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Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications

ACCENT: Ring’s potential ‘astounding’ – by Stan Sudol [Part 3 of 4] (Sudbury Star – Novmeber 16, 2013)

Ontario Greenstone Belts (Map: Ontario Geological Survey)
Ontario Greenstone Belts (Map: Ontario Geological Survey)

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

In Sudbury, when people hear about the Ring of Fire, they think of Cliffs Natural Resources and its plan to ship chromite from a mine in northwestern Ontario to a plant in Capreol for processing that would create between 300 and 400 local jobs. But we should remember that this proposal is only a “benchmark” scenario and that many issues still need to be resolved. As a result, the location of this facility could change.

And Cliffs and its Black Thor mine represent only one of the Ring’s many promising mineral resources and future discoveries.

Located 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, the Ring of Fire contains billions worth of chromite — among the best deposits in the world — plus nickel, copper, platinum group elements, gold, zinc and vanadium metals.

In 2007, an interesting mix of six geologists and junior mining executives – Richard Nemis, Mac Watson, Frank Smeenk,  Neil Novack, John Harvey and Don Hoy – collectively discovered the geologically rich Ring of Fire. It is the most significant mineral discovery in Canada since the Sudbury Basin in 1883 and the Timmins gold camp in 1909.

In an engaging presentation about the Ring of Fire at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada convention in March 2013, geologist James Franklin outlined the staggering economic value of the Ring of Fire.

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Campus talk raises ethical concerns about UBC’s role in new mining institute – by Vinicius Cid (The Ubyssey – November 12, 2013)

http://ubyssey.ca/

On Thursday, Nov. 7, the Social Justice Centre hosted a talk debating UBC’s role in a new mining institute, as well as broader ethical implications associated with the mining industry.

The Canadian International Institute for Extractive Industries and Development (CIIEID) will be funded by a $24.6 million grant from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) which will go to both UBC and SFU. The institution is intended to help educate people in developing countries about the best practices for mining.

Yves Engler, a Montreal-based writer and political activist who has written several books critical of Canadian foreign policy, led the talk. Sam Stime, a UBC civil engineering graduate student involved with “Not From My Campus,” a blog critical of the CIIEID, opened the talk. He introduced the audience to the moral and ethical concerns surrounding overseas mining by Canadian companies and the implications of establishing the CIIEID at UBC.

“This is our time to ask tough questions to our government and universities,” Stime said. “Through this institute, there is now a link between us and the federal government’s agenda of imposition.

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Northern Manitoba chiefs representing First Nations on province’s new Mining Advisory Council – by Ian Thompson (Thompson Citizen – November 15, 2013)

The Thompson Citizen, which was established in June 1960, covers the City of Thompson and Nickel Belt Region of Northern Manitoba. The city has a population of about 13,500 residents while the regional population is more than 40,000. 

Several Northern Manitoba First Nation chiefs as well as mining industry representatives from companies such as Vale, Hudbay Minerals and San Gold are members of Manitoba’s new Mining Advisory Council which aims to help First Nations benefit from the development of new mines, Mineral Resources Minister Dave Chomiak announced Nov. 8.

“First Nations that want to participate will be partners every step of the way as new mines are brought on line and they will share in the benefits of resource development,” said Chomiak in a press release. “There will be new training opportunities, good jobs, revenue sharing and a range of social and economic benefits for First nations communities. This will also send an important message to those who want to invest in Manitoba’s mining sector that we’re open for business.

First Nations representatives on the Mining Advisory Council include co-chairs Chief Donovan Fontaine of Sagkeeng First Nation and Chief Ron Evans of Norway House Cree Nation, along with Chief Philip Buck of Mosakahiken Cree Nation, Chief Clarence Easter of Chemawawin Cree Nation, Chief Jerry Primrose of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation, Chief Andrew Colomb of Marcel Colomb Cree Nation, Chief Gilbert Andrews of God’s Lake First Nation, Keewatin Tribal Council Tribal Grand Chief Irvin Sinclair and Opaskwayak Cree Nation Chief Michael Constant.

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Is rail or road the best choice for [Ontario’s] Ring of Fire? [Part 2 of 4] – by Stan Sudol (Sudbury Star – November 15, 2013)

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

Earlier this year, KWG Resources released a commissioned report by engineering consulting company Tetra Tech on the costs of a road versus a railroad in the Ring of Fire.

By way of background, KWG wants to build a railway to ship ore out of the Ring of Fire. It’s rival, Cliffs Natural Resources prefers a road. However, KWG has staked some of the land Cliffs needs for such a road. Cliffs appealed to the Mining and Lands Commissioner of Ontario to get access to the land, but lost — a decision it is now appealing.

The study KWG ordered confirmed the initial capital costs (direct and indirect) to construct a single track railroad were about $1.551 billion versus $1 billion for a road. Media reports keep repeating an older figure of $600 million for the road, which most mining industry experts believe is too low.

If the premier’s office has not done so already, a quick discussion with the engineering experts at the Ministry of Transportation, who have been building roads in Ontario for more than a century, should settle this cost issue.

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NORCAT gets $1-million mining equipment simulator – by Ben Leeson (Sudbury Star – November 14, 2013)

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

Northern Ontario miners will soon have a hands-on, off-the-job training opportunity. The Northern Centre for Advanced Technology (NORCAT) announced a partnership with the Ontario government, mining companies and Laurentian University to create a mining simulation training centre during a press conference at NORCAT’s facility on Maley Drive in Sudbury on Wednesday.

With provincial funding of $1 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, along with contributions by Vale, Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations (Glencore) and KGHM International, NORCAT will acquire a 360-degree mining equipment simulator.

“Imagine coming to sit in a physical pod, to sit in a chair and you’ll have physical controls that might simulate a scoop,” NORCAT CEO Don Duval said. “Your chair will have movement, vibration reality, you’ll have a 360-degree, high-resolution virtual reality screen and it will visualize you moving the scoop, going forward, in reverse.

“It will have scenarios, brake heating … to have that outside of the operation training opportunities, for skilled labour to practise, to get the muscle memory, understand how to do these elements, it’s an exciting complement to some of the existing training programs that some of the private sector has, as well as what we offer at NORCAT.”

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KWG — the chromite mouse that roars – by Stan Sudol [Part 1 of 4] (Sudbury Star – November 13, 2013)

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

Correction: The print edition mistakenly said that Cliffs had invested a total of $48 million on the Ring of Fire, the correct figure is $535 million.

On Sept. 10, Ontario’s Mining and Lands Commissioner set off a nuclear explosion in Ontario mining circles and announced that tiny Canadian-owned KWG Resources would not have to give American iron ore giant, Cliffs Natural Resources, access to its staked mining claims to construct a proposed road into the Ring of Fire.

In a proverbial David and Goliath bruising battle over a much sought-after route into Ontario’s newest mining camp, it was a precedent-setting sucker punch no one expected. The Mining Commission report started with an understatement of the century: “The North is not a quiet place.” And with good reason.

Located 500 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, the Ring of Fire contains at least $60 billion and counting of chromite, plus nickel, copper, platinum group elements, gold, zinc and vanadium metals. The Cliffs’s chromite project has become a never-ending soap opera, similar in drama and intrigue to the failed Inco/Falconbridge merger in the middle of the last decade.

This is the latest setback that has a very bitter-sounding Cliffs issuing threatening news releases and interviews stating the entire project could be dropped if the Ontario government does not intervene and resolve this and other issues, including subsidized power rates and conflict over the terms of a provincial environmental assessment.

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Ontario juniors push innovation to advance projects – by Wendy Parker (In Support Of Mining.com – November 12, 2013)

http://insupportofmining.wordpress.com/

Ontario’s mineral developers may be struggling to generate interest in the financial markets — but they’re certainly having no trouble generating interesting research in the lab.

Northern Graphite, developer of the Bissett Creek graphite project east of North Bay, announced this week that it has partnered with Tennessee-based Coulometrics LLC to “manage development of the company’s proprietary technologies for manufacturing spherical graphite and improving the performance of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries.”

Pointing to the industry’s current dependence on supplies from China, Northern CEO Greg Bowes said his company’s objectives are “to provide Li-ion battery manufacturers with a stable, secure source of high quality, advanced graphite materials produced in an environmentally acceptable manner, and to capture additional margin from value added, upgraded products.”

Also on Monday, Thunder Bay’s Zenyatta Ventures, which is working to advance its unusual Albany deposit northwest of Hearst, said it has signed an agreement with the National Research Council that will provide technical advice and financial assistance of up to $350,000 for its metallurgical testing.

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Union wants ONTC to play role [in Ring of Fire] – by Gord Young (North Bay Nugget – November 11, 2013)

http://www.nugget.ca/

The Ontario Northland Transportation Commission should play an integral role in providing access to the Ring of Fire, says the group representing its unionized workers.

“We are the transportation corporation for Northern Ontario. I don’t see why the government wouldn’t want the ONTC to be involved,” said Brian Kelly, spokesman for the ONTC’s General Chairperson’s Association.

His comments come on the heels of an announcement by the province Friday of plans to create a development corporation for the chromite deposit that will bring together private and public parties to address infrastructure needs.

The province also called on the federal government Friday to help cover the costs of the infrastructure needed to access the remote area in the James Bay Lowlands.

“Ontario is prepared to make a substantial contribution to the infrastructure needed to access the resources,” Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne said in a letter to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

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50 years ago: Discovery of Kidd Mine – by Len Gillis (Sudbury Star – November 10, 2013)

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

It was the most important thing to happen in Timmins since the discovery of gold. And it happened 50 years ago, on Nov. 7, 1963.

It was Thursday November 7th, 1963. Texas Gulf exploration geologist Ken Darke directed a diamond drill crew where to set up for drilling on the mineral anomaly known as Kidd 55. The very first drill hole was K-55-1. The drilling crew was set up in the northeast section of Kidd Township, roughly 24 kilometres from Timmins Town Hall.

Aside from a handful of drillers and geologists, no one would witness the incredible event that would happen the next few days in that drill shack, as core samples from hole no. K-55-1 were being pulled out of the ground and placed in core boxes.

As the story goes, one of the samples displayed a length of solid copper nearly a foot long. Ken Darke knew immediately he was standing on a major discovery. It would become the world-class Kidd Creek orebody; so huge and so rich it was a geological freak of nature. It was a good Friday in Timmins, although no one in Timmins knew it yet.

It would be another six months before Texas Gulf formally announced the discovery on April 16, 1964, causing whoops of joy, kicking off a major staking rush as well as a rush on buying shares in any company anywhere near the Kidd Township discovery.

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Mongolia gears up for the fight of its mining life – by Frik Els (Mining.com – November 11, 2013)

http://www.mining.com/

On November 3 Mongolia’s new, friendlier foreign investment law came into force. Probably not a day too soon. The Asian nation of three million citizens, dependent on the mining sector to fuel growth, is desperate to turn around the slump in its economy and the steep fall-off in foreign investment.

Foreign direct investment in the country dropped 49% to September 2013 compared to last year which already marked a 17% year-on-year decline, the value of the currency, the tugrik, is down 20% this year, inflation has returned to double digits and the Mongolian central bank’s off-balance sheet spending is burning through foreign reserves as foreign debts balloon to 55% of GDP.

The path to prosperity for Mongolia, ranked 155th in the world according to GDP per capita, has always been a rocky one. The country has been bailed out by the IMF no fewer than five times and it suffers a domestic bank failure on average every 18 months.

While the changes to the 2012 Strategic Entities Foreign Investment Law (SEFIL) including greater certainty surrounding mining taxes and royalties and the scrapping of the distinction between private foreign and domestic investors are being universally welcomed as a positive step, a number of issues remain unresolved.

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Mining firms growing frustrated with delays in Ring of Fire – by Benjamin Aubé (Timmins Daily Press – November 11, 2013)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

TIMMINS – MPP Gilles Bisson (NDP – Timmins-James Bay) says mining companies are getting impatient with the province when it comes to getting approvals to proceed with mineral developments in the Ring of Fire.

Ontario Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle (Liberal – Thunder Bay-Superior North), announced on Friday the creation of a development corporation formed of all three provincial parties, the federal government, and other stakeholders, to better identify the various things needed to develop the region.

Notably, Gravelle stated there’s a need “to lay the necessary groundwork” in the sectors of training, capacity and infrastructure building, and strengthening bonds with the chiefs of the Matawa Tribal Council, led by Bob Rae and Justice Frank Iacobucci.

Gravelle’s statement read that “recent developments, and divergent private sector interests, have impacted our ability to move forward on vital infrastructure required to develop the region located within the James Bay lowlands.

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Province looks to end Ring of Fire stalemate – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – November 11, 2013)

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

The province is looking to end the stalemate over how to build a transportation corridor to the Ring of Fire chromite deposits by establishing a development corporation. Details are vague about the corporation announced Friday by Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle.

But the province is taking the lead — something critics argue it should have done years ago — to bring together mining, community, first nations and other partners, including the federal government, Gravelle said Saturday.

The corporation’s first job is to make a “clear decision” on the transportation corridor and use that as a vehicle to finance the project, said Gravelle. The corporation would manage the design, engineering, construction and maintenance of the infrastructure needed to bring mines in the Ring of Fire into operation.

Premier Kathleen Wynne has written Prime Minister Stephen Harper asking the federal government to make a substantial investment in $2 billion or more needed to build a transportation system and mine infrastructure.

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Wabun shares formula for mining participation, wealth – by Bryan Phelan (Wawatay News – November 8, 2013)

http://www.wawataynews.ca/

People in First Nations around Timmins are happier, healthier and wealthier because of recent agreements with mining companies, says the head of Wabun Tribal Council.

Wabun is a council of six First Nations, all within about 200 kilometres of Timmins: Beaverhouse, Brunswick House, Chapleau Ojibwe, Flying Post, Matechewan, and Mattagami.

Collectively, these First Nations have signed three impact and benefit agreements (IBAs) with mining companies in the past six years, Shawn Batise, Wabun’s executive director, said at a Mining Ready Summit hosted in Timmins Oct. 16-17 by the Nishnawbe Aski Development Fund (NADF). Three more IBAs involving Wabun First Nations are currently being negotiated. The agreements cover gold mining properties, plus one nickel property.

Wabun communities have also negotiated 30 mining exploration agreements over the same period, and Batise thinks that number could reach 50 within a year.

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Provincial body pushes Ring of Fire – by Mary Katherine Keown (Sudbury Star – November 9, 2013)

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

The provincial government announced Friday the formation of a corporation to push forward the development of the Ring of Fire, which will be launched immediately.

It will bring together First Nations communities, mining companies and government representatives, and will “develop, construct, finance, operate and maintain infrastructure supporting access to strategic resources in the Ring of Fire,” according to a Ministry of Northern Development and Mines statement.

Michael Gravelle, minister of Northern Development and Mines, and MPP for Thunder Bay and Superior North, argued the development of sustainable infrastructure is essential to the success of the project.

“People need to get in to work and products need to get out to the global market,” he indicated in a media release. Sudbury Mayor Marianne Matichuk welcomed Friday’s announcement.

“I am pleased Minister Gravelle took my lead and stepped up by getting everyone to the table to resolve the outstanding issues,” she said in a media release. “It is imperative that we work together on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create jobs and growth.”

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Sudbury High school program dispels mining myths – by Jonathan Migneault (Sudbury Northern Life – November 8, 2013)

http://www.northernlife.ca/

Specialist High Skills Major in mining offered at three local schools

Most people have a skewed idea of what the mining industry involves, but one goal of the Specialist High Skills Major in mining is to dispel those myths, said Leo Leclair, the Rainbow District School Board’s lead for the program.

“It’s technology now,” Leclair said about the current reality for the mining sector. “It’s not pick and shovel, it’s not dark and dirty.”

Three Rainbow District high schools – Lockerby Composite School, Lively District Secondary School and Espanola High School – offer the Specialist High Skills Major program for mining.

The Ontario Ministry of Education started the Specialist High Skill Major program in 2006. At that time, 600 students across the province took courses in the program.

Today, more than 42,000 Grade 11 and 12 students in Ontario are enrolled in Specialist High Skill Majors that cover areas ranging from mining, to business, to mining, sports, manufacturing and hospitality.

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