Glencore Canada’s Onaping Depth Project meets key milestones on the path to production
Glencore recently welcomed Ontario Premier Doug Ford, alongside other political, Indigenous, industry and community leaders, to its Craig Mine in Northern Ontario to mark two major milestones for the Onaping Depth Project.
Part of Glencore's Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations in Canada’s Northern Ontario, the Onaping Depth Project is a high-grade nickel and copper deposit located nearly 2,600 meters below surface.
The event marked completion of the Onaping Depth mine shaft – built from the bottom of the old Craig Mine – which fully connects surface to the Onaping Depth ore body and provides the infrastructure needed to support underground mining. It also marked the first time the ore body has been accessible at the site. Both moments are critical steps towards production ramp up and eventual project completion, expected in 2027.
The project combines real-time remote management, monitoring, and control from surface technologies to help minimise worker contact with hazardous areas and, wherever possible, take workers out of the mine.
Onaping Depth will also make use of AI-enabled systems to support operational efficiency and resource discovery, and an all-battery electric fleet of vehicles – ranging from underground equipment that will drill and prepare the mining face and extract ore, to service and support vehicles that move people, supplies and equipment.
Peter Xavier, Chief Operating Officer, Glencore Canada Metals, said: “The Onaping Depth Project at Craig Mine reflects Glencore Canada's commitment to sustaining our integrated operations in Sudbury. Together with our concentrator and smelter, Onaping Depth supports our long-term presence in the region and strengthens the future of mining in the Sudbury Basin.
By extending mining activities to greater depths, we are unlocking new opportunities and resources that will contribute to the continued success of our operations. Operating at this depth has been made possible through our commitment to innovation, including investments in battery electric equipment, remote operations, and automation technologies. Reaching these important project milestones is also a testament to the dedication and collaboration of our employees and contractors.”
As demand for critical minerals continues to grow, Onaping Depth supports Ontario’s and Canada’s position as leading suppliers of responsibly produced nickel and copper, key components in technologies that support electrification, advanced manufacturing and energy security.