The operation of a mine under the Horne smelter in Rouyn-Noranda, in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, does not meet public safety and health requirements, according to a report from the Bureau d’audiences publique sur l’environnement (BAPE) made public Tuesday.
“This project is not acceptable in the current state of the knowledge brought to its attention,” we can read at the conclusion of the BAPE document.
The commission of inquiry considers that the Horne 5 project, as presented by the company, “does not meet the minimum requirements in terms of safety, public health, environmental protection and internalization of costs”.
To arrive at this conclusion, the BAPE analyzed several issues, particularly those related to water, air quality and public health.
Regarding air quality and public health, the commission says there are “gaps in the available data, which limit the scope of its analysis.”
She emphasizes in particular that the absence of an assessment of the total exposure of the population of Rouyn-Noranda, integrating the emissions of the Horne 5 project and those present, “constitutes a significant gap and that the ministry responsible for the Environment should require a comprehensive and integrated assessment.
Regarding issues relating to water quality, the commission believes that the ministry should also require more studies and analyses, particularly on the withdrawal of water from Lake Rouyn, the management of mining residues and on the plan that would avoid the redirection of contaminated water towards water bodies. She also notes that an analysis of the consequences of broken dikes on the City’s water treatment infrastructure should be carried out.
Environmental saga
On July 18, the Minister of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, Benoit Charette, mandated the BAPE to conduct an investigation and hold a public hearing on this project carried by the company Resources Falco ltee.
The latter wishes to exploit a polymetallic deposit containing gold, silver, copper and zinc, located in the heart of the city of Rouyn-Noranda and directly under the Horne foundry.
The company estimates that the completion of the project, which is scheduled to start in 2028, would result in the hiring of around 900 people during construction, and 500 people during operation.
Remember that the city of Rouyn-Noranda is experiencing an environmental saga marked by persistent contamination, particularly by arsenic, which explains why the Horne 5 project is raising serious concerns among citizens.
