Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications – Page 229

HISTORY: Photographers immortalized Porcupine Gold Rush – by Karen Bachmann (Timmins Daily Press – January 25, 2014)

January 27, 2014

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Karen Bachmann is the director/curator of the Timmins Museum and a local author.

TIMMINS – The Porcupine Gold Rush was immortalized in pictures, thanks to early photographers who made their way into the gold camps.

While some prospectors like Charles Auer took photos of his early trek into the Porcupine, it is the work of two professional photographers that come to mind when we look at those early shots. Henry Peters (postmaster, town councillor and photographer) was one of those men. Arthur Tomkinson was the other.

It is Mr. Tomkinson who interests me today because of a recent donation made to the Timmins Museum by Bob Guenette – but more about that later. Thanks to the body of work created by Art Tomkinson, we have a good pictorial history of the Porcupine going back to its start. So, who was this gentleman?

A.K. Tomkinson was born in 1888 into a family of foundry workers in Askam, a village on the west coast of England in the county of Cumbria. When he was about 16 years old, he emigrated with his family to Galt, Ont., where he got a job in a brass foundry.

Stillwater re-evaluates Marathon PGM mine – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – January 24, 2014)

January 24, 2014

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. Ian Ross is the editor of Northern Ontario Business ianross@nob.on.ca.

The construction of an open-pit base metals mine near the shores of Lake Superior could be three years away at the earliest, said the Montana mining company that is developing it.

“It is unlikely we will do anything on this in the very near term,” Mick McMullen, president and CEO of Stillwater Mining Company, told industry analysts in a Jan. 21 conference call on its Marathon PGM (platinum group metals) project.

The Billings-based miner said Marathon is undergoing a strategic review as the company laid out a 2014 strategy that’s focussed on investing in proven assets that make money for shareholders.

If Marathon meets certain financial hurdles, McMullen said the best case scenario is that construction could begin “within the next three years,” subject to the issuance of permits.

Sudbury space pioneers cheer on Rosetta probe – by Jim Moodie (Sudbury Star – January 24, 2014)

January 24, 2014

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

It may not be a giant leap for mankind or even a small step for mining — not yet, anyway — but word that the Rosetta spacecraft is on track to reach a distant comet is certainly of interest to space-mining pioneers in Sudbury.

“It’s going to touch down on the surface and extract a sample with a lander-mounted drill,” said Dale Boucher, CEO of Deltion Innovations Ltd. “So, what this does is move the prospecting as we know it into a more common, everyday occurrence.”

Deltion has been developing mining systems that it hopes to employ on missions to extract water and minerals in space.

The Rosetta probe, which awoke from a three-year hibernation this week to send its first signal back to Earth, isn’t going to look for harvestable resources on its faraway ball of ice and rock, but that doesn’t mean useful information for commercial applications can’t come out of the experiment, said Boucher.

“In this particular case they’re looking at it from a scientific perspective — they want to understand what it is, so they’re going to analyze these samples,” he said.

Barrick going lean at Hemlo – by Carl Clutchey (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal – January 24, 2014)

January 24, 2014

Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal is the daily newspaper of Northwestern Ontario.

While Barrick Gold sells off mines and other assets to remain profitable, the company’s renowned Hemlo camp remains one of its flagship operations. But to stay that way, it faces a lean 2014 in the aftermath of a steep plunge in the price of gold.

Hemlo operations general manager Andrew Baumen said the 30-year-old mining camp is going “crew by crew” to come up with ways to keep costs down and make the operation more efficient.

“That’s our big push right now,” Baumen said Thursday from the Highway 17 complex about 40 kilometres east of Marathon.
“This is all being driven by the collapse in the gold price,” he added. “We’re operating at a break-even point.”

Baumen said if Hemlo can realize $19 million in overall operational savings and efficiencies, it should be able to remain on track to continue operating for another five to six years as previously forecast.

Hemlo, which consists of the David Bell and William’s mines, remains a large employer with a combination of 800 direct employees and contractors.

Poor planning by Liberals derailed Ring of Fire: Horwath – by Darren MacDonald (Sudbury Northern Life – January 23, 2014)

January 23, 2014

http://www.northernlife.ca/

NDP leader says unlike other provinces, Ontario lacks coherent policy for Far North development

Poor planning by Ontario’s governing Liberals has played a major role in the problems plaguing the development of the Ring of Fire, the leader of the province’s New Democrats said in Sudbury this week.

“The Liberals were doing a lot of announcements, a lot of ribbon cutting and making a lot of hay, but weren’t doing the behind-the-scenes work that needed to be done to keep that Cliffs promise alive,” Andrea Horwath said Wednesday, after she toured Stack Brewing with Sudbury NDP candidate Joe Cimino.

Development of the vast chromite deposits in the Ring stalled in 2013, with Cliffs Natural Resources announcing it was suspending work because of a series of delays in getting environmental assessments and determining exactly how ore will be transported from the remote site in northwestern Ontario.

Cliffs is the largest stakeholder in the area, and planned to invest $3.3 billion developing deposits worth an estimated $60 billion.

Government grants $15 million for deep mining research – by Jonathan Migneault (Sudbury Northern Life – January 22, 2014)

January 23, 2014

http://www.northernlife.ca/

CEMI will use funds to make deep mining more efficient

The Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) received $15 million in federal funding for its Ultra Deep Mining Network, announced Greg Rickford, Minister of State for Science and Technology.

Rickford made the announcement at Science North’s Vale Cavern, where representatives from CEMI and Vale said the funding will help address the challenges posed by mining deeper than 2.5 km.

The CEMI project was one of the winners of the government’s Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence. The $15 million for the Ultra Deep Mining Network was the largest grant awarded to the program’s four funding recipients.

“Clearly, Sudbury is going to be the face of ultra-deep mining research,” said Rickford. “We think this kind of research isn’t just important to improve the effectiveness of deep mining and safety, but it also creates jobs.” Douglas Morrison, CEMI’s president and CEO, said in addition to the government’s contribution Wednesday, the Ultra Deep Mining Network has received $31 million in funding from the mining industry.

Matawa Students Start Ring of Fire Training Program – by Staff (Netnewsledger.com – January 20, 2014)

January 23, 2014

http://www.netnewsledger.com/

Matawa First Nations Training Students for Mining Careers

THUNDER BAY = Aboriginal – Twenty-one students who are Matawa First Nations community members commenced an 8-week Mining Readiness Program at classroom space offered by Kiikenomaga Kikenjigewen Employment & Training Services (KKETS) in Thunder Bay.

The program is being delivered by KKETS, the Matawa First Nations tribal council employment and training organization, in partnership with Confederation College through the Ring of Fire Aboriginal Training Alliance (RoFATA) initiative.

RoFATA Training Opportunities

RoFATA has been in existence since July 2013 and has since provided four community-based deliveries of the Mining Readiness Program to four Matawa First Nations communities (Webequie First Nation, Eabametoong First Nation, Marten Falls First Nation, and Cosntance Lake First Nation) from October to December 2013.

Digging deep for deep mining – by Ben Leeson (Sudbury Star – January 23, 2014)

January 23, 2014

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

The Centre of Excellence in Mining Innovation wants to go deep — as in more than 2.5 kilometres below the surface — and on Wednesday, got a strong hand in getting there.

CEMI was announced as a winner of the business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence program, receiving $15 million for its Ultra-Deep Mining Network proposal. Greg Rickford, federal minister of state for Science and Technology, announced the four winners during a press conference in the Vale Cavern at Science North.

“This is a fine example of exactly the kind of collaboration we like to support through the Business-led Networks of Centres of Excellence program,” said Rickford, MP for Kenora.

“It will bring together members of the business and research community to help solve critical challenges that affect the international competitiveness of Canadian mining companies.”

Horwath doesn’t tip hand during Sudbury visit [Ring of Fire] – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – January 23, 2014)

January 23, 2014

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

Andrea Horwath won’t outright say she expects a spring election. But her New Democratic Party is about to start consultations with Ontarians from which the party will take its cues about whether to support another Liberal budget.

Before the last two Liberal minority government budgets, the NDP held town hall meetings and telephone town halls, conducted online surveys, while MPPs held meetings with constituents to get feedback on what they wanted from government in a budget.

“The people of Ontario chose a minority government,” Horwath said Wednesday in Sudbury. “We’ve done everything we could to make that government deliver for them.” Her party will seek that feedback again to inform its decision-making around the next budget process, expected shortly after the Legislature resumes Feb. 18.

Horwath was in Sudbury to meet with Sudbury riding candidate Joe Cimino and attend a fundraiser. While here, she toured Stack Brewery on Kelly Lake Road, where she said it was heartening to see entrepreneurs like owner Shawn Mailloux helping to diversify Sudbury’s economy.

Gold junior wants government settlement after First Nation conflict – by staff (Northern Ontario Business – January 21, 2014)

January 21, 2014

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.

A Sudbury-based junior mining company isn’t ruling out a settlement agreement with the province to relinquish its claims on its dormant gold properties in northwestern Ontario after a dispute with a First Nation community.

Northern Superior Resources is suing the Ontario government for $110 million for failing to consult with the Sachigo Lake First Nation after multiple disagreements with the band caused the company to abandon exploration on its mining claims in late 2011.

“I have no ambition to go to court,” said company president and CEO Tom Morris. “It serves no purpose to any party. But we do need to get this resolved.” The gold exploration outfit claims the company was hurt by the inaction of the Ontario government and wants compensation for the $15 million invested in exploration since 2005 as well as the estimated value of its three gold properties located near the Manitoba border.

Northern Superior filed a statement of claim with the Ontario Superior Court last October. The company accuses the province of failing to protect its interests in a remote area of Ontario that’s become a hotbed for First Nation-industry conflict in recent years.

Anishinabek seek mining capacity – by Marlene Bilous (Anishinabek News – January 20, 2014)

January 20, 2014

http://anishinabeknews.ca/

Anishinabek First Nations involved in mining issues are united in expressing their need for increased capacity at the local level in order to handle the increased paper burden caused by new mining regulations.

“Why is MNDM (Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines) not providing our five First Nations — as designated with high mining needs by MNDM — with a person for each of us?” Regional Grand Chief Peter Collins asked at October’s mining workshop for Northern Superior communities. “We have issues with the short notice period for claim staking and the very short response period for exploration plans and exploration permits.

“We are short of capacity at present and bogged down with paperwork and need at least one person for each First Nation in order to process all this extra paperwork required by the new mining regulations. We have a shortfall as there is mining exploration happening all across the territory. Furthermore, how do the other communities get on this list as many of the Northern Superior First Nations deal with mining?”

Participants at mining workshops in the four Anishinabek Nation regions all echoed the need for increased capacity at the First Nation level in order to protect Anishinabek and treaty rights and respond to the strict timelines required by Ontario’s new mining regulations.

Ring of Fire negotiations making good headway – by Laurel J. Campbell (North Bay Nipissing News – January 16, 2014)

January 17, 2014

http://www.northbaynipissing.com/northbaynipissing/

NORTH BAY – Former Liberal leader Bob Rae says the Ring of Fire has high quality natural resources and shows great potential “but it’s how we take advantage of this potential that counts.”

Rae was in the city on Jan. 9 as the keynote speaker for the Northern Gateway Branch of the Canadian Institute of Mining’s annual meeting and luncheon held at the Davedi Club.

Rae is currently negotiating with the Province of Ontario for First Nations communities that will be impacted by the Ring of Fire development project, a contract he started last summer.

As such he represents nine different communities and says they have concluded discussions about the regional framework around the proposed Ring of Fire. “I can’t be more specific than that, but we are making really good progress.”

He told the mining company representatives at the meeting that First Nations communities, and others in the Ring of Fire area “should be able to benefit economically through resource revenue sharing.

Is Silver Going Lower? – by Ryan Jordan (Silver News Blog.com – January 12, 2014)

January 16, 2014

http://silvernewsblog.com/

In both gold and silver, the New Year brings technical readings as oversold as those seen in the 1980-1982 bear market. Some technicians claim that they have never seen such oversold conditions in the mining equities- a pretty strong statement when you think about past bear markets in the mining stocks. In the gold market, ETF holdings, by some measures, are as low as early 2008—before the financial crisis.

Speculative positions on electronic futures platforms are also at lows not seen in over eight years. From the perspective of Wall Street, hedge funds, and other western commercial banks, it really looks as though the 2008 crisis is a distant memory. We can all just go back to making fortunes in the conventional stock markets and forget about the need for those barbarous, inconvenient, bulky hedges like gold and silver.

Yes, complacency reigns, as more and more people focus on the recovery (at least according to official data) here at home in the United States. This complacency has likewise triggered a parabolic move in the conventional stock market—although I admit that parabolic moves can last longer than anyone thinks possible. Yes, there is a longer term question as to whether or not we are seeing a secular bear market in gold and silver, coupled with a secular bull market in equities (think 1980s and 1990s). Still, the conventional stock market is seeing overbought technical readings consistent with prior market peaks (whether or not the longer term picture remains positive for equities.)

New hoist, shaft hoped to push palladium miner toward profitability – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – January 13, 2014)

January 14, 2014

North American Palladium (NAP) is taking a breather before taking another deep dive at its Lac des Iles (LDI) mine in northwestern Ontario. The Toronto-based miner has chosen to take a sideways approach to extend the longevity and curb spending at its flagship property, northwest of Thunder Bay.

At the same time it was commissioning a new shaft and hoist last October, NAP announced it was deferring a second phase of mine expansion in the belief there’s more mineable and cheaper cost ore closer to surface.

“We had some encouraging exploration results and it shows some potential near-surface opportunities that we are looking at closely and investigating,” said NAP president-CEO Phil du Toit, “because closer to surface helps operating costs.” The company reported a $5.2-million loss in its third quarter, an improvement over the $8 million lost during the same period in 2012.

KI says no to proposed MNR aerial moose inventory survey – by Rick Garrick (Wawatay News – January 9, 2014)

January 14, 2014

http://wawataynews.ca/

Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug has rejected a proposed Ministry of Natural Resources aerial moose inventory survey set to begin on Jan. 8 over its traditional lands.

“From our perspective as council, we do not approve of that,” said KI Chief Donny Morris. “We don’t see a decline in our moose population and we live off of them. Like any initiations by the MNR, the intent is to limit use or gathering of our traditional wild game. We see that coming and we’re just telling them that, no, we do not want it — stay away.”

Morris described the community’s concerns over the proposed moose survey in a Dec. 20 letter to MNR Minister David Orazietti, which is posted on the kitchenuhmaykoosib.com website. “The letter was sent to the minister,” Morris said. “I am hoping he is delegating it down to his bureaucrats.”

Morris received a Dec. 18 letter from Bob David, MNR’s district manager in Sioux Lookout, regarding the proposed moose survey.
“The proposed aerial survey is set to begin without our permission and free, prior and informed consent,” Morris said in his letter. “We ask that there be no moose survey over our territory until we give our consent.”