The West Malartic mine site, located approximately 7 km south of Rivière-Héva, has a mining history dating back to the Second World War. The site was used for gold mining, and over 280,000 tonnes of ore were extracted between 1942 and 1946. Today, the site is marked by the presence of tailings and waste rock accumulated in two separate areas, as well as a waste rock dump. These unconfined and partially revegetated tailings required an in-depth assessment of their environmental impact. Artelia’s mission was to characterize the affected lands, with the aim of restoring and securing this abandoned site, while assessing contamination from tailings and past mining activities.

Our team was commissioned to conduct a comprehensive environmental characterization study of the West Malartic site. This included a Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment (ESA) to establish characterization objectives and provide a detailed picture of current environmental conditions. Work included surface surveys, soil, water and sediment sampling, and hydrogeological testing to assess the impacts of tailings and mine waste rock. The results were used to draw up a remediation plan, guaranteeing site security and contamination management for sustainable rehabilitation.