Archive | Ontario Mining

Economic Statement ignores Highway 69: Fedeli promises: ‘We’re going to deal directly with the First Nations communities to unleash the wealth in the Ring of Fire’ – by Jennifer Hamilton-McCharles (Sudbury Star – November 16, 2018)

November 16, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Ontario Economy, Ontario Mining, Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

A new mining working group to streamline the regulatory approvals process and attract new investment to Northern Ontario is one of the projects highlighted in Thursday’s Fall Economic Statement to benefit Northern Ontario.

Finance Minister and Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli notes the statement includes a few pages that address Northern issues directly. Four sections of the 155-page document relate to the Ring of Fire, Review of the Far North Act 2010, the mining working group and Northern transportation improvements.

Fedeli says the previous government delayed development of the Ring of Fire for 10 years, “and now we’re saying, ‘no more.’ “There isn’t going to be any more delays and putting things off, as we’re going to deal directly with the First Nations communities to unleash the wealth in the Ring of Fire,” he says. Continue Reading →

Abandoned Canadian silver mines could boom again as battery demand prompts gold rush in cobalt – by Peter Armstrong (CBC News Business – November 15, 2018)

November 15, 2018 in Africa Mining, Battery Technology Innovation/Electric Vehicles, Canadian Media Resource Articles, Cobalt Town, Cobalt, Critical, Strategic and Rare Earth Minerals and Metals, Ontario Mining

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/

Cobalt, Ont., could could be sitting on a gold mine — of cobalt — to help power electric cars, phones

The flooded bottom of an abandoned silver mine is an unlikely source of hope. But down there in the flickering light, a once worthless metal known as cobalt has sat idle for decades. Now it’s one of the most sought after metals in the world and that has many in this town in northern Ontario dreaming of boom times once again.

A century ago, prospectors came to Cobalt, Ont., in search of silver. They found it, and the town boomed. Amid all the silver, miners also found cobalt. So much that they named the town after it. Back then though, it was a mere indicator, a sign that something of actual value was nearby.

Now, all that ignored and discarded cobalt is the town’s best hope. “The potential here is huge,” says Frank Basa, chief executive officer of Canada Cobalt Works. Cobalt the metal has had a spectacular run over the past few years. And now Cobalt the town is poised to cash in. Continue Reading →

Former Timmins mayor wanted to buy the Ring of Fire – by Maija Hoggett (Northern Ontario Business – November 15, 2018)

November 15, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Ontario Mining, Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery, Timmins

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Steve Black investigated city acquiring Far North deposits after Cliffs departure

In his first week in office, Timmins Mayor Steve Black wanted to buy a mine. Sharing the story of how he wanted to purchase the Ring of Fire is one of the memories he shared about his time in office as he chaired his final council meeting Nov. 13.

Being elected as a councillor in 2010 was a life-changing moment for Black. When the next election rolled around, he won the mayor’s seat. Back in 2014 in his first week on the job as mayor, he recalled going to the CAO and announcing his desire to buy a mine.

At the time, former owner Cliffs Natural Resources was looking to pull out of the project. Knowing the importance of having what is now Noront come to Timmins, Black wanted the city to have control of its destiny. Continue Reading →

Environmental groups call on federal government to protect caribou in northern Ontario – by Nicole Thompson (Canadian Press/Global News – November 14, 2018)

November 15, 2018 in Canadian Media Resource Articles, Caribou and Mining, Ontario Mining, Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

https://globalnews.ca/

TORONTO — Three environmental groups are calling on the federal government to protect boreal caribou in northern Ontario, saying a decade of mismanagement by the province has put the animals increasingly at risk.

The David Suzuki Foundation, Ontario Nature and the Wildlands League issued a petition to Environment Minister Catherine McKenna this week, requesting that she recommend federal cabinet issue what’s known as a “safety net order” under the Species at Risk Act for two boreal caribou populations about 120 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay.

The move would prevent damage to or destruction of 65 per cent of the caribou populations’ habitats — the amount of undisturbed land that the federal government said in a 2012 report would give the animals a 60 per cent shot at becoming self-sustaining. Continue Reading →

Generations Of Miners Face The Future Of Automation Deep Underground – by Mary Katherine Keown (HuffPost Canada/Thet Canada.com – November 13, 2018)

November 14, 2018 in Canadian Media Resource Articles, Glencore, Nickel, Ontario Mining, Sudbury Basin, Vale

https://www.thetcanada.com/

A proud third-generation miner, Mickey O’Brien enjoys the every day grind of taking that deep dive to the centre of the earth. A miner at Vale’s Copper Cliff Mine in Sudbury, Ontario, O’Brien works 10-hour shifts. After suiting up and assembling, he and his coworkers break into a number of crews to start the new and soiled process of gnawing away on the earth greater than 1.5 km underground.

“I am on haulage,” O’Brien says. “Proper now I am driving a grader, however I am being skilled on a picker, so if we’ve massive chunks after a blast, the news will put them apart and I drill holes in them and I blow them up, and the news will come and decide them up. Cool, eh?”

A proud labour rights activist, he considers a lot of his colleagues — most of whom are members of Steelworkers Native 6500 — to be brothers and sisters. “I have been engaged on Inco property since I used to be 18 and I am 38 now,” he says, referencing the title of his firm earlier than it was purchased out by Vale in 2006. Continue Reading →

Provincial money ends for Ring of Fire talks as Matawa chiefs await response, negotiator says – by Matt Prokopchuk (CBC News Thunder Bay – November 9, 2018)

November 12, 2018 in Aboriginal and Inuit Mining and Oil/Gas, Canadian Media Resource Articles, Ontario Mining, Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/

Matawa chiefs negotiator Bob Rae says First Nations ‘ready to move ahead’

The lead negotiator for the chiefs of Indigenous communities closest to the Ring of Fire says they’re still waiting to hear back from the provincial government about how talks will look going forward.

That comes as Bob Rae says money committed by the province since 2013 that funded a number of initiatives through the regional framework agreement between Ontario and the nine member communities of the Matawa Tribal Council ran out at the end of October.

“We’re ready to move ahead with discussions on the key elements of the regional framework which has been agreed to,” Rae said. “We’re ready to sit down with the province and the federal government whenever they’re ready to respond.” Continue Reading →

Lack of consultation on Ring of Fire development frustrates First Nation communities – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – November 9, 2018)

November 12, 2018 in Aboriginal and Inuit Mining and Oil/Gas, Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Ontario Mining, Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Neskantaga, Eabametoong want negotiated settlement with Queen’s Park, threaten legal action

The lack of an all-inclusive provincial strategy to advance development in the Ring of Fire is frustrating two remote First Nation communities in the area of the Far North mineral deposits.

In a Nov. 9 news release, the communities of Neskantaga and Eabametoong called out the Ford government for suspending a provincially-sponsored consultation process, known as the Regional Framework Agreement, and not replacing a fired negotiator.

“This will slow the process of reaching agreement and, potentially, delay future developments in the Ring of Fire. However, we remain committed to the process and the principles already agreed,” said Neskantaga First Nation Chief Wayne Moonias in a statement. Continue Reading →

[Glencore] Old mine set to become tech vanguard for Sudbury-based corporation – by Karen McKinley (Northern Ontario Business – November 9, 2018)

November 9, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Glencore, Nickel, Ontario Mining, Sudbury Basin

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Onaping Depth touted by Glencore as future of deep mining with all battery-electric operation

The Craig Mine-Onaping Depth Project is not only becoming a reality, but it will also have the distinction of being the first mine to be completely battery-electric, even if it means building equipment that doesn’t exist, yet.

It’s also a melding of old and new, with the previous mine’s infrastructure being used to transport equipment and personnel to the deposit.

Peter Xavier, vice-president of Glencore’s Sudbury Operations, gave an overview of the company, with a focus on the company’s mine project, at a Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Nov. 6. Continue Reading →

Timmins mine the good news story in a tough quarter for Tahoe – by Len Gillis (Timmins Daily Press – November 7, 2018)

November 8, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Gold and Silver, Ontario Mining, Timmins

https://www.timminspress.com/

Like other gold companies across the North, the third quarter of 2018 was not kind to Tahoe Resources Inc., the parent company for Tahoe Canada which operates the Timmins West mining complex and the Bell Creek Mine and Mill in Timmins.

Like other gold companies across the North, the third quarter of 2018 was not kind to Tahoe Resources Inc., the parent company for Tahoe Canada which operates the Timmins West mining complex and the Bell Creek Mine and Mill in Timmins.

The company has reported a third quarter earnings loss of $190 million, which compares with a loss of only $8.4 million for the same period last year. This represents a $0.61 loss per share. Continue Reading →

Glencore to go deeper at Sudbury operations – by Jim Moodie (Sudbury Star – November 7, 2018)

November 7, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Copper, Glencore, Nickel, Ontario Mining, Sudbury Basin

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

“We have still, I believe, a lot of untapped potential in the Sudbury
basin, especially at depth,” said Xavier. A series of deep copper
deposits dubbed Norman West is particularly intriguing to the company.

Xavier also highlighted the strides the company has taken to reduce its emissions,
which have dropped 90 per cent over the past 30 years, while production has climbed.
And he noted Glencore has spent $272 million on a Process Gas Project at its smelter,
which will further reduce sulphur dioxide emissions.

“We’re committed to a long, stable future in Sudbury,” he said.
(Peter Xavier, VP of Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations – Glencore)

Cleaner. And deeper. That’s the direction Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations (Glencore) is heading with its existing properties, a new nickel mine in the Onaping area and copper deposits it hopes to develop north of Capreol.

“Deep mining is where the future lies for us,” said Glencore VP Peter Xavier during an address to a Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce audience Tuesday. “After 100 years of mining in the Sudbury basin, you can imagine a lot of the close-to-the-surface operations are getting depleted, and we’re having to go deeper.” Continue Reading →

NDP mining critic concerned Ford government stalling on Ring of Fire development – by Angela Gemmill (CBC News Sudbury – November 1, 2018)

November 5, 2018 in Canadian Media Resource Articles, Chromium/Platinum Group Metals, Ontario Mining, Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/

Michael Mantha says he’s asked but has yet to receive updates from Minister of Northern Development and Mines

It’s been more than a decade since chromite ore was first found in remote Northern Ontario, yet development of the Ring of Fire mining project seems to be slow. A year ago, the previous Liberal government announced an agreement with three First Nations communities to build a road to the mineral-rich site.

It involves many partners: mining companies, municipalities, First Nations and the provincial government. The new face at the table — the Ford Progressive Conservative government — hasn’t made its intentions clear, said Algoma-Manitoulin MPP, Michael Mantha. Mantha is also the New Democratic Party critic for Northern Development and Mines.

He says over the years, the other partners have been working to build better relationships with each other. “Industry has done a lot of the work, and First Nations have done a lot of work. It’s time for government to step in now and that they be held to their role in moving some of the development that we want to see happen in Ontario.” Continue Reading →

Study suggests Gogama gold mine viable – by Staff (Sudbury Star – November 5, 2018)

November 5, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Gold and Silver, Ontario Mining

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

A potential gold mine south of Gogama that is expect to generate new jobs in the Northeast, including Sudbury, is “economically viable,” a new report says. IAMGOLD plans to create a new open pit mine at Cote Lake, south of Gogama, said its latest feasibility study has good news.

The company said the new gold mine project is called the IAMGOLD/Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. Ltd. Joint Venture Cote Gold Project, which reflects the partnership the company has had with the Sumitomo company of Japan since June of 2017.

“The results of the FS illustrate that Cote Gold is an economically viable, long-life project that is expected to be a low-cost producing mine,” the company said in a news release. Continue Reading →

Throwback Thursday: A brief history of mining in Sudbury Northern Life – by Callam Rodya(Sudbury.com – March 2, 2017)

November 3, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Glencore, Northern Ontario History, Ontario Mining, Sudbury Basin, Sudbury History, Vale

https://www.sudbury.com/

With two of Sudbury’s most important employers, Vale and Glencore, reporting healthy profits last week, we asked the Greater Sudbury Archives to dust off some old footage and photos from the earlier days of this fledgling industry, to give you a brief history of mining in Sudbury. Continue Reading →

Gogama mine developer edges close to production decision on open pit: IAMGOLD feasibility study lays out case for $1-billion gold project – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – November 2, 2018)

November 2, 2018 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Gold and Silver, Ontario Mining

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

A final decision on whether to proceed with the development of an open-pit gold mine near Gogama is coming in early 2019. IAMGOLD released a feasibility study for its Côté Gold Project in northeastern Ontario on Nov.1.

It’s the last technical and economic study done by a mining company in the various steps of assessing whether to bring a prospective property into production. The company had previously released a pre-feasibility study in June 2017.

The Côté Gold site is located five kilometres off of Highway 144, 20 kilometres southwest of Gogama, and is roughly halfway between Sudbury and Timmins. IAMGOLD has a 70-30 joint venture interest with Sumitomo Metal Mining on this project. Continue Reading →

Eight-year-old becomes miner for a day at Goldcorp’s Porcupine mines – by Kelsey Rolfe (CIM Magazine – November 1 2018)

November 2, 2018 in Canadian Media Resource Articles, Gold and Silver, Goldcorp Inc., Ontario Mining

Aliesha underground with Goldcorp’s Hoyle Pond miners. (Goldcorp Photo)

http://magazine.cim.org/en/

At Goldcorp’s Porcupine Gold Mines in Timmins, it is company practice to call out “fire in the hole” in the 90 seconds before a blast is detonated. But last week the mine manager allowed an exception to the rule for eight-year-old Aliesha, whose enthusiastic cry of “dynamite!” went out over the radio at the Hollinger open-pit mine in the seconds before the blast went off.

Aliesha visited Hollinger, Dome and Hoyle Pond in Timmins last week thanks to the Toronto and Central Ontario Make-A-Wish Foundation. The foundation asked her for three wishes, and her first pick was to visit a mine.

“That’s the one thing everyone’s blown away by,” said her father Dave. The family’s surname is not being published for reasons of privacy. “It’s been a little over three years now that she’s been fully obsessed with mining. The school projects that she does, somehow she makes them revolve around mining.” Continue Reading →