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Welcome back to your weekly mining news recap, where we catch you up on some of the news you may have missed. This week’s headlines include Silvercorp acquiring Guyana Goldfields in a $105-million deal, Edgewater Exploration losing at UN tribunal and Cameco supporting northern communities with COVID-19 relief fund.

A worker at Impala Canada’s Lac des Iles mine has died from complications related to COVID-19, as reported by Timmins Today. In an email distributed by the company, the employee was “respected by his fellow coworkers, who remember him as being full of life.” Operations at the northwestern Ontario palladium mine have been indefinitely suspended following a COVID-19 outbreak in April, which has infected 20 employees.

First Nations in northern Ontario have asked the provincial government to put a hold on mining exploration permits and staking claims as they address the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by the CBC. According to Neskantaga Chief Chris Moonias, his community is focused on its COVID-19 response, leaving no time or resources to look through permits. Mining has not had the same shutdowns as other sectors as it is an essential activity in Ontario, leaving First Nations concerned about permits being approved without proper consultation.

Recovery efforts underway in Fort McMurray will begin with businesses after 13,000 people were forced from their homes due to massive flooding in the northern Alberta community, as reported by The Globe and Mail. Businesses and essential services such as government offices, grocery stores and pharmacies will be opened first, while residents will need to wait at least a week before returning to their homes. The flooding was caused by an ice jam, which damaged 1,230 structures according to the mayor.

Cameco’s $1-million COVID-19 Relief Fund will support 67 community projects across 40 communities in Saskatoon and northern Saskatchewan. The fund will provide grants of up to $50,000 to groups to assist them in overcoming the effects of COVID-19 on their communities. The company announced that it will also provide 10,000 masks, 7,000 pairs of gloves and 7,000 litres of hand sanitizer to northern and First Nations communities.

Silvercorp Metals has struck a deal to acquire Guyana Goldfields for $105 million at a value of $0.60 per share. Silvercorp currently operates silver mines in China and Guyana Goldfields is focused on its flagship Aurora gold mine in Guyana. According to Silvercorp this deal will create a diverse leading precious metals producer. The deal includes a US$15-million loan agreement towards the transition to underground operations at the Aurora mine.

At its Young-Davidson mine, Alamos Gold has found that one way to sink a large-diameter production shaft quicker, safer and cheaper than traditional methods is with raise boring. After Alamos’ predecessor acquired the mine in 2011 with plans to sink it further, they realized that the existing shaft was too narrow for high-volume hoisting, and enlisted Cementation Canada for help. Together, they developed the novel idea to raise bore the new shaft, which is expected to move 8,000 tonnes of ore per day later this year.

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) has ruled against Edgewater Exploration in its case against Spain to recover losses from its Corcoesto gold project in the country’s Galicia region, as reported by Mining.com. The Galicia regional government went back on its approval of the Corcoesto project, which was estimated to produce a total of more than one million ounces of gold over an almost ten-year mine life, and asked Edgewater to complete further environmental requirements. The UNCITRAL decision is the latest development in a multiyear legal battle in which Edgewater has attempted to recover the $35 million it invested in the project.

Barrick and Zinjin Mining have suspended operations at their joint venture, the Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea, after the Papua New Guinea government announced it would not be renewing the mine’s lease, as reported by Reuters. The government cited environmental damage and social unrest among local landowners and residents, who say the mine has polluted the area without any economic benefit for those who live there. The miners say the government did not give them a formal notification that it would not renew the lease, which would force the mine to close and allow the government to take it over, and will pursue legal means to protect their interests.

Last month a staking moratorium was lifted on the Peel watershed’s integrated management areas, opening up 17 per cent of the area to exploration and development, as reported by Yukon News. The end of the moratorium is the result of the Peel Watershed Regional Use Plan, which was finalized in August 2019 by the Yukon government, First Nations and conservation groups after years of legal battles.

At the brink of a division closure, a mining company turned the situation around by transforming the work culture and investing in employees. By setting goals, demonstrating value and fostering empowerment, employee engagement improved and the division that was once the company’s worst performing group became its top performer in profits and low incident frequency. HSE professional Nadine Trodel explains how employee engagement is sustainable  when a company’s leadership is actively involved in culture transformation. 

Mali has finalized its new mining code, in which mining companies will no longer be exempt from value added tax during production, as reported by Reuters. The code, once signed by Mali’s president, will also shorten the period of time that companies are protected from fiscal changes from 30 to 20 years. The new code, originally announced in August 2019, is meant to create more government gains from mining and tackle weaknesses in its previous regulations.

Companies are releasing their Q1 results for 2020, and we’ve rounded up some of the key figures.

Cameco reported a net loss of $19 million and a 35 per cent increase in uranium spot price since late March.

Taseko Mines reported an adjusted net loss of $21.6 million and 32.4 million ounces of copper produced, up 7.5 million ounces from last year.

Agnico Eagle, affected by the temporary shutdown of seven of its eight mines, set a new 2020 guidance of 1.63 to 1.73 million ounces of gold, down from a previous 1.875 million ounces, and reported a net loss of $21.6 million.

Pretium, Lundin Mining, Alamos Gold and Yamana Gold have also released their Q1 results.

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Remember to stay safe, stay home and wash your hands!