Baseline Studies

A baseline study is prepared by a project proponent and their hired consultants to describe the current physical, biological and human environment conditions at a project site and surrounding area prior to project development.

Physical environment

Baseline studies describe the physical conditions and characteristics in the defined study area at and around the Project site. These studies document air quality, noise, hydrology (lakes, rivers, etc.) and climate, hydrogeology (groundwater), geochemistry and geology and surface and groundwater quality.

Learn more

Human environment

Baseline studies describe the socio-economic conditions in the defined study area at and around the Project site. These studies document land and resource use, Indigenous traditional knowledge and land use, archaeology, visual aesthetics, and socio-economic

Learn more

Biological environment

Baseline studies describe the biological conditions and characteristics in the defined study area at and around the Project site. These studies document the soils, vegetation, and wildlife and aquatic biology of the area, estimate the area’s biodiversity, and describe any nearby protected areas

Learn more

The Marban Alliance study area includes the Project site and the surrounding area that may be affected by the Project, as well as additional selected areas as they apply to the Project.

Baseline studies support the environmental assessment process. Understanding the current conditions, challenges and future plans of an area related to the Project provides a basis against potential effects of the Project that can be assessed. These assessments assist in decisions on the design and management of the Project to reduce its potential effects.

As of 2018, a multitude of environmental baseline studies have been conducted in the project’s target area to establish an environmental portrait and to constitute a knowledge base of the pre-project conditions for this sector. In this context, the following environmental baselines studies were produced:

Environment

Physical

  • Initial state of the soils
  • Water and sediments
  • Air Quality
  • Reference hydrological conditions
  • Geochemical characterization of ore and waste rock

Human

  • Existing pre-project noise and vibration climate

Biological

  • Avian Fauna
  • Micromammals
  • Bats (chiropterans)
  • Amphibians and reptiles (Herpetofauna)
  • Fish and its habitat
  • Vegetation and wetlands

Additional baseline studies have been completed in 2021 and 2022.
The knowledge gained from the previous studies remains valid and is enhanced or refined by the findings of the complementary studies. While some of these studies remain valid, others have been produced or updated in 2021 and 2022.

These additional studies include:

Physical

  • Air quality (1-year continuous monitoring)
  • Reference hydrological conditions
  • Geochemistry on ore and waste rock (Kinetic tests)
  • Hydrogeology
  • Surface water and sediments quality
  • Groundwater and soils quality
  • Keriens’ creek sediment characterization

Human

  • Archeological potential
  • Noise & Vibrations
  • Light and nocturnal landscape
  • Landscape
  • Traffic and road safety (117 and Gervais Road)

Biological

  • Avian fauna
  • Micromammals
  • Bats (chiropterans)
  • Amphibians and reptiles (Herpetofauna)
  • Fish and its habitat
  • Vegetation and wetlands

Stay tuned

To always be up to date with the latest news related to the Marban Alliance project, subscribe to our newsletter below.