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BHP and CBE Sign Letter of Intent to Explore for Tier 1 Copper-Silver Deposits in Botswana
Cobre Limited (ASX: CBE, Cobre or Company) is pleased to announce that it has executed a letter of intent to negotiate exclusively with a wholly owned subsidiary of BHP Group Ltd (BHP) for a material earn-in joint venture agreement over Cobre's Kitlanya West and East Copper Projects (Kitlanya Projects), located on the northern and southern basin margins of the Kalahari Copper Belt in Botswana (Proposed Transaction). The Proposed Transaction follows on from Cobre's successful participation in the BHP Xplor program which also provided funding for the recently completed seismic survey on the Kitlanya West project (see ASX announcements of 23 January 2024 and 22 August 2024)
The Proposed Transaction underscores Cobre's confidence in the potential for its projects to host Tier 1 copper-silver deposits. A partnership with BHP would provide the exploration scale and expertise to maximise our chances of making significant new discoveries on our basin margin exploration ground while retaining 100% ownership of our Ngami and Okavango Copper Projects which are excluded from the Proposed Transaction.
The Proposed Transaction is subject to approval and execution of formal binding documents (Definitive Agreements) and the completion of BHP's due diligence investigations within the exclusivity period. Final details of the Proposed Transaction will be released to the market following completion of the long-form documents.
Commenting on the Proposed Transaction, Adam Wooldridge, Cobre’s Chief Executive Officer, said:
“Successful negotiation and completion of this significant transaction with BHP, one of the world’s leading mining companies, will be a major moment in time for Cobre as a company. Participating in the BHP 2024 Xplor cohort has provided the opportunity to do a belt scale review of the Kalahari Copper Belt, culminating with the collection of seismic data over the prospective northern margin of the belt. The Proposed Transaction with BHP would allow us to fully fund our follow-on exploration programmes and focus on discovering the Tier 1 deposits we believe may be hosted in our Kitlanya West and East Projects.
Independently, Cobre will continue advancing its 100% owned in-situ copper recovery development at Ngami – with a scoping study due in early October - along with further drilling at Cobre’s 100% owned Okavango project. This combined strategy provides exposure to potential Tier 1 discoveries, a development opportunity at Ngami and short-term discoveries on our Okavango project.”
A locality map illustrating the project locations is provided in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Locality map illustrating the position of Cobre’s project areas. Green licenses are relevant tothe Proposed Transaction, dark grey licenses will be run independently by Cobre.
Cobre will continue to provide shareholders with further updates on material developments in respect of the Proposed Transaction.
This ASX release was authorised on behalf of the Cobre Board by: Adam Wooldridge, Chief Executive Officer.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Cobre Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Osisko Metals: Leading the Charge in Base Metal Investments
Investor Insight
Osisko Metals’ high-quality polymetallic assets present a compelling investment opportunity amid a rapidly expanding critical and base metals market, as North America continues to strengthen its domestic supply.
Overview
Osisko Metals (TSXV:OM) is an exploration and development company focusing on two base metal assets in Canada – Gaspé Copper and Pine Point – targeting copper and zinc, both critical minerals necessary for the global transition to clean energy. These assets are past-producing, brownfield projects of significant potential for future production.
The Gaspé Copper project in Québec has a rapid development plan to begin mining the indicated resource of 495 million tons (Mt) of ore grading 0.37 percent copper equivalent. As the gap between available copper supply and growing demand widens, Osisko Metals is well-positioned to help create and strengthen a domestic supply chain for the North American market.The company’s Pine Point zinc-lead project in the Northwest Territories contains an indicated mineral resource estimate of 49.5 million tons at 4.2 percent zinc and 1.5 percent lead, in addition to significant inferred resources. Zinc is a necessary mineral for the clean energy transition and has important applications throughout the manufacturing industry. This widespread use of this mineral has analysts cautioning about a looming supply shortage.
A preliminary economic assessment (PEA) completed in 2022 indicates the Pine Point project has the potential to become a world-class, high-grade zinc asset, with an after-tax net present value (NPV) of C$602 million and internal rate of return (IRR) of 25 percent.
In February 2023, Osisko Metals announced a C$100-million investment agreement with Appian Natural Resources Fund III for a joint venture on the Pine Point project. The agreement includes C$75.3 million of funding for the project and up to C$24.7 million in cash payments to Osisko Metals.Led by a management team with a wide range of expertise throughout the natural resources industry and experience in geology, exploration, corporate finance and corporate administration, Osisko Metals is well-poised to become a world-class supplier of base metals.
Company Highlights
- Osisko Metals (OM) is focused on becoming a significant base metals producer by bringing two past-producing Canadian brownfield assets back into production: the Gaspé Copper project and the Pine Point zinc and lead project.
- The company’s projects target critical minerals to aid in the global transition to clean energy and net-zero emissions.
- OM’s 100-percent-owned Gaspé Copper project in Québec has a rapid development plan to capitalize on its NI 43-101 indicated resource of 495 million tons of ore grading 0.37 percent copper equivalent to meet the needs of a growing supply gap.
- Copper Mountain hosts the largest undeveloped copper asset in Eastern North America with an in-pit indicated resource of 3.25 billion pounds (1.47 million tonnes) of contained copper, not including significant molybdenum (180 million pounds) and silver (28 million ounces) resources.
- The Pine Point project in the Northwest Territories has the potential to become a top-ten zinc producer with high-grade zinc concentrates.
- C$100 million investment agreement with Appian Natural Resources Fund III for a joint venture on the Pine Point project – including C$75.3 million funding for the project – under which Appian can earn an up to 65 percent ownership in Pine Point.
- A completed preliminary economic assessment for the Pine Point asset indicates an after-tax IRR of 25 percent and an NPV (8 percent) of C$602 million.
- The 2024 mineral resource estimate update for the Pine Point project includes indicated mineral resources of 49.5 Mt grading 4.22 percent zinc and 1.49 percent lead and inferred mineral resources of 8.3 Mt grading 4.18 percent zinc and 1.69 percent lead.
- C$100 million bought deal financing with Canaccord Genuity towards advancing its Gaspé copper project to a construction decision and for general corporate purposes.
- A management team with expertise throughout the mining industry leads the company toward achieving its goal of becoming the leading base metal developer in North America by supplying the base metals necessary for the clean energy transition.
Key Projects
Gaspé Copper Project
The Gaspé Copper project in Québec is among the most significant copper development projects in eastern North America. Osisko Metals completed the100-percent acquisition of Gaspé Copper in July 2023 and has since commenced drilling at the property. Québec has a well-known reputation as one of the most mining-friendly jurisdictions in North America, with a long history of copper production.
Project Highlights:
- Significant Mineral Resource Estimate: The current NI 43-101 resource estimate for the asset demonstrates 3.25 billion pounds of contained copper at a 0.15 percent sulfide copper cut-off. The resource also includes significant molybdenum at 180 million pounds and silver at 28 million ounces. Osisko Metals believes there is room to expand known deposits with its upcoming drill campaign.
- Promising Metallurgy: Preliminary testwork delivered average copper recoveries of 92 percent and average molybdenum recoveries of 65 percent, indicating that Gaspé Copper should produce copper and molybdenum concentrates with excellent metal grades and a payable silver credit added to the copper concentrate.
- Prolific Past Production: The former Gaspé mines were in production from 1955 to 1999 and produced more than 100 million tonnes from a combination of open-pit and high-grade underground mines. The growing demand for copper makes reviving the project economically compelling.
- Robust Infrastructure: The project has infrastructure to quicken development, including paved road access, hydroelectric power on-site, and port access via the Saint Lawrence River and the town of Gaspé.
- 2023 Drill Program: Osisko Metals’ 2023 drill program at Gaspé Copper spanned 8,000 to 10,000 meters focused on continued infill drilling of the inferred mineral resource of the Mount Copper open pit deposit.
- Copper Mountain Updated MRE: The updated mineral resource estimate at Copper Mountain, as part of the Gaspé copper project, comprises an open-pit indicated resource of 495 million tons grading 0.37 percent copper equivalent, representing a 30 percent increase in copper-equivalent metal content, as well as a greater than 99 percent conversion rate from inferred to indicated category.
- 2024 Drill Program: The 2024 drill program is underway at Needle and Copper mountains. Approximately 2,600 meters over 11 holes were drilled at Needle Mountain aimed at understanding the potential for identifying more mineral resources around the former Needle Mountain pit. Drilling is ongoing at the Copper Mountain pit, where a 4,500-metre program is aimed at better defining resources in the enriched core of the deposit.
- Water characterization: Surface water characterization of the mine site and surrounding area is continuing. Detailed sampling of the pit waters and experimental fishing downstream from the mine site are planned to better understand the health of fish populations and the potential impacts of pit dewatering.
- Preliminary economic assessment: Scheduled for early 2025.
Pine Point Zinc-Lead Project
The Pine Point asset in the Northwest Territories has the infrastructure in place to help the company move the project toward development. The project has an existing hydroelectric power substation on site, rail access within 60 kilometers, and paved access roads to the site.
Project Highlights:
- Joint Venture: Pine Point Mining Limited, which holds a 100 percent interest in the Pine Point project, is operated under a joint-venture between Osisko Metals and Appian Natural Resources Fund III. This C$100-million investment agreement was finalized in April 2023 and yielded C$75.3 million of funding for the project; in February 2024, Osisko Metals sold an additional 5 percent ownership interest in Pine Point Mining to a subsidiary of Appian Natural Resources Fund III LP for an expected payment of approximately C$8.33 million. In total, Appian has the right to earn up to 65 percent of Pine Point, with OM retaining 35 percent.
- High-grade Clean Concentrates: Pine Point has demonstrated the potential to produce one of the world’s cleanest concentrates for zinc and lead. A recent metallurgical assessment indicates high recoveries of 87 percent for zinc, and 93 percent for lead using XRT sorting and conventional grinding and flotation processes. Additionally, studies indicate low levels of deleterious elements in the concentrates, making them appealing to smelters around the world that seek to increase the overall purity levels of their concentrate inputs.
- Promising Preliminary Economic Assessment: The 2022 PEA indicates an average annual life-of-mine production of 329 million pounds of zinc and 141 million pounds of lead. Additionally, the 2022 PEA indicates reduced estimated dewatering volume by 30 percent compared to the 2020 PEA.
- 2024 Updated Mineral Resource Estimate: Updated MRE for the Pine Point project highlights the following:
- Indicated mineral resources of 49.5 Mt grading 4.22 percent zinc and 1.49 percent lead (5.52 percent zinc equivalent) containing approximately 4.6 billion pounds of zinc and 1.6 billion pounds of lead in situ (undiluted).
- Inferred mineral resources of 8.3 Mt grading 4.18 percent zinc and 1.69 percent lead (5.64 percent zinc equivalent containing approximately 0.7 billion pounds of zinc and 0.3 billion pounds of lead in situ (undiluted).
- Used variable cut-off grades between 1.41 percent and 1.51 percent zinc equivalent for open pit resources and between 4.10 percent and 4.40 percent zinc equivalent for underground resources.
- The project's East Mill, Central and North Zones now contain approximately 36.2 Mt of indicated resources grading 5.22 percent zinc equivalent, or 3.2 billion pounds of zinc and 1.1 billion pounds of lead in situ.
- Community Support: Osisko Metals has worked hard to earn community support in the nearby towns of Hay River, Fort Smith and Fort Resolution, and has also concluded two separate collaboration agreements with local Indigenous communities: Deninu K’ue First Nation and Northwest Territory Metis Nation. These agreements include education, training, employment, and business opportunities. Additionally, a 2017 exploration agreement was signed with K’atl’odeeche First Nation.
Management Team
Robert Wares - CEO
Robert Wares is a professional geologist with more than 35 years of experience in mineral exploration and development. He was responsible for discovering the Canadian Malartic bulk tonnage gold mine, which Osisko Mining subsequently developed into one of Canada’s largest gold producers. Among other awards, Wares was a co-winner of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s “Prospector of the Year Award” for 2007 and was named, together with John Burzynski and Sean Roosen, as “Mining Men of the Year” for 2009 by the Northern Miner. Wares sits on the board of directors of Brunswick Exploration. Wares has a Bachelor of Science and an honorary doctorate in earth sciences from McGill University.
John Burzynski - Executive Chairman
John Burzynski most recently served as the chairman, chief executive officer and a director of Osisko Mining where he led his team in the discovery, development and sale of the Windfall Gold project to Gold Fields Ltd. for C$2.2 billion. Burzynski has over 35 years' experience as a professional geologist on international mining and development projects. He was one of the three original founders of Osisko Mining which developed and sold the Canadian Malartic mine in 2014 to an Agnico Eagle Mines Limited and Yamana Gold Inc. partnership for C$3.9 billion , and created Osisko Gold Royalties (today a C$5 billion company). Burzynski was a co-winner together with Sean Roosen and Robert Wares of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada (PDAC)'s "Prospector of the Year Award" for 2007 and the Northern Miner's "Mining Man of the Year" for 2009; and the "Prospector of the Year Award" for 2024, among numerous other awards. Burzynski holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in geology from Mount Allison University , and a Master of Science in exploration and mineral economics (MINEX) degree from Queen's University. He is a registered P.Geo. in Québec, a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and an honorary colonel with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He currently serves as chairman and a director of O3 Mining.
Don Njegovan - President
Don Njegovan most recently served as chief operating officer at Osisko Mining prior to its sale to Gold Fields. He was previously a director of St. Andrew Goldfields until it was acquired by Kirkland Lake Gold in 2016 and is currently on the board of directors of Cornish Metals. He was formerly managing director of Global Mining at Scotiabank from August 2010 to June 2014. Njegovan was a Toll Cross Securities Inc. investment banker from June 2005 to July 2010. Njegovan has over 30 years of experience in the mining industry, starting in 1989 for Hudson Bay Mining & Smelting Co. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mining engineering from Michigan Technological University and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba.
Blair Zaritsky - Chief Financial Officer
Blair Zaritsky most recently served as the chief financial officer of Osisko Mining. He is a chartered professional accountant and has over 20 years of Canadian public practice experience, with exposure to various types of engagements and clients, gained through managing audit engagements of publicly listed companies traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange, TSX Venture Exchange, and Canadian Securities Exchange. Zaritsky obtained his chartered professional accountant designation in 2003 and holds dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in accounting and economics from Brock University and Western University, respectively. Zaritsky currently serves as a director of STLLR Gold.
Amanda Johnston - Vice President Finance
Amanda Johnston most recently served as the vice-president of finance of Osisko Mining. She is a chartered professional accountant and has over 20 years of experience in the mining industry and audit and assurance groups. Johnston obtained her chartered professional accountant designation in 2013 and holds a Bachelor of Accounting (Honours) Co-Op degree from Brock University. Johnston currently serves as a director of Metalla Royalty & Streaming.
Alexandria Marcotte - Vice President Exploration
Alexandria Marcotte most recently served as vice-president of project coordination of Osisko Mining. She is a professional geologist registered in Ontario with over 15 years of progressive senior level experience working internationally for senior and junior companies. Marcotte holds an Honours Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the Schulich School of Business. She currently serves as a director of Angel Wing Metals.
Lili Mance - Vice President, Corporate Secretary
Lili Mance has served as the corporate secretary of Osisko Metals since 2018. She also served as vice-president and corporate Secretary of Osisko Mining. She has 30 years of experience in the financial, wealth management and resource industries serving in a legal, compliance and corporate secretarial capacity. Mance spent 18 years with the Dundee group of companies in various increasingly senior level legal and compliance roles and its various public and private subsidiaries. Mance is a member of the Institute of Corporate Directors and has been a member of the Governance Professionals of Canada since 2004.
Jeff Hussey - Director and CEO of Pine Point Mining Limited
Jeff Hussey has 32 years of professional experience in the mining industry. He has worked in both open-pit and underground mine operations at various stages of mine life, from start-up to mine closure, and more recently, working in mineral exploration and development projects. He spent 19 years with Noranda/Falconbridge. His mine operation experience includes work at the Brunswick No. 12 mine, Gaspé Copper mines, the Antamina mine start-up in Peru, as well as the Raglan mine in Northern Québec. As a senior scientist with the Mining Technology Group at the Noranda Technology Centre in 2002, he enhanced his network in the metallurgical research and mining innovation fields. As a consultant since 2007, Jeff Hussey and Associates has helped junior mine development companies by offering exploration, mining, and geo-metallurgical support services. These include Champion Iron Mines, Focus Graphite, Puma Exploration and Starcore International in Mexico. While at Champion Iron Mines, he participated in building significant high-quality iron ore resources, completing feasibility studies and participating in raising more than $70 million for corporate development. While working with Focus Graphite, development responsibilities included a feasibility study and associated work with community stakeholders and governments. Hussey has a Bachelor of Science in geology from the University of New Brunswick.
Anthony Glavac - Chief Financial Officer
Anthony Glavac has more than 17 years of experience in financial reporting, including over 12 years in the mining industry. Since August 2017, Glavac has served as vice-president, corporate controller for Falco Resources. He previously served as director of financial reporting and internal controls at Dynacor Gold Mines, and interim chief financial officer at Alderon Iron Ore. Before joining Alderon, Glavac spent 10 years at KPMG, working with both public and private companies, providing audit, taxation, strategic advisory and public offering services. Glavac is also involved with other public companies in the mining industry.
Ann Lamontagne - Vice-president, Environment and Sustainable Development
Ann Lamontagne is a civil engineer who obtained her doctoral degree in mining environment from Laval University in 2001. She has worked in the mining industry for over 25 years as a consultant for geotechnical, water management, hydrogeology, and environmental projects. She has been involved in the development of several mining projects where her expertise has been invaluable in minimizing environmental risks throughout the mine planning process, from initial design through to closure and reclamation. Lamontagne has also been involved in many R&D projects with mining companies, including Nouveau Monde Graphite, Troilus Gold, and Mason Graphite.
Killian Charles - Strategic Advisor
Killian Charles has been president and CEO of Brunswick Exploration since 2020. Prior to this, he was vice-president, corporate development for Osisko Metals, where he now remains as a special advisor. Charles was a mining analyst at Laurentian Bank Securities and at Industrial Alliance Securities (Broker) for six years. He also worked as a manager of corporate development at Integra Gold, until its acquisition by Eldorado Gold in 2017. Charles received an undergraduate degree in Earth and Planetary Sciences from McGill University.
Burrendong Minerals Limited IPO
Impact Minerals Limited (ASX:IPT) is pleased to announce that the Prospectus for an Initial Public Offering of Burrendong Minerals Limited (proposed ASX code: BIG) is now available at the following page on Impact’s InvestorHub:
https://impactminerals.com.au/burrendong-priority-offer and at https://www.burrendongminerals.com.au/
- The Prospectus for an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of shares in Burrendong Minerals Limited, who have the right to earn an interest in Impact’s highly prospective Commonwealth project in the prolific Lachlan copper-gold province in New South Wales, is now available.
- Impact’s shareholders have a priority entitlement of $2 million in the IPO and all shareholders and other interested parties are encouraged to review the prospectus.
- Burrendong will issue shares at 20 cents per share with a one-for-two free attaching option exercisable at 25 cents within 36 months of listing. Enterprise Value of $4.3 million on listing.
- Should Burrendong list on the ASX, Impact will retain a 49% interest in Commonwealth and receive a cash payment of $275,000. It will also be the largest shareholder in Burrendong with a 12.5% shareholding. Burrendong may acquire a further 24% interest in the Commonwealth Project by expending $5 million within three years of listing.
- Burrendong is to own all or a share of three resources at Commonwealth, Silica Hill and Galwadgere that are all open at depth and along trend and which will be the focus of a fully permitted significant drill programme to commence shortly after listing.
- The resources contain a combined 120,000 ounces of gold, 3.3 million ounces of silver and modest tonnages of copper, zinc and lead.
- High-grade drill results from previous work to be followed up in the drill programme include:
Main Shaft: 5.7 metres at 3.8 g/t gold, 347 g/t silver, 10.8% zinc and 3.7% lead including 0.5 metres at 4.9 g/t gold, 917 g/t silver, 10.2% zinc and 4.6% lead.
Commonwealth South: 8 metres at 5.1 g/t gold, 20 g/t silver, 1.3% zinc and 0.5% lead including 0.5 metres at 34.3 g/t gold, 40 g/t silver, 5.8% zinc and 2.3% lead; and 4 metres at 41.8 g/t gold (1.3 ounces per tonne), 93 g/t silver, 5.5% zinc and 2.3% lead.
Silica Hill: 22.5 metres at 1.7 g/t gold and 276 g/t silver; including 0.3 metres at 1.8 g/t gold and 4,200 g/t (135 ounces or 0.42%) silver; and also including 0.8 metres at 13.6 g/t gold and 40 g/t silver.
Galwadgere: 53 metres at 0.55% and 0.75 g/t gold, including 6 metres at 1.0% copper and 2.15 g/t gold; and 5 m at 1.98% copper and 3.9 g/t gold.
Impact Minerals Managing Director Dr. Mike Jones stated, “The Burrendong Minerals IPO presents an exciting opportunity to participate in one of Australia’s most prolific mineral belts—the Lachlan Copper-Gold Belt in New South Wales, which is home to major deposits like Cadia-Ridgeway and recent discoveries such as Boda-Kaiser. Once listed, Burrendong will take control of our exceptionalCommonwealth gold-silver-copper project, which has been on hold due to our focus on the Lake Hope High Purity Alumina project. It is appropriate for Burrendong to conduct further exploration with Impact to maintain a significant interest in both the new company and the project. Burrendong’s maiden drill program will target extensions to known high-grade resources, particularly the very high- grade massive sulphide bodies found at Main Shaft. We have always believed that Main Shaft has strong similarities to the world-class Eskay Creek Project in British Columbia’s Golden Triangle, one of the world’s premier mining sites. This belief is why we have made an effort to retain a significant interest in the new company and the project. I encourage all shareholders and other interested parties to review the Burrendong prospectus on our InvestorHub.”
Burrendong is looking to issue 25 million shares to raise $5 million at $0.20 per share with a free one- for-two attaching option exercisable at 25 cents within 36 months of listing. The funds will be used to explore a prospective tenement package in the prolific Lachlan copper-gold belt in New South Wales, including Impact’s Commonwealth Project under a share sale agreement. This agreement also provides Impact shareholders with a priority entitlement of $2 million, as detailed at the end of this report (ASX Release March 19th 2024).
If Burrendong lists on the ASX, Impact will receive a cash payment of $275,000, a 12.5% shareholding in Burrendong, and a 49% interest in Commonwealth. Within three years of listing, Burrendong can earn a further 24% interest in the project by spending $5 million (ASX Release March 19th, 2024).
Burrendong will have an Enterprise Value of $4.3 million on listing should the minimum amount of $5 million be raised.
About Burrendong’s Projects
Subject to listing, Burrendong will hold tenements covering 675 km2 in the heart of the Lachlan Fold Belt, home to numerous world-class copper-gold mines, such as Cadia-Ridgeway (>30 Moz of gold and > 10 Mt copper), North Parkes (5.5 Moz gold and 4.5 Mt copper), and Cowal (>15 Moz gold). Recent discoveries have also attracted attention to the region, particularly the Boda-Kaiser copper-gold porphyry deposit (8.3 Moz gold and 1.5 Mt copper) located adjacent to Commonwealth (Figure 1).
Burrendong will control three resources, all of which comply with the JORC 2012 Code and contain 120,000 ounces of gold, 3,300,000 ounces of silver, and 30,250 tonnes of copper (Figure 2). The resources are at Commonwealth Mine and Silica Hill, part of the Commonwealth project, and Galwadgere, located 10 km along the trend to the south of Commonwealth (Figure 1). On listing, Burrendong will purchase a 100% interest in Galwadgere from Sky Metals Limited (ASX Release: SKY July 14th 2023).
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Impact Minerals, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
British Columbia Creates New Ministries for Energy and Mining
British Columbia (BC) has introduced two new ministries designed to focus on advancing its goals for clean energy and critical mineral development.
Premier David Eby announced on November 18 the restructuring of the former Ministry of Energy, Mines, and Low Carbon Innovation, which will now be split into the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions and the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals.
The changes reflect the province's commitment to addressing climate change and seizing opportunities in critical mineral production to support the global energy transition.
Under the new structure, the Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions will oversee BC’s energy policies to ensure its alignment with climate goals, specifically under the Paris Agreement. The Climate Action Secretariat, which coordinates the province’s climate initiatives, will also now operate under this ministry. Adrian Dix, previously responsible for health, will lead it.
The ministry will manage the electricity, alternative energy and petroleum resource sectors, while also working to expand the province's electricity and low-carbon energy projects. This will include oversight of major projects such as the North Coast Transmission Line and BC Hydro’s Capital Plan.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Mining and Critical Minerals, led by Jagrup Brar, will focus on enhancing the province's mining capabilities, particularly in critical minerals like copper, lithium and rare earth elements.
BC’s focus on critical minerals aligns with global trends as the demand for materials such as lithium is projected to grow significantly, driven by the transition to low-carbon energy systems. These materials are essential for the renewable energy infrastructure critical for the ongoing energy transition, as well as technologies such as lithium-ion batteries and electric vehicles.
Government data suggests that copper demand could double by 2050, creating opportunities for BC to attract investment and generate employment, particularly in rural areas.
Brar, who previously served as Minister of State for Trade, is expected to prioritize regulatory reforms and streamline project approvals. The ministry will oversee the advancement of 17 critical mineral projects and work to modernize the Mineral Tenure Act to meet regulatory requirements, including Indigenous consultation standards.
The provincial government sees the critical minerals sector as a driver for economic growth and a contributor to North American energy security goals. However, it has acknowledged the need to address environmental concerns and Indigenous rights as part of the development process.
The creation of a dedicated mining ministry has been welcomed by industry leaders. The Association of Mineral Exploration and the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) view the restructuring as a step toward attracting investment and addressing long-standing issues such as permitting delays and regulatory uncertainty.
Michael Goehring, CEO of MABC, stated that the new ministry offers an opportunity to modernize regulations and ensure environmental standards are upheld.
“Recognizing the urgent need to modernize and speed mine permitting, the NDP platform committed to guaranteed permit review timelines while maintaining environmental and safety standards,” he added.
Keerit Jutla, president of the Association of Mineral Exploration, emphasized the significance of streamlining permitting processes and the importance of meeting guaranteed timelines for reviews.
“In order for BC to realize its full potential as a natural resource leader, a whole-of-government approach will be needed to ensure it is built holistically, and representative of all of B.C., urban and rural,” Jutla said.
With more than 1,100 exploration and mining companies headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia is a hub for the global mining industry.
The province’s ability to meet domestic and international demand for critical minerals is expected to bolster its economy and position it as a leader in sustainable resource development.
Don't forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Rio Tinto's Ongoing Fight Against Workplace Harassment
Rio Tinto's (ASX:RIO,NYSE:RIO,LSE:RIO) latest review on workplace culture has revealed an increase in reports of harassment and bullying across its global operations, highlighting challenges in the company’s ongoing efforts to implement cultural reforms.
The findings of the 2024 Everyday Respect report, part of a two-year external Progress Review led by former Australian Sex Discrimination Commissioner Elizabeth Broderick following the first Everyday Respect Report, draw attention to the broader complexities of achieving cultural change in a diverse and global organization.
The review incorporated extensive feedback, with over 11,600 contributions from employees and contractors globally. Broderick's team conducted surveys, listening sessions and site visits across Rio Tinto’s operations in countries such as Mongolia, Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia.
While Rio Tinto has implemented all 26 recommendations from the first Everyday Respect Report, the data underscores the need for continued vigilance, presenting a complex picture of progress and persistent harmful behaviors within the workplace.
The portion of respondents who experienced bullying in the previous 12 months rose from 31 percent in 2021 to 39 percent in 2024. While the portion that experienced sexual harassment held at 7 percent, eight respondents said they experienced actual or attempted sexual assault or rape, an increase from five in 2021.
Prevalence of sexual harassment was highest for those working in the iron ore and copper product groups, and
Despite the troubling statistics, the review also notes improvements, including greater employee confidence in the company’s ability to create meaningful change and a notable cultural shift towards more open discussions on workplace respect.
Survey results showed that around half of respondents perceived improvements in workplace behavior, with 47 percent reporting that sexual harassment had improved and 46 percent reporting the same for racism.
However, harmful behaviors persist, and the report indicates that women remain disproportionately affected. A greater portion of women in the company's mining workforces experienced bullying, and women were more likely to report experiencing multiple incidences of bullying than men.
Broderick, who conducted the review, noted that resistance to cultural change within the organization remains a challenge. Instances of gendered bullying appear linked to perceived opposition against diversity initiatives.
The report emphasizes that such resistance is common in large-scale reform efforts but reaffirmed the importance of sustained focus to ensure positive change across all levels of the organization.
Building on the recommendations from the 2022 iteration, Rio Tinto is advancing its long-term strategy to address these challenges by outlining new measures to further its cultural transformation efforts.
These include expanding employee engagement initiatives and listening sessions through its employee resource groups and village councils. Another key area of progress is streamlining reporting mechanisms for employees experiencing workplace misconduct and increasing transparency in resolving such cases.
Training programs are also being redesigned, with a focus on raising awareness about harmful behaviors and fostering accountability. The company aims to have over 90 percent of employees and contractors complete this training by the end of 2025.
Despite the challenges, approximately two-thirds of employees expressed confidence in Rio Tinto's ability to foster meaningful change over the next few years. Broderick pointed out that while certain behaviors persist, early indicators suggest that Rio Tinto’s efforts are laying a robust foundation for long-term transformation.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
Impact Receives $512,000 from Research and Development Rebate
Impact Minerals Limited (ASX:IPT) is pleased to announce that it has received a rebate of $512,000 before costs from the Research and Development Tax Incentive scheme for the financial year ending June 2024.
These funds will be used to continue the Pre-Feasibility Study on Impact’s flagship Lake Hope High Purity Alumina (HPA) Project, which is scheduled for completion in Q1 2025. They will also contribute to the accelerated start of the recently announced research and development project in conjunction with CPC Engineering and Edith Cowan University to help build a pilot plant for the Lake Hope Project. The project will also be funded by the recently announced grant of $2.87 million under the Federal Government’s CRC- P programme (ASX Releases October 22nd, 2024, and November 18th, 2024).
Impact’s Managing Director, Dr Mike Jones, said,“The unique mineralogy and patented and proprietary processing techniques for the Lake Hope High Purity Alumina project have allowed us to claim back a significant proportion of our expenditures on it through the R and D Tax Incentive programme and this will be the case moving forwards. The funds will be put towards the Lake Hope Pre-Feasibility Study and the start of our exciting research project with CPC Engineering and Edith Cowan University to build a pilot plant to produce HPA from the clays at Lake Hope. The end result will likely be one of the most cost effective feasibility studies in the industry”.
The company would like to thank Ernst and Young and Kate Griffiths, in particular, for their help preparing the R and D applications over the past nine years.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Impact Minerals, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
Bald Hill Confirmed as a High-Grade Cobalt Opportunity
Rimfire Pacific Mining (ASX: RIM, “Rimfire” or “the Company”) is pleased to advise that all remaining drill assays have now been received for a step out diamond drilling program completed during the September 2024 Quarter at the 100% - owned Bald Hill Cobalt Copper Prospect which is located approximately 30 kilometres west of Broken Hill, NSW (Figure 1).
Highlights
- Further high-grade cobalt sulphide mineralisation returned from step out diamond drilling 30km west of Broken Hill at Rimfire’s 100% - owned Bald Hill prospect;
- 18m @ 0.16% Co, 0.16% Cu from 110m in FI2612 including 5m @ 0.21% Co, 0.23% Cu
- 29m @ 0.17% Co, 0.10% Cu from 67m in FI2613,
- 17m @ 0.16% Co, 0.11% Cu from 152m in FI2613,
- 16m @ 0.16% Co, 0.11% Cu from 173m in FI2613,
- 63m @ 0.18% Co, 0.08% Cu from 118m in FI2614, including 11m @ 0.21 % Co, 0.1% Cu and 9m @ 0.22% Co, 0.09% Cu,
- 21m @ 0.15% Co, 0.07% Cu from 211m in FI2614,
- 31m @ 0.12% Co, 0.07% Cu from 129m in FI2615. including 10m @ 0.14% Co, 0.08% Cu and 13m @ 0.14% Co, 0.08% Cu,
- Rimfire’s drilling to date indicates that Bald Hill hosts some of the highest-grade cobalt mineralisation in the Broken Hill district
- Strong copper anomalism associated with the cobalt highlights the significant copper potential at Bald Hill
Commenting on the announcement, Rimfire’s Managing Director Mr David Hutton said: “The latest drilling has substantially expanded the known sulphide hosted mineralised footprint at Rimfire’s 100%-owned Bald Hill cobalt-copper prospect to over 500m by 200m in area.
We continue to intersect some of the highest-grade cobalt sulphides in the district and the presence of associated copper highlights the potential to find significant copper mineralisation at Bald Hill with further drilling.
While Bald Hill remains open and there are plenty of other cobalt targets to follow up, we are mindful of the current cobalt commodity prices and believe enough work has now been completed to demonstrate the prospect’s significance, which can be leveraged when commodity prices improve in the future.
We will continue to assess the Broken Hill Project but only at a level of activity that doesn’t detract from the company’s flagship Fifield scandium assets, which represent the strategic and commercial priorities for the Company and its shareholders right now.”
Bald Hill diamond drilling results
Cobalt mineralisation and associated copper anomalism at Bald Hill occurs within a folded and faulted sulphide-bearing quartz - albite psammopelitic composite gneiss unit which broadly dips to the east and is underlain by a barren quartz – potassium feldspar gneiss.
Cobalt and copper are associated with disseminated to semi massive sulphides (pyrite – pyrrhotite +/- chalcopyrite) that are locally brecciated, and silica altered.
5 diamond holes (FI2612 – FI2616 / 974 metres) were drilled through August and September 2024 to test for extensions of previously drilled high-grade cobalt (Co) mineralisation at Bald Hill, e.g., 33m @ 0.11% Co from 58 metres in FI2469 including 4m @ 0.23% Co and 2m @ 0.21% Co, and 125m @ 0.13% Co from 198 metres in FI2470 including 97m @ 0.15% Co (see Rimfire’s ASX Announcement dated 8 Augst 2024).
Each of the new drillholes intersected multiple broad zones (downhole widths) of sulphides 100 – 300 metres away from Rimfire’s previous high-grade drill intercepts (see Table 1 for drill hole specifications) with assay results returning (Figures 2 and 3);
- 2m @ 0.37% Cu from 63 metres in FI2612,
- 29m @ 0.12% Co from 66 metres in Fi2612,
- 18m @ 0.16% Co, 0.16% Cu from 110 metres in FI2612 including 5m @ 0.21% Co, 0.23% Cu
- 29m @ 0.17% Co, 0.10% Cu from 67 metres in FI2613,
- 20.6m @ 0.13% Co, 0.09% Cu from 96.4 metres in FI2613,
- 17m @ 0.16% Co, 0.11% Cu from 152 metres in FI2613,
- 16m @ 0.16% Co, 0.11% Cu from 173 metres in FI2613,
- 63m @ 0.18% Co, 0.08% Cu from 118 metres in FI2614, including 11m @ 0.21 % Co, 0.1% Cu and 9m @ 0.22% Co, 0.09% Cu,
- 6m @ 0.14% Co, 0.08% Cu from 185 metres in FI2614,
- 21m @ 0.15% Co, 0.07% Cu from 211 metres in FI2614,
- 9m @ 0.14% Co, 0.04% Cu from 129 metres in FI2615,
- 31m @ 0.12% Co, 0.07% Cu from 129 metres in FI2615, including 10m @ 0.14% Co, 0.08% Cu and 13m @ 0.14% Co, 0.08% Cu,
- 1m @ 0.11% Co, 0.09% Cu from 74 metres in FI2616,
- 1m @ 0.12% Co, 0.06% Cu from 83 metres in FI2616, and
- 1m @ 0.14% Co, 0.05% Cu from 97 metres in FI2616.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Rimfire Pacific Mining Limited, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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