Canada Mining – North of 60 – Page 36

Weddings of the gold rush era – by Laurel Downing Bill (KTVA.com – June 18, 2018)

June 20, 2018

http://www.ktva.com/

June was a popular month for weddings long before the Klondike gold rush. People of medieval times often took their annual baths in May, which meant a bride would still smell fresh in June. To be safe, she carried a bouquet of flowers to hide any body odor. That’s where the custom of carrying a bouquet down the aisle comes from.

Many miners who came north in search of riches may have chosen brides at the beginning of summer for practical reasons. Once the ground thawed, and a miner found a plot that showed promise, he drove stakes into the ground to lay claim to mining rights. By 1897, only one claim per person was allowed in a district.

But a loophole in the mining laws allowed married couples the right to register a separate claim in the wife’s name, thus doubling the amount of land for prospecting. So taking a wife could mean untold riches from the ground.

Diamonds in Canada Editorial: The next diamond boom – by Alisha Hiyate (Northern Miner -June 18, 2018)

June 18, 2018

http://www.northernminer.com/

We’ve timed the release of our June issue to coincide with Diamonds in Canada’s first-ever event. The inaugural Diamonds in Canada Symposium, hosted by The Northern Miner, will take place on June 11 at the Royal York in Toronto.

The event will look at the diamond market and industry trends, and involve some of the biggest players in the sector — including Grenville and Eira Thomas.

Each had a central role in the founding and building of Canada’s diamond sector: Gren Thomas was the founder of Aber Diamond (now Dominion Diamond) and is still deeply involved in diamond exploration through North Arrow Minerals. His daughter Eira Thomas was part of the exploration team at Aber that found the Diavik mine, as well as a founder of Stornoway Diamond and Lucara Diamond.

Nunavut gov’t pulled out of Grays Bay Road and Port Project before federal funding decision – by Nick Murray (CBC Canada News North – May 31, 2018)

June 4, 2018

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

Government says in line with new mandate, Kitikmeot Inuit Association says based on inaccurate information

The Nunavut government pulled out as a co-proponent on the federal funding application for the Grays Bay Road and Port Project, before learning whether the application was successful or not.

The move is significant as it’s one of the Quassa government’s first visible public policy shifts away from the previous government under Peter Taptuna. But the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, now the project’s sole proponent, says the government made its decision to pull out based on inaccurate information.

The proposed project is a 227-kilometre all-season road to connect a proposed deep-water port at Grays Bay — on the Northwest Passage between Bathurst Inlet and Kugluktuk — to the winter road that services the N.W.T.’s diamond mines. It’s one of Nunavut and the Northwest Territories’ richest areas in minerals.

Stan Sudol: Ontario politicians disregard mining issues, to the province’s peril – by Greg Klein (Resource Clips – June 1, 2018)

June 4, 2018

http://resourceclips.com/

One of Canada’s greatest mineral discoveries since 1883, the Ring of Fire offers tremendous potential to a region plagued by endemic poverty and to a province burdened with the world’s largest sub-national debt.

Meanwhile Ontario law requires mining companies to monitor carbon emissions from portable toilets. With a provincial election coming on June 7, something’s terribly lacking in campaign discussion, not to mention political vision, says Stan Sudol.

Backing up his insights with factual detail, the Sudbury native, former mine worker, communications consultant and mining commentator presents a highly informed perspective at his website, The Republic of Mining. Are the hurdles to Ring of Fire development insurmountable? Sudol points out:

Drills confirming zinc at Pine Point – by Shane Lasley (North of 60 Mining News – May 10, 2018)

May 11, 2018

https://www.miningnewsnorth.com/

Osisko Metals Inc. May 8 said its winter drilling continues to confirm historical zinc mineralization at its newly acquired Pine Point zinc-lead project in Northwest Territories.

Located near the community of Hay River, the Pine Point project benefits from substantial infrastructure that includes road access, rail head in Hay River and hydro-electric power available on site. A preliminary economic assessment completed in 2015 examined several development scenarios and settled on a mining plan where 10 open-pit deposits are mined in sequence.

The deposits included in the mine plan host 25.8 million metric tons of measured and indicated resources averaging 2.9 percent zinc and 1.1 percent lead, plus 3.7 million metric tons of inferred resources averaging 2.9 percent zinc and 0.8 percent lead.

No land claim means we’re ignored in Yukon mine assessment, First Nation says (CBC News North – May 2, 2018)

May 3, 2018

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

The White River First Nation says it wants more input into the review of Goldcorp’s Coffee project

Yukon’s White River First Nation is pushing for a stronger review of a proposed mining project, saying the current environmental assessment process is “unfair,” and excludes the First Nation’s input.

Mining giant Goldcorp has applied to the Yukon Environmental and Socioeconomic Assessment Board (YESAB) to build a gold mine near Coffee Creek, about 130 kilometres south of Dawson City.

“This area is important to WRFN [White River First Nation] history, culture and way of life,” said the First Nation’s chief, Angela Demit, in a statement. “We don’t want another repeat of the Faro mine where the First Nations were not adequately consulted… and now look at the mess all Canadians are paying to clean up.”

Northwest Territories economic future ‘grim,’ says report – by Emily Blake (CBC News North – May 1, 2018)

May 2, 2018

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

Mining output expected to drop and unemployment to rise by 2040

The economic future for the Northwest Territories is “grim,” according to the Conference Board of Canada’s newest forecast for all three territories.

According to the independent research group’s report, peak diamond production came last year for the N.W.T and will begin to fall in the coming years. All three operating diamond mines in the territory — Ekati, Diavik and Gahcho Kué — will close by 2034.

“When Ekati closes in 2034, it will be the end of 43 years of diamond mining in the Northwest Territories unless a new mining diamond project sees the light of day,” the report stated.

Pebble Mine Investor Again Needs Time to Finish Deal – by Stephen Lee (BNA.com – May 1, 2018)

May 2, 2018

https://www.bna.com/

The backer of an Alaska copper and gold mine project said May 1 it needs another month to finish an agreement with the mine’s owner.

Should financier First Quantum Minerals Ltd. and Pebble Mine owner Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. fail to come together, the project would be in trouble. Northern Dynasty needs First Quantum’s $150 million cash infusion to file its application for permitting and to cover its legal and consulting costs, while the Army Corps of Engineers writes its environmental impact statement.

Meanwhile, Northern Dynasty’s financial filings sketch a picture of a company operating close to the bone. The company only has roughly $50 million in cash on hand, according to a March 29 financial statement.

Federal government takes control of abandoned zinc mine in Yukon – Canadian Press (Financial Post – May 1, 2018)

May 2, 2018

http://business.financialpost.com/

WHITEHORSE — The Federal government has taken control of cleaning up a lead and zinc mine in Yukon, 20 years after the former operators declared bankruptcy and abandoned the site.

Yukon’s abandoned mines director, Stephen Mead, says Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada officially took the Faro Mine over Tuesday. He says Parsons Corp., the company that has been managing site, has a contract to continue its work until April 2020.

Mead says a two-year, $100-million construction project will begin this summer to better manage water in the area, collecting and treating contaminated water and diverting away clean water.

Northwest Territories gets shortest end of straw as mining boosts Nunavut, Yukon economies – by Henry Lazenby (MiningWeekly.com – May 1, 2018)

May 1, 2018

http://www.miningweekly.com/

VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – A lack of new mining projects in the development pipeline of Canada’s Northwest Territories (NT) is threatening to derail the region’s economic growth outlook, the latest ‘Territorial Outlook’ by The Conference Board of Canada (CBoC) has found.

The independent Ottawa-headquartered think tank points out that the NT has a “more muted” outlook compared with its counterparts, as fewer developments in mining and declining diamond output are expected to weigh on economic prospects.

In contrast, the board expects the Yukon and Nunavut Territories of Canada to benefit from new mining investment in next two years, giving the respective domestic economies a much-needed kick-start.

Gold mining company options Inuk prospector’s find, Inuit organization may prohibit development – by Sara Frizell (CBC News North – April 25, 2018)

April 25, 2018

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

John Tugak found gold not too far north of his home town of Arviat, Nunavut, while prospecting land he had rights to. He only began prospecting in 2013, but last year Agnico Eagle Mines Inc., an international mining company with eight mines including two in Canada, optioned the property.

It was the first time the company had partnered with an Inuk prospector. It would mean royalties for Tugak — maybe even riches — if the deposit were to be developed and mined.

But the notable agreement may come to nothing in the face of a land-use moratorium imposed by the Kivalliq Inuit Association (KIA).

NEWS RELEASE: Sabina & Kitikmeot Inuit Association Finalize Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement and Long Term Land Tenure Agreements for Back River Project

April 25, 2018

http://www.sabinagoldsilver.com/

VANCOUVER, British Columbia and CAMBRIDGE BAY, Nunavut, April 23, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sabina Gold & Silver Corp. (TSX:SBB) (“Sabina”) and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association (“KIA”) announced today that they have finalized agreements relating to the Binding Term sheet announced on October 18, 2017. The parties have entered into 20 year benefit and land tenure agreements under a Framework Agreement (“FA”) setting out rights and obligations with respect to surface land access on Inuit owned land on the Back River Project (“Back River” or the “Project”).

Additionally, these agreements provide Inuit of the Kitikmeot Region with financial and socio-economic benefits including, training, jobs, initiatives to create additional opportunities outside of the mining industry, share ownership in Sabina and a 1% net smelter royalty on future production from the proposed mine on the Goose property.

These are comprehensive milestone agreements that provide the long-term certainty of tenure required to de-risk, finance, develop and ultimately mine at Back River. These agreements enhance KIA and Sabina’s existing relationship of mutual respect and demonstrate that Nunavut is a pro-responsible development/mining region and underscore its “open for business” strategy.

Baker Lake, Nunavut woman fulfills goals at Agnico Eagle’s Meadowbank mine – by Michele LeTourneau (Nunavut News – April 16, 2018)

April 17, 2018

http://nunavutnews.com/

Natasha Nagyougalik began work at Meadowbank in 2010 as a young mother to a three-year old son. Now Aidan is 11 and mom has climbed the Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. career ladder to a top rung.

She works as a dispatcher, but has also learned to operate the $2-million RH120 shovel, one of the largest and most sophisticated pieces of equipment in the global mining industry. “In high school, I started off working at the local Northern store,” Nagyougalik said.

Then she saw job openings advertised by Agnico as either a dishwasher or housekeeper. She went for dishwasher. Five months later, she saw a posting for a month of heavy equipment training in Morrisburg, Ont. That was before Agnico brought simulator training to the mine site.

Grays Bay project dealt huge blow as federal funding denied – by Nick Murray (CBC News North – April 16, 2018)

April 17, 2018

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

Government of Nunavut pulls out of project that would connect proposed deep-water port to diamond mines

The Nunavut government has pulled its resources out of the Grays Bay Road and Port Project, after its request for federal funding to cover three-quarters of the estimated $527-million price tag was denied by Ottawa last week.

The proposed project is a 227-kilometre all-season road to connect a proposed deep-water port at Grays Bay — on the Northwest Passage between Bathurst Inlet and Kugluktuk — to the winter road that services the N.W.T.’s diamond mines. It’s one of Nunavut and Northwest Territories’ richest areas in minerals.

The project has the potential to create 2,250 full-time equivalent jobs in Nunavut and contribute $665 million to the territory’s mining operation revenues, according to a January 2018 economic assessment report.

ATAC Resources rebounds with expanded Yukon exploration plan – by Dave Croft (CBC News North – April 9, 2018)

April 9, 2018

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

ATAC working with Barrick Gold plans extensive drilling at the Rackla property north of Mayo

ATAC Resources is planning its biggest drilling program in more than five years at its Rackla gold property north of Mayo in central Yukon, according to company president Graham Downs.

The 1,742 square kilometre property consists of three zones — Rau, Orion and Osiris — which in turn contain a number of gold deposits and targets for ongoing exploration.

ATAC plans to “build on and expand on all the gold zones we have out there, and to be able to demonstrate we have, kind of, the critical mass to make things work there,” said Downs. He expects about 50 people will be working for ATAC.