Final hearing on Meliadine mine will be in Rankin Inlet

The final hearing on the proposed Meliadine gold mine will be held in Rankin Inlet, likely in August.

The Nunavut Impact Review Board decided Rankin Inlet was the best location since the site is only about 24 kilometres from the community.

Agnico-Eagle is proposing to mine five gold deposits there, year-round. It's expected to produce about 3 million tonnes of ore each year for 13 years.

If approved, Meliadine would be Agnico-Eagle's second gold mine in Nunavut. The Meadowbank mine near Baker Lake opened four years ago and is now Agnico-Eagle's largest gold producer.

Before the final hearing, NIRB wants more information from the company on things such as dust mitigation, the impact of marine traffic, and where the workforce will come from.

Agnico-Eagle said its final Environment Impact Statement will be ready by mid-April.

Then NIRB will set the date for the final hearing.