Current status

Environmental assessment: approved, December 22, 2016

Project summary

The purpose of the undertaking is to construct, operate and eventually reclaim a new open pit gold mine on the Project property.

Proponent

Iamgold Corporation

Location

Chester and Neville Townships

Type

Mining

Reference number

13022

Contact

Environmental Assessment and Permissions Branch

Project history

Environmental assessment: approved
Date submitted: February 20, 2015
Expiry of public comment period: April 10, 2015
Expiry of public comment period for ministry review: April 29, 2016
Decision date: December 22, 2016

Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: July 19, 2013
Expiry of public comment period: August 19, 2013
Decision date: January 14, 2014

Designation (voluntary agreement): granted
Decision date: May 3, 2013

Environmental assessment

Iamgold Corporation (proponent) has completed the environmental assessment (EA) for the proposed Côté Gold Project, and open pit gold mine located in Chester and Neville Townships in the District of Sudbury, in Northeastern Ontario. It is approximately 20 km southwest of Gogama, 130 km southwest of Timmins, and 200 km northwest of Sudbury.

As required under section 6.2(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act and according to the terms of reference approved by the Minister of Environment and Climate Change on January 14, 2014, Iamgold submitted its EA on February 20, 2015 to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change for review and decision.

The proposed undertaking includes the construction, operation and eventual reclamation of an open pit mine. Open pit mining operations would occur at a rate of approximately 60,000 tonnes per day of ore production. It is expected that construction of the mine would take 2 years and the mine’s operating life would be 15 years followed by 2 years of closure and rehabilitation for future passive reclamation.

The major proposed project components include:

  • Open pit mine
  • Ore processing plant
  • Maintenance garage, warehouse, administration complex
  • Explosives manufacturing and storage facility
  • Stockpiles (overburden, run of mine ore, low-grade ore and mine rock)
  • Aggregate extraction
  • Tailings Management Facility
  • Domestic Sewage Treatment Plant
  • Water management facilities, drainage works, including ponds, watercourse diversions
  • Re-alignment of two kilometres (km) of an existing road and a new 8.5 km main access road
  • Offsite 230 kV transmission line

The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change completed its review of the EA on February 15, 2016. On December 22, 2016, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, with concurrence from the Lieutenant Governor in Council, gave approval to proceed with the undertaking, subject to conditions.

Terms of reference

On January 14, 2014, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change approved the terms of reference for this undertaking.

Designation (voluntary agreement)

Mining development projects are carried out by private sector proponents and are not subject to the Environmental Assessment Act (EAA), although certain components of the project (such as the construction of ancillary facilities, modifications to provincial highways or the construction of a tranmission line) may trigger EAA requirements. Construction of the actual mine is subject to Ontario’s Mining Act, 1990, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry.

However, on May 3, 2013, Iamgold entered into a voluntary agreement with the Ministry of the Environment to make the proposed mine subject to the requirements of the EAA.