Vale’s Manitoba Operations is pleased to announce that USW Local 6166 members have voted 87.8% in favour of accepting the Company’s Offer of Settlement for a new three-year collective bargaining agreement. [Click on Logo to learn more]
“This news provides an additional degree of certainty for our community and those of us who live here,” said Lovro Paulic, one of three General Managers at the Thompson operations. “Under the leadership of the Mayor and council, and with participation from other community stakeholders, we’ve embarked on a collaborative process to strengthen the economic future for Thompson.” [Click on Logo to learn more]
While the Ryan trophy recognizes safety performance specific to the mines, Vale in Manitoba established new standards of safety excellence across the breadth of its Thompson operations last year. Taken together, the mines, mill, smelter and refinery have improved their combined disabling injury from a frequency rate of 7 in 2000 to an all-time low of 0.7 in 2010. [Click on Logo to learn more]
The Hub involves the establishment of a project execution centre where SNC-Lavalin, in partnership with BHP Billiton, will apply uniform standards and leverage efficiencies in the execution of projects in various stages of development. The potash projects will primarily focus on Saskatchewan. [Click on Pic to learn more]
In 2010, only 6% of global mining deals involved Chinese acquirers, compared to acquirers from Canada (36%), the United States (16%) and Australia (16%). [Click on Pic to learn more]
“Overall commodity prices will likely edge higher again in February, though momentum has shifted late-month from strength in base metals to oil and precious metals, given growing political unrest in Libya, Algeria and parts of the Middle East,” said Patricia Mohr, Vice-President, Economics and Commodity Market Specialist at Scotiabank. Includes information on: the Agricultural Index, Oil & Gas, Metals & Minerals, and the Forest Products Price Index. [Click on Pic to learn more]
“Manitoba has experienced a doubling of wells licensed, wells drilled and metres drilled compared to 2009. Last year, 632 wells were licensed and 516 new wells were drilled. As well, geophysical activity has also increased to a record level, with 23 seismic-exploration programs operating last year,” said Chomiak. [Click on Pic to learn more]
“This appointment reflects the confidence that the San Gold board has in Mr. Pirie and the positive impact he has already had on the company toward realizing the full potential of the Rice Lake project,” said Executive Vice Chairman Dale Ginn. [Click on Logo to learn more]
Vale is pleased to share with you the first issue of Manitoba Operations Update – a new communication vehicle designed to facilitate dialogue and communication with our employees in Thompson, Manitoba. [Click on Logo to learn more]
“Many mining projects are coming up and we look forward to establishing our presence in this sector and region,” said Feroz Ashraf, Executive Vice-President, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc. [Click on Logo to learn more]
Two key issues underpin the operating changes in Manitoba. Mineral reserves in Thompson have not been sufficient to operate the smelter and refinery at full capacity for some time. To account for this shortfall, Vale has been importing as much as 45 per cent of the nickel processed in Thompson from sources outside Manitoba. This external feed is no longer available after 2013. Also contributing to the change are new federal SO2 emission standards expected to come into effect in 2015. The new standards require a reduction in airborne emissions of approximately 88 per cent from current levels at the Thompson operation. Vale has concluded that it cannot practically meet this new regulatory standard in Manitoba. [Click on Logo to learn more]
Companies headquartered in North America, largely Canada, remain the most active acquirers. In fact, 49% of all global mining deals in the first half of 2010 involved at least one Canadian or American buyer. However, Asian acquirers, most notably China, are intensifying deal-making in the mining sector. In fact, approximately 21% of all deals year-to-date involved an Asian acquirer, up from less than 10% a decade earlier. [Click on Pic to learn more]
