Author: Matt Gardan

How carbon traps heat from the sun in the atmosphere

Many companies are talking about reducing carbon footprints and achieving net zero emissions, but what exactly does the term ‘net zero’ mean?

Net zero means achieving a balance between the carbon released into the atmosphere and the carbon removed from it. Net zero occurs when the amount of carbon we add to the atmosphere is no more than the amount removed. This can be achieved through a combination of emission reduction and emission removal.

The carbon we are referring to is carbon dioxide or CO2, which is made up of one atom of carbon and two atoms of oxygen. Carbon dioxide is released when humans or animals exhale and when materials are burned or decomposed. CO2 is beneficial because plants use it during photosynthesis to make food.

The emission of CO2 and consumption of CO2 is called the carbon cycle. When more CO2 is emitted than consumed, it results in a change in the earth’s atmosphere: the more CO2, the more heat is retained through a phenomenon called the ‘greenhouse effect’ resulting in increasing temperatures and climate change. Climate change causes fluctuations in weather patterns such as storms, wildfires, and droughts which affect people, plants and animals’ ability to thrive.

Electric vehicle charging

In 2021, Canada’s largest carbon footprint sources were the oil and gas sector (28%) and the transportation sector (22%). So, how can we reduce carbon emissions?

One big step is moving away from internal combustion engines that use and burn gasoline to power vehicles and replacing them with electric vehicles (EVs). This would reduce our reliance on the oil and gas sector and the number of vehicles emitting CO2.

As part of Canada’s climate plans and targets, the federal government has laid out a roadmap to reduce emissions and achieve net zero emissions by 2050. As part of this plan, automakers will be required to sell only zero-emission vehicles in Canada: at least 20% of zero-emission vehicles by 2026, 60% percent by 2030, and 100% by 2035.

Our Eagle’s Nest Project contains the high-grade nickel needed for the batteries that go into EVs. There are multiple EV battery factories planned to be built in Canada over the next few years and we have an opportunity to create a local supply of nickel for use in these batteries mined sustainably in partnership with local communities. We are also looking into implementing sustainable and electric technologies at our mine site to further reduce CO2 emissions as we aim to be a net zero operation.

Peat moss

The region we work in contains areas of swampy terrain, which is characterized by a material called peat. Peat plays a significant role in climate change, so it is important that we carry out development in a responsible way to protect the peatlands.

What is peat?

Peat is soil that builds up in wet environments and is made of partly decomposed moss, leaves, trees, plants and lichen. These wet environments do not contain oxygen so decomposers such as bacteria, insects and fungi cannot survive, which prevent the plant material from fully decomposing. This material accumulates over many years: as new peat is formed, older peat gets pushed down deeper to create a thick layer of peat.

Why is peat important?

Peatlands store vast amounts of carbon. Given that the plant material trapped by peat does not decompose, it does not release carbon dioxide (CO2). Instead, the peat traps the carbon, preventing it from being released into the environment. Read our story on Reducing Carbon and the affects carbon has on the climate.

Peatlands are also an important habitat for caribou, birds, and other mammals. Reindeer moss, a lichen that grows in the peatlands, serves as a food source for caribou.

What are we doing to protect the peat?

We actively protect the peat by minimizing disturbance during our exploration programs and other site activities. We use indirect methods such as electromagnetic and magnetic testing for metals, which do not disturb the peat.

Exploration drilling takes place either in the winter when the ground is frozen or in the summer when we build log platforms that sit on top of the peat. When our drilling programs are complete, we leave the site clean and free to return to its natural state or rehabilitate certain areas by planting trees where there is insufficient growth.

For our Eagle’s Nest Project, the current design covers a small surface footprint of around one square kilometre planned mostly on esker rather than on peat. Ore will be extracted underground and we will also be one of the first mines to store 100% of our tailings completely underground. This will minimize our impact on the environment and to the surrounding peat.

We are constantly looking for ways to advance responsible development and will continue to implement industry-leading processes and technologies for the sustainable development of our mine.

Replanting vegetation on drill pads