![Chamber of Mines News Briefs – April 6‐9, 2013 [Note: News Headlines Are Hyperlinked to Their Stories in This Document.] ABORIGINAL NEWS](http://data.docslib.org/img/ef6a0280fb01f90ca23fb856a5cc9ba2-1.webp)
Chamber of Mines News Briefs – April 6‐9, 2013 [Note: News headlines are hyperlinked to their stories in this document.] ABORIGINAL NEWS ...... 1 Cosmic justice’ for the Métis, but then what?...... 1 ARCTIC SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY NEWS...... 2 Arctic opening up, report tells U.S. lawmakers...... 2 Arctic sovereignty patrols to start next week...... 3 Japan appoints Arctic ambassador ...... 4 India’s Arctic Circles ...... 5 NUNAVUT NEWS...... 7 Lead from tins didn't cause Franklin disaster: scientists ...... 7 NWT NEWS...... 8 Broad perspective for business [NWT Chamber of Commerce AGM]...... 8 YK‐based group questions devolution public engagement timeframe ...... 9 Dash 8 upgrade launched in Yk...... 10 Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation pushes for park approval...... 10 RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ENERGY NEWS ...... 13 The treasures under the tundra...... 13 Nunavut uranium watchdog calls for territory‐wide plebiscite on uranium mining ...... 13 “Making connections” a priority at Nunavut Mining Symposium ...... 14 New northern riches? ...... 15 Rio finds likely buyer for Diavik mine stake ...... 18
ABORIGINAL NEWS
Cosmic justice’ for the Métis, but then what? Globe and Mail – April 8, 2013 TOM FLANAGAN The earth belongs to the living. – Thomas Jefferson When Canada purchased Rupert’s Land from the Hudson’s Bay Co. in 1869, the Métis of Red River, led by Louis Riel, resisted the transfer. As an inducement to join Canada, the federal government offered to distribute 1.4 million acres of public lands to “the children of the half‐breed heads of families.” By 1880, after the land was surveyed and allocated by lottery, more than 6,000 beneficiaries had received grants of 240 acres each. In its recent decision in Manitoba Métis Federation v. Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that the distribution of the land was so slow that it violated “the honour of the Crown.” Ironically, the court objected to the 10 years required to distribute 6,000 land grants but didn’t comment on the fact that it had taken our modern judicial system 37 years to deal with the Métis claim, which was first filed in 1976. The majority’s opinion tried to render what American economist Thomas Sowell calls “cosmic justice,” to identify injustices that may have occurred over a century ago in southern Manitoba but whose effects, if any, have been diffused over generations of relocation and intermarriage across North
Chamber News Briefs 1 America. The court, in fact, limited itself to defining the past injustice, without trying to identify its current consequences. The decision gave the Métis an important victory but rejected almost all of their other contentions – that the Crown had a fiduciary obligation in managing the land grant, that the rules surrounding the grant should have been different, that the Métis should not have been allowed to sell their grants, that there were also massive violations of other types of Métis landowners’ rights. And the one win the Métis did get came with no tangible benefit attached. This declaratory judgment ruled that Canadian public administration in the 1870s had not upheld the honour of the Crown but did not provide any remedy in the present day. Moreover, this judgment applied only to the land grant in the original “postage stamp” province of Manitoba. Throughout the rest of the three Prairie provinces, the Canadian government did not make a land grant to the Métis but distributed scrip that could be sold or exchanged for land. Litigation based on these scrip programs is already making its way through the lower courts, but this decision gives little guidance about it because the facts are so different. So whither the Métis? The Supreme Court as much as admitted that it gave them this win in order to strengthen their hand in negotiating with the federal government. But what can they negotiate for, especially since Métis leaders have already said they won’t try to reclaim privately owned lands in Winnipeg and southern Manitoba? Some whose parents or grandparents lost their status under the Indian Act may wish to become status Indians, but that will be only a tiny portion of the almost 400,000 Métis enumerated by Statistics Canada in 2006. Another small number might want something like the Métis settlements that Alberta has had for 75 years; but only about 6 per cent of Alberta Métis have chosen that option, so don’t expect a large number of applicants in other provinces. The plain fact is that most of today’s Métis live in cities and towns, send their children to public or separate schools, and are self‐supporting. They have all the rights and opportunities of other Canadian citizens. And like other Canadians, they want a better life; but they don’t want a radically different life outside the Canadian mainstream. Governments could make symbolic concessions – speeches, apologies, memorials, museums and historical parks. But what about more tangible demands for redistribution of wealth or income? The cost of such transfers would have to be borne by other living Canadians. It would mean taking money from some living people who have done nothing wrong to give to other living people who have suffered no injury. It’s one of the paradoxes of cosmic justice. Both those who may have committed wrongs and those who may have suffered wrongs are long gone, and the best we can do is to pursue justice in our own time.
ARCTIC SOVEREIGNTY AND SECURITY NEWS
Arctic opening up, report tells U.S. lawmakers Nunatsiaq News ‐ April 08, 2013 Sovereignty over the NW Passage “raises a major jurisdictional question” Less ice and more opportunities for conflict or cooperation: that’s what lies ahead in the Arctic, a recent report prepared for the United States Congress shows. The report, called “Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues,” tells U.S. lawmakers that “due to observed and projected climate change, scientists have concluded that the Arctic will have changed from an ice‐covered environment to a recurrent ice‐free ocean (in summers) as soon as the late 2030s.”
Chamber News Briefs 2 The character of ice cover is also expected to change, the report notes: ice will become thinner, more fragile, and more regionally variable. Along with that comes an opening of the Northwest Passage during the summer months. And shipping traffic there “raises a major jurisdictional question,” the report states. That’s because it states that Ottawa maintains that the Northwest Passage is an inland waterway, and therefore “sovereign Canadian territory subject to Ottawa’s surveillance, regulation, and control.” But the U.S., the European Union, “and others assert that the passage would constitute an international strait between two high seas.” That key sovereignty issue remains unresolved, the report said. However, moves towards more cooperation exist: last December, the commander of NORAD and USNORTHCOM and the commander of the Canadian Joint Operations Command signed two documents on Arctic cooperation. The “significant documents,” described in the report, included the “Tri Command Framework for Arctic Cooperation” and the “Tri‐Command Training and Exercise Statement of Intent.” The framework for Arctic cooperation acknowledges the Arctic is “not a region of conflict and the Canadian and U.S. militaries will support other departments and agencies in response to threats and hazards in the region when requested and directed.” Its goal is to promote more military cooperation in the Arctic and identify areas of “potential cooperation” in safety, security and defense operations. The second document, the Tri Command Training and Exercise Statement of Intent, wants to improve “joint and combined readiness” through combined training exercises and reinforcing partnerships and collaboration.
Arctic sovereignty patrols to start next week Norwegians to observe this year's Operation Nunalivut CBC News – April 5, 2013 The Canadian military is preparing for its annual winter Arctic sovereignty exercise, Operation Nunalivut. About 120 personnel including Canadian Rangers will take part in this year's operation. Lt‐Col. Glen MacNeil, Task Force Nunalivut commander, said there will also be observers from Norway. “They are one of our partner nations in the North and they're interested in how we conduct our operations as we are with how they conduct their operations, so we can learn best practices from each other," he said. MacNeil said they'll head out on April 10 from Resolute, Nunavut, with an air patrol to Mould Bay in the Northwest Territories. They'll also have snowmobile patrols to Devon Island and Isachsen in Nunavut. The exercise is timed to correspond with the spring adventure season when people from all over the world try to reach the North Pole or other High Arctic areas. "It makes sure that we have some members of the Canadian Armed Forces pre‐positioned in the North in the event that we have to assist in a safety or security situation should it occur,” he said. “That has occurred on past Operations Nunalivut where we had to deploy some of our people out to assist in search and rescue operations." Participants in Operation Nunalivut in 2010 rescued Australian adventurer Tom Smitheringale, who fell through ice about 200 kilometres north of CFS Alert while trekking solo to the North Pole. Rescuers were able to find Smitheringale within six hours of his distress call.
Chamber News Briefs 3 The military says the annual exercise helps them to prepare for emergencies or security issues in the North's harsh conditions. The exercise will last two weeks. Operation Nunalivut has been conducted annually since 2007.
Japan appoints Arctic ambassador Eye on the Arctic – April 4, 2013 Mia Bennett Japan has appointed an Arctic ambassador, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Masuo Nishibayashi is already the ambassador in charge of cultural exchange, so he will now fill two roles. Nishibayashi joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1983 and has spent most of his career in the Americas. He has served as consul general in Boston and Sao Paulo, Latin American and Caribbean Affairs Bureau Counselor, and ambassador to Cuba, among other positions. Nishibayashi will represent Japan at Arctic Council meetings, including the upcoming eighth Ministerial Meeting in Kiruna, Sweden. Justifying the appointment of an Arctic ambassador, MoFA's press release explains: "Japan is located outside the Arctic region, but as a maritime state and one that attaches much importance to global environmental issues, it needs to be appropriately involved in international discussions regarding the Arctic." A coherent Arctic policy By having an Arctic ambassador, Japan is demonstrating its commitment to remain involved in polar affairs. Furthermore, the appointment of an Arctic ambassador may help to make Japan's policies in the Arctic more coherent, as there are currently numerous agencies that are involved – a similar situation to the U.S., where there is a lack of coherence in terms of policymaking due to competing agencies and interests. Japan applied for Arctic Council permanent observer status in 2009 and eagerly anticipates a decision on its application, which will likely be made at the May meeting. The country has been involved in polar research since the 1950s and is especially interested in climate change research. Oil and natural gas resources could also prove valuable, especially as the country decreases its reliance on nuclear power. Arctic shipping also attracts Japan to the north, as the Northern Sea Route could prove to be an important shipping lane to reach Europe. In January, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was supposed to give a speech entitled "The Bounty of the Open Seas: Five New Principles for Japanese Diplomacy" to the CSIS in Jakarta. Due to changes to his itinerary, he was unable to deliver his talk, but the MoFA still posted the text of the would‐be speech online. In it, Abe states, "In light of our geographic circumstances, the two objectives are natural and fundamental imperatives for Japan, a nation surrounded by ocean and deriving its sustenance from those oceans – a nation that views the safety of the seas as its own safety. Though times may change, these objectives remain immutable." As an island nation, Japan relies on shipping to import and export most of its goods, so maritime security, economic security, and national security are inseparable. Indigenous peoples Japan also has made statements supporting indigenous peoples in the Arctic, citing its own experience with the indigenous Ainu people of Japan. The Ainu have historically been oppressed though, and the government only recognized them as an indigenous people in 2008. The Ainu are not often considered to be an Arctic people, but they do share many similarities with Arctic aboriginal groups, such as animist beliefs. Interestingly, an exhibit on the Ainu at the Smithsonian Museum in 1999 was called "Ainu: Spirit of a Northern People," and one of the curators was the Smithsonian Natural History Museum's Curator
Chamber News Briefs 4 of Arctic Anthropology and director of the Arctic Studies Center. This map of Arctic indigenous peoples by W.K. Dallmann also includes the Ainu as an Arctic people, thereby making Japan an Arctic country. In November 2012, Japan's Parliamentary Senior Vice‐Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shuji Kira, gave a speech at the meeting between the Swedish Chairmanship of the Arctic Council and Observers/Ad‐hoc Observers. Like the other Asian states that are trying to convince the members states as to why they merit permanent observer status, Kira expressed his respect for the sovereignty of the Arctic states. He said, "As a state who has always valued the "rule of law," let us reiterate our support to the view expressed in the Ilulissat Declaration that an extensive international legal framework, including the law of the sea, applies to the Arctic Ocean. In committing to this legal framework, it is needless to say that Japan recognizes and respects sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction of the Members of the Arctic Council." Supporting historical sovereignty of Arctic In Abe's would‐be speech to the CSIS in Indonesia outlining the country's five principles for diplomacy, the second principle he expressed entails "ensuring that the seas, which are the most vital commons to us all, are governed by laws and rules, not by might." Given the context of his speech, which mostly focused on the Asian seas, it appears that Abe might be rebuking China for its recent actions around the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. Indeed, in another speech that Abe actually gave to the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C., he argued: "A rules‐promoter, a commons' guardian, and an effective ally and partner to the U.S. and other democracies, are all roles that Japan MUST fulfill." Speaking of the island conflict with China, Abe claimed, "History and international law both attest that the islands are Japan's sovereign territory. After all, for the long period between 1895 and 1971, no challenge was made by anyone against the Japanese sovereignty. We simply cannot tolerate any challenge now, or in the future. No nation should underestimate the firmness of our resolve. No one should ever doubt the robustness of the Japan‐U.S. Alliance." Indeed, Japan and the U.S. are holding talks in Hawaii discussing how to respond to various scenarios that might unfold in the islands, including a Chinese invasion — much to Beijing's consternation, as Reuters reports. Japan therefore has a clear interest in supporting the historical sovereignty of Arctic states in their territory, as it helps to bolster its own claim to title in the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands. Japan is a maritime nation, and the opening of the Arctic shipping lanes means that it has a commercial interest in the region. Politically, it also seeks to position itself as a regional actor committed to the rule of law and the Law of the Sea, in line with the Ilulissat Declaration. In the Arctic, territory is the first provider of legitimacy, but Japan is doing everything it can to gain legitimacy through rhetorical, political, and diplomatic actions. Mia Bennett administers the Foreign Policy Association's Arctic Blog, and writes about Arctic issues for Eye on the Arctic, a collaborative partnership between public and private circumpolar media organizations.
India’s Arctic Circles Hindustantimes.com – April 4, 2013 India is a credible player in Antarctic science, says David Scott, executive director of the Canadian Polar Commission, on a recent visit to New Delhi. “Which is why Canada and other countries are eager to work with India in the Arctic.”
Chamber News Briefs 5 Scott and Louis Fortier, scientific director of ArcticNet, were in India to explain the new Northern Strategy of Canada and Ottawa’s interest in roping New Delhi into this new formulation — albeit as a minor player. Canada launched the Northern Strategy following Russia’s planting of one of their flags on the Arctic seabed and as global warming has prematurely brought about a viable “Northern Passage” — a melting of the icepack significant enough to allow commercial and warships to go back forth from the north Atlantic to the north Pacific. Scott and Fortier stressed that a key part of the Northern Strategy was in the area of science. The idea, they said, was to “ensure Canada remains a global leader in Arctic science.” And, unspoken, helping legitimising Ottawa’s desired ambition to one of the three or four main guardians of the northern polar areas. As Scott noted, “sovereignty” was one of the key underpinnings of the strategy. Over the next six years, Canada has committed to spending close to a quarter of a billion dollars on making it clear that if knowledge is power, they intend to be the main power of the Arctic. As Fortier, whose ArcticNet brings together 155 researchers in 30 universities, notes, “the members hope to provide a scientific bearing on police decisions.” And there are no shortage of unmade decisions regarding the Arctic Sea. There’s the issue of jurisdiction and sovereignty as this former frozen desolation suddenly begins to become both habitable and a lot more navigable. There’s the scope and membership of the Arctic Council. Canada, say Indian officials, has signalled an interest in India joining the council but fears pressure to then let in China — which it is a little bit warier of. Then there’s all the nonpolitical stuff like climate change and so on. Is there anything in India in all of this, some would ask. India is already struggling to keep a presence in areas like the South China Sea. Wouldn’t the Arctic be a waste of already stretched resources. Not quite. First, the science is important. As Fortier notes, “What is happening in the Arctic and elsewhere is climate telekinesis.” A butterfly effect where developments in the Arctic have surprisingly strong impact on faraway places. We know now, he points out, that a warming planet creates atmospheric pressure poles that effect the jetstream — “and this effects the monsoon.” Second, for all its subtropical existence India has developed a depth of scientific knowledge of the polar regions. Scott points out that India has kept a presence in the Antarctic for 30 years and a station in Norway for seven years. “Universities here have capacity in polar sciences,” he says. And, as mentioned, the monsoon and even Himalayan glaciers are being linked to polar science. Third, India may actually find the opening of a Northern Passage of economic importance. Say both scientists, climate change is impacting the Arctic much more rapidly than expected and ice‐free summers at the North Pole are conceivable in 20 years. Though India is not expecting to benefit directly — look at the map and know why geography tends against that — if, say, global natural gas shipping becomes cheaper through the Arctic the net effect on global gas prices will be a positive for India. Canada has ensured the bulk of its Northern Strategy budget is spent on helping its own Inuit people. No doubt this helps dilute any political opposition to this sort of expenditure, but is a reminder that the great polar game will be played out in as polite language as possible and through the veil of science. India is contemplating observer status at the Arctic Council. It should consider even sending a naval ship through the northwest passage. And it needs to throw its scientific weight behind attempts to find out climate links to the monsoon and other South Asian pecularities.
Chamber News Briefs 6 NUNAVUT NEWS
Lead from tins didn't cause Franklin disaster: scientists High levels in remains suggest lifetime of exposure to the metal Canadian Press – April 9, 2013 Bob Weber A long‐standing Arctic mystery has become even more baffling with research that appears to debunk a common theory about the demise of the Franklin expedition. Chemists at the University of Western Ontario used an array of the latest analytic techniques to conclude that poorly made cans of food were probably not responsible for the lead that poisoned the officers and crew of the doomed 19th‐century voyage to explore the Arctic. "We'll probably never know what happened to the crew of the Franklin (expedition), so it will remain one of the great mysteries of Canadian history," said Prof. Ron Martin. "Our resources fail to support the hypothesis that the lead in the bones came from tins, and I certainly believe it didn't." The Franklin expedition headed north, never to return, in 1845. Although some remains of the 129 crew have been discovered, along with ghastly evidence of cannibalism, the two ships Erebus and Terror have never been found despite a century and a half of searching. Their mystery and legend remain to this day. Three graves of Franklin crew members discovered on Beechey Island were exhumed in 1984 and their corpses analyzed in an attempt to shed light on the disaster. While diseases, including pneumonia and tuberculosis, are believed to have been the immediate causes of death, high levels of lead found in the sailors' bones are thought to have weakened the men and clouded their judgment. Looking for a source of the lead, scientists concluded it probably came from the solder used to seal the cans of food in the ships' stores. Martin's work, published in February in Applied Physics A, re‐examined some of the bones using techniques developed since the original analysis. Martin and his colleagues concluded there was so much lead in the bones, and it was distributed so widely, that it couldn't have accumulated during the few months the men were at sea before they died. Nor did he find areas where lead was concentrated, as there would be if the potent toxin had only recently been ingested. "The wide distribution and high concentrations of lead in the measured bones is indicative of long‐term exposure before the start of the expedition," says the paper. "The lead distribution is essentially uniform as might be expected from lifetime lead ingestion. "There is no evidence for a sudden massive increase in lead during the latter part of any individual's life." Martin points out the sailors buried on Beechey Island had died only three months into the voyage. At that point in the expedition, the crew is unlikely to have even dug into the cans. "They ate everything that was fresh first," he said. "They wouldn't have started on the tins yet." Martin said evidence ‐ including early results from tests on bones from a pioneer cemetery outside London ‐ suggests that high lead levels were common in those times.
Chamber News Briefs 7 "All the bones we looked at there, the lead levels would have been pretty much the same," he said. "In that time period, there was lead everywhere. They had lead coming out their ears." Martin's work would also appear to exonerate other sources of lead that some researchers have proposed as a source, including the ship's water system. Water pipes on Franklin's vessels were made of lead. Lead is toxic to the heart, bones, intestines, kidneys and reproductive and nervous systems. Symptoms of lead poisoning include confusion, which makes it an attractive explanation for some of the decisions made by Sir John Franklin and his crew after their ships were stuck in the ice, such as dragging heavy lifeboats over the tundra laden with non‐essentials such as silverware. Martin's team concludes that if Franklin and his men were poisoned by lead, it probably began long before they set sail for what is now the Canadian Arctic. The mystery, which has inspired Canadian artists from folksinger Stan Rogers to novelist Mordecai Richler, persists.
NWT NEWS
Broad perspective for business [NWT Chamber of Commerce AGM] Chamber representatives from across NWT gather for AGM NWT News/North – April 8, 2013 Thandiwe Vela Delegates heard a positive view for the future from the territory's top politician as industry representatives from across the NWT met in Yellowknife last week for the NWT Chamber of Commerce business conference and annual general meeting. Nearly 100 delegates representing chambers in Fort Simpson, Hay River, Fort Smith, Norman Wells, Inuvik and the capital city registered for the 40th annual event at Explorer Hotel. The two‐day meeting April 3 and 4 included Business Excellence Awards, the election of a new slate of chamber directors, and a state‐of‐the‐NWT address by Premier Bob McLeod. "There was a great opening address by the premier yesterday. A very positive economic outlook and that was followed by Peter Vician, who is deputy minister of ITI (Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment) and he always does his economic outlook ‐‐ a statistical and kind of forward‐looking presentation ‐‐ and that's always very, very helpful in terms of getting perspective," said delegate Janet‐ Marie Fizer, who is president of the Hay River Chamber of Commerce and part‐owner of Hay River‐ based outdoor recreation business Monster Recreational Products Ltd. "Sometimes in the smaller communities you get so wrapped up in what you're doing you don't get that broader perspective. So I think for the chambers in the smaller communities to come in here to get access to information that you wouldn't normally have, is always valuable," she said. Fizer said she will be bringing information gathered at the conference back to her chamber for its strategic meeting this week. "Some of the things we're thinking are priorities for us I'm hearing here they're priorities in other areas of the North, so that just helps our chambers work together." The economic benefits of devolution, mining, oil and gas plays, and tourism were among panel discussions at the conference.
Chamber News Briefs 8 Northwestel executive Mark Walker made a presentation on the telecommunication company's $233‐ million modernization plan and roll‐out of cellular service in NWT communities with partner Falcon Communications. "This particular event is a very important event," Walker said. "It brings together government, it brings together aboriginal groups, it brings together businesses. It's where we get a chance to talk about what's going on in the economy, what are the initiatives, what are the innovations, how we make decisions based on all of those things." Past president Hughie Graham introduced past vice‐president of the chamber, Kathy Gray of Up Here Publishing, as the new NWT chamber president at the president's dinner on April 3. Gray presented Kelly Hayden, NPREIT vice‐president of commercial property, with the Business Person of the Year award, describing Hayden as a "timeless advocate of the chamber of commerce. "His staff across the North describe him as a thoughtful employer who is committed to their job satisfaction and their success," Gray said. NPREIT donates a portion of office rent to the Yellowknife chamber, the construction association, and the NWT chamber. The Business of the Year award went to KBL Environmental Ltd., an environmental management company which has grown to 40 employees from just two when it was started in 2009. "That alone is a testament to the quality of their work and their leadership team," Gray said. The conference was adjourned April 4 after a meeting of the new board.
YK‐based group questions devolution public engagement timeframe CJCD Radio – April 5, 2013 Yellowknife, NWT ‐ A Yellowknife‐based social policy group wants to know why public consultations on the devolution agreement haven't yet happened. Alternatives North says Premier Bob McLeod promised 60 days of "unprecedented public consultations" after the agreement was signed back on March 11th. Alternatives North member Gordon Hamre says people need to have their voices heard. "Devolution is a very complex issue and it will change, fundamentally, the relationship between citizens of the Northwest Territories and their government. The powers that the Government of the Northwest Territories will be taking on from the federal government are extremely important. The people of the Northwest Territories ought to have the opportunity to review those things." Alternatives North has even started a devolution consultation countdown clock on its website which sat at 35 days and counting as of Friday morning. In response, however, GNWT Executive Director of Devolution, Martin Goldney, says no timeline was ever set in stone. "It's important to recognize that the 60 day timeframe suggested for the public engagement on devolution was never a requirement. It was simply intended to provide a general guideline for the public on approximately how long we expect the engagement process to take. The GNWT must be flexible in this timeline to ensure that we respect and accommodate the availability of communities and the aboriginal government." Goldney says there will be two streams of engagement ‐ public information sessions and aboriginal consultation. He says public consultations will start next week, with the Yellowknife sessions set to begin in May.
Chamber News Briefs 9 Dash 8 upgrade launched in Yk Q400 to increase daily flight capacity to and from Edmonton and Calgary up to 48 per cent NWT News/North – April 6, 2013 Thandiwe Vela Air Canada launched the next generation Dash 8 at Yellowknife Airport on Tuesday. The Q400 twin engine turboprop aircraft was introduced as the national airliner aims to boost capacity on key regional routes. The 74‐seat Q400 replaces the 50‐seat CRJ‐100/200 regional jet airliner operated by Air Canada Express brand's Jazz Aviation LP on the Calgary‐Yellowknife and Edmonton‐Yellowknife routes. With the introduction of the aircraft, daily service on the routes could grow by up to 48 per cent during the summer peak, according to general manager Eric Bordeleau, which is welcome news to NWT Tourism. "We think it's fantastic news. We're very happy that Air Canada has done this," said NWT Tourism chairperson Jenni Bruce, anticipating that visitation numbers to the city will also increase with the increased flight capacity. "I hear quite often of people trying to book who can't get a seat. Even last year trying to book flights, you couldn't get a seat," Bruce said. "So those are people we're not getting up here that normally would come so now when they can get a seat I think they'll fill it." Increased visitation has been seen especially in the city's aurora tourism market, Bruce said. While figures for this season have not yet been compiled, operators are reporting one of the top aurora viewing seasons in a decade. Air Canada estimates daily seat capacity on the Calgary‐Yellowknife route to increase 24 per cent to 124 from 100 in 2012, and 48 per cent to 74 from 50 on the Edmonton‐Yellowknife route, with capacity increases of up to 100 per cent on some of its western Canada routes where the Q400 has also been launched this year. Air Canada launched flights to Yellowknife from Edmonton and Calgary in 2006. The airline reviews the number of flights and times across its routes worldwide on a regular basis to enable business people to travel to and from destinations easily, spokesperson Angela Mah told Yellowknifer in an e‐mail, explaining how the regional routes where the larger aircraft would be launched were chosen. "Due to current strong travel demand on key markets in western Canada, including to and from Yellowknife, a commercial decision was made to deploy our newest regional aircraft with more seats here in order to meet that demand," Mah stated. The Dash 8 Q400 is made in Canada by Bombardier.
Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation pushes for park approval Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve signing wanted before devolution NWT News/North – April 8, 2013 Kassina Ryder The Lutsel K'e Dene First Nation's (LKDFN) chief negotiator says he hopes an agreement in principle for Thaidene Nene National Park Reserve will be signed soon.
Chamber News Briefs 10 "We anticipate it will happen within the next couple of months, by September at the latest," said Steve Nitah. The AIP was expected to be signed last month, but was delayed, Nitah said. The LKDFN wants to rally the territorial government and the Northwest Territories Chamber of Mines in establishing the park, he said. While preliminary meetings have taken place, all parties are waiting on the proposed park's Mineral and Energy Resource Assessment (MERA), which is being compiled by Natural Resources Canada. The report was scheduled for release in 2011, but Nitah said that too has been delayed. He said he does not know when the report will be released. "Nothing official," he said. "It's three years behind schedule, going on four years." Nitah said when the MERA is finished, the LKDFN wants to work with the territory and the chamber to finalize the park's boundaries. "We're hoping once the MERA is completed, we can sit down with the chamber and the GNWT and identify a boundary and present that boundary to Canada together, which is not how it's usually done," he said. Nitah said working together with the territory and the chamber will help develop made‐in‐the‐North tools to guide the management of protected areas. "The idea of creating Northern tools is to create legislation that can be used by the government of the Northwest Territories to protect important areas to the people of the NWT, whether they're from the Inuvialuit, Gwich'in or any other regions down the Mackenzie Valley," Nitah said. "Those tools do not exist today." He said the goal is to establish legislation that reflects the values of LKDFN. The territorial government, when working out agreements with other First Nations and affected parties, can then use that legislation as a guideline. The tools aim to balance resource development and wilderness protection, Nitah said. "At the same time, make it flexible enough that if you want to access non‐renewable resources within that area, that through a process, that can happen," he said. "What that process is and what those tools ‐ what they look like ‐ we don't know yet because we haven't created it." About 33,000 square km have been set aside as the park's study area, which protects it from development. However, Nitah said that protection ends on March 31, 2014 ‐ the day before the devolution deal between the federal government and the territory is scheduled to come into effect. Nitah said he worries what will happen to Thaidene Nene if a formal agreement isn't reached before that time. "The concern here is we have been in dialogue with Canada for a number of years now. Before our dialogue is completed and we have an agreement that would identify a boundary for Thaidene Nene, Canada has agreed to hand over the crown lands that Thaidene Nene currently sits in to the government of the Northwest Territories," he said. The proposed park area, which begins at the Eastern arm of Great Slave Lake, is the homeland of the LKDFN, Nitah said. The area includes lakes, rivers and a variety of waterfalls, such as the Old Lady of the Falls, which is of special significance to the LKDFN.
Chamber News Briefs 11 The area extends from the Boreal forest to the tundra and is home to caribou, moose, muskoxen, fish and birds. Nitah said the area's beauty is second to none. "We get more visitations in this area than all the national parks and protected areas in the NWT and Nunavut combined to date," he said. The First Nation hopes to capitalize on the region's beauty and cultural significance to create a cultural tourism industry, Nitah said. "We're trying to capture this area and preserve it in a way that future generations will continue to use it," he said. "At the same time, Lutsel Ke would like to create an economy around that, so that we're not totally dependent on non‐renewable resource extraction as a source of revenue." Nitah attended last week's National Aboriginal Tourism Opportunities Conference in Osoyoos, B.C., and gave a presentation on Thaidene Nene and the idea of cultural tourism. He said Canada's tourism industry is expected to double in the next two decades. "It's definitely an economic opportunity for that area because of Thaidene Nene," Nitah said. "So it's not only about land protection, but it's also about managing the land in a way that also has economic and social value that's sustainable and renewable, which complements the non‐renewable industry, which is pretty much the only industry in the Northwest Territories." Working with the NWT Chamber of Mines will help develop a balanced approach between development and protection, he said. Tom Hoefer, the chamber's executive director, said Nitah's plan to work together is the first of its kind. "Nobody has ever done it before, so it's going to be trailblazing," he said. "My observation is that we haven't been very creative at all in the North in the past when it comes to national park creation." Hoefer said instead of having an area designated a national park, which would prohibit any future development, there are different classifications that can be used when determining protected areas. "National wildlife areas don't have to preclude development, whereas national parks do," he said. Hoefer said different designations allow for more flexibility and some can be revisited in the future and changed. "We know there's minerals there, but we don't like the technology that's available right now," he said, as an example. "But in five or 10 years time, there might be whole new technology that lets you develop them with very minimal footprint. It leaves the options open for future generations. As soon as you put a national park on it, that's closed forever." Nitah said he's confident preliminary meetings have illustrated the need for a shared agreement between industry, the territory and LKDFN. "There is a political will, it seems," he said. He said until a decision is made, work will continue. A representative from Natural Resources Canada did not return an interview request by press time to discuss when the Mineral and Energy Resource Assessment will be released. "Natural Resources Canada's mineral and energy resource assessment is undergoing final stages. Once finalized, the report will be posted to the department's website for public access," Michelle Viau, communications advisor with Natural Resources Canada, stated in an email to News/North.
Chamber News Briefs 12 RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AND ENERGY NEWS
The treasures under the tundra Nunavut News/North – April 8, 2013 Although Baffinland's scaling down and re‐entering the regulatory review phase, and Shear Diamonds Ltd. has fled the scene, things are still looking good for Nunavut's resource development industry. As highlighted in the Nunavut Mining supplement, tucked into last week's newspaper, close to $427 million was spent on exploration in the territory last year. This is the groundwork for a strong industry in the future. Projects like Baffinland in the Qikiqtani, once it finally starts up, Agnico‐Eagle Mines Ltd.'s Meadowbank and proposed Meliadine projects in the Kivalliq, and the Lupin gold project in the Kitikmeot region, which owner Elgin Mining Ltd. hopes to start back up in 2015, could give Nunavummiut the experience necessary to take hold of the territorial industry in the future. Use these opportunities for training with ambition and foresight. Multinational companies are bringing their mining experience, personnel, and cash backing to the North to conduct these operations. The more Nunavummiut that climb the ranks in these companies, the more likely mining will be conducted responsibly in the territory with maximized benefits to Inuit.
Nunavut uranium watchdog calls for territory‐wide plebiscite on uranium mining Nunatsiaq News ‐ April 08, 2013 "The decision‐making process does not clearly respond to or account for broader Inuit input" More Inuit decision‐making on in the future of uranium mining in Nunavut: this is what Nunavummiut Makitagunarningit, Nunavut’s uranium development watchdog, says it wants to see. “Inuit are restricted in their ability to inform themselves independently and evaluate the proposal on their own terms, and while there are Inuit on the NIRB [Nunavut Impact Review Board] itself the decision‐making process does not clearly respond to or account for broader Inuit input. “Important documentation is not being translated into Inuktitut, and important meetings are being held during the height of Inuit hunting seasons,” said Makita in its submission to a study on extractive and energy industries in and near indigenous territories by James Anaya, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Makita said it believes that the “free prior and informed consent” of Inuit in Nunavut can only be arrived at through a territory‐wide public inquiry, followed by a territory‐wide vote on whether to move ahead with uranium mining in Nunavut. The GN and Nunavut’s representative Inuit organizations have given their guarded consent to uranium mining on Inuit territory. But, in its submission, Makita said “the free prior and informed consent of the general Inuit population has yet to be sought on the matter.” “Free prior and informed consent” is the international legal standard on dealings with indigenous people on resource development projects. The submission documents the experience of Nunavummiut to date, with Makita maintaining that experience has been “the opposite of free, prior, and informed consent.” Makita said April 8 in statement that all key uranium‐related decisions taken by institutions created by settlement of the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement have been made behind closed doors.
Chamber News Briefs 13 “These institutions have avoided the issue of democratic consent at all costs, opting instead for carefully controlled ‘consultations’ with no real mandate to assess community consent in any meaningful way. The mining industry has been overrepresented in these ‘consultations,’ to the point that both NTI [Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.] and the GN relied on industry consultants for supposedly unbiased and impartial policy ‘advice.’” Makita said that the submission repeats its call for a public inquiry into uranium mining, to be followed by “free and democratic votes – by the residents of Baker Lake and among NLCA beneficiaries – on the wisdom of opening the door to who‐knows‐how‐many uranium mines in Nunavut… with all the cumulative effects they would entail.” Makita’s submission can be found on its website while Anaya’s study is posted here.
“Making connections” a priority at Nunavut Mining Symposium Industry event draws hundreds to Iqaluit April 8 to April 11 Nunatsiaq News ‐ April 08, 2013 If you want to know about mining in Nunavut, Iqaluit is the place to be this week. About 500 representatives from mining and mineral exploration companies, the businesses they rely on, and officials from Nunavut communities and government departments are set to gather under the banner “Making Connections” from April 8 to April 11 at the Nunavut Mining Symposium. As the symposium slogan says, forging stronger connections between all members of the mining industry — including Nunavut’s communities — is the goal of the 16th annual event. But this year’s emphasis on forging stronger connections takes place in an uncertain economic climate, with Conference Board of Canada’s recent 2013 Territorial Outlook on Mining saying the global economic downturn has restricted the “boom” in northern mining projects. During the mining symposium, organizers are hosting venues for presentations and networking activities around the Frobisher Inn as well as a gala banquet and awards night at the Iqaluit Curling Club. The first day of presentations, April 9, opens with remarks from the Nunavut Mining Symposium Society as well as Nunavut MP Leona Aglukkaq, Peter Taptuna, Nunavut’s minister responsible for mines, and Cathy Towtongie, president of Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Patricia Mohr, an economics and commodity market specialist with Scotiabank, will give the keynote address on the global economic outlook as it relates to metal prices and currencies — which is not likely to be encouraging for Nunavut overall. Weakened global demand for minerals and metals caused a decline in Canadian mining production in 2012, down by 7.9 per cent from 2011, although this did not affect Nunavut’s only mine, Meadowbank, a producer of gold and silver — two metals which have increased in value. But mineral exploration companies plan to spend $130.3 million less in Nunavut in 2013, a recent Natural Resources Canada survey of mineral exploration in the northern territories reported. For symposium delegate,s a packed day of sessions follows Mohr’s speech including topics as varied as “how Agnico‐Eagle Mines stimulates Nunavut’s economy” and “Supplying mines by Cat train.” On April 10, even if you’re not a symposium delegate, you can still attend its trade show at the Frobisher Inn. Students can attend the trade show from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., with members of the public welcome to check out the trade show’s many booths from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Chamber News Briefs 14 You’ll also be able to see — and buy — arts and crafts from Nunavut at a market organized by the Nunavut Arts and Crafts Association in the Astro theatre lobby. Symposium presentations continue on April 11 with a look at major mining projects, including Agnico‐ Eagle’s Meadowbank gold mine and Meliadine project, Xstrata Zinc’s Hackett River project, MMG’s Izok corridor project, future infrastructure and energy sources and overviews on the geology of ore deposits. But again, tight financial markets have caused companies to delay or downsize projects, such as Baffinland Iron Mines Corp’s Mary River iron mine project in northern Baffin Island, which decided earlier this year to scale back from a $4 billion to a $740 million project. The symposium closes that evening with an awards gala banquet at Iqaluit’s curling rink, sponsored by Agnico‐Eagle Mines Ltd. and Canadian North. Funds will be raised for Nunavut Sivuniksavut with a “Canadian North‐opoly Challenge.” The gala features music by Rankin Inlet’s band, Esther Powell and the Roughcuts, with blues and gospel tunes in Inuktitut and English, courtesy of Alianait, with sponsorship from Xstrata Zinc Canada.
New northern riches? Calgary Herald – April 8, 2013 It was like a scene from an Indiana Jones movie. After the engine failed, the helicopter plunged into a rain forest canopy. But the dense vegetation prevented the crippled machine from crashing to Earth, sparing the lives of those on‐board. Among its three occupants was a young geologist called Buddy Doyle, who found himself hanging upside down in the upturned helicopter. The pilot was badly injured. So Doyle grabbed the damaged radio and blurted out a call for help. The survivors spent the night huddled in the cockpit, hoping and praying that someone had heard their distress call. Fortunately, they were plucked to safety by a helicopter crew from a rival company the following day. Doyle's brush with disaster happened over 20 years ago, when he was working for mining giant Rio Tinto Plc, exploring for gold in remote Papua New Guinea. But his nightmarish ordeal wasn't for nothing. He was eventually credited with discovering one of the world's richest gold finds: the Lihir mine, which has produced well over 20 million ounces of gold to date. As his reward for toiling for years in steaming jungle terrain, where he suffered bouts of malaria and foot rot, Dolye was hurried off to a place that seemed like a different planet in comparison ‐ Canada's frozen northern tundra. This is where his sharp geological acumen and dogged determination served him well once again. As exploration manager for Kennecott Canada Exploration Inc. ‐ a subsidiary of Rio Tinto PLC ‐ his assignment was to make a world‐class diamond discovery, which was no easy task in the barren, frozen vastness of the Northwest Territories (NWT). However, he eventually overcame daunting odds to locate what later became the multibillion‐dollar Diavik diamond mine. For his efforts, he was paid a measly $5,000 bonus. After watching others get rich from this spectacular find, Doyle decided it was time to strike out on his own. And if he was going to continue risking life and limb, he might as well be better compensated, he figured. So he joined a small diamond exploration mining junior called Arctic Star Exploration Corp. For close to a decade, he has been trying to recapture the glory of his earlier geological successes. But it's been a tough slog ‐ literally and figuratively. Malaria and foot rot have been replaced with hypothermia and frostbite. And a succession of hot leads in frigid locations have disappointed time and time again. But he now believes that he may finally be on the verge of striking pay dirt ‐ once more.
Chamber News Briefs 15 He's not alone in his assessment. Even Chuck Fipke likes what he sees. Fipke is a famed geologist who reputedly became an overnight billionaire, after he discovered in 1991 what evolved into Canada's first‐ ever diamond mine. Ironically, this epic find was the catalyst for Rio Tinto's decision to rush Doyle to Canada to seek out a similar diamond bonanza. In recent times, Fipke's laboratory in Kelowna, B.C., has processed some of the exploration data for Arctic Star (TSX.V: ADD) ‐ a TSX Venture Exchange publicly‐traded company. A specialist in the field of geochemistry, Fipke relied extensively on this geological sleuthing technique to track down the source of what later became the Ekati diamond mine in Canada's Northwest Territories (NWT). This gives Fipke a privileged insight into the prospects of success for Arctic Star's best drill targets (known in geo speak as a "high‐priority anomalies"), which are in the same NWT region as Ekati. The primary target was selected, in part, because of its excellent geochemistry. This means it is ideally located at the head of a prolific "dispersion train" of diamond indicator minerals (one that also includes tiny diamonds). "It looks like the geochemistry is coming from the area where the anomaly is," Fipke says. "It's definitely worth drilling, for sure." In other words, the approximately 40‐kilometre‐long indicator mineral trail comes to an abrupt end in the immediate vicinity of Arctic Star's initial high‐priority drill target. This situation is comparable to a trail of crumbs leading back to a loaf of bread. Even though Arctic Star's upcoming drill program ‐ which is scheduled to commence in mid April ‐ will cost around a $1‐million dollars, it may end up being a small price to pay, especially considering that an economic discovery would make this upstart company the toast of Canada's mining investment community. After all, the NWT's three diamond mines have collectively produced over $25‐billion worth of these glittering gems so far. With so much at stake, Arctic Star isn't pinning its hopes on just one target alone. A cluster of other stand‐out anomalies ‐ many of which exhibit very encouraging geophysical signatures ‐ will also be drill‐ tested. Hence, an opportunity to unearth the world's next big‐league diamond discovery represents a potential home run for Arctic Star's investors. But it would be premature to put the champagne on ice just yet. The fact is diamond dreams and the harsh realities of mineral exploration don't make good bedfellows. For instance, over 100 junior diamond exploration companies have spent an estimated $300million‐plus on scouring the NWT and other remote regions of Canada over the last two decades. So says John Kaiser, who has been a mining newsletter writer (www.kaiserbottomfish.com) for over 20 years. "There's less than a dozen diamond exploration juniors left, just because the odds of success have always been dismal," he says. His assessment is hard to argue with. Other than each spending millions of dollars and thousands of hours of work, the vast majority of these intrepid exploration companies have one important common denominator: They've come up empty‐handed. However, there have been several phenomenal success stories to make it all worthwhile for plenty of investors. They include Fipke's Dia Met Minerals, which discovered the Ekati mine. This fabulous find propelled the company's share price from mere pennies in 1991 to over $67 the following year. Next came another junior mining rags‐to‐riches story‐ Aber Resources. Its share price had a similarly meteoric run after the company discovered what became the Diavik mine. Last but not least, Winspear Resources also struck the geological jackpot when it unearthed a diamond deposit that became the Snap Lake mine. Its shareholders also enjoyed a "home run" return on their investments.
Chamber News Briefs 16 Another small‐time player that won big ‐ Mountain Province Diamonds ‐ is still awaiting a government‐ issued mining permit to fulfill its glittering destiny at Kennedy Lake in the NWT. The good news for Arctic Star shareholders is that diamond deposits, known as kimberlite pipes, often occur in clusters that resemble a shotgun blast spread out over an area in diametre of up to 50 kilometres. So when one of them is located, geologists know that other potentially diamond‐rich kimberlite pipes are likely relatively nearby. But what exactly is a kimberlite pipe? It's actually an ancient volcanic eruption of molten rock that has hardened into a vertical carrot‐shaped structure. Having emerged from the bowels of the Earth, some of these formations transported diamonds to the Earth's surface hundreds of millions of years ago. And a small percentage of them have become virtual treasure troves that are each worth billions of dollars. In Canada's far north, these kimberlite eruptions left fingerprints in the form of indicator minerals, which were dispersed like volcanic ash in the general vicinity of the pipes' cratered surfaces. Hence, diamond explorationists know they're on the right track when they're able to trace these telltale indicator mineral trails to their diamondiferous source. In the case of Arctic Star, finding one or more diamond‐laced pipes is only half the battle. The next step would be to perform a mini bulk sample of some of the near‐surface rock, which would provide a very rough estimate of the dissemination of diamonds in a pipe, as well as their average size and quality. It typically takes at least a carat per tonne of rock to generate odds that favour a viable mine becoming a reality. Once again, the rewards can be dazzling. For instance, NWT's existing diamond mines can each yield as many as 10 million carats a year. And they're always in hot demand ‐ far more so than other highly valuable commodities. For instance, whereas the price of gold can fluctuate wildly, diamond prices have been steadily trending upwards for decades. As the ultimate status symbol, diamonds are particularly popular these days among the world's emerging super‐economies, like China and Russia, which continue to produce newly‐minted millionaires at an astounding rate. In spite of this recession‐proof growing demand for the world's most prestigious luxury good, there's a catch for Canada: Our supplies are already dwindling. In fact, there's only been one economic diamond discovery in Canada in well over a decade, and that was De Beers' Victor pipe in Ontario. It's the only diamond mine outside of the NWT. Therefore, a new discovery may be long overdue. But why does Arctic Star believe it has a better shot at the big time than the vast majority of its past and present peers in Canada's diamond exploration sweepstakes? Doyle believes he can answer this question. According to the soft‐spoken but affable Australian, the geochemistry that has led Arctic Star to its highest‐priority drill target is quite exceptional. "The abundant indicator minerals in the South Coppermine mineral train have the same unique chemistry as ones that co‐exist with diamonds. In other words, they must have been formed under the exact same conditions that create diamonds," he says. "This makes it probable that the source of these trace elements is diamondiferous." Doyle is a man on a mission as he intently studies an array of table‐top‐sized maps of Arctic Star's upcoming drill targets in his cluttered, unpretentious Vancouver office. As one of the world's foremost diamond exploration experts, he's convinced that the NWT has at least one more dazzling secret to give up. And he believes this time around his odds of success are particularly encouraging.
Chamber News Briefs 17 "The depth of experience and level of sophistication that we have in finding diamond pipes has come a long way since the Diavik and Ekati diamond mines were found," Doyle says. "Whereas these past discoveries were largely reliant on using one particular exploration tool or another, we're now using all the tools in the tool kit." "And these exploration techniques that we've used to identify our best drill targets each corroborate one other, which is really exciting." This marketing feature was written by Marc Davis, Davis and Associates Capital. This article is not and should not be construed as an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for any investment or security. No information in this article should be construed as a description of any security or as investment advice. Postmedia Network Inc. did not prepare and recommend or endorse the information in this marketing feature.
Rio finds likely buyer for Diavik mine stake The Australian – April 6, 2013 Barry Fitzgerald RIO Tinto's 60 per cent stake in the Diavik diamond mine in Canada's frigid Northwest Territories could be the first asset to go in its multi‐billion‐dollar clean‐out of non‐core assets under new chief executive Sam Walsh. Its partner in the mine, Dominion Diamond Corp, has said it has the financial "headroom" to buy the stake ‐‐ at the right price. Any acquisition by Toronto‐based Dominion would follow on from its soon‐to‐close $US500 million ($480m) acquisition of BHP Billiton's 80 per cent stake in the smaller and shorter‐lived Ekati diamond mine, also in the Northwest Territories. Dominion's chairman and chief executive Robert Gannicott was asked on Thursday in Canada whether the company's balance sheet could handle a deal with Rio on Diavik, given the recent Ekati acquisition. "There's certainly headroom," he said. He noted Dominion was picking up $US740m from the recent sale of its luxury jewellery and watch business to Switzerland's Swatch. "We're going to give $US500m of it to BHP. But we've also just completed a credit facility for $US640m, which we have available to us now. "I think we have certainly got the headroom to undertake a transaction with Rio on Diavik should that be available at the right price," Mr Gannicott said. He said it was premature to talk about capturing synergies from controlling both Ekati and Diavik. Ekati sits beneath frozen tundra 310km northeast of Yellowknife, while Diavik is 300km northeast of the regional centre. "I'm not going to spend too much time thinking about synergies for something that I can't realise," Mr Gannicott said. "(I'd) think a lot more about synergies if it was clear that we can become the owner of Diavik. But I mean, that's not clear at the present time," he said. Dominion last year valued 100 per cent of Diavik at $C2.1 billion‐$C2.6bn ($1.98bn‐$2.4bn), implying a value for Rio's 60 per cent stake at $C1.2bn‐$C1.56bn. But it would be expecting any deal with Rio to be pitched at much lower prices. Rio has previously flagged the potential sale of its diamond business, which includes the Argyle mine in Western Australia.
Chamber News Briefs 18 It also wants to quit its Pacific Aluminium business but cannot find buyers for the loss‐maker even though a likely asking price of $US1.5bn would represent a fraction of the replacement cost of its smelters and alumina interests. Earlier this week, The Wall Street Journal said Rio had hired Deutsche Bank to sell its 50.1 per cent interest in the Clermont‐Blair Athol thermal coal operation in central Queensland, as well as 29 per cent in its 80 per cent‐owned Hunter Valley coal operation, Coal & Allied. The Journal also reported Rio had hired Macquarie to find a buyer for its 80 per cent interest in the Northparkes copper‐gold mine in NSW. Commonwealth Bank analysts said the interest could fetch $US1bn.
Chamber News Briefs 19