A UNBC Environmental Sciences professor is on his way to the site of Monday’s breach of the Mount Polley mine.
Phil Owens says he is joining a team of researchers to examine the damage the mine’s breach had on the local water-ways.
“We’ve been taking samples already, since we heard about this,” he says. “We’re looking at the impact and are looking at the impact and how we might be able to help the local communities and mine staff to alleviate the problem and understand the long-term impacts.”
He says a catastrophic like this is very rare and no one knows yet what the full impacts are.
A UNBC environmental sciences professor is on his way to the site of Monday’s breach of the Mount Polley mine.
Phil Owens says he is joining a team of researchers to examine the damage the mine’s breach had on the local water-ways.
“We’ve been taking samples already, since we heard about this,” he says. “We’re looking at the impact and are looking at the impact and how we might be able to help the local communities and mine staff to alleviate the problem and understand the long-term impacts.”
He says a catastrophic event like this is very rare and no one knows yet what the full impacts are.
Owens says Hazeltine Creek suffered the most damage, while waste water also made it to the mouth of both the Polley and Quesnel Lakes and is likely to be toxic, but until they speak with the mine’s owner – Imperial Metals, they won’t know for sure.
