ABSTRACT
Falconbridge Ltd., through its wholly owned subsidiary Société Minière Raglan du Québec Ltée, has undertaken construction and development of one of the world’s finest sulphide nickel deposits with a M $500 mining and concentrator facility. The operation will produce at least 120,000 tonnes of nickel per year. Located in the barren and harsh Ungava Peninsula in the extreme north Nunavik region of Quebec Canada, the Raglan site contains more than 20 million tonnes of proven and probable reserves grading 3.17% Ni, 0.88% Copper, and various precious rare metals. The project consists of mill feed produced by the Katinniq Underground and Zone 2 Open Pit Mines. Concentrate is then trucked approximately 100 km to a major facility located at Deception Bay on the Atlantic Coast. The original Deception Bay complex (Rhe largest wooden structure in North America) was constructed during the 1970’s by the Asbestos Sociéte Ltée., who at that time were involved with an asbestos mining project in the sanie area. This paper will review: the extensive modifications to the Deception Bay facility that have been completed by Falconbridge; the impact that the facility had on the construction aspects of the concentrator; the challenges associated with the shipment of concentrate in the harsh northern environment.
