Current status

Statement of completion

Project summary

The Lockerby Mine (AMIS 05606) is a former underground copper-nickel mine located in Denison Township, approximately 17 kilometres southwest of the community of Chelmsford and 30 kilometres west of the City of Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The mine is accessed from the north off Highway 144 via Gordon Lake Road (also known as Lockerby Mine Access Road). The mine is bordered by Vale’s Crean Hill mine to the west.

The underground mine operated discontinuously since the 1960’s and ceased operations in 2015. The mining rights were forfeited to the Crown in early 2020. An ore pile remains at the mine with an estimated volume of 27,000 m3. There is evidence of metal leaching and acid rock drainage (ML/ARD) associated with the ore pile which has contaminated adjacent properties and poses a risk to aquatic life in surrounding surface water features.

In accordance with Section 53 (1) of the Mining Act, all chattels remaining at the mine within 6 months after the forfeiture, including ore, belong to the Crown and may be sold or otherwise disposed of by the Minister. The removal of the ore pile is a ministry priority by the due to the ongoing contamination risk to adjacent properties and surface water features. The proposed activity is the disposal of the ore pile through a competitive procurement process. The removal of the ore is estimated to occur over 1 to 2 weeks.

Proponent

Ministry of Mines

Location

Denison Township, Sudbury District

Type

Bulletin

Reference number

Environmental Registry of Ontario #: 019-8605

Contact

Michaela Haring, Environmental Planner
Mine Rehabilitation Section
933 Ramsey Lake Road
Sudbury, Ontario
P3E 6B5
Tel: 249-885-3631
Email: Michaela.Haring2@ontario.ca

Notice of opportunity to provide input on a category B project (2023)

We invite you to comment on the disposal of Crown-owned chattels at the Lockerby Mine. The undertaking is being carried out in accordance with the Class Environmental Assessment for Activities of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines under the Mining Act (PDF, amended 2018). The proposed activities are being assessed as a category B project with low potential for environmental effects.

We have identified several environmental effects associated with the undertaking, which can be mitigated using standard measures. A summary of negative environmental effects and proposed mitigation measures that would negate or reduce their significance is provided in the Project Description, which you can find with the supporting material for this project on the Environmental Registry of Ontario.

You are invited to provide input and express any concerns about this proposed project. For more information, or to submit comments, read the posting for this project on the Environmental Registry of Ontario or contact:

Michaela Haring, Environmental Planner
Mine Rehabilitation Section
933 Ramsey Lake Road
Sudbury, Ontario
P3E 6B5
Tel: 249-885-3631
Email: Michaela.Haring2@ontario.ca

Your privacy

Personal information you provide in a submission (such as your name, address, and telephone number) and your views and opinions are being collected by the ministry under the authority of the Environmental Assessment Act for the purpose of engaging in public consultation and making decisions regarding the project.

Your personal information may also be shared with the Environmental Approvals Branch of the Ministry of the Environment, Conservations and Parks. The collection, use, and disclosure of this information are all governed by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Send questions about the collection of this information to:

Michaela Haring, Environmental Planner
Mine Rehabilitation Section
933 Ramsey Lake Road
Sudbury, Ontario
P3E 6B5
Tel: 249-885-3631
Email: Michaela.Haring2@ontario.ca

Statement of Completion

The Ministry of Mines (MINES) has completed our assessment for the disposition of an ore pile at the former Lockerby Mine (AMIS 05606). The mine is situated in Denison Township, approximately 17 kilometres southwest of the community of Chelmsford and 30 kilometres west of the City of Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The mine is bordered by the Crean Hill mine to the west and Vale’s Ellen Pit to the south.

The underground mine operated discontinuously since the 1960’s and suddenly ceased operations in 2015. The mining rights were forfeited to the Crown in early 2020. An ore pile remains at the mine with an estimated volume of 27,000 m3. There is evidence of metal leaching/acid rock drainage (ML/ARD) associated with the ore pile which has contaminated an adjacent property and poses a risk to aquatic life in surrounding surface water features. In accordance with Section 53(1) of the Mining Act, all chattels remaining on the property within six months after the forfeiture, including ore, belong to the Crown and may be sold or otherwise disposed of by the Minister. The removal of the ore pile is a priority by the Ministry due to the ongoing contamination risk it poses to adjacent properties and surface water features.

The disposition of crown-held chattels is a discretionary tenure activity subject to the Ministry of Mines (MINES) Class Environmental Assessment (EA) process. This undertaking has been assessed as a Category B, in accordance with the Class Environmental Assessment for Ministry of Northern Development and Mines Activities under the Mining Act Class (EA).

Consultation Summary

The Ministry of Mines distributed consultation letters to government agencies, Indigenous Communities, and other interested persons on May 14, 2024. In addition, a Notice of Opportunity to Provide Input was posted as a Bulletin Notice on the Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO 019-8220), and additionally referenced on the MINES Class EA webpage. The notice and letters were supported with a description of the project that included a summary of potential negative environmental effects associated with the undertaking and proposed mitigation measures that would negate or reduce the significance of the environmental effects. All parties consulted were provided opportunity to provide input and express concerns related to the project over a 30-day comment period.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) confirmed that there are no Provincial Significant Wetlands or Areas of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) mapped or near the mine site. They identified several unevaluated wetlands close to the mine. No specific concerns or recommendations regarding erosion or other mitigation measures for adjacent waterbodies were provided.

The Ministry of Multiculturalism and Citizenship (MCM) advised that if the project exhibits archaeological potential, then an archaeological assessment is to be undertaken by a licensed archaeologist. The screening completed for the activities identified no known or potential archaeological resources. All areas to be impacted by ground disturbing activities have been subjected to recent (that is post 1960) disturbances. Similarly, the project screening has identified no known or potential built heritage resources and/ or cultural heritage landscapes. The completed screening checklists for archaeology and cultural heritage landscapes has been included in the Class EA report.

The City of Greater Sudbury confirmed that there are no municipally protected areas, significant wetlands, or environmentally significant areas located on or adjacent to the mine. The mine is located within a mining/mineral reserve area as indicated in the City’s Official Plan and is partially within the Intake Protection Zone 3 for the Vermillion River Water Intake. The project as it is currently planned is not expected to contravene with the policies outlined in the Greater Sudbury Source Protection Plan for vulnerable areas. It was also identified that there has been a recent occurrence of Blanding’s Turtle on Gordon Lake Road, approximately 6 kilometres north of the mine.

The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) – Species at Risk (SAR) Branch provided input regarding permitting requirements under the Endangered Species Act (ESA 2007). The MECP indicated that there is a previous occurrence of Blanding’s Turtles within 1 kilometre of the mine and that the wetlands in proximity to the site may be utilized as overwintering habitat. In addition, concerns were raised regarding the use of the ore pile as roosting habitat by Eastern Small-footed Myotis. The MECP recommended that project activities occur outside of the active period for Blanding’s Turtle (April 15 – October 15) and bats (April 1 – September 30) to avoid contravening the ESA (2007). The ore pile and mine yard generate acid rock drainage due to having a high sulphide content. Due to the acidity and contamination present, the ore pile, mine yard and adjacent wetland is not expected to provide habitat of bats, turtles, or other wildlife. The disposition of the material will improve habitat by removing the source of ML/ARD to the land and surface water features. Mitigation measures for incidental encounters with turtles along the access road have been included in the Class EA.

The MECPEA Branch provided a letter acknowledging that the project is following the approved environmental planning process for a Category B project under the MINES Class EA. The updated Areas of Interest document (August 2022) was provided regarding the MECP's interest with respect to the Class EA process. The Ministry of Mines has reviewed the document provided to ensure all MECP's interests with respect to the Class EA process have been addressed. This statement of completion has been provided to the MECP’s Northern Region EA notification email.

No other comments were received that would affect the project as it is currently planned. The Ministry of Mines will implement the project as described in the project documentation.

Approved by:

Marc Stewart (June 24, 2024)
Senior Manager, Mine Rehabilitation Section
Ministry of Mines
933 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, ON
Tel: 705-670-5798
E-mail: marc.stewart@ontario.ca