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Gold miner fined $100K after sediment spill from dam near Fort Frances

Company allowed water to collect before dam was finished
New Gold mill
New Gold’s Rainy River mine site (tbnewswatch.com file)

RAINY RIVER, Ont. — A Justice of the Peace has fined New Gold Inc. in connection with an incident that occurred more than two years ago at its mining property 65 kilometres northwest of Fort Frances.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry charged the Toronto-based company with failing to comply with the conditions of an approval under the Lakes and Rivers Improvement Act.

The firm had received permission in 2015 to build a network of dams and diversions required for the development of its Rainy River gold mine.

In March 2016, New Gold advised the ministry of an incident in which water overflowed the incomplete Teeple Dam, causing a portion of the dam to erode and sending sediment into the Pinewood River downstream.

Ministry investigators determined that the company was aware that the dam wasn't finished prior to the incident, and had allowed water to flow through the network before design specifications had been met.

The MNRF said when company officials learned what had happened, they took remedial action in consultation with the ministry.

New Gold pleaded guilty in Rainy River court last week, and received a $100,000 fine.


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