Mine Information

SLR Report and Town Hall Meeting

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on July 11th, 2017 11:10am

Here it is folks, the SLR Report on the Ajax Application:  http://www.kamloops.ca/ajax/pdfs/AjaxMinePeerReview.pdf

Report from Expert Panel for the Review of Canadian Environmental Assessment Processes

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on July 11th, 2017 11:09am

Sent on behalf of the Expert Panel for the Review of Environmental Assessment Processes

Celebrate the SSN Decision on April 1 !

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on July 11th, 2017 11:08am

This is an invitation from the Stk’emlúpsemc te Secwepemc Nation to those who wish to stand in solidarity with the decision NOT to go forward with the KGHM Ajax Open-Pit mine

Environmental Assessment Clock is Running Again!

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on July 11th, 2017 11:08am

On May 4, 2016, the Environmental Assessment Office suspended the 180-day review timeline of the environmental assessment for the proposed Ajax Mine Project. The purpose of the suspension was to fulfill requirements related to Working Group, Aboriginal consultation and public consultation, to EAO’s satisfaction.

KGHM Ajax Will Not Pay More For City Review

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 25th, 2016 5:26am

The company behind the proposed Ajax mine south of Kamloops will not be paying any more money toward completion of a city-commissioned study of its application.

MiningWatch Predicts $100 Million in Compensation

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 25th, 2016 5:25am

Kamloops, October 20 2016. MiningWatch Canada claims that Kamloops should pay attention to recent legal developments of the only other urban mine of comparable size in Canada: the Malartic open pit mine in Quebec.

Expert Panel Coming to Kamloops

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 25th, 2016 5:24am

Good news!  The four-person Expert Panel, appointed by Federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, to review environmental assessments for projects across Canada, will be coming to Kamloops on November 28 and will be meeting with the public from 1 pm to 5 pm. (Location has yet to be announced) We have an opportunity to provide feedback to the federal government about the environmental assessment of the proposed Ajax mine.

Town Hall meeting with Elizabeth May

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on July 21st, 2016 4:49am

You are invited to a Town Hall Meeting with Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, at St. Andrews on the Square, located at Second Avenue and Seymour Street, Friday, July 29, 7:30 to 9:00 PM.

Soils Scientist warns of dangers to Kamloops from proposed Ajax mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on July 21st, 2016 4:48am

Thompson Rivers University soil scientist, Kent Watson is warning that the Kamloops neighbourhood of Aberdeen is at risk from blasts and dustfall from the nearby proposed Ajax open pit mine.

Predicted Nitrogen Oxide and Dioxide Blast Emissions from Ajax Mine underestimated by 99.9%

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on July 21st, 2016 4:47am

Several major calculation errors in the air quality studies for the proposed Ajax mine near Kamloops, British Columbia have been uncovered by industrial emissions expert Kevin Lewis. These errors cast doubt on claims by the mine proponent, KGHM International, that the mine will not significantly harm air quality or human health in the city of Kamloops.

Scale Mine Model in Art Gallery Lobby at TNRD Building

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on April 14th, 2016 11:56am

The model returns!  

Site C Dam Presentation

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on April 14th, 2016 11:56am

On April 20, 7 PM at Room IB 1015, TRU, the Sierra Club of B.C. and the TRU Faculty Association Human Rights Committee are co-hosting a meeting about the Site C Dam, with two speakers:

Code Blue - Defend Kamloops!

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on April 14th, 2016 11:55am

If you attended last night’s presentations on air, water, and soil, with their jaw-dropping revelations on deficiencies in the KGHM Ajax Application, you will probably want to rant to someone!  A good place to start is to send in a public comment to the EAO website, at www.eao.gov.bc.ca . You have until Monday, April 11, to make a submission.

Air-blast and your house

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on April 14th, 2016 11:53am

What effects will air-blast from the Ajax mine have on you and your house?

In 2013, Golder Associates was hired by the City of Kamloops to review  data from two test blasts done by KGHM in 2011, to determine whether air-blast should be part of the application information requirements.

Five Weeks Left for Public Comments

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on March 7th, 2016 1:34am

There are only 5 weeks left to participate in the Public Comment period of the Ajax environmental assessment process. The deadline is April 11.

Ajax Technical Presentations Coming Up

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on March 7th, 2016 1:30am

Hi Stop Ajax Supporters

 

Please attend as many of the 4 sessions as you can. Questions can be asked.

Defend Kamloops - Post Your Comments

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on March 7th, 2016 1:30am

There seems to be a misconception that only "in scope" comments are being received by the BC EAO website for public input on the Ajax project.  People are scared, or think - "what do I know about this".  Better leave it to others . . . 

Assessment process January-March, 2016

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on January 14th, 2016 3:59am

On December 3, the Community Advisory Group (CAG) met with the BC Environmental Assessment Office (BCEAO) to talk about the next steps in the environmental assessment.

KGHM Ajax Application will be released January 4.

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 2nd, 2015 10:17am

The BC Environmental Assessment Office has screened the Application for completeness. It has asked KGHM Ajax to provide more information in the final document. On January 4, 2016, the 18,000 page application will be released online to the public. It will include plain language summaries of the various studies.

Ajax Application and Out-of-Scope Issues

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 2nd, 2015 10:16am

On November 20, the Environmental Assessment Office accepted the Ajax application for purposes of a 6 month review.  The acceptance indicated required clarifications and requests for additional information.  The adjusted application will be released to the public on January 4th, 2016.  A 75 day public comment period will be part of the 6 month EAO review.  Our consultants’ report will be required to be entered in the record within the 75 day timeframe. 

Ajax Mine Application in Government Hands

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 30th, 2015 10:46am

From newskamloops.com, Sept 12, 2015

Kamloops Direly News

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 30th, 2015 10:45am

From www.kamloopsbcnow.com, September 13, 2015

Ajax Application Delayed

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 16th, 2015 12:08am

KAPA lawyers ask for environmental assessment shut down.

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 19th, 2014 4:55pm

Yesterday, September 18, KAPA lawyers sent a message to BC Environment Minister, Mary Polak, asking her to suspend the environmental assessment of the proposed Ajax mine due to the change in tailings management from a dry stack tailings pile to a wet tailings pond.  Here is the letter from the lawyers:

Doctors say "No more room to pollute"

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 19th, 2014 10:54am

This news item was released on September 9, 2014 to the media. We did not see or hear anything in the media about this. Did any of you?  Here is the news release – we hope you will pass it on to your family, friends, and co-workers.

Ajax protest outside Coast Kamloops Hotel continues inside.

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 18th, 2014 10:21am

Along with hundreds of teachers, our Ajax protestors stood outside Coast Kamloops Hotel as people arrived for lunch with the premier and cabinet.  Inside there were 5 people from KAPA and Kamloops Physicians for a Healthy Environment attending the luncheon, who were each promised a seat at a table with a minister.   Unfortunately many ministers did not attend and there were 10 tables with no ministers at them.  Still, our attendees did their best to get their messages across to the cabinet members that were there.  Here is the news report on the event:

http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/ministry-environment-meets-kghm-ajax/

Public has a right to comment on changes to Ajax plan.

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 14th, 2014 10:21am

News was released  on September 8, that the BC Environmental Assessment Office has turned down our City Council's request for a second public comment period to deal with the new mine plan. Chief among the changes is the plan for a huge tailings pond - more accurately described as a toxic sludge dump - to replace the former dry stack tailings pile along the Coquihalla Highway.   KAPA chairperson, Paula Pick, describes the many reasons for needing a public comment period in this letter to the Armchair Mayor:

http://armchairmayor.ca/2014/09/14/letter-public-has-a-right-to-comment-on-changes-to-ajax-plan/

"You get no say". Protesters oppose Ajax at downtown rally.

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 10th, 2014 10:20am

Thank you to all those who protested outside KGHM office on a sunny but chilly September day!  In addition to showing our signs we chanted various messages for KGHM staff inside the building.  We were also recorded on CBC radio, and protestors were interviewed by NL radio, Kamloops This Week, and The Armchair Mayor.  Read on for details!

 

http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/get-say-protesters-oppose-ajax-downtown-rally/ 

What is Social Licence?

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 29th, 2014 2:13pm

The value of a mine is generally determined by the amount of resources available, the cost of extraction and the price of the commodity being mined. Yet there is now another factor in valuing a mine: whether it has community support, or social licence.

Ajax Dam should be classified an "extreme" risk.

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 25th, 2014 8:30am

KAPA researcher, Don Barz, put together a compelling letter to Kamloops This Week, protesting a recent Ministry of Energy and Mines pronouncement that a failure of one of the proposed Ajax tailings dams would present a "very high" risk, with loss of less than 100 lives.  He contends that if should be classified as "extreme risk", since the debris flow down through the City of Kamloops would result in far more than 100 lives lost.  

http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/ajax-dam-classified-extreme-risk/

Comparison of Mt. Polley Mine and Ajax Mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 23rd, 2014 3:31am

Terry Lake Agrees to meet with KAPA

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 8th, 2014 11:37am

 Following a very successful demonstration outside MLA Terry Lake's office on August 6, Lake reversed his position and agreed to meet with KAPA representatives along with MLA Todd Stone in September. Many thanks to all those who lined both sides of Tranquille Rd. showing their signs and chanting slogans – we managed to make an impression!

Feedback on KGHM-Ajax Open House

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 24th, 2014 11:31am

Our protest sign team created a stir at all three open houses, held by KGHM to explain its new mine plan. Many KAPA members talked with the KGHM representatives. Later, a summary of our comments on the open houses was sent to the BCEAO. Here is the summary.

Federal Environment Minister Leona Aglukkaq Rejects Federal Review Panel on KGHM Ajax Mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on February 24th, 2014 4:02pm

The Prosperity Mine near William's Lake was approved by the povincial assessment, then it was rejected by a federal review panel... then after Properity resubmitted, the federal review panel rejected it again! Perhaps that is why so many are concerned about this provincial assessment that the KGHM Ajax mine is going through?

Here's the response from the Minister for you to review.

Reading Between the Lines re KGHM Ajax Aug 2 Announcement

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 14th, 2013 10:20pm

On August 2nd, KGHM Ajax held a press conference where they announced that they were delaying their application because they have potentially found a new ore body that they'd like to investigate and potentially expand the project and maybe even make it even bigger, at the same time, they said they may move some of the facilities further away from the city: coverage here, from Kamloops Daily News. 

Blasting Information on Ajax Mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 5th, 2013 12:55am

Due to all the talk and discussion of blasting around the mine, the following was created as a primer for more information for those who are looking to get more informed about the mine and the impact of blasting on the Ajax proposal.

Transcript from Doctors on Jim Harrison Show June 25, 2013

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on July 16th, 2013 7:02pm

We created a transcript of this excellent interview with Dr. Twila Burgmann and Dr. Jill Calder on the Jim Harrison show on June 25, 2013.    

Significant Dust Dispersion Models for Mining Operations

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on November 27th, 2012 10:50am

We found a paper on InfoMine's website titled: "Significant Dust Dispersion Models for Mining Operations". It has a short section on the health effects of increased particulate matter. We've included it on this blog post for your review. 

Mitigating Community Impacts of Mining Operations: Options for Local Governments from University of Victoria

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on November 27th, 2012 6:26am

We foudn a paper written by the Environmental Law Centre at the University of Victoria that discusses ways to mitigate the impact of mining operations on communities. Here is the full document.

Dust Problems in Peterborough?

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on November 21st, 2012 2:59am

It seems as though they are having some dust problems in Peterborough Ontario. We have obtained a letter send from the Peterborough County-City Health Unit that was sent out to all residents of Peterborough in August, 2012 discussing the rise in dust levels and the reasoning behind it as well as the consequences.   The nearby Unimin mine has been identified as the source of the elevated dust levels and they are (at the time of the writing of this letter) working with the mine to help stop the issue. The complete letter is here, and we've provided our analysis below. 

BC Hydro and Ajax Power Usage

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 7th, 2012 11:14am

UPDATED: We've updated some of our calculations to try determine the real tax revenues based on the subsidy we've calculated the mine will receive.

There has been a lot of discussion about the amount of power the Ajax mine will be using and how this affects us in Kamloops. Here's the facts we know: 

1. The Ajax mine is estimating that it will use 470,538,348kWh/year (from page 228 of the Ajax Mine Feasibility Study), at a rate of $0.035/kWh USD (or $0.0343/kWh CDN as of October 7th, 2012) from BC Hydro. http://www.ajaxmine.ca/pdfs/Ajax_Feasibility_Study_43-101.pdf

2. We pay for our power in a 2 step process. The first 1,350kWh we use is at a rate of $0.068/kWh CDN, and after that we pay $0.1019/kWh CDN.  Note that this has increased since our previous infographic was released earlier this year. https://www.bchydro.com/youraccount/content/residential_bill.jsp

Dust Mitigation Strategies

Posted by Dianne Kerr on July 12th, 2012 10:20am

The following letter was written and sent to the Editor of the Daily News and Kamloops This Week back in February.    

The Other Side of the Economic Argument

Posted by Dianne Kerr on July 6th, 2012 1:03pm

Is the Ajax mine really an economic boon to the community if examined through the lens of cost/benefit?   

Not This Mine, Not This Place

Posted by Dianne Kerr on July 6th, 2012 8:57am

What is happening in Kamloops is a microcosm of what is happening in many parts of Canada with respect to gutted environmental legislation and the determination of both the federal and provincial governments to facilitate exploitation of Canadian resources whatever the costs.  The proposal for a giant open pit copper/gold mine to locate within the City limits is also a precedent in that this is a healthy moderate sized community of 87,000 people with a balanced economy and attractive lifestyle. The City was here first with its university, regional hospital, and status as a Tournament Capital in Canada.  It currently attracts both new business and new residents without any mine in its midst.   If the senior governments can put a mine in Kamloops, no city with even low grade mineral resources like this one will be safe.  

The Aftermath; Cleaning up the Mess

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 19th, 2012 1:09pm

It has been suggested that the reclamation/remediation of a mine site is always effective, and security deposits are applied to the cost of reclamation. If only that were true! It is difficult to understand how the pristine grasslands of the proposed Ajax mine site would look like anything but a massive moonscape should the mine go ahead.

Brief Review of the Giant Mine Arsenic Mess

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 18th, 2012 5:16pm

 

Giant Mine operated as an underground gold mine, and later also as an open pit mine from 1948 until 2004 very close to Yellowknife, NWT. The arsenopyrite ore which was mined contained both gold and arsenic. The gold was separated from the arsenopyrite ore using a roasting process, and this process produced highly toxic arsenic trioxide (As2O3) in the form of a dust. The dust was stored in sealed, underground chambers and it was thought at the time that permafrost would ensure the safe storage of the arsenic trioxide indefinitely.  

Mining Threatens One of BC’s Largest Sockeye Salmon Runs

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 16th, 2012 1:59pm

 

The Thompson River flows into the Fraser River west of Kamloops, B.C. and provides important spawning grounds and migratory routes for a number of salmon stocks. The Adams River is a tributary of the South Thompson and is home to one of the most important sockeye runs in the Fraser River system. Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park on the lower Adams River has been recognized by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as one of the world’s greatest natural areas. Chinook, coho, sockeye, and pink salmon also spawn in the Adams River. Of course the Secwepemc who have sustained themselves from the river and the land around it have recognised its importance for thousands of years.

The Kam Kotia Mine Disaster: Ontario's Most Notorious Mine Waste Problem

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on June 15th, 2012 8:20am

It has been labelled the “the worst environmental disaster” in Ontario. It has been criticized by mining opponents as “corporate greed” running wild. Some taxpayers are unhappy that $14 million of their money has been spent - and $14 million more is needed - to restore 500 hectares of land left devastated after the mine closed, the miners moved on to other sites and the shareholders spent their dividends.

Overview of the Environmental Review Process

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on April 17th, 2012 2:02pm

Here is a brief review of the environmental review process. The EAO document "The Environmental Review Process" can be found on the internet at: www.eao.gov.bc.ca/ea_process.html

KAPA report on the March 28 meeting of the Community Advisory Group

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on April 12th, 2012 8:06pm

The BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) has created a Community Advisory Group (CAG), tasked with seeking input from the residents of Kamloops and the addressing their concerns. The membership of CAG includes the following organizations; Grasslands Conservation Council of BC, Kamloops Area Preservation Association (KAPA) Kamloops Naturalist Club, Kamloops & District Fish & Game Association, Kamloops Astronomical Society, Kamloops Stockmen's Association, Pineview Community Group, Thompson Institute of Environmental Studies, Aberdeen Highlands Development Corporation, Kamloops Fly Fisher's Association, Thompson Watershed Coalition, Aberdeen Community Association, Coalition to protect East Kamloops and the Lac Le Jeune Community Association (representing residents living along the Lac Le Jeune Road adjacent to Kamloops). 

Copper Mining in Arizona from Arizona Public Media

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on February 14th, 2012 2:59pm

The following article explains much that we have to look forward to should the mine be approved. http://www.azpm.org/arizona.copper/story/2011/3/18/1842-tailings-dust-under-the-microscope/. Take note the size of the tailings piles Ajax proposes to have tailings facilities over 500feet tall, right next to the Coquihalla highway coming into Kamloops. 

Feasibility Study Abacus Mining and Exploration Corp. for Ajax low-grade open-pit copper mine

Posted by John Schleiermacher on December 23rd, 2011 4:28pm

The recap of the feasibility study released by Abacus Mining and Exploration on December 21, 2011 on the company’s website has some interesting information.

Mining and Toxic Metals Redoil Case Study

Posted by Michael Hewitt on December 23rd, 2011 8:17am

REDOIL (Resisting Environmental Destruction On Indigenous Lands)  has released a case study of the proposed Donlin Creek Mine (Alaska) called "Mining and Toxic Metals".

The following are brief extracts from the report, which describes in detail the effects on health and the environment of toxic metals released by mining operations. Some of the metals referred to in the Redoil Study are present in the KGHM Ajax ore body (e.g. lead and arsenic). 

It is not known if the Ajax ore body has been assayed for mercury.

A link to the complete report is provided here.

Impact of Surface Mining on Residential Property Values

Posted by Michael Hewitt on December 20th, 2011 10:54am

A recent study on the impact of surface mining on residential property values in the USA provides a very interesting comment on what can be expected in Kamloops should the KGHM Ajax mine project be approved. The study is called "The Impact of Surface Coal Mining on Residential Property Values: A Hedonic Price Analysis Austin Williams University of Tennessee- Knoxville May 2011 Dr. Christian Vossler, Faculty Advisor". 

Mining and Toxic Metals

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on December 8th, 2011 4:58pm

The following study was done by REDOIL (Resisting Environmental Destruction on Indigenous Lands) in Alaska related to the Donlin Creek Mine, and it contains a number of references that are applicable to the KGHM Ajax Mine. For example, the 'How Mining Releases Toxic Metals' section. 

Comparison of the BC and Federal Environmental Assessments for the Prosperity Mine

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 19th, 2011 7:40pm

An independent report was commissioned by the Northwest Institute to compare the BC provincial and Federal environmental assessment of the Prosperity Mine in BC. We've included the report in full here, as well as the press release announcing the study. 

Full Report

Announcing Press Release

AJAX / KGHM Mine Informational video

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on October 19th, 2011 10:17am

The following video has been created to help explain the potential impact of the proposed Ajax Mine. Please watch the video and note the size of the tailings ponds and storage facilities. Also please note that KGHM has not provided any 3D renderings of the size of these facilities. 

Dust Created By Open Pit Mines

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 29th, 2011 2:36pm

When considering what kind of problem could be created by the proposed KGHM-Ajax mine, it is useful to compare the type of operation being proposed by Ajax with another open pit mine, Bellavista Gold Mine. This will give some idea of what creates the dust, how much dust is created, and what quantity of dust can be expected to migrate from the Ajax mine site. The term "Fugitive Dust" is used to describe dust that is created by mining operations, and can escape from the mine site.

Christy Clark Pledges 8 New Mines and 9 Expanded Mines by 2015

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 23rd, 2011 8:27am

We want to make it clear that our group is not against mining. We simply want to ensure that the proposed Ajax Mine is given a valid and impartial federal review before it is allowed to proceed in Kamloops. This week, BC Premier Christy Clark pledged, as part of her job creation plan, to create 8 new mines in BC, and expand another 9 existing mines.     

Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining (BPEM)

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 14th, 2011 2:24pm

The Australia Department of the Environment has produced a document entitled 'Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining.' We have included a link to the 50-page document here, but have also taken a number of key points from the document that reflect our concerns with the dust that can be produced from the proposed Ajax Mine in Kamloops.

Intro to Mine Tailings and Dust

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on September 13th, 2011 8:28am

The problems presented by dust from mine tailings applies equally to the dust blown from waste rock piles, blasting, crushing and hauling rock. All of these elements will be present in the proposed KGHM Ajax open pit mine.     

Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency Reviews

Posted by Stop Ajax Mine on August 26th, 2011 7:16pm

Since the early 1990s the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency had conducted, or is currently conducting panel reviews for thirteen mine projects. A review of the project settings reveals that none of the projects is located adjacent to, or even close to (i.e., less than 10 kilometres) from an urban area. In this respect, the proposed Ajax Mine located partially within the boundaries of the City of Kamloops is unique. It is estimated that 80,000 of the 90,000 citizens in Kamloops live within 10 kilometre of the fringes of the proposed waste rock facilities, open pit and dry tailings storage facility.