Orphaned and abandoned mines
The 2nd Annual OAM Workshop will take place virtually on October 23-25, 2024, from 12-4 pm ET.
On this page
- Overview
- Annual Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Workshop
- Management of orphaned and abandoned mines in Canadian jurisdictions
- Related links
Overview
Orphaned and abandoned mines are two types of legacy mines. Orphaned mines are defined as those for which the owner cannot be found and abandoned mines are defined as those for which the owner is financially unable or unwilling to carry out the clean-up. These mines exist within all mining jurisdictions in Canada and pose environmental, health, safety, and economic issues for communities, the mining industry, and governments.
Canada is a global leader in research and development to address environmental issues caused by legacy mine sites.
Orphaned and abandoned mine (OAM) sites are poorly documented in terms of their numbers and the physical, health, and environmental impacts and liabilities. Therefore, research, collaboration, and information sharing are crucial for informed decision-making, cost-effective planning, and sustainable reclamation. National, multi-stakeholder collaboration is essential to guarantee transparency in decision-making and access to information for governments, industry, Indigenous communities, and other stakeholders.
Annual Orphaned and Abandoned Mines Workshop
Inaugurated in 2023, the Annual Orphaned and Abandoned Mines (OAM) Workshop is a multi-day, working-level workshop aimed at facilitating information sharing, diverse and inclusive engagement, and broad collaboration on challenges related to orphaned and abandoned mines. This workshop replaced the National Orphaned/Abandoned Mines Initiative after its dissolution in 2022. It is hosted by the Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan (CMMP) Secretariat and the Task Team on Environment under the Mines Intergovernmental Working Group (Mines IGWG).
2nd Annual Workshop
Upcoming October 2024
The 2nd Annual OAM Workshop will take place virtually on October 23-25, 2024, from 12-4 pm ET.
- An open-door event for the public will be held on Thursday, October 24 and Friday, October 25.
- A closed-door event for FPT governments will be held on Wednesday, October 23.
With the theme of “Foundations for Success: Building Capacity and Developing Exemplary Practices”, the Workshop will explore topics relevant to successful OAM remediation, including exemplary practices for remediation planning and implementation; creating strong, effective, and inclusive partnerships between various stakeholders; addressing capacity constraints, developing supportive relationships, and providing opportunities for Indigenous partners; and potential economic opportunities and partnerships, including creating value from mine tailings, as well as the examination of associated considerations, risks, and challenges.
We encourage the participation of a wide variety of individuals and organizations interested in the remediation of OAM sites and related issues.
Please register by October 4.
1st Annual Workshop
Ended October 2023
The 1st annual OAM workshop took place on October 11, 12, and 19, 2023.
The theme of this virtual workshop was “Targeted Land-use Planning through Collaboration and Innovation”. It included sessions focused on land-use planning and design, collaboration with communities (particularly the historical relationship with Indigenous Peoples), innovative approaches, and environmental considerations.
We saw the participation of a wide variety of public and private stakeholders interested in orphaned and abandoned mine sites and related issues.
Workshop resources
-
What We Heard Report
- 1st Annual OAM Workshop – What We Heard (PDF, 225 KB)
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Presentations (English only)
- Day 1, Session 2 – Land Use Planning - Desrosiers (PDF, 725 KB)
- Day 1, Session 2 – Land Use Planning – Viridis Terra (PDF, 3.33 MB)
- Day 1, Session 2 – Land Use Planning – Hainey (PDF, 1.41 MB)
- Day 1, Session 3 – Landform Design – McKenna (PDF, 7.43 MB)
- Day 2, Session 2 – Potential of Innovation – Young&Shang (PDF, 165 KB)
- Day 2, Session 3 – Innovative Approaches – Forde (PDF, 1.79 MB)
- Day 2, Session 3 – Innovative Approaches – Shang (PDF, 1.26 MB)
- Day 2, Session 3 – Innovative Approaches – Tisch (PDF, 1.25 MB)
- Day 2, Session 3 – Innovative Approaches – Deriaz (PDF, 2.81 MB)
- Day 2, Session 4 – Environmental Considerations – Chevalier (PDF, 3.09 MB)
- Day 2, Session 4 – Environmental Considerations – Project CLEANS (PDF, 3.09 MB)
Disclaimer
Some of the information above has been provided by external sources. The Government of Canada is not responsible for the accuracy, reliability or timeliness of the information supplied by external sources. Content provided by external sources is not subject to official languages requirements.
Management of orphaned and abandoned mines in Canadian jurisdictions
For more information on closure and remediation of OAM sites, refer to the following jurisdictional webpages:
| Jurisdiction | Links |
|---|---|
|
Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs (CIRNAC) |
|
|
Yukon |
Department of Energy, Mines and Resources - Assessment and Abandoned Mines |
|
Northwest Territories |
Department of Environment and Climate Change - Contaminated Sites Program |
|
British Columbia |
Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation – Abandoned Mines Branch Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy - Crown Contaminated Sites Program Health, Safety and Reclamation Code for Mines in British Columbia |
|
Alberta |
|
|
Saskatchewan |
|
|
Manitoba |
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change – Orphaned and Abandoned Mines |
|
Ontario |
|
|
Québec |
Ministère des Ressources naturelles et des Forêts – Mining Reclamation |
|
New Brunswick |
Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development – Abandoned Mine Openings |
|
Nova Scotia |
Department of Natural Resources and Renewables – Abandoned Mines |
|
Newfoundland and Labrador |
Department of Industry, Energy and Technology – Mineral Development |
Related links
- Historical National Orphaned/Abandoned Mines Initiative
- National Inventory of Orphaned and Abandoned Mines on Open Science Data Platform
Contact us
Have questions? Interested in collaborating with us? Reach out to us by email at cmmp-pcmm@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca.