Borden Project Receives Canada’s Clean Growth Program Funding

Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, together with Parliamentary Secretary Paul Lefebvre, announced this week that the Government of Canada plans to invest $5 million to help position Goldcorp’s Borden Project as a mine of the future — mining ore in a more environmentally sustainable way.

The Borden Project will be the first underground mine in Canada to replace all diesel mobile equipment with battery electric vehicles. Additionally, the project brings significant environmental benefits by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and will create approximately 250 jobs for local and Indigenous communities.

“We believe the days of diesel use for underground mining equipment are numbered and electrification of our mobile fleet is a logical way to significantly reduce the mine’s environmental footprint,” said David Garofalo, Goldcorp’s President and CEO. “We are partnering with like-minded technology suppliers like Maclean Engineering and Sandvik, provincial and federal governments and First Nations to commercialize clean technologies, improve health and safety performance, and reduce GHG emissions with the aim of improving the viability, sustainability and profitability of our mines. It’s gratifying to see multiple levels of government support innovation and our vision of a safer, greener mining industry.”

The project would be funded by Natural Resources Canada’s Clean Growth Program, which is a $155 million investment fund for clean technology research and development and demonstration projects in three Canadian sectors: energy, mining and forestry.

“Improved environmental performance in Canada’s mining sector is one of the key paths to a low-carbon economy,” said the Honourable Amarjeet Sohi, during his visit to Borden for the announcement. “This project helps advance clean technologies to commercial readiness, creates good middle class jobs and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.”

Borden is a key part of Goldcorp’s plan to increase production by 20% by 2021 and is expected to begin commercial production in the second half of 2019.

Goldcorp has successfully spurred innovation in the mining sector through its #DisruptMining challenge and has invested over $10 million in a range of start-ups and new technologies in the past two years. #DisruptMining offers entrepreneurs a platform to bring disruptive and exponential technologies to the sector, whether it’s unlocking exploration opportunities; finding operational and production efficiencies; reducing the environmental footprint and delivering on sustainability commitments; or developing alternative ways to finance capital projects.

Any innovator interested in pitching their idea at the #DisruptMining innovation expo and “shark-tank” style live event is encouraged to submit an application. Full application details and requirements can be found at: www.disruptmining.com. Submissions will be accepted until November 5, 2018.