The implementation of a…

The implementation of a recovery permit for the extraction of value added products from mine tailings is an excellent opportunity to enhance rehabilitation efforts in locations that are considered a liability to the province.

The recovery permit enables the opportunity for business organizations to utilize tailings for aggregate, or recover economic minerals.

Further tasks needed to improve this option include:

1) For operations less than 200,000 T of excavation - an air quality permit & water permit should not be required provided the operator follows TWEAV (time weighted exposure average value) for substances that could cause harm to life.

2) Provide exemption to fuel taxes for projects engaged in land reclamation.

3) Significant abandoned mine sites (especially iron ore) are excellent opportunities to supply lower cost aggregate to Southern ON. There is currently a significant disconnect between utilize waste rock piles for aggregate and the regulations to permit such activity. Eliminate crown fees on aggregate sourced from mine waste stockpiles, and include specifications in provincial tenders to include mine aggregate in the bidding process.

4) Semi-portable wet treatment facilities should be utilized on-site to reduce highway traffic and excessive generation of greenhouse gases caused by trucking materials long distances to treatment facilities.

5) AT A MINIMUM - The province needs to consult with Ontario & Quebec based smelters for a structure for marketing products from tailings reclamation projects. All too often a mine reclamation fails to advance because there is no refinery willing to accept the products generated.

6) Cyanide should be permitted for use in gold tailings reclamation projects - especially technology is readily available to eliminate any short term concerns with cyanide toxicity. Since cyanide degrades in natural conditions, short term use at tailings sites would have no long term impact on environment.

As the Site Manager for Environmental Tailings Corporation - we are actively pursuing several opportunities to extract products from tailings sites in North America. Please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience.

Stephen Skjonsby