MV Miner on Scatarie Island reduced to a scrap heap

There's nothing left of the MV Miner on Scatarie Island, off Cape Breton, except a heap of scrap metal.

Local people who foughtto have the wreck cleared away are delighted with the progress, but they're not ready to celebrate just yet.

"There arepretty huge heaps of steel left on the island," said spokesperson Amanda MacDougall. "All of the workers' residences are there. There's still machinery around, so it's not done."

She says she wants to see the island broughtback to its "pristine, natural condition" before she puts on her party hat.

The wreck of the MV Miner wasaground on Scatarie for almost four years, after breaking free of a towrope in a storm.The vessel was being towed from Montreal to Turkey to be scrapped.

Over time, weather and waves eroded the body of the vessel, causing concern for the nearby fishing grounds.

The provincial government awarded a cleanup contract last year to R.J, MacIsaac Construction of Antigonish.

Piece by piece, the ship was dismantled.

Transportation Minister Geoff MacLellan saidcompletion of that job was an important step.

"So now that it's gone, we've got the water clear. We've got the debris field clear. Now it becomes again that logistical challenge of getting a lot of metal by way of barge from Scatarie Island to the mainland in Main-a-Dieu," he said.

Workers' camp needs to be dismantled

Construction managerMarkMacIsaacsaid the job is on schedule.

"The scrap left on the island is all processed and ready for transport to the mainland or to a scrap dealer bybarge or ship," he said.

MacIsaac was not clear about when that might happen.

Once the scrap is gone though, the only remaining work will be to dismantle the workers' camp and to remediate the island. That's expected to happen by late fall.

MacDougallsaid Main-a-Dieu is waiting for that day, and is planning a big celebration for when that daycomes.