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Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

Potential Effects of Contaminants on Fraser River Sockeye Salmon

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Absorbent Products Ltd. operates the <strong>on</strong>ly mine in the North Thomps<strong>on</strong> <strong>River</strong> Area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>Interest, which produces bent<strong>on</strong>ite for use in a variety <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> c<strong>on</strong>sumer products. In the SouthThomps<strong>on</strong> <strong>River</strong> Area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Interest, there are three n<strong>on</strong>-metal mines in operati<strong>on</strong> including agypsum/anhydite producers near Falkland (Falkland Mine), a limest<strong>on</strong>e producer nearKamloops (Harper Ranch Mine), and a volcanic ash/silica/kaolinite producer near BuseLake (Buse Lake Mine).The Mount Meager Mine, located in the Harris<strong>on</strong>/Lillooet <strong>River</strong> Area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Interest,produces pumice and pozzolan. In the Chilliwack/Cultus Lake area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> interest, tw<str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g>acilities are producing shale and clay. These include the Richmix Fireclay facility and theSumas Mountain facility.The development and operati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> metal mines and other mining facilities has the potentialto influence water quality c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s in receiving water systems. Such effects <strong>on</strong> waterquality can be associated with the c<strong>on</strong>structi<strong>on</strong> and/or operati<strong>on</strong> <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> the following minecomp<strong>on</strong>ents:• Camp facilities, including buildings and equipment;• Sewage treatment facilities;• Wastewater treatment facilities;• Tailings c<strong>on</strong>tainment areas;• Open pits;• Waste rock piles;• Roads and storage yards;• Airstrip; and,• Quarries and soil borrow areas.In additi<strong>on</strong>, unintenti<strong>on</strong>al releases <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> wastewater, waste materials, or c<strong>on</strong>taminants (i.e.,fuel, oil, etc.) can adversely affect water quality c<strong>on</strong>diti<strong>on</strong>s. The substances that may havebeen released from operating mines in the <strong>Fraser</strong> <strong>River</strong> Basin include suspended solids,metals, nutrients (i.e., amm<strong>on</strong>ia, nitrate, and nitrite from blasting; phosphorus fromsewage), TSS, oil and grease, and diesel (i.e., PAHs and alkanes). Mercury releases likelyoccurred from the aband<strong>on</strong>ed Pinchi Lake Mine in the Nechako <strong>River</strong> Area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Interestand, possibly, from the placer mining facility in the Quesnel <strong>River</strong> Area <str<strong>on</strong>g>of</str<strong>on</strong>g> Interest. Otheraband<strong>on</strong>ed mines could have released metals to receiving water systems in the study area,in associati<strong>on</strong> with acid rock drainage and/or other wastewater sources (see Nelitz et al.21

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