Message from the MSPDA president

BY STEPHEN MASSON, M.Sc., P.Geo., President, Manitoba-Saskatchewan Prospectors and Developers Association

This year has certainly been a more positive one. Having passed through the COVID era that devastated much of the economy, we emerged resilient and optimistic, especially in the mineral industry, where strategic metals and battery metals played a very important part in the worldwide stimulation of exploration for traditional as well as battery metals. Shortfalls in production and increased demand for traditional metals continue to shore up metal prices. Gold had its up and downs, but if you are pessimistic about the sustainability of the economy with high inflation and debt, especially in the US and Europe, we should be able to look forward to a much higher gold price.

The reality of world conflicts and their effect on world energy costs has been dramatic, certainly driving European countries into recession and creating a lot of uncertainty in western markets where the high levels of printing and borrowing money coupled with uncontrolled spending is worrisome. Wars are generally good for the mineral industry when strategic metals are sought after by various countries to shore up their stockpiles, as uncertainty of foreign suppliers in areas critical to the sustainability of their needs have created a high-risk factor.

Energy issues have boded well for uranium producers and those juniors with advanced uranium projects, such as Baseload, therefore greatly benefiting Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan has also benefitted from the world shortfall in fertilizers because of the war in Europe.

In Saskatchewan, potash is a $30 billion industry and is a global leader.

Saskatchewan is seeing the development of a large base metal mine by Foran at Hanson Lake, which has been over 40 years in the making. New discoveries and extensions of the McIlvenna Deposit, especially with better copper grades from the Tesla and Bridge Zones, suggest the potential for a world-class VMS deposit. As a former president of Foran, it pleases me greatly to see this project move forward under very capable management. Voyageur Mineral Explorers –who hold the royalties on this and other Foran properties, as well as 100 per cent 0wnership of the Former Hanson Lake Mine along strike to the north of McIlvenna Deposit – is one of the few other plays in the area.

Manitoba under Heather Stephenson saw a significant improvement in their permitting process, which was previously holding up, delaying and discouraging investment in the province. Our membership hopes that under the new provincial government and leadership of the Honourable Premier Wab Kinew that this improvement will continue as his government strives for northern development. We hope through his efforts Manitoba can once again rank in the top five places to explore in the world and see real economic development in the north, not just south of latitude 57.

Manitoba has been blessed by numerous areas containing rich rare earth and lithium pegmatites in four main areas. These include: the Bernic Lake area of southeast Manitoba, where New Age Metals has been very active along with producer Seomine Resources at the world-class Tanco Mine; the Snow Lake Area, which has seen a flurry of activity from numerous junior players; and recently, the long-known deposits in the God River area are being looked at by Vision Lithium, and the Lynn Lake belt. Minister of Energy and Resources Jim Reiter suggests that progress on Saskatchewan’s Rare Earth Processing Facility will be a hub in processing these metals.

Manitoba has seen the substantial growth of Hudbay Minerals with their acquisition of Rockcliff Metals and their numerous VMS base metal deposits which should allow Hudbay operations to continue well into the future. Other VMS hunters in the Flin Flon Belt include Callinex, which has substantially added to the number and size of their deposits in the Pine Bay area of Flin Flon. T2 is active in the Sherridon area on their various deposits and high-potential ground; and Boreal Gold, exploring between Sherridon and Flin Flon, have begun active exploration on their previous VMS deposits north of Hudbay’s Vamp Lake deposits, as well as new targets.

Rob McEwen investment into the Tartan Lake mine through Canadian Gold Corp. (CGC) and their recent discovery of high-grade gold at depth has refocussed enthusiasm for gold in the Flin Flon Belt. The new president and CEO, Ed Hubert of CGC, brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of mining in Manitoba to the company. It is nice to see Alamos Gold (featured) moving forward in the Lynn Lake camp, suggesting that with expected higher gold prices this should make a very profitable future operation. The author is curious why Minnova’s Puffy Lake Mine is not receiving more attention given the gold resources and excellent mill there.

Nickel exploration continues in Manitoba along the Thompson Nickel Belt by Vale and juniors like CanAlaska and Wolfden. The Rottenstone area of Saskatchewan, featured in this magazine (Fathom Nickle), is also being explored for nickel and platinum group metals where the former Rottenstone deposit was exceptionally high grade in PGMs.

In Manitoba, our membership currently represents the largest group of stakeholders outside Vale and Hudbay with more than 550,000 ha of dispositions in Manitoba alone. Unlike the MPDA out of Winnipeg, which we should not be confused with, our members are mainly from industry representing junior exploration companies, project generators, prospectors, and exploration supplier and service companies, thus making us the voice of exploration in Manitoba and along with the Saskatchewan Mining Association, also a voice for exploration in Saskatchewan. MSPDA’s widespread membership throughout Canada, and the distances involved, has not easily facilitated regular meetings but instead communication of concerns, issues, and shared articles are done through emails. This method of communication through online venues did not hamper our efforts as much during the COVID era, although not meeting face to face with government did at times have a less-than-desired outcome. We are your voice, and we welcome and encourage your input.

The history of the MSPDA is almost 100 years as an organization, even older than the PDAC. This history was featured in last year’s magazine in an article by Edgar Wright, our secretary. MSPDA focuses mainly on Issues in Saskatchewan and Manitoba, often taking a lead from SMA in Saskatchewan. We also cover greater central Canada including Nunavut, NWT, and the shield portion of northeast Alberta, although we do not claim to represent exploration in those areas.

Two years ago, during COVID, MSPDA started a monthly online Journal called the Northern Prospectors Journal, which outlines important exploration activities in Saskatchewan, Manitoba, NWT, Nunavut, and NE Alberta. We feature prospectors’ properties for free, giving them an avenue and medium to seek partners or options. We post relevant articles from the various governments or NGOs that affect our mineral industry and sometimes comment on them. In the Journal, MSPDA’s management or sometimes individual members also voice issues that our affecting our industry, mainly aimed at various levels of government. We have a strong voice, sometimes crying foul and sometimes giving praise. We are the voice of our members, although we admit SMA has a much stronger voice, which reflects their membership and good management.

The monthly Journal is free. Our individual annual membership is $10, $25 corporately, and free for students. Although management is all volunteer and much is given in kind, there are costs associated with maintaining the association, publishing, and attending mineral industry meetings or events where mineral exploration policy is being discussed and developed, so membership is encouraged to offset costs. MSPDA contacts are in the magazine.

\MSPDA wishes you all success and good fortune in our wonderful industry.

Stephen Masson, President