Proud Crater Keeps on Churning, Roiling, Roiling, Roiling down Rainy River…
In 2017, Nugold commenced there mining operations in Rainy River, Ontario. A small sleepy community now turned into a source for gold. It also is a center, victimized by strip/pit mining. This devastating practice has ensued, and profited, and suddenly, the railway bridge collapses near Fort Frances. Of course, instead of the District of Rainy River taking accountability for this mishap and ignorance, the Rainy River district instead, pointed the finger at CN Rail, stating that is their responsibility. Forget the huge liabilities that go with such ignorance, and it was a stroke of luck that it did not kill anybody.
The fact that no one noticed this bridge degradation is suspicious, and to allow the trains to continue to cross this bridge, during this degradation, is unacceptable. However, as the District of Rainy River states; it was the responsibility of CN Railways. One may be thinking; does not Nugold utilize CN Railways for shipments of any kind? Most likely, but possibly, not in that area, thus even though it is ultimately CN’s responsibility, it is also the responsibility of the district at large to notice this degradation and act.
Perhaps we will leave that to the Rainy River District’s so called community leaders to answer, seeing, in 2023, Rainy River got a 24-million-dollar kick back from Nugold. A small pittance if you will, considering, Nugold grossed over a half a billion dollars in 2023 alone. Not to let CN off the hook, and certainly, they have “ignored” the conditions of bridges in cities and communities before, perhaps expecting the community that benefits from these rail systems to “kick in” some tax dollars to keep the bridge maintained and safe? What about Nugold assisting in this maintenance and prevention seeing all the gold they are wrenching out of the District of Rainy River?
We ultimately should look at the environmental impact that is caused by the strip/pit mining for gold in Rainy River. As the prices of gold and silver climb, they dig and strip further and deeper, leaving a huge crater in its wake, presently destroying the environment for money, that on the whole, leaves the District of Rainy River. The picture they proudly display in the Northern Ontario Business website, and for this article, shows this irreparable devastation to trees, earth and soil, wildlife, water tables, etc, etc.
All for gold, a commodity that is not going to help this community in the long run, despite the people that are employed in this mine. On the whole, will it pull the District of Rainy River out of ambiguity, or will it just fill a few billionaires’ bursas? My guess, now that they are going underground instead of pit/strip mining, is a clear signal that this mine will not last much longer and clearly, as anyone can see, that cares about the environment they live, has destroyed hectors of landscape, trees and wilderness.
So, is this the future of Northwestern Ontario? The devastation that other provinces in the west has already experienced due to uranium strip and pit mining? Of course, lest we forget, the possible lithium mining that is being prospected in the Thunder Bay district via strip cutting of trees? Is this is the future of Northwestern Ontario; strip mining, strip cutting and a nuclear waste dump? One does not need a crystal ball to determine what all this will bring to our communities’ once envied wilderness and wildlife.
