Sagamok Anishnawbek and KGHM International have signed a production impact benefit agreement (IBA) related to the Victoria Mine.
Located 35 kilometres west of Sudbury, Victoria is proposed to be an underground copper-nickel mine with an estimated 14-year mine life. The project is currently in the development and analysis phase.
The agreement, signed by the two parties in Sagamok on Dec. 4, lays the groundwork for implementation, employment and training, business opportunities, environmental protection, ongoing engagement, consultation, and continuous learning.
"The agreement with the Sagamok Anishnawbek community is an important step in the development of our Canadian Victoria Project,” Andrzej Szydło, KGHM's president of the board of management, in a statement.
“Following this year's agreement with the Atikameksheng Anishnawbek First Nations group, it is further proof of the KGHM Group's commitment to social dialogue and good neighbourly relations, regardless of where it conducts business.
“I am convinced that the cooperation with the Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nations group will be based on partnership and will prove valuable to both parties."
Sagamok and KGHM signed an advanced exploration IBA in 2014 and have since worked together to advance site infrastructure and the permitting required for full project development.
The release called the signing of a production IBA a "natural progression anchored in the relationship built by the company and community.”
KGHM benefits from certainty the IBA creates through the mine life, the company said, while Sagamok's community members benefit “from construction through to operation and responsible mine closure.”
Sagamok Anishnawbek's territory is located on the north shore of Lake Huron with 3,400 members, the majority of which live on reserve.
KGHM International is a Vaughan-headquartered subsidiary of the Polish company KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. with assets in Canada, the United States, and Chile focussed on copper, nickel, molybdenum and precious metals.