Yukon First Nation fears exclusion from mine disaster review, seeks public inquiry

Yukon’s Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation says an independent review of a disaster at the Eagle Gold mine on its territory is urgently needed but it has serious concerns the Yukon government is trying to “erase” its role in the probe.

The First Nation says in a letter to deputy mining minister Lauren Haney that it wants to hash out “effective parameters” for the investigation into the failure of the mine’s heap leaching pad that released millions of tonnes of cyanide-laced ore in June.

It says an independent review board can’t get to the bottom of the disaster, calling instead for a full public inquiry.

The First Nation says it will only support the review board’s work if it can “co-manage” the process and appoint it’s own advisors to work alongside those tapped by the Yukon government.

The letter to Haney on Tuesday says the mine “was a steady regulatory blight from its inception to its collapse,” detailing past cyanide spills, problems found by inspectors, landslides and water management issues.

The Yukon government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the First Nation’s letter.

Mine owner Victoria Gold is now in receivership and the site is under the receiver’s management.

The First Nation says the Yukon government’s enforcement response to past incidents at the mine is “unclear.”

“There is therefore a much larger story to the June 24 Eagle Gold disaster than a mere accident, technical anomaly, or isolated instance of oversight,” the letter said.

It added: “The consequence of allowing business-as-usual at an unsafe and unsound site now hangs over taxpayers’ heads.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 29, 2024.

The Canadian Press