Новости за 11.05.2022

Buenaventura, one of Peru's largest precious metals miners, will speed up construction of its San Gabriel gold and silver project, with a production start date no later than 2024, the company's president said. The miner recently announced the start of construction of the San Gabriel mine, located in the southern Peruvian region of Moquegua. It aims to reach annual output of between 120 000 and 150 000 ounces of gold in three or four years.

US coal production is forecast to increase this year, buoyed by a strong export market and inventory replenishment in the power generation sector, says the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). In its ‘Short-Term Energy Outlook’, the EIA states that US coal production will increase by 20-million short tons (3%) in 2022 to 598-million short tons and by seven-million short tons (1%) in 2023.

Aim-listed Kropz has entered into a new conditional convertible equity facility of up to R177-million, or $11-million, with its major shareholder African Rainbow Capital (ARC) Fund, pending shareholder approval at a general meeting on May 30. The funds will be used to progress the Elandsfontein phosphate project, in South Africa’s Western Cape province, to first revenues from bulk concentrate sales, which is anticipated late in the second quarter of the year.

Prices are surging in some corners of the rough-diamond market, as sanctions on one of the world’s two giant miners ripple through the supply chain. In the past, the industry could turn to behemoth De Beers to crank out extra gems when supply ran tight — but not this time. The price of a small rough diamond, the type that would end up clustered around the solitaire stone in a ring, has jumped about 20% since the start of March, according to people familiar with the matter. The reason: Diamond cutters... Читать дальше...

Uranium companies Cameco and Orano Canada have announced that they are increasing their interest in the Cigar Lake – the world’s highest-grade uranium mine – by acquiring Idemitsu Canada Resources’ 7.875% participating interest in the joint venture for a combined C$187-million. Upon closing, Cameco’s ownership stake in the Cigar Lake uranium mine in northern Saskatchewan will increase by 4.522 percentage points to 54.547%, while Orano’s share will rise by 3.353 percentage points to 40.453%. TEPCO... Читать дальше...

Despite a dispute with investment company ZCCM-Investment Holdings over Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), Vedanta Resources Holdings (Vedanta) and its parent company Vedanta Resources has continued with financial and corporate social responsibility programmes in Zambia. In May 2019, the Zambian government handed control of Vedanta’s Zambia-based copper producing subsidiary KCM to a liquidator, and has since been locked in legal arguments over the case, which has been heard in Zambia and South Africa.

Minerals explorer Latin Resources has exercised its option to acquire lithium tenements in the Bananal Valley, in Brazil. The company on Wednesday told shareholders that the acquisition enacted its ambitions to expand its landholding at its Salinas lithium project, with Latin’s strategic land package now expanding to over 5 350 ha in the newly defined Salinas lithium corridor.

Aim- and BSE-listed diamond explorer Botswana Diamonds reports that, despite intensive advanced and ongoing discussions with interested parties, its board has been unable to secure a new joint venture (JV) partner to acquire the Ghaghoo mine before the extended long-stop date of May 10. The share sale agreement with Gem Diamonds for the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary Gem Diamonds Botswana, which owns the Ghaghoo mine, has, therefore, lapsed.

While original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) tend to drive the technological evolution of mining equipment toward lower-carbon options, engineering consultancy SRK Consulting director and principal consultant Andrew van Zyl says the company assists clients to “understand exactly how these solutions impact indices like cost, productivity and mine plans”. For example, the introduction of new technology into a feasibility study impacts the confidence of the modifying factors linked to resource and reserve determination.

Gold miner Newmont is anticipating that it will move forward on a $2-billion investment on the so-called Yanacocha sulfides project in Peru, CEO Tom Palmer said on Tuesday. The remarks are the strongest support yet for a project that Newmont says will only be fully decided later this year. Peru is the world's No. 2 copper producer and a major producer of gold.

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has launched civil proceedings in the Federal Court against ASX-listed Australian Mines, claiming the company had breached its continuous disclosure obligations and accusing MD Benjamin Bell of allegedly breaching his directors’ duties. ASIC noted that in February 2018, Australian Mines had announced to the market that it had entered a term sheet for an offtake agreement with SK Innovation for the expected cobalt and nickel product from is Sconi project, in Queensland.