CANADIAN TECHNOLOGY
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International innovation
Canadian technology providers are making the most of buoyant sentiment across the mining sector with new solutions and tie-ups that can help them scale their global offering , Dan Gleeson reports
Canada , due to its mining tradition , geographical location and complex geology , has equipment makers and service suppliers that build and provide solutions that are robust and can work in the majority of places across the globe .
This has stood domestic companies in good stead in the past , with their solutions being readily exported across the globe .
Take the niche sector of shaft sinking as an example here , where two global leaders that have Canadian roots recently completed major mining projects in the Americas .
In Canada , Cementation Americas , in late February , said that its Onaping Depth Project team had completed the final shaft blast in the 7.2-m diameter production winze for Glencore Canada at the Craig nickel mine , northwest of Sudbury , Ontario .
The new internal shaft is at an elevation of 2,635 m below surface , making it the deepest shaft in the Sudbury Basin of Ontario . The company said this had set another record for Cementation in Canada , adding : “ This significant milestone is a true demonstration of the unparalleled teamwork and performance our crews deliver . Cementation ’ s engagement on this project began over two decades ago . We are honoured to have contributed to this breakthrough and look forward to working with Glencore ’ s leadership and talented teams for years to come .”
Cementation Canada was awarded the design and construction of the new production winze ( internal underground shaft ) for the Onaping Depth project at Craig Mine in 2018 . The deposit is approximately 2,500 m below surface and is critical to the long-term sustainability of Glencore Canada ’ s operations in the Sudbury Basin .
Cementation designed and constructed the winze , which
was sunk from the 4025 Level of Craig Mine and is approximately 1.5 km horizontally from the existing Craig shaft .
Down in Mexico , Dumas , owned by STRACON Group , has successfully completed the 5.5-m diameter Guadalupe ventilation shaft project to a depth of 580 m at the La Colorada silver mine in Zacatecas .
This shaft is part of a larger project undertaken by Pan American Silver to provide enhanced ventilation to the underground environment , thereby improving the health and safety of the underground workforce while enabling production growth at Pan American ’ s flagship asset .
Dumas stated : “ We proudly partnered with
Pan American Silver and the project was completed safely with zero Medical Treatment Injuries , zero Restricted Work Injuries and zero Lost Time Injuries . Our Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate of 0.00 and Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate of 0.00 with over 337,000 hours worked displays the outstanding performance at all levels of the project team .
“ This project is a representation of Dumas ’ strong safety culture and our commitment to the health , safety and wellbeing of our employees , values that we share throughout STRACON Group .”
Cementation Americas ’ Onaping Depth Project team completed the final shaft blast in the 7.2-m diameter production winze for Glencore Canada at the Craig nickel mine , northwest of Sudbury , Ontario , in February
26 International Mining | APRIL 2024