Новости за 02.05.2019

Menar CEO Vuslat Bayoglu on Thursday symbolically handed over 5% free carried shares to host communities and employees of Kangra Coal, at a ceremony which included the unveiling of the coal company's new logo and the handing over of a memorandum from the National Union of Mineworkers. The event took place at the Kangra Coal operations, near Piet Retief, in Mpumalanga, where Bayoglu reaffirmed Menar subsidiary Canyon Coal’s commitment to Mining Charter 3.

Continued growth in central bank buying and growth in gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) contributed to a 7% year-on-year increase in global gold demand to 1 053.3 t for the first quarter of this year, the World Gold Council’s (WGC’s) latest ‘Gold Demand Trends’ report shows. WGC market intelligence head Alistair Hewitt on Thursday said that, not only did the beginning of this year see a sharp recovery in investor sentiment in equity and debt markets, but gold appetite remained solid.

Mined diamonds are less carbon-intensive than man-made, but their producers should use more green energy, according to a study commissioned by the natural diamond industry, highlighting tensions between the mined and lab-grown sectors. The US Federal Trade Commission, which investigates allegations of deceptive advertising, sent warning letters to eight lab-grown diamond companies at the beginning of April.

Resources investment firm Cape Lambert has resumed trading on the ASX after issues around its Kipushi cobalt/copper tailings project, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was cleared. Cape Lambert holds a 50% interest in the Kipushi tailings project, along with local entity Paragon Mining, which in turn holds has a 70% interest in the Kipushi project, increasing to 75% through a contract with La Patience SPRL, giving Paragon the right to exploit and process tailings from Kipushi and sell the product.

Lucara Diamond Corp, which has recovered two of the largest diamonds in recent history, is turning to technology to ensure growth in an industry where new mine acquisitions remain elusive. For the Vancouver-based junior miner, that means using advanced technology like sorting based on atomic density to boost value from its Karowe mine in Botswana, and also diversifying away from mining into an online diamond sales platform.

Mining major Rio Tinto will be permanently shutting the coal power plant at its Kennecott Utah copper project, switching the operation to renewable energy and reducing its annual carbon footprint at the mine by nearly 65%. The company announced on Thursday that Kennecott’s electricity needs would be paired with 1.5-million MWh of renewable energy certificates supplied by Rocky Mountain Power, primarily sourced from its Utah allocated portfolio including wind power from Wyoming.

South Africa-headquartered miner Gold Fields has invested C$8-million in Canadian junior Chakana Copper, which is advancing copper and gold prospects in the Peruvian Andes. Through Gold Fields Nazca Holdings, Gold Fields agreed to subscribe for and purchase 15 686 275 common shares in Chakana Copper at C$0.51 a share, representing a shareholding of about 16.14%.

As dual-listed Anglo American looks back on what has been described as another “very successful year”, the mining giant can look back on what is a significantly contrasting position less than a decade ago. Since 2012, Anglo American has shifted from a 30% mining margin to a 42% mining margin by the end of 2018 – with a lower price basket – attributed to an upgraded portfolio, technical changes and the company’s operating model.

Precious metals miner Yamana Gold is considering several expansion opportunities at its mines, including a $100-million expansion in Brazil that will add about 80 000 oz/y to its production. With more financial flexibility following the $1-billion sale agreement of Brazil-based Chapada to Lundin Mining, Yamana considering a two-phase expansion at the Jacobina mine, the first phase of which involves a mill optimisation to increase capacity to 6 500 t/d.

This week Mining Weekly editor Martin Creamer unpacks how power cuts are affecting Amplats, reducing mine development risk and jewellery’s influence on platinum.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador pledged on Wednesday to recover the more than 60 remaining bodies of miners killed in a massive coal shaft explosion in 2006, a mission he described as a humanitarian promise made to victims' families. The announcement came on Mexico's Labor Day holiday, and Lopez Obrador said he did not expect the company that operated the mine to oppose him.

The gold industry is likely to see an increase in buyout deals in the near future as miners fight to attract a shrinking pool of investment capital, the chief executive of Canada's Iamgold said on Wednesday. The industry's buyout frenzy was sparked earlier this year when Barrick Gold and Newmont bought Randgold Resources and Goldcorp, respectively, deals that created the world's two largest gold producers.

Tony Giardini has returned to Ivanhoe Mines and has been named president of the Canadian company, which is focusing on base metals and platinum-group metals projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Africa. Giardini, who was most recently executive VP and CFO of Toronto-based Kinross Gold, will succeed Lars-Eric Johansson, who retires as president and CEO at the end of next month.