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The launch of a new book on “the troubling history of one of Canada’s most contaminated sites” will take place at Yellowknife’s Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre on October 16.
The Price of Gold: Mining, Pollution and Resistance in Yellowknife explores the infamous Giant Mine’s toxic legacy and lessons that can be learned from the decisions that were made.
Admission is free for the book launch, which will start at 6:30pm. Authors John Sandlos and Arn Keeling will be in attendance.
Giant Mine ceased production in 1999 when owner Royal Oak went bankrupt, leaving 237,000 tonnes of a toxic byproduct named arsenic trioxide buried underground and requiring constant care.
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The federally led remediation of Giant is expected to cost more than $4 billion, with active work at the site – on the edge of Yellowknife – scheduled to take place well into the 2030s.
More: How does remediating Giant Mine cost $4.38 billion?
“The story of Giant Mine’s final collapse is a cautionary tale about how quickly a mine that generated immense private wealth for some became an environmental liability for all,” a news release about the book stated.
“The Price of Gold traces the troubling history of one of Canada’s most contaminated sites but also the inspiring story of Indigenous, labour, and environmental activists who resisted the ongoing poisoning of their communities.”
The book is described as a cautionary tale about what can happen when governments and industry try to usher in development without proper environmental assessments and consultations.
Authors Sandlos and Keeling are professors at Memorial University in Newfoundland. They previously co-authored the 2021 book Mining Country: A History of Canada’s Mines and Miners.
