Polish mining group KGHM has signed an impact and benefit agreement with the Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation in Canada as part of plans to develop a new copper and nickel mine in Ontario. The agreement relates to the Victoria project, located about 35 kilometers west of the city of Sudbury.
The arrangement provides for the participation of Sagamok Anishnawbek members in various stages of the project, including mine development and environmental protection activities. The agreement was signed last week by Sagamok Anishnawbek Chief Angus Toulouse and Marek Bednarz, chief executive officer of KGHM International, the Canadian subsidiary of KGHM Polska Miedź.
KGHM, whose largest shareholder is the Polish state, is one of Poland’s largest industrial companies and among the world’s leading producers of copper and silver. The company acquired the Victoria copper and nickel deposit in 2012 but suspended development for several years due to declining mineral prices. The project was revived approximately three years ago as market conditions improved.
According to KGHM Polska Miedź CEO Andrzej Szydło, the agreement represents a key milestone in advancing the Victoria project and demonstrates the company’s commitment to social dialogue and maintaining strong relations with local communities. KGHM also noted that it has worked with the Sagamok Anishnawbek for more than a decade during exploration activities and throughout the permitting process.
The company said the agreement is intended to ensure stable cooperation throughout the mine’s entire lifecycle, from construction and production to eventual closure. It also provides tangible economic and development benefits for the Sagamok Anishnawbek community and guarantees its involvement in environmental protection measures linked to the project.
The signing comes amid broader efforts by Canadian and Ontario authorities to attract international investment into the mining sector. At the same time, analysts have highlighted the importance of Indigenous consent, noting that First Nations have historically borne disproportionate environmental and social impacts from mining developments.
