Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    Projects

    CIM Connect and Teck on Canada’s mining bottlenecks: key permitting and power lessons

    May 5, 2026|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    CIM Connect and Teck on Canada’s mining bottlenecks: key permitting and power lessons

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    Teck Resources CEO Jonathan Price warned at CIM Connect in Vancouver that Canada risks missing the next wave of critical-minerals investment unless it compresses decade-long mine permitting timelines and builds shared infrastructure such as the proposed North Coast Transmission Line in northwestern British Columbia. He cited global power demand rising about 4% annually, a need for roughly 60 million km of new or replacement transmission lines by 2035, and electrification-driven copper demand climbing by about half from 2025 to 2040, with AI data centres further intensifying copper use. A panel featuring Rio Tinto’s Lucy Potter, Wheaton Precious Metals’ Randy Smallwood, Lundin Group’s Adam Lundin and Teck director Catherine McLeod-Seltzer stressed that predictable permitting, multi-user corridors and squeezing more metal from existing footprints matter more than governments trying to “pick winners”.

    Technical Brief

    • Price contrasted nine‑month data centre builds with ≥10‑year mine development, framing permitting as schedule risk.
    • He singled out northwestern B.C. where lack of grid power, roads and ports blocks otherwise attractive copper deposits.
    • The proposed North Coast Transmission Line was cited as a multi-user corridor to unlock stranded resources in that region.
    • Germanium, gallium and rare earths were flagged as critical but too small and volatile to attract standalone private finance.
    • Wheaton’s Randy Smallwood argued governments should fund shared infrastructure to cut opex, not subsidise individual mine CAPEX.
    • Smallwood also urged operators to debottleneck and improve recoveries at existing sites to extend mine life before greenfield builds.
    • Catherine McLeod‑Seltzer stressed that consistent, time‑bound permitting frameworks would mobilise capital without governments “picking winners.”

    Our Take

    Teck Resources’ push on Canadian permitting and power lines comes as our database also tracks it expanding copper exposure in the US Southwest via the Kay Copper amalgamation with Kodiak Copper, signalling a strategy to secure multiple regional copper pipelines rather than relying on a single jurisdiction.

    Being flagged by Morgan Stanley’s “Space 60” framework for copper, aluminium and rare earth elements positions Teck as one of the few Canadian-linked miners that can directly leverage any federal critical-minerals incentives tied to aerospace and defence supply chains, which heightens the importance of reliable power and transmission in British Columbia.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Alemlube Dingo pumps: maintenance and contamination control notes for mine fleets
    Mining
    about 3 hours ago

    Alemlube Dingo pumps: maintenance and contamination control notes for mine fleets

    Alemlube is supplying its Dingo series transfer pumps to mine sites to streamline handling of multiple fluids such as diesel, oils and coolants through a single, modular system. The electric and air-operated Dingo units are offered in multiple sizes to match different flow and viscosity requirements, enabling centralised storage and distribution rather than scattered drum pumps. For maintenance teams, the focus is on fast swap-out of pumps and components, reducing fluid cross-contamination risk and cutting unplanned downtime on large mobile fleets.

    Geopolitical shocks build copper’s bull case: supply–demand lens for mine planners
    Mining
    about 9 hours ago

    Geopolitical shocks build copper’s bull case: supply–demand lens for mine planners

    Geopolitical shocks from the US–Iran conflict are strengthening copper’s bull case, with Sprott analyst Jacob White forecasting that electrification, data centres and grid upgrades could lift these “strategic” uses from 32% of demand in 2024 to 45% by 2040, and noting this demand is less price-sensitive than construction. On the supply side, closure of the Strait of Hormuz has nearly doubled sulfuric acid prices, threatening SX-EW output that supplies about 4.8 Mt of copper and depends on sulfur flows from countries providing 49% of global sulfur trade. Despite higher sulfuric acid and diesel costs, Sprott says almost all copper mines remain profitable at the current US$13,000/t spot price, with copper equities already up 7.98% in April.

    Tía María’s whiplash year: regulatory risk lessons for mine project teams
    Mining
    about 10 hours ago

    Tía María’s whiplash year: regulatory risk lessons for mine project teams

    Peru’s $1.8 billion Tía María copper project saw its exploitation permit voided on 19 March 2026 and reissued on 20 April, despite being 23% built and targeting 120,000 tonnes of copper per year by early 2027, exposing acute regulatory volatility. Minem cited incomplete waste-dump design and inadequate scheduling, yet the rapid reversal amid a fragmented presidential race with 35 candidates shows how technical findings are weaponised by shifting political forces and local opposition in the Tambo Valley. With 200–400 permits, ~30 authorities and 5–15 year timelines now typical in Peru, operators must price in abrupt legal reversals even after construction approval.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    Construction

    Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.

    AllGeotechnicalInfrastructureHazardsEnvironmental