Victoria Gold Corporation's Eagle Mine heap leach failure

Our role as a regulator and enforcement body is to closely monitor the situation and, when appropriate, direct the receiver. The Government of Yukon is treating this as an emergency response, recognizing the potential impacts on people and the environment. Our key priorities are on-site safety and environmental protection.

April 30, 2025

The Government of Yukon provided an update on spring melt conditions and water management at Eagle Gold Mine. Key points include:

Spring melt water management

•  To prevent storage ponds from overflowing during the spring melt, the Receiver is releasing untreated contact water to keep water levels safe.
• This action follows the mine water strategy submitted to the Government of Yukon and supported by the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun.
• Contact water has come into contact with the open pit and waste rock but does not contain cyanide. It may exceed sediment and metal levels, so interim measures such as hay bale filtration and flocculant are in place. 

Environmental protection efforts 

• The discharge of untreated contact water was necessary to avoid uncontrolled release of water containing cyanide.
• Cyanide-contaminated water continues to be treated and discharged at 3,000 to 6,000 cubic metres per day.
• Water treatment meets federal quality standards but not site licence conditions due to elevated copper, cobalt and nitrite. 

Site preparations 

• One new storage pond has been completed, adding 91,000 cubic metres of capacity. Another is expected in mid-May, increasing capacity by 110,000 cubic metres.
• Additional infrastructure including sumps, ditches and pipelines is being used to manage clean meltwater and protect against contamination risks. 

The Government of Yukon will continue to provide updates. View water monitoring results. 

April 17, 2025

The Government of Yukon has shared an update on work happening at Eagle Gold Mine to prepare for the spring snowmelt. Key points include:

Preparation for spring snowmelt 

• The main risk is that snow and ice could melt faster than water can be treated or stored.
• This could lead to an uncontrolled release of water containing cyanide.
• The Receiver and contractors on site are working to ensure the necessary water treatment and water management infrastructure is in place for when water volumes increase.

Water storage, treatment and discharge

• Sumps, ditches and pipelines are being constructed. They'll route water away from areas where cyanide may be present.
• 2 new storage ponds are being built to hold over 200,000 cubic metres of additional water until it can be treated. 1 storage pond will be completed soon and the other is expected in May.
• While the treatment process removes cyanide, it raises levels of copper, cobalt and nitrite. Work is ongoing to improve water treatment and ensure it meets water licence conditions.

Water quality monitoring

• Daily water sampling and environment monitoring continue. View updated water monitoring results.

March 5, 2025

The Government of Yukon provided an update on the unauthorized discharge of cyanide-impacted water and water treatment progress at the Eagle Gold Mine. Key points include:  

Unauthorized discharge 

• A pipe leak on February 17 led to the release of an estimated 150 cubic metres of cyanide-impacted water into the environment.
• The leak was initially believed to be contained within a lined sump, delaying immediate reporting.
• Water sampling from February 17 and 18 detected elevated cyanide, cobalt, copper and nitrite levels near the mine site.
• Contaminant levels returned to previous levels within two days, suggesting an isolated incident. 

Environmental monitoring and water treatment 

• Water quality testing continues daily in Haggart Creek and surrounding areas.
• The Receiver has completed construction of a settling pond, the final component of the mine’s water treatment process.
• Initial testing indicates the treatment process is functioning as expected. Further testing is underway to confirm compliance with licensed discharge limits. 

Ongoing efforts 

• Investigations continue into the cause of the pipe leak and any potential impacts. 

February 13, 2025

The Government of Yukon provided an update on water discharge and environmental monitoring at the Eagle Gold Mine. Key points include: 

Controlled water discharge 

• The court-appointed Receiver has begun discharging water to manage storage capacity ahead of spring melt.
• Technical advisors have determined early discharge is necessary to prevent the uncontrolled release of untreated water containing cyanide.
• Discharged water meets cyanide limits but has elevated copper levels and does not fully comply with federal regulations or the site’s amended water licence.
• A settling pond is being constructed to further treat water, and once operational, discharge is expected to meet all required conditions.
• Up to 3,000 cubic metres of water—just over one Olympic-sized swimming pool—will be released daily until the settling pond is in use. 

Water quality update

• A suspected leak in the newly constructed containment pond is contributing to increased contamination in Haggart Creek.
• Water quality monitoring has detected rising levels of cyanide, cobalt, chloride, and nickel in the creek, exceeding aquatic life guidelines.
• Recent cyanide levels have surpassed the BC acute aquatic life guideline of 0.010 mg/L, reaching up to 0.021 mg/L.
• These contaminants may negatively impact fish health in the downstream environment. 

Ongoing monitoring 

• Daily water sampling and environmental monitoring continue.
• The Government of Yukon will continue to provide updates on the Receiver’s activities at the site.
• The next technical briefing will be held on February 18, 2025. 

January 3, 2025

The Government of Yukon provided an update on the containment pond issue at Eagle Gold. 

Containment pond investigation

• The Receiver identified irregular pond volumes and notified the Government of Yukon and the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun about a potential leak.
• Temporary measures are in place to dilute pond water and reduce toxicity.

Environmental monitoring and water management

• Groundwater and surface water monitoring, including Haggart Creek, has increased to track potential impacts.
• Treated water is temporarily stored in the pond to prevent overflows of cyanide-contaminated water.
• Experts are assessing additional treatment options to lower copper levels in water discharge.

Ongoing efforts

• Investigations continue to determine the cause of the volume changes and to identify long-term solutions.
• The Yukon government will provide regular updates, and the latest water quality results are available on Yukon.ca.

See previous updates.

Department of Energy, Mines and Resources: [email protected]

Department of Environment: [email protected]

Employment Standards Office: [email protected] or 867-667-5944

Environmental Health Services: [email protected] or 867-667-8391

Workers’ Safety and Compensation Board - [email protected] or 867-667-5645

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