Imperial began making plans to reopen it’s 100%-owned Mount Polley mine late last year, and the reopening is imminent. The pit has been dewatered, waste pre-stripped, and the mill restarted. About 4.5 million tonnes of ore were stockpiled in preparation for milling.
The mine suffered a large tailings dam break in 2014 and was closed for two years while the company spent C$70 million ($54.3m) on environmental rehabilitation. Hazeltine Creek, which flows into Quesnel Lake, needed extensive restoration.
Related: Engineers disciplined 7 years after Mount Polley mine disaster in British Columbia
Mount Polley reopened about the time the Huckleberry copper mine was placed on care-and-maintenance. When copper prices fell below $3 per pound, Mount Polley was again idled.
According to the first quarter 2022 financial report, Imperial spent C$2 million on the Mount Polley reopening during that time, which increased the company’s net…
