Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications – Page 152

[Timmins] Reclamation sites to be showcased for delegates – by Sarah Moore (Timmins Daily Press – June 21, 2016)

June 21, 2016

http://www.timminspress.com/

TIMMINS – The successful reclamation of old mine sites in Timmins will showcased to visiting delegates next week as the Canadian Land Reclamation Association (CLRA) hosts its annual meeting and conference in the city.

Delegates from across the country will meet in Timmins for a four-day conference beginning Sunday. The discussions will surround the impact of mining on the natural environment as well as new research and developments that have been made in reclamation efforts nationwide. This is the second time the city has hosted the conference — the first being in 2009.

Jennifer Hargreaves, the Ontario chapter president of the CLRA and quality assurance coordinator at the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, said she is looking forward to the annual event and is pleased with the decision to host the conference in Timmins.

Sudbury activists not getting credit: Mine Miller – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – June 21, 2016)

June 21, 2016

http://www.thesudburystar.com/

In a morning filled with more than a dozen heartfelt speeches, Tom Rannelli’s address at the 32nd Workers’ Memorial Day stood out.

The head of Mine Mill Local 598/Unifor Pensioners received the only standing ovation at the two-hour event after he shared a personal peeve with about 150 people there to commemorate workers who were killed or suffered illnesses as a result of their jobs.

Employees who work in mine rescue, and health and safety advocates in mining are not receiving the recognition they deserve, said a fired-up Rannelli. “How come nobody in labour ever gets the Order of Canada?” he asked. Not one person has received Canada’s national honour from the labour movement as far as he knows. “This has to change,” said Rannelli, adding he was more than peeved, he was “pissed off.”

[Mining deaths] Losses still felt in Sudbury today – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – June 21, 2016)

June 21, 2016

http://www.thesudburystar.com/

Many of the same people spoke at Monday’s 32nd Workers’ Memorial Day as they have in other years, but their message never fails to resonate. Mines are deadly environments where death, injury and disease are ever present. So, then, is the need to strive for improved health and safety, and to reach the goal of zero harm underground and in surface plants.

The annual event held by Mine Mill Local 598/Unifor drew more than 150 people to the union’s Richard Lake Campground for two hours of speeches and remembrances. The day was first held 31 years ago, a year after the June 20, 1984, deaths of four men in the No. 5 shaft at Falconbridge Mine.

As often as the tragedy is recalled, the story of how Sulo Korpela, Richard Chenier, Daniel Lavallee and Wayne St. Michel lost their lives still causes chills to run down the spine. The men died after a 3.5-magnitude rock burst struck at 10:12 a.m., damaging the mine between the 3,800-foot and 4,200-foot levels.

The Golden Age Of Gold – by Andrew Hecht (Seeking Alpha.com – June 20, 2016)

June 20, 2016

http://seekingalpha.com/

These days, no currency around the world is as stable as gold. The lustrous yellow metal has performed like no other asset over recent months. Gold moved from $1046 per ounce last December to over $1300 last week. It traded to $1306 in early May, but what amounted to a spoof by the U.S. Federal Reserve in the hawkish April minutes sent the price down to the $1200 level and caused many longs to exit positions.

A weak employment shed doubt on the central bank’s intention to hike interest rates in June, but this week’s Brexit vote and a horrible terrorist attack in Orlando, Florida last weekend sealed the deal for any such rate increase. When the Fed announced that it would leave interest rate policy unchanged last week at the June meeting, the only surprise was just how dovish the central bank became.

They lower projected rate hikes for 2016 and 2017, and in her comments after the rate announcement, Chairperson Janet Yellen told reporters and economists that it is possible that the Fed could choose to lower rates back to zero if events warrant such an action.

Sudbury forum: Natural resources still king – by Debbie M. Nicholson (Sudbury Star – June 18, 2016)

June 20, 2016

http://www.thesudburystar.com/

Debbi M. Nicholson is president and CEO of the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce network is celebrating resource champions across the nation. Chambers recognize that Canada’s future prosperity means creating the conditions for our natural resource sectors to succeed.

Greater Sudbury is home to the largest integrated mining complex in the world. Mining and mining supply and services is a key economic driver for our community and employs more than 14,000 people in Sudbury. The natural resource sector contributes greatly to the economic vitality of our community and this is why we decided to join the Resource Champions Initiative of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.

Canada’s chamber network – a group of 420 chambers from across the country representing every industrial sector – knows how important forest products and fisheries, miners and farmers, and energy producers of all stripes are to Canada’s economy.

Octoberfest for Lawyers: Prospecting in Ontario’s Far North – by Bill Gallagher (Sudbury Star – June 17, 2016)

June 18, 2016June 17, 2016

http://www.thesudburystar.com/

Bill Gallagher, lawyer, author and strategist.

The last six months saw Ontario courts issue two major rulings on accessing resources. Junior miners operating in the Far North have not had an easy time, mainly due to not keeping abreast of the rise of native empowerment nationally and how that dynamic impacts (or should impact) their approach to accessing traditional lands. That’s because natives have land rights writ large.

I track this phenomenon right across the country and have maintained a special interest in Ontario ever since I was kicked-off the KI reserve by the entire community; turned out to greet Platinex’s CEO and his archeologist. I personally witnessed the resulting litigation or public gyrations of all the juniors: Platinex, God’s Lake Resources, Solid Gold (and indeed Cliffs); attended many pivotal events like the roll-out of Matawa’s Ring of Fire policy, keynoted at PDAC’s grand opening, lectured at Lakehead, and attended closing arguments in the Northern Superior litigation.

My trump card was my strategic role in helping to bring-in the Voisey’s Bay IBA (although that precedent was never treated as relevant by the juniors) caught as they were in the throes of Queen’s Park and Mining Act turmoil – and the thrall of litigation lawyers.

Gowest gets go-ahead – by Len Gillis (Timmins Daily Press – June 17, 2016)

June 17, 2016

http://www.timminspress.com/

TIMMINS – The arrival of this sunny summer weather in Timmins this week brought some sunny news for Gowest Gold Ltd., which reached an important milestone for the new gold property it is promoting in Timmins.

Greg Romain, company president and chief executive officer, said the long permitting process is finally over. “Yeah, we got the last permit signed off yesterday. It has been a long time coming but we’re certainly happy about it,” the Timmins native said in an interview Thursday morning.

Gowest is a junior gold exploration company working to develop the North Timmins Gold Project located roughly 35 kilometres north of the built-up area of Timmins. The project, which is part of the well-known Bradshaw gold venture, has more than 400,000 indicated ounces of gold and more than 750,000 ounces inferred.

Province wins exploration duty to consult case – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – June 16, 2016)

June 16, 2016

http://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Score one for Ontario. A mining strategist said the Ontario government won an impressive victory in its court case against a Sudbury exploration company that sued the province for breach of its duty to consult with a northwestern Ontario First Nation band.

Waterloo-based natural resources consultant Bill Gallagher considers the May 25 ruling in an Ontario Superior Court of Justice a landmark decision, not just for Ontario but across Canada. “It is the most important ruling in terms of getting this country up and running in the mining sector on the duty to consult.”

He’s also called it an indirect legal win for First Nations even though they were not a party to the lawsuit. The trial, which took place last October, wrapped up on May 25 when Justice Thomas Lederer dismissed the company’s claim against the Ontario government.

Plan to pressure the province for action on Ring of Fire – by Gord Young (North Bay Nugget – June 15, 2016)

June 16, 2016

http://www.nugget.ca/

Rising electricity prices topped the agenda of a meeting of the mayors of Northern Ontario’s largest cities in North Bay Wednesday.

The Northern Ontario Large Urban Mayors group – consisting of North Bay, Sudbury, Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay – has agreed to request a meeting with Ontario’s new energy minister during an upcoming municipal conference in August. The group hopes to lobby Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault, who was recently appointed the the portfolio, for changes that will provide some hydro relief for homeowners and businesses.

“It is the topic around the table from all of the mayors,” said Mayor Al McDonald, noting there is growing concern that rising electricity prices are driving industry out of the province and making it increasingly expensive for residents to live in their own homes. “We believe it’s becoming a crisis in the province.”

McDonald said the high cost of power is a dilemma for municipalities trying to attract industry.

Vale marking 60 years of mining in Thompson this weekend – by Ian Graham (Thompson Citizen – June 15, 2016)

June 15, 2016

http://www.thompsoncitizen.net/

We weren’t even supposed to be here today, but the ore that is the foundation of Thompson in both the literal and figurative senses has outlived the original projections of its lifespan more than twofold, making it possible for Vale, which bought Inco in 2006, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Thompson operations this weekend.

When the decision to establish a mine and a town to service it was made following the discovery of nickel deposits in 1956, the plan was for the community – and its infrastructure – to be around for 25 years, says Vale Manitoba Operations corporate affairs and organizational development manager Ryan Land. That it has far outlasted that prediction means the community is now repairing and replacing much of that infrastructure but also that Thompson itself has grown to become more than just a mining town.

“We are already a diversified economy,” says Land. “That regional hub thing is real. The region sustains Thompson as much as Vale if not more.”

Change at the top for Lake Shore Gold – by Len Gillis (Timmins Daily Press – June 14, 2016)

June 14, 2016

http://www.timminspress.com/

TIMMINS – Tony Makuch, who built up one of the newest gold mining ventures in Timmins, is leaving Lake Shore Gold to join another gold mining company.

While Makuch could not be reached for comment Monday, LSG confirmed that Makuch is moving to become the new chief executive officer of Kirkland Lake Gold (KLG), which operates the Macassa Mine, among others. A news release from Kirkland Lake Gold revealed that George Ogilvie had resigned as CEO and that Makuch, a former mine manager for that company, was moving into the top job.

“After careful consideration, the board of eirectors has determined that Tony is ideally positioned to lead Kirkland Lake Gold into the next stage of its development,” said Eric Sprott, chairman of the KLG board of directors, in the company news release.

Showdown at the Ring: Which route will win out: north-south or east-west? – by Don Wallace (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal – June 11, 2016)

June 13, 2016

http://www.chroniclejournal.com/

With visions of the steely calm of a dusty Burt Lancaster, there now emerges a tense showdown regarding the future (or lack there of) of the Ring of Fire. On the one side we have Noront’s east-west nickel/copper government-paid-for tote road to CNR Savant Lake. On the other is KWG’s, Chinese-built-and-paid-for north-south chromite rail line to CNR Aroland.

As usual the regulator, from whom the two adversaries seek approval, remains in hiding. Consequently, the public, lacking full details of the proposals, can only make guesses based on the public pronouncements by the two proponents.

Beginning with the timing issue, with the east-west road completed with government funds, Noront could commence operation within two years. Whereas KWG chromite production requires north-south rail, which is to be built and paid for by the very experienced Chinese. Nonetheless the wetland route offers some daunting engineering challenges and could take longer.

Sudbury Accent: Mine rescue draws the best and brightest – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – June 11, 2016)

June 11, 2016

http://www.thesudburystar.com/

A mine rescue team at Fecunis Mine near Onaping has been called by mine management to stand by while a new emergency warning system is tested underground. All workers in the mine are expected to report in when a warning is sounded, but on this occasion three fail to do so.

No one is alarmed because the miners may not have smelled the stench gas released as warning when something goes wrong underground or heard the siren that was sounded. The mine rescue team forms two parties of three to search for the missing miners.

As they enter the mine, they are alarmed at the sound of an explosion. One of the three missing miners detonated a development blast when he shouldn’t have. The team meets the miner who tells them he blasted a round. He then tried to switch on a 36-inch diameter fan to clear gas from the blasted area, but it wouldn’t start, so he decided to exit the mine.

Sudbury Accent: Ontario’s first female mine rescue captain – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – June 11, 2016)

June 11, 2016

http://www.thesudburystar.com/

Lynne Bouchard Thompson didn’t give a second thought to the fact she was the first female captain of a mine rescue team in Ontario at the time. Bouchard Thompson was drawn to mine rescue while working as a planner in engineering at Kirkland Lake Gold’s St. Andrew Goldfields Ltd. She’s now working as a construction supervisor in training.

She was intrigued with the idea of getting involved in mine rescue and attracted to the “extracurricular” aspect of it. She checked around, found out more about it and said to herself: “I want in on this team.”

There are three mine rescue teams at Kirkland Lake Gold, and its members are a tightly knit community, Bouchard Thompson said Friday at the 67th Annual Provincial Mine Rescue Competition at NORCAT Training Centre near Onaping. Her first year at the mining company, she aimed to get on the competitive mine rescue team and she did. The second year she moved up to vice-captain.