Scenes from a tour of Teck Resources Limited metallurgic coalmines and facilities in the Elk Valley near Sparwood, British Columbia on Sept. 25, 2019. In recent years, officials in both Canada and the U.S. have raised the alarm about increasing levels of selenium and nitrate in the Elk River and rivers and lakes further downstream, including in Northwest Montana.
Hunter D'Antuono
A lump of metallurgic, or steel-making, coal from Teck Coal’s Elkview Operations open pit mine in Sparwood, British Columbia is pictured on Sept. 26, 2019. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Teck’s Elkview coal-processing plant near Sparwood, British Columbia on Sept. 25, 2019. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
The Elk River as seen at sunrise near Fernie, British Columbia on Sept. 25, 2019. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
A conveyer belt track moves metallurgical coal out of the mountains from Teck’s Line Creek mine near Sparwood, British Columbia on Sept. 25, 2019. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Dean Runzer, general manager for Teck’s water-quality management team, holds a chunk of metallurgical coal at Teck’s Elkview open pit mine on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Nic Milligan, social responsibility manager for Teck, left, and Marty Hafke, environmental superintendent for Teck’s water-treatment facilities, explain Teck’s water-treatment process during a tour of Teck’s mines and facilities on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Teck’s West Line Creek water-treatment facility as seen during a tour of Teck's mines and facilities as seen on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. The facility is designed to remove elevated levels of selenium and nitrates from water flowing into the Elk River Valley. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Teck’s water treatment process concentrates selenium into a brown, chunky sludge, which is then deposited into a lined landfill, as seen on Sept. 25, 2019 at Teck’s West Line Creek water-treatment facility near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
A tour of Teck's mines and facilities on Sept. 25, 2019 in Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
A herd of bighorn sheep pick their way over mounds of waste rock at the Elkview open pit coalmine on Sept. 25, 2019 in Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Dean Runzer, general manager for Teck’s water-quality management team, holds a chunk of metallurgical coal at Teck’s Elkview open pit mine on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
A Teck hard hat at Teck's West Line Creek water-treatment facility in Sparwood, British Columbia on Sept. 25, 2019. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Rock strata and coal seams are visible on the walls of the Elkview view open pit metallurgical coalmine as seen on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Dean Runzer, general manager for Teck’s water-quality management team, explains Teck’s new saturated rock fill water-treatment process during a tour of Teck’s Elkview open pit coal mine on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. The saturated rock fill is designed to remove selenium and nitrate from water before it flows away from the mine into the Elk River. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
A dump truck inches to the bottom of Teck’s Elkview open pit metallurgical coal mine as seen on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Teck’s Elkview coal-processing plant in Sparwood, British Columbia on Sept. 25, 2019. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Thomas Davidson, Teck’s superintendent of water operations, explains Teck’s water-treatment process during a tour of Teck's mines and facilities on Sept. 25, 2019 in Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Rock strata and coal seams are visible on the walls of the Elkview open pit metallurgical coal mine as seen on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Piping runs across the surface of Teck’s saturated rock fill at Teck’s Elkview open pit coal mine near Sparwood, British Columbia on Sept. 25, 2019. The saturated rock fill is designed to remove selenium and nitrate from water before it flows away from the mine into the Elk River. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
A dump truck inches to the bottom of Teck’s Elkview open pit metallurgical coalmine as seen on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
Trucks kick up clouds of dust at Teck’s Elkview open pit metallurgical coal mine on Sept. 25, 2019 near Sparwood, British Columbia. Hunter D’Antuono | Flathead Beacon
