MD&A Disclosure on Nechalacho Community, Environment, Health & Safety, and Permitting
Each quarter, Avalon includes a Community, Environment, Health & Safety, and Permitting section in its Management Discussion and Analysis for Nechalacho, Thor Lake. Following is the latest quarterly filing, link below to previous quarterly disclosure.
Following is the latest excerpt from the year ended August 31, 2012
During the Year, the Company completed its Accommodation Agreement with the Deninu Kue First Nation (“DKFN”). The Accommodation Agreement provides for business and employment opportunities for the DKFN related to the Project and contains measures to mitigate environmental and cultural impacts that may result from the project development. The Accommodation Agreement also commits the DKFN to supporting timely completion of the environmental assessment, permitting and development processes of the Project.
The definitive financial structure for the Project has not been finally determined, but it is expected that it will take the form of a limited partnership (the “LP”), in which the DKFN will participate as one of its business opportunities. Upon receipt by the Company of certain regulatory permits and approvals, the DKFN will acquire 3,333 limited partnership units (the “Partnership Units”), out of a projected total of 100,000 limited partnership units to be held by the Company and its Aboriginal partners. The DKFN may, at its option, borrow from the Company all or a portion of the capital required to acquire the 3,333 Partnership Units or for any subsequent cash contributions to the LP.
In conjunction with the Accommodation Agreement, the Company has issued an aggregate of 10,000 common shares of the Company, and agreed to grant an aggregate of 50,000 non-transferrable common share purchase warrants of the Company to the DKFN. The common shares are subject to certain statutory restrictions on resale, as well as contractual restrictions on transfer pending receipt of certain regulatory permits and approvals for the Project. As at August 31, 2012, the Company has issued 10,000 warrants with an exercise price of $1.48 per share to the DKFN with an expiry date of August 9, 2017. The remaining 40,000 warrants will be issued in four installments of 10,000 warrants per year over the next four years on the anniversary of the effective date of the Accommodation Agreement. These warrants will have a term of five years and will have an exercise price based on the then current market price of the Company’s common shares at the date of issue of the warrants.
Negotiations towards the completion of similar accommodation agreements with the Lutsel K’e Dene First Nation (“LKDFN”) and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation (“YKDFN”) are ongoing with the objective of concluding these agreements by early 2013.
The Company has placed a high priority on its performance with respect to health and safety at Thor Lake. The Company’s safety performance improved significantly during the Quarter, with no lost time or medical aid accidents. This improvement is attributed to additional safety training and an emphasis on preventative measures such as near-miss reporting, improved housekeeping, risk assessments, regular and more frequent inspections, emergency drills, and both weekly and daily safety meetings. A resulting benefit of the improved safety awareness and performance was a concurrent improvement in drilling performance.
A land use inspection was conducted on August 22, 2012 by the Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (formerly Indian and Northern Affairs Canada) Land Use inspectors. All concerns raised were minor in nature and were already being addressed prior to the inspection. As is the Company’s practice, all land use inspection reports have been filed on the Company’s website at www.avalonraremetals.com in the CSR/Sustainability section.
The environmental assessment process being conducted under regulations administered by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board (“MVEIRB”) is advancing slowly but steadily. In August, the Company participated in Technical Sessions held in Yellowknife and responded to all regulator questions or concerns made at the time as well as all subsequent supplementary Information Requests. On October 26, MVEIRB requested further information on water quality impacts which the Company provided on October 31.
Regulators technical reports are now due November 30, 2012 followed thereafter by a prehearing conference. Public hearings are tentatively scheduled for mid-February 2013, three months behind the originally forecast schedule. This creates some risk for delays in securing operating permits, but Management remains optimistic that any permitting delays experienced in 2013 will not impact the overall project schedule to production. Copies of all information submitted by the Company can be found on MVEIRB’s public registry at www.reviewboard.ca.
Activities at the Project are conducted under a new land use permit issued by the Mackenzie Valley Land and Water Board on June 23, 2011, for a period of 5 years beginning on July 5, 2011. The Company has begun discussions with the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality to identify permitting requirements for the Separation Plant located in Geismar, Louisiana. Initial indications are that while the process is rigorous, timelines for receiving permits are more predictable than in the Northwest Territories. Avalon will be starting the permitting process in late 2012 to ensure completion prior to the scheduled commencement of construction activities in 2014.
Link to previous quarterly MD&A disclosure on Community, Environment, Health & Safety
