Baffinland Iron Mines
Mary River Project
November
Pre-Hearing Conference
Igloolik & Pond Inlet
Outline
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Our objectives
Who we are
Assessment Process
Key Issues
Commitments
Our Objectives…..
Develop a project that is:
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A benchmark for environmental protection in the far north and coastal regions
A safe work environment for all
Substantial long term economic benefits to Canada, particularly to the territory
of Nunavut and especially for Inuit
Significant benefits to Canadian businesses and revenues to federal and
territorial treasuries
Develop unique Infrastructure – railroad in the Arctic
Send a clear signal that Canada has absolute sovereignty over the north
Development of the project will enhance Canada's reputation for practical and
high standard environmental management of industrial development in the north
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
• Operations will involve mining, ore crushing and screening, rail
transport, port operations and marine shipping to global markets
• No secondary processing is required; no tailings will be produced, due
to the high grade ore
• A rail system will be built for year round transfer
• A port will be constructed to accommodate Cape sized vessels
The Environmental Assessment Process
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A Critical Planning Tool
• Numerous steps completed
– November 16, 2009 NIRB issued Final Guidelines
– January 21, 2011 BIM submitted the DEIS
– February 15, 2011 NIRB indicated that the DEIS was conformant
with the NIRB Guidelines
– March 16, 2011 reviewers submitted requests for information
and BIM has provided responses
– On June 30, 2011 BIM submitted an addendum to the DEIS
removing the Road-Haulage option
– October 18 to 20 Technical review meetings
• One part of the overall regulatory process
We are now in the next phase working toward the
development of a Final Environmental Impact Statement
Community Engagement and Consultations
• Extensive community engagement by Baffinland over past several years
– Community Meetings
– Meetings with HTOs and Hamlet leaders
– Community Liaison Officers
– Development of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit
• Significant on-going effort at nurturing and promoting 2-way conversation
and information sharing
– One-on-one meetings and briefings
– Information sessions
– Working meetings with various groups; Workshops
– Numerous phone calls and e-mails
– Site Visits by community members, QIA leadership, federal and
territorial agencies among others
Resolving Issues…..
• Began with Information Requests
• Worked with agencies to enhance understanding and
resolve many issues
– meetings and workshops over past months
• Address technical review comments in writing and at
technical meetings last month
• Made many commitments to all agencies and
resolved a large number of issues
• Most recently, met with QIA and DFO November 2 to
work on baseline gaps and monitoring opportunities
Commitments
• At the technical meetings Baffinland made over
350 commitments that will be included in the
Final Environmental Impact Statement
• Commitments ranged from very specific requests
to broader issues
• Commitments were made in all parts of the EIS
Key Issues and Commitments
• Baseline Data
– Baseline data: sufficient for making effects predictions
– Inuit Qaujimaningit (IQ) was used extensively for terrestrial,
freshwater and marine mammal baseline studies
– Scientific studies and monitoring complement Traditional
Knowledge: millions of dollars for field work and analysis
• Addressing uncertainty
– Considered sensitivity to a range of assumptions
– Developed realistic worst case scenarios
– Ongoing monitoring and adaptive management
Commitments to Monitoring and Mitigation
Launch processes for the collaborative design and
implementation of monitoring programs and mitigation
management plans
• Immediate parallel two step approach:
– Identify monitoring that can commence in early 2012
– Consult with communities beginning in November of this year
– Develop a robust framework to guide ongoing monitoring programs that will
be outlined in the Final Environmental Impact Statement
• In line with the Framework:
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Identify monitoring opportunities for sea-lift operations in open water 2012
Collect and analyse data through the 4 year construction phase
Implement on-going monitoring program
Adjust monitoring to achieve the objectives, mitigate and adapt as needed
Regularly review the Monitoring and Mitigation Management Plans and
adjust as required
Implementing adaptive management and
continuous improvement
Baffinland’s Environment Health
and Safety Framework
• Community Engagement
in all phases
• Precautionary Principle
integrated into the fabric
of this management
approach
Policy
Management
Review
Processes
Planning
Checking and
Corrective Action
Operation and
Implementation
Monitoring
EIS Organization, Alternatives
• Better describe project alternatives and
reasoning behind choices
• Improve cross-referencing and
document navigation
• Provide a plain language summary
• More details on marine security
Marine Environment, 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 synergies
Air Quality, Noise and Vibration
• Update the emission inventory
• Mitigate noise disturbance near
national Parks
• Consider potential air quality effects
due to ship emissions
Terrestrial – Land; Birds; Caribou
• More detail on rail road design related to
caribou crossing protection
• More detail on proper disposal of food
(attractant for wildlife)
• Implement caribou protection measures
with respect to calving grounds
• Reassess islands and sea-ice as caribou
habitat
Freshwater
• 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
and ARD potential
• 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 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 to monitor the Project on a
continuous basis and provide ongoing Inuit input for
environmental and social monitoring
• Inform and involve Inuit communities in the project
• Actively work with other agencies to address local and
regional issues
Final Thoughts……
• For Nunavut, the timely development of the Mary River Project will
generate :
– Significant training, employment, and business opportunities for
Inuit.
– A comprehensive IIBA with QIA, currently being negotiated . IIBAs
have become the key to empowering and developing aboriginal
capacity in the north and are a key ingredient for future sustainable
and healthy aboriginal communities.
– Large scale regional economic development helping to promote
social, political and economic growth for Nunavut.
Qujannamiik
Thank You