The Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) has recommended to the minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs that TMAC’s proposed Madrid-Boston Project proceed, according to the company. The Madrid-Boston Project proposes the construction and commercial mining at three separate gold deposits at Hope Bay: Madrid North, Madrid South and Boston. The recommendation came 45 days after the completion of final public hearings in Cambridge Bay and is the result of extensive public and government consultation. This is a significant permitting milestone for TMAC indicating that all environmental and socioeconomic effects of the project have been adequately addressed to the satisfaction of the NIRB.
TMAC said it looks forward to developing these additional deposits while operating the existing Doris mine.
“This progress is in large part a testament to the proactive and diligent work by the Kitikmeot Inuit Association and our environmental affairs team during the NIRB process,” Jason Neal, president and chief executive officer of TMAC, said. “We look forward to working with the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, Kitikmeot communities and government departments during the balance of the NIRB and NWB coordinated review process that is anticipated to provide TMAC with new project certificates later in 2018 and water licenses in 2019.”
TMAC currently has an exploration permit to conduct surface exploration on the 80-kilometer (km) by 20-km Hope Bay gold belt. TMAC also has advanced exploration permits that allow for a bulk-sample program at Madrid, funding dependent, and to do further surface and underground exploration at Boston where they have an exploration camp and 3 km of underground infrastructure. When the project certificates and Type A water licenses are obtained, Madrid and Boston will be put into production. In total, they will have permits that will allow TMAC to process up to 6,000 metric tons (mt) per day at Hope Bay.
