Renewed Industry-Academic partnership developing next generation of environmental solutions. 

Agnico Eagle’s strong track record of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance not only ensures we remain the partner of choice within our industry, it also provides confidence that we are operating in a socially responsible manner. 

One initiative that is helping us to maintain this confidence is our ongoing partnership with the Research Institute on Mines and Environment (RIME) UQAT-Polytechnique. Focused on the environment, this unique research program in Quebec is providing leading-edge research on environmental challenges that face the global mining industry, such as climate change and tailings management. The first phase of this partnership (2013-2019) had a major impact on the development of knowledge, application of innovative solutions, and the training of highly qualified people.

Louise Grondin, Agnico Eagle’s Senior Vice President of Environment, Sustainable Development and People, said, “By partnering with the universities and RIME, we have some of the smartest people helping us develop solutions to some of the toughest environmental challenges. Not only that, these experts are helping our own people learn how to apply this research and deliver tangible results. We often hire students who have done their graduate work with us to help us meet tomorrow’s challenges. I see it as a win-win partnership.”

On November 13th, Agnico Eagle and our industry partners announced the renewal of our partnership agreement with the RIME. The agreement is for seven years – from 2020 to 2027 – and is between the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT), Polytechnique Montréal and six Canadian mining companies – Agnico Eagle, Rio Tinto, Newmont-Goldcorp, IAMGOLD, Glencore Raglan Mine and Canadian Malartic Mine. Over that time period, the industry will invest a total of over $12M to develop innovative environmental solutions for the entire life cycle of a mine, while training qualified persons for tomorrow.

This second phase of research will supplement work conducted between 2013 and 2019, which focused on mine site closure and reclamation, waste rock and tailings management, water treatment and quality, and mining wastes in Arctic conditions. Phase 2 will concentrate on topics more directly related to corporate social responsibility – i.e. climate change, the circular economy, risk analysis, water treatment and revegetation.  It will also pursue the transfer of research and traditional knowledge between Inuit, Indigenous and mining communities.     

Pascal Lavoie, Agnico Eagle’s Director of Environmental Management and retiring RIME President, says the partnership has been invaluable to Agnico Eagle.

“RIME’s research has helped Agnico Eagle establish some of the best standards and practices in the global mining industry. We have benefited greatly from its research, particularly during the restoration of the abandoned Manitou site near Val-d’Or. RIME helped us develop a solution that stopped the generation of acid mine drainage and the release of heavy metals into the surrounding environment by using tailings from our Goldex site to rehabilitate Manitou.”

According to Pascal, RIME’s research has broader application across the global mining industry. “All mining companies are feeling the impact of climate change. We are experiencing less precipitation at our southern operations and more at our northern operations, for example.  This means we must adjust our water management and treatment programs to adapt to changing climate patterns. We need to understand the long-term implications and ensure we make the right decisions today to properly close out our mining operations tomorrow. With our partnership, RIME will ensure integration of the effects of climate change into the research solutions that will be proposed.”   

To learn more about RIME and our partnership, check out the details below, click on this video or visit the website at https://irme.ca/