| Inside AME BC - Proposed Mineral Tenure Act Regulation Amendments: Information Session
- AME BC Applauds Historic Agreements between Government and First Nations
- AME BC Aboriginal Engagement Toolkit Feedback: We Want to Hear From You!
- We Need Your Help - Discourage the passage of Bill C-300
- Member Named CIM Distinguished Lecturer for 2010-11
- Call for Nominations - AME BC Honourable Service Roll
- Volunteer for AME BC’s 100th anniversary celebrations!
- Follow AME BC on Twitter!
- Submit Your Photos by September 30 to Win $500! Time is Running Out
- AME BC Outreach Education Fund: Deadline to apply is September 30!
Health & Safety - Help Find Safety Superheroes! 6th Annual Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Public Safety
Mineral Exploration News - Positioning for Future Growth – Industry Submission to Energy & Mines Ministers
- Britannia Mine Museum in the Media Spotlight
- Glacier National Park: Our Ticket to the Third World?
- Mining Matters Column - August 25th Article
AME BC Announces New & Renewed Corporate Members In Memoriam - Ray Spinks
- John Fraser Memorial Service - September 9, 2010
Employment Opportunities - AME BC Job Board at a Glance
Courses & Education
Upcoming Events and Conferences
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| Inside AME BC |
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| Proposed Mineral Tenure Act Regulation Amendments: Information Session |
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| The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources is responsible for administering and regulating the acquisition and maintenance of mineral, placer and coal rights in British Columbia. The Ministry is pursuing amendments to the Mineral Tenure Act Regulation (MTA Regulation). These amendments are in follow-up to consultations held in 2008 regarding a review of the mineral title acquisition and maintenance process. As a result of this review, a new fee structure and revised annual exploration work requirements are being proposed to ensure effective exploration and development of the province’s mineral resources. The Ministry invites AME BC members to an information session on proposed changes to the MTA Regulation. Session details are as follows: Date: Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Time: 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: AME BC (Large Boardroom), Suite 800-889 West Pender St., Vancouver
RSVP: to Lindsay.McDonough@gov.bc.ca by Friday, September 17, 2010.Additional information sessions are being organized in the regions (Kamloops, Quesnel, Smithers, Cranbrook, Nelson) later this fall. Session details are forthcoming. The discussion paper and Q&A’s provide further background and information. Note: These documents are subject to change. Check the Ministry website for updates. Your feedback is welcomed via email or phone, attention to: Rick Conte, Vice-President, Technical & Regulatory Affairs
AME BC
Email: rconte@amebc.ca
Ph: 604.630.3926 |
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| AME BC Applauds Historic Agreements between Government and First Nations |
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| AME BC applauded the signing of historic mine revenue sharing agreements between the Province of British Columbia and First Nations. The province signed an economic and community development agreement with the Stk’emlupsemc of the Secwepemc Nation (SSN) in Kamloops on August 24 and one with the McLeod Lake Indian Band in Victoria on August 25. “The best indicator of success for mineral explorers is the construction and development of new mines,” said AME BC President and CEO Gavin C. Dirom. “While short on detail, these agreements increase certainty that First Nations will directly benefit from the tax revenues that government receives from these mines. Resource revenue sharing from forestry tax revenues has existed since 2003, and we are pleased that the government has developed the means to distribute future taxes from the New Afton and Mt. Milligan projects to local First Nations.” The province had previously formally announced its intention to share tax revenues collected from new mining projects in October 2008. The first such negotiated agreement, as signed on August 24, will distribute $30 million of mining tax to the SSN over the expected 12-year life of the New Afton gold-silver-copper mine 10 kilometres west of Kamloops once it opens in 2012. “First Nations have long sought meaningful sharing of the benefits of industrial activity,” said Laureen Whyte, Vice President, Sustainability and Operations for AME BC. “This is a game-changer for our sector and the First Nations in whose traditional territories we operate. I hope that First Nations in BC now will look at mineral exploration as an opportunity to help enable them to build stronger, healthier communities, and strengthen their cultural foundations.” |
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| AME BC Aboriginal Engagement Toolkit Feedback: We Want to Hear From You! |
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| The members of AME BC are diverse; from prospectors to exploration firms, but what they have in common is the need to access the land. In BC, this means working on Aboriginal traditional territory. Our members told us they needed tools to understand what effective Aboriginal engagement looked like in practical terms. With this in mind, the AME BC Aboriginal Engagement Toolkit was created. It includes practical information, templates, sample materials, as well as context to the current political, social, and cultural environments. Now, almost a year after the release date, AME BC would like to hear from those with experience using the toolkit. Has it been an effective tool for you? Were the resources helpful? We would like to hear your comments, experiences, and suggestions. Your feedback is welcomed via email or phone, attention to: Laureen Whyte, Vice-President, Sustainability & Operations
AME BC
Email: lwhyte@amebc.ca
Ph: 604.630.3928. |
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| We Need Your Help - Discourage the passage of Bill C-300 |
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| AME BC continues to work with the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and other industry associations to discourage the passage of Bill C-300, an Act respecting Corporate Accountability for the Activities of Mining, Oil or Gas in Developing Countries. This is a private member’s bill introduced in Canada’s House of Commons in February 2009 and by mid-June 2010, has passed through first and second readings and through committee hearings. It is expected to go to third reading and a final vote in the fall of 2010. For more information about Bill C-300 and to read our position paper, click here. For more information about how Bill C-300 will affect you, visit www.pdac.ca/c300.
Please act now! Here, you will find helpful materials and suggestions for contacting Members of Parliament to explain the serious harm this Bill would do to our sector - and importantly to our ability to continue to work in partnership with government, host countries and willing non-profit organizations. To obtain a pre-printed postcard addressed to key MPs, you can contact Florence MacLeod, Membership Coordinator, PDAC by email at fmacleod@pdac.ca. For more information you may also contact Laureen Whyte, Vice President, Sustainability & Operations at 604.630.3928 or lwhyte@amebc.ca. |
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| Member Named CIM Distinguished Lecturer for 2010-11 |
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| AME BC congratulates member James M. Franklin of Franklin Geosciences on being named a CIM Distinguished Lecturer for 2010-11. Jim was named as a distinguished lecturer in recognition of his knowledge, dedication and contribution to mineral resources research and innovation, and will present on the topic of Future Mineral Resource Discoveries: New Knowledge Needed for Discovery. CIM Distinguished Lecturers are chosen on the basis of their accomplishments in scientific, technical, management or educational activities related to the minerals industry, and speak at CIM Branch meetings across the country. For further information visit www.cim.org/awards/distinguishedLecturers.cfm. |
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| Call for Nominations - AME BC Honourable Service Roll |
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| The Honourable Service Roll was established in 2006 to recognize and honour AME BC Members for their long-serving support and significant contributions to the organization’s initiatives, activities and Committee participation. Visit www.amebc.ca/membership/honourable-service-roll.aspx to view AME BC’s current Honourable Service Roll. New candidates are nominated annually by the Membership Liaison Committee for inclusion on the Roll. To nominate a candidate please send a nomination letter and two support letters to: Shannon Norris
Mail: 800-889 West Pender Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 3B2
Email: snorris@amebc.ca
Fax: 604.681.2363 Nomination Deadline: October 15, 2010 If you have any questions, please call Shannon at 604.630.3921. |
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| Volunteer for AME BC’s 100th Anniversary Celebrations! |
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| AME BC will reach its centennial year in 2012, and the role of the 100th Anniversary Celebration Task Group is to ensure that we turn 100 in style. In addition to commemorating our members’ accomplishments over the past century, the year 2012 represents an opportunity to show the world how BC is a centre of excellence for mineral exploration. We do not want our centenary to slip by. If you have talent and ideas, and are looking forward to celebrating the industry in 2012, we would love to hear about what you would be able to bring to the festivities. Please contact Jonathan Buchanan, Director, Communications & Public Affairs, AME BC, at 604-630-3923 or jbuchanan@amebc.ca, if you are interested in joining the Celebration Task Group. |
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| Follow AME BC on Twitter! |
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| You can now follow AME BC on Twitter at @AME_BC. Our twitter feed features news, events, announcements, and is a great way of keeping up to date with our activities. AME BC’s twitter feed is another one of the many ways that AME BC is striving to keep members informed and engaged. |
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| Time is Running Out – Submit Your Photos by September 30 to Win $500! |
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| The 7th Annual AME BC Photo Contest is drawing to a close so be sure to enter your photo submissions before September 30, 2010. A top prize of $500 will be awarded for the overall best photo, along with an appearance in the 2011 AME BC Photo Calendar and on the cover of Mineral Exploration Magazine. $100 prizes will be awarded for each category winner. To increase your chances of winning, get more details on each category and contest rules at www.amebc.ca/media/photo-contest-2010.aspx. View our past photo contest winners in our photo gallery. Think you’ve got what it takes? Submit your entry today! Please submit your photos to Mary Hughes, Manager, New Media & Creative, AME BC at mhughes@amebc.ca. |
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| Apply Today for the AME BC Outreach Education Fund: Deadline is September 30! |
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| The AME BC Outreach Education Fund is a corporate endowment dedicated to increasing the public’s appreciation and understanding of BC’s mineral exploration industry through the advancement of public education and community programs. An annual $22,000 fund will be available for distribution in the form of scholarships (excluding personal scholarships for post secondary geological related education), and monetary funding with a minimum of $1,500 per award for proposed public education and training programs, focused on mineral exploration. The amount of funding for each application will be based not only on the merits of the proposed project and funding requests, but also on the number of quality applications in a given year. Eligibility: This award is open to all BC-focused projects relating to mineral exploration. Priority will be given to British Columbia residents, communities, associations and organizations. Applicants who have been successful in previous years are welcome to submit new applications. Multiple applications for funding in a given year from one source, if they are of excellent quality and stand alone projects, will be considered. *Please note AME BC Staff, Board, and Committee Members are not eligible to apply. Vancouver Foundation has the right to deny funding, and all applications will be reviewed in order to meet its criteria. Application Deadline: September 30, 2010, 4:00 pm. All applications shall be reviewed and adjudicated by the Awards Committee. For a list of requirements and to fill out an application, click here. If you have any questions, please call Shannon Norris at 604.630.3921. |
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| Health & Safety |
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Help Find Safety Superheroes!
Nominations open for the 6th Annual Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Public Safety |
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| The sixth annual Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Public Safety is seeking nominations to honour British Columbians for their outstanding contributions to public safety. These can be an individual, organization or a group of people in the community. The annual awards program is presented by the BC Safety Authority (BCSA) under the auspices of His Honour, The Honourable Steven Point, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. “At the BC Safety Authority, we believe ‘Safety Superheroes’ warrant recognition for their dedication, leadership and innovation in the pursuit of safety excellence,” said Harry Diemer, BCSA’s President and CEO. “We encourage British Columbians to nominate deserving individuals and organizations for this award.”
Nominations close Sept. 17. This year’s awards will be presented at a luncheon on November 23 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. The three award categories are: - Lifetime Achievement
- Exceptional Contribution to Public Safety: Individual
- Exceptional Contribution to Public Safety: Organization
The Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Public Safety exist to encourage safe practices, procedures, behaviours and attitudes by acknowledging those British Columbians who make positive contributions to our provincial safety system. For more information and nomination forms visit the BCSA web site at: www.safetyauthority.ca/events/lieutenant-governor%E2%80%99s-awards. |
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| Mineral Exploration News |
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| Positioning for Future Growth – Industry Submission to Energy & Mines Ministers |
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| The Canadian Mineral Industry Federation (CMIF) has released a position paper outlining its views and recommendations for federal, provincial, and territorial energy and mines ministers to consider at the Energy & Mines Ministers Conference in Montreal this month. The CMIF membership consists of AME BC, the Mining Association of BC, the Mining Association of Canada, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada, and thirteen other associations that together represent the majority of companies and individuals engaged in mineral exploration, mining, and processing in Canada. CMIF’s key recommendations are as follows: 1. enhance commitment to the core mandate of natural resource ministers
2. improve Canadian tax/budget incentives
3. invest in human resources and infrastructure
4. support the innovative future of the industry
5. improve regulatory efficiency and modernize legislation Read the full paper here. |
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| Britannia Mine Museum in the Media Spotlight |
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| The recently rebranded Britannia Mine Museum (formerly the BC Museum of Mining) has launched a new logo and a refreshed visual identity designed to reflect the museum‘s soon to be transformed destination, showcasing the enhanced visitor experience, unique location and historic community. This distinctive museum has recently been in the media spotlight: Read “Mining the nuggets of history - Britannia Museum expansion reveals past, present” By Paul Luke, The Province Watch “On the Road BC: Beauty and Beyond” Global BC. To learn more about the Britannia Mine Museum visit www.bcmm.ca or click here for their press kit presentation. |
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Glacier National Park: Our Ticket to the Third World?
By Dave Skinner, Flathead Beacon |
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| In this centennial year of Glacier National Park, it’s been a busy time for the Crown of the Continent, hasn’t it? The excitement started with British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell’s declaration that B.C. was banning minerals production in the Canadian part of the North Fork Flathead. Sens. Jon Tester and Max Baucus responded by introducing federal legislation that imposes a mining ban not only in the North Fork, but for good measure the Middle Fork Flathead and clear across the mountains in the Upper Whitefish/Haskill drainages. That bill was zipped out of committee in late June and is expected to be voted upon by the full Senate after summer recess. Then, the United Nations crew released their report on whether this “World Heritage property” was “In Danger.” The UN honchos decided it wasn’t, but did declare mining and energy potential a “serious threat.” Conoco Phillips and other petroleum companies read the handwriting on the wall, and have given up about 250,000 acres of suspended oil and gas leases in the North Fork. Handsprings and cartwheels, right? Well, I’d like to remind everyone that “saving” Glacier Park from “threats” has implications for Northwest Montana’s economic prospects. Yeah, we’re “saving” a world-class ecosystem … but as one little example, the Canadians have been mining coal and harvesting trees in the Crowsnest/Elk River valleys for over a century. For some strange reason, the Elk River below Fernie that drains into Lake Koocanusa is a significant bull trout fishery. Continue Reading+ |
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| Mining Matters Column - Joint Initiative between the Smithers Exploration Group and the Town of Smithers |
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| The first "Mining Matters" article was published on March 10, 2010. This is a bi-weekly column that is published in the Interior News, posted on the Town of Smithers website, the Smithers Exploration Group website, and the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako Mining Portal. These articles profile the importance of the mining industry to the community and is a result of the joint initiative between the Smithers Exploration Group and the Town of Smithers. Current Article: August 25, 2010
(click here for back issues) |
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| AME BC Announces New & Renewed Corporate Members |
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| AME BC Welcomes the Following New Corporate Members: Silvercorp Metals Inc. is a Canadian-based primary silver producer with mining, development and exploration projects located in China and Canada. Global Medical Services (GMS) was founded in 1998 as a health care consulting and cardiac care training firm. GMS has overseen the training and certification of over four thousand lay rescuers in the use of AEDs, and over three thousand medical professionals in our Advanced Training Programs. AME BC Thanks All Recently Renewed Corporate Members! Trans North Helicopters |
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| *To all Corporate Members: Don't see your 50 word company description on our website? email it to info@amebc.ca. For more information on AME BC Membership or to become a member, visit www.amebc.ca/membership/overview.aspx. |
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| In Memoriam |
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| Ray Spinks (1930-2010) prospector and a director of Cayenne Gold Mines, passed away on July 9, 2010 after a battle against cancer. Alex Briden, a colleague of Ray, wrote, "Ray was one of a passing breed of prospectors, miners and entrepreneurs who spent his entire life working in the mining community. He was always optimistic, friendly and enthusiastic about his involvement in the exploration and mining industry. He had a remarkable memory and a wide circle of friends, largely in Western Canada. "Ray is survived by his wife Gladys, two daughters and one son plus many grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by Cayenne as he was in touch on a daily basis providing encouragement and sound advice on the Windflower project which was so dear to him for many years." |
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| John Fraser Memorial Service on September 9, 2010 A memorial service for John Fraser is planned for Thursday, September 9, 2010, at 2 p.m. at Suite 620, 650 West Georgia Street, Vancouver. Members of the mineral exploration community are invited to attend this celebration of life. John’s obituary appeared in the July 29 issue of the AME BC News; see www.amebc.ca/news-and-events/overview/amebc-news/ame-bc-news-july-29-10.aspx#memoriam. |
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| Employment Opportunities |
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| Want to Post an Ad on the AME BC Job Board? If you are an employer and would like to post a job, use the post a job function here. The cost for each posting is $200, which will remain active for 45 days. AME BC corporate members receive one free posting with a yearly membership or renewal, with all subsequent postings at a 50% member discounted rate. To use your free posting, please email the complete job posting information to mhughes@amebc.ca. To use your subsequent 50% discount, simply make sure you are logged in and let the payment calculator do the rest. |
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| AME BC Job Board at a Glance |
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| Manager, Special Events, AME BC AME BC is currently seeking a Manager, Special Events, for its Vancouver-based office. This key stakeholder engagement position reports to the Director, Member Relations & Events. To learn more about this position, click here. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Specialist, Kaminak Gold Corporation Kaminak Gold Corporation is seeking a Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Specialist. The candidate will be responsible for organizing and updating digital databases with mineral exploration and drill hole data, preparing 2D maps and sections for both geologists in the field and for investor relations/corporate marketing. Experience with 3D modeling is preferred. To learn more about this position, click here. |
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| Courses & Education |
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| AME BC’s tradition of education for the mineral exploration sector dates back to 1918, when it held its first prospecting seminar. Since then, thousands of students have received training in prospecting, mineral exploration, health and safety, and aboriginal engagement through AME BC. Click here to view AME BC’s Education and Professional Development section. Other Professional Development Opportunities Several of AME BC’s Corporate Members have professional development programs geared toward our diverse membership. Current offerings are available here. |
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| Upcoming Events & Conferences |
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| AME BC Events Calendar
Mineral Exploration Roundup 2011 External Event Calendar AME BC helps to facilitate and promote external events that benefit our members. Use this calendar to see what events are on the horizon and get detailed information. |