|
LawMine: Mine Management, Law & Policy
|
| |
| Articles |
 SME Files Petition for Rulemaking with SEC Over Industry Guide 7Monday, October 29, 2012The SME filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to amend Industry Guide 7. Industry Guide 7 contains the SEC’s basic disclosure policy for mining companies. read more » B.C. nixes mine project despite OK environmental assessmentMonday, October 15, 2012A mining company proposing to establish an open-pit copper and gold mine near a lake in northern British Columbia has been denied an environmental assessment certificate, but that shouldn’t signal concerns that mining is off limits in the area, say lawyers. read more » Africa gold rush lures children out of schoolFriday, October 12, 2012One million children aged between five and 17 are engaged in small-scale mining and quarrying worldwide, according to the UN International Labour Organisation (ILO) read more » Changes to Ontario's MIning ActWednesday, October 10, 2012Changes to century-old mining rules in Ontario signal delays and added costs for hundreds of explorers in a $1 billion industry that provides a crucial source of new deposits for global metal producers. read more » Mining industry increasingly seeking water solutions Thursday, September 27, 2012The global mining water and wastewater sector was expected to grow as the focus on sustainable water solutions within the mining industry increased. read more » British Columbia’s mining industry hiring requirements to exceed 16,700 over the next 10 years Wednesday, September 26, 2012Human resources challenges continue to threaten the future competitiveness of the B.C. mining industry. read more » Idaho gold mining with a green twistMonday, September 17, 2012Gold miners near Placerville were finishing hauling to their mill nearly 200,000 tons of ore and waste rock that had been left when the Boise Basin's first wave of mining ended in 1938. read more » Preliminary Economic Assessments for Mining Projects Thursday, September 13, 2012The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) recently published a new staff notice clarifying its position on several issues regarding the use and disclosure of preliminary economic assessments (PEAs) by Canadian reporting issuers in the mining sector (Staff Notice 43-307 Mining Technical Reports – Preliminary Economic Assessments). read more » The New West is in West Africa!Friday, August 17, 2012They're illegal residents of the country, they are illegally mining gold and damaging the environment. They also engage in gun battles with locals and avoid capture by authorities. Meet the 21st century Chinese placer miners of Ghana. read more » 'Responsible mining' in South AfricaWednesday, August 15, 2012A report has found that South African mining companies have not made adequate provision for clean-up of operations following the closure of mines. read more » Chinese investments in AfricaTuesday, August 14, 2012An infographic that showcases the investment strategy used by Chinese companies - most of them backed by their State - in accessing the continent's mineral resources. read more » HR 4402 Passes With Democratic Support. Could It Really Get Easier to Mine in the USA?Friday, July 13, 2012Yesterday, H.R. 4402 was voted on in the House and passed by 256-160. The bill is supposed to help reduce the United States' reliance on foreign sources of minerals. Here is a news release from the NMA. read more » National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act of 2012Friday, July 06, 2012The National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act, H.R. 4402, is supposed to be debated in the U.S. House of Representatives by mid-July. Here's an email from the National Mining Association, which considers this bill a big step in improving the U.S. economy. read more » Anvil Mining Goes to the Canadian Supreme CourtWednesday, July 04, 2012Anvil Mining was accused of providing aid to soldiers of the national government; the soldiers were out of control and deaths ensued. I received this comment a short while back of my original posting. read more » EPA Report on Bristol Bay and Pebble MineFriday, May 25, 2012The draft report by the EPA on potential mining impacts on Bristol Bay by the Pebble Mine or any of the other seven potential mines in that part of Alaska is published. read more » Failed Public Financings in the Mining Sector – Use of Economic Analysis and Confusion Around Preliminary Economic AssessmentsWednesday, March 28, 2012The failure and termination of several recent Canadian prospectus financings has highlighted the particular disclosure challenges that companies face in the mining sector, and in particular some recent confusion around the rules applicable to preliminary economic assessments (PEAs). (Osler) read more » Design A Mine Waste Facility: Guidance From WisconsinTuesday, February 14, 2012The Wisconsin legislature has just posted a proposed new law on mining in the state. At 191 pages it is not a short read; but it is a must-read. read more » BCGS New Publications Tuesday, January 24, 2012Use of Portable XRF in evaluation of Rare Earth Element-bearing Phosphate Deposits; A KML file to Display Producing Mines in British Columbia at Any Range or Point of Time in the Last 160 Years; Using Regionated KML Files to Display the Status of a Large Number of Mineral Occurrences in British Columbia; Using Regionated KML Files to Speed up the Display of a Large Number of Regional Geochemical Survey Sites in British Columbia read more » BCGS NewsMonday, January 23, 2012Geological Fieldwork 2011; Exploration and Mining in British Columbia 2011; Mines and Mineral Exploration Overview 2011; Operating Mines and Selected Major Exporation Projects; Poster Highlights read more » Natural Acid Rock Drainage in ColoradoFriday, December 23, 2011This report, Natural Acid Rock Drainage Associated with Hydrothermally Altered Terrane in Colorado, examines the water quality and geology of several areas in Colorado exhibiting acid rock drainage (ARD) that is not caused by mining, but by nature. read more » BC Geological Survey E-newsletterFriday, December 16, 2011Geology, Geochronology, Lithogeochemistry and Metamorphism of the Nimpkish-Telegraph Cove Area, Northern Vancouver Island & Surficial Geochemistry of the Galaxy Porphyry Copper-Gold Deposit, Kamloops, BC. And the new Chief Geologist & Executive Director of the BC Geological survey is ... read more » Yukon: Handbook of Reclamation Techniques and Mining Land UseWednesday, November 30, 2011This handbook has been prepared by the Yukon Government for use by operators conducting mineral exploration programs under the mining land use regime of the Quartz Mining Act. read more » Securities Class Actions Increasingly Target Public Issuers in the Mining IndustryWednesday, October 26, 2011Part XXIII.1 of the Ontario Securities Act, and comparable legislation in other Canadian provinces (the Securities Acts), now provides a statutory right of action against public issuers, their directors and officers, and various related parties for misrepresentations or omissions affecting the price of the issuer’s securities on the secondary market. read more » Mining one day, tourism eventually: BHP Tuesday, October 11, 2011BHP Billiton's Olympic Dam project, set to be the world's biggest mine, could have a second life as an outback tourist attraction when it closes. read more » Is British Columbia failing to plan for and close mines responsibly?Friday, June 17, 2011Mine Closure in any jurisdiction is fraught with difficulty. There are as many rules, and as many different systems of regulations, as there are mining locales. read more » Amendments to NI 43-101 – “Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects”Friday, June 10, 2011On April 8, 2011, the Canadian Securities Administrators (the CSA) published in final form amendments to National Instrument 43-101 – Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects and its related form of technical report and companion policy (NI 43-101). read more » Changes to NI 43-101 Become Effective June 30, 2011Friday, May 06, 2011On June 30, 2011 amendments to National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects (“NI 43-101”) will become effective. There will be an updated and more flexible rule (“New NI 43-101”) in place for mining issuers. read more » Canadian Taxation of MiningThursday, April 14, 2011The following article was originally published in Tax Notes International. It talks about how Canada taxes mining activities. It identifies the taxes applicable to mining, describes how mining-related expenses are treated for income tax purposes, and more. read more » California Earthquake Fault Zone MapsThursday, February 10, 2011The index map identifies all Official Maps of Earthquake Fault Zones delineated by the California Geological Survey through December 2010 under the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act. Individual Earthquake Fault Zone Maps can be viewed on screen. Digital image files (pdf) and Geographic Information System files (GIS) of individual maps can be downloaded by selecting a specific quadrangle map. read more » A History of Coal in EuropeThursday, February 03, 2011The Timber Crisis; The Fuel of Last Resort; Medieval Coal and Coal Mining; The Prejudice against Coal; Renaissance Coal Mines; Coke; Wagon ways, Steam Engines, Canal Building and Coal ...
read more » In Congo, Diamonds are Whose Best Friend ?Monday, January 10, 2011This was my first trip to Mbuji Mayi. I knew it as Congo’s city of riches: the diamond mecca of the country. But whatever I expected is not what I found. read more » Dispute Over a Protestor's Death at Hudbay Minerals' Fenix MineFriday, December 03, 2010Perhaps a Canadian court is the only place to sort out the mess that is the story of HudBay Minerals, the Fenix Mine near El Estor in Guatemala, and the death of Adolfo Ich Chaman. read more » No Prosperity Mine in British ColumbiaWednesday, November 03, 2010If you live in British Columbia you probably know about the Federal Government’s refusal to allow Taseko’s Prosperity Mine to proceed. The reason: the mine would impact fish as a result of the use of Fish Lake for the mine tailings. read more » Bill C-300 Fails: Reflections on PerfidyFriday, October 29, 2010The news is that the private member Bill C-300 failed to pass in the Canadian parliament yesterday. This bill would have allowed any agitator anywhere to accuse a Canadian mining company of anything that irritated the accuser read more » Wireless Underground Communication Networks (WUCNs)Monday, July 19, 2010Wireless underground sensor networks (WUSNs) create many interesting possibilities for new topologies. By their nature, most WUSN deployments will be three-dimensional topologies since underground communication will take place at a variety of depths. Creative topology design in these networks can promote power savings in the underground, inaccessible, power-limited devices comprising a WUSN. read more » Only Fools Pay for Wind PowerTuesday, June 08, 2010It is unfortunate for the U.S., or any country, that the wind industry and politicians are unwilling to reveal the truth and the folly of wind power. Claims by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA.org) appear so grand, so let’s look deeper. read more » Coal to Remain Key U.S. Source of Electrical PowerThursday, June 03, 2010Committing U.S. electrical utilities to the "25-percent Renewable Electricity Portfolio Standard" (RES or RFS) mandating that, by 2025, the U.S. generates 25-percent of its electrical power from renewable sources is a futile, unwise misdirection of financial, human, and technological resources on a backward, impossible mission. read more » Resources and Reserves Reporting Standards: the CRIRSCO-GKZ Working GroupFriday, April 09, 2010CRIRSCO in conjunction with the Russian Commission on Mineral Reserves have released a consultation draft of the GKZ–CRIRSCO Handbook which contains guidelines on alignment of Russian minerals reporting standards and the CRIRSCO Template. read more » China, Rio Tinto, and More Deaths by a Thousand CutsMonday, March 29, 2010We note without comment this statement by Rio Tinto on their website regarding the conviction of executives for taking bribes... read more » Switzerland geologist on trial for 'causing quakes' Monday, March 29, 2010The head of a geothermal energy company has gone on trial in Switzerland accused of damaging property by triggering earthquakes. read more » Texas earthquakes may be linked to wells for gas miningThursday, March 11, 2010"The earthquakes were right in our backyard, and quakes don't happen too often in Texas," says seismologist Brian Stump of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, senior author on a Leading Edge journal study. "We usually only get small ones." read more » QP: What's your method?Thursday, February 25, 2010Selecting an appropiate commodity price; Reporting multiple cut-off grades; Appropiate level of support for selecting a cut-off grade; Definition of a pre-feasibility study; Disclosing third party estimates. read more » The pan-European reserves and resources reporting codeMonday, February 22, 2010The importance of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves in underpinning the value of any exploration and mining company is well understood; Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves are the primary assets and as such will form the basis for financial valuations supporting a listing. read more » Roundup 2010: Mineral Deposits that Matter Wednesday, January 20, 2010The Gold presentation was delivered by Jay Hodgson - he looked into big gold deposits. Silver deposits that matter were presented by Bob Quartermain. Copper and the global copper industry were next and an excellent presentation was delivered by Michael Doggett. Mark Selby talked about strategic thinking in global copper supply and demand. read more » Platinex, $5 million, and the perils of Bill C-300Wednesday, December 16, 2009"Ontario will pay mining firm Platinex $5 million to drop lawsuits against the government and a First Nations band and end a long-standing dispute." Is this story a tragic-comedy? read more » Kazakhstan: A 'market economy'Monday, December 07, 2009With a Standard and Poor’s ‘investment grade' credit rating, Kazakhstan is considered a model transition economy, in overcoming the legacy of the Soviet centralized command economy. read more » Bill C-300 in the Spotlight and Gaining Ground in Ottawa to the Concern of the Mining IndustryThursday, November 26, 2009Tomorrow there will be hearings in Ottawa on the private member-introduced bill called the Corporate Accountability of Mining, Oil and Gas Corporations in Developing Countries—Bill C-300 for short. read more » Disclosure standards for companies engaged in mineral exploration, development & productionMonday, November 09, 2009The disclosure of the results of exploration and development activity on mineral properties must comply with the requirements of the Toronto Stock Exchange Policy Statement on Timely Disclosure, the Ontario Securities Act and all applicable policies and rules of the Ontario Securities Commission and any other securities regulatory body having jurisdiction over an issuer listed on the Exchange. In particular, the requirements of National Instrument 43-101 must be followed. read more » Conservation and Native American Groups Challenge Bush-Era Mining GiveawaysWednesday, October 21, 2009A coalition of conservation and Native American organizations today filed a lawsuit in federal district court in Washington, D.C. challenging two regulations issued by the Bush Administration that weakened the requirements for environmental and taxpayer protections on federal public land involved in mining operations. read more » New Lawyers Strengthen Fasken Martineau’s Global PracticeWednesday, October 14, 2009Fasken Martineau, a leading international business law and litigation firm, confirmed today that it has bolstered its international mining and energy practice with the addition of a new high-profile legal team based in Paris. read more » Proposed Amendments to Coal Resource ClassificationTuesday, October 13, 2009The South African National Standard – South African guide to the systematic evaluation of coal resources and coal reserves (SANS 10320:2004) is an excellent guideline for the classification of resources and reserves, and as such, is embodied in the SAMREC Code. read more » Canada's NI 43-101 - Change is in the WindThursday, October 01, 2009This article summarises the current reporting requirements and potential changes to Canada’s securities regulations, primarily National Instrument (NI) 43-101 (Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects) and its Companion Policy NI 43-101CP. read more » Supporting a remote mining fleetWednesday, September 30, 2009The importance of the Sandvik operation headquartered in the city of Timika on the south coast of Papua (Irian Jaya),Indonesia, is such that it is an incorporated company, PT Sandvik SMC. This company was established purely for the Freeport business,which roughly splits 50/50 between underground and surface equipment. read more » Planning for the futureWednesday, September 30, 2009In the introduction to ICMM's Planning for Integrated Mine Closure: Toolkit, the authors describe planning for closure as being "about how to design a mine operation in order to facilitate closure. When a project is designed,there is a lot of scope to do so with closure in mind..." read more » Steeling for a comebackWednesday, September 30, 2009At the beginning of August, Macquarie Research described iron ore prices as being "in transition." Announcing "progress" in its 2009 iron ore price negotiations, BHP Billiton highlighted what it views as significant progress in the evolution away from iron ore pricing dominated by an annually negotiated benchmark price towards a "transparent" pricing system based on index (or spot pricing). read more » The road to GrasbergWednesday, September 30, 2009Until Bechtel built the first road in the early 1970s, and Freeport Indonesia subsequently developed the area, subrivers were the only access inland to the foothills of the Jayawijaya mountain range on Irian Jaya that hosts what is arguably the greatest ore complex discovered in the world to date, the Grasberg and Ertsberg copper gold deposits. read more » Kaftar Hona anthraciteWednesday, September 30, 2009Saddleback Corp was formed in 2004 and then established Saddleback Gold Corp in Tajikistan. It has offices in central London and in Dushanbe, the capital city of Tajikistan. The objective of SGC has been to build a diversified mining and exploration company by securing interests in mining and exploration projects in Tajikistan with a focus on coal and gold. read more » The Coal ConundrumWednesday, September 30, 2009Coal is depended on for a variety of processes. Whether it's electricity generation, steel production or conversion into liquid fuels, it is a fuel on which our society is very dependant. Clean coal will take time and money before it can proliferate. In order to meet the demands that industry and society impose coal needs to be mined quickly and efficiently. read more » HKEx Publishes Consultation Paper on Proposed Listing Rules for Mineral and Exploration CompaniesMonday, September 21, 2009Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited (“HKEx”) published a consultation paper on proposed new Listing Rules for Mineral and Exploration Companies on September 11, 2009 read more » Frack Attack - Drilling Technique Under ScrutinyThursday, June 25, 2009Four years after a widely used but controversial oil and gas production technology was exempted from federal regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act, Congress is taking another look at the process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking. read more » Opal Mining & Prospecting in NSWTuesday, April 21, 2009So you feel like going out for fire opals in New South Wales? Then you better behave ‘cause the Big Brother’s watching you. read more » ERCB Oil Sands Tailings RegulationsFriday, February 20, 2009Comments on the new Alberta ERCB regulations pertaining to oil sands tailings impoundment closure and reclamation. read more » Alaska Tailings in the Supreme CourtTuesday, January 13, 2009The highest court in the land has chosen to hear the issue of whether the Kensington gold mine in Alaska may put their tailings into Lower Slate Lake read more » Listing of Mineral Companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange - Part 3Thursday, November 20, 2008This is the third and last article in a series of articles which deal with the requirements to list on the Main and GEM Boards, as well as the specific requirements for mineral companies. read more » Listing of Mineral Companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange - Part 2Thursday, November 13, 2008This is the second in a series of articles which deal with the requirements to list on the Main and GEM Boards, as well as the specific requirements for mineral companies. read more » Listing of Mineral Companies on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange - Part 1Thursday, November 06, 2008This is the first in a series of articles which deal with the requirements to list on the Main and GEM Boards, as well as the specific requirements for mineral companies. read more » New Zealand Coal Mine H&S Update Tuesday, September 30, 2008New Zealand has an estimated six underground coal mines and three underground metaliferous mines. In the period 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2005 the New Zealand Department of Labor received 51 notificaitons of serious harm to employees working in underground mines. read more » Chinese Mining Law - Part 6Friday, September 12, 2008The rights of a holder of a Mining Permit include rights to engage in mining activities in the designated area and within the term prescribed under the Mining Permit
read more » Flathead Coal MiningTuesday, September 09, 2008It is a simple story about mining, high politics, and international diplomacy. It involves the citizens of Montana versus the people of British Columbia. read more » Chinese Mining Law - Part 5Monday, August 25, 2008The rights of a holder of an exploration permit include: rights to carry out exploration in the designated area and within the prescribed time
read more » Alaska Mining RegulationsWednesday, August 20, 2008Ballot Measure 4 may or may not affect mining in Alaska, depending on whom you believe. As fine an overview and assessment of current Alaskan regulations affecting mining are to be found at the Alaska Department of Natural Resources website. read more » Uptime Maintenance ManagementWednesday, August 06, 2008Uptime: Strategies for Excellence in Maintenance Management by John D. Campbell and James V. Reyes-Picknell tells how to do for mine and other industrial equipment what Toyota does as so eloquently extolled by Churchill. read more » The Meaning of Long Term?Monday, July 21, 2008These terms are often carelessly bandied about in the mining industry: long term; on-going; foreseeable future; several centuries; perpetuity; forever; sustained. What really do they mean? read more » The Dutch Curse – Too Many Resources?Wednesday, July 16, 2008The April 2008 issue of SME’s Mining Engineering includes an article called "Why the resource curse is a concern". read more » Consultants' BlogsWednesday, July 16, 2008Boarding a flight to Fort McMurray, a fellow consultant asked my opinion about what he called “Consultant Blogs.” Here are my ideas read more » Alaska Mine PermittingMonday, May 26, 2008What is involved in permitting a mine? The answer varies depending on the type and location of your mine. read more » Bill 43 & Mineral Tenure CompensationTuesday, May 13, 2008Here is an email I got today from the Association for Mineral Exploration British Columbia: On Thursday, May 8th, AME BC’s Board of Directors met jointly with the Policy and Land Use Committees to discuss and decide next steps concerning significant policy issues. read more » ARD PermittingFriday, April 25, 2008The Environmental Literacy Council write on the topic of mine permitting and acid mine drainage: “Since the 1977 Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act mining operators are required to present a plan for minimizing or mitigating acid mine drainage before they receive a permit to begin mining.” read more » Chinese Mining Law - Part 4Thursday, April 24, 2008According to the “Provisions on the Administration of Gold Operating Permit’’, an applicant who wishes to mine gold must obtain a Gold Operating Permit. read more » Permitting PeopleTuesday, April 22, 2008Who should you put in charge of getting all the permits you need to mine? Because of my degrees, two in engineering and one in law, I have been involved in many a permitting process for new mines read more » Compromise Reached Between Mining Company and Conservation GroupsMonday, April 21, 2008An accord was reached between conservation groups and mining interests, ending an 18-year effort to stop the development of a large gold mine on Buckhorn Mountain in north central Washington State. read more » Mining PermitsFriday, April 18, 2008If you do not have the right permits, you cannot mine. Some permits necessary to mining are trivial; for example, get a permit to clear the timber to drill an exploratory borehole. read more » International Council on Mining & MetalsWednesday, March 26, 2008The International Council on Mining & Metals is not shy about their aims and objectives. They state them thus read more » PDAC and AFNWednesday, March 05, 2008A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) and the National Indian Brotherhood (NIB) in early March 2008. read more » SME LawyersMonday, March 03, 2008It is always fun to sit in on those conference presentations where the speakers tell tales of corruption and incompetence and reveal their successes and failures while selling their services. read more » Argentina MiningFriday, February 29, 2008Julio C Avila concludes his paper Mining and the Environment in Argentina: Analysis of controversial cases by stating: "... there is a conflict between the Argentina National Mining Code and some provincial “anti mining” laws" read more » International Finance CorporationMonday, February 25, 2008International Finance Corporation applies to the projects it finances environmental and social standards to minimize their impact on the environment and on affected communities. read more » Failure System AnalysisFriday, February 15, 2008A number of times last year, at mines all over the globe, there was a failure: something happened and somebody died, or there was an environmental impact, and somebody was blamed, or fired read more » Fuzzy Logic in MiningTuesday, February 05, 2008A new paper in the InfoMine Library is by Bascetin Atac of the Mining engineering Department of the Istanbul University. In his paper, A New Approach for Decision Making Based Genetic Algorithm in Mining Operations, he describes the use of fuzzy logic methods read more » Mining ReligionTuesday, February 05, 2008Africans were the first to engage in mining 43,000 years ago. In 1964 a hematite mine was found in Swaziland at Bomvu Ridge in the Ngwenya mountain range. read more » Chinese Mining Law - Part 3Friday, January 25, 2008A company wishing to obtain a Mining Permit must make an application in accordance with the requirement of the ‘‘Administrative Measures on Registration of Mineral Resources Exploitation”. read more » NIOSH Research InitiativesFriday, January 11, 2008A sober view of the future of mining emerges from the May 2007 NIOSH report on future mine safety and health research. The report identifies these issues as deserving attention read more » Tailings Due DiligenceThursday, December 27, 2007Here are some guidelines for a due diligence examination of a mine waste disposal facility. read more » Case Studies in Mine ManagementThursday, December 20, 2007Here are two case studies I copy from the newly discovered website of element CMC, a Perth-based management consulting company serving the mining industry. read more » Chinese Mining Law - Part 2Wednesday, December 19, 2007Anyone wishing to engage in exploration activities relating to mineral resources in the PRC must obtain an Exploration Licence before commencing those activities. read more » Inferred ResourcesTuesday, December 04, 2007Most of us involved in the minerals industry are well aware of the definition of an Inferred Mineral Resource as described in the South African Code for Reporting of Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves (SAMREC Code). read more » LeaseControl Software by Maxwell GeoServicesTuesday, December 04, 2007LeaseControl is a software product designed by Maxwell GeoServices for worldwide land tenure management. read more » Data Mining - Mine Safety DataWednesday, November 14, 2007Sean Dessureault and his students and colleagues at the University of Arizona, Tucson are advancing the state-of-the-art in mining mine data. read more » Mining Law CourseTuesday, October 30, 2007The Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation is planning a course on mining law to held the week of May 12, 2008 in the greater Denver area. read more » Chinese Mining Law - Part 1Wednesday, October 24, 2007All mineral resources of the PRC are owned by the State under the Mineral Resources Law of the PRC which came into force as of 1 January 1997. read more » Red Chris MineWednesday, October 17, 2007Imperial Metals Corporation is the owner of BCMetals Corp which in turn owns the Red Chris Copper-Gold property in northern British Columbia. In 2005 the BC Ministry of the Environment gave their approval of the project. read more » The Diamond Studded RoadmapTuesday, October 09, 2007In 2005 the Diamond Act (Act no. 56 of the 1986) of South Africa was amended to increase both the availability of rough diamonds as well as participation through the value chain in South Africa. read more » Asia Pacific Mining ForumFriday, October 05, 2007Here are some lessons learnt at the Asia Pacific Forum on Mining and Minerals, which took place recently in Vancouver. read more » Heap Leach Pad LawThursday, September 20, 2007The Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes reside on the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, located in north-central Montana. Two cyanide heap-leach gold mines are located outside, but near the southern boundary of, the Fort Belknap reservation, in the Little Rocky Mountains mining district. read more » Blue Hills and GlencairnThursday, September 06, 2007Here is a story of what happens when you take over a mine and forget to do due diligence. And even if you did good due diligence, you may still get caught in the jaws of the United States environmental liability laws. read more » Boka GoldTuesday, August 28, 2007By now you must have read the news that Southwestern Resources is suing its ex-CEO for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and insider trading after realizing that he altered assay results from the Boka Gold project in China. read more » Los Pelambres and the El Mauro Tailings DamMonday, August 27, 2007This is a tale that is still unfolding. The truth is well hidden by all concerned, for there are billions at stake. read more » Mining LawFriday, July 27, 2007On the table outside the meeting rooms of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation meeting in Vancouver, July 2007, were free copies of Mining in 32 Jurisdictions Worldwide read more » Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute Vancouver - Conference ReportMonday, July 23, 2007The 53rd Annual Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Institute gathered in Vancouver, July 19 to 21, 2007 to discuss the laws that affect mines, mining, and the oil & gas industry. Here is a brief report. read more » Skill-Rite ConsultantsFriday, June 29, 2007If you plan or operate a mine in Indonesia or those parts of the world drawing on Indonesian skills, you may wish to consider the services offered SKILL-RIGHT. Here is what they do read more » Consultant Proposal FeesMonday, June 04, 2007A radical proposal to start the week: do not pay consultants to prepare proposals for your mining projects. You reply: but we do not. This is only partially true. read more » Project Management SoftwareThursday, May 31, 2007Of the many e-newsletters that come my way, that by METHOD123 is by far the most informative. Here is a cut and paste from one of their most recent ones. read more » Drugs in the Mine WorkplaceTuesday, May 29, 2007We have all heard of those ridiculous US court decisions where some careless woman gets a huge award from McDonalds because she drives away with hot coffee in her lap and proceeds to spill the coffee. Now from a Canadian court we get as stupid a ruling. read more » Sullivan Mine DeathTuesday, May 15, 2007This is a sad story. This is why accidents happen on mines and people die: ten silly little things happen, each is trivial and insignificant in and of itself read more » South African Mining LawTuesday, May 01, 2007Here is an edited version of a report that recently appeared on the Mail & Guardian online: The Italian owners of two granite firms are suing South Africa for €266-million (about R2,5-billion) read more » Exploration Health and SafetyFriday, April 27, 2007In 2006 six people died in Canadian mine exploration accidents. The Canadian victims included a geologist whose head was hit by a helicopter blade, two drillers and a pilot killed in a helicopter crash and a linecutter mauled by a grizzly bear. read more » Sustainability AssessmentsTuesday, April 24, 2007Another piece that just arrived. Kudos to those who wrote it but did not append their names. The International Council on Mining and Metals took a further step towards sustainable mining and corporate accountability last year read more » Ecologically Sustainable DevelopmentFriday, April 20, 2007On first blush you might ask what the case of Gray vs. The Minister for Planning, and Taralga Landscape Guardians vs. The Minister for Planning have in common, other than the reference to the Minister. Answer: ecologically sustainable development (ESD). read more » Australian Stories - Norm McClearyMonday, April 16, 2007David outwits Goliath. All our hearts beat with anticipation at the victory of the small, brave hero over the faceless mass-horde opposition. read more » Mining FraudMonday, March 26, 2007Mining Fraud and Mining Investment from the Nevada Commission on Mineral Resources, Division of Minerals provides links to papers and sites on mining fraud. read more » Montana MiningFriday, March 23, 2007The idea started in Montana and now is spreading across the west: no new mining unless you can prove up front that you won’t need perpetual water treatment when you shut down. read more » ArbitrationFriday, March 23, 2007Should your mine choose litigation, mediation, or arbitration? The Economist of February 3, 2007 notes that JAMS, America’s main mediation and arbitration service, has more than 200 full-time “neutrals” on it’s books. read more » Terms of EmploymentMonday, March 19, 2007In these times of shortages of skilled personnel for all aspects of mining, staff move around fast in order to better their careers. The downside is that they may take with them company knowledge and other employees. read more » Emissions CapsFriday, March 16, 2007Opposition won’t impress anybody. Only positive suggestions based on reality are of any potential value. This clarion call for leadership is prompted by the news that Caterpillar read more » Mining ClassificationsMonday, March 12, 2007Here is sound advice on classification systems for mining. There is no magic in this advice, but we do survey much thinking and argument on the topic. read more » Adams Mine LandfillFriday, March 09, 2007The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) is intended to facilitate trade between Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Parts of the Preamble state that the governments of the three nations resolve via the agreement to read more » Miller Thomson LLPWednesday, March 07, 2007Miller Thomson LLP was the only law firm at ROUNDUP 07 in Vancouver, BC in January 2007. They were surrounded by a plethora of drilling companies, helicopter providers, digital map makers read more » USA vs Canada re CoalMonday, March 05, 2007How would you decide in a dispute (fight, war) between the United States and Canada? Now miners can express their opinion on an international struggle between the two nations over issues fundamental to the mining industry read more » SNC vs. SuncorFriday, February 23, 2007A mining engineer without a lawyer at his side is half naked. A mining company without its posse of lawyers is left in the dust. read more » The New ProhibitionistWednesday, February 21, 2007Georgius Agricola, in 1556 in De Re Metallica writes: The earth does not conceal and remove from our eyes those things which are useful and necessary to mankind read more » Wind Power and MiningFriday, February 16, 2007Depending on your aesthetic sensitivities it is the most beautiful site in all the world or the ugliest. I refer to a large wind farm. read more » Mine Insurance CostsWednesday, February 07, 2007How much will it cost you to insure your mining risks? The easiest way to find out is to contact an insurance company and ask them to give you a quote read more » Political Risk InsuranceTuesday, February 06, 2007What is PRI? As always the best definition of Political Risk Insurance (PRI) is at Wikipedia read more » Climate Change and InsuranceWednesday, February 07, 2007The Scientific American names Swiss Re Business Leader of the Year. I suspect this is based primarily on their e-publications on the implications of climate change and hence insurance costs. read more » PowerPoint Presentations re AlbertaFriday, February 02, 2007PowerPoint presentations at conferences are a perfect opportunity to snooze in the dark after a heavy lunch. If you keep your wits about you, you can even follow the talk and pick up a pointer or two for future action. read more » Mines & CommunitiesFriday, February 02, 2007Chicken curry and two beers at a fancy restaurant in Vancouver paid for by the mining industry. I discussed with my co-diner: education of mining engineers; shutting down university departments of mining engineering; the ethics of mining read more » DatamineMonday, January 29, 2007“They produce the best quality stuff in the industry.” I would not know—and have no personal opinion about the quality of the product. This quote is from an old antagonist against whom I argue much, with whom I generally disagree, but whose opinion I always respect. read more » Midnite Mine Record of DecisionFriday, January 26, 2007Now there is only one document you need to read to get most of the story about the Midnite Mine in Washington State. read more » GeomorphologyFriday, January 12, 2007A paper on the impact of mining in Pakistan is a welcome change from the normal. It appears that quarry operations to supply Islamabad are affecting the aesthetics of a range of hills. read more » Mining and the Twelve Days of ChristmasThursday, December 28, 2006A blog-like review of the 2006 mining industry, mining technology, and the twelve days of christmas, and prospects for mining in 2007. read more » Mining LawThursday, December 21, 2006I stood in the foyer on the twenty-something floor of one of the tall buildings in Vancouver and peered through the floor to ceiling glass of the north wall to the mountains, the sea, and the multi-activity facets of human nature spread before me. read more » Sustainable DevelopmentWednesday, December 20, 2006If you are interested in the philosophy of mining here is a veritable Eden of information. The message reproduced below is from an email I received. read more » Project Management OrganizationWednesday, December 20, 2006Does your organization need a Project Management Organization (PMO)? On one project that I worked on, we had a matrix structure organization with the individual site managers along the top, acting in essence as a PMO read more » International Mine Valuation MethodsMonday, December 18, 2006How do you put a dollar value on a property not unlike a moose pasture that returned some metal grades after few drill holes? Or an area with several holes with encouraging grades? read more » Wisconsin Mine ReclamationFriday, December 15, 2006“Successful reclamation means the restoration of all areas disturbed by mining activities including aspects of the mine itself, waste disposal areas, buildings, and roads and utility corridors read more » Mining AccountingThursday, December 14, 2006There are four big accounting firms. They provide services to the mining industry. Here are links to the mining pages of each of the big four and lists of their recent publications read more » Mining For ClosureMonday, December 11, 2006It seems such a simple idea, that you must at first wonder why anybody would write or read over 100 pages on the topic of designing a mine for closure, particularly when the document, Mining for Closure read more » Ringwood MineFriday, November 24, 2006If ever proof were needed that a mine closure plan is needed and that this plan should include some form of post-closure care, the following story provides it. read more » Knowledge WikiMonday, November 20, 2006Here is your chance to advance the cause of mining and the cause of justice. There is no way we can make a positive contribution to Wikipedia on the issue of mining and international law as it relates to mining. read more » West Virginia Coal Mining HistoryFriday, November 17, 2006You may agree or disagree with the conclusions of the story; I leave that to you to decide. But I urge you to at least read the story even though it appears in a PhD thesis dissertation for a doctorate of philosophy in history. read more » United Nations on MiningFriday, November 17, 2006I must bring your attention to this site. I have not previously come across it, and write about it so that you too can access it, if like me you have not yet had the pleasure. read more » 2006 U.S. Elections and MiningWednesday, November 15, 2006Here is the only piece I could find on the potential impact of the mid-term US elections on mining. I enjoyed it, so I repeat it in the hope you may too. read more » Belmah Strategies (Malaysia)Tuesday, November 14, 2006As good a reason as any for the mining engineer to travel to Malaysia (and who would pass up such an opportunity), is to consult with Belmah Strategies. read more » Project CommunicationFriday, November 03, 2006Method123 distributes a fortnightly newsletter that must be amongst the best in the genre. Here are some pointers to better project management from the most recent issue read more » Law LibraryFriday, November 03, 2006Need I say more? The best law library on the web? Go to the Madcom Law Library. read more » Mining and FreedomMonday, September 11, 2006This is a tribute to miners everywhere. These thoughts are prompted by ideas that kept recurring as I walked the decks of the USS O’Kane, a destroyer moored in Pearl Harbor. read more » Sustainability DialogueMonday, September 11, 2006On a late summer Sunday, I stopped my bicycle at the apex of the Lions Gate Bridge (Vancouver, Canada) and paused to take in the view and wave at the cruise ships as they cleared the bridge en route to Alaska. read more » Cigars and NickelTuesday, September 12, 2006If you like cigars, you may enjoy this piece. If you do not like cigars, you may agree with some of the points I make. If you invest in nickel, you may have a contrary opinion. read more » Core Practice PartnersWednesday, September 6, 2006The concrete plant hummed twenty-four hours a day. The cranes and blondins swung fast and furious to-and-fro without ceasing. My first job out of college was on the concrete crew building a big dam in a remote part of Africa. read more » Voting ToolsWednesday, August 30, 2006I cannot but resist bringing your attention to the site for Sharpe Decisions Inc. On the topic of risk assessment this is what they say read more » |
|
|
|
U.S. Coal mine fatalities since 1970 map