Commentary: Bill 70 brings some certainty to Quebec
On Dec. 9, 2013, legislators in Quebec agreed to adopt Bill 70, which will reform Quebec’s Mining Act, RSQ, c. M-13.1, thus settling months of negotiations and uncertainty on the matter.
Regulatory Issues
Taseko heads to court to shelve New Prosperity panel findings
VANCOUVER — Taseko Mines (TSX: TKO; NYSE-MKT: TGB) is certain Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) used the wrong project design in assessing the tailings storage facility at the proposed New Properity mine, a fundamental error that led the…
Editorial: The two lions of Southern Africa
The mining community in Canada probably has more connections to South Africa than any other group in the country, and so the death of Nelson Mandela on Dec. 5 provided many miners here with time to reflect on the man’s leadership, as well…
Japanese nuclear re-start is the key for higher uranium prices
With spot uranium oxide prices in the third quarter averaging US$35.95 per lb. — down from US$66.50 per lb. before the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power-plant disaster in March 2011 — it is no surprise that uranium producers in Russia…
Augusta shares whipsawed on EPA commentary
Shareholders of junior outfit Augusta Resource (TSX: AZC; NYSE-MKT) got a little skittish after the release of a letter from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by non-government organization Save the Scenic Santa Ritas (SSSR), a…
Commentary: Resource nationalism and mining reforms could mean more international disputes
Ernst & Young listed resource nationalism as the number-one risk threatening the mining sector in 2013 — a sharp increase over five years ago, when resource nationalism appeared at the bottom of Ernst & Young’s top-10 list…
Commentary – CETA to benefit PDAC members: Joe Oliver
Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, Joe Oliver, met with the full board of the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada in Toronto on Nov. 12. The following is an excerpt of his prepared speech, as it relates to…
Digging into the Ross River ruling by the Yukon Supreme Court
VANCOUVER — In September the Supreme Court of Canada dismissed an appeal by the Yukon government of a case that had caused a stir across the industry. The case involved a 2011 ruling by the Yukon Supreme Court, pursuant to a claim by the…
The battle continues at Taseko’s New Prosperity
VANCOUVER — The permitting saga has lasted nearly four years for B.C.-based copper producer Taseko Mines (TSX: TKO; NYSE-MKT: TGB) and its New Prosperity copper-gold project, 125 km southwest of Williams Lake, but the proposed…
Mountain Province, Kennady, find ray of sunshine in gloomy market
In a market that has brought juniors and miners of every commodity to their knees, Patrick Evans is president and CEO of not one, but two high-flying diamond juniors. “There…
Commentary: What you need to know about changes to Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker program
Earlier this year the federal government made changes to Canada’s temporary foreign worker program with the stated purpose of ensuring that Canadians are given the first opportunity to apply for available jobs. Most temporary foreign…
Commentary: Social license – addressing deeper issues boosts the odds of success
Publicly stated arguments are often what’s only on the surface of conflicts over natural-resource developments — underlying geopolitical issues and hidden agendas can also be at play. I have come across this on a number of projects…