Selected Project Components and Activities

Project mine area, timing, and pit shell: The Project will mine the FRX Pit, which has sufficient reserves to support Fording River Operations’ production rate. 

Mining direction and technique and waste rock storage locations: The FRX Pit would be developed as a conventional open pit with progressive backfilling once the pit is of sufficient size and can be operated safely and efficiently. This technique would reduce overall disturbance area by placing waste rock within the active pit through progressive backfilling on the north side of the pit. 

Water quality source control and treatment: Source control techniques to reduce nitrate releases from blasting, including lining of ANFO (ammonium nitrate/fuel oil) holes, are being implemented across Teck’s operations and will be implemented for the Project. The Project would continue to evaluate source control options for selenium and sulphate, as well as potential treatment options to manage water quality. The inclusion of source control for selenium and sulphate will take into consideration the level of certainty associated with these measures when assessing water quality and determining treatment requirements. 

Tailings management: Teck selected the dewatered tailings option and storage at the Eagle 4 South combined coarse and fine refuse storage facility. The Project would first utilize Fording River Operations’ current practice including the use of existing slurry (untreated) fine tailings storage capacity. The Project will then transition to the dewatered tailings technology and expand the Eagle 4 South combined coarse and fine refuse storage facility to provide sufficient capacity for the storage of coarse coal refuse and the dewatered fine tailings for the life of the Project. The timing for the transition to the dewatered tailings technology is being evaluated and will be identified in the impact statement / application. 

Coal and waste rock handling: The Project will include use of the existing Fording River Operations fleet of equipment and/or additional equipment, if required, forming the basis of the Project to be assessed. Coal and waste rock handling options continue to be evaluated and sufficient flexibility will be maintained such that a shift to new material handling technologies could be made in the future if their benefit is clearly proven. 

Support infrastructure: The Project will use a combination of existing Fording River Operations facilities, including Coal Processing Plant, offices, maintenance shops, explosives storage, and other existing support facilities, as well as new support infrastructure. The new support infrastructure required for the Project includes access road and utility connections to the existing Fording River Operations and satellite support facilities in the Project mine area.