Новости за 17.12.2020

European officials have provided information to the US government indicating that Russian billionaire Oleg Deripaska continued to exert control this year over United Co. Rusal International, which the officials say was a breach of a US sanctions agreement reached in 2018. An assessment sent to US officials earlier this year concluded that Deripaska retained significant day-to-day influence over Rusal, one of the world’s largest aluminum producers, and its parent, EN+ Group International, according to the officials. Читать дальше...

Northern Dynasty, the Canadian company that owns the contentious Pebble project, in Alaska’s Bristol Bay, will in January submit its request for an appeal of the US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE’s) negative record of decision (RoD). The company said on Thursday it would argue that the USACE’s mitigation requirements for Pebble were contrary to policy and precedent in Alska and that the agency’s rejection of the mining firm’s compensation mitigation plan (CMP) was procedurally and substantively invalid. Читать дальше...

Commodities tycoon Anil Agarwal is planning to invest $10-billion through a new partnership targeting government privatisations in India. The billionaire is teaming up with London-based Centricus Asset Management to seek investments in Indian companies offering substantial growth opportunities, according to a statement Thursday. They will look to turn around companies being sold off as part of the country’s 2.1- trillion-rupee ($29-billion) divestment programme. Agarwal made a fortune buying state companies and fixing them up... Читать дальше...

State-owned Angolan National Diamond Trading Company (Sodiam) says it has received interest from five global tender and auction houses related to the development of these services in the soon to be established Angolan Diamond Bourse (ADB). Angola has about 14 active diamond mining sites and produced more than nine-million carats in 2019.

Zambia must build majority stakes in selected mines to benefit from its mineral wealth beyond taxes, President Edgar Lungu said on Thursday, as he set out an economic recovery plan after the country defaulted on a debt payment last month. Africa's second-biggest copper producer, Zambia is seeking to increase its control over the mining sector - the country's main generator of hard currency - as it navigates a debt crisis.

Analysis by advisory firm Wood Mackenzie (WoodMac) has shown that there will be no winners in the coal war between Australia and China. Reports emerged earlier this week that National Development and Reform Commission had met with the ten major power companies over the weekend, and had granted them approval to import coal without clearance restrictions, with coal sourced from Australia being the exception. Instead, coal from Mongolia, Russia and Indonesia would be prioritised.

Diamond exploration company Botswana Diamonds has published a three-dimensional (3D) model of a newly discovered kimberlite pipe at its Thorny River project in South Africa. “This is our first three-dimensional model of the kimberlite on Thorny River and thus represents an important step in the commercialisation of the project.

Mining major Rio Tinto has appointed CFO Jakob Stausholm to take over the role as CEO from Jean-Sebastian Jacques on January 1, 2021. Jacques, along with iron-ore CEO Chris Salisbury, and group executive of corporate relations Simone Niven all handed in their resignations following the destruction of the Juukan Gorge rock shelters in the Pilbara earlier this year.

Diamond miner De Beers CEO Bruce Cleaver says positive consumer demand for diamond jewellery is supporting the continuation of retail orders for polished diamonds from the diamond industry’s midstream sector. This, in turn, also supported steady demand for De Beers rough diamonds during De Beers' tenth and final sales cycle of the year, which generated sales revenue of $440-million.

The Gahcho Kué diamond mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories has delivered its largest-ever diamond– a 157.4 ct gem of exceptional quality, offering a morale boost for operator Mountain Province in a year that has been tough for diamond miners. The recovery shows that the mine, although a high-volume producer of predominantly smaller diamonds, does have the ability to produce diamonds of exceptional size and quality, said CEO Stuart Brown.

ASX-listed Australian Mines on Thursday said that a Deed of Access for resource extraction had been issued by the Australian Department of Defence, bringing the Scoini nickel/cobalt/scandium project, in North Queensland, one step closer to reality. Australian Mines MD Benjamin Bell told shareholders that securing the deed added greater certainty to the company’s plans to develop the Sconi project, which is underpinned by compelling economics.

One of the world’s most seasoned copper executives isn’t particularly worried about supply shocks from strikes in top-producing nation Chile. “I don’t see an especially dangerous period,” Diego Hernandez, head of Chilean mining society Sonami, said on a webinar Wednesday. He was responding to a question on risks from a hectic schedule of collective bargaining in Chile that have helped support copper’s rally to seven-year highs.

With a tumultuous decade almost behind him and the prospect of banner years ahead, the longtime boss of global miner Freeport-McMoRan has little interest in retiring just as cash looks set to roll in. “Our Freeport family, our Freeport team, has gone to battle together,” CEO Richard Adkerson, 73, said Tuesday in a phone interview. “We’re within real close line of sight to having the kind of great success that we worked so long for.” Such success will be underpinned by a production boost after a disruptive year at the company’s mines. Читать дальше...

Copper developer Hillgrove Resources will raise some A$10.9-million in a share placement and entitlement offer, priced at 3.1c each. The company on Thursday said that it would raise an initial A$8.1-million through the issue of more than 261.2-million shares to institutional and sophisticated investors, in two tranches.