Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications – Page 19

Beware the ‘Zombie’ Mining Companies – by Christopher Pollon (The Tyee – October 10, 2023)

October 10, 2023

https://www.thetyee.ca/

Vancouver is home to many sketchy outfits hiding among legit global operators. It’s one more mining mess to clean up. Excerpted from ‘Pitfall.’

In a relatively short time, Canada has morphed from backwater resource colony to global mining colonizer. We are the inventors of the modern junior mining company — a small, nimble corporate vehicle designed to raise high-risk capital. At its best, Canadians scour every corner of the earth, drilling exploratory holes in the ground on a quest for minerals the world needs; at its worst, zombie companies loot investors and feed popular cynicism about the mining business.

There is something incongruous, at first glance, about the emergence of Canada — a nation of about 40 million known more for being over-apologetic than for a cutthroat approach to resource capitalism — as a global mining power.

Ring of Fire road projects are ‘sovereignty’ issue, says Anishinaabe documentary filmmaker – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – October 5, 2023)

October 5, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Thunder Bay’s Tony McGuire wades through the conflict and contradiction of Far North development

When Thunder Bay and Anishinaabe filmmaker Tony McGuire embarked upon a documentary project on the proposed roads to the Ring of Fire, he admittedly struggled with finding a focus. “We weren’t really sure how to tell the story.”

McGuire had been invited by the isolated communities of Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations to take on a lightning rod of a topic among Indigenous people, environmental groups, politicians and industry for the last 15 years.

Ring of Fire nickel could supply half million cars – by Nicole Stoffman (Timmins Press – October 4, 2023)

October 4, 2023

https://www.timminspress.com/

CEO remains bullish despite ‘ambitious timeline’

Even if the company aiming to begin mining the Ring of Fire meets its very ambitious production start date of 2030, it will still be “late in the game to capture the increase in the demand for nickel.” Wyloo Ring of Fire CEO Kristan Straub made the comment during a Sept 25 “State of Mining” presentation at the Dante Club hosted by the Timmins Chamber of Commerce.

The worldwide demand for nickel is so great, and the ability for Canada and North America to meet that demand so small, that Straub predicts the world will be moving towards substituting nickel by 2040.

Agnico Eagle donates $5M to support breakfast, literacy and arts programs – by Jorge Antunes (Nunatsiaq News – October 2023)

October 4, 2023

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Executive fills in details of pledge mining company made in 2020

Agnico Eagle is donating $2.5 million to a children’s breakfast program and $2.25 million to Nunavut’s literacy council, a move the mining company called an investment in the territory’s youth. “We firmly believe that to leave a lasting and meaningful legacy in Nunavut, we must support and invest for the next generation,” said Martin Plante, the mining company’s Nunavut vice-president, on Sept. 28.

Plante announced the details for what the company calls its Inunnguiniq project — Inuktitut for “creating a whole human being” — during the closing gala of last week’s Kivalliq Trade Show.

Ontario, Nevada ink deal to boost mining business – by Len Gillis (Northern Ontario Business – September 29, 2023)

October 3, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Sudbury-based MineConnect has played a major role in creating business partnerships in the mining supply sectors in Nevada and Ontario

Ontario and Nevada have signed a formal agreement to enhance the mining industry in both of those jurisdictions.

Nevada is located in the western United States and has a long history of mining, especially for silver (Comstock Lode). Nevada is also strong in mining copper, gold, lithium and molybdenum, minerals that are critical to the battery electric vehicle industry.

Ring of Fire developer Wyloo Metals rebrands to Wyloo – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – September 27, 2023)

September 28, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Australian company decides to place its global mineral assets under one banner

Australia’s Wyloo Metals has again rebranded its mineral assets in Ontario’s Ring of Fire. The Perth-headquartered mine developer has decided to place its Canadian and Western Australian mine and exploration properties under the single banner of Wyloo.

Privately owned Wyloo acquired the assets of Toronto’s Noront Resources in April 2022, which comprises the Eagle’s Nest nickel project and its chromite properties, 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay.

Indigenous leaders rebuff minister, again demand meeting with premier on mining agenda – Aidan Chamandy (The Trillium – September 26, 2023)

September 27, 2023

https://www.thetrillium.ca/

The Land Defence Alliance shot down an offer to meet with Indigenous Affairs Minister Greg Rickford last week

Indigenous leaders from the Land Defence Alliance came to Queen’s Park on Tuesday to keep pressuring the premier to meet with them on the government’s mining policies — including the marquee Ring of Fire project — after rejecting a meeting with Indigenous Affairs and Northern Development Minister Greg Rickford.

The Alliance is made up of five First Nations communities — Neskantaga, Muskrat Dam First Nations, Wapekeka, Asubpeeschoseewagong Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows), and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (Big Trout Lake).

Ring of Fire Metals CEO responds to environmental concerns – by Nicole Stoffman (Timmins Daily Press – September 27, 2023)

September 27, 2023

https://www.timminspress.com/

Says mining on high ground means minimal impact on peatlands

Kristan Straub provided an update on the development of the Eagle’s Nest Project within the Ring of Fire at a State of Mining luncheon at the Dante Club on Tuesday. Eagle’s Nest is an undeveloped high-grade nickel sulphide project and chromite deposit 400 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, and is set to be the first critical minerals deposit to be mined in the Ring of Fire region.

The Ring of Fire comprises 5,000 square kilometres, and is rich in critical minerals such as: high-grade nickel, copper, cobalt, platinum group elements and chromite. Critical minerals are so called because they have specific applications in industry and technology and have few substitutes. They are subject to geopolitical and environmental risk because they are geographically concentrated. The world’s biggest supplier of Nickel is Indonesia.

Province urged to shift focus on future mining away from Ring of Fire – by Ron Grech (Timmins Press – September 25, 2023)

September 27, 2023

https://www.timminspress.com/

Equally promising opportunities cited with existing mining projects near Timmins and Sudbury

The Ontario government is being called upon by an Indigenous-led conservation effort to support existing mining projects rather than opening new ground within the Ring of Fire.

“There are at least six different large nickel projects in the Timmins and Sudbury area,” said Anna Baggio, director of conservation planning with the Wildlands League, which has teamed up with Mushkegowuk Council in support of establishing a National Marine Conservation Area along the James and Hudson Bay coast.

Lithium Americas and Ioneer Carrying the Weight of all Lithium Clay Deposits on their Shoulders – by Ryan D. Long (Linkedin.com – September 21, 2023)

September 22, 2023

https://www.linkedin.com/

Introduction

Sedimentary (clay) lithium deposits are formed from volcanic eruptions that deposit lithium bearing volcanic glass and ash (tuffs), which is gradually eroded and leached over time to create a lithium-bearing clay, called smectite. The smectite clays can then be subject to hydrothermal alteration, which increase the lithium content and alters the smectite to illite clay.

Surprisingly over 90% of sedimentary lithium exploration/development projects are located in the US, with an incredible 75% found in Nevada. In general, sedimentary lithium deposits are lower-grade than igneous (hard rock) lithium deposits but higher grade than lithium brine deposits, and in terms of scale (contained LCE) they tend to be larger than igneous lithium deposits but smaller than lithium brine deposits.

The Drift: The ‘picturesque ruins’ of Cobalt make their debut at the McMichael gallery – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – September 21, 2023)

September 21, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Upcoming exhibition will showcase new landscape art from Cobalt’s mining history and how it became a gathering place for women painters

The historic northeastern Ontario mining town of Cobalt will be in the spotlight this fall at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection, north of Toronto. The exhibition, which runs at the Kleinburg gallery from Nov. 18 to April 21, will display, for the first time, the wave of art that was produced during the 1920s and 1930s from many leading and up-and-coming artists of the time.

The show, entitled Cobalt: a Mining Town and the Canadian Imagination, will feature pieces by A.Y. Jackson, Franklin Carmichael and Lawren Harris of Group of Seven fame, Bess Harris, Yvonne McKague Housser, Isabel McLaughlin, Dr. Frederick Banting, and earlier visiting artists such as John Wesley Cotton and Lady K.S. Robertson.

Avalon announces bigger plans for lithium plant site – by Ian Kaufman (TB News Watch – September 18, 2023)

September 18, 2023

https://www.tbnewswatch.com/

The company behind a planned lithium processing plant in Thunder Bay says it intends to attract partners for a wider ‘industrial park’

THUNDER BAY – The company behind a plan to build Ontario’s first lithium processing plant in Thunder Bay says it’s upsizing its aspirations, eyeing an industrial park that would also be home to a battery recycling facility and an innovation centre.

Leaders with Avalon Advanced Materials discussed the plans during a visit to Thunder Bay this week. for the Central Canada Resource Expo. President Zeeshan Syed called the visit a chance to “unveil Avalon and our plans for Thunder Bay,” while meeting with mining industry players, local politicians, and academic institutions.

Difficult decisions to open a new all-electric mine in Sudbury – by Len Gillis (Northern Ontario Business – September 13, 2023)

September 13, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Glencore’s new Onaping Depth mine will need an underground refrigeration system and smaller diameter tunnels to keep the costs down

The process of going from diesel-powered underground mining to battery-electric mining is now a foregone conclusion for most Northern Ontario mine operators, but there are going to be plenty of growing pains.

That was one of the messages that came out of the Global Mining Guidelines Group forum held in Sudbury on Sept. 12 to examine the job of converting underground mines to full battery electric operations.

The Money Pit and Ultimate Death Spiral of Small Scale Mines – A Rant – by Brian Buss (Linked In – September 12, 2023)

September 13, 2023

https://www.linkedin.com/

Does every deposit have a economically viable solution? With the upcoming closure of operations at Silver Lake Resources’ Sugar Zone Mine in White River, I’ve been thinking on the great conundrum of the small, low grade mine. Is there an economic solution for every deposit regardless of it’s specific geometry, continuity, and grade distribution.

I’ve often heard the phrase “mines are made, not found”, but is this, in fact the reality? Or is this simply the mantra of promoters and hucksters who’ve successfully hyped up and flogged an obvious dead horse to a gullible, naïve, or otherwise foolhardy group of investors? Are there some deposits that should simply never be developed?

Memory Lane: When the Inco Club was the heart of the community – by Jason Marcon (Sudbury.com – September 13, 2023)

September 13, 2023

https://www.sudbury.com/

For nearly five decades, the Inco Employees Club served as a hub for community, entertainment and more in the city’s downtown core

If a person turns off Elm Street onto Frood Road in downtown Sudbury, they will very quickly come across our city’s nod to the Art Deco form. A grey building that appears triangular at first (not unlike the downtown’s other flatiron buildings) but behind that street-level facade lies an expansive facility that served the community’s needs for nearly 50 years.

Let us now step through its front doors and back in time to immerse ourselves in a little bit of the history as well as some of the special events that were held within the hallowed walls of the Inco Employees Club.