From the editor: Ending 2022 on a high note is the best way to start 2023

The federal government ended 2022 year on a high note by unveiling a new critical minerals strategy eyeing a “generational opportunity.” Backed by $4 billion in the 2022 federal budget, the strategy will help create jobs across the country and grow the economy. The roadmap unveiled focuses on driving exploration and building sustainable infrastructure to avoid the economic risks that come from relying on international partners that do not share common values.

The mining industry plays a significant role in water management and stewardship. How miners manage their wastewater is a significant point of focus for the sector. In Canada, gold, iron ore, copper, nickel, diamond, and other mines are allowed to release water (effluent) to an aquatic environment if it meets the regulatory requirements. Two articles in this issue highlight the most important discussions by industry experts during our recent water management symposium that took place on Oct. 12, 2022. Flip to page 14 for insights into Teck Resources water management strategies and policy and their SRF (saturated rock fills) technology. According to the experts in the panel discussion, the challenge today is not to merely treat water, but create effective water management beginning with development and through to post-closure. Canadians can take the lead in how we use water, how little we use, how much we recycle, and how well we treat it. We need to be building today the technologies that will be effective 10 or 20 years from now. See page 17 for more details on water management for a greener future.

Mining is the largest private sector employer of Indigenous people in Canada, especially in British Columbia. The mining sector is a major partner to Indigenous businesses in B.C., and Indigenous communities in B.C. share the benefits of mining with the mining companies to help achieve lasting, self-defined community objectives. An article on page 19 discusses how Artemis is developing its Blackwater gold mine for the first pour in Q3 2024. The Blackwater project sits on traditional lands belonging to the Lhoosk’uz Dené Nation and Ulkatcho First Nation. Artemis signed a trilateral project participation agreement in 2019 and works closely with Indigenous and local communities to support business development.

While safety is a major concern in the mining sector, some accidents are inevitable. Read a miner’s true accident story on page 21 of this issue.

Additionally, our law column features one half of the critical minerals story on page 11. There are also several articles featuring tips on how to prepare your equipment for the new year on pages 25-32.

Finally, we wish our readers a Happy New Year, 2023, and we hope that it will be a good year for the mining sector in Canada! 

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