Mining Education and Innovation – Page 33

Gold industry awaits technology breakthrough – by Dewald van Rensburg (Miningmx.com – October 10, 2011)

October 10, 2011

http://www.miningmx.com/

[miningmx.com] — THERE is great excitement about a promising new technology which could make deep underground mining possible and ensure the future of South Africa’s gold industry.

Deep underground mines are engineering miracles, but the limitations of the available technology have long been evident to South Africa’s gold industry.

The world’s deepest mine is AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng, which extends about 4km underground. To be able to mine much deeper than this, where millions of currently inaccessible – or uneconomic – fine ounces of gold lie, would require a breakthrough.

Significantly, AngloGold was recently the first group to herald such a breakthrough with an apparently large degree of certainty. Within three to five years the group wants to develop machines to replace mineworkers at the stope face.

This target not only involves machines that can do the work of humans at the “coalface”, but also means the end of mining methods in standard use for more than a century.

[Sudbury-based research organization] CEMI takes a new approach to mining innovation – by Lindsay Kelly (Northern Ontario Business – September, 2011)

October 4, 2011

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.

Holistic mining

It sounds more like a reference to a new-age healing trend, but a novel approach to mining that will focus on holistic practices is poised to put Sudbury’s Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) on course to change the face of the industry.

In July, CEMI received $823,000 from the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. (NOHFC) to instate a Research Chair for Holistic Mining Practices, vice-president Douglas Morrison, whose scope of work will include the expansion of research opportunities and attraction of innovation in mining.

It’s holistic because the research and innovation opportunities will encompass a greater spectrum of considerations than the technical aspect of mining, explained CEMI president and CEO Peter Kaiser.

“You can’t think anymore just technical, little gadgets. You can’t just think of cost reduction. You need to think safety, environmental, permits, Native issues,” Kaiser said. “If you want to succeed, it’s no more just a technical problem and ‘How do I bring a ton of ore out of the ground.’ You need a more holistic approach.”

PDAC NEWS RELEASE: Human Resources Issues Threaten Canada’s Mineral Exploration Supremacy

September 30, 2011

For Immediate Release

Sept. 30, 2011

To read the complete report click here: Unearthing Possibilities

Canada’s position as the global leader in mineral exploration is at risk because of a human resources triple threat, according to a study released today by the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) and the Mining Industry Human Resources (MiHR) Council.

Unearthing Possibilities: Human Resources Challenges and Opportunities in the Canadian Mineral Exploration Sector says Canada’s mineral exploration industry faces challenges on three critical fronts: a lack of awareness about the exploration sector and its many related career opportunities; a thinning labour pool that is affecting companies’ recruitment efforts; and attrition that sees many versatile, multi-skilled professionals leave the sector in mid-career.

“The worldwide demand for skilled labour in this sector is constantly increasing and driving up the cost of human resources,” says Dr. Scott Jobin-Bevans, PDAC president. “We have to work harder to attract more Canadians to this industry.”

In an increasingly globalized economy that prizes highly educated, multi-skilled workers, Canada will continue to lose mineral exploration professionals and its decades-long number one ranking in mineral exploration may quickly change.

Executive Terry MacGibbon of OMA member Quadra FNX to lead major university fundraising drive

May 7, 2013September 15, 2011

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Terry MacGibbon, Chairman of Ontario Mining Association member Quadra FNX, has taken on the volunteer role as chairman of Laurentian University’s Next 50 campaign. This fundraising effort, to date, has reached $39 million of its goal of $50 million.

“I am honoured to accept this important position and to be a part of the development of a university that I believe is on the cusp of greatness,” said Mr. MacGibbon. “Laurentian’s bold plans for the future speak to its desire to set the pace for educational excellence in Canada and projects like the newly announced Laurentian School of Mines and the Laurentian School of Architecture will surely attract some of the country’s brightest, most ambitious young minds.”

Also a donation of $1 million made by Quadra FNX to Laurentian University is being designated to the Laurentian School of Mines. “Quadra FNX is excited to invest in an institution that is set in one of the world’s great mining camps and that will play a vital role in developing the qualified professionals needed to sustain and grow our industry,” said Paul Blythe, President and Chief Executive Officer of Quadra FNX. “Laurentian’s School of Mines will undoubtedly become one of Canada’s premier centres for mining education.”

Canadian cities need a lesson in academic potential – by Nick Rockel (Globe and Mail – September 14, 2011)

September 15, 2011

The 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.

If you’re a student or a professor at the University of Waterloo, any intellectual property that you create there belongs to you. This unusual policy has helped make Ontario’s Waterloo Region a leading patent generator. It has also sparked local successes such as smart-phone giant Research In Motion Ltd. and software developer OpenText Inc., both university spinoffs.

“They basically have evolved from student days into incredible multinationals,” says John Jung, chief executive officer of Canada’s Technology Triangle Inc., the public-private economic development agency for the Waterloo Region.

Encompassing the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo, the region has long understood the value of close ties between business and academia. Its almost 60,000 full-time students – Waterloo’s two other key schools are Wilfrid Laurier University and polytechnic Conestoga College – are a vital source of talent for local companies.

Through the University of Waterloo’s decades-old co-op system, Canadian and international students apply their knowledge in the real world. The region’s three major postsecondary institutions have representatives on the Technology Triangle board, alongside business leaders.

NEWS RELEASE: LAURENTIAN UNIVERSITY JOINS FORCES WITH CANADIAN MINING EXECUTIVE – Terry MacGibbon announced as the new Chair of the Next 50 Campaign

September 14, 2011September 14, 2011

Terry MacGibbon, Chairman of Quadra FNX Mining Ltd. and Chair of Laurentian University’s Next 50 Campaign; Nawojka Wachowiak, Vice President, Investor Relations Quadra FNX Mining Ltd; Paul M. Blythe, President and CEO Quadra FNX Mining Ltd.; Tracy MacLeod, Laurentian University Campaign Director Development Office; Dominic Giroux, Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor

Toronto, ON (September 14th, 2011) On Tuesday evening, at Toronto’s National Club, an audience comprised of some of the biggest names in the mining industry listened as Laurentian University President and Vice-Chancellor Dominic Giroux and Paul Blythe, president and CEO of Quadra FNX Mining Ltd., introduced Terry MacGibbon, Chairman of Quadra FNX Mining Company as the new Chair of the university’s Next 50 Campaign. To date, the campaign has raised $39 million of its $50 million goal.

“I am honoured to accept this important position and to be a part of the development of a university that I believe is on the cusp of greatness,” said MacGibbon. “Laurentian’s bold plans for the future speak to its desire to set the pace for educational excellence in Canada, and projects like the newly-announced Laurentian School of Mines and the Laurentian School of Architecture will surely attract some of the country’s brightest, most ambitious young minds. I fully support Laurentian in its mission to provide these individuals with the highest quality educational experience available and am committed to helping the Next 50 Campaign reach its goal.”

Ontario Teachers take mining lessons back to the classroom

September 5, 2016September 12, 2011

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The Ontario Mining Association has helped 27 Ontario teachers gain a better perspective on the mineral industry through its participation in the second annual Teachers’ Mining Tour. This educational professional development program was held at the Canadian Ecology Centre (CEC) near Mattawa from August 15 to 19, 2011.

The program exposed teachers to all phases of the mining cycle, industry professions, Earth science and mineral education specialists, Earth science presentations, educational resources and numerous field trips. George Flumerfelt, President of North Bay-based mine contractor Redpath and an OMA Director, provided a “Mining 101” presentation for the educators to kick off the intensive week.

Tours included visits to Vale’s smelter complex in Sudbury and Xstrata Nickel’s Nickel Rim South Mine. In North Bay, the teachers toured Boart Longyear’s drill manufacturing facilities including a highly automated operation featuring robotics. Also, a representative of consulting engineering firm Knight Piesold made a presentation on the role of environmental assessments in resource development to this group of teachers.

[Ontario] Northerners need jobs too – Stan Sudol (National Post – September 9, 2004)

August 30, 2011August 30, 2011

The National Post is Canada’s second largest national paper.

This column was originally published in 2004. How things change and how they stay the same or get worse! Ontario’s debt that year was $142-billion but will reach $283-billion in 2012 and $303-billon in 2013. In addition, the Far North Act – Bill 19 – which was passed last year, bans economic development in 225,000 square kilometers of the far north, roughly 21 per cent of Ontario’s landmass.

For some geographic perspective, that is approximately the same size as the United Kingdom minus Northern Ireland with a population of 60 million people. The enormously rich “Ring of Fire” mining camp was largely unknown. – (Stan Sudol-August30, 2011)

How many more Sudbury Basins exist in that vast northern
territory above the French and Mattawa Rivers that encompass
85% of the province’s geography? There are billions of
dollars worth of untapped mineral deposits waiting to be
developed. (Stan Sudol-September 9, 2004)

Stan Sudol is a Toronto-based communications consultant and mining columnist. stan.sudol@republicofmining.com

National Post – September 9, 2004

In July, Alberta Premier Ralph Kline proudly announced that his province’s massive debt has been slain However he could not have accomplished that historic feat without the development of northern Alberta’s booming oil sands economy and ensuing resource royalties. Unfortunately, Ontario, struggling with a $142-billion debt and a $100-billion infrastructure deficit, is largely ignoring the mineral rich potential of its north.

Ribbon cut for Vale Living with Lakes Centre – by Rita Poliakov (Sudbury Star – August 26, 2011)

August 26, 2011

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

John Gunn may have won the battle, but now he’s focused on the war. The director of the Vale Living With Lakes Centre, which was officially opened on Thursday, first started raising funds for the building in 1992.

Since then, the Co-operative Freshwater Ecology Unit at Laurentian University has tried to build a new centre three times. Instead, the unit’s researchers operated out of several small white houses by Ramsey Lake.

“I feel like I’m (still) fighting. The work is ahead of us. The most important thing now is the work itself,” said Gunn, the Canada Research Chair in Stressed Aquatic Systems at Laurentian.

“I think we’re just starting out. This is the time to be looking ahead. How do we attract those new young researchers?”

NEWS RELEASE: [Sudbury-based] NORCAT Recognized for Outstanding Achievement by NASA

September 13, 2018August 26, 2011

August 25, 2011 – The Northern Centre for Advanced Technology Inc. (NORCAT), has been awarded the NASA Group Achievement Award for outstanding efforts in support of the 2010 International Lunar Surface Operations InSitu resource Utilization Field Test (ILSO-ISRU). Specifically this distinction is awarded in recognition of the quality of results and level of impact on NASA programs, effective management of cost and schedule, customer satisfaction, capacity for future contribution and the development of innovative approaches in responding to unforeseen crises.

In addition to technical contributions such as the drill and sample acquisition system for the NASA RESOLVE lunar water prospector testing and fuel cell system design for the lunar water utilization experiment, NORCAT’s role during this ILSO-ISRU field exercise was as overall field mission lead and coordinator.

New chair at [Sudbury’s] CEMI [mining research] – by Harold Carmichael (Sudbury Star – July 27, 2011)

July 27, 2011

The Sudbury Star, the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper. hcarmichael@thesudburystar.com

The Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation at Laurentian University now has a Research Chair for Holistic Mining Practices. Douglas Morrison, who had been Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation’s vice-president, will head the new post announced Tuesday.

The position is being created thanks to $823,000 from the province’s Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation’s Emerging Technology Program.

“I do know it’s going to create a better milieu for mining,” said Sudbury Liberal MPP Rick Bartolucci, who announced the money at a press conference at the Willet Green Miller Centre on the Laurentian campus. “This research, this innovation is going to create greater numbers of jobs.”

Morrison, who has 30 years experience in the mining field, including time with both Falconbridge and Inco, has also worked for Golder Associates, serving as the company’s Global Mining Sector leader from 2005-10 before joining the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation.

Brain drain in Canada threatens mining’s future – by Agence France-Presse (Montreal Gazette – June 29, 2011)

June 29, 2011

http://www.montrealgazette.com/index.html

MONTREAL — A shortage of mining specialists in Canada is hobbling the industry at a time when emerging giants India and China are pushing demand for ores and precious metals to record highs, experts say.

“You can’t find good geologists,” Rene Marion, chief executive of AuRico Gold, a Canadian company with mining operations in Mexico, told AFP.

“Hiring is a major, major problem,” echoed Jean-Marc Lulin, head of junior mining company Azimut Exploration. Canada is home to several major multinational mining firms, including Barrick, the world’s largest gold producer, with operations on five continents.

Companies are desperate for geologists, mining engineers and workers with metallurgical, chemical, electrical and environmental expertise, as well as good managers, according to McGill University’s Hani Mitri.

[Sudbury’s Laurentian] Mine school offering MBAs – by Tony Muma (Sudbury Star – June 28, 2011)

June 28, 2011

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

Michael Lesher, director of mining initiatives at Laurentian University, said the new School of Mines, announced on June 23, will take the institution’s existing expertise in fields related to mining and put them under one umbrella.

“We’ve already been doing many of the things that mining schools have. We’ve got one of the top mineral exploration programs in the world, one of the best mining engineering programs in the world, and we do environmental restoration like nobody’s business,” he said.

“We (also) want to develop programs in mining-related occupational health and safety and offer programs on aboriginal consultation as it relates to potential new mining communities up north.” Asked whether or not the new school would have its own building, Lesher said it wouldn’t “right now.” “I don’t think a building is on the table.”

LAURENTIAN UNIVERSITY NEWS RELEASE: Senate approves new School of Mines and School of Architecture

June 24, 2011

Sudbury – June 24, 2011 -Tuesday’s Senate meeting at Laurentian University proved to be an eventful one, with both the creation of its new School of Mines, as well as the School of Architecture program being approved.

“Both of these decisions by faculty represent Laurentian’s continued focus on being responsive to the communities we serve,” said Dominic Giroux, president and vice-chancellor for Laurentian University. “The establishment of the School of Mines represents a very significant step, creating a space for faculty from various disciplines to exchange ideas, better align programs and focus on mining related research, and in doing so, continuing to establish Laurentian as the go-to university for mining”.

Michael Lesher, director of mining initiatives at Laurentian University said, “We are striving to become the world’s leading mining-education centre covering the complete spectrum of the mining cycle from exploration to environmental rehabilitation, including cultural and economic sustainability, management, Native studies, and occupational health and safety. When students worldwide think about mining, we want Laurentian to be top of mind.”