Upcycling waste: researchers pitch newest solution for Giant Mine’s arsenic trioxide

Source: Territories - Northern Affairs (Yukon, NWT, Nunavut)
Date: 2026-09-20 10:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Mining, Environment, Resources, Technology]

Researchers led by Tamara Etmannski at the University of British Columbia have successfully converted arsenic trioxide samples from the Giant Mine into metallic arsenic suitable for use as semiconductors in electronic devices. The process involves dissolving the toxic byproduct in water and adding a chemical reductant to separate out pure metallic arsenic. The Giant Mine Oversight Board, chaired by Graeme Clinton, is reviewing the research alongside alternative permanent solutions—such as turning the waste into glass—to address the 237,000 tonnes of toxic waste currently stored and frozen underground in Yellowknife. While scaling the process to an operational plant would take approximately 10 years and does not fully offset the plant's capital cost through market sales alone, proponents note it could eliminate long-term maintenance and storage liabilities.