Новости за 20.09.2019

Though early days, it appears India’s proclivity for coal for generating electricity may be easing. The government of the central state of Chhattisgarh, with one-third of the country’s coal reserves, has declared that it would not approve any new coal-based thermal power projects in the region. This barely days after the western state of Gujarat also announced that no new coal-based thermal power would be approved for construction.

The governments of Canada and British Columbia have signed a bilateral agreement to cooperate on project reviews under Canada’s new Impact Assessment Act and British Columbia’s new Environmental Assessment Act. The Canada-British Columbia impact assessment cooperation agreement sets out how the two jurisdictions will work together on impact assessments that require approvals from both levels of government, using substituted and coordinated assessments and joint review panels.

Aim-listed BlueRock Diamonds has sold a 10.6 ct diamond for $103 000. This is the sixth diamond sold for more than $50 000 this year. Together, the six diamonds have generated revenues of $600 000.

Growing awareness around the importance of wetlands is prompting the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) to request specialist hydropedological studies from companies applying for water use licences under certain conditions. Hydropedology – the study of the interaction between soils and water – provides insights into interflow processes in the sub-surface area between surface water and groundwater.

Uranium project developer Denison Mines has started installing higher cost, larger diameter commercial scale wells as part of the insitu recovery (ISR) field test programme at its Wheeler River uranium project, in northern Saskatchewan. The commercial-scale wells form part of the second stage of ISR field testing at the Phoenix deposit. It follows positive results from initial field tests, which have confirmed hydraulic connectivity within a significant portion of the ore zone tested.

Gold miner Troy Resources on Friday downwardly revised gold production expectations for the September quarter, on the back of heavy rainfall at its Karouni project, in Guyana. The company had previously estimated that gold production for the September quarter would reach between 26 000 oz and 28 000 oz, however, after experiencing the heaviest wet season since taking ownership of Karouni in 2013, Troy has now downgraded production expectations for the quarter to 24 000 oz.

Copper miner Sandfire Resources has struck an earn-in agreement with junior Auris Minerals over the Cashman project, in the Bryah Basin. Under the terms of the agreement, Sandfire could earn a 70% interest in the project by making a discovery of a minimum 50 000 t of contained copper, or metal equivalent and the completion of a feasibility study.

An independent audit by Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel has found the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (Nopsema) was applying stringent environmental regulation in considering applications for oil exploration in the Great Australian Bight. The report commissioned by the federal government to ensure public confidence in Nopsema’s processes was released on Friday, finding that the watchdog was a ‘competent regulator’, and had appropriate processes... Читать дальше...

Peru expects its copper production to grow 27% and gold output to expand 12% in the next three years by 2022, the country's Energy and Mines Minister said on Thursday. Peru is the world's No.2 copper producer and sixth-largest gold producer.

First Quantum Minerals, the owner of Africa’s biggest copper mine, is drawing preliminary takeover interest from global miners after losing half its value over the past five years, people with knowledge of the matter said. Vancouver-based First Quantum, which has a market capitalisation of C$7.7-billion, is working with defense advisers to examine its options, according to the people. It hasn’t yet received any formal takeover offers, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information is private.

South Africa has the combined solar and wind potential to produce competitive hydrogen, which is emerging as an energy carrier that can meet the world’s new environmental requirements. South Africa’s combined solar and wind power provide a hydrogen production capacity factor of close to 100% during daylight hours and 30% during the night, which is above the international norm of about 22%.

The cover picture of the December 16, 2011, edition of Mining Weekly showed the former South African President, Kgalema Motlanthe, admiring a platinum-catalysed Anglo American fuel cell, which was on display in Durban. The 150 kW hydrogen fuel cell was generating zero-emission electricity at the United Nations Climate Change Convention’s seventeenth Conference of the Parties, where the then Anglo CEO, Cynthia Carroll, proclaimed platinum-catalysed hydrogen fuel cells as “efficient, versatile, scalable... Читать дальше...

The adoption of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies is presenting major beneficiation opportunities for South Africa’s platinum group metals (PGMs) sector, says Hydrogen Infrastructure (HySA) director Dr Dmitri Bessarabov, who points out that PGMs are required not only as catalysts in fuel cells but also in electrolysers that produce hydrogen, for which there is export demand. Opportunities to use these technologies extend across heavy road and rail transport, local component manufacture, air pollution... Читать дальше...

As a clean and sustainable energy carrier, which produces no emissions except water, hydrogen has the potential to become a universal energy carrier, in the same way that oil is now, but without the environmental impact. But conventional forms of hydrogen transportation are problematic due to the fact that they provide safety hazards and are expensive.

Fuel cell technology is following the same trajectory as solar. The cost of solar was high when it was initially introduced, but economies of scale eventually brought its price down to highly competitive levels. “That’s exactly what we see happening with fuel cells,” says Impala Platinum (Implats) market development manager Fahmida Smith.

Minerals Council South Africa continues to showcase its natural gas baseload fuel cell, almost five years after it was first commissioned in December 2014 as a means of effective green power generation. Minerals Council administrative head Jeannette Hofsajer-Van Wyk tells Mining Weekly that, aside from being the first 100 kW low pressure natural gas baseload commercial cogeneration fuel cell in South Africa, it is also the only fuel cell of its kind on the continent.

Business development service provider PentaQuark Energy (PQE) technical head Nicola Kotze tells Mining Weekly that the company’s continued involvement in the successful running of Minerals Council South Africa’s installed and fully operational fuel cell is worth celebrating. “PQE is exceptionally proud of its involvement in the maintenance and smooth running of the council’s fuel cell and considers it to be a key demonstration plant for South African industry.”

The National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Research, Development and Innovation Strategy, known as Hydrogen South Africa (HySA), has reached the third phase of its 15-year programme, which comprises three five-year phases. HySA – an initiative of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), previously the Department of Science and Technology – aims to create local capacity and knowledge that will lead to the development of value-add products in the hydrogen fuel cell technology (HFCT) sector for domestic and international markets.

Washington-based global advocacy organisation Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA) tells Mining Weekly that the US Department of Energy (DoE) reported a global increase in fuel cell exports, from 650 MW in 2017 to 800 MW in 2018. The information, compiled by international strategic consultancy E4Tech, is based on a combination of automotive and stationary systems, including a smaller amount being dedicated to portable fuel cell technology. Combined, they translate to 68 500 fuel cell units.

Minerals Council South Africa CEO Roger Baxter claims that South Africa should be leading the global drive towards a platinum-fuelled hydrogen economy. “The South African government, at provincial and national level, needs to realise the benefits of a platinum-driven hydrogen economy to become globally competitive.

Norwegian energy equipment and solutions company Nel Hydrogen has been pioneering the development of filling stations for vehicles equipped with hydrogen fuel cells (HFCs). Nel Hydrogen is represented by technology and solutions provider RTS Africa Engineering, a division of the RTS Africa Group, in South Africa.

Namibian diamond mining company Namdeb, a 50:50 joint venture between the De Beers Group (itself a subsidiary of Anglo American plc) and the Namibian Government, has sold its Elizabeth Bay mine (and associated marine assets) to the Lewcor Group. The basic deal is worth N$120-million.

Coal mining company Canyon Coal’s Phalanndwa colliery extension project is expected to extend the life-of-mine to 2027, and the company is negotiating with the relevant stakeholders to further extend the mine life by six years, Phalanndwa colliery GM Alan Mabbett tells Mining Weekly. The original mine – located 20 km outside of Delmas, in Mpumalanga – was established in 2010, with mining operations starting in 2013. Canyon Coal subsequently invested in the development of the extension project when the original resource was near depletion... Читать дальше...

The refurbishment of three stacker reclaimers at a local coal mine is well under way, with transmission solutions company SEW-Eurodrive supplying 39 new drives for the project. Work on the project began late last year and the client aims to have completed the refurbishment of all three machines – which were originally built in 1984 – towards the end of next year.

Junior coal miner Rietvlei Mining Company’s Mpumalanga-based Rietvlei colliery will achieve steady-state mining in the fourth quarter of this year. Investment holdings company Butsanani Energy CEO Gideon Krynauw – speaking at the Afriforesight Bulk Commodities conference held last month, in Sandton – said  this would occur after the new coal mining project achieved positive earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation in the third quarter.