{"id":49380,"date":"2024-07-16T21:36:38","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T21:36:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2024\/07\/16\/yukon-water-regulator-said-miner-flouted-licence-long-before-spill\/"},"modified":"2024-07-16T21:36:38","modified_gmt":"2024-07-16T21:36:38","slug":"yukon-water-regulator-said-miner-flouted-licence-long-before-spill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2024\/07\/16\/yukon-water-regulator-said-miner-flouted-licence-long-before-spill\/","title":{"rendered":"Yukon water regulator said miner &#8216;flouted\u2019 licence long before spill"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> \n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<header aria-label=\"Beginning of Article\" class=\"article-header article-header--story\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\" data-aqa=\"nav-breadcrumb\">\n<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/p>\n<ol class=\"breadcrumbs__items list-unstyled\">\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">Commodities<\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">Mining<\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\">News<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<div class=\"article-header__detail\">\n<div class=\"article-header__detail__texts\">\n<p class=\"article-subtitle\">Former head of the Yukon Water Board said the company saved millions by allegedly failing to re-contour slopes at the mine<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta\">\n<div class=\"wire-published-by\">\n<p class=\"visually-hidden\">Author of the article:<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"wire-published-by__author-container\">\n<p>The Canadian Press<\/p>\n<p>Darryl Greer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"published-date__since\">Published Jul 16, 2024<\/span> \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 <span class=\"published-date__word-count\">5 minute read<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"article-meta__bottom\">\n<div class=\"bookmark-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"popover\" data-aqa=\"popover\" data-click-to-appear=\"True\" data-container=\"\" data-container-offset=\"\" data-no-style=\"\" data-popover-component=\"\" data-position=\"top\" data-sticky=\"\" data-tail-offset=\"200\" data-tail-position=\"right\"><button class=\"popover__trigger bookmark-button\"><span class=\"save-article-button save-article-button--default\" title=\"Save article\" data-article-id=\"7a3bde50-731e-4481-ad79-c14b594958e0\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\"\/><\/button><\/p>\n<div aria-describedby=\"popover-desc-popover-bookmark\" class=\"popover__content\" hidden=\"\" role=\"dialog\">\n<div class=\"popover__content__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"popover__content__text\" id=\"popover-desc-popover-bookmark\">\n<div class=\"bookmark__popover__content\">\n<p>You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"popover__content__close\" data-evt-skip-click=\"true\" title=\"Close\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" viewbox=\"0 0 12 12\" class=\"icon--close\" height=\"12\" version=\"1.1\" width=\"12\"><polygon points=\"12 0.95 11.05 0 6 5.05 0.95 0 0 0.95 5.05 6 0 11.05 0.95 12 6 6.95 11.05 12 12 11.05 6.95 6\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<figure class=\"featured-image\" data-aqa=\"featured-image\"><picture class=\"featured-image__ratio\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;h=423&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=oE04i1NT6O_TRL49UNpJlg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;h=846&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=rWslh7wEZTLIlnGNjcEFCg 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;h=423&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=PWr6yKCCF0bJFlLfMLG0yg,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;h=846&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=E-vAsjJxUeKFTJZYvGWYTQ 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;h=354&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=u_QquFhuf5DSaA91J2zcbA,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;h=708&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=vKFt1YvhCutmYXJlBN_rTg 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;h=354&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=FoVn6M904WMjoDuj5JXLgw,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;h=708&amp;type=jpg&amp;sig=h5XPbRQLBg7d7bauDDtsqw 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;h=216&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=nnOQt5su-m2LzInAreKHXg,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;h=432&amp;type=webp&amp;sig=ygS15Q5pGoq8PWx23Gfuvg 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Victoria Gold Corp.'s Eagle gold mine site, north of Mayo, Y.T.\" class=\"featured-image__image type:primaryImage\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;h=216&amp;sig=7GFl1ehuNfzwNW69sTMBmg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;h=216&amp;sig=7GFl1ehuNfzwNW69sTMBmg,&#10;                    https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/no0716eaglegold.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;h=432&amp;sig=beAVGE5ezbr0EnNSLuJ_yw 2x\" height=\"750\" width=\"1000\"\/><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><figcaption class=\"featured-image__caption image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">Victoria Gold Corp.&#8217;s Eagle gold mine site, north of Mayo, Y.T.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Yukon Government\/HO\/The Canadian Press<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p data-async=\"\">WHITEHORSE \u2014 Two years before the disastrous ore slide and spill of cyanide solution last month at the Eagle Gold mine in Yukon, the former head of the Yukon Water Board accused the mine\u2019s owner of violating conditions of its water licence.<\/p>\n<p>Roger Lockwood, then director of the Yukon Water Board, told a court that Victoria Gold Corp. \u201cflouted\u201d conditions of the licence, saving millions by allegedly failing to re-contour slopes at the mine, about 500 kilometres north of Whitehorse.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_2\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment7214766733343637187098531546005504\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 2<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-2\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[6,6],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"6x6\" data-ad-loc=\"2\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[6,6],[320,50],[300,50],[300,250],[300,600]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-2\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:600px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-block article-block-bg article-content__sign-in-group hidden\" data-aqa=\"identity-sign-in\" data-async=\"\" 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id=\"auth-screen-form\">\n<div class=\"identity-screen-form--active w-full flex-align-justify-center\">\n<div class=\"identity-screen-form identity-screen__content w-full\">\n<h2 class=\"blocker-title\">Sign In or Create an Account<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"identity-divider__line\"\/><span class=\"identity-divider__text\">or<\/span><span class=\"identity-divider__line\"\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"identity-footer identity-screen__content m-x-0 p-x-0 col-sm-6 col-md-12\"\/><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Lockwood, a former police officer, made the claims in a Yukon Supreme Court case, and estimated the company \u201csaved more than $4 million through non-compliance with the conditions of the water licence,\u201d a Yukon Supreme Court ruling says.<\/p>\n<p>On June 24, Victoria Gold announced a \u201cfailure\u201d at the Eagle Gold mine\u2019s heap leach facility, suspending operations as it assessed damage.<\/p>\n<p>The Yukon government has estimated that the ore slide allowed 300 million litres of cyanide solution to escape containment from the heap leach pad at the mine, which uses the chemical to extract gold from ore.<\/p>\n<p>Victoria Gold said last week it was co-operating with technical experts hired by the Yukon Government and the First Nation of Nacho Nyak Dun as they investigate the cause of the disaster.<\/p>\n<p>The company also said it is uncertain if it will ever resume production or if it has the financial resources to repair damage and fix the environmental impact of the slide and chemical escape.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not known whether the contouring work Lockwood referred to had any bearing on the ore slide and solution spill, which the company and the Yukon government have said was followed by a single detection of elevated cyanide levels in a creek downstream from the site.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"js-widget-content article-content__widget-group article-content__widget-group--content-slot18\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-widget__new-story-page fp-execsummary background--primary-light-gradient\" aria-labelledby=\"FinancialPostPosthaste207205544817170552973060927913984\" data-account-id=\"b9d3df2fccd108b5eff3c44f573b2cd6\" data-aqa=\"widget-newsletter\" data-newsletter=\"single\" data-newsletter-component=\"\" data-target-list=\"FP_ExecSummary\" data-widget=\"newsletter\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-new-story-page-template\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__header__new-story-page\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__banner__new-story-page\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Posthaste\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/16.5.1\/websites\/images\/newsletters\/icon-fp-posthaste.svg\"\/><\/div>\n<div>\n<p>Posthaste<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">Breaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"newsletter-widget__body__new-story-page\">\n<div class=\"js-replace-main__new-story-page\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__disclaimer__new-story-page text-size--tiny\">By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"js-submit-success\" hidden=\"\" id=\"submitSuccessFP_ExecSummary\">\n<p>Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page\">A welcome email is on its way. If you don&#8217;t see it, please check your junk folder.<\/p>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page newsletter__feedback--last\">The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"newsletter-widget__text__new-story-page js-submit-error\" style=\"margin-top: 8px\" hidden=\"\" id=\"submitErrorFP_ExecSummary\">We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_3\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment417927060927721928095241007529984\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 3<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-3\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[7,7],[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-interscroller=\"7x7\" data-ad-loc=\"3\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[7,7],[300,250],[320,50],[300,50]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-3\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>The company brought the 2022 legal action over millions of dollars that mining companies are required to put up as security for costs associated with closing their mines and reclaiming a site. Victoria Gold sought a stay on the water board\u2019s order that it put up more than $36 million, in addition to more than $68 million that had been required by the Yukon government at the time.<\/p>\n<p>Lockwood had raised his allegation to support the water board\u2019s contention that Victoria Gold would not suffer \u201cirreparable harm\u201d by having to pay the full amount, because of money it saved through alleged non-compliance.<\/p>\n<p>But the company disputed the notion that it had violated its water licence, and judge in the case, Justice Karen Wenckebach, ruled that Lockwood\u2019s evidence was \u201cimpermissible opinion,\u201d and \u201cnot relevant.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In September 2022, Wenckebach granted Victoria Gold the stay until a judicial review of the security order was completed.<\/p>\n<p>That review remains unresolved, but earlier this year, the Yukon government increased the security deposit it required from Victoria Gold to $104 million, in line with what the water board previously wanted.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_4\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment6307919389938853273965863333003264\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 4<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-4\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"4\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-4\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Neither Lockwood nor the board\u2019s lawyer could be reached for comment. The Yukon Water Board declined to comment on the case because it\u2019s still before the courts.<\/p>\n<p>Victoria Gold chief operating officer Mark Ayranto said he had no comment and one of company\u2019s lawyers, Jana McLean, said the company could not comment on a case that\u2019s still before the courts.<\/p>\n<p>Erin Dowd with the Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, said at a technical briefing last week that the security deposit funds hadn\u2019t been used yet.<\/p>\n<p>In the years leading up to the June 24 failure, the Yukon government had charged Victoria Gold with several offences under the territory\u2019s Waters Act and Quartz Mining Act, including for issues related to its heap leach facility.<\/p>\n<p>In 2022, the Mines Department engaged an engineering firm to conduct a geotechnical review of the facility after \u201cEagle Gold experienced a variety of issues related to construction, commissioning, and early-stage operations, ranging from relatively minor issues to reportable cyanide spills and inadequate storage capacity in the ponds.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_5\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment1970907763757472247229582141292544\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 5<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-5\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"5\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-5\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>In a July 2022 memo to Yukon officials about the mine\u2019s cyanide management plans, engineer Mark Smith said there were four reported spills between July 2020 and July 2021, three of which happened in less than four months, including a \u201crelatively large\u201d spill of 30,000 litres.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe immediate response to each of these was appropriate and effective, and indications are that there were no significant or lasting environmental impacts,\u201d says Smith\u2019s memo, which was included in the published report of the review.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHowever, the frequency of spills and the potential to more effectively integrate lessons learned into operations, must be reflected upon. The frequency is high by industry standards, suggesting some other root cause in terms of management systems and, perhaps, internal inspections.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Smith\u2019s memo said heap leaching was new to Yukon mining, suggesting that a lack of \u201cinstitutional knowledge\u201d may have been a factor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn which case, the solution is timing and training,\u201d Smith wrote. \u201cRegarding lessons learned, there have been some changes implemented in response to these spills, but it is not clear if these have been adequate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_6\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment4921487529826138466135653211963392\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 6<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-6\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"6\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-6\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>Smith declined to comment on his memo, deferring questions to the Mines Department.<\/p>\n<p>Victoria Gold said in a statement Friday that its \u201cfocus continues to be on the safety of its employees and mitigation of harm to the environment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere can be no assurance that the company will receive authorizations necessary to restart production, or that the company will have the financial resources necessary to repair damage to equipment and facilities or remediate impacts caused by the incident or restart production,\u201d it said.<\/p>\n<p>John Thompson, spokesman for the Yukon Department of Energy, Mines and Resources, said in an email that \u201cconcerns raised during the case about the company\u2019s closure plans referred to earlier plans that have since been updated.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe current closure plan was approved in 2024 and meets our regulatory requirements,\u201d Thompson said. \u201cIt\u2019s too early for us to say what caused the heap leach failure.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kayla Brehon, mining co-ordinator with the Yukon Conservation Society, said in an interview Monday that there\u2019s \u201cstill a lot up in the air\u201d about what happened at the mine.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"ad__section-border article-content__ad-group ad_counter_7\">\n<section aria-describedby=\"advertisment55085916618281543529627314552832\" class=\"ad\">\n<p>Advertisement 7<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad__container\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\" id=\"ad__inner-7\">\n<div class=\"ad__inner__container\" data-ad=\"[[1200,250],[1200,90],[970,90],[970,250],[728,90],[300,250]]\" data-ad-loc=\"7\" data-ad-mobile=\"[[320,50],[300,50],[300,250]]\" data-aqa=\"advertisement\" id=\"ad-7\" style=\"--desktopHeight:250px;--mobileHeight:250px\">\n<div aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"ad__placeholder\">\n<p>This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<p>She said the society had sought transparency from both industry and government about water testing and monitoring, and calls for changes to mining legislation to better deal with \u201cbad actors\u201d who have a \u201chistory of errors.\u201d<\/p>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"moreTopicLabel8692206527993142536658562322530304\" class=\"more-topic\" data-aqa=\"embed-more-topic\" data-carousel-component=\"\" data-carousel-icon-button=\"\" data-carousel-type=\"list\">\n<p>Recommended from Editorial<\/p>\n<p><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-prev\" data-carousel-prev=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"previous\" type=\"button\"\/><\/p>\n<ol class=\"more-topic__items list-unstyled\" data-carousel-slide-list=\"\" tabindex=\"0\">\n<li data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" gold=\"\" may=\"\" close=\"\" yukon=\"\" mine=\"\" for=\"\" good=\"\" after=\"\" ore-slide=\"\" disaster=\"\" data-carousel-item=\"\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\"> <picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Victoria Gold's Eagle gold mine site north of Mayo, Yukon. Millions of litres of cyanide solution escaped containment at the mine after an ore slide.&#10;\" data-src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/jco106_111914-the-canadian-press.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=6DMGaWdeB2PW1hhEkD9qmA\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/jco106_111914-the-canadian-press.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=5&amp;sig=XHKJYUbcEQEltViBzLBybg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/jco106_111914-the-canadian-press.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=6DMGaWdeB2PW1hhEkD9qmA, https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/jco106_111914-the-canadian-press.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=W9Zo-jMyf1cbre-0JDVxsQ 2x,&#10;                                             https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/jco106_111914-the-canadian-press.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=lh0XuaTNwnuiMSeDRvt8lA 3x\" class=\"lazyload\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<p><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\">Victoria Gold may close Yukon mine for good after ore-slide disaster<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" directs=\"\" victoria=\"\" gold=\"\" to=\"\" implement=\"\" safety=\"\" measures=\"\" data-carousel-item=\"\" data-evt=\"click\" data-evt-typ=\"click\"> <picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Victoria Gold's Eagle gold mine site north of Mayo, Y.T., is shown in this handout aerial photo taken July 3, 2024. \" data-src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0713-bc-gold.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=oZ6al5mSZMQPh_6AXZJDnQ\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0713-bc-gold.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=5&amp;sig=r8hMImveLNf2tvab52-Dtw\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0713-bc-gold.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=oZ6al5mSZMQPh_6AXZJDnQ, https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0713-bc-gold.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=BmrrVebIHlXp9_GJ9yQ44A 2x,&#10;                                             https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/0713-bc-gold.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80&amp;sig=l6vo3fth84XMYSmfle9Tlw 3x\" class=\"lazyload\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<p><span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\">Yukon directs Victoria Gold to implement safety measures<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-next\" data-carousel-next=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"next\" type=\"button\"\/><\/section>\n<p>\u201cShould they be able to be continuing to a produce? Should there be a pause so they\u2019re able to fix their mistakes versus just paying a fine and continuing the way they\u2019re doing things?\u201d Brehon said. \u201cI think that that\u2019s a really important thing to look at.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__content-group article-content__content-group--story\">\n<p>Article content<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"article-content__share-group article-delimiter\" data-evt-val=\"{\" control_fields=\"\" data-evt-typ=\"page_scroll\">\n<p>Share this article in your social network<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n<br \/>Yukon water regulator said miner &#8216;flouted\u2019 licence long before spill<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>2024-07-16 21:36:38<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links Commodities Mining News Former head of the Yukon Water Board said the company saved millions by allegedly failing to re-contour slopes at the mine Author of the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":49381,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-49380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49380","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=49380"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/49380\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/49381"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=49380"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=49380"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=49380"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}