Around the North

Contact North | Contact Nord, the world's largest distance education and training network, generates between $9.7 million and $16.1 million of economic activity in Northern Ontario, according to a recent study. Conducted by Dr.

Queenston Mining Inc. (TSX: QMI) and Vault Minerals Inc. (TSX-V: VMI) have entered into an agreement to amalgamate the two companies in an all-stock deal unanimously approved by both companies' boards of directors.

The Denver-based Apollo Gold Corporation (TSX: APG), whose Black Fox Mine sits 75 kilometres east of Timmins, has signed a letter of intent to merge with the Halifax-based Linear Gold Corp. (TSX: LRR).

The Alberta-based ATCO Structures & Logistics has expanded its reach into Northern Ontario following the acquisition of Timmins' Woodgreen Homes & Trailer Sales.

The Thunder Bay Regional Research Institute is receiving $6.4 million in provincial funding.

The province is providing the municipality of Greenstone and its economic development corporation with $10,000 to stage a workshop to identify business opportunities in the mining sector.

Dianor Resources has secured a $30 million equity line of credit from Kodiak Capital Group LLC of New York to advance bulk sampling in their search for big, economical diamonds at Wawa.

Rainy River Resources has raised $55 million for its gold project in northwestern Ontario. The Vancouver exploration firm announced Feb. 25 it had closed a private placement of an aggregate of 11,114,000 units priced at $4.95 per unit.

Essar Steel Algoma is launching a corporate post-secondary scholarship program. The company's Scholarship of Distinction targets university bound students while the Scholarship of Merit is aimed at students headed to college.

With memories of ski jumper Horst Bulau in their heads, a group of Thunder Bay citizens are reviving the idea to reopen Big Thunder as a national Nordic sports training centre.