Glencore is setting the stage for an expansion of its Raglan mine complex, on the northern edge of Quebec, where nickel, copper and cobalt are mined. Increasing the workforce, building new rooms and increasing the production of renewable energy to reduce diesel consumption: this is what is on the menu if the multinational’s aims materialize.
According to our information, the owner of this mining complex located at the 62nd parallel north has presented, in recent weeks, the outline of his plan to his employees. Affiliated with the FTQ, the union of Steelworkers, which represents some 650 employees of the place, was also entitled to presentations.
It comes just over seven months after the end of a strike that temporarily paralyzed activities at the mine for about three months.
Asked to comment on Glencore’s intentions, its spokesperson, Amélie Rouleau, did not refute the company’s growth ambitions. Without providing details on the content of the information disclosed, she was careful to add that there was “nothing concrete” and that the company was “under study”.
“With only 15 to 18% of the property explored, we have high ambitions,” Rouleau told La Presse. However, we want to take the time to properly plan the next steps related to growth opportunities. »
The Steelworkers union would not comment on Glencore’s thinking.
Located in Nunavik, about 1,800 kilometers north of Montreal, the Raglan mine stretches nearly 70 kilometers from east to west and consists of a series of deposits, according to the portrait painted by the Quebec Mining Association. . Its activities started in 1997 and three underground nickel mines are currently in operation.
Glencore is still in its Phase 2 investment period to commission a new mine, “Mine 14”, in February 2024. This stage should ensure continued operations for at least 15 years, the company says.
Last year, production was lower, with 24,230 tonnes of nickel concentrate.
Nickel is also found in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Demand for this silvery-white metal is therefore set to increase as Quebec and Ottawa lay the foundations for a battery manufacturing chain.
An expansion of the Raglan Mine would require an upgrade. There are more than 900 rooms on site to accommodate employees who alternate work weeks on the sites (fly-in fly-out). The “facilities are maximized,” acknowledges Ms. Rouleau.
“This issue also presents a risk of lost growth opportunity,” she says. Growth depends above all on upgrading our infrastructures. »
Due to their geographic location, the multinational’s facilities in Nunavik are not connected to the electricity or natural gas networks. The site is notably powered by generators that consume diesel. In 2018, the mining complex acquired its second wind turbine, 90 meters high, to produce renewable energy.
The two wind turbines on the site meet approximately 10% of the energy needs of the Raglan mine. It remains to be seen whether the company will opt to add wind turbines or evaluate other options, such as photovoltaic energy.
