Laserfiche WebLink
~ III IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII • <br />999 <br />DATE: April 22, 1992 <br />TO: Larry Oehler <br />FROM; Allen Sorenson <br />Re: Canadian Cyanide Regulations <br />I spoke with Len Surgis of Environment Canada. The only regulati n of cyanide <br />levels currently in place in Canada is for discharge, that level Bing .lppm <br />free cyanide. They are not concerned about cyanide levels in tai inge ponds <br />impacting wildlife because of the abundance of more suitable habi at available <br />due to high net precipitation levels through-out Canada. They fe 1 that the <br />ponds are simply unattractive to wildlife, hence wildlife will no~ use them. <br />Len stated that he has not seen any documented wildlife mortality due to <br />cyanide exposure at mine sites. <br />The Canadian regulatory agencies are not as concerned about posei~le impacts <br />these ponds may have on groundwater as we are in the US because t ere ie <br />abundant surface water available, hence groundwater is not put to any use. As <br />areeult, few of the tailings ponds in Canada are lined. <br />The only monitoring required is for discharge, emphasizing the co~cern in <br />Canada for fisheries and surface water quality. Monitoring of ta~ling pond <br />water quality or of groundwater is not as a rule required, but ma be written <br />into individual permits. At this time, there is no requirement i Canada that <br />mill effluent be treated prior to discharge into the pond, althou~h Len stated <br />that there was a trend toward requiring some treatment in the mil being <br />written in to new permits. <br />