In light of our extensive northern mining sector expertise, Quebec Iron Ore retained our services to increase tailings and waste rock storage capacity at the Bloom Lake Iron Ore Mine.
The project was complex in scope, requiring quality studies, an environmental impact study and proposals of innovative, efficient and environmentally sound design solutions. The mine had closed in 2014, but the environmental solutions WSP proposed allowed the mine to obtain the necessary permits to continue operating, benefitting many families in the town of Fremont.
Quebec Iron Ore also asked our experts to collaborate with its team to conduct the feasibility study (NI 43-101) for this project. Our engineering and environmental teams successfully adhered to project costs while minimizing the ecological footprint.
Challenges
Even before the environmental impact assessment began, the project’s main challenges were determining the best location for the storage sites based on environmental, technical, socio-economic and economic factors, and planning for sound management of the water associated with these new developments. In collaboration with Quebec Iron Ore, our engineering and environmental teams were able to optimize, position and design the new infrastructure to the project's specific needs.
Environmental procedures
To conduct the environmental impact study, the first step in obtaining permits, several of our experts, including biologists, hydrogeologists, cartographers, and geographers helped analyze the environmental issues presented by the project. The rigorous process of obtaining environmental permits for the project required a team effort.
Complete fauna and flora inventories were conducted in the insertion environment, and many exhaustive surveys and simulations were carried out on surface and underground water, atmospheric emissions, hydrology, hydrogeology and noise. As social acceptability is crucial, our environment team prepared and participated in consultations with Indigenous communities and socio-economic stakeholders. Quebec Iron Ore also asked our experts to collaborate with its team to conduct the feasibility study (NI 43-101).
After obtaining governmental authorization, Quebec Iron Ore will assign us new responsibilities for the project implementation phase.