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Sustainability & Environment.
173 stories
Power your home with solar and sell the excess
BC Hydro's net metering program allows homeowners to install solar panels and sell excess power back to the grid at 9.9 cents per kilowatt. More than 500 property owners in B.C. are currently participating in the program, which can offset up to 100% of electricity bills.
Oil and gas site reclamation takes hands-on approach
Dr. Amanda Schoonmaker is leading applied research at NAIT to develop hands-on methods for reclaiming thousands of former oil and gas well sites in Alberta. Her work focuses on restoring upland forest sites using native species and innovative soil preparation techniques. The research aims to help companies meet provincial reclamation requirements that mandate restoration of woody vegetation rather than just basic grass seeding.
New Afton raises the bar with ISO 50001 Energy Management Standards
New Gold's New Afton copper-gold mine near Kamloops, BC has become the first mine in North America to achieve ISO 50001 energy management certification. The mine implemented comprehensive energy management across grinding, ventilation, crushing and mobile equipment operations, with BC Hydro funding improvements that save $300,000 annually.
Rio Tinto re-opens modernized Kitimat aluminum smelter
Rio Tinto re-opened its modernized Kitimat aluminum smelter in July 2015 after a multi-billion dollar expansion and modernization program. The project increases aluminum production by up to 420,000 tonnes annually while reducing overall emissions by nearly 50 percent and securing 1,000 jobs for decades.
Saskatchewan ranks tops in Canada in Fraser Institute mining survey
The Fraser Institute's 2014 mining survey ranked Saskatchewan as the top Canadian jurisdiction and second globally for mining investment attractiveness, behind only Finland. British Columbia dropped significantly from 16th to 28th place, with policy concerns outweighing its strong mineral potential.
Mine 2015: PWC’s 12th annual review - top trends in the global mining industry
PWC's annual Mine 2015 report reviews a challenging year for the Top 40 mining companies, which lost $156 billion in market value amid prolonged commodity price downturns. Companies focused on cost reduction and capital spending cuts, while M&A activity slowed dramatically compared to the 2011 commodity price peaks.
BluMetric wins $3.2 million Vale environmental engineering contract
BluMetric Environmental was awarded a $3.2 million environmental engineering contract by Vale Canada Limited, with potential for five-year duration and future growth. The contract involves hydrology, hydrogeology, and groundwater management services for Vale's facilities.
WD makes $715K investment for responsible resource development
Western Economic Diversification Canada announced a $715,000 investment in Genome BC to advance genomics technologies for responsible resource development. The funding will help Western Canadian natural resource companies develop new genomics-based products and services to improve competitiveness and access international markets.
Kimberley’s SunMine to light up in June 2015
The City of Kimberley, B.C. is set to launch Western Canada's largest solar farm, the SunMine, in June 2015. The $2 million project features 4,032 advanced solar panels that can track the sun and adjust for weather conditions, generating 1.048 megawatts of electricity. The innovative project will provide the community with approximately $57,800 in annual net revenue over 25 years.
Student engineering team wins provincial competition
Five UNBC environmental engineering students won the BC Water & Waste Association Student Design Competition by developing a biogas production solution for Kelowna's wastewater treatment plant. Their design would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% while producing energy and recovering nutrients for fertilizer.
BC mine reclamation committee to hold June get-together
The British Columbia Technical and Research Committee on Reclamation (TRCR) is hosting its 39th annual mine reclamation symposium June 1-3, 2015 in Vancouver, concurrent with Mine Closure 2015. The event expects 600 attendees and focuses on sharing best practices in environmental protection, mine reclamation and closure across industry, government, academics and First Nations.
Wind farm planned for Peace region
Boralex Inc. and Aeolis Wind have partnered to develop a $480 million wind farm near Tumbler Ridge, BC, featuring 80 turbines that could become the province's largest wind farm. The Red Willow Wind Partnership project is currently undergoing environmental assessment with plans to start construction in 2017 and begin operations by 2018, providing 200 person years of employment.
Two former Teck employees find a second career in mining reclamation
Two former Teck employees established Sullivan Closure Company to manage long-term environmental reclamation of the closed Sullivan Mine in Kimberley, B.C. The company now employs nine people and handles ongoing water treatment, maintenance, and environmental monitoring of the 1,000-hectare former mine site. The reclamation project has become an international example of responsible mine closure practices.
Imperial Oil to build next generation research facility in Calgary
Imperial Oil has broken ground on a new state-of-the-art oilsands research facility in Calgary that will open in 2017, focusing on improving recovery efficiency and reducing environmental impact. The facility will develop technologies like electrical co-generation and non-aqueous extraction methods to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption. These innovations are already being tested at Imperial's Kearl project, a 4.6 billion barrel deposit north of Fort McMurray.
George Ross, lured to the far north
George Ross was appointed as Yukon Territory's Deputy Minister of Energy, Mines, and Resources in October 2014 after 22 years with Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources. Ross emphasizes the importance of geological surveys and regulatory frameworks to position Yukon as a leading mining investment destination when the commodity cycle recovers.
Diavik Diamond Mine powers up with wind
Diavik Diamond Mine has successfully implemented a $31 million four-turbine wind farm that supplies 10% of the mine's power needs, saving 3.8 million litres of diesel fuel worth $5 million annually. The project addresses energy security risks highlighted during the 2006 mild winter when ice road conditions forced expensive fuel airlifts, and represents a new benchmark for wind generation in extreme cold temperatures down to minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Azomite: a full-spectrum reclamation soil additive
ML Agri Products in Slocan, B.C. has become the exclusive Canadian distributor for Azomite, a natural soil additive mined in Utah that restores minerals and trace nutrients to soil stripped by mining and oilsands operations. The product requires about 100 pounds per acre and is designed to accelerate revegetation and improve plant growth in reclamation projects.
CIM 2014 convention in Vancouver May 11 to 14
The Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) announced details for its 2014 convention in Vancouver from May 11-14, featuring the theme 'Mining 4 Everyone' to celebrate diversity in the mining workforce. The event will include technical sessions, workshops, an expo with 500+ exhibiting companies, and plenary speakers including government ministers and mining executives.
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 thought leader overview
Mining Association of BC President Karina Briño discusses industry trends toward increased public engagement and the province's mining competitiveness challenges. BC is targeting eight new mines by 2015 with 30 potential projects worth $30 billion under consideration.
Reclamation must be site-specific
BC's mine reclamation inspector Jennifer McConnachie emphasized that mine reclamation plans must be site-specific rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach across the province's diverse geography. She highlighted the integration of reclamation planning into mine permitting, where companies must provide monetary bonds to ensure proper site restoration.
Revolutionizing prospecting and exploration in Yukon
Yukon prospector Shawn Ryan, who discovered the White Gold District, has developed revolutionary exploration methods that reduce costs from $500,000 over two field seasons to $100,000 in 2.5 weeks. The new approach combines eBee drones, DC resistivity surveys, Geoprobe drilling, and XRF analysis for environmentally-friendly gold exploration.
Recognizing excellence in mine reclamation
The BC Technical and Research Committee on Reclamation presented its 2012 awards recognizing excellence in mine reclamation. Teck Resources won the Jake McDonald Mine Reclamation Award for successfully closing the historic Pinchi Mercury Mine, while the Crown Contaminated Sites Program won the Metal Mining Reclamation Award for work at the Atlin Ruffner site.