Palmer Project FAQ
What is metallic sulfide mining?
Metallic sulfide mining (also known as hard rock mining) is the type of mining being proposed at the Palmer Project. It involves extracting trace amounts of metals, like copper or zinc, from sulfide-bearing ores, which are rocks and sediments that contain minerals bonded with sulfur ions.
Is there a way to operate a sulfide mine safely?
Unfortunately, there is no “safe” way to mine a sulfide deposit. This is because of the inevitable chemical reaction that occurs during the process of mining the trace amounts of metals that are bound up in sulfide-bearing rock. When minerals in the rock are exposed to air and water (an unavoidable part of the extraction process), sulfuric acid is generated – which is the same chemical as battery acid. The sulfuric acid acts as a solvent, dissolving heavy metals out of the rock and creating an acid runoff that mobilizes and carries these toxic substances into connected waterways / ground and surface waters. This process is known as acid mine drainage — and once it starts, it’s virtually impossible to contain long-term.
What kind of damage can be caused by acid mine drainage?
Acid mine drainage can be released into surrounding waterways through runoff from rain, snowmelt, and groundwater. The site of the proposed Palmer Project is directly adjacent to Glacier Creek, which flows into the Klehini River – the largest tributary of the Chilkat River system. The interconnected waterways of the Chilkat River Watershed would make containment extremely difficult – and if seepage occurred, it would spread quickly throughout the entire ecosystem. Salmon are very sensitive to copper, and even trace amounts can be fatal.
Does the Palmer Project have tidewater access?
There is no operating deep water port in Haines that is capable of exporting concentrates for the Palmer Project. Vizsla Copper has not released an export plan, but without access to a port capable of loading bulk carrier vessels, concentrate would likely be shuttled to either Skagway or Stewart B.C. via container barges – which would be neither efficient nor cost effective.