Mining
Posted on 3 Nov in CW Land Use Blog Posts Uncategorized
Background/overview
Mining-related activities in the region have a long history and have been widespread geographically. One of the best-known examples of mining in the region comes from Buchans, a small town that was established in the 1950s specifically for the mining of iron ore. However, this is certainly not the oldest example of mining from the region. The Baie Verte Peninsula boasts a soapstone quarry in Fleur de Lys that is designated as a national historic site and is a popular tourist destination. The site shows how early Aboriginal groups from 1600 years ago mined the soapstone to produce cooking pots and lamps. In fact, it is the most extensive and accessible quarry mined by the Dorset Paleo-Eskimo known to date. An asbestos mine also operated approximately eight kilometres north of the town of Baie Verte from 1963 to 1990. Recent environmental impact assessments found that the site still contains leftovers of chemicals related to asbestos mining.
Current mining activities in the region include the Aur Resources Duck Pond Mine, which extracts copper and zinc near the community of Millertown and two mines that are operated near Baie Verte by Anaconda Mining and Rambler Mines and Minerals. The Rambler mine is a copper-gold mine. Gold is also mined at Anaconda’s Pine Cove site. Future prospects for mining in the region include the Buchans Minerals Lundberg project (with copper, lead, zinc and silver potential) and the Belleoram Granite Quarry. Terra Nova Granite Inc. is also present in the region, but is currently inactive.
Land-use related issues
Waste and tailings from mining operations in the Central West Region have also been identified as a concern related to mining land use. Of particular controversy is the Aur Resources Duck Pond Mine that is disposing mining waste in two ponds that are an important habitat for different species, including trout and salmon. These ponds are also situated at the tributary of the Exploits River, a scheduled salmon river which has seen an investment of over 30 million dollars since 1978 for increased salmon production. Compensation plans are considered inadequate as the mine will need perpetual care and maintenance, with the abandoned mine needing to be monitored and maintained for generations to come. Similarly, following the assessment of the former asbestos mine near Baie Verte, consultants recommended that a decision needed to be made regarding whether or not risk management and soil remediation was to be undertaken. Under a risk management approach, the site owner maintains the long-term liability for impacts on the site. These are serious environmental and societal burdens for the communities and the province. As the cases of the Baie Verte asbestos and Aur Resource mines both demonstrate, mining operations in the region, must consider waste management and site remediation as important land use concerns.
A recent study revealed another potential impact of mining activities in relation to the environment and wildlife with the research suggesting that caribou populations often suffer from mining activities. In turn, and in the context of the Central West region, this can affect recreational hunting activities of caribou populations and potentially impact the herds themselves. Finally, interviews held within the region suggest that mining companies were not engaging with local communities when setting up mining operations to the extent that community leaders would like and that communities have not always been properly informed when mines were being set up close to them.
Related information resources
http://www.thetelegram.com/Business/2011-02-16/article-2245224/Exploring-the-potential-in-central/1
http://www.env.gov.nl.ca/env/waterres/quality/background/exploits.pdf
http://www.anacondamining.com/projects/pine-cove
