Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines 
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES 
159 Cedar Street, 3rd Fl. 
Sudbury, Ontario 
P3E 6A5 
TEL. (705) 670-7354 
FAX. (705) 670-7350 

April 30, 1993 

MEMORANDUM 

TO: Jim Harney, Assistant District Manager, Management Board Secretariat 

RE: Ministry of Northern Development & Mines 
Suspension of Activities at the Temiskaming Testing Laboratory, Cobalt 

Jim, thank you for taking the time to meet with Joe-Ann Vandeligt, Stan Fenton and myself today to discuss the suspension of activities at the Temiskaming Testing Laboratory (TTL). 

To recap our conversation, we spoke of two major issues, namely: 

A. Forecasted Use of the TTL Facility: 

The full suspension of the mill operations at the TTL is scheduled for September, 1993. From now until then, we will be winding down our operations for that specific activity. There will, however, continue to be a requirement for accommodating our Resident Geologist's activity.

In maintaining a presence in Cobalt/ we submitted to you floor plans (another copy is also attached) of, 

(a) the existing use of the TTL facility, indicating current use of the four floors by MNDM, and,

(b) our ministry accommodation requirements after consolidation. Copies of these drawings are also appendixed for your information. As indicated at the meeting, our ministry can achieve the best economies for the residual staff by assembling on Floor 3 (as opposed to the main floor (2)), as most of the current Resident Geologist's work is carried out on the 3rd floor now. We would reaffirm our request that, in preparation for alternate use for the vacated areas of the building, MBS consideration be given to securing the stairwell from the main building entrance to the 3rd floor, to ensure a distinct and secure environment for our staff from other tenants.

We also indicated to you that the activity to vacate the areas identified in the plans are under way, and we will leave the spaces in a 'broom-swept' condition. We spoke of some of the heavier pieces of mill equipment at the site, and indicated that MNDM will be leaving these non-asseted items in place. You are aware that there is a private sector firm interested in the mill operation at the TTL, and it would not serve the government any purpose to remove plant and equipment at this time, for which there is potential future use.

With respect to the building proper, it is understood that there was a local arrangement whereby one of our staff was monitoring the building's heating boiler-water pressure at the site - that staff person will not be in attendance next winter, so some remedial work may want to be looked at to ensure a constant boiler water pressure.

It is appreciated that MBS will probably undertake a cost-benefit analysis with respect to the viability of future use of the facility, vis-a-vis anticipated repairs/operational costs and weigh against any potential tenancy. We would only advise at this time that should the economics dictate relocation of our ministry and disposal of the site, we would want to ensure a continuing presence in the Town of Cobalt.

B. Site Conditions/Contamination:

As indicated, staff through the local OH&S committee raised an observation about potential site contamination - MNDM subsequently engaged a review by Trow, and we presented to you two copies of their report. To address the issue, Trow has identified several methodologies to the two prime options of either containment or removal.

We spoke about the responsibility to address the site contamination and advised you that it is our position that the response to the Trow report findings is clearly not an MNDM issue.

We offered to you background information, based on our understanding of the events, that the laboratory wastes which caused the contamination were to the best of our knowledge;

• dumped on the TTL property from about 1943, when the Fire Assay Furnace operation began at the Presley Street site, and as was common practice at the time, and

• the dumping on site (and on adjacent private property where it is understood that those private owner(s) used the material as land fill) continued up until about the mid 1960's; thereafter, the material was hauled to local licensed landfill sites with other materials from the Town and mine operations, and