News from our businesses and markets

More than 100,000 plants grown from seeds collected by hand in the local area by Attawapiskat First Nation youth are maturing in the De Beers Victor Mine on-site greenhouse, part of the mine’s $7.4 million progressive reclamation program in 2018.

The plants, mostly alder seedlings were propagated in the greenhouse with a few thousand grown in the specialized on-site ‘crop box’ over the winter. The crop box is also located at the remote mine in the James Bay Lowlands, about 90 km west of Attawapiskat and 1,100 km north of Toronto. The plants will remain in the greenhouse for approximately six months during which time they will “harden off” or grow strong enough to withstand the harsh Northern Ontario climate.

“Running and operating a greenhouse in this climate is a challenge in and of itself,” said Summer Zawacky, Reclamation Supervisor at Victor Mine. “Our frost risk extends into June, so we have to be more diligent on the length of time we protect the young plants.”

The project is part of the Victor Mine’s commitment to reclaim the surface area of the mine site after closure, and reflects De Beers’ goal to promote biodiversity and sustainability.

“Vegetative cover helps with stability but more importantly this is to support biodiversity which is one of our commitments with closure of the mine,” said Hilary Lefort, a reclamation technician at Victor Mine. “By using native plants in the landscape we’re introducing the same plants that were there before the mine opened.”

During 2018 alone, close to 500,000 trees, shrubs and other plants will be planted at the mine site.

One of the biggest factors is the logistics of planning the planting program a year in advance.

“We can’t just go to Home Depot when we’re out of fertilizer or planting soil, it’s a well-planned process,” explained Hilary.

The greenhouse has plants in three stages of growing: ones that were put in the greenhouse in March which will be planted during the next few weeks; younger plants that will go in to the ground this summer; and seed plugs that will grow for this fall’s planting season.

Click here to see a video about the project.