Mining companies in British Columbia (BC) are required by law to reclaim lands impacted by mining. However, reclaiming land affected by mining activities is a long term process. It can take decades to determine if the land has recovered.
An innovative reclamation project is underway at the Mount Milligan Mine north of Prince George. With co-funding from the Mount Milligan Mine and Genome British Columbia (Genome BC), researchers from Thompson Rivers University (TRU) and Chu Cho Environmental, an environmental research and consulting company owned by Tsay Keh Dene Nation, are testing a new way to evaluate ecological recovery.
“This project is exploring whether these new monitoring methods will more quickly signal if reclamation activities are working,” said Suzanne Gill, Genome BC’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “The key to this project is the use of genomics to test for the presence of invertebrates, such as insects and spiders, and to test for the presence and diversity of fungi and microbes in the soil.”
“It is well known that the activities of microbial communities drive soil development and that invertebrate communities are highly responsive to changes in their environments. So, we are examining whether their presence on the reclamation site and in the soil can be used as early indicators of ecological recovery,” says TRU Researcher Dr. Jonathan Van Hamme.
To assess the effectiveness of reclamation, the research team will compare soil samples from the Mount Milligan Mine to those from three types of reference sites: a regenerating commercial forestry-disturbed area, a regenerating wildfire-disturbed area and an unvegetated bare ground control area.
If successful, this technique can be used to quickly identify sites where reclamation activities are not meeting the goals, allowing for timely adjustments to improve reclamation outcomes.
The use of genomics to examine soil health is an extension of ongoing work by TRU, Chu Cho Environmental and the Mount Milligan Mine.
Using Native Plant Species
Historically, using a commercial seed mix and mono-cropping has been the industry standard; however, as the reclamation field advances there has been a shift towards site specific approaches that use native species sourced from near the site. The Mount Milligan Mine is focused on revegetating the site using native species gathered by local seed collection. Through a collaboration with the McLeod Lake Indian Band and Nak’azdli Whut’en, the Mine is incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge in setting land use objectives and reclamation planning. Native plant species are being reintroduced to the site through large-scale collection, propagation and planting.
“We need to continue to improve how we do land reclamation,” says Kristen Marini, Ecologist from Chu Cho Environmental. “Indigenous engagement is important to making sure the reclaimed area will support native plants, animals and traditional land use activities once the area is finished being an active mine.”