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15 Aug 2025, by Amy Sarcevic
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (Agnico Eagle) has long been recognised around the world for its sustainability practices.
While expanding its footprint in Australia, the Canadian-based and -led senior gold producer has maintained a commitment to environmental stewardship, investing millions of dollars in rehabilitation efforts, alongside its flagship mining and exploration projects.
As Project Manager Charles Carnie explains, “We are always looking to do the right thing, because we believe that, to make mining work, it must work for all stakeholders and rightsholders.”
What type of work is Agnico Eagle doing to this end?
Ahead of Mining the Territory, at NT Resources Week, we spoke with Charles to find out.
Water and Environmental Management
Agnico Eagle is committed to reducing its impact on water systems, to protect the health and safety of employees, the public, and mitigate harm to the environment.
In support of this, its Northern Territory Mining Operations (NTMO) invest around $3million annually to treat water discharged from sites and keep metals out of the environment.
At sites like Cosmo-Howley, it has spent more than $90 million rehabbing acid waste rock dumps and managing water.
“There’s been a heap of really good work there,” Charles said. “We recently completed a major rehabilitation project, significantly improving the water quality discharged into the surrounding creek systems. We picked up an old acid forming waste dump, over 12 million tonnes, and placed it into the old Cosmo pit.
“We then used a number of processes, both physically and chemically, to isolate the Potential Acid Forming (PAF) material, and then established a 16m wet cap over the top. Effectively isolating the potentially acid forming material.”
Alongside this, Agnico Eagle is exploring longer term measures for improving water conditions at its Pine Creek site.
“Currently, Pine Creek uses a process water dam to capture water from a legacy acid forming dump, which we then treat with milk of lime,” Charles said.
In addition, it is collaborating with local universities and research groups to develop environmentally friendly solutions for the entire life cycle of a mine.
One of these is the Hardpan research project with the University of Queensland, which looks at chemical engineering mineral reactions and precipitation to cement legacy waste dumps and prevent acid and metalliferous drainage pollution.
“We’re researching with the University of Queensland on how we could potentially develop a method by where we could cap certain legacy dumps, so they produce a lot less acid drainage.
“These environmental issues are legacy from previous operators but we are always looking at ways to minimise their impact, because it’s the right thing to do. We are also looking at how we could integrate the improvement in legacy sites with potential for mining again at a number of our project sites in the Pine Creek region.”
Land rehabilitation and conservation
Post-mining land rehabilitation is also a priority for Agnico Eagle, who ensures sites are restored to beneficial uses, whether for agriculture, conservation, or community development.
“At Cosmo Howley there has been significant rehabilitation, including reseeding and promotion of new plant growth over the legacy dumps. Over the last 2 years alone there has been significant improvement.” Charles said.
The company is also involved with a national study on ghost bats in collaboration with Charles Darwin University. This multiyear research and development project has a goal to inform decisions on threat mitigation, conservation and management of the species.
In 2024, Agnico Eagle built a concrete artificial mine adit, replicating the conditions needed for ghost bats to roost in.
“Today we’ve got Orange Leaf-Nosed bats living there, and more recently we have evidence of Ghost bats visiting the roost. Both species were observed using the roost simultaneously which is a really positive outcome.”
Community engagement and social investment
Alongside environmental initiatives, Agnico Eagle is committed to social sustainability.
It views its presence in Australia as a partnership with local communities, investing heavily in social programs, infrastructure, and education, to create shared value.
“We offer scholarships, apprenticeships, and internships to foster the next generation of mining professionals. We also support local suppliers and provide resources for agricultural development, to build economic resilience in regional communities.”
Agnico Eagle also engages Indigenous communities, seeking input, honouring land rights, and offering employment and training opportunities.
“We sponsor local events and undertake cultural heritage projects to help preserve and celebrate Australia’s diverse history.”
Further insight
Sharing more on this and its Northern Territory projects, Charles Carnie will present at the upcoming Mining the Territory Conference, as part of NT Resources Week, held from the 3rd to the 4th of September 2025.
This year’s event will cover the latest geopolitical developments, exploration initiatives, infrastructure investments, and industry updates.
Learn more and register your tickets here.
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