More contamination found around the site of the Eagle Gold mine in Yukon

Victoria Gold's Eagle gold mine site north of Mayo, Yukon is shown in this aerial photo. (The Canadian Press/Handout — Yukon government)

The Yukon government says testing around the gold mine where a containment facility gave way, spilling millions of tonnes of cyanide-laced rock, has found increased levels of mercury, cobalt and cyanide.

The territory says in a statement updating the failure of the heap leach facility at the Eagle Gold mine that the increasing levels were found in Haggart Creek near the mine site, however it isn’t the type of mercury that accumulates in fish and wildlife.

It says the contaminants found in the creek at this time don’t pose a heightened risk to the health of residents or those using the land and water downstream from the mine site.

The update says the receiver appointed to manage the mine's owner, Victoria Gold Corp., is in the process of returning personal items to employees that remained on site after the mine closure.

It says the receiver has also extended applications to the federal wage protection plan, allowing employees who were fired to claim up to $8,500 in lost wages.

The statement says a safety berm around the slide area is almost complete and work is underway to build groundwater interception fencing that will allow for the capture and treatment of water.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 25, 2024.