Mining in British Columbia contributes $8.9 billion to the economy

According to a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC), direct mining expenditures in British Columbia mining crested $5.2 billion in 2010. An additional $3.7 billion was spent in secondary and support industries and services resulting in a total of $8.9 billion of economic activity across British Columbia. The Economic Impact Analysis report commissioned by the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) and compiled by PwC measures direct, indirect and induced economic impacts of mining in terms of output, Gross Domestic Product, employment and government tax revenues.

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Company seeking permission for first gold, silver mine in Scotland in 500 years

Gold mining in Scotland? Acch, you don't say. The BBC is reporting that Scotgold Resources Limited (ASX:SGZ) is seeking to develop Scotland's first commercial gold mine in Loch Lomond National Park. Planning officials have recommended that the plan to extract £50 million worth of gold and silver from a hillside near Tyndrum, be approved. The project has undergone a revision since being rejected by the park authority in August 2010. If the mine goes ahead, it wil be the first gold mining operation in 500 years, in a nation better known for Scotch and haggis than nuggets and bullion.

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Gold bugs conspiracy theory goes mainstream

Support for the favourite gold bug conspiracy theory – that a cabal of western central bankers is secretly determined to manipulate the world’s markets by rigging gold prices – has come from an unexpected quarter.

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Outokumpu to cut 1 in 6 workers on gloomy steel outlook

Reuters reports Outokumpu said it expected to report a significant operating loss in its final quarter as weak demand and prices continued to hit margins forcing the stainless steel maker to cut up to 1,300 jobs in an effort to reduce costs after brought on by the declining value of its raw material inventories. While Europe's woes have been well-documented, the Finnish multinational's announcement is further evidence of a changing dynamic in the iron ore and steel market. On Tuesday Chinese steel mills forced the world’s number one iron ore producer Vale to bend over contract pricing after falls in the spot iron ore price.

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Underground Mining Basics Training Centre Could be Headed to Illawarra

Mining contractor Mastermyne is opening a new NSW training facility for underground miners, and wants it to be running early next year, possibly in the Illawarra, reports the Illawarra Mercury.

The simulated mining experience, built using shipping containers, would be modelled on the company's existing facility in Mackay. Managing director Tony Caruso said BlueScope Steel's decision to cut about 800 jobs at the Port Kembla steelworks was the "catalyst to get things moving". "When we saw the BlueScope announcement we thought it made sense to look at that, and obviously there's a large pool of labour there that's going to become redundant and is going to need somewhere to go."

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Quantum CEO urges U.S. to counter China’s rare earth strategy; Nebraska site helps secure America’s rare earth metals needs

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Oct. 20, 2011) - Quantum Rare Earth Developments Corp. (TSX VENTURE:QRE)(OTCQX:QREDF)(FRANKFURT:BR3) (http://www.quantumrareearth.com/) CEO Peter Dickie is calling for the U.S. to accelerate effor...

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NDP leader wades into foreign-worker issue at oilsands project

Brian Mason, the leader of the Alberta NDP party, is criticizing Premier-elect Alison Redford for failing to prevent 200 oilsands workers for losing their jobs to temporary foreign workers. According to a report in The Vancouver Sun, the workers, unionized insulators at Suncor's Firebag operation, were replaced by temporary foreign workers who are being paid less:

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Director of Australian Mines and Metals Association Advises Ramping up Mine Training

Australian Associated Press reports: the skills shortage in the Australian mining industry could suffocate new resource projects across the country, says Australian Mines and Metals Association director Minna Knight.

"Government policymakers can no longer take the economic gains arising from Australia's resources projects for granted," [Knight] told the Queensland government's mining and gas jobs expo on the Gold Coast. "Without immediate intervention, some of these projects will simply run out of workers."

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