Pierre River Mine Project

PIERRE RIVER MINE
SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION
PART 3: AENV SIRS – ROUND 2
Question No. 90
Request EIA Volume 2, Section 8.1, Page 8-4
EPEA APPROVALS
AENV SIRS 90 – 96
Section 15.1
90a Provide the water treatment and wastewater treatment plant designs, capacities,
and expected effluent qualities to ensure the treatment plants will be capable of
achieving the level of treatment required.
Response 90a The wastewater treatment and water treatment facilities have not yet been
designed. Therefore, design details, qualities and quantities are not currently
available. The wastewater flows referenced in the application are estimates based
on existing operations. As project engineering progresses, the facility sizing and
requirements will be finalized. When designing these facilities, Shell will take
into account the approved provincial guidelines and standards that exist at that
time.
Question No. 91
Request EIA Volume 2, Section 20.2, Page 20-7.
Shell indicates that within the proposed 10-year EPEA approval period (2010 to
2019), soil salvage will not likely begin until 2017. Shell also states that Shell
plans to salvage all upland surface soils in the mining areas and the plant site. It
is unclear how a facility in the early stages of development will have no need to
salvage soils in the first 7 years of operations.
91a Confirm what activities (e.g., road construction, bridge construction, laydown
yard construction, plant site development, etc.) will occur in the first 7 years that
could trigger the need for soil salvage and stockpile.
Response 91a Activities planned within the first seven years of development primarily occur
within peatland soil types (dominant Muskeg, Mariana and Hartley organic soils,
as shown in Figure 2.3-4 of Section 2 of the Jackpine Mine Expansion and Pierre
River Mine Environmental Setting Reports). As described in the Project
Description, Volume 2, Section 20.2, page 20-8, efforts were made in
conservation planning to minimize time in stockpile by delaying salvage of peat-
April 2010 Shell Canada Limited 15-1
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