Новости за 14.10.2019

Germany’s biggest power generator will resist pressure from some environmental groups and shareholders for a rapid shutdown of its coal-fired plants much before the country’s deadline to do so by 2038. RWE, which owns six facilities using the dirtiest fossil fuel, has obligations to workers and municipal shareholders that will prevent quicker efforts to close coal capacity, according to its CFO Markus Krebber.

About 240 people working at the Langlois mine, in Quebec, are set to lose their jobs as the mine is now considered uneconomic to operate and will cease production in December. Global metals company Nyrstar announced its decision on Monday, explaining that rock conditions had deteriorated to the point of where the mine was no longer economic for zinc and copper ore extraction.

Brazil's Vale said on Monday its third-quarter iron-ore production was up from the previous quarter but still down 17.4% from a year ago, as the miner slowly began to resume production at mines that were shut down following a deadly dam burst in January. The company produced 86.704-million tonnes in the July-September period, up more-than two-thirds from the second quarter as operations resumed at Brucutu, its largest mine in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais, and at part of its Vargem Grande complex.

Zimbabwe expects to increase diamond production to 11-million carats by 2023 from 3.2-million carats last year, the Mines Minister said on Monday, part of an ambitious plan to raise mining output and earn the country $12-billion a year. The mineral-rich southern African nation sees the mining sector as the main driver for reviving an economy crippled by triple-digit inflation and high unemployment.

Following the success of the new Bon Pasteur child protection centre in Kolwezi, in the Lualaba province, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, diversified natural resources group Eurasian Resources Group is aiming to replicate the centre’s model in the community of Tshala, near the company’s Metalkol RTR site. This forms part of the company’s longstanding partnership with the Good Shepherd International Foundation, through which the Bon Pasteur programme has helped address acute challenges faced... Читать дальше...

Canadian gold miner B2Gold has approved the $38-million implementation of an offgrid solar battery hybrid system at its Fekola mine, in Mali. Construction is set to start at the end of this year, with completion scheduled for August 2020.

Daphney Mashile-Nkosi has resigned as nonexecutive director of JSE-listed Exxaro Resources, effective October 11. In a statement on Monday, the board expressed its appreciation for her dedication, service and contribution during her tenure.

TSX-, NYSE- and Aim-listed Caledonia Mining’s Blanket mine, in Zimbabwe, produced 13 646 oz of gold in the third quarter ended September 30. Output was 7.3% higher than the 12 712 oz produced in the second quarter. Year-to-date production, however, decreased by 3.2% year-on-year to 38 306 oz.

Aim-listed Beowulf Mining has increased its ownership of Kosovo explorer Vardar Minerals from 37.6% to 40.1%. The company invested a further £115 000 in Vardar, following the board’s recent “excellent” visit to Kosovo, CEO Kurt Budge said on Monday.

A prefeasibility study into the restart of the Langer Heinrich uranium project, in Namibia, has confirmed that $80-million in capital will be required to support a 5.2-million pound a year operation. ASX-listed Paladin Energy on Monday said that there was an opportunity to increase production to 6.5-million pounds a year through additional high return, discretionary capital spend of $30-million, further enhancing access to offtake and financing.

Mining company Teck Resources said on Sunday that workers at its Teck Carmen de Andacollo Operations (CdA), in Chile, would go on strike, resulting in operations being suspended. The Teck Carmen de Andacollo Workers Union represents 473 workers at CdA and had given notice to start strike action on Monday.

Canadian gold company Argonaut Gold said over the weekend that two people working for its mining contractor at the La Colorada mine, in Sonara, Mexico, had died. The individuals were fatality injured on Friday in a high-voltage accident while performing maintenance on a haul truck.

A series of letters from state energy regulators asking the Trump administration to act on coal plant closures was orchestrated by a coal lobbying group, emails show, raising questions about the independence of the public service commissioners. Utility commissioners in six states pressed the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to act on an inquiry into whether coal plant retirements are threatening the electric grid. The state officials sent letters to FERC at the request of the American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity... Читать дальше...

Chinese miner MMG is likely to have to halt production at its Las Bambas copper mine in Peru "within a week" due to protests that have blocked access to the site, a senior local executive told Reuters on Friday. Alvaro Ossio, the mine's vice president of finances, said Las Bambas, Peru's largest copper minefield, had declared "partial" force majeure with contractors and was evaluating doing the same for copper sales.

The ongoing civil unrest in Ecuador has started to impact on the activities of the Fruta del Norte gold project, with mining, earthworks and plant commissioning activities having been temporarily ceased, or reduced. Toronto-listed Lundin Gold reported on Sunday that the ongoing road blockades, which erupted in the country on October 3, had prevented the movement of key supplies and personnel to and from Fruta del Norte.