Timmins – Page 35 – Republic of Mining

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.

[Aboriginal] Voice must be heard [about resources] – by Ryan Lux (Timmins Daily Press – October 27, 2011)

October 27, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

First Nations willing to work with resource firms

Resource companies and the province seeking to develop land in Treaty 9 territory must do more than consult First Nations. Mushkegowuk Grand Council Chief Stan Louttit maintains firms must obtain consent before work can proceed.

Louttit made his case at the Mining Ready Summit Wednesday morning based on recently discovered diaries of one of the original treaty commissioners.

Found in the Queen’s University library in 1995, the diaries have been subject to legal analysis for the past three years and the Mushkegowuk council argue they reveal something their Elders have said all along. Their ancestors never surrendered authority over their lands.

Louttit told the First Nations and mining sector representatives gathered at the summit the story of how the treaty was originally signed in 1905.

Opportunity knocks to make amends with [Ontario] Northerners – by Ron Grech (Timmins Daily Press – October 27, 2011)

October 27, 2011

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper. rgrech@thedailypress.ca

It is difficult to remember the last time Dalton McGuinty’s Liberals did something right for Northern Ontario’s economy. For a government that perpetually has its head up a dark cavity on Northern issues, putting forestry back under the umbrella of the Ministry of Natural Resources was like a positive first step toward making amends with this region.

The decision essentially reverses a decision the same government made two years ago to have forestry governed by two ministries — the MNR and Northern Development and Mines.

The consequence of that decision was that forestry had to deal with two sets of government bureaucracies with different sets of priorities. Last week’s cabinet shuffle set that mistake right.

Native communities playing catch-up [in mining sector] – by Ryan Lux (Timmins Daily Press – October 26, 2011)

October 26, 2011

The Daily Press, the city of Timmins newspaper.

Chiefs say they could have benefited from information offered at summit

When Detour Mine initiated talks to re-start operations in Mattagami First Nation territory, Chief Walter Naveau says the band lacked the expertise to properly engage in those early negotiations. Naveau said the community leader would have benefited from the type of information being offered at this week’s Mining Ready Summit.

First Nation leaders from across the Northeast along with mining company representatives have gathered in Timmins for two days to share expertise and collaborate on the future of resource development in traditional territories.

Looking back, Naveau said, “Initially, we were in a place where we weren’t too sure what was happening in terms of duty to consult. Then we started looking to our treaty rights and spoke with lawyers and consultants.”

He said it has been hard to keep up with the pace of development when his community started off with a deficit of mining knowledge.

Act now or miss out on [mining] opportunities, Hodgson warns [First Nations] – by Ryan Lux (Timmins Daily Press – October 26, 2011)

October 26, 2011

The Daily Press, the city of Timmins newspaper.

Two-day mining summit kicks off in Timmins

First Nations in Ontario’s Far North need to lobby government to cut down the time it takes for a mine to be approved by half or risk missing out on what could be the last chance to profit from the ore under their traditional territories. That was the message Ontario Mining Association president Chris Hodgson delivered to an audience at the Mining Ready Summit in Timmins Tuesday night.

“There’s this sense that the minerals are in the ground and will be valuable whenever we get around to developing them, but the fact is they might not be worth anything by then,” Hodgson said.

He pointed to research which shows commodity prices have been declining since the late 19th century, except for in times of great demographic change, like mass industrialization of the U.S., and the reconstruction efforts following both world wars.

Forestry move under MNR welcomed – by Ryan Lux (Timmins Daily Press – October 24, 2011)

October 24, 2011

The Daily Press, the city of Timmins newspaper.

Renewed sense of optimism expressed

While NDP House Leader Gilles Bisson was underwhelmed by Dalton McGuinty’s “stay the course cabinet,” he joined Ontario’s forest industry representatives in expressing tentative optimism for the forestry sector based on the minor cabinet shuffle.

In general, Bisson described McGuinty’s new cabinet as a “missed opportunity” to demonstrate a change in direction. However, he said the Premier’s choice of Thunder Bay’s Michael Gravelle as Minister of Natural Resources should give Northerners a glimmer of hope.

Fuelling Bisson’s hope for a rationalized approach to forestry at Queen’s Park is McGuinty’s decision to return the forestry portfolio under the responsibility of the ministry of natural resources.