Britannia Contaminated Sites Investigation Stage I Preliminary Site ...

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(Trythall, 2001). The historical site layout, based on the information reviewed, is shown on Figure 7. Table 8 Historical Summary of Buildings, Structures, Equipment & Features Associated with Potential Environmental Concerns at Halfway Town Buildings / Dates of Operation/Existence Structures Old Tram Station Existed from at least 1912 through 1945. Sawmill Existed in 1912. The duration of operations is undetermined. The sawmill may have remained at least until 1957. Town Dump Presumed to have existed throughout the life of the Mt. Sheer townsite. 3.1.2.10 Other Sites of Operations/Camps/Portals The open pit complex comprised a number of smaller pits and ranged from elevations of approximately 914 m. (3000 ft.) to 1371 m. (4500 ft). In 1995, roads, several portals, nearsurface underground workings, a number of glory holes and waste rock were evident (Price, Schwab, Hutt 1995). The historic Jane Camp (1050 level), destroyed by the avalanche in 1915, had existed near the bottom of the open pit complex. Five seeps disappearing into loose rock have been identified and most of the open pit complex drains into glory hole depressions leading to underground workings (Price, Schwab, Hutt 1995). There were smaller and more remote operations at other locations. The other locations included the 1200 and 1000 Level Portals in the Furry Creek watershed, and the Goldsmith (or Daisy Camp) and the Seaview Camp along Mineral Creek in the Britannia Creek watershed. These locations were reported to consist of apron-like pads of waste rock with flat bench tops surrounded by steep slopes (Price, Schwab, Hutt 1995). In 1995, seepage was observed coming from the 1200 Level Portal; the only equipment still present was a section of track (Price, Schwab, Hutt 1995). The Goldsmith and Seaview camps consisted of log cabins. Approximately 1.6 km up Furry Creek from the Victoria Mine, the Fairwest Mine was established on the south side of Furry Creek in 1925. It was abandoned a year later and utilized by the Vancouver Water Board guard house until 1940. Another mining camp, known as Saulter’s Cabins, existed on the Seymour Creek watershed south of Furry Creek. The Queen tunnel existed northeast of the Victoria Mine. 3.1.2.11 Lands Adjacent to Britannia Mine Adjacent lands to the north, east and south have remained largely undeveloped, with the notable exception of residential land use adjacent to the Fan Area on the north side of Britannia Creek and commercial activities and a gravel pit to the south. The powerline corridor coming up from North Vancouver to Britannia was completed by 1924. Britannia Contaminated Site Investigation Stage I Preliminary Site Investigation Project No. 50319-001-310 22
3.2 BC MINISTRY OF WATER, LAND AND AIR PROTECTION (BCMWLAP) 3.2.1 Site Registry The Site Registry Detail Report for the subject property (January 6, 2002) obtained through BC Online, is presented in Appendix D. The Britannia Mine is BCMWLAP Site 436. Four pollutions abatement orders have been issued against the mine since 1971. Copper Beach Estates, which purchased the property in 1979, has remained out of compliance with respect to each of the orders. The Ministry Orders issued for the Britannia Mine are briefly outlined below. A Remediation Order to collect and treat acid mine drainage was issued to Anaconda Canada Ltd. in October 1974. In 1981, the Order was revised to include the new owner, Copper Beach Estates Ltd. (CBEL). A Ministry Order (File AE-2194) was issued in 1981 which required that all mine drainage be collected and directed to the 4100 level portal and treated by a copper recovery plant. Remediation Order (File OE-12635) was issued to CBEL in November 1993, requiring the submission of a plan to treat all mine acid drainage by July 31, 1994; submission of a scope, terms of reference and schedule for the plan by January 1994; application for effluent discharge permit and fee payment by February 1994; and submission of audited financial records before January 31, 1994. Remediation Order (OE-16097) was issued to CBEL in August 1999 to reflect new contaminant criteria and the 1997 amendments to the Waste Management Act that relate to contaminated sites and responsible parties for the Remediation Order. Remediation Order OE-16097 was issued in September 1999 to include only CBEL as a responsible party. When CBEL failed to comply and defaulted, the Regional Waste Manager enacted Provision 27.1(3) (c), allowing the Manager to add additional parties to the Remediation Order. 3.2.2 Groundwater Database Search The BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection (BCMWLAP) Groundwater Section Water Management Division’s online groundwater database was consulted for information regarding registered groundwater wells in the vicinity of the subject property. The groundwater database searches were conducted based on BC Geographic System (BCGS) maps 092G054, 092G055 and 092G064. The results of the searches are presented in Appendix D. According to the database, nine groundwater wells are registered within the area covered by BCGS 092G054. The search results for BCGS 092G055 and BCGS 092G064 were nil. Britannia Contaminated Site Investigation Stage I Preliminary Site Investigation Project No. 50319-001-310 23
Page 1 and 2: January 2002 File 50319-001 Britann
Page 3 and 4: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This report prese
Page 5 and 6: TABLE OF CONTENTS Britannia Contami
Page 7 and 8: LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Elevations a
Page 9 and 10: BRITANNIA CONTAMINATED SITE INVESTI
Page 11 and 12: Table 1 Elevations and Correspondin
Page 13 and 14: � Untitled map showing mine claim
Page 15 and 16: under consideration for use in the
Page 17 and 18: 1923: The new mill began processing
Page 19 and 20: 1965: A road was constructed to Jan
Page 21 and 22: a frother (Ministry of Mines 1924).
Page 23 and 24: Table 2 Historical Summary of Build
Page 25 and 26: much of the townsite; the in-ground
Page 27 and 28: on it, and a 2-storey shack were al
Page 29: Table 7 Historical Summary of Build
Page 33 and 34: Table 9 Fan Area Site Reconnaissanc
Page 35 and 36: Table 9 Fan Area Site Reconnaissanc
Page 37 and 38: Table 11 Mt. Sheer Townsite Site Re
Page 39 and 40: Table 13 Head of Incline & 2700 Por
Page 41 and 42: 7.1 FAN AREA The Fan Area has been
Page 43 and 44: Location Number LOCATIONS OF ENVIRO
Page 45 and 46: Location Number LOCATIONS OF ENVIRO
Page 47 and 48: 7.2.2 2200 Mt. Sheer Townsite APEC
Page 49 and 50: APEC # AREAS OF POTENTIAL ENVIRONME
Page 51 and 52: ecommendations presented herein is
Page 53 and 54: 11.0 REFERENCES Aerial photographs:
Page 55 and 56: Environment Canada. 1973. The Burra

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