"The science and technology have been validated and we are in the final stages of discussions with regulators to ensure our revised tailings management programme continues to meet all regulatory compliance requirements. But once we start this procedure, lake water quality will significantly improve, the sunlight will get in and encourage growth of plants, so enhancing the benthos and fish populations."

Everyone I speak to declares that safety is perhaps the biggest change since Rio Tinto took over. Phil proudly tells of a recent three day series of 80 rolling safety workshops attended by all 1,300 workers. "I'm still gobsmacked by the effort that went into organizing the workshops in just ten days. They were a huge success, and we got a raft of suggestions. The number of lost time injuries has dropped significantly in the second half of 2005. It's a matter of not just implementing the standards but really embedding them."

An hour's flying time south is Sept-Îles, a thriving community of over 25,000 people where other industries prosper alongside IOC. Sept-Îles is connected by road to Quebec City and Montreal, the two major cities of the province of Quebec. IOC's facility lies on the level shorelands protected by the seven small islands that give it its name.

Once a sleepy fishing village, it is now the second biggest harbour in Canada (after Vancouver) in terms of tonnage. Sept-Îles is home to the workshops in which IOC maintains its fleet of 38 locomotives and 1,200 ore cars. Everything is dwarfed by the IOC reclaimers and the vast ore carriers that are loaded here.

Robert Girardin's job title is superintendent of continuous improvement. "In fact my job is to make my job disappear," he laughs. "What we're trying to do here is to change the culture so that continuous improvement isn't regarded as a special project, but is embedded within everyone's role. Instead of people seeing continuous improvement as an extra activity we are aiming to involve everyone in change.