Mount Polley Mine Tailings Storage Facility Breach: August 4, 2014
On the night of August 3-4, 2014, the dam enclosing the tailings storage facility (TSF) at Mount Polley Mine, a copper and gold mine in interior British Columbia, failed. Over the next 16 hours, the failure led to a progressive breach of the Perimeter Embankment of the dam, releasing over 21 million cubic metres of water and mine tailings into the surrounding environment and watercourses.
Mining and Mineral Resources Division. 2015. Mount Polley Mine Tailings Storage Facility Breach: August 4, 2014. Investigation Report of the Chief Inspector of Mines. Victoria, Canada: Mining and Mineral Resources Division, Ministry of Energy and Mines, British Columbia. November 30.
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Email Address Created for Land Exchange Questions
The Southwestern Region Office of Lands and Minerals Management is overseeing and administering the land exchange and appraisal process which includes the 2,422-acre Oak Flat Federal Parcel. All questions about the land exchange and appraisal process should be emailed to SM.FS.rcexinfo@usda.gov
Programmatic Agreement Info
To comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the Tonto National Forest developed a Programmatic Agreement (PA) and included it in Volume 5, Appendix O of the final EIS. The PA was created in cooperation with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, the State Historic Preservation Office, tribes and other consulting parties. The PA contains an agreed upon process for identifying, evaluating and addressing adverse effects to historic properties associated with this undertaking.
To review Volume 5 and the PA, Download Vol 5 PDF, 27 MB.
Forest Service Point of Contact
John Scaggs
Tonto National Forest
john.scaggs@usda.gov
Apache Leap Special Management Area
Apache Leap SMA website