Former Clinton Creek asbestos mine

Authors: Wingrove, TR; Robinson, G; Aslund, R; Hartshorne, BW Download Paper

DOI https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1152_117_Wingrove

Cite As:
Wingrove, TR, Robinson, G, Aslund, R & Hartshorne, BW 2011, 'Former Clinton Creek asbestos mine', in AB Fourie, M Tibbett & A Beersing (eds), Mine Closure 2011: Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Mine Closure, Australian Centre for Geomechanics, Perth, pp. 489-499, https://doi.org/10.36487/ACG_rep/1152_117_Wingrove



Abstract:
The former Clinton Creek Asbestos Mine is located about 100 km northwest of Dawson City in the Yukon. The site lies 9 km upstream of the confluence of Clinton Creek with the Forty Mile River. From 1968 until depletion of economic reserves in 1978, approximately 12 million tonnes of serpentine ore was extracted from the bedrock in three open pits. Over 60 million tonnes of waste rock from the open pits was deposited over the south slope of the Clinton Creek valley at what is referred to as the Clinton Creek waste rock dump. Over the same period of time, about 10 million tonnes of asbestos tailings from the milling operation were deposited over the west slope of the Wolverine Creek valley. Since closure of the asbestos mine, concerns have been raised with respect to the physical conditions of the site, in particular downstream hazards associated with potential channel blockages resulting from landslides of the Clinton Creek waste rock dumps and Wolverine Creek tailings piles. Qualitative assessment of risk scenarios and human and ecological exposure levels associated with the site conditions have been completed. The greatest risk at the site is the potential for loss of life immediately downstream of the mine site in the area potentially inundated by a breach of the waste rock pile, or within the Wolverine Creek valley in the event of a breach of a tailings blockage. Channel stabilisation measures have been undertaken to better manage the outflow of water from Hudgeon Lake but continual creep movements of the waste rock threaten the long term integrity of these measures. Regular inspection, assessment and maintenance of the channel control structures are undertaken. All surface infrastructure has been demolished to remove some of the physical safety hazards. This paper will discuss the performance of the interim mitigation measures and present some of the closure actions that are being considered to provide a more permanent and higher level of protection against the identified risks at the site.

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