Kelly Strong leaving Vale [Sudbury] – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – April 14, 2015)

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

Kelly Strong, Vale’s vice-president of Canada and UK operations, has tendered his resignation to the Brazil-based miner. Vale Sudbury spokeswoman Angie Robson said Tuesday afternoon that Strong has made a decision to leave the company May 1 to pursue another opportunity.

“After almost 14 years with our operations, Kelly has made substantial contributions in the areas of operations, employee engagement and safety, and we wish him all the best,” said Robson in an email.

Conor Spollen, director of Canada and UK Operations and Projects, will assume Strong’s responsibilities until a permanent replacement is chosen. Strong had developed a good working relationship with the union representing production and maintenance workers at Vale’s Sudbury operations.

Last Dec. 10, Strong and USW Local 6500 president Rick Bertrand held a news conference at the Steelworkers’ Hall to announce they were entering into negotiations for a new collective agreement. The current five-year contract, hammered out after a tense year-long strike from July 2009-July 2010, expires May 31.

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COMMENT: First Nations beating war drums – by Marilyn Scales (Canadian Mining Journal – April 13, 2015)

Marilyn Scales is a field editor for the Canadian Mining Journal, Canada’s first mining publication. She is one of Canada’s most senior mining commentators.

I read a couple news releases last week involving complaints by First Nations about being left out of resource development decisions. No one doubts that they must be included. The Supreme Court of Canada’s recent rulings give weight to their claims.

But what is to be gained by opposing Noront’s desire to acquire those lands abandoned by Cliffs Natural Resources?

Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation put it thus: “With Noront’s announcement that it is trying to acquire the Cliffs assets, our First Nations have effectively been denied a real opportunity to benefit from key resources in our lands on our terms. This unilateral move by Noront is unacceptable to our First Nations.”

To say the First Nations have been sidelined already is a bit premature. Unless the chief is intimating that the First Nations have the wherewithal (think money) to buy out Cliffs and stage a multi-billion-dollar resource development themselves.

If the First Nations have a beef with Noront or don’t want to meet the company to work out economic participation, why is that? Again and again Canadian companies have shown that they welcome First Nation participation on many levels.

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Ontario mining royalties ‘pitifully low’: MiningWatch Canada – by Jonathan Migneault (Sudbury Northern Life – April 13, 2015)

http://www.northernlife.ca/

Organization asks auditor general to investigate mining sector

Ontario’s mining royalties are “pitifully low” said MiningWatch Canada in an open letter to Ontario’s auditor general. The organization has asked Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk to exercise her office’s “value-for-money” mandate to evaluate the province’s review of its Mineral Development Strategy.

“Pitifully low mining royalties, very low corporate taxes, direct and indirect subsidies, give-away prices on electricity, unaccounted social and environmental costs, and hundreds of millions of dollars in mine site clean-up costs are all major concerns,” wrote Ugo Lapointe, MiningWatch Canada’s program co-ordinator, in his open letter to Lysyk.

Lapointe said mining companies in Ontario have generated more than $93.3 billion in gross revenues over the last 10 years, but the province has only received 1.5 per cent of that amount in royalties.

“We could learn from some of the First Nations, that are very good negotiators with mining companies,” Lapointe said. During his 2014 municipal election campaign, Sudbury mayoral candidate John Rodriguez said the city could get at least $30 million in mining royalties per year, if it were to strike a deal with the province to get a fair cut.

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Ontario Urgently Needs a Comprehensive “Value-for-Money” Cost-Benefit Analysis for Mining (Mining Watch Canada – April 10, 2015)

http://www.miningwatch.ca/

An Open Letter to Bonnie Lysyk, Auditor General for Ontario

Dear Ms. Lysyk:

Re: Need for a comprehensive “value-for-money,” costs-benefits analysis for mining in Ontario

Current mining policies, programs, and regulations pose a threat to public finance and taxpayers in Ontario, with potentially billions of dollars at stake.

The Ontario government recently announced its intention to review its Mineral Development Strategy (March 2015). MiningWatch Canada is very concerned about the current lack of a comprehensive “value for money,” cost-benefit analysis for mining in Ontario.

Pitifully low mining royalties, very low corporate taxes, direct and indirect subsidies, give-away prices on electricity, unaccounted social and environmental costs, and hundreds of millions of dollars in mine site clean-up costs are all major concerns.

According to Natural Resources Canada, mining companies generated over $93.3 billion in gross revenue in Ontario over the last 10 years. During the same period, a meagre 1.5% was generated in mining royalties – 10 times less than a tip at a restaurant!

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News Release: Ontario mining health and safety conference April 14 to 16

Workplace Safety North hosts 300 participants in Sudbury

(April 13, 2015) NORTH BAY, ON – From April 14 to 16 in Sudbury, Workplace Safety North (WSN) will host more than 300 attendees at the annual provincial Mining Health and Safety Conference. The event brings together Ontario’s mining industry, giving organizations the opportunity to share knowledge about safety programs and innovations dealing with hazards specific to mining.

“We’re in our eighteenth year and continue to focus on the occupational health and safety approach known as the ‘Internal Responsibility System,’” says Candys Ballanger-Michaud, CEO. “The focus of conference will be the final recommendations from the Mining Health, Safety and Prevention Review on improving health and safety in the underground mining sector.

“Mining is a vital and technically demanding industry,” notes Ballanger-Michaud. “We have mining health and safety consultants as well as mine rescue officers providing miners across Ontario with training on topics like core health and safety principles as well as industry-specific issues. WSN mining specialists provide training with regard to mine ventilation, ground control, electrical-mechanical safety, rescue and recovery operations, priority hazards, plus we help companies assess health and safety risks and meet legislative requirements.”

In addition to workshops and a trade show, the sold-out conference features guest speakers Dr. Linda Duxbury and Kevin Burns, along with sessions on training, WSIB claims, heat stress, occupational lung disease, emergency preparedness, working at heights, and more.

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First nations oppose Ring of Fire sale – by Staff (Sudbury Star – April 13, 2015)

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

Two first nation communities in the James Bay lowlands are protesting the proposed takeover of Ring of Fire assets by a Toronto-based company. In early March, Noront Resources Inc. announced it plans to buy the chromite assets owned by Cliffs Natural Resources, based out of Cleveland, for $20 million.

The chiefs of Marten Falls and Aroland First Nations, however, are now speaking out against this move, saying it will tread on their rights and prevent them from reaping the economic opportunities to which they are entitled.

“Our first nations have effectively been denied a real opportunity to benefit from key resources in our lands on our terms,” said Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation in a release issued Friday. “This unilateral move by Noront is unacceptable to our first nations.”

Bruce Achneepineskum, interim chief of Marten Falls First Nation, said the deal represents an “old way of thinking” when it comes to development in native lands.

“Progressive mining companies are inclusive, share resources equitably with indigenous peoples, and know that only real partnerships protect our rights, interests and environment,” he argued in the release.

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MEDIA RELEASE: FIRST NATION CHIEFS OPPOSE NORONT’S PURCHASE OF CLIFFS’ ASSETS IN THE RING OF FIRE

Aroland First Nation

Marten Falls First Nation

Marten Falls First Nation, Ontario – April 10, 2015. The Chiefs of Marten Falls First Nation and Aroland First Nation re-affirmed today their opposition to Noront Resources’ proposed purchase of Cliffs Natural Resources’ chromite assets.

Interim Chief Bruce Achneepineskum of Marten Falls First Nation and Chief Sonny Gagnon of Aroland First Nation met for two days this week with their advisors at a Bay Street law office in Toronto to review the status of the proposed Noront purchase of Cliffs chromite assets in the Ring of Fire. The Cliffs assets are in Marten Falls’ traditional territory. The proposed North-South corridor, which is essential to haul ore
out of the Ring of Fire, is in the traditional territory of both First Nations.

“With Noront’s announcement that it is trying to acquire the Cliffs assets, our First Nations have effectively been denied a real opportunity to benefit from key resources in our lands on our terms,” said Chief Gagnon. “This unilateral move by Noront is unacceptable to our First Nations.”

“We oppose this old way of thinking about mining and trampling on First Nation rights,” said Interim Chief Achneepineskum. “The world has changed.

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Province to renew mineral development strategy – by Jonathan Migneault (Northern Ontario Business – April 8, 2015)

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.

The province’s decision to renew its mineral development strategy – first established in 2006 – comes at a time when the sector is in a downturn, says the executive director of the Ontario Prospectors Association.

When the strategy was developed nine years ago, Ontario’s mining sector was on an upturn, but the timing for the renewed strategy will give the province a very different picture, said Garry Clark.

“They have to understand – and they are coming to grips with the fact – that the only way we stay as a vibrant mining province is to have lots of things in the pipeline coming up from prospectors and junior companies to look at and put into production,” he said.

While Ontario’s mining sector has been in a downturn for two years, Clark said the province has only taken notice over the last six months.

Their statistics, he said, are usually a year behind. In a discussion paper meant to inform the renewed mineral development strategy, the province admits “Ontario could face many challenges in the years ahead.”

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Hollinger open pit taking shape – by Len Gillis (Timmins Daily Press – April 4, 2015)

The Daily Press is the city of Timmins broadsheet newspaper.

TIMMINS – Goldcorp has asked for, and has received permission, from Timmins city hall to extend the deadline for the Subsequent Land Use Plan — that’s the land reclamation plan on what will be created to replace the Hollinger open pit, once the mining has ended. City council recently approved the request, to allow Goldcorp Porcupine Gold Mines (PGM) push the deadline back from March 31, 2015 to Dec. 31, 2015.

This also means that the deadline for the final plan is being pushed back to the end of 2017. This is the second time the company has asked for an extension. Originally, the plan was to have been submitted by Nov. 11, 2014. Last fall, Goldcorp requested the first deadline extension to have a plan submitted March 31, 2015.

PGM was back at the council table just a couple of weeks ago to explain that things were not going along as quickly as anticipated. PGM general mines manager Brendan Zuidema told council the company has faced some delays and challenges.

“We have experienced several unexpected delays since signing the original agreement on Nov. 12, 2012, along with many other operational challenges caused by the worst weather we have experienced in many years,” said Zuidema. “Last year and this year, it has been pretty tough in the pit.

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Mining firms in Sudbury benefit from energy program – by Carol Mulligan (Sudbury Star – April 8, 2015)

The Sudbury Star is the City of Greater Sudbury’s daily newspaper.

Making the Northern Industrial Electricity Rate Program permanent will help Sudbury’s two largest mining companies lower their costs and remain competitive globally, say their executives.

Sudbury Liberal MPP Glenn Thibeault announced Tuesday that the Government of Ontario will keep funding the program, which was to conclude in 2016, to the tune of about $120 million a year.

Twenty-three companies in Northern Ontario — including forestry companies and stainless steel producers — will benefit from the program.

Vale Ltd. will receive about $20 million annually to offset the cost of energy and Glencore’s Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations will receive about $13 million.

Marc Boissonneault, Glencore vice-president of Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations, said the program is one of the pieces of a puzzle that will allow his company to continue to mine beyond 2020.

Glencore has said its resources will run out in five years unless it develops two new mines, the Onaping Depth at its Levack complex and an extension of Nickel Rim Mine called the Nickel Rim Depth.

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Harte Gold has eyes on 2016 production – by Ian Ross (Northern Ontario Business – April 7, 2015)

Stephen Roman, president-CEO of Harte Gold, could bring the first new gold mine in Hemlo into production in 30 years.(Photo by Stan Sudol)
Stephen Roman, president-CEO of Harte Gold, could bring the first new gold mine in Hemlo into production in 30 years. (Photo by Stan Sudol)

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.

If all goes according to plan, Harte Gold could soon be commissioning the first new mine in the Hemlo gold belt in 30 years. President and CEO Stephen Roman said the high-grade deposit at the company’s Sugar Zone property has open-ended potential that could lead to a new gold camp in northeastern Ontario.

“The project’s really ready to go now,” said Roman, whose Toronto-based junior has a permit in hand to take a massive 70,000-tonne bulk sample by the middle of this year.

The Sugar Zone Property is 60 kilometres east of the Hemlo area gold mines and about 25 km north of White River off the Trans-Canada Highway. Roman comes from good mining stock. His father, Stephen B. Roman, a Canadian Mining Hall of Famer, steered Denison Mines in Elliot Lake for 35 years. But the younger Stephen G. Roman is already a well-established name in Northern Ontario mining circles.

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Media Release: Stop the fire sale of Ontario’s natural resources

Green Party Ontario leader Mike Schreiner is calling on the Liberal government to end the fire sale of Ontario’s natural resources as the government struggles to balance its budget.

(April/01/2015) Queen’s Park – “It’s irresponsible for the Liberals to sell off our natural resources at rock bottom prices, especially when the province’s finances are a mess,” says Schreiner. “The people of Ontario deserve their fair share of the province’s resource wealth.”

The Liberal government is looking at selling public assets such as Hydro One and extracting more money from alcohol sales. Yet, the Liberals have made no effort to maximize the value of Ontario’s natural resources, even though the Drummond Report called for increasing natural resource revenues, which would also create incentives to use them efficiently.

Ontario has the lowest effective mining royalty rate in Canada after all tax breaks are counted. In 2010 and 2011 the province’s mining industry extracted metals and minerals valued at $17 billion but only paid 1.4% ($250 million) for these resources. The average Canadian rate for the same period was 5.6%. Saskatchewan’s public return was over 9%.

Ontario only charges 11.5 cents/tonne for aggregate extraction. Quebec charges 50 cents/tonne. The province’s water-taking levy for industrial purposes is only $3.71 per million litres.

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A new deal for the Ring of Fire – by Rick Millette (Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal – April 5, 2015)

Thunder Bay Chronicle-Journal is the daily newspaper of Northwestern Ontario.

Rick Millette is senior executive director: Ring of Fire at Northern Policy Institute.

The cards have been shuffled on the ownership and history of the Ring of Fire. Noront Resources has made a brilliant play in buying the claims of Cliffs Natural Resources for a small fraction of what was originally paid for them. Noront’s shares jumped on the news. Optimism has returned.

The recent announcement of a road study for an east-west link to First Nations communities near the Ring has furthered hopes for movement on the entire project. The study is inclusive of the Matawa Tribal Council.

Some of their communities will be connected to the outside world in a way that will help improve living conditions by making everything from food to building materials more affordable. And, whatever route the road takes, it will get Noront closer to its proposed mine site.

The cherry on the cake is that the joint federal-provincial funding of the road study has served as an olive branch, calming the stormy rhetoric between the two levels of government. From shareholders, to landholders, to vote holders, everyone is beaming.

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Ontario Government is blind to exploration problem – by Rick Owen (Northern News – April 2, 2015)

http://www.northernnews.ca/ [Kirkland Lake]

KIRKLAND LAKE – Monday and Tuesday there were about 300 delegates attending the Northeastern Ontario Mines and Mineral Symposium, at Northern College.

Every three years the Northern Prospectors’ Association host this event, which is a great time for networking with prospectors, geologists, mining companies and Ministry of Northern Development and Mines representatives.

Once again the organizing committee from the NPA did an excellent job and considering how small the active membership in NPA this was a huge accomplishment. While the symposium was officially two days long, it was in fact four days as the NPA also hosted courses in the two days leading up to the symposium.

During the symposium there were several talks given, on everything from exploration techniques to updates on projects, many of which are in the Kirkland Lake area. The NPA did a great job keeping everything running on schedule, which in itself is a major achievement.

Another component of the symposium is the trade show area, where local exploration companies, service providers and the provincial government had booths. The trade show floor was a busy place as there scheduled coffee and lunch breaks so delegates had time to visit the booths.

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