Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications – Page 24

Vale is ‘supplier of choice’ for automobile battery-grade nickel – by Len Gillis (Sudbury.com – June 6, 2023)

June 6, 2023

https://www.sudbury.com/

Company needs to keep up with the battery electric vehicle demand by expanding nickel and base metal operations in Sudbury by spending billions of dollars

Alfredo Santana, Vale’s chief operating officer for the company’s North Atlantic operations, told the Sudbury BEV In Depth conference last week that as his company has now become the nickel supplier of choice for the electric vehicle battery market, there will be an economic pay off with expansion of mining operations in Sudbury.

Santana was one of several speakers on the roster during the two-day conference held at Sudbury’s Cambrian College from May 31 to June 1.

Battery electric vehicles transforming modern mining – by Hugh Kruzel (Sudbury Star – June 5, 2023)

June 6, 2023

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Pace of change surprises observers, Sudbury conference hears

Traditionally, the mining industry has been slow – even loathe – to adopt change. However, the way the industry has taken to battery electric vehicles in the last three to five years represents nothing less than a paradigm shift, a Sudbury conference was told last week.

“We are changing how mining is done,” said Dale Rakochy of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions. “We realized we were checking off so many boxes with deploying EV technology,” Rakochy said.

Canada’s Mediocracy – by Diane Francis (Diane Francis Substack – June 5, 2023)

June 6, 2023

https://dianefrancis.substack.com/

In January, most Canadians were embarrassed after their federal government announced that four Leopard tanks would be given to Ukraine as it fights for its very existence, as well as Europe’s. Four more came a month later, but these were measly gifts, considering that Canada is wealthy, home to the second largest Ukrainian diaspora in the world, and America has given disproportionately more to Kyiv.

It’s also fair to assume that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has not phoned President Joe Biden or NATO or Ukraine offering help along the way, or suggesting that Canada will ship substantially more energy to help reduce energy inflation and replace Russian fossil fuels. Trudeau has been in power since 2015 and yet to meet NATO military spending commitments.

Risks involved in speed of nationwide EV rollout: Honda CEO – by Lindsay Kelly (Northern Ontario Business – June 1, 2023)

June 6, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Sourcing critical minerals, EV affordability among issues for manufacturers and automakers, says Jean Marc Leclerc

In his keynote address to a rapt Sudbury audience, Honda Canada president-CEO Jean Marc Leclerc was polite but pointed in his message: in prioritizing speed over practicality in its push for a nationwide adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), Ottawa is putting in jeopardy the very goals it’s striving to achieve.

“While speed is important, it cannot be our only goal or measure of success,” Leclerc said during the 2023 BEV In Depth: Mines to Mobility conference taking place at Cambrian College on June 1. “Making the jump to EVs is, in a word, complex, with many risks involving consumers and stakeholders across the electrification supply chain.”

Sudbury lithium mine developer looks for infrastructure funding to reach the EV market – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – June 1, 2023)

June 2, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Frontier Lithium’s PAK Project has a 24 years of mining life, but it needs government to fund the path forward

Tucked up in a remote corner of northwestern Ontario, Frontier Lithium and president-CEO Trevor Walker are sitting on one of the largest, highest grade and mine-ready lithium projects in North America.

The Sudbury-based exploration company has two massive spodumene-bearing lithium deposits about 175 kilometres north of Red Lake, near the Manitoba border. And there’s tons of potential to develop it into a district scale-sized operation.

North to reap the rewards of BEVs, minister tells delegates – by Len Gillis (Sudbury.com – June 1, 2023)

June 2, 2023

https://www.sudbury.com/

Ontario Mines Minister George Pirie tells delegates to Sudbury battery electric vehicle conference that Northern Ontario’s mining industry is going to power the future in a sustainable and clean energy fashion

Just as the discovery of oil in Texas fuelled the U.S. economy for a century and a half, so will the critical minerals of Northern Ontario fuel the electric vehicle economy of this province in the years to come.

That was part of the message Wednesday when Ontario Mines Minister George Pirie spoke to the second annual BEV-In-Depth conference being held to promote the battery electric vehicle industry in Sudbury and the rest of Ontario. Pirie’s speech was nothing short of a rally-the-team pep talk for Northern Ontario mining.

‘Withdraw your bill and work with us,’ says Grand Chief – Amanda Rabski-McColl (Timmins Today – June 1, 2023)

June 1, 2023

https://www.timminstoday.com/

Mushkegowuk leadership challenges Minister of Mines to scrap Bill 71 and work with the communities to find a better way

First Nations leadership is calling on Minister George Pirie to be a true partner. Mushkegowuk Grand Chief Alison Linklater challenged the Timmins MPP and Minister of Mines during the Mushkegowuk Annual General Assembly to scrap Bill 71 and work with the communities to find a better way forward.

“I have a challenge for you. Withdraw your bill and work with us,” said Linklater. “Create a true partnership based on our treaty.” The minister faced questions from community members and leadership at the event in Cochrane on Tuesday with a focus on Bill 71, which was recently approved and saw changes made to the Mining Act.

Exclusive: Frontier Lithium planning demonstration lithium chemical plant near Sudbury – by Emma Jarratt (Electric Autonomy – May 31, 2023)

June 1, 2023

https://electricautonomy.ca/

Frontier says the proposed facility, located in Ontario’s Township of Nairn and Hyman, will showcase its lithium hydroxide and lithium carbonate processing capabilities, Electric Autonomy confirms

Ontario is on track to get its first lithium hydroxide facility courtesy of Frontier Lithium, Electric Autonomy can exclusively reveal, in the Township of Nairn and Hyman just 40 minutes west of Sudbury.

Public documents posted on Ontario’s Environmental Registry, confirmed by Frontier Lithium officials, detail how the Canadian mining company will operate the lithium processing facility.

Sudbury conference on BEVs draws hundreds of delegates – by Len Gillis (Northern Ontario Business – May 31, 2023)

June 1, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Delegates from various sectors including government, mining, automotive and battery development are in the city to plot the future of battery electric vehicles in the province

The second annual BEV In Depth conference kicked off in Sudbury on May 31 with hundreds of delegates from across Ontario joining the effort on how to continue bringing battery electric vehicles (BEVs) into the mainstream for mining and general automotive purposes.

Greater Sudbury is working to find ways to improve the city’s role in developing local industries — not only to serve the automotive battery electric market, but also to promote and enhance the role of the mining industry for the large industrial BEV market.

Quebec and Ontario signalling major lithium production developments – by Mehanaz Yakub (Electric Autonomy – May 30, 2023)

June 1, 2023

https://electricautonomy.ca/

As Canada races to solidify its EV supply chain, Quebec and Ontario are vying for investments and development of their lithium sectors

The Ontario government is aiming to establish an end-to-end electric vehicle supply chain in the province. This, it says, will help position Canada as a global contender in the rapidly expanding market for EV production and battery manufacturing.

To date, the province has successfully attracted automakers Volkswagen and Stellantis (along with LG Energy Solutions) to establish two battery cell manufacturing plants. Additionally, Belgium-based Umicore has invested $1.5 billion in setting up a cathode active material facility near Kingston.

Regreening an example of what gives Jane Goodall hope – by Hugh kruzel (Sudbury Star – June 1, 2023)

June 1, 2023

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

‘Yelling at CEOs doesn’t work. Instead plant a seed,’ says famous activist, on hand to promote new doc at Science North

All seats were filled at Science North’s IMAX cinema as Jane Goodall arrived to share her new film Reasons for Hope. The legendary primatologist, now 88, has put Sudbury prominently on the world stage. The city’s regreening effort is one of the inspiring tales told in the documentary — a success story she wants to share with a wider audience.

Drone footage in the film goes from black, industrially damaged landscapes to carpets of forests. Healthy lakes, echoing with the call of loons, are seen from the perspective of a canoe.

Feds call for assessment of Ring of Fire road link – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – May 29, 2023)

May 30, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Fort Albany rises questions, concerns about downstream impacts of Far North road building and mining activity

The Northern Road Link, the middle stretch of the proposed Ring of Fire road network, will undergo a federal environmental assessment, the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IACC) announced last week.

The determination by IAAC that an assessment is required was based on the possibility that the road could cause negative impacts to fish, birds and the socio-economic well-being of the Indigenous people in the area. Feedback on the project came forth from the public, Indigenous groups, various federal agencies and others, IACC said.

Canada’s climate activists want to be taken seriously but not literally – by Sean Speer (The Hub – May 29, 2023)

May 30, 2023

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The Public Policy Forum (disclosure: where I am a senior fellow) recently released a major paper on Canada’s climate goals and the implications for the oil and gas sector. It’s a must-read for anyone interested in climate policy and the inherent trade-offs in different policy approaches.

Yet the paper has been criticized in some policy quarters for various reasons including, for instance, that it doesn’t properly account for the economic benefits of cultivating fossil fuel alternatives. (The researchers who produced the analysis have responded to this particular critique.)

Indigenous Leaders: Kristan Straub looks to find common ground in the Ring of Fire – Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – May 26, 2023)

May 26, 2023

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

New Ring of Fire Metals boss brings an Indigenous perspective and project smarts to advance Far North mine

Dialogue and transparency. Those words have served Kristan Straub well over his 22-year career with Glencore and the postings that have sent him across Canada and around the globe.

Earlier this year, the Sudbury-born Straub, the now-former vice-president of exploration with Glencore’s nickel team, was offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to advance one of the world’s new and untapped sources of critical minerals.

Ontario’s first diamond mine in the final stages of closing up – by Maija Hoggett (Timmins Today – May 24, 2023)

May 25, 2023

https://www.timminstoday.com/

Active closure is expected to be done this summer, though the site will be monitored until at least 2039

Before the Victor Mine even had permits to operate, De Beers was working on its closure plan. Today, Ontario’s first diamond mine — located in a remote area of the James Bay lowlands west of Attawapiskat First Nation — fewer than 100 people remain on-site.

That’s far less than the 500 employees and contractors who were there during the height of the mine’s operations, said De Beers head of corporate affairs Erik Madsen. Madsen was the guest speaker at the Timmins Chamber of Commerce’s State of Mining event today (May 24). He talked about the mine’s operations, the work left to be done on-site and the future of De Beers in the James Bay area.