Giant Mine

The Giant Mine site is located on the Ingraham Trail, 5 km north of Yellowknife, NT. Between 1948 and 2004, Giant Mine was a major economic driver for Yellowknife and the Northwest Territories. When the mine closed, attention focused on the environmental issues left behind, notably 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide stored in underground chambers. In 2018, Parson’s Inc. was contracted by Public Services and Procurement Canada to take over management of the mine’s care and maintenance program.

Surface Care & Maintenance (2018-Present)

Commenced: 2018
Completed: In Progress
Client: Public Services and Procurement Canada (Government of Canada)

Deton’Cho / Nuna Joint Venture continues to provide services to the Mine Manager including maintenance of all surface infrastructure, water management and monitoring, electrical system maintenance, drilling support, and select demolition work.

Care & Maintenance (2005-2018)

Commenced: 2005
Completed: 2018

In 2005, Deton’Cho / Nuna Joint Venture (DCNJV) was contracted by the Government of Canada to provide care and maintenance at the Giant Mine site. DCNJV’s scope included: maintenance of site facilities, equipment, underground access, and hoisting and pumping equipment; site security; bulk fuel storage demolition; select building demolition; pipe works upgrade; surface water management improvements; and operation of the effluent treatment plant.

Freeze Optimization Study (2011-2013)

Commenced: 2011
Completed: 2013

Under the Giant Mine Care & Maintenance contract with the Government of Canada, Deton’Cho / Nuna Joint Venture provided construction services to support a trial project designed to optimize methods of freezing the underground arsenic storage chambers. Work included: surface drilling by a variety of methods (mud rotary, coring, and down hole hammer) and installation of piping for a mechanical freezing system; instrumentation installations; underground development required for horizontal drilling and freeze pipe installation; surface civil works and site grading; and bulkhead construction.