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CLAD > CCS
> Yankee Girl Mine
Crown Contaminated Sites Program
Yankee Girl Mine
The Yankee Girl Mine operated in the Kootenays, south of Nelson,
near the community of Ymir from the late 1800s until the 1950s.
Gold, silver, lead, iron, zinc and cadmium were all mined at the
site. As part of this historical mining activity, tailings were
deposited on the banks of the Salmo River and Ymir (formerly Wildhorse)
Creek over a two hectare area, across from the community of Ymir.
The tailings have been on site for decades. A preliminary site
investigation conducted in 2004 found the site to contain elevated
concentrations of heavy metals including lead, zinc, cadmium and
arsenic.
Site investigation and risk assessment work was completed in
2005 to provide a comprehensive understanding of the physical
extent and magnitude of contamination at the site and to develop
several conceptual remedial options for site cleanup. However,
based on a technical review of the investigations and risk assessment
completed to date, it was determined that additional site information,
including a seasonal evaluation of water quality, was required
before any of the conceptual remedial options could be selected
for detailed design.
In addition to the data gaps identified by the technical review,
the report also recommended that a phased approach to remediation
of the site be undertaken. The first of two phases to remediate
the site is to design and build an erosion barrier between the
tailings and the two surface water bodies, Salmo River and Ymir
Creek. The second phase will be based on one of the conceptual
remedial options, which will be selected after the data gaps have
been addressed. The Crown Contaminated Sites Branch has hired
an environmental consultant to fill the data gaps identified in
previous studies and has hired an engineering company to design
and build an erosion barrier to stop the erosion of tailings into
the Salmo River. The erosion barrier was completed in late November
2005.
Photographs
Click on thumbnails for larger versions.
Winter 2005
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TP05-10 in the old mill area; note angular
cobbles and bedrock at bottom, Nov 05. |
Excavation of TP05-10 in the old mill area,
Nov 05. |
BH05-09 split spoon sample showing oxidized
tailings from the old mill area, Nov 05. |
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Installing MW05-08 below the old mill area,
Nov 05. |
Drilling MW05-07 adjacent to the old mill
area and access road to the site, Nov 05. |
Drilling of MW05-05D within the stained
side channel corridor that flows through the site, Nov 05. |
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View south while drilling of MW05-03, Nov 05. |
BH05-02 deeper split spoon sample showing saturdated
tailings whichhave the consistency of toothpaste, Nov 05. |
BH05-02 split spoon sample showing unsaturated oxidized
and unoxidized tailings, Nov 05. |
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View to north drilling MW05-02, Nov 05. |
View south of completed MW05-01 adjacent to the Salmo
River, Nov 05. |
In the old mill area, Nov 05. |
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Drilling MW05-09 in the old mill area on the side of
the access road to the site, Nov 05. |
Drilling of MW05-04 west of the side channel that flows
through the site, Nov 05. |
View of completed MW05-02S in foreground and completed
MW05-02D in background, Nov 05 |
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Excavation of TP05-11 in the old mill area
beside the access road to the site, Nov 05. |
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Winter 2004
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Yankee Girl mine site with the community of Ymir in
the background. |
The Yankee Girl mine site from the opposite bank showing
the different types of tailings (brown and grey colours). |
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Iron precipitation in the water |
Aluminum and iron precipitation in the
water |
Drilling and installation of a monitoring well |
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