Новости за 29.03.2019

Aim-listed Firestone Diamonds has determined that the proposed Cut 3 life-of-mine expansion at its 75%-owned Liqhobong mine, in Lesotho, is not currently economically viable. The Cut 3 expansion project would have increased the life of the mine by three years and result in 40% more carats compared with the current eight-year mine life.

London-listed Petra Diamonds has recovered a 425.10 ct D-colour Type II gem-quality diamond at its Cullinan mine, in South Africa. "The recovery further demonstrates the prevalence of these types of stones in the Cullinan orebody, as well as the ability of the mine's plant to recover the full spectrum of diamonds," the company said in a statement on Friday.

China's Chalco said on Friday it boosted annual aluminium output by 16% in 2018, putting it ahead of Russia's Rusal as the world's second-biggest publicly traded producer of the metal. The increase underscores China's growing dominance of the global aluminium market, as the world's biggest producer and consumer of the metal, although weak aluminium prices have already led to some production being shuttered this year.

Lithium developer Argosy Minerals has inked a sales agreement with Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation for up to an initial 100 t of lithium carbonate over a 12-month period from the Rincon operation, in Argentina. Argosy told shareholders this week that the strategic agreement would enable Argosy to use the Stage 1 industrial scale pilot plant for small-scale commercial lithium carbonate production and product sales to a major international conglomerate, following the processing and sample-test work carried out at the plant.

Junior Silver Mines has raised A$3-million through a share placement to institutional and sophisticated investors. The placement was priced at 5c a share, with the shares issued under the company’s existing placement capacity.

TSX- and NYSE-listed Hudbay Minerals on Thursday approved a $122-million early works programme for its Rosemont copper project, in Arizona, and said that it would soon start a process of bringing on board a new minority joint venture partner. The early works programme is part of Rosemont’s total project capital cost estimate of $1.92-billion.

The low price environment in which the Renard diamond mine began its operations two years ago is continuing to affect the company operating the Quebec-based mine, with Stornoway Diamonds ending 2018 in the red. The listed diamond miner on Thursday reported a net loss of C$329.4-million, or C$0.39 a share, on lower revenue of C$165.5-million. This compares with a net loss of C$144.22-million in 2017 on revenue of C$196.5-million.

Global engineering company Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology will develop an interoperable platform for its AutoMine automation system for underground loaders and trucks. The development of the platform for AutoMine was proposed at #DisruptMining, a presentation on March 3 during the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada’s (PDAC’s) yearly convention held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, in Toronto, Canada.

Capital equipment giant Caterpillar’s Cat R1700 underground mining loader, with its completely new design, has proven its high productivity and efficiency in extended field trials and in production studies. The R1700 carries a size-class-leading payload of 15 t (16.5 tons), 20% more than its predecessor carries, yet it maintains the dimensions of the R1700G, according to the company.

Advanced mining technology supplier Ramjack Technology Solutions suggests that implementing payload management systems at the mine face can optimise a mine’s overall equipment effectiveness (OEE). A notable strategy for improvement in underground mining is to retrofit all load-haul-dump units with payload monitoring sensors tracked in real-time using the purpose-built Newtrax platform, according to the company.

Since establishing a footprint in Botswana in 1991 to cater to the site accommodation needs of mines, modular building supplier Speedspace Botswana has expanded its operations by opening a new satellite branch in Letlhakane, in northern Botswana. Operations at the new branch, which Speedspace Botswana country manager Kyle Wasserfall says is “ideally situated within 15 km to 20 km of four diamond mines”, started earlier this month.

Stability, policy and regulatory certainty and rebuilding trust have been key themes in Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe’s first year in office. Taking the reins on February 27, 2018, of a government department overseeing one of the most difficult and fragmented industries in South Africa, Mantashe, a former mineworker and union leader, found an industry “in self-doubt, believing that it is about to die, with suspicion and mistrust at a high level”.

Companies face immense pressure to positively contribute to the alleviation of pressing environmental, social and economic issues, owing to combined expectations and scrutiny of asset managers, stock exchanges, current and prospective employees as well as consumers, notes sustainability benchmarking company TrueFootprint, in its inaugural report, released last week. The 2019 TrueFootprint Business Purpose Scorecard for the mining industry, explores whether mining companies report on their sustainability... Читать дальше...

Chinese original equipment manufacturer Dadi Engineering Development Group (DEDG), 49% owner of vibrating equipment solutions provider Aury Africa, demonstrated its commitment to the African market by sending its senior management to participate in high-level meetings with African mining operations and showcasing its “industry-leading” dry-sorting technology. The ten-day visit, which took place last month, was aimed at marketing the “highly successful” green innovation, which does not use water nor media... Читать дальше...