Tailings

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At IOCC, tailings are any unusable material that remains after the iron ore is liberated from the crude ore. The tailings pile is approximately three miles (4¾ km) long and approximately a mile (1½ Km) wide.

In March 2005, IOCC signed an agreement with local government and other mines to share wetland stewardship experience with others. Their press release said, in part: "The experience IOC has gained over the past number of years in creating new and diverse habit on our tailings is important to share with our community. This new habitat will benefit migratory birds such as American black ducks, Canada geese, common terns, shorebirds, fish and many other wildlife and plant species." (IOCC Press release on March 17, 2005)

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Over the next ten years the Iron Ore Company of Canada has committed over $100,000,000 to upgrade the tailings area to meet the new, stricter environmental policies instituted by the provincial government. Once these improvements are made, it will eliminate the current red water problem. Because of these changes, it is estimated that the waterways will revert to their natural state within 30 years.