Transcript
Page 1: CIM Magazine February 2011
Page 2: CIM Magazine February 2011

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3:40 PM

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© 2011 Caterpillar | All Rights Reserved | CAT, CATERPILLAR, their respective logos, “Caterpillar Yellow” the “Power Edge” trade dress as well as corporate and product identity used herein, are trademarks of Caterpillar and may not be used without permission.

C A T ® L A R G E M I N I N G T R U C K S

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NEWS 10 Rio Tinto funds new mining frontier Mining giant

commits $10 million to partnership with the Centre for Excel-lence in Mining Innovation by J. Leuschen

12 Caterpillar extends its reach The acquisition ofBucyrus International by Caterpillar gives the equipment manufacturer greater range, but the effects on innovation remain unknown by E. Moore

13 Meeting gives spark to group’s initiatives The firstannual Women in Mining meeting encourages women to playa greater role in the mining industry by J. Borsato

14 International finance conference in China looksto the East The inaugural event brings out the financial community looking to connect Asian capital with Canadian projects by G. Griffiths

16 Thwarted PotashCorp takeover leaves trail ofunanswered questions The government’s decision tohalt the BHP takeover has raised questions about Canada’sopenness to foreign investment by P. Brent

20 Pioneers in Canada, and beyond The Canadian Mining Hall of Fame inducts three new members at a sold-outgala event in Toronto by T. Loree

22 Chinese rare earth quota boosts Canadian juniors’ stock The global search for rare earth elementshas ratcheted up interest in Canada’s North by V. Heffernan

UPFRONT 24 Cultural convergence The Canadian

Opera Company’s tour of the Raglan Mineboth introduced the Inuit communities to operaand the troupe to the North by M. Eisner

26 Bigger not always better Technologiesthat integrate mine and mill can make marginalhard-rock mines profitable by P. Caulfield

28 Sharing knowledge in the digitalrealm The new online resource from theCentre for Excellence in Mining Innovation isdesigned for sharing expertise on mine designby A. Lopez-Pacheco

30 Collaboration the key to innovationand success Doug Magoon, chairman ofAMIRA International, discusses the benefits of partnership when it comes to innovationby E. Moore

CONTENTSCIM MAGAZINE | FEBRUARY 2011 | FÉVRIER 2011

PRELIMINARY PROGRAM / PROGRAMME PRÉLIMINAIRE

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FEATURED PROJECTPROJET EN VEDETTE 42 Fast-tracking to production Nearing production, Osisko’s gold mine operation in Malartic

is the result of experienced leadership steering the project by P. Diekmeyer

49 Un processus accéléré; de la découverte à la faisabilité à la productionGrâce à un leadership d’expérience, la mine d’or Osisko à Malarctic sera bientôt en production.

32FEATUREINNOVATION 32 Stepping up our game Innovation is vital for Canadian mining industry. How to manage

the risks and rewards associated with it remains the crucial question. by E. Moore

40 Intensifier nos efforts L’innovation est essentielle pour l’industrie minière canadienne.L’enjeu clé demeure la gestion des risques et des bénéfices qui y sont associés.

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COMMODITY PROFILE 52 The world’s thirstiest metal Tantalum’s high melt-

ing point and resistance to rust has made it a very valuablemetal in our daily lives by D. Zlotnikov

COLUMNS 55 MAC Economic Commentary by P. Stothart 58 Supply Side by J. Baird 60 Eye on Business by P. Swain and A. Benitah 62 Standards by J. Whyte 64 HR Outlook by M. Roberts and L. Forcellini 66 Metals Monitor by the staff of Metals Economics Group 68 Aboriginal Perspective by V. Heffernan 70 Innovation by T. Hynes 72 Safety by S. Dessureault 74 Women in Mining by J. Borsato 76 Mining Lore by C. Baldwin118 Voices from Industry by D. Morrison

HISTORY110 The foundations of modern economic

geology (Part 1) by R. J. Cathro113 Social problems in the mining industry –

a historical essay (Part 1) by F. Habashi

IN EVERY ISSUE 6 Editor’s message 8 President’s notes / Mot du président116 Professional directory

NEW!

February 2011 | 5

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The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemicalsubstances: if there is any reaction,both are transformed.

~ Carl Jung

As we were in the throws of putting together thisinnovation-themed issue, I had the opportunitywith other members of CIM’s national office to

participate in a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)exercise, which indicates how one perceives the worldand makes decisions. The MBTI identifies four pairs of

contrasting preferences — extroverted/introverted, thinking/feeling, sensing/intuition,judging/perceiving — which can be combined to form 16 possible psychological types.Although my own assessment of the subject would far exceed what this spacepermits, the timing of the MBTI exercise was perfect. It revealed how differently agroup of people who work together on a daily basis engage in common challenges,and it helped me to formulate a question that has been nagging at me for a while:How can one effectively create a culture of innovation in an organization — let alonean industry as vast as mining — when we are all wired so differently?

MBTI proposes that no one type is better or preferred above another. In fact, it isin the collaborative blending of a variety of types that many strengths can bediscovered and weaknesses overcome.

The same holds true for the mining industry, where the character and culture ofthe laboratory may be vastly different from the mine site, but the engagement ofeach is essential to sparking innovation. In the feature article, “Stepping up ourgame,” writer Eavan Moore speaks to leaders from all facets of the mining industryabout the traits the Canadian industry must champion and the risks it must manageto ensure its place among the global leaders in innovation.

We also reached out to AMIRA International chairman Douglas Magoon for athought-provoking Q&A in which he discusses the challenges and opportunities forinnovation, as well as the role of research and collaboration.

Meanwhile, our project profile, Osisko’s Canadian Malartic operation in Quebec’sAbitibi region, is a powerful argument for collaborative effort. By fostering closecommunity ties, strong supplier relationships and pioneering technologies, thisproject has been realized despite the recent recession and unique constraints ofoperating so close to a residential area.

On the subject of collaboration, we would like to hear what you think theCanadian mining industry could be doing to foster innovation. Of course, if you knowof some projects that represent collaboration in action that might not be on ourcollective radar, we would love to hear about those, too. By sharing these with CIMMagazine readers, we can apply our strength to supporting the culture of innovation.

Angela Hamlyn, Editor-in-chief

A meeting of minds

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editor’s letter

Editor-in-chief Angela Hamlyn, [email protected]

Section EditorsNews, Upfront and Features:Ryan Bergen, [email protected] Stecyk, [email protected], CIM News, Histories and Technical Section:Andrea Nichiporuk, [email protected]

Technical Editor Joan Tomiuk, [email protected]

Publisher CIM

Contributors Jon Baird, Correy Baldwin, Armand Benitah,Louise Blais-Leroux, Jeff Borsato, Paul Brent, R.J. Cathro,Peter Caulfield, Sean Dessureault, Peter Diekmeyer, MarleneEisner, Lindsay Forcellini, Genny Griffiths, Fathi Habashi,Virginia Heffernan, Tom Hynes, Janice Leuschen, AlexandraLopez-Pacheco, Thom Loree, Eavan Moore, Douglas Morrison,Martha Roberts, Staff of the Metals Economics Group, PaulStothart, Philip Swain, James Whyte, Dan Zlotnikov

Published 8 times a year by CIM1250 – 3500 de Maisonneuve Blvd. West Westmount, QC, H3Z 3C1Tel.: 514.939.2710; Fax: 514.939.2714 www.cim.org; Email: [email protected]

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This month’s coverSandia’s Gemini-Scout Rescue RobotPhoto by Randy Montoya, courtesy of Sandia NationalLaboratories

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Copyright©2011. All rights reserved. ISSN 1718-4177. Publications Mail No. 09786. Postage paid at CPA Saint-Laurent, QC. Dépôt légal: Bibliothèque nationale du Québec.

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Page 7: CIM Magazine February 2011

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Page 8: CIM Magazine February 2011

president’s notes

Innovation, the theme of thisissue, is a much overused wordand misunderstood process. Ina business context, it is theprocess of turning an idea orsituation into a commerciallysuccessful proposition. It is notabout numbers of patents orlevels of university funding,although they are importantinputs. The key is moving theconcept through test work andtrials to piloting to demonstra-tion scale and finally to marketacceptance. Unless it results inappropriately defined rewards,it is not innovation.

Like exploration, the devel-opment process often needs

substantial capital with no return over very long periods. On this basis,I suggest we need a flow-through share concept to spur innovation,similar to that which junior explorers have used to great advantage.

As Elizabeth Hunt, president of the University of Calgary, recentlywrote in the Globe and Mail, “We must ensure that our resource indus-tries are not only innovative, but also seen by Canadians as drivers ofinnovation.”

A number of current initiatives deserve recognition. The commitmentby Rio Tinto to establish a centre for underground mine construction atthe Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation in Sudbury is a seriousendorsement of our global leading expertise. The formation of a con-sortium for oil sands tailings management research is another signifi-cant development. Seven oil sands majors that have historically sharedminimal R&D or operational information have agreed to pool theirknowledge and expertise to further accelerate the development of tail-ing reclamation techniques. Another interesting development is thecommitment by CEMI and CIM to develop an online mine design hand-book based on the open-access principles of a “wiki,” an innovative wayto fill a gap in the rapidly developing field of mine design. Readers canlearn more about all three of these initiatives in this issue.

Innovation occurs in cultural environments that encourage it andexpose practitioners to a wide range of ideas. From this perspective, Iencourage all members to bring more colleagues from non-traditionaldisciplines, such as environmental, mechanical, electrical and civil engi-neering along with other social and financial fields, into CIM. They willinevitably infuse the conversation with different perspectives and sparkfurther innovation.

Chris Twigge-MoleceyCIM President

L’innovation, soit le thème de ce numéro, est un terme utilisé à out-rance et un processus souvent mal compris.

Dans un contexte d’affaires, il s’agit du processus visant à transformerune idée ou une situation en une proposition productive et rentable.

L’innovation ne se définit pas par une quantité de brevets ni par dufinancement universitaire, bien que ces éléments constituent des apportsimportants. Il s’agit en fait de faire avancer un concept par des essais etdes études, puis de progresser jusqu’à l’étape des démonstrations etfinalement, à l’acceptation du produit par le marché. Si un tel processusne s’avère pas profitable et fructueux, il ne s’agit pas d’innovation.

Comme les travaux d’exploration, le processus de développementnécessite souvent des capitaux importants sans qu’un rendement sur lecapital investi ne soit enregistré pendant de très longues périodes. À lalumière de ces observations, je suggère qu’un concept de partage et detransfert serait nécessaire pour encourager l’innovation, comme un telconcept a été si favorable pour les explorateurs débutants.

Comme l’a récemment écrit Élizabeth Hunt, présidente de l’Universitéde Calgary, dans le Globe and Mail : « Nous devons nous assurer que nosindustries primaires sont non seulement novatrices, mais aussi perçuespar les Canadiens comme des moteurs de l’innovation. »

Plusieurs initiatives en œuvre à l’heure actuelle méritent d’être men-tionnées. L’engagement pris par Rio Tinto visant à établir un centre pourla construction de mines souterraines au Centre for Excellence in MiningInnovation (CEMI) à Sudbury représente un gage important d’appui de

notre expertise reconnue à l’échelle mondiale. La création d’un grandconsortium pour la recherche en gestion des résidus du sable bitu-mineux constitue un autre événement important. Alors qu’elles avaientpar le passé partagé un minimum de renseignements liés à la rechercheet à l’exploitation, sept usines d’exploitation de sables bitumineux ontconvenu de mettre en commun leurs connaissances et leur expertisepour accélérer davantage le développement des techniques de valorisa-tion des résidus. Un autre fait intéressant demeure l’engagement par leCEMI et l’ICM à créer un guide accessible en ligne de conception desmines basé sur les principes de libre accès d’un « wiki », une façonnovatrice de combler une lacune dans le domaine en évolution rapide dela conception minière. Les lecteurs peuvent en apprendre davantage surces trois initiatives dans ce numéro.

L’innovation émerge dans des environnements culturels qui lafavorisent et elle expose les praticiens à une vaste panoplie d’idées.Dans une telle optique, j’invite tous les membres à introduire à l’ICM plusde collègues œuvrant dans des disciplines « non traditionnelles », tellesque l’environnement, la mécanique, l’électricité, le génie civil ainsi quedans des domaines sociaux et financiers. Ils alimenteront inévitablementla discussion avec différentes perspectives et par conséquent, des idéesnovatrices jailliront.

Chris Twigge-MoleceyPrésident de L’ICM

Innovation is a social activity

L’innovation représente une activité sociale

8 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

Page 9: CIM Magazine February 2011

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Page 10: CIM Magazine February 2011

news

Rio Tinto will invest$10 million dollars overthe next five years in the Centre for Excellencein Mining Innovation(CEMI) to establish theRio Tinto Centre forUnderground Mine Con-struction, said FredDelabbio, general man-ager of undergroundtechnology and innova-tion for Rio Tinto, in arecent announcement atCEMI’s facility in Sud-bury, Ontario.

John McGagh, head ofinnovation at Rio Tinto,addressed the group viavideo link from Brisbane,Australia, about the needfor new technologies. “Itis quite likely that over the next 25years, the minerals industry will berequired to place into the world sys-tem the same amount of mineral prod-uct that we’ve placed into the systemsince the beginning of the IndustrialRevolution until about today,” he said.“It comes at a time when we’ve takenadvantage of the best ore bodies. It’snot to say that we are running out ofminerals; it’s to say that we have a newchallenge.”

The new challenge is to reach orebodies that are deeper undergroundthan current mining technologyallows, at a much faster pace and in anenvironmentally friendly manner.

CEMI will be focusing on innovativesupport systems for drill-and-blast andmechanical excavations, developingbetter understanding and predictingrock behaviour in difficult conditions,rock/mass characterization, pillardesigns and excavation building.

This centre is the fifth of Rio Tinto’slong-term research centres. “Our strat-egy is to create a network of partnerscomprising the world’s best minds intheir specific areas of discipline towork with the Rio Tinto system andour extended networks and supplypartners, to rapidly develop thesetechnologies and get them into ouroperations,” McGagh said.

For Peter Kaiser,president and CEO ofCEMI, and his team,the investment by RioTinto demonstrates toother mining compa-nies that CEMI is aworld-class researchcentre. CEMI receivesongoing funding fromlocal mining compa-nies Vale and XstrataNickel, as well as thefederal government forits research. It hasgrown from a startuporganization in 2003 toa centre with a man-agement team withover 150 years ofindustry, academic andresearch experience.

“The partnership with Rio Tintowill attract highly qualified individualsto northern Ontario and help to retainexpertise,” Kaiser said. “It willenhance active linkages between sci-ence, industry and business, so that wecan capitalize from this initiative.”

Kaiser emphasized that Rio Tinto isnot making a donation but is invest-ing in CEMI, and the agreement willbe mutually beneficial. “It’s a substan-tial amount of money that allows youto make a significant difference,” hesaid. “This research program is notabout making incremental changes,but about making significant changes,so the funding will be very focused.”

Kaiser also noted that the programwill create opportunities for small- andmedium-sized businesses to engage ininnovative testing and technical devel-opments. In addition, CEMI will beable to expand its network of innova-tors to serve local partners in theirproblem solving by creating commer-cialization and service opportunitiesaround the world. CIM

Rio Tinto funds new mining frontier Mining giant advances research into underground mine construction

By Janice Leuschen

John McGagh, head of innovation, Rio Tinto (left) and Peter K. Kaiser, president & CEO at CEMI,sign historic innovation agreement. Rio Tinto is investing $10 million over the next five years toconduct research into underground mine construction.

Photo co

urtesy of S

hann

on Katary

SATURDAY, MAY 21

Celebrating 140 years of mining at McGillAlumni and friends of McGill Mining are invited to a celebration marking 140 years of miningengineering at McGill University. A Montreal-style “5 à 7” will feature delectable food anddrink. Attendees will commemorate the strong history of McGill Mining, and learn about therevitalization strategy already underway.Time: 17:00 | Location: McGill University | By invitation only. Please RSVP to [email protected]

10 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

Page 11: CIM Magazine February 2011

INNOVATION IS PRODUCTIVITY

2011 NEW PRODUCTS MAXIMIZE PRODUCTIVITY

Page 12: CIM Magazine February 2011

news

12 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

With its US$7.6 billion purchase ofBucyrus International, Caterpillar Inc.,the Peoria, Illinois-based manufac-turer, has not only managed toincrease its foothold in mining equip-ment but also its footprint, becomingthe largest supplier of mining equip-ment in the world.

According to Caterpillar, the com-pany’s expansion into mining equip-ment is a response to its customers’needs and the demand for commodi-ties in emerging economies. “For sev-eral years, mining customers havebeen asking us to expand our range ofproducts and services to better servetheir increasingly complex require-ments, said Doug Oberhelman, Cater-pillar president and CEO, in a state-ment. “This announcement says tothose customers, we heard you loudand clear. It is a strong statementabout our belief in the bright future ofthe mining industry.”

It is also a major step toward con-solidation among mining equipmentsuppliers. Bucyrus acquired the min-ing division of Terex Corporation lastFebruary and offers a large productline, including hydraulic shovels,drills and draglines. This complementsCaterpillar’s trucks, dozers, enginesand components. Caterpillar’s ownplanned line of mining shovels,announced last summer, is nowshelved as the company assesses theBucyrus shovel program.

Paul Johnson, general manager fortechnical services at Osisko MiningCorp., said he sees a direct benefitfrom the merger. “When Bucyrus pur-chased Terex, we were not sure if theywould continue using the Cat dealerfor servicing our shovels, and we wereworried about that,” he explained.“Bucyrus has no suppliers in thenorthwest area of Québec. Thisannouncement makes our life easierbecause now we know that Caterpillar

Caterpillar extends its reach Bucyrus purchase accelerates industry plans

By Eavan Moore

will support and supply all the partsfor our shovels and such. So for us, it’svery good news.”

But Caterpillar’s move could havedownsides for mining operators, saidTim Skinner. A member of the SurfaceMining Association for Research& Technology (SMART), he predictsthat further consolidation among original equipment manufacturers(OEMs) will stifle technological inno-vation, integration and automation.

“One can speculate that there willbe two large manufacturers, with a fewsmaller ones,” said Skinner. “Innova-tion is most active in a diverse andopen environment. We have started tosee some very capable, advanced andwell-architected solutions, especiallyfrom the ‘smaller’ OEMs, but these willlikely be lost as the creative OEMs dis-appear with the consolidations.”

“The large manufacturers willattempt to build their own highly pro-tected proprietary systems, providinglimited integration and interoperabil-ity with other technologies,” Skinnerexplained. “The mine operator will

not be allowed access for their owninnovative operational developments.Automation technology will be lessinnovative, harder to work with, andmore expensive.”

Dan Bozung, corporate publicaffairs representative at Caterpillar,responded that Caterpillar has a“strong history of open architecturefor mining information systems thatextends nearly 20 years to its first min-ing technology product-VIMS (VitalInformation Management System).”He pointed out that, at the time, theprotocol itself was made available tothird-party software providers.

“Caterpillar’s mining informationsystems interact with all commercialmine planning systems available onthe market through standard industryaccepted interfaces,” Bozung said.“Caterpillar has a long history withdrill and shovel OEMs to provideinterfaces, he added. “This will con-tinue as customers have a broad rangeof equipment from a large number of suppliers and seek integrated solutions.” CIM

Caterpillar's purchase of Bucyrus will not only increase its range of mining shovels but will expand its access tomining markets.

Photo co

urtesy of C

aterpilla

r Inc

.

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news

Metals prices are on therise, optimism is returningto the industry and alongwith it, a growing sense thatwomen will assume a greaterrole across the mining indus-try. That was the key mes-sage delivered by Women inMining (WIM) presidentMaryAnn Mihychuk at thegroup’s first annual generalmeeting held last Novemberin Toronto.

Formed in 2009, WIM is a national not-for-profitorganization focused onadvancing the interests ofwomen in the mining andexploration sectors. It sup-ports grassroots initiativesthat foster personal and pro-fessional development. Theorganization represents adiverse cross-section of the miningindustry and counts both men andwomen among its membership. In heropening address, Mihychuk stressedthe value of the mineral and miningsector to the Canadian economy, andhow concerns for the future drive theirefforts forward.

Former Manitoba Minister ofIndustry, Trade and Mines, Mihychukoffered advice to women workingwithin the mining industry. “Womenneed to continue to be assertive andassume challenging roles,” she said.“They need to look for ways to pro-mote themselves and express the val-ues they bring to the company to gettheir skills recognized.”

Tasked with improving diversitywithin the industry, WIM Canadaencourages women to consider a careerin the mining and mineral explorationindustry. Fellow board of directormember Catharine Shaw expressed hersatisfaction with the turnout of over 54 guests, either in person or via tele-

Meeting gives spark to group’s initiativesFirst annual gathering calls for a greater expanded role for women in mining

By Jeff Borsato

conference. Serving as the group’s sec-retary, Shaw said that representationfrom across the country had been anearly goal for the organization.

Attendees had the opportunity tohear from the evening’s special guest,1999 Mining Man [sic] of the Yearaward winner Catherine McLeod-Seltzer (see Women in Mining profileon page 76). Her keynote speech,“Rock Hard Lessons: the exciting per-sonal story of one of Canada’s mostrevered women in mining and herpath to success,” gave the audience anup-close and personal account fromone of the Canadian mining industry’smost successful women.

McLeod-Seltzer spoke about fail-ure as being not an obstacle but rathera motivator for future endeavors, andhow her work helped to improve theinvestment climate of up-and-comingmining states such as Peru. The min-ing industry, she said, is a meritocracyand because of that, fundamental chal-lenges remain the same, regardless of

gender. Stressing the importance ofhaving a well-written and realisticbusiness plan that anticipates thecycles of the industry, she added:“Raise more funds than you think youneed in good times to help during thelean times.”

McLeod-Seltzer encouraged womento take risks and explore the diverserange of opportunities in the miningindustry and acknowledged the work-life and work-family challenges thatwomen face.

During the AGM, the newly electedboard of directors discussed futureplans for 2011, including renewedfocus on research and developmentand the establishment of five commit-tees to support expansion and createindustry alliances. The upcomingPDAC in 2011 will feature the WIMCanada annual networking receptionand if the AGM attendance was anyindication of the group’s increased vis-ibility, it should be another recordturnout. CIM

February 2011 | 13

Women in Mining board of directors and keynote speaker, from left to right: Jean Lucas, vice-president WIM Canada; MaryAnnMihychuk, president WIM Canada; Catherine McLeod-Seltzer, chairman of Pacific Rim Mining and keynote speaker; Mary LouiseHall, treasurer WIM Canada; and Catharine Shaw, secretary WIM Canada.

Photo co

urtesy of Jeff B

orsato

Page 14: CIM Magazine February 2011

As 2010 came to a close,some of Canada’s top min-ing finance experts gath-ered in Beijing for a lookinto the industry’s future atthe inaugural InternationalMining Finance and Capi-tal Markets Conference.Organized by CIM in coop-eration with the ChinaInternational MiningGroup, the conference fol-lowed in the footsteps ofsuccessful Mining Financedays at CIM’s Conference& Exhibitions for the pasttwo years, attractingapproximately 100 atten-dees to the China WorldSummit Wing Hotel onNovember 19.

Keith Spence, president and part-ner of Global Mining Capital Corpo-ration and an organizer of the event,called Beijing “a natural fit.” As the

International finance conference in China looks to the East Canadian financial heavyweights evaluate opportunities in Asia

By Genny Griffiths

world’s biggest consumer of metalsand minerals and one of its foremostand fastest growing internationalmining investors, China has grabbed

the attention of the global miningindustry.

“China is quickly becoming thedominant force in the global andCanadian mining and metals busi-ness,”co-organizer and CIM presidentChris Twigge-Molecey said of thechoice of country. “We need to buildbridges to enhance the understandingand opportunities for our members.”

In recent years, China has investedvast sums in mines around the world,with an emphasis on Australia, Africaand South America. AlthoughTwigge-Molecey puts the country’sinvestment in Canada at over $5 bil-lion per year, he expects a surge incoming years as China finally tapsinto the extensive mining opportuni-ties in Canada.

The inaugural conference featureda dozen speakers, discussing topicssuch as capital markets, mine financ-ing, valuation, risk analysis and regu-latory environment. The conference’sfocus on mining finance and the

news

14 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

Speakers and organizers from the conference, from left to right: David Mcintyre (Gowlings), Gill Peng (CIMG), Andre Gauthier (Lara Exploration), Keith Spence (Global Mining Capital Corp. and conference chairman), Joe Hinzer (Watts, Griffisand McOuat), Pat Mohr (Scotia Capital Markets), Marc Parisien (Canadian Embassy in Beijing), Luke Evans (Scott Wilson RPA), and Mike Samis (Ernst and Young).

Photo co

urtesy of K

eith Spe

nce an

d Gill Pe

ng

Page 15: CIM Magazine February 2011

news

popularity of topics like “Methods ofValuation for the Development Stageof Mining Projects — Use of RealOptions” reflects China’s interest in apart of the mining process thatSpence says Canada is “very, verygood at.” He sees the development ofmining finance in China, with thehelp of Canadian expertise, as animportant collaboration between thetwo countries in coming years.

The conference was divided intofour sessions. The early morning ses-sion dealt with an overview of miningcapital markets with presentationsfrom Egizio Bianchini, managingdirector and head of mining, BMOCapital Markets, and Patricia Mohr,vice-president and commoditiesstrategist at Scotia Capital. The mid-morning session delved into theworld of mining finance. The keynoteaddress was given by Christine Lie,

vice-president, issuer marketingdepartment of the Hong Kong StockExchange. The afternoon session wasdevoted to mining valuation methodsand risk analysis.

Joe Hinzer, president of geologicalconsulting firm Watts, Griffis andMcOuat and another conferenceorganizer, called the event “an out-standing success” and said it wouldlay the groundwork for similar eventsin emerging markets around theworld.

Although the conference was asuccess, it very nearly did not happenat all. It was “a big rush lining upsponsors to ensure financial viability,”said Twigge-Molecey. Toronto-basedlaw firm Gowlings “got the ballrolling and committed fairly early,”said Spence; by show time, the con-ference had an impressive lineup ofsponsors including Postro Wealth,

CIBC, Silvercorp Metals andAusenco.

“It was worth it,” said PostroWealth president Patrick Postre-hovsky. “The caliber of speakers atthe event was first class and the sizeprovided productive sharing ofknowledge and lots of networkingopportunities.”

“Canada and China are both worldleaders in the mining industry,”added David McIntyre, a partner atGowlings who spoke at the confer-ence. “It is great that we are nowcoming together at events like this.”

The organizers intend to build onthe success of the first conference tomake it an annual event. The oppor-tunity is certainly there, said Twigge-Molecey. “The Chinese will be a largepart of the future of mining and met-allurgy, globally, over the next decadeor two.” CIM

February 2011 | 15

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16 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

Thwarted PotashCorp takeover leavestrail of unanswered questions Federal government decision reveals lack of legislative direction

By Paul Brent

The Canadian government's rejection of BHP Billiton’s takeover bid has raised questions among investors and analysts about implications of investing in “strategic resources”like those extracted at PotashCorp's Rocanville Mine.

Photo co

urtesy of P

otashC

orp

While the Canadian government’sNovember decision to block BHP Billi-ton’s bid for PotashCorp could cast achill on foreign acquisitions in theshort term, the unique set of circum-stances around the $39 billion hostileplay makes it unlikely to be repeated.“This decision may not have a hugeamount of precedential value becauseof some significant unique factors,”said Donald Greenfield, a lawyer withCalgary’s Bennett Jones, who held aconference on the potential fallout ofOttawa’s decision to declare the BHPbid as not of “net benefit” to the coun-try under the Canada Investment Act.

What made the Potash case all butunique, Greenfield argued, was thesize of the potential deal, the greatimportance of the company toSaskatchewan, its status as a formergovernment-owned entity and current“Canadian champion,” its majorimpact to federal and provincial taxcoffers, a minority government inOttawa and a less-than-deft approachby BHP during the bid process.

“This decision deviates from pastInvestment Canada decisions,” addedGreenfield. “There have been several

significant foreign takeovers in the lastfew years … especially in the miningsector.” The law firm cites successfulforeign takeovers of mining giantsAlcan, Inco and Falconbridge, amongothers, as proof that the country is stillopen to big M&A deals.

Chris Damas, a Barrie, Ontario-based investment analyst whose firmBCMI Research has long concentratedon the mining industry, said Ottawawas forced to act because it does nothave legislation on its books to handledeals such as the one for PotashCorp.“I think the Minister [of Industry] hadto step in because the CBCA (Cana-dian Business Corporations Act) isrelatively weak in its provisionsregarding takeovers relative to someother jurisdictions,” he explained,adding that Ottawa is currently carry-ing out a review of foreign investmentguidelines in the wake of PotashCorp.“To me, this was a stopgap measure.”

Damas said that Canadian compa-nies suffer under the CBCA comparedwith, for example, Delaware-registeredcompanies where “the directors havewide latitude to evaluate a bid againstwhat they deem in their sole opinion

to be the best interests of the corpora-tion” under the so-called “just say no”defense. The CBCA does not grantsuch latitude to federal companies inCanada, he noted. “In fact, it was thefederal government that just said ‘no.’”

Damas believes that uncertaintyfrom the PotashCorp decision puts a“pall” on foreign investment in Canada.“I assume now that if Cameco was theobject of anyone’s desire or someonelike Teck in coal or rare earths, there iscertainly going to be more due dili-gence done before someone makes aforay into Canada,” he said. “So yes, Iwas upset about the decision person-ally. I believe that PotashCorp share-holders could have vetted the offer, hadit approved, and the markets wouldhave uncovered what the true value ofthe corporation is.”

Ronald Mayers, head of alternativestrategies at Laurentian Bank Securi-ties, said, in the end, politics trumpedall other considerations. “It was a ter-rible decision, and motivated purelyby political concerns,” he argued.“Witness all the skating [Industry]Minister Clement has had to engage insince. But at the end of the day, it will

Page 17: CIM Magazine February 2011

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not [stop foreign takeovers]. There istoo much money to be made. Plenty ofother countries have far more restric-tive regimes.”

Outside Canada, PotashCorp isbeing looked at as more of an aberra-tion than a sign that developed coun-tries are becoming more intrusivewith regards to foreign acquisitions.

“I do think that one-off incidents likethis will persist,” said Divya Reddy,an energy and natural resources ana-lyst with Washington-based EurasiaGroup, “even in countries that arevery open to foreign investment, likeCanada, when the issue of a nationalchampion in a given sector is atstake. Under this definition, I would

include not just traditional state-owned national champions but alsoprivate companies that dominate anindustry in a given country. Populistsentiment will be stronger aroundsuch companies. “But I don’t think itnecessarily represents a trend towardsuch intervention in M&A morebroadly,” she concluded. CIM

18 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

Ronald Nielsen has been appointedas general manager, global sustain-ability, at Cliffs Natural Resources Inc.Nielsen will lead the company’s sus-tainability program with responsibili-ties for creating a long-term vision todrive transformational change andperformance initiatives across theglobal organization. Nielsen, who hasover 20 years of experience as anenvironmental and sustainability pro-fessional in business, government andcivil sectors, is the founder and seniordirector for the International Centre forBusiness Innovation and Sustainabilityin Montreal, Quebec, where he leads alearning partnership that is developingleading practices to embed sustain-ability at the core of organizations. Healso holds an academic position asexecutive-in-residence at DalhousieUniversity, Faculty of Management inHalifax, Nova Scotia, and consultancypositions.

TVI Pacific Inc. has appointed Patrick B. Hanna as its new chieffinancial officer. A certified manage-ment accountant with more than 28years of experience in both the min-ing and oil and gas sectors, Hanna,was most recently director of financialexcellence for Kazakhmys CopperCorporation, the 10th largest copperproducer worldwide. Prior to that, herepresented Glencore International asvice-president for project finance forits lead and zinc facility in Kazzinc,Kazakhstan, and High River Gold in itsgold mining operation in Russia.

MOVING ON UP

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20 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

With strong commodity prices and keen investor interestin the resource sector, the push is on to get projects under-way around the world, but despite their demanding sched-ules, the industry’s major players gathered in Toronto to hon-our the latest inductees into the Canadian Mining Hall ofFame.

John Williamson, Bert Wasmund and Mike Muzylowskijoin the 146 other Canadian mining legends who have beeninducted since 1989. All three were honoured at the Hall ofFame’s 23rd annual dinner on January 13, 2011 for their far-reaching influence, having staked out new frontiers inCanada and abroad.

Pierre Lassonde, chairman of Franco-Nevada took hisplace as master of ceremonies before a record crowd of 820industry members at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

Diamond kingWilliamson (1907-1958), the evenings’ first inductee, dis-

covered, built and operated the Williamson diamond mine inTanganyika (now Tanzania). A native of Quebec, he obtaineda PhD in geology from McGill University in 1933, thenmoved to East Africa and set his sights on what has sincebecome a world-famous diamond producer. (His initialprospecting was carried out under the direction of Tan-ganyika Gold and Diamonds Ltd., although later Williamsonformed his own private company.)

In 1940, he found the kimberlite pipe that would becomethe first significant diamond mine outside of South Africa.Between 1941 and 2008, it cranked out more than 20 million

Pioneers in Canada, and beyondCanadian Mining Hall of Fame inducts three new members

By Thom Loree

carats of diamonds and is currently valued at$3 billion. Among the many fine gems pro-duced was a pink 54-carat rough diamondpresented to Princess Elizabeth and PrincePhilip on their wedding day in 1947.

Bill Barclay represented the Williamsonfamily and said the man “always remainedattached to his Canadian roots” and “wouldhave been overjoyed to be inducted into theHall of Fame.”

Transformative CanadianNext, the Hall of Fame saluted Bert Was-

mund (b. 1939), who for more than 40 yearshas been a leader in metallurgical plant engi-neering and design, as well as a driving forcein the success of consulting firm Hatch. Hiscontributions to metallurgical excellence inCanada and abroad have boosted productiv-ity, reduced energy consumption and ensured

higher environmental standards.Wasmund joined Hatch in 1966 and proceeded to amass

an influential group of process engineers in the global metal-lurgical industry. Among the operations that have benefittedfrom Wasmund’s expertise are smelters in Canada, theDominican Republic and South Africa.

In the 1970s, Wasmund oversaw sulphur dioxide abate-ment programs in the Sudbury nickel belt for nickel produc-ers Falconbridge and Inco. He and the Hatch team alsoreplaced blast furnaces with new technology that improvedair quality and minimized acid rain. That same decade, in theDominican Republic, Wasmund invented technology forcooling the walls of smelting furnaces. This innovationbecame, in Wasmund’s words, “the cornerstone of Hatch’sinternational custom-design furnace business.”

While at Hatch, he also contributed to major efficiencies inplatinum smelting at Impala Platinum in South Africa. Was-mund remains an executive director at the consulting firm.

Manitoba’s mine finderThe dinner ended with the induction of geologist, mine-

finder and financier Mike Muzylowski (b. 1934), who con-tributed to the discovery and development of 16 deposits thateventually became mines. All but three of these are in Mani-toba, where Muzylowski grew up; the others are in Nevadaand the Northwest Territories.

Muzylowski told the audience that as soon as he discov-ered geology, he was “captivated and enthralled.” He got hisprofessional start with Hudson Bay Exploration &

A sold-out crowd of mining’s best and brightest came to salute the hard work and dedication of this year’sHall of Fame inductees.

Photo co

urtesy of K

eith Hou

ghton Ph

otog

raph

y Ltd.

Page 21: CIM Magazine February 2011

Development Co. in 1955 and eventually found himself managing the drillprograms that led to the discovery of the Anderson Lake and Centennial mines.

The Swedish parent of Granges Exploration Aktiebolag, GrängesbergAktiebolaget, hired Muzylowski in 1970 to oversee its North American pro-grams. His efforts contributed to the discovery of the Trout Lake Mine, whichcontinues to crank out copper and zinc after some 28 years.

In 1984, fellow financier Doug McRae arranged to buy Granges from itsSwedish parent, with Muzylowski serving as president and CEO. The partnersproceeded to transform Granges into a substantial and profitable producer.(The company was later acquired by Australian mining giant MIM.)

In addition to Trout Lake, Granges explored and developed the Puffy Lakeand Tartan Lake gold-silver mines and spun off a subsidiary, Hycroft Resources& Development. It was Hycroft that developed the Crofoot and Lewis goldmines in Nevada, both of which have been sizable moneymakers. Muzylowskiand McRae managed to raise some $400 million for Granges and Hycroft in the1980s, paving the way for other Canadian companies to raise money in foreignjurisdictions.

A moment of recognitionCorporate sponsors of the 2011 induction dinner included Teck Resources

Limited (AV and staging sponsor), Sentry Investments (reception), SNC-Lavalin (dinner wine), IBK Capital Corp. (presentations), ConsolidatedThompson (head table) and Hatch (VP/inductee reception).

Representing CIM on the Hall of Fame’s board of directors are CIM execu-tive director Jean Vavrek, as well as CIM past presidents Patricia Dillon (2000-2001), director, industry relations and employee communications, TeckResources; and Donald J. Worth (1996-1997), retired mining specialist andsenior executive of CIBC.

Douglas Horswill, senior vice-president sustainability for Teck Resources,told CIM Magazine that the company is honoured to support the Hall of Fame.“Canada’s shared history in mining is important and the achievements of themany great Canadians who are members of this esteemed organization aresomething to be proud of,” he said.

Kevin MacLean, vice-president and senior portfolio manager for SentryInvestments, noted that his firm as been an enduring sponsor for the event.“This industry is at the core of our investment management business,” he said.“It is highly appropriate to recognize many of the key contributors to the globalreputation Canada has achieved as an international leader in mining.”

The head table was nothing if not illustrious and included The HonourableBrian Tobin, former premier of Newfoundland and currently executive chair-man and acting president and CEO of Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines.Joining him were: Clinton Nauman, president and CEO, Alexco ResourceCorp.; Feroz Ashraf, executive vice-president, Office of the President, SNC-Lavalin; Michael Kenyon, director and executive chairman, Detour GoldCorp.; Julie Lassonde-Gray, executive chairman and director, Shear Minerals;William Pugliese, chairman and director, IAMGOLD Corporation; Ian Telfer,chairman, Goldcorp; Kevin MacLean, vice-president and senior portfolio man-ager, Sentry Investments; Janet Carding, director and CEO of the Royal OntarioMuseum; Howard Stockford, chairman of the board of directors of the Hall ofFame; Don Lindsay, president and CEO, Teck Resources Limited; AaronRegent, president and CEO, Barrick Gold Corporation; Ingrid Hibbard, presi-dent and CEO, Pelangio Exploration; Sean Boyd, vice-chairman and CEO,Agnico-Eagle Mines; Tye Burt, president and CEO, Kinross Gold Corporation;Pamela Strand, president and CEO, Shear Minerals; Michael White, president,IBK Capital Corp.; and Russell Hallbauer, president and CEO, Taseko Mines.(Hallbauer’s father, Robert, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1996.) CIM

February 2011 | 21

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The stock marketfrenzy that followed thelatest cut in China’s rareearth elements (REE)quotas underscored agrowing investor aware-ness of the tiny sector.China produces about 95per cent of REEs used inhigh-tech and cleanenergy applications, sothe announcement thatexport quotas would becut 11 per cent to 13,105tonnes for the first half of2011, after a 40 per centcut for the whole of lastyear, reminded the mar-ket that supply of themetals is vulnerable andalternative sources arenecessary.

The Chinese government is alsoreported to be cracking down on pollu-tion at some of their mines and sug-gesting that some could be forced toclose. In January, the Chinese land andresource ministry nationalized 11 REEmines in the eastern province ofJiangxi.

“There has been enough publicitythat people now appreciate how impor-tant rare earths are to so many newtechnologies, how scarce they are, andhow significant reductions in supplycould be,” said Donald Bubar, CEOand president of Avalon Rare Metals.

Shares of Avalon, which is advanc-ing the 100 per cent-owned Nechala-cho deposit in the Northwest Territo-ries, jumped about 40 per cent on theTSX when the H1 2011 quota wasannounced. China routinely declaresits rare earth quotas every six monthsbut the sector has gained a higher pro-file since the last statement at mid-year2010 because of Molycorp Mineral’sinitial public offering (IPO) and listingon the NYSE in July. Colorado-based

Chinese rare earth quota boosts Canadian juniors’ stock Canada holds majority of rare earth projects

By Virginia Heffernan

Molycorp has one the largest and rich-est rare earth deposits in the world atits operation in Mountain Pass, Califor-nia, and its stock has quadrupled sincethe IPO.

“Molycorp’s IPO brought newawareness of the rare earths sector as awhole,” said Gareth Hatch, foundingprincipal of Technology MetalsResearch, who points out that twoCanadian juniors, Avalon and Rare Ele-ment Resources, have also recentlylisted on the small-cap index NYSEAmex. “The are more institutionalinvestors looking at this space and asCanadian companies gain exposure onthe American exchanges, it puts a big-ger spotlight on the junior rare earthcommunity as a whole.”

“The expanded market awareness isgood news for junior mining compa-nies exploring for and developing rareearth deposits,” said Bubar. “The mar-ket will remain excited because therewill be more news about shortages andupdates on Chinese export policy. Thatwill keep the spotlight on the space. It’s

going to be an activeyear.”

While deposits such asMountain Pass and theMount Weld project inAustralia are likely to sat-isfy much of worlddemand for light rareearths once they reachfull production, depositsenriched in the morevaluable heavy rare earths— with the exception ofthe Great Western Miner-als Steenkampskraaldevelopment project inSouth Africa — tend to beconcentrated in Canada,for example, Avalon’sNechalacho, Quest RareMinerals’ Strange Lakeproject in Labrador and

Matamec Explorations’ Kipawa projectin Quebec.

Hatch tracks an inventory of about275 rare earth projects worldwide andsays about 60 per cent of them are inCanada. “Canada is definitely theunsung hero of trying to solve thisproblem longer term and weaning offdependence on China,” said Hatch.

Chinese rare earths quotas havebeen on the decline for the past fiveyears as the country tries to hold ontoenough supply to fuel their ownindustrial needs. Bubar expects futurequotas could be affected by politicalmotivations after China temporarilyblocked exports of rare earths to Japanlast fall in retaliation for the Japanesearrest of a Chinese boat captain in dis-puted waters.

“China has now shown that theyare not shy about using their controlof the rare earths market as a politicalweapon,” explained Bubar. “This hasincreased Japan’s interest in seeingnew sources of supply come into themarket.” CIM

22 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

Chris Pedersen, senior geologist, Avalon Rare Metals, examines the rare earth content of thecore samples at the company's Thor Lake site.

Photo co

urtesy of A

valon Ra

re M

etals Inc

.

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SAVING MINES MILLIONSIN ENERGY COSTS

Mines of the future will be going deeper, resulting in higher costs for infrastructure, ventilation and energy. How your mine addresses these future challenges will separate your company from the rest of the mining industry.

BESTECH, one of Canada’s leading firms specializing in engineering, automation, so f tware deve lopment and energy management has created NRG1-ECO. NRG1-ECO (Energy Consumption Optimization) is a mine-wide energy management system that can save mines millions of dollars in energy costs per year. NRG1-ECO can be applied to automated equipment and processes such as compressors, pumps and ventilation to significantly reduce energy consumption.

NRG1-ECO was developed with an open architecture so that it will work with technology already in use at any mine.Integration is at the core of NRG1-ECO and its ability to incorporate with new or existing mine technology offers mines, old or new, the opportunity to realize significant energy savings.

The NRG1-ECO system can be customized to to reflect each mine’s needs and protocols in order to leverage the highest ROI for each mine site.

This year, NRG1-ECO was installed at Vale’s Coleman Mine and Xstrata Nickel’s Fraser Mine, both in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

“We worked together with BESTECH on what was needed in the industry and they’ve completed the development of NRG1-ECO’s Ventilation-On-Demand management tool for us,” says Cheryl Allen, Chief Engineer - Ventilation, Vale Mines Mill Technical Services, Canadian Operation.

A mine ventilation system usually operates at peak capacity 100 per cent of the time. NRG1-ECO’s VOD (Ventilation-On-Demand) module enables the mine to instantly control the ventilation system’s air flow to when and where it is needed. This allows a mine to reduce its ventilation costs by as much as 30 per cent, which represents significant savings given that ventilation costs make up almost 50 per cent of a mine’s energy costs.

BESTECH’s NRG1-ECO technology is attracting world-wide attention from other mining giants, including North America’s fastest growing senior gold producer, Goldcorp Inc. “We looked at two different systems. It seemed BESTECH was offering a complete package from ground up. We’re hoping to go ahead with NRG1-ECO in a two-stage approach. First, have the system up and running on two levels in the Hoyle Pond Mine in Timmins and if that proves to be satisfactory, then we will expand it to the rest of the mine,” says Imola Götz, Chief Engineer, Hoyle Pond Mine, Goldcorp.”

Assistance with Energy-Efficiency Grants and Rebate applications is available to mines for both the initial NRG1-ECO site assessment and commissioning to help leverage increased profitability and savings.

“We worked together with BESTECH on what was needed in the industry and they’ve

fo tnempoleved eht detelpmocNRG1-ECO’s Ventilation-On-Demand management tool for us.”

Cheryl Allen, Chief Engineer - Ventilation, Vale Mines Mill Technical Services, Canadian Operation.

To find out more information on NRG1-ECO, go to www.bestech.com/NRG1-ECO.

Follow BESTECH on

NRG1-ECO Web Based HMIThe Web Based HMI allows remote access to standard process control HMI. Shown here is a VFD Fan under cascading closed loop PID control.

Guy Faubert (BESTECH Electrician) and Paul Huffels (BESTECH Safety Supervisor) installing a rack-mounted IZC on the 4550 level at Vale’s Coleman Mine. The Intelligent Zone ControllerTM

(IZC) is the brains of the underground network and one of the key components of the NRG1-ECO system.

Marc Boudreau (BESTECH President & CEO), Sarah Paajanen (BESTECH Project Manager) and Cheryl Allen (Vale Chief Ventilation Engineer/Project Manager). Photo Provided by Vale.

w w w . b e s t e c h . c o m

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24 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

Excitement and awe rippled through northern Quebecmining communities last November when the Cana-dian Opera Company (COC) troupe performed spe-cially selected arias and a children’s version of Cin-

derella. For the last four years, Xstrata Nickel has sponsoredthe COC’s ensemble studio school tour, which has per-formed for approximately 16,000 children a year acrossOntario introducing them to the enchanted world of opera.This year, however, Xstrata asked COC to bring its tour toits Raglan Mine and the Inuit communities in the Nunavikregion of northern Quebec.

“It was a very unique opportunity that required immenseefforts by our team at the Raglan Mine,” says Peter Fuchs,director of corporate affairs at Xstrata Nickel. “As a sponsorof the Ensemble Studio School Tour, it was important thatwe extend the tour north to the communities in which welive and work. We strive to bring more than just jobs to theNorth; we want to create sustainable values, which can comein many different forms, including art, culture and educa-tion.”

Performance logisticsSuccessfully executing such an event takes careful plan-

ning, good communication and attention to detail. The goalwas to bring the 10-member ensemble (five singers, onemusic director/pianist, one stage manager, two COC staff,one photographer and a host of props) from Toronto up tothe mine, located 1,880 kilometres north of Montreal.

For two months, Raglan Mine HRsupervisor Yannick St. Germain and HRcoordinator Amélie Trépanier workedclosely with Katherine Semcesen, seniormanager of education and outreach atCOC, to iron out all the details. WhileSemcesen put into place the educationalmaterial that complemented the per-formances, St. Germain and Trépanierprepared for the group’s arrival — fromair transportation and housing accom-modations to outfitting the artists withproper outdoor Arctic attire.

The itinerary included a recital ofoperatic arias for mine employees as wellas a performance of Cinderella for thechildren of elementary schools in two vil-lages that comprise the 14 Inuit commu-nities that make up Nunavik (pop.10,500), Salluit (pop. 1,241) and Kangiq-sujuaq (pop. 605).

“When we arrived at Donaldson Air-port, I think our reaction was a bit of sheer disbelief that weflew as far as we did,” says Semcesen. “We had looked atmaps, but you really don’t understand it until you get off theplane. There are no roads lined with lights. You just see snowand darkness. It was really interesting when we walked intothe mine complex coming from the perspective from an artsworld; you got a sense of family and community.”

Weather takes the spotlightWhen it comes to living and working in the Arctic, it is

best to prepare for the unexpected. In spite of the best laidplans, Mother Nature often has the upper hand.

“The weather is a big factor up north, so even if you planfor one type of scenario, it might change at any time,”explains St. Germain. “The first show for the children wasscheduled for November 16. We managed to fit everythinginto the tiny plane, but I received a call 20 minutes aftertakeoff to tell me it was snowing. They didn’t have visibilityand couldn’t land the plane, so they had to come back.”Unfazed, St. Germain moved the performance time for themine employees from the evening of the 17th to the 16th,and was able find alternative air transportation for thetroupe the next day.

At Salluit and Kangiqsujuaq, the children were treated toan abridged version of the Cinderella production. Initially,the troupe was to perform at the schools on two separatedays, but the poor weather resulted in the shows having tobe rescheduled on the same day.

upfront S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y b y M a r l e n e E i s n e r

Michael Barrett as the prince in the Xstrata Ensemble Studio School Tour production of Cinderella atPigiurvik School in Salluit, Québec

Cultural convergenceOpera company and northern mining communities share more than music

Photo courtesy of M

ichael Cooper

Page 25: CIM Magazine February 2011

upfrontS U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

A “priceless” exchangeThe first performance of Cinderella was held in the

Pigiurvik school gym in Salluit in front of an audience ofabout 200 children. Semcesen had provided the schoolprincipal with a study guide, which was translated intoInuktitut to give the children a sense of what the story wasabout. However, based on the students’ enthusiasticresponse to the show, language did not seem to be a barrier.

The performance was followed by a short question-and-answer period. “In a brief hour, we at least opened up thedoor,” says Semcesen. “We left them with resources —CDs, books and DVDs on opera — so that if anyone wascurious, they would still have the connection musically.”

After a quick lunch, the cast and crew flew to Kangiqsu-juaq to set up in Arsaniq School. By 2:30 p.m., the per-formance for approximately 200 students and communitymembers was underway. Following the show, the troupewas treated to tea and bannock, a type of flat bread, whilelearning about some of the local traditions and history.

“At this school, a meeting with two elders was organ-ized,” says Semcesen. “One elder shared two traditionalInuit stories with us, which was a special moment, and theother showed us a hand-string game.”

“It was too brief for us,” Semcesen adds, “but it was anopportunity to meet with people living in the community

February 2011 | 25

who shared their traditional methods of games, storytellingand history with us. In that one day we were really able tomeet the goals of this trip, to perform for the communitiesand give them the opportunity to experience an art formthey would not otherwise be exposed to.”

Mike Welch, vice-president of operations at the XstrataNickel Raglan Mine was proud of how things turned outdespite the uncooperative weather. “It was a pleasure to beable to host COC and introduce them to the people ofNunavik and Inuit culture,” says Welch. “We were plaguedwith some last minute weather and logistical challengesbut in typical Raglan operations fashion, we were able toovercome those challenges and conclude with anextremely successful tour.”

From the children to the community elders to teach-ers and mine workers, everyone enjoyed learning aboutand hearing opera. “We would absolutely have themback,” says St. Germain. “Even though organizing eventwas somewhat complicated, just to see the reaction ofthe kids was priceless. As for the mine workers, theywere very happy, too. When I was walking in the mine,people were stopping me to say that it was so interest-ing and they would go see opera again. It was a greatsuccess.” CIM

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In the 1980s, Toyota revolutionized its automobile pro-duction by adopting the principle of lean manufacturing.The practice assumes that all expenditure of resourcesshould be focused on creating value for the end cus-

tomer. Anything else is considered wasteful and should beeliminated. In its simplest terms, lean manufacturing meansgetting more done with less.

As a graduate student in mining engineering at the Uni-versity of British Columbia eight years ago, Andrew Bamberadapted this idea and developed the concept of “lean min-ing.” The objective is to help reduce waste, excess plantcapacity and re-work, which is caused by misallocating oreand waste. “Large-scale mining only dilutes inefficiencies byspreading them out over a large operation,” explains Bam-ber, CEO of MineSense Technologies Ltd. in Vancouver.“Lean mining, on the other hand, removes inefficiencies.The end results are smaller, more technologically intensiveand productive mines, faster permitting, smaller footprintand higher returns.”

More efficient processingThe MineSense Solution, created by Bamber’s firm, is a

practical outcome of the lean mining idea. Using sensorsintegrated into conventional mining process equipment(shovels, belts, sorters, etc.), it allows miners to detect andseparate ore from waste before sending it to the mill. Thesensor system can also recover valuable material that waspreviously cast aside as waste and send it to the mill for pro-cessing. “The reduction in waste rock benefits not only the

mine, but also the mill and the smelter,” Bamber says. “Thisis a valuable difference. With these cost savings, mines thatare marginally profitable or unprofitable using traditionalmethods can become profitable.”

“Sensing can also be used to quantitatively evaluate orechemistry in the run-of-mine product and transmit that datato the mill,” he explains. “Such early knowledge of orechemistry can be used to proactively adjust process parame-ters in downstream operations such as grinding, leachingand flotation, and thereby improve metal recoveries by oneto two per cent.”

The MineSense Solution is a Canadian-made example ofmine-mill integration. The term refers to methods ofimproving the interface between the mining operation andthe surface mill. “Mine-mill integration can have a directimpact on the profitability of a mine of between 10 and 30per cent,” says Professor Bern Klein, head of the Norman B.Keevil Institute of Mining Engineering at the University ofBritish Columbia.

According to Bamber, there are a number of preconcen-tration technologies available, including sorting and separa-tion by size and sorting by electromagnetic, optical, X-rayand nuclear means. By comparison, he says MineSense is anon-conventional preconcentration method. “What makesit different is the combination of ore sensing and the separa-tion of ore from waste during and within the mining andmaterial handling process.”

Less is moreThe core of the MineSense technology is a proprietary

signal generation and analysis system called high-frequencyelectromagnetic spectrometry (HFEMS). It can detect thetype and quantity of mineralization in the ore. HFEMS helpsminers decide whether to process, upgrade or dispose of it.

In laboratory and field testing for Xstrata and Vale, theprototype MineSense HFEMS sensor system demonstrateddetection levels in ore particles as small as 15 mm of 0.1%nickel and 0.2% copper. MineSense has several customers inthe nickel mining industry, both major and junior compa-nies, and is engaged in projects in Canada as well as outsideNorth America.

Bamber says that using the MineSense Solution will helpreduce energy consumption, water use and greenhouse gasemissions, thus improving the sustainability of integratedmine, mill and smelter operations. He further adds that pro-jected operational savings would enable the system to payfor itself in months rather than years.

The value equationTo inform potential users of the features and benefits of the

MineSense Solution and other preconcentration technologies,

upfrontP R O C E S S I N G b y P e t e r C a u l f i e l d

The sensor system can be used in shovels, belts and sorters to detect ore fromwaste before sending it to the mill.

Bigger not always better Technologies that integrate mine and mill can make marginal hard-rock mines profitable

Photo credit: And

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ineSense Techn

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upfrontP R O C E S S I N G

MineSense joined forces with the Sudbury-based Centre forExcellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) and Falconbridge,Ontario-based Xstrata Process Support (XPS), and developedPreCalculatOre, a free software program that can be down-loaded from both the CEMI and MineSense websites.

PreCalculatOre is an integrated process and cost-model-ling tool that performs like a very sophisticated spreadsheetfor mining, milling and smelting operations. It can compareand contrast the impact on operating costs, ore extractionand overall metal recoveries of the traditional miningapproach to one with a preconcentration stage, such as theMineSense Solution. Preconcentration impacts are evaluatedby hypothetically introducing a degree of waste rejectionthrough an ore preconcentration process inserted betweenthe mine and the mill.

PreCalculatOre enables users to adjust the base costs oftheir operations by making changes to mining and millingcosts. Each of the operating and capital costs of the miningoperation (mine fill, muck, hoisting, waste and ore haul)and the milling operation (preconcentration, waste han-dling, mill haul, grinding, flotation, roasting, leaching,dewatering, tailings, concentrate haul, smelting, slag han-dling and refining) can be adjusted.

PreCalculatOre can be used to evaluate the suitability ofpreconcentration techniques in open pit and underground

February 2011 | 27

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copper, nickel, gold and molybdenum sulphide mines. Bam-ber says the application came about when MineSense wasworking with XPS on a desktop research project into orepreconcentration for CEMI. “CEMI concluded that a lack oftools for the economic evaluation of preconcentrationopportunities was a barrier to increased adoption of theapproach in the industry,” he explains.

Room for improvement“Some conventional processing can be done in the mine

or the pit, such as preconcentration, which is the rejectionof barren waste from the mill feed,” Bamber says. “Theprocess generates a smaller amount of higher quality con-centrate. There is a wide range of ores that can be precon-centrated, depending on their properties. It’s not widely usednow and it needs to be done more.”

The industry is actively searching for practical ways toreduce the operational costs and the environmental impactsof mining. Mine-mill integration is a practical and sustain-able solution to these challenges. “Because of growing envi-ronmental constraints and the increasing lack of capital, it’sno longer feasible to build the sort of mega-mines thatprocess large quantities of ore and waste to obtain a relativelysmall amount of concentrate,” says Bamber. “The industry isstarting to realize that bigger isn’t always better.” CIM

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What if there was a way to bring together not justall the existing knowledge and best practices inmine design from around the world today, butalso the very minds behind them, to build on

them, collaborate, discuss and identify areas needing newresearch and tools? What impact would this have on thesector’s present and future? How would this accelerateinnovation and progress?

With the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation’s(CEMI) recent introduction of the online resourceMineDesignWiki, the opportunity to answer these ques-tions in the near future has become very real. All that isneeded now is for practitioners, professionals and stu-dents in mining to join and continue to build the virtualcommunity.

Think of MineDesignWiki as an electronic handbookthat is constantly being updated and revised. “The wholeidea of creating a handbook of knowledge has been tried anumber of times,” says Andrew Dasys, president of Objec-tivity, a decision support consultancy for the mining indus-try. Dasys is part of the team behind the wiki site’s creation.“One of the difficulties is that once a handbook is printed,there’s no way to go in and change the information as tech-nology progresses,” he says. “As in the case of almost everyother industry, the mining industry is moving much

quicker than it used to 20 or 30 yearsago, so to us, the wiki was a means ofgetting individuals from around theworld who are doing really excitingthings in mine design to cometogether to bring their knowledge toa central location. More importantly,what we are doing is not only docu-menting what they’re doing, but alsodeveloping new knowledge, anddoing it in the same format as thehighly successful collaborativeWikipedia.”

A vital archiveMineDesignWiki has the capacity

to erase the walls and boundariesthat keep much of mine designknowledge, best practices and newideas scattered across the globe or inniche sites on the Internet or, all toooften, simply sitting in libraries inuniversities or corporations. “There

is very little difficulty finding financialinformation on mining on the Internet, information that isproduced by the mining investment community or on min-ing disasters, for example, but it can be very difficult tofind information about the technical aspects of mining,”says Dasys. “You could find an abstract, but if you don’thave a subscription to the publication, you can’t get to thecomplete paper. And the paper doesn’t get updated overtime.”

MineDesignWiki has the potential to be as vibrant andleading edge as the individuals who work, teach, researchand study in the mine design sector, essentially creating avirtual meeting place for high-quality collaboration. “Wewanted to ensure the reliability of the facts and informa-tion in the wiki, which is important to the communityinvolved, so the site is set up in such a way that anyone cango in and view it, but only those who are registered on thesite can go in and make collaborative contributions,” saysGlenn Lyle, R&D program director at CEMI and projectlead. “There will also be some articles that are not open tocollaboration, but can be commented on.”

“We think one of MineDesignWiki’s key distinctions is thatif you’re making a contribution to the handbook, your namewill be attached to it,” Lyle adds. “The participants in thecommunity are not paid, so by attaching the person’s name tothe contribution, over time they either get recognized

upfrontT E C H N O L O G Y b y A l e x a n d r a L o p e z - P a c h e c o

Screenshot of MineDesignWiki web page. The website’s aim is to become the complete reference for both thedevelopment and detail of current mine design practice.

Sharing knowledge in the digital realm An online resource for mine design

Photo courtesy of the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovatio

n (CEM

I)

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upfrontT E C H N O L O G Y

as having expertise in the field or as providing a substantialcontribution to this community effort. CEMI values thiskind of project because it meets its mandate to establishexcellence in strategic research areas deemed criticallyimportant to the mining industry.”

Mentoring the next generationThe site’s editor-in-chief, Dr. Steve McKinnon, a profes-

sor and chair in mine design at the Robert M. BuchanDepartment of Mining at Queen’s University, believes thatMineDesignWiki fills a serious gap in the industry. “One ofthe main reasons I became involved in the beginning wasbecause I saw a need for students,” he says. “I conduct thefourth-year final mine design project at Queen’s, whichbrings together all the knowledge from the differentcourses the students have taken to design. The problem isthat there’s very little published information. I wanted ameans of getting access for my students to the wealth ofknowledge possessed by practitioners. The wiki format isideal for that. Being very Internet savvy, the students willnaturally gravitate towards that format rather than a bookin a library. For me, this was a great opportunity to partic-ipate in a project that would be a wonderful resource forstudents.” For these reason, Dr. George McIssac, a miningengineer and a mineral economist, joined the team as sen-ior editor. He heads Geology & Mining Evaluation Con-sulting (G-MEC) based in Viña del Mar, Chile.

The future generation of mining design professionalswas very much a consideration that went into CEMI’s deci-sion to create MineDesignWiki. “Given today’s demo-graphics, as the aging population retires and as the require-ment for minerals continues to increase, particularly withthe emerging economies,” says Dasys, “you need to attractthe very best people to the industry. If young people cannotgo on the web and find information that is scientificallyrelevant or interesting, they won’t see mining as a potentialcareer opportunity.”

On the other hand, there is a vast amount of knowledgeand experience in the minds of older generations that theyounger generations can build upon and take to the nextlevel. “As a baby boomer myself,” says Lyle, “I think there’sa tremendous interest in being able to pass on the informa-tion we have and make it available for future generations.We’ve seen a huge interest in the wiki site on the part of thebaby boomers who are retiring and don’t want to be sittingout unable to contribute.”

From deck side to desktop Because of its format, MineDesignWiki is incredibly

flexible when it comes to the amount of time needed tocontribute. Actually, it is entirely up to the individual andthat too is one of the strengths of the wiki format.Whether retired, working in the field or studying, mostpeople don’t have a great deal of free time. “One of thecomments we had is, ‘I’m far more likely to sit on my deck

February 2011 | 29

and contribute three or four paragraphs than I am to pro-duce an article.’ And we want to get many of those con-tributors,” says Lyle.

It is still early for this new virtual community, and CEMIis spreading the word across the industry and laying thefoundation for collaboration with such organizations asCIM, which has become an essential partner in buildingthe community. CEMI is in preliminary discussions withCANMET concerning content for the wiki. “Any corpora-tion or professional in the industry that has accumulated avast amount of information doesn’t necessarily know whatto do with when they’re no longer using it, says Lyle. “Ithink putting it into the wiki for other people to access isfar better than it just sitting on a dusty shelf. Right now,we’re focused on mine design, but as we speak to differentprofessionals in the industry, they’re seeing other topicswithin the mining industry as being of interest to developin the wiki. For example, there’s the greening of mining.The fact is the architecture of the software makes it veryeasy to add in those components.”

The MineDesignWiki will be showcased at the CIMConference & Exhibition in Montreal in May 2011. Toview the site, please go to www.minedesignwiki.org. CIM

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Every innova-tion beginswith an idea.But to bring

that idea to fruitionrequires hard workand collaboration.That is the spirit ofAMIRA InternationalLimited. Formed inMelbourne, Australia,in 1959 by ten com-panies and one uni-versity, it has growninto a leading-edgeresearch associationproviding innovativetechnological solu-tions for the mining

industry. In 2011, it has grown to 221 researchers from 62institutions around the world who are working on projectsvalued at $62.8 million. Douglas Magoon is the currentchairman of AMIRA International. He has spent much of hiscareer working in technology at Teck Resources Limited andcontinues to represent Teck at AMIRA. CIM Magazinerecently spoke with Magoon about the challenges andopportunities for mining innovation, the role of researchand collaboration, as well as some of the innovationsAMIRA has pioneered.

CIM: In Canada, industry, government and educational institu-tions have identified the need to have a more coherent strat-egy for R&D and innovation; however, executing the strategyhas proven difficult. What is the key to getting industry stake-holders to commit to R&D? Magoon: A more coherent R&D strategy for Canada will beachieved when the key stakeholders realize that a criticalavenue to stronger competitive advantage lies in developinga “Team Canada” mindset in which government and indus-try work in a truly collaborative manner. The key to gettingindustry stakeholders to commit to R&D is through educa-tion. Industry leaders, who are rightly proud of their compa-nies’ capabilities and achievements, and government leadersmust be fully briefed on three issues. The first is the statusof technological capability of Canadian companies, espe-cially where technical gaps exist vis-a-vis competitors inother jurisdictions. The second is the parallels and differ-ences in R&D strategies of other natural resources-focusedcountries and the comparative magnitude of their govern-ment and corporate research funding. And third is a

compelling benefit to be achieved, coupled with the path toits achievement.

CIM: Australia has the reputation of being an early adopter ofnew technology. Is that characterization accurate? Magoon: In my view, Australia has been an early “developer”of new technology, and Australian companies have tendedtoward early adoption. It is a country richly endowed withnatural resources and talented, competitive and determinedpeople. Whether it be industry, commerce or sport, theyhave long possessed a proud and competitive “let’s pulltogether to succeed” mindset. This is well-exemplified bytheir 50-year history in the establishment and generousfunding of research, not only in the minerals sector but inother scientific disciplines as well.

CIM: Can you tell us a bit about the West African ExplorationInitiative? Magoon: This is a $2.65 million project supported by thegeological survey departments of 12 West African countries,ten mining corporations and eight universities in Europe,Africa and Australia. Its objectives include developing newgeological frameworks to generate regional explorationinsights, providing short courses and M.Sc. and PhD proj-ects for African geoscientists, and improving local capacityto meet mineral industry needs in a region that has greatpotential but presents operational challenges.

CIM: Can you provide examples of some of the innovationsthat have resulted from AMIRA’s efforts and have beenadopted at operations?Magoon: Many of AMIRA’s thousand projects have createdinnovations used in industry today. Examples include SEMtechnologies, remote sensing in exploration, sulphide min-eral flotation, cable bolting — and the list goes on. Compa-nies generally use the technology developed in a project as amatter of course.

Several of the major projects have been independentlyaudited. For example, the Thickener Technology projectcost its 20 sponsors $9.78 million and benefited them by$289 million. Each sponsor earned $29 for each dollarspent.

CIM: Your latest report states that for AMIRA to succeed, itmust become an innovative organization that solves members’evolving challenges. What are some of the emerging chal-lenges? Magoon: Like all organizations, AMIRA builds on its suc-cesses by reviewing its operating environment and its strate-gic response to that environment, which includes industry

upfrontQ & A b y E a v a n M o o r e

Collaboration the key to innovation and success AMIRA chairman discusses the challenges of innovation

Photo courtesy of w

ww.jameswalkerphotography.ca

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upfrontQ & A

consolidation, industry globalization, progressively morechallenging ore bodies and increased focus by industry andthe public on sustainability and social licence issues.

One strategic role for AMIRA is to strengthen the mecha-nisms that facilitate dialogue among members about commonissues, needs and potential solutions. An example of such aninitiative is the AMIRA-sponsored biannual Exploration Man-agers Conference. It is a by-invitation conference for seniormember company exploration and geoscience executives tonetwork on technical and environmental issues.

CIM: How does one create an environment that fosters innova-tion in mining? Magoon: A key strategy is the creation of networking oppor-tunities that facilitate dialogue about innovation. CIM,AusIMM, CMIC and AMIRA are examples of entities thathave a role to play.

Sometimes the risk of innovation is accurately appraised.But I am concerned that industry tends to be more conser-vative regarding process technology innovation than, say,exploration risk. Companies invest huge sums in explo-ration, aware of the high potential reward but low probabil-ity of success in any given project. Yet proposals in the arenaof technology innovation, while lower in cost, tend to beheld to a higher standard of probability before being sup-ported for funding. It is a frustrating reality for thoseinvolved in process technology development.

One reason for this is that funding for R&D activities issometimes linked to the operating budgets of productionentities, which have tight accountabilities for profit and lossperformance. One way to mitigate that concern is to engagein multi-sponsor collaborative projects. Another is to makeR&D budgets stand-alone with a corporate reportingaccountability like exploration budgets.

February 2011 | 31

CIM: What are some major challenges facing the mining sectorwhen it comes to innovation? Magoon: One key challenge is finding and retaining tal-ented technical people. This is really an issue of educa-tion, to assure that student candidates know and appreci-ate the tremendous career potential in the mineralsindustry. Another is to truly understand what is happen-ing on the technology frontier so that good technologystrategies can be developed. A third challenge can befunding, both from corporate and government sources, asworld economies wax and wane. And a fourth is gettingindustry to work collaboratively, because for many tech-nological developments, that is the most industry strate-gic option.

CIM: How do you promote collaboration in an industry that ishighly competitive and not prone to seeing the advantages ofsharing research information? Magoon: I believe the answer is reasonable dialogue withsenior leaders in industry about the key factors that con-tribute to competitive advantage. The truly strategic areasof competition are resource acquisition and product mar-keting. Management of environmental and social respon-sibility issues strongly influences industry-wide access toquality ore deposits. Often, technical issues don’t offermaterial competitive advantage, but deferring their reso-lution could lead to adverse industry-wide outcomes.While technologies for finding and producing arguablycreate strategic advantage, that can be a minor benefitcompared to industry’s ability to undertake those activi-ties with less environmental and social impact and thusbetter position itself to have social licence to operate. Inthose instances, technical collaboration is prudent, timelyand cost-effective. CIM

Oil Sands & Heavy Oil

Page 32: CIM Magazine February 2011

The Canadian extractive industry has a curiousrelationship with innovation. It has served theindustry well; the development of steam assistedgravity drainage technology unlocked the door tobitumen that was previously unrecoverable and

placed Canada near the top of the world in crude oilreserves. However, since that breakthrough in the 1980s,research and development spending in the oil and gas sec-tor has flagged and many would claim that other players inthe extractive sectors have been similarly sparing. It is not that the industry lacks reasons to develop new

technologies and processes: safety and environmentalconcerns pose enduring challenges, while the future prom-ises both further personnel shortages and ore bodies thatwill be increasingly difficult to extract. But once a companyidentifies its future needs, it faces a welter of challenges.

Stepping up our gameCould the Canadian mining industry be doing more to innovate?by Eavan Moore

Universities compete for corporate sponsors, equipmentmanufacturers are reluctant to grant access to proprietarytechnology they have spent time and money developing,government support has its limits, and academic researchfacilities can project an “ivory tower” culture, distancingthem from the spheres of influences.What courses of action are mining professionals best

advised to take? Better collaboration is essential. Somewould also argue that greater vision and leadership willingto take risks are needed. They say that to undertake effec-tive innovation, firms need to act more boldly and openly ona global level — and, perhaps, especially so here in Canada.

Evaluating opportunitiesLaura Mottola, mining engineer and head of business

improvement at Quadra FNX Mining believes that mining

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innovation

The wealth of research equipment and expertise in Sudbury, such as that available atGeoscience Laboratories, is critical to pursuing the country's research and innovationobjectives.

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company. But McCarthy says that other companies havenot followed Cameco’s lead. “I’ve worked on four or fivestudies where we’ve considered this,” he says. “Each timeit looked like it was at least no more expensive than thealternative, but because it was innovative, it was droppedfrom the study.”If taking initial risks can have long-term payoffs, why

don’t mining professionals do more of it? One ready expla-nation is that the way companies think about risk is limitedby the funding mechanisms available to them. Executiveswho monitor share prices and quarterly results cannotafford to have long-term visions for the company.“That doesn’t really hold up,” says Jim Popowich, retired

president of Fording Coal Trust and retired CEO and pres-ident of Elk Valley Coal Corporation, both acquired by TeckResources Limited in 2008. “The typical shareholder islooking to see you innovate; there is no way that being apublic company should stop you.” Popowich explains that during his time at Fording, the

company automated its drill positioning in order to reducecosts. He explains it as matter-of-fact continuous improve-ment. “If it’s a small part of the business, you’re less likelyto be worried about that side. You are more likely to moveforward.” Still, he sounds a conservative note about intro-ducing change. “Innovation in small steps sometimes hap-pens more effectively than innovation in big steps.”

February 2011 | 33

innovation

companies do not fully capitalize on innovative technolo-gies to transform operations. She questions why mineoperators accept production inefficiencies when they couldbe alleviated by the appropriate automation of certain keyprocesses and the application of lean principles. “Peopleseem to think that mining automation is still in develop-ment,” says Mottola. “It is proven technology. The trick is inimplementing technology with equal focus on processredesign and change management.”John Thompson, vice-president of technology and

development at Teck Resources Limited, is more circum-spect. Although individual pieces of automation are proven,his company remains cautious. Large-scale miningautomation, he says, ”is not proven technology yet in anoperational sense.”However, there are other examples of slow uptake even

on established methods. Peter McCarthy, chairman of Aus-tralia-based AMC Consultants, observes that the cost-sav-ing benefits of underground ramp access are still missingfrom feasibility studies. “Many people in Canada will tell youthat you can’t operate a decline mine below about 300metres, and yet there are decline mines operating to 1,500metres vertically below the surface,” he says. Like the first decline mines, some operations do take

risks that pay off. McCarthy offers the example ofCameco’s McArthur River uranium mine, where theydecided to grind ore underground and pump it to surface,minimizing radon daughter products in the atmosphere.An innovative technique, and some would say risky to putinto a new mine, it has nonetheless paid off for the

Coordinated research: PhD candidate Rob Bewick (pictured here with CEMI presidentPeter Kaiser, right) is working with MIRARCO to explore the behaviour of highlystressed rock masses. CEMI is sponsoring the research that Bewick is conductingwhile on educational leave from Golder Associates Ltd.

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Mottola, past chair of CIM’s Society for Innovation inMining Technology, thinks that while the funding situa-tion is a challenge, courageous leadership — a qualitythat should be cultivated inhead offices as well as through-out organizations — would sur-mount it. “I think the key issue ishaving a clear vision of whatyou want your mining companyto do and to be in terms ofoperational excellence and theuse of technology to achievebusiness objectives,” she says.Then, she adds, it takes rareguts to stick to that vision andsee it through. She points to RioTinto, a company that has suc-cessfully maintained its vision ofmining automation and remoteoperations even through the latest recession. Rosie Steeves, president of the executive development

firm Executive Works, echoes Mottola’s call for greatermanagerial vision. “What we need in our leaders is the abil-ity to have a longer term view, to be able to resolve variouskinds of conflicting perspectives, and to dodge their waythrough challenges,” she says. “And we don’t do a verygood job of developing those skills in folks. We tend to pro-mote people because they’re technically competent engi-

neers or miners. We put them in a supervisory position andassume that because they’re good engineers they’ll begood leaders, and it’s a totally different job.”

Taking responsibilityAdvocates for a new look at

leadership say that it can flourishin an organization of any size. Butwhen it comes to specific invest-ments in research and develop-ment, different companies mayhave different roles to play.The majors generally can and

do put large amounts of cash intoresearch initiatives. Companieslike Teck, Barrick Gold, and RioTinto sponsor projects at collabo-rative research organizations,conduct one-on-one partner-

ships with research providers, and do their own in-housedevelopment. They are able to try out innovative techniquesat selected mine sites without risking their entire business,and they are able to invest in expensive long-term projects.Fred Delabbio, general manger for underground innova-

tion at Rio Tinto, thinks that good research can happen inan organization of any size. “It takes a justification of whyyou’re doing something, having a pathway to manage thatinvestment properly, and to deliver an outcome,” he argues.

“Any organization can do research.”Popowich, who now serves on the

board of directors for The MosaicCompany, agrees. “A lot of people maynot have the resources, but they can dothe thinking,” he says. “A lot of smallercompanies are quite innovative as wellbecause they don’t have a lot of redtape and administration to go through.So they just try new ideas.”Mottola similarly believes that there

may be more flexibility of thinking atthe mid-tier companies. “They’re lesstied to preconceived notions,” she sug-gests. “And to position themselves inthe marketplace, they need to be dif-ferent.”

Collaboration and secrecyOne of the most ambitious efforts to

collectively address the industry’sneeds took shape as the Canada Min-ing Innovation Council (CMIC). Themulti-stakeholder organization hasidentified a number of needs and areasof responsibility around the topic ofinnovation. One of them speaks directlyto mining companies: the need to

34 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

innovation

“I am aware of several instances

when engineers and geologists have been told

that there is a ban on presenting

at conferences.” — P. McCarthy

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Page 35: CIM Magazine February 2011

embrace collaboration as a way of alleviating risk and get-ting effective research done. But much depends on atti-tudes within the company.Pooling resources enables companies to invest in major

long-term projects without bearing the financial risk alone.In joint projects and at conferences, a collaborativeapproach creates cross-pollination of ideas leading to solu-tions that might not have appeared otherwise. But sometimes the move to collaborate rubs against

another industry stronghold: secrecy. Companies hesitateto share research that involves sensi-tive operational details and, in doing so,lose their competitive advantage. Simi-larly, entirely self-funded research hasthe attraction of locking down anyresulting intellectual property.AMC’s McCarthy is concerned that

secrecy efforts on a worldwide levelhave actually risen in the last three tofive years, in the wake of major merg-ers and acquisitions. “There’s a defen-siveness about the way companies areoperating,” he remarks. “People arecontinually concerned about notreleasing any information that willenable a competitor to make atakeover bid. At the size of takeoversnow, nobody feels secure.” McCarthy, among others, has partic-

ularly noticed the gap at conferences. “Iam aware of several instances whenengineers and geologists have beentold that there is a ban on presenting atconferences,” he says. “Everyoneknows there’s a particular innovativearea that we’re interested in, and yougo to the conference and nobody fromthat major company has attended theconference or is presenting a paper.And when you investigate, it’s becausethey’ve been told not to.” A growing number of industry par-

ticipants suggest that secrecy does notconfer as many advantages as itappears. John Thompson at Teck holdsthis view. “Many people in our industrydon’t fully understand competitiveadvantage and what creates it,” hesays. “They tend to fall back on that asa reason not to collaborate withoutbeing able to distinguish between whatis a general need and what is a specificneed.”One of the major problems with

secrecy, says McCarthy, is that innova-tion can lead to safer practices. Poli-cies that restrict the development of

safer techniques hurt the industry’s safety standards as awhole. Delabbio agrees on that point. “In some situations, you

want to get knowledge out as quickly and widely as possi-ble, he says. “Typical examples are in the areas of safety orin geo-mechanics.” But he also believes that some invest-ments need safeguarding. “If an organization is making asignificant investment and there’s a new technology that’screated, you need to consider what protection is appropri-ate and consider the risk that somebody else not involved

February 2011 | 35

innovation

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could attempt to patent that technology.” Case in point: RioTinto. The company has made significant investments intogroundbreaking approaches, including its experiment infully automated iron ore mining, and has carefully con-trolled information about its projects.“Actually,” adds Delabbio, “without considering intellec-

tual property and confidentiality, you cannot do large proj-ects that that will make a step change. There needs to beproper IP and confidentiality management with any largeproject, and avoiding it actually makes those big researchprojects more difficult for all the parties involved. Imagineasking shareholders for millions of dollars and then saying,‘Well, anyone could come in and patent this technology andthen Rio and partners could be prevented from using it inthe case of somebody else patenting it.’ I don’t think thiswould be an appropriate approach.”Advocates of greater openness say that very few min-

ing developments are actually patentable or criticallystrategic, and conference presentations serve as ”prior art,”which means competitors cannot patent the innovationspresented. They also argue that having technology doesnot in itself confer competitive advantage; rather, theadvantage arises in how technology is used. Doug Magoon, former manager at Teck and chair of the

research consortium AMIRA, suggests that companiesmight not realize what they are missing. “At the end of the

day, how critically do those entities really measure theeffectiveness of their strategy and how well do they understand the advantages or disadvantages that haveaccrued as a consequence of that strategy?” he asks. “Oneof the risks of taking a very independent and closed viewis that if you happen to step on the right train, you’ll do verywell, but if you step on a train that’s heading in the wrongdirection all by yourself, you’re going to wind up at a veryisolated and expensive destination.”McCarthy thinks that secrecy may not ultimately be pos-

sible. “At the moment, employees are extremely mobile,” hesays. “Anyone who’s working on your project could beworking for a competitor very soon, and so trying to keepthat information confidential is very difficult. Yet theprogress that you might have all made is stymied becauseeach of you is part of the solution.”Both Magoon and Thompson say that the dialogue is

ultimately moving in favour of greater openness. “I’vebeen very encouraged by lots of people who now realizethat intellectual property in itself doesn’t guarantee com-petitive advantage,” says Thompson, “and that there aremany opportunities where the value can be created bycollaboration.” The Surface Mining Association for Research and

Technology (SMART) is one such opportunity for miningcompanies to collaborate. SMART was conceived to both

coordinate technology developmentamong miners and to better conveyindustry needs to manufacturers andsuppliers. As critical as open communi-cation is among industry players, it isequally so for the myriad tools thatmake up a modern mine site. Propri-etary networks and software applica-tions effectively shut operators outfrom the information that would helpthem optimize their operations. Eachpiece of technology demanded its ownmonitor, clogging the cabs of miningequipment. “There used to be more screens than

windows,” recalls Tim Skinner, who leadsthe SMART group committed to con-nectivity and open technology standardsfor the surface mining industry. Standardwireless networks and open compatibleplatforms helped solve that problem, butSkinner says it is an ongoing challengeto get access to and use to the greatestadvantage the information gleaned fromthe technology and software applica-tions that constitute a modern miningoperation – information that OEMs oftenprefer to keep for themselves. That pro-tectiveness is just one more barrier to

36 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

innovation

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Page 37: CIM Magazine February 2011

overcome, says Skinner: “Innovationhappens in a diverse, open, high-exchange environment.”

Prospects for CanadaWith the commitment from oil sands

operators to share their research ontailings management, the value of col-laboration is being realized. Ideally, theCMIC can use the momentum of theagreement to push others consideringsimilar cooperation.

In Sudbury, industry and researchexpertise have also won votes of con-fidence from the global mining compa-nies that have invested millions ofdollars in Ontario’s Centre for Excel-lence in Mining Innovation (CEMI);most recently Rio Tinto has committed$10 million over five years to establishthe Rio Tinto Centre for UndergroundMine Construction.To facilitate grassroots collabora-

tion, CEMI launched the MineDesign-Wiki to allow mining engineers to shareand discuss best practices in minedesign, the success of which dependslargely on the involvement of industryprofessionals. (see Upfront Technology,page 28) “Leadership can really develop cul-

ture that supports innovation and cre-ativity,” insists Skinner. “You’ve got tobe challenged; you need to see whatpeople are doing in other industries.Traditionally, mining has not been thataggressive in pursuing this, but thingsare changing.” He cites the emer-gence of high-precision GPS andwireless networks as powerful cata-lysts for innovation and with it,increased productivity and equipmentavailability. The opportunities for improve-

ment are there; some may argue thatthe industry must apply itself moreurgently and proactively to the chal-lenges of innovation. If the rhetoricabout the growth potential of theBRIC nations is to be believed, nowis the time to shed the boom andslump mentality and rise to the chal-lenge of meeting long-term globaldemand with innovative sustainableresponses. CIM

Betterresults fasterCollaboration in action

by Peter Caulfield

In December, Canadian Natural Resources Limited, Imperial Oil Limited, ShellCanada, Suncor Energy Inc., Syncrude Canada Inc., Teck Resources Limited andTotal E&P Canada publicly committed to work together to advance tailings man-agement. Each company pledged to share its existing tailings research and tech-nology and to remove barriers to collaborating on future R&D.

“With this agreement, we’ll share our technology with other players,” says BradBellows, director of corporate communications for Suncor Energy. “In turn, they’llput their technology on the table or, if they’re a little further back on the R&Dcurve, they’ll commit to help fund research to drive further improvement.”

John Broadhurst, Shell’s vice-president of oil sands development, states that themotivation for the agreement is simple. “We want to achieve better results faster.”Innovation, he says, will be fostered by “a very broad and open sharing of infor-mation.”

The agreement is supported by the Canada Mining Innovation Council (CMIC), anOttawa-based organization that exists to promote mining research and innovationthrough research capacity and funding, as well as to increase collaborationbetween industry, universities and various levels of government.

CMIC vice-president Gord Winkel says the sector has excellent building blocks forfuture advances. “These include composite tailings, fines centrifuging, fines dep-osition and drying, to name just a few. What we need is a suite of technologies tocomplete mine reclamation efforts.” He says a total of approximately $90 millionof tailings research and field trial work is planned for 2011 by all industry firms.

The companies have agreed to four “core principles” to guide their research collaboration:

• Make technical information more broadly available to the industry members,academia, regulators and others interested in collaborating on tailings solutions.

• Collaborate on tailings-related research and development and technologyamong companies as well as with research agencies.

• Eliminate monetary and intellectual property barriers to the use of knowledgeand methods related to tailings technology and R&D.

• Work to develop an appropriate framework so that tailings information isorganized, verified through peer review and kept up-to-date.

Shell, says Broadhurst, has focused on tailings thickening technology, but it hasalso been working on other tailings management research projects. “There is nosingle solution for any operator,” he explains. “You need a portfolio of solutions.”

Research at Suncor led to its Tailings Reductions Operations (TRO) tailings reclama-tion process. “With TRO,” explains Bellows, “we expect to reduce the time from ini-tial land disturbance for mining to a ready-for-reclamation state from 30 or moreyears to about 10. The exciting part about this agreement is that by sharing ourtechnology with other companies, we bring an even greater research capacity to bearthat improves TRO performance, combines it with other technologies to enhance it,or even leads us to completely new and more effective technologies.”

Bradley Wamboldt, director of tailings reduction operations for Suncor Energy, with oil sands mine tailingssolidified by the company’s tailings management process

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L’industrie extractive du Canada ne manque pas deraisons lorsqu’il s’agit d’élaborer de nouvelles tech-nologies et de nouveaux processus, mais une fois

qu’elle a cerné ses besoins futurs, l’entreprise fait face àune multitude de défis.

Les universités se font concurrence pour la commanditede sociétés, les fabricants d’équipement sont peu disposésà donner accès à leur technologie brevetée lorsqu’ils ontconsacré du temps et de l’argent à la mettre au point, lesoutien de l’État possède ses limites et les installations derecherche universitaires peuvent faire preuve d’un« élitisme » qui les relègue à la périphérie des sphères d’in-fluence.

Quels sont les meilleurs plans d’action recommandéspour les professionnels du secteur minier? Une meilleurecollaboration est essentielle. Certaines personnesavanceront également qu’une intuition plus juste de l’aveniret des dirigeants plus disposés à prendre des risques sontnécessaires. Ils affirment qu’en vue d’innover de façon effi-cace, les entreprises doivent faire preuve de plus d’audaceet d’ouverture à tous les niveaux — et, peut-être, en partic-ulier ici au Canada.

Évaluation des possibilitésLaura Mottola, ingénieure des mines et chef de l’améliora-

tion commerciale chez Quadra FNX Mining Ltd., croit que lessociétés minières n’exploitent pas entièrement les technolo-gies novatrices pour changer leurs opérations. Elle sedemande pourquoi les sociétés d’exploitation minière

Intensifier nos effortsEst-ce que l’industrie minière du Canada pourrait en faire davantage en matière d’innovation?

acceptent d’utiliser des pratiques de production non effi-cientes qui pourraient être remédié par l’automatisation appro-priée de certains processus clés et l’application des principesd’une production frugale. « Les gens semblent penser quel’automatisation est encore en développement dans le secteurminier, » affirme Madame Mottola. « Il s’agit d’une technologieéprouvée. L’astuce consiste à mettre en œuvre la technologietout en prenant soin d’accorder autant d’attention à restruc-turer le processus et à gérer le changement. »

John Thompson, vice-président de la technologie et dudéveloppement chez Teck Resources Limited, se montreplus réservé. Bien que certains éléments d’automatisationsoient éprouvés, son entreprise demeure prudente. « L’au-tomatisation minière sur une grande échelle n’a pas encorefait ses preuves du point de vue opérationnel », a-t-ildéclaré.

Ancienne présidente de la Société des technologiesminières innovatrices (STMI) de l’Institut canadien desmines, de la métallurgie et du pétrole (ICM), Madame Mot-tola croit qu’un leadership courageux doit être favorisé ausein des sièges sociaux ainsi que dans l’ensemble desorganisations. « Je pense qu’au fond, il est nécessaired’avoir une vision claire de ce que vous voulez que votresociété minière fasse et de ce que vous voulez qu’elle soiten matière d’excellence opérationnelle et d’utiliser la tech-nologie pour atteindre les objectifs opérationnels »,souligne-t-elle, avant d’ajouter « il faut démontrer unaplomb extraordinaire pour adhérer à cette vision et lamener à bien. »

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Avec ses vastes réserves dans des régions éloignées tellesque Pilbara en Australie Occidentale, Rio Tinto considèrel'automatisation comme étant la clé pour faire face à lademande croissante.

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sans être en mesure de distinguer un besoin général d’unbesoin spécifique. »

Selon M. McCarthy, l’un des problèmes principaux de laconfidentialité réside dans le fait que l’innovation peutmener à des pratiques plus sécuritaires. Ainsi, les poli-tiques limitant le développement de techniques plus sécu-ritaires compromettent les normes de sécurité pourl’ensemble de l’industrie.

Fred Delabbio, directeur général pour l’innovation desmines souterraines chez Rio Tinto, est d’accord : « Danscertaines situations, vous voulez que ces renseignementssoient diffusés aussi rapidement et sur une aussi grandeéchelle que possible. Les exemples types concernent lasécurité ou la géomécanique. » Cependant, il croit aussique certains investissements doivent être protégés. « Siune entreprise investit de fortes sommes pour développerune nouvelle technologie, vous devez songer à une protec-tion appropriée et envisager le risque qu’une autre per-sonne n’ayant pas participé à ces travaux puisse tenter debreveter cette technologie. »

Les personnes préconisant une plus grande ouvertured’esprit affirmeront que très peu de projets miniers sont enréalité brevetables ou critiques d’un point de vuestratégique. Par ailleurs, les présentations données lors deconférences constituent une preuve « d’antériorité », ce quisignifie que les concurrents ne peuvent pas breveter lesinventions ainsi présentées. Ils avancent également que lefait de posséder une certaine technologie ne procure pasen soi un avantage concurrentiel; l’avantage se présenteplutôt dans la façon dont la technologie est utilisée.

M. McCarthy pense que la confidentialité ne pourraitpas être possible en fin de compte. « En ce moment, lesemployés changent d’emplois fréquemment. Toute per-sonne travaillant maintenant sur votre projet pourrait tra-vailler pour un concurrent très bientôt et il demeure trèsdifficile d’essayer de garder ces renseignements confiden-tiels. Finalement, le progrès que vous avez réalisé peut êtrecontrecarré parce que chacun d’entre vous ne constituequ’une partie de la solution. »

Perspectives d’avenir au CanadaGrâce à l’engagement récent des exploitants de gise-

ments de sables bitumineux à partager leurs travaux derecherche sur la gestion des résidus, la valeur de la collab-oration est véhiculée. En théorie, le CCIM pourra continuersur la lancée de cet accord afin de convaincre les autres àparticiper à des projets de coopération similaires.

Les possibilités en matière d’amélioration existent belet bien; certaines personnes affirmeront peut-être quel’industrie doit s’employer d’une façon plus urgente etproactive à résoudre les défis que présente l’innovation. Sion en croît le discours concernant le potentiel de crois-sance des pays BRIC, le moment est maintenant venu dedélaisser la mentalité de l’emballement-effondrement etde se montrer à la hauteur du défi visant à satisfaire lademande mondiale à long terme en offrant des solutionsviables et novatrices. ICM

February 2011 | 41

innovation

Collaboration et confidentialitéL’une des initiatives les plus ambitieuses pour répon-

dre à l’ensemble des besoins en matière d’innovation del’industrie a été la création du Conseil canadien de l’in-novation minière (CCIM). Cet organisme regroupant denombreux intervenants a déterminé plusieurs zones deresponsabilité relativement à l’innovation. L’une d’ellesconcerne directement les sociétés minières : le besoinde travailler en collaboration de façon à réduire lerisque et à poursuivre efficacement les travaux derecherche. Toutefois, de telles actions dépendent engrande partie des attitudes adoptées au sein de l’entre-prise.

En mettant des ressources en commun, les entreprisespeuvent investir dans des projets importants à long termesans devoir en assumer seules le risque financier. Lors deprojets communs et de conférences, une approchecoopérative mène à un échange d’idées d’où peuvent sur-venir des solutions qui n’auraient peut-être pas été décou-vertes autrement.

Cependant, parfois l’initiative de collaboration va à l’en-contre d’un autre pilier de l’industrie : la confidentialité. Lesentreprises hésitent à partager leurs travaux de recherchequi comprennent des renseignements confidentiels surleurs opérations et ainsi perdre leur avantage concurren-tiel. De même, les travaux de recherche entièrement auto-financés possèdent l’avantage de protéger toute propriétéintellectuelle en découlant.

Peter McCarthy, président d’AMC Consulting, est préoc-cupé par le fait que les efforts en matière de confidential-ité ont récemment pris de l’ampleur à l’échelle mondiale, àla suite de grands regroupements d’entreprises et d’acqui-sitions importantes. Il explique : « Les entreprises exercentleurs activités en démontrant une attitude défensive. Lesgens sont sans cesse préoccupés par la protection desrenseignements qui permettraient à un concurrent de faireune offre d’achat visant la mainmise de l’entreprise. Étantdonné l’ampleur actuelle de telles prises de contrôle, per-sonne ne se sent en sécurité. »

M. McCarthy, entre autres, a constaté cette tendanceparticulièrement lors de conférences. « Je connaisplusieurs ingénieurs et géologues qui ont été informés qu’ilétait interdit de donner des présentations », affirme-t-ilavant de poursuivre : « Tout le monde sait que noussommes intéressés par un domaine novateur en particulieret lorsque nous nous présentons à la conférence, per-sonne œuvrant au sein de cette grande entreprise n’estprésent ou ne donne un exposé. À force de poser desquestions, vous apprenez que c’est parce qu’on leur a ditd’agir ainsi. »

En revanche, un nombre grandissant de participantsde l’industrie affirment que la confidentialité ne procurepas autant d’avantages qu’il semblerait. M. Thompsonsoutient cette opinion : « De nombreuses personnes dansnotre industrie ne comprennent pas vraiment le conceptd’avantage concurrentiel et ce qui le crée. Ils ont ten-dance à l’utiliser pour justifier leur réticence à collaborer

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featured project

Fast-tracking to productionA focused and motivated management team, high gold prices and alarge deposit put this Quebec-based developer in an excellent positionto get its Canadian Malartic operation off the ground as quickly as possible.

by | Peter Diekmeyer

of Val-d’Or, in mining-friendly Quebec’s gold-rich Abitibiregion. “But we are an experienced team, which togetherwith the founders of Osisko, Sean Roosen, Robert Wares andJohn Burzynski, has many former Cambior executives, includ-ing CFO and vice-president finance Bryan Coates. We areused to working together under tough conditions.” Bought byIAMGOLD in 2006, Cambior operated mines in Quebec, theUnited States and South America, including the open pitRosebel gold mine in Suriname, which the company broughtinto production in 2004.

It takes a lot to get a large-scale mining operation going. Butwhen skilled management, demand, financing arrangementsand regulatory approval are aligned, the motivation to movequickly can be strong. That is particularly true of Osisko’sCanadian Malartic open pit mine, which is expected to startproduction in the second quarter of this year.“With gold prices trading at near record highs, we are

doing everything we can to move things along quickly,” saysPaul Johnson, the company’s general manager of technicalservices for the project, which is located 20 kilometres west

Project development at Osisko’s property near Malartic, Quebec began in 2008. The mine is scheduled to begin production in the second quarter of 2011.

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So far, those old Cambior hands, Johnson among them,have been doing a pretty good job. According to companyofficials, the Canadian Malartic mine site construction,including administration facilities, a grinding area, a crusherand thickeners, an associated tailings area and a “green wall”that is being built to shelter the adjoining town from the site,have all progressed on schedule. Furthermore, the miningvehicle fleet is on site and preproduction activities are wellunderway.

A major turnaroundOsisko bills the $1 billion Canadian Malartic investment as

Quebec’s largest existing private sector project. By 2012, thisfully financed and permitted operation is expected to produce688,000 ounces of gold. Average production will eventuallymove up to 732,000 ounces per year over the first five years,drawn from the 60,000 tonnes of ore that will be processedeach day. Osisko purchased the Canadian Malartic property when it

became available following the bankruptcy of McWattersMining in 2004. Two years later, the results of its drillingcampaign earned Osisko executives the Prospectors of the

Year award from the Association de l’Exploration Minière duQuebec, followed by the 2008 PDAC Prospectors of the Yearaward, several in a series of accolades for their work. Canadian Malartic’s impressive ore body includes 8.97 mil-

lion ounces of reserves and 7.7 million ounces of estimatedrecoverable gold. The ore will yield an average grade of 1.13grams per tonne during the mine’s expected 12.2-year life.Close to 97 per cent of resources lie within 300 metres of thesurface.

Doing it quicklyThe project development phase began in early 2008 just as

the exploration and permitting work was being wrapped up.“We worked using a critical path method,” says Johnson.“Instead of doing one thing at a time, we tried to do thingsconcurrently, whenever possible, so that things got accom-plished quicker.”According to Luc Lessard, the company’s vice-president of

engineering and construction, also a Cambior alumnus, thecompany had to make several key decisions early. “The firstquestion was whether to develop the property ourselves orsell it,” says Lessard. “Once we agreed to go ahead on our

featured project

The Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) and the Canadian Institue of Mining,Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM), invite you to Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, Canada, to attend theSymposium 2011 on Mines and the Environment, from November 6 to 9, 2011.

This Symposium is the result of collaboration between the Industrial NSERC Polytechnique-UQAT inEnvironment and Mine Wastes Management, the Unité de recherche et de service en technologieminérale (URSTM), the Association minière du Québec (AMQ), the Mine Environment Neutral

Drainage (MEND) Program, the ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune du Québec(MRNF) and the industry.

The objectives of the Symposium are to share recent knowledge and research developments and todiscuss common practices to find solutions that reconcile profitability and environmental protection.Sunday, November 6: Short courseMonday and Tuesday, November 7 and 8: Technical program addressing the following subjects:

• Tailings • Backfill • Waste Rocks • Policies and Regulations • Contaminated • Site Restorationin Mining in Society Water • New Trends

Tuesday, November 8: PlenaryWednesday, November 9: Site toursA trade show will also be held on November 7 and 8.

Information will be available in the CIM Magazine. Also look on our web site for more details(accessible soon) at: www.cim.org/Symposium2011For more information, please contact: Chantal Murphy (CIM): 1-800-667-1246

SYMPOSIUM 2011 • ROUYN-NORANDASUR L’ENVIRONMENT ET LES MINES • MINES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

RESERVE THE DATE IN YOUR AGENDAROUYN-NORANDA, QUEBEC, CANADA — NOVEMBER 6 TO 9, 2011

Chaire CRSNG Polytechnique - UQATen environnement et gestion des rejets miniers

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1

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own, we had to figure out whether we needed to hire a proj-ect management firm to oversee construction operations.” This was where the in-house expertise was critical,

explains Osisko president and CEO Sean Roosen. “We electedto take on project management ourselves rather than con-tracting out the work because we had an experienced, sea-soned team of mine developers and operators in-house, ledby Lessard. Many of our key players came on board fromCambior and, together, they had a combined experience of120 years. Having an EPCM (engineering, procurement, con-struction management) contract in place would have cost anadditional 25 to 40 per cent. This valuable resource alsosaved us time, since we control our owndestiny and manage timelines based onour own experiences. This sort of depthof experience and expertise is commonthroughout the management at Osisko.” According to Lessard, in almost all

cases, the work was started as early aspossible. “We were on a real fast track. Wewere lining up our engineering talent anddoing pre-purchases before our prefeasi-bility study was even fully completed,”says Lessard. “But this put us in a goodposition because by the time the feasibil-ity study was finished, we were ready togo. The Quebec government gave the

featured project

The proximity of the deposit to the town required the transport of 205 homes to a new neighbourhood as well as the construction of earthworks to reduce the impact of themining operations on the town.

project its final authorization on August 27, 2009, and thenext day we were already pouring cement.”The company also had to detail and begin drilling and

blasting approaches to the mine. In addition, arrangementswere made to install three ball mills as well as a massive 11.5-metre SAG mill, of which there are only two in NorthAmerica. Driving it will require a 26,000 horsepower motor.Engineering talent played a crucial role in the process says

Lessard, who highlights the key roles played by Breton Banville& Associates (in helping out with the bid preparation andanalysis process), Golder Associates (pit stability work),Genivar (infrastructure and building services) and G. Mining,

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Opposite page: 1. Cyclones for gravity separation; 2. The crushed ore stockpile is covered to limit dust;3. Installation of the SAG mill gearless motor; 4. Theprocess plant. All photos courtesy of Osisko Mining

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featured project

headed by former Cambior president LouisGignac, which took care of the pit design.

Partnering with the communityYet according to Jean-Sebastien David,

Osisko’s vice-president of sustainable devel-opment, the company never lost sight of thefact that the Canadian Malartic Mine wouldnot have been possible without a detailedpartnership with the local community on avariety of issues. “We are very close neighbours with the

town of Malartic,” notes David. “At someplaces the mine is just 90 metres from thetown’s edge. So we had to foresee and dealwith all the challenges that are inherent in set-ting up an industrial operation so close to aresidential area.”In fact, during initial prefeasibility work it

quickly became clear that to do things prop-erly, nearly the entire south section of thetown of Malartic, including 205 houses, wouldhave to be moved and rebuilt, as well as a sig-nificant part of the municipal infrastructure,including a new long-term care facility, day-care facility, elementary school, adult learningfacility and a cultural/recreation centre. Theresidential relocation is nearly complete;affected residents were given substantial com-pensation to make up for the inconvenience.In all, the company spent $144 million for

community development efforts, ranging frominitiatives such as the earthen wall that wasbuilt to reduce the noise and visual distur-bance that come from having a large-scaleindustrial activity so close to the town centre.In addition, a roof was built on the ore storagepit in order to minimize the dust that couldpotentially blow over the town.Another commitment that the company

made was its decision to opt for a thickenedtailings disposal process and its agreement toclean up an existing tailings pond that wasbuilt up during underground operations at theformer Canadian Malartic Mine and three oth-ers mines on the 230-square kilometre prop-erty.

Lining up suppliersOsisko took care to choose its partners

carefully, says Johnson. “We naturally favouredsuppliers who came from the Abitibi region

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February 2011 | 47

Making your world secure

Contact me for more information:

Cy KingEmail: [email protected]: 780.791.7087

Draw on our expertise

��������� ����

first and then those that came from the rest of the province,”he explains. “This not only gave us the opportunity to give backto the communities in which we do business, it also had asound business purpose: local suppliers are far more likely toknow the challenges we are facing and how to deal with them.”Securing financing for equipment was key, Johnson adds.

“Despite our size, we are regarded as a mining junior developerso getting lenders on board with us was not easy at first,” heexplains. However, in April 2008 Osisko found a powerful part-ner in Caterpillar Financial, which agreed to finance the com-pany for US$83 million worth of equipment for five years.Roosen says Osisko made its case and the OEM responded.“They could see that the project was very robust and that wehad a seasoned team managing and advancing it,” he explains.“We also always took a conservative approach with ourresource calculations and cost and capital requirement esti-mations. Our management team is also well-known to the Catpeople from having previously collaborated together on proj-ects under Cambior.” And, adds Johnson, “when Cat agreed tofinance us, it gave us instant credibility as a serious playerwithin the industry.”The following February, Osisko received C$403 million in

financing, which, says Roosen, is one of the largest equityfinancings ever by a junior developer. While they emerged as serious players, many others were

idled on the sidelines by the recession. The timing, explainsRoosen, had its advantages. “In 2009 the cost of equipmentand consumables was indeed lower than in 2008, and therewas greater availability of equipment and skilled contractorsbecause of the economy,” he says. “It was perhaps also easierto negotiate better supplier contracts and to find higher qual-ity labour in a quiet market. It probably would have been muchmore expensive had there not been such a downturn in theeconomy, although it was only because we were fully financedand because of our skilled management team propelling usforward that we were able to take advantage of any savings.”Geologist Robert Wares has been with the company since

day one when he founded Osisko Exploration in 1998. Nowthe executive vice-president and COO, Wares remains aspart of the team bringing the project into production andlooks forward to the milestone: “We are very fortunate tohave had the privilege to be one of the few explorationteams that took a project from conception and explorationdrill holes to gold bars,” he says. “It has been a very uniqueand fulfilling process, but it has also been a lot of hard workand long days.’’That said, the talent among the Osisko executives of find-

ing prospective projects is not limited to their efforts on theCanadian Malartic property. In fact, the company is alreadyplanning to use the cash flows generated from those opera-tions on new exploration and development work on itsHammond Reef and Duparquet projects. CIM

Page 48: CIM Magazine February 2011

L’Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue(UQAT) et l’Institut canadien des mines, de la métal-lurgie et du pétrole (ICM) vous invitent à Rouyn-Noranda, Québec, Canada, du 6 au 9 novembre2011, à l’occasion du Symposium 2011 sur l’envi-ronnement et les mines.

Le Symposium est le résultat d’une collaboration entrela Chaire CRSNG Polytechnique-UQAT en environ-nement et gestion des rejets miniers, l’Unité derecherche et de service en technologie minérale(URSTM), l’Association minière du Québec (AMQ), leProgramme de neutralisation des eaux de drainage dansl’environnement minier (NEDEM), le ministère des Ressources

naturelles et de la Faune du Québec (MRNF) et l’industrie.

Les objectifs du Symposium visent à partager les connais-sances les plus récentes et à discuter des expériencespratiques afin de « trouver des solutions pour con-cilier rentabilité et protection de l’environ-nement ».

Chaire CRSNG Polytechnique - UQATen environnement et gestion des rejets miniers

Dimanche 6 novembre : Cours intensifLundi et mardi 7 et 8 novembre : Programme technique portant sur :

• Rejets de concentrateur• Remblayage souterrain

• Roches stériles• Politique et réglementation & Mines et société• Qualité des eaux• Restauration des sites

• Nouvelles tendances

Mardi 8 novembre : Séance plénièreMercredi 9 novembre : Visites de sites

Un salon commercial se tiendra aussi parallèlement au programme technique des 7 et 8 novembre.

Suivez les publications de l’ICM pour plus de détails et visitez notre site web (accessible prochainement) à : www.cim.org/Symposium2011

Pour plus d’information, contactez : Chantal Murphy (ICM) : 1-800-667-1246

SYMPOSIUM 2011 • ROUYN-NORANDASUR L’ENVIRONMENT ET LES MINES • MINES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

À METTRE IMMÉDIATEMENT À VOTRE AGENDAROUYN-NORANDA, QUÉBEC, CANADA — LES 6, 7, 8 ET 9 NOVEMBRE 2011

Page 49: CIM Magazine February 2011

February 2011 | 49

projet en vedette

D

Un processus accéléré; de la découverte

à la faisabilité à la production De nombreux efforts doivent être déployés pour démarrerune exploitation minière d’envergure. Par contre, lorsque desgestionnaires qualifiés, la demande, des mécanismes definancement et l’approbation règlementaire tendent tousdans le même sens, la motivation pour aller de l’avant rapide-ment est forte. C’est particulièrement le cas pour la mine àciel ouvert Canadian Malartic d’Osisko qui devrait com-mencer ses activités de production au second trimestre cetteannée.

Selon Paul Johnson, directeur général des services tech-niques du projet, qui est situé à 20 kilomètres à l’ouest de Val-d’Or, au sein d’une région abitibienne riche en or et propice

au forage : « Avec le cours de l’or qui est à un niveau record,nous déployons tous les efforts pour faire avancer le proces-sus le plus rapidement possible.  » M.  Johnson poursuit enaffirmant : « Notre équipe est composée de gens d’expérienceet compte, avec les fondateurs d’Osisko, Sean Roosen, RobertWares et John Burzynski, d’anciens dirigeants de Cambior,dont le directeur financier et vice-président Bryan Coates.Nous avons l’habitude de travailler ensemble dans des condi-tions difficiles.  » Achetée par Iamgold en 2006, Cambior aexploité des mines au Québec, aux États-Unis et en Amériquedu Sud, dont notamment la mine d’or à ciel ouvert de Rosebelau Suriname, laquelle fut mise en production en 2004.

Le développement du projet sur la propriété d’Osisko près de Malartic,au Québec, a débuté en 2008. L’entreprise prévoit entamer l’exploitationde la mine au deuxième trimestre de 2011.

Page 50: CIM Magazine February 2011

Jusqu’à maintenant, les mains d’expérience de Cambior,dont celles de Paul Johnson, ont fait un travail remarquable.Selon les responsables de la compagnie, la construction dusite minier de la Canadian Malartic, y compris les installationsadministratives, une zone de broyage, un broyeur et des épais-sisseurs, une aire de stockage des résidus et un «  murécologique » qui servira à abriter la ville avoisinante du site,ont progressé dans les délais prévus. De plus, la flotte devéhicules de production est sur place et les activités depréproduction vont de bon train.

Un redressement d’importanceOsisko considère que le projet de la Canadian Malartic, qui

a requis un investissement d’un milliard de dollars, sera le plusimportant projet du secteur privé du genre au Québec. D’ici2012, cette opération entièrement financée et réglementéedevrait produire 688 000 onces d’or. La production moyennepassera à 732  000 onces par année au cours des cinq pre-mières années, tirée des quelque 60 000 tonnes de mineraiextrait quotidiennement.

Osisko a fait l’achat du site de la Canadian Malartic lorsquecelui-ci est devenu disponible à la suite de la faillite deMcWatters Mining en 2004. Deux ans plus tard, les résultatsde sa campagne de forage ont valu aux dirigeants d’Osisko letitre de Prospecteur de l’année de l’Association de l’explo-ration minière du Québec, puis le titre de Prospecteur de l’an-née en 2008 de l’Association canadienne des prospecteurs etentrepreneurs, marquant ainsi le début d’une longue séried’accolades pour leur travail.

Le gisement de minerai impressionnant de la CanadianMalartic inclut une réserve de 8,97 millions d’onces et unequantité estimée de 7,7 millions d’onces d’or récupérable. Leminerai produira une teneur moyenne de 1,13 gramme partonne pendant les 12,2 années d’existence prévues de lamine. Près de 97 pour cent des ressources se trouvent à moinsde 300 mètres de la surface.

Lorsqu’il faut agir vite La phase de développement du projet a commencé au

début de l’année 2008 alors que les travaux d’exploration etde réglementation tiraient à sa fin. M.  Johnson explique  :« Nous avons travaillé en recourant à la méthode du chemincritique. Au lieu de faire une chose à la fois, nous avons tentéde faire plusieurs opérations à la fois dans la mesure du pos-sible, afin d’accélérer le processus. »

Selon Luc Lessard, vice-président de l’ingénierie et de laconstruction, également un ancien dirigeant de Cambior, lasociété a dû prendre de nombreuses décisions importantestôt dans le processus. «  La première question qui se posaitétait de savoir si nous devions développer le site nous-mêmesou le vendre », affirme Luc Lessard. « Une fois que nous avons

convenu de continuer par nous-mêmes, nous devions déter-miner s’il était nécessaire de recourir aux services d’uneentreprise de gestion de projet pour superviser les travaux deconstruction. »

« C’est à cette étape que l’expertise interne était cruciale, »comme l’explique le président et chef de la direction d’Osisko,Sean Roosen. « Nous avons décidé de voir à la gestion du pro-jet nous-mêmes plutôt que d’opter pour la sous-traitance, carnous pouvions compter sur une équipe chevronnée et qualifiéede promoteurs miniers et d’opérateurs internes dirigée par LucLessard. Plusieurs éléments clés de Cambior se sont ajoutés, etensemble, ils cumulent près de 120 années d’expérience. Desservices d’ingénierie, d’approvisionnement, de construction etde gestion de projets auraient été synonymes de coûts supplé-mentaires de l’ordre de 25 à 40 pour cent. Cette ressourceinestimable nous a aussi permis de gagner du temps puisquenous avons la maîtrise de notre propre destin et gérons noséchéanciers selon nos propres expériences. Une telle expéri-ence profonde et une expertise sans égale sont monnaiecourante au sein de l’équipe de gestion d’Osisko. »

Selon Luc Lessard, dans la plupart des cas, les travaux ontété entamés aussitôt que possible : « Nous étions vraiment enmode accéléré. Nous avions identifié les ingénieurs que nousvoulions approcher et effectué nos achats au préalable avantmême que les études de préfaisabilité soient entièrement ter-minées », dit-il. « Ceci nous a mis dans une bonne position,puisqu’une fois l’étude de faisabilité terminée, nous étionsprêts à démarrer. Le gouvernement du Québec a donné sonapprobation finale le 27 août 2009, et dès le lendemain, leciment commençait à couler », a renchéri Luc Lessard.

La compagnie devait également détailler et entamer lestravaux de forage et de dynamitage de la mine. Des disposi-tions ont été prises pour installer des broyeurs à boulets ainsiqu’un énorme broyeur SAG de 11,5 mètres, dont il n’existeque deux en Amérique du Nord. Celui-ci nécessite un moteurd’une puissance de 26 000 chevaux.

Les ingénieurs ont joué un rôle essentiel dans le processus,selon M.  Lessard qui continue en soulignant les rôles clésjoués par les sociétés Breton Banville et Associés (qui a con-tribué à la préparation des devis et à l’analyse du processus),Golder Associés (travaux de stabilité de la fosse), Genivar(infrastructures et bâtiments), et G. Mining, dirigé par LouisGignac, un ancien président de Cambior, qui a conçu la fosse,les plans miniers et le modèle financier.

Faire équipe avec la communautéPourtant, selon Jean-Sébastien David, vice-président du

développement durable d’Osisko, la compagnie n’a jamaisperdu de vue le fait que la Canadian Malartic n’aurait pas vule jour sans un partenariat détaillé avec la communauté localeà propos de plusieurs questions.

50 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

projet en vedette

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February 2011 | 51

projet en vedette

Monsieur David précise : « Nous sommes de très prochesvoisins de la ville de Malartic. À quelques endroits, la minen’est qu’à 90 mètres des limites de la ville. Nous avonsdonc dû prévoir et faire face aux défis inhérents à la miseen place d’une exploitation industrielle si près d’un quartierrésidentiel. »

En effet, pendant les premières études de préfaisabilité, ilest rapidement devenu évident que pour effectuer les travauxde façon adéquate, soit presque tout le secteur sud de la villede Malartic, y compris 205 maisons, devait être déplacé etreconstruit. Il en était de même pour une importante partiedes infrastructures municipales, notamment un centre hospi-talier en soins prolongés, une garderie, une école, un centre deformation aux adultes et un centre culturel/récréatif. La réin-stallation est presque terminée; les résidants concernés sesont vu offrir une indemnité importante pour parer auxinconvénients de la situation.

En tout, la compagnie a versé la somme de 144 millions dedollars pour les efforts d’aménagement communautaire,lesquels incluent diverses initiatives, dont un mur de terreérigé pour réduire le bruit, les odeurs et toute forme d’impactvisuel négatif découlant de la proximité d’activités indus-trielles à grande échelle si près du centre de la ville. De plus,un toit a été construit pour recouvrir la fosse de stockage duminerai et ainsi réduire la quantité de poussière qui serait sus-ceptible d’être soulevée au-dessus de la ville.

La compagnie s’est aussi engagée à choisir un processusd’élimination de résidus épaissis et de nettoyer un bassin dedécantation existant qui fut construit durant les opérationssouterraines à l’ancienne mine Canadian Malartic, ainsi quetrois autres bassins sur le site de 230 kilomètres carrés.

Trouver des fournisseursOsisko a pris soin de choisir ses partenaires avec soin selon

Monsieur Johnson : « Nous avons naturellement privilégié lesfournisseurs de la région de l’Abitibi d’abord et avant tout,pour ensuite nous tourner vers ceux venant d’autres régionsde la province.  » Et il ajoute  : «  Ce faisant, non seulementavions-nous là l’occasion de redonner aux communautés danslesquelles nous faisons des affaires, mais cette décision reflé-tait aussi une saine raison commerciale  : les fournisseurslocaux sont plus susceptibles de connaître les défis que nousaffrontons et de savoir comment y faire face. »

Assurer le financement des équipements a constitué unélément crucial du processus selon Monsieur Johnson  :« Malgré notre taille, nous sommes perçus comme un promo-teur minier de petite envergure. Est-il besoin de dire que deprime abord, il fut difficile de convaincre les prêteurs desoutenir le projet.  » Toutefois, c’est en avril 2008 queCaterpillar s’est révélé être un partenaire d’envergure,moment où l’entreprise a consenti à financer l’équipement de

la compagnie pour une valeur de 83 millions de dollars améri-cains pour une période de cinq ans. Monsieur Roosen affirmequ’Osisko a établi le bien-fondé de sa démarche et que leconstructeur OEM a réagi : « Ils ont pu constater que le pro-jet était très viable et que nous disposions d’une équipechevronnée pour le faire avancer. Nous avons toujours optépour une approche prudente dans le calcul des ressources etdes coûts, ainsi que dans l’estimation des besoins en capitaux.Notre équipe de gestion est également reconnue auprès desgens de Caterpillar pour avoir déjà collaboré sur des projetssous la direction de Cambior. »

Monsieur Johnson ajoute que lorsque Caterpillar a convenude les financer, leur crédibilité s’est accrue en tant que joueurd’importance dans l’industrie.

En février, Osisko recevait 403 millions de dollars canadi-ens en financement, ce qui constitue selon Monsieur Roosenl’un des financements par capitaux propres les plus impor-tants pour un petit promoteur minier.

Alors qu’ils prenaient figure de «  joueurs des grandesligues », d’autres entreprises ont été reléguées au second planen raison de la récession. Selon Monsieur Roosen, le choix dumoment a eu des avantages  : «  En 2009, le coût deséquipements et des matières consommables était en effetplus bas qu’en 2008, et la disponibilité de l’équipement et desentrepreneurs était supérieure à l’époque en raison de l’é-conomie. Il a probablement été également plus facile denégocier de meilleurs contrats avec les fournisseurs et dedénicher une main-d’œuvre de qualité supérieure au sein d’unmarché calme. Les coûts auraient été sûrement beaucoup plusélevés s’il n’y avait pas eu un tel ralentissement économique,quoique c’était principalement grâce à notre équipe de ges-tion qualifiée nous propulsant de l’avant que nous avons pubénéficier de toute économie et parce que nous étionsentièrement financés. »

Le géologue Robert Wares est avec la compagnie depuisses débuts, lorsqu’il a fondé Osisko Explorations en 1998.Aujourd’hui, Monsieur Wares agit au sein de l’équipe à titre device-président directeur et chef de l’exploitation. Ce derniercontribue à la mise en œuvre du projet et attend avec impa-tience sa réalisation : « Quel privilège que de compter parmil’une des rares équipes d’exploration ayant mené un projetqui comprend toutes les étapes, depuis la phase de foragejusqu’aux lingots d’or! Il s’agit d’un processus unique et grat-ifiant, mais qui a également demandé des efforts acharnés etde longues journées. »

Ceci étant dit, les dirigeants d’Osisko, toujours à l’affût deprojets éventuels, ne limitent pas leurs efforts à la CanadianMalartic. En effet, la compagnie est déjà en pourparlers pourutiliser les revenus générés de ces opérations sur de nouvellesexplorations et travaux préparatoires relatifs à ses gisementsde Hammond Reef et Duparquet. ICM

Page 52: CIM Magazine February 2011

antalum, hardly a household name, has become anear-ubiquitous presence in our lives, quietlymaking things smaller. Originally discovered in 1802

by Swedish chemist Anders Ekeberg, tantalum has anextremely high melting point — at 3,000ºC, it is the third-highest of all known metals — and very high strength andcorrosion resistance. In fact, tantalum was so resistant toany acids Ekeberg immersed it in that the chemist namedthe metal after King Tantalus, the Greek mythologicalcharacter cursed with eternal thirst.

Tantalum’s resistance to harsh environments made ithighly desirable as a protective coating in challengingconditions found inside chemical process equipment andnuclear reactors. But where this silvery-grey metal trulyshone was in making extremely efficient electricalcapacitors — the ones present in virtually every electronicdevice, from in-car electronics to cellphones to desktopcomputers. Tantalum enabled capacitors to be madesmaller without sacrificing function, which translated intoever-smaller portable electronics.

Today, says Alice Agoos, editor with the metals news andprices website Ryan’s Notes, over 60 per cent of theworld’s annual tantalum production goes to capacitormanufacturers.

52 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

THE WORLD’S

THIRSTIEST METAL

commodity focus | tantalum

MINE PRODUCTION 2008 2009

Australia 557 560

Brazil 180 180

Canada 40 40

Congo 100 100

Rwanda 100 100

Other 188 180

Total (rounded) 1170 1160

*tonnes

Other uses for tantalum include as a component insuperalloys for use in extreme environments such as jetengines and in the production of cemented carbidepowders, which are then used to manufacture high-strength metalworking tools.

Riding the tantalum cycleTantalum’s widespread use has brought greater attentionto the mineral — and to concerns regarding future supply.The Australian Wodgina Mine shut down production at theend of 2008, citing unsustainably low tantalum prices. Themine’s capacity at shutdown time was the equivalent of483 metric tonnes of pure metal — over 40 per cent of the1,170 tonnes the USGS reports to have been producedworldwide in the same year. Now, with the economicrecovery continuing and the tantalum price starting to rise,there is an expectation that Wodgina will restart productionsoon, says Agoos, and that will ease supply concerns.

But there is a catch. “The main users of tantalum, whichare the capacitor makers, have the habit of basicallypanicking and overbuying, then taking a long while — andthat’s really what happened the last three years — to workthrough the stocks of material that they had,” Agoosexplains. “Once again, the capacitor manufacturers arebeginning to buy and so they are going have all this stock,and at the same time, tantalum production is going torestart and we’re going to have a mess.”

Canada’s tantalum playAlthough some calming news may be on the horizon, addsAgoos, citing projections of decreased consumption in2011 from the capacitor industry. “This may alleviate thesupply picture a bit,” she says.

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by Dan Zlotnikov

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tantalum | commodity focus

M4S• MINES• MINERALS• METALS• MATERIALS

mining for society

A new hip alternative As well as the metalperforms inside thecombustion chamberof a jet engine,tantalum’s chemicalinertness makes it auseful material to beused inside the humanbody. The metal does notcorrode when exposed tobodily fluids, and it alsoboasts a very highbiocompatibility – ameasure of how well thehost organism tolerates amaterial. Due to this quality,it has been used to make theelectrodes of pacemakers.

More recently, tantalum hasalso shown potential inorthopaedic applications.Made via vapour deposition,the tantalum implant is highlyporous, with openingsaccounting for 70 to 80 percent of the volume. Thepores allow for the patient’sown bone tissue to grow intothe implant, allowing for amuch shortened healingtime. Dr. Alan Nasar, asurgeon with the AdvancedOrthopedics and SportsMedicine Institute, writesthat the use of the new“trabecular metal”implants allows thesurgeon to eliminate bonecement which “canweaken and crack overtime and generatedebris.”

Nasar concludes that“by eliminating bonecement from theimplant, we canperform a simplerprocedure that canlast longer than the traditionalcemented implantation” – anespecially significant improvementwhen operating on younger or morephysically active patients.

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The porous structure of an orthopaedichip implant that includes tantalumallows bone to attach quickly and

provides long-term stability.

Canada’s role in tantalum production is fairly modest, especiallysince the country’s only tantalum mine, TANCO, ceased productionof the metal in April 2009, after 40 years of operation. But anumber of operators are hoping to change the picture, with somepromising deposits under development.

One of these is Commerce Resources’ Blue River project in B.C.,which recently released the results of a NI 43-101 resource estimateby AMEC that shows an Indicated Resource of 36.35 million tonneswith a cutoff grade of 195 grams per tonne. “This is theconfirmation of a much larger resource than we have everestablished before,” says Chris Grove, the company’s director ofcorporate communications. “We are extremely excited by this newresource, which shows a better than 500 per cent increase in theIndicated Resource.”

Grove also highlights another promising development, the Crevierproject in Quebec, a joint venture between MDN Mines andIAMGOLD. The Crevier project is currently in the final stages of afeasibility study, which the company expects be completed by theend of Q1 of 2011.

The prospects for Canadian tantalum production are also improvedby the lack of economically feasible deposits south of the border.Despite the lack of native tantalum production, the U.S. consumessignificant amounts of the metal and is home to Cabot Corporation,one of the world’s premier tantalum processors and the owner ofthe formerly tantalum-producing TANCO Mine. In fact, says Grove,when Cabot ended tantalum production at TANCO, “they actuallyoffered to us anything from the equipment bone yard of TANCO ifit would help move our project ahead.”

The reason for this generosity is pretty straightforward, Groveexplains. “Cabot is a processor. Cabot needs feedstock, but Cabotonly wants ethical feedstock.”

Ethics and politicsEthics are a significant focus when it comes to tantalum because itcontinues to play a role in one of the bloodiest conflicts of the past50 years — the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thewar has been raging since 1998, claiming over five million lives. TheDRC is home to over 80 per cent of the world’s known deposits ofcoltan — a valuable mixture of niobium and tantalum — and bothsides of the conflict have been using this mineral wealth to fundtheir military operations. The UN has denounced the rebels forusing child and slave labour in the mining of coltan.

The U.S. has recently taken a significant step in stemming the flowof conflict minerals out of the DRC, as part of the Dodd-Frank Act.The act introduces requirements for all companies who file reportswith the Securities and Exchange Commission and use mineralsthat can be sourced from the DRC to document the chain ofcustody for the minerals to demonstrate they did not originate inareas “under the control of armed groups.”

The full extent of the legislation is not yet known, as the SEC isonly expected to release the regulations in April of this year, butprocessors are already moving to secure non-DRC sources fortheir tantalum — and Canada fits the bill. CIM

Page 54: CIM Magazine February 2011
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MAC economic commentary | COLUMNS

February 2011 | 55

Rare earths: critical and strategic or the flavour of the month?! Paul Stothart

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In political Ottawa, where parlia-mentarians can be exposed to dozensof different issues in an average week,it is not unusual for policy issues ormedia stories to acquire profiles basedon a superficial level of understanding.This has happened in recent months inthe mining sphere, for example, wheremany MPs supported flawed privatemember’s legislation regarding interna-tional activities of mining companiesso as to not be perceived as “opposingsocial progress.” On a broader scale,much of the art of political communi-cations seeks to capitalize on superfi-ciality and is oriented around develop-ing a simple, effective message andrepeating it time and again. (Miningcompanies have communications les-sons to learn on this front, althoughthat is a subject for another day.)

The same practice of applying sim-plistic analysis to interesting and com-plex policy issues may be occurring inthe area of rare earth elements (REE),where the subject has acquired a highlevel of sex appeal among politicians inEurope, the United States and Canadain recent months. There are severaldevelopments that have contributed tothis new heightened profile, althoughthree are particularly relevant.

1. Commentators have becomeincreasingly aware of the fact that Chinacontrols a high portion of the supply ofthe world’s processed rare earth miner-als. While figures may vary among lightand heavy REEs, the most commonlycited figure is that China produces 97per cent of the world’s rare earths.

2. China has recently demonstratedthat it would not be shy about restrain-ing exports to protect its own interests.Related to a long-standing territorialdispute, a Japanese patrol boatboarded a Chinese fishing vessel inSeptember 2010 and detained its cap-tain. In retaliation, China has, in effect,embargoed REE exports to Japan. This

export restraint came on the heels of aChinese announcement in mid-2010that the country would be reducingglobal rare earth export quotas by 72per cent in the second half of the yearso as to protect its own supply chains.

3. Politicians in developed countrieshave begun to grasp the fact that rareearths are fundamental ingredients intelecom, defense and clean energytechnologies; for example, radars,high-powered magnets, wind turbines,hybrid cars, laptops and iPhones allcontain rare earth minerals.

The combination of these factorshas meant that a class of obscure min-erals that no politician had heard of afew weeks previous quickly vaulted tothe top of the list of the world’s criticalstrategic policy issues. The uniquemagnetic and spectroscopic properties

of obscure elements such as lan-thanum, cerium and neo dymiumbecame the basis of high-level plan-ning and policy analysis among gov-ernments of advanced countries.

In this sense, a U.S. senator hasrecently introduced legislation propos-ing that tax revenues be used to build anational defense stockpile of rare earthmetals. In June 2010, the EuropeanCommission highlighted potentialshortages of REEs and recommendedthat the European Union shouldincrease its support for exploration ofstrategic metals, including rare earths,and increase incentives for recycling.

Within the mining industry, giventhe growth in consumer electronicsand potential in green energy technolo-gies, many companies are currentlyexploring rare earth potential in

Page 56: CIM Magazine February 2011

Upcoming 2011 SeminarsNEW — Certification in Ore Reserve Risk and MinePlanning Optimization

Spread over a period of four months, this four-week course isdesigned for busy mining professionals who wish to updatetheir skills and knowledge base in modern modellingtechniques for ore bodies and new risk-based optimizationmethodologies for strategic mine planning. Gain practicalexperience by applying the following hands-on concepts andtechnical methods: methods for modelling ore bodies;stochastic simulations, case studies and models of geologicaluncertainty; and demand-driven production scheduling andgeological risk.Instructor: Roussos Dimitrakopoulos, McGill University, Canada •Date: TBD • City: Perth, Australia or Montreal, Canada • Info:www.mcgill.ca/conted/prodep/ore

Strategic Risk Management in Mine Design: FromLife-of-Mine to Global Optimization

Learn how you can have a significant, positive impact on yourcompany’s bottom line by utilizing strategic mine planningmethodologies and software; improve your understanding ofstrategic mine planning and life-of-mine optimizationconcepts, as well as your understanding of the relationship ofuncertainty and risk, and how to exploit uncertainty in orderto maximize profitability. Note: The strategic mine planningsoftware used is Whittle; an optional half-day skills refresherworkshop on Whittle available.Instructors: Cindy Tonkin, Gemcom, Australia, RoussosDimitrakopoulos, McGill University, Canada, and GeraldWhittle, Whittle Consulting, Australia • Date: September 21-23, 2011• City: Toronto

An Introduction to Cutoff Grade Estimation: Theory and Practice in Open Pit and UndergroundMines

Cutoff grades are essential in determining the economicfeasibility and mine life of a project. Learn how to solve most

cutoff grade estimation problems by developing techniquesand graphical analytical methods, about the relationshipbetween cutoff grades and the design of pushbacks in openpit mines, and the optimization of block sizes in cavingmethods.

Instructor: Jean-Michel Rendu, Executive Consultant, Snowden,Australia • Date: September 7-9, 2011 • City: Montreal

Geostatistical Mineral Resource/Ore Reserve Estimation and Meeting the New Regulatory Environment: Step by Step from Sampling to GradeControl

Learn about the latest regulations on public reporting ofresources/reserves through state-of-the-art statistical andgeostatistical techniques, how to apply geostatistics to predictdilution and adapt reserve estimates to that predicted dilution,how geostatistics can help you categorize your resources inan objective manner, and how to understand principles ofNI 43-101 and the SME Guide.

Instructors: Marcelo Godoy, Golder Associates, Chile, Jean-MichelRendu, Executive Consultant, Snowden, Australia, and RoussosDimitrakopoulos, McGill University, Canada • Date: September 12-16, 2011 • City: Montreal

Mineral Project Evaluation Techniques and Applications: From Conventional Methods to RealOptions

Learn the basics of economic/financial evaluation techniques,as well as the practical implementation of these techniques tomineral project assessments, how to gain a practicalunderstanding of economic/financial evaluation principles,and how to develop the skills necessary to apply these tosupport mineral project decisions.

Instructor: Michel Bilodeau, McGill University, Canada • Date:October 24-27, 2011 • City: Montreal

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ORGANIZING COMMITTEECOMITÉ ORGANISATEURCIM PRESIDENT | PRÉSIDENT DE L’ICMChris Twigge-Molecey

CIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR |DIRECTEUR EXÉCUTIF DE L’ICM Jean Vavrek

HONORARY CHAIR |PRÉSIDENT HONORAIREFrançois Pelletier

GENERAL CHAIR |PRÉSIDENT DU CONGRÈSMartin Poirier

SPONSORSHIP | COMMANDITESJean VavrekTerry Bowles

TECHNICAL PROGRAM |PROGRAMME TECHNIQUERichard SimonChuck Edwards

IRON ORE SYMPOSIUM |SYMPOSIUM SUR LE MINERAI DE FERGuy SaucierSerge Perreault

FINANCE & MANAGEMENT DAY |JOURNÉE FINANCE ET GESTION MINIÈREJane SpoonerLarry Smith

WOMEN IN MINING FORUM |FORUM LES FEMMES EN EXPLOITATIONMINIÈRECatharine ShawSylvie Poirier

FIELD TRIPS | EXCURSIONSSerge Perreault

STUDENT PROGRAM |PROGRAMME DES ÉTUDIANTSTeresa BarrettMaureen McGuinnessNawfal El Mkadmi

EVENT MANAGEMENT & FACE TO FACE |DIRECTION DE L’ÉVÉNEMENT ET FACE À FACELise Bujold

CIM EXHIBITION & JOB FAIR | SALONCOMMERCIAL ET DE L’EMPLOI DE L’ICMMartin Bell

M4S – THE SHOW ON MINES, METALS,MINERALS & MATERIALS | LE SALONSUR LES MINES, MÉTAUX, MINÉRAUX ET MATÉRIAUXMichel VachonKarine Robichaud

MEETING COORDINATOR |COORDONNATRICE DE CONGRÈSChantal Murphy

REGISTRATION & CUSTOMER SERVICE |INSCRIPTION ET SERVICE À LACLIENTÈLENadia Bakka

PRELIMINARY PROGRAMPROGRAMME PRÉLIMINAIRE CONTENTS / CONTENU80 Welcome80 Plenary80 Technical Program86 Women in Mining Forum88 Finance & Management Day89 Sponsors / Commanditaires90 Workshops91 M4S92 Field Trips92 Face to Face92 Student Program93 Social Program94 CIM Exhibition95 CIM Job Fair96 Guest Program97 Innovations Showcase /

Innovations minières

102 Bienvenue

102 Séance plénière

102 Programme technique

104 Ateliers

105 Programme social

106 Excursions

106 Face à Face

106 Programme des étudiants

107 Programme des invités

108 M4S

109 Forum Les femmes en exploitation minière

109 Salon commercial de l’ICM

109 Foire de l’emploi de l’ICM

MINES WITHOUT BORDERSMINES SANS FRONTIÈRES

Montréal skyline from the Old PortPhoto courtesy of Tourisme Montréal, Stéphan Poulin

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PLENARY SESSION

TECHNICAL PROGRAM

Mines without borders

Hear from industry and community leaders about the challenges and opportunitiesthey face, locally and globally, and gain insights into their experience and outlook onthe future. Topics will cover challenges in finding and developing qualified staff glob-ally, integrating supply chains, understanding the responsibilities of multinationalson cultural challenges, transparency, disclosure and governance/political risks.

Moderator Stéphan Bureau, one of Quebec’s most prominent journalists, will lead apanel of industry giants in a discussion on the need for early development of strongcommunity relations and demonstration of social responsibility in Canada and aroundthe world. The panel will also discuss current hot topics of interest to mining industryand professionals.

The latest technologies, updates on current operations and strategies to increaseyour company’s bottom line will be included in this year’s technical program. As anadded feature, the characteristics of the Arctic will be featured in the second “diag-onal track,” while CIM is also proud to include the 3rd Iron Ore Symposium — it isa packed program!

We are taking full advantage of our host city’s bilingualism to reach out to the Fran-cophone sector of our industry. Also, all Francophonie, Plan Nord and Iron Ore Sym-posium sessions offer simultaneous translation in both official languages.

La FrancophonieUnderstanding the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of mining in the30+ countries where French is a key language, as well as how supply services firms,government and educational institutions operate outside of Canada, will directlyimpact the role of Canadian exploration and mining — which is why it is a pivotalarea of this program.

Plan Nord (Nordic Regions)The Government of Quebec’s Plan Nord concept focuses on a socially responsible andsustainable form of economic development. Sessions will explore topics specific tomining in northern regions, the challenges and opportunities involved in mining theseareas, as well as working in remote/Arctic sites and alongside Aboriginal peoples.

3rd Iron Ore SymposiumIron ore production grew for seven consecutive years, from 2003 to 2008, due pri-marily to phenomenal economic growth in China. This trend reversed itself in thefinal months of 2008, and most of 2009 was characterized by a steep decline inproduction as iron ore prices plummeted as a result of the global economic downturn.During this time as well, the industry witnessed the breakdown of annual iron oreprice-setting negotiations between the three major producers and steelmakers —a tradition that dated back 40 years. Since 2009 — after 30 years of iron ore mineclosures in North America and northern Europe — many large and small miningcompanies have new iron ore development projects in the works. The year 2010marked the beginning of a new era of quarterly negotiations for setting the price ofiron ore.

This symposium will offer topical discussion forums for professionals from publicand private companies, as well as government, academia and research centresaround the world. It will also provide a unique networking opportunity to meet keyplayers, discuss critical issues and to obtain technical advice from those working inthe field.

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to the CIM Conference& Exhibition 2011, taking place from May 22 to 25 in Montreal,Quebec, Canada. Following a hugely successful event in Van-couver last year, where we saw our industry come together inunprecedented numbers, we are planning an even bigger eventin Montreal this coming year.

It is an important time for our industry — economic issues,globalization, environmental stewardship and technology areat the forefront of discussions in boardrooms across the coun-try, as well as around the world. Our 2011 technical programwill address these key areas by drawing in over 6,000 partici-pants who will network and exchange ideas with peers andbusiness leaders alike. This is a unique opportunity to tap intoa trillion-dollar global industry.

The technical program features sessions on Projects, Best Prac-tices, People & Business Management, Environmental & SocialResponsibility, Innovation & Technology, Earth Science, and theIron Ore Symposium. This year, two important themes will com-plement the range of topics included in the technical program:1) “Grand Nord,” a government program that addresses miningchallenges in the northern parts of the country, and 2) “La Fran-cophonie,” targeting the French-speaking mining community,which includes several countries in Africa and around the globe.

Additionally, CIM’s largest exhibition floor features more than400 top industry equipment and service providers. The “Face toFace – The Mining Encounter” program will give mining execu-tives and suppliers an exclusive setting for one-on-one discus-sions. New this year, conference goers will benefit fromsimultaneous translation throughout our program.

Join us and add your voice to the thousands more who will cometogether to do business in this unique international setting.

Sincerely,Martin PoirierGeneral Chair

www.cim.org/montreal2011

Photo courtesy of Ron Stern

Palais des congrès de Montréal (Convention Centre)

WELCOME TO MONTREAL

Bonjour!

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PROJECTS BEST PRACTICES

PEOPLE & BUSINESS

MANAGEMENT

ENVIRONMENT SOCIALRESPONSIBILITY

INNOVATION &

TECHNOLOGY

MINEXSUCCESS

IRON ORE SYMPOSIUM

MON AM9:00 – 11:30 PLENARY

NOON – 2:00 LUNCHEON ON TRADE SHOW FLOOR

MON PM2:00 – 4:15

PLAN NORDAgnico-Eagle:

Mining practices for the growingmultinationalcorporation

EnergyManagement

FRANCOPHONIEWorkforcePlanning

EnvironmentPlenary

FRANCOPHONIECommunitySuccesses

Health & Safety

Geology I –Lithium,

Phosphateand PotashResources

Iron Ore Resources:

a Global Review

TUES AM8:30 – 10:00

ExplorationAdvanced

Prefeasibility

PLAN NORDLogistics

Collaboration toOvercome

HR Challenges

Sustainability & Environment

CSR 101:Understanding CSR

Expectations andBaseline Practices

&CSR Good Practices and Lessons Learned

CMIC –Case Studies

Innovations in Rock

Engineering I

Iron Ore Resources:

Key Projects in Development

10:00 – 10:30 COFFEE BREAK

TUES AM10:30 – NOON

Mines inDevelopment

Maintenance & Reliability

PLAN NORDThe Osisko Story

(Part 1):Exemplary

Leadership andInnovation

FRANCOPHONIEEnvironment

CSR 102: Raising the

CSR Bar

Mine Planning &

ManagementSystems

Geology II –Rare MetalResources I

Mining Operations

NOON – 2:00 LUNCHEON ON TRADE SHOW FLOOR

TUES PM2:00 – 4:15

Mines in Action

FRANCOPHONIEThe Osisko Story

(Part II):A New Set

of Best Practices

Shareholders (NI 43-101)

Reclamation & Closure

Water & Human Rights

SMART - Surface Mining

AdvancedResearch

Technologies

Innovations in Rock

Engineering II

Concentration & Pelletizing

I

WED AM8:30 – 10:00

FRANCOPHONIERegional Economic

Development

New Concepts in Mine

Operations

FINANCE & MANAGEMENT

DAYOpportunities in Non-traditional

Financing

Waste Management

(M3)

SupportingExcellence

in CSR PLAN NORD

Geology III –Ore Deposits

Related toMafic

Intrusions

Iron Ore

Plenary I

10:00 – 10:30 COFFEE BREAK

WED AM10:30 – NOON

Geology IV - Rare Metal

Resources II

Engineering, Maintenance & Reliability

FINANCE & MANAGEMENT

DAYTraditionalFinancing

PLAN NORDEnvironment

CSR Case Studies:Executing in

ComplexJurisidictions

NewDevelopments

in AdvancedSystems andTechnologies

for Mining

Innovations in Rock

EngineeringIII

Iron Ore Plenary II

NOON – 2:00 CLOSING LUNCH

WED PM2:00 – 5:00

FINANCE & MANAGEMENT

DAYEssentials to

Financing&

Panel Session

Concentration & Pelletizing

II

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCE

MONDAY • 2:00 PM

Plan Nord — Agnico-Eagle: Mining practices for thegrowing multinational corporationChairs: Daniel Racine, Senior Vice-President, Operations, Agnico-Eagle MinesLimited and Carol Plummer, General Manager, Expansion Project: Kittila

LaRonde extension: mine design at 3 kmPascal Larouche, Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited: LaRonde Division

Challenges at Agnico-Eagle’s Lapa mine Frédéric Mercier-Langevin, Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited: Lapa Division

Projects Complex underground mega-blast initiated successfully by ElectronicBlasting System in urban areas Marc Moffette, Jean-François Lagueux, Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited: GoldexDivision, and André Pomerleau, Orica Canada

Implementing safe production at Agnico-Eagle’s Kittila mineJean Béliveau, Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited: Kittila Division

Agnico-Eagle - Pinos Altos mine: challenges of mining in the Sierra MadreMountains Luis Felipe Medina, Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited Mexico

Agnico-Eagle – Meadowbank mine: environmental challenges North of 60Stéphane Robert, Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited: Meadowbank Division

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Energy Management Chair: Mel Harju, Energy Advisor, Maxemiser Energy Services

Ventilation-on-Demand control systems — impact on energy savings andair quality Marc Boudreau, SEC Mine de fer du Lac Bloom, Cheryl Allen, Vale, and AndréDumais, Bestech

Assessing the value of Ventilation-on-Demand — collaborative researchresults Glenn Lyle, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI)

Using gas monitoring and personnel & vehicle tracking to maximize thebenefits of Ventilation-on-Demand in underground mining operationsDave McCullough, Tanveer Jahir, Jian Zhao, Mohamed H. Mohammed and JohnDavid (Dave) McCullough, Conspec Controls Limited

Application of VOD software for the heat recovery calculations in minesHugo Dello Sbarba, Université Laval, Andrew Dasys, Objectivity, and Glenn Lyleand Keith Bullock, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI)

Enabling advanced energy management practices for mineral operations Dean Millar, Laurentian University, and Glenn Lyle and Keith Bullock, Centre forExcellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI)

Francophonie — Work Force PlanningChair: Chris Stafford, President, C.J. Stafford & AssociatesSession description and abstracts not available at time of publication.

Environment Plenary Chairs: Janice M. Zinck, Manager, Mine Waste Management and FootprintReduction (Processing) Program, Bryan Tisch, Senior Environmental Scientist,CANMET Mining and Mineral Sciences Laboratories (MMSL), and Dave Forrester,Senior Mining Engineer – Environment, AECOM Tecsult Inc.Prominent speakers from the Canadian mining community will present onbest practices, trends and issues in mining environmental management. A brief panel discussion will follow the presentations.

Best Practices

People & Business Management

Environment

Panelists confirmed to date:• Justine Laurie-Lean, Mining Association of Canada (MAC)• Louise Laverdure, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), Green Mining

Initiative• Bob MacDonald, ECBC, Devco Mine Site Closure Program

Francophonie — Community Successes Chair: Stephen Naire, Managing Director, Lundin for Africa FoundationLearn how mining companies working with government and communitygroups results in access to electricity for families, installation and repairof fresh water wells, financial support and the establishment of localsmall businesses — all in accordance with economic, social and culturalguidelines respective to each individual country.

Health & Safety Chair: Victor V. Pakalnis, Professor, Queen’s University

Improving safety with GPS-based proximity detection Casey Erickson, Paul Tenhet and Kiley Zacharias, Barrick Goldstrike Mines Inc.

Astid — the impact of real-time intervention to prevent driver sleepiness Ian Thomas, Fatigue Management International

The seven delusions in disaster-prone organizations Corrie Pitzer, SAFEmap International

Integrated proximity detection Lucas van Latum, Modular Mining Systems Inc.

Geology I — Lithium, Phosphate and Potash Resources Chairs: Michelle Stone, Vice-President – Exploration, and Mark N.J. Ashcroft,President & CEO, Stonegate Agricom Limited

Quebec Lithium Project Charles Taschereau, Canada Lithium Corporation

Development of the Saskatchewan potash mines Mike Mayhew and Vern Evans, Stantec Consulting

Paris Hills Phosphate Project Michelle Stone, Jim P. Geyer and Mark N.J. Ashcroft, Stonegate Agricom Limited

The Mantaro Phosphate Deposit, Peru Michelle Stone, Pedro Olivares, Graham A. Spiers and Mark N.J. Ashcroft,Stonegate Agricom Limited

Iron Ore Resources: A Global Review Chair: Serge Perreault, Senior Geologist, SOQUEM Inc.

The North American iron ore industry — a decade into the 21st century John Jorgenson, U.S. Geological Survey

Minnesota — providing sustainable iron ore for the North American steelindustry Peter Clevenstine, MN DNR

Iron ore — Canada’s global position Michel Dumont, IM & Iron Ore, Natural Resources Canada

The iron ranges of Western Labrador: a cornerstone of economic growthand a vast resource for the futureAndrew Kerr, Geological Survey, and John Clarke, Department of NaturalResources, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador

Picture of the iron ore industry in Québec Denis Blackburn and Denis Raymond, Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlifeof Québec

Social Responsibility

Innovation & Technology

MinEx Success

Iron Ore Symposium

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TUESDAY • 8:30 AM

Exploration Advanced Prefeasibility Chair: Brigitte Dejou, Senior Geological Engineer, Osisko Mining Corporation

The Matoush Project: the first five years of an exceptional uranium projectin the Otish Basin Jonathan Lafontaine, Strateco Resources

The Hammond Reef Gold DepositAnne Charland, Osisko Mining Corporation

The Scott Lake Project: geology and development of a polymetallicdeposit in the Chibougamau areaGérald Riverin and Tony Brisson, Cogitore Resources Inc.

A new mine for Ontario Laurie Gaborit, Detour Gold Corporation

Plan Nord — Logistics Session description and abstracts not available at time of publication.

Collaboration to Overcome HR Challenges Chair: Alana Kennedy, Director, Marketing & Communications, MiHR CouncilInnovative HR practices and initiatives will be showcased in an interactiveformat that is not just informative, but will demonstrate how yourorganization can start to implement some of these initiatives andstrategies. Senior human resources leaders will take you into theirorganizations, share their stories, answer questions on their approach,and encourage other companies to do the same.

Sustainability & EnvironmentChair: Bernard Aubé, Service Lead, Water Treatment, AMEC

Developing a consistent remedial approach for the Cape BretonDevelopment Corporation Mine Closure ProgramBelinda Campbell, Public Works & Government Services Canada

Investigation of cause for MMER using Hyalella Azteca: results from theBirchtree mine Karen Munro and Malcolm Stephenson, Stantec, and Dave McDonald, Vale

A river-protection approach to deriving site-specific water-qualityguidelines for heavy metals in mitigation planning for an industrial site Glenn Barr, Mike McKernan and David Huebert, Stantec Consulting Limited

Mine water management — challenges, technology and solutions Graham Sim, GE Water & Process Technologies

Projects

Best Practices

People & Business Management

Environment

CSR 101: Understanding CSR Expectations and BaselinePractices Chair: Bernard Aubé, Service Lead, Water Treatment, AMECThis session provides a practical and differentiated overview of CSRmanagement during the phases of exploration, construction andoperation.

CSR Good Practices and Lessons Learned Chair: Alistair Kent, Project ManagerThree CSR papers will be presented to the audience, which cover a rangeof international and Canadian CSR perspectives on good practices andlessons learned, with time for questions and audience feedback.

CMIC — Case Studies Chair: Thomas Hynes, Executive Director, Canada Mining Innovation Council(CMIC)

Exploration Innovation Consortium — an initiative of the Canada MiningInnovation Council (CMIC) Francois Robert, Barrick Gold Corporation, and Richard Tosdal, Canada MiningInnovation Council

Re-thinking underground hard rock mining Alex Henderson, Vale

An oil sands tailings research initiative Gordon Winkel, University of Alberta, and Alan Fair, Syncrude Canada Limited

Innovations in Rock Engineering I Chairs: Denis Thibodeau, Strategic Rock Mechanics Manager, Vale, and HaniMitri, Professor, McGill University

The Deep Mining Research Consortium — update 2011 Charles B. Graham, CAMIRO Mining Division, and Graham Swan, Graham SwanRock Mechanics and Mine Design

A “multiple front” research approach to addressing risk in highly stressedore bodies Damien Duff, Benoit Valley, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI)

Numerical modelling of mining-induced stress and microseismicresponse using FLAC3D Shahe Shnorhokian and Hani Mitri, McGill University, and Denis Thibodeau, Vale

Innovative engineering approach to the stabilization of rock masses inhigh-stress conditions Francois Charette, Dynamic Rock Support NA, and Charlie C. Li, NorwegianUniversity of Science and Technology

Iron Ore Resources: Key Projects in Development Chairs: Daniel Gagnon, Manager, Mining Group, Met-Chem Canada Inc., andGuy Saucier, Vice-President Mining and Mineral Processing, Roche Limited

A new player in the Labrador TroughNicole Velcic and Matt Simpson, Alderon Resource Corp.

New Millennium: Canada’s emerging global iron ore producer Biswajit Chanda and Robert Martin, New Millennium Capital Corp.

A new DSO iron ore producer in Labrador John F. Kearney, Canadian Zinc Corporation

Innovation & Technology

Social Responsibility (B)

Social Responsibility (A)

MinEx Success

Iron Ore Symposium

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TUESDAY • 10:30 AM

Mines in Development Chair: Pierre Bertrand, General Director, SOQUEM Inc.

Le projet Sept-Îles : un gisement d’apatite en développementFrançois Biron, Mine Arnaud

Mise en valeur par les Mines Opinaca du projet aurifère ÉléonoreGuy Belleau, Les Mines Opinaca

The Renard Diamond Project Patrick Godin, Stornoway Diamonds Corporation

Découverte et développement du gisement aurifère Canadian MalarticRobert Wares, Osisko Mining Corporation

Maintenance & Reliability Chair: B.F. (Ben) Kubica, President, J.F. Comer Inc.

Drum hoisting in North America — approach to design Mike Robotham, DavyMarkham Limited

Projects

Best Practices

Drum hoists — case study Gordon Scott, DavyMarkham Limited

Automated shovel tooth wear monitoring with machine vision Matthew Baumann, Shahram Tafazoli and Mehran Motamed, Motion Metrics Int’lCorp.

Advanced gear inspection Tom Shumka, Global Inspections-NDT, Inc.

Plan Nord — The Osisko Story (Part I): ExemplaryLeadership and InnovationChair: Chris Stafford, President, C.J. Stafford & Associates

Building a leading new gold company — the Osisko StorySean Roosen, Osisko Mining Corporation

Recruiting and developing a new team for the Canadian Malartic Project Robert Mailhot, Osisko Mining Corporation

Financing the $1 billion Canadian Malartic Project in a challengingeconomic environment Bryan Coates and Andre Le Bel, Osisko Mining Corporation

Francophonie — Environment Chair: Michel Julien, Main Associate, Golder Associates Limited

The Mauritania experience in environment in the mining sector: 1999-2010Yolaine le Beau, Tecsult Environnement Bureau de Montréal Inc.

CSR 102: Raising the CSR Bar Chairs: Lee Nehring, Vice-President, Sustainability, Xstrata Nickel, and JosephPeter Ringwald, Director, Belmont Resources Inc.This session adds more depth into the CSR dialogue and providesaudience members with the opportunity to learn more about increasingthe focus on sustainability, as well as continuous improvement of theexecution of CSR practice.

Mine Planning & Management Systems Chair: Greg Lanz, Manager, Sales and Marketing Services, Modular MiningSystems

The use of dispatch position and velocity data to enhance haul truckoptimization Christopher Langmead and Jonathan Werner, Suncor Energy Inc.

Challenges with transparency — the need for change management inimplementing mine management and tracking systems Robert McCarthy, Snowden Group

Simulation modelling for a truck and shovel dispatching system in openpit mining Tomoyasu Ishikawa, Kazuo Suzuki and Yoshiyuki Higuchi, Fukushima University,Hiroshi Ogura, Katsuaki Tanaka, Kazuhiro Sugawara and Teruo Nakamura,Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Limited

Optimizing open pit/underground cut over Anthony Finch, Snowden Mining Industry Consultants

People & Business Management

Environment

Social Responsibility

Innovation & Technology

May 22-25, 2011 | Montreal, QC

84 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1www.cim.org/montreal2011

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Geology II — Rare Metal Resources I Chairs: David Lentz, Economic Geology Chair, University of New Brunswick, andTassos Grammatikopoulos, Senior Process Mineralogist, SGS Canada Inc.

Rare earth resources: an overview David Lentz, University of New Brunswick

Mesoproterozoic rare-earth element deposits of the Labrador Shield: anoverview of the geological context, mineralization and explorationpotentialAndrew Kerr, Geological Survey of Newfoundland and Labrador

Strange Lake: an overview of geology, mineralization and alteration ofQuest Rare Minerals’ B Zone Patrick Collins, Quest Rare Minerals

The geology of the Nechalacho Heavy Rare Earth and Rare Metal Deposit,Thor Lake, Northwest Territories, CanadaWilliam Mercer, Jens Chris Pedersen, Dave Trueman and Finley Bakker, AvalonRare Metals Inc.

Mining Operations Chairs: Daniel Gagnon, Manager, Mining Group, Met-Chem Canada Inc., andGuy Saucier, Vice-President, Mining and Mineral Processing, Roche Limited

Essar Steel Minnesota LLC — status update Steve Rutherford and Ted Anderson, Essar Steel Minnesota

TUESDAY • 2:00 PM

Mines in Action Chair: André Roy, Business Development - Mining and Mineral Processing,Roche Limited

Xstrata Nickel’s Raglan Operation — exciting new projects Kenny Cheong and Mélanie Côté, Xstrata Nickel - Mine Raglan

Mining innovations at the McArthur River Operation James F. Hatley, David Bronkhorst, Greg Murdock and Kevin Quesnel, CamecoCorporation

Mines Aurizon Ltée : Casa Berardi et bien plus! Martin Bergeron, Mines Aurizon Ltée

The Osisko Story (Part II): A new set of best practices Chair: Jean Vavrek, Executive Director, Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgyand Petroleum

Canadian Malartic — fast tracking a project from feasibility to production Luc Lessard, Osisko Mining Corporation

Gaining the legal and social licenses to operate the Canadian MalarticProject — a case study for permitting mining projects in QuebecJean Sébastien David, Osisko Mining Corporation

Mining in town: the Canadian Malartic approachPaul Johnson, Osisko Mining Corporation

Design and equipment selection approach for the Canadian processingplantDenis Cimon, Osisko Mining Corporation

MinEx Success

Iron Ore Symposium

Projects

Best Practices

Shareholders (NI 43-101) Chair: Gregory John Gosson, Technical Director, Geology & Geostatistics, AMEC

Inclusion of Inferred Mineral Resources in economic analyses Gregory John Gosson, AMEC

Reclamation & Closure Chairs: Bruno Bussière, Professor, Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue, and Bryan Tisch, Senior Environmental Scientist,CANMET-MMSL, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)

Closure planning guiding principles: using 10 years of hindsight from theCBDC Mine Closure ProgramJoseph MacPhee, Public Works Government Services Canada

Creating resilient ecosystems on sterile mining residue Steve Lalancette, Centre Jardin Lac Pelletier

Biodiversity conservation management — what nature has in store forthe industryChristian Matossian and Paul MacLean, EEM Inc., and Eric Muller, TERRAGeographical Studies Inc.

Reclaiming the other half of the Athabasca Oil Sands Glenn Barr and Carol Jones, Stantec Consulting Limited

Biodegradable drilling fluids as fertilizers in soil reclamation: experienceat the La Bodega Project, ColombiaB. Stella Frias, Ventana Gold Corp., and Paulo A. Rueda, Universidad PontificiaBolivariana de Bucaramanga

Environment

People & Business Management

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Water & Human Rights Chair: Lee Nehring, Vice-President, Sustainability, Xstrata Nickel The CEO Water Mandate, a collaborative initiative between the UnitedNations Global Compact, government and business leaders, is the startingpoint for an afternoon simulation exercise for participants to guide themthrough the challenges and opportunities associated with maintaining andsupporting the human right to potable water on a global scale. After abrief presentation and dialogue on the Water Mandate and other relatedinternational standards and principles, participants will break into smallgroups to work through simulation cases that will provide them with theopportunity to explore risk management and CSR challenges within thecontext of this emerging and material global concern.

SMART — Surface Mining Advanced ResearchTechnologies Chair: Christopher Langmead, Manager, Operations Engineering – Mining,Suncor Energy Inc.

Technology development in Shell’s oil sands tailings management Paul Graham, Jonathan Matthews, Nav Dhadli and Peter House, Shell CanadaLimited

Innovations in Rock Engineering II Chairs: Rimas T. Pakalnis, Professor, University of British Columbia, and James F.Archibald, Professor, Queen’s University

Stope stability monitoring at the Goldex mine Patrick Frenette, Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited

A new rock stress factor for the stability graph method Rory Hughes and Hani Mitri, McGill University, and Benny Zhang, AMECAmericas Limited

Stability of pillars and tabular excavations under shear loading conditions Fidelis Suorineni, MIRARCO/Geomechanics Research Centre, Peter K. Kaiser,CEMI, Joseph Juma Mgumbwa, School of Engineering, Laurentian University,and Reginald Dhelda Mfanga

Fine-tuning raisebore stability assessments and risk Ben Coombes, Warren Arthur Peck and Max Frank Lee, AMC Consultants PtyLimited

Concentration & Pelletizing I Chairs: Michel Garant, Director Technology – Ferrous Sector, Corem, andStephanie Gourde, Project Manager – Mining and Mineral Processing, RocheLimited

Reducing both fuel consumption and GHG emissions: a retrofit concept fora Dravo-Lurgi iron ore induration furnace Bruce R. Clements, R. Pomalis, L. Zheng and T. Herage, CANMET ENERGY, andE. Godin, ArcelorMittal

Biomass as fuel and reductant for iron ore and smelting processes Reza Naghash, Iron Ore Company of Canada

Taking control of the burners, a motivation for the ArcelorMittal MinesCanada Pellet Plant personnel Gaétan J. Lavoie, ArcelorMittal

IOC’s best practice in improving pellet quality and its focus on concentrateexpansion Rénard Chaigneau, Rio Tinto

LKAB Green Pellets Dan Hallberg, Anna Dahlstedt, Christian Fredriksson and Bo Lindblom, LKAB

Iron Ore Symposium

MinEx Success

Innovation & Technology

Social Responsibility

WEDNESDAY • 8:30 AM

Francophonie — Regional Economic Development Chair: Martin Poirier, Corporate Manager - HME, Semafo Inc.Learn about the processes to reach partnerships with foreigngovernments, as did Semafo Inc. with that of Burkina Faso, Africa. Presenter confirmed to date :• Ugo Landry-Tolszczuk, Operations Manager, SEMAFO Energy Inc.

Projects

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May 22-25, 2011 | Montreal, QC

WOMEN IN MINING FORUM

Tuesday, May 24

Forum: 3:00 to 5:00

Pushing the boundariesThis year’s Women in Mining Forum explores how women from allfacets of the minerals industry are helping to break down the barriersto full inclusion in a traditionally male-dominated industry. A lineup ofpanelists will share personal and professional accounts of their journeysto overcome conventional limitations and create a new face on the min-ing front. This is a not-to-be-missed event for women and men alike.

Cost: Included in the full conference delegate registration fee (aseparate $50 registration fee applies to visitors to the CIM Exhibition,exhibitor staff, one-day conference delegates and workshop(s)attendees only and includes the reception.

Reception: 5:00 to 7:00

A reception will follow the Women in Mining Forum, featuring keynotespeaker Leanne Hall, Vice-President Human Resources, NorontResources Ltd., who will deliver an inspiring presentation entitledWomen of the Ring of Fire.

Although admission to the forum is free for full conference delegates,there is a $25 fee for the reception.

Leanne Hall

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New Concepts in Mine Operations Chair: Tony George, Vice-President Development, Lucara Diamond Corp.

Overburden mining improvements at Suncor Energy’s Millennium mine Craig Simpson, Douglas Lacey and Tim Dreger, Suncor Energy

In-pit crushing and conveying — fitting a square peg in a round open pit Robert McCarthy, Snowden Group

The use of a wiki format to compile mine design knowledge Glenn David Lyle, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), SteveMcKinnon, Queen’s University, and George McIssac and Andrew Dasys,Objectivity, Inc.

Using high-precision GPS applications to meet truck-level ore blendingrequirements in the oil sands Glen Trainor, Wenco International Mining, and Loyd Wheating, CNRL

Waste Management (M3) Chair: Michel Aubertin, Professor, École Polytechnique de Montréal

The role of slurry consolidation modelling in mine tailings planning Gord Pollock, AMEC Earth & Environmental

Modelling effectiveness of covers for tailings closure — case studies Lindsay Robertson, Pamela Fines and Len M. Murray, Klohn Crippen BergerLimited

Environmental relevance of the leachate potential for dry storage ofdelayed coke Patrick Sean Wells and Joseph Fournier, Suncor Energy Inc. - Oil Sands

Procedures for assessing flow capacity and seepage face patterns oflinear deposits of mine wasteAli Roshanfekr and David Hansen, Dalhousie University

Supporting Excellence in CSR Chair: Normand Champigny, Senior Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopersA panel of speakers from the federal government, non-governmentalorganizations, industry and the federal CSR Counselor will provide theirperspectives on how best to develop and support excellence in CSR, withthe aim of provoking a spirited, constructive debate between the paneland members of the audience.

Plan Nord Chair: To be confirmedSession description and abstracts not available at time of publication.

Geology III — Ore Deposits Related to Mafic Intrusions Chairs: Garth Kirkham, President, Kirkham Geosystems Limited, and ChristopherDavis, Senior Geologist and Project Manager, Vale

An overview of the mines and Ni-Cu-PGE-Au deposits of the Vale Ontariooperations (Part 1) Christopher Raymond Davis, Vale

An overview of the mines and Ni-Cu-PGE-Au deposits of the Vale Ontariooperations (Part 2)Christopher Raymond Davis, Vale

Geology and mines exploration: an overview of the Ni sulphide deposits ofthe Vale Thompson, Manitoba operations Graeme Gribbin, Vale

Environment

Social Responsibility

Innovation & Technology

MinEx Success

Best PracticesGeology and exploration: an overview of the Voisey’s Bay Ni-Cu-Codeposits of the Vale Newfoundland and Labrador operations Dawn Evans-Lamswood, Vale

Iron Ore Plenary I Chairs: Serge Perreault, Senior Geologist, SOQUEM Inc., and Guy Saucier, Vice-President, Mining and Mineral Processing, Roche LimitedThe plenary session will present a panel of experts drawn from iron oreproducers, as well as local and international steelmakers who willgenerate lively discussions on the following topics: 1) What will be theimpact of the arrival of new players in the market? 2) Will they have aninfluence on the new iron ore price agreement between producers andsteelmakers? and 3) Who will benefit the most from the relinquishment ofannual iron ore price agreements, after 40 years of reliance on thispractice by steelmakers and mining companies?

WEDNESDAY • 10:30 AM

Geology IV — Rare Metal Resources II Chairs: David Lentz, Economic Geology Chair, University of New Brunswick, andTassos Grammatikopoulos, Senior Mineralogist, SGS Canada Inc.

Exploration of the Clay-Howells magnetite-rich REE-Nb carbonatite,northern Ontario Reginald Felix, Rare Earth Metals Inc, and David Lentz, University of NewBrunswick

Geology of the Gallinas Mountains Ree Deposit, Lincoln and Torrancecounties, New Mexico, USA: preliminary reportVirginia McLemore, New Mexico Bureau of Geology, and Malcolm Bucholtz,Strategic Resources

Exploration strategy for the REE-Y-Nb mineralization in the peralkalicWelsford Intrusive Complex, southern New Brunswick Alex Smith and David Lentz, University of New Brunswick

Quantitative characterization of the rare earth element minerals byQEMSCAN for geological and metallurgical applications Tassos Grammatikopoulos, Chris Gunning and Sarah Prout, SGS Canada Inc.

Projects

Iron Ore Symposium

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CIM — A COMMUNITY FOR LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERTISE

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FINANCE & MANAGEMENT DAY

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8:20 Opening Remarks

OPPORTUNITIES IN NON-TRADITIONAL FINANCINGChair: Jane Spooner, Vice-President, Micon International Limited8:30 A new world for mine financing: new opportunities

including royaltiesDavid Harquail, Franco-Nevada Corporation

9:00 Financing using equity lines of creditPierre Soulard, Ogilvy Renault

9:30 Financing alternatives in challenging environmentsGordon Bogden and George Mihaleto, Gryphon Partners

10:00 Networking break

TRADITIONAL FINANCINGChair: Larry D. Smith, Senior Manager of Project Evaluations & Strategic Analysis, Barrick Gold Corporation10:30 Bank loans, independent engineer’s role, completion

tests Jeff Stufsky, BNP Paribas

New Developments in Advanced Systems andTechnologies for Mining Chair: Laura Mottola, Director, Business Improvement, Quadra FNX MiningLimited

Autonomous mine haulage — the intangible business case Anthony Cook, Modular Mining Systems

Considerations of clean diesel and alternative energies for undergroundproduction vehiclesMarc Bétournay, Mahe Gangal, Brent Rubeli and Pierre Laliberté, CANMET-MMSL, Karim Zhaghib, Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec, and Andrei V.Tchouvelev, A.V. Tchouvelev & Associates Inc.

Experiments in real-time map-based underground global positioning Joshua A. Marshall, Queen’s University, and Stefan Radacina Rusu and JohnHayes, Carleton University

Automation for process control and lean mining Laura Mottola, Quadra FNX Mining Limited, and Malcolm Scoble, University ofBritish Columbia

Innovation & Technology

Engineering, Maintenance & Reliability Chair: Charles E. (Ted) Knight, Regional Manager, Risk & Reliability, Hatch

Achieving reliability from data at Cerrejón Coal Murray Wiseman, OMDEC, Daming Lin, LivingReliability Inc., and Gerardo Vargasand Juan Carlos Consuegra, Cerrejon

A comparison of operational risk assessment and reliability-centeredmaintenance Doug Stretton, PricewaterhouseCoopers

Evolving equipment health, a Rio Tinto case study Daniel Adams, Rio Tinto

Scale of use of diesel-powered mobile equipment in selected Quebecmetal mines Jacek Paraszczak and Alan Béland, Université Laval, and Marcel Laflamme,CANMET-MMSL

Plan Nord — Environment Chair: Michael Nahir, Manager, Engineering Services, Indian and Northern Affairs

Kemess South mine closure and reclamation Georgia Lysay, Northgate Minerals Corporation, Jennifer McConnachie andCarolyn Johns, Kemess Mine, and Jordan Evans, Thompson Rivers University

Project design through Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit Matthew Pickard, Baffinland Iron Mines Corporation, and Stephen WilliamsonBathory, Qikiqtani Inuit Association

An open pit mine and the relocation of a neighbourhood: the experience ofOsisko Mining Corporation in Malartic, Quebec Julien Rivard, AECOM Tecsult Inc., and Hélène Thibault, Osisko Mining Corporation

Covers in the NorthJoanne Petrini, AECOM Tecsult Inc.

CSR Case Studies: Executing in Complex Jurisdictions Chair: Normand Champigny, Senior Consultant, PricewaterhouseCoopersThis session will present three significant CSR case studies from threedifferent jurisdictions and is intended to be the practical culmination ofthis year’s CSR track. At the end of this session, audience membersshould come away with greater awareness on how to better manageCSR-related issues from both strategic and tactical perspectives.

Best Practices

Environment

Social Responsibility

May 22-25, 2011 | Montreal, QC

Organized by the CIM Management and Economics Society

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 25

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www.cim.org/montreal2011February 2011 | 89

11:00 The role of development agency lendersDoug Macaulay/Tin Lwin, Export Development Canada

11:30 Equity finance and IPOsTo be confirmed

12:00 Conference closing luncheon

ESSENTIALS TO FINANCINGChair: David Clarry, Principal, Innotain Inc.2:00 De-risking the mine project: the key to finding capital in tough

markets Mauro Chiesa, Independent Consultant

2:30 Improving mining projects with the IFC performance standards Jenifer Hill, Micon International Limited

3:00 Networking break

PANEL SESSION 3:30 Title and moderator to be confirmed4:30 Wrap-up

PREMIER

GOLD | OR

DIAMOND | DIAMANT

SILVER | ARGENT

COPPER | CUIVRE

M4S

FRIENDS | AMIS

Innovations in Rock Engineering III Chairs: Damien Duff, R&D Program Director, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation(CEMI), and John Henning, Senior Rock Mechanics Engineer, Goldcorp Inc.

Lidar geotechnical mapping for the construction of deep underground scienceand engineering laboratory at the former Homestake mineZbigniew Hladysz, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Steven Otto andKevin Hachmeister, Golder Associates Limited, Carolyn Randolph-Loar, Lachel andAssociates, Scott Schiele, Maptek, Inc., Thomas Trancynger, Sanford Laboratory, andRandy Deibert, Four Front Design Inc.

Numerical analysis of the early response of paste backfill in underground minestopes Michel Aubertin, École Polytechnique de Montréal

Backfill practice at Copper Cliff North Mine (CCNM) Mehdi Razavi, Enrique Isagon and Steve Townend, Vale

Measuring blast fragmentation by analyzing shovel bucket contents Edmond Chow, Hairong Zeng and Shahram Tafazoli, Motion Metrics International

Iron Ore Plenary II Chairs: Serge Perreault, Senior Geologist, SOQUEM Inc., and Guy Saucier, Vice-President Mining and Mineral Processing, Roche LimitedThe plenary session will present a panel of experts drawn from iron oreproducers and local and international steelmakers who will generatediscussions on the following topics: 1) What will be the impact of the arrival ofnew players in the market? 2) Will they have an influence on the new iron oreprice agreement between producers and steelmakers? and 3) Who will benefitthe most from the relinquishment of annual iron ore price agreements, after 40years of reliance on this practice by steelmakers and mining companies?

WEDNESDAY • 2:00 PM

Concentration & Pelletizing II Chairs: Michel Garant, Director Technology - Ferrous Sector, Corem, and StephanieGourde, Project Manager - Mining and Mineral Processing, Roche LimitedThe amount of thermal energy required to pelletize iron ore creates constantpressure on the industry to improve the process. Some of the major challengesto be met by this industry in the years to come include enhancing the quality ofcooked pellets, gaining better control of production constancy, and furtheringresearch into cooking processes that require less energy.

Iron Ore Symposium

Iron Ore Symposium

MinEx Success

CIM — A COMMUNITY FOR LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERTISE

SPONSORS | COMMANDITAIRES

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Mining 101 — An Introduction toMining and Mineral ProcessingThis course covers the basic concepts of mining andmineral processing: how mines are found, how theyare built, how the ore is processed, how the waste isdisposed, and how mineral products are marketed. The

course is aimed at those who have little or no back-ground in mining or mineral processing, but find themselves

working in the industry and wanting to learn more.

Instructor: Angelina Mehta, Senoir Business and Strategic Planning Engineer,Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) | Date: Sunday, May 22 | Time: 13:00 to17:00

The Cyanide Code — A Canadian PerspectiveThis course covers cyanide code overview and recent experiences with thecyanide code (industry, government, NGO and external auditor/consultantperspective).

Instructor: Paul Bateman, President, and Norm Greenwald, Vice-President,International Cyanide Management Institute (ICMI) | Date: Sunday, May 22 |Time: 13:00 to 17:00

MAC’s Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM)initiative 2004–2011Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) is a strategy developed by The MiningAssociation of Canada to improve the industry’s performance by aligning itsactions with the priorities and values of Canadians in order to build a betterindustry. TSM, which is based on a specific set of guiding principles, is stew-arded by the Governance Team and led by MAC’s board of directors as wellas a group of initiative leaders.

Instructor: Julie Gelfand, Vice-President, Sustainable Development, MiningAssociation of Canada | Date:Wednesday, May 25 | Time: 9:00 to 12:00

Management of Tailings FacilitiesThe Mining Association of Canada (MAC) has, over the past 15 years, workedto improve the management of tailings facilities by its member companiesand the broader mining industry. MAC established a Tailings Working Groupin 1996, which continues to work within the industry to promote safe andenvironmentally responsible tailings management practices.

This workshop will outline the MAC tailings management framework, as putforth in a three-volume set of guides, and provide guidance for its implemen-tation and application as gained from member company experiences. Specialemphasis will be placed on the relationship between the guides and the tail-ings management performance indicators under MAC’s Towards SustainableMining (TSM) initiative.

Instructor: Mining Association of Canada, Tailings Working Group | Date:Wednesday, May 25 | Time: 13:00 to 16:00

NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosurefor Mineral Projects — NewRules are ComingThis two-day course will focus on NI 43-101 disclo-sure standards and filing requirements that are appli-cable to exploration and mining companies withCanadian investors looking to raise finances in Canada,list on a Canadian stock exchange, or get involved with merg-ers and acquisitions of companies that report under NI 43-101.

Instructors: Greg Gosson, Technical Director, Geology and Geostatistics, andStella Searston, Principal Geologist, AMEC Americas Limited | Date: Saturdayand Sunday, May 21-22 | Time: 8:30 to 16:30

Towards Greater Efficiency: Dollars to $enseEnergy ManagementThis customized workshop by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) will teachyou all about energy management planning, spotting the energy savingsopportunities, energy monitoring and energy efficiency financing. Learn aboutsuccesses in energy management, key success factors and high-level energyanalysis. Assess organizational proficiencies for effective day-to-day energymanagement. In essence, identify the next steps toward making energy man-agement day-to-day business.

Instructor: Pierre Chantraine, Energy Management Consultant, TDS DixonInc. | Date: Sunday, May 22 | Time: 9:00 to 17:00

First Nations: Learning TogetherFor the past six years, Learning Together has worked with numerous FirstNation communities and industry partners, sharing information and helpingcultivate the organic relationship between them, done in part through itsannual conference, held in locations all across Canada, and through its com-munity-based, grassroots interaction with partners. Participants will have theopportunity to hear practical and constructive best practices from industryplayers and community leaders working with the mining industry.

Instructor: Lana Eagle, Board Member, and Juan Carlos Reyes, ExecutiveDirector, Learning Together | Date: Sunday, May 22 | Time: 9:00 to 17:00

The Realities of Earning a Social License to OperateEarning a “social license” is a mounting risk that the extractive industriesmust now integrate into their strategic and risk management plans. It goesbeyond simply legitimizing a project with stakeholders to one where compa-nies must gain the trust and recognition from these vested communities byworking with them to ensure sound management of this risk throughout theentire project. This full-day workshop will provide an in-depth understandingof the growing challenges that companies working within the extractive indus-tries are facing in order to obtain a social license to operate.

Instructor: TBA | Date: Sunday, May 22 | Time: 9:00 to 17:00

WORKSHOPS

NEW! FULL CONFERENCE

DELEGATE REGISTRATIONFEE NOW INCLUDES

WORKSHOPS. ENRICH YOURLEARNING EXPERIENCE BY

SIGNING UP FORWORKSHOPS TODAY.

May 22-25, 2011 | Montreal, QC

FEES APPLY TO VISITORS TO THE CIM EXHIBITION, EXHIBITOR STAFF, ONE-DAY CONFERENCE DELEGATES AND WORKSHOP(S)ATTENDEES ONLY AS FOLLOWS: TWO-DAY WORKSHOP = $400; ONE-DAY WORKSHOPS = $350; HALF-DAY WORKSHOPS = $150.

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Confirmed participants to date:Agnico-Eagle Mines LimitedAtlas CopcoCansel Cégep de Sept-ÎlesClub de minéralogie de MontréalComité sectoriel de main d’œuvre de l’industrie des minesLa Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST)De Beers CanadaÉcole Polytechnique MontréalGenivarGoldcorpGolder Associates Ltd.Hewitt Equipment LimitedLeica GeosystemsMcGill UniversityThe Metallurgy and Materials Society of CIM Mining Industry human Resources Council (MiHR)The Mining Association of CanadaOrdre des géologues du Québec PDAC Mining MattersP&H MinePro ServicesRockwell AutomationSuncor EnergyTeck Resources LimitedXstrata

M4S (formerly Mining in Society)

M4S

CIM — A COMMUNITY FOR LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERTISE

The educational public show on Mining, Minerals, Metals and MaterialsCIM‘s highly acclaimed Mining in Society public show has been revampedand renamed — M4S is the event where people come to learn about thewide range of exciting careers in this industry. By highlighting the abundanceof career opportunities and dispelling the myths, we are helping to secure arobust future for the industry.

Now in its sixth year of educating the general public about mining and itsimpact on our daily lives, this free interactive exhibition has been given anew name that better reflects the scope of the industry: M4S (the 4 Msstand for Mining, Minerals, Metals and Materials). Together, we can trulydemonstrate the positive impact of our sector on everyday life.

Last year’s show attracted over 6,000 visitors, almost 85 per cent of whomwere students between 10 and 16 years of age. Feedback from both atten-dees and participants has been consistently and enthusiastically positive.Exhibiting in M4S is free and gives industry leaders an opportunity to betterposition themselves.

M4S Montreal will feature the following themed interactive pavilions:

Exploration • Mining • Processing • Sustainability

Products & Fabrication • Education • Health & Safety

Land Surveying • Uranium

The general public is invited to visit M4S on Monday, May 23, while teachersand students will fill the hall on Tuesday, May 24, and Wednesday, May 25.

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STUDENT PROGRAM

May 22-25, 2011 | Montreal, QC

Mine Visit: Val-d’Or or LaRonde (Overnight Field Trip)The CIM Harricana Branch is organizing a charter plane from Montrealto Val-d’Or to visit mining sites in Val-d’Or and LaRonde. Guests willhave the option of choosing one of the following mine visits: Agnico-Eagle Mines Limited: LaRonde, Lapa, Goldex • Alexis Minerals Corpo-ration: Lac Herbin • Century Mining Corporation: Lamaque • WesdomeGold Mines Ltd.: Kiena Mine • Richmont Mines: Beaufor Mine • OsiskoMining Corporation

Date: Wednesday, May 25 to Thursday, May 26 | Time: Departs at17:00 on May 25 and returns at 21:00 on May 26 | Cost: $600(includes charter plane, hotel, shuttle bus to site, one lunch and onedinner)

COREM Facilities VisitA consortium of applied research for the treatment and processing ofmineral substances, COREM relies on its dynamic alliance with mem-bers and partners to improve the competitiveness of industrial opera-tions through sustainable development objectives. The pilot plant,located in Québec City, has an installation for iron ore concentration(gravity/magnetic separation and flotation), balling (semi-industrialballing disks and laboratory balling drums), state-of-the-art pot-grateand grate-kiln firing devices, and a pyrometallurgical characterizationlab. Attendees will also visit Montmorency Falls, located 15 minutesfrom Québec City, for a guided tour and a lunch at the top of the falls.

Date: Thursday, May 26 | Time: Departs at 6:00 and returns at 18:00 |Cost: $50 (includes coach transportation and lunch)

Aerial view of the Kittilä mine site Photo courtesy of A

gnico-Eagle Mines Limited

The Mining EncounterTake part in the Face to Face program, a powerful meeting of the minds.

Experience the business equivalent to speed-dating, Face to Face consistsof pairing participants with their top prospective business partners, based onspecific criteria they provide — matches made in business heaven! Eachexclusive meeting allows you to identify business opportunities, develop newmarket niches, create strategic alliances and find new distributors, suppliersor sub-contractors. Seats are limited. Be one of the 150 companies that willtake advantage of this opportunity.

Date: Tuesday, May 24 | Location: Room 517 | Time: 8:00 to 12:00 | Cost:Free for mining executives; $250 for exhibiting supplier; $1,250 for non-exhibiting suppliers | Note: Three meetings guaranteed

The student program is designed to help students create a network of industrycontacts as they contemplate the career opportunities that our industry offers.Here is how CIM bridges the gap between post-secondary students and pro-fessionals (including engineers in training [EITs] and geoscientists in training[GITs]): when registering for the CIM Conference & Exhibition, students get afree one-year membership to CIM. Also, they gain access to networkingopportunities, innovative technologies and technical knowledge through the:

• Technical Program, including the Iron Ore Symposium • Free online access to the technical presentations• CIM Exhibition, M4S show and CIM Job Fair• Women in Mining Forum• CIM Opening Reception and evening cocktail reception • Lunch in the CIM Exhibition on Monday• Student-Industry Luncheon on Tuesday• P&H Reception and Dance on Tuesday night• CIM Coal and Industrial Minerals Reception

CIM Student Poster Competition Showcase your talents to leading industry professionals on a wide range oftopics, from geology and mining to processing and sustainability. Cash prizeswill be awarded to undergraduate and graduate students. Submit a 200-wordabstract online by Friday, April 1, 2011 at: www.cim.org/montreal2011/con-ference/CallForPapers.cfm.

Roundtable DiscussionsStudents and industry experts have the opportunity to zero in on real-life min-ing knowledge, as well as exchange information and share experiences. M4Sexpands to include post-secondary students and EITs/GITs for roundtablediscussions on hot topics within the minerals and mining industries. Majortopics include: Corporate social responsibility; Health and safety; Mine designand operations; OEMs/supply/services; Networking and communications;Leadership and business management; International relations; and Careers.

Student-Industry Luncheon Build your network of industry contacts and learn about valuable businessand career opportunities. What you learn here will allow you to share yournewly acquired industry knowledge.

Time: Tuesday, 12:00 to 14:00 | Cost: Included with the student registration fee

FIELD TRIPS

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FACE TO FACE

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SOCIAL PROGRAMAN ARRAY OF SOCIAL ACTIVITIES HAS BEEN PLANNED

THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE TO MAXIMIZE YOUR NETWORKINGOPPORTUNITIES. BE SURE TO RESERVE YOUR TICKETS EARLY

OR YOU’LL MISS OUT ON ALL THE FUN.

SUNDAY, MAY 22

CIM COAL AND INDUSTRIALMINERALS RECEPTIONMix and mingle at the Coal andIndustrial Minerals Society WelcomeReception. Gifts are up for grabs so besure to bring extra business cards toenter the draws.  Time: 14:00 to 16:00 | Location: Palaisdes congrès de Montréal | Cost: Free

OPENING RECEPTION The Opening Reception of the CIMConference & Exhibition, sponsored bySMS/ Komatsu, is the event to attend ifyou are looking to network. Attendeeswill be inspired by the guest speaker,enjoy live entertainment and be treatedto a buffet on the exhibition floor. Time: 17:00 to 20:00 | Location: CIMExhibition | Cost: Included in theregistration fee

TUESDAY, MAY 24

STUDENT-INDUSTRY LUNCHEONThe luncheon is the perfect opportunity for students to meetindustry giants and establish indispensable contacts. Time: 12:00 to 14:00 | Cost: Included with the studentregistration fee

WOMEN IN MINING RECEPTIONA reception will follow the Women in Mining Forum, featuringkeynote speaker Leanne Hall, Vice-President HumanResources, Noront Resources Ltd. Time: 17:00 to 19:00 | Cost: $25

VIP RECEPTIONSenior industry leaders and invited guests will gather for ahigh-powered networking session. Time: 17:00 to 19:00 | Note: By invitation only

CANADIAN MINING CREDENTIALS PROGRAM — CERTIFICATION CEREMONY Join the Mining Industry Human Resources (MiHR) Council as they celebrate the achievementsof the first miners certified as part of the Canadian Mining Credentials Program (CMCP). Viewfootage of certification events from across Canada, hear from workers and employers aboutwhat this recognition means to them, and witness the presentation of certificates to represen-tatives from six pilot sites. Drinks and appetizers provided. Time: 19:00 | Cost: Free

P&H RECEPTION AND DANCEThe P&H Reception and Dance will ignite your senses with a magical evening of dancing andpartying well into the wee hours. Time: 20:00 to midnight | Location: Room 710, Palais des congrès de Montréal | Cost: Free

WEDNESDAY, MAY 25

CLOSING LUNCHYou and your peers will relish listening toRex Murphy, who never fails to bring avolatile mix of insight, humour and com-mentary powered by an extraordinaryvocabulary. By popular demand, CIM’sVancouver 2010 Plenary moderator is backfor more!Time: 12:00 to 14:00 | Cost: $79

Grow your network of contactsLunch and cocktail receptions in the CIM Exhibition: Monday and Tuesday, May 23 and 24, 12:00 to 14:00 and 15:30 to 17:00. Note: The lunch and one drink ticket are included with the delegate registration fee.

MONDAY, MAY 23

CIM AWARDS GALAThe CIM Awards Gala honours the true leaders of our industry. The evening will be emceed byFred Keating and sponsored by Caterpillar and its Canadian dealers. Enjoy virtuoso violinist AraMalikian along with three musicians who not only perform some of the greatest compositions butalso popular genres such as rock or folk, interacting with the audience for a fun and excitingnight!Time: 18:00, Foyer of Room 710 (reception); 19:00, Room 710 (dinner) | Location: Palais descongrès de Montréal | Cost: $150

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CIM EXHIBITION | SALON COMMERCIAL DE L’ICM

Keeping abreast of technological advancements in our fast-paced world is analmost insurmountable task. Yet, it is an essential one in order to remain com-petitive. That is why buyers, planners, engineers, researchers, senior executives

and technical experts from across Canada come to the CIM Exhibition — theplace to come face to face with the best equipment and service suppliers inthe industry.

EXHIBITORS (to date) / EXPOSANTS (à ce jour)COMPANY/ BOOTH/ COMPAGNIE STAND

COMPANY/ BOOTH/ COMPAGNIE STAND

COMPANY/ BOOTH/ COMPAGNIE STAND

COMPANY/ BOOTH/ COMPAGNIE STAND

3D-P 08253M Canada Company 200548e Nord International 000E, 000FABB Inc. 1615Abresist Kalenborn Corporation 1418ACR Group Inc. 1628Aecon - Lockerbie / 1027Scott ConstructionAgru America, Inc. 0320AirFlow Catalyst Systems, Inc. 0323AirSep Corp. - Commercial 2709Products DivisionAltis Tec Ltd. 1318AMEC 1015Aquatech Pump and Power Inc. 1720Aran Management PTY Ltd 0910Armtec 0211Atlantic Industries Limited 1714Atlas Copco Construction 1809and Mining CanadaAumund Corporation 2324Ausenco 1006Austin Powder 2701Australian Trade Commission 0805,

0807, 0904, 0906, 0908B.I.D. Canada Ltd. 1806Baldor Electric Co. 1818Barnes Distribution 2603BASF Construction Chemicals 1019Bateman Engineering Technologies 0109BBA Inc. 1220Bedford Reinforced Plastics 1627Berlie Falco Technologies Inc. 2424BESTECH 2021BHP Billiton - EKATI Diamond Mine 1314Biodisk Corporation 1622Boart Longyear Canada 1424Breaker Technology Ltd 1529Brenntag Canada Inc. 2506Brevini Canada Ltd 0108Bridgestone/Firestone Canada Inc. 1215Brunel 2711Butler Manufacturing Company 1025Canada North Environmental 2807Services Limited Partnership (CanNorth)Canadian Association of Mining 0615Equipment & Services for ExportCanadian Cancer Society 000BCanadian Dewatering LP 1720Canadian Light Source Inc. 2810Canadian Mining and 2906Metallurgical Foundation (CMMF)Canadian Mining Journal (CMJ) 0920Canam 0902Cansel Survey Equipment 0208

Carlo Gavazzi Canada Inc. 2601Carlson Software 1611Cattron-Theimeg Canada Ltd. 1211Cavotec Canada Inc. 0610Cementation Canada Inc. 0317Centre d’aide technologique 0324aux entreprises (CATE) Côte-NordCentre for Excellence in 0900Mining Innovation (CEMI)CHAMCO Industries Ltd. 1216Chemline Plastics Limited 1619Chongqing Hanbang Network 2019Tech Inc.CIM - Coal and Industrial 2902Minerals SocietyCIM - Maintenance and 2904Engineering SocietyCK Logistics 1023Clifton Associates Ltd. 2600COGEP 0409Cole-Parmer Canada 2703Coletanche 1510Columbia Steel Casting Co., Inc. 1828Condra Cranes & Hoists (Pty) Ltd 0500Conspec Controls Ltd 0621Continental Conveyor Ltd 0611Converteam Canada Inc. 2420Corriveau J.L./3D Surveying 1126Cubex Limited 1200Cummins Eastern Canada LP 1003CWA Engineers Inc. 0722CzechTrade/Czech Trade 0115Promotion AgencyDatamine Canada Inc. 1900Davidson Drilling Limited 1728De Beers DebTech 1504DELKOR AMERICAS 0111Delom Services 1118Detour Gold 2107Dimension Technology Solutions 0229DMC Mining Services 1710DOK-ING Ltd 2322Don Bourgeois et Fils inc. 2406Dragflow 1720DSI Mining Canada 1320Dumas Contracting Ltd. 1104DUX MACHINERY CORPORATION 0701Dynamic Rock Support AS 2221Dyno Nobel Canada 0915EBC Inc. 2406Eclipse Combustion, Canada, Inc. 0628Emeco Canada 0625Endress+Hauser 1011Enduride Canada USA 1829Engart Global Dust Extraction 0818Technology

Engineering Seismology Group 0911Canada Inc. (ESG)Enterprise Saskatchewan 2710Équipements K.N. inc 0301ERIN Consulting Ltd. 2811Euclid Chemical 0120Everest Automation Inc. 0220Explosives Partnership 1308F.F.P. Systems Inc. 0607Festo Inc. 2122Filtramax 0223Firestone Specialty Products 1223Flairbase Inc. 1109Flanders Electric Motor Service 1519Flip Productions Ltd. 000GFLSmidth 1911FMC Technologies 1614Fortis 2508Fuller Industrial Corp. 1319FWS Group of Companies 2309G Plus Industrial Plastics inc. 1114G.L. Tiley & Associates Ltd. 2307Gallagher Security 2609Garda 0821GEA Barr Rosin 1021Gemcom Software International Inc. 1709GENEQ inc. 0304General Electric 2317General Kinematics 1207Genius Solutions / STIQ 0307Genivar 1101Geotemps International 2223GIW Industries, Inc. 0726GKM Consultants, Inc. 1122Glen Mor Inc. 2909GMSI (GijimaAst Mining 0426Solutions International)Golder Associates Ltd. 1201Graham Group Ltd. 1005Grindex Pumps 0704Ground Effects Environmental 2706Services Inc.Groupe Industriel Premium 0720& CanStahlGroupe LAR 2803Groupe Stavibel Inc. 1125Gundlach Equipment Corporation 0210Hamsar Diversco Inc. 2608Hard Dollar 0305Hatch 1515Hayward Gordon Ltd 0207HAZCO Environmental Services 000CHein, Lehmann Canada Inc. 1704Hella Mining Canada 0801Hepburn Engineering Inc. 1001Hewitt Équipment Ltée 0727

High Strength Plates and 2120Profiles Inc.Hitachi Canadian Industries Limited 2806HLS HARD-LINE Solutions Inc. 0700Horne Conveyance Safety Ltd 0705Hyco Canada ULC 1729Hydralogie Inc 2304IC Controls 0226igus Inc 2500IMAFS Inc. 0408Imperial Oil Ltd. 0715Independent Mining Consultants Inc 1310Industrial Rubber Company 2114Innovanor 0326Innovex inc. 1727InnovExplo Inc. 1115INO 0608Inproheat Industries 1605Integrated Risk Management 0114Intergraph 0724Intersystems 1505ITT Water & Wastewater 1315Ivara 0624J.F. Comer Inc. 0407Jannatec Radio 0527Jebco Industries 2117Jennmar Canada 1908Johnson Industries Ltd. 1618Kaeser Compressors Canada Inc. 2125Kal Tire 1309Kargo Light 0325KBR Canada Ltd. 0820Kinecor SC 2124Klassen Specialty Hydraulics Inc. 0308Knelson Gravity Solutions 0216Krupp Canada Inc. 1409L. Fournier & Fils inc. 1228L.P. Royer Inc. 1117LabWare Inc. 0718Lafarge 0122Lafleur Portes de Garage 0329IndustriellesLaurentide Controls 0101Layfield Geosynthetics 0723& Industrial Fabrics Ltd.Ledcor Industries Inc. 1405Leica Geosystems Inc. 0525Les Forages L.B.M. Inc. 1129Les Industries Fournier Inc. 1119Les Industries Permo Inc. 0107Levert Personnel Resources / 2610Levert WorkSafe ServicesLiebherr-Canada Ltd. 0926Luff Industries Ltd. 1914LYNN Co Ltd. 0605M.G.B. Électrique inc. 1826

May 22-25, 2011 | Montreal, QC

94 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1www.cim.org/montreal2011

Page 73: CIM Magazine February 2011

www.cim.org/montreal2011February 2011 | 95

CIM — A COMMUNITY FOR LEADING INDUSTRY EXPERTISE

M3 Technology Solutions Ltd. 0517Maccaferri Canada Ltd. 0322Machines Roger International Inc. 1111MacLean Engineering & 1300Marketing Co. LimitedMagnum Fabricating Ltd 2808Mansour Mining Inc. 0104Maptek 1904Maschinenfabrik Köppern GmbH 2323& Co. KGMcDowell Brothers Industries 2502McLanahan Corporation 0422McLellan Industries Inc 1718McQuaid Engineering Ltd 0803MDA 0328MDH Engineered Solutions Corp. 1307ME Elecmetal 0415Mecanicad 1128MegaDome 2404Megadoor USA 0118Meglab 1108Métal 7 0327Métallurgie Castech Inc. 1107Met-Chem Canada Inc. 0829Metcon Sales & Engineering Ltd. 1822Metso 2700Mettler Toledo 1623Michelin North America Inc. 1715Micromine North America 2109Mincon Mining Equipment 0600Mine Cable Services Corp 0410Mine Design Technologies 0706Mine Hoists International Ltd. 2307Mine Radio Systems Inc. 0627Mine Site Technologies 0815Mining Technologies 1301International Inc.Minova Americas 1705MMD Mineral Sizing (Canada) Inc. 0617Monaco Telecom International 0405Moody International 1804Consulting & TrainingMotion Metrics Int’l Corp. 1219Moventas Ltd. 2025MPI Mobile Parts Inc. 0709MTG Moltec 0129MTU 1905Mullen Trucking LP 1500Multicrete Systems Inc. 0421Multotec Canada Ltd 0601MWG Apparel Corp 1009National Mine Service 1209Natural Resources Canada - 0901CANMET-MMSL / Natural Resources Canada - CIPECNCS Technology Inc. 0708Newtrax Technologies 1124NL Technologies Inc. 0205NORLEANS Technologies Inc. 1420Normet Canada Ltd 2416Norseman Structures 0224North American Construction 0916GroupNorth Fringe Industrial 2214Technologies Inc.Northern Strands Co. Ltd. 0128

Octagon Systems 1726OMDEC 0309Ontario Construction Secretariat 0204Optical Cable Corporation 2105Orica Canada, Inc. 0215OSIsoft (Canada) ULC 0710Outotec (Canada) Ltd. 2015P&H Mine Air Systems 0311P.R. Engineering Limited 1306Pacific Bit of Canada Inc. 0414Pedno 2224Peter Kiewit Sons Co. 1227Petro-Canada Lubricants 1509Photonic Knowledge 1224Placer Gold Design 0400Plafolift 1121Planar Systems, Inc. 1827Polar Mobility Research Ltd. 1325Polycorp Ltd. 1609Polydeck Screen Corporation 2119Pompaction Inc. 1701Praetorian Construction 0209ManagementPrecismeca Limited 2314Procon / Safemap 1507ProMinent Fluid Controls 1810Pultrusion Technique Inc. 1226QIP Equipment Ltd. 1807Queen’s University - The Robert 1723M. Buchan Dept. of MiningR.A.S. Industries Ltd. 2308R.D.H. Mining Equipment 1817Rescan Environmental Services Ltd. 0719Reutech Mining 0228Rexnord Canada 1801Rezplast Manufacturing Ltd. 2218RMT Equipment Inc 1508RNP - Refacciones Neumaticas 0121La Paz S. A. de C.V.Roche ltée, Groupe-conseil 0629Rock Construction & Mining Inc. 1805Rock-Tech 2209Rockwell Automation 0604Rolled Alloys 0106ROSTA INC. 2318RPA Process Technologies/ 0100Readco Kurimoto, LLCRSM Mining Services Inc. 1218RST Instruments Ltd 1625RubberSource Inc. 1724Runge Mining (Canada) Pty Ltd. 1523Russell Mineral Equipment 2418Rutherford Sales and Equipment 0227S.Huot 0127Safety Whips 0321Sandale Utility Products 1225Saskatchewan Research 2907Council (SRC)Saskatchewan Trade and 2809Export PartnershipSaskatoon Regional Economic 2911Development Authority Inc. (SREDA)Scanalyse Inc. 2325Scantech International Pty Ltd 2408Schlumberger Water Services 0306

Schneider-Electric 1417Schur Pump Company 2602Schwing Bioset, Inc. 0206Seeing Machines Inc. 0806Sensear 0809Sepro Mineral Systems Corp 2215Services Industriels BEST H2O Inc. 0406SEW-Eurodrive Co. of Canada Ltd. 2225SGS Canada Inc. 0221Shaft Drillers International 1620Shell Canada 1423SIEMAG TECBERG Inc. 1918Siemens Canada Limited 1923Signature Group of Companies 2123Simsmart Technologies 0804Simson Maxwell 1501SlideMinder -Call & Nicholas 1626Instruments IncSM Construction inc 1127SmartRiver Ltd. 2320SM - Cyclo Canada 1326SME - Society for Mining, 1205Metallurgy & ExplorationSMS Equipment Inc. 0921SNC-Lavalin 1708Snowden 0907Sourcing Services Co Ltd 1824South African Consulate 0501, 0503, General: Toronto 0505, 0507, 0508,

0509, 0511Specialty Tools Canada Inc. 0125SPI 1725Spicer Solution Providers Inc. 1414SSAB 2205STC Footwear 1105StonCor Group - Canada 2305Superior Propane 0626Superior Safety Inc 2327Supermetal Inc. 2702Svendborg Brakes 2801Sysco Food Service/Services 0105Alimentaires SyscoTaimi Hydraulics 1825Takraf Canada Inc. 1406TD Assurance Meloche Monnex 000DTeam Mixing Technologies 2707Technosub Industrial Pumps 1100Tega Industries Limited 0714Telsmith, Inc. 1527TEMA Systems, Inc. 1601Terra Vision / CommodasUltrasort 0819

TF Warren Group 2118The Northern Miner 1010Thermo Scientific NITON Analyzers 1906Thermo Scientific, 1204part of Thermo Fisher ScientificThomas Engineering Ltd. / 1304MDL CanadaThoroughtec Simulation Ltd. 0200ThreeDify Inc. 0823Thyssen Mining 1922Touchtronics Electronics 0504Tramac Equipment Ltd. 0707Trimble Navigation 1808Universal Fabric Structures, Inc. 2611Universal Roll Inc. 2510Université du Québec 1123Abitibi-Témiscamingue - UQATUniversity of Saskatchewan 2708Uretech (Pty) Ltd 0506URS Global Mining Partners 1208Van der Graaf 0201Vancouver Gear Works Ltd 1323Varisystems Corp. 0721Veolia Water Solutions 1800& TechnologiesVIASAT GeoTechnologies 2606Viking Chains Group 0420Voith Turbo Inc. 1401Volvo Penta Canada 0126W.S. Tyler Canada 1604Wabi Iron & Steel Corp 1322Wainbee Limited 2204Wajax Industries 1600Wardrop, A Tetra Tech Company 0404Weir Minerals - North America 0401Weir Power & Industrial 1917Wenco International Mining 1621Systems Ltd.Westech 0922WesTech Engineering Inc. 1607Westlund Industrial (QC) 1624Westpro Machinery Inc. 2208WestRon Pumps, Compressors 1422& BlowersWipWare Inc. 0424Wire Rope Industries Ltd 0300WireCo WorldGroup 2607Wolseley Canada / Fusionex 2220Yaskawa America, Inc. 1719ZCL Composites Inc. 0822ZETEC technologie 1116internationale inc.

COMPANY/ BOOTH/ COMPAGNIE STAND

COMPANY/ BOOTH/ COMPAGNIE STAND

COMPANY/ BOOTH/ COMPAGNIE STAND

COMPANY/ BOOTH/ COMPAGNIE STAND

With a growing need for skilled workers, the mining industry is looking tohire. Whether you want to embark on a new career or grow your existingskills, the CIM Job Fair is a must-attend event.

Agrium Partnership JF01Cameco Corporation JF11Canadian Natural Resources JF06Limited - Horizon Oil SandsDetour Gold JF03Goldcorp JF08Imperial Oil Ltd. JF09

Public Service Commission JF02of Newfoundland and LabradorQuadra FNX JF12Rio Tinto JF07The Mosaic Company JF05Vale JF04

CIM JOB FAIR

Page 74: CIM Magazine February 2011

FLAVOURS AND AROMAS OF OLD MONTREALDiscover the culinary, cultural and historical charm of Montreal’s oldest dis-trict on this scenic walking tour. Housed in old warehouses and showroomsof the 19th century, food boutiques will open their doors to give you a taste oftheir delicacies. Through small and narrow cobblestone streets, the guidewill highlight the historical culinary styles influenced by the Amerindians andnuns of the era, as well as explain how the World Expo in 1967 brought exoticfood to our tables.Date: Sunday, May 22 | Time: 13:30 to 17:00 | Cost: $55 (includes tastingsduring the tour) | Dress: Casual with walking shoes

THE EASTERN TOWNSHIPSThis magnificent region located south ofMontreal is becoming one of the most vis-ited areas in Quebec. Known for its pictur-esque countryside, this visit will feature atour of the Victorian Village of Knowltonand includes time to shop in the antiquestores, as well as explore the village atyour leisure.

Afterwards, by way of country roads, thistour will take guests past vineyards ontheir way to an al fresco lunch and localwine tasting in a rural setting. Date: Monday, May 23 | Time: 9:30 to16:00 | Cost: $95 (includes transportation,lunch and wine tastings during the tour) |Dress: Casual with walking shoes

THE RICHELIEU VALLEY AND THEAPPLE REGION The Richelieu Valley, colonized by theFrench, was at the heart of the seigniorialsystem and is noteworthy for the panoramicscenery it offers. The Valley enjoys a perfectclimate for market gardening, and the Mon-teregians hills are surrounded by hugeapple orchards, one of its most prizedexports. Visit a cider plant and enjoy ahearty meal with beer tastings in the villageof Chambly.  The tour will conclude with agourmet chocolate tasting in Mont Saint-Hilaire. Date: Tuesday, May 24 | Time: 9:30 to 16:00| Cost: $95 (includes transportation, lunchand tastings during the tour) | Dress:Casual with walking shoes

GUEST PROGRAMTHE GUEST HOSPITALITY SUITE,

IN THE ALPHONSE ROULEAU ROOM OF THE HYATT HOTEL, WILL OPEN

FOR A COMPLIMENTARY CONTINENTAL BREAKFASTFROM 8:00 TO 10:30 A.M. ON MAY 23, 24 AND 25.

THE SUITE WILL ALSO BE THE DEPARTURE POINTFOR ALL GUEST EVENTS.

Photo courtesy of VDM

Global DMC

A MEMORABLE CONFERENCE Be inspired by Sunniva Sorby’s presentation as she shares the experience of her expeditionin the Antartic. On January 14, 1993, Ms. Sorby made history as one of the four team membersof the American Women’s Antarctic Expedition to reach the South Pole following a grueling700-mile trip across the snow and ice of Antarctica.  In May 1999, Sunniva led a team of threeacross the Greenland icecap from east to west, a 33-day crossing that was over 350 miles inlength. She became the first Canadian woman to complete the Greenland crossing and thefirst Canadian woman to ski to the South Pole. Date: Wednesday, May 25 | Time: 9:00 to 10:30 | Cost: Included in the registration fee

Page 75: CIM Magazine February 2011

Ivara Corporation’s EXP Remote is a unique mobile application that is usedto collect, consolidate and trigger maintenance work before failure occurson mobile equipment. Working as a front end to SAP PM, EXP Remote con-solidates and analyzes condition data to make fast and accurate decisionson maintenance required to avoid failure. Users:

• have assets that need to be monitored across a wide geographicarea;

• need their workforce to be better informed as well as mobile atthe same time;

• need to increase data collection efficiency and accuracy in thefield; and

• want to apply a consistent reliability strategy across high volumesof remote assets.

Features include:

• Immediate on-hand access to critical information in a discon-nected environment

• Increased mobility

• Efficient information gathering

• Reduction in incident response time

• Improved labour utilization rates

• Improved work request processing

• Reduction in paper waste and lost paperwork

• Reduction in non-value added activitiesBooth # 0624

MINING NEW INNOVATIONS

Carlo Gavazzi (Canada) Inc.’s modular energy and power qual-ity meter is intended to answer requests for an economicalyet flexible metering solution. The WM family of meters hasreduced their physical footprint and features a compact designthat cuts back on panel space, yet allows for a variety of config-urations. The wide range of inputs and outputs, as well as com-munication options, ensures that the meter can bereliably connected to most control, automation or monitoringsystems with ease.

Booth # 2601

SAVING YOU MONEY

Introducing the Polar Mobility DigAire™ cutting-edge designsof air conditioning systems made for mobile mining and militaryequipment. The fully hydraulic design eliminates the need forelectrical power, making it virtually “explosion-proof” when usedin hazardous conditions.

Features include:

• Extremely efficient high-volume hydraulic fanmotors

• Heavy-duty vibration-resistant construction

• Polar HD hydraulic drive compressor package

• Designed to operate in 55°C+Booth # 1325

KEEPING YOU COOL

Innovations Showcase | Innovations minières

FAILURE NOT AN OPTION

www.cim.org/montreal2011February 2011 | 97

Page 76: CIM Magazine February 2011

PUMP IT OUT

BESTECH’s NRG1-ECO (Energy Consumption Optimization) can be applied to processes with com-pressors, pumps and ventilation, saving a mine millions of dollars in energy costs by reducingenergy consumption. NRG1-ECO’s VOD (Ventilation-On-Demand) module enables the mine toinstantly control the system’s air flow as to when and where it is needed, dramatically reducing amine’s energy consumption by up to 40 per cent while maximizing productivity, profitability andworker safety. Combining hardware and software, NRG1-ECO is a complete energy managementsolution that can be integrated with a mine’s new or existing technology.

Booth # 2021

A WINNING COMBINATION

Rexnord stands behind its Falk V-Class product line ofcritical system components, which is user-friendly,designed to be tough, and is a unique fusion of cutting-edge ideas that provide distinct reliability.

Booth # 1801

RELIABILITY AT ITS FINEST

KEEPING THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN

LIGHTING THE WAY

National Mine Service, a subsidiary of United Central Industrial Supply, pres-ents the Koehler Cordless WHEAT, a fully contained, ultra-lightweight cap lamp.Using proven lithium technology, the four-ounce Cordless WHEAT charges infive hours, burns for 14 hours, and recharges on allexisting Koehler chargers. It also uses the latestgeneration of ultra-bright LEDs, which producebrilliant white light while conserving battery power.Koehler pioneered reflective optical modules aswell, which focus nearly 90 per cent of emittedlight and project it up to two cross-cuts downfield.Finally, the Cordless WHEAT incorporates an industryfirst – Eye Guard protection to shield individuals fromeye strain caused by looking directly into the high-intensity light produced by today’s LEDs.

Booth # 1209

McLanahan Corporation’s patented TongianiPress is a line of equipment that has revolutionizeddewatering fine solids with the most efficient, cost-effective technology in the industry. The TongianiPress pumps solids through plates wrapped withfilter cloth at high pressures, and when the cycle iscomplete, easy-to-handle dry solid cakes are dis-charged from the bottom of the machine and canthen be transported.

Booth # 0422

Mine Site Technologies’ VoIP Communications, designed for the rigors of min-ing, is the first VoIP (voice-over IP) handset truly designed for the mining indus-try. The Mine-Phone handset offers a simple and robust solution for VoIPcommunications in harsh mining environments, allowing users to place andreceive VoIP phone calls from any area of the mine covered by wireless net-works.

Features include:

• Push to talk (PTT) 24 channels (even if communications to surfaceare lost)

• Emergency channel for man• Optional external lapel microphone• Optional asset locator (for use

with MST tracking system)• Wi-fi 802.11b/g• Three hours of talk time• 72 hours of standby time• Call forwarding• Caller ID• Call waiting• Text messaging (peer to peer)• Vibrating alert• Optional ICA appliance PBX

Booth # 0815

98 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1www.cim.org/montreal2011

Page 77: CIM Magazine February 2011

THE BELT DOESN’T STOP HERE

Mine Radio Systems (MRS) Inc. created the CENTRIAN (CMTS) solution, theindustry’s first cable modem termination system that provides high-speedInternet services between surface and underground using proven leaky feedercable technology. The CENTRIAN (CMTS) allows for use of both VHF portableradios and voice-over IP handsets, as well as enables wireless “hot spots” tobe deployed strategically anywhere a leaky feeder cable is installed.

Booth # 0627

www.cim.org/montreal2011February 2011 | 99

MINING NEW INNOVATIONS

LEADER OF THE PACK

SAFETY’S THE NAME OF THE GAME

Endress+Hauser’s radiometric (gamma) instrumentation isfor level limit detection, continuous level measurement, inter-face layer measurement and density measurement. Thistechnology offers distinct and proven advantages over othermeasurement technologies in that it is non-invasive and itprovides the highest degree of safety and reliability. Encap-sulated by a double-walled stainless steel welded enclosureand conforming to ISO classification C 66646/ISO 2919, thegamma source meets the most stringent safety criteria.

Booth # 1011

Intersystems’ Model RS Mid-Belt Sampler is designed totake representative samples from moving belts. It providesfor a safer sample and eliminates the need to assign an indi-vidual to the sampling process. Intersystems’ RS Mid-BeltSampler addresses the following issues: • Safety• Representative and repeatable results for testing• Time-consuming production stops and lockouts• Wear-and-tear caused by frequent stops and starts

Booth # 1505

RED HOT ENERGY TUBE

The new “RX” Energy Tube (enclosed cable carriers that are 100 per cent chip-proof) from igus® is ideal for the machine-tool industry. RX Energy Tubes featurea specially designed, smooth-domed exterior that can be easily opened to unscrewbolts integrated into the outer radius of each link. The large interior space for cables,hoses and a horizontal shelf, which safely routes cables and hoses to prevent abra-sion, is good for short, self-supporting lengths inside tooling machines and canalso be used in reverse bending radius (RBR) applications. A high-temperature ver-sion that can withstand red-hot chips up to 1,562°F is available as well.

Booth # 2500

Page 78: CIM Magazine February 2011

INNOVATIVE CHAIN HOIST

Groupe Industriel Premium & CanStahl

The R&D department of STAHL CraneSystems has further developed thesuccessful STD dual chain hoist. The result of many years of experienceand intelligent technology is the STD Vario dual chain hoist with electricallyadjustable spacing between the hooks, a further gain in safety at work aswell as flexibility — an innovation on the market.

Features include:

• Secure load attachment• No increased headroom• Simple power supply• Completely synchronous operation• No load hooks shift during lifting or travelling

Booth # 0720

100 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1www.cim.org/montreal2011

May 22-25, 2011 | Montreal, QC

Simsmart Technologies Optimized Mine Ventilation-On-Demand (OMVOD) technology and U/G mine ventilationenergy/production optimization technology demonstrationwill show:

• The OMVOD total mine wide integrated, dynamic and real-time ventilation control solution.

• How simple it is to use and maintain an OMVOD system.• How OMVOD technology calculates air flow demand in

real time as a function of equipment utilization and per-sonnel location tracking.

• The updated version of the OMVOD “scheduling” interfacethat allows users to easily operate the system in sched-uled-based control mode.

OMVOD is designed to address the following challenges:• Electricity costs have risen of up to 60 per cent from 2001. • Ventilation accounts for up to 50 per cent of a mine’s energy cost.• Greenhouse gas/carbon emissions costs will be added to financial

statements in the future.

• Energy costs can establish the viability of mining new or existingore zones.

• Air quality and quantity are increasing in importance with respectto regulatory health and safety.

Booth # 0804

TAKING ON THE VENTILATION CHALLENGE

PREVENTING FURTHER INJURIES

GE Energy presents Inno-vative GE Arc Flash Mitiga-tion Solutions for lowvoltage applications includ-ing Arc Vault™ ProtectionSystem, Entellisys™Switchgear, and the Entel-liGuard® Trip Unit. Electri-cal shock and burn wereresponsible for the deathsof 2,287 U.S. workers andlost productivity fromanother 32,807 American employees during a seven-year periodbeginning in 1992 — nearly one fatality every day of the year,according to a study by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Sta-tistics. The Arc Vault™ Protection System is a breakthrough arcfault protection technology that will stop an arcing fault in lessthan eight milliseconds to provide increased arc flash hazard mit-igation, reducing the occurrence and severity of work-relatedinjuries and lost productivity.

Meanwhile, the Entellisys™ Switchgear is a state-of-the-artintelligent low-voltage switchgear system that offers advancedarc flash protection modes and allows operators to perform allprotection, control, monitoring and diagnostics from remote loca-tions well outside the Flash Protection Boundary.

GE’s EntelliGuard Trip Unit has an industry first instantaneouszone selective interlocking capability and an optional reducedenergy let through maintenance switch to reduce arc flashenergy.

Booth # 2317

Page 79: CIM Magazine February 2011

PRÉSENTÉ PAR

ET SES DÉPOSITAIRES CANADIENS

GALADE REMISEDE PRIX2011

PaGAGniniUn accord entre la musique classique et l’humourLes musiciens de PaGAGninioffrent une interprétation tout en humour de certaines des plus grandes pièces de l’histoire de la musique. Le violoniste virtuose Ara Malikian, de concert avec troisautres musiciens, interprète les compositions de génies de lamusique comme Mozart, Pachelbel, Chopin et, bien sûr,Paganini, tout en faisant la part belle à certains stylespopulaires comme le rock ou le folk. Les musiciens jouent, dansent, rient, pleurent et échangentavec l’assistance, faisant de PaGAGnini un spectacle d’humouroriginal où le violon et le violoncelle se transformentspontanément en instruments nouveaux et inédits.

http://www.flixxy.com/classical-music-comedy.htm

Le 23 mai 2011Palais des congrès de MontréalMontréal (Québec)

Billets1.800.667.1246 / www.cim.org

“Un spectacle fascinantqui galvanise les fouleset provoque des rires etdu plaisir à n’en plusfinir. C’est du théâtre àl’état pur.”– ABC

“Cette parodie hilaranted’un récital classique aun effet jubilatoire surles foules.”– El Pais

“Pagagnini n’est pasun spectacle qu’onaime, c’est unspectacle qu’on adore.”– The Gazette, Montréal

� � � � � �� �� � �� �

Page 80: CIM Magazine February 2011

SÉANCE PLÉNIÈRE

PROGRAMME TECHNIQUE

Mines sans frontières

Le développement et le maintien de relations solides avec les collectivités touchéespar des projets industriels sont essentiels à la réalisation de ces derniers. Pour illus-trer l’importance de cette étape cruciale du processus, « MINES SANS FRONTIÈRES »est le thème de la séance plénière de cette année.

Le modérateur Stéphan Bureau, l’un des plus éminents journalistes au Québec, dirig-era les discussions d’un panel de géants de l’industrie sur l’importance dudéveloppement précoce de liens communautaires solides et de la responsabilitésociale au Canada et partout dans le monde. Un panel d’experts influents du mondeminier sera formé pour traiter des sujets d’actualité qui préoccupent les profession-nels et experts de l’industrie.

Si vous désirez plus de renseignements sur les technologies les plus récentes, desmises à jour sur les opérations en cours ou des stratégies pour augmenter le bénéficenet, le programme technique est idéal pour vous. En plus du riche contenu du pro-gramme technique, l’ICM est fier d’y inclure le 3e Symposium sur le minerai de fer.L’institut étant situé à Montréal, nous profitons de son statut bilingue pour mettre envaleur le secteur francophone de l’industrie dans des séances dédiées à la Fran-cophonie. De plus, le programme Plan Nord, faisant référence à l’activité minière aunord du 60e parallèle, constituera une seconde « plage en diagonale ».

La FrancophonieComprendre les forces, les faiblesses, les occasions et les défis de l’activité minièredans la trentaine de pays où le français est la première langue, aura un impact directsur le rôle de l’exploration et de l’activité minière au Canada. Cette thématique mettraen lumière les activités des firmes d’approvisionnement, des gouvernements et desétablissements d’enseignement situés à l’extérieur du Canada, de façon à fournirune mine de nouvelles connaissances à l’ICM.

Plan Nord Le concept du Plan Nord du gouvernement du Québec est axé sur une forme dedéveloppement économique responsable socialement et durable. Chaque plage duprogramme inclut une séance consacrée à un aspect précis de l’activité minièredans les régions nordiques, au Québec, dans le reste du Canada ou à l’étranger, lesdéfis et opportunités, de même que les conditions de travail dans ces siteséloignés/arctiques et aux côtés des peuples autochtones.

3e Symposium sur le minerai de ferL’ICM est fier d’offrir le troisième Symposium sur le minerai de fer de Montréal, sousla présidence honorifique de M. Yves Harvey, directeur général de COREM. La parti -cipation à cette conférence est essentielle afin d’être bien informé des pratiquesexemplaires du secteur du minerai de fer. Ce symposium fait partie intégrante duCongrès et Salon commercial de l’ICM 2011, qui réunira les sommités du mondeminier.

Après une croissance ininterrompue de 2003 à 2008, alimentée principalement parla croissance économique phénoménale de la Chine, la fin de l’année 2008 et lamajeure partie de 2009 ont été marquées par un ralentissement économique con-sidérable et par une forte diminution des prix du minerai de fer. Après l’échec desnégociations annuelles visant à établir le prix du minerai de fer entre les trois grandsproducteurs et les aciéristes en 2009, comme cela s’est déroulé au cours des 40dernières années, l’année 2010 marque le début d’une nouvelle ère avec l’éta -blissement de négociations trimestrielles visant à fixer le prix du minerai de fer.Plusieurs nouveaux projets de développement de minerai de fer sont dans le colli-mateur de grandes et de petites sociétés minières.

C’est avec grand plaisir que je vous invite à participer au Congrèset Salon commercial de l’ICM 2011, qui se déroulera du 22 au25 mai à Montréal, Québec. Suite au succès remporté à Vancouverl’an dernier, où le nombre de participants a atteint un niveaurecord, nous avons décidé d’augmenter l’ampleur de l’événementà Montréal.

Notre industrie vit une période importante. Enjeux économiques,mondialisation, environnement et technologie – tous ces sujetssont au cœur des discussions et des débats menés dans les sallesde conseil à l’échelle nationale et internationale. Notre programmetechnique de 2011, qui tiendra compte de tous ces aspects clés,nous permettra d’attirer plus de 6 000 participants qui se réunirontà Montréal pour apprendre, réseauter et échanger avec des pairset des dirigeants d’entreprise. Vous aurez donc l’occasion excep-tionnelle de rencontrer les leaders de notre industrie mondialereprésentant des milliards de dollars.

Cette année, en plus des 7 plages de contenu et du Symposiumsur le minerai de fer, deux grands aspects caractériseront le pro-gramme technique. D’abord les séances « Grand Nord » et tousles enjeux que soulèvent les activités minières dans ces régions.Et, la francophonie minière. Plusieurs pays d’Afrique ont un bonpotentiel géologique et le Canada y est présent comme leader.

Nous vous offrons beaucoup plus qu’un simple programme tech-nique. La plus grande aire d’exposition jamais produite par l’ICMsera propice à d’innombrables occasions d’affaires. Face à Face,la rencontre minière, continuera d’offrir aux dirigeants des entre-prises minières et aux exposants un cadre de choix pour les discussions face à face. De plus, des services de traduction simul-tanée seront offerts pour permettre à tous les participants d’ex-plorer les possibilités offertes à l’échelle mondiale, en français eten anglais.

Nous vous invitons donc à vous joindre aux milliers de participantsqui s’y réuniront pour faire des affaires dans ce cadre internationalexceptionnel. Unissez votre voix à celles de milliers d’autres partici -pants qui saisiront cette occasion internationale de faire des affaires.

Martin PoirierPrésident du congrès

Photo courtesy of Ron Stern

Palais des congrès de Montréal (Convention Centre)

BIENVENUE À MONTRÉAL

Bonjour!

www.cim.org/montreal2011/index_fr.cfm

Page 81: CIM Magazine February 2011

www.cim.org/montreal2011/index_fr.cfmFebruary 2011 | 103

L’ICM — UNE COMMUNAUTÉ POUR UNE EXPERTISE DE PREMIER PLAN

PROJETS PRATIQUESEXEMPLAIRES

GESTION DESAFFAIRES ETRESSOURCES

HUMAINES

ENVIRONNEMENT RESPONSABILITÉSOCIALE

INNOVATIONET

TECHNOLOGIE

SCIENCESDE LATERRE

SYMPOSIUM MINERAI DE FER

LUNDI AM9 h – 11 h 30 PLÉNIÈRE

MIDI – 14 h DÎNER DANS LA SALLE D’EXPOSITION

LUNDI PM14 h – 16 h 15

PLAN NORDAgnico-Eagle :

pratiques minièrespour les

corporationsmultinationalesgrandissantes

Gestion del’énergie

FRANCOPHONIEPlanification de la

main d’oeuvre

PlénièreEnvironnement

FRANCOPHONIESuccès dans lescommunautés

Santé etsécurité

Géologie I –Ressourcesde lithium,

phosphate etde potasse

Ressourcesferreuses :une revuemondiale

MARDI AM8 h 30 – 10 h

Exploration pré-faisabilité

avancée

PLAN NORDLogistique

Meilleurespratiques

en RH

Viabilité etenvironnement

RSE :Compréhension desattentes et pratiquesde base en matière

de RSEBonne pratique etleçons retenues en

matière de RSE

CCIM –études de cas

Mécaniquedes roches I

Ressourcesferreuses :

disponibilité et projets en

développement

10 h – 10 h 30 PAUSE CAFÉ

MARDI AM10 h 30 – MIDI

Mines endéveloppement

Maintenance et fiabilité

PLAN NORDL'histoire Osisko

(1ére partie) :Leadership &

innovationexemplaires

FRANCOPHONIEEnvironnement

RSE : Relever la barre en

matière de RSE

Systèmes degestion et

planificationminières

Géologie II –Ressourcesde métaux

rares

Activitésminières

MIDI – 14 h DÎNER DANS LA SALLE D’EXPOSITION

MARDI PM14 h – 16 h

Mines en action

FRANCOPHONIEL'histoire Osisko -

(2ième partie) :Nouvelles pratiques

exemplaires

Actionnaires (NI 43-101)

Réclamation et fermeture

Eau et droits de la personne

SMART - Exploitation à ciel ouvert

Technologie derechercheavancée

Mécaniquedes roches II

Concentration et bouletage I

MERCREDI AM8 h 30 – 10 h

FRANCOPHONIEDéveloppement

économique régional

Nouveauxconcepts

en opération de mines

JOURNÉEFINANCE

ET GESTIONOccasions de

financement nontraditionnel

Gestion des résidus

(M3)

Soutenir l’excellence

en RSEPLAN NORD

Géologie III –Gisementsde minerai

associés auxintrusionsmafiques

Plénière Minerai de Fer I

10 h – 10 h 30 PAUSE CAFÉ

MERCREDI AM10 h 30 – MIDI

Géologie IV –Ressources demétaux rares II

Ingénierie,entretien et fiabilité

JOURNÉEFINANCE

ET GESTIONFinancementtraditionnel

PLAN NORDEnvironnement

Études de cas deRSE : exécution

dans des champsd’applicationcomplexes

Nouveauxdéveloppements en technologie

et systèmesminiers avancés

Mécaniquedes roches III

Plénière Minerai de Fer II

MIDI – 14 h DÎNER DE CLÔTURE

MERCREDI PM14 h – 17 h

JOURNÉEFINANCE

ET GESTIONEssentiels

au financement&

Plénière

Concentration et bouletage

II

PROGRAMME TECHNIQUE

N. B. : Vous pouvez consulter le contenu du programme technique de la version anglaise de ce programme. Toutes les séances Francophonie,Plan Nord et du Symposium sur le minerai de fer seront offertes avec services de traduction simultanée dans les deux langues officielles.

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22-25 mai 2011 | Montréal, Québec

tions, à l’opposition et au manque de soutien communau-taire qui ont récemment forcé des entreprises à cesserleurs activités.Instructeur : à déterminer | Date : dimanche 22 mai| Heure : 9 h à 17 h

Mine 101 – introduction àl’exploitation minière et à laminéralurgie Ce cours couvre les concepts de base de l’exploitationminière et de la minéralurgie : comment trouver et con-

struire les mines, comment traiter le minerai et éliminerles déchets et comment commercialiser les produits miniers.

Il s’adresse à ceux qui travaillent dans l’industrie ou avec desgens de l’industrie, qui n’ont que peu ou aucune connaissance de l’ex-

ploitation minière ou de la minéralurgie et qui veulent se familiariser avec levocabulaire utilisé dans l’industrie.Instructeur : Angelina Mehta, ingénieur sénior, planification stratégique, Lacompagnie minière IOC | Date : dimanche 22 mai | Heure : 13 h à 17 h

Le Code de gestion du cyanure – uneperspective canadienneCe cours présente un survol du Code de gestion du cyanure et des récentesexpériences relatives au Code (perspectives de l’industrie, du gouvernement,d’une ONG, d’un auditeur/consultant externe).Instructeurs : Paul Bateman, président et Norm Greenwald, vice-présidentde l’International Cyanide Management Institute | Date : dimanche 22 mai |Heure : 13 h à 17 h

Initiative Vers le développement durable(VDMD) 2004-2011 de l’AMCVers le développement durable (VDMD) est une stratégie conçue par l’Asso-ciation minière du Canada pour améliorer le rendement de l’industrie minièreen alignant ses actions avec les priorités et les valeurs des Canadiens et entrouvant un terrain d’entente avec les communautés d’intérêts. L’initiativeVDMD prend fond sur une série de principes directeurs étayés par des élé-ments de rendement et des indicateurs. Le Groupe consultatif des commu-nautés d’intérêts (GCCI) offre commentaires et lignes directrices pour guiderl’initiative. Instructeur : Julie Gelfand, vice-présidente, développement durable,Association minière du Canada | Date :mercredi 25 mai | Heure : 9 h à 12 h

Atelier sur la gestion des parcs à résidus miniersEn 1996, l'Association minière du Canada (AMC) a fondé un groupe de travailsur les résidus pour promouvoir des pratiques de gestion sécuritaires etécologiques. La plus importante réalisation du groupe de travail a été ledéveloppement et la publication d'un ensemble de trois guides pour améliorerla gestion des parcs à résidus. Dans cet atelier, les participants étudieront ensurvol le plan directeur de gestion des résidus de l'AMC. Ils verront égalementles lignes directrices pour la mise en oeuvre et l'application du plan selon lesexpériences des sociétés membres. Une attention particulière sera portée auguide de vérification et d'évaluation et à la relation entre les guides et lesindicateurs de rendement en matière de gestion dans le cadre de l'initiativeVers le développement minier durable (VDMD) de l'AMC.Instructeur : L’association minière canadienne, groupe de travail sur lesparcs à résidus miniers | Date : mercredi 25 mai | Heure : 13 h à 16 h

Norme canadienne 43-101 –Normes de divulgation concernantles projets miniers – Nouveauxrèglements bientôt en vigueurCe cours sera axé sur les normes de divulgation etdéclarations applicables aux entreprises d’explo-ration et aux compagnies minières ayant desinvestisseurs canadiens, à la recherche de finance-ment au Canada, voulant être introduites à la cote ouintéressées à des fusions ou à l’acquisition d’entre-prises régies par la Norme canadienne 43-101. Instructeurs : Gregory John Gosson, directeur technique,géologie et géostatistiques, et Stella Searston, géologueprincipale, AMEC Americas Limitée | Date : samedi et dimanche21 et 22 mai | Heure : 8 h 30 à 16 h 30

Vers une efficacité accrue : une gestionénergétique économique et $enséeL’atelier personnalisé présenté par Ressources naturelles Canada vousenseignera tout ce que vous devez savoir sur la planification de la gestionénergétique, les occasions d’économiser l’énergie, la surveillance énergétiqueet le financement énergétique efficace. Découvrez les réussites en gestionénergétique, les facteurs clés de succès et l’analyse des niveaux énergétiquesélevés. Évaluez les compétences organisationnelles en matière de gestionquotidienne efficace de l’énergie. Instructeur : Pierre Chantraine, Consultant en gestion de l’énergie, TDS DixonInc. | Date : dimanche 22 mai | Heure : 9 h à 17 h

Premières Nations : apprendre ensembleAu cours des six dernières années, Learning Together a travaillé avec plusieurscommunautés des Premières Nations et partenaires de l’industrie pourpartager des renseignements et aider à unifier les relations entre les groupes.Cet atelier est fondé sur les résultats des plus importantes études de cas defaçon à permettre aux participants de découvrir les pratiques exemplaires con-crètes et constructives des intervenants de l’industrie et des chefs de file descollectivités.Instructeurs : Lana Eagle, membre du conseil, et Juan Carlos Reyes, directeurgénéral, Learning Together | Date : dimanche 22 mai | Heure : 9 h à 17 h

Obtention d’un permis social d’exploitation : la réalitéL’obtention d’un « permis social » est une réalité croissante que les sociétésdu secteur de l’extraction doivent intégrer dans leurs plans stratégiques et degestion du risque.

Cet atelier permettra aux participants d’acquérir des connaissances appro-fondies sur les difficultés croissantes que doivent surmonter les sociétés dusecteur de l’extraction pour obtenir un permis social. Certains défis sont dusaux lois existantes ou à des modifications aux lois, et d’autres aux protesta-

DES FRAIS S’APPLIQUENT AUX EXPOSANTS, VISITEURSET CONGRESSISTES D’UN SEUL JOUR QUI DÉSIRENT S’IN-SCRIRE AUX ATELIERS : 400 $ POUR LES ATELIERS DE DEUXJOURS; 350 $ POUR LES ATELIERS D’UN JOUR; 150 $ POURLES ATELIERS D’UNE DEMI-JOURNÉE.

ATELIERS

NOUVEAU! LES ATELIERS FONT

MAINTENANT PARTIE DESFRAIS D’INSCRIPTION DES

CONGRESSISTES.ENRICHISSEZ VOS

CONNAISSANCES EN VOUSINSCRIVANT À L’UN DES

ATELIERS. VEUILLEZ NOTER QUE LES

ATELIERS SERONTPRÉSENTÉS EN ANGLAIS.

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PROGRAMME SOCIAL

DIMANCHE 22 MAI

RÉCEPTION DE LA SOCIÉTÉ DUCHARBON ET DES MINÉRAUXINDUSTRIELS DE L’ICMCocktails, hors-d’oeuvre, réseautage etcamaraderie sont au menu de la réception debienvenue de la Société du charbon et desminéraux industriels. N’oubliez pas d’apportervotre carte professionnelle qui vous permettrade participer au tirage de fabuleux cadeaux.Heure : 14 h à 16 h | Lieu : Palais des congrès deMontréal | Prix : gratuit

RÉCEPTION DE BIENVENUESi vous cherchez une occasion de vous divertir,de rencontrer des gens et d’échanger avec eux,vous ne voudrez pas manquer la réceptiond’ouverture du Congrès et Salon commercial del’ICM, commanditée par SMS/Komatsu. Lesconvives seront inspirés par un(e)conférencier(e) de renommée. Un buffet et denombreux divertissements seront offerts.Heure : 17 h à 20 h | Lieu : salle d’exposition del’ICM | Prix : compris dans les frais d’inscription

MARDI 24 MAI

DÎNER DE RÉSEAUTAGE ÉTUDIANTS-INDUSTRIEUn conférencier traitera d’un sujet d’intérêt pour les étudiants qui souhaitent faire carrière dans le secteurminier et commencent à bâtir leur réseau de contacts. Heure : 12 h à 14 h | Prix : compris dans les frais d’inscription des étudiants

RÉCEPTION VIPDes chefs de file chevronnés de l’industrie et des invités se rassembleront pour une séance de réseautagede haut niveau. Heure : 17 h à 19 h | Note : Sur invitation seulement

RÉCEPTION DU FORUM LES FEMMES EN EXPLOITATION MINIÈRELe forum Les femmes dans l’exploitation minière sera suivi d’une réception au cours de laquelle lesparticipants auront l’occasion d’entendre le récit captivant de Leanne Hall, Vice-présidente, ressourceshumaines, Noront Resources Ltd. Heure : 17 h à 19 h | Prix : 25 $ (pour l’accès à la réception; le forum étant compris dans les fraisd’inscription)

PROGRAMME DE RECONNAISSANCE DES COMPÉTENCESDANS L’INDUSTRIE MINIÈRE CANADIENNE – CÉRÉMONIED’ACCRÉDITATION Cette cérémonie est le résultat de six ans de travail pour créer unprogramme permettant de reconnaître les compétences et combler unelacune au niveau de la reconnaissance professionnelle des travailleurs auplan national. Les participants pourront voir le film sur les événementsd’accréditation au Canada, la remise des attestations dans les six sitespilotes et écouter les témoignages des travailleurs et des employeurs.Consommations et hors-d’oeuvre inclus.Heure : 19 h | Prix : gratuit

RÉCEPTION ET DANSE P&HLe gala P&H attisera vos sens par son atmosphère magique et tous lesfêtards se trémoussant sur la piste de danse jusqu’à tard en soirée.Heure : 20 h à minuit | Lieu : salle 710, Palais des congrès de Montréal |Prix : gratuit

Réseautage à volonté!Élargissez votre réseau de contacts. Un dîner et une réception auront lieu les lundi 23 mai et mardi 24 mai, de 12 h à 14 h et de15 h 30 à 17 h, respectivement. Venez vous régaler et faire des rencontres pertinentes, tout en explorant le Salon commercial. Remarque : les frais d’inscription des participants au Congrès comprennent le dîner et un billet donnant droit à une consommation.

LUNDI 23 MAI

GALA DE L’ICMLe Gala de l’ICM rend hommage à toutes les personnes qui contribuent à la pérennité denotre industrie. Cette soirée sera animée par Fred Keating, commanditée par Caterpillaret ses concessionnaires canadiens et mettra en vedette le virtuose du violon AraMalikian accompagné de trois musiciens. Ce concert mariera quelques-uns des chefs-d’oeuvre des grands maîtres à une variété de mélodies rock ou folk populaires, le toutaccompagné d’humour et d’interaction qui transformeront le concert en spectacle etchangeront le violon et le violoncelle à jamais. Heure : 18 h dans le hall de la salle 710 (réception); 19 h dans la salle 701 (repas) | Lieu :Palais des congrès de Montréal | Prix : 150 $

Photo courtoisie de Normand Huberdeau / NH Photographes Ltée

Photo courtoisie de Normand Hu

berdeau / N

H Photographes Ltée

MERCREDI 25 MAI

DÎNER DE CLÔTUREVous et vos collègues prendrez plaisir à écouter la conférencede Rex Murphy, un mélange explosif de perspicacité,d’humour et de commentaires incisifs s’appuyant sur unvocabulaire étoffé. À la demande générale, le modérateur dela séance plénière de l’ICM à Vancouver en 2010 est de retour!Heure : 12 h à 14 h | Prix : 79 $

Photo courtoisie de Normand Huberdeau / NH Photographes Ltée

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La Rencontre MinièreParticipez au programme Face à Face, une puissante formulefavorisant l’accord des volontésDécouvrez la version commerciale des rencontres express! Au cours de Face à Face,les participants sont jumelés à des partenaires commerciaux potentiels les plus appro-priés, selon les critères précis qu’ils ont fournis pour faire les rencontres les plusfructueuses. Chaque réunion exclusive vous permettra de déterminer des occasionsd’affaires, de développer de nouvelles niches, de créer des alliances stratégiques et detrouver de nouveaux distributeurs, fournisseurs ou sous-traitants. Cadres de l’industrieminière, fournisseurs d’équipement et de services, firmes d’ingénierie et chercheursinternationaux se rencontreront dans un environnement exclusif et favorable aux affaires.Les places sont limitées. Faites partie des 150 entreprises à se prévaloir de cette occa-sion unique. Inscrivez-vous sur www.cim.org/montreal2011.

Date : mardi 24 mai | Lieu : salle 517 | Heure : 8 h à midi | Prix : gratuit pour lesdonneurs d’ordre, 250 $ pour les fournisseurs exposants et 1 250 $ pour les fournisseursnon exposants | Note : Garantie de 3 rencontres

106 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1www.cim.org/montreal2011/index_fr.cfm

22-25 mai 2011 | Montréal, Québec

PROGRAMME DES ÉTUDIANTS

FACE À FACE

Le programme des étudiants vise à aider ces derniers à se créer un réseau de contactsalors qu’ils évaluent les possibilités de carrières offertes dans notre industrie. Voici com-ment l’ICM fait le pont entre les étudiants de niveau postsecondaire et les professionnels :lorsqu’ils s’inscrivent au congrès et au salon commercial, les étudiants deviennent gra-tuitement membres de l’ICM pendant un an. Ils ont également accès à plusieurs occasionsde réseautage ainsi qu’aux technologies de pointe et aux connaissances techniques del’industrie, par l’intermédiaire des activités suivantes : Programme technique incluant leSymposium sur le minerai de fer; Accès gratuit aux présentations techniques en ligne;Salon de l’ICM, salon M4S et foire de l’emploi de l’ICM; Forum Les femmes dans l’ex-ploitation minière; Réception d’ouverture et cocktail en soirée de l’ICM; Dîner sur les lieuxdu salon commercial, le lundi; Dîner de réseautage étudiants-industrie, le mardi; Réceptionet danse P&H, le mardi soir; Réception de la Société du charbon et des minéraux indus-triels de l’ICM.

Concours d’affiches pour étudiantsFaites partie des étudiants qui exposeront leurs connaissances devant d’éminents pro-fessionnels de l’industrie. Votre affiche peut porter sur une vaste gamme de sujets, dela géologie au développement durable en passant par l’exploitation minière. Des prix enargent seront remis à des étudiants du premier cycle et des cycles supérieurs. Soumettezun résumé de 200 mots en ligne le vendredi 1er avril au plus tard à http://www.cim.org/montreal2011/conference/CallForPapers.cfm.

Table rondeLes étudiants et des experts de l’industrie ont l’occasion de se concentrer sur des con-naissances minières pratiques, d’échanger des renseignements et de partager leursexpériences. Le salon M4S a été élargi pour permettre aux étudiants de niveau postsec-ondaire et professionnel de prendre part à des discussions sur des sujets d’actualité dansle domaine des minéraux et de l’industrie minière. Les principaux thèmes incluent :Responsabilité sociale des entreprises; Santé et sécurité; Conception minière et exploita-tion; Équipementiers/approvisionnement/services; Réseautage et communications; Lead-ership et gestion des affaires; Relations internationales et Carrières.

Dîner de réseautage étudiants-industrieDéveloppez votre réseau de contacts dans l’industrie et familiarisez-vous avec les per-spectives de carrière et les possibilités d’affaires. Ce dîner de réseautage est égalementune excellente occasion de partager les connaissances acquises.

Date : Mardi 24 mai | Heure : 12 h à 14 h | Prix : compris dans les frais d’inscriptiondes étudiants

Le site Kittilä Crédit : M

ines Agnico-Eagle Limitée

EXCURSIONS

Visites de mines à Val d’Or ou LaRondeLa succursale Harricana de l’ICM organise un vol nolisé deMontréal à Val d’Or pour visiter des sites miniers à Val d’Oret LaRonde. Les invités pourront visiter l’une des minessuivantes : Mines Agnico-Eagle Limitée : LaRonde, Lapa,Goldex • Alexis Minerals Corporation : Lac Herbin • CenturyMining Corporation : Lamaque • Mines d’Or Wesdome : MineKiena • Mines Richmont : Mine Beaufor • CorporationMinière Osisko

Date : mercredi 25 mai au jeudi 26 mai | Heure : départ à17 h, retour jeudi 26 mai à 21 h | Prix : 600 $ (inclut le volnolisé, l’hôtel, le transport par bus-navette, un déjeuner etun dîner)

Visite des installations de COREMUn consortium de recherche appliquée en traitement ettransformation des substances minérales, COREM comptesur le dynamisme de l’alliance avec ses membres et parte-naires pour améliorer la compétitivité des opérations indus-trielles par le développement et le transfert d’innovationstechnologiques conformes aux objectifs du développementdurable. L’usine-pilote, située dans la ville de Québec, estdotée d’installations uniques en matière de concentration duminerai de fer et de boulettage et inclut un laboratoire decaractérisation pyrométallurgique. Les participants prendrontensuite part à une visite de la chute Montmorency, située à15 minutes de Québec, et à un dîner au sommet de la chute.

Date : jeudi 26 mai | Heure : départ à 6 h, retour à 18 h |Prix : 50 $ (inclut le transport en autocar et le dîner)

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SAVEURS ET ARÔMES DU VIEUX-MONTRÉALCette balade vous fera découvrir les charmes culinaires, culturels et his-toriques du plus ancien quartier de Montréal. Au détour des rues étroites, onvous entraînera à l’intérieur de boutiques pour déguster des créations culi-naires, en compagnie d’un guide qui vous nourrira de ses commentaires his-toriques et gastronomiques tout au long du parcours et mentionnera, entreautres, l’influence de la culture amérindienne sur les habitudes alimentaires,l’histoire des religieuses et des bonnes manières, l’Expo 67 et ses explosionsde saveurs.Date : dimanche 22 mai | Heure : 13 h 30 à 17 h | Prix : 55 $ (inclut lesdégustations pendant la visite) | Code vestimentaire : décontracté et bonneschaussures

JOURNÉE DANS LES CANTONSDE L’ESTÀ moins d’une heure de Montréal, cecoin de pays appelé «  Cantons del’Est » est la région la plus au sud duQuébec, et un mélange subtil decharme québécois et anglo-saxonoffert dans un écrin de beauté. Par deschemins verdoyants, vous filerez versle village victorien de Knowlton,flânerez dans les boutiques d’anti-quaires et visiterez ensuite un vignoblede la région de Dunham sur la routedes vins. Dîner champêtre et dégus-tations de vins dans le meilleur vigno-ble de la région seront au menu.Date : lundi 23 mai | Heure : 9 h 30 à16 h | Prix : 95 $ (inclut le transport, ledîner et la dégustation de vin pendantla visite) | Code vestimentaire  :décontracté et bonnes chaussures

PROGRAMME DES INVITÉSCHAQUE MATIN, DU 23 AU 25 MAI,

LA SUITE DE RÉCEPTION DES INVITÉS, SITUÉE DANS LA SALLE ALPHONSE ROULEAU DE L’HÔTEL HYATT,

SERA OUVERTE POUR LE PETIT-DÉJEUNER CONTINENTAL GRATUIT, DE 8 H À 10 H 30.

LA SUITE SERVIRA DE POINT DE DÉPART POUR LES ACTIVITÉS ORGANISÉES À L’INTENTION DES INVITÉS.

UNE EXCURSION MÉMORABLEVenez assister à une présentation captivante de Sunniva Sorby. Le 14 janvier 1993, SunnivaSorby a marqué l’histoire avec une équipe de quatre femmes en participant à une expédi-tion dans l’Antarctique. Elles ont atteint le Pôle Sud après avoir parcouru un voyage de 700milles à travers la neige et les glaciers de l’Antarctique. En mai 1999, Sunniva a aussi dirigé une équipe de trois personnes qui ont franchi une dis-tance de plus de 350 milles pour traverser la pointe du Groenland d’est en ouest en 33jours. Elle est la première Canadienne à avoir traversé le Groenland et le Pôle Sud en ski.Date : mercredi 25 mai | Heure : 9 h à 10 h 30 | Prix : compris dans les frais d’inscriptiondes invités

LA VALLÉE DU RICHELIEU ET LARÉGION DES POMMESAu pied des rapides de la rivière Richelieu,le Fort Chambly, érigé en 1711, témoigne dupassé militaire de la Nouvelle-France. Jadisune importante voie maritime, le Richelieuoffre aujourd’hui un panorama d’unegrande beauté. Situées dans un climatpropice à la culture maraîchère, les collinesMontérégiennes regorgent de pommiers.La visite d’une cidrerie à Rougemont etd’une chocolaterie au mont St-Hilaire com-plètera cette escapade champêtre. Le dînersera servi dans un établissement typique dela Nouvelle-France. Date : mardi 24 mai | Heure : 9 h 30 à 16 h |Prix : 95 $ (inclut le transport, le dîner et ladégustation de vin pendant la visite) | Codevestimentaire  : décontracté et bonneschaussures

Photo courtoisie de VD

M Global DMC

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108 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1www.cim.org/montreal2011/index_fr.cfm

22-25 mai 2011 | Montréal, Québec

Entreprises participantes à ce jour : L’Association minière du Canada Atlas CopcoCansel Cégep de Sept-ÎlesClub de minéralogie de MontréalComité sectoriel de main d’œuvre de l’industriedes minesLa Commission de la santé et de la sécurité dutravail (CSST)Conseil des ressources humaines de l’industrieminière (RHiM)De Beers CanadaÉcole Polytechnique MontréalGenivarGoldcorpGolder Associates Ltd.Hewitt Équipement LimitéeLeica GeosystemsMines Agnico-Eagle LimitéeOrdre des géologues du Québec PDAC Mining MattersP&H MinePro ServicesRockwell AutomationLa société de la métallurgie et des matériaux de l’ICM Suncor EnergyTeck Resources LimitedUniversité McGillXstrata

M4S (anciennement Les mines dans la société)

M4SL’exposition éducative sur les Mines, Minéraux,Métaux et Matériaux

Le très acclamé salon Les mines dans la société a fait peau neuve.Renommé M4S pour mieux refléter la totalité des activités minières à traversles mines, minéraux, métaux et matériaux, sa mission demeure d’éduquerle public sur l’impact de l’exploitation minière dans notre vie quotidienne.

Le 6e salon M4S est l’endroit idéal pour informer le public des possibilitésde carrières dans l’industrie minière, tout en abattant les mythes qui per-sistent. C’est une occasion pour nous tous de consolider l’avenir de l’indus-trie et des générations futures. Comme seule l’exploitation minière ne brossepas le tableau complet, les quatre « M » de M4S représentent les 4 piliersde notre secteur : Mines, Minéraux, Métaux et Matériaux.

Le salon M4S a accueilli 6 000 visiteurs l’an dernier, dont 85 % étaient desétudiants âgés de 10 à 16 ans. Ce salon interactif permettra aux visiteurs àMontréal de traverser le cycle des activités de notre industrie en visitant cespavillons :

Exploration • Exploitation • Traitement

Développement durable • Transformation et produits

Éducation • Santé et Sécurité • Arpentage • Uranium

La participation au salon M4S, à titre d’exposant, est gratuite et donne l’oc-casion aux organisations de faire preuve de leadership dans tous les aspectsdu cycle minier.

Le salon M4S ouvrira ses portes au grand public lundi, le 23 mai.Enseignants et étudiants visiteront le salon mardi et mercredi, les 24 et25 mai.

Crédit : Normand Hu

berdeau / N

H Photograph

es Ltée

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FORUM SUR LES FEMMES EN EXPLOITATION MINIÈRE

www.cim.org/montreal2011/index_fr.cfmFebruary 2011 | 109

L’ICM — UNE COMMUNAUTÉ POUR UNE EXPERTISE DE PREMIER PLAN

SALON COMMERCIAL DE L’ICM

FOIRE DE L’EMPLOI DE L’ICM

Vous souhaitez changer d’emploi, vous perfectionner ou réorientervotre carrière? Pour être au fait des perspectives d’emploi, assistezà la foire de l’emploi qui se tiendra dans le cadre du salon com-mercial de l’ICM. Les entreprises ayant déjà confirmé leur présenceincluent :

Agrium Partnership JF01Cameco Corporation JF11Canadian Natural Resources Limited - Horizon Oil Sands JF06Detour Gold JF03Goldcorp JF08Imperial Oil Ltd. JF09Public Service Commission JF02 of Newfoundland and LabradorQuadra FNX JF12Rio Tinto JF07The Mosaic Company JF05Vale JF04

Ne ratez pas cette occasion de rencontrer un grand nombre d’employeurs potentiels réunis sous un même toit!

Mardi, le 24 mai

Forum : 15 h à 19 h

Pousser au delà des limitesLes participants au forum Les femmes en exploitationminière, auront l’occasion d’assister aux témoignages desmembres d’un panel de femmes parmi les plus en vue del’industrie minière d’aujourd’hui. Les panélistes feront partaux participants de leur expérience de travail dans l’industrie.Il s’agit d’un événement à ne pas manquer, tant pour leshommes que pour les femmes.

Prix : inclus dans le prix d’une pleine inscription à laconférence. Un frais de 50 $ s’applique aux visiteurs.

Réception : 17 h à 19 hLe forum Les femmes en exploitation minière sera suivi d’uneréception, au cours de laquelle les participants auront l’oc-casion d’entendre le récit captivant de Leanne Hall, Vice-présidente, ressources humaines, Noront Resources Ltd. Pourcongressistes et exposants, l’entrée au forum est gratuite,alors que des frais de 25 $ sont exigés pour assister à laréception.

Leanne Hall

Se tenir au courant des innovations technologiques dans un univers en constante évolutionest une tâche monumentale, mais essentielle pour demeurer concurrentiel. Voilà pourquoiles acheteurs, planificateurs, ingénieurs, chercheurs, dirigeants et experts techniquescanadiens prennent part au Salon de l’ICM. C’est l’endroit par excellence pour rencontrerles meilleurs équipementiers et fournisseurs de services de l’industrie.

La liste complète des exposants et de leurs numéros de stands se situe du côté anglaisdu présent programme.

Crédit : w

ww.mikaw

aa.com

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H I S TO R Y O F

economic geology

110 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

The foundations of modern economic geology (Part 1)By R. J. (Bob) Cathro, Chemanius, British Columbia

The last two dozen articles in this series have focused on six major miningcamps and deposit types that were discovered in the southwestern United Statesbetween 1850 and 1900: California Motherlode, Comstock, Homestake, Butte,Bingham, and Nevada-type Gold. They were chosen because they were amongthe most influential discoveries during that period, measured by their immediateand lasting impact on global exploration. As it turns out, that exploration andresearch led rapidly to the modern renaissance of the branch of science calledeconomic or mining geology.

This series initially traced the study of the origin of metals from EasternEurope, in the age of Agricola, to France and Scotland — where the link wasrecognized between metals and the processes that produced volcanic and plu-tonic rocks — and finally to Cornwall. It is easy to forget that prior to theCalifornia Gold Rush, most economic geologists were members of specializedlocal guilds in the tin/copper districts of Erzegebirge and Cornwall or wereengaged in coal and iron mining. They had been trained mainly as mining engi-neers in a dozen institutes in Europe and Great Britain. Geology had beenrestricted to stratigraphy, mineralogy and paleontology. In the words of ThomasRickard (1910):

“The study of ore deposits for a hundred years owed its progress to Germanresearch. In England, the detection of fossils and the correlation of strata absorbedthe attention of geologists to the exclusion of investigation into the nature of themineral aggregates that are the subject of mining… Englishmen founded geologyand Germans started the systematic study of ore deposits; but it was in America thateconomic geology won proper recognition…

“Indeed, not only did geology give the cold shoulder to mining but when geolo-gists condescended to be interested in mineral deposits, they made blunders highlyperplexing even to those willing to accept scientific aid. Thus Murchison rashlyenunciated the generalization that the Silurian rocks were particularly favorable togold veins, basing this broad statement on his knowledge of the Ural region; andwhen gold was discovered in Australia in slate and sandstone of Silurian age, hecongratulated himself on the confirmation of his dictum. Later, he interpreted thescanty data at his disposal as warranting the inference that deep mining in the solidquartz rock is usually unprofitable. No wonder the miner looked askance at thegeologist, so that there was a lack of cooperation between the young science and thevenerable industry. Moreover, the idea obtained in England that geology stooped tocommercialism when she concerned herself with mining…

“This tradition in effect prevented English geologists from attempting to unravelthe complexities of ore occurrence. A notable example is afforded by the GeologicalSociety (London). This organization was founded by the fathers of modern geology,and in its records will be found the presentation of the principles that constitute thevery foundations of the science. Yet the sum total of the information concerning oredeposits to be found in the journals of the Geological Society is negligible.Englishmen as geologists occupy a position second to none; as contributors to thestudy of ore deposits they are nowhere. I impute the poverty of result entirely to thefact that men of culture have deemed it undignified to make commercial use of thescientific knowledge.”

Economic geology only became a ”dignified” profession after it made thejump to North America. It will surprise and perhaps disappoint many geologiststo learn that the first economic geologists in North America were educated as

“Mines are short-lived. They yield a harvest

that is gathered only once. Nine mines out of

ten are sold for more than they are worth;

more money is made by selling than by buy-

ing them… A man usually buys a mine not

because it is worth the price he gives for it,

but because he is justified in the expectation

of finding someone who will pay more for it.

The second man hopes to meet a third with

more money and less sense. So the game

proceeds… Do not blame the industry. It is

no more responsible for these vagaries than

the man who breeds thoroughbred horses is

to blamed for the dishonesties of the turf…

Good sense and ordinary care are as much

needed in mining as in any other occupation,

and the lack of them meets the same

punishment.”

(from The Bankers’ Magazine,

1898; Rickard, 1910)

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mining or civil engineers, simply becauseengineering was the best training availableat the time. Included were engineers suchas Thomas Rickard (1864-1953), anEnglish graduate of the Royal School ofMines in London; Waldemar Lindgren(1860-1939), a Swedish graduate of theBergakademie at Freiberg, Germany;Rossiter W. Raymond (1840-1918), anAmerican educated at the BrooklynPolytechnic Institute, the Bergakademie atFreiberg, and Heidelberg and Munich uni-versities; and Richard P. Rothwell (1836-1901), a Canadian (born at Oxford,Ontario) educated at the RensselaerPolytechnic Institute at Troy, New York,the Royal School of Mines and theBergakademie at Freiberg. They representa small minority of mining engineers at that time wholearned some basic geology during their technical trainingand early field careers, and also had a natural interest in thegeology of the mines they visited. In addition, they achievedgreat influence because of their skills in observation andcommunication.

Good mining engineers were in great demand during therapid growth of the mining industry in the latter half of the19th century, and some had an opportunity to travel widelythroughout North America and to new mining districtsaround the world. Although they probably did not realize itat the time, they were helping to establish the foundations ofeconomic geology.

The next few articles will examine some of the factorsthat enabled economic geology and the mining industry togrow so quickly. These included the establishment of: high-quality mining newspapers and technical journals, whichwere the 19th century equivalent of today’s Internet; techni-cal associations that provided forums for discussion at con-ferences; new university departments and schools of minesfor training economic geologists and conducting research;and federal and state/provincial geological surveys in theUnited States, Canada and worldwide, which adopted anincreased focus on economic geology.

The initial emphasis will be on those who had an influ-ential early impact due to their roles as both geologists andjournalists/authors, such as Thomas Arthur Rickard. “TA,”as he was called, was perfectly groomed for this role. Hisfather, grandfather and great grandfather were all Cornishmining experts who were called “Captain” in the Cornishtradition. His father Thomas had been one of the first min-ing engineers to visit the California goldfields, bringing asectional stamp mill with him by land across the Isthmusof Panama in 1850 (Cathro, 2007). Thomas Sr. had fourmining engineer brothers, William Henry, Richard White,Reuben and Alfred. Other family members who pursued amining career were TA’s brother Forbes and three of hiscousins. In fact, eight members of his family were members

of the American Institute of MiningEngineers (AIME) at one time.

Only one of Thomas’ seven children wasborn in Great Britain because of his fre-quent foreign assignments. TA was born atPertusola, situated close to Spezia on thenorthwest coast of Italy, where his fathermanaged a silver-lead smelter. Three yearslater, the family lived near a silver-leadmine at Andeers, Switzerland, and soonafter they had moved to the PashkoffEstates, on the eastern side of the UralMountains in Russia, where his father man-aged a native copper mine. As a result, TAwas fluent in German and Russian beforehe was sent to England in 1875 to attendprivate school. Although he spent only hisschool years in England, he was always

proud of his Cornish heritage and considered himself anEnglishman. He entered the Royal School of Mines inLondon in 1882, the first member of his family to attenduniversity.

As soon as he graduated in 1885, he moved to IdahoSprings, Colorado, to join his uncle Alfred who managedseveral mines in the vicinity. This was the beginning of whathe called his four-year apprenticeship, which enabled himto travel widely in Colorado, an important centre of goldmining at the time, and also to visit the Union Mine inCalaveras County, California, which was managed by hisuncle Reuben. When he was offered some work inAustralia, it gave him an opportunity to visit MountMorgan, Broken Hill and Bendigo, followed by a tour of thegold placers at Otaga, New Zealand. Next, he went toDauphinee, France, near the Italian border, to manage somesilver-lead mines for his father.

The next 12 years, from 1889 to 1902, were very strenu-ous for TA. During this period, he averaged about 55,000kilometres of travel annually — which included two tripsaround the world — as a consulting engineer and minemanager. This was a time when land travel was by train,horse or stagecoach, and ocean travel was by steamer.Communication was by telegraph. He maintained an officeat Denver but was home only once for longer than a weekduring his first year of marriage in 1897.

TA wrote frequently for the Engineering and MiningJournal (EMJ) during those years, mostly reviews of minesor districts, with a strong emphasis on the structure, wallrocks and mineralization. Between 1891 and 1902, he pub-lished 17 papers and nine letters in EMJ plus two longerpapers in both the Transactions of the British and AmericanInstitutes of Mining Engineers. The geographic breadth wasimpressive: Australia and New Zealand — seven papers andsix letters; general geological topics – six papers and one let-ter; Cripple Creek – three papers and one letter; France –two papers; and one paper on Ontario (Lake of the WoodsDistrict) and one letter on Arizona.

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T.A. Rickard in 1935 (from Rickard, 1937)

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Among other noteworthy events, TA had developed apersonal interest in telluride minerals while examiningmines in Colorado and at Kalgoorlie, Australia. In 1902, hevisited the Good Hope Mine near Gunnison and found anunusual copper mineral that gave a positive test for tel-lurium. It was later identified as a new copper telluride thatwas named “rickardite” by a mineralogist at Yale University.He was also named State Geologist of Colorado, a largelyceremonial position, from 1895 to 1901.

A bad experience in 1899 persuaded TA that it was timeto make a career change that would permit him to spendmore time at home. It was his calculation of the orereserves of the Independence Mine, located in the CrippleCreek district of Colorado and one of the richest goldmines in the United States. The sampling and estimationwas done for Venture Corporation of London, which usedthe report to purchase the mine for $10 million from theowner, Winfield S. Stratton. Unfortunately, the reportincorporated some overly optimistic assumptions anderrors that resulted in Venture paying too much for themine. According to the National Mining Hall of Fame, thatwas the largest mining transaction the world had seen atthe time.

Rickard was quite familiar with this district; in fact, hepublished an important paper on it the next year (Rickard,1900). He had also worked at this mine before. It was evenmore embarrassing for him because he was an acknowl-edged authority on mine sampling and ore reserve estima-tion. A few years later, he even edited and published a textbook on the subject (Rickard, 1903).

The blame for the error is difficult to determine nowalthough Rickard took full responsibility. Perhaps he was toobusy to supervise everything personally and felt comfortabledelegating some of the work because he had calculated thereserves a couple of years earlier. His mistake was in relyingon the mine manager and foremen who failed to advise himthat the mineralization was becoming narrower and that thesampling had fallen behind schedule. He was quite circum-spect in discussing the matter in his autobiography:

“The Stratton’s Independence affair caused me much worry,and chagrin. I might go into the details of the fiasco, but to doso would involve censure of the performances of three promi-nent men… So long as I examined relatively small mines forindividuals, my work as a consulting engineer was delight-ful… But when I was called upon to report upon mines thepurchase of which involved millions of dollars, I found out that

I had to be mixed up in a kind of business forwhich I had a decided distaste… Therefore whenan opportunity came to turn aside to literarywork, I did not hesitate. In July of 1902 I wasoffered the editorship of the ‘Engineering andMining Journal’, at New York. I accepted.”

AcknowledgmentSome of the quotations above appeared in my

first article in this series, which was published inGeolog, the newsmagazine of the GeologicalAssociation of Canada (Cathro, 2003). After fourarticles, the GAC decided to go in a different direc-tion and this series moved to the CIM Bulletin(now CIM Magazine) in 2005. Much of the back-ground information on Rickard was derived fromhis autobiography (Rickard, 1937). CIM

ReferencesCathro, R. J. (2003). Geologists and engineers. Geolog, 32(1),19-20.

Cathro, R. J. (2007). California gold (part 1). CIM Magazine, 2(6), 89-91.

Rickard, T. A. (1900). The Cripple Creek Goldfield. London: Institute ofMining and Metallurgy Transactions, 1899-1900, 8, 49-111.

Rickard, T. A. (Ed.) (1903). The sampling and estimation of ore in amine. Engineering and Mining Journal, 222 p.

Rickard, T. A. (1910). Geology applied to mining. San Francisco: Miningand Scientific Press, April 2 (p. 479-481) and April 9 (p. 516-518).

Rickard, T. A. (1937). Retrospect: an autobiography. New York:Whittlesey House, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. 402p.

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H I S TO R I C A L

metallurgy

IntroductionThroughout history, miners have struggled to survive

harsh living and working conditions. Disputes betweenmine owners and workers were frequent, and strikes andlockouts were common, mostly unsuccessful and frequentlyending in violence or even death. Mining companies held agreat deal of control over their employees. Employers’ rightswere enforced, often with the assistance of the police, mili-tary, magistrates and governments.

Most miners lived in company towns where homes,schools, doctors, clergy and law enforcement were providedby the company. In addition, many mining companies paidtheir employees in “script” (pieces of paper that were onlyaccepted at company-owned stores), which often resulted inminers becoming deeply indebted to the company store. Asgovernment regulations in the mining industry were practi-cally nonexistent, workers were poorly paid, worked longhours and dealt with unsafe working conditions.

Companies maintained an oppressive working environ-ment, prohibiting workers from talking or gathering, to dis-courage the creation of unions. Mining companies alsosteadily reduced their investment in the town and its ameni-ties while increasing prices at the company store. If a minerparticipated in union-bulding activities, he was either black-listed or fired, thus rendering him unemployable.

It was typical in the early days of the coal industry to payminers by the ton of coal mined and not compensate themfor any other work they did to make the mine operable, suchas laying rails, installing wooden supports, etc. As oil andnatural gas became more popular sources of energy,

Social problems in the mining industry — a historical essay (Part 1)By Fathi Habashi, Laval University, Quebec City

A company store in Harlan, Kentucky, in the 1930sStamp celebrating 100 years in the formerGerman Democratic Republic

Robert Owen, a Welsh socialreformer and one of the foundersof socialism and the cooperativemovement

economic conditions in the coal mining regions deterio-rated even further.

The mining communityMining is an integral part of society. The following sec-

tions relate some of the factors that have influenced work-ing conditions in the mining community over time.

Labour Day and the unionsLabour Day is an annual holiday celebrated worldwide

to honour the economic and social achievements of work-ers. In the United States and Canada, it is celebrated on thefirst Monday in September; however, the majority of coun-tries around the world celebrate on May 1. Labour Dayoriginates from the movement by Robert Owen (1771-1858) in 1817 advocating the eight-hour work day.

The International Working Men’s Association, a social-ist organization founded in 1864 in London aimed at unit-ing different left-wing political groups and trade unionorganizations, favoured a May 1 labour holiday. TheKnights of Labour was a union founded in 1869 by a groupof Philadelphia tailors that demanded an end to child andconvict labour, equal pay for women, a progressive incometax and the cooperative employer-employee ownership ofmines and factories. They organized a parade onSeptember 5, 1882, in New York City, which became anannual event. Following Chicago’s Haymarket riots inearly May of 1886 [see below], U.S. President GroverCleveland feared that a May 1 holiday would commemo-rate the riots and as such, in 1887, he supported theKnights of Labour’s suggestion to celebrate Labour Day inSeptember.

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The United Mine Workers of America repre-sents workers in the mining sector that foughtfor collective bargaining in the early 20th cen-tury. It was founded in Columbus, Ohio, in1890 by the merger of two groups. The follow-ing year, the union successfully achieved theirgoal of an eight-hour work day. Around 1917,the group comprised about 90 per cent of min-ers and achieved collective bargaining rights in1933. Two years later, as part of U.S. PresidentFranklin Roosevelt’s “New Deal,” progressivelabour legislation protected the rights of mostworkers in the private sector to organize labourunions, take part in strikes and collective bar-gaining. It also barred employers from firingworkers who participated in union activities.

In 1969, the United Mine Workers ofAmerica convinced the United States Congressto enact the Federal Coal Mine Health andSafety Act, which provided compensation for miners suffer-ing from black lung disease. The union’s history is filled withexamples of members and their supporters violently clashingwith company-hired strikebreakers and government forces.

In Canada, coal miners in Nova Scotia were first organ-ized in 1897 by the Provincial Workmen’s Association. In1917, it joined forces with the United Mine Workers ofAmerica and formed the Amalgamated Mine Workers ofNova Scotia. The 1941-42 Kirkland Lake gold miners’ strikefor union recognition influenced the eventual passage of col-lective bargaining legislation in Canada in 1944, similar tothat of 1935 in the United States.

International Labour OrganizationHeadquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the International

Labour Organization is a specialized agency of the UnitedNations that deals with labour issues (its secretariat isknown as the International Labour Office). Based on the ini-tiative of French socialist Albert Thomas (1878-1932), theorganization was established as an agency of the League ofNations following the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, whichended World War I. France issued a stamp in Thomas’ hon-our on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the organiza-tion’s founding, while Switzerland issued a stamp showing aminer at work. In 1969, the International LabourOrganization received the Nobel Peace Prize.

ScabsA scab (or strikebreaker) is someone who works despite

an ongoing strike, who refuses to join a union or who worksfor less pay. Confrontations between striking miners andscabs often get out of control, resulting in bloodshed.Companies have often had to hire a detective agency to pro-tect the scabs or replacement workers from strikers.

Private security guardsIn New Spain (now Mexico), mine

owners were allowed to organize a pri-vate army to terrorize workers shouldthey disobey or dissent. In the UnitedStates, the Pinkerton National DetectiveAgency (“the Pinkertons”), was a pri-vate U.S. security guard and detectiveagency established by Allan Pinkerton(1819-1884), in partnership with aChicago attorney, in 1850. Their mis-sion was to solve a series of train rob-beries as the United States expanded interritory and rail transportationincreased.

Following the outbreak of the CivilWar, Pinkerton served as the head ofthe Union Intelligence Service in1861-62 and foiled an alleged assassi-

nation plot against Abraham Lincoln, who was inBaltimore on his way to his inauguration. Pinkerton’sagents often worked undercover as Confederate soldiersand sympathizers in an effort to gather military intelli-gence. Following service with the Union Army,Pinkerton continued his pursuit of train robbers and alsosought to oppose labour unions. In 1872, the Spanishgovernment hired him to help suppress a revolution inCuba that intended to end slavery.

During the labour unrest in the late 19th century, busi-nessmen hired Pinkerton agents to infiltrate unions andpose as guards to keep strikers and suspected unionists outof factories. The Pinkertons were also used as guards incoal, iron and lumber disputes in Illinois, Michigan, NewYork and Pennsylvania, as well as the during railroadstrikes of 1887.

At the time of his death, Pinkerton was working on asystem that would centralize all criminal identificationrecords, a database now maintained by the FederalBureau of Investigation. After his death, the agency con-tinued to operate and soon became a major force againstthe young labour movement developing in the UnitedStates and Canada. This effort tarnished the image of thePinkertons, who were involved in numerous activitiesopposing labour movements during the late 19th andearly 20th centuries.

Many labor sympathizers accused the Pinkertons ofinciting riots in order to discredit unions and justify policecrackdowns. The Pinkertons’ reputation was harmed bytheir protection of replacement workers and the businessesof major industrialists. As long as employers had a steadysupply of workers, especially ones willing to work for lessthan what current employees received, strikers had littlechance of having their demands fulfilled.

Allan Pinkerton was born in Glasgow,Scotland, and immigrated to the UnitedStates at the age of 23.

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February 2011 | 115

Civil Liberties CommitteeThe Committee on Education and Labor, Subcommittee

Investigating Violations of Free Speech and the Rights ofLabor known as La Follette Civil Liberties Committee,which was named after its chairman, Robert M. La Follette,Jr. (1896-1953), a Republican and Progressive Party senatorfrom Wisconsin, began in response to an inquiry into aNational Labor Relations Board investigation of methodsused by employers in certain industries to avoid collectivebargaining with unions. Between 1936 and 1941, the sub-committee published reports on the use of industrial espi-onage, private police systems, strike-breaking services,munitions in industrial warfare, and employers’ associationsto break strikes and disrupt legal union activities.

The committee reported that the number of workinglabour spies from 1933 to 1937 totalled 3,871. Private secu-rity firms like Pinkerton National Detective Agency wereemployed to infiltrate labour unions. The committee con-cluded that espionage was the most efficient method knownto management to prevent unions from forming, to weakenthem if they secured a foothold, and to thwart any endeav-ours. The inquiry by the committee failed to achieve anyeffective regulatory legislation that might have curtailed theworst practices of strike-breaking agencies, but therevelations enraged the public.

Racism and miningRacism was sometimes the reason

behind unrest among the workers. Forexample, when gold was discovered inthe summer of 1860 near the settle-ment of Lambing Flat (now Young),white and Chinese miners flockedthere. Not long after, a wave of anti-Chinese disturbances in the goldfields ofNew South Wales in Australia led to restric-tion of Chinese immigration. On

December 12, 1860, the firstdisturbance grew out of ademonstration organized by awhite miners’ vigilance com-mittee against gambling densand other alleged vices. Afterventing their rage on theseestablishments, the minersattacked the Chinese quarter ofthe settlement, killing severalpeople and wounding manyothers. Other attacks followedand eventually, the Chineseminers had to abandon thefields.

Tension between whites and Chinese immigrants in theAmerican West was particularly high. The 1882 ChineseExclusion Act suspended Chinese immigration for ten years,but not before thousands of immigrants had already come.Most Chinese immigrants who settled in Wyoming initiallytook jobs in the railroad industry, but many ended upemployed in the coal mines owned by the Union PacificRailroad. As Chinese immigration increased, so did the anti-

Chinese sentiment by white people. The Knights of Labor,one of the foremost voices against Chinese immi-

grant labour, formed a chapter in Rock Springs,Wyoming, in 1883, and most rioters weremembers of that organization. As white min-ers (mostly Swedish, Welsh, Irish andCornish immigrants) believed that lowerpaid Chinese labourers drove down theirwages, resentment reached an all-time highand led to the Rock Springs Massacre of

September 2, 1885. Rioters even set fire toChinese homes. When the rioting ended, at

least 28 Chinese miners were dead and many oth-ers were wounded. CIM

A medal souvenir made by an Austrian artist for Miners’Day in Leoben

Chinese immigrants bound for California in 1876 to settle throughout the American West Federal soldiers deployed in 1885 to quell racial riots at Rock Springs, Wyoming

Robert M. La Follette, Jr.

Page 94: CIM Magazine February 2011

116 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

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Page 95: CIM Magazine February 2011

In the next issueFrom mines to market:The output of key commodities continues toramp up. Are we prepared move these highervolumes? We explore the transportationchallenges confronting the industry from coastto coast to coast.

A Q&A with Zoё Yujnovich, president of IronOre Company of Canada

Project Profile:Labrador Iron Mines approaches production atdirect shipping ore project in western Labrador

Engineering Exchange moves to Upfront:The world’s largest autoclaves on the slowroad to Pueblo Viejo

Commodity focus: Iron ore

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Page 96: CIM Magazine February 2011

voices from industry

118 | CIM Magazine | Vol. 6, No. 1

In some ways, creating a culture of innovation is easy —people have a natural gift for creativity; the challengeis not to stifle it. There are several factors that allow a

culture of innovation to develop and these are comingtogether as never before.

Openness: There are many good peoplewith good ideas out there, and the mostimportant step in creating a culture ofinnovation is being open to new ideas.Of course, we cannot do everything atonce. Any research organization with aparticular focus, such as mining, has tomanage the development of new ideasin the context of all the other thingsthat are going on at that time. Sorather than say “no,” we may say “notyet,” or “how about we try it this way.”But in saying no to someone’s idea it isimportant not to discourage them frombringing other ideas forward.

Practicality: Another consideration is what outcomes youwant. People want to see new ideas result in a change inhow things are done by mining companies. That is whyCEMI (Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation) is not acentre “of” excellence, it is the centre “for” excellence ininnovation. Our focus is not to retain innovation in a staticcentre but, rather, to make sure these ideas translate intoinnovations that are implemented in the real world.

Significance: An important factor in innovation is the scaleof change — focusing attention on innovations that willresult in a “step change” in the way the industry doesthings. Many of our partner and client organizations inindustry have internal programs focused on continuousimprovement. These will always have a role to play, but Ibelieve the mining industry today is facing major chal-lenges that can be addressed only with a significant depar-ture from current practice.

Challenge: People will always be motivated to rise to achallenge. Current demand is such that in the next 25years, we have to produce the same amount of copper,nickel, zinc and steel that has ever been produced in theworld historically. We have to do this at a time when exist-ing deposits are harder to mine and process, and when dis-coveries in remote locations lack the infrastructure thatcould bring these resources to market. It is increasingly dif-ficult to supply remote mine sites with water, power and

material, and climate change could make this ever moredifficult. We need to reduce the footprint of existing oper-ations and ensure that future operations have a muchsmaller environmental impact than ever before, all whileenhancing the economy and the social fabric of those com-munities living close to mining operations.

Synergies: The range of technical disciplines that have tobe brought in to address the issues confronting the miningindustry in the 21st century is far broader than ever before.In addition to the traditionally required geologists andengineers, we will be drawing on the expertise of special-ists in biology, ecology, chemistry, biochemistry, climatol-ogy, as well as social sciences and commerce to worktogether. The advantage of this approach is that cross-fertilization from many disciplines makes for a moredynamic and interesting intellectual environment.

Enthusiasm: An influx of new people also brings a level ofenthusiasm that has been missing from mining research inrecent years. For too long, industry’s response to new ideashas been “that won’t work” or “we tried that already,” per-petuating the mindset that nothing radically new can bedone. This may have helped companies survive during the25 to 30 years of low or fluctuating commodity prices, butthat era has come to an end. Demographically, we need ahuge influx of young people — a generation that wants tomake a positive difference in the world. We need to makethem realize that this is an industry that can offer an excit-ing and dynamic professional environment. Yes, miningcompanies have to focus on production issues, but thosethat also take a prominent role in supporting and fundingresearch and innovation will attract the best and brightestfrom every field.

Timing: The final critical ingredient for creating a cultureof innovation is simply timing. The major mining corpora-tions all recognize that almost every aspect of the waytheir mines will function in the future will change signifi-cantly. At CEMI, we are looking forward to collaboratingwith all of the groups — in academia, government and,most importantly, in industry — that have been working foryears to bring new ideas forward. Now we need to addressthe newer problems such as climate change, but also tobrush off ideas that might have been dismissed prema-turely and rejuvenate techniques that were abandoned forthe wrong reasons. This is an exciting time for mining inno-vation; it is the time when Canadian researchers can takethe lead in shaping the global mining industry of the future. CIM

Creating a culture of innovationBy Douglas Morrison, deputy director, Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI)

Page 97: CIM Magazine February 2011

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