A report from Mighty Earth has linked Elk Valley Resources to a steel-making supply chain found to be riddled with environmental disasters and human rights abuses around the globe.
According to the report, titled ‘Tainted Steel: the Deadly Consequences of Hyundai’s Dirty Steel Supply Chain,’ the auto manufacturer purchases steelmaking coal from Elk Valley Resources, formerly owned by Teck and currently owned by Glencore.
Wildsight Mining Policy and Impacts Researcher Simon Wiebe says mountain-top removal mining techniques, such as those used in the Elk Valley, are behind broad environmental devastation.
“Glencore operates four metallurgical coal mines in the region, putting more than 20 million tons of steelmaking coal out of the mountains each year, and some of this coal makes it into Hyundai’s supply chain,” said Wiebe.
“This mountain-top removal mining process produces vast amounts of waste rock that leech contaminants such as selenium, nitrates and nickel into the waterways.”
Wiebe says selenium contamination has hit dangerously high levels in waterways downstream of the mines.
“Studies have shown that the amount of selenium transported downstream has more than quadrupled since these massive mines began operating,” said Wiebe.
“Sampling sites near the mines routinely show selenium levels over 50 times higher than what is considered safe for aquatic life. High selenium levels have been proven to impact the ability of fish and insects to reproduce. In 2019, a threatened fish species living in a heavily contaminated river near the mines suffered a population collapse, where 95 per cent of the fish did not survive the winter.”
Teck, the previous owner of Elk Valley Resources, was slapped with a $60 million fine in 2021 and a further $16.5 million in 2023 for violating environmental regulations.
While the source of the pollution originates in B.C., it also impacts U.S. states along the Columbia River.
“Currently, B.C. and Canada continue to allow the pollution of not only our own water, but that of the United States as well. The selenium from these mines flows from the Elk River into the Kootenay, then into the Columbia River as well,” said Wiebe.
“This impacts Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho. Millions of people downstream of us drink this water laced with coal mining selenium and other contaminants.”
Most recently, Canada and the United States have agreed to an International Joint Commission (IJC) referral to investigate the pollution and find out what can be done to deal with it.
Wiebe says the auto manufacturer plays a role in the ongoing environmental degradation in the Elk Valley.
“Hyundai is complicit in this pollution issue by continuing to purchase metallurgical coal from these mines,” said Wiebe.
Elk Valley Resources (EVR) has disputed these claims stating that it has made significant progress on its Elk Valley Water Quality Plan.
“We have constructed four water treatment facilities to date with capacity to treat 77.5 million litres of water per day which are removing between 95 per cent and 99 per cent of selenium from treated water, and we expect to further increase our water treatment capacity by 2027 to 150 million litres per day,” said EVR officials.
“The plan is working, selenium concentrations have stabilized and are now reducing downstream of treatment.”
Elk Valley Resources (EVR) states the company conducts extensive studies and monitoring of water quality and aquatic health, which includes regular water quality sampling at more than 150 water quality locations and over 100 biological monitoring stations in the Elk Valley and within the Koocanusa Reservoir.
They also highlight that the Westslope Cutthroat Trout population in the region is robust, with the adult population estimated to be at the highest levels since monitoring began in 2012.
In 2023, the population in the Upper Fording was estimated at approximately 8,000 adults and 16,000 juveniles.
An investigation into the Westslope Cutthroat Trout population decline in the Upper Fording River in 2019 indicated extreme winter conditions, sparse overwintering habitats, restrictive fish passage (including water use) and associated ice formation
were the most likely primary causes.
“We’re proud of the significant progress we’ve made implementing the plan and we are committed to continuing to work cooperatively with Indigenous Peoples, communities and governments to protect aquatic health.”
More information on the Elk Valley Water Quality Plan can be found here: https://www.glencore.ca/en/evr/sustainability/water-quality.
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