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Chief has concerns with gold project – by Chris Ribau (Timmins Daily Press – November 15, 2011)

Location of Sold Gold Resources discovery sparks questions from First Nation

The Wahgoshig First Nation has expressed concerns over a exploration project close to the borders of their community. It’s concerns centre on Solid Gold Resource Corporation and their exploration of an area immediately north of the Porcupine Destor Fault zone at Lake Abitibi.

“Our territory covers basically south of Lake Abitibi,” said David Babin, chief of the Wahgoshig First Nation. “Our territory is about 12 miles long and three miles wide. Basically starting from Twin Lakes to three miles east. They’re not in our boundaries, but they’re just outside of them.”

Babin is concerned about keeping the historical significance of the area undisturbed and intact, as well as maintaining their culture and way of life.

“What we want is to make sure they adhere to some of our values within the area,” said Babin. “We have burial sites, artifacts in the area, and members of the community collect medicine for the community from the territory.”

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Unlocking the wealth of Northern Ontario [Ring of Fire]- by Renald (Ron) Beaulieu and George Smitherman

Renald (Ron) Beaulieu is the Mayor of Greenstone
George Smitherman is a former Ontario Deputy Premier and Energy Minister

Discovery of the massive “Ring of Fire,” a chromite-rich mineral deposit in a remote area of Northern Ontario, is the first and perhaps easiest step in realizing the site’s potential. 

Mining the ore, then transporting it across the terrain of the Hudson Bay Lowlands will be challenging from an environmental and engineering standpoint.

Greater still is the challenge and responsibility of utilizing this resource in a way that advances the economic and social needs of our First Nation peoples whose traditional and reserve territories stand to be significantly impacted. The First Nation peoples living in the area have made it clear that they expect minerals extracted from their traditional territories to be refined nearby.

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[Sudbury] City still boasts ‘best ore body in the world’ [Ned Goodman] – by Laura Stricker (Sudbury Star – November 11, 2011)

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

One thing in his notes was about a speech Republic of Mining publisher Stan
Sudol made in Sudbury this week as part of the 2011 Ontario Exploration &
Geoscience Symposium. “It is estimated that, over the next 25 years, we will
need to dig out of the ground as many minerals as consumed since the
beginning of man,” Sudol said.

Ned Goodman is seen by many as a rock star in the investing world. And on Thursday, he brought his nearly 50 years of investment know-how to Laurentian University.

He was at the university to speak as part of the Xstrata Nickel Memorial Lecture Series. Goodman is the president and CEO of Dundee Corporation, CEO of Ned Goodman Investment Counsel Inc. and chairman of Dundee Capital Markets Ltd. and Du ndeeWealth Inc. He is the chancellor of Brock University and an adjunct professor at Concordia University.

Goodman is also a geologist, and used to work at Noranda. “(I worked for Noranda) at a time when the world went into a distinct recessionary period for the resource industry. So I went back to school, and I got a Master of Business Administration. I became an investment counsellor and I concentrated on the resource side, because of my geological background.

“I’m one of the few people that has matched the two pieces together. I found that I was happier knowing where the money was coming from that was being spent to find mines and oil and gas reserves.”

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Quebec Le Plan Nord Compared to Ontario – by Livio Di Matteo (November 10, 2011)

Livio Di Matteo is Professor of Economics at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Visit his new Economics Blog “Northern Economist” at http://ldimatte.shawwebspace.ca/

On my recent trip to Montreal, I picked up the November 2nd issue of La Presse and was amazed to find a twelve page insert dealing with stories and advertising on Quebec’s Plan Nord.  To put it in perspective, it would be like the Toronto Star deciding to devote a block of pages to the Northern Ontario Growth Plan.  Needless to say, the difference between the level of engagement in Quebec with its northern development compared with Ontario is astounding. 

When push comes to shove, Le Plan Nord is being sold as an investment frontier with implications for Quebec’s economic future.  The Northern Growth Plan in Ontario is really something that has only caught the attention of those of us in northern Ontario and even we don’t really know what it means because nothing has been fleshed out.

Le Plan Nord is looking at 33 billion dollars in investment in Quebec’s North – the area north of the 49th parallel – over the next 25 years to develop hydroelectric and mining resources. 

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[Mining] Sector could save province: analyst [Stan Sudol] – by Star Staff (Sudbury Star – November 10, 2011)

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

Northern Ontario’s untapped natural resources could stop the province’s economic decline and turn Ontario again into a Canadian economic powerhouse, a prominent mining analyst and commentator says.

But Stan Sudol also warned Ontario’s prospectors meeting in Sudbury that initiatives such as the Far North Act threaten to choke off develop-m e nt to a huge swath of resource-rich Northern Ontario.

“If there was ever a piece of legislation that symbolized the cultural disconnect between Ontario’s North and south, the Far North Act would surely be it,” Sudol said. “Only the various environmental movements supported this act.”

Sudol made the comments during a keynote address at the Ontario Prospectors Association’s 2011 Ontario Exploration & Geoscience Symposium held here Tuesday and Wednesday.

He said the Far North Act would cut out half of Northern Ontario from resource development — an area that “is about twice as large as southern Ontario.”

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Lucky Sudbury, Far North Act and Mining Industry Terrible Image Speech – by Stan Sudol (November 8, 2011)

Stan Sudol gave the keynote address at the Ontario Prospectors Association’s 2011 Ontario Exploration & Geoscience Symposium – Sudbury, Ontario – November 8, 2011

Stan Sudol is a Toronto-based communications consultant and mining columnist. www.republicofmining.com stan.sudol@republicofmining.com

Check Against Delivery

Sudbury: The luckiest city in Canada

It’s always great to get back to my hometown.

Way back in 1977, I worked for Inco at their Clarabell Mill complex for a year before going to college. And in 1980, I was a summer student replacement worker at their Frood-Stobie mine.

So I will always be a “Sudbury boy” regardless of where I live.

Without a doubt, Sudbury is this country’s epicenter of mining.

In fact, the Sudbury Basin is the richest mineral district in North America and among the top three hardrock mining regions in the world.

Only South Africa’s Witwatersrand gold region, and their legendary Bushveld platinum complex, can match the concentration and expertise of underground mining here.

We are the luckiest city Canada.

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Film looks at mining dispute – by Laura Stricker (Sudbury Star – November 8, 2011)

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

Robert Monderie and Richard Desjardins claim they are digging up the truth about the mining industry in their new documentary, Trou Story.

They’re also attracting the wrath of the mining industry and governments, who say Trou Story isn’t quite telling the truth.

“They say that what we are talking about is old stuff, that reality has changed a lot and that industry has been performing a lot better socially and environmentally, and the technology is less dangerous,” Desjardins, who directed the documentary with Monderie, said in a phone inter view Monday.

“We agree with that. But they assume that everything has changed, and we don’t think so. The … basic law is still the same. Regions don’t have more royalties. Mines are bigger, so that means that the waste is bigger, too. That waste will be there for centuries, and the cost to (clean that up) is not included in the price of the royalties.”

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The Ring of Fire is coming under fire in Ottawa today – by James Murray (Netnewsledger.com – November 7, 2011)

http://netnewsledger.com/

OTTAWA – The Ring of Fire is coming under fire today in Ottawa, as the federal and provincial governments are being told that greater environmental assessments must be done before the project can move forward. Ecojustice and CPAWS Wildlands League are calling on Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent and Ontario’s Minister of the Environment Jim Bradley to appoint an independent joint review panel to assess a proposed mega-mine for chromite in northern Ontario by the American-based Cliffs Resources Company.

As well, the Matawa Chiefs withdrew their support from Ring of Fire development on October 20, 2011 until the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency implements a negotiated Joint Review Panel Environmental Assessment instead of a Comprehensive Study EA Process. The Chiefs are launching a Judicial Review.

The move by the Matawa Chiefs has gained support as Regional and national leaders will stand in support of Matawa Chiefs:

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ECOJUSTICE/WILDLANDS LEAGUE NEWS RELEASE: Take time now to assess impacts of mega-mines in Northern Ontario, environmentalists tell federal and Ontario governments

Ecojustice is a national charitable organization dedicated to defending Canadians’ right to a healthy environment.

Wildlands League mission is to combine credible science, visionary solutions and bold communication to save, protect and enhance Ontario’s wilderness areas.

Nov 07, 2011

TORONTO – Today Ecojustice and CPAWS Wildlands League are calling on Federal Environment Minister Peter Kent and Ontario’s Minister of the Environment Jim Bradley to appoint an independent joint review panel to assess a proposed mega-mine for chromite in northern Ontario by the American-based Cliffs Resources Company.

The public interest groups are supporting the demand earlier this month by Matawa and Mushkegowuk First Nations that the federal Minister conduct a review panel.

The Cliffs project is the first proposed mine in this vast, intact area. The environmental groups are concerned that mining will cause massive permanent changes to sensitive ecosystems and local communities in Ontario’s Far North.

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Igniting the [Ontario] Ring of Fire – by Harold Wilson (Thunder Bay Chamber of Commerce President – July, 2011)

The progress towards development of the chromite deposit, now well established as “The Ring of Fire” north of Marten Falls, has been one of intense debate, considerable study, and much hope.  I attended a conference two weeks ago that was to focus on how this regional opportunity could be moved along, particularly the considerable infrastructure required. 

There were many excellent panels and presenters, the highlight for many being Thursday morning’s panel featuring William Boor of Cliffs Natural Resources, Paul Semple representing Noront Resources and our 2010 Chamber AGM speaker, Frank Smeenk from KWG Resources. 

All three panelists presented compelling rationales for their top choice of a transportation corridor.  While some attendees thought the three scenarios indicated discord, they were actually stating their preferred case but were prepared to accept one solution, provided it would be cost effective and expedited.  The main issue was for the Province to help “get on with it”. 

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[Sudbury, Canada] City in economic sweet spot – by Star Staff (Sudbury Star – November 5, 2011)

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

Sudbury is still an “economic sweet spot” when it comes to job creation, but faces the prospect of labour shortages, a Laurentian University economist says.

David Robinson made the comments in an analysis of October’s employment numbers released Friday by Statistics Canada. They showed the unemployment rate in the city dropped to 6.3% last month, compared to the national unemployment rate of 7.3%. Ontario’s jobless rate was 7.6% in October.

“We said last month that Sudbury was in the economic sweet spot for Canada’s economy,” Robinson wrote in his analysis, posted Friday on the Institute of Northern Ontario Research and Development website. “It remains true. Ontario’s economy is stalled but employment in Sudbury rose 1.1%, which is just slightly less than the 1.3% increase reported last month. Employment rose by 900 on a base of 83,800.

“If this rate of increase continues for 12 months, it would represent an annual growth rate for employment of 14%. A 14% growth rate would add 11,746 jobs in one year.”

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[Ring of Fire] Push on for ramped-up mine site review – by Carl Clutchey (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal – November 4, 2011)

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

A group of nine First Nations calling for an enhanced environmental review of Cliffs Natural Resources’ proposed chromite mine project is mulling its options in the wake of what appears to be a mute response from the federal government.

“The chiefs are going to be meeting to work on a strategy,” Matawa First Nations spokesman Jason Rasevych said Thursday from the group’s Thunder Bay office.

On Oct. 21, Matawa gave the government a week to respond to its demand for the appointment of an independent review panel into Cliffs’ project in the Ring of Fire, about 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay. Matawa hasn’t said what it will do if its demand isn’t met, but there has been speculation about the issuing of eviction notices and action in the courts.

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Mapping out a united vision for [Ontario] Northerners – by North Bay Mayor Al McDonald (September 28, 2011)

North Bay Mayor Al McDonald made this speech to Greater Sudbury City Council, Sept. 28, about mapping out a united vision for Northerners:

Bon soir. Good evening.

Your Worship and Members of Council:

On behalf of the citizens of North Bay, it is my pleasure to bring greetings and, in the spirit of friendship, thank you for this opportunity to address you this evening. I would also like to thank you for hosting the Northern Ontario Business Awards last night. Your city was a welcoming host and your community was showcased in a positive light.

On a personal note, I would like to thank all of you for your time, energy, and commitment for your dedication to public service. It is never easy and it is always tougher on our families as we have to give up a lot of family time with the demands of the job. So, I would like to thank your family members as well. It is interesting that we as elected officials get more credit than we deserve at times but get much more blame as well. I have the greatest respect for those individuals successful or not, for putting their names on a ballot. Thank you for serving.

Here in Northern Ontario, we enjoy a quality of life unparalleled to other places in the world. We have parks, green spaces, wildlife, colleges and universities, festivals, arts, culture, theatre, safe communities, and focus on families.

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2020 Vision for the [Timmins] Kidd Mine – by David Hicks (The Global Commodities Report – October, 2011)

Published by New Vanguard Media, The Global Commodities Report is a digital magazine about the benefits of resource business.

For a mining town like Timmins Ontario, Xstrata Copper Canada’s announcement that it is extending the mine life of the world-class Kidd Mine is welcome news.

For the second time in the past three years, Xstrata Copper Canada has announced that it is extending the projected mine life of the Kidd Mine. This time to 2020. The previous such announcement in 2008 bumped the closure back to 2017.

Quoted in Timmins’  The Daily Press, the mine’s General Manager, Tom Semadeni said, “We’re seeking to lengthen the life of the mine and the concentrator to 2020. Last year, our (expected) life was 2017, we now think 2018, and we’re working towards 2020.”

The Kidd Creek Mine, as it was first known, was discovered in 1964 and opened in 1966. It was one of the largest and richest volcanic massive sulfide discoveries in the world, bearing copper, zinc, indium, cadmium, silver and sulfuric acid. The mine produces 3.4 million tonnes of ore per year, and rendered 52,000 tonnes of copper and 45,000 tonnes of zinc in 2010.

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Republic Of Mining named to ‘Top 10 Mining Blogs’ list by Australian guide – by John Barker (Thompson Citizen – November 1, 2011)

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.  editor@thompsoncitizen.net

Mining IQ, a Sydney, Australia-based mining guide and international learning and communications portal, which is a division of International Quality & Productivity Center (IQPC), has named Republic Of Mining (http://republicofmining.com) to its list of “Top 10 Mining Blogs,” one of only two Canadian sites to be included.

In 1973, the publishers of Industry Week magazine co-founded a company called Penton Learning Systems, which managed a consortium of more than 100 colleges and universities and assisted in the design and development of over 30,000 short courses and seminars in the fields of quality management, project management, finance and accounting, marketing management, strategic planning and implementation. IQPC was founded in 1989 and is still owned by Penton Learning Systems of Little Falls, New Jersey.

Republic of Mining is published by Stan Sudol, a Toronto-based journalist, communications consultant, mining strategist and speechwriter. Sudol picks up Thompson Citizen and Nickel Belt News mining stories, editorials and photos, with our permission, from time to time, usually about Vale’s Manitoba Operations.

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