Republic of Mining

POLLUTION: Indonesia has a long way to go to produce nickel sustainably – by Ian Morse (China Dialogue – May 28, 2021)

May 31, 2021

China Dialogue

When Indonesian officials said they were meeting with Tesla representatives at the end of last year, they had already spent years wooing the company toward the metals locked in their rainforest soils.

The abundance of metals like nickel and cobalt on Indonesia’s islands could calm worries that the electric vehicle (EV) industry would confront resource bottlenecks in building millions of batteries.

But earlier this year, Tesla seemed to have other interests. The US company advanced deals in nickel from the Pacific islands of New Caledonia as well as in manufacturing its cars in India, suggesting to market observers that Indonesia’s nickel industry had become too risky. A company branded on clean products may be particularly sensitive to increased scrutiny on the environmental impacts of its supply chain.

JV Article: Kirkland Lake Gold partnership could lead to world-class discoveries, says Stephen Stewart of Orefinders and Mistango – by Staff (Northern Miner – May 30, 2021)

May 31, 2021

https://www.northernminer.com/

A new strategic partnership and equity investment by Kirkland Lake Gold (TSX: KL; NYSE: KL; ASX: KLA) into Orefinders Resources (ORX: TSXV) and Mistango River Resources (CSE: MIS) will allow the two Canadian juniors to “unlock the full potential of their assets,” says Stephen Stewart, CEO of Orefinders and chairman of Mistango.

Under the proposed partnership agreement, Kirkland Lake Gold has acquired a 9.9% stake in each of the juniors. Additionally, Kirkland Lake will also have the option to acquire up to a 75% interest in specific projects under the companies’ portfolio of assets in exchange for a total combined $120 million investment.

This is the second high-profile investment that Orefinders and Mistango have received in the last year as billionaire investor, and former chairman of Kirkland Lake Gold, Eric Sprott has made four separate investments into the two companies over that period.

The discovery of a mass grave at a former residential school is just the tip of the iceberg – by Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond (Globe and Mail – May 30, 2021)

May 31, 2021

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond (Aki-Kwe) is the director of the Residential School History and Dialogue Centre and a professor of law at the Peter A. Allard School of Law, at the University of British Columbia.

Many Canadians have expressed their horror, shock and sadness at the announcement that the unmarked buried remains of 215 children were discovered in preliminary radar findings last weekend at the site of the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.

And we should be sad; it is horrific. But it is not shocking. In fact, it is the opposite – a too-common unearthing of the legacy, and enduring reality, of colonialism in Canada. To the degree it is shocking, it is evidence of how much learning there is still to do.

Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir, the chief of Tk’emlups te Secwepemc First Nation, said it best: She called the discovery of the mass grave an “unthinkable loss.” But as she importantly made clear, it was also a known loss – that is, the deaths were undocumented, but the community “had knowledge” of them.

Column: The human bottleneck in critical minerals supply chains – by Andy Home (Reuters – May 27, 2021)

May 31, 2021

https://www.reuters.com/

The road to decarbonisation will be paved with copper. As well as lithium, nickel, cobalt and a host of other minerals, all critical for electric vehicles (EVs), solar panels and wind farms.

Securing enough of these metals has become an overriding concern for many Western countries now looking to invest in green technology industries as a driver of broader pandemic recovery.

The European Union currently imports all of the refined lithium, platinum and silicon it needs to produce EVs, clean hydrogen and solar panels respectively. It also gets 98% of its rare earths from one supplier – China.

NEWS RELEASE: Wyloo Metals commits to world-class Future Metals Hub in Ontario (May 31, 2021)

May 31, 2021

PERTH, Australia, May 31, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As part of its long-term investment strategy in the Ring of Fire, Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd (“Wyloo Metals”) is committed to developing a sustainable and world-class Future Metals Hub in Ontario that will create new industry and employment opportunities across the region.

The proposed Future Metals Hub will be developed in consultation with regional stakeholders and First Nations communities to create battery material supply chain capabilities that maximize and retain the value generated from resource development within Ontario.

This announcement follows Wyloo Metals’ statement on Tuesday, May 25, 2021 regarding its intention to make an offer to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Noront Resources Ltd. (TSXV:NOT) (“Noront”) that it does not currently own.

Mark Selby lays out the big picture for a stainless steel industry in Timmins – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – May 28, 2021)

May 29, 2021

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Canada Nickel CEO says base metal project capable of generating downstream processing possibilities

Since touching down in Timmins a year and half ago, Mark Selby has been trying to put the world-renowned gold district on the map as an emerging global nickel camp.

Twenty months after Canada Nickel Company punched its first drill hole at its Crawford nickel sulphide project, the CEO and chair of the Toronto-based junior mining company is sitting on a resource capable of delivering 1.9 billion pounds of nickel over a 25-year mine life.

Canada Nickel posted a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) this week on its flagship Crawford nickel sulphide project, 40 kilometres north of Timmins.

Only through a Secure Supply of EV Metals (Rare Earths) can a Hegemony Be. – by Jack Lifton (Investor Intel – May 26, 2021)

May 28, 2021

https://investorintel.com/

It has been reported today that the Biden administration is looking to allied nations as primary sources of critical mined raw materials, and that it, the administration, will focus on supporting the domestic American processing of such imported ores into useful products focused on domestic production of EVs, their batteries, and components.

This is an example of a complete disregard by the Biden administration for America’s competitive advantage, safety, and, ironically, its economy to placate a loud anti-mining luddism that pervades the American left.

It is in two words, hypocritical and stupid. It’s hypocritical because it assumes that out-of-sight, out-of-mind, will placate the left’s “greens” into thinking that pollution in Australia, Canada, or Brazil and its attendant costs doesn’t exist. It’s stupid, because it makes no economic sense.

To become a major player on the global battery stage, Canada must act fast – by Merran Smith and Pierre Gratton (IPolitics.ca – May 26, 2021)

May 28, 2021

https://ipolitics.ca/

Merran Smith is the executive director of Clean Energy Canada. Pierre Gratton is the president and CEO of the Mining Association of Canada.

As our largest trading partners rapidly reimagine their economies, one thing is clear: Batteries will be the literal engines of the modern world — powering our cars, our trucks, our ferries, our commutes to work, and the delivery of our next FedEx package.

Canada has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to establish itself as a major player on the global battery scene if it acts now. This was the conclusion of an industry roundtable convened in the spring by Clean Energy Canada and attended by stakeholders across the supply chain: General Motors Canada, Lion Electric, the Mining Association of Canada, the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association, Unifor, and others.

Experts recognized that building Canada’s battery-supply chain is both a sprint and a marathon, requiring short-term plays and long-term planning — but the biggest risk is not leaving the starting line.

World’s third-largest pension fund to limit coal-linked investing – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – May 28, 2021)

May 28, 2021

https://www.mining.com/

South Korea’s state pension fund, the world’s third-largest, said on Friday it will stop funding new coal power projects at home and abroad, joining global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and pursue responsible investment strategies.

The National Pension Service (NPS)’s plan is to restrict investment in coal miners and businesses tied to coal power by adopting “negative screening”.

The approach consists of excluding investments that fall short of environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.

B.C. regulator proposes sweeping new rules to crack down on social media-driven stock promotions – by Barbara Shecter (Financial Post – May 27, 2021)

May 28, 2021

https://financialpost.com/

The rules — the first of their kind in Canada — would apply to newsletters, financial blogs, emails, oral statements, social media posts, videos or any other communications

British Columbia’s securities watchdog is proposing sweeping new rules that would require anyone promoting stocks on social media or via video to reveal whether they own the security or derivatives of it, and to additionally disclose any compensation they are receiving for the promotion.

If the rules are adopted following a 60-day comment period, anyone promoting stocks or other securities could face potential enforcement by the regulator for failing to disclose any “facts that would interfere with the objectivity of the person doing the promotion.”

Greenland officials say Nunavut mine owner hasn’t fully addressed cross-border impacts – by Kevin McGwin (Nunatsiaq News/Arctic Today – May 27, 2021)

May 28, 2021

Homepage

An assessment of the potential impact of increased shipping activity in Baffin Bay stemming from a proposed expansion of the Mary River iron mine in Nunavut has been criticized by Naalakkersuisut, Greenland’s self-rule government, for not fully assessing its concerns.

Because the expanded mining activity would impact other countries, Baffinland, the mine’s operator, is required by international law to compile an assessment of the damage it could cause and grant authorities from the affected countries permission to comment on it.

The Baffinland assessment, together with a series of written exchanges between Greenland authorities and the company’s representatives about its contents was released for public consultation in Greenland on May 18. However, Naalakkersuisut underscored that because Baffinland had declined to take Greenland’s concerns fully into account, the assessment could not be considered to be complete.

Soaring commodity prices are bringing a Chinese lithium giant back from the brink – by Mary Hui (Quartz.com – May 28, 2021)

May 28, 2021

https://qz.com/

The global climate economy’s transition to clean energy will drive a huge increase in demand for a number of critical minerals. Among those, lithium is expected to see the fastest growth.

Lithium is crucial to the clean energy transition because it’s widely used in lithium-ion batteries, including those powering electric vehicles.

China currently dominates worldwide production of lithium chemicals used in batteries, accounting for nearly 60% of worldwide processing of lithium in 2019, according to the International Energy Agency.

Clock ticking for Steel, Vale negotiators – by Jim Moodie (Sudbury Star – May 28, 2021)

May 28, 2021

https://www.thesudburystar.com/

The Steelworkers local representing Vale workers is hopeful a strong, multi-year deal can be obtained for its members as negotiations on a new contract continue this week.

“We’re looking for something to compensate us for the work we’ve done over the last year, which has created record profits in some areas,” said a union official who asked not to be named. “We’re expecting to be treated with the care and understanding they say they offer.”

The union agreed last spring to an unusual one-year contract, effective June 1, due to the economic uncertainties brought on by COVID-19.

Seven new mines, expansions in the queue in BC – by Nelson Bennett (Business In Vancouver – May 26, 2021)

May 28, 2021

https://biv.com/

Seven new mines could be built in B.C. in the coming years – an investment worth $4 billion that would generate 6,400 new construction and mining jobs.

But if the B.C. government wants those jobs, it needs to unclog its sclerotic permitting system, said Michael Goehring, president of the Mining Association of BC.

“Before any of these projects can proceed, and before the economic benefits can start flowing, they must be permitted by government,” Goehring said Wednesday in his annual address to the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade.