Wek'èezhı̀ı Area
The Wek'èezhı̀ı is the management area of the Tłı̨chǫ settlement area, traditionally defined as the Mǫwhì Gogha Dè Nı̨ı̨tłèè area. The boundaries of the region are outlined in the Tłı̨chǫ Agreement, signed by the Government of Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council on August 25, 2005 in Behchokǫ̀, NWT. It is the first ever combined land claim and self-government agreement in the Northwest Territories.
There are four communities in the Wek'èezhı̀ı: Gamètı̀, Wekweètì, Whatì, and Behchokǫ̀, where the Tłı̨chǫ Government is located. The traditional language of the Tłı̨chǫ people is Tłı̨chǫ (Dogrib).
A number of contaminated sites have been identified and prioritized in the Wek'èezhı̀ı region, and identification and assessment is ongoing.
Contaminated sites in the Wek'èezhı̀ı region identified for further investigation and potential remediation are located on Crown Land.
On this page
Wek'èezhı̀ı Area Sites
| Site Name | Phase |
|---|---|
| Indore/Hottah (Beaverlodge) Mines | Assessment |
| Norris Lake | Assessment |
| Wijinnedi Lake | Assessment |
| Kwetı̨ı̨ɂaà (Rayrock) Mine | Remediation |
| Nighthawk Gold Corporation sites (Chalco Lake Exploration Site, Diversified/Indigo Mine, Spider Lake Exploration Site) |
Remediation |
| Colomac Mine | Remediation Complete / Monitoring |
| North Inca | Remediation Complete / Monitoring |
Assessment Sites
Indore/Hottah (Beaverlodge) Mines
The Indore and Hottah (Beaverlodge) Mines are located 12 km apart on Hottah Lake and Beaverlodge Lake respectively, approximately 100 km north of Gamètı̀ in the Northwest Territories. Indore Mine was originally staked for uranium exploration in 1950, and operated off and on until it was closed in 1956. Hottah (Beaverlodge) Mine is a former uranium mine which had various owners between 1943 and 1977, after which, responsibility for the site reverted to the Crown.
Concerns at Indore Mine include:
- A small quantity of tailings remaining on land
- Slightly elevated radioactive waste rock and sediment
- Unsecured mine openings, including a mine shaft and adit
- Remains of former buildings and dumpsites
- Miscellaneous debris and materials which contain asbestos
- Elevated uranium levels in the waste rock
Concerns at Hottah (Beaverlodge) Mine include:
- Unsecured mine openings, including mine shaft, and trenches
- Radiation levels and uranium levels in waste rock near the pits
- Burned remains of former buildings
- Miscellaneous debris and scrap
Work completed:
- 2008-2009
- Phase III Environmental Site Assessment
- 2008-2009
- Human Health Risk Assessment
- 2009-2010
- Elders site tour
- 2010-2011
- Remedial options were selected through input from the Tłı̨chǫ Elders and Executive.
- 2011-2012
- Poor weather did not permit site access for this year's field season
- 2012-2013
- Archaeological Assessment and a Site Investigation to resolve data gaps
What's next?
A meeting with Tłı̨chǫ Elders is planned for early 2013 to discuss the Remedial Action Plan. Initial remediation work is expected to begin following winter road construction and mobilization to site in March of 2015. Remediation is expected to take approximately one year and will include closure of mine openings, addressing waste rock dumps, demolition of buildings and tanks and off-site removal of wastes.
Norris Lake
The Norris Lake property is a former gold and base metal exploration site, located on the Emile River, approximately 235 km northwest of Yellowknife and 32 km west of the Colomac Mine site. Mineral exploration activities first began in 1938 and continued through different periods until 1982.
Concerns at the site include:
- Remains of former buildings and dumpsites
- Waste oil storage barrels
- Metal and waste rock debris
- Hydrocarbon and metals-contaminated soil
Work completed:
- 2012-2013
- Combined Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
What's next?
The results of the Environmental Site Assessment will be reviewed to determine what future work is required.
Wijinnedi Lake
The Wijinnedi Lake property is a former gold exploration site, located on the east side of Wijinnedi Lake, 172 km north-northwest of Yellowknife, or 133 km northeast of Behchokǫ̀. Mineral exploration activities took place in the 1940s by both Vive Yellowknife Gold Mines, and Yellowknife Volcanic Gold Mines Limited. Exploration ceased in the late 1940s but a prospector camped in the only remaining log cabin on and off between the mid 1970s and 2001.
Concerns at the site include:
- Remains of former buildings and dumpsites
- Fuel drums
- Hydrocarbon-contaminated soil
Work completed:
- 2012-2013
- Combined Phase I and Phase II Environmental Site Assessment
What's next?
The results of the Environmental Site Assessment will be reviewed to determine what future work is required.
Sites in Remediation
Nighthawk Gold Corporation Sites
(Chalco Lake Exploration Site, Diversified/Indigo Mine, Spider Lake Exploration Site)
In December 2011, Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada negotiated an agreement with Nighthawk Gold Corporation (formerly known as Merc International) to exchange a number of mineral claims and leases at the Colomac site in return for Nighthawk remediating three other contaminated sites in the Wek'èezhı̀ı Area.
Nighthawk has agreed to protect the existing remediation efforts at the Colomac site and will work with both the Wek'èezhı̀ı Land and Water Board and the Tłı̨chǫ Government when carrying out site remediation in accordance with the Closure and Reclamation Plans submitted for the Diversified/Indigo, Spider Lake, and Chalco Lake sites under the Land Use Permit.
Work completed:
- Chalco Lake Exploration Site
In August 2012, site remediation contractors removed more petroleum-impacted soil and debris and collected confirmatory samples. In September 2012, a Hercules aircraft was mobilized to the Colomac site to remove stockpiled contaminated soil that had been staged at Colomac. - Diversified/Indigo Mine
In March and April 2012, the head frame was brought down along with many of the buildings and structures. - Spider Lake Exploration Site
There has been limited activity at Spider Lake to date.
Remediation Completed / Monitoring
Colomac Mine
The Colomac Mine was a gold mine in operation from 1989 to 1997 and is located 222 km northwest of Yellowknife. Mining production lasted from 1990-97 and the following year, Royal Oak Mines Inc. placed the mine in care and maintenance. It reverted to the Crown in 1999 when Royal Oak Mines Inc., went into receivership.
Concerns included:
- Contaminated water management and treatment
- Exposed tailings and potential wildlife impacts
- Hydrocarbon-contamination at former tank farm area, mill and shop
- Hydrocarbon-impacted bedrock, groundwater, soil and sediment along Steeves Lake shoreline
- Waste oil and chemical inventories at mine closure
- Abandoned mine complex buildings.
- Open pits and abandoned quarries.
Work completed:
- 1999-2000
- Emergency care and maintenance and site clean-up
- 2001-2003
- Water treatment to reduce cyanide and cyanide-related compounds, ammonia, and heavy metals in Tailings Lake and Zone 2.0 Pit
- 2004-2005
- Demolition and excavation of the tank farm and construction of the barrier wall and land treatment unit
- 2006-2007
- Tailings Lake and Zone 2.0 Pit water treated to discharge levels and construction of major civil works (Dam 1B, tailings cap, discharge channel)
- 2008-2009
- Construction of caribou berm, decommissioning of caribou fence, waste consolidation, waste oil inventory
- 2010-2011
- Final site remediation including demolition of buildings, remediation of the Steeves Lake shoreline, treatment of hydrocarbon-impacted soil and water, collection of free product, routine water quality monitoring
- 2011-2012
- Treatment of remaining hydrocarbon-impacted soils, final site clean-up and demobilization from site
- 2012-2013
-
Long-Term Monitoring Phase began. Monitoring is community-based and includes the continuation of the Adaptive Hydrocarbon Management Program to address residual hydrocarbons in the bedrock. Environmental monitoring includes water quality, water levels in lakes and pits, geotechnical stability of Dam 1B, tailings cap, spillway and discharge channel, non-hazardous landfill. Restoration monitoring includes stream flow and habitat restoration, erosion, and aquatic/terrestrial health.
The large steel warehouse known as "Big Blue" has remained on site at the request of the Tłı̨chǫ and was officially handed over to the Tłı̨chǫ Government in June 2012.
What's next?
Monitoring will continue at the site by the Colomac Project Management Team until it can be determined that remediation has been effective and that site conditions have reached a steady state. In the meantime, Nighthawk Gold Corporation has a land use permit in the area to explore for minerals and regulatory inspections under that permit will be conducted by CIRNAC Inspectors. Nighthawk's activities are exploratory in nature and will not affect what has been done to remediate the site.
North Inca
The North Inca mine site is located approximately 190 km north of Yellowknife. Gold exploration occurred at the site between 1945 and 1949, including surface and underground drilling. There has not been significant activity at the site since 1949.
Concerns included:
- A partially open mine shaft
- Deteriorating buildings
- Two above-ground fuel storage tanks
- Asbestos-containing materials.
Work completed:
- 2009-2010
- Remediation began and included the closure of mine openings, demolition of buildings and removal of fuel storage tanks
- 2010-2011
- Full remediation was completed with the removal of all materials from site and initial monitoring was conducted
- 2011-2012
- Further site inspections were carried out in 2012 to confirm the effectiveness of the remediation work. Also, a geotechnical study was carried out on the shaft cap.
What's next?
An additional site inspection is scheduled for 2014 to ensure the remediation work continues to be successful.