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Application for a Permit Under The Provisions of the Environmental Management Act.
CertainTeed Gypsum Canada Inc., (CTC) PO Box 217, Invermere, BC, V0A 1K0, proposes to develop the Kootenay West Mine (KWM) located 12km north east of the Village of Canal Flats. CertainTeed was granted an Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC# M18-01) for the KWM Project on January 25, 2018. CertainTeed has submitted an application to the Director to authorize the discharge of air emissions/effluent/refuses from a mineral (gypsum) mine. The source(s) of discharge are two open pit quarries, four mine rock storage facilities, haul roads, production stockpiles, gypsum processing facilities (crusher, conveyor) and two sedimentation ponds.
The land upon which the facility will be situated and the discharge will occur is Mineral Tenure 369431 (DL: 15314, 15315, 15316, 15449, 15450, 15930, 15931, 15932, 15933, 15934, 15935, 15936, 15937, 15938, 16002, 16005, 16016, 16017, 16018, and 16019) and Mineral Claim 1052756 located 12 km East of Canal Flats, BC on the Kootenay Forest Service Road, within the upper Kootenay River drainage.
The combined maximum rate of expected mine effluent discharged from the site will be approximately 2420 m3/day. Effluent can be described as any water (surface and/or ground water) that contacts disturbed ground within the mine site and is released to the receiving environment (i.e. Kootenay River). Site effluent will be directed to one of two sedimentation ponds where it will discharge to ground. Following infiltration into the shallow groundwater system, the filtered effluent is expected to upwell into Kootenay River.
The operating period for the sedimentation ponds will be 24 hours per day, 7 days per week for 43 years. The predicted characteristics of the effluent to be discharged are as follows:
Contaminant, Minimum Concentration, Average Concentration, Maximum Concentration, Units;
Sulphate, 596, 1800, 2000, mg/L;
Ammonia, 0.02, 1.1, 6.9, mg/L;
Nitrogen, 0.07, 4, 26, mg/L;
Arsenic, 0.001, 0.019, 0.055, mg/L.
As needed, site effluent will be treated to reduce the concentration of dissolved metals (i.e. flocculent addition to contact water within treatment basins upslope of the sedimentation ponds).
Air emissions and domestic sewage waste will also be produced during mining operations. The types of mitigations to be applied to site operations are as follows: dust suppression (stockpile siting to reduce exposure to wind; multiple stockpiles to reduce size; intermediate cover; application of dust suppression agents to haul roads and stockpiles); and primary sewage treatment within proposed septic system. The following site air emissions, refuse, and sewage waste expected to be produced are as follows:
Contaminant, Units;
Refuse, 45, tonnes/yr;
Particulate Emission, 195 (TSP), 56.5 (PM10), 6.48 (PM2.5), tonnes/yr;
Detonation/Exhaust, 0.114 (SO4), 11.5 (NOx), 8.04 (CO), tonnes/yr;
Domestic Sewage, 33 000, L/month.
The Major Mines Permitting Office (MMPO) of the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum is leading the joint application review for the KWM Project. The MMPO is currently inviting public comments about the proposed KWM related to the following authorizations:
Authorization: Mines Act Permit, Act or Regulation: Mines Act; Project Component: Part 10.2.1 Health and Safety Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia; File No.: 0500956; Contact Chief Inspector of Mines, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum, c/o Colin Squirrell, Senior Project Lead, Major Mines Permitting Office, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum, Suite 202-100, Cranbrook St N, BC V1C 3P9.
Authorization: Environmental Management Act Permit; Act or Regulation: Environmental Management Act; Project Component; Waste Discharge; Authorization No.: PE 109087. Contact: Colin Squirrell, Senior Project Lead. Major Mines Permitting Office, the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum, Suite 202-100, Cranbrook St N, BC V1C 3P9.
A copy of the permit applications including supporting documentation, are available for public viewing at the Canal Flats Village Office 8866 Grainger Rd. Canal Flats BC V0B 1B0 and at the District of Invermere Office 914 8th Ave Invermere BC V0A 1K0.
Any person affected by or interested in the proposed project and wishes to provide relevant information may within 30 days after the last date of publishing of advertisements, service, or display send written comments to Colin Squirrell, Senior Project Lead, Major Mines Permitting Office, Ministry of Energy and Mines, 42 8th Ave S, Cranbrook, BC V1C 2K3. The identity of any respondents and the contents of anything submitted in relation to this application will become part of the public record. [mh22]