Importance of Indigenous Community Engagement related to ARD/ML and Long-Term Water Quality
Authors: Steven R. Aiken1, Jean Johnson2, Vic Bolduc3
Conference: 13th International Conference on Acid Rock Drainage
Date: September 16-20, 2024
1 Knight Piésold Ltd., North Bay, ON, Canada
2 Batchewana First Nation, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada
3 Batchewana First Nation, Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada
ABSTRACT
Long-term water quality is an extremely important environmental issue for Indigenous Communities in Canada. One of these Communities, Batchawana First Nation (BFN), is located in northeastern Ontario and has been involved with many mineral resource development projects and mines within their Traditional Territory. Every one of these projects has the potential to negatively impact the water, both from a quantity perspective, but also with respect to water quality. A likely possible contributor to impacting water quality from mining related projects is acid rock drainage (ARD) and metal leaching (ML). Understanding the long-term consequences of ARD and ML is key for Batchewana First Nation and the protection of the water resources within their traditional lands. Engagement is critical so that the importance of water to the First Nation is understood by the mining industry, both on a time scale that is short-term as well as long-term, and multi-generational. Batchewana First Nation works with the mining industry so that solutions to protecting the water resources are developed together.
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