New Afton mine (Image credit: CFJC Today/File photo).

By Aaron Schulze

New Afton Mine

New Afton mine suspends underground activities as tailings storage undergo engineering review

Aug 10, 2023 | 11:23 AM

KAMLOOPS — The New Afton copper-gold mine just west of Kamloops has suspended its underground mining activities.

In a news release issued Thursday (Aug. 10) morning, New Gold Inc. – the international mining company that operates the mine – says it observed “geotechnical variances” at the New Afton mine’s tailings storage facility that require further engineering review.

The New Afton mine’s underground activities will be put on hold out of an abundance of caution, and to give engineers appropriate time to review.

Failed tailing storage has proven costly to B.C. in the past. The worst environmental mining disaster was the failure of the tailings dam at Mount Polley copper and gold mine northeast of Williams Lake. Nearly 24 million cubic metres of mining wastewater flowed into Quesnel Lake, Hazeltine Creek and other nearby waterways.

In the meantime, New Gold says milling operations are unaffected at the New Afton mine as workers are using the existing surface stockpile. The company adds in-pit tailings disposal is ongoing.

Sound Off

SOUND OFF: Cutting carbon emissions can be easy and accessible to Kamloops residents

Oct 30, 2024

Question of the Week

Do you have confidence in the vote-counting carried out by Elections BC?

Oct 28, 2024

Week in Review

Week in Review: Week of Oct. 21

Oct 26, 2024

New Gold says it will issue further updates as needed.