B.C. Premier says tailings pond tests ‘promising’

LIKELY, B.C. – British Columbia Premier Christy Clark says initial test results from water contaminated by a mine tailings breach are promising.

However, Clark says the detailed results will have to wait until a community meeting scheduled this afternoon in Likely, B.C., located near the Mount Polley Mine.

The tailings dam at the gold and copper mine burst open on Monday, releasing 10 million cubic metres of water and 4.5 million cubic metres of potentially toxic silt.

It's still not clear what was in the water and silt or what impact the spill will have on the surrounding environment.

Clark is visiting the region for the first time and toured the spill site, and she says she was astonished by what she saw.

The premier says the focus is to return the surrounding environment to its previous state.

LINKS:

Mount Polley mine spill: Christy Clark visits disaster zone

Mount Polley mine spill threatens B.C. sockeye salmon run

Mount Polley mine tailings pond breach followed years of government warnings

Mount Polley mine tailings spill: Imperial Metals could face $1M fine