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People in mining Addressing the HR challenge
Des gens et des mines Les RH, un défi à relever February/février May • mai 2008 2006
www.cim.org
Featured mines Mines en vedette Picadilly, PotashCorp • Tres Marias, War Eagle
Publications Mail No. 40062547
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Editor-in-chief Heather Ednie hednie@cim.org Section Editors Columns, CIM News, Histories, Technical Section: Andrea Nichiporuk anichiporuk@cim.org News and Features: Angie Gordon agordon@cim.org Technical Editor Joan Tomiuk Publisher CIM
Progressive approaches to HR his issue of CIM Magazine focuses on human resources, one of the hot topics of the decade. We can’t emphasize enough the challenges facing our workforce. It’s an exciting time as, across the industry, companies are demonstrating their progressive efforts to recruit and retain the talent they require. CIM is part of this overall drive to bring more skilled people into mining. Through our Mining in Society show and CIM Career Fair we reach out to the general public, and youth in particular, to demonstrate the innovative nature of our business and the wide variety of careers available. At our conferences and through our publications, we provide a venue to exchange best practices, knowledge and experiences in human resources management, training and so on. As a member-based association, we’re actively endeavoring to augment our membership, to increase the breadth of our reach within the industry and enable a wider network for professional exchange. CIM is working with universities, our branches, industry people and other associations to attract interest to our industry, and thus to CIM. Past surveys have indicated that the common view, from students to engineers and management, is that CIM is a place that brings people together. Through networking and knowledge sharing, and providing a link between students and industry, CIM can excel at all levels. And it’s through these efforts that we can help foster tomorrow’s workforce. This issue offers information and insight on a number of human resources challenges including new services, trends and practices that build towards finding solutions to the crisis. There’s much to be learned from the resourceful ways that companies are recruiting and retaining their employees, which can be of interest for all employers, not just mining companies. Here in the CIM office we’ve also been reviewing our own HR practices. During the past year we engaged an outside consultant to review our compensation packages and compare them with other organizations. And while we’re currently accommodating two parental leaves while facing increasing workloads, we’ve taken the opportunity to see how we can perhaps do things a little differently to enhance our workplace experiences. When it comes to HR, everyone is paying a lot of attention today.
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Enjoy this issue.
Contributors Jon Baird, R.J. Cathro, Martin Denyes, Marlene Eisner, Vern Evans, Glenn Finlay, Marie Fortin, Charles Graham, Fathi Habashi, Stephen Hammond, Carolyn Hersey, Rick Hutson, Barbara Jaworski, Pierre Laroche, Michael Lipsett, Bill Mercer, MiHR team, Jacek Paraszczak, Robertina Pillo, Larry B. Smith, Paul Stothart, Melanie Sturk, Haidee Weldon, Dan Zlotnikov Published 8 times a year by CIM 855 - 3400 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West Montreal, QC, H3Z 3B8 Tel.: 514.939.2710; Fax: 514.939.2714 www.cim.org; Email: magazine@cim.org Subscriptions Included in CIM membership ($140.00); Non-members (Canada), $168.00/yr (GST included; Quebec residents add $12.60 PST; NB, NF and NS residents add $20.80 HST); U.S. and other countries, US$180.00/yr; Single copies, $25.00. Advertising Sales Dovetail Communications Inc. 30 East Beaver Creek Rd., Ste. 202 Richmond Hill, Ontario L4B 1J2 Tel.: 905.886.6640; Fax: 905.886.6615 www.dvtail.com National Account Executives 905.886.6641 Joe Crofts jcrofts@dvtail.com ext. 310 Janet Jeffery jjeffery@dvtail.com ext. 329
This month’s cover Mine technician, Dave “Tiny” Court. Photo by Daniel Weiner, courtesy of Teck Cominco. Layout and design by Clò Communications. Copyright©2008. All rights reserved. ISSN 1718-4177. Publications Mail No. 09786. Postage paid at CPA Saint-Laurent, QC. Dépôt légal: Bibliothèque nationale du Québec. The Institute, as a body, is not responsible for statements made or opinions advanced either in articles or in any discussion appearing in its publications.
Heather Ednie Editor-in-chief Printed in Canada 4 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
CONTENTS CIM MAGAZINE | MAY 2008 MAI
NEWS
COLUMNS
8
BioteQ wins award for environmental excellence 2008 Globe Foundation Award for
10
Rugged computers bring military heritage to mining Mobile computing products
Environmental Excellence by A. Gordon
designed for harsh environments 12
Reaching out by digging deep Caterpillar Foundation donation to University of Alberta by A. Gordon
16
Syncrude earns first land reclamation certification Certification a first in the oil sands
18
Switching to International Financial Reporting Standards Preparing for a new
industry
8
global accounting language by M. Eisner
PEOPLE IN MINING DES GENS ET DES MINES 40 21 25 28
No magic bullet Overview of HR issues facing
the Canadian mining industry by D. Zlotnikov Mining for talent Engaging 50+ workers to beat the workforce crisis by B. Jaworski Addressing the HR challenge Overview of projects from MiHR and its partners by the MiHR team
31
Photo courtesy of Syncrude Canada Ltd.
32 34
Ready or not, here they come Encouraging diversity in the workplace by S. Hammond Good neighbours Syncrude Canada’s Aboriginal Relations Program by A. Gordon Breaking new ground Looking towards the future in mining education by M. Eisner
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Pas de pilule magique Manque de main-
38
Exploiter les talents L’embauche de tra-
d’œuvre spécialisée dans les mines canadiennes vailleurs de plus de 50 ans pour palier la crise de la main-d’œuvre 39
Survol des projets du RHiM et de ses partenaires Les ressources humaines, un défi à relever
40 41
Que vous soyez prêts ou non, ils arrivent L’inclusion en milieu de travail Nouvelles tentatives Tournés vers l’avenir en éducation minière
Marty Quintal, instrument technician.
FEATURED MINES MINES EN VEDETTE 58
Lucky strike PotashCorp’s Picadilly project by A. Gordon
62 63
Projet Picadilly de PotashCorp Surrounded by Buddhas War Eagle’s Tres Marias germanium project by D. Zlotnikov
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42 44 46 48 49 50 51 52 54 56 57 90
Innovation Page by M. Lipsett Canadians Abroad by C. Hersey Student Life by G. Finlay The Supply Side by J. Baird Eye on Business by M. Denyes MAC Economic Commentary by P. Stothart Standards by L.B. Smith Engineering Exchange by H. Weldon HR Outlook by M. Sturk Safety by B. Mercer Mining Lore by D. Zlotnikov Voices from Industry by R. Hutson
CIM NEWS 67
Bourses remis à des étudiants du secteur mineral/Scholarships handed out by Thetford Mines Branch par P. Laroche
69
Facilitating knowledge sharing by R. Pillo Un médaillé de la Section de Québec/ Quebec Branch awards medal par M. Fortin
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Helping students along the road to success by J. Paraszczak
HISTORY 72
The Comstock Lode, Nevada (Part 2) by R.J. Cathro
75 78
The evolution of shaft sinking systems (Part 6) by C. Graham and V. Evans Migration and movement of scholars (Part 3) by F. Habashi
TECHNICAL SECTION 83
This month’s contents
IN EVERY ISSUE 4 6 70 71 88
Editor’s Message President’s Notes/Mot du président Obituaries Calendar Professional Directory
president’s notes Eye on the future
Jim Popowich CIM President Président de l’ICM
Over the past year, during my many travels under the CIM umbrella, one thing has become very obvious to me — people make things happen. Corporations do not set policy or create action, but rather, it is the people within who do so. This was very much the theme at a Corporate Social Responsibility workshop at the University of Calgary in early March: an event organized by the students at the Haskayne School of Business. As a keynote speaker, I spoke about my experiences at Fording and Elk Valley Coal. My focus was on corporate philanthropy, primarily related to our “Caring for Children” campaign. There were also a number of other speakers talking about diversity in the workplace, labour shortages, relationships with aboriginal communities, as well as discussions on fair trade and investing (beyond quarterly results). I was very encouraged to witness the interest expressed by the business students in these areas. I see a solid future for our industry with a very pragmatic approach being taken by many in the upcoming generation. Our theme at this year’s CIM Conference and Exhibition is similar: “Moving Beyond: Innovation for a Sustainable Future.” Delegates will have the opportunity to discuss both the technical and the softer side of the challenges we face and explore practical solutions for our minerals industry throughout all aspects of our business. As my term as CIM president winds down, I wish to say thank you all for the support you have given to me and to CIM. With your commitment, we can continue to add value to the experiences of our members and the industry as a whole, as CIM has a significant role to play in promoting best practices. I congratulate Jim Gowans as he takes on his new role as president of CIM. I know you will give him the same support I had. I look forward to seeing you around in the future in my role as past president!
Les yeux tournés vers l’avenir Au cours de la dernière année, dans le cadre de mes nombreux déplacements pour le compte de l’ICM, j’ai constaté une chose qui m’est devenue particulièrement évidente : ce sont les gens qui font bouger les choses. Ce ne sont pas les entreprises qui passent à l’action, mais plutôt les gens qui y travaillent. D’ailleurs, l’atelier Corporate Social Responsibility (responsabilités sociales des entreprises) auquel j’ai participé, qui a eu lieu au début de mars à l’université de Calgary et qui a été organisé par les étudiants de la Haskayne School of Business avait un thème qui se rapprochait grandement de ce constat. En tant que conférencier invité, j’ai pu parler des expériences que j’avais vécues quand je travaillais pour Fording et Elk Valley Coal. Au cours de mon allocution, je me suis concentré sur la philanthropie des entreprises tout en mettant l’accent sur notre campagne Caring for Children (Prenons soin de nos enfants). D’autres conférenciers ont abordé des thèmes comme la diversité en milieu de travail, la pénurie de main-d’œuvre, les rapports avec les communautés autochtones, le commerce équitable et l’investissement (qui dépassait largement les résultats trimestriels). J’ai été vivement encouragé par l’intérêt manifesté par ces étudiants en affaires face à ces questions car cela ne fait que confirmer ma conviction que notre industrie est promise à un brillant avenir grâce à l’approche pragmatique de la relève. Le thème du congrès et salon commercial de l’ICM de cette année est similaire à celui de l’atelier : « Viser plus haut : l’innovation pour un avenir durable ». Les congressistes auront l’occasion de débattre de tous les défis, techniques ou autres, qui nous attendent, et de trouver des solutions pratiques à tous les problèmes auxquels est confrontée notre industrie des minéraux. Comme mon mandat de président de l’ICM tire à sa fin, je voudrais vous remercier tous du soutien que vous avez donné à l’ICM ainsi qu’à moi-même. Grâce à votre appui, nous pouvons toujours en faire un peu plus pour nos membres et notre industrie en général, et ce, surtout quand l’ICM assume le rôle tout à fait important qu’il a à jouer en matière de promotion des meilleures pratiques. Je tiens aussi à féliciter Jim Gowans à l’aube de d’exercice de son nouveau rôle de président de l’ICM. Je sais qu’il peut compter sur le même appui que celui que vous m’avez donné. En terminant, je tiens à vous rassurer en vous déclarant que j’ai bien hâte de vous rencontrer prochainement dans mon nouveau rôle d’ancien président! 6 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
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news BioteQ wins award for environmental excellence Vancouver-based BioteQ Environmental Technologies, a leader in the treatment of metal and sulphate contaminated water, has won the 2008 Globe Foundation Award for Environmental Excellence in Export Performance. The award was presented in Vancouver on March 13 at GLOBE 2008, a bi-annual event sponsored by the GLOBE foundation by Angie Gordon and the Globe and Mail, which recognizes outstanding achievement in environmental stewardship. BioteQ was recognized for its work with the world’s leading mining companies and utility operators to reduce environmental liabilities while generating revenue from waste. It was among 18 finalists for six industry awards acknowledging commitment to sustainable business strategies and
8 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
progressive technologies. “Our water treatment technology represents an entirely new and sustainable approach to wastewater treatment for the world’s mining industry,” said Brad Marchant, CEO of BioteQ. BioteQ’s commercially proven technology treats acid mine drainage and other metal-laden waste water by BioteQ's water treatment plants remove dissolved metals and sulphate from consequentially remov- taminated water. ing metals and sulphate, producing water that can be discharged safely to saleable metal products and clean the environment. CIM
news Rugged computers bring military heritage to mining Automated computer systems have become indispensable in almost every aspect of the mining industry. However, the often harsh environment of mine sites and field operations, where connectivity is perhaps most essential, can sometimes prove to be too much for fragile mobile computing products. So it certainly makes sense that the answer to this dilemma comes from products designed to survive an environment whose conditions can be even more extreme than mining’s. Two new fully rugged ARMOR computers from DRS Technologies draw on years of military experience to offer data protection technology, “anywhere” connectivity and sunlight readable display options. These units have been extensively tested for drop-shock,
Moving on up
moisture, temperature extremes and resistance to dust and vibration. “Whether it’s a soldier in need of mission-critical information in the desert or a utility worker in need of automation in the field, ARMOR rugged mobile computing devices survive the rough conditions they face on a daily basis,” said Michael Sheehan, president of DRS Technologies’ Tactical Computing strategic business unit. Weighing just 5.2 pounds, including batteries, these units are also extremely portable for operations requiring mobility. And, with Intel® processing technology and a full array of technology options, these systems have brains as well as brawn. CIM
ARMOR C12 convertible notebook computer
Robert G. Gwin has been named senior vice president of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Gwin has more than 20 years’ experience in corporate finance and executive management. He joined Anadarko in January 2006. BioteQ has appointed David Kratochvil president and COO, responsible for overseeing corporate operations and development projects. Brad Marchant continues to serve in the role of CEO, focusing on corporate strategy and new business development. FNX Mining Company Inc. recently announced the appointment of James D. Wallace to its board of directors. Wallace is a prominent businessman in northern Ontario and is president and owner of several private companies. Sadek E. El-Alfy is the new COO at Vancouver-based Creston Moly Corp. He brings decades of experience, including vice president operations at Crystallex International, general manager at Iron Ore Company of Canada, and chief mining engineer at Giant Yellowknife Mines. Mike Prinsloo, CEO, Banro Corporation of Toronto, will add the duties of president to his responsibilities. Peter Cowley has retired as president of the company but remains on the board of directors.
“I’m really impressed with the number of young people showing an interest in our mill.” “That’s right… many are taking a second and even a third tour.” 10 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Dean MacEachern has been appointed president and CEO of Vancouver-based Blackstone Ventures. He first joined Blackstone as COO in 2005 and was responsible for overseeing the acquisition of the company’s extensive nickel, copper and zinc properties in Norway and Sweden.
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news Reaching out by digging deep Caterpillar Foundation invests in mining’s future Through the Caterpillar Foundation, Caterpillar Canada recently made a generous pledge to the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Engineering. “We’ve seen a real decline in enrollment in mining school programs, especially in North America,” said Caterpillar vice president of Global Mining Chris Curfman. “We feel that getting young people interested in mining is the biggest challenge our industry is facing — and it’s no different anywhere else in the world.” by Angie Gordon The $1.5 million pledge will be paid over 10 years at $150,000 a year. “We believed that by making the donation over an extended period of time, it would help to solidify our relationship with the university and to develop a long-term association,” explained Curfman. He went on to say that the foundation’s support of educational initiatives such as the one at U of A is part of the company’s overall focus on sustainable development. “It’s a remarkable program they have at the U of A,” he proclaimed. “We’re very excited to be part of that through the CAT Foundation.”
Participant in Discover E program
David Lynch, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at U of A, said that the support from the foundation will be nothing short of transformative. “It’s incredible,” he attested. “There’s just no other way of describing it. The educational experience of so many students will be dramatically enhanced.” There are two major components to the initiative: $100,000 per year (for 10 years) will go towards the expansion of the school’s Discover E Outreach Program, while $50,000 per year (for 10 years) is earmarked for the expansion and renewal of the mining engineering instructional laboratories.
Discover E Discover E is a major outreach program operated by the Faculty of Engineering. Thousands of students from the most remote corners of Canada — grades one to twelve — are given the opportunity to explore various aspects of engineering, science and technology through hands-on workshops and discovery camps. The workshops run approximately two hours, while the camps are five days in duration. In the past year, 13,076 students took part in the Discover E workshops and 1,648 in the week-long camps. “We’ll pack up a bunch of laptops and head out across Alberta and all the way up to remote communities in the Northwest Territories such as Tuktiuktuk and Yellowknife,” explained Lynch. “And these are not demonstrations. The counselors, most of whom are engineering students, basically take over the class for that period of time. All of the participants are really engaged in what they’re doing and catch on so quickly. In the week-long camp, that experience is even more comprehensive. It’s really sensational to see.” There are 20 different varieties of camps, each with its own age-appropriate curriculum. “Within those there are basic sci12 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
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news
U of A engineering students visit Montana tunnels.
ence discoveries and robotics,” explained Lynch, “but we also have 3D graphic development, environmentally related Project7 4:39 PM Page 1 and forensic 2/6/08 CSI-inspired camps.”
Lynch said that they try to balance their camps to encourage participation by all students. “We strive to accurately project that fields like engineering, sci-
ence and technology are for everyone,” he explained. “So we try to ensure that the councilors are representative of the broad diversity that we see in these fields. Last year, we had approximately 35 per cent young girls participate in the camps.” Lynch acknowledged that the logistical challenges and the costs to run such a program are considerable. “Travel and accommodation are quite complex and expensive to arrange, especially going into these smaller northern communities,” he explained. The Caterpillar Foundation’s pledge will go towards the actual operational costs of running the Discover E Program, as well as towards bursaries for students who cannot afford to pay the small camp registration fee. “We never turn a participant away for financial reasons,” said Lynch. “These funds will help us continue this commitment.”
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news Mining engineering students The second component of the foundation’s pledge will focus specifically on U of A’s mining engineering program. The rapid growth of the program — now one of the largest in the world — has pushed its facilities beyond their capacity. “We’ve begun to burst at the seams,” explained Lynch. “Sometimes we don’t even have the space to offer the classes in the rooms anymore.” The majority of the $500,000 portion of the donation ($50,000 per year for ten years) will go towards the renewal and expansion of a state-of-the-art mining engineering design and project lab. It will be named in honour of the generous support of the Caterpillar Foundation.
Curfman emphasized that the answer lies in attracting more bright, enthusiastic young people to the industry. “It affects all of us — mining companies, equipment companies, dealers and so on,” he maintained. “We have an opportunity to make a
real difference in the lives of Canada’s youth and create a lasting positive impact.” The investment in the future of Canadian mining by the Caterpillar Foundation will certainly pay dividends for many years to come. CIM
Full circle Lynch highlighted that the two components of the Caterpillar pledge will touch and support mining engineering students throughout their curriculum. “It’s difficult to explain the impact of how transformative this is going to be,” exclaimed Lynch. “This helps set students on courses for the rest of their lives — showing them directions they might not have considered. From getting the six-year-old student thinking about a career in science and engineering to optimizing the educational experience of the mining engineer student, this pledge from the Caterpillar Foundation yields an impact that goes full circle by touching so many people during different stages of their lives. It helps encourage students to enter the mining, petroleum, metallurgical and chemical disciplines that are so important to the future of our natural resource development.” This sentiment is certainly reiterated by Curfman. “Employment is by far the most serious issue our industry is facing around the globe,” he said. “There’s plenty of money and there are plenty of opportunities to mine, but the shortage of people is a concern. And it’s not something that’s going to get fixed in a year.” May 2008 | 15
news Syncrude earns land reclamation certification The Alberta government recently certified one of Syncrude’s parcels of reclaimed land north of Fort McMurray — a first in the oil sands industry. Planting tree and shrub seedlings on the 104 hectares of land known as Gateway Hill began in 1983. It has since flourished into a healthy forest of broad leaf and needle leaf trees interspersed by several wetlands. “Syncrude achieved this milestone today thanks to the vision of employees who led this reclamation process from the beginning,” said president and CEO Tom Katinas. “It’s a testament of our long-term commitment to land reclamation and overall sustainability in the oil sands. Visitors can view the reclamation by 4754_CIM_HalfPg_Mar08.qxd 3/24/08 hiking a 4.5 kilometre interpretive
footpath known as the Matcheetawin trail that winds through the forest. “Matcheetawin trail is a fitting name for where our reclamation efforts truly began,” said Katinas, referring to the Cree word meaning “beginning place.” “This continues to be a part of our business where we are delivering on our promises. We reclaimed more than 80 additional hectares in 2007 and are focusing on about another 100 hectares this year.” Syncrude has now reclaimed more than 4,500 hectares, representing the largest share in 11:03 AM Page 1 the oil sands industry. CIM
Gateway Hill trail. Image courtesy of Syncrude Canada Ltd.
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news Switching to International Financial Reporting Standards By 2011, all Canadian publicly owned companies will have to switch from the current Generally Accepted Accounting Principles to the new global accounting language known as International Financial Reporting Standards. Four years ago, the Accounting Standards Board (AcSB) decided to review the current GAAP practice and see how the standard could be redirected by Marlene Eisner and applied at a more global level. The thought behind the move can be likened to World Cup soccer; it only makes sense to have all the teams playing by the same rules. The Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants circulated
18 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
their strategic plan in January 2006 citing IFRS as the best choice as a new accounting standard for Canada given globalization, since it is used in Europe, Australia, and more than 100 countries. It is also a principled-based approach, similar to the current Canadian accounting standard. “The reality is, there was a consultation process on this strategic direction,” said Tom Whelan, Canadian mining industry leader for Ernst & Young in Canada. “The AcSB talked to regulators, investors, the stock exchanges — there was a robust consultation process.” Whelan confirmed that it is now official; public companies must ready
themselves for January 1, 2011, when they will be obliged to adapt to the new standards. “The debate is over,” he said. “You have to be ready, and the sooner it’s done, the better.” According to Whelan, there are a number of areas in the mining industry where this switch-over will have impact, some of which include exploration and evaluations costs, business combinations, impairment of assets, joint ventures and income taxes. “Each of these changes has a financial statement impact and a business impact,” said Whelan. “Take business combinations, for example. There have been a significant number of acquisitions [in the mining industry]. The accounting rules under
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news IFRS are significantly different from “Under Canadian GAAP the test for what they were under Canadian impairment is very different than that GAAP, because it’s a different frame- for IRFS,” stated Whelan. IFRS work. That means the financial state- requires the reversal of previous ments will look different from the impairment losses. This is particularly previous accounting model, which is unpopular with the mining sector and something that needs to be leads to earning volatility. explained. But there is also the Whelan suggested three important impact on business. For example, ways that companies could begin to does the company have the IT system prepare for the implementation of the to handle it? There’s an HR compo- new accounting standards. nent as well to the extent that man“Start early,” he said, by getting an agement bonus plans are based on idea of how big a project the earnings; have employee compensa- switchover is going to be. tion plans been considered; does the “Go through a scoping exercise. We investor relations group understand like to help our clients prepare a diagthe impact and will they be able to nostic that produces an analysis of the explain the financial results to share- technical accounting changes as well holders and analysts? Under the new as the business impact that a company framework, does it still make sense?” needs to consider.” This way, a comAnother example of how the new pany can get an overview of what the system will affect outcomes can be changes may be, and judge if they will illustrated in the area of impairment be able to adopt the standards before of assets. If a company spends a bil- 2011, or if there may be a risk of misslion dollars building a mine, is that ing the deadline. billion mine a billion a company Energydollar Usage AD still B&W worth 5x5.qxd 4/9/08 Once 9:26 AM Page 1 determines how dollars? big the project will be, they then have
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to calculate how many hours it will take, and if they have the right people in place to get it accomplished. “A company may have all their IT and HR people, but may need accounting expertise, or visa versa,” explained Whelan. It makes business sense to have the diagnostic in place laying out all the options, but waiting until October 2010 would be problematic.” Finally, Whelan suggested that the new accounting standards not be a head office issue, but rather, be embedded across the organization. “They need to spread the gospel,” he said. “The lessons learned in Europe and Australia were that many companies tried to contain costs and meet the deadline and kept it as a head office exercise. They’re quickly fixing that.” So, when change is not only inevitable, but has a predetermined deadline for its required implementation, preparation is key — and the sooner, the better. CIM
mac facts
Nickel prices increased from US $3.10/lb. in 2002 to US $10.98/lb. in 2006, a five-year growth of 254 per cent. Global economic growth, China's demand and tight global supply suggest that nickel prices will remain high for the foreseeable future.
people in mining
Skilled labour shortages in Canadian mining by Dan Zlotnikov t is estimated that the Canadian minerals and metals sector will face a shortage of 92,000 workers by 2017.In a 2005 study carried out by the Mining Industry Training and Adjustment Council, 40 per cent of workers in the industry indicated that they were planning to retire within the next decade — 44.6 per cent from the skilled trades. Already, mining companies of all types, sizes and geographic locales are beginning to feel the pinch. Commodity prices are setting new records, while operational costs are continuing to climb. The sudden jump in the sector’s appeal to investors is creating shortages that even the most generous of cash injections can’t fix.These deficiencies are occurring on the equipment and consumables side, but the impact is threatening to be even more drastic from the lack of trained workers in all mining-related occupations.
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Poaching not going over easy With workers in such limited supply, a great deal of competition is expected in the short term as firms struggle to outbid each other, both in monetary and non-monetary compensation. This approach certainly has its downsides,considering where the trained workers are coming from.
“There used to be a mutual respect of a sort in the industry,” explained mining consultant Dave Bazowski, who has spent a significant part of his 30-year career working on HR projects.“You didn’t do your recruiting in the other guy’s back yard. But now that there’s all this pressure to find the people you need, that has gone out the window.” The trend is for the majors to hire away from the smaller companies, support contractors and from the public utilities sector. Ultimately this approach is not sustainable. “I hope the majors realize that they are creating some significant medium- and long-term pain for some very shortterm gain,” explained Paul Hébert, executive director of the Federated School of Mines. “[By poaching] they are transferring training burdens onto the portion of the sector that arguably has the least capacity for it.” Hébert certainly helps to bring a Canada-wide perspective to this discussion as, until recently, he was the director of the Mining Industry Human Resources Council. The situation has had staffing implications on other sectors as well. Peace River Coal CEO Trevor Hulme told of severe shortages of even unskilled labour near the company’s Trend mine site. Restaurants located in the town of Fort St.John, British Columbia, May 2008 | 21
people in mining about an hour from the site, had to close because they couldn’t find any high school students to employ. However, the Canadian mining industry’s distinguished reputation means that it must also contend with international recruiters, most notably from Australia, which is experiencing its own mining boom. Enticed by the exotic location and high salaries, young graduates are leaving with increasing frequency. Once there, it has not been unheard of for engineering grads to garner six-figure salaries, even when they have very little experience. Of course, the “poaching” is not limited to Australia; South Africa and the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries are
all experiencing massive growth in mining and are looking everywhere they can for trained professionals.
Taking the initiative
According to most industry representatives, the sustainable approach to addressing the labour dilemma is to grow the pool of available labour. A number of initiatives are underway in different regions of Canada and at various levels — from provincial groups like the British Columbia Mining Industry Labour Shortage Task Force (of which Bazowski is the chair) to MiHR, which is focusing on the pan-Canadian perspective. Although they vary in scope and focus, there are some particular areas of interest that are being examined. Education: Hébert said that one of the biggest challenges is posed by the misconceptions and lack of information about what mining is like today. This is the case not only among students, but also with parents and educators, who play a major role in future career choices. He emphasized that the challenge can be made easier by branding the Canadian mining industry.Selling today’s high school students on mining as a career option is really “a question of marketing,”said Hébert. Apprenticeships: According to Hébert, another significant role in addressing the labour crunch is played by apprenticeships. “Employers have an impression that apprenEndress+Hauser has the products, services ticeships are something that will cost lots of and solutions to meet all your needs money,” he explained. “But actually, the Canadian Apprenticeship Forum has shown Under Pressure? that the employer receives a benefit of $1.38 Checkout our Cerabar S/Deltabar S for every $1.00 they spend on these programs. pressure transmitters with robust, abrasive and overload resistant ceramic cells. So there’s a business case to be made, as well.” Modular design for various applications. With apprenticeship enrolment on the rise,not just on the applicant side but from businesses 'O WITH THE mOWſ as well, it seems the employers are listening. #ONSIDER OUR 0ROMAG ELECTROMAGNETIC mOW meters for applications in conductive liquids Retraining: In an effort to address the shortwith high solids content. term needs, MiHR is endeavouring to identify other industry sectors that employ workSafety and reliability! ers with a similar skill set — especially those Gamma Pilot M for level, limit detection or sectors that are in decline.One such industry density measurement for larger line sizes. is forestry. Logging camps are often located Our compact radiometric transmitter is the solution. Choose from HART, PROFIBUS in remote areas, where mine sites tend to be, PA or Foundation Fieldbus protocols for and there are a number of skills common to easy integration into your existing systems. the two professions. SIL2 approved. Hazardous (IS or XP) and Two MiHR pilot projects are expected to non-hazardous versions available. begin this spring in Quebec and British Columbia. In each case, a lumber operation that is in the process of closing will be paired with a mine experiencing a labour shortage and an educational institution, to provide the training necessary to fill the gaps. This highly targeted approach should shorten the training period significantly and keep the workers employed and the mine operational.To assist with the training process, MiHR has also initiated the National
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people in mining Occupational Standards project, meant to develop clear, concise guidelines for the various mining occupations. “There are clear credentialing guidelines in fields like engineering and geosciences, as well as for some of the skilled trades people such as plumbers, pipe fitters and electricians,”said Hébert.“But for production trades people including miners, drillers and blasters, the guidelines are less clear, and there aren’t any nationally accredited training programs.” Encouraging diversity: Other initiatives are aimed at encouraging underrepresented groups to enter the mining workforce. These groups,most notably,are First Nations,women and new Canadians. Hulme reinforced the importance of First Nations communities as a potential source of workers.The Trend mine site is fortunate,he said, because of its proximity to one such community. He added that the regional mining companies in the area are now jointly working to make the employment opportunities available to the local First Nations residents.
Hulme seconds that sentiment. “We can’t compete with the [northern Alberta] oil sands’remuneration, and we’re not trying to,” he said.Instead,Peace River is focusing on quality of life advantages, like the ability to live with one’s family instead of on a rotation schedule in a camp. Demonstrating that even smaller firms stand a chance against the poaching, Sandy Sveinson, manager of technical and administrative services with Merit Mining Corp.— a small multi-metal company starting operations in south-central British Columbia — told of a mining engineer and a metallurgist, who both chose to work for their smaller company. “People choose a smaller firm because they believe they’ll have a chance to learn more things quickly, and where there are greater opportunities for advancement,”she explained.
Reading the future
The key question is whether all the initiatives will be sufficient to meet the demand. Reviewing company benefits: Especially in the face of higher “I believe they will go a long way towards alleviating the shortsalary enticements from competitive companies and countries, age,” said Hébert,“but it remains to be seen whether we’ll be able Hébert said we are likely to see a lot more flexibility in terms of total to meet the demand completely. Frankly, I’ll be surprised if we do. benefits packages.“And I don’t mean just money,” he emphasized, But the Canadian mining industry has a long history of innovation “but also in terms of training and development, schedule flexibility, and overcoming challenges; by working together we’ll surely find career opportunities and so on.There are going to be a lot of new our way through this latest challenge.”Still, Hébert emphasized the CMJJan08MC7453 PRENGINEERING 1/24/08 11:23 AM Page 1 things that HR managers will have to try in order to attract and necessity to explore all of the various options because, as he keep the workers.” declared, “there is no magic bullet.” CIM
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people in mining
Mining for talent Engaging 50+ workers to beat the workforce crisis by Barbara Jaworski
war is coming to Canada. This war won’t involve guns and grenades, but it will still have an explosive effect on the daily lives of all Canadians for years to come. It’s the escalating battle for talent — and it’s getting dirty. Early skirmishes are already occurring in several sectors as companies raid each other’s labour forces and fight for an ever-decreasing number of new young recruits. There is a secret weapon that can help win this war, and it’s one that many companies are overlooking — the skilled over-50 worker.
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Talent contest Study after study has found that companies throughout the western world consider the most important corporate resource over the next 20 years will be talent — people who are technologically literate, globally astute and operationally agile. However, as the demand for talent heats up, the supply will go down. The problem is one of demographics. The enormous postWWII baby boom generation makes up one-third of Canada’s present population and has dominated the workforce for the past 35 years. Many of them — particularly early boomers — are also in high demand in knowledge and skill-based professions. But these same workers are planning or beginning their retirement. Over the next 20 years, almost 10 million Canadians will be leaving the workforce, taking their years of experience and industry knowledge with them. Further compounding the problem is the fact that there are simply not enough younger, skilled workers available globally to fill the void that occurred as the birth rate crashed throughout the western world following 1964. It has rallied somewhat in the last few years with the arrival of the boomer’s children — the so-called “Gen Y” — but it will be years before this demographic makes a significant impact in the workforce. This situation is not unique to Canada, but it is more critical here than many other countries because we have the largest
baby boom population in the Western Hemisphere. There are now more Canadians over the age of 60 than under the age of five and this is not expected to change anytime soon. Between 2001 and 2006, total employment in this country increased at an annual average rate of 1.7 per cent, the fastest rate increase among the Group of Seven (G7) nations. Statistics Canada predicts that by 2016, the demand for workers will outpace supply — although that’s already taking place in many industries.
Mining Canadian talent Statistics Canada’s 2006 Labour Force Census indicated that the fastest growth in employment occurred in the mining and oil and gas extraction industry, where employment increased at an average pace of 7.5 per cent a year — nearly four times the national average. Alberta alone accounted for 70 per cent of the employment growth in this industry. At the same time, the Canadian mining sector’s gross domestic product growth has been about twice that of the overall Canadian economy since 2002, and economic indicators point to continued growth in the mining industry for several more years. This places additional pressure on the sector to meet the increasing demand for skilled workers. Adding to the problem for the industry is the fact that fewer younger people have been choosing to pursue a career in the skilled trades. So it’s going to be an uphill battle — one that can be won with some strategic planning and quick action. And that plan should include consideration being afforded to the older worker. May 2008 | 25
people in mining A plan of action Workforce planning is the process of ensuring that the right people are in the right place at the right time to accomplish the goals of the organization. Without careful, strategic workforce planning, organizations may find themselves on the losing side of the escalating war for talent, unable to fill key positions or stem the flow of knowledge loss. A 2006 survey by Deloitte reported that 80 per cent of energy and resources organizations feel that talent shortages are already limiting their productivity and efficiency. Fifty-five per cent feel that the talent shortage will limit their ability to meet production requirements and customer demand, and only 18 per cent have strategies in place to deal with what is sure to be a worsening situation. Those organizations who have developed strategies have realized that the traditional workplace planning approaches — which typically focus on short-term acquisition and retention — are not adequate to address the full scope of the problem. What is required is a multi-faceted approach that not only attracts, motivates and retains the best and brightest younger workers, aboriginal youth and women but also skilled older workers. Before this can happen however, companies need to: • Analyze present workforce competencies that drive business results. • Identify competencies needed in the future.
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26 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
• Compare the present workforce to future needs to identify competency gaps and surplus. • Prepare forecasting plans for building a future workforce. • Evaluate the workforce competency model to assure that it remains valid and that objectives are being met. While this process is simple in theory, it depends on a rigorous and comprehensive analysis of the organization’s workforce and strategic direction.
Rallying the older worker While the battle to hire younger workers rages, more and more companies are seeking to attract and retain dynamic, mature, skilled workers. This is especially true for organizations reliant on the trades. To do this, they need to ask the following questions: • What will persuade older workers to delay retirement or return to the workforce? • What are the specific challenges and concerns mature workers face? • Do company policies discriminate against the 50 plus worker? • Do company recruiters and managers have a bias against older individuals? Once these are answered, an organization needs to create policies and procedures that attract, motivate and retain skilled older employees; and there is no one way to do this.However, the Workplace Institute, a Canadian Centre of Excellence embarking on research and education around workforce issues concerning mature workers and intergenerational matters,has created a multifaceted business model that businesses can use to engage workers of all ages, but especially older workers. This model can be adapted to meet the needs of individual organizational demographics, but there are common elements.These include: • Flexibility in working arrangements to provide a better work-life balance. • Equal opportunity and fair treatment for employees of all ages. • Career development for those under and over 40. • Adaptation for major and minor disabilities, such as arthritis or hearing loss. • Recognition for the contribution already made to the organization. • Health support to prevent illness and injury. • Financial guidance to ensure employees can retire comfortably when they choose to. • Phased retirement options. • Knowledge transfer strategies. So the battle has commenced. All Canadian organizations will face tremendous challenges over the next couple of decades: challenges that can be met and overcome by looking at a new type of recruit — those skilled, energetic, experienced and knowledgeable KAA-Boomers! CIM
About the author Barbara Jaworski is the author of KAA-Boom! How to Engage the 50 Plus Worker and Beat the Workforce Crisis. She is the founder of the Best Employers Award for 50 Plus Canadians and chair of the annual international Summit on the Mature Workforce.
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people in mining
HR challenge
Going underground
Overview of projects from MiHR and its partners by the MiHR team he Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) is the national human resources sector council for Canada’s mining industry. The Council, incorporated in 1996, is the recognized leader in the development of solutions to national human resource challenges facing the Canadian mining sector. MiHR develops programs with strong ties to the mining industry representing the exploration, extraction, smelting and refining sectors, and also to organized labour, aboriginal communities, post-secondary education institutions and other mining industry stakeholders. MiHR is also a key collaborator in developing and providing HR information to CIM through the Distinguished Lecturer Program and the HR Outlook column published in CIM Magazine. Furthermore, MiHR co-funds the annual Mining in Society show in partnership with CIM. Early in 2008, the MiHR board of directors appointed Ryan Montpellier as executive director of the Council. Montpellier has been with MiHR since February 2004. This follows the departure of Paul Hébert, who recently accepted the position
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of executive director of the Federated School of Mines in Sudbury, Ontario. The following is an update on some of the projects that MiHR and its partners are undertaking to address the current HR challenges facing the sector. Based on industry growth rates, average attrition and turnover rates, it is estimated that the mining sector will need to hire up to 92,000 skilled workers over a period of 10 years.The projects featured below aim to address this challenge.
Mining Attraction, Recruitment and Retention Strategy (MARS) MARS is an integrated program developed to support and enhance the industry’s ability to attract, recruit and retain skilled workers. Designed to increase the participation of several target groups, including youth, women, aboriginals, new Canadians, retirees and Canadian mining ex-pats, the project will produce the following deliverables in 2008: • Employer’s manual: best practices in the attraction, recruitment and retention of target groups.
people in mining • Mining industry photo gallery. • Career pathways for 10 key mining occupations. • Mining careers speaker’s toolbox: online speakers’ bureau, speaker’s guide, and career attraction powerpoint decks, pop-up displays, and banners. • Virtual mining mentorship program. • Student-on-the-job board. The MARS project is being guided by a 21-person steering committee representing a variety of industry stakeholders. MiHR is currently in year one of this three-year project.
National Mining Credentials Program This initiative began in 2006 with the development of three National Occupational Standards (NOS) for the Canadian mining industry. These NOS were created for the occupational areas of underground mining, surface mining and minerals processing operations. These NOS will serve as a foundation for two systems under the umbrella of the National Mining Credentials Program. They are: the Mining Worker Certification System and the Mining Training Accreditation System. The certification and accreditation systems will be the first in the Canadian context for mine workers and employers. The outcomes will provide industry with skills recognition and a variety of workforce development tools. Work on the new standards and on building the certification system will begin in the spring of 2008.
viding gap training and the other necessary transition support services and infrastructure to ensure success. In collaboration with industry partners, MiHR will also create a labour market transition resource guide for transitioning workers from other sectors to the mining industry.
The Mining Industry HR Guide for Aboriginal Communities (HR-GAC) The inclusion of aboriginal people in the Canadian mining industry is critical to the sector. The mining industry HR-GAC will be designed to help aboriginal human resource officers, Aboriginal Human Resources Development Agreement (AHRDA) holders, aboriginal community leaders, as well as academic institutions that wish to address and increase aboriginal peoples’ and communities’ participation in the mining industry. Taking the form of a user-friendly “how-to” guide, the publication will contribute to a better understanding of the mining employment opportunities and relevant HR practices for Aboriginal people. The resource is currently being developed under the guidance of a steering committee, including representation from the following organizations: MAC, PDAC, AFN, INAC, AHRC, NRCAN, HRSDC, CAMA and others. The tool will be completed and disseminated to aboriginal communities across the country in 2009. CIM
Mining Industry Workforce Information Network (MIWIN) Launched in the fall of 2007, the MIWIN project will build and operate a labour market intelligence (LMI) system for the Canadian mining industry. MIWIN will provide up-to-date and accurate labour market information that will enable industry stakeholders to make better business decisions on policies, programs and site-level human resources. A small industry advisory committee has been formed and additional members of the mining sector community will be added to this group as the project progresses. This two-year project will be coordinated with several provincial/territorial initiatives focused on labour market information and analysis, and efforts will be made to ensure compatibility of the network with regional models. A number of pilot projects have begun in Quebec, British Columbia and Saskatchewan and, at the same time, broad industry consultation activities have begun to assess the needs and expectations of industry stakeholders for system functionality. The first set of MIWIN reports are expected to be published in 2009.
From Forestry to Mining (FF2M) The FF2M project will kick off in the spring of 2008. This initiative will develop a process to support the transition of skilled workers from occupations in the forestry sector to careers in the mining workforce. This will be achieved by undertaking a detailed analysis of the skills and knowledge gaps between the occupations, proMay 2008 | 29
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people in mining
Ready or not, here they come
A journeyman welder in Diavik’s mine maintenance shop, Robert Lafferty is among over 500 northerners, approximately half of whom are aboriginal, working at Diavik.
Photo courtesy of Diavik Diamond Mines Inc.
Towards workplace inclusion by Stephen Hammond
wo distinct groups of people could hold the key to alleviating an impending labour shortage in the Canadian mining industry. Paradoxically, they are respectively our newest and our most longstanding citizens — recent immigrants and indigenous Canadians. On the one hand, employers are looking to members of these two demographics to fill job vacancies, including specialized positions that require great skill. On the other hand, many people in business still harbour fears and misconceptions about both groups. The concern with immigrants is that they may not have enough Canadian experience. In all cases, there may be some apprehension that those who appear “different” may not fit in socially. They also fear that these new employees may complain to supervisors, or even the human rights commission, for offensive remarks or conduct (real or perceived) by coworkers. The fact is, most of our misgivings are unfounded, especially if we give prospective Canadians a real chance to make their mark, with all the support and consideration we show any person who starts a new job. However, it does take a little conscious effort and it doesn’t always happen overnight. Canada is seeing a demographic shift in our population that has not been evident since the depression. While immigrants coming to this country in the 1920s and 1930s were dissimilar primarily because of their language and ethnicity, most of
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them were white, like the majority of the population, and fit into some form of Christian faith. But that was in the days when Canada gave preference to immigrants from countries where most people were white. With changes to the Immigration Act in 1967, we no longer allowed that kind of discriminatory preference, and Canada gradually began to accept people who were more adequately represented in the global demographic. According to the 2001 census (religion wasn’t included in the 2006 census) the fastest growing religious groups in Canada were Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Buddhists. While their numbers were still small compared to Christians, who made up 73 per cent of the population, Catholics and Protestants were actually shrinking as a percentage of the population, while persons from the other four religions are growing. This isn’t a big surprise, particularly for people living in Canada’s major urban centres, to where many of the new immigrants have traditionally gravitated. However, as newer Canadians begin to feel more comfortable here, they are increasingly willing and able to leave the comfort of family and neighbours speaking their native language and move to the more remote locations where mining and exploration take place. There is also a big demographic shift with aboriginal Canadians. According to the more recent 2006 census, aboMay 2008 | 31
people in mining riginals, including First Nations, Indian, Metis, Inuit and persons of mixed heritage, made up 3.8 per cent of the Canadian population. While this number might seem small, it represents an entire one per cent growth in just 10 years. While all other demographic groups of Canadians have either flat or declining birth rates (mostly declining), those of aboriginal Canadians are increasing. In western Canada the numbers are much higher, as with Saskatchewan and Manitoba where approximately 15 per cent of the population is made up of aboriginals, and those numbers are expected to grow. Also, while the median age of non-aboriginal Canadians is 39.5, the median age of aboriginals is only 26.5. This much younger demographic could be quite desirable in the face of an aging population. With so many aboriginals already living in close proximity to mining communities and a burgeoning group of new Canadians ready to move away from the urban centres, it’s time to look at effective ways of enticing them into the industry.
Clean up your act You might already be squeaky clean, but if not, get scrubbing! If you turn a deaf ear to racial slurs, then you might also be facilitating a revolving door of recruitment. Just as with a zero tolerance objective when it comes to health and safety infractions, the same standard should be applied to inappropriate racial comments.The prosperity of your operation depends
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as much on one as the other.The time to act is now — that way you preempt the likelihood of current employees blaming recently hired ones for new workplace actions and policies.
Forget the melting pot In Canada we adhere to what’s known as religious accommodation. As such, if there is a policy that conflicts with an
Good neighbours Syncrude Canada’s Aboriginal Relations Program by Angie Gordon yncrude Canada Ltd. is very proud of its distinction as one of the country’s largest industrial employers of aboriginal people.“Ever since we commenced our operations, we have recognized the great importance of fostering a positive relationship with our aboriginal neighbours,”said the company’s public affairs advisor,Alain Moore. “It’s really to our mutual benefit. Not only can we help them get the skill set they need to take part in a rewarding career in oil sands, but we also get access to a very important and promising workforce to help us meet our tremendous need for skilled labour.” Additionally, Moore added that the attrition rate among aboriginal employees is lower than among those of non-aboriginal descent.“This
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Syncrude firefighter/EMT-A, Andrew Golosky. Image courtesy of Syncrude Canada Ltd. 32 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
people in mining employee’s religion —such as observance of a religious holiday — then reasonable accommodations should be made up to the point of “undue hardship.” Most allowances cost very little in the short term, but could represent tremendous savings in the long run in the form of decreased turnover. A bit of planning is usually all it takes. Talk to aboriginal employees or community elders in advance about some of
region is their home,”explained Moore.“This is where their roots are and they know what it’s like to live five hours north of Edmonton.” Syncrude’s Aboriginal Development Program focuses on six key commitment areas: corporate leadership, employment, business development, education and training, community development and the environment.The objective,said Moore,is to create greater collective opportunities. Each year, the company publishes its Aboriginal Review, an overview of its relations with the aboriginal people and communities. According to 2006 data (the latest aboriginal Review will be released in April) Syncrude employed 420 Aboriginal people, representing approximately nine per cent of their total employee population. Many more, they say, are employed by their contractors. Among its various program initiatives, Syncrude implemented a rotational employee program that provides travel assistance for employees who live in distant, predominantly aboriginal communities. One such area is Fort Chipewyan, a community of about 1,200 located 100 kilometres north of Fort McMurray. The only consistent mode of travel into and out of the area is by air, although it can also sometimes be accessed via boat or winter road. Syncrude provides flights for participants to and from Fort Chipewyan as well as accommodations while they are at the facility.“We also fly them back when they have their days off,” added Moore.“It is very important to them, and to us, that they are able to maintain ties to their community where they can remain strong role models.”This has also been expanded to other areas where ground transportation has been used, also serving to foster exceptional relations within these communities. One of Syncrude’s educational initiatives is aimed at informing aboriginal youth about careers in the oil sands industry.“We’ve put together a DVD called “Your Future Counts,” explained Moore.“It features a variety of our employees of aboriginal descent who have chosen various career paths within our organization. There’s a process operator, instrumentation technician, electrician, heavy equipment operator, engineer, and so on. They talk about their jobs, why they like them and how they got there. It gives young people a better understanding of the different opportunities and how they can reach their goals.” Moore said that while most youth understand what the job of a welder or an electrician might entail,such is often not the case with critical trades such as instrument technician, machinist and fabricator. “The underlying message in the DVD, as well as in other outreach initiatives,is the importance of education,”emphasized Moore.“High school is a fantastic foundation,but in order to take advantage of the opportunities available in the oil sands, you often need to go beyond that.” Moore recognizes that Syncrude’s initiatives are certainly mutually beneficial. Each of the six elements of the company’s Aboriginal Relations Program relies upon collaboration for a greater collective opportunity. But then after all, isn’t that what being a good neighbour is all about? CIM
the spiritual ceremonies that are of importance to them — then these requests won’t come as a surprise. If you would like to demonstrate that support even further, encourage company participation in an event, or even sponsor it, when appropriate.
Recognize your stereotypes All of us have some form of prejudice. However, since stereotypes can prevent us from giving everyone a fair chance — and from ensuring we’ve got the best person for the job — then own up to your own and make sure they don’t get in the way of giving every employee the opportunities they deserve. For example, even though First Nations employees are not always adequately represented in management positions, this can have more to do with systemic intolerance than a lack of desire or motivation, which is an unfortunate stereotype. Those companies that are doing their homework now are likely seeing payback. For others, the sooner you get on board, the better, because ready or not, here they come. CIM
About the author Stephen Hammond is a lawyer turned workplace human rights consultant and the author of Managing Human Rights at Work: 101 practical tips to prevent human rights disasters.
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people in mining
McGill mining students at Agnico Eagle's Goldex Mine.
Breaking new ground Looking towards the future in mining education by Marlene Eisner
he mining industry offers a wide range of exciting and lucrative professional opportunities inside Canada as well as internationally. However, recent trends at the nine mining schools based in Canadian universities indicate that enrollment at the undergraduate level may not be growing to meet the anticipated needs of the future. Nonetheless, educators investigating ways to attract more students to the fold are confident that numbers will increase. Hani Mitri is the director of the mining school at McGill University in Montreal. He estimated there are 2,600 students in McGill’s Faculty of Engineering. While only 65 are mining students, he said this number has been growing over the years. “We went from 32 to 65 mining students in five years; we’ve doubled,” said Mitri. “We project that in three years’ time we’ll have 100 students in the mining program at McGill.”
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The school, whose mining department originated in 1871, has been experimenting with new initiatives to attract a wider range of students into the program. One innovative approach that was introduced two years ago was the option to pursue a minor in mining, which is open to all non-mining engineering students at McGill. After students take a prescribed set of basic mining courses, they become eligible for a work term in the mining industry. “The engineering student stays in his or her major — whether it’s mechanical, civil, or whatever — and does a few additional courses to obtain a minor in mining,”explained Mitri. “This has already attracted 12 non-mining engineering students.” The idea is to expose engineers to the industry, so that when they graduate, it will open another door for them and provide a prospective worker for the industry.
Another way to address the dearth of students, said Mitri, is for the mining industry to take a more active role in the educational process.“The mining industry needs to step in and show its commitment to education, for example by funding new initiatives by the schools,” he explained.“Industry should look at it as an investment in its own community and this is one good way of showing university administrators how important mining education is to Canada.” Paul Hébert, executive director of the Federated School of Mines, agrees that industry needs to take a greater interest in mining education. “There’s a role for everybody to play,” said Hébert. “There’s definitely an opportunity to tighten up the relationship between business and education. The sectors need to be working in lock step. We don’t have the luxury of waiting two or three years for education and training programs to catch up to industry needs.” Hébert said schools need to develop innovative ways of teaching as a way to step up to the challenge. Some of the alternatives already in place at the Federated School of Mines are aimed at taking education out of the traditional arena and bringing it to a wider audience. This is being achieved by distance training and education delivery, video conferencing and online learning. Hébert also feels that advancements in technology offer another way to address the training issue. “We need to reorganize how the work gets done and that drives innovation in terms of technology and automation,” said Hébert.“But we will always need people to build, operate and maintain the equipment. If we can’t find all these people and we have to look to new ways of doing things, we have to train people to use new technologies.” For Hébert, education in mining is a good news story, with the prospect of so many jobs on the horizon and a positive outlook for Canada. And he is confident the industry will step up to the challenge. “Miners are problem-solvers,” he said.“The industry, by definition, is one that goes out and breaks new ground, so they are used to being creative. Having been involved with miners, educators and industrial partners for a number of years, I’m confident that we can collaborate to make this work for the Canadian mining sector”. CIM
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des gens et des mines
Pas de pilule magique Manque de main-d’œuvre spécialisée dans les mines canadiennes l est estimé que le secteur des minéraux et des métaux accusera un manque de 92 000 travailleurs d’ici 2017.Selon une étude du Conseil d’adaptation et de formation de l’industrie minière (CAFIM), 40 % des travailleurs de l’industrie ont signalé qu’ils prendront leur retraite au cours des 10 prochaines années. Le prix des biens atteint des sommets, mais le coût des équipements et de l’exploitation continue à augmenter. La hausse soudaine de l’attrait du secteur crée des pénuries que même des injections d’argent ne peuvent soulager. L’impact menace d’être encore plus grand en raison du manque d’ouvriers spécialisés dans tous les métiers reliés aux mines. Avec un nombre limité de travailleurs, la compétition est forte et, à court terme, les compagnies montent les enchères avec des offres monétaires et non monétaires. « Il y avait une sorte de respect mutuel entre les compagnies et on voit maintenant du maraudage », explique Dave Bazowski, consultant minier. « J’espère qu’on réalise que cela crée des problèmes à long terme pour des gains à court terme. En maraudant, le fardeau de la formation passe à ceux qui ont moins de capacité d’en faire », dit Paul Hébert, directeur exécutif, Federated School of Mines et ancien directeur du Conseil des ressources humaines de l’industrie minière (RHiM). Selon Trevor Hulme, président et chef de la direction de Peace River Coal, d’autres secteurs ressentent cette pénurie de main-d’œuvre; par exemple des restaurants pas très loin de la mine manquent d’étudiants pour y travailler. En raison de son excellente réputation, l’industrie minière canadienne est la cible de recruteurs internationaux, notamment de l’Australie. Même avec peu d’expérience, de jeunes diplômés peuvent gagner dans les six chiffres. D’autres pays, dont l’Afrique du Sud, le Brésil, la Russie, l’Inde et la Chine cherchent aussi des professionnels qualifiés.
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des étudiants mais aussi des éducateurs et des parents. C’est une question de marketing. Apprentissage : « Les employeurs ont l’impression que des stages coûteront cher », explique M. Hébert. Mais selon le Forum canadien sur l’apprentissage, l’employeur reçoit un bénéfice de 1,38 $ pour chaque dollar dépensé dans ces programmes. Recyclage professionnel : Afin de traiter des besoins à court terme, le RHiM cherche à identifier d’autres secteurs qui emploient des travailleurs à compétences similaires. Deux projets pilotes devraient débuter ce printemps au Québec et en Colombie-Britannique. Des scieries devant fermer seront jumelées à des mines qui manquent de travailleurs; un établissement d’enseignement fournira la formation nécessaire pour combler les manques. Le RHiM a aussi initié un projet de Normes professionnelles nationales; ce projet doit développer des lignes directrices claires et concises pour diverses occupations dans les mines. Diversification : D’autres initiatives visent à encourager les groupes minoritaires à travailler dans les mines, notamment, les Premières Nations, les femmes et les néo-Canadiens. Révision des bénéfices : « En plus de l’attrait des salaires élevés, des conditions avantageuses seront offertes; par exemple de la formation, le développement de carrières et des horaires flexibles », dit M. Hébert. « Les directeurs des ressources humaines devront planifier diverses stratégies. » « Nous ne pouvons pas offrir les salaires des sables bitumineux », dit M. Hulme. Peace River cible plutôt la qualité de vie : vivre avec sa famille au lieu de travailler selon des horaires de rotation dans un camp minier.
Initiatives Selon la plupart des représentants de l’industrie, l’approche durable est d’accroître le bassin de main-d’œuvre disponible; plusieurs initiatives sont examinées : Éducation : Selon M. Hébert, l’un des principaux défis demeure la méconnaissance du secteur minier, nos seulement de la part
L’avenir « Je crois que ces initiatives soulageront la pénurie, mais elles ne satisferont peut-être pas la demande », dit M. Hébert, « L’industrie minière surmonte cependant des défis depuis longtemps; en travaillant ensemble, nous y arriverons. Il faut explorer toutes les options,car il n’y a pas de pilule magique.» CIM May 2008 | 37
des gens et des mines
Exploiter les talents L’embauche de travailleurs de plus de 50 ans pour palier la crise de la main-d’œuvre ne bataille est en vue au Canada,non pas armée mais pour des talents. Plusieurs compagnies font déjà du maraudage et s’arrachent les nouveaux diplômés. L’outil secret de cette bataille, souvent ignoré, est le travailleur de plus de 50 ans. La ressource corporative future la plus importante sera des gens techniquement compétents. Cependant, avec l’accroissement de la demande, cet approvisionnement diminuera et c’est ce que ressentent déjà de nombreuses compagnies. Le problème est démographique. Au cours des 20 prochaines années, environ 10 millions de Canadiens prendront leur retraite, emportant avec eux expérience et connaissances industrielles. Le manque actuel de jeunes travailleurs qualifiés peut être en partie attribué au faible taux de natalité en Occident après 1964. Cette situation est encore plus critique au pays, où le nombre de Canadiens de plus de 60 ans dépasse le nombre de jeunes de moins de 5 ans.
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Exploiter les talents canadiens Selon un recensement Statistique Canada 2006, la croissance d’emplois la plus rapide était dans les industries extractives, avec un taux de croissance moyen de 7,5 % par année, soit environ quatre fois la moyenne nationale. Depuis 2002, le taux de croissance du produit intérieur brut pour le secteur minier canadien est d’environ le double de celui de l’économie canadienne en général. Selon les indicateurs économiques, cette croissance de l’industrie minière durera plusieurs années encore, augmentant la demande pour des travailleurs qualifiés. À ce problème s’ajoute le fait que de moins en moins de jeunes choisissent de faire carrière dans des métiers spécialisés.
Un plan d’action Pour réaliser les objectifs de l’organisation, il faut avoir les bonnes personnes à la bonne place, au bon moment. Sans une planification stratégique, les compagnies auront de la difficulté à remplir les postes ou à éviter la perte des connaissances. Une enquête de Deloitte effectuée en 2006 soulignait que 80 % des compagnies oeuvrant dans les secteurs de l’énergie 38 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
et des ressources ressentaient des limites de productivité et de rendement; 55 % croyaient que cela les empêchait de satisfaire les demandes des clients et seulement 18 % avaient des stratégies en place pour faire face à une situation qui se détériore. Les compagnies prévoyantes réalisent que les approches traditionnelles à court terme ne suffisent pas et qu’il faut une approche diversifiée qui attire, motive et retient non seulement les meilleurs jeunes travailleurs, les femmes et les Autochtones, mais aussi les travailleurs qualifiés plus âgés. Les compagnies devront donc analyser et comparer les compétences actuelles de la main-d’œuvre et celles qui seront requises à l’avenir afin d’identifier les manques et les surplus.
Rallier les travailleurs plus âgés Alors que l’on se dispute les jeunes travailleurs, de plus en plus de compagnies cherchent à attirer et à retenir des travailleurs d’âge mûr, dynamiques et qualifiés, surtout dans les métiers. Les compagnies doivent comprendre ce qui les motive à rester et quelles sont leurs préoccupations. Une fois qu’elle a obtenu réponse à ces questions, la compagnie doit créer des politiques et des procédures en conséquence. Le Workplace Institute, un centre canadien de recherche sur les travailleurs d’âge mûr, entre autres, a élaboré un modèle d’affaires polyvalent que les compagnies peuvent utiliser pour embaucher des travailleurs de tous âges. Ce modèle comprend des éléments communs à toutes les situations démographiques, dont : des conditions de travail flexibles pour un équilibre travail/vie personnelle; l’égalité des chances et le développement de carrières pour les travailleurs de tous âges; une adaptation pour diverses déficiences telles que de l’arthrite ou des pertes auditives; la reconnaissance; des conseils financiers; des services de santé; des options de retraite progressive et des stratégies de transfert des connaissances. Toutes les compagnies canadiennes devront affronter des défis de taille au cours des prochaines décennies, elles peuvent les surmonter en considérant les nouvelles recrues, les KAA-Boomers! CIM
Photo fournie par Elk Valley Coal
des gens et des mines
Survol des projets du RHiM et de ses partenaires e Conseil des ressources humaines de l’industrie minière (RHiM) est l’organisme chef de file reconnu pour l’élaboration de solutions destinées à relever les défis auxquels est confrontée l’industrie minière canadienne au niveau des ressources humaines. Ce qui suit est une mise à jour de quelques projets du RHiM et de ses partenaires.
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La Stratégie d’attraction, de recrutement et de rétention pour l’industrie minière (SARIM) Le programme intégré SARIM a été conçu pour accroître la participation de plusieurs groupes cibles, notamment les jeunes, les femmes, les Autochtones, les néo-Canadiens, les retraités et les travailleurs. Il est dirigé par un comité d’orientation de 21 personnes provenant de divers milieux industriels. En 2008, le Conseil prévoit livrer : • Manuel de l’employeur : Les meilleures pratiques visant à attirer, recruter et retenir les personnes des groupes cibles • Galerie de photos de l’industrie minière • Cheminements de carrière pour 10 emplois clés dans les mines • Boîte à outils du conférencier : Bureau en ligne des conférenciers, trousse de présentations PowerPoint, guide du conférencier, bannières • Programme virtuel de mentorat du secteur minier • Tableau d’affichage d’emplois pour étudiants
Programme des titres de compétences de l’industrie minière canadienne Cette initiative a débuté en 2006 avec le développement de trois Normes professionnelles canadiennes (NPC) dans les domaines du traitement des minerais et de l’exploitation souterraine et en surface. Ces NPC serviront de base pour divers systèmes d’accréditation et de formation des travailleurs miniers, fournissant ainsi à l’industrie minière une reconnaissance des habilités ainsi que divers outils de développement de la main-d’œuvre. Le travail sur les nouvelles normes et l’élaboration du système de certification devrait commencer au printemps 2008.
Réseau d’information sur la main-d’œuvre de l’industrie minière (RIMIN) Inauguré à l’automne 2007, le projet RIMIN élaborera et maintiendra un système d’information sur le marché du travail
(IMT) dans le but de prévoir avec exactitude l’offre et la demande de main-d’œuvre sur une base permanente. Ce projet de deux ans sera coordonné avec plusieurs initiatives provinciales/territoriales ciblant l’IMT et des analyses assureront la compatibilité du réseau avec les modèles régionaux. Quelques projets ont débuté au Québec, en ColombieBritannique et en Saskatchewan en même temps que des activités de consultation pour évaluer les besoins et les attentes des intervenants industriels quant à la fonctionnalité du système. Les premiers rapports sont attendus en 2009.
De la forêt aux mines Cette initiative développera un processus selon lequel les ouvriers spécialisés dans le domaine forestier pourront faire carrière dans les mines. Ce projet débutera au printemps 2008 par l’analyse détaillée des habilités et des lacunes de connaissances entre les métiers pour ensuite offrir la formation et les autres supports et infrastructures nécessaires au succès du programme. En collaboration avec des partenaires industriels, le RHiM produira un guide pour la transition des travailleurs d’autres secteurs vers le secteur minier.
Le Guide des ressources humaines de l’industrie minière à l’intention des communautés autochtones (GCA) L’inclusion des Premières Nations dans l’industrie minière canadienne est essentielle. Ce guide sera conçu pour aider les divers intervenants et agences impliqués dans le développement des ressources humaines autochtones, incluant les dirigeants communautaires et les institutions académiques qui veulent accroître la participation des Autochtones dans l’industrie minière. Un comité d’orientation pilote le projet; il comprend des membres des organismes suivants : l’Association minière du Canada, l’Association canadienne des prospecteurs et entrepreneurs, l’Assemblée des Premières Nations, Affaires indiennes et du Nord Canada, Ressources naturelles Canada, Ressources humaines et développement social Canada et l’Association minière autochtone canadienne. Sous forme de « marche à suivre », le guide fera mieux connaître les possibilités d’emploi et l’information pertinente sur les ressources humaines et l’industrie minière pour les peuples autochtones. Il devrait être terminé et distribué en 2009. CIM May 2008 | 39
des gens et des mines
Que vous soyez prêts ou non, ils arrivent
Marty Quintal, technicien en instrumentation
L’inclusion en milieu de travail Photo fournie par Syncrude Canada Ltd.
eux groupes distincts de personnes détiennent la clé pour palier le manque de main-d’œuvre dans l’industrie minière canadienne. Fait paradoxal, il s’agit de nos plus récents et de nos plus anciens citoyens – les nouveaux immigrants et les Autochtones. Les employeurs recherchent des membres de ces communautés pour les embaucher, souvent dans des postes hautement spécialisés. Par contre, plusieurs personnes craignent un peu ceux qui sont « différents ».L’on craint aussi que ces nouveaux employés se plaignent de remarques ou de conduites offensives (réelles ou perçues) de la part de collègues de travail. En fait, la plupart de nos inquiétudes ne sont pas fondées; la confiance prend quand même des efforts, comme pour tout nouvel employé, et cela ne se fait pas du jour au lendemain. Le Canada subit un changement démographique inégalé depuis la dépression. Dans les années 1920 et 1930, les immigrants étaient surtout de race blanche; mais, avec la Loi sur l’immigration, les préférences discriminatoires ne sont plus permises. Selon le recensement de 2001 (la religion n’était pas comprise dans celui de 2006), les groupes religieux à croissance la plus rapide étaient les Musulmans, les Sikhs, les Hindous et les Bouddhistes. À mesure que ces nouveaux Canadiens se sentent plus à l’aise, ils sont prêts à quitter les grands centres et le confort de leurs communautés et de leurs familles pour aller dans des régions éloignées, là où se trouvent les mines et l’exploration. Les Autochtones connaissent aussi un changement démographique. Selon le dernier recensement, les Autochtones représentent 3,8 % de la population du Canada; de plus, leur âge moyen est de 26,5 ans alors que celui du reste de la population est de 39,5 ans.
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À vous de jouer — Si vous « n’entendez pas » les propos racistes, vous devrez peut-être faire face à un taux élevé de renouvellement de l’effectif. Tout comme pour une tolérance zéro en santé et sécurité, la même norme devrait s’appliquer aux commentaires inappropriés. Il faut agir dès maintenant – ainsi, les nouveaux employés ne seront pas blâmés pour de nouvelles politiques. Oubliez le « melting pot » — Au Canada nous souscrivons à l’accommodement religieux. Donc, si une politique est en conflit avec la religion d’un employé – par exemple un congé religieux – il devrait y avoir un accommodement raisonnable, jusqu’à un point de « difficultés excessives ». La plupart des accommodations coûtent peu mais pourraient éviter de forts roulements de personnel. Parlez aux employés autochtones ou aux chefs de bande à propos des cérémonies spirituelles importantes; les requêtes ne viendront alors pas par surprise. Si vous voulez démontrer votre soutien encore plus, participez ou même commanditez des événements, si c’est approprié. Reconnaissez vos stéréotypes — Nous avons tous des préjugés. Cependant, ils peuvent nous empêcher d’accorder une chance égale à tous et ainsi nous priver d’embaucher la meilleure personne pour la tâche. Par exemple, si les employés provenant des Premières Nations ne sont pas adéquatement représentés au sein de la direction, cela peut être plus dû à de l’intolérance qu’à un manque de motivation, ce qui constitue un stéréotype déplorable. Les compagnies qui « font leurs devoirs » voient sans doute déjà des bénéfices. Pour les autres, il est temps d’embarquer : que vous soyez prêts ou non, ils arrivent. CIM
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Nouvelles tentatives Tournés vers l’avenir en éducation minière ’industrie minière offre toute une gamme de possibilités d’emplois au Canada et sur la scène internationale. Toutefois, les tendances aux neuf écoles de mines des universités canadiennes indiquent que les inscriptions au niveau du baccalauréat ne croissent pas assez pour satisfaire les besoins prévus pour l’avenir. Néanmoins, les éducateurs cherchant à attirer plus d’étudiants sont confiants que le nombre d’inscriptions augmentera.
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Hani Mitri est le directeur du département de génie des mines et des matériaux de l’Université McGill, un département qui a été fondé à la fin du 19e siècle. Des 2600 étudiants à la faculté de génie, seulement 65 étudient en mines, cependant ce nombre croît. « Il y a cinq ans nous avions 32 étudiants, nous avons donc doublé l’effectif », dit M. Mitri. « Nous projetons avoir une centaine d’étudiants d’ici trois ans. » L’école tente de nouvelles initiatives pour attirer plus d’étudiants. Une de ces initiatives est d’offrir une mineure en mines à tous les étudiants en génie. Une fois qu’ils ont complété un ensemble de cours obligatoires en mines, les étudiants sont éligibles pour un stage de travail dans l’industrie minière. « L’étudiant en génie reste dans sa discipline — génie mécanique, civil ou autre — et prend quelques cours supplémentaires afin d’obtenir une mineure en mines », explique M. Mitri. « Ce programme a déjà attiré 12 étudiants non en génie minier. L’idée est de faire connaître l’industrie minière aux ingénieurs; lorsqu’ils auront terminé leur cours, cela leur ouvre des portes et constitue un travailleur potentiel pour l’industrie. » Le comité consultatif de l’industrie est enchanté du programme. « C’est tout nouveau et nous devons le publiciser dans les secteurs non miniers, par exemple la comptabilité ou les finances », dit M. Mitri. « Plusieurs personnes qui entrent dans des programmes de commerce ne sont pas au courant des possibilités offertes dans le secteur minier. Des centaines de ces étudiants cherchent à travailler dans une banque alors que toutes les mines ont des services de comptabilité. » L’industrie minière doit jouer un rôle plus actif en éducation. « La seule façon de résoudre le problème est que l’industrie démontre son engagement, par exemple en finançant de nouveaux programmes. Les compagnies minières signaleraient ainsi aux universités l’importance de la formation minière au Canada », dit M. Mitri. Il poursuit en citant le don de Pierre Lassonde, président de Franco-Nevada Mining, à l’Université de Toronto. M. Lassonde a dit qu’il voulait une école de mines; il a mis l’argent sur la table et l’université a maintenant une école de mines. Paul Hébert, directeur exécutif du Federated School of Mines, est pleinement d’accord que l’industrie doit s’impliquer plus. « Il y a définitivement des possibilités de resserrer les liens entre le monde des affaires et celui de l’éducation. Nous ne pouvons pas attendre deux ou trois ans pour que les programmes de formation et d’éducation rattrapent les besoins de l’industrie. Nous devons reconnaître comment s’effectue le travail et cela pousse l’innovation et l’automatisation », poursuit M. Hébert. « Cependant, ces machines, il faut les construire et les entretenir. Nous devons éduquer et former les gens à l’utilisation des nouvelles technologies. » Pour M. Hébert, l’éducation minière est une bonne nouvelle, avec les perspectives de nombreux postes à l’horizon et un avenir positif pour le Canada. Il est aussi confiant que l’industrie relèvera le défi. « Les mineurs solutionnent les problèmes », dit-il. « Par définition, l’industrie recherche le nouveau – gisements, technologies et autres – elle a l’habitude d’être créative. » CIM May 2008 | 41
innovation page Mining innovation Opening up to a world of opportunity mining, not only underground but also on the surface. This technology will address a number of process performance issues. Increasingly, mining and mineral processing are becoming tightly coupled, and will become more so as new technologies are introduced to integrate more of the process in the mine to reduce material transport costs. As mines grow, the ton-kilometres of material transport becomes a higher operating and maintenance cost. Robotic mining technologies have reached the point of commercial deployment, but their first implementation may not be for automatic excavation and haulage, but for niche applications to reduce risks to workers, such as: capping and reclaiming tailings impoundments; applying wear-
Despite strong commodity prices, the need has never been greater for the mining industry to innovate. Technology development can address the challenges of a capital-intensive industry with ongoing cost pressures and staffing in remote locations, but only if the will exists to make it work. A mining operation is complex and continually changing, not to mention physically and mentally demanding for the people involved in the work — more than in manufacturing plants where advanced technology such as robots are typically used. So, the operating environment is a tougher chalby Michael Lipsett lenge for new equipment and systems than the conditions in a conventional plant. New technology must integrate smoothly with existing operations, and the initial capital cost must be balanced with high utilization and reliability to provide an adequate return. Despite the complex challenges for developing and A concept for evolutionary mining automation leading to revolutionary new processes. 42 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Photo courtesy of MDA Corporation
deploying new technologies, there are many opportunities to improve mining methods and reduce the ancillary costs of mining. Mining and mineral processing operations have to contend with variable feedstocks, disruptions in feed and multiphase process streams with unusual properties. A model-based analysis of these processes is needed to help operators to improve controllability, along with reliable sensing of key feedstock parameters such as grade and contaminants that would affect downstream separation processes. In this way, separations can be robust to feedstock variability without relying on energy intensity and expensive oreblending strategies. Automation of process control is a logical evolutionary development for
innovation page resistant overlays to increase the useful service life of ground-engaging tools, bins and liners; and inspecting hoists, structures and vessels in remote or hazardous locations. In this way, the technology can be integrated and debugged without putting the key production processes at risk. Such incremental innovations are not only simpler to retrofit, but they also provide a foundation of understanding and technology that can lead to a real leap forward. Step changes in technology change the nature of the business, such as enabling production from inaccessible or hazardous locations, delivering a level of performance not achievable by humans or existing technology. For example, shovels and trucks are limited by operator safety and comfort as much as by available power and structural loading limits. It is only through new technology that reserves will be increased, by being able to access ore that is not possible with today’s technology. The real commercial opportunities for robotic technology will be in production applications: automating most mining activities so that there is tight operational control of an integrated process. Some enabling technologies are required for this to happen, in organizations that are ready to innovate. Improved sensing systems will most likely be based on non-contact methods (vision). For machine navigation and control, this is necessary from automatic construction of unstructured environments, with scene refreshing so that the machine knows when changes occur and can automatically avoid collisions. Limited use of spectrometry and isotope detection is already used for ore grade estimation. Machine vision is used to detect lost shovel teeth and oversized lumps of ore on conveyor belts. New ore classification techniques are being developed; a real-time estimate of oil sands grade-to-fines ratio, with a real-time method to estimate bitumen recovery, finally brings the industry to the point of feed-forward
control of extraction. Near real-time ore characterization is also necessary at the mine face to reduce dilution. The best way to reduce the amount of dispersed clays in tailings is to avoid mining interburden in the first place. Improved communication is necessary to allow people to operate equipment from a distance. This has already been achieved underground, where radio spectrum allocation is not an issue. Navigation underground has been the challenge. Giving a person a good sense of what is going on requires a lot of bandwidth; but it is now possible to have the control room in another time zone. Where possible, machines should be given increased autonomy for a greater number of tasks with on-board control schemes to deal with the inherent uncertainties in a mining environment. In that way, multiple robots can work in a coordinated fashion, with the advantage of delivering a high level of production with smaller, less
expensive equipment, with smaller impact if one machine needs to shut down for service. Operating strategies will have to be developed for combined autonomous and human-operated systems, including design for ruggedness to different operating conditions, and delivering reliable service, through strategies for fault-tolerant control, error recovery and overall system reliability, and intelligent systems for machinery diagnostics and prognostics for predictive maintenance, based on relationships between production and reliability. This culture of innovation will have a significant impact on organizational structure and operating philosophy. In learning how to operate a mine like a factory, mining companies will develop best practices that can be used effectively now. CIM About the author Mike Lipsett ia a professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta.
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canadians abroad A love for his homeland, eh! Trekking around the world is a dream many people share. Meeting new people, learning new languages and experiencing different cultures can be very rewarding, but often work obligations get in the way of such exciting adventures. However, there are those lucky few that have a job that takes them to the four corners of the world. Although Pete Lahucik, market area manager, international, at Norcast Castings in Toronto, has been around the world and back many times, Canada still ranks number one on his list of favourite countries. An avid collector of frequent flyer miles, Lahucik was born and raised in Kamloops, British Columbia. He spent eight years in mining operations before The beauty of mining — Southern Copper Mexicana de Cobre joining MOLY-COP Canada in sales and marketing, where ier to sleep on a plane at night, even if he worked for 20 it is not business class,” he said. Although he works in the head years until June 2006. by Carolyn Hersey At that time, he office in Toronto, he notes that his curmoved to Toronto, Ontario, and joined rent travels in North America and the crew at Norcast Castings, a global around the globe take up 60 per cent of supplier of premium quality mill liners his time. “Many international trips and grinding media. In his current keep me away from Toronto for about position for Norcast in marketing and two to three weeks at a time,” comproduct support for domestic and mented Lahucik. Some countries outinternational customers, he often finds side of North America he visits on a himself working by day and travelling regular basis include Mexico, Chile, by night to be more efficient and make Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Venezuela, Ghana, the best use of his time. “It’s much eas- Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, var44 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
ious parts of Europe and Russia, just to name a few. “Travelling and working abroad is very interesting and an excellent life experience, yet tiring at times. You have to get rest when you can and take vitamins daily,” Lahucik stated. There are some definite perks that come with his travels. “Meeting with people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and listening to them talk about their own families and their way of life is quite an intriguing eye-opener. “And the food! Different types of food
canadians abroad
A few friends in the Andes Mountains in Peru on the way to Antimina mine
from all around the world. In South America, for example, the atmosphere is extremely relaxed and the people are so cordial, and they only eat dinner after about 9:00 p.m.” Of course, with the good comes some bad, and as all experienced travellers know, the process isn’t always so smooth. The shots, pills and immunizations that are required for travel into some countries are not very pleasant. Then, there’s the jet lag, fatigue, time zone changes, bad weather, flight delays, cancellations and the waiting around in airports. The cultural differences aren’t always easy either. Political unrest and the adaptation to a completely different way of doing business can be difficult to deal with. Traffic can also be a nightmare. “This one time, it took nine hours to drive 300 kilometres in Ghana, West Africa — due to bad roads and street vendors there’s just massive traffic congestion,” recalled Lahucik. With all the ups and downs of travel — literally and figuratively — Lahucik somehow still manages to keep it all together. A job such as this is not for the easily stressed or those who like a Monday to Friday, nine-to-five schedule. You can tell from his demeanor that he is pretty easy-going and loves his job with Norcast and his customers and new friends around the globe. The biggest lesson he learned during all his travels? “Never take for granted what we have here in Canada,” he said. Although he recognizes that Canada is not without its flaws, and loves what he does and the travelling that goes along with it, his heart still belongs to the maple leaf. “Without a doubt, I live in the best country in the world,” he stated emphatically. Sometimes, a small glimpse into the lives of others can be the best medicine for restoring a healthy sense of national pride. “I sometimes wish that I could take people with me on my trips, just for the experience. I’m sure that they would have a much different view on how things are in our homeland; we have it so good in Canada — much better than most of us could ever imagine.”
Lahucik, second from right, onsite at Goldfields Tarkwa mine, Ghana
Lahucik is proud to be a Canadian and always has a maple leaf luggage tag on his briefcase and suitcase. “Everyone around the world loves and respects Canadians. They see that tag and want to meet me and ask questions.” He is always willing to tell people about this great country and how proud he is to be Canadian. CIM
May 2008 | 45
student life
On February 21, the University of British Columbia and Vancouver welcomed over 120 students and over 60 industry representatives to the 18th annual Canadian Mining Games. Mining Games is an event where mining engineering students across Canada can develop and showcase their problem-solving, teamwork, and communication skills through competition with their peers. It also provides by Glenn Finlay a unique opportunity for students to network with industry, represent their university and build friendships with students across Canada. Testing competitors’ accuracy and safety at the Jackleg drilling event, designed and run by Boart-Longyear. Every year, the Mining Games provide students from across day, guests were treated to some of the Centre and aboard the Queen of Canada with an unforgettable experi- best dining and nightlife that Diamonds, to parties that started at the ence, which has been matched again at Vancouver has to offer. From banquets Blarney Stone, Plush and Plaza, and UBC. At the end of each competition at the Pan Pacific, Sheraton Wall didn’t end until the buses arrived the next morning, friendships were made and rivalries forgotten. While the games could not exist without the competitiveness of the 10 participating schools, the true value of this annual tradition lies in the experiences we share and the people we meet over these three days. The mining community is a small one, spread across the globe, and the games give students and sponsors from across Canada and the world a unique opportunity to come together in an environment where, quite often, anything goes.
Results and new events For the second year running, the University of Alberta returned home triumphant, placing in the top three in numerous events after winning the traditional boat race on opening night. Hosts UBC came in second 46 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Photo credit: Brian Lai.
Canadian Mining Games at UBC a success
student life overall, with Laval taking third place, in an order mirroring the boat race finals. The 2008 games also saw the introduction of a new competitive event, the safety inspection. Event sponsor and designers from Elk Valley Coal ran teams through an interactive, simulated work environment and judged teams’ ability to perform a job safety analysis. We look forward to watching this new event evolve in the coming years. Another new addition to the games was the Career Fair. Response from our sponsors has been overwhelmingly positive. The Career Fair also presented a unique opportunity for our local companies to gain exposure with our guests from the eastern schools. We are proud to have introduced this new event to the Mining Games and to have given all of our
competitors and sponsors a better chance to meet one another.
Student involvement and the future of Mining Games The games also present the host school with many chances to involve the next generation of miners. Most teams that attend consist of students who have been to several Mining Games, or who are near graduation. As this year’s hosts, we are pleased to have had upwards of half of our second-year class involved as volunteers, either on the organizing committee or at the events themselves. For all of us, these games have been invaluable, both for the relationships we have built and for the shared experience of being involved in such a large event. Our committee members, volunteers and team captains have learned lessons in leadership, organization,
Students! • Want to give industry your two cents' worth on a particular topic? • Been on a recent mining adventure? • Have an interesting story to share?
communication and many other skills which are rarely, if ever, taught in a classroom. On behalf of the committee, I would like to thank our many sponsors for their generous support and express a sincere wish that we will all continue to support the Canadian Mining Games in the coming years. We’ll see you next year in Toronto! CIM
About the author Glenn Finlay is a secondyear mining engineering student at the University of British Columbia and the 2008 Mining Games vice president of communications.
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May 2008 | 47
the supply side
Conditions and trends for Canadian firms in global markets
Each year, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME); surveys its member firms to determine what conditions and trends they are experiencing in competing in global markets. The most recent report, covering 2007 and looking forward to 2008, reflects the experiences of 1,014 companies from across by Jon Baird Canada, two-thirds of which employ less than 250 people and have annual sales of less than $25 million. Of the total, 89 per cent are manufacturers and 85 per cent are exporters. This article highlights some of the findings, which I expect may be of interest to CAMESE member firms and other Canadian suppliers to the mining industry. The complete 36-page document is available at www.cmemec.ca/pdf/cme08.pdf. 48 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
In his President’s Message, CME president Jayson Myers said, “In Canada, we tend to emphasize our differences. Every Canadian and every Canadian business is unique. I think that you will see through our survey that often we are unique in very similar ways.� Following this logic, I expect that some of the conditions and trends in the mining supply sector are close to those reported by CME members, although given the buoyancy of the mining industry, there must be differences in market conditions between our sector and Canadian manufacturing in general. For example, while total manufacturing shipments and production volumes have remained flat over the last year, these must have risen for mining suppliers. Our sector is likely less dependent on the U.S. market than the broad manufacturing sector. Further, while the CME companies remain extremely cautious about future business prospects, these would appear to be brighter for mining suppliers. The overriding conclusion of the survey is that intense international competition and the rapid appreciation of the Canadian dollar are coupled with concerns over rising commodity, energy and other business costs, plus the effects of a slowdown in the U.S. economy. The four most pressing challenges indicated by respondents were, in order of priority: 1) keeping costs
A page for and about the supply side of the Canadian mining industry
under control; 2) responding to dollar appreciation; 3) improving workforce productivity/flexibility; and 4) attracting and retaining skilled workers. I would suggest that mining suppliers would generate a similar list. To a question on how they are responding to dollar appreciation, the top strategies are: 1) improving operating efficiency; 2) cutting costs; 3) improving supply chain efficiency; 4) investing in new technology; and 5) developing higher value products and services. With respect to advising government on trade priorities, there was a fairly flat response to 11 suggested points. The top ones, quite predictably, were: 1) increase support for companies preparing to enter new markets; 2) connecting to international procurement opportunities; 3) bilateral reduction of trade barriers; 4) increased support for assessing partner capabilities; 5) increased support for market assessment; and 6) multilateral reduction of trade barriers. The surveyed companies see the greatest potential for export growth in the United States, Western Europe, China and Mexico. While the mining supply sector may agree on China and Mexico, we would likely be quite disinterested in Western Europe. We would also add much of Latin America, Africa, Australia, Russia and its former republics, and also India as top priorities, reflecting the global nature of the growing mining industry. The nature of mining markets is that developing countries can be of even greater interest than developed countries. CIM
About the author Jon Baird is managing director for CAMESE.
eye on business Drug testing in the mining sector Reconciling human rights and heavy equipment
Their [mining industry workers] jobs require clear minds and a dedication
Let’s face it. Many mining industry workers match a profile for drug use and abuse — young, highly paid and far from home. Their jobs, however, require clear minds and a dedication to safety. Many companies, executives and managers1 consider pre-employment drug testing an effective tool for increasing workplace safety. Employers have received little support over the years from legislators and adjudicators in metropolitan centres like Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. In Canada, pre-employment and random drug tests have been viewed as efforts to weed out drug-addicted applicants and employees. Addiction has been treated, first and foremost, as a disability rather than a safety risk. by Martin Denyes Leading cases, such as the 2000 Ontario Court of Appeal decision in Entrop v. Imperial Oil Ltd., have reached these conclusions and have further accepted that drug testing provides no evidence of impairment, because drug metabolites linger in the body long after impairment ends. 1 The
The recent Alberta Court of Appeal decision in Alberta (Human Rights and Citizenship Commission) v. Kellogg Brown & Root (Canada) seems to move in a different direction, recognizing real-world risks in the resource sector. A closer review, however, confirms that neither the law, nor the decision, is straightforward and simple just yet.
concluded that Chiasson had not faced unlawful discrimination because he was not disabled.
Key facts
Exercise caution
John Chiasson applied for a job with KBR, working on a Syncrude oil sands construction project. He was offered a job, conditional on a clean drug test. He tested positive for marijuana use and confirmed he was a casual user who had smoked marijuana five days before the test. He had started the job and his employment was then terminated. He filed a human rights complaint. A human rights panel concluded that, though drug testing discriminated, per se, against addicts, Chiasson was not an addict and therefore not protected. The decision was overturned by the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench. On December 28, 2007, the Court of Appeal issued its decision and, from the outset, made it clear it understood the dilemma facing employers on big projects. On page 1 of the decision, the Court described the situation: “The project was massive. Several thousand workers worked at the site … The work site was a literal anthill of activity … Some of the largest industrial equipment on the planet was in use and the accident risk was high. Consequences of accidents could impact workers, the plant and the environment.” The Court of Appeal went on to reject the Queen’s Bench decision and
Employers should be cautious in relying too heavily on KBR: 1. Complainants can argue that even if the casual user is not facing discrimination, testing nonetheless discriminates against addicts. This argument was raised in KBR. The Court of Appeal dismissed it because it had not been raised in pleadings or evidence and not because there was no merit to the argument. 2. Future complainants may be more inclined to claim they are addicts. 3. Privacy laws may rescue casual users. Drug use is, presumably, “personal information.” Drug testing is “collection” of such information. If a job applicant testifies that he smoked marijuana five days before a drug test, an adjudicator may well decide that “collection” and use of such information was an unjustified invasion of privacy that does not prove impairment. One thing is certain — barring a further appeal, there is no risk that Chiasson will be involved in a workplace accident at KBR because of casual drug use. Employers should be cautious, however, about reading anything more into the decision. Preemployment drug testing will continue to be a contentious legal issue in Canada. CIM
reference to “companies, executives and managers” is important. Human rights complaints typically name an employer, then go on to name as a party anyone else the complainant believes played a role in discriminating against them. If a project manager requires subcontractors to drug test candidates, the project manager may be named as a party. Executives, supervisors and human resource managers who introduce or administer policies are also typically named as parties.
to safety.
About the author Martin Denyes is a labour and employment lawyer with Fasken Martineau in Toronto. May 2008 | 49
MAC economic commentary Celebrating a Canada-Peru free trade agreement
The past decade has not been particularly kind to those seeking further liberalization of global trade and investment. Progress through the World Trade Organization, as the main global responsibility centre, is stalled and it is not evident whether the entrenched agricultural subsidy interests in the European Union and United States have diminished at all in recent years. In the investment sphere, a wide range of countries, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Argentina, Mongolia, Chile and Russia, are conveying negative sentiments regarding the security of foreign capital invested in their economies. In this context, it is certainly worth celebrating whatever progress can be made towards further liberalization, including free trade agreements signed on a bilateral basis — as by Paul Stothart these enhance the economic prosperity of the affected countries. In the example of an agreement between particularly important trade and investment partners, this impact and cause for celebration is doubly true. Such is the case with the Canada-Peru free trade agreement, on which negotiations were successfully concluded in late January 2008. Peru is an attractive economic partner for Canada. As stated by Canada’s trade 50 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
minister David Emerson, “Peru has emerged as one of the most dynamic economies in the Americas.” Peru has a strong economy, stable inflation, a responsible fiscal approach and, importantly, a clear stance in favour of trade liberalization. These characteristics contrast, perhaps, to the troubling signals coming from other countries in the region. Canada and Peru already have a strong trade relationship. Two-way merchandise trade between the two countries amounted to $2.4 billion in 2006. Canadian exports of agriculture and food products, machinery and equipment, minerals and ores, paper and other products should benefit over time from a free trade agreement, as should exports of telecom, environmental and other services. Peru is also an important destination for Canadian direct investment abroad. It is estimated that Canada has a stock of $2.9 billion in capital directly invested in the Peruvian economy, primarily in the minerals and metals (mining) sector, although important investment relationships also exist in electricity transmission, telecom and printing. The Canadian mining industry has a long-standing involvement in the Peruvian economy and strongly supports the free trade agreement. The agreement commits Peru to eliminate tariffs on 94 per cent of current Canadian exports (and Canada to eliminate tariffs on 97 per cent of Peruvian exports) — the products that will move to duty-free access once the agreement comes into effect include machinery and equipment. This will serve to enhance the attractiveness of mining projects where specialized equipment may have to be imported to Peru. On the investment front, the agreement will promote stronger two-way flows between Canada and Peru. It will lock in market access for Canadian investors in Peru and for Peruvian investors in Canada, will provide for nondiscriminatory treatment of investment
and will allow investors to access international arbitration bodies, to resolve disputes (although it presently remains unclear whether these commitments apply to existing direct investments, or whether they apply only to future investments — this will not be known until the FTA document is made public in the near future). Beyond the tariff and investment provisions, other dimensions of the agreement relating to the environment, labour, capacity-building and government procurement will further strengthen the Canada-Peru relationship. There are an estimated 70 Canadian companies with an investment presence in Peru. Important Canadian mining companies such as Barrick Gold, IAMGOLD, Inmet and Teck Cominco are present in Peru. According to the Mines Handbook 2008, approximately 80 Canadian mining and junior exploration companies are developing and/or prospecting for resources in Peru. Teck Cominco, BHP Billiton and Xstrata have important ownership stakes in the Antamina mine in the Andes Mountains — one of the world’s largest copper-zinc mines. It is likely that these kinds of investments and interactions will increase as the free trade agreement becomes an entrenched component of the Canada-Peru relationship. There are a few remaining steps to be taken before the benefits of a CanadaPeru free trade agreement take effect. The draft agreement is presently being translated and produced in English, French and Spanish before undergoing a “legal scrub.” The agreement will then be released to the public and proceed through the respective parliamentary and ratification processes of the two countries. It is hoped that a ratified agreement will take effect in January 2009. CIM
About the author Paul Stothart is the vice president of economic affairs at the Mining Association of Canada.
standards Feasibility study standards Conceptual (scoping, preliminary assessment) Establish the principal characteristics of the project from the geology, resources, metallurgy and development constraints. Assess different approaches to mining and processing. Identify project execution requirements. Test project viability with economic analyses. Recommend additional work to increase the confidence in geology, resources, metallurgical performance, infrastructure, operating and capital costs, environmental conditions and permitting to allow selection of the best development options. Feasibility studies are the means by which mineral reserves are established prior to financing a project. However, guidelines are generally lacking for the content, data quality and accuracy of these studies. Regulators take a principle-based rather than prescriptive approach to the content of studies and look to the industry to define study content. Professional organizations, engineering firms and mining companies must eventually establish guidelines and best practices for this work. Most likely these will draw on standards or “stage gates� that have been developed by major mining houses and engineering firms. Engineering studies must: 1. Define optimal mining and processing methods, production rates, infrastructure, product sales, environmental management and risk mitigation. 2. Increase confidence by Larry B. Smith in resources, reserves, production plans, processing performance, infrastructure design, environmental management, permitting, capital and operating costs, and financial performance to support financing. 3. Provide engineering designs suitable for accurate cost estimates. 4. Develop project execution plans with sufficient confidence that project delays and cost overruns will not occur.
Prefeasibility Upgrade the project design and establish reserves. Enhance project performance. Improve and increase the confidence in mining title, resources, mine plans, process performance, operating and capital costs, infrastructure designs, construction and logistics requirements, and environmental management. Cost estimates will be preliminary. Conceptual designs are complete for most facilities, including construction-phase infrastructure. Recommend work to reach feasibility study.
Feasibility Develop designs and execution plans that will support accurate capital cost estimates and detailed engineering. Continue to optimize the project performance. Resources, reserves and production plans will be of high confidence. Cost estimates are based on first principles and direct quotes. Product prices are firm; terms for shipping, smelting and refining are negotiated. Risks are mitigated. Financial analyses are thorough. Mining title is assured, environmental conditions are well established, a detailed environmental management plan has been developed and permitting is advanced. A project execution plan is detailed enough to proceed into engineering
procurement and construction management (EPCM).
Definitive feasibility More detailed engineering may be undertaken prior to procurement and construction, otherwise this is done under the EPCM contract. Definitive engineering may be done where capital costs pose an extreme risk to project economics. Banks may require more detailed engineering than an operating company funding with its internal equity. On the other hand, corporate governance and business practices at integrated mining companies may require a significant level of detail and checks at each stage in the development process. This is highly dependent on the risk and technical culture of each company. Some companies unfortunately attempt to shortcut the process by leaping from scoping to feasibility in an attempt to gain the benefit of current high metal prices. Fast-track projects become hyper-track projects. This can create major disconnects between project cornerstones and engineering designs, leading to a failed project or major remedial work that ultimately delays the project. AMEC uses two guidelines in executing feasibility studies: one based on the objectives of each stage, the other based on engineering design. Each technical area is moved from very preliminary and low confidence at scoping level to high confidence at the feasibility level. Engineering designs progress from no more than five per cent complete at scoping to 20 to 30 per cent complete at feasibility. This may be advanced to 60 per cent in a definitive study or moved on to EPCM. CIM
About the author Larry B. Smith is vice president consulting with AMEC, Natural Resources/Mining and Metals. May 2008 | 51
engineering exchange Creating jobs in Madagascar Canadian engineering-construction firm SNC-Lavalin has recently taken their interest in the mining industry one step further, by becoming an equity stakeholder in the Ambatovy project in Madagascar, one of the largest nickel and cobalt deposits in the world. The project is jointly owned by Sherritt (40 per cent), Sumitomo Corporation of Japan (27.5 per cent), Korea Resources (27.5 per cent) and SNC-Lavalin, who owns five per cent of the shares and is also the project’s EPCM contractor. The enormity of the Ambatovy project and the lack of infrastructure in the area of the mine and processing facility are only two of the challenges Toronto Local labour preparing foundation for temporary bilding structure by Haidee Weldon SNC-Lavalin engineers are faced with. “It’s explained Albert Sweetnam, SNC-Lavalin senior vice presia very remote area and we had to start from scratch,” dent, and Ambatovy project director. “Everything from power, water and sewage systems to access roads had to be built, and railway lines significantly upgraded.” Construction, which began in May 2007, should be completed by 2010, followed by a three-year ramp up period. Design is 50 per cent completed and the mine life is estimated to be at least 27 years. SNC-Lavalin has designed and is implementing a Local Resource Development Initiative (LRDI) program to train the PETROLEUM Servicing your fuel needs across Canada MANAGEMENT Malagasy people who make up 96 per cent of the construcSOLUTIONS tion workforce at this phase of the project. Approximately 2,300 local workers have already undergone basic skills train• Supply, install & manage ing, with the aim of training upwards of 5,000 in total. Many on-site cardlock fueling facilities of these workers will go on to additional training for future • On-site equipment fueling operations. • Satellite monitored fuel Another goal of the LRDI program is to maximize the parPORTABLE CARDLOCK FUELING FACILITY inventory ticipation of local suppliers. “Local enterprises are engaged The above cardlock facility consists of two diesel tanks, a • On-site lubricant whenever possible and an array of cottage industries has been 68,000L, a 30,000L and one 20,000L tank for gasoline. warehousing These facilities vary in size from one tank up to ten or created to help fulfill the needs of the mine and the plant,” • Risk management more tanks depending on the size of your project. AFD Sweetnam explained. For example, local companies are offers sales, rentals and leasing to suit any mine. fuel price hedging involved in the execution of the earthworks, concrete, fencing, erosion control and supply of some of the materials. Even www.albertafuel.com the personal protective gear worn on site and the bamboo 1-800-926-3835 mats used in erosion control are now being made in Madagascar. “The Malagasy people are quick to learn and are incredibly enthusiastic,” observed John Lindsay, vice president operations and technology, SNC-Lavalin. Getting an enormous project like Ambatovy up and running in Madagascar is not without challenges. According to a July 3, 2007, article in the International Herald Tribune, Madagascar is the ninth poorest nation in the world. All supplies and equipment, including some of the food to feed 52 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
engineering exchange the workers, have to be imported. “Water management has been given Everything is brought in by ship, special consideration at both the mine which places expanding the existing and the plant,” Lindsay stated. Average port to accommodate the ships high on rainfall at the mine site is 1,700 milthe list of priorities. limetres per year and 3,340 millimetres The processing plant will be located per year at the plant site. With that near the port, but the mine itself is kind of water volume, SNC-Lavalin has over 220 kilometres away. A pipeline had to act quickly. “Special attention 220 kilometres long will be con- was given to runoff and drainage structed to transport the slurry to the trenches, silt fencing, settling ponds, processing plant, which will use a the collection of water and, of course, hydrometallurgical pressure acid leach how it will be treated and released,” and sulphide precipitation process, explained Lindsay. followed by solvent extraction and Dale Clarke, vice president and hydrogen reduction, to recover the general manager of SNC-Lavalin’s nickel and cobalt. Toronto office, acknowledged the Five of the largest autoclaves in the importance of environmental responworld, destined for the Ambatovy proj- sibility and sustainability in the ect, are presently under construction in development of mining projects, Belgium and China. The autoclaves, pointing out that all aspects of the weighing 900 tons each, will be mine are to be developed in accorshipped in one piece on special cargo dance with World Bank and other recships that will be modified to accom- ognized standards and best practices. CIM Nickel Specialists:Layout 1 02/04/2008 12:25 PM Pageof1 modate these Project colossal devices. Clarke is extremely supportive
today’s strict environmental and social standards. “Think of the artisanal mining efforts currently occurring in other areas of the world,” he explained. “Those artisanal activities are creating significant environmental impacts and dangerous working conditions for the local workers. If responsible mining companies were allowed to develop their proposed mines in these areas, as they currently plan to, they would clean up the sites and provide safer and healthier working conditions for the local people. The Ambatovy project in Madagascar is an excellent example of a responsible company developing a project in a sustainable manner.” SNC-Lavalin and the other project stakeholders are helping to ensure that the Ambatovy project will leave a legacy of industry growth, sustainability and a clean environment in Madagascar. CIM
LEADERS IN ENGINEERING, PROCUREMENT AND CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
NICKEL PROJECT SPECIALISTS
MINING METALLURGY INFRASTRUCTURE Toronto Office: 2200 Lake Shore Blvd. West Toronto, Ontario M8V 1A4 Tel: (416) 252-5311 Fax: (416) 231-5356
Vancouver Office: 1800-1075 West Georgia St. Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 3C9 Tel.: (604) 605-3555 Fax: (604) 662-7688
Montréal Office: 455 René-Lévesque Blvd. West Montréal, Québec H2Z 1Z3 Tel: (514) 393-1000 Fax: (514) 866-0795
mining@snclavalin.com
May 2008 | 53
HR outlook A new “Force” for the mining industry The Canadian mining industry is experiencing an unprecedented period of prosperity. This, combined with a projected 40 per cent retirement rate over the next 10 by Melanie Sturk years, has created an intense skills shortage in the industry. No longer is the sector able to look solely to Canadian training and educational institutions to completely meet the labour demand. The Mining Industry Human Resources Council is pursuing an integrated strategy to address critical HR shortages by dispelling oversimplified views of our industry, encouraging talented young people to pursue careers in mining, establishing a national mining
54 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
credentialing program and tapping into non-traditional labour pools. In particular, the council is striving towards the attraction and recruitment of non-traditional human resources to the industry. The focus of mining-related career promotion has targeted youth, aboriginal people, women, new Canadians and Canadian ex-pats through the Mining Industry Attraction, Recruitment and Retention Strategy program. MiHR is also working on a “From Forestry to Mining” project aimed at developing a process to support the transition of skilled workers from occupations in the forestry sector to careers in the mining workforce. Recently, a new target group of nontraditional mining workers has
emerged — retiring Canadian Forces personnel. Canadian military veterans have been identified as a natural fit for employment in our sector. Forces personnel are highly skilled, with a combination of technical and leadership training; they have proven experience working in remote areas and situations that require safety awareness, critical thinking and process application. Also, it is expected that several military occupations will have a high degree of overlap with key occupations in the mining industry. Transitioning veterans from a military occupation to a civilian career in the mining industry is an innovative concept and expectedly, employers will need some basic information.
HR outlook Once an individual in the Forces completes his or her initial commitment (usually a span of three to five years), he or she has three career options: 1) to continue with a career in the Forces, 2) to leave the Forces entirely and seek civilian occupations or, 3) become a Canadian Reservist, with a full-time civilian career. The mining industry can gain skilled workers from options two and three.
Option Two Through partnership with the Canadian Forces, the mining industry has an opportunity to align its recruitment efforts with military career services. Given accurate information and competency standards for the industry, Forces career counselors can illustrate the transferability of acquired skills, positioning the sector as a viable option for workers who are leaving the Forces.
Option Three The mining sector can take simple steps to become a ‘Reservist friendly’ employer. Reservists require just two weeks of Forces training per year to maintain their Reservist status. Providing two weeks for professional development is an easy arrangement for many mining companies, particularly fly-in/fly-out operations. Also, it is important to note that unlike the US Reserves, Canadian Reservists can volunteer for a tour of duty if and when it best suits them. They are not required to perform additional tours. These assignments can be planned well in advance, and appropriate arrangements can be made with the agreement and support of their civilian employers. An added bonus is that employees returning from an additional tour of duty, come back with more training and new skills, all to the benefit of their civilian employer.
More details on the recruitment of these potential workers will be provided to industry as the military-tomining concept develops. For more information about this initiative, plan on attending the CIM Conference and Exhibition in Edmonton from May 4 to 7. A representative of the Canadian Forces will attend and present at the Human Resources session on the morning of May 6. CIM About the Author Melanie Sturk is the project manager for the Mining Attraction, Recruitment and Retention project at MiHR
About the author Melanie Sturk is the project manager for the Mining Attraction Recruitment and Retention project at MiHR.
May 2008 | 55
safety Health and safety in mineral exploration – the PDAC role Mineral exploration activity has long been associated in many people’s minds with the lone prospector camped in the wild. This image does not accurately describe most activities involved in modern exploration. However, many of the health and safety challenges of the environment that the lone man faced — weather, terrain and sometimes hostile animals — are still with us. Added to these are health and safety challenges relating to modern technology, especially helicopters and diamond drills. Exploration, once dominated by large companies, is increasingly conducted by small teams, often made up of part-time technical and non-technical employees, employed by junior companies that do not have the health and safety resources of large companies. The Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada recognized that more needed to be done in the area of health and safety specific to exploration, and that this is a non-comby Bill Mercer petitive issue that companies, through associations, need to address jointly. As a result, the association formed the PDAC Health and
In cooperation with the Association for Mineral Exploration in British Columbia, complete an annual national survey of accidents in exploration. Two surveys (2005 and 2006) have been completed to date and the reports are available on the PDAC website. Complete a globally valid health and safety manual for exploration that will be freely available on the Internet. The manual is now being developed by a professional health and safety writer under contract to PDAC. Much of the raw material has been donated by major companies. The main basis will be material owned by the writer, Courtney Mitchell. Completion of the manual is scheduled for late summer 2008. Disseminate good practice guidelines in health and safety throughout the industry when risks are identified as a result of serious accidents. Offer, in conjunction with Sirius Wilderness Medicine, a series of wilderness first aid courses. The annual survey has shown that the greatest risks of fatality in mineral exploration relate to modes of transportation, especially helicopters, followed by drowning and then vehicles. With the recent increase in exploration activity, fatalities have been higher in the past few years than at any time since 1980. PDAC takes health and safety issues very seriously and will continue to do all it can to help industry improve its performance. CIM
Mercer at Thor Lake Project of Avalon Ventures.
Safety Committee in 2005. The committee now has a large and varied membership, ranging from geologists to health and safety professionals, a representative of the diamond drilling industry and an aviation expert. The committee’s principal objectives are to eliminate fatalities and reduce lost time accidents. The main initiatives underway at present are fourfold.
About the author Bill Mercer is vice president, exploration, Avalon Ventures Ltd., a geological consultant, and the PDAC Health and Safety Committee chair. 56 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Before uranium Early mining in Saskatchewan Saskatchewan today accounts for a significant portion of Canada’s mineral production. Fourth in terms of overall mineral value, the province is first not just in Canada but in the world when it comes to uranium production. But before uranium, which only took centre stage in late 1940s, Saskatchewan already had a long and varied mining history, starting as early as 1857. John Palliser, a British aristocrat and army officer, had received funding from the Royal Geographical Society, the British Colonial Office and the Hudson’s Bay Company to explore western Canada. Palliser’s party included a geologist, a botanist and an astronomer, and had collected a great deal of data on local John Palliser, the first to discover Saskatchewan’s coal. flora, fauna, geography and poten- Captain Photo credit: Saskatchewan Archives Board, R-A4962-1. tial areas for settlement. The expedition also discovered a number of the North Saskatchewan River near mineral deposits, the most significant the town of Prince Albert. The disof these being the coal seams near the covery was made by prospectors travtown of Estevan. Commercial produc- elling to a different gold prospecting tion of coal from these deposits began site: the Cariboo gold rush in British in 1880, and Estevan remains a coal Columbia. The discovery was made mining town to this day. in 1859, but prospecting for the Palliser’s expedition ventured into placer (also known as surface) gold the Rocky Mountains in search of a did not truly begin until 1861. The passage to the prospectors used dredges and sluices by Dan Zlotnikov Pacific Ocean and to extract the gold from the riverbed traversed six passes in the south of the and operations continued for almost range, but was unable to reach the 60 years. final goal and returned to England in Saskatchewan’s oil and gas producJune 1860. Palliser delivered his report tion was born in 1874, when the first to the Colonial Office in April 1862 oil well was drilled at Fort Pelly, folbut no immediate action resulted, pos- lowed by a gas well at Belle Plaine in sibly due to the American Civil War 1883. The next milestone was the being waged in the New World. beginning of commercial clay producEven before Palliser had left the tion in 1886 at the Dirt Hills clay continent, Saskatchewan’s next major deposit. Tom McWilliams, a local find had occurred — gold found in homesteader, had applied for permis-
sion to mine the rare and rich deposit of refractory — or heatresistant — clay he had found. McWilliams extracted the clay and sold it to brickmakers in Moose Jaw all the way until 1904, when an official partnership with the Moose Jaw Fire Brick and Pottery Company was formed to exploit the deposit. The site eventually became home to the town of Claybank and the brick plant of the same name. The Claybank plant remained in operation until 1989. Today, the plant is a designated National Historic Site, managed by the Saskatchewan Heritage Foundation. Saskatchewan was also home to the first major gold discovery west of Ontario when, in 1913, prospector Tom Creighton discovered gold on Amisk Lake. Prospectors rushed to the site, establishing Beaver City near the Hudson Bay post and warehouse, on the south shore of the lake. Beaver City did not last much beyond 1915, when copper and zinc were found in nearby Flin Flon and most of the prospectors moved to the new site. While Beaver City had become a true ghost town by 1918, Flin Flon remains an active mine site today. Saskatchewan’s mining development continued with discoveries of sodium sulphate deposits in 1918, salt deposits in 1920, and nickel, platinum and palladium in 1928. Today, Saskatchewan provides an enormous variety of these and other minerals, and plays a major part in Canada’s mining production and will doubtlessly continue to do so over decades to come. CIM May 2008 | 57
featured mines
Sussex mine
Lucky strike PotashCorp’s Picadilly project by | Angie Gordon
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Saskatchewan-based PotashCorp’s potash and salt operation in New Brunswick is strategically and logistically very important to the company. Along with an impressive production capacity, its close proximity to the company’s Port of Saint John terminal enables it to take advantage of the shortest shipping times to the growing Latin American potash markets. The division also plays a vital role in the New Brunswick economy. With 340 people employed in the underground mining operations, surface refinery and administration offices, and approximately 70 full-time contractor personnel, it is the 58 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
largest employer in the Sussex area and one of the largest in the province. So, when a new orebody was discovered near Picadilly, approximately 800 metres from the existing site, there was some cause for celebration. Plans for a new potash mine and expanded milling operation in the area comes as welcomed news to both the company and the New Brunswick community. The expansion is expected to more than double the annual potash production capacity, from 785,000 metric tonnes a year to an impressive two million tonnes, and
featured mines increase salt production from 600,000 to approximately 800,000 tonnes a year.
The New Brunswick operations Currently, the potash is mined underground at a depth of between 400 and 700 metres and is cut by continuous mining machines utilizing a cut-and-fill mining method, allowing for a high extraction ratio. “The operation is somewhat unique within the North American potash industry in that all of our tailings are stowed underground, and used as fill in the cutand-fill operation,” explained PotashCorp’s New Brunswick division general manager Mark Fracchia. The potash is then transported via conveyor belt to a storage bin located at the main shaft and then hoisted to the surface for processing. The Sussex mill has an evaporator circuit that is used to recycle the excess brine water, alleviating the need for surface pond storage and disposal. The rock salt is also extracted by continuous mining machines using a multi-level room-and-pillar method. It is then conveyed to storage, crushed and screened before being hoisted to surface storage facilities. Approximately 95 per cent of the potash is shipped 70 kilometres by railcar to PotashCorp’s Port of Saint John terminal storage and shiploading facilities in preparation for export.
Market demand Fracchia stated that demand for both potash and salt have been very strong. The primary driver for fertilizer sales is related to the increased demand for food, fueled by population growth and dietary changes. The rising incomes and demand for high protein foods in China, India and other developing nations means increased global demand for potash-based fertilizer, especially in the face of decreases in arable land. The primary market for the potash produced at PotashCorp’s Sussex operation is Brazil, though it also ships to other South and Central American countries and to the Caribbean, as well as to the United States. All of the salt produced at the Sussex operation is used for road salt. Approximately half of it stays in the province, where it is used by municipalities, and the other half is shipped down through the U.S. northeast. Fracchia explained that this market varies according to the weather and admited that a particularly harsh winter this past season translated into very high demand.
Brine inflow challenge Beginning in about 1997, the mine began experiencing a brine inflow problem that has increased year after year, until peaking last May at about 1,800 GPM (US gallons per minute). “Since then, grouting efforts have been stepped up and we
Mining salt at Sussex
brought in a drilling rig from Alberta to drill from the surface, in addition to the existing two underground drill stations,” said Fracchia. “About 70 contractors are working on a full-time basis to help with the underground drilling and grouting program associated with the brine inflow. Since last May, we have drilled a total of 15 holes from surface and have injected cement and other fill materials in that time.” Fracchia advised that even after all this time, the source of the water has not been determined. Currently, the brine is pumped to the surface where it is hauled by tanker truck — up to 300 to 350 trucks a day. Most of these trucks haul brine to the Cassidy Lake division, approximately 40 kilometres away. That operation was shut down because of flooding back in the mid-1990s, but a small group of employees manage the company’s pipeline to the Bay of Fundy, where the excess brine is pumped. “It’s currently the biggest challenge we have and one of the reasons we’re so excited about the new mine development.” The remaining trucks haul brine to the company’s potash terminal in Saint John, also for disposal into the bay. May 2008 | 59
featured mines A chance encounter The Picadilly orebody was actually discovered by chance as PotashCorp was working in conjunction with another company, Corridor Resources Inc., looking for natural gas. “Natural gas was discovered in the area near our mine site back in about 2000,” said Fracchia. “During our gas exploration, potash was discovered essentially across the highway, just south of the existing mine site. PotashCorp then began a targeted potash exploration program and, from the results, concluded that the Picadilly orebody would be comparable to the current deposit and perhaps even better in
certain places.” The company carried out an initial feasibility study as the exploration began a few years ago and undertook a more serious study during the winter and spring of 2007. Board approval to proceed with the project was received in July 2007. A ceremonial sod-turning took place March 19, 2008. Two new shafts will be sunk approximately 800 metres south of the existing ones to access the Piccadilly ore zone. “Right now, we’re mining a fairly steep vein that runs along the north flank of a ridge of potash and salt,” explained Fracchia. “On the opposite side of this flank there’s a similarly steep potash zone that flattens out in a relatively deep deposit that is part of the Picadilly ore zone. This will be the location of the new mine.” Fracchia said that preparatory site clearing is approaching completion and that the shaft foundation work will begin later this spring. This will be followed by construction of the headframes, and sinking work is expected to begin early in 2009. The construction of a new mill that will house the ore preparation and flotation equipment is also in the plans for the Picadilly mill site. The ore, which contains about 40 per cent potash and 60 per cent salt when it comes to the surface, will be processed in the new mill. The potash will be separated from the salt through flotation and the concentrate will be pumped to the existing mill. The salt waste will then be returned underground through pipelines in the shaft. There are also new salt storage and loading facilities planned for the Piccadilly site. The concentrate will be pumped to the existing mill to be dewatered and dried, and an upgrading of this equipment is planned. Though they will be using the current compaction and screening circuits, a new building will be constructed at the existing site to house a much larger circuit for the expanded production. “As far as potash operations go, the new facilities will be spread out over a larger area,” indicated Fracchia. “There’s about 800 metres between the Picadilly and existing sites.”
Project management
Sussex at sunset
60 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Fracchia confirmed that as with the other projects that PotashCorp is involved with, the expansion is being managed by company personnel. “We’ve taken key employees with project experience and assigned them to be the project coordinators,” he said.
featured mines There are also two EPCM contracts associated with the project. Cementation Canada Inc. has a contract for shaft sinking, construction of the head frames and the initial mine development surrounding the shafts. Another EPCM contract has been awarded to AMEC Americas Ltd. for the process design and construction of all surface facilities. Fracchia pointed out that even though the project is being managed from AMEC’s Saskatoon office, they are also employing people in their Moncton, Fredericton and Halifax offices.
Community relations From the outset of the project, Fracchia and his team worked very hard to get the word out to the community about their plans. “We went on a bit of a talk circuit wherever we were invited to speak,” he said. “We also met with organizations such as ACOA (Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) and Business New Brunswick and subsequently put them in contact with Cementation and AMEC to ensure that wherever possible, local businesses would have the opportunity to participate in the project.” Meetings were also held with the New Brunswick Construction Association to discuss company standards and requirements when dealing with contractors. “We’re applying the same very high standards of safety to our contractors that we maintain at all of our sites,” said Fracchia. “They have to comply with the same reporting standards that we do internally, reporting all incidents.” Supervisors will also receive hazard assessment training and there will be a joint occupational health and safety committee, whose members will perform regular walkabouts and safety inspections of the site.
Ceremonial sod turning: Left to right: Mark Fracchia, general manager of PCS Potash, New Brunswick; Garth Moore, president of PCS Potash; The Honourable Shawn Graham, Premier of New Brunswick; and Donald Arseneault, New Brunswick Minister of Natural Resources.
Fracchia also met personally with representatives from the province’s First Nations groups. “We’ve set up contacts so that they will be advised of employment opportunities as they arise,” explained Fracchia. Though he cautions that the initiative is still in its infancy, Fracchia emphasized that it is something they are hoping will lead to some success. As far as labour requirements go, Fracchia does not anticipate any problems. “We’re ahead of a few of the other potential projects that are looming on the horizon in New Brunswick, but we’re certainly keeping an eye on the situation because we’re aware of what it’s like in the rest of Canada.” He also noted that there are a number of very talented New Brunswick expatriates who have expressed an interest in coming back home. With the economic forecast looking bright, thanks to PotashCorp’s Picadilly project, few can blame them. CIM
May 2008 | 61
mines en vedette
Projet Picadilly de PotashCorp
L
L’exploitation de PotashCorp au Nouveau-Brunswick est stratégiquement importante pour la compagnie en raison de sa grande capacité de production et de sa proximité au port de Saint John, permettant de prendre la route la plus courte pour les marchés de l’Amérique latine. Avec 340 employés, elle contribue aussi à l’économie de cette province. Lorsqu’un nouveau gisement a été découvert à environ 800 mètres du Crépuscule à la mine de Sussex site existant, des réjouissances étaient de mise. L’expansion devrait plus que doubler la production annuelle de potasse, atteignant deux millions de tonnes, et augmenter la production de sel de 600 000 à environ 800 000 t/a. La potasse est extraite de chantiers à des profondeurs de 400 à 700 m au moyen de mineurs continus. « L’exploitation est unique en Amérique du Nord car nos résidus sont entreposés sous terre et utilisés dans la méthode de coupe et remblai », explique Mark Fracchia, directeur général de PotashCorp Nouveau-Brunswick. L’usine de Sussex comporte un circuit d’évaporation qui recycle l’excès d’eau saumâtre, diminuant le besoin de bassins en surface. Le sel gemme est exploité par méthode de chambres et piliers, puis broyé et tamisé sous terre avant d’être remonté à la surface pour entreposage. Selon M. Fracchia, la demande est très forte pour la potasse, afin de satisfaire la demande mondiale pour des fertilisants, et pour le sel, surtout en tant que sel de voirie. Vers 1997, la mine a commencé à avoir un problème d’infiltration de saumure qui a atteint environ 1 800 GPM (gallons US par minute) en mai dernier. « Nous avons effectué des injections de ciment et autres matériaux de remplissage; environ 70 entrepreneurs travaillent à temps plein pour colmater l’infiltration et, même après tout ce temps, nous n’avons pas pu en déterminer la source », dit M. Fracchia. L’excès de saumure est actuellement pompé à la surface puis acheminé par pipeline pour être déversé dans la baie de Fundy. Le gisement Picadilly a été découvert par hasard alors que PotashCorp travaillait avec Corridor Resources Inc. à la recherche de gaz naturel. « La potasse a été découverte presque de l’autre côté de la rue, au sud de la mine existante. PotashCorp a entrepris une campagne d’exploration ciblée et a conclu que le gisement Picadilly pourrait même être supérieur au gisement actuel », dit M. Fracchia. Après les études de pré-faisabilité et de faisabilité, le projet a été approuvé en juillet 2007 et la cérémonie d’inauguration des travaux a eu lieu le 19 mars 2008. 62 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Deux nouveaux puits seront forés pour accéder au gisement. « Pour le moment nous exploitons un filon assez abrupt qui suit le flanc nord d’une crête de potasse et de sel », explique M. Fracchia. « De l’autre côté de ce flanc, on retrouve une zone abrupte semblable de potasse qui s’adoucit et forme un gisement relativement profond, lequel fait partie de la zone de minerai Picadilly. Ce sera l’emplacement de la nouvelle mine. » La préparation du site Picadilly achève et les travaux de fondation pour les puits débuteront sous peu. Ensuite viendront les chevalets (début 2009) et l’usine de traitement. Le minerai remonté à la surface contiendra environ 40 % de potasse et 60 % de sel. Ces deux produits seront séparés par flottation, le concentré de potasse sera envoyé à l’usine existante et les résidus de sel seront retournés sous terre par des pipelines dans les puits. De nouvelles installations souterraines d’entreposage et de chargement du sel sont planifiées pour le site Piccadilly. Le concentré sera acheminé à l’usine existante pour être asséché. Les circuits de compaction et de tamisage existants seront utilisés mais un nouvel immeuble sera construit abritant un plus gros circuit pour répondre à l’accroissement de la production. Cette expansion sera gérée par le personnel de PotashCorp. Cementation Canada Inc. et AMEC Americas Ltd. ont obtenu des contrats de services d’ingénierie, d’approvisionnement, de construction et de gestion (EPCM) pour le projet; le premier pour les puits, les chevalets et le développement initial et le second pour la construction des infrastructures. Dès le début du projet, l’équipe de M. Fracchia a travaillé pour annoncer les plans à la communauté. « Nous avons parlé du projet partout où nous étions invités. Nous avons aussi rencontré des organismes tels que l’Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency et Business New Brunswick. Nous appliquons les mêmes normes élevées de sécurité et de divulgation des incidents aux entrepreneurs qu’à notre personnel. » M. Fracchia a aussi personnellement rencontré des représentants des groupes des Premières Nations. « Nous avons établi des contacts afin qu’ils connaissent les possibilités d’emploi. » Il ne semble pas y avoir de problème de pénurie de main-d’œuvre. « Nous sommes en avance sur d’autres projets au Nouveau-Brunswick; nous surveillons cette situation de près. » Il a aussi noté que plusieurs expatriés ont exprimé le désir de revenir chez eux. CIM
Photo courtesy of Nancy Tamosaitis, Vorticom
featured mines
The limestone “Buda” rock formations
Surrounded by Buddhas War Eagle’s Tres Marias germanium project by | Dan Zlotnikov
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In its own way, the northern part of Mexico’s Chihuahua state is beautiful country. It takes the uninterrupted kilometres of dry, dusty roads flanked by undulating mountains to fully appreciate the rare explosion of lush green — a beacon marking a perennial body of water in a land crisscrossed by empty streambeds. The area is known for its unique limestone rock formations called “Budas” (Spanish for Buddha), so named for their remote resemblance to the famous Buddhist statues. It is in the shadow of one of these evocative mountains, a short hike from the Rio Grande River, that you will find the Tres Marias mine site, a zinc/germanium property owned by Vancouver, British Columbia-based War Eagle Mining Company, Inc.
A new frontier The Tres Marias site was originally discovered and developed almost 60 years ago. Since that time, the mine has changed ownership a handful of times, having been shut down and brought back online with changing political and environmental circumstances. War Eagle optioned the mine from Tombstone Exploration de Mexico, S.A. de C.V., a local mining exploration firm, under a roy-
alty agreement in 2001, and purchased it wholly in 2006. Tombstone is still engaged in exploratory drilling on the site, now as a wholly owned subsidiary of War Eagle. According to company president Terry Schorn, War Eagle is first and foremost a germanium company. So, while the Tres Marias mine is a dual-product exploration property, the company’s focus is on the germanium. War Eagle’s previously acquired properties — a gold property and a diamond property in Saskatchewan and a Tantalum project in the Northwest Territories — are being spun off either as partnerships or under royalty agreements, keeping the focus on germanium.
In short supply The emphasis War Eagle places on germanium has very good reasoning behind it. The germanium market is very small. Production in 2007 was estimated at 110 to 120 tonnes worldwide, including that from recycled sources. Demand for the mineral comes mainly from the plastics industries, fibre optics manufacturers and the producers of infrared sensors. The latter also includes military infrared and night-vision systems, so it’s no surprise that the United States has long included germanium in its Defense National Stockpile Center (DNSC). More recently, there has been increased May 2008 | 63
featured mines
Photo courtesy of Tomas Bravo, Reuters
question of whether the processor is set up to extract the germanium. The processor is almost always a separate company to whom the mine sells its product.” The result is a peculiar situation where the supply of germanium is largely controlled by the price of zinc. “The more the price of zinc rises, the more zinc is mined, and the more germanium that can be captured in the process,” explained Schorn. The demand for zinc remains high today, with prices going from less than $0.50/lb in 2004 to around $1.20/lb as of March 2008. But despite the high production of zinc, the supply of germanium is expected to fall short of the demand, and the DNSC prices have reflected that, going from $1,000/kg last year to around the $1,350 mark at the end of February. The growing importance of germanium and the great difficulty and expense in finding substitutes for its current applications are two motivating factors for War Eagle to aggressively develop the Tres Marias site, said Knobelauch. The third reason is more political — today’s germanium supply is largely controlled by China.
Miners at work at Tres Marias
demand from the expanding green energy sector. Germanium, when used as a substrate in photovoltaic cells used in solar panels, offers excellent conversion rates and is extremely lightweight. “There is very little transparency in the germanium market,” said Keith Knobelauch of Murdock Capital Partners Group. “The only source of publically available, reliable stock prices is the DNSC, but that price has little bearing on what the major consumers of germanium pay their suppliers.” The size of the market also means by Dan Zlotnikov that normal commodity rules don’t quite Mention the word “germanium” and most people are likely to think that you’re apply. For one thing, germanium is curmispronouncing the name of a popular houseplant rather than naming a distinrently only economically extracted from guished member of the periodic table. For a mineral priced at more than certain zinc deposits and coal fly ash. $1,300/kg, surprisingly few people know what germanium is or why it’s imporThe nature of the extraction process tant. Nevertheless, numerous industries rely on this mystery mineral. is such that the processor must first Germanium is primarily a byproduct of zinc ore processing. It is a hard, greyextract the zinc through a flotation acid ish-white element with a metallic lustre and is a semiconductor with electrical leaching or smelting process and then properties between those of a metal and an insulator. Even though it was discovrun the resulting concentrate through a ered in the late 1800s, a use for the mineral was not found until the mid-1940s, second loop to separate the germanium. when it was used to make the first transistor. However, over the years, more uses With all the effort already invested in prowere found for germanium. ducing commercial-grade zinc concentrate, it would be extremely wasteful not Plastics: The largest portion of germanium (31 per cent) is consumed by the to sell it along with the germanium; howplastics industry, where the mineral is used as a catalyst in the manufacture of ever, few zinc ore processing plants conpolyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET produced using germanium is much tain germanium extraction loops. clearer than when other catalysts are used. However, Knobelauch explained Fibre optics: The fibre-optics industry is the second biggest consumer of that the difference in quantities is such germanium at 24 per cent. Here it is used to that the reverse is not always true. Thanks to Keith Knobelauch of enhance the optical properties of the silica “Sometimes, to get a better price for Murdock Capital Partners Corp. fibres, especially in long-distance, transoceanic your zinc you must accept not getting a for his assistance with this communications. credit for the germanium. It’s mostly a overview.
Germanium: not a houseplant
64 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
featured mines
Meanwhile, back at the mine The Tres Marias project is progressing apace, said War Eagle geologist Jon Trujillo, with an underground and a surface crew working 12-hour shifts in an effort to further define the deposit and prepare the data for the NI 43-101 resource filing. A new termite drill has been ordered from Coeur Products of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, for further underground work and should be arriving on the site soon.
“The wire-line technology means we won’t have to raise the entire drill-string every time we need to extract the core, which will speed up the work considerably,” said Trujillo. The main challenge facing Tres Marias is one common for many of today’s mining projects — a shortage of qualified labour. General manager Alistair Logan said that the labour pool of the nearby Pueblo Nuevo Lajitas has already been exhausted. To overcome this problem, Logan said the company has been busy training some of the exploration crew to work on the equipment and some have already moved up from assistant to drill operator. This will allow Logan to hire more local labourers to work under the new operators’ guidance and supervision. War Eagle has not yet made a feasibility decision on the site and is awaiting the final results of the exploration. The plan, said Logan, is to have a third-party geologist sign off on the NI 43101 results by the end of the second quarter. No official predictions can be made yet, but the aim is to be in production within a year, making Tres Marias a potential supplier in the near future. And with the prices showing no sign of falling, the companies using germanium will likely welcome the new supplier with open arms. CIM
Infrared sensing: A close third (23 per cent), germanium is employed by the infrared sensing sector primarily for military use. As it turns out, germanium is transparent to infrared emissions, which makes it an ideal choice for use in lenses in infrared sensors and night-vision equipment. In recent years the automotive industry has also expressed an interest in these products, installing infrared sensors in some luxury cars as a nighttime aid for the drivers. But it is the military applications that have caused germanium to be added to the U.S. National Defense Stockpile — a list of “strategic and critical materials” that were deemed valuable enough that their supply had to remain uninterrupted in the case of war. Microelectronics: Perhaps the best known use of germanium is in the realm of microelectronics. Microchip manufacturers are already experimenting with germanium as a Catalogued core samples are displayed at Tres Marias. replacement for silicon that, while cheaper, is light weight and efficiency in converting heat to electricity approaching its physical limits in terms of conductivity. Most make it ideal for use in photovoltaic cells. Rising energy costs promising so far is the silicon-germanium combination, and growing public interest have certainly made the mineral which improves on the chips’ properties and allows for even an attractive option for many companies. greater processing power. Still, despite the fame, the photovoltaic and electronics Satellite and solar panels: Germanium is also used in the markets account for only 12 per cent of global consumption, satellite and solar panel manufacturing sectors, where its though the photovoltaic portion is expected to grow. CIM May 2008 | 65
Photo courtesy of Tomas Bravo, Reuters
“Eighty per cent of the annual germanium production either takes place inside China or is sold to China,” explained Knobelauch. “The only significant sources of germanium outside of China are the Red Dog and Pend Oreille properties owned by Teck Cominco and the Toronto-based Strategic Resource Acquisition Corp. mine in Tennessee.” Realizing the mineral’s strategic importance, the Chinese government has recently placed severe restrictions on the amount of germanium that can be taken out of the country. As the Chinese economy continues to expand, it is likely to restrict the export flow even further.
cim news CIM welcomes new members Broad, Len, Alberta Brown, R. Douglas, Saskatchewan Chan, Benjamin, Québec Daughney, Stephen, Ontario Detenbeck, Michael J., Ontario Feltham, Kim, British Columbia Forbes, Michael, British Columbia Fukuhara, Robert, British Columbia Gagnon, Garant, Québec Ghayemghamian, Abolfazl, British Columbia Hagan, Alexander, Ghana Hébert, Jean, Québec Horth, Jean-François, Québec Laplante, Denys, Québec Leclair, Bob, Québec Macoun, Philip, British Columbia Masanori, Kato, Japan McClelland, Darryn, Lao People’s Democratic Republic McDonald, Bob, Ontario McKee, Greg, Manitoba McLaren, David, USA Mejias, Jorge, USA Menapatri, Ricardo, British Columbia Millner, Dan, Finland Morais, Silvano, Brazil Morgan, Jason, USA Mulenga, Stephen Buembya, Zambia Mullen, James, USA Muntu, Kristina, Ontario Muraguchi, Kazuo, Japan
Murakami, Takayoshi, British Columbia Muthuraman, Ramanathan, Australia Muza, Patricia, Australia Nagato, Toshihiro, Japan Nagel, Krystal, Ontario Nees, Michael, USA Ngandu-Kakunku, Amour, South Africa Niehoff, Thomas, Germany Oellermann, Mark, Australia Oliver, Brian, Manitoba Ollivier, Chantelle D., Saskatchewan Olsson, Peter, Sweden Oporto, Godofredo, Peru Palmateer, Richard, USA Partinen, Jarkko, Finland Pascual-Cosp, Jose, Spain Peippo, Rauno, Finland Pereira, Geysa, Brazil Perreault-Liard, Charles-Antoine, Québec Persson, Willy, Sweden Petersen, Jochen, South Africa Peuraniemi, Esa, Finland Phatsouda, Phoutsavong, Lao People’s Democratic Republic Piché, Etienne, Québec Pioner, Erdenetsogt, Mongolia Ponce, Ricardo, Chile Poplawski, Joseph, USA Prevost, Yves, Québec Price, Charles, USA
Pubill Melsio, Anna, France Putzig, Albert, USA Queirolo, Claudio, Chile Quiones, Eduardo, Peru Raja, Roy, Ontario Rajasingam, Rueben, Australia Rantala, Ari, Finland Rashad, Amin, Egypt Rauld, Jaime, Chile Rebeiro, Hilary, Ontario Reichert, Craig, USA Remy, Alfredo, Ontario Rennie, Cameron, Manitoba Roby, Michel, Québec Roldan, Pierre, Québec Ross, Terry, Manitoba Rueda, Veronica, Chile Rush, Glenn, USA Ruz, Patricio, Chile Sabanero, Miguel, Ontario Sagara, David, Russia Saito, Takashi, Japan Salas, Juan Carlos, Chile Sami, Mohamed, Egypt Santaluce, Mike, Ontario Sato, Katsuyuki, Chile Schmitt, Laury, Québec Schwann, Pamela, Saskatchewan Shankir, Yehia, Egypt Shibata, Kei, Japan Short, Wendy, Australia Shortridge, Earl, USA Shrestha, Puru, Australia Sikamo, Jackson, Chile Simfukwe, Boas, Zambia
Slye, William, USA Small, Mike, Australia Smith, Russ A., USA Snider, Standen, Ontario Snowdon, Brian, United Kingdom Soderstrom, Matthew, USA Solboleski, Daniel, Brazil Sorensen, Paul, South Africa Soto, Bernardo, Chile Southey, Mark, Australia Sterling, David, Australia Subbiah, Perumaal, India Suga, Yasuo, Japan Sugar, Dulam, Mongolia Swash, Peter, Australia Teglas, Florin, Québec Telford, Paul, Australia Tengiz, Bolturkov, Ontario Thomas, Anabel, Ontario Tofteland, Lawrence J., Alberta Torrisi, Chris, Australia Troutman, Anthony, Ontario Tsymbulov, Leonid, Russia Tucker, Andrew, Ontario Van de Steen, Noel, Belgium Van Someren, Christian, Alberta Van Tassell, Raymond, USA Van Wagoner, Ray, USA Variacion, Manuel G., Philippines Verdejo, Diego, Chile Vesa, Brent, USA Viviers, Paul, South Africa Walker, Paul, United Kingdom Wang, Tao, China Weatherseed, Mark, Australia Weekes, Brenden, Australia Wiaghtman, Daryl, British Columbia Wijaya, Suharpiyu, Indonesia Wilhelm, Joseph, USA Wilmot, John, USA Winarko, Yudho, Ontario Woltron, Holger, Austria Yang, Yan Hui, Australia Yep, Fabiola, Ontario Yoo, Kyoung, Korea Yu, Michael, USA Zamorano, Osvaldo, Chile Zapatero, Jose Arenzana, Spain Zhou, Xiaoxia Sarah, Alberta Zimba, Witker, Zambia Zulehner, Uwe, Germany
Corporate ABS Canada ACXIZ Professionals Inc. CommoDas Inc. Fusionex K2 Electric MinePros Personnel Inc. Petro-Viron Inc. 66 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
cim news Facilitating knowledge sharing
This year’s CIM Distinguished Lecturer season is coming to an end and what a big one it has been. Our lecturers had a great task at hand — to share their knowledge and propagate ground-breaking information, while travelling the four corners of our vast country, treading through the breathtaking remote areas that Canada has to offer. They not only have completed their mission, they went above and beyond their call of duty with such effortless ease and calm and quiet resolution. They represented a broad range of industry expertise — from geology to aboriginal issues, these presenters offered a wealth of information. Many CIM societies and local branches took advantage of this great opportunity and hosted the lecturers at their numerous events. This year, there was an increase in participating branches, as well as a higher number of overall requests for lectures. Being a CIM Distinguished Lecturer is not an easy task; it requires a commitment of time that is hard to manage in today’s demanding and fast-paced world. But, it is thanks to great people like our lecturers, who are willing to take on these challenges, that knowledge sharing is fostered within our indusby Robertina Pillo try — a goal that CIM strives to accomplish by being the preferred source of information. This program is funded in part by some of the participants’ companies. But it is the generosity of Atlas Copco and the Canadian Mining and Metallurgical Foundation, the program’s major sponsors, that makes it all possible. CIM would like to thank everyone involved in the program. Their overall commitment to facilitate continuous learning is of great value and absolute importance to our industry. CIM
Bourses remis à des étudiants du secteur minéral À chaque année depuis 1980, la Fondation de la section Thetford Mines de l’ICM remet à des étudiants des bourses. Ces bourses d’études sont attribuées à des étudiants provenant du territoire desservi par la section Thetford Mines. Elles visent à encourager des étudiants à poursuivre leurs études dans des disciplines reliées au De gauche à droite : Caroline Desfossés, Jean-François Dorion et MarieClaude Daigle domaine minéral soit : la géologie, les mines et la métallurgie tant au niveau universitaire que collégial. Cette année, le récipiendaire de la bourse universitaire de 1200 $ est M. JeanFrançois Dorion, professeur au département de technologie minérale au Cégep de Thetford et étudiant au doctorat en génie minier à l’Université Laval à Québec. Les bourses de 750 $ pour les étudiants de niveau collégial ont été remises à Mmes Marie-Claude Daigle et Caroline Desfossés toutes par Pierre Laroche deux étudiantes de 3ème année en géologie au Cégep de Thetford (autrefois Collège de la Région de l’Amiante). Toutes ces bourses ont été remises lors de la soirée de clôture du tournoi annuel de curling de la section Thetford Mines qui se tenait au Club de Golf et de Curling de Thetford Mines, les 1 et 2 février 2008. À cette occasion, la cinquantaine de membres participants ont élu un nouvel exécutif pour l’année 2008-2009. À la présidence, M. Pierre Laroche, à la viceprésidence M. François Jacques et à la trésorerie M. Richard Rodrigue assureront la gouverne de la section Thetford Mines. CIM
L’auteur Pierre Laroche est président de la section Thetford Mines.
Scholarships handed out by Thetford Mines Each year since 1980, the Foundation of the CIM Thetford Mines Branch awards scholarships to students in the Thetford Mines area studying in geology, mining and metallurgy at the Cegep and university levels. This year’s recipients are: Jean-François Dorion, professor in the mineral technology department of Cégep de Thetford and PhD student (mining engineering) at Université Laval à Québec ($1,200); and Marie-Claude Daigle and Caroline Desfossé, both third-year geology students at Cégep de Thetford ($750 each). The scholarships were awarded during the branch’s annual curling tournament held at the Club de Golf et de Curling de Thetford Mines on February 1 and 2. The 2008-2009 executive was also elected — Pierre Laroche, president, François Jacques, vice president, and Richard Rodrigue, treasurer. CIM May 2008 | 67
2008 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SEMINAR SERIES
STRATEGIC RISK QUANTIFICATION AND MANAGEMENT FOR ORE RESERVES AND MINE PLANNING Applied risk assessment for ore reserves and mine planning: Conditional simulation for the mining industry May 26-28, Montreal Roussos Dimitrakopoulos, McGill University, Canada
Learn about the latest regulations on public reporting of resources/reserves through state-of-the-art statistical and geostatistical techniques. Learn how to: • Quantify and deal with grade/tonnage/metal uncertainty and variability. • Learn new efficient simulation methods for modelling orebodies and how to use the results. • Understand how to use quantified orebody risk in ore reserve estimation, mine planning, and mineral project.
Strategic risk management and applied optimization in mine design September 23-26, Montreal Cindy Campbell, Gemcom, Australia; and Roussos Dimitrakopoulos, McGill University, Canada
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Mineral project evaluation techniques and applications: From conventional methods to real options November 10-13, Montreal Michel Bilodeau, McGill University, Canada
COSMO Lab Mining Engineering
For registration and information please contact: Deborah Frankland Dept. of Mining and Materials Engineering McGill University Montreal, Quebec Email: admcrc.mining@mcgill.ca Phone: (514) 398-4755, ext. 089638 Fax: (514) 398-7099
Website: www.cim.org http://cosmo.mcgill.ca
.GCTP VJG DCUKEU QH GEQPQOKE ſPCPEKCN GXCNWCVKQP VGEJPKSWGU CU YGNN CU VJG RTCEVKECN KORNGOGPVCVKQP QH VJGUG techniques to mineral project assessments. Learn how to: • How to gain a practical understanding of economic/financial evaluation principles. • How to develop the skills necessary to apply these to support mineral project decisions. • About the real options approach to valuing mining projects.
Geostatistical mineral resource/ore reserve estimation and meeting the new regulatory environment: Step by step from sampling to grade control
September 15-19, Montreal Michel Dagbert, Geostat Systems Int, Canada; Jean-Michel Rendu, Consultant, USA; and Roussos Dimitrakopoulos, McGill University, Canada Learn about the latest regulations on public reporting of resources/reserves through state-of-the-art statistical and geostatistical techniques. Learn how to: • Apply geostatistics to predict dilution and adapt reserve estimates to that predicted dilution. • Learn how geostatistics can help you categorize your resources in an objective manner. • Understand principles of NI43-101 and SME Guide.
Quantitative mineral resource assessment an integrated approach: Exploration risk analysis for strategic planning October 20-21, Montreal Don Singer, US Geological Survey, USA; David Menzie, US Geological Servey, USA
Learn how to provide decision-makers with unbiased information about the expected value and probabilities of other values of undiscovered mineral resources. Learn how to: • Identify the sources and magnitudes of risk and uncertainty in assessments of undiscovered mineral resources. • Demonstrate how operational mineral deposit models can reduce uncertainties. • Construct internally consistent models.
Theory and practice of sampling particulate materials October 27-29, Part 1, Montreal October 30-31, Part 2 (QA-QC, mine, and project audits), Montreal &QOKPKSWG (TCPĂ QKU $QPICTĂ QP AGORATEK, USA
&GXGNQR CP WPFGTUVCPFKPI QH VJG VJGQT[ QH UCORNKPI RCTVKEWNCVG OCVGTKCNU KVU RTCEVKEG UEQRG NKOKVCVKQPU and appropriate applications. Learn how to: • Eye-opening facts you may have overlooked or ignored until now about the consequences of bad sampling and the difficulties of good sampling. • The unsuspected amplitude of economic ramifications of poor sampling.
Un médaillé de la Section de Québec Le 18 février avaient lieu l’Assemblée générale annuelle et les élections de l’exécutif de la Section de Québec. À cette occasion, le président du comité de nominations André Gaumond a remis un cadeau au récipiendaire de la Médaille 2008 de la Section de par Marie Fortin Québec à Jacques Bonneau en reconnaissance pour son implication dans le milieu et sa contribution exceptionnelle sur plusieurs années à l’ICM. Après l’Assemblée générale annuelle, un éminent conférencier de l’ICM, Monsieur David Lentz, professeur de géologie économique à l’Université du Nouveau Brunswick, nous a présenté une conférence intitulée Developing the Orogenic Gold Deposit Model: Insights from R&D for Exploration Success. Une vingtaine de personnes assistaient à cette présentation commanditée par Mines Agnico-Eagle, l’Association minière du Québec, COREM, Fasken Martineau, Gestion SODÉMEX inc., Instrumentation GDD inc. et Mines Virginia. CIM
L’auteur Marie Fortin est la secrétaire de la Section de Québec de l’ICM.
du 24 au 28 février 2008 | February 24 to 28, 2008 Val-d’Or, Québec
Merci à nos commanditaires Thanks to our sponsors Diamant / Diamond
Or / Gold
Argent / Silver
Bronze / Bronze
De gauche à droite : M. André Gaumond et M. Jacques Bonneau
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Formatted: Font:Italic
Quebec Branch awards medal During the CIM Quebec Branch’s Annual General Meeting held on February 18, the president of the nominations committee, André Gaumond, presented a gift to Jacques Bonneau, winner of the Médaille 2008 de la Section de Québec. Following the Annual General Meeting, CIM Distinguished Lecturer David Lentz spoke to the branch. The evening was sponsored by Agnico-Eagle Mines, the Quebec Mining Association, COREM, Fasken Martineau, Gestion SODÉMEX inc., Instrumentation GDD inc. and Mines Virginia. CIM
Groupe Minier CMAC-THYSSEN Mining Group
Amis / Friends
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cim news Helping students along the road to success
Obituaries CIM expresses its sincere condolences to the families and friends of the following members: Bernard Barlin had been a member of CIM since 1980 and a life member since 2003. He passed away on October 30, 2007. Ashley M. Clarke joined CIM in 1955 and was made a life member in 1989. He passed away on December 20, 2007.
Fady Haddad
Jeffrey Di Fabrizio
Jamieson McCausland
The CIM Maintenance and Engineering Society awarded the 2007 Centennial and Ken Hildebrant Memorial scholarships to some pretty deserving students. The $1,998 Centennial Scholarship was awarded to Jamieson McCausland. He is currently completing his second year in the electrical by Jacek Paraszczak engineering program at the University of Ottawa. Winners of the $2,000 Ken Hildebrant Memorial Scholarship include: • Alyson Cain, who graduated from Brock University with a Bachelors’ degree in French Honours in 2007 and is currently enrolled in the Bachelor of Education program at the School of Education and Professional Learning at Trent University. • Erica Cain, currently attending Sir Sandford Fleming College. • Jeffrey Di Fabrizio, a second-year mining engineering student at McGill University with a minor in management. • Fady Haddad, currently pursuing mining engineering at McGill University. Interested in applying for a 2008 CIM Maintenance and Engineering scholarship? The deadline for the receipt of applications is September 15, 2008, so act fast. CIM
John Cooke became a member of CIM in 1975 and a life member in 2002. He was a founding director of the Canadian Mining Hall of Fame and between 1989 and 1999, was the publisher of The Northern Miner. He received a CIM Distinguished Service Medal in 2007. John Cooke passed away on March 9, 2008. William A. Devereaux joined CIM in 1963 and became a life member in 1991. CIM was recently advised of his passing in 2005. Herbert K. Fredrickson joined CIM in 1960 and was made a life member in 1995. He died on December 27, 2007. Robert S. Girardin est devenu membre de l’ICM en 1954 et membre à vie en 1993.
and scholarships for the CIM Maintenance and Engineering Society.
F. John McMulkin, a giant of the Canadian steel industry, was one of the founding members of the CIM Hamilton Branch. He passed away on February 18, 2008.
A look back in time
Arthur J. O’Donnell joined CIM in 1970 and became a life member in 2002. He passed away in October 2007.
About the author Jacek Paraszczak is the director of education, student papers
20 YEARS AGO… • Seven journalists, recipients of the CIM/EMR Journalism Awards, were honoured at the CIM Annual General Meeting in Edmonton. • The CIM Calgary Branch hosted John Udd, a 1987-1988 CIM Distinguished Lecturer. • The CIM Toronto Branch sponsored a field trip to Nevada for that coming May. • In his technical paper, J.W. Hendry discussed computer-assisted mine production planning at Quinette Coal Limited. The above was taken from the May 1988 issue of CIM Bulletin. 70 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Edward W. Watt became a member of CIM in 1959 and was made a life member in 1987. He died on October 29, 2007.
cim news CIM EVENTS Annual General Meeting of the Mining Society of Nova Scotia June 12-13 Baddeck, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia Contact: Florence Sigut Tel./Fax: 902.567.2147 Email: florence@ns.sympatico.ca Canadian International Petroleum Conference (CIPC)/SPE Gas Technology Symposium 59th Annual Technical Meeting June 16-19 Calgary, Alberta Contact: Dave Cuthiell, Conference Chairman Tel.: 403.205.6876 Fax: 403.262.4792 Email: dcuthiell@suncor.com Website: www.petsoc.org North Central BC Branch Annual General Meeting June 25-27 Prince George, British Columbia Contact: Greg Rasmussen, Chair Tel.: 250.962.6235 Fax: 250.962.6332 Email: greglrasmussen@gmail.com 12th Annual Rudolph Kneer Memorial Golf Tournament August 9 Lively, Ontario Contact: Roxanne Kneer Email: kneer@personainternet.com Hydrometallurgy 2008 — 6th International Symposium honouring Robert Shoemaker August 17-20 Phoenix, Arizona Contact: Courtney Young Tel.: 303.973.9550 Fax: 303.973.3845 Email: meetings@smenet.org Website: www.smenet.org/meetings The Conference of Metallurgists (COM)/ Congrès des métallurgistes August 24-27 Winnipeg, Manitoba Contact: Brigitte Farah, MetSoc of CIM Tel.: 514.939.2710, ext. 1329 Fax: 514.939.9160 Email: bfarah@cim.org Website: www.metsoc.org 2nd International Conference on Wireless Communications in Underground and Confined Areas August 25-27 Val-d’Or, Quebec Contact: Hasnaâ Aniss Tel.: 819.874.7400, ext. 221 Fax: 819.874.7166 Email: hasnaa.aniss@uqat.ca Website: www.icwcuca.ca
AROUND THE WORLD SCANMET III — 3rd International Conference on Process Development in Iron and Steelmaking June 8-11 Lulea, Sweden Contact: Lotti Jarlebro Tel.: +46.920.20.1904 Fax: +46.920.25.5832 Email: lotti.jarlebro@mefos.se Website: www.scanmet.info 12th US/North American Mine Ventilation Symposium June 8-11 Reno, Nevada Contact: Pierre Mousset-Jones Tel.: 775.784.6959 Fax: 775.784.1833 Email: mousset@mines.unr.edu Website: www.unr.edu/ventsymp2008 MASSMIN 2008 June 9-11 Lulea, Sweden Contact: Erling Nordlund Email: info@massmin2008.com Website: www.massmin2008.com Central Asia Mining Congress 2008 June 30-July 1 Almaty, Kazakhstan Contact: Winnie Koh Email: winnie.koh@terrapinn.com Website: www.terrapinn.com/2008/camining III International Conference on Mining Innovation (MININ 2008) August 6-8 Santiago, Chile Contact: Olga Cherepanova Tel.: +56.2.652.1519 Fax: +56.2.652.1570 Email: info@minin2008.com Website: www.minin2008.com 21st World Mining Congress and Expo 2008 September 7-11 Krakow-Katowice, Poland Contact: Katarzyna Witek Tel.: +48.12.617.4604 Fax: +48.12.617.4605 Email: office@wmc-expo2008.org Website: www.wmc-expo2008.org 1st Southern Hemisphere International Rock Mechanics Symposium September 15-19 Perth, Western Australia Contact: Josephine Ruddle Tel.: +61.8.6488.3300 Fax: +61.8.6488.1130 Email: acg@acg.uwa.edu.au
May 2008 | 71
history The Comstock Lode, Nevada (Part 2)* by R.J. “Bob” Cathro Chemainus, British Columbia
The great “Comstock lode” stretched its opulent length straight through town from north to south, and every mine on it was in diligent process of development. The (Gould and Curry) mine alone employed six hundred and seventy-five men … The “city” of Virginia roosted royally midway up the side of Mount Davidson, seven thousand two hundred feet above the level of the sea, and in the clear Nevada atmosphere was visible from a distance of fifty miles! It claimed a population of fifteen thousand to eighteen thousand, and all day long half of this little army swarmed the streets like bees and the other half swarmed among the drifts and tunnels … Often we felt our chairs jar, and heard the faint boom of a blast down in the bowels of the earth … (TWAIN, 1872).
* The geological information in this chapter is mostly derived from Berger, Tingley, and Drew (2003) and Hudson (2003), except where noted. Background historical information is mainly from Lord (1883), Paul (1963), Rickard (1932), Smith (1943), and Watkins (1971). In addition, ‘Barney’ Berger provided invaluable assistance, including two figures from his paper.
72 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Nevada is called ‘The Silver State’ because it was founded while the Comstock silver-gold mines were being developed. The establishment of the state capital at Carson City, 19 kilometres southwest, reflected the influence of the mining district, which produced intermittently between 1859 and 1996. Using the prevailing metal prices during its boom years between 1860 and 1880, silver accounted for about 55 per cent (Rickard, 1932) to 60 per cent (Lindgren, 1913) of the total value of the ore, with the balance contributed by its gold output. If the value of its production was calculated today using November 2007 metal prices of $800/oz for gold and $15/oz for silver, the situation would be reversed. The value of the production would now be about 70 per cent from gold and the remainder from silver, Comstock would be called a gold-silver lode and the state might have a different nickname. In terms of contained metal, the Comstock Lode ranks among the top 10 per cent of world epithermal districts and can be classified as world class. It was one of the first epithermal districts described in North America. Exact production records for the camp are unknown because record-keeping in the early years was incomplete. In addition, the unfortunate custom at that time of quoting the amount of silver and gold produced by dollar value, rather than by tonnage and grade, requires many assumptions to be made. The best available estimate of total production is about 257 tonnes (8.26 million ounces) of gold and 6,000 tonnes (193 million ounces) of silver from 16.35 million tonnes (18 million tons) of ore (Hudson, 2003). This equates to a relatively rich average grade of approximately 15.7 g/t (0.46 oz/ton) gold and 367 g/t (10.7 oz/ton) silver, a gold equivalent grade of about 22.5 g/t (0.66 oz/ton) at present metal prices. Eighty per cent of the dividends paid from the camp came from just two pairs of adjacent mines — Con Virginia (California) and Crown Point-Belcher (Paul, 1963). The Con Virginia (California) oreshoot alone produced 1,131,900 tonnes of ore that averaged 87.4 g/t (2.55 oz/ton) gold and 1,834 g/t (53.5 oz/ton) silver (R.E. Kendall in Hudson, 2003). That is approximately 35 per cent of the gold and 31.5 per cent of the silver produced in the entire camp. Two Mexican words commonly used in the Comstock camp to describe ore grades were adopted into the American lexicon — bonanza, meaning fair weather, was used to describe an especially rich precious metal lode and borrasca, meaning storm, was applied to an unproductive vein, mine or claim. Miners, promoters and investors spoke frequently about mine workings being in either bonanza or borrasca, and the richest orebody in the camp, the Con Virginia (California), was called the Big Bonanza. The promotional name ‘bonanza’ was subsequently given to deposits, claims or geographic features in almost every mining camp in North America. For example, it was given to one of the richest creeks in the Klondike Gold Field (Yukon Territory) in 1896. Modern studies of the geology of the Comstock Lode are more difficult because the bulk of the mining took place before current research tools were developed, and the unstable ground conditions prevented later access to the richest and deepest parts of the lode. As a result, part of the research has, by necessity, been restricted to specimens collected by early mine foremen and/or is based on contemporary descriptions. The principal challenge throughout almost 150 years of study has been the complex structural deformation history, which is still
economic geology
Comstock Lode, Virginia City, Nevada ELEVATION
Feet 7000
Meters 2000 South
North
5000
1000 3000
Longitudinal projection of stoped orebodies (black) along the Comstock Lode. The individual claims are identified at the bottom (from Berger et al., 2003; modified from Becker, 1882). Yellow Jacket
East Yellow Jacket
partially unresolved. The main gyrite, were identified within the Shaft Shaft B' B points of remaining controversy zone of oxidation, which relate to the timing of mineralizaextended to depths of 100 to 160 623' tion with respect to transpresmetres. No base metals were 793' Yellow Jacket Mine sional deformation, regional recovered from the Comstock ores 983' Cross Section extension and the local displacebecause of the limitations of the Black 1461' To ment gradient, and the localizatreatment processes available at Sutro Dike <50% Tunnel 1763' tion of bonanza ore within a zone the time. Bastin (1922) reported Quartz Vein Bonanza of strike-slip faulting linked by that the ores were characteristi2165' Ore normal faults. cally fine grained, with individual 2465' 0 400 feet >50% The Comstock fault zone, the grains commonly less than one Quartz Vein 2833' 200 meters 0 main structure in the district, is millimetre in diameter and only traceable for more than 15 kilorarely attaining diameters of 5 to Cross-section looking north through the Yellow Jacket mine, metres along strike and bounded 10 millimetres. Comstock fault zone, showing the relationship between bonanza by nearly parallel faults for A large variation in character and stockwork ore and the local reverse dip near surface (from Berger et al., 2003). almost its entire length. The orewas exhibited within and between bearing part of the lode is about orebodies, with some lacking pre4.2 kilometres long. The lode is comprised of about 50 cious metals, others containing intergrowths of base and small to large, lenticular oreshoots of irregular shape that precious metal minerals, and still others that essentially occur within the fault zone. Two of the orebodies dipped lacked base metals. The Ophir mine, for example, had a 70째 west near the surface, whereas the rest had easterly to western vein rich in base metals and an eastern vein rich in near vertical dips. Mined widths were mostly in the 10 to 17 both precious and base metals. Gold/silver ratios generally metre range. Individual orebodies rarely extended more decreased with depth but varied widely in some oreshoots. than 150 metres vertically and most were less than 150 Most of the richest ores reportedly contained appreciable metres long. The margins of the orebodies were commonly chalcopyrite and were relatively poor in sphalerite. Massive marked by a narrowing and feathering into thin veins concalcite was deposited just below and in the lower parts of taining less sulphide minerals, or were sometimes cut off orebodies. abruptly by clay seams. Pliocene to Holocene reactivation of faults disrupted the In decreasing order of abundance, the major ore minerlode and affected the relative positions of many of the oreals were sphalerite, chalcopyrite, galena, pyrite, acanthite bodies and alteration assemblages. Detailed studies have and electrum. Acanthite is a low-temperature polymorph of shown that the best (bonanza) mineralization resulted from argentite and is the mineral that forms the tarnish on sterthe focusing of hydrothermal fluid flow into spatially ling silver. Stephanite was reportedly the main silver minrestricted networks of interconnected fractures. These coneral in the Con Virginia orebody and was abundant in the fined zones of high vertical permeability and hydraulic conOphir. At least 12 other silver and copper minerals, includnectivity are interpreted as the result of complex deformaing native silver, amalgam, covellite, chalcocite and chlorartional processes. May 2008 | 73
economic geology The orebodies are scattered within a quartz gangue composed of weakly mineralized massive veins, breccias and stockwork veins that have been complexly rearranged by post-mineral faulting. Stockwork veins were the most common, comprising up to 90 per cent of the lode, but usually 10 to 50 per cent. The next most abundant gangue material was white, massive to stockwork quartz, called ‘red quartz’ or ‘bastard quartz’ by the miners. It was usually mosaic and/or comb-textured, unbanded or poorly banded, and contained multiple generations of quartz breccia fragments containing crosscutting veins cemented by quartz. Massive quartz was found to the deepest explored depths, where it was hard, locally contained base metals, and consistently contained precious metals at subore grades. Early workers quickly recognized the difference between rich, ore-bearing quartz and barren, massive quartz. The ore-bearing quartz was milky white, very friable and apparently anhedral, with a sandy texture resembling sugar or table salt. The ‘sugar’ quartz was loose and crumbly except where it was cemented by ore minerals or later quartz. Some of the orebodies were completely shattered and broken, possibly by post-mineral faulting. The sandy texture and shattering contributed to the difficult mining conditions described in the previous chapter. The Comstock Lode is an adularia-sericite epithermal system that can be divided into early and bonanza stages. Extensive studies over more than a century have identified 12 hydrothermal alteration assemblages or sub-assemblages. The main stage of Au-Ag-Zn-Cu-Pb mineralization was deposited towards the end of a late stage of deep, lowsulphidation alteration. The other type is intermediatedepth high-sulphidation alteration. The superposition of the two styles tends to obscure and conceal the low-sulphidation alteration within the much more obvious highsulphidation alteration. A close spatial relationship between these two epithermal environments is quite unusual globally. Richthofen (1868) first applied the term ‘propylite’ to certain rock units in the Comstock district. Becker (1882) realized that it was altered andesite, and this assemblage was later recognized as one of the most common hydrothermal alterations worldwide. Three sub-assemblages of propylite have been mapped, based mainly on the presence or absence of epidote. They form halos around the hightemperature parts of the lodes. Tertiary volcanic activity centred in the vicinity of the Comstock district began at about 18.2 Ma with the eruption of andesitic lavas, and at least four superimposed Miocene hydrothermal events have been recognized. The oldest volcanic rocks are a suite of lavas, breccias, dacitic intrusions and minor sediments that were intruded by the 15.2 Ma Davidson diorite. The largest Davidson body forms the footwall of the Comstock fault zone and numerous dykes that are present in the hangingwall. The 74 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
hydrothermal alteration and ore deposits have been dated at 14 Ma. Mining at Comstock reached a depth of almost 1,000 metres and was exceeded only by the Adelbert shaft in the P˘ríbram silver mine, Czech Republic, which became the deepest in the world in 1875, at 1,000 metres (see CIM Magazine, March/April, 2006, p. 65). The P˘r íbram deposit, which consisted of relatively narrow veins hosted by strong wall rocks, encountered very little water and was completely dry below 800 metres, and reached an ultimate depth of almost 1,600 metres. Comstock, on the other hand, attempted to mine wide, soft oreshoots in unstable wallrocks and was extremely wet and unusually hot. These conditions required more extensive timbering than had been encountered in most mines in the world, as well as continuous pumping with the largest pumps available. To make matters worse, the mines required strong ventilation and were even cooled with ice because the inflowing water was so hot it made the working conditions at depth almost unbearable. The water temperature increased 3°F for every 100 feet of depth and reached 170°F (about 77°C) at a depth of 968 metres in the Yellow Jacket mine, where the rock temperature was measured as 167°F. Even with abundant ice, miners could only work alternate hours and, in some cases, only 15 minutes at a time. These adverse conditions eventually restricted further exploration when miners refused to work in such conditions. The source of the hot water, and the impact of Comstock and the California Gold Field on American mining and exploration practice, and their effect on economic geology, will be discussed in the next chapter. CIM
References Bastin, E.S. (1922). Bonanza ores of the Comstock Lode, Virginia City, Nevada. United States Geological Survey Bulletin, 735-C, 41-63. Becker, G.F. (1882). Geology of the Comstock Lode and the Washoe district. U.S. Geological Survey Monograph, 3. Berger, B.R., Tingley, J.V., & Drew, L.J. (2003). Structural localization and origin of compartmentalized fluid flow, Comstock Lode, Virginia City, Nevada. Economic Geology, 98, 387-407. Hudson, D.M. (2003). Epithermal alteration and mineralization in the Comstock District, Nevada. Economic Geology, 98, 367-385. Lindgren, W. (1913). Mineral Deposits. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. Lord, E. (1883). Comstock Mining and Miners. Washington: United States Geological Survey. (Reprinted in 1959 by Howell-North Books Publishers, San Diego). Paul, R.W. (1963). Mining Frontiers of the Far West, 1848-1880. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Richthofen, F. (1868). The Natural System of Volcanic Rocks. San Francisco: California Academy of Sciences. Rickard, T.A. (1932). A History of American Mining. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. Smith, G.H. (1943). The history of the Comstock Lode: 1850-1920. University of Nevada Bulletin, Geology and Mining Series, 37. (Reprinted in 1966 by the Nevada State Bureau of Mines and the Mackay School of Mines, Reno). Twain, M. (1872). Roughing It. Hartford: American Publishing Company. [Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835-1910).] Watkins, T.H. (1971). Gold and Silver in the West: The Illustrated History of an American Dream. Palo Alto: America West Publishing Company.
history of mining The evolution of shaft sinking systems in the western world and the improvement in sinking rates Part 6 — Shaft sinking from 1970 to 2007: mechanical excavation by Charles Graham, managing director, CAMIRO Mining Division, and Vern Evans, general manager, Mining Technologies International
During the 1970 to 2007 time period, there were a number of changes to traditional shaft sinking systems, both in Canada and in other countries around the world. These include: • the use of shaft jumbos for drilling; • the use of electronic detonators for blasting; • the use of hydraulic drills rather than pneumatic drills; • the use of slurry explosives instead of nitroglycerinebased explosives; • the drilling and blasting of long rounds utilizing drill jumbos suspended from the work stage; • equipping the shaft simultaneously with excavation; and • the development of mechanical shaft excavation systems. It can be noted that during this period no improvements were made to the mucking, hoisting or concreting segments of the sinking system. Shaft drilling jumbos were introduced in Canada in the 1970s and somewhat later in South Africa. Patrick Harrison & Co. introduced a six-boom “Acme” shaft jumbo at the Pipe Lake shaft in Thompson and a four-boom unit at the Lockerby ventilation shaft near Sudbury in 1972. The introduction of drill jumbos to Canadian shaft sinking was A typical pneumatic shaft Fig.jumbo 1 – Pneumat c Dr l J bo somewhat later than in the United States and Europe currents, radio because of the popularity of the benching round in Canada. A he sdetonation by static pne electricity, d j stray electric w transmissions, flames friction or impact. Nonel shock tubA full-face round was drilled with a shaft jumbo. ing is one of non-electric detonating systems presently in At about the same time as the pneumatic drill C jumbosf hydr use by shaft sinkers. The original Nonel system was first were introduced in Canada, the first hydraulically powered introduced jumbo drills were being introduced in the tunnelling indusH ve , in 1973. 1980s Explosives used in shaft sinking have generally changed try. However, it was not until the late 1980s that Canadian from the traditional nitroglycerine-based explosives to shaft sinkers started using hydraulically powerednke drills on slurry or emulsion type explosives. Both slurries and emultheir shaft jumbos. sions are safer to use than nitroglycerine-based explosives. In Canada, the “Long Round” shaft sinking system was Melvin Cook, the founder of Ireco, invented slurry explodeveloped in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This system I “L Round” sives in 1956, while emulsions were developed by Atlas utilizes a drill jumbo that is suspended from the sinking Powder in the United States in the late 1960s. Neither of stage rather than sitting on the shaft bottom. The susT z these explosives were adopted immediately by shaft sinking pended drill jumbo drills a burn cut rather than a V-cut or companies, and it was only in the 1970s and 1980s that cone cut that is normal in shaft sinking. Initially, the cut they became popular. Some shaft sinking companies still consisted of a series of closely spaced holes. Dynatec prefer Vto use the nitroglycerine-based explosives, despite Mining of Richmond Hill, Ontario, pioneered the use of one the fact that they are more difficult to handle. or more large diameter holes (200 to 250 millimetres) for M was made to shaft In the 1990s, a further improvement the cut instead of a series of small holes. A separate ITH sinking efficiency — the bulk loading of explosives for shaft drill is used to drill these large diameter holes. O sinkers 200 and 250 Dyno ) sinking. Both explosives manufacturers, (Orica During this time period, most Canadian shaft Nobel, have assisted in the development of this method of changed from electric detonators to non-electric systems. loading explosives. These new detonators are extremely resistant to accidental 3 May 2008 | 75
history of mining
Table 1. Changes in shaft sinking systems Drilling
Blasting
To 1100 No
1100–1600 No
1600–1800 Double jacking
Fire quenching Hand
Fire quenching Hand
Black powder Hand
Permanent lining
Wood
Wood
Wood
Protection from ground falls Hoisting
None
– Natural Buckets
Platforms in shaft Manpowered windlass Hemp Bellows Buckets
Platforms in shaft Horsepowered windlass Hemp Bellows Buckets
None
None
None
1–2 ft/month
3–4 ft/month
3–4 m/month
Mucking
Hoist rope Ventilation Water handling Water control Average advance rate
Ladders
1800–1900 pneumatic drills undeDynamite gr and safety fuse Hand
–
Shaft sinkers around the world have traditionally preferred to sink a shaft bare and then equip it after in a separate operation. Recently, at Xstrata’s Nickel Rim project in Sudbury, Cementation Canada was able to safely and efficiently equip the shafts on that project concurrently with shaft excavation. This is certainly a major advance in sinking technique. Large-diameter shaft drilling has been carried out for more than 50 years. Originally developed in Europe, the technique first became popular in the United States on the Nevada Test Site where 1.5- and 1.8-metre diameter shafts were drilled for the underground detonation of nuclear devices in the 1970s. After a considerable amount of modification, the rigs were able to drill a 1,000 foot deep shaft in 20 days — an advance rate of 50 feet (or 15 metres) a day. One of the most interesting shaft drilling projects was the 14 foot (4.3 metre) diameter shaft drilled in Australia at the Agnew Nickel mine. The shaft was drilled to a depth of 750 metres in 328 days in rock ranging from 30,000 to 59,000 psi compressive strength. Originally, modified oilfield equipment was used for drilling the shafts. Today, however, specialized equipment has been developed to improve efficiency. Most of the drilled shafts in North America today are for ventilation shafts in the Appalachian coal mines. Blind-hole drilling for ventilation shafts is also popular in Russia in some of the other countries of the former Soviet Union. Shaft boring machines have been developed by the Wirth company in Germany. These machines have been designed both as reaming V-moles and full-face excavators. The reaming models have been much more popular than the full-face excavators; however, they do require that there be bottom access to the shaft. According to Wirth, 60 projects have been completed since 1971. Unfortunately, the 76 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
1900–1940
1940–1970
the N Large vad T s Si Light w r 1.5 mPneumatic nd 8
Brick Permanent brick lining Steampowered O hoists Wire rope Centrifugal fans Steam-powered pumps Freezing method 10–12 m/month
pneumatic drill drills jumbo Dynamite andnuc Dynamite and safety fuse electric caps Hand Mechanical muckers Cast in place Cast in place concrete concrete Permanent Rock bolts as lining temporary lining ElectricElectricpowered powered hoists hoists Wire rope Wire rope Centrifugal fans Axial fans Electrical Electrical pumps pumps Freezing or Freezing or grouting grouting 30–40 90–110 m/month m/month
1970–2007 Hydraulic drill jumbo 970s A Bulk explosives Mechanical 1, muckers Cast in place concrete Rock bolts as temporary lining Electricpowered oj hoists Wire rope Axial fans ke M Electrical pumps Freezing or grouting 90–110 m/month
f
Hughes large-diameter drill rig
F required H to complete L D a shaft usingRthis techoverall time nique is no faster than conventional sinking. In relatively hard rock, the speed of the various operations might be as follows: • pilot hole drilling — 15 m/day • enlarging pilot hole to 1.8 metres — 7.5 m/day
p
14
(
history of mining • enlarging to 6.5 metres with V-mole — 6 m/day Assuming a 1,000-metre deep shaft and neglecting the time to set up the V-mole, a completed shaft would take 368 days — an advance rate of 2.7 m/day — which is no faster than conventional sinking. There have been other mechanized shaft sinking machines developed. • Gewerkschaft Walter, a German shaft sinking contractor, developed a shaft sinking machine that was used in the sedimentary rocks overlying the German potash beds and the salt itself. Excavation was with a rotating cutter head somewhat similar to a roadheader. Mucking was by means of a vacuum system into conventional sinking buckets. • Another shaft sinking machine was developed by a Robbins/Redpath joint venture under a USBM grant between 1975 and 1980. The material was excavated using a rotating cutter head similar to that used on the Robbins Mobile Miner. Broken material was loaded into conventional sinking buckets with a Cryderman-type loader. The goal of the project was to achieve a sinking rate of 25 feet (or 7.6 m) a day in a 7.3-metre diameter shaft. At the test site in Bessemer, Alabama, a shaft was sunk to a depth of 197 metres using the Robins/Redpath machine, but advance rates were much slower than expected and the project was abandoned. • Perhaps the most encouraging event regarding mechanical shaft sinking is the fact that the German tunnel boring machine manufacturer Herrenknecht A.G. developed a shaft sinking unit capable of excavation in soft rock. Herrenknecht is the world’s largest manufacturer of tunnel boring machines. The company has currently manufactured three units and they are being used to excavate shafts ranging betweenb) 2.5 and 8.0 metres in diameter. The machines have been utilized on tunnelling projects in Kuwait, Indonesia and Russia. Following is a description of the unit that was utilized in Kuwait: • The Herrenknecht shaft sinking unit consists of two main components — the 78-tonne lowering unit and the 59-tonne shaft boring unit. • This particular system has 300 kilowatts of power. • The shaft boring machine is assembled in a launch section at the top of the shaft and then starts excavating the ground mechanically with the boring head rotating at a speed of 85 rpm. • The lowering unit is anchored securely to the shaft collar at surface. • The shaft is lined with pre-cast concrete segmental rings. The segments are connected to each other on surface and pushed vertically into the shaft by jacking units mounted on the lowering unit. • To balance the surrounding groundwater pressure, the shaft is flooded with water during excavation. • The excavation of the material underwater is comparable to the operation of a slurry shield type of tunnel boring
Gewerkschaft Walter mechanical shaft excavator
machine. The rotating cutter head excavates the material and the mixture of excavated material, and water is pumped to a settlement tank on surface, where the material is separated. A machine operator continuously monFig.the 5 –process GW Mechani l Sroom ft on Excsurface. va or itors from a control • The Herrenknecht machines are certainly not applicable Herrenknecht in hard - Ato shaft excavation s nki mrock; however w de ope y is working towards developing a mechanical shaft excavation machine. j There have ur been a number U B of notable improvements 1975 in shaft sinking techniques during this time period. They have contributed to a more efficient and safer shaft sinking operation, but average shaft sinking rates have not increased appreciably.” The one exception to this “ statement is the development of a system to allow equipping of the shaft concurrently with excavation on the C shaft bottom. This is a major step forward and was recently achieved by Cementation Canada at the Nickel Rim project. 25 6 There have been advances in the mechanical excavation of shafts, but at the moment, the advance rates of the , mechanical excavators in hard rock is no faster than conventional shaft excavation techniques. Unfortunately, 1970 to 2007 was the only time period to date where sinking rates were not increased drastically through some improvement in technology. One very important aspect of shaft sinking did improve, however, and that is safety. Accident rates on shaft sinking projects have dropped appreciably over the period. CIM May 2008 | 77
R
80
metallurgy Migration and movement of scholars A study in the history of diffusion of knowledge: Part 3 by Fathi Habashi, Department of Mining, Metallurgical, and Materials Engineering, Laval University
Migration of Scientists and the Discovery of Metals The movement of scientists played an important role in the discovery, isolation and industrialization of a number of metals.
Platinum In 1735, Spanish mathematician and naval officer Antonio de Ulloa (17161795) accompanied the expedition sent from France by Louis XV to measure the Arc of the Meridian at the equator. In his account of the voyage, the multivolume work Relacion Historica del Viaje à la America Meridional (published in Madrid in 1748), he mentioned that in the alluvial gold mines of El Chocó in New Granada (now Colombia), between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean, there was an unworkable metallic stone that looked like silver, but was not silver. It was called platina, a diminutive of plata, the Spanish word for silver. De Ulloa also mentioned that it made gold ores useless if it was associated with them in large proportions, apparently because they did not respond to amalgamation. He sent copies of his report to the Royal Society in London. Around 1741, William Brownrigg (1711-1800), a medical doctor in Whitehaven, England, received a specimen of native platina from his friend Charles Wood (1702-1774), a metallurgist in the mint in Jamaica who had obtained it from Cartagena in New Granada. Together with William Watson (1715-1787), a British physician and naturalist, he prepared an accurate description of the metal and its properties and presented specimens to the Royal Society in London in 1750. Other specimens of this curious new substance, “which it has hitherto not been possible to melt by fire or by any of the Spanish arts,” found their way to Europe from Spanish America and were examined by Clockwise from top left: Pierre notable chemists of the period. François Chabaneau, Joseph However, what was not fully realized until almost 200 Louis Proust, Antonio de Ulloa years later was that a native industry, well aware of the separate identity of platinum and skilled enough to work it into jewelry and other decorative forms, had flourished in those parts of South America many centuries before. The native Indians had successfully mixed tiny grains of gold and platinum together by heating; then, by careful hammering, they had been able to produce a sound homogeneous mixture of the two metals. Much work was going on in England, France, Prussia, Spain and Sweden. Torbern Bergman (1735-1784), a professor of chemistry at Uppsala University in Sweden, proposed the name “platinum” in 1777, in line with the nomenclature using the Latin ending “um,” which he had 78 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
metallurgy adopted for several other metals and which is universal today. Bergman, too, finally confirmed that platinum was a new metal. When the Basque Society of Friends of the Country, the first scientific society in Spain, received a large quantity of platinum from New Granada, French chemist Pierre François Chabaneau (1754-1842), who was teaching at the Vergara Seminary founded by the society, succeeded in 1783 in producing malleable platinum by hammering a platinum sponge while white hot. The director of the Royal Laboratory of Natural History in Madrid then asked the Spanish authorities to send a large batch of the native grains for use by Joseph Louis Proust (1754-1826), another French chemist working in his laboratory. Proust was the first to report that a residue was obtained that was insoluble in aqua regia. However, he failed to realize that this residue contained other new metals, which were later discovered by other chemists.
Aluminum Naturally occurring alum-stone used by alchemists to enhance the dyeing of textile fibers was known to yield a white “earth” when heated at high temperature. This white earth was known as alumina and was an exceptionally stable material; it was considered to be a chemical element like gold, copper and tin. In 1801 in northern Italy, when Alessandro Volta discovered that an electric current was generated when two metals were separated by an electrolyte, chemists in Europe immediately started to study this new phenomenon and tried to make use of it. In 1801 Napoleon Bonaparte, as First Consul, invited Volta to Paris to give a demonstration of the principle of his discovery at the French National Institute (the body that replaced the French Academy during the revolutionary period). Napoleon was impressed and awarded Volta the Gold Medal of the Institute, ordering funds to be given to the École Polytechnique to build a large battery for research. The news of Volta’s discovery rapidly reached England and a very large battery, similar to the one constructed in Paris, was built at the new Royal Institution in London, where in 1807, Humphry Davy succeeded in isolating potassium and, a few days later, sodium, using this battery. Once these two reactive metals were available, they became the focus of intensive study. Their vigorous reaction with water and their spontaneous burning in air was very impressive. In 1808, Davy announced his belief that the plentiful compound alumina was the earth (oxide) of an undiscovered metal. From then on, scientists were making efforts to obtain this new metal. A Visitor to Copenhagen Davy never made any aluminum himself; however, in the early 1820s, Danish scientist Hans
Christian Oersted (1777-1851) succeeded in producing a tiny sample of the metal in a laboratory by reducing the aluminum chloride with potassium amalgam. He had prepared aluminum chloride a few years earlier for the first time by heating a mixture of alumina and charcoal in a stream of chlorine. Chlorine, at that time, was a laboratory curiosity, isolated a few years earlier by Carl Wilhelm Scheele. On his return trip from Stockhom after completing his studies under Jöns Jacob Berzelius, Friedrich Wöhler (1800-1882) stopped in Copenhagen in 1824 to visit the university. He met Oersted and learned about his experiments to isolate aluminum. Back in his laboratory in Berlin in 1827, he successfully repeated Oersted’s experiment. In 1836, he accepted a professorship position at the university and moved to Göttingen. In 1845, he succeeded in making aluminum in slightly larger amounts from which he was able to show that aluminum was a light metal. Wöhler devoted his later work to organic chemistry and became known for his synthesis of urea from ammonium cyanate, a reaction that defeated the concept of “vital force” that stated organic compounds could only be produced by living organism. Aluminum Production in France French chemists were also actively researching how to produce aluminum. Henri Sainte-Claire Deville (18181881), professor of chemistry at the École Normale in Paris, already produced aluminum in 1854 by electrolyzing a molten aluminum chloride-sodium chloride mixture. However, this route was abandoned because, at that time, electric current needed for electrolysis was obtained only from batteries, which were tedious to construct, operate and maintain. He therefore considered the chemical method devised by Wöhler and developed the process on a commercial scale. However, the process was expensive.
Friedrich Wöhler
Frank Fanning Jewett May 2008 | 79
metallurgy A Visitor from America Frank Fanning Jewett (1844-1926), who had received his undergraduate and graduate education in chemistry and mineralogy at Yale University, spent two more years (1873 to 1875) at the University of Göttingen with Wöhler where he learned about the promise of the new metal. Jewett returned home to become an assistant at Harvard University. He was soon nominated to teach at the Imperial University in Tokyo, Japan, where from 1876 to 1880, he was one of the small groups of westerners who initiated the teaching of science at the university. In 1880, he became a professor of chemistry and mineralogy at Oberlin College in Ohio. When Charles Martin Hall (1863-1914) took his chemistry course at Oberlin, he heard Jewett lecture on aluminum, display his sample of the metal and predict the fortune that awaited the person who could win this metal from its ore. Under Professor Jewett’s guidance and encouragement, Hall worked on aluminum chemistry in Jewett’s laboratory and at home until he succeeded in 1886 in producing the first ingot of aluminum by electrolyzing alumina dissolved in molten cryolite; a process was discovered simultaneously and independently by Paul Louis Heroult (1863-1914) in France and is the same process used today.
Rare Earths The rare earths are a group of 14 elements occurring together in a number of minerals, the most important being monazite, xenotime and bastnasite. It took nearly 200 years until all members were individually separated. Their close similarity caused considerable confusion and problems during their discovery. The first Robert Bunsen phase of separation was due to Swedish chemist Carl Gustav Mosander (1797-1858), a student and later a co-worker of Berzelius, who based the separation on the colour of ions in solution and on the salts, crystal form and reactivity. This was not enough to overcome the difficulties involved; new methods of analysis were necessary. The movement of chemists between different laboratories played a key role in this effort. Spectroscopic analysis was discovered in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1859 by Gustav Kirchhoff (1824-1887), a physics professor, and Robert Bunsen (1811-1899), a chemistry professor. The method proved to be so successful that immediately after putting it into use, the discoverers were able to find two new elements — rubidium and cesium. Students visited Bunsen from all over Europe to learn this technique and chemists brought samples there to be analyzed.1 1 Karl Josef Bayer (1849-1904), who invented the process named after him for the production of alumina from bauxite, was a student of Bunsen’s from 1869 to 1871.
80 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Two students who came to Bunsen — Jons Fridrik Bahr from Uppsala (1815-1875) and Carl Auer (1858-1929) from Vienna — played a particular role in the history of the rare earths. Bahr brought with him samples of rare earth minerals for analysis by Bunsen’s spectroscope. He also worked in his laboratory for a short time and developed a method of separation based on the selective decomposition of the nitrates. Bunsen later asked Auer to study different spectra of rare earths extracted from gadolinite. Auer noted that certain lines disappeared during chemical purification; thus, he could know when an element had reached its highest degree of purity. On his return to Vienna, Carl Auer took samples of rare earth minerals with him, set up a spectroscopic laboratory and studied the earths from gadolinite. He introduced fractional crystallization of the ammonium double nitrates to study the separation of the rare earths. Within two years, he was able to report that didymium (the twin of lanthanum) was in fact two elements, which he called neodymium (the new didymium) and praseodymium (the green didymium in reference to the colour of its salts). He used his new method of fractional crystallization using a sevenkilogram batch of cerite. This work resulted in the accumulation of a large amount of pure lanthanum salts that later played an important role in his research on incandescence. As early as 1826, it was known that CaO pastilles produced light when heated in the oxyhydrogen flame. Later, zirconium oxide was used. Auer found that adding some lanthanum oxide to ZrO2 improved the incandescence. He had on hand a considerable quantity of lanthanum salts derived from the didymium splitting. At night, he lit his laboratory window with the new light he generated, attracting the attention of passersby. For this purpose, he invented the gas mantle — a stocking made of cotton thread soaked in a solution of the earth metal salts. After the organic matter was burned off, a skeleton of the metal oxide was left. This emitted light when heated in a laboratory Bunsen burner. In 1887, he opened a factory in Atzgersdorf, a suburb of Vienna, to prepare the rare earth salts necessary for the soaking solution and to sell it to customers in Germany, England and the United States. This was the beginning of the rare earths industry.
Tungsten Juan Jose D’Elhuyar y de Zubice (1754-1796) and his brother, Fausto D’Elhuyar y de Zubice (1755-1833) were two of the most travelled metallurgists of their time. This activity resulted in distinguished contributions to science, education and industry. They were born in Logroño in
metallurgy northern Spain, to a well-to-do Basque family. Their father was the town surgeon. In 1778, Juan Jose was sent to study metallurgy at the School of Mines in Freiberg, at the expense of the Basque Society. From December 1781 to July 1782, he went to Uppsala in Sweden to study under Torbern Bergman, the famous Swedish chemist. There he worked on tungstic acid that Carl Wilhelm Juan D’Elhuyar Scheele had separated from the mineral known at that time as tungsten (in Swedish, this means “the heavy stone”; this mineral is known today as scheelite). On his return to Spain, he was appointed professor of metallurgy at the Seminario in Vergara. Fausto also went to France and Freiberg to study chemistry and metallurgy with his brother. Upon his return in 1781, he was also appointed as a professor at the Seminario in Vergara. In 1783, the two brothers worked together on the analysis of a specimen of wolframite from a tin mine in Zinnwald, Germany, and separated from it an insoluble yellow powder which they called wolframic acid. They showed it to be identical to tungstic acid, separated earlier by Scheele. The possibility of obtaining a new metal by reducing tungstic acid had already been suggested by Bergman and Scheele. The D’Elhuyar brothers heated an intimate mixture of tungstic acid with powdered charcoal in a sealed crucible. After cooling, they found a dark brown metallic button, which crumbled easily in their fingers, and when they examined the powder with a lens they saw metallic globules of tungsten. They published the result of their work in the journal of the society. In 1786, Juan José was sent to Bogotá in New Granada (now Colombia) to develop the mines there, while his brother Fausto was sent to Schemnitz (now Banska Stiavnice in the Slovak Republic) and Vienna to study the new method of amalgamation developed by Ignaz von Born. Juan José got married in 1788 and had three children. In the struggle for independence from Spain in 1811, he sympathized with his brother-in-law, who supported independence. When the latter came into disgrace, he was put under house arrest. He died at the young age of 42. His son Luciano, at the age of 19, was sent on an expedition for the liberation of Venezuela in 1813. He died at the age of 22. Fausto married a German girl and in 1788, was sent to New Spain to be director general of mines. While in Mexico he published a book on the making of coins in New Spain. He was then commissioned to establish a school of mines, which was planned by Joaquin de
Fausto D’Elhuyar
Alexander von Humboldt
Velázquez Cardenas y León, who died before his plan was realized. Fausto became its first director when it was opened in 1792 and stayed there for more than 30 years until the outbreak of the War on Independence; he returned to Spain in 1821. There he was made director general of mines and planned the School of Mines of Madrid. In 1818, he wrote a treatise on The Influence of Mining in New Spain.
Vanadium Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859), a graduate of the Mining Academy in Freiberg, made extensive voyages to South America, Mexico, Europe and Central Asia, and wrote his Voyages in multiple volumes (1805-1834). His books contributed to modern natural science. One of his trips contributed to establishing the validity of the discovery of vanadium. On his way from Acapulco to Vera Cruz in 1803, Humboldt stopped at Mexico City to visit Manuel del Rio (1764-1840), his friend and schoolmate from the Freiberg Academy. There he learned about del Rio’s discovery of a new element in a lead mineral from Zimapan in 1801, which he had called erythronium because of the red colour that its salts acquired when heated. However, del Rio was not sure that he made a new discovery because there was an earlier report published in 1797 by French chemist Nicholas Louis Vauquelin announcing the discovery of a new metal, which he called chromium. Del Rio thought that he had made a mistake and his erythronium might have actually been a chromium compound. Humboldt carried a sample of this mineral with him and, on his return to Germany, gave it to Friedrich Wöhler, then professor of chemistry in Berlin. When Wöhler analyzed this mineral in 1831, he proved that it contained the metal vanadium, recently discovered by his colleague in Stockholm, Swedish chemist Nils Gabriel Sefström (17871854). Wöhler then proved that erythronium and vanadium were one and the same. Thus, del Rio was right in his discovery. The mineral from Zimapan is now known as vanadinite — PbCl2•3Pb3(VO4)2. CIM May 2008 | 81
Online series The metallurgical history of Montreal bridges by H.J. McQueen, Concordia University
The Quebec Bridge (1917) — Record Cantilever in Nickel Steel o link rail lines from Montreal’s South Shore, the Maritimes and the s i ve recommendations for the design of a new bridge. A consort i u m United States with Quebec City and with potential lines going north- comprised of the Dominion Bridge Co. (Montreal) and the Canadian wa r d, a business consortium engaged Phoenix Bridge Co. of Bridge Co. (Windsor) developed a novel K bracing for each panel that Pennsylvania to design a bridge across the St.Lawrence.For a long and high permitted the insertion of all rivets as each bay was added. crossing of the main shipping channel, a cantilever bridge was selected To diminish the dead load of the heavy girders, n i c kel steel with 40 because of recent success with the similar span Fo rth Bridge in Scotland.The per cent greater strength than normal bridge steel was employed for 70 design of the bridge proper cent of the struct u r e, gressed only sporadically thereby raising the cost by because of financial difficula factor of 2.5.The addition ties.The consulting engineer, of 3 per cent nickel shifted T. Cooper (a prominent the eutectoid point, so that A m e r i can railway bridge the pearlite was finer and engineer in semi-retirehigher in volume than ment), chose a slender would be a similar carbon design and ordered it not to steel. Modern nickel ste e l s be changed, even though with small additions of the main chords had not copper and molybdenum been re-dimensioned to h ave double the strength support additional bracing. of carbon steel. In line with normal At the time of construcpract i c e s, large compotion of the Quebec Bridge nents of the bridge in 1917, the Canadian ste e l were shop-fabricated and The complete bridge viewed from the North Shore, emphasizing the straight lower girder chords (comindustry that began operashipped to the bridge site. pression) and upper forged eye-bars (tension). The K members in each bay minimized distortion and tions in 1901 did not yet facilitated erection. The anchor span to h ave the capacity to proQuebec’s South Shore was built on a trestle and the main span was duce heavy plate and forgings; consequently, these were produced by gradually extended outwards from the tower. During the process of Carnegie and Bethlehem Steels through an open hearth technique. In inserting rivets into holes that were being brought into alignment by the final construction stage in 1916, a cast saddle fractured in the jackgravity loading, it was noticed that some rivets were popping out and ing up of the centre truss and dropped it into the river, killing 16 men. that some compression components appeared distorted. None of the H oweve r, the ca n t i l evers suffered no damage, so the centre truss wa s engineers on the site had sufficient experience to decisively interpret rebuilt and positioned the fo l l owing year. these changes and T.Cooper did not respond promptly to telegrams. On B e cause the railway traffic never grew to the expected ex te n t, the August 29, 1907, the chords buckled near the pier and the bridge col- Quebec Bridge now carries trains on a single track and a three lane roadlapsed, killing 75 men. way. The highly effe ct i ve K design has held the wo r l dwide ca n t i l ever The Canadian government launched a truly comprehensive inve s t i- record of 547 metres for over 90 years; this design was employed for the g ation that uncovered ex te n s i ve plastic defo r m ation of girders and construction of Montreal’s Jacques Cartier Bridge in 1929 and of the shearing of rivets, but no brittle fracture. Calculation of the strength of third longest cantilever in Calcutta in 1945. In 1970, Canada’s longest the chords and crushing of a one-third scale model chord confirmed an suspension bridge was built along side the Quebec Bridge to serve as a under design of 25 per cent. World expert bridge designers made ex te n- six-lane auto r o u te.
T
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TO INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE Peer reviewed by leaders in their fields CIM Bulletin Abstracts 84
Perlite exploitation on the island of Kos, Greece A.G. Benardos, A.A. Mavrikos, D.A. Labrakis and M.E. Menegaki
85
Column flotation of bitumen at Fort Hills H.M. Lizama, D. Romero and M. Armour
86
Comparison of Penzien and Wang analytical methods with the finite difference numerical method in seismic analyses of the Qazvin-Rasht (Kuhin) tunnel R. Mikaeil, B. Ferdowsi, M. Ataei and F. Hassani
Complete CIM Bulletin papers are posted in the online Technical Paper Library
www.cim.org May 2008 | 83
executive summaries
M E T A L
M I N I N G
Perlite exploitation on the island of Kos, Greece Perlite is one of the most significant industrial minerals. Its main distinguishing feature is that when heated to a suitable point in its softening range, it expands four to 20 times its original volume. Global consumption of perlite is expected to rise slowly, but steadily, from around 2.2 Mt to 2.5 Mt in 2004. Greece is the second largest producer of perlite in the world and almost the exclusive producer of perlite in the European Union. The most important perlite deposits in Greece occur on the island of Milos, in the Aegean Sea. Furthermore, perlite occurrences are found on the islands of Kimolos, Kos, Lesvos, Yali, as well as on the mainland.
The decision whether the exploitation of the perlite deposit should proceed or not is based on the financial figures of such an investment. Two major scenarios are put forth. The first suggests that all the crude perlite produced in the quarry, on an annual basis, is sold abroad, while the second suggests that half of the produced quantity is sold on the market as crude perlite and the other half undergoes the expansion procedure and then sold. These scenarios share the same investments regarding the exploitation requirements; however, the second one includes the establishment of a small unit facilitating the expansion procedure.
This paper deals with the utilization of a perlite deposit in the Zini area on the island of Kos, which is currently unexploited due to the cessation of the mining operations taking place in the area. The perlite deposit located there is of good quality, having an expansion ratio from 18 to 46, suitable for a wide spectrum of applications. The paper investigates the utilization possibilities of the perlite deposit under a new exploitation framework, which can lead to the reactivation of the mine site.
The main conclusions towards the utilization potential of the specific perlite deposit are: • The redesign of the exploitation is the first important step towards the modernization of the mine site that could allow its effective operation. • The evaluation of the investment plans concluded that the exploitation can become a very attractive venture and its success is interlinked with the production of expanded perlite. • The reopening of the mine site can provide a twofold benefit to the local community. The first, direct benefit derives from the leasing permit of the site and the annual fee paid, while the second can originate from the establishment of a new production facility that will create new labour openings.
Focus is given on two major elements: firstly on the mine redesign that would allow for an efficient exploitation, and secondly on the possible investment scenarios that could be implemented and their respective financial results, so as to evaluate the feasibility of the perlite exploitation. Extensive redesign of the existing mine is required, as the existence of irregular, not fully developed benches and the poor internal road network are major drawbacks for the exploitation. Thus, the design aims at the improvement of the mine’s layout that will eventually allow for more favourable and controlled conditions in both the exploitation and rehabilitation phase. This redesign process involves five consecutive stages over a 15-year period.
A.G. Benardos, A.A. Mavrikos, D.A. Labrakis and M.E. Menegaki, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
84 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
In all cases, it has been proved that the Zini deposit is an essential asset for the local community and the Greek economy as a whole, and steps towards its exploitation should be brought into place in the near future.
executive summaries Column flotation of bitumen at Fort Hills C O A L
bitumen content = ––––––––––––––––––––– x 100% bitumen + solids + water (1) bitumen grade = ––––––––––––––––––––– x 100% bitumen + solids
(2)
The reason for considering grade as defined in equation 2 is based on the concept that water is a carrier phase in column flotation. Separation is based on the differential hydrophobicity of particles (be they solids or bitumen) and their subsequent attachment to air bubbles. Hence, only bitumen droplets and solid particles participate in the separation. In mineral processing terminology, grade is defined as the desired mineral divided by the desired mineral plus gangue, or impurities. When that definition is applied to bitumen flotation, the solids are the obvious impurities. The figure shows plots of solids recovery as a function of bitumen recovery in the first flotation column. The diagonal
line represents no separation — equal recoveries of bitumen and solids. Both data sets lie below this line, indicating that there was separation — bitumen recovery to overflow was greater than solids recovery. The low-grade data set is further below the line than the high-grade data set, indicating higher flotation selectivity and therefore higher degree of separation at lower feed grades. In effect, the lower grade feeds gave higher quality flotation products. In general, bitumen froth quality is based on the bitumen/solids ratio. This is analogous to the grade recovery relationships used in mineral processing.
S A N D S
Interpretation of bitumen flotation data became very straightforward when bitumen grade was described only in terms of bitumen content and solids content. This is a familiar concept in mineral processing that has not previously been applied in the oil sands processing industry. In this study:
O I L
In the demonstration plant, oil sands material was passed through a roll sizer and fed to a countercurrent drum separator, where it was mixed with 75ºC water. Lean froth containing bitumen overflowed from one end, and wet sand exited at the other. Bitumen in the lean froth was separated in a primary separation cell. Overflow from this vessel constituted bitumen froth product, while underflow was fed to the first flotation column. Column overflow was fed back to the primary separation cell while the tails were fed to a thickener for water recovery. Thickener overflow was fed to the second column for flotation of trace bitumen. Clean water in the second column tails was reheated and fed back to the drum separator.
A N D
A demonstration plant was operated at Fort Hills, about 90 km north of Fort McMurray to test bitumen extraction. This plant included, among the various unit operations, two columns for bitumen flotation. Given the nature of the process flowsheet, these columns were not fed what would constitute a typical middlings stream in a conventional bitumen extraction plant. However, column data from the demonstration plant does provide the opportunity examine the separation behaviour during flotation of bitumen.
Bitumen/solids separation in the first column was successful at 50 to 60°C, with feeds having bitumen grades between 1 and 19%, and where the solids had about 60% fines (44 µm). Bitumen/solids separation did not occur in the second column at 50 to 60°C, with feeds having bitumen grades between 8 and 63%, and where the solids had about 90% fines. The lack of separation was likely due to high solids entrainment in the flotation froth. Bitumen column flotation data can be analyzed and interpreted by adopting mineral processing principles. Flotation kinetics can be deduced by plotting bitumen or solids recovery as functions of residence time. Flotation performance can be evaluated and predicted by plotting bitumen grade (or bitumen/solids ratio) as a function of bitumen recovery. Bitumen/solids separation (or selectivity) can be evaluated and predicted by plotting solids recovery as a function of bitumen recovery. These same mineral processing principles used for column cells are also applicable to bitumen flotation in mechanical cells.
H.M. Lizama, Teck Cominco Metals Ltd., Trail, British Columbia, D. Romero, UTS Energy Corporation, Calgary, Alberta, and M. Armour, Petro-Canada, Calgary, Alberta May 2008 | 85
executive summaries
R O C K
E N G I N E E R I N G
Comparison of Penzien and Wang analytical methods with the finite difference numerical method in seismic analyses of the Qazvin-Rasht (Kuhin) tunnel Underground facilities are an integral part of the infrastructure of modern society and are used for a wide range of applications, including subways and railways, highways, material storage, and sewage and water transport. Underground facilities built in areas subject to earthquake activity must withstand both seismic and static loading. Historically, underground facilities have experienced a lower rate of damage than surface structures. Nevertheless, some underground structures have experienced significant damage in recent large earthquakes: 1990 in Manjil, Iran; 1995 in Kobe, Japan; 1999 in Chi-Chi, Taiwan; and 1999 in Kocaeli, Turkey. Several studies have documented earthquake damage to underground facilities. The American Society of Civil Engineers describes the damage in the Los Angeles area as a result of the 1971 San Fernando earthquake; the Japanese Society of Civil Engineers describes the performance of several underground structures, including an immersed tube tunnel during shaking in Japan. Earthquake effects on underground structures can be grouped into two categories: ground shaking and ground failure such as liquefaction, fault displacement and slope instability. The component that has the most important influence on the tunnel lining under seismic loading, except for the case of the tunnel being directly sheared by a fault, is the ovaling or racking deformations. Studies propose that while ovaling may be caused by waves propagating horizontally or obliquely, vertically propagating shear waves are the predominant form of earthquake loading that causes these types of deformations. The ovaling deformation is commonly simulated as a two-dimensional, plane-strain condition. Since the inertia effect can be relatively small, the ovaling deformation is further simplified as a quasistatic case, and hence without the dynamic interaction. Wang and Penzien present closed form solutions to compute displacements and forces in the lining due to equivalent static ovaling deformations. The analytical solutions are frequently used in estimation moment and forces in tunnels. Hashash et al. identifies a significant
R. Mikaeil, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran, B. Ferdowsi, Sahand University of Technology, Tabriz, Iran, M. Ataei, Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran, F. Hassani, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec 86 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
discrepancy in the computed lining thrust between the Wang and Penzien solutions. This discrepancy has important implications as far as lining design and is of concern to many design engineers. This paper discusses the discrepancy between the two analytical and finite difference methods. Numerical analysis is performed using the explicit finite difference model by FLAC2D software to evaluate the analytical solutions for ovaling deformation. In this method, shear loading is applied at the lower ends of the boundaries to simulate pure shear condition. In FLAC2D, no-slip condition between the tunnel lining and ground is simulated. A comparison of the two analytical methods shows that the calculated forces and displacements are identical for the condition of full-slip between the tunnel lining and ground. However, the calculated lining thrusts differ by an order of magnitude when considering no-slip between the tunnel lining and the ground. The analytical solutions are compared to numerical analyses of the no-slip condition, using the finite difference method to validate which of the two methods provide the correct method. To achieve the goal: numerical analysis is performed in a two-dimensional elasticity-plasticity domain, using the explicit finite difference model by FLAC2D software on the field data of the Kuhin Railway tunnel and characterize Manjil earthquake. Numerical analysis results agree with one of the analytical solutions that provides a higher estimate of the thrust on the tunnel lining, thus highlighting the limitation of the other analytical solution. The maximum axial thrusts from numerical analyses result in an almost perfect match with Wang’s solutions, whereby the differences are within 1.8% for this case. However, the difference between the numerical and Penzien’s solutions are significant. The difference is higher than 590%, in which Penzien’s solutions highly underestimate the thrust for this case. The comparisons clearly demonstrate that Wang’s solution provides a realistic estimate of the thrust in the tunnel linings for the no-slip condition. It is recommended that the Penzien’s solution not be used for no-slip condition.
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voices from industry
There is hope Students and networking initiatives by Rick Hutson, senior consultant, C.J. Stafford & Associates, and vice chair, CIM Toronto Branch
am very honoured to be asked to provide some thoughts for the Voices from Industry page. My career has taken me from a geological engineering graduate from Toronto, to the international oil industry and now back to Toronto recruiting with Chris Stafford for the mining industry. It was the monthly luncheons of the CIM Toronto Branch that gave me my start at networking within the mining industry after 20 years away, and it was not long before I found myself as the chair of the Education Committee. Working with the students has been an absolutely fabulous experience and has brought me into contact with a number of people, groups and initiatives that I would like to encourage and make CIM readers aware of. Hopefully, this will elicit comments and suggestions, as we are not afraid to “steal shamelessly” if something works or someone has a better idea. The CIM Toronto Branch has several initiatives aimed at attracting students to the industry, but also to provide them with some of the tools they will need to be successful in their careers. The Annual Student-Industry Luncheon in February attracted over 70 students from 10 different schools and about the same number of industry representatives this year. The branch recently launched a new networking event — the Annual Fall Grubstake Night. Here, 80 students and about 70 industry people gathered at the Toronto Board of Trade for an evening of light refreshment and great conversation. We hope to make it a permanent fixture on the branch calendar. We try to precede each of our student events with a networking seminar, where short presentations on networking, resumes and other insights are given and a number of industry volunteers chat with the students. As well, financial support is provided for university field trips; money raised at the golf tournament ($10,000 this year) supports eight separate university field trips for students in mining and geosciences.
I
90 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 3, No. 3
Over 600 students figured among the 20,000 attendees at this year’s Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention. This year, a student session with talks on the industry, networking and professional designations was held, as well as a student-industry luncheon; several hundred students and industry representatives were in attendance, enabling the students to apply those networking skills. Probably the most telling fact was the long list of student-friendly companies that were recruiting students. Another effort to be aware of is the Ontario Mining Association’s involvement with Skills Canada/Skills Ontario. This group produces a list of careers that grade 10 high school students might consider as an option rather than the traditional university or straight-to-work approach. Until now, there has been no mention of mining anywhere. Thanks to a commitment from OMA and a core group of volunteers, the next edition will feature an entire section on mining and six positions that the students can aspire to. Copies of this booklet will be distributed to most grade 10 students across Ontario. The Women in Mining group here in Toronto is also helping to highlight opportunities for women in the industry. WIM held its inaugural reception at the PDAC convention this year, and all I can say is that they need to get a bigger room! It was held right after the Toronto Branch’s Annual Student-Industry Luncheon, so I was able to take some of the female students into the reception and introduce them to some of the many very successful, well-respected people in our industry. What a group of role models! Chris Stafford has always told me that his business is about building long-term relationships with talent and I try to emulate him by spending time helping with the student initiatives. Getting students to see that mining can be a very rewarding, viable career is a worthwhile effort. It has been great fun to work with the talented and dedicated volunteers and organizations that are trying to get the message out. These are a few of the things that the Toronto Branch is involved with. If anyone has any suggestions or ideas, we are all ears! CIM