FAQ
| If the Sisson Brook deposit is developed into a producing mine Will there be business and sub-contractors opportunities? | |
| The economic opportunities and spin-offs from a producing mine can be substantial. It is expected that significant opportunities would be generated for local and regional businesses during construction and operations. | |
| What are the number and types of potential employment opportunities? When will jobs be available and how can I find out about opportunities? | |
Preliminary estimates based on reviews of similar projects in Canada and elsewhere:
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| What skills will be required to access job opportunities? | |
| A wide range of skills can be applied at a mining project from mining engineering to truck driving to office skills. Once workforce requirements are better understood, Geodex would start to develop a list of required skills. For further information on skills in the mining sector, see www.acareerinmining.ca. | |
| Will there be training for jobs at the project? | |
| Geodex Minerals is committed to creating and facilitating opportunities for local communities and for the province of New Brunswick. Geodex would provide on the job training as well as specialist training where relevant, for example truck drivers (100 tonne mine trucks), mill workers, laboratory technicians, etc. Geodex would be looking at current skill sets to match up with mining jobs and expects that many will be transferable from other sectors such as forestry. | |
| What are the average wages at a Project like Sisson Brook? | |
| Salaries in mining are among the highest in Canada and will be equal to or better than the forest industry wage scale. | |
| What will the shift schedule for workers? | |
| The current mining model would produce 20,000 tonnes of ore each day. The Mill (concentrator) would probably run 24 hr/day, 7 days/week (2 x 12 hour shifts). The mine (blasting & trucking) would probably work 5 days a week, 24 hrs (2 x 12 hour shifts). These schedules are estimates at this time and they will be finalized in the feasibility study. | |
| What different types of commodities would be produced and what is their use? Who are the potential customers and is there a demand? | |
| The Sisson Brook deposit is a tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) deposit. Tungsten is the hardest metal and is used to make cemented carbides (hard metals) and specialty steels. It is used for example in construction machinery and mining equipment parts, light bulb filaments, electrodes, electric furnaces and manufactured chemicals. Tungsten has replaced lead in many manufacturing applications as it is much more environmentally friendly. Global demand has grwn steadily over the last century as tungsten gets used in more and more applications. Molybdenum is used mainly in stainless steels and super-alloys to increase strength, toughness and corrosion-resistance, for example pipelines, automobiles, desalination plants and nuclear reactors. Since the mid 1990's, annual consumption has grown by about 200 million pounds. All metals have experienced significant increases in global demand and price. The metals are used around the world by many different companies in rapidly industrializing countries such as Brazil, Russia, India and China. | |
| Will uranium be mined? | |
| No, the Sisson Brook deposit will be mined for tungsten and molybdenum. Concentrations of uranium within the deposit are very low. | |
| How do you know the project is financially feasible? | |
| The project scoping study is available at: www.geodexminerals.com. The project will not proceed without sound economics for a long term mine life. Metal prices, costs and revenue will be assessed by independent consultants and Geodex's bankers will have to be convinced that the project is viable and profitable before work on the mine can move ahead. Future trends are never easy to predict but capital costs of estimated of US$340 million to build the mine will mean that the economics of the project will be closely scrutinized. | |
| Mining can have significant impact on the area physically and environmentally. What mining method would Geodex use and what land of impacts would it have? | |
| That is a broad question. In general terms, there is nothing that is unusual or difficult about the mining approach to Sisson Brook. Canada is among the world leaders in mining and the use and development of mining technologies. Geodex will use well proven mining methods, specifically an open pit mine using drill-and-blast operations. Mining trucks and shelves will be used in the pit to move the rock. The mine site area, including the pit, processing facilities and tailing holdings area will all be permitted as per the usual provincial and federal guidelines and permitting process. | |
| What types of environmental studies are being undertaken? | |
| Environmental and Social Baseline Programs include the following: AIR (meteorology, air quality and noise) WATER (surface water, ground water, fish, aquatic biology, Metal Leaching (ML) and Acid Rock Drainage (ARD)) LAND (vegetation, wetlands, ecosystem, surface geology, terrain & soil mapping) WILDLIFE (species and habitat) HUMAN (socio-economics, archaeology, land and resource use, traditional use) The baseline studies were conducted by Rescan Environmental (Vancouver, BC) and TerrAtlantic Engineering Limited, based in Fredericton, NB. These consultants followed federal, provincial and industry standards. The studies were initiated in 2007: Geodex continues to collect baseline data for the ongoing studies. | |
| Will there be on-going monitoring and can the community be involved? | |
| On-going monitoring may be required for the following environmental components: Air Emissions and Dust; Water Quantity; Water Quality; Erosion and Sediment Control; Fish and Fish Habitat; Wildlife and Wildlife Habitat; Vegetation; Wetlands; Noise; and Archaeology. Geodex has held community meetings and will continue to do so. | |
| Will there be blasting and if so what will be the frequency and potential effects? | |
| Drilling and blasting will be required to break rock at the open pit. Blasting will likely occur with one or two blasts per day. Blast noise will be minimal a few kilometers away from the pit. There are Canada-wide standards set for blasting and explosives used in mining operations. | |
| What are the potential project effects on air quality? | |
| Potential effects on air quality will come from dust particulate associated with the blasting, hauling and crushing operations. Air quality modeling will predict the concentrations and extent of the particulates emitted from the site. Predicted data will be compared to both New Brunswick and Canada Wide Standards. An air quality monitoring program will be initiated upon project approval and will continue for the life of the mine. | |
| How big is the mine footprint? | |
| Approximately 12 km² has been estimated for the mine footprint. This footprint area was extensively logged some years ago and includes a network of logging roads throughout. | |
| Will the project affect land users and cabin owners in the area? | |
| Land users and cabin owners may be affected by project components such as blasting and increased traffic. A land use baseline study and assessment to predict the potential effects on land users will be part of the future studies and include mitigation and management measures. | |
| Will water be needed for the project? Where will this come from and will there be any effects to surface or ground water such as contamination? | |
| Water will be mainly used for flotation in the process plant (Mill). The process water will be pumped from the mill to the tailings pond and then recycled back to the process plant in a closed system. Water will also be required for domestic potable uses (offices) and fire protection. The process water is expected to come from the pumping wells and pit sumps used to de-water the open pit and from the surface water control management system which prevents surface water from coming into contact with the mine workings, or possibly from surface water. | |
| What types of chemicals will be used in the mining process and what are potential hazards and risks? | |
| Reagents are added during ore processing cause foam to attract the minerals which are then scraped off, dried, bagged and transported to the consumers. The process chemicals identified in the scoping study are as follows: Copper sulphate; Potassium alkyl xanthate (PAX); and, Methyl-isobutyl-carbinol (MIBC). These are the chemicals likely to be used in the processing of the ore and are commonly used worldwide. The chemicals will be used in small quantities, most of which will be recycled during the ore processing. Metallurgists will provide us with the information regarding chemicals and the extraction process once the bench testing on the ore is completed. Chemical analysis and toxicological studies will be conducted on the supernatant (liquid portion of tailings slurry) which will evaluate any potential hazards or risks. If hazards or risks are identified the process will be refined to ensure that water meets applicable federal and provincial regulatory requirements. | |
| Is there potential for occurrence and treatment of acid rock drainage at the Project site? | |
| The potential for Acid Rock Drainage (ARD) generation at the project site appears slight because of a couple of factors: (i) the low concentrations of sulphide minerals naturally occurring in the host rocks, and (ii) the excess neutralization potential expected within these host rocks. ARD studies are underway which will predict the extent (if any) of ARD generation. If ARD generation is predicted appropriate mitigation strategies will be designed and implemented to prevent the field generation of ARD. | |
| What are the proposed transportation routes and how many loads per day would be transported? | |
| There are 3 or 4 possible transportation routes including the rail line at Napadogan. A route will not be decided on until the feasibility study is completed. An estimated 1 to 2 tractor trailer trucks per day will transport mineral concentrate off site. | |
| Will there be tailings, and if so, then what type, what is the proposed location and will there be potential effects to, contamination of, or loss of water bodies? | |
| A number of tailings options are being considered for the site. Tailings consist of the slurry of water and crushed rock that remains after the metal has been removed from the ore during the milling process. Tailings, the mill waste product, are pumped to the tailings pond as the final stage in the concentrating process and the water portion of the slurry is then recycled back to the mill in a closed circuit to be reused again in the milling process. Preliminary data for tailings options was collected in 2008. At this time the Bird Brook impoundment area, which does not contain any lakes, appears to be the most favorable location for a tailings site. However, the field data will provide supporting information for the final mine plan. All tailings dams and catchment areas will be built to high engineering standards as required by the province for the mine life and beyond. | |
| How will waste rock be disposed of and will there be visual impacts? | |
| Waste rock will be placed near the pit or the tailings pond area where a surface water management system can capture seepage and recycled it to the process plant for concentrating the ore. The waste rock storage area will be built to high engineering standards as required by the province. The waste rock will be placed in a manner that will enable contouring of the surface for reclamation. | |
| Will there be mine reclamation and reclamation bonding? | |
| The NB Department of Environment requires proponents to submit a Reclamation Plan (i.e. the plan to re-contour and re-plant) prior to approval of the project and a Mining and Reclamation Plan must be submitted to the NB Department of Natural Resources. The provincial government also requires a bond, insurance or a large lump sum of money to be deposited prior to project development which covers the full estimated reclamation costs. | |
| What is the project schedule? | |
| The project schedule changes and evolves depending on a variety of factors, including the overall economic climate and the results Geodex achieves. Geodex has completed a series of drill programs since 2005. These have successfully delineated to Sisson Brook tungsten-molybdenum mineralization. Geodex has also done various economic, engineering and environmental studies. The most recent comprehensive was the Preliminary Economic Assessment in the Spring 2009. Geodex is currently planning a pre-feasibility study which it expects to take from 6 to 8 months once it begins. | |
| How can I be kept updated on project information? | |
| The Geodex website (www.geodexminerals.org) will be regularly updated with information regarding progress on the Sisson Brook Project. You can also subscribe to our mailing list on our website. | |
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