Partners deliver mining kit for Aboriginal communities
Namex Explorations and the Sudbury Basin
Partnership protects unique conservancy area
CAMA holds 14th annual conference in Ottawa
Diavik & Yellowknife support men’s homelessness centre
Vast Exploration to acquire up to 400,000 hectares of treaty lands in Saskatchewan
Marum Resources realigns priorities and announces corporate appointments
Curlew Lake Resources has begun work on Typhoon Gold
Billion dollar mine could provide generations of hope for job-starved Nunavut
Canada invests in Aboriginal training for northern Ontario diamond mine
Partners in Mining: Perry Siakuluk, man with a burning desire
Steelworkers ratify agreement with Inco ending strike at Voisey’s Bay nickel mine
Commerce Resources hits 17 out of 17
Attawapiskat First Nation signs exploration agreement with KWG MacFadyen project
Partners deliver mining kit for Aboriginal communities
A new educational tool will help Aboriginal people make more informed decisions and take advantage of opportunities offered by the mining industry in Canada. Released recently in Whitehorse, YT, the Mining Information Kit for Aboriginal Communities describes the mining cycle and identifies the many opportunities that exploration and mining can bring to Aboriginal people.
The information kit is the product of a partnership among the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC), the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), the Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association (CAMA) and the Government of Canada (Natural Resources and Indian and Northern Affairs).
"This is an excellent tool for Aboriginal people, industry and governments. It ensures that Aboriginal communities have the knowledge they need to participate fully in all aspects of mining," said the Honourable Gary Lunn, Minister of Natural Resources.
"This valuable information kit demonstrates how partnerships between government, industry and Aboriginal organizations play a key role in responsible development of the North," said the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians.
"Canada's mining industry has become the largest private-sector employer of Aboriginal Canadians. This information kit is designed to help Aboriginal communities prepare for, and effectively engage in, new opportunities offered by our sector," stated Gordon Peeling, President and Chief Executive Officer of the MAC.
According to Patricia Dillon, President of the PDAC, "The mineral industry offers excellent employment and business-development opportunities for Aboriginal people, including youth, particularly those in the northern regions of Canada. The kit contains details about training and the wide range of jobs this industry offers."
Aboriginal communities are in-creasingly becoming recognized as key contributors to the minerals and metals sector for labour and supplies. This kit was developed to respond to the increasing needs of Aboriginal communities for information products on minerals and metals activities. Approximately 1,200 Abori-ginal communities are located within 200 kilometres of 190 producing mines and 2,100 active exploration properties across Canada.
"A mining project can be a catalyst for positive economic development in an Aboriginal community," said Jerry Asp, Vice-President of CAMA. "This information kit will help us better understand mining activities, so that we can make more informed decisions about our participation in the mining industry."
This project reaffirms the commitment of the partners to work with Aboriginal communities to increase the contribution of the minerals and metals industry to the well-being of Aboriginal people.
The information kit will be available in both English and French, and will be distributed to interested Aboriginal communities across Canada. It is available on each of the partners' Web sites.
Namex Explorations and the Sudbury Basin
Today all eyes are focused on Sudbury, the richest mining district in North America, due to the multi-billion dollar merger battles by the corporate mining giants and because of the global demand for nickel. Nickel inventories can presently only supply the demand for a mere half a day instead of months. As of September 21, there is a 51,000 ton deficit in nickel.
Namex's Trevor Pacaud, Geological Engineering Technician and Sabrina Rabin, Field Technician standing by a channel sample showing on Namex's Golden Pine East.
With ideally situated properties in the Sudbury Mining Camp, Namex Explorations Inc. is finally kicking-off what may prove to be its most lucrative and successful drilling program to date. Studies related to information gleaned from earlier reconnaissance exploration programs, in the form of airborne geophysics, ground Induced Polarization (IP) plus Mobile Metals Ion (MMI) surveys and geological prospectingand mapping, together with earlier reconnaissance drilling, have defined target areas characteristic in size, shape and relationship to nearby ore bodies.
The first two holes of some ten holes to be drilled on three of Namex's top priority targets have been completed. These first two 400 meter holes were drilled to explore a very strong magnetic and conductive target on the north east side of Fraser Lake on the Golden Pine property. This target has been historically identified by both airborne and ground geophysical surveys. Some distance to the north of the anomaly, significant copper mineralization has been noted in mafic volcanics, which may bear a relationship to what can be anticipated in the anomaly itself. Rare earths have manifested their presence in the overlying gravels.
The second series of drill holes are being collared on the Golden Pine East property. Here a surface channel sample returned a 7.22 foot width of 1.302 ounces of gold/ton, included in which a 1.64 foot cut ran 5.308 ounces of gold per ton. A 7.22 feet wide intersection represents a minable width. In the immediate area, an additional thirty-two channel samples tested with a weighted average of 7.69 grams gold/tonne, or 0.224 ounces gold/ton. With persistence, this occurrence can prove to have the makings of a new mine.
With a series of four to five short holes, we hope to ascertain the strike and dip of this bonanza gold horizon. Once completed, longerholes will be drilled to determine the true dimensions and volume of the deposit.
The present program's third drilling location is designed to intersect several IP anomalies as well as to provide additional evidence of thenature of the 600 meter strike extension of the Whistle Offset that crosses the Post Creek property. This will be accomplished with two inclined 450 meter drill holes. Additional MMI geochemical sampling is currently underway on the Whistle Offset strike extension to moreaccurately locate the drill targets.
On the Woods Creek Nickel, Copper and PGM property, several highly recommended drill targets were outlined by Matrix GeoTechnologies. These will all be drilled in due course.
Geophysical and geochemical surveys are ongoing on other areas of Namex's three properties that total 14,000 acres. These properties host a diverse range of metals including nickel, platinum, palladium, gold, silver, copper andzinc.
For more information visit www.namex-explorations.com.
Partnership protects unique conservancy area
By Shirley Collingridge
As environmental awareness grows, so does Teck Cominco’s list of extraordinary environmental efforts. The company is committed to continually improving its environmental performance at operations and facilities. Most recently, Teck Cominco announced an agreement with The Land Conservancy (TLC) to create and protect a unique area near Trail, BC. Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. will transfer more than 2200 acres of this land along the Columbia River to The Land Conservancy.
Looking across the river to the northern end of the Ft. Shepherd area.
Formed in 1997, The Land Conservancy is a non-profit, charitable Land Trust working throughout British Columbia. TLC protects important habitat for plants, animals and natural communities as well as properties with historical, cultural, scientific, scenic or compatible recreational value.
“We're very pleased to make this substantial contribution to The Land Conservancy to protect one of the Trail region's most unique wildlife and ecological areas,” said Mike Martin, General Manager of Trail Operations. “Our goal was to see the Fort Shepherd lands protected forever through a partnership with The Land Conservancy and with the support of the Trail Wildlife Association.”
Owned by Teck Cominco Metals, the Fort Shepherd lands are located along the west bank of the Columbia River, south of the City of Trail. Teck Cominco will transfer the land to the TLC at a substantial $1 million discount below fair market value.
The Land Conservancy Executive Director Bill Turner is pleased with the plans. For two years, TLC and Teck Cominco worked together to create what will be called the Fort Shepherd Land Conservancy. “Teck Cominco has made an exceptional effort to preserve a very special ecological area and wildlife habitat for future generations,” said Turner.
TLC has also begun working with the Trail Wildlife Association to provide for its role in future management and protection of the lands. The rare biogeoclimatic area unique in BC, lies in what is known as the Fort Shepherd Flats. The area also contains several at risk species, including Great Blue Herons, Canyon Wrens, Townsend's Big-Eared Bats, and Racers. The area is a valuable winter range for Mule Deer. The land’s historical value includes its history as the site of the Hudson Bay Company's Fort Shepherd trading post from 1857-1870.
Martin called the Fort Shepherd lands initiative a direct result of several decades of environmental improvements undertaken by the Teck Cominco smelter. “We've made great strides in reducing emissions and raising environmental quality, and the company and its employees are very proud to be part of this conservation legacy,” he said.
Teck Cominco Metals Ltd. recently celebrated its 100th year anniversary of operations in the Trail region. It operates one of the world's largest, fully-integrated, zinc and lead smelting and refining complexes and has invested more than $1 billion on environmental performance upgrades since 1977.
In its Trail metallurgical facility operations, the company invested $1 billion dollars in systems enhancements and environmental improvements. The result is a reduction of metal emissions in stack gasses by up to 98%. After the upgrades, greenhouse gas emissions were 35% below 1990 levels – far beyond the requirements of the Kyoto Protocol, which mandates a 25% reduction. An analysis of current emission sources in Trail will enable the company to set targets and achieve further improvements.
By the end of 2005, many of the company’s operations were ISO 14001 certified. The designation is an international standard for environmental management systems that focuses on prevention of pollution, compliance with environmental laws and continuous improvement in system and environmental performance. The company is working toward certification of all operations by the end of 2007.
Teck Cominco is regularly recognized for its site reclamation efforts. In 2005 alone, the company received three reclamation awards: one for its work at the Fording River coalmine, a second for a joint project with the Ministry of Environment at the dormant Churchill Copper mine, and the third for its success at the Polaris minesite.
Tec kCominco also boosted the efforts at the historic Britannia mine project. Once the most prolific copper producer in the British Commonwealth, this mine was never one of the company’s projects. After 70 years of operation, the mine closed in 1974. Thirteen years later, the government of Canada designated it a national historical site. In 2005, Teck Cominco provided a substantial donation to the Britannia Concentrator Rehabilitation Project that leveraged millions of funding dollars from other donors. Today, the site is an educational and tourist destination; more than 1.25 million visitors have enjoyed the BC Museum of Mining. For more information about Teck Cominco and its environmental efforts, visit www.teckcominco.com.
CAMA holds 14th annual conference in Ottawa
The Canadian Aboriginal Minerals Association will hold its 14th annual conference in Ottawa on November 5-7, 2006. Two Realities, One Community: Aboriginal Community Development with the Resource Sector will offer the following workshops over the three-day conference:
- Environmental Management and Aboriginal Ccommunity Traditional Kknowledge
- Global Initiatives in Ccorporate Ssocial Rresponsibility. How does one manage the conflict between corporate desires for economies of scale and Aboriginal groups’ desires for smaller, but longer-lived projects which would provide sustained employment?
- Tahltan Nation Agreement with Nova Gold
- Supplier Businesses
- Mine Safety Techniques & Technologies
- Diamond Exploration
- Building Links for Mining Excellence
- The Socio-Economic Impact of Mine Closures
- Incorporating Traditional Knowledge into Environmental Impact Assessment
- Developing Certifiable Mining Skills
- Making (Negotiated) Agreements Work
CAMA is an Aboriginal, non-profit organization which seeks to increase the understanding of the minerals industry and Aboriginal community's respective interests in lands and resources.
Through increasing this awareness, all parties will benefit. Visit www.aboriginalminerals.com
Diavik & Yellowknife support men’s homelessness centre
The Diavik diamond mine (Diavik), City of Yellowknife and the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition are pleased to announce that a memorandum of understanding was signed September 28th to explore construction of a new transitional centre for homeless men.
Pending project evaluation, Diavik would manage construction of the centre which is planned to be located on Franklin Avenue at the old fire hall site next to the Salvation Army.
The Bailey House, named for Reverend Gordon and Ruth Bailey, will offer services beyond those offered at emergency shelters by assisting homeless male clients seeking to make the transition to permanent community residence. It is expected capital costs to construct the centre will be in excess of $3 million.
The Baileys were well known for opening their own home in Yellowknife to people needing a safe, warm place to sleep, said Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition Co-chair Lydia Bardak. Both Gordon and Ruth Bailey passed away in 1996, within a month and half of each other, and the new facility will be a living reminder of their generosity. Helping carry their legacy forward is the Bailey’s granddaughter Carol-Rose Carlson who is on The Bailey House Fundraising Committee, adds Bardak.
The Coalition, which includes federal, territorial, Aboriginal, and municipal governments, sheltering agencies and other non-governmental organizations including church groups, has been granted access to $1.2 million under the Federal Government National Homelessness Initiative, $1.5 million under the Community Capacity Building Fund, and $220,000 from the NWT Housing Corporation to construct The Bailey House. In addition to capital funding commitments at the local level, significant fundraising is still required for construction and other related items, such as furniture, for the centre. Joint Task Force North has donated their Headquarters Mess facilities to host this evening’s MOU signing and launch of the fundraising campaign.
Yellowknife Mayor Gordon Van Tighem, a member of the Homelessness Coalition, encourages the community to be generous in their support of this campaign.
Support for the facility will come from many sources including federal and territorial governments, The City of Yellowknife, The Bailey House Fundraising Committee, and others. Diavik will contribute cash and in-kind contributions valued at approximately $250,000. Diavik will oversee the construction of the facility providing a similar management role as it used to complete the Yellowknife Multiplex recreational facility two years ago.
The Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition, which uses a consensus model, was formed in 2000 in response to the National Homelessness Initiative. Some past projects include transitional housing units and units for single seniors. In addition to capital projects, the Coalition has been able to leverage funding to enhance the capacity of sheltering agencies.
The Diavik diamond mine, located 300 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, is an unincorporated joint venture between DDMI (60%) and Aber Diamond Limited Partnership (40%). Both companies are headquartered in Yellowknife, Canada.
For further information, contact Tom Hoefer, Diavik Manager of External & Internal Affairs at (867) 669-6500 or Dayle Handy, Homelessness Coordinator with the City of Yellowknife at (867) 669-3409, or Lydia Bardak of the Yellowknife Homelessness Coalition at (867) 445-6845.
Vast Exploration to acquire up to 400,000 hectares of treaty lands in Saskatchewan
Vast Exploration Inc. (TSXV:VST) has struck an exclusive deal with privately owned Samson Oil and Gas Inc. to jointly explore on highly prospective native treaty lands throughout Saskatchewan.
Both companies are looking to initially invest about $10 million each on conventional oil and gas exploration and development, Vast said in a release September 19th.
``I anticipate that this agreement will position the company as a significant explorer within Saskatchewan which is the second highest oil producing province and the third highest natural gas producer in Canada,'' said Don Parker, president and CEO of Vast.
Vast said this deal is the second exclusive transaction the company has negotiated in the last year, including its successful joint venture with the Paddle Prairie Metis settlement in Boyer, AB.
Under this deal, the joint venture will explore on a minimum of 16,000 hectares to a maximum of 400,000 hectares of Native lands, including the Prince and Abbey fields in central Alberta.
Samson Oil and Gas is a private oil and gas holding company owned by the Samson Cree Nation in central Alberta.
Besides the Samson joint ventures with Samson and the Paddle Prairie Metis in Boyer, the company also has an exploration land play in Barrhead, AB. and a coal bed methane farm-out in the Black Warrior basin in Alabama.
In early trading September 19th on the TSX Venture Exchange, Vast shares were unchanged at 38 cents.
Marum Resources realigns priorities and announces corporate appointments
By Shirley Collingridge
Because of the disappointing results at its Southern Alberta Uranium Project, Marum Resources Inc. (MMU-TSXV) will allocate a low priority to this Project.
Marum drilled 19 reverse circulation holes near the “Hot Bones” area of its Fort MacLeod uranium exploration property in December of last year. Apex Geoscience Ltd. of Edmonton planned and designed the program. All drill holes intersected 10 to 25 metres of overburden, which sits unconformably over loosely consolidated siltstone. Apex Geoscience of Edmonton supervised the drill program and sample analysis. Dean Besserer, P. Geol., of Apex Geoscience is the Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101.
Unfortunately, none of the drill holes intersected sandstone, the target rock type. As well, no anomalous spectrometer readings were found in the overburden or siltstone bedrock. Selected samples were submitted to Saskatchewan Research Council for analysis. No anomalous uranium results were encountered. Subsequent field exploration carried out during 2006 failed to outline any prospective sandstone units that represent potential host rocks.
Consequently, the Company will now concentrate on exploring its gold properties in Manitoba's Rice Lake Gold Belt, acquired in 2004.
At its annual special and annual general meetings in September, shareholders approved all management recommendations. New director Daniel A. Beauchamp, B.SC, P. Geol. has been appointed for election to the Board of Directors as an independent director. Beauchamp holds a B.Sc. in geology from the University of Ottawa and an MBA from the University of Calgary. He brings to the table 25 years of experience in the mineral exploration field, including experience as a public company director.
Jeffrey Robinson was appointed Chief Financial Officer of the company. Robinson worked in the accounting and advertising industries in Sydney before emigrating to Canada in 1991. During the past fifteen years, Robinson has been active in the marketing industry in both Calgary and Phoenix. He currently provides marketing services to large Canadian and US-based companies.
For more information about Marum Resources Inc., visit www.marumresources.com. The company is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta.
Curlew Lake Resources has begun work on Typhoon Gold
Curlew Lake Resources Inc. (TSX VENTURE:CWQ) (PINK SHEETS: CWLXF) announces that crews and equipment have been mobilized to commence a fall program on the Typhoon Gold Property, located about 100 kilometers southeast of Dawson City in the Clear Creek District of the Yukon Territories, Canada. The property consists of 98 Yukon quartz claims covering 17.8 square kilometers. The Typhoon Gold Property is situated within the Tintina Gold Belt to the north of the Tintina fault zone in the Selwyn Basin. The property has excellent road access allowing substantial flexibility in evaluating the area.
This program will be completed in three stages including a geochemical survey, commencing now, and a trenching and a diamond-drilling program. It is expected that all work will be completed by October 31, 2006.
The first stage of the program will involve the collection of soil samples on the western side of the property where a recent ground magnetic survey identified significant new anomalies, as published to the corporate website on August 13th. Positive gold geochemistry in this area will provide additional drill targets to those already established on the eastern side of the property.
The second stage of the program will consist of a trenching program. This portion of the program is aimed at providing the Company with geological data, rock samples and a further understanding of the property geology.
Lastly the Company will commence the diamond-drilling program announced earlier in the year, which has been delayed due to a shortage of qualified personnel.
The company anticipates that the first and second stage of the program will provide additional information, which may greatly expand the known drill targets.
The work programs will be carried out under the direction of James A. Turner, P. Geol., and Scott Casselman, P Geol., both identified as qualified persons under NI 43-101.
Curlew Lake has arranged additional funds with a private investor to cover the expanded program, which will provide the investor with a 1% NSR Royalty which can be purchased at anytime for $500,000. It is the opinion of management that this provides the Company a great opportunity to create share value without share dilution. The property is 100% owned by the Company, subject only to a total 4% NSR Royalty of which 2% may be purchased at any time for $1,000,000 and another 1% may be purchased at any time for $600,000 in cash or shares.
The Company would also like to take this opportunity to provide qualified shareholders with the opportunity to participate in a planned flow-through share private placement to fund the Metis gas project in Alberta. The Company believes this can provide shareholders with a good opportunity for capital appreciation, with additional tax advantages. Interested parties are invited to contact the company directly. This project is classified as a low risk, shallow, natural gas development play with a potential to add significantly to Company value. A multi well drilling program is expected to commence in October 2006.
Billion dollar mine could provide generations of hope for job-starved Nunavut
By Bob Weber
A Canadian miner with big dreams has opened talks with Inuit negotiators on developing a $1.4-billion iron mine that could profoundly change life on Baffin Island.
The Mary River project – which would come complete with its own railway and deepwater port – has enough high-grade ore to keep generations of Inuit working, and people in at least three nearby communities have high hopes for jobs and training.
“There's a huge potential,” says Terry Audla of the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, the land claim organization that oversees the north Baffin district.
“You're talking about (jobs for) your grandchildren – and their grandchildren.”
The Mary River deposit, located on north Baffin Island roughly equidistant from the communities of Pond Inlet, Arctic Bay and Igloolik, is truly what geologists call an elephant.
“There's a whole lot of iron ore there,” says Gord McCreary of project proponent Baffinland Iron Mines Corp. (TSX:BIM)
The core deposit is a mountain so rich in iron that its black rocks render compasses useless. At 66 per cent pure hematite or magnetite, it can be simply dug out of the ground and loaded on ships headed for the blast furnaces.
Mary River has at least 337 million tonnes of such ore, enough to keep a mine operating at profitable volumes for 34 years.
“The potential is likely to be much, much higher than that,” McCreary says. “Our belief is somewhere between one and two billion tonnes of direct shipping ore.”
Because the ore is so rich, no processing facilities at the mine site would be necessary. It would go directly from an open-pit mine by rail to port, which would be located either on Milne Inlet on the east coast or Steensby Inlet on the west. The rail line would be about 100 kilometres either way.
Baffinland, weighing considerations including terrain and ice conditions, hasn't chosen a route yet, says McCreary.
“We're carrying both of these all the way through the feasibility study.”
The deposit was discovered decades ago. In fact, McCreary wrote a master's thesis on it in the '70s. It was the recent boom in commodity prices that convinced him Mary River is finally viable. China, McCreary points out, bought 14 million tonnes of iron ore in 1990; last year, it imported 275 million tonnes.
Still, even though Baffinland has spent nearly $50 million on the property doing feasibility, environmental and traditional knowledge work, studies continue. The first bulk sample from the mine won't be tested in the market until 2008 and, even if all goes smoothly, full-scale production wouldn't happen until 2011.
But Nunavut is eagerly awaiting the prospect of 500 jobs to operate the mine – a huge figure for tiny communities where the only employer has been the government.
“It's a long enough life that we could have generations of miners,” says Malachi Arreak, senior administrative officer for Pond Inlet, population 1,400.
“We want to see us working hand in hand with the company to develop infrastructure. We want to see the money benefit Pond Inlet.”
Although Baffinland's claim predates the Nunavut land claim, the company must still come to an agreement on Inuit benefits.
Those negotiations, expected to take about 15 months, have begun.
“Training will be a big part of (the) talks,” Audla said.
“It would be nice to have more *Inuit geologists, so rather than scanning the horizon for game, they're looking at the ground looking for more resources for themselves.”
McCreary is aware of the impact the project could have. He's already talking about getting into high schools and public schools to spread the word about coming opportunities in mining.
“All the people of North Baffin that are interested in employment opportunities with us will have an opportunity with us,” he promises.
“We can be a significant positive contributor.”
Canada invests in Aboriginal training
for northern Ontario diamond mine
The Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, has confirmed federal funding of $7.87 million for the James Bay Employment and Training project under the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) program. This ASEP project brings together Aboriginal communities, industry and other orders of government to offer skills development and employment opportunities in the DeBeers Victor Diamond mine operation located near Attawapiskat, a First Nations community in the James Bay lowland in Northern Ontario.
"Canada's new Government is proud to fund this project which will positively impact the future of hundreds of First Nations men and women, their families and their communities," said Minister Finley. "This training program will also help address the need for more skilled workers in the mining sector, which has always been a core part of the economy not only to the North but to Canada as a whole."
Under the project, the James Bay Employment and Training (JBET) project will provide a range of employment tools to assist Aboriginal people in achieving long term, sustainable employment in a region that has traditionally offered limited employment prospects. Employment tools include job information workshops, career counselling, training and work experience interventions, permanent job placements and advancement programs. It is expected that over 600 individuals will take part in training opportunities, with at least 190 Aboriginal people obtaining long-term employment at the Victor Mine operation.
Partners in this initiative include the Attawapiskat First Nation, Weenusk First Nation, Fort Albany First Nation, Kashechewan First Nation and Moose Cree First Nation along with DeBeers Canada, Northern College, and the Province of Ontario.
"James Bay Employment and Training welcomes the contribution made by the Government of Canada for this valuable project," said JBET's Executive Director, Philip Sutherland Jr. "This partnership will provide Aboriginal people in the James Bay region with the opportunity to gain the skills they need to find employment at the DeBeers Victor Project."
The James Bay Employment and Training project is one of nine projects currently underway receiving multi-year funding under the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) program. ASEP is an $85 million private-sector program partnership designed to complement the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy (AHRDS) and fill a gap in training for large-scale economic development projects across Canada. ASEP is scheduled to sunset in March 2009.
James Bay Employment and Training Project under the Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) Program
The Aboriginal Skills and Employment Partnership (ASEP) program is a five-year initiative launched in late 2003 with total funding of $85 million. Its overall objective is to create sustainable employment for Aboriginal people in major economic initiatives across Canada through collaborative partnerships, leading to lasting benefits for Aboriginal communities, families and individuals.
ASEP funding proposals are submitted by partnership consortia that include parties from the private sector, Aboriginal groups, and the province or territory where the large economic or resource-based project is located. Other key partners may include learning institutions, sector councils, labour, and other Government of Canada departments or agencies. Each partnership consortium must set out a comprehensive training-to-employment plan for Aboriginal people that links skills development to specific job opportunities.
A significant amount of funding for a project is expected from the partnership; the Government of Canada's normal contribution to a proposal will not exceed 75 percent. The private sector must also demonstrate, at minimum, 50 long-term sustainable jobs for Aboriginal people once Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) has completed its funding.
ASEP is administered nationally by HRSDC. It also complements the Aboriginal Human Resources Development Strategy (AHRDS), a five-year initiative that began in 1999 and was renewed until 2009. ASEP also complements the Northern Strategy by providing training and human resource development that is responsive to the needs of community and regional labour market conditions and economies.
The James Bay Employment and Training project is one of nine projects to receive funding under the ASEP program since its launch in October 2003.
James Bay Employments and Training (JBET)
The De Beers Victor Diamond project is an open pit diamond mine located approximately 90 km west of Attawapiskat First Nation in the James Bay lowland. The project has an expected life span of 16 years, requiring 390 workers for the operations phase of the mine with approximately 50 percent of available positions to be filled by Aboriginal people.
Labour market analysis suggested that limited experience and education would hinder access to employment at the De Beers Victor diamond mine. In light of that analysis, the overall objective of the JBET project is to help Aboriginal people in the James Bay lowland region of northern Ontario to prepare for, obtain and advance in jobs at all levels at the De Beers Victor Diamond mine. The training is also intended to provide Aboriginal people of the region with transferable skills that will open doors in the James Bay region and elsewhere in Canada.
Aboriginal Partners in Mining:
Perry Siakuluk:
Man with a burning desire
TAsked why they work in the mining industry, most employees might reply – excellent pay and benefits, or great experience and training. Many say it runs in the family or that work is readily available. Perry Siakuluk says he has an even better reason: because it is fun.
In fact, when asked about the most fulfilling aspect of his career, the cook’s helper at the Cumberland Resources Ltd. Meadowbank project energetically replied, “Everything!”
Perry Kauiayak Sigkuluk hard at it in his kitchen.
“Perry is one of the most enthusiastic members of our crew,” said Gord Davidson, Cumberland’s Exploration Manager, Canada. “He is a real delight to have in camp.”
Siakuluk, who was born in Churchill Manitoba, moved to Baker Lake in the mid-seventies from Chesterfield Inlet. This keen Inuit could not have known that some day he would travel to work by a helicopter along with four other passengers (or sometimes camp supplies) and a pilot.
He learned of the job almost by word-of-mouth because he had some experience in the industry. He previously worked at the hotel as a dishwasher and cook’s helper, and “I help out Dorothy’s Bed & Breakfast in Baker Lake,” he said.
That is when Mrs. Tapatai, whose husband owns and operates Peter's Expediting Ltd. which provides road construction and transportation services for the camp, approached Siakuluk.
She “asked me if I was working anywhere else in Baker Lake, in town,” said Siakuluk. “I told [her] that I was working, but I was looking forward to changing to another job. She asked me to do up a resume. I gave it to her and apparently they faxed it to the office here in Meadowbank,” he said.
The rest, as they say, is history – or it will be. Still new to the job, Siakuluk thrives on learning the trade and enjoys the social interaction. “I just started this year about March. I am pretty new here,” he said.
Siakuluk bounds out of bed at 6 a.m. to begin his 7 o’clock shift – preparing breakfast for 34 hungry mouths that make up the regular crew. “I do breakfast for this crew up here and then after breakfast we clean up the kitchen and start preparing for lunch,” he said.
“There are pancakes, French toast – the pancakes and the French toast are already made,” he said. “If they want eggs, they let us know what kind of eggs they want. If they want over-easy, we will make them over easy. If they want sunny-side up, we will make them sunny-side up. If they want poached eggs, they get poached eggs.”
“The bacon, the sausages are already prepared. The cook usually starts making them early morning about five,” he added.
“This morning I baked 26 banana chip muffins. It is already gone – I haven’t even tried it!” exclaimed Siakuluk.
“The cook wants us to bake something, for example, cookies for everybody. So far, I baked cookies, date squares, muffins and I tried making soup this morning, but I burnt it.”
“I am not a certified cook. The cook gives you some guidance, if you get stuck [on] an ingredient or recipe that you want, the cook helps,” he said.
“I am still learning but it is a good learning experience,” said the novice as he praised his supervisor’s patience.
Following breakfast and lunch, in the middle of the day, Siakuluk and his associates enjoy a two-hour break. Then it is back to work until 7 p.m., to prepare two dinner settings.
The siesta time gives Siakuluk time to contemplate his future.
Siakuluk has a burning desire to become a certified cook. To achieve this goal, he hopes to take some classes after upgrading his math skills. “We have Community Artic College in Baker Lake so I can probably attend there,” he said.
Gord Davidson, Exploration Manager, Canada at Cumberland Resources Ltd. says because the camp is still in exploration mode and operated by a junior exploration company without revenue, it does not yet have a training program. That means none of the cook trainees have yet been certified. “But we would like to see this happen,” said Davidson.
That training could be in the very near future.
“August 30, we got word that NIRB (Nunavut impact Review Board) has recommended to the Federal Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs that the Meadowbank Project should proceed into production,” Davidson. “When the Minister makes the final decision [expected about two months later], and issues a project certificate . . . and Cumberland formally makes a positive production decision, the terms of the IIBA (Inuit Impact Benefits Agreement) would kick in.”
“This agreement ensures that Inuit from the Kivalliq region benefit from economic activity generated by Meadowbank. Amongst other things, it lays out training provisions,” he added.
[Perry] has told me that this job has increased his self-confidence tremendously, and he has a real desire to advance himself. We will do every-thing we can to help him out,” said Davidson.
In the meantime, Siakuluk enjoys his job as cook’s helper, and encourages others to join the Meadowbank crew. “The first thing they ask me is how much I make an hour. I tell them how – but it doesn’t matter how much I make, I like the job,” he said.
Steelworkers ratify agreement with Inco ending strike at Voisey’s Bay nickel mine
Members of the United Steelworkers have ratified a tentative deal with Inco Ltd. (TSX:N), ending a two-month strike at the Voisey's Bay nickel operations in Labrador.
The contract gives 120 workers at the mine parity with other Inco operations in Ontario and Manitoba.
The workers went on strike in late July, demanding wages, benefits and pensions on par with the other Inco employees.
Union official Wayne Fraser said Tuesday the new contract – the first for the Labrador workers _ provides a 15.5 per cent increase in wages over three years.
The deal also includes a cost-of-living allowance, a $6,000 back-to-work retention bonus, and doubled employer pension contributions.
The union said it also negotiated improvements in vacation, overtime, bereavement and sick leave, health benefits and a statutory holiday recognizing National Aboriginal Day on June 21.
``This agreement is an important milestone for these members and their communities,'' Fraser said in a news release.
``Their commitment to gaining parity with other Inco employees was unwavering.''
Commerce Resources hits 17 out of 17
By Shirley Collingridge
Tantalum Explorer Commerce Resources Corp. achieved 100% success when it found host rock in all 17 drill holes. The company's summer 2006 exploration program continues to expand the size of the Upper Fir Carbonatite. Its ongoing drill program has intersected carbonatite over a north-south strike length exceeding 750 meters. Total thicknesses of the host rock carbonatite in the 17 holes completed during 2006 varied from 12.53 to 105.87 meters. The drilling program is now complete.
Located 1200 meters east of the Fir Carbonatite, the Upper Fir Carbonatite was discovered during an exploration program in 2002. Exploration has shown the Upper Fir to be similar in character to that observed at the main Fir Deposit. The 2006 drill program was designed to begin determining the thickness and extent of the Upper Fir Carbonatite. Given the potential size of this system, the Company is confident that the Upper Fir Carbonatite may be as significant a discovery as the Fir Carbonatite, located less than 1 kilometre to the west. Information collected from the 2005 and 2006 exploration programs at the Upper Fir Carbonatite, will be used to generate a resource estimate for this carbonatite.
Found primarily in Australia, Canada, Brazil, and central Africa, Tantalum is used to make electrolytic capacitors and vacuum furnace parts – 60% of its use. As capacitors, tantalum is found in micro devices like portable telephones, pagers, personal computers, Palm Pilots and automotive electronics. The metal is also widely used to fabricate chemical process equipment, nuclear reactors, aircraft, and missile parts. Tantalum is completely immune to body liquids and is a non-irritating material which makes it ideal for wide use in surgical appliances. Besides its many other uses, Tantalum oxide is used to make special glass with high index of refraction for camera lenses.
Demand for tantalum averaged 8 to 12% since 1995, resulting in significant increase in exploration. Tantalum minerals with more than 70 different chemical compositions have been identified. Those of greatest economic importance are tantalite, microlite, and wodginite. Any tantalum-containing mineral concentrate is commonly called “tantalite” primarily because it will be processed and sold for its tantalum values. Tantalum mineral concentrates may contain from two to more than five different tantalum-bearing minerals from the same mining area. The sale of tantalum mineral concentrates is based on a certified analysis for the tantalum oxide they contain, with a range from 10 or 15 to over 60% depending on the mine source.
The primary tantalum chemicals of industrial significance, in addition to K2TaF7 and Ta2O5 are tantalum carbide (TaC), tantalum chloride (TaCl5), and lithium tantalate (LiTaO3). Capacitor grade tantalum powder provides about 60% of the market use of all tantalum shipments. Additional quantities are consumed by tantalum wire for the anode lead as well as for heating elements, shielding, and sintering tray assemblies in anode sintering furnaces.
Commerce Resources Corp. is focused on the development and exploration of its Fir and Verity tantalum and niobium projects covering 49 square kilometres in British Columbia, Canada. The Company is one of the most active tantalum explorers in North America, conducting detailed exploration of its Fir and Verity deposits. Exploration to date at the Fir deposit has outlined an indicated resource of 5.65Mt with 203.1g/t Ta(2)O(5) and 1,047g/t Nb(2)O(5) (Verzosa, 2003). The Fir is also host to an inferred resource of 6.7Mt with 203.1g/t Ta(2)O(5) and 1,047g/t Nb(2)O(5) (Verzosa, 2003). The Verity deposit, 10 km north of the Fir property, is host to an estimated inferred resource of 3.06Mt with 196g/t Ta(2)O(5), 646g/t Nb(2)O(5) and 3.20% P(2)O(5).
Commerce Resources Corp. trades as TSXv: CCE and FSE:D7H. For further information, visit www.commerceresources.com.
Attawapiskat First Nation signs exploration agreement with KWG MacFadyen project
September 6th Attawapiskat First Nation and KWG Resources Inc. (as operator for the Joint Venture referred to as MacFadyen Kimberlites J.V.), signed an exploration agreement adopting protocols for the next exploration phase of the Project.
The agreement provides Attawapiskat's consent for exploration over the next two years. "This isn't a green light for the whole project," said Chief Mike Carpenter, "but it is the first step in our relationship of mutual respect. It's clear to us that KWG has respect for our peoples Aboriginal title in our traditional lands," he said.
The agreement provided for permit reviews, training, employment and economic benefit as well as consent of Attawapiskat to use De Beers' Victor Project facilities. De Beers and KWG completed a Mutual Assistance Agreement, covering use of such facilities earlier this year. "We are very pleased to be welcomed back to the Attawapiskat traditional lands and we learned a great deal from our consultations with the community," said KWG president Fran Smeenk. "Great care was taken in understanding how this important property, adjacent to Ontario's first diamond mine, may be developed in the future. Now, we look forward to conducting a comprehensive sampling of the McFadyen Kimberlites over the upcoming winter exploration season."
Attawapiskat First Nation is located on the shore of James Bay in Northern Ontario. In November, 2005, Attawapiskat signed an impact benefits agreement with De Beers Canada Inc for the Victor Project, now under construction.
The MacFadyan Kimberlites are adjacent to the north of the Victor Project.