Новости за 12.08.2022

The final closing of mining engineering, equipment and services company FLSmidth’s acquisition of multinational engineering company ThyssenKrupp’s mining business TK Mining will take place on August 31, now that all conditions and requirements for the transaction have been met. FLSmidth confirmed on August 12 that all regulatory clearances had been obtained without imposition of any competition related remedies.

Financial risk management, solutions and insights company Fitch Solutions Country Risk and Industry Research (Fitch Solutions) says lithium prices will remain “extremely” elevated this year and next, as accelerating demand for lithium-ion batteries and a tight upstream supply keep market supply constrained. As such, the firm suggests that Chinese lithium carbonate 99.5% will average at about $68 000/t this year and $55 000/t in 2023, compared with $18 938/t in 2021 and thereby surpassing past historical levels.

The Johannesburg Magistrate Court on August 10 granted the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) a warrant to conduct a search and seizure at the premises of diamond company Alexander Bay Diamonds – previously known as Scarlet Sky Investments – and related companies. SIU investigators, with the assistance of the Hawks, raided the Alexander Bay offices, in Johannesburg, on August 11, seeking information and evidence that will assist with an ongoing investigation into the affairs of State-owned diamond mining company Alexkor.

Indian companies are using Asian currencies more often to pay for Russian coal imports, according to customs documents and industry sources, avoiding the US dollar and cutting the risk of breaching Western sanctions against Moscow. Reuters previously reported on a large Indian coal deal involving the Chinese yuan, but the customs data underline how non-dollar settlements are becoming commonplace.

South Korea’s National Pension Service, the world’s third-largest retirement fund, faces criticism over potentially weaker-than-expected plans to curb investments in coal. The fund, which manages assets worth about $700-billion, is reviewing options including a proposal that would limit holdings of companies that generate more than half their revenue from coal mining and power generation. That’s a far more lenient threshold than global peers and one that would have only minimal impact on its portfolio.

Toronto-listed Global Atomic has announced the incorporation of Société Minière DASA or Somida, the company's Niger mining subsidiary under which the Dasa uranium project will operate. Moussa Souley, the former MD of Orano's Cominak mine, has been appointed MD of  Somida and mining engineer Robert Parr has been appointed project manager.

Mining organisation the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy has honoured former Anglo American CE Mark Cutifani with the Brigadier Stokes Memorial Award for transforming one of the world’s biggest mining companies. The award is considered the highest honour to be bestowed by the South African mining and metallurgical sector recognising meritorious service to the industry. It was instituted in 1980 to commemorate Brigadier Ralph Stokes’ influence in the local mining industry.

Miners will struggle to expand operations in the United States in record time to meet a deadline for sourcing key minerals domestically or from select countries as set out by a bill likely to be passed on Friday, companies and industry watchers said. The requirement is part of a sweeping bill that includes climate and clean energy policies and rules on electric vehicle (EV) battery materials such as cobalt, lithium, nickel and graphite. The US House of Representatives is set to vote on the measure Friday.

Brazil's Petrobras said on Thursday it has begun the process of looking for bidders for its potassium mining rights in the Amazon basin. The asset is composed of eight mining concessions, four mining requests already granted and 22 requests for research which are still pending authorization.

Mining Weekly Editor Martin Creamer unpacks the news of Royal Bafokeng Platinum’s R1.6-billion 98 MW solar power plant; Barrick's renewable energy benefits; and the growing renewables momentum.

ASX- and TSX-V listed Austral Gold on Friday reported an armed robbery at its Guanaco-Amancaya mine complex, in Chile. The company told shareholders that a group of armed robbers assaulted the Guanaco-Amancaya mine complex and stole gold precipitate material equivalent to approximately 500 oz of gold from the Guanaco refinery.

Coal miner Stanmore Coal has struck a $380-million deal to acquire the remaining 20% in the BHP Mitsui Coal (BMC) assets, which have been renamed Stanmore SMC. Stanmore earlier this year struck a $1.35-billion deal with diversified miner BHP and Mitsui & Co to acquire an initial 80% interest in the SMC asset.