Rio Tinto Fer et Titane inc. will have to pay fines totaling $2 million after pleading guilty to eight counts of violating the Fisheries Act and the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations.
This conviction follows various releases of harmful substances that occurred between February and August 2023, on the site of the mine located at Lake Tio, north of Havre-Saint-Pierre, in Quebec. The site has two discharge points which flow into Lac Petit Pas.
“The investigation demonstrated that in February 2023, nickel exceedances occurred in the effluent from the RH-Léo final discharge point. [Ils] occurred due to the accidental cutting of electrical cables which interrupted the pumping and treatment system for this effluent,” explained Environment and Climate Change Canada in a press release on Tuesday.
In July and August 2023, discharges of low pH effluent were also observed at the Ancienne-Croix final discharge point. “An effluent with a low pH is harmful to fish,” we can also read.
In addition, in November 2023, Rio Tinto Fer et Titane inc. failed to take a sample following an unauthorized release of a harmful substance.
Rio Tinto Fer et Titane inc. was sentenced on January 13 by the Court of Quebec.
The fine will be paid into the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund. The conviction will result in the company’s name being added to the Register of Environmental Offenders.
Canada
