Новости за 14.02.2022

Diversified major Rio Tinto will lead a team of climate innovation and research leaders to explore new approaches to carbon mineralisation technology to store carbon in solid rock form. Carbon mineralisation uses natural chemical reactions to convert captured carbon dioxide into rock and store it underground. It is currently being used at large scale in Iceland. Initial studies have shown that the Tamarack Intrusive Complex, in Minnesota, has the potential to permanently store carbon.

Coal and heavy minerals miner Exxaro Resources’ Belfast coal mine, in Mpumalanga, has recorded 500 days free of workplace injuries. The newly built Belfast coal mine started producing high-grade thermal coal six months earlier than expected in September 2019.

TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines’ subsidiary Kipushi Holding has signed an agreement with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) State-owned mining company Gécamines to return the ultrahigh-grade Kipushi zinc mine back to commercial production. The agreement forms the basis of what will be a commercial joint venture agreement between the companies.

TSX- and NYSE-listed Platinum Group Metals (PTM) has raised $6-million in a nonbrokered private placement of about 3.5-million shares through an existing major beneficial shareholder Hosken Consolidated Investments. The company has used some of the proceeds to repay a $3-million senior secured facility it had with Sprott Private Resource Lending II and other lenders party thereto, which made the company debt-free.

ASX- and Aim-listed Aura Energy has announced it is now included on the prominent uranium and nuclear investor service The Global X Uranium exchange-traded fund (ETF). Global X has $1.16-billion worth of assets under management and provides investors access to a range of companies involved in uranium mining and the production of nuclear components.

Aluminium and nickel prices headed towards multi-year highs on Monday due to escalating fears that reduced supplies from Russia would exacerbate existing shortages of both industrial metals. A Russian invasion of Ukraine could mean sanctions against Russian firms which include Norilsk Nickel supplying about 10% of the world's nickel and Rusal accounting for around 5% of global aluminium supplies.

Industry organisation the Minerals Council South Africa has recommitted to zero tolerance of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), sexism, racism and bullying in the mining industry, after noting the release of a report by diversified global miner Rio Tinto exposing these problems across its operations. The ‘Report into Workplace Culture’ at Rio Tinto gave the Minerals Council and its members reason to reflect and recommit to their efforts to address GBVF, sexism, racism and bullying at South African mining operations... Читать дальше...

London- and Johannesburg-listed chrome and platinum group metals miner Tharisa has informed shareholders that it has entered into negotiations to potentially buy out minority shareholders of Tharisa Minerals. Tharisa currently owns 74% of the subsidiary’s issued ordinary share capital.

The US Department of Energy said on Friday it is seeking input from utilities, communities and advocates as it develops its new program to boost struggling nuclear power plants with $6 billion in credits. The bipartisan infrastructure bill passed last year tasked the DOE with creating the Civil Nuclear Credit Program to distribute the credits to nuclear plants. Nuclear power generates power virtually free of emissions blamed for climate change, but the industry has lost 12 reactors since 2013 amid... Читать дальше...

ENERGIES - Coal continues strong although a market correction is imminent once European physical supplies are assured. The current strong physical premiums being enjoyed are likely to align back to paper market levels, especially considering that natgas, power and carbon markets were softer on the week. Crude oil is likely to remain volatile as Brent toys with the $100 mark once more. However, going into the shoulder of the northern hemisphere winter, we may be seeing pressure starting to ease, although market nerves remain shattered.

JSE-listed Grindrod’s sub-concessioned facilities, the Maputo and Matola Drybulk Terminals, are considering the expansion of their respective footprints, the Maputo Port Development Company revealed in a statement on February 14. Grindrod operates a facility in the Maputo main port known as Grindrod Mozambique Limitada (GML), where sized coal destined for the Turkish domestic market and iron oxide/magnetite is exported; and Grindrod’s Terminal de Carvão da Matola (TCM) operates a dry-bulk terminal in Mozambique, handling magnetite and coal.

Explorer Valor Resources will raise A$3.4-million in a share placement to fund exploration in Peru and Canada. The company on Monday said it had received firm commitments from existing and new high net worth investors for 309.09-million shares, at a price of 1.1c each, to raise gross proceeds of A$3.4-million.

Triple listed MC Mining on Monday announced that shareholders who hold a 6.8% interest in the company have called for a general meeting to discuss the removal of a number of directors. The ASX, Aim and JSE listed company on Monday said that the meeting request was made by shareholders Yi He, Jun Liu and Dendocept Proprietary, for shareholders to consider the removal of Bernard Pryor and Sebastiano Randazzo as directors of the company, as well as the removal of any other director of the company appointed after February 11.

Activist investor Bluebell Capital Partners has asked Glencore to consider a radical new structure for its coal business to turn itself from a “disliked stock” into a top pick for investors targeting sustainability. Glencore should create a Coal NewCo, splitting its capital into A and B shares, according to a letter sent by Bluebell to the company, a copy of which was reviewed by Bloomberg. Glencore should keep the A shares, representing about a 10th of the economic interest in the NewCo, and spin off and list the B shares.

A Peruvian community said on social media on Sunday that it will restart a road blockade against MMG's Las Bambas mine, even as a second community agreed to a 45-day truce in its blockade. Las Bambas, which produces 2% of the world's copper supply, has said it will have to suspend production on February 20 if the road is not cleared by then. The threat leaves Las Bambas still at risk of suspending operations, even as the road was being cleared on Sunday. Leaders in the Ccapacmarca district agreed... Читать дальше...

Diversified miner Rio Tinto has reached an agreement with the Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation (YAC) on a new co-designed management plan to ensure the protection of significant social and cultural heritage values as part of the proposed development of the Western Range iron-ore project in the Pilbara. The social, cultural heritage management plan (SCHMP) is the result of strong collaboration over the past year between the Yinhawangka people and Rio including ‘on-Country’ visits, archaelogical and ethnographic surveys and workshops.

Copper miner Sandfire Resources is on track to start first production at its Motheo copper mine, in Botswana, in the first half of 2023. “Despite the challenges confronting new construction projects around the world, our team has been doing a wonderful job, keeping the project firmly on track, on time and on budget and, importantly, ensuring the health and safety of our employees and contractors at all times. We already have over 1 000 people on site, and we expect this to increase to 1 500 over... Читать дальше...

Major Rio Tinto has joined the Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth (AROSE) consortium, a not-for-profit, industry-led consortium with a vision for Australia to be the trusted leader of remote operations on Earth and in space. The ever-expanding consortium includes organisations from various industry sectors such as resources, energy, research and members of Australia’s burgeoning space sector which collaborate on targeted, industry-led projects.

Investors in the world’s biggest mining companies will this month be watching for signs that mounting cost pressures and the impacts of slowing Chinese growth could further erode record earnings. Miners are likely to report a drop in profits. The top-five western diversified mining companies, including iron-ore giants Rio Tinto Group, Vale and BHP Group, may see combined 2021 second-half earnings of $73-billion, according to analysts’ estimates, compared to $82-billion in the first half.