IRON ORE: Baffinland holds second community workshop for Mary River expansion

[caption id="attachment_1003727514" align="aligncenter" width="535"] Workshop participants got a first-hand look at railway operations because the first such transport link may be coming to Nunavut in a few years. (Image: Baffinland Iron Mines)[/caption] QUEBEC – Oakville, Ont.-based Baffinland Iron Mines held what it calls a “risk assessment workshop” for stakeholders who want to know more about the expansion of its Mary river direct shipping iron ore project near Pond Inlet on Baffin Island. Along with Baffinland representatives, the workshop included elders and hunter and trapper association members from Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Hall Beach, Igloolik, and Pond Inlet were invited to Trois-Rivieres on Feb. 12-14. The workshop was highlighted by a railway tour. There are no railroads in Nunavut, so the company wanted the stakeholders to have a first-hand look at what such an operation would look like transporting 12 million tonnes of iron ore annually from the mine site. Following the railway tour, the rail operator provided information on environment and health and safety practices for railroads. This included discussions on dust emissions during loading. The employment opportunities offered by the new railway were also presented. The second workshop also included a session to review concerns from the first workshop held a month earlier at the mine site. The group discussed shipping routes and ship speeds, emissions from trains, community well-being, traditional travel routes, and potential environmental risks. A third workshop is scheduled for the week of May 6, 2019, again at the mine site. Baffinland Iron Mines is a joint venture between Nunavut Iron Ore and ArcelorMittal. Visit www.Baffinland.com.