The Pebble Blog

The gigantic Pebble copper and gold prospect in Southwest Alaska is one of the touchiest topics in Alaska today.

In this blog, I'll track news that is significant or interesting about the Pebble project. I'll also try to generate discussion and information sharing about some of the claims and counterclaims about the project, and mining in general.

Please keep your comments courteous and on topic. If you violate the ADN comment policy, your posts will be deleted.

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About Elizabeth Bluemink ebluemink@adn.com

I've been writing about mining in Alaska since 2004 and without a doubt, it is one of the most interesting topics that I cover at the Daily News. I've been a newspaper reporter for the past 10 years. In the Deep South, I specialized in reporting about environmental conflicts and pollution cleanups. For two years, I covered commercial fishing, mining and logging in Southeast Alaska. In my current job as a Daily News business reporter, I write about mining, tourism, Native corporations and other businesses.


Archive

Red Dog Mine settlement in final stretch - 9/3/2008 4:09 pm

Anglo in Canada - 9/2/2008 10:58 am

Tuesday night's election story - 8/28/2008 10:00 am

Various statements today on Measure 4 - 8/27/2008 8:07 pm

Measure 4 results from around Alaska - 8/27/2008 2:53 pm

It's back up - 8/23/2008 2:01 pm

New York Times - 8/22/2008 8:13 pm

Is this ad right? (updated) - 8/22/2008 7:38 pm

The state's Measure 4 web site - 8/22/2008 7:12 pm

Measure 4-related item from ADN's politics blog.... - 8/22/2008 4:58 pm

APOC - 8/22/2008 2:18 pm

APOC: Web site must come down - 8/21/2008 10:20 pm

A Pebble/Measure 4 Poem - 8/21/2008 12:24 pm

Ballot Measure 4 updates - 8/21/2008 12:05 pm

Update on tomorrow's ballot measure debate - 8/19/2008 6:10 pm

The state weighs in - 8/19/2008 3:07 pm

Bloggers go wild on Ballot Measure 4, Pebble - 8/18/2008 6:34 pm

New role for Renewable Resources Coalition - 8/13/2008 5:17 pm

Native corps and Ballot Measure 4 - 8/12/2008 12:21 pm

Acid mine drainage - 8/6/2008 5:56 pm

Debate on Ballot Measure 4: Aug. 20 - 8/6/2008 4:00 pm

Eye on Anglo - 8/1/2008 6:46 pm

full archive »

Tailings Dam Failures, Part 2

Posted by Elizabeth Bluemink

Posted: July 7, 2008 - 9:46 am

Jeremy Haile, a principal of Knight Piesold Ltd. in Vancouver, Canada, sent this response to last week's blog post about the investigation of the Baia Mare tailings dam failure in Romania.

As a principal of Knight Piesold, I'd like clarify our company's role in the Baia Mare tailings facility design, subsequent mine operations and failure for the benefit of Daily New readers.

It's true that Knight Piesold was involved with the preliminary design of the Baia Mare tailings facility. While our design was utilized to secure permits from Romanian authorities, it was subsequently modified by the mine operators in a number of important ways, and against our recommendations.

Other important recommendations made by Knight Piesold were also ignored. These included recommendations for conducting a proper site-wide water balance, developing a water management plan and implementing routine monitoring protocols. We also recommended cyanide destruction to detoxify the tailings prior to discharge into the impoundment. This too was ignored.

It's important to note that these deficiencies, as well as post-permitting changes in mine design, would never be allowed in a jurisdiction like Alaska.

Ultimately, the Baia Mare failure occurred because of poor attention to water management. This was a mine that had a surplus of water and no ability to treat or discharge it.

Although Knight Piesold had no role in the construction and operation of the facility, I personally visited the Romanian mine site shortly after the incident to assess the situation and provide recommendations for stabilizing the failed embankments.

It was my professional opinion then, as it is now, that the Baia Mare failure would not have occurred had Knight Piesold's design and operating recommendations been followed.

It's also an example of how inadequate regulation in some third world countries can lead to insufficient controls during design, construction and mine operations. It's clear to me that this failure would not occur in the United States today, given the significantly more stringent environmental standards and regulatory oversight here.

It's always instructive to examine past mine failures and incorporate learnings to achieve safer designs in the future. But the Baia Mare incident cannot be held up as an example of Knight Piesold's professional record, nor as a predictor of mine design and safety in a first-world jurisdiction like Alaska.


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  2     July 7, 2008 - 8:30pm | PuckFebble

Irony runs thick

What a joke. Mr. Haile, are the Alaskans who will live downstread from the tailings facility at Pebble supposed to take this at face value? You can play CYA all you want, and blame everyone else, accepting no culpability on yourself and your company. But since you saw the aftermath first hand, maybe you could give us all some insight on how the Nushagak River and its watershed would be affected in the worst case scenario.

Also, your notion of this sort of thing never happening here holds less water than your failed talings dams with Alaskans. If you continue to bring this type of rationalization into the Pebble scenario, you will get your lunch handed to you and shown the door. We have had the unthinkable happen, despite the promises. We have been told we will be made whole again. We got kicked in our proverbial balls when it comes to being protected by the law. This avenue is unwise for you to go.

Lastly, the conditions, especially those concerning the precipitation numbers and ice and snow conditions are likely at Pebble. But in a word, please answer this one for all of us...If this has happened before, why should we take your word that it wont happen again? Is there any sort of report/evidence you have that contradicts all the ones I have read concerning this failure. Where it says more or less that an improperly designed(by KP) TMS was faced with high water conditions from mine use and precipitation combined to have something horrible happen.
We arent taking your word at face value. Give us further evidence.

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  July 13, 2008 - 1:01am | pmjusa

Propagandists Run Scared

Tom Crafford’s letter and the letter from Knight Piesold elicit perplexing reactions. It seems the more empirical evidence proves your anti-mining propaganda to be false, the more shrill and irrational you become. The "rationalization" claim above is an insulting response designed to avoid the argument, sow uncertainty concerning credibility of the argument, use ridicule, and personally attack the writer.

It’s a pity you were kicked in the (proverbial?) balls, but that doesn’t justify your kicking the rest of us in the head.

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  July 9, 2008 - 8:51pm | njalo99

huh

well Puck if your a fisherman in PWS you got your preverbial B@lls kicked, otherwise , your just blowing smoke, and it was BIG OIL, not MINING that did that, apple's and Oranges again....so You get your fact's straight.....,,,also you do realize that the tailings pond actually hold treated water, so the mercury, zinc, lead and all the other Bad things your screaming about wouldn't even be in a tailings pond....which would hold gound up rock and water......?????

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  July 7, 2008 - 9:05pm | rfn

Salmon runs all across Alaska

are dying out despite there being no new mines of any size in recent years.

Fishing is in decline and will soon vanish as a viable industry. Unfortunately, the rape of the resource by factory trawlers and other exploiters will also deprive Alaskans of the fish needed to maintain a subsistence lifestyle.

It's time to stop commercial fishing entirely. It doesn't need an initiative; it doesn't need legislation. It simply requires a few emergency closures.

They are long, long overdue.

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  July 7, 2008 - 9:36pm | PuckFebble

Hi there

RFN,
thanks for your opinion, and I am sure everyone appreciates it, but it is unnecessary to reply to my comments with the ones you made, as I didnt mention salmon, or well fish at all in my post. Obviously you havent read the paper lately and certainly are not a Bristol Bay resident. Because while salmon is failing elsewhere, the runs in Bristol Bay are healthy and strong. Certainly putting the largest pit mine on the continent at the very headwaters of the two biggest rivers supporting that healthy run, isnt a good way to ensure its continuance.
So go ahead, run along and play somewhere else...

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  July 8, 2008 - 11:27am | rfn

No, it's fishing that kills fish.

Until we can totally outlaw commercial fishing subsistence is at risk.

A commercial fishing shutdown is an absolute requirement to keep salmon from extinction. Live and let live. Save subsistence; stop the slaughter!

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  1     July 7, 2008 - 11:41am | GrizzleyGal

Knight Piesold Statement is Revealing

Thanks Elizabeth for posting this clarification from KP regarding its non-involvement in the deficiencies which led to the tailings dam failure in Romania. Too often, particularly with contentious issues such as Pebble, people seek out improprieties - real or imagined - to support their stance on the issue. This statement is revealing and demonstrates how much misinformation surrounds the proposed project and those working to move it forward. Your balanced approach is appreciated.

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