Новости за 09.06.2022

At least six people were killed when an artisanal diamond mine in Democratic Republic of Congo's Kasai province caved in, a provincial official said on Thursday, adding that there could be more victims. Artisanal mines are usually dug by hand, often in dangerous conditions. Fatal accidents are common.

A mine that produced some of South Africa’s best copper and zinc concentrates back in the day is capable of being brought back into production in 19 months after reconstruction go-ahead. Only a very little portion of equity is still required for the restart of the Prieska copper/zinc mine, which Anglovaal discovered in 1968 and operated it for 20 years.

Brazilian miner Vale said on Thursday it had completed studies for potentially developing a nickel sulphide operation in Quebec, Canada, with annual capacity seen at 25 000 t. A final investment decision will depend on a number of additional factors including regulatory approval and needs from the battery industry, which would be supplied by the plant, Vale added in a securities filing.

Mining production decreased by 14.9% year-on-year in April, Stats SA reports. The largest negative contributors were platinum-group metals (PGMs) (-22.6% and contributing -5.8 percentage points); coal (-14.7% and contributing -3.8 percentage points); gold (-27.8% and contributing -3.6 percentage points); and manganese ore (-10.4% and contributing -1.1 percentage points).

With a growing requirement to do more with less, contractors can now take advantage of industrial machinery company Metso Outotec’s Lokotrack ST2.3 scalping screen, the versatility of which enables contractors to adapt the machine and deliver their desired results on a variety of applications. This is particularly beneficial, as contractors can cost-effectively transfer productivity from one job site to the next, despite the change in operating conditions, through transporting the machine without requiring a permit.

A new report from government organisation the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) on clean coal technologies has presented a case for potential opportunities and challenges associated with adopting these in a roadmap towards 2030. The report constitutes Phase 1 in a roadmap towards providing an overview of the current energy carbon landscape in South Africa, the fossil fuel value chains and a high-level qualitative approach to ranking various technologies, SANEDI explains.

Ambler Metals, the joint venture between South32 and Trilogy Metals, has begun mobilisation for the upcoming exploration field programme at the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects (UKMP), in north-western Alaska. The owners of Ambler have approved a $26.2-million budget for the advancement of UKMP, which includes the Arctic and Bornite deposits, as well as prospective adjoining mining claims.

NYSE-listed Uranium Energy Corp (UEC) has closed a series of transactions with Anfield Energy, which has seen the company emerge as debt-free and positioned as a leading conventional uranium-vanadium developer in the Uravan mineral belt, in the US. Anfield has settled $18.34-million of indebtedness that stretches back to UEC’s acquisition of Uranium One Americas in December last year. UEC now has more than $182-million of cash and liquid assets, and no debt. “We are pleased to have completed mutually... Читать дальше...

A seventh dead body of a miner missing from a Burkina Faso zinc mine owned by Trevali Mining Corp that flooded on April 16 was discovered on Wednesday and search teams are continuing to look for an eighth, the government said in a statement. Hopes of finding any survivors vanished last month when rescue teams found no one inside a refuge chamber in which there was a slim chance eight miners who did not manage to resurface might have sought shelter.

Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has flagged a possible legislative change in Lesotho, which could affect its operations. A proposed value added tax (VAT) Amendment Bill is currently under consideration in the Kingdom of Lesotho, which could result in the diamond industry in Lesotho no longer being able to claim back and be refunded their Input VAT currently paid on the goods, services and capital items procured for day-to-day operations.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has raised concerns with freight hauler Aurizon over its proposed acquisition of One Rail. Aurizon in October last year announced the A$2.35-billion acquisition of Rail One, which comprises bulk rail haulage and general freight assets in South Australia and the Northern Territory, the 2 200 km Tarcoola-to-Darwin railway line, and a haulage business in New South Wales and Queensland.

American startup EnergyX and Argentine energy firm Tecpetrol have been disqualified from a race to mine Bolivian lithium, the government said, as the country aims to tap its vast resources in partnership with one or more foreign companies. Bolivia has the world's largest lithium resources but it has struggled for decades to mine them commercially, amping up its efforts last year amid a surge in demand for batteries for electric vehicles.

Vale, the world’s No. 2 iron-ore producer and one of the biggest nickel suppliers, has created a corporate venture capital arm to back startups focused on developing game-changing innovations for mining and metals challenges. Vale Ventures is starting with a $100-million budget to invest in firms involved in sustainable mining initiatives. The unit seeks to provide initial funding and early-stage investments in startups worldwide, with a goal of holding 3% to 5% stakes in the firms. “We’ll be part... Читать дальше...

ASX-listed Australian Strategic Materials (ASM) has awarded a A$46.7-million engineering, procurement and construction definition (EPCD) work contract to South Korean major Hyundai Engineering Co (HEC) for the Dubbo polymetallic projects, in New South Wales. The EPCD will include a capital and operating cost estimate for the Dubbo project, a detailed project schedule, major project plans and early-stage engineering documentation.

Diversified miner Rio Tinto is calling for proposals to develop large-scale wind and solar power in Central and Southern Queensland to power its aluminium assets. The initiative will help Rio meet its climate change ambitions and further encourage renewable development and industry in the region, the company said.