2021 q1 Newsletter
Greenstone Mine Newsletter
Issue 25
May 2021
Message from the General Manager
Project Update
Exploration Update
Environmental Program Update
Training & Employment
Safety Share
Message from Eric Lamontagne, General Manager
We are excited to announce that Premier Gold and Equinox Gold have successfully completed the transaction that was announced in December. With the new ownership in place, we are looking forward to the much anticipated construction decision that is targeted to be announced in 2021. In the meantime, we have started Early Works activities to prepare the site.
The Early Works tree clearing program started in March, with two contracts awarded for this work . The temporary camp will be done in several phases and will be ready for workers by Q4 of 2021.The Temporary Effluent Water Treatment Plant will be commissioned by October and will be in use until the Permanent Effluent Water Treatment Plant is built. You may have noticed several additional trailers onsite and a gatehouse. These buildings will act as our temporary construction offices and will welcome our Construction team over the summer.
The Greenstone Health & Safety Program for the Early Works phase has been rolled out and all contractors and employees receive the full orientation program before they start working on site.
I’m happy to report that since 2017 we recorded 299,969 hours of work without a Lost Time Injury.
We look forward to continuing our strong relationships with local communities as part of our commitment to being a good neighbour, working to benefit the local economy, and supporting community development.
We welcome you to join us as we embark on this journey to build the Greenstone Mine together.
Project Update
Ginoogam Development Corporation Employees
The Early Works tree clearing program started in March.
One section of the tree clearing will be completed by Ginoogam Development Corporation (Long Lake #58 First Nation, Aroland First Nation and Ginoogaming First Nation). Another section of tree clearing was awarded to Minodahmun Development LP (Aroland First Nation, Animbiigoo Zaagi'igan Anishinaabek First Nation and Ginoogaming First Nation), in partnership with Morin Construction and Pishew Construction. In total, 274 hectares have been cleared until the end of April and a total of 500 hectares of trees will be cleared during the first phase.
Greenstone Mine’s Environmental team completed all of the planned preparation work prior to the start of this work, including the bird nest survey and soil sampling program.
Greenstone has also awarded two key contracts in Q1 in preparation for construction activities. The temporary camp, which will provide temporary accommodations to approximately 600 workers during the construction phase, was awarded to Ga-be-shi-win Limited Partnership, a joint venture between Long Lake #58 First Nation and Aramark Remote Workplace Services. Installation work on the camp facilities will begin in June and the camp will be built in several phases. The camp will be ready for the first workers by October of this year.
Veolia, a global water management solution company, has been awarded the contract for the Temporary Effluent Water Treatment Plant (TEWTP). Veolia was selected through a competitive bidding process and has been working with Greenstone Gold Mines since 2018 on various permitting and engineering requirements. The TEWTP will be commissioned by October, and will be in use until the Permanent Effluent Water Treatment Plant is built, which is planned for 2022.
Early Works Tree Clearing Program
Early Works Tree Clearing Program
Exploration
Greenstone Mine Employees in the Municipality of Greenstone
The exploration team has been focused on reviewing and finalizing the results from exploration activities conducted in 2020 including the 12,000 metre drill program that wrapped up in December.
The team is working on plans for continued exploration efforts in the Geraldton area and will be active with field activities again through much of the remainder of 2021.
Environmental Program Update
With the start of site preparation activities in March, Greenstone Mine’s Environment Team has been busy planning and ramping up the field monitoring programs that will be carried out throughout the life of the Project. Prior to tree clearing, an aerial bird nest survey was completed by a biologist and the Environmental Technicians to identify any bald eagles, raptors or other migratory bird nests in the area being cleared. Based on the results of the survey, Greenstone Mine will implement the required mitigation measures or avoidance buffers in accordance with the Project’s Biodiversity Management and Monitoring Plan. As well, when we started to clear trees, the Multi Media Monitoring Program was triggered for the Environmental Technicians to start the surface sampling program.
Aerial Nest Team at the Geraldton Airport on February 23, 2021
In March, the Environment Team commenced a pre-construction soil sampling program to identify any soil that may be impacted from historical activities while following the Project’s Soil Management Plan. The results of the sampling will guide soil handling and management in order to separate soil that can be used for site reclamation from soil and tailings that must be segregated for on or off-site disposal. It is expected that additional sampling will occur throughout construction.
Dustfall Monitoring System
Greenstone Mine has set up dustfall monitoring stations at four locations surrounding the Project site. Samples will be collected from these stations to measure air concentrations of contaminants and confirm the levels are in compliance with applicable regulations. Additional air and noise monitoring equipment is expected to be installed around the site in Q2. Finally, we welcome our new team member, Peter Pajunen who has joined as Construction Environment Coordinator and will be instrumental in the environmental team’s activities on site.
Training & Employment
Jobs
Many positions will be available at our site in the next months. Visit greenstonegoldmines.com/career to view open job postings. In local Indigenous communities, training programs in connection to Greenstone Mine are available. Please contact your Training team for training information.
We are pleased to congratulate Randy Salmi in his new role as Site Surface Supervisor. Randy was hired in 2007 as a Geotech Supervisor. He brought with him 25 years of supervisory experience making him a valuable asset to the Greenstone team.In his new role, Randy is responsible for all Greenstone site wide surface activities that supports the mine, plant and administrative functions. Please join us in wishing Randy success in his new role.
Equinox Gold Northwest Ontario Mining Scholarships
Equinox Gold is a proud sponsor of The Young Mining Professionals Scholarship Fund that was established by the Young Mining Professionals group to help fund and promote mining and mining-related education to the next generation of mining entrepreneurs in Canada. One scholarship will be awarded to a student enrolled in a mining-specific program at Lakehead University. Interested applicants can apply at www.ympscholarships.com
Need help applying for a job? Reach out to the knowledgeable staff at MTW Employment Services/service d’emploi for assistance. The Employment Advisor will assist with updating or creating a new resume, cover letter, references, employability skills, and/or referrals to training. “We have the best employment resources to help you showcase your talent. At MTW, your success is our primary goal!”
Safety Share
Dehydration and Water
We've all experienced it at some point when working or playing hard – fatigue sets in, your mouth feels dry and your legs are heavy and maybe you even get a headache. These are all common signs of dehydration. When you are working hard, body fluid is lost through sweat. If the fluid lost through sweat is not replaced, dehydration and early fatigue are unavoidable. Losing even 2% of body fluids (less than 3.5 pounds in a 180-pound person) can impair performance by increasing fatigue and affecting cognitive skills. During the summer heat it's easy to become dehydrated if you don't drink enough fluids to replace what is lost in sweat.
However, dehydration can be easily prevented:
When to drink: Ensure you drink before you start working, trying to catch-up for lost fluids after a period of time is very difficult. Also, drink before you get thirsty. By the time you’re thirsty you are already dehydrated, so it's important to drink at regular intervals – especially when it is hot outside.
What to drink: Water is truly one of the best things to drink. Research also shows that a lightly flavored beverage with a small amount of sodium encourages people to drink enough to stay hydrated. The combination of flavour and electrolytes in a sports drink like Gatorade provides one of the best choices to help you stay properly hydrated.
What not to drink: During activity, avoid drinks with high sugar content such as soda and even fruit juices. These are slow to absorb into the body. Also alcohol and caffeinated beverages should be avoided. Many people ask how much to drink and that depends on your activity level and how much your body is losing fluids. In general, when you are working and sweating, you should drink at least every half-hour. Ensure you are drinking enough to replace your lost fluids. A good rule of thumb from a wise man says: “if you aren’t urinating, you’re not drinking enough”.