Новости за 20.11.2020

Aim-listed metals exploration and development company Power Metal Resources, through receipt of assay results, has confirmed high cobalt and copper values at its 70%-owned Kisinka copper/cobalt project, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Kisinka is located about 30 km east of the regional capital of Lubumbashi in the southern part of the Katanga copperbelt.

London-listed Red Rock Resources has mobilised a team to its 80%-owned Luanshimba licence, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to start a geophysics programme. The programme serves as a follow-up to strong copper and cobalt anomalism identified during a prior termite mound sampling programme late in 2018.

A Zambian court on Friday ordered a stay on liquidation proceedings for Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to allow owners Vedanta and ZCCM-IH to proceed to arbitration, the provisional liquidator said in a statement. The ruling by the Court of Appeal represents a significant win for Vedanta, which is seeking the removal of the liquidator appointed by state mining investment firm ZCCM-IH - which owns 20% of KCM on the government's behalf - to run the company.

Namdeb, a joint venture between the Namibian government and Anglo American's diamond unit De Beers Group, has been granted a holiday on royalty payments, the country's mining ministry said on Friday in bid to save jobs in the shrinking sector. Diamonds have been mined in Namibia since 1908, but land-based operations could end in 2023, as Namdeb says it no longer made economic sense under the current tax regime.

Copper surged to a fresh two-year high on Friday, and is set for its longest run of weekly gains since September, as investors weighed concerns about rising coronavirus cases against promising news on vaccines that could hasten an economic recovery. Base metals have climbed this month on signs of progress in developing a drug to combat Covid-19, which would help economies reopen and global growth recover. But there are still immediate fears that fresh lockdowns – especially in the US – could bring renewed pressure on economic activity. Читать дальше...

The board of silver and gold miner, Hochschild Mining, has approved the payment of the previously suspended interim dividend, announcing on Friday that shareholders would receive a $4-a-share dividend. The company, headquartered in Peru, and listed in London, previously postponed the 2020 interim dividend, owing to the uncertainties caused by Covid-19 and the risk to its operations. Hochschild said that while the Covid crisis continued to affect Peru and Argentina, its balance sheet was strong... Читать дальше...

Canada-based resources company Fission is transitioning from an explorer to a developer, with the company entering the environmental assessment phase and starting work on a feasibility study for its high-grade Triple R uranium deposit, in the Athabasca basin The company has recently strengthened its treasury with a $17.07-million financing and has bolstered its management with the appointment of Mark Wittrup to assist with managing the regulatory and environmental aspects of the development process for Triple R.

Toronto-listed Aura Minerals has completed a competitive bidding process for a new offtake agreement for copper and gold concentrate from its Aranzazu mine, in Mexico. Trafigura has agreed to purchase 100% of the copper and gold concentrate produced at the mine, between 2022 and 2024. Aura says the current offtake agreement with IXM Metals will remain in force until the end of 2021.

Mining Weekly Editor Martin Creamer unpacks platinum investment demand sky rocketing 291%, Anglo American’s investment commitment to South Africa and a New York court dismissing class action against Sibanye-Stillwater.

Mining contractor MACA has appointed receiver managers over the A$34.7-million owed from embattled coal miner Carabella Resources for work performed at its Bluff project, in Queensland. The Bluff project moved into care and maintenance at the end of October this year on the back of falling coal prices and on the uncertainty around the Chinese government’s policy relating to Australian metallurgical coal imports.

The Northern Territory Minister for Mining and Industry Nicole Manison has approved major Glencore’s amended mining management plan for the McArthur River zinc mine, allowing mining activities to continue. “The territory government is supporting jobs and protecting the environment through strict regulation for the McArthur River mine and its future operations,” said Manison, noting that the project employs some 1 000 employees and contractors.

SQM, the biggest lithium producer after Albemarle, is moving ahead with plans to more than double capacity in a bet that accelerating electric-vehicle demand will tighten an oversupplied market for the battery metal. Reporting lower-than-expected third-quarter earnings and forecasting flat lithium prices this quarter, the Santiago-based company said its board approved an expansion as part of a $1.3-billion investment plan through 2024. SQM is looking past the current lithium supply glut that has pushed down prices. Читать дальше...

The application of South African minerals processing company Multotec’s technologies in tailings and waste management streams allows for the recovery of resources – such as water, precious metals and by-products – in a way that maximises revenue and the manageability of the process, says product specialist for solid/liquid separation Gerrit du Plessis. The efficacy and stability of the process, which also removes contaminants that are harmful to the environment, is critical for operations, particularly in South Africa... Читать дальше...

The demand for early-warning systems for tailings facilities and/or dams has increased exponentially, subsequent to the Vale incident, suggests geotechnical civil and mining instrumentation company Terra Monitoring operations director Robin Schmidt. Therefore, the company – a member of geotechnical service provider GeoGroup – introduced its Data Logger System, which can monitor all installed tailings instruments remotely.

Worley Parsons mineral processing technology and expert solutions VP Mervyn Stevens states that the mining industry has taken big strides to improve its impact on both nearby communities, and the world. He explains that this has seen targets set around renewable energy, automation and zero emissions. While there has been a lot of progress in these areas, there is another critical consideration for a truly responsible mine: mine tailings.

Specialist mine refrigeration and ventilation consultancy group Bluhm Burton Engineering (BBE) is fully committed to the underground mining project for De Beers’ Venetia diamond mine, in Limpopo. The consulting and projects divisions of BBE are both involved in the project, with the former simultaneously detailing the ventilation system to construct the mine as well as designing the permanent ventilation of the mine; and the latter constructing the surface refrigeration and air-cooling system for the new underground mine.

Thermal engineering solutions provider Industrial Water Cooling (IWC) recently supplied a field-erected bulk air cooler for a mine site in Burkina Faso, in addition, supplying the associated condenser cooling towers for the associated refrigeration plant. Further to this, several cooling towers have been supplied to mines in Australia via its local entity, IWC Australasia.  Apart from supplying cooling systems to gold and platinum mines, IWC is also involved in other deep-level mining projects including... Читать дальше...