Xstrata Nickel and Breakwater Resources have made financial commitments for the next three years to support the Ontario Mining Association (OMA) and the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines’ Rehabilitation Partnership Project.
Xstrata Nickel will contribute $50,000 annually for three years and Breakwater Resources has agreed to contribute $30,000 annually for three years.
Xstrata and Breakwater join CVRD Inco’s Ontario operations, which previously made a financial commitment of $50,000 annually for the next three years to the partnership. This industry-government partnership has made significant progress in cleaning up the legacy of abandoned mine sites on Crown lands.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2003 sets out the terms of the partnership, which includes a 50-50 cost-sharing arrangement, protection from liabilities and donation tax credits. This agreement between the OMA and the MNDM is considered a breakthrough in co-operation in dealing with this legacy issue. Mining industry involvement demonstrates shared values and concerns for safety and health in communities.
The OMA Mines Rehabilitation Task Force, which is a sub-group of the OMA Environment Committee, and MNDM jointly select projects. The next project that has been selected for reclamation treatment under the terms of this partnership is in the Timmins area at the former Kam Kotia site.
The Tailings Seeps Relocation Project aims to remove about 25,000 cubic metres of tailings from drainage spots near the Kamiskotia River and relocate and stabilize them in an impounded tailings area. This work needs to be done in winter to allow heavy equipment access to the tailings.
With the momentum provided by Xstrata, Breakwater and CVRD Inco for this environmental initiative, the OMA wants to have funds from its member companies in place to cover half of the estimated cost of $660,000 to complete the project and future reclamation work under the MOU.
— The preceding is from an information bulletin published by the Toronto-based Ontario Mining Association.
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