Project summary

This is an underground mine project with an expected lifespan of 22 years. During this period, mining operations will recover a total of some 14 million ounces of gold. The term “Éléonore project” encompasses the whole project, including mining operations, the mine installations and support infrastructures, as well as a permanent access road 60 km in length, a runway and a permanent camp. The energy supply is provided by a 120 kV transmission line, for which Hydro-Québec has received authorization.

The main changes proposed are:

• Amendment of the certificate of authorization (CA) to realize an ore transfer pile expansion work within the industrial zone of the mine site in a space contiguous to the existing pile. The area of the pile will increase from 3,990 m² to 5,500 m². The amendment was authorized on May 25, 2018.
• Amendment of the certificate of authorization (CA) to update a follow-up program due to new information available and changes to the project since it was approved. The application also seeks to make changes to condition 6.1 of the global CA. This amendment was authorized on September 16, 2019.
• Amendment of the certificate of authorization (CA) for the expansion of the quarry C-02 that will soon reach the limits set in the global certificate of authorization. The materials extracted from the quarry will be used for the maintenance of the roads and the infrastructures of the mine site over the lifetime of the mine. The materials will also be used for the construction of the authorized, but not constructed phases of the tailings pond. The amendment was authorized on August 13, 2019.
• Amendment of the certificate of authorization (CA) to compensate for the loss in wetlands, water and riverside areas linked to the mining project. Three phases are planned for the compensation project: A) sand pits and road sections ready to restore now, B) gradual restoration of the pits, quarries and cells of the tailings pond as they become available as restoration sites and C) closure of the industrial site and the last cells of the tailings site. According to the current mine closure plan, restoration work will continue for approximately 2 years after closure. The amendement was authorized on April 29, 2021.
• Amendment of the certificate of authorization (CA) to give permanent status to the TSF waste rock pile located in Cell #3. This pile, which has a maximum storage capacity of 2.3 million tonnes (±1,200,000 m3), is close to its maximum capacity. This pile will remain in place and the rest of the area of Cell #3 (approximately 7 ha) will be used for disposal of the desulphurized tailings, as planned. The tailings management mode in the TSF will become a co-disposal mode for the desulphurized tailings and waste rock. The amendement was authorized on April 21, 2021.

Details on location

The Éléonore property is situated in the Nord-du-Québec administrative region, northeast of the James Bay Opinaca reservoir. It is located approximately 190 km east of the Cree community of Wemindji.