A leak at Teck Resource’s (TSX:TCK.B) smelter in Trail is not expected to damage the environment or pose a risk to people, the company said Tuesday.
On Monday, approximately 25 cubic metres of lead refinery electrolyte solution leaked into the ground beneath the century-old smelter.
Richard Deane, Teck’s manager of energy and public affairs, said the solution is a key component in the refining process of lead, which is just one of the many metals that’s produced at the facility.
Deane said an investigation is underway to confirm the cause of the incident.
“Preliminary indications are the sealing system in the electrolyte holding area failed,” said Deane. “There’s a number of these holding areas, and they were actually refurbished and rebuilt recently, and it appears one of the sealing systems in one holding area for some reason failed and allowed the electrolyte to sneak through and into the ground.”
Although Teck’s Trail operations have been operating for more than a century, the company said it has continually made investments in the facility to reduce its environmental impact.
Deane said those investments have reduced overall air and water emissions 95% in the last 15 years.
Still, the facility is not without occasional problems.
Last summer, Teck reported a mercury discharge into the Columbia River and leachate overflow into Stoney Creek.
In May, the company agreed to pay $325,000 to compensate for the two incidents.
Teck is also in the midst of a $5.5 million effluent spill reduction program designed to reduce the risk of spills.
“We’re continuing to improve,” said Deane. “We’re quite proud of the accomplishments we’ve made, and we’re quite serious about improving as we go forward, so these types of incidents – when they happen – we take them quite seriously.”
Teck’s Trail operations employ 1,500 people. At press time, the company’s shares were valued at $46.29.
Joel McKay