Towards Greater Social Acceptability of Mining Operations

With its integrated mine-to-plant project, Nemaska Lithium intends to produce lithium spodumene concentrate at its Whabouchi mine in Northern Quebec and process the concentrated ore into lithium hydroxide at its plant in Bécancour. With this project, the company is making a concrete contribution to Quebec’s energy transition efforts.

Nemaska Lithium is fully committed to ensuring that its activities are carried out in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. The presentation aims to highlight the company’s various innovative initiatives in this regard, in particular at its Whabouchi mine located near Nemaska, in Eeyou Istchee James Bay.

The collaboration initiatives with a company from the Pikogan indigenous community and the Abitibiwinni First Nation were born out of a desire to change beliefs about the situation of Natives in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, to participate in the reconciliation process and to alleviate the current labour shortage, thereby bringing cultures closer together.

On August 28, 2023, a collaboration agreement was signed between the Abitibiwinni First Nation and Agnico Eagle regarding the activities of the LaRonde mining complex in order to establish a harmonious, long-term relationship based on trust, mutual respect, transparency and collaboration.

In this agreement, signed for a period of 20 years, the parties agreed on measures to increase the participation of the Abitibiwinni First Nation in the activities of the LaRonde mining complex, particularly in terms of training, employment and business opportunities, and environmental protection. A committee made up of Abitibiwinni First Nation representatives and LaRonde mining complex employees and management was created to ensure the implementation of this agreement and to achieve the common objectives set out in the agreement.

Since October 2022, in anticipation of the conclusion of this agreement, the LaRonde mining complex has developed a reception and integration process aimed at the long-term retention of Native workers on the site. This work was carried out in close collaboration with an indigenous company in Pikogan. This partnership was made possible by the shared vision of the president of Agnico Eagle and the LaRonde team, which focused on retaining indigenous workers on the mine site rather than on the number of people hired. The initiative seeks to bring cultures closer together by breaking down prejudices and introducing members of the community to the world of mining. The objective? To rethink the reception and integration of indigenous workers on the LaRonde mining complex site in order to encourage these workers to remain in employment over the long term.