Quebec rail service resumes after wildfires

Champion Iron Limited  has been able to resume railway services from its Bloom Lake mine to the port of Sept-Îles, Quebec.

Forest fires emerged on May 28, 2023, approximately 300 kilometres south of Bloom Lake. This resulted in interruptions of the railway beginning on  May 30.

Although there was no damage to Champion’s facilities, the railway or third-party infrastructure, the company halted rail operations on June 6, 2023,

As the forest fires recently subsided in the region, and no significant damage was identified to the railway following inspections by its operator, the line was gradually reopened.

On June 10, the company successfully completed its first rail shipment from Bloom Lake to the port of Sept-Îles since the interruptions began.

Despite supply chain challenges impacting operations, Bloom Lake operated continuously throughout the railway interruptions and stockpiled iron ore concentrate at the mining complex.

Limited additional availability of rolling stock to accommodate excess volumes beyond Bloom Lake’s production capacity, means the company will see delays in sales of its stockpiled iron ore concentrate at Bloom Lake.

“We sincerely thank all involved in mitigating the impact of forest fires for the local communities and the environment,” said Champion’s CEO, David Cataford.

Champion, through its wholly owned subsidiary Quebec Iron Ore Inc., owns and operates the Bloom Lake Mining Complex, located on the south end of the Labrador Trough, approximately 13 km north of Fermont, Québec. Bloom Lake is an open-pit operation with two concentrators that primarily source energy from renewable hydroelectric power.

The company ships iron ore concentrate from Bloom Lake by rail to the port in Sept-Îles, Québec, and has sold its iron ore concentrate to customers globally, including in China, Japan, the Middle East, Europe, South Korea, India and Canada.

In addition to Bloom Lake, Champion owns a portfolio of exploration and development projects in the Labrador Trough, including the Kamistiatusset Project, located a few kilometres south-east of Bloom Lake, and the Consolidated Fire Lake North iron ore project, located approximately 40 km south of Bloom Lake.