The Honourable John Baird, Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency), has determined that for the purposes of the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), a comprehensive study is the most appropriate level of environmental assessment for the proposed High Lake Mine Project in Nunavut.
The project is also subject to a review pursuant to Article 12, Part 5 of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement (NLCA). As certain components of the project are also described in the comprehensive study list under CEAA, the federal departments, the Agency and the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) are working together to ensure a single environmental assessment will be conducted. This assessment will be led by NIRB with the full cooperation of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Transport Canada and the Agency. The parties are committed to coordinating the environmental assessment process in order to avoid duplication while allowing parties to meet their respective obligations.
The Minister based his decision on the Track report and recommendations submitted by the responsible authorities, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Transport Canada and Natural Resources Canada. The Track report contains information on the scope of the project; factors to be considered in the assessment and the scope of those factors; public concerns in relation to the project; the potential of the project to cause adverse environmental effects and the ability of the comprehensive study to address issues relating to the project.
The responsible authorities will now continue the environmental assessment that meets the requirements of CEAA and the NLCA Article 12, Part 5 review process, and submit their final report to the Minister of the Environment. Once submitted, the public will be given the opportunity to comment on the findings and recommendations of the report before the Minister renders his final decision.
Zinifex Canada Inc. (formerly Wolfden Resources Inc.) is proposing to construct, operate, modify, decommission and abandon a copper, zinc, gold and silver mine and associated infrastructure approximately 175 km southeast of Kugluktuk in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut. The mine life is estimated at 14 years with a combined average production rate of 4,000 tonnes/day.
The development will consist of four major components: the High Lake mine which will have three mineral deposits (pit and underground) and associated infrastructure facilities including a tailings impoundment area in High Lake and a mill and processing facility for copper and zinc; a 49 km temporary winter road and 53 km all-weather road; a dock facility at Grays Bay in the Coronation Gulf, which will be capable of accommodating vessels up to 50,000 DWT; and expansion of the 1450 m all-weather airstrip to 2000 m.
For more information on this project, please consult the Canadian Environmental Assessment Registry or the Nunavut Impact Review Board ftp site.
