Environmental Sustainability

Avalon has placed a high priority on its performance with respect to environment at Thor Lake. It immediately implemented strong environmental practice alongside its CSR principles after acquiring the project in 2005 and has since followed the PDAC's "e3 Plus" principles and guidelines to further augment its environmental stewardship.

Avalon contracted the environmental site remediation work to two local community based firms, consistent with its policy of maximizing employment opportunities for local communities. This involved the clean-up and disposal of debris, old fuel and other waste materials left behind by previous operators. Furthermore, Avalon continues to carefully contain fuels and lubricants with mini-berms and spill kits, minimizes impacts of tractor use on the land and vegetation by using corduroy on access trails, collecting and disposing of all garbage and kitchen waste via incineration to avoid attracting wildlife and maintains clean drill sites by including on-land disposal of drill cuttings during winter drilling. In addition the Company continues in its efforts to minimize rutting and ground disturbance caused locally by the tractor used for drill moves.

To read Avalon's Safety and Environmental Policy, please go here.

Wind Power Study at Thor Lake

Mining projects in northern Canada are typically dependent on diesel-generated electrical power. This can be a significant long term operating cost factor. Avalon believes that there may be potential for wind power generation close to the Lake Zone deposit on the north side of the Hearne Channel in Great Slave Lake based on local observations and the Wind Atlas Map of Canada developed by the federal Ministry of the Environment (www.windatlas.ca). The wind atlas data suggests that this area may be among the windiest places in the NWT, supporting the potential for power generation.

Belief in the potential for wind power generation in the area is shared by the Yellowknives Dene First Nations which have suggested to the government that a formal study be undertaken to evaluate this potential. A preliminary study was undertaken and the results were positive; the Government of the Northwest Territories has approved funding for the installation of a wind energy test tower at the project site. This test will be conducted over a period of two years as a co-operative venture between Avalon, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation and the Aurora Research Institute. It is anticipated that the 50 metre high test tower will be installed September of 2009.

To see photos of the wind power site at Thor Lake, please visit our Photo Gallery

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