Factbox-Wildfires halt mining operations in Canada
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(Reuters) -Intense wildfires have hit Canada this year, with Quebec being the worst-affected region. The government has closed access to several roads across Quebec and many mining companies have had to temporarily curtail their operations.
Here is a list of companies that have suspended operations:
Hecla Mining
The miner has suspended operations at its Casa Berardi mine in Quebec. It says mining infrastructure has not been impacted so far.
Osisko Mining
The miner has suspended all activities at the Windfall gold project in Quebec, but does not anticipate any material impact on its business.
Wallbridge Mining
Wallbridge has temporarily evacuated the camp at its wholly owned Fenelon Gold project and suspended all exploration activities on its Detour-Fenelon Gold Trend Property in Quebec due to an emergency order related to forest fires.
The company says exploration activities will resume “as soon as practicable”.
Québec Nickel
The base metal miner has suspended all its exploration activities at the Ducros Project.
Troilus Gold
Troilus has suspended operations at its Troilus project site in northern Quebec and withdrawn staff as a precautionary measure.
Q2 Metals
The Vancouver-based miner has withdrawn its crew and equipment from its flagship Mia lithium property in the James Bay area of Quebec.
Patriot Battery Metals
Patriot has ceased field exploration operations at its Corvette property in northern Quebec but will continue lithium processing and advance its camp construction activities with respect to government advisory.
Brunswick Exploration
The company has suspended exploration activities at its three camps in northern Quebec. It has also suspended operations in the Saskatchewan region due to the wildfires.
Champion Electric Metals Inc
The miner has temporarily ceased all activities at its lithium projects in northern Quebec due to the forest fires.
Bonterra Resources
Bonterra has stopped its exploration activities in the Quebec region and evacuated all its personnel safely.
Archer Exploration
Archer has temporarily suspended all activities at its Grasset Project in the James Bay territory in Quebec.
Cosmos Exploration
Australia’s Cosmos says its programs and exploration activities at its Corvette Far East and Laselle lithium projects in Quebec have been temporarily closed.
Iron Ore Company of Canada
Rio Tinto’s majority-owned Iron Ore Company of Canada says transportation via the Quebec North Shore and Labrador Railway will remain suspended until Friday due to fire, smoke hazards, and damage to telecommunication and power lines. Operations at its Labrador City mine have also been halted.
Agnico Eagle Mines
Canadian Gold producer Agnico Eagle Mines says some sites where operations were reduced between June 2 and 5 were back to normal on Monday, although exploration activities carried out by Quebec regional exploration team in the impacted sector remain suspended.
(Reporting by Sourasis Bose, Mrinmay Dey and Yana Gaur in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar, Tom Hogue and Rashmi Aich)