Новости за 31.01.2020

The Minerals Council has called for an advocacy group to be set up in the coal sector to highlight its value to the South African economy as an industry and employer of 220 000 people across the coal value chain, says the council's senior economist, Bongani Motsa. “As an industry we need to organize ourselves and form a strong coal advocacy group,” Motsa told the fifteenth annual Southern African Coal Conference during a special session on the new Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).

The World Diamond Council (WDC) is asking stakeholders to review its System of Warranties (SoW) Toolkit, following its unanimous adoption as a working draft by the WDC board of directors and members. Stakeholders have until March 31 to submit comments to WDC.

Aim-listed Sylvania Platinum reached a new record interim production of 40 003 oz of platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold (4E) platinum group metals (PGMs) for the six months ended December 31, despite power disruptions and downtime during the last quarter of the interim period.  The company’s production for the quarter ended December 31 was 19 206 oz of 4E PGMs.

Polish miners blocked trains carrying coal to a power plant in the southern town of Laziska Gorne on Friday in protest against coal imports from Russia. Poland generates most of its electricity from coal, but domestic coal production has been falling in recent years due to cost savings and geological problems, which prompted higher imports, mostly from Russia. Some of Poland's biggest coal users, mostly state-run energy groups, signed long-term deals for coal imports from Russia in 2017-2018 fearing the main domestic coal producer... Читать дальше...

No major commodity has felt the pain of the worsening coronavirus epidemic more deeply than copper. The metal has tumbled for 12 straight sessions in London, the longest retreat in more than three decades of data. Since January 20 when the outbreak in China entered a new phase of severity, copper has tumbled 11%, making it the hardest-hit by the spreading pandemic among all the major commodities. Copper’s slide underscores just how crucial China’s manufacturing engine has become to global commodities markets. Читать дальше...

Global gold miner Barrick Gold Corporation’s Loulo-Gounkoto complex, in Mali, exceeded its guidance for 2019, producing 714 802 oz of gold, and is set to meet all the targets of its ten-year plan. CE Mark Bristow says the project again demonstrated its mettle, performing consistently to plan and replacing depleted reserves – the company has undertaken brownfield exploration and resource conversion at the complex for some time.

David Brown has resigned as CEO of coal miner MC Mining to pursue his own interests. His resignation is effective January 31, but he will be available to MC Mining until March 31 to ensure a smooth handover.

Alcoa Corp's Australian aluminium smelter was hit by a power cut on Friday after a transmission line tripped amid soaring temperatures in the country's southeast, the Australian Energy Market Operator said. AEMO, which manages electricity supply, said the transmission line outage "has resulted in a separation between Victoria and South Australia at the Heywood Interconnector, as well as interrupting supply at the Portland aluminium smelter."

After borrowing billions to fund an overseas expansion to ride a lithium boom, a collapse in prices has left one of the world’s top producers straining under a mountain of debt. Valued at more than $6-billion, Tianqi Lithium’s predicament highlights the risks of boom-and-bust cycles in commodity markets that can punish mistimed or over-extended ventures, even in sectors fated to become dominant. While long-term prospects for lithium are bullish as demand for electric-vehicle batteries booms, the... Читать дальше...

A simplified mine plan at the New Elk coking coal project, in Colorado, has reduced both the start-up and sustaining capital for the project, while allowing ASX-listed Allegiance Coal more time to assess its production ramp-up options. An initial feasibility study (FS), completed in November last year, estimated that the project would require a start-up capital investment of $56-million, to support a two-million tonne a year operation, over the first four years of the operation, with a mine life of 23-years... Читать дальше...

Nickel miner Panoramic Resources has reported a 22% decline in nickel production and a 19% decline in copper production for the December quarter, compared with the previous three months. Nickel in concentrate production at the Savannah operation, in Western Australia, declined from 1 342 t to 1 042 t during the December quarter, while contained copper declined from 855 t to 695 t.

A rift between between Teck Resources and the company it uses to export its coal widened as the Vancouver-based miner publicly accused the shipper of charging too much and contaminating some freight. The head of Teck, already shifting some steel-making coal freight away from Westshore Terminals Investment , said on Wednesday that the export facility had contaminated “dozens” of shipments. Teck was forced to build its own terminal quickly, before a permit lapsed and its contract with Westshore expired... Читать дальше...

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler’s chief of staff is leaving the US agency to work for the nation’s top coal mining trade group. Ryan Jackson is stepping down from his post after three years to become the National Mining Association’s senior vice president of government affairs, the trade group said on Thursday night.

Toronto-listed Nevada Copper has replaced its mining contractor at the Pumpkin Hollow mine, in Nevada, with Redpath USA, which will now be the principal underground mining contractor for the project going forward. The move comes as Pumpkin Hollow is ramping up to full capacity, having started production in December. “Redpath is considered throughout the mining industry as the partner of choice for production ramp up and we are excited to be working with them during this important period of growth,” commented Nevada Copper CEO Matt Gili.

The transportation of metal from MMG's Las Bambas copper mine in Southern Peru has been halted since Monday, a police chief told Reuters on Thursday. "As a safety measure, they have suspended the use of their vehicles," said Victor Andres Patiño, a police chief in Cuzco, in the region where the mine is located. Local communities have been protesting what they say is pollution generated by the trucks that transport minerals from the mine.

Mpumalanga-based mechanical engineering contractor Brimis Engineering has been accredited as a service centre for pumps manufacturer KSB Pumps and Valves in South Africa. The company received a certificate from KSB after a thorough inspection. The audit comprised a review of internal processes, workshop facilities and quality management systems.

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe published the 2019 Draft Mine Community Resettlement Guidelines (Draft Resettlement Guidelines) for public comment on December 4. As the public comment period ran over the festive season, the closing date for submission of written representations was extended until January 31, 2020 by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE).

Companies and industry stakeholders have until January 31, 2020, to submit commentary on the Draft Mine Community Resettlement Guidelines (Draft Resettlement Guidelines), which were published for public comment on December 4, 2019, by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe. While law firm Fasken will not comment on the draft, it has assisted clients intending to submit representations or comments to the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), says Fasken partner Godfrey Malesa.

Pump solutions provider Mechanical Rotating Solutions (MRS) contributed to a Limpopo-based platinum mine’s water-saving initiative towards the end of 2019 by replacing the existing pump gland packing with AESSEAL single cartridge seals.   The replacement project resulted from the mine’s conclusion that its 24 service pumps were losing more than 252 000 ℓ/y of water.

Pump manufacturer and independent maintenance specialist Sulzer is investing in its South African operations to ensure that it is well positioned to cover the needs of the mining sector locally and in Southern Africa. “Sulzer is continually investing in its personnel and facilities to enhance its service. The main focus for the pumps-related business is to deliver a comprehensive service through a local point of contact. This has been supported by the recent appointment of additional sales engineers... Читать дальше...

Industrial equipment supplier Verder Pumps South Africa is focused on expanding its footprint in Africa by growing its network of local facilities and distributor partners. “With a history of over 18 years on the continent, we have a proud tradition of technical excellence and being committed to finding innovative solutions to existing problems and forging new paths for future-proof solutions. And part of our plans to take our offering to the next level is focused around expanding our distribution... Читать дальше...

Pumping fluids with high solids concentrations is far more complicated than pumping water. To avoid sedimentation in the system, the correct pump size with appropriately dimensioned hoses and pipes must be selected, notes local Grindex pump distributor Integrated Pump Technology. Adding to the complexity of pump selection for slurry applications is that the concentration of solids, together with particle size and shape, can affect pump performance as well as power requirements. Settled solids might require external agitators... Читать дальше...

UK-based pump manufacturer Atlantic Pumps is celebrating after achieving ISO 9001 accreditation. ISO 9001 is the internationally recognised quality management system standard that is issued to companies that can demonstrate a continual ability to provide strong levels of service and products that meet customer and regulatory requirements.

Of the numerous mines in South Africa that have closed down, those which are now ownerless have become the responsibility of the State. This means that the State is responsible for the environmental- and other closure- related liabilities, says law firm Eversheds Sutherland Mining and Infrastructure head Warren Beech.

Data analytics and consultancy company GlobalData has warned that deep ocean mining faces serious difficulties. In a report it issued recently, it warned that attempts to mine the seabed at such depths were both technically difficult and controversial.