The documentary Rise Beyond Gold was independently conceived, filmed, and produced by Catalyst Communication Services. Rise Beyond Gold looks at the absurdity of gold mining, which inflicts major damage to our environment for the profit of a few and with little benefit to society beyond jewelry.
The film brings this story home by looking at the current proposal by Rise Gold to reopen the historic IM Mine. And it provides a good insight into the damages that still linger from the mining of the past, such as the extensive presence of mercury throughout the Sierra Nevada.
There are several questions raised by the film that we would like to further clarify:
Will the Rise mining operations add to the mercury problem that is already present in the Sierra?
Although mercury is not expected to be present in the underground workings of the mine, it is present in tailings on the mine’s Centennial site, where a long awaited cleanup project managed by the Department of Toxic Substances Control is anticipated to take place soon. If done correctly, that cleanup should remediate the problem on that site. Another concern is that mercury may reside in the stream beds and surrounding sediments of South Fork Wolf Creek which may be mobilized due to the high flow volumes from the dewatering of the mine.
What is being done about the polluted water that will come out of the mine when they dewater it?
The water that is pumped from the mine will be treated and is required to conform with Water Quality Control Board standards. Currently it is not treated and is flowing into Wolf Creek. This untreated water contains higher than acceptable levels of Iron and Manganese and is a listed point source of pollution.
What will happen to the mine water outflow after the mine shuts down?
The treatment of the mine water outflow will need to be treated for hundreds of years.
Where will the water be discharged?
In the current mine application, the water from de-watering will be pumped into South Fork Wolf Creek (SFWC) after running through a treatment facility. It will not be dumped directly into the main branch of Wolf Creek. In the previous attempt to open the mine circa 2008-2011, the applicant Emgold Mining also planned on dewatering into SFWC, which is a small pristine perennial stream. After the first environmental review, Emgold realized it caused too many negative impacts, so they proposed dewatering into the main branch, which has a higher average flow that can better withstand the added volume. We urge Rise to reconfigure their project and follow Emgold’s example.
Will there be Acid mine drainage?
The threat of acid mine drainage is a questionable issue due to the higher pH in the rock. However, we are wanting more evidence, comprehensive testing of the materials as they are mined, and ongoing monitoring.
On the Centennial site, what is being done to protect the creeks from the mine waste dumping?
The main branch of Wolf Creek runs along the north edge of the property. If approved, the mine waste would cover 44 acres of the 56 acres site to within 100 feet of the creek. Some lesser seasonal streams on site will be completely buried. We feel that the mine waste dumping should not be allowed at all, and at the least, the material should be monitored before and after dumping to guarantee that yet another toxic legacy is created.
Is the Centennial site a superfund site?
The pending superfund designation on the 56 acre historic mine site along Idaho-Maryland Road and Centennial Drive was conditionally deferred, subject to Rise completing the cleanup under a 2019 agreement with the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC).
It is currently in the planning stage for a cleanup. The lead agency is the DTSC and it is a separate project, independent of the proposed mine project. The cleanup needs to be completed regardless of whether or not the mine project is approved. The fact that Rise Gold plans to dump yet more mine waste there is not good. They plan to create a massive pile covering 44 acres to heights of 30 to 70 feet.
How extensive are Rise Gold’s mineral rights?
The mineral rights include 2585 acres under approximately 900 parcels to within 200 feet of the surface.
Is there a danger of sinkholes from the mine?
This is a complex subject. The short answer for most property owners is that the risk of sinkholes that currently exists would slightly increase due to the dewatering and mine operations. See the article Are Sinkholes A Threat? for a better analysis.
3/1/21