Новости за 22.10.2019

Tianqi Lithium, one of the world's biggest lithium producers, swung to a net loss in the third quarter as prices for the battery metal slumped. Tianqi, which owns around a quarter of Chilean lithium producer SQM, processes spodumene, a mineral mined for its lithium content, into chemicals such as lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide that are used in electric vehicle batteries.

A Water Tribunal hearing into an appeal against the granting of an integrated water use licence for emerging African phosphate producer Kropz’s 74%-owned Elandsfontein project, in the Western Cape, got under way on Tuesday. The hearing had initially been scheduled for September but was postponed at the request of the appellant.

Diversified miner Anglo American’s production for the third quarter ended September 30, increased by 4% year-on-year, driven by the continued successful ramp-up at the Minas-Rio iron-ore mine, in Brazil, and a strong performance at its metallurgical coal operations, CEO Mark Cutifani said on Tuesday. Minas-Rio’s strong operational performance continued as iron-ore production reached 6.1-million tonnes in the third quarter.

JSE- and NYSE-listed gold miner DRDGold on Tuesday reported that an armed gang had gained entry to its Ergo plant, in Brakpan, South Africa, on Monday evening. The gang escaped with a quantity of calcine concentrate, which is estimated to contain up to 17 kg of gold.

Canada-based international gold mining company Dundee Precious Metals (DPM) has invested C$10-million in Ecuador-focused INV Metals, which is advancing the Loma Larga project. DPM’s investment, which formed part of a C$15.6-million private placement at C$0.40 a share, has turned the company into a strategic shareholder in INV, representing a 19.5% equity interest.

TSX-V-listed junior Palladium One has submitted a sample collected from its nickel/copper/platinum group elements project near Marathon, Ontario, to Activation Laboratories for metallurgical testing. The testing represents the first metallurgical work done on the project and will assess the flotation characteristics of mineralisation.

Australian mining magnate Clive Palmer has renewed a push to develop a new coal mine in Queensland state, close to a controversial mine under construction by India's Adani Enterprises. Palmer's Waratah Coal applied to Australia's Department of Natural Resources on October 4 for a 35-year mining lease in the Galilee Basin, a new coal region that won the green light this year for development.

A scoping study into the Walford Creek copper/cobalt project, in Queensland, has demonstrated that the asset is amenable to development, ASX-listed Aeon Metals reports. The scoping study found that the project supports a mine life of 11 years, based on an estimated 146 000 t of copper and 22 000 t of cobalt contained in the project area, with the project expected to deliver 42 000 t of copper equivalent production a year.

Diamond miner De Beers has maintained its full-year production guidance at about 31-million carats, despite subdued demand for rough diamonds. The company on Tuesday reported that it had sold 7.1-million carats of rough diamonds on a consolidated basis in the third quarter of this year, compared with the five-million carats sold in the third quarter of 2018.

With ongoing success at the test facility of the Florence copper project, in the US, dual-listed Taseko Mines has awarded the basic engineering contract for a commercial facility to professional services group Stantec. In the last nine months, Vancouver-based Taseko has commissioned a 24-hole test wellfield consisting of injection, recovery and monitoring wells, while ramping up the solvent extraction and electrowinning plant to design capacity.

Coal miner Whitehaven Coal has reported increased production and sales volumes for the quarter ended September, as production from the Narrabri mine increased. Run of mine coal production was up 22% on the previous corresponding period, to 4.4-million tonnes, while quarterly saleable coal production was also up by 23% on the previous corresponding period, to 4.9-million tonnes

Lithium miner Orocobre has reported a 35% increase in lithium production from its Olaroz project, in Argentina, during the quarter ended September. Lithium production reached 3 093 t in the first quarter of 2020, compared with the 2 293 t produced in the previous corresponding period, following a strategy of managing brine quality, new pond preparation and tailoring production to seasonal conditions.

Brazilian iron-ore miner Vale said on Monday it has temporarily shut down its Itabiruçu tailings dam and lowered its full-year iron-ore and pellet sales guidance as a result. Vale said it had shut down the dam so it could assess the structure's "geotechnical characteristics", noting the dam was issued a stability certificate in late September.