Revised Final Environmental Study Report (24 MB) - Gold Canyon ...

Gold Canyon Resources Inc: Final Environmental Study Report Review
March 30, 2013
5.4 Aquatics Baseline Report Deficiencies
Mining activities cause significant contamination of water resources, and generally proceed
with little regard for the environment. GCU has been conducting exploration activities in
Springpole for many years, however their environmental analysis of the area was
conducted in 2011. Any results generated from the Springpole area aquatics study
will be biased, as drilling activity on the lake may have already altered aquatic
baseline values.
After a preliminary review of the aquatics study and technical report findings, there are a
few issues pertaining to reporting in the ESR;
1) The Birch River crossing was not assessed within the Aquatics Baseline Study. The
site is referenced as being important for all season and spawning habitat for fish.
“The Birch River has its outflow at the eastern end of Springpole Lake, draining Springpole
into Fawcett Lake. The Birch River is known to provide some of the most important walleye
spawning habitat in the study area and may serve as year-round habitat for walleye. Lake
trout, northern pike and whitefish all likely show seasonal use of the river, as either feeding
(lake trout, northern pike, whitefish) or spawning (whitefish) habitat. The drainage from
Cromarty Lake into the southwest corner of Springpole Lake also represents important
walleye spawning habitat in the study area (Draft ESR, page 2-35).”
2) The ESR does not discuss surface water results within the ESR, as it is not directly
related to the eastern corridor. Given that all of the technical report studies were
conducted at locations not relevant for the eastern corridor, it is only fair that
surface water results also be analyzed here.
Surface water results from the Aquatics Baseline Report (page 24);
Total phosphorus was higher than Provincial Water Quality Objectives (PWQO)
of 0.02 mg/L at sites; SW-6 (0.026 mg/L) in Q1, SW-9 (0.023 mg/L) in Q2, SW-4 TOP
(0.022 mg/L), SW-5 TOP (0.032 mg/L), SW-9 (0.049 mg/L), and SW-10 (0.042 mg/L)
in Q3.
Dissolved mercury was higher than the PWQO of 0.2 μg/L at sites; SW-3 (0.43
μg/L) and SW-5 (0.27 μg/L) in Q1, as well as in SW-5 MID (0.29 μg/L) in Q3.
Total cadmium was higher than the PWQO of 0.1 μg/L (sample hardness
measured at less than 100 mg/L) at SW-11 (0.4 μg/L) in Q1.
Total iron surpassed the PWQO of 300 μg/L at sites SW-9 (850 μg/L) and SW-10
(970 μg/L) in Q3.
Note: technical report did not indicate where the actual sampling locations were.
The report indicates that total phosphorous, dissolved mercury, total cadmium and
total iron are already elevated in the study area. No rationale as to why these
elements were already elevated in surface water samples within the technical report
and ESR, particularly the heavy metals; mercury, cadmium and iron.
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