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Sudbury Basin

‘We’re moving the yard sticks:’ economic opportunities opening up for Indigenous communities – by Lindsay Kelly (Northern Ontario Business – October 25, 2023)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Wahnapitae First Nation lands manager shares expertise during Economic Development Opportunities Forum

When Anthony Laforge had his first dealings with a resource extraction company, it was a crash course in how not to do consultation. The company had submitted its closure plan for a graphite mining operation in the town of Kearney and, as the lands manager for neighbouring Magnetawan First Nation, it was Laforge’s job to review it.

The community was given 30 days to review the plan. But by the time Laforge saw it for the first time, it had already been sitting on the chief’s desk for five days, he recalled. That left Laforge just 24 days to give his assessment on a file that was essentially new for him.

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Regreening Sudbury: VETAC at 50 – work still to be done – by Hugh Kruzel (Sudbury Star – October 25, 2023)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

‘I am really quite amazed by what has happened when you spread some limestone’

Growing up in Sudbury many of us — as teens — roamed across a countryside made barren, blackened and rocky due to years of mining and smelting operations. The more recent generations, however, would have to go looking for examples that remain of that time.Revegetation programs have residents and visitors once again seeing a rolling verdant landscape.

“I am really quite amazed by what has happened when you spread some limestone,” said Peter Beckett, Laurentian University professor emeritus of reclamation, restoration and wetland ecology, and chair of the VETAC regreening advisory panel. “Like magic. Who would have thought?”

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Province urged to shift focus on future mining away from Ring of Fire – by Ron Grech (Timmins Press – September 25, 2023)

https://www.timminspress.com/

Equally promising opportunities cited with existing mining projects near Timmins and Sudbury

The Ontario government is being called upon by an Indigenous-led conservation effort to support existing mining projects rather than opening new ground within the Ring of Fire.

“There are at least six different large nickel projects in the Timmins and Sudbury area,” said Anna Baggio, director of conservation planning with the Wildlands League, which has teamed up with Mushkegowuk Council in support of establishing a National Marine Conservation Area along the James and Hudson Bay coast.

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Sudbury mining firms work together on battery electric issues – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – September 7, 2023)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Mining companies and manufacturers meet to find solutions on achieving Net Zero emissions for underground mining by 2030

Several members of the Sudbury mining community will be collaborating next week to take part in a two-day forum on the best ways of moving toward battery electric mining. The event hosted by GMG (Global Mining Guidelines group) will take place at Science North, Sept. 12 and 13.

“Organizers from Vale, Agnico Eagle, Glencore, MacLean, and NORCAT have built a program to enable companies to work more closely together. They want you to participate and be part of the solutions that come out of these events,” said a statement from GMG.

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Laurentian formalizes agreement for innovation cluster – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – August 25, 2023)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Sudbury university joins Lakehead, Nipissing and Trent in singing MOU

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been struck between four Ontario universities to lead innovation in the commercialization of critical minerals, cleantech, and battery electric technologies.

Announced in May, the innovation cluster is being led by Laurentian University in Sudbury, in partnership with Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Nipissing University in North Bay, and Trent University in Peterborough. The cluster is designed to help mining entrepreneurs move their products more easily from R&D to commercialization.

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Sudbury researchers land funding for green mining initiative – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – August 15,2023)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

MIRARCO Mining Innovation receive $280,000 from industry innovation network

Sudbury’s MIRARCO Mining Innovation has received $280,000 in grant money from the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) Network.

The funding is earmarked to help develop a pilot plant in Sudbury that uses a biotechnology process to extract valuable metals out of waste piles at mine sites while simultaneously cleaning up the environment. MIRARCO’s industry partner, BacTech Environment Corp. announced the news on Aug. 14.

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Former Sudbury mining school lead has died – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – August 11, 2023)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Bruce Jago was the founding executive director at Laurentian University’s Goodman School of Mines

Bruce Jago, the founding executive director of Laurentian University’s renowned Goodman School of Mines in Sudbury, has died at the age of 66. Jago died on Aug. 5, 2023, following “a heroic battle with young onset Alzheimer’s disease,” according to his obituary.

The respected exploration geologist had more than 30 years of experience in the mining industry. He was announced as executive director of the newly minted Goodman School of Mines in January 2013, a position he maintained for six years.

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Conference Board forecasts nickel demand will lift all sectors of Sudbury’s economy – by Kate Rutherford (CBC News Sudbury – August 9, 2023)

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

An economist says Sudbury’s recovery is on the way but won’t reach pre-pandemic levels until 2026

Nickel prices and rising demand for the mineral will help Sudbury’s local economy ride out a slowing national economy and carry it to pre-pandemic prosperity by 2026. In its most recent report, the Conference Board of Canada says nickel prices jumped nearly 72 percent between 2020 and 2022 buoyed by the war in Ukraine and strengthening nickel demand.

Senior economist Rob Wiebe says it’s precisely that demand and heightened exploration for nickel to produce batteries for electric cars that will fuel investment across different sectors in the city.

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Magna Mining planning to reopen Crean Hill mine near Sudbury (CBC News Sudbury – August 8, 2023)

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

The former Crean Hill mine operated from 1900 to 2002 before being closed

A Sudbury, Ont. mining company is setting its sights on reviving the Crean Hill mine for further exploration. Magna Mining Inc. acquired the mine in 2022. It recently completed a preliminary economic assessment on the mine, and the results of the study indicated the potential for more mineral production.

“What has been shown by the drilling that was done prior to Magna is there’s still a lot of resources left in the ground, a lot of nickel, a lot of copper, a lot of precious metals,” said Jason Jessup, CEO of Magna Mining.

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Magna Mining sees 15-year mine life in reviving former Inco mine – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – July 31, 2023)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Sudbury nickel junior miner posts preliminary economic assessment for pit and underground operation

Sudbury’s Magna Mining has tabled an economic and technical report to bring a former Inco nickel mine back into production. The exploration outfit and would-be mine developers released a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) showing strong mineable economics on its Crean Hill Project located in the southwest corner of the Sudbury Basin. A PEA is an initial report on what a mine operation could look like.

In the company’s evaluation of the property, Crean Hill has the potential for a 15 to 19-year mine life depending upon the mineral processing scenario they eventually choose, and bring it online at a “modest” cost.

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Massive deal with Saudis will help Vale fund nickel, other mining projects – by Darren MacDonald (CTV News Northern Ontairo – July 31, 2023)

https://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/

Vale Base Metals (VBM) Ltd. has signed deals worth $3.4 billion with two Saudi Arabian-owned entities as the company works to develop its base metals operations as a separate entity. The agreement will help Vale fund billions of capital projects in the base metals unit planned across its global holdings. The base metals unit is focused on increasing production of minerals needed for the conversion of the auto industry from gas-powered to electric vehicles.

“This strategic partnership will fast-track VBM’s expected US $25-$30 billion capital program over the next decade,” Vale said on its website in announcing the agreement.

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Vale Base Metals confirms partial sell-off to Saudis and the US – by Len Gillis (Sudbury.com – July 29, 2023)

https://www.sudbury.com/

Analysts say deal is part of a Vale strategy to grow value of its nickel and copper holdings ahead of electric vehicle demand .

Vale has confirmed it is selling off part of its newly formed Vale Base Metals unit in two separate agreements.

Ten per cent of the company going to Saudi Arabia’s Mining Co (Ma’aden) and the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF), and three per cent being sold to U.S. investment firm Engine No. 1. The entire deal is valued at $3.4 billion according to a report from Reuters.

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Nyabeze appointed MICA network director – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – July 11, 2023)

https://www.sudbury.com/

Chamirai (Charles) Nyabeze is well-known for his role as vice-president of Business Development and Commercialization with the Centre of Excellence in Mining Innovation

Well-known Sudbury mining industry executive Chamirai (Charles) Nyabeze has been appointed as Network Director for the Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator Network (MICA).

Nyabeze’s new role was announced on June 22 and officially commenced on July 6, said a news release from MICA. The appointment comes with the full support of the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), where Chamirai has been a member for the past 11 years, the release continued.

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Highest of honours for Sudbury’s Leo Gerard – by Staff (Sudbury Star – June 30, 2023)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Governor General Mary Simon names union leader a Companion of the Order of Canada

Leo W. Gerard, the Sudbury miner who went on to lead the United Steelworkers union, has received this country’s highest civilian honour – Companion of the Order of Canada.

Governor General Mary Simon, who bestows the Order of Canada, said in a release that Gerard is being recognized “for his vast and influential work in labour advocacy, notably as the seventh International President of the United Steelworkers union.”

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Former Sudbury mining leader is back on board with Vale – by Len Gillis (Sudbury.com – July 7, 2023)

https://www.sudbury.com/

The appointment of Mark Cutifani as chair of the newly formed Energy Transition Metals Board with Vale Base Metals takes effect this month

A well-known former Sudbury mining executive is back in the news and is taking on a new role as chair of the newly formed Energy Transition Metals Board with Vale Base Metals, which calls itself one of the world’s largest producers of responsibly-sourced nickel, copper, cobalt and platinum group metals.

Mark Cutifani was previously chief operating officer (COO) at CVRD Inco, but he left Sudbury in 2007 to become chief executive officer (CEO) of AngloGold Ashanti, and then became CEO of mining giant Anglo American, one of the largest mining companies on the planet.

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