Window into the northwest: Thunder Bay pitches mining infrastructure investment at Denver show.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: CONSTRUCTION

John Mason and Steve Demmings are heading out on a prospecting trip this fall.

Mining is set to boom in northwestern Ontario in a big, big way and Mason, the Thunder Bay Community Economic Development Commission's mining services project manager, and Demmings, its CEO, are making the pitch to companies and investors that there's a multitude of upcoming development work to be had.

Mining-related infrastructure needs in northwestern Ontario will be one of the featured projects at the annual North American Strategic Infrastructure Leadership Forum in Denver, Colo., Oct. 16-18. The region is considered among the top 100 infrastructure producing areas on the continent.

With a breadbasket of commodities including gold, chromium, copper, nickel, iron, palladium and platinum, Mason and Demmings will be lauding the mineral-rich region's 1.2 million ounces of annual gold production in the region, as well as 13 prospective deposits that will likely become mines within five years. The value of gold in the ground is estimated at $80 billion.

But to supply and staff all these massive developments, the infrastructure requirements involve an estimated 573.5 megawatts of power, 750 km of transmission lines, 640 km of road, and 3,551 professionals and tradespeople.

"Certainly the infrastructure focus will be the thing we'll be hitting on," said Mason, who presented at last year's show in Washington D.C. on the Ring of Fire chromite projects in the James Bay lowlands.

"We'll touch on the Ring of Fire project (this year,) but we'll talk about the major exploration projects on the cusp of production in the 2013 to 2017 window," said Mason, starting with Rubicon Minerals' Phoenix Gold project in Red Lake, slated to start production late next year.

"We want to illustrate that this is fertile ground."

The annual event attracts Wall Street financiers, global engineering and software firms, developers, lawyers and deep-pocketed entrepreneurs looking for investment opportunities.

"It's an interesting mix of heavy hitters and high-profile individuals with a number of countries represented," said Mason.

"Last year's event wasn't huge, maybe 400 people, but they were bringing a fair amount of clout," said Mason. His presentation was followed by one-on-one sessions, some of which have produced leads.

Mason had several conversations with Silicon Valley software firms entering the mining sector for the first time.

At the Denver event, the goal is to brand northwestern...