Republic of Mining

Nova Scotia miners offer more than $8,000 cash to students who can prove industry ‘rocks’ – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – October 5, 2017)

October 5, 2017

http://www.mining.com/

As a way of rising awareness and interest in mining awareness among junior high and high school students in Nova Scotia, Canada, a provincial industry group is offering over $8000 in cash prizes to kids with some basic video skills.

The Mining ROCKS! contest, now in its fourth year, hopes to inspire children to learn about the industry, get creative and win big, Sean Kirby, executive director of the Mining Association of Nova Scotia (MANS) said in a statement.

Now in its fourth year, the popular competition is offering $1,000 to each winner in five different categories, with $500 going to the runner-up.

INTERVIEW: How an Activist Minister in Philippines Took on the Mining Barons – by Fred Pearce (YaleEnvironment360 – October 5, 2017)

October 5, 2017

http://e360.yale.edu/

In an interview with Yale Environment 360, Gina Lopez, who served as the Philippines’ environment chief, talks about her embattled, short-lived tenure and explains why it’s so difficult to rein in the country’s powerful and environmentally destructive mining industry.

Gina Lopez is the scion of a wealthy Filipino family that owns the nation’s largest media conglomerate. Yet despite her privileged background, she has followed an unconventional path — living in an Indian ashram, working anonymously as a missionary in Africa for 11 years, and ultimately becoming an environmental activist in her native land.

That work, especially her campaign against the Philippines’ corrupt and highly destructive mining industry, brought her to the attention of President Rodrigo Duterte, a controversial figure best known for ordering the extrajudicial killings of drug dealers when he was mayor of Davao City. In June 2016, Duterte appointed Lopez as Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources.

COLUMN-Russia takes advantage of China’s North Korea coal ban – by Clyde Russell (Reuters U.S. – October 3, 2017)

October 4, 2017

http://www.reuters.com/

LAUNCESTON, Australia, Oct 3 (Reuters) – China’s coal import data for August flung up an interesting anomaly in the form of renewed imports from North Korea, but of far more interest is the surge in cargoes from Russia.

Customs data showed that China imported 1.6 million tonnes from North Korea in August, the first allowed since February when Beijing tightened sanctions against its neighbour as part of international efforts to restrict the isolated dictatorship’s nuclear weapons programme.

While this generated media headlines, it’s likely nothing more than a blip as Beijing had already said it would allow North Korean cargoes stranded at Chinese ports by the sanctions to be cleared. What is more interesting is how Russia has effectively supplanted North Korea as a supplier of relatively good quality coal to China.

South Africa Must Reopen Talks on Mine Rules, ANC’s Mkhize Says – by Amogelang Mbatha and Kevin Crowley (Bloomberg News – October 4, 2017)

October 4, 2017

https://www.bloomberg.com/

South Africa should reopen negotiations with the mining industry on much-criticized new rules rather than rely on the courts to resolve disputes, said African National Congress Treasurer-General Zweli Mkhize.

The mining industry, represented by the Chamber of Mines, and the Department of Mineral Resources are in a standoff over the Mining Charter, which puts extra levies on companies and increases black-empowerment requirements that may dilute shareholders. A judicial review, in which Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane must justify the new measures to a bench of judges, is scheduled for December.

“The whole negotiation has to be reopened,” Mkhize said in a speech at a Johannesburg mining conference Wednesday. “Working together is better to get a formula for decisions we can live with together, rather than subjecting everything to the courts.”

Sherritt International fined $1 million for coal mine spills in 2011 and 2012 – by Kim Trynacity (CBC News Edmonton – October 4, 2017)

October 4, 2017

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/

Mining giant Sherritt International Corp. has pleaded guilty to three violations under the Fisheries Act for spills in 2011 and 2012 of potentially harmful wastewater into a tributary of the Erith River, part of the Athabasca River watershed.

The company was fined a total of $1,050,000, of which $990,000 will be paid to the Environmental Damages Fund, used for research and preservation of fish habitat.

“It’s a deterrent for any corporation when you have over a $1 million fine,” said Erin Eacott, counsel with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. Eacott said had the company been charged after penalties under the Fisheries Act were substantially increased, it would have faced a much stiffer penalty.

Glencore to wield power on zinc – by Stephen Bartholomeusz (The Australian – October 4, 2017)

October 4, 2017

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/

Glencore’s decision to invest up to $US956 million to greatly increase its shareholding in a Peruvian zinc miner may have been motivated by an insight it gained during its dark days in 2015.

Overnight Glencore announced it had reached agreement with shareholders of Volcan Compania Minera, one of the world’s largest producers of zinc, lead and silver, to acquire 27 per cent of the group’s class A shares for $US531 million.

It will make an offer to other Volcan shareholders for up to 48 per cent of the class A shares, which would lift the outlay closer to $US1 billion. Depending on the level of acceptances, Glencore would end up with between 48 per cent and 66 per cent of the class A shares, which have voting rights. It had a pre-existing holding of about 18 per cent of those shares.

[Codelco Copper] Mining’s Journey Into Digital Transformation – by Aaron Hand (Automation World – October 3, 2017)

October 4, 2017

https://www.automationworld.com/

Through digital technologies, mining organizations today are working on shifting the mindset from increasing throughput to increasing productivity. Beyond that, there is plenty of opportunity to not only further optimization, but help operators make decisions that go straight to the bottom line.

“Once you have stable operations running close to the maximum sustainable throughput, there’s room for some further optimization through advanced applications,” noted Doug Warren, vice president of software, industry solutions, for Schneider Electric. “And how to bring the workforce on that journey through operator training and simulation.”

A key word there is “journey.” Codelco, a Chilean state-owned copper mining company, has spent more than a decade implementing advanced process control (APC) and operator training systems (OTSs) in its pyrometallurgy processes.

Indonesia’s giant copper nationalisation may be good news for Rio Tinto – by Matthew Stevens (Australian Financial Review – October 4, 2017)

October 4, 2017

http://www.afr.com/

For the best part of a quarter of a century Rio Tinto has struggled to extract any sort of return from its still accumulating $US2 billion investment in the routinely controversial Grasberg copper mine in Indonesia.

But some sort of pay day seems close at hand. Rio’s 40 per cent share in future production from the mine in the West Papua skies is emerging as a pivotal subject of dispute in the latest tug-of-war between Grasberg’s developer and senior owner, Freeport-McMoRan, and the Indonesian government.

Indonesia’s endgame is to inflate the level of local ownership of Grasberg from 9.36 per cent to a controlling 51 per cent. And, after years of bickering that most recently saw Freeport’s copper export licences suspended for 15 weeks, Freeport’s resistance of that ambition appeared to crack with a late-August agreement between miner and government on the pathway to nationalisation.

Mining: Ecuador gets Best Country of the Year award (Agence France-Presse – October 4, 2017)

October 4, 2017

http://business.inquirer.net/

It was Ecuador’s night at the Mining and Money America’s Outstanding Achievement Awards’ night in Toronto, Canada. The contingent, led by Minister of Mining Javier Felipe Córdova, couldn’t control their glee when they received the award for Best Country of the Year.

“I take a lot of pride in our teamwork,” said Córdovaas he accepted the award from Anthony Vaccaro, group publisher of The Northern Miner Group at Glacier Media. “We did this together and I have to thank the companies that have trusted in Ecuador.”

The Best Country of the Year award goes to the country that has shown the best improvement in attractiveness to mineral investors or as Vaccaro put it, “the country that generated a lot of buzz and investor interest.”

Philippine environment minister wins confirmation; miners optimistic – by Enrico Dela Cruz and Manolo Serapio Jr (Reuters U.S. – October 4, 2017)

October 4, 2017

https://www.reuters.com/

MANILA (Reuters) – Philippine lawmakers confirmed Roy Cimatu as Environment Secretary, giving the former soldier the task of deciding whether to implement reforms spearheaded by predecessor Regina Lopez that led to mine closures – but cost her the job.

A 71-year-old ex-military chief, Cimatu was picked for the post by President Rodrigo Duterte in May, after firebrand environmentalist Lopez failed to win Congressional confirmation. Lopez had ordered 26 of 41 mines in the world’s top nickel ore supplier be shut or suspended to protect water resources.

Miners welcomed Cimatu’s confirmation on Wednesday, saying they’re ready to work with him to support the mining industry. Shares of top nickel ore exporter Nickel Asia Corp jumped nearly 3 percent.

[Vale and Thompson, Manitoba] The first shoe drops (Thompson Citizen – October 4, 2017)

October 4, 2017

http://www.thompsoncitizen.net/

Thompson inched into a new era Oct. 1 as Birchtree Mine stopped production of nickel ore and began the process of transitioning into care and maintenance status, a position it was previously in from 1978 until it reopened in 1989.

The move affects an estimated 150 jobs within the mine and up to 50 in processing, service and support roles, Vale Manitoba Operations said in May, when the decision to move to care and maintenance was made because it is unprofitable to continue mining at current nickel prices.

At any time, this would have been bad news for Thompson’s economy. While some affected employees may opt for early retirement and stick around and others may find new jobs locally, some will be moving out of town and taking the money that they spent on accommodations and goods and services elsewhere. That will have a trickle-down effect that even people who aren’t employed in anything mining-related will feel.

[Alaska Mining] Bristol Bay braces for long awaited Pebble Mine plans – by Dave Bendinger (Alaska Public Media – October 3, 2017)

October 4, 2017

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This week, Pebble Limited Partnership is expected to publicly unveil the outline for a plan to mine the copper and gold deposit northwest of Iliamna. Those who have been briefed say the company’s plans call for a much smaller mine than discussed before, and appear to address many of the concerns raised by Bristol Bay residents and fishermen, environmentalists and the EPA.

As a region, the Bristol Bay watershed has largely opposed Pebble, perhaps in increasing numbers, for the past decade. Much of the effort focused on pushing President Obama’s EPA to finalize preemptive Section 404(c) Clean Water Act restrictions that would have blocked permitting of Pebble Mine’s dredge and fill activities.

Pebble filed several lawsuits, alleging in one that EPA and anti-mine activists were colluding to reach a predetermined outcome. That lawsuit found traction in the court of U.S. District Judge H. Russel Holland, who agreed to an injunction against further EPA effort until the case was resolved.

Excerpt from ‘Miner Indiscretions’ – by Jon Ardeman

October 4, 2017

To order a copy of “Miner Indiscretions”: http://amzn.to/2hMreNl

Since graduating Jon Ardeman’s geological career has been in many guises; in exploration, mining, consultancy, conservation and research. He has worked as a National Park guide, a nature warden looking after tadpoles and orchids, as a researcher digging up cow shed floors looking for Ordovician brachiopods and preparing dinosaur bones for a museum display. Enthused by these experiences, Jon sought further adventures, and headed to Africa where he worked as a geologist on various mines for more than a decade.

He returned to university and after a few years of academic research and consultancy, Jon went back to mining and precious metal exploration. His travels have taken him from the Arctic to the Equator, from North America and Siberia, to Europe, Australia, Asia and back to Africa.

During this time, Jon wrote several “mystery and imagination” short stories for magazines and competitions, but his inspiration for a first novel ‘Miner Indiscretions’ came from get-togethers with fellow prospectors and miners; with the story embellished by imagination, cold beer, a hint of the supernatural and – of course – dreams of African gold! The author is married with several children and now resides in Hertfordshire, England.

Overview

A hilarious, action-packed story following Timothy, who starts his career as a junior geologist on a modern deep gold mine in South Africa. Unexpectedly and ignominiously dismissed from this post; he manages to get a new job exploring for gold on the dilapidated Yellow Snake Mine in rural KwaZulu-Natal.

Excerpt from J.P. BICKELL: The Life, the Leafs, and the Legacy – by Jason Wilson, Kevin Shea and Graham MacLachlan

October 3, 2017

To order a copy of “J.P. BICKELL: The Life, the Leafs, and the Legacy”: https://www.dundurn.com/books/JP-Bickell

Jason Wilson is a bestselling Canadian author, a two-time Juno Awards Nominee, and an Adjunct Professor of History at the University of Guelph. He has performed and recorded with UB40, Ron Sexsmith, Pee Wee Ellis, and Dave Swarbrick. Jason lives in Stouffville, Ontario.

Kevin Shea is a renowned hockey historian and bestselling author of fourteen hockey books. He is the Editor of Publications and Online Features for the Hockey Hall of Fame, a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs Historical Committee, and a founding member of Road Hockey to Conquer Cancer. Kevin lives in Toronto.

Graham MacLachlan is a relative of J.P. Bickell who has an extensive business background in international trade that is equalled by his involvement in hockey in the IIHF, the WHL, Hockey Canada, Hockey Alberta, and Hockey Calgary. Graham lives in Calgary, Alberta.

OVERVIEW

He stayed out of the spotlight, but Leafs fans know J.P. Bickell cast a long shadow.

A self-made mining magnate and the man who kept the Maple Leafs in Toronto and financed Maple Leaf Gardens, J.P. Bickell lived an extraordinary and purposeful life. As one of the most important industrialists in Canadian history, Bickell left his mark on communities across the nation. He was a cornerstone of the Toronto Maple Leafs, which awards the J.P. Bickell Memorial Award to recognize outstanding service to the organization.

Bickell’s story is also tied up with some of the most famous Canadians of his day, including Mitchell Hepburn, Roy Thomson, and Conn Smythe. Through his charitable foundation, he has been a key benefactor of the Hospital for Sick Children, and his legacy continues to transform Toronto. Yet, though Bickell was so important both to Toronto and the Maple Leafs, the story of his incredible life is today largely obscure. This book sets the record straight, presenting the definitive story of his rise to prominence and his lasting legacy — on the ice and off.

Glencore to spend $956M to increase stake in Peru’s largest zinc producer – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – October 2, 2017)

October 3, 2017

http://www.mining.com/

Miner and commodities trader Glencore (LON:GLEN) is buying 26.73% of the voting shares in Peru’s largest zinc producer, Volcan Compañía Minera SAA, in a deal worth at least $531 million.

The Swiss company will pay $1.215 per class A common share, which will help it boost its current 7.68% interest in Volcan and which could cost Glencore as much as $956 million, depending on the level of acceptances.

“Volcan’s operations are located in the richest polymetallic production area in Peru, producing some of the highest quality zinc concentrates,” it said in the statement.