Environment
Our ApproachAgnico-Eagle’s activities interact with the natural environment at and around our mining and exploration sites. In addition to achieving financial success and delivering societal value, environmental protection is an important objective. It is our policy to protect the environment and make wise use of natural resources by implementing sound environmental management systems and processes at all stages of our business activities, and by pursuing continuous improvement in our environmental performance.
Over the years, Agnico-Eagle has built a multi-disciplinary environmental team comprised of biologists, mining technicians, analytical chemistry technicians, forestry technicians, process engineers, environmental engineers and scientists, mechanical engineers, chemists, water treatment operators, geologists, physicists and metallurgists. In addition to their technical skills, team members possess strong interpersonal skills that enable them to communicate effectively with regulators, communities, employees, suppliers and contractors on environmental matters. Our environmental staff work in a collegial way within the operating teams at each site to ensure the application of the company environmental policy. They also share ideas and collaborate on solutions to common issues.
For more information:
Environmental Policy
InitiativesHere are some of the ways in which Agnico-Eagle puts its environmental policy into action.
Energy Efficiency at LaRondeIn 2007, the LaRonde division was honoured for its participation in Hydro-Québec’s energy efficiency program which resulted in a 6% reduction in energy consumption – exceeding our 5% reduction target – and savings of approximately $700,000. The main savings were achieved through a more efficient water intake system and improvements to the underground ventilation system so that it automatically shuts off at the end of each shift.
Water Treatment Solutions at LaRondeThe LaRonde mine has faced many water treatment challenges over the years. The orebody is a massive sulphide, with acid-generating waste rock. A lime treatment plant is in place to treat acidic drainage water containing dissolved metals.
Following flotation to extract copper and zinc from the sulphidic ore, cyanidation is used for precious metal extraction. As a result, the tailings water contains cyanide and thiocyanate. Two treatment systems are used for cyanide destruction: a sulphur dioxide-air process for treatment of the tailings used for underground paste backfill and a peroxide process for cyanide destruction in the process water. An innovative biological treatment plant was developed, constructed and put in service in 2004 to degrade the thiocyanate from the process water. In 2007, a phosphorous removal plant was added to the biological treatment plant to prevent algae formation downstream of the effluent.
Community Relations at GoldexThe Goldex mine is located in the suburban area of the town of Val d’Or, in northwestern Quebec. The mine is surrounded by local residents and has taken seriously the objective of being a good corporate neighbour. Since project approval in 2005, the mine has kept the community informed of progress and of the mitigation measures implemented for environmental protection by:
• Conducting three open house sessions;
• Distributing seven newsletters to neighbours in a radius of about 2 km.;
• Making numerous presentations to the local citizens committee; and
• Visiting the closest neighbours.
The mine has practiced an open door policy by giving the community a contact name and phone number for inquiries.
Mitigation Measures at GoldexNumerous mitigation measures were implemented at the new Goldex mine in recognition of the nearby residential population and as a means of integrating the mine into existing land use. For example, ventilators were installed underground to minimize noise. To minimize dust, a dome was constructed on top of the ore stockpile. We also opted for a flotation process and the production of a sulphur concentrate to be sent to the LaRonde mine, instead of installing a cyanidation circuit on site. As a result, no cyanide is used on site. In addition, the Goldex site design is very compact, as a means of minimizing the use of space.
Manitou-Goldex Rehabilitation ProjectIn 2006, we established a partnership program with the Quebec government to rehabilitate an orphaned acid-generating tailings site at Manitou through the use of neutralizing tailings from our Goldex mine.
This partnership eliminates the need to construct a large tailings pond at the Goldex project (thereby preserving natural resources such as sand and gravel), while reducing the government’s cost burden. Under the partnership, Agnico-Eagle is contributing the amount (approximately $12 million) that it would otherwise pay to construct a new, large tailings pond.
The project involves transporting Goldex tailings in a 24-kilometre pipeline from Goldex to Manitou. By covering the Manitou tailings with the neutralizing tailings from Goldex, the surface will be rehabilitated, the acidity of the effluent from the site will be reduced and metals concentrations will be within acceptable limits. As part of the site rehabilitation project, a wetland will be established upstream, and wildlife and aquatic habitats will be rehabilitated.
The rehabilitation work is expected to last 12 years, the predicted Goldex mine life. In 2007, we embarked on the first phase which involved the construction of ditches to divert water away from the contaminated tailings and dikes to contain the tailings.
Quebec Sustainable Development AwardIn 2008, the Desjardins Group, the largest financial institution in Quebec, awarded Agnico-Eagle the Sustainable Development Award for the Western Quebec region, as part of the large-scale Desjardins Entrepreneurship Prizes program. The award recognized our focus on quality, growth, and a strong financial position while protecting the environment and maintaining a safe workplace for employees. We were also commended for adhering to a strict environmental policy that includes assessing the impacts of mining to ensure responsible consumption of water and energy, waste management, site rehabilitation, education, and the health and safety of employees and the public.
Work in a Fragile Environment at MeadowbankAs we explore and build at our Meadowbank project, we have tailored our approaches to protect the unique environment and wildlife of this region located within the eastern Arctic. We have redirected road construction so as not to disturb the nesting habitats of migratory birds. We are taking precautions to protect the fragile tundra such as using helicopters to move drills between sites. In addition, we are leveraging the expertise of our team that has operated for decades in northwestern Quebec in difficult climatic conditions.
Environmental Protection at KittilaAt Kittila, in northern Finland, Agnico-Eagle is contributing to the long-term maintenance of the local fisheries through an annual seeding of fries in the river, conducted with the help of a local sport-fishing organization.
We include waste-rock modeling in our open-pit planning, to ensure that each type of waste rock is managed to achieve the best environmental results. We have also constructed a starter dam to contain the process tailings and are preparing a thorough tailings characterization program for the first three years of operation to further optimize tailings management.