About RARR
RARR (Rapid Assessment-Rapid Remediation) was developed by the Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society as a tool and protocol to rapidly assess abandoned mine tailings site in the Salmo Watershed. It was created based on the guidelines, protocols, and schedules found in BC’s Environmental Assessment Act and Contaminated Sites Regulation. Its intention is to rapidly assess mine tailings sites in a standardized methodology for their impacts on the environment and access limitations. This assessment tool is a culmination of over 20 years of work and advocacy on abandoned mine tailings sites by the SWSS in the Salmo watershed in the West Kootenay region of British Columbia, Canada.
Orphaned tailings sites were visible from communities and roadways in the region, but the abundance of sites became apparent from fieldwork by the SWSS in the watershed. In 2000 an “Inventory of Mine Tailings and Ponds in the Salmo Watershed” report was created, focussing on sites of greatest concern and priority.
The Yankee Girl Mine tailings site adjacent to the community of Ymir, directly adjacent to the Salmo River, was identified as a major candidate for remediation. Soil and water sampling occurred at the site and after ten years of advocacy by the SWSS “The Yankee Girl” tailings were remediated. The area is now enjoyed as a park and disc golf course by locals and visitors from near and far. A success story to say the least!
This was just the beginning of mine tailings monitoring work by the SWSS in the region. Remediation of other sites in the Salmo Watershed have been completed by the Crown Contaminated Sites Program, a branch of the Ministry of Environment. The SWSS has assisted in maintenance at the Howard site (another abandoned tailings dump on the banks of the Salmo River). The SWSS has also collaborated with Cassiar Gold Corp. (formerly Margaux Resources Ltd.) to conduct soil and water sampling on some of their Sheep Creek mine holdings. As a result of these years of work, the value and need for a standardized assessment protocol became clear, and RARR was born.
RARR has been designed as a comprehensive assessment methodology to not only consider the impacts of tailings on water quality and soil toxicity, but take into consideration other factors that may contribute to a site’s practicality or need for remediation. In addition to water and soil sampling, other quantitative and qualitative data collection are key components of the methodology and protocol. These include observations such as aspect, slope, mesoslope position and adjacent land use to name just a few. Waterbodies within the site are inventoried and detailed observations of wildlife use (evidence of browse, tracks, scat transects, etc.) are also recorded. A qualitative vegetation assessment for terrestrial, riparian and aquatic plants and moss is also included, with a scoring mechanism for various health indicators. A detailed assessment of the access to sites identifies issues such as waterbars, side slopes, switchbacks and surface roughness in order to identify potential barriers to access the mine tailings. Again, a scoring mechanism is used to rank the ease of access and identify any required upgrades for remediation of the sites. All of these criteria (and more) are recorded in the RARR Site Visit Forms to give a detailed assessment of sites and their potential need for remediation. Water and soil samples are collected and sent to a lab for analysis to determine risks to aquatic health and the environment. Soil samples are also assayed to ascertain if there is value (valorization) in the remaining metals in the tailings or waste rock for recycling during reclamation.
In the summer and fall of 2022
In the summer and fall of 2022, the SWSS partnered with Masse Environmental Consultants to carry out RARR as a pilot program in the Salmo Watershed. The RARR methodology was field tested in order to identify and fine tune any concerns in the methodology. Four orphaned mine tailings and waste rock sites were assessed following the RARR protocol and a report was created detailing the findings. The intention is for RARR to now be enacted in other watersheds throughout the province and across the country. Please contact the Salmo Watershed Streamkeepers Society for support, assistance, or any questions.
The RARR protocol was developed to inspire guidance from others and build a program that will:
- Streamline removal of orphaned and other mine tailings from the pollution stream
- Look for and assess revenue generation potential
- Free up resources, human and financial, to accomplish more remediation of more sites
- Be safe, quick and effective, thereby increasing ‘biological bang-for-the-buck’
- Do so in an Environmentally, social, and economically sensitive way
- Pilot this program in the Salmo River watershed
- Create long lasting effective partnerships with industry and Government
- Additionally, a RARR database will be produced of the information discovered using the RARR protocols
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Join us in our mission to rapidly assess the environmental risks of abandoned mine tailings and their potential for remediation.
Together, we can make a difference in our environment and create a healthier and safer future for generations to come.
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