Minutes of
LCC hours: 27 hours
Year to Date: 63
Total: 5632.4
Date:
Location:
Present: Bill
Russell, Kees Stryland, Lino Morandin, Rusty Fink, Gail Krawchuk, Mark Joron,
Robert Calhoun
Regrets: Kees
Pols, Melanie Johnson, Chris McKay, Bob Bielek, Gail Krawchuk, Allan Moyle,
James McCarthy, Ron Johnson, Dave Stringer
Absent: Audrey
Cumming, George Sackenay, Dino Pellerin, Bill Hutchinson, Robert Vien
MNR: Glen
McFarlane, Mac Kilgour
Guests: Rob
Ferguson, MNDM
Call to Order:
Bill Russell called the meeting
to order at
Summary of Action Items for This Meeting:
Action Item
Action Item 05-09-02: The need to go to a CAF Contingency Plan be discussed
at the June LCC meeting
Review and Approval of
Review and Approval of tonights agenda:
Letters/Correspondence
·
No
correspondence to report
District Manager Update- Glen for Jim Duncan
·
The Pj budworm
aerial spray project has been confirmed a go ahead; the project will take place
in mid June. The contract has been awarded and dromadier fixed wing spray
planes will be utilized.
·
The district is
still working on balancing human resources; the region must maintain a ceiling
of full time equivalent employees; we are currently at that ceiling. Each
District must rationalise their resource needs and placement of staff positions
will be prioritised accordingly.
Mining-Mining Claim to Start Up-Rob Ferguson
Rob presented the Timmins
LCC members with a discussion on the mining sequence of events from exploration
phase through to mining site rehabilitation (see attached power point
presentation)
·
Mining is a high
risk investment
·
·
The mining
exploration industry boasts 5500 prospectors, 400 junior companies representing
millions of dollars in invested funds
·
The mining phase
is made up of single mines representing hundreds of millions through multi
nationals that invest billions of dollars
·
In the
exploration phase, prospectors seek out targets with the aid of remote sensing
and basic field work
·
Targets posing
potential are further explored through means such as drilling and stripping
·
Advanced
exploration occurs when targets seem to be feasible and require more evaluation
and studies commence such as financial and environmental
·
Production phase
requires need for Environmental assessment, permitting, access,
infra-structure, mine and mill complex and closure/rehabilitation plan.
·
Prospecting is
generally done from the air through remote sensing or ground and is done by a
licensed prospector
·
Claims are
staked in a 16 ha unit (40 acres) and a minimum of $400.00 of work per unit
must be completed annually in order to keep the claim
·
The claim gives
right to exploration only; exploration work includes mapping and surveying,
geophysics, stripping and drilling and bulk sampling
·
Most claims do
not contain valuable minerals; costs to explore rise considerably as the
project progresses and results of tests are reviewed at each stage to evaluate
the worth to move ahead to next phase
·
Environmental
risks during exploration are fairly limited but do include possible impacts to
water crossings, fuel spills, disturbance of sensitive values such as nest
·
No permits are
required for most activities but may be required for road and camp construction
on Crown land or for testing ore samples greater than 10 tonnes.
·
Advanced exploration
provides for the economic evaluation of a mineral deposit; base line
information collected may include studies for potential environmental and socio
economic impacts
·
Advanced
exploration includes large bulk sampling, underground exploration, test milling,
access and infra-structure
·
Potential
impacts of advanced exploration may include disturbance of large areas,
possible inventory of waste rock, ground stability issues
·
Advanced
exploration requires such permits as closure plans, public notices, work
permits for roads and camps, certification of approval for water and waste
management systems and consultation with affected aboriginal communities.
·
Mine production
process includes the extraction of ore, separation process, smelting and
refining
·
Mining production
impacts may include the physical disturbance of large areas, physical hazards, dams
and diversions, metal/acid leachate, water and air contamination
·
Production waste
may include waste rock, tailings, waste water, air emissions and domestic waste
·
The regulatory
process for a mine involves the three levels of government and may include
mandatory public consultation, aboriginal consultation, environmental
assessments, environmental approvals, benefit agreements with First Nations and
financial assurances and a closure plan
·
Mining
operations are regulated under the Mining Act; all expansions and or
alterations to mining require an amendment to the Closure Plan; operations are
always working towards progressive rehabilitation
·
Mining
operations are regulated under the Ontario Water Resources Act; includes
reporting requirements, MISA monitoring, C of A amendments
·
Mining
operations are regulated and monitored under the Federal Fisheries Act; metal
mining effluent regulation reporting
·
Closure Plans
provide details for mine closing after ore body has become exhausted; provides
for measures of financial assurances, site restoration to a natural or another
production state
·
The provincial
government approves the final closure ensuring that the site is properly closed
·
The Mining Act
is being modernized to promote balance of sustainability that is respectful of
communities and private land owners and supportive of a vibrant industry and
competitive investment climate
·
Some of the
changes include introduction of map staking, recognition of aboriginal rights,
dispute resolution process, new approach to mineral exploration on private land
surface rights and no new mine openings will occur in the Far North until there
is community based land use plans in place
·
The new Mining
Act is on the EBR for 60 days, 2nd reading, development of
regulations scheduled for 2009, legislated review committee (TBD), royal assent
(TBD), development of program delivery in 2009-10 and implementation phased in
through 2010.
There was general discussion
throughout the presentation with regards to examples of exploration,
development, mining operations and mine closure activities taking place
throughout the
Action Item
Lino provided the Timmins
LCC members with presentation on the RMF Annual Work Schedule of forest
operations for 2009-10
·
There is no tree
plant scheduled for 2009-10
·
Growing trees
for 2010-11 (2,000,000 trees)
·
300 ha.
mechanical site preparation
·
Tending program
is to complete last years tending program and last years planted areas; this
will include approximately 2,000 ha.
·
Slash grinding
continues this year
·
4,800 ha of free
to grow areas will be flown this year.
·
Plan to harvest
full year allowable cut
·
Tembec, Grant
and Domtar will be licensed to harvest the wood
·
Tembec may be
applying for exchange of blocks this year as part of negotiating best possible
scenarios for cost savings between companies on transportation.
·
Wood is planned
to go to mills at Tembec in Cochrane and Chapleau, Norbord-Cochrane,
Grants-Englehart and Domtar-Timmins
·
Three second
pass blocks are scheduled for harvest by Grants.
·
Fuel wood areas
have been identified for public use.
·
Primary road
re-alignments on the
·
Tembec has
identified the possibility of replacing the
·
Scheduled to
replace the
§
Move to accept-
Kees Stryland
§
Seconded by-
Mark Joron
Kees provide the Timmins LCC
members with an update of the CAF FMP; he provided the following points:
Action Item 05-09-02: The need to go to a CAF Contingency Plan be discussed
at the June LCC meeting
Round Table Issues/Discussion- All
·
Interesting
meeting
·
Would have liked
to have seen more local examples used in the mining presentation
·
Excellent
presentations tonight
·
The Dome
Watchful Eye Committee has organized a field event on
The meeting adjourned at
Next Meeting
Next meeting scheduled for
Minutes taken by: Minutes
approved by:
Gail Krawchuk Bill
Russell
LCC Secretary Chair