The note tacked inside the elevator wishes us all a Safe and Prosperous New Year. We echo that salutation. The junior miner I encountered on exiting the elevator said he remains optimistic “for I have no other options.” And we encourage that way of thinking.
In that vein, here is what one mining company, Silver Falcon Mining Inc., plans for 2009:
1) Working the mill on a double shift schedule and increasing the output
tonnage through the addition of a larger ball mill to be installed
parallel to the existing one as well as installing a larger Falcon
Concentrator to multiply the precious metals output.
2) Bring to the mill sufficient ore from the tailings pile to guarantee
the increased production for 24 months production of Gold and Silver.
3) In accordance with our operating contract with GoldCorp Holdings, Co.,
open up one more shaft on the property and prepare it for further
activity.
4) Establish a large permanent mill site at the Sinker Tunnel Entrance
thus eliminating present transport and road maintenance cost.
5) Dedicate 15% of the net smelter returns to a buyback plan of its
common “A” stock.
6) Start permitting process to do underground mining in the Sinker Tunnel
so as to allow year round operation to go on.
7) A core drilling program for an evaluation of reserves on the mountain.
I particularly liked this statement by Mr. Pierre Quilliam, President of Silver Falcon Mining, Inc:
“Again we have laid out an ambitious plan and now that we have a cadre of competent and dedicated associates under contract, we are very excited at the prospects laid out before us. Thanks to the selfless dedication of our employees and contractors, we look forward to a very rewarding year in 2009 both financially and operationally.”
The idea that the have a cadre of competent and dedicated employees, staff, and contractors, and that they have a plan to keep them employed is encouraging. This is so much more encouraging than a dinner party “game” we played the other night. The “game” was How Safe Is Your Job?
An aerospace scientist said that he thought it is a good time to keep the boss well informed about your competence and productivity. The young Californian teacher noted that she could be laid off all too soon if the state went bust, and the school budgets cut. The engineer noted that he and his firm are deep into infrastructure development and should be OK. My daughter announced that she is setting up her own, woman-owned minority business in order to try to skim some work of the big companies and firms obligated by law to provide a certain portion of the contract work to such firms.
I cogitated about trying to make money of this blog–to try to find people willing to pay for those fancy adverts that open and close and twist and turn and which display a short video extolling a fine brandy. Meanwhile I give thanks to those companies that do post contextual ads besides my text. I owe you gratitude for your support in spite of contentious opinions.
Thus my only resolution and prediction for 2009 and the world of mining: enjoy each day to the full, for it will be 2010 before you know it. Some will prosper, some refine, and some change the way they live and earn. Constant change is inevitable and constant optimism is the only plausible human response. Go forth and mine.
