Mineral Exploration

Summer 2018

Mineral Exploration is the official publication of the Association of Mineral Exploration British Columbia.

Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/987890

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 31 of 35

32 Mineral Exploration | amebc.ca PHOTOS: JARED HOBBSHEMMERA INTEGRATED SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY What's in your project's eDNA? Hemmera is using an innovative scientific technique to support mine design, planning and reclamation activities across the North By SHANNON BARD S cientists from environmental consultant Hemmera are filtering environmental DNA (eDNA) from waterways throughout Western and Northern Canada to map habitat use for vulnerable species in stream and river habitats. Hemmera hopes to work with mining clients to demonstrate how they can use eDNA technology to better design, plan and progressively reclaim mining projects across the North. What is eDNA? It is the genetic material such as feces, urine, mucus and skin cells that an organism leaves behind in a waterbody. With eDNA, the species under study does not need to be present at the time of sampling; a water sample collected within several weeks of a species' presence is enough to confirm that species' DNA in the waterbody. This low-cost, non-invasive method for collecting and analyzing data is providing critical new information on the distribution of vulnerable species in aquatic habitats throughout Western Canada. Hemmera is proposing the use of eDNA to support progressive reclamation planning for mining projects. "Depending on the operation, reclamation can take place while a mine is still in operation, including re-establishing waterways and construction of waterbodies," explains Katherine Giziko—, mining lead for Western Canada at Hemmera. Giziko— points to the power of eDNA to reduce costs for species' detection in aquatic environments. "Our proposed use of eDNA in progressive reclamation will help mine owners throughout a mine's life cycle to detect species of interest and make more informed decisions to re-establish species of interest at a fraction of the cost of conventional detection methods. This demonstration of success will support the mine's reclamation plans for closure." Mineral exploration companies can also benefit from the use of eDNA during baseline data collection or during a project's preliminary exploration stages. Use of eDNA in waterbodies near a proposed mine provides exploration companies with a low-cost method of confirming species' presence or absence in the environment. This data and confirmation can result in more informed decisions for both exploration companies and communities when considering potential e—ects of a proposed mine on a receiving environment – particularly environments that support species at risk. In addition, once preserved, eDNA samples can be analyzed even years after the initial collection, filtration and preservation, enabling retroactive analysis of samples for other species that may be identified as a management concern in the future. Recently, Hemmera undertook eDNA studies to assess the presence of Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus) and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in Yukon waterbodies and watercourses. The assessment of potential project-related e—ects of a proposed mine on fish and fish habitat used eDNA sampling and analysis to supplement existing information derived using conventional fish survey methods. More than a dozen sites were assessed in northern Yukon using eDNA methods to better determine winter use of these waterbodies by both Arctic grayling and Chinook salmon. Ultimately, eDNA provided a powerful, robust,

Articles in this issue

Links on this page

Archives of this issue

view archives of Mineral Exploration - Summer 2018