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Project Overview
The newly operational B2Gold Mine in Nunavut marks an important milestone for Canada’s northern mining sector a fully commissioned gold mine located in one of the most remote and environmentally demanding regions in the country.
Western Element Engineering was engaged to provide fire alarm and life-safety system design for the site’s main facilities, ensuring compliance with national codes and reliability under extreme Arctic conditions.
Operating year-round in temperatures reaching –40°C required a design approach that prioritizes resilience, redundancy, and adaptability ensuring life-safety systems remain functional no matter the environment.
Our Scope
Western Element Engineering’s scope included:
- Fire alarm design and coordination across process, accommodation, and support buildings
- System integration with site-wide alarm monitoring and control infrastructure
- Environmental hardening for extreme cold-weather reliability and equipment performance
- Conduit, cabling, and device selection rated for Arctic exposure and installation methods
- Testing, verification, and documentation in coordination with the owner’s commissioning team
From concept through to final design, every element was developed with field conditions in mind recognizing that equipment access, maintenance, and installation logistics differ dramatically from conventional southern projects.
Design Challenges
Engineering in the Arctic requires far more than standard code compliance. The logistics of transport, installation, and maintenance become core design drivers. Cable routes must account for permafrost conditions, and devices need to perform in sub-zero temperatures for extended periods.
Additionally, coordination across multiple disciplines including process, mechanical, and control systems demanded a high level of integration to ensure the fire alarm system would communicate effectively across remote and distributed facilities.
Outcome
Now that the mine has entered production, Western Element Engineering’s design helps ensure safe, reliable operations for personnel working in one of the most challenging industrial environments on Earth.
This project underscores our firm’s ability to deliver technical excellence and practical solutions in extreme climates, where dependability and foresight are paramount.
Read more about the mine entering production in CBC News:
CBC: B2Gold’s Nunavut Gold Mine Enters Production
