Republic of Mining

First Nations are vital to Sioux Lookout’s economy – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – August 21, 2020)

August 24, 2020

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Sioux Lookout is reaping the rewards of a strong alliance with its neighbouring First Nations built on trust and collaboration.

Mayor Doug Lawrance spoke on a virtual panel at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario annual conference (AMO) this week on how communities can develop meaningful relationships with Indigenous people.

Located halfway between Thunder Bay and Winnipeg, Lawrance said the fruits of the town’s relationships with the 30 First Nations communities, and the roughly 30,000 people, they serve has become easier to harvest because of the work done by his predecessors on council.

Blackouts Expose Perils And Costs Of California’s ‘Electrify Everything’ Push – by Robert Bryce (Forbes Magazine – August 18, 2020)

August 24, 2020

https://www.forbes.com/

The blackouts that hit California over the past few days exposed the fragility of one of the most-expensive and least-reliable electric grids in North America.

They also show that California’s grid can’t handle the load it has now, much less accommodate the enormous amount of new demand that would have to be met if the state attempts to “electrify everything.”

The push to electrify everything would prohibit the use of natural gas in buildings, electrify transportation, and require the grid to run solely on renewables (and maybe, a dash of nuclear).

‘Come for a day, discovery a century’: Cobalt’s slogan still rings true – by Lydia Chubak (CTV Northern Ontario – August 21, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/

TIMMINS — Historical remnants of Cobalt’s rich mining history continue to stand tall, and are none the worse for wear.

A hundred years ago, many prospectors came into being by chance in the north. Some of the first ones in Cobalt were building rail lines who caught glimpses of silver gleaming in lake rocks. Then they kept moving north, in search of gold.

Timmins Museum curator Karen Bachmann said many of them were engineers or mining men who understood the bush.

REGULATIONS: MAC slams fed decision to join environmental review of Teck’s Castle project (Canadian Mining Journal – August 20, 2020)

August 21, 2020

http://www.canadianminingjournal.com/

OTTAWA – Canada’s national association for miners, the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), is weighing in on the federal government’s decision to review Teck Resources‘ proposed Castle Mountain metallurgical coal project in B.C., saying the additional review is unnecessary as the project is already undergoing a rigorous provincial environmental review process, and accusing the government of making a political decision.

“We are very disheartened by the federal government’s decision on the Castle project given the expansion fell well below the threshold to being subject to the Impact Assessment Act (IAA),” said Pierre Gratton, president and CEO of MAC.

“This decision certainly has the potential to lead to longer timelines at a time of unprecedented global economic uncertainty.”

Grand Canyon will not be mined, says Uranium Producers of America (MiningWeekly.com – August 21, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://www.miningweekly.com/

The Uranium Producers of America has denied news reports that imply that the Grand Canyon National Park will be opened up for uranium mining, labelling such articles as disinformation.

The Obama administration in 2012 banned new uranium mining claims around the Grand Canyon National Park for 20 years.

Reports continue to do the rounds that the Trump administration, which has been active in promoting domestic uranium mining, is open to projects near the Grand Canyon.

Fortescue Opens Talks With Afghanistan on Nation’s Mining Riches – by Eltaf Najafizada and David Stringer (Bloomberg News – August 21, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://www.bloomberg.com/

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. has held talks with Afghanistan’s President Ashraf Ghani on potential mining sector opportunities in the nation, which has struggled to accelerate development of an estimated $1 trillion worth of minerals deposits.

Ghani and the company’s chairman Andrew Forrest held an Aug. 6 video conference over potential investment in iron ore and copper resources, and the billionaire miner is scheduled to visit Kabul in October for further talks, according to Qadeer Khan Mutfi, a spokesman for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum.

GOLDSTEIN: Freeland touts the myths of green energy – by Lorrie Goldstein (Toronto Sun – August 19, 2020)

August 21, 2020August 21, 2020

https://torontosun.com/

Canada’s new finance minister is smart, which means Chrystia Freeland must know the first words out of her mouth about green energy following her appointment by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were nonsense.

Asked about the future of green energy, she said: “To (the) question about decarbonization as part of our economic plan going forward: Of course it has to be part of it.

“I think all Canadians understand that the restart of our economy needs to be green. It also needs to be equitable. It needs to be inclusive. And we need to focus very much on jobs and growth.”

COMMENTARY: Rebuilding America’s supply chains can’t wait – by Rich Nolan (Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star – August 20, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://fredericksburg.com/

Rich Nolan is president and chief executive officer of the National Mining Association.

TESLA’s announcement of a new, 2,100-acre gigafactory in Texas has rightly generated a great deal of excitement. In this time of economic crisis, news of 5,000 new jobs assembling the world’s most celebrated electric vehicle is an important step toward strengthening domestic manufacturing.
In fact, the move has prompted Elon Musk and others to look further up the supply chain—to the raw materials that will make the production of these vehicles possible.

On a call last month, Musk highlighted his concerns about the front end of the supply chain: “Tesla will give you a giant contract for a long period of time if you mine nickel efficiently and in an environmentally sensitive way.”

Native Americans: Rio’s copper plan belies gorge vows – by Peter Ker (Australian Financial Review – August 21, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://www.afr.com/

Native American groups say Rio Tinto’s plan to build a big copper mine on one of their sacred sites contradicts the company’s vow to improve management of cultural heritage in the wake of this year’s Juukan Gorge debacle in Western Australia.

The comments from Apache and environmental groups in the US highlight the global ramifications of Rio’s decision to blast through the culturally sensitive gorge in May, and how inconvenient the timing could be for the company’s plan to build a big new copper mine in Arizona.

US regulators were scheduled to file their final environmental impact study into the Resolution Copper project in July, ending eight years of approval processes and triggering a controversial land swap within 60 days.

Mining association has buyer’s remorse over Bill C-69 – by Nelson Bennett (Business In Vancouver – August 20, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://biv.com/

The Mining Association of Canada (MAC), which bought into the Trudeau government’s plan to improve the federal environmental review process though Bill C-69, appears to be having some buyer’s remorse.

And it warns that this week’s decision by federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson to subject the Castle metallurgical coal project in B.C. to a federal review may send a cold shiver up the collective spine of the mining sector in Canada, as well as international investors.

Teck Resources (TSX:TECK.B) wants to extend the life of its Fording River coal mine by stripping nearby Castle Mountain for metallurgical coal, which is used to make steel.

With its mining boom past, Australia deals with the job of cleaning up – by Manuela Callari (Mongabay.com – August 20, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://news.mongabay.com/

About 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Darwin and 14 km (9 mi) northeast of the town of Batchelor lies Woodcutters, an open-cut lead and zinc mine that shut in 1999. Here, at the top end of Australia, live the Kungarakay and the Warai peoples.

Not many Aboriginal people were employed at Woodcutters, nor were they involved in the rehabilitation and closure plan. At the end of operations, the company left 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of denuded land.

In Australia, the mining industry has had an essential role in the country’s economy for the past few decades. But as the mining boom dwindles, more plants are shutting down, leaving behind environmental disasters and social legacies.

South Africa Gold Miners Seek New CEOs as Another Plans Exit – by Felix Njini (Bloomberg News – August 21, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://www.bloombergquint.com/

(Bloomberg) — Gold Fields Ltd. Chief Executive Officer Nick Holland will step down in September next year, as South Africa lost a second gold-mining boss in less than a month.

Holland will depart the Johannesburg-based producer after reaching the company’s official retirement age of 63. The news comes after the abrupt departure of Kelvin Dushnisky, his counterpart at AngloGold Ashanti Ltd., was announced at the end of July.

Gold Fields will soon join AngloGold in looking for a successor. “A global search for a suitable replacement will commence soon,” Chairwoman Cheryl Carolus said in a speech at the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday.

Africa’s (Modern) Slavery Problem – by Joanna Rozpedowski (Global Security Review – August 21, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://globalsecurityreview.com/

From rubies in Mozambique to emeralds in Zambia, opals in Australia, and Jade in Myanmar, the mining industry is undergoing an extraction renaissance that is as profitable as it is contentious.

While concerns over environmental degradation, population displacement, employment of slave and child labor contribute to the fracturing of communities and exacerbate internal rifts and vulnerabilities of already fragile states, questions of whether or not mining is good for social and economic development grow in proportion and relevance.

Africa alone hosts inordinate amounts of mineral, gold, cobalt, palladium and platinum deposits enticing foreign interests and heavy Chinese investment. Often, however, such vast resource wealth in the hands of foreign corporate entities combined with poor regulation and state corruption raises grave concerns over equitable revenue sharing, land ownership rights, and respect for fundamental human rights.

Chinese mine workers given experimental COVID vaccine barred by Papua New Guinea (CBC News – August 21, 2020)

August 21, 2020

https://www.cbsnews.com/

Canberra, Australia — Papua New Guinea prevented the arrival of a flight carrying Chinese workers after a Chinese mining company claimed to have immunized employees against COVID-19 in an apparent vaccination trial, authorities said Friday.

The Pacific nation’s pandemic response controller David Manning banned COVID-19 vaccine testing or trials after Ramu NiCo Management (MCC) Ltd. claimed to have vaccinated 48 Chinese employees. Manning also said he had sent back a flight carrying 180 Chinese workers on Thursday as a precaution.

“In light of the lack of information of what these trials are and what possible risks or threat that it might cause our people if they were to come into the country, I had cancelled that flight yesterday just to ensure that we continue to act in the best interests of our people and our country,” Manning told reporters in the capital Port Moresby.