A study commissioned by Bristol Bay-area Native Tribes reports that exploration areas of the proposed Pebble Mine has not been cleaned up properly.
The study reports that examination of 100 holes drilled by the Pebble Partnership near the proposed site in Southwest Alaska found that 71 were not fully reclaimed.
The reported findings said some of those 71 boreholes were not capped at all while others had exposed mining waste that could seep into groundwater.
The Partnership drilled approximately 1,300 holes between 2004 and 2012 as part of their efforts to find copper and gold. The proposed mine is now on hold while Pebble searches for new investors.
The Pebble Partnership says the study by the Bristol Bay-area native tribes is bias and any problems would have been acknowledged by the State of Alaska who monitors the site.
The study claims the Department of Natural Resources should perform more inspections.
