Ugo Lapointe, B.Sc.H.

Role of government policy in sustainable mining

Dec.5th 2013, Thunder Bay

TODAY’S PRESENTATION

1. COALITION QUÉBEC MEILLEURE MINE!

2. MINING CONTEXT: QUEBEC / CANADA / MONDE

4. CONCLUSIONS

3. SOME KEY MINING POLICY ISSUES

1.  « POUR QUE LE QUEBEC AIT MEILLEURE MINE » FOR BETTER MINES COALITION

www.quebecmeilleuremine.org

2. CONTEXT: MINING « BOOM » IN QUEBEC…

135 145 132 90

205295

476526

348

512

834

692696

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Exploration (avg. 2006-2013)

500+ projects / yr

500+ M$ / yr 3000+ drillings / yr

Au = 50%

Cu,Ni,Zn,Fe,U,Li...

Exploration M$

2,23,0 3,3 3,6 3,9

4,65,5

6,2 5,66,8

8,5 8,29,1

1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013

Development & Extraction (2013)

23 mines 30+ dev.projects

Au, Fe, Ni

Exploitation B$

Sources: RNCAN 2013, AMQ 2012, MRNF 2013 et historique,

ISQ 2013 et historique.

15K direct jobs, 30K indirect jobs, 2 to 3% GDP - QC

2. CONTEXT: SIGNIFICANT WORLD TRENDS Strong demand & consumption (e.g. gold 1840-2005)

Tirée de Normand Mousseau, Le défi des ressources minières, éditions Multimondes, 2012

Tirée de Normand Mousseau, Le défi des ressources minières, éditions Multimondes, 2012

2. CONTEXT: SIGNIFICANT WORLD TRENDS Lower grade deposits (e.g. gold 1840-2005)

Tirée de Normand Mousseau, Forum Québec meilleure mine 2013

2. CONTEXT: SIGNIFICANT WORLD TRENDS Lower grade deposits (Australia 1840-2005)

1.  Make strategic policies supporting « lower impact mining » 2. Better protect citizens, communities, First Nations rights (mining Act) 3. Reinforce environmental protection (laws, monitoring, enforcement)

4. Share benefits with communities, society, and future generations

(royalties, transformation, funds, collective ownership, etc.)

3. ROLE OF GOVERNMENT POLICY FOR SUSTAINABLE MINING: THE QUEBEC EXPERIENCE?

Asbestos, uranium, etc. ?

1.  Make strategic policies supporting « lower impact mining » 2. Better protect citizens, communities, First Nations rights (mining Act) 3. Reinforce environmental protection (laws, monitoring, enforcement)

4. Share benefits with communities, society, and future generations

(royalties, transformation, funds, collective ownership, etc.)

3. ROLE OF GOVERNMENT POLICY FOR SUSTAINABLE MINING: THE QUEBEC EXPERIENCE?

Vérificateur général (2009, 2011, 2013)

BAPE Malartic (2009) et gaz de schiste (2011)

Commissions parlementaires projet de loi mines (2010, 2011, 2013)

Institut du nouveau monde (2012), forums régionaux, etc.

Asbestos, uranium, etc. ?

3. ISSUES: MINING ROYALTIES

Sources: Entrans Policy Research Group, MNR Quebec, NRCAN

Source: Century Mining, rapport technique, juin 2009 (photo, années 1990)

Résidus miniers (1935-2010) 60+ millions tonnes

EXEMPLE SIGMA-LAMAQUE VAL D’OR: 2012

Abandonned mining sites: over 1.2 B$ in dept in Quebec

CAMPBELL RESOURCES CHIBOUGAMAU: 2010 17+ Mt résidus (Île Merrill, Lac Doré), 245 hectares (La Presse 2011)

3. ISSUES: ENVIRONNEMENT

DÉVERSEMENT CHAPAIS JUIN 2008 +11 M litres boues/résidus

Route 113 emportée

Rivières affectées (Obatogamau, etc.)

Photo La Presse Photo La Presse

Photo La Presse

Photo La Presse

Since 2008: over 12+ incidents, spills, 300+ Ml Who monitors on the ground ?

3. ISSUES: ENVIRONNEMENT

Source: http://www.osisko.com/pdfs/Avis_projet_Osisko.pdf

Malartic (Abitibi-Témiscamingue) 3. ISSUES: CITIZENS AND COMMUNITY RIGHTS

(Ross River Decision, Yukon Court of appeal 2012)

Barrage Innu route 138, Uashat 2012. Photo V. Breton Agence QMI, Journal de Montréal.

Conseil Innu Uashat Mak Mani-Utenam. Fin des négociations oct.2012 Photo V. Breton QMI.

Conflit Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug (KI) c. Platinex, Ontario 2008.

3. ISSUES: THE « FREE ENTRY MINING » PROBLEM FOR COMMUNITIES, FIRST NATIONS & LAND USE PLANS

1. Make strategic policies supporting «lower impact mining» 2. Better protect citizens, communities, First Nations rights

(mining Act) 3. Reinforce environmental protection (laws, monitoring,

enforcement)

4. Share benefits with communities, society, and future generations (royalties, transformation, funds, collective ownership, etc.)

3. CONCLUSION: ROLE OF GOVERNMENT POLICY FOR SUSTAINABLE MINING ?

Thank you! www.quebecmeilleuremine.org