Canadian Mining Journal October 2020 by The Northern Miner Group

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CANADIANMINING

OCTOBER 2020 VOL. 141, NO.8

JOURNAL

QUEBEC & THE MARITIMES

14 Marathon Gold advances its Valentine gold project in Newfoundland

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toward a feasibility study and production decision in 2021.

20 A Grande Alliance in Quebec promises a historic First Nations-led

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infrastructure program.

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23 CMJ takes a look at some of the most active exploration projects in Quebec.

CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL

FEATURES

28 How 3-D communication technologies are transforming mining

engineering design.

32 A CostMine analysis demonstrates how energy costs in remote areas of Canada affect overall costs.

ENVIRONMENT & CLEAN MINING

29 TOMRA outlines how sensor-based ore sorting technology can help achieve circularity in mining.

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE & REPAIR

33 How in-line valves can make maintenance faster, easier and safer.

DEPARTMENTS 4 EDITORIAL | Canada can’t let its COVID-19 advantage slip away. 6 LAW | Norm Keith of Fasken examines work exposure to COVID-19 and potential liability on the part of mining directors and officers. 8 CSR & MINING | Simon Thibault of Propulsion Québec makes the connection between traceability and ESG in battery minerals – and a potential competitive advantage for Canada. 10 UNEARTHING TRENDS | EY’s Iain Thompson and Sherif Barrad outline how process mining can help miners build a more resilient supply chain. 12 FAST NEWS | Updates from across the mining ecosystem. 36 ON THE MOVE | Tracking executive, management and board changes in Canada’s mining sector.

www.canadianminingjournal.com OCTOBER 2020

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ABOUT THE COVER

This month’s cover provided by Petro-Canada Lubricants.

Coming in November Canadian Mining Journal’s popular Buyers’ Guide, a comprehensive list of suppliers, products and services for Canada’s mining industry.

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 www.digital.canadianminingjournal.com

CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

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FROM THE EDITOR OCTOBER 2020 Vol. 141 – No. 8

Canada can’t let its COVID-19 advantage slip away Alisha Hiyate

ore than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, the virus has infiltrated the highest levels of political leadership in countries such as Brazil, the U.K., and most recently, the United States with the infection of President Donald Trump, which came to light on Oct. 2. The extent to which it has penetrated the upper echelons of the political sphere underlines the fact that the novel coronavirus is here to stay. So far, Canada and our mining sector have benefited from the relatively low case count in the country, which has made it much easier to continue business, albeit in a modified form. But as of early October, there are concerning signs that Canada’s success in beating back the virus may not last. Rising case numbers, especially in Ontario and Quebec, have provincial governments threatening to re-impose restrictions on some businesses and activities. While the mining sector’s status as an “essential” business across Canada is not likely to change, the industry won’t be left unscathed by a second and subsequent waves and the depressed economic growth that will follow. In a recent survey conducted by The Northern Miner and Canadian Mining Journal, which saw 384 industry participants respond to questions in July and August, the top long-term concerns cited were the potential for long-term or permanent mine shutdowns (30.3%), the loss of skilled workers (24.2%), demand destruction (22.3%), and the long-term ability to raise money (20.3%). So it’s not unreasonable to ask why, given that rising cases were entirely predictable as a consequence of businesses and schools started to reopen, governments were not better prepared? It has been obvious for many months that we needed to vastly increase testing capacity, especially in Ontario and Quebec, where more than 60% of Canada’s population lives. Meanwhile, the federal government has been slow to approve and adopt rapid testing methods for the virus that have been in use in the U.S. and other places for months, and which could be used to take the pressure off the backlog of highly accurate but slow PCR tests. We are behind the curve. Missteps on the part of the federal and provincial governments only serve to feed an already growing lack of trust in governments and institutions. That’s not good. As much as I hate the official platitute of COVID-19 “We’re all in this together,” we need all levels of government to coordinate a coherent response to this virus. The alternative – whole sectors of the economy that continue to be shut down and millions of people unable to earn a livelihood – will have dire physical and mental health consequences for far too many Canadians. Perhaps our political leaders could learn something from the mining sector, which has had a lot of success in adapting to the virus because of its unrelenting culture of health and safety. Something to think about as we head into fall and winter – and a cold and flu CMJ season that promises to be like no other.

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CANADIANMINING 225 Duncan Mill Rd. Suite 320, Toronto, Ontario M3B 3K9 JOURNAL Tel. (416) 510-6789 Fax (416) 510-5138 www.canadianminingjournal.com Editor-in-Chief Alisha Hiyate 416-510-6742 ahiyate@canadianminingjournal.com Twitter: @Cdn_Mining_Jrnl

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News Editor Magda Gardner CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL mgardner@canadianminingjournal.com Production Manager Jessica Jubb jjubb@glacierbizinfo.com Art Director Barbara Burrows Advisory Board David Brown (Golder Associates) Michael Fox (Indigenous Community Engagement) Scott Hayne (Redpath Canada) Anthony Moreau (Iamgold) Gary Poxleitner (SRK) Manager of Product Distribution Jackie Dupuis 403-209-3507 jdupuis@glacierrig.com Publisher & Sales Robert Seagraves 416-510-6891 rseagraves@canadianminingjournal.com Sales, Western Canada George Agelopoulos 416-510-5104 gagelopoulos@northernminer.com Toll Free Canada & U.S.A.: 1-888-502-3456 ext 2 or 43734 Circulation Toll Free Canada & U.S.A.: 1-800-387-2446 ext 3505 Group Publisher Anthony Vaccaro Established 1882

Canadian Mining Journal provides articles and information of practical use to those who work in the technical, administrative

and supervisory aspects of exploration, mining and processing in the Canadian mineral exploration and mining industry. Canadian Mining Journal (ISSN 0008-4492) is published 10 times a year by Glacier Resource Innovation Group (GRIG). GRIG is located at 225 Duncan Mill Rd., Ste. 320, Toronto, ON, M3B 3K9. Phone (416) 510-6891. Legal deposit: National Library, Ottawa. Printed in Canada. All rights reserved. The contents of this magazine are protected by copyright and may be used only for your personal non-commercial purposes. All other rights are reserved and commercial use is prohibited. To make use of any of this material you must ﬁrst obtain the permission of the owner of the copyright. For further information please contact Robert Seagraves at 416-510-6891. Subscriptions – Canada: $51.95 per year; $81.50 for two years. USA: US$64.95 per year. Foreign: US$77.95 per year. Single copies: Canada $10; USA and foreign: US$10. Canadian subscribers must add HST and Provincial tax where necessary. HST registration # 809744071RT001. From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Phone: 1-800-387-2446 ext 3505; Fax: 403-245-8666 ; E-mail: jdupuis@jwnenergy.com Mail to: Jackie Dupuis, 2nd Flr. 816–55th Ave. N.E. Calgary, Alberta T2E 6Y4. We acknowledge the ﬁnancial support of the Government of Canada.

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LAW

COVID-19 workplace exposure and director and officer liability By Norm Keith

OVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11. Many Canadian provinces, including Ontario, declared a state of emergency under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act (EMCPA) on March 17. This has given rise to governance and leadership challenges, and decisions regarding the state of the workplace, and exposure to workers, as well as clients/customers/patients in many businesses, workplaces and organizations across Canada. COVID-19 has also raised a number of questions about emergency preparedness, business continuity, and pandemic planning by governance experts and boards of directors of public and private corporations and organizations. The mining industry is no exception. Many mines were shut down by governments across Canada. While public health authorities waffled on best practices for prevention and the efficacy of masks in preventing the virus from spreading, governments ordered much of the economy to be closed for varying periods of time, including mining operations. A central concern for many boards and CEOs has been the risk of potential legal liability for their organizations, individuals and them personally. This article will focus on the latter and, in particular, the legal exposure of directors and officers to personal legal liability arising from an employee or worker, customer, client or third parties from becoming infected by COVID-19 arising out of or in the course of employment and in connection with the business or the workplace. Civil liability The primary risk for directors and officers related to COVID19 exposure in the workplace is on the unintentional tort of negligence. A civil claim for negligence must establish a duty, breach of duty and damages. There is a general legal duty of care on organizations and their directors and officers to provide a safe workplace for workers and third parties. Directors and officers have these obligations under common law negligence duty of care, jurisprudence, public and occupational health and safety statutes and regulations. The latter generally focuses on worker safety, but by implication also applies to third parties who have visited or have other contact with the workplace. Civil liability related to workers or visitors who suffer injury, illness or death arising out of or in the course of employment from COVID-19 is governed by either workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; compensation legislation or the civil court system. The former provides work-

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Exposure to mining directors and officers arising from COVID-19 is limited but still important to address. Boards and officers should take steps to ensure compliance with public health authority guidance and OHS law compliance for risks associated with COVID-19 that are business and workplace specific. place health & safety insurance for the vast majority of workers in Canada. Such legislation provides a bar to civil law suits against employers and directors and officers. The latter gives a minority of workers and most third parties the right to sue in court on the basis of the tort law theory. The other legal risk for director and officer exposure to COVID-19 civil liability lies with workers and workplaces not covered by workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; compensation legislation and non-worker third parties. When a customer, client, or third party is infected by the virus as a result of exposure to the business/workplace, it may be argued that directors and officers breached their duty of care towards such workers and third parties by failing to follow public or occupational health and safety legislation, regulations or standards related to COVID-19 risk management. Regulatory liability Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulatory statutes do not all identify directors and officers as having specific personal legal responsibilities under those statutes. This legal duty on directors and officers under the Ontario OHS law may also be incorporated by reference in other provincial OHS laws since diectors and officers often are included in the definition of a representative of the employer. On balance, we recommend that organizations and all directors and officers consider themselves bound by similar duties to those expressed in the Ontario statute, above, for the purpose of managing this category of regulatory legal risk. OHS laws are legally characterized as quasi-criminal, strict liability, and regulatory statutes. OHS laws are not criminal law for several reasons, including the absence of criminal intent or mens rea. A regulatory offence, which may be used to prosecute www.canadianminingjournal.com

2020-10-05 5:40 PM

directors and officers, does not require proof to commit the offence, required in a true crime. Directors and officersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; exposure to regulatory prosecution under the OHSA may result in a fine up to $100,000, or 12 months in jail, or both. The presumptive penalty of an individual being convicted under the OHSA is a fine rather than a jail term. Criminal liability The Criminal Code has three different provision that may apply to directors arising from a COVID-19 exposure at the workplace by a worker or third party. Criminal legal liability is the most serious but also the most difficult to prove. If a mining director or officer is convicted of the crime of OHS criminal negligence established under the Westray Bill, the penalties include up to life imprisonment, and a fine up to $100,000 per count. Jurisprudence with respect to the Westray Bill prosecutions has been sporadic, with individuals, rather than corporations being the primary target of such criminal investigations and prosecution. The police may investigate a criminal complaint that a director or officer failed to take reasonable steps to prevent bodily harm in respect to and the exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. Recommendations Exposure to mining directors and officers arising from COVID19 is limited but still an important issue for organizations and

their leaders to address. Boards and officers should take steps to ensure compliance with public health authority guidance and OHS law compliance for risks associated with COVID-19 that are business and workplace specific. However, some guidance at a general level is warranted and should be the beginning of such risk management consideration. We recommend the following to mitigate against the legal risk for directors and officers arising from a potential COVID19 exposure associated with the business or workplace: 1 Exercising leadership of the exposure risk for workers and third parties of COVID-19 exposure in a proactive, positive and public manner; 2 Following objective, public and occupational health and safety guidance on managing COVID-19 as a workplace hazard; 3 Completing all recommended 12 steps of reopening the workplace after a COVID-19 shutdown; 4 Revise and verify the director and officer insurance coverage and related employment contract indemnity for directors and officers and enhancing where appropriate; 5 Ensuring continuous improvement approach to emergency management, business continuity, and pandemic planning now and in the future. CMJ NORM KEITH is a partner at Fasken in Toronto. He can be reached at nkeith@fasken.com or 416-868-7824.

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CSR & MINING

How traceability can lead to better ESG integration along the battery value chain By Simon Thibault

ver the past decades, companies have seen the world change quite significantly. Maximizing profit is no longer the only objective of C-suite executives. Many companies are also focused on concepts such as sustainable development and environmental and social responsibility (see, for example, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2020). This comes as no surprise. In line with rising global concerns about climate change and the environmental and social footprint of human activities, citizens and consumers are asking new questions about the provenance of products. This has lead to increased demand for FSC (Forest Stewardship Council)-certified paper and pieces of furniture; fair-trade and/or locally sourced food and clothes; certified sustainable seafood; etc. However, in recent years, this trend has moved into industrial sectors such as mining. Consumers want to know the impact of the products they buy all along the value chain. This is especially true in the context of increasing demand for critical minerals to feed a rising global demand for battery-powered electric vehicles. In its 2019 report on key trends in the mining industry, Deloitte mentioned that “as customer demand for battery minerals rises, so too does the demand for transparent provenance. This is exposing miners to increased scrutiny as socially conscious consumers question the origin of raw materials in products ranging from cell phones to electric vehicles. As a result, downstream customers – such as automotive manufacturers and tech giants – are demanding ethically sourced minerals. This is driving the adoption of technologies to enhance the traceability of commodities.” New standards do not mean full transparency To demonstrate compliance with environmental, social and governance (ESG) best practices, the industry has developed many new initiatives, tools, standards, and certifications. These include: the Global Reporting Initiative; OECD’s Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Supply Chains; UN’s Global Compact Principles; the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance; and the Responsible Minerals Initiative. These initiatives and standards are increasingly being driven by end-users. Companies such as Tesla, Volkswagen and Daimler recently adopted policies and/or announced purchase agreements focusing on ESG integration and reduced carbon footprint in the wake of increased scrutiny by consumers, espe8 | CANADIAN

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cially when it comes to battery minerals powering a green transition of transportation. Of note for Canadians, the Mining Association of Canada’s Towards Sustainable Mining and UL Canada Ecologo certification for mining exploration are getting attention worldwide. This is of course on top of recent federal and provincial guidelines and policies being published almost on a continuous basis and thus making Canada’s normative and legal framework one of the best internationally in terms of environmental and social responsibility. However, these initiatives all miss the target: they are either too focused (ex. cobalt only) or lack capacity to track compliance all along the value chain. Because most standards or certifications are tools that do only apply to specific stage(s) in the value chain, they do not account for compliance at all levels at one time. Therefore, to answer consumers’ demand for real transparency, ESG compliance needs to be tracked all along the value chain, from the mine to end-users. A solution: traceability The question should then be the following: now that we have good ESG standards in place, how can we have them apply all along the value chain and track that compliance from upstream to downstream? The solution is the implementation of traceability mechanisms (hardware and software). Traceability is a powerful tool based on big data management. It enables monitoring and tracking a product through the various stages of processing, from ore extraction to integration in electric vehicles, to guarantee compliance with the applicable normative and legal framework at each step. A traceability mechanism can thus not only focus on technical aspects such as chemistry and QA/QC, but as well on ESG aspects such as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water use, waste management, human rights, fair labour practices, progressive board composition, business ethics, community relations, First Nations and free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), etc. A competitive advantage for Canada In the Canadian context, the aforementioned stricter normative and legal framework applicable to mining activities (environmental protection, health and safety, community relations) could then turn out to be a competitive advantage to promote www.canadianminingjournal.com

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Canada as a responsible supplier of battery minerals to the EV industry. This is even more true in provinces like Quebec, where clean and renewable hydroelectricity is the main source of energy and thus the GHG emissions associated with mining and processing activities are significantly lower compared to the other regions worldwide that have a similar abundance of critical minerals. Implementing traceability mechanism would then not only demonstrate compliance to the highest international ESG standards, but also: Position Canada as a world-leader in the mining and processing of battery materials and components and attract investments using a “Canada brand” guaranteeing environmental and social responsibility all along the supply chain; Offer a competitive and commercial advantage to Canadian businesses through products that comply with automakers, large tech companies and consumers’ increasing demand for ESG compliance and provenance transparency; Support the development of local value-added, sustainable, and responsible supply chains of critical minerals, from ore extraction to recycling. It should also be noted that traceability perfectly aligns with the objectives of Canada’s Battery Initiative and, at the provincial level, Quebec’s Critical and Strategic Minerals Plan, as well

as recent announcements made by Natural Resources Canada with regards to joint efforts with the United States on critical minerals. It also demonstrates the capacity of Canada to act as a pioneer worldwide and support the development of promising initiatives such as the World Economic Forum’s Global Battery Alliance. In the wake of a strong will in North America to relocalize critical supply chains such as those pertaining to batteries, Canadian elected officials know that it will not be possible to do so without having support first from local communities, but also, as demonstrated, from end-users that are asking for better ESG integration in the value chains of the goods they buy. Increased provenance transparency along the value chain requires implementation of traceability mechanisms which demonstrate ESG compliance from ore extraction; mineral processing; production of precursors, cathodes, and anodes; battery cells, modules, and packs; to final integration in EVs. Especially in the context of a post-COVID economic relaunch, there is here and now a major opportunity for Canada to build back its mining and manufacturing industry on promising, responsible grounds. CMJ SIMON THIBAULT is the regional director for Propulsion Québec in the Quebec area. He was previously director of environmental and social responsibility at Nemaska Lithium, and before that, was a consultant in environmental and social responsibility in the mining industry.

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UNEARTHING TRENDS

How the pandemic became a catalyst for the mining sector to build supply chain resilience By Iain Thompson and Sherif Barrad

ith many mines in remote locations, delays, cancellations and shortages have always been challenges to the supply chain. And while companies have become more adept at managing these disruptions, the impact of COVID-19 across many geographies simultaneously put new pressures on traditional global structures. Resilience is simply not inherent in today’s lean, just-in-time supply chains, which are optimized for cost and concentrated around a few geographies and vendors. Before the pandemic, most mining companies didn’t always see the need to understand the complexities across their supply chains. And they didn’t always have the data, contingency plans and crisis incident management to do so. The impact of COVID-19 has shone a bright light on these shortcomings. Companies that follow these four steps can help mitigate disruption and develop a deeper understanding of their supply chain risks. 1. Stabilize supply chain operations: Identify and mitigate critical issues identiﬁed during the pandemic. 2. Build resilience into the supply chain: Embed scenario planning by engaging in a full risk assessment to identify critical areas and recommend mitigation strategies. 3. Optimize supply chains: Adjust supply chain management to minimize costs from ongoing operations while mitigating the impact of major disruptions. 4. Enhance end-to-end visibility: Use technology tools to develop a virtual model of the whole supply chain network through data-driven decision-making. While many companies have already embarked on the initial steps of building a more resilient supply chain, the biggest opportunity will lay with enhancing end-to-end visibility. Doing so will require near real-time monitoring and scenario analysis, which can be achieved through use of a supply chain control tower, or digital twin. A digital twin is a virtual replica of the supply chain that covers logistics, inventory and fleet status. The digital twin is then overlaid with global and local events such as geopolitical, pandemic and economic factors. Digital twins can run simulations that change different variables to visualize the full impact of multiple scenarios, such as supplier insolvency, production shutdowns or shipment delays

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A good process mining toolkit can enable companies to strengthen areas of vulnerability and help make more informed decisions about how to respond when there are disruptions. due to shipping port congestion. It will therefore equip decision-makers with the ability to assess the impact of these challenges and help them identify alternate options. As a result, a digital twin allows organizations to predict potential issues before they happen, removing bottlenecks and improving productivity, making it a “must have” for an efficient and resilient supply chain. But one of the biggest hurdles for organizations looking to build an effective digital twin is providing the latest and most appropriate data so that decision-makers can run scenario analyses and confidently assess how supply chains would be impacted by one or more contingencies. Process mining Process mining can help fill that gap by helping companies identify which data is important and how to extract it. It’s a combination of business process management and data mining, and it quantifies and visualizes business processes and the data used to execute those processes. It highlights what’s really happening on the ground, instead of what the design assumes. What’s more, process mining provides greater visibility into the supply chain and a deeper understanding of its global interdependencies. A good process mining toolkit can enable companies to strengthen areas of vulnerability and help make more informed decisions about how to respond when there are disruptions. Besides, process mining is a key enabler in building a supply chain digital twin. Taking action now to mitigate further impact – including mapping supply chains and stress-testing under multiple scenarios – can help companies understand and address the impact of ongoing and future disruptions. CMJ IAIN THOMPSON is the Mining & Metals Consulting Leader at EY Canada, based in Vancouver. SHERIF BARRAD is an Associate Partner in the Business Consulting practice at EY Canada, based in Toronto. For more information, please visit www.ey.com/en_ca/mining-metals.

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FAST NEWS • EQUIPMENT |

Updates from across the mining ecosytem

Sandvik launches world’s largest battery loader, concept vehicle, at virtual event

andvik launched a raft of new products at its virtual Innovation in Mining event in September, including the LH518B, the world’s highest-capacity battery electric loader, and Sandvik’s new AutoMine concept vehicle, built specifically for automation. The LH518B is the world’s first 18-tonne battery powered loader, and the company’s first Sandvik-branded battery loader. According to Sandvik, the loader, with independent front and rear drivetrains, boasts “unmatched productivity” and “exceptional capacity for its size.” Designed for a 5-metre heading, the LH518B has the lowest height in its class, a 30 km/h top speed and can handle a 20% grade at 12 km/h. Using the AutoSwap self-swapping system, changing the battery on the LH518B only takes about six minutes, and does not require overhead cranes or external infrastructure. The battery pack uses lithium iron phosphate chemistry. One of the biggest improvements with the LH518B is that the operator no longer has to get out of the cabin to swap out the battery, as the machine’s AutoConnect function allows it to automatically con-

• AUTOMATION |

Sandik’s AutoMine concept vehicle.

nect and disconnect the battery pack. Sandvik also revealed its AutoMine concept vehicle, a prototype that represents Sandvik’s vision for the next generation of autonomous mining. The battery-powered vehicle has no operator’s cabin and features 3-D sensing, collision avoidance and AI technologies.

is and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have announced a world-first joint venture, Auto-Mate, to deliver the next generation of mine site automation to the global resource sector. “The Auto-Mate joint venture represents a significant advancement in mining automation,” Brad Rogers, Bis CEO, said in a release. “The flexible and scalable solution is the ultimate partner in mining automation, delivering superior technology, to a wider range of miners, at a lower cost.” The 50-50 joint venture uses IAI’s technology, which has been operating in heavy off-road vehicles since the early 1980s. Offering fully-scaleable and adaptable levels of automation, Auto-Mate’s technology is tailored to the requirements of each mine site. With an open architecture model, the system connects any asset to the operation’s fleet management system, regardless of brand, age or type of asset or desired level of automation. MINING JOURNAL

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The vehicle is designed to work in a mixed underground mining environment, alongside other automated machines and manually operated machines and people – something that is currently not possible for safety reasons. While the prototype was built as a loader, the system platform can be adapted to any mining vehicle. CMJ

Bis, Israel Aerospace launch ‘industry-first’ mining automation JV

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“Auto-Mate is a game-changer because of its exceptional utility,” Rogers added. “It is a gateway to automation for small and big miners. It is uniquely flexible so that a customer can choose how far down the pathway to automation they want to go. It is asset agnostic. It can be deployed at any mine, on any asset and to any degree of automation the customer chooses.” Yoav Tourgeman, CEO of ELTA, a subsidiary of IAI, said the interoperable scalable system is a union of cutting-edge technology and practical application. “Auto-Mate delivers a flexible approach to automation, delivering usability for multiple levels of automation across all haulage assets and ancillary equipment, with one central command centre.” Bis provides logistics, materials handling and specialized equipment solutions to the global mineral resources sector. IAI is Israel’s largest aerospace and defense company and a globally recognized technology and innovation leader. CMJ www.canadianminingjournal.com

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• CONDITION MONITORING |

New Maestro tech IDs and manages problems before they occur

ively, Ont.-based Maestro Digital Mine has launched a new enabling technology that monitors the health condition of all Maestro digital IIoT devices and networks – any time and anywhere. MaestroLink Server is an on premise-based monitoring platform that enables control room operators and maintenance teams to monitor and manage devices via smartphone, tablet or computer in real time. All of Maestro’s IIoT devices utilize embedded webservers along with digital technology right down to each individual sensor, enabling remote diagnostics for solving maintenance problems as well as assuring sensor calibration compliance. This software platform provides a secure multi-instance web-based interface to monitor and record the health of any Vigilante or Zephyr air quality monitoring stations, DustMon PM particulate monitor and the Plexus PowerNet “last mile” underground communication network. Every Maestro digital IIoT digital device provides multi-variable data, but also a complete suite of diagnostic data. Industry research has shown that new hardware installed underground often does not deliver on its full promise of consistent and accurate data to ultimately drive better business decisions. Part of the longstanding problem is assuring that the original data is valid. The requirement to properly diagnose the equipment in real time becomes essential to keep up with operational production demands. With the addition of new digital solutions, the automation and electrical maintenance department is tasked to solve ever more complex problems with resources that have not increased in proportion to the number of sensors and systems that they are expected to support. MaestroLink Server was developed to fill the gap between the requirement of maximizing reliable and accurate operational data while reducing the impact and workload of the maintenance and support team. Once installed, MaestroLink Server reaches out on the network to find and self populate the IIoT devices and network nodes and begins to monitor both the data and advanced diagnostics of the devices. It acts as a factory trained Maestro engineer and service technologist, workOCTOBER 2020

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ing 24-7 assuring maximum uptime of each digital device. It saves time and cost by giving miners the ability to poll the diagnostics and then turning the data into tangible actions from surface before having to go underground. The support team will go underground the first time with the proper tools, spare parts and equipment to do the maintenance once instead of the industry

standard requiring multiple trips. This diagnostic data allows MaestroLink Server to provide in-depth information regarding the IIoT device right down to the sensor level resolving current and future problems and ensuring proper sensor calibration; notification when sensors are about to expire; and finding sensors that are reading CMJ unusual or bad information.

CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

2020-10-06 11:44 AM

MINING IN THE MARITIMES

MARATHON FINDS VALENTINE’S SWEET SPOT Development would be Atlantic Canada’s biggest gold mine By Alisha Hiyate

n April, Marathon Gold released a prefeasibility study for its Valentine gold project in central Newfoundland that forecast it could produce 175,000 oz. gold a year for the first nine years of its 12-year mine life. While that would make the project the biggest gold mine in Atlantic Canada, the scope of the project was somewhat reduced in comparison to a 2018 preliminary economic assessment (PEA) that projected annual production of 225,100 oz. gold over 12 years. “We had a number of scope changes between the PEA and prefeasibility – the PEA in 2018 was a bigger project,” said Marathon president and CEO Matt Manson in an interview with CMJ in September. Why did the company decide to go smaller? For one, it chose to focus on reducing the project’s capex, which in the PEA was estimated at US$355 million. “Whenever you start any study, there are certain parameters that you’re trying to maximize and that’s sometimes at the expense of other parameters,” Manson said. “The PEA, quite reasonably, was going for maximum NAV (net asset value) and maximum gold production profile. But it was at the expense of capex

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and rate of return.” To get the higher gold production and a NAV of US$493 million, the 2018 study included both a mill and a heapleach operation to treat lower-grade ore. The prefeasibility scraps the heap-leach component and includes only one central mill fed by two slightly smaller open pits. Under the simplified plan, the project achieves an after-tax IRR of 36% (up from 30% in the PEA) and a NAV of $472 million (at a 5% discount rate), at an initial capex of only $272 million (US$205 million). “The heap leach was around $110 million in capital, but it was only about 7-8% of the gold production profile,” Manson says. “(With the prefeasibility) the NAV came down somewhat, but we ended up with a project that has a 36% rate of return using US$1,350 per oz. gold. If you took the spot price – US$2,000 it’s a 77% rate of return and $1.1 billion NAV.” Life-of-mine all-in sustaining costs were pegged at US$739 per oz. A feasibility study based on the same parameters is under way and due to be completed in the first quarter of 2021. Meanwhile, the company is expected to submit its evironmental impact statement

Examining drill core at Marathon Gold’s Valentine gold project in Newfoundland. CREDIT: MARATHON GOLD

for Valentine to provincial and federal regulators in September, with that work led by Stantec as the principal consultant. Plant expansion A key part of the prefeasiblity is a plant expansion in the third year of mining. While the processing of ore was simplified in the prefeasibility by doing away with the heap-leach component, getting the most out of the lower-grade ore will require a plant expansion in the third year of mining. At that point, a flotation cirwww.canadianminingjournal.com

2020-10-05 5:45 PM

The Valentine project is located in central Newfoundland, about 80 km southwest of Buchans. CREDIT: MARATHON GOLD

cuit will be added to the conventional mill (gravity concentration and cyanidation), at a cost of $42 million in incremental capital. The expansion will take the capacity of the mill to 11,000 t/d from an initial 6,800 t/d, and will be paid for with cash flow. The plan, driven by the mandate to keep capital costs low, takes advantage of the fact that the highest-grade material will be processed at the beginning of the mine life, with low-grade material stockpiled for processing in later years. A very fine grind of about 75 microns will be required for the higher grade ore at the beginning of the mine life, with a head grade of over 3 g/t gold, for a recovery of 93% through gravity and CIL alone. Once the flotation circuit is added, a coarser grind of 150 microns will do the trick and allow for a higher throughput and reduced operating costs. “Having that smaller initial production (of 2.5 million tonnes per year) with the OCTOBER 2020

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high grade and then expanding it keeps your gold production profile pretty level at about 175,000 oz. a year for first 9 years,” Manson says, as opposed to the PEA plan, which would have seen a declining gold production over the first six years. Exploration upside As a low-cost, simple and advanced project, Valentine is getting noticed – especially with strong and rising gold prices juicing M&A deals. (A National Bank Financial mining analyst identified the junior as a potential takeover candidate in May.) And while Marathon is pushing forward to advance the project to production and through permitting – with a construction decision targeted for the second half of 2021, if federal and provincial approvals are granted – the company’s also focused on delivering new discoveries this year.

“That’s somewhat in reaction to what shareholders were telling me when I first joined the company,” says Manson, who was appointed president and CEO of Marathon in August 2019 after the previous CEO, Phillip Walford decided to retire. Marathon acquired the Valentine project, located about 80 km southwest of Buchans, in 2010, and since then has focused exploration on the Marathon and Leprechaun deposits. The shear zonehosted deposits, which lie 6 km apart on the Sprite trend at the project, currently host proven and probable reserves of 1.9 million oz. gold in 41.1 million tonnes averaging 1.41 g/t gold. The two deposits, along with the Sprite and Victory deposits, lie along a longer 20-km mineralized trend on the Valentine Lake shear zone. “Marathon had been talking about CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

2020-10-05 5:45 PM

MINING IN THE MARITIMES the upside potential of the deposit, the 20 km (trend) for years, but all the drilling had really been focused on Marathon and Leprechaun to build up the mineable resource there,” Manson says, adding that with reserves established it was time to return to exploration. The company’s 56,000-metre 2020 drill program at Valentine has already started to yield results, with the discovery of the Berry zone in March. Located in the middle of the Sprite trend, between Marathon and Leprechaun, initial highlights from Berry included 55 metres of 2.24 g/t gold and 8 metres of 3.02 g/t gold. (More recent drilling in September returned 9 metres of 14.39 g/t gold, including 2 metres of 60.13 g/t gold; and 15 metres of 4.25 g/t gold, including 4 metres of 13.34 g/t gold in hole 839.) The zone has already been drilled along 650 metres of strike, and so far the mineralization looks very much like that at Marathon and Leprechaun, with a combination of long and short, and highgrade and low-grade gold intervals. At all

There are several shear-zone hosted gold deposits at Valentine, including Marathon, Leprechaun, and the recently discovered Berry zone. CREDIT: MARATHON GOLD

three locations, the gold is found in more densely stacked quartz-tourmaline-pyrite veins than elsewhere along the trend. In addition to exploration drilling throughout the Valentine trend, about 8,000 metres of infill drilling is planned at Berry to establish an initial resource early next year. While the Valentine camp was shut down for three months starting in March due to COVID-19 restrictions, the pandemic hasn’t slowed the project down significantly, as rates of the virus are very low in the region. “All our exploration staff onsite are Newfoundland-based so we were able to restart again in the middle of July and we’ve actually got five rigs turning right now – the most we’ve ever had on the site – so that’s a testament to how much we have been able to do during COVID.”

Fully funded With $54 million in cash at the end of June, the company is fully funded through the feasibility and permitting stages. Consultations with local communities, including two Mi’kmaq communities, is ongoing – albeit virtually due to COVID-19. And as the area is located close to the famous Buchans mine and Teck Resources’ former Duck Pond mine, which closed in 2015, there has been a lot of interest in the job opportunities a new mine would bring. That’s especially so in light of the hit the

The Valentine camp, in September. CREDIT: MARATHON GOLD

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Newfoundland economy has taken from the decline in oil and gas prices as well as the pandemic generally. “By March, we had 600 resumes in our resume bank – and that’s a year and a half away from breaking ground. That tells you the level of interest in Newfoundland in the project,” Manson says. He adds: “In community consultations, there’s a lot of experienced people, and a lot of people working elsewhere in Canada who want a reason to come home.” Manson has spent most of his career in diamonds, first with Aber Resources, which owned 40% of the Diavik mine in the Northwest Territories, and more recently with Stornoway Diamond, where he shepherded the project through financing and construction. Stornoway has since been taken over by its creditors and delisted, after running out of cash in 2019 amidst a difficult diamond market. Manson decided in May 2018 to step away from diamonds for an opportunity in the gold space, which offered a much bigger playing field, with more opportunities, assets, potential for exploration and M&A. “At that stage, we had Renard wrapped

up, we had it debugged, we were making money selling diamonds at around $110 per carat,” he said. “In hindsight, that was the top of the diamond market because it was straight down from there for the next year and a half, two years.” With a supportive gold price, and success adding resources and advancing Valentine over the past year, it’s been a different experience at Marathon. “We’ve had a rising gold market, we’ve

had a growing resource as well, we’ve brought out a prefeasibility that works really well, we’ve added a lot of key people, and we’re halfway through our environmental assessment process now – so we’ve accomplished a lot in the last 12 months,” he says. “For me, personally, Marathon was a great opportunity to do something special. This is the makings of a successful gold project.” CMJ

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CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

2020-10-05 5:45 PM

JOINT VENTURE

MINECONNECT LAUNCHES RE-BRANDING INITIATIVE B Y D ’A R C Y J E N IS H

ineConnect, formerly known as the Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Services Association (SAMSSA for short), launched a re-branding initiative earlier this year aimed at making its 174 member companies “Suppliers of Choice to the World,” says Executive Director Paul Bradette. “We announced the re-branding at PDAC on March 3 just before the world collapsed,” says Bradette. “Two days later, Sudbury got its first case of Covid-19 and everything went down from there.” Canada and many other countries went into strict lockdowns, essentially shutting down their economies. Bradette and his team had scheduled a number of public events post-PDAC to roll out the new-look MineConnect to the mining industry and explain the re-branding; however this had to be postponed. Although the change of names is the most visible aspect of the re-branding, there’s much more to it than that. “We want to provide more services and a stronger value proposition to our members,” Bradette says. “The re-positioning of the Association will support the growth of our member companies.” Mining supply and services companies currently employ some 23,000 people across northern Ontario, generate $5.5 billion of wealth annually and pay $1.7 billion in salaries and benefits. They provide a remarkable array of hard and soft services and products to the mining industry. The MineConnect website (www. mineconnect.com) serves as a one-stop portal where mining companies, whether they’re juniors, developers or major

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Mining supply and services companies currently employ some 23,000 people across northern Ontario, generate $5.5 billion of wealth annually and pay $1.7 billion in salaries and benefits. They provide a remarkable array of hard and soft services and products to the mining industry. producers, can search out whatever they need in the way of resources or supplies. Member products and services fall into 12 categories, ranging from companies that provide blasting and bulk handling equipment, to automation and consulting services as well as mobile mining equipment and battery electric vehicles. Many innovative products and services currently provided include tele-robotics, digital tracking devices for vehicles working underground and those that provide

operators with real-time information from the mine face. As an example, RDH-Sharf developed the world’s first working electric battery vehicles put into service by Kirkland Lake Gold. “A growing part of MineConnect’s role is lead generation,” says Bradette. “We’re actually trying to help mine contractors and operators find the proper supplier through our website.” Despite the shadow cast by the Covid-19 lockdown, Bradette’s team has been working on several exciting initiatives to promote growth opportunities for member companies regionally, nationally and internationally. “We want to get our supply chain in front of a global audience so they recognize the tremendous amount of innovation that is coming out of the northern Ontario cluster,” says Bradette. To help achieve this, MineConnect plans to open two “storefront offices,” one at NORCAT Sudbury and a second in Elko, Nevada. Why Elko? “There’s a whole lot of mining activity in Nevada and it’s not a world away,” as Bradette explains. “As well, they’re starting to transition to underground

www.canadianminingjournal.com

2020-10-05 5:47 PM

mining as opposed to open pit. We specialize in hard rock, underground mining so our products and services fit very well in that marketplace.” Bradette would like to have a “stake in the ground,” which means having the Elko office open by next March, although the timing very much depends on whether Covid-19 infections are under control in the United States. In the meantime, planning is proceeding. The organization intends to hire a Nevada-based representative with a knowledge of and connectioons to the State’s mining industry. This coordinator will supply market intelligence to MineConnect members, promote member services and products and recruit mine operators to visit northern Ontario. The storefront will also provide office space for as many as 10 member companies who want to use the facilities as an incubator to pursue business development directly with mining companies operating in Nevada. Along with having boots on the ground, MineConnect members will also be provided with other opportunities such as attending the many mining shows and

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MineConnect members visit Coldelco’s Chuquicamata mine in Chile.

conventions held annually in the State. While reaching out internationally, MineConnect intends to maintain and strengthen its ties within the northern Ontario mining scene. As an attestation to this, five of the organization’s nine current directors are business owners based in Thunder Bay, Timmins, North Bay, Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie who are actively involved in the mining industry and engaged in promoting the remarkable array

of services and products available through the Association’s member companies. For more information, go to the Association’s website at www.mineconnect.com. The preceding Joint-Venture Article is PROMOTED CONTENT sponsored by MineConnect, and presented in co-operation with Canadian Mining Journal.

CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

2020-10-05 5:47 PM

QUEBEC

A Grande Alliance puts First Nations in the driver’s seat Cree-led, 30-year infrastructure plan to balance environmental protection and development By Alisha Hiyate

n mid-February, the Grand Council of the Crees and the Quebec government announced the Grande Alliance – a 30-year infrastructure agreement that will see an estimated $4.7 billion invested in railway, road, power and port development in the remote Eeyou Istchee region of Quebec. The agreement was spearheaded by the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee, and attempts to coordinate development in Cree territory – which comprises over one-third of Quebec’s land mass. Under the plan, sensitive areas would be protected from development, with infrastructure built according to both community needs and industry needs. “This memorandum of understanding marks just the first stage in an ambitious process to transform Eeyou Istchee’s infrastructure and economy,” said Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees Abel Bosum at the ceremony, alongside Quebec Premier François Legault. “The project will help to unlock the wealth of the region’s varied natural resources and create jobs and business opportunities for the Cree and James Bay residents, while protecting the environment and wildlife. It paves the way to a bright future for our young people by giving them the necessary confidence to build their lives and start families in Eeyou Istchee.”

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Paul John Murdoch, the Grand Council’s chief negotiator with the government of Quebec, says the timing – in

Legault noted at the signing ceremony. “This memorandum of understanding proves that it is possible to work together

the midst of railway blockades and protests against the development of the Coastal GasLink Pipeline and in support of the Wet’suwet’un First Nation hereditary chiefs in B.C. – was notable. “It wasn’t lost on us that we signed this agreement in the midst of railway blockades and protests,” he told Canadian Mining Journal in late September. “We believe this is the way to ease those tensions – putting (First Nations) in the front seat.” Key to this First Nations-led approach to development is balance, as Premier

on ambitious socioeconomic development projects and take advantage of Northern Quebec’s vast mining potential for the benefit of both our nations, in a spirit of respect for the environment, the territory and Indigenous values,” he said. “This balance is important. It is part of the longterm perspective that the Cree Nation government has envisaged and reflects our desire to jointly build a greener, more prosperous and prouder Quebec.” Under Quebec’s Plan Nord, launched in 2011 by former Premier Jean Charest, $80 billion was supposed to be invested in www.canadianminingjournal.com

2020-10-05 5:48 PM

The three stages of proposed development under the Grande Alliance. CREDIT: GRANDE COUNCIL OF THE CREES

munications, energy distribution, transportation and critical minerals – began meeting in August. But first, reflecting the balanced approach emphasized at the February announcement, the Grand Council is starting with shoring up protected areas in the region. A key concern is protecting sensitive woodland caribou habitat. While protected areas already exist in the territory, they are patchy and unconnected. The council is negotiating with the province to connect some of those areas so they are more functional and offer better protection for the woodland caribou. Melissa Saganash, director of Cree-Quebec relations with the Grand Council, says that the goal is to have those areas settled in December. Once that happens, the infrastucture details for Phase 1 can be solidified. Murdoch notes that previous infrastructure development didn’t make sense –

Cree Nation leaders, including Grand Chief of the Grand Council of the Crees, Abel Bosum (on the left in the middle photo above) and Quebec Premier François Legault (on the right in middle photo) at the Grande Alliance signing ceremony in February. CREDIT: GRANDE COUNCIL OF THE CREES

infrastructure in the province’s northern reaches over 25 years. That plan has languished and received limited investment. Unlike Plan Nord, the Grande Alliance focuses on a smaller portion of the province and is a First Nations-led “grassroots” infrastructure program, Murdoch says. While progress has been somewhat stalled OCTOBER 2020

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by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Grand Council is aiming to award the contract for the feasibility study outlining the first phase of the three-phase Grande Alliance project in early 2021. Committees that will define exactly what will be included in the feasibility – along the themes of protected areas, com-

current roads were built for hydro-electric development, not for communities. But the existing infrastructure doesn’t serve mining and exploration companies well, either. The Eeyou Istchee Cree territory includes several mines (Newmont’s Éléonore gold mine, Nemaska Lithium’s Whabouchi lithium mine and Stornoway Diamond’s Renard diamond mine) and many exploration and development stage projects including gold (Osisko Mining’s Windfall) and critical miner-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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2020-10-05 5:48 PM

QUEBEC als (Blackrock Metals’ Blackrock; Galaxy Resources’ James Bay; Critical Elements Lithium’s Rose; and Lithium Guo Ao’s Moblan) projects. With each development project planning transportation of ore or concentrate separately using existing limited road infrastructure, that infrastructure would quickly become overwhelmed, Murdoch says. If these projects were all developed as currently envisioned, it would result in 180 30-tonne trucks per day using existing roads that are already heavily used by local communities. The existing environmental impact assessment process is not necessarily the best way to gauge the cumulative impact of overall development in a region. With the development of a comprehensive and strategic infrastructure plan, the overall effect of all projects can be considered, while directing where future development will take place. Staged development The details of each stage are still being mapped out, but the Grand Council has put together a broadstrokes plan for all

three stages of the Grande Alliance. The first stage of the project, covering years 1 through 5, would see rail infrastructure rebuilt from near Lebel-surQuévillon to Chapais. New rail twinning the James Bay corridor from Matagami to kilometre 257 of the James Bay Highway, between the communities of Waskaganish to the west and Nemaska to the east, would also be built. This phase would also include road improvements for the local population and electricification that would benefit both communities and mining companies. Phase 2, in years 6 through 15, would see the railway extended to kilometre 544 of the James Bay Highway, and a winter road developed from Radisson to the northernmost community of Whapmagoostui on Hudson’s Bay. And Phase 3, starting in year 16, would see the railway extended to Whapmagoostui and the development of a port in the community, which is located on Hudson Bay. Currently, the province and Cree Nation governments have committed $15 million each towards feasibility studies. The exact composition of funding from provincial,

Cree, industry and possibly federal sources will be fleshed out in those studies. Notably, the MOU with the province includes funding for training programs for members of the 11 communities that are represented by the Grand Council. But well beyond any employment opportunities that may result from it, the project has already energized local communities. “This has started an exciting discussion where people are putting themselves before the mining companies,” says Murdoch, rather than being an afterthought in development plans. While Cree communities’ needs are central to the plan – such as reducing costs in the Eeyou Itschee region, where it costs 30% more to build a house than the rest of Quebec, largely because of transport costs – he says the goal of the project is also to reduce risk for mining companies. “We do not want for mining companies to come to our territory and lose – we want them to succeed,” Murdoch says. “We’re always inviting people to invest in the north, but we have to ask ourselves have we done the minimum to help them succeed?” CMJ

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QUEBEC

GOLD EXPLORATION BOOMS IN

la belle province A combination of prospective geology, a mining-friendly culture, and generous exploration incentives have made Quebec a popular destination for explorers. A climbing gold price has made it especially so for precious metals juniors. With 275,000 metres of drilling planned for 2020, Osisko Mining, profiled in our September issue, is certainly the most active gold explorer in La Belle Province, but it’s far from the only company busy at work. Here’s a look a few at some of the other most active gold exploration projects. OCTOBER 2020

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Barge drilling at Bonterra Resources’ Gladiator project, in Quebec. CREDIT: BONTERRA RESOURCES

Amex Exploration – Perron In September, Amex Exploration added four drill rigs at its Perron property and increased the program to 300,000 metres from 100,000 metres. The junior is working toward a maiden resource at Perron, located 110 km north of Rouyn-Noranda, near the village of Normétal. The $21-million program includes 40,000 metres completed last year, and at least 60,000 this year and should be completed in November 2021. The program is focused on exploration between known gold zones that have been identified along 3 km of strike along the Perron gold corridor, to test continuity of mineralization. CONTINUED ON PAGE 24 CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

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QUEBEC

At the core shack at Amex Exploration’s Perron project.

CREDIT: AMEX EXPLORATION

The 45.6-sq.-km Perron project, in the Abitibi greenstone belt, hosts both high-grade gold zones (Eastern gold zone, Gratien gold zone and Grey Cat) as well as base metals (Central Polymetallic zone). It also includes the near-surface Denise zone, part of the Eastern gold zone, which the company has flagged as a potential starter pit before underground mining at the High Grade zone (HGZ) portion of the Eastern gold zone. Of the 10 drill rigs at work at Perron, six will continue to define the Eastern Gold zone, including the depth extension of the HGZ targeting mineralization at 1.5 km depth. Two will focus on outlining a bulk-tonnage, near-surface zone at the Denise zone. Two drill rigs will be assigned to the Grey Cat and Gratien zones to continue to define near-surface mineralization; and the last two will be dedicated to exploration. Recent results from Denise include 115.6 metres of 1.39 g/t gold from 265 metres and 50 metres of 2.12 g/t gold from 196 metres. Highlights from the HGZ, which has intercepted visible gold at vertical depths of up to 1,025 metres, include 15.6 metres of 32.41 g/t gold, including 0.5 metre of 853 g/t gold.

Bonterra Resources – Urban-Barry camp

An aerial of Bonterra Resources’ Barry gold project.

CREDIT: BONTERRA RESOURCES

In preparation for a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) in early 2021, Bonterra Resources is planning to complete 91,000 metres of drilling this year across its Urban-Barry camp projects, 200 km northeast of Val-d’Or. The eight-rig drill program is focused on both expanding the three high-grade Moroy, 24 | CANADIAN

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Gladiator and Barry deposits and testing new targets. A resource update should be complete late this year, or early 2021. Moroy is located on the Bachelor property, which also hosts the Bachelor mill; Gladiator and Barry are on the Urban-Barry property, 125 km and 110 km, respectively, from the Bachelor mill. Bonterra completed more than 34,500 metres of drilling early in the year before the pandemic struck. It restarted exploration in July, with plans to complete another 56,000 metres of drilling this year, including 20,000 metres (surface and underground) at Moroy; 16,000 metres at Gladiator and 20,000 metres at Barry. Bonterra is also conducting a 10,000-tonne bulk sample (up from 5,000 tonnes originally planned) at its Moroy project, focused on confirming grade continuity in the M1 shear zone, 440 metres below surface, and reconciling the resource grade to the recovered ounces.The zone is being accessed via an existing exploration drift starting from the Bachelor shaft, 900 metres north of Moroy. The sample will be processed at Bonterra’s Bachelor mill under the supervision of a third-party engineering firm, with results expected in the fourth quarter. The company is also planning a mill expansion from 800 t/d to 2,400 t/d, with construction starting in the spring of 2022 following detailed mill and tailings design, PEA and feasibility studies and permitting. Current combined resources for Gladiator, Barry and Moroy are 302,000 measured tonnes at 5.66 g/t gold for 55,000 oz. gold; 3.2 million indicated tonnes averaging 6.33 g/t gold for 643,000 oz.; and 6.2 million inferred tonnes grading 7.04 g/t gold for 1.4 million oz.

Probe Metals – Val-d’Or East Probe Metals has 90,000 metres of drilling planned for 2020 across its Val-d’Or East project, located near Val-d’Or, in preparation for a resource update in early 2021, followed by a preliminary economic assessment. Of the total, 55,000 metres will focus on resource expansion, 20,000 metres on infill drilling and 15,000 metres on exploration. The company has defined deposits occurring along two parallel trends (Courvan and Pascalis) at Val-d’Or East, and has been particularly excited by results from the Monique trend, which lies only 5 km southeast of the main New Beliveau deposit on the property. The company consolidated its ownership of Monique in March, with the acquisition of a 60% stake in the past-producing open pit project from Monarch Gold. It now owns 100% of the 5.5-sq.-km project, which is part of Val-d’Or East. Recent drill highlights from Monique include the discovery of the new, near-surface P gold zone, which returned 22.5 metres of 1.4 g/t gold; and 24.5 metres of 4.1 g/t gold, including 9.5 metres of 9.2 g/t gold, under the former Monique pit. Across Val-d’Or East, combined open pit and underground resources in the measured and indicated category stand at 14.5 million tonnes grading an average of 1.85 g/t gold for 866,300 oz. gold. Inferred resources add 37.9 million tonnes grading 1.96 www.canadianminingjournal.com

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g/t gold for 2.4 million oz. The property hosts several past-producing mines and falls along four regional mine trends, including 14 km of strike length along the Cadillac Break. Probe expanded its land package to 435-sq.-km (from 334 sq. km) in May, after staking new claims based on regional exploration work that identified prospective gold structures.

Radisson Mining Resources – O’Brien Radisson Mining Resources is conducting a fully funded 60,000metre drill program at its past-producing O’Brien project, with plans to extend the program to 75,000 metres into 2021. Three drills are currently turning at the project, located halfway between Rouyn-Noranda and Val-d’Or, with the aim of growing resources. Recent results from O’Brien suggest the company has found a third, high-grade mineralized trend, 900 metres east of historic workings. The other previously intercepted trends are 300 and 600 metres east of the workings. High grade hits from the most recent find included 2.1 metres of 45.86 g/t gold from 500 metres vertical depth, and 2 metres of 21.29 g/t gold from 260 metres depth. Current resources at the project include 950,000 indicated tonnes grading 9.48 g/t gold for 289,000 oz., and 617,000 inferred tonnes at 7.31 g/t gold, for 145,000 gold oz. The resource is mostly within a strike length of 1.5 km and a depth of 550 metres; however there is potential for expansion with an overall prospective strike length of 4.5 km and typical depths in the camp of more than 1.1 km.

The O’Brien project is within the Bousquet-Cadillac mining camp in Quebec’s Larder Lake-Cadillac break. The former O’Brien mine at the site generated 1.2 million tonnes at 15.25 g/t gold between 1926 and 1957. Radisson recently expanded its claims in the camp ninefold to 58.4 sq-km by acquiring the New Alger property from Renforth Resources. The two companies have also entered a strategic partnership. The acquisition of New Alger, adjacent to O’Brien, allows Radisson to expand its exploration efforts to the west of the historic mine.

Fury Gold Mines – Eastmain After a merger between Auryn Resources and Eastmain Resources closes (expected in October), the resulting company, Fury Gold Mines, will start a 50,000-metre exploration program at the Eau Claire project, 80 km north of Nemaska. The drill program, which will be focused on growing resources, is slated to begin in the fall and continue through 2021. The stated goal is to develop Eau Claire into a 150,000-200,000 oz. gold per year producer. Part of the 220-sq.-km Clearwater property in the Eeyou Istchee James Bay region of Quebec, Eau Claire holds measured and indicated resource of 4.3 million tonnes grading 6.18 g/t gold for 853,000 oz. Inferred resources add 2.4 million tonnes grading 6.53 g/t gold for 500,000 oz. A May 2018 preliminary economic assessment outlined a 12-year mine life for Eau Claire with average annual production CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

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2020-10-05 5:49 PM

QUEBEC of 79,200 oz. gold from an open pit/underground project. With a preproduction capex of $175 million, the project’s after-tax net present value was calculated at $260 million (at a 5% discount rate), with a 27% internal rate of return. Average all-in sustaining costs were estimated at $746 per oz.

O3 Mining – Marban O3 Mining is planning a 40,000-metre drill program at its Marban gold project, where a preliminary economic assessment completed in September outlined a potential 15-year, 115,000-oz.-per year mine. The drilling will test extensions of current resources, upgrade resources from inferred to indicated, and test greenfield targets. A prefeasibility at the project, located on its Malartic property, midway between Val-d’Or and Malartic, is now under way. The PEA outlined an 11,000 t/d open pit operation with mining at five deposits at Marban. With an initial capex of $256 million, the early stage study projected an after-tax net present value of $423 million (at a 5% discount rate) and a 25.2% internal rate of return. The PEA used a gold price of US$1,450 per oz. and forecast all-in sustaining costs at US$822 per oz. Mining would only take place for 13 years, with production

O3 Mining CEO Jose Vizquerra and VP Exploration Louis Gariepy at the Marban gold Project. CREDIT: O3 MINING

over the last two years based on processing of low-grade stockpiled material. The PEA was based on a measured and indicated resource of 54.2 million tonnes grading 1.1 g/t gold for 1.9 million oz., and inferred resources of 13.2 million tonnes grading 1.44 g/t gold for 610,830 oz. gold. A small portion of the total resource is underground.

QMX Gold – Bonnefond

Drilling at the River target in the Bourlamaque zone of QMX Gold’s Val-d’Or land package. CREDIT: QMX GOLD

QMX Gold is planning a 36,000-metre drill program this year at its Bonnefond deposit, near Val-d’Or, and plans to release an updated resource for the project this fall. A maiden pit-constrained resource released last year pegged measured and indicated resources at 4.8 million tonnes grading 1.69 g/t gold for 258,700 gold oz. and inferred resources at 2.4 million tonnes at 1.87 g/t gold for 145,100 oz. Bonnefond is located in the Val-d’Or East zone of QMX’s 200-sq.-km land package, which is divided into four zones (East, Central, Southwestern and Bourlamaque). After the resource drilling was completed in the summer, the company shifted its exploration focus with 10,000 metres planned for the Bonnefond shears, north of the current pit shell in the East zone; and in the Bourlamaque zone, 5,000 metres planned for the high-grade River target and 3,000 planned for 26 | CANADIAN

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www.canadianminingjournal.com

2020-10-05 5:49 PM

the Poulmaque target. The North shear zones have returned intercepts of 6.2 metres of 3.14 g/t gold and 114.6 metres of 3.69 g/t gold, while the River target has returned 2 metres of 39.83 g/t gold and 3.5 metres of 38.69 g/t gold.

Troilus Gold – Troilus After releasing a positive PEA for its Troilus project, 170 km north of Chibougamau, in September, Troilus Gold is following up with a 20,000-metre drill program focused on upgrading and expanding resources. The 1,070-sq.-km project, located in the Frotêt-Evans Greenstone belt, hosts the past-producing Troilus mine. The PEA outlined a 22-year, 35,000 t/d open pit and underground mine, producing 246,000 oz. gold annually in its first 14 years. With an initial capital outlay of US$333 million, the study pegged the after-tax net present value of the project at US$576 million (at a 5% discount rate), with a 22.9% internal rate of return. The study, which used a gold price of US$1,475 per oz. gold, estimated all-in sustaining costs at US$1,051 per oz. of gold. Earlier this year, Troilus discovered the Southwest Zone, with some of the best drill results ever from the property, includ-

At Troilus Gold’s past-producing Troilus mine, 170 km north of Chibougamau. CREDIT: TROILUS GOLD

ing 73 metres of 1.56 g/t gold equivalent. The zone, located 3.5 km southwest of the main 787 zone, contributed 583,000 gold-equivalent ounces to a July resource update, and the company believes the SWZ has potential for more near-surface, higher-grade material that could have a positive impact on future mining scenarios. The project holds an indicated resource of 177.3 million indicated tonnes grading 0.87 g/t gold equivalent (or 0.75 g/t gold, 0.08% copper and 1.17 g/t silver) for 5 million gold-equivalent oz. Inferred resources add 116.7 million tonnes grading 0.84 g/t gold equivalent (or 0.73 g/t gold, 0.07% copper and 1.04 g/t silver) for 3.2 million gold-equivalent oz. CMJ

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NEW TECHNOLOGY

HOW 3-D COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES ARE REVOLUTIONIZING MINING ENGINEERING DESIGN By Mathieu Brochu

echnologies used to convey mining engineering projects have evolved significantly over the past decade. The recent addition of real-time 3-D models and technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) provide users with an immersive experience that was previously unattainable. The shift to these new means of communication is both desirable and unavoidable. More than just visualization devices, these tools can be used for planning, design, risk analysis, communication and social acceptability. Moreover, the realism of the modelled spaces and their immersive effect make them ideal tools for prevention, occupational health and safety training and virtual site visits. Integrating these emerging technologies into project design methods adds value and provides long-term benefits to our mandates. However, certain adjustments to current engineering practices must be made to use these technologies efficiently. The key to success lies primarily in the form of the content and not in the deliv28 | CANADIAN

MINING JOURNAL

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ery devices such as VR headsets. 3-D design models, fed by various engineering and design teams, are often the source of the problem. They are usually far too complex to be published using immersion headsets or standard computer equipment. So, geometries must be simplified, without compromising model details and quality. This simplification is meant to speed up real-time visualization, reduce data size and make it easier to interact with 3-D data. BBA has had the opportunity to develop and employ various 3-D communication tools for mining projects. For example, all project components for Phase II of the Bloom Lake mining complex, owned by Quebec Iron Ore (a subsidiary of Champion Iron), were integrated into a real-time 3-D model. Once lightened using semi-automated processes, the model was used to support preliminary studies, detailed engineering, facility construction and commissioning. As a result, the model evolved throughout the project and design process.

Real-time 3-D model presenting Phase II of the Bloom Lake mining complex,13 km north of Fermont, Que. CREDIT: BBA

The model was also integrated into a video game interface that allows users to move freely around the plant in virtual mode. As such, employees can become familiar with their future workplaces in a fun way. This interface will serve as a springboard to other interactive products for operational activities, occupational health and safety and operator training. Today, 3-D communication technologies are considered to be the optimal solution for analyzing configurations for existing or future installations and communicating projects without restrictions. Thanks to a better understanding of the environment, these approaches can have positive effects on the entire community by allowing professionals to improve their design methods, communicate more effectively and make it easier to share information among project stakeholders. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mathieu Brochu is a geomatics and simulation specialist with BBA.

www.canadianminingjournal.com

2020-10-05 5:50 PM

CLEAN MINING Environment &

P30 THE CENTRAL ROLE OF ORE SORTING IN MINING’S GREEN FUTURE

At Coeur Mining’s Kensington mine in Alaska. CREDIT: TOMRA SORTING MINING

OCTOBER 2020

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CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

2020-10-05 5:53 PM

CLEAN MINING

APPROACHING

CIRCULARITY

IN MINING

The role of sensor-based sorting in future green mining

By Mathilde Robben

very year we create more than 2 billion tons of waste worldwide. In 2019, the United Statesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; total primary energy consumption approached 100.2 quadrillion Btu. Both are expected to continue to increase at a sobering rate. These figures reflect the key trends we are facing and need to address urgently, such as climate change, urbanization, population growth, the fourth industrial revolution, rising per capita consumption, and decreasing resource availability. The mining industry is among the first links of the supply chain, while also being a large consumer of water, chemicals and energy (up to 11% of global use). For this reason, it has a key role to play in the pursuit of better resource management, a low-carbon future and increasing circularity of the economy. A circular economy is one that is restorative and regenerative by design. It looks beyond the take-make-waste extractive industrial model, and aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive societywide benefits. It is based on three principles: design out waste and pollution; keep products and materials in use; and generate natural systems. The time when mining could be labeled as a dirty industry is over. Mining companies focusing on green mining practices, which include the use of renewable energy and implementing a minimum waste philosophy, are responding to the energy transition and the shift from a linear to a circular economy. They are under pressure to operate more sustainably by increasing legislation and regulations aimed at reducing the industryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s environmental impact, as well as growing resource scarcity. In addition, they need to adapt, as their customers move towards a circular economy approach. The demand for sustainably mined products and their price is expected to rise, as companies in all industries aim to reduce their emissions footprint. A growing number of operations are turning away from fossil fuels and moving to renewable energy sources. This is driving the requirement from

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mining and mineral processing equipment suppliers to develop innovative and sustainable equipment. Sensor-based sorting The mining industry must be part of the solution to the challenges of the future, because primary resources will continue to be needed. While the circular economy approach fosters sustainable processes along the entire life cycle of products, so that the resources remain in use for as long as possible, complete circularity cannot be achieved. The Sustainable Development Goals that all 192 member states of the United Nations have set out to achieve by 2030 are driving the development of green technologies, which use a variety of minerals. For example, solar panels, wind turbines and batteries cannot be manufactured without primary resources or critical minerals. The role of the mining industry is to ensure that whenever these raw materials are needed, their footprint is as small as possible. It is necessary to find ways to maximize the efficiency of mining and processing operations and to minimize the use of energy, water and chemicals, while reducing waste as much as possible. This is precisely what the innovative and disruptive field of sensor-based sorting technology is aiming to achieve, so that the unavoidable extraction of resources has as little environmental impact as possible. It is well known that mining generates considerable volumes of waste rock, tailings, mine water and chemicals. Effective waste management based on a circular economy approach, combined with practices that turn waste into value, can be a solution to address the limited metal supply, for example. This can be achieved with sensor-based ore sorting. It can be used as a separation process for coarser grain sizes before the application of fine comminution and separation technologies. It can be applied www.canadianminingjournal.com

2020-10-05 5:53 PM

Lipariâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Brauna diamond mine in Brazil, which uses TOMRA sorting technology. CREDIT: TOMRA SORTING MINING

Grinding is the most energy-intensive part of the production process, and sensor-based sorting has been proven to reduce energy consumption by about half, with a consequent cut in CO2 emissions.

at various points in the process flow and can be used to eliminate or differentiate waste, separate materials into different process lines, produce pre- and final concentrates, reprocessing coarsegrained waste dumps and other applications. Sensor-based sorting is an umbrella for all applications where particles are singularly detected by a sensor technique and then ejected by a mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic process. Sensorbased ore sorting systems detect single particles using a sensor technique. Contactless and real-time measurements provide the location of the particle, which the system will then use for the ejection process, and material properties. Sensor-based sorting technology can also significantly increase efficiency in terms of the input resources, such as energy, water and process reagents per ton of product, consequently reducing the environmental footprint of the operation. Also, in an environment where competition for resources with other stakeholders such as communities and agriculture is increasingly fierce, this can become a driver to obtain the social licence to operate. Grinding is the most energy-intensive part of the production process, and sensor-based sorting has been proven to reduce energy consumption by about half, with a consequent cut in CO2 emissions. Mining companies are rethinking their operating and business models to address the challenges of climate change and to meet the demands of their customers as they shift to circular economy models. Contributing to an economy that is efficient in how it extracts, produces, consumes, recovers and recycles resources will be an increasing priority in the 21st century. However, it is vital that the mining industry achieves this move towards sustainable practices without losing sight of profitability. Sensor-based sorting technologies support the participation in the circular economy through green mining practices, while providing a highly cost-effective solution. At TOMRA Sorting Mining, the world leading OCTOBER 2020

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supplier in sensor-based sorting, we are proving the worth of this technology in the field. TOMRAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s solutions, which range from industrial mineral processes to sorting gemstones, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, other fuels and slag metal, are in operation across the world, each contributing to extending the lifetime of mining operations, increasing the value derived from deposits, increasing productivity and decreasing the footprint of operations. The mining industry has a key role to play in achieving more circularity in the economy. As both a supplier of vital resources and a consumer of resources, it is under pressure to embrace sustainability. The innovative and disruptive sensor-based sorting technology is tackling this challenge by turning waste into value and by saving chemicals, water and energy. With it, the resource revolution is more than a vision: it can soon be a reality for the mining industry. CMJ

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mathilde Robben is a key account manager with TOMRA Sorting Mining.

CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

2020-10-05 5:53 PM

COSTING

Powering remote mine sites CostMine analysis shows power is only one factor in overall costs By Sam Blakely and Dave Boleneus

TERRITORY

ELECTRIC POWER RATE ($/KWHR)

Yukon

$0.119

Northwest Territories

$0.286

Nunavut

$0.808

32 | CANADIAN

MINING JOURNAL

ITEM

YUKON

Equipment Total Operating Costs

NORTHWEST TERRITORIES

$3.94

$9.49

$12.06

$14.01

$20.12

The mills and camps were modelled utilizing Sherpa for Mineral Processing Plants, a windows-based application designed for estimating the costs associated with constructing and operating a mineral processing plant and associated camp. This software allows for easy editing of the electric power rate, and many other parameters, so identical models can be investigated with the only difference being the cost of electric power. Selected operating costs estimated with the models are presented in Table 2. Figure 1: Mill Operating Costs and Electric Power Rates by Territory $25.00

$0.900 $0.800 $0.700 $0.600 $0.500 $0.400 $0.300 $0.200 $0.100 $0.000

$20.00 $15.00 $10.00 $5.00 $0.00 Yukon

Northwest Territories

n Equipment Operating Cost n Total Operating Costs n Electric Power Rate

NUNAVUT

$2.17

Nunavut

$/kwhr

Table1: Electric Power Rates

Table 2: Mill & Camp Operating Costs per Tonne

$/tonne

ostmine has researched remote power rates costs across Canada and analyzed their effects on a cost-modelled lead and zinc milling operation and camp. The decision to exclude a mine model from the analysis was made as the mill and associated camp are typically the largest power consumers. Electric power rates were collected across Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more remote territories, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon, and averaged for each territory. Efforts were made to ensure the mill model was typical of two-product-flotation lead and zinc projects. The selected flowsheet utilizes two flotation circuits (lead and zinc), a 1,250-tonne-per-hour SAG mill and two ball mills of differing sizes. The daily production rate was set at 30,000 tonnes per day with crushing five days per week and grinding occurring around the clock in the mill models. The relevant electric power rates are detailed in Table 1 and represent approximate averages.

The data from both tables is presented in Figure 1. The range of electric power rates experienced across Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s remote territories clearly has a measurable impact on the operating costs of power-heavy mining activities, such as milling and a camp. As expected, this impact is felt most in equipment operating costs which comprises nearly 50% of total operating costs for the Nunavut model. Figure 1 is also a good reminder that energy costs are one of many at a milling operating and camp, serving to dampen the impact of escalation in any one cost object. As Figure 1 demonstrates, a nearly 600% increase in the cost of electric power and overall mill and camp operating costs only increased by about 65% in response. A reminder that the focus should be on overall costs. CMJ n

Sam Blakely is a geologist and cost analyst with Costmine, where Dave Boleneus is a senior geologist. Costmine is a division of Glacier Resource Innovation Group (www.costmine.com or info@costmine.com). www.canadianminingjournal.com

P34

HOW IN-LINE VALVES OFFER SIMPLER AND SAFER MAINTENANCE

Knife gate valves are used in the mill (bottom left), tailings (right), and other piping systems across mining operations. CREDIT: VICTAULIC

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CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

2020-10-05 5:56 PM

AVOIDING THE PAIN POINTS OF

KNIFE GATE VALVES

An in-line approach to knife gate valve maintenance and repair

By Michael Prince

ystem shutdowns due to equipment wear and failure are expensive for mine operators, constituting millions of dollars in lost production per year. In fact, maintenance commonly makes up more than 30-50% of a mine’s total operating costs. For mining operations dependent on knife gate valves (KGVs), valve changeouts have been particularly costly because inspection and repair require line isolation and a valve’s complete removal from the piping system. Operational budgets are further strained by the cost of spare parts and storage: in order to reduce downtime during changeovers, mines typically keep a full inventory of replacement valves in stock. So, while KGVs are very common, they also create several pain points for mining operations. In this article, we proﬁle common KGV maintenance procedures and highlight the process and beneﬁts behind a new “in-line” technology changing the way mines are approaching, and budgeting for, maintenance. Traditional processes Mines have used flanged wafer or lugstyle KGVs for decades to control the flow of extremely abrasive slurry as it is piped through various pieces of equipment to

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a processing plant. KGVs suffer signiﬁcant wear during operation, so maintenance is performed at regular intervals to reduce the risk of sudden valve failure and unplanned system downtime. This maintenance cycle is dependent on the coarseness of particles running through the system, the percentage of solids contained in the fluid and the velocity of its flow. When the time comes to repair or replace a KGV, the entire valve must be removed from the piping system in order to be inspected. This process often requires several hours per valve. For larger-scale maintenance projects, replacements inevitably lead to days of system downtime and lost productivity. But before the inspection process can even begin, the piping system must be shut down and isolated with proper tagout/lockout procedures, as per mandated provincial health and safety regulations. Any electrical or air connections to the valve’s actuator must be disconnected and, depending on the size and weight of the valves, rigging equipment may be necessary to separate them from the system. Cutting pipe or removing couplings may also be required due to flange bolt corrosion caused by slurry leaks or expulsion from the valve’s bottom. After an old valve is removed, a new

valve needs to be installed in its place. To avoid delays during repairs, many mines invest in an onsite inventory of replacement valves, which often means storing one changeout for each valve in their piping system. Considering the hundreds of valves in a single mine’s system, however, the investment in replacement valves and storage can almost equal the inventory costs for heavy equipment used to unearth materials. Especially for producers of gold and other high-value minerals, the opportunity costs of traditional valve maintenance can be very large. In-line valves offer simpler and safer maintenance For years, mine operators clamored for a lighter, cheaper alternative to traditional KGVs. In theory, a lightweight and affordable valve would make maintenance easier and less dangerous for workers, without busting operational budgets. However, such marginal improvements on fundamentally outdated valve technology failed to address the most expensive consequences of valve maintenance: constant work stoppages and redirection of resources away from profitable tasks and toward repairs. Then, in 2017, a new KGV technology was developed specifically for the mining industry to provide what mine operators truly desired – improved productivity. Featuring a new “in-line” design that allows the valve to remain installed throughout maintenance cycles, users have experienced reductions in maintenance downtime of up to 95%, while generating up to 60% savings in annual valve maintenance costs. The valve’s wear parts – including a stainless-steel knife, polyurethane seat, packing gland, knife seal, and other hardware – are enclosed into a single-seat cartridge kit, which greatly simplifies repairs. Maintenance crews simply need to isolate the line, remove the wear part cartridge, and replace it with a new cartridge – all while the valve remains installed in-line. This approach to KGV maintenance delivers benefits on several levels. Not needing to remove the entire valve from www.canadianminingjournal.com

2020-10-05 5:56 PM

the piping system eliminates a substantial amount of downtime. Rather than the several hours typically required for maintenance on a single traditional valve, the new KGV’s wear-part cartridge is removed and replaced with a few easy steps in as little as 12 minutes. Furthermore, in-line KGVs also decrease maintenance risk to workers. Only one lightweight component – the cartridge – must be replaced, significantly reducing the need for rigging with heavy chains and pulleys (which swing over the heads of maintenance crews). This unique maintenance process eliminates the need to keep a second valve on standby. In fact, investment in spare inventory can be substantially reduced and often virtually eliminated. Beyond this improved maintenance process, it was recognized that further productivity gains could be secured by extending the valve’s total wear life and, ultimately, the time between maintenance cycles. To this end, the wear cartridge was designed with a polyurethane seat (up to 10 times more resistant than rubber) and

knife nearly four times thicker than traditional valves, which result in vastly superior abrasion resistance and operating life compared to traditional designs.

By the Numbers

FLANGED KGV

IN-LINE KGV

Downtime hrs to Replace (full valve for flanged KGV, maintenance kit for In-line KGV)

0.2

Manpower

4.2

Hourly rate

Total labour hours

16.8

0.4

Labour cost to replace

$1,344

$32

Rebuild cost/valve (material + labour) $2,500

$1,500

Conclusion Total $3,844 $1,532 Valves per year 80 80 Across all use cases, valve Total Maintenance cost per year $307,520 $122,560 maintenance that once Maintenance cost savings per year $184,960 required hours of downDowntime Flanged KGV In-line KGV time can be reduced to Downtime hrs per valve 4 0.2 just minutes through Valves per year 80 80 use of in-line valve techTotal downtime hours 320 16 nology. For mines with Downtime cost per hour $75,000 $75,000 piping systems containTotal Downtime cost per year $24,000,000 $1,200,000 ing hundreds of valves, the yearly safety and cost benefits of in-line KGV technology are and pressures, KGVs are increasingly likely to be substantial. important components of operating Opportunities to use in-line KGVs exist systems. Mining operators who adopt anywhere that piping systems are designed in-line KGVs are able to minimize the for abrasive services, including slurry, flota- rising occurrence and cost of valve wear tion cells, cyclones and tailings. and maintenance. CMJ As slurry systems evolve to handle – Michael Prince is manager, sustaining engineering, higher levels of solids content, flow rates with Victaulic.

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OCTOBER 2020

CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

OCTOBER 2020 | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 8

ON THE MOVE

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

MANAGEMENT MOVES

TOP MOVES IN THIS ISSUE

» Paul Jones has joined Alexco Resource as senior VP of corporate development. » Nick Campbell is now VP of capital markets with Artemis Gold; Klaus Popelka is manager of resource geology; and Ryan Todd is VP of environment and social responsibility.

Scott R.G. Parsons

Bertrand Brassard

Lana Shipley

Alamos Gold has appointed Scott R.G. Parsons as VP exploration. He succeeds Chris Rockingham, who has retired; Parsons joined Alamos in 2018. Previously, he was manager of regional exploration and geoscience at TMAC Resources, and was responsible for resource expansion and regional exploration at the Hope Bay project. Prior to that, Parsons served as VP of corporate development at Northern Superior Resources, and was an exploration geologist and project geologist at BHP Billiton.

Troilus Gold has promoted Bertrand Brassard to chief geologist. Brassard joined Troilus as senior project geologist in 2018; prior to joining Troilus, his 35-year career was focused on Quebec, in areas such as Sept-Îles, Schefferville, Kuujjuak, Raglan, James Bay and the Abitibi. Brassard formerly served as CEO, president and director of ILedor Exploration, president of Diamond Discoveries International, VP of Nevado Resources and chief geologist for Labrador Iron Mines.

Lana Shipley is now a director of GT Gold. Shipley has over 14 years of experience in the areas of corporate and commercial law. She is a partner at Lawson Lundell LLP in Vancouver. Shipley’s Indigenous and environmental law practice involves assisting with the negotiation of impact benefit and other agreements with Indigenous groups in relation to proposed developments, as well as permitting and regulatory matters that arise in the development of projects.

See canadianminingjournal.com for full listings 36 | CANADIAN

» Benz Mining has named Danielle Giovenazzo VP of exploration; Xavier Braud as CEO and head of corporate development for Australia; and Paul Fowler as head of corporate development for Canada. Evan Cranston has been appointed chairman, replacing Nick Tintor, who will remain a director. Peter Williams has also been named a director. » Rob Bruggeman has been appointed president, CEO and a director of Canstar Resources. » Alex Klenman has been appointed CEO of Cross River Ventures, replacing John Fraser, who remains president and CFO. » Paul Goranson is now CEO of EnCore Energy, replacing Dennis Stover, who will continue as chief technical officer and a director. » Andrea Zaradic has joined Euro Manganese as VP of operations, and Thomas Gluck has been appointed chief technology officer. Tom Stepien has joined the board. » Varshan Gokool has resigned as president, CEO and a director of Euromax Resources. Tim Morgan-Wynne has been named executive chairman. Nicolas Treand is now president. » Rajesh Sharma is now the interim CEO of Fancamp Exploration. » James Scott has joined Fireweed Zinc as senior VP of projects. » Mal Karwowska has resigned as VP corporate development with First Mining Gold.

» Fission Uranium has appointed Ross McElroy as CEO, replacing Devinder Randhawa, who retired as CEO and a director and has moved to its advisory board. Darian Yip has been named independent chairman. » Fokus Mining has appointed Jean Rainville as president and CEO and to its board, replacing Thibaut Segeral, who will continue as chairman. Pierre Vézina has also resigned as a director. » Genius Metals has appointed Michel Boily as VP exploration. David Shaw has joined the board. » Jeff Poloni has joined Global Vanadium as CEO and a director. » Gary Thompson is now CEO of Gold79 Mines, in addition to executive chairman. Robert Johansing has been appointed VP exploration, and has stepped down as CEO; he remains a director. » GoldMining has appointed John Griffith as chief development officer of its subsidiary, Gold Royalty; he has also joined the advisory board, of which Ian Telfer is now chair. Alastair Still is now executive VP, chief development officer, and director of technical services. » Grizzly Discoveries has announced that Chris Beltgens will lead its corporate development efforts. » Frazer Bourchier is now president, CEO and a director of Harte Gold, replacing Sam Coetzer, who will continue as a director. Martin Raffield has also stepped down as executive VP and COO. Dan Gagnon has been promoted to VP of operations. » Eduardo Baer is now CEO of Honey Badger Exploration, replacing Chad Williams, who will remain chairman. Baer has also joined the board. Pat Dubreuil has been named VP of community

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BOARD ANNOUNCEMENTS » David Christensen has been elected as a director of 1911 Gold.

Judith Mosely has joined the board.

» Tobin Wood has joined the board of American Creek Resources.

» Stanislav Delchev is now a nonexecutive director of Euromax.

» Russ Tynan, Scott Smith and Steve Cochrane have joined the board of Angkor Resources.

» Carmel Daniele has joined the board of Filo Mining, replacing Paul McRae.

» John McBride and Donn Burchill are now on the board of Angus Mining.

» Marcus Chalk has joined the board of Fireweed Zinc.

» Michael Leskovec is now on the board of Aurelius Minerals.

» Fosterville South Exploration has appointed Liza Gazis to its board.

» Yari Nieken has joined the board of Bam Bam Resources.

» Stephen Letwin has joined the board of Frontier Lithium.

» Sergei Diakov has joined the board of BCM Resources. » Christina Ouellette has resigned as a director of Bonterra Resources; Jean Rainville has joined the board. » Agustin Pichot has been named a director of Candente Copper.

» Konstantin Lichtenwald is now a director of Fuse Cobalt. » Michael Hobart has joined the board of Galleon Gold. William ‘Steve’ Stearns Vaughan, a director of the company, has passed away. » Jeremy Hanson has joined the board of Garibaldi Resources.

Johansing has stepped down as a director but remains VP of exploration. » Donald McDowell has joined Golden Independence Mining as a director and as project manager. » Jonathan Rubenstein and Laura Diaz have joined the board of GR Silver Mining. » Doug Cater has joined the board of Harte Gold, replacing Richard Sutcliffe. Jim Gallagher has also stepped down. » Mark Luchinski has joined the board of International Montoro Resources, replacing Roger Agyagos. » Kelvin Lee has joined the board of Karam Minerals and is now CFO. » Deepak Malhotra has joined the board of Magellan Gold. » Christopher Huggins has joined the board of Mariner Resources.

» Walter Coles has joined the board of Gold Bull Resources.

» Meridius Resources has appointed Verlee Webb to its board, and will change its name to BMEX Gold.

» Trumbull Fisher is now on the board of Cyon Exploration.

» Jean-Charles Potvin has retired from the board of Gold Reserve; Yves Gagnon has joined the board.

» Jonathan Rubenstein is now a director of New Oroperu Resources.

» Michael Price has stepped down from Eldorado Gold’s board;

» Derek Macpherson has joined the board of Gold79 Mines; Robert

» Nomad Royalty has appointed Susan Kudzman to its board.

and First Nations engagement; Donna Yoshimatsu is now VP of IR; and Edmond Thorose is VP of corporate development.

» Sean Hurd is now president and CEO of Norseman Capital and Campbell Smyth is chairman. John William Barr stepped down as CEO and chair but remains a director.

» Tara Hassan is now the VP of corporate development with SilverCrest Metals.

» Louise Grondin has joined the board of Champion Iron. » Judd Merrill has joined the board of Comstock Mining.

» Diane Garrett has been appointed president, CEO and a director of Hycroft Mining. She has resigned as president, CEO and a director of Nickel Creek Platinum, but remains a consultant. » Michael Tucker has been appointed as VP of exploration with KORE Mining. » Perry Blanchard is now the VP of environment and sustainability with Maritime Resources. » Chair and interim CEO of Mason Graphite, Paul Carmel, has resigned. Gilles Gingras is now chair.

» Sylvain Guerard has been appointed senior VP of exploration for Orla Mining. » Michelle Sciortino is now VP of exploration with Orford Mining, and Alger St-Jean is chief geoscientist. » Mathieu Savard has been promoted to president of Osisko Mining. John Burzynski has been appointed chairman, succeeding Sean Roosen, who remains a director. Burzynski remains CEO.

» Mazarin and its subsidiary, Asbestos Corp., announced that Guy Berard has been named president.

» Pacific Bay Minerals has named Sebastien Ah Fat as VP of exploration. Antonio Vespa has been named VP of operations, and Helder Carvalho is now VP of corporate development. William Smith has joined the board.

» Meridius Resources has named Amrik Virk as CEO; Peter Espig will transition from CEO to a director.

» Steven Williams has resigned as president, CEO and a director of Pasinex Resources. Larry Seeley will become executive chair.

OCTOBER 2020

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» South32 and Trilogy Metals have appointed Ramzi Fawaz as president and CEO of Ambler Metals. » Teck Resources has named Alejandro Vasquez VP, South America, following Chris Dechert’s retirement. Justine Fisher is now VP and treasurer, following Scott Wilson’s retirement. Amber JohnstonBillings will become VP of communities, government affairs and HSEC systems, following Mark Edwards’ retirement. Jeff Hanman is now VP, office of the CEO; and Doug Brown is VP, corporate affairs. » Richard Gosse is now VP exploration of Trilogy Metals. » Brian Thurston and Jamie Lewin have resigned as CEO and CFO, respectively, and from the board of Upper Canyon Minerals. Christopher Cooper and Desmond Balakrishnan have been appointed as CEO and CFO, respectively, and to the board.

» Arne Frandsen will join Nouveau Monde Graphite as chairman; Daniel Buron is now lead independent director and audit committee chair. » James Anderson is retiring as a director with NuLegacy Gold. » Marvin Singer and Margot Naudie are now on the board of Osino Resources. » Christina McCarthy and Sean Spraggett have joined the board of Palamina. » Serge Racine has joined the board of Pershimex Resources; Pierre-Hubert Seguin has stepped down. » Greg Ferron has joined Platinex as an independent director, in place of Gary Galitsky. » Peter Jones is now chairman of Reyna Silver, succeeding Sandy Chim, who now chairs the advisory board. Evaristo Trevino has joined the board. » Anthony Dutton has been named a director of Sanatana Resources. » Harry Martyniuk has joined the board of Stria Lithium. » Roger March has been named a director of Supernova Metals. » Kyle Appleby has joined Tarku Resources as an independent director. » Jean Martineau has stepped down from the board of TomaGold. » Martin Bajic has been appointed as CFO, corporate secretary and a director of Top Exploration. » Nick Popovic and Aline Cote have joined the board of Trevali Mining, replacing Chris Eskdale and Dan Myerson as Glencore nominees. » Alan Chirgwin has resigned as a director of Turquoise Hill Resources; Alfie Grigg has joined the board. » Typhoon Exploration has named Serge Roy as chair of its interim board, and Ghislain Morin, Yves Dufour and Andre Gauthier as directors. » Aman Parmar has joined the board of United Battery Metals. » Ross Orr and Fraser Laschinger have joined the board of Voyageur Mineral Explorers. » Nick Rowley has joined the board of Western Pacific Resources. » Randy Smallwood is now chair of the World Gold Council.

CANADIAN MINING JOURNAL |

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38 | CANADIAN

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Canadian Mining Journal October 2020

Articles inside

Avoiding the pain points of knife gate valves

Approaching circularity in mining

A Grande Alliance puts First Nations in the driver’s seat

Marathon finds Valentine's sweet spot

Canada can't let its COVID-19 advantage slip away

How 3-D communication technologies are transforming mining engineering design