Take a tour around N.W.T.'s notoriously toxic Giant Mine

The Northwest Territories' Giant Mine closed almost two decades ago, and its cleanup project team wants to get cracking on its cleanup phase.

More than decade ago, the remediation project team applied for a Type A Water Licence for its cleanup plan. It was rejected, and it took until 2014 until its environmental assessment was accepted.

Now, an updated application for a water licence to the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board will be submitted in January 2019, according to the project's deputy director, Natalie Plato.

• MULTIMEDIA|Is Yellowknife ready to reckon with its toxic legacy?

It includes an updated draft on how it's going to close and cleanup the remaining areas of concern likeits toxic mine water pumped up from underground and its chambers filled with hundreds of thousands of tonnes of poison.

If all goes well, the actual cleanup led by U.S.-based company Parsonswill begin after 2020, says Plato.

CBCNews was one of handful of media thatgot to tour the site Friday and see what the notorious mine looks like duringits care and maintenance phase. Join reporter PriscillaHwangas she moves around the mine's maze and makes pit stops at tailings ponds (wet storage areas forcontaminated waste), the water treatment plant, open pits andits underground arsenic freezing areas among other structures.

• MORE NORTH NEWS |Accused Yukon mail bomber charged with attempted murder
• MORE NORTH NEWS |How much has this caribou herd dropped since 2001? 99%