Members of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation are at the centre of a study that looks at the long term affects of exposure to arsenic and other environmental contaminants from Giant Mine.
The study examines the affects of the mine, measuring levels and traces of arsenic and other metals.
“This study is exciting for the YKDFN because we want to learn more about the levels of arsenic and other metals in our body, as we are so close to Giant Mine,” said Melissa Sangris, health coordinator and acting director of YKDFN Health and Wellness in an announcement with the Health Effects Monitoring program.
“I’m especially curious to see the lead level results from this testing, considering the higher levels of lead that were found in the YKHEMP research from 2023,” continued Sangris.
North Now reached out to Melissa Sangris to hear more about the project and will share those insights when they become available.
YKDFN launched a follow-up of the 2017-18 study on Oct. 5, to measure arsenic, lead, cadmium and other metals in partnership with the monitoring program earlier this month.
The project is a long-term study looking at whether participants’ arsenic levels are affected by work at Giant Mine.
Remediation work is currently taking place at the Giant Mine site, which includes a new water filtration plant.
Natalie Plato, deputy director of the Giant Mine Remediation Project, recently reported that the new water treatment plant for the mine is scheduled to open in 2027.
About 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide is currently stored in the underground chambers at the site.
The Giant Mine Remediation Project team plans to use 800 thermosyphons to freeze the arsenic trioxide chambers buried at the mine site.
According to information on the study’s website, the study look at the levels of arsenic found in samples of urine, toenails, and saliva from people living in Yellowknife, Ndilo and Dettah and compare those with samples taken from people living in other parts of the country.
The project is being led by Dr. Laurie Chan, professor and Canada research chair in Toxicology and Environmental Health at the University of Ottawa, and Dr. Brian Laird, associate professor at the University of Waterloo.
Chan said that the study plans to compare the levels of contaminants measured in tissue samples of participants and compare these over time.
“The purpose of YKHEMP is to establish baseline levels of contaminant exposure, follow the levels over time, and examine possible health effects among the residents of Yellowknife, Ndılǫ, and Dettah,” said Chan.
Long-term impacts
This study is focused on understanding long term impacts, added Chan.
“This project will help answer long-standing questions and concerns from the Yellowknives Dene about the health impacts of the Giant Mine.”
Ashlyn Simpson, YKHEMP research associate with the Yellowknife Health Effects Monitoring Program, said the data collected over time provides “critical information” about the health impacts of living near Giant Mine.
“The results will be compared to results from the 2017-18 study and to levels in the Canadian population to find out whether participants’ arsenic levels are affected by remediation work being done at Giant Mine. The next round of sampling for this ongoing study will be in 2028.”
As community leadership from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation have vocalized, the Giant Mine was one of largest, longest- running and destructive gold mines in Canadian history.
“Between 1948 and 2004 it produced seven million ounces of gold. The companies that controlled the mine made more than $1 billion in profits, with millions in subsidies from Canada.”
Recently a study published by researchers from Aurora College, documented the devastating impacts of the mine operations in the area during what is believed to be the height of their environmental impact from 1949 to 1956.
Arsenic and other toxins from area mines, including the Giant Mine contaminated the region’s air, land and water. As noted by the study, countless members of the Dene community were exposed to arsenic and toxins from the mine, causing illness and death in adults and children.
