Twitter

Legal battle brewing in northern Ontario over the protection of Indigenous sacred areas, mining rights – by Logan Turner (CBC News Thunder Bay – July 3, 2021)

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/

Province, prospectors argue First Nation didn’t fully participate in consultations

As the mining industry heats up in northwestern Ontario, a First Nation in Treaty 9 territory has applied for an injunction to stop mineral exploration and protect a sacred area within their traditional territory.

It’s a case that some say would set a precedent in Canada, establishing the inherent and treaty right of First Nations to protect sacred areas.

Ginoogaming First Nation considers Wiisinin Zaahgi’igan, an area of land roughly 360 square kilometres in size located about 300 kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, its “breadbasket, its church, its heartland, its graveyard and its hospital,” according to documents filed by their lawyers.

Read more

The US wants to make EV batteries without these foreign metals. Should it? – by Maddie Stone (Grist.org – June 30, 2021)

https://grist.org/

Nickel and cobalt have precarious international supply chains, but eliminating them from batteries raises tough questions.

The electric vehicle or EV revolution owes its existence to lithium batteries, and those batteries have a cocktail of specialized minerals to thank for their high performance.

In most cases, that cocktail’s ingredient list includes cobalt and nickel, minerals that help deliver the long lifespan and range that consumers increasingly demand of EVs.

But with hundreds of millions of new EVs expected to hit the streets in the coming decades, skyrocketing demand for nickel and cobalt could strain mineral supply chains. Fearing a supply shortage that would slow the EV boom, the U.S. Department of Energy is now proposing that we eliminate cobalt and nickel from batteries altogether.

Read more

China’s new front in the trade war with Australia — Africa – by Ian Verrender (Australian Broadcasting Corporation – July 4, 2021)

https://www.abc.net.au/

The end came as a bitter finale to a decades-long tale of intrigue and tragedy. High up in the mountains straddling the border between Cameroon and the Republic of Congo, Perth-based mining minnow Sundance Resources saw its future extinguished amidst accusations of deceit and corruption.

After more than six months of wrangling and threats of legal action with the Congo government, Sundance boss Giulio Casello discovered to his horror that his former partner, an Australian-domiciled company with Chinese government links, had snared his company’s major asset.

Working in tandem with another Beijing-linked group, it had snared the rights to develop one of west Africa’s most promising iron ore deposits, the Mbalam-Nabeba project which has been Sundance’s main focus for more than 15 years.

Read more

Vale pumping millions into Thompson mining activities – by Martin Cash (Winnipeg Free Press – June 30, 2021)

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/

The future of the mining industry in Manitoba received a major boost on Tuesday as Brazilian mining giant, Vale, said it is investing $150 million that will extend current mining activities in Thompson by 10 years.

But that will just be a prelude to what could turn into close to $1 billion of new investment over the next decade to significantly expand mining operations in the northern Manitoba city into 2040.

The Phase 1 work is already underway upgrading ventilation, building increased backfill capacity and additional power distribution that should be completed by 2023.

Read more

Unrelenting Coal Demand Posts Challenge to World’s Climate Goals – by Dan Murtaugh and David Stringer (Bloomberg News – July 1, 2021)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — Coal prices across Asia are surging to records, underscoring a challenge for governments seeking a faster energy transition: the dirtiest of fuels they’re racing to phase out is enjoying booming demand.

Power plants are rushing to secure adequate electricity supplies as a hot summer adds to demand from the region’s post-pandemic industrial revival. On top of that, output in some key producer nations has been hurt, while high natural gas costs mean there’s no cheaper alternative for utilities to turn to.

All that has sparked a coal rally in Asia, the center of demand for the fossil fuel. The price of physical coal cargoes in Australia’s Newcastle and China’s Qinhuangdao ports have soared more than 50% this year to their highest ever.

Read more

Coal Mining in Alberta – by Editorial (Crowsnest Past Herald – June 30, 2021)

https://www.passherald.ca/

I always suspected that the Crowsnest Pass was treated like the asshole of the province, now I’m beginning to see that it’s really true. If you look at certain maps you will be hard pressed to find the Crowsnest Pass; it’s as if the province ended at Pincher Creek. It used to be amusing and the fodder for jokes but now I don’t find it so funny.

The Joint Review Panel (JRP) has submitted its findings and coal mining in this province is in peril. When you have a company as big as Hancock (parent company to Riversdale Resources) get a resounding “the project is not in the public interest” from JRP, it feels like the death walk for coal.

This is what I find incredibly interesting after reading the review. Riversdale spent 5 years and over 20,000 pages trying to convince a government appointed review committee that coal mining is possible in the Crowsnest Pass.

Read more

OPINION: The government’s 2035 electric vehicle mandate is delusional – by Eric Reguly (Globe and Mail – July 3, 2021)

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Whether or not you want one, can afford one or think they will do essentially nothing to stop global warming, electric vehicles are coming to Canada en masse. This week, the Canadian government set 2035 as the “mandatory target” for the sale of zero-emission SUVs and light-duty trucks.

That means the sale of gasoline and diesel cars has to stop by then. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra called the target “a must.” The previous target was 2040.

It is a highly aspirational plan that verges on the delusional, even if it earns Canada – a perennial laggard on the emission-reduction front – a few points at climate conferences. Herewith, a few reasons why the plan may be unworkable, unfair or less green than advertised.

Read more

Liberals say by 2035 all new cars, light-duty trucks sold in Canada will be electric – by Stephanie Taylor (Financial Post – June 30, 2021)

https://financialpost.com/

Government has already poured at least $300 million into a rebate program that offers consumers a break when they buy electric cars

OTTAWA — The Liberal government is speeding up its goal for when it wants to see all light-duty vehicles sold in Canada to be electric. Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced Tuesday that by 2035 all new cars and light-duty trucks sold in the country will be zero-emission vehicles.

Until now the government had set 2040 as the target for when it wants to see all passenger vehicles sold to be powered by this technology.

Alghabra cited a recent report from the International Energy Agency that says by 2035 nearly all new light-duty vehicle sales would have to be electric to achieve net-zero emissions by mid-century.

Read more

CHART: Study predicts over 400% increase in copper, lithium, nickel battery demand – by Editor (Mining.com – June 30, 2021)

https://www.mining.com/

BloombergNEF has upped its predictions for annual demand for lithium-ion batteries by more than a third from its previous forecast on the back of expectations for rapid growth in the passenger vehicle segment.

BNEF predicts annual demand for lithium-ion batteries will pass 2.7 terawatt-hours per year by 2030 – a 35% increase from the analytics company’s forecast made last year. Passenger vehicles will represent 72% of the overall market as sales race to 14 million by 2025 from just over 3 million last year.

BNEF expects China to extend its lead in the battery supply chain — particularly processing and refining. The country accounts for almost half of new lithium hydroxide projects coming online this year and has 55% of the world’s nickel sulfate market and 80% of the global market for cobalt sulfate, according to the report.

Read more

Tensions Rise over Definition of Conflict Diamonds – by Joshua Freedman (Diamonds.net – July 5, 2021)

https://www.diamonds.net/

RAPAPORT… A recent global meeting of the Kimberley Process (KP) ended in controversy as Chinese delegates allegedly clashed with a representative of nonprofit organizations on the issue of conflict diamonds.

Attendees from China interrupted a closing statement by Shamiso Mtisi, the coordinator of the Civil Society Coalition, after he criticized the country’s approach to the matter, Mtisi claimed this week. Part of the Chinese delegation left the Zoom meeting in protest, according to another participant.

Speaking at last month’s intersessional, Mtisi singled out China, India and Angola for failing to make progress on the KP’s definition of conflict stones, a central point of debate within the KP.

Read more

Iran’s plans for promoting mining sector bearing fruit – by Ebrahim Fallahi (Tehran Times – July 5, 2021)

https://www.tehrantimes.com/

TEHRAN – Having 68 different types of minerals, including the world’s largest copper, zinc and iron reserves, Iran is one of the top 10 mineral-rich countries across the globe.

In this regard, the Iranian government has been seriously pursuing several programs for promoting the mining sector as a major contributor to the country’s economic growth.

Iran’s proven iron ore reserves are 2.7 billion tons (about 0.8 of the world’s total reserves), while the country’s copper reserves are 2.6 billion tons (about 0.4 of the world’s reserves). The country also has 11 million tons of zinc reserves (about four percent of the world’s total reserves).

Read more

Glencore Names New Chairman to Complete Leadership Overhaul – by Thomas Biesheuvel (Bloomberg News – July 2021)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — Glencore Plc, the world’s top commodities trader, named mining veteran Kalidas Madhavpeddi as its new chairman, completing a raft of leadership changes at the company.

Madhavpeddi has worked in the mining industry for more than 40 years, including spending a decade as CEO of China Molybdenum International. Glencore gains a new chairman with extensive experience of working in the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to some of the company’s most important mines, and someone who has worked closely with China for years.

The latest appointment concludes the overhaul of Glencore’s top management over the past few years. Tony Hayward’s departure as chairman, which was flagged earlier this year, comes just one week after Gary Nagle replaced billionaire Ivan Glasenberg as chief executive officer.

Read more

Peru’s indigenous hope for a voice, at last, under new president – by Stefanie Eschenbacher and Angela Ponce (Reuters – July 5, 2021)

https://www.reuters.com/

CARATA, Peru, July 5 (Reuters) – Maxima Ccalla, 60, an indigenous Quechua woman, has spent her life tilling the harsh soil in Peru’s Andean highlands, resigned to a fate far removed from the vast riches buried deep beneath her feet in seams of copper, zinc and gold.

The Andean communities in Ccalla’s home region of Puno and beyond have long clashed with the mining companies that dig mineral wealth out from the ground.

In recent interviews, many said they felt discriminated against and marginalized, and accused mining companies of polluting their water and soil.

Read more

Sudbury Vale Strike impacting battery market – by Staff (Sudbury Star – July 2, 2021)

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

Analyst senses labour dispute could extend for months

A strike at Vale’s Sudbury operations is taxing a nickel market that’s key to powering electric vehicles. The job action by USW Local 6500 is now entering its second month, with no new contract talks planned.

Bloomberg News notes that Sudbury is one of the world’s few producers of nickel pellet, a form used to produce alloys for aerospace, electronic and nuclear industries.

Production at Vale’s northeast Ontario operation halted when unionized workers went on strike on June 1. The disruption is driving consumers to tap battery-grade nickel briquette as an alternative.

Read more

Neglected Ring of Fire-area community taking Ottawa to court over 20-year boil water advisory – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – June 29, 2021)

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Road proponent Marten Falls First Nation joins national class action lawsuit over lack of potable water, calls for action on housing crisis

A First Nation community supporter of mining development in the Ring of Fire still has to boil its drinking water after two decades.

Marten Falls First Nation is joining a national class-action lawsuit against the federal government led by Olthuis, Kleer, Townshend LLP (OKT) and McCarthy Tétrault LLP.

In a June 29 news release, Marten Falls said despite its members living in mineral-rich lands coveted by mining companies, members in the community of 250 still live in poverty; dealing with homelessness or overcrowded housing conditions, suffering from inadequate fire protection, enduring challenges associated with the water treatment plant, and a boil water advisory that’s lasted for more than 20 years.

Read more