Baffinland Iron Mines’ safety protocols detect and contain presumptive COVID-19 cases at its Mary River Project

MARY RIVER, NUNAVUT, July 15, 2020 – Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation (“Baffinland” or the “Company”) through its robust COVID-19 detection procedures and in cooperation with Nunavut Public Health (“NPH”), has detected and contained two presumptive COVID-19 cases. An employee that initially tested negative upon arrival to the mine site on July 7, then tested as a presumptive positive at the low end of the infection signal during the 5th day residual testing program. The employee and those identified through contact tracing have been placed in isolation.

Test samples from each isolated employee were transported to Iqaluit for additional testing by NPH. These test results identified a second presumptive positive case among those isolated employees. Further contact tracing was immediately initiated on this individual and two others have also been isolated as a result. All test samples are being transported by NPH from Iqaluit to their government-designated lab in Hamilton, Ontario for further testing.

Through the contact tracing on both employees, we can confirm that the transmission of the virus did not occur on site and is a result of a localized southern cluster. The two identified presumptive positive cases tested on the very low end of the infection signal and are very unlikely to have been contagious. Both employees remain asymptomatic along with their contacts. We are working closely with Chief Medical Officer, NPH, Public Health Agency of Canada, and provincial and territorial governments to coordinate our response. 

Baffinland has maintained a strict no contact policy with our valued Nunavummiut partners and communities and there continues to be no threat of transmission.

Baffinland has a robust Pandemic Response Plan in place and we adjust our approach by reassessing and adopting mitigation measures as new information becomes available. Our experience to date has demonstrated our detection and containment protocols are effective.

We will continue to monitor these cases and will provide updates accordingly.

For any media inquiries:
Salima Virani
Interim Communications Lead
Baffinland Iron Mines
T: (365) 292-3848
salima.virani@baffinland.com

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About Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation
Jointly owned by Nunavut Iron Ore and ArcelorMittal, Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation operates a high-grade iron ore mine located on Baffin Island, Nunavut. Our mine produces the highest grade of direct shipping iron ore in the world. Baffinland is committed to operating the Mary River Mine in an environmentally and socially responsible manner that benefits all stakeholders. Learn more at baffinland.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

ᓄᓘᔮᒃ,  ᓄᓇᕗᑦ,  ᔪᓚᐃ 15, 2020 -   ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ ᑯ ᑦ  ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑕ  ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᖓᑦ  ᐱᓕᕆᓪᓚᒃᑐᒧᑦ  ᑯᕕᑦ-19ᒧᑦ  ᖃᐅᔨᓇᓱᒍᓯᖏᑎᒍᑦ  ᑲᑐᔾᔨᓪᓗᑎᒡᓗ  ᓄᓇᕘᒥ  ᐃᓄᓕᒫᒧᑦ ᖃᓂᒪᖃᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᓐᓂᒃ,  ᖃᐅᔨᓯᒪᕗᑦ  ᐃᓄᑑᑎᖦᖢᒋᓪᓗ  ᒪᕐᕉᖕᓂᒃ  ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᕋᓱᒋᔭᐅᔫᖕᓂᒃ  ᑯᕕᑦ-19ᒧᑦ.  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᒐᒥ  ᓄᕙᖏᓐᓂᕋᖅᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ  ᑎᑭᓐᓇᒥ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒧᑦ  ᔪᓚᐃ 7ᒥ,  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᖕᒥᒐᒥ  ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᕋᓱᒋᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ  ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᓗᐊᖏᑦᑐᑐᑦ  ᑕᓪᓕᒪᖓᓂ  ᐅᓪᓗᕐᒥ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕋᒥ.  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎ  ᑕᐃᒃᑯᐊᓗ  ᖃᐅᔨᔭᐅᔪᑦ  ᖃᓂᒋᔭᕕᓂᖏᑎᑐᑦ  ᐃᓄᑑᑎᑕᐅᕗᑦ.      

ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᔪᑦ  ᐊᑐᓂ  ᐃᓄᑑᑎᑕᐅᔪᓄᑦ  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑎᓄᑦ  ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓄᑦ  ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖅᑎᑕᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᐊᕋᒥᒃ  ᓄᓇᕘᒥ  ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄᑦ  ᖃᓂᒪᖃᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᓂᑦ.  ᑖᒃᑯᐊ  ᖃᐅᔨᔭᐅᔪᑦ  ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᒃᑲᓐᓂᓚᐅᖅᐳᑦ  ᐊᐃᑉᐸᖓᓂᒃ  ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᕋᓱᒋᔭᐅᔪᕐᒥᒃ  ᐃᓄᑑᑎᑕᐅᔪᓂᑦ  ᐃᖅᑲᓂᔭᖅᑎᓂᑦ.   ᓱᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓄᑦ  ᖃᓂᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ  ᕿᓂᓕᑲᐅᑎᒋᓚᐅᖅᐳᒍᑦ   ᑖᔅᓱᒧᖓ  ᐃᓄᖕᒧᑦ  ᒪᕐᕉᒡᓗ  ᐊᓯᖏᑦ  ᐃᓄᑑᑎᑕᐅᓕᕆᕗᑦ  ᑕᐃᒪᐃᓐᓂᖓᓄᑦ.  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᔪᕕᓂᓕᒫᑦ  ᐊᐅᓪᓚᖅᑎᑕᐅᕗᑦ  ᓄᓇᕘᒥ  ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄᑦ  ᖃᓂᒪᖃᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᓂᑦ  ᐃᖃᓗᖕᓂᑦ  ᒐᕙᒪᓄᑦ  ᑎᓕᔭᐅᓯᒪᔪᕐᓄᑦ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᕕᖕᓄᑦ  ᕼᐋᒧᑕᓐ,  ᐋᓐᑎᐊᕆᐆᒧᑦ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᐊᕋᒥᒃ.   

ᖃᓂᒋᔭᕕᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᖅᑕᐅᓂᖏᓐᓄᑦ  ᑕᒪᒃᑮᒃ  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᒃ,  ᓇᓗᓇᐃᕈᓐᓇᖅᐳᒍᑦ  ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᐃᓂᖅ  ᓄᕙᖕᓇᕐᒧᑦ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᐅᐃᓚᐅᖏᑦᑐᖅ  ᑕᐃᒪᐃᖦᖢᓂᓗ  ᓇᓃᓪᓗᐊᑕᖅᑐᒥᑦ  ᖃᓪᓗᓈᓃᑦᑐᒥᑦ.  ᑖᒃᑯᐊᒃ  ᒪᕐᕉᒃ  ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᕋᓱᒋᔭᐅᔫᒃ  ᐊᑦᑕᕐᓇᙱᓛᒦᑉᐴᒃ  ᓄᕙᖕᓇᕐᒧᑦ  ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᐃᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᒃᓴᐅᓐᓂᕋᑎᒡᓗ.  ᑕᒪᒃᑮᒃ  ᐃᖅᑲᓇᐃᔭᖅᑏᒃ  ᓄᕙᖅᑯᔨᙱᓚᑦ  ᓱᓕ  ᖃᓂᒋᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓪᓗ.  ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒋᑦᑎᐊᖅᐸᕗᑦ  ᓘᒃᑖᓪᓗᐊᑕᖅ,  ᓄᓇᕘᒥ  ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄᑦ  ᖃᓂᒪᖃᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨ,  ᐃᓄᓕᒫᓄᑦ  ᖃᓂᒪᖃᕐᓇᖏᑦᑐᓕᕆᔨᒃᑯᑦ  ᑲᓇᑕᒥ,  ᐊᕕᒃᑐᖅᓯᒪᔪᕐᓂᓪᓗ  ᒐᕙᒪᑦ  ᑲᑐᑎᖁᓪᓗᒍ  ᖃᓄᐃᒋᐊᕐᓂᕗᑦ.     

ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᒪᓕᒃᑕᐅᑦᑎᐊᕆᐊᖃᖅᑐᒥᒃ  ᐊᑐᐊᒐᖃᖅᓯᒪᕗᒍᑦ   ᐅᐸᖁᓇᒋᑦ  ᐊᓐᓂᕆᑦᑎᐊᖅᑕᕗᑦ  ᓄᓇᕘᒥ   ᑲᑐᔾᔨᖃᑎᕗᑦ   ᓄᓇᓖᓪᓗ  ᓱᓕᓗ  ᐅᓗᕆᐊᓇᖅᑐᖃᙱᓚᖅ   ᐊᐃᑦᑐᕐᓗᐃᓂᕐᓄᑦ. 

ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᐱᓕᕆᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᒥᒃ  ᓄᕙᕐᔪᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ  ᖃᓄᐃᒋᐊᕈᑎᒥᒃ   ᐸᕐᓇᐅᑎᖃᖅᐳᒍᑦ  ᐊᑐᖅᑐᒥᒃ  ᐋᖅᑭᒋᐊᖅᐸᒃᖢᑎᒍᓪᓗ  ᖃᓄᐃᓕᐅᕆᐊᕐᓂᕗᑦ  ᕿᒥᕐᕈᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓂᒃᑯᑦ  ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᒃᑯᓪᓗ  ᐱᐅᖏᑦᑐᓂᒃ  ᒥᑭᒡᓕᒋᐊᕈᑎᓂᒃ  ᑐᓴᖅᑕᐅᓕᓵᖅᑐᓂᒃ  ᑐᓴᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᓪᓗᑕ.  ᐊᑐᖅᓯᒪᔭᕗᑦ  ᐅᓪᓗᒥᒧᑦ  ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᓯᒪᕗᑦ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᕐᓄᑦ  ᐃᓄᑑᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᓄᓪᓗ   ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᕗᑦ   ᐊᑑᑎᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ.     

ᑲᔪᓰᓐᓇᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᒍᑦ  ᑖᒃᑯᓂᖓ  ᖃᐅᔨᓴᐃᓐᓇᕐᓗᑕ  ᑐᓴᖅᑎᑦᑎᕙᓪᓕᐊᓗᑕᓗ  ᖃᓄᐃᑦᑐᖃᕌᖓᑦ.  

ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓕᕆᔨᓂᑦ  ᑐᓴᕋᓱᒍᒪᔪᑦ
ᓴᓕᒪ  ᕕᕋᓂ
ᒫᓐᓇᐅᔪᖅ  ᑐᓴᐅᒪᑎᑦᑎᓕᕆᔨ 
ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ ᑯ ᑦ  ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑦ 
T: (365) 292-3848
salima.virani@baffinland.com

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ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ ᑦ  ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑕ  ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᖓᑦ  
ᑲᑐᔾᔭᐅᓪᓗᓂ  ᓇᖕᒥᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ  ᓄᓇᕘᒥ  ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓄᑦ  ᐊᓱᓗᒥᑖᓪᑯᓐᓂᑦ,  ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐ ᑯ ᑦ  ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᓂᒃ ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖏᑕ  ᑯᐊᐳᕇᓴᖓᑦ  ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑎᕗᑦ  ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᑦᑎᐊᕚᓗᖕᓄᑦ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᖕᒥᒃ  ᕿᑭᖅᑖᓗᒃ,  ᓄᓇᕘᒥ.  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᕗᑦ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᖅ  ᐱᐅᓛᒥᒃ  ᐊᐅᓪᓚᐅᔾᔭᐅᑲᐅᑎᒋᔪᒥᒃ  ᓴᕕᕋᔭᒃᓴᒥᒃ  ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ. ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᐱᓇᓱᒃᓯᒪᕗᑦ  ᐱᔪᓐᓇᐅᑎᓂᒃ  ᐅᓄᖅᓯᒋᐊᕈᒪᓪᓗᒋᑦ  ᐊᕐᕌᒍᑕᒫᑦ  ᐊᐅᓪᓚᐅᓂᓂᕐᒥᓂᒃ. ᐹᕙᓐᓛᓐᑯᑦ  ᐊᖏᖅᓯᒪᕗᑦ  ᐊᐅᓚᑦᑐᒪᓪᓗᒍ  ᓄᓘᔮᖕᓂ  ᐅᔭᕋᖕᓂᐊᕐᕕᒃ  ᐊᕙᑎᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᑎᒍᓪᓗ  ᐱᓕᕆᕆᐊᒃᓴᕆᔭᒥᑎᑐᑦ  ᐱᕚᓪᓕᕈᑕᐅᓗᓂ  ᑎᒍᒥᐊᖃᑕᐅᔪᓕᒫᑦ.  ᐃᓕᒃᑲᓐᓂᕆᑦ  ᐅᕙᓂ  baffinland.com  ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᒪᓕᒃᑎᒍᑦ  Twitter, Facebook  LinkedIn.