Faro Mine Remediation Project: Yukon
Learn about the work underway to maintain and remediate the Faro Mine site.
On this page:
What is the Faro Mine?
Faro Mine was once the largest open pit lead-zinc mine in the world. Today, it is the site of one of the most complex abandoned mine remediation projects in Canada. The mine spans 25 sq. km, an area roughly the size of the city of Victoria, British Columbia.
It is located in south-central Yukon, near the town of Faro, on the traditional territory of the Kaska Nations, and upstream from Selkirk First Nation. The Devolution Transfer Agreement identifies the Ross River Dena Council, Liard First Nation, Kaska Dena Council, and Selkirk First Nation as affected First Nations for the Faro Mine.
Processing the valuable minerals at the mine left behind 70 million tonnes of tailings and 320 million tonnes of waste rock. This waste has the potential to leach metals and acid into the surrounding land and water.
The mine was abandoned in 1998 and is currently in care and maintenance, which includes:
- monitoring water quality
- collecting and treating contaminated water
- ensuring that the water leaving the site meets environmental standards
- maintaining site infrastructure, including roads, buildings, dams and stream channels
What is the Faro Mine Remediation Project?
The Faro Mine Remediation Project is one of the most complex abandoned mine clean-up projects in Canada. It was established to prevent the contamination of nearby land and water from the former mining operation.
Risk mitigation work is on-going at the site to ensure it remains stable and secure. Care and maintenance activities continue on site to reduce the risk the site poses to the environment, as well as protecting human health and safety. On-going environmental monitoring is being conducted to track risks and determine if conditions are changing. Where monitoring identifies environmental change is occurring, adaptive management is undertaken (including putting new infrastructure in place) to prevent conditions from further impacting the environment, or human health and safety.
Adaptive management measures undertaken by the project team include:
- collecting and treating contaminated water identified downstream of the tailings facility to protect Rose Creek, which began in 2019
- realigning North Fork Rose Creek which was completed in 2020 to prevent the creek from coming into contact with contaminated water on site
- collecting and treating contaminated water from the former North Fork Rose Creek Channel following completion of the clean water realignment commissioned in spring 2021. Capacity doubled in spring 2023
- collecting and treating contaminated water at the grum ore transfer pad to protect Vangorda Creek which began in 2021
The highest priority issues are being addressed while the Faro Mine Remediation Project proposal proceeds through regulatory approvals.
Who is responsible for the project?
The Government of Canada funds the project and is leading the care and maintenance, site monitoring, consultation, remediation plan design and regulatory process.
First Nations, the Town of Faro and other stakeholders are consulted on an on-going basis to ensure the project incorporates their input. First Nations include the Kaska Nations (Ross River Dena Council, Liard First Nation and Kaska Dena Council) and Selkirk First Nation.
The remediation plan
The Faro Mine Remediation Project Team has prepared a plan to remediate the Faro Mine site. In 2005 the project team, in partnership with the Government of Yukon, the Kaska Nations, Selkirk First Nation and other affected and interested groups, established 5 critical objectives for the remediation plan:
- protecting human health and safety
- protecting and, to the extent practicable, restoring the environment, including land, air, water, fish and wildlife
- maximizing local and Yukon socio-economic benefits
- managing long-term site risk in a cost-effective manner
- returning the mine site to an acceptable state of use that reflects pre-mine land use, where practicable
After many years of research, extensive professional review and consultation, a remediation approach was selected in 2009. Key features of the selected remediation approach include:
- upgrading dams to ensure tailings stay in place
- re-shaping, covering, revegetating and establishing surface drainage on waste rock and tailings
- extending and upgrading diversion channels to keep clean water away from contamination
- improving and expanding contaminated water collection systems and building a new water treatment plant
The Remediation Plan was submitted to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board in May of 2019. It continues to be reviewed by the board and stakeholders with a decision expected in 2025.
Progress to date
Key dates in the remediation project:
- 2023:
- completed pilot scale plant to evaluate treatment process
- completed early civil works for the construction of the new permanent water treatment plant; camps construction and relocation and overhead electrical upgrades
- completed mitigations measures to address the bypass of the North Fork Rose Creek contact water collection system; installation of higher capacity pumps, additional equipment to create system redundancy and resiliency and installation of additional infrastructure
- held public meetings in Yukon communities to share information about the status of the project Water Licence engagement process
- completed upgrades to the Rose Creek Tailings Area Overflow weir and spillway
- completed hydroseeding of the intermediate dam for erosion control on the downstream side
- 2022:
- awarded contract to Parsons Inc. for Construction Management and Care and Maintenance Services
- awarded contract to Ensero Solutions Canada Inc. for Environmental Monitoring Services
- awarded contract to AECOM Canada Ltd. for the Remediation Plan Design and Support Services
- awarded contract to Golder Associates Ltd. (now WSP) for Regulatory Support Services.
- awarded standing offer to Tetra Tech Canada for Geotechnical Support Services
- held community engagement sessions with Ross River Dena Council on the design of the Permanent Water Treatment Plant
- opened Parsons project office in Whitehorse along with establishment of a project website
- completed phase 1 of landform and revegetation pilot project
- completed short term Down Valley Seepage Interception System
- 2021:
- started community-led revegetation strategy
- awarded contract to Jacobs Ltd. for the design of the Permanent Water Treatment Plant
- completed and commissioned the Cross Valley Pond Water Treatment Plant
- completed construction and operation of the Grum Ore Transfer Pad seepage capture system
- completed construction of a haul road across the secondary tailings impoundment to support spillway construction and ongoing care and maintenance activities
- completed construction of a final landform on a section of the Northwest Waste Rock Dump as part a remedial planning pilot
- 2020:
- completed construction of the North Fork Rose Creek re-alignment
- completed construction of a contact water interim measure capturing seep water that used to go into the North Fork Rose Creek
- 2019:
- completed engineering designs for the remediation plan to 30%
- submitted the Remediation Plan along with its environmental and socio-economic assessment to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-Economic Assessment Board to commence the review process
- 2018:
- Government of Canada takes over responsibility for care and maintenance of the site
- awarded contract to Parsons Inc. for interim construction manager
- started construction on North Fork Rose Creek diversion
- constructed seepage capture system near monitoring station X13
- 2016:
- hired contractors to work on regulatory applications and design plans for urgent works and remediation
- 2015:
- commissioned new interim water treatment plant
- installed seepage collection system at the North Fork Rose Creek as a temporary measure to reduce zinc levels in water
- 2013:
- closed old water treatment plant closed due to health and safety concerns
- 2011:
- hired contractor to work on research to help with remediation plan design
- 2010:
- constructed grum sulphide cell with engineered covers to protect environment from contaminants
- 2009:
- Government of Yukon takes over responsibility for care and maintenance at the site
- selected remediation approach
- 2005:
- selected remediation objectives
- 2003:
- started Devolution Transfer Agreement, Faro Mine identified as a shared responsibility between the Government of Yukon and the Government of Canada
- 1998:
- Faro Mine abandoned when the owner declares bankruptcy
- 1969 to 1998:
- active mining - processed minerals left behind waste rock and finely crushed particles, known as tailings
What's next?
After the completion of the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board process, an application for a water licence will be filed with the Yukon Water Board. The major construction phase is expected to begin in 2028, once all of the designs are complete and regulatory approvals are in place.
Remediation is expected to take about 15 years to complete, followed by 20 to 25 years of testing and monitoring to make any needed improvements to the site.
Some areas of the Faro Mine site will always remain under active management and monitoring.
Consultation and engagement
A key aspect of the Faro Mine Remediation Project is on-going consultation and engagement with Ross River Dena Council, Liard First Nation, Selkirk First Nation, the town of Faro and other interested parties. The project team is keeping these groups informed and involved.
- Faro Mine Remediation Project Consultation: Phase 1
- Faro Mine Remediation Project Consultation: Phase 2
- What We Heard: Faro Mine Remediation Project, summer 2017 public consultation summary
Through an on-going and respectful nation-to-nation dialogue, the Faro Mine Remediation Project will continue as a partnership with local First Nations. There is a commitment to provide training and jobs for local First Nations and other Yukoners ranging from specialized services to general labour.
Contracting and jobs
The majority of the work associated with the Faro Mine Remediation Project is being contracted by the Main Construction Manager, Parsons Inc. For more information, please visit their project website at www.faromineproject.ca or merx.com.
Contact us
Faro Mine Remediation Project
415C-300 Main Street
Whitehorse, Yukon
Y1A 2B5
1-800-661-0451
Email: faromine@rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca