Red Chris Mine
Client: Newcrest Mining Ltd.
Year: 2019 – Current
Red Chris Mine, operated by Newcrest Red Chris Joint Venture (Newcrest) is a copper and gold mine located in northwest British Columbia 80 km south of Dease Lake, BC. In the fall of 2019 and in a very short period Pelly choreographed the mobilization of an extensive fleet of personnel and large-scale mining equipment to the mine. This included 140 personnel and 90 loads of equipment. Initial work included upgrading the haul roads in the tailings area and developing borrow sources. Most of the work focused on the tailings impoundment shell. To date over 5,000,000 cubic metres of structural fill and waste material have been excavated, hauled and placed. Pelly worked in partnership with the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC), the business arm of the Tahltan Nation. Both companies have equipment and employees working on the impoundment area.
Elsa Reclamation
Client: Elsa Reclamation Development Corporation
Year: 2023 – 2025
The Elsa Reclamation Development Company is a subsidiary of Alexco Keno Hill Mining. Pelly Construction arrived on-site in 2023 to assist in preliminary scopes of work including clearing, rough grading, and initial borrow/quarry development. In 2024, some major tasks Pelly performed included additional quarry development and blasting, dam construction, road building, and rough grading for two water treatment plants. In 2025, Pelly was selected in a competitive bidding process to perform the Valley Tailings Facility Year 1 Closure project.
This VTF Closure focuses on environmental restoration in the historic Keno Hill Silver District and includes dam stabilization, tailings consolidation, and new water management infrastructure. The main portion of the work involved detailed cleanup of existing saturated tailings and hauling it to a consolidation area, moisture conditioning it and compacting it to 95% density.
Pelly’s work on the VTF Dam 3 stabilization included excavation into peat, backfilling, till placement, and decant pipe modifications, completed under challenging wet and cold conditions. Despite high water levels and freezing temperatures, compaction and riprap placement were successfully achieved. Haul road upgrades and material screening were completed ahead of the STH Pipeline Alignment, with careful management of permafrost and public access. Pelly also re-aligned the main access road to the Hecla mill for the new water treatment plant, coordinating closely with ERDC and Hecla to minimize disruptions.
Victoria Gold Remediation
Client: Parsons and PwC Canada
Year: 2024 – 2024
The mine site remediation project was located near Mayo, Yukon, approximately 490 km north of Whitehorse. Pelly worked in close collaboration with Parsons and PwC, fostering a strong and ongoing professional relationship. In July 2024, the mine experienced a slope failure at the heap leach facility, prompting critical remediation efforts focused on safety and environmental protection.
The Dublin Gulch project involved extensive site preparation, including clearing, grubbing, and stripping, to facilitate the construction of a new mine haul road through a challenging heavy permafrost zone, ensuring reliable access to Dublin Gulch. Following this, Pelly undertook the haul and placement construction of a 20-meter-wide, 15-meter-high protection berm designed to mitigate the risk of further slope failures at the heap leach facility. Before berm construction, Pelly had to strategically remove sections of the heap leach slide below the berm footprint, an operation requiring meticulous execution and adherence to strict safety protocols. These included the implementation of run-out lanes, spotters, and continuous risk assessments, ensuring the work was completed without safety incidents.
The second phase of the project involved bulk earthworks for the expansion of a pit pond, essential for containing contaminated water onsite and preventing further environmental impacts on Haggart Creek. This critical task was executed with precision, aligning with stringent environmental regulations to safeguard local ecosystems.
Through expert planning, rigorous safety measures, and seamless coordination with project stakeholders, Pelly successfully delivered essential remediation efforts, reinforcing its commitment to safety, environmental responsibility, and operational excellence.
Hecla Dry Stack Tailings Facility
Client: Hecla Mining Company
Year: 2023 – 2024
The Keno Hill Mine, operating since the early 1900s and acquired by Hecla Mining in 2022, continues to produce ore through two underground portals. Pelly Construction joined the project in 2023 to develop the Phase 1 tailings storage facility and later supported infrastructure upgrades, with Phase 2 construction starting in late 2024 after permitting delays. Work included clearing, excavation, and forming an “O-ring” containment structure with engineered drainage, lining systems, and water management infrastructure. Pelly deployed a large equipment fleet, managed material sourcing and subcontractors, and implemented strict safety programs aligned with Hecla’s standards—achieving zero medical aids or lost-time incidents. Despite cold-weather challenges, material shortages, and concurrent tailings placement near active mill operations, Pelly successfully delivered a fully operational facility without disrupting production, demonstrating resilience, adaptability, and strong safety and execution performance.
Carmacks Bypass Highway and Bridge Construction Services
Client: Government of Yukon
Year: 2021 – 2023
The project is located in Carmacks, Yukon, approximately 177 kilometers north of Whitehorse, within the Traditional Territory of the Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation (LSCFN). It involved the construction of 5.1 kilometers of new road and a 70-meter span bridge over the Nordenskiold River, a key waterway in the region.
A critical aspect of the project was ensuring a strong partnership with LSCFN, fostering employment opportunities, economic benefits, and skills development for the local community. Pelly prioritized Indigenous engagement by hiring Northern Safety Network and Yukon University to provide industry-recognized training programs. As a result, Pelly exceeded its initial commitment by delivering 180% more LSCFN employee hours than originally pledged, demonstrating a firm commitment to local workforce development.
The project was completed in an environmentally sensitive area, requiring careful planning and execution to mitigate impacts on wildlife and aquatic ecosystems. The Nordenskiold River is a salmon-bearing stream, making it essential to implement fish habitat protection measures, including seasonal surveys, fish salvage operations, and stringent water quality monitoring. Additionally, the road construction traversed areas frequented by bears, moose, coyotes, foxes, and various bird species, requiring wildlife management strategies to minimize disruption. Bird and fish surveys were conducted throughout the summer to monitor potential impacts, ensuring that construction activities aligned with environmental protection regulations and best practices.
Through proactive environmental stewardship, Indigenous collaboration, and workforce development, Pelly successfully delivered this critical infrastructure project, balancing economic growth with environmental and community responsibility.
Ascot Resources Premier Gold Mine Development
Client: Ascot Resources
Year: 2021 – 2022
Year: 2023 – 2024
The project is located approximately 25 km north of Stewart, British Columbia. Pelly collaborated with JDS Mining & Energy to execute the preliminary earthworks, which included access road upgrades, drilling and blasting, material processing, development of pads for water treatment tanks, construction of a geomembrane-lined waste rock storage facility, and ongoing snow removal. Pelly successfully completed this scope in 2022 and was subsequently invited to return to the site during the winter of 2023. During this phase, Pelly completed two tailings dam upgrades: buttressing the northern dam and raising the east dam to support the mine in meeting regulatory requirements and advancing toward operations.
The work was carried out in a highly challenging coastal environment characterized by steep, rugged terrain and significant seasonal precipitation. Despite persistent rainfall, heavy snowfall, and difficult access conditions, Pelly worked collaboratively and safely with multiple contractors and the owner’s representative to deliver the project to a high standard of quality and performance.
Coulter Creek Access Road – Seabridge KSM
Client: Seabridge Gold
Year: 2021 – 2022
The KSM Project is a proposed gold, copper, silver, and molybdenum mine located in the coastal mountains of northwestern British Columbia, approximately 950 km northwest of Vancouver and 65 km northwest of Stewart. Situated within the northern coastal rainforest at high elevations, the project presented significant challenges due to sub-arctic conditions, complex terrain, and variable soil and rock formations. Site access was established via the Eskay Creek Mine Road.
The scope of work involved constructing an 8.6 km access road to the proposed Seabridge KSM Mine. Major activities included topsoil stripping and stockpiling, rock excavation through drilling and blasting, rough and final grade road construction, material processing, bridge installation, and the supply and installation of temporary erosion and sediment control measures. Additionally, the project required the installation of more than 30 culverts to manage site drainage effectively.
Through the joint venture between Pelly Construction and the Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC), the project achieved significant milestones that enhanced both construction outcomes and community benefits within Tahltan Territory. By integrating Pelly’s technical expertise and heavy civil construction capabilities with TNDC’s local knowledge and leadership, the partnership delivered high-quality work while respecting cultural values and supporting environmental stewardship. The joint venture generated employment and training opportunities for Tahltan members, contributed to local economic development, and supported long-term capacity building within the Nation. This collaborative approach strengthened project performance and demonstrated a shared commitment to respectful engagement, reconciliation, and sustainable development in northern British Columbia.
Faro Reclamation
Client: Parsons (for CIRNAC)
Year: 2019 – 2022
The Faro Mine Site was at one time the largest lead zinc mine in the world. Abandoned in 1997, the mine is considered one of the most difficult and complex mine remediation projects in Canada. The scope of work for this project included the construction of the 1.9 km realignment of the North Fork Rose Creek diversion channel away from mine waste.
The project included the construction of temporary roads, diversion channel, spillway, channel inlet, and the supply/install of BGM liner. A key challenge for this project was the sourcing and producing of the 14 different material types from multiple borrow sources including rock quarry. The project also entailed the preparation of these materials from several borrow areas which included crushing and screening select materials. Pelly was responsible for water and sediment control including construction of temporary tributaries, culvert installation, dewatering and managing sediment impacted and metals impacted water. Pelly performed all materials testing, QA/QC, water sampling and reporting and documentation of the work. Pelly provided first aid and emergency services including mine rescue team, mine rescue training, a fully equipped mine rescue mobile unit and ambulance.
Throughout the project Pelly worked closely with Ross River Dena Council and the Kaska Dena Council ensuring commercial, employment and training opportunities flowed into the communities.
Eagle Gold Mine
Client: Victoria Gold Corporation
Year: 2018 – 2019
Pelly carried out site development work for Victoria Gold Corporation at the Eagle Gold Project near the community of Mayo in the central Yukon approximately 480 km north of Whitehorse. This project illustrates Pelly’s ability to adjust to unforeseen geotechnical variations and significant quantity adjustments and still meet the owner’s schedule and quality requirements.
Work included preparing a heap leach pad and construction of a major containment embankment, control pond, site for the gold recovery plant, clearing, and a crusher and ore storage site. The work required large quantities of rock requiring Pelly to operate a large drilling and blasting campaign. Since the site was mountainous and extremely wet, having surface and subsurface drainage systems in place were vital. An extensive piping system for pregnant leachate was placed on top of a multi-layer liner. The site’s Water Management Plan (WMP) required silt fencing around all work areas. The WMP has many controls in place, including swales, pumps, diversions, finger drains, exfiltration sumps, lateral drains, ditches, and seepage chain. Pelly worked closely with site engineers on a daily basis to ensure numerous quality control systems were followed.
