Energy, Mines, and Resources

Assessment and Abandoned Mines

Abandoned Mines

Timeline

Clinton Creek Pages...

1967
Cassiar Asbestos Corporation Limited (Cassiar) commences mining operations.

1974
Clinton waste rock pile slides blocking Clinton Creek and creates Hudgeon Lake. Tailings deposit slides down the valley into Wolverine Creek and restricts the water flow.

1978
Cassiar ceases mining operations and removes main sections of the concentrator, most mining equipment, and primary structures of the townsite. Townsite and mill buildings are auctioned off. A rock channel and weirs are constructed to redirect the flow of WolverineCreek over the tailings deposit.

1981
Cassiar installs culverts and a gravel shield to protect against erosion at the Hudgeon Lake outlet and constructs rock weirs and reinforces
the channel in Clinton Creek.

1982
Clinton Creek breaks through the reinforced channel and undercuts the north valley wall.

1984
Clinton Creek channel reinforcement was reconstructed.

1985
North point of the tailings deposit restricts Wolverine Creek.

1987
Cassiar submits abandonment plan which is not accepted as adequate by the government.

1988 - 1989
Equipment and structures are removed from site. Warning signs are put up and some clean-up is carried out.

1991
Cassiar is bought by Princeton Mining Corporation. Further remedial work is completed.

1992
Government of Canada (Canada) recommends the financial security be returned to Princeton Mining Corporation.

1997
Significant flood event destroys channel reinforcement and weir structures in Clinton
Creek.

1998
Canada begins investigating into the environmental liabilities at the site.

2002
Canada begins work to stabilize the channel under the emergency section of the Waters Act. As previous stabilization is not successful, Canada implements an initial phase of a channel stabilization program with the installation of gabion structure.

2003
Government of Yukon (Yukon) takes over management of site under devolution and Canada retains financial responsibility. As part of the Phase II creek stabilization plan, additional gabion structures are installed to reduce the erosion of the waste rock pile. Site monitoring continues.

2004
Yukon begins to remove physical hazards on site. Gabion construction for channel stabilization is completed.

2005 - 2007
Yukon removes physical hazards on site, continues to manage overall maintenance and minor repairs are made to the gabion basket structures.

2008
Ongoing monitoring of further waste rock movement and the channel stabilization work is managed by Yukon.

2009-2010
Environmental site monitoring continues and major repairs to the gabion baskets are made due to damage from extreme water flows. Scientific and technical studies are conducted in preparation for a long-term management plan.

Contact Us:

Assessment and Abandoned Mines
Mail: Box 2703, Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 2C6
Phone: 867.393.7098
Fax: 867.456.6780
Email: yukonabandonedmines@gov.yk.ca