SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT. — Alamos Gold Inc., previously operating as Prodigy Gold Inc., Fraser Drill Blast Management Inc. and Sigfusson Northern Ltd. have been fined a total of $177,500 for environmental violations in relation to a “fly rock” incident in 2021.
According to an Ontario bulletin, the date of the offence was May 14, 2021, and occurred at the Magino Gold Project Site, which is a gold mine located on Goudreau Road in the Finan Unorganized Township in the District of Algoma.
At the time the mine was owned by Prodigy Gold, a subsidiary of Argonaut Gold, which was later amalgamated with Alamos Gold in January 2025. Prodigy Gold was redeveloping the Magino Mine using open pit mining methods to extract leftover gold deposits.
In early 2021, Sigfusson Northern Ltd. was contracted to complete construction and site development at the mine. Sigfusson Northern is a heavy construction company that undertakes a range of construction projects, including mine construction and restoration, road construction and excavation work, the bulletin points out.
In March 2021, Sigfusson Northern subcontracted Fraser Drill Blast Management Inc. to provide certain blasting services.
The company was responsible for drilling, loading and detonating the explosives. Sigfusson Northern was responsible for traffic control, surveying work to set grades, blast patterns and limits, and blast guarding to secure the exclusion zone.
On May 14, 2021, Fraser Drill Blast detonated a blast at the Magino Mine. At the time, a portion of Goudreau Road was not guarded. As a result of the blast, a piece of fly rock struck a vehicle travelling on the road. The fly rock broke through the windshield of the vehicle and struck the passenger, resulting in a left forearm fracture, the bulletin states.
Prodigy Gold reported the discharge of fly rock to the ministry the following day.
Fraser Drill Blast determined the exclusion zone limits for the blast. Sigfusson Northern prepared and provided a map with the location of the blast and the exclusion zone limits. An investigation determined the blast location had not been plotted correctly.
The ministry’s Environmental Investigations and Enforcement Branch investigated and laid charges which resulted in the convictions.
On Jan, 9, 2025, Alamos Gold Inc. was convicted of one violation under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and was fined $67,500, plus a victim fine surcharge (VFS) of $16,875, and given six months to pay.
On Feb. 19, 2025, Fraser Drill Blast Management Inc. was convicted of one violation under the EPA, was fined $50,000 plus a VFS of $12,500, and given 90 days to pay.
The same day Sigfusson Northern Ltd. was convicted of one violation under the EPA, fined $60,000 plus a VFS of $15,000, and was given one year to pay.
