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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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Mining week brings free tours to Teck’s Elk Valley Coal Operations
Teck Coal is offering free guided tours of its five Elk Valley coal operations during Mining Week (May 11-17) in partnership with the Sparwood Chamber of Commerce. The tours will visit Fording River, Line Creek, Coal Mountain, Elkview, and Greenhills operations with bus pickup available from multiple communities including Fernie, Blairmore, Sparwood, and Elkford.
Mining companies show increased confidence in British Columbia
British Columbia has improved its mining investment attractiveness ratings for the fifth consecutive year according to the Fraser Institute's Annual Survey of Mining Companies, though it still ranks 32nd globally for mining policy despite ranking 5th for mineral potential. The province's mining sector was valued at $8.3 billion in 2012 and employed over 32,000 workers, but continues to face challenges from policy uncertainty around land claims, environmental regulations, and regulatory duplication.
Ferry boat to house workers
Rio Tinto Alcan's converted cruise ship, the Delta Spirit Lodge, has arrived in Kitimat to house workers during the company's major modernization project. The floating hotel features 500 bedrooms and will be used for at least nine months to support the large-scale upgrade of RTA's Kitimat operations.
Mining and Natural Resources law expert Steve Vaughan joins Dorsey
International law firm Dorsey & Whitney announced that mining and natural resources law expert Steve Vaughan has joined their Toronto office. Vaughan brings over 40 years of experience as both a geologist and attorney, having worked on natural resources transactions in more than 65 countries across mining, oil and gas, geothermal, coal bed methane and nuclear industries.
CERBA Russia & Eurasia Mining Conference 2014: new opportunities
CERBA hosted its annual Russia and Eurasia Mining Conference during PDAC 2014, bringing together 150+ experts to discuss regulatory changes and investment opportunities in Russian and Central Asian mining markets. The conference highlighted Russia's efforts to streamline mining legislation and Kazakhstan's development of a new mining code based on Canadian and Australian principles.
Vancouver’s Pure Energy Minerals announces Mou with Korea’s Posco on Nevada Lithium Project
Pure Energy Minerals signed a non-binding MOU with Korean steel giant POSCO to explore joint opportunities on Pure Energy's lithium claims in Esmeralda County, Nevada. The partnership will focus on lithium exploration and developing environmentally friendly extraction technologies for lithium brine processing.
Dynamic innovator bringing genomics to Cranbrook
Genome British Columbia is hosting a free public presentation on genomics by Dr. Robin Coope on March 11 at College of the Rockies in Cranbrook. This is part of their fourth annual community engagement program in the region, focusing on the intersection of technology and life sciences including DNA sequencing applications.
Teck announces subscription to Midas Gold Corp. Unit Placement—adds to current holdings
Teck Resources acquired 1.28 million units of Midas Gold Corp at $0.90 per unit through a private placement, increasing its ownership to 10.3% of the Idaho-focused gold development company. This represents Teck's continued investment in precious metals exploration assets in the western United States.
A new book provides guidance on how to engage with First Nations
AME BC released the Aboriginal Engagement Guidebook: A Practical and Principled Approach for Mineral Explorers at Roundup 2014. The guide provides practical advice for prospectors and early-stage explorers on building relationships with First Nations, emphasizing early, informal engagement and two-way conversations. Industry experts highlight that First Nations engagement has become standard practice and is essential for project success.
First Nations sought as equity partners
The federal government and First Nations Financial Management Board are launching an initiative to help First Nations become equity partners in major resource projects in British Columbia. The First Nations Finance Authority will offer long-term loans at 4.1% rates to enable First Nations to invest in natural resource projects, backed by federal guarantees and capital market access.
Taseko donates to VGH’s new mental health facility
Taseko Mines donated $1.5 million to Vancouver General Hospital's new $85-million mental health facility, the Joseph & Rosalie Segal Family Health Centre, scheduled to break ground in October 2014. The donation reflects the company's commitment to community support, particularly given CEO Russell Hallbauer's experience with mental health issues in mining communities.
Wearable Tech comes to the Mining Industry
Vandrico Solutions announces partnership with Motion Metrics to develop the world's first SmartGlass application for mining operations. The wearable technology will provide real-time equipment monitoring and operational analytics to supervisors at 50+ mine sites currently using Motion Metrics' MetricsManager platform.
Highlights as B2Gold reaches record 4th quarter and full-year gold production in 2013
B2Gold Corp achieved record gold production of 366,313 ounces in 2013, representing a 132% increase over 2012 across its operations in Nicaragua and the Philippines. The company generated record revenue of $544.3 million and maintained operating cash costs at the lower end of guidance, demonstrating strong operational performance.
Mine investment firm bullish on BC
Royal Gold, a US $3.3-billion mining investment firm, praised British Columbia's mining-friendly policies and announced major investments in the province. The company has invested US $781.5 million in Thompson Creek's Mt. Milligan copper/gold mine and now receives 52% of gold production, with the mine expected to become Royal Gold's largest revenue source.
Leadership and community engagement at Teck
Teck Resources' Elkview Operations won the 2013 TSM Leadership Award for environmental and community performance. The company purchased $19 million worth of conservation land in southeastern B.C., including 1,000 hectares at Flathead Townsite, representing one of the province's largest private-sector conservation investments.
Executive confident about gold mine’s development
Pretium Resources CEO Robert Quartermain expressed confidence that the company's high-grade Brucejack gold project in northwestern BC will proceed to production by 2016, despite uncertain gold prices. The project contains 8.7 million oz. of measured and indicated gold at 17.6 g/t in the Valley of the Kings zone, with an updated feasibility study expected in Q2 2014.
Mining Suppliers Association of BC supports mineral education
The Mining Suppliers Association of BC donated $35,000 to MineralsEd, a minerals and mining education program for teachers and students in British Columbia. The program has reached over 725,000 students since 1991 and aims to improve public understanding of the mining industry's benefits.
Teck and college team up to train women in mining
Teck has partnered with The College of the Rockies to launch a three-week training program aimed at introducing women to careers in surface coal mining. The $995 program covers technical skills like haul truck operation, safety training, and soft skills development for women in the Elk Valley, Crowsnest Pass and Cranbrook areas.
Gold mine places BC project on hold
New Gold Inc. is postponing development of its massive $1.8 billion Blackwater gold project in British Columbia for two years due to declining gold prices, which have dropped US$600/oz in the past 16 months. Instead, the company will prioritize development of its smaller Rainy River project in Ontario, which has half the capital cost at $885 million.
Bill Bennett, Minister of Energy and Mines opens the Toronto Stock Exchange
BC Minister Bill Bennett opened the Toronto Stock Exchange to highlight the province's strong mining outlook for 2014. Two new mines - Red Chris ($500M copper-gold) and Roman ($340M coal) - are set to begin production, creating over 1,000 jobs combined. The minister also advocated for federal approval of Taseko's $1B New Prosperity mine project.
Pacific Booker Minerals Inc. congratulates Harvey McLeod on 2013 Robert R. Hedley Award
Pacific Booker Minerals Inc. congratulated Harvey McLeod of Klohn Crippen Berger on receiving the 2013 Robert R. Hedley Award for excellence in social and environmental responsibility. McLeod serves as Pacific Booker's lead consultant on the Morrison Project and was recognized for his leadership in mine waste management practices.
Teck receives National Environmental & Social Responsibility Award
Teck received the PDAC 2014 Environmental and Social Responsibility Award for its comprehensive sustainability strategy and collaborative approach to addressing local and global sustainability issues. The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada recognized the company's outstanding accomplishments and commitment to environmental and social initiatives across six key focus areas.
Tom Schroeter: B.C.‘s unofficial mining ambassador
Tom Schroeter, CEO of Vancouver-based Fjordland Exploration Inc., discusses the company's strategy of forming joint ventures with major mining companies to navigate the challenging exploration market. Fjordland focuses on copper-gold porphyry deposits in B.C.'s Quesnel Trough and has reduced its property portfolio from 38 to 18 projects during the market downturn.
Bulk sample program results prove golden
Pretium Resources' bulk sampling program at its Brucejack gold project in northwestern B.C. exceeded targets by producing 5,865 oz. of gold from 10,302 dry tonnes, 47% above the original 4,000 oz. goal. The company also released an updated resource estimate showing 8.7 million oz. of measured and indicated gold at 17.6 g/t in the Valley of the Kings zone.