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Upcoming election won’t change federal response to Robinson-Huron Treaty annuities – by Jenny Lamothe (Sudbury.com – August 18, 2021)

https://www.sudbury.com/

A recent announcement regarding the Robinson-Huron Treaty annuities case has Chief Dean Sayers of Batchewana First Nation feeling a little more at ease, especially in light of the upcoming federal election.

The 21 signatories of the Robinson-Huron Treaty of 1850 have been in court since a 2018 decision in favour of the signatories, one that the provincial government appealed. Both stages of that appeal are complete but the decision has yet to be rendered. The federal government, however, decided against appealing.

And now, the correspondence recently received by the signatories states that regardless of the party behind the new Canadian government, the decision will not be appealed.

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OPINION: Why is Joe Biden, who hung up on Keystone XL, desperately calling OPEC’s oil hotline? – by Editorial Board (Globe and Mail – August 18, 2021)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Which of these things is not like the others? U.S. President Joe Biden wants half of all new vehicles sold in the United States by 2030 to be zero emission. He wants a US$7.5-billion network of charging stations across the country. And he wants OPEC to pump more oil, ASAP, to lower the price of gasoline for American drivers.

The first is a plan to transform the U.S. auto market within a decade, set out in an executive order earlier this month. The second is one of many clean-energy initiatives in Mr. Biden’s infrastructure bill, which won Senate approval last week.

And the third? Gasoline prices have been rising as the global economy recovers, so last week the White House called on the OPEC+ group of countries, whose most important members are Saudi Arabia and Russia, to open the taps, to ensure that Americans “have access to affordable and reliable energy, including at the pump.”

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NEWS RELEASE: Wyloo Metals does not support BHP’s offer to acquire Noront Resources (August 19, 2021)

PERTH, Australia, Aug. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —

Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd (“Wyloo Metals”) provides the following update regarding its intentions in relation to the offer by BHP Western Mining Resources International Pty Ltd (“BHP”) to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Noront Resources Ltd (TSXV:NOT) (“Noront”).

Response to BHP’s offer

Noront’s Ring of Fire land package hosts some of the most prospective mineral deposits in the world. These deposits have the potential to become Canada’s next great mineral district, supporting the production of future-facing commodities for multiple generations. Wyloo Metals continues to firmly believe in the immense potential of the Ring of Fire and therefore does not intend to support or tender its Noront shares to BHP’s offer.

Wyloo Metals was disappointed that the Noront Board did not seek to meaningfully engage or negotiate with it prior to accepting the BHP offer. Given Wyloo Metals’ cornerstone interest of approximately 37.5% (partially diluted) of Noront, the minimum mandatory tender condition for BHP’s bid is unlikely to be satisfied without Wyloo Metals’ support and a second step acquisition transaction is impossible.

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BHP: Mining giant to leave London’s FTSE 100 for Sydney (BBC.com – August 17, 2021)

https://www.bbc.com/

Mining giant BHP is set to leave the FTSE 100 index after unveiling plans to scrap the dual listing of its shares in London and Sydney.

The company, part of the UK’s blue chip index since 2001, will move its main listing to Australia as part of a huge shake up announcement on Tuesday.

BHP regularly tops the list of the FTSE 100’s biggest companies, depending on fluctuations in market values. The move will see some investor funds that track the FTSE sell BHP shares.

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Massive expansions won’t hurt cobalt price as supply shifts to oligopoly – report – by Staff (Mining.com – August 16, 2021)

https://www.mining.com/

Cobalt hydroxide (feedstock material generally produced at mines as part of the primary processing of ores) has been on a tear, up 15% in July to $46,375 a tonne (midpoint 100% Co basis CIF Asia) bringing gains so far this year to 64%, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

China Molybdenum announced last week it will invest just over $2.5 billion to double copper and cobalt production at its giant Tenke Fungurume mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which it bought from Freeport McMoRan five years ago.

That announcement comes on the heels of China Moly’s acquisition of another Freeport property in the Congo, Kisanfu, for $550 million in December.

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For lithium, party like its 1790 – by Jack Lifton (Investor Intel – August 17, 2021)

https://investorintel.com/

The demand for Green Energy Metals (GEMs) as processed fine chemicals and high purity metals and alloys, ready for use in both consumer and military goods, already exceeds their supply.

A good example of this is Tesla’s decision to put back its pickup truck introduction, originally scheduled for Fall 2021, until sometime in 2022 due to a “shortage” of the correct type of battery cells.

This is explained as a shortage of processing capacity, but, in fact, is obscuring an even more important shortfall, that of the supply of mineral raw materials, such as those of lithium, cobalt, and the rare earths – the heavy rare earths.

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Afghanistan: Taliban to reap $1 trillion mineral wealth – by Nik Martin (DW.com – August 18, 2021)

https://www.dw.com/en/

To date, the Taliban have profited from the opium and heroin trade. Now the militant group effectively rules a country with valuable resources that China needs to grow its economy.

The Taliban have been handed a huge financial and geopolitical edge in relations with the world’s biggest powers as the militant group seizes control of Afghanistan for a second time.

In 2010, a report by US military experts and geologists estimated that Afghanistan, one of the world’s poorest countries, was sitting on nearly $1 trillion (€850 billion) in mineral wealth, thanks to huge iron, copper, lithium, cobalt and rare-earth deposits.

In the subsequent decade, most of those resources remained untouched due to ongoing violence in the country. Meanwhile, the value of many of those minerals has skyrocketed, sparked by the global transition to green energy. A follow-up report by the Afghan government in 2017 estimated that Kabul’s new mineral wealth may be as high as $3 trillion, including fossil fuels.

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South Africa: Violence Adds to Uncertainty for South Africa’s Mining – by Christopher Vandome and Sheila Khama (All Africa.com – August 2021)

https://allafrica.com/

South Africa’s mining industry faces decline without international investment, but political uncertainty and civil unrest only impedes hopes to rejuvenate it.

Mining unquestionably remains one of South Africa’s most important economic sectors, contributing 8-10 per cent of national GDP and, on average, each of its almost half a million strong labour force providing income for nine dependents.

But South Africa’s share of the global mining exploration expenditure dropped a staggering 20.5 per cent in 2020 to rank only sixth in Africa and represent less than one per cent of the global exploration spend – its lowest place in decades and a devastating position for a country whose geological attractiveness should protect its status as a top global player.

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Ranking Canada’s top 40 miners: 2021 edition – by Marilyn Scales (Canadian Mining Journal – August 16, 2021)

https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

Revenue of the top 40 climbs to $125B

The Canadian mining industry counted much success in 2020 despite a year that saw shutdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Concerned about the health of its workforce and local communities, in many cases miners chose to temporarily suspend operations rather than risk spreading the virus.

Temporary shutdowns continued throughout the year at individual sites as outbreaks occurred, but the industry as a whole weathered the interruptions and adopted new safety protocols without major production losses.

Long-time readers of CMJ’s Top 40 Canadian mining companies will not be surprised to note that once again potash producer Nutrien has taken the top spot with revenues of $28 billion.

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OPINION: The asbestos industry is fanning the flames of resentment. We must make them stop – by Kathleen Ruff (National Observer – August 17th 2021)

https://www.nationalobserver.com/

The asbestos issue is back on the agenda of the Quebec and Canadian governments, with multibillion-dollar projects to extract magnesium and other minerals from the mountains of waste left by asbestos mining companies. According to Quebec government health authorities, the waste contains up to 40 per cent asbestos. Houses, schools and public buildings are nearby.

The projects require moving the waste, thus disturbing the asbestos fibres and presenting a serious health risk to workers and the community. A pilot project is underway. The final decision from the Quebec government is pending.

All 17 Quebec directors of public health asked the federal government to include asbestos mining waste in its regulations to ban asbestos. The government rejected their request, exempted the mining waste and invested $12 million in the projects.

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Electric cars and batteries: how will the world produce enough? – by David Castelvecchi (Nature.com – August 17, 2021)

https://www.nature.com/

Reducing the use of scarce metals — and recycling them — will be key to the world’s transition to electric vehicles.

The age of the electric car is upon us. Earlier this year, the US automobile giant General Motors announced that it aims to stop selling petrol-powered and diesel models by 2035.

Audi, based in Germany, plans to stop producing such vehicles by 2033. Many other automotive multinationals have issued similar road maps. Suddenly, major carmakers’ foot-dragging on electrifying their fleets is turning into a rush for the exit.

The electrification of personal mobility is picking up speed in a way that even its most ardent proponents might not have dreamt of just a few years ago. In many countries, government mandates will accelerate change. But even without new policies or regulations, half of global passenger-vehicle sales in 2035 will be electric, according to the BloombergNEF (BNEF) consultancy in London.

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BHP to spend $7.5-billion on Saskatchewan potash mine as it quits oil – by Andrew Willis (Globe and Mail – August 18, 2021)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

The world’s largest mining company, BHP Group Ltd., signalled its future is focused on sustainable industries by committing $7.5-billion to a massive Saskatchewan potash project while exiting the oil and gas business.

On Tuesday, Melbourne, Australia-based BHP announced it is moving forward with the Jansen mine, mothballed for several years after more than $5-billion of development spending, and it will begin shipping potash in 2027. The project will create 3,500 construction jobs and permanent work for 600 employees.

BHP also announced it will spin out its energy business to Australia’s Woodside Petroleum Ltd., creating one of the world’s largest independent oil and gas companies. BHP shareholders will receive Woodside shares that give them a 48-per-cent stake in the energy company.

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Vale unlocks the next phase of Voisey’s Bay – by David Keating (Canadian Mining Journal – August 16, 2021)

https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

The Labrador Aboriginal Training Partnership (LATP), an agreement between
Vale and the Labrador Inuit and Innu of Nunatsiavut, Nunatukavut and Innu
Nation has been instrumental for recruiting and training Aboriginal workers
from the region. Employment numbers from these Aboriginal groups at Voisey’s
Bay is touted as being 50% of the overall workforce.

One of the largest nickel deposits in the world has been given a new lease on life. Vale’s Voisey’s Bay property in northern Labrador, operating as an open pit mine since 2005, was nearing the end of its production life.

Instead, innovations in partnerships and technology will allow Vale to go underground and develop two new orebodies that will extend the life of Voisey’s Bay to 2034.

First ore production on the new underground phase of Vale’s Voisey’s Bay project was announced on June 11, with full production capacity slated to be reached by August.

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Mining the Northwest: Lake Superior’s North Shore remains fertile ground for gold, high-tech metals – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – August 13, 2021)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Gold junior miners still dominate exploration scene but palladium, lithium and critical metals hunters are making their mark

While gold mine construction is in full bloom along Lake Superior’s North Shore, there are a raft of junior miners conducting exploration on the path toward developing the next generation of operations.

And it’s not just gold but in high-tech metals that could help drive the global electrical vehicle revolution.

Outside Dubreuilville, Sudbury’s Manitou Gold kicked off an 18,000-metre drilling program to test some promising gold and copper targets at its Goudreau Project.

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OPINION: Faced with fight or flight, BHP chooses to flee – by Stephen Bartholomeusz (WA Today – August 16, 2021)

https://www.watoday.com.au/

The confirmation of speculation of an imminent sale of BHP’s petroleum business to Woodside poses a question. What’s the better course for carbon-intensive businesses, fight or flight?

Rio Tinto opted for flight and the sale of its coal mines in 2018. BHP is in the process of exiting thermal coal, with the sale of its interest in the Cerrejon mine in Colombia in June and its Mt Arthur mine in NSW and its 80 per cent interest in the BMC joint venture with Mitsui in Queensland also on the market.

An exit from petroleum – Woodside disclosed on Monday, after intense recent speculation, that it was in discussion with BHP about a potential merger that would see it acquire BHP Petroleum by issuing Woodside shares to BHP shareholders – and a successful exit from thermal coal would mean that only BHP’s dominant metallurgical coal division would remain from its most carbon-intensive assets.

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