Indigenous, Environment, Social, Governance (IESG)
Our five-point guide for sustainability
The unique landscapes and diverse communities in Nunavik, in Québec, and, in Newfoundland and Labrador, underpin our five-point guide to leadership in sustainability and Indigenous partnerships. Our IESG (Indigenous, environment, social, and governance) priorities are clear:
1. Committed to IESG leadership behind all our decisions for designing and building the business
- As we build and evolve from exploration to mining, we start with ESGI leadership as our wayfinder for all our decision-making and actions.
2. Celebrating the opportunity to operate in partnership with Indigenous communities
- We will partner with the Inuit of Nunavik, the Naskapi, the Nunatsiavut Government and beneficiaries, the Innu Nation, and the Innu of Québec in the Schefferville region, during our development and operations planning to align on how we can collaboratively generate significant economic and social benefit in these communities.
3. Low impact mine operations made possible by exceptional geology at Strange Lake
Low-impact, selective mining
- Our investment in extensive updated drill sampling confirmed that Strange Lake’s deposits have exceptional qualities that allow for selective mining, with tremendous environmental advantages.
- Selective mining lowers energy use, GHGs, and waste materials, compared to typical open pit mines.
- We will process only the highest value ore at the mine site, with no wastewater or tailings ponds, leaving areas of low concentrations intact and reducing geological impact on the lands.
Low-impact transportation
- Seasonal road designed to minimize impact on Labrador Inuit lands, rivers and water bodies and habitats, and the traditional cultural, subsistence and recreational use by Labrador Inuit and Labrador Innu.
- Seasonal marine transportation that minimizes impact on marine habitat traditional cultural, subsistence and recreational use by Labrador Inuit and Labrador Innu.
Advanced processing plant in Southern Québec
- Rare earth concentrate will be transported from the Strange Lake project to Southern Québec for processing, resulting in reduced transportation pollution and GHGs.
- Large scale piloting, to confirm processing efficiencies when in full operation, allows us to set and monitor high performance environmental targets.
- Investments in specialized processing technologies results in the lowest possible waste, water and energy/GHG footprints at the processing plant.
4. World class technology, engineering and financial partners that share our ESGI leadership mission
From our cornerstone financial partner, Cerberus Capital, to our technology and engineering partners, we’re surrounded by people with the same ESGI leadership mission.
5. Leading ESGI mining standards and transparency
As evidence of our ESGI leadership goals, we are pending members of IRMA (Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance). IRMA is recognized for its rigorous requirements plus third-party audit, setting a high bar for environment and social responsible mining policies, practises, and transparency with all stakeholders.