Ontario Mining Association – Page 21

Ontario Mining Association Says Climate Change Issue Caught in Web of Complexities

January 16, 2009

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.

Participants in the Ontario Mining Association´s Climate Change Workshop came to grips with the web of complexities surrounding this environmental issue. The goal of the workshop was to provide some information on the current political and regulatory realities surrounding climate change and how they could impact mining operations in the province. Mining companies in Ontario spend more than $500 million on energy annually and 95% of the greenhouse gas emissions from the mining sector are derived from energy use.

Speakers at the workshop included David Clarry from the consulting engineering firm Hatch, who provided a “Climate Change 101” course and Steve Quigley, a principal with Conestoga-Rovers & Associates, who spoke about the global regulatory context and implications for Ontario´s membership in the Western Climate Initiative. Paul Stothart, Vice president Economic Affairs at the Mining Association of Canada, provided information on the “Towards Sustainable Mining” program, while Bruce Dudley with the Delphi Group provided insights into developing corporate sustainability strategies and led a facilitated discussion on next steps for the OMA.

Over the past decade, the Mining Association of Canada has worked with the Canadian federal government on more than half a dozen greenhouse gas emission reduction plans, including “Turning the Corner.” Although the future of the latest federal plan is uncertain, there are policy developments in Ontario that clearly need to be considered by OMA members. Along with membership in the Western Climate Initiative, Ontario has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Quebec and released five discussion papers in December regarding Cap and Trade. Participants at the session were encouraged to assist the OMA in responding to these papers and in engaging in a dialogue with the Ministry of Environment.

Blog for Ontario Mining Association Video Contest Welcomes Traffic

January 13, 2009

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.

High school students — and others — are demonstrating their interest in the Ontario Mining Association´s high school video competition through participation in the “So You Think You Know Mining” blog. The competition, which offers students the opportunity to place their two to three minute videos on the benefits of mining in the running for substantial cash prizes, is supported by comprehensive web-based resources, including a blog that is meant to encourage an open exchange of ideas and information. The blog appears to be serving its intended purpose, adding a “wiki” dimension to the contest by enabling anyone to ask questions and contribute information.

Some bloggers have asked if there were previous contests that are similar in nature to “SYTYKM,” so they could see some footage before starting their own projects. The OMA responded by saying “As far as we know, we are in uncharted territory. This contest is a first for us and we´re really looking forward to seeing some unexpected entries! As the videos come in, we´ll be posting some of them under the “Inspiration” tab on the website, so you´ll be able to check out some of the competition with your project.”

The level of the awards seems to be an attraction for some — “I don´t know much about mining — yet — but I like the prize money.” Others seem to be attracted to gold and want to do a video on that precious metal and jewellery. Some students who aren´t quite in high school have asked if there is a similar contest for younger kids.

Ontario Mining Association Pre-Budget Submission – President Chris Hodgson

December 19, 2008

To: The Honourable Dwight Duncan
Minister of Finance
c/o Budget Secretariat
Frost Building North, 3rd floor
95 Grosvenor Street
Toronto, Ontario, M7A 1Z1

Dear Minister Duncan

The Ontario mining industry has enjoyed — until recently — one of the most prosperous and lengthiest periods of its history of making contributions to the society and economy of this province. However, the current economic circumstances which are dominating the news are providing challenges for individuals, companies, entire industries and governments alike.

Mining operates in the real world of global markets. When commodity prices fall, companies must reduce spending to be in line with existing market realities. That is why we have seen companies trimming budgets and capital expenditures and in some cases shutting down production. Junior mining exploration companies are finding it difficult – if not impossible – to raise capital as are mineral producers.

The mining industry in Ontario has gone from full speed ahead to produce and sell mineral products around the world to a moving forward by navigating more cautiously through changing economics and shifting markets. The precipitous fall in the prices of Ontario’s main mineral products illustrates this point.

Ontario Mining Association Pre-Budget Letter Advocates Strategic Government Investments

December 18, 2008

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 Ontario Mining Association´s pre-budget submission encourages the government at Queen´s Park to make strategic investments in the mineral sector to promote future economic development. “The Ontario mining industry has enjoyed — until recently — one of the most prosperous and lengthiest periods of its history of making contributions to the society and economy of the province,” said OMA President Chris Hodgson in a letter to Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan. “However, the current economic circumstances which are dominating the news are providing challenges for individuals, companies, entire industries and governments alike.”

The letter outlined massive decreases in the market prices of Ontario´s key mineral commodities — nickel, gold, copper, zinc, silver and palladium — of between 50% and 80% over the past year. Companies have reacted to slides in the prices of their products with production cutbacks, temporary mine closures, workforce reductions and revised business plans. “Mining benefits all regions of Ontario and given this outlook of difficult economic times and harsh business climates, it is increasingly important for the industry to work with government to ensure that programs, regulation and legislation sustain mining investment and employment in the province,” said Mr. Hodgson.

“At this time, the OMA would like to encourage the government to make strategic investments in the mining sector to promote future economic development and take action to improve the competitive position of the industry in the world,” he said. The type of strategic investments the OMA is recommending include geological mapping, advancing human resource development and education, skills enhancement and training for Aboriginals, incentives for Research & Development, smarter regulatory systems, enhanced infrastructure development including the electricity system and exploration incentives.

OMA President Addresses North Bay CIM Members

December 6, 2008

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.

Ontario Mining Association President Chris Hodgson encouraged members of the Canadian Institute of Mining´s Northern Gateway Branch in North Bay to help the public gain a broader appreciation of what mining does for society and the economy. In speaking to about 120 members of the CIM Branch at a luncheon meeting on December 3, he saluted many of the innovative communications initiatives carried out in North Bay including activities during the city´s Mining Week and reminded them of the many tools the OMA has developed to support these efforts.

“We need to encourage more people to recognize the value of mining to support the industry´s social license to operate,” said Mr. Hodgson. “Mining benefits all regions of the province and people need to see mining as a benefit to their communities. The outdated image of mining is not something one person, or one company, can change.” He provided a brief history of the OMA and its origins in 1920.

In striving to promote our industry, Mr. Hodgson provided the audience with a catalogue of communications tools developed by the OMA — most of which are available on the OMA website www.oma.on.ca. He mentioned the representative mine study conducted by economists at the University of Toronto “Ontario Mining: A Partner in Prosperity Building” which illustrates the local benefits in employment, Gross Domestic Product and tax revenues from one mine. This study follows through with the direct, indirect and tertiary level benefits. One representative mine can generate more than 2,200 well paying jobs on different levels, contribute $278 million to the GDP and provide $84 million in taxes annually.

Mining Sector Human Resource Needs Remain Strong Despite Downturn

November 23, 2008

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 mining industry´s need for a large infusion of skilled workers over the next decade may be curbed by current economic circumstances but it will not be eliminated. In a presentation for the Mining Association of Canada, Ryan Montpellier, Executive Director of the Mining Industry Human Resource Council (MiHR), laid out several scenarios on the sector´s workforce needs looking out to 2016.

Local, provincial, national and international forces all impact projections of mining´s human resource needs in Canada. When you look at the massive alterations which have been occurring in global financial systems and the downturn in commodity markets, it is all too apparent that the impact of changing macro economic variables influence the human resource requirements of the industry. In earlier studies, MiHR projected that the industry in Canada needed 80,000 new workers over the next 10 years. As the world demand for Canada´s mineral products grew, the number of new employees needed in Canada´s mining sector from 2007 to 2016 was increased to 92,000. That level still may be required.

However, in offering alternatives, MiHR presented a no-growth scenario for the future. In this case, the need for retirement and non-retirement replacement requirements still showed a need for more than 62,000 new mining employees out to 2016 — or more than 6,200 per year. In a more negative projection of industry contraction over a four year period, there still was a demand for more than 46,000 new mining employees out to 2016 — or more than 4,600 per year.

De Beers Shares its Diamond Passion Through Toronto’s Royal Ontario Museum Exhibit

November 7, 2008

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.

Ontario Mining Association member De Beers Canada is sharing its passion for diamonds through its sponsorship of an exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum. “The Nature of Diamonds” exhibit is scheduled to be on display for all until March 22, 2009. “For thousands of years, diamonds have held a special place in many cultures around the world,” said Jim Gowans, President and CEO of De Beers Canada. “We are proud to be associated with the ROM to showcase the origins, history and allure of one of the rarest materials on earth.”

At a special event to mark the opening of the exhibit, recordings of Shirley Bassey singing the theme song from the James Bond movie “Diamonds Are Forever,” the presence of Canadian triathlon Olympian and medal winner Simon Whitfield and the opening of the vault to show the world´s third largest cut diamond and other spectacular gems and jewelry enhanced the celebrations.

The first diamond mine in Canada is celebrating its 10th anniversary of production this month. Mr. Gowans pointed out that in that short time, Canada has advanced to become the third largest diamond producer in the world. “Canada is now a diamond superpower,” said William Thorsell, Chief Executive Officer of the ROM. “We are enjoying our relationship with De Beers Canada and (he suggested) I think we need to invent a single line of diamonds for men.”

Ontario’s Mining Sector Leads the Way in First Nation Development Partnerships

November 7, 2008

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 mining industry in Ontario is leading the way with innovative ideas and agreements which promote sustainable development in Aboriginal communities. A document produced by Natural Resources Canada titled “Agreements Between Mining Companies and Aboriginal Communities or Governments” shows that 105 agreements have been signed between mining enterprises and Aboriginals. The document shows that 29 of those agreements are in this province. Ontario Mining Association member companies have a strong track record for building bridges and working in collaborative partnerships with Aboriginal communities.

These contracts documented by Natural Resources Canada have been identified and validated by the Intergovernmental Working Group on the Mineral Industry and do not represent an exhaustive list of existing agreements in Canada. The types of agreements identified range from joint-ventures to impact-benefit agreements to exploration agreements and socio-economic agreements. At the recent Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association conference in Saskatoon, its President Hans Matthews said there are now more than 120 of these agreements in Canada.

Several examples of mutual benefit and cooperation among OMA members and Aboriginal communities can be found. The Musselwhite gold mine, in Northwestern Ontario, which opened in 1997, established a creative agreement with a number of First Nations that provides for education, training, employment and business related opportunities in local communities. Xstrata Nickel and the Wanapitei First Nation reached a mutual benefit agreement concerning the development of the Nickel Rim project in the Sudbury area.

Ontario is a Strategic, World Class, Mining Superpower

September 12, 2008

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.

Ontario´s fortuitous blessing of rich geology has provided this province with a mineral endowment that has supported human development for generations. Over the decades, there has been a steady evolution of the legislative framework that governs mineral development in the province. Currently, the Mining Act is going through another review and consultations on proposed changes in the legislation are taking place across the province.

While some changes in the Mining Act may be welcome and necessary to reflect shifts in societal expectations, at the Ontario Mining Association, we hope they are completed reasonably quickly so the new rules are clarified and communicated to provide certainty to investors and companies developing mining projects. This is crucial because it can take years, or even decades, to develop a mineral deposit into a producing mine and investment decisions are often made years in advance. As a result, any period of uncertainty in the regulatory system can disrupt the investment cycle and have far-reaching consequences on our future prosperity.

Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle has said the purpose of the Mining Act review at this time is to strike the right balance. The balance between responsible and sustainable mineral development for the benefit of all Ontarians while updating the mineral tenure system and the security of investments, Aboriginal rights related to mining, exploration activity on Crown land, land use planning in the Far North and surface rights/mineral rights issues.

Xstrata Copper Announces $121 Million New Investment in the Timmins Kidd Mine

May 15, 2010August 13, 2008

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.

Ontario Mining Association member Xstrata Copper has announced a new $121 million investment to deepen and extend the projected operating life of the Kidd Mine in Timmins. This investment will not only have a positive impact on the company´s future but also on the fortunes of its employees, suppliers and contactors, Timmins, Northern Ontario and the economy of the entire province.

The Kidd Mine is the deepest base metal mine in the world. This new project will expand the copper-zinc orebody´s mining zone from 9,100 feet below surface to 9,500 feet and extend the mine life to 2017. This zone is estimated to contain 3.4 million tonnes of ore with a grade of 1.48% copper, 6.22% zinc and 80 grams of silver per tonne.

“The investment approval reflects Xstrata Copper´s commitment to the sustainability of Kidd Mine and the Timmins community and its business strategy to continually implement improvements to enhance the value of its operations,” said Claude Ferron, Chief Operating Officer for Xstrata Copper Canada.

Ontario Mining Industry Safety Performance Update

August 7, 2008August 6, 2008

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.

For the first half of 2008, the Ontario mining industry´s safety performance was holding steady keeping the sector among the three safest industries in Ontario. For the first six months of 2008, the mining industry had a lost time injury rate of 0.6 per 200,000 hours worked, which is the same as the first six months of 2007. The total medical injury frequency for the first six months of 2008, at 7.4 per 200,000 hours worked, is up slightly from the rate of 6.7 for the January to June 2007 period. The severity of injuries remains virtually the same at 16 days for the first half of 2008, compared with 15 days for the first half of 2007.

According to numbers from the Mines and Aggregates Safety and Health Association (MASHA), the mining sector´s safety prevention organization, and similar organizations representing other industries, mining´s safety record would not quite match, but be in line with, the top performing electrical and education sectors. Mining´s safety performance, however, would rank ahead of sectors such as manufacturing, services, forestry, construction, health care, municipal workers, farming and transportation.

The Ontario mining industry´s lost time injury rate for 2007 was 0.8 per 200,000 hours worked. The industry has been steadily improving over the decades on this incident frequency, which stood at 4.7 in 1985. Credit for these stronger safety performances resides on the shoulders of every individual who works in the industry. These statistics are moving in the right direction because of the personal diligence on the safety front and concern for oneself and his and her colleagues. There are a number of initiatives and institutions supporting these gains.

Ontario’s First Diamond Mine Officially Opened by De Beers Near Attawapiskat

August 1, 2008

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

The De Beers Canada Victor diamond mine is not only officially open but the process plant is officially operating 12% above its nameplate capacity at about 8,200 tonnes of kimberlite daily. At the opening ceremony held on July 26, 2008 at the mine site, which is located about 1,070 kilometres north of Toronto, General Manager Peter Mah told participants “today, we have officially reached full production at the Victor Mine.” He said about 330,000 carats of diamonds have been produced from the one million tonnes of ore processed to date.

“To mark this historic achievement of bringing the Victor Mine into production, Cree drummers and dancers will perform,” said Mr. Mah. “We are Ontario´s first diamond mine and we should celebrate the hard work and dedication that everyone has put into this diamond dream. I especially want to thank the Elders (16 Elders from the Attawapiskat First Nation were at the event) for their wisdom, guidance, experience they share and knowledge.”

A combination of De Beers corporate officials, suppliers, politicians, including Ontario Minister of Northern Development and Mines Michael Gravelle, First Nations representatives, other dignitaries and media arrived at the remote site 90 kilometres west of Attawapiskat on nine different flights to celebrate the opening of the Victor Mine with employees. While building the $1 billion mine was a tremendous engineering feat, organizing and coordinating the opening must be viewed as an outstanding logistical achievement.

OMA joined by MiningWatch Canada to Support Voluntary Rehabilitation Provisions in Ontario Mining Act

August 7, 2008July 27, 2008

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 Ontario Mining Association is finding allies in its support for a proposal to amend the Mining Act to include voluntary, or Good Samaritan, provisions for the reclamation of abandoned Crown-owned mine sites. “We commend the Ontario Government for removing the legal barriers to the industry´s hands-on participation in the voluntary rehabilitation of Crown-held abandoned mine hazards by amending the Mining Act and proposing regulations that establish clear rules for undertaking voluntary rehabilitation projects,” said Adrianna Stech, OMA Manager of Environment and Sustainability.

While it does include some qualifications, it is interesting to note that MiningWatch Canada has also come out in support of this proposed amendment. “MiningWatch Canada is very concerned about this legacy and supports efforts that will see abandoned mine sites secured and rehabilitated so that current impacts and future risks are minimized,” said Ramsey Hart, Canada Program Coordinator for MiningWatch. “The proposed regulation to amend (a specific section of the Mining Act) O.Reg. 240/00 is intended to facilitate voluntary rehabilitation of mine sites by companies that have no legal requirement to do so. We feel this is a helpful step in addressing a daunting challenge and welcome all contributions that the industry can make towards cleaning up its legacy of abandoned mines.”

Ontario Mining Association Feels Mining/Aboriginal/Environmental Communities Can Cooperate in the North

May 12, 2010July 22, 2008

The Ontario Mining Association (OMA), is an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

This letter from Ontario Mining Association President Chris Hodgson to member companies maps out the Association´s position concerning various aspects of Premier Dalton McGuinty´s announcement on plans for the future of Ontario´s northern boreal forest.

Recently, Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty made an announcement concerning the launch of the Far North Planning Process. A land use plan for the Far North has been requested by various groups for years and the lead up to this announcement has taken some time. A fundamental principle of the Ontario Mining Association since its inception in 1920 has been to work productively with the government of the day and, in keeping with this, we have been engaged in an ongoing dialogue on this issue.

You may recall a memo that was sent on June 21, 2007, outlining the points of concern regarding a proposed Far North Planning Initiative that the OMA discussed with various ministers, members of the civil service and political staff. Since that memo was sent, our discussions with the government have taken on greater depth and, lately, more urgency, but the essentials remain the same. The government is faced with a large task, which requires management of many competing interests. Recent media reports have been giving rise to mounting expectations for a radical overhaul of the rules around access to land by resource companies. While the OMA supports changes to improve the systems in place, our concern has been that the scope of the initiative not become overwhelming and, therefore, drawn out and largely unmanageable, resulting in irrational decisions and regulatory uncertainty.

Xstrata Nickel Wins Provincial Mine Rescue Competition

August 7, 2008July 17, 2008

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.

Xstrata Nickel´s Fraser/Thayer Lindsley mine rescue team captured the top prize in the 2008 competition, which was held in Sudbury. Let´s applaud all team members in earning the coveted gold helmets as overall competition winners. This team earned first place overall as well as in the team firefighting and team first aid categories. The competition was held in Onaping at the NORCAT Training Centre, which is the former Fecunis Mine.

“Congratulations to the members of the Fraser/Thayer Lindsley team. They were outstanding representatives of both Xstrata Nickel and the Sudbury District with their performance,” said Mike Romaniuk, Vice President of Sudbury Operations for Xstrata Nickel. “This is a clear demonstration of the quality of our mine rescue program and the commitment of all employees to ensuring the health and safety of our workers.”