Quebec’s mining industry promised government support

Jacques Parizeau’s newly elected Parti Quebecois government will introduce measures to strengthen and diversify Quebec’s mining industry, delegates were told at the 20th annual meeting of the Quebec Prospectors Association (QPA) held here in mid-September.

Francois Gendron, PQ member for Abitibi West, said Quebec’s new government is aware of the general decline in exploration spending in the province in recent years. He pledged the support of the PQ government to pressure Ottawa to restore some exploration incentives. Gendron also assured the mining industry that his government would support the creation of a fund that would enable companies active in Quebec to obtain financing to bring new projects into production. This fund would involve Quebec financial institutions. Also announced were plans to revitalize Quebec Crown corporation Soquem (Societe Quebecoise d’Exploration Miniere).

Jacques Trottier, QPA president, said the industry is encouraged by news that the new government will not support the previous (Liberal) government’s proposal to allow public environmental hearings on a case-by-case basis for new mine projects.

“We are not against environmental rules, nor against public hearings,” Trottier said. “We think hearings are appropriate for general rules on environmental procedures. But we don’t think hearings on a case-by-case basis do anything to protect the environment. If this comes about, who will take the risk to find a mine if it will be delayed by pressure groups?” The theme of the conference — Quebec: open for exploration — was reflected by a diverse range of presentations on active exploration projects involving gold, base metals, diamonds and industrial minerals.

The Prospector of the Year award was presented to Rodney Thomas, director of exploration for BHP Minerals Canada in eastern Canada. Thomas and his team of geologists discovered a massive sulphide project in the Matagami region, where a third phase of drilling is now taking place.

The Discoverer of the Year award was presented to Gilles Bouchard, and his team from Noranda Exploration, for work in the Matagami region on Bell Allard South. Reserves are reported at 4.4 million tons grading 12.79% zinc and 1.4% copper. The project is at the feasibility stage.

Michel Roy, president of Orco Resources, was named Entrepreneur of the Year in recognition of his work at the Donalda mine project in the Rouyn-Noranda region. Also recognized were Francois Robert of the Geological Survey of Canada (Jean Descarreaux award), for published articles on the Sigma gold mine in Val d’Or, and Jack Lusko (Nicolas Denys award), for his 70-year career in prospecting. Lusko, at age 95, still holds claims and options on which about $500,000 has been spent by exploration companies in the past year.