Новости за 10.04.2020

Outsourced workers at Chile's State-owned Codelco, the world's largest copper producer, on Thursday slammed the miner's decision to suspend some contract work as a result of increasing restrictions around the coronavirus outbreak. Codelco on Wednesday said the temporary measures were necessary to ensure the safety of its workers and abide by social distancing policies. The decision applied to approximately 30% of its outsourced staff, the company said.

Brazilian miner Vale will prepay 932-million reais ($179.5-million) to roughly 3 000 small suppliers by the end of April, in a move to help ease the economic impact on them from the coronavirus outbreak. The company said it has already disbursed nearly half of this amount in the last two weeks.

TSX-V-listed Sandfire Resources America on Thursday announced that the Black Butte Copper underground mining project in Montana, in the US, has received a record of decision for its permit. With a mine operating permit in hand, wholly owned subsidiary Tintina Montana can now develop and mine the Johnny Lee deposit at the Black Butte Copper project. The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (MTDEQ) has 40 days in which to finalise a financial bond calculation, which, once done, will pave the way for construction to start at Black Butte.

South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has granted KwaZulu-Natal miner Buffalo Coal permission to resume mining activities at 30% operating capacity. The company, which is listed on the TSX-V, said on Thursday it would resume mining activities on a limited scale on April 14, following the Easter long weekend. It will do so within the framework of the company’s policies on Covid-19 and in line with local and national healthy authority requirements.

Global miner BHP confirmed on Thursday two cases of coronavirus at its Escondida copper mine in Chile, the world´s largest. The company said in a statement that one in-house worker and one contractor had shown symptoms and tested positive. Several others who came in contact with them were placed in preventative quarantine, the company said. Chile, the world´s top copper producer, has seen relatively few cases of coronavirus at its immense copper mines to date. Many miners moved early to reduce staffs and implement measures... Читать дальше...

Gold miner Tanzanian Gold Corporation announced last month that it had received an update of the estimated mineral resources in the company’s Buckreef Shear Zone, from engineering services provider Virimai Projects, the company’s technical adviser. The update more than doubles the estimated mineral resources in the measured and indicative categories for the zone.

The spread of Covid-19 is likely to significantly impact on the Tanzanian mining and natural resources sector. This could be exacerbated by artisanal, small-scale and illegal mining, which could further pose health and environmental concerns, according to multinational law practice Eversheds Sutherland mining and infrastructure head Warren Beech. He argues that measures put in place by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and other stakeholders, which apply to the local mining and natural resources sector... Читать дальше...

Mining companies in Tanzania continue face the challenge of ensuring continuous and stable power to their operations, and that their carbon footprint is reduced. Global energy services provider Aggreko, a company specialising in temporary power solutions, aims to support its mining clients in this regard by providing hybrid power solutions for Tanzanian mines, as it has elsewhere in the world. Aggreko’s temporary power and electrical distribution systems provide mines with appropriate power supply... Читать дальше...

Every mining environment poses different challenges, but mining houses tend to prioritise the enhancement of mine health and safety procedures, and technology service provider In2IT Technologies CTO Vishal Barapatre notes that the Internet of Things (IoT) is “a top choice” in this regard. He explains that sensor-based feedback was used in mines long before the term IoT had even originated, but adds that since mining and IoT are naturally aligned, “the best way forward for mines would be to start using and implementing it”.