Vale – Page 76 – Republic of Mining

Brazilian miner [Vale] invests $3.4 billion in Sudbury complex – by Lindsay Kelly (Northern Ontario Business – March 19, 2012)

March 20, 2012

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North.

Vale makes capital commitment

Five years after Inco was purchased by Brazilian mining giant Vale, the company is pouring unprecedented levels of capital into its operations across Canada, with the North poised to reap a share of the benefits.

In November 2010, Vale announced it would be embarking on a $10-billion investment program across the country over the next five years, with a third of that going into its Sudbury operations.

“For Sudbury, $3.4 billion has been targeted over the next few years,” said Angie Robson, manager of corporate affairs for Ontario operations at Vale. “It certainly speaks to Vale’s commitment to Sudbury and the fact that we certainly have a long future of mining here.”

Dick DeStefano, executive director of the Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Services Association (SAMSSA), said the promise of spilloff from the Vale investment is unique because that amount of capital from a company has never been concentrated in such a short period of time.

Brazil’s commodity curse – by Matthew Bristow And Juan Pablo (National Post – March 17, 2012)

March 18, 2012March 18, 2012

The National Post is Canada’s second largest national paper.

Bloomberg News

RIO DE JANEIRO. In 2007, Brazilian geologists made the biggest oil find in the Americas in three decades. Buried more than eight kilometres below sea level, the discovery was estimated to raise the country’s crude reserves by 62%.

Brazil was already the world’s natural-resource powerhouse: its biggest exporter of coffee, sugar, orange juice and beef. The prospect of it becoming a major energy power as well prompted then-President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to declare amid a rush of patriotism that “God is Brazilian.”

Brazil has struggled for half a century to break its dependence on commodities, grappling with the socalled resource curse. Depending on how profits are managed, the new oil wealth could be a godsend that drives a new era of development or a burden that holds the nation back, said Alberto Ramos, a senior Latin America economist at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. in New York.

“They can be Norway, or they can be many other countries where oil did not bring growth and development,” Mr. Ramos said in a telephone interview. “You’d better be smart and forward-looking about using it, otherwise it might hurt you.”

[Sudbury Vale] Smelter reno awarded – by Star Staff (Sudbury Star – March 15, 2012)

March 15, 2012

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

An American company has won a $55-million contract to design and supply a new sulfuric acid plant for Vale Ltd.’s smelter in Sudbury — part of a massive, multibillion-dollar retrofit of the facility.

“We are very pleased that Vale has selected our technology for this important project, and we look forward to continuing our relationship with Vale,” Andy Kremer, vice-president of Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., said in a release.

The new acid plant is part of Vale’s Clean Atmospheric Emissions Reduction (AER) Project. The overall project is designed to cut sulfur dioxide emissions at the Sudbury site by more than 70% from current levels, and and cut dust and metal emissions by up to 40%. Vale considers the $2-bllion Clean AER Project to be the most significant environmental investment ever contemplated in the Sudbury Basin.

Vale supports awareness of mining careers with Aboriginal organization

March 12, 2012

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.

Ontario Mining Association member Vale has donated more than $500,000 to support enhancing Aboriginal awareness of career opportunities in the mining industry. Vale’s support of Indspire (formerly known as the National Aboriginal Achievement Foundation) helped this educational organization produce the teaching resource “Careers in Mining,” which is aimed at Aboriginal youth.

“Careers in Mining” highlights five career profiles – miner, millwright, environmental engineer, geologist and mine engineer. It is the newest component of Indspire’s “Career Opportunities for Youth” series. Other parts of this series include “Careers in Television Broadcasting,” “Careers in Radio Broadcasting,” “Health Careers in the Classroom,” “Circle of Justice” and “The Canadian Railway Industry.”

The resources of “Careers in Mining” include career profiles, education requirements, activities, necessary work and life skills and a first rate video on mining jobs focused on Aboriginal high school students. Co-Executive Producer of the lively and entertaining 18-plus minute video is Jennifer Podemski.

Fire closes [Sudbury Vale’s] Levack mine – by Star Staff (Sudbury Star – March 10, 2012)

March 10, 2012

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

Day shift at Coleman Mine was cancelled Friday and about 100 night-shift employees were locked down for several hours after a small fire early Friday morning at the mine in Levack.

Vale spokeswoman Amanda Eady said the company’s fire emergency system was activated at 3:42 a.m. when a small, 3.5-yard scoop tram caught fire on the 4,810-foot level of the mine.

Production and maintenance workers on the job were alerted about the fire with the release of stench, said Eady. Stench is a strong warning gas that smells like onions and rotten eggs. That was the signal for workers to report to refuge stations where all were soon accounted for, said Eady.

Vale’s mine rescue team was dispatched, and ensured the fire was out and the area was properly ventilated before the all-clear was given and night-shift employees returned to surface shortly after 10 a.m.

Vale announces operations transition plan [for Thompson, Manitoba] – by Matt Durnan (Thompson Citizen – March 7, 2012)

March 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

Vale Manitoba Operations general manager Lovro Paulic spoke at the Thompson Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 29 to announce the company’s plans for 2012 and moving forward towards 2015.

The mining company will shut down it’s smelter and refinery operations in 2015 and, as a result are working on a transition plan to minimize layoffs as well as operate with fewer assets.

“Our goal this year is to produce 108 million pounds of nickel,” said Paulic, one of three general managers here. “We’ve already begun the process of converting to a single furnace operation. The plan was to produce 108 million pounds (of nickel) using two furnaces and five converters, but we’re going to attempt to do it using one furnace and two converters.”

Montreal company to manage $2-billion Vale project in Sudbury – Star Staff (Sudbury Star – March 6, 2012)

March 7, 2012

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

SNC-Lavalin Group Inc of Montreal won a contract to manage the modernization of Vale’s nickel smelter complex in Sudbury.

SNC did not say Monday how much the Vale contract was worth, but analysts estimated it to be about C$200 million over three years.

A construction and engineering company, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. will oversee the $2-billion environmental upgrade at the smelter, known as the Clean AER (Atmospheric Emissions Reduction) Project.

The firm said it will work with local contractors. The project is expected to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide by 70% from current levels, and cut dust and metal emissions by up to 40%.

Vale says it will go to arbitration in case of fired strikers – by Star Staff (Sudbury star – March 2, 2012)

March 2, 2012

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

A Vale official says the company will “move forward” with arbitration in the case of eight fired production and maintenance workers, as directed by the Ontario Labour Relations Board last week.

A Vale spokeswoman, Angie Robson, says the company has taken United Steelworkers’ request for a month of mediation before arbitration “under advisement.” The labour board ruled the fate of eight Steelworkers fired during the union’s yearlong strike against Vale should be decided by just cause arbitration.

Vale had insisted for two years it had the right to fire the eight for bad behaviour on picket lines and in the community. John Pollesel, chief operating officer for Vale, wrote a letter to USW Local 6500 members this week saying the company acknowledged the labour board’s decision and would agree to arbitration.

Still no comment [from Ontario Government/Vale Sudbury deaths] – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – March 2, 2012)

March 2, 2012

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

Labour Minister Linda Jeffrey appreciates the work United Steelworkers has done to uncover the causes of an accident at Vale’s Stobie Mine last year that took the lives of supervisor Jason Chenier, 35, and miner Jordan Fram, 26.

But she won’t be able to comment on the report’s three top recommendations — two of which pertain to her ministry — until the ministry completes its investigation into the June 8, 2011, fatality.

USW has called for the Government of Ontario to establish a public inquiry into the causes of the Stobie deaths, with special attention to water management, monitoring and enforcement issues.

Chenier and Fram died when they were overcome by a run of muck from the No. 7 ore pass while working at the 3,000-foot level of the 111- year-old mine. The union believes excess water contributed to treacherous working conditions, as well as clogged drainage holes and other factors.

Call for inquiry [Vale mining deaths] premature: Bartolucci – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – March 1, 2012)

March 1, 2012

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

For the full report: Run of “Wet Muck” Double Fatality Investigation Report by USW Local 6500

Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci says it may be premature to call for a public inquiry into the deaths of two Sudbury miners before the Ministry of Labour completes its investigation of the fatality and a mandatory coroner’s inquest is held.

Bartolucci said he is looking forward to reading the USW report and its recommendations. “Listen, just like Vale’s recommendations, I want to read and study the Steelworkers’ recommendations.

“At the end of the day, we don’t want anybody dying” at work, said Bartolucci. “Two families lost loved ones. That’s serious. And we have to do what we have to do to ensure we take every possible precaution to ensure that that doesn’t happen again.”

Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram were killed June 8, 2011, by a run of muck at Vale’s Stobie Mine.

Report will make mining safer: [Sudbury] union – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – March 1, 2012)

March 1, 2012

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

For the full report: Run of “Wet Muck” Double Fatality Investigation Report by USW Local 6500

There has been a lot of talk about Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram since they were killed on the job June 8, 2011, at Stobie Mine. Wednesday morning, Mike Bond wasn’t talking about the men. He was speaking for them and their families.

Bond, the Health, Safety and Environment chair for United Steelworkers Local 6500, local president Rick Bertrand and USW lawyer Brian Shell presented findings of the union’s investigation into the men’s deaths to reporters.

“Today’s the day we’re speaking for the Frams and the Cheniers, and miners across the province. It’s a tragic day also,” said Bond, a former Creighton miner.

“I feel that, with our recommendations, we are going to make (mining) safer.” Bond has been involved in several investigations, but never one like this. “This is a one-of-a-kind report,” he said.

Scathing report [2011 Vale miner deaths]- by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – March 1, 2012)

March 1, 2012

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

For the full report: Run of “Wet Muck” Double Fatality Investigation Report by USW Local 6500

United Steelworkers is calling on the province to take “swift action” on three key recommendations in the union’s eight-month, 200page report on their investigation into the mining deaths of Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram.

Wednesday, the union released its findings — 165 recommendations in all — relating to the June 8, 2011, deaths of Chenier and Fram at Vale Ltd.’s Stobie Mine.

The union presented a scathing report to reporters at news conferences in Sudbury at the Steelworkers Hall and in Toronto at Queen’s Park.

The union is calling on the assistant deputy attorney general to take immediate steps to determine whether criminal charges should be laid against Vale and some of its employees under the Westray provisions of the Criminal Code of Canada.

UNITED STEELWORKERS NEWS RELEASE: Double Fatality at Vale Mine Could Have Been Avoided

March 1, 2012

29 February 2012

For the full report: Run of “Wet Muck” Double Fatality Investigation Report by USW Local 6500

Double Fatality at Vale’s Mine in Sudbury Could Have Been Avoided: Steelworkers’ Investigation Report Finds

Province Should Consider Criminal Charges

Sudbury/Toronto – Based on the results of a damning investigative report into a double fatality at Stobie Mine in Sudbury, the United Steelworkers (USW) is calling on the Ontario Government to consider laying criminal charges against officials and management of Vale, the mine’s owner, and against the company itself. The Union says the government must also immediately establish a Commission of Inquiry into Mine Safety.

USW Local 6500 in Sudbury today released the results of an eight-month investigation into the deaths Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram on June 8th, 2011. The two miners died after a torrent of wet mud and ore flooded the tunnel where they were working.

VALE STATEMENT REGARDING RELEASE OF USW LOCAL 6500 INVESTIGATION INTO 2011 FATALITIES AT STOBIE MINE

February 29, 2012

For Immediate Release

SUDBURY, February 29, 2012 – Vale today released the following statement from Kelly Strong, Vice President, Mining & Milling (North Atlantic Operations) and General Manager, Ontario Operations, regarding the United Steelworkers Local 6500 investigation report into the deaths of Jason Chenier and Jordan Fram in June 2011:

“We received the union’s investigation report this morning and are in the process of reviewing it very carefully.

The USW document contains serious allegations, and calls for the government to consider laying criminal charges against the Company and individuals. As a result of this, we are not able to discuss the specific allegations contained in the report.

While a detailed review is ongoing, our preliminary reading of the report indicates that there is no new factual information that our investigation team had not considered. There is, however, a distinct difference with how the USW has chosen to interpret and draw conclusions from those facts.