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Ontario Mining Association

NEWS RELEASE: Toronto Star finds mine well worth its salt

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The world’s largest underground salt mine has been discovered by Canada’s largest daily circulation newspaper. The Toronto Star’s edition on Saturday, August 16, 2014 featured the Sifto Salt mine in Goderich with a two-page spread starting on the front of the Weekend Life section. Sifto Salt is a member of the Ontario Mining Association.

Toronto Star reporter and restaurant critic – who better equipped to write about salt? — Amy Pataki, traveled to the shores of Lake Huron at the mouth of the Maitland River and visited the mine, which is owned by Compass Minerals. Photographer Richard Lautens accompanied her on her recent underground expedition.

The mine has been operating since 1959 and it produces 6.3 million tonnes of salt annually. Most of the output from the 600-plus employees at Sifto is rock salt used for road safety. However, the company’s nearby evaporator plant turns out about 95,000 tonnes of food grade salt annually. This high-purity product is used as table salt – yes you do shake it on your fries – salt licks for farm animals and in water softeners.

Congratulations to Sifto for this extensive article and photography display and to the Toronto Star for reminding us that we cannot live without this valuable commodity.

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NEWS RELEASE: Acknowledging Glencore’s environmental excellence in Timmins

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Congratulations to Glencore’s Kidd Operations in Timmins for earning the 2014 Tom Peters Memorial Reclamation Award. This environmental honour was presented in Peterborough earlier this month at the seventh annual Ontario Mine Reclamation Symposium and Field Trip, which is jointly organized by the Canadian Land Reclamation Association and the Ontario Mining Association.

David Yaschyshyn, Superintendent of Environment at Kidd Operations, was on hand to accept the trophy. The specific project being recognized was for the closure plan design and reclamation of the Kidd jarosite pond area and Three Nations Creek. The jarosite (iron sulphate mud produced from zinc refining) pond, or landfill facility, was built in 1971 and it operated from 1972 until operations ceased in 2010. Rehabilitation activities included the removal of soils, re-vegetation and a remedial action plan for the aquatic ecosystem in Three Nations Creek.

Tom Peters was a pioneer in the field of mine reclamation and a founding member of the CLRA, which was established in 1975. Mr. Peters died in 2007. He enjoyed a lengthy and successful career at Vale’s predecessor company Inco where he led the company’s tailings re-vegetation and land reclamation programs. He played a major role in the re-greening of Sudbury and was awarded a honourary degree from Laurentian University in recognition of that significant contribution.

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NEWS RELEASE: Celebrating mining tradeswomen of the year

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The Ontario Mining Association congratulates tradeswomen of the year Dani Drewek and Sarah Hunter. This duo was recognized recently as two of the dozen 2014 Influential Women of Northern Ontario Award winners. They are accomplished, talented females becoming leaders in their workplaces and positive role models. With all due respect to the abilities and accomplishments of all the winners, we would like to focus on two all-stars working in mining.

Ms Drewek, a 22-year-old Thunder Bay native, works as cage tender at Goldcorp’s Red Lake Mine, where she started in 2012. She is the first female to be doing this job. Ms Hunter is an electrician working underground for nickel-copper producer Vale in Sudbury, where she has worked since 2005.

The Influential Women of Northern Ontario Awards are run by Northern Ontario Business. The award categories include executive, entrepreneur, young entrepreneur and three new categories – Aboriginal leadership, tradeswomen and influential community trailblazer. There were 12 winners in 2014, six from Northeastern Ontario and six from Northwestern Ontario. Direct quotations in this e-news are attributed to Northern Ontario Business.

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NEWS RELEASE: 2013 SYTYKM winner works on 2014 awards gala

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Surinder Gill has traveled the path from winner to worker at Ontario Mining Association high school video competition So You Think You Know Mining award galas. Surinder, who is a graduate of Northview Heights Secondary School in Toronto, was a double winner in the 2013 SYTYKM high school video competition. His production “Mined Power” earned him the $2,500 prize for Best Directing and the $2,500 OMA Academy Award.

The quality and creativity of his video attracted the attention of Engage Learning Systems, which was providing media support for the awards gala. This Toronto-based company has collaborated with the OMA for three years in providing promotional and support materials for SYTYKM. Surinder tells us that Mary Hayes, Engage Learning CEO, and James Liborion, Director of Video, “meet with me in 2013, after I received my awards and passed on their contact information, informing me about a possible job opportunity.”

“Through e-mails and heading down to the office a couple of times before I was hired, I learned what the company did and different roles employees had there,” added Surinder. “I was hired as a video editor and helped the video team with multiple projects in the month of August (2013) I had worked last year.” Come September 2013, Surinder headed off to McMaster University in Hamilton to start his courses in engineering.

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NEWS RELEASE: Vale volunteers gain gold in provincial mine rescue competition

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Congratulations to the team of mine rescue volunteers from Vale Canada’s East Mines in capturing the gold hardhats, which were presented to the overall winners of the 64th annual Provincial Mine Rescue Competition. The event was held in Timmins earlier this month at the Goldcorp’s Dome Mine.

Seven teams, which won their regional competitions qualified for the finals. They were evaluated on their firefighting skills, first aid response, use of emergency equipment and decision making under the stress of a simulated emergency underground situation. The 2014 gold hardhat winners from Vale Canada in Sudbury included captain Lorne Plouffe, Will Davies, Justin Whitmore, Jonathan Hamilton, Fred Pelletier, Aime Gagnon, Jean Yves Doiron, Perry Simon and Mike Johnson.

The overall runner up was Compass Minerals Sifto Salt Mine in Goderich. Along with Vale East Mines and Sifto, other mines involved in the provincial competition included Goldcorp’s Red Lake Mine #2, Richmont Mines Island Gold Mine, Kidd Operations, a Glencore Company, St Andrew Goldfields and Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations, a Glencore Company.

Denis Prevost from First Nickel’s Lockerby Mine earned the award for top technician and Jeff Sowerby, a mine rescue volunteer from Sifto, was honoured for 30 years of service to Ontario Mine Rescue. While Vale Canada East Mines also captured the team first aid award, St Andrew goldfields earned the team firefighting honour and Richmont Mines Island Gold Mine gained the team special equipment award.

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NEWS RELEASE: Commodity expert sees Ontario minerals ascending

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Commodity expert Patricia Mohr told miners that global economic forces indicate improvement in markets for Ontario minerals. Ms Mohr, Scotiabank Vice President of Economics and Commodity Market Specialist, was the featured speaker at an OMA board of directors meeting held earlier this month. Her address was titled “Price Outlook for Base and Precious Metals 2014 – 2015.”

“Prices for base metals appear to be bottoming,” said Ms Mohr. “There are reasonable hopes for a rebound in the next two years.” Ms Mohr developed the Scotiabank Commodity Price Index, which was the first yardstick designed to measure price trends for Canadian commodities in export markets. It was introduced in 1987. The index is weighted approximately 40% for oil and gas, 30% for minerals, 15% for forest products and 15% for agriculture products.

“We think the U.S. economy is on the cusp of a stronger recovery based on the most recent job number reports, lower consumer debt and improving mortgage affordability,” she added. “However, China still gets the gold medal among countries for economic growth.”

Although China’s growth rate is slowing a bit from the hectic pace of 7.7% in 2013 and 2012, it is still predicted to be more than 7% in 2014 and throughout the balance of the decade. China is consuming key metals at four times the pace of the U.S.

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NEWS RELEASE: And the So You Think You Know Mining film competition winners are . . .

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The creative talents of some of the best high school film makers were on display at the Ontario Mining Association’s So You Think You Mining awards this evening. This is the sixth year the competition has offered teenagers a chance to present their take on the benefits of mining to society through their film productions.

The video entries from across the province were evaluated by an independent panel of media professionals to determine the winners in 11 categories, with prize money ranging from $500 to $5,000. In addition, OMA member company representatives voted for the $2,500 OMA Academy Award winner in a secret ballot and educators voted to determine the winner of the new Teachers’ Choice Award. Details about the contest, as well as the winning videos can be seen at www.oma.on.ca/en/contestpages/index.asp.

“These teenage filmmakers are amazingly creative,” said OMA President Chris Hodgson. “It is a privilege to see the artistic talent of these young people on show. Their musical ability and sense of comedy is superb.”

“These students grasped the essential importance of mining and depicted it in interesting and fresh perspectives,” he added. “I would like to thank the independent panel of judges for volunteering their time and expertise and I am sure, like me, they never tire of the valuable presentations showing the industry through the eyes of high school students.”

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NEWS RELEASE: And . . . a drum roll please for the 2014 OMA SYTYKM video competition winners

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The stage is being set, the scripts are being finalized, the spotlights are being cleaned, the stars are rolling into town and tomorrow night, the winners of the 2014 Ontario Mining Association So You Think You Know Mining high school video competition will be revealed. More than 300 industry celebrities, students, educators and other supporters will be on hand for the sixth SYTYKM awards gala, which is being held in the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

Several talented teenagers will walk off the stage with SYTYKM Oscar-style statuettes and prize money. “This year, $40,000 in prizes will be available to high school star filmmakers,” said OMA President Chris Hodgson. “Including the winners recognized tomorrow evening, since its inception, SYTYKM will have provided $173,000 in scholarship support for students.”

The producer of the Best Overall video wins $5,000 and his, or her, high school receives $500 to support filmmaking. First and Second Runners-Up for the Best Overall will receive prizes of $2,500 each. Winners in other categories including Best Writing, Best Music, Best Directing, Best Comedy, Best Animation, Best video in a language other than English, Best 30-Second Commercial, People’s Choice Award and the Award from the OMA Academy will also receive $2,500. This year, the Teachers’ Choice Award, also with a $2,500 prize, will be presented for the first time.

In addition, Ridwan Howlader from Danforth Tech in Toronto will be on hand to film the awards ceremony for future viewing on the OMA website.

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NEWS RELEASE: Ontario mine earns national safety honours

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

For the second year in a row, an Ontario Mining Association member company has earned the John T. Ryan National Safety Trophy for metal mines symbolizing the highest standards of mine safety across Canada. Barrick Hemlo’s Williams gold mine, near Marathon, shares the honours with Cameco’s McArthur River uranium mine in Saskatchewan. Both operations had reportable injury rates of zero for the 2013 calendar year.

The previous year, Glencore’s Kidd Operations captured the honours as the safest metal mine in the country. That marked the eleventh time, the Timmins copper-zinc operation gained this national award.

“Safety performance in mining for 2013 was outstanding,” said Gord Winkel, Chairman of the John T. Ryan Safety Trophies Committee. “This year, we are pleased to announce a tie for best performance in the national metal mining category, along with a three-way tie in our national select mine category. These mining operations are joined by another company in the national coal mine category for a total of six award winners in 2013.”

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NEWS RELEASE: Cue the third annual Vale Sudbury concert series

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Ontario Mining Association member Vale aims to launch its third annual Vale Concert Series on the right note this evening with East Coast blues singer and song writer Charlie A’Court as the featured performer. This is the first of five monthly concerts from May to September being held at the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre near Ramsey Lake. The start time for all events is 7 p.m. and while admission is free, donations to the Sudbury Food Bank are welcomed.

Vale announced the 2014 musical series on a high note with a $50,000 donation to the Sudbury Food Bank. Over the past two summers, the Vale Concert Series has raised $32,000 for the local food bank and collected more than 2,200 pounds of food.

The series also promotes Canadian musical culture by bringing a diverse range of musical talent to perform live for audiences in Sudbury. “Vale is proud to host what is quickly becoming a great tradition in our community and we sincerely hope that members of the community come out again to enjoy these amazing concerts,” said Kelly Strong, Vice President of Vale’s Ontario & U.K. Operations.

“Since beginning the Vale Concert Series two years ago, we have been amazed at the generosity of the people in our community who come out to enjoy the concerts,” said Mr. Strong, “We thought it was appropriate to show Vale’s continued support through this $50,000 donation, which will help the Sudbury Food Bank operate and feed more than 17,000 people a month in Greater Sudbury.”

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NEWS RELEASE: Barrick Gold: A tradition of giving

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

While 86-year-old Peter Munk may have stepped down as chairman of Barrick Gold, the world’s largest gold producer and the company he founded 30 years ago, his legacy of giving and corporate social responsibility lives on in many ways. “To give is part of Barrick’s DNA,” said Mr. Munk. “It’s part of who we are.”

The May 2014 edition of Beyond Borders, Barrick’s magazine, which highlights global examples of responsible mining reminds us about corporate giving with some examples close to home. Barrick regularly makes donations, which both support major institutions utilized by thousands and individual projects supporting communities where it operates.

Recently, Barrick donated $3 million to the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto to support educational programs benefitting more than 150,000 students annually. The donation also led to the creation of the Barrick Gold Corporation Gallery, which tells the story of modern mining through an interactive mining game, educational touch screens, videos and the attraction of a million dollar gold coin.

“The gallery illustrates the importance of mining in our daily lives and discusses the social and environmental responsibilities surrounding mining,” said Janet Carding, Chief Executive Officer of the ROM.

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NEWS RELEASE: Building a better mining workforce for the future

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

More than 80 practitioners convened yesterday to tackle and make progress in dealing with the mining industry’s main human resource issues. The Canadian Human Resource Mining Leadership and Professionals Conference was held at York University’s Schulich School of Business in Toronto. Joining industry leaders and expert panelists in the seminars were students from the Schulich Global Mining Management MBA program.

“This symposium was held for mining sector human resource leaders and professionals to share ideas and work on solutions to workforce specific issues in the mineral sector,” said conference organizer Geoff Ramey, Vice President Human Resources & Business Technology Solutions for St Andrew Goldfields. The event combined the use of keynote speakers, expert exchanges, roundtable discussions, comedy and networking to work on important topics.

Key issues examined included retention of vital personnel, leadership gaps, cost containment, career promotion, workforce planning and competing cultures in joint ventures and merger and acquisition transactions. Other topics involved diversity of the workforce, change management, attracting skilled workers, knowledge transfer and the expectations of the next generation of mining industry employees.

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NEWS RELEASE: Ring of Fire holds huge potential to share the wealth

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Virtually every sector of the economy would benefit from the responsible development of the mineral rich Ring of Fire area, according to the Ontario Chamber of Commerce study Beneath the Surface: Uncovering the Economic Potential of Ontario’s Ring of Fire. This paper believes that in the first decade of its development, the Ring of Fire could generate up to $9.4 billion in GDP, sustain 5,500 jobs annually and generate $2 billion in tax revenue for governments.

“Ontario, now more than ever, must identify and champion opportunities where it can be a global leader,” said Allan O’Dette, President of the OCC. “The Ring of Fire is such an opportunity. We believe that this globally significant deposit of minerals in Ontario’s Far North is one of the province’s greatest economic development opportunities in a generation.”

The jobs and positive economic development opportunities created by the Ring of Fire will be shared throughout many other sectors of the economy. The OCC’s analysis sees major benefits going to the financial services, wholesale trade, retail trade, manufacturing and utilities sectors.

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NEWS RELEASE: OMA film competition People’s Choice Award voting is now open

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Now is your chance to stand up and be counted for your taste in artistic integrity. The voting for the People’s Choice Award in the Ontario Mining Association’s high school video competition So You Think You Know Mining is now open and runs until May 31, 2014. Why not cast a vote to support the film production of your choice?

In order to view the videos and make your choice, go to the OMA website at www.oma.on.ca. Click on the SYTYKM box at the bottom of the page, then People’s Choice Award and follow the instructions. Voting is done through Facebook. The winner of the People’s Choice Award earns a $2,500 prize.

In past years, students have found many creative ways to attract People’s Choice Awards votes for their productions. Contestants have used Facebook pages to promote their videos and many have contacted local media for a story. We have also seen SYTYKM contestants wearing sandwich boards at busy intersections and launching bring out the vote campaigns at their high schools.

The number of people voting for the SYTYKM People’s Choice Award has been steadily increasing. Sara Johns from Central Huron Secondary School in Clinton gained 491 out of 1,807 votes cast for her film Don’t Mind If I Do and won this SYTYKM award category in its inaugural year.

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NEWS RELEASE: Keep dates open for seventh annual mine reclamation conference

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The Ontario Mining Association and the Canadian Land Reclamation Association are once again combining forces for the Ontario Mine Reclamation Symposium and Field Trip, which is being held June 17 and 18, 2014 in Peterborough. This will be the seventh annual conference dedicated to this industry environmental activity.

A one-day symposium will highlight the history and status of mining in Southern Ontario. Also on the agenda are updates on current research and rehabilitation practices and specific reclamation projects.

The field trip will take participants to mine and aggregate sites in the Peterborough and Bancroft areas. This area was home to some of the earliest mining sites in Ontario. As part of the program, there is also a reception and banquet.

The ceremony will include the presentation of the Tom Peters Mine Reclamation Awards. There are two components to this environmental award – for companies rehabilitating specific mine sites and a $5,000 scholarship for university students, who must deliver a presentation on their research topic.

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