Mineral Resources

Ireland Pakistan MoU

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Geoscience Ireland (GI) is pleased to announce a Memorandum of Understanding  with Capital Strategies Group (CSG) of Pakistan, enabling them to collaborate in development opportunities in the minerals resources sector.

CSG, established in 2003, is an engineering services provider for energy , construction and natural resources projects. GI and CSG will collaborate in exchanging information with a view to developing supply chains in relation to minerals projects in Pakistan.

GI Director Sean Finlay commented;

“ Having worked in Pakistan , GI and its members are well aware of the significant potential the country holds for the discovery and development of critical raw materials and of strategic minerals and we look forward to developing a relationship with CSG in pursuit of opportunities. “

CSG Chief Operating Officer Zain Kazmi noted;

“We at CSG are extremely excited to collaborate with Geoscience Ireland in order to bring Irish expertise to Pakistan in the field of exploration, mining, processing and supply chain enhancement. We believe that Pakistan can play a critical role in the global mineral ecosystem and will serve as a vital partner in creating new mineral opportunities and strengthening critical minerals supply chain“

 

Recovery in Ireland’s Minerals Rankings

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The annual Fraser Institute Mining Survey shows that Ireland’s rankings have improved across a number of measures in 2024.

The Republic of Ireland now ranks 1st out of 82 on the Policy Perception Index, a composite index that measures the effects of government policy on attitudes toward exploration investment (ranked 15th in 2023).  Ireland ranks 19th out of 82 in the Investment Attractiveness Index which combines the Mineral Potential Index, which rates regions based on their geologic attractiveness, and the Policy Perception Index.

Ireland also scored well for Quality of Geological Databases; less so for Uncertainty on Environmental Regulations.

Northern Ireland had less than 10 respondents to the Survey; it  scored 10th   on Policy  and 30th  on Attractiveness but  scores well on Infrastructure and Databases.

Commenting on the results , Geoscience Ireland Director Sean Finlay said;

” The recent Fraser Institute Survey results show a revival in confidence in Ireland’s minerals sector- a very welcome development given that exploration activity is muted, as measured by the number of active State Prospecting Licences. Other signs of recovery  are the reopening of the Galmoy zinc lead mine; the resumption of operations at Boliden Tara Mines  and the expansion of Gyproc’s gypsum mine. 

The Minerals sector will be the focus of a Seminar hosted by the Irish Association for Economic Geology and the Irish Mining and Quarrying Society  on 19 September in  Mullingar. see https://iaeg.ie/event-6248868 ”

Full details of the Fraser Institute Survey are to be found at  https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/annual-survey-mining-companies-2024.

 

 

 

 

Advanced Drilling Technology Demonstration by Priority in Laos

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Zero Trip technology was developed by Priority Drilling Ltd ( a Geoscience Ireland member) and its international deployment   continues. .

Last week Zero Trip personnel visited Laos with Boart Longyear to provide  five days training their drill staff on the installation of the Zero Trip wedge.

Commenting on the visit, Priority’s Corey McCarthy said;

“It was an incredible experience to see drilling operations in action across Southeast Asia and to share our knowledge of directional drilling with such a skilled and welcoming team.

A huge thank you to Wayne Roberts and the entire Boart Longyear Laos team for the opportunity, and to Tommy Prior for taking such great care of us throughout the trip.

We’re excited for what’s ahead and look forward to continuing our partnership hopefully returning again soon!”

TELLUS Geochemical Sampling Completed by Aurum Exploration for Geological Survey Ireland

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Project Tellus Geochemistry Programme
Date

 

 2020 – 2026
Location

 

 Across Ireland
Client

 

 Geological Survey Ireland (GSI) a division of the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC)
Business Sectors

 

 Geochemical Surveying
Services (Technical Disciplines)

 

 GSI is conducting a flagship project to sample and measure the geochemical characteristics of the surficial environment of Ireland. The Tellus geochemistry workstream commenced in 2011.

Aurum Exploration has been successful in a number of contracts since 2020, providing soil sampling acquisition services and more recently data QA/QC and project management services to the programme.

 
Project Objectives/ Outcomes

 

 

 The Tellus geochemistry programme  aims to produce spatial data to determine the geochemical baseline of shallow and deeper topsoil, stream sediment and stream water, mainly in rural Ireland. Once complete, this freely available national data et  and archived sample material,  Ireland will be one of the best geochemically mapped countries in the world. TELLUS data will provide useful baseline information for several  sectors, including agriculture, health  and  environmental agencies.

Aurum Exploration’s ultimate objective was to provide seamless continuation of high-quality geochemical samples and data to the longstanding Tellus programme. Other objectives included advanced development and roll out of a multifaceted digital data capture system solution, streamlining workflow efficiencies in the field, at field manager QA/QC checking stage, for project manager quality and performance monitoring and clear real-time client facing metrics.

 

Aurum Exploration Outcomes:

§  Successful sample acquisition covering southern 50% of ROI, collecting samples from nearly 9000 individual survey grid cells

(including the highest ground in the country and development of protocols to see continued safe working throughout challenges of COVID-19)

§  Accelerated acquisition with nearly 6000 of Aurum Exploration surveyed sites collected in one calendar year, covering over 30% of the ROI land mass

§  Sample acquisition of all Tellus geochemical urban sampling
(Block G8 Dublin in 2020 and Block G12 comprising of four urban centres: Limerick, Galway, Waterford and Cork in 2024)

§  Lowest Client sample quality rejection rates in programme history; with multiple survey blocks having zero such failures – a testament to Aurum Exploration’s internal QA/QC sample and data procedures and development of a robust bespoke digital data capture system solution

 
Our Role

 

 Aurum Exploration provided a specialist team to deliver:

§  Project management services

§  Specialist survey design planning and sampling strategy

§  Technical training on sampling methodologies

§  Data management services

§  QA/QC of geochemical data services

§  Community outreach

The final soil sample was collected in August 2024.
Geoscience Ireland Contact

 

 Johnny Meehan, jmeehan@aurumexploration.com

 

International Audit of Iron Ore Mines

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Project Audit of Drilling, Blasting & Explosives Standards at Iron Ore Mines
Date

 

 June – December 2024
Location

 

 Mines in Brazil, Mexico, Bosnia, Canada, Liberia and India
Client

 

 LTMS is a sub-contractor to Micon International for ArcelorMittal
Business Sectors

 

 Mining
Services (Technical Disciplines)

 

 Drilling, Blasting and Explosives Standards

Observations on safety culture at each mine
Project Objectives/ Outcomes

 

 

 1.     Audit the client’s drilling, blasting & explosives standards

2.     Sharing of knowledge and best practice standards

3.     Preparation of site reports

4.     Preparation of risk analysis
Our Role

 

 LTMS is engaged as part of a Micon International team to carry out drill, blast and explosives audits at ArcelorMittal Mines, including exchanging knowledge, best practice standards and reviewing latest drill and blast techniques at the forefront of our industry.

 

Of note on the sites visited to date is the very strong safety culture which is evident from discussion and observations

 

The pink truck reflects equal opportunity for women in mining

 
Geoscience Ireland Contact

 

 Brendan Morris

B.MORRIS@LTMS.IE

Geoscience Ireland Members QME & LTMS Collaborate on Egyptian Mining Project

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QME, a contract mining company based in Navan, Co. Meath and LTMS, a training and mine engineering consultancy based in Co. Monaghan, are successfully collaborating in delivering training, operation and  maintenance services to Centamin’s Sukari Mine in Egypt. Three teams comprising over 50 skilled personnel are involved on a rotating shift basis.

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Bon Ami Bauxite Mining Project | SLR Consulting

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Project Title: 

Bon Ami Bauxite Mining Project | SLR Consulting

Date:

2020

Location:

Republic of Guinea, West Africa

Client: 

Private client

Business Sectors: 

Mining, Environment, Groundwater, Climate

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Key issues that SLR addressed:

  • Biodiversity (including natural and critical habitat loss and fragmentation – land, river and marine);
  • Air and noise emissions;
  • Climate change/greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;
  • Groundwater contamination;
  • Surface water contamination

Project Objectives/ Outcomes:

Key deliverables:

  • Supplementary ESIA.
  • Framework environmental management and monitoring plans;
  • Conceptual Mine Closure Plan

Our Role: 

SLR prepared a supplementary ESIA and related specialist studies to address gaps in the national EIA, in the context of the IFC Performance Standards and GIIP, based on steady state production: 10 Mt/annum

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Dr Deirdre Lewis- dlewis@slrconsulting.com

Independent Review of Deepening Project Study | LTMS

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Project Title:

Independent Review of Deepening Project Study | LTMS

Date:

Feb 2020- Ongoing

Location:

Mina Caraiba Mine Complex – Bahia State, Brazil

Client: 

Ero Copper, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Business Sectors: 

Mineral Resources

Services (Technical Disciplines):

Mining, including mine planning/design, geotechnical, pastefill, ventilation, transportation, infrastructure and risk assessment.

Project Objectives/ Outcomes: 

The main project is to carry out a technical study of the deepening zone of the Pilar Mine which currently has extensive resources to a depth of 1,700m below surface. Current mining activities are to a depth of 1,300m. Alongside the project study, there are optimisation projects being carried out in two mines in the complex (Pilar & Vermehlos)

Our Role:

To provide independent assessment at all stages of the technical study.

To provide practical mining expertise to optimisation projects in the Pilar and Vermehlos mines.

Geoscience Ireland Contact:

Brendan Morris – b.morris@ltms.ie

Support to Develop Guidance on Land Acquisition and Resettlement & Providing Land Acquisition and Resettlement Advice, Peru | Intersocial Consulting

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Project Title

Support to Develop Guidance on Land Acquisition and Resettlement & Providing Land Acquisition and Resettlement Advice, Peru | Intersocial Consulting

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Record Deep Drilling, 1,019m drilled in 10 days, Northern Cape | Mincon

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Project Title

Record Deep Drilling, Northern Cape
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