Canadian Mining Journal | June/July 2023

RECLAMATION & CLOSURE

Harnessing technology to improve revegetation outcomes

Non-native species used in mine reclamation

WHO CAN ANSWER MY HEAVY-HAUL QUESTIONS?

ALBERTA’S COAL PHASE-OUT: PROS AND CONS

We’ve designed and built heap leach projects since heap leaching was first developed in the early 1970’s.

EVERY HEAP IS DIFFERENT.

There are still a lot of failures – due to permeability, heap stability, or lack of respect for the topography – KCA can ensure that your heap starts up quickly, and works as designed. We are not just design engineers – we acted as EPCM contractors on the heaps in these photos – if you want experience and innovation on your side, call us for your next project.

FEATURES

ESG

9 ESG risk management can be a differentiator for mining companies.

RECLAMATION & CLOSURE

13 Restoration: Harnessing technology to improve revegetation outcomes.

16 Non-native species used in mine reclamation: Benefits and risks.

19 A pathway to deploy innovative mine water technology.

MINING IN ALBERTA AND SASKATCHEWAN

22 Alberta’s coal phase-out: Pros and cons.

24 Orano’s Cluff Lake project: A milestone for uranium mining.

MINING IN NORTH AMERICA

26 Mining for critical minerals in North America.

MAINTENANCE AND TRANSPORTATION

28 Who can answer my heavy-haul questions?

32 Understanding alternative methods for fueling a fleet: Wet hosing versus onsite fuel tanks.

SAFETY & TECHNOLOGY

34 Searching for safety: Boost safety and efficiency in quarries with diagnostic tools.

35 Microwave processing of ore.

DEPARTMENTS

4 EDITORIAL | Conserve and revegetate: Reclamation and closure simply explained.

6 FAST NEWS | Updates from across the mining ecosystem.

8 LAW | Where to next: Resource nationalism.

11 MIN(E)D YOUR BUSINESS | Canadian funding to advance mining’s ESG projects.

37 ON THE MOVE | Tracking executive, management, and board changes in Canada’s mining sector.

www.canadianminingjournal.com

Front

CREDIT: JODYADOBE IMAGES

Coming in August 2023

Canadian Mining Journal’s August issue will feature our annual ranking of the Top 40 mining companies in Canada by revenue. We will also provide views on crushers, conveyers, screens, and a review on development projects of merit across Canada.

For More Information

Please visit www.canadianminingjournal.com for regular updates on what’s happening with Canadian mining companies and their personnel both here and abroad. A digital version of the magazine is also available at https://www.canadianminingjournal.com/digital-edition/

cover image: Nootka Lupin is a species that is common in western North America. Certain annual lupins can uptake arsenic in the root system and have been studied as an option for bioremediation.

Tamer Elbokl, PhD

Conserve and revegetate: Reclamation and closure simply explained

We are currently witnessing huge technological advances that are changing every stage in the mining industry from prospecting and exploration to reclamation and closure. Reclamation process minimizes the adverse environmental effects of surface mining and returns the mine lands to a near natural state as possible as an open space, wildlife habitat, or even agricultural or commercial development. The process has gone a long way in the last decade. Canada has set an ambitious goal to conserve and revegetate 30% of the country’s land mass by 2030, and the Canadian mining sector has an opportunity to contribute to this shared goal. Additionally, Budget 2019 invested $49.9 million over 15 years ($2.2 billion on a cash basis starting in 2020–2021) to create the Northern Abandoned Mine Reclamation Program to address the largest and highest risk abandoned mines in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories. Meanwhile, Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan continues to provide funding for the remediation of the other smaller mines and contaminated sites in the North under the responsibility of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada.

This issue features articles on mine reclamation and closure; mining in North America, Alberta, and Saskatchewan; and more. You can learn more on the latest revegetation technology by reading Jenny Fortier’s article on page 13. A report on page 16 discusses the benefits and risks of using several non-native species in mine reclamation. Flip to page 26 to learn more about critical minerals in North America.

Diane L.M. Cook discussed the pros and cons of Alberta’s coal phase-out on page 22, while the article on page 24 provides an update on Orano’s decommissioned project in northwestern Saskatchewan. Orano Canada’s Cluff Lake uranium project has reached the end of its mining life cycle through remediation. This comes after a decade of the site being fully decommissioned and open to the public. This issue also features articles on maintenance and transportation, safety, and technology on pages 28 to 36.

On a separate topic, despite receiving a lot of kudos during PDAC (Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada) 2023 for our February-March 2023 issue and its Women in Mining feature, including the cover image, we also received some negative feedback regarding our choice of the cover image for different reasons varying from using an AI (artificial intelligence) generated image to using a too-rugged looking model in the image. Of note, the image was chosen by our highly experienced female staff, along with some consultation from female leaders in the industry, who wanted to portray a strong woman breaking the final frontier of mining, working underground. However, we apologize to those who saw the image differently and were offended by the choice we made. We promise to be more careful in the future on sensitive issues.

Finally, our August issue will be devoted to our annual ranking of the Top 40 mining companies in Canada by revenue. We will also provide reviews on crushers, conveyers, screens, and a review on development projects of merit across Canada. Relevant, novel editorial contributions can be sent to the Editor in Chief until July 7, 2023. CMJ

JUNE/JULY 2023 Vol. 144 – No . 05

225 Duncan Mill Rd. Suite 320, Toronto, Ontario M3B 3K9

Tel. (416) 510-6789 Fax (416) 510-5138 www.canadianminingjournal.com

Editor in Chief Dr. Tamer Elbokl TElbokl@CanadianMiningJournal.com

News Editors Marilyn Scales mscales@canadianminingjournal.com

Production Manager Jessica Jubb jjubb@glacierbizinfo.com

Advisory Board

David Brown (Golder Associates)

Michael Fox (Indigenous Community Engagement) Scott Hayne (Redpath Canada)

Gary Poxleitner (SRK)

Manager of Product Distribution

Allison Mein

416-510-6789 ext 3 amein@glacierrig.com

Publisher & Sales

Robert Seagraves

416-510-6891 rseagraves@canadianminingjournal.com

Sales, Western Canada

George Agelopoulos

416-510-5104 gagelopoulos@northernminer.com

Toll Free Canada & U.S.A.: 1-888-502-3456 ext 2 or 43734

Circulation Toll Free Canada & U.S.A.: 1-888-502-3456 ext 3

President, The Northern Miner Group Anthony Vaccaro

Established 1882

Canadian Mining Journal provides articles and information of practical use to those who work in the technical, administrative and supervisory aspects of exploration, mining and processing in the Canadian mineral exploration and mining industry. Canadian Mining Journal (ISSN 0008-4492) is published 10 times a year by Glacier Resource Innovation Group (GRIG). GRIG is located at 225 Duncan Mill Rd., Ste. 320, Toronto, ON, M3B 3K9 Phone (416) 510-6891.

Legal deposit: National Library, Ottawa. Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and may be used only for your personal non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved and commercial use is prohibited. To make use of any of this material you must first obtain the permission of the owner of the copyright. For further information please contact Robert Seagraves at 416-510-6891.

Subscriptions – Canada: $51.95 per year; $81.50 for two years. USA: US$64.95 per year. Foreign: US$77.95 per year. Single copies: Canada $10; USA and foreign: US$10. Canadian subscribers must add HST and Provincial tax where necessary. HST registration # 809744071RT001.

From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods:

Phone: 1-888-502-3456 ext 3; E-mail: amein@glacierrig.com

Mail to: Allison Mein, 225 Duncan Mill Rd., Ste 320, Toronto, ON M3B 3K9

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.

DEEPLY INVESTED IN MINING.

Updates from across the mining ecosystem

• EXPLORATION | Seabridge hunting for new discoveries at Iskut

• URANIUM | Fission advance FEED at Patterson Lake South

Seabridge Gold is drilling at its 100%-owned Iskut property in the hopes of making new copper-gold porphyry discoveries in British Columbia’s Golden Horseshoe. Iskut is located only 20 km from the company’s massive KSM copper-gold project.

The initial work will be on the Snip North target and expand to the Bronson Slope target. Three helicopter-borne drills are on site, and two additional units will arrive in coming weeks. The program calls for 12 to 15 diamond drill holes totaling at least 12,000 metres.

The company says regional geophysical surveys and surface geology continue to confirm a district-scale structural feature that connects the Quartz Rise, Bronson Slope and Snip North targets. All the recognized mineral occurrences at Iskut are interpreted as high-level expressions of copper-gold porphyry systems aligned along this regional structural trend. The trend has similar characteristics to the one that hosts a cluster of porphyry systems Seabridge has defined at the KSM project.

The Iskut property covers 22,238 hectares straddling the Iskut River in the Pacific Coast range about 110 km east of Stewart, B.C. Seabridge acquired the property in 2016 when it made an all-share offer for SnipGold. CMJ

Fission Uranium has kicked off its summer drill program to advance the front-end engineering design (FEED) work at its wholly owned Patterson Lake South (PLS) uranium property in the Athabasca basin of Saskatchewan. A two-stage program with 12 holes is planned.

Two holes for a total of 440 metres will be drilled to confirm geotechnical parameters of the rock mass and discontinuities. The information will be used in planning the underground mine infrastructure.

Seven test holes and three monitoring holes for a total of 500 metres will be drilled for hydrogeological assessment of the potential to expand the tailings management facility (TMF) northward into the aggregate borrow pit. If the results support this goal, the TMF will be enlarged to treat the same volume as considered in the feasibility study over a larger area, which would reduce the ultimate berm height. Either option is expected to reduce long-term rehabilitation costs as well as provide operational flexibility and cost efficiency. CMJ

• GOLD BONANZA | New Found Gold drills 105 g/t over 27 metres, including 757 g/t

New Found Gold continues its successful drilling program at the Queensway gold project near Gander, Nfld. The latest bonanza grades come from the newly discovered Iceberg zone, one of 14 zones discovered on the property.

Hole NFGC-23-1210 returned 105.32 g/t gold along its 27.1 metre length beginning at 59.8 metres below surface. The length included intersections of 59.0 g/t over 0.85 metre, 22.82 g/t over 0.45 metre, 39.92 g/t over 3.15 metres, 38.92 g/t over 3.15 metres, 159.61 g/t over 1.05 metre, 234.69 g/t over 7.3 metres, and 756.96 g/t gold over 1.0 metre, ending at 81.4 metres below surface.

The Iceberg zone is currently drill-defined over a strike length of 550 metres and represents the eastern extend of the Keats-Baseline fault zone, the same that that hosts the Keats Main zone. At the time of writing, New Found was in the midst of a 500,000-metre drill program at the Queensway project, and approximately 55,135 metres of core is awaiting assay results. CMJ

A visible gold bonanza in core from the Iceberg zone of the Queensway project CREDIT: NEW FOUND GOLD

The Iskut project in B.C.’s Golden Triangle CREDIT: SEABRIDGE GOLD

Drilling at the PLS uranium project CREDIT: FISSION URANIUM

Where to next: Resource nationalism

By Sander Grieve

In the resource business, sometimes, one wrestles with certain subjects that can leave you questioning your own sanity. You talk to smart people about interesting issues regularly. Many of them are good at a variety of disciplines, geology, geophysics, construction, project estimation, supply chains, demand forecasting, off-taking, and, eventually, simple math. You listen to people talk about ideas, such as electrification, net-zero and the advertized imperative of driving electric cars. Then you talk to smart people about what makes electric cars go. Where is it? How much is forecasted to be? Who owns it? How might you get your hands on it? What does it cost? What might it cost in the future when you need it?

This is where it gets hard. This is the point at which math leads you to conclude there is a big problem coming, and it is coming fast. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) expects lithium demand to rise to 42 times current levels by 2040, and graphite by 25 times. On the way to what many see as a modern-day utopia, it is going to take a lot of stuff to get there, and that “stuff” is in short supply.

At which point do we arrive at the business end? As we pursue the questions of where, what, and how much of certain resources we will need to “run the future,” we cannot help but come to the stark realization that we need to hang on to what we have and take control, directly and indirectly, over ownership, exploitation, and sale of critical resources. For several decades, foreign investment in critical minerals was welcomed, the belief was that the owner cannot move the resource, so ownership is not the most crucial factor. As the timing around development, off taking, and sales arrangements have become more important, governments have now arrived at the table looking for direct interest. The toolkit includes the following:

> 1 Foreign investment reviews and divestiture orders: Canada, an open economy, with a huge reliance on foreign direct investment, recently went “all in” on restricting investment. The government published new advice on critical minerals with an advertized hostility to state-owned enterprises (SOEs). As though to make the point more directly, they ordered three divestments by minority shareholders in lithium companies. The investors in question were Chinese SOEs. What does this mean for a country reliant on foreign direct investment? What does it mean for the future opportunities to finance companies in Canada? We are implementing a no-fly list, but without transparency on how future financing needs will be met and what the impact will be on valuations.

> 2 State ownership: Chile, Zimbabwe, and Mexico have publicly announced that lithium will be nationalized. This is the most aggressive of all responses, but it is likely to spread as countries seek security that they alone will control the critical mineral opportunities inside their borders.

> 3 Export controls: Export controls are on the rise as host countries look to benefit from their resources and, more importantly, leverage them into domestic supply and vertical integration of their economies up the value chain of the battery economy. The OECD identifies total export controls on industrial raw materials surging from 3,337 to 18,263 between 2009 and 2020. The message is increasingly clear; you might own it, but you cannot have it.

> 4 Public incentives: The Government of Japan has announced that it will subsidize up to 50% of the cost of mine development and smelting projects undertaken by Japanese companies in critical minerals. The subsidies will include geological surveys and technical reports as to feasibility. A key condition will be a commitment to continue operations for no less than five years. Enforcement of this condition remains a new frontier for state action.

This is not a regional or novel development. You can find incentives everywhere from Canada’s critical minerals flowthrough tax credit program to the U.S. government’s $1.6 billion commitment to support raw material production from mining through smelting.

Two generations ago, we were a nation obsessed with stopping foreign money at the border for fear that we would be hollowed out; a branch plant economy. Now, we, along with many other countries, are desperately scrambling to redeploy the tactics of protectionism with a new goal. The future suddenly will be dictated by the oldest rule; “he who has the gold rules.” However, this time, the gold is replaced with copper, nickel, manganese, indium, rare earth elements, helium, lithium, cobalt, graphite, and potash. CMJ

“The government published new advice on critical minerals with an advertized hostility to state-owned enterprises (SOEs).”

SANDER GRIEVE is a partner, head of the mining industry team at Bennett Jones.

ESG risk management can be a differentiator for mining companies

ESG (environmental, social and governance) is a concept that has gained in popularity over the last decade in virtually every industry. In the mining sector, ESG has built upon the previous work in the sector to “go-green” by encapsulating these three issues of interest into a framework that is designed to allow the firm, its investors, its insurers, and others to ascertain the impacts its activity is having on the planet, people, and profit.

Traditionally, risk has been categorized into a few buckets: operational, financial, and a rather nebulous bucket called nontechnical risk, wherein environmental and social risk was placed. Over time, this third bucket, which has had a cloak over it for decades has started to be referred to, still vaguely, as “sustainability performance.” Now, ESG is the nomenclature used to describe risks deemed less material. Much of the early work on this new

framework has focused on: setting benchmarks, identifying areas of ESG non-compliance, and providing reports back to shareholders on performance.

Currently, ESG risk management is largely like getting last year’s weather report and saying, “trust us; we know when it will snow next.” Through new approaches in real-time data collection and analysis, ESG risk management can be transformed from an after-action report into a transparent up-to-the-minute pulse checks on critical controls performance.

A recent conversation with Michael Hartley, InterKnowlogy’s managing director of mining and energy, helped shed light on how companies that choose to manage ESG risk in an open and transparent way stand to gain competitive advantage over those that do not. InterKnowlogy is a California-based tech firm that focuses on data visualization solutions to enable

By Steve Gravel

better decision making. For Hartley, context is everything.

Context helps frame managing ESG risks as part of a system of interconnected components that impact each other rather than as disparate parts working independently from one another. Systems and organizations that are context-rich are typically complex and require a “systems thinking” approach rather than a “component thinking” approach to effectively manage risks.

Hartley has crystalized the difference between firms that adopt effective ESG risk management and those that do not in an apt metaphor. We need to look at the way we curate ESG risk data the same way we look at produce. Produce is made up of perishable items, they are only good for so long. “If you come to my banana shop and you say you want these six bananas and I say, come back in two

months and those same six bananas will still be waiting for you,” Hartley said. “Would you still want them then?” he added.

This is how we are treating decision makers now as we tend to not give them data on what is happening, but rather data that was collected two months to two years ago and expect them to make decisions that are operationally respon-

sible. To be an early adopter of comprehensive ESG risk management can differentiate companies in the eyes of investors, insurers, and even host governments in which mining companies operate. Companies that do not implement transparent platforms to manage ESG risk will fall behind others that do in a climate where ESG performance can mean the difference between gain-

ing a supply contract and not.

For the generational opportunity that stands before us in critical minerals and battery metals, reframing mining companies not as customers as they are traditionally thought of, but as an integral part of the supply chain is a helpful notion to understand how ESG should be considered by these firms. Mines are used to being the end customer. They are used to looking at firms that make up their supply chain and querying them for a variety of performance metrics that include ESG performance. This is how mining companies should now look at themselves: as vendors that supply a commodity to a specific end-user/group of consumers.

The same scrutiny they apply to their supply chain is now, more than ever, going to be expected of them. More specifically, Hartley suggested looking at the auto parts manufacturing sector for cues on how mining companies should be thinking of transparently offering up to date risk performance metrics to their end-users. Tier-one suppliers undergo rigorous vetting and performance tracking to become and remain part of automotive manufacturers supply chains. The new reality is that the materials being extracted by mining companies are closer than ever in proximity to the consumer. As such, more light is being shined on the supply chain, and companies that demonstrate ESG performance will have an advantage.

In the end, having policies and procedures and a well written sustainability report is like having a shelf with two bookends, but the middle of the shelf is empty. The approach InterKnowlogy employs is to pull relevant data sources internally and externally to measure and communicate risk exposure and control performance for issues such as extreme weather events and contractor management and knit it all together for real-time enterprise ESG risk management. There is no other way to come to terms with types of data that operational decision makers, investors, shareholders, and insurers are going to require going forward. Utilizing the latest data analytics and visualization technologies can empower operational decision makers and external stakeholders by making ESG risk information up to date, accessible, and useful. CMJ

Steve Gravel is the manager of the Centre for Smart Mining at Cambrian College.

By Cody Ryckman and Ailsa McCulloch

Canadian funding to advance mining’s ESG projects

One of the biggest challenges the mining industry faces is securing initial investment as well as sustaining capital throughout the life of a mine. Fortunately, today in Canada, there is now more federal, provincial, and municipal funding available to advance mining projects than ever before. The grant and loan opportunities come from a variety of agencies at both the federal and provincial levels. There are huge opportunities on the table right now.

Given the federal sustainability goals, there is ample opportunity for mining companies to secure funding to meet their decarbonization and energy transition goals. However, it can be difficult to pinpoint available funding opportunities that focus on social elements. In other words, the “S” for “social” in ESG. Mining companies can apply for grants and low interest loans to support strong economic growth, Indigenous partnerships, and communities. This is especially true given the emphasis in Budget 2022 and Budget 2023 on creating a clean economy, creating good middle-class careers, and ensuring economic prosperity.

Let’s explore some of the new funding available for the mining industry in Canada.

Funding for strong economic growth

Thanks to the 2022 Canada

Critical Minerals Strategy, there is extra attention on the Canadian mining industry too. The global focus on net-zero and a green economy means the mining industry will need more people.

1 | Youth employment and skills strategy (YESS): The YESS “is the Government of Canada’s commitment to help young people, particularly those facing barriers to employment, get the information and gain the skills, work experience, and abilities they need to make a successful transition into the labour market.” There are multiple funding opportunities within YESS, across 11 federal departments and agencies.

2 | Union training and innovation fund (UTIF): The UTIF, through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC),

Nickel is one of the 31 critical minerals identified in the Canadian Critical Minerals Strategy. CREDIT:

aims to fund innovative approaches to apprenticeship in Red Seal trades. Though this fund closed in late 2022, many affiliated funds with similar objectives are accepting applications.

3 | Jobs and growth fund: This “provides funding to businesses and organizations to help create jobs and position local economies for long-term growth.” Within this fund, Western Economic Diversification Canada has earmarked $217 million to build resiliency, transition to a green economy, and create jobs.

The future of mining depends on skilled young people choosing a career in mining. The good news is that the industry’s focus on innovation, automation, and sustainability means there are new career paths in mining that did not exist previously.

Funding for Indigenous partnerships

A significant component of the Critical Minerals Strategy is proactively building partnerships with Indigenous communities. For a mining project to proceed, Indigenous connection and consultation is paramount. Here are a few of the several funds available:

1 | Strategic partnerships initiative (SPI): Indigenous Services Canada leads the SPI. Its goal is to “help Indigenous communities participate in complex economic opportunities.” It provides funding for clean energy projects in Indigenous, rural, and remote communities across Canada. These initiatives

can span many years, have regional economic impacts, and serve multiple communities.

2 | Climate change and health adaptation program: This program, through Indigenous Services Canada, “is designed to build capacity for climate change and health adaptation by funding community-designed and driven projects.” It supports initiatives that focus on human health and a changing climate. It also examines areas such as food security, access to safe drinking water, and the impacts of extreme weather events.

3 | First Nations and Inuit summer work experience program: This program “provides youth with summer employment opportunities where they can gain work experience and develop important skills.” These skills include communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. The aim is to allow youth to learn about career options while earning an income. They might also choose to gain a university or college education. There are many opportunities to build partnerships with Indigenous communities across Canada. This is crucial for every industry, but it is particularly important for the mining sector.

Funding for communities

Connected communities need strong infrastructure, and our modern infrastructure needs mined materials. Beyond traditional infrastructure funding, there are also grants for mining companies to build renewable energy infrastructure. For example, funds exist for or designing charging infrastructure.

1 | Natural infrastructure fund: The NIF has major implications for mining. “The $200-million Natural Infrastructure Fund supports projects that use natural or hybrid approaches to protect the natural environment, support healthy and resilient communities, and contribute to economic growth and jobs.”

2 | The low carbon economy fund: This fund exists to support “projects that help to reduce Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions, generate clean growth, build resilient communities, and create good jobs for Canadians.” The fund will invest $2.2 billion over seven years.

Whether a mine is advancing traditional or renewable infrastructure projects, there are likely funds available to support the work.

Finding funds for your mining project

Much of Canada’s sustainability, energy resiliency, economic growth, and domestic manufacturing goals rely on mined materials. In fact, it would be hard to find a project that does not incorporate at least one aspect of strong economic growth, Indigenous partnerships, or communities. Canada’s funding programs and tax incentives can change the game. This is especially true for junior mining companies. As mine operators consider enhancements to existing mines, or even developing a new mine, it would be wise to work with teams who can help. CMJ

Cody Ryckman is innovation and technology lead at Stantec; mining, minerals, and metals, Calgary, AB, and Ailsa McCulloch is Canada west lead, Stantec North American funding program, Vancouver, B.C.

By Jenny Fortier

RESTORATION:

Harnessing technology to improve revegetation outcomes

By 2030, it will be necessary to revegetate at least one billion hectares of land worldwide to reach the United Nation’s sustainable development goals. Canada has set an ambitious goal to conserve and revegetate 30% of the country’s land mass by 2030. As global leaders in sustainable resource development, the Canadian mining sector has a unique opportunity to contribute to these shared goals.

The goal of revegetation is to recreate a functional and diverse ecosystem that resembles the original pre-industrial conditions as closely as possible. Plant communities can be established through sowing seed, planting seedlings, or allowing the area to be recolonized slowly over time. Planting seedlings is often impractical for larger sites due to the higher cost of plant materials, labour, and shipping. Allowing areas to recolonize naturally can be prohibitively slow, is often not in-line with compliance requirements, can inadvertently give invasive species an opportunity to dominate open sites, and may simply not be successful in sites with a long history of industrial use. Sowing native seed, termed seed-based restoration, is often the only practical option for revegetation of larger sites. Seed-based restoration refers to the practice of sowing seed of varieties native or endemic to an area with the goal of recreating a functional and diverse ecosystem that resembles the original pre-industrial conditions.

Although nine out of 10 revegetation projects in Canada utilize nonnative grass seed mixtures, the benefits of employing native species are undeniable.

> Native plants have adapted to their local conditions over thousands of years and have the best chance of long-term survival, especially on challenging sites.

> Native plant species help to increase biodiversity as insects, small mammals, and birds all have a relationship with native plants. They rely on them for food and shelter, and many require the presence of one or a handful of native plants for survival.

> A site revegetated with natives can act as a seed bank assisting in the colonization and increasing the biodiversity of surrounding sites.

> Many native grasses have been shown to help ward off the spread of invasive plant species, which is especially relevant for degraded sites which are more susceptible to invasives.

An experimental plot sown with coated seed in 2018 is still thriving. In the experiment, a coated black-eyed susan seed was applied to a challenging site with drought conditions and heavy clay. CREDIT: CHASE

RECLAMATION

> The deep and fibrous roots of native grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs are the best natural tool against soil erosion and sedimentation.

> Native plants, with their robust root networks, can remove pollutants from the soil before they reach larger water bodies.

> Native grasslands are excellent carbon sinks and can sequester an average of 100 tonnes of carbon per acre.

It is encouraging to see a trend towards native seeds being increasingly prescribed as part of mining, construction, landscaping, and restoration projects. Unfortunately, low seedling germination rates, especially on sites with a long history of industrial use, present a major challenge for restoration practitioners. The typical conditions of mining or industrial sites are inhospitable to seed survival. These sites are often characterized by acidic or basic conditions, low or absent organic matter, a soil layer that lacks nursery species and compacted soil, high soil erosion, and hot and dry microclimates at the soil layer. Fortunately, there are several technologies that can help to increase germination success, especially on difficult sites. One such technology is the process of seed enhancement, which involves using innovative techniques and products to maximize germination rates and seedling survival.

Seed coating is a type of seed enhancement that holds a lot of promise for the restoration sector. Seed coating, in its simplest form, is the process of applying additional materials to the surface of the natural seed coat. This practice can be used to modify the physical properties of seed and/or for the delivery of active ingredients. Seed coating is administered to increase germination, survival, and make application easier. Coating seeds has also been shown to decrease predation, as the coating serves to confuse predators as the seed no longer looks or smells like a seed. The physical modification of seed aims to improve seed handling and flowability when seed is broadcasted by standardizing seed weight and size. In the case of many native species which often have small, high-value, difficult to source, or morphologically uneven seeds, seed coating is particularly advantageous.

Above: A close-up of Northern Wildflowers proprietary seed coating. The standard recipe includes a mixture of natural minerals and a plant-based binder, making it completely natural and safe for the environment. The coating has a tough outer shell, which will withstand the mechanical force of broadcasting. However, once the seed is sown, the coating will quickly dissolve during a rain event, leaving behind a pocket of rich natural minerals that will support germination.

CREDIT:CHASE BEAUDOIN (NORTHERN WILDFLOWERS, SUDBURY, ONT.)

Seed enhancements have gotten a bit of a bad reputation due to the public’s association of seed technology with large agrochemical companies and the assumption that coatings will contain chemicals that are harmful to the environment. Although this can be the case for many of the more conventional coatings on the market, which are applied to commercial seed crops like

Above: A seed-based restoration project on a mining site in northeastern Ontario implemented by Erocon Environmental Group. For this project, a native seed mix with high wildlife value that would maximize biodiversity was prescribed. The mix contained butterfly host plant species and species that provide important winter food sources for waterfowl and small mammals.

CREDIT: DWIGHT CHORNEY (EROCON ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, GOGAMA, ONT.)

cereals, corn, pulses, and soy, this was not traditionally how seed coatings were used. In fact, for over 100 years, farmers have been coating their own seed to increase yields and shelf-life and improve handling, using natural minerals like clay or lime.

The restoration community is taking a different, more mindful trajectory, in its use of seed enhancements. In this space, both industry and the international research community are creating seed enhancements that are environmentally minded and specifically tailored for application in habitat restoration. One such example is the completely biodegradable, environmentally friendly, and microplastic free proprietary seed coating recipes that were developed for the restoration sector at Northern Wildflowers (Sudbury, Ont.). The standard recipe utilizes a mixture of seven natural minerals and a plant-based binder, making it completely natural and safe for the environment. The coating is designed to have a tough outer coating, which will withstand the mechanical force of broadcasting. However, once the seed is sown, the coating will quickly dissolve during a rain event, leaving behind a pocket of rich natural minerals that will support germination.

There are several naturally derived products that can be used to coat seeds to ensure better survival, these can include simple products like chilli pepper powder, lime, various minerals, nutrients, and natural fungicides. Several more sophisticated, natural products can also be applied to seed coatings. Natural plant hormones like gibberellic acid (GA3) can be incorporated to trigger germination or promote faster growth, or the plant hormone kinetin can be applied to help increase seed emergence in high salt environments. Other examples include the application of natural acids to break down tough seed coats, or the application of alginate, which is derived from seaweed and acts a hydrogel, attracting and absorbing water, thereby increasing seedling success in dry environments.

A specific seed coating recipe of minerals and compounds can be developed to address the unique challenges of a specific site and project. For example, a client might be looking to seed on a five-hectare orphaned mine site in northern Saskatchewan. The site has challenging conditions with high winds, acidic soil and due to project constraints, the client is seeding in the spring. Additionally, although spring seeding is common, fall is the ideal time to sow native seed. Most native species have seed with a built-in dormancy mechanism that prevents them from germinating until the winter has passed. This means most seed sown in the spring will remain dormant until the following spring, making them susceptible to predation, disease, erosion, and rot in the meantime, which further reduces germination success. For this project, a customized seed coating recipe can be developed to optimize success on site. The coating recipe might include the following:

> lime, which is a natural mineral with the ability to buffer acidic conditions;

> gibberellic acid, which is a natural plant growth hormone that will encourage seeds to break dormancy and germinate soon after spring application;

> and a thick, heavy encrusting layer of natural minerals which will make the seed heavier, making them less likely to be blown away, which will also increase the ease of handling and broadcasting.

A seed second coating technique termed conglomeration can also be applied to small seeds, where several seeds are formed into a larger ball, which is held together by a binder and clay. The group of seed “conglomerated” together actually have been shown to have higher germination rates compared to smaller seeds germinated individually. Tiny seeds often struggle to germinate against the crusty layer that can form on dry or degraded soil. Conglomeration is particularly beneficial when applied to native goldenrods, and asters, which are key restoration species but are challenging to establish due to their tiny seed and naturally low germination rates.

In conclusion, Canada and the world have embarked on an ambitious journey towards revegetation, recognizing the crucial role of restoring and preserving our natural ecosystems. This presents a remarkable opportunity for the Canadian mining sector to actively participate and lead in sustainability efforts. Fortunately, there are numerous promising seed technologies available that can simplify and enhance the revegetation process. By embracing seed-based restoration and leveraging these advancements, the Canadian mining sector can display its commitment to environmental stewardship and fulfill its social responsibilities, while simultaneously fostering a greener and more sustainable future for all. CMJ

Jenny Fortier is a biologist with over 15 years of experience in habitat restoration and is the founder and CEO of Northern Wildflowers Inc., a native seed grower and supplier based in Sudbury, Ont.

For more information about our services please contact: www.slmarketing.ca Dave Fusek 647-999-9288

There is a remarkable opportunity for the Canadian mining sector to actively participate and lead in sustainability efforts.

By Steve Skjonsby

Non-native species used in mine reclamation:

Benefits and risks

Tailings reclamation is a critical process that involves restoring land upon completion of the mining process and best started early in the mine operation. Historically, hardy vegetative species were selected on their merit to thrive in difficult conditions and help stabilize the surface. However, some of these hardy plants have later become invasive species, causing ecological and economic harm. In this article, we will discuss the utilization of several hardy vegetation species that have become invasive species and the importance of selecting appropriate natural vegetation for land reclamation.

spread rapidly and is now considered an invasive species in several regions, including Ontario. Autumn olive can grow in poor soil conditions and produce abundant fruit, which birds and other animals can spread. Although it can be difficult to control, measures such as late season cutting and spraying have proven effective.

grows incredibly fast on tailings, and the wood is incredibly durable and highly prized. However, it is also incredibly invasive and can outcompete native species, reducing biodiversity. Black locust can be controlled through mechanical means, such as cutting or burning, or through the use of herbicides.

Black Alder is a species that was brought from Europe and is an Ontario invasive species. It was originally used for erosion control at mine sites but has since spread to other areas. Black alder can tolerate wet and acidic soils, making it an ideal species for land reclamation. However, it can also spread rapidly and outcompete native species, reducing biodiversity. Control measures for Black alder include cutting or pulling the plants and preventing seed production.

Autumn Olive is a species that was once used extensively for erosion control, especially in western North America. This species is native to Asia but was introduced to North America in the 1830s. It has since

Black Locust is another hardy plant that has become an invasive species. This species was utilized to regenerate the Vale tailings area in Ontario because it

Autumn olive.

Scots Pine is a species that is often seen on entrances to older mine sites and was once champion to restore abandoned farmland in central Ontario. Scots pine can easily outcompete other conifers.

Norway Maple is not necessarily planted in mining locations but was extensively previously used in Toronto to replace dead elm trees. Norway maple is a popular ornamental tree that can grow in a wide range of soil and climate conditions. However, it is also invasive and can outcompete native species, reducing biodiversity. Control measures for Norway maple include cutting or girdling the tree and using herbicides.

BLACK LOCUST Eastern Canada Disturbed areas, Intolerant

(Sudbury), Prairies open fields

BLACK ALDER Eastern Canada, Wetlands, riparian Shade tolerant

British Columbia areas

AUTUMN OLIVE Eastern Canada Disturbed areas, Tolerant

open fields

NORWAY Ontario, Quebec Urban areas, Tolerant

MAPLE disturbed sites

COMMON All Canadian Forests, wetlands, Shade tolerant

BUCKTHORN provinces riparian areas

JAPANESE Eastern Canada Forest edges, Tolerant

HONEYSUCKLE disturbed areas

KUDZU Ontario, Quebec Forest edges, Tolerant

disturbed areas

NOOTKA LUPIN British Columbia Roadsides, Tolerant

meadows

SCOTS PINE Ontario, Quebec Urban areas, Tolerant

disturbed sites

NON-NATIVE All Canadian Wetlands, Tolerant No

PHRAGMITES provinces riparian areas (COMMON REED)

Japanese Honeysuckle is another species that has become invasive. It was introduced and advocated by the United States Soil Conservation Service as the best action to prevent erosion. However, it can spread rapidly and outcompete native species, reducing biodiversity. Control measures for Japanese honeysuckle include cutting or pulling the plants and preventing seed production.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Tailings reclamation is a process that involves restoring land upon completion of the mining process.

Table 1. Examples of non-native plant species utilized for reclamation.

Nootka Lupin is a species that is common in western North America and was brought to certain areas in northern Europe for erosion control. It became

Non-native Phragmites is perhaps one of the fastest spreading invasive grasses observed in Canada. The tall reed-like grasses thrive in wetlands and drastically reduce biodiversity in ecologically

These grasses were originally examined for their ability to bioaccumulate heavy metals on tailings areas – but thankfully the concept was not imple-

Awareness is key to preventing the introduction and spread of invasive species. It is important for mine reclamation specialists and government staff to research and choose appropriate plant species for their specific needs in a comprehensive risk assessment. They should also be aware of the potential risks of introducing non-native species and take steps to prevent their spread, which includes future monitoring of plant populations.

However, it is important to note that not all non-native species are invasive and harmful. Some have been successfully introduced and are now an integral part of many ecosystems. The key is to carefully assess the potential risks and benefits of introducing a species before doing so and to monitor its impact over time.

In conclusion, the use of non-native species for land reclamation has been both beneficial and detrimental. If possible, utilize native plant species for reclamation. While these plants were once chosen for their ability to thrive in harsh environments and provide important ecological benefits, many have since become invasive and harmful to native ecosystems. CMJ

Black locust. CREDIT: STEVE SKJONSBY

Leveraging

B.C.’s new

technology readiness levels permit:

innovative mine water technology A pathway to deploy

Developing a successful mine water management and treatment strategy is a critical aspect of every mining project. The plan needs to be protective of the environment, address the project needs, and pass regulatory approvals. It is the regulatory approvals that have often been the cause of confusion and frustration, as it can be difficult to come to a unified understanding of which technologies are currently considered best practices. Despite an ever-growing arsenal of water treatment technologies available to deploy, few can gain regulatory approval. Most mining jurisdictions use best achievable technology (BAT) processes, which are very useful in identifying which types of technology could treat the water. However, there is a feasibility aspect of the BAT process, which requires the technology to be “proven.” The lack of a clear definition of “proven” has typically been a matter of contention for permitting processes.

The new implementation of technology readiness levels (TRLs) for major mine projects in British Columbia is bringing clarity to the deployment of water treatment technologies and source control mitigation strategies.

In a regulatory context, TRLs are tied into step 3 of the BAT assessments, which are required for joint application information requirements (JAIR). There is a direct financial correlation

between the cost of water treatment during mine operation, the cost of reclamation after closure, and the water treatment technology selections.

The TRL framework can be leveraged throughout the mine lifespan. Using the technology readiness assessment (TRA) guidance gives developers a clearer understanding of their site-specific conditions and enables them to mitigate risk scenarios. Through the provision of a common reference point, they also help expedite communication planning and stakeholder liaison to instill confidence throughout the project’s permitting process and into the lifetime of the mine.

An overarching challenge will be determining whether the application of the TRA guidance will be consistent across all types of water treatment, or if there will need to be different approaches taken for passive versus active treatment.

What is a TRL? And how are they determined?

First developed by NASA in the 1970s, the TRL scale was designed to measure and assess the maturity level of any given technology.

The process of advancing through TRLs is commonly referred to as “technology maturation,” a typical example of which fol-

An in-ground demonstration constructed wetland treatment system. Image adapted from https://www.mavenwe.com/learn.

RECLAMATION & CLOSURE/WATER MANAGEMENT

lows: fundamental research (levels 1 and 2); research and development (levels 3, 4, and 5); pilot and demonstration (levels 6, 7, and 8); and early adoption (level 9).

Innovation, Science, and Economic Development (ISED) Canada provides broad guidance for the use of TRLs, intended to be applied to all types of technologies. The B.C. TRA guidance documents have based much of the discussion around TRLs on information publicly available from ISED and linked it to the B.C. regulatory processes for water treatment and source control at major mines.

In the fall of 2022, the B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation (EMLI) and the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) jointly released two documents to guide TRL selection and advancement within the mining sector. Entitled “Technology readiness levels interim guidance for major mines in British Columbia” (TRL guidance; v02.00, 2022) and “Interim technical guidance document for the technology readiness assessment” (TRA guidance; v02.00, 2022), these documents guide as to how to assess the TRL (i.e., the TRA process) for both source control measures and effluent water treatment systems for major mines in the province. This is unique in Canada as they discuss the level of technology maturity required for a treatment or control measure to be included in various stages of permitting a major mine project.

The B.C. TRL guidance documents provide clear indications of the TRL required for different permitting levels. One of the guiding principles of TRLs is the testing environment of a technology. In essence, a TRL is only valid for the specific operational environment for which it was tested. If a developed technology is to be deployed in an operational environment that is different from the one it was tested for, the technology would decrease in TRL and must go through testing and maturation again.

This TRL guidance is a key step forward in integrating more modern water treatment technologies into the regulatory process for major mines. It also provides clarity on progressing new and emerging technologies into full-scale implementation.

A technology readiness assessment (TRA) is a tool used to assess the readiness of a technology throughout its research and development. The TRA guidance document provides information on how to apply the TRA.

The guidance document defines it as a “systematic, evidence-based, process” with the primary objectives to identify risks and information gaps in the advancement of a technology, in addition to determining the TRL of the technology (v02.00, 2022).

According to the TRA guidance document, the TRA is not a requirement of any mines act (MA), environmental assessment act (EMA), or environmental assessment act (EA) regulatory processes. Rather, it is suggested to occur before these undertakings. The document states that:

“A TRA is independently initiated and developed by the proponent. A proponent can decide when and how to engage EMLI, ENV, EAO (environmental assessment office), and/or Indigenous groups in the development of a TRA but is not required to involve any additional parties. However, it is recommended that a proponent conduct a TRA before including an emerging technology in a MA, EMA, and/or EA regulatory process, as the outcomes of the TRA may help inform a proponent of the tech-

nology readiness and could help inform the regulatory review process” (v02.00, 2022).

These documents make it clear that undertaking a TRA will be beneficial to expediting permitting and review processes by avoiding the pursuit of potentially non-feasible technologies. While a lower-level TRL technology could be pursued, the timelines (and uncertainties) associated with bringing the technology to implementation should be considered in the context of the project timelines and risk tolerances. Based on this, a TRA may be well-suited to be undertaken in concert with a BAT assessment to ensure the efficiency of both processes.

Working with site specificity

TRLs level 5 and higher are linked to B.C. permitting processes and are all required to have information gathered “under relevant site-specific conditions,” but herein lies a challenge, as it is unclear what will be considered relevant or site-specific.

Active treatment systems typically gain regulatory permits faster because they “actively” modify (control) the site-specific conditions. A range of site-specific dynamic variables can be controlled using heat and reagents. For example, the pH range can be modified before entering the core steps of a water treatment plant, or a temperature range can be fixed with heating. This removes a large amount of the uncertainty associated with the site-specific variations. In contrast, “passive” treatment systems must have their foundational designs modified to accommodate and address site-specific differences.

This means that even if a passive treatment technology has previously been implemented at full-scale at other sites, the TRL will be lowered from a level 8-9 to a 5-7 when looking to implement at a different location, as it needs to be modified for the site-specific conditions at the new site. As such, longer timelines need to be considered for the implementation of such technologies. There is also a risk as to whether a technology can be advanced through multiple TRLs for a specific site. This could be a major hurdle for getting the more passive, lower greenhouse gas-emitting water treatment technologies permitted.

One potential solution to this challenge is to design a hybrid of active and semi-passive water treatment, sometimes referred to as an enhanced passive treatment (EPT) system. The emergence of EPT systems is intended to be a “happy medium” between active and passive. While an EPT system will have higher capital expenditures than a passive system, the day-today operating expenditures are significantly less than an active system, and the timeline to implementation is much faster and less risk-prone than passive treatment.

An EPT system is intended to operate passively but is designed and built with the ability to turn on active features. For example, flow control or reagent additions can be implemented in response to changes in treatment needs (e.g., change in flow or chemistry) or system upsets. This could help to place boundaries on the range of variables needed to gather site-specific information.

Collecting data for “site-specific relevancy” is one of the greatest challenges for all water treatment systems. Although it is often expected that testing on-site will be most relevant, if a treatment system is being designed for a different phase of the mine life, it may not be possible to undertake the testing early enough to advance the technology in time for implementation.

In these situations, simulated environment testing is a useful tool. These apply to TRL 3-6 but could also be supportive of TRL at higher levels that require further development of their risk management plan.

In simulated environments, the ability to control factors such as temperatures, lighting conditions, humidity levels, flow rates, and chemistry variables enables the rapid collection of information to identify potential risks for further optimization. This information gathering process greatly contributes to the development of a comprehensive risk management plan.

Relevant site-specific information is also important to gather on-site when possible. Skid-mounted mobile EPT pilot-scale testing units enable site-specific customization and optimization and can be integrated with other technologies for treatment train validation. An example of these units being implemented for a constructed wetland treatment system (CWTS) at the Rainy River gold mine in Ontario is shown in the picture. These are often well-paired with off-site controlled environment testing to expedite the testing programs and focus the parameters for testing on-site. These testing units would be relevant to TRL 5, 6, and possibly 7.

Although the B.C. guidance documents do not provide a clear definition of the required size for “near full scale” at TRL 7, this concept is synonymous with what others have previously referred to as “demonstration scale.” At this stage, the system is typically in its near-final configuration and is being implemented on-site in a manner like how the full-scale system would be implemented. An example of this is a CWTS that has been operating at the Minto copper mine in the Yukon since 2016.

Closing thoughts

Technology readiness levels (TRL) have been a useful tool in many sectors, and it is exciting to see them being clearly connected to permitting and regulatory processes for major mines in B.C. While there are areas requiring additional clarification, such as determining how similar a “relevant” site or application must be and defining how much site-specific data is needed, there is at least now a foundation of mutual understanding and language from which to move these conversations forward.

While the technology readiness assessment (TRA) may take additional up-front time, co-ordinating it with best achievable technology assessments may save proponents substantial amounts of time and effort that could be spent pursuing non-feasible technologies. An overarching challenge will be to determine whether the application of the TRA guidance will be

consistent across all types of water treatment or if different approaches need to be taken for passive versus active treatment.

The emergence of hybrid technologies, also known as semi-passive or enhanced passive treatment, holds the potential to bridge this gap and accelerate the maturation of technologies required for closure and/or with a lower carbon footprint across the TRL scale. These hybrid approaches offer promising solutions that can expedite developing and implementing innovative technologies in the water treatment sector. CMJ

Monique Simair is CEO and principal scientist at Maven Water and Environment.

Mobile pilot-scale constructed wetland testing on-site at a mine in Ontario conducted by Maven Water and Environment. CREDIT: MAVEN WATER AND ENVIRONMENT

ALBERTA’S COAL PHASE-OUT:

pros and cons

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), coal is the second largest fossil fuel in the global energy mix, its primary use is to produce steel and cement, and it is the largest source of electricity generation and a significant fuel for industrial use. It is also the largest single source of global carbon dioxide emissions, which accounted for approximately 40%, or 15 billion tonnes, of global CO2 emissions in 2021.

Based on this statistic, it is easy to understand why 196 countries – including Canada – are working toward meeting their global pledges to reduce their emissions to net-zero by 2050 with most of these emissions reductions to come from phasing coal out of their energy mix.

However, despite emissions reduction targets, the IEA says the current energy crisis has forced some countries to increase their coal use. Coal demand is set to grow by 1.2%, reaching an all-time high and surpassing 8.0 billion tonnes for the first time, and it will plateau at this amount through 2025. Coal used in electricity generation was expected to grow by just over 2% in 2022.

The IEA says Canada’s coal production rose 4.8% to 47 million tonnes in 2021, with most of the increase in metallurgical coal, which accounted for approximately 57% of the country’s output. Coal

production in Canada was expected to rise by 3.6 million tonnes in 2022. However, the IEA forecasts Canada’s coal production to decline to 45 million tonnes by 2025 due to reduced thermal coal production in response to slower domestic demand.

Phasing out coal might be a boon to the global environment, but it could be a stake to the coal industry, specifically Alberta’s coal industry.

Government of Alberta

In 2015, Alberta released its Climate Leadership Plan. One of the four key pillars of this plan is to end pollution from coal-fired electricity and develop more renewable energy. The plan mandated all coal-fired power plants either cease operations or eliminate all emissions by 2030 to help the province achieve its climate goals and drive innovation in the province. All these plants will have closed or be converted to natural gas by the end of 2023, seven years ahead of schedule.

As of 2016, the Alberta energy regulator estimates Alberta’s coal reserves to be 33.1 billion tonnes – 29.3 billion tonnes of sub-bituminous coal and 3.8 billion tonnes of bituminous coal. According to government of Alberta data from 2022, there are currently only five active coal mines in Alberta – one sub-bituminous coal mine (Genesee) and three bitumi-

nous coal mines (Coal Valley, Grande Cache, and Vista) and one small scale sub-bituminous coal mine (Dodds) that produces coal for local use.

There were 13.2 million tonnes of coal produced – 4.7 million tonnes of sub-bituminous coal and 8.5 million tonnes of bituminous coal. Of that coal produced, 700,000 tonnes of metallurgical coal, 12.4 million tonnes of thermal coal, and 8.5 million tonnes of bituminous coal were produced. Most of the coal produced in Alberta is exported to Asia.

The socioeconomic benefits of Alberta’s coal industry include high paying jobs to more than 7,000 Albertans who live in small towns throughout the province. The coal industry also provides revenue in the form of royalties and corporate and personal income tax to all levels of government. In 2022, coal revenue was estimated to be approximately $46 million for coal royalty and coal corporate income tax combined. Although these elevated numbers are attributed to the high energy prices in 2022, in 2021, the Alberta coal industry produced $162 million in real gross domestic product.

With the transition from coal to natural gas, Alberta is seeing a major drop in CO2 emissions, as natural gas-fired power plants emit less than half of the CO2 emissions coal-fired power plants do; therefore, natural gas is a much cleaner burn-

By Diane L.M. Cook

Alberta LNG has the capacity to replace coal-fired electricity while reducing emissions at the same time,” said Pete Guthrie, Alberta’s Minister of Energy.

While the benefits of phasing out coal are clear, the disadvantages are less clear as coal is used for more than just generating power in Alberta.

Coal Association of Canada

energy mix and as feedstock in products like steel and cement, until something else can replace coal.

ing fossil fuel than coal.

According to the province, the primary benefits of phasing out coal-fired electricity generation are the climate, environmental, and health outcomes. Specifically, a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions and a reduction or elimination of harmful air pollutants such as particulate matter, mercury, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur dioxide.

Based on national inventory reports, total Alberta greenhouse gas emissions were 256.5 million tonnes in 2020, representing a 27.8-million-tonne decrease in total provincial emissions from 2015. Electricity sector emissions were 29.3 million tonnes in 2020, representing a 17.1million-tonne decrease from 2015.

According to the provincial government, the phase out of coal electricity generation, which were baseload power plants, have primarily been replaced with natural gas fired power plants. This has helped to reduce emissions in the electricity sector significantly, and companies are now looking at CCUS to further reduce emissions.

The province’s abundance of natural resources and industry innovation has helped speed up phasing out coal. Another benefit of phasing out coal is that it created room in the market for significant investment by the private sector in renewables development. Renewables offer a cleaner, cheaper alternative to coal-fired power, and it is predicted that over 80% of renewable investment will take place in Alberta over the next five years.

“The phasing out of coal for Alberta’s electricity sector is beneficial not only for Albertans but people around the world. We have the highest standards of responsible energy production across the globe.

The world is not getting off coal anytime soon. According to the IEA, coal reserves would be adequate to satisfy more than 100 years of current levels of consumption worldwide. The complete phase out of coal would have detrimental effects not just for Alberta’s coal industry but for emerging markets and industrializing countries that rely on coal exports from Alberta for their power generation and feedstock for other sectors.

According to Robin Campbell, president of the Coal Association of Canada, the provincial and federal governments’ new coal emissions regulations will create a market gap that will be filled with inferior-quality coal from countries other than Canada.

“Alberta’s foothills and the eastern slopes of the Canadian Rocky Mountains hold major deposits of very high-grade coking coal, and its thermal coal is considered extremely high-quality and has a low sulphur content relative to world standards,” added Campbell.

The global population is expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. This increase in population will result in more global demand for coal which is required for more energy production to build infrastructure, transportation, and housing. New buildings will require more steel and cement, which are derived from metallurgical coal.

“Alberta’s coal is responsibly and ethically produced with excellent environmental stewardship, and with new extraction technologies, producing coal is still critical today and in the future to meet global needs,” says Campbell.

Campbell also says Alberta’s phase-out of coal will eradicate the province’s coal industry. He added, “The phase-out of coal in Alberta will result in a tremendous loss of jobs, forever change the landscape of many small coal mining towns, result in an enormous loss of government revenue and taxes, as well as the loss of a high-quality product (coal) that is still in high global demand today and is expected to be decades into the future.”

The jury is still out on whether every country should phase out coal from their

In summary, the IEA says the current situation in energy markets underscores the huge challenges of reducing emissions while maintaining energy security. Renewable energy options, such as solar and wind, are the most cost-effective new sources of electricity generation in most markets, but despite their impressively rapid growth in recent years, they have not yet brought about a decline in coal’s global emissions. Experts have warned that meeting net-zero emissions targets by 2050 might be an ambitious goal.

According to a Forbes article, only natural gas can be a close substitute for the coal-fired base load and provide the same reliability. Solar and wind are intermittent and fluctuate based on sun and wind conditions and cannot provide steady base load power. Moreover, natural gas fired power plants are flexible and can easily and quickly adjust output to fluctuations in demand – ramp up production to meet peak demands or ramp it down when demand falls – for example, during evening hours.

Weather-dependent, intermittent renewables are lacking this flexibility. In fact, wind is more likely to blow at night rather than at peak afternoon hours. This makes renewables a hard sale as an ideal and exclusive coal substitute. And until science comes up with a solution such as energy storage that can break away from the problem of intermittency, renewables will not be able to compete with either natural gas or coal for the dominant role in the U.S. electric energy mix.

But renewables are an important element of the energy mix as they resonate strongly with the environmental policies and climate change mitigation strategies. There is also a good chance that, as technological changes including grid flexibility, efficiency gains and breakthrough in energy storage take place and renewables overcome the issue of intermittency, they may become a viable competitor in the future.

However, for Alberta’s future in the coal industry, Campbell says, “The $1.36 billion taxpayer dollars that the Alberta government is paying power companies to close or convert their coal-fired generating electricity plants by 2023 instead of 2030 could have been invested into emissions reduction technology instead of phasing completely off coal.” CMJ

Diane L.M. Cook is a freelance mining writer.

Orano’s Cluff Lake project

A milestone for uranium mining

ince through the ICP. Currently, only the Contact Lake gold property and several satellite sites of the historic Beaverlodge uranium project have been successfully transferred.

In addition to an assurance fund to cover costs related to unexpected events, as part of the ICP, Orano will provide funds for long-term environmental monitoring and maintenance of the site, and engagement with rightsholders. The process is also designed to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of future generations by meeting national and international standards and requirements.

In making its decision to revoke Orano’s licence, CNSC considered oral and written submissions from the company, CNSC staff, and twelve public intervenors. Its Participant Funding Program (PFP) allocated resources and invited interventions from Indigenous groups and communities, members of the public, and stakeholders.

After producing over 28,123 tonnes of uranium concentrate during its operation from 1979 to 2002, Orano Canada’s Cluff Lake project has reached the end of its mining life cycle through remediation. This comes after a decade of the site being fully decommissioned and open to the public.

On May 11, 2023, following a virtual public hearing held two months prior, the regulating body of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) announced its decision to revoke the uranium mine licence held by Orano for the Cluff Lake project of northwestern Saskatchewan within Treaty 8 territory.

Orano began pursuing this application in 2020 with the intention to transfer the site to the Government of Saskatchewan’s Institutional Control Program (ICP),

which is designed to ensure properties are monitored and managed in perpetuity. Additionally, the CNSC granted an exemption from licensing to the province to enable the acceptance of the site into the ICP.

Orano Canada, a subsidiary of the French nuclear energy company, the Orano Group, and headquartered in Saskatoon, Sask., has been exploring for uranium, developing mines, and producing uranium concentrate for over 55 years. The company operates the McClean Lake mill, an advanced facility which allows for processing of highgrade uranium ore without dilution.

This transfer marks a significant milestone for Canada’s mining industry as Cluff Lake will be the first modern uranium site to be transferred to the prov-

Additionally, an independent funding review committee considered the applications and the CNSC awarded up to $201,699 to six organizations for their participation including the following: the Saskatchewan Environmental Society, Birch Narrows Dene Nation, Clearwater River Dene Nation, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation, Métis Nation Saskatchewan, and the Ya’thi Nene Land and Resource Office representing seven Athabascan communities.

After reviewing all technical submissions and these interventions, the CNSC concluded that the Cluff Lake project met the established decommissioning objectives and criteria. Furthermore, the site is considered passively safe for the long term. The CNSC determined that exempting the province from licensing does not pose unreasonable risks to

Aerial photo of the Cluff Lake uranium project in northwestern Saskatchewan postdecommissioning, fall 2019. CREDIT: ORANO CANADA INC.

the environment, health and safety of persons, national security, or international obligations.

The success of Cluff Lake is a point of pride for Orano, because at the beginning of the site’s operational phase Canada’s current decommissioning standards were still in their infancy with modern reclamation standards not being introduced until the late 1990s.

“The best demonstration of responsible mining is the remediation management,” Nicolas Maes, president of Orano Mining said in a statement. “The decision of the CNSC is recognition of Orano’s expertise in sustainable mine closure, which is part of our DNA,” added Maes.

Ongoing environmental monitoring shows that Cluff Lake’s decommissioning was successful with water quality meeting objectives, and the fish, animals, and plants harvested on site are determined to be safe for consumption.

“I am grateful to our dedicated staff for their commitment to this project from the first days of exploration in the 1970s, through operations, decommissioning, and monitoring to today ensuring that the project was responsibly managed such that the land is now available for

local traditional use,” Jim Corman, president and CEO of Orano said.

“We are also appreciative of the Indigenous, Métis, and other community members who shared their knowledge of the lands. We have many employees who remember the days of working at Cluff Lake and we celebrate the successful decommissioning of the project,” added Corman.

The transfer of the project site to Saskatchewan’s ICP demonstrates a successful transition from mining operations to environmentally-sound decommissioning and reclamation. As Canada continues to play a significant role in meeting the world’s demand for uranium, it is important that such transitions and present operations are carried out in a similarly responsible manner.

Although, most of the decommissioning and reclamation activities usually occur after the completion of the operating phase of the project, Orano actively pursues “progressive decommissioning and reclamation” efforts at the McClean Lake operation.

“We do as much work as possible reclaiming the former working areas at site while we are still operating,” Corman said.

Stop DangerousTramp Metals

These initiatives include work to proactively re-slope, seed, and vegetate the various site waste rock piles to prevent unnecessary run off and erosion. A shredder has been used to begin removing unused buildings while reducing landfill waste.

Orano continually optimizes its site environmental monitoring program adapting to changing conditions ensuring that the monitoring and sampling programs are performed in the appropriate locations and frequencies necessary.

“At Orano Canada, we are committed to progressive decommissioning and reclamation as part of our strategic ambition to be a responsible player in terms of health, occupational safety, community involvement, environmental protection, and business ethics,” Corman explained.

“Our Cluff Lake project is a prime example of how responsible resource development can demonstrate that mining can be viewed as a temporary use of the land. We are proud of Orano’s expertise and leadership in sustainable mine operations and closures that stems from our commitment to stakeholder engagement and returning the land to its natural state,” added Corman. CMJ

MINING FOR

critical minerals IN

NORTH AMERICA

The call for electric vehicles is increasing to stem the global environmental damage that has been and continues to be caused by combustion engines and fossil fuels. The electric vehicle and the overall electrification of our transportation infrastructure presents a path to a sustainable future. But is it the case?

As is frequently the case, the simplicity of the electric vehicle solution is not as straightforward when subjected to closer scrutiny. Batteries are required to make electric vehicles work. For that matter, batteries are also needed to make many of today’s conveniences work; from computing on your phone, tablet, or laptop, to manufacturing electric appliances for home and in medical use and everything in between.

Batteries require metals such as lithium, nickel, manganese, and cobalt, which are all sourced from critical minerals. Access to those minerals is essential in the move towards a green and digital economy. Critical minerals are sourced through mining.

In North America, it is not just the mining companies who are focused on developing critical minerals project, the governments at the federal and provincial/ state levels have extensive programs focused on securing in-continent commodity supplies and mineral production. In late 2022, the Canadian government provided the Pentagon with more than 70 mining project names in Canada in a

bid for grants from the U.S. military for critical minerals sites. The U.S. military is studying funding mining projects in Canada through the Defense Production Act of 1950. This will greatly benefit investment in these Canadian based projects while also attempting to further secure domestic supply.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced a conditional loan of $700 million to a mining company to pursue a lithium project that could support the production of 370,000 electric vehicles annually for decades.

The Biden administration has made a strategic initiative to implement 500,000 charging stations for electric vehicles as a signature piece of its infrastructure goals. That effort, and the growth of electric vehicle companies will require much more lithium to make batteries.

The loans and grants by governments are unprecedented and have been extended not just to mining operations but to facilities as well that are being designated as electric vehicle battery material and production operations like Redwood Materials in Nevada.

More recently, during PDAC this past March, the Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, made an announcement of $15 million being provided to a handful of companies focused within the critical minerals space. This is being done to secure a domestic critical minerals supply, create prosperity and high-quality jobs for Canadians, and fos-

ter economic reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples from coast to coast to coast. As this funding gets deployed, the Government of Canada is also in the process of reviewing Canada’s regulatory framework to identify opportunities for advancing clean growth projects in a timely and predictable manner, while safeguarding the interests of Canadians, protecting the environment, and respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples.

This is good news, as it confirms that governments are not just becoming aware of supply chains but are becoming increasingly proactive/protective of their respective natural resources, particularly those focused on critical minerals. At the end of the day and because of the boost in global demand and growth in green and digital applications, many of these critical minerals, the energy sector’s overall needs are expected to increase dramatically. Not only that but by 2030 the zero-emission vehicle market could reach $174 billion, which could generate 220,000 jobs in mining, processing, and manufacturing.

Governments are not the only ones expressing interest. Auto manufactures like Tesla, GM, Ford, and Volkswagen, among others, have made substantial investments in the electric vehicle market and have been availing themselves of early and long-term offtake investing opportunities to secure the critical minerals supply needed. There is a greater pool of capital now available for sustain-

ability or energy transition-linked financing which is reason for optimism.

It cannot be overstated though that mining for critical minerals is a balancing act between the exploration and extraction through mining projects and the essential priority of sustainable and green mining technologies. It is this balance that is presenting challenges to the mining industry from a practical and public relations perspective.

Companies have been tripping over themselves and each other in the rush to become profitable in critical minerals mining. This rush brought on by some management teams has resulted in failures like that of Nemaska Lithium, which failed to their attempt to launch a lithium mine and become a lithium carbonate and/or lithium hydroxide producer. Nemaska Lithium entered creditor protection in late 2019. In many ways, the project underlined some of the challenges that Canada is facing, namely lack of technical due diligence and technical depth to take their project from pilot scale to commercial operations.

It is also noteworthy that 70% of the companies looking to break into this area

of mining are juniors which means less expertise, resources, and experience at their disposal.

The failures as much as the successes are providing something to consider for investors, and with that kind of scrutiny, companies are seeing the value of services like those that SGS can provide.

Bringing in companies who provide technical knowledge, expertise, and insights across the entire mine project life cycle allows for companies to leverage unbiased third-party technical insight and fill in any technical gaps that they have within their project teams. SGS provides technical expertise across the entire project life cycle including geochemistry, geological services, metallurgy, process development, consulting, and commodities trade with a focused goal of making mining more sustainable for future generations. The best chance at success comes from the advance preparation that includes testing, analysis, consulting, and forecasting which takes time. The development process can feel impossibly slow for a mining company that feels poised on the edge of a huge discovery. The mining industry is

full of examples of projects whose failure is related to not doing the due diligence required to mitigate the risk. By taking shortcuts and not doing the in-depth testing, mining companies put the commercial success of their projects at risk, this results in a failed project and a company that files for bankruptcy protection.

Companies would be well-advised to take a step back, slow down, prepare properly and accept the findings from the experts. The future of their projects as well as future supply chain considerations hang in the balance.

If critical minerals and the transition to green energy is important to not only Canada but the world, then the investment is key. We are charged with the task of building a sustainable industrial base to support emission-reducing supply chains that will address climate change for generations to come. Not an easy task, but one that is necessary.

We can see the future, but to get there, we need to plan for its excavation with as much information as we can muster today. CMJ

Flotation test work at SGS Lakefield. CREDIT: SGS

P.J. Kwong is a writer with the Content Store.

Who can answer my heavy-haul questions?

A collection of answers to common queries

To an outsider, hauling might seem straightforward, and some might even say easy. However, operators, fleet managers, dealers, and manufacturers know better.

Hauling is a complicated process. Operators must consider the specifications of the intended load, road conditions in their operating area, and a variety of other factors up to and including which trailer will provide optimum safety and productivity. To maximize efficiency and minimize costs, operators rely on manufacturers and dealers to help identify the right trailer to fit their unique hauling needs: one with the capacity and features to transport the intended load legally and safely.

Working with these companies gives end users access to a wealth of knowledge, experience, and industry expertise.

Though, as an operator, it might not be easy to know where to start. For the experts, the answer is easy: always start with the load.

To help get the wheels turning, here are some thoughts from industry leaders on a few of heavy-haul’s frequent questions.

How does capacity factor in?

In a perfect world, a 55-tonne trailer could haul any 55-tonne load. However, any veteran operator will tell you that is just not the case. There is a lengthy list of factors that determine the capacity of a specific trailer.

To select the safest and most effective trailer for the project, dealers and manufacturers will ask a lot of questions, and some might even have a detailed checklist that covers specific equipment measurements and optional features, all the

way down to the desired spacing and quantity of D-rings. Knowing the answers to some of the broader questions ahead of time speeds up the sizing process and will result in a trailer that safely meets the requirements of every intended job.

When operators approach a dealer or manufacturer about a trailer, they usually have a specific haul in mind. However, unless it is meant to be a dedicated trailer, it is important to consider all loads the trailer might haul. A 55-tonne trailer can be used for a 35-tonne haul, but the light load might mean it has a higher deck height than when it is fully loaded. Having the weight and dimensions of the largest intended load is vital, but it is also important to consider the specifications of any mixed loads, backhauls, or other pieces of equipment that the trailer might haul.

Far left: There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to trailers Above: There are five key components calculated in a trailer’s capacity rating. CREDIT: TALBERT MANUFACTURING

Dealers and manufacturers will also want to know if there are any unique requirements, such as equipment that requires special reinforcements or has a low clearance that might interfere with loading.

Working with a top-tier manufacturer often provides the best capacity rating, but operators should be aware of how each manufacturer determines their capacity rating because there is no industry-set or government-mandated system in place.

Load concentration is a key area of difference between industry leaders and other manufacturers. It is not enough to know a 55-tonne lowbed can carry 55

By Troy Geisler

There are five key components calculated in a trailer’s capacity rating: size and weight of construction materials, the overall weight the trailer can carry, the area of deck that weight can safely be carried in, optimal travel speed, and the safety factor.

tonnes. Informed operators also know just how much of the deck can handle that weight based on the manufacturer’s capacity rating. While some trailers will need the entire deck length to haul 55 tonnes safely, a trailer from another manufacturer might only need half the deck length for the same weight. Having a trailer rated in half deck capacity gives operators a more realistic indication of what the trailer will be able to handle safely and without structural failure. These manufacturers usually design with a two-point rigid load base that accounts for the tire spacing, or hot spots, of large equipment and heavy machinery. This makes trailers with a half-deck rating more versatile and efficient for these loads.

Load concentration is the most evident differentiation, but speed and overall

safety ratings also put industry-leading manufacturers in a class above. Trailers from these manufacturers might be rated at 105 km/h rather than 90. They might also offer a 2.5:1 safety factor, well above the minimum 1.8:1 ratio that leaves no cushion for adverse road conditions.

There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to trailers. For safety and dependability, partnering with a trusted dealer and top-tier manufacturer ensures operators are outfitted with a trailer that meets their individual requirements. In some cases, that might mean a custom design. Not all manufacturers provide this service, but some industry-leading companies will design and build a customized trailer that maximizes safety, durability, and resale value.

What specialty features are important?

When looking at the price tags, it is common for operators to ask what added value makes a top-tier manufacturer’s trailer worth the cost over other models. Depending on the intended use, certain specialty features, like a hydraulic beaver tail or in-deck winch, may be unnecessary. Others are vital for safety, durability, and productivity.

When evaluating the added value of specialty features, start with the basic materials. Industry-leading manufacturers use high-quality materials like steel with 689,500 kPa minimum yield, which allows the most capacity with the smallest impact on trailer weight. They also use apitong decking to provide the toughest, longest-lasting decks. Tightly woven and incredibly dense, this South Asian wood is less susceptible to chipping and cracking and provides more traction than metal. These features come with a higher price tag, but quickly pay for themselves in increased efficiency and durability.

Other design features might be less obvious in the dealer lot but make a clear difference with the first load. The most misunderstood of these is camber. Camber is the term used to describe the arc that forms in the centre of a well-designed trailer. It helps prevent excessive deflection in the main beams. When properly loaded to capacity, the arc will flatten, resulting in the trailer’s loaded deck height. A top-tier manufacturer can adjust camber in custom designs to meet the operator’s specific needs, but in general, a trailer that presents a slight upward arc in the centre has positive camber which will flatten with a full load.

In addition to high-quality materials and special in-trailer design features, trusted manufacturers might also have a

catalog of optional add-ons that allow operators to maximize their capacity and potential. For example, some offer deck extensions made from the same quality materials for a perfect fit. Nitrogen dampened axle extensions with a self-tracking pivot design that allows for consistent load transfer even over uneven terrain might be another desirable option.

When is a permit required?

Permits are another area of heavy haul that can cause frustration for operators. Dealers and manufacturers are constantly bombarded with questions like, “what permits do I need to haul X through states Y and Z?”

Unfortunately, there is no easy answer. In the U.S., a legal load is no more than 2.6 metres wide; 4.12 metres tall; 14.6 metres long; and no more than 36,300 kg gross weight (including truck, trailer, and payload). If a load exceeds in one of these areas, it may require a permit.

But this does not consider axle weight or other regulations that may vary from state to state. As with capacity rating, there is no nationwide standard for permits. Anything above 36,300 kg comes under the state jurisdiction, and each state has its own set of rules based on infrastructure, legislation, and other regional factors.

Kingpin laws are another good example of regulations that change from state to state. Most states along the East Coast have laws that limit the length to 12.5 metres from the kingpin to the centre of the tandem axle or 13.1 metres to the centre of the rear axle on a trailer exceeding 14.6 metres. There is no specified length for states in the centre of the country. California has the strictest kingpin laws. It requires a permit for anything over 12.2 metres. So, if an operator were to travel from Texas to New York or Oregon to California, they would need to make sure they had permits for every state in which the trailer would be considered oversized.

That is why the intended area of operation is as important as capacity when selecting a trailer. Dealers, manufacturers, and industry associations, such as the Specialized Carrier and Rigging Association (SCRA), have a wealth of information on this subject that they are willing to share with operators and managers, but operators are encouraged to submit a configuration to states they plan to operate in to ensure proper permitting.

Permits can be quite the quagmire, so

While simply adding axles and extenders cannot increase the capacity of a trailer, that type of versatility can sometimes be designed in.

CREDIT: TALBERT MANUFACTURING

When loading a trailer equipped with outriggers, at least half of a machine’s tire, track, or grouser should be on the main body of the trailer. CREDIT: TALBERT MANUFACTURING

It is also inadvisable to add aftermarket elements to a trailer to try to increase capacity.

in addition to offering their expertise, manufacturers are doing their best to work with end users to design trailers that limit the need for extra permits, all the while adapting to ever changing equipment. Telescopic trailers, trailers with dual kingpin settings that can be operated empty without a permit in states with a 13.1-metre kingpin law, as well as flip up and removable axle attachments are just a few examples of versatile designs from leading manufacturers.

Even these versatile options can still require permits. Operators are encouraged to work closely with the department of transport (DOT) in every state they operate in to ensure each load is properly permitted.

What is overloaded?

Safety is a core value of many of heavyhaul’s top-tier manufacturers. That is why they work with dealers, managers, and operators to find the right trailer. It is why they hold themselves to a higher standard with capacity ratings. And it is why they do their best to help operators determine what permits might be required for an oversize load. Top-tier manufacturers are concerned with the safety of operators, equipment, and the payload, but also those sharing the road. For that reason, they highly discourage overloads. A single overload might not cause the trailer to fail, but it reduces the manufacturer’s safety factors and puts unnecessary stress on the trailer components, putting it at risk of future failure.

It is also inadvisable to add aftermar-

ket elements to a trailer to try to increase capacity. Trailers are designed for certain setups, reinforced where they need to be. Adding more axles, a spreader bar, a jeep, or any other element to a trailer that it was not designed for does increase the span but does not add capacity to that trailer. In some cases, it will reduce the load rating of the trailer. If not designed for the trailer, adding aftermarket pieces can create stress and lead to failure.

While simply adding axles and extenders cannot increase the capacity of a trailer, that type of versatility can sometimes be designed in. Certain top-tier manufacturers can design trailers that have a rating such as 55 tonnes in a spread axle setting then can increase to 60 tonnes with a close-coupled one.

To help operators navigate variable axle weight regulations without making risky after-market modifications, manufacturers have also developed trailers that are East Coast or West Coast specific. These trailers are designed to use variable axle and booster configurations that make it easier for end users to haul safely and legally in different regions.

Another safety concern dealers and manufacturers often hear about is the misuse of outriggers. Outriggers, also called swinging side brackets or extension brackets, can extend the useful width of a deck by up to 30.5 cm on each side. This makes the load oversized, and it will require a permit. It also requires proper loading to ensure safety. At least half of a machine’s tire, track, or grouser should be on the main body of the trailer.

Any less and the outriggers are considered overloaded, putting the whole load in jeopardy.

Who can help answer my questions?

In the world of heavy haul, there are easy questions like, “is it safe to travel with the flip axle down?” Yes, but there is a good chance it will put the load over the length and require a permit. Or “what is the difference between spread axle and close coupled?” This is due to how an additional axle is attached. The additional axle is attached to the rear only on a close coupled model. Spread axle configurations allow for more versatility; with a nitro booster, operators can add as many additional axles as the trailer is designed for. The presence of pin tubes is another indication, as pin tubes are required and reinforced for split axle configurations only.

Then, there are those tough questions that require more thought like, “how much can a 55-tonne trailer haul?” To which a reputable dealer or manufacturer might reply, “let us start with what needs to be hauled and where it is going and build up from there.”

In an industry where so much is riding on what operators choose to run between the road and the load, taking the time to work through the easy and the tough questions with experienced dealers and manufacturers ensures everyone’s safety and the trailer’s dependability and longevity as drivers hit the highway. CMJ

Troy Geisler is the vice-president of sales and marketing at Talbert Manufacturing.

Telescopic trailers and trailers with dual kingpin settings are just a few examples of versatile designs from leading manufacturers. CREDIT: TALBERT MANUFACTURING

By Michael O’Brien

Wet hosing versus onsite fuel tanks

Understanding alternative methods for fueling a fleet

Finding a solution for a fleet’s fueling needs can be a complex process with many factors for aggregate producers to consider. While fleet managers may often request wet hosing operations from fuel distributors, it is important to understand alternative methods and benefits of bulk fuel storage.

Challenges of wet hosing

Sometimes called wheel-to-wheel fueling, wet hosing can be labour intensive and expensive. Drivers require Hazmatendorsement and a CDL. The service is often used at night when equipment on the site is not working or the trucks will not be in the way of day-to-day opera-

tions, so refueling can take all night. Because of the demands of the job, there is often a high turnover rate of these drivers.

The potential for missed deliveries poses another challenge with wet hosing. Wet hosing relies on people, consistency, and a keen focus on logistics and scheduling – all things prone to mistakes. Underestimating fill times and overscheduling a driver is easy to do, as is accidentally missing a stop on a busy night. Drivers call in sick and equipment breaks down, making the potential for a missed delivery even more possible. So even though wet hosing appears at first glance to be a great way to fuel your fleet,

a hard look at the risks and headaches associated quickly indicates some serious evaluation is necessary.

With new technology and equipment, producers have the opportunity to limit the applications that truly require wet hosing service while efficiently and effectively using onsite tanks that allow them to take responsibility for their own fueling demands.

Determining the wet hosing need

Wet hosing provides a valuable service for fleets in the aggregate industry. While the method provides convenient portability for fueling, it is not always the best choice for every situation. For stationary

equipment like generators, wet hosing may seem like the only option, but a service truck equipped with a trailer-mounted tank easily fulfills the mission for those willing to invest in drivers, tank technology, and certifications. Success depends on finding a tank that can be easily and safely transported full. Square tanks with the proper licensing can be transported full and are conveniently trailer mounted. This allows for crews to do their own wheel-to-wheel fueling, which offers the best of both worlds. Fuel is always available, and usage can be monitored. For producers, making this decision requires keen attention to their needs, the right tank offering, and an ability to work through the added profit potential of buying fuel in bulk and controlling their own supply.

Wet hosing often offers the preferred option for customers in areas with rigid regulations regarding above-ground fuel tanks. In these instances, the number of tanks available to meet the strict codes is very limited and wet hosing is often the most practical solution. By integrating an onsite tank and wet hosing strategy, reserving wet hosing for those applications that strictly demand it, fleet managers can best utilize their resources and efficiently service their fueling needs.

Many producers look to wet hosing as a solution for theft prevention, accurate

fuel tracking, and budget forecasting. Because the distributor maintains control of the fuel at all times, the chances of theft are virtually eliminated, and fleet managers receive a detailed report of how much fuel went into each piece of equipment with each fuel drop. This allows for easily forecasting future fuel usage.

While technology exists to control theft and track fuel usage with onsite storage tanks, few manufacturers offer an integrated and comprehensive solution. Knowing the technology exists and finding the right manufacturer to partner with substantially increases confidence in alternative onsite methods. Integrated onsite systems offer technology that locks the tank to any user without a card key to unlock the dispense controls, preventing unauthorized use or theft. In addition, since each card key is unique, the system determines which driver is taking fuel, along with refueling frequency and amount of fuel used. This remote monitoring capability aids in tracking how and where fuel is used and forecasting consumption and costs for the life of the job. These systems allow operators to track inventory levels and tank location at any time, helping them take control of fuel supply and avoid downtime associated with a depleted fuel inventory.

Benefits of using onsite bulk fuel

While onsite storage can offer most – if

not all – of the benefits of wet hosing, perhaps the greatest draw is the opportunity to independently fuel a fleet. Producers always have fuel and full control over their supply, along with the ability to adjust as the demands of their site fluctuate. An operation can experience the security and freedom of controlling their supply along with the opportunity to purchase at a bulk rate, as well as reducing traffic on site, to increase health and safety of staff.

Making the decision

The greatest thing a producer can do is ask questions to find the best option for their situation. An operation should determine if they have the internal infrastructure to perform their own fueling onsite. Since there are regulations and licensing required to hold fuel onsite, bulk storage is sometimes not an option for everyone. Some producers may not be willing to take on the liability or insurance fees associated with bulk storage. For them, wet hosing will be the best option. The key to finding the best solution is finding a solution to all pain points. In some instances, that solution may be wet hosing, but in others, the solution is onsite fuel storage. CMJ

Left: Square tanks with the proper licensing can be transported full and are conveniently trailer mounted. This allows crews to do their own wheel-towheel fueling. Centre: By integrating an onsite tank and wet hosing strategy, reserving wet hosing for those applications that strictly demand it, fleet managers can best utilize their resources and efficiently service all their fueling needs. Right: While onsite storage can offer most, if not all, of the benefits of wet hosing, perhaps the greatest draw is the opportunity to independently fuel a fleet . CREDIT: WESTERN GLOBAL

Michael O’Brien is regional sales manager, south central U.S. fuel channel at Western Global.

Searching for safety: Boost safety and efficiency in quarries with diagnostic tools

Avibrating screen is the heart of a quarry. It is the deciding factor in whether or not your product meets your specifications. Deadlines and quotas might tempt producers to overload the screen while attempting to increase their bottom line. However, this contributes to downtime due to premature wear and might create a safety hazard for workers near an unbalanced screen. And just as monitoring a heart rate is essential for optimal health, the same idea applies to a quarry operation.

Think of manufacturers as an operation’s cardiologist, there to diagnose and remedy operating issues before they become a safety hazard or halt production altogether. They provide producers with the necessities to streamline an operation and minimize downtime or injury. And these days, that starts with diagnostics.

Like a house-call from a doctor, onsite diagnostics enhance aggregate operations through vibration analysis service programs without having to transport the equipment into a shop. These programs offer producers insight on their screen’s performance to achieve optimum efficiency and ensure minor operating issues do not become major hazards. For the first time ever, manufacturers’ service programs provide producers the opportunity to monitor screening performance in real time. And recently, some manufacturers advanced these systems by using wireless technology. These advancements offer a hands-off approach to analyzing screening equipment by allowing operators to stand out of harm’s way from a potentially off-balanced screen when performing diagnostics.

In addition to safety, wireless technology offers operators remote, real-time monitoring, which ensures equipment is properly maintained and running optimally. This means less risk that strain is placed on the screen or other parts of the

CREDIT: HAVER & BOECKER NIAGARA

operation to maintain production quota. The increased efficiency and enhanced safety are the healthy choice for all areas of the operation.

Does it sound interesting? Here is how it works

It all begins with a close relationship with the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and is enhanced by real-time equipment monitoring. Finding a key partnership where an OEM approaches the application as a solution provider rather than an equipment supplier is key to productivity and success. If your OEM is not providing consultative advice and real-time, proactive monitoring, it might be time to seek another solution.

A key aspect to safety is having equipment that runs at peak performance and knowing when and how to maintain it. The more time spent fixing and maintaining the equipment heightens the risk of injury. That is where real-time monitoring comes in handy.

An advanced vibration analysis program specifically monitors the health of

vibrating screens. That real-time feedback ensures optimized screen performance and equipment durability. The hands-free system uses a wireless, industrial-grade tablet computer and eight tri-axial sensors to detect abnormalities the human eye cannot, such as a hairline crack in a side plate or an uneven or twisting motion. Even the slightest irregularities can result in diminished performance, decreased efficiency, and safety risk for the operator.

The programs use wireless accelerometers to detect any irregularities, allowing operators to stand as far as 100 metres out of harm’s way. Each sensor attaches to key places on a machine to send 24 channels of data to the tablet via Wi-Fi, illustrating the machine’s orbit, acceleration, deviations, and more.

After the sensors record the data, trained and experienced engineers review, study, and interpret the results through the system’s database. This provides the engineers and producer with a detailed report of any concerns that might diminish productivity or risk operator safety. If an irregularity is detected, the service team travels to complete onsite service, which keeps producers on top of preventative maintenance and ensures a safe operation that runs at maximum efficiency and lower risk. Some vibration analysis systems store each machine’s historical data, which allows for quick comparison over time and easy troubleshooting.

Increasingly often, producers rely on diagnostics for safer work environments and a streamlined operation. Its handsoff approach offers aggregate producers a healthy operation, running at peak performance, which helps them efficiently meet deadlines and produce quality products for their customers. CMJ

The pulse vibration analysis program specifically monitors the health of vibrating screens. That real-time feedback ensures optimized screen performance and equipment durability.

Wilm Schulz is Haver & Boecker Niagara parts and service manager.

By Catherine Hercus

Microwave processing of ore

Finding innovative solutions that lower energy use in mining processes will reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve productivity, and help the mining industry become more competitive. Microwave technology is an emerging process which can help improve the energy efficiency of mines not only in Canada but around the world.

A B.C.-based mineral processing company, Sepro Mineral Systems, is developing this cutting-edge technology for crushing and sorting pre blasted ore and is performing commercial bench and pilot scale test work for customers. Sepro are the world’s experts in microwave-assisted comminution and sorting.

Comminution or particle-size reduction is the crushing and grinding of rocks. It is typically the first stage of mineral processing. This stage liberates minerals from one another before separation and is one of the most energy-intensive processes in the mining industry. Comminution consumes 50% to 70% of the energy used in mineral processing and can be as little as 1% efficient as significant energy is lost to heat, vibration, and noise.

The technology combines microwave-assisted comminution and multi-sensor ore sorting and selectively targets valuable minerals via differential heating of the valuable and gangue phases causing microfractures along the phase boundaries. This allows for a

reduction in ore competency and an increase in the liberation of the valuable mineral phases. The treated ore can then be sorted using multisensor sorting.

Research and development have been conducted since March 2020 as part of the “Crush it challenge!” The national competition was launched in 2018 by Natural Resources Canada for applicants to develop the best comminution energy breakthrough. In June 2022, Sepro and its partners won the $5-million grand prize. Sepro collaborated with several partners such as Gillian Holcroft from CMIC (Canada Mining Innovation Council) ReThink Mining, and Glencore Canada. Their cleantech solution, CanMicro, exceeded the challenge guidelines, reaching 46% energy savings across several commodities and improving mill throughput.

According to the Minister of Energy, Jonathan Wilkinson, “Improving energy efficiency supports increased productivity and decreased costs at mining sites, while also reducing environmental impacts and harmful emissions.”

Commercial bench scale test work has been performed for clients since May 2021. Most ores being tested are from Canada, but testing has been done on ores from around the world.

In the last year, the microwave heating behaviour database has been expanded from 45 to over 90 unique materials rang-

ing from ores, concentrates, and tailings. The database is one of the largest pertaining to the microwave treating of ores. Treated commodities include nickel, copper sulphides, lead and zinc sulphides, gold sulphides, some PGE (platinum group elements) and REE (rare earth elements), and kimberlites. The treatment of nickel and sulphide ores has been particularly successful. Ores with too many reflective metallic phases are not suitable for microwave treatment.

Microwaves can theoretically transmit energy to heat microwave-absorbing materials in a few seconds in a continuous process. When ores are treated by microwaves, valuable minerals usually heat more easily than waste minerals. Materials with semi-conducting properties, such as sulphides and different metal oxides, heat very well in response to microwaves. Ores containing these minerals include chalcopyrite, pentlandite, galena, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and magnetite.

Silicates and carbonates and other gangue minerals typically do not respond to microwaves. Some minerals, like silica, are microwave transparent, which means that the microwaves pass through them, and nothing happens. Other highly magnetic materials are too conductive, and microwaves will be reflected off them.

Ore texture is also important. Ores responsive to microwaves are well-dispersed throughout a non-heating gangue yield improved mineral liberation and reduced ore competency. Ores with a coarser texture such as a veiny texture tend to respond well to microwave-assisted sorting.

As ores are usually composed of several phases containing different microwave properties, some phases heat while others do not. This unique heating behaviour creates thermal stress and fractures along grain boundaries of target and waste minerals. These microfractures reduce the need to grind the ore as finely, preventing the loss of valuable minerals to fines and reducing slimes. The thermal expansion of mineral grains gives rocks containing valuable minerals a thermal signature.

The sorting algorithm uses this heating

CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

Adrian Gonciarz (left) and Justin Lee (RIGHT) from the Metsolve Laboratories team standing in front of pilot-scale (915 MHz, 150 kW) microwave system. CREDIT: SEPRO

information to reject barren rocks prior to grinding. The result is reduced ore competency and improved mineral liberation after grinding, which allows for a coarser grind compared to untreated ores.

Even with limited mineralogical data, the extensive database of microwave responses for various ores allows staff to assess the potential benefits for projects.

First, a bench-scale evaluation is conducted on an ore sample. This evaluation includes two phases of testing. In the first testing phase, a microwave heating test is performed using a bench-scale microwave unit. This test is used to establish a microwave heating behaviour curve.

Chemical and mineralogical analysis is performed on the sample, and this data is compared with the database to determine the amenability of the ore. If the sample responds positively, it moves on to the second phase of testing.

Next, comparative downstream pro

ing, gravity concentration, flotation, and cyanide leaching. Using the test data, a customized testing plan is created.

The main issue of working with the technology is the fundamental understanding of how well the material can be treated by microwaves.

Adjacent industries like food processing and cannabis have more homogenous materials. In mining, there are many diverse types of rocks with different shapes, particle size, and mineralogy, which makes testing much more complicated.

In terms of safety, microwave technology uses non-ionizing radiation which does not cause cancer. However, if the microwaves escaped, employees could be burnt. To prevent this, the microwaves are encased in a steel box. For pilot scale testing, attenuation tunnels contain choke pins to prevent the microwaves from escaping.

ducted since the 1990s, so it is a modern technology with no working process. In the last five to 10 years, there has been increasing interest in going from bench testing to using tech on an industrial scale.

Some of the benefits include increased mill throughput, enhanced mineral recovery, and improved concentrate grades. There is less milling capacity required and less fine tailings to pump and manage. Other benefits include the potential to increase the grind size, reduce the loss of valuable minerals to fines and reducing slimes, improved flotation and leaching recoveries and reduced reagent use.

The coarser grind size, improved mineral liberation, and higher ore grade can improve downstream processes, such as gravity concentration, flotation, cyanidation, dewatering, and tailings management. Other benefits of microwave treatment include reduced water use and

Cluff Lake Completes Mining Life Cycle

The former Cluff Lake uranium mine and mill site in northwest Saskatchewan is safe for hunting, fishing, trapping and other traditional activities. It is safe and stable and has been open to the public since 2013.

Now, in the final stage of the modern mining life cycle (post-decommissioning), responsibility for the site will be transferred back to the Province of Saskatchewan. As the first project of its kind, Cluff Lake is a model for responsible stewardship and successful decommissioning.

Orano Canada is appreciative of the Indigenous, Métis and other community members who shared their knowledge of the lands, and we are pleased to see it returned to its natural state as intended.

oranocanada.com

ON THE MOVE

Executive, Management and Board Changes in Canada’s Mining Sector

TOP MOVES IN THIS ISSUE

CEO Don Bubar of Avalon Advanced Materials retired but will continue to sit on the board. He has led Avalon for more than 25 years, steering the company towards its focus on critical minerals and pioneering ESG and sustainability reporting within the junior mining sector.

Erik Buckland is now a partner in charge of global mining recruitment at Lincoln Strategic He is a seasoned professional with, in his 20 years of experience. Buckland’s focus will be on strategic leadership searches, private equity, and board searches for mining clients.

MANAGEMENT MOVES

» A.I.S. Resources named Andrew Neale as president and CEO.

» Ameriwest Lithium appointed new CFO Robert Hill

» Archer Exploration welcomed John Townend as senior manager technical services and exploration.

» Avalon Advanced Materials named Zeeshan Syed as president and Rickardo Welyhorsky as COO.

» Avanti Gold named Colin Porter as CEO.

» The new CEO at Awalé Resources is former COO Andrew Chubb

Workplace Safety

North director of health and safety, Cindy Schiewek, has been named one of Canada’s top women in safety by Canadian Occupational Safety. She helped develop a new tool to reduce workplace injuries.

» GFG Resources appointed Anders Carlson its new VP exploration.

» Samantha Shorter joined GR Silver Mining as CFO.

» Heliostar Metals named Samuel Anderson VP projects.

» Christopher Longton is now VP exploration at Hercules Silver

» Li-FT Power named April Hayward as chief sustainability officer.

» Lion Rock Resources said R. Dale Ginn has been named president, CEO and a director.

» Lithium One Metals appointed Nav Dhaliwal as president, CEO and director.

» Magna Mining named Ann-Marie Finney as CFO.

» Marimaca Copper named Jose Antonio Merino managing director Chile and interim CFO.

» Mink Ventures named Joel Ahrens CFO following the retirement of Paul Rokeby

» Changes at Nova Royalty include Hashim Ahmed as interim CEO and Bill Tsang as interim CFO.

» Gerry Brockelsby is now chief investment officer of Orecap Invest (formerly Orefinders Resources).

» John LeClair is now senior director of health, safety and emergency preparedness at Pan American Silver.

» Prime Mining named Indi Gopinathan as VP capital markets and business development.

» Québec Innovative Materials announced Ming Jang as CFO.

» Silver Mountain Resources announced Jean Pierre Fort’s resignation as CFO.

» Pablo McDonald is now CEO and a director of Solstice Gold

» Spanish Mountain Gold named Peter Mah as president and CEO.

» James Hatley appointed VP production at Uranium Energy

» Wealth Minerals named Francisco Lepeley as CEO of Wealth Minerals Chile

» Bear Creek Mining selected president and COO Eric Caba, as new CEO.

» Benjamin Hill Mining named Lorne Warner president, replacing Greg Bronson who is now senior project geologist.

» Dr. Ray Shaw gave up his role as CEO to become COO at Besra Gold

» Defiance Silver announced Oleg Shcherbyna as CFO and Lisa Thompson as corporate secretary.

» Fireweed Metals appointed Andrew Crook as VP of operations.

» First Phosphate appointed Garry Siskos as COO and CFO.

BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS

» Alaska Energy Metals added Corri Feige to the board.

» Dale Andres joined to board of Artemis Gold

» Awalé Resources welcomed Stephen Stewart to the board.

» The new chair of Besra Gold is Jocelyn M. Bennett

» The new chair of Caledonia Mining is John Kelly

» Capstone Copper appointed Peter Meredith a director.

» Fokus Mining added Jean-David More to its board.

» Foran Mining named Jessica McDonald and Nancy Guay to the board.

» Fremont Gold added Jason Libenson to the board.

» The new chair at Fury Gold is Brian Christie

» Indigo Exploration appointed D.T. Brian Doherty to the board.

Erik Buckland Don Bubar

Cindy Schiewek

QUEBEC

800.565.6534 | F 800.263.9533

BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS, CONTINUED

» Jeane Hull has been elected to the Wheaton Precious Metals board.

» Largo Physical Vanadium named Erik Bethel to the board.

» Lithium Energi Exploration added Rebecca Paisley to its board.

» McFarlane Lake Mining said Dario Zulich has accepted a seat on its board.

» David Moore joined the board of NorthWest Copper

» Pan American Energy appointed Nicky Grant to the board.

» The newest director at Pan Global Resources is Corinne Smit

» Premium Nickel Resources named Jason LeBlanc to the board.

» Director Brent Bergeron named chair of Spanish Mountain Gold.

» Sparton Resources welcomed new board member Denise Cummings-Luckie

» Brian Lock was named chair of Sun Summit Minerals

» The Artisanal Gold Council announced Roger Tissot as the new executive director, replacing founder Kevin Telmer, now director of innovation and business development.

» Treasury Metals nominated Michele Ashby and James (Jim) Gowan to the board.

» Western Atlas Resources named Stephen Wilkinson as director.

» Wolverine Resources named Don Bowins to the board.

EQUIP YOUR TEAM WITH THE

Leverage the industry knowledge of mining’s leading news and data channels to super charge your sales team with a TNM NEWS + DATA Group Membership

Keep your team up to date and in the know with unlimited access to every story from

+

Help clients discover your products and services and boost your SEO with a featured listing on

Uncover the right prospects with trusted market intelligence on thousands of companies, properties, and personnel from

Easily manage your team’s access through our intuitive Group Admin interface on

Get All of These Features and More, Plus Save Up to 45% With a Group Membership

Effortless Mining Equipment Management

Meet MyLiebherr – the ultimate mining equipment management tool. With MyLiebherr, you can easily access all necessary documents and instructions for your machines, including spare parts and service documentation.

MyLiebherr allows you to manage your customer data, permissions, and business relationships with ease. Stay updated on your orders’ status whether you ordered through the MyLiebherr shop, phone or email.

Say hello to hassle-free mining equipment management. www.liebherr.ca

Apps and digital services

MyLiebherr – All-in-one mining portal