What's happening at Giant Mine? Spring and summer 2023

Future remediation work at the public boat launch at the Giant Mine site

We've heard the community is increasingly interested in when the work on the boat launch and marina area is expect to take place. The Project's current schedule has remediation work at the public boat launch at the Giant Mine site starting in summer 2028. From now until the 2028 work season, public access will remain open with respect to:

• the public parking area
• the public boat launch at the Giant Mine site
• the Great Slave Sailing Club
• the Yellowknife Historical Society outdoor display and museum

Nearby remediation or investigation activities may cause temporary and short-duration disruptions to access to these areas. These disruptions could be due to traffic congestion along the site's access road or as a result of overall construction activities, including seasonal blasting.

The Project will work to minimize disruptions to the public when scheduling work activities and will notify the public of any changes as appropriate. In the interests of safety, please pay attention to signage posted at and near the site, and check the Project's new webpage: Giant mine safety notices and work notices for important public notices regarding site activities.

Boaters accessing the public boat launch at the Giant Mine site should be aware of trucks travelling through the area to access the site. Please be mindful of your surroundings at all times.

When enjoying activities in this area, please:

• respect in-water clearance procedures during blasting activities
• respect property boundaries and posted warning signs
• stay off of the site itself, including the townsite area near the public boat launch
• stay on the roadway or dedicated pull-outs when driving the Ingraham Trail
• use caution when near the site

For questions related to remediation work at the Giant Mine site, email the Project team.

The Government of Northwest Territories (GNWT) is responsible for the Giant Mine townsite and public boat launch areas during active remediation. If you have concerns or wish to make a report, you can do so by emailing publicuse_giant_lieupublic@gov.nt.ca, or by calling (867) 767-9236 Ext 53190. For more information, visit the GNWT's Giant Mine Remediation Project website.

Dust and dust suppression at the Giant Mine site

The Project has developed a new webpage where you can find frequently requested information about dust at the Giant Mine site: Information about dust at the Giant Mine site.

For information about dust suppression at the Giant Mine site, please visit our webpage, Dust suppression.

Health Effects Monitoring Program 2023 resampling

The Health Effects Monitoring Program has completed its 2023 resampling for arsenic and other metals for children in the Yellowknife area. This independent study began its resampling activities in April 2023, and concluded at the end of June 2023. For more information about this research, and about the Health Effects Monitoring Program, please visit Health Effects Monitoring Program (ykhemp.ca).

Paste backfill:

Underground backfilling is being completed to stabilize the underground and reduce the risk of surface subsidence (collapse) on site. Drilling of paste delivery holes began in early May 2023. The Project began paste backfilling in early June 2023 as part of the stabilization of the underground mine. This work will temporarily pause at the end of the 2023 work season. Construction will resume in spring 2024, and is expected to be completed at the end of the 2024 work season.

Arsenic sample drilling extraction activities:

As part of the Report of Environmental Assessment for the Project, research into emerging technologies toward finding a permanent solution for dealing with the arsenic trioxide dust is to be undertaken. Leading this research is the Giant Mine Oversight Board. To support this research, the Giant Mine Remediation Project will be completing arsenic sample drilling activities that will provide the Oversight Board with research materials directly from the site.

The Main Construction Manager, Parsons, awarded the contract to undertake this work to Nahanni Construction Ltd. They will work to extract approximately 600 kilograms of arsenic trioxide dust from the underground chambers on site. The subcontractor will use a sonic drill to complete the extraction through existing borehole locations above the underground chambers. Once extracted, Nahanni will store the samples in a double containment system and will transfer them to the Oversight Board official Transportation of Dangerous Goods packaging located onsite before being mobilized to offsite labs.

The health and safety of workers on site and the public is a priority for the Project. In handling of any hazardous material, there are always risks involved. That is why the Project team has multiple measures in place in order to ensure the health and safety, and to reduce risk, both for the public and for the workers on site. Some of these measures include:

• air quality monitoring, including dust monitoring
• dust suppression activities on site where appropriate
• engineered methods, such as negative air pressure and the double containment system for transportation.

For information about the arsenic sample drilling program and research, or for information about what steps will follow the extraction of the arsenic trioxide samples, please contact the Giant Mine Oversight Board.

New contracts awarded:

Extensions with major contract value changes: