Timmins – Page 33 – Republic of Mining

[Xstrata Copper’s Kidd Creek] Mine expansion complete – by The Daily Press (Timmins Daily Press – December 15, 2011)

December 15, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

The major expansion of Xstrata Copper’s Kidd Creek mine is complete. Kidd Operations announced Thursday the $120-million extension to the Kidd Mine in Timmins is on time and on budget.

Approved by Xstrata in 2008, the extension to the mining zone at Mine D from 9,100 feet to 9,600 feet will extend operations by at least two years to the first half of 2018.

Further extensions to the mine life have been identified through the 2020 Vision program to elicit suggestions from employees on how to maximise the value of the operation.

The program, launched in February 2011, has already resulted in significant cost savings and an additional 700,000 tonnes of ore reserves being identified with the objective of extending operations further to 2020.

NFB Film: The Hole Story – by Richard Desjardins and Robert Monderie

April 5, 2015December 14, 2011

The following is from the National Film Board of Canada Press Kit

THE FILM

“Don’t know much about mines? Not many people do. Mines don’t talk. Especially about their history.” Richard Desjardins and Robert Monderie explore this history in their latest documentary, The Hole Story. Produced by the National Film Board of Canada, the film continues in the same provocative vein as their earlier Forest Alert.

The history of mining in Canada is the story of astronomical profits made with utter disregard for the environment and human health. It’s also a corrupt and sometimes sinister story. For example, during the First World War, nickel from Sudbury was sold to the German army to make the bullets that ended up killing soldiers from Sudbury in the Battle of Vimy Ridge. In Cobalt, a town in Ontario that once had no garbage collection, people were dying of typhoid.

Meanwhile, the first Canadian mining magnates were growing filthy rich selling silver to England from the 40 mines surrounding the town.

Timmins has its own shameful mining story. In the woods,50 kilometres west of the railroad, prospectors quickly staked their claims before heading to the government office to register their hectares and take ownership of the subsoil.

Plan sparks Ring of Fire ire – by Ryan Lux (Timmins Daily Press – December 5, 2011)

December 5, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Process it here or leave it in the ground, union demands

Cliffs Natural Resources’ pledge to seek an exemption from the Ontario Mining Act to ship chromite concentrate from Ontario’s Ring of Fire to Asia for processing has raised the ire of unions and municipalities representing the North.

The company claims the raw chromite ore will undergo value-added processing in Ontario where it will be transformed into chromite concentrate. However, critics say the ore should either be refined in Ontario or left in the ground.

William Brehl, the head of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference Maintenance of Way Employees, said the government risks squandering the economic potential of the Northern Ontario mineral bonanza.

“Premier Dalton McGuinty’s government has called the Ring of Fire the most promising mining opportunity in Canada in a century,” said Brehl.

Timmins Arena was home to many NHL players – by Karen Bachmann (Timmins Daily Press – November 19, 2011)

November 19, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Karen Bachmann is the director/curator of the Timmins Museum and a local author.

A few news items from 1947 for your reading pleasure. For all the art lovers out there, Miss Helen Chisholm of the national art gallery came home to spend Christmas at her residence, 8 Maple St. S.

According to the news item “Timmins is proud to be the home town of Miss Chisholm, who has made quite a name for herself in the field of art … This past summer, Miss Chisholm was one of a group of artists who enjoyed a series of classes at Banff, Alberta, that scenic resort in the Canadian Rockies. The classes were in charge of A.Y. Jackson (a member of the Group of Seven). We anticipate still greater achievements from Miss Chisholm, another of Timmins’ offspring who aspire to a brilliant future.”

For those of you who think that nothing happened in Timmins, here is your gruesome story of the day. It appears that the body of a local trapper was found frozen in the Mattagami River.

Quebec mining film festival will salute Ontario community leaders

April 5, 2015November 15, 2011

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 second annual Mining Film Festival run by IDNR-TV will salute two Ontario mining community leaders and several Quebec officials to emphasize the mineral sector links and shared geology between Northeastern Ontario and Northwestern Quebec. This event is being held on Thursday, November 17, 2011 at the Cinema du Parc in Montreal.

The festival’s aim is to act as a platform on which mining and natural resource industries can be viewed objectively and realistically and to raise awareness of one of Canada’s most important industries. Films will highlight major changes taking place in the sector, technological innovations and sustainable mining practices.

Vic Power, who was Mayor of Timmins from 1980 to 2000 and from 2003 to 2006, will be presented with a tribute trophy for his positive influence on the growth and development of his city and region. Also, Tom Laughren, the current Mayor of Timmins, will receive a certificate of recognition. “IDNR-TV and Arcelor Mittal Canada Mines wish to acknowledge the outstanding contribution made by these regional leaders in building bridges and fostering cooperation between the francophone and anglophone communities that are central to the development of natural resources and the local mining industry.”

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

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.”

[Northern Ontario history] Building Highway 11 – by Gregory Reynolds (Highgrader Magazine – Late Fall, 2011 issue)

November 2, 2011

This column was originally published in the Late Summer, 2011 issue of Highgrader Magazine which is committed to serve the interests of northerners by bringing the issues, concerns and culture of the north to the world through the writings and art of award-winning journalists as well as talented freelance artists, writers and photographers.

When northerners are not talking about the weather, they complain about the sorry state of many of the highways in Northern Ontario. They look with envy at the first-class highways and byways in the south and talk bitterly about Highway 17 being a death trap and think Highway 144 between Sudbury and Timmins should have a sign saying: “Drive at your own risk and only in daylight. Large trucks, moose and bears have the right of way.”

Still, the North does have a few highways that are no longer part way between cow paths and obstacle courses and residents do manage to get about.

It was not always so and the story of the Yonge Street extension that became today’s Highway 11 could be the history of any major traffic route in the North. While the money for highways came from the south, northerners built their own roads, prisoners, farmers and bush workers between seasons, the poor and those on the welfare rolls.

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

November 2, 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.

Crisis on the [James Bay] coast – by Ron Grech (Timmins Daily Press – November 1, 2011)

November 2, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

State of emergency declared

With a housing shortage forcing residents to live in tents and cold November winds beginning to blow off James Bay, communities on the coast have collectively declared a state of emergency.

“There is definitely something terribly wrong” when billions of dollars in revenue is being generated from mining while “the citizens of this rich land continue to face daily hardships with decent housing, education, health care and a high rate of suicide,” said Mushkegowuk Deputy Grand Chief Leo Friday.

“This is not right and something has to be done.” There are families, he added, living in “tent-frame structures, wooden storage sheds, hazardous and condemned homes.” Friday said he is aware of five families in Attawapiskat that have been living in a tent for more than a year now while three families in Kashechewan and another two in Fort Albany have been living in sheds.

Jobs waiting for hard rock mining grads – by Chris Ribau (Timmins Daily Press – November 1, 2011)

November 1, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

First group to complete program at Northern College

The first graduates have completed the Basic Underground Hard Rock Miner Common Core program at Northern College. The Porcupine Campus, in partnership with Goldcorp Porcupine Gold Mines, held a luncheon Monday to honour the students who graduated from the 12-week program.

“We’re here to celebrate the journey of the first group of graduates in our industry leading Basic Underground Hard Rock Miner Common Core program,” said Norm Bolduc, training consultant for Northern College.

Peter MacLean, vice-president of Northern College, offered some encouraging words for the graduates.

Exploration company issues donation challenge – By Chris Ribau (Timmins Daily Press – October 28, 2011)

October 28, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Solid Gold Resources Corporation contributes to 2012 Timmins Centennial Legacy Project

The management of Solid Gold Resources Corporation took the opportunity Thursday to demonstrate their commitment to the community and also honour the pioneers who initiated one of the largest ever gold rushes ever.

The company donated $1,000 to the Porcupine Prospectors and Developers Association in support of the 2012 Timmins Centennial Legacy Project. The project aims to erect three bronze statues honouring John S. Wilson, Sandy McIntyre and Benjamin Hollinger.

“It is a privilege to be part of the Timmins 100th anniversary celebration,” said Darryl Stretch, president of Solid Gold. “Names like Wilson, McIntyre and Hollinger are synonymous with the spectacular discoveries that launched one of the biggest gold rushes in history and led to the founding of Timmins in 1912.”

Solid future for gold firm – by Chris Ribau (Timmins Daily Press – October 28, 2011)

October 28, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Solid Gold Resources announces major gold find by Abitibi Lake

Drill testing near Lake Abitibi could prove the potential for a new gold camp.

Solid Gold Resources Corporation began staking mineral claims around the south end of Lake Abitibi in 2007 when they saw the possibility of good things happening in the gold industry.

“As we went forward in doing our work we realized that there was more perspective ground around us so we claimed up some more,” said Darryl Stretch, president of Solid Gold. “We have just over 200 square kilometres. It’s a very large land package.”

Northeastern Ontario has been a prolific mining area for over a century and is famous world wide as a place where world class deposits are found, explained Stretch.

Mattagami chief says First Nations will get left behind if they don’t support mining – by Len Gillis (Timmins Times – October 27, 2011)

October 27, 2011

http://www.timminstimes.com/

“Sometimes we have to think like a white man” said Walter Naveau at mining summit

More than two hundred First Nations delegates joined mining executives, community leaders and provincial representatives in Timmins this week to discuss the future of mining development in Northern Ontario and how more and more First Nations need to be involved in that development.

Despite all the concern about ensuring that First Nations get a fair share of economic development, the meeting in Timmins was told that more Aboriginal communities and businesses need to step up and take advantage of the boom in Northern Ontario.

And although some speakers expressed concern about the increasing level of development, others said if the First Nations don’t take advantage of the economic opportunities, they will be left behind.

Resource agreements balance [Aboriginal] heritage with economic development – by Ryan Lux (Timmins Daily Press – October 27, 2011)

November 5, 2015October 27, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

Mining activity is providing a ray of sunshine in a region where little economic activity has occurred in the past 30 years, said a manager with De Beers Canada.

Shannin Metatwabin was one of the speakers at this week’s Mining Ready Summit in Timmins which brought First Nations together with representatives from Ontario’s mining sector. Metatwabin manages Aboriginal affairs and sustainability for De Beers’ Victor Lake Mine, 90 kilometres west of Attawapiskat.

Originally from Fort Albany, Metatwabin said he feels as though he has a stake in the development and wants the region’s people to see benefits.

Explorations near Attawapiskat began in 1985 and the Victor Lake Mine didn’t go into production until 2008. Metatwabin said during the intervening years De Beers worked hard at educating communities on mining and developing residents’ employment capacity.