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Year: 2009

The Northern Miner’s 1989 “Mining Man of the Year” James Gill (Louvicourt Gold Deposit) – by Peter Kennedy

Since 1915, the Northern Miner weekly newspaper has chronicled Canada’s globally significant mining sector.

As a rookie scuba diver and recent explorer of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, James Gill, 40, is already dreaming of looking for hidden treasures in shipwrecks deep beneath the Caribbean.

But even if the president of Aur Resources (TSE) fulfills that ambition, it is unlikely he will find anything to rival the gem of a massive sulphide deposit his company uncovered on a group of waterlogged mining claims east of Val d’Or, Que., earlier this year.

The Louvicourt Twp. discovery is already regarded as the largest of its kind since the Texas Gulf find near Timmins, Ont., in 1964 and its impact will probably be felt well into the 21st century. 0000,1000 It has made Gill a household name in mining circles and The Northern Miner’s choice as Mining Man of the Year.

The significance of the Louvicourt Twp. discovery on claims owned by Aur and Societe Miniere Louvem (TSE) was immediately indicated by the trading activity that followed its announcement and the decision by three of North America’s biggest resource companies to invest in the Val d’Or partners. Teck Corp. (TSE) and Cominco Ltd. (TSE) now have 21% of Aur. Noranda Inc. (TSE), with an option to take control, has a 14% stake in Louvem.

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The Northern Miner’s 1990 “Mining Man of the Year” Chet Idziszek and Murray Pezim (Eskay Creek) – by Vivian Danielson

Since 1915, the Northern Miner weekly newspaper has chronicled Canada’s globally significant mining sector.

A dozen different companies optioned and explored the Eskay Creek property north of Stewart, B.C., over the past half century before its real potential began to emerge in the fall of 1988. That’s when Murray Pezim, 70, Canada’s best known mining promoter, backed a recommendation by Chet Idziszek, 43, and his team of geologists to drill the Eskay Creek project brought to Pezim for financing by a little known junior called Calpine Resources.

Today Eskay Creek is recognized as being among the most significant of discoveries made in Canada since the Hemlo gold deposits were found in Ontario in the early 1980s. The two projects have some interesting parallels, not the least of which is the fact that Murray Pezim played a significant role in advancing each of these geologically unique and truly world-class discoveries.

The Eskay Creek discovery also focused attention on the under-explored and often underestimated mineral potential of northwestern British Columbia. And it underscored the important but often thankless role played by the Vancouver Stock Exchange in providing funds for juniors to carry out high-risk exploration.

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Size Does Not Matter to Sego in Partnering With Native Communities – by Marilyn Scales

Marilyn Scales is a field editor for the Canadian Mining Journal, Canada’s first mining publication. She is one of Canada’s most senior mining commentators.

There has been some discussion in this space over the past two weeks as to how it takes very deep pockets to keep the Aboriginal community happy when wanting to explore or develop on their lands. The assumption is that only the largest, richest companies can succeed, as De Beers Canada has done at its Victor diamond mine.

That’s not true at all, if the experience of J. Paul Stevenson is anything to go by.

“I have worked with First Nations for many years as CEO of junior companies,” he wrote. “What we don’t have in money we have in effort and communication. [I] never found lack of money an issue. In fact, I found a great deal of understanding from communities as to our issues around financing.”

Stevenson and I began a correspondence so that I might share his experiences with other CMJ readers. He is currently CEO of Vancouver-based Sego Resources. The junior has two early-stage copper-gold exploration projects in southern British Columbia.

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Year In Review – Sudbury’s Economy: Boom to Bust? – by Bill Bradley

Northern Life, Greater Sudbury’s community newspaper, gave Republic of Mining.com permission to post Bill Bradley’s article. www.northernlife.ca

Greater Sudbury’s economy went from boom town status in 2008 to layoffs and growing fear in the community. Mining executives like Xstrata’s Mike Romaniuk, and Vale Inco’s Fred Stanford had been bullish on the future. “The world simply can’t get enough nickel,” said Stanford Feb. 6th at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

But by the early fall, a stock market crash started a series of layoffs in local mining companies and service and supply companies. Retired miner, Laurie Chartrand, 63, from Chelmsford, said he was down $25,000 from the stock market crash and knew some who had lost $200,000. He had a novel idea.

“We need the government to start a voucher system for those who have lost money like myself so we would have the ability to buy the cars that use our metals,” said Chartrand.

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