Our operations are being planned in such a way as to meet all prevailing environmental standards. Preventive inspections are suggested out of concern for maintaining a peaceful coexistence with our neighbours.

Experts and authorities agree that it is a good practice to conduct a baseline inspection of the foundations of homes near a mining project prior to construction or active operations. We made this commitment to the Task Force and commissioned outside experts (the firm WSP) to carry out the inspections.

Accordingly, we propose to conduct some inspections this fall on boulevard Rideau, in the area near the Yamana property. The inspections will allow us to document the pre-existing condition of properties before advanced exploration work begins in the winter of 2023. Although we do not expect any structural impacts on the properties in question, the inspections will facilitate any eventual follow-up should an issue arise. The work will also make it possible to monitor the most sensitive or fragile components of a property throughout the construction and operation period.

Our plan is to continue with the other properties in the vicinity later in 2023. The results of the environmental impact assessment will allow us to more precisely determine the area to be covered by the baseline inspections.

The inspection process

A voluntary inspection offer will be mailed to the homeowners concerned in September. A WSP expert will then contact the homeowners to answer any questions they might have and arrange an appointment at their convenience. The inspections will be done in October.

A homeowner can expect the inspection to take about one hour. One person living in the home must be present during the visit. The inspector will take photos of the visible interior and exterior parts of the property.

If an existing fissure is observed in a foundation, the inspector could offer to install a crack detection scanner to measure any change to it over time and across the seasons. Homeowners have the choice of accepting or refusing to use the device. Evaluation of the progression of a foundation crack can also be done using comparison photographs.

The inspection report is strictly confidential. It will be seen only by the relevant Yamana Gold personnel and the homeowner.

Following the inspection, homeowners can expect to receive a satisfaction survey, which will help us improve the process in future.

For the coexistence guide

Monitoring and maintaining the integrity of properties will be an important part of the coexistence guide that is currently being developed. Residential inspections are one of Yamana's commitments in this regard and others will be added after the environmental impact assessment.

Should you have any questions, comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our team at 1 833 510-0330 or by email at wasamac@yamana.com. We will also be pleased to meet you in person at the Community Relations office, which is located at 14 d'Évain.

At Yamana, we value and are deeply committed to advancing diversity and inclusion throughout our organization, in Quebec and wherever we operate around the world. Our team has established a diversity and inclusion policy that fosters a culture of belonging and ensures that all employees are treated with dignity and respect, free from conscious and unconscious bias.

As the project advances, we incorporate our diversity and inclusion philosophy into everything we do. We want to ensure that our practices and corporate culture are respectful of diversity in all its forms; that includes the representation of women, Indigenous peoples, persons living with disabilities, visible minorities, age, culture and geographic origin, in the evaluation of candidates for senior management and in hiring for all roles in the company. For example, women represent 52% of our project team in Rouyn-Noranda... a very high percentage in the mining industry. We are very proud of that!

We also invest in community initiatives that mirror our commitment to diversity and inclusion, which is a key focus of our community support program. Finally, we provide equal opportunities in our sourcing practices while upholding ethical business principles, which opens the door to competition from diverse suppliers.

We expect all employees, consultants and partners to follow our lead, identifying where there may be gaps in representation and creating measures for improvement.

Naturally, we are open to any recommendations that might help promote diversity and inclusion in our teams, practices, and corporate culture. Please do not hesitate to contact us with ideas!

Microblasting had been scheduled for September, and neighbourhood residents were mailed a flyer to that effect a few weeks ago. Using a network of seismic sensors with detonation of very small explosive charges, the tests were meant to study vibration transmission in the vicinity to help us better plan future operations.

As this is a new procedure meant to validate methodology and coordination between the various experts involved, we did a test far from any homes, on the Yamana property in Francoeur. We concluded that the exercise has the potential for disruption if there were difficulties with the implementation. Nor did the test offer us full assurance that we would achieve the desired objectives.

In keeping with our commitment to avoid or minimize disturbances to the neighbourhood, we decided to cancel the tests.

Vibration modelling will nonetheless be done using the usual conservative data. For example: the model considers that the rock is a single solid block, when the presence of fissures would, in fact, mitigate vibration.

The modelling would subsequently be adjusted using the data collected during vibratory monitoring of the bulk sample and the continuous monitoring of mining operations.

As part of the ongoing impact study, the Yamana Gold team recently had the opportunity between May and July to meet with three Indigenous communities, namely the First Nations of Abitibiwinni, Long Point and Timiskaming. The objective of these meetings was to discuss with them and some of their members on the evolution of the project and the environmental impact study to which several communities are contributing, to hear their concerns and suggestions for improvement on the project and to take stock of the various collaboration and business opportunities available to them in the months and years to come. Members of the Yamana team were warmly welcomed to the 3 communities and would like to thank them for their respective contribution to the ongoing dialogue as the project evolves.

It should be noted that operational agreements are in place with certain communities to confirm their involvement, in particular in the conduct of inventories, the revision of studies on various components of the project and sometimes even the production of studies led by themselves.

A series of thematic meetings with the communities concerned is planned for September with the aim of continuing to solicit their ideas, advice, and concerns in order to build a project that respects their interests, values and ancestral presence in the territory.

Since 2021, 18 organizations in the socio-community, economic, education and health sectors have contributed to the development of the environmental and social impact assessment. Their input has helped us to better identify the main issues, expectations and concerns of the community so as to adapt the Wasamac underground mining project accordingly to the greatest possible extent.

Housing shortage, labour shortages, increasingly limited access to healthcare, education, services for seniors and vulnerable groups, and childcare availability are the main issues currently facing the organizations operating in the field. Income disparities, particularly between men and women, also emerged from our consultations.

To provide feedback to socioeconomic organizations with which we have engaged in dialogue, our team will seek their cooperation again in the fall of 2022 and winter of 2023. These talks will be an opportunity to further explore the challenges of project implementation ahead and to discuss mitigation measures that could address them. All salient points of the process to date are contained in the downloadable document, here.

Click the image to read the progress report

Wasamac Launches its Facebook Page

To strengthen our presence on social networks and be more accessible to the neighbourhood and local community, we are pleased to announce the creation of the Wasamac Facebook page.

Follow us to stay informed in real time of news about our neighbourhood and community consultations, the participative development of the environmental impact assessment, the progress of the Wasamac underground mining project, our posts, activities, job openings and more!

We encourage you to go to Facebook, like and follow our Wasamac page, comment on our posts and get your friends and family to follow the page, too.

Click here to get to the Facebook page.

Learn more about the Wasamac Underground Mining Project: visit our virtual community relations office

On July 7, 2022, Yamana Gold issued a press release with news about its mining operations and development projects, including the Wasamac Underground Mining Project.

Advanced exploration: Applications for authorization to be filed soon

Last December, we announced the start of detailed engineering work ahead of submitting authorizations for bulk sampling at the Wasamac deposit, as per the recommendation in the updated feasibility study. Since then, our team has been busy planning this important step in the development of our project. Preliminary plans were presented to the Task Force last May and at the June neighbourhood meeting, where consultations were held regarding measures to be put in place to mitigate the impacts of this work. Applications for the various permits required will be submitted to the authorities shortly, detailing the construction of two access ramps to the deposit from the north of the 117 allowing for the recovery of a bulk sample and further exploration from underground exploration platforms. This new advanced exploration phase will allow us to recover a larger sample than we would with surface drilling to validate our predictions, including grade, recovery, backfill strategy and processing performance. It will also further our geotechnical knowledge and fine-tune the modelling for mine planning.

Project optimization continues to aim for a more efficient project

Over the last few months we have focused on updating the project’s strategic plan. The highlights are as follows:

• The acquisition of land adjacent to the site of the main surface infrastructure allows us to optimize its layout. The revised plan avoids environmentally sensitive areas and improves the layout of the processing plant and ore storage area, while continuing to minimize impacts on nearby residents.
• Additional geotechnical drilling has improved the design of the underground mine. The mining sequence also been optimized, allowing for a scenario of increased production in the first two years, to 200,000 ounces in 2027 and 250,000 ounces in 2028.
• The positive results of the exploration and infill drilling also allow us to formulate a new working hypothesis that suggests a potential increase of 7,000 tpd to 9,000 tpd in the third year of operation of the Wasamac mine. This would extend the gold production profile to 250,000 ounces per year until at least 2030, previously estimated at 169,000 ounces in the feasibility study. Further validation is under analysis to confirm this scenario, which would also require adjustments to the permit application process underway.

Further optimization work will be done in the coming months to fine-tune the treatment plan, the optimized configuration of the tailings filter plant and paste backfill plant and to further increase the levels of electrification, automation, and renewable energy used in our project.

Read the complete press release here.

The Yamana Gold team is very pleased to announce that the company was recognized with a Distinction Award from the Quebec Mining Association (QMA) in the “Community Relations” category, at its annual convention held on June 9, 2022.

This award recognizes the work done around our drilling program and the innovative approach to community relations: adapting to the environment, rather than expecting the environment to adapt to our operations. Silence on fore! Is a good example of this approach.

Above all, we want to mention the valuable contributions and ongoing support of our partners, the neighbouring community, our Task Force and, of course, our service providers as we develop the project. With your involvement, feedback, ideas and questions, you’ve helped us push our limits and adapt our practices to achieve the objective of harmonious coexistence.

We will continue to focus on matching and defining industry best practices in community relations.

Invitation to the Fourth Neighbourhood Meeting

The 4th neighbourhood meeting regarding Yamana Gold’s Wasamac underground mining project will be held on June 14, 2022, at the Évain community centre at 100 rue Leblanc.

We will be setting up kiosks so that attendees can make the rounds and meet with different key people on the Yamana Gold team, as well as resource persons who can answer any questions you might have.

Join us to discuss such topics as:

• The mining project, for which the environmental impact assessment and exploration program are in progress;
• The advanced exploration program, for which applications for bulk sampling authorizations will soon be submitted and for which preparatory work will begin in the fall;

Come chat also with the Task Force members and share your views or suggest ideas for neighbourhood projects Yamana is interested in supporting.

Three time slots have been scheduled for persons who plan to attend:

• 4:00 PM
• 5:30 PM
• 7:00 PM

Contact us to reserve and confirm your time slot either by email at wasamac@yamana.com or by telephone at 1 833 510-0330 (toll free).

Please remember to give your name, phone number and preferred time slot.

Open public meeting

All are welcome! See you then!

Yamana Gold is proud of its nomination for Silence on fore! in the Community Relations category

This announcement is recognition for the work we have done and our different approach to community relations: adapting to the environment, rather than asking the environment to adapt to our operations.

Silence on fore! is an excellent example. Since the acquisition of the property in 2021, the Yamana Gold team has been attentive to the neighbourhood’s needs, taking preventive measures to avoid potential impacts and fostering a harmonious co-existence with residents.

We also, and above all, owe this nomination to community participation. Thanks to the input of local residents, we were able to completely review our drilling practices in inhabited areas and enact new standards for noise reduction in urban environments. This is a real revolution in the world of drilling, enabling us to limit perceptible noise by at least 50%. For all this, we thank you all!

The winners will be announced on June 9 at the annual convention of the Quebec Mining Association.