Operator proposes iron mine expansion

As Nunavut regulators wrapped up a contentious final series of hearings in April on a proposed expansion of the Mary River iron ore mine on Baffin Island, the Canadian territory got hit with a new outbreak of COVID-19, this time in Iqaluit, Nunavut's capital.

Baffinland Iron Mines Ltd. has operated Mary River, one of the largest and northernmost iron mines in the world, for six years. The company employs more than 1,200 people, primarily at its Mary River Mine Site and Milne Port in Nunavut, along with support staff in Iqaluit, and offices in five other territorial communities.

Because of its northern location, the Mary River Mine stockpiles up to 3.5 million metric tons of iron ore at its port at Milne Inlet for shipment to market during the Arctic open-water season between July and November.

In 2018, Baffinland received approval to double its annual iron ore production at Mary River to six million metric tons. The expansion involves building a 110-kilometer (68 miles) railway to transport iron ore from the mine through the Tallurutiup Imanga marine conservation area to the port and adding a second dock to stockpile additional ore for shipment to customers, primarily in Europe.

A phase 2 environmental assessment has considered a maximum of 176 ore carrier voyages in a season. A voyage constitutes the entering and exiting of a vessel within the company's northern shipping route.

The Mary River mine is located on Inuit-owned lands.

The Nunavut Impact Review Board, the territorial regulatory authority overseeing mine operations in the territory, recently concluded a series of hearings beginning in February on Baffinland's expansion proposal and is now expected to make a recommendation on the project to Canada Minister for Northern Affairs Dan Vandal, who will approve or reject the project.

During a series of hearings held from February to April, Baffinland's expansion plans drew loud criticism and protests from various groups within Nunavut's Inuit community, including hunters and trappers, political leaders, and local and territorial Inuit organizations.

Citing the importance of the public having accurate information in a recent statement, Brian Penney, Baffinland's chief executive officer, said, "the Mary River mine is one of the most environmentally sustainable iron ore operations in the world."

"It produces very little waste rock, and no chemicals or water are used for processing," he added, vowing that his company will improve upon its strong performance in phase 2 of the operation, "where we aim to set new benchmarks in the mining industry."

Penney cited the Inuit Certainty Agreement, signed in 2020, which expands the role of Inuit in monitoring and reviewing mining operations in Nunavut. Inuit residents of the territory will oversee many forms of monitoring through the Inuit Stewardship Plan, which will tie directly into an Adaptive Management Plan, which will enable the Inuit to identify additional preventative measures to protect the environment should impacts be greater than predicted.

He also noted that Baffinland is the largest private-sector employer in the Qikiqtani region of Nunavut and has, directly and indirectly, contributed C$1.68 billion to Inuit businesses and communities since 2015. With phase 2, Baffinland is expected to contribute even more over the mine's life: C$4.5 billion to government and Inuit organizations, including roughly C$1 billion to the QIA, C$1.4 billion to Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, C$679 million to the Government of Nunavut, and C$1.5 billion to the Government of Canada.

Lack of Inuit input

Critics said Baffinland's expansion proposal lacks significant and ongoing Inuit input, and potentially could exacerbate suspected detrimental environmental effects from substantial iron ore dust generated by the mining operation.

They also complain that the mine operator has hired too few Inuit workers and done too little to help residents of nearby Inuit communities.

In response, the company agreed to add six new full-time positions in the hamlets of Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Igloolik, and Sanirajak as well as increase child-care assistance for employees.

Baffinland further cited its ongoing efforts to reduce the amount of dust generated by the mining operation and agreed to commission an independent audit of the mine's impact on the local environment, including the amount of dust spread by the operation. The results will be used to direct how the company addresses environmental concerns if the proposed expansion gets the green light.

Baffinland also agreed to several other changes, including cutting the proposed number of ore carrier trips to 168 a year from its original proposal of 174 and confining ore shipments to the open-water period between July and October, with a contingency to Nov. 15 based on ice conditions and consultation with the Mittimatalik Hunters and Trappers Organization.

The company also agreed to gradually increase its shipping volume of iron ore over four years to better monitor the impact of the mine's activities on the local environment.

New COVID infections

Nunavut's capital, meanwhile, grappled with a new round of COVID-19 infections in mid-April. Health officials traced the outbreak to a karaoke night at a local bar in Iqaluit as the super-spreader event that triggered the new wave.

Health officials have linked the new COVID-19 outbreak in Iqaluit to the more contagious U.K. variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, also known as B117.

"That increased rate of transmission makes it even more important that people follow the current public health measures," Dr. Michael Patterson, Nunavut's chief public health officer told reporters at a recent news conference announcing the new infections.

"Fortunately, our current restrictions are enough to control the spread of the variant, if people take the restrictions seriously," he added.

As of April 24, Nunavut's Department of Health recorded 41 active cases in the territory, including 35 in Iqaluit, four in Kinngait, and two in Rankin Inlet. Both cases in Rankin Inlet are directly linked to the Iqaluit outbreak.