061211-Environmental Screening Report-IMAE.pdf - nirb

2.5.9 Project Component 8 - Ship SizesThe Handymax size of vessel (approximately 55,000 Dry Weight Tonnes, or DWT) hasbeen selected as it is the largest vessel commonly available on the time-charter market thatis commonly equipped with self-loading grabs. This allows for the use of simple barges andtugs to transport the ore to the ship without the need for any permanent infrastructure suchas docks, or extremely expensive loading vessels such as self-unloading barges, which arenot common in the rental marketplace.In selecting the largest common self-loading ship, the number of voyages into Milne Inlethas been minimized to only five. This will reduce to a minimum the vessel traffic and theimpact on marine mammals and recreational use of the waterway. Smaller vessels wouldincrease the amount of ship traffic. Larger vessels that are equipped with self-loadingequipment would be difficult to secure for short term time-charters.Use of time-chartered self-loading Handymax vessels is recommended. Use of smaller orlarger vessels or non self-loading vessels is not recommended.2.6 RELATIONSHIP TO FULL-SCALE PRODUCTIONIt is Baffinland’s intention to advance the Mary River Project to full-scale production in the future,and the bulk sampling program works toward this end. Nevertheless, the bulk sampling programhas been designed as a temporary project.Camp, mining and fuel storage facilities to be installed for the Project meet with the bulk samplingprogram’s requirements and are of a temporary nature such that each may be dismantled andremoved from site with relative ease. No permanent foundations or installations are proposed.Road upgrades to all-weather capability will provide a sufficient road surface to support theequipment to be used for the program and will allow for completion of the bulk sampling program byOctober 2008. Alternatives to an all-weather road are discussed in Section 2.5.8. The schedule willallow Baffinland to secure the marketing contracts and financial backing necessary to construct amine. The road upgrades have the added benefit of restoring proper drainage at many crossingswhere old barrel crossings have blocked drainage and have resulted in erosion of a new channel,by restoring drainage through the original path with appropriately sized and installed culverts. Roadmaintenance will continue until full-scale production was approved through an environmental reviewand permitting. Should the Project for whatever reason not move forward, then Baffinland woulddecommission the road in accordance with its abandonment and reclamation plan for the bulksampling program.2.7 SCHEDULEA detailed schedule is provided as Figure 2.2. The main milestone dates are as follows:Page 13 of 169NB102-00181/6-1Revision 0November 20, 2006