Efforts in China to ensure security and decrease air pollution during the Beijing Olympic Games have not gone unnoticed by Canadian-based mining companies.
Arehada Mining (AHD-T) is shutting down operations at its zinc mine and plant during the Beijing Olympic Games due to the suspension of selling and using explosives and a prohibition on transporting dangerous products like sulphuric acid.
The company’s 50,000-tonne-per-year zinc plant, which produces sulphuric acid in addition to zinc oxide, was closed on August 6. The mine will be shut down on August 8 because the company has a limited capacity for storing the sulphuric acid.
Production will resume in September when the restrictions are lifted.
Arehada consultant Mike Lui did not know what kind of loss this would mean for the company. He says more information will be available in the future.
Goldrea Resources (GOR-V) chief operating officer, Paul Blair, was unable to secure a visa and has returned home to the United States.
Although Goldrea president and CEO Larry Reaugh says Blair is one of his “key people” not having him in China right now is not affecting overall operations.
Jinshan Gold‘s (JIN-T) president and CEO Jay Chmelauskas says the company had to order enough explosives and cyanide to last one month before and after the Games because of the transportation restrictions.
“You just had to make sure you were covered,” he says.
Although Chmelauskas is staying away from Beijing during the Games, some management are heading there this week for meetings. He says they’ve had to deal with a few extra hurdles in getting visas but it wasn’t impossible.
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