Pit Stop No6: The fascinating MIM

A fascinating set of jewels, a pool of wonders, a burst of colors; that is what we find at the MIM, Museum of Minerals.

The MIM exhibits more than 1500 minerals, gathered from around the world and brought to Beirut by Salim Eddé. Eddé has been collecting fabulous specimens since 1997. His collection is considered as one of the most important private collections due to its minerals’ wide variety, unique features and high quality. The museum is located in the campus of Saint Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon.

The first room encountered when visiting the museum assembles 9 minerals appertaining to the traditional Berzelius chemical classification.

Mineral of the MIM

Mineral of the MIM

Mineral Vanadinite from the Phosphates, Vanadates & Arsenates class. The mineral originates from Morocco.

Mineral Vanadinite from the Phosphates, Vanadates & Arsenates class. The mineral originates from Morocco.

 

Silicate Mineral from India.

Silicate Mineral from India.

The museum also displays some radioactive minerals. These specimens are presented in a secured space and the gas generated by radioactivity, the radon, is safely removed. The museum is well designed: specific lighting is used to highlight the color variations in species such as tanzanite, the transparency of gemstones like peridot and tourmaline.

Gold AU from the USA.

Gold AU from the USA.

Fluorite mineral CaF2, from China.

Fluorite mineral CaF2, from China.

Rhodochrosite mineral.

Rhodochrosite mineral.

The Treasure assembles 21 precious metals in safe-like room. Several specimens of topaz, rubies, emeralds and sapphires were specifically selected for their visible geometric form. A 328 carats diamond from South Africa is also guarded in the Treasure.

The Treasure room displaying 21 precious metals.

The Treasure room displaying 21 precious metals.

Cerussite PbCO3, from Australia. Some green malachite spots can be seen. The patterns formed are perfect equilateral triangles.

Cerussite PbCO3, from Australia. Some green malachite spots can be seen. The patterns formed are perfect equilateral triangles.

Mesolite mineral from India.

Mesolite mineral from India.

Specimen of Spessartine and Quartz, from China.

Specimen of Spessartine and Quartz, from China.

N.B: The MIM gets its name from the 24th letter of the Arabic alphabet, which corresponds to the M in Latin alphabet. It is also the first letter of the words Museum, Minerals and Mines in Arabic, English and French. More info available at www.mim.museum

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Pit Stop No5: The Walrus Talks Energy with Suncor

Part of its educational mandate, The Walrus Foundation has organized a national speaker series The Walrus Talks. Each talk brings together eight speakers for a seven minutes presentation each on various subjects relating to a single theme. The Walrus Talks deliver lively, inspiring and riveting new ideas and challenges the way we look at big issues. Each talk is then followed by a reception with both attendees and participants.

Suncor Energy, a Canadian integrated energy company has hosted with The Walrus Foundation a four-part, cross-country speaker series about Canada’s energy future. The Walrus Talks Energy broadens its public understanding on sustainable energy future, collective environmental impact, the challenges of energy production and what lies ahead in terms of energy demand and consumption.

One of The Walrus Talks Energy was held in Montreal at McGill University, on October 1st 2013. The speakers included Vicky Sharpe, the CEO of Sustainable Development Technology Canada; Andrew Heintzman, the president of Investeco Capital, the first Canadian investment company to be exclusively focused on environmental sectors; and Kali Taylor, the founder of Student Energy, an organization that strives to create a movement of students committed to bringing about a sustainable energy future.

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Suncor Presents The Walrus Talks Energy at McGill University

The 2014 Walrus Talks will address numerous themes and feature more than a 100 speakers across Canada. Information on future Talks available at thewalrus.ca/events.

N.B: The walrus Foundation is a non-profitable organization whose mandate is to create dynamic forums to engage Canadians on diverse themes such as water, energy, philanthropy, literature, urban spaces, human rights, climate change etc. The foundation supports writers, artists and provoking ideas by publishing The Walrus magazine, organizing speakers’ event, debates and leadership dinners as well as other events across Canada. To know more about The Walrus, visit www.thewalrus.ca

Pit Stop No4: The World Mining Congress

Mining is not only about mines and digging deeper; it is an exciting world that joins the exploration activities, the environmental services, the mining suppliers and the investment departments. In order for the mining industry to remain global and up to date on the leading edge technologies, an international committee is responsible of organizing the World Mining Congress (WMC).

This international congress brings together thousands of delegates from around the globe. It is a high-level knowledge sharing and networking event that gathers exhibitors in mining as well as in automation, robotics and construction. Each congress has a motto from which revolves its technical program of peer-reviewed papers.

The 23rd WMC was hosted in Montreal by the Canadian Institute of Mining (CIM) in collaboration with five professors from major Canadian universities. This WMC was held in conjunction with the ISARC 2013, the International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in the Construction and Mining Industries. The exhibition hall presented more than 250 mining industry related manufacturers and service providers.

Autochthones  were invited to perform at the 23rd WMC in Montreal

First Nations were invited to perform at the 23rd WMC in Montreal

Prof. Ferri Hassani is one of the five professors to help in organizing the 23rd WMC

Prof. Ferri Hassani is one of the five professors to help in organizing the 23rd WMC

The next WMC will be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and will be organized by the IBRAM, the Brazilian Mining Association. It will be located at the prestigious Sul América Convention Center.

N.B: Polish mining engineer Prof. Boleslaw Krupiński initiated The World Mining Congress when he organized the first congress in 1958 in Warsaw. He remained chairman until 1972. Today, the WMC is a UN-affiliated organization and is run by the permanent secretariat seated in Poland.

Pit Stop No3: the Lamaque Mine

The underground Lamaque gold mine is located in the famous region of Val d’Or or Valley of Gold. This region was established in 1934 fueled by the discovery of massive copper and gold ore bodies.  The great gold rush triggered a mining boom throughout the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region.

The Lamaque mine started production in 1935 and 50 years later it was exhausted and shut down. Today, the Mine and the Bourlamaque historic mining village of Val d’Or are part of “The city of Gold” museum. This Museum offers visits of the mining site and invites you to become a miner for a day. Guests experience an underground descent to a depth of 90 meters. Underground, the guide, an old miner, explains the different methods of gold extraction and at the surface, visitors can see an ore transformation process within the laboratory and visit the pithead frame, hoist room and dryer section.

 

Welcome to La Cite de l'Or

Welcome to La Cite de l’Or

 

Guide explaining to visitors the history of Val d'Or

Guide explaining to visitors the history of Val d’Or

Visitors in the underground galleries of the mine

Visitors in the underground galleries of the mine

The guide is showing that when the mine was still active, the galleries were created by drilling and blasting

The guide is showing that when the mine was still active, the galleries were created by drilling and blasting

The underground galleries of the Lamaque  gold mine

The underground galleries of the Lamaque gold mine

Pit Stop No2: Canadian Malartic mine

The Canadian Malartic open-pit

The Canadian Malartic open-pit

Canadian Malartic is one of Canada’s largest gold mine. Situated in the city of Malartic, 20 Km west from Val D’Or in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, this open-pit mine is expected to produce gold between 500 000 and 600 000 ounces of gold per year over a 16-year mine life. The first gold ingot was poured on April 2011 and commercial production started in May 2011. Built on time and on budget, Canadian Malartic presents a Probable Reserves of 9.37 million ounces of gold and continues to grow..

Haul trucks transporting the ore. Another truck is seen hydrating the ground to prevent the dust  spreading

Truck transporting the ore. Another truck is seen hydrating the ground to prevent the spreading of dust

The Canadian Malartic mining complex is comprised of several facilities including the conveyor belt and crushed ore stockpile building; a processing plant, a garage and numerous other installations. This immense complex represent an investment of more than $1 billion.

Secondary crushing circuit.

Secondary crushing circuit

Conveyor belt and ore reserve

Conveyor belt and crushed ore stockpile building

The Canadian Malartic mine is one of the most dynamic and interesting mine to work in particularly because it is located just across the town of Malartic. To minimize the impact of the sound generated by the haul trucks and shovels on the Malarticois, Osisko has constructed a green wall of several meters surrounding its mine.  In addition, drilling and blasting activities are interrupted when the wind blows towards the town; blasting is resumed when it is sure that the town will be uninfected by the blast.

Excavator placing the ore in a CAT793F mining truck

Letourneau loader placing the ore in a CAT793F mining truck

N.B: Want to experience Canadian Malartic ? This mine is open to visitors from early June to Labor day, fom Tuesday to Sunday; Make reservations in advance by contacting the Musée Minéralogique de l’Abitibi-Témiscamingue (650, rue de la Paix, Malartic (quebec) J0Y 1Z0; Telephone (819) 757-4677; info@museemalartic.qc.ca).

Pit Stop No1: Jeffrey Mine

The haul road can be seen cutting the benches diagonally.

The haul road can be seen cutting the benches of the open-pit diagonally

Located in the heart of Asbestos city in southeastern Quebec, Jeffrey Mine started production of chrysotile or white asbestos in 1879. Chrysotile is the most common form of asbestos belonging to the serpentine group of phyllosilicates minerals. The mineral asbestos attracted the industrialists of the 90s due to its numerous properties. Over the years, the dangers associated with various forms of asbestos were identified lowering the demand for this mineral worldwide. The Quebec government has stopped funding the mining of Asbestos shutting down the largest mine of the region: Jeffrey Mine. This open-pit and underground mine reached a depth of 350 m. Today, the pit no longer exists as it has been reclaimed.

Two students holding  asbestos fibers

Students holding asbestos fibers

The chrysotile ore is transported from underground to the surface in this lift access

The chrysotile ore is transported from underground to the surface in this lift called a skip