Inco Triangle

16 Pages·2006·2.81 MB·English

INCO
®
Printed on Recycled Paper
September 1992 Ontario Division Vol. 51, No.8
::
U
Uni4teI Way
challenge greater
than ever before
F
ewer employees than people on welfare has grown
ever will have to take up dramatically. There is more of
the slack if Inco employ- a need this year than ever
ees are to continue their tradi- before."
tion of breaking the previous The Inco employee and
year's United Way campaign pensioner campaign com-
record. bined with the annual corpo-
"Despite the fact that our rate donation represents about
workforce has been decreas- a third of the overall United
ing gradually for years, our Way drive in the community.
employees have always man- Inco's corporate donation
aged to set new records in the will come early to help launch
campaign," said campaign this year's employee cam-
co-chairman and Inco pen- paign. In past years, the cor-
sioner Gerry Cullain. porate donation came at the
Gerry and union co-chair- conclusion of the campaign.
man Brian King are confident Again this year, each Inco
that Inco employees will pull plant, mine and office will be
the rabbit out of the hat again given the opportunity to run
this year, despite a 15 percent its own individual canvasses.
reduction in the workforce. "We'll supply the inforrna-
In the QS he deruse tion, trainIng, inutriu1s
has been gradual," said Gerry. any other help they might
"But the response to last year's need to run their campaigns,"
special retirement offer means said Gerry.
that there will be about 1,200 'But we think that giving
fewer employees to canvass. each area the responsibility
The traditional generosity of for their own campaigns is the
our employees and their com- way to go."
munity spirit is the only thing He said that friendly com-
that'll help us match last petition between groups has
year's campaign record of made recent campaigns not
$218,000 raised, let alone only more interesting, enthu-
surpass it." siastic and fun, but fmancially
A combination of factors successful as well.
coming together at the worst 'It looks like everybody's
possible time makes a suc- on board again this year. We
cessful campaign this year have full support from top
even more critical than in past level management on down
years. and that's the only way we're
"The sluggish economy going to accomplish our goal.
has hit the community hard," It is this kind of support, of
said Gerry. "There are many time and effort by Inco peo-
more people out of work this ple, that has always pulled us
year and the number of through in the past."
Integrated emergency plan in the works
esponsible care. Division is placing a renewed "As a company, we're dedi- "We have to let our to make an informed judge-
Just as Inco is commit- emphasis on advising the cated to continuously improv- neighbors and the commu- ment. And we have to coordi-
ted to the safety and community about its Sudbury ing our environment, health nity at large know what's be- nate our emergency response
health of its employees, the area plants and mines and and safety performance," said ing done here to ensure a safe systems more effectively with
company is also sensitive to ensuring the Division's emer- Emergency Preparedness Co- environment to reduce the risk the community's emergency
community concerns about gency plan becomes inte- ordinator Berno Wenzl, add- of a mishap and to help re- services."
potential hazards associated grated with the Sudbury com- ing that community aware- duce the understandable anxi- Already, he sits on a re-
with its operations. munity emergency response ness is essential to responding ety that can result when peo- gional steering committee of
That's why the Ontario program. to public concerns. ple lack enough information continued on page2
2 SEPTEMBER 1992
Community involvement vital in emergency preparedness
continuedfrompage 1 departments who are best "These recent incidents," joint emergency preparedness all together. We need an over-
police, fire, health, industry equipped to do the job. We he said, "have been more of a as effective as possible." all roadmap."
and municipal government can contribute by coordinat- learning experience than all Some immediate steps He said United Steelwork-
representatives involved in ing our efforts with theirs." the drills we've held. That's a have already been taken. An ers Local 6500 and 6600 are
creating a comprehensive Sud- The company's need for small consolation, but it's up-to-date list of after-hour actively supporting the effort.
bury community response better communications with true." telephone numbers for media He said the committee
plan. the public became clear at a Although a major incident contacts has been given to the hopes to pull together the re-
Through the use of state- public meeting held by Inco is highly unlikely, Inco alarms Sudbury Fire Department gional plan in the next few
of-the-art chemical monitor- in June, shortly after an Acid may be sounded from time to which will alert the public via months so that a regional
ing equipment and elaborate Plant equipment problem set time. the radio and television me- mock emergency exercise can
backup systems, Berno said off Smelter emergency horns "It's inevitable," said dia of not only a Level 3 emer- be conducted in 1993.
that everything has been done and sent Copper Cliff residents Berno. "If it's a question of gency at Inco but also of any Immediate response and
to make Inco operations as indoors. uncertainty, we're going to be major community emergency. faster public warning of any
safe as possible. Failsafe and Although the precaution- over-cautious rather than take Other communications with mishap is only part of Inco's
other preventive safety pro- ary alarm signalled the es- any risks. We feel it's better to fire and police departments thrust.
grams are the bedrock of Inco's cape of a relatively small incur the anger of the public also being improved. In the works is a media
operations. amount of sulphur trioxide, by setting off the warning and "They are the best equipped campaign of community
"If we've come up short in well below those thought to have the incident turn out to and trained to handle emer- awareness advertisements on
our emergency preparedness pose a health risk, the horn be minor than waiting until gencies in the community," radio, television and in news-
here," said Berno, "it's in the alarmed many Copper Cliff we are 100 per cent sure of the he said. "What we're doing is papers.
area of keeping our neighbors residents. seriousness of the incident. The providing them the informa- Inco representatives will
informed on what we're do- "It was understandably a first method risks public criti- tion they need to do their job offer public safety sessions to
ing. We haven't worked to- traumatic experience for our cism, the latter risks lives. as quickly and effectively as area schools and plans are in
gether enough with those serv- neighbors," said Berno. "Yet if Nothing is 100 per cent fool- possible. the works for shopping mall
ices out in the community like the incident had a positive proof when you're dealing "We've had enthusiastic displays in cooperation with
police and fire departments to side, it reminded us that there with nature and the human cooperation in our efforts," the Sudbury fire departments.
coordinate our public aware- are a lot of people out there factor. said Berno of the regional An in-house campaign in
ness activities. We've done who are as concerned about "Today's technology talks. "All the agencies have company publications has
everything possible at our own safety as we are. Taking all makes for almost instant com- been very responsive. I think already begun to inform em-
sites, but when it comes to the the appropriate measures isn't munications. There is no rea- each of the c'ommunity's emer- ployees of what's being done.
community at large, it is the enough. You have to let peo- son why we can't work to- gency organizations are su- There will also be direct
municipal government and ple know that you are doing gether with the community to perbly prepared. What we mail-outs of updated informa-
experts in the police and fire it. get the word out, to make our need is a better plan to tie us tion to area residents.
How did you cope with
the summer that wasn't?
CharlieMcCoy, mine fore- Tony Matichuk, electri-
man, Crean Hill: "1 spent the cian, Crean Hill: "I usually go
entire five weeks depressed. It to Lake Superior, but it was
was miserable. I went to my too darned cold and wet this
summer place near Peterbor- year. We didn't have more
ough but it was as miserable than a half-dozen good days.
there as it was here. Usually I I didn't get to use our pool at
spend my vacation outside, home more than a couple of
but this year Iwas in the house times. For the first time, my
most of the time. I've never wife and I had the five weeks
seen such a lousy summer." off together."
Partners
Rob Savoie, anode helper, Aime Lefebvre, instru-
Copper Refinery: "The weather ment supervisor, Copper Re-
didn't bother me. I worked the finery: "I was building a house Industrial tradesmen Harold Heyerman%, Dave Hunt,
first three weeks and had the during my holidays so the
Albert Pinneill and Alex Hanuska change a crane block
last two off. The weather was weather actually helped me.
at the Port Colborne Refinery. The annual testinq Is
actually pretty nice that first None of my friends and rela-
week which I spent at camp. tives went to camp so they Just part of a general preventive
In two weeks I'll be in the came and helped me. The cool designed to keep things moving the::
Caribbean with my new wife weather is always nice when refinery.
so I'll know what hot weather you're working long hours
feels like." outside."
The Triangle 3
.4
_a
,,.,
Fabrine lines the bottom of one of the recharge pits.
Novel solution for better, cheaper
Levack drinking water
G
iving Levack miners cost us$150,000 to remove all
their water on the the gravel and pour a new
rocks can be an layer.
expensive proposition, "Roy and I were down there
Thanks to the ingenuity of last year looking at the situa-
complex maintenance super- tion to see if something could
intendent Roy Landrye and be done to reduce cost, and we
foreman Jim Howe, keeping came up with the idea of us-
them happy may be a whole ing a layer of fabrine on the
lot cheaper in the future. surface of the gravel to catch
"We run the potable water the silt."
system that provides about Fabrine, a woven plastic
g
300,000 gallons of water a day web material that's used in
for the town of Levack, the mines to line berms to contain
Levack Complex mines as well backfill, comes in 10-foot rolls.
as four Falconbridge mines in Last summer, the material was
the area," said Jim. "Last year sewn together to make 30-foot
we did a major upgrading of widths and placed on top of
the pumphouse and surround- the gravel.
ing area that included shor- "It looks like it's going to
ing up the banks and getting work," he said. "Preliminary
rid of overgrowth and some investigation shows that much
vegetation of the area." of the silt is forming on the
From the pumphouse, the fabrine and the water flows
water is pumped from the are normal.
Onaping River into two large : We can't be sure yet, but it
recharge pits, one 600 feet long looks like all we are going to
by 87 feet wide, the other 400 have to do next year is spend
feet long and 40 feet wide. $3,000 in fabrine and $2,000
The water then seeps through in labor. Even if we have to do
a 10-inch thick layer of pea it every year, that'll mean an
gravel that lines the pits and \,, expenditure of $10,000 every
continues down until replen- two years as opposed to
ishing three 80 foot deep wells $150,000."
that supply the drinking He suspects the gravel will
water. have to be changed eventu-
The problem, according to w:; ally, but even if it lasts only a
urn, is that the gravel becomes year longer than without the
silted and has to be changed ..k fabrine, the savings will be
every two years, "Last year it Jim Howe with the rolls of Fabrine that he believes will be an unorthodox but substantial.
inexpensive solution to a Levack water supply problem.
Surface maIntenance foreman Peter Duslck shows the pile of metal at the Levack steel yard. It'll be recycled.
Levack's recycling is from the
underground up
-.
//
F
inding solutions to
environmental prob-
lems means looking at
the sky above and Mother
Earth below our feet..
But to find our just how far
beneath our feet the concern
goes, you'll have to talk to
some enthusiastic Levack min-
ers.
When the Levack Complex
launched a unique and in no-
vative waste segregation pro-
gram designed to deal with
tons of metal, wood, indus-
trial and other wastes, a group
of miners decided to get on
board and do their part.
"When maintenance su-
perintendent Roy Landrye put
the waste segregation pro-
gram to all plant employees,
some underground employees
asked about its implementa-
tion down in the mine as well
as surface," said mine fore-
man Ray Parker. "We set up a
pilot project from 1,900 to
2, 350 level to separate domes-
tic waste." .-..
Inco green boxes were in-
Sandplant operator Ron Mechefske disposes of a bag of material in one of the color-coded boxes at Levack.
stalled in three lunchrooms
and the approximately 30
men working in the area are nance foreman Peter Dusick. to the Levack landfill site belled and color-coded bins materials as well as industrial
proving that everybody can "These guys took it on them- around the complex. and domestic waste. This
get into the recycling act. selves to get involved." Color-coded bins "Whatever we take under- morning alone we had 15
"I think it shows the kind The initiative bodes well ground eventually has to come truckloads of waste material
of co-operation we're getting for the complex's ambitious The program calls for the back up," said Peter. "There's come up."
around here with the pro- program designed to reduce separation of all non-hazard- scrap metal, wood, rubber Before the waste segrega-
gram,' said surface mainte- the amount of material going ous waste into specially-la- materials and other mining tion program was begun, the
The Triangle 5
bulk of the material was sent recyclables. waste and recyclable materi- matically.
to the Inco landfill site. "Al- "Most of our people didn't "Most of our als are separated out. "Used to be that the mate-
though there wasn't anything have to be motivated," said rial was picked up regularly,
toxic, our emphasis on pro- Peter. "Most are doing this people didn't The wood pile and sometimes there would
tecting the environment kind of thing at home. We felt be nothing but a couple
meant we had to find new at first it would demand a have to be Wood and steel waste, once of pieces of lumber in the
ways of handling this stuff. little more time, but it hasn't collected in bins, is stored at box. Under the new system,
And at the rate we were going, worked out that way. It's ac- motivated, central depots where employ- it's picked up only when
our landfill site was starting tually more efficient than be- ees can take what they need we call.
to fill up." fore." most are doing under a special pass system. Domestic garbage is still
The unique color-coded Material from under- Unclaimed materials will be picked up regularly.
boxes are the most visible signs ground comes up separated. this kind of recycled. "This is one of those efforts
of the project. Red boxes are Although domestic waste con- "The wood pile isn't grow- that everybody has to pitch
for domestic waste, brown for tinues to go to the community thing at home." ing much," said Peter. "We in," he said. "It would never
wood, grey for steel, yellow for dump, dump fees are down have about 15 or 20 loads a work if our people weren't
industrial waste and green for significantly now that other week taken away by our em- committed to it. So far, every-
These pallets used to be discarded. Today they are stored and picked up by a company that re-uses them.
ployees." body has been enthusiastic
Any metal remaining in about it and it shows in the
the Levack steel yard this results.
spring will be sent to the Levack's output of waste is
Smelter for recycling and regu- expected to drop by 40 per
lar recyclable materials such cent in 1992.
as cardboard will be picked Her estimates may have
up once a month as part of the been too conservative, judg-
regular community program. ing from an Environmental
"The difference it has made Control and Occupational
is quite obvious," said Peter. Health monthly report re-
"There's no huge new piles at leased last December.
the landfill site anymore." The report states that an
Through innovation, the estimated diversion of about
complex has managed to find 50 per cent of waste from the
users for some of their dis- landfill site has resulted since
carded materials. Thousands the project got underway three
of wooden pallets, once tossed months before.
on the garbage heap, are no The reduction meets the
saved. "Everytimewesaveup environment ministry's objec-
500 pallets, a company from tive for the turn of the
the Soo sends a truck down to century.
take them off our hands. It's The report also states that
amazing how much of the a similar program is being
stuff we used to throw away expanded to include the
can be used by somebody Creighton Complex and the
else." Copper Cliff Smelter, with
Costs for garbage removal, most other areas to be included
Peter Duskkover%ooks the landfill site with waste segregated in separate areas. This he said, have dropped dra- in the future.
procedure ensures that waste disposal has the least possible Impact on the
environment.
6 SEPTEMBER 1992
Inco scholarships: another kind of
natural resource development
wenty young scholars will take advantage of Inco winning because the standard of applications is very high, which was the case
scholarships when they enter university this fall. again this year.
The competition was again keen for the Inco Reserved Scholarship Awards Scholarships are awarded primarily on the basis of outstanding academic
and the independent scholarship selection committee had to glean the achievement. Candidates must also demonstrate broad interests and/or
winners from among 106 eligible applications. leadership qualities through participation in school and community activities.
Fifteen scholarships were awarded to children of Nort hem Ontario em ploy- The selection process includes a thorough study of areas ranging from the
ees, three to children of Manitoba Division employees and two to children of complete academic record and characterization of the applicant as supplied
employees in other areas such as southern Ontario and ex-patriates. The by the high school to personal information supplied by the applicant.
distribution is based on the number of employees in each area. Some areas taken into account are the capability for sustained work at
Full scholarships are valued at $2,500 annually and are renewable for studies, a coherent approach to problem solving, stability of character,
three years. reaction to setbacks and criticism, breadth of interests, relationships with peer
Three Fin alistAward winners were also selected, one from southern Ontario group and with teaching staff, leadership abilities and any unusual handicaps
and two from Sudbury. Valued at $ 1,0001 the Finalist awards are for the first in life the student has overcome.
year of university only. Children of full-time Canadian employees, of ex-patri ate employees from
They are intended to reward an applicant who has achieved a level of Canadian locations, of Canadian pensioners and of deceased employees are
academic excellence which merits a full scholarship, but who is excluded from eligible to apply for the awards.
Northern Ontario
Linda Boyley, a Lowell Cochrane, a
graduate of Lo-Ellen Park graduate of Lo-Ellen Park
Secondary School and Secondary School, will
Inco daughter of Cynthia Abel complete a degree in Eng-
and Nickel Refinery proc- lish at Laurention and
ess sampler Merle "Bill" then continue for his
Bayley, will attend the masters and PhD. Son of
Scholarship University ofWaterloo to Lynne Cochrane and
earn an honors math- Mines Exploration super-
ematics degree. An avid intendent Lawrence
bowler, reader and mu- Cochrane, he's interested
Winners
sic fan, she said the schol- in writing, homebrewing
arship will pay for a and playing guitar. The
"good chunk" of her scholarship, he said, has
course. "I'll be able to "filled a great hole in
breathe easier and con- paying my tuition."
centrate more on the
studies."
Son of Smelter Com- Entry into the space Keith Joiner, son of
plex manager Peter program is the dream of Louise Joiner and Infor-
Garritsen and Virginia Levack District High mation Systems projects
Garristen, Donald James School graduate Mike supervisor Ted Joiner, will
Garritsen is a graduate Helmann, the son of re- attend Queen's Univer-
of Lockerby Composite tired Levack miner Klaus sity where he hopes to
School who will attend Heimann and Ursula obtain a four-year engi-
McMaster University to Heimann. He'll go to the neering degree in
study engineering. He University of Waterloo for biomechanics before en-
plans to go into electrical a degree in applied tering medical school. He
engineering and work at honors co-op physics. He wants to design artificial
a consulting firm. His loves to hike, fish, hunt, limbs and organs for pa-
hobbies include skiing, cycle, read and work on tients in need. A host of
mountain biking and cars. He said winning the athletic activities from
golfing. "The scholarship scholarship has been a track and field to tennis
has helped to subsidize great relief. "It will allow keeps him busy
the outrageous costs of me to spend my time in his spare time. "Be-
today's university educa- doing other things, like cause of this scholarship,
tion," he said. homework and a little I will be able to devote
R&R." my time to my studies,"
he said. Keith is a gradu-
ate of Lo-Ellen Park Sec-
ondary School.
Aaron Marsaw of Neil Maskery hopes Tara Moskalyk of
Ecole Secondaire to become an engineer Lockerby Composite
Catholique, son of Inco and return to Sudbuxy. School, daughter of En-
Exploration and Techni- The son of Central Proc- gineering Department
cal Services exploration ess Technology section chemical engineer Ray
assistant Wesley Marsaw leader David Maskery Moskalyk and Gloria
and Beatrice Marsaw, and the late Maureen Moskalyk, will attend
will go to Laurentian Uni- Maskery, Neil is inter- Queen's University where
versity. He plays guitar, ested in windsurfing, she'll take science courses
rides bicycle, listens to cross-country skiing and needed to enter dentistry
music and is heavily in- church. He said the schol- or medicine. She likes vol-
volved in volunteer work. arship has greatly aided leyball, cycling and run-
his financial situation. fling and feels the schol-
He graduated from Lo- arship has given her a
Ellen Park Secondary boost. "It's encouraged
School. me to continue working
hard," she said
The Triangle 7
Son of Central Main- Michael Noble, a Beatrice Politi is a
tenance and Utilities ad- graduate of St. Charles graduate of Marymount
ministrative clerk Sandra College, is the son of In- College. She's the daugh-
Muzia and Michael formation Systems secu- ter of the late Dante Politi,
Muzia, David Muzia is a rity administrator John a former Cleaning Sew-
graduate of Lively Dis- Noble and Carol Noble. ices janitor, and
trict Secondary School. He'll attend Western Uni- Antonietta Politi. She will
He'll study at the Univer- versity to earn an honors attend York University to
sity of Western Ontario science degee followed by complete a Bachelor of
for his Bachelor of Sci- alaw degree. He wants to Arts degree in Political
ence degree in genetics. be a criminal lawyer. He Science and Italian, then
He wants to become a likes tennis, baseball, attend law school. She
doctor in order to make a guitar, reading and mu- hopes to become a crimi-
difference. "1 hope to help sic and said that without nal lawyer. "The Inco
a few people along the the stholarship it would scholarship will provide
way," he said. Interested have been very difficult for me the financial se-
in archery and downhill to meet the financial de- curity while I pursue my
skiing, David said the mands of attending uni- goals," she said.
scholarship has taken versity out of town.
much of the financial
burden away from his
parents. "1 want my edu-
cation to cost them as
little as possible," he said.
Son of Process Tech- The diplomatic sew- M a 1 c o 1 m
nology technologist Gary ice or private business are Steenburgh, a graduate
Quig and Ann Quig, the career goals of of Lasalle Secondary
Robert Quig graduated Stephen Smith, a gradu- School is the son of Inco
from Lo-Ellen Park Sec- ate of Lo-Ellen Park Sec- Specialty Powder Prod-
ondary School. He will ondary School and son ucts manager Bill
attend the University of of Purchasing and Ware- Steenburgh and Main
Toronto to earn his Bach- housing buyer Ronald Filion. He'll go to Queen's
elor of Mechanical Engi- Smith and Sylvia Smith. University to get an
neering degree and enter He likes golf, tennis, curl- honors degree in science.
the field of robotics. A ing, skiing and soccer. He's into basketball,
fisherman, camper, cy- "The financial aid this music and computers. He
clist and canoeist, he also scholarship has provided said the scholarship will
includes karate among is extraordinary and in- remove much of the stress
his athletic interests. "The spiring," he said. associated with earning
Inco scholarship will pay enough money during
for my tuition and uni- the summer to pay for
versity. It makes it possi- the next year of school.
ble for me to attend."
Finalist Award
Winners
Teaching and social Eleonora Fiipponeis St. Charles College
work are the careers the daughter of Francesca graduate Darrin
Susannah Travers is Filippone and Copper Johnson will be working
considering. A graduate Cliff Mill industrial me- for a degree in civil engi-
of Lockerby Composite chanic Carmelo neering at Queen's Uni-
School, she's the daugh- Filippone. A graduate of versity. Son of Informa-
ter of Maragaret Travers M a r y m o u n t tion Systems analyst Reg
and Joseph Travers, a College, she'll take the Johnson and Mary
furnace operator at the social sciences program Johnson, Damn wants to
Smelter. She's off to at the University of West- become a professional
Laurentian University to ern Ontario. "Currently, engineer for a Northern
get her Bachelor of Arts I'm leaving my options Ontario company or join
degree and continue into open with the social a structural engineering
graduate or professional sciences program, seeing consulting firm. Among
school. Susannah likes where it'll lead me after I his interests are photog-
writing poetry, reading, see what interests me the raphy, debating, golf
politics and music. "The most," she said. and hiking. 'Going out
scholarship will provide of town to university is
the money necessary for very expensive," he said.
me to pursue my post- "This (scholarship) will
secondary education," reduce the financial bur-
she said. den on myself and
my parents."
Soutern Ontario and Ex-Patriate Finalist Award
Winners Winner
Jeanette Ettel, a Beth Reyburn, a Salma Bhaloo is a
graduate of Applewood graduate of E.L. Crossley graduate of Leaside High
HeightsSecondary Secondary School, is the School. She's the daugh-
School, is the daughter of daughter of Port terofToronto office legal
Sheridan Park Research Colborne Refinery Total secretary Nasim Bhaloo.
Laboratory section head Quality Improvement
Victor Ettel. Coordinator Robert
Reyburn.
8 SEPTEMBER 1992
Inco pensioner Richard
Bruser explains the finer
points of painting to
Nick, 7, a camper from
in 1983 from the Geology
Department.
Natalie, 9, of Val Therese leaves her wheelchair for
the caring arms of companion Kendra Shepherdson of
Sudbury. Throughout the week Natalie traded In her
wheelchair for rides aboard a goif cart, airplane and
houseboat.
Vo1unt"s .1' 'k young cancer
pa6en1: cijcy
F
ive-yedr-old Fronkle ference begins and ends. At publicity for the camp in com- between 40 and 50 campers," chocolate making.
woifed down his pizza Camp Quality; the emphasis is pany publications. Triangle sto- said Red. "But for the first year The exhaustive activity pro-
and rushed to the piano at not on cancer, it's on having ties solicited volunteers and this is about average. I'm sure gram also included plane,
the end of the dining haiL fun." helped organizers find children that as more people become houseboat and hot air balloon
In what had become a A plant protection officer who who could take advantage of aware of the program our regis- rides, a golf outing, campfires,
mealtime ritual, he scaled the retired from Inco in 1985 with the camp's program. trations will grow." magic show and visits from po-
chest..high bench and poked in 36 years' service, Red has been Located on the scenic West This camp's inaugural ses- lice and ambulance attendants.
discriminately at the black and involved with summer camps Arm of Lake Nipissing, on 20 sion took place from July 20 to On the final evening, campers
white keys before him. since the mid.1950s. He agreed acres of beautiful, borrowed 24, one of the more pleasant square danced to the music of
Greeting each note with an to help establish asummercamp church campground, Camp weeks of an otherwise dismal champion fiddlers from nearby
approving smile, the wide-eyed for cancer patients In the North Quality offers young cancer pa- summer. Noelville.
redhead continued his im- afterbeing approachedby Camp tients a chance to trade in their Cool temperatures early in "It's been great," said Brad,
promptu concert while the room Quality organizers. medical routines for a week of the session failed to sway camp- 10, of Dowling, whose cancer
around him buzzed with camp- "The first Camp Quality was outdoor fun. ers and volunteers who bundled has been in remission for sev-
ers sharing tales of the morn- actually launched in 1983 near In its first year of operation, up in custom-made sweatshirts eral years.
ing's activities Sydney, Australia," said Red. the camp attracted 18 cancer provided by Inco. "This is my first time at a
To the observer, the scene "Today, there are 32 camps patients and siblings ranging in "For the first two days, every- camp like this and I've made a
might have arisen at any one of in eight countries. The first Ca- age from five to 13. where you looked you sow those lot of friends, especially Sean,"
countless campgrounds around nadian camp opened in 1988 In Looking after their needs was hooded sweatshirts," said Red. he said, motioning towards his
the world. southern Ontario - this is the a corps of volunteers doing eve- "Theycertainly came in handy." 23-year-old companion from
But this summer camp was second. We couldn't have done rything from washing dishes, set- Mother Nature smiled on Espanola.
different. it without the support of several ting tables and cooking, to tak- Camp Quality the remainder of Companions are an essen-
Frankie, like most other businesses, organizations and ing registrations, organizing ac- the week as campers tried their tial part of the Camp Quality
campers at Camp Quality, has individuals." tivities and serving as campers' hands at activities and crafts experience and each camper is
cancer. "That," said camp direc- inco donated about 100 companions. such as archery, woodworking, paired with an adultfortheweek.
tor Red Butler, 'is where the dif- sweatshirts and provided early Ideally, we would have liked fishing, painting and The bond between camper
The Triangle 9
Wayne Sparham, Lou Bolger and Red Butler sit in the dining ball where Lou made
candy trains for the campers.
Stephanie, 10, of Lively and Ginette, 12, of Val Therese
sit atop the inflatable ski-bob on the camp dock,
awaiting their turn for a ride on the lake.
Brian Kane of General Engineering helps Jean, 10, master the art of archery. Both
are wearing sweatshirts donated to the camp by Inco.
Darrell Dewar of Field Engineering teaches Dawna, 6,
Brad, 10, and Stephanie, 10, the proper way to build a
birdhouse.
and companion has been every- sonality developed to the point "These children "I'm having a good time and
thing Brian Kane hoped it would where he's out playing with the hadbig appetites and I'm getting along fine," said
be when he volunteered his serv- other campers and doing what could dirty a lot of Natalie, leaving her wheelchair
ices. he does best - being a 10-year- dishes, but seeing with the help of companion
A contract administrator in old boy. them enjoy themselves Kendra Sheperdson.
General Engineering, Brian be- "The pleasure you derive made the entire experi- "I've made good friends and
came interested in Camp Qual- from seeing the change in these ence worthwhile." I've enjoyed myself. I especially
ity after reading about it in the youngsters from the time they Big appetites and dirty liked building birdhouses."
'.,
April issue of the Inco Triangle. get here to the end of the camp- dishes are nothing new to as the camp's At various times during the
- -.
He felt a particular kinship with ing week makes volunteering summer camps. In fact, woodworking week, Natalie traded her wheel-
. .-
the campers, having lost his left worth every minute of your there is little to distinguish instructor. chair for seats on a golf cart,
leg to bone cancer at the age of time." Camp Quality from any . "I think as the camp airplane and houseboat.
21. Companions weren't the other summer camp •. . grows it may attract more It's the kind of total partici-
"Having had cancer, I only volunteers to form bonds where children run, chronic campers because it is pation that makes Red Butler
thought I could make a contri- with campers. shout and play. certainly equipped to look after proud.
bution," he said. "It's been bet- Wayne Sparham, whose wife Theoccasionalpass- them." "The Camp Quality program
ter than I expected." and daughter also volunteered, ing of a child in a wheelchair Nine-year-old Natalie of Val is designed so that no one is
Brian's face beams with pride beamed with delight as he serves as the only reminder that Therese was the camp's most precluded because of size, abil-
as he relates how his camper, a proudly showed off a painted most campers here are fighting visible cancer patient, sitting in ity or strength," he said.
shy 10-year-old named lean, picture presented to him by a a deadly disease. a wheelchair with a kerchief "The camps international
benefltted from the Camp Qual- six-year-old camper named It's a fact not lost on Darrell covering the hair loss that ac- symbol is a hot airballoon which
ity experience. Dawna. Dewar of Field Engineering, companies chemotherapy. represents campers rising above
"When he first arrived here "This picture made my "When I volunteered to come Her physical limitations, their problems. At Camp Qual-
he was a very shy individual," week," said the Little Stobie here I expected to see more chil- however, in now way restricted ity we see to it these youngsters
said Brian. compressorman who served as dreninwheelchairsandinworse her participation in any of the have no time to think about
"Through the week his per- kitchen supervisor for the week. shape," said Darrell, who served camp's activities. anything but having fun."
10 SEPTEMBER 1992
Tour promotes mining's changing image
M
ulti-million dollar nology, the machinery and
pollution abatement by the overall size of the op-
-j projects, massive eration here."
regreening and land reclama- Although the tours are op-
tion efforts. erated by Science North, Inco
It's all part of the changing has considerable input.
image of the mining industry, "We couldn't do it if it
yet getting the word out to the wasn't for the cooperation and
public can sometimes be a support of Inco," said Big
frustrating affair. Nickel Mine manager Brenda
That's why Severo Zanatta Tremblay. "lnco provides the
figures the Path of Discovery pensioner guides who give
tour is so valuable. tourists a chance to talk with
"It's some of the best pub- actual miners. Inco also pro-
lic relations that we can do," vides sample cards for the visi-
said the Inco pensioner who tors and training for the guides
has been involved with the hired for the summer."
tour for five years. Acting as About a dozen student
liaison between the company guides are trained by Inco
and the tour's facilitator, Sci- every year. They are given an
ence North, Severo accompa- intensive course on mining
nies visitors as they tour Inco that includes a visit to an ac-
mines, plants and other ar- tive mine and are given a tour
eas. and introduction to smelting
He said many tourists are and refining.
surprised by the cleanliness of Safety gets a high priority
our plants and mines, the and tour guides are given a
emphasis on safety and the good grounding in the com-
company's commitment to pany's strict safety standards,
the environment. intensive first aid training, a
"The tailings area is the detailed account of emergency
most visual example of our evacuation procedures and
environmental efforts," he contacts in case of emergen-
said, "It shows what we've cies.
managed to do and it never Tremblay said about 6,000
fails to impress people." visitors take advantage of the
The 2 1/2 hour tour in- tour each year, from across
cludes the Frood Open Pit, Canada and as far away as
Clarabelle Mill, the Copper Japan, Germany and China.
Cliff Smelter and other Inco "Maybe 25 or 30 per cent
sites. of our visitors have some
Seven to 10-minutes are knowledge about mining or a
spent at each Inco site and the related field," she said, add-
visits are coordinated with ing that reaction from most
plant management to ensure has been orwhr'1rungly
safety and to avoid interfer- positive. "People love it. They
ing with operations. ask a lot of questions. They're
"The plants do their best to amazed by the size of the op-
accommodate us despite the eration here."
fact that they have their own She agrees with Severo that
operations to worry about," the tour is perhaps one of the
said Severo. "In return, we do best ways to change the im-
our best to avoid any intru- age of mining.
sion on their operations." "It's definitely effective,"
No Inco employees are she said.
involved in conducting the The Path of Discovery tour,
.?cL; .j tours. Knowledgeable guides, separate from the Big Nickel
*..,. trained by Inco, are there to Mine tour, runs from late April
L( .' -.
outline our operations and to mid-October. Science North
answer the barrage of ques- provides buses for the tours
tions that are inevitable with from the end of June through
:. every tour. September. Group tours,
,••• •-v.. •r. '..' . & "Most of the visitors have where groups provide their
-. .1
never seen a mine site before," own buses, are held for the
"Casualty" Nancy Dufour, 17, gets assistance from Brenda Dezelak, 21, whIle North said Severo. "It's a totally new extended period. Science
Mine first Aid Instructor Cathy Muiroy and Severo Zanatta look on. environment for them. Most North offers guides for the
are impressed by the high tech- group tours.
No freeze on transportation improvements
P
inning the tail on the day's solution. In fact, it comes it was slow, hard, labor-inten- "At the time the sheds were much more flexible and adap-
dog, Moe Bertrand calls from a line of problem/solu- sive, expensive work.. . and installed," said Moe, "it was tive to customer needs.
it. You keep trying, but tion scenarios that stretch back kind of hard on the railway the answer. But with the costs Because of the shorter cy-
the dog keeps changing. to the time when Inco blasted cars. of all types of energy going cle times we have far fewer
The "continuous" in the ore in railcars. "Binmen had to drive steel up, our natural gas bill was cars today than ever before
Continuous Improvement "Rail cars at one time were pipes into the frozen ore, as going through the roof. and the job gets done better.
philosophy is there because part of the ore storage sys- many as 16 of them, with a "The sheds," he said, "were At one time there were over
yesterday's solutions become tem," said Moe. "We used to sledge hammer. The pipes costing us about $1 million in 1,200 cars used to move On-
today's challenges, says the have as many as 800 cars were loaded with explosives natural gas annually." tario Division ore. Today we
Transportation and Traffic under load at any given and the ore would be blasted Teamwork, co-operation use less than 450."
operations superintendent. time which represented ap- loose." and communication has al- The improvement cycle is
Like most Inco operations, the proximately 50,000 tons of The solution to that ready cut costs, but not by continuing. The department
Transportation department stored ore." problem? using expensive new modifi- recently negotiated with Ca-
has been moving almost con- While the system worked The thaw shed, a huge cations or elaborate technol- nadian Pacific, expanding
tinuously from problem to reasonably well in the sum- structures with six separate ogy and equipment. Instead, joint use provisions of exist
solution to challenge, and mer months, once the weather sheds that straddles Inco the department has focused ing operating agreements and
they've managed to keep one got colder the difficulties be- tracks. The cars, loaded with on rapid cycling of ore cars to encouraging rapid cycling of
step ahead in the effort. gan. Ore would freeze in the frozen ore, are hauled in and minimize the time that ore is CP rail cars in exchange for a
Ore flow studies going on cars while waiting to be un- doors on each end of the sheds left outside long enough to substantial reduction in
now that will help Transpor- loaded, and the only way to are closed. When the furnaces freeze. freight costs.
tation tighten up rail schedul- get it out was to blast it with kick in, the ore is defrosted. "We've worked to reduce "Continuous improve-
ing are the latest effort to solve explosives. Sound like the perfect the cycle from the mine to the ment," says Moe, "means you
a problem that was yester- "It worked," said Moe, "but solution? mill by making our schedules keep going."