Vale – Page 72 – Republic of Mining

Mining inquiry gains momentum – by Heidi Ulrichsen (Sudbury Northern Life – October 2, 2012)

October 3, 2012

This article came from Northern Life, Sudbury’s biweekly newspaper.

150 pack Steelworkers Hall for forum

Wendy Fram said she was overwhelmed by the turnout at a forum examining the need for a mining inquiry at the Steelworkers Hall Oct. 1. About 150 people, many of them friends of her late son, Jordan Fram, packed the hall, and stood at the back when the chairs ran out. Jordan, along with his co-worker Jason Chenier, died in a mining accident at Vale’s Stobie Mine last year.

“I find that there’s already support to help us deal with this inquiry,” Wendy said. “Hopefully this is going to work for us. I’m going to try to stay as positive as I can and work hard and get this going.”

During the event, Wendy was elected chair of a new group called Mining Inquiry Needs Everyone’s Support (MINES), which will push for a mining inquiry. Her daughter, Briana Fram, was elected the group’s secretary. Miner Jodi Blasutti along with Cheryl Dufoe, whose son, Lyle Dufoe, died in a mining accident in Timmins in 2007, will act as co-vice-chairs.

Those at the event were invited to sign up as members of the group. “It’s my first time ever being a chair of a committee,” Fram said. “I’ll do my best. I have my daughter for support, which is a great support. My husband works at Vale, so he has a lot of great input as well.”

Momentum builds for [Ontario] mining inquiry – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – October 2, 2012)

October 2, 2012

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

There was a sense Monday night, in a crowded room at the Steelworkers’ Hall, that a movement was being born. Its seeds were planted in February when United Steelworkers Local 6500 released its 200-page report on the June 8, 2011, deaths of Jason Chenier, 35, and Jordan Fram, 26, at Vale’s Stobie Mine.

After concluding the accident that killed the men was preventable, the union called on the province to launch a public inquiry into an industry in which hundreds of workers have been killed in the 31 years since the last inquiry was held.

That call was advanced by a postcard campaign by USW Local 6500 and community activist Gerry Lougheed Jr., that has garnered hundreds of signatures of people calling upon Labour Minister Linda Jeffery to launch the inquiry.

Monday night, the campaign took a huge leap forward when almost 200 people packed a room set up with 80 chairs for the first public appearance of a committee called MINES — Mining Inquiry Needs Everyone’s Support. Until now, it has been comprised of members of the Fram and Chenier families, union members and Lougheed, working behind the scenes.

NEWS RELEASE: VALE’S CLEAN AER PROJECT MARKS MAJOR MILESTONE WITH DELIVERY OF FIRST NEW CONVERTER

September 20, 2012

For Immediate Release

SUDBURY, September 20, 2012 – Vale is marking a major milestone on its $2-billion “Clean AER Project”, with the delivery of the first converter to be installed in its smelter converter aisle. The new converter is the first of four converters to be replaced as part of the project.

“The delivery of this first converter is a major step in achieving our emissions reductions and is a tangible example that we are on our way to successfully completing this project,” said Dave Stefanuto, Director of the Clean AER Project.

The Clean AER Project, where AER stands for ‘Atmospheric Emissions Reduction’, is one of the largest single environmental investments in Ontario’s history. It will see sulphur dioxide emissions at Vale’s smelter in Sudbury reduced by 70% from current levels, as well as dust and metals emissions reduced a further 35 to 40%.

The project involves a complete retrofit of the converter aisle in the Copper Cliff smelter. Sulphur dioxide that currently goes up the super stack from the converters will be captured in a brand new wet gas cleaning plant and acid plant, converted to sulphuric acid and sold.

Lack of criminal charges angers [Sudbury] Steelworkers convention – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – September 18, 2012)

September 18, 2012September 18, 2012

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

The international president of United Steelworkers is joining a chorus of outrage over a police decision not to lay criminal charges in the 2011 deaths of two men at Vale Ltd.’s Stobie Mine.

Leo Gerard, in Sudbury to attend the USW District 6 triennial convention, said the investigation his union conducted into the deaths of Jason Chenier, 35, and Jordan Fram, 26, was one of the finest it has done.

It took eight months and resulted in a 200-page report with 165 recommendations, chief among them that criminal charges be laid against Vale under the Westray Bill of the Criminal Code of Canada.

“When you see what happened at Stobie, and you see what happened here in town with the police deciding not to lay any charges … I’ve been around a long time. I know that stuff,” Gerard said. Both his union’s and the Ministry of Labour’s investigations “said there was deliberate ignoring (of ) certain safety infractions,” said Gerard.

[Sudbury Vale] Steelworkers prez disturbed by police decision – by Heidi Ulrichsen – (Sudbury Northern Life – September 14, 2012)

September 16, 2012

This article came from Northern Life, Sudbury’s biweekly newspaper.

Police won’t lay charges in miners’ deaths

Steelworkers Local 6500 president Rick Bertrand said he’s “angry” Greater Sudbury Police have decided not to lay any charges against Vale in the deaths of two miners at Vale’s Stobie Mine June 8, 2011.

Charges could have been laid under the Westray Bill, which makes organizations criminally liable when they fail to take reasonable steps to prevent injuries and deaths on their property.

Insp. Todd Zimmerman of the Greater Sudbury Police said police “conducted a thorough investigation, and we did not reach a threshold of criminality.” There was “no criminal negligence found on the behalf of anyone,” he said.

Jordan Fram and Jason Chenier were killed when a run of muck unexpectedly came out of the ore pass close to where they were working at the 3,000-foot level of the mine, burying them and killing them instantly.

[Sudbury Vale] Union angry no charges in miners’ deaths – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – September 15, 2012)

September 15, 2012

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

The president of United Steelworkers Local 6500 is calling for a meeting with officials from Sudbury’s Crown attorney office to discuss why they and Greater Sudbury Police investigators determined no criminal charges should be laid in the deaths of two men at Vale’s Stobie Mine.

Rick Bertrand said his union’s executive and other members are angry charges won’t be laid under the Criminal Code of Canada in the June 8, 2011, deaths of Jason Chenier, 35, and Jordan Fram, 26.

Vale is facing nine charges under the Occupational Health and Safety Act and one of its supervisors, Keith Birnie, is facing six charges under the act. The union said its eight-month investigation into the men’s deaths showed more serious charges were warranted.

“We found disturbing facts … about what went on at Stobie Mine,” Bertrand said Friday of his union’s investigation. USW Local 6500’s investigation determined water was pooled as deep as four or five feet in the corridors of the century-old mine, known for its water problems.

Vale puts railveyor to test – by Norm Tollinsky (Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal – September 2012)

September 13, 2012

Sudbury Mining Solutions Journal is a magazine that showcases the mining expertise of North Bay, Timmins and Sudbury.

The successful demonstration of Sudbury-based Rail-Veyor Technologies’ innovative material handling system at Vale’s 114 Orebody could lead to a significant change in mine design, enabling smaller openings, improved safety and faster advance rates.

A surface demonstration of the rail-veyor at Vale’s Stobie Mine proved that the technology worked, but it had to be put to the test in an actual mining operation before the company could specify it for future mine developments.

“We proved the ore-handling capability of the rail-veyor at Stobie,” said Alex Henderson, Vale’s general manager of underground technology for base metals. “This demonstration is more about how we integrate it into our development and production processes.”

Assuming the final verdict is positive – and all indications suggest it will be – the rail-veyor can be classified as proven technology and considered as an option in feasibility studies for new mine developments in Sudbury and elsewhere across Vale’s global footprint.

Vale freezes hiring – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – September 13, 2012)

September 13, 2012

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

Just weeks ago, Vale Ltd. was advertising to hire 400 new employees at its Canadian operations. Today, a hiring freeze is in effect at Vale operations worldwide — including Sudbury — while the Brazil-based miner deals with “challenges” associated with a huge drop in commodity prices.

Peter Poppinga, chief executive officer of Vale Canada Ltd. and executive director of its base metals operations, wrote to top-level managers last week, saying Vale base metals leaders are reviewing “every aspect of our business as we speak.”

In an email obtained by The Star, Poppinga tells top-level managers the key to short-term and long-term stability is to “reinvent, reshape and turn around” the business.

Poppinga stressed safety must always come “at the forefront,” but he said high-level executives are examining performance across all operations — looking at Vale’s ability “to deliver and be competitive, placing renewed emphasis on value over volume.” The company will have to make some “tough decisions,” said Poppinga, which will be announced in the next four to six weeks.

Good news: Vale’s Thompson smelter and refinery may stay open a year or two beyond 2015 – by John Barker (Thompson Citizen – Septmeber 7, 2012)

September 13, 2012September 8, 2012

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

Peter Poppinga, who less than a year ago replaced Tito Martins in Toronto as chief executive officer of Vale Canada and became executive director of base metals globally for Brazilian-based mining giant Vale, told company managers Sept. 6 “that every aspect of the base metals business is under review, including our Manitoba Operations, and we may face new challenges and new opportunities in the coming months as a result,” Lovro Paulic, general manager of smelting and refining, Don Wood, general manager of production services and Mark Scott, general manager of mining and milling, said in a jointly-issued letter from the three most senior managers in Manitoba Operations to employees here Sept. 7.

“The most pressing and immediate challenge before us is to reduce costs and increase efficiencies while continuing to strive for Zero Harm—these are complementary,” the trio said.

United Steelworkers Local 6166 President Murray Nychyporuk, elected to his second three-year term last spring, says the “news is not surprising” and the union recognizes the world nickel market has taken a serious downturn over the last year and Vale has to find a way to cut costs. Nychyporuk said the union would work with the company during the review process to protect their common interests.

[Sudbury] Families of mine victims want inquiry – by Sebastien Perth (Sudbury Star – September 4, 2012)

September 4, 2012

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

While hundreds came out for the inaugural Family Fun Fest at Bell Park to celebrate Labour Day, three families were there to honour their loved ones’ memories. Family members of Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram where at the park gathering signatures to convince the government of Ontario to hold an inquiry into the mining industry.

Family members say it’s time to have another look into the industry since it has been more than 30 years since the last inquiry, with many deaths due to mining accidents.

Ethan Dufoe, father of Lyle Dufoe, who died in a Timmins mining accident in 2007, says there’s been too many deaths since the last review of the Mining Act.

“The act hasn’t been reviewed in 30 years, when they had Ham Commission review it (1974). There’s been 92 deaths in Ontario since then. One of them my son,” Dufoe said.

Vale says ‘no plans’ to shut down operations – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – August 20, 2012)

August 20, 2012

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

As senior mining analyst at Salman Partners, an investment dealer, Raymond Goldie keeps a close eye on the nickel industry. But he’s finding it difficult to keep tabs on Vale, one of the world’s largest nickel producers.

That being said, Goldie is predicting Vale could be planning a production shutdown because of the low price of nickel. Nickel has fallen to below $7 a pound, something that could prompt other companies such as Xstrata Nickel and Norilsk to cease production for awhile as well, he said.

Vale spokeswoman Angie Robson said a planned maintenance shutdown is now underway at the company’s Greater Sudbury operations. Robson said the company has no other plans. “We don’t speculate on rumours, but there are no plans to shut down operations,” she said.

Goldie and other mining analysts who used to follow the former Inco Ltd. closely are finding it more difficult to do that now that it’s owned by the Brazil-based mining giant.

Glenecore-Xstrata a possible Vale suitor? – by Harold Carmichael (Sudbury Star – August 18, 2012)

August 18, 2012

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

Should Vale put its base metals division up for sale, there would likely be only one buyer with deep enough pockets – the soon-to-be-merged Xstrata and Glencore.

“If that merger goes through, the merged Xstrata/Glencore International plc would be a real huge entity,” mining analyst Stan Sudol said. “Certainly, they could afford to buy the base metal assets of Vale.

“It’s a merger the Sudbury Basin would welcome. There are enormous amounts of synergy that couldn’t be realized because of it being two entities. Ninety-five per cent of the area’s nickel operations would be unified.”

Six years ago, the former Inco and the former Falconbridge held merger discussions. If that had happened, most of Sudbury’s mining, milling and smelting operations would have been owned by one company.

Will Vale sell [base metals divison]? – by Harold Carmichael (Sudbury Star – August 18, 2012)

August 18, 2012

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

Six years after buying Inco Ltd. for $19.4 billion, speculation is growing that Brazil-based Vale may be considering unloading its base metals division, which includes nickel operations in Greater Sudbury.

Such a dramatic development can’t be ruled out, said Stan Sudol, a mining analyst who also operates the mining news website Republic of Mining.

Vale’s base metals division could be worth about US$30 billion, almost a third of Vale’s estimated $95-billion total market capitalization, said Sudol. Yet the base metals division may only contribute as little as 5% to the company’s profits.

That’s a scenario Vale executives in Brazil may not be inter-e sted in continuing much longer, especially if world nickel prices and demand continue to slump, he said.

“(Vale) might be saying, ‘This is a complicated business. We are dealing with underground mines. But our specialty is open pit.’ Then, there’s the fact that while Sudbury mining technology is among the best in the world, there’s a whole different culture (with Vale), as much of their business is open-pit mining versus underground mining.”