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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 PwC releasing its 2020 forecast with good news for the mining industry, Iamgold temporarily reducing its Westwood mine workforce by 70 per cent and Hudbay resuming full production at 777.

CIM will hold its 2021 Convention & Expo fully online in order to provide a world-class virtual experience that will keep delegates from around the world safe. CIM is prioritizing the health and safety of attendees and presenters amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and participants will have access to technical content during and after the virtual conference. The convention’s theme is “Resilient and Thriving – Together in a Changing World” and will take place from May 3 to May 6.

PwC released its 2020 forecast, which states that the mining sector will fare better than other industries and only take a modest hit from the COVID-19 pandemic, as reported by Kitco News. According to the forecast, the top 40 mining companies are expected to record an approximate six-per cent decrease to EBITDA, a four-per cent increase in revenue and a 19-per cent increase in the sector’s market capitalization. The forecast also included the recommendation that mining companies revisit their strategies and collectively improve their ESG behaviours.

Unearthed Solutions announced the winners of its Gawler Challenge earlier this fall after receiving approximately 2,200 entries by geo- and data-science enthusiasts from around the world who tried to locate mineral deposits in South Australia’s Gawler region. Unearthed Solutions believes that the success of their challenge demonstrates the value of crowdsourcing data analytics and creating a global expert community to solve challenges.

Researchers from the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) and the Polytechnique Montréal have written a new book about mine site reclamation. The book, entitled “Hard Rock Mine Reclamation - From Prediction to Management of Acid Mine Drainage,” documents different approaches and solutions to mine reclamation problems and, according to the editors, is the first book to compile information on topics such as passive treatment systems, mine waste management in a single document.

There are currently 10 cases of COVID-19 connected to active outbreaks at six oil sands sites, as reported by CBC. The six outbreaks are at sites operated by Syncrude, Suncor Energy, Canadian Natural Resources and Imperial Oil. There have been nine COVID-19 outbreaks and 258 cases connected to oil sands sites since the beginning of the pandemic and, according to Alberta Health, the real number of cases could be even higher as they do not include cases from other jurisdictions.

After suspending open-pit operations at its Huckleberry mine in British Columbia in 2016, Imperial Metals made sure that it carefully prepared for the mine’s care and maintenance. The company has regularly inspected equipment and infrastructure, planned for all possibilities and maintained existing local partnership agreements to ensure a sustainable care and maintenance period. Because of this, the company was able to conduct an exploration drilling program this year and plans to strengthen the mine’s geological model for an eventual reopening.

Lundin Mining has reached collective agreements with the Candelaria Supervisors and LMC Supervisors unions, as well as the Candelaria Mine Workers Union. The company now has agreements with all five unions representing Candelaria employees and is returning to full operations at its Candelaria copper operations in Chile. Labour action at the mining complex began in October.

Iamgold is temporarily reducing its underground workforce by 70 per cent at the company’s Westwood mine in Quebec. According to the company, the reduction will affect 437 employees as underground operations remain suspended following a seismic event earlier this month. The company is still investigating the cause of the seismic event, is assessing a recovery plan for the mine and will provide an update in early 2021.

Hudbay Minerals has resumed full production at its 777 mine in Manitoba ahead of schedule following a skip hoist incident last month. According to the company, the total repair costs were under the estimated $5 million, and it expects to reach its full-year production and cost guidance for 2020. The company had temporarily reassigned equipment and personnel to its Lalor mine during shaft repairs at 777.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers denied a permit for Pebble Limited Partnership’s Pebble gold and copper project in Alaska, as reported by Politico. The Army Corps stated that the mining company’s plan to mitigate ecological damage from the project did not comply with the Clean Water Act and determined that the project would be contrary to public interest. Pebble Limited Partnership CEO John Shrively said the company would appeal the decision.

An international team of scientists has published a study stating that it is possible to create Lonsdaleite and regular diamonds at normal room temperatures by applying high pressures, as reported by Mining.com. Researchers from The Australian National University, RMIT University, the University of Sydney and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory found that applying high pressures and allowing carbon to ”shear,”, a twisting or sliding force, will cause carbon atoms to move into place and form both Lonsdaleite and regular diamonds. According to researchers, both types of diamonds can be formed by using a pressure equivalent to “640 African elephants on the tip of a ballet shoe.”

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