Company celebrates FN Partnerships as Billion Dollar Côté Lake Mine develops

When northern Ontario’s Highway 144 was completed in 1970, it connected two of Ontario’s major mining towns by a thin, 270km band of asphalt. And for more than 50 years, travelers of that highway were treated to little more than extreme wilderness and the occasional, some would say, frequent moose sighting.  
Today, Highway 144 is seeing a steady stream of traffic in both northbound and southbound directions as employees and contractors head for the region’s newest gold mine, IAMGOLD’s Coté Lake operation.
As of June 30, 2022, overall, the $1 Billion project was approximately 57% complete, with detailed engineering nearly complete at approximately 99%.
Processing plant civil works have progressed with the continued placement of pre-cast and cast-in- place concrete. Structural steel for the processing plant building is currently erected and architectural elements are mostly complete. At the end of June, the SMPEI contractor had begun erecting the structure around the base of the ball mill foundation.
Building close partnerships with nearby host communities like Gogama, and the Indigenous communities impacted by the mining activities is an integral part of IAMGOLD’s commitment to accountable mining and sustainable development.

 

“The support and insight we receive from our community partners is crucial in ensuring we can maximize the benefits of our mining activities for all involved,” said the company in their latest newsletter.
“This summer, along with Sumitomo Metal Mining, our joint venture partner, we gathered in Nipigon with Flying Post First Nation for a day of activities and shared a community feast at their newly constructed administration office. Our partnership supports tangible and long-term benefits for the community as together we build the Côté Gold mine in Ontario.”
The company says the meeting was an opportunity to celebrate partnership.
“We would like to thank Flying Post First Nation for their trust, many contributions and willingness to find common ground as we continue to develop and grow our relationship.”
Flying Post First Nation is one of three Indigenous partners on our Côté Gold project, along with Mattagami First Nation and the Métis Nation of Ontario, Region 3.
One of the ways IAMGOLD is giving back is through a commitment to local youth. “IAMGOLD is proud to partner with Indspire — an Indigenous national charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people — on the launch of two post-secondary scholarship programs for students of Mattagami First Nation, Flying Post First Nation and the Métis Nation of Ontario (MNO) Region 3.”
The three-year agreement between IAMGOLD and Indspire will assist 24 students to achieve their educational goals.

 

For this article and more visit the digital copy of: The Northern Ontario Mining Report

 

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