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Yukon

Project Name
Description
Casino Mine Socio-Economic and Consultation Support

Client: Casino Mining Corporation
Location: Central Yukon
Hemmera has recently assisted Casino Mining Corporation (CMC) with an intensive consultation program with the Little Salmon / Carmacks First Nation (LSCFN). In this role, Hemmera led community consultation related to all aspects of the proposed project.

Key responsibilities included the development and design of consultation materials, coordination and facilitation of community meetings, and gathering of community information related to interests and concerns on the proposed project. Hemmera served as a liaison between CMC and LSCFN to ensure effective communication and transparency in the consultation process. This included all logistical aspects of community work, preparing meeting summaries and an overall summary of the consultation process for submission to the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board. Hemmera also worked closely with the Casino's legal team to satisfy the requirements of the consultation agreement between both parties.

In addition to consultation support, Hemmera serves as an adviser to Casino in their navigation of the YESAA process. In this role, Hemmera has undertaken a detailed review of Casino's Socio-economic Effects Application, and prepared comprehensive responses to submissions received on the YESAA registry.
Coffee Gold Mining Project

Client: Goldcorp Inc.
Location: Central Yukon
The Coffee Gold Project is a proposed gold mine in Central Yukon including open pits, waste rock storage areas and a cyanide heap leach supported by crushing, solution processing, consumable storage and camp facilities. The Coffee Project will require a screening by the Executive Committee of YESAB, a Type A and B Water Licenses, and a Quartz Mining License among other smaller regulatory authorizations prior to proceeding. The Coffee deposit has only recently been discovered and is progressing on an accelerated development timeline. Specific strategies have been developed to minimize both timeline and budget risk through Yukon assessment and regulatory processes.

Hemerra has identified the path for the Project through Yukon assessment regulatory processes. To navigate this path, we have worked with the technical specialists to scope, schedule, and deliver the studies required by First Nations, assessors, regulators and their technical consultants. We have also integrated, scheduled, and delivered consultation and engagement activities to meet the needs of governments and stakeholders.

Hemmera manages a multi-disciplinary team of a dozen consulting firms contributing expertise in mine design, mine engineering, transportation and logistics, biology, hydrology, hydrogeology, water modeling, surficial geology, geotechnical engineering, risk assessment, socio-economic effects assessment, heritage resources and consultation. Hemmera project managers systems, and processes,  integrate the outputs of this team into a YESAB project proposal, management plans and regulatory applications.

Hemmera's Yukon-based effects assessment, licensing and consultation/engagement experts have set the strategic direction for Goldcorp to manage and minimize timelines and risks associated with Yukon assessment and regulatory processes. Furthermore, Hemmera has worked with Goldcorp to develop a robust and integrated consultation program with affected Yukon First Nations and engagement program with assessors and regulators.
Wolf Exploration: Wildlife and Environmental Monitoring

Client: Teck Resources
Location: Southwest Yukon
In support of Teck's mineral exploration program, Hemmera provided strategic counsel during the regulatory process. Hemmera's experts then designed, implemented, delivered and reported on environmental and socio-economic monitoring programs that met the requirements of Teck's license. Key elements of the program included surveys and observations of the Chisana Woodland Caribou herd. This herd is considered a species at risk, was previously under an intensive recovery plan; the caribou are now subject to an international management plan. Other surveys were conducted for additional species at risk and rare species. Hemmera also supported the recording and reporting of wildlife observations. All these activities were designed to meet commitments made by Teck in their Adaptive Wildlife Management Plan, the purpose which was to identify wildlife species of concerns in the area, briefly describe species habitat requirements, and provide recommendations to mitigate possible impacts arising from exploration work.

Hemmera also supported Teck by developing a monitoring program for "sense of place". The Wolf Exploration Project was the first project in Yukon to fulfill these particular licensing requirements, and Hemmera helped Teck design and implement creative and practical solutions that allowed the project to proceed.
Kluane First Nation Sustainability Toolkit

Client: Kluane First Nation
Location: Southwest Yukon
Hemmera and Kluane First Nation (KFN) worked together through a community-based approach to document KFN's current sustainability-related values and develop a Sustainability Toolkit to help evaluate and monitor the net benefits of proposed natural resource management projects on KFN's Traditional Territory. The project's community-based approach was critical to its success, and included conducting community meetings, one-on-one interviews and meetings with Elders, youth, and Chief and Council. Information shared by KFN citizens was used to develop the local-level Criteria and Indicator framework, as well as a set of tools that can be used to measure and monitor KFN's progress in achieving sustainable natural resource development on its Traditional Territory.
Southern Lakes Enhanced Storage Concept

Client: Yukon Energy Corporation
Location: Southwest Yukon
Since September 2013, Hemmera's Yukon-based team has been managing a multi-disciplinary team to support Yukon Energy Corporation's (YEC's) decision to move the Southern Lakes Enhanced Storage Concept through the Territory's assessment and permitting phases. The Concept proposes reducing the rate at which water flows out of Marsh, Tagish, and Bennett Lakes in the southern region of Yukon in the fall. This water can then be used to generate electricity at the Whitehorse Rapids Generating Station in the winter when electrical demand is at the highest.

Hemmera worked with a team of sub-contractors to provide information for YEC to help decide whether or not to advance the Concept. The Hemmera Team identified the environmental and socio-economical information required to prepare for an assessment by the Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board and successfully navigate the Yukon licensing process. Hemmera coordinated more than 25 internal and sub-contractor technical specialists with expertise in socio-economics, heritage and archaeological resources, aquatic resources, wildlife and terrestrial habitat, hydrology, hydrogeology, geomorphology, and First Nations consultation. Hemmera's assessment and regulatory specialists then completed a Regulatory Risk Register identifying priority items for consideration as the Concept approaches environmental and socio-economic assessment and Territorial and federal regulatory processes, including First Nations consultation. Hemmera managed, conducted, and coordinated additional baseline data collection related to both abiotic (e.g., wind, groundwater, hydrology, wave modelling) and biotic (e.g., lake trout spawning and survival, wetlands assessment) parameters. Management and specialist teams produced reports, mapping products, technical memos and presentations for YEC.

Phase II of this project is now underway and involves the design and initiation of an engagement and consultation process for local stakeholders, communities, First Nations, and regulators. Hemmera's human and biophysical teams have participated in public meetings focused on issues, potential effects, and options. Our teams produced presentation material explaining the potential effects of the Concept, summaries of the strengths and weaknesses of the predictions, and descriptions of proposed mitigation. Hemmera is pleased to support YEC in their efforts to generate F.A.R.E. electricity for Yukon.
Abandoned Mine Groundwater Quality Programs

Client: Yukon Government
Location: Yukon
Hemmera, in partnership with another Yukon-based consultant, supports Yukon Government, Energy Mines and Resources, Assessment and Abandoned Mines branch with their water programs at the Mount Nansen Mine and Faro Mine Complex. A unique characteristic of these projects,  which began in 2014, is working with sample locations, by developing unique methodologies. The 2014 spring and fall programs included the monitoring and sampling of many groundwater wells. Both programs also included a robust health and safety and QA/QC program, detailed reporting of the methodologies used and an excavation of the water quality results. Our team is well versed at working on mine sites, with a variety of sampling equipment, and has the experience required to troubleshoot while in the field to overcome site specific challenges and capture the data that our client requires. The Mount Nansen Mine and Faro Mine Complex groundwater monitoring and sampling programs are used to support the ongoing remediation at the site and also to contribute to the ongoing data collection program, which will also be used to support future assessment and licensing.
Ketza River Mine: Interim Works and Operation and Maintenance
​
Client: Yukon Government
Location: Yukon
Hemmera was retained by the Yukon Government, Department Energy, Mines and Resources (Compliance. Monitoring and Inspections branch) to carry out interim works based on an inspectors direction issued to the operator of the Ketza River Mine Site. The work involved the upgrading of three bridges, permitting, selection and reclamation of gravel sources, installation of water seepage collections systems at the tailing dam facility and management of surface water. The interim works were carried out during the winter conditions. In the spring of 2015, the operator abandoned the mine site, at this time, Hemmera took over care and maintenance activities while the site was undergoing transition t0 the Yukon Government Abandoned Mines branch. Hemmera worked closely with local contractors and members of the local First Nation to execute this project,
Det'on Cho Environmental pairs the traditional knowledge of the Yellowknives Dene with the most modern science and technology
​ to provide a service that is second to none.

Telephone

T: 867.873.6533
F: 867.873.5308

Location

Det'on Cho Environmental
3rd Floor Det'on Cho Building
901 Sikyea Tili

P.O. Box 1287
Yellowknife, NT ​X1A 2N9

Email

environmental@detoncho.com

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  • Home
  • About
    • Our Team
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  • Selected Projects
    • Northwest Territories
    • Yukon
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