Tag Archives: Toronto

PDAC 2022 Convention returns to Toronto in person and online

Mineral exploration, Mining events, , , , ,

The international mineral exploration and mining industry is once again gearing up for the annual Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC) Convention in Toronto, following its first virtual convention in 2021.

This year signifies the return of the in person event from June 13-15, as well as an online portion from June 28-29. This is the first time in the PDAC Convention’s 90 years that it will be offered as a hybrid event, and a fitting way to honour the milestone, event organisers say.

“The pandemic has had us on a rollercoaster over the past couple of years and the feedback we are consistently hearing from our stakeholders is that they want to get back to doing business in person, and for anyone connected to the mineral exploration and mining industry, that means getting together face to face for the PDAC 2022 Convention,” Alex Christopher (pictured), PDAC President, said. “While the pandemic created challenges, it also demonstrated the resilience of the sector as it navigated health and safety, accessibility and supply chain obstacles, while conversations turned to the security of precious metals and the industry’s role in the transition to a low carbon future.

“We have watched precious metals and gold prices soar to record highs, applaud conversations recognising the industry’s critical role in the clean energy transition and, throughout the pandemic, have watched companies offer support to Indigenous and remote communities where it may otherwise have not existed.”

He added: “This is just a small glimpse into the importance of the minerals industry and, as the world reopens, professionals – including analysts, executives, geologists, prospectors, investors, students and government officials – need timely and relevant programming and short courses that can be tailored to their needs, and the PDAC 2022 Convention offers exactly that.”

The PDAC Convention provides a platform for experts to connect and talk, learn and collaborate about the opportunities and challenges faced by the industry, event organisers say.

Topics such as Capital Markets, Indigenous, Student & Early Career, Sustainability and Technical will return to in-person and online programming, along with Short Courses, the seventh annual International Mines Ministers’ Summit, Events & Networking, and a newly expanded Keynote Program for experts to present on commodities, the mineral outlook, innovation and new discoveries.

More than 800 exhibitors will display their expertise and latest core samples in Core Shack, Investors Exchange, Prospectors Tent and Trade Show, they said.

It is not limited to the in-person only event though, with a line-up of programming scheduled for the online portion.

“It is important that we can offer the online portion of PDAC 2022 for a very important group of stakeholders across the world who want access to information directly from their home or office, and we are excited to be able to give them that,” Lisa McDonald, PDAC Executive Director, said. “But it is the in-person element that is being craved this year and we can’t wait to welcome the world’s mineral exploration and mining industry to PDAC 2022 after all this time, we’ve certainly missed everyone.”

For the latest information on #PDAC2022 head to www.pdac.ca/convention

International Mining is a media sponsor of the PDAC 2022 Convention

RPMGlobal moves Consulting & Advisory division HQ to Toronto

Environmental, Mining finance, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , ,

RPMGlobal’s Consulting & Advisory division has opened its new regional headquarters in Toronto, Canada, to, it says, cater for the increasing growth in the country’s mining investment activity.

As a reflection of the growing size and activity in the Canadian market in terms of global mining investment and mining company headquarters, RPMGlobal’s Consulting & Advisory head office has transferred from Denver to Toronto.

The new Toronto head office is a key component of the company’s refreshed Americas Business Strategy, which also sees the relocation of Avakash (Akoo) Patel, President of the Americas region for RPMGlobal’s Consulting & Advisory business, to Toronto.

Alongside the business re-focus into Canada, RPMGlobal is continuing to grow its team with the recent appointments of resource geologists Jeffrey Smith and Francine Long, based at the new Toronto office.

In line with further anticipated growth in the market, RPMGlobal says it will continue to seek out qualified talent in the engineering and infrastructure space to join the team in Toronto. RPMGlobal’s Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance team is also looking to add to its environmental and community social relations group.

Philippe Baudry, RPMGlobal’s Executive General Manager – Advisory Services, said the company was experiencing rapid growth across its Canada customer base in line with its strategy to grow market share across the Americas.

“Our intention is always to have a very strong support network for our customers and the increased investment in our Toronto footprint is a strong reflection of that commitment,” he said. “Over the years, Toronto’s mining sector has been on a strong growth trajectory, which is indicative of the confidence and stability in the Toronto market.

“With a substantial amount of mining investment and financial decisions around mining now being driven by companies that are mostly headquartered in Toronto or Vancouver, it was a natural decision to move the lion’s share of our focus to Toronto.”

As part of the overarching Americas strategy, RPMGlobal will continue supporting its client base in Denver, Reno and Vancouver, and will continue to grow its presence in South America following the recent establishment of RPMGlobal’s new office in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

The company’s commitment to the region is supported by the appointment of Marcelo del Giudice as its new General Manager of South America and Principal Metallurgist. del Giudice is a metals and mining professional with proven experience in different base metals and precious metals across Latin America.

Patel said the repositioning of RPMGlobal’s Consulting & Advisory division in the Americas coincided with the growing significance of Canada as a global major mining hub.

“Canada, and Toronto in particular, is a major target for growth in coming years due to the size of the mining market with 47% of all publicly traded mining companies trading on the TSX and TSX-V, and 53% of all mining financing in the last five years being completed on Toronto exchanges,” he said.

“The strategic decision to open up a new office in Toronto positions us well to capitalise on the strong demand for RPMGlobal’s high quality mining advisory services in Canada.”

Zero-emission vehicle incentives coming to Canada’s mining sector

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining policy, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

Canada is to extend its existing zero emission vehicle incentive to include off-road vehicles, providing a boost for the country’s mining sector at a time when it is looking to decarbonise operations.

In an announcement at the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC) annual convention in Toronto, Canada, taking place this week, the government said the move was predicated on helping Canada achieve its climate goals and keep its industries competitive.

This incentive would provide a 100% write-off of the purchase cost of eligible zero-emission vehicles and automotive equipment in the year they are put into use, the government said. It builds on the temporary incentives announced in the 2019 budget for on-road vehicles.

“Canadians expect their government to take ambitious action to protect our environment, while growing our economy and creating new jobs and opportunities for workers and businesses,” the government said. “To do this, we must support measures to accelerate Canada’s clean energy transition and help our businesses adopt the sustainable technologies of the future.”

It added: “This new incentive would encourage businesses, including in sectors like mining, transportation, and agriculture, to take advantage of opportunities to upgrade to newer, cleaner technologies.”

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, said: “We are supporting businesses that are making investments today to help protect our environment for future generations. By making it more affordable for Canadian businesses to make the switch to zero-emission technologies, we can help accelerate our transition to a low-carbon, clean-growth economy and create good middle-class jobs.”

Under this new incentive, to be eligible for an income tax deduction of 100%, vehicles would need to be available for use before 2024. The deduction allowance would decrease to 75% for 2024 and 2025, and would decrease to 55% for 2026 and 2027. Vehicles not available for use before 2028 would not be eligible for the accelerated deduction allowance, the government said.

SGS pairs portable instrumentation and machine learning with FAST

IoT, Mineral exploration, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , ,

SGS has announced a new service for the metals and mining industry, Field Analytical Services and Testing (FAST), in North America and Australia.

FAST provides real-time data acquisition in the field by pairing portable instrumentation and machine learning, according to the company, which used the backdrop of the annual Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada show, in Toronto, Canada, to make the announcement. “It will bring instrumentation into the field, provide data within 24 to 48 hours and, with the use of machine-learning, enable real-time decision-making capabilities for clients,” the company said.

Part of the solution includes Minalyze AB’s Minalyzer ED-XRF core scanning technology, according to the company.

Russ Calow, Vice President Global Analytical Services, Minerals at SGS in Canada, said: “This service offering will allow our clients to optimise their exploration programmes and production procedures, while making rapid decisions that support quicker speed-to-market.

“SGS is committed to providing analytical procedures that yield meaningful, reliable data – while integrating our in-house, industry leading machine-learning capabilities to give innovative, field based solutions to our clients.”

SGS calls itself the global leader in the geochemical laboratory analytical testing sector with over 160 geochemical laboratories in 45 countries. Its FAST solution reflects a commitment to servicing the mining and smelting industries throughout the entire value chain, leveraging leading technologies, according to the company.

“SGS operates on-site and near-site laboratories in some of the most remote locations in the world, regardless of the climate, the altitude, the logistics or the sample volume,” the company said.

“Whether requirements are at the mine site or in metal smelting and refining plants, SGS has the experience, technical solutions and laboratory professionals to help clients maximize value from their operations and reach their goals efficiently and effectively.”

SGS services to the minerals sector include geochemical analysis, resource calculation, mineralogy, metallurgy, engineering, process design and engineering, process control, water treatment and trade services.

FLSmidth seals the deal with Krebs Technequip TGW knife gate slurry valves

Coal technology, Environmental, Industrial minerals, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, Water management, , , , , , , ,

FLSmidth says its Krebs® Technequip™ TGW series of wafer-style knife gate slurry valves have proven themselves across the globe.

The valves are designed specifically for the harsh and abrasive slurries encountered in the mineral processing and power industries, with applications ranging from cement, sand and gravel to coal, phosphate, ash and alumina.

They are designed as a space saving option for heavy-duty applications, according to the company. The long-lasting replaceable elastomer sleeves offer a sealing solution that uses the latest technology, with the valve’s operation based on its full port design, FLSmidth said. This allows the gate to be fully isolated by the sleeves from the process in the open position.

“As the gate closes, it pushes between the two sleeves, discharging a small amount of material out of the bottom of the valve,” FLSmidth said. “This prevents material build-up in the seat area ensuring full gate closure, as well as preventing damage to the gate. When the gate is in the open or closed position, there is a 100% bi-directional bubbletight seal and zero downstream leakage.”

To ensure long life, all valves are supplied with dust boots – or ‘bellows’ – as a standard feature, protecting valve stems and actuators. Hardware such as nuts, bolts, and washers, meanwhile, are zinc-plated to protect against corrosion. Each component is also individually epoxy-painted before assembly.

Several actuation options are available, including pneumatic, hydraulic, electric and bevel-gear actuators, as well as manual hand-wheel operators, the company said.

The choice of materials is vital to the valves’ performance, reliability and lifespan, according to FLSmidth. “Sleeves are constructed of dense moulded elastomer, complete with an integral stiffener ring moulded into the sleeve. They are also available in a range of different materials to suit the application,” the company said. The valve housing is ASTM A536 cast ductile coated for corrosion resistance, while the upper cavity is pre-lubricated with a silicone-based grease, to improve actuation and decrease wear.

Founded in Toronto, Canada, in 1957, Technequip was acquired by FLSmidth in 1993 and integrated into the company in 2007. With installations across the globe, the slurry valves have proven themselves worldwide with features like the fluorocarbon gate coating for reduced friction during actuation, the high strength stainless steel gate clevis and two-coat epoxy paint. The valves also contain no packing gland, as this can jam the gate, and have machined gate guides so no spacer bars are required. Various accessories are available, including solenoids, limit switches and junction boxes.

Sandvik focuses on exploration technology for PDAC crowd

Mineral exploration, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology will show off its exploration technology at the upcoming Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention on March 3-6, with the DE712 Core Drill Rig one of the highlights.

Experts will be on hand to discuss the rig at booth 1031 in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Sandvik said, explaining the DE712 is suitable for both directional drilling and geotechnical drilling

“This rig features a capacity of 1,126 m depth in N size and is available in both, truck- and crawler-based configurations making it easy to transport across the site. Its open and accessible design make service and maintenance tasks fast and simple,” Sandvik said.

The DE712 comes with a heavy-duty frame and a robust design, Sandvik said. It is also a space efficient drill rig featuring a drill mast supported by a strong main hoist with a failsafe brake mechanism designed for angles between vertical and 45°.

“Equipped with a powerful diesel engine, water pump and highly efficient hydraulic system, this drill is easy to learn and simple to operate while its robust and precisely engineered design has proved its durability even in the toughest working environments,” the company said.

The DE712 also features a standard automatic fire suppression system and rod spin guard, which protects the operator from the rotating rod string. The on-board Sandvik Safe-T-Spin tool provides consistent pre-torqued joint in the drill string, increasing drill rod thread life while reducing use of stillsons and other hand tools, Sandvik said.

The Sandvik booth will also feature:

  • “BSU core barrel system featuring interchangeable components and offers standard and pump-in applications in a single system. The BSU system offers greater flexibility, a more cost-efficient solution, greater safety and increased productivity. The system is user-friendly and designed for safer handling. There is no need for different coring tool systems as this multifunctional system is ideal for both surface and underground applications;
  • “A new series of impregnated diamond core bits which simplify the selection for each geological condition and deliver unsurpassed balance between best penetration rates and optimum bit life;
  • “The RE531 RC down the hole hammer (86-102 mm (3 ⅜ -4 in) designed to achieve high penetration rates in all rock conditions while providing large, uncontaminated sample return and offering increased longevity and lower cost per metre.”