Mining

As bargaining groups from Falconbridge's Kidd metallurgical division in Timmins met on a full-time basis to reach labour peace, members with CAW Local 599 voted in favour of strike action. Their current collective bargaining agreement expires Oct. 1.

North American Palladium announced an unscheduled temporary shutdown at its Lac des Iles palladium mine, 80 kilometres northwest of Thunder Bay. The company says it has encountered operating disruptions with its primary ore crusher.

With just weeks to go on the existing collective agreement, Falconbridge Kidd Creek workers in Timmins, CAW Local 599, will vote on a strike mandate Sept. 17 and 18.

The City of Timmins was considering dropping its appeal of Falconbridge's Kidd Creek mine's property taxes. During an Aug.

A possible 150 jobs may be created with Norhcott Gold Inc. with a new open-pit mining project outside of South Porcupine. The Horseshoe mine shaft is reopening to pump out the existing water, which fills 770 feet of the 840-foot-deep shaft.

Falconbridge wants the City of Timmins to drop its appeal of the company's property taxes with no strings attached.

Shareholders of Greenshield Resources Inc. are expected to huddle in Toronto Sept. 12 to grant approval for a new mining exploration project on the Swayze Greenstone Belt, 100 kilometres southwest of Timmins.

URSA Major Minerals Inc., a Toronto mining firm, has staked additional claims in the Sudbury area, hiking their number of mining claims to 308.

Sandvik Tamrock Canada donated a 20-tonne load haul dumper to the Timmins Underground Gold Mine Tour as a permanent display. The diesel-hydraulic machine is used underground to remove broken up ore after blasting.

Contract talks for the 680 workers at Falconbridge's metallurgical site in Timmins were to begin the third week of August. Canadian Auto Workers Local 599, whose three-year contract expires Sept. 30, was to exchange proposals with the company by Aug.