You could say this posting is an advertisement for EventsMine, that part of InfoMine that lists upcoming conferences.  You could say this posting is a free announcement for any one of the upcoming conferences I mention.  Maybe, but I announce upfront that this is just another of those personal reveries that are the essence of blog postings.

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A continuing echo running through these blog postings is the theme that small communities where mines may be developed should have their legal ducks in a row.  In short, if the laws to manage and control mine exploration, development, and closure are not in place, nobody benefits, fights occur, and mining languishes.  Often at conferences we hear the mining company lawyers say:  All we want is clarity and transparency in what to do.  This is the same message: only in a society of law, do good things happen.

This seems to simple a concept that we sometimes forget that even in the most law-based societies, it is not the case.  An example is the report from Whitehorse, Canada that skiers woke up to find mining claims all over their favorite ski runs.  Here is the link and an extract from the news report, least you think I am exaggerating: 

From CBC News:  “Skiers in the Yukon capital were stunned to find 85 new mining claims staked on some of the Whitehorse Cross Country Ski Club’s trails last month.  They aren’t alone: in 2005, residents in the Spruce Hill and Pineridge areas expressed outrage when they found their backyards were located next to similar claims.”

Seems the city has jurisdiction and you need a permit to stake on city land.  The report does not say if the permit process was skirted; or if applicable city laws are overridden by provincial, territorial, of federal laws; or whether the staking mining companies (not named) have a right the city or reports are unaware of. 

Regardless, one must shake one’s head in dismay that the first part of a mine’s community development plan consists of unannounced staking of claims on a local ski resort.  That is surely not an auspicious way to start getting local support. 

In fact there is something so bizarrre about this report, that I cannot help but wonder if there is more going on than we are informed of.  If you know, let us know, please.