Canada Mining – North of 60 – Page 31

[Canada Diamond Mining] GUEST COMMENT: I beg to differ with MLA O’Reilly – by Tom Hoefer (Yellowknifer – March 20, 2019)

March 21, 2019

Tom Hoefer is the executive director of the NWT & Nunavut Chamber of Mines.

Editor’s note: The NWT & Nunavut Chamber of mines was the recent recipient of the NAPEG Professional Award of Merit in Geoscience, from the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists (NAPEG). NAPEG recognized the chamber for its, “dedication to, and support of, the North’s mineral resources industry.” This non-profit association is an advocate for responsible and sustainable mineral exploration and development for the North.

In regard to Frame Lake MLA Kevin O’Reilly’s attempted rebuke (Hansard, March 14) of Premier Bob McLeod’s speech at the recent Arctic Oil and Gas Symposium in Calgary, let me provide a different perspective.

While it may sound strange that a minerals guy would attend, I also attended the conference. Organizers invited me to share experiences and successes in Northern mineral resource development, something oil and gas developers might find helpful.

Inuit hope fresh deals with mining companies boost employment at new projects – by Bob Weber (Canadian Press/CTV News – March 16, 2019)

March 18, 2019

https://www.ctvnews.ca/

Inuit leaders are hoping a new cycle of mine expansion in Nunavut brings with it a motherlode of jobs and economic spinoffs. “Inuit are very eager and wanting to participate in the economy,” said P.J. Akeeagok of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.

His group recently signed an agreement with a mining company that has a billion-dollar expansion proposal before northern regulators. Baffinland’s Mary River mine on the northern end of Baffin Island is considered one of the richest iron deposits in the world.

That’s not the only mining news out of Nunavut. Quebec-based Agnico-Eagle has begun to pour gold at its new mine near Rankin Inlet and is developing another nearby deposit. The two projects represent $1.6 billion in investment since 2017. Agnico-Eagle, which already has about 800 employees and 300 contractors at its Meadowbank mine, expects to hire more for the new ones.

How Canada’s North can fulfill its great mining potential – by Ashley Stedman and Elmira Aliakbari (Troy Media – March 12, 2019)

March 12, 2019

https://troymedia.com/

Ashley Stedman is a senior policy analyst and Elmira Aliakbari is the associate director of natural-resource studies at the Fraser Institute.

Mining investors are eyeing all three territories in Canada’s North, according to the Fraser Institute’s annual survey of mining companies. For the first time in more than five years, all three territories are among the top 15 most attractive regions for mining investment worldwide.

But territorial governments and the federal government must implement policy reforms to capitalize on this moment, which could bring much-needed investment, employment and government revenue to areas of the North.

Every year, the Fraser Institute surveys miners around the world to determine which jurisdictions are attractive – or unattractive – for investment based on policies and geology. The survey spotlights policies (taxes, duplicative regulations, availability of labour and skills, etc.) that govern the mining industry and impact the investment attractiveness of jurisdictions.

NEWS RELEASE: Mining Revenues Strong in Northwest Territories; pass $1 billion in Nunavut

March 11, 2019

Yellowknife, NT (March 11, 2019) Mineral production continues to be strong at over $2 billion in the Northwest Territories, and with production growth has surpassed $1 billion for two consecutive years in Nunavut according to recently released statistics posted by Natural Resources Canada.

Preliminary estimates for 2018 show that the total value of NWT mining production is $2.111 billion, up slightly by $6 million (0.3%) from $2.105 billion in 2017. Of this:

• Diamond production accounts for nearly the entire value (99.4%) at $2.097 billion, up slightly by $6 million (0.3%) from $2.091 billion; and
• With no other minerals produced in the NWT, sand, gravel, and stone production value accounts for the remaining $13 million.

New report urges slowdown at Nunavut’s Mary River iron mine – by Jane George (Nunatsiaq News – March 5, 2019)

March 6, 2019

https://nunatsiaq.com/

The more Baffinland Mining Corp.’s Mary River iron mine in north Baffin ramps up production, the fewer relative benefits will flow to Inuit, a new report concludes.

“The most important thing is that ramping up production in the short term will result to significant loss of benefits to Inuit in particular and the territory more generally,” said Trevor Taylor, the Iqaluit-based vice-president of conservation for Oceans North, which commissioned the report.

The report, prepared by John Loxley, an economist from the University of Manitoba, found that Inuit occupy “a very small share of the jobs at this mine” and the rapid expansion of the workforce will in all likelihood further reduce the Inuit share.

‘Significant first step’: Feds fund new road to mineral-rich Arctic – by Bob Weber (CTV News/Canadian Press – March 4, 2019)

March 5, 2019

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/

TORONTO — Northern leaders are cheering a federal funding announcement for a long-awaited all-weather road into the heart of Canada’s mineral-rich Arctic. “This is a significant first step,” said Wally Schumann, minister of industry and infrastructure in the Northwest Territories.

The $5.1 million outlined at a mining conference in Toronto is a small fraction of the total cost that is expected to exceed $1 billion.

But Schumann said the money will pay for planning and development of the first part of the road, which could be under construction within five years. “It’s one of the richest regions in North America,” he said.

NEWS RELEASE: Fraser Institute News Release: Ontario plummets in annual ranking of mining investment attractiveness; four other Canadian jurisdictions among top 10 worldwide

February 28, 2019

CALGARY, Alberta, Feb. 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Saskatchewan is the world’s third most attractive jurisdiction for mining investment, while Ontario fades in the eyes of mining investors amid increased regulatory uncertainty and concerns about disputed land claims, finds the latest Annual Survey of Mining Companies released today by the Fraser Institute, an independent, non-partisan Canadian public policy think-tank.

“The mining survey—now in its 21st year—is the most comprehensive report card on government policy decisions that either attract or scare away mining investors from around the world,” said Kenneth Green, resident scholar and chair of the Fraser Institute’s energy and environmental studies and co-author of the report.

This year’s survey of mining executives ranks 83 jurisdictions around the world based on their geologic attractiveness for minerals and metals and the extent that government policies encourage or deter exploration and investment.

Nunavut tables near-balanced budget for 20th-anniversary year (Canadian Press/Globe and Mail – February 20, 2019)

February 21, 2019

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

As Nunavut approaches the 20th anniversary of its creation, the territory has tabled a mostly stand-pat budget that plans modest spending increases to fight some of its social problems.

“We look ahead to the next 20 years and beyond with anticipation, hope, motivation and great respect to the people, traditions and innovation that brought us to this point,” Finance Minister George Hickes told the territorial legislature Wednesday.

His budget forecasts a tiny deficit of $12-million on revenues of about $2.2-billion – about 90 per cent of which will come from federal transfers. That makes it the territory’s third red-ink budget in a row.

N.W.T. Mineral Resources Act to require benefit agreements with Indigenous gov’ts – by Katie Toth (CBC News North – February 11, 2019)

February 12, 2019

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/

If passed, act will replace mirrored federal legislation

The Northwest Territories government says more accountability on negotiations between industry and Indigenous governments is a hallmark of its long-awaited Mineral Resources Act, which was tabled in the legislature Monday.

If passed, companies will be required to sign a benefit agreement with affected Indigenous groups before companies can proceed with any major mining projects.

The act replaces mirrored federal legislation the territorial government has been using since it started managing its own land and resources after devolution in 2014.

Dozens of northern leaders to attend 2019 Vancouver mining conference – by Hilary Bird (CBC News North – Janaury 28, 2019)

January 29, 2019

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/

6 out of 7 N.W.T. cabinet ministers will be attending the 4-day conference

Dozens of leaders from across the North are in Vancouver this week for one of the country’s largest mineral development conferences. The Association for Mineral Exploration’s 2019 Mineral Roundup begins Monday.

Six out of the seven Northwest Territories cabinet ministers will be attending the four-day conference, as well as several of their staff members.

Forty leaders from the territory’s Indigenous groups will also be in attendance. N.W.T. MLA Cory Vanthuyne will also be attending as the chair of the legislature’s Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment.

Mining company optimistic about N.W.T. proposed power expansion – by Richard Gleeson (CBC News Canada North – January 25, 2019)

January 25, 2019

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/

Environmental group says money could be better spent helping communities off the power grid

A company that’s trying to revive mining in the Yellowknife area is optimistic about funding for the Taltson hydroelectric system — the biggest infrastructure project in the Northwest Territories.

“We’re obviously happy to see somebody starting to pay attention to power in the North,” said Joe Campbell, the executive chairman of TerraX Minerals.

The company is exploring 776 square kilometres of land in and around the city. It’s part of the historic Yellowknife greenstone belt that gave rise to the two gold mines — Con and Giant — and supported the city for more than 50 years.

Is Newmont Goldcorp good for North? – by Shane Lasley (Mining News – North of 60 – January 18, 2019)

January 18, 2019

https://www.miningnewsnorth.com/

he proposed combination of Newmont Mining Corp. and Goldcorp Inc. has raised questions about the future of the companies’ gold assets in the Yukon and investments in other junior mining companies across Canada’s North.

Two of the gold projects in the proposed Newmont Goldcorp pipeline are found in the Yukon – Plateau, a large property being explored by Newmont, and Coffee, a project that is nearing the mine development stage.

Knowing that the combined gold miner plans to shed some of its assets, it is currently unclear whether these projects will fit into the larger company’s pipeline or be put up for sale as part of the effort to slim down.

OPINION: Is history repeating itself? A tale of two territories – by Terry Dobbin(Nunatsiaq News – January 15, 2019)

January 16, 2019

https://nunatsiaq.com/

Terry Dobbin is the Nunavut general manager for the NW.T. and Nunavut Chamber of Mines.

“We need healthy exploration today to find the mines that will carry on the jobs and benefits”

They say that history repeats itself, and that’s not a good thing if it’s negative. Some of us are afraid that’s where we are headed. Let me explain.

Mining in the Northwest Territories has been a tremendous success story, with four diamond mines over the past 20 years generating 58,000 person years of employment, $20 billion in spending, training of seven per cent of the total workforce, significantly reduced social assistance payments, significant IBA [impact and benefit agreement] payments, and billions paid in a pile of taxes and royalties to governments to help them look after their residents.

However, in 2007 the N.W.T. began to lose focus on keeping mineral exploration strong. Exploration is the very work that is needed to find new mines and their great benefits. Since 2007, the N.W.T. has missed out on at least $1.4 billion in lost investment.

How Canada’s dazzling future in diamonds ended in fraud allegations – by Jennifer Wells (Toronto Star – January 14, 2019)

January 14, 2019

https://www.thestar.com/

This is not going to be a column about the manufactured consumption of diamonds. But it is going to be a column about the manufacture — the cutting and polishing — of diamonds.

The news from Tiffany & Co. of a diamond provenance initiative is welcome. Steps the company has taken as of this week — providing geographic sourcing information for individual diamonds — will be ramped up in 2020 when the New York jewelry house begins sharing the “craftsmanship journey,” as in, where those stones were turned into princess-cut bedazzlers. Do you want your diamond to be ethically sourced? Of course you do.

Some may think, brightly: Tiffany-blue ring boxes, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn. Others may think, insightfully: conflict diamonds, blood diamonds, child labour. I think, simply: Northwest Territories, squandered economic opportunity, a sprinkling of fraud. They’re all connected. Human rights abuses abroad bleed as deeply through the mining of diamonds as those kimberlite pipes that plunge beneath the Arctic surface.