Natural Resources Minister Jerome Kennedy opened the province's main mining conference for the year by offering up reports on the value and power needs of proposed Labrador mines.
There are two new reports. One has been produced by the Department of Natural Resources and the second by economist Wade Locke.
Both are being made available online.
The first, from the department, is titled "Labrador mining and power: how much and where from?"
It states there is the potential for $10 billion to $15 billion dollars in new investment in Labrador mining projects in the next decade, if all goes well and the power is available.
It provides best and worst-case scenarios in terms of power availability.
"Based on projects already in construction or near sanction, existing generating capacity in Labrador may be exhausted by 2015-17."
Labrador iron ore proposals, for new mines and expansions, are a focus and there is discussion of how the Chinese economy will likely affect prices.
The report includes the numbers for power usage and the supply systems for existing mines.
On power: "Government is developing an industrial rate policy for Labrador," the report states.
"The proposed rate policy will provide reliable and competitively-priced electricity for existing and new industrial customers in Labrador ... Competitive pricing in power is particularly important in the Labrador Trough, where developing projects are competing for investment against those in directly adjacent Quebec."
The report states power demand will likely surpass current supply for Labrador mines in 2016-17, offering Muskrat Falls as the recommended new supply.
At the high end, the report states "over 1,400 MW might be required by 2020."
Iron ore already a major contributor
The iron ore industry in western Labrador already makes a major contribution to the province through employment, taxation revenue and contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).
Locke says the industry is already one of the largest sources of employment and revenues for business in Newfoundland and Labrador.
"In particular, its operations represent one of the few significant sources of employment and earnings outside of the Avalon Peninsula. The development, construction and ultimate operation of the iron ore projects described in this analysis will require substantive investments in supporting human resources and capital infrastructure," Locke says in a report prepared for the province.
Locke and Strategic Concepts, Inc. prepared the paper titled, “Economic Impact Analysis of Iron Ore Mining Industry in Labrador 2011-31.”
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Four growth scenarios developed by Locke show that production in Labrador could grow from the current 26 million tonnes per year to 81 million tonnes if all projects proposed were developed. Over a 21-year-period, such growth would result in an additional $80 billion in new capital and operating expenditures, 358,000 person years of employment, and $117 billion in GDP. The provincial treasury would also see an additional $17.5 billion in tax revenue.
Below are some of the report's estimates:
Base case
Using a $100-per-tonne commodity price for concentrate and $130-per-tonne for pellets, current mine developments and anticipated levels of production and capital expenditures in the iron ore mining industry will generate more than 157,000 person years of employment in Newfoundland and Labrador over the next 21 years, including 62,000 person years of direct employment.
On an annual basis, current mining activities should grow to support 7,500 person years of employment on average including 3,000 direct person years of employment.
Current mining operations will also generate more than $20 billion in incomes ($1.0 billion annual average), $53 billion in GDP ($2.5 billion annual average) and $9.0 billion in Taxes ($0.4 billion annual average).
Scenarios 1 to 3
Total employment could increase from 157,000 person years of employment in the Base Case to 237,000 person years of employment under Scenario 1, 333,000 person years of employment under Scenario 2 and 515,000 person years of employment under Scenario 3.
Investments in Scenario 3 could generate an incremental increase of approximately 358,000 person years of employment. Similarly, total Newfoundland and Labrador incomes could rise from $20 billion under the base case to $30 billion under Scenario 1, to $40 billion under Scenario 2 and $58.0 billion under Scenario 3, for an incremental increase of $38 billion over the next 20 years.
Based on the range of iron ore prices, the Base Case iron ore industry in Labrador is expected to generate an estimated $9.1 +/-1.3 billion ($0.4 +/- $0.1 billion annual average) in total taxes paid to government over the next 20 years.
Operating under Scenario 1 treasury impacts could increase to $13.7 +/- $2.4 billion ($0.7 +/- $0.2 billion annual average).
An increase to $24.6 +/-$5.0 billion ($1.2 +/- $0.3 billion annual average) is estimated under Scenario 2.
And an increase to $25.9 +/-$5.4 billion ($1.2 +/- $0.5 billion annual average) is estimated under Scenario 3.
Locke's full report can be accessed HERE.
For more details, see Friday's Telegram.
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Earlier story
Two reports on Labrador mining released today conclude the mining industry has a significant impact on the economy of Newfoundland and Labrador, and that Muskrat Falls will be an important source of power for potential mining developments, the provincial government states in a news release.
The discussion documents “Labrador mining and power – how much and where from?”, and “Economic Impact Analysis of Iron Ore Mining Industry in Labrador 2011-31”, were released today by the Department of Natural Resources.
“There are over 8,000 people now employed in the mining industry in the province — an all-time high — and mineral shipments are expected to be worth $4.1 billion this year,” Natural Resources Minister Jerome Kennedy said this morning while speaking at the Mineral Resources Review conference in St. John’s.
Kennedy said there is a need to be aware of the importance of powering Labrador mines.
"We know what the power is costing in Quebec and we have to be competitive with Quebec," he said.
In the news release it states that based on projects already in construction or near sanction, existing generating capacity in Labrador may be exhausted by 2015-2017, and Muskrat Falls could be an important source of power for mining developments post 2017.
“The mining industry holds tremendous growth potential, with upwards of $10 billion to $15 billion of investment in Labrador mining projects possible over the next decade,” Kennedy said.
There are currently a number of mining projects at various states of development in Labrador. Voisey’s Bay, Wabush Mines, Iron Ore Company of Canada’s (IOC) Carol Lake and Labrador Iron Mines Ltd are in operation.
IOC Concrete Expansion Program and Tata Steel Minerals Canada are currently in construction.
The feasibility study for LIM Expansion is complete. Alderon Iron Ore Corporation’s Kami project, Tata Steel Canada Labmag project, Vale Inco’s Voisey’s Bay underground mine and Labec Century Iron Ore’s Joyce Lake are all undergoing feasibility studies.
IOC Labrador West Strategic Development, North Atlantic Iron Corporation, Aurora’s Paladin Michelin project and Julienne Lake are all undergoing pre-feasibility studies.
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