Republic of Mining

Indigenous-affairs ministry a likely target as Tories streamline cabinet – by David Reevely (Ottawa Citizen – June 25, 2018)

June 26, 2018

Officials in Ontario’s Ministry of Indigenous Relations are preparing to see their department folded into another ministry when premier-designate Doug Ford and his new cabinet are sworn in Friday.

The 10-year-old ministry was created after the inquiry into the police killing of an Aboriginal protester at Ipperwash Provincial Park found that Indigenous people were getting scant attention from the government and what they did get came from ministers who often had conflicts of interest.

Depending whom you listen to, the standalone ministry could be collapsed into either the Ministry of Natural Resources or the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, as Ford streamlines the 30 ministerial jobs in Kathleen Wynne’s Liberal government to as few as 18.

Why reports of coal’s death are greatly exaggerated – by Tim Treadgold (Stockhead.com – June 24, 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://stockhead.com.au/

As much as it might annoy environmentalists it seems the anti-coal crusade of the past 10 years has produced a perverse result. Global coal consumption is rising, coal prices are edging back towards record territory and coal mining companies are becoming the invisible stars of the resources sector.

It wasn’t supposed to be like that with coal routinely vilified as the environment’s number one enemy. That’s a view accepted by Australian governments and some in Europe — but not in Asia or other regions with emerging economies, such as Africa.

If US writer Samuel Clemens (also known as Mark Twain) was alive today he might even be tempted to say the same thing about coal as he said about himself: “reports of my death are greatly exaggerated”. In the case of coal’s resurrection there is no end in sight.

Samarco could reach partial deal with Brazil prosecutors on Monday – by Marta Nogueira (Reuters U.S. – June 25, 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://www.reuters.com/

RIO DE JANEIRO (Reuters) – Samarco, a joint venture between Brazilian miner Vale and Anglo-Australian BHP Billiton, could reach the second phase of a settlement with Brazilian prosecutors over a 2015 environmental disaster on Monday, a federal prosecutor said.

The mining disaster, Brazil’s worst on record, was caused by the bursting of a tailings dam and killed 19 people. Samarco’s operations have been suspended since then.

“This deal we are negotiating is aimed at perfecting the governance system of (a prior agreement), creating reports and damage assessments and empowering those affected,” Brazil’s federal prosecutor for the case José Adércio Sampaio said, without offering details.

Sustaining dialogue: Resources for Future Generations brings diverse viewpoints to vital issues – by Greg Klein (Resource Clips – June 15, 2018)

June 25, 2018

http://resourceclips.com/

Evidently the organizers want to find common ground between disparate, even polarized, viewpoints. And Vancouver, as a world capital of mining, a burgeoning high-tech centre for clean energy and a hotbed of environmental activism, might be the ideal venue for such an endeavour.

It’s here that Resources for Future Generations will assemble an international and divergent group to discuss three essentials to our survival on this planet: energy, minerals and water.

The event takes place at the Vancouver Convention Centre between June 16 and 21 where, to offer just a few examples, representatives of Rio Tinto, the David Suzuki Foundation, Clean Energy Canada, the Tahltan Nation and Resource Works will meet and mingle, where the likes of Ross Beaty and Tzeporah Berman will share perspectives and where the public—the real stakeholders in all this—might gain a better understanding of resource-related issues.

[Utah Mining History] Lunch and hike fundraiser will put a ring back in Little Bell ore bin – by Scott Iwasaki (Park Record – June 25, 2018)

June 25, 2018

Park Record

Park City’s 100-year-old mining heritage is literally at a tipping point. Sandra Morrison, executive director of the Park City Museum, said the many of the wooden mining structures, such as the Little Bell ore bin, are on the verge of collapsing.

The old mining structure might be familiar to regulars of the Deer Valley ski trails. “It’s on the Bandana ski run, and many of us have skied it past on our way to Empire,” said Morrison. “The Little Bell Mine was one of the more than 300 operating mines during our town’s mining era.”

The structure is basically wood sitting on dirt, and the unprotected wood is deteriorating because of melting snow and other weather conditions she said. “We have to get the wood onto concrete foundations so it’s not sitting in water,” Morrison said.

Tantalum miner threatens expansion at Australia’s biggest lithium mine – by Melanie Burton (Reuters U.S. – June 25, 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://www.reuters.com/

MELBOURNE – (Reuters) – A partner in one of the world’s largest lithium mines said on Monday trial dates have been set to determine whether expansion at the Western Australian mine, in which China’s Tianqi Lithium holds a stake, would unfairly impact its minerals rights.

Private-equity backed Global Advanced Metals (GAM) owns the rights to tantalum and other minerals produced at Greenbushes, the world’s largest hard rock lithium mine, and has requested the courts to halt mine expansion plans to ensure that its rights are secure.

Talison Lithium, a joint venture between units of lithium giants Tianqi Lithium, and U.S.-based Albemarle Corp, owns only the lithium rights at Greenbushes. Tianqi and Albemarle hold 51 percent and 49 percent of Talison each.

Lithium and cobalt: A tale of two commodities – by Marcelo Azevedo, Nicolò Campagnol, Toralf Hagenbruch, Ken Hoffman, Ajay Lala, and Oliver Ramsbottom (McKinsey.com – June 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://www.mckinsey.com/

What does the rise of electric vehicles mean for two critical raw materials that go into their batteries—and for the players in this ecosystem?

The electric-vehicle (EV) revolution is ushering in a golden age for battery raw materials, best reflected by a dramatic increase in price for two key battery commodities, lithium and cobalt, over the past 24 months. In addition, the growing need for energy storage, e-bikes, electrification of tools, and other battery-intense applications is increasing the interest in these commodities (Exhibit 1).

However, recent concerns regarding the future of the raw-material supply availability for batteries and the impact of rising commodity prices on battery production costs have highlighted risks that might create divergent futures for these two commodities.

The strategic response needed will likely differ across industry players such as automotive OEMs, battery manufacturers, mining and refining companies, and financial investors. For all players, there is a growing imperative to understand the complexities and dynamics of this rapidly changing market and to ensure that their strategies are robust in the face of uncertainty.

Good and Bad News From the Indian Iron Ore Sector – by Sohrab Darabshaw (Metal Miner – June 25, 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://agmetalminer.com/

For the first time in years, India’s iron ore production crossed the 200 million tons per annum (MTPA) milestone. For 2017-18, output touched 210 MT, mostly on increased production in the provinces of Odisha and Karnataka, which was 9% higher than the 192 MT produced in 2016-17.

This was also the first time crossing that threshold since the crackdown on illegal mining throughout the country. India had produced more than 200 MT in 2010-11 at the height of a mineral boom.

One of the contributing factors for higher ore output was the Supreme Court of India’s relaxations of the cap on iron ore excavations for Category A and B mines. The court shifted the cap from 30 MT to 35 MT in December 2017. State-owned National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), however, had a flat growth rate in iron ore output at 35 MT in the last financial year.

NEWS RELEASE: Terrapure’s Terratec division awarded for innovative mine reclamation program with Vale Canada

June 25, 2018

Canada’s leading environmental service provider solves a municipal problem and a mining problem with one, sustainable, cost-saving approach.

BURLINGTON, ONT., June 25, 2018 – Terratec Environmental, a division of leading environmental solutions provider Terrapure, has established a new, sustainable option for managing biosolids during winter months, when farmland application is prohibited and storage is complicated.

Instead of disposing of a nutrient-rich resource through incineration or landfill, Terratec developed a program to apply biosolids to mine-impacted land for reclamation and revegetation. Acknowledging this significant contribution to the field, the Water Environment Association of Ontario (WEAO) presented Terrapure and Vale with the 2018 Exemplary Biosolids Management Award.

“The program is the first of its kind in Ontario, so we’re excited to see that it’s gaining momentum; the mining industry is now identifying biosolids as a key strategy in mine closure scenarios,” said Jeff Newman, Director of Business Development at Terratec. “This approach is a real win-win. Municipalities get an off-season biosolids management alternative, and mining companies get an effective tailings cover system.”

Gold is falling in value, and bitcoin may be responsible – by Eric Reguly (Globe and Mail – June 23, 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/

Gold hit a six-month low this week and is down about 7 per cent since its recent high, in April. Why the retreat?

One obvious answer is that interest rates are rising, or are set to rise, pretty much everywhere. When that happens, gold, which pays no dividend and costs money to store in a vault, loses some of its lustre (on Friday, it was trading at $1,270 an ounce; its 52-week high was US$1,365).

A less obvious answer may be the competition from cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin and ethereum. Gold dug out of the ground and cryptocurrencies created out of thin air seem to have absolutely nothing in common.

Indian State-owned firms mandated to acquire overseas lithium and cobalt assets – by Ajoy J Das (MiningWeekly.com – June 22, 2018)

June 25, 2018

http://www.miningweekly.com/

KOLKATA (miningweekly.com) – The Indian government has mandated all State-owned mineral-based companies to pool their resources to acquire lithium and cobalt assets overseas.

A rough deadline of March 2019 has been set for these companies to complete all formalities, such as leveraging their balance sheets jointly, form joint ventures (JVs), consortiums or any such suitable corporate structures so that process of scouting and acquiring lithium and cobalt assets could get under way next financial year.

“The mandate for these companies is to acquire and source strategic minerals, lithium and cobalt from abroad,” joint secretary of the Mines Ministry, Anil Kumar Nayak, said.

COLUMN-Resurgent coal exporters should be wary of blinkered optimism – by Clyde Russell (Reuters U.S. – June 21, 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://www.reuters.com/

BRISBANE, June 22 (Reuters) – Coal miners supplying Asia’s rapidly growing economies have plenty to be optimistic about as prices and demand appear robust, but they should be wary of getting caught up in the positive feedback loop that nearly destroyed them before.

This week’s inaugural Energy Mines and Money conference in Brisbane, the heartland of the industry in top coal exporter Australia, was a sea of optimism about the outlook for the industry.

Prices have been on an upward trend since bottoming in 2016 after five years of losses, and miners are once again making good profits amid strong demand from top importers China and India, new consumers such as Pakistan and the reliable veteran buyers like Japan and South Korea.

Sudbury mining humour forged in charity calendar – by Karen McKinley (Northern Ontario Business – June 15, 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Classic cartoons from local artist to be featured in fundraising effort to help people in need

The humorous side of mining in Sudbury is coming to the surface in a calendar, featuring the work of Sudbury artist Doug Bonish, which is being put together to help raise funds for charity.

David Leblanc, a local fitness instructor, who’s working to get the calendar made and sold, said he’s motivated by all the people that he’s come to know after surviving a stroke years ago and undergoing therapy.

“I came to know people who had fallen through the cracks of the system, and this is a way, I hope, for me to give back and help out others,” he said. “I’m hoping once we get this calendar together and selling I can collect a portion of the proceeds and have it in a fund to help people with whatever they need.”

BUILD STEEL BRIDGES NOT STEEL CAGES – by Aaron J. Brown (Hibbing Daily Tribune – June 24, 2018)

June 25, 2018

http://www.hibbingmn.com/

Aaron J. Brown is an author and community college instructor from Northern Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range. He writes the blog MinnesotaBrown.com and hosts the Great Northern Radio Show on Northern Community Radio (KAXE.org).

We’ve outlived our immigrant ancestors. Imprints of hungrier times remain etched on our communities, but they are easy to ignore. The fight for workplace safety and fair pay. The demand for free public education. The streets and amenities built to last beyond the mines on the edge of town. The shared humanity of the many over the tyranny of the few.

But I cannot escape a terrible notion. Transported to another time, the surnames painted in charming fashion on our Northern Minnesota cabins would have been the names on the clipboards outside the immigrant camps we read about in today’s news.

Paulson Urges Underperforming Gold Miner to Seek a Buyer – by Danielle Bochove (Bloomberg News – June 22, 2018)

June 25, 2018

https://www.bloomberg.com/

Billionaire hedge-fund manager John Paulson is among investors pushing for Canadian miner Detour Gold Corp. to put itself up for sale, citing stock losses amid managerial missteps.

In a letter to the Toronto-based company’s board, Paulson & Co. said directors had “failed to recruit and oversee a management team capable of operating the Detour Lake mine in a manner that delivers returns to shareholders.” The letter, a copy of which was obtained by Bloomberg, was signed by John Paulson and Marcelo Kim, a partner at the firm.

Paulson & Co., whose $9 billion in assets includes a 5.4 percent stake in Detour, wants the board to explore all strategic alternatives, including a sale. Those sentiments were echoed by other shareholders, including Franklin Templeton, Mackenzie Investments, Tocqueville Asset Management and VanEck.