Новости за 18.02.2020

Copper prices will rebound in the coming months from a downturn in demand caused by the coronavirus outbreak in China, Chilean Mining Minister Baldo Prokurica said on Tuesday. China reported its fewest new coronavirus infections since January on Tuesday and its lowest daily death toll for a week, but the World Health Organization said data suggesting the epidemic had slowed should still be viewed with caution. China is the world's top copper consumer, and Chile is the red metal's top producer.

Glencore CEO Ivan Glasenberg on Tuesday described the diversified mining and marketing company’s investment in Astron Energy oil refinery and fuel distribution station business in South Africa as “a nice short to have for the trading business”. The Chevron oil refinery in Cape Town and the Caltex brand now fall under Astron Energy, a Glencore Group company.

BHP’s new top executive has a plan to prosper in a world that’s accelerating efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions – double down on the raw materials that’ve been key through its near 170-year history. The world’s top miner, with roots in a 19th Century tin mine, plans to add more copper and nickel to meet rising demand from renewable energy and electric vehicles, and sees a continuing role for key coal mines and oil wells, according to Chief Executive Officer Mike Henry, who signaled his tenure won’t begin with any radical overhaul. Читать дальше...

JSE- and TSX-listed Eastern Platinum (Eastplats) has successfully produced platinum group metal (PGM) concentrate from its refurbished small-scale PGM Circuit D – previously called the scavenger plant circuit. The company is using feed from its retreatment project, located at the company’s Crocodile River mine, in South Africa, following the recovery of chrome concentrate.

Miners have welcomed proposed changes to Indonesian mining rules under a new law aimed at boosting investment, though critics are concerned that the changes could underpin an expansion in polluting coal and threaten environment protection. President Joko Widodo's sprawling "Job Creation" bill seeks to change about 80 laws affecting many business sectors, including mining, in order to fix rules deemed cumbersome for investors. Indonesia is a top exporter of thermal coal, tin and nickel products... Читать дальше...

Junior base and precious metals producer Red River Resources has announced plans to develop the Liontown deposit as its next mining operation at the Thalanga gold project, in Queensland. An updated mineral resource for the Liontown project is due in March this year, with the miner telling shareholders on Tuesday that high-grade gold-rich polymetallic results had been received from the New Queen Lens.

Copper miner Oz Minerals has nearly halved its net profits after tax for the full year ending December, with the miner reporting that net profits fell to A$163.9-million from the A$222.4-million reported in the previous full year. Underlying net profits after tax declined from A$228.3-million to A$163.9-million, while underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization declined from A$540.4-million to A$462.4-million.

Polish coal miners planning a protest in Warsaw later this month may find it more difficult than ever to secure their pay hike demands. The workers, whose strong negotiating position harks back to the Solidarity union’s emblematic fight against communism, have so far seen most of their expectations met by every government in the last 30 years. This time it could be different. Coal is becoming less popular in the European Union’s largest eastern economy that’s also one of the heaviest polluters. Читать дальше...

BHP Group will be looking to expand in copper and nickel to position itself well in a world that is decarbonising, new chief executive Mike Henry said on Tuesday. "We need more copper and we need more nickel," Henry told reporters after saying that the company would need to create more options for itself in "future facing" commodities. Henry also said that the company would be willing to sell its thermal coal assets if a buyer offered a good value.

Major Rio Tinto has submitted a feasibility study for the Tavan Tolgoi power plant (TTPP) project, to the government of Mongolia, as part of its electricity solution for the Oyu Tolgoi copper project. The TTPP will involve the construction of a 300 MW coal power plant, with Rio on Tuesday telling shareholders that the company was also in consultation with the government of Mongolia to progress alternative options to source more domestic power, including a renewable power component.

Diversified miner BHP has reported a 20% interest in profits after tax and a 7% increase in revenue for the half year ended December. “We delivered a strong set of half-year results, grounded in solid operational performance,” said CEO Mike Henry on Tuesday.