Amid COVID-19 restrictions, TMAC keeps Nunavut gold mine going

TMAC Resources Inc.’s Hope Bay gold mine near Cambridge Bay is continuing operations “at present,” under the mining company’s infectious disease control plan protocol, says Alex Buchan, the company’s vice-president for corporate social responsibility.

TMAC’s Nunavut-based workers are back in their home communities, but work continues at the mine site, located southwest of Cambridge Bay. (File photo)

No incidence of COVID-19 has been reported to date at Hope Bay, Buchan said on Tuesday, March 24.

The western Nunavut mine’s Nunavut-based staff, roughly 60, have gone home as planned earlier, Buchan said.

The Northwest Territories’ travel restrictions announced this past weekend have not affected the mine’s southern crew change flights, he said.

But N.W.T.-based based Hope Bay workers are now required to self-isolate when back home on their off-rotation, he said.

“The Nunavut air travel restrictions recently announced have been clarified to us by the Government of Nunavut to be non-applicable to our remote camp operations, as we have taken previous steps to isolate our workforce from the Nunavut population,” Buchan said.

TMAC remains in continual communication with officials with the GN as the pandemic in Canada unfolds, he said.

“Our company continually and daily assesses our ability to maintain operations in a safe and environmentally responsible manner,” he said.

On Tuesday, Quebec’s COVID-19 measures forced Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. to reduce operations in Nunavut, while Glencore’s Raglan mine in Nunavik is being put into care and maintenance.