Новости за 11.04.2019

China's Tianqi Lithium has come to an agreement over the governance of Chilean miner SQM with key shareholder Pampa Group, easing away from hostilities over control of the world's second-biggest producer of lithium. Tianqi's $4.1-billion purchase of a 23.77% stake in SQM, which mines lithium used in electric vehicle batteries, went through in December, but the Chinese firm has faced push back from Pampa Group and its head Julio Ponce Lerou.

China's Tianqi Lithium has signed an agreement with the majority owner of Chilean miner SQM, the powerful Pampa Group, related to governance of the world's second-biggest producer of lithium. Tianqi's $4.1-billion purchase of a 23.77% stake in SQM, which mines lithium used in electric vehicle batteries, went through in December, but the Chinese firm has faced push back from Pampa Group and its head Julio Ponce Lerou.

The boards of joint venture (JV) partners Fresnillo and MAG Silver have approved the development of the Juanicipio silver and gold project, in Mexico, with construction set to begin immediately. The project, which will require $395-million in capital expenditure, is expected to produce 11.7-million ounces a year of silver and 43 500 oz/y of gold, over 12 years.

Multinational jeweller Graff has cut the largest square emerald cut diamond in the world, which ranks as the largest high-colour, highest clarity diamond ever graded by the Gemological Institute of America. Dubbed the Graff Lesedi La Rona, the diamond weighs in at 302.37 ct, and is a top D-colour. It was cut and polished from the principal 1 109 ct Lesedi La Rona rough diamond, which was recovered at the Lucara Karowe mine, in Botswana.

TSX- and Aim-listed gold miner Avesoro Resources’ two mines in Burkina Faso delivered below-target output for the quarter ended March 31, on the back of lower plant throughput. The company, which is headed up by CEO Serhan Umurhan, on Thursday reported consolidated gold production of 45 098 oz from the New Liberty and Youga gold mines for the March quarter.

Statistics South Africa has reported that mining production in February decreased by 7.5% year-on-year. The largest negative contributors were diamonds, with a 48.3% decrease in output, contributing -3.2 percentage points; gold, with a 20.6% decrease in output, contributing -3 percentage points; and iron-ore, with a 20.7% decrease in output, contributing -2.9 percentage points.

Precious metals miner Fresnillo reported a fall in first-quarter production on Thursday, calling it "slightly weaker than anticipated" but sticking to output targets for the year as spending on tackling operational issues paid off. Silver output slipped 14.8% to 13.1-million ounces in the three months ended March 31, mainly owing to lower grades of ore and lower ore throughput, Fresnillo said. Gold production dropped by 8.8%.

A scoping study into the Kharmagtai openpit copper/gold project, in Mongolia, has confirmed the project economics and the project’s potential to become a robust, high margin, rapid payback and long-life operation, dual listed Xanadu Mines said. The scoping study estimated that the 20-million tonne a year project would require a capital investment of some $683-million, recovering some 86.6% copper and 70.9% gold.

Base metals miner New Century Resources has reported more than a 50% increase in zinc production for the quarter ended March. New Century on Thursday reported that 18 170 t of zinc was produced in 37 500 t of concentrate, grading 48.3% zinc, compared with the 25 500 t of concentrate produced in the fourth quarter, at grades of 47% zinc.

Base metals miner New Century Resources has reported more than a 50% increase in zinc production for the quarter ended March. New Century on Thursday reported that 18 170 t of zinc was produced in 37 500 t of concentrate, grading 48.3% zinc, compared with the 25 500 t of concentrate produced in the fourth quarter, at grades of 47% zinc.

ASX-listed Sumatra Copper & Gold on Thursday told shareholders that it would voluntarily appoint administrators after failing to raise funding to restructure its debt. Sumatra subsidiary PT Dwinad Nusa Sejahtera (DNS), which operated the Tembang project in Indonesia, has been in discussions with its secured lenders and stakeholders to restructure its debt, but has failed to reach an agreement.

Coal miner Whitehaven Coal has revised its full year production guidance, as mine scheduling impacts output from the Maules Creek mine, in New South Wales. Run-of-mine coal production for the full year has been revised from the previous guidance of 22-million to 23.2-million tonnes, to between 21.8-million and 22.8-million tonnes.

Codelco and other copper mining giants are set to plow billions of dollars into the revitalisation of Chile's mines, but that may not be enough to keep the country from losing ground to competitors elsewhere in the world. Demand for copper is widely expected to take off by the mid-2020s amid a boom in electric vehicle production, but Chile is saddled with mines facing crippling declines in ore grades and a system that allows the bulk of its exploration concessions to sit idle.

Sasol appointed Sipho Nkosi to its board and said the former coal-industry executive will become chairperson in November when Dr Mandla Gantsho steps down. The change of leadership comes during a vital year for Sasol, as the South African fuel and chemical manufacturer nears completion on its $11.8-billion Lake Charles project, in the US, an ethylene plant that will further diversify the company from its liquid-fuels business.

Growing demand for smart thermostats, wind turbines and other high-tech devices is expected to keep copper the dominant material used in electrical components, industry players said, offsetting rising use of aluminum, a cheaper alternative to conduct electricity. That bodes well for the likes of Chilean producer Codelco, Rio Tinto and other major copper miners, who are investing billions of dollars to bring new supplies of the metal online during the next 20 years.

Chile's Codelco, the world's biggest copper producer, is "perfectly well financed" for the next two years as it pushes forward with its largest-ever drive to revitalize its aging mines, chairperson Juan Benavides said on Wednesday. State-owned Codelco, which produces nearly one-tenth of the world’s copper, is set to shell out $40-billion in ten years to overhaul its century-old Chuquicamata and El Teniente mines, among others.