Emergency Response to Eagle Mine Crisis

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (FNNND) is committed to containing and remediating the June 24, 2024 heap leach failure at Victoria Gold's Eagle Gold Mine, which has leaked cyanide-contaminated water into the ground and surrounding waterways. The mine is located on FNNND’s Traditional Territory and approximately 50 kilometres from the Town of Mayo.
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Days since disasters
68
Latest fish mortality incident

Aug 2, 2024
0km
Downstream distance of cyanide detection
0.0018
WAD cyanide value at W4MIX sample site (mg/L.)
5
Number of active monitoring programs NND is involved
Latest Update: November 28, 2024
Since the June 24 heap leach failure at Eagle Gold Mine, the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (FNNND) has been working to address existing environmental harm and mitigate further disaster. FNNND has been working on both the political and technical fronts, with FNNND’s own environmental monitoring and remediation experts.

What Needs to Happen.

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Concern
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is concerned that another environmental catastrophe could happen again at the Eagle Mine Site or other present or future sites on NND’s traditional territory. A public inquiry led by the Yukon Government and NND is needed in order to understand the technical, regulatory and legislative failures that caused this catastrophe and ensure it never happens again.
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Concern
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is concerned about the socio-economic impact of this disaster and how NND Citizens and NND Businesses are and will continue to be financially harmed due to Victoria Gold's failure.
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In Development
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is concerned with the needed urgency in on-site wastewater treatment to destroy cyanide (and cyanide byproducts) and removal of metals. Effective treatment is needed to destroy cyanide and reduce metals so they meet water quality guidelines. Treatment is urgently needed to reduce the amount of contaminated water in storage at the site, otherwise there is a very serious risk that contaminated water would have nowhere to go except into the downstream creeks and rivers.
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In Development
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyak Dun is concerned with the urgent need for on-site wells to collect contaminated groundwater. During the failure and ever since, cyanide and metals have been leaking into groundwater. We don’t know how much cyanide and metals are in the groundwater. We don’t know how much contaminated groundwater has already reached Haggart Creek. We don’t know  how much more will enter surface water or for how long. Contaminated groundwater urgently needs to be pumped from the ground and treated to destroy cyanide and remove metals.
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In Development
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is concerned about the serious shortfall of on-site storage for existing contaminated water. The cyanide-contaminated wastewater storage on-site is nearly full. . Rains and storms this fall could cause storage ponds to overflow into creeks and rivers any day.  Increased storage capacity for wastewater is also necessary before freshet next year. Rain and snowmelt during freshet will rinse more cyanide and metals from the ore heap. There will be a large volume of contaminated water that needs to be stored and treated.
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In Development
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is concerned about the needed urgency for existing and future safety risks of persons working on site. The risk of another failure is unknown. Since we don’t know the cause of the June 24 failure, there is uncertainty about current geotechnical risks. There are areas of the site where it is too risky to work. The inability to safely work on the site is a barrier for implementing emergency responses and for monitoring all of the site.
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No Longer a Concern
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is concerned about Victoria Gold's ability to effectively and responsibly manage the Eagle Mine site and conduct the necessary restoration and remediation work. NND Calls upon the Yukon Government to take the immediate and necessary action to gain control over the site to ensure that work is carried out safely and in compliance with the inspector's directives.
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No Longer a Concern
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is concerned about the Yukon Government's  lack of co-management structures and sharing of vital data and information with the Nation as we navigate a critical moment in emergency response management for this crisis.

Our calls to action

1. Call to action

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun calls for a ban on the use of the heap leaching process, and open pit mining on the NND Traditional Territory.

2. Call to action

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun continues our call for a halt on all mining operations on our Traditional Territory, until:
  • The Eagle Gold failure and its impacts are first stabilized and then remediated.
  • Until formal Land Use Planning on the Traditional Territory is completed, which incorporates an overhaul of the current mining legislative regime – an outstanding treaty commitment.
  • Until increased sustainability and responsibility measures can be achieved by all mining operators, and assurances can be made that an environmental disaster will never happen again.

3. Call to action

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun calls upon the Government of Yukon to adhere to their treaty obligations and engage in a Nation-to-Nation relationship through authentic co-management with NND, over the management, restoration, remediation, and future planning of the Eagle Mine site.

4. Call to action

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun calls upon the Government of Yukon to launch a full public inquiry into the cause of the failure at Eagle Gold mine.The Yukon Government's independent technical review of the failure is not enough. A public inquiry is essential to look at how mines in Yukon are approved, regulated, inspected, and enforced. Without an understanding of what happened, justice cannot be served, and Yukon First Nations and Yukon mining operators cannot mitigate this from ever happening again.

5. Call to action

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun calls upon the Public to lobby the Yukon Government to force a Public Inquiry and advocate for the implementation of renewed mining legislation that sets a new standard on sustainable and responsible mining practices in the Yukon.

6. Call to action

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun calls upon any existing and former Executives and Board Members of Victoria Gold for continued accountability for their actions and inactions surrounding the Eagle Mine disaster.

What happened?

On June 24, a section of the Eagle mine collapsed, triggering a massive rockslide that dislodged approximately four million tonnes of material, significantly affecting the facility where gold is extracted from ore through a chemical process known as cyanide heap leaching.
Why is this a crisis?
The heap leach facility failure at Eagle Gold is an environmental catastrophe. The failure resulted from a suspected infrastructure breakdown that caused cyanide solution used to extract gold to escape its containment area. As a result, an unknown amount of cyanide solution entered groundwater and the downstream creeks and rivers.
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On the morning of June 24th, part of the Eagle Mine heap leach facility failed suddenly and slid downwards. The company later reported that about 4 million tonnes of crushed ore slid that morning, which is about 10 percent of the heap. The rest of the ore in the heap stayed in place and is still there. We do not know how stable the rest of the ore is.

The crushed ore that slid on June 24 contained cyanide solution used to extract gold from the ore. In addition to cyanide, the solution contained other contaminants, such as copper and arsenic. Cyanide is a toxic chemical that can harm fish, other aquatic life, people, and animals at high enough concentrations.

The company also reported that about half of the 4 million tonnes of ore that slid on June 24 moved over the top of the dam that was at the base of the heap and flowed down the Dublin Gulch valley.

To give an idea of how big the ore-slide is, a bulldozer on the slopes in the photo above would only appear as a tiny white dot. The pathway from the top of the failure to where the ore-slide stopped is more than 1.5 kilometers.

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The failure damaged some of the waterproof liner under the ore, as well as the dam at the bottom of the heap. The failure also damaged the pumping system that circulated cyanide solution from the bottom of the heap to the gold recovery plant and back to the top of the heap. This means that the cyanide solution in the ore remaining on the heap began to drain out of the heap into the Dublin Gulch valley.

The heap leach facility failure has negatively impacted the environment and unacceptable risks still exist at the site. Urgent action is needed to protect fish, other aquatic life, animals, and people

FNNND has been actively engaged and advocating for robust emergency response since day one. FNNND immediately took water samples and formed a technical team of staff and consultants. FNNND played a strong leadership role in developing monitoring programs and emergency response plans with the Government of Yukon. FNNND has been regularly taking water samples and monitoring downstream of the failure since June 25. See the for information about FNNND’s involvement and advocacy.

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August 12, 2024, Updated August 23 to reflect YG’s unacceptable ToR for the independent review and to emphasize the importance of a public inquiry.

The cause of the failure is not yet known. FNNND is calling for a full and independent inquiry, under the Public Inquiries Act, to examine ALL causes of the failure, including technical, legislative and regulatory oversight failures that caused this catastrophe.

In general, from a technical and engineering perspective, the cause of a heap leach facility failure can be in the design, construction, operation, or maintenance of the facility, or some combination of these. Only an independent investigation by experts can reliably tell us the technical causes of the heap leach facility failure on June 24, 2024.

It is, however, not enough to know only the technical causes. A public inquiry is essential to get to the root of ALL possible causes of the failure. This includes a close look at how mines in the Yukon are approved, regulated, inspected, and enforced. The Government of Yukon has not yet agreed to a public inquiry.

The heap leach facility at the Eagle Mine is a huge heap of crushed ore on a lined pad. Ore is rock that has enough gold to be economically valuable. Victoria Gold said that on the day of the failure, there were about 39 million tonnes of ore on the heap.  This image shows what the mine looked like before the failure.

During operations, Victoria Gold dripped cyanide solution (cyanide dissolved in water) to leach gold from the ore. Cyanide is a chemical favoured by the mining industry to extract gold. Cyanide is a toxic chemical, although some forms of cyanide are more harmful than others.

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During operations, the cyanide solution picked up gold as it moved down through the ore and collected on the lined pad under the ore. The gold-rich cyanide solution flowed down the liner, and eventually pooled at the bottom of a dam at the base of the heap. Victoria Gold pumped the gold-rich cyanide solution to the gold recovery plant. There, the gold was turned into gold bars. Victoria Gold continuously reused the cyanide solution by pumping it back to the top of the heap. This method of removing gold from ore is called heap leaching.

Cyanide at high-enough levels is very toxic to people and animals, and especially to fish and other aquatic life. Other contaminants in the solution, such as metals, can build up in the ecosystem and cause damage over the long-term.

When working as intended, the heap leach facility is designed to keep the cyanide solution contained and none should escape into the environment.

A heap leach facility must be designed and built by experienced professionals so that it is stable and safe for workers and the environment. It must be operated responsibly to make sure it does not leak or fail.

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The Traditional Territory of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is vast, with sacredness and important cultural touchstones found wherever you may walk. When a part of our lands and waters is harmed, we all feel that pain. To better understand the seriousness of our lands and waters being harmed by the failure at Eagle Gold, we wish to share a small part of our connection to the areas that have been damaged.

Et’o Nyäk Tagé (McQuesten River)
Et’o Nyäk Tagé, or the McQuesten River, roughly translates from Northern Tutchone as “river with lots of nests.” Here, there is an abundance of wetlands up the valley, and it provides important spring nesting and staging habitat for many birds. The Et’o Nyäk Tagé is an incredibly vibrant watershed that hosts a plethora of habitats and ranges which have supported First Nation connection with the land for countless generations. The headwaters around Et’o Nyäk Män (McQuesten Lake) originate from a massive wetland complex that bridges the Tsé Tagé and Et’o Nyäk Tagé Watersheds. Traditional, seasonal travel routes involved travel up the Et’o Nyäk Tagé valley, into the Tsé Tagé Watershed which connects back with the Upper Stewart River Watershed—a route that would often be accomplished in part by moose skin boat.

The spring grayling fishery on Et’o Nyäk Tagé has been a core community fishery that has sustained our People through the generations and occurs at the mouth of Haggart Creek. The grayling which support this culturally vital fishery spend their summers in Haggart Creek, and particularly in the Lynx Creek tributary (adjacent to Dublin Gulch).

Et’o Nyäk Tagé is also host to Chinook and Chum salmon who spawn on the river proper and in the tributaries. Et’o Nyäk Tagé may be considered the most important salmon tributary of the whole Stewart River. Juvenile and adult salmon have been documented up Haggart Creek and tributaries. The watershed has already seen great impacts from mining development over the past century including toxicity due to previous silver mining malpractice. In the mid-1950s, local residents noted a huge kill of fish down the river, the result of toxins from Elsa mining tailings. Ancillary activities such as logging, road construction, market hunting and fishing to feed miners and even the intentional poisoning of Hanson Lakes to support stock of rainbow trout for sport fishing have all had a cumulative toll on the area. An extensive study of water quality in the South McQuesten River in 2023 showed evidence of continued negative cumulative effects in the watershed.

The Dublin Gulch
The Dublin Gulch is within the Haggart Creek drainage area of the watershed, and is a particularly important place close to Mayo, Elsa, and Keno, where traditional subsistence harvest, connection with land, and cultural continuity have continued to this day. Before Victoria Gold even began operation, cumulative effects within the area were already noted to have impacted use of the land by First Nations and locals. Over a century of placer mining, exploration, and adjacent mining activity have affected the area. The Potato Hills region (the hills stretching East from the Eagle Gold Mine) used to be a vital hunting and gathering place, including for the gathering of traditional medicines. These hills are noted for providing some of the most pivotal moose late wintering area in the entire Mayo Moose Management Unit which has experienced significant decline in moose population.

Et’o Nyäk Tagé is also host to Chinook and Chum salmon who spawn on the river proper and in the tributaries. Et’o Nyäk Tagé may be considered the most important salmon tributary of the whole Stewart River. Juvenile and adult salmon have been documented up Haggart Creek and tributaries. The watershed has already seen great impacts from mining development over the past century including toxicity due to previous silver mining malpractice. In the mid-1950s, local residents noted a huge kill of fish down the river, the result of toxins from Elsa mining tailings. Ancillary activities such as logging, road construction, market hunting and fishing to feed miners and even the intentional poisoning of Hanson Lakes to support stock of rainbow trout for sport fishing have all had a cumulative toll on the area. An extensive study of water quality in the South McQuesten River in 2023 showed evidence of continued negative cumulative effects in the watershed.

Ongoing Risk of a Disastrous Release of Cyanide Solution

As a result of the June 24 heap leach facility failure, there is an unacceptable risk that toxic wastewater containing cyanide and other contaminants could be released into Haggart Creek. Haggart Creek runs from the site into the McQuesten River, to the Stewart River, and into the Yukon River. Cyanide is very toxic  to people and the environment at high enough levels.  It is especially deadly to fish and other aquatic life.

Groundwater Contamination

A second major concern at the site is groundwater contamination. As a result of the failure, cyanide solution can flow over areas of the site that are not designed to contain this high-risk wastewater. For example, a significant  volume of cyanide solution is in direct contact with the ground in Dublin Gulch. Dublin Gulch is not lined and the ground contains coarse geologic material, meaning there is little to prevent or slow the infiltration of cyanide solution  into the ground and reaching groundwater. Cyanide solution may also enter groundwater where the heap leach facility liner was damaged.

The extent of groundwater contamination, including severity and location is uncertain. Immediate action is needed to prevent more groundwater contamination and to stop groundwater that is already contaminated from entering creeks and rivers.

Surface Water Contamination

At this time, we are unable to determine how much cyanide solution may have been released directly into surface waters as a result of the heap leach facility failure. The ore that slid on June 24 blocked surface flow of cyanide solution from flowing freely into Haggart Creek. Also, Victoria Gold built dams to block cyanide solution from entering the creek. However, the failure resulted in an unstable situation that has resulted in some of the cyanide entering surface water.  

Most notably, fish were killed in Haggart Creek in early August following the discharge of toxic water from Victoria Gold’s water treatment plant. Water analyses later revealed high levels of cyanide in the treatment plant discharge. This was an unacceptable and avoidable incident.  The fishkill happened while Victoria Gold was still in charge of managing the site. The company reported that it collected 68 dead fish on August 2.

In addition to the fishkill, monitoring results reveal that cyanide has been at unsafe levels for fish on several occasions.  [insert drone photo of Haggart Creek with a view of the mine, with caption]

Immediate and robust action is necessary to prevent further harm to surface water from the heap leach facility failure. To better understand the extent of contamination, FNNND is monitoring Haggart Creek and the McQuesten River. FNNND will regularly post the results of such monitoring.

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun, in collaboration with Yukon Government Department of Environment, are running a wildlife monitoring program in response to the June 24th failure at Eagle Mine. The program will look at monitoring frogs, birds, and mammals, with special attention paid to moose and aquatic mammals like muskrats, beavers, and otters.

The specific samples the program is looking for will come from caribou and moose harvested anywhere in the McQuesten River watershed. Samples requested from each animal harvested are 1 kidney (with surrounding fat), 1 chunk of liver (about the size of a 500g butter cube), 1 chunk of hindquarter meat (500g), and the front of the lower jaw (with incisor teeth).

FNNND and YG are asking for participation from the public in this program. Hunters can pick up a testing kit from:

First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Lands office in Mayo Land Guardians Yukon Government's Department of Environment office in Mayo & Whitehorse. Participants will receive a gift as gratitude for their participation. For more information, please contact Mark O'Donoghue at markodonoghue@nndfn.com

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun has developed an emergency plan to protect fish in case contamination in Haggart Creek rises to levels that would seriously harm or kill fish. This emergency plan includes placement of weirs to keep salmon and grayling from moving into Haggart Creek. It also includes fish salvage operations to move fish out of Haggart Creek to avoid contaminated water, if it becomes necessary.

In early August, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) issued a Corrective Measures Order that required Victoria Gold, who was still in charge of the site at the time, to place weirs at 7 sites along the Creek to limit fish movement. DFO issued the order as a result of Victoria Gold's water release from their treatment plant that resulted in the deaths of at least 68 fish. DFO also required Victoria Gold to move fish out of a portion of Haggart Creek, immediately below the mine where cyanide had been detected.

DFO did not consult with FNNND before issuing the initial order. As a result, the DFO Order interfered with the fish monitoring program that FNNND had been conducting with Yukon’s Department of Environment. Over 1,300 fish were moved from Haggart Creek to the South McQuesten River and there was no recording of whether or not these fish were tagged from the FNNND-YG program. As a result, it will be difficult to distinguish effects of the mine heap leach failure from those of the fish salvage. DFO has since been communicating better regarding management of fish weirs on Haggart Creek and consulting FNNND before issuing subsequent Corrective Measures Orders.

 Introduction

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (FNNND) has taken a lead role in planning and initiating environmental monitoring. FNNND began monitoring on the day of the failure and has been monitoring regularly ever since. FNNND has collaborated with Yukon Government's Department of Environment’s Water Resources and Fish & Wildlife branches to develop the monitoring plans that are in action now.

This collaboration resulted in three programs for ongoing monitoring effects in Haggart Creek, downstream of the heap leach facility failure. These programs monitor water quality, fish and fish habitat, and living organisms other than fish. Though the monitoring programs are separated into three groups, they are all linked, as nothing in nature exists in a vacuum. If part of the ecosystem is unhealthy it affects all other parts. NND created these groups to reflect the holistic goals of monitoring the entire aquatic ecosystem.

To date, most  of the water sampling has been of surface waters. There is a significant need to conduct more groundwater sampling. However, it is not yet known where the groundwater is moving, how fast it is moving, where it will come to the surface, or at what rate it will be released into surface waters. Therefore, there remain a lot of questions about the effects this contamination will have in the environment. Monitoring is essential to help us track contamination from cyanide, heavy metals and other pollutants, now and in the future.

These are short-term triage plans to keep close track of water quality and fish in the Haggart Creek watershed. NND chose to focus on fish because they are especially sensitive to cyanide. Effects on fish are therefore an early warning that cyanide may be entering the watershed.

 More Detail About NND’s Monitoring Programs

Fish and Fish Habitat

FNNND is working collaboratively with YG to monitor fish and fish habitat in the Haggart watershed. Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans has recently become involved with salmon-related monitoring. 

 

What is the purpose of the fish monitoring program?

Cyanide in fairly low concentrations (above 5 parts per billion) can negatively affect fish health (behaviour, movements, growth, reproduction) and at higher concentration will kill fish.  Haggart Creek is a habitat for several fish species, including a well-known population of grayling. Importantly, it is also used by Chinook salmon for rearing and spawning. Fish monitoring has three main goals. First, because of their sensitivity to cyanide, FNNND can look in Haggart Creek for dead or unhealthy fish to provide an early warning about cyanide released into the environment. Second, by surveying fish all through the Haggart Creek watershed, information may be provided on what type of fish are present, how many there are, habitat quality, and where fish are distributed. This will support stock management and planning for emergency measures, such as a fish salvage. Third, the fish monitoring provides data on the fish populations in the creek that are unimpacted from cyanide contamination, allowing the team to  monitor short- and long-term effects of contamination. It is expected that this program will run for decades.

           

How are fish being monitored?

The initial fish survey was conducted in July 2024. FNNND and YG crews captured fish at 47 sites, using a combination of methods such as electrofishing, minnow traps, and nets. About half of the sites were located on Haggart Creek, downstream of the mine site. These sites may have been impacted by the heap leach facility failure. The other half of the sites were at locations upstream of the mine site and in streams and creeks that feed into Haggart Creek. These fish surveys will allow NND to compare fish population health in areas where contamination is most likely, with fish from areas without contamination. Many of the same sites were surveyed in 2010 by Victoria Golds’ consultants for the original mine application.

During the surveys, about 200 grayling were tagged in order to track their movements. This will provide data on where fish spend their time, what habitat is preferred, overall survival, and the number of fish that grow from juvenile to adult stage.

Tissue samples were taken from 68 grayling and 37 sculpin to analyze for contaminants present in their bodies, such as heavy metals. Cyanide degrades in fish tissue once the fish has died, and can no longer be measured. This is good news for the safety of eating fish, but it makes it hard to know if cyanide is the cause of fish deaths.

FNNND will compare the fish tissue results with fish tissue samples collected in the future. The goal is to see if there is a measurable increase in contaminants in fish in the Haggart Creek watershed. This will help understand health concerns related to eating fish. It will also help to make decisions about fisheries management.

FNNND is prepared to  expand monitoring if there is any sign of contamination in surface waters moving downstream from Haggart Creek.

How long will the fish monitoring program last?

The short-term fish monitoring program is meant to be adaptable. It is likely to be modified as the situation evolves. The long-term program will likely last decades. Cyanide does not accumulate in fish tissue but there is a desire to monitor levels of other contaminants that do accumulate such as heavy metals..

 Who else is monitoring fish?

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has acknowledged that the heap leach facility failure could impact Canada’s already declining Chinook stock. The failure could impact the importance of the South McQuesten River as a key spawning habitat for Chinook. In response to the heap leach facility failure, DFO is creating a Salmon Monitoring Plan that will include monitoring for spawning adults and which species are present. DFO’s monitoring will help understand where juvenile Chinook reside. DFO will monitor in the McQuesten River from the mouth of the Stewart to where Haggart creek runs into the South McQuesten River.

DFO conducted salmon spawning surveys in late July and early August to monitor potential effects further downstream in the South McQuesten River. DFO is also making plans to assess fish winter habitat in the Haggart Creek watershed that will help FNNND with planning the need for further fish salvages.

Tr’ondek Hwech’in has also conducted some downriver sampling of water quality in the McQuesten River. 

What is aquatic effects monitoring?

The Aquatic Effects Monitoring Program is designed to determine the effects of the heap leach facility failure on organisms other than fish that live in the creeks and rivers downstream of the mine. Under this program, NND and YG will monitor bugs at the bottom of the stream (benthic invertebrates), and algae (periphyton). There will also be samples taken of stream sediment (rocks and mud that cover the bottom of streams). The aquatic effects monitoring programs are designed to be long term programs with sampling conducted at least once every year, to create a database that can demonstrate how things are changing and whether there are long-term impacts on life in the watershed.

 Why monitor bugs in the water?

Bugs that live at the bottom of water bodies (also called benthic invertebrates) are an important food source for fish and contribute to healthy habitat by recycling stream debris. These bugs can tell us about the health of streams, because certain bugs seem to tolerate ‘polluted’ water and others do not. This community structure can be measured (the number and type of bugs) when a sample of the bugs are taken. Over time the community structure change may also be observed in response to an impact. This is why it is critical to have quality reference sites that are unimpacted (reference data), or a good knowledge of what the community was like before (baseline data).

 How are bugs in the water being monitored?

Bottom-dwelling bugs will be analyzed to measure contaminant levels. Samples will be taken from near the heap leach facility failure, and further away, down into the South McQuesten River. This will help FNNND understand the longer-term effects of the heap leach facility failure on the aquatic ecosystem. This monitoring began in August 2024 and will continue for likely decades. Why monitor algae?

Algae is a primary producer in the food chain, meaning it gets its energy from sunlight. Algae is food for bottom-dwelling bugs. All life in the streams are connected. By monitoring algae, FNNND can better understand if there are changes in the environment from the heap leach facility failure. FNNND is developing the algae sampling program now.

 How and why is NND monitoring sediments?

NND will be taking samples of sediment and analyzing them for cyanide and metals. The sediment monitoring program is being planned by FNNND and the Yukon Government , with sampling beginning in  August 2024. The purpose of this program is to monitor any adverse impacts to sediment quality in Haggart Creek over time, as a result of the heap leach facility failure.

It is possible that coarse (gravel-sized) and fine (extremely small clay and silt) material from the crushed ore heap eroded  the creek bed during the ore-slide. Creek bed materials and other materials disturbed during the failure may have entered Haggart Creek and could be transported downstream. Depending on the stream size and flow, sediment can deposit in riverbeds far downstream of the mine.

Fine sediments from the failure could fill in tiny spaces in the materials in the stream bottom, thereby reducing habitat for bottom-dwelling bugs. Sediment can also cover and suffocate fish eggs. Stream sediment can act like a sink for contaminants like heavy metals that are transported from upstream. Bugs that live within the sediment would have a higher exposure to these contaminants, which could affect community structure and abundance. Fish eggs that are in the sediment may also be exposed to contaminants.    

FNNND began taking water samples on June 25th, 2024, one day after the heap leach facility failure. FNNND environmental monitors have been regularly taking samples since then to understand whether cyanide and other contaminants are entering creeks and rivers, and if so, in what amounts.

Water quality monitoring involves taking samples of water and sending them to a lab for chemical analysis of cyanide and other contaminants. Water quality monitoring helps to understand the risks to fish, other aquatic life, plants, animals, and people. The monitoring results can also determine if contaminant levels downstream of the mine are going up or down. Once emergency response and remediation is being conducted, the monitoring data will help inform if those actions are working. The water quality analyses also inform NND’s recommendations for actions at the Eagle Gold site.

FNNND took a leadership role in developing water quality monitoring plans. FNNND takes its own samples, so that results can be verified alongside other parties providing  FNNND with stronger confidence in the results.  

FNNND collaborated with YG to develop the monitoring program, and ongoing collaboration is intended as the program expands . FNNND and YG share results between governments to create a more robust and informative set of monitoring data.

Where does FNNND sample?

FNNND takes samples in Haggart Creek between the Eagle Gold site and the South McQuesten River. FNNND also samples the South McQuesten River upstream and downstream of Haggart Creek. In total, FNNND samples from 10 sites. YG also takes samples and measures flow rates on Haggart Creek at the same sites. 

FNNND does not yet sample on the mine site near the heap leach facility. This is because the team is not yet satisfied that it is safe for FNNND environmental monitors to go that close to the heap leach facility.

How often does FNNND sample?

FNNND samples Haggart Creek daily at the mine site and up to 5 km downstream of the site. FNNND samples locations further downstream on Haggart Creek and on the South McQuesten River every other day.

How long does it take to analyse the samples?

The samples that are sent to Vancouver for analysis take up to one week. FNNND has purchased equipment that allows same-day testing methods for cyanide. Metals and more detailed cyanide analyses happen at the lab in Vancouver. YG also has same-day testing equipment and uses it at high-risk locations on the mine site. YG shares these results with FNNND.

How long will FNNND monitor water quality?

FNNND expects to continue monitoring for many years.

What do the monitoring results tell us about the safety of water downstream of the mine?

FNNND is working on tools to analyze the results and report these to FNNND citizens. FNNND will analyse the data to understand risks and to know if concentrations of cyanide and heavy metals are going up or down.

In the meantime, the Government of Yukon is publishing their data on their website:  https://yukon.ca/en/victoria-gold-updates/environmental-monitoring.

Disaster Timeline

The following outlines the key events surrounding the Victoria Gold heap leach failure and the subsequent environmental disaster
September 11, 2024

Premier Pillai writes to FNNND, continuing to refuse FNNND’s request for a mining moratorium on the FNNND Traditional Territory.

September 6, 2024

FNNND publishes an open letter demanding a public inquiry into the Eagle Mine disaster and an immediate halt to all mining activity on the FNNND Traditional Territory.

August 17, 2024

PwC dismisses Victoria Gold CEO, John McConnell.

August 15, 2024

Victoria Gold’s Board of Directors resigns.

The History of Mining on Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Traditional Territory

The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun (“FNNND”) has lived on and governed our lands since time immemorial. Through the teachings of Dooli law and the guidance of our ancestors, we have lived in deep reciprocal and spiritual relationships with the land, water, and animals.

Discover how mining has shaped Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Traditional Territory through colonial policies, economic pressures, and environmental impacts. Learn about the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun’s journey toward sustainable development that honours our heritage, and the steps we continue to take as stewards of our land, culture, and community.

media

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APTN Investigates, "Their Worst Fear"
2024-11-26
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Protect Our Water
2024-11-20
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Eagle Gold Heap Leach Facility Failure Update from FNNND Technical Team
2024-10-05
On October 5, 2024, the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun's technical team lead a presentation to provide an update on work accomplished at the Eagle Gold Mine site since the failure. While at the time of writing, there is still much concern over the instability of the slide, and the ongoing risk of contaminate seepage, progress is being made. FNNND has been a leader in this work since the very beginning. We're working alongside our partners at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Yukon Government to ensure that we have a role in this work, and that it happens in a way that upholds the wellbeing and integrity of our lands, waters, and all the animals who call this place home.
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Open Letter to YG & all Yukoners
2024-09-06
The First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun is grieving the impacts of the June 24 collapse of the heap leach pad at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold Mine in our Traditional Territory.
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Chief Hope Discusses Leach Pad Disaster
2024-08-08
This was a heavy-hearted discussion with Chief Hope from the Na-Cho Nyak Dun First Nation. She represents the local indigenous community directly affected by the leach pad failure at Victoria Gold's Eagle Mine.
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Eagle Mine Environmental Update
2024-08-04
On August 14, 2024, Chief Hope called a press conference to provide an environmental update on the disaster, and announce the loss of confidence in Victoria Gold's ability to effectively manage the crisis.
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First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun has lost confidence in Victoria Gold's ability to respond to disaster
2024-08-01
First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun has lost confidence in Victoria Gold's ability to respond to disaster at Eagle Gold Mine
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Podcast: ‘Our people can’t trust the land’
2024-07-30
This week’s episode features Chief Dawna Hope of the First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun in conversation with host Adrian Pocobelli. Chief Hope discusses her experience dealing with the heap leach pad failure at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Mine in Yukon.
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What's happening at Victoria Gold's Eagle mine?
2024-07-09
This week’s episode features Northern Miner production editor Blair McBride in conversation with host Adrian Pocobelli, discussing recent developments at Victoria Gold’s Eagle mine in Yukon.
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First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Demands Halt of all Yukon Mining Activity
2024-07-03
First Nation of the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Demands Halt of all Yukon Mining Activity and an Independent Investigation and Review of Victoria Gold Eagle Gold Mine Failures
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First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun Statement on Incident at Victoria Gold Mine
2024-06-24
First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun deeply concerned about reported heap leach failure at Victoria Gold Mine; impacts to personnel, waters, and wildlife
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