Work starts on new Rankin Inlet-Meliadine road

Agnico-Eagle says it will save up to $5 million a year using a road to ship fuel to its Meliadine site, compared to bringing fuel in by air. Transporting fuel by air, as seen in this 2011 photo, adds at least $1 per litre to Agnico Eagle’s fuel costs, says a company spokesperson. (PHOTO COURTESY OF AGNICO-EAGLE)

Agnico-Eagle’s Meliadine ramp area 4 is seen here in this September 2011 photo. (COURTESY OF AGNICO-EAGLE)

Gabriel Tiktaq, pictured here, is one of the Meliadine project’slocal employees. Many other Rankin Inlet residents hope to find work as construction picks up on the new all-weather road that will link the community to the Meliadine mine site. (PHOTO COURTESY OF AGNICO-EAGLE)

The new all-weather, 24-kilometre road that will link Agnico-Eagle Mining’s Meliadine gold mine project to Rankin Inlet is already taking shape.

Last month the Nunavut Impact Review Board granted Agnico-Eagle permission to build the road, which will bring workers, fuel, drilling supplies and food to the camp located about 13 km from Rankin Inlet.

The road will allow year-round exploration work to continue at the site of Agnico-Eagle’s future gold mine, another 11 km away.

Rankin Inlet’s mayor, Pujjuut Kusugak, said the road has already been the focus of local attention — both good and bad.

“Some people are concerned about impacts on local wildlife as the road is built,” said Pujjuut Kusugak. “But the NIRB gave this project the go-ahead. The voices of people in Rankin have been — and will continue to be — heard.”

Kusugak said that many local residents are also happy to hear about possible employment opportunities as road construction picks up in the spring.

Kivalliq Services Ltd., a consortium of Kivalliq businesses received the contract to build the all-weather road. KSL is a partnership between Nuna M&T Services Ltd., Peters Expediting Ltd., and Northern Networks Ltd.

Nuna M&T Services is a partnership between Vancouver-based Nuna Logistics and M&T Enterprises of Rankin Inlet, which is itself a partnership among three different companies.

Nuna Logistics is well-known for doing ice-road construction and other services for mining companies.

Rankin Inlet North MLA Tagak Curley said the project will benefit the entire Kivalliq region, including youth who are looking for work.

“With the opening of this road into the mine site, we’re very happy to see that project developing,” Curley told the legislature Feb. 28. “A lot of our private sector businesses will also benefit, along with our airlines and truck rental companies.”

The all-weather access road, whose construction will cost about $21 million, will use three bridges, including one across the Meliadine River.

Crews will complete the bridge installation by late fall 2012, with the goal of finishing all road construction by April 2013.

Agnico-Eagle’s resource estimates for Meliadine show the project already contains twice as much gold as at its Meadowbank gold mine, which operates about 70 km north of Baker Lake.

The company expects production to start at Meliadine in 2017.