Québec City, June 10, 2021 – Companies in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Nord-du-Québec regions took almost all the honours at the annual convention of the Québec Mining Association (QMA) in the field of workplace health and safety and various initiatives connected with mining operations.
F.J. O’Connell trophies
The 55th annual presentation of prestigious F.J. O’Connell trophies led to a three-way tie in the “Underground operations—over 400,000 hours worked” category, as Éléonore, Matagami and Raglan mines earned the highest honours.
Another company based in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, Procon Eastern Canada, won the trophy in the “Underground operations—under 400,000 hours worked” category. Last, Graymont’s Marbleton plant in the Estrie region received the trophy in the “Surface operations, transportation and primary metals processing” category.
Since 1966, the trophies have been presented each year to make workers and supervisors more aware of the importance of teamwork in preventing accidents during mine operations. The criteria for awarding the trophies also take into account improvements in a facility’s performance, its performance compared to the industry average, and the combined accident rate based on pre-determined target values.
New QMA Distinction Awards
Traditionally, the QMA has rewarded its members’ workplace health and safety performance, but to ensure recognition for other aspects of mining it has created the QMA Distinction Awards.
For the first time in its history, the QMA presented its new awards to recognize innovative, distinctive or creative achievements in the following areas of activity: communications/marketing, environment, community relations and human resources.
Eldorado Gold Québec and Canadian Malartic Mine shared the honours, with each winning two Distinction Awards.
- Communications/marketing: Canadian Malartic Mine for its health and safety campaign, “Je m’engage”.
- Environment: Eldorado Gold Québec for its project to convert equipment to the use of biodegradable hydraulic oil.
- Community relations: Canadian Malartic Mine for its cooperation agreement with the Anicinapek First Nations.
- Human resources: Eldorado Gold Québec for its comprehensive strategy for retention, planning of the future workforce and leadership development.
Congratulations go also to the other finalists in the various categories: Glencore’s Horne Smelter, Agnico Eagle Mines and Glencore’s Raglan Mine.
« The health and safety culture is strongly anchored in the mining industry and the presentation of the F.J. O’Connell trophies provides an opportunity to recognize our members, who spare no effort to limit the risk of incidents on mine sites. We are proud of our record, which results from decades of decisions and actions. »
« In addition to actions in the field of workplace health and safety, we wanted to recognize innovative initiatives in other indispensable areas of mine operations. The creation of the Distinction Awards makes it possible to highlight work that is easily overlooked, but which is essential to the development of an approach to mining that is responsible and respectful of communities, the local population and workers. We congratulate our first award-winners! »
– Josée Méthot, QMA President and CEO
About the Québec Mining Association
The Québec Mining Association (QMA) was founded in 1936 and speaks proactively for mining companies involved in exploration, extraction and processing, mining contractors and junior mining companies, along with suppliers, institutions, non-profit organizations and other mining sector partners. It is proud of the 48,006 jobs and total expenditure of $9.9 billion generated by Québec’s mining industry in 2018, based on the most recent data. The QMA’s mission is to promote, support and proactively develop a responsible, committed and innovative mining industry in Québec.