northern Prospector 2018-2019
The annual mining & exploration review An official publication of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Prospectors and Developers Association
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table of
Contents Message from the MSPDA president, Stephen Masson 8 Copper Reef Mining Corporation: Focusing on two gold projects 15 Manitoba Exploration and Development Highlights 2018 20 Saskatchewan Exploration and Development Highlights 2018 26 Gap-Discovery HeliSAM Surveys: Exciting new mineral exploration technology comes to Canada 37 The Orix Geoscience Inc. way 41 Foran foreges ahead at McIlvenna Bay 42 Paraminerals aims to impress with 3D visualization 44 Far Resources expands high-grade lithium projects in Manitoba and the Northwest Territories 46 Prairie Helicopters soars to new heights 48 One glove does not fit all 49 Look North initiative paves way for economic development 50
The Annual Mining & Exploration Review
Northern Prospector is published by DEL Communications Inc. Suite 300, 6 Roslyn Road Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada R3L 0G5 www.delcommunications.com
Nutrien – Diversity for a better tomorrow 51
President & CEO DAVID LANGSTAFF
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We cover your world 54 Introducing the 8TD24 shuttle car 56 Handy Hitch designs, manufactures for mining industry 57 Custom Helicopters soars to new heights 58 Comairco’s air compressors benefit mining industry 59 Past investment in Manitoba’s North to 1930 60 Supporting individuals through core box production 61 The advantages of satellite imagery for longterm environmental monitoring 62
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A tribute to Thomas (Tom) Joseph Moodie 64 Cover credit to Foran Mining Corporation.
Ken de Graff: Prospector, trapper, wild ricer, line-cutter 66
©Copyright 2018. Northern Prospector.
After the Gold Rush: Northern communities fight for survival 68
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2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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president’s message
Why is Manitoba not booming? By Stephen Masson, M.Sc., P.Geo. President, Manitoba-Saskatchewan Prospectors and Developers Association Contained within our magazine are writeups by both the Manitoba and Saskatchewan provinces on last year’s and current activities in the exploration and mining industry. Saskatchewan is long on detail, which is a pleasure to read even though uranium and potash prices continue to hurt corporate revenues and, therefore, provincial revenue as well. Still, gold exploration is up, base metal exploration has seen a four-fold increase and an interesting cobalt-nickel prospect and a new potential diamond mine may be developed. Overall, junior exploration in the province is expected to come in around $70 million. In Manitoba’s writ-
“ Specializing in TOUGH CORING Conditions” 8
2018-2019 Northern Prospector
eup, which lacks significant detail, the new Manitoba Aboriginal Mining Protocol, in which our association had input in and fully endorsed, is spoken about but little else. Manitoba’s junior exploration is under $6 million, will not be even a 10th of Saskatchewan’s junior exploration. The contrast between provinces is disturbing but is rooted in some fundamental differences involving mineral abundances, permitting and politics. True, Saskatchewan has huge world-class potash and uranium deposits, of which Manitoba either has a lot less or, in the case of uranium, little to speak about so far; however, Manitoba does have world-class nickel and copperzinc deposits and comparatively more
abundant gold deposits and more potential for gold. Lithium deposits, the new darling of metals, are more common in Manitoba. Diamond exploration in Manitoba has recently seen some success but not on the scale of Saskatchewan. When we look across mid-Canada, we see exploration is way down, financings are down and, with the lack of exploration, new discovery rates have plummeted. Resources in general seem to be taking a beating; although, it is encouraging to see the further exploration of Foran’s large zinc-copper deposit at Hanson Lake and Star Diamond Corporation’s (formerly Shore Gold) diamond project at Fort de la Corne. Both, being backed at different
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president’s message levels by large mining companies, moving forward. Still the conditions are hard to ignore: the hundreds of geology students (approximately 50 per cent of which are young women) that can’t get a job in the industry, unemployed or underemployed drillers and the overall decline in exploration activity and junior financings. Much of the money has walked away from exploration, but this has not been more evident as in Manitoba, where companies have packed up and gone elsewhere. The main problem has been the lack of or of timely permitting approvals for exploration. This uncertainty has sent a message that exploration can expect delays or even refusal for permits giving explorationists the distinct impression that they are generally not welcome in Manitoba, and the government will not help them. The past provincial government did little to address this issue. The present Conservative government took a wider view and tried to address Aboriginal concerns of not benefiting from exploration and mining as much as they should. The Manitoba Aboriginal Mining Protocol was an excellent start to create certainty by providing a win-win scenario for First Nation communities and the mining industry. However, this great step of a mechanism that could bring wealth and unparalleled control over the process for northern communities was sabotaged by the same government by telling First Nations communities they had a veto over mineral exploration and mining in their traditional land use areas. All the certainty and first benefits brought by the protocol evaporated. Our association wrote the Minister to clarify this position, and we received no answer. After numerous attempts to get clarification, we published in the Brandon Sun the MSPDA’s position on the harm this would do to exploration investment in Manitoba titled “Uncertainty is Bad for Business”, which I include below. We still have not received any response.
UNCERTAINTY IS BAD FOR BUSINESS Our Minister is proposing to change the “ground rules” Resource projects to be subject to ongoing veto August 29, 2018 The comments of Manitoba’s Honourable Minister of Growth, Enterprise and Trade during the public announcement of the Manitoba First Nations Mineral Development Protocol implied that the First Nation Communities’ consent would be required before exploration permits would be issued. He went on to say that communities could decide not to have exploration and mining in their Traditional Land Use Areas. This is essentially a VETO, which would have huge implications for the survival of Manitoba’s mining industry. Manitoba is blessed with abundant mineral resources and a long rich mining history, having produced many worldclass deposits, which continue to churn out every 15 to 20 years, once boasted of two smelters and has a world-class zinc refinery. There is great potential for new mineral discoveries in Manitoba and even new mining camps, where much of the prov-
ince is still under-explored compared to eastern Canada. Despite this, Manitoba’s share of junior exploration is now almost non-existent. Spending is under $6 million compared to $61 million next door in Saskatchewan. Adding to Northern Manitoba’s current woes were the shutdown of the Port at Churchill and the rail line servicing it, the closure of the Birchtree Mine in Thompson last year and the closure of the Smelter this year. In Flin Flon, Hudbay just shipped their last ore from the Reed Lake Mine while the Triple Seven Mine may have just three years left. To support our communities and the province, more mines need to be discovered. There is no shortage of targets; we simply need more explorers and investment dollars. Steps to reverse this trend must start now or we will not have a mining industry in seven years. So what happened in our province? Manitoba exploration companies struggled to get exploration work permits, especially outside the established camps. Companies just gave up and left and the sector dwindled. To address the work permitting issue and other problems, the Honourable Minister Pedersen set up a committee so First Nations peoples could benefit directly from resource exploration and
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development activities in their Traditional Land Use Areas (TLUA). Each community would be able to benefit through training, employment, revenue sharing, business partnerships and other business opportunities from the exploration stage right up to and into mine production. The idea was obviously to address the needs of communities with high unemployment but also to unblock and speed up the permitting process, which had stalled because there were no firm incentives in the consultation process for First Nations communities. The Protocol was strongly endorsed by the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Prospectors and Developers Association (MSPDA), which felt it was long overdue. The training, jobs and business partnerships would bring a better quality of life to communities and further make the skill sets developed transportable across Canada. It is important that these communities, with growing populations, have opportunities to prosper from the exploration investment of new mining development. But this requires ongoing certainty of permitting and reasonable stability. Projects will only move forward in a pro-development environment exists that gives certainty to investment dollars. During the announcement of the Manitoba First Nations Mineral Development Protocol, the Honourable Blaine Pedersen stated that he would respect and not issue permits where those communities don’t want mining. His statement essentially removed the stability and certainty that exploration venture capital requires. It removes control by the province, the duty of which is to ensure that all residents and business of Manitoba can benefit from its resources. If implemented, it is almost certain that the province will turn away millions of dollars in resource investment. So now it has moved from not just being all about permitting but also to all about certainty of tenure and process. It takes hundreds of targets tested to find a mine. The role of junior exploration and prospectors is to test as many targets as possible. Juniors are essential to form the base of pyramid to feed discoveries to 10 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
president’s message mining companies. However, unlike mining companies, juniors have no income from mining and rely on high-risk investors to fund their exploration. Without junior exploration, and we need more not less, discovery rates will plummet. Conditions that welcome investors will see exploration dollars flow into the province and into the hands of northerners, but the opposite is also true. Investors simply will not put hundreds of thousands or in the case of more advanced projects, millions into a project if it can be shut down arbitrarily by a veto. Investors simply invest elsewhere where there is certainty and they feel welcomed. The implied veto gives First Nations jurisdiction over the mineral rights. Such action would overrule the Mines Acts and Regulations of Manitoba and the jurisdiction of the province provided by the Natural Resources Transfer Act of 1930. Such action would also compromise the rights of innocent parties who acquired mineral dispositions legally. Each First Nations community would have the right to change their mind, or could add financially unsupportable demands on a project. This level of uncertainty will direct future project financing away from our province and see Manitoba rapidly gaining the dubious distinction of being the least friendly place to explore in Canada. All residents of Manitoba have a right to the benefits of resource development throughout the province. These resources pay for everyone’s social benefits of health, education, roads and other services. First Nations peoples should have a big say in what goes on in their Traditional Land Use Areas. The Supreme Court has ruled that First Nations communities must be consulted and accommodated by governments. Certainly, any community in Canada should have a say in what happens in their own backyard. First Nations communities may think having the final say is great and what they want, but it is not good if it works against their chance for real prosperity. Because of the uncertainty it creates, a veto would cancel all of the positive aspects that the
“Protocol” achieved. Chances for revenue sharing, job training and new First Nations business partnerships would be significantly diminished. Money follows opportunity and relative certainty of process. Northern Manitoba is the big loser if a “veto” comes into effect because mines will not be discovered at a rate that makes the industry sustainable, as discovery rates further plummet because of a lack of exploration dollars. Northern communities will find it extremely difficult to support themselves and related infrastructure, which will burden the rest of the province. All Northerners need to realize the effect and high cost of a veto. The province’s role is to play honest broker between industry rights and First Nations’ rights, taking into consideration all the economic, social and environmental realities. A better quality of life for First Nations people and mining, the largest industry in the north, and second largest in Manitoba, are tied together and are not unrelated, but the industry must be sustainable. Without a significant change in the incentives for exploration in Manitoba and a climate of stability in permitting and development, mining will be destroyed in Manitoba and all its northern communities will be far worse off. The
rules must be transparent for investors to feel welcomed and realize security of land tenure, with a reasonable expectation, that exploration is allowed to proceed in a timely manner and investors can expect a reasonable chance of a return on their investment. The Conservative government planted a fabulous tree with the “Protocol”, then proceeded to cut off the water supply to it. Perhaps it was bad wording by the Minister in an unscripted speech. To not clarify exactly what he meant will be an irresponsible act and likely the greatest setback for mining in the history of Manitoba. This is a disaster in waiting, and the Minister should review the consequences of his viewpoint. We hereby request that the Minister, or the Premier, make a clarifying policy statement whether or not a veto was implied. This will allow investors, industry and Indigenous communities to have a clear and transparent understanding on the security of their mineral rights and investments. The current situation is confusing and bad for business and the markets are reacting accordingly. Stephen Masson President
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president’s message Manitoba-Saskatchewan Prospectors and Developers Association Since this letter was sent, we still have not had any response from the Manitoba Government, nor have they indicated in any way that they will try to encourage an increase in exploration in Manitoba. Currently, Manitoba would need over a 1,000 per cent increase in junior exploration just to match Saskatchewan. At current levels of exploration in Manitoba, it would take 250 years to have a discovery rate that could sustain the industry. This, of course, is unacceptable. Manitoba’s own article in this magazine states, “The Look North Report and Action Plan, which presents opportunities for economic development in northern Manitoba, identifies the mining and exploration industries as the most likely source of long-term prosperity in the north.” Well, if exploration and mining is the most likely source, why is this governPotash_AD_HalfPageHoriz.pdf 1 ment providing a climate of uncertainty
12 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
that discourages economic investment and why are they not providing incentives that will drastically increase exploration in the province so the discovery rate can foster a sustainable mining industry? It is great public relations to have a protocol and certainly a welcomed step, but where the rubber hits the road is when you have a clear welcome mat for exploration rather than removing it completely by uncertainty and no incentives. I stress again, the mining industry needs discoveries and majors cannot do it all. Many, many anomaly frogs need to be kissed to find that princess of a deposit, and that takes a whole slew of juniors drilling targets. The bottom of the pyramid for mining is made of explorers who find the deposits that majors put into development. Without at least a tenfold increase in exploration, Look North is spinning their wheels in wet snow if they think that discoveries will just happen at current exploration levels that can provide for the sustainability in mining that is required for North9/6/18 3:52 PM ern Manitoba’s viability.
I am not sure if the provincial government sees the life expectancy of the Flin Flon operations with imminent mine closures, as well as the closure of the Birch Mine and Smelter in Thompson as a harbinger that mining in Manitoba is a sunset industry, having gotten a poor perspective from looking at the present operations through Vale and Hudbay eyes but this could not be more wrong. Manitoba, as said in MSPDA‘s article published in the Brandon Sun, has enormous potential that is barely scratched compared to Ontario or Quebec. Saskatchewan’s approach has been completely different to Manitoba’s in that when they saw impending depletion of existing mines in Manitoba affecting the border areas, Flin Flon – Creighton border area’s operations. They chose to fly a modern airborne survey over those areas of the Flin Flon belt of Saskatchewan, not previously or poorly covered, to encourage exploration and hopefully discovery. They also instituted an incentive grant of 20 per cent of drilling carried out in Sas-
president’s message katchewan. This is being proactive and showing vision. In Manitoba, although incentives and a new airborne survey were recommended by the MSPDA, we have seen no action, except they were looking at areas to fly. There has been a lot of talk but little action and no word on how they expect to rejuvenate an increased level of exploration that will make our mining industry sustainable. Even the small province of Newfoundland recently announced to have five new mines by 2030, showing a commitment to mining in the province, as well as providing incentive grants. This year, the Manitoba Government is not even hosting an exploration and mining conference, leaving it up to explorationists and others to host it themselves. The MSPDA provided the Manitoba government last year with recommendations that could improve levels of exploration in the province including recommendations to fly a modern airborne survey of lesser-explored areas of the sub-Palaeozoic portions of the Flin Flon and Thompson Lake Greenstone Belts. We also offered advice on how to improve regulations such as multi-year permitting, extension to four years from two years to record work on a claim to update modern realities taking into consideration lead time for environmental and consultation times and other items. So far, we have heard nothing, and this was submitted at the PDAC last year. Bottom line is we need the disincentives, such as a First Nations veto and slow permitting that deter investment, to disappear or to have some level of assured certainty attached, as well as a proactive approach by the province’s Mines Branch to offer incentives that will bring exploration investment into the province at a level that is 500 to 1,000 per cent of what it is now or our industry and the north will not be sustained. “The president and the secretarytreasurer of our association attended the Look North conference in The Pas, Man., graciously hosted by the Opaskwayak Cree Nation on land of Treaty 5.
It was an excellent conference, with great speakers including Grand Chief Ted Moses of Northern Quebec, speaking of Plan Nord where he gave an excellent model of economic development of the north, one that Manitoba’s northern communities could well emulate to bring agreements for sharing the wealth of the north in line with Section 35. Also speaking was Gary Merasty, chief development officer and executive vice-president of NWC Ventures. He formerly served two terms as Grand Chief of Prince Albert Grand Council and as a Member of Parliament for Northern Saskatchewan. Gary spoke with enthusiasm of Indigenous business opportunities that are out there. Perhaps the most welcomed news came from keynote speaker Murad Al Katib, president and chief executive officer of AGT Food and Ingredients Inc. who was part of the group who purchased the Railroad to Churchill and who will be channeling his “billion-dollar” industry in grains through the Churchill port with further plans to expand. Onekanew (one who leads) Christian Sinclair of the Opaskwayak Cree Nation, was a gracious host with a wonderful sense of humour, brought many insights into moving business opportunities forward for First Nations in the spirit envisaged under the treaties. Kevin Chief end-
ed the session with an emotional speech on education and businesses by fostering a path of reconciliation to build successful healthy, strong and resilient partnerships. He pointed out that in demographics alone, First Nations peoples in Manitoba will be the largest group that are available to work and even more so in Northern Manitoba. He spoke of poverty and the need to create fair business opportunities to lift First Nation peoples to a better quality of life without compromising their traditional ways. These were just some of the highlights of a two-day conference on northerners coming together to create opportunities. I came away from this meeting invigorated by the business opportunities that will arise for exploration and mining companies by partnering with First Nations communities, similar to what Kraft Paper did in The Pas or in the model offered by Grand Chief Ted Moses for the Northern Quebec Cree, whose people now live in the first world. Most of Manitoba’s northern communities are pro-development, seeking a better quality of life for their young people and future generations by seeking partnerships and agreements that will move their communities from “third to first world” by sharing northern resources.” 6
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Copper Reef Mining Corporation:
Focusing on Two Gold Projects
C
opper Reef Mining Corporation, based in Flin Flon, Man., holds polymetallic base metal, gold and diamond exploration properties throughout the
Lynn Lake, Snow Lake and Flin Flon Greenstone Belts in Manitoba and Sas-
katchewan. Copper Reef is developing new targets in the Flin Flon Belt where it holds extensive mineral claim holdings. Copper Reef holds a number of Cu-Zn-Ag-Au deposits and properties,
which are available for option. This year Copper Reef has concentrated on its gold properties.
Gold properties Copper Reef holds five primarily gold properties, three of which are presently inactive. The two active projects include the Gold Rock and North Star Projects in the Snow Lake Camp and the Alberts Lake Property in the main Flin Flon Camp. Currently, Copper Reef
Royalty Holdings (Hanson Lake Belt, Sask. And Flin Flon, Man.) Copper Reef Mining Corporation has an underlying royalty of $0.75/t from Foran’s McIlvenna Bay Deposit (currently with estimated resource estimate of 16.3 million tonnes grading 1.82 per cent CuEq in the indicated category and a further 13.1 million tonnes grading 1.87 per cent CuEq in the inferred category, both at a $45 (U.S.) per tonne NSR cutoff ) and a two per cent NSR on the Bigstone copper deposit (historic estimate 3.75mt grading 2.03 per cent Cu at a one per cent Cu cutoff ), the Balsam deposit, the Hanson property, the Sam property and the Comeback property. Copper Reef ’s 100-per cent owned Hanson Lake Property is on strike with the McIlvenna Deposit and is the site of the past producing Hanson Lake Mine (production 147,000 tons grading 10 per cent Zn, 5.8 per cent Pb, 0.5 per cent Cu and 137 g/t Ag). Copper Reef also holds royalties in Callinex’s Pine Bay, Cabin Zone and Sourdough deposits in the Flin Flon Greenstone Belt and any new discoveries. In the Snow Lake Camp Copper Reef holds a two per cent NSR on the Morgan Lake and Woosey Properties and a one per cent NSR on the Cook Property, which will see CZC hold 533,333 shares of Rockcliff and $150,000 cash (received). More information on any of the active projects can be found at our website at www.copperreefmining.com.
is concentrating mainly on the Alberts Lake Property. This summer’s prospecting and mapping of the northern and western portions of the new Alberts Lake grid have returned encouraging gold and silver assays. The Z4 VTEM geophysical electromagnetic conductor to the northwest and the surrounding rocks have been investigated and sampled. This work has given credence to the Z4 VTEM anomaly as being a prospective and valid drill target.
Corporate information
12 Mitchell Road, P.O. Box 306 Flin Flon, MB R8A 1N1 Phone: (204) 687-3500 Fax: (204) 687-4762 Email: more@mymts.net Listing date: Friday, Feb. 22, 2008 Auditors: McGovern, Hurley, Cunningham LLP in Toronto Solicitors: Taylor McCaffrey LLP in Winnipeg
Directors, Officers and Advisors
Robert N. Granger, Q.C., chairman and director Stephen Masson, MSC., P. Geo, president, CEO and director David W. Kendall, FCA, CFO and treasurer William J. Jackson, B.A.Sc., director William J. Phillips, director Warren R. Bates, P. Geo, director Laara Shaffer, corporate secretary Ed Thompson, technical advisor Greg Campbell, technical advisor
Share Information
Canadian Stock Exchange (CSE) Symbol: CZC Transfer agent: Equity Transfer and Trust Co. in Toronto Investor relations: (204) 687-3500 Shares issued and outstanding: 150,311,300 Warrants outstanding: 15,432,000 Options outstanding: 12,050,000 Fully diluted: 177,793,300 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
15
North Star: Gold Rock Status The North Star Gold Property is located 36 kilometres west of Snow Lake, Man. At both the North Star and Gold Rock properties, gold mineralization is hosted in gabbro within a typical Proterozoic shear zone system. a) Five major drilling programs. b) Ramp access and underground development and sampling. c) Large-surface, blast-hole sampling and trenching together with extensive assaying for gold, trace elements and whole rock geochemistry. Average grade from blast holes and trench faces was over 0.35 oz/t gold. d) Metallurgical testing at Lakefield established 85 per cent recovery of gold by gravity alone. e) A large grid covers the gold shear with mapping, prospecting and geophysical surveys carried out. The shear is still open to the north and south and the grid can be extended to follow shear on strike (unexplored). f) Over two kilometres of all-weather road to the site, as well as 15 kilometres of the Dickstone road brought back to allweather road status with creek crossings improved and adjoining swamps lowered to improve road quality. g) Numerous environmental surveys were completed, including ungulate, rare plant, raptor, fish surveys and other surveys required for the establishment of tailings facilities. h) A digital topographical airborne survey over the main area of the vein, and potential areas for tailings disposal and water intake. i) Campsite and storage areas were established and permitted. Permit still valid. A mill foundation, a concrete slab shop floor and a water waste disposal pond were completed. j) A VTEM survey was carried out over the entire claim group in 2010. Mining leases make permitting easier. There has been no problem getting permits to do work in this area to date. k) The Group holds 21 claims. Sufficient assessment credits to keep claims in good standing till approximately 2071, includes two mining leases. 16 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
The Gold Rock Property is 800 metres northeast of the North Star Property. Selected drill holes from Gold Rock 2010 winter drilling are listed in the table below.
Selected drillholes from gold rock 2010 winter drilling
Hole
Au (g/t)
Length (m)
From (m)
To (m)
GR-10-114
14.41
3.3
23.0
26.3
GR-10-115
15.65
1.5
65.0
66.5
GR-10-119
7.79
2.1
114.3 116.4
16.31
0.9
119.2 120.1
GR-10-122
2.94
3.65
249.05 249.45
GR-10-125
7.01
2.3
143.4 145.7
Face assayed 0.49 oz/ton Au across 11.5 feet near north end of Face 7.
North Star “South Face 21” visible gold from muck pile.
Underground North Star “North Face 17”.
2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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The Alberts Lake Gold Property The Alberts Lake 2018 prospecting and mapping program completed its objectives of extending the Alberts Lake Gold Shear Zone to the north and south as well as investigating the Z4 VTEM anomaly as a prospective drill target. Selective high gold and silver assays from this exploration program are highlighted in the table below. Sample
Au (g/t)
The Z2 Picks – The model We will now a5empt to describe and present our best model to date.
View of model from South Conductor Z2_4_shallow Strike: 110m Dip Extent: 80m Strike Angle: 20o Dip Angle: 85o E Conductance: 30S Depth to Top: 30m Position: (333900E, 6074256N)
Ag (g/t)
North of Alberts Gold Deposit 537601
18.79
81.1
537602
11.35
75.5
537603
19.48
73.7
537621
30.65
71.2
537626
48.13
102.1
537632
12.83
27.0
537633
14.25
429.7
537635
14.78
39.0
537647
22.13
44.4
537648
29.59
57.1
537664
10.32
21.0
537694
17.04
44.1
Conductor Z2_5_shallow Strike: 80m Dip Extent: 50m Strike Angle: 35o Dip Angle: 85o E Conductance: 65S Depth to Top: 55m Position: (333722E, 6074090N)
Conductor Z2_5_deep Strike: 80m Dip Extent: 170m Strike Angle: 35o Dip Angle: 85o E Conductance: 200S Depth to Top: 120m Position: (333725E, 6074088N)
Conductor Z2_4_deep Strike: 100m Dip Extent: 120m Strike Angle: 20o Dip Angle: 87o E Conductance: 200S Depth to Top: 120m Position: (333866E, 607226N)
The 4 parts of the model are shown. The two shallow, weaker conductors in purple and the 2 deeper, more conduc9ng targets in red.
The Alberts Lake Z2_4, Z2_5 and Z4 Priority Base Metal Targets (from Ross Groom’s report).
East of Alberts Gold Deposit 537727
16.51
36.7
Flanking East of Alberts Gold Deposit 537745
25.67
53.0
537746
13.37
27.7
537747
21.07
41.2
537748
13.72
28.5
537750
30.0
58.6
537752
17.47
32.7
537754
48.11
62.4
The Northwest Z4 Anomaly.
RESULTS AL-11-61 BTW
From (m)
To (m)
Interval
Au (g/t)
Ag (g/t)
Average 253.2 304.7 51.5 1.02 2.4
AL-11-40TW Average 219.7 250.6 30.9 1.39 2.3 AL-11-57TW
Average 178.5 206.4 27.9 3.46 9.1
Includes 193.03 205.4 12.37 6.74 18.1
AL-11-72TW
Average
Includes 212.1 213.95 1.85 4.55
18 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
198.1
224.5
26.4
1.14
2.2 7.1
The Alberts Lake 2011 drilling program completed its objectives of testing the Gold Shear Zone. Copper Reef Mining Corporation drilled four twin drill holes on the Albert’s Lake gold zone. Previous non 43-101 resources by Granges outlined approximately 400,000 tonnes of 7.5 g gold. (Depth of resolution: The two Petros picks, Z2_4 and Z2_5, deep very conducting anomalies have been determined. However, the depth of these conductors is at the maximum resolution of the VTEM system. As such, we cannot determine if these conductors are more extensive at depth nor whether there are additional deeper conductors. But, certainly, the occurrence of
two relatively closely spaced good conductors would indicate a strong possibility of more conductive material at depth. If there are other deep conductors within this area, which do not have a shallow part, they will be obscured by the responses of the already identified deep conductors. These targets lie on strike with the Pine Bay Mine Horizon to the North. Both these anomalies have been previously drilled, based on HLEM anomalies following up an old airborne survey. Both intersected copper-zinc mineralization in the relatively weak near surface conductors. Ross Groom believes the main mass lies at depth and there may be additional targets.
Near surface conductivity is in the order if 25 to 65 siemens whereas at depth the anomalies exceed 200 siemens in conductivity and are larger. The plan is to reestablish the grid this fall over the Z2-4 and Z2-5 airborne VTEM targets and carry out a large loop ground transient electromagnetic survey to better define the targets. CZC shall target the large Z4 anomalies in the same manner; this grid is already established. The Z4 anomalies also exceed 200 siemens in conductivity with depth. Three holes are being planned for each target. Ross Groom rates Z2-5 as the No. 1 priority, followed by Z2-4 and Z4-1 out of 10 targets.
Quartz vein assayed 48.11 g/t Au and 62.4 g/t Ag flanking Alberts Lake Shear Zone.
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manitoba exploration and development highlights
Manitoba Exploration and Development Highlights 2018 Earlier this year, the Manitoba government released the Co-chairs’ Report on the Manitoba–First Nations Mineral Development Protocol, which puts forward recommendations on ways to advance mineral development projects in Manitoba. Based on these recommendations, the Manitoba government is working to develop a new mineral development protocol, which will create certainty for all parties including First Nations, industry and government and help ensure First Nations can be actively involved
in all phases of mineral development to create and share in the benefits of growth in this sector. Ron Evans, former chief of Norway House Cree Nation, and Jim Downey, former Manitoba deputy premier and cabinet minister, provided their expertise as co-chairs on this initiative. The co-chairs engaged First Nations leadership, industry representatives and stakeholders to gather feedback and recommendations to define how consultations would occur during all phases of mineral development, from initial
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exploration to mine development and reclamation. The co-chairs’ report clearly outlines that improved relationships, earlier and more frequent communications with government and industry, a clearer understanding of the benefits that will accrue and a more formalized role in the development of these projects are key for First Nations. The report includes a proposed Crown–Aboriginal consultation process guide and matrix for mineral development and sets out clear time frames. It also identifies opportunities to strengthen partnerships and better prepare First Nations to be active partners throughout the mineral development cycle. The report makes a number of other recommendations, including conducting an internal review of priority areas and supporting and increasing Indigenous participation in mineral development projects through program, policy and regulatory changes. The Manitoba government remains committed to advancing reconciliation by building respectful and productive partnerships with First Nations to responsibly and sustainably develop our natural resources. The Look North Report and Action Plan, which presents opportunities for economic development in northern Manitoba, identifies the mining and exploration industries as the most likely source of long-term prosperity in the north. It is therefore imperative that all parties work together to develop and maintain strong lines of communication and transparency as we move forward in unlocking the tremendous economic potential found in the north to benefit all Manitobans. The development of this new protocol will contribute directly towards this
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MINING IN SNOW LAKE, MANITOBA – IT’S WHAT WE’RE KNOWN FOR! Mining has been the mainstay of Snow Lake. Currently the Chisel North Mine and Concentrator are operating. HudBay Minerals is in the construction stages of a new zinc mine at Lalor. There is also a large gold deposit at Lalor that will be developed in the future. There is currently exploration in Snow Lake area for gold, zinc, copper and various other metals, and it is expected that the area will boom again.
HudBay Minerals Inc. has been the major industrial company at Snow Lake. Hudbay operated one mine south-west of town at Chisel North which produces high grade zinc. Recent explorations have suggested new, untapped resources of gold, copper, zinc, and lithium.
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manitoba exploration and development highlights goal, providing a strong basis for conducting clear and predictable consultation and engagement processes. This will enable new and existing operations a better understanding on what to expect, thereby enhancing public confidence in the mineral sector and providing the necessary assurance that Manitoba is the right place for business to invest, build and grow. We look forward to sharing the response and next steps with First Nations, industry groups and stakeholders. To view a copy of the co-chairs’ report, visit www.manitoba.ca/iem/ mines/fnmdp.html. To learn more about the Look North initiative, visit www.LookNorthMB.ca. 6
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SASKATCHEWAN exploration and development highlights
Saskatchewan Exploration and Development Highlights 2018 By the Saskatchewan Geological Survey (SGS) – Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources Over the past year, Saskatchewan maintained its role as a global leader in potash and uranium production. Saskatchewan remained the world’s largest potash producer, and second largest uranium producer, accounting for approximately 29 per cent and 22 per cent of global production respectively. The province set a record for volumes of potash produced and sold in 2017. A number of other commodities, including gold, coal, base metals, sodium sulfate, salt and clays, were also mined. The total value of mineral sales in 2017 was $6.7 billion (B), a moderate increase from the $6.4B in 2016 but still down from the $8.2B realized in 2015, and the $7.3B in 2014. These decreases are a reflection of languishing commodity prices, particularly for uranium and potash. Although average realized potash sale prices have seen incremental gains over the past couple of years, they are still well below the 10-year average. Uranium spot prices throughout 2017 and the first half of 2018 have fluctuated somewhat but have generally been less than 50 per cent the value of their 10-year average. Despite the current lower prices for its principle commodities, Saskatchewan continues to be recognized as one of the
most favourable jurisdictions in the world for investment in the mining sector. This was reflected in the Fraser Institute’s 2017 Survey of Mining Companies, in which, out of 91 jurisdictions, Saskatchewan ranked first in Canada and second in the world in investment attractiveness, a composite measure of geologic potential and policy factors. Another vote of confidence came from the Mining Journal’s World Risk Report, which ranked Saskatchewan third out of 96 global jurisdictions for mining investment. In its annual survey of mining companies active in Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Geological Survey (SGS) determined that an estimated $193.5 million (M) is planned for mineral exploration in 2018 (Table 1). Most of the 2018 expenditures were planned for uranium and potash projects, but the survey results also reflected a renewed interest in base and precious metals as well as diamonds. In a separate Canada-wide survey, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) found that national expenditures for mineral exploration plus deposit appraisals was approximately $2.00B in 2017, down significantly from the $4.23B spent in 2011. NRCan estimates that Saskatchewan’s portion of these expenditures will consti-
tute approximately 7.4 per cent in 2018, down from nine per cent in 2017 and 14 per cent in 2016. Saskatchewan’s decreasing percentage of national expenditures is primarily a reflection of rising base and precious metal commodity prices, for which exploration is more robust in other jurisdictions. As of the end of August 2018, active mineral dispositions in the province (issued pursuant to The Mineral Tenure Registry Regulations) totalled 6.0M hectares (ha), up from the 5.6M ha held at the same time one year ago. Total active potash dispositions (comprising permits and leases issued pursuant to The Subsurface Mineral Tenure Regulations) remained steady at 110 dispositions, totaling 2.9M ha, the same as a year ago. The Saskatchewan mineral industry provides nearly 30,000 direct, indirect and subsidiary jobs, including direct employment for over 2,000 people in northern Saskatchewan, approximately one-half of whom are local residents, mostly of Aboriginal ancestry.
Uranium Saskatchewan produced approximately 22 per cent of the world’s primary uranium supply in 2017. Production came from
Table 1 – Saskatchewan mineral exploration expenditures, compiled by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources from the annual survey of exploration spending intentions. M = million. 2013 ($ M)
2014 ($ M)
2015 ($ M)
2016 ($ M)
2017 ($ M)
2018 ($ M) (preliminary estimate)
143.9
138.7
136.1
156.1
135.1
119.2
6.3
6.0
2.2
6.2
0.6
3.4
7.8
2.9
3.8
0.5
3.5
12.2
4.2
3.6
17.3
9.2
6.1
23.1
74.3
64.6
Uranium Gold Base Metals
1
Diamonds Industrial Minerals
2
Total 236.5 215.8 1 Includes platinum group metals. 2 Includes potash, coal, rare earth elements, and clays. 26 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
51.5
27.2
24.5
35.7
210.9
199.2
169.9
193.5
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SASKATCHEWAN exploration and development highlights two operations that totalled 34.1 million pounds (M lb) U3O8. The majority, 18M lb U3O8, came from the Cigar Lake (operator Cameco Corporation [Cameco]) – McClean Lake (operator Orano Canada Inc [Orano]) operation. Production from the McArthur River – Key Lake operation (operator Cameco) totalled 16.1 M lb U3O8. Total production for 2018 is forecast to be 18.2M lb U3O8, of which 18 M lb will be from the Cigar Lake – McClean Lake operation and only 0.2M lb from the
McArthur River – Key Lake operation, which has been placed under care and maintenance. In August 2018, Cameco announced that the planned 10-month shutdown at the McArthur River – Key Lake operation had been extended indefinitely due to weak market conditions. The Rabbit Lake (Cameco) operation continues to be in a safe state of care and maintenance. In spite of challenging economic conditions in the industry, uranium exploration remains robust in the province, with
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actual expenditures of $135.1M in 2017 and anticipated spending of $119.2M in 2018. Major programs have continued in both the eastern and southwestern Athabasca Basin. In the southwest, activity is mainly focused in the Patterson Lake region, where Fission Uranium Corp. (Fission) announced an updated Resource Estimate for its Triple R deposit, which now includes the R1515W, R840W, R00E, R780E and R1620E zones. The total Resource Estimate contains 140.61M lb U3O8, with 87.76M lb U3O8 in the Indicated Mineral Resource category (based on 2,186,000 tonnes of ore at an average grade of 1.82 per cent U3O8) and 52.85M lb U3O8 in the Inferred Mineral Resource category (based on 1,331,000 tonnes of ore at an average grade of 1.80 per cent U3O8). The high-grade, R780E zone represents almost half of the Resource, containing 48.246M lb U3O8 grading 18.39 per cent, and 14.710M lb U3O8 grading 20.85 per cent in the Indicated and Inferred categories, respectively. Compared with the previous Mineral Resource, released July 28, 2015, the new Resource represents a 95 per cent increase in pounds U3O8 classified as Inferred and an eight per cent increase in pounds U3O8 classified as Indicated. Northeast of Fisson is NexGen Energy Ltd.’s (NexGen) Rook I property, which hosts the Arrow deposit. A Resource estimate completed in 2017 comprised an Indicated Resource containing 179.5M lb U3O8 grading 6.88 per cent, which includes an enriched portion of the deposit that contains 164.9M lb U3O8 grading 18.84 per cent. An additional 122.1M lb U3O8 grading 1.3 per cent remains in the Inferred Resource category. Just to the east of NexGen’s property, Purepoint Uranium Group, operator of the Hook Lake joint venture with partners Cameco and Orano, continues to explore the Spitfire deposit. On the east side of the Athabasca Basin, Denison Mines Corp. (Denison) has agreed to acquire 100 per cent of Cameco’s interest in the Wheeler River joint venture (JV). The acquisition will increase Denison’s interest in the project to 90 per
SASKATCHEWAN exploration and development highlights cent (or 86.84 per cent if remaining JV partner, JCU (Canada) Exploration Company Limited, exercises its right of first refusal). Denison also published an updated Resource Estimate for the Gryphon deposit, which now contains 61.9M lb U3O8 in an Indicated Mineral Resource, with a further 1.9M lb U3O8 in the Inferred Mineral Resource category. The combined Indicated Mineral Resources for Wheeler River, which includes both the Phoenix and Gryphon deposits, is 132.1M lb U3O8, an 88 per cent increase from the previous estimate. Since the Resource estimate was published, new mineralization was intersected up to one kilometre northeast of the Gryphon uranium deposit, suggesting that this deposit is larger than currently outlined. New mineralization has been found at Denison’s Waterbury project, about 40 kilometres northeast of the Cigar Lake mine. The new uranium occurrence, called the Huskie zone, is near the Midwest uranium deposits. Denison (joint venture partners Orano and OURD Canada Co. Ltd.) announced an updated Mineral Resource Estimate for the Midwest uranium project. This new Resource Estimate includes uranium mineralization from the Midwest Main and Midwest A deposits, for combined totals of 50.78M lb contained U3O8 in the Indicated Min-
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eral Resource category and 18.2M lb contained U3O8 in the Inferred Mineral Resources category. In other development news, Rio Tinto has decided to cease exploration at the Roughrider deposit, which is located a few kilometres northeast of the Midwest deposits.
Gold SSR Mining Inc.’s (SSRM) Seabee gold operation, comprising the Seabee and Santoy underground mines, remained Saskatchewan’s sole gold producer over the past year. The operation continued its trend of strong production levels over recent years, setting a new annual production record in 2017 of 83,998 ounces (oz) of gold from 330,415 tonnes (t) of ore grading 8.25 grams per tonne (g/t) gold. This strong performance has carried over to the current year, with production of 75,130 oz through the first three quarters of 2018. This includes third quarter production of 27,831 oz, representing an all-time quarterly production record for the operation. After 27 years and over one million oz of produced gold, the original Seabee mine was decommissioned in early 2018. As such, all current production from the Seabee operation is from the Santoy underground mine. Gold exploration took place at several locales around Saskatchewan over the
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past year, and it is estimated that gold expenditures for 2018 will be approximately $3.4M. The majority of recent exploration work was done by SSRM in and around the area of the Seabee operation. For 2018, plans for exploration included 45,000 metres (m) of underground drilling and 20,000 metres of surface drilling, with the objective of increasing and converting Mineral Resources into Mineral Reserves near the Santoy mine. Underground drilling focused on several targets, including Santoy Gap, Santoy 8A zone and Santoy Gap hanging wall zone, whereas surface drilling focused on areas close to the Santoy mine area, including the CRJ and Santoy 3 zones. SSRM, along with option partner Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (Eagle Plains), also undertook surface drilling on the Fisher property, located to the south of the Santoy mine along the southern extension of the Santoy shear zone. This followed surface-based exploration activity on the property in 2017, which generated several gold-in-soil anomalies and identification of visible gold mineralization in two areas. Eagle Plains, with joint venture partner Roughrider Exploration Ltd., also commenced gold exploration on its Olson project, located 120 kilometres east of La Ronge. Work at Olson consisted of soil geochemical sampling, rock sampling, prospecting and geological mapping. Taiga Gold Corp. (Taiga), a recent spinout company of Eagle Plains, was active on its Orchid project in the Santoy mine area. Work conducted this year on the property included a 500-line-kilometre, highresolution airborne (drone) magnetic survey, as well as geological mapping, prospecting and soil sampling. Taiga also conducted early stage exploration work at its SAM project, located just west of Flin Flon, that included geological mapping, prospecting, rock sampling and soil geochemical surveys. Gold exploration in the Flin Flon area was also undertaken by Searchlight Resources Inc. (Searchlight, formerly Canyon Copper Corp.) at its Bootleg Lake project, which includes the past-produc-
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SASKATCHEWAN exploration and development highlights ing Rio and Newcor gold mines. Searchlight conducted a 97.7-line-kilometre drone aeromagnetic survey targeting priority areas on the property, followed by a drilling program comprising 1,446 metres in four holes. Searchlight has also entered into a consulting agreement to develop a plan to establish access to the historic Rio mine workings. In the La Ronge area, Comstock Metals Ltd. completed metallurgical test work on sample materials from its Preview southwest deposit. Results of this testing indicated no significant metallurgical issues related to gold recovery, and better defined the potential processing options for the project.
Base Metals Base metal exploration expenditures for Saskatchewan are forecast to be just over $12M for 2018, up four-fold from last year’s actual expenditures of $3.5M (Table 1). The two projects that have seen the most consistent exploration activity over recent years are Foran Mining Corporation’s (Foran) McIlvenna Bay project and Murchison Minerals Ltd.’s (Murchsion) Brabant-McKenzie project. A new project is CoEX Metals Corporation’s West Bear Co-Ni prospect (CoEX is a subsidiary company of UEX Corporation), located in the eastern Athabasca Basin. Minor explo-
ration activity has also been reported from several other base metal projects scattered throughout the province, including Transition Metals and Forum Uranium Corp. announcing results of a short autumn diamond drilling program on the Janice Lake sedimentary copper property in the Wollaston Domain, and Durango Resources Inc. reporting on anomalous grab samples from their Dianna Lake Ag-Cu-Co property northwest of Uranium City. Foran’s wholly owned Zn-Cu McIlvenna Bay deposit, which is located 60 kilometres west-southwest of Flin Flon, is a volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit. The deposit, a 25-million-tonne (Mt) resource, consists of several distinct zones of mineralization, including two massive to semimassive sulfide lenses (Main Lens and Lens 3), as well as the underlying copper stockwork mineralization. In addition to zinc and copper, the deposit also contains appreciable amounts of silver and gold. The results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment, released in 2014, were positive. The assessment had been based on a 5000 t/day underground mine and concentrator, with a 14-year mine life. In the fall of 2017, Foran entered into a technical service agreement with Glencore Canada Corporation to advance the McIlvenna Bay deposit to the feasibility
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stage. Subsequent, infill drill programs saw the completion of 28 diamond-drill holes (DDH) (totalling 15,215 metres) in the winter, and the summer program was planned to include 33 holes (totalling 12,000 metres). The second part of the winter drill program focused on the deeper portions of the deposit (down-plunge at depths ranging from 500 to 1,000 vertical metres) and impressive intersections were encountered, with better than expected copper-gold and zinc values. Some of the intersections in the winter drill program were reported to include 14.35 per cent Zn over 4.48 metres and 13.20 per cent Zn over 5.26 metres. Intersections of the copper stockwork zone included 16 metres of continuous mineralization, consisting of 3.65 per cent Cu and 2.26 per cent Zn. Exploration drilling also continued at Target A, located 1.5 kilometres southeast of McIlvenna Bay, where 11 metres of eight to 10 per cent net-textured pyrrhotite were encountered at a downhole depth of 1385 metres. Murchison’s wholly owned Zn-Cu-PbAg Brabant-McKenzie project is located 175 kilometres northeast of La Ronge. The deposit is located in the Kisseynew Domain, and comprises two massive to semi-massive sulfide lenses (Upper Zone and Lower Zone). Based on a 2017 Mineral Resource estimate, the deposit was reported to be a sixmillion-tonne Zn-Cu-Pb-Ag resource. Murchison commenced its winter diamond-drill program at the end of March 2018, on four drill targets (Brabant-McKenzie deposit, Anomaly C, Anomaly D, and TOM2) for a total of 12,431 metres drilled in 25 holes. In an effort to upgrade the Resource estimate, the majority of the drillholes (19, totalling 9,004 metres) were focused on the Brabant-McKenzie deposit. Mineralization was intersected in all of the drillholes, and the Indicated Resource was upgraded to 2.1 Mt grading 7.08 per cent Zn, 0.69 per cent Cu, 0.49 per cent Pb and 39.6 g/t Ag. The Inferred Resource was upgraded to 7.6 Mt grading 4.45 per cent Zn, 0.57 per cent Cu, 0.19 per cent Pb and 18.4 g/t Ag.
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Saskatchewan Geological Survey celebrates 70 years. Since 1948, the Saskatchewan Geological Survey has provided high-quality geoscience information to encourage the exploration for, and the development of, the province’s mineral and energy resources. The province is the largest potash producer in the world and the second largest uranium producer. There is also production of, or strong potential for, a variety of minerals, including base metals, diamonds and gold. saskatchewan.ca/invest |
2018-2019 Northern Prospector
33
SASKATCHEWAN exploration and development highlights As a result of the continuing increase in cobalt prices, UEX Uranium (UEX Corporation) announced in November of 2017 that it would re-evaluate the West Bear Co-Ni prospect, located immediately east of the West Bear uranium deposit in the eastern Athabasca Basin. During of the initial 2002-2005 UEX drill programs, cobalt-nickel mineralization (uranium-free) at the West Bear prospect was described to cover an area at least 175 metres long, extending down-dip at least 75 metres, and ranging between 15 to 55 metres in vertical depth. In January of 2018, CoEX Metals Corporation (CoEx) was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of UEX Corporation in order to commence a winter drill program to grow the size of the known cobalt-nickel mineralization at West Bear. The program saw the completion of 41 diamonddrill holes (totalling 4457 metres) and one of the best intersections of the program included a composite assay grade of 2.00 per cent Co and 1.26 per cent Ni over a 10.5-metre core length between 46.0 metres and 56.5 metres depth. In July of 2018, the company announced an Inferred Resource estimate for the deposit of 390,000 tonnes grading 0.37 per cent Co and 0.22 per cent Ni, which equates to 3,172,000 pounds of cobalt and 1,928,000 pounds of nickel.
Diamonds In 2017, actual expenditures for diamond exploration projects were approximately $6.2 M. Spending in 2018 is anticipated to be $23.1M and will be focused on the Star-Orion South project, about 65 kilometres east of Prince Albert, and on grassroots activity in the Deschambault Lake area (Pikoo district) about 290 kilometres northeast of Prince Albert. Over the past year, Shore Gold Inc. (Shore) changed its name to Star Diamond Corp. (Star Diamond). In early 2018, Star Diamond and Rio Tinto Exploration Canada Inc. (RTEC) conducted HQ drilling (10 holes) on the Star kimberlite and geotechnical investigations on the overburden. A total of 1210 metres of 34 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
kimberlite were intersected in 10 holes. Star Diamond also completed a Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) on the Star and Orion South kimberlites, estimating that 66 million carats of diamonds could be recovered in a surface mine over a 38-year project life (i.e., four years of prestripping and 34 years of processing). The PEA model is based on developing two open pits (one each at the Star and Orion South kimberlites) with one processing plant. In fall 2018, Rio Tinto established an on-site 90-person camp with on-site communications and security facilities, started upgrading forest access roads and started bulk sample drilling of a proposed 10 holes on the Star kimberlite. In other news, in the Deschambault Lake area, in late 2017, North Arrow Minerals Inc. continued work on its Pikoo diamond project. The company collected till samples in order to better define some of its kimberlite indicator mineral trains. In the western Athabasca Basin, CanAlaska Uranium Ltd., in early 2018, acquired four new claim groups, with the intent of exploring magnetic features identified from airborne surveys.
Potash In 2017 Saskatchewan solidified its role as the world’s leading potash jurisdiction by producing a record 20.3 million tonnes (Mt) potassium chloride (KCl). The past couple of years have brought significant changes to the Saskatchewan potash production landscape, from the opening of the province’s first new potash mine in nearly 50 years, to the merger of two North American fertilizer giants, as well as other large-scale acquisitions. In the spring of 2017, K+S Potash Canada Inc. commissioned the Bethune solution mine, the province’s first new potash operation in decades. The $4.1B operation was expected to reach two Mt production capacity by the end of 2017. At the start of 2018, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan and Agrium Inc. finalized a business combination, billed as a merger of equals, which created Nutrien Ltd., one of the world’s largest crop nutrient providers,
worth an estimated US$36 B, with 1,500 farm retail centres and nearly 20,000 employees in 14 countries. In January, The Mosaic Company (Mosaic) announced it had completed an acquisition of Vale Fertilizantes, effectively doubling the size of the company’s global workforce. The acquisition included four fertilizer production facilities, five phosphate mines and a potash mine in Brazil. Mosaic also acquired control of the Kronau solution mining project southeast of Regina. The record 20.3 Mt KCl produced in the province in 2017 had an estimated sales value of $4.8B, compared to 17.9 Mt KCl valued at $4.2B in 2016, and 18.2 Mt KCl valued at $6.1B in 2015. Sales volumes thus far in 2018 have remained robust and are expected to meet or exceed the record levels of 2017, while the average realized sales price for muriate of potash has shown continued modest growth. It is estimated that just over $1B has been spent on potash exploration and development projects across Saskatchewan in the past decade. It’s anticipated that approximately $35M will be spent in 2018 on a number of projects that range from exploration to pre-development. In April, BHP Billiton Canada Inc. (BHP) announced that the shaft sinking at the Jansen site had reached the target Prairie Evaporite Formation, 924 metres below ground level. BHP vice-president of Potash Operations, Giles Hellyer, noted in an August interview with The Northern Miner that although the company remains confident in the long-term fundamentals of the potash market, there was no solid timeline for a board decision on the massive underground mining project. He also noted the company may be receptive to taking on a partner to mitigate the financial risk of the project. BHP has already invested nearly US$4B into the project, working on shafts and associated infrastructure. Should the mine proceed in its currently planned form, it would represent one of the single largest corporate investments in the province’s history. Yancoal Canada Resources Co. Ltd. (Yancoal) continues to move forward with
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SASKATCHEWAN exploration and development highlights its Southey solution mining project, about 60 kilometres north of Regina. Yancoal has received provincial approval of its Environmental Impact Assessment and completed a full feasibility study. The company is now awaiting a final investment decision by Yancoal’s Board of Directors on the 2.8 Mt per year solution mine project. Western Potash Corp. (Western) announced in May that its board had approved a three-phase development plan for the company’s Milestone Potash solution mining project. The initial phase of the pilot operation would be capable of producing 146,000 tonnes of granular KCl product annually. The company plans to utilize a selective horizontal solution mining approach with crystal pond recovery techniques. If the pilot operation is successful, Phases II and III could be implemented, adding an additional 1.4 Mt of capacity each. Western has a signed letter of intent with a Chinese policy bank for a $60M credit to finance Phase I, which the company believes will be completed by early 2019. CanPacific Potash (CanPacific), a Saskatoon-based joint venture between North Atlantic Potash Inc. (a subsidiary of JSC Acron) and Rio Tinto Potash Management Inc. (a subsidiary of Rio Tinto plc.), has continued to advance its Albany solution mining project located southeast of Regina. CanPacific has completed exploration work, submitted an Environmental Impact Statement to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, and is engaging with local stakeholders and members of the public. The company is proposing to build a three Mt per year solution mine near the town of Sedley, with construction slated to start in 2020 and initial production anticipated in 2024. Encanto Potash Corp. (Encanto) signed an agreement with GEM Investments America, LLC and GEM Yield LLC SCS, which could provide $100M in funding over the next three years. Encanto is working in partnership with the Muskowekwan First Nation in an attempt to build the province’s first mine entirely on treaty land. The partners are exploring 36 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
options for funding via Indigenous Services Canada and other federal avenues. Other companies such as Karnalyte Resources Inc. (Wynyard project), Gensource Potash Corp. (Vanguard project) and Canada Golden Fortune Potash Corp. (Broadview project) continue to evaluate the feasibility of their projects while exploring options for financing. Industrial Minerals Although exploration for industrial mineral deposit types in 2018 was quiet, there was significant production. There are four current salt operations, three as byproduct from potash production and one primary producer. K+S Windsor Salt Ltd. produces byproduct salt at Belle Plaine in south-central Saskatchewan. Compass Minerals Canada Corp. mines primary salt at the Unity solution operation in west-central Saskatchewan. NSC Minerals produces byproduct salt at Rocanville and Vanscoy. ERCO Worldwide processes value-added chlorine-alkali chemicals from salt at its Saskatoon operation. Saskatchewan Mining and Minerals Inc.’s long-standing operation at Chaplin in south-central Saskatchewan remains the only primary sodium sulfate producer in the province. Sodium sulfate is used in a variety of products, including detergents, textiles and carpet deodorizers. In addition, Compass Minerals Wynyard Inc. produces value-added potassium sulfate, which is mainly used in specialty fertilizers. Westmoreland Coal Company (Westmoreland) acquired the Boundary Dam, Bienfait and Poplar River coal mines in southern Saskatchewan in 2014 from Prairie Mines & Royalty Ltd. Since acquiring the Saskatchewan operations, Westmoreland has signed new, long-term supply agreements with Crown Corporation SaskPower, and announced it was amalgamating the Bienfait and Boundary Dam mines of southeastern Saskatchewan into one operation, named the Estevan mine. These operations produce approximately 10 Mt of lignite per year, primarily to feed the province’s power stations.
Saskatchewan also produced a number of industrial mineral commodities that have varied uses. Canadian Clay Products Inc. excavates and processes bentonite at an operation near Wilcox, about 41 kilometres south of Regina. Colored Shale Products Inc. mines clinker, a stony product formed from naturally coal-fired clay, from quarries near Willow Bunch, roughly 190 kilometres southwest of Regina, on an ‘as-needed’ basis for use as landscaping material. Plainsman Clays Ltd. excavates kaolin clay from two quarries located near the hamlet of Ravenscrag in the Frenchman River valley in the far southwest corner of the province. The kaolin is excavated in the summer and is mainly sold to the stoneware and pottery markets. Premier Tech Horticulture Ltd. excavates horticultural peat from bogs in the Carrot River region of east-central Saskatchewan and processes it at a plant near the town. They are developing the new Smokey Ridge Bog that lies 21 kilometres northeast of the town of Hudson Bay. Two other companies, Berger Peat Moss Ltd. and Sunterra Horticulture Inc., are also actively exploring for horticultural peat in the central part of the province. Wapa Bay Resources produces leonardite on a campaign basis from a small quarry near Wapawekka Lake in northern Saskatchewan. Leonardite is used as an organic soil additive and fertilizer. Weil Group Resources, LLC opened a helium processing plant near Mankota in southwest Saskatchewan in August 2016, with planned production of 40 million cubic feet (cu. ft.) of helium per year. Since 2013, North American Helium has acquired helium rights to 1.2 million acres (485,600 hectares) in southwest Saskatchewan. At their Battle Creek project in the extreme southwest corner of the province they drilled three successful holes in the first six months of the year in previously untested targets. To date they have raised $35M and have plans to begin building a production plant in the fourth quarter of this year. The plant will produce at least 50 million cu. ft. of helium per year after coming online in the first quarter of 2020. 6
Gap-Discovery HeliSAM Surveys: Exciting new mineral exploration technology comes to Canada By Niki Waldegrave
Discovery and Gap geophysicists preparing the HeliSAM bird."
I
t’s been 25 years in the making, but a labour of love from Gap Geophysics Australia CEO Dr. Malcolm Cattach is defining the next frontier of mining exploration. His technology is now being offered in North America by Discovery International Geophysics Inc. The GapGeo Group specializes in the development of leading edge geophysical technologies and provision of services to the exploration and environmental in-
dustries globally. It is comprised of three companies: • Gap Geophysics Australia, which specializes in mineral exploration; • Gap Explosive Ordnance Detection (GapEOD), which specializes in instrumentation and services for the detection of terrestrial and marine unexploded ordnance internationally; and • Gap GeoPak, which is the research and development arm and technical sup-
port base behind the services businesses. Historically, electrical geophysical surveys have only been able to survey to fairly shallow depths but now, thanks to an idea born in 1993 as part of his PhD, Gap Geo CEO and chief geophysicist Dr. Malcolm Cattach’s unique and awardwinning Sub-Audio Magnetics (SAM) and HeliSAM technology provides a cost-effective solution for deep penetra2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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Gap HeliSAM receiver bird ready for flight.
Preparing Discovery HeliWinder for transmitter wire deployment.
Discovery HeliWinder transmitter wire deployment in action.
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tion electromagnetic (EM) surveys, enabling the mineral exploration and environmental geophysics industry to be able to explore to much greater depths than we ever have before. In Canada the system has been enhanced by using the Discovery HeliWinder, which allows for the deployment of ground based loops in rugged terrain. “Most geophysicists would agree we’ve got a bit of an innovation bent,” admits Dr. Cattach, “and we're always trying to improve the way that we do things. My background was in research as I worked for the Geophysical Research Institute at the University of New England for about 17 years. It was during my time at the institute that I did my PhD and initially worked on SAM. “My PhD demonstrated that SAM could actually work, but at that stage, it was a technology which was ahead of its time in terms of electronics. It wasn't until the early 2000s that the electronics, processing capabilities and storage devices became available that makes it practical to do with electronics. “And then from about 2005 onwards, since we formed Gap Geophysics, it's been more of our commercialization stage.” Twenty-five years later, SAM is a patented technique that allows for the simultaneous high-definition mapping of both the magnetic and electrical properties in the ground, without sacrificing quality or efficiency. Conventional EM surveys require grounded electrodes, levelled sensors and stationary measurements limiting the terrain that can be covered in a day. As a result, spatial resolution is often sacrificed for survey area coverage rates – but the SAM technique bypasses such issues, providing particularly good value for money survey. “It's always tricky to explain technical stuff in simple terms,” he laughs. “But the future of exploration is going to be exploring to much greater depths. Consequently, we will be much more dependent upon geophysics to provide high-quality drill targets at depth. “We build very high-powered geo-
physical transmitters to actually get our signal down deep and to cover large areas. What we've been trying to achieve with SAM is to provide much better quality geophysical information much more cost-effectively. “SAM gives us the ability to acquire electrical property information of the earth at a very high spatial resolution, quickly.” SAM can be employed for a wide variety of survey types, especially mainly mineral exploration, explosive ordnance detection and geotechnical mapping as it is well-suited to overcome the difficulties of highly conductive surface layers, such as with salt lakes. “Conventional electromagnetic surveys have only been looking down to about 200 or 300 metres,” he explains. “But generally, people believe that nearsurface deposits have probably already been discovered because of their relative ease of detection. “The future of the industry is going to be looking much deeper than we ever have in the past, and I believe that viable exploration depths are really viable mining depths. The top kilometre is the area of interest. It's very difficult to viably start a mine at that kind of depth. “So if you assume that people historically surveyed down to 300 metres, then that means that that depth range between 300 metres and 1,000 metres is the next frontier of the mining exploration.” HeliSAM is a hybrid technique that refers to helicopter-borne acquisition of SAM data. Coupled with Gap GeoPak’s high-powered, ground-based geophysical transmitter systems, HeliSAM can map large areas quickly and cost-effectively to depths not possible with conventional airborne survey techniques. The HeliSAM technology has already seen exceptional results internationally and in 2014, Gap Geophysics partnered with Discovery International Geophysics in Canada. It was successfully trialled over the Lalor VMS Deposit in Manitoba where the technique was able to detect the orebody to depths of over one kilometre. The trial also demonstrated it
HeliSAM survey in northern BC mountains.
HeliSAM receiver bird in flight.
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HeliSAM bird in flight.
was able to overcome significant obstacles normally presented by the Canadian terrain, which makes ground geophysical surveying a challenge as well as very expensive. The low-frequency (LF) HeliSAM technology has also shown outstanding results at the Forrestania Test range in Western Australia’s wheatbelt region, showcasing to the Australian market what can now be achieved. “Helicopter-borne EM systems carry a transmitter loop under the helicopter,” explains Dr. Cattach. “They generate a transmitter signal from the helicopter and then have a receiver on the helicopter also, which measures the response. “However, there's a limit to the amount of power that a helicopter system can produce due to the weight and size of the loop and transmitter. That in turn, limits the depth penetration with a pure helicopter-borne system. “LF HeliSAM allows us to gather very high-quality data over large areas very cost-effectively, compared to trying to do it at ground level only. We are able to generate enormous power from the ground-based system and combine it with the speed of acquisition that you get from a helicopter, so we've got the best of both worlds. “That's the key thing about HeliSAM – it means we can see much deeper than with a pure airborne system and still cover the area quickly and cost-effectively. In addition, we are able to use 40 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
very low transmitter frequencies. There’s no other technique quite like this. This is a world first in getting down to those transmit frequencies.” Following a presentation Dr. Cattach recently delivered on his Sub-Audio Magnetics (SAM) and HeliSAM technology at the Australasian Exploration Geoscience Conference in Sydney, both he and his co-authors were awarded the peer-voted Laric Hawkins Award for geophysical innovation in recognition of the continued development of technology, of which SAM and HeliSAM is being considered an industry ‘game-changer’. It’s his sixth award, and Dr. Cattach says it’s an honour to be recognized for the work he started a quarter of a century ago. “This particular award is nice,” he confirms, “because my career's been involved with thinking of the concept back in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, proving the feasibility of it and then putting the technique into practice. “Since we privatized the business, we've gone to this more commercial mode. But we've never stopped doing R&D. I've been very fortunate to have a group of very capable scientists and engineers around me, who've been able to continue to develop the various techniques.” Throughout the commercialization stage, processes had to be rigidly adhered to. First of all, the actual engineering protocol and implementation of instrumentation had to be built, as did the helicopter-borne systems to actually do the helicopter-borne acquisition. Gap Geo also had to build extremely high-powered transmitters, which he says, “happened in about 2010-2011, and then we had to refine all the software. “There have been many parts to the jigsaw puzzle which have finally come together to give us this deeper level of maturity.” The Australian mining and exploration industry is recovering after a difficult few years, and Dr. Cattach claims the industry needs to be in a good state to be able to continue to embrace new technologies.
“It doesn't matter how good technologies are if nobody's got any money to spend on them,” he laughs. “This technology has been coming into maturity over the last few years, when the industry's been in pretty poor shape, but it's only really now that you get this sort of confluence of the technology coming together in time when the industry's starting to get going again. “Like everybody who works in the mining industry, we've had our struggles, but we certainly see the next few years as being very positive for us.” Another obstacle is educating the industry while developing new technologies, because trialling new technology and equipment can be daunting and expensive. “Some people in positions of responsibility doing exploration tend to stick to what's known and what's well-accepted,” he adds. “They’re hesitant to try and take on something new and different that no one's done before, because if it doesn't work, you're in trouble. “Trying to battle that mentality has been a little bit awkward at times, but I’m grateful to a lot of our clients in the industry who've been prepared to think outside the box – it’s their willingness to try new things which has enabled us to continue development of SAM. “They appreciate what we're trying to do and have supported us in trying to get through the door in revolutionising exploration, which is what our main goal is.” He says the focus for the next few years is commercialization and the business has been looking at finding other partners who are working in different parts of the world to start exporting the technology worldwide. “With SAM and HeliSAM, I’m excited about commercializing something we've been working on for such a long period to the rest of the world,” he concludes. “They’re Australian home-grown technologies, and I’m proud of that.” 6 This article was first published in Business Chief Australia, September 2018 edition.
The Orix Geoscience Inc. way
O
rix Geoscience Inc. is a geological consulting firm that partners with exploration and mining companies to increase shareholder value by providing geological expertise and business strategy for grassroots, brownfields and advanced projects. Culture, quality of work, and long-lasting business partnerships are strong values held at all levels of our business. Orix works as the arm of our client’s internal exploration teams. We specialize in compiling, interpreting and modelling large datasets and work closely with our clients to generate targets and execute field programs. Our extensive experience with large paper and digital datasets has enabled us to master efficient processes for reviewing large quantities of information. Aspects of project work may include scanning and cataloging, file organization, digitizing, drillhole and geochemical data entry, GIS compilations, interpretation, 3D modelling, target generation, field work (mapping, core logging, drill management, etc.), QAQC and report writing. Services also include marketing materials, which can showcase a project’s potential to investors.
Six years after incorporation, Orix’s top achievement is attaining continual growth and a positive reputation during one of the mining industries' most significant downturns. At Orix, we believe in ongoing communication between our team and clients, through detailed weekly progress updates and an open-door policy. Our deliverables and products are always accessible in a variety of formats and are presented in a simplified way. Orix was co-founded in 2012 with a creative business model in mind, to partner with exploration and mining companies providing high quality products and services, all while operating with a strong collaborative culture. We identified a niche that bridged a gap in the industry between essential handdrawn interpretations and efficient 3D computer modelling. We always encourage our geologists to go back to paper and pencil first, in order to further understand the geology and not necessarily have to rely solely on technology. Just as high quality of work and partnerships are important to us, so is our culture. We are motivated to work with great people on exciting projects, lead the industry to do things differently and be entrepreneurial. Our success in this business ultimately is a result of the team we have built at Orix and the companies we partner with. Six years after incorporation, Orix’s top achievement is
attaining continual growth and a positive reputation during one of the mining industries' most significant downturns. We have always looked at business in a creative way. In 2014, we completed our first acquisition with Zone 14, a wellknown Winnipeg-based GIS services company, which was ideal since both companies had aligned values and their GIS expertise was complementary to our other services. To date, Orix operates out of three offices in Toronto, Winnipeg and Sudbury, and has 63 employees, the majority of which are geologists and GIS technicians. This year we have embarked on yet another exciting partnership. On Nov. 22, 2018, we will be co-hosting the Central Canada Mineral Exploration Convention alongside the MPDA in Winnipeg, Man. Central Canada is an important mining jurisdiction and there is currently an opportunity to showcase and shape the future of mining through a unified voice that bridges all interests of the sector. We’re very excited to be a part of this initiative. Orix strives to provide an easy and efficient one-stop shop solution for companies who need multi-faceted project support. Our vision is to be the leading geological firm of choice in terms of culture, quality of work and business partnerships. 6
IW MAY 2018 PROCESS_TAYLOR_BARB
Orix Geoscience Inc. partners with exploration and mining companies to increase shareholder value by providing geological expertise and business strategy for grassroots, brownfields and advanced projects • Digital Libraries • Data Entry • • DH Database • QA/QC • Field Work • Compilation • Interpretation • 3D Modeling • Targeting •
ORGANIZE • RETHINK • INTERPRET • EXPLORE
Toll Free (844) 770-ORIX (6749) / info@orixgeo.com Winnipeg • Toronto • Sudbury www.orixgeo.com 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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Foran forges ahead at McIlvenna Bay
With a recent $9.4-million private placement, Foran Mining redoubles exploration and development activities in Saskatchewan
F
oran Mining’s McIlvenna Bay copper-zinc deposit sits at the epicentre of an emerging base metal district in east-central Saskatchewan, about an hour by road from Flin Flon, Man. A busy 2018 has seen Foran enter a new stage of development at McIlvenna Bay, after completing a $9.4-million private placement in July 2018, just six months on from signing a technical services agreement with Glencore Canada Corporation in December 2017 and completing a $5 million financing soon after. “We believe that there is a locus of VMS deposits around McIlvenna Bay, and we intend on proving that in the next year and a half,” says Foran Mining president and CEO Patrick Soares. The priority, says Soares, is to develop the company’s flagship McIlvenna Bay property and discover more deposits in the over-40,000 hectares of claims that Foran controls in the Hanson Lake District, on the western edge of the Flin Flon Greenstone Belt, one of the most prolific mining belts in the world. McIlvenna Bay, first discovered in 1988 by the Saskatchewan Mining Development Corporation (subsequently Cameco Corporation) in a joint venture with Billiton, is a volcanogenic massive sulphide (VMS) deposit, a deposit type commonly found in greenstone belts. VMS deposits are formed through the focused discharge of hot, metal-rich hydrothermal fluids into surrounding rock and commonly occur in clusters. A single deposit or mine may consist of several individual massive sulphide lenses and their underlying stockwork zones. Five distinct zones of mineralization have been identified in the McIlvenna Bay deposit.
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“In its 90-year history in Flin Flon, Hudbay has developed and put into production 16 of these deposits,” says Soares. “They’re all around that area. We think we’ve got a number of them on our ground as well. We already know of at least three of them: McIlvenna Bay, Bigstone and Balsam and additional prospective targets have been identified for followup.” Foran optioned the deposit from Cameco in 1998 and, in 2010, a “lean and mean” new management team was established. Over 42,000 metres have been drilled since 2010, bringing the total metres drilled on the project to almost 100,000. The last mineral resource estimate for McIlvenna Bay was released in January 2013, with a total indicated resource of 13.9 million tonnes at 1.28 per cent copper and 2.67 per cent zinc, and a preliminary economic assessment completed in 2014. Soares says an updated resource estimate will be delivered in late 2018, followed by a feasibility study in 2019 and then a decision will be made whether to move forward and build the project. The timing would be fortuitous for both Foran and the local workforce. Hudbay’s
777 mine across the border in Manitoba has a three-year mine life and is anticipated to wind down in 2021, leaving mine and smelter workers in the area looking for new opportunities and local First Nations available to work in the mining sector. “We provide updates to the leaders and community members of the Peter Ballantyne Cree Nation, upon whose traditional lands we explore,” says Soares. “We appreciate learning about the area from them and look forward to discussing their needs and desires as the McIlvenna Bay project progresses. Exploration success at McIlvenna Bay could result in jobs, contracts and training opportunities close to home.” In addition to a ready and able workforce, McIlvenna Bay is accessible by road year-round and could connect to existing hydropower infrastructure. Foran is looking into options for processing and shipping the recovered ore, including utilizing existing milling and zinc smelting facilities in Flin Flon. Like all mine development projects, Foran is faced with the uncertainty that comes with fluctuating metal prices and
the challenges related to permitting. However, with a project located in Saskatchewan – Canada’s most attractive province for mining investment according to the Fraser Institute – Foran is confident of working through all permitting requirements with the Saskatchewan and federal governments. For the remainder of 2018, says Soares, Foran’s management team is focusing the company’s efforts on McIlvenna Bay and a handful of prospective targets within the Hanson Lake block. Drilling the deep but promising Target A geophysical anomaly is high on the list, but only possible during the winter months. During the winter of 2018, the upper edge of the modelled Target A conductor plate was intersected, and Foran is excited to follow up on this drilling during the winter of 2019. Work also continues at Thunder Zone, the first new discovery in the district for 30 years, when Foran intersected 3.7 metres of massive sulphide that graded 4.1 per cent copper and 0.43 grams per tonne gold in 2013. Further
copper- and zinc-rich mineralization was encountered in four of the five drill holes during a 2015 drill program, and more drilling is planned to test the extent of the deposit this coming winter. “We’re determined to bring McIlvenna Bay to production,” says Soares. “We know global demand for zinc and copper is increasing and there are not
enough projects in development to satisfy this demand. Millions of tonnes need to be identified and developed to meet demand for existing uses, along with batteries and new green energy infrastructure. We’re committed to developing the McIlvenna Bay deposit safely and responsibly to help meet this demand.” 6
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Paraminerals aims to impress with 3D visualization
A
ndrew Jeffrey has steadily gained a name for himself in the resource industry with his realistic-styled, computer-rendered images and animations of proposed mining projects. As proprietor and project manager at Paraminerals Consulting, his unique, dynamic take on the high-tech visualization process encompasses over 15 years experience in producing fly-through videos for a considerable roster of junior and major mineral exploration companies. However, among the myriad locations, commodity types and development plans he has encountered, Jeffrey points out that there are similarities to the way he confronts each new challenge.
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“I’m always trying to bring a significant sense of immersion to each production,” he explains. “Really, my task is to make the viewer feel like they are there themselves, so that they can relate instinctively to the project at hand. Otherwise, there’s so often a disconnect between potential investors and typical two-dimensional maps that can often be the ‘make or break’. With proper 3D visualization though, it all makes sense straight away to them. Scale bars, north arrows, legends, title blocks, those are quickly becoming relics of the past; now it’s about things like life-like textures, detailed shadows and accurate reflections.” Landscape is another integral facet of Jeffrey’s studied approach to project visualization. “Perhaps the most impor-
tant aspect of all is the presentation of the land itself,” he suggests. “I’ve worked on lots of projects on the ground, and it’s a fact that every one of them has an entirely different feel when you are right there in the field. That sense of place can get lost though if you haven’t been there yourself, so I focus on bringing that uniqueness to the viewer. I’m aiming to impress on people the feeling of the natural landscape, so that they remember the project afterwards.” A compelling storyline is another foundation of Jeffrey’s stringent process. He points to a recently completed production highlighting First Mining Gold Corp.’s US$1.2 billion NPV Springpole Gold Project in northern Ontario, as an example.
“The 3D terrain models captured by UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are incredible, leagues beyond the level of detail that we’ve been able to get elsewhere until now.”
“First Mining were an exceptional team to work with; they knew exactly what information they wanted to convey to their investors and the local community shareholders, so it was up to me to package it nicely into a sequence that really captured the consideration that had gone into their development plans. It’s incredibly important to me that I effectively convey that overall narrative, that success story, that these groups have put so much work into accomplishing.” And what does the future bring for Paraminerals Consulting? “Drones,” Jeffrey replies without hesitation. He notes that his company has been enjoying a successful tech partnership with a specialist drone survey company, creating high-resolution landscape models of key project areas. “The 3D terrain models captured by UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) are incredible, leagues beyond the level of detail that we’ve been able to get elsewhere until now. I integrate them seamlessly into the surrounding landscape; they add a much higher quality of realism and accuracy to the presentations.” Building upon a continued reputation for excellence project by project,
Paraminerals Consulting is certainly well on the way to establishing themselves as a new contemporary standard in mine project visualization.
About Andrew Jeffrey, B.Sc. (Geology) from Queen’s University ’98, has worked extensively on Canadian and international mineral exploration projects for over 20 years. He travelled across the Arctic in
the original historic search for northern diamonds with Kennecott Canada and Diamondex Resources, and was a core member of the award-winning Fission Uranium technical consulting team from 2008 to 2017, participating in the discoveries of the Waterbury Lake and Patterson Lake South uranium deposits in northern Saskatchewan’s Athabasca Basin. Jeffrey founded Paraminerals Consulting in 2006. 6
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Far Resources expands high-grade lithium projects in Manitoba and the Northwest Territories
F
ar Resources Ltd. has been focusing recent exploration activities on two high-grade lithium projects, Zoro in the historic mining camp of Snow Lake, Man. and Hidden Lake in the Yellowknife District of the Northwest Territories. Exploration at the Zoro Lithium Project has included four phases of diamond drilling supported by ongoing programs of prospecting, geologic mapping, mineral chemistry, dronesupported airborne magnetic surveys and innovative soil geochemical surveys based on Mobile Metal Ions technology. This work has defined multiple new targets for drill testing and for Dyke 1, one of eight known spodumene-bearing pegmatite dykes on the property, a maiden base case inferred resource of 1,074,567 metric tonnes grading 0.91 per cent Li2O at a cutoff grade of 0.3 per cent. Deeper drilling below 150 metres on Dyke 1 produced the highest grade intercept to date of 16 metres of 1.8 per cent Li2O indicating the deposit is open to depth. The company has recently filed a 43-101 technical report encapsulating all work done to date on the project.
Coarse grained spodumene with accessory minerals garnet, muscovite and tourmaline.
Unlocking the
Far Resources’ mission
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is to acquire and advance lithium
historic high-grade mining camps!
properties in mining friendly, safe, and economically-sound districts to capitalize on the fast-growing global demand for alternative energy. Stable Jurisdiction • Nearby historic mining
MANITOBA
The Pas
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46
community of Snow Lake.
• Recent 43-101 with maiden
resource of 1.07MT at 0.91% Li2O for Dyke 1, one of 8 known high-grade spodumene-bearing pegmatite dykes on the Zoro property.
• Aggressive drill program in 2018 testing multiple targets
American rare metal mines where Li has 2018-2019 Northern Prospector been produced.
3
A metallurgical study has been initiated on material from Dyke 1. SGS Lakefield will complete this work. The Zoro test work will include sample preparation, mineralogy analysis, heavy liquid separation (HLS) testing, dense media separation (DMS) and flotation testing. Preliminary phase transformation, acid roasting and water leaching for lithium extraction will lead to the development of a concentrate production flowsheet. Ongoing exploration-supportive mineralogical studies at Zoro are being undertaken at the University of Western Ontario under the guidance of Prof. Robert Linnen and Dr. Tania Martins of the Manitoba Geological Survey (Winnipeg). An MSc study, initiated during the summer of 2018, will examine the potential for using the chemistry of select minerals for use in vectoring to additional pegmatites on the Zoro project. In conjunction with this study the first geology map since the 1950s of a segment of the Zoro property will be released in November of 2018, focusing on the lithologic and structural characteristics of the geological environment hosting the Zoro pegmatites. Assays of drill core and outcrop samples were completed by Activation Laboratories (Ontario).
Exploration at the Zoro Lithium Project has included four phases of diamond drilling supported by ongoing programs of prospecting, geologic mapping, mineral chemistry, drone-supported airborne magnetic surveys and innovative soil geochemical surveys based on Mobile Metal Ions technology.
Typical zoned assemblage for high-grade spodumene mineralization at the Zoro lithium project.
The Hidden Lake high-grade lithium project occurs approximately 45 kilometres east of Yellowknife and is focused on the exploration of multiple high-grade spodumene pegmatites exposed at surface. The project can be reached by the all-weather Ingraham Trail or by fixed and rotary air support from Yellowknife. Historic work on the Hidden Lake pegmatites included extensive channel sampling which defined the high-grade nature of the Li2O mineralization at surface with lithium assays of up to 1.75 per cent Li2O. Far Resources undertook the first-ever drill program on
these dykes to undercut the high-grade surface mineralization. Drill holes intersected Li2O concentrations between one per cent and two per cent over intercepts of 2.0 to 9.2 metres in 197 core samples. Previous operators have undertaken metallurgical studies indicating highly favourable recovery of lithium and tantalum. A second drill program to assess the vertical extent of the pegmatites at depth is planned. Hidden Lake assays of drill core were completed by SGS Mineral Services at its Lakefield facility (Ontario). Far Resources trades under the ticker symbol CSE: FAT. 6
“Let us take care of all your project needs”
• Aerial Spray • Forestry • Hydro • Mining & Exploration Support • Staking, Sampling, Surveying • Environmental Assessments • Precision Drill Moves • Airborne Geophysics • Road Allocations • Timber Cruising • Wildlife Surveys • Hydro Line Inspections • Pole Erection
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www.expeditionhelicopters.com EXPEDITION GROUP OF COMPANIES
serving the Mining and Forestry Industries 190 Hwy 11 West, Cochrane, Ontario, Canada P0L 1C0
Toll Free: 1-866-572-5755
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Prairie Helicopters soars to new heights
P
rairie Helicopters Inc. is committed to providing efficient and safe services for all aspects of the mining and exploration industries. Our expertise includes aerial surveys, equipment moving, base camp setup/ teardown and operational services. Our experienced pilots are used to working in rugged, inhospitable terrain to get your equipment and your people where you need them to be. We are long-line experts and also utilize side baskets to carry additional equipment to your exploration sites. Whatever you have, whenever you need it there, we’ll get the job done in a safe and timely operation. “With our acquisition of Hudson Bay Helicopters, we now have four bases located in Gimli, Thompson, The Pas and Churchill. The company and our fleet of Bell 206, 206B Long Ranger and Bell 407s has been steadily growing to accommodate the various needs and requirements of our clients,” says Derek Longley, vice-president of Prairie Helicopters. Meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations is a daily objective for Prairie Helicopters. Our flexibility and sincere commitment to our customers’ needs has earned us a steady
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Meeting and exceeding our customers’ expectations is a daily objective for Prairie Helicopters. stream of repeat customers. We take pride in our flexibility and in the services we are able to provide. When and where wildlife surveys are required, you can count on Prairie Helicopters. We have extensive knowledge and experience in performing wildlife telemetry flights from all altitudes. Our entire fleet is equipped with aero-design animaltracking antennas. “Prairie Helicopters’ entire fleet is also equipped with SkyTrac Systems for flight-following, mapping and communications based on data, text and voice via satellite. This allows us to monitor two-way text-messaging between the aircraft and the ground, as well as flight-following using GPS-based position. Aircraft-tracking and mapping allows customers to manage and streamline their business,” says Mike Persoage, president of Prairie Helicopters. Prairie Helicopters holds Transport Canada certification as an approved maintenance organization and provides maintenance to our fleet. We are certified to complete work on the Bell 206B series, Bell 206L3 series and Bell 407 series of helicopters. Operating under our own AMO allows our qualified aircraft maintenance engineers (AMEs) to work on our fleet in the hangar and out in the field. Several of our pilots are also qualified AMEs. Our AMEs have completed courses on all aircraft types operated by Prairie Helicopters and participate in regular and recurrent training programs, including but not limited to various Bell Helicopter symposiums, internal and intercompany procedures, inspection schedules and Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance. 6
One glove does not fit all Looking towards the next 100 years
W
atson Gloves, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2018, has been protecting the hands of resource workers since its beginning. John Watson and Wayne Stanley established the company in Vancouver, B.C. The two men would sew leather work gloves and sell them to the dock workers. What started as a two-man show has become Western Canada’s largest retail distributor of great quality gloves for work, home and play. Workers’ safety is still Watson Gloves’ top priority, and they understand that one glove does not fit all. They will help you choose the right glove for the right task. They offer a no-obligation, no-fee service called a “SWAT” (Specialized Watson Assessment Team). To get a true understanding of your work site, a Watson employee will come to your business and walk through your place of work, ask questions and then suggest appropriate styles of gloves for the different tasks being performed. Work site injury statistics prove just how costly injuries are for both the company and the employee. We know that the hands, wrists and fingers are the second most injured part of the body on a work site. Thirty per cent of hand injuries occur because workers are wearing the wrong gloves, and 70 per cent of hand injuries occur because workers are wearing inadequate or worn-out gloves. Many hand injuries can be completely avoided with the proper hand protection. This is why it’s so important to choose the right glove for the task being performed. The design of the gloves is of utmost importance. By placing impact pads, resistance support, and hard-plastic armor in the vulnerable spots of the hand, Watson Gloves can provide the perfect balance between protection and performance. Watson Gloves is excited to announce they have partnered with D3O, a company that engineers protective products for soldiers, professional athletes and industrial workers. D3O provides maximum impact protection and shock absorption. Modern materials and technology are changing the glove world faster than ever before. We now have standards that need to be adhered to with independent testing bodies. There is testing for cut resistance, abrasion resistance, tear resistance, puncture resistance, chemical risk and, new this year, impact resistance standards as well. This is good news for the end-user. The gloves that are tested are marked with the ratings so the consumer can be sure they are properly protected. Protect your and your employees’ hands by calling Watson Gloves. They have three branches with fully stocked warehouses, in Burnaby, B.C., Calgary, Alta. and Mississauga, Ont., so
they are able to get you the gloves you need quickly. Check out Watson Gloves at www.watsongloves.com or give them a call at 1 (800) 663-9509. 6 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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Look North initiative paves way for economic development
I
t will take a village – or several – to successfully carry out the Look North initiative. Established over a year ago, Look North aims to stimulate a report and action plan for growing the Northern Manitoba economy. According to
Athabasca
Fuel Service Ltd.
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Chuck Davidson, president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce and co-chair of Look North, the initiative was created because, for the longest time, there was a lack of a clear strategic plan for the economy in Northern Manitoba. “Our goal is to understand the challenges and discover what the opportunities are,” Davidson explains. For the past 18 months, Davidson says numerous trips were taken to the northern communities in Manitoba to conduct interviews and meetings with residents and business people. “We outlined six key areas that we felt were challenges we had to address in the north,” Davidson says. Look North co-chair Onekanew (Chief ) Christian Sinclair of Opaskwayak Cree Nation is clear that this is something everyone needs to be a part of. “This is a long-term approach to improve prosperity,” Sinclair says. “It is a movement by northerners, for northerners to increase economic development in the north.” The six areas include understanding mineral and resource potential in northern Manitoba; forging relationships and partnerships with Indigenous peoples; investing in strategic infrastructure; identifying housing challenges and op-
portunities; creating an enterprise ecosystem; and developing education, training and workforces. “We’ve held round-table discussions in communities to get feedback regarding what the challenges were,” Davidson continues. “That’s how we came up with the six key areas.” From that point on, the Look North task force developed joint action groups because they needed expertise in those respective areas. One example of a solution was the development of a entrepreneur hub for young people to frequent for information. For the hub to run smoothly, they need northern business practitioners for their skills and expertise. “This isn’t something we’re expecting to be a report and expect the government to address,” Davidson says. “There is a role for government – but for the most part, it’s bringing business people and communities together to create their own solutions. It’s ongoing and continuous, and it’s important for driving economic development forward in Northern Manitoba.” “I’m looking forward to seeing Northern Manitoba grow, prosper and recognize the influence of our resources,” Sinclair says. For more information, visit https:// www.gov.mb.ca/looknorth/index.html. 6
Nutrien – Diversity for a better tomorrow
I
n nature, a healthy ecosystem relies on diversity to boost productivity. Every aspect of nature contributes; every contribution is important. As the world leader in providing crop inputs, services and solutions, Nutrien recognizes the value of diversity – in nature, in our workplace and in the communities where we work and live. We understand that to grow our world from the ground up, we need to draw on unique insights from all areas of our company, supply network and community. We also know that our focus on diversity provides us with an opportunity to lead. Our supply chain should be as diverse as the communities we serve. Our large-scale operations touch or attract people from several treaty territories, languages and heritage groups, which is why we have a companywide commitment to diversity, and one of our engagement principles is inclusion.
Working with our suppliers We believe that investing in the potential of Aboriginal people and businesses today will lead to a better workforce, more vibrant communities and stronger suppliers tomorrow. We actively assess Canadian suppliers to identify companies that can deliver exceptional value through their products and services, as well as drive positive impact through Aboriginal communities. We also award bonus points on RFP submissions to companies committed to local Aboriginal content. To help suppliers follow our lead, we developed an Aboriginal Content Playbook (available on nutrien.com) that details our strategies and gives suppliers suggestions to help them in the development of their own inclusion strategies. We also host town-hall sessions to explain our policies and answer questions, and maintain a database of Aboriginal suppliers and job
seekers that we share across our supply chain.
Measuring progress Nutrien is committed to allocating 30 per cent of local spending to majorityowned Aboriginal suppliers or suppliers who share our commitment to Aboriginal development in Saskatchewan by 2020. And by making this commitment, we have achieved immediate progress. Since 2016, we have spent more than $50 million with over two dozen Aboriginal-majority owned suppliers in Saskatchewan. Our outreach also resulted in suppliers investing more than $600,000 in Aboriginal communities through their own inclusion strategies. By sharing our knowledge with industry, we are having a broader impact. And by demonstrating the powerful impact of diversity, we’re helping build a stronger company and healthier communities. 6 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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Mammoth Equipment Why diesel particulate filters? We hear much about diesel particulate filters (DPFs), but how do DPFs work? How do we know we need them? What can I expect? Can I retrofit DPFs onto my existing equipment? If we install DPFs, can we reduce ventilation? What does implementation look like? What sort of support is available? Have you ever asked yourself any of these questions? If so, please read on.
How do I know if I need DPFs? Ask yourself: how important is your and your employees’ health and safety? Is your equipment black with soot around the exhaust outlet? Are your walls black with soot? Are your personal or mine monitors running into exceedances? What are your province, state or federal standards? This is a huge topic and a rapidly growing concern amid the discovery that diesel exhaust is a recognized carcinogen in humans by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2012 based on evidence of its carcinogenicity to the lung. Frankly, anyone who wants to do the right thing for the team should have a DPF solution on any older Tier engine, which is why we have made this as economical, maintenance-friendly and effective as possible.
How do DPFs work? DPFs’ filter diesel exhausts, captures and stores "soot" or "DPM" Naujaat
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Calm Air provides regularly scheduled passenger service to six destinations in Manitoba and eight destinations in Nunavut.
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Calm Air offers discounts for groups of seven or more Winnipeg people. Our friendly Group Travel Specialists can be reached at 1-800-839-2256 for inquiries.
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CHARTER SERVICES Calm Air provides reliable charter service for groups, corporate travel and freight movements. Contact Charter Connexions at 1-888-831-8472.
CARGO SERVICES Calm Air offers a complete range of cargo services to cater to your specific shipping needs. Call 1-204-956-6101 for cargo inquiries.
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Mammoth full passive DPF systems will give you the following results on average: 98 per cent DPM reduction, 90 per cent CO reduction, as well as a substantial NO2 reduction. This is a unique and highly impressive retrofit system designed to 'clean up' your older Tier 0 to Tier 3 diesel engines.
Can I get retrofit DPFs onto my existing equipment? Yes, you absolutely can. Over the last 40 years, Mammoth has accumulated an extensive range to fit most mobile mining equipment and engine configurations literally 'plug and play'. These ready-built kits simply replace the existing exhaust system most often with no modifications, and results are immediate. Oftentimes, yes. This will most often depend on what your ventilation rates are based on, but in many cases, ventilation reduction is absolutely safe and achievable.
What does implementation look like?
The Pas
1.800.839.2256
What can we expect with DPFs?
Can we reduce ventilation after we install DPFs?
Arviat
Thompson
(diesel particulate matter), in a filter element (substrate). As the machine heats up and the exhaust exceeds certain temperatures under load, this causes the filter system to automatically "regenerate" (clean itself by burning off captured soot) and produce a safe exhaust stream. This reaction happens without injecting fuel, or any other 'active' method, but simply by utilizing a passive DOC (diesel oxidation catalyst).
The process is quite easy. Obviously, this is something we will walk you through and there are many variables with different fleets, but one thing we can assure you is you will not find a more effective and easier solution to implement.
What sort of support is available? Mammoth offers on-site support to assist you in evaluating your need and the best course of action. This includes looking at your existing ventilation capacity, current and future fleet, equipment emissions testing and analysis, fuel calculations, equipment measure-ups for any custom solutions and much more. Contact Mammoth today and request a case study or test results on the equipment that you are running, to arrange an online meeting or a visit to your site. Call us directly at 1 (800) 854-8291, visit our website www.mammothequip.ca or email sales@mammothequip.ca. 6
We cover your world
A
bsolutely Covered has got you absolutely covered in the area of supplying and installing high-quality, engineered fabric buildings and metal buildings. Operating for more than 20 years, Absolutely Covered, based out of Calgary, Alta., specializes in the sales, installations, maintenance, repairs, leasing and reconditioning of engineered fabric and metal buildings for a wide range of applications, such as agriculture, aviation, car canopies, commercial, equestrian, industrial, oil and gas, self-storage, recreation and workshops. According to Monika Siebert, CEO and cofounder of Absolutely Covered alongside Clifford Kakoschke, the company specializes in remote site installations. The mining industry, in particular, often requires engineered fabric buildings instead of traditionally constructed buildings as their work sites as a lot of travelling is involved. For example, Absolutely Covered covered the Rio Tinto camp for lodging and kitchen to withstand the winters in British Columbia, says Siebert. Among the many advantages of choosing engineered fabric buildings for mining operations, Absolutely Covered provides world-class expertise, capability and high safety records. All buildings meet the 2010 standards of the International Building Code (IBC) with no tension membrane analysis or deductions for use. As well, Absolutely Covered was also responsible for the installations of fabric buildings for the Diavik and BHP Diamond Mines in the Northwest Territories when it was -40 degrees; the army bases in New Brunswick when the weather was humid; and hockey rinks in Alberta in 30-degree weather. Whether it is a mining operation, storage for heavy equipment or horse-riding arenas, all will be safely installed, stored and maintained with an engineered fabric building from Absolutely Covered. Siebert says, “Since these are all custom made to the size you require, the way we can cover your world is absolutely endless.� For more information, visit absolutelycovered.ca. 6
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ABSOLUTELY COVERED WE SPECIALIZE IN: • Sales and installation • Maintenance and repair • Leasing and reconditioning of engineered fabric and metal buildings
Western Canada’s leader in engineered metal and fabric buildings
A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS INCLUDING: • Mining • Workshops • Industrial • Commercia| • Oil and Gas • Self Storage • Recreational • Agriculture • Aviation • Car Canopies • Equestrian and more
WE OFFER COMPLETE TURNKEY BUILDING SOLUTIONS WITH GUARANTEED QUALITY AND COMPETITIVE PRICING
1-833-632-6837 BRITISH COLUMBIA Suite 301, 1321 Blanshard Street Victoria, BC V8W 0B6
www.absolutelycovered.ca ALBERTA Suite 160, 612 - 500 Country Hills Boulevard N.E. Calgary, AB T3K 5K3
Introducing the 8TD24 Shuttle Car
I
n the mining industry, conveyor belt cleanup and rehabilitation operations are a necessity. Sometimes, finding the right machine to do the job can be difficult. In many cases, mine workers have to use an extensive combination of machinery and extra personnel to perform these tasks. Often times these resources are diverted from other operations and can potentially delay their completion. Whether using an electric loader with an ore hauler or an army of shovels, one thing is certain: extra costs are almost always incurred. The 8TD24 Shuttle Car was designed with this in mind. It incorporates features from our loading machines and shuttle cars to provide an economical solution. Essentially, it is a shuttle car and loader all in one. In addition to these features, the
8TD24 was scaled down from our larger machines in order to operate in relatively tight places. However, it can still haul eight tons of muck. Some key advantages are listed below and we recommend visiting our website for details and photos at www.hagerequipment.com. Design purpose: This machine was designed specifically for belt cleanup, rehabilitation operations, one-man loading and transport operations and any other muck/ore cleanup or transport.
Scott’s General Store
Stoney Rapids Snowmobile Centre Serving Saskatchewan’s Far North Since 1985 • BRP Ski-doo & Can-am ATV Dealer/Parts and Service • BRP Evinrude Dealer Parts and Service • Alumarine & Kingfisher Boats • Husqvarna Chainsaws • Auto Parts & Tires • Groceries • Dry Goods • Gas, Diesel, Propane • Fishing & Hunting Supplies • Lumber & Hardware • Jet Fuel & AV Gas • Truck & Equipment Rentals • Raw Fur Buyer
EXPEDITING SERVICES
P.O. Box 19, Stony Rapids, SK S0J 2R0 Tel: (306) 439-2056 Fax: (306) 439-2086 Email: srsnowmobile@sasktel.net 56 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
Self-loading capability: The gathering head apparatus enables the shuttle car to operate without the need of a scoop or loader. It is designed to be attached or detached quickly as the need arises. Increased mobility: The 8TD24 is a diesel hydraulic machine. It is self-contained and does not require power on the section to operate. It has four-wheel co-ordinated steering while in low range for navigating sharp corners and tight spaces. When high range is engaged, only the lead axle steers. This makes long trips between sections more routine. Maintenance-friendly: Coupled with our diagnostics and control system, the overall design is uniquely simple. It consists of a diesel engine, hydrostatic transmissions and a programmable control system. This is very similar to much of the agricultural equipment on the market today. There is no high voltage on the machine, which allows a technician to service or repair it without needing an electrician. Innovative hydraulic wheel units eliminate drive shafts, external brakes, drag links and other steering linkage, significantly reducing down time and maintenance costs compared with conventional shuttle car designs Increased safety and visibility: A complete low-light camera system coupled with bright LED lighting assists the driver in safe operation. In addition, every Hager Equipment shuttle car comes equipped with a F.O.P.S. and R.O.P.S. certified operator’s cab and an optional fire suppression system. 6
Handy Hitch designs, manufactures for mining industry
H
andy Hitch Manufacturing Inc. is one of four companies in Rancan Group of Companies, alongside Rancan Fertilizer Systems Inc., Minic Industries Ltd. and Ranchers Welding. Handy Hitch is responsible for designing and manufacturing road construction and maintenance equipment. According to manager David Wallwin, Handy Hitch provides products and services all over the world, including in Iceland and Europe. “We deal mostly with government agencies, like departments of highways, but we also service the private sector and the mining industry,” Wallwin explains. “What we focus on in the mining industry is the compaction of the roads.” Handy Hitch manufactures a product called the Profile Packer/Roller. The machine provides continuous compaction as it works, ensuring a smooth, uniform driving surface that can stand up to perilous weather and traffic. The Handy Hitch website (handyhitch.com) explains that continuous compaction “results in fewer trips per maintenance mile per year”, resulting in a reduction of grader usage by 25 to 30 per cent annually, thus saving time, fuel and repairs. The Profile Packer/Roller frame features three or four main pivot points at the rear of the front frame, and each point is linked via hardened steel pins and bushing to an arm assembly controlled by a hydraulic cylinder and central pressure relief system for down pressure control. Each of the three link arms is then attached to a walking beam that has two 6,000-pound, double-ended spindle and hub assemblies, complete with 14-ply smooth roller tires attached to each end. The design enables the operator to follow the contour of the road by diverting oil from one hydraulic cylinder to another through the pressure relief system. The Profile is attached to the rear of the grader.
Wallwin also mentions that Handy Hitch designs and manufactures one-off road maintenance equipment for different applications. “If there is somebody in a mine that needs something a little different, we are able to work with the customer and design and manufacture what they re-
quire,” Wallwin says. One example is a Contour machine around 12 feet wide. It was a machine for a customer that needed something very specific for a road stabilization project they were working on. For more information, visit handyhitch.com. 6
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Custom Helicopters soars to new heights
C
ustom Helicopters Ltd. was founded in 1977 and has grown to a fleet of 25 helicopters. Our head office is located at St. Andrews Airport in Winnipeg, Man., with operational bases in Island Lake, Gillam, The Pas and Thompson, Man., as well as in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut
Custom Helicopters Serving the Mining Industry for over 40 years
Toll Free: 1-800-782-0780 Winnipeg: 204-338-7953 www.customheli.com info@customheli.com
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and Kamloops, B.C. Custom Helicopters also has field operations seasonally throughout Canada. Custom Helicopters’ versatile helicopter allows it to provide a variety of services including power line construction and maintenance, emergency medical services, mineral exploration, seismic support, wildlife surveys, live animal capture, forest fire suppression, diamond drill support, corporate transportation, motion picture support, helicopter maintenance repair and overhaul and aerial inspection. These services are provided to a variety of customers in various regions but are mainly Hydro, mining and government organizations within Manitoba and Nunavut, with a view to expand into other geographic regions in the near future. Custom Helicopters is an approved Bell Helicopter Customer Service Facility with staff trained to service all types of helicopters within its fleet. Custom Helicopters’ top priority is ensuring its equipment is maintained in pristine working order with an unwavering commitment to safety. Through its safety procedures and training programs, coupled with a high level of service, Custom Helicopters has earned the reputation of being one of Canada’s best helicopter operators. Custom Helicopters’ parent company is one of the most successful and stable companies in the business. Exchange Income Corporation (EIC), a Canadian corporation, was created to invest in profitable, well-established companies with strong cash flows operating in niche markets and to distribute monthly cash dividends to its shareholders. To do this, EIC invests in companies for the long term with no intention of selling, retains current management and works with them to grow their companies. For more information, visit our website at customheli.com or call (204) 338-7953. 6
Comairco’s air compressors benefit mining industry
W
hen it comes to air compressors, Comairco is leading the way. Established in Laval, Que. in 1972, Comairco is a family-owned business that services provinces from Saskatchewan east, as well as the states of New York and New Jersey. “We sell and service air compressors and related products, and that is what we’ve done ever since we’ve started,” Bill Lutz, senior technical representative for Comairco, says. Comairco mainly sells Sullair as it is the authorized Sullair distributor. The company provides the full line of Sullair rotor screw air compressors. Over the years, Comairco has added more makes and styles of air compressors and related products. Recently, Comairco began offering portable compressor buildings, also known as AWA, which are typically purchased by workers in the mining industry. They are completely moveable and customizable, and they operate with an energy cost that is eight times lower than the regular diesel compressor.
The AWA electronic package has been tested in environments of -40 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit; is easy to start up; allows for quick and convenient access for maintenance; maximizes the efficiency of the electric air compressor outside; protects against extreme weather conditions; reduces noise; and features automated temperature control. The AWA has industrial-type thermal insulation, with oneinch foam soundproofing; neon lighting with shock protection; a NEMA 4x CSA/UL-certified electrical panel with integrated circuit breakers; an arched roof to prevent water accumulation; aluminum plumbing; forced air heater; lockable service doors; steel gutters; lifting lugs for transportation and manipulation; and self-contained fluid protection. The unit is CSA/CSA-US approved and is suitable for handling with a forklift. The unit doesn’t require concrete slab or additional site modifications. It features single-point electrical and pneumatic connections, and replaces diesel compressors at a lower cost. For more information, visit comairco.com or call 1 (800) 463-8780. 6
SALES SERVICE RENTAL
SERVICING MINING INDUSTRY FOR OVER 40 YEARS N EDW UCT PRO
SASKATOON, REGINA : 800 761-8780 WINNIPEG : 800 205-9975 • WWW.COMAIRCO.COM 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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Past investment in Manitoba’s North to 1930
W
hile researching the beginnings of the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Prospectors and Developers Association in old newspapers, books dealing with the development of Manitoba were also consulted. These books reveal how the development of Manitoba’s North did not just magically happen but required decades of continual government encouragement, support and investment. From the quartz mined in the paleo quarry of the Grand father Quarry on Granville Lake through to the deliberations of Riel at the Convention of Red River delegates in 1870, interest in Manitoba’s mineral resources goes way back. But Riel’s appreciation of local control of natural resources would not be fulfilled for another 60 years when the federal government finallytransferred resources to the western provinces. In 1870, Manitoba was the “postage stamp” province created to deal with the demands of the 25,228 people of Red River. Even when expanded in 1881, the population was only 62,260 people. However, when Manitoba gained its present borders in 1912, the included population was 461,394 people. Throughout this period of population growth, it became obvious that the demand for raw materials had to be satisfied by local markets. Those with ambition saw the wealth that could be gained from satisfying this demand and the fortunes that could be made. But those with ambition didn’t achieve success without help and support from the government. In this, the Geological Survey of Canada played an important role via the 1896 and 1898 surveys conducted by J. B. Tyrrell and D. B. Dowling. In 1884, a judgment of Britain’s Privy Council had effectively withdrawn all the lands north of what is now Mafeking. But in 1885, a federal offer that put Manitoba on solid fiscal ground
for the first time (but still held back natural resources) was accepted by Premier Norquay. It enabled him and his successors to subsidize the construction of rail lines and roads and guarantee their bond issues. Consequently in 1895, Donald Mann took over the Winnipeg and Hudson Bay Railway charter, sabotaged by Prime Minister MacDonald in 1887, and built rail lines to the resources of northwest, central and eastern Manitoba. With his partner William Mackenzie, their federally and provincially subsidized lines profitably reached Swan River by 1907. With a branch line from Hudson Bay, Sask., their rail lines reached The Pas in early 1908, sparking a boom there in furs and lumber. In 1911, the federal government decided the grain farmers of the west needed the shorter Hudson Bay shipping route to market their grain in Europe and construction started from The Pas with a railway bridge over the Saskatchewan River completed in 1913. The decision also started a claim-staking rush along the planned route of the HBR railway; experienced prospectors who had read the reports of Tyrrell and Dowling were drawn to the region and in short order a gold rush was on at Wekusko Lake, and the Mandy deposit on Schist Lake was discovered. The war brought shortages of manpower and materials that slowed rail construction while the need for war materials encouraged prospecting and development. Manitoba benefited by providing goods, services and workers for the development of the north. In its annual report for 1930, the Industrial Development Board of Manitoba found mining companies were spending over $1,000,000 per month in Winnipeg, as well as $27 million invested by HBM&S at Flin Flon, $6 million by Sherritt-Gordon at Sherridon and $6 million by the five mining companies in the Central Manitoba/Rice Lake mining division. 6
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Supporting individuals through core box production
B
yron Jamieson lets us know, with a smile, that “things went pretty good today” as he wishes us good night and checks out of the Porcupine Opportunities Program (POP) for the day to head home for supper and, most likely, a game or two of crib. Jamieson is one of five of POP’s original program participants that started to build core boxes in the early 1980s. He, along with four compatriots (Darren, Darrell, Dwayne and Dennis) are part of the original nine program participants that began building boxes over 36 years ago. Today, along with other individuals that have since joined the program, they continue to produce boxes, as well as participate actively in a variety of agency activities that have been made possible through the agencies long-standing involvement in core box production. Core box production has truly been a gateway for growth for Jamieson and his fellow program participants, as well as for the agency itself. The “box business” has grown to become an integral part of the work and life skills programming at the agency. In addition to providing participants with purpose and structure, the revenue from core box production has helped fuel the wide range of residential and vocational services that POP is able to offer it’s 30-plus participants. Initially just offering a wood-working program, the agency has grown substantively over the years and now offers a vibrant residential program with three group homes and 15 additional supported living spaces. The vocational program at the agency includes the sheltered workshop, day programs in Porcupine
Plain and Hudson Bay, a laundromat and two SARCAN depots. The sustained business partnership between POP and various companies in the mining sector has helped to directly enrich the lives of all of POP’s participants. We hope to continue these partnerships and build additional opportunity with new businesses that are seeking a quality product combined with an opportunity to assist others while meeting their purchasing needs. 6
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The Advantages of Satellite Imagery for Long-term Environmental Monitoring
Monitoring water depth across a project footprint and surrounding area.
M
onitoring environmental health and tracking change over time is something that is important to every operation in the resource development sector, but is especially so for mining operations. Mines have large footprints, of-
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ten utilize potentially sensitive chemicals and processes, and the operations can have lifetimes spanning decades. The challenges they face monitoring environmental health can be numerous. Mines that began operations decades ago often lack full information about the envi-
ronmental conditions that existed before the mine. In addition, the ground testing required for monitoring can be very time consuming and expensive. Getting quality information about past and current environmental health in an efficient and cost-effective manner can be difficult.
In order to address these challenges, Western Heritage has developed the Environmental Footprint Monitoring Platform, or EFMP. This platform uses 30-centimetre, high-resolution satellite imagery to extract important information about environmental health and delivers it to environmental managers through an easy to access online platform. The platform identifies landcover types and monitors change and fragmentation of the landcover. It measures vegetation health based on vegetation greenness and productivity, or the change in biomass. It also measures aquatic health and change based on surface water depth, salinity and turbidity. These indices are well suited to the needs of potash producers. Using 30-centimetre, high-resolution satellite imagery to monitor environmental health has a few key advantages. One of these is the ability to look back using archival imagery to assess environmental conditions prior to or early on in the projects life cycle. Imagery is available from the early 1970s on, and this can be used to more accurately assess baselines for reclamation, and investigate the source of past
30-centimetre resolution provides detailed overviews of the entire project footprint.
and current environmental conditions. Another advantage is the ability to monitor the entire project footprint at once. This allows managers to identify areas of potential concern and schedule ground testing or further analysis. This creates efficiencies in applying resources, making sure that time and money is used as effectively as possible. Because the EFMP uses satellite imagery, WH Geomatics has had to be creative in ways to identify indices. An example is measuring salinity. Salinity does not naturally alter the reflectance of water, and
therefore there is no way to directly detect saline water. Knowing the importance of this information to our customers, we had to find contextual clues to detect saline bodies of water. Salinity does alter the vegetation communities near the water, and based on this we have been able to map salinity in their project areas. As technology changes, the way we look at the world is also changing. Environmental monitoring using satellite imagery has the potential to save time and money, and ensure the best possible information is available to decision-makers. 6
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A tribute to
Thomas (Tom) Joseph Moodie
By Stephen Masson
T
homas Joseph Moodie was born on Oct. 15, 1939. He died on Oct. 15, 2018 – on his birthday. A precise and meticulous man. His father was Alexander Dunbar Moodie and his mother was Rosa Louise Collins. He was the last of the Moodies, the last grandson of David Collins. His heritage was rich with so much history tied up in one family.
European side His grandfather, Inspector John Douglas Moodie from England, was famous in the Northwest Territories and Yukon. He blazed a trail to the Yukon gold fields, which took him one year and seven months. On arriving, he stopped a war between First Nations and prospectors, bringing order to the region. He centred greatly in Richard Burton’s famous book on the Yukon. He started the first North-West Mounted Police outpost near Churchill, and he owned a large ranch in or near the Cypress Hills. He had also fought in the Boer War in South Africa. He was a hard, tough-asnails, strict man. Moodie’s grandmother was Geraldine Moodie, the first female professional photographer who left a legacy in Western Canada. She was an entrepreneur who had studios in various western cities. She took authentic photos of Aboriginal peoples and early pioneers. She is in a book by Donny White called In Search of Geraldine Moodie. Geraldine’s grandmother was Suzanne (Strickland) Moodie, who was one of the pivotal figures in early Canadian literature in the 1830s (she wrote Roughing in the Bush).
Aboriginal side Moodie’s maternal grandfather was none other than the pioneering Aborigi64 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
nal prospector, David Collins (18661931), from Pine Bluff/Cumberland House, Sask., then the Northwest Territories. Collins, also known as “Nimkus” in his native Cree, was also a trapper. He had shown Tom Creighton the worldclass Flin Flon copper, zinc, gold and silver deposit around, which a smelter was later built and the town of Flin Flon. Creighton was awarded the discovery, and it took till 2015 before Collins was recognized with a plaque at the Saskatchewan-Manitoba border in Flin Flon for his great contribution for that discovery and opening up the north for mining exploration. (Please see Northern Prospector’s 2015-16 edition for more details.) Moodie’s father was Alexander Dunbar Moodie, who was a trapper, commercial
fisherman and prospector. He was a selfreliant man living off the land. He discovered the Copper Reef Deposit near Mink Narrows on Lake Athapapuskow, 20 kilometres south of Flin Flon. This is Copper Reef Mining Corporation’s namesake property. Alexander and Rosa Louise Collins’ original homestead is nearby. Rosa was the daughter of David Collins, a famous midwife in the area and a devout Catholic. It was told she could stretch a dollar and make a meal out of next to nothing. She was skilled at canning fish and moose and had a huge garden. Moodie was the last of a large family. There was John, Ellen, Irene, George, Agnes, Emily, Pauline, Gerald, and Mela with 20 years between John (born 1919) Moodie (born 1939), all strikingly handsome people and all born storytellers.
Moodie grew up as a Metis in Cranberry, Man., respecting both cultural traditions – European and Aboriginal. He was well-versed in the folklore of the area and the heritages of his ancestors, and a strong supporter of the Manitoba Metis Federation. He was a quiet man and a thinker, somewhat introverted and shy. However, he was intensely proud of his family and his community. I had worked with Moodie in exploration and known him since the early 1990s. He was always a pleasant man and would accommodate you if he could. He would often sit in my office after work or at lunch, and conversation would eventually drift to some old, half-remembered mineral showing that we should visit where we both dreamed of a discovery. Although he considered himself a Metis, he never could get official status despite his heritage. Under today’s laws, he would have also qualified for Treaty as his mother Rosa daughter of David Collins was Treaty from Cumberland. Moodie had worked as line-cutter, claim-staker and prospector for various exploration companies, including Hudson Bay Exploration. He also worked in his later years as a geological technician for Granges Exploration and AUR Resources, Inc. Moodie was a man of the old-school; he was straight, honest and loyal. He had seen a lot of the region, from his early trapping years with his dad, and knew the area well. He had his own exploration related company, TJ Enterprises. Moodie had an aversion for offices and crowds, preferring the cabin life, the wilderness and their creatures. Those that would sit and have tea with the man would be graced with his stories, personal ones and others that were passed down to him. He loved to talk about the early days of his community. He had a way of bringing the stories to life with a real sense of reverence to nature, to history and to people. He also had a great love and reverence for animals, especially his dog. Moodie was a caring individual; he spoke of his love for the children and elders in his community and the community itself. Many
would also speak of his generosity in sharing fish and moose meat. He was well-liked in social group, consisting of his coffee buddies at the Flin Flon Aboriginal Friendship Centre. He would religiously have Red Rose tea with his friend, former MLA Gerard Jennissen, where they would trade stories of fishing and hunting. Irma was the true love of his life. If you mention her name, Moodie’s voice would break or he would wipe away a tear. You could feel the tenderness in his voice. I remember her bringing me smoked whitefish that she knew I thought was the best. She would make
sure she personally gave to me. Moodie loved Irma. Her youngest daughter Cynthia became his daughter. It was Cynthia who stayed with him in his final days. She looked after her dad. He leaves behind Cynthia and Phillip’s children, his grandchildren, as well as their grandchildren and his great grandchildren. Condolences to Tom’s extended family, huge family, the family of which he was so proud. A living legend and link to the past is now gone. The last grandson of David Collins is gone. The end of an era. Sleep in peace, my friend. We will not forget you. 6
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Ken de Graff
Prospector, trapper, wild ricer, line-cutter Dec. 31, 1948 - Feb. 10, 2018
K
en de Graff ’s father, William, was born in Winnipeg of Dutch descent. His parents, John and Gertrude, were market gardeners in Kildonan near the Disraeli Bridge; a school, a park and a crescent bear the de Graff name. De Graff ’s mother, Jean Nichol, was from Blenheim, Ont. They were both in the RCAF; William was a pilot and Jean
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was a parachute packer. They married in 1945. Together in Winnipeg, they raised their family, with de Graff being the eldest of three boys and two girls. De Graff had adventures with his friends in the wooded farmland and bush that was still nearby in those days, fearlessly biking to Lockport and the gravel pits at Birds Hill. One can see how de Graff became a
northern entrepreneur by looking at the examples set by his parents. In 1964, he was one of a group of Winnipeg Tribune paper carriers who won a nineday Easter holiday trip through proving themselves as go-getters by increasing subscribers. De Graff ’s mother, who had had a route in Windsor, Ont., felt a newspaper route was good experience. “He’s only in Grade 9 but he has his
education mapped out,” she said. The Tribune carriers went in two private railway cars to Toronto, Niagara Falls, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec, de Graff reminisced in later years. De Graff ’s father worked for Manitoba Hydro as a district manager, travelling throughout the province. He was a great hunter and woodsman who took de Graff and his younger brothers to hunt game and waterfowl. Mostly they went to the Whiteshell, but every year they would camp in tents for weeks at Iskwasum. After William died in 1969 at the age of 45, Jean took her young family to Ontario to be with her family. De Graff graduated in 1971 from Sir Sandford Fleming College in Lindsay, Ont. with a forestry diploma. He started with the Ontario Lands and Forest Department but returned to Manitoba to work as a conservation officer. His first postings in Manitoba were Clandeboye, Hadashville and Portage La Prairie. De Graff had met his future wife, Mae, in 1968 in Clear Lake, Man., and they married Sept. 17, 1971 at Little Britain United Church in Lockport, Man. De Graff and Mae were a young pair who wanted some place remote. He successfully applied to transfer to God’s Lake Narrows. There, Tara was born. When they first arrived, de Graff had wondered, “This is such beautiful country; why would anyone ever want to leave a place like this?” But it turned out to be a little too remote for Mae. So, after three years, de Graff transferred to Wabowden, leaving their friends with memories of his polished storytelling and him singing Hank Williams songs and playing his guitar. De Graff ’s talent for entertaining was formidable in other areas. In his younger years, if the entertainment at a nightclub was poor, he’d talk his way onto the stage and give his own performance doing impressions along the line of Rich Little. His Cranberry Portage posting came next, a place he loved. During their five years there, de Graff started picking rocks with John Donald and a prospec-
tor called Cheeko. They prospected, staked mineral claims, drilled, blasted and collected mineral specimens. De Graff took a lateral transfer in 1983 to Neepawa where Mae felt the schooling would have more options for their daughters, Tara and Jolene. After working in Neepawa for a couple of years, de Graff decided to make a career change. He quit the conservation department to work for Ducks Unlimited. He travelled the province, fundraising for Ducks Unlimited, and started staking claims again. After two years, de Graff decided to make the big jump and work for himself. He partnered with Dave Buck in wild rice, learning it the hard way – seeding lakes, harvesting, processing, and marketing. They were exciting times that led to the creation of Northern Mist Wild Rice and a partnership in the building of the wild rice processing plant in The Pas. De Graff ’s other passion was the bush and he got a trap line on the Grass River. Wild rice brought him to Snow Lake but living in a tent was tough. In 1992, he bought a cabin on Wekusko Lake as a base for prospecting. Eventually his family moved permanently to Snow Lake from Neepawa in 1994. De Graff worked many hours in the bush, cutting line, staking claims and developing his mining properties. His big break came when a big block of claims he had staked was optioned to New Britannia. After that, his prospecting career took off. De Graff optioned properties to Callinan Mines and VMS, among others. He was well-read and self-taught in the science of geology. Mining company geologists that de Graff worked with over the years recognized his knowledge. The exploration companies found de Graff had an instinctive sense of clues in the rocks he prospected. He found numerous showings that merited followup with geophysics and drilling. He could find fractions in claims when he checked claim posts that others had staked. There was a time that de Graff had a big crew working for him on line-cutting out of Thicket Portage. Come payday, it turned out none of the crew had kept
track of their hours, but de Graff came up with an “open-court” way to settle on the hours worked. He’d ask a worker to estimate his hours and then listen to the rest of the crew as they commented on whether the hours were too high or low. De Graff was always trying out new ventures: champagne, wild rice sake, berries, mushrooms and birch sap all caught his attention. He was a real natural health nut from all the bushwacking and prospecting. Dave Koop recalls how de Graff commandeered the stove for days with huge pots of boiling, freshly picked chaga from a secret island that produced large quantities of this tree fungus highly regarded for its health benefits. De Graff had turned the whole house into a processing plant with chaga spread throughout the garage, deck and porch to dry. Mae would just roll her eyes and wish she could have people stay for supper, but she was afraid she would not get the stove back from her husband for weeks. In 2009, de Graff and Mae helped the committee that worked on getting recognition and plaques for early prospectors Dick Woosey and Kate Rice. Right until his death, de Graff was trapping, prospecting for minerals and promoting his claims for development to companies. He had plans for smelting minerals on his existing properties. He was meticulous and kept a complete set of diaries for every year starting with his years as a conservation officer. He was a gold bug and followed the mining and mineral stock market. A convention of one such group brought him to Argentina where he discovered his appreciation of Malbec wine. De Graff was not political but liked discussing political issues. In recent years he semi-retired and spent the winters in his Neepawa home and the summers at the home on Wekusko Lake. De Graff was an avid hunter, fisherman, birdwatcher, photographer, pilot, scuba diver, reader, guitar player, impressionist, singer and overall entertainer. He was a proud husband, father, grandfather and friend to many. He was a great guy with warmth. 6 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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After the gold rush: Northern communities fight for survival By Melanie Franner
M
anitoba’s northern mining communities have been hit hard by the sector’s economic downturn. Today, many are striving to exist in the wake of mine closures. What were once booming towns are now struggling to re-invent themselves. Snow Lake is a prime example. The town is located centrally between Thompson, Flin Flon and The Pas. Its rapid growth began in 1949 when Howe Sound began producing gold at the Nor-Acme Gold mine. That year saw some 100 residences. By 1954, Snow Lake’s population had grown to 654. But the closing of the Howe Sound mine in 1958 had a negative effect on the community’s continuing growth spurt. The town had a population of approximately 830 in 2006. By 2011, that number had dropped to 723. Leaf Rapids is another good example. Located in northwest Manitoba, about 1,000 kilometres north of Winnipeg, Leaf Rapids is described by Wikipedia as a community that has witnessed a number of significant changes directly related to mining operations. The community began when Sherritt Gordon Mines’ first discovered an abundance of copper and zinc at Ruttan Lake in 1969. This led to the “instant” creation of Leaf Rapids. The first residents arrived in 1971 and the population had grown to 2,000 by 1976. The population reached 2,356 in 1981. But the numbers have been on the decline since the mine’s closure
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in the summer of 2002. Latest reports show that the population had decreased to 582 in 2016. Wabowden is another example of a town that has seen brighter days. It is located about 110 kilometres southwest of Thompson and 640 kilometres north of Winnipeg. Manibridge Nickel Mine operated in the community from 1970 to 1976. The population was reported to be over 1,000 during this time. According to the Government of Manitoba, the opening of the Bucko Lake Mine in 2003 by Crowflight Minerals injected the community with new life. Although the mine is no longer in operation, the pre-selling of ore has enabled Crowflight to continue to operate even in the current down trends in world markets. Crowflight Minerals currently operates a housing camp that holds 120 employees. In 2001, Wabowden reported a population of about 900 (including the contractors and rotational employees). Despite a joint effort by community council, Crowflight Minerals Inc. and University College of the North (UCN) to offer mining training in the community, the population of Wabowden had dropped to 550 in 2011. New beginnings Although the lucrative days of mining may be over for many of Manitoba’s northern communities, it looks like there may be some hope ahead. According to the Annual Report 2017-2018, issued by Manitoba Growth, Enterprise and Trade, one of
the government’s first commitments is to “work with northerners to develop a long-term sustainable solution to unlock the tremendous economic potential of the north”. The report states that significant engagement took place in 2017/18, with the Look North Report and Action Plan presented to government in October 2017. The most recent sessions in March 2018 further developed strategic actions and solutions in each of the six priority areas including mineral and other resource development, Indigenous engagement and partnerships, strategic infrastructure investment, housing, enterprise eco-system of support and education, training and workforce development. In terms of the Mineral Development Protocol, the report states that the government remains committed to advancing reconciliation and building respectful and productive partnerships with First Nations to responsibly and sustainably develop its natural resources. A comprehensive engagement process led to the development of a framework for a mineral development protocol between Manitoba and First Nations, including a proposed CrownIndigenous Consultation guide and matrix for mineral development, as well as the government-wide duty to consult framework. The implementation of that framework has been stated as being a key priority for 2018/19. 6
Threeosix Industrial and THOAR Mining: The complete mining solutions provider
T
hreeosix Industrial (“Threeosix”) and THOAR Mining (“THOAR”), a fully integrated mining and industrial solutions provider, based in Saskatoon, Sask., offers clients a single source for all of their construction and maintenance needs, both on surface and for underground projects. The team has been enjoying tremendous growth since it was formed in 2016. This success was the result of the combined vision of Ryan Flodell and Scott Longmuir. Both young entrepreneurs who have extensive mining operations and construction experience saw a gap
in the market for an end-to-end provider of industrial solutions within the mining sector from feasibility level planning through commissioning. Clients wanted a single point of contact that could provide safe, responsive service for design, fabrication, construction and project management. Their ongoing growth has been strengthened by an industry leading team of engineers, project managers and construction and mining subject matter experts. This, coupled with strategic partnerships, intelligent recruiting, a range of services from full general contracting to targeted scope specific work,
while being supported by a fully modernized and high-capacity structural fabrication facility, has allowed them to grow in a highly competitive environment. Their team of professionals has decades of operations, construction and engineering experience in the mining sector. Clients such as Nutrien, Mosaic, DeBeers, Suncor, Chevron and SSR Mining have repeatedly chosen this team because of their professionally managed and safety-conscious approach to construction, maintenance and fabrication that is easily recognized as the new standard.
THReeOsix iNdusTRiAl ANd THOAR MiNiNg:
COMpleTe iNdusTRiAl ANd MiNiNg sOluTiONs • Threeosix and THOAR have the experience and qualifications to rise to the challenge in any industrial application, including potash, hard rock mining and processing. • Threeosix and THOAR also provide complete solutions for underground mining projects. This industry has come to rely on the team for repair of shafts, bins and mainline belt installs, steel replacement, mechanical fabrication, rehab, drilling, blasting, demolition, equipment supply, as well as overall mining oversight and technical support services.
• In the surface mining sector, they are recognized as a leading provider of general contracting, project management and construction management services, steel erection, design, fabrication, civil earthworks, CAD/3D modelling, industrial mechanics, electrical & instrumentation, carpentry and concrete foundations, thanks to a team well versed in all aspects of project execution, mine operations and maintenance.
They can mine it, fabricate it, build it, manage it, and maintain it… safely.
CONTACT Threeosix Industrial
40 Unger Street
Site 404, Box 3, RR #4 Saskatoon, SK
S7K 3J7
info@threeosix.ca www.threeosix.ca • info@thoarmining.com thoarmining.com 2018-2019 Northern Prospector
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Their objective continues to be the development of long-term and meaningful, value-added relationships with top-tier clients, by providing prompt service and undisputed commitment while acting in the best interests of their respective projects. Central to delivering to the highest standard of quality is a project delivery methodology that is based on four equal and integral components. The first is to lead the industry in continuous improvement in safety, quality and project management; the second is to fully embrace workplace diversity through engagement and inclusion; the third is to develop and encourage technological advances wherever possible; and the fourth is to operate with the intention of
being their client’s trusted advisor while offering complete integrity and transparency. Threeosix and THOAR have the experience and qualifications to rise to the challenge in any industrial application, including potash, hard-rock mining and processing. They can mine it, fabricate it, build it, manage it and maintain it… safely. In the surface mining sector, they are recognized as a leading provider of general contracting, project management and construction management services, steel erection, design, fabrication, civil earthworks, CAD/3D modelling, industrial mechanics, electrical and instrumentation, carpentry and concrete foundations – thanks to a team well-
versed in all aspects of project execution, mine operations and maintenance. Threeosix and THOAR also provide complete solutions for underground mining projects. This industry has come to rely on the team for repair of shafts, bins and mainline belt installs, steel replacement, mechanical fabrication, rehab, drilling, blasting, demolition, equipment supply, as well as overall mining oversight and technical support services. Although the services are incredibly diverse, the team has a singular focus of being professional and progressive. ISN certified, COR certified, CWB Div. 2 certified, dedicated safety professionals, integrated design and fabrication, electrical contracting license, Indigenous partnerships and joint ventures are just some of the ways that Threeosix and THOAR stay ahead of their competitors and provides exemplary services. For more information, visit their website at threeosix.ca, call 1 (306) 384-9306 or email info@threeosix.ca. 6
Index to Advertisers Absolutely Covered..................................................................................55 Aggressive Drilling Ltd..............................................................................8 Alair (mha Enterprises Ltd.)...................................................................20 Ame (Association for Mineral Exploration).......................................... IBC Arrowhead Helicopters Ltd.....................................................................35 Athabasca Fuel Service Ltd....................................................................50 Big Ice Services.......................................................................................22 Calm Air International Inc.......................................................................52 Comairco Equipment Ltd........................................................................59 Custom Helicopters Ltd..........................................................................58 Dimatec Inc..............................................................................................56 Discovery International Geophysics Inc....................................................3 Durama Enterprises Limited..................................................................22 Expedition Helicopters............................................................................47 Exploration Tents & Arctic Camp Supplies............................... 9, 11 & 13 Far Resources.........................................................................................46 Foran Mining Corporation.......................................................................43 Gmr Electric Motors...............................................................................35 Government of Saskatchewan Ministry of Energy and Resources........33 Hager Equipment Co...............................................................................25 Heli-Lift International Inc.........................................................................5 John Deere Canada Ulc...........................................................................7 Joy Global................................................................................................12 Lawson Consulting & Surveying Ltd......................................................20 Mammoth Equipment and Exhausts......................................................53
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Manitoba-Saskatchewan Prospectors and Developers Association.....12 North-Sask. Ventures Ltd.......................................................................22 Nuna Group of Companies......................................................................27 Nutrien.......................................................................................................4 Orix Geoscience.......................................................................................41 Osprey Wings Ltd.....................................................................................30 Paraminerals Consulting Ltd..................................................................45 Porcupine Opportunities Program Inc....................................................61 Prairie Crane...........................................................................................28 Prairie Helicopters Inc............................................................................48 Rancan Group of Companies..................................................................57 Rosta Inc..................................................................................................21 Saskatchewan Association of Optometrists...........................................10 Saskatoon Custom Powder Coating.......................................................32 SaskTel...................................................................................................IFC Scott’s General Store...............................................................................56 Thoar Mining Management Ltd..............................................................69 Thompson Airport Authority...................................................................22 Town of Snow Lake..................................................................................21 Transwest Air...........................................................................................33 University College of the North...............................................................24 Watson Gloves..................................................................................... OBC Western Heritage.....................................................................................63 WestWind Aviation...................................................................................31
January 28-31, 2019 Elements for Discovery
Where leaders in mineral exploration connect Register online today at roundup.amebc.ca
455 Triple Shot Northern Prospecto.pdf
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