Glencore Onaping Depth project to rely on electric vehicles
Glencore Onaping Depth project to rely on electric vehicles
Work is progressing on Glencore's Onaping Depth Project, a new ore body deep underground that will replace two other mines coming to the end of production.
A local firm will be supplying some of the many battery electric vehicles (BEVs) that will be used in the deep mining project.
Glencore says the first ore from the project is anticipated in 2024.
“We are in the shaft-sinking phase of the project (and) we should get to the end of July to the first underground station at depth with a total of three stations to develop,” said Peter Xavier, Glencore Vice-President.
"The shaft-sinking portion will take us to about mid next year and then we will start to … basically build the mine."
Onaping Depth is an ore body that was discovered decades ago, located below the former Craig Mine, which closed in 2009.
In developing the project, Glencore will be using new infrastructure to access deeper parts of the ore body. Once development of the shaft begins, the project will be completely powered by BEVs.
“Everything from … drilling to ground support to your mucking and hauling type of equipment," Xavier said.
"Plus all of your ancillary equipment for explosive loading, material loading, personnel movement, graders… When you add up all of those, it's quite a few units."
One of the mobile equipment suppliers is MacLean Engineering. While the vehicles will be manufactured at the company's southern Ontario locations, there will be a large impact on the local economy because the company has a service and support branch just outside of Lively.
Stella Holloway, VP of northern operations of Mclean Engineering, said they employ about 180 people. Locally, they employ people such as field service technicians and trainers.
“Right now we are standing in our Magill facility," Holloway said.
"We have an underground test mine and in this test mine we will have a full-on training program for Glencore. So they’ll be able to send their technicians here to get hands-on experience to battery electric equipment as well as work with some of our product experts on transitioning them over to battery electric equipment."
The project has a budget of $1.3 billion and it’s anticipated that it will provide a significant new source of high-grade nickel ore beyond 2035.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Author Salman Rushdie on ventilator after he was stabbed on lecture stage in New York
Salman Rushdie, whose novel 'The Satanic Verses' drew death threats from Iran's leader in the 1980s, was stabbed in the neck and abdomen Friday by a man who rushed the stage as the author was about to give a lecture in western New York.

Anne Heche legally dead, remains on life support for donor evaluation
Anne Heche remains on life support and under evaluation for organ donation after a car crash that led to her brain death, a representative for the actor said Friday.
FBI seized 'top secret' documents from Trump home
The FBI recovered documents that were labelled 'top secret' from former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released Friday after a federal judge unsealed the warrant that authorized the unprecedented search this week.
Passengers tackle Canadian man after he became violent, tried to open plane doors mid-flight
A plane bound for Toronto has been forced to divert to Iceland after a Canadian man allegedly became violent and tried to open the aircraft door mid-air.
Canadian who sold his possessions, used up his savings to deliver aid in Ukraine makes a plea for help
Canadian Adam Oake is among volunteers delivering aid to civilians in Ukraine, but he says donations are drying up and he's issuing a plea for help.
Canadian universities earned record-high surplus revenues during COVID-19: StatCan
Canadian universities reported record-high surplus revenues in wake of the pandemic as schools took advantage of last year's strong stock market performance.
EXCLUSIVE | Woman who was stalked by police officer ex-boyfriend says justice system failed her
Despite a police misconduct probe that found a high-ranking B.C. officer had stalked and harassed his ex-girlfriend for years, a criminal investigation into the case did not result in charges.
Canada to test wastewater for polio
Canada plans to start testing wastewater for poliovirus in a number of cities “as soon as possible” following new reports of cases abroad, the Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed on Friday.
Montenegro gunman kills 10 on the street; police kill him
A man went on a shooting rampage in the streets of this western Montenegro city Friday, killing 10 people, including two children, before being shot dead by a passerby, officials said.