Project description

The Lac à Paul project consists in operating an open pit phosphate mine in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, 168 kilometres north of the City of Saguenay.

375 jobs

created for mining activities

55 000 tons

ore will be processed daily

*Project under development that could potentially join the IP Zone in a second phase

Every day, 55,000 tons of ore will be processed to produce 3 million tons of high-quality phosphate concentrate (apatite) per year.   This product will be exported all over the world and will be used primarily for manufacturing fertilizers with a significantly reduced contaminant content.

Arianne Phosphate is a regional company.   It is headquartered in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, where almost all employees live and work.

Overall, 87% of the product from phosphate rock processing (apatite) is used in the production of fertilizers. Phosphorus is one of the three components of fertilizers, with nitrogen (N) and potassium (K).   There is no substitute for phosphorus in agriculture.   The rest is used in food and feed as well as in various products, such as preservatives and anticorrosives, cosmetics, fungicides, ceramics, water treatment and metallurgy.

Arianne Phosphate will produce a very high quality, safe concentrate containing few traces of contaminants.

Economic benefits

Several jobs will be created directly and indirectly during the construction and operation of the mine, including:

  • 475 jobs created directly on the mine site for the construction of the facilities;
  • 375 jobs created directly by Arianne Phosphate for mining activities after commissioning;
  • Around one hundred jobs created for the transport of ore;
  • Several hundred jobs created indirectly by suppliers of goods and services during the construction and operation of the mine.

Significant investments are expected over the life of the project:

  • Construction and maintenance of mine assets: $1,679.4 million;
  • Mining: $7,446.4 million;
  • Mine site restoration: $47 million.

Environmental Properties

The use of hydroelectricity has been optimized to limit the production of greenhouse gases.

The product will be dried in the largest all-electric dryer of this type in the world.

The concentration process has been improved to eliminate the use of acids and starch and to reduce the use of caustic soda in order to minimize the impact on the environment.

The Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean phosphate will be the safest for the environment in the world!

Why the Saguenay IP Zone?

  “We are confident that Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean phosphate will soon be part of our collective identity and will be the pride of the entire region”

– Arianne Phosphate

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