EJQ4 - Spring 2025 - Journal - Page 49
CANADA HAS MORE THAN 14,000 historical mine sites in care and
maintenance or closure, according to the Canadian Institute of Mining.
Most of these sites were developed in the early to mid-1900s prior to
the establishment of environmental standards and permits —and as a
result, many have legacy environmental impacts.
The increasing price of metal commodities and technology advancements has made the redevelopment of historical mine sites economically achievable. More mining companies are investing in these former
sites and deploying state-of-the-art technology to recover minerals
that remain.
This trend raises two questions: How do we redevelop these historical
mine sites in an environmentally and socially responsible manner? How
do we address legacy impacts while also minimizing environmental
risks associated with new mining activity?
History has shown us time and again that unless we learn from the past,
history will repeat itself and mistakes may occur. We need to do better if
we’re going to preserve the environment and wildlife habitats for future
generations.
E N V I RON M E N T J OURN A L QUA RT E RLY RE PORT • S PRI N G 2 0 2 5 • P AGE 4 9
