Teck was presented the award at a reception hosted by the Mining Association of Canada (MAC) in Sparwood, British Columbia; Teck employees, community members and government officials were in attendance.
The TSM Performance Awards are presented annually to MAC members that achieve high performance and meet or surpass benchmarks in tailings management, Aboriginal and community outreach, energy use, and crisis management planning. A facility’s TSM results must be externally verified for eligibility.
“Teck employees live and work in this region and are making sure resource development is sustainable and creates benefits for the community,” said Marcia Smith, senior vice president, Sustainability and External Affairs for Teck. “This reflects tremendous work of employees who improve our sustainability performance.”
While Elkview’s scores reflect leadership across TSM categories, the facility also stood out for best practices in Aboriginal and community outreach. Here, Elkview achieved the highest possible ranking — “AAA” — across indicators. This includes establishing communication processes with communities of interest, understanding local viewpoints, and ensuring communities are informed of activities and performance.
Teck also established an advisory panel in Q1 2012, comprised of community representatives, to foster dialogue about operations and incorporate local priorities and perspectives into decision-making. This initiative is aligned with goals to implement processes to maximize benefits and collaboration within the community.
The Elkview site is Teck’s No. 2 open-pit asset, with more than 1,000 full-time employees; it lies in southeastern British Columbia, and produces high-quality metallurgical coal. Current annual production capacity for the mine is 6.5 million tons. At present planned rates, Elkview is estimated to have a reserve life of 34 years.
