Mining company commits to hiring locally

It looks like the Labrador Iron Mines project will be a great benefit to residents in Labrador West.

In the Feb. 2 council meeting, Jeff Boland, Lab. City town manager, explained the Town met with Bill Hooley, president of Labrador Iron Mines, and Marc Duclos, vice-president of transportation, Jan. 21 to discuss the company's operation near Schefferville, QC.

According to the company's website, LIM is focused on the development and production of eight direct-shipping iron ore deposits located across a 100-kilometre strike length in the Labrador Trough.

LIM, Boland explained, is using pits previously used by IOC for the project and the company hopes to produce and ship the ore to Sept-Iles by July 2010.

Production, according to the town manager, is tied to the replacement of a rail spur line - about 4.5 kilometres of line needs to be upgraded - which LIM hopes to complete by mid-April.

Lab. City mayor Janice Barnes noted the meeting with company representatives was interesting and informative, but council was most concerned with who would be hired to work on the project.

"Council wanted to make sure there was a local office here with a local presence and (LIM) assured us there would be an office here," she pointed out.

There will be approximately 100 to 110 people hired to work on the project, Barnes said, and the company said Lab. West residents will be considered first.

Happy Valley-Goose Bay citizens are second on the hiring list, then it will be opened up to the rest of Labrador, and then the rest of the province.

"This is exciting," she stated. "It's an opportunity. There is potential for employment here once the office opens and I hope our residents apply for jobs."

Boland said 78 per cent of employment on the project is expected to be from Newfoundland and Labrador, 85 per cent of the economic benefits are supposed to be accrued in the province and 25 per cent of employment will go to aboriginal people.

"The mine itself will be operated by a mining contractor that will be based in Labrador West," Boland added. "The mine will be in operation from April to November each year."

Workers, he pointed out, will live in a 72-person modern work camp, which will be located near the Labrador border and they will work on a four weeks on, two weeks off rotation.

Barnes said she is glad the company committed to giving Lab. West residents jobs on the project first, and she implored LIM to spread the word as soon as possible.

She noted there is a good market for direct shipping ore - the company's website indicates the product is suitable for Europe and Asia - and LIM is on an aggressive timetable.

Barnes said the Lab. City town council will stay abreast of the LIM project to ensure the company keeps its word to the community.