baffinland iron mines mary river project

Baffinland Iron MinesMary River Project

November 2011Community Round-TableIgloolik and Pond Inlet

Introduction

• Our objectives• Who we are• Assessment Process• The project• Key Issues• Commitments

What We Plan to Do….

Develop a project that provides:

• Co-management with Inuit land-owners• A model for environmental protection• A safe work environment for all• Significant benefits to Inuit, local businesses and governments• New and unique Infrastructure – railroad in the Arctic• A clear signal of Canada’s sovereignty over the north

Who we are: ArcelorMittal• ArcelorMittal is the largest steel company in the world, producing nearly

10% of the world’s steel, with operations in 60 countries, including Canada.

A Few of our People…..

• Phil du Toit: AcelorMittal Executive Vice-President Mining Exploration and Projects

• Tom Paddon: President and CEO Baffinland Iron Mines

• Ron Hampton: VP and Project Director

• Erik Madsen: VP Sustainability, Health and Safety and Environment

• Michael Anderson: VP Operations

• Greg Missal: VP Corporate Affairs

Mary River Project• An open pit mine with Projected mine life of 21 years

– No tailings; high grade ore

• Mining, ore crushing and screening, rail transport, port operations and marine shipping to global markets

• Camps• Rail road system• A port for large ships

The Mine

The

Site

2,500 metre strike length

The Camps

Rail Corridor

Port and Shipping

Community Engagement and Consultations

• Community Meetings and Workshops

• Meetings with HTOs and Hamlet leaders

• Community Liaison Officers

• Development and use of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit

• Site Visits

The Environmental Assessment ProcessA Critical Planning Tool

• Numerous steps completed– Final Guidelines– Draft Environmental Impact Statement– Review– In mid-October - Technical review meetings

• One part of the overall regulatory process

We are now developing a Final Environmental Impact Statement for review and decision

What we considered...

• Land, air, sea

• Fish and wildlife

• The local economy, people and culture

• At the technical meetings in mid-October each area was discussed in detail

What we found….

• With mitigation already planned the project will not seriously effect the environment or wildlife

• Overall positive effects for socio-economic • Monitoring and adjusting as we learn will

be important

Commitments

• Baffinland project details contain many commitments• The Inuit Impact and Benefits Agreement – a way to

work together• Over past months worked with QIA and agencies to

resolve many issues• At the Technical Meetings Baffinland made over 350

additional commitments• Some very specific requests and some more general –

most asking for more detail

Key Issues

• Do we know enough?– Is there enough information: do we understand

the current environment– Have alternatives been adequately addressed

• What will we do if problems arise?– What are the monitoring and mitigation plans– Are we ready for emergencies

• What we do know:– Inuit Qaujimaningit (IQ)– Scientific studies

• Uncertainty

• Alternatives analysis

Do we know enough?

Commitments to Monitoring

Begin to work together to build monitoring programs and identify what we can do to minimize any effect

– Begin right away – this coming winter– Consult with communities: November 24, 25 in Igloolik– Develop guides for ongoing monitoring programs

• Next Steps– Plan monitoring during sea-lift operations during 2012– Continue to monitor through the 4 year construction phase– On-going monitoring program through operations– Adjust as needed

And we are prepared to adapt….

• Measure, consult, learn and adjust on a continual basis

• Prepared for emergencies – training and practice

Commitments to Implementing adaptive management and continuous improvement

Policy

Planning

Operation and Implementatio

n

Checking and Corrective

Action

Management Review

Processes

Baffinland’s Environment Health and Safety Framework

Monitoring

• Community Engagement in all phases

• Precautionary Principle integrated into the fabric of this management approach

EIS Organization, Alternatives

• Better describe project alternatives and reasoning behind choices

• Improve document navigation• Provide a plain language summary• More details on marine security

Marine, Wildlife, Shipping

• Include assessment bearded seal and thick billed murres• Develop a model for ballast water dispersal• Include consideration of benthic species and fin fish for

habitat compensation• Extend assessment into Davis Strait and Northern

Labrador Sea• Re analyse sea ice using newly available ice information• Use new data for polar bears• Provide more detail on characteristics of shipping• More analysis of marine birds

Socio-Economic, Culture

• Implement supportive human resources practices in all aspects of employment

• Ensure archeological sites are properly handled

• Engage other agencies to seek ways to work together

Air Quality, Noise and Vibration

• Update the emission data• Limit noise disturbance near National

Parks• Consider potential air quality effects due

to ship emissions

Land; Birds; Caribou

• More detail on rail road design related to caribou crossing protection

• More detail on proper disposal of food (avoid attracting wildlife)

• Implement caribou protection measures with respect to calving grounds

• Re-assess islands and sea-ice as caribou habitat

Freshwater, fish

• Update surface water and sediment quality data with 2011 data and reassess

• Update and provide more detail in the wastewater management plans

• More detail on drainage from waste rock • Develop fish compensation plans

Cumulative Effects

• Consider the noise from two passing ore carriers

• Re evaluate cumulative effects on caribou

• Consider a doubling of ballast water discharge in cumulative effects assessment

Management Plans

• All management plans will be updated with detail appropriate for this phase in the project planning

• Focus on – Emergency Response Plans– Waste management plans

Commitment to Inuit Engagement

• An Executive Committee to oversee the implementation of the IIBA

• A Management Committee

• Inform and involve your communities in the project

• Actively work with other agencies to address local and regional issues

Final Thoughts……

• The Mary River Project will generate :

– Training, employment, and business opportunities for Inuit.

– A comprehensive IIBA with QIA

– Social, political and economic growth for Nunavut.

QujannamiikThank You