Yukon regulatory charges laid against Victoria Gold prior to heap leach failure stayed

Regulatory charges laid against Yukon mining company Victoria Gold over water management and storage practices at its heap leach facility in 2022 and 2023 have been stayed.

The company, in 2024, was hit with a total of 14 counts under the territory's Waters and Quartz Mining acts.

Both the laying of the charges and the alleged offences, which mostly involved transferring water to the heap leach facility even when available storage was below desired levels, predate the June 24, 2024, heap leach failure that shut down the mine's operations. 

The Yukon government's acting chief prosecutor, David McWhinnie, stayed the charges via letters submitted to the territorial court on Jan. 24. 

The letters do not provide a reason for the stays. 

Victoria Gold is currently in receivership following a Yukon government court application last August, after concerns that the company wasn't acting quickly enough to protect the environment following the heap leach failure.