PROJECT

Artemis Gold – Blackwater Mine

Transmission Line Clearing, Access Roads & Pad Construction 

Project Details

CLIENT

BW Gold Ltd. (Artemis Gold) 

PRIME CONTRACTOR

Frost Group 

LOCATION

Glenannan substation – Blackwater Mine, British Columbia 

CONTRACT

Transmission ROW Clearing & Access Road Construction 

DURATION

December 2023 – June 2024 

Project Overview

Frost Group delivered 142 km of right-of-way clearing, access-road construction, and structure pads for the Blackwater Mine transmission corridor in central British Columbia.  

As Prime Contractor for the corridor, Frost coordinated clearing and civil construction with two powerline contractors working from opposite ends. The work combined roads, bridges, culverts, and pad development with environmental management, private-landowner coordination, and construction support.

The project combined corridor clearing with civil access and pad construction, supported by survey, environmental management, and coordination with landholders and transmission-line contractors. 

Clearing & Corridor Preparation 

  • Pre-start survey, planning, and environmental coordination 
  • Mechanical clearing, brushing, and hand falling 
  • Specialized clearing in sensitive and archaeological areas, including helicopter logging 
  • Stump grinding, stripping, grubbing, mulching, and waste-wood management 

Access Roads, Crossings & Structure Pads 

  • Access-road and trail construction, reconstruction, mulched access, and maintenance 
  • Bridge installations, culverts, drainage infrastructure, fencing, and cattle guards 
  • Creek diversion and coordination of protective crossings at existing utilities 
  • Powerline structure-pad construction and associated work-area preparation 
  • Prime Contractor coordination, including landowner and property-access requirements 

Frost’s reported clearing scope covered approximately 142 kilometres of transmission right-of-way, using mechanical clearing, brushing, and hand-falling methods. Helicopter logging supported work in inaccessible and environmentally constrained locations, with separate controls for sensitive and archaeological areas. 

Field progress was tracked by corridor chainage, pole number, clearing method, and work status. Records distinguished full-width clearing from access opened ahead of it. Stump grinding, grubbing, mulching, waste-wood handling, and reclamation were coordinated with road and pad development. 

Frost Group constructed and rebuilt temporary and permanent access roads and trails to move crews, equipment, and materials along the transmission corridor. New access development and improvements to existing routes—including matted and mulched access—supported clearing, structure-pad construction, and powerline installation. 

Crews installed culverts, completed ditching and turnarounds, and carried out roadside brushing to support drainage and equipment movement. Road-surface improvements and winter maintenance helped keep work areas accessible as construction progressed. 

Crews constructed 577 structure pads—224 on the north side and 353 on the south—linking corridor clearing and access development with prepared work areas for the powerline installation contractors.  

Bridge installations included prepared footings, timber decks, geotextile, riprap, backfill, and approaches, supported by field reviews, photographs, crossing assurance statements, and record drawings. 

WC-70 

50-foot bridge 

WC-161 

40-foot bridge 

WC-72 

50-foot bridge 

PNG pipeline crossing 

40-foot portable steel bridge 

At the Pacific Northern Gas (PNG) pipeline, Frost coordinated crossing plans and inspection arrangements with the owner and crossing professional. 

Working with private landowners formed part of Frost’s corridor access and construction coordination. The work required alignment with BW Gold’s property-specific authorizations and road-use and land-use agreements, with restricted areas released by the Company before crews proceeded. 

Frost’s scope included ensuring fences and cattle guards were in place at landholder interfaces and shown on record maps, respecting seasonal access restrictions, and following property-specific work limits. Agricultural and range management, access management, and reclamation plans linked landholder requirements with construction planning and field execution. 

Frost Group used its helicopter to provide the client with live aerial progress updates, linking the footage to GPS-referenced pole locations along the transmission corridor. This gave the client a clear view of clearing and access conditions at identifiable locations, making it easier to follow progress and discuss upcoming work with the field team. 

Frost coordinated Valard Construction on the north side and Arctic Arrow on the south, together with other subcontractors and suppliers. Responsibilities included safety, environmental management, permits, scheduling, and construction support; the powerline contractors delivered their respective installation scopes. 

During the project period Frost employed 39% Indigenous employment, with workers from 8 nations. Participation and training formed part of delivery alongside the clearing and civil scope. 

The project demonstrates Frost Group’s ability to combine corridor clearing, roads and trails, bridge installations, and structure pads with private-landowner coordination. Field supervision, environmental controls, and property-specific access planning supported this complex linear-infrastructure project. 

Key Project Highlights

142 KM

Transmission ROW Reported Clearing

64.7 KM

Access Roads & Trails Construction & Reconstruction

577

Structure Pads Constructed

4

Bridge Installations Reported Project Total