Questioning The Sustainability Of Biden’s Brave New Green World – by David Blackmon (Forbes Magazine – July 25, 2021)

July 26, 2021 in Battery Technology Innovation/Electric Vehicles, Climate Change, Carbon Taxes and ENGOs, International Media Resource Articles, United States Mining

https://www.forbes.com/

A Biden administration official who heads up the Department of Energy’s Loans Program office complained this week that U.S. government and industry were not investing nearly enough in ‘clean’ energy programs and projects to meet the administration’s climate change goals.

The official, Jigar Shah, speaking in an episode of the CERAWeek Conversation series sponsored by IHS Markit, estimated total U.S. investment currently to be roughly $200 billion per year, but then stated that the total annual spending needs to be more like $1 trillion.

“The pace at which we are deploying climate solutions is wholly unacceptable,” he said, continuing on to say that “We perennially have too much money and not enough projects. Continue Reading →

News Release: Wyloo Metals confirms its intention to convert loan (July 23, 2021)

July 26, 2021 in Fortescue Metals Group/Wyloo Metals, Ontario Mining, Ontario’s Ring of Fire Mineral Discovery

PERTH, Australia, July 23, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd. (“Wyloo Metals”) is pleased to provide an update in relation to the US$15 million convertible loan (the “Convertible Loan”) provided to Noront Resources Ltd. (TSXV:NOT) (“Noront”).

Intention to convert loan

On December 7, 2020, Wyloo Canada Holdings Pty Ltd (“Wyloo Canada”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wyloo Metals, entered into an agreement with Resource Capital Fund V L.P. (“RCF”) to acquire its interests in Noront, including the Convertible Loan. The maturity date of the loan is September 30, 2021 and it is convertible into common shares of Noront at the option of Wyloo Metals at Cdn$0.20 per common share. Wyloo Canada also holds warrants (“Noront Warrants”) to acquire 1,774,664 common shares of Noront at an exercise price of Cdn$0.350 per share.

Wyloo Metals confirms that it intends to convert the Convertible Loan at or before the maturity date into common shares of Noront, rather than seek repayment from Noront in cash. Continue Reading →

‘Inexplicably frozen’: Judge quashes Ottawa’s Coalspur order as it failed to consult with Ermineskin Cree Nation – by Kelsey Rolfe (Financial Post – July 24, 2021)

July 26, 2021 in Aboriginal and Inuit Mining and Oil/Gas, Canada Mining, Canadian Media Resource Articles, Coal

https://financialpost.com/

Comes just weeks after a federal policy statement on thermal coal all but sent Coalspur’s Vista expansion up in smoke

Coalspur Mines Ltd.’s controversial Vista mine expansion project is no longer subject to the federal impact assessment process, a federal judge ruled this week.

The Federal Court ruling quashed a June 2020 designation order from Environment and Climate Change Minister Jonathan Wilkinson that subjected both Vista’s proposed open-pit expansion and underground test mine to review by the federal impact assessment agency.

It found the minister had failed to consult the Ermineskin Cree Nation, which has an impact benefit agreement with Coalspur, and instead only consulted Indigenous communities who sought the designation order before issuing his decision. Continue Reading →

The Drift: Could the mining industry consider the nuclear option to power remote mines? – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – July 23, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Mining Power Issues, Mining Research, Sudbury Basin, Sudbury Laurentian University – Mining Faculties and Research

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Laurentian University research institute studies how small-scale reactors could replace diesel generation in the Far North

Is there a viable marriage between mining and nuclear power? Laurentian University researcher François Caron aims to find out. There are 10 off-grid operating mines in remote areas of Canada, most of them reliant on diesel generation.

That’ll be a no-go in the years to come as the mining industry faces mounting pressure from society, government climate change legislation, even environmentally conscious investors, to cut its greenhouse-gas emissions and carbon footprint.

To be able to power potential mining camps in greenfield areas where grid power doesn’t reach, the nuclear energy option is being increasingly examined. Continue Reading →

Analysts expect global shortage of precious metals in years to come – by Eugene Gerden (Resource World – July 22, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Battery Technology Innovation/Electric Vehicles, Canada Mining, Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Cobalt, Critical, Strategic and Rare Earth Minerals and Metals, Nickel, Platinum Group Metals

https://resourceworld.com/

The increase of demand for clean energy sources and the ever growing popularity of electric vehicles and energy storage systems in the world may lead to a shortage of metals in the global market followed by a sharp increase in prices for them in years to come, according to recent statements, made by producers and analysts in the field of mining.

According to recent estimates of the International Energy Agency (IEA), the demand for lithium will grow more than 40 times by 2040, while for cobalt and nickel by 20 times within the next two decades. The same situation is expected to be observed in the case of other precious metals.

Igor Sechin, Chief Executive Officer of Rosneft, Russia’s largest state-owned oil producer, believes such as growth of demand may lead to the shortage of this and other metals in the global market, as the current investments in their exploration and development remains insufficient to ensure their stable supplies to global market. Continue Reading →

BHP pushing for tax concessions from Saskatchewan government ahead of construction decision on Jansen mine – by Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – July 23, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in BHP Billiton, Canadian Media Resource Articles, Potash/Phosphate, Saskatchewan Mining

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

BHP Group Ltd. is in discussions with the Saskatchewan government about possible tax breaks as it nears a construction decision on the giant Jansen potash mine, two sources familiar with the talks said.

Australia’s BHP has already sunk US$4-billion into building mine shafts at the site, 140 kilometres east of Saskatoon, and as much as US$5.7-billion is needed to bring Jansen into production. The company is expected to decide as early as next month whether it will proceed with Jansen.

The Globe and Mail and Bloomberg reported in May that BHP was negotiating with Saskatoon-based Nutrien Ltd. on a possible joint venture agreement for Jansen. But the Melbourne-based miner is now facing the prospect of going it alone on Jansen, as talks with Nutrien have fizzled without an agreement in place, one of the sources said. Continue Reading →

BHP pulls out in front as Rio Tinto flounders – by Rachael Knowles (National Indigenous Times – July 22, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Aboriginal and Inuit Mining and Oil/Gas, Australia/New Caledonia/Papua New Guinea Mining, BHP Billiton, International Media Resource Articles, Iron Ore, Rio Tinto

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BHP is leading the pack in iron ore mining as its competitor Rio Tinto continues to reel from fractured relationships with Traditional Owners in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.

Rio Tinto has seen a steep decline in their iron ore shipments from the Pilbara, with the mining giant reportedly having shipped 76.3 million tonnes in the June quarter, 12 per cent less than the same period in 2020.

The miner also reported total production was down 5 per cent for the first half of this year. With Rio Tinto behind the eight ball, BHP reported their sellings at $US158.15 a tonne in the first half of the year, ahead of Rio Tinto’s $US154.90 a tonne. Continue Reading →

“It is possible to achieve $6bn global market of color gemstones within a decade” (Fortune India Exchange – July 23, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Asia Mining, Emerald, Ruby, Sapphire, Gemstone Mining, International Media Resource Articles

https://www.fortuneindia.com/

Fura Gems, a startup precious colour gemstone mining company launched in 2017, is uniquely positioned as the first and only mining company in the world to explore three color gemstone categories including emeralds, rubies and sapphires.

While achieving this remarkable feat, Dev Shetty, Founder & CEO, set another extraordinary and unprecedented record for the fastest turnaround of mines from exploration to production.

In 2021, Fura gems will produce 5.5 million carats of Australian sapphires, 6 million carats of Mozambican rubies and 300,000 carats of Colombian emeralds. Here are excerpts from a recent interview where he talks about the winning strategies that are leading Fura to the market leadership position. Continue Reading →

Brazil Prosecutors Target Final Samarco Dam Settlement This Year – by Mariana Durao (Bloomberg News – July 22, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in BHP Billiton, International Media Resource Articles, Iron Ore, Latin America Mining, Mining Environmental Accidents, Pollution, Tailing Dams and Abandoned Mines, Vale

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — A final settlement between Brazilian authorities and the Samarco iron-ore venture can be reached this year, bringing legal certainty to owners Vale SA and BHP Group six years after a devastating tailings dam collapse.

That’s according to federal prosecutor Carlos Bruno Ferreira da Silva, who said in an interview that the final reparation value is yet to be defined and will be based on independent technical studies.

Silva, who is leading talks on behalf of prosecutors, pointed to a document signed by the parties that estimates talks to last about four months from June 22, the last four weeks of which would be focused on a final draft. Authorities and company officials have been meeting weekly. Continue Reading →

Palladium company poised to ‘expeditiously’ advance Marathon open-pit mine project – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – July 21, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Canadian Regional Media and Web Publications, Ontario Mining, Platinum Group Metals

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Sibanye-Stillwater clears the way for Generation Mining make commercial production plans for palladium, copper deposit

A major hurdle has been cleared toward advancing an open-pit palladium mine on the north shore of Lake Superior.

Toronto’s Generation Mining announced July 21 that it will maintain majority ownership of its Marathon Palladium Project after its joint venture partner, Sibanye-Stillwater, decided not to ‘back in’ and regain control of the exploration property as it advances to mine construction.

Gen Mining owns an 80 per cent stake in the 22,000-hectare property near the town of Marathon. The project was acquired from Sibanye Stillwater in the summer of 2019. Continue Reading →

Stellantis CEO says Canada could be the location of its new electric-vehicle battery plant – by Eric Atkins (Globe and Mail – July 22, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Battery Technology Innovation/Electric Vehicles, Canada Mining, Canadian Media Resource Articles, Metals and Manufacturing

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

The head of Stellantis says Canada could be the location of its new electric-vehicle battery plant, part of the global automaker’s $44.5-billion investment in low-emission cars.

Stellantis, formed in January by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group of France, will build two battery plants in North America and three in Europe – Germany, France and possibly Italy.

Carlos Tavares, Stellantis’s chief executive officer, said the locations of the North American plants have not been selected, and are under discussion with partners and government officials. Continue Reading →

Harte Gold stock jumps on new discovery near Sugar Zone mine – by Staff (Mining.com – July 23, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Canadian Media Resource Articles, Gold and Silver, Ontario Mining

https://www.mining.com/

Harte Gold’s (TSX: HRT) regional exploration at its Sugar Zone property has made the discovery of a new greenfield mineralized area, about 8.5 kilometres (5.2 miles) northwest of the producing Sugar Zone mine in Ontario.

The Sugar Zone property covers a large greenstone belt 36 km in length and up to 10 km wide, part of the Abitibi-Wawa subprovince. There are over 15 targets identified by Harte on the property prioritized for advanced exploration.

The new discovery, named the “007 Showing”, was a result of the company’s ongoing efforts to concentrate exploration efforts on priority areas across its 81,287-hectare land package. Continue Reading →

First Nation’s court victory sets precedent for equitable compensation – by John Woodside (Toronto Star – July 21, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Aboriginal and Inuit Non-Mining Issues, Canadian Media Resource Articles, Northern Ontario History, Northern Ontario Politics

https://www.thestar.com/

More than 90 years after the Lac Seul First Nation’s reserve land was flooded to build a hydroelectric dam, Chief Clifford Bull says his people may finally receive just compensation.

The impact of the dam on the Lac Seul First Nation, traditionally the home of the Obishikokaang Anishinaabeg, was severe. It destroyed the nation’s way of life and many people moved away, Bull says.

“When I talk about total devastation, I mean there were 80 homes that went under … our sacred grounds, campsites, burials were washed up and bones were exposed — skulls were exposed — and that continues to this very day,” he said. Continue Reading →

Net zero is fantasy. Net reductions are easy — with LNG – by Gwyn Morgan (Financial Post – July 22, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in Canadian Media Resource Articles, Climate Change, Carbon Taxes and ENGOs, Oil and Gas Sector-Politics and Image

https://financialpost.com/

The biggest opportunity for emissions reduction lies in a fossil fuel that is in practically unlimited supply

At their meeting last month G7 leaders agreed to a greenhouse gas emissions target of “net zero” by 2050. That would require phasing out all fossil fuels. But how? The common reply is “putting a price on carbon,”, i.e., carbon taxes.

But unless there’s a viable alternative, taxing something people can’t do without only makes them poorer. Policy makers seem to believe that “green power,” meaning wind and solar, is the answer.

But despite hundreds of billions of dollars having been spent on them, wind and solar currently account for only 3.3 per cent of world energy supply. Continue Reading →

Investigate water pollution in B.C.’s Elk Valley, environmental groups urge federal agencies – by Xiao Xu (July 22, 2021)

July 23, 2021 in British Columbia Mining, Canadian Media Resource Articles, Coal, Mining Environmental Accidents, Pollution, Tailing Dams and Abandoned Mines

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Environmental groups are asking Canada’s parliamentary environment watchdog and the federal auditor-general to investigate what they say is Ottawa’s failure to apply laws and prevent serious water pollution from coal mines in British Columbia’s Elk Valley.

The University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Centre, along with Wildsight, is asking the agencies to investigate the “long-standing failure” to stop the contamination of waterways with unacceptably high levels of selenium, a decades-old problem.

Selenium is a naturally occurring element that washes out of piles of waste rock, but in concentrated levels, it moves through the food chain and can cause deformities in fish and ruin their ability to reproduce. Continue Reading →