51:00.000-07:00

I couldn't believe my ears this afternoon when I heard on CBC radio that the Federal Environment Minister had turned down Taseko Mines' Prosperity Mine proposal!

Congratulations especially to everyone at the Tsilhqot'in National Government and Xeni Gw'etin Band who worked so hard to fight this mine proposal.

Fish Lake Survey on Globe and Mail

2010-10-20T14:50:00.001-07:00

Click the Blue Link and Take The Survey!

Globe and Mail Survey on Fish Lake

Save Fish Lake

2010-10-19T12:59:00.000-07:00

Ivona Vujica slams Taseko's proposed Prosperity mine

2010-10-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

Canadian Federal Review Panel Prosperity Gold Copper Mine Project Day4.mpg

2010-10-19T12:51:00.001-07:00

"The Value of a Lake" by CBC's The Current

2010-10-19T12:19:00.000-07:00

The Current broadcast a story on the Prosperity Mine issue this morning. They tried to portray both sides and did a fair job, I think.

I was interested to hear from the wildlife biologists regarding grizzly and other species, and also the discussion about how to place a value on a lake.

You can listen to the broadcast by downloading the MP3 here: CBC: The Value of a Lake or you can just click the link and it will play in your browser.

They did the story as a Williams Lake Community vs. the natives in the hinterlands... I guess that is the way Taseko has played it the whole time anyway. Taseko representatives spoke up about how they really just want to make life better for First Nations people... hmmmm. Really?

My Views on Mining and the Prosperity Mine

2010-03-26T10:34:00.000-07:00

What I Would Say to the Federal Panel

We Need Mines
We need mines. We need mines because we need stuff like cars and food and pipes to deliver our water and fuel. I have a car and a cell phone and a house, so I understand all that.

Mines are needed to get the metals and other chemicals from the ground that we need to manufacture stuff. Of this there really is no doubt.

We Don't Need Mines Anywhere and Everywhere
We just don't need mines everywhere there is a concentration metal and chemicals in the ground. In fact, we CAN'T have them everywhere. We can't have them where they would poison my drinking water, nor where they would destroy my house or my children's school.

Mines need to built:

where there is both a concentration of metals and chemicals in the ground that makes them financially viable, and
where they do not impose too great a cost on the people who live close to them and on the environment.

That is the test for any mine, and that is the test for Taseko Mines' proposed Prosperity Mine.

So how do you measure "too great a cost" to people? or the environment?

You Wouldn't Want it in Your Backyard

I live in One Hundred Mile House, British Columbia, and there are lots of pretty lakes here, filled with lots of fish and with backdrops of hills and mountains as pretty as you'll find anywhere. But no one who lives near 108 Mile, or 103 Mile, or Horse Lake, Sheridan Lake or Green Lake would put their lake forward as a tailings pond, or offer their beautiful lakefront property up for blasting.

Of course, our houses are collectively worth billions of dollars, and, hey, we built this country, didn't we?

So Whose Land Is It Anyway?

The people who live close to the proposed mine are, for the most part, Aboriginal people, or First Nations people. They are the original inhabitants of this land, a collection of Nations that existed long before Europeans and Asians came here and declared it to be their country.

The people that call themselves Xeni Gwet'in (pronounced Honey Geteen, more or less) have lived where they do for thousands and thousands of years. That's thousands, people, not hundreds. As in, before Christ, before the Han Dynasty, and before Moses divided the Red Sea.

If you came here from England or China or South Africa last year or decade and now call Canada home, I think we can safely say that this place is, in relative terms, not so much yours home as it is theirs.

Who Cares Whose Home It Is?

Why does it matter whose home it is? For the same reason it matters that you wouldn't accept a mine near your home, nor allow your lake to be used as a giant toxic waste dump (I mean tailings pond).

The people of the Xeni Gwet'in have been heard from but not listened to in this debate over Taseko Mines' proposed Prosperity Mine.

The Provincial Government Hasn't Listened

The provincial government rubber stamped this mine proposal without so much as a second look. I am shocked to see that a government that espouses new relationships with First Peoples could kow tow to mining with such alacrity... by which I mean they did it quick-like without so much as a glance at where they were signing.

Taseko Mines Hasn't Listened

Taseko Mines has stuck with one proposal this entire time. It has not entertained any other style of tailings facilities other than emptying, digging up and then filling in a beautiful place that doesn't belong to them.

Taseko Mines has not listened to the Aboriginal People who would have to live with the results of their mine, not shown any respect for those who have always lived, fished, hunted and died on that land.

Taseko Mines' public relations machine has made the Xeni Gwet'in out to be a backwards and hypocritical people whose opinions don't count. Sound familiar? It is the same argument the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia has used since Confederation to make sure Aboriginal People do not have land or treaty rights.

It also sounds familiar to centuries of Aboriginal People who have endured both the claiming of their lands by Europeans and other newcomers, and the intended and unintended genocide of their people by successive Canadian governments.

Genocide? Never In Canada You Say?

Yes, Genocide by the definition established by the United Nations following the Second World War... a war Aboriginal People contributed to far beyond their proportion in the population, by the way.

The effects of this genocide are still evident today, after all it's been less than forty years since we stopped stealing babies from their families and making them go to residential schools where they were starved and beaten and forbidden from speaking their language or expressing their beliefs.

Why Does the Past Matter With Regards to the Prosperity Mine?

This history stuff matters today because we as British Columbians and Canadians have a choice. We can decide whether it is OK to go on not listening to First Nations people like the Xeni Gwet'in, or whether we should figure out that it isn't alright to steamroll them one more time.

If it wasn't alright to take away language and traditional ceremonies and beliefs then, it isn't alright to create this destruction today.

If it wasn't alright to believe that "our" values of hard work and entrepreneurship are superior to "their" lesser set of values then, well then it isn't alright today either.

This is exactly the argument that Taseko Mines has gladly fomented in the press and around the water cooler in places like Williams Lake, 100 Mile House and Vancouver. It's the same old "Indians are Lazy" argument you can read about in newspapers from the 19th Century.

The Williams Lake Tribune and writers like Tom Fletcher have been a key rallying point for this sort of explicit and implicit racism.

I have never once heard Taseko Mines step up to plate to say tell folks to quit making this an issue about race. Presumably it works in their favor. That tells me that they'll simply do what it takes, in public and through whatever back channels they can find, to make sure they make their millions on this mine.

They don't care 'cuz they don't live there.

Folks, we either still do this in Canada or we don't. You decide.

Taseko Mines Ltd | Go Green

2010-02-22T10:44:00.000-08:00

Taseko Mines Ltd | Go Green: "Taseko Mines Ltd
Jan
25
Anglers: unite on destruction of fishing lakes in BC
January 25th, 2010
Last July I wrote a post about the struggle the First Nations were having trying to save their lake, Tzenzaicut Lake also known as Fish Lake (situated about 125 km southwest of Williams Lake, BC) from being “used” as a dumping ground for the Prosperity Mine, a gold and copper open pit mine.� As I [...]
Continue reading about Anglers: unite on destruction of fishing lakes in BC"

Prosperity mine expected to add $4.5 billion to B.C.’s GDP

2010-02-22T10:40:00.000-08:00

Prosperity mine expected to add $4.5 billion to B.C.’s GDP

BY GORDON HAMILTON, VANCOUVER SUNJUNE 1, 2009

Taseko Mines Ltd. is countering environmental opposition to its proposed Prosperity mine southwest of Williams Lake with its own economic data claiming the mine will have a $4.5-billion impact on British Columbia’s gross domestic product over its 23-year life.

But to develop the mine, Taseko proposes turning a popular fishing lake, rainbow trout-rich Fish Lake, into a tailings pond, drawing stiff opposition from the Tsilhqot’in first nation and various environmental groups.

The economic argument is winning support in Williams Lake, 125 kilometres from the site, where the city council has made development of the mine its top priority.

But Bernie Elkins, of the Tsilhqot’in National Government, said the impact on the land outweighs the economic impact.

“We are not on-side with killing the lake,” he said, noting it is used by first nations and is popular with fishing enthusiasts. He also said the Tsilhqot’in remain unconvinced the mine will not leach toxins into the Taseko, Chilcotin and ultimately the Fraser rivers.

Comments harshly criticize environmental report on mining plan in Azusa - SGVTribune.com

2010-02-21T21:08:00.000-08:00

Comments harshly criticize environmental report on mining plan in Azusa - SGVTribune.com: "Comments harshly criticize environmental report on mining plan in Azusa

By Daniel Tedford, Staff Writer
Posted:�02/21/2010 12:13:42 AM PST"

New Gold Mine Could Devastate Natural Paradise | AIDA Americas

2010-02-03T16:56:00.000-08:00

New Gold Mine Could Devastate Natural Paradise | AIDA Americas: "Photo: Acid mine drainage at US mine | Credit: Earthworks
“Paredones Amarillos” is a proposed gold mine that would be located in the Sierra la Laguna Biosphere, a pristine area recognized by the Mexican government and the United Nations for its rich biodiversity. If mining proceeds in this biosphere reserve, this natural paradise could become home to a toxic waste site.

To extract gold from the Sierra la Laguna mountains, the Canadian company, Vista Gold, proposes to carve out huge quantities of rock – each ton contains a mere gram of gold – and grind it into a sludge. Next, it will treat the sludge with cyanide, an extremely dangerous chemical. The process dissolves the gold into a liquid so it can be collected; it also produces massive amounts of toxic waste from the left-over cyanide-treated ore.

The company plans to contain this waste ore (called “tailings”) in a dam intended to store the toxic slurry forever. Unfortunately, these dams can break for various reasons, as happened at the Porco mine in Bolivia in 1996."

Legalbrief - Legal action may follow acid mine drainage

2010-02-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

Legalbrief - Legal action may follow acid mine drainage: "��
Legal action may follow acid mine drainage
A report in today's issue of Legalbrief Environmental notes that heavy rainfall in the past few weeks has caused acid mine drainage to 'thunder' into the Witwatersrand Western Basin, causing it to spill over, carrying radioactive waste into the Tweelopiespruit and the Crocodile River system, which flows into the already polluted Hartbeespoort Dam, according to water activist Dr Anthony Turton."

The Latest News on Acid Mine Drainage

2010-02-03T16:53:00.001-08:00

Google Blogs Alert for: "acid mine drainage"

Earthlife Africa Jhb | Test for new amd
By Rachel
However, clean-up plans must not be restricted to areas with radioactive material, but also include other areas affected by heavy metal pollution from acid mine drainage. If the plans are to be effective, mining companies will have to ...
Earthlife Africa Jhb - http://www.earthlife.org.za/

Pennsylvania To Reduce Consumers Energy Costs By $46 Million Per ...
By admin
Loyalhanna Watershed Association Inc. — $128266 for a microhydro turbine and generator to power an acid mine drainage treatment system and lighting at the Latrobe wastewater treatment plant. It will enable a pilot treatment plant to ...
Gov Monitor - http://thegovmonitor.com/

Get The Dirt Out Tuscaloosa: EPA petition could mean tighter rules
By Get The Dirt Out Tuscaloosa
"Every mine discharge in the watershed today has bacteria that's associated with acid mine drainage," Wathen said. "That is a violation of the law. "Our rights have not been observed." ...
Get The Dirt Out Tuscaloosa - http://mudbuster.blogspot.com/

Green-friendly hydro scheme gets green light | Otago Daily Times ...
They added that it would stop a large volume of acid mine drainage from entering the Ngakawau River which should improve water quality, while using that contaminated water to generate "a much needed local supply of electricity". ...
Otago Daily Times: - http://www.odt.co.nz/news

Pacific Free Press publishes my article!

2010-01-31T17:47:00.000-08:00

Pacific Free Press published an article I wrote about the Stratus report: Fighting for Fish Lake: Project Enviro. Assessment Questioned

Thanks Chris at PFP!

2010-01-31T13:22:00.000-08:00

Dead willows along Silverbow Creek are surrounded by acid producing metal-laden mine tailings deposited by the 1908 flood.
from http://www.earthscienceworld.org/images/search/results.html?Keyword=Acid%20Mine%20Drainage#null

Excellent Article on Acid Mine Drainage and Alternatives to Tailings Ponds

2010-01-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

Safe Haven | Contaminated Mining Environments: It's Better To Be Green

November 29, 2009
Contaminated Mining Environments: It's Better To Be Green
by Richard Mills

Richard Mills writes an excellent backgrounder on Acid Mine Drainage, its effects on the environment, and means of dealing with waste rock that avoids or greatly lessens the risk of releasing toxins into the environment.

Mills concludes with these words:

I'm not against mining. In fact, I'm very much in favor of resource extraction. Mining, fishing and logging all provide quality high paying jobs and these industries are some of only a handful that create new money, bringing prosperity and security to communities. But we inhabit this earth and call it our home. Clean water, breathable air and a land free of contamination have to be the legacy we leave our children.

I agree with this, mines need to be, but they don't belong anywhere there happens to be ore.

Fighting for Fish Lake: Project Enviro. Assessment Questioned

2010-01-30T11:13:00.000-08:00

Pacific Free Press published an article I wrote:

Fighting for Fish Lake: Project Enviro. Assessment Questioned

Pacific Free Press is an excellent web site, and not just because the published the article. They take an activist approach and aren't afraid to take on tough issues!

Even More on Acid Mine Drainage

2010-01-29T13:11:00.000-08:00

Here are some snippets of information on Acid Mine Drainage and what lies ahead for Taseko Mines' Prosperity Mine:

Soils and spoils exposed to acid mine drainage do not support vegetation and are susceptible to erosion. When acid mine drainage enters natural waterways, changes in pH and the formation of voluminous precipitates of metal hydroxides can devastate fish populations and other aquatic life. There may be as many as 500,000 inactive or abandoned mines in the United States, with mine drainage severely impacting approximately 19,300 km of streams and more than 72,000 ha of lakes and reservoirs (2-3, ). Once initiated, mine drainage may persist for decades... solve.http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~db=all~content=a740169972

Acid mine drainage has already polluted more than 12,000 miles of rivers and streams and over 180,000 acres of lakes and impoundments in the United States. According to the U.S. EPA, acid mine drainage from coal mining is the leading source of water pollution in the Mid-Atlantic States. Acid Mine Drainage from metal mines in Western states has caused some of the country's largest and most contaminated Superfund sites. Mining companies argue that modern mining methods can protect against Acid Mine Drainage, but they cannot point to a single mine that is more than a few years old that has not resulted in contamination. Because Acid Mine Drainage often takes several years to develop, recent mines that have not yet contaminated nearby waters do not provide proof that these ores can be mined safely. http://www.sosbluewaters.org/

Acid Mine Drainage Pictures

http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/kirby/AMD.html

Prosperity a Foregone Conclusion?

2010-01-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

You'd Think So From Their Press Releases:

January 15, 2010
Taseko Receives Provincial Approval to Proceed With Prosperity

"Obviously we are tremendously pleased with the Provincial Government's decision. We put considerable effort and Company resources into the documentation and process and to have now received this approval is both gratifying and rewarding," says Taseko President & CEO Russell Hallbauer.

"The Government of British Columbia has authority and responsibility for mine development in the Province. Now that they have given their approval we will proceed to apply for and secure the necessary leases, licenses and permits required to advance the project," concluded Mr. Hallbauer.

Good for the stock prices, right?

And the environment?

More on Acid Mine Drainage

2010-01-28T12:51:00.000-08:00

I've been reading more on Acid Mine Drainage... relevant to the sort we can expect of the Prosperity Mine goes ahead.

Need to know more about AMD? just look on the internet.

Denver-based Newmont Mining Co. fined millions for cyanide spill at Ghanaian mine

EARTHWORKS

Denver-based Newmont Mining Co. fined millions for cyanide spill at Ghanaian mine

Panel faults company for failing to prevent accident, delays in notifying authorities

Joint release: EARTHWORKS * WACAM

Accra and Washington, 01/21: Ghanaian authorities are fining Denver-based Newmont Mining millions of dollars for negligently spilling cyanide at its Ahafo gold mine in October 2009, resulting in water contamination and fish kills. A Ghanaian Ministerial Panel that evaluated the spill and its aftermath recommended that the company be fined US$ 4.9 million for failing to prevent the spill or to properly report on and investigate the spill.

Newmont Mining has been around a long time, they aren't a relative newbie like Taseko Mines, and still they show complete disregard for the environment. Should it matter that they are in a country without adequate environmental protection?

That must depend on the attitude of the mining company. BHP Billiton, for example, is working to extend the same level of environmental practices to all of its operations worldwide, kind like an ISO exersize. Taseko? Mines? they have certainly never shown this sort regard for the environment at its Gibraltar operation.

The most recent additions to that mine have seen their waste management grandfathered into the old permit, rather than raise the bar to modern standards. Farmers below the mine have spoken for years about hush money paid to those whose cattle drink downstream.

A report on AMD from Alaska states that:

Logarithmic increases in metal levels in waters from sulfide-rich mining environments are common where surface or groundwater pH is depressed by acid generation from sulfide minerals.Acid Mine Drainage and Effects on Fish Health and Ecology: A Review

A logarithmic increase is the sort I showed in a graph the other day. In that case we were looking at surface area as a rock is broken into smaller and smaller pieces. The result of all that extra surface area is skyrocketing levels of metals reaching the groundwater.

Will Taseko build the 1 Billion dollar "pond" liner that the federal review panel suggests it will need to prevent groundwater?

How should we know, they won't say... the company line is, "let us build this mine and THEN we'll plan our mitigation strategy".

Meanwhile, publishers like the Williams Lake Tribune suggest that the mine is being held up by "professional environmentalists" and "obstructionist aboriginal groups", as if these two had nothing better to do than prevent "progress".

I see Taseko Mines is advertising in the Tribune, no doubt to ensure favourable coverage!

Tom Fletcher of BC Local News disses Federal Review Panel

2010-01-28T09:23:00.001-08:00

Tom Fletcher writes for Black Publishing, and he recently wrote an article dissing the Federal Review Panel as simply keeping people in Ottawa in business:

...they rearrange the same scientific data into nice big binders in French and English, taking an Ottawa amount of time to do so... B.C. VIEWS: Ottawa make-work costs real jobs

According to Mr. Fletcher, "obstructionist aboriginals" and "professional environmentalists" simply don't want any more mines, pipelines or power projects. Funny, since the TNG is at work on a bioenergy project for the Chilcotin. As Fletcher says,

They apparently want B.C.’s vast hinterland to depend entirely on taxpayer-funded welfare, supplemented with politically correct public works like hiking trails, all paid for with money borrowed against those of us still lucky enough to work in the private sector, our children and grandchildren.

I despise this sort of special interest rhetoric, it's simply sycophantic, brown-nosing partisanship, it's Tom Fletcher employed by Black Publishing to dispense nonsense to the masses.

And it works: if you read the comments after his articles, his writings lead to frequent discussions demeaning aboriginal people and their beliefs and values. Commentors are quick to criticize anyone in opposition to the mine as being anti-free enterprise and pro-welfare bum. Racism lies close to the surface in these discussions, and commentors use stereotypes to paint First Nations people as hypocritical and adverse to modernization.

http://www.bluecorncomics.com

Alisha's Economics Blogs!

2010-01-24T11:07:00.000-08:00

This is from Alisha's Economic Blogs!, which you can find here:

Alisha's Economics Blogs!
JAN 23, 2010
Gold and Copper Mines in B.C.

Economics Blog #4
By: Alisha Tupchong

Gold and Copper Mines in B.C.

Summary of the Event

Taseko Mines Ltd.’s $800-million copper-gold Prosperity project was environmentally approved of by the British Columbia provincial government during the week prior to January 15, 2010. The Prosperity project, which pumps out copper and gold from the earth, is scheduled for construction this summer as it joins Copper Mountain Mining Corp.’s similar $440-million project. The demand for mining industries has increased recently, as there is more money to be made now than before. Copper is a metal highly demanded by China because it used widely in manufacturing. Back in the 1990s, the price of copper was less than $1 (U.S.) per pound; now, copper is around $3.40 a pound. While environmental controversy and poor relations with first nations communities have slowed development in the past, companies like Taseko Mines Ltd., who now have environmental approval by the provincial government, will be able to carry out their mining activities as demanded. The price of gold is also looking strong, according to the Energy and Mining Minister, breaking $1100 (U.S. per ounce). Now, all there is left to wait for is the approval of the federal government in the next several months.

I added the following comment to her blog:

Bill Layton said...
Hello Alisha,

I appreciate your economic viewpoint on minerals and strategic choices, but where do you account for the environmental impacts of mines like "Prosperity", and the effects they will have on those who live (and have lived) next to them?

I have been following this mine for some time, and created a simple blog to follow the issue: http://prosperity-mine-vs-fish-lake.blogspot.com/

I am amazed at how little the "outside world" cares about what this mine will do to the land, the lakes it is set to destroy, and the aboriginal people who have made use of both for at least 7500 years. It's all stock promotion and strategy, and the "indians" can go to hell because they are hypocritical anyways.

Any thoughts? and when Taseko has not had to make any accounting for how it will care for and repair the land, and ensure the toxic acid mine waste does not reach groundwater or streams, after the mine is finished, who accounts for those costs? What's a hundred million dollars when your tailings pond leaks, the dam breaks, and your downstream fisheries are "impacted"? Who accounts for the cumulative impact on an already threatened salmon population? Who accounts for the risk? And what about already-established rights and title of aboriginal people, especially here where the Xeni Gwet'in people have shown in court they hold title to this land?

January 24, 2010 11:00 AM

Google Alert - taseko mines, prosperity mine

2010-01-24T11:03:00.001-08:00

Here is some of the latest news

Google Blogs Alert for: taseko mines, prosperity mine

B.C. government approves controversial Prosperity gold-copper mine ...
By Metals Place
B.C. government approves controversial Prosperity gold-copper mine project. Taseko Mines Ltd's ambitious $800-million Prosperity gold-copper project cleared a major hurdle Thursday with the awarding of a provincial environmental ...
Metals News - Metals Place - http://metalsplace.com/news/

Alisha's Economics Blogs!: Gold and Copper Mines in B.C.
By Alisha Tupchong
Taseko Mines Ltd.'s $800-million copper-gold Prosperity project was environmentally approved of by the British Columbia provincial government during the week prior to January 15, 2010. The Prosperity project, which pumps out copper and gold from the earth, is scheduled for construction this summer as it joins Copper Mountain Mining Corp.'s similar $440-million project. The demand for mining industries has increased recently, as there is more money to be made now than ...
Alisha's Economics Blogs! - http://limabeansandcoconuts.blogspot.com/

Google Web Alert for: taseko mines, prosperity mine

Mineweb - Taseko Mines receives environmental approval for ...
Taseko Mines receives environmental approval for Prosperity gold-copper mine. Shares in the Canadian miner jumped 18% on the news ...

TASEKO MINES LTD - T.TKO , NYSE TGB
Mining Company Database TASEKO MINES LTD - T.TKO , NYSE TGB ... Prosperity Provincial EA review due to be complete in October and EA Approvals Federal ...

Taseko project receives environmental OK | Mining & Extraction ...
After clearing a key environmental permitting hurdle, Taseko Mines Ltd. is ... assessment certificate for Taseko's proposed Prosperity Mine last week. ...

Taseko Announces a New 7.7 Million Oz Gold and 3.6 Billion Lb ...
2 /CNW/ - Taseko Mines Limited (TSX: TKO; NYSE Amex: TGB) (Taseko or the Company ) ... Prosperity now has the largest gold/copper reserve base of any mining ...

PROSPERITY PROJECT ENVIROMENTAL APPROVAL - TASEKO MINES LIMITED ...
Taseko Mines announced that the company received the environmental assessment certificate for its proposed Prosperity Gold- Copper Project from the BC ...

Fresh off the wire

2010-01-21T09:10:00.001-08:00

Mining company Taseko Mines maintains that Prosperity Mine is inevitable.....

Google News Alert for: taseko mines, prosperity mine

IRW-Press: Taseko Mines Ltd.: Taseko Receives Provincial Approval To Proceed ...
OfficialWire (press release)
Taseko will host a conference call for analysts and investors to
discuss the Prosperity Project on Tuesday, January 19, 2010. Details
will follow later ...
See all stories on this topic
(AMM) Taseko project receives environmental OK
Metalbulletin.com (subscription)
After clearing a key environmental permitting hurdle, Taseko Mines
Ltd. is moving forward with relevant permitting on its Prosperity
gold-copper project in ...
See all stories on this topic
Silver Investing News
Mining to Bounce Back in BC
Silver Investing News
... and Taseko Mines' Prosperity copper-gold project near Williams
Lake. Thirty new mine development projects were submitted for
government approval in 2009 ...
See all stories on this topic

Google Blogs Alert for: taseko mines, prosperity mine

Taseko Mines – The Best Is Yet To Come « Grandich's Blog
By Peter Grandich
Taseko Mines – The Best Is Yet To Come. Posted by Peter Grandich at
10:06 AM on Wednesday, January 20th, 2010. Originally recommended on
4/29/09 at $1.40, TGB eventually became a client of mine but remained
in the model portfolio because it ... First and foremost, the news on
Prosperity is extremely bullish. Unless something changes in the 11th
hour, the ability to build a mine at Prosperity is truly a company
maker (not that they didn't have one already in Gibraltar) and ...
Grandich's Blog - http://grandich.agoracom.com/
Taseko Mines – The Best Is Yet To Come - Gold Speculator
By RssFeed
First and foremost, the news on Prosperity is extremely bullish.
Unless something changes in the 11th hour, the ability to build a mine
at Prosperity is truly a company maker (not that they didn't have one
already in Gibraltar) and lots ...
Gold Speculator - http://www.gold-speculator.com/
Official Conference Opening – Hon. Randy Hawes Presentation | The Core
By admin
At New Afton and Copper Mountain, mine construction is underway as we
anticipate what will be British Columbia's next major metal mine. And
just last week, Taseko Mines Limited received a provincial
environmental assessment certificate ...
The Core - http://blog.amebc.ca/
How Bad is The Record?: Even After This Campbell Pushed Ahead
By Gary E
Williams Lake, November 12, 2009 – A team of mining experts reviewing
Taseko Mines Ltd.'s proposed Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine Project has
concluded that the information provided to date "does not permit a
reasoned evaluation of ...
How Bad is The Record? - http://howbadtherecord.blogspot.com/

--
Sent from my mobile device

A Brief Explanation of Acid Mine Drainage

2010-01-20T10:49:00.001-08:00

I've been reading up on acid mine drainage, the thing that will pose the greatest danger to the environment, should Prosperity go ahead.

The rocks that contain the metals Taseko wants also contain chemicals called sulphides. The plan is to pile waste rock in the tailings pond... you know, where Teztan Biny or Fish Lake is today. The problem with waste rock is that you are taking a massive chunk of bedrock and breaking it into little pieces and bringing it to the surface. Now, instead of having a little bit of rock exposed you have a massive amount of surface, all of which is exposed to air, water and microbes.

I made a little graph of how surface increases as you break something down into smaller pieces...

To quote the Wikipedia entry:

After being exposed to air and water, oxidation of metal sulfides (often pyrite, which is iron-sulfide) within the surrounding rock and overburden generates acidity. Colonies of bacteria and archaea greatly accelerate the decomposition of metal ions, although the reactions also occur in an abiotic environment.

These microbes, called extremophiles for their ability to survive in harsh conditions, occur naturally in the rock, but limited water and oxygen supplies usually keep their numbers low. Special extremophiles known as acidophiles especially favor the low pH levels of abandoned mines. In particular, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans is a key contributor to pyrite oxidation.

In other words, mine tailings are a Pandora's box full of toxic chemical stew. Like nuclear waste (though not radioactive), they will create this toxic stew for centuries. So when critics complain that the environmental effects of a mine last well past the mine's life, this is why.

Mining companies like Taseko don't really address this issue because it would suggest they aren't actually in complete control of the environment they propose to create. And they aren't...

How can the Toxic Stew leave the tailings pond? Easy, it can:

leak through the dam holding it back
the dam can break (see this link for a list of dam breaks List of Tailings Dam Breaks)
enter the groundwater through cracks in the rock

Mine tailings are forever, and turning Teztan Biny into a tailings pond means perching a toxic stew directly

above what is for all intents and purposes a pristine watershed critical to a broad spectrum of people, animals and ecosystems.

Campbells Rubber Stamp Decision On Fish Lake Denounced By Whites And Natives Alike

2010-01-18T21:07:00.001-08:00

Campbells Rubber Stamp Decision On Fish Lake Denounced By Whites And Natives Alike

Tsilhqot'in National Government denounces "rubber stamp" of approval from BCEAO for Taseko Mines project Monday Jan 18, 2010
	January 18, 2010, Williams Lake -- The Tsilhqot'in National Government denouced the BC Environmental Assessment Office (BCEAO) decision to grant an evnironmental assessment certificate (EA) to Taseko Mines Ltd. for a proposed massive mine at Teztan Biny (Fish Lake), an area where the Tsilhqot'in Nation holds proven Aboriginal hunting and trapping rights.

http://howbadtherecord.blogspot.com/2010/01/campbells-rubber-stamp-decision-on-fish.html

“I find it ironic that the province claims it has done „due diligence‟ in terms of consulting with First Nations,” stated Chief Ivor Myers, Yunesit‟in (Stone) First Nation. “The Province rejected all of our efforts to meet with them to set up a consultation process that would work for our people and our communities. Despite government and company efforts to put a positive spin on this, we do not agree with the proposal. Investors should be aware that this project is not a done deal.”

The above blog entry has a good article on how Campbell's government has never listened to the concerns of the Xeni Gwet'in or other neighbouring bands about Taseko Mines' Prosperity Mine proposal.

Bill

Zemanta helped me add links & pictures to this email. It can do it for you too.

"Intrusive Rentier"

2010-01-17T07:13:00.000-08:00

I was reading a "Review of the Proposed Prosperity Project..." by MiningWatch and came across the term, "Intrusive Rentier". I had to look it up and find out what it meant.

The report said:

Mining projects are notorious for the creation of an “Intrusive Rentier” syndrome in the communities and regions where they are located. This term is used by Polèse & Shearmur (2006)1 to describe an observed effect in regions dominated by a small number of highly capitalized (and high wage) employers.

href="http://www.mwatch.koumbit.org/sites/miningwatch.ca/files/Social%20Impacts%20Review%20Executive%20Summary.pdf">

I'm glad someone is thinking of these things. The MiningWatch report also waded into the fact that the "Economic Benefits" analysis provided by Taseko is very one-sided and confusing, and does not include any attempt at true cost-benefit analysis. Everyone knows these things up front, but the lust by a few to make a killing trumps the need for many to look beyond a few years.

The report states:

It is pretty clear that, at least for the first few years, low income renters in the region will be faced with a vacancy rate of less than zero, escalating rents and over‐crowding. Most of these will be single parent women and Aboriginal people, but the pressure will extend to low wage earners across the region.
Eventually more accommodation will be built, and trailer parks hastily thrown up ( with all the regulatory hassles that entails) but that will take years, and after 2012, when the mine starts to wind down, the owners of those units will once again face a dramatic drop in market value.

So What's an Intrusive Rentier?

According to a report from the Centre - Urbanisation Culture Société, Intrusive Rentier refers to a syndrome where where a large employer bids up salary and benefit expectations to the detriment oflocal entrepreneurship. In the case of the Prosperity Mine, it refers to the effects of a single employer paying very high wages to a small group of employees, but enough to skew standards of living and social inequities.

If you live in the South Cariboo and have tried to buy land, you may have noticed another version of this syndrome, but in this case the Intrusive Rentiers are those from the coast that have pushed real estate prices beyond the locals' reach.

You may have also seen this if you live in a sawmill town (while the mills are doing well, unlike right now...), and noticed how one group in town is prosperous and another is almost equally UNprosperous.

Intrusive Rentier's Syndrome. Now you know!

The Straight goods: Say goodbye to Fish lake,forever!

2010-01-16T11:44:00.001-08:00

Google Blogs Alert for: Tsilhqot'in National Government

The Straight goods: Say goodbye to Fish lake,forever!
By Grant G
... is on traditional First Nations lands(Tsilhqot`in) and they are opposed to this project, the chief doesn`t believe mankind has the ability to make a replacement lake, his words are "Only the creator can do that" the goes onto say " . ... In 2002 Federal fisheries on orders from the government of the day made changes to the fisheries act Section 36 of the act(Metal,mining,effluent regulations), the changes were almost a carte blanche permission to use lakes as dumps, ...
The Straight goods - http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/

News from Mining Watch Canada

2010-01-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

MiningWatch reported in early January of this year that it had been awarded $37,200 to participate in the federal environmental assessment of the Prosperity review process.

Mining watch was encouraged by the Xeni Gwet'in and Tsilhqot'in National Government to become involved and help fight the project. Their focus will be the tailings pond that would see two lakes drained and destroyed, as well as the surrounding area which has been in use for at least 7500 years.

The Xeni Gwet'in and TNG are not satisfied with the current process, especially now that the provincial government has signed off on the project.

Taseko is proposing it build a lake to "replace" Teztan Biny (Fish Lake).

In my opinion, nothing can justify the destruction of these lakes, and nothing is safe about building a holding pond for toxic waste when it sits immediately upstream of incredibly high value salmon habitat. Nothing makes the disrespect shown to First Nations people alright, especially the sort of grassroots racism you see in the Williams Lake Tribune editorials and comments sections.

Wow, they already know the mine's a go?

2010-01-15T22:18:00.001-08:00

Hatch to build transmission line

HATCH Energy will establish a transmission line to provide power to the Prosperity Mine in British Columbia.

The company will engineer the 125km, 230kV transmission line. It will also provide cost estimates to determine long-term development possibilities.

Basic engineering is scheduled to be completed by early September 2008, with the transmission line to be in service by mid-2010.

Hatch Energy offices in Winnipeg, Castlegar, and Oakville are undertaking the project.

Fwd: Google Alert - "prosperity mine"

2010-01-15T21:39:00.001-08:00

Google News Alert for: "prosperity mine"

WEB FIRST: Prosperity review panel: Morin will not be recused
Williams Lake Tribune
One of the federal panel members reviewing the Prosperity mine will not be asked to recuse herself, board chair Robert Connelly wrote in a letter to Taseko ...

Google Web Alert for: "prosperity mine"

BCLocalNews.com - WEB FIRST: Prosperity review panel: Morin will ...
One of the federal panel members reviewing the Prosperity mine will not be asked to recuse herself, board chair Robert Connelly wrote in a letter to Taseko ...

Fwd: Google Alert - "prosperity mine"

2010-01-15T21:36:00.001-08:00

Google News Alert for: "prosperity mine"

BC government approves controversial Prosperity mine project
Vancouver Sun
Estimated capital cost to bring Prosperity into production is $800 million. The mine would support 700 jobs for two years during construction, ...

BC government approves Prosperity Mine
Williams Lake Tribune
By Erin Hitchcock - Williams Lake Tribune The provincial government has approved Taseko Mines Ltd.'s Prosperity Mine project, the government announced ...

BCLocalNews

Province approves Prosperity
BCLocalNews
THE provincial energy and environment ministers have granted Taseko Mines an environmental assessment certificate for the Prosperity mine. ...

Benzinga

MABC Hails B.C. Approval of Prosperity Mine
Benzinga
14, 2010) - The Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) hailed the approval by the BC Environmental Assessment Office of the Prosperity gold-copper ...

Google Blogs Alert for: "prosperity mine"

Rural BC: Province Issues Environment Assessment Certificate for ...
By Bernard von Schulmann
The Prosperity mine is located near Taseko Lake in the Chilcotin, it is about 125 km from Williams Lake. It was granted an environment assessment certificate today. The deposit is a large copper gold porphyry. ...
Rural BC - http://ruralbc.blogspot.com/

VernonBlog: Olympic Torch Relay Route (VERNON)
By Don Quixote
B.C. government approves Prosperity Mine - The provincial government has approved Taseko Mines Ltd.'s Prosperity Mine project, the government announced minutes ago. 31 minutes ago. News - Vernon Morning Star ...
VernonBlog - http://vernonblog.blogspot.com/

Steve Forseth: Thursday News Round-up
By Steve Forseth
2) Federal Environmental Assessment Panellist Morin will not be asked to recuse herself (Prosperity Mine Project) - more here 3) WL Council signs 5-year lease with CMHA for Heritage House - more here ...
Steve Forseth - http://bclcarsouth.blogspot.com/

Google Web Alert for: "prosperity mine"

MABC Hails B.C. Approval of Prosperity Mine
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Jan. 14, 2010) - The Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) hailed the approval by the BC Environmental ...

StreetInsider.com - MABC Hails B.C. Approval of Prosperity Mine
MABC Hails B.C. Approval of Prosperity Mine. More News related to Press Releases . Stanford Graduate School of Business Research: Outsourcing May Be Slowing ...

BCLocalNews.com - WEB FIRST: B.C. government approves Prosperity Mine
The provincial government has approved Taseko Mines Ltd.'s Prosperity Mine project, the government announced minutes ago. Jake Jacobs, spokesperson for the ...

B.C. government approves controversial Prosperity mine project
BC government approves controversial Prosperity mine project http://bit.ly/ 7mk7Pi.

Stock Market News | Stock Market Headlines
MABC Hails B.C. Approval of Prosperity Mine. 22 minutes ago - Marketwire Canada ... MABC Hails B.C. Approval of Prosperity Mine ...

BC Government Approves Prosperity Mine

2010-01-15T21:28:00.000-08:00

Herein lies the great paradox of the BC Liberal government: supporting First Nations' in achieving stronger, healthier communities, while at the same time being perfectly willing to steamroll any band that dares oppose "progress".

The Vancouver Sun reported today that,

Taseko Mines Ltd's ambitious $800-million Prosperity gold-copper project cleared a major hurdle Thursday with the awarding of a provincial environmental assessment certificate.

The approval is contingent on the mine, among 102 other things, replacing Fish Lake (Teztan Biny) and Little Fish Lake with an artificial lake. Presumably the 80,000 or so trout in the big lake will be lovingly carried to the man-made one.

I am disappointed at all of this since there has been no respect paid to the local Xeni Gwet'in First Nation in their rather obvious concerns over the effect the mine and tailings pond will have on their ancestral home. The mining company has stomped rather typically on the Xeni's rights and ignored their opinions and opposition to the whole process.

Only the federal review panel holds any chance of stopping the mine, or even changing the plan to destroy the lakes.

The lakes must be destroyed, according to Taseko Mines, because it is the only possible place to put the tailings. If the tailings aren't covered in adequate amounts of water, they generate acid waste. If the acid waste leaves the tailings pond, through a spill or in groundwater and aquifers, it WILL create serious issues with fish, wildlife and water quality. In other words, it will poison the environment.

The province said it was satisfied that the duty of the Crown to consult and accommodate first nations interests had been discharged, noting that 13 aboriginal groups were consulted.

The Xeni Gwet'in First Nation has previously indicated its opposition to the project and in in January 2009 filed a writ in B.C. Supreme Court in an attempt to stop the project.

Xeni Gwet'in Chief Marilyn Baptiste, who announced the court case, could not be reached for comment.

Back up to speed on Taseko Mines' proposed Prosperity Mine

2010-01-15T12:22:00.000-08:00

I have been without internet service, or at least any sort of consistent service, for the past month and a half.... I realized today what I'd been missing in reporting the situation with Taseko Mines' proposed Prosperity Mine in the Chilcotin.

So I'll go back and post what has happened in the past month and a half, starting with a request from the Federal Review Panel for more information on hydrology and First Nations information.

Briefly, the Panel requested the following:

1. Aquifers Identified for Use as a Source of Make-up Water

2. Ability of the aquifer to supply Make-up Water

The Panel wanted to confirm that there was only one aquifer under discussion. If you read may first post, the issue of aquifers came up when Taseko realized it might not have enough water at all times to prevent the mine tailings from generating acid waste. Their own original hydrology report showed that stream flows were, at best, inconsistent, and the mining company did not consider any contingencies should flows go low in years of low precipitation

The letter can be found here: href="http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/document-eng.cfm?document=39079">

The pdf response is here: http://www.ceaa-acee.gc.ca/050/documents/39192/39192E.pdf

Taseko Mines does not seem worried about proving the environmental safety of this proposed mine... their attitude is, let us build it first then we'll worry about making it safe!

From speaking with other minewatchers, I'd say that Taseko is a promotion company first, and mining company second.

I've Been Without Internet!

2010-01-15T11:34:00.001-08:00

Report Slams Taseko Mines' Environmental Assessment as Inadequate

2009-11-19T16:43:00.000-08:00

A report written by an American consulting company specializing in hydrology and groundwater around mines has criticized Taseko Mines' own Environmental Impact Assessment of its Prosperity Mine proposal for the south Chilcotin.

The report, commissioned by the Tsilhqot'in National Government (TNG), states clearly that Taseko Mines has not provided enough analysis or underlying data to back up its plans to use a large, productive lake as a tailings pond. The TNG commissioned the report to address what it perceived as failings in Taseko's submission to the Federal Panel.

Taseko Mines is a medium-sized metals producer based in Vancouver, and has, for nearly 15 years, worked towards developing an ore body into an open pit mine. Their plan has always included draining Fish Lake and turning it into a Tailings Storage Facility (TSF). The proposed mine is located about 200 kilometers southwest of Williams Lake, and about 20 kilometers from the First Nations community of Xeni Gwet'in (pronounced Hunee Gateen) in the Nemiah Valley.

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The proposed Prosperity Mine's ore body sits within the collective traditional territory of the Tsilhqot'in Nation. Marilyn Baptiste is Chief of the Xeni Gwet'in community. She says that her community views the whole mine proposal as unacceptable because it can destroy fish, wildlife and water for future generations.

Roger William was chief of the Xeni Gwet'in for 17 years, from 1991 to 2008, and currently serves as Lands and Stewardship Director for the TNG. In a recent interview, Mr. William said he felt validated by Stratus' report because the Tsilhqot'in people have always been concerned that contaminated groundwater would reach other lakes and rivers, possibly wiping out fish populations that include salmon, steelhead and trout.

Mr. William went on to say that Taseko Mines always told them that Fish Lake is "in its own valley and nothing will leak from the tailings pond". He believes that Taseko Mines is paying expert consultants to study the environment, but that there is a conflict of interest since the people doing the studies are paid by the mining company and the results are not independent.

In many hard rock mines, protecting the environment from water leaching from tailings piles is of paramount importance. Acid is produced on the surface of waste rocks dug out of the mine (the tailings), and the result is that both acid and metals such as arsenic and cadmium leach into the surrounding environment.

Unless held in a waterproof facility, these leachates, known as Acid Mine Drainage, can wash into surface streams and into the groundwater. In both instances they can have far reaching impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and can decimate fish populations. They can also lead to fish being unfit for human consumption and allow toxic metals to find their way up the food chain.

Tailings Storage Facilities work by keeping at least part of the tailings submerged in water to prevent air from forming acid on the rock surfaces. As a result, any mine tailings held in Taseko Mines' proposed TSF would require a constant supply of water to prevent the generation of acid waste.
Thus, the issue of water supply to the TSF, as well as where the water and leachate could go if it escaped the TSF, are fundamental to potential impact of the mine.

Taseko's mine proposal is currently in front of a Federal Environmental Review Panel. The Panel is reviewing Taseko's own report as well as input from other groups, including First Nations and environmental groups. In this process, Taseko is responsible for generating its own analysis of potential impacts on the environment, as well as means of mitigating impacts. Other groups have to rely on Taseko’s information for their own analysis.

The federal and provincial government attempted a joint panel for about 18 months, but the panel came out in opposition to this mine proposal and to another north of Fort Saint James. As a result, Taseko left the panel in fear it would lead to a failed application, and the provincial government followed.

The TNG found out that the BC Environmental Assessment Office (BCEAO) had decided to leave the joint panel through the newspapers. Loretta Williams is Mining Director for the Tsilhqot'in National Government, and has worked on this project since 2006. She says the BCEAO "could have had the decency to tell us directly", and that the problem with the provincial panel is that they wouldn't hear people talk. They only took written submissions, and had a track record of approving all projects put in front of them.

Stratus Consulting Report

The report commissioned by the TNG was written by Stratus Consulting Inc. of Boulder, Colorado, and was led by three prominent scientists whose specialties include hydrology, geochemistry, and the study of minerals and toxins escaping from mining facilities into the environment. The report focused on Taseko's water balance model, whether the Tailings Storage Facility would have enough water to keep the tailings submerged, and whether toxic chemicals would be likely to escape to the environment.

Rather like being between a rock and a hard place, not enough water leads to exposure of tailings and generation of acid mine waste, while too much water creates a significant likelihood of an escape from the tailings facility. The report found that Taseko Mines consistently over-represented the amount of water available to flow into the TSF, while under-representing the ways in which acid mine drainage could escape the TSF.

Furthermore, according to Stratus' report, since Taseko's does not explain its modeling methods, no one knows how they estimated the probability of water surpluses and deficits. The underlying data implies that Taseko has vastly underestimated uncertainties in the water balance, meaning that the mining company could not possibly be prepared for the effects of extreme weather events or climate change.

In terms of water flowing into the TSF, Stratus states that Taseko used a very limited and inconsistent amount of stream data to estimate the amount of water available, and ignored losses that now appear to be the result of faults and fractures where stream water runs into the bedrock to become groundwater.

In response to the Stratus report findings, Xeni Gwet'in Chief Baptiste said that it was "a disgrace and an embarrassment [for Taseko Mines] to have based their predictions on such poor data". She said it is obvious to those who live in the area that things like precipitation vary widely from year to year, and using just two years of data is unacceptable.

Chief Baptiste also said that when Taseko began this process they held community meetings and seemed committed to developing a relationship with the community, but that several years ago they abandoned this approach and are now very much “hands off”. She feels it is up to the Xeni Gwet'in and Tsilhqot'in people to protect the land and resources from this mine.

The Water Model

Stream water comes ultimately from precipitation, and Taseko's model assumes that 100 per cent of precipitation, including all rain and snow falling in the catchment area, will find its way to its streams, and so they simply converted the amount of annual precipitation data directly into stream inputs.

What they ignored in making this calculation is that, in any ecosystem, there are significant losses before precipitation can reach streams, including evaporation, sublimation, transpiration, and escape to groundwater.

Despite the crucial nature of stream data, and in spite of the fact that Taseko has been on site for fully 15 years, the mining company has collected water data for only six years, and only two of these have complete data sets for the entire year. Stratus' scientists state emphatically that this little bit of data is unsuitable for predicting the next 25 years and 100 years of exposure as required in the Environmental Assessment.

Some precipitation evaporates before it reaches a stream, and Stratus says that, since Taseko could not create a model of evaporation losses, they instead used 40 year old data from an area 250 kilometers to the southeast. Since the proposed mine site is in the immediate lee of the Coast Mountains, 250 kilometers in any direction leads on to entirely different ecosystems, terrain and climate.

Sublimation is similar to evaporation, but applies to snow which, after being intercepted and held up in the crowns of trees, turns back into vapour and escapes back into the atmosphere. Despite two years of data showing that up to 30 to 40 per cent of precipitation may be lost to sublimation, Taseko Mines made the assumption that these losses would be negligible, resulting again in the prediction of unrealistically high stream flows.

Transpiration is water that is pumped out of an ecosystem by trees and other plants and put back into the atmosphere. While transpiration can be as much as 30% of precipitation, Taseko disregards it entirely in its water model, which also leads to unrealistically high predictions of stream flows.

The ultimate consequence of less stream flow is to expose the tailings and create more acid waste, and Stratus suggests Taseko likely wished to minimize the appearance that this might occur.

Stratus states that Taseko gathered streamflow data "haphazardly and inconsistently", and that it even acknowledged that it was over-estimating streamflows in its model. Further, Taseko Mines' data also showed losses of up to 80% of stream flows to groundwater in some streams upstream of the Tailings Facility, but Taseko later recanted this data, saying that losses were due to data errors.

Stratus' scientists wondered if, given such significant data errors here, are there similar errors elsewhere in the water budget model? Taseko says that data collected prior to 2000 are unreliable, but if this is true then is the majority of the data in the model also invalid and unreliable?

When asked about having potentially unreliable data, Taseko Mines’ Environmental Director, Rodney Bell-Irving, said that there were legitimate issues around the amount of data that contributed to the water model, and that the current level of sensitivity analysis was insufficient. He was, however, convinced that there was enough information for an assessment to be done, and that it was at the permit stage that more detailed data would be gathered and analyzed.

The Model Doesn't Hold Water?

The Tailings Storage Facility serves to hold tailings in a semi-submerged state to minimize the amount of acid generation and subsequent leaching of metals and other toxins from the tailings. Since the TSF is, in essence, a big, man-made pond of six square kilometers, keeping the water inside the TSF is critical in protecting the environment.

The most significant risk of escape from the TSF comes from acid mine drainage escaping to groundwater, hence the study of the permeability of the material at the bottom of the prospective pond. The upper layer of the proposed TSF is blanketed mostly with glacial till, a dense, gravelly material deposited by glaciers during the last ice age. Till varies in its permeability, so Taseko did a number of tests to estimate how permeable the till under the pond is.

Results of these tests showed a wide variety of permeability, but Stratus Consulting was critical of Taseko's choice of only low permeability results in its modeling. As Stratus writes, using a higher permeability "would have meant admitting losses out of the TSF and the need for even more water into the TSF, neither of which looks good to regulators".

Perhaps even more significant is that fact that the till covers a bedrock aquifer, so the impermeability of the TSF is key to preventing escape of acid mine drainage to that aquifer. The bedrock under the till is basalt, and the fact that this bedrock sticks out here and there within the TSF means that fracturing and faulting in the bedrock is also critical to understanding if water can travel outside of the TSF.

The Stratus report states that the bedrock is more permeable than the till above it, and outcrops within the TSF would act as entry points for contaminated waste to enter the groundwater.

The result of all of this in the model is under-prediction of losses of acid mine drainage losses, as well as under-estimation of groundwater contamination and transport.

Bedrock and Groundwater Are Little Understood

The Stratus scientists go on to discuss how poorly understood fracture systems in basalts are, despite decades of study in the United States. Pathways exist in these basalts for water to travel along, but they are chaotic and unpredictable, making modeling assumptions difficult or even impossible. Taseko deliberately ignored these pathways and refused to incorporate them into their water balance model, according to Stratus.

Faults are also an issue in the TSF, as there are at least two sets of faults that could influence the water balance. One of these may be responsible for stream losses observed on one of the studied streams. An engineering firm, BGC Engineering, recommended that these faults be studied further to understand the fate of groundwater in the area.

Stratus agrees that these faults must be studied further, and state that the faults could easily lead to a "larger and faster plume of contaminated groundwater leaving the mine property."

Finally, there is the issue of "deep groundwater", which refers to a deep bedrock aquifer knowna to exist well below the TSF site. Taseko informed the Federal Panel that "advanced de-watering of the deep bedrock aquifer can supply enough make-up water to maintain the TSF during the early years of mine operation", but when pressed admitted they did not know what capacity the aquifer had.

In other words, Taseko Mines claimed to have access to a significant supply of water to maintain the TSF without actually having any reasonable data to back up the claim. The company’s attitude is also significant in this exchange since, as Stratus says, "the fact that they believe data are not necessary for approval of this mine project underscores the insufficiency of their modeling approach."

Tsilhqot’in: Too Many Unknowns

In general, says Loretta Williams of the TNG, Taseko Mines is pushing something onto the Tsilhqot'in people with "way too many unknowns, and no accounting for extreme weather events or climate change."Taseko has recently announced the mine will have a 33 year life, but no one knows what this is based on and if it's just a smoke screen for their current approval process.”

As far as support from the public, Ms. Williams says that the local newspaper, the Williams Lake Tribune, appears to overtly support a group in Williams Lake that is pushing for the mine. According to Ms. Williams, the Tribune provides little balance in its coverage of the mine issue, and refuses to cover the Tsilhqot'in people's view. She went on to say the newspaper refuses TNG's press releases and does not return calls.

Roger William feels that "Taseko Mines is riding the economy issue [e.g., the latest recession and the call for stimulus], selling the job opportunities, but they don't see the environment as an issue." Now, he says, Taseko Mines is "blaming everything on the Tsilhqot'in people. They go public and say that First Nations are holding up the process. They are a two-faced company that can't be trusted, and they do everything in the media to make First Nations people look bad."

In Williams Lake, members of the public routinely criticize Loretta Williams for her opposition to the mine, accusing "Indian people of all being on welfare". Meanwhile, the Williams Lake Tribune allows overtly racist online discussions of its news articles on its website.

Ms. Williams feels that the public are not digging deeply enough into the issue, and are too easily swayed by pro-mine arguments in the press. She finds that when people do take the time to learn more, they are shocked at potential impacts the mine could have.

At this time, Ms. Williams feels they have "exhausted their efforts on this project", and that a big open pit mine "doesn't fit with Tsilhqot'in plans for economic development within our territory". She says that "even the [provincial] government hasn't respected the decisions of its own courts". She referred to a recent purchase of a sawmill within their territory, and a joint venture in a biomass power plant, as some of the keys to the Tsilhqot'in peoples' future.

Regarding the response of the community of Williams Lake to Xeni Gwet'in, Chief Baptiste says that her people are regularly criticized in public in Williams Lake and elsewhere for their opposition to the mine, and she doesn’t expect this to end any time soon. She says an elder said it best In Prince George: "our people have said 'No', but they [Taseko] are like the Coyote, they keep barking and coming back for more!"

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