O3 Mining is a gold explorer and mine developer. It is well capitalized and the sole owner of all its properties in Québec (66,000 hectares). O3 Mining trades on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: OIII) and on OTC markets (OTCQX: OIIIF). The company is focused on delivering superior returns to its shareholders and long-term benefits to its stakeholders.
Our head office is in Toronto and our operational headquarters is in Val-d’Or, where 80% of our employees work.
Our project is subject to two processes that will shape its future. We have to complete processes for the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC) and the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs. (MELCCFP). If we receive government approval through these processes, construction could begin in 2026, with production starting in 2027.
These dates are provisional.
It is the governments that will determine the social acceptability of the Marban Alliance project. O3 Mining is inviting all stakeholders and Indigenous communities to actively participate in the environmental assessment process, in order to identify the project’s strengths as well as any changes required, to ensure that the governments can make informed decisions.
On our side, we will put a participatory mechanism in place to modify and improve the project, as well as mitigate impacts and maximize benefits.
The selected mining method is a matter of mining engineering. From the very first technical studies, engineers examine multiple options. The extraction method is determined based on:
In the specific case of the Marban Alliance project, the grade of 1.09 g/t, the proximity to the surface and the presence of former underground mines that extracted part of the higher-grade resource explain the selection of the open-pit method.
A wide range of environmental studies have been carried out and more remain to be done. They examine many aspects of the environment: fauna, flora, water quality, air quality, light, soil quality and more. For the moment, we are continuing to study the area where we intend to build the project, to put forward the best possible proposal. We are currently in the data collection phase.
Once we have established the best proposal, we will conduct an impact study to assess the impact of our activities and put the appropriate mitigation measures in place. This process is part of our work with the IAAC and MELCCFP.
We will be happy to share the results of the studies when they are completed. It is important for us to understand which elements of these studies are of interest to you so we can have a better understanding of your concerns.
We are following federal and provincial guidelines and the standards set by the governments.
Our vision is to become a first-class gold producer and, whenever possible, to go beyond compliance. This is why we maintain dialogue with the community, to listen to their concerns and exchange on potential impacts.
In its current form, the project includes the Norlartic pit and secondary pits located along Keriens waterway. However, as part of the process of diverting the Keriens waterway, we will create an environment conducive to biodiversity, to support the original flora and fauna.
We carried out our exploration work in accordance with best practices, as evidenced by our Ecologo Certification for Mineral Exploration. We do not hesitate to go beyond the legislation in order to eliminate or reduce impacts as much as possible.
Our goal is to pursue our activities in a way that has as little impact on the environment as possible, and we make every effort to achieve those standards; this is what allows us to meet the Ecologo standards.
For example, we check for the presence of sensitive areas (habitat favourable to threatened, vulnerable or sensitive species) and implement the avoidance or mitigation measures recommended by the various government departments.
Feel free to look at our responsible exploration program.
We are currently sampling wells in the project area. We extended our radius beyond the prescribed radius to collect a large amount of data, in order to establish an initial picture of the sector. Communication and transparency are very important to us, so all well sampling results are forwarded to the owners. Once the characterization study is complete, we will be able to determine whether a plan and/or protocol are needed, and if so, we will develop it in consultation with the community.