Côté Gold Project

IAMGOLD is a leading mid-tier gold producer with operating gold mines in Canada and abroad and is currently starting commercial production of the Côté Gold Project. Open pit mining operations will facilitate ore processing rates of approximately 36,000 tonnes per day.

The Côté Gold Project received Federal and Provincial Environmental Assessment (EA) approval in 2016. In 2017 the project was optimized, resulting into various changes to the Project. SLR was hired to amend the EA and create a permitting strategy around the newly optimized project.

During the detailed Engineering portion of the project, SLR coordinated the environmental permitting and approvals efforts, and development Côté’s Environmental Commitments Register to document all company commitments to protect the environment and surrounding communities. This was used as the basis to develop the environmental management system and was reviewed prior to the construction and operation phases. 

To amend the EA, SLR provided strategic advisory services related to regulatory permitting and approvals, coordinated a multidisciplinary team, and provided consultation and engagement support with regulators, Indigenous communities, and the public.

As the project progressed, SLR navigated many scope changes and a client team change. Our role was integral to keeping the amendment on track as we ensured the new client team understood the scope and we maintained continuity so the project could continue to move forward.

By the scheduled construction start, all permits were in hand.

We are proud to support IAMGOLD with this project as it showcases our understanding of how to navigate a large and complex project, including knowledge of all the environmental permitting requirements with the appropriate community engagement plan.