Commentary: Canada’s first finding of aboriginal title – Tsilhqot’in Nation v. BC
On June 26, 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) granted the appeal of the Tsilhqot’in Nation, confirming their aboriginal title over tracts of Crown land in B.C.
Regulatory Issues
Commentary: Northern Gateway – forcing BC to face land claims question
VANCOUVER — It’s a fight over oil, not metals or coal, but mineral explorers and developers across B.C. — indeed, across Canada — will watch closely to see how Enbridge fares in the battle to build the now-approved…
World Gold Council spearheads review of London gold fix
VANCOUVER — The gold industry appears to be reacting to growing scrutiny over the century-old method that determines the daily spot price of gold. On June 18 the World Gold Council — a market-development organization composed of top…
Quebec government relaunches Plan Nord
VANCOUVER — The newly elected Liberal government in Quebec is returning to the resource roots of the last Liberal government with a budget that restores Plan Nord, the strategy to encourage mineral and energy development in the…
El Nino options DRC copper play after arbitration win
VANCOUVER — It was a long battle for junior El Nino Ventures (TSXV: ELN, US-OTC: ELNOF), but after half a decade of legal wrangling the company has finally secured its 70% ownership rights in the Kasala copper discovery, 70 km…
Editorial: Ring road of fire?
The surprisingly strong majority win by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne and her Liberal party in the provincial election in mid-June has given a boost to potential infrastructure development in the Ring of Fire chromite and base metals camp in…
Commentary: Keystone XL – When politics obscures priorities
VANCOUVER — In its four-year journey through the permitting process, the Keystone XL pipeline has become a symbol of America’s reliance on oil. And those who oppose the pipeline have framed the U.S. government’s upcoming…
Koch brothers gear up for Canadian oilsands development
VANCOUVER — U.S. billionaire industrialists the Koch brothers garnered headlines when it was revealed the group’s Canadian oil arm was the largest foreign stakeholder in the Alberta oilsands, with registered holdings of at…
Bill Bennett, MABC on state of the industry in BC
VANCOUVER — With the annual B.C. Mining Week wrapping up in May there was significant discussion on the state of the industry in the province, including the announcement of more funding for Geoscience B.C. from the Liberal government…
Barrick inks deal with locals at Pascua-Lama
VANCOUVER — In the first step of what would be a long road to reconciliation, Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX; NYSE: ABX) has signed an initial agreement with most of the indigenous groups in Chile that oppose the company’s suspended…
Timmins Gold under proxy fire from Sentry Investments
VANCOUVER — Proxy battles were a hot topic roughly two years ago, and now producer Timmins Gold (TSX: TMM; NYSE-MKT: TGD) is the latest to be targeted by dissident shareholders looking to remake the company’s board of directors. On…
Mongolian gov’t looks to end dispute with miners
VANCOUVER — Reports have surfaced that discussions within the Mongolian parliament may end a stalemate between the central government and international mining companies active in the country.