Replace with a photograph Wek’eezhii Land and Water Board EKATI Mine Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Behchoko WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 1
Location of EKATI Diamond Mine • Canada’s first diamond mine • Operating for 15 years WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 2
EKATI Diamond Mine • Safety is our Core Value • Underground mining continues • Open Pit mining at Misery and Fox open pits • Open Pit mining at Pigeon is scheduled WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 3
Coppermine River Drainage WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 4
Koala Drainage (LLCF) WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 5
King Cujo Drainage (Misery Site) WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 6
Traditional Knowledge • Traditional Knowledge inclusion into site based monitoring programs. • Support Community-Based Traditional Knowledge Projects • Enhance feedback to communities on Traditional Knowledge initiatives . • Provide Traditional Knowledge input to Reclamation Planning. WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 7
EKATI Diamond Mine – Permitting History 1st Type A 1995 EKATI submitted Environmental Impact Statement Water Licences 1997 EKATI main site received water licence Environmental Assesment submitted for Sable, Pigeon and 2000 Beartooth 2nd Type A Water Licences 2002 Sable, Pigeon and Beartooth water licence received 1 st and 2 nd Type B 2001-2002 Water licences received for Sable and Misery road watering Water Licences 2005 EKATI main site water licence renewed No Type B Road watering licences cancelled and replaced with Licences remain 2007 drawdown plans under the Type A Licences Current Type A Sable, Pigeon and Beartooth water licence renewed and 2009 Licence remains amalgamated with main site licence Submit renewal application to Wek’eezhii Land and Water 2012 Board 2013 EKATI water licence requires renewal WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 8
2013 Water Licence Renewal 1. Proposed Changes to the Water Licence, with rationales • clarity, updates 2. Complete review of Effluent Quality Criteria (EQC) • Boards’ Policy Renewal Core Team • Eric Denholm, EKATI Diamond Mine • Nicole Spencer, EKATI Diamond Mine • Erin Forster, EKATI Diamond Mine • Marc Wen, Rescan Environmental Services Ltd. • Dr. Peter Chapman, Golder Associates Ltd. • Kevin O’Callaghan, Fasken Martineau DuMoulin WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 9
Receiving Environment WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 10
Protecting the Environment WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 11
Protecting the Environment WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 12
Site Specific Water Quality Objectives Fully Developed and Specific to the EKATI Mine • Chloride • Molybdenum • Nitrate • Potassium • Sulphate • Vanadium • All have been 3 rd Party reviewed • Reviews generally supportive WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 13
Response to Interventions Key EQC topics before the Board: • Selecting EQC Parameters • Chloride • Nitrate • Hardness-Dependent EQC • Cujo Lake Dilution Zone • Effluent Discharge Rates and Timing • pH / Aluminum • Selenium • Response Framework WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 14
Selecting EQC Parameters Comment/Recommendation (AANDC) • Should be set at levels reasonably achievable and incorporate best practices • SSWQOs as EQCs: “…maximum grab concentrations should be based on SSWQOs…” • EQCs for many variables BHPB Response • Proposed EQCs are reasonably achievable and incorporate best practices • SSWQOs should be used to determined average EQC concentrations • BHP Billiton’s list of EQC variables is based on assessment of risk • consistent with Board policy WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 15
Chloride Comment/Recommendation (IEMA / AANDC) • Interim SSWQO and EQC • IEMA says alternately use CCME WQG • Immediate Action Plan BHPB Response • Chloride is not high risk and not appropriate as an EQC • SSWQO was fully developed in 2008, now reviewed again • Hardness relationship was based on the most sensitive species • Chloride is included in Response Framework WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 16
Nitrate Comment/Recommendation (DFO/EC / IEMA / AANDC) • Interim SSWQO and EQC • Nitrate risk as a nutrient • Immediate Action Plan BHPB Response • Nitrate is not high risk and not appropriate as an EQC • SSWQO is fully developed • Technical reviews are generally supportive • Nitrate is included in Response Framework WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 17
Hardness-Dependent EQC Comment/Recommendation (DFO/EC / IEMA / AANDC) • AANDC suggests 40mg/L hardness (Koala watershed) • AANDC also implies using only background hardness • IEMA and DFO/EC’s suggestions for nitrate equate to 95 mg/L and 115 mg/L (IEMA only) hardness BHPB Response • Using actual hardness in the effluent and receiving environment is protective, and respects the hardness-toxicity relationship • Hardness-based EQC written into a licence is enforceable • CCME supports hardness-dependent WQGs WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 18
Hardness Dependent EQC Conceptual Example of Hardness-Based EQC for Water Licence Hardness (mg/L) EQC (mg/L NO 2 -N) <20 2.3 20-40 4.4 40-60 6.5 60-80 8.5 Maximum SSWQO Value 80-100 10.5 100-120 12.5 120-140 14.5 140-160 16.5 >160 16.5 WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 19
Cujo Lake Dilution Zone Comment/Recommendation (IEMA / DFO/EC / AANDC) • Further study required on plume modeling • Minimize dilution zone • No whole lake as dilution zone BHPB Response • A discreet mixing zone in such a small lake is unrealistic • Further study of Cujo Lake would not provide new information • Historic use of Cujo Lake as a dilution zone without adverse effects WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 20
King Cujo Watershed – Streams and Lakes WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 21
Effluent Discharge Rates and Timing Comment / Recommendation (AANDC) • Regulate loading and/or maximum volume • Manage around short term peaks in KPSF • Open water period only BHPB Response • Environment protected by focusing on concentrations not loadings • Water quality in KPSF is not anticipated to change • Same mining and water management activities • Transitory peaks will occur • Could not effectively or safely operate the mine with only open water period discharge WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 22
pH / Aluminum Comment/Recommendation (DFO/EC) • Change the pH range to 6.0 to 8.0 BHPB Response • Current EQC range (6.0 to 9.0) is protective • CCME WQG for pH is 6.5 – 9.0 • Recent data show pH just above 8.0 in receiving environment • Special Study on Aluminum proposed WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 23
Selenium Comment/Recommendation (DFO/EC / IEMA) • Benchmark based on tissue • Selenium should be a regulated parameter/EQC BHPB Response • Agree that benchmark based on tissue • Selenium is managed under the Response Framework • Selenium is not appropriate as an EQC WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 24
Response Framework Comment/Recommendation (DFO/EC / IEMA / AANDC) • Action Levels • Location in AEMP Section of WL • Proposed wording for WL BHPB Response • Recommend proposed wording in application • Details to be specified in the Response Framework, to be approved by the Board WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 25
Response to Interventions Other topics before the Board: • Sampling in Lac de Gras • Air Quality WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 26
Sampling in Lac de Gras Comment/Recommendation (NSMA / YKDFN) • Cumulative effects in Lac de Gras • Increased sampling in Lac de Gras BHPB Response • Inappropriate for one mine operation to assess another • Extra sampling planned for 2013 AEMP WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 27
Air Quality Comment/Recommendation (DFO/EC / YKDFN / NSMA) • Incineration Management Plan • Stack Emission Testing • Special Effects Study fish tissue • Dioxins & furans BHPB Response • WL is not appropriate regulatory instrument for air • Managed under Environment Agreement including discussions with GNWT, EC and IEMA • In process of developing Incinerator Management Plan • Plans to conduct Stack testing • Results of fish testing (EROD) to be reported in 2012 AEMP • Recommendations will follow WLWB Water Licence Renewal Public Hearing February 12-13, 2013 Slide 28
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