Changes

no edit summary
Line 2: Line 2:  
=Faro Mine Remediation Project News=
 
=Faro Mine Remediation Project News=
 
==Fall 2018 News==
 
==Fall 2018 News==
===Upcoming Procurement Opportunities===
+
===Care and Maintenance Updates:===
Parsons Inc, the Interim Construction Manager for the Faro Mine Remediation Project, is responsible for the management of construction activities related to the project’s urgent works, including the North Fork Rose Creek diversion. All contracting opportunities procured by the Interim Construction Manager are posted publicly on [http://www.merx.com MERX]. We encourage all interested contractors to monitor the system for upcoming procurement opportunities. The project team is currently working with Parsons to organize an Industry Day to provide further information to local companies on upcoming procurement opportunities at the site. For more information about the event, please contact us.
      +
CIRNAC and their care and maintenance constructor, Parsons, have continued to manage site access, safety and water management and at the Faro Mine Complex (FMC) in 2019.  Water treatment and discharge to the environment continues and water elevations have been reduced by more than 2.2 m in Faro pit, and more than 1.6 m in Vangorda pit year to date and are on track to meet  treatment targets for the year. 
   −
===First Step of NFRC Realignment Project Complete===
+
[[File:Nfrc.jpg|class=faroimgr|caption]]<div>The fish salvage operation concluded in September marking the successful completion of the first step of the North Fork Rose Creek (NFRC) realignment project.
+
Faro Pit. Photo courtesy of Rick Massie, CIRNAC.
It involved the installation of temporary fish barriers at two locations to capture and relocate fish outside of the construction area. The barriers continue to be monitored and inspected on a daily basis.
  −
Minnow Environmental, specialists in aquatic biology, were retained to develop the fish salvage approach and to put together a team to carry out the fish salvage operation. The team included specialists from Golder-AECOM, ELR Engineering as well as a number of individuals from Ross River and Pelly Crossing who received training in electrofishing techniques as part of this opportunity.
  −
The Fisheries Act Authorization from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada was received on July 26, 2018 authorizing the work in the North Fork Rose Creek diversion channel to begin.</div>
  −
{{Clear}}
      +
   −
===Water Levels in Faro Pit ===
+
Faro IWTS, Photo Courtesy of Rick Massie, CIRNAC
Recent water treatment activities have decreased the elevation of the Faro Pit water to the lowest level since June 2013. The treatment plant’s output was 848,600 m3 in July, 959,773 m&#179; in August, and 826,460 m&#179; in September. These monthly totals represent an increase in the volume of water treated, compared to performance in the same month for 2016 and 2017.
      +
 +
Vangorda Booster, Photo Courtesy Parsons
   −
===X13 Sump and Pipeline Construction===
+
There are also a number of care and maintenance projects that will improve site water management and treatment at the FMC. The key ones that are under way include:
A collection and pump-back system was designed last year to address the elevated levels of iron at monitoring station X13. Personnel from Matcon Environmental Ltd, who have joint ventured with Dena Nezzidi Corporation, were onsite in July and August installing the collection sump. Work began in September to construct the pipeline to move water from X13 to the Intermediate Pond. Work includes screening and hauling granular fill material, access road construction, preparing the new pipe bed area, and compaction testing.
      +
===Additional Treatment at the Interim Water Treatment System (IWTS)===
   −
===Transporting Water Treatment ===
+
An additional water treatment process step is being added to the IWTS.  This will involve adjusting the pH of treated water through acid addition to reduce potential impacts of ammonia on the receiving environment. The treatment system components are on site and are in the final stages of assembly. It is expected to be operational later in July 2019.
Plant Components to Faro
  −
Procurement of the components for the Cross Valley Pond water treatment plant is proceeding on schedule. The equipment being mobilized is very large and special permits are required to transport the oversize loads. Parsons is currently working with a transportation and logistics company to develop a shipping plan which considers the height of shipment, bridges, road width, etc. Equipment is expected to start arriving at the Faro Mine Site in November.
      +
   −
===Rose Creek Diversion Interim Upgrade===
+
New Tank for pH adjustment for the IWTS. Photo courtesy of Rick Massie, CIRNAC.
Morgan Construction and Environmental Ltd, who have joint ventured with Dena Nezzidi Corporation, was awarded the contract for increasing the elevation of the Rose Creek diversion dyke. Once complete, this interim upgrade will increase the capacity of the dyke to withstand a one in two hundred year (1:200) storm event. Work onsite began in October and is scheduled to be completed in early November.
      +
===New (Additional) Water Treatment Plant for Cross Valley Pond===
   −
===Fueling System Construction===
+
The Cross Valley Pond Water Treatment Plant (CVP TP) project began construction in May 2019. This new water treatment plant, once completed, will allow treatment of water directly from the CVP and will provide additional overall treatment capacity for water management on the Faro pit side of the FMC. The majority of the plant’s materials have been delivered to the site and a pad structure and mobile foundation system has been constructed to support the new facility (see photo below).  
[[File:Fsc.jpg|class=faroimgr|caption]]<div>Funded under Parsons Care & Maintenance contract, the installation of a new fuel dispensing system was completed in late September. The upgraded system is more efficient and will accommodate the greater volume of work occurring at the Faro Mine site moving forward. Fuel is being supplied by Tu Lidlini Petroleum, a Ross River Dena owned company.</div>
      +
Temporary power has been brought to the pad to support the construction phase of the project prior to connection of the permanent feed planned to be constructed in September. The mechanical subcontractor will begin rigging and installing the mechanical equipment during the week of July 15th,  and the electrical subcontractor will install plant electrical, instrumentation and controls equipment beginning mid-August. CVP TP construction is estimated to be completed by September 27th and will be winterized following testing for startup in April 2020.
   −
{{Clear}}
+
 +
Photo of new CVPTP Pad
   −
===Site Tour with Federal and Territorial Regulators===
+
===Emergency Tailings Area – Water Capture and Piping to the Intermediate Pond===
The project team hosted a tour of the Faro Mine site on September 19 to familiarize Federal and Territorial regulators with the site as well as to discuss details of the Faro Mine Remediation Project.
  −
Representatives from Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Health Canada as well as Yukon Government’s Department of Environment, along with
  −
representatives from Selkirk First Nation spent the day on site with members of the project team including SRK, the Project’s design engineers.
     −
The discussion was focused on the current site conditions, and proposed remediation activities. There was additional discussion on the fish salvage which was being completed in the North Fork Rose Creek during the tour, and upcoming urgent works. It was also an opportunity for the project team to learn about aspects of the Project that may be of concerns to government and First Nation representatives.
+
A new water collection feature has been installed in the area of the former Emergency Tailings Area (ETA).  The capture system was designed and installed by Parsons in July 2019. This captures water at the ETA and sends it by pipe directly to the Intermediate Pond and then to the water treatment plant for treatment prior to discharge.
    +
   −
===Finalizing Project Proposal for Submission to YESAB===
+
New ETA Capture system.  Photo courtesy of Parsons
The project team is working with Golder-AECOM to finalize the Project Proposal which documents the effects of the Faro Mine Remediation Project on several valued components, including, water quality, fish, wildlife, vegetation, economic opportunities, health, local and traditional land use, community well-being, and cultural and heritage resources. This document will propose several measures to mitigate the negative effects of the project as well as measures to enhance the positive effects of the remediation. An Environmental and Socio-Economic Management and Monitoring Framework will also be included with this submission.
+
 
 +
===Urgent Works Updates:===
 +
 
 +
CIRNAC, and their Interim Construction Manager (ICM), Parsons Inc. are carrying out Urgent Works projects. 
 +
 
 +
===North Fork of Rose Creek===
 +
 
 +
The intent of the NFRC project is to relocate the channel conveying clean water of the North Fork of Rose Creek to remove it from and potential contaminated contact water seeping from the Faro waste rock piles.  The design was completed by BGC Engineering for CIRNAC, and is being implemented by the ICM and their contractors who are selected through competitive processes.  The first step of the project was the completion of the construction diversion channel which was completed by Pelly Construction over the winter of 2019, and was finished in early May 2019.  An aerial UAV photo of the completed first phase of the project is below.
 +
 
 +
This overall work package 1 included construction of haul roads, a 1.2 km diversion channel, some storm water management features and an outwash pond.
 +
 
 +
 +
UAV aerial photo of NFRC construction diversion channel.  May 2019.  Photo courtesy of Parsons.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Parsons Inc., has awarded a new contract for the North Fork Rose Creek realignment project to the Yukon company Pelly Construction Ltd.  Valued at $44.4 million, this next phase of the project will realign the north fork of Rose Creek away from the contaminated areas of the site to keep the creek water clean. This work will include the construction of a new 1.9 km water channel (excavating, blasting, liners, aggregate production and placement), road construction, haul roads excavation, dam construction, multi-plate culvert, water management and other related works.
 +
 
 +
Pelly Construction is partnering with Dena Nezziddi Development Corporation, owned by Ross River Dena Council, to complete this project. Pelly will also be working with Yukon College to bring the college’s heavy equipment simulator to Ross River to provide training opportunities. It is estimated that Pelly will be employing approximately 70 people on this project over the next year. 
 +
 
 +
 
 +
===Elders Tour:===
 +
 
 +
On June 11, 2019 CIRNAC’s Care and Maintenance Contractor, Parsons hosted the Ross River Dena Council (RRDC) Elders Visit at the Faro Mine Complex (FMC). A group of 22 RRDC citizens including Chief Jack Caesar, some councilors, and Elders visited FMC for a sharing of stories and a discussion of past and present events at Faro Mine. A group tour of the Faro side was carried out. The group visited the Faro Pit viewpoint, the recently completed North Fork of Rose Creek construction diversion channel, the Interim Water Treatment Plant, and the X13 water recovery project. Parsons then served a BBQ lunch onsite and the tour group departed for Ross River.
 +
 
 +
 +
 
 +
RRDC Elders Tour – IWTS Control Room, Photo Courtesy Parsons
 +
 +
 
 +
Faro Elders tour – X13 Area. Photo courtesy Parsons.
 +
 
 +
===Faro 50 Tour:===
 +
 
 +
The Town of Faro recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. As part of the 50th anniversary, tours of the Faro Mine Complex were provided to the public.  These were facilitated by Parsons on behalf of CIRNAC.  In total, 122 visitors toured the FMC between July 2nd and 6th. The toured followed the water management on the site, and the tour guides explained diversions of fresh water and the contact water capture and treatment.  The new North Fork Rose Creek Diversion, Faro Pit, Rose Creek Tailings area were all visited.
     
288

edits