Quebec's Mining Industry Drives Nearly $200 Million in Fourth-Quarter Kickoffs, Leads in Top 10 Projects

---

Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Mining projects make up more than half of the $197.4 million in projects that are set to begin construction in Quebec in the fourth quarter of 2015, according to Industrial Info's project database, with $40.5 million attributed to maintenance-related plans in various industries. Nearly 90% of the $197.4 million total can be found in three industries: Metals & Minerals, Pulp, Paper & Wood, and Pharmaceutical & Biotech.

Click on the image at right for a graph detailing planned fourth-quarter 2015 project kickoffs in Quebec by industry.

The Metals & Minerals Industry is far ahead of all other industries with $103 million in projects slated to kick off construction in the fourth quarter, including Nemaska Lithium Incorporated's (Quebec City) $35 million conversion of its Shawinigan lithium carbonate hydromet plant in Grand'mere. The company plans to convert Produits Forestiers Resolu's former paper mill, which has been closed since late 2014, into a 500-ton-per-year proprietary process pilot plant to produce lithium carbonate/hydroxide, which will be used in the development of a planned commercial-scale hydromet plant. For details on this project, see Industrial Info's project report.

The Pulp, Paper & Wood Industry is in a distant second place with $37 million in projects set to begin construction in Quebec from October through December, the largest of which is Uniboard Canada Incorporated's (Sayabec, Quebec) $29 million upgrade of a laminated production line in Sayabec. The company plans to modernize its No. 2 production line with wood-fibre mat-preheating unit and short-cycle, thermally fused laminate press to boost capacity. It also is planning upgrades and modifications throughout the remainder of the plant. Uniboard Canada is a subsidiary of Kaycan Limited (Houston, Texas). For details on this project, see Industrial Info's project report.

The Pharmaceutical & Biotech Industry has $33 million worth of projects set to kick off in the fourth quarter. These include Hema-Quebec's (Montreal) planned--but long-delayed--$21.5 million construction of a stem-cell research facility in Quebec City. The 40,000-square-foot building would manufacture blood products using human stem cells. Originally set to be completed in second-quarter 2016, it is now looking at fourth-quarter 2017 at the earliest. For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

The remaining seven highest-value projects set to kick off in Quebec in the fourth quarter are:

• $30 Million: Alliance Magnesium Incorporated's Second-Phase, Pre-Commercial Magnesium Metal Alloys Plant in Danville
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $25 Million: Radisson Mining Resources Incorporated's Gold Mine Restart and Expansion near Cadillac
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $6.7 Million: Gold Bullion Development Corporation's First-Phase Gold Mine Rolling Start near Rouyn-Noranda
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $5 Million: CEPSA Chimie Montréal's Maintenance Program at Montreal-Est PTA Plant in Montreal
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $3 Million: ArcelorMittal's Maintenance Program at Steel Mill in Contrecoeur
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $3 Million: ArcelorMittal's Maintenance Program at Steel Mill in Longueuil
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.
• $3 Million: Fortress Paper Limited's Maintenance Program at Kraft Pulp Mill in Thurso
  For details on this construction project, see Industrial Info's project report.

Nearly two-thirds of the region's TIV--$126 million--is related to six projects that are now in the planning stages, where plenty of factors could increase, decrease or eliminate the expected spending. The region also has six projects worth nearly $32 million in the engineering stages, while 27 projects worth about $41 million already have kicked off the first stage of construction and will kick off the second in the fourth quarter.

Industrial Info Resources (IIR), with global headquarters in Sugar Land, Texas, five offices in North America and 10 international offices, is the leading provider of global market intelligence specializing in the industrial process, heavy manufacturing and energy markets. Industrial Info's quality-assurance philosophy, the Living Forward Reporting Principle™, provides up-to-the-minute intelligence on what's happening now, while constantly keeping track of future opportunities.