October 17, 2012 – Republic of Mining

Mining education continues to advance in Ontario

October 17, 2012

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

The Certificate in Mining Management that is being offered by Ryerson University’s G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is another indicator that mining education in business is continuing to evolve in Ontario. It is moving forward in recognition of development within the industry and changes in society, in which mining must operate.

This new program at Ryerson University in Toronto is designed for people with a degree and/or at least five years of experience working within the sector. “The Certificate in Mining Management has been developed in close consultation with industry experts to ensure employment relevance and to meet the urgent need in the mining industry for employees who have practical as well as theoretical skills and who understand and have been exposed to real-world cases and simulations,” says Ryerson University.

“As mining has evolved, so has mining education evolved,” said Philip Walsh, a geologist, Academic Coordinator for the program and an Associate Professor in the Ted Rogers School of Management at Ryerson. “The impetus for this program came from mining executives. It is about sustainability in mining; that is doing things right from the business perspective, the environmental perspective and the community perspective.”

Citizens form Cliffs watchdog group – by Heidi Ulrichsen – (Sudbury Northern Life – October 16, 2012)

October 17, 2012

http://www.northernlife.ca/

‘We only get one shot at doing it right’

There’s strength in numbers. That’s one of the ideas underpinning a newly-formed citizens’ group examining all aspects of the chromite smelting facility Cliffs Natural Resources wants to build near Capreol.

“People together are stronger than individuals,” Capreol resident Bob Johnson said. “The public have come here and said ‘Yes, these are the concerns that we have.’ They can’t be ignored, but individuals can be ignored.’” About 50 people gathered at the Capreol Millenium Centre Oct. 15 to learn about the new committee.

In the end, the group unanimously passed a mission statement to focus on ensuring the Cliffs plant, if it materializes, is safe and healthy and provides a net benefit for its workers, the surrounding communities and the environment.

Former Sudbury East NDP MPP and Capreol resident Elie Martel was elected chair of the committee, with Johnson as secretary and Black Cat owner and former Laurentian University professor John Rutherford as treasurer.

Martel said the idea for the committee started after he did a media interview where he talked about his concerns about the project’s potential environmental impact. He immediately started receiving phone calls from concerned citizens. Then he realized that the environmental assessment process for the project is already underway.

Aboriginal studies featured for mining institute – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – October 2012)

October 17, 2012

Established in 1980, Northern Ontario Business provides Canadians and international investors with relevant, current and insightful editorial content and business news information about Ontario’s vibrant and resource-rich North. Ian Ross is the editor of Northern Ontario Business ianross@nob.on.ca.

A proposed mining institute at Thunder Bay’s Lakehead University will place a strong emphasis on acting as an “honest broker” in dialogue between industry and First Nations.

If there’s one focus of study that will be addressed as a Centre of Excellence in Mineral Exploration and Sustainable Mining Development takes shape it’s the need to bridge the cultural gap often widened by the lack of communication and consultation.

Geology professor Peter Hollings, who’ll head up the institute, said the goal of the centre is to be a one-stop repository of experts and research for both companies and Aboriginal bands. “We want the natural answer to be Lakehead.”

For years, both industry and First Nations have chafed at the lack of definitive government rules on consultation in Ontario. Hollings knows the frustration that exists on both sides.

“We hear it a lot from industry and the First Nation communities who don’t fully understand the difference between a junior company coming in to do prospecting and drill a hole, as opposed to Cliffs Natural Resources coming to develop the Ring of Fire.

Possible junior zinc takeover targets – by Kip Keen (Mineweb.com – October 17, 2012)

October 22, 2012October 17, 2012

http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page102055?

A supply crunch in zinc is predicted by leading analysts and some miners have already said they’re on the hunt for acquisitions leaving open the question of which juniors might get taken out.

HALIFAX, NS (MINEWEB) – It wasn’t so long ago, as reported by Reuters, that Lundin Mining told the press in Sweden that it was on the prowl for zinc and copper acquisitions. While you’re never going to get too many specifics about potential targets from a miner, Lundin did give some rough parameters of what it was after.

Lundin CEO Paul Conibear said it was interested in copper and zinc mines – especially in Europe, Canada and Mexico with 30,000 to 70,000 tonnes metal production a year. He also signalled Lundin was ready to take a pretty quick shot. “We are going to be very disciplined, but when we find something for the right price, we will act quickly and aggressively,” Reuters quoted Conibear as saying back in late September.

This hunger for base metals, zinc especially, is not all that surprising. It is shaping up to be a good year for zinc hunting and in that Lundin’s pursuit is probably not alone in donning a camouflage jacket and loading its gun with cash, among other kinds of powder.