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lmost by accident, it was in September 1993 that prospectors exploring northern Labrador for diamonds uncovered the vast nickel deposits of Voisey’s Bay. Located on the eastern edge of an expanse of northern wilderness, some 350 kilometres north of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, it was in 1996 that Vale Ltd. acquired the rights to the Voisey’s Bay property. Viewed as one of the most important nickel-copper-cobalt discoveries of recent times, it is estimated that Voisey’s Bay may contain as much as 60 million tonnes of resources contained in near surface and underground deposits. Processing up to 6800 tonnes of ore a day, Vale is currently working to a mining plan based on the near surface reserves that has a working life of approximately 15 years. The copper concentrate is sold into the market, while the nickel concentrate is shipped to Vale’s operations in Sudbury, Ontario and Thompson, Manitoba for further processing. Vale ships the nickel concentrate on a purpose built Arctic-class bulk carrier especially strengthened to break through the sea ice that builds up in the waters around Voisey’s Bay. Vale’s processing of first ore officially began in August 2005, an event that was followed two months later with the completed construction of a hydromet demonstration plant. The final phase of its research and development programme was completed in June 2008, giving way to the construction of a processing
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Construction of main processing plant at Long Harbour, Newfoundland