High-performance mining in the Canadian Arctic

There are no permanent road connections to site. Instead, access depends upon a carefully coordinated combination of air transport, annual sea lift and a winter ice road that’s constructed each year. Every piece of equipment, every critical spare and every consumable must be planned, shipped and delivered within narrow seasonal windows.

In this environment, reliability is not just a performance metric — it’s fundamental to keeping the operation running.

A mine built on planning

The Goose gold mine is the first operation within B2Gold’s Back River district, combining open-pit and underground mining in a remote Arctic setting. As the initial hub for future development in the region, it brings together multiple mining methods, infrastructure systems and logistics chains in one of the most challenging operating environments in the industry.

For Back River’s General Manager, Daniel Gagnon, the site’s defining factor is the combination of remoteness and climate. “Number one is the site’s remoteness,” he said. “We’re bringing people in by air, feeding more than 700 people every day, managing sea lift and the winter ice road and all of it in temperatures that can reach below minus 50°C. It’s a very harsh environment.”

These factors drive a fundamentally different approach to planning and logistics.

“We have to plan everything at least one year ahead,” Gagnon explained. “Equipment, production, people… everything must be thought through in advance. There’s no room for short-term thinking.”

To support this approach, the operation has adopted a largely single-OEM fleet from Sandvik, simplifying maintenance, spare parts management and technical support. In a setting where resupply delays can have lasting consequences, reducing complexity is a major advantage.

“We work closely with Sandvik to make sure we have reliability, availability and the technical support to meet our goals,” said Gagnon. “For success, both companies have to be paddling in the same direction.”

Advancing underground in extreme conditions

Beneath the surface, development at Goose is progressing through a growing network of declines, lateral headings and production areas. Maintaining consistent advance rates in this environment requires robust equipment and careful coordination.

“The main challenges are the weather and logistics,” said Chris Lapointe, Underground Mining Manager. “Being isolated in the north and the cold temperatures, plus the seasonal changes with almost 24 hours of daylight or darkness… it creates a uniqueness you won’t see elsewhere.”

The Goose underground fleet centers on Sandvik DD422i and DD422iE development drills, which are used to drive the operation forward with precision and repeatability. These are accompanied by a load and haul fleet comprised mainly of LH517 and LH517i loaders, and TH551 and TH551i trucks. “We have multiple levels open, with development and production stopes ongoing,” Lapointe explained.

Automation is playing an increasingly important role in how this equipment is used. For example, remote operation allows drilling to be carried out from safe locations, while onboard systems provide continuous feedback on performance and machine condition.

“We can operate the equipment from surface, which takes miners away from danger,” Lapointe explained. “Autonomous machines reduce human error, improve efficiency, and the equipment provides operators with real-time feedback through sensors and alerts.”

The Arctic environment continues to test both machines and processes, even underground. The extreme cold affects the performance of hydraulics, electrical systems and materials, requiring careful handling and transition from surface to underground conditions.

“The winter of 2025-26 has been one of the toughest we’ve seen,” Lapointe said. “The equipment is under constant stress, so once it arrives on site, we move it underground as quickly as possible to protect it.”

Without immediate access to suppliers for most of the year, maintaining uptime within the Goose fleet depends on foresight and communication. Parts, consumables and maintenance needs must be anticipated well in advance and aligned with available transport windows.

“We rely on the durability of the equipment and the availability of parts,” said Lapointe. “Everything arrives either by air or over the winter ice road, so we’re always communicating with Sandvik, letting them know what we will need each week or month.”

Consistent surface drilling

On the surface, the open-pit operation provides a steady flow of material, supported by a fleet of haul trucks, loading units and Sandvik drill rigs. Maintaining consistent blast performance is essential, as this directly affects downstream productivity.

“We have 10-15 haul trucks supported by loading units and drills,” said Jamie Richards, Operations Manager and Open Pit Manager.

The drilling fleet, including Sandvik DI550 and DI650 top hammer drills, was selected for its ability to deliver reliable penetration rates and consistent hole quality under demanding conditions.

“Our DI650s are critical to meeting targets,” Richards said. “They generate the broken material we need for production.”

Drilling performance is closely tied to the selection and management of rock tools. Bit wear, tool life and energy transfer efficiency all influence cost-per-meter and overall productivity, making tooling strategy a key operational focus.

“If we don’t have the correct tools, they wear out faster,” Richards explained. “If we do, drilling is more productive and cost-effective.”

Environmental conditions add further complexity. Sustained cold impacts steel performance and machine components, while summer brings extended operating hours and different thermal stresses. Maintaining consistency across these extremes requires both durable equipment and close coordination with suppliers.

“A successful partnership is one where the supplier is truly invested in what the mine is doing,” Richards added. “Sandvik is part of our operation. They’re involved in both the equipment and the tooling.”

Extended onsite rock tools capability

One of the most important ways that Goose has been built for its remote setting is by adding more capability on site, particularly in the management of drilling consumables.

Sandvik’s on-site rock tools facility provides storage, maintenance and refurbishment of tooling used across both underground and surface operations. This includes bit sharpening and inventory management, allowing tools to be reused and optimized rather than simply replaced.

“Sandvik invested in building a facility here on site,” said Tyler Archibald, Superintendent of Supply Chain. “It allows us to store tooling, sharpen bits and have materials readily available at the work fronts.”

By extending tool life and improving availability, the facility reduces the mine’s reliance on long-distance resupply and helps stabilize drilling performance.

“Previously, we were more dependent on direct purchase and delivery,” Archibald explained. “Now we can manage that inventory on site, which improves availability and reduces risk.”

The facility also strengthens collaboration between operational, maintenance and supply chain teams, enabling more accurate forecasting and better alignment with Sandvik as the operation grows.

A partnership that enables performance

Every aspect of Goose is shaped by logistics. Materials are procured well in advance, shipped north during the short sea lift season and then transported to site over the winter ice road.

“Geographically, we’re untouchable by most modes of transportation for most of the year,” said Archibald. “We rely on air, sea and land on a seasonal basis.”

This system leaves little margin for error. Procurement decisions must consider equipment lifecycles, maintenance schedules and the shelf life of consumables, with planning horizons extending well beyond a single operating year.

“For the sealift, we’re procuring materials up to 18 months ahead,” Archibald explained.

Collaboration with Sandvik plays a key role in managing this complexity, helping ensure that the right parts and tools are available when needed while balancing cost and availability.

For Gagnon, that alignment is central to long-term success. “We’re only as successful as the partnership,” he said. “If we work together, understand each other’s needs and plan properly, we can achieve what we set out to do.”

Built for the long term

As Goose continues to ramp up and expand, the demands on the operation will grow. More equipment, more materials and more coordination will be required, all within the same challenging environment.

But the principles guiding the operation remain consistent: plan ahead, maintain reliability and work in close partnership.

“I’m passionate about building mines in the Arctic,” Gagnon said. “The goal is to create an operation that’s successful for everyone: employees, communities, partners and shareholders.”

At Goose, that approach is already delivering results, demonstrating that even in one of the most demanding environments in the world, strong collaboration and the right technology can support consistent, long-term performance.