With all the commodities enjoying high prices so far

With all the commodities enjoying high prices so far in 2004, it seems to be a good time to be in the mining business. Thyssen Mining has certainly seen an increase in activity in the industry and we’ve been very busy providing budget pricing as well as firm bids for a range of new projects. Some of the most exciting prospects are with our existing long-term clients. The development of the Cigar Lake mine finally appears to be a certainty, with a license to construct expected later this year. Already a small team from MTM is on site to continue the surface foundation works for the headframe, hoist house, etc. and to prepare for the sinking of the #2 shaft and development works from the #1 shaft, both scheduled to start in early January, 2005. A fleet of new and some rebuilt equipment will be mobilized for this major project over the next few months. The development work at the Henderson mine has been accelerated due to a planned increase in production and this will result in our workforce there growing from around 20 to about 45 people for the remainder of the year. Fred, Eric and their team have done exceedingly well responding to the client’s needs and always seem to meet whatever challenge is thrown at them. They will be getting some welcome assistance from the former Getchell team, which has managed to successfully complete a most challenging project. On the shaft sinking front, the “first underground museum in the western hemisphere” is getting closer to becoming a reality with the sinking of a shaft in Wichita, Kansas. Glenn Jacobson is fast becoming a local celebrity with all the attention that this project receives from the local press. Even further away from home, Dave McIntyre and Roger Clavelle are waving the TMCC flag at the Telfer goldmine in Western Australia, where they are sinking an 1,100 m deep shaft at a rate of 5 meters per day. Back in Saskatchewan, Rene Gelinas’ team at Shore Gold has completed the shaft in the Star Kimberlite and is proceeding with the mining of the 25,000-ton bulk sample on the 235m level. A fourth shaft project was completed on time and budget and with no LTA by Ray Hagel and his crew early in the year, when they recovered a damaged oil well in Alberta at a depth of 120 feet. In potash, TMCC has 4 projects on the books for the summer period, keeping Cal, Ray and Rene with their crews pretty well busy. The TRUC raisedrilling JV has successfully completed the first 4m diameter, 300m hole at Ekati and is on schedule with the next hole. The crew at Henderson keeps performing on budget and schedule like clockwork. The JV remains LTA free since it’s inception in 2002. The MTM JV, apart from getting ready for Cigar Lake, keeps performing very well at McArthur River and Eagle Point. Especially pleasing are the safety achievements, with 20 months at Eagle Point and more than 3 years at McArthur since the last LTA. Finally, the workshop and head office personnel have been extremely busy so far this year and achieved 3 ½ years without an LTA. The office ranks were strengthened by the return of Paul Dubé, Jerzy Konopka and Gordon Reed and the addition of Ulrich Scheidegger (Graduate Mining Engineer), Tanya Pasnak (Temp. Coop Program) and Caroline Payne (Temp. Payroll). Many thanks to all employees for their great efforts so far this year and have a safe and sunny summer. Rene Scheepers President - What do you think? Is technology moving backwards instead of forwards? Is it making our lives more efficient? Is it allowing us to communicate more effectively? Maybe… or maybe not…. • Instead of picking up the phone • Cavemen used to chisel their stories into cave walls. Crude? Sure, but it took nothing short of a natural disaster to destroy their work. Nowadays, we use the mighty computer to write our stories, essays, reports, etc. But it takes only a power outage, a magnet, a virus, a 2-year old kid, or an inadvertent press of the delete key to wipe it out. Much more efficient! and talking with your friends about everything under the sun, you can now instant message your buddy on MSN or ICQ with blinding typing speed of 17 words per minute, sit there and stare at the screen for 30 seconds while you see the notification “ is typing a message”, to see his witty reply of “LOL ”. Is this what passes for communication nowadays??? unusable. But that solitaire game still loads fast, so it’s all good… • Let us not forget about how • As • Computer processor speeds are doubling every year. Boy, that solitaire game really loads fast now, doesn’t it? Because, let’s face it, that’s the killer app for Windows that most people use. Imagine how many decks of cards you could buy with the money you just spent on that speedy new computer. But the computer version is faster, so it’s money well spent, right? I mentioned before, computers are faster and so is their internet connection. It used to be that you could have a computer and run it for years before there were problems and you’d need to replace it. Now with these speed demons, you merely hook it up to the efficient email has become. What used to be boring correspondence between people that you actually knew, has evolved into a flood of mass marketing from places you’ve never heard of. Hoping to get a chunk of some late Arabian prince’s fortune? Check your email. Ever wonder where you could get a cheap mortgage? Check your email. Looking for cheap medication? I think your email might have something like that. Software at low prices? Email… Want to lose weight? Lo-and-behold, email to the rescue. the internet are a godsend too. It’s great knowing that the internet has become such a security blackhole that you can’t even trust whether the banking sites you visit are real or merely a copy. Just enter a couple pieces of information on these, and voila, your identity has just been stolen. Good luck getting it back! • And all those phishing scams on • High speed internet is readily available in most homes. You can now play your favorite game online against some stranger who’s probably sitting in his underwear at home halfway across the world. Gone are the days of those social gettogethers where you actually get out and talk to people face to face. internet and within minutes you’ve become infected with viruses, ad-ware, spyware, banner ads, games, longdistance dialers, porn downloaders, etc. It now only takes a few days, not years, for these computers to become I don’t know about you, but I think I may just ditch my computer, printer, PDA, digital camera, bluetooth wireless network, cell phone, USB flash drive, email, MSN Messenger, and internet, and become what we all used to be before the craziness started – “normal”. Mike Selinger I.T. Coordinator - Well, it’s summertime and that means vacation. Working out vacation schedules among an office full of people is not always the easiest task, but what is more important is determining what you do with the time off. I read an article this past weekend that The Leger Marketing survey suggested 58% of Canadians will travel within Canada, including 38% who will take a vacation in their home province. With that in mind, I wondered where the 38% of Saskatchewanians that will be vacationing in Saskatchewan will spend their time. If you thought Saskatchewan was a flat, dry piece of windy prairie with not much more to do than count gophers in the pasture while protecting yourself with massive amounts of sunscreen and deet, consider this article as your Saskatchewan vacation guide. Credit for this tour of Saskatchewan is given to the official website of Tourism Saskatchewan (www.sasktourism.com). Over 100,000 lakes, some so crystal clear you can see fish at the bottom. The badlands of Big Muddy, Killdeer and Frenchman River. The highlands of Cypress Hills and Duck Mountain. The healing waters of Manitou Springs Mineral Spa. Every region is distinct in its landscape, culture, history and experience: 1. City of Regina - Canada' s Queen City started life as a tent settlement named Pile O' Bones. Today it is the provincial capital with an urban forest of more than 350,000 hand-planted trees. Your list of ‘must sees’ while in Regina includes the RCMP Centennial Museum, Wascana Center (a 930-hectare parkland development in the heart of Regina), Saskatchewan Science Center/IMAX Theatre, Royal Saskatchewan Museum, MacKenzie Art Gallery and Casino Regina in the historic Union Center. Are you a football fan? Every year, the Saskatchewan Roughriders (Canada’s team and winners of the most exciting Grey Cup game in Canadian Football League history) play host to nine regular season games at Regina’s Taylor Field, Saskatchewan’s largest sporting facility. 2. City of Saskatoon - In 1882, the founders of Saskatchewan' s largest city pitched their tents on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River. Today, you can sip cappuccino in a café in the trendy Broadway shopping district, jog around the campus grounds or watch Shakespeare under a circus tent. Saskatoon - a university town that boasts more than its fair share of craft shops, galleries, attractions and festivals, from jazz to flicks to river races. Enjoy the Western Development Museum, Ukrainian Museum of Canada, Diefenbaker Canada Center, Saskatoon Zoo and Wanuskewin Heritage Park. Explore the Meewasin Valley Trail, 21 km of riverbank trails through the heart of the city. The Southeast - A region of unexpected landscapes and excellent parks. Step into the past at Cannington Manor and Last Mountain House Provincial Historic Parks as well as Motherwell Homestead National Historic Park. There' s golfing, fishing, boating, hiking, camping and plenty of beaches at Moose Mountain, Crooked Lake, Katepwa Point, Echo Valley and Rowan' s Ravine Provincial Parks. 4. The Southwest - Trace the historic trails of outlaws and Mounted Police over windswept badlands, sweeping grain fields, breathtaking river valleys and pine-covered highlands. Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park, Saskatchewan Landing, Buffalo Pound, Danielson and Douglas Provincial Parks offer a choice of camping/RV amenities, beaches, hiking, bird watching, golf and more. Wildlife is a focus of Grasslands National Park, while old west history is alive at Fort Walsh National Historic Site and Wood Mountain Post Provincial Historic Park, plus Temple Gardens Mineral Spa in Moose Jaw, Doc' Town in Swift s Current, T.Rex Discovery Center in Eastend, St. Victor' s Petroglyphs, Big Muddy Badlands, Great Sand Hills and more. The East Central - Parkland, farmland, wilderness highlands, forests and river valleys, a world-class spa, three provincial parks, intriguing historic sites, colourful cultural heritage and some of the West' best s country music gatherings - this is where your vacation comes alive. Manitou Springs Resort is one of Canada' top mineral s spas. Provincial parks include the wilderness of Wildcat, the pristine waters of Greenwater Lake, the sandy beaches of Good Spirit and the forests of Duck Mountain. The West Central - Go back in time to the place of ancient tipi rings and medicine wheels, major fur trade routes and the 5. 3. 6. - signing of Indian treaties. Discover the heart of a rich heritage, from Métis culture and the first capital of the Northwest Territories, to the clash of forces in the North West Resistance. Wanuskewin Heritage Park interprets 6,000 years of Plains Indian culture. North of Saskatoon, the history of the North West Resistance of 1885 is told at Batoche and Battleford National Historic Sites and Fort Carlton and Fort Pitt Provincial Historic Parks. 7. The North - Rolling farm and ranchland give way to boreal forest and lakes that stretch all the way to the Northwest Territories. Parks offer amenities and accessibility, and adventure waits outside your door. Prince Albert National Park anchors a surrounding vacation resort area that boasts outstanding golf courses and vacation/resort amenities. Further west, Meadow Lake Provincial Park has more than 900 campsites and top-notch interpretive programs; to the northeast, there' s superb fishing and whitewater canoeing at Lac La Ronge Provincial Park. But that' just s the beginning. World-class angling, canoeing and luxury resorts await in the far north. So, you’re stuck in Saskatchewan this summer? Lucky you, at least you won’t be bored! Vice President, Finance Jim Haines Safety is Not a thing we do, Safely is the way we do our thing!! So how have Thyssen and our JV’s done regarding safety lately? Well, pretty good actually, but we have to keep forever diligent, for big brother is constantly watching. Which bring us to Bill C-45. Bill C-45 is a product of the Westray Mine disaster. After investigation of the disaster it became apparent that a method of being able to hold management accountable regarding negligence & reckless disregard for safety was required. After years of discussion and revisions, Bill C-45 was passed through legislature (very quickly I might add) and became law on the 31st of March 2004. This Bill makes it possible for people to be criminally charged for negligence in the workplace, and these charges can start at the lead hand level right up to the president or owner of an organization. Sentencing for these charges can be as much as 10 years in prison for a workplace injury and a life prison sentence for being negligent in a fatality case in regards to an individual. Organizations can receive financial penalties of unlimited amounts as well as creative probation placed down by the judicial system. Thus far no one has been tried under this particular Bill C-45. Thyssen Mining will be providing more information to everyone in the next few months as the Supervisor Training Program (STP) begins in August 2004. The STP will cover safety and human resources issues, with the focus on due diligence and Bill C-45. If you would like more information on Bill C-45 check out http://www.canada.justice.gc.ca/en/ dept/pub/c45/ This will provide information that everyone in the workforce should know about. Spring has come and gone (if you call that spring) and our safety record has been okay, but (there is always a but in safety) as of the creation of this safety information bulletin the current stats are quite clear… We need to focus on the first aid incidents, to many of them creates the opportunity for a more severe injury to occur. Most everyone should be familiar with the Incident Pyramid below… The proven theory of the pyramid is that the more Near Misses or Unreported Incidents you have in your workplace the more likely you are going to incur a lost time incident. So how do we deal with them? By ensuring that every employee reports incidents no matter how trivial or insignificant, the difference between a near miss & a lost time could be inches or seconds. Reporting these occurrences gives everyone an opportunity to correct the situation before it occurs again. Near Misses are an indication in the workplace that something is not quite right, such as the actual work procedure or the equipment being used and they need to be updated or reviewed and followed up with inspections or workplace observations to correct these deficiencies. Thyssen Mining in 2004 has already matched our lost time incidents that we had achieved in 2003, in most cases the severity in 2004 was minimized by good management of the employees - return to work, but the severity potential was extremely high for more long-term time loss. I would like to thank everyone for all their efforts thus far in 2004. Everyone is doing the best they can with what they have. Over the next 6 months the Thyssen Mining Management Team hopes to offer everyone more, through continued support from Head Office as well as the updated Supervisor Training Program. Watch for the up and coming training dates. See you all in the Field, Year 2004 YTD 2003 2002 Manhours 321341 653660 530834 First Aid 33 60 38 Medical Aid 11 29 33 Lost Time Incidents 3 3 7 Frequency 1.87 0.92 2.64 Severity 28.01 37.02 289.36 Significant Incident Frequency 29.95 28.15 29.39 1 5 30 60 300 Lost Time Medical Aid First Aid Property Damage Near Miss / Unreported Incidents Dave Speerbrecker Manager of Safety Group RRSP Change in Provider Thyssen Mining has had its Group RRSP with Canada Life since July 2001. In July 2003, Canada Life Assurance Company was acquired by The Great-West Assurance Company (Great-West Life). This means that there will be some changes to our Group RRSP. Great-West Life has announced that it will start transferring Canada Life plans to their Group Pension Administration System starting in October 2004 with completion of the transfers in early 2005. They will match our current funds to funds within Great-West Life’s group maintaining the same goals and objectives we had in our plan with Canada Life. If they are unable to match a fund we will have to choose another fund (Great-West Life predicts that this will be a rare event and that they will be able to transfer all of our funds to existing funds in their group). Once we receive the new policy number and contact information for our members we will send this information to our members. After the conversion, at the next regular statement period you will receive 2 statements; one from Canada Life up to the conversion date and one from Great-West Life reporting from the conversion date to the statement period end. Great-West Life will send each member two letters (new logon PIN and password for web and telephone access) automatically following the conversion date. So watch the mail later this fall or early next spring for information on the Great-West Life Group RRSP. If you have access to your account - online; wait for your new logon and password to be sent to you. It is each member’s responsibility to look at their Group RRSP statements; check that the funds you have chosen are performing to your needs. If you would like to change your funds you can do this on-line or by phone. The employees of Canada Life and now Great-West Life will not choose a fund for you but will supply information and tools for your use to select the fund that suits your investment style. Carmen Firlotte H.R. Coordinator Welcome to summer everyone!! At least it is the time for summer but the weather is not cooperating much this year. The story so far since the start of spring has been rain, rain and more rain. Travel to and from site to the Shore Gold mine site has been hindered by all the wetness. Sometimes the road is virtually impassable or crews end up getting stranded the odd time. The 12 passenger vans are no longer able to make the trek so we had to resort to rental vehicles. After a few transmissions and differentials, the rental companies are even hesitant to rent to us. I guess I can understand why. Even so, we persevere. The project, however, is progressing nicely once the crews arrive at site. The shaft sinking has been completed since the last newsletter and we are busy developing on the 235mL. To date we have bottomed the shaft at 250m, established two shaft stations at the 175mL and 235mL and are in the process of drifting on the 235mL. We have advanced past the station in the North and South directions. To the North, we have advanced 10m and this heading is currently being using as a remuck. To the South, we have advanced a total of 120m. Our development pattern resembles a herringbone in shape with offchutes at 60 degrees from the main drift on 12m centers. We are using jacklegs and a 1.25 cu yd scoop as our primary development gear. We are using resin bolts and split sets with screen initially followed by shotcreting as required to stabilize the ground. All the development is in kimberlite and all rounds from the different headings are kept separate from each other in order to correctly classify and sort the samples into “batches” to be put through the DMS processing plant. Our crews have opened up 6 headings which are being developed simultaneously so it is a rather cumbersome task keeping the development muck separate from each other with only one remuck. From time to time we hit water in the headings and have to stop to grout before advancing further. The future for Thyssen Mining at this project is uncertain. There is talk of another shaft with another bulk sample to take somewhere in the Fort a La Corne Forest for Shore Gold. The details will have to be sorted out but at this point we are pushing for setting up a camp on site thus eliminating the need to spend 3 to 4 hours on the road everyday traveling to and from work. Enjoy your summer while it lasts and we will be in touch with another update in a few months time. Area Manager – Special Projects J.D. Smith - Hello to everyone from an extremely well organized team here at Cameco’s Eagle Point Mine Site also know as the Rabbit Lake Mine Operations in Northern Saskatchewan. This project started off again in March of 2002 as a labor supply contract where MTM supplies skilled personnel to Cameco for their underground mining operations. The crews have successfully completed another year and fought off the cold weather conditions – sharing the road from camp to the mine site with the local Caribous (just have to ensure when you see a sign by the road, you don’t mistake it as a Caribou – you know…), getting through the spring thaw and now going into the summer where the black flies are once again hungry for the employees working here. Cameco has the responsibility of supplying the senior supervision for this project under the direction of Jim Bondesen - Mine Superintendent; Pat Sheridan and Ed Kozy - Mine General Foremen; & Ray Demyen and Leonard Darbyshire having the responsibilities as the Maintenance Foremen. Cameco also provide all Engineering and Geology for the project. MTM have within their group 127 skilled employees to keep production on schedule, these include; Supervisors, Safety / Trainers, Jumbo Operators, Miners, Cubex Drill Operators, Raisebore Operators, Wagon Drill Operators, Mechanics, Electricians, Truck Drivers, Site Clerk, Surface Operators and Labourers. Also, thanks to Les Tuner, Kevin Kaspick, Dudley Warford and Gord Lasby for their dedication to the project as MTM Supervisors, it’s not an easy task and a job well done by all. Kevin, we hope that you are feeling better after your surgery and Dudley – congratulations on your upcoming wedding on June 25, 2004. Rob Marlatt & John Hovdebo are in the Safety / Trainer position. We continue working with the crews keeping them focused on safety. Within this position, we need to wear many hats, need to perform all safety related tasks, training with new and current employees, liaison with Cameco, assist with flights, hiring and so on. Never a dull moment and time goes by fast. Cathy McKay, our great Site Clerk – always happy and as usual keeps everything and everyone in line with the crews and payroll. You are a pleasure to work with. the Ore Body and everything thus far looks very promising and positive. With the prospects of Uranium prices expected to stay up, there is a possibility the Rabbit Lake operations can mine some of the lower grade stopes. This would help extend the mine life. Safety Congratulations to all MTM employees at Eagle for achieving 1½ years No Lost Time Accidents on April 15, 2004 and still going strong. I would like to commend all the superintendents, supervisors and their crews on this achievement. There has been many obstacles to overcome during the past 1½ years in order to reduce the severity of injuries, this could only be accomplished working together as a team and keeping safety our first priority at all times. Another great achievement for the Eagle Point Project occurred in May of 2004 - winning the prestigious John T. Ryan Western Regional Metal Mines Award. Again it shows what a great team working together can accomplish. I’d also like to congratulate the Mine Rescue team for their teamwork at the recent Mine Rescue competition in Saskatoon on June 5, 2004. The team was made up of both Cameco and MTM employees. Until next time, take care and keep safe – at work and at home, safety has no quitting time. Production Eagle Point has had a very successful year with maintaining production and schedule. All areas of production are ahead of target for 2004. Cubex Drilling along with the Top Hammer Drills are also being ahead of the planned forecast. Planned development was to achieve 1,200 meters and we now have to date 1,500 meters – keep up the good work. Cameco are also extensively using Diamond Drilling to better identify Rob Marlatt Safety / Trainer - ! " “Well construction of the collarhouse and hoisthouse foundations at Cigar Lake has resumed for 2004. This is the latest. Ode to Seegar Lake At Seegar mine we’ve come to play In the snow and rain by night and day It’s summer time we do believe But outside man it’s hard to see Well Linden’s here with his hi tech band Packin dirt and getting tanned Formin stuff then tearin it down After fillin it with steel and ground He’s got Jeff and Larry helpin him With Tim and Daryl it’s a win Owen and John are also here And so is Richard we’ve naught to fear As well there’s Rodney, Al and Chris With Tim and George and also Cris And Brian, Andy, Ken and Don And Mike and George and another Don And it’s Gord and Ulrich on overhead Hopin they all sleep well in bed That’s if there’s one available Camp’s crowded now and it’s all full To get here now is quite a trek By car by plane and float plane yet That’s till the strip is set to go For a shuttle trip if she don’t blow But the boys are here and workin hard Buildin the mine out in the yard And in 3 months when we’re all done We’ll all go home and have some fun Until it’s time to all come back Play underground and all of that And make a shaft for Cameco So they can say it’s go go go And the black flies have arrived. Its snow, rain, warm, cold, overcast, sunny, mosquitoes and blackflies, all on the same day. A riot of sensations.” Sr. Project Manager Gord Reed - # Summer in Kansas is really summer in all senses of the word. Weather reports on the job site consistently call for thunderstorms and high winds with the possibility of tornadoes. None-the-less, we are in the midst of a shaft sinking project. We started the project back in January with the procurement of all the equipment needed to sink the 12 ft. finished shaft to a depth of 680 ft. into an existing salt mine. Site work began in March with the arrival of Freezewall who was hired to install the freeze system and freeze the shaft to a depth of 130 ft. $ Once the freeze system was in place, our construction crews started setting up the site and pouring the headframe base and collar to support the sinking gear. We plan to use a portable headframe and winch system almost identical to the one at Shore Gold. Through the efforts at Shore, we learned a few things and incorporated what we learned into a new and improved model of the portable headframe for this project. At the present time the mobilization is complete and the first two of the three crews required are on site. We have completed the pre-sink to 75ft and are in the setup mode for the hoist and headframe. We will be continuing to sink once this is complete. Sinking a shaft into a salt mine is very similar to sinking into a potash mine. There must not be any water introduced into the shaft and therefore, we plan to install two seals in the concrete liner on the way down to stop the migration into the mine. We will not be breaking into the mine until it is proven that the seals are effective. Other than this, the project is just another shaft sink. The scheduled completion for this project is December at which time we plan to be heading back to our native Canada just in time for Christmas. Area Manager – Special Projects J.D. Smith This year in the potash is typical. We have work scheduled at four different mines and most of which are shutdown jobs. As usual, we are scrambling to put together crews for each of the project and hopefully use the same people and move from job to job. Lanigan At this mine we have been awarded two jobs, which are going to be done concurrently. One of the jobs is the completion of their shaft steel change-out which we have been working on the past three summers. This is the last phase of this work and everything is on schedule to start on the 1st of August and will last until the 26th of August. We are working around the clock on 2 – 12 hr shifts to complete the project on time. Excavation of the shaft is required to accommodate the new steel and we are also excavating four hitches to support the new arrestor system, which we are to install. The second project is the demolition and replacement of 7 concrete foundations for their slotbin. This is a two-week project, which will start at the same time as the shaft steel work. Esterhazy We start with the guide change out job at IMC in Esterhazy. We are providing 4 certified welders and 8 shaft miners to assist the company in changing out two complete strings of guides in their K1 shaft. The project will start on the 4th of July and will finish on the 22nd. We have selected the crews required and are waiting for job start-up. Colonsay We are actively involved in a rehabilitation project using an AM50 Alpine roadheader and a 3.5 yd scoop. Our two man crews are working a 4-on, 4-off rotation for the duration of the project that started at the end of April and is planned for completion by November of this year. We are cutting the walls and floor to - upgrade a ventilation drift to be used as a travelway to access a future development location in the mine. As of now the drift is deemed unsafe and has to be rehabilitated. Agrium The final project awarded this summer is at Agrium. We will be rehabilitating a decline drift that contains the Reclaim Belt feeding ore to the hoist. This is a critical project and will be started during the shutdown on July 11th to the 21st. We will perform the worst of the rehabilitation initially during the shutdown and then the remainder over the two months following. We hope this is the start of a string of work that is required at this mine and that this project will flower into another good working relationship at Agrium that will last a long time. Area Manager – Special Projects J.D. Smith - THYSSEN WORKING WITH FERRARI ON FORMULA 1 PROTOTYPE REGINA, SK (July 20, 2004) – While the Ferrari Formula 1 racing team has been dominating the 2004 racing schedule, rumours from the paddock suggest that Ferrari will radically redesign its race car in time for the 2005 season and that, behind the scenes, Thyssen Mining has been consulted to assist in the development of the new F2005. Ferrari’s current car, the F2004, has been evolving for the past three racing seasons, but reports suggest that Ferrari believes the current design has maximized its potential and the team is prepared to make significant changes to all aspects of the car, including the aerodynamic package, suspension, tyres and the engine size. While other F1 teams have long been in the courtship, reports have it that Thyssen Mining’s Volker Ebert has been consulting with Ferrari since the beginning of the 2004 season. Mr. Ebert, Thyssen’s Vice-President of Operations & Formula 1 Development Division, was recently sited in Montreal at the 2004 Canadian Grand Prix and members of the paparazzi have released photographs apparently showing Mr. Ebert and world champion, Michael Schumacher, during testing sessions of the F2005 prototype. When pressed for answers, neither Mr. Ebert nor Mr. Schumacher would provide any direct information, but did have the following comments: Mr. Schumacher – Developing a race car is an evolution, but at some point you need to divert your attention to more dynamic designs. Mr. Ebert – Ferrari has always had an exceptional race car. Any involvement I may have with the team would be to push it in a new direction to continue its domination. Have a most speculiar day. Mr. Schumacher – It is true that Ferrari has been developing a car that we feel is more aerodynamically advanced, better in the corners and provides more launch from the start. The extra seats also help because it gets lonely on the track when you’re by yourself for a couple of hours. Other teams might stay with that single seat concept. They can do what they please; that’s racing. Mr. Ebert – Without acknowledging any direct involvement with the Ferrari team, I can say that to stay on top of the F1 world, you need to consider new alternatives. The other teams can try to keep pace with Ferrari or, that not being the case, they can continue to fight for second place. Is Ferrari preparing to stun the F1 world with a new design? How involved has Mr. Ebert been in the process? Will the F2005 meet the standards set by the F2004? These are all questions that need answers, but it would seem apparent by this recently obtained photograph that was taken shortly after a testing session of the F2005 prototype, Ferrari is pleased with the new design and well on its way to continuing its domination of the F1 circuit for many years to come.