American West Metals is focused on the discovery of major copper and other clean energy mineral deposits in North America. For the past several years, the company has explored copper resources on northern Somerset Island in Nunavut. The American West Metals team is preparing to advance this project into its next phase. This includes ongoing environmental baseline analysis to support the development of a laydown and coastal landing area in nearby Aston Bay for storing mined materials and loading them onto barges for transport.
The challenge
Ausenco has supported American West Metals with environmental and regulatory consulting services since 2023, delivering numerous field studies including aquatics monitoring of streams and lakes, hydrology and meteorology studies, mine-rock geochemistry assessments and wildlife field programs.
In the summer of 2025, when American West Metals proposed establishing a coastal marine landing area, they engaged Ausenco to assess the area through underwater dives and deliver an environmental baseline to evaluate potential impacts on marine life.
Approximately 20 kilometres west of the main crew camp, the site’s remoteness and harsh conditions posed significant challenges. Water temperatures are 1 degree Celsius and moving ice sheets in the bay further complicated diving operations. Wildlife in the area, such as polar bears, also introduced additional safety considerations, necessitating an experienced Inuit wildlife monitor from the nearby community of Resolute Bay.
Project solutions and approach
The timeline for the project was compressed and included rapid sourcing of specialised equipment, such as compressors, tanks, additional drysuit layers, and lip shields, and shipping them by charter to site. Logistics were challenging, as the team needed to deploy a three-person dive team of biologists and equipment to the remote site served by a single weekly cargo flight. Despite the compressed timeline, our team was able to obtain all needed equipment, complete a thorough review of all HSE considerations, and transport our crew successfully to the site in the time provided.
Since the bay had not been previously explored, the team had limited information to start with beyond satellite images. The bay connects to both the ocean and freshwater streams and supports diverse wildlife, including belugas and narwhals. The coastal landing area consists of a shallow near-shore section of up to 2 metres depth extending outward for 120 meters, with minimal vegetation and wildlife. Further offshore is a deeper zone with a much more diverse community of marine organisms, including large Arctic isopods.
Outcomes and achievements
This was an exciting opportunity that allowed our team to collect information on a previously unexplored body of water. The information gathered will provide essential data to guide our client’s decision-making and ensure any future development minimises environmental impacts. The final dive report is scheduled for submission in 2026.