Twitter

Manitoba Mining

Canada’s rush for new resource projects can’t happen without First Nations’ support: grand chief – by Ozten Shebahkeget (CBC News Manitoba – June 16, 2025)

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

‘Nothing will happen unless the First Nations … say it will’: Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak grand chief

Some First Nations leaders and citizens in Manitoba say they’re concerned by the province’s recent push to create new energy, trade and resource extraction projects in the north. Shortly after the Liberals won a minority government in last April’s federal election, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney to pitch five major resource projects in the province that could be fast-tracked.

At the top of Kinew’s list was a project he called the “One Canada Trade Corridor,” which would create a potential hub for critical minerals and fossil fuel exports through northern Manitoba’s Port of Churchill to diversify Canada’s trade relationships.

Read more

Hudbay starts demolition on long-disused smelter – by Eric Westhaver (Flin Flon Reminder – December 6, 2024)

https://www.thereminder.ca/

Almost 15 years after it was last used and nearly a century after it was first built, Hudbay has begun demolishing the company’s former smelter facility. Company representatives announced the work had begun during a public meeting at the Flin Flon Community Hall Nov. 27, detailing a plan that will take well over a year to complete.

Demolition work on some buildings part of the smelter complex began last month and is still ongoing. The anode building has been fully demolished, with demolition on the converter aisle currently underway. Hudbay representatives say they expect the converter aisle and furnace area all demolished by Christmas this year and material ready to be moved away by rail in early 2025.

Read more

[Manitoba] Mines hit with production stoppages, reductions in face of wildfires – by Gabrielle Piché (winnipeg Free Press – June 4, 2025)

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/

Production and exploration at some Manitoba mines has ground to a halt as staff evacuate and wildfires rage. Hudbay Minerals paused operations at its gold and zinc mine at Snow Lake, it told investors on Wednesday. The underground mine has a daily mill capacity of 5,300 tonnes.

Most employees have left the area; the Town of Snow Lake was issued a precautionary evacuation notice on Tuesday. Essential Hudbay staff have remained to assist with emergency activities, the company said, adding the workers have been authorized by emergency services.

Read more

Arctic Gateway Group says the Port of Churchill will help diversify Canada’s trade links to other countries – by Carlo Cantisani (Globe and Mail – June 2, 2025)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Less than a year into his new job as CEO of Arctic Gateway Group, Chris Avery is finding himself overseeing what is quickly emerging as a critical cog in fighting the Trump-era trade war.

AGG, which operates the Port of Churchill and the connecting Hudson Bay Railway (HBR) in northern Manitoba, strategically links Western Canada to Arctic waters and from there offers routes to Europe, South America and the Middle East.

The company is aiming to become a vital link between Canada and emerging Arctic routes to help boost interprovincial and overseas trade and to reduce reliance on the United States.

Read more

Mining In Canada: Critical Minerals Exploration – Revival of Thompson nickel belt: Drilling into Manitoba’s untapped potential – by Misty Urbatsch (Canadian Mining Journal – May 1, 2025)

https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

Misty Urbatsch is the CEO, president, and director of Core Nickel Corp.

Core Nickel Corp. (CSE: CNCO) is quickly gaining traction as an emerging exploration company targeting high-grade nickel sulfide systems in northern Manitoba. Since listing in late 2023, the company has raised $3.9 million in capital, secured nearly $0.5 million in non-dilutive government funding, launched multiple drill programs, and initiated airborne surveys across key assets — all while firmly establishing itself in the globally significant Thompson Nickel Belt.

The company’s exploration efforts are centered on the Thompson Nickel Belt, the world’s fifth-largest nickel belt and a globally significant source of high-grade nickel sulfide. Though more than five billion lbs. of nickel have been mined from the region, large portions of the belt remain underexplored using modern geological and geophysical techniques.

Read more

Port of Churchill sees renewed interest as Canada looks to diversify trade routes – by Lauren Krugel (Canadian Press – March 30, 2025)

https://www.thecanadianpressnews.ca/

Manitoba may be smack dab in the middle of the country, but its premier wishes to remind Canadians it’s a maritime province. “When you think of Manitoba, you think of the Prairies, you think of the bush, but did you know that you can get to saltwater as well?” Wab Kinew said in early February as the province and Ottawa announced a joint $80-million investment in the Port of Churchill.

Trade routes that eschew the United States have become a focus as U.S. President Donald Trump continues to threaten Canadian sovereignty and subject businesses to tariff whiplash.

Read more

Wab Kinew ignores Manitoba’s trillion-dollar critical minerals opportunity – by Kevin Klein (Winnipeg Sun – March 21, 2025)

https://winnipegsun.com/

While New Brunswick’s Premier Susan Holt and her Liberal government are making serious moves to capitalize on their province’s critical mineral resources, here in Manitoba, Premier Wab Kinew and his NDP government are silent. Not a word. Not a dollar. Not even a photo op with a hardhat and shovel.

This is a missed opportunity on a scale that’s hard to ignore — unless, of course, you’re the NDP. On Wednesday, New Brunswick’s Natural Resources Minister John Herron stood in their legislature and said what every leader who takes economic growth seriously should be saying. He told his team to get a strategy together to mine their rich deposits of critical minerals.

Read more

Growing port in Manitoba gives more access to international markets amid U.S. trade uncertainty – by Michael Joel-Hansen (Saskatoon StarPhoenix – March 5, 2025)

https://thestarphoenix.com/

Arctic Gateway Group plans to double the amount of critical minerals shipped out of the Port of Churchill

As reliable Canadian access to the United States continues to be uncertain, one group is continuing its efforts to give the country’s shippers more options for selling their goods.

Arctic Gateway Group LP, which owns and operates the Port of Churchill in northern Manitoba, said it plans to double the amount of critical minerals, specifically zinc concentrate, that will be shipped out of the port. It also announced plans to triple the port’s critical mineral storage capacity.

Read more

Norway House chief says First Nations can help Manitoba’s potential to be global ‘Costco of critical minerals’ – by Ozten Shebahkeget (CBC News Manitoba – March 02, 2025)

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

Manitoba, Canada neglect First Nations mining despite clear benefits, Chief Larson Anderson says

The chief of the only First Nation to fully own a mining company in Manitoba says he wants the provincial and federal governments to recognize his community’s role in boosting critical mineral exploration as a global race to secure those materials heats up.

Norway House Cree Nation Chief Larson Anderson says his community took full ownership of the Minago nickel project on the Thompson nickel belt in November. The mine could enter production within the next five years, he said.

Read more

Feds, province invest almost $80M in Northern Manitoba to advance critical minerals – by Staff (Canadian Mining Journal – February 5, 2025)

https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

Ottawa and Manitoba have hedged their bets on Northern Manitoba becoming a global hub for trade opportunities, especially in critical minerals, based on a historic investment from both governments recently. Between the two governments, the investment is close to $80 million over two years, with a total investment of $79.4 million.

The federal government is investing over $43 million over the two years in new transportation and training monies. Federal Minister Terry Duguid made the announcement in Manitoba on February 4th. On the same day, the Manitoba government committed to a $36.4 million investment into the railway and port. The provincial monies will go towards restoring and replacing old infrastructure at the northern port.

Read more

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

Read more

NEWS RELEASE: Vale Base Metals launches strategic review for Thompson mine as part of global optimization (January 23, 2025)

TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ – Vale Base Metals has launched a strategic review to explore and evaluate a range of alternatives, including the potential sale, for its mining and exploration assets in Thompson, Manitoba, the Canadian-based subsidiary of Vale SA (NYSE: Vale) announced today.

The Thompson review is part of a process to optimize Vale Base Metals’ global mining portfolio to enable copper growth in the Carajas region and ensure the competitiveness of its vertically integrated nickel portfolio to create long-term value for its shareholders and stakeholders. Vale Base Metals has engaged an external advisor to lead the Thompson review, which is expected to conclude in 2H 2025.

Read more

Vale Base Metals considering selling its mining and exploration assets in Thompson, Manitoba – by John Barker (Soundings – January 23, 2025)

https://soundingsjohnbarker.wordpress.com/

Vale Base Metals said Jan. 23 it is considering selling its mining and exploration assets in Thompson, Manitoba. Vale Base Metals is the Canadian Toronto-based subsidiary of Vale SA. Vale Base Metals has launched a strategic review of its options for its Thompson assets, include two mines and an adjacent mill along with other exploration opportunities, Vale said.

The strategic review is expected to be completed later this year, the company said. The strategic review is part of a process to optimize Vale’s global portfolio to enable copper growth in the Carajas region in Brazil. Vale Base Metals has engaged an external advisor to lead the Thompson strategic review.

Read more

Grid Metals, Teck Resources team up to explore nickel sulphide project in Manitoba – by Staff (Mining.com – December 12, 2024)

https://www.mining.com/

Battery metals explorer Grid Metals (TSXV: GRDM) will team up with Teck Resources (TSX: TECK.A/TECK.B) to advance the Mawka nickel-copper-PGM (platinum group metals) project in southeastern Manitoba.

Under an option agreement entered on Thursday, Teck can acquire up to a 70% interest in the project by spending C$15.7 million on the project and making staged cash payments totalling C$1.6 million to Grid Metals.

Read more

Residents call proposed peat mine a ‘threat’ to Lake Winnipeg’s Washow Bay – by Dave Baxter (Hamilton Spectator – November 21, 2024)

https://www.thespec.com/

A petition asking the province to put a halt to a proposed peat mine expansion near Lake Winnipeg has almost 1,000 signatures, as residents express concerns about the project and what damage it could bring to the community and to the lake.

“Lake Winnipeg’s Washow Bay area, a vital ecosystem supporting diverse wildlife and local communities, is under threat from the expansion of peat mining operations,” reads a statement posted on a petition set up on Change.org in July by residents of the Washow Bay area.

Read more