Hammond Reef gold mine
Learn about the open pit gold mine and its environmental assessment. The mine and its processing facilities are located 23 km northeast of Atikokan.
Current status
On May 5, 2019, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks approved the environmental assessment for this project.
Project summary
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. plans to build, operate and eventually decommission an open pit gold mine 23 kilometres north of Atikokan, Ontario. The mine has a projected operational life of 11 years.
The proposed undertaking includes:
- two open pits
- an ore processing facility and associated infrastructure
- a tailings management facility
- waste rock and water management facilities
- a 230 kilovolt transmission line—approximately 19 kilometres long—to provide electrical power to the site
- an access road—approximately 34 kilometres long—to move people and supplies between the mine site and the existing road network
- an on-site worker accommodation camp
Learn more on the Hammond Reef gold project website.
Proponent
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.
Location
23 kilometres north of the Town of Atikokan
Type
Mining
Reference number
11031
Contact
Sasha McLeod, Environmental Assessment and Permissions Branch
Project history
Environmental assessment: approved
Date submitted: January 29, 2018
Expiry of public comment period: March 1, 2018
Expiry of public comment period for ministry review: November 30, 2018
Decision date: May 5, 2019
Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: January 23, 2012
Expiry of public comment period: February 23, 2012
Decision date: July 4, 2012
Voluntary agreement: signed
Signature date: August 26, 2011
Environmental assessment
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. submitted an amended environmental assessment for the proposed Hammond Reef gold project on January 29, 2018. This assessment looks at how the mine and any associated infrastructure could impact the environment.
Originally submitted in January 2014, the environmental assessment was amended by the proponent for several reasons, including the need to address some technical issues. The amended environmental assessment was made available for a 4-week comment period ending March 1, 2018.
On October 26, 2018, the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks completed its review of the amended environmental assessment report. The ministry review was made available for a five-week comment period ending November 30, 2018.
On May 5, 2019, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks, with Cabinet concurrence, granted approval to proceed with the project as described in the amended environmental assessment.
Read the Order in Council and notice of approval.
Read the amended environmental assessment.
Notice of completion of ministry review
An invitation to comment on the amended environmental assessment for the proposed Hammond Reef gold project.
An amended environmental assessment has been submitted to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks by Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. for the undertaking, which consists of the construction, operation, decommissioning and abandonment of an open pit gold mine 23 kilometres northeast of the Town of Atikokan and 170 kilometres west of Thunder Bay in northwestern Ontario.
The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has prepared a review of the amended environmental assessment for public, government agency and Indigenous community comment.
The review of the amended EA does not make a decision about the amended environmental assessment. That decision is made by the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks after the comment period is over and consideration of all submissions.
You can submit comments on the undertaking, the amended environmental assessment and the ministry review. You may also request a hearing by the Environmental Review Tribunal. If you request a hearing, you must state in your submission whether you are requesting a hearing on the whole application or on only specified matters related to the application.
How to get the information you need
You can inspect the amended environmental assessment and the ministry review during normal business hours at the following locations:
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Environmental Assessment and Permissions Branch
135 St. Clair Avenue West, 1st floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1P5
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
Thunder Bay District Office
435 James Street South, 3rd Floor, Suite 331B
Thunder Bay, Ontario
P7E 6S7
Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.
10 200, route de Preissac
Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec
J0Y 1C0
Atikokan Town Hall
120 Marks Street
Atikokan, Ontario
P0T 1C0
Please ensure your written comments are received by 5:00 p.m. on November 30, 2018.
Send written comments to:
Director
Environmental Assessment and Permissions Branch
Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks
135 St. Clair Avenue West, 1st floor
Toronto, Ontario
M4V 1P5
Attention: Sasha McLeod, Special Project Officer
Tel: 416-314-8221 Toll-free: 1-800-461-6290 Fax: 416-314-8452
Be sure to express your views
If you make a submission or request a hearing before the above date, you will be notified of any decisions about this amended environmental assessment. Otherwise, the undertaking may proceed without further notice to you.
If no submissions or requests for a hearing are received, the undertaking may be approved with no further public notice. This will allow the undertaking to proceed.
Under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Environmental Assessment Act, unless otherwise stated in the submission, any personal information such as name, address, telephone number and property location included in all submissions become part of the public record files for this matter and can be released, if requested, to any person.
Terms of reference
Notice of approval
Proponent: Osisko Hammond Reef Gold Limited
Environmental assessment file number: EA-03-05-01
As provided for by subsection 6(4) of the Environmental Assessment Act, the Amended Terms of Reference, as submitted for approval to the Ministry of the Environment on April 4, 2012 to govern the preparation of an environmental assessment for the above-noted undertaking, is hereby approved with the following amendment:
- The Amended Terms of Reference shall be further amended to include as part of the Amended Terms of Reference the errata letter submitted to the Ministry of the Environment and dated April 26, 2012. The errata letter shall form part of the Amended Terms of Reference.
Pursuant to subsection 6.1(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, any environmental assessment for the above-noted undertaking, submitted to the Ministry of the Environment pursuant to subsection 6.2(1) of the Environmental Assessment Act, must be prepared in accordance with the Amended Terms of Reference as hereby approved.
Reasons
I am satisfied that an environmental assessment prepared in accordance with the Amended Terms of Reference will be consistent with the purpose of the Environmental Assessment Act and the public interest for the following reasons:
- the Amended Terms of Reference ensures that the environmental assessment will be completed using a public, Aboriginal and government agency consultation process that is open and transparent
- the Amended Terms of Reference ensures that the completed environmental assessment will contain a sufficient level of detail to accurately assess the environmental effects of a reasonable range of alternatives and the proposed undertaking
- the Amended Terms of Reference sets out a planning process that will ensure the completed environmental assessment will be consistent with the purpose of the Environmental Assessment Act and the public interest
- there are no outstanding issues that have not adequately been addressed in the Amended Terms of Reference or can be addressed during the preparation of the Environmental Assessment
Dated the 4th day of July, 2012 at Toronto.
Original signed by:
Minister of the Environment
77 Wellesley Street West, 11th floor, Ferguson Block
Toronto, Ontario
M7A 2T5
Voluntary agreement
On August 26, 2011, the Ministry of the Environment signed a voluntary agreement with the proponent (then Osisko, now Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd.) to make the Hammond Reef gold project subject to the Environmental Assessment Act.