TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – Canadian gold miner Iamgold has received federal environmental approval to proceed with its Côté gold mine, located near the community of Gogama, Ontario. Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna found that the project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, permitting the project to proceed.
In reaching her environmental assessment decision, the Minister considered the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency's environmental assessment report. The report included several conclusions and recommendations made by the agency on the potential environmental effects of the project, the proposed mitigation measures, the significance of any adverse environmental effects, and the follow-up programme.
McKenna had established legally binding conditions, including mitigation measures and follow-up requirements that Iamgold would have to comply with throughout the life of the project.
Following environmental approval, Iamgold would have to secure regulatory authorisations from departments such as Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Transport Canada and Natural Resources Canada.
Iamgold, which owned 92.5% of the Côté gold mine, planned to construct an openpit mine 210 ha in surface area, and 550 m deep. Mining was proposed to occur at an ore production capacity of 60 000 t/d over a 15-year life-of-mine.