This is an official version. Copyright © 2006: Queen's Printer, Important Information
Newfoundland Regulation 1999 Voisey's
Bay Nickel Company Limited Mine (Filed August 23, 1999) Under the authority of section 32 of the Environmental Assessment Act, on the recommendation of the Minister of Environment and Labour, the Lieutenant-Governor in Council makes the following Order. Dated at Gary Norris ORDER Analysis 1. Short title 2. Permission to proceed 3. Conditions of proceeding Appendix Short title 1. This Order may be cited as the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company Limited Mine and
Mill Undertaking Order. Permission to proceed 2. Voisey's Bay Nickel Company Limited
("VBNC") is permitted to proceed with the VBNC Mine and Mill
undertaking (the "Project"), as described in the Appendix to this
Order, subject to the terms and conditions set out in section 3. Conditions of proceeding 3. VBNC shall (a) abide by all commitments made by VBNC in the Environmental
Impact Statement dated December 1997, the Environmental Impact Statement Additional Information dated June
1, 1998, and the submissions made by VBNC during the Voisey's Bay Environmental
Assessment Panel ("Panel") hearings and, subsequent to the hearings,
to the Panel, unless one or more of the commitments, or a part of a commitment
is specifically waived by the Minister of Environment and Labour; (b) obtain and abide by the requirements of all licences, permits, approvals, certificates or other documents of authorization required by law; (c) without limiting the generality of paragraph (b), prepare and abide by the requirements of environmental protection plans for all phases of the Project and those plans shall be submitted for the approval of the Minister of Environment and Labour prior to the commencement of an activity which is associated with or may affect one or more of the following matters: (i) dust management, (ii) site water management, (iii) sludge management and tailings disposal, (iv) waste rock and acid-generating rock, (v) management and rehabilitation of the open pit, (vi) water quality and quantity, (vii) marine sedimentation, (viii) transportation, storage and handling of hydrocarbons, (ix) plant community and terrain disturbance, (x) forest fire prevention and suppression, (xi) caribou, (xii) black bears, (xiii) polar bears, (xiv) harlequin ducks, (xv) raptors, (xvi) wildlife habitat, and (xvii) historic resources; (d) without
limiting the generality of paragraph (b), prepare and abide by the requirements
of (i) emergency response plans, (ii) contingency plans, and (iii) occupational health and safety plans for all
phases of the Project, and those plans shall be submitted for the approval of
the Minister of Environment and Labour prior to the commencement of an activity
which is the subject of or associated with those plans; (e) without
limiting the generality of paragraph (b), prepare and abide by the requirements
of environmental effects monitoring plans for all phases of the Project, and
those plans shall be submitted for the approval of the Minister of Environment
and Labour prior to the commencement of an activity which is associated with or
may affect one or more of the following matters: (i) fresh water and marine water, (ii) sediment quality, (iii) metals and other contaminants, (iv) contaminant levels in country foods, (v) shellfish for metals, bacterial contamination and hydrocarbon tainting, (vi) black bears, (vii) polar bears, (viii) harlequin ducks, (ix) raptors, (x) aboriginal land use and culture, (xi) employment and business, (xii) local, regional and provincial economies, (xiii) community services and infrastructure, and (xiv) family and community; (f) prepare and maintain a document which contains the licences,
permits, approvals, certificates or other documents of authorization and which
outlines and identifies the source or basis of all of the various terms and
conditions under which the Project will operate and all commitments made by
VBNC as identified in paragraph (a), including performance standards, financial
assurances, targets, quotas and reporting procedures and submit it to the
Minister of Environment and Labour; (g) prepare
and submit to the Minister of Environment and Labour an annual report
describing the Project's performance in delivering socio-economic benefits
to residents and businesses of the
province; (h) reimburse
the Department of Environment and Labour for the province's cost of the
environmental assessment of the Project and the incremental costs that the
province will incur with respect to monitoring of all phases of the Project, including
site surveillance, compliance, environmental effects and socio-economic monitoring; (i) to ensure full and fair benefits for the people of the province for
training, employment, and the procurement of goods and services, prior to the
tendering of future contracts associated with one or more phases of the
Project, prepare and abide by benefits policies and procedures, developed in
consultation with the government of the province and submitted to the
appropriate government department for approval, including a supplier
development strategy to be developed in consultation with representatives of
aboriginal and Newfoundland and Labrador businesses and relevant provincial
government departments, which supplier development strategy includes contract
procurement procedures, supplier development initiatives and objectives for
aboriginal and Newfoundland and Labrador businesses, and VBNC shall regularly
monitor, evaluate and report its compliance with the approved benefits policies
and procedures to the appropriate provincial government departments; and (j) prepare, in consultation with the government of the province, submit to the appropriate government department for approval, and abide by, a women's employment plan containing measurable goals. APPENDIX Voisey's Bay Nickel Company Limited Mine And Mill Undertaking Voisey's
Bay Nickel Company Limited (the "Proponent") is proposing to develop
a nickel‑copper‑cobalt mine and mill in the vicinity of a place
known to the Inuit of Labrador as Tasiujatsoak, to the Innu of Labrador as
Kapukuanipant‑kauashat, which is also known as Voisey's Bay. The indicated
mineral resource is estimated to be 150 million tonnes. The deposit consists of
three ore bodies known as the Ovoid, the Eastern Deeps, and the Western
Extension. The Ovoid would be mined using open pit techniques. The Western
Extension and Eastern Deeps and related areas would be mined by underground techniques.
The Eastern Deeps and Western Extension zones will require further underground
exploration before details of a mining plan can be determined for those
zones. The ore would be processed to concentrate
using conventional milling processes. The concentrate would then be shipped to
a processing facility off‑site. This
proposed development is hereinafter referred to as the
"undertaking". The proposed
mine/mill would be located in northern Disposal
of tailings and waste rock would take place in valleys to the east of the
mines. Valleys are largely forested, while upland areas consist predominantly
of barren rock. The area drains to several watersheds which include
watercourses supporting Arctic char and other fish populations. The undertaking
would be carried out in an area subject to on‑going aboriginal land
claims negotiations involving, (i) The Proponent proposes to mine 32 million tonnes of ore from the Ovoid using conventional methods. The waste rock would be stored near the open pit, or under a water cover, depending on its potential to generate acid. Overburden would be removed and stored near the open pit. Approximately two million tonnes of waste rock from the open pit is categorized as potentially acid generating and would be placed under a water cover. Discharge water from the mineralized waste rock disposal pond may need treatment. Underground deposits would be mined by sinking shafts or other underground openings followed by blasting and load‑haul‑dump operations. Approximately 15.2 million tonnes of waste rock from the underground mines is considered potentially acid generating and would be placed under water cover or used for underground construction or back fill. Water from the open pit and underground mining sites, as well as drainage from waste rock and overburden piles would be collected and, if necessary, treated before discharge. The
proposed shipping route extends from Edward's Cove to the east end of Paul's Approximately 700 persons would be employed during construction of the undertaking. Direct employment is estimated to be approximately 420 persons during open-pit operations and will increase during underground operations. Workers would be transported to the site by air. Living accommodations would be provided on‑site. No town site is planned. The expected life of the undertaking is longer than 20 years and depends on the mineral resource and production rate. Upon mine closure, the site would be decommissioned and rehabilitated to return it to a safe and environmentally stable condition. Progressive decommissioning and rehabilitation would commence at an early stage during mine development and would continue throughout the life of the mine. ©Earl G. Tucker, Queen's Printer |