March 7, 2007

SUDBURY RECEIVES $8 MILLION FOR RESEARCH

Through the Research Excellence program of the Ontario Research Fund, the McGuinty government provides research institutions with funding to undertake major research projects, hire research teams and cover other operational costs. This first round of funding under the Research Excellence program will invest $8,039,000 at Laurentian University. The funding will be matched by 12 industry partners.

Productivity Enhancement and Risk Management for Underground Construction and Mining

Safer, more productive mining to flow from research

Lead researcher: Dr. Peter Kaiser

Ontario is a major global mining centre and Canada’s number one exporter of minerals to the world. To sustain and enhance that economic position, as ore close to the surface becomes scarcer, and mining operations are obliged to dig deeper, innovative new methods are required in the design and construction of underground excavations, in the integrated planning, design and optimization of mine sites, and in water and waste management. Dr. Peter Kaiser of Laurentian University, in collaboration with Dr. Paul Dunn and Dr. Graeme Spiers, will conduct studies to develop the knowledge on which the new methods will be based. In addition to providing for safer and more productive mining, the research will aid in the development of deep repositories for nuclear waste and safer, more effective underground excavating in urban areas.

Major industry and other partners:
Avensys Labs. Inc., Barrick Gold Corporation, Bestech, BHP Billiton, Breakwater Resources Limited, Elliot Lake Research Field Station, Xstrata Nickel (formerly Falconbridge Limited), CVRD-INCO (formerly INCO Limited), MIRARCO, Nuinsco Resources Limited, Placer Dome, Rio Tinto.

This announcement is part of a series of investments through the Ontario Research Fund’s Research Excellence program. Under the first round of investments, the government will provide $115 million to support research across the province.

For more information about the Ontario Research Fund, please visit www.ontario.ca/innovation.