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Ontario Mining

Opinion | Trumps hunger for critical minerals is an opportunity for a made in Canada solution – by Flavio Volpe (Toronto Star – March 4, 2025)

https://www.thestar.com/

Canada faces a direct economic sovereignty challenge from U.S. President Donald Trump. The spectre of general tariffs and the weaponization of U.S. federal investments loom over Canada’s integrated manufacturing sector.

Canada should take this moment not just to defend itself but to set some of its own terms. We need a bold strategy focused on critical mineral extraction and processing capacity. Canada holds some of the world’s most valuable untapped resources that could rebalance our economic leverage in North America.

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With province facing tariffs, new OMA study finds Ontario exported $42B in mineral exports to U.S. in 2023 – by Staff (Canadian Mining Journal – March 5, 2025)

https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

A new report published by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), supported by Ontario’s Ministry of Mines, reveals Ontario’s domestic mineral exports—minerals and metals extracted in the province—were valued at $64 billion in 2023, making up over a quarter of Ontario’s total exported goods.

Ontario’s mineral exports to the United States totaled $42 billion, including $5.7 billion from critical minerals such as platinum group metals, nickel, copper, uranium and zinc. Fifty-Seven per cent of all Ontario’s critical mineral exports went to the United States.

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Ontario mining industry dealing with unclear rules for Indigenous engagement – by Alan S. Hale (The Trillium – March 5, 2025)

https://www.thetrillium.ca/

Ontario mining companies say they’re ready to work with Indigenous communities, but this week’s PDAC conference shows rules for doing so are far from settled

Even with the United States trade war casting a shadow over the event, Indigenous participation in the mining industry was the hot topic at this year’s Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto, which wrapped up on Wednesday.

At least one major deal was signed between a mining company and First Nations this week. Meanwhile, Canadian Mining Association President Pierre Gratton told investors at the conference Monday that the industry is eager to make deals with Indigenous communities and accommodate their needs.

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Doug Ford uses mining conference speech to push for fast-tracking critical mineral extraction (CBC News Sudbury – March 03, 2025)

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

First Nation advocates say it can’t happen at the expense of their rights

Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his promise Monday to speed up mineral extraction in the Ring of Fire, but advocates for First Nations say it can’t happen at the expense of Indigenous treaty rights.

Ford told an audience at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference that U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs take aim at the Ontario economy, and Ontario needs to prepare for “anything and everything.” “Together we need to build a stronger, more resilient and self-sufficient economy,” Ford said.

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Advocate raises concerns about Indigenous exclusion during mining conference session – by Sam Laskaris (Windspeaker – March 6, 2025)

https://windspeaker.com/

With a focus on lands, resources, energy, critical minerals, climate policy and reconciliation, Katherine Koostachin has spent the past 15 years advancing Indigenous priorities. Koostachin, a member of Attawapiskat First Nation in northern Ontario, says there are troubling gaps in Canada’s dealings with Indigenous peoples.

Koostachin was a speaker March 3 at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) conference in Toronto. The PDAC conference is considered the world’s premier mineral exploration and mining convention.

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Outraged by Toronto mining convention, protestors disrupt opening day proceedings – by Alex Flood (Timmins Today – March 4, 2025)

https://www.timminstoday.com/

Mining Injustice members blocked the northside entrance to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for 30 minutes during the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention on Sunday

TORONTO – The world’s largest mining convention is well underway inside the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, but outside, a lively protest denouncing the companies for their alleged unethical roles with international excavation projects has taken shape.

The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) is expected to bring tens of thousands of representatives from the global mining industry to the city’s downtown core between Sunday and Wednesday.

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Doug Ford threatens to stop nickel shipments to U.S. on eve of trade war – by Chris Fox (CTV News Toronto – March 03, 2025)

https://www.ctvnews.ca/

Premier Doug Ford is threatening to stop the supply of nickel and electricity to the United States in response to 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods that are set to take effect tomorrow.

Ford made the comment during an interview with NBC News NOW on Monday afternoon. The interview came after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed during a news conference that the tariffs would take effect on March 4.

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Ford sends message to Ottawa on Ring of Fire: Get out of our way – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – March 3, 2025)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Premier delivers sense of urgency in pushing for expedited approvals, development of critical minerals projects

Premier Doug Ford is ready to shove Ottawa out of the way to make progress in the Ring of Fire. Fresh off last week’s provincial election win and armed with a strong majority, an emboldened Ford appeared at the PDAC mining show in Toronto, March 3, ready to pick a fight with the feds in order to expedite critical minerals production in the face of a looming trade war with the U.S.

Calling Ontario as being in a pandemic-like “survival mode,” Ford said he’s taking bold policy steps, backed by investments, to build a resilient economy and to use critical minerals production as leverage against the Trump administration’s expected tariffs on Canadian goods.

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Ring of Fire access roads may not be complete until 2040 – by Alan S. Hale (The Trillium – March 2, 2025)

https://www.thetrillium.ca/

Two of the three Indigenous-led environmental assessments of the access roads to the Ring of Fire are nearly complete, but the third is expected to take three more years, followed by a decade of construction

Despite the Progressive Conservative government’s promises to fast-track the building of roads to the proposed Ring of Fire mining development in northwestern Ontario as a way to build “Fortress Am-Can” with the United States, current estimates suggest the final leg of the all-season road to the project site won’t be completed until sometime between 2035 and 2040.

At the same time, significant progress is being made on all three access roads needed to connect the Ring of Fire, Marten Falls First Nation and Webequie First Nation with the TransCanada Highway.

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Indigenous Affairs Minister is nowhere to be seen – by Jon Thompson (Ricochet Media – February 26, 2025)

https://ricochet.media/indigenous/

Greg Rickford’s opponents wanted the opportunity to debate him on the Ring of Fire mining development

Ontario’s election is entering the final stretch and Greg Rickford is nowhere to be found. The Kenora-Rainy River riding incumbent, who was most recently the minister of both northern development and Indigenous affairs, has not submitted to any media interviews or public debates. His NDP opponent finds it familiar.

When Rudy Turtle led the River Run demonstration to march on Queen’s Park in September, the former Asubpeeschoseewagong Netum Anishinabek (Grassy Narrows First Nation) Chief was hoping to meet with the Minister and the Premier.

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No harm from tailings, says McEwen Mining about First Nation allegations – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – February 26, 2025)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Matheson miner argues no share compensation arrangement exists with First Nation

Matheson gold producer McEwen Mining contends there’s no cause for concern regarding its mine waste tailings storage facility that a nearby First Nation claims is causing environment harm and is a human health risk.

In a news release, McEwen responded to a lawsuit that was launched this month by Apitipi Anicinapek Nation (AAN) against the Toronto gold company for allegedly violating an impact benefit agreement (IBA) between the two parties.

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First Nation says McEwen Mining breached agreement, owes almost $1M in unpaid shares – by Aya Dufour (CBC News Sudbury – February 24, 2025)

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

Apitipi Anicinapek Nation is taking the matter before an Ontario court

The Apitipi Anicinapek Nation (AAN) has launched a lawsuit against McEwen Mining Inc., alleging breach of contract and environmental damage.The lawsuit centres around an Impact Benefit Agreement (IBA) signed in 2011 between AAN and Brigus, the then-owner of the Black Fox Mining Complex near Matheson, Ont.

IBAs are agreements between resource extraction companies and Indigenous communities intended to mitigate the impacts of development on traditional territories and ways of life. In this case, the IBA promised AAN financial compensation in the tune of 25,000 shares of the mining company annually.

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Equinox Gold to buy Calibre for $2.56B – by Staff (Northern Miner – February 24, 2025)

https://www.northernminer.com/

Equinox Gold  agreed to buy Calibre Mining  for about $2.56 billion in stock to become Canada’s second-largest gold producer. Calibre shareholders will receive 0.31 Equinox common share for each Calibre common share held immediately before the transaction, according to a joint statement issued Sunday. At closing, existing Equinox shareholders would own about 65% of the combined company’s outstanding shares, compared with 35% for their Calibre counterparts.

The deal, which is expected to close in the second quarter, sets the stage for the creation of a Canadian mining powerhouse with two low-cost assets under the same roof – Equinox’s Greenstone property in Ontario, which achieved commercial production in November and is one of the country’s largest open-pit mines; and Calibre’s Valentine mine, which is nearing construction completion.

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Ontario PCs pledge $500-million for critical minerals processing but spending questions loom – by Darius Snieckus (Hamilton Spectator – February 25, 2025)

https://www.thespec.com/

Ontario’s Progressive Conservatives have pledged to set up a $500-million critical mineral processing fund to invest in “strategically located” facilities to develop the province’s vast resources of lithium, graphite, zinc, cobalt and other key minerals and metals.

The fund, a central economic plank in the party’s re-election platform released on Monday, is the biggest government pledge so far to build a network of refining facilities mining experts say are needed to ensure Canada reaps the benefits of producing minerals and metals important for the global energy transition.

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Detour Lake mine still shines as one of Agnico Eagle’s stars – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – February 24, 2025)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Underground mine construction activity planned for 2025, pending arrival of government permit

Agnico Eagle wants to grow its northeastern Ontario assets by more than 50 per cent as early as 2030. The leading Toronto gold company has a slew of development projects underway in Ontario, western Quebec and Nunavut, including the Detour Lake mine, northeast of Cochrane, where plans are afoot to drive production there to one million ounces a year.

Both the Detour expansion and the Upper Beaver mine project in the Larder Lake area are looked upon as two of Agnico’s catalysts for growth.

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