2025-Jul-31
Nairn and Hyman Township Stands Firm Against Niobium Tailings Project
The Township of Nairn and Hyman has officially passed a resolution opposing the proposed transportation and disposal of niobium mine tailings to the Agnew Lake Tailings Management Area (ALTMA), located in Hyman Township, approximately 25 kilometers northwest of Nairn Centre and 60 km west of Sudbury within the the Spanish River watershed.
The decision follows an independent technical review that raised serious concerns about risk modeling, water monitoring, long-term environmental impacts, and lack of public transparency. The report underscores that key risk assessments remain incomplete and the proposed approach could pose unacceptable risks to the local watershed, environment, and public health. The Township applauds the decision by the Ministry of Transportation to send a portion of the niobium tailings to Clean Harbors, a licensed hazardous waste treatment facility near Sarnia. This demonstrates an acknowledgment of the material’s toxicity and the importance of proper handling. However, this action also raises a serious and reasonable question: if some of the tailings are being sent to a secure hazardous waste facility, why aren’t all of them being managed the same way? The Township believes all potentially hazardous material should be treated with the same level of care and responsibility.
Read the press release here.