"Private contractors will be hired to maintain essential site operations with the majority of their work being water treatment and ongoing monitoring." Chaleur Shotcrete Inc. and Stantec are the primary contractors, the province said Thursday. Brown said ongoing water treatment is required at the Caribou and Restigouche mine sites because water that contacts rock at the locations becomes acidic, something that poses environmental risks if untreated.
Financial collapse of Caribou mine owner raises alarm over potential cleanup cost
One of the primary concerns the province expressed in recent court filings about Trevali going bankrupt or into receivership was the need to treat acidic water at the mine and to pump water out of the underground portion of the mine. The filings say that without security, there was a risk thieves could interrupt the mine's power supply and halt water treatment, which could cause environmental damage.