Suppliers news (April 25, 2011)

Geotech buys new chopper

Airborne geophysical surveyor Geotech Aviation is buying an AW119 Koala enhanced (AW119Ke) helicopter from AgustaWestland, a subsidiary of Rome-based Finmeccanica, with options for four more aircraft.

Geotech will receive the helicopter in June, and will use it for airborne geophysical surveys for the mining, oil and gas, and environmental industries. It will be based in Sudbury, Ont.

 “We are pleased to have been selected by Geotech Aviation to provide an AW119Ke as the newest addition to their operations,” said Lou Bartolotta, AgustaWestland executive vice-president of sales for North America, in a statement.

“This sale is significant to our presence in the Canadian airborne survey market,” he said.

“We selected the AW119Ke because it offers excellent value and improved performance. With this new platform, we will have expanded capability and will better serve our customers,” said Geotech’s David Lauzon.

The AW119Ke is an eight-seat, single-engine helicopter with a large unobstructed cabin, which allows for quick reconfiguration for various emergency medical services missions. The company has sold 190 units which operate in 30 countries.

United Mining extends Galena contract 

United Mining Group (UMG-T) is extending its agreement with U.S. Silver (USA-V) to provide underground mining services at the Galena silver mine in Silver Valley, Idaho.

The total value of the contract is estimated at US$6 million and extends the original contract by 18 months, through to August 2012. 

United Mining will provide the necessary personnel and oversight to perform contract mining for U.S. Silver, primarily at Galena, towards expanding production from existing operations.

SGS to open lab in Cochrane, Ont.

Mineral services giant SGS is opening a commercial geochemistry laboratory in Cochrane, Ont., to service the minerals exploration industry in northeastern Ontario and northwestern Quebec.

Official start up of the laboratory is scheduled for July 1, 2011.

The Cochrane laboratory will provide a suite of technical services including: sample preparation for soils, drill core and reverse-circulation samples; fire assay for gold with inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), atomic absorption spectroscopy and gravimetric finish; carbon and sulphur analysis; and trace metal analysis by ICP-OES.  

ATCO to supply Rio Tinto with Kitimat housing

Rio Tinto (RIO-N, RIO-L, RIO-A) has contracted ATCO (ACO.X-T) to design and build a 1,500-person workforce housing facility called the Kitimat Modernization Project (KMP) Construction Village, in Kitimat, B.C. The facility will provide accommodation and amenities to workers at Rio Tinto’s smelter rebuild project in Kitimat. 

“This is a significant project for the Kitimat community and we are extremely pleased that ATCO has been chosen,” said Harry Wilmot, ATCO president and COO, in a statement.

“As part of our commitment to working with the local community, ATCO has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Haisla Nation that will result in direct benefits for the Haisla community,” he said.

Phase one of the KMP Construction Village will be built this year and will house up to 500 people. The modular units, which have been designed to meet Kitimat’s heavy snow loads, will be built at an ATCO plant in Calgary.