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SPRING 2015
Ontario MineralExplorationREVIEW
www.omer.ca
The mineral sector in Northwestern Ontario: An economic driver
Important Ontario mining camps looking forward to a vibrant 2015
Goldcorp merger could potentially push the Ring of Fire forward
New survey of ‘hidden’ supply sector nearly doubles mining contributions to Ontario’s economyPUBL
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AIL
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New survey of ‘hidden’ supply sector nearly doubles mining contributions to Ontario’s economy
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Spring 2015 3
©Copyright 2015. Ontario Mineral Exploration Review. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the publisher.
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Ontario MineralExplorationREVIEW
Cover photo provided by Dynamic Earth.
Minister’s update: Ministry of Northern Development and Mines 4
A message from the Northwestern Ontario Prospectors Association (NWOPA) 5
Eyes wide open: CEMI 6
The mineral sector in Northwestern Ontario: An economic driver 8
Making connections: New survey of ‘hidden’ supply sector nearly doubles mining contributions to Ontario’s economy 10
Technology and innovation to optimize mining operations: Meglab 11
Important Ontario mining camps looking forward to vibrant 2015 14
Mining-claim staking in remote areas - Ontario Mining Recorder order confirms use of helicopters 16
Could Goldcorp acquisition of Probe push the Ring of Fire forward? 18
New initiatives and programs improve safety for Ontario’s mining sector 20
Helping young children to cope when you work away 23
A sustainable future: Canada’s mining association a global leader in sustainability 24
Gone are the days of buildings with limitations: Britespan Building Systems Inc. 26
Dynamic Earth underground renewal 28
Pecor Anomaly; Serpent River Property - Elliot Lake, ON 31
Is it time to re-evaluate the approach to mineral exploration in an effort to reduce budgets? 34
GAL Group of Companies charts aggressive growth strategy for 2015 36
How to ‘extract more’ in mining 38
Equipment World: The mine dry locker experts 39
Your only turnkey environmental engineering service provider: Canadian Shield Consultants Agency Inc. 42
The importance of selecting an appropriate analytical package for your program 44
Index to advertisers 46
4 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Ministry of Northern Development and Mines
Minister’s Update
For more than a century, Ontario has been a leader in mineral ex-ploration and development. We are the number one producer in Canada for gold, nickel, copper and platinum, and thanks to the hard work of the men and women in the mineral development in-dustry, Ontario is ranked one of the world’s top 10 jurisdictions for exploration investments.
Whether it was driving North America’s industrialization in the
20th century, welcoming immigrants into our northern communi-
ties, or expanding international trade, resource development has
been a part of the fabric of our province and our nation. The min-
ing industry has survived and thrived in commodity cycles stretch-
ing back 120 years. We have overcome many challenges, and we’re
stronger for it.
Looking forward, I am excited about the continued growth of
the mining sector. Twenty-four mines have opened in the past 10
years, including a number of exciting projects like Detour Gold’s
Cochrane mine, which began mineral production in 2013, and the
opening of Vale’s Totten Mine last year. This was the first new mine
for Vale in the Sudbury Basin in more than 40 years. We expect
another three mines to open over the next couple of years despite
the recent global challenges of lower metal prices and reduced in-
vestment.
Building on this momentum, our government is also work-
ing to renew Ontario’s Mineral Development Strategy to further
strengthen the sector. Renewing the Mineral Development Strategy
will set out priori-
ties that will allow
us to seize oppor-
tunities for On-
tario’s mineral de-
velopment sector
to move forward in
a prosperous direc-
tion.
We are demon-
strating our leader-
ship in the proposed development in the Ring of Fire. Last year, our
government took a number of important steps to lay the ground-
work for its development, including the commitment of $1 billion
for strategic transportation infrastructure in the region and estab-
lishing the ROF Infrastructure Development Corporation. We’ve
also strengthened our partnership with First Nations through the
signing of a framework agreement with the Matawa-member First
Nations.
It is an exciting time to be involved in mineral exploration and
development in Ontario. The opportunities for growth in our
communities and for our economy are endless. I look forward to
continue working with you to ensure all Ontarians benefit from
the potential of our natural resources.
By Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines
Please recycle this publication afteryou have readand shared it.
Spring 2015 5
The Northwestern Ontario Prospectors Association (NWOPA) op-erates out of Thunder Bay with a membership of approximately 450 prospectors, geologists, miners, service industry personnel, and gov-ernment employees. NWOPA’s mission is to “Represent and further the interests, serve the needs, and support the individual prospectors in Northwestern Ontario”. How the elected board members carryout this mission is driven by our members.
UpComIng EvEnts for 2015We have begun the year by designing and circulating a short online
survey on Ontario’s changes to the Mining Act and how our members
and others view these changes as they relate to mineral exploration
in the province. This survey can be completed in the matter of a few
minutes and we invite anyone who wishes to provide input to visit
our website at www.nwopa.net for the link to the survey. Our board
is represented on various government advisory committees that make
recommendations and provide feedback directly to the government
officials responsible for designing and implementing the new regula-
tions that will directly affect explorers in our province for generations.
Have your voice heard by filling out our survey.
2015’s activities and events will kick off with the Northwestern On-
tario Mines and Minerals Symposium (NWOMMS) held in Thunder
Bay on April 14th and 15th. This year’s theme is “Turning the Corner”,
and we are hoping that the summer season ahead will reflect our op-
timism with many field projects in full swing and new discoveries
made in Northwest Ontario. Registration and exhibitor forms will be
available soon, so be sure to stay tuned to our website for updates.
The symposium highlights recent discoveries and successes in North-
western Ontario made by our prospector and junior mining company
members. The speaker’s program is filled out with geoscience presen-
tations and the NWOPA’s Awards Banquet brings everything together
with a dinner and awards ceremony to acknowledge successful people
and projects during the previous year. Delegates find the event an op-
portunity to keep abreast of developments in the exploration field and
a good place to network with more than 500 attendees while visiting
the 100 exhibitors on the convention floor.
Coming up on June 6th will be the third-annual Thunder Bay
Mining Day, which will take place at Marina Park on Thunder Bay’s
beautiful waterfront. Mining Day is presented by NWOPA and other
local industry-related groups and is co-sponsored by many of the
companies with offices or activities in the NW Ontario region. In
2014 over 40 exhibitors presented interactive games and activities
with a mining-related theme to entertain the public and demystify
the work of the mining and exploration community. The under-
riding theme is to “Bring the Bush to Town”. The response from the
mining companies and the public has been overwhelming and con-
tributes to an educated public. Check out the gallery of pictures from
the first two years of the event, as well as information on this year’s
event at www.thunderbayminingday.ca.
NWOPA will also be participating in other local and regional shows
(NW Ontario Trappers Festival and the Geraldton Trade Show) as
part of our public relations work and outreach to the general public.
Please check out our new website for details on all the upcoming
and past events, and more information on our board members com-
mittees and what we’re doing for our membership.
2015 - LookIng AhEADWhile the downturn persists, there seems to be more optimism
noted early in the new year that our industry is beginning to stabilize
and perhaps we’re “turning the corner” with respect to available capi-
tal and investment in grassroots exploration. Only time will tell. We
still have some major issues to deal with in order to get back the con-
fidence of the investors. The NWOPA board is participating in several
ways and providing solutions to amend the problems, but it has been
an uphill battle and time consuming. Please take the time to reply to
the above-mentioned survey and be a part of the solution. Thank you.
Eventually – yes, eventually – the upturn in the industry will hap-
pen. Remember this slogan:
“From the stone age to the technology age, where would we be with-
out minerals, metals and mines?” – Steven Siemieniuk, vice-president,
NWOPA (January 2015).
For information or membership, please visit our webpage at www.NWOPA.net.
Booth display by Transition Metals, the recipients of last year’s Bernie Schnieders Discovery of the Year award.
Northwestern Ontario Prospectors Association (NWOPA)
A message from the
6 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
The word “innovation” has many defini-tions, but perhaps French novelist Marcel Proust said it best: “The real voyage of dis-covery consists not in seeking new land-scapes, but in having new eyes.” Compara-tively, Proust’s words are echoed in the man-date of the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), a leading-edge organi-zation within the Canadian metal mining industry dedicated to innovation.
Simply put, the centre focuses on the
implementation of new and innovative so-
lutions in five strategic areas: exploration,
deep mining, integrated mine engineering,
underground mine construction, and envi-
ronment and sustainability. These solutions
are geared towards delivering innovation.
“If you’re not making a change in the way
things get done, then innovation hasn’t hap-
pened,” says Douglas Morrison, president
& CEO of CEMI, who accredits the cen-
tre’s step-change procedure—a three-step
plan involving research, development and
implementation (R&D+I)—to the centre’s
successful introduction of new industry
strategies. “A lot of people use the words ‘re-
search’ and ‘innovation’ interchangeably—
but they’re not the same. It has to have a
practical outcome to be a successful innova-
tion, whereas a research project is a success
whether you get the answer you wanted, or
some other answer.”
Following these three technical steps,
CEMI has now entered the commercializa-
tion phase to aid in bringing these innova-
tions to market.
Eyes wide open Canada’s Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) at the top of its game, creating solutions for the mineral exploration sectorBy Jillian Mitchell
A prototype canopy from CEMI’s Single Heading Lateral Development project.
Spring 2015 7
ExpLorAtIon InItIAtIvEsCurrently, CEMI boasts three operation-
al exploration-related developments: the
Rapid Development Program (RDP), the
Ultra-Deep Mining Network (UDMN), and
the FindMine initiatives. As with all CEMI
projects, all three initiatives will strive for
a reduction in cost/capital demands and
environmental impact, and will achieve a
research-to-marketplace status in one to
three years.
Rapid Development Program – The RDP’s
Single-Heading Lateral Development proj-
ect, which includes the creation of an ad-
vanced canopy designed to foster parallel
activities of support and drill processes at
the development face, is the most active of
CEMI’s exploration initiatives.
The canopy is poised to reduce the num-
ber of re-entries required during the four
major explorative mining processes, thereby
rendering time lost through a shortened
cycle.
“What we’re trying to do is change the se-
quence of activities we have in our develop-
ment cycle so that we can reduce its length,”
says Morrison. “The hope is that it will excel
the rate of advance. The rate of advance con-
trols the speed at which we get to a new ore
body. The faster you get to the ore, the better
the present value of the project.”
The mesh-concrete-steel design includes
two overlapping canopies—a face canopy
to protect the face machine and operators,
and a support canopy to protect the sup-
port machine and operators. This allows for
simultaneous activity, such as drilling and
charging alongside ground support.
Built to withstand 50 tonnes of ground
fall, the prototype successfully passed the
initial field trial in late 2014.
“It’s performed better than we expected,”
says Morrison, noting that the canopy was
pushed to hold 80 tonnes during the trial.
Two additional field trials will be imple-
mented in 2015 with the goal of introducing
a finalized design to industry by December
2015.
Ultra-Deep Mining Network (UDMN) – Managed by CEMI, UDMN aims to become
the leading expert in ultra-deep (below 2.5
kilometres) research and innovation, and
to solve the challenges that impact resource
extraction in these environments. By sup-
porting solution-providers capable of creat-
ing the industry-needed tools and technolo-
gies in the short term, it will lead the way
in helping ultra-deep mines to operate more
effectively and safely, generate more value,
improve the human environment, and en-
hance mine productivity.
Among these challenges is the need for
improved integrated personal protective
equipment (IPPE), such as helmets and spe-
cialized clothing better suited to hot under-
ground conditions.
According to Morrison, the new helmet
prototype will better integrate industry
add-ons, such as earmuffs, safety glasses,
dust masks, and communications, into a
completely hands-free helmet. Special con-
sideration will be allotted to elements such
as cooling, filtered breathing, air-quality
monitoring, position tracking (RFID), noise
reduction, medical monitoring (e.g., heart
rate, breathing), and mine alerts.
The improved IPPE are both poised to
enhance the wellbeing and safety of miners
working at ultra-deep levels.
Though still in the early developmental
stages, both IPPEs speak to the UDMN’s
overall goals, such as increased productivity,
decreased risk to workers, lower energy utili-
zation, as well as lower capital and operating
costs achieved through performance and ef-
ficiency improvements.
In 2014, the Business-led Networks of
Centres of Excellence (BL-NCE) program
awarded the network $15 million.
Moving forward, Morrison shares that
the UDMN will continue to diversify, as the
program requires CEMI to have the capacity
to take on new projects.
FindMine - Mineral Exploration & Geo-
physics – Anticipated to significantly en-
hance structural evolution comprehension,
CEMI’s FindMine initiative is focused on
the development of expedient exploration
techniques, such as structural field analysis,
remote sensing, 3D-kinematic restoration,
and analogue modeling.
For the past five years, CEMI’s initiative
has been spearheaded by geophysics special-
ist Dr. Richard Smith of Laurentian Univer-
sity. Dr. Smith’s research is geared towards
finding improved exploration techniques
for ore bodies adjacent to existing mines and
Greenfield sites.
“Because of the nature of the mining
businesses, we have focused most of our at-
tention up until now on productivity issues.
That was our primary target,” Morrison says.
“Our secondary target now is beginning to
look at the FindMine program, looking at
exploration techniques.”
Currently, this new phase of the program
is in its infancy, but steps have been made
towards the primary research goal, which is
to further the processes and structures that
control mineralization in the more non-
traditional Cu-Ni-PGE ore deposits.
InnovAtIonTo qualify as a CEMI project, a proposed
project must first meet the centre’s three cri-
teria: one, projects that have a good chance
of being successful in the marketplace; two,
that are achievable in a short time; and
three, that have the potential to double—or
triple—performance.
As Morrison clarifies, “It’s not that we’re
always going to be successful in doing that,
but if we aim for double and we only make
half, then that’s pretty good. But if we only
aim for five per cent in the first place, the
best we’ll achieve is five per cent. So the tar-
get is the best you can hope to achieve.”
According to the company president and
CEO, innovation rests in the gap between
research components and practical market-
place solutions. It’s in this gap that the ser-
vice and supply sector play a major role.
“Essentially, today, if we don’t offer the
mining companies a plug-and-play solution,
it will not be implemented,” he says. “Our
first big step forward was recognizing that
the service and supply sector was the third
component for a successful innovation pro-
cess, because they’re the ones that will help
us bridge from the researchers to the mining
companies.”
Douglas Morrison, president & CEO of CEMI.
8 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario are hosts to new world-class gold, copper, nickel, palladium, graphite, chromite, and iron deposits.
Northwestern Ontario mines produced $1.81 billion of metallic
minerals in 2013; that number is expected to grow annually over the
next decade.
Current production from existing mines is one million ounces
of gold annually. Twenty-five million ounces of new gold resources
have been discovered in the area.
Exploration/mining companies are expanding or continuing to
move closer to actual production in the region:
North American Palladium Ltd. (Lac des Iles) continues to in-
crease production at the Lac des Iles Mine following a $400-million
mine expansion. Aggressive exploration of various palladium zones
on the mine footprint continues.
Premier Gold Mines Ltd., (Geraldton) continues to explore its
seven-million-ounce TransCanada Gold Project. A positive prelimi-
The mineral sector in Northwestern Ontario: An economic driver
Spring 2015 9
nary economic assessment (PEA) was released for the Hard Rock
and Brookbank gold deposits.
Rubicon Minerals Corporation (Red Lake) completed the produc-
tion shaft on the Phoenix Gold Deposit. Mill construction contin-
ues with the goal of gold production by mid-2015 at a rate of 2,500
tonnes per day.
New Gold Inc. (Fort Frances) continues to advance the Rainy Riv-
er Resources project to production. A positive feasibility study was
released for the gold deposit. The completion of the environmental
assessment in 2015 will lead to construction in 2015, and production
by mid-2016.
Goldcorp Inc. (Red Lake) has completed the underground railway
(tramway) to access the five-million-ounce Cochenour Gold deposit
under the waters of Red Lake. Production from the Cochenour De-
posit is scheduled for 2015.
Rockex Ltd. (Pickle Lake) completed a positive PEA for the one-
billion-tonne Lake St. Joseph iron deposit.
Treasury Metals Ltd. (Dryden) continues with the environmental
assessment process moving toward completion of an environmental
impact statement on the Goliath gold deposit. Treasury is working
toward a feasibility study. The Goliath hosts 1.7 million ounces of
gold; production is planned for 2015/16.
Zenyatta Ventures’ (Hearst) 25.1 million tonnes grading 3.89 per
cent graphite carbon is present at their Albany Graphite deposit. Ze-
nyatta was the top-performing stock on the TSX Venture in 2013.
Graphite of the spectacular grade contained in the Albany deposit
has numerous high-tech uses, including electric vehicles. Pilot plant
testing conducted in late 2014 was successful.
Noront Resources (Ring of Fire) is planning significant exploration,
geotechnical and development work on the Eagle’s Nest nickel-copper
mine. Noront has spent over $200 million to date on exploration.
mInIng rEADInEss strAtEgyThe Mining Readiness Strategy is a comprehensive, inclusive and
integrated economic development plan designed to help Northwest-
ern Ontario stakeholders focus and capitalize on the many opportu-
nities that mining development will bring to the region.
The strategy was commissioned by the City of Thunder Bay, the
Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission
(CEDC), and the Fort William First Nation (FWFN), with funding
support from a number of partners including FedNor, the Northern
Ontario Heritage Fund, and other contributors such as the Thunder
Bay International Airports Authority Inc., the Thunder Port Author-
ity, Thunder Bay Hydro, TBay Tel, the Northwestern Ontario Mu-
nicipal Association (NOMA), Lakehead University and Confedera-
tion College.
IntroDUCtIon AnD strAtEgy ContExtThe Northwestern Ontario region is forecasting significant min-
ing development. This growth is expected to result in substantial
economic and social development for Thunder Bay, its surrounding
municipalities and First Nation communities. The discovery and de-
velopment of major gold deposits, nickel in Northwestern Ontario’s
Ring of Fire, and other mineral resources in Northwestern Ontario,
including graphite, are expected to create a variety of business op-
portunities that positively influence the region’s economic outlook.
This growth will place unique pressures on infrastructure and gov-
ernment services, as well as the current and future mining labour
market.
Five new gold mines will come into production in the next four
years, adding to Northwestern Ontario’s annual gold production to-
tal of approximately one-million ounces (25 per cent of Canada’s
total). New gold mines will include: Phoenix (Rubicon Minerals
Corp.), Cochenour (Goldcorp Inc.), Rainy River (New Gold Inc.),
Goliath (Treasury Metals Inc.) and Hard Rock (Premier Gold Mines
Limited).
For more information, please visit: www.ThunderBayCEDC.ca.
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Five new gold mines will come into production in the next four years, adding to Northwestern Ontario’s annual gold production total of approximately
one-million ounces (25 per cent of Canada’s total).
10 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Ontario’s mining supply sector appears to have grown exponentially, almost overnight—from 7,851 direct jobs to a recalculated 41,000 jobs (68,000 jobs if you consider indirect) for 2011—but according to a recent economic impact study, the numbers have been there all along.
“The supply and services sector for mining supply is hidden be-
cause it’s not directly measured by Stats Canada,” says Ryan McEach-
ern, managing director for the Canadian As-
sociation of Mining Equipment and Ser-
vices for Export (CAMESE), a national
trades association based in Markham,
Ontario. “We’ve always known this,
and we’ve known it was significant,
but we didn’t know any quantitative
values. When we saw the survey results,
it validated our assumptions.”
According to the CAMESE-initiated study,
41,000 direct and 27,000 indirect jobs in the province’s mining sup-
ply and service (MSS) sector were occupied in 2011. That same year,
the MSS sector contributed $3.9 billion to Ontario’s GDP in direct
impacts; $6.2 billion with indirect impacts considered.
The study executed by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, which has
financial support from the Ministry of Northern Development and
Mines, Natural Resources Canada, and the Mining Association of
Canada, was based on information garnered from 913 mining sup-
plier companies’ activities in 2011. According to McEachern, the re-
sults further solidifies the sector’s important economic contribution
to the province and its important role to the national and worldwide
market.
“The group of suppliers and services to the mining industry is
substantial—in 2011, it had two-and-a-half times more jobs com-
pared to direct mining employment. That’s a big takeaway,” McEach-
ern adds, citing that mining-specific jobs in banks, legal and ac-
counting firms, business consultants and engineering firms tend to
be overlooked as part of this sector. “Something tangible like mining
equipment you can easily think about, but it’s all of these other ser-
vices that tend to be overlooked.”
A comparative study from the 2011 Rotman Report * published in
2012 initially claimed that direct employment in mining was “more
than 7,581”—a number significantly lower than the 41,000 outlined
by the CAMESE study. McEachern attributed the differing stats to
the fact that the new study captured significant MSS activities for
non-Ontario mining operations.
The CAMESE study further estimates the MSS sector’s produc-
tion value accounts for 1.0 per cent of Ontario’s total GDP, when
considering the sector’s global activities outside the province. By
combining the direct mining sector with the
MSS sector, the total output within the
province doubles to about 2.3 per cent
of provincial GDP. All told, Ontario’s
mining supply is approximately 77
per cent as vital to Ontario’s econo-
my as mining itself.
“It’s always been considered a North-
ern Ontario story because that is where the
mining operations are located in the province and
there are a substantial number of mining service and suppliers up
there,” says McEachern, “but what commonly gets missed is the oth-
er parts of Ontario.”
An estimated 33 per cent of suppliers are based in the province’s
north, 21 per cent are located in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area),
with the remaining 46 per cent located in other parts of the province.
“They’re engaged in mining and not tracked accordingly. So it re-
ally is a pan-Ontario story,” he adds.
For CAMESE, the study sparks much possibility, including the
ability to garner MSS stats on a national level.
“Now that we have this kind of information, it’s going to help the
Ontario government when they’re creating policy. There are some
numbers here that are meaningful,” McEachern says. “And what
CAMESE would like to see is that this survey is done across Canada.
It’s something the federal government would need to take on, and
we’ve given them a sound methodology to kick-start something like
that.”
* A study released in 2012 on the impact of mining on the provincial economy in 2011 entitled Mining: Dynamic and Dependable for Ontario’s Future, done by the Policy and Economic Analysis Program of the University of Toronto’s Rot-man School of Management for the Ontario Mining Association (the “Rotman Report”).
Making connections New survey of ‘hidden’ supply sector nearly doubles mining contributions to Ontario’s economy By Jillian Mitchell
Spring 2015 11
Technology and innovation to optimize mining operationsMeglab: Electronic, electric, communication, control and engineering
Meglab specializes in custom manufacturing, turnkey project man-agement, and integrated problem solving. Our mission is to identify, design, manufacture and install innovative electrical and electronic solutions that are tailored to the unique needs of our industrial cus-tomers. These solutions are used to achieve three core objectives for said customers, namely, optimizing the pace of production, reducing operating costs and ecological footprints, and ensuring a safe work-ing environment.
“Our focus is to service our customers in the way they expect to
be assisted and to communicate with them in order to identify their
individual goals, budgets and timelines. The result of this concept is
the development of products or solutions that are tailor-made to fit
the customers’ needs.”
Meglab essentially acts as a complete one-stop service and solu-
tions provider, and is able to call upon the services of a group of
employees or providers/partners who collectively possess a wealth of
experience in various fields of expertise.
trACkIng AnD voD systEmDynamic tracking is used to locate personnel and mobile devices
in real time, in addition to interconnecting diverse equipment to
render mining operations more effective and safe. By integrating dif-
ferent technologies, it is now possible to capture the information of
the varied equipment and systems, and analyse the data to automate
operations.
For example, with the tracking, the VOD system is used to man-
age ventilation so as to reduce the amount of energy and operation
costs in addition to providing improved air quality underground for
the employees. Together with our customers, we are using off-the-
shelf tags from Aeroscout, Cisco access points, Safdy, Draegger and
Conspec sensors, communicating through a Varis leaky feeder with
Wi-Fi capabilities.
This system allows to:
- Locate personnel and equipment in real time
- Reduce time to reach all the personnel
All the workers, visitors and equipment are equipped with tags and tracked continuously through the Leaky Feeder and/or Fiber Optic system.
12 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
- Ensure personnel safety in case of emergency
- Control fans depending on mine activity
- Optimize airflow distribution in critical locations or
after blast events to quicker and more effective gas
clearing
- Lower energy consumption
- Read level of gas underground (CO, NO2 and LEL)
Other achievements:
• We have reduced excavation and installation costs
using smaller switch gears in portable 13.8 and
25KV substations using the ABB Elastimold Arc-
Free breakers. Substations are pre-assembled, with
controls and communications, transformers, fire
suppression, PTOs, starters and distribution, ready
for underground.
• Wereducedtimetoreachemployeesincaseofincidents,
deliver data, control and monitor levels of water or gas
and air with our PLC or MicroData® cabinets.
• Cages can now travel to levels using our MicroCage®
units, rendering the controls similar to that of an eleva-
tor, thus adding safety in and around the shaft.
• Autoguidancesystemsareinoperationbetweenshiftsor
in hazardous conditions to increase safety and produc-
tion.
Together, our employees and customers have contributed
towards the company’s ability to develop an industry that
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14 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Throughout Northern Ontario’s long and productive mining history, mineral wealth has been recovered from several areas, with most public attention focused on the most famous of all metals, gold. According to Natural Resources Canada statistics, to-tal historic gold production from Northern Ontario has amounted to almost 200 mil-lion ounces. While gold mining has taken place in several areas, the vast majority of those 200 million ounces has come from only five mining camps. These camps in-clude Porcupine, Kirkland Lake, Red Lake, Hemlo, and Beardmore-Geraldton.
As many mining observers have noted,
price declines in several important metals
since 2011 – specifically including gold –
have caused some recent concern regard-
ing Ontario’s mining future, and we note,
for example, this quote in spring 2014
from the Ontario Prospectors Association:
“There are lots of explorationists that are
looking for work and as many junior com-
panies that are short or totally out of cash.
Claims staked in the province are dropping
and claims coming open are growing also
as no one has dollars to complete assess-
ment.”
However, as the year 2015 advances, it
is beginning to appear that the current
year may indeed witness a return to more
vibrant times in the Ontario mining in-
dustry for gold and a host of other metals
found within the province. Accordingly,
we will review activity in these five historic
mining camps with an eye toward iden-
tifying those projects, which might make
significant contributions to the province’s
mining industry and the general economy
going forward.
porCUpInE mInIng CAmpThe Porcupine Camp is located from just
east of the mining-intensive city of Tim-
mins toward the community of Matheson.
Mining activity dates back to 1905 and his-
toric gold production from this camp has
been estimated at 67 million ounces, with
production continuing to the present time.
Timmins itself was founded in 1912 as
a direct result of the Porcupine Gold Rush
during the first decade of the 20th century.
Early gold discoveries led to eventual pro-
duction from some of the area’s most im-
portant mines, including Dome, McIntyre,
and Hollinger, which became known as the
“big three”. While other area operations
occurred from time to time, it was the big
three that accounted for the vast majority of
gold production.
Today’s most important area activity is
centered on Goldcorp’s Porcupine opera-
tion consisting of underground mining at
Dome; open-pit activity at Hollinger; sev-
eral large tonnage stockpiles and a central
milling facility. Aside from ongoing produc-
tion, other present activities include explo-
ration at the Hoyle Pond underground op-
eration designed to extend mine life and to
further knowledge of underground struc-
tures at depth.
According to company figures, Gold-
corp’s Porcupine operations now produce
approximately 300,000 ounces of gold per
year, employ more than 1,100 workers, and
have a presently estimated future mine life
of 13 more years.
Other companies presently active in the
camp include Moneta Porcupine Mines,
Inc., St. Andrew Goldfields, Lakeshore Gold,
and Temex.
kIrkLAnD LAkE mInIng CAmpThe Kirkland Lake Mining Camp is locat-
ed near the city of the same name in north-
eastern Ontario in a geologic area known as
the Lower Abitibi Greenstone Belt. Like the
Porcupine Camp, historic mining activity at
Kirkland Lake also dates back to the early
20th century when an accidental discovery
of a gold-bearing quartz outcropping took
place, leading to the filing of mining claims.
The ensuing gold rush ultimately led to
the establishment of three important mines,
the Sylvanite, Wright and Hargreaves, and
the Lakeshore. Historic production at the
camp totalled approximately 42 million
ounces of gold.
Although production from those and
other projects has since ended, ongoing
production, exploration and development
is continuing in the area, with Kirkland
Lake Gold Inc. being a leading participant.
Gold production at the company’s Macassa
& South Mine Complex was over 120,000
ounces during 2014, and the company web-
site indicates estimated production for 2015
will be in the 140,000 to 150,000 ounce
range. They also note that commitments are
in place to maintain a significant explora-
tion program aimed at developing reserves
and extending the mine life for more than
10 additional years.
rED LAkE mInIng CAmpThe Red Lake Camp is located in North-
west Ontario within the Red Lake Green-
stone Belt in an area where some of the
richest ore in Ontario’s mining history have
been found. Total historic production of
gold within the camp has been estimated at
more than 25 million ounces, with produc-
Important Ontario mining camps looking forward to vibrant 2015By Leonard Melman
Spring 2015 15
tion having occurred from the 1930s right
up to the present time. The most important
area-mining centre is the community of
Red Lake itself.
Historic production has centered on
the Campbell-Red Lake, Cochenor-Wil-
liams and Madsen deposits. These areas
are now controlled by Goldcorp Inc., with
2015 gold production forecast to be in the
400,000 to 425,000 ounce range. While
present production comes from the Red
Lake mines, the company is working to de-
velop additional ore in the Cochenor zone
as well.
At present, Goldcorp has a workforce in
excess of 1,200 workers, and an estimated
mine life of an additional 12 years.
Other companies actively exploring and
developing within the Red Lake Camp in-
clude Pure Gold Mining Inc. and Rubicon
Minerals.
hEmLo mInIng CAmpThroughout the 1980’s, gold mining
discussion within Ontario was centred on
one mining camp, the “Hemlo”, located
along the Trans-Canada Highway near
Marathon. Discoveries along that high-
way in the early 1980s led to the Golden
Giant Mine being permitted, constructed
and brought into production by 1985, with
approximately six million ounces of gold
having been recovered before the mine
closed in 2006.
Barrick Gold currently operates the
Williams Property with production at that
facility estimated to continue until 2018.
One junior, Tashota Resources Inc., recent-
ly acquired an option on over 3,500 acres
adjacent to the Williams Property.
BEArDmorE – gErALDton mInIng CAmp
Although there had been some limited
exploration for iron ore in the mid-1870s,
important activity in gold mining did not
begin at Beardmore-Geraldton until the
1920s following word of the discovery of
a large gold-bearing quartz vein in the
region. However, the initial gold ‘boom’
quickly subsided due to a lack of follow-
through development work.
Significant production was initiated in
1934 at the Northern Empire Mine and this
was followed by production at the Leitch
Mine from 1937 into the 1960s, where a
total of nearly one million ounces of gold
were recovered. In total, gold recovery in
the Beardmore-Geraldton area amounted
to over four million ounces before produc-
tion ended.
The camp remained relatively dormant
until some limited exploration and discov-
ery work began to take place in the past few
years. However, given the camp’s geologic
location within the Beardmore-Geraldton
Greenstone Belt of the Wabigoon Subprov-
ince of the Superior Province, hopes are
high that activity will increase when general
economic news and metals prices improve.
Mining in Ontario has been big busi-
ness for more than a century, helping to
develop many remote regions and making
huge contributions to both job creation,
establishment of numerous communities
and improving the general standard of liv-
ing for many Ontarians.
Expectations are high that the future
will be even better.
A Growing Production Profile with Reserve Grades in Excess of 17 Grams Per Tonne.
A 14 Year Mine Life with Significant Exploration Upside in a Historic and Robust Camp.
Generating Free Cash flow and Positive Earnings Per Share.
16 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
BACkgroUnDNoront Resources is a junior mining company developing the
Eagles Nest Mine and Black Bird chromite project, both located
in the Ring of Fire. KWG Resources is an exploration-stage com-
pany participating in the discovery, delineation and development
of chromite projects in the Ring of Fire, including the Black Horse
and Big Daddy deposits.
The Ring of Fire is a region of significant mineral concentration
in central and northern Ontario. It is located approximately 540
kilometres northeast of Thunder Bay, encircling McFaulds Lake in
the James Bay lowlands area. While the crescent shape of the Ring
of Fire covers approximately 5,000 square kilometres, most of the
significant discoveries have been made in a 20-kilometre-long strip
in the southeast, near Koper Lake. The mining claims at issue in this
dispute are located in this area of focused exploration. Prospecting
in the Ring of Fire is highly competitive. The logistics of mining
claim staking in the Ring of Fire is a challenging exercise, due to
topography and distance.
stAkIng rUsh AnD hELICoptEr protoCoLCrown lands located near Koper Lake opened for staking on June 17,
2011. The mining claim staking proceeded pursuant to the 24-Hour
Rule – special rules under O Reg 43/11 applied to the staking rush.
Noront hired two men to stake the Crown land on foot. By con-
trast, KWG used two helicopters and more than a dozen stakers in
a coordinated effort to stake the claims as quickly and efficiently as
possible.
At 9:00 a.m., KWG’s recording licensee Ken Pye inscribed the first
mining claim post (with tags), erected the post in the ground and im-
mediately proceeded to the helicopter. Mr. Pye was strapped into the
back of the helicopter, which followed the mining claim boundary.
He inscribed additional line posts and corner posts in the helicop-
ter. He dropped the posts at predetermined locations along the min-
ing claim boundary. Mr. Pye dropped posts from the helicopter at a
height of approximately 10 to 30 metres (depending on surrounding
tree tops). The posts entered the ground vertically, and stuck into the
muskeg environment, remaining upright.
Mr. Pye placed team members at key locations around the mining
claims. The team commenced “blazing” the mining claim boundaries
(marking trees and attaching flagging tape) after the 9:00 a.m. start
time, and only after Mr. Pye erected the first post. Mr. Pye and all
team members travelled in a clockwise direction. Mr. Pye finished at
the number-one post, where he started, and inscribed his finish time
(the Helicopter Protocol).
KWG completed the Helicopter Protocol for two additional min-
ing claims and completed three mining claims before Noront was
Mining-claim staking in remote areas – Ontario Mining Recorder order confirms use of helicopters
On June 24, 2014, the Ontario Provincial Mining Recorder released reasons for his decision in Noront Resources Ltd. (Disputant) v Canada Chrome Corporation and KWG Resources Inc. (Respondents). In his reasons, the Mining Recorder dismissed Noront’s dispute against KWG’s mining claims, which KWG staked using helicopters. The Mining Recorder’s decision is one in a line of cases recognizing the challenges of mining-claim staking in remote areas, such as the Ring of Fire region of northern On-tario. The decision also provides a pragmatic and modern interpretation of the Mining Act and its claim staking regulations. Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP acted for the Respondent and successful party KWG.
By Richard Butler, Associatee
© Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP
Spring 2015 17
able to complete its first. Noront’s witness at the hearing admitted
that they were “caught off-guard” by KWG’s Helicopter Protocol.
Mr. Pye completed the Applications to Record Mining Claims and
filed them with the Mining Recorder’s office on June 21 and June 23,
2011.
ALLEgED DEfECts In stAkIngDuring the hearing, Noront alleged that the mining claims
should not be recorded and should be disqualified on the basis that
the Helicopter Protocol did not comply with the Mining Act.
Noront argued that KWG’s staking was illegal because Mr. Pye
was not present “on the ground” during staking. Noront also argued
that KWG’s staking was void because it used multiple team mem-
bers blazing the claim boundary in multiple locations. The Mining
Recorder dismissed both arguments.
• “On the Ground” – The Mining Recorder held that having the re-
cording licensee’s feet on the ground at all times is not a require-
ment of the Mining Act or its staking regulations. The previous
version of the claim staking regulation (O Reg 7/96) required the
licensee to be present on the ground during staking. However, the
current version O Reg 43/11 does not contain that language. The
updated regulation states that the licensee must be present in the
area under staking at the time of staking the area. The Mining
Recorder found that Mr. Pye was indeed in the area, even though
he did not have his feet on the ground at all times.
The Mining Recorder further relied on a decision by the Min-
ing and Lands Commissioner that held that the staking regulation
does not require a licensee to proceed on foot at all times dur-
ing staking. In the matter of Estate of Carl Forbes, et al. v Michael
Tremblay et al., the commissioner held that the use of a vehicle
is not prohibited by the wording of the Act. The commissioner
held that it is increasingly clear that those engaged in competitive
staking are now using every available means by which to save pre-
cious seconds. In this case, Mr. Pye’s mode of transportation was
a helicopter, and although he was not on the ground at the time
each post was erected, the posts were properly erected by drop-
ping them from the helicopter and having them land vertically
into the ground.
• MultipleTeamMembers–TheMiningRecorderalsofoundthat
it was not fatal to the KWG’s claim staking to have Mr. Pye’s
team members stationed at key locations around the claims.
The team members commenced blazing the claim boundary
only after Mr. Pye erected the first post. All team members pro-
ceeded in a clockwise direction. Consistent with the decision in
Royal Oak v Strike Minerals, the Mining Recorder found that
having multiple claim blazers acting in concert does not offend
the claim staking regulation.
ConCLUsIonThe Mining Recorder found that there is nothing in the Mining
Act that prohibits erecting mining-claim posts by dropping them
directly from a helicopter. The recording licensee need not be “on
the ground” during every step of claim staking, and the wording
of the regulation now permits the recording licensee to be present
in each area under staking, as Mr. Pye was at all times. The Mining
Recorder upheld the Helicopter Protocol and dismissed Noront’s
dispute.1
This decision confirms the validity of the modern practice of
claim staking using helicopters. In remote and inaccessible envi-
ronments, helicopter staking has become more and more common.
The decision will help to advance mineral development in remote
regions, including the Ring of Fire and the far north.
The matter is currently under appeal to the Office of the Mining
and Lands Commissioner.
About the Author: Richard Butler is an associate at Willms & Shier En-vironmental Lawyers LLP. Butler practices civil environmental litigation and dispute resolution. He advises clients from the natural resources, mining and exploration, manufacturing and electricity sectors. He can be reached at 416-862-4837, or by email at: rbutler@willmsshier.com.
Disclaimer: The information and comments herein are for the gen-
eral information of the reader only and do not constitute legal advice
or opinion. The reader should seek specific legal advice for particular
applications of the law to specific situations.
Copyright: Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP. This article
first appeared on the Willms & Shier website: www.willmsshier.com.
rEfErEnCE1 KWG launched its own cross-dispute against shortcomings in
Noront’s mining claims; however, by finding the KWG claim
valid, the Mining Recorder did not need to address Noront’s
staking.
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18 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Canada’s mining media were startled dur-ing mid-January 2015 to learn of a news event which combined two very impor-tant subjects. The event was the proposed C$526 million buyout of Probe Mines by industry giant Goldcorp.
In the first case, by acquiring Probe,
Goldcorp sent a signal that it was com-
mitted to Ontario mining in particular
and gold mining in general through its
resultant acquisition of Probe’s significant
Borden Gold project. Also, as noted in a
Financial Post article, “…Probe’s share-
holders would also receive shares of a new
company focused on the Ring of Fire area
of Northern Ontario.”
The Borden Gold project, located ap-
proximately 160 kilometres southwest of
Timmins, appears to represent a signifi-
cant prospect for Goldcorp. According to
a NI43-101 qualified mineral resource
estimate filed in June 2014, geologists re-
ported that over 220,000 metres of drilling
had taken place since the property was first
discovered in 2010. Thanks to that drill-
ing and other exploratory work, resources
suitable for both underground mining and
open-pit mining have been identified.
In the underground portion, the esti-
mate identified higher grade resources of
1.60 million ounces of gold (Au) in the
Indicated Resource category, comprised
of 9.3 million tonnes of ore grading 5.39
grams per tonne (gpt) Au and 0.43 million
ounces Au in the Inferred Resource cate-
gory, comprised of three-million tonnes of
ore grading 4.37 gpt Au.
For the proposed open-pit extraction of
lower grade resources, the estimate iden-
tified 2.32 million ounces of gold in the
Inferred Resource category comprised of
70.3 million tonnes of ore grading 1.03 gpt
Au, and an Inferred Resource of 247 mil-
lion tonnes of ore grading 0.80 gpt.
Goldcorp’s CEO issued a statement that
the Probe acquisition would, “…secure a
high-quality deposit within a core area for
the Vancouver-based gold giant.” It is also
worth noting that the Borden property is
located about 160 kilometres from Gold-
corp’s operating Porcupine Mine.
The other property of consequence in
the acquisition is the Black Creek Chro-
mite property, which is located in a region
known as the James Bay Lowlands. Those
lowlands are also the location of one of
the most controversial and interesting
areas in all North American mining, a re-
gion known as the Ring of Fire. Goldcorp
plans to develop the Black Creek property
through a newly created company called
New Probe.
The Ring of Fire was first discovered in
2007 when two geologists made individual
finds; first locating potentially important
copper and nickel ore and then, much
more significantly, a truly world-class dis-
covery of chromite ore. It is the chromite
ore that has been the main driver of subse-
quent events - and controversies.
As exploration developed, the potential
worth of the mineral resources seemed to
Could Goldcorp acquisition of Probe push the Ring of Fire forward? Implications of an important mergerBy Leonard Melman
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Spring 2015 19
grow exponentially until by late 2014, esti-
mates as high as a total potential value of
up to $60 billion were put forward. Major
developers entered the scene, most par-
ticularly an American mining firm Cliffs
Natural Resources, who quickly expanded
their development work and established a
regional office in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Miners, the general community, and pol-
iticians of all sorts eagerly looked forward
to rising employment and powerful eco-
nomic development into the future from
the Ring of Fire, but serious problems be-
gan to develop – problems which have left
these expectations mostly unfulfilled.
To state that the Ring of Fire has de-
volved into an area of controversial at-
tention would be an understatement as
it involves at least four particular and
sometimes-conflicting influences, namely
environmentalists, First Nations people,
governments at many levels, and private
mining industry entrepreneurs.
Many of the problems stem from the
fact that this remote section of Ontario
has virtually no infrastructure, particularly
in terms of highways and railroads. Most
mining engineers and economists have sug-
gested that without efficient transportation
for ore, mining and office equipment, con-
centrates, personnel, etc., no Ring of Fire
mining enterprise could succeed. However,
every serious proposal to build either rail-
roads or highways into the remote area has
met with serious opposition with resultant
complexities, expenditures and delays.
Environmentalists have opposed both
railroad and road construction for several
reasons, including disturbances to wildlife,
impacts on streams and rivers, and the re-
lease of greenhouse gas emissions from
transportation fuels.
Objections from the 38 area First Na-
tions communities have included threats to
their traditional hunting and fishing activi-
ties and, in particular, failure to engage in
timely and sufficient negotiations regarding
First Nations rights.
Governmental conflicts have developed
between the provincial government in To-
ronto and the federal government in Ot-
tawa. Ontario authorities are asking for a
carte blanche commitment from the feds to
expend $1 billion to further development,
while the feds are reluctant to give a timely
commitment given the lengthy delays which
have already occurred and the apparent un-
likely early resolution to remaining issues
yet to be negotiated.
In terms of private enterprise, Cliffs
Natural Resources has abandoned work in
the Ring of Fire and closed its Thunder Bay
offices, with the resultant loss of jobs from
both actions. Many mining entrepreneurs
are moving ahead with Ring of Fire projects
only in a cautious manner or have actually
put further exploration and development
projects on hold.
Without apparent question, the Ring of
Fire area has enormous mining potential,
but at present it appears that any early
resumption of robust mining activity re-
mains only a somewhat distant hope.
However, there are those who believe
that perhaps the Goldcorp acquisition of
Probe and the resultant ownership of the
Black Creek Chromite deposit will become
the triggering episode that truly advanc-
es the Ring of Fire toward contributing
mightily to economic and social develop-
ment of the Ontario northland.
20 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
New initiatives and programs improve safety for Ontario’s mining sector
New initiatives and programs improve safety for Ontario’s mining sector
Spring 2015 21
In the last decade, Ontario’s safety record has seen significant improvements. The number of reported critical injuries is down, despite a growing workforce, with the mining sector’s lost time injury rate below the average of Schedule 1 employers. There is room for im-provement, however. Fatality rates have not declined, and as the industry faces an aging workforce and prepares to train new entrants to the mining sector, occupational health and safety will continue to be a top priority.
Advances in technology and more strin-
gent regulations are providing mine op-
erators with enhanced equipment and best
practices to improve safety within their or-
ganizations. While refuge stations have been
mainstay in underground mines for decades,
these safe havens for workers, in the event of
a disaster or emergency, are becoming much
more sophisticated and self-sustaining. Per-
manent and mobile refuge stations may now
include air conditioning systems, communi-
cations systems, gas monitoring systems to
measure the quality of air both inside and
outside of the unit, first aid equipment, and
two to three sources of breathable air.
“Refuge stations must be located within
a 30-minute walk of workers, and depend-
ing on the size, can accommodate up to 50
people or more,” says Randy Waylett, sales
manager for RANA Mine Refuge Systems,
manufacturer of the Refuge One Air Centre
and The Tommyknocker Mobile Refuge Sta-
tion. “It used to be that you had to have at
least 24 hours of operational time, but regu-
lations have increased that time to 36 hours,
and in some locations, as much as 96 hours.
Regulations are always changing and have
become much more stringent.”
Since 2010, Workplace Safety North
(WSN) has provided health and safety ser-
vices to companies in Ontario’s mining,
forestry, paper, printing, and converting sec-
tors. For the mining sector, WSN provides
consulting services, training, and oversees
Ontario Mine Rescue, an 85-year-old orga-
nization that continues to train and equip
industry volunteers who may have to fight
fires, rescue injured personnel and respond
to events in the province’s mines.
WSN offers over 30 training courses, de-
veloped specifically for the mining industry,
including legislated training for Joint Health
and Safety Committees. The organization
is an approved provider of the Supervisory
Common Core program, which meets Min-
istry of Training, Colleges and Universities
requirements for the mining industry. WSN
recently released a Working at Heights safety
training program in advance of new require-
ments that will make training law, anywhere
there is construction activity, as of April 1st.
New initiatives by WSN include an an-
nual Mining Health and Safety Conference
in Sudbury, a three-day event that features
keynote speakers, information sessions, and
open discussion forums. The event promotes
best practices in a variety of areas, including
mining hazards, ventilation, new equipment,
By Lisa Fattori
RANA Tommyknocker mobile refuge station.
22 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
and new processes. This year’s April 14-16
event is expected to attract approximately
350 people.
“This conference is very popular and has
sold out quickly in the past two years,” says
Candys Ballanger-Michaud, president and
CEO of WSN. “It is unique because it focuses
on the mining sector and we have great in-
volvement from people at all levels in min-
ing. Mining is a very tight community and
the Mining Health and Safety Conference
gives attendees the opportunity to share best
practices.”
In 2012, WSN also initiated the Annual
Workplace Excellence awards to recognize
provincial workplaces that have a strong
Rescue training about to descend.
safety culture. Of the recipients, the top
health and safety performer in each WSN
sector qualifies for a President’s Award. This
top provincial health and safety honour rec-
ognizes exceptional commitment to contin-
uous improvement in occupational health
and safety, and is presented at the WSN an-
nual general meeting in September.
“The President’s Award does not just con-
sider the safety performance of a workplace
in terms of low lost-time injury rates,” says
Paul Andre, VP of prevention services for
WSN. “The award recognizes companies
who have active programs to improve oc-
cupational health and safety. Award winners
are positive role models who make work-
place health and safety an integral part of
every job and every workday.”
In January 2014, Ontario’s Ministry of La-
bour launched a Mining Health, Safety and
Prevention Review, for the purpose of im-
plementing recommendations for improv-
ing health and safety in the underground
mining sector. An advisory group of indus-
try representatives and health and safety
organizations, as well as working groups
focused on key mining health and safety
issues, is providing input to help shape the
recommendations of the review. A progress
report released last fall identified four areas
of immediate concern: Joint Health and
Safety Committee Certification, which had
guidelines updated in May 2014; vibration
research; disease prevention; and clothing
visibility, which has already seen new guide-
lines and will have more stringent guidelines
in the future.
“WSN has been actively involved in a
number of the Review’s Working Groups and
has provided input about internal responsi-
bility systems and emergency preparedness,”
Ballanger-Michaud says. “The Ministry of
Labour is looking at having the full report at
the end of March and will focus on its rec-
ommendations at our Mining Health and
Safety Conference in April. We will take these
recommendations and, if necessary, modify
our programs to ensure that they are meet-
ing the requirements of the industry.”
WSN offers over 30 training courses, developed specifically for the mining industry, including legislated training for Joint Health and Safety Committees.
Spring 2015 23
One of the big worries for fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) parents is that their children might not cope with the lifestyle.
Mining Family Matters founder Alicia Ranford ac-
tually came up with the idea for a support website for
families after her three-year-old daughter Abby started
rocking herself to sleep, sobbing, whenever her FIFO
dad was away.
With a few simple strategies and a positive attitude,
Alicia and her husband Joe were amazed how quickly
Abby settled down into the new FIFO routine.
The first thing to note is that kids will accept a wide
range of lifestyles without question, provided they
think the adults in their life are coping and that there is
a fair degree of predictability.
Generally, children just go along with whatever’s
happening, watching their parents for clues about
whether to be scared or stressed or happy.
By the age of four, most children sort of get the idea that people
work to get money, and that money is necessary to buy things like
food and clothes. This can be a good way of explaining why you go
away: to make money to buy ice cream and toys, and things that are
important to kids.
Next, explain what work you do, and the fact that you need to go
far away to do it. By explaining that you can’t get there and back in
one day (maybe even getting out a map), you’re showing your chil-
dren that it’s not your choice to stay away from them.
Kids are also very literal, and for this reason you should never talk
about dad/mom “leaving”. It should always be dad/mom is “going to
work”. They are only words, but how things are talked about makes a
big difference to little kids.
On a final note, sometimes children “wear” the anxiety of the fam-
ily, so it’s really important to be honest about whether the rest of you
are coping with the current roster. Addressing your own worries or
concerns – and talking honestly to your partner or trusted friend/
family member – will indirectly help your children to cope.
Here are a few other ideas:
• Allowyourchildtotalkabouthowtheyfeel.Avoidsayingthings
like “be brave” or “don’t be silly” because they might start hiding
feelings from you, thinking that you are not interested or that
they are unacceptable feelings to talk about.
• Whenyour child feels sad, askquestions like“can you thinkof
anything that might help you feel a bit better?” Perhaps suggest
drawing a picture, watching their favourite video, going out for a
play, cooking, or another fun activity. This lets your child know
there are things you can do to help yourself feel better and take
your mind off sad thoughts.
• Askyourchild“whatupsetsyouwhenIgotowork?”Again,this
sends your child the message that you are interested in what is
happening, and you might even get an answer that clarifies their
fears or worries. If your child is worried about your safety, for ex-
ample, you can talk through (and show if possible) all the safety
equipment that is worn/used. A thoughtful answer will ease their
fears much better than simply saying “I’ll be fine”.
• Maintainstrongconnectionswithphoneandvideocalls, letters
and cards. When you’re home, make a special bracelet, card or
book that the kids can keep close to remind them of dad/mom.
Something that can fit into a pocket is extra useful – even some-
thing as basic as a piece of cardboard with the words “daddy/
mommy loves you”.
• Lovelypicturebooksthatencouragestrongconnectionsbetween
parents and young children include You, Me and the Rainbow and
The Invisible String by Australia’s Petrea King, and The Daddy
Book by Californian children’s author Todd Parr.
For further expert advice on mining and exploration relationships and parenting, visit the Mining Family Matters website at www.miningfm.ca.
Helping young children to cope when you work awayBy Angie Willcocks, Mining Family Matters psychologist
24 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
What does it take to be an industry leader in sustainability? Accord-ing to the Mining Association of Canada (MAC), it takes a lot of dili-gence—and a level-A ranking.
MAC has long since been an advocate for sustainability in the min-
ing sector. Since 2004, the association’s Towards Sustainable Mining
(TSM) Leadership Award has been awarded to companies that meet
or exceed the designated six performance areas: safety and health, ab-
original and community outreach, crisis management, tailings man-
agement, biodiversity conservation management, and energy use and
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions management.
According to MAC president Pierre Gratton, the award has po-
sitioned the mining association as a global leader in sustainability.
“There isn’t another national association in the world that has any-
thing like TSM,” says Gratton. “It’s completely unique. In fact, there’s
no other system in the world measuring and reporting publicly on
site-level performance in mining—and with external verification at
that. It’s unique in the world.”
thE BIg yEAr
Fostering sustainability leaders is the spirit behind MAC’s awards.
And for Gratton, the past year has confirmed that the association is
on the right track
In 2014, MAC recognized three TSM Leadership Award winners—
Glencore’s Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations (Sudbury INO),
Teck’s Cardinal River Operations, and Teck Trail Operations—which
essentially triples the association’s annual average.
“I think what we’re seeing this year is a bit of a jump, and I think
we’re going to see more of that in the coming years,” he says. “It’s really
nice to see because it shows the program is working and it shows that
companies are taking it very seriously.
A sustainable future Canada’s mining association a global leader in sustainability; Sudbury INO recognized for corporate responsibility
Marc Boissonneault, Glencore Canada’s vice-president.
By Jillian Mitchell
Mining Association of Canada president Pierre Gratton. Copyright Helene Anne Fortin.
Spring 2015 25
“I think for the industry as a whole, having leaders in that area is
really helpful because it helps other companies figure out what they
need to do,” he adds.
To qualify for the TSM Award, entrants provide an annual sustain-
ability self-assessment, which is then verified by a third party every
three years.
Past winners over the TSM’s 11-year history include Syncrude
Canada’s oil sands facility (2007), Barrick Gold Corporation’s Hemlo
Mine (2011), and Teck’s Elkview operations (2013).
A LoCAL hEroGlencore Canada’si Sudbury INO has been mining nickel-copper
ores in the Sudbury area of northern Ontario since 1929. The min-
ing company, which occupies two underground mines (Nickel Rim
South and Fraser Mine), Strathcona Mill and the Sudbury Smelter,
boasts a history of excellence within the region.
For its recent TSM Leadership Award win, Sudbury INO met the
level-A requirements in all six performance areas (based on 2013
scores), and achieved the highest possible ranking—level AAA—in
the energy use and GHG emissions management category.
According to Glencore vice-president Marc Boissonneault, Sud-
bury INO’s success boils down to a dedicated team. “Many of the
milestones that we have accomplished in our sustainable develop-
ment performance are a direct result of the contributions of our
employees across all levels in our organization, and so this is quite
special,” said Boissonneault in a recent press release.
MAC’s Gratton is especially optimistic about Sudbury INO’s en-
ergy ranking. “Until a few years ago, energy was one of the weakest
areas for the industry as a whole. Sudbury INO’s energy scores of
AAA, it’s quite exceptional,” he says. “The people of Sudbury can take
comfort that they have a major employer that operates responsibly.”
Next to offer congratulations to the TSM-award winner is the City
of Greater Sudbury.
“Mining is very important to the city of Greater Sudbury and has
been for over 100 years. It is the foundation of our economy,” says
Mayor Brian Bigger. “I think sustainability is very important; it’s the
bedrock of our economy, and Sudbury INO is a model for other com-
panies.”
Sudbury INO received an additional TSM Performance Award
based on their 2013 scores. Also in 2013, the company’s Nickel Rim
South Mine received the John T. Ryan Award, a designation recogniz-
ing the site as the safest metal mine in Ontario.
footnotEi Glencore Canada Corporation, a subsidiary of Switzerland-based
Glencore Xstrata, is a world leader in integrated production and
marketing of commodities.
ALL TYPES OF WELDING.ALL TYPES OF METAL.
BIG OR SMALL, WE DO IT ALL.
9 3 9 E L I S A B E L L A S T R E E T, S U D B U R Y, O N P 3 A 5 K1
W W W. C I T Y W E L D I N G S U D B U R Y. C A( 7 0 5 ) 5 6 6 - 3 0 3 3
FA X : ( 7 0 5 ) 5 6 6 - 3 9 2 0E - M A I L : S A L E S @ C I T Y W E L D I N G S U D B U R Y. C A
26 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
With oil and gas production continuously on the rise in Ontario, operating companies are more and more looking for ways to con-struct safe, strong, and reliable site buildings for the exploration, drilling, production, and storage of commodities, equipment, and worker housing at remote sites.
Conventional buildings, such as steel
buildings, have traditionally been the choice
for these sites, but are they the best choice?
These buildings can be costly, difficult to
ship to remote areas, can be time consum-
ing to construct, and are essentially perma-
nent structures. None of these are ideal in
an industry that often requires buildings
to be rapidly constructed, has a variety of
building uses, and may, at some point, have
to be moved to a new work site.
One of the first things that make fabric
buildings a preferred solution for oil and gas
operators is that they can either be perma-
nent, temporary, or entirely portable. This
is achieved by offering a number of founda-
tion options, from concrete blocks, shipping
containers, or a base rail foundation. These
are all options for temporary or portable
building solutions, in addition to the many
permanent options. Fabric buildings can
be completely deconstructed and moved or
stored when a site is finished with it, creat-
ing little environmental interference.
Using shipping container foundations al-
lows fabric building manufacturers to cre-
ate hybrid building solutions that are par-
ticularly ideal for the oil and gas industry
because the containers themselves act not
only as a foundation for the building, but
as functional space used for employee hous-
ing, change rooms, washrooms, workshops,
storage, etc. This really allows fabric build-
ing owners to maximize the use of their
buildings.
In addition to the foundation options,
fabric buildings are also completely custom-
izable, from door sizes and types, insulation
option, and length, width and height.
What would you use a fabric building for?
Just about anything. The buildings can be
used for warehousing, workshops, vehicle,
equipment and commodity storage, and
coverage for working machinery. The pos-
sibilities really are endless. The extra-high
clearspan design of the buildings allow for
large and heavy equipment and machinery
to operate within the building without is-
sue. Fabric buildings also increase the lon-
gevity and maintain the condition of equip-
ment and machinery by protecting them
from the elements.
Employee safety and creating a healthy
working environment is another reason
fabric buildings far exceed traditional build-
ings. Customers of fabric-covered buildings
often say the environment is the most com-
fortable and safest environment for their
workers, with superior air quality and venti-
lation, and the floods of natural light create
a shadow-free, safe working environment.
And of course, another reason a fabric
building is the best choice for the oil and
gas industry? They can be constructed any-
where, no matter how remote the location.
They are often built in less time than tradi-
tional buildings, making for almost imme-
diate job sites.
It’s important for oil and gas operators
and companies to know what building so-
lutions are available to them. Gone are the
days of buildings with limitations. Fabric
buildings allow the opportunity to design
and build whatever it is an operator or com-
pany needs.
Gone are the days of buildings with limitationsBuilding solutions designed for the oil and gas industry
By Amanda Monaghan, marketing manager at Britespan Building Systems Inc.
28 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Dynamic Earth underground renewal
Spring 2015 29
In the rocks of Sudbury there are stories that resonate across 4.5 billion years of Earth history, including the unique geology and rich mining heritage of Northern Ontario. In Sudbury, at Dynamic Earth – Home of the Big Nickel, an iconic underground tour located seven storeys below the Earth’s sur-face plays a key role in introducing thou-sands of visitors annually to the world of mining and its rich history.
“Greater Sudbury has been producing ore
for more than 100 years and has long been
considered the nickel mining capital of the
world,” says Julie Moskalyk, senior manager
at Dynamic Earth. “For many people, a visit
to our science centre offers the first oppor-
tunity to go underground, learn about the
industry and explore careers in the mining
sector through hands-on, fun and engaging
science experiences.”
Dynamic Earth, which has been welcom-
ing visitors since 2003, is in the process of
an exciting multi-year exhibit renewal to
enhance the visitor experience. The first
phase, set to open in March 2015, includes a
renewed underground experience that uses
a variety of multimedia techniques to bring
to life the stories of mining, innovation and
the mining heritage of Sudbury. Historic
film footage, along with the latest in light-
ing, audio, video and special effects tech-
niques, will bring realism to the tour and
create a fully interactive and immersive ex-
perience. Throughout the tour, visitors will
feel as if they are walking in the footsteps of
thousands of miners that have worked over
the years in the Sudbury area. Visitors can
follow the stories of generations of miners
from early mining in the late 1800s through
to modern day.
Above ground, new science exhibits in
the Earth Gallery and the MacLeod Rock
Gallery will add new content and highlight
the industry’s commitment to constant in-
novation through interactive, hands-on
exhibits and experiences while showcasing
the cutting-edge science and technology
products and services developed in North-
ern Ontario. Content will include mine
safety, new mineral discoveries in Ontario,
Canadian diamonds, Ontario fossils, as
well as Sudbury’s re-greening and sustain-
able mining practices. Nickel City Stories,
an engaging multimedia object theatre that
uses a number of different effects to bring
Sudbury’s mining history to life, is also be-
ing renewed and upgraded with new equip-
ment and footage.
“The impending retirement of the baby
boom generation will have a big impact
on the mining industry across Canada. As
such, our renewal goals are very focused
on raising awareness about the career op-
portunities in earth sciences, mining and
technology,” says Brenda Koziol, renewal
project manager, senior scientist. “We want
Dynamic Earth to engage visitors of all ages
so that they are interested in exploring and
pursuing the various educational and career
opportunities available to them in these
fields. We have an important role to play in
the future of the mining industry and this
multi-year renewal will ensure our exhibits
accurately reflect the changes and advance-
ments in this field.”
By Christine Catt, Science North
30 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
“Our unique approach to science delivery,
and our commitment to making every visit
engaging and interactive, ensures a positive
and memorable experience,” says Moskalyk.
“Visitors to Dynamic Earth, no matter their
age, get to work and play with real mining
equipment and technologies. Many of them
leave here with a different perspective about
mining, as well as a renewed appreciation
for all that the industry has to offer.”
ABoUt DynAmIC EArth
Dynamic Earth – Home of the Big Nick-
el – is a Science North attraction. Dynamic
Earth is a popular tourist attraction and
an educational resource for children and
adults across Ontario. Dynamic Earth’s
attractions – an underground mine, high-
definition theatre, galleries and exhibit hall
– delight thousands of visitors each year.
The science centre’s fun and friendly ap-
proach to Earth science education is led
by bluecoats, scientists and science com-
municators who make interacting with the
exhibits more informative and fun, in both
English and French. Open during daytime
hours, seasonally from March to October.
Visit dynamicearth.ca.
Century-old mine concept.A new outdoor science
park and exploration
trail system featuring
engaging earth science
and mining-themed
exhibits opens in July
2015. Large-scale
exhibits will include
a crawl-through cave,
musical instruments
made of natural
materials, and real
mining equipment
with interactive
components.
Spring 2015 31
The above quote applies directly to Inter-national Montoro Resources Ltd. “Pecor” magnetic and gravity anomaly at the Ser-pent River Property in Elliot Lake, Ontario. As in all good stories, it started with a phone call.
It was early 2009, the market correction
still blistering the TSX Venture exchange
and we were tasked with raising funds via
private placement to make the final proper-
ty payment for the Serpent River property.
Despite the hard fact that the company had
made a huge U3O8 discovery at Uranium
City, Sask. just weeks before, we were chal-
lenged to meet the deadline.
Then the call came late Friday afternoon
from a gentleman who said he was a pro-
fessor of geophysics from MIT. He asked if
we knew that we had a major nickel deposit
on our Serpent River Property, and that
when we discover the nickel it would be the
final proof to his theory that all the nickel
in Sudbury and surrounding regions came
from “outer space” (see the first two stages
in above quote). He further stated that you
can draw a straight line, “a trajectory” from
Pecor to Vale’s Totten Mine (which opened
Pecor Anomaly; Serpent River Property - Elliot Lake, ONExploring for the next major nickel, copper, cobalt, chromium, gold and PGE’s deposit near Sudbury, Ontario
By Greg Shafransky, investor relations/corporate shaman
Drill Target Chart.
Inversion of Pecors Magnetics.
“All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is
violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being
self-evident.” - Arthur Schopenhauer
32 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
in December 2013), to the Victoria Mine
(eight kilometres from Totten, opening in
2016) to Lundin Mining’s Eagle Mine in
Michigan, U.S.A., which opened June of
2014. At the time all that was to be known
about the property was that it contained
approximately 15 million pounds of U3O8
in non 43-101 reserves from Rio Algom’s
U3O8 mine.
When the “professor” spouted these
truly staggering facts I was a wee bit ap-
prehensive, so I passed his call onto Inter-
national Montoro Resources’ (IMT) presi-
dent Mr. Gary Musil for some comic relief.
They spoke for some time and Gary kindly
pointed out to the caller that he should re-
ally bring up his “theories” with the Ontar-
io Geological Survey (OGS) and their in-
house geophysics department in Sudbury,
Ontario. Well we guess he did because on
the following Monday we received a call
first thing in the morning from the OGS,
who said that they seemed to have made an
error in the interpretation of the “Pecor”
Magnetic/Gravity anomaly (initially they
thought it was iron due to the huge cor-
responding Canadian Government “Boug-
er” Gravity Survey), and would we accept
$50,000 to utilize our data and allow them
to complete a lake sediment/geochemical
survey on our property.
Miracles do happen, expect them… we
completed enough of the private place-
ment to make the final payment and now
own the Serpent River property outright,
less a NSR agreement. The OGS completed
their survey of the Pecor anomaly in 2009,
making a significant discovery of their
own.
“At 1,400 metres, just below the uncon-
formity, lies a Sudbury-like occurrence,
but of higher intensity,” states the OGS in a
summary of the 2009 Pecor lake sediment
survey. I queried the meaning of this state-
ment with the OGS report author in Janu-
ary 2014 at the Round Up Mining Confer-
ence in Vancouver. The author stated to
me that he and his team have been build-
ing a database of lake sediment survey
results in the Sudbury mining camp for
the last 35 years. These results include the
lake sediment geochemical they obtained
Pecors anomaly, L.E. Reed Geophysical Consultant Inc., as reported 2011 through 2014.
For more information, scan this QR code or visit www.alsglobal.com | Phone: +1 705-560-7225
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> Expert Geochemistry Support
> Expert Client Services
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> CoreViewer™ Technology
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> Expert Geochemistry Support
> Expert Client Services
> Strong Technical Partnerships in Chemistry and Metallurgy
> CoreViewer™ Technology
Spring 2015 33
from above the Totten and Victoria mines,
which are the two richest mines in the
100+-year-old camp. He stated to me that
the numbers obtained above Pecor were
“higher overall”, and that’s why the prop-
erty has been featured from 2009 to 2013
in the OGS publication Recommendations
for Mineral Exploration.
montoro sECUrEs DrILLIng
ContrACtor for pECor DrILL
progrAm
International Montoro Resources Inc.
has secured Orbit Garant Drilling Ser-
vices Inc. of Val d’Or, Quebec for a mini-
mum of 2,000 metres of NQ (1.875-inch
core) drilling for the Pecor anomaly drill
program. The contract will require one
helicopter-portable drill rig. Montoro has
also contracted Heli Explore Inc. of Sud-
bury, Ontario for the transportation of
equipment, supplies, drill crew, and other
support employees as required. Dan Patrie
Exploration Ltd. of Massey, Ontario has
completed the heli-pad and drill-pad cut-
ting for hole number one, and drilling is
expected to commence in February 2015.
“We are excited to test this potentially
large (estimated 7.8 x 3.45 kilometres) NI-
Cu-PGE anomaly,” says Gary Musil, presi-
dent, IMR.
Since the revelation of nickel being pres-
ent on our property we now have some
new information. In the 1950’s, Teck Ex-
ploration discovered Nickel–Cu-PGE (two
miles) to the west of our property on the
other side of Pecors lake. Five Nines Ven-
tures discovered Ni-Cu-PGE (one mile to
the east) of the Pecor Anomaly. And lastly,
the Shakespeare Ni-Cu-PGE mine oper-
ated in 2008 and 2013 approximately 30
kilometres from the Pecor anomaly, or 70
kilometres west of Sudbury.
Magnetic View of Map - Ontario Geological Survey, with annotations by International Montoro.
www.montororesources.comPh: 604-683-6648
34 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Most approaches to mineral exploration start out in the search for specific geological situations that have been found to be favour-able in their association with mineral depos-its, or in the review of historical records of previous discoveries. Often the next major step in assessing claims is to use geophysical methods to obtain an insight into the num-ber of possible targets that might also lead to mineralization. Although some exploration decisions for drill testing might only rely on geophysics, most companies later choose to collect surficial samples for geochemical testing. As geophysical methods are often more expensive than geochemical ones, an alternative approach might be to conduct a less expensive geochemical survey to iden-tify possible targets for consideration, and then follow up with smaller, more focused, and thus less expensive geophysical pro-grams.
The spatiotemporal geochemical hydro-
carbon nano-geochemistry (SGH), previ-
ously referred to as soil gas hydrocarbons
(even though gases are not measured and
other sample types can be used), has been
proven to be useful in widely spaced region-
al surveys. SGH is an easy-to-use, flexible,
deep-penetrating organic geochemistry,
which is of significant use to the explorer
as a method of detecting blind mineralized
bodies. SGH detects 162 specific hydrocar-
bon compounds that have migrated from
bacterial activity associated with mineral-
ization in the subsurface through cover rock
and overburden and have been adsorbed on
the surficial materials. Recent research has
shown that there are relationships between
specific commodities and SGH compound
classes. Identifying these relationships pro-
vides a “hydrocarbon fingerprint” that is
unique to a specific commodity.
The SGH analysis is conducted by dry-
ing the surficial sample materials that have
been dried at 40°C and collecting a portion
that passes through a 60-mesh sieve. The
hydrocarbons are subsequently extracted
and analyzed by gas chromatography/mass
spectrometry (GC/MS). This highly devel-
oped nano-geochemistry allows for moni-
toring of specific compounds and provides
reporting limits of one part-per-trillion
(ppt). This technique can vector to specific
locations of potential mineralization and
identify the type of target. SGH uses a rating
system to then critique the quality of the tar-
get detected. With the use of the SGH Rating
System, this geochemistry can guide further
exploration to a specific location that is
worthy of additional work. This allows the
use of smaller, more focused, and thus less
expensive geochemical surveys, geophysical
testing, and drilling programs.
To reduce the sampling program costs,
companies may be required to use a vari-
ety of geochemical methods to best ensure
that they have the most information avail-
able to consider and develop future plans
for geophysical surveys. Any sample taken
for analysis by an inorganic geochemistry
technique can also be used for SGH, as it
currently represents the most flexible geo-
Is it time to re-evaluate the approach to mineral exploration in an effort to reduce budgets?
Claude Gravelle MPNDP Mining Criticporte-parole minière
Mining Rocks! Have a good conferenceAvoir une bonne conférence
Claude.gravelle@parl.gc.ca | 1-800-267-4829
By Dale Sutherland
Spring 2015 35
chemical method available. SGH sampling
is very easy, as only one trip to the field is
necessary, almost any type of sample can be
used, and only small samples need to be col-
lected, carried, and shipped. Even sampling
equipment can be reduced, as only a shovel
and zip-lock bags are needed. With the in-
crease in the number of samples able to be
collected in a day, sampling survey accom-
modation and travel costs can be reduced.
SGH is thus ideal to help reduce costs, es-
pecially in surveys over difficult terrain.
SGH has shown success in winter program
snow surveys, which can be highly useful
in areas of difficult or seasonal access. This
geochemistry has been extensively tested
in regions and situations often too difficult
for other geochemical methods to perform
well. Samples can be easily collected from
dry and wet areas of soil, peat, humus, sand,
till, silt, etc., then analyzed and mapped to-
gether within the same grid or set of tran-
sects. This reduces the time to collect sam-
ples and can avoid missing planned sample
locations, eliminating an unwanted bias
from an inadequate survey. This extends to
more extreme situations as well where, as a
nano-geochemistry, SGH can provide data
through barriers of permafrost, basalt, and
carbonate caps as cover previously thought
to be impenetrable. The SGH templates that
we have developed are able to be applied to a
wide variety of lithology. As an example: the
general gold template for SGH has been suc-
cessfully used for vein hosted, epithermal,
porphyry, and Carlin types of gold deposi-
tion; the uranium template has been used
for unconformity-style deposits in the Atha-
basca and Thelon basins, Roll Front deposits
in Wyoming and Mongolia, as well as for
Breccia pipe deposits in Northern Arizona.
To provide the ultimate in cost reduc-
tion, exploration companies can capitalize
on previous sampling surveys. SGH is able
to be used on samples that have been stored
even if they have previously been prepared
for most other geochemical methods. SGH
has had success in knitting together surveys
taken in different seasons, even from the
analysis of samples that have been stored for
up to three years. This organic-based geo-
chemistry, research-tested and fine-tuned
over the last 20 years can identify a buried
deposit. It is a technique that has been able
to detect a wide variety of targets of gold,
copper, nickel, VMS, SEDEX, platinum,
polymetallic, uranium, tungsten, lithium
pegmatite and kimberlite targets, as well as
oil plays, gas plays, and coal seams for the
petroleum sector, even in areas of deep cov-
er and complex overburden. SGH is truly a
deep-penetrating geochemistry and has
been demonstrated to be able to detect de-
posits at over 950 metres in depth. It is one
of the most advanced geochemical methods
available, as it is the only one that has been
successful at estimating target depth based
on the study and advancement of the Re-
dox/Electrochemical cell model.
The SGH nano-geochemistry certainly
offers high value for your exploration dollar.
This technique has the ability to locate Re-
dox cells with a high level of sensitivity, dis-
criminate between barren and ore-bearing
conductors, and provide an identification
signature that can identify the type of min-
eralization at depth. This allows the identi-
fication of priority targets for a focused lo-
calized geophysical program. The included
SGH interpretation report and target ratings
can be used in conjunction with geophysics,
geology, and inorganic geochemical meth-
ods. As a result, exploration managers will
have a highly confident data set for use in as-
signing fewer, but higher-quality drill targets
with a smaller exploration budget.
The measure of success is drilling results.
The depicted 3D view of an SGH anoma-
ly in 2013 resulted in the intersection of
mineralization having visible gold. For a
more recent example of target prioritiza-
tion, also refer to the January 29, 2015 press
release from Aura Silver Resources Inc. at
www.aurasilver.com.
In such challenging economic times,
perhaps making the use of a rapid, infor-
mation-rich, multi-faceted geochemistry
as one of the first steps of exploration upon
which to base more focused geophysical
surveys and drilling programs, may signifi-
cantly reduce exploration budgets.
Dale Sutherland is a forensic scientist, or-
ganics manager, and director of research at
Activation Laboratories. He can be reached at
dalesutherland@actlabs.com.
3D visible gold find of 2013.
36 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
gAL powEr Is growIng. In December of 2014, GAL Power, an
Ottawa-based emergency-power solutions
provider, acquired L.M. Temperature Con-
trol Inc. (LMTC), a 14-year-old Toronto-
based climate control and power company
specialized in temporary heating and cool-
ing rental solutions.
The merger saw Luis Salazar, P.Eng.,
founder of L.M. Temperature Control,
assume the presidency of GAL Power on
December 1, 2014. Now, the expanded
company has charted an ambitious “cus-
tomer-centric” strategy to deliver an un-
precedented portfolio of innovative, reli-
able, agile power and temperature-control
products and services. GAL Power is com-
mitted to growth that will see it expand its
locations, markets and employee base this
year and in the years to come, says the new
president.
“We’re a growing company with an ag-
gressive and customer-centric vision,”
declares Salazar, who wants to double the
company’s size through a combination of
organic growth, mergers and acquisitions.
Plans call for the company to also double
its revenues within the next few years, a
target Salazar is confident is achievable.
“We think we’ll get there sooner given
our mindset right now.”
That mindset is reflected in the vision to
GAL Group of Companies charts aggressive growth strategy for 2015Recent merger and new president signal start of strategic redirection for the Ottawa-based emergency-power solutions providerBy Gloria Taylor
President Luis Salazar (right) and CEO Guy Adrien Lapierre shake hands on a new partnership.
Spring 2015 37
join the elite group of Canada’s Top 50 Best
Managed Companies in the next few years.
Salazar graduated as a mining engineer
from Laurentian University/Université
Laurentienne, in Sudbury, Ontario. Over
the next 12 years, his career took him to
major mining projects in North and South
America to locations such as Northern
Ontario, Chile, Argentina, Nicaragua,
and Peru while working with some of the
world’s largest mining companies.
After several years of mining overseas,
he returned to Canada where he then
founded and grew L.M. Temperature Con-
trol to offer specialized power and temper-
ature-control solutions and equipment to
various industries, including the mining
sector.
Speaking to the recent strategic move,
GAL Power founder and CEO Guy Adrien
Lapierre states the recent acquisition of
L.M. Temperature Control benefits more
than just the customer base of the two
companies.
“The expansion will create more job op-
portunities; suppliers will have the oppor-
tunity to provide their hardware and solu-
tions to both businesses, therefore gain-
ing access to a much broader client base.
Employees will also benefit as they gain
further opportunities to grow and devel-
op their careers across the GAL Group of
Companies. Strategically, it was important
for us to continue developing and expand-
ing our footprint to deliver differentiated
value to our customer base across Ontario
and Quebec,” says the CEO.
“We saw a number of strong synergies
between GAL Power’s customer-first phi-
losophy and L.M. Temperature Control’s
established reputation for quality service
in the GTA market. We look forward to
leveraging those synergies and delivering a
consistently high level of service in the criti-
cal power field to an entirely new customer
base.”
An important part of the new company’s
growth strategy involves expansion outside
of Toronto, beginning with setting up new
locations in Quebec, Ontario and the Mari-
times. Currently GAL Power operates out
of established offices in Toronto, Ottawa,
Montreal, Thunder Bay, Sudbury, Chi-
coutimi and Fermont.
“Our vision is to be Canada’s foremost
customer-centric power generator and
temperature-control services company, of-
fering the highest-quality services 24/7,”
comments Salazar.
Top service will continue to lead the
growth, he is convinced.
“We provide a lot of value added when
we offer project-specific tailored service
and do that consistently. Our company sells,
services, and rents equipment, and we are
a solutions provider. People come to us for
custom solutions, especially for the rental
part of our business,” he says.
“It’s not always about having the best
equipment to sell or rent, because equip-
ment can be sought out by any of our
competitors, but the culture we have built
and the team that we have developed, one
that goes the extra mile, is what really sets
us apart. We ask and pay attention to cus-
tomer needs and what they want to accom-
plish. Based on an in-depth understanding
of a project’s unique requirements, we then
package the solutions that make sense and
are effective for our customers. Finally, we
are sensitive to time constraints and down-
time, and therefore offer 24/7 emergency
service for all of our services.”
Salazar says the company will continue to
build its dedicated and skilled professional
teams, not only in its current markets, but
will seek out new opportunities for GAL
Power in a variety of industries, including
greater penetration in the mining industry,
which it has already begun to focus on.
This would be a natural move for the new
president who worked in the mining sector
globally for years with his own company,
selling and servicing equipment, and pro-
viding fuel and rental equipment to compa-
nies for a variety of uses.
“GAL Power and LMTC currently have
power and heating equipment on certain
mining projects in Ontario and Quebec,”
says Salazar.
“Mining is not a new direction for us, but
I want to focus more on it in the future as
we grow and expand in the years to come,”
he concludes.
President Luis Salazar.CEO Guy Adrien Lapierre.
38 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
In today’s “pinched” commodities markets, Emerson mining specialists are working with miners who have come to understand that running a safe, effective, and efficient mine, mill and refining process goes a long way towards improving the bottom line. Using modern technological innovations creates a more effective and secure business for employees and operators. A safer “up-time engineered” mine helps mitigate op-erational and financial risk for owners and shareholders alike.
Miners globally are implementing the
latest Emerson technologies, including
energy-efficient mechanical and electri-
cal drive systems; wireless communica-
tions; advanced sensing-like sonar and
radar; industry-leading efficient computer
power and cooling; and machinery health
monitoring. These are just a few of the in-
novations currently available to the min-
ing industry. Emerson provides design
and diagnostic tools that are supported by
thousands of application specialists and
engineering staff; expertise that is available
worldwide.
Emerson invests in innovation, register-
ing over 1,000 patents per year, and offer-
ing hundreds of tried-and-tested advanced
systems and technologies to help facilitate
miners’ goals. These mining solutions are
available through each of the Emerson five
specialized business platforms.
Trusted brands such as Fisher valves,
Rosemount analytics, DeltaV and Plantweb
are well-known technologies under the Em-
erson Process Management platform. These
brands are known for controlling and mon-
itoring essential systems in real time. Also
within this platform is CSI, which is de-
signed to predict and prevent unscheduled
shutdowns due to equipment failure.
The term “reliability” can be used to de-
scribe the brands within the Emerson Indus-
trial Automation group. Kop-Flex, Appleton
Electric, Asco Numatics and Browning are
just a few brands with specialized mining
expertise.
Emerson Network Power provides data-
centre solutions, anywhere. Telecommunica-
tions and data management infrastructure
are essential to a successful mine. Liebert,
Asco Power, and Emerson Energy Systems
are just a few brands within this platform
that specialize in grid-to-chip connectivity.
Vilter and Copeland compressors are well-
known for their industrial gas-compression
capabilities. These hard-working Emerson
Climate-Technologies brands bring efficien-
cy to the mine through their innovative heat-
moving capabilities.
Rounding out the five platforms is the
long-established RIDGID tool brand. Profes-
sionals in mining have relied on these hand
and advanced diagnostic tools for decades.
These are just a few examples of the mul-
tiple brands within the five Emerson plat-
forms that are dedicated to providing effi-
ciencies and increased reliability in mining.
Supporting uptime is the focus of Emerson
in mining; uptime that will help the mine
extract more.
Emerson is a 120-year-old, $24.4-bil-
lion per year Fortune 500 company with
135,000 employees, 235 manufacturing fa-
cilities worldwide, and more than 80 years of
global-experience in minerals and mining.
Emerson was founded on leading-edge tech-
nology, and continues to be a leading-edge
technology provider today.
For more information, visit Emersoncanada.ca, or email Mining.Canada@Emerson.com.
How to ‘extract more’ in mining
Using modern technological innovations creates a more effective and secure business for employees and operators.
EmErson Is A 120-yEAr-oLD | $24.4 BILLIon pEr-yEAr | fortUnE 500 CompAny
235global manufacturing facilities
135,000Employees
80years’ global mining Experience
Spring 2015 39
Things at Equipment World are looking up, way up – in fact, mount-ed to the ceiling of mining locker rooms throughout Canada. Over the past few years, Equipment World has become a specialist in designing, supplying, and installing mine dry lockers and specialty mining lockers.
Equipment World has been serving northern Ontario since it
opened in Thunder Bay in 1973. The company offers a diverse ap-
proach to material handling, storage, packaging, safety and mainte-
nance products for industrial, mining, commercial, and institutional
applications. Through customized consultations, coupled with ex-
pert design, layout and installation, customers have a plethora of op-
tions available to suit their needs.
Whether a company is considering expansion, improving effi-
ciencies or addressing ergonomic concerns within existing facilities,
Equipment World provides input from project inception through to
completion. Equipment World often works with building designers,
engineers and architects to ensure original design specifications are
best suited to meet both the customer’s needs and current-day in-
dustry compliance.
“We are space-efficiency experts,” says Lyle Knudsen, owner and
president of Equipment World. “Our objective is to focus on the best
solutions within our wide area of expertise, including construction
speciality products and services we can offer throughout a building,
from the rear-loading door through to the front office. We have a
great team of knowledgeable experts in our Construction Speciali-
ties Division, headed by Ernie Ukrainec, who is Equipment World’s
veteran employee, having started working for the company in 1979.”
For the mine dry lockers, ideally companies will bring Equipment
World in during the design stage so that the architects and engineers
are aware of the physical, HVAC, electrical, and other considerations
needed for this specialized space.
“The mine dry overhead locker basket system includes the pul-
ley system with an optional decent-locking device, venting, mount-
ing components and baskets,” says Ukrainec, corporate manager of
Equipment World’s construction division. “What makes the system
so unique is that it allows for 100 per cent air flow ventilation; it
is sanitary, extremely secure, pilfer-proof and safe. The system also
maximizes the space, as it creates a bright, open change room with
an open floor area, resulting in lower clean-up costs and easy visual
inspection. It can reduce change room costs up to 40 per cent.”
Ukrainec continues, “Part of the reason there aren’t more mine
dry designers is that it is a relatively small market.” He says Equip-
ment World averages about one new mine dry per year, though re-
cent construction in the northern Ontario area over the last five years
has kept them busy. Equipment World also does locker-room retro-
fits. “Most of the time, when we’re doing a project, we’re also doing
the warehouse. That includes shelving, racking, and equipment like
forklifts. We design the warehouse around specialty material han-
dling equipment to maximize cubic storage.”
The construction division provides support to the sales division,
with on-site evaluation surveys and expert computer CAD layout
and design capabilities for projects of all sizes, providing full turnkey
Equipment World: The mine dry locker experts
Equipment World’s installation team is highly trained and fully equipped to tackle any job.
40 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
project management. Full-time construction estimators are avail-
able to conduct accurate take-offs from the blueprints of any project,
and the company’s installation teams are highly trained and fully
equipped to tackle any job. Some of the products designed, supplied,
and installed include pallet racking and shelving, ergonomic work-
stations, modular offices, air curtains, high-density mobile shelving
systems for record storage, space-saving mezzanines, high-speed
doors, loading dock equipment, wire-mesh partitions, lockers, and
architectural products such as washroom partitions and accessories.
With the focus on value-added service, presentation quality has
been a huge component of the technical drawing portfolios now be-
ing generated by the teams within each construction department.
Evolutions toward high-end software programs and scheduling are
only a few of the initiatives introduced within the past few years.
“Detailed and complete drawings are mandatory when offering
any customer a solution-based recommendation,” says Ukrainec.
“The information provided must be clear, concise and outline the
true benefits that can easily be relayed to those reviewing and mak-
ing decisions.”
With the knowledge Equipment World’s in-house experts provide,
along with new technologies being adapted from computerization
and vendor manufacturing, their staff have been able to produce and
complete comprehensive proposals in as little as 24 hours. Local ar-
chitects and project managers know Equipment World through their
long-term membership in local and regional construction associa-
tions, and have come to rely on them for many product specifica-
tions and applications. Equipment World provides innovative solu-
tions that make workplaces safer and more functional.
Equipment World has done many unique and interesting installa-
tions. Some of the specialized installations include complete under-
ground warehouse systems, gym-divider curtains, electronic score-
boards, bleachers, large projection screens, hanging mine dry baskets,
vented mining lockers, oversized athletic equipment lockers, electric-
charging station lockers, conveyors, retail display shelving and show-
cases, and custom dock and door equipment. With highly trained
and fully equipped installation teams, Equipment World’s Construc-
tion Division serves a diverse array of clients including small shops,
large warehouses, automobile dealerships, farms, schools, hospitals,
office buildings, paper mills, and mines.
“In recent years, Equipment World has been awarded and has suc-
cessfully completed some notable projects in various areas, such as
Indonesia, South Carolina, Florida, British Columbia, Manitoba, Al-
berta, Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and all across Ontario,” states
Knudsen.
Over the years, Equipment World has provided complete turnkey
design, supply and installation in coordination with various Cana-
dian and U.S. manufacturers, including shelving, racking, structural
mezzanines, in-plant modular offices, and more.
“We have faced many interesting and exciting challenges with this
division, but it has become an ever-expanding part of our business.
Our team loves new project opportunities, and is always researching
new products and suppliers to be able to adapt to changing mar-
ket demands,” Knudsen states, adding, “we have even been able to
help design custom products with our manufacturers to solve some
unique product application requests.”
Another advantage that Equipment World offers is their main-
tenance program. The Equipment World team is available 24/7 for
emergency maintenance work. These value-added products and ser-
vices make it easier for mines and contractors because they only have
to deal with one sub-contractor to cover each of those needs.
“Equipment World has made a name for itself as a sub-contractor
that finishes jobs on time,” says Ukrainec, adding that this is some-
thing especially important since their job tends to be at the end of
construction, when the company is anxious to get quickly opera-
tional.
“Equipment World is proud to be working with such important
mining and industrial projects. The more we work in these special-
ized environments, the more we learn about the industry and respect
the work that is being conducted,” Ukrainec states.
Mine dry lockers, although a small but very important part of
their business, have helped Equipment World delve deeper into the
mining industry.
Knudsen concludes, “Much has changed over the past few decades,
but the predominant philosophy remains the same: Equipment
World provides innovative solutions, high-quality products, and
knowledgeable service from purchase to performance.”
Completed mine dry locker room installation in operation.
Underground installation of a high density storage system.
42 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Canadian Shield Consultants Agency Inc. (CSCA) was formed more than 15 years ago, and today has become the only turnkey service company in Ontario in the world of wastewater treatment business. Through the years, CSCA has developed expertise in engineering, construction and maintenance of wastewater treatment systems, as well as becoming a member of the Professional Engineers of Ontario.
The mining sector is at the core of their engineering projects, and
includes services such as assessments, feasibility studies, hydrogeo-
logical studies under the Ontario Water Resources Act (OWRA) Ag-
gregate Resources Act (ARA), consulting, engineered design, Envi-
ronmental Compliance Approval applications, etc. CSCA strives to
be an innovative consultant to help clients tackle all types and sizes
of wastewater projects. From domestic to high-strength wastewater
treatment, each project is approached from the clients’ viewpoint in
order to meet and exceed all requirements and expectations. Recent-
ly, CSCA has designed a wastewater treatment plant for the destruc-
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tion of ammonia from the mine process water, as well as designed a
wastewater treatment system to reduce the TSS below effluent dis-
charge objectives as a result eliminating the requirement of any ad-
ditional treatment.
CSCA not only provides expertise in wastewater management
and environmental engineering, but in environmental spill response
and aviation. The availability of our own helicopter to respond to
spills, leaks, or emergencies allows us to respond and assess the scene
quickly and efficiently. We have specialized sampling and monitor-
ing equipment, as well as a mobile treatment unit to allow for sam-
pling, initial lab analysis on scene, and treatment of contaminated
or wastewater if necessary. Additionally, CSCA has experience in
performing environmental site-specific assessments of facilities and
their equipment for potential risks associated with spills, leaks, and/
or emergencies. CSCA can provide training and information semi-
nars at company facilities or work sites to inform of regulative re-
sponsibilities, as well as give proper training and steps for initial spill
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44 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
AGAT Laboratories, as an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory, is re-quired to show that continuous improvement is routinely addressed in our day-to-day operations. Part of our commitment to this con-tinuous improvement is AGAT’s active and on-going training to as-sist geology and exploration professionals to select fit-for-purpose and cost-effective analytical techniques for varied geochemistry programs.
Over the past 20 years, the modern analytical laboratory com-
munity has seen an explosion of accessibility to sophisticated ana-
lytical instrumentation. In turn, this has driven the assaying industry
to make available an often-dizzying array of analytical packages for
exploration programs.
It has been AGAT Laboratories’ experience that a discussion of
analytical packages prior to a project starting is crucial to the success
of the geochemical program. This article will endeavour to lessen the
mystery behind various assay packages.
DIgEstIon/fUsIonThe majority of modern analytical instrumentation utilizes an
aqueous solution created by digestion of the solids to be analysed.
The digestion/fusion stage is a critical component of the decision-
making process when making an analytical selection.
Aqua-Regia digestion – Aqua-Regia digestion is the most common,
as well as the most cost-effective digestion technique available. This
digestion has a number of advantages and importantly, a number of
disadvantages. Aqua-Regia digestion is a ratio of hydrochloric acid
(HCl) and nitric acid (HNO3), and is, essentially, a strong leach.
One major disadvantage of Aqua Regia digestion is that major ele-
ments in the matrix may not completely dissolve. Examples of min-
eral phases that are not brought into solution by Aqua Regia include
chromite, ilmenite, and cassiterite. This may makes information for
elements Al, Fe, Mg, Rb, Sr, Zr limited. For the most part, data col-
lected for base metals (Ag, Co, Cu, Pb, Zn) remains valuable.
4Acid (Multi-Acid) digestion – The 4Acid digestion is the most
chemically aggressive acid digestion available. By using strong acids,
such as HF, HClO4, HNO
3 and HCl, this results in most elements be-
ing dissolved into solution. It is important to consider that this type
of technique is not recommended for accurate REE information, or
for when a total Ba number is critical.
One of the important rules to remember when considering 4Acid
digestions is that volatile elements will not be available or will have
low recovery. This is due to the aggressive nature and the tempera-
ture of the digestion. Therefore Hg should never be reported from
this digestion and low recoveries of As and Sb are likely. There are
options available to report volatiles from a separate digestion (Aqua-
Regia), with all other elements being reported from 4Acid digestions.
Litharge Fusion (fire assay techniques) – Fusions are used to “melt”
or separate various matrices to allow acid attack on the melt to get
the elements of interest into an aqueous phase.
The most common fusion technique is the litharge fusion – com-
monly referred to as fire assay. Fire assay fusions are based on the fact
that precious metals are soluble in metallic molten lead, while the
majority of elements (Si, Ca, Mg, Cu, Zn) are not. This is why fire
assay is such a powerful technique for the determination of precious
metals – essentially, the laboratory separates out the precious metals
from the sample and concentrates them.
Thirty grams or 50 grams of sample material is weighed and li-
tharge (PbO), and a variety of other chemicals (borax, flour, etc.)
are added to each crucible containing the sample. The crucibles are
placed in a furnace and all of the precious materials in the sample
are dissolved into the lead. Following the fusion, the material from
the crucible is poured out into moulds, with the lead (containing
all of the precious metals) settling into the bottom of the mould
(Figure 1).
After cooling, the solidified slag (Si, Ca, Mg, etc.) is physically re-
moved from the cooled lead button. The lead button is then placed
into another, smaller crucible (cupel) placed into another furnace
where the lead becomes molten again and is absorbed by the cupel,
while the precious metals stay intact to form a silver bead (Figure 2).
The importance of selecting an appropriate analytical package for your program
Figure 1: Pouring of fire assay samples following fusion stage.
Spring 2015 45
This bead is then “parted” with nitric acid to remove the Ag. Fi-
nally, hydrochloric acid is used to dissolve the remaining Au, Pt, Pd.
Borate Fusion – This technique uses a mixture of lithium metab-
orate / lithium tetraborate. Samples are fused at a moderately low
temperature. The resultant melt is either poured into acid and dis-
solved, or cooled on a platinum mould to create a fused disk. Borate
Fusions play an important role in determination of REE, Zr, Rb, Ba,
etc. (Figure 3).
Peroxide Fusion – This fusion technique uses a powerful oxidizer
(sodium peroxide) mixed with the sample material and samples
fused at a relatively low temperature. This fusion is very effective
with high base-metal content and/or high sulphide content materi-
als; however, detection limits may suffer due to the high dissolved
solid content and high dilution prior to analysis.
AnALytICAL InstrUmEntAtIon (fInIshEs)The final step in choosing an appropriate analytical package is the
important stage of analytical finish. There are a number of factors in
choosing which finish is appropriate.
Detection limit – For the purposes of this article, a detection limit
is the lowest result that the laboratory can reasonably report (also
known as lowest reporting limit). For example, if Tl is an impor-
tant pathfinder for your soil program, then a package that offers the
lowest possible detection limit will need to be discussed with your
geochemistry assay laboratory. Conversely, if your program require-
ments dictate the importance of major elements, such as Fe, then a
lower detection limit will likely not be a driver in your selection of
an analytical package.
Upper limit – Upper limit is defined as the highest value reported
and is important in determination of over limits. For example, a
Trace Au by fire assay package likely has an upper limit of 10 g/t Au,
so if the sample reads 11.5 g/t Au then a result of >10 g/t Au would
be reported on the assay certificate. A discussion with the laboratory
needs to include steps to be taken after any over limit is reported. In
this instance, recommendations from the geochemistry assay labora-
tory may be to proceed with fire assay Au by gravimetric finish or
metallic screen analysis upon detection of overlimits.
Analytical range – Analytical range is the range reported from a
package between detection limit to upper limit. For example, the
range of Ag reported from a routine 4Acid digestion package may
be 0.5-100 ppm, while the range reported from an ore-grade 4Acid
digestion may be 2.5-500 ppm.
Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) – Atomic Absorption Spec-
troscopy (AAS) is one of the most robust analytical finishes available.
A sequential technique (one element at a time), this instrument is
ideal in remote settings (e.g. mine sites, pulp and paper mills, and
geological research vessels) due to its ease of setup and operation.
The AAS suffers from a moderately high to very high detection limit,
and its inability to analyse more than one element simultaneously
(Figure 4).
Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-
OES) – The introduction of the ICP-OES into the geochemistry in-
dustry truly revolutionized the assay laboratory. With the ability to
analyse multiple elements simultaneously, and wide linear range, the
multi-element scan is now an almost-universal standard. Detection
limits, while significantly lower than reported by an AAS, may be a
limiting factor for some programs (e.g. Tl at 5 ppm when 0.01 ppm
is required) (See Figure 5).
Figure 2: Ag beads following cupellation.
Figure 3: Fused disks poured into mould following borate fusion.
Figure 4: Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS).
46 Ontario Mineral Exploration Review
Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) – Us-
ing the power of a mass spectrometer, the ICP-MS has the capa-
bility to report detection limits in the part-per-billion (ppb) and
part-per-trillion (ppt) range. This makes the ICP-MS extremely
valuable to the analytical requirements of typical environmental
reporting. This technique also plays an important role in geochem-
ical programs. ICP-MS is routinely employed to detect pathfinder
elements (e.g. Tl, As, Bi, Hg) and detect elements that are simply
unavailable by ICP-OES (e.g. Re). When combined with ICP-OES,
the analytical range available can be over many orders of magni-
tude (e.g. Tl 0.01 ppm – 10,000 ppm) (Figure 6).
ConCLUsIon
The modern analytical geochemistry assay laboratory is a full
partner working with the client to contribute to the overall success
of the geochemical program. A client’s criteria for deciding on which
lab to choose should always include: quality of data (ISO 17025 ac-
creditation), location, and of course, price. The decision should also
include a review of the scope of the laboratory’s analytical packages
to suit each particular type of program. An open dialogue with the
assay laboratory regarding analytical packages will be ongoing as
part of a successful program and partnership.
Figure 5: Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES).
Figure 6: Inductively Coupled Plasma – Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS).
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