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By Frederick Bird

This paper is based upon a review of studies of mostly Canadian mining companies in Chile, northern Canada, Tanzania, Guatemala, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. In spite of often well-meaning efforts most mining firms produce wealth in developing areas that largely benefit those immediately involved, sometimes neighboring communities, and often those in the governing strata. Typically mining takes place in enclaves and fosters enclave development, rather than the kind of inclusive wealth development favored by the recently UN published Inclusive Wealth Report. One way by which mining operations can foster more inclusive wealth development is to adopt much broader approaches towards the construction of the various physical and social infrastructures ? roads, water, electricity, health services, schools, security ? required for their own operations by collaborating with diverse regional, provincial, and/or national agencies and businesses to develop these infrastructures for larger populations and areas beyond the immediate sites where they are operating. Established mining firms can also foster more inclusive wealth development by establishing more formal, collaborative relationships with artisanal miners.

Aug 1, 2013

By Mory Ghomshei

As fossil fuels become depleted over the next century, it is imperative that Canada and other countries examine ways to transition to other sources of energy, particularly renewable resources. A critical obstacle to developing Canada?s renewable energy resources is the scarcity of infrastructure to wheel the generated electricity to a viable market. For each megawatt of renewable electrical power, a maximum of 1 km of connecting power line is typically feasible. This means that hydropower, geothermal, and wind power projects with capacities up to 100 MW must be located within a maximum of 100 km of a main power line in order to be economically viable. With a total length of about 1200 km, the proposed Northern Gateway oil pipeline project creates an excellent opportunity to become a corridor that can seed renewable energy projects in Northern British Columbia and Alberta. Utility companies must build new infrastructure to provide the electricity for constructing and operating the proposed pipeline. The pipeline and linked power line infrastructure therefore, should be designed and built with consideration to create an energy highway to the significant renewable energy resources, such as hydro, wind, and geothermal, in the vicinity of the proposed pipeline. Some of the important renewable energy resources in northern British Columbia can be developed in connection with the proposed pipeline. It is estimated that close to 2,500 MW of commercially viable wind, geothermal and run-of-river power resources are present in the proximity of the proposed pipeline corridor. While oil flows westward from the Alberta bitumen fields, the generated green power can flow eastward to help the Canadian oil sand industry to offset as much as 10 Megatons of carbon emissions per year. The generated carbon credits are equivalent to 75% of the emissions associated with extraction of the 525,000 barrels per day of oil from oil sands, intended to be carried by the pipeline.

Aug 1, 2013

By A. D. Dalvi

Economics, Resources, Environment and Technology are the major driving forces in the base metals industry. However, these factors are intertwined and together will propel the industry in the future. The demand for metals has grown with economic expansion, between 2 to 4 % p.a. The current growth cycle has been driven by economic expansion in China where the demand for base metals has risen from - 7 % of the world demand in the 90's to - 25 % of world demand today, and rising. Base metals are commodities and their demand and price are cyclical. Historically metal prices have declined in constant dollars, forcing the industry to reduce costs, increase productivity and increase the scale of operation for economies of scale. Due to resource depletion and capacity expansion the industry is driven to expand its reserve and resource base. However, in the case of sulphide deposits of copper and nickel it appears to be a losing battle. For nickel the laterites represent a vast source at this time. Their development requires development of new technologies to make these resources economic. Emission reduction is being increasingly mandated in most jurisdictions with all governments enacting progressively more stringent regulations. The industry has been responding with technological innovation. With the Kyoto protocol there is a push to reduce energy intensity in metal production. Technological innovation is driven by all the other factors and is leading to novel ways of doing exploration, mining and processing, that would maximize resource delineation and utilization, reduce costs, increase productivity, reduce energy consumption, maximize asset utilization and reduce environmental affects. Development of alternative technologies such as Pressure Acid Leach of laterite for nickel, bio-leaching, heap leaching, SX-EW etc are being adopted to achieve the aims of the industry.

Jan 1, 2005

By Roberto Antoniolli

"IntroductionSINCE ancient times, the precious metals have played an important role in influencing the course of history. Silver and gold happened to occur, although in small amounts, in those countries where the early civilizations developed. Their persistent brightness certainly amazed the primitive people, who also found it easy to shape them into ornaments •and implements. Ever since then their properties have made them seem desirable possessions.Use of precious metals as money was the natural consequence of man's desire for them. The possibility of changing an ornament into a tool or food at any time, and the ease with which such medium of exchange could be carried and hidden, further increased the demand for the two metals.Silver was probably discovered after gold and copper, and was undoubtedly found by prehistoric man as native silver. The oldest silver articles have been discovered in Chaldean tombs and date back to 5000 B.C. The earliest ascertained producers of silver were Asia Minor and the Iberian Peninsula. The Romans worked deposits in Spain, Britain, and France. In the Middle Ages, some silver was extracted from German deposits, and near the end of the Middle Ages systematic workings were carried on at Freiberg, Schneeberg, and Joachimsthal (1).Before the discovery of the New Continent, the Aztecs and Toltecs in Mexico, and the Incas in Peru, had made extensive use of silver. In the 16th century the Mexican deposits became the largest source of the world silver."

Jan 1, 1954

Building off the enthusiasm generated by Credit Suisse First Boston on the potential benefits of an industry-wide effort to market gold jewellery, a group of gold producers, led by Randall Oliphant, CEO of Barrick Gold, decides to investigate the long -term impact of launching a significant marketing initiative to stimulate demand for gold jewellery. The group establishes an international Steering Committee representing producers of differing sizes, members and non-members of the World Gold Council. This Committee comprises representatives from AngloGold, Barrick, Gympie Gold, Kinross, Randgold, and Sons of Gwalia and is supported by the Australian Gold Council, the Gold and Silver Institute, and CSFB. The Steering Committee hires McKinsey to assist it by conducting an independent review of whether investment in a large-scale marketing initiative for gold jewellery would be effective in increasing demand for gold, and ultimately of significant economic benefit of the gold industry. Based on McKinsey?s review* and its own discussions with key stakeholders across the industry, the Steering Committee strongly believes the case for marketing is compelling and sufficiently proven to persuade the industry to undertake a major initiative over the next few years. The Steering Committee, supported by McKinsey, conducts briefings with a range of gold producers to share its findings and to understand producers? perspectives on an industry-funded marketing campaign. The Steering Committee is asking for your support to bring this industry-funded marketing campaign to life.

May 1, 2002

By W. G. Stevenson

With the author's background of extensive experience, this paper delineates the role of the prospector in modern-day exploration programs. The stages in the development of a prospect to a producing mineral district are outlined, and examples are given from the Ross River area of the Yukon Territory and the Peachland and Highland Valley areas of British Columbia.

Jan 1, 1970

By George A. Guess

The making of contracts for the purchase of ores is a business which the metallurgist usually understands better than the miner. Companies in the custom ore business often employ an ore buyer who is aware of the class of ore which the smelter needs, and is thoroughly conversant with the business. The miner on the other hand makes ore contracts but seldom, and it is often only after a settlement has been made that he realizes the meaning of the terms of the contract under which he has sold his ores. He has expectations usually greatly in excess of the amount 'net proceeds' shown at the bottom of the settlement sheet. Seldom does the occasional shipper really know his contract. A somewhat similar parallel is to be found in insurance policies. We all have insurance policies; we never know the conditions contained in them until after the fire. The clauses in the policy are for the protection of the Insurance Company. An Insurance Company has no friends.

Jan 1, 1926

By D. R. Derry

This paper up-dates an earlier paper by the author on the rate of new Canadian mineral discoveries and the exploration methods which were principally responsible for these finds. He concludes that the ratio of exploration expenditure to production value must be increased if we are to provide sufficient new reserves for the future.

Jan 1, 1970

By Balmer Neilly

To one with so little experience in matters pertaining to currency, international finance, and foreign trade, this is surely an ambitions venture on my part. However, this is a subject of prime importance to all seriously minded Canadians and, if we are to obtain any clear understanding of the factors involved, we must study the facts and debate such points as may remain at issue. During the last few years, the world' s better known economists have described the gold standard in all its ramifications and in such detail as to leave many of us even more confused than before. If we, then, are to acquire any real conception of its meaning and use, I think we must reduce it to its fundamentals and start from there. To my way of thinking, gold in ? trade and commerce is the symbol of honesty. When you seek to discharge a debt by tendering paper you hand the recipient an I.O.U. which may or may not be good, for the purchase of goods or services to the extent of its face value. When, however, you discharge a debt by the payment of gold, it constitutes a complete and final discharge. There are no reservations - no ifs and ands - and the transaction is definitely closed to the satisfaction of all concerned. Gold, then, is evidence of accumulated and transferable wealth that is immediately acceptable in practically every part of the world. However, there is not nearly enough gold to meet the demands of world trade, and. many years ago this deficiency gave rise to what we now describe as our banking system.

Jan 1, 1949

By J. Marks

The measurement of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from primary aluminium production and inventory of these emissions of carbon dioxide and PF Cs have become an important issue for primary aluminium producers. Most global producers have either voluntary emission goals or emissions limits established through national regulatory requirements. International good practices for inventory of these emissions for national governments are established through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The current good practices, last updated in 2000, are being revised and are expected to be adopted by governments in the spring of 2006. There are a number of changes expected in the guidance that will impact how facilities account for their GHG emissions. This paper describes the changes to the guidance and the implications of these changes for aluminium producers.

Jan 1, 2006

By Oliver Hall

This paper sketches the mining at Noranda as it would be sketched to a visiting engineer. It does not follow quite the usual form, but is presented somewhat along the lines of a conversation. TO give the mining at Noranda its proper perspective, it is necessary to sketch the whole picture and outline: 1. History 2. Metallurgical Problems 3. Exploration 4. Mining Methods 5. Mining Details 6. Filling 7. Pillar Extraction 8. Costs HISTORY Noranda is a relatively young enterprise, with much of the personal character of its founders woven into it. The name Noranda is an abbreviation of Northern Canada and the name has been a happy one for an enterprise based on northern resources, tenacity and courage. The discovery credit goes to Ed. H. Horne. This intrepid prospector returned again and again to his sulphide discoveries on the shores of Osisko lake and, in 1922, after ten years of prospecting, succeeded in interesting S. C. Thomson and H. W. Chadbourne in his discoveries. The early exploration by L. K. Fletcher, from 1922 to 1925, for Thomson and Chadbourne, indicated promising, but somewhat perplexing, ore conditions. Mr. E. Hibbert and Mr. H. L. Roscoe rook on the task of preparing the mine for production and building a smelter in 1926, and this difficult task in this isolated area made steady progress and the smelter was blown-in in December, 1927.

Jan 1, 1937

By G. B. Langford

UOCK bursts are a phenomenon about which insufficient is known. This l.~ statement has a twofold meaning. In the first place, far too many people, both inside and outside of the mining industry, are woefully ignorant of the whole subject, and secondly, as those who are face to face with the problem in the mines realize, our knowledge of rock bursts is inadequate. The first group embraces the general public, who have never been enlightened on the subject, and a great many geologists and engineers who have never shown more than a curiosity about it. Such technical men do not realize what a vital problem it is to our mining industries. They are usually thankful that bursting ground is not their problem, and leave it to those unfortunate enough to run into it. From such men one often hears the pious opinion that if proper mining methods were used there would be no problem. It is hoped that this paper will give these people a different viewpoint. Those in the second group deserve much credit for what they have done and are doing. They are fighting a large and difficult problem. In the pages that follow, I have tried to give a bird's-eye view of that problem, and suggest new ways in which it may be attacked.

Jan 1, 1941

By J. W. Sanger

The establishment of a central steam-heating system in Winnipeg and its inauguration in October, 1924, has attracted a considerable amount of attention. Not only does it excite the curiosity of the engineer, but it has stirred financial and civic bodies throughout Canada to such a degree that there is now a much keener general interest in this particular type of public utility than has been shown heretofore. This does not mean that we may expect a mushroom growth of central-heating systems in all our larger Canadian cities in the near future, but it does mean that the pioneer work which Winnipeg is now doing will undoubtedly be used to guide others in their judgment as to the feasibility of similar projects elsewhere. The success of the municipal hydro-electric system in Winnipeg, and the low rates for electricity resulting therefrom, was without a doubt the most important factor influencing the citizens of Winnipeg to venture into this new field. The events which led up to the central steam-heating proposal in Winnipeg are interesting.

Jan 1, 1926

By R. W. Diamond

PUBLIC debts, and the policies guiding public finance in Canada today, are in such a state that every intelligent citizen should be familiar with them, and should be concerned about them. None of you have robe reminded that taxes have already risen to a point where they both annoy and hurt you, but they should also alarm you; alarm you, not so much because of the taxation, but because of the mounting expenditures represented by that taxation. I have no hesitation, therefore, in presenting a paper dealing with public finance at a meeting of the Mining Institute, since all present are concerned,. both as individuals and as representatives of the industry. Moreover, it is important that engineers, particularly, should become better acquainted with the interlocking relationships of economics, public finance, government, and technology. While I am neither an economist, a tax expert, nor a chartered accountant, I shall try to tell you, from my viewpoint as an engineer and an interested voter, the story of public finance in Canada today and of certain causes and effects, and I shall venture certain conclusions. In doing so I may merit criticism by experts, but I will risk this in the hope that sufficient interest will be stimulated in the subject to persuade you, as individuals and as groups, to advance, or to institute, your own studies in public finance, and in turn to interest others. I hope that some of the ideas which will be expressed, or which may develop, will bear fruit. I fully realize that several eminently qualified men have spoken on this subject during recent months, and that many authoritative articles have been written. However, I approach it with confidence, because I propose speaking to you not as an authority, bur as one of you, having similar interests and similar engineering knowledge, who only a few months ago became particularly interested in the subject, studied it, and who now sets before you a summary of his findings, with the conviction that the situation is so serious that constructive planning and constructive action by all thinking citizens are imperative.

Jan 1, 1939

By A. E. M. Warner, A. Vahed, P. J. Mackey

"Since early 2015, the price of nickel has dropped from the region of US$6/pound to current levels of around US$4.60/pound (March 2017), reflecting several market factors, but principally due to lower demand from China. Under such conditions, nickel companies have been under pressure to contain operating costs. In addition, labor and energy costs will continue to rise, while nickel ore grades will likely continue to drop. All major companies now accept the need for climate change action and consequently efforts are being made towards lowering carbon-based emissions. Nevertheless, meeting these challenges can also contribute to higher operating costs without parallel innovative developments - which at the same time, under current conditions, major companies are tending to curtail. In this paper, several productivity improvement opportunities to reduce unit operating costs at nickel sulphide and nickel laterite plants are reviewed. Opportunities include: (a) process technology and energy-type selection, production capability, optimization of process intensity and implementation of newer technologies; (b) improved productivity, equipment availability including maintenance best practice; (c) energy savings and recovery opportunities and use of energy surveys and, (d) process modeling and improved scheduling. Such improvements along with an uptick seen in nickel demand going forward should better position the world nickel industry.INTRODUCTION Nickel is an essential metal to modern society, primarily through its use as an important ingredient in stainless steel. Thus, stainless steel finds vital applications in food preparation facilities, as well as important uses in transportation and industrial applications. Canada has always played an important role in nickel production and nickel metallurgy. In the 1940s and 1950s, Canada supplied over 90% of the world’s nickel. However, this proportion has declined considerably to around 10% of the world nickel supply today. Still, Canada remains an important nickel supplier and contributor to nickel extractive technology. Due to the importance of nickel to society, nickel demand is expected to continually rise. On the other hand, nickel companies have been under pressure to contain production costs amid languishing nickel prices. While demand projections show nickel growth, there are uncertainties in actual levels of future market growth. Ore grades are dropping, while labour and energy costs, which are key cost contributors are rising, hence efforts to lower production costs will generally require innovative approaches."

Jan 1, 2017

By D. T. Pritchard

"Introduction""No accounting system is very good, and all of them are infinitely variable*.”The purpose of this chapter is to discuss those facets of a typical accounting system which are most commonly encountered by operating managers in mineral processing plants. However, before concentrating in any detail on these it is important to understand the broad purposes and basic techniques of any accounting system in any major business.The three broad purposes of an Accounting System are:- Administering, controlling, and recording the flow of cash in and out of the business. Cash is, of course, converted into other assets (or stores of value) such as inventory, plant and equipment, etc. These assets also have to be administered, controlled and recorded.- Internal reporting to Management for information, for control, and for use in making business plans and decisions. - External reporting to stockholders, government, lenders and other outside parties.In this chapter we shall organize our discussion of accounting practice in mineral processing plants around these three purposes of accounting and focus in some detail on specific practices and techniques with which operating personnel will be routinely involved. This chapter is divided into the following: Accounting Basics; Administration, Control and Recording of Cash Flows; Internal Reporting; Planning and Budgeting; Cost Control; and External Reporting."

Jan 1, 1989

By Unknown

We are indebted to the Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited for the several pictures in this issue showing the progress made in new construction at Tadanac and at Bonnington Falls, B.C. Plate No. 1 shows the down-stream side of the No. 1 hydro-electric station of the West Kootenay Power and Light Co. Limited at Bonnington Falls, on the Kootenay river, at which 17,500 k.v.a. will be developed to meet the requirements of the enlarged zinc and lead refineries at Tadanac. The generators, exciters and switch apparatus were supplied by the Canadian General Electric Company and the step-up transformers by the Canadian Westinghouse Company Limited. The plant throughout was designed, manufactured and erected by Canadians. Plate No. 2 shows the casting room of the new lead-plant and plate No. 3 the new tank-room of the electrolytic lead refinery at Tadanac. These additions will increase the capacity of the lead refinery by some 150 tons daily. The extensions also include practically doubling the zinc plant, and the gold and silver refineries. With the exception of the new stack, all designing construction and installation of the various plants is being done by the Company's own employees at Tadanac. Plate No. 4 shows the progress made in the construction of the new reinforced concrete stack at Tadanac. This stack, of 21 feet inside diameter at the top, will be brick lined and when completed will rise 400 feet above its foundations: the tallest of its kind in the world. The construction is in charge of the Rust Engineering Company of Pittsburgh, Pa. Plate No. 5 is a panorama of the Tadanac smelters and refineries. The photograph was taken from the roof of the lead smelter and gives an excellent idea of the size of the plant and its surroundings. Tadanac produces electrolytic lead, zinc and copper and fine gold and silver. During 1924 the company treated 1,333,523 tons of ore and produced: 161,400,- 769 pounds of lead; 92,197,824 pounds of zinc; l,382,750pounds of copper; 4,074,044 ounces of silver, and 26,976 ounces of gold.

Jan 1, 1925

By J. B. De Hart

This paper has been confined to the consideration of the working of thick seams, from six feet to sixteen feet, which are pitching at about thirty degrees to the horizontal. The discussion has been limited to these set conditions because they are the ones of commonest occurrence in the Southern Alberta bituminous coal district, because, from the point of view of safety, thin seams are more easily worked, and because a discussion of all the possible combinations of thick and thin seams pitching at angles varying from zero to ninety degrees with the horizontal would involve a task impossible in the time available. It has been assumed that the mine makes gas freely and that the coal is friable and tends to make inflammable dust which is highly explosive. Since the problem requires the taking into account means of maintaining a high proportion of lump coal, it is further assumed that lump coal commands a price considerably higher than the price which can be obtained for run-of-mine or for slack coal. Figure 1, tabulating the various factors which must be considered and their relation to each other, indicates diagrammatically the complexity of the problem. Any method of working becomes divided into two distinct components, the active workings of the mine and the old abandoned workings. While these are in a measure distinct, they are nevertheless inter-related, as shown in the diagram.

Jan 1, 1930

By C. G. McLaughlan

The Noranda concentrator was placed in operation in October, 1928, and the object of this paper is to outline operations during the twelve months which have elapsed since that time. The ores milled are massive sulphides carrying copper and gold, and, in certain cases, zinc. These ores have a specific gravity of about 3.8. The average assay of the copper-gold ore so far treated has been 2.0 - 3.5 percent Cu; 0.10 - 0.20 oz. Au; 40 - 51 percent Fe; and 6 - 15 percent SiO2. In this ore the copper occurs almost entirely as chalcopyrite, and the iron which is not combined with the copper is present mainly as pyrite and pyrrhotite. ?some iron is also combined with the silica, the ratio being about 1 to 4, and a small percentage is present as magnetite. The occurrence of the gold has been shown by microscopic work carried out by Prof. L. C. Graton, of Harvard University, to be very variable. Some of it is free, and is included within the base-metal sulphides or occurs at their boundaries. A similar distribution also holds for a portion of the gold which is combined as a telluride. Little is so far known of the occurrence of the silver other than that some of it may be combined with the gold in the telluride, petzite. The copper-zinc ore contains up to 6 percent copper, and has a very variable zinc content. The copper in such ore is present as chalcopyrite, and the zinc as sphalerite. In starting the mill we had three conditions to face; the first of these was climatic, the second was the lack of skilled flotation operators, and the third was the ore itself." The last of these three proved much more difficult to contend with than the other two combined.

Jan 1, 1930

By The Staff

THE gold mining industry in Canada is today the most important stabilizing influence in the country. This factor was brought out particularly during the 'depression' years, when steady employment was given to men in that industry and the monies spent in supplies and power in turn benefited the country to a great extent. At the same time, a commodity was produced which was saleable in any market of the world, thus maintaining Canada's credit in foreign markets and keeping her trade balances equalized. We have a vast area known as the Precambrian Shield. The agricultural possibilities of this area are practically negligible and it will depend entirely upon the mineral and forest resources to make this district an economic factor in the life of Canada. To date, from the mineral point of view, we have been highly successful. There are, however, still vast areas to be explored. It is tedious and laborious work, entailing great individual hard-ships and the expenditure of much energy and money. During my thirty years' experience in the search for, and operating of, gold mines, I have come to the conclusion that although individuals may give all their time, energy, and money, Governmental assistance is absolutely necessary in the development of hydro-electric power sites and roads. The Governments, to date, have given splendid co-operation along these lines, but in order that this great industry may go ahead they should continue their good work and, if possible, give greater relief from taxation to mines situated at a considerable distance from the railway.

Jan 1, 1938