BlackRock Metals

161-kV BlackRock Metals Mining Property Electricity Service GENER AL INFORMATIO N • May 2012

Project justification BlackRock Metals Inc. wishes to carry out a mining project south of Lac Chibougamau, about 30 km southeast of the town of Chibougamau and 60 km east of the community of Oujé-Bougoumou.

The electrical load from all BlackRock Metals mining property facilities will be about 20 MW in 2014, reaching 44 MW in 2020.

The current project consists of building a power line to connect the future BlackRock Metals substation to Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie’s transmission system. Commissioning of this power line is planned for spring 2014.

Hydro-Québec TransÉnergie has asked Hydro-Québec Équipement et services partagés to conduct the draft-design studies for the planned supply of the BlackRock Metals mining property.

Project description

Study area

The project involves building a 161-kV single-circuit line about 30 km long, tapping off circuit 1627 to the planned substation for the mine.

The zone under study covers an area of just over 140 km2 (see map) south of Lac Chibougamau, on the territory governed by the James Bay and Northern Québec Agreement. It consists entirely of Category III lands, split between the municipalities of Baie-James and Chibougamau.

After project completion, Hydro-Québec plans to dismantle part of the existing line (circuit 1627) between the tap-off and Obatogamau substation.

The Obatogamau substation will also be dismantled as part of another project.

The construction of the transformer substation on the mine site is the responsibility of the BlackRock Metals promoter and not part of this project.

The study area crosses a few traplines used by members of the Cree Nation of Oujé-Bougoumou.

The tallymen and their families hunt, fish and trap on the traplines. Route 167 is the only road that crosses the study area, running east-west at its southern end. A 161-kV power line runs along this road and a 735-kV line also crosses the study area. Last, a railway and many logging roads are also found in the study area.

The region, which is essentially woodland, is characterized by the presence of many lakes, wetlands and rivers. The main human activities practiced are logging, traditional Aboriginal activities and recreational activities.

Environmental assessment The construction of a power line can have a number of different environmental impacts.

Hydro-Québec recently began draft-design studies, which will help determine the route with the least impact on the host environment. The studies will examine matters such as vegetation, wildlife, land use, and landscape. Filing of the environmental assessment needed to obtain the required government permits is planned for fall 2012.

2

Lac Jenozeau u ea ss i Ru Vacationing,74°20' recreation and tourism

74°15' Boundaries

Cree trapline

Rau

Infrastructure

Vegetation and wildlife

e Vill

fa g

Baie-James

O59

Trans-Québec snowmobile trail

nan

Main road Other road

49°50'

O57A

Railway

Regenerating forest (20 years and less)

Planned substation (BlackRock Metals)

Wetland Exceptional forest ecosystem

Transmission substations and lines

Exceptional forest ecosystem project Experimental forest

O57A et O59

O59

161 kV 735 kV

Municipality of

Mature forest (41 years and over)

Lac auxYoung forest (21 to 40 years)

1627 Circuit number (voltage color)

O57A Project components

Study area (line to be Lac built)

des Îles Study area (line to be dismantled)

Biological refuge

BlackRock Metal substation

Lac Armitage

Lac Chibougamau Arm it

49°45'

age

O59

Town of Chibougamau

Unorganized territory of Lac-Ashuapmushuan

Riv iè

re

Municipality of Baie-James

49°45'

Special-status wildlife species

Town of Chibougamau

49°50'

74°5'

Municipality

Outfitter without exclusive rights

Dorés

74°10'

Lac Stella

Lac Dollier

O59 e nt

a y an d

w ay ion R ail tat CN bs n su tio au bsta a m su ug is ibo apa Ch Ch 27 To To 16

r e em

B

Ag

es am

Project location

be

c

er n

Q

ué

J

167

24

O59

49°40'

49°40'

No

rt h

Lac André

Lac Audet

aieJ

am

es

au

of B

O60

708

es

alit y

Lac de la Besace

4

Mu nic ip

708 5

70

Lac Boisvert

49°35'

93 CN

74°20'

Obatogamau substation 74°15'

167

O60

Railway

Lacs Obatogamau

49°35'

86

Lac Laurent

0 74°10'

Document for information purposes only. For any other use, please contact Géomatique at Hydro-Québec Équipement et services partagés.

74°5'

1.4

2.8 km

MTM, zone 8, NAD83 0901_bu_nu_007_120525a.mxd

3

Project schedule

Public participation

DRAFT DESIGN General information

Spring 2012

Information and consultation

Summer 2012

Information on route selected

Fall 2012

PROJECT Filing of the environmental impact statement Permitting Construction Commissioning

Fall 2012 Summer 2013

Winter 2013–2014 Spring 2014

Favorable reception from local communities is an essential condition for Hydro-Québec projects.

The company will implement a public participation and consultation process to ensure that project studies are carried out in collaboration with the host communities. To ensure that their concerns are taken into consideration, Hydro-Québec will hold information and consultation sessions with community representatives, including the tallymen affected by the project, while the studies are under way.

www.hydroquebec.com Information Richard Simard Advisor – Community Relations and Special Projects Telephone: 418 748-8200, extension 8319 Toll-free: 1 800 679-9919, option 5 simard.richard.3@hydro.qc.ca Jimmy Lavoie Advisor – Aboriginal Relations and Projects Telephone: 418 748-8200, extension 8339 Toll-free: 1 800 679-9919, option 4 lavoie.jimmy@hydro.qc.ca Direction régionale – La Grande Rivière 511, route 167 Sud C. P. 100 Chibougamau (Québec) G8P 2K5

2012E0547-A

Printed on paper made in Québec from 100% postconsumer recycled fibre.

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