Voisey’s Bay EIS submitted to government

Inco (N-T) subsidiary Voisey’s Bay Nickel has submitted its environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Voisey’s Bay mine in Labrador.

The company expects the environmental review and approval process for the nickel-copper-cobalt mine and mill project to be completed in the fourth quarter of 1998.

The impact statement was filed with regulatory authorities and with the 5-person environmental assessment panel created by the January 1997 memorandum of understanding agreed to by the Canadian government, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Labrador Inuit Association and the Innu Nation.

Inco CEO Michael Sopko said in a statement that the submission of the impact statement represented “a key milestone in the environmental review and approval process for the Voisey’s Bay mine and mill project.” The impact statement included:

* information on the results of three years and $15 million worth of environmental baseline studies;

* data on the nature of potential impacts on the environment; * the methods required to mitigate those impacts; and

* other information relating

to the potential effects of the mine and mill project on adjacent communities.

A comprehensive environmental study covering the proposed smelter and refinery facilities is nearing completion, Inco said.

The next step in the environmental assessment process for the mine and mill project will involve the panel’s review of the impact statement and a public review process.

Exploration work is continuing at Voisey’s Bay, with more than 426 holes totalling over 218,000 metres drilled to date.

Estimated reserves and resources now total 116.3 million tonnes, which includes a proven reserve of 31.7 million tonnes within the main Ovoid deposit. The total resource (including reserves) is estimated to be at least 150 million tonnes.