Chief Dawna Hope emphasized the need for sustainable development and responsible mining practices, highlighting the priority of protecting the integrity of the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun’s lands, people and ecosystems.
The failure of the heap leach pad at Eagle, which caused the landslide, led to substantial damage to infrastructure and the release of cyanide into the environment, raising environmental concerns.
Victoria Gold promised to release more information by the end of next week.
For its part, the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun has called for the implementation of a land-use plan that would limit development and enforce rigorous oversight of mining and industrial operations on its territory. In the meantime, Hope stressed that the community is exploring all available remedies to ensure that the environmental catastrophe is addressed.
“We will pursue every available avenue, including legal options, to protect and preserve our rights and to ensure that this environmental catastrophe is addressed and the lands and waters of our Territory are safe for the fish, wildlife, and people that have relied on them for generations,” she said in the First Nation’s release.
“I’m so glad that people didn’t die. But yeah, we need to figure out what happened in the fullness of time so that we can make sure that we’re not putting Yukoners and workers at risk,” he commented.
Shares of Victoria Gold remain depressed, down close to 90 percent since the incident.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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