Proposed volcanic-rock mine divides northern New Brunswick town
Some Dalhousie residents welcome prospect of jobs, others fear environmental impact
In a vast quarry on New Brunswick's north shore, Réjean Carrier looks up at towering walls of ashen-grey rock, cut deep into the landscape.
"We have this presence of volcanic ashes in a zone around Dalhousie," he explains in French, pointing out a rock called pozzolan. "It will bring good jobs to the area."
Carrier, president of Quebec-based Carboniq Inc., hopes to turn an existing quarry into an open mine to extract the material as a low-carbon alternative for the cement industry.
His vision is to take the pozzolan from a small mountain, process it at a plant in the area, and export it globally using nearby port and rail lines.
The existing rock quarry has operated as a non-conforming use within Dalhousie town boundaries but is much smaller than the project Carboniq imagines.
In the community of Dalhousie, the prospect of a new mine is raising questions over how to balance the economic benefits with potential impacts on the environment.
The community has faced economic struggles in recent years, struggling to reinvent itself after the loss of three major industries. The closure of a paper mill, a chemical plant and a power generation station has led to shuttered businesses and a declining population.
The idea of a new mine is being embraced by some residents, with talk of hundreds of jobs during construction and as many as 168 once the processing plant is in operation. But others fear an open pit mine, near a school and residential areas, could impact their quality of life and harm the environment.
Réjean
Carrier, president of Carboniq Inc., stands in a quarry he hopes to
convert into a mine for the cement industry. 'It will bring good jobs to
the area,' he said. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)
Mayor Normand Pelletier said residents have lots of questions and the developers will have to make their case to the community. He said people are divided on the issue.
"We have a lot of people that are interested and would like to see a project as such take place," he said. "For one, it's going to create good-paying jobs.
"We're kind of anxious to hear the company and how they're going to promote it and make those public consultations to ease the pressure on the citizens."
Volcanic rock
The natural resource is the result of the region's prehistoric past. Four hundred million years ago, Sugarloaf Mountain in nearby Campbellton was a volcano. As it spewed ash across the landscape, it created layers of pozzolan rock.
At the Dalhousie site, studies have revealed the deposit of rock is deep enough to last at least 100 years, according to the developers.
Pozzolan is now being looked at as a potential solution to drastically lower emissions in cement manufacturing. In current mixtures, limestone is added to a kiln and decomposes under high heat, which produces greenhouse gas emissions. But with pozzolan, that step in the process is avoided entirely.
Pozzolan
is formed by layers of volcanic ash. Four hundred million years ago,
Sugarloaf Mountain in nearby Campbellton was a volcano. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)
The material is currently being extracted at some sites in the western United States and around the Mediterranean Sea.
The project has received backing from the federal government. In 2022, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency made a conditionally repayable contribution of $1.2 million to cover geological and environmental surveys.
Carrier is working on the project with Guy Rousseau, president of cement company Cimbec Canada. The pair launched their venture in 2022.
Guy
Rousseau, left, and Réjean Carrie explain the deposit of pozzolan
they've identified through geological analysis in the Dalhousie area. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)
Carrier said the geological analysis of the deposit has been completed and the project is now focused on how pozzolan might need to be processed to meet the needs of the industry. The rock is being tested in a laboratory.
"The demand will increase because we're searching for products to decarbonize the production of cement," he said.
'It's going to leave a scar in the landscape'
The municipality of Heron Bay held a public meeting last month to discuss new zoning, including changes that would allow quarries and mines to operate in parts of the community of Dalhousie.
Residents filled the room to question councillors about the project, raising concerns about noise, dust, truck traffic and pollution. Many demanded more information about the mine, questioning why they haven't heard directly from the developers.
Gail Fearon, who spoke at the meeting, said she wants to see greater transparency so her community can make an informed decision.
"My problem is yes it's jobs, but a job at what expense?" she said in an interview, overlooking post-industrial brownfields on the community's waterfront.
Gail
Fearon, a former town councillor, spoke at a recent meeting about
proposed zoning changes to allow quarries and mines to operate in the
community. She said residents need more transparency to be able to make
an informed decision about the project. (Alexandre Silberman/CBC)
Fearon said the project could lead to a permanent impact on the environment and the potential consequences need to be seriously considered. Growing up in the community, she remembers seeing waste from the paper plant being released into the bay.
"The industries that left, they left at least a flat piece of property. Whereas this project, it's going to leave a scar in the landscape," she said.
Carrier said he is listening to residents and recognizes some have questions and concerns. But he said it's too early to bring plans to the public for feedback. The project is still in a planning stage.
The
developers have completed geological analysis of core samples extracted
from the existing quarry in Dalhousie. They expect to have a detailed
plan for the project by the end of the year. (Michael Heenan/CBC)
"We don't want to design a project in public, but we are taking these concerns into account, from an environmental survey, a social acceptance survey," he said.
Carrier said a walking trail near the top of Dalhousie Mountain will not be affected, since the geological deposit stops well before that point in the landscape. He said possible impacts to neighbours could be controlled and mitigated.
"We're making the plan taking into account the different constraints imposed, that citizens impose, the environment imposes, laws impose," he said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
And the second, for that matter.
Corporations exist to earn shareholders money.
(By law), corporations are beholden to their shareholders. Not "the environment", the collective, or feelings.
I'm not the one getting hysterical about how "environmentally friendly" (just) green energy projects are.
BTW: the most common liberal mentality to developing our resources is fake "conservativism" which involved giving tax pay dollars to "private" businesses, rather than letting the free market work.
It's not real conservatism - it's an attack on it while wearing a disguise.
Growth of GDP/capita, Canada: 2003 - 16.68%, 2004 - 13.58%, 2005 - 13.19%, 2006 - 11.33%, 2007 - 10.26%, 2008 - 4.59%, 2009 - minus 12.49%, 2010 - 16.36%, 2011 - 9.800%, 2012 - 0.85%, 2013 - minus 0.06%, 2014 - minus 3.19%, 2015 - minus 14.44%, 2016 - minus2.94%, 2017 - 6.65%, 2018 - 3.14%, 2019 - minus 0.37%, 2020 - minus 6.06%, 2021 - 20.55%, 2022 - 5.73%.
Year over year increases in total GDP do not necessarily translate to an increase in rate of growth in GDP/capita.
In the above time span, the rate of growth in GDP/capita was only on the increase in 2010, 2016, 2017 and 2021.
Furthermore, our GDP per capita (inflation adjusted) has grown by only 1.9% since the current federal government took office in 2015. During the same period, for comparison's sake, the United States growth has been a whopping 8 times higher.
And, looking ahead, from now to 2030 Canada is projected to have the slowest rate of GDP per capita growth among the 38 developed countries in the OECD.
Simply put, our economy is stalling relative to past performance and all other comparable countries around the world.
It's time to stop pretending that all is well.
Your socialist leanings are quite obvious, and you need to realize that there are (thank goodness) many who disagree with you.
Though I had read that early Romans used volcanic ash in their cement formula.
Government of Canada supports a net‑zero industry transformation
News release
November 8, 2022 · Dalhousie, New Brunswick · Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
By investing in strategic projects that leverage regional assets and target greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction, we can create a healthier environment and new economic opportunities. This will foster a strong, sustainable recovery and build a greener economy for all Canadians. The Government of Canada is investing to help Carboniq Inc. and Cimbec Canada Inc., the codevelopers of the Dalhousie Pozzolan project, conduct studies to produce a cementitious material to help decarbonize the cement industry, which is alone responsible for 7%–8% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Diversifying for the future
Today, René Arseneault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska‑Restigouche, announced a conditionally repayable contribution of $1,223,361 to Carboniq Inc. and Cimbec Canada Inc. as part of the Canada Coal Transition Initiative – Infrastructure Fund. The announcement was made on behalf of the Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA.
This investment will help Carboniq Inc. and Cimbec Canada Inc. complete the initial steps of a project to extract a natural pozzolan deposit, a rock of volcanic origin. These steps include assessing deposit size and quality and conducting environmental surveys in the work area in preparation for a future environmental impact study. The extraction and processing of this pozzolan have the potential to create up to 500 jobs during the construction phase, as well as 168 permanent jobs once the processing plant is in operation.
Dalhousie’s natural pozzolan deposit, the result of an accumulation of volcanic ashes over 400 million years ago, may play a significant role in reducing the carbon footprint of cement manufacturers by providing a material that does not need to be calcined to offer cementitious properties.
This project must be completed before any major mining developments can take place. The codevelopers also recognize the importance of engaging in dialogue with First Nations for any subsequent projects.
Today’s announcement further demonstrates the Government of Canada’s commitment to focus on economic diversification to ensure the creation of good jobs and wealth, both now and for the future.
Quotes
“Transitioning to a low carbon economy is a priority for our government. The economy and the government go hand in hand, which is why we are committing to working with partners to create new opportunities as we transition to a greener, more sustainable economy.”
– Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Official Languages and Minister responsible for ACOA
“As New Brunswick moves away from coal, we are working with partners to help make this transition. This investment will help the proponents of the Dalhousie Pozzolan project and neighbouring communities diversify the economy, create jobs and prepare for the future.”
– René Arseneault, Member of Parliament for Madawaska-Restigouche
“We are especially pleased that the Government of Canada, through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, has agreed to support this project. This support will help us accelerate the development of this project, and therefore the decarbonization of our economy.”
– Réjean Carrier, President, Carboniq Inc.
Quick facts
-
Incorporated in 2014, Carboniq Inc. provides expertise to identify and deploy solutions aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of greenhouse gas (GHG) emitting companies.
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After founding what would become McInnis Cement in the Gaspé Peninsula, the largest cement plant in Canada, Cimbec Canada Inc. is continuing to develop initiatives that complement the cement and concrete industry.
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The Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI) – Infrastructure Fund is a $150 million fund that aims to help communities move away from coal by investing in infrastructure.
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In Atlantic Canada, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency is delivering $55 million under the CCTI initiatives to support investments in infrastructure and economic diversification within communities preparing to transition away from coal.
Associated links
Contacts
Marianne Blondin
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Official Languages and of the
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Marianne.blondin@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Dominique Bouchard
Director of Communications
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
Dominique.Bouchard@acoa-apeca.gc.ca
Réjean Carrier
President
Carboniq Inc.
Rejean.Carrier@carboniq.com
pozzolana
pozzolana, hydraulic cement perfected by the Romans and still used in some countries, traditionally made by grinding a material of volcanic origin (the pozzolan) with powdered hydrated lime. Roman engineers used two parts by weight of pozzolan mixed with one part of lime to give strength to mortar and concrete in bridges and other masonry and brickwork. During the 3rd century bce the Romans used pozzolana instead of sand in concrete and mortared rubblework, giving extraordinary strength. Used with an aggregate of broken tuff, travertine, brick, or marble, the material contributed to the evolution of new architectural forms in such monumental constructions as the Pantheon and the Baths of Caracalla at Rome.
Pozzolana was first found at Puteoli (modern Pozzuoli), near Naples, where there are still extensive beds, and also around Rome. Natural pozzolana is often composed mainly of a fine chocolate-red volcanic earth. Industrial, artificial pozzolans are produced in furnaces where organic materials, such as coal, are burned and the ash is reclaimed. Fly ash is the most common form of industrial pozzolan.
Contacts
Address
Dalhousie Office
419 D Adelaide St.
Dalhousie, New Brunswick
Canada E8C 1B7
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