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THE RISE OF RESOURCE NATIONALISM TOWARD A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF BIOREACTORS DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 | www.canadianminingjournal.com | PM # 40069240
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DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 VOL. 144, NO.10
FEATURES INTERNATIONAL MINING
20
16 Predictions for the year ahead by EY advisors. 18 A look at Canadian mining companies and global insurance. 20 Greece has clear roadmap to move away from coal. 23 The positive impact of international mining: A story in need of a makeover.
26 Mining Operations in Mexico. 29 Norway plans to open its territorial waters to deep sea mining. CEO INTERVIEW
32 Interview with silver crown royalties’ CEO, Peter Bures: I am wary of
23
government.
TECHNOLOGY AND WATER MANAGEMENT
34 Q & A with Dave Allan, vice-president of Canada’s Kal Tire Mining Tire Group.
36 Toward a better understanding of bioreactors in the mining sector. HEALTH & SAFETY
38 Four ways to reduce health hazards.
32
MAINTENANCE (HAULING, CONVEYORS, AND SCREENS)
40 Hauling: State of the industry 2023. 41 Guarding by location. 43 OEM parts avoid vibrating screen damage. 44 Solutions for proper vibrating screen media selection.
DEPARTMENTS
4 EDITORIAL | Another not-a-bad year for mining! 6 FAST NEWS | Updates from across the mining ecosystem. 8 LAW | The rise of resource nationalism in the global critical minerals industry.
10 MIN(E)D YOUR BUSINESS | Managing the risks of enforcing against a sovereign state. 12 COSTMINE | Estimating costs of copper heap leach irrigation. 45 ON THE MOVE | Tracking executive, management, and board changes in Canada’s mining sector.
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Front cover image: CIL tanks at the processing plant in Fortuna Silver’s Séguéla gold mine, Côte d’Ivoire. CREDIT: TAMER ELBOKL
Coming in February/March 2024 Canadian Mining Journal’s February-March issue will feature our annual review on the state of mining in Ontario, and a look at the new technology and innovations emerging from the rich vein of suppliers in the province.
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/
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 3
FROM THE EDITOR
Another not-a-bad year for mining! Tamer Elbokl, PhD
E
arlier this year, I expected that big restructuring and acquisition deals will dominate the news in 2023. To name a few: Last week, Iamgold signed an agreement to acquire Vanstar Resources. Last November, Teck Resources, Canada’s largest diversified miner, has agreed to sell its steelmaking coal business in a series of deals that are worth at US$9 billion. Swiss commodities giant Glencore will acquire a majority ownership and has agreed to pay US$6.9 billion for a 77% ownership of the coal business, currently known as Elk Valley Resources. Additionally, Japanese Nippon Steel will acquire a 20% stake. Also recently, in a historic deal that adds to Newmont’s position as the world’s largest gold producer while boosting its production of the copper needed for the energy transition, the Colorado-based miner has completed the roughly US$19 billion buyout of Newcrest Mining. Here in Canada, the federal government ended the 2023 year on a positive note and recently announced the Critical Minerals Infrastructure Fund (CMIF) that will provide up to $1.5 billion in federal funding over seven years for clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects necessary to enable the sustainable development and expansion of critical minerals in Canada. CMIF funding addresses key infrastructure gaps in the exploration and mining of critical minerals value chains and is intended to help unlock new critical mineral resources, support improved environmental performance at mine sites, facilitate market access for critical minerals, and strengthen supply chains. The fund is also expected to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples by supporting Indigenous consultation and participation, as well as benefits from infrastructure projects that enable critical minerals development. CMIF funded projects must be located entirely in Canada. This issue is our first combined December/January issue. In this issue, we focus on international mining topics. Internationally, Canada is one of the leading mining countries and one of the largest producers of minerals and metals. Canada’s mining sector has investments in over 100 countries worldwide. Thousands of Canadian mining supply and services companies are also working with the sector internationally. Articles on pages 16 to 33 cover several topics related to international mining, including EY experts forecast for the year ahead, a look at Canadian mining companies and global insurance, and Norway’s plans to open its territorial waters to deep sea mining. Our regular columns also discuss international mining issues. On page 8, our Law column reflects on the 2023 trendy subject of the rise of resource nationalism in the global critical minerals industry. Additionally, J. Tom Hatfield from McMillan LLP explains how to manage the risks of enforcing against a sovereign state on page 10. The issue also contains several state-of-the-art technology and maintenance articles and more. Finally, our team wishes our readers Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. Our next issue is February/March issue that will feature our annual review on the state of mining in Ontario, and a look at the new technology and innovations emerging from the rich vein of suppliers in the province. Relevant editorial contributions can be sent directly to the Editor in Chief no later than Feb. 7th, 2024. CMJ
4 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 Vol. 144 – No. 10
69 Yonge St., Ste. 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1K3 Tel. (416) 510-6789 Fax (416) 510-5138 www.canadianminingjournal.com Editor in Chief Dr. Tamer Elbokl TElbokl@CanadianMiningJournal.com News Editor Marilyn Scales mscales@canadianminingjournal.com Production Manager Jessica Jubb jjubb@northernminer.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@northernminergroup.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 nine times a year by The Northern Miner Group. TNM is located at 69 Yonge St., Ste. 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1K3. 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@northernminergroup.com Mail to: Allison Mein, 69 Yonge St., Ste. 200, Toronto, ON M5E 1K3 We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.
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FAST NEWS
Updates from across the mining ecosystem
• SOLD | Teck sells coal assets to Glencore,
• GROWTH | McEwen Mining launches $22M
Teck Resources is selling its coal assets to Glencore and two Asian steelmakers for US$8.9 billion, Teck said in November. Under the deal, which still must be approved by regulators in Ottawa, Glencore is to pay US$6.9 billion for 77% of Elk Valley Resources, Teck’s coal business, while Japan’s Nippon Steel will take 20% and Posco of South Korea gets 3%. The steelmakers are swapping their interests in specific coal producers for stakes in the wider company, it said. Nippon is also to pay US$1.7 billion to Teck. The deal caps negotiations that have gone at least since April when Teck rejected an offer from Glencore to buy all of Canada’s largest diversified miner. It also would seal Teck’s plans to sell off its coal operations to focus on its copper and zinc business. Industry and political debate have swirled around the plans as some concerns mounted Switzerland-based Glencore was buying up Canadian resources. Others noted Glencore actually employs more Canadians than Teck. “This sale will ensure Teck is well-capitalized and able to realize value from our base metals business and deliver strong returns to our shareholders while maintaining a robust balance sheet,” Teck president and CEO Jonathan Price said. The deal is expected to close in the third-quarter next year. Teck will keep operating the coal business until then and may earn as much as US$1 billion during that time, it said. CMJ
McEwen Mining announced in November that it is launching a new round of financing to fund the continued exploration and development at its Fox gold complex, located in the Timmins region of Ontario. The financing consists of two parts: a US$7.3 million private placement of 788,000 flow-through common shares priced at US$9.27 each; and a US$8.8 million private placement of 1.1 million flow-through common shares priced at US$7.86 each. Together, approximately 1.9 million shares will be offered for gross proceeds of US$16.1 million ($22 million). The Fox complex comprises several mine properties covering 70 km2 along the Destor-Porcupine fault, also known as the ‘Golden Highway’, home to many of the richest gold mines in both Ontario and Quebec. Its main properties include Black Fox, Stock and Lexam. Together, the Fox complex properties, led by the new Froome mine that entered production in 2021, had 36,650 gold equivalent oz. of production in 2022, representing a third of the company’s annual output. McEwen is currently contemplating an expansion to the Fox complex. A preliminary economic assessment for the expansion, to occur after mining is completed at Froome, outlined a mine life of over nine years with average annual gold production of 80,800 oz. CMJ
• ENVIRONMENT | Nunavut review board
• IN COURT | Seabridge wins round #1 of
Agnico Eagle Mines has received the ruling of the Nunavut Impact Review Board saying that it has rejected the company’s application to expand the Meliadine gold mine, which is located 25 km from Rankin Inlet. The application would have extended the mine life by 11 years to 2043. An 11-turbine wind farm was also proposed. In its document released Nov. 17, the NIRB said the proposal cannot be accepted now due to the considerable uncertainly of the potential for it to have negative and lasting effects on caribou. It also called out the uncertainly of cumulative effects. During the public hearing in September 2023 that focused on Agnico’s plans, concerns about the local caribou dominated. The location of the proposed wind farm was also questioned. Agnico said on the last day of the hearing that it would work with local Indigenous communities to find a new site for the turbines, farther from the caribou calving grounds. In a statement to CBC, Agnico said it is “surprised and disappointed” by the decision. The NIRB did, however, encourage Agnico to resubmit its proposal in the future. CMJ
In July 2023, Seabridge Gold reported to shareholders that Tudor Gold had applied to the B.C. government to rescind a portion of Seabridge’s licence of occupation for the KSM copper-gold project. The B.C. Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation recently responded to Seabridge with confirmation that the government has the authority to issue licences and permits within an area where mineral title is held by a third party. The B.C. Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship confirmed there is no basis to cancel the licence under the provisions of the relevant legislation or the terms of the licence. The area of dispute covers what would be the right-of-way for planned tunnels to connect the mine site with the mill 23 km away. The Mitchell Treaty Tunnels or MTT will transport ore, deliver fuel, and accommodate the hydro power lines. Seabridge says its licence allows its subsidiary KSM Mining the right to occupy the area during construction. Once construction is complete, the licence will be converted into a statutory right of way, including where the tunnels pass through mineral claims owned by Tudor. Tudor has promised to oppose any application by Seabridge to build the MTT. CMJ
steelmakers
nixes expansion for Agnico Eagle’s Meliadine gold mine
6 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
financing to fund Fox complex
tussle with Tudor over KSM licence
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LAW
By Robin Longe, José Ignacio Morán, Maria Pala Morelli, and Michael R. Rattagan
The rise of resource nationalism in the global critical minerals industry: Developments from Canada and Latin America
R
ecent commitments by various countries and corporations to reach netzero emissions signal a new phase in global efforts to combat climate change and foster sustainability. As is well known, sources of alternative energy are becoming increasingly dependent on technologies which rely on supplies of specific critical minerals, including lithium, copper, and uranium. While these demands would typically signal the need for greater trade integration with mineral-rich nations, this has been countered by the fact that supplies of certain critical minerals are limited, and that there has recently been an increase in geopolitical tensions arising from an international trend of deglobalization. These factors combined have led to the development, by various countries, of initiatives and policies designed to assert certain levels of control over mineral exploration and development activities within the borders of the state. In the context of critical minerals, the rise of protectionist initiatives and policies, commonly referred to as “resource nationalism,” can take various forms, ranging from a state’s refusal to grant authorizations to foreign mining companies to explore for or develop critical mineral deposits, to indirect restrictions such as the application of additional royalties or taxes on foreign-controlled entities.
Canada is one example of a mineralrich nation that has recently implemented measures to promote and control the development of critical minerals within its borders.
Canada and critical minerals
8 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
ensure that “conflict materials” produced from “non-likeminded” nations are prevented from entering the domestic supply chain.
Resource nationalism in Latin America
For Canadian companies involved in the exploration and development of critical minerals abroad, the influence of resource nationalism has led to new considerations and assessments of risk, with the potential to affect activities and investments in other regions. Canada is home to nearly half of the world’s publicly listed mining companies, and Canadian mining companies are particularly focused on projects in Latin America, where over 50% of mining activity involves entities based in Canada. As in Canada, certain nations in Latin America have moved towards greater state control over their natural resources,
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CREDIT: ADOBE IMAGES
Canada is one example of a mineral-rich nation that has recently implemented measures to promote and control the development of critical minerals within its borders, aligning with global trends. Canada’s critical minerals strategy includes tax breaks and other financial incentives to support domestic development. It is now also more difficult for foreign stateowned enterprises to own or participate in Canada’s critical minerals industry, evidenced by the government of Canada’s November 2022 order to three foreign entities to divest their interests in Canadian assets involved in the sector. Subject to the government’s discretion, new investments by foreign state-owned enterprises in Canadian critical mineral mining companies will undergo heightened scrutiny, and significant transactions of this type will be approved as a “likely net benefit” to Canada only on an exceptional basis. In addition, Canada has partnered with the U.S., EU, and Japan to
HAVER & BOECKER
spurred in part by political demand for a greater allocation of revenues derived from producing mines to be reinvested in local communities and infrastructure projects. One example of this trend is from Mexico, which in a significant development from February 2023, issued a decree to nationalize its reserves of lithium. This initiative involved a comprehensive review of active mining concessions owned by approximately a dozen foreign companies and has caused some uncertainty surrounding future foreign investment in Mexico’s mining sector. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has stated his commitment to secure energy sovereignty, which has caused tension with the U.S. and Canadian governments, who both wish to maintain favourable access to Mexican energy resources. To varying degrees, other Latin American nations have also initiated policies to control the exploration and development of certain critical minerals within their borders. Chile, which is the source of some of the largest lithium and copper deposits in the world, recently announced a national lithium strategy which mandates public-private partnerships, where private companies are required to participate with the state through a project’s stages of exploration, development, and production. Although not strict nationalization per se, the strategy does show Chile’s clear intention to become actively involved in the industry to increase revenues to the country, ensure the sustainability of local communities, and promote the development of lithium resources in Chile. In contrast, while there had been speculation of resource nationalism in Argentina after the partial re-nationalization of Repsol YPF, the nation’s largest energy company, there has not been a recent, decisive shift towards state control, and the country’s energy sector has remained largely driven by private enterprise and foreign investment.
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Conclusion
The range of initiatives described above indicate that certain mineral rich nations, within the context of deglobalization, are working to find their appropriate balance for developing critical mineral resources. While ensuring that critical mineral deposits are explored for and developed, countries are now finding it necessary to determine how to maintain or build strategic alliances, develop trade relationships, and participate (to the greatest extent possible) in the green energy economy. CMJ ROBIN LONGE is a partner in Dentons Canada’s corporate group and acts as co-leader of the firm’s national mining group. JOSÉ IGNACIO MORÁN is a partner of Dentons in Chile, the firm’s global mining and natural resources leader and a member of the global ESG steering committee. MARIA PALA MORELLI is a counsel at Dentons Argentina, specializing in administrative and regulatory law, natural resources law and mining law. MICHAEL R. RATTAGAN is one of the founding partners of the Dentons Argentina, co-leading the M&A and natural resources and energy groups.
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The authors would like to thank Mary Su and Sarah Stumpf, articling students at Dentons, for their assistance with this article. DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 9
MIN(E)D YOUR BUSINESS
By J. Tom Hatfield
GETTING PAID:
Managing the risks of enforcing against a sovereign state
M
ining companies are some of the most active participants in bringing claims against sovereign states under both commercial arrangements and investment treaties. Winning a monetary judgement in court or an award in an international arbitration against a sovereign state is a major step towards a remedy for the claim. However, if the state does not pay the awarded amount voluntarily, then the claimant must seek to enforce it. Enforcing against a sovereign state requires navigating issues that are not present in enforcement actions against non-state parties. This article will touch in some of the key issues a party must be aware of when collecting on an award or judgement against a state and how to best position themselves ahead of time to avoid some common problems. 1 | Navigating state immunity State immunity is a fundamental issue that must be navigated when enforcing an arbitration award or foreign judgement against a state. Broadly speaking, there are two branches of state immunity: immunity from suit, which bars a state from being sued in another state’s courts; and immunity from execution, which bars execution on a judgement against a state’s assets. There are exceptions to both branches of state immunity which are critical to enforcing arbitration awards and judgements against states. i) Waiver
Many jurisdictions around the world recognize that a foreign state is not immune from either being sued or execution on its assets if it has waived that
10 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
immunity. This can take the form of an express waiver clause in a commercial contract with a state or other state action that amounts to a waiver. An express waiver of state immunity can be included in commercial contracts with states and simplifies the issues of state immunity in enforcing a judgement or award after a dispute. Parties contracting with states should review their agreements with states to see if these clauses are present. Parties contracting with states should also seek to include waiver of immunity clauses whenever possible from the outset of the commercial relationship to make enforcing against the state easier should the need arise. ii) Commercial activities exemption
Another common qualification is that a state is not immune from being sued in relation to its commercial activities. This is often referred to as the “commercial activities” exception and allows a state to be sued in proceedings that relate to its activities that are of a commercial nature. A similar exception often applies to a state’s assets that are used for commercial activity, making those assets not immune from execution. Each legal jurisdiction will have its own laws relating to state immunity. In Canada, foreign states enjoy qualified immunity under the federal State Immunity Act. The immunity does not apply if it is waived by the state or if the claim against the state relates to the state’s commercial activities. State assets are immune from execution subject to the same exceptions (i.e., the state waives immunity, or the assets are used for commercial activities).
This commercial activity exception also applies to assets of a state’s central bank held in Canada. 2 | The process of recognition and enforcement Enforcing a judgement or award against a state is a multistage process. The first stage is to have the arbitration award or foreign judgement recognized. The second step is to have the recognized award or judgement enforced. Recognition of international arbitration awards is made easier in jurisdictions that are signatories to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, commonly called the “New York Convention”. The New York Convention is signed by over 170 countries and provides a framework to have foreign arbitration award recognized as if they were local court judgements. The process is designed to encourage recognition proceedings and make refusing recognition possible only on limited grounds. Recognition of foreign court judgements follow different legal schemes from international arbitration awards. In Canada, the recognition of a foreign court judgement is a matter of private international law which has been codified in several provincial jurisdictions. Canada, and some Canadian provinces, have agreements with select jurisdictions for the reciprocal recognition of judgements. But there is nothing like the New York Convention for the recognition of foreign judgements on a global scale. It is therefore arguably more straightforward to have an international arbitration award recognized than a foreign court judgement. Companies should
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check their commercial agreements with cialized legal advice relating to their spe- sue enforcement. Good planning and risk mitigation to avoid common obstacles states for arbitration clauses and include cific jurisdiction. Mining companies and investors can can avoid the need to proceed to enforcethem whenever possible. Also, the corporate structure through manage enforcement risk by taking pro- ment all together. CMJ which a mining project is held should be active steps to put themselves in strong examined to assess whether investors position to enforce judgements or award are protected under an investment against sovereign states if needed. Many J. Thomas Hatfield is a partner, treaty. A large global network of bilateral states pay or seek settlement after a party international arbitration and cross-border 11-17_CMJ_InsertV1.pdf 11/17/23 8:08 at AM McMillan LLP. the wherewithal to1 purand multilateral investment treaties is shows they have litigation, currently in force. Prudent enterprises will examine which jurisdictions have treaties with the host state in which their project is located and seek to avail themselves of treaty protection before any dispute arises. This not only provides substantive protection outside a contractual relationship with the state, but also may make it easier to have a future international arbitration award recognized and enforced down the line. Once an arbitration award or foreign judgement is recognized in a jurisdiction, it can then be enforced. Generally, a party who has a recognized award or foreign judgement has access to the types of enforcement tools of a domestic court judgement in that jurisdiction. These vary by jurisdiction, but can include freezing orders, garnishing orders, or orders for seizure and sale of property. Issues of state immunity must be navi- C gated at both the recognition and enforce- M ment phases. Y
®
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
CM 3| Managing enforcement risk Mining companies and investors should MY build enforcement risk into their political CY risk assessments of the jurisdiction in which the project is located. Companies CMY should know if the host state has a his- K tory of not paying when ordered to by a judgement or award. The credit worthiness of the state should be assessed with the ease of enforcement in mind. Part of assessing enforcement risk at any stage should also involve understanding whether a state is known to have assets abroad and in which jurisdictions. This type of information will form the basis of any global enforcement strategy if a party finds itself having to enforce a judgement or arbitration award against a state. At the early stages of an enforcement effort, parties should engage coordinating counsel to lead the effort. Coordinating counsel often engage with asset investigation firms to locate assets and local lawyers in multiple jurisdictions where assets are located to get spe-
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 11
COSTMINE
By Aaron Selaya and Michael Grimm
Estimating costs of copper heap leach irrigation
H
eap leaching is a hydrometallurgical process commonly used for the extraction of metals from low-grade copper, gold, and uranium ores. This process involves stacking the ore in heaps, by either truck or conveyor methods, on a lined leach pad. Once the heap, or a portion of the heap, is constructed, an irrigation system is installed on top of the stacked ore to apply a barren leach solution of dilute acid or cyanide. The leach solution is typically pumped from a barren pond located near the heap. As the solution percolates through the ore heap, it strips the desired commodity from the ore and suspends it within the solution, now called the pregnant leach solution. It is this solution that is then funneled to a pregnant pond and pumped to the plant for metal recovery. Heap leaching has a few advantages over other processing methods for low grade ores. It can be developed in the shortest amount of time, and it has a low capital cost relative to other methods. Capital cost categories for heap leaching broadly include those for the construction of the heap base and liner system, the equipment used for agglomerating (if needed) and stacking ore, and the application of the leach solution. This article focuses on the costs associated with copper leach field irrigation systems. Three examples of different sizes were designed and analyzed to determine not only overall costs, but also the effects of specific items that can greatly influence costs. Included in the study are costs for supplies, equipment purchase, equipment operation, and installation labour. Engineering, administrative, system operating costs, taxes, leach pad construction, and system removal are not included in this analysis. A “one-size-fits-all” approach to heap leach design will yield suboptimal results. The characteristics of a leach pad, such as heap height, ore size, and leach duration, are driven by the unique properties of the ore at a given site. As a result, many of these parameters can vary
12 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
200 ft To subsequent sub cells Flush manifold (4” layflat) Dripline (16 mm, 36” line spacing, 30” emitter spacing) Header pipe (12” HDPE) 200 ft Sub-header (4” layflat) Pressure reducing valve Sub-header isolation valve Header isolation valve To pump
Combination air valve
Main feed pipe (24 to 48” HDPE)
To subsequent cells
Figure 1. A detailed view of an individual sub cell. All critical components are displayed and identified.
greatly from one site to the next. In addition to this, topography and climate can determine decisions such as leach pad shape and irrigation type, respectively. All of these traits contribute to determining the application rate of the leach solution, which is the most important variable in designing the irrigation system.
Irrigation system design
It is estimated that 90% of today’s heap leach operations use drip irrigation, which will be the focus of this cost analysis. The industry standard application rate of 0.019 L/min/m2 (0.005 gpm/ft2) was assumed to determine dripline specifications, i.e. diameter, emitter spacing, etc. The next area of focus is lay flat distribution pipe. Lay flat is a light weight and flexible solution for drip irrigation sub headers. The pipe chosen for this project features pre-installed teardrop fittings spaced 36 inches apart. The pre-installed fittings save a significant amount of labour with only a slight increase in supply cost. The length of the lay flat in this system determines the sub-cell width, cell width and the number of driplines. Attached at the feed end of each lay flat
pipe is a pressure reducing valve (PRV) to ensure the proper amount of solution is delivered to each sub cell and an isolation valve which enables maintenance personnel to deactivate an individual sub-cell if necessary. On the other end, an air valve is installed to purge air from the system to ensure proper system performance. Feeding the lay flat sub headers is the header pipe. The header is responsible for feeding leach solution to each sub-cell within a given cell. HDPE is the most common material used due to its longevity and durability. Solution is supplied to the entire irrigation system via the main feed pipes, which extend from the pump outlet to each header pipe. These are the largest diameter pipes in the system and are typically the longest. Some irrigation system configurations may feature either one or multiple feed pipes depending on the volume flow requirements. The leaching solution, typically stored in a barren pond, is pumped into the main feed pipes by large pumps that are designed to endure the acidic solution. For this cost analysis, shore mounted vertical turbine pumps were chosen for all
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Figure 2. Supply and equipment purchase costs versus leach pad area.
examples. Each of these examples, there are two operational pumps and one standby pump, as commonly seen in the industry. The leach pad area was identified as the determining factor for irrigation system sizing, as it directly correlates to the amount of leach solution required. By conducting research of existing copper heap leach operations, three example designs were created for this cost analysis as shown in Table 1. Table 2 below details the irrigation system specifications used for the design of the three example scenarios highlighted in this article. Many of these variables
Figure 3. Labour and equipment operation costs versus leach pad area.
were held constant in an effort to provide a fair comparison between the three sizes. These values were derived from industry norms and associated calculations that ensure a reasonable amount of pressure loss in the system.
Cost estimates
These models consider the costs of irrigating the initial lift of a permanent pad operation. The first lift is the most expensive due to having the largest area and also because of the initial equipment and supply costs. Much of the equipment and many of the supplies are reusable for subsequent lifts.
Table 1. Leach pad specifications for system models. Size
Leach pad area (ft2)
Number of cells
Sub cells per cell *
Small
5,000,000
8
8
Average
16,000,000
13
16
Large
32,000,000
20
20
*Assumes common 16 mm dripline and 4 inch lay flat hose.
Table 2. Specifications used for system models. Irrigation system specifications Emitter flow rate
2 g/h
Dripline diameter
16 mm (5/8 in)
Emitter spacing
30 in
Lay flat diameter
4 in
Dripline spacing
36 in
Header diameter
12 in
System pressure
15 psi
Main feed diameter (S, A, L)
24, 36, 48 in
Table 3. HDPE supply versus other supply costs. Category
Small design cost
Average design cost
Large design cost
HDPE supplies
$742,600 (63%)
$3,462,700 (69%)
$7,865,400 (73%)
Other supplies
$440,100 (37%)
$1,521,900 (31%)
$2,880,000 (27%)
Total
$1,182,700
$4,984,600
$10,745,400
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
Ore characteristics, such as leach cycle times, and operational conditions vary from one project to the next, and each may impact the percentage of the field under leach at any given time. To account for continued new ore placement on the lift and for operations that may stop solution application once the leach cycle has reached its optimal metal recovery time frame, we have assumed that 50% of the field is under leach at any given time. Each of these cost models assumes a value of 305 metres between the barren pond and the base of the heap. This value can greatly affect total costs since the large HDPE main feed pipes are used to carry leach solution over this distance. With the use of the common practices and assumptions discussed previously, the costs were analyzed in the following categories: supplies, equipment purchase, equipment operation, and labour. The data were then used to generate smoothed curves that relate each of these cost categories to the area of a given leach pad. Figures 2 and 3 above display these findings. From Figures 2 and 3 above, a few observations can be made. Both labour and supplies have fairly linear relationships with leach pad area, although the supply curve holds a much greater magnitude. Labour is a relatively insignificant cost here regardless of leach pad size. A contributing factor to these low labour costs is how many of the materials selected for these systems are designed with labour reduction in mind. Equipment costs are more complex relative to supplies and labour. The equipment necessary to construct the irrigation system requires a large initial cost, which is consistent across all sizes of leach pads, and driven largely by the expense of the vertical turbine pumps. As the volume flow and head requirements CONTINUED ON PAGE 15
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 13
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COSTMINE
Figure 4. Leach pad cost versus leach pad area.
increase, the size and the costs of the pumps increase substantially. Even when considering the granular trends discussed above, the values of the total costs plotted against the leach pad area yield a curve which is nearly linear. Figure 4 displays this curve along with a linear trendline for comparison. In conjunction with analyzing total irrigation system costs, the influence of individual component costs was studied. It was determined that the HDPE components within the system account for the majority of the overall cost. Table 3 details these findings for each of the three sizes. Note that the other supplies category refers to all supplies in which HDPE is not the primary material. Analysis of this data revealed that HDPE supplies in the small, average, and large models account for 63%, 69%, and 73% of total supplies cost, respectively. This means that HDPE pricing becomes more significant as the size of the heap leach operation (and feed pipe size) increases. Figure 5 illustrates this by showing the effects of both a 10% increase and decrease in HDPE supply costs. An analysis of the chart above shows that when the area of the leach pad increases so does HDPE market sensitivity. Because of this, it is recommended for supply purchases and mine construction to begin soon after project feasibility is determined.
Conclusion
The total costs associated with constructing copper heap leach irrigation systems vary depending on the size of the operation, but they are also predictable due to the nearly linear nature of the overall costs. Additional insights are revealed with a more detailed analysis of individDECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
Figure 5. HDPE supply costs with market fluctuations.
ual cost categories, namely equipment, labour, and supplies. In any scenario, equipment has a large capital cost, but when plotted relative to pad size, we see a curve that flattens as leach pad size increases. Conversely, installation labour is an insignificant cost due to the ease of installation with modern heap leach irrigation systems. The greatest cost sensitivity for most average to large operations is the HDPE component of the supplies category. In larger operations, small changes
in HDPE pricing can have a profound effect on the overall cost. CMJ
AARON SELAYA is a mechanical engineer at Eastern Washington University. MICHAEL GRIMM is an employee of Costmine. This article is an adaptation of Aaron Selaya’s original article in Costmine Intelligence’s Mining Cost Service. Please contact Costmine for the complete analysis.
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INTERNATIONAL MINING/2024 FORECAST
By EY staff
Predictions for the year ahead A sit down with EY advisors
T
he mining industry is grappling with escalating expectations from investors and stakeholders, particularly regarding Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues. A rapid shift from short-term returns to longterm value creation, including meeting 2050 net-zero goals, is compelling mining companies to balance ESG priorities along with ongoing productivity goals, while improving access to capital and building a strong license to operate. On top of it all, there are increasing inflationary pressures amid a complex and interconnected risk landscape. There is no doubt this will require strategic, scenario-based planning to achieve sustained positive impact. Being able to convey
both the financial and nonfinancial value creation achieved will be crucial to shaping the sector’s brand, building trust, and fostering transparent, forward-thinking legacies. Failure to adapt to the changing landscape puts organizations at risk of lagging in a year expected to bring a significant resurgence to the sector through the energy transition. To aid in strategic planning for the year ahead, EY polled its Americas Mining and Metals Centre of Excellence expert advisors and technical mining professionals to gain insights into the most influential technological and geopolitical advancements witnessed in the mining industry throughout 2023 and to identify the key areas of focus for companies in 2024.
Alex Teijeira > Workforce and talent advisor In the 2024 edition of the EY Top 10 business risks and opportunities report, a noteworthy connection exists between the foremost risk of the year, ESG, and its corresponding risk, workforce. To successfully address the former, the latter must continue to be a top priority for the boards and C-Suites of mining companies. Fortunately, many companies have demonstrated proficiency in managing diverse and global workforces, owing to their varied geographical operations. Nevertheless, enhancing the industry’s appeal to a broader, younger, and gender-balanced demographic will remain pivotal in nurturing innovation, helping to meet the industry’s future talent demands required to accelerate transformation and mitigate workforce-related risks.
Joseph Ashun > Asset management advisor In 2023, significant progress was made in the integration of autonomous mining vehicles and machinery, resulting in heightened efficiency, productivity, and safety across mining operations. The adoption of autonomous equipment, such as truck drills, which can operate without human intervention, not only reduces operational risks but also enhances productivity, influencing the All-In Sustaining Costs (AISC) for miners. As mining operations expand into more challenging and hazardous environments by human standards, the imperative of embracing these technologies becomes increasingly evident. Looking forward to 2024 and beyond, mining companies should remain committed to the advancement and refinement of automation and digitization technologies. This involves a strong emphasis on areas like data analytics and machine learning, harnessing the potential of analytical and machine learning algorithms to optimize mining processes. Additionally, the introduction of blockchain technologies has the potential to revolutionize supply chain transparency and traceability, ensuring ethical sourcing from mineral extraction to processing. To facilitate this transformation, investments in intelligent data collection systems and the training of skilled personnel for effective data analysis and interpretation are paramount. This, in turn, empowers miners to categorize, manipulate and summarize data for informed decision-making regarding safety, equipment maintenance, and more.
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To learn more about EY Americas Mining and Metals Centre of Excellence, visit https://www.ey.com/en_ca/mining-metals/mining-and-metals-centre-of-excellence
Patricia Jaworski > Maintenance and reliability advisor The unpredictable geopolitical landscape and breakneck pace of technological advancements are the dominant forces in the mining industry now and moving forward. The ability to quickly respond to market dynamics, dictated by factors at home and abroad, and exploiting tech developments, such as adopting autonomous solutions as well as the integration of advanced data analytics and AI into practices, is a competitive necessity with critical prerequisites. Continuously refining your organization’s assessment management approach, including formally adopting an asset management system per ISO 55000 standards, and business process compliance across functions are key. The organization can then optimally assess and respond to changes in supply and demand, and technology can be layered onto systems and processes with success. Conversely, if business processes are lackluster at best or an afterthought at worst, attempting to read and react to worldwide market forces or adopting the latest and greatest technological solution is akin to building a house on quicksand.
Trevor Kelly > Mine engineering and operations advisor In 2024, mining companies face a plethora of priorities, both internal and external, that necessitate strategic attention. Among these, two pivotal areas warrant focus: the development of critical minerals and the implementation of automated mining systems. The discourse on critical minerals is a long-term imperative that warrants immediate action. Since 2005, Canada has witnessed the establishment of four critical minerals mines, and an additional twenty two are slated for construction over the next 15 years, as per data from Natural Resources Canada. Companies must advocate for government support to facilitate the access and sustainable development of these new mines, meeting the burgeoning global demand for minerals efficiently. Furthermore, these new mines should be meticulously designed and constructed, harnessing transformative technologies such as automation. Automation not only ensures the continued viability of existing brownfield sites but also lays the foundation for the creation of highly efficient, versatile assets, offering a broad range of workforce options and fostering operational efficiency.
Daniel Morales > Engineering advisor In recent years, mining leaders have prominently prioritized ESG concerns. To effectively address these issues, they have actively sought and will continue to require strategic tools that harmonize their environmental objectives. Now, as the challenge of securing capital intensifies, these strategic plans must not only cater to environmental aspirations but also ensure financial resilience and strength. In 2023, there is a positive development with the emergence of tools like stochastic mine plan optimizers. These tools are commercially available and go beyond merely maximizing net present value (NPV) by considering conventional uncertainties such as geology and prices; they also place a strong emphasis on optimizing environmental indicators. Companies that incorporate stochastic tools into their decision-making processes for 2024 are poised to thrive in an uncertain landscape, exhibiting a forward-looking and adaptive approach to the evolving priorities in the mining industry. CMJ
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INTERNATIONAL MINING
By Katherine Dawal
MITIGATING RISK AND LEADING SUSTAINABLY:
A look at Canadian mining companies and global insurance
C
anada, with its long history of mining, is home to some of the world’s largest mining companies whose operations extend far beyond Canada’s borders. And because Canada is a resource-rich country, most mining companies have a footprint here. However, history has taught us that diversification reduces the overall risk profile and provides an opportunity for greater economic impact. Expanding mining operations to other resource-rich nations while maintaining Canadian mining standards and best practices is an ideal climate for insurance companies. The business interruption risk is spread across multiple jurisdictions, and the insurance industry finds comfort in adhering to Canadian risk management principles. But operating in jurisdictions where there is political instability or where there is a public opposition to mining poses a higher investment risk. Insurance products are available to transfer aspects of political risk as well as the risk of political violence, which helps reduce the overall balance sheet exposure. Multinational insurance placements are complex and require a strong understanding of local insurance regulations to ensure compliance. There are many strategic considerations to explore when placing a global insurance program, with decisions led by the organization’s risk management financing philosophy.
Canadian influence in international mining operations
Canadian mining is known to have some of the highest standards in safety, environmental practices, tailings management, and human rights. Mines operating in jurisdictions that have less regulatory oversight, compared to Canada, tend to be viewed as riskier because of the perceived lack of controls and protocols. Insurers do find comfort, however, in cases where the operations have a Canadian head office that maintains a good relationship with the local management team and where they are working together to support the implementation of Canadian standards. Consistency in standards across operations within a company, regardless of jurisdiction, shows strong management and governance practices. When Canadian mining companies acquire assets in foreign jurisdictions from local or non-Canadian mining companies, top of mind for insurers will be whether the Canadian mining company plans to transition their newly acquired assets to Canadian standards, particularly with tailings management, given the unfortunate losses witnessed in recent years. For instance, if the company’s Canadian
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operations conform to the global industry standard on tailings management, insurers would expect the company’s international operations to also comply with the same standard (unless there are aspects that conflict with the local legislative requirements). Similarly, having each operation align with standards such as the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), including ISO 14001 environmental management system and ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system, demonstrates a good risk profile. When it comes to human rights, insurers are concerned about their own reputational risk if they provide insurance to a company that has been involved in human rights incidents linked to any of their operations worldwide. The term “social license to operate” is not new to the mining industry, but it is gaining momentum in the insurance sector. Insurers now face similar pressures to only provide capacity to companies that are good actors in the human rights space and adhere to the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) movement. Insurers have declined to write risks that have had human rights issues or that have not started discussing ESG with a focus on reducing their environmental impact.
Political unrest
Although the mining industry is important for the health of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP), there have been events of civil unrest, like the Chilean riots in 2019 and the recent Peru conflict, that have had a direct impact on the mining industry. Insurance products covering incidents such as political violence, including terrorism, sabotage, strikes, riots, civil commotion, and malicious damage, can protect a company’s balance sheet. However, the political violence insurance industry has been impacted over the past few years, and coverage that used to be afforded within a general property policy for this exposure is now being excluded, and the insured must purchase stand-alone policies. Jurisdictions with political unrest are concerning for insurers, but if the insured can evidence their positive community relationships and impact, it improves insurability. For example, water supply is critical to most mining companies for operations, but water is often difficult to source in mining regions. If the mining company builds a desalination plant and gives back to the community by providing excess water, it assists with the social license to operate and therefore reduces the risk of political violence. Another consideration for Canadian mining companies oper-
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ating in politically unstable jurisdictions is political risk insurance. This type of insurance protects the company’s investment in foreign assets by covering losses resulting from government actions, such as expropriation, or from economic turmoil, such as currency inconvertibility.
Complexity of placing insurance in multiple jurisdictions
An advantage global mining companies have when implementing a master global insurance program is the ability to maintain control over the insurance terms and conditions purchased at the corporate level. This approach ensures all operations are insured based on the parent organization’s risk management purchasing philosophy. It also allows the global risk manager to have a direct relationship with the panel of insurers and reinsurers of the local policies who are providing the coverage and paying the losses. If a locally admitted policy is placed, it should mirror the master policy. There is a risk, however, if the local policy is issued incorrectly. Or, if the local policy is required by regulation to be issued in the jurisdiction’s local language, there is a risk of coverage being unintentionally changed when translated. The master global insurance program will typically have a difference in conditions (DIC)/difference in limits (DIL) clause which allows the master policy to respond to an insurable loss on a non-admitted basis in the event the locally admitted policy denies the coverage. Organizations benefit from economies of scale when purchasing a master global insurance program and placing admitted policy documentation in the local operating jurisdictions as required. The requirement of local admitted paper varies based on several factors, such as local regulation, tax implications, and risk management purchasing philosophy. If issuing insurance policies in foreign jurisdictions on an admitted basis, it is important to partner with global insurance markets who either have an office in the operating country or who have access to fronting arrangements with local carriers. A fronting arrangement is a special form of reinsurance where the insured purchases an insurance policy from an insurer who is licensed and can issue admitted paper in the jurisdiction requiring the local admitted policy, but the fronting insurer will only retain a small portion of the risk, if any at all, and will transfer the remainder or entirety of the risk to a reinsurer. The reinsurer in this arrangement would typically be an insurer on the master global insurance program placed in Canada. In foreign jurisdictions where the insurance economy is not well-developed, often local insurers may lack the same financial strength and capacity as global insurance markets. For countries that require locally admitted paper, the insured should be cautious of how much capacity remains with the fronting carrier or local markets because of credit risk in the event of an insurance claim. At the same time, Canadian mining companies operating in foreign jurisdictions should support the community of their operations, including the insurance markets, which will help grow their financial strength and support the local economy. Some business contractual agreements that Canadian mining companies enter require their insurance be placed with reputable insurers or that the panel of insurers meet specific minimum financial ratings. To fulfil these contractual obligations, the insured may need to partner with global carriers who are licensed in the jurisdiction of operations and that can meet the DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
required financial rating. Opportunities exist for markets without an insurance license in the jurisdiction requiring the admitted paper to partner with fronting carriers, which can either be a global insurance market or a local fronting carrier. The insurance broker responsible for placing the master global insurance program should assist with finding the fronting arrangements required. As the world transitions to cleaner energy and net-zero targets, the outlook on sustainable mining is strong. The demand for minerals and metals needed to support cleaner energy technologies is growing and can only be met by continuing to mine these precious natural resources. Canada has an opportunity to share its history of lessons learned and its best practices with other resource-rich countries that may be less-developed but who are keen to grow and be a part of our world’s current and future needs. It is an exciting time to be a part of the mining industry, with Canadian companies positioned to continue to lead the industry, both inside and far outside our borders. CMJ Katherine Dawal is senior vice-president, risk management, at NFP Canada. She brings her risk management expertise to the complex risk solutions group of NFP in Canada, with a specialization in mining. Katherine has over 15 years of experience in the international mining industry, focusing on large and complex insurance placements, multimillion-dollar insurance claims, and enterprise risk management.
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 19
INTERNATIONAL MINING
By Gordon Feller
Greece has clear road map to move away from
COAL
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The experience of Europe and the U.S. shows that the shift away from coal takes decades.
lations, especially urbanbased, are demanding cleaner air. Coal fueled the Industrial Revolution, but it also filled the skies with smog. Many countries, from Indonesia to Ukraine, are moving away from coal. But since 2021 coal use has rebounded strongly from a major decline that began during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many developing countries are facing severe energy shortages that jeopardize their economic recovery and disproportionately impact the poor. These factors and the challenges associated with closing coal assets and reviving coal-dependent communities continue to slow the transition to clean energy. The experience of Europe and the U.S. shows that the shift away from coal takes decades, and present not only economic and employment challenges, but social and cultural ones. However, countries can prepare now to exit coal in a way that protects people, communities and the environment.
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T
he latest data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the International Energy Agency pushed many national governments to decide that coal’s future is grim. In fact, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change now warns that, if not phased out before 2040, coal’s continued use will push the world much closer to climate change catastrophe. Experience has shown that the shift from coal can take decades. It presents not only economic and employment challenges, but social and cultural ones. The “economics of coal” is not favourable for the longer-term mining future. This situation has been brought about by a quickly shifting set of demands within the global energy sector: cleaner energy and digital technologies are eroding the commercial viability of coal. As the global energy transition progresses, regions that produce and consume coal face unique and complex challenges. They must plan and prepare for a transition away from coal in a transformation that will last for years. For those living and working in coal regions, two aspects of the global energy disruption have become increasingly clear: coal is losing its commercial competitiveness; meanwhile, many popu-
“Transitioning away from coal in the electricity sector is the single most important step to limiting global warming,” said Mari Pangestu, World Bank managing director for development policy and partnerships, at a recent discussion at the bank’s annual meetings. Many governments and companies have sat down with workers to discuss the coal transition and negotiated a path forward, including a date for exiting coal and the commitments of employers and governments to a just transition. This is according to Sharan Burrow, general secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation, who said, “What does a just transition look like? It actually means that there has to be the confidence of knowing there are jobs, jobs and jobs -- because if people find that they will be left abandoned, that they will be stranded like stranded assets, or indeed, be a part of stranded communities, the trust simply won’t be there,” said Burrow. As a first critical step, social dialogue is needed – to bring everyone on board. Per Olsson Fridh, Sweden’s Minister for International Development Co-operation, said this: “We need a whole-of-government approach everywhere to this transition. By bringing actors and parties together to find where the opportunities lie, this transition can be for all, and this is what we need.”
Understanding potential social impacts
Early engagement with communities is a vital part of understanding the potential social impacts on different groups of peo-
ple, building trust, and ensuring they can drive their development and transition process. Those who are most impacted help create the plans, policies, and reforms that will strengthen institutions and mobilize investments needed to remediate the land, support people in their post-transition jobs and lives, and build a new economic future. Shifting away from coal can be an opportunity to empower communities, embrace new technologies, redefine local economic development, and open new opportunities and jobs. Poland aims to reduce coal from 70% to as low as 11% of its energy mix by 2040 while ramping up low-carbon and renewable technologies. The country has become a top lithium-ion battery producer in Europe and significantly expanded its production of electric buses, creating new jobs in the process. Poland is also sharing its experience by participating in a knowledge exchange between its coal regions and those in Ukraine. Coal mine closure is never easy for workers or for their larger communities. But there is evidence which shows that they can build back better, especially when/if engaged as partners in the transition. No matter the global nature of the coal challenge, successful transition solutions begin locally and look well beyond simply the question of energy. This was found to be true in the case of one of Europe’s regions where the lessons learned are being studied around the world. Greece’s lignite-rich Western Macedonia has, for quite some time, been CONTINUED ON PAGE 22
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CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 21
INTERNATIONAL MINING
engaged in a vicious cycle of disinvestment and population decline. Many of the reasons behind the region’s decline are directly related to the predominance of the energy-producing economy. In Greece, the World Bank and others helped to develop a roadmap which would aid phasing out coal in Western Macedonia. This region has the country’s highest unemployment rate, particularly among young people. And it is where the loss of coal-related jobs puts a strain on the region’s economic future. The roadmap spells out what needs to happen at all levels: actions by government, by society at large, and by numerous environmental organizations. Included in the plan are specific roles for each level of government to prepare people and communities for the transition, and to restore mined lands as well as repurpose land and assets. Winding down coal is a big part of Europe’s new green deal. One important report analyzed the consequences of decarbonization for Western Macedonia’s labour force. Among the report’s key conclusions: Much will depend on the coal transition path which is chosen, including the timing and labour intensity of the power plant decommissioning and land reclamation plans, as well as those of the new alternatives promoted. Executing a well-managed transition in Western Macedonia, as in any other coal-dependent region, is a multi-year and multi-level process. In the first phase (Phase 1), governance structures have multi-level involvement from local, regional, and national level authorities, plus other stakeholder groups. This ensures sufficient buy-in on plans is gained from those most affected by the mine and plant closures. Given the policy implications of transition, a national body is best placed to co-ordinate a Phase 1 planning process. In Greece’s case, this is the Governmental Committee for the Just Development Transition to the Post Lignite Era of the Region of Western Macedonia and the Municipality of Megalopolis of the Region of Peloponnese. This committee is responsible for overall co-ordination and decision making on planning and implementation of the country’s Just Development Transition Plan and Territorial Just Transition Plans. Under this committee, a technical secretariat was established by the government in May 2020. It is best placed to lead on planning, with support from experts outside the civil service. Given the particularities of Western Macedonia’s transition, the Public Power Corporation (PPC) owns a significant portion of
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lands that could be put towards collective use for transition projects. A specific process was established to determine land-use scenarios, and this process was managed by a special purpose vehicle (SPV). The roles and responsibilities of the SPV include, but are not limited to, these four: undertaking the land use planning exercise; permitting for a special spatial plan (SSP); interfacing with potential investors who would bring businesses to the area under the SSP; and carrying out preliminary remediation and repurposing works. In a second transition phase, the Technical Secretariat transferred to a société anonyme (SA) who has responsibility to oversee implementation of the transition plans and their corresponding programs. An important U.S. case, the Appalachian Regional Commission, shows how independent agencies tackle multi-faceted complex problems of national importance. The Greek track record on the use of independent operators, for projects of national importance, provides precedence for an SA to be applied in this instance. In parallel to the SA as operator, the SPV for PPC lands continues to operate. But it co-ordinates with the national programs operational in Western Macedonia. During Phase 1, Western Macedonia established a Regional Transition Committee building on the example of the Regional Permanent Conferences (RPCs) in the Czech Republic. This committee has been responsible for soliciting projects and ideas for inclusion in the eventual operational programs. The committee is the main interlocutor with the technical secretariat in Phase 1, and with the SA in the second phase. The committee is presided over by the governor’s office. The existing Coal Regions in Transition Working Group for Western Macedonia plays a secretariat function to this committee – in support of the governor’s office. Governments and non-state actors naturally draw attention to the need to support people (particularly workers) during the transition. At the root of any transition strategy is one key objective: the structural transformation of a region’s post-coal economy. The types of sectors and activities commonly found in coal region economic transition strategies reflect this search for diversity in development interventions. The list ranges from support to clean energy technologies, to youth capacity building, to worker reskilling. Practically speaking, this means giving equal weight to medium-to-long term growth opportunities as to short term social protection measures. CMJ Gordon Feller is a freelance writer.
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Coal mine closure is never easy for workers or for their larger communities.
INTERNATIONAL MINING
By Ingrid Hibbard
The positive impact of international mining:
A story in need of a makeover
I
t is true. It has never been more critical to own your story. I often wonder how many people know about the gold nanoparticle used to develop rapid Covid-19 tests worldwide, or the number of mining companies in Africa working to eliminate malaria through community-based health programs? What about the number of schools, roads, hospitals, and other infrastructure that has been possible because of the mining industry? The fact is that mining does not just generate much-needed rev-
enue in many countries around the world, it also helps contribute to the development, health, and ongoing economic stability of some of the poorest international communities. Many mining companies feel a bit uncertain about their future, even though we need more minerals now than ever before in history. And we can meet this demand responsibly. The growing ambition around decarbonization presents a significant opportunity for ambitious players to differentiate
Pelangio’s most well-known project generation success was the acquisition, exploration, re-envisioning, and subsequent sale of the Detour Lake deposit in northern Ontario to Detour Gold Corporation. CREDIT: PELANGIO DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 23
INTERNATIONAL MINING themselves and lead the way toward safer and cleaner ways of operating. We are now at a pivotal moment in time, presented with the opportunity to re-think how we operate internationally, now and into the future. This means increased transparency and accountability. It is not just about doing what we are legally obligated to do, it is about considering the people and the places we operate in. We need to listen to local communities and empower people to share how mining has a positive impact in their lives. We know that at times of crisis or recession, investors see minerals like gold as a haven, but for a mother living in Ghana who is just trying to send her kids to school, the stock market has little worth. Social media and the widespread adoption of reliable internet connections in remote areas have given people a voice to tell their stories and the mining industry a chance to foster a dialogue to build trust. Those lived experiences are more authentic than any press release or marketing campaign. They have the potential to help shift public perceptions of mining for the better and protect our social license to operate.
What does the impact of mining look like for communities?
Mining generates much-needed revenue in countries around the world. It is the primary source of economic activity for many of the world’s poorest countries, including Liberia, Mauritania, Uzbekistan, and Papua New Guinea. In Ghana, where Pelangio owns three properties, the gold mining sector plays a vital role in the economy, as it attracts more than half of all foreign direct investment (FDI) and generates more than one-third of all export revenues. The mining industry is the largest tax-paying sector in the country and makes a significant contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) and employment. Although countries like Ghana have been mining for centuries, many communities, like Obuasi, would not have experienced growth and infrastructure development without the mining modern industry. Local infrastructure like roads, hospitals, sewage, airports, and schools are possible because of a growing mining industry, one that provides access to well-paid jobs for local workers as well as revenues that are returned to the people. Let us take the Obuasi mine in Ghana as an example, although the mine has existed for well over a hundred years, recent expansion and investment has resulted in the growth of the town and local communities around it. Not to mention the introduction of new health programs and education, and other spin-off industries because of the mine. For example, Anglo Gold recently held a health outreach day where everyone in the community received medicine and free treatment. This was one of several health interventions offered by the mining company to address health-related issues like malaria across its communities in Ghana. The mining company has facilitated the development of a satellite Obuasi campus for Ghana’s renowned Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Through the provision of training and education, this move will contribute to the long-term economic viability and resilience of the Obuasi Region. The catalyst for the university’s new outpost was the donation of several office complexes and residential properties at the north Obuasi mine. Even in communities with a long mining history, the discovery and development of a new mine is good news, as it can help secure continued life of the community, and in some cases,
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Detour mine is now a long life, large-scale open pit mining operation with reserves of over 16 million oz. of gold. . CREDIT: PELANGIO
even the expansion of the community. In Ghana, Newmont mines recently announced the development of its Ahafo North project, located just 30 km north of its existing Ahafo South operations. It will create approximately 1,800 jobs during construction and 550 permanent jobs in the mine. Newmont says it will “work to create lasting value for host communities through local sourcing and hiring.” Newmont also established a development foundation with ten local mine communities to establish and manage sustainable social investments, projects, and activities. The company contributes US$1 per oz. of gold sold and 1% of Newmont profits (pre-tax) to help develop projects and programs around infrastructure, education, sports, and youth development, as well as natural resources projects. When we work alongside local companies, we can use their valuable knowledge and connections to contribute to income for communities along with local economic and skills development. For example, in Ghana, it is very difficult for locals to start their own drilling company, so we assist them in financing their business. This way, we can also bring in specialized drill rigs that leave a smaller environmental impact. These types of initiatives not only help the local community but can also help to change the global perception of the mining industry. We could also look at Detour mine in Northern Ontario as an example of this. In 2022, Agnico Eagle Mines commissioned an airfield which started a regular flight to and from Timmins and Moosonee. While the mine is not located near a town, it shows
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of Congo, harnesses the natural power of the river, using hydroelectric dams to generate electricity to power the mine and the local communities surrounding the mine? Kibali is also leading the way in biodiversity, with an assessment underway for the transfer of a further 30 white rhinos to the Garamba National Park, where 16 were re-introduced earlier this year. Getting into schools and talking to the younger generation about how new technologies are keeping workers safe and revolutionizing the way mines operate is key for the future of the industry. Geology should be taught to schoolchildren to reinforce the importance of minerals and metals.
We need to be part of the conversation when it comes to sustainability and regeneration efforts
Manfo mine in Ghana: Pelangio worked with a local drilling company to bring in and utilize man-portable drills. This provided employment and skills training to the local community and minimized any environmental impact during drill mobilization. CREDIT: PELANGIO
how mines can add value to remote areas and communities in Canada and internationally.
Telling the stories that matter will help encourage the next generation of miners
In Ghana, our team has started to rally their peers to restart the Ghana Institute of Geoscientists to encourage the younger generation to pursue a career in the field. This year, they organized the 2023 annual young geoscientists forum with a focus on “harnessing and safeguarding earth resources for national development.” More initiatives like this are needed to encourage a younger generation to see the opportunities mining can bring for themselves, their families, and their communities. Just like in Canada, we will need the next generation motivated to solve complex problems around decarbonization, renewable energy, data analysis, autonomous equipment, and ventilation systems for underground mines. Are young people learning about mines like South Deep outside of Johannesburg, one of the deepest mines in the world yet operated by some of the most advanced autonomous technology? Its heavy machinery operates remotely on the surface, using consoles in a control room – helping to keep workers safe and providing new opportunities for locals and particularly women in mining. Or how one of Africa’s largest gold mines, Kibali in the Democratic Republic DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
We rely on minerals more than we think. Imagine how public perception would change if your cell phone or electric car was able to tell the story about where its wiring and power source came from and how (and even by who) its batteries were mined. Or how gold is needed to make specialty glass for climate-controlled buildings – a small amount dispersed within the glass or coated onto the glass surface reflects solar radiation outward, helping the buildings stay cool in the summer and warm in winter. How many people really know that gold is used in billions of rapid medical diagnostic test kits – including in the Covid-19 antigen and antibody tests? Actively building trust and participating in discussions with environmental groups and stakeholders will be key for the future of mining. We can look to Panama as the most recent example of this. Vancouver-based copper miner, First Quantum, is now facing serious challenges over their Cobre Panama contract. The mine accounts for almost 5% of Panama’s GDP and employs about 40,000 people, but the recently signed 20-year contract has been denounced by environmentalists, Indigenous groups, and labour activists. The country is now calling a referendum to let the people decide whether to repeal the law that legalized First Quantum’s new contract. This is further proof why we need ways to bring the mining industry and environmentalists together to look at ways to better understand the impact of mining through consultations and land-use planning. This can help drive multiple benefits – from creating a space for positive and productive engagement to uncovering opportunities to continue to evolve mining operations around the world. As an industry, we need to move away from the old thinking of “us versus them” to a more collaborative mindset, building meaningful relationships with the public through social media, sharing and showing the importance of mining’s place in our future. And when it comes to the local communities we operate in, we need to recognize we are just borrowers of the land. This involves thinking about how we can bring value to the people and the communities they live in and asking questions around the benefits of the mine and what happens to the community after the mine closes. It is a commitment to the actions that matter – regenerating old mine sites, embracing new technologies to keep workers safe, partnering with local organizations, and educating the next generation of workers. The future of mining lies in being good global citizens and ensuring our fellow citizens see us that way. CMJ Ingrid Hibbard is the CEO of Pelangio Exploration Inc. CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 25
INTERNATIONAL MINING
By Gordon Feller
Mining operations in
MEXICO
Canada voices concerns over Mexico’s energy and mining policies
B
efore the tripartite North American heads of state summit convened early this year on January 9, Canada’s federal government voiced concern about Mexico’s energy and mining policies. Pressure had been mounting on officials in Ottawa to rescue homegrown companies caught in tax disputes south of the U.S. border. Approximately 40% of Canadian investment in Mexico is tied up in the sector, while almost 70% of foreign mining companies operating in the country have Canadian interests. There are currently over 205 companies with Canadian capital established in Mexico. In a statement issued last year by Canada’s Trade Minister, Mary Ng, made the case that it is important to “create opportunities for businesses” from both countries to grow, indirectly referring to the imposition of heavy taxes on foreign mining companies in Mexico. Ng, who met her Mexican counterpart in Vancouver in the summer of 2022, said at the time that Canada was working with Mexico to maintain “predictable” trade (policies). She was referring specifically to President Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador’s (AMLO) continuous interventions into the mining industry.
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The ruling Morena Party’s rhetoric towards the mining sector has resulted in rising investor uncertainty and will pose downside risks to our growth forecasts. Morena, led by AMLO, is now looking to pass new legislation that will modify regulations related to the environment, OHS, and communities. Besides the potential regulatory changes, mining industry leaders mention five key areas: taxation, royalties, security, community relations, and unionized labour, as the risks associated with operating in Mexico. Despite these challenges, Mexico continues to have fundamental competitive advantages that make its mining industry attractive, including its vast mineral reserves, low operating costs, and an open business environment. These are keeping Mexico an attractive investment opportunity for foreign mining. To better understand the dynamics which are at work here, it is important to understand what is going on inside Mexico’s mining sector – which currently ranks fifth in the world after Canada, Australia, the U.S., and Chile. Mexico has a long history of mining in silver, gold, and copper, and it is appearing larger on Canada’s radar. Mining has long been an important
revenue generator in Mexico, contributing 8.3% of industrial GDP and 2.5% of national GDP. It is also a major job provider. In 2017, the sector supported 370,000 jobs directly and over 1.7 million jobs indirectly. Mexico’s mining industry is undergoing significant restructuring. The previous Peña-Nieto government introduced specific tax and fee reforms, increasing fiscal pressure on mining concession owners, exploration companies, and mine operators. The new leftist president, AMLO, is looking to improve security in the sector, increase infrastructure spending, and expand broadband coverage to remote mining areas. The value of the Mexican mining sector is forecast to grow over the next few years, supported by low operating costs and a strong project pipeline. It is estimated to increase from US$16.9 billion in 2018 to US$18.7 billion by 2026, averaging 2.8% annual growth. Mexico is an abundant producer of metals and ores, and the reasons are numerous, including the following: > The world’s largest producer of silver, with the states of Zacatecas, Durango, and Chihuahua serving as the main production centres.
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left to right: Core from the San Martin gold-silver mine in Mexico. CREDIT: STARCORE INTERNATIONAL MINES. Crusher and conveyor system at the Camino Rojo gold mine in Mexico. CREDIT: ORLA MINING. Copper mineralization at Oroco Resource’s Santo Tomas project in Mexico. CREDIT: OROCO RESOURCE
> The world’s ninth-largest producer of gold. > The world’s seventh-largest producer of copper. > One of the top five producers of sodium sulphide, fluorite, celestite, and wollastonite. > A large coal producer. > The world’s second-largest fluorspar producer. > The world’s eighth-largest producer of graphite. > The world’s second-largest producer of strontium. According to experts, approximately 70% of Mexico contains outstanding geological potential for mining. Mexico is the world’s fourth-largest foreign direct investment (FDI) destination for mining, and the number one FDI destination in Latin America. In 2017, the Mexican Central Bank (Banxico) reported that the country’s mining sector attracted US$1.02 billion in FDI. Most investments came from companies in Spain, Germany, Israel, the U.S., and Canada and focused on gold, copper, zinc, and uranium. Companies such as Goldcorp, Fresnillo PLC, Agnico Eagle, and Alamos Gold together produced over 124 tonnes of gold in 2022. Total mining investments grew in 2017, increasing by 14.7% to reach US$4.3 billion. Investment was expected to grow a further 22% in 2018, to reach US$5.26 billion. Mexico provided one-fifth of the world’s production of silver (4 million tonnes) in 2017, mined by companies including Fresnillo, Goldcorp, and Coeur D’Alene. Copper production amounted to 463,000 tonnes, produced mainly by Grupo Mexico, Cobre del Mayo, and Capstone. Mexico’s copper production will DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
increase over the coming years, supported by a solid project pipeline and rising copper prices. While Mexico’s total copper production declined by 4% year-over-year to 183,000 tonnes in the first quarter of 2018, but the long-term outlook remains positive. Mexico’s copper output is forecast to increase from 766,000 tonnes in 2018 to 929,000 tonnes by 2027. In February 2018, workers at Grupo Mexico’s San Martin mine voted to restart the mine, which had been stalled since 2007. The firm plans to spend US$77 million to resume operations by the first quarter of 2019, adding an annual 7.5 kt of copper to the group’s output. Grupo Mexico also expects the Pilares project to begin operating in 2019, producing 35 kt of copper. Major domestic miner, Industrias Peñoles, continues to develop the US$303 million Rey de Plata polymetallic project, and the mining unit was finally commissioned in the first quarter of 2020. In the firm’s first quarter 2018 report, Teck Resources outlined the drilling programme at the San Nicolas copper-zinc project. The firm completed the prefeasibility study in 2019. Any list of the key copper projects operating in Mexico should include the following larger ones: > Alacran – Azure Minerals > Promontorio – Azure Minerals > Pilares – Southern Copper Corp. > Tayahua – Minera Frisco SAB de CV > San Nicolas – Teck Resources > La Verde – Equinox Gold/Teck Resources > Los Verdes – Minera Alamos Mexico’s silver production is set to continue its solid growth, supported by vast reserves and strong project pipeline. The export-oriented sector will also benefit from growing demand from Asia. Consultants at BMI now forecast that Mexico’s silver production will increase from 188 million oz. in 2023 to 261 million oz. by 2027, averaging 3.8% annual growth. Mexico will remain the top global silver producer. As a result, junior and major miners are showing increasing interest in the sector. Top domestic silver miner Fresnillo is ramping up spending to support projects including the San Julian silver mine expansion and near-term growth projects at the Fresnillo and Herradura mines. In
the first quarter of 2018, the firm recorded a 14% year-over-year increase in silver production, up to 14.2 million oz. In 2018, Fresnillo maintained a production guidance of 67 to 70 million oz. In the first quarter of 2018, Pan American Silver reported a slight increase in silver production in its Mexican mines, up to 2.9 million oz. Pan American completed an expansion of the Dolores mine in 2017 that featured a pulp agglomeration plant to process high-grade ore. The mine uses conventional cyanide heap leaching to produce gold and silver doré. In December 2017, Americas Gold and Silver began commercial production at the San Rafael silver mine. San Rafael mine is currently at full production and mill throughput is exceeding pre-feasibility targets. It is a low-cost silver-zinc-lead underground mine, located approximately 9 km from the Los Bracero’s mill. The mine’s silver production doubled and exceeded 1 million oz. by 2021, driven by production growth from the Main, Central, and Upper zones. Mexico’s regulatory landscape is generally favourable to mining, focusing on precious metals and, increasingly, copper. The sector’s main pull back is the country’s royalties’ regime, which came into effect in January 2014. Royalties range from 7.5% for base metals to 8% for precious metals. While the royalties’ scheme is amongst the highest in the region, comparatively the country’s overall tax burden is not high.
The Aussies are there too
Mexico has not traditionally been a destination for Australian mining companies. However, the country has strong fundamentals that make it both competitive and attractive. Many U.S. and other Western-based companies are regular exporters to the market. For example, fifteen Australian mining equipment, technology, and services (METS) companies and two Australian mining operators (Azure Minerals and Consolidated Zinc) have established a presence in the market. These two firms have moved from exploration to production. Other large Australian mining groups are actively performing exploration activities in Mexico, including BHP, Newcrest, and South32. CONTINUED ON PAGE 28
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 27
INTERNATIONAL MINING Concluding remarks
Mexico’s mining industry is highly competitive, with more than 500 companies holding roughly 25,000 concessions. However, the market is dominated by large firms. These account for an astounding 97% of main metals’ total output (gold, silver, copper, zinc, and lead) and tend to dominate the most profitable niches, such as precious metals. Cumulatively, investment has risen sharply over the past decade, and it currently hovers around US$5 billion per year. Mexico remains one of the world’s premier mine development locations in respect to the time frames required for new operations. The country’s geological potential is still growing, attracting more than 280 national and foreign companies to start new exploration projects, mainly in the northern states of Sonora, Zacatecas, and Chihuahua. According to the General Direction of Mining Development, there are currently 347 mining projects in the country. Most of these projects are in the explo-
The main key themes driving decision-making in Mexico’s mining sector are > Productivity: The current business environment is pushing organizations to become low-cost producers by driving operational efficiencies, optimizing productivity, and reducing costs. > Innovation: Strongly linked with productivity, the introduction of innovation in the industry is seen as key to making the industry more cash-effective and resilient to downturns. > Education: There is demand for skilled workers with specialized knowledge and experience in areas related to extraction of resources, but Mexico is not producing enough human capital to satisfy this demand. > Environment: As the public is becoming more aware of the environmental impacts of the mining industry, the sector is under greater pressure than ever to comply with international practices around mine planning and operations, treatment, and management of waste and energy efficiency. > Community: New approaches to community engagement are needed to ensure that mining operators provide jobs, infrastructure, and services to communities and pay fairly for the use of land while maintaining their competitiveness.
ration phase, accounting for 68%. Another 11% are in pre-production phase and 16.6% of the projects have not been given the development and construction green light, given current commodity prices and the economic environment. Mexico’s stable business environment
and macroeconomic outlook will drive metals demand and support the competitiveness of the country’s mining sector in the coming years. Mexico’s proximity to the U.S. and Canada gives it a significant supply advantage. CMJ Gordon Feller is a freelance writer.
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INTERNATIONAL MINING
By Catherine Hercus
NORWAY PLANS TO OPEN ITS TERRITORIAL WATERS TO
DEEP SEA MINING
Hon. Bjørnar Selnes Skjæan, Norway’s Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy, during the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference. CREDIT: ISA
T
he Norwegian Parliament is considering opening its territorial waters for commercial seabed mining. The vote on whether exploration and mineral extraction will be allowed or not will take place in Jan. 2024. If approved by parliament, Norway could become the first nation to undertake deep sea mining on a commercial scale. The proposed plan follows similar principles to opening offshore areas to oil and gas exploration. From the overall area, smaller zones, or blocks, would be offered to companies to explore and extract. Walter Sognnes, CEO of Norway’s Loke Minerals, estimates that if the vote is passed, licenses could be issued within six months, and exploration could begin in the spring of 2024 or 2025. Loke Minerals plans to mine polymetallic nodules in the Clarion Clipperton Zone, and possibly from the Norwegian continental shelf if exploration is given the green light. Sognnes estimates there are four or five Norwegian exploration companies which are hoping to participate in the industry. Norway is one of the world’s wealthiest nations because of its oil and gas deposits but wants to turn from using fossil fuels to greener energy and technological alternatives. The Norwegian government believes that deep sea mining could help Europe reduce its dependence on China for the supply of critical minDECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
Polymetallic nodules: A battery in a rock. CREDIT: THE METALS COMPANY
erals needed to build electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, and solar panels. Deep sea mining supporters believe that harvesting minerals from the deep sea instead of land is cheaper and has less of an CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 29
INTERNATIONAL MINING environmental impact, and that it is needed to meet the increasing demand of mineral growth. The demand for copper and rare earth metals is predicted to grow by 40% by 2030, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). The agency also expects that demand for nickel, cobalt, and lithium will increase by 60%, 70%, and 90%, respectively. “We need minerals to succeed with the green transition,” said Petroleum and Energy Minister, Terje Aasland, adding that mining the seabed could be an “important source of minerals”. Mineral deposits on the Norwegian continental shelf include polymetallic nodules, manganese crusts, and massive sulphide deposits located by thermal vents. “Of the metals found on the seabed in the study area, magnesium, niobium, cobalt, and rare earth minerals are found on the European Commission’s list of critical minerals,” said a statement by the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD). It is estimated that resources in the continental shelf include 38 million tonnes of copper, nearly twice the amount mined each year. Manganese crusts contain approximately 24 million tonnes of magnesium, 3.1 million tonnes of cobalt, and 1.7 million tonnes of cerium, a rare earth element used in alloys. The crusts may also contain neodymium, yttrium and dysprosium, other rare earth elements. In addition, it is estimated that polymetallic sulphides contain 45 million tonnes of zinc. However, according to Sognnes, the sulphides are difficult to mine and may not be commercially viable. The minerals and metals are estimated to be worth US$100 billion and create 20,000 new jobs according to an independent study by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. “If proven to be profitable and extraction can be done sustainably, seabed mineral activities can contribute to value creation and employment in Norway while ensuring the supply of crucial metals for the global energy transition,” said Aasland. The areas which may be opened are in the Greenland Sea, Norwegian Sea, and Barents Sea. The area is approximately 280,000 km2, about the size of Ecuador. However, very little of the shelf has been mapped. According to State Secretary, Astrid Bergmål, “Norway has a long tradition for prudent, responsible, and sustainable resource management. Due to the lack of knowledge in the deep sea, we will apply a precautionary approach through a stepwise development where the licensee will be tasked with collecting data on both the resource potential, as well as biodiversity in the area and possible environmental impacts. Extraction will only be approved if a developer can document that the proposed plan is prudent and sustainable.” Since the government revealed their plan earlier this year, they are facing opposition from both within and outside the government. Norway’s minority government is facing opposition from its key ally in parliament, the Socialist Left (SV) party. Lars Haltbrekken, SV’s spokesman on energy and environment, stated that a moratorium of at least ten years is necessary to better understand the environmental consequences of deep sea mining before proceeding with seabed mineral extraction. Scientists have found unique species living around active hydrothermal vents, such as corals, tube worms, and microorganisms. Little is known about how these ecosystems work. A government-commissioned impact study said the impact would be limited to actual area where the extraction occurred, and that the impact on fisheries would be minimal.
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Norway is one of the only countries in the world to have its own legislation regulating the industry in its territorial waters.
Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle, Greenpeace’s deep mining campaigner in Norway states, “In the area, we found a great variety of life forms including small, specialized microorganisms which provide the basis for corals, which again is spawning grounds for fish, octopuses, and other mobile marine species. These are key food sources for whales, seals, and marine birds. Deep sea mining directly threatens the species on the seabed, but also has the potential to heavily impact the food sources of many organisms who live across the water column. It will also further increase the sound pollution of the ocean, which has grave impacts on vulnerable species such as whales who rely on sound and echolocation to communicate, navigate, and hunt.” “We still know too little about the ecosystems in the deep sea, how they interact with other ecosystems, and what kind of technology which will be utilized to mine the deep sea,” says Helle. According to Helle, Norway’s plans have met resistance from marine and environmental science institutions in Norway, including the Norwegian Environmental Agency, the Institute for Marine Research, the University of Bergen, the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, and the Norwegian Institute for Polar Research. In addition, Norwegian fishing organizations are concerned about the effect on fisheries. Susanna Fuller, of Oceans North, states, “I am surprised that Norway has done this. They are thinking we must get off oil, what else do we have that can keep us prosperous. Norway is one of the lead countries in the Ocean panel, and to be one of
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The Arctic Sunrise has been part of the Greenpeace fleet since 1995. CREDIT: GREENPEACE
the first developed countries opening the European Economic Zone (EEZ) is a little bit surprising.” Denmark said Norway’s environmental study for the area opening was not good enough, while Iceland questioned Norway’s exclusive exploration rights for seabed minerals near the Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Currently, 22 governments are calling for a moratorium to gather more information on the industry’s potential environmental impact. Canada has banned deep sea mining in both its territorial and international waters. Nearly 800 scientists, 36 large companies including BMW, Google, Samsung, Volkswagen, Volvo, and Philips, 37 financial institutions, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, fishing groups, Indigenous Peoples, youth, and local communities have urged the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to halt the industry. Scientists warn that it would result in an irreversible loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services and species extinctions. Companies including Samsung and BMW have also pledged to avoid using minerals mined from the deep sea. The ISA which regulates deep international waters recently held meetings in Jamaica with its 168 member states to continue discussions on drafting a deep sea mining code. The ISA’s July session did not allow commercial-scale deep sea mining to begin.
A section of a sulphide sample, obtained during the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate’s (NPD) expedition to the Mohns Ridge in the Norwegian Sea in 2020. CREDIT: ØYSTEIN LEIKNES NAG, NPD.
A Canadian company, The Metals Company (TMC), triggered a two-year legal loophole when it applied for a mining license in 2021. The loophole allows companies to apply for provisional mining licenses even if a mining code has not been drafted. Member states have agreed to draft and adopt a mining code by 2025. The ISA has issued more than 30 exploration licenses. China holds five, and 22 countries have been issued licenses. Much of the exploration is focused in an area known as the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, which spans 4.5 million km2 between Hawaii and Mexico at depths from 4,000 to 6,000 metres. No provisional mining licenses have been issued to date. One of the industry’s staunchest opponents is the Netherlands based Deep Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC). Duncan Currie, the DSCC’s legal advisor, commented that “Adoption of the mining code would inevitably lead to irrevocable mining contracts which would be in place for many decades. The proposed mining code would effectively allow deep sea miners to write their own rules, while independent and transparent scientific evidence is missing. There is not even a scientific committee in place.” Loke Minerals, a Norwegian deep sea exploration company, hopes to harvest the polymetallic nodules from the seabed floor in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ), and possibly in Norwegian waters, in the future. They purchased Lockheed Martin’s deep sea mining division in March 2023, and acquired its two U.K. licenses in the CCZ. Approximately 31 licenses have been granted to 17 countries. Norway is one of the only countries in the world to have its own legislation regulating the industry in its territorial waters. Its Seabed Minerals Act was introduced in 2019. The Norway Seabed Minerals Act provides regulations on “exploration for and extraction of mineral deposits on the Continental Shelf in accordance with societal objectives, in such a manner that safeguards considerations such as value creation, environment, safety, other business activity, as well as other interests. This Act does not apply to scientific research on seabed mineral deposits.” The Act applies to mineral deposits in Norway’s internal waters, Norway’s territorial waters and on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Territorial waters refer to the sea area from the baselines out to twelve nautical miles. Internal waters are the sea areas within the baselines. A license approved by the government will be required before companies begin any scientific research, exploration, or mineral extractions. Before any new areas are opened, the ministry will conduct an impact assessment and give stakeholders three months to submit statements. Impact assessments indicate the effects a potential opening could have for the environment, business, economic and social factors. Written applications for survey licences designate the geographical area, which surveys will be conducted, which mineral deposits will be examined, and timeline. Survey licences may be granted for up to five years. Extraction licences give the licensee the exclusive right to conduct surveys and extraction of all mineral deposits in the area covered by the licence. An extraction licence may be granted for up to ten years and extended up to 20 years. CMJ Catherine Hercus is a freelance mining writer.
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 31
CEO INTERVIEW
By Guy Bennett
Li-Metal’s physical vapour deposition (PVD) equipment, which is used to produce next generation anode materials at the company’s pilot facility in Rochester, N.Y. CREDIT: LI-METAL
I NTE RVI EW WI TH S I LVE R CROWN ROYALTIE S’ C EO, PE TE R B U RE S
I am wary of government
How a teenager escaped the Czech Republic and learned the mining industry from the ground up
S
win. You can do everything right, and still lose. That ilver Crown Royalties (SCR) is a pre-IPO stage is not failure, that is life,” Bures added. revenue-generating company focusing on silBures grew up in a town in the Czech Republic. ver as byproduct credits. A “single element His father was an electrical engineer, and his royalty company” is a new concept, created by the mother was a childhood educator. Their political company’s CEO, Peter Bures (PB). views, in a socialist country, made his parents eneBures is a precious metals maverick with blunt mies of the state. views on the role of risk and luck in business and The Bures family snuck across the border into investing. Austria, eventually settling in Mississauga, Ont. In “I am an entrepreneur that started delivering Canada, like so many immigrants, the parents were newspapers, pumping gas, and getting robbed,” booted down a professional rung: his father worked Bures explains on his LinkedIn profile, “I have Peter Bures in a printer repair shop, and his mother did odd jobs. failed more often than succeeded, but never gave This interview aims at understanding Mr. Bures’ up, and never quit.” “Hard work is the only repeatable model,” Bures continued. philosophy and his business objectives with Silver Crown Roy“The lucky ones will tell you otherwise. But you need luck to alties. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18
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GB: When you were a teenager, your family was uprooted, cut off from its past, its culture, forced to reinvent itself in humbling circumstances. How did this experience inform the way you operate a silver royalty company? PB: I learned at an early age that it is dangerous to rely on government. Depending on people is also a gamble.
raised a lot of questions. It was the catalyst that inspired me to transition to banking.
GB: It is one thing to have the idea. Another to execute it. How did you make that transition?
PB: I envisioned myself as an electrical engineer, following in my father’s footsteps. However, I realized that almost everything I saw around me, on any given day, was mined. So, I pursued geological and mineral engineering, which I found more intriguing. I thought there would be more opportunities there since everything in civilization is mined or requires mining to function.
PB: It did not happen right away. I went back to school for two more years. In the senior year, engineering students must do a thesis. I decided to explore the finance side of mining. I wrangled a meeting with Deutsche Bank. I bought a suit, which I thought was impressive, but it was “Casual Friday.” The bankers were dressed in jeans and a Tee-shirts. I met with the whole research team on the gold side. I presented my ideas and then they asked me: “How much do we have to pay you for this work?” I told them, “Nothing – I am a student, and this is my thesis.” They said, “Welcome aboard.” I moved into Deutsche Bank offices for the next four months. Digging into metal companies, figuring out how they work. Then, I did a road trip across North America, ended up in N.Y. city with no money. I liked the energy of the city. I went to work for HSBC for a year in N.Y., analyzing gold companies, base metal companies, and steel producers. At that point, Canada still had a steel industry. It has since been sold off to international interests. After that, I worked as a desk strategist at Yorkton for five years. I was writing investment pieces that were not technically research. They were desk notes. I had a morning product called “Cup of Joe,” which was read by institutions and high net worth clients. It was basically market commentary. Then, I worked on the buy side with Sentry investments. I met with hundreds of companies. The “assets under management” grew from US$300 million to US$3 billion. A tenfold increase. During that time, we had the global financial crisis and the real estate collapse. Gold went to US$1,911. That was fortuitous. Luck is a big part of the business. Being in the right place at the right time.
GB: What was the highlight of that educational experience?
GB: What does it mean to be on the “buy side?”
PB: The University of Toronto has a professional experience program. It is like an internship, but you must find your own gig. I got a job with Placer Dome. I worked in open pit and underground mining operations, learning about mine planning, open pit sequencing, blasting, emulsion, water purification, tailings ponds, the crushing and grinding circuit, and assaying of the drillhole cuttings, essentially the entirety of the mining operation.
PB: Typically, you are representing a mutual fund, a hedge fund, or private equity. It is the guys that have money. Your fiduciary duty is to invest that money sensibly, on a risk-adjusted basis. You are trying to build a portfolio that will generate good returns, benchmarked to various indexes. In the case of precious metals portfolios, we allocated capital by purchasing equities in the open market and participating in private placements.
GB: As a young engineer, what part of it interested you most?
GB: What does it mean to be on the “sell side?”
PB: There was a pivotal moment that pushed me away from engineering. I was in the Dome mine “vault” – where they keep the old records that have not been digitized. It is a fire-resistant, insulated, air-conditioned, dust-free room. Going through annual reports from the 1920s, something caught my eye. A line item called “financing activities” on the statements of cash flows. I noticed it was on an order of magnitude higher than revenues from the mining operation. That
PB: The sell side guys work for brokerage houses or investment banks. They produce research which is circulated to their clients. The buy side and sell side guys are forced to talk to each other on the phone. The old joke is that if you are eavesdropping, you can always tell which is which. The buy side guy will be yelling into his phone. When they hang up, the sell side will start yelling at his walls. In other words, the sell side caters to the buy side. CONTINUED ON PAGE 39
GB: So, this has influenced the way you assess risk? PB: That is fair. All resource projects carry economic, geological, and metallurgical risks. But by far, the biggest risk is political – which includes sudden changes to laws, corruption, and nationalization of assets. My team pays close attention to the relationships established between the mine operator and the local, provincial, and federal governments. Each level is important. If any of those relationships are under strain, that is a red flag.
GB: Are you anti-government? PB: I am not, although I am wary of government. I like that fact that you can hold a bar of silver in your hand and keep it out the government’s reach. For many investors, that is an appealing concept.
GB: What is your educational background?
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 33
TECHNOLOGY
By Tamer Elbokl, PhD
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PERFORMANCE DATA
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Q
First, can you just give us a brief idea about the Mining Tire Group at Kal Tire; please mention examples of the tire manufacturers and/ or suppliers? A: At Kal Tire, the Mining Tire Group takes care of the customers in different regions in the world: Canada and Latin America, including Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Panama, as well as the U.K., West Africa, Southern Africa, and Australia. Some customers obviously work in multiple regions. We benefit from being a multi-brand dealer with deep relationships across many suppliers. Our main suppliers are Bridgestone, Michelin as well as Maxam. That can be different depending on the region. For example, Goodyear is one of our suppliers in Southern Africa but not in Canada, so it depends on the region and the logistics. In Canada, we work with multiple suppliers to get the right product for our customers applications. We provide both products and service. We sell tires to customers and provide the maintenance services for those tires, as well as inventory forecasting and more. Our services also extend to retreading and repairs of mining tires. Depending on the operating conditions at each site, we create a targeted tire program with the customer, which our site technicians will then follow. Our tire and operations management system (TOMS) is how we track all our tire data, but it is also a maintenance planning system. It provides us the ability to proactively plan for tire maintenance based on the agreed tire program. This means we can ideally schedule a large amount of tire work at the same time the vehicle will be in for maintenance to maintain fleet productivity whenever possible.
Q
Do you have any systems supporting TOMS?
A: TOMS is built on a foundation of industry-leading technology, and it integrates well with third-party systems and sensors. In 2021, we integrated the thermal imaging camera and AI software of Pitcrew.ai into TOMS. As a result, we are now able to offer customers autonomous tire inspections. As a truck passes the stations that houses the camera, a thermal image is DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
Kal Tire autonomous tire inspections. CREDIT: KAL TIRE
captured and the AI picks up any anomalies, such as hot spots, belt edge, or tread separations. The information is automatically transmitted into TOMS, which enables required action to be aggregated with other identified tire work to drive smarter planning and decision-making that will further enhance fleet productivity and safety. TOMS also integrates with the principal mining TPMS systems, automatically adding the pressure and temperature data into collected inspections and enabling work orders to be created to address issues such as low pressures to faulty sensors.
Q
Can you talk to us about TOMS and how it could be useful for fleet management on mining sites?
A: As mining increasingly automates, TOMS understands that interoperability and the integration of sensors and the effective use of artificial intelligence to pull actionable insights from multiple data streams are key to meeting the needs of tomorrow’s mining sector. We wanted to integrate that technology into our tire management system to give people capabilities to see things that they cannot see with the human eye. For example, when technicians are inspecting a tire that is four-metre high, there are many areas that the technician just cannot see when around the truck. TOMS also enables comparative analysis and benchmarking thanks to a common language for describing assets and processes. Using standard measures and KPIs (key performance indicators) ensures consistent reporting and service performance measurement. One useful feature is that it enables Kal Tire teams around the world to share insights as they perform tire service using a common platform. Aggregated data
benchmarks tire performance, downtime, haul fleet productivity, and more to identify ways to improve fleet use. That kind of predictive analytics help support workflow planning, tire repair decisions and inventory management. Additionally, the automated priority-based work orders could lead to opportunities to improve mean time between service (MTBS). Generally, TOMS empowers team leaders to spend more time providing leadership than recapturing data. TOMS employs metrics used to track truck productivity to measure tire life so teams can gauge how changing operational conditions are impacting tire performance and make more informed tire recommendations.
Q
How does TOMS communicate the data to crews?
A: TOMS facilitates a fluid communication flow between inspectors in the field, tire supervisors and technicians in the shop, and the customer planning team; and back again. Near real time PBI dashboards and reports allow managers to remain updated on service KPIs and performance trends, permitting informed and timely decision making. With TOMS’ mobile fleet inspection app, inspectors instantly capture and share tire damage images and prioritized findings. So, real-time data capture drives meaningful decision making, enabling tire managers and miners to discuss when to best schedule required tire work. A key output of TOMS is its planning report. This is a summary, by truck and by priority, of all the required work for the upcoming period that requires scheduling – whether planned tire maintenance activities are part of the agreed tire program or operational damage identified from inspections or sensors such as TPMS or Pitcrew.ai. The planning report can be shared directly with the customer planning team through integration into their ERP system or via automated email. For our teams, and to close the feedback loop, agreed scheduled work is available for them by several methods – by tablet, screens in the tire shop or as pre-printed work orders. At the same time, apps such as TOMS on the Go allow tire teams and our customers to see the latest information on installed and removed tires or rims. CMJ CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 35
WATER MANAGEMENT
By Monique Simair
Bioreactor red flags and realities Toward a better understanding of bioreactors in the mining sector
I
typically stand on my soapbox advocating for bioreactors to be used more across the mining sector (and they really should be), yet here I find myself writing this article in the hopes of putting some of my services out of work — specifically, fixing broken bioreactors. Over the past decade and a half, fixing bioreactors has provided me and my companies, formerly Contango and now Maven Water and Environment, with a nice business line, but I would much rather focus my talents on advancing and creating technology. Yes, mining needs more bioreactors, but we need good ones. Despite my many successes in developing new biological water treatment technologies for the mining sector, I still find myself picking up the phone to deal with predictable and often familiar stories repeated in different places with different people asking for help with bioreactors that “do not work”. Yet, much of what I am called upon to “fix” was never “broken” and is not bad technology. Rather, it was just not implemented in the right way. Most of these issues come from trying to implement municipal wastewater bioreactors to treat
36 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
mine-impacted waters. I will only say this once, so pay close attention: mine water is not municipal wastewater. It feels a bit silly to have to say that, yet I continue to encounter bioreactors that are designed and operated based on municipal wastewater designs found in old engineering textbooks. I find it worrisome that, despite the advances in technology and the growing number of experienced and qualified professionals in the water treatment sector who could design and operate a bioreactor, the calls about broken bioreactors are increasing. Here are some of the familiar themes in these calls: “A bioreactor was designed and built, but …” > It was never commissioned to meet the design criteria. > It has always been inconsistent. > It worked for a while but then totally stopped. “The bioreactor works great, but …” > Recommissioning after shutdowns takes months. > Our chemistry is going to change,
and no one can tell us what that might mean for future treatment. > Why are there high total metals coming out occasionally? I am an advocate for biogeochemical water treatment in the mining sector, and yet I am also the first to point out that there is case after case of “troublesome” bioreactors that are unpredictable and inconsistent, failing to meet promised expectations. Bioreactors can be used to treat a range of things for mine-impacted water. I have worked with many successful active and semi-passive bioreactors that treat ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, thiocyanate, cyanide, selenium, manganese, copper, nickel, zinc, and a whole range of other metals. But I have also seen utter failures of bioreactor implementation for even the simplest things such as ammonia and nitrate. Here, I correct what I consider the top seven myths of bioreactors and outline common red flags of “broken” bioreactors to help the mining community and take a step towards putting my “fix the broken bioreactor” services out of business.
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MYTH 1:
Bioreactors do not work at cold temperatures. Reality 1: Bioreactors can work at any
temperature when water is liquid. Treatment of some compounds is directly temperature dependent, and others are not. There is an ammonia nitrification moving bed bioreactor (MBBR) operating in northern Saskatchewan for over a decade at temperatures of 2°C to 4°C.
MYTH 2:
Bioreactors take months to commission. Reality 2: You should typically expect to
see treatment in a denitrification reactor in 2 to 3 days, or a nitrification reactor in 7 to 10 days. Selenium treatment or metals treatment through sulphide co-precipitation take slightly longer to establish at up to 2 weeks. Full treatment of any TRL 8 or 9 type bioreactor application should be achieved in under a month for consistent feed water.
MYTH 3:
You can use municipal water treatment software to design a bioreactor. Reality 3: With mine water, you regulate
the carbon and phosphorus as reagents to
control the treatment of nitrogen, sulphate, selenium, etc. This looks like a municipal MBBR on a diagram. Do not let appearances fool you though; it is very different biogeochemical design and operation than municipal wastewater where all nitrogen, phosphorus, and carbon are present in the water and require treatment.
MYTH 4:
Bioreactors create lots of total suspended solids (TSS). Reality 4: Ammonia (nitrification) biore-
actors produce almost no TSS. Nitrate (denitrification) and sulphide producing bioreactors should produce very small amounts of TSS. Most should be low enough TSS to directly discharge. High TSS concentrations occur when the carbon and/or phosphorus are being overdosed, such as using ratios common in municipal wastewater treatment.
MYTH 5:
Bioreactors are the “best achievable technology” (BAT) for blah. Reality 5: There are dozens of types of
bioreactors. Additionally, there are many ways to operate each type. While there are types of bioreactors that are the BAT
for the treatment of a specific constituent (e.g., an aerobic moving bed bioreactor for ammonia), this cannot be applied as a blanket statement. Specifying the type of bioreactor is critical to determining its applicability and technology readiness.
MYTH 6:
Bioreactors are a ‘black box’ and the reactions inside are unknown. Reality 6: The reactions inside bioreac-
tors are well-understood and documented in decades of scientific research. Unfortunately, this does not mean they are always used.
MYTH 7:
You need to use an “inoculum” to start the bioreactor. Reality 7: If your water has been exposed to wind, rain, or rock, then bacteria are there. Unless using inoculum from a nearly identical bioreactor, adding in bacteria produces fast unsustainable results and prolongs the overall commissioning. Many genomic studies over the past decade have shown that added bacteria typically last a few days in the bioreactor but delay the establishment of consistent operations of the bioreactor by weeks or months. CMJ
RED FLAGS Using municipal wastewater treatment designs: Mine water is not municipal water, and neither are the discharge criteria. Not accounting for geochemical interactions: One of the most memorable bioreactor mysteries I worked on was a nitrification MBBR that periodically burped out cadmium. It was a case of elevated manganese that was polishing metals from the water and crusting on the biomedia. But this sloughed off the media periodically, causing major metals exceedances. Understanding how mine-impacted water affects bioreactor processes is critical to success. Commissioning using all the same reagents and ratios as the operating plan: Biofilms require different ratios of compounds to develop than to operate. The commissioning and operating plans need to reflect this.
Not understanding that alkalinity is not the same thing as pH: Please stop making chemists sad. Not respecting the timelines of the bacteria: It can take days (denitrification) or more than a week (nitrification) for a biofilm to adapt and stabilize after a process change. Changing too many things too fast makes it impossible for the reactor to reach a steady state. Treating all bioreactors the same: Bioreactors can have completely opposite types of conditions for treatment (e.g., oxidizing versus reducing). The bacteria communities grown in these are also very different. Adding organic carbon to a nitrification (ammonia treatment) reactor: Nitrification bacteria grow off carbon from CO2, not from organic compounds like sugar or glycerol.
Dr. Monique Simair is a globally recognized leader in passive and semi-passive water treatment for the mining sector, including bioreactors, constructed wetlands, in situ treatment, and contaminant source control methods. She is the founder and CEO of Maven Water & Environment (www.mavenwe.com) and can be contacted at monique@mavenwe.com. DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 37
HEALTH & SAFETY
By Timothy River
Towards a zero-harm mining industry
Four ways to reduce health hazards
T
he mining industry is one of the riskiest in the world, posing hazards to workers that can lead to life-changing injuries and fatalities. Fatality rates have dropped considerably over time, but we are still far from a zero-harm mining industry, and it is vital that we continuously improve health and safety protocols. Here are four ways to reduce health hazards in the mining industry: 1. Implement consistent use of personal protective equipment (PPE) Many common health hazards in the mining industry can be prevented when workers are equipped with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). For example, industrial deafness because of excessive exposure to loud noises can be prevented by using earplugs and similar protective hearing equipment. Airborne particulates can cause serious acute and long-term respiratory problems, but
38 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
appropriate masks can help miners avoid breathing them in. Hard hats can reduce the risk of head injuries, protective eyewear can prevent damage to the eyes from abrasive materials, and durable clothing, gloves, and boots can reduce the risk of skin abrasions and blunt force trauma in the hands and feet. In addition to providing appropriate PPE, it is vital that mining companies train workers on the proper use of the equipment. New hires should have extensive health and safety training that covers the correct use of PPE, and refresher training should be administered on a regular basis. There should also be routine checks in place to ensure compliance, and equipment should be regularly assessed for signs of damage. 2. Minimize exposure to heavy machinery According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), hazardous
exposure to heavy equipment is one of the three most common health and safety problems in mining and construction. Whole body vibration (WBV) is a particularly common hazard faced by mining workers who spend lots of time sitting or standing on machinery or jumbo operators. Symptoms of WBV include musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular damage, vision impairment, digestive problems, and even reproductive damage in female miners. Mining companies can reduce the risk of WBV by replacing particularly dangerous equipment and vehicles with safer alternatives. They can also minimize the severity of vibrations by repairing uneven surfaces. It is important to minimize the transportation of goods or materials and to use unmanned, remotely controlled machines wherever it is practical. In instances where this is not possible, managers should try to limit the amount of time each worker has to spend using heavy machinery each day.
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3. Ban underage mining As many as 1 million children were believed to be working in mines in 2019, and it is unlikely that this figure has significantly decreased in the years since. Children are even more susceptible to injury than adult miners because of their smaller size and reduced strength. They are also more likely to develop psychological and behavioural disorders because of the harsh working conditions and abuse from adults. Child miners can be found in parts of South America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, usually in remote regions where law enforcement, social services, and community support structures are scant. This means that illegal child labour and human trafficking practices often go unchecked. An important way to reduce health hazards in the mining industry is to keep pushing towards a total ban on underage
miners. Corporations can play a vital role in this by carefully monitoring their supply chains to identify and tackle incidences of child labour. Non-profit organizations are also pushing to eliminate child labour by monitoring regions in which the practice is common and implementing social and educational programs to help eliminate it. For example, the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC)currently operates in 88 countries across the world and has been progressively eliminating child labour since 1992. 4. Utilize technology to optimize safety Technology is continually improving the safety of mining. For example, drones can monitor and inspect underground shafts to identify potential hazards with-
out putting workers at risk. Robots can complete hazardous activities that were once performed by humans, such as stabilizing mine roofs or laying explosives. Sensors can be used to monitor conditions in mines and identify potential risks, and software is becoming increasingly advanced in its ability to compile sensor data and make helpful predictions about site safety. When mining companies utilize the latest technology to manage their operations, they can better protect workers from potentially hazardous situations. Additionally, they can make more efficient and accurate plans when strategizing their mining operations to choose the safest extraction techniques and minimize the amount of time workers must spend exposed to risks. CMJ Timothy River is a digital content & media consultant and researcher.
CEO INTERVIEW, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33
GB: Where did you go after Sentry? PB: I went to BMO capital markets, covering clients with exposure to precious metal and other mining companies. The gold price was stagnant, I advised my clients not to buy. That did not help my book, but it did forge a lot of valuable relationships. One day, an Australian entrepreneur, named Matt Wood, walked into my office. He had a diamond company in Brazil. I liked his approach, how he deals with local communities first, then local government, then state government, then the federal. His business was centered on relationships. I ended up working with him and learning from him.
GB: Did you take these lessons to the royalty space?
now. We are still building. We have not done 10 deals yet. But that is the target. We intend to build a yield product, paying free cash flow in dividends. Which means we need revenues coming in the door. There are 15,000 projects which are known to have silver in them, so the opportunities are almost endless.
GB: What deals have you done? PB: Our first deal was with Gold Mountain in British Columbia. We have 90% of the silver from Gold Mountain. We are getting at least 6,000 oz./year now (or 90% of silver paid on, whichever is higher). They way the deal is structured, they are incentivized to go explore – we pay $1/oz. silver added to resources. That is the carrot we dangle.
PB: That is correct. I quickly realized that almost all producers have silver as a byproduct. Copper, gold, non-ferrous minerals, or zinc – there is always a bit of silver hanging around. A lot of companies do not report their silver. It is a fascinating space. A massive opportunity. When I discovered there are no pure silver royalty companies, I decided to create one. The beauty of it is that we can negotiate for a significant amount of silver. But it might be only 2% of the economics of the whole project. We are not a threat. We are never going to own the mine. We do not want to own the mine. We just want the silver. No one else does.
GB: Any other deals in the works?
GB: How do you mitigate the risk?
PB: My upbringing taught me that there are risks that you can see, and there also risks that you cannot see. Protecting shareholders’ wealth requires me to think hard about both categories. CMJ
PB: The most powerful way to mitigate risk is through diversification. At Silver Crown Royalties, we have an internal mandate that prevents us from putting more than 10% of our invested capital into any given project. Obviously, we are private right DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
PB: We are working with an operator in Peru, and another one in Quebec. We expect to have announcements soon. Meanwhile we closed a deal in Brazil with a private company called “Pilar Gold.” We are paying US$2 million upfront, for 90% of their silver, with a minimum delivery of 16,000 oz./year over 10 years. With a US$1.5 million bonus payment, that could step up to 32,000 oz./year. It fits into our model of cash generation.
GB: Any final thoughts?
Guy Bennett is the CEO of Global Stocks News. CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 39
HAULING
By Josh Swank
2023
State of the industry
A hauling truck with HiVo mining class body. CREDIT: PHILIPPI-HAGENBUCH
W
hile the world worries about economic slowdown and recession, the mining industry remains strong. The drive toward electric power and other hightech solutions drives the continued need for growth and focus on mineral resources, keeping the mining sector strong. We expect to see steady growth in copper and gold mining. But just because this sector remains strong does not mean operations are complacent. They recognize that to increase profitability, they need to increase their focus on efficiency. When it comes to hauling, efficiency is really at the heart of what we consider. We work with customers to design a custom solution to help them maximize their hauling capacity. We broadened our steel supplier base in 2023 to meet the demands for custom designs and to fulfill the demand for custom-engineered haul truck equipment without sacrificing on quality. Along the lines of maximizing capacity this year, we saw increases in demand for lightweight truck bodies that remove weight from the structure to allow more space for increased payload. The downside is that these bodies have historically had a shorter wear life. We never want to sacrifice quality and longevity, so we work hard to find the right balance of lightweight and high quality. This year, we switched to manufacturing our HiVo mining class bodies with Hardox 500 Tuf steel, meaning stronger, more abrasion-resistant bodies with a payload capacity of 10% to 20% more. At the same time, the durability and life of the body are better than any competitive light-
40 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
weight unit on the market. We have also seen increasing interest from producers in custom solutions for specific applications. This has led to expanding our HiVol hard rock bodies by offering an asymmetrical option for underground mining applications. These bodies are engineered with an elongated floor on the driver’s side and shortened floor on the passenger’s side. The unique body shape lowers the center of gravity, making the truck more stable and increasing operator safety. Additionally, the custom design features a hoisted, low-side body in which the passenger side is taller than the driver’s side to factor in loading conditions, such as the loader itself, mine height, loading direction, and cycle time. This asymmetry gives clearance for the loader on the driver’s side and allows the passenger side to act as a backboard to catch material as it is loaded, avoiding unnecessary spillage. As we look toward 2024 and beyond, we plan to keep a close eye on interest rates and how commercial development and construction will be affected. We have seen an increase in demand for many raw materials, with a downward trend for materials related to construction. Overall, we believe the conditions are right for a strong 2024, and we are looking forward to helping mines improve their hauling efficiency to meet continued demand in the year ahead. CMJ Josh Swank is vice-president of sales and marketing at Philippi-Hagenbuch.
www.canadianminingjournal.com
MAINTENANCE/CONVEYORS
By R. Todd Swinderman and Daniel Marshall
Unguarded return rollers over walkways can fall and produce a serious hazard. CREDIT: MARTIN ENGINEERING
GUARDING BY LOCATION Danger and compliance
T
he global leaders in conveyor safety are disputing the idea that putting conveyor equipment out of reach or inconveniently placed away from workers, known as “guarding by location”, is a valid form of safety. After decades of safe equipment design and comprehensive conveyor safety training in the bulk handling industry, Martin Engineering experts have witnessed where “guarding by location” has led to a lapse in workplace safety, resulting in injuries and, in some cases, fatalities. Most people readily accept that conveyors and other machinery require safety guards when positioned near workers or walkways. Guarding by location is the assumption that when hazards, such as moving conveyor belts, are positioned beyond the normal reach of a worker, they do not require a guard. Yet, they can still present a serious hazard.
Worker risks from guarding by location
Some regulations define a general safe height for components based on the average height of workers. This means taller emCONTINUED ON PAGE 42
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
Reach-in hazards (breaking the plane) can apply to both the mesh size and the height of the barrier. CREDIT: MARTIN ENGINEERING
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 41
MAINTENANCE/CONVEYORS ployees (1.82 m in height or more) can easily suffer an injury reaching up into a moving component that is 2.13 m above the ground. Working above machinery that is considered guarded by location exposes workers to increased severity of injury if they slip or fall to a lower level. Most regulations do not account for the potential buildup of spillage underneath the conveyor or in walkways, which can easily change the distance between the working surface and a hazard. It is also fairly common practice to purposely collect a pile of material or fill a bin to gain access for service or inspection of an elevated component. Using tools and methods that extend a worker’s reach while the belt is running is a hazardous activity that can contribute to serious and/or fatal accidents.
place. Several hazardous locations are beyond the normal reach of staff when working or walking under or around elevated conveyors. These hazards are commonly found in or around nip points between the belt and return rollers or drive components such as pulley shafts, couplings, drive belts, gears, and chains. Additional hazards from falling components may be inadvertently ignored if considered guarded by location.
Height prevents a worker from reaching hazardous areas until the
Mesh sizes and mounting distances. CREDIT: MARTIN ENGINEERING
Guarding best practices
The logical solution to guarding by location is to simply install guards and baskets to protect workers from lateral and overhead hazards, while still offering safe and easy access. For maximum risk reduction, all nip points, shear points, and moving or rotating components should be guarded, regardless of location or access.
reality of bulk operations proves otherwise. CREDIT: MARTIN ENGINEERING
Hazards from above
By not requiring a physical barrier, guarding by location creates what is considered by some to be an exception to the general requirements for the guarding of hazards in the work-
However, there is also no global standard for guard mesh sizes and mounting distance from the hazard. Most standards use a gauge to measure the distance which varies by mesh size. When a bulk material handling guard is placed relatively close to a hazard, it greatly reduces the ability to inspect components without removing the guard, thereby encouraging guard removal for routine inspections. It would be far better (and safer) to standardize on a few mesh sizes and mounting distances, allowing maintenance workers to build guards to a short list of materials, using standard mounting distances and eliminating the use of the gauges. Below is the recommendation from Martin Engineering.
Put an end to the myth
Despite its nearly global acceptance as a concept in industrial safety, the practice of guarding by location remains a particular problem for overhead conveyor applications. It is time to accept that as far as conveyors are concerned, guarding by location is a myth. As such, it is a concept that should be abandoned to make conveyors, and those who work on and around the equipment, safer. CMJ Return roller guards ensure detached rollers do not pose a hazard to workers or harm the system. CREDIT: MARTIN ENGINEERING
42 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
R. Todd Swinderman, P.E., is CEO emeritus, Martin Engineering, and Daniel Marshall is a process engineer at Martin Engineering.
www.canadianminingjournal.com
MAINTENANCE/SCREENS
By Duncan Highl
OEM parts avoid vibrating screen
damage A
s the demand for materials rises, maximizing uptime is of the upmost importance. One of the best ways to ensure reliability for vibrating screens is to always choose original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts. While fabrication shops often produce quality components, they cannot guarantee parts built to OEM standards. A vibrating screen works as a total system, so minor differences in size, weight, and material can lead to a chain reaction of damage, ultimately resulting in lost profit. Here are the four most important vibrating screen parts to buy from an OEM:
1 2 3
Shaft components:
Shaft components form the heart of a vibrating screen and are machined from specific material to 25.4 microns, so any flaws can damage an entire machine. For example, if a fabrication shop does not design the shaft shoulders within OEM tolerances, the small difference in size can cause the shaft assembly stack to be too tight or too loose. This can lead to excessive heat and wear and even potential failure of the shaft and body components.
Mounting components:
The mounting components are designed to deflect at a certain spring rate, depending on the weight of the vibrating screen. Replacing a damaged part with a fabricated version that may not be the correct material or design could cause the spring rate to be thrown off. This could mean the mounting assembly cannot take as much load and may be too soft and break again, or it could be too stiff, which may cause side panels to break.
Deck frames:
All material is classified using screen media, which is supported by the deck frames. That makes the deck frame quality extremely important. If a fabrication shop does not manufacture the deck frame according to the machine’s specifications, the media will not tension correctly, leading to broken screen media, contaminated product, and other potential damage. DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
Manufacturers design and build vibrating screens as a total system. The weight of the parts, required running speed, and amplitude are all taken into consideration when balancing the machine. CREDIT: HAVER & BOECKER
4
Side plates:
Properly fitted side plates are vital to the structure and functionality of a vibrating screen. If one side plate is replaced, and the fabricated version doesn’t exactly match the opposite, a series of positioning issues can happen down the line. Even the smallest inconsistency can trigger problems with the shaft assembly and cause the machine to rack. While it may seem like buying aftermarket parts will save money, the result is likely to cause additional downtime and costs. OEM manufacturers ensure parts fit individual machines, so operations do not need to worry about missed measurements or repair costs. CMJ Duncan High is division manager of processing equipment technology at Haver & Boecker. CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 43
MAINTENANCE/SCREENS
By Serge Raymond
solutions
for proper vibrating screen media selection
E
nergy is a hot topic in any country or socioeconomic circle these days. Though politicians will forever argue and debate the virtues and evils of one system of energy over another, the majority of the population no matter what part of the globe they live in, simply want to make sure that when they need heat, light or transportation, it is readily and economically available. More recently, the demand for coal, especially in the power generation industry, has hit a record high. At the same time, the specs and requirements for coal production have gotten even tighter and the pressure on mines to find more sustainable processes has never been more rigid. Coal operations must examine many facets of their business to ensure efficiency and sustainability, and one significant consideration is screening and classifying. As the current in-demand specification of finished raw materials becomes tighter and more stringent, producers need to examine their production process in order to maximize profitability. Here are some considerations:
Proper screen media selection
While often overlooked, proper screen media selection is critical to maximizing screen performance, and it is not a one-sizefits-all product. Operations should work with a manufacturer to thoroughly evaluate their application and spec requirements to ensure they are equipped with the right screen media.
44 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
High-vibration screens are designed in a manner that allows each wire to vibrate independently, enhancing the overall effectiveness and allowing the screen to self-clean. The high-frequency vibration produced by the screen wires virtually eliminates blinding and pegging. CREDIT: MAJOR FLEX-MAT
Most operations use standard woven wire screens. However, these mass-produced screens are inexpensive and old-school – seemingly an easy decision. But when precision for a variety of specifications is key, old-school media is often not the right path. Because of the design and weaving process of traditional woven wire, only specific opening sizes in 1/16-inch increments are available. But opting for customizable, high-performance screen media allows an infinite number of adjustments to be made to the wire spacings. As a result, it provides producers with a screening solution for the myriad of challenges faced by mining and aggregates operations – such as material contamination, blinding and pegging – ensuring you meet the exact specifications you need efficiently and effectively, every single time. When it comes to screen media selection, there is a lot to choose from. Often, it is best to work closely with an OEM that offers screening consultations. Thoroughly evaluating your screening operation and assessing challenges helps producers to strategically select screen media, increasing uptime and profits. CMJ Serge Raymond is a product specialist at Major Flex-Mat.
www.canadianminingjournal.com
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024 VOLUME 5 | ISSUE 1
ON THE MOVE
SPONSORED BY
ERIK BUCKLAND Partner Global Mining Recruitment M: +1 416.854.8468 E: erik.buckland@lincolnstrategic.com W: www.lincolnstrategic.com
Executive, Management and Board Changes in Canada’s Mining Sector
MANAGEMENT MOVES
TOP MOVES IN THIS ISSUE
Kiran Patankar president and CEO.
» The Artisanal Gold Council named Doublas Kao its global operations manager. » Brian Peer joined Bear Creek Mining as COO. Former CEO Tony Hawkshaw has passed away. » Canter Resources named Joness Lang as CEO and a director.
Jonathan Price Jonathan Price is the new president of Teck Resources. He held the roles of CEO, EVP and CFO previously. He joined the company in October 2020, and bringing extensive experience through a variety of finance, commercial, and business development roles spanning Europe, Asia and Australia, with a focus on strategy, transformational change and business improvement. Prior to joining Teck, Price was employed by BHP, ABN AMRO Bank, and Inco, where he held various production and technical roles.
Cal Everett Cal Everett was reappointed CEO of Liberty Gold. He is a geologist with more than 14 years of surface and underground experience with senior mining companies. He moved to the financial sector in 1990 and spent 12 years with BMO Nesbitt Burns and seven years with PI Financial. From 2008 to 2015, he was president and CEO of Axemen Resource Capital. Everett holds a BSc in economic geology from the University of New Brunswick.
Jon Gilligan Dr. Jonathan Gilligan is the new president and COO of Liberty Gold. He has over 35-years of multicommodity, international experience across technical services, capital projects, open pit mine construction and operations. Previously he worked for Torex Gold Resources, SSR Mining and BHP. Gilligan held leadership positions at the Marigold, Chinchillas, Olympic Dam expansion, Escondida and Escondida Norte, and many more mines. He holds a BSc in geology from University College London, and a PhD from the University of Southampton.
To send your management, board and award announcements directly to us for inclusion in the next newsletter, please email your submission to
editor@canadianminingjournal.com
DECEMBER 2023/JANUARY 2024
» Mineral Mountain Resources named Joseph Meagher CFO. » Monumental Minerals announced Michelle DeCecco will serve as interim CEO. » Neo Performance Minerals named Mohamad El-Mahmoud as EVP rare metals.
» Canterra Minerals has named Paul Moore VP exploration and David Butler exploration manager.
» New Gold named Kieth Murphy EVP and CFO.
» Discovery Harbour named Clayton Fisher its new CFO and secretary.
» Jason Attew is the new president and CEO of Osisko Gold Royalties.
» The new COO at EMP Metals is Paul Schubach. » Eriez appointed Jaisen Kohmuench as president and CEO. » Tom McNeill was named president and CEO of Eros Resources.
» Martin Milette is now CFO of Quebec Rare Earth Elements. » Rio Tinto named Matthew Breen as the new COO at the Diavik Diamond Mine.
» New additions to Frontier Lithium include Gregory Da Re as VP corporate development and Erick Underwood as CFO.
» Sigma Lithium hired Matthew DeYoe as VP corporate affairs and strategic development and Alexandre Mattos as environmental director.
» Warren Robb is now VP exploration at Golden Independence Mining.
» Solaris Resources named Javier Toro as COO to lead the Warintza project.
» Highrock Resources named Carmelo Marrelli its new CFO.
» Taseko Mines says Richard Tremblay is now COO and Terry Morris has joined the company as VP operations.
Horizonte Minerals asked Karim Nasr to be interim CEO and Maryse Belanger to be interim COO. » Kinterra Capital appointed Chad Holahan as project director for White Pine Copper LLC. » Magma Mining named Jeff Huffman its new COO. » Mandalay Resources appointed Scott Trebilcock as EVP and chief development officer. » Maple Gold Mines made
» Director Robert Johnston was named interim CEO of Total Helium. » Trigon Metals named Rennie Morkel its new president and COO and Andreas Rompel its VP exploration. » World Copper said Nolan Peterson resigned as CEO and president. He is replaced on an interim basis by company chair Hendrik van Alphen.
CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL | 45
BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS » The newest director at Akwaaba Mining is Heidy Arocha Rodriguez. » Sandra Daycock and Susan Toevs are now directors of Bear Creek Mining. » Michael Power, formerly a board member at Buchans Resources, joined the board of Canterra Minerals.
Nasr and Paul Smith as chair. » Anne Marie Toutant as an independent director of Iamgold. » Michael Skead is now a board member at Infinico Metals. » Intrepid Metals named Ken Engquist to the board.
» Jim Kirke joined the board of Caprock Mining.
» Landore Resources added Larry Strauss to its board.
» Collective Mining named Angela Maria Orozco Gomez as non-executive director.
» Level 14 Ventures appointed Daniel O’Flaherty a director.
» The newest directors at EMP Metals are Craig Foggo and Karl Kottmeier. » Green River Gold added Craig Brekkas to the board. » Horizonte Minerals offered seats on the board to Karim
» Ruben Padilla joined the board of Minaurum Gold. » Changes were made to the board of Myriad Uranium with the appointment of Tom Lee and the departure of Guy Pinsent. » Nevada Lithium Resources
asked Gary Seabrooke to join its board of directors.
board of Silver Valley Metals.
» Nickelex Resource asked Alf Stewart to join the board.
» Strathmore Plus Uranium welcomed Jeremy Wiebe to the board.
» Orla Mining appointed Rob Krcmarov to the board.
» Teako Minerals welcomed Eric Roth to the board.
» Osisko Gold Royalties noted that Sean Roosen resigned his directorship.
» Christopher Hansen and Andrea Betti are now non-executive directors of Tempus Resources.
» Pacific Bay Minerals appointed Joao Alexandre to the board. » Patrick Galletti joined the board of Pure Energy Minerals. » QNB Metals named Maril Bouchard to the board of directors. » Jelena Burgarin joined the board of Showcase Minerals.
» Trigon Metals welcomed Grant Sboros to the board. Troubadour Resources welcomed Chris Huggins to the board. » Vizsla Silver welcomed Silver Mining Hall of Fame member Eduardo Luna to its board. » Augusto Torresini is now a director of Western Atlas Resources.
» Miroslav Reba has joined the
Canadian Mining Journal’s 2024 Media Kit and Editorial Calendar is now available. Contact Robert Seagraves at rseagraves@canadianminingjournal.com or George Agelopoulos at gagelopoulos@northernminer.com or call 1-416-510-6891 to request your copy.
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BUSINESS DIRECTORY ADVERTISERS INDEX Canadian Institute .............. 15 ............... www.canadianinstitute.com CGIS ................................. 15 ..................................... www.cgis.ca GMS Mine Repair ................ 5 ................... www.gmsminerepair.com Haver & Boecker ................. 9 ..................... www.haverniagara.com Martin Engineering.............. 11 ........ www.martin-eng.com/worldwide Modular Mining ................... 2 .. www.modularmining.com/DISPATCH Sandvik Mining................... 48 ............. www.rocktechnology.sandvik Sofvie ............................... 46 .............................. www.sofvie.com SRK Consulting ................. 28 .................................. www.srk.com Stantec Inc. ....................... 17 ............................. www.stantec.com Vega Instruments ................. 7 ............................... .vega.com/radar WSP Canada..................... 31 ............................. www.wsp.com
46 | CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL
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