The Pinchi Lake Mercury Mine operated from 1940 - 1945 and 1968 - 1975.  It has remained on care and maintenance until Teck with support from MEA finalized a closure plan in 2009.  Developing the Closure Plan for the Pinchi Mine required MEA’s expertise in the following areas:

1. An Acid Rock Drainage assessment was conducted to establish the potential for ARD from the existing waste rock dumps and tailings;
   

2. A Metal Leaching (ML) assessment was carried out to determine the potential magnitude of metal leaching from the underground workings, waste rock dump seepage and tailings impoundment with and without any water cover;
   

3. Working with

   

   a team of consultants conducting related studies on site to establish the priority areas in which remediation and decommissioning would be required;
   
4. Developing a location for disposal of mercury contaminated building material as well as identifying means of recycling; Involved with an extensive community relations program including meetings with the Technical Working Group of which First Nations representatives and consultants worked together to minimize human health and ecological risks. 

   

   
   

    MEA helped secure permits to de-water the tailings pond and landfill the demolition debris and is providing decommissioning support while the site is undergoing active closure works.