Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation holds concert to raise awareness about heap leach mining in the Yukon

Monday, 26 August 2024 15:14

Ryan McNally and Lina Halimi take the stage in Carmacks at Cyanide in the Water (Photo: S. Bonell)

Local talent and headliners performed at the Carmacks Recreational Complex on August 24.

Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation hosted a concert in support of First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun.

Cyanide in the Water was put on to raise awareness in the Yukon about the risks of heap leach mining. The concert was unintentionally scheduled exactly two months following the heap leach failure at Victoria Gold’s Eagle Gold mine, resulting in cyanide in both surface and ground water near the site.

Holistic rock band Love and a .38 was the featured act at the concert. Drummer Clark Skelton says that the band is always happy to perform for a good cause.

“Well, I live here, so I’ve been hearing about [the heap leach failure] nonstop,” said Skelton. “It’s just awful; what’s happening. And I have kids, so, we want to keep everything for generations to come. I’m all for stuff like that, especially with music. Because I think music just kind of heals and helps everybody, and brings people together, so it’s a win-win.”

But the concert was more than just music. CPAWS Yukon Executive Director Chris Pinkerton was in attendance as well, helping answer questions that audience members had regarding the incident at Eagle Gold mine, and heap leach mining in general.

“People are interested in what heap leaches are, how they work, what exactly happened at the Eagle Gold mine,” said Pinkerton. “And, I mean, some of that, as you said, I still being worked out as the disaster unfolds and as mitigations happen. And there will be an investigation later.”

“But in general, how the rocks came down, what the consequences are, how it will impact on fish and wildlife, the landscape, and the people as well.”

The Government of Yukon continues to provide weekly updates regarding the heap leach failure, including the latest information on the levels of cyanide present in Haggart Creek.

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