Ausenco provides Newmont Corporation with a team of Yukon-based experts with intimate knowledge of Yukon assessment and licensing complemented by Vancouver-based technical capacity that is scalable to their specific needs.
Overview
The Coffee Gold project is a proposed open-pit gold mine located in west-central Yukon, approximately 130km south of the City of Dawson. The project is comprised of open pits named Latte, Double Double, Supremo, and Kona and one permanent waste rock storage facility. Ore will be mined by conventional shovel-and-truck methods and crushed and placed onto a heap leach facility. Gold will be extracted by leach solution. The mine site will be accessed by road via a 214km all-season gravel road, referred to as the Northern Access Route (NAR). The NAR includes upgrades to 177km of existing road and construction of 37km of new single-lane, forestry-type access road. The NAR includes seasonal barge crossings on both the Stewart and Yukon rivers, with ice bridges in the winter months. The Coffee project requires screening by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) executive committee, type A and B water licenses, and a quartz mining license among other smaller regulatory authorizations before proceeding.
Approach
Ausenco was engaged to manage regulatory processes for the Coffee Gold project. We managed the inputs from a multi-disciplinary team of a dozen consulting firms contributing expertise in mine design, mine engineering, transportation and logistics, biology, hydrology, hydrogeology, water modelling, surficial geology, geotechnical engineering, risk assessment, socio-economic effects assessment, heritage resources, and consultation. Ausenco integrated the outputs of this team into a YESAB project proposal, management plans, and regulatory applications. On behalf of Newmont, we also set and tracked the scope, deliverables, inter-dependencies, and schedule for the regulatory process.
Our team assembled the project proposal for an executive committee screening while working closely with Newmont to create and execute methodologies and templates, review discipline assessments, and author non-discipline assessments.
Our effects assessment, licensing, and consultation/engagement experts have set the strategic direction for Newmont to manage and minimise timelines and risks associated with Yukon assessment and regulatory processes. Our team has worked with Newmont to develop a robust and integrated consultation program with affected Yukon First Nations and an engagement program with assessors and regulators.
Results
Ausenco provides Newmont Corporation with a team of Yukon-based experts with intimate knowledge of Yukon assessment and licensing complemented by Vancouver-based technical capacity that is scalable to their specific needs. Specific strategies have been developed to minimise both timeline and budget risk through Yukon assessment and regulatory processes.