Statement from Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources Streicker on a milestone at the abandoned Minto Mine site

Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources John Streicker has issued the following statement:

“Last month, reclamation and closure efforts at the Minto Mine site reached a milestone, surpassing the target of having one million cubic metres of water storage capacity available at the site. Adequate water storage capacity allows us to be able to respond safely to unforeseen weather events and ensure ongoing environmental protection.

“Our government is committed to reclaiming and closing the mine, which is why we’ve allocated $21.5 million in this year’s budget to support our ongoing work. This money will be drawn from the financial security that was collected from Minto Metals Corporation before their closure and abandonment of the mine site and is not funded by taxpayers. Reclamation efforts for 2024 have already begun and we continue to draw on financial security to cover the costs of work at the abandoned site.

“I’d like to thank the contractors on site whose diligent work has allowed us to reach this target and recognize the important and ongoing collaboration with Selkirk First Nation. I’d also like to thank the staff at Assessment and Abandoned Mines for the essential role they’ve played providing planning and oversight.

“Since abandonment of the site, water management has been a top priority for the Government of Yukon. One year ago, water storage capacity at the site was just over 400,000 cubic metres. Since then, we have more than doubled water storage capacity and will continue to focus on water management throughout all stages of reclamation and closure.

“During the fall of 2023, reclamation of the underground workings was completed by safely removing all equipment and infrastructure. The underground workings were then allowed to slowly fill with water. This March, we also began pumping water from an open pit into the underground workings, increasing storage capacity at the site.

“We expect to make further headway with water storage when the site’s water treatment plant goes back into operation from June to August.

“We continue to engage with the court-appointed Receiver on the sales process for the mine. Regardless of the outcome of this process, work on reclaiming the site will move ahead.

“Our focus as a mine regulator is on protecting the environment and we remain committed to reclaiming and closing the site.”