Новости за 28.10.2019

Albemarle, SQM and other lithium producers have been scaling back expansion plans as near-term oversupply concerns drag on prices, unnerving investors who are pushing the industry to focus more on profitability. Volkswagen, BMW and other automakers planning to produce all-electric fleets of vehicles during the next decade with lithium-ion batteries are expected to help global demand for the white metal more than triple by 2025 to 917 469 t, according to Canaccord Genuity.

London-listed potash project developer Emmerson has announced an updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) for its Khemisset potash project, in Morocco, indicating a 72% increase in total resource to 537-million tonnes, grading about 9.24% potassium oxide. Based on a 2018 scoping study, the Khemisset project has a minimum mine life of 20 years and can deliver average yearly earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation of $236-million.

Mining companies should make more use of technology to respond to increasing demands from investors and communities for responsible mining practices, Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques said on Monday. Technologies such as autonomous rail-cars and increased automation can lower the impact of the industry on the environment as well as raise profit margins, he said, adding that blockchain can be deployed to track if the supply chain met ethical standards.

Ecuador plans to ship its first large copper cargo within weeks, a milestone in its ambitions to evolve from exploration hotspot to copper exporter. The El Mirador copper mine, owned by a unit of the Chinese consortium CRCC-Tongguan, started operations in July but the the company imposed some restrictions in October as a precautionary measure to protect workers amid unrest over the government's austerity plan.

Aim-listed BlueRock Diamonds has sold the 20.72 ct diamond recovered from its Kareevlei mine, in South Africa, in September, for $236 000, or $11 389/ct. This is the highest value achieved for the mine to date for a single diamond, surpassing the previous record sale of $190 000 for a 24.8 ct diamond.

JSE- and NYSE-listed AngloGold Ashanti achieved a 156% year-on-year increase in free cash flow to $87-million for the third quarter ended September 30. This was, however, offset by higher capital expenditure and operating costs and lower gold sales.

Dual-listed DRDGold’s output increased by 5% quarter-on-quarter to 48 001 oz for the quarter ended September 30, primarily owing to a 4% increase in tonnage throughput at Far West Gold Recoveries (FWGR), which achieved the planned throughput of 500 000 t a month from Phase 1. FWGR also successfully started operating its mills at the start of September, which resulted in a 3% and 2% decrease in cash operating cost per kilogram of gold sold and cash operating cost per ton of material processed, respectively.

The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (Amec) has welcomed plans by the Western Australian government to modernise the Environmental Protection Act. Environment Minister Stephen Dawson on Monday released a discussion paper outlining its plans to modernise environmental protection legislation and is seeking community and industry feedback on the proposed amendments.

Aim-listed Botswana Diamonds on Monday announced that its 40%-owned associate Vutomi Mining had been granted a mining permit for the diamond-bearing gravels and residual unprocessed stockpiles around the iconic Marsfontein mine. Vutomi partnered with Eurafrican Diamond Corporate (EDC) to mine and process the identified deposits on both Marsfontein and Thorny River.

Aim-listed Edenville Energy has appointed Alistair Muir CEO, effective November 1. He succeeds Rufus Short, who is stepping down to devote more time to family and other interests, but will continue serving on the board as nonexecutive director.

Uranium hopeful Vimy Resources has launched a share purchase plan (SPP) aimed at raising A$3.9-million to strengthen its balance sheet and bolster working capital. The company last week announced that it had completed a A$3.9-million capital raise, and would place 77.87-million shares, at a price of 5c each, to institutional and sophisticated investors, under the company’s existing placement capacity.

The Brazilian joint venture (JV) between majors BHP and Vale, Samarco, has been given all the necessary environmental licenses to restart its operations in the state of Minas Gerais. The Samarco operations were suspended in November 2015 after the collapse of a tailings dam, claiming the lives of 19 people and displacing numerous others.

While the fog of the trade war clouds the outlook for most commodities, battle lines are being drawn in the nickel market. On either side, traders and investors are lining up to bet on two diametrically opposed paths for prices.

akistan’s top business tycoons have offered to take over a disputed copper and gold deposit that was once explored by Barrick Gold and Antofagasta, according to people familiar with the matter. Officials at the provincial Balochistan government are said to have met with a consortium of four business groups including tycoons Arif Habib and Muhammad Ali Tabba who are willing to invest about $1-billion of their own cash in the project, the people said, asking not to be named because the discussions are private.

ale's CEO said on Friday that a resumption in paying dividends or share buybacks would depend on progress in repairing the damage from its Brumadinho tailings dam collapse, which killed more than 250 people. Eduardo Bartolomeo told investors on a conference call the Brazilian iron-ore miner would be able to resume dividend payments at some point, but that "that moment has yet to arrive".