Новости за 05.06.2020

As part of global diversified natural resource company Glencore’s commitment to progressing together with its host communities, Glencore Ferroalloys has partnered with social purpose enterprise Re-Action to offer support in the roll-out of relief efforts to members of the #Khomani San community in the Kgalagadi in the Mier municipal area, one of the most desolate areas in the ZF Mgcawu district, in the Northern Cape. Glencore’s community support initiatives aim to ensure that communities like the #Khomani San are not forgotten during this time... Читать дальше...

Zambia's attempt to force Copperbelt Energy Corp (CEC) to open up its infrastructure to other power producers has dented the country's image as an investment destination, the Chamber of Mines said on Friday. Energy Minister Matthew Nkhuwa issued a decree last Friday compelling CEC to allow others to transmit electricity via its infrastructure. Though it can negotiate terms, CEC said the energy regulator had also cut the tariff it can charge to 30% of the current price.

A few years back South Africa was said to be heading towards a coal cliff but that projection is now being questioned. In the early and mid 2000, the findings of the South African Coal Roadmap were that Eskom’s contracted coal supply would plummet and its uncontracted portion balloon.

A few years back South Africa was said to be heading towards a coal cliff but that projection is now being questioned. In the early and mid 2000, the findings of the South African Coal Roadmap were that Eskom’s contracted coal supply would plummet and its uncontracted portion balloon.

Swedish metals company Boliden has put up mobile crushing plants at the fire-hit concentrating plant at Kevitsa, in Finland, allowing production to resume at almost 90% of normal capacity. The company said post fire inspections were still ongoing and that the cause of the fire was yet to be determined.

Russian diamond producer Alrosa reported an 87% slide in first-quarter net profit on Friday and said its future results were likely to suffer from the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on sales. Net profit fell to 3.1-billion roubles in the first three months of the year, it said, hurt by the revaluation of its foreign currency debt. Sales at Alrosa, the world's largest producer of rough diamonds, have also been hit by the pandemic which has caused a slump in global demand for precious stones since March.

The international refined nickel production and trade market will evolve in the coming decade as China's large nickel deficit, driven by the electric vehicle (EV) success story, and Russia's slowly falling nickel surplus, driven by a thin project pipeline, opens opportunities for other producers, says financial risk management, solutions and insights company Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research (Fitch). The company further notes that Indonesia will be one of the outperformers over the coming years... Читать дальше...

Copper, gold and zinc miner First Quantum Minerals (FQM) paid over K7-billion in taxes and royalties to the Zambian government in 2018, representing almost 40% of total payments made by the mining industry, making it the nation’s largest taxpayer. 
The 2018 Zambia Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative report, published in June, reveals that the majority of FQM’s taxes – amounting to K4.47-billion – were paid by its subsidiary, Kansanshi Mining.

Rio Tinto knew the cultural and historical significance of two caves in Western Australia years before it blew them up last month as part of an iron ore mine expansion, traditional owners said on Friday. However, Rio, which won state government approval to destroy the caves in 2013, has said it believed it had consent from the traditional owners of the caves, the Puutu Kunti Kurrama and Pinikura People (PKKP), because they had not explicitly asked that the site not be mined.

Copper-focused Kaz Minerals says its $150-million capital expenditure (capex) guidance for 2020 remains in place, as previously curtailed activity will resume in due course. Prior to the Covid-19 disruption, equipment and materials were delivered to the site for the pioneer works scheduled to take place during the year at the miner’s Baimskaya project, in Kazakhstan.

TSX-V-listed Impact Silver has restarted production at its Royal Mines of Zacualpan silver district, in Mexico, following lifting of Covid-19-related restrictions by government. The operation involves three underground mines and one openpit mine feeding ore to the Guadalupe production centre.

Canada-listed Red Lake Gold subsidiary Alma Gold has executed an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the Chambers Settlement gold project, in New Brunswick, from Avalon Gold Resources. Alma intents to do follow-up exploration work on top of recent work executed by Avalon.

Austral Gold said on Friday a near one-month long strike by two unions ended at its flagship Guanaco and Amancaya mines in Chile after reaching an agreement to increase pay and benefits by 15% along with a one-time bonus. The Australia-listed miner that is focused on Argentina and Chile said its flagship mines would restart operations next week, and it does not expect a major hit to its 2020 output forecast of between 55 000 to 60 000 gold equivalent ounces.

ASX-listed Allegiance Coal has struck an agreement with Cline Mining Corporation to accelerate the completion of the New Elk hard coking coal project acquisition, amending the terms of the original understanding. Allegiance on Friday said that the up-front cash payment required has now been reduced from $8-million to $3-million, while Cline has also waived the condition precedent requiring Allegiance to raise the mine startup capital.

The Trump administration is seeking to overhaul the way it calculates the costs and benefits of environmental regulation, a move that could make it harder to justify air pollution curbs. The Environmental Protection Agency is set to formalise the new approach, said two people familiar with the matter who asked not to be named before a public announcement. The measure would require the agency to submit all significant Clean Air Act rules to a cost-benefit analysis, coming even as the EPA limits what potential benefits get considered.

Work at the Beyondie sulphate of potash (SOP) project, in Western Australia, has been accelerated after ASX-listed Kalium Lakes completed a A$48.8-million capital raise. The company on Friday said that various contractors would be mobilised in the coming weeks to undertake a number of work programmes, including the pond construction earthworks, an 80-km gas pipeline installation, purification plant engineer, procurement and construction work, construction of the residual workshop, village and administration facilities... Читать дальше...

Indian major Adani has awarded a civil construction works contract worth more than A$350-million for the Carmichael rail network, in Queensland. Adani Mining CEO Lucas Dow said the construction contract would see Queensland-based BMD deliver civil works for construction of the rail network.

Coal miner New Hope Group is seeking a meeting with the Queensland government over the next few days to discuss the future of its Stage 3 expansion at the New Acland mine, after the High Court of Australia granted community group Oakey Coal Action Alliance (OCAA) special leave to appeal an earlier ruling on the mine’s expansion. The Queensland Court of Appeal in 2019 ruled against OCAA, finding that a Land Court decision in 2017 against the expansion of the mine had been affected by apprehended bias.

With many local diamond mining operations reaching their end of life, the rehabilitation and remediation of such sites – in a closure and liquidation context – has been a particular focus in recent years, says law firm Bowmans partner Wandisile Mandlana.

Although diamond prices were gradually recovering from their low during the 2008/09 financial crisis, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, the lockdowns in many countries have caused trading to come to a halt.

Some mined commodities, particularly precious metals, such as gold, have increased in value, owing to the perception that they can be safe-haven assets during times of crisis.

The diamond industry has been dealing with an oversupplied market since upstream production hit a multi-year high in 2017 and as the mid-stream segment delivered inventory in 2018 and 2019.