Comprehensive scientific review shows dams are safe, stable and
protective of environment
Company Website:
http://www.polymetmining.com/
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- (Business Wire)
PolyMet Mining Corp. (“PolyMet” or the “company”) TSX: POM; NYSE
AMERICAN: PLM – reports that the Minnesota Department of Natural
Resources today released two draft dam safety permits and a draft public
waters work permit for public review and comment.
The draft dam safety permits are two of the major permits needed to
build and operate the NorthMet copper-nickel-precious metals project in
northeastern Minnesota. The draft public waters work permit is required
for a culvert extension to widen Dunka Road, the connecting road between
the plant and mine site.
Dam safety permits establish the design, construction and operating
parameters to ensure long-term, safe, and stable operations of
facilities that impound water. PolyMet has proposed two facilities to
impound water: an existing tailings basin and a new hydrometallurgical
residue facility. The DNR has noticed the draft permits for a 30-day
public review and comment period, commencing today.
“These draft permits account for three of nine permits that have been
noticed for public review and comment this summer. We are pleased with
our progress and look forward to the rest of the draft permits being
released,” said Jon Cherry, president and CEO.
A tailings basin is a highly engineered structure where finely-ground
rock called tailings is permanently stored after the ore has been mined,
crushed, and the economic metals have been removed. Tailings are
transported to the impoundment in a water slurry where the more coarse
material forms the dams and the finer material settles in the basin. The
water is collected and pumped back to the processing facility where it
is recycled. Extensive geochemical testing and monitoring have
demonstrated that the water and tailings will remain non-acidic during
operations and closure.
The existing tailings basin was an integral part of historic iron ore
mining operations between 1957 and 2001. PolyMet will reuse this basin
and incorporate additional engineering controls into the design to
ensure it remains stable and protects nearby natural resources during
and after operations. Using the existing tailings basin affords less
wetland impacts and beneficial reuse of a brownfield site. The new
hydrometallurgical residue facility will impound water and solids from
the hydrometallurgical processing plant, and will have a double liner
containment system.
Geotechnical experts independently performed numerous geotechnical
evaluations during environmental review and permitting, and concluded it
is feasible and safe to store NorthMet tailings using an existing
tailings basin at the site, enhanced with technologies such as a rock
buttress and monitoring devices.
“The tailings basin was one of the most studied aspects of the NorthMet
Project during the comprehensive state and federal environmental review
of the project that concluded in 2016,” said Cherry. “We take the
design, construction and operation of the tailings impoundment very
seriously and have taken extra measures to ensure a safe and stable
design. The science shows that not only can we be protective of water
and other natural resources, but we will make a substantial contribution
to addressing legacy reclamation issues at the site.”
Other permit applications currently under review by the state include a
water quality permit (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination
System/State Disposal System or NPDES/SDS permit), an air emissions
permit, and the Permit to Mine. Meanwhile, the 30-day public review and
comment period for six draft water appropriations permits released last
month by the DNR ended September 12.
The draft dam safety permits and draft public waters work permit as well
as other permit applications and their status are posted on www.polymet.mn.gov.
The website also provides information about the permitting process
conducted by the DNR and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
About PolyMet
PolyMet Mining Corp. (www.polymetmining.com)
is a publicly-traded mine development company that owns 100 percent of
Poly Met Mining, Inc., a Minnesota corporation that controls 100 percent
of the NorthMet copper-nickel-precious metals ore body through a
long-term lease and owns 100 percent of the former LTV Steel Mining
Company site, a large processing facility located approximately six
miles from the ore body in the established mining district of the Mesabi
Iron Range in northeastern Minnesota. Poly Met Mining, Inc. has
completed its Definitive Feasibility Study. The NorthMet Final EIS was
published in November 2015, preparing the way for decisions on permit
applications. The NorthMet Project is expected to require approximately
two million hours of construction labor, create approximately 360
long-term jobs directly, and generate a level of activity that will have
a significant multiplier effect in the local economy.
PolyMet Disclosures
This news release contains certain forward-looking statements
concerning anticipated developments in PolyMet’s operations in the
future. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always,
identified by words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “believes,”
“intends,” “estimates,” “potential,” “possible,” “projects,” “plans,”
and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions or
results “will,” “may,” “could,” or “should” occur or be achieved or
their negatives or other comparable words. These forward-looking
statements may include statements regarding the ability to receive
environmental and operating permits, job creation, and the effect on the
local economy, or other statements that are not a statement of fact.
Forward-looking statements address future events and conditions and
therefore involve inherent known and unknown risks and uncertainties.
Actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking
statements due to risks facing PolyMet or due to actual facts differing
from the assumptions underlying its predictions.
PolyMet’s forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs,
expectations and opinions of management on the date the statements are
made, and PolyMet does not assume any obligation to update
forward-looking statements if circumstances or management’s beliefs,
expectations and opinions should change.
Specific reference is made to risk factors and other considerations
underlying forward-looking statements discussed in PolyMet’s most
recent Annual Report on Form 40-F for the fiscal year ended January 31,
2017, and in our other filings with Canadian securities authorities and
the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Report on
Form 6-K providing information with respect to our operations for the
three and six months ended July 31, 2017.
The Annual Report on Form 40-F also contains the company’s mineral
resource and other data as required under National Instrument 43-101.
The TSX has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.
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Contacts:
PolyMet Mining Corp.
Media
Bruce Richardson, +1
651-389-4111
Corporate Communications
brichardson@polymetmining.com
or
Investor
Relations
Jenny Knudson, +1 651-389-4110
Investor Relations
jknudson@polymetmining.com
Source: PolyMet Mining Corp.
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