Новости за 19.08.2022

Zambian miner Barrick Lumwana, in collaboration with the Accelerated Growth for Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in Zambia (AGS) programme and the Women's Entrepreneurship Access Center (WEAC), has launched the 10X Business Accelerator Programme to build business capacity for local contractors in Barrick’s mining supply chain. The programme will be implemented by WEAC to build local contractor capacity and to support contractors in effecting their growth plans, diversifying their markets... Читать дальше...

Bulk emulsion explosives manufacturer BME says although mining profits have been bolstered in the last two years, more exploration and mine development are needed if the industry is to keep up with future demand, particularly for battery minerals. The commodity pipeline in South Africa will fall short should greenfield projects not become more commonplace, says BME MD Ralf Hennecke.

South Africa-focused Buffalo Coal has narrowed its loss R17.6-million in the six months ended June 30, from R54.6-million in the same period last year, with revenue increasing by 7.5% year-on-year to R187.3-million. The company owns an interest in two coal mines in KwaZulu-Natal – Aviemore East anthracite mine and Magdalena bituminous mine, as well as an interest in two future coal mining projects, the Balgray anthracite project, which is an extension of the Aviemore East reserve, and the Aviemore North Adit anthracite project.

The prospect of a global recession and doubts over economic stimulus in China, the world's biggest user of raw materials, add to the challenges of mining companies as they grapple with energy costs, raising the risk of downsizing and layoffs. None of the major diversified miners is under financial strain after years of strong commodity prices. But leading miners Rio Tinto, Anglo American and Antofagasta are among many to have posted a fall in half-year earnings and lowered shareholder payouts.

The World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) finds in its Platinum Perspectives August 2022 research that platinum’s role in enabling the achievement of global decarbonisation targets could be highly significant, given its use in proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers. In turn, PEM electrolysers, when powered with renewable energy, generates green hydrogen. The WPIC explains that zero-emissions green hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be used in a range of applications to replace fossil fuels.

Environmental pollution clean-up company Drizit Environmental has, following customer demand, expanded its operations to include a spill clean-up service to the manufacturing and transport industries. While established in 1976 already, Drizit explains that with its products being used in any type of industry, “there became a need to have a divison that dealth with hazardous waste removal and disposal, including spill clean-up on land, as well as in dams, rivers and ports”.

New cracks were detected in the ground near a sinkhole around a copper mine owned by Canada's Lundin Mining in Chile, but the company said Thursday that the cracks are unrelated to the hole or mining activity. The discovery in Chile's northern Atacama region has drawn attention to the arid region while authorities investigate the possible causes.

Chilean miner SQM saw demand for lithium soar in the last quarter and expects the trend to continue despite price pressures, its executives said during an earnings call on Thursday. The company forecasts global lithium demand will grow 35% through 2022, according to a presentation shared during the call to discuss its second-quarter results.

Mining Weekly Editor Martin Creamer discusses Exxaro’s renewables company Cennergi’s agreement with Enertrag for the development of renewable projects in Mpumalanga; Exxaro eyeing green hydrogen; and Thungela's renewables move, as well as its free cash sharing and its initiative to plant a million trees.

Wheaton Precious Metals agreed to end its so-called silver "streaming" deal with Glencore on Peru's Yauliyacu mine for $150-million, the Canadian company said on Thursday, so that Glencore could divest the mine. Pioneered by Wheaton, the streaming model is a type of alternative financing in the mining industry in which funds are provided upfront to a miner in exchange for the sale of a fixed amount of future production, usually by-product, at a discounted price.

Chinese miner MMG said on Thursday it still has no time frame for when it will be able to build a second open pit to ramp up production at its Las Bambas mine in Peru. Las Bambas, whose operations have often been disrupted by protests from neighboring indigenous communities, accounts for 2% of global copper supply.

The Australian resources sector has welcomed a consultation paper from the federal government on the safeguard mechanism as part of providing certainty for Australia’s biggest emitters on their pathway to net zero emissions by 2050. Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen this week released the consultation paper on the safeguard mechanism, who pointed out that the majority of companies controlling or operating Safeguard facilities have medium and long term climate targets, including net zero goals... Читать дальше...

Mid-tier precious metals miner Endeavour Silver on Thursday announced the passing of its founder, director and executive chairperson Bradford Cooke in Vancouver at the age of 67. Cooke’s death was sudden and unexpected, the NYSE- and TSX-listed company said in a statement.

Mineral exploration company Mount Burgess Mining MD Nigel Forrester says ongoing metallurgical and mineralogical testwork, conducted at the company’s Kihabe–Nxuu zinc/lead/silver/gallium/germanium/vanadium mine project, in western Ngamiland, Botswana, indicates the feasibility of metals production on site and local beneficiation. “We’re focusing on the fact that the top portion of the Kihabe deposit, and the whole of the Nxuu deposit, is oxidised. This means that we will be able to produce metals... Читать дальше...

The Australian mining industry is facing hampered growth owing to domestic and global system backlogs. With ESG now a non-negotiable in the sector, explorers are having to quickly adapt to changing policy and guidance with miners now focussing on their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) interests to keep stakeholders invested and projects moving forward, says Australian engineering consultancy firm MEC Mining strategy and growth senior manager Erin Sweeney.

Emerging drill rig manufacturer Geomagnetic Design has announced results from field trials on its specialty, patented reverse circulation (RC) and diamond GM1 drill rig. Now in advanced stages of research and development (R&D), field testing in Western Australia’s Pilbara Region have confirmed the drill rig’s ability to halve the carbon footprint of traditional exploration drilling programmes, with exceptional operational and environmental outcomes.

Lithium miner Savannah Resources is exploring several technology options to reduce carbon emissions from the company’s Barroso lithium project, in northern Portugal, once operational. This includes using solar and wind power, as well as electric trucks. “We also have plans in place to restore the landscape and leave it in a better state than when we found it. This includes an extensive planting of tree and shrub species, which are traditional to the region's forests and woodlands, through which we... Читать дальше...

Mining and infrastructure solutions company Orica has yet to see anything similar to its RHINO autonomous drillstring-mounted geophysical sensor on the market since introducing the first version in Canada in 2018, says Orica digital solutions VP Raj Mathiravedu. RHINO responds to the rock only, offering an independent, reliable source of information about the rocks being drilled, unaffected by the bit, rig or driller.

Mining houses are increasingly realising the value of using emulsions in underground and surface blasting applications, and the addition of an emulsion vertical delivery system (EVDS) further contributes to the ever-growing strategy of improving and increasing productivity and efficiency. “The inclusion of the EVDS supports this strategy safely and efficiently,” says AECI Mining Explosives underground bulk systems GM Hendrik Botha.

Australia-based exploration and development company Thor Mining has completed the second phase of drilling at its Ragged Range project, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, in July. Owing to the territory being unexplored, a systematic exploration programme was conducted, starting with mapping, stream sediment sampling, soil sampling and a drilling programme.

South Africa-based foundry and engineering company Thos Begbie completed its supply of copper pyrometallurgical components for the upgrade of mining major BHP’s Olympic Dam flash furnace, in Southern Australia, in June. The company was awarded the contract for the manufacture and supply of the critical components for the dam in March 2020, with the final components dispatched last year.