Canadian Media Resource Articles – Page 15

Amid trade skirmish, Wilkinson raises eyebrows with pitch for closer ties with U.S. on critical minerals and energy – by Darius Snieckus (National Observer – February 5th 2025)

February 6, 2025

https://www.nationalobserver.com/

The U.S. and Canada should “jointly invest” in North American critical minerals and energy megaprojects, Canada’s minister of energy and natural resources said Tuesday, raising eyebrows as Canada continues to grapple with the threat of punishing tariffs — and concerns the country could risk relinquishing total control of its natural resource wealth.

Such an alliance would aid the U.S. in reducing its reliance on rivals Russia and China for uranium, germanium, lithium and other next-generation energy materials, Jonathan Wilkinson said, while building on a “many decades-long” trade relationship between the U.S and Canada.

Chinese investors control 75% of Indonesia nickel refining capacity: report – by Frederic Tomesco (Northern Miner – February 5, 2025)

February 6, 2025

https://www.northernminer.com/

Chinese investors have managed to gain control over most nickel refining capacity in Indonesia, the world’s biggest producer of the mineral – a dominance that may give China a greater say over future prices while crowding out rivals, a new report suggests.

Chinese companies or shareholders ultimately control at least three-quarters of Indonesia’s nickel refining capacity, though the holdings are hidden behind “layers of shell companies” to mask foreign ownership, according to an analysis prepared by the Washington-based Center for Advanced Defence Studies.

Now is the time to unleash Canada’s enormous resource potential – by Eric Nuttall (Financial Post – February 6, 2025)

February 6, 2025

https://financialpost.com/

New pipelines are our ‘trump card,’ and, if given the necessary urgency, they could be built in a matter of years, not decades

There are countries who have successfully leveraged their resource wealth to enrich their citizens, and then there is Canada. Years of policies rooted in energy ignorance and centred around self-flagellation have made us poorer and vulnerable.

From cancelling new pipelines that would have diversified our customer base and shrunk our price discount, to abjectly denying the business case in coal-replacing LNG, we have chosen the path of servitude again and again. As bearer of the third largest oil reserves in the world, it didn’t have to be this way.

Trump is firing up resource nationalism. But can Canada’s energy and mining sectors pivot away from the U.S.? – by Niall McGee, Emma Graney, Nicolas Van Praet and Brent Jang (Globe and Mail – February 6, 2025)

February 7, 2025February 6, 2025

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

The threat of U.S. tariffs is firing up a brand of Canadian resource nationalism not seen in decades, inspiring a rallying call for this country to build more of its own energy, power and mining infrastructure. But executing on that plan will be no easy feat.

U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week backed off from immediately imposing tariffs on Canadian imports, but the risk remains high that he’ll follow through after a 30-day reprieve runs out. Amid this threat, Canada’s resource sector, most of which would be subject to a 10-per-cent tariff, is looking at diversifying away from the United States to insulate itself from more shocks that lie ahead.

Eby’s new love for energy, mining doesn’t excuse past abuse of the sector – by Adam Pankratz (National Post – February 3, 2025)

February 6, 2025

https://nationalpost.com/

The B.C. government is looking to fast-track 10 major projects. Great, but where was this growth-friendly attitude five years ago?

One heartening development in President Donald Trump’s trade war with Canada is that the post-national identity peddled by our prime minister and his followers has been replaced with a hefty dose of red-blooded patriotism.

However, while this is a time to come together, it most definitely is not a time to let the people who led us into this precarious position off scot-free — people such as British Columbia Premier David Eby.

De Beers seals sales and mining contract with Botswana – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – February 3, 2025)

February 3, 2025

https://www.mining.com/

De Beers, the world’s leading diamond producer by value, has concluded negotiations with the Botswana government on a new sales agreement and the extension of mining licenses for their joint venture, Debswana, until 2054.

The finalized agreement, the Anglo American (LON: AAL) unit said on Monday, follows discussions aimed at setting a new framework for the sale of rough diamond production from Debswana, a 50:50 partnership between De Beers and Botswana. The deal also secures the renewal of Debswana’s mining licenses, which were previously set to expire in 2029.

[Defence] It’s time for Canada to finally grow up – by The Editorial Board (Globe and Mail – January 25, 2025)

February 3, 2025

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

It may seem odd to say that Canada, the world’s fourth oldest continuous democracy, needs to start behaving like a grownup, but that is precisely the moment in which the country finds itself.

For too long, when it comes to the two areas of statehood that most require a firm adult hand – national defence and the economy – Canada’s federal and provincial governments have displayed the self-indulgent complacency of a teenager who tries to get away with doing the bare minimum.

Mining Indaba: US trade aggression could stall African metals investment, deepening supply gap – by Henry Lazenby (Northern Miner – February 3, 2025)

February 3, 2025

https://www.northernminer.com/

U.S. protectionism could stall mineral processing investment around the world as supply shortages threaten to squeeze markets, an industry conference heard Monday in Cape Town, South Africa.

New trade measures have created uncertainty. They could delay projects needed to close a widening production gap, Standard Chartered Bank’s global head for metals and mining, Richard Horrocks-Taylor, said at the Investing in African Mining Indaba. The new U.S. tariffs announced this weekend may trigger growth shocks and spark inflation, he said.

Uncertainty and hope in Thompson as mine owner considers sale – by Sanuda Ranawake (CBC News Manitoba – February 01, 2025)

February 3, 2025

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

Vale says it has launched ‘strategic review’ of northern Manitoba operation, including potential sale

Ken Michaluk has lived in Thompson for decades. He worked at the mining operation in the northern Manitoba city, seeing it exchange hands several times, and undergo expansions and cuts. Now retired, he said things can’t get much worse for the operation, as Vale SA, a Brazilian company and the nickel operation’s owner, is considering a potential sale.

“Business is business,” said Michaluk. “They’ve laid off … pretty much all they can lay off. I don’t think that’s an issue. I don’t think they’re going to just shut it down. And it wouldn’t make much sense in that, that’s for sure.”

Chinese gold demand looks to rebound as UK-U.S. flows continue, silver demand from solar may be peaking – Heraeus – by Ernest Hoffman (Kitco News – February 3, 2025)

February 3, 2025

https://www.kitco.com/

(Kitco News) – Gold demand in China is showing signs of a strong rebound even as physical flows from the UK to the U.S. continue, while there are indications that solar demand for silver may be peaking, according to precious metals analysts at Heraeus.

In their latest precious metals update, the analysts noted that Chinese wholesalers appear to be anticipating a rise in consumer demand for gold. “Shanghai Gold Exchange (SGE) withdrawals, a key indicator of wholesale and fabrication demand, typically rise in December and January as fabricators stock up for the Chinese New Year, which fell on 29 January this year,” they noted. “Consumer demand tends to also adhere to similar seasonality.

‘Gold-endowed region’ hinges on workforce – by Sandi Krasowski (The Chronicle-Journal – February 1, 2025)

February 3, 2025

https://www.chroniclejournal.com/

Operators of two Northwestern mines weighed in on the economic value of mining gold and gave a comprehensive view of the industry with a focus on job creation during the Prosperity Northwest Conference this week.

Andrew Cormier, chief operating officer for Orla Mining, said gold is increasingly seen as a critical asset, fuelling investment, innovation and job creation in the region. “Being in the gold industry, we’re generally bullish on the price of gold,” he said at the conference in Thunder Bay.

Not since Nixon has a U.S. president set in motion such a significant transformation of global economics – by David Shribman (Globe and Mail – February 3, 2025)

February 3, 2025

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to begin tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China on Tuesday represents the most significant unilateral and intentional economic disruption any global leader has prompted in more than a half-century.

Not since Richard Nixon removed the United States from the gold standard in 1971 and imposed an import surcharge has the unbridled power of an American president – indeed, of any top official anywhere – set in motion a transformation of global economics, trading patterns, international relations and potential consumer impact that remotely approaches the effect of Mr. Trump’s imposition of tariffs against the three top trading partners of the biggest consumer economy in human history.

New documentary tells the story of ‘lost legend’ Jack Munroe (CBC News Sudbury – May 26, 2024)

February 3, 2025

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

Munroe founded a small town in northern Ontario

He made millions in mining at the turn of the 20th century, lasted four rounds in the ring with the heavyweight champion of the world, and wrote a bestseller about his experiences during the First World War.

Now the many accomplishments of Jack Munroe are being recognized in a documentary called Lost Legend: The Story Of Jack Munroe. Terry Fiset helped get the documentary off the ground, so more Canadians would learn about a man he considers a hero.

Milestone agreement to strengthen Ring of Fire infrastructure – by Ashley Fish-Robertson (CIM Magazine – January 31, 2025)

January 31, 2025

https://magazine.cim.org/en/

The partnership between Ontario and Aroland First Nation marks the first time agreements are in place to build roads along the whole route to the Ring of Fire region

A historic agreement was signed on Jan. 28 in Toronto by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, Aroland First Nation Chief Sonny Gagnon and Greg Rickford, Ontario’s minister of northern development and minister of Indigenous affairs and First Nations economic reconciliation.

The agreement will see the provincial government commit over $90 million to upgrading vital infrastructure in northern Ontario, which will both enable the mining of critical minerals in the Ring of Fire region—with improved roads facilitating the transport of materials to processing plants—and connect multiple First Nations communities to major highways.

Will new claim staking rules put a chill on mineral exploration in B.C.? – by Nelson Bennett (Business In Vancouver – Janaury 30, 2025)

January 31, 2025

https://www.biv.com/

First Nations likely to be deluged with claim referrals under upcoming Mineral Tenure Act changes

Twenty years ago, an NDP government triggered a flight of investment from mineral exploration and mining in B.C. that lasted more than a decade when, in 1993, it ring-fenced the massive undeveloped copper-cobalt Windy Craggy deposit with a new provincial park.

Windy Craggy, still a sore point for miners and prospectors in B.C., was invoked last week at the Association of Mineral Exploration (AME) Roundup conference during a technical panel discussion on the new rules coming for claim staking.