Known as a major hub for mining and mine-related industries—and the fourth-largest gold-producing area on the planet—Northeastern Nevada is fast gaining popularity with manufacturers, warehousing and logistics, and many other sectors because of its prime location.

“One of the biggest things we promote is that from a logistics standpoint, our region is dead center in the middle of the Western United States,” says Sheldon Mudd of the Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority (NNRDA). “If a truck is driving 60 miles an hour for 10 hours, it can be in every major metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States west of the Rockies,” he says.

“To us, our positioning seems like a very lucrative asset. We’re centrally located in the western U.S., and from here you have access to 20 to 30 million customers within a day.”

Entering his sixth year as executive director of the NNRDA, Mudd has served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Air Force, worked as a geoscience database administrator, and spent time as a mining industry specialist, possibly the ideal kind of background for someone who leads the development authority.

Stepping stone to success
The State of Nevada is bordered by Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and California, making it perfect for many industries across the United States.

Founded over a decade ago, the NNRDA represents the interests of four counties: Lander, Eureka, Elko (Carlin, Elko, Wells, and West Wendover), and White Pine County (Ely). Both Elko and White Pine’s incorporated cities contribute to the organization.

The mission of the NNRDA remains to encourage and coordinate “the continual, diversified development and economic growth of the Northeastern Nevada region and all its entities,” according to the official website.

Representing 36 percent of the State of Nevada, the enormous footprint of the NNRDA—35,799 square miles to be exact—presents its share of challenges and opportunities. The area is long exempt from certain corporate taxes (under $4 million annual revenue) and many others, making it attractive to businesses. But while the population for the entire region of 80,000, which averages to two people per square mile, is attractive to some, it has its downside.

“We like the idea of big facilities, but there’s not necessarily a huge workforce to support that; to have such facilities we’ll have to rely heavily on automation and things like that,” says Mudd. But while unemployment is extremely low, the area simply doesn’t have enough people to supply companies requiring 500 or more employees.

Bring on the houses
For instance, Northeastern Nevada, like many other communities across America, struggles to keep up with housing and new construction. Working with the State of Nevada, Mudd is aiming for reciprocating licensing so builders can come into the area from neighboring Idaho and Utah to create more housing.

“I think if we had housing stock available we could easily recruit workers from southern Idaho, which is growing exponentially because a lot of Californians are moving into that area, and housing prices are going up,” says Mudd, who hails from Idaho and has himself seen many leave the state because of growing unaffordability.

Creating additional residential property in Nevada would see the NNRDA start a recruiting campaign to bring more people to the area.

Within its existing industries, Northeastern Nevada has many secure, well-paying jobs. Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Barrick and Newmont, is one of the biggest companies and has hundreds of vacancies in their workforce. Additionally, the Ely State Prison near White Pine County is short of staff. Part of the issue is lack of housing near the facility, which is located some nine miles north of Ely.

“It all goes back to housing,” comments Mudd. “If we could put up a thousand houses in my region in the next year—which will never happen, but if it could—then we could start recruiting from outside areas, and would have better opportunities. But as it is, the workforce is a big challenge. I think if we had housing stock here—because we’ve already got the jobs—we could easily recruit from nearby states.”

Working with businesses
A great location, local and state incentives, minimal regulation, affordable land, multiple industrial properties, and support from the NNRDA are just a few reasons companies are seeking out Northeastern Nevada.

“We have more companies on the hook now than we’ve ever had before,” says Mudd, who is in talks with a steel-building manufacturer, a company that does hydrolysis—separating oxygen from water to retain the hydrogen for fuel—a railway tie company, and other manufacturers, including Solmax International Inc.

Based in Varennes, Quebec, Solmax is a global leader in sustainable construction solutions and geosynthetics. It creates high-performance geomembranes for aquaculture, infrastructure, water management, oil and gas, mining, and other sectors. In 2021, the company purchased almost 22 acres at the Northeastern Nevada Regional Railport and should start building a plant this year.

Showing support
Every county, be it Lander, Eureka, Elko, or White Pine, offers something unique. This includes municipal-owned industrial parks to meet the needs of different business types.

Sometimes, communities will sign over acres of developed industrial park land, once projects are built and guarantees are in place, and reduce hookup fees. This is in sharp, welcome contrast to prices in urban areas of a million dollars and more per acre. And unlike major centers, the thresholds for qualifications are far less costly and challenging.

Capital investments for manufacturing are significantly less by millions of dollars, and rural Nevada requires 10 employees, compared to 100 or more in big cities.

Along with its easy-to-navigate and information-packed website, the Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority has other initiatives. These include a small business course called the READY AIM Small Business Primer. Held in various locations around the region, the Small Business Primer covers important subjects, including business plans, licensing, marketing, lending and financing, and more.

About a year ago, the NNRDA took over the reins of Launch Rural Nevada, a program begun at the state level, and amped it up. This marks the fourth annual “entrepreneurial, pitch, education, and networking” event, where small business owners can get advice, discuss accessing capital, and connect with others in a hybrid format. Mudd is excited about the upcoming November 3^{rd program.}

“We hope to continue to enhance our local small business ecosystem, so we can see more investment dollars coming right out of Nevada, instead of necessarily having to recruit business and industry,” he says, “and create more confidence in the local small business space.”

Building a bright future
Along with interest from manufacturers, Mudd is in talks with site selectors for a major carrier handling warehousing and logistics. The company is eyeing Carlin west of Elko, which is nicely placed halfway between Salt Lake City and Reno.

“We’ve got some nibbles from those industries, and we’re hoping to see a lot more because, between logistics and aerospace and defense, those are the best potentials we have in this area,” he says.

The area continues its work with MineConnect—Ontario’s Mining Supply and Services Association—and is looking forward to a trade mission coming from Northern Ontario to Nevada in the spring to see what partnerships can be developed between local companies and underground mining equipment in Northern Ontario.

When asked about the future of his role in economic development, Mudd’s confident response is not what one might expect. “One thing I’ve always said is that my personal goal with this organization is to work it out of business. What I mean by that is, I want economic development to happen organically in this area to such a degree that we are no longer needed.”

Naturally, people ask Mudd if he’s really trying to work himself out of a job. His reply: there are plenty of businesses he can be part of. What he doesn’t like to see is economic development organizations in communities that frankly don’t need them, and serve more as a placeholder than anything else. “That’s my personal opinion, and that’s not what I want to be. We are here to do a job, and I want to do it well enough that, eventually, we’re no longer needed.”

The post Big Area, Big Advantages, Big Ambitions<p class="company">Northeastern Nevada Regional Development Authority</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

A century later, Arizona maintains its position as a leader not only in the production of copper, but also in molybdenum, perlite, silver, sand and gravel, and gemstones such as turquoise.

Since the American Mining and Trading Company began copper extraction in the mid-1850s, and with the discovery of gold in the 1860s, Arizona has been a top-five mineral-producing state in the U.S.

“We are a mining state and have been dubbed the ‘copper state,’ says Steve Trussell, Executive Director of the Arizona Mining Association (AMA). “We have a copper star on the state flag, a miner on our state seal, and a copper dome on our capitol.

“Mining was taking place in the very beginning of Arizona’s history with indigenous people. Later, in the 1870s, there was a mining boom of gold, silver, and copper followed by another during the first and second world wars.”

Heavy metal

Nationwide, Arizona is the leading producer of non-fuel mineral resources – $9.96 billion in 2021 alone – and provides 74 percent of the nation’s copper: about 852,000 tons last year.

The fourth-largest copper producer in the world, the state is known as the place where ‘Copper is King,’ but it is clear, says Trussell, that “Arizona has achieved a position as a leading growth state due to a diverse base of mineral deposits.”

Trussell, who started with the AMA 25 years ago as an educational consultant, taught educators about the mining industry for about six years. Then, going to work in 2001 for the Arizona Rock Products Association (ARPA), where he represented the construction aggregates industry as communications manager, he became executive director in 2007.

A decade later, Trussell took on the post of executive director of the Arizona Mining Association where he now oversees the operations of both the AMA and ARPA.

For centuries, copper has proven itself to be one of the most useful and versatile metals. Mined and smelted by prehistoric peoples, it has been found in the ruins of the ancient civilizations of Egypt, China, and Europe, and was long known to Native Americans.

With its many desirable properties – resistance to corrosion; malleability and ductility; outstanding conductivity of heat and electricity – copper is used today for power wiring, electrical machinery, cooking utensils, coins, and more.

Thanks to its striking luster, copper is also popular with artists and sculptors. And as time and technology progress, the need and uses for copper keep growing.

“Copper contributes to every aspect of our daily lives, well-being, and safety and security,” says Trussell. “For example, cell phones, laptops, cars – especially electric cars – appliances, life-saving medical devices, microbial disinfectants, and national defense systems. The adage, ‘If it’s not grown, it’s mined,’ underscores how essential mining is to our standard of living and quality of life.”

In fact, copper is omnipresent both in the workplace and in the home. An average 2,100 square-foot house contains surprising amounts of copper, including 195 pounds (88 kg) of building wire, 51 pounds (23 kg) of plumbing tube, fillings, and valves, 47 pounds (21 kg) in built-in appliances, 24 pounds (11 kg) of plumbers’ brass goods, 12 pounds (5.4 kg) in builders’ hardware and 10 pounds (4.5 kg) of other wire and tubing.

Decades of foresight

Back in 1965, explains Trussell, a new awareness was growing amongst luminaries of the mining industry in Arizona – Phelps Dodge, Cypress, BHP, and ASARCO (American Smelting and Refining Company) – of the necessity of education for the future of their thrusting industry.

Perceiving clearly that an essential way to maintain the viability of their industry would be to promote education in mining industry best practices – and especially safe and responsible practices and production – they created the AMA.

Today, 57 years on, the Arizona Mining Association keeps growing, sustaining its mission as an advocacy group for Arizona’s mining industry and stakeholders.

As a non-profit corporation comprising entities engaged in mining and mineral processing in Arizona, the AMA promotes legislation and government initiatives that serve to grow and support the industry.

It also develops programs and curricula, educates residents on the benefits of mining to their communities and state economy, and “engages Arizona communities to enhance relationships between mining operators and civilian stakeholders,” as the AMA puts it.

In addition to producing some three-quarters of the nation’s copper, AMA member companies mine considerable amounts of gold, silver, selenium, tellurium, and molybdenum. “The AMA is the unified voice of responsible, sustainable, and safe mining in Arizona,” says Trussell. “Through our advocacy, we help Arizona continue to be a premier location for mining investment in the U.S.”

Economic driver

Mining contributes to the Arizona economy both directly and indirectly.

In 2020, the state’s mining sector had a direct output estimated at $8.0 billion, creating 13,645 direct mining jobs. Arizona mining generated another $6.2 billion of indirect output through mining firms’ purchase of intermediate goods and services, and workers spending their incomes. This saw the creation of 33,617 jobs.

“The total economic impact of the Arizona mining industry was $14.2 billion of output and 47,262 total jobs with $3.6 billion total income in 2020,” says Trussell. He adds that the future, too, looks good, with the use of copper skyrocketing.

Compared to 1950, the world now uses 10 times the amount of copper annually. Even factoring in population growth, we use over three times more copper per capita than we did then. Arizona will need to help supply that demand.

Growing an industry

To get the word out about the multiple benefits of its mines to Arizona, the AMA uses – amongst other tools – social media, community presentations, hiring fairs, and Arizona Construction Career Day events.

The Association also works with schools through education programs, mentoring opportunities, joint technical educational districts, community colleges, and university partnerships.

Currently, the Arizona Mining Association has 146 members. Twelve are Producing Members, three are Developing Members, five are Exploration Members, and the remaining 126 are Consultants and Suppliers. All members benefit from industry advocacy and representation on community relations, and regulatory and political policy-related matters.

In recent years, the AMA has been the recipient of awards including the 2019 Honorable Mention Best Capitol Lawn Event – Mining Day at the Capitol, and the 2019 Honorable Mention Leader of the Year in Public Policy.

“The members were honored to be recognized by our peers for our collective education and policy efforts,” says Trussell, adding that the state’s traditional mining role will be pivotal in the world’s transition to renewable energy.

With the world’s population expected to rise to about 9,735 million by 2050, according to the United Nations, the demand for power will be greater than ever. And as renewable energy sources require more copper to function than do traditional energy sources, the U.S. is fortunate to have a strong domestic source of the metal, making it a leader in the clean energy transition.

In less than 30 years, the demand for copper will grow by 200-plus percent, while other minerals like lithium, graphite, and cobalt will increase by 450 percent. At present, China controls most of these reserves, including 80 percent of rare earths, 70 percent of graphite, and 59 percent of lithium.

The phasing-out of traditional gas-powered vehicles means their replacement by electric vehicles (EVs) that require four times more copper in their manufacture. And with a global push toward non-polluting, sustainable power, wind and solar technology is increasing demand for mined materials. PV solar panels contain about 5.5 tons of copper per megawatt (MW) of output. The storage of energy reserves requires massive amounts of copper. And grid energy-storage installations require between 0.3 and 0.4 tons of copper per MW. Fortunately, the state’s mining companies and the Arizona Mining Association will be on-hand to contribute to future demand.

“Mining is a very technical and sophisticated industry,” says Trussell. “Mining companies hire highly educated and degreed individuals to address incredibly complex issues. Worker output supports that, as we are on par with the aerospace, defense industry, and tech industries. Finally, folks may want to thank a miner for their quality of life, recognizing that ‘if it can’t be grown, it must be mined.’”

The post Copper is King, and Here’s Why<p class="company">Arizona Mining Association</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Resolution Copper, a joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP, is spearheading a proposed underground copper mine near Superior, Arizona.

The mine is located beneath the now-defunct Magma Mine. Boasting an estimated copper resource of 1.787 billion metric tons at an average grade of 1.5 percent copper, it’s not only one of the richest undeveloped copper deposits in the world, but should also meet about 25 percent of U.S. copper demand.

Over its expected life, the mine will generate thousands of jobs, while producing up to 40 billion pounds of copper vital to essential products including electric cars, cellphones, and MRI scanners.

Dedicated to best practices
Determined to combat industry stereotypes, Resolution Copper is dedicated to employing best practices to ensure a safe, long-term, and environmentally responsible operation.

“We’ve just spent the last 15 years doing a lot of reclamation work and cleaning up some of the impact of [previous] mining in the community in Superior,” says Hesston Klenk, Senior Manager for Communities and Social Performance. “In conjunction with that, as we transformed the land, the communities around us have really transformed as well and have gone through their own renaissance.”

A depressed town 15 years ago, today Superior is bustling with both residents and visitors, a considerable accomplishment for the Town and Resolution.

When COVID hit, the company also responded robustly, donating more than $2 million to local organizations and community groups to support everything from school kids having access to devices and the internet, to senior centers keeping their doors open for Meals On Wheels delivery after losing government funding.

“The partnerships we’ve been able to build through the years really paid off during COVID because we had relationships in place, and without skipping a beat we provided that support in partnership with the community,” says Klenk.

“It wasn’t Resolution riding up on a white horse and saving the day, it was all of us working together to make sure these critical organizations had the resources they need to move forward.”

Previously director of the Department of Environmental Quality for Community in the Gila River Indian Community, Willard Antone III, now Senior Manager of Permitting and Approvals for the Resolution project, sees a noticeable difference in moving to the private sector.

Lightening the footprint
“What caught my eye was how mining really has a huge footprint that nobody really cares for,” he says. “There are so many negative things that people take away from it from an environmental perspective. Being able to look at the reclamation that was done was pretty interesting because I could see the big picture and what they’ve done. And it was a job well done.”

From a sustainability standpoint, the team is determined to help Superior be a community with a mine, not just a mining community.

“They shouldn’t be reliant on the mine themselves,” says Klenk. The sustainability spectrum touches on everything from water conservation and working with the community on riparian restoration, to economic development and diversification, including supporting local businesses so they’re able to function and operate without Resolution.

“If it’s a year from now or 70 years from now, mining is a finite resource and eventually the operation will close,” says Klenk. “It’s incumbent on us to make sure these communities can survive after we’re gone.”

To that end, Resolution is working on robust regional economic-development plans with the town so they have a say in their future, and providing them with the tools to make those decisions for themselves. That has included bringing in world-class economic development people focused on land acquisition and land development.

“It’s been hugely successful and a big reason why we are where we are today,” says Klenk.

Working with tradition
Another essential component includes working with the 11 tribal communities with historical connections to the area; those who might not experience direct economic benefits from the operation.

Resolution has used hydropanels to collect moisture from the air, providing the equivalent of three cases of water to a home per week to help communities with heavily polluted wells develop sustainable resources.

“Working on those kinds of projects across the board has been really important,” says Klenk. “It’s setting the groundwork for what we’re looking to do in the future around decarbonization and having a net zero carbon footprint when we get to operations, and better water stewardship. It all ties in on how we work together with these communities.”

While the tribes themselves have had a notable impact on the shaping of many parts of the project, Resolution also requires approval from federal, state, and local entities before building or operating the mine, including the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the federal body in charge of the approval process.

Resolution has made it a mission from the start to reclaim and restore the land once the mining was done, plus strive to protect water, air, and biodiversity in and around the project.

The USFS and other agencies began an additional examination of the plan after the public reviewed and commented on the draft EIS. The USFS produced a Final EIS in January 2021, and in March 2021, the USDA directed the USFS to cancel the FEIS to allow the agency to conduct a more thorough examination.

During this period, Resolution Copper will continue to discuss and collaborate with local communities and tribes to shape the project and the substantial advantages it will provide.

“We’ve looked at what was being said and how we can use this time until we move forward with republishing,” says Antone. “In the months since, we’ve really tried to focus on our dialogue and engagement with local communities and also tribal leaders, to listen and continue to build a mutual understanding of the project.”

Resolution has done that in multiple ways, including sharing studies, and inviting tribes to visit some of the private properties.

“We’re trying to gather their input so we can create a management plan that will look at those items from a different perspective,” Antone says. “We have a tribal monitors program that we’ve incorporated; monitors come in and provide a Native American perspective alongside the archaeological findings.”

Doing things differently
Culturally significant items are identified, helping Resolution gather information for management plans, while being sensitive to tribal concerns. With 11 different federally recognized tribes with ties dating back thousands of years, the challenge is formidable, but one that Resolution embraces.

Historic mining practices have cast a shadow over mining operations, and this is something Resolution Copper is committed to changing. “I think we’re still dealing with the legacy of mining,” says Klenk, “and it’s not going to happen overnight. We have to show we can do things differently.”

Mining is a generational industry, he adds. Most operating mines – especially open-pit – have been around for decades and generations, leaving few opportunities for new companies like Resolution, with new technologies operating under new and more environmentally friendly regulations, to flourish.

“We are making changes,” Klenk says. “Local, historic mining communities around Superior look at us and compare and contrast us to the way things were done in the past, and we hear a lot from our stakeholders that this is what a world-class operation should look like.”

Caring for water, caring for people
Resolution’s operation also includes using and managing water in an acceptable manner, and Resolution has already stored enough surplus water in the ground to sustain its operations for decades.

“One of the largest droughts we’ve been enduring is here, we’re living in it, and even though the state and tribes work together to ensure there’s water for future generations, we have to continue to move forward,” says Antone. “As technologies come along, we have to make sure we’re looking at and analyzing our water usage to reduce our intake as much as possible.”

In fact, Resolution will be the most efficient user of water in Arizona mining, using the fewest gallons of water per pound of copper produced.

“The real key drivers to our future water consumption come from the mining industry itself: grade is king, and we have a high-grade ore body,” says Klenk. “By its very nature we use less water because we’re dealing with less waste than other mines.”

Resolution is also an underground operation, meaning it doesn’t use as much water for dust suppression, unlike an open pit operation on haul roads. “We’ve got a lot of new technologies we can apply here, helping us reduce water consumption over and above what those operations that have been in service for decades had when they started.”

What the world needs…
And then there are the benefits of the mine that themselves make the effort worthwhile: Copper is critical to climate action and a low-carbon future, and metals that help solve many of the world’s problems will be produced at Resolution, a source of great pride.

“Copper is in everything you use,” says Klenk. “Every cell phone in the world has copper in it. An electric vehicle uses three times the copper that a combustion engine uses. If all we did was produce copper for nothing more than electric vehicles, we could supply enough for 200 million electric vehicles.”

The copper mined at Resolution will help produce many terawatts of electricity – green energy – whether in wind turbines, battery storage, or solar panels, along with the production of rare earth minerals as a byproduct of the smelting process.

Making its mark
Once in full operation, the economic impact will be impressive: Even through the construction and operational phase, Resolution expects to hire directly about 1,500 workers, and the project will generate approximately 2,200 indirect jobs, producing up to $61 billion in economic value for Arizona over the 60-year life of the mine.

“As our project moves forward in the permitting phase, the town and community also have significant interest in seeing their footprint be able to move and grow,” says Klenk. “As we hire those 1,500 employees in the future, they want more ability to attract them to live in the community.”

There’s a big disconnect in mining, he adds, but when asked about the importance of metals in the green energy transition, he says that most of the population by far supports the development of new mining operations as long as these are done in an environmentally sensitive way. “I think the perception is starting to shift, but it’s going to take a long time to fully shift.”

Antone agrees, adding that Resolution is a company trying to set a higher standard and doing it right, something he wants to be a part of.

“Looking at all the competing values and the partnerships established with tribal communities, looking at what Resolution has done for them from an environmental perspective and setting those different standards, Resolution is trying to build a balance. That to me has been the biggest accomplishment for this project to date.”

The post Arizona’s New Kind of Mine<p class="company">Resolution Copper</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Two major mining companies, Inco Limited (now Vale) and Xstrata (now Glencore Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations), founded the centre, together with Laurentian University and the Government of Ontario.

The goal of CEMI is to help the entire mining industry advance into a secure and nation-enhancing future through commercial development of great innovations. President and CEO, Douglas Morrison, recalls that the industry recognized over a decade ago that funding research projects without a path to commercialization resulted in many innovative ideas not translating into commercial solutions.

As a bridge across this innovation-to-commercialization gap CEMI has seen remarkable success, advancing new mining endeavours that address industry challenges by finding groundbreaking solutions.

CEMI pays close attention to the criteria that each solution must meet: Namely, it must be a solution which accelerates time-to-revenue, reduces capital and operating costs, and improves investment return, decreases environmental liabilities, and further increases the net present value of mining operations.

CEMI meets regularly with organizations that offer solutions spanning the entire mining value chain, from prospecting to mine closure.

CEMI further aims to speed the adoption curve of these solutions by ensuring company readiness to commercialize innovations. Techniques CEMI utilizes to this end include scouting, challenge identification, challenge solution matching, and providing fit-for-purpose commercialization business services.

CEMI has also been successful in bringing collaborative teams together to work on various projects through a network platform.

Through these methods, CEMI has successfully helped several technologies through to commercialization and on to operational integration. These technologies include a rapid mineral digestion technology by ColdBlock; advancing the commercialization of battery electric-drive trains through Future Vehicle Technologies; commercialization of the Smart Helmet by Jannatec; and advancing ventilation monitoring technologies with Maestro Digital Mine.

Working with mining corporation Rio-Tinto on a program called the Rio Tinto Centre for Underground Mine Construction (RTC-UMC), CEMI helped the advancement of technologies related to ground control in mechanized excavations.

Through the Smart Underground Monitoring and Integrated Technologies (SUMIT) program for deep mining, CEMI advanced the development of smart engineering techniques, technologies, tools, and knowledge to facilitate step-change advances in productivity, efficiency, and energy optimization in underground mining at depth.

CEMI also hosted Canada’s first Future of Deep Mining Conference that advanced dialogue and technologies under the themes of increased productivity, reduced energy consumption, digital technology and wearables, and ore and waste management.

Through the CEMI-led Ultra-Deep Mining Network (UDMN), CEMI helped fund SMEs in the mining service sector to make new technologies commercially viable. The UDMN leveraged $35 million and generated 27 projects, further enhancing CEMI’s ability to harness the “network-effect”. To this result, add the long-term benefits of network members learning from each other how to solve commercial problems as well as sharing business best practices.

One of the initiative’s biggest projects is the National Mining Innovation Commercialization Accelerator (MICA) Network, a pan-Canadian initiative. It is designed to bring together stakeholders from various fields to accelerate the development and commercialization of innovative technologies to make the mining sector more productive and sustainable.

The MICA Network has six main partners from across Canada that pool the strength of regional innovation ecosystems to support Canada’s mining sector.

The $112 million MICA Network initiative looks to use both public and private sector funding and will address areas such as an increase in mine productivity at a lower cost, and the reduction of mining energy consumption through the implementation of smart/autonomous mining systems.

This will, in turn, help to cut environmental risk and long-term liabilities. “New techniques in these areas are critical to increasing mine profitability,” says Morrison, “as well as meeting the changing environmental and social needs of local communities adjacent to mining operations. For the global mining industry to be successful in meeting all the needs of the future it must begin to adopt a whole new approach to exploration, design, production and mine closure.”

The government of Canada’s investment in MICA marks the single biggest investment in advancing mining technology to date and is evidence of a renewed interest in securing mining’s ability to satisfy the requirements of the new economy.

Now in 2021, and looking beyond, the global mining industry is resolved to produce the minerals and metals necessary to reach global climate goals, but equitably and responsibly.

Morrison recognizes this as a critical time for the industry: “The Canadian mining industry and its associated service and supply sector has realized that it can lead the world in producing low-carbon mineral and metals and in supplying the world with the tools, equipment, products and services necessary to meet the demand for clean technologies.”

Morrison mentions that mine productivity has been dropping for over a decade as the main production platforms from the early 1980s become antiquated. The industry is now in a state of decreasing production with increasing costs.

But countering this, with the arrival of the COVID pandemic there was global recognition of mining as an essential service. COVID has accelerated the infusion of all technologies that enable remote activities; these include communications, digital, automation and any enabler of remote work.

For now, the most urgent solutions to ongoing situations are those that will increase safety and reduce the major costs. These are the costs of labour and energy, both now slightly mitigated by autonomous systems. “Reducing the cost of production is critically important because this lowers the cut-off grade allowing smaller, lower-grade deposits, in both existing mines and new mines in remote areas, to be brought into production profitably,” Morrison says.

Beyond the more troublesome situations brought on in the last year or two, the biggest regular challenge for CEMI is two-fold: prompt securing of public funding to match committed private sector funding, and mobilizing the Canadian innovation ecosystem to support the mining industry.

Fortunately, the funding scenario has been improved by the Government of Canada’s introduction of the Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) Stream 5 program. The SIF program enabled CEMI to mobilize an estimated $112 million in public and private funding to advance key technologies into the mining sector.

Secondly, the thinkers at CEMI realized that there was untapped potential in the channelling of made-in-Canada endeavours into mining, recognizing that mining was effectively missing out on harnessing broader Canadian assets.

This challenge has since been allayed with the introduction of the MICA program, enabling CEMI to respond to industry challenges by finding new solutions wherever they may be found and utilizing them to help improve mining. Part of this is finding mining companies and integrators anxious to lead the transformation of the mines of the future.

Looking ahead to 2022, CEMI will advance its commercialization services capabilities, with the MICA Network being the flagship program for supporting the innovation ecosystem. MICA will enable its members to quickly advance comprehensive solutions that will make it possible for mines to produce the metals and minerals necessary to enable the low-carbon economy.

Further, CEMI will attract private investment into MICA which will enable the acceleration of large-scale commercial adoption of validated solutions into the global mining infrastructure. CEMI will grow the National MICA Network and create connections that will enhance collaboration of the global innovation ecosystems with Canada’s mining regions and respective networks.

Worryingly, there is now a global reduction in the discovery of new deposits, coupled with the present reality that it takes upwards of one to two decades to bring new mines into production. But Morrison’s comment reflects some optimism, “There is an opportunity to make the sub-economic deposits that we know about already become profitable, and this can be achieved in five to ten years by investing in new, more productive, lower-cost technologies.”

From its inception, CEMI has focused sharply on the Canadian mining industry and how it cannot just improve it, but truly revolutionize its practices. If CEMI’s accomplishments so far are any sign, the path ahead will prove an exciting and profitable one.

The post At the Centre of Canada’s Mining Revolution<p class="company">The Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI)</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

While consolidating its position as a mining equipment leader, the company is also looking at other markets that might welcome its solutions. Another potential venture might involve using its products to warn workers when they violate COVID-related social distancing protocols.

“The biggest challenge facing Jannatec at the moment is attempting to provide the technological capabilities that people are used to above ground in an underground environment. It may seem simple enough – something works on the surface; it should work underground, right? In fact, the complexities of an underground environment are far greater than many people realize,” states Project Manager Mark Burnett.

Throughout history, mining has been a dangerous business with a constant risk of cave-ins and accidents. In underground work environments, proper illumination, reliable communication, and the ability to detect danger and monitor workers’ movements are vital. Jannatec’s solutions address all these areas to reduce the risks associated with mining.

The company, founded in 1983, is based in Sudbury, Ontario, an epicentre of mining activity in Canada. Sudbury is “where we began, and this is where our main client base is located, due to the high degree of mining in the immediate and surrounding area,” Burnett says.

From the start, the focus was “to provide quality products and services to the mining industry,” he continues.

Jannatec’s earliest breakthrough product was called the Johnny Light – the first radio cap lamp built for the mining industry. Over the years, there have been multiple improvements and iterations of this product line including the G1 Johnny Light, G2, and now the G3 Johnny Light, while incorporating more devices such as proximity detection and tracking.

The company followed this light with a proximity detection solution called JAWS1 (Jannatec Advanced Warning System) in 2010. In a JAWS application, radiofrequency transceivers are attached to underground workers, vehicles, and fixed hazards to detect the presence of other workers and vehicles. The system issues warnings to help prevent collisions and potential injuries by enhancing situational awareness of workers and vehicle operators.

In 2016, the firm introduced the SmartView platform. The latest version of SmartView is packed with sensors, cameras and connectivity options for circle check entry, training based access control, vehicle tracking, proximity detection, engine diagnostics, video recording, data logging and other applications. The system features a ruggedized android tablet resembling display consoles found in most modern vehicles. The platform provides “multiple services in one device,” notes Burnett. “The modular approach allows our clients the flexibility to address immediate needs and add functionality as required based on future needs.”

SmartView was followed by the SmartHelmet in 2019. The SmartHelmet features high-visibility LEDs arrayed in a 360-degree pattern on the helmet brim, proximity detection, RFID tagging, communications, online connectivity, and a camera capable of taking video or single photographs that can be transferred to a computer or through an existing network.

“Currently, our top-selling product is our JAWS proximity detection system, which includes our SmartView hardware platform and our personnel proximity detection tag – which can be embedded in our SmartHelmet, our cordless cap lamp, or our corded and radio cap lamps,” states Burnett.

“Our SmartHelmet and our G3T Radio Cap Lamp are the only products of their kind globally,” he affirms. “Our SmartTalk device is one of only a handful of devices that can communicate via LMR (land mobile radio), WiFi, and LTE, lending itself to mines that currently use standard radios but wish to move forward in the future to more smart devices and connected workers.”

LTE technology can be used to provide very high-speed online connectivity in underground work settings. As Burnett points out, establishing a reliable underground communications system is not easy. “There are very few people who have a solid grasp and understanding of the full complexities in keeping communications working for what is essentially a city underground.”

While Jannatec primarily sells its own products, the company is also an authorized Motorola reseller as well as an OEM integrator of Motorola products. Jannatec has also now partnered with SENA Industrial to incorporate Bluetooth mesh technology into its SmartHelmet while also offering the SENA Industrial line of products.

Jannatec’s R & D and manufacturing activities are handled in-house. “Some products we manufacture from the bottom-up, and others we leverage and modify [using] existing products, but all of this work takes place at our Sudbury, Ontario location. We strongly believe in Canadian-built products, as they have proven to have the durability and quality required worldwide,” Burnett notes.

The company’s client base extends well outside of the Sudbury area; it has representation in Nevada (a major mining state), the province of Saskatchewan, and wants to expand further.

It has ISO 9001:2015 certification and a reputation for excellence, and its products have been widely embraced by the industry. All Canadian operations run by Vale, which describes itself as ‘the world’s largest producer of iron ore and pellets,’ use Jannatec equipment. Many Glencore mines, Kirkland Lake Gold, Pan American Silver, and Potash operations in Saskatchewan use the products as well.

The company’s products are not limited to any one particular kind of mining operation. “We’re open to doing business with absolutely any markets and any type of mines. Right now, we’re in potash; we’re in open-pit; we’re in hard rock, nickel and copper mines. We’re trying to be as flexible as possible,” states Burnett.

The company has won industry praise for its solutions and capabilities. In 2015, it was awarded a Bell Business Excellence Award in the category of innovation. These awards are presented annually by the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce. According to Burnett, Jannatec was also “the first company to be Cisco IoT (Internet of Things) certified for mining.”

As a manufacturer of safety equipment, Jannatec was deemed to be an essential service and was not required to close when COVID restrictions were introduced last year. However, it chose to voluntarily shut down for two weeks in March 2020 to develop a plan to keep its workers safe and guide the company forward. Strict health measures to limit the spread of COVID were introduced to protect the workforce.

Its main clients did not stop operating during the COVID crisis, so business was not hugely affected. COVID has even inspired the company to consider a new, safety-minded venture involving its products. “Oddly, the pandemic has presented us with a potential business opportunity, as we can now use our SmartHelmets for contact tracing and for notifying workers who use hard hats if they are not following social distancing guidelines,” says Burnett.

If two workers are wearing SmartHelmets, an alert can be triggered if they get within six feet of each other, explains Burnett. Proximity data can be recorded, to allow companies to enhance health and safety measures.

In a similar spirit, while mining is its biggest sector, the company is eager to explore new markets and has discussed the possibility of supplying SmartHelmets to offshore oil rig workers, for example. Jannatec will also be branching out to markets such as construction, warehousing, and manufacturing.

Although there are other firms in its space, Jannatec is unique in that it remains highly innovative, and as a relatively small business, it is “very agile, versatile and competitive,” Burnett says.

The company has twenty employees at present, down from twenty-two at this time last year. The drop in personnel was simply due to career changes, not COVID or other factors.

“We strive to create a fun and vibrant work atmosphere while still ensuring we take our jobs seriously and perform as expected. As an example, we have a billiards table in our main office that all staff are welcome to use, and we create events such as fun Fridays, where we take suggestions for team-building exercises that all staff are welcome to participate in,” says Burnett.

The company likes team players who “demonstrate a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job right and who understand that, ultimately, it is the customer who keeps the doors open, and it must be a priority to ensure their satisfaction. Of course, qualifications and abilities are a must for certain positions, and we do have criteria and even tests that need to be taken prior to consideration [as a new hire],” he adds.

Company officials offer an optimistic forecast. “We see Jannatec as continuing to be a leader in underground communications and we see our SmartHelmet changing the conversation around communications and safety in various markets. We may just have a few tricks up our sleeves that nobody sees coming,” states Burnett.

“Within five years, we hope to expand our client base not only within Canada but also into the United States, Latin America and globally and are looking at having representation in all of those markets while our sales and resource pool continue to expand, not only here in our home area but in all of these other markets as well.”

The post Keeping Workers Safe Underground<p class="company">Jannatec Technologies</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

“Our mandate is to connect you to opportunities to grow your business. We become an extension of your sales and marketing. We get you in front of people and provide you with [business] intelligence. We provide education to help hone your skills and make you better at what you do, and, of course, we’re always advocating on your behalf with our government and other governments and the industry as a whole,” states Managing Director Ryan McEachern.

MSTA CANADA’s 250 corporate members “represent the whole life cycle of the exploration and mining eco-system, right from exploration to development and design, to building [mining sites] and operating them, to refining and of course reclamation and closure, if that is required,” he continues.

Most member companies “are focused on what we call hard-rock mining. That’s your metals and diamonds, but there is crossover. Members do participate in coal mining and even work within the oil sands because the extractive process is similar to mining. Quite a few members cater to multiple sectors. They join because they want us to help them focus on the mining industry here and around the world.”

“Leveraging the Canada brand,” is a big part of what the association does, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises, says McEachern. “Rather than go to a trade show by yourself, you are now connected and part of a delegation… instead of being isolated and hidden within the sea of other suppliers competing for business.”

MSTA CANADA traces its roots to a poolside strategy meeting conducted by members of a mining trade mission at a Peruvian hotel. This brainstorming session led to the founding of a group called Ontario Mining Equipment and Services for Export (OMESE) in 1981. The organization quickly expanded its geographical reach, becoming the Canadian Association of Mining Equipment and Services for Export (CAMESE) in 1989.

Among other activities, CAMESE hosted Canadian pavilions at mining industry shows that drew member companies together. This arrangement dramatically boosted the visibility of individual firms and allowed prospective clients to network with multiple companies in one location. In 2017, CAMESE changed its name to MSTA CANADA.

Since the early 1980s, mining has become increasingly technologically advanced—a fact reflected by changes to MSTA CANADA’s membership. “There are more technology-focused organizations coming into the fold. You see a lot of digital solutions coming in—drones and sensors, for example. [Our members’] needs are changing,” states McEachern.

Member companies can be listed in a MSTA CANADA publication called the Annual Compendium of Canadian Mining Suppliers. In years past, the association distributed paper copies of the compendium to mining companies and interested parties at trade shows. While not abandoning print, the association is increasingly offering promotional material of this kind in a digital format.

In the face of COVID, MSTA CANADA took on a new role, conveying pandemic-related information to its members to ensure the health of employees at member companies while maintaining the economic viability of the sector.

“When it first hit, there was a lot of uncertainty and questions. We were very active in trying to share as much information as possible. Our industry was quickly recognized as an essential service and rightly so. The industry has strong health and safety protocols, so it was easy to adopt new measures. As a whole, the industry fared quite well in terms of how it reacted, relative to other sectors, such as the service industry, which was hurt very hard,” McEachern says.

COVID shuttered trade shows and trade missions, prompting the association to beef up its online assets. The association has assorted social media profiles and has produced a stream of webinars and videocasts.

Webinars are focused on “providing opportunities for our members,” and raising awareness about innovation and industry trends, he says. MSTA CANADA hopes to “make sure [member companies are] going in the right direction and not moving towards obsolescence.”

McEachern hosts The Dig, a new MSTA CANADA videocast which can be viewed on the association’s YouTube channel. Launched after COVID began, the show features him chatting with industry guests about various mining topics.

While proud of the association’s virtual initiatives, McEachern is eagerly anticipating the return of in-person events. Trade show features such as business-to-business meetings, seminars, and presentations can be easily replicated online but the same cannot be said for all aspects of live events, he explains.

“Our experience was that what we called unstructured networking—talking to people on the trade show floor, evening events, bumping into each other—doesn’t work well in a virtual environment. Now as we start to see the light at the end of the tunnel and feel secure to start traveling again, people are really interested in wanting to do these things.”

COVID has not diminished MSTA CANADA’s advocacy role. The organization, in collaboration with other national mining and exploration associations, continues to convene with federal and provincial regulators to discuss issues and lobby for policies that will benefit the mining services and supply sector. Specific subjects of concern include taxes, export regulations, and innovation. In its advocacy work, the association stresses the importance of mining in the overall economy and the need for government support.

“How do you incentivize companies to adopt new technologies, services, and solutions? That’s been a bit of a push for us. There’s a real focus on innovation,” he says. “When we talk to the federal government, [we ask them] how are they helping our suppliers—the mining supply and service sector—as a whole? Is there support for innovation and [research and development]? How are we ensuring that we’re reducing the barriers to doing business and increasing the opportunities to build and grow business?”

MSTA CANADA meets with similar associations and mining representatives from other countries as well. McEachern says an excellent example is the association has “a great relationship” with Austmine, the self-described “leading not-for-profit industry association for the Australian mining, equipment, technology and services sector.”

“It’s about building bridges with other stakeholders. There are mining supplier associations developing in Africa that we’re looking to talk to. There are other organizations trying to support economic development between countries and companies. We’ll work with them in the context of the mining supply chain perspective. We’ll even talk to governments as well, within an international standpoint,” he adds.

In recent years, the rise of green energy has been an ongoing topic of discussion among the press, politicians, and public. Whether it is derived from solar, wind, water, or bio-fuel sources, green power is often presented as a cleaner, less harmful alternative to traditional power sources which, along with mining, are viewed as polluting and contributing to climate change.

McEachern bristles at such criticism and says mining is leading the charge in reducing climate change. “How do we address climate change? Mining is clearly a big part of that, because it starts with us… all the [green] solutions require raw materials to make it happen,” he notes.

To him, the climate debate needs to be reframed. If you ask an environmentalist whether they support traditional mining, chances are they will say no. Flip the question around, however, and suddenly traditional mining and green energy do not seem so mutually exclusive.

“If you ask people, do you think our country can contribute the metals and minerals to help us reduce carbon and get off fossil fuels and help climate change, they would say yes. So, it’s how the question is asked,” he says. “If we mine in a responsible manner and develop the minerals and metals critical to achieving a reduction, then who can argue with that?”

He points to low-emission lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles as an example of how mining helps green energy grow. Such batteries require lithium, nickel, and cobalt derived through mining. Responsible mining, meanwhile, entails minimizing waste, energy use and a company’s environmental footprint.

McEachern is excited by such developments and expresses optimism about the future of the industry. As MSTA CANADA marks a major anniversary, he offers an upbeat forecast and urges Ottawa to continue to recognize the economic importance of mining.

He would like to see the federal government increase its support for the industry over the next few years and see it as a key part of the value chain for addressing climate change; here, Canada can play a major role. “This is a nation-building opportunity. If we get this right, it will benefit all sectors and specifically, allow the mining supply and services sector to better achieve its goals to grow globally.”

The post 40 Years as the Voice of the Mining Services and Supply Sector<p class="company">MSTA CANADA</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

The 2006 acquisition of Falconbridge by the Swiss mining company Xstrata resulted in a new mandate for FTC. The group was re-organized as XPS, a standalone commercial enterprise offering expertise to both internal and external corporate clients. This mandate was confirmed and continued upon the 2013 merger of Xstrata with Glencore plc.

XPS has been successful in making the transition to a fully self-supporting commercial entity and today offers state-of-the-art services to Glencore and the worldwide mining industry.

XPS has become a leader in innovative technology for the mining industry, offering services in a number of areas. The company is organized into seven fields of expertise: Materials Technology, Process Control and Automation, Process Modelling & Simulation Group, Mineral Processing, Mineralogy, Pyrometallurgy and Hydrometallurgy. The Materials Technology Group provides a range of services to operations that includes on-site inspection, non-destructive testing, corrosion and failure analysis, as well as materials design and selection. These tasks are vital to the assurance of safe and uninterrupted operation of key metallurgical processes.

Manager Dan Falcioni describes the group’s role in XPS as one of support, with materials engineering expertise in areas like corrosion, wear, and damage analysis specific to the mining industry (i.e. mines, smelters, acid plants).

A large proportion of the group’s work consists of on-site support and coordination with client maintenance and shutdown crews, allowing operations to maximize or improve the reliability and service life of equipment. Customers’ situations are unique, so the group has often applied innovative technology as part of solution packages. For example, the Materials group has been an industry leader in the adoption of drone technology to assist in acid plant inspections, allowing the safe, rapid and successful inspection of equipment in difficult-to-access locations without requiring the potentially hazardous ingress of personnel.

The team brings with it a wealth of technical experience and expertise from multiple operations, backed up by a comprehensive range of technical support and diagnostic services from the XPS Sudbury facility. The group also brings to sites a good knowledge of best safety practices, allowing them to work constructively at remote operations to maintain or elevate workplace standards.

The Process Control and Automation Group under the leadership of the Group Manager Nicolas Lazare combines skills in advanced control with both data handling technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to build new generations of controls and decision-making systems. The wide range of applications for this technology includes areas as diverse as energy reduction, mine ventilation, control and optimization of unit processes (smelters, converters, grinding mills, thickeners, et cetera), protection of equipment from physical damage, or prescriptive maintenance.

The Process Control and Automation group works closely with operations, including some embedded roles in plant support. One high-potential area of development that promises to expand the reach of the group is remote loop monitoring, enabled by the continuing advances in digital technology. The group is capable of creating “virtual control rooms” at the Sudbury site, allowing process loops to be continuously and remotely monitored and tuned, with direct contact with the site team as required. This allows the Sudbury site to offer advanced control services to remote operations anywhere in the world, many or most of which could not afford to have embedded personnel dedicated to this task.

The XPS Process Modelling & Simulation Group led by Tanai Marin, Superintendent provides unique expertise and the capability of combining different modelling techniques with an in-house interface development to link several platforms; for example, embedding multiphase multicomponent non-ideal thermodynamic modelling into Multiphysics simulations or high-level process simulation for digital twin plant simulation. The Mineral Processing Group under the leadership of Tony Deng, Superintendent of Mineral Processing applies the accumulated experience of decades of flowsheet development to the design and support of mineral processing operations. From its origin as an operational support group to Falconbridge and Noranda base metals operations, the group has now diversified into precious metals (gold, silver, PGE), rare earths, lithium and industrial minerals, offering a wide range of services to the global mining community. Services range from metallurgical testing to flowsheet development and piloting, and include activities such as site support, plant audits, start-up support, desktop studies and metals accounting.

The Mineral Science Group under Group Superintendent Elizabeth Whiteman provides a team of Geoscientists for mineralogical diagnostics and support. The facility offers advanced mineralogical services such as QEMSCAN and TESCAN quantitative mineralogy, XRD analysis and laser ablation (LA-ICPMS) backed up by a variety of laboratory sizing and pre-concentration methodologies in order to provide comprehensive analyses and process development services. The application of these methods is diverse, ranging from direct plant support or support to in-house metallurgical development programs to theoretical extrapolations of metallurgical performance for exploration projects based upon the proportion of pay metals distributed into the various mineral components of the ore. The Mineral Science group provides and develops state-of-the-art techniques and custom solutions for sample preparation and analysis, allowing them to extend their activities into a wide range of minerals and commodities (soluble salts, coal, graphite and other exceptionally soft materials such as talc). The group has also engaged in some advanced environmental applications such as the origins of dust collected in sampling filters, fibre counts, and other similar applications.

Manager of Hydrometallurgy, Don Shane, comments that today’s clients are strongly focused upon issues falling into the categories of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). Production activities need to achieve their objectives in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. The technologies for hydrometallurgy developed with clients have a long-term outlook in mind, which helps to ensure those clients are preparing for sustainable business many years into the future while meeting the needs of today.

Mika Muinonen, Director of Business Development and Pyrometallurgy, believes that this is an exciting time to be in the metals business. Many of XPS’ clients are engaged in the production of vital commodities – copper, nickel, cobalt, lithium, et cetera – that represent the key to processes like electrification and avoidance of greenhouse gas emissions; however, industry professionals are observing a paucity of new projects to replace resource depletion or accommodate increased demand.

This is especially true with respect to nickel and copper. XPS has conducted several projects using a 350 kW DC electric furnace to process strategic metals such as chromite ore from the Ring of Fire deposit and has extensive piloting capabilities for high temperature processes including fluid bed roasting and thermal treatment. The XPS team foresees a lot of project development required for green metals, with the group in a good position to support that development. This includes projects that involve metals recycling. XPS is already engaged in a number of Glencore projects that involve integration of recycled metal streams into existing operations.

Muinonen adds that the experienced workforce at XPS has a lot to offer for the day-to-day operations. By the nature of the business, XPS personnel accumulate a great deal of exposure to diverse operational environments spanning a number of locations, commodities, and companies. “XPS has great people from top to bottom and is growing in a measured way, but the continual attraction of great people to the company remains a critical focus,” he says. “The idea is to attract a younger generation to the lucrative, exciting, and rewarding careers that mining can offer.”

XPS, like all businesses, has felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic; fortunately, though, the rigorous environmental safety measures already prevalent in the mining industry at large served it well in keeping its workforce protected. The ingrained culture of safety at XPS has allowed the group to rapidly adapt to changes in daily operations and establish robust protocols to control the spread of the virus. Due to the restrictions in travel, some onsite support activities have had to be postponed or cancelled; however, the company looks forward to the end of the pandemic as it plans to re-establish visits to client’s sites. “As XPS is an international business, its experts regularly visit clients on every single continent… with the possible exception of Antarctica,” Muinonen jokes.

Going forward XPS will look to market its services more broadly as it continues to develop an international client base. “We want people to know we’re here,” Muinonen underlines, “and the company will look to enact a campaign based especially on its abilities in the copper market. XPS has a lot of experience in copper and has identified this as a key potential growth area.”

Vice President Pascal Coursol adds, “The XPS workforce adapts to the needs of clients. Our services include strategic project support, enabling technology development, continuous improvements and emergency client assistance during times of trouble such as plant stoppage, loss in recoveries, or an environment, health, and safety (EHS) incident. We have the right skills at hand and we are constantly bringing new talents on board to better serve our clients.”

The post An Innovative Approach to Mining Technology<p class="company">XPS Expert Process Solutions</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Salto primarily offers these services in the context of heat treating, ranging from annealing through hardening (using processes like case, air, and induction hardening) to carburizing, normalizing and black oxide, and to cutting services, with additional capability in induction hardening for both pins and drill rods.

Many different processes are involved in heating and cooling metals and improving overall properties as well as performance and durability, and this complexity necessitates state-of-the-art product-order charting and traceability.

A concept takes shape
The initial stages of development for Salto began in March 2019 at the behest of company owner Felix Lopes Jr.

The company’s lead hand, Christophe Mehanna, remarks that he has known Lopes for a long time and that when Mr. Lopes Jr. sees an opportunity, he does not pass it up. Mehanna himself was called upon during the development period for his 25-plus years of experience in the field – to give input into the design and layout of the shop and make it as efficient as possible.

The initial crew, including Mehanna, brought equipment together over the course of a year and a half before joyously opening the company’s doors on May 4, 2020. Now, given its newcomer status in the industry, the team at Salto are eager to demonstrate what makes the company stand out from the competition.

Born to lead
Mehanna explains that Salto operates by employing the most up-to-date technology available and that its processes are highly automated. One of the company’s primary focuses is to be reliable to its customers and consistent in its level of quality, and automation helps the team achieve this.

Salto is ISO9001:2015 certified. All the company’s furnaces and carbon probes are calibrated and certified, with the business itself being fully certified across industry standards (Technical Standards and Safety Authority, Electrical Safety Authority, Trescall, International Organization for Standardization, etc.). “We have superior quality control measures,” Mehanna adds. “All temper furnaces are digitally equipped and monitored by temperature control. In the event of a disruption or malfunction, the system alerts us by alarm and via email and text messages to all supervisors.”

Salto also boasts a lab in its Sudbury location that offers onsite testing – a big advantage that allows the company to perform hardness testing and analysis – along with a portable digital tester allowing for off-site hardness testing as well.

The company’s customer service measures operate in tandem with its robust service offerings with a 24- to 48-hour turnaround on most applications (regardless of size) at competitive pricing.

Thanks to its all-digital interface, clients even have their own online Client Portal to access their information – which is stored indefinitely on company servers, cloud-based with quadruple backups – at a moment’s notice. In short, Salto Heat Treating offers a full suite of customer-focused processes coupled with a modern approach.

A variety of firsts
In summer 2020, not long after its doors opened to the public, Salto added two significant new service offerings to its catalogue: a black oxide line, and pin induction.

Salto is one of the first companies in the northern Ontario area to install this cold oxide system, a process that’s an environmentally friendly counterpart to hot oxide, with the black oxide finish preventing rust and giving an appealing glossy finish.

Salto is also the only provider in the area to offer pin induction up to 7 feet in length. It can handle parts of up to 1000 pounds, with 24 different diameters and coils to do any job up to a 9.5-inch diameter. The company’s pin scanner has quick-change coils to reduce time between different size pins, allowing for faster set-ups and savings for customers.

Salto’s rod induction systems are also unique to the northern Ontario area, as the systems are fully automated and can harden up to 12 inches at either end of any drill rod up to five inches in diameter.

The rod induction scanners are outfitted with heat sensors to ensure each rod is heated to the same temperature. As Mehanna puts it, “We guarantee that the first drill rod we heat will be at the same hardness as the last. Uniformity is important to our clients.”

Further measures like surge protectors guard the processes from electrical interference and minimize factory downtime, leading to both a superior customer experience and final product.

The tough get going
2020 was a challenging year for businesses across myriad sectors and Salto felt the crunch of COVID-19 as much as anyone. With the company opening midway into the year (and midway into worldwide quarantine measures), Mehanna ruefully admits that it was – understandably – not as grand an opening as originally envisioned.

The company depends on both local and international business to survive and, as borders close off to nix the spread of coronavirus, it is increasingly difficult for Salto employees to meet with potential customers face-to-face. Nevertheless, Mehanna remains supremely confident in the Salto team as one with the experience and will to overcome challenges like pandemics and recessions.

He is candid in praising the company culture that has encouraged this attitude: “I wish every company treated employees like this one does and had the culture that this one has.”

Indeed, there is a deep vein of trust that runs from top to bottom of Salto and there’s no hint of micromanagement from general contractors, suppliers or from the companies that commission Salto. The company stands by a creed of employees first in recognition that work need not follow its people home and that, more than anything else, employees are the greatest asset to a company.

Recognizing the workforce’s continued efforts to deliver on the company’s principles no matter what, Mehanna hopes that the coronavirus will be managed soon so the industry can return to business as usual and Salto can offer its full breadth of services with no added hassle.

A bright future
The team’s positivity toward the future is buoyed by that of MTI (Metal Treating Institute), of which Salto is a member. The institute is optimistic about the opportunities that 2021 will present for heat-treating businesses and, in turn, Salto will be looking to execute on a plan to take advantage of these opportunities beginning early this year.

However, at the present time the market is still somewhat unstable due to the ongoing pandemic – Salto is currently working with one of the biggest customers in the market (both in North America and worldwide), so Salto seems to be getting off to a bright start.

Beyond this, Mehanna reveals that the company has in mind a five-year plan to add another line and build a new warehouse. Hilary Hancock, office administration at Salto, explains that Salto has plans to broaden its customer base throughout Ontario. “Meeting customers is a unique difficulty right now,” Hancock remarks, “but we want to make sure we don’t become isolated.”

Salto will look to coordinate with its regional contracts, getting potential clients into the shop so that it can display its impressive capabilities on a heat-treating level. Mehanna adds that the reviews of both the company’s quality and service have been “our focus and our priority.” The company will keep that momentum going into its first full calendar year.

Although Salto Heat Treating is a new startup business, it is a dynamic business with a solid plan for its future, and one that is eager to make its mark in the metal service industry.

The post Bringing Unique New Processes to Ontario's Metal Industry<p class="company">Salto Heat Treating</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

Recognizing a need for the latest technology among mining clients, veteran surveyor Marty Warkentin founded NSS (Northern Survey Supply) Canada in Sudbury, Ontario in 1989. Growing the business over the decades to a team of about 20, Warkentin and wife Ann Marie took NSS Canada from its beginnings as literally a small mom-and-pop company to where it is today.

“Marty saw that there wasn’t really a unified survey supplier at the time, and every mine was handling it by themselves on their own terms,” says geologist Matthew Brown, who took over as Business Development Manager last August. “He saw that market being open for somebody to come in and offer that service externally to keep a certain level of service and expertise.”

Last December, General Manager Bruno Lalonde took over as new company president from Warkentin, chief executive officer. While the company’s general manager, Lalonde significantly contributed to NSS Canada’s growth, brand expansion and development.

“It comes with great pleasure to promote Bruno as president of NSS Canada,” said Warkentin in a media release. “Bruno’s a true leader who understands the collective and individual intelligence of our great team. We’re in the business of adding value for our clients and industry partners by integrating a wide array of measurement technologies. I’m confident under Bruno’s leadership, our company’s future is exceptionally bright.”

Underground solution
Over the years, Lalonde’s contribution to the success of NSS Canada includes the development of MOSS, short for Miner Operated Survey System. On a mine site, greater accuracy means increased productivity, efficiency, and safety, making MOSS a complete underground solution. Combined with the Hexagon Mining Portfolio, MOSS gives feedback to workers on the surface in real time, and provides a proven ROI.

Surveying is typically labour-intensive, yet MOSS enables a single worker to do the job of an entire mine survey crew. Applying technology to existing workflows, MOSS reduces work that usually requires five workers for 45 minutes to an hour each, to just one person taking 15 minutes or less. This lets supervisors re-deploy those workers and operators to other parts of the mine, improving overall efficiency and production while maintaining accuracy and precision.

Proprietary to NSS Canada, with the current iteration built in-house, the original technology was developed by product development engineer Bernie Smith long ago, when he was a Falconbridge Mine (now Glencore) employee. To explain the MOSS setup, the company created a tutorial video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYTtcYjgjd4&ab_channel=NSSCanada.

One of the biggest advantages of MOSS is its machine-controlled accuracy. “You’re not relying on human observation and interpretation,” says Brown.

Coupled with a Total Station such as the Leica TS16 Total Station – which combines “all available measurement technologies into one superior instrument” according to NSS Canada – accuracy is improved and overbreaks are reduced by 10 to 15 percent, which leads to reduced overall costs and better savings for the mine.

“By tying MOSS to the Total Station, there is no ‘Oh, it’s close enough,’ or ‘I think it’s where it should be,’” Brown says. “The system is completely robotic in the sense that once the measurements are in the system, the Total Station does all the work. It tells the miner where to mark their holes and what angle and grade to use as they drill. Since everything is controlled there, there’s no human error involved.”

With even the most eagle-eyed workers, all humans tend to look at everything slightly differently; with MOSS and the Total Stations, the same level of accuracy is ensured every single time.

Starting in Sudbury-area mines and ballooning in the last decade, MOSS is now used by most mines in Northern Ontario, as well as across Canada. NSS Canada is also seeing its use in the American market along with trials in Mexico, and upcoming expansion in Brazil, with some units recently sold to mines in South Africa and Russia.

One system was recently sold in Fiji, because of a mine site’s need to reduce personnel, modernize operations, and because of temporary closures forced by COVID-19. Management on the mine site saw the system on an NSS Canada Instagram post.

Strategic partners
For years, NSS Canada has strategically allied itself with some of the most respected brands on the market. One of the company’s original partners was Leica, founded in Germany and known worldwide for its cameras, microscopes, and other high-end optics. Several years ago, Hexagon Mining purchased Leica, incorporating Leica’s many years of experience and innovation into its portfolio. Today, NSS Canada is an Authorized Reseller of Hexagon Mining, and a provider of sophisticated mining solutions.

“We are showing their new techniques,” says Brown. “One of the things we are working on is incorporating augmented reality and virtual reality. Mining is moving toward being more automated, and physically removing people from the working areas of the mine. So we are trying to offer alternatives to people who have to physically be there to do something to be able to do it from a safer distance, or to remove them from that process entirely.”

Through vastly improved technology, mines of the future will boost surveying accuracy, reduce manpower, and increase safety. In recent years, Brown keeps seeing the “Industry 4.0” tagline, as mining becomes much more data-driven.

“I think we’ll continue to see a trend toward automation,” he affirms. “They are trying a lot of different solutions to collect that data, but now the conversations are changing about how to use that data, and how is it applicable to get more production, safety, and efficiency? I think companies like NSS Canada that have expertise find that it works in their favour, because we can come in and show them how best to use that data based on what we are seeing on our sites, or we can be the guides to get that technology in place and get those workflows developed.”

Taking drones below
Throughout history, technology has always “leaked” – what is used for one purpose will eventually find its way into other applications. One of the best examples is drones.

Adopted by hobbyists to get an aerial view of neighbourhoods and nature, drones are today used on above-ground mine sites for surveying. Now, incorporating the fruits of its own experience into existing drone technology developed through other innovations, NSS Canada is creating advanced tools for underground mining operations.

“A lot of that technology is getting so cross-pollinated between industries that as long as you can prove it works for one area, they are able to put it into mining, or at least give it a fair go,” says Brown. “There seems to be a lot of money for technology lately, so companies are willing to try anything and everything to make their mines safer.”

Most impressive of all is, if there is good underground infrastructure, everything can be done seamlessly. “The drone does the mission,” Brown says. “It goes in, does its scan, turns around by itself, and that information gets pushed to the operator as the drone gets back in range.”

Night and day
Yesterday’s drone technology compared to today’s is night and day, says Brown. Operators do not need a pilot’s license to operate the drone because it is autonomous and so sophisticated that it won’t bump or crash into walls; very little human training is involved, other than how to use the software and a tablet.

“The actual drone itself and the technical piloting is completely removed. Mines see it as a benefit, because you only have to rely on one operator. Before, if you only had one drone pilot and they took their holidays or were off rotation, you couldn’t do anything. So now it seems autonomous is the way to go, and a lot of the older technologies are moving toward it.”

Able to map up to six million points per second and equipped with cameras and Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging using pulsed lasers to measure ranges), outstanding 3D resolutions are created, better than any that can be done solely by camera.

Along with unparalleled accuracy, another benefit of the technology is speed. Open spaces in mines known as a stope measuring 160 to 200 feet (48 to 61 meters) can be analyzed in two minutes, a process that used to take anywhere from 25 minutes to an hour, depending on the type of resolution needed.

Looking out for local
Even with rapid technological advancements, the company has never lost the human touch. As a proud Sudbury-based business, NSS Canada strives to source all the services, supplies and tools it needs locally. Most of the people the company hires are also from nearby, or based in Northern Ontario, to keep the local economy strong.

“We know everybody is going through a tough time, so we pride ourselves on being the kind of team that if somebody comes to us and says, ‘we have this problem,’ and we know we can’t solve it but we know somebody else who can locally – even if they are our competition – we direct that person to the local company,” says Brown. “It makes sense that they go with somebody [local], even if it’s not us, because it is still benefiting the town and Northern Ontario.”

It is this kind of community- and client-focused approach that has led NSS Canada to ongoing success.

The post The Future of Underground Mining<p class="company">NSS Canada</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.

The answer is metals and minerals. And you get those through mining.

The Mining Association of Canada’s website mining.ca calls metals and minerals the ‘building blocks’ of the smartphones and computers we rely upon, the vehicles that get us around, the buildings in which we work and live, and the green technologies that may one day save the planet from turning into Mars or Venus-like conditions.

But the industry providing the backbone for the technology boom does not exactly have a reputation for embracing technology itself, and that is where the Centre for Smart Mining (CSM) of Cambrian College comes in. Based in Canada’s mining capital of Sudbury, Ontario, the CSM facilitates new technology adoption for the mining industry, which has lagged in adopting new technology over the years.

CSM Manager Stephen Gravel said his organization focuses on mining technology companies and mining end-users as its main client base. It has expertise in underground technologies, alternative tailings treatment technologies, digital technologies, and battery-powered mining vehicles.

Gravel is quite blunt about the CSM’s reason for existence. “Mainly, I would say, the reason we exist is that the mining sector hasn’t really gone through a technology retrofitting since the 1970s and ‘80s, and with the advent of technology we have in our homes going into mines, companies are having a hard time coming to terms with that new technology,” he explained. “So, what we do is at the center, is, we do pilot studies and proof of concepts and make it easier for them to buy and implement new technology.”

Essentially, the CSM helps businesses in the mining industry focus is mining needs and technology from an applied research and technology skills development perspective. It is all about bringing the mining industry around the world up to date. But why has the industry lagged?

Gravel said this typically happens because of the great cost of deviation from established practices. This is not an industry, he explained, where a company can just try a product in the street like a new car. Any interruption to underground production means loss of profit, and if a mine tunnel is shut down to test new technology, that is a lot of time and money lost.

Something else mining companies have to consider is that testing and adopting new technology is capital sensitive. If a company bought a diesel-powered fleet five years ago, the cost of replacing that equipment with electric vehicles is a huge upfront cost. That is a lot to consider for any company when the current fleet is still working and relatively inexpensive to maintain.

Gravel said that mines have to see new technology adopted by other mines before they will adopt it, which is another hindrance to adopting that new technology.

“That’s not a direct rule. They’ll buy with their eyes, traditionally,” he said, “but they need to see it in operation. They want to see the white papers, the engineering, more so than other industries, like IT for example, and everything they do is bigger and more expensive, so making mistakes with bigger, more expensive things means a lot more risk.”

Everything is huge in mining, Gravel added, and it wears. Where a person who drives a regular vehicle might spend $500 for a set of tires, a mining vehicle may cost tens of thousands of dollars to outfit with new rubber. If a company comes along with a new rubber technology that could be more cost-efficient, a mining company is more likely to say it wants to see proof of the return on investment before it will adopt it.

“So, what we do there is we’ll do demystification through pilot studies so clients will be more apt to buy, and technology companies will get a sale out of it,” said Gravel. “We can also help any skills gap that may come up in maintaining a fleet of vehicles.”

Gravel explained that if a mining company owner has, for example, thirty years of operation, it would stand to reason it would have a roster of heavy-duty equipment mechanics who are accustomed to fixing and maintaining diesel equipment. If that company wants to adopt new battery technology, there will be a significant skills gap among employees on how to maintain and safely operate that new equipment. So, the CSM can create short, purpose-built, customized training courses where it will develop course content to help industry leaders.

Safety is a huge motivator for the CSM as well, especially given that there have been some horrific mining accidents in the past. Making mining technology safer is more important than ever, and the CSM works with partners that have innovations for simple but important things like the air mine workers breathe when they are so far underground.

“When people think of electric vehicles, they’ll think of Tesla or wonder what’s Toyota going to do in the future but not this industry, and we need to think of it,” he said. “For every horsepower of diesel equipment operating underground, we have to supply the appropriate amount of air coming from the surface – at great cost – using ventilation, and the added cost of ventilation in mining is really fuelling this rapid technology adoption. A lot of people don’t really know about that.”

Sudbury is known for its mining industry, having been mining nickel for over a century. Gravel says several companies in the Northern Ontario city are talking about purchasing between 250 to 300 electric vehicles for mine use in the next four years, which Gravel says can be considered an important move. The electric vehicle version of the typical diesel vehicle is usually twice as expensive, which one possible vehicle reaching upwards of $1 million.

“That’s a huge investment, so we’re trying to make sure their investment in those vehicles is less risky by providing the workforce with the technology and techniques to adopt them,” he said.

Asked what he is most proud of, Gravel does not hesitate. The CSM’s work with underground robotics makes him want to, in his words, “shout from the rooftops.” In the last two decades, he said, the industry has seen controlled underground vehicles coming closer to looking like an X-box game controller. A recently-finished project from a company called Clickmox has users operate underground 5G enabled drones to scan mines. Those just starting in life and trying to figure out what they want to do, Gravel advises, should consider mining, as it is high tech and can take you around the world.

Being part of a college, students are an integral part of the CSM. In fact, for every industry project involving the CSM, the centre’s mandate states it must include student researchers, so whenever it works with a company, a student of a related discipline is there to add value.

“We want to be able to give them an immersive experience,” explained Gravel. “And who better to hire at the end of a project than a student who has worked on that project?”

As early as the fall of this year, the CSM will start to offer students some of the materials it has created for clients in its electric vehicles program. Cambrian College in particular has been looking into connected devices underground, the centre is watching the industry to figure out where the gaps are.

Gravel is proud of how the CSM keeps a close relationship with industry partners, such as FiComm Technologies, Sofvie Inc., Ionic Mechatronics, and Laurentian University.

“It’s not just about showing new equipment or about meeting a new engineer we just brought on board,” he said. “We always talk about how we can help, how we are able to go to industry and get a laundry list of things that keeps them up at night and provide solutions.”

Other projects the CSM has worked on include Underground 3D cavity scanner design and development, battery-electric drivetrain development, digital lockout solutions for pneumatic systems, wearable health monitoring for miners, and crusher feed optimization using machine learning. Check out the Center for Smart Mining at Cambrian College’s website to find out more.

The post Bringing Mining Into the 21st Century<p class="company">The Centre for Smart Mining (CSM) of Cambrian College</p> appeared first on Resource In Focus.