14 November 2025

Above: Signing ceremony with the Wabauskang and Lac Seul First Nations on June 5, 2025.

Industry Partner Spotlight

This story was provided by Evolution Mining, a CIM Industry Partner, and appears in the November 2025 issue of CIM Magazine (view it in flip format here).

Collaboration is key

Honouring Indigenous partnerships and history at Red Lake Operations

As the mining industry continues to evolve, so too do the expectations and information needs of industry partners. At Evolution Mining, sustainability is integrated into everything we do, with our ongoing engagement helping to inform our strategic objectives and support the fulfilment of our obligations.

We are proud to continue our work in building strong relationships within the communities in which we operate to support their aspirations for legacy and success. We focus on delivering long-term regional, social, economic and positive cultural impacts aligned to what is important for the communities in which we operate.

Leaving a positive legacy in local communities that extends beyond the life of mining projects is embedded in our company’s purpose: to deliver long-term value through low-cost production in a safe, environmentally and socially responsible way.

From humble beginnings, Evolution Mining has transformed into a globally significant gold mining business. We are guided by our values of safety, accountability, excellence and respect. For us, safety extends beyond the physical to encompass a positive influence within our local community, whilst minimizing the environmental footprint of the operation.

Evolution currently operates six mines: five in Australia and one in Red Lake, a century-old gold mining district in northwestern Ontario. The Red Lake Operations was acquired in 2020, when we extended our operational footprint to Canada, a Tier 1 mining jurisdiction.

The vast majority, 85 per cent, of Evolution’s Red Lake workforce are employed locally, providing the unique opportunity for the community to be at the heart of our operation.

Given Red Lake’s rich and varied history, integrating the asset into our portfolio has involved thinking differently to ensure long-term positive outcomes. We respectfully acknowledge that building Indigenous partnerships requires a strong social licence to operate.

For us, this involves maintaining positive and meaningful relationships with Wabauskang and Lac Seul First Nation peoples, whose traditional land Red Lake Operations is situated on. Currently, 16 per cent of the Red Lake Operations’ workforce are First Nations people.

Following continued open dialogue and collaboration, Evolution Mining signed an impact benefit agreement (collaboration agreement) with both Wabauskang and Lac Seul First Nations on June 5, 2025, marking a significant forward step in strengthening our relationship with our First Nation partners. This Collaboration Agreement provides the framework for a partnership supported by a strategic, jointly developed implementation plan.

To ensure meaningful Indigenous participation with the vision of a collaborative and genuine partnership based on transparency and mutual respect, a key priority of the agreement was the creation of four committees comprising representatives from the company and from the First Nations.

The committees will aim to bridge gaps within the mining industry that will benefit from traditional knowledge, including human resourcing and business development, environmental management and cultural awareness. The goal is to improve the company’s practices but also set up First Nations people and businesses for success beyond Red Lake’s life of mine of 2040. Moreover, as part of the agreement, we will provide implementation funding to build capacity within the nations to foster a true partnership rather than a transactional relationship.

“Together, Lac Seul and Wabauskang First Nations are proud to stand united in this partnership with Evolution Mining,” read a statement released by the two nations. “By working hand in hand through the collaboration agreement, we are building a foundation that honours our history, strengthens our communities, and ensures lasting benefits for our people long after the mine has closed. This is a model of how industry and Indigenous nations can move forward with respect, transparency, and shared purpose.”

John Penhall, vice-president, Red Lake Operations, said, “At Evolution, we believe the collaboration agreement represents a foundation of trust, mutual respect and a shared desire to build something enduring for generations to come.”