Aboriginal and Inuit Mining and Oil/Gas – Page 213

Cliffs still fuzzy on chromite timeline – by Ian Ross (Sudbury Northern Life – November 7, 2012)

November 8, 2012

http://www.northernlife.ca/

Black Thor faces cost pressures, volatile markets, First Nations opposition

The timelines for Cliffs Natural Resources to develop a chromite mining project in the James Bay lowlands still remain somewhat murky.

Bill Boor, Cliffs’ senior vice-president of global ferroalloys, spoke to a Sudbury Chamber of Commerce lunchtime crowd Nov. 6 to outline progress on the massive $3.3-billion Black Thor mine and Capreol furnace project, and also to tamp down reports that the Ohio miner’s development timelines are slipping by one year.

Boor maintains that the company is still shooting for a late-2016 start-up for mining operations, despite earlier comments by his CEO, Joseph Carrabba, that cost pressures and volatile markets could push back the start-up of production to 2017.

Wahgoshig First Nation – Ontario sending misguided message to First Nations – NNL Staff (NetNewsLedger.com – November 7, 2012)

November 8, 2012

http://www.netnewsledger.com/

SUDBURY – Mining News – Wahgoshig First Nation Chief David Babin with support from Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Harvey Yesno is calling on Ontario to withdraw its support and public endorsement of racist and radical industry representatives, particularly members of the Mining United group and the Ontario Prospectors Association.

“Representatives of this radical association of junior mining groups has waged a racist media campaign against the Wahgoshig First Nation, who are taking a legal and principled position to defend their Treaty and aboriginal rights, as well as ensuring that Ontario meets its obligations on ‘the duty to consult’ in good faith,” said Grand Chief Yesno. “The Province of Ontario and the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines continue to send a misguided message to First Nations by supporting this group.”

Mr. Darryl Stretch who represents Mining United, and Solid Gold Resources Corporation is presenting at the 2012 Ontario Exploration and Geoscience Symposium (OEGS) to be held in Sudbury, ON November 6 and 7 2012. The Ontario Exploration & Geoscience Symposium is coordinated by the Ontario Prospectors Association with workshops, a variety of technical presentations and exhibits.

Of concern to NAN is the continued support of Minister Rick Bartolucci for the Ontario Prospectors Association (OPA), who will have a full line up of MNDM staff alongside Mr. Darryl Stretch who is scheduled to present directly to the symposium delegates. Mr. Garry Clark, Executive Director of the OPA, member of the Minister of Mines Mining Act Advisory Committee and the Ontario Geological Survey Advisory Board has also stated publicly that Mining United may become a subcommittee of the OPA organization.

Ring of Fire rail plan adds new twist to old debate – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – November 7, 2012)

November 8, 2012

Northern Ontario’s First Nations Voice: http://wawataynews.ca/

Figuring out how to link the proposed Ring of Fire mines to market has been a long standing debate. Whether ore should travel east-west or north-south has been the primary discussion, with stakeholders across the spectrum weighing in on which way is best.

Through it all, the idea of using a railway instead of a road has been kept quietly on the backburner. Now a new coalition of unlikely partners is trying to bring the rail option to the forefront.

In what it calls a New Deal for northern Ontario, a group led by the James Bay Lowlands Ports and Trustee Corporation (JBLPTC) has proposed an ambitious, publically-owned transportation corridor that would tie the Ring of Fire to existing northern Ontario railway lines while taking over control of the Ontario Northern Transportation Company (ONTC) and continuing passenger rail services from James Bay to the south.

The plan is in its early stages. The JBLPTC still needs approval by the federal government under the Canada Marine Act to officially operate as a port. And even if it gets that federal approval, the organization needs Ontario to grant it control over the existing ONTC, while finding financial backing to build a new rail line from Nakina to the Ring of Fire.

But Roy Haines, CEO of the JBLPTC, is optimistic that the plan can not only get off the ground, but that it can succeed in spreading the benefits of the Ring of Fire across a wider group of stakeholders and keep the infrastructure publically-owned.

Miners racist, natives charge – by Sebastien Perth (Sudbury Star – November 8, 2012)

November 8, 2012

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

Mining companies looking to work on First Nations territory should be better educated about native rights to prevent some of the racist treatment First Nations leaders charge their members have had to endure.

Dave Babin, chief of the Wahgoshig First Nation north of Kirkland Lake, singled out one company, and its president in particular, for criticism during a press conference in Sudbury on Wednesday.

Solid Gold Corporation president Darryl Stretch faced an injunction in January to stop his company from drilling near Lake Abitibi, while he consulted with the Wahgoshig First Nation.

In a Globe and Mail interview published in March, Stretch said the First Nation wanted him to pay $100,000 for a study to see if his company’s drilling went over any burial grounds.

“It’s not my obligation to go find arrowheads for those people, period,” he told the Globe. “If they don’t like you, you don’t work. What kind of deal is that? Because I didn’t do it right, the way the Indians wanted me to? Because I didn’t give them money? Because I didn’t beg them for permission to go? It’s just ridiculous, the whole concept.”

First Nations level racist charges against mining association – by Northern Ontario Business staff (November 7, 2012)

November 8, 2012

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North.

Wahgoshig First Nation Chief David Babin and Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Harvey Yesno are calling on the province to withdraw its support of the Ontario Prospectors Association (OPA) and an industry fringe group for what they term a campaign of “racism” against First Nations.

Babin and NAN were outraged by a presentation made by Darryl Stretch, president of Solid Gold Resources, at the Ontario Exploration and Geoscience Symposium in Sudbury on Nov.7. The annual event is hosted by the OPA and contains a significant provincial government presence.

Stretch is the midst of an ongoing, heated legal dispute with the Wahgoshig First Nation over an exploration drilling program at his Lake Abitibi gold play in northeastern Ontario.

Chiefs want Ontario to cut support for ‘racist, radical’ industry groups – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – November 7, 2012)

November 8, 2012

Northern Ontario’s First Nations Voice: http://wawataynews.ca/

A junior mining company that called First Nations “hostile third-party governments” has raised the ire of indigenous leaders across Ontario.

Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN), the Chiefs of Ontario (COO) and Wahgoshig First Nation called on the Ontario government to withdraw its support of “racist and radical” industry representatives during a press conference in Sudbury Nov. 7.

The chiefs targeted Mining United, a group of junior exploration companies, and the Ontario Prospectors Association (OPA).

“Representatives of this radical association of junior mining groups has waged a racist media campaign against the Wahgoshig First Nation, who are taking a legal and principled position to defend their Treaty and Aboriginal rights, as well as ensuring that Ontario meets its obligations on ‘the duty to consult’ in good faith,” said NAN Grand Chief Harvey Yesno in a press release. “The Province of Ontario and the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines continue to send a misguided message to First Nations by supporting this group.”

NEWS RELEASE: NAN GRAND CHIEF CALLS ON PROVINCE TO WITHDRAW ITS SUPPORT OF RADICAL MINING INDUSTRY GROUPS

November 8, 2012

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUDBURY, ON: Wahgoshig First Nation Chief David Babin with support from Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) Grand Chief Harvey Yesno is calling on Ontario to withdraw its support and public endorsement of racist and radical industry representatives, particularly members of the Mining United group and the Ontario Prospectors Association.

The Ontario Exploration & Geoscience Symposium is coordinated by the Ontario Prospectors Association with workshops, a variety of technical presentations and exhibits.

Cliffs could further delay Ring of Fire chromite mine – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – November 5, 2012)

November 6, 2012

Northern Ontario’s First Nations Voice: http://wawataynews.ca/

Cliffs Natural Resources is considering delaying the expected start date of construction on its Ring of Fire chromite mine until 2017 or beyond.

Joseph Carrabba, Cliffs CEO and President, told international investors on Oct. 25 that in light of current global iron ore prices the company is reviewing the timeline for its proposed northern Ontario mine.

“This includes delaying the major capital spending outlays and could push the production target date beyond 2017,” Carrabba said. “We still expect to complete the feasibility stage of development and environmental assessment by next year. However, we have decided to shelve our early works plans until feasibility is complete.”

Carrabba said that Cliffs plans to decrease spending on exploration of its chromite site in 2013 as well as cancelling plans for capital spending at the site for the upcoming year. “Exploration will go down in 2013, just like everything. The first thing that always goes is exploration and R&D from any mining company that goes with it,” Carrabba said.

Carrabba also told investors that the company is exploring the option “to take on a partner for the project.”

Mining in Nunavut – Booming with new investment – by Liz Kingston, NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines (Canadian Mining Magazine – Fall 2012)

November 4, 2012

This article was originally in Canadian Mining Magazine.

Nunavut is booming. With record mineral investment this year expected to top $550 million, Nunavut is the fourth largest mining investment destination in Canada. With Agnico-Eagle’s Meadowbank gold mine settling into its third year of production, and significant other project investments, mining has risen to 15% of the economy. Statistics Canada says Nunavut recorded the largest economic increase in Canada this past year.

More opportunity is coming. At press time, Baffinland Iron Mines was awaiting the final decision from the Nunavut Impact Review Board (NIRB) for its massive Mary River iron project on North Baffin Island to proceed to permitting. This project proposes construction of Canada’s most northerly railroad and a port to serve the mine, and of course would drive significant jobs and business opportunities for Nunavut and Canada.

As another precedent setter, it would pay $100 million annually in royalties to the Inuit land claim organization, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., perhaps the largest mining benefit to an Aboriginal group in the country. Given the project’s size and opportunities, it will cement mining as the foundation of Nunavut’s future economy.

NWT Minerals industry – Multiple projects in EA, Diamonds still #1 – by Tom Hoefer, NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines (Canadian Mining Magazine – Fall 2012)

November 4, 2012

Tom Hoefer is the Executive Director, NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines. This article was originally in Canadian Mining Magazine.

The mining industry clearly dominates private sector contributions to the Northwest Territories economy. But then, one might expect it when the NWT is the world’s third most valuable producer of diamonds! Last year diamond production was valued at just over $2 billion, exceeding by 5 times the contributions of mining to either the Yukon or Nunavut’s economies. Add in some tungsten and copper from the Cantung mine, the NWT’s mining industry contributes one third of the GDP; with indirect benefits, it’s contributions are closer to half the economy.

It seems like only yesterday when geologists Chuck Fipke and Stewart Blusson made the first discovery, which resulted in production from our first diamond mine, BHP Billiton’s EKATI in 1998. This was followed in relatively short order with two more mines: Rio Tinto and Harry Winston’s Diavik mine, and De Beers’ Snap Lake mine.

Diamonds continue to create remarkable results. Since production began, our mines have created 20,000 person years of northern employment, and half of that Aboriginal. But that’s not all. Additionally, the mines have paid Northern businesses some $9 billion in capital and operating costs. And for the first time ever in our history – and notable in Canada’s too – $4 billion of that business has been invested with Aboriginal firms. This has created a surge in Aboriginal business creation and growth and is arguably the biggest economic legacy for those communities since the fur trade.

New rules, new tools in Ontario’s Mining Act – by Rick Bartolucci (Northern Miner – October 22-28, 2012)

October 25, 2012

The Northern Miner, first published in 1915, during the Cobalt Silver Rush, is considered Canada’s leading authority on the mining industry.

Rick Bartolucci is Ontario’s minister of Northern Development and Mines.

In 2006, the Ontario government introduced its first-ever Mineral Development Strategy, which provided the foundation for the sustainable management and stewardship of Ontario’s mineral resources.

Our government’s goal was to reinforce the province’s international position as a leading mining jurisdiction and promote responsible mineral development for the benefit of all Ontarians. Our modernized Mining Act continues to support these aims.

Four years of wide-ranging consultation with stakeholders, provincial and territorial organizations, tribal councils and Aboriginal leaders has resulted in legislation and regulations that deliver on the government’s commitment to modernize mineral exploration and development in the province.

Ontario wants to ensure its mining industry remains strong and that the rights and interests of Aboriginal groups and private landowners are properly addressed throughout the mining sequence.

That’s why we’ve worked with our stakeholders and Aboriginal partners to make changes to the act that provide clear rules to help reduce the impact of mineral exploration activities on the environment, and make Aboriginal consultation a cornerstone of mineral exploration and mine-closure.

Neskantaga wants mediation on Ring of Fire environmental assessment – by Shawn Bell (Wawatay News – October 24, 2012)

October 25, 2012

Northern Ontario’s First Nations Voice: http://wawataynews.ca/

Neskantaga First Nation is requesting mediation to resolve differences between the environmental assessment it wishes to see for Cliffs’ Ring of Fire mine, and the assessment process the company has proposed.

In a letter to Ontario’s Minister of Environment Jim Bradley dated Sept. 27, Neskantaga called on Bradley to refer Cliffs’ terms of reference to mediation.

“Our constitutionally protected aboriginal rights and title and treaty rights are not appropriately addressed in the terms of reference,” Neskantaga wrote. “Therefore, numerous fundamental issues of concern arise on the terms of reference as submitted. It is our strong view that these should be addressed in a mediation between Neskantaga and…Cliffs.”

Neskantaga’s legal council Greg McDade of Ratcliff and Co. LLP told Wawatay News that as of Oct. 19, the minister had not yet responded to the request. Under Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act, the minister has the ability to refer a terms of reference to a mediator if requested.

[Sudbury Wahnapitae] Natives work with Cliffs – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – October 25, 2012)

October 25, 2012

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

Members of Wahnapitae First Nation regard plans by Cliffs Natural Resources to build a chromite smelter just 20 kilo-metres from their border as an opportunity.

But the president of the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association, a Wahnapitae First Nation member, says they also view the plant as a threat. That’s why the First Nation, and the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association, are working with Cliffs on a baseline environmental review of the project, getting involved on the ground floor.

Hans Matthews has been a member of his First Nation’s Mining Industry Working Group for a decade and president since the beginning of the association, which will mark its 20th anniversary with a conference in Toronto next month.

Headquartered in Wahnapitae First Nation, Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association drew a handful of guests to its first annual convention. Eight hundred delegates are expected to attend this year’s event, cochaired by Matthews and Bill Boor, Cliffs’ senior vice-president of global ferroalloys.

Treaty settlement the only way to end pipeline deadlock – by Daniel Veniez (Globe and Mail – October 17, 2012)

October 24, 2012

Globe and Mail is Canada’s national newspaper with the second largest broadsheet circulation in the country. It has enormous influence on Canada’s political and business elite.

The broken treaty process is a conspicuous illustration of a major impediment to the expansion of British Columbia’s economy. The Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipeline debacle is its latest casualty.

In 1992, the federal and provincial governments created the BC Treaty Commission (BCTC) to facilitate the negotiation and settlement of treaties in British Columbia. Twenty years and an estimated $900-million later, a grand total of three treaties have been signed. Sophie Pierre, the Chief Commissioner, told me that the commission could be around for another 20 years.

Unsettled land claims are a quagmire, and the perpetual uncertainty over ownership and control of the land has stopped resource development. This should be a wake-up call to policy makers.

Aboriginal rights and title are protected by the Constitution, and confirmed as a concept in common law. The courts have repeatedly encouraged governments to deal with these claims. Politically at least, Ottawa and Victoria have not shown an interest in resolving these issues. Governments don’t appear to appreciate the economic damage their procrastination has inflicted. Some politicians are skeptical of treaties and prefer to pretend there’s no need for them.

Solid Gold Resources Corp. News Release: Tyranny at Lake Abitibi

October 22, 2012

Toronto, October 19, 2012 – Solid Gold Resources Corp. (“Solid Gold” or “the Company”) (SLD:TSXV) reports that new regulations obligating proponents to consult with potentially-affected Aboriginal communities before conducting exploration activities in Ontario are scheduled to come into force on November 1, 2012.

“These regulations result in a total transfer of all natural resources to the control of hostile, third-party governments. It is my opinion that Canadians must do everything possible to stop this ill-conceived, race-based initiative”, stated Darryl Stretch, President of Solid Gold.

On January 3, 2012, in the absence of any supporting law, a Motions Judge in the Superior Court of Ontario ordered Solid Gold to stop all exploration work at Lake Abitibi and, together with the Province of Ontario, to consult and accommodate the Wahgoshig First Nation (“the WFN”).

Two days later, in reference to the order, Premier Dalton McGuinty of Ontario stated, “There is an important legal obligation now placed on businesses to consult in a formal and thorough way.”

There wasn’t a law or regulation in place on January 5, 2012 when the Premier of Ontario made that statement and, in fact, the law will not come into effect for another two weeks.