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CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek chief "ambivalent" about Lac Des Iles mine closure
The closing of Impala Canada's Lac Des Iles palladium mine is being greeted with a mixture of ambivalence and confusion by those close to the site. Over the past decade, the mine has been a source of tension between various owners of the operation, and the local First Nation. The palladium mine is located within Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek, also known as Gull Bay First Nation, roughly 90 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay. Impala Canada's CEO, Tim Hill, announced the mine's closure at July 3. Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek's chief, Wilfred King, says very few of the mine's employees are members of the First Nation. Despite the mine being located on their land, King describes Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek's relationship with Impala as minimal , which adds to why he feels "ambivalent" toward the mine's closure. In 2018, the mine's previous owner, North American Palladium, and Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek announced they had signed a letter of intent. North American Palladium was acquired by Impala Canada in October 2019. King says dialogue was not carried over with the new owners. "We were involved in the negotiations with Impala to look at a community benefit agreement and they basically shut the negotiations down," King said, adding Impala notified Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek "that they were no longer interested in developing a relationship with Gull Bay First Nation." The relationship between Impala Canada and Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek got off to a rocky start, due to a COVID-19 outbreak within the community the following May, with King attributing it to a previous outbreak at the mine. Despite a lack of a community benefit agreement with Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek, Impala Canada spokeswoman Emily Robb confirmed the company has community benefits with Fort William First Nation and Whitesand First Nation. "Impala Canada is always striving for and working towards caring and respectful relationships with all of our community partners, Indigenous communities, and the Union representing our workforce, and we will continue to do so," Robb said in a statement to the CBC. Union left scratching its head over closure Impala's decision to close the mine was rooted in a nearly two year period of slumping palladium prices, according to Robb. When the company first purchased North American Palladium, the cost of palladium per ounce was roughly $2416.63 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. By the end of April 2021, the stock price had risen 68 percent to $4065.57 per ounce. Although prices dropped below $1237.11 last May, they have been steadily on the rise ever since. On Thursday, the closing stock price for an ounce of palladium was $1809.36. The rise in stock prices over the past year has left the union representing the mine's workers baffled at Impala's decision to close down its Lac Des Iles operations. United Steel Workers (USW) currently represents 530 workers at the site. "I'm not buying it's because of low palladium prices," said Cody Alexander, USW's staff representative for Thunder Bay and the surrounding area. "it seems like there's a failure to have meaningful relationships with the First Nations there in order to get the support that they need to expand those ponds." Alexander added Hill sent out a memo last March indicating the company was financially stable, a sentiment that was later reiterated at a collective bargaining meeting between the company and USW in October. A history of environmental concerns Issues relating to the mining site's tailing pond have arisen in repeated accusations of environmental damage from Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek. In 2015, before Impala Canada took over operations, untreated water spilled over from the tailings pond into the adjacent Lac Des Iles after a period of heavy spring rain. And in the days prior to signing a letter of intent with North American Palladium, members of Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek blocked off the flow of traffic on the private road leading into the mine, in part due to the environmental impact of the mine. "Very little benefit accrued to Gull Bay First Nations by the results of that mining operation in the core of our traditional territory," King said. Regarding Impala's efforts to operate in an environmentally responsible manner, Robb said "we have worked very hard to care for the environment, we have always complied with environmental regulations, and we will do so going forward as well." Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek's chief confirmed that the tailings pond was at capacity, and said that expanding the tailing pond had been discussed, but that the First Nation had repeated concerns over the design and methods used for any proposed expansion to the pond. If the tailings ever breached the dam, copper would flow into the adjacent lake, King said, adding that after the tailings leak in 2015, Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek was never "given any kind of assurances that this would never happen again." Next steps In his memo to Lac Des Iles staff, Hill said the mine would work to shut down operations by the end of May next year, though the final closing date is dependent on multiple factors including tailings pond capacity, and the company's ability to meet production targets. Currently, the company is in negotiations with USW to formulate a closure agreement. Alexander said for steel workers, the union is looking for enhanced severance above Employment Standards Act standards, including a retention bonus for employees who decide to stay on to help with the closure of the mine and extended benefits. Upon closure, the mine will be returned to Kiashke Zaaging Anishinaabek, though King sees little evidence the site can be remediated, calling it a "wasteland." However, King did not rule out the possibility of continuing mining operations at the site after Impala's closure, so long as the right agreements are in place. He also says that a separate tailings facility would have to be built. "We're not against development," King said. "Our first and foremost concern has always been the environment, and we're for development providing it's done in a sustainable way and that there are minimal impacts to the environment."
CTV News
09-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Impala plans to close Ontario palladium mine due to low prices
The logo of Impala Canada is shown. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Impala Canada (Mandatory Credit) THUNDER BAY — Impala Platinum Holding Ltd. plans to end production at its Lac des Iles mine in northwestern Ontario at the end of May next year due to low palladium prices. The South African company currently employs about 750 people at the mine north of Thunder Bay, Ont. The operation includes underground and surface mining operations and a concentrator. Impala Canada says due to a prolonged period of low palladium prices the business is not generating the cash flow required to sustain the operation. In a message to employees last week, Impala Canada chief executive Tim Hill said there is still plenty of work to be done in the operation and responsible closure of the mine. He thanked workers for their commitment and safety performance. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
09-07-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Impala plans to close Ontario palladium mine due to low prices
THUNDER BAY – Impala Platinum Holding Ltd. plans to end production at its Lac des Iles mine in northwestern Ontario at the end of May next year due to low palladium prices. The South African company currently employs about 750 people at the mine north of Thunder Bay, Ont. The operation includes underground and surface mining operations and a concentrator. Impala Canada says due to a prolonged period of low palladium prices the business is not generating the cash flow required to sustain the operation. In a message to employees last week, Impala Canada chief executive Tim Hill said there is still plenty of work to be done in the operation and responsible closure of the mine. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. He thanked workers for their commitment and safety performance. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Impala plans to close Ontario palladium mine due to low prices
THUNDER BAY — Impala Platinum Holding Ltd. plans to end production at its Lac des Iles mine in northwestern Ontario at the end of May next year due to low palladium prices. The South African company currently employs about 750 people at the mine north of Thunder Bay, Ont. The operation includes underground and surface mining operations and a concentrator. Impala Canada says due to a prolonged period of low palladium prices the business is not generating the cash flow required to sustain the operation. In a message to employees last week, Impala Canada chief executive Tim Hill said there is still plenty of work to be done in the operation and responsible closure of the mine. He thanked workers for their commitment and safety performance. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 9, 2025. The Canadian Press
