Around the North

A new coat of paint for the iconic Little Current swing bridge and the reconstruction of the Goulais River bridge north of Sault Ste. Marie are among the infrastructure refurbishment projects slated for the Algoma-Manitoulin region.

Xstrata Nickel has approved the $119-million Fraser Morgan project in Sudbury, development of which is expected to start in 2012 and begin production in 2013. The company additionally approved its $530-million project at Raglan Mine in Quebec.

Roger Payne, a former general manager for Rio Algom in Elliot Lake, has been appointed as executive vice-president for Pele Mountain Resources Inc. Payne spent nearly 20 years in the Elliot Lake mining Camp with Rio Algom Ltd.

Algoma University has received $100,000 towards the purchase of a pair of walk-in research chambers for its Biosciences and Technology Convergence Centre. Funding comes from the province's Ministry of Research and Innovation.

First Nickel has announced it has financing in place to shortly begin operations at its Lockerby Mine in Sudbury.

Douglas Morrison, vice-president of the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) in Sudbury, will take on the new position of research chair, whose focus will be on expanding research opportunities and attracting innovation in mining.

Mineral exploration and mining, environmental ecosystems and health sciences will be the focus of research led by Laurentian University, following a funding announcement of $2.67 million.

A community abattoir and a trout-stocking venture are among the business development initiatives on Manitoulin Island that have received FedNor funding totalling $835,702.

Espanola will move forward with the second phase of its industrial park, following an announcement of more than $300,000 in FedNor funding.

Quadra FNX has restarted nickel ore mining at its McCreedy West operation in Sudbury, after Vale waived its right to the high-magnesium oxide nickel ore for a period of three years.