Climate Change Data

Environmental Metrics

ESG Focus Areas

• Environmental
• Social
• Governance

Environmental Achievements

• Developed a water management plan that includes reconfiguring an existing pond into a two-celled Water Storage Pond (WSP) for recycling mill process water and managing groundwater. Effluent discharge will be managed seasonally to meet downstream water quality objectives.
• Mine waste will be managed by placing all flotation tailings underground as paste backfill and placing waste rock in an engineered pile.

Social Achievements

• Benefit agreements with Nahɂą Dehé Dene Band and Łı́ı́dlı̨ı̨ Kų́ę́ First Nation.
• Negotiating an arrangement with Acho Dene Koe First Nation.

Governance Achievements

• Mine operating permits renewed in 2020, and the company is working to acquire longer-term permits.

Climate Goals & Targets

Environmental Challenges

• Low commodity prices
• High materials and labor prices
• Condition of existing earthworks
• Metallurgical risks from variations in mill feed material characteristics (particle size, hardness, oxidation, etc.)
• Unknown factors regarding the condition of existing equipment/buildings
• Schedule delays due to weather and logistics
• Global supply chain and freight delays
• Insufficient geotechnical analysis
• COVID-19 construction cost impacts
• Ability to attract a qualified workforce
• Geotechnical conditions worse than anticipated
• Storage ponds too small for operations
• Regulatory change or regulatory review
• Indigenous Government change

Mitigation Strategies

• Focus on efficiency to minimize economic impact of lower commodity prices.
• Optimization of operation processes to minimize production costs.
• Continuous repairs and protection of earthworks.
• More optimization and variability metallurgical testwork and process design alterations.
• As-built inspections, material stock takes, building surveys, and materials testing.
• Experienced management and sound operating plans.
• Experienced management and sound operating plans.
• Dedicated core logging and geotechnical modeling program.
• COVID-19 Exposure Control Plan.
• Contracting, recruitment, and retention strategies, training programs, and incentive systems.
• Additional geotechnical investigations and monitoring.
• Update water management plan.
• Continued engagement with federal and territorial governments.
• Continued engagement with Indigenous Governments.

Supply Chain Management

Climate-Related Risks & Opportunities

Reporting Standards

Frameworks Used: NI 43-101

Certifications: ISO 9001-2000 (Acme), ISO/IEC 17025:2005 (AGAT), ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and ISO 9001:2015 (ALS)