ABSTRACT
Royal Oak Mines Inc. was placed in receivership on April 16, 1999, and, on December 14, 1999, the Canadian government was left to deal with two abandoned mines in the Northwest Territories. Colomac, a 10,000 ton per day, low grade, open pit gold mine on care and maintenance since 1997, had a tailings management problem resulting from the accumulation of cyanide-bearing effluent, as well as geotechnical problems with the retention dams. Giant, a 1000 ton per day, underground gold mine operating since 1948, processed its arsenopyrite ore through an outdated roasting facility, resulting in airborne arsenic trioxide and sulphur dioxide emissions and generating 265,000 tons of arsenic trioxide-bearing dust currently stored in underground chambers. The Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development must manage potentially significant environmental, human health and socio-economic impacts under the legal and financial constraints imposed by insolvency legislation and within an atmosphere of close public scrutiny.
