ASEG and GSA welcome Inco as Platinum Sponsor of 2006 Australian Earth Sciences Convention

Planning for the combined ASEG-GSA Australian Earth Sciences July 2006 Convention received a boost last month with announcement of the Platinum Sponsor, international mining company Inco.

Inco is the second-largest integrated nickel producer in the world (behind Russia 's Noril’s Nickel) and is also a significant producer of copper, precious metals, and cobalt. The company has operations in 14 countries, including mines in Canada and Indonesia, and nickel refineries in Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. Inco realised gross revenues of $4.3 billion in 2004, delivering 251,882 mt of nickel, 124,884 mt of copper, and 2.5 million oz of precious metals during the year.

Inco Exploration is focused on nickel and is directed from Inco’s research facility in Mississauga, Ontario, by vice-president, Nick Sheard (past ASEG President), Bob Bell, Director, Exploration Australia and two other directors. The company has a strong technical services organisation based in Inco’s main mining centre of Sudbury, Ontario, which provides global project generation initiatives together with geological, geochemical, geophysical, petrophysical services and data management. Inco conducts exploration for both sulphide and laterite nickel globally and is committed to all facets of exploration from grassroots, brownfields and in-mine exploration. Currently exploration is being conducted in Canada, Australia, Brazil, Finland,  Indonesia, New Caledonia and China.

In 2004 Inco has had considerable success by adding 60 mt of reserves and resources to its sulphide and laterite operations in Canada, Indonesia and New Caledonia.

Australia is increasingly becoming a major focus of Inco’s grassroots exploration, with Terry Crabb (current ASEG President), recently being appointed as Exploration Manager of Inco Resources ( Australia ). The company's exploration has been primarily for nickel sulphides but this has expanded recently to nickel laterite with the signing of an agreement with Heron Resources on their extensive laterite holdings in the Kalgoorlie area. In addition to the Heron option, Inco has option/joint ventures with Helix Resources Limited and FraserX Pty Ltd in Western Australia and in South Australia  with PlatSearch NL and Landmark Stone Pty Ltd. In addition to these ventures, Inco has acquired a 100% interest in several properties in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia . Inco is conducting grassroots and generative nickel sulfide exploration throughout Australia this year. 

Inco is pleased to be able to be the Platinum sponsor for this conference and exhibition, which is a partnership between GSA and the ASEG, and will clearly demonstrate the value of integrating geology and geophysics into competent exploration programs. Inco Exploration believes that a successful exploration program is based on integration and benefits from partnerships.

** The AESC Organising Committee welcomes enquiries from other interested sponsors. Please contact Michael.Asten@sci.monash.edu.au

http://www.inco.com