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Vale employee smiling in green landscape. She is wearing a green Vale
uniform, goggles, helmet and ear plugs. Visual wave artifact Vale
Tubes
Photo: Vale's Archive
Molten lava
Photo: Vale's Archive

Snapshot of Operations

Operations at Vale’s open-pit mine and concentrator at Voisey’s Bay in Labrador began in 2005.

Nickel concentrate produced at Voisey’s Bay is currently processed at our hydrometallurgical processing facility in Long Harbour, Newfoundland.

Voisey’s Bay is a fly-in/fly-out operation. Significant infrastructure is required to support the mine and concentrator and to ensure a safe and comfortable living environment for the people that work at the site..

Partnerships with Aboriginal People

Since Voisey's Bay is located in an area subject to land claims by both Innu Nation and the Nunatsiavut Government, we have negotiated separate Impacts and Benefits Agreements (IBA) with these two aboriginal groups.
Through the IBAs, we have established specific employment commitments for Innu and Inuit and we give first consideration to aboriginal businesses to provide goods and services to our operation in Voisey’s Bay.

Vale encourages the establishment of capacity building aboriginal joint ventures to meet the supply and service needs for its Labrador operations. Approximately 80% of the operations support contracts at the Voisey's Bay mine and concentrator were with aboriginal businesses..
Aerial view
Photo: Vale's Archive
Aerial view
Photo: Vale's Archive

Community Support

Specific scholarships are available for Innu and Inuit people. Vale is also providing ongoing support funding to programs aimed at encouraging school attendance and student development.

Vale regularly supports cultural and community events through sponsorships and donations. Since Vale became involved in the Voisey's Bay development, significant contributions have been made to healthcare, education and to research and development in the Province.

Voisey's Bay Employment

Approximately 500 people support mining operations at Voisey's Bay, of which about 51% are aboriginal. Vale is currently completing a detailed engineering study to support the development of an underground mine.

Subject to Board approval, construction would begin around 2016 and be completed in 2019. We estimate that an additional 400 people will be employed at the mine and concentrator when underground mining begins.
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