CMIC Newsletter - March 2011

CMIC Exploration Initiative

Champion: François Robert
Board link: James Franklin, Richard Moore

In January 2011, the CMIC Exploration Innovation Consortium identified research and development programs (see Table below) critical to discovery success that are in need of new innovation in approaches, knowledge, technique and technology in the coming five to 10 years.

The CMIC Exploration Innovation Consortium plans to establish coordinated and focused programs with well defined goals aimed at enhancing the competitiveness of a responsible Canadian mining industry through excellence in research, innovation and commercialization.

It seeks to coordinate Pan-Canadian projects to avoid overlap, and act as the industry representative in the projects. Industry will constitute a technical advisory board to the project during development and operation.

Please note: The CMIC Exploration Innovation Consortium is open to any company (mining and service) and university that wishes to join to help shape R&D over the next 10 years that is beneficial to the Canadian based mining industry.

Mining, Processing and Energy Initiatives

Mr. Alex Henderson, General Manager, Mines and Mills Technology - North Atlantic, Vale, has agreed to become the Champion of the CMIC Mining Initiative.

Mr. Rob Henderson, Senior Vice President - Technical Services, Kinross Gold Corporation, has agreed to become the Champion of the CMIC Processing Initiative.

Mr. John Thompson, Vice-President, Technology and Development, Teck, has agreed to become the Champion of the CMIC Energy Initiative.

CMIC is presently establishing the technical committees that will work with these Champions in the definition of research programs for these Mining, Processing and Energy Initiatives.

General CMIC Issues

Board link: Engin Özberk and Ray Mantha

Modernizing Ontario's Mining Act 

Bold changes to Ontario's Mining Act are bringing a balanced approach to mineral development in the province.

Those changes consider the concerns of a wide range of stakeholders and interest groups, while supporting a competitive economic climate that benefits all Ontarians. The new legislation modernizes and streamlines policies and processes through amendments to the Act and related regulations currently being developed by the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry (MNDMF).

The Mining Amendment Act received Royal Assent in October 2009. It is the result of several months of comprehensive consultations with more than 700 representatives of the minerals sector, First Nations and Métis communities, private landowners, municipalities, business groups and non-governmental organizations.

The ministry also received valuable feedback through public postings on the environmental and regulatory registries.

A modernized Ontario Mining Act is helping to strengthen Ontario's mining sector by bringing certainty and clarity to mineral exploration and development in the province. It changes the way that companies stake and explore their claims, addresses issues surrounding surface and mineral rights, and supports significant strides in Aboriginal consultation throughout the mining sequence.

While many new regulations and policies came into effect immediately upon achieving royal assent, others are being developed and will be phased in over the next two to three years.

Regulations announced on January 1, 2011 allow surface rights holders to apply for exemption from Mining Land Tax under certain circumstances, and private landowners can now apply for withdrawal of Crown mineral rights for their property in Northern Ontario.

Amendments anticipated to be introduced during the spring of 2011 include the launch of a map (paper) staking system in southern Ontario, as well as new protection for sites of Aboriginal cultural significance.

Many more important changes are being considered for implementation in the coming years, such as a graduated permitting system by 2012 and a province-wide online map staking system by 2013.

Ongoing dialogue is critical as the ministry continues to develop and introduce new regulations. In order to keep Ontarians regularly updated, MNDMF has produced several information sheets that outline changes to the Ontario Mining Act as they relate to Mineral Exploration and Development, Aboriginal Consultation and Mineral Tenure and Private Property Rights, as well as describing new and proposed mining regulations.

This enlightening series is also available electronically in Cree, OjiCree and Ojibway languages.

View the Ontario Mining Act laws in their entirety, along with other key documents, on the MNDMF.gov.on.ca.

For more information, contact:

Ontario Mining Act Modernization Secretariat
Tel: 416-327-0618
Email: miningact@ontario.ca 

Processing Initiative

Champion: Rob Henderson
Board link: Engin Özberk
Special collaboration: Damien Duff, R&D Program Director, CEMI

PreCalculatOre v1.5.0

In conjunction with MineSense Technologies Ltd. and Xstrata Process Support, the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI), located in Sudbury, Ontario, has facilitated development of "PreCalculatOre," a combined process and cost modelling tool to assess the potential economic benefits of applying surface-based ore pre-concentration techniques at a mine or deposit.

The process model is founded on proprietary mass/metal balances for mineral processing, smelting and refining steps developed by Xstrata Process Support, and coupled with proprietary capacity/cost models developed by MineSense Technologies Ltd. The PreCalculatOre tool estimates the impacts on metal recovery and process cost for the base and pre-concentration case scenarios.

The PreCalculatOre tool is not intended to replace current industry accepted project evaluation practices and should not be used in isolation for any substantial business decisions.

The PreCalculatOre tool and related documentation can be downloaded for free from CEMI's website. MiningExcellence.ca.