BC taps BQE Water for long-term mine cleanup

Vancouver-based BQE Water (TSXV: BQE) , a leading mine water treatment and management company, has secured a contract to operate and maintain the Britannia mine water treatment plant. Infrastructure BC, acting on behalf of the BC government, awarded the contract to BQE after a competitive procurement process.

BQE Water specializes in water treatment and management for metals mining, smelting, and refining. The company aims to transform industry practices by offering services that enable more sustainable water management and improved project performance with reduced risks. BQE Water has developed unique intellectual property through commercializing new technologies at mine sites globally for organizations like Glencore, Jiangxi Copper, Freeport-McMoRan, and the US EPA.

The Britannia Mine, situated 50 km north of Vancouver along the Sea-to-Sky Highway, was once the British Commonwealth's largest copper producer before shutting down in 1974. The current facility, built 20 years ago, uses High-Density Sludge (HDS) lime treatment to neutralize acidity and extract heavy metals from mine water collected in old underground workings. It processes four to five million cubic metres of mine-impacted water annually, preventing about 600 metric tonnes of heavy metal contaminants from entering Howe Sound each year.

BQE Water will take charge of all plant operations and maintenance starting January 13, 2026, for a 20-year period. The company will employ an on-site team of six, including two supervisors, supported by local engineers, technicians, and automation specialists. BQE plans to implement a computerized maintenance management system to reduce life cycle costs and risks. The contract also includes planned capital projects to upgrade existing infrastructure and a provision to share potential savings with the government if BQE reduces operating costs below the 20-year baseline.

"We are honoured to be entrusted by the Province of British Columbia with the operation of this important asset that protects a coastal ecosystem," David Kratochvil, president and CEO of BQE Water, stated.

He added, "As a Vancouver-based company focused on mine water, we end up working at sites often far away from home. The Britannia Mine water treatment plant operation gives us a truly unique opportunity to leverage our knowledge and experience towards protecting and restoring marine environment in our home, and all of us at BQE are excited about this. From the corporate perspective, this is the largest contract signed by the company in its history."

Visit www.Bqewater.com for more information.