Points Athabasca plays key role in final phase of Gunnar mine reclamation

September 23, 2019 in News
Explorer: Fall 2019

QM Points Contracting has entered into an agreement with the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) to complete one of the final phases of the Gunnar mine remediation project. QM Points is a partnership between QM Environmental and Points Athabasca Contracting.

“The strength in the partnership lies in the specialty each partner brings to the table,” says John Scarfe, CEO of Points Athabasca. “QM Environmental is a leading national environmental services contractor and Points Athabasca is a leading Saskatchewan based civil and construction contractor with majority Athabasca Basin Indigenous ownership, and over 20 years of successful operations in the region.”

The site will be remediated to a level that will allow reestablishment of vegetation and traditional uses of the land. The project will also result in training, employment and subcontracting opportunities for local community members, as well as other benefits to the region, including bursaries for students and community enhancement projects. “This partnership is a very exciting step for us and for communities in the Athabasca Basin region,” says Scarfe. “We anticipate about 30 local people will spend the next five years working on this project in the Athabasca region.”

The former Gunnar uranium mine and mill site is located on the north shore of Lake Athabasca, approximately 25 km south of Uranium City. The mine was operational from 1955-1963 and officially closed in 1964 with little decommissioning. Due to the remote location of the site, numerous buildings and facilities were developed. According to technical standards during that time, asbestos was widely used in all the buildings.

QM Points provides the multidisciplinary expertise and experience needed to address the complex logistical challenges associated with the Gunnar Mine’s hard to access location. “We are proud to serve the province of Saskatchewan through a professional organization such as the SRC,” said Justin Sharp, QM’s Chief Executive Officer, “Over the next five years, we are projecting an increase in job opportunities and economic development.” QM Points began work on the Gunnar site at the end of July.

Click here to find out more about QM Points.