Eastern opportunities: Newfoundland community needs mine supply expertise.

• Author: Cowan, Liz
• Position: DESIGN-BUILD

The Long Harbour Development Corp. in Newfoundland wants to import the expertise of Sudbury's mining supply and services companies.

The community is the site of Vale's $3-billion hydromet processing facility, currently under construction, and it will process nickel sulphide concentrate from Vale's Voisey's Bay Mine in Labrador. The development corporation wants to identify suppliers so when the facility goes into production in 2013, they are ready to meet the supply and services requirements.

"I am a matchmaker," said Joe Bennett, executive director of the Long Harbour Development Corp. "I want to take advantage of the experience of the suppliers in Sudbury and see if we can create a marriage between organizations in Newfoundland who might want to do a joint venture, or partnership, or sub-office, with someone who is already experienced in dealing with Vale on the supply side and hopefully get a leg up."

Bennett and the mayor of Long Harbour, Gary Keating, held an information session in October at the Idyle Golf and Country Club in conjunction with the Greater Sudbury Chamber of Commerce.

The pair outlined the municipal infrastructure that is available in the town and its new 35-acre business park. Assistance is available through the development corporation for companies wishing to establish a business in the community and the session also allowed for planning of future site visits with interested parties.

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Long Harbour is about 100 kilometres east of St. John's on the Avalon Peninsula.

"I know people in Sudbury have a lot of experience in dealing with Vale from a procurement perspective, so we are trying to take advantage of that expertise," Bennett said.

"There is enough lead time to create some...