Federal
government commits $100 million to northern geoscience mapping
Prime
Minister Stephen Harper announced today (August 26, 2008) that the
federal government will invest $100 million over the next five years in
its new Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals program. This funding
is an extension of the $34 million geo-mapping program announced by the
government earlier this year. The Prime Minister is quoted as saying,
“We know from over a century of northern resource exploration that there
is gas in the Beaufort, oil in the Eastern Arctic, and gold in the
Yukon. There are diamonds in
Nunavut and the Northwest Territories,
and countless other precious resources buried under the ice, sea and
tundra. But what we’ve found so far is merely the tip of the proverbial
iceberg. Managed properly,
Canada’s share of this incredible
endowment will fuel the prosperity of our country for generations. And
geo-mapping will pave the way for the resource development of the
future.” Click
here for the full release and backgrounder.
Ontario government starts review of mining act
Having announced its intention to modernize the province’s mining act on
July 14, the Ontario government released details of its planned
consultation program on August 5. A discussion paper to help guide the
consultation process was published on August 11. The government also
announced a 65-day public review and comment period starting on that
day. As of August 25, consultation sessions have been held in Timmins,
Sudbury, and Thunder Bay. Further sessions will be held in Kingston on
August 28 and in Toronto on September 8. The PDAC is acting on behalf of
its members and working in support of the
Ontario
Prospectors Association and the
Ontario Mining
Association. The deadline for comments, which can be made online or
by mail, is October 15. The discussion paper and instructions on how to
submit comments are
here.
PDAC submits recommendations in
federal government’s pre-budget consultations
The PDAC has submitted a series of recommendations to the federal
Standing Committee on Finance during its pre-budget consultations and
has formally requested an opportunity to appear before the committee.
Key recommendations in the association’s submission include: making the
Mineral Exploration Tax Credit (super flow-through) permanent;
clarification of CEE to include exploration around former mine sites;
the qualification of Qualified Environmental Trusts for flow-through
share financing; and the commitment to longterm funding for geoscience
mapping. The full submission is
here.
PDAC advocates for labour mobility agreement to include
professional geoscientists
The PDAC has responded to an agreement made earlier this summer by
provincial premiers and territorial leaders to take steps to remove
labour mobility barriers across Canada. In an open letter, the
association congratulates the leaders on the agreement and urges them to
include professional geoscientists in it. The letter reads, in part, “It
is our association’s hope that your agreement will be an important step
towards full mobility (interpreted to mean that a geoscientist who is
registered in a Canadian jurisdiction, held accountable to a common code
of ethics and subject to a disciplinary body following a common set of
standards, would have the right to work in another Canadian jurisdiction
without further application or notice). The full text of the letter is
here.
Online courses offer opportunities for continuing education in
variety of subjects
EduMine offers online continuing education courses on a wide range of
topics, including one dedicated to the concepts, principles and
applications of the community engagement component of the PDAC’s e3
environmental excellence in exploration. Other topics include:
environmental health and safety - emergency preparedness and emergency
response planning; surface reclamation techniques; and the evolving
image of mining. EduMine also offers a series of blended courses, which
include a mix of online learning and a two or three day workshop.
Upcoming courses include practical geostatistics and understanding
corporate financial statements. All courses qualify for the UBC Mining
Certificate Program. Click
here for the full
curriculum.
Economic guidelines for mineral exploration ● Queen’s University
● Nov 30-Dec 6
The Department of Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering,
Queen’s University at Kingston, Ontario, offers an annual professional
development seminar on economic guidelines for mineral exploration. This
year the seminar takes place from November 30 to December 6. The seminar
helps develop those evaluation skills which enable explorationists to
translate geological knowledge and expertise into economic criteria. The
registration fee of $4,400 plus GST covers tuition, accommodation and
meals, and seminar materials. Full seminar and registration details are
here.
Diamond exhibition at Royal Ontario Museum opens on October 25
A new diamond exhibition opens at the Royal Ontario Museum on October
25. The Nature of Diamonds traces diamonds from their geologic origins,
through mining, to grading, cutting, marketing and distribution. The
exhibition also tracks the history of mining, including the discovery
and mining of diamonds in Canada, and identifies the uses of diamonds in
science, technology, industry, and medicine. A gem vault houses an array
of jewels from around the world, including Princess Mathilde’s 200-carat
diamond corsage ornament containing over 2,600 diamonds. The exhibition
runs to March 22, 2009.
Full details.
$250,000 research grant available from USGS ● Application
deadline Sept 29
Funding of $250,000 is available from the Mineral Resources Program of
the US Geological Survey for research in topics on non-fuel mineral
resources, including uranium. Individuals from universities and the
private sector are among those invited to apply. The funding is for
2009, and applicants need not be U.S. citizens. Deadline for
applications is September 29, 2008. Click
here for a full
details.
Sander Geophysics
founder dies
George Sander, founder and chairman of Sander Geophysics Ltd. (SGL),
died on August 23. Friends are invited to a celebration of George's life
on Thursday, August 28, at 7 pm at the SGL head office, 260 Hunt Club
Rd, Ottawa. Donations may be made in George’s memory to the Canadian
Geophysical Exploration Society (KEGS) Pioneer Scholarship Fund
www.kegsonline.org
A full announcement is
here.
