GOLD-COPPER: Seabridge aims to build best available tails pond at KSM

BRITISH COLUMBIA – Toronto-based Seabridge Gold says the results of its best available tailings technology review for the KSM gold-copper project are in. Klohn Crippen Berger completed the review and confirmed that the existing tailings management facility design is the best available technology and the most responsible environmental solution to minimize the long term risks of tails storage. The design consists of centerline dams built with double cycloned sand and a till core for wet deposition. Seabridge commissioned Klohn Crippen Berger to undertake the review in August 2015 in response to the Independent Expert Engineering Investigation and Review Panel report on the breach of the Mount Polley tailings storage facility. The review panel concluded that future projects require not only an improved adoption of best applicable practices (BAP), but also a migration to best available technology (BAT). The Klohn Crippen Berger report also meets the new BC Mining Code requirement that new mines must provide an alternate assessment of BAT in their provincial permit applications. As a further step in its review process, Seabridge commissioned an independent review of the BAT report by Dr. Dirk van Zyl.  He is a world recognized expert in tailings, mined earth structures and sustainability with over 40 years of experience. He is currently a faculty member at UBC’s Faculty of Applied Science and was a member of the Independent Expert Engineering Investigation and Review Panel investigating the Mount Polley tailing storage facility breach. In van Zyl’s review of the Klohn Crippen report, he states, “I support the overall conclusions of the KSM BAT report. The evaluation shows that using filtered tailings at this project is not a feasible option as it will not result in moving to zero failures. Adding complexity in tailings management, as filtered tailings will do at the KSM site, does not promote the overall goal of moving to zero failures.” Seabridge plans to complete the KSM preliminary feasibility study shortly. Please see www.SeabridgeGold.net for additional information.