Yellowknife (Apr 14/03) - The winter ice road used to re-supply the Ekati, Diavik and Echo Bay mines won't be subject to an environmental impact assessment.

The Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board announced the decision last week.

BHP's Chris Hanks says winter ice road haul season was "as successful as we've ever had." - Norm Poole/NNSL photo

The board agreed with the mining companies view that an environmental assessment isn't legally required as the road isn't new.

The 567-kilometre road system has been in use for 20 years.

The Department of Indian and Northern Affairs last year renewed the mining companies road-use licence for another 30 years.

"The board noted that the road has had a good environmental and safety record over the past 20 years," said BHP's Chris Hanks, a spokesman for the user group.

"We intend to keep it that way."

Tonnage figures for the past season aren't yet available, but about 5,200 loads were hauled north and 800 south.

The road was open for about eight weeks, from the end of January until the end of March.

It is built and maintained by Nuna Logistics at a cost of about $9 million a year, shared by the mines based on tonnage hauled.

Fuel is the major re-supply commodity transported. BHP Billiton alone moved some 70 million litres of fuel to the Ekati mine during the eight-week season.

A record 7,900 loads and 250,000 tonnes of fuel and supplies were moved on the road in 2002.

When construction begins in earnest at De Beers Snap Lake property, the road could see 10,000 to 12,000 loads a season, said Hanks.

"It could jump to that if De Beers comes on, if Tahera goes forward with its Jericho mine, and if Echo Bay keeps hauling at current levels or increases because of satellite mine development."

The number of trucks would be even higher but for evolving road engineering that allows ever-increasing load weights.

Initial haul load capacities early in the season range from 11,250 to 22,500 kilograms. As the season proceeds, maximum load weights are gradually increased.

"We now run Super-B fuel tankers that approach 137,000 pounds," Hanks said. A Super-B train truck requires about 40 inches of ice.

The largest load hauled during the past season was a mine truck rock box, moved into Diavik by RTL Robinson.

The rock box and the 10-axle truck employed had a gross vehicle weight of about 170,000 pounds. The record is about 188,500 pounds.

Hanks termed the past season "one of the smoothest and most successful we have ever had.

"The caribou weren't around so generally there weren't large numbers of people on the road."

For the first time in several years, RWED ran a 24-hour a day check-point at the northern end in collaboration with the Dene to monitor hunters.

"Wildlife has always been one of the concerns with the road."

Concerns expressed by Ingraham Trail residents at the start of the season were addressed throughout, Hanks said.

That included strict enforcement of speed limits and safety regulations.

"We have managed over the past few years to get the truck speeds down on the Ingraham Trail and that has helped a lot."

The posted speed on the trail is 70 km/h, but all mine-bound trucks are restricted to 60 km/h.

One accident involving a tanker truck was contained quickly with no fuel spillage, he said.

"We did have a couple of small spills from saddle tanks on the trucks, but there were cleaned up very quickly."