Whabouchi Mining Project Draft Environmental Assessment Report
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Whabouchi Mining Project Draft Environmental Assessment Report May 6, 2015 Executive Summary Nemaska Lithium Inc. (“the Proponent”) is proposing to develop and operate a spodumene deposit in Whabouchi (“the Project”). The Project is located 30 km east of Nemaska and 280 km from Chibougamau. It is located entirely on Category III land under the jurisdiction of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, and is managed by the Eeyou Istchee regional government. The Project primarily involves the construction, operation, restoration and decommissioning of an open-pit and underground spodumene mine, a waste rock and tailings pile, an ore processing plant, and administrative and maintenance buildings. The mine would have an average ore production rate of 3 000 tonnes per day over a life of 26 years. The Project is subject to an environmental assessment by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (the Agency) under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, as it constitutes a designated activity under subsection 16(a) of the Regulations Designating Physical Activities: “the construction, operation, decommissioning and abandonment of a new metal mine, other than a rare earth element mine or gold mine, with an ore production capacity of 3 000 t/d or more.” The Project also underwent a provincial environmental and social impact assessment by the Government of Quebec under Section 22 of the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement. No federal-provincial cooperation agreement exists for Projects subject to the provincial process. However, to improve the application of the two environmental assessment processes, the Agency maintained cooperative ties with the Government of Quebec throughout the environmental assessment. The Agency prepared this environmental assessment report in consultation with the Cree Nation of Nemaska, the public, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Environment Canada, Health Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada and the Cree Nation Government. This report was written following a technical review of the Proponent’s environmental impact assessment and an assessment of the Project’s potential environmental effects. As part of this environmental assessment, the Agency examined the Project’s potential impacts on environmental components under federal jurisdiction, which are as described in subsection 5(1) of the Act: fish and fish habitat, and migratory birds; in the case of the Cree Nation of Nemaska, the effects of changes to the environment on the current use of lands and resources for traditional purposes, health and socio-economic conditions, physical and cultural heritage, and any structure, site or thing that is of historical, archaeological, paleontological or architectural significance; Wild species identified in the Species at Risk Act: Rusty Blackbird , Common Nighthawk, Olive-Sided Flycatcher, and the woodland caribou (Boreal population). Draft Environmental Assessment Report – Whabouchi Mining Project ii The changes to the environment considered in the environmental assessment that could potentially affect the valued components described above are the atmospheric environment, groundwater and surface water, the noise environment and terrestrial environments (vegetation and wetlands).The environmental assessment also took into account the effects resulting from accidents or malfunctions, alternatives to the Project, and the impacts of changes the Project could have on the environment. The environmental assessment conducted by the Agency identified the concerns of the Cree and the public as well as the following potential adverse environmental effects: alteration, disturbance and loss of fish habitat following changes in surface runoff conditions caused by the construction of mine infrastructure and by mine dewatering, which could have an impact on fish; degradation of surface water quality caused by the discharge of contaminants (mine effluent and dust), that could affect fish and fish habitats; alteration, disturbance and loss of terrestrial and wetland habitats due to site clearing and stripping and to noise and dust generated by mining activities, which could have an impact on birds, their eggs and their nests and species at risk; alteration, disturbance and loss of terrestrial and wetland habitats due to site clearing and stripping and to noise and dust generated by mining activities, which could lead to the reduction or contamination of resources traditionally hunted, trapped or gathered by the Nemaska Cree; potential degradation of water and air quality, which could affect health conditions and expose the Cree to contaminants; potential degradation of air quality, the noise environment and the landscape, which could detract from use of the Bible camp, a location highly valued by the Nemaska Cree as a meeting place and activity area. The Proponent has undertaken to incorporate mitigation measures into the Project to minimize or offset the Project`s effects on the environment. Key mitigation measures would include: relocation of the waste rock and tailings pile as well as settling ponds away from sensitive locations identified by the Nemaska Cree and a reduction of the mine site footprint; underground mining operations starting in year 21 to limit the pit’s footprint on habitats; a water management plan that includes the collection and treatment of all mine water, including pit water; a dust management plan to limit emissions beyond the mine site; a noise management plan that includes the suspension of mining operations during the spring goose hunt (goose break); a compensation plan to offset serious harm to fish; measures to mitigate losses associated with Aboriginal land use. The Agency has determined that the Project could impact a number of Aboriginal rights under the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, including fishing, hunting and trapping. The Agency believes that Draft Environmental Assessment Report – Whabouchi Mining Project iii the key mitigation measures identified in the environmental assessment serve as accommodation for these potential impacts. If the Project proceeds, the Agency believes that the Proponent should create an environmental monitoring program and a follow-up program to ensure the Project’s compliance with acts and regulations, to validate the assessment of effects, and to verify the effectiveness of mitigation measures. These programs would enable the Proponent to take any necessary corrective action. The results would be submitted to the Agency for review in collaboration with federal authorities, and would be shared with representatives of the Cree Nation of Nemaska. The Agency concludes that the Whabouchi Mining Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects, taking into account the implementation of the key mitigation measures, and will make this recommendation to the Minister of the Environment. The Agency has identified the key mitigation measures and follow-up program requirements to be recommended to the Minister of the Environment (the Minister) for consideration in deciding whether the Project is likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects. If the Minister concludes that the Project is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects as defined in section 5 of the Act, the Minister will establish conditions as part of the decision statement issued to the Proponent. Draft Environmental Assessment Report – Whabouchi Mining Project iv Table of Contents Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... ii Table of Contents ....................................................................................................................................... v List of Tables .................................................................................................................................... viii List of Figures ...................................................................................................................................... ix List of Abbreviations and Acronyms ................................................................................................................ x 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................1 1.1 Purpose of the Draft Environmental Assessment Report ........................................................................ 1 1.2 Scope of Environmental Assessment ....................................................................................................... 1 1.2.1 Environmental assessment requirements ............................................................................................... 1 1.2.2 Factors considered in the environmental assessment ............................................................................ 2 1.2.3 Selection of valued components ............................................................................................................. 3 1.2.4 Spatial and temporal boundaries ........................................................................................................... 4 1.2.5 Methods and approach .......................................................................................................................... 6 2 Project Overview ....................................................................................................................................7