Pipeline Rupture Causes Tailings Spill at Pogo Gold Mine in Alaska

Mining Technology reported that a pipeline carrying mine tailings and cement ruptured and spilled materials in to the surrounding area at Sumito Metal Mining’s (TYO:5713) Pogo Gold min in Alaska.

As quoted in the market news:

Around 90,000-gal of backfill containing one to three parts-per-million of cyanide spilled from the pipeline. The rupture also caused a valve inside a pump house to break. The material is said to be combination of mine tailings and cement that hardens in to concrete, used to fill-in tunnels created by the underground mining process.

Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) state on-scene coordinator Tom DeRuyter said that the pH level of the slurry was enough to neutralize the cyanide.

According to DeRuyter, the paste will be allowed to solidify at the mine site before being removed by personnel with the help of heavy equipment and hand tools.

Click here to read the full Mining Technology report.