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British Columbia.
British Columbia is a province with a rich mining history and a wealth of mining potential yet undiscovered. Early mining operations brought gold and coal to the surface; today, these and many other valuable minerals are bringing prosperit...
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Thompson Creek Metals wins mine reclamation award
Thompson Creek Metals (later acquired by Centerra Gold) won the 2015 BC Jake McDonald Annual Mine Reclamation Award for constructing three over-wintering ponds for rainbow trout at the Mount Milligan Mine in north-central BC. The award recognizes innovative environmental work in restoring land and fish habitat as part of a federally approved fish habitat compensation plan.
10 Ways to Immerse Yourself in British Columbia’s Rich Mining Past
This article profiles 10 historic mining sites and museums across British Columbia that showcase the province's rich mining heritage. The attractions include former copper, gold, coal, and silver mining operations that have been converted into educational tourist destinations and living history museums.
Lucky strikes: Early days in British Columbia’s mining industry
This article provides a historical overview of British Columbia's mining industry spanning 180 years, covering the development of coal, gold, silver, and copper mining from the 1830s through the 1970s. Key milestones include the Fraser River gold rush of 1857, the Slocan silver boom of 1891, and the Britannia copper mine which became the largest copper producer in the British Commonwealth before closing in 1974.
Kootenay Zinc Corp. sponsors Sullivan Core Shack Display
Kootenay Zinc Corp. is sponsoring construction of the Sullivan Core Shack, a museum-level display of ore specimens and drill core from the historic Sullivan mine at Kimberley's Underground Mining Railway Station. The educational display will showcase one of the world's greatest lead-zinc-silver deposits and will include geological specimens from five historic regional mines.
Rock Star: Nalaine Morin, EP
Nalaine Morin, principal at ArrowBlade Consulting Services and member of the Tahltan Nation, works to bridge First Nations traditional knowledge with western science in mining and resource development projects. She has been instrumental in developing innovative processes for cross-cultural resource project management that have been adopted at the provincial level in British Columbia.
MX Gold announces proposed purchase of WestKam Gold Corp.‘s Bonaparte property
MX Gold Corp. has announced a proposed acquisition of WestKam Gold Corp.'s Bonaparte property located near Kamloops, British Columbia. The transaction represents MX Gold's continued consolidation of gold assets in the region.
Teck Trail announces $174 million for new acid plant
Teck announced a $174 million investment in a new acid plant at its Trail Operations in BC, expected to be operational by summer 2019. The plant will reduce SO2 emissions by an additional 5% and create approximately 160 construction jobs.
Conuma Coal re-opens second mine near Tumbler Ridge, B.C.
Conuma Coal Resources is reopening the Wolverine Mine near Tumbler Ridge, BC, creating 220 new jobs and expecting to produce 1.5 million tonnes of metallurgical coal annually by April. This follows the company's earlier restart of the Brule Mine in September, which created 170 positions.
Karina Brino: MABC President and CEO named a WXN 2016 Top 100 Canada’s Most Powerful Women
Karina Briño, President and CEO of The Mining Association of B.C., was named to the Women's Executive Network 2016 Top 100 Canada's Most Powerful Women list, receiving the RBC Champions award. She was the first woman to hold the MABC leadership role since the organization's founding in 1901, highlighting the industry's commitment to diversity and women's advancement in mining.
Talking energy with Greg Reimer
Canadian Mining and Energy magazine published a podcast interview with BC Hydro's executive vice-president Greg Reimer covering the Site C Dam project progress, electricity demand drivers, and infrastructure challenges. Reimer discussed how BC Hydro maintains some of North America's lowest electricity rates despite necessary rate increases.
Teck Trail operations completes $35 million investment to improve community air quality
Teck Trail Operations completed construction of a $35-million Smelter Recycle Building designed to reduce fugitive dust emissions by up to 25%. The facility will contain concentrate and in-process materials previously stored outside, improving community air quality by capturing and recycling dust into processing operations.
IDM Mining says Red Mountain project in Golden Triangle on track
IDM Mining reported progress on its Feasibility Study for the Red Mountain gold-silver project in BC's Golden Triangle, building on a July 2016 PEA that showed strong economics with an after-tax NPV of $86.6 million and 32.3% IRR. The company completed infill drilling, metallurgical work, and tailings facility design while working with regulators and the Nisga'a First Nation.
Teck announces $285US Q1 coal benchmark—new collective agreements at Elkview & Fording River
Teck Resources announced a $285 USD per tonne benchmark price for Q1 2017 for its highest quality steelmaking coals. The company also secured new five-year collective agreements at its Fording River and Elkview mines in BC, though this will result in a one-time $35 million after-tax charge in Q4.
One on one with Sergio Marchi (Part 2)
Canadian Electricity Association CEO Sergio Marchi discussed the electrification of Canada's North, the future of the electricity industry, and visited the SunMine solar project in Kimberley, B.C. The interview was conducted following a Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
Crude oil tanker moratorium on British Columbia’s north coast
The Government of Canada announced plans to introduce legislation by spring 2017 formalizing a crude oil tanker moratorium on British Columbia's north coast, covering the Great Bear Rainforest area from Alaska to northern Vancouver Island. The moratorium will prohibit tankers carrying crude oil or persistent oil products from entering ports in the region, with penalties up to $5 million for violations.
One on one with the Sergio Marchi (part 1)
Sergio Marchi, president and CEO of the Canadian Electricity Association, was interviewed following a Cranbrook Chamber of Commerce presentation. The discussion covered electricity's role in Canadian life, regulatory needs, and northern electrification initiatives.
Barkerville Gold Mines enters into relationship agreement with Lhtako Dene First Nation
Barkerville Gold Mines has entered into a Relationship Agreement with Lhtako Dene First Nation for its Cariboo Gold Project in British Columbia. The agreement establishes the framework for cooperation on exploration and mining activities, with Barkerville issuing 400,000 common shares to the First Nation and both parties planning to negotiate a future Impact Benefit Agreement.
Federal government issues key water licence for Seabridge Gold’s KSM Project
Seabridge Gold received a 25-year water licence from the Government of Canada for its KSM Project's Water Storage Facility in northwestern BC. The licence regulates transboundary water structures on the Unuk River system that flows into Alaska, representing continued federal support for the project's environmental design.
Golden Dawn announces closing of Greenwood property acquisition
Golden Dawn Minerals Inc. announced the closing of its acquisition of 100% interest in the Greenwood Assets, including the Lexington and Golden Crown properties and mill facility. The company paid $2.93M cash plus additional consideration including shares, warrants, and $1.3M in work commitments. The acquisition strengthens Golden Dawn's position in the historic Greenwood mining district of British Columbia.
Magnetite to be shipped by truck from Montana to Elk Valley coal mines
Magnetite from Mexico and South America will be shipped via a new rail-truck route from Montana to Teck's Elk Valley coal mines in BC. The route uses BNSF Railroad to Montana, then Mission Mountain Railroad to Fortine, followed by trucking 80 miles to the Canadian border. This replaces direct CPR rail transport that experienced delays in the interchange process.
A successful sunny garden
Nelson Hydro is developing Canada's first community solar garden near its Bonnington generating station, allowing customers to purchase shares of centralized solar generation. The 75-kilowatt project using 250 panels is nearly sold out and expected to begin operations by November 2016.
Rock Star: John Francis Hugh Thompson
This is a career profile of John Francis Hugh Thompson, a geologist with extensive experience at major mining companies like Teck and Rio Tinto who now divides his time between teaching at Cornell University and consulting from Vancouver. Thompson discusses industry challenges around public perception, the importance of community engagement, and emerging technologies like sensor-based ore sorting in mining operations.
Copper Mountain records best quarterly results since start-up
Copper Mountain Mining achieved record quarterly production at its Princeton, BC operation with 29.5 million pounds copper equivalent sold for $72.2 million revenue. The company reduced cash costs 16% year-over-year to US$1.45 per pound and increased mill throughput to 39,980 tonnes per day. Management cited operational improvements including the 2014 secondary crusher installation and cost savings initiatives as key drivers of the best quarterly performance since startup.
Well over a century and counting
Brian Mills' family has operated Genex Mining Co. Ltd., a contract mining company based in Silverton, BC, for nearly 120 years across four generations. The company's major achievement was a $3.5 million contract at the Max Molybdenum Mine from 2006-2011, employing up to 40 people, and now has several prospective projects lined up including work with Golden Dawn Minerals near Greenwood.