Tailings break

[TheHurtLocker]

This tailings break is going to have a massive affect in a bad way to tributaries in and around Quesnel Lake. I have heard no plan from the mine or government. All this is happening at the same time we have the biggest salmon run in the Fraser in recorded history. We might not recover from this.

 

[bigdogeh]

wow, unbelievable!
gotta love engineers. always designing to minimum strength capacities to save money, rather than building in a proper safety factor. those involved should be hung for this. literally.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Nope not always. A lot of these projects have huge safety factor on them, and engineers can't tweak them that much especially with static structures. A lot of these are from building codes set up by the industry itself. It could be the design, the construction (not following drawings or proper codes), maintenance or in this case it could be company policy that failed. Most technical teams ( technologists and engineers) of BC are bound by ethics and legislation, so if someone deliberately ignored something jeopardizing safety of public it will be dealt with.

Anyhow sad day for BC. I also don't wish this on anyone working at that company... Can't imagine designing a large project like that and having it fail.

 

[JAC]

The damage is done and someone one or people are in major ****!!! I wonder if we even know how big this deal really is and how long it will take to recover. Quesnel lake is a world class rainbow fishery that also has a Hugh sockeye run. Man these fish can't catch a break.

 

[Gunsmith]

To my understanding impoundments as these are regulated by federal laws, if there are any of these laws left.

 

[peetz]

And they OK'd a pipeline from Oilberta ??????? .... fricking MORONS ....Its NOT the last major disaster we are going to have

 

[bigdogeh]

Nope not always. A lot of these projects have huge safety factor on them, and engineers can't tweak them that much especially with static structures. A lot of these are from building codes set up by the industry itself. It could be the design, the construction (not following drawings or proper codes), maintenance or in this case it could be company policy that failed. Most technical teams ( technologists and engineers) of BC are bound by ethics and legislation, so if someone deliberately ignored something jeopardizing safety of public it will be dealt with.

Anyhow sad day for BC. I also don't wish this on anyone working at that company... Can't imagine designing a large project like that and having it fail.

this earthen damn failed. so obviously it wasn't built strong enough, thick enough, or impervious enough.... in my mind it didn't have enough safety factor built in.... very similar to to the dam or levy giving way in new orleans... bottom line someone f'd up. either the engineers or the the construction of the damn itself. my money's on engineering. not built strong enough to withstand what nature can throw its way... there's a pretty common saying out there in the construction industry. build it right, or build it twice. not sure if these clowns will get another chance at building it twice... irreversable damage is done now. bloody shame.

 

[Gunsmith]

It is just a start.

And they OK'd a pipeline from Oilberta ??????? .... fricking MORONS ....Its NOT the last major disaster we are going to have

 

[bigdogeh]

"Imperial Metals president Brian Kynoch says he would drink water from tailings pond that leaked into rivers."

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/briti...se-to-drinking-quality-company-says-1.2727776

wow, start of the damage control. love how these big companies operate. I remember working with a company in a building where we had to use forced air respirators where they dipped lumber to kill bugs, etc for shipment oversdeas. our boss told us the stuff was harmless and could be drunk... yeah right! could hardly breath and had sore throats for a few days each time we had to work in there. and if the stuff got on your skin it was an instant rash that burned and itched like crazy. hardly anything on the news tonight on this. maybe i wasn't looking hard enough. caught about a 15 second blurb on ctv and hardly anything pertaining to how serious this is... maybe they should make that guy drink some of the tailings water. i'd like to see it. like to see him put his money where his mouth is. guaranteed it's lipservice and won't happen....

 

[Lank Thompson]

The damage is done, how much remains to be seen. The company needs to be held responsible but the govt will be lenient so as to preserve people's jobs. Sad. Internet comments all agree that mines should not be built, all the comments typed into a computer or tablet which the electronics are laden with gold and copper. I have a property on Quesnel lake and even though it is a long ways up the lake I am still directly affected through water contamination or property value. The problem is that metals get harder to find so more mines are built in more sensitive areas and people are unintentional hypocrites because we all need newer better faster everything so we create the demand for these products. The only real solution is for everyone to consume less and take the hit on the economy so resource development slows. People won't do it so expect more and more of this.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

The damage is done, how much remains to be seen. The company needs to be held responsible but the govt will be lenient so as to preserve people's jobs. Sad. Internet comments all agree that mines should not be built, all the comments typed into a computer or tablet which the electronics are laden with gold and copper. I have a property on Quesnel lake and even though it is a long ways up the lake I am still directly affected through water contamination or property value. The problem is that metals get harder to find so more mines are built in more sensitive areas and people are unintentional hypocrites because we all need newer better faster everything so we create the demand for these products. The only real solution is for everyone to consume less and take the hit on the economy so resource development slows. People won't do it so expect more and more of this.

Sadly, I agree with that very well put post. Are we really hooped though? It seems like if we take the true cost of resource extraction into account the prices should be ALOT higher than what they currently are. This is a global reality, as a lot of the extraction is done in places where regulations are in reality semi or non existent or easily overlooked.

Based on the performance in the last election (of the Green Party) and all of the very serious and very real environmental issues effecting the future of our province it may be time for a solid Green Party candidate to emerge. I feel like the Liberals and the Conservative will continue to search out the quickest tax dollar and will continue to not properly value our resources. I personally feel like the tables have turned too far in the direction of extraction or development without regard to the future consequences...for a low dollar. It is not going to end well for future generations.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

I think part of the problem is self regulation or regulation by the company. Since the Liberal's have been in they have gone to this strategy, making government smaller and leaving regulation up to the companies in all industries. You can not let private companies self regulate, this is like letting the wolf look after the hen house. I think government needs to regulate more and hold companies accountable, the problem with this is they will upset private industry and votes.

I sometimes agree with the Green Party, but I think they would truly sink BC. They have no real plan on what they want to do except huge taxes to people that use resources or fuels. Our province was founded on resources and will need to continue to do so or be left in the dust. We just need to do it smarter.

 

[triplenickel]

Economics not engineers have the final say. We all use copper everyday, we all benefit from the revenue generated and paid to the province everyday. The government can impose all the standards they want but we'll just chase investment out of the province if we do, last time I checked we all vote for lower taxes. Where do you build these projects? The whole province drains into one watershed or another, Peace, Stikine, Skeena, Columbia, Fraser etc..... Its a shame for sure but I don't think any of the finger pointers are prepared to make the changes in lifestyle needed to make these projects go away. If they go away they'll end up in a third world country with even bigger global consequences.

Something went way wrong, there's reports of trouble with this pond back to 2011 and they were working on repairs. Not an apologist, a realist.

 

[chris73]

I think part of the problem is self regulation or regulation by the company. Since the Liberal's have been in they have gone to this strategy, making government smaller and leaving regulation up to the companies in all industries. You can not let private companies self regulate, this is like letting the wolf look after the hen house. I think government needs to regulate more and hold companies accountable, the problem with this is they will upset private industry and votes.

I sometimes agree with the Green Party, but I think they would truly sink BC. They have no real plan on what they want to do except huge taxes to people that use resources or fuels. Our province was founded on resources and will need to continue to do so or be left in the dust. We just need to do it smarter.

Well said. Downsizing government has been the slogan for many years now and while we enjoy some lower taxes it comes at a price. IMO there is no other entity that can control and supervise industries in terms of protection of the public. But that comes with tax burden. I bet the people near Likely would gladly pay 2% more GST now. Government has an oversight role and this is happens when they don't do it.

 

[2xeagle16]

Well said. Downsizing government has been the slogan for many years now and while we enjoy some lower taxes it comes at a price. IMO there is no other entity that can control and supervise industries in terms of protection of the public. But that comes with tax burden. I bet the people near Likely would gladly pay 2% more GST now. Government has an oversight role and this is happens when they don't do it.

x2!.............Check out the news story in the Vancouver Sun.

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/ne...e-mount-polley-tailings-pond-disaster-critics

 

[triplenickel]

Sadly, I agree with that very well put post. Are we really hooped though? It seems like if we take the true cost of resource extraction into account the prices should be ALOT higher than what they currently are. This is a global reality, as a lot of the extraction is done in places where regulations are in reality semi or non existent or easily overlooked.

Based on the performance in the last election (of the Green Party) and all of the very serious and very real environmental issues effecting the future of our province it may be time for a solid Green Party candidate to emerge. I feel like the Liberals and the Conservative will continue to search out the quickest tax dollar and will continue to not properly value our resources. I personally feel like the tables have turned too far in the direction of extraction or development without regard to the future consequences...for a low dollar. It is not going to end well for future generations.

I totally agree with you, in a case like this I wonder what could have been done differently while keeping the project viable and making all the stakeholders happy?

 

[Lank Thompson]

In Alberta we went from almost nothing in the 80's and 90's for regulation in the oil and gas industry to a system regulated and inspected by the government and paid for by industry. Things are much better but not perfect and the focus is on oil and gas. Mining and other industries are still an afterthought.
Development will not end unless people decrease the demand through lifestyle changes. Much like opposing oil pipelines. We all burn fuels and use plastics etc etc. It is integral in our lives. A new approach needs to be taken. Don't approve new projects until older ones meet stricter guidelines. Approve a new pipeline if an aging one is replaced with a modern one. The infrastructure needs to be improved, not eliminated. Approve a new mine if an existing one is upgraded etc. Yes it will hit the economy some but there is no free lunch.

 

[SpringVelocity]

x2!.............Check out the news story in the Vancouver Sun.

http://www.vancouverobserver.com/ne...e-mount-polley-tailings-pond-disaster-critics

Yeah I knew that you saw how quick the government came out to deflect blame right at company. Very typical. Not saying company was not doing anything wrong. But the ministry is equally responsible and not buying it. Where's our premier she seems to have nothing to say.

 

[triplenickel]

More coming out on the story, 5 warnings from the MOE in May for the pond being too full. How do you get 5 warnings without a stop work order?

 

[Big Green Machine]

More coming out on the story, 5 warnings from the MOE in May for the pond being too full. How do you get 5 warnings without a stop work order?

When the Liberals are worried about losing corporate tax dollars during shut downs, that's when you get warning after warning. Also, you actually need to have adequate staffing levels in the MOE to monitor and intervene.