Five more Lac des Iles Mine employees test positive for COVID-19.
Kirkland’s Holt, Macassa kicked to lower gear
New Gold brings Ontario mine back online
New Gold (TSX: NGD) said on Friday it had started a systematic ramp-up of its Rainy River gold mine in Ontario, Canada, following a two-week suspension period to comply with federal and provincial coronavirus guidelines. Mining.com. 3 April 2020
KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD ANNOUNCES NEW MEASURES IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd. today announced additional business reductions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the temporary suspension of operations at the Holt Complex in Northern Ontario, and a move to reduced operations at the Macassa Mine in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. The new measures, which are in effect until April 30, 2020, follow the transition of the Detour Lake Mine to reduced operations effective March 23, 2020 (see press release dated March 22, 2020 for more information). The health and safety of employees is Kirkland Lake Gold’s number one priority. Workers impacted by the reductions being announced today will receive their base wages for the month of April. 2 April 2020
Northern mining companies adapting to COVID-19 threat
Northern Ontario Business, 1 April 2020
Northern Ontario mining worker tests positive for COVID-19
SUDBURY — A northern Ontario gold mining firm says it is dealing with a confirmed case of COVID-19 among its workforce. Kirkland Lake Gold says it was informed on Friday that a worker who had been at its Detour Lake Mine, north of Cochrane, earlier this month, has tested positive for the virus. 31 March 2020
Kirkland Lake employee who tested positive for COVID-19 rode in bus with others – by Niall McGee (Globe and Mail – March 31, 2020)
Mining operations in northwestern Ontario change production due to COVID-19
Some mines in the region are temporarily shutting down
Jeff Walters · CBC News · Posted: Mar 27, 2020
Quebec miners shut down operations following COVID-19 government order
The latest provincial government-mandated restrictions to address the COVID-19 situation have seen miners down tools at operations in Quebec, Canada. Announced on March 23, the order was for the shutdown of all non-essential businesses and services for a period of three weeks, starting on midnight on March 24.
COVID-19: Ontario and Quebec differ on ‘essential service’ definitions
For miners and explorers, there is some divergence between the two provinces on whether or not they are considered essential. While Quebec has deemed the aluminum manufacturing sector as essential, it ordered mining operations to reduce their activities to a minimum. Mineral exploration is not listed as an essential business.
Ontario’s definition of essential is more broad, including “businesses that ensure global continuity of supply of mining materials and products (e.g. metals such as copper, nickel and gold) and that support supply chains in northern Ontario… Canadian Mining Journal, 24 March 2020
Wallbridge Temporarily Suspends Operations in Quebec and Ontario due to COVID-19
Wallbridge Mining Company Limited announced today that, in response to the order of the Government of Quebec and the Government of Ontario with regard to the COVID-19 outbreak effective immediately it is temporarily suspending operations at its 100% owned Fenelon gold project located in the Abitibi greenstone belt, Québec as well as its operations in Ontario until April 15, 2020. TORONTO, March 23, 2020 /CNW/
PDAC 2020 Convention attendees tested positive for COVID-19 (PDAC statement)
Since the conclusion of the PDAC 2020 convention on March 4, we have learned that three attendees—one from Sudbury and two from Toronto—have tested positively for COVID-19.Toronto Public Health confirmed that these individuals were not infectious at the convention. However, they may have contracted the virus while participating in PDAC 2020. This is all of the information Toronto Public Health has provided us.
All PDAC 2020 attendees have been notified of developments and were recommended to self-monitor for signs and symptoms for up to 14 days after leaving the convention. While this period has now passed, we encourage participants to continue monitoring themselves as a precautionary measure. PDAC Statement. Updated 23 March 2020
‘Shut it down’: Mining continues amid global COVID-19 pandemic, but warning signs mounting
As the race to contain the spread of coronavirus reaches a sprint in many parts of the world, the mining sector is still grappling with the best way to deal with a situation that has left it few easy choices. So far, operations at many mines have moved forward, often largely unaffected… 20 March 2020
Pure Gold Mining COVID-19 Response Measures
Pure Gold Mining Inc. is closely monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic and has implemented preventative measures at both the Pure Gold Red Lake Mine site as well as corporate offices to safeguard the health of its employees while continuing to operate effectively and responsibly in our communities. Development activities at the Pure Gold Red Lake Mine continue to operate normally, with no significant impact to date beyond the implementation of additional education and safety measures. At this time, the development schedule is on track and first gold production is anticipated in late 2020. March 20, 2020
IAMGOLD Responds to COVID-19 Case
Toronto, Ontario–(Newsfile Corp. – March 14, 2020) – IAMGOLD Corporation (TSX: IMG) (“IAMGOLD” or the “Company”) is taking the precautionary measure of closing its Toronto office for one week following the positive COVID-19 test result for one of its employees. The IAMGOLD employee who tested positive was last in the Toronto office on March 6, 2020. IAMGOLD statement Mar 14, 2020
The individual is in self-quarantine at home, and in stable condition with moderate symptoms. This employee attended two private Company events and briefly attended the Northern Ontario Night on March 2, 2020 at the Steam Whistle Brewery, but did not attend the PDAC convention or other events. Attendees at the Company events have been notified.
Health and safety is our top priority at IAMGOLD. In addition to closing the Toronto office, we are conducting a deep cleaning and disinfection of the office. Toronto office employees have been asked to work from home until the end of the week, March 20th, 2020, at which point the Company will reassess.
Mining industry pressing for more details on PDAC delegate with COVID-19
Senior members of Canada’s mining community are asking authorities to divulge more information about the movements of an attendee of last week’s mining conference in Toronto who has since tested positive for the novel coronavirus. Sudbury health officials confirmed late Tuesday that a man in his 50s who attended the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada conference on March 1 and March 2 has contracted COVID-19. On Wednesday, Ontario Energy Minister Greg Rickford said the man is an employee of the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and that the Sudbury office has been closed to prevent further spread of the virus. Globe and Mail. 11 March 2020
PDAC mining conference goers asked to monitor for coronavirus symptoms after Sudbury area man tests positive
Justin Trudeau, Minister of Natural Resources Seamus O’Regan and Ontario Premier Doug Ford all attended the conference. Anyone who attended the Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada 2020 convention in Toronto is being asked to monitor themselves for symptoms of the coronavirus after a man who attended was tested positive in the Sudbury area. Dr. Penny Sutcliffe, Medical Officer of Health with Public Health Sudbury & Districts, confirmed on Wednesday the first positive case of COVID-19 in the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts FINANCIAL POST March 11, 2020
Covid-19 a risk and an opportunity for mining firms
… tens of thousands of mining executives from roughly a hundred countries started pouring into downtown Toronto’s convention centre over the weekend to attend an annual commodity conference, apparently unfazed by the growing concerns about coronavirus, Gabriel Friedman of the Financial Post reported Monday. Nonetheless, the deadly Covid-19 strain that’s spreading across the world surfaced as a topic of near-constant discussion at this year’s Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada event. While a number of major global events such as the IHS CERAWeek 2020 event in Houston, the CRU-Cesco World Copper Conference in Chile and Geneva Autoshow were cancelled due to the virus outbreak, PDAC organizers have persevered. While the organizers have not released any data on attendance, they acknowledged that a number of exhibitors, particularly those from China, were forced to cancel because of travel restrictions…. Special to the Sudubry Star. 3 March 2020
Northwatch 