Mount Polley Mine Information

On Monday August 4, 2014, the tailings dam of the Mount Polley Mine was breached, releasing water/tailings and ground rock into Polley Lake, then into Hazeltine Creek and then to Quesnel Lake. The Mine is in the northern part of the Secwepemc te Qelmucw (NStQ) traditional territory and is within the traditional territories of T'exelc Williams Lake Indian Band and the Xat'sull Soda Creek First Nations.

This breach has affected communities in the surrounding area and throughout BC in many ways. Mental and spiritual health and water and food fish safety were the immediate concerns of Nations and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA). 

At the invitation of local First Nations, the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA) commissioned the initial phases of a Health Impact Assessment (HIA). An HIA is a systematic approach to assessing the health impacts and risks associated with an event, project, or policy, and uses qualitative, quantitative and participatory methods. 

Download the Mount Polley Health Impact Assessment Communique - PDF

Check back on this page as more information related to the Mount Polley Mine will be posted here.


Communiques and press releases below: 

FNHA Fish Testing – FAQ Update (September 23, 2014)

Mount Polley Mine Communique #7 (Includes fish sampling info - Sep. 5, 2014)

Mount Polley Mine Communique #6 (Aug. 30, 2014)

Technicians Corner - #1 & #2 (Raw Sample Data)

Metals and Fish Uptake FAQ (Aug. 18, 2014)

Mount Polley Mine Communique #5 (Aug. 12, 2014)

Mount Polley Mine Communique #4 (Aug. 9, 2014)

Ceremony Marks Beginning of Healing Journey at Mount Polley Site (Aug. 8, 2014)

Mount Polley Mine Communique #3 (Aug. 8, 2014)

Mount Polley Mine Communique #2 (Aug. 7, 2014)

Mount Polley Mine Communique #1 (Aug. 6, 2014)


Fish Tissue Sampling Preliminary Results

Nov. 14 - Fish Data

Certificate of Analysis - L1502423_COA

Certificate of Analysis - L1502442_COA

Certificate of Analysis - L1504356_COA

Certificate of Analysis - L1505129_COA

Certificate of Analysis - L1505873_COA

Certificate of Analysis - L1506474_COA

Sep. 12, 2014 - Results for total metals scan is available in the preliminary lab reports below. Results are still pending for inorganic arsenic (As III and As V) and is important when interpreting arsenic values. Lab results will be updated as they become available and final.

Interpretation of results for health risk must be conducted by an individual with experience in risk assessment. 

FNHA Fish Tissue Sampling Project 2014

Preliminary Raw Tissue Data Table

Lab Reports:

Farwell Canyon

Rudy Johnson Bridge - Farwell Canyon - The Point

Skyline Road

Kanaka Bar D4 - Fraser River Confluence at Nahatlach

Farwell Canyon Soda Creek Gang Ranch

Seton River - 6 Mile - 200m downstream of Bridge River - 13km W Pavilion Rd Old Lillooet Bridge

 Environmental Health related resources

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