Copies of the Consultation Protocol and the Minago Project Environmental Impact Statement Review by the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources are available upon request to members only.
Timelines
There are three timelines related to the Minago Project; the timeline of the Consultation process, the timeline of events leading to the signing of the Consultation Protocol, and the proposed timeline for the Minago Project and Mine.
Timeline for the Minago Project Consultation
NHCN and Manitoba have agreed to a twelve (12) week Consultation ending on June 30, 2011. However, within the Consultation Protocol, there are agreed upon statements that allow for some flexibility. These include:
3. Principles of Consultation
- d. Ongoing and Reviewable Process - Consultation is an ongoing and reviewable process.
6. Elements of Consultation Activities:
- a. Consultation Plan
- ii) Manitoba and NHCN may from time to time amend the Consultation Plan or agree to a new Consultation Plan under this Consultation Protocol
- iii) The Consultation Plan will set out how Manitoba and NHCN agree
that specific elements of the consultation process under this Consultation
Protocol will take place. It is contemplated that the Consultation Plan will
include the steps to be undertaken in conducting the consultation process,
recognizing that these steps should include:
- c) the time periods for the consultation process, including a reasonable period of time as determined between Manitoba and NHCN to permit NHCN to prepare its views on the proposed activities
- g. Timetable – Manitoba and NHCN will agree on a timetable for conduct of any consultation process, which timetable will be set out in a Consultation Plan. In developing the timetable, Manitoba and NHCN will take into account the proposed timelines for activities by the proponent as long as those timelines do not affect the ability of Manitoba and the NHCN to consult effectively.
Timeline of Events that Led to the Signing of the Consultation Protocol
March 15, 2007
Victory Nickel initiates contact with NHCN Chief and Council
March 23, 2007
Victory Nickel meeting with Chief and Council
May 23, 2007
Victory Nickel Open House in NHCN; Chief and Council informs Victory Nickel that
NHCN would seek meaningful consultation with Manitoba and Canada
August 2007
NHCN letter to Prime Minister of Canada seeking information on consultation
November 2007
Letter from Canada informing NHCN that we have to work with Manitoba
December 2007
Letter from Manitoba agreeing to consult with NHCN
February 2008
Chief and Council suspend talks with Victory Nickel until consultation protocol with
Manitoba completed
September 2008
Following a rights conference in NHCN, two (2) Consultation Protocols were presented
at a General Band Meeting: Minago specific and another one for the rest of our territory.
These were presented to the Manitoba Mines Minister
May 2009
At a General Band Meeting, the people approve the two (2) Consultation Protocols
June 2009 – March 2011
Chief and Council presented the Consultation Protocols to Manitoba. Manitoba did
not agree with them, but continued to authorize activity at the Minago Site. Chief and
Council continued to negotiate with Manitoba
March 25, 2011
Minago Project specific Consultation Protocol signed by NHCN and Manitoba
Timeline for the Proposed Minago Project and Mine
As proposed by Victory Nickel, the production schedule by year would begin in 2012 and end in 2021.
From the Minago Project Feasibility Study prepared by Wardrop for Victory Nickel, published in 2009:
The mine life is estimated to be seven full years and two partial years, with concentrate production mirroring ore production. For six of the nine years the production is at full capacity, for one year there will be a slightly reduced capacity and for two years there will be a reduced capacity. The frac sand, which is to be mined and stockpiled at the start of mining, will be processed throughout the life of the mine and beyond. The first partial year's ore production (2013) will be stockpiled pending commissioning of the ore processing plant in 2014.
The Project includes an open pit bulk tonnage mining method, a 3.6 Mt/a nickel ore processing plant, and 1.5 Mt/a sand processing plant producing various sand products, including 20/40 and 40/70 frac sand, and other finer-sized sands. The Project will be built over a three year period at a capital cost of $596.3 million. The nickel ore processing plant is scheduled to come online in the spring of 2014, and the frac sand plant in the spring of 2013.
Based on a three year rolling average for nickel metal prices of US$11.19/lb, a frac sand FOB price of CDN$63.02/t, and a currency exchange rate of $1.00:$1.097 (US$/CDN$), the Project will have a pre-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 17.66% and a pre-tax Net Present Value (NPV) of $294 million at an 8% discount rate, with recovery of capital in four years after the first generation of nickel revenues.
Please review the Feasibility Study for information on the history of exploration and changes in ownership since 1966.