Mining Weekly Daily Update - Australasia

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link
Australasia Edition	Au 1278.83 $/oz     Pt 883.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:43 on 18 June 2018 CAT	18th June 2018

News Roundup South32 offers $1.3bn for rest of Arizona By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner South32 has struck a $1.3-billion takeover deal with TSX-listed Arizona Mining, offering to acquire the remaining 83% interest in the company through an all-cash offer. South32 is offering Arizona shareholders C$6.20 a share for their interest in the TSX-listed miner, which...      South32 CEO Graham Kerr        Rinehart’s Hancock bids $390m for Atlas, trumps MinRes offer By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting has solidified its intentions for ASX-listed Atlas Iron, revealing a 4.2c a share takeover offer, or A390-million, for the Pilbara iron-ore miner. Atlas told shareholders on Monday that the Hancock offer, which would open in about two weeks’ time, would be... Rio spending $2.2bn on iron-ore supply By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner Rio Tinto on Monday revealed that it will be spending some $2.2-billion over the next three years on replacement mines for its iron-ore operations in the Pilbara, including initial spending on the proposed Koodaideri, West Angelas and Robe Valley developments. Rio’s iron-ore... Senex and Jemena strike deal to fast-track project for east coast gas supply By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Senex Energy has struck an agreement with infrastructure operator Jemena to partner on the accelerated development of Project Atlas, in Queensland, to deliver first gas to the domestic market by late 2019. Under the agreement, Jemena will build, own and operate a gas processing... Santos awards Barossa contracts By: Esmarie Swanepoel Oil and gas major Santos has awarded three major engineering contracts on the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase of its Barossa offshore project. Santos on Monday said that separate engineering contracts for the proposed floating production storage and offloading facility (FPSO) have... Finders reports wall failure at Wetar By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper miner Finders Resources has reported a wall failure at its Kali Kuning openpit mine, at the Wetar copper project, in Indonesia. The company on Monday said that 175 000 bank cubic meters of waste rock from the north-eastern high wall were displaced into the pit on June 14, with mining... Pilgangoora ships first lithium DSO By: Esmarie Swanepoel The first 85 000 t of direct shipping ore (DSO) from the Pilgangoora lithium/tantalum project, in Western Australia, has been shipped by ASX-listed Atlas Iron under a mine gate sales agreement with producer Pilbara Minerals. The lithium was exported to China under an offtake agreement under... Red 5 divests of Mt Cattlin royalty By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Red 5 has entered into an agreement to divest of its royalty entitlement from the Mt Cattlin lithium mine, in Western Australia, to Canadian royalty company Lithium Royalty Corporation (LRC). Red 5 owns the right to receive A$1.50/t of ore processed from the Mt Cattlin mine,... Havilah reveals maiden reserve at Kalkaroo By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Havilah Resources has reported a maiden ore reserve of 474 000 t of contained copper and 1.41-million ounces of gold at its Kalkaroo copper/cobalt/gold project, in South Australia. The ASX-listed Havilah noted that the ore reserve estimate did not include cobalt at this stage, with the... Australia's Port Kembla reopens after cargo ship blaze By: Reuters A fire in the hold of a bulker ship on Monday briefly closed Australia's Port Kembla, the second-largest coal export port in New South Wales state, stopping shipping for eight hours. The port was shut soon after the blaze began before dawn on the MV Iron Chieftain as it unloaded dolomite, a... Tshipi may distribute R1.5bn to shareholders in Sept By: Creamer Media Reporter Tshipi é Ntle Manganese Mining, in which ASX-listed Jupiter Mines owns a 49.9% stake and which operates the Tshipi Borwa mine, expects to distribute R1.5-billion to its shareholders in September. In an update on Monday, Jupiter said Tshipi’s operations continue to exceed plan with annualised... High Court lifts interim order against MC Mining's Makhado project By: African News Agency MC Mining, previously known as Coal of Africa, on Monday said it welcomed a high court decision to lift an interim order against the company's environmental authorisation for the Makhado hard coking and thermal coal project. The court had in 2014 granted the Vhembe Mineral Stakeholders Forum and... Samarco is said to be nearing settlement with Brazil prosecutors By: Bloomberg After a year of back and forth, the owners of the idle Samarco iron-ore mine are close to signing a definitive settlement with Brazilian prosecutors that will clear the way for restart preparations and debt talks to begin, according to people briefed on the matter. Joint venture partners Vale... India is said to plan to sell a stake in State-run coal miner By: Bloomberg Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration is planning to offload a stake in State-run Coal India to speed asset sales after a disastrous attempt to find a buyer for the cash-strapped national airline, people with knowledge of the matter said. The Department of Investment and Public Asset... Correction: Independence Group nine-month output Diversified metals miner Independence Group has delivered 14 914 t of nickel in concentrate, 6 315 t of copper in concentrate and 490 t of cobalt in concentrate in the nine months to March. Mining Weekly incorrectly stated on June 14 that the nine-month production was the full-year guidance. Construction 2018: A review of South Africa's construction sector (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Construction 2018 Report examines South Africa’s construction industry over the past 12 months. The report provides insight into the business environment, key participants, local demand, international expansion, competition and industry settlement activities, corporate activity of... LATEST VIDEOS De Beers concludes R600m transport empowerment deal at Venetia diamond mine   By: Martin Creamer Diamond-mining company De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM) has concluded the process of selecting six local black economic empowerment (BEE) partners as part of an impressive R600-million-to-R700-million, eight-year transport empowerment initiative at the Venetia diamond mine in South Africa’s... Manage Your Newsletters Subscriptions Advertise

	Mining Weekly | Engineering News | Research Channel | Polity.org.za
unsubscribe

Unsubscribe • Update Profile • View PDF • Pause Subscription • View Online This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 18-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047 Creamer Media FDE service is intended for opt-in communication only. If you feel this email is unsolicited please report it to us Email Powered By Creamer Media FDE service

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1275.40 $/oz     Pt 866.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:41 on 19 June 2018 CAT

19th June 2018

Asia's thermal coal demand poised to grow By: Esmarie Swanepoel Asia’s thermal coal demand could increase by some 400-million tonnes by 2030, a new report commissioned by the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) found. Asian thermal coal demand is expected to grown from the 740-million tonnes in 2017, to 1.147-billion tonnes in 2030.      Photo by Bloomberg        MinRes given tight deadline to improve Atlas bid By: Esmarie Swanepoel Iron-ore miner Atlas Iron has given suitor Mineral Resources (MinRes) three business days to match the takeover offer Hancock Prospecting put on the table earlier this week. Hancock on Monday revealed a 4.2c a share cash offer for Atlas, in which it already holds a 19.96% interest. Alicanto tumbles on Barrick exit By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of ASX-listed Alicanto Minerals dropped by more than 20% on Tuesday after Canadian miner Barrick Gold Corporation withdrew from the Arakaka earn-in agreement, in Guyana. Barrick had the option of earning a 65% interest in the project by spending $10-million on the project area,... OceanaGold ups 2018 gold guidance By: Mariaan Webb A strong operating performance in the first half of 2018 has seen dual-listed OceanaGold increase its gold production guidance for the year to between 500 000 oz and 540 000 oz. The new guidance, announced on Tuesday, compares with the company’s previously stated production target of 480 000 oz... Rio takes Alloy up on Paterson offer By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Alloy Resources has signed a farm-in and joint venture agreement with the exploration arm of major Rio Tinto over an exploration license in the Paterson region of Western Australia. Under the terms of the agreement, Rio Tinto Exploration could earn a 70% interest in the tenement by... Latin Resources secures funds for lithium expoloration By: Esmarie Swanepoel Minerals explorer Latin Resources has secured a A$6-million convertible security funding agreement (CSFA) with an optional equity earn-in into the company’s lithium projects in Argentina, with financier Lind Asset Management XII. The funding will include an initial A$2-million, which will be... BHP offers August loading LNG cargo from Australia export plant - sources By: Reuters Global mining and resources company BHP is offering to sell a liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from its North West Shelf export plant in Australia, two trade sources said on Tuesday. The cargo will load over the August 15 to 17 period and is offered on a free-on-board basis, they said. Argosy declares maiden resource at Rincon By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Argosy Minerals has reported a maiden inferred mineral resource of 207 957 t of contained lithium carbonate equivalent at its Rincon lithium project, in Argentina. MD Jerko Zuvela said on Tuesday that the resource estimate would support production targets at Rincon, which Argosy was... South Korea lobbies India to relax gold import restrictions By: Ajoy K Das The review and upgrade of the free trade agreement (FTA) between India and South Korea is facing a speed bump, with the latter seeking a relaxation of gold import restrictions. The South Korean government wants restrictions on gold shipments into India, imposed last year, to be scrapped,...

Europa Metals starts Toral scoping study By: Creamer Media Reporter Explorer Europa Metals has appointed UK-based Addison Mining Services to conduct an initial scoping study on the Toral lead, zinc and silver project, in Leon, Spain. Addison previously compiled the Toral project's mineral resource estimate, which states that the project has a metal content of... Materials Handling & Logistics 2018 (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Materials Handling & Logistics 2018 Report provides an overview of the sector while considering initiatives in road freight, the way in which the freight logistics sector is adopting the Internet of Things into operations, innovations in warehousing, skills availability and...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 19-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1274.35 $/oz     Pt 876.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:29 on 20 June 2018 CAT

20th June 2018

NSW miners deliver record royalties By: Esmarie Swanepoel The resource sector delivered a record A$1.8-billion in royalties to the New South Wales budget in the last year, and was expected to contribute a further A$7.4-billion over the next four years to 2021-22. The New South Wales government this week predicted a surplus of A$3.9-billion for 2017-18,...

Photo by Bloomberg

MinRes declines to up Atlas offer By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Mineral Resources (MinRes) on Wednesday announced that it will not make a counter offer for iron-ore miner Atlas Iron. MinRes had been given three business days to come up with a new offer for Atlas after Hancock Prospecting launched a 4.2c a share cash offer for Atlas, in which it... BHP to sell Chile copper mine to EMR Capital By: Mariaan Webb Global mining major BHP has agreed to sell its Cerro Colorado copper mine, in Chile, to private equity manager EMR Capital, the Melbourne-headquartered company announced on Tuesday. The transaction consists of a cash consideration of $230-million and about $40-million in proceeds from the... Queensland miners promise more jobs By: Esmarie Swanepoel New research by the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has revealed that miners in the state were planning to increase employment on the back of a sustained lift in global commodity prices and record production. In its latest State of the Sector report, the QRC revealed that 52% of resources... Qld releases more exploration acreage By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Queensland government has set aside more than 44 000 km2 of land for resource exploration, Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Anthony Lynham said. Speaking at a conference in Brisbane, Lynham said it was the largest amount of land released under the state’s exploration program and... Deflector production set to rise By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals was expecting record gold production from its Deflector mine, in Western Australia, during the 2019 financial year. The ASX-listed company on Wednesday told shareholders that Doray is expected to deliver between 80 000 oz and 85 000 oz during the 2019 financial year,... NT govt looking for remediation partners By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Northern Territory government has released two tenders for remediation works at abandoned openpit mines as part of its plans to develop Tennant Creek as a mining services hub. “Tennant Creek has a long mining history and many old mines pre-date the requirement for operators to leave them in... Hill End puts for sales sign on gold assets By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Hill End Gold has announced plans to divest its gold assets, following a strategic review. Hill End in May appointed PCF Capital Group to conduct a review of the company’s gold assets, in order to unlock value. Capricorn improve Karlawinda economics By: Esmarie Swanepoel An optimisation study of the Karlawinda gold project, in Western Australia, has delivered a 69% increase in the forecast pre-tax net present value, while also reducing up-front capital costs by 10%. ASX-listed Capricorn Metals on Wednesday reported that the pre-tax net present value for the...

Metro raises A$17m By: Esmarie Swanepoel Bauxite miner Metro Mining has completed a bookbuild to raise A$17.5-million to strengthen the company’s balance sheet. The institutional placement has been priced at 20c a share, and due to strong demand, the placement was upsized by A$2.5-million. Xanadu raises A$10m for exploration By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper and gold explorer Xanadu Mines has raised A$10-million through an oversubscribed placement to accelerate resource drilling at its Kharmagtai copper/gold project, in Mongolia. The placement comprised some 58.9-million shares, priced at 17c each, to institutional and sophisticated investors. Matsa signs gold deal with AngloGold Ashanti By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold producer Matsa Resources has inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with gold major AngloGold Ashanti over Matsa’s extensive Lake Carey gold project, in Western Australia. The MoU would see the two companies negotiating technical data and infrastructure sharing, with AngloGold... Steel 2018: A review of South Africa's steel sector (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Steel 2018 Report examines South Africa’s steel industry over the past 12 months. The report provides insight into the global steel market and particularly into South Africa’s steel sector, and covers production, consumption and main producers, as well as a brief overview of the...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 20-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1267.73 $/oz     Pt 863.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:35 on 21 June 2018 CAT

21st June 2018

Atlas directors back Hancock offer By: Esmarie Swanepoel Takeover target Atlas Iron has backed a takeover offer from Hancock Prospecting, after suitor Mineral Resources (MinRes) pulled out of the race by failing to match the offer. MinRes earlier this week said that it would not make a counter offer for Atlas, after Hancock Prospecting launched a...

Photo by Bloomberg

Newcrest gets pay-out for seismic event By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Newcrest Mining has been awarded a A$155-million insurance pay-out in relation to a seismic event at its Cadia operations, in New South Wales, in April last year. The miner was forced to suspend operations following the seismic event, with Newcrest subsequently spending some... Sheffield finds buyer for Thunderbird ilmenite By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral sands developer Sheffield Resources has inked a maiden ilmenite offtake agreement for its Thunderbird project, in Western Australia. The company on Thursday told shareholders that the five-year agreement with Bengbu Zhongheng New Materials will see the company supply 150 000 t of... Pilgangoora produces first lithium fines concentrates By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Pilbara Minerals has produced its first concentrates at the Pilgangoora lithium/tantalum project, in Western Australia. MD Ken Brinsden said on Thursday that the production of initial fines concentrates was a significant and exciting milestone, coming just a week after the... Isaac Plains East set for July start By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Isaac Plains East coal mine, in Queensland, is expected to start production in July this year. Coal miner Stanmore Coal has awarded project house NRW Holdings subsidiary Golding Contractors a A$93-million contract to start production at Isaac Plains East, with the scope of the contract... Gabanintha to cost A$380m By: Esmarie Swanepoel A prefeasibility study (PFS) into the Gabanintha vanadium project, in Western Australia, has estimated that the project could deliver some 13 000 t/y of vanadium pentoxide. ASX-listed Technology Metals Australia on Thursday told shareholders that the project was expected to run for a period of 13... More than 20 Philippine mines pass govt review, 4 fail -official By: Reuters Twenty-three of 27 Philippine mines assessed by a government panel for compliance with state regulations, including environmental laws, have passed the review, an official said on Thursday. Confirming an earlier Reuters report, the Mining Industry Coordinating Council found that four mines did... Kalium Lakes finds SOP takers By: Esmarie Swanepoel PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Kalium Lakes has executed an offtake term sheet with German fertilizer producer K+S for all of the Stage 1 sulphate of potash (SOP) production from the Beyondie project, in Western Australia. Kalium MD Brett Hazelden said that the term sheet brought the... Marindi makes plans to sell Pilbara conglomerate gold project By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Marindi Metals has signed a letter of intent (LoI) to divest of its Bellary Dome conglomerate gold project, in the Pilbara, to TSX-V-listed Pacton Gold. Under the LoI, the two companies have agreed to a ten-day exclusivity period in which time the Canadian company would complete a...

Matador raises funds for Cape Ray buy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Matador Mining has completed a A$5-million capital raise to complete the acquisition of the Cape Ray gold project, in Canada. Matador in April acquired the project from TSX-V listed Benton for a total cash consideration of A$3.5-million and eight-million fully paid ordinary shares, as...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 21-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1266.72 $/oz     Pt 868.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:34 on 25 June 2018 CAT

25th June 2018

Western Australian gold juniors Excelsior and Spitfire merge By: Esmarie Swanepoel Juniors Excelsior Gold and Spitfire Materials have struck a court-approved merger agreement to create a gold company with a diversified portfolio of exploration and development assets. The merger will be implemented through a scheme of arrangement, with Spitfire will acquire all of the issued...      Photo by Reuters        Sunrise illuminates Clean TeQ value By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Sunrise cobalt/nickel project, in New South Wales, is expected to deliver some $14-billion in revenue over its first 25-year mine life, ASX- and TSX-listed Clean TeQ reported. A definitive feasibility study (DFS) found that the project would generate an average annual earnings before... Northern Territory lures more explorers By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Northern Territory government has recorded the largest number of applications to date for its geophysics and drilling collaboration programme as part of its A$26-million Resourcing the Territory initiative. Minister for Primary Industry and Resources Ken Vowles said changes to the programme... Tantalum miner threatens expansion at Australia's biggest lithium mine By: Reuters A partner in one of the world's largest lithium mines said on Monday trial dates have been set to determine whether expansion at the Western Australian mine, in which China's Tianqi Lithium holds a stake, would unfairly impact its minerals rights. Private-equity backed Global Advanced Metals... Core aims to establish NT's first lithium mine By: Esmarie Swanepoel A prefeasibility study (PFS) into the Finniss lithium project, in the Northern Territory, has estimated a pre-production capital requirement of A$53.5-million to develop a one-million tonne a year operation producing 225 000 t/y of lithium concentrate. ASX-listed Core Exploration on Monday said... Ammaroo gets federal enviro nod By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Ammaroo phosphate project, in the Northern Territory, has received federal environmental approval, bringing the project one step closer to its targeted construction start in early 2019. ASX-listed Verdant Minerals said on Monday that the federal approval represented a significant milestone... Orion raises A$11m for Prieska By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX- and JSE-listed Orion Minerals has raised A$11-million through a share placement to progress its Prieska zinc/copper project, in South Africa's Northern Cape province. The company on Monday said that the shares, priced at 3.7c each, would be placed in two tranches, with the first consisting... WPG lowers production expectations By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold producer WPG Resources has again lowered its full-year production expectations as its Challenger mine, in Western Australia, continued to disappoint. WPG previously forecast a combined production of between 58 000 oz and 60 000 oz for its Challenger and Tarcoola operations. However, the... Neometals adds more nickel to Mt Edwards By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Neometals has reported a 155% increase in the contained nickel at its Mt Edwards project, in Western Australia. The significant increase in the maiden mineral resource, which was announced in April this year, resulted from the inclusion of four additional deposits, after Neometals in...

Flinders eyes A$9.4m capital raise By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Flinders Mines is hoping to raise A$9.4-million trough a 1-for-25 non-renounceable entitlement offer. The entitlement offer will consist of more than 134.6-million fully paid ordinary shares, priced at 7c each. The offer price represents a 23.7% discount to Flinder’s 30-day... Apollo get clearance for Couflens buy By: Esmarie Swanepoel The French Ministry of Economy and Finance has given approval for ASX-listed Apollo Minerals to acquire the remaining 20% interest in the Couflens s tungsten/copper/gold project. Apollo in March this year struck a deal with fellow-listed Variscan Mines to acquire the remaining interest in the... Artemis and Novo agree to exploration budget By: Esmarie Swanepoel Joint venture (JV) partners Artemis Resources and Novo Resources have agreed to a A$5.4-million exploration and work programme budget in Western Australia. In the first four months of the 12 month period, the JV will focus on bulk sampling, diamond drilling and costeaning activities, primarily... CITU raises first red flag on Coal India disinvestment By: Ajoy K Das The Centre for Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the labour arm of Communist Part of India (Marxists), is first off the block in raising opposition to tentative plans for disinvestment of government equity holding in Coal India Limited (CIL). After failing to get any bidders for national air carrier... Materials Handling & Logistics 2018 (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Materials Handling & Logistics 2018 Report provides an overview of the sector while considering initiatives in road freight, the way in which the freight logistics sector is adopting the Internet of Things into operations, innovations in warehousing, skills availability and...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 25-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1260.43 $/oz     Pt 869.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:36 on 26 June 2018 CAT

26th June 2018

BHP and Vale reach deal with Brazilian prosecutors By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining giant BHP and its joint venture partner Vale have reached an agreement with the Brazilian government to extinguish a 20-billion reais ($5.3-billion) lawsuit relating to the 2015 dam failure at the Samarco operation, which claimed 19 lives. The agreement allows the mining companies more...

Photo by Reuters

Fortescue makes a move in Atlas battle By: Esmarie Swanepoel Iron-ore major Fortescue Metals, through its subsidiary NCZ Investments, has made an application to the Australian Takeovers Panel in a bid to stop Hancock Prospecting from gaining a greater stake in takeover target Atlas Iron. Hancock Prospecting recently launched a 4.2c a share cash offer for... ‘Oversubscribed’ exploration incentive shows upswing in confidence – Minister By: Esmarie Swanepoel The second round of the Junior Minerals Exploration Incentive (JMEI) has been oversubscribed, with 46 companies successfully applying for the available credits for the 2018/19 income year. Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan said more than A$31-million has been allocated in the second round,... Coal miners wade into Aurizon battle By: Esmarie Swanepoel Ten coal producers, including AngloAmerican, Glencore, Peabody, Yancoal and the BHP Mitsubishi alliance have applied to join the judicial review application started by freight operator Aurizon against the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) in the Supreme Court of Queensland. Aurizon In April... New gas pipeline opened in Queensland By: Esmarie Swanepoel The resources industry has welcomed the completion of the 50-km Reedy Creek Wallumbilla pipeline, which connects Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas’ (APLNG’s) Reedy Creek processing facility with the Wallumbilla gas supply hub in Queensland’s Surat basin. The Australian Petroleum Production... Newcrest loses more of Gosowong By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Newcrest Mining will need to divest of at least another 26% interest in its Gosowong gold mine, in Indonesia, in order to meet the criteria of a new Contract of Work (CoW). The miner said on Tuesday that it had entered into an amended agreement with the government of Indonesia to... Talisman doubles in value By: Esmarie Swanepoel The value of the Talisman gold project, in New Zealand, has more than doubled with an increased resource, mine life and grades. ASX-listed New Talisman Gold Mines reported that an updated prefeasibility study (PFS) had increased the project’s pre-tax net present value to NZ$36-million, compared... Hawkstone revisits US lithium buy By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Hawkstone Mining has resurrected a transaction to acquire lithium projects in the US and Mexico. The company earlier this month withdrew from a March option over USA Lithium, which holds the Big Sandy and Lordsburg lithium projects, in Arizona and Mexico, respectively, after it failed... MC Mining secures R20m banking facility for Uitkomst Colliery By: Marleny Arnoldi Coal developer MC Mining has secured a R20-million general banking facility from Rand Merchant Bank for its 70%-owned subsidiary Uitkomst Colliery, in KwaZulu-Natal.

Mayur granted enviro permit for lime project By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Mayur Resources has been granted an environmental permit for its Port Morseby lime project, in Papua New Guinea (PNG). Mayur is currently undertaking a definitive feasibility study on a commercial lime operation initially producing 250 000 t of quickline and 1.5-million tonnes... India’s SCCL to get new coal blocks, foray into new business verticals By: Ajoy K Das Government miner Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL) has adopted a twin-pronged expansion strategy to take its coal mining operations beyond its present southern Indian geographical boundaries and at the same time add new business verticals of ‘manufactured sand’ production and solar... Steel 2018: A review of South Africa's steel sector (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Steel 2018 Report examines South Africa’s steel industry over the past 12 months. The report provides insight into the global steel market and particularly into South Africa’s steel sector, and covers production, consumption and main producers, as well as a brief overview of the...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 26-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1254.17 $/oz     Pt 857.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:35 on 27 June 2018 CAT

27th June 2018

IEA sees gas demand growth of 1.6% a year, China to become largest importer By: Esmarie Swanepoel A new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) has shown that global gas demand will grow at an average rate of 1.6% a year, reaching just more than 4.1-trillion cubic metres in 2023. This forecast compares with demand of 3.74-tillion cubic metres in 2017, the IEA noted in its ‘Gas 2018’...      Photo by Bloomberg        Victoria aims to kick-start mining boom with A$15m exploration grant By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Victorian government has freed up a further A$5.5-million under its A$15-million TARGET Mineral Exploration Initiative, to encourage investment in the region. Resources Minister Tim Pallas said on Wednesday that the co-funded grants would be available to 11 exploration licence holders. Oz Minerals moves to take Avanco in full By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper/gold miner Oz Minerals will start the compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in takeover target Avanco, after gaining a 90.46% shareholding in the company. Oz Minerals’ offer of 8.5c in cash and 0.009 of its own shares for every Avanco share held will close on July 6. ‘Standout’ Glencore is ‘top pick’ By: Martin Creamer In a 150-page analysis of four of the world’s biggest diversified mining majors, Glencore has emerged as the top pick of financial services company Credit Suisse, which has declared the London- and Johannesburg-listed company headed by Ivan Glasenberg as the current “standout” diversified mining... Empire readies to reclaim cash By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold junior Empire Resources will exercise its rights to recover some A$1-million owed by project partner Brimstone Resources after the Court of Appeal dismissed Brimstone’s application to have an earlier ruling overturned. Brimstone, which holds a 40% interest in the Penny’s Find gold mine, in... Copper remains globally undersupplied, but production to pick up in next decade – BMI By: Marleny Arnoldi BMI Research expects the global copper market to experience a persistent undersupply over the coming years, as global consumption growth, driven by China's power and infrastructure sectors and increasingly by rising electric vehicle (EV) production, continues to outpace supply growth.

New gas pipeline opened in Queensland By: Esmarie Swanepoel The resources industry has welcomed the completion of the 50-km Reedy Creek Wallumbilla pipeline, which connects Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas’ (APLNG’s) Reedy Creek processing facility with the Wallumbilla gas supply hub in Queensland’s Surat basin. The Australian Petroleum Production...

AngloGold gets environmental go-ahead for Obuasi redevelopment By: Marleny Arnoldi Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti has received environmental permits for its Obuasi gold mine, in Ghana, paving the way for the redevelopment of the large and high-grade orebody. Teal beats expectations By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Teal gold mine, in Western Australia, has delivered above expectations, with ASX-listed Intermin Resources on Tuesday saying that both gold production and revenue exceeded the feasibility study estimates. Mining was completed at Teal earlier this year, and the last ore was processed through...

Rincon gets initial resource estimate By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior PepinNini Lithium has reported an initial 600 000 t lithium carbonate and 270 000 t potash measured and indicated resource for its Rincon project, in Argentina. An additional 6 000 t of lithium carbonate and 26 000 t of potash is also classified in the inferred category. Philippine miners call for end of ban on big new projects By: Reuters Philippine miners are urging the government to lift a six-year ban on new large-scale mining projects in the world's No. 2 nickel ore supplier after the state removed restrictions on fresh smaller ventures. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said in a memorandum dated June 18,... Construction 2018: A review of South Africa's construction sector (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Construction 2018 Report examines South Africa’s construction industry over the past 12 months. The report provides insight into the business environment, key participants, local demand, international expansion, competition and industry settlement activities, corporate activity of...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 27-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1250.50 $/oz     Pt 848.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:31 on 28 June 2018 CAT

28th June 2018

Atlas attributed no value to NWI interest By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Atlas Iron on Thursday said that the company had attributed no value to its interest in the North West Infrastructure (NWI) joint venture, or its intention to develop export capacity at the port of Port Hedland. Atlas was responding to a query from shareholder Fortescue, which urged...

Photo by Bloomberg

New Talisman forced to withdraw scoping study By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of ASX-listed junior New Talisman Gold fell by nearly 12% on Thursday after the company was forced to retract a scoping study on its Talisman Deeps project, in New Zealand. The scoping study contained production targets and estimates of required investments and returns,... Abra proves economical for Galena By: Esmarie Swanepoel A scoping study into the Abra base metals project, in Western Australia, has confirmed the project to be economically and technically robust, ASX-listed Galena Mining said. Based on an annual throughput of one-million tonnes, the project is expected to deliver 91 000 t/y of lead and 450 000 oz a... WA lithium taskforce sets first meeting By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Western Australian government’s lithium taskforce will holds its first consultation with industry and research representation on July 19, to discuss the Lithium and Energy Materials Strategy. The taskforce was announced in May this year, to capitalise on the region’s lithium and energy... Universal beats FY18 expectations By: Esmarie Swanepoel South Africa focused coal producer Universal Coal on Thursday told shareholders that attributable earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was 28% higher for the 2018 financial year, compared with the previous half year guidance. Group EBITDA for 2018 is expected to... Alara expects more revenue from Oman By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Alara Resources has updated the economics of its Al Hadeetha copper project, in Oman, which resulted in higher forecast revenues and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), but also an increase in preproduction capital costs. Alara on Thursday said... Boonanarring economics improve on higher prices By: Esmarie Swanepoel Higher zircon prices have enhanced the economics of the proposed Boonanarring and Altas mineral sands deposits, in Western Australia, owner Image Resources said on Thursday. The company reported that the higher mineral resources prices had pushed up the project’s pre-tax net present value from... Talga raises cash for product developments By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Talga Resources has raised A$8.5-million through an institutional share placement, priced at 65c a share. The company on Thursday said that some 13.1-million shares will be issued under the company’s existing placement capacity. The placement price represented a 5.8% discount to the... India permits oil exploration agencies to go beyond contracted geographical area By: Ajoy K Das In a bid to offer explorers the option of maximizing production, India’s Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry has permitted oil and natural gas exploration projects to extend operations beyond geographically demarcated contract areas in instances where discoveries are contiguous and stretch beyond...

Intermin hopes for Goongarrie Lady decision in 2019 By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Intermin Resources was hoping to take a development decision on its Goongarrie Lady gold project, in Western Australia, in 2019. This comes after a feasibility study (FS) showed that the project could deliver 12 700 oz of gold over a seven-month mine life. The FS estimated that the... BCI gets maiden resource at Kumina By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior BCI Minerals has reported a maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee compliant resource for its Kumina iron-ore project, in Western Australia. The project is estimated to host an inferred mineral resource of 78.3-million tonnes at 59.1% iron and a cut-off of 57% iron, or 115.2-million tonnes... Kirkland Lake pursues arbitration over Centerra’s royalty portfolio sale By: Mariaan Webb Canadian gold miner Centerra Gold has completed the sale of its royalty portfolio to a subsidiary of Triple Flag Mining Finance Bermuda for $155-million in cash. The agreement comprised the sale of Centerra subsidiary AuRico Metals and 100% of the shares in its indirect wholly-owned subsidiary... WGC report a first step in understanding gold’s GHG footprint By: Anine Kilian While there is limited published data on gold’s global carbon footprint, research by the World Gold Council (WGC) has determined that total greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions from newly-mined gold are significantly lower than those of other major metals and mined products. “Gold is also valuable and,...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 28-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1253.22 $/oz     Pt 852.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:43 on 29 June 2018 CAT

29th June 2018

Atlas recommends Hancock offer; cuts back production By: Esmarie Swanepoel Takeover target Atlas Iron on Friday recommended the offer from Hancock Prospecting to shareholders, saying the board had unanimously agreed to recommend the offer. The majority of the Atlas board earlier this month determined that the 4.2c a share offer from Hancock was superior to an earlier...

Photo by Bloomberg

BHP commits $211m to Brazil’s Renova Foundation, Samarco By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining major BHP on Friday said that it would contribute a total of $211-million to the Renova Foundation and its joint venture with Brazilian major Vale, Samarco, until the end of December this year. The miner said that $158-million of the funds would go towards the Renova Foundation to... New offtake agreement brings Savannah restart one step closer By: Esmarie Swanepoel Base metals company Panoramic Resources has inked a new four-year concentrate sales agreement for all of the concentrate to be produced at its Savannah nickel/copper/cobalt project, in Western Australia. The offtake agreement with Sino Nickel, a joint venture between Chinese firm Jinchuan and... Rio Tinto ready to splash out on copper By: Reuters Rio Tinto wants copper badly, and it's ready to pay top-dollar. The global miner would be willing to fork out a large premium over market value to secure a prime asset as it tries to reduce its reliance on iron ore, company and banking sources told Reuters. India's options limited as US mounts pressure to stop oil imports from Iran By: Ajoy K Das With the Trump Administration mounting pressures on India to stop crude oil imports from Iran, the option of part barter and part payment in Indian currency to buy Iranian crude, may not work this time around. Unlike during earlier Western sanctions on Iran, India has devised a mechanism to... Bathurst signs up for Jameson's Canadian coal project By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Jameson Resources has reached an agreement with fellow listed coal miner Bathurst Resources to fund the development of the Crown Mountain coking coal project, in Canada. Bathurst will provide an initial C$4-million investment into Jameson’s Canadian subsidiary NWP Coal Canada,... Lucapa recovers 89ct diamond in Lesotho By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has recovered an 89 carat yellow diamond from the current bulk sampling programme at its Mothae project, in Lesotho. The bulk sampling programme is designed to expand and improve the current Mothae resource by processing areas of the kimberlite pipe which... Aurora warns of Molopo writedown By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Aurora Funds Management was considering writing down its investment in fellow listed Molopo Energy. The company on Friday told shareholders that Aurora had formed the view that if Molopo’s transactions around the Orient oil and gas project could not be unwound, and the cash returned... Thiess wins A$480m contract for QCoal By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Cimic’s mining services provider Thiess, has been awarded a A$480-million contract from QCoal to continue operations at the QCoal Northern Hub, in Queensland. The four-year contract will see Thiess continue to provide mining services at the hub, which includes the Sonoma North, Drake...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 29-06-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1246.52 $/oz     Pt 836.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 02 July 2018 CAT

2nd July 2018

Coal to reclaim its place as Australia’s top export earner in 2018/19 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Australia’s resource and energy export earnings are estimated to have reached a record A$226-billion in 2017/18, driven by rising liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science said in its latest Resources and Energy Quarterly. LNG export volumes...

Photo by Bloomberg

Rio Tinto’s Paraburdoo stacker project to boost WA jobs By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Western Australian government has welcomed a decision by mining major Rio Tinto to construct new stackers at its Paraburdoo mine, in the Pilbara. Rio will spend about $39-million to replace the stackers, creating nearly 100 jobs in the process. Takeovers Panel denies Fortescue plea By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Australian Takeovers Panel has declined to conduct proceedings against takeover target Atlas Iron. Iron-ore miner Fortescue Metals in June applied to the Takeovers Panel in a bid to stop Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting from gaining a greater stake in Atlas. Yancoal applies for Hong Kong listing By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal miner Yancoal has applied for dual listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to increase share liquidity and to diversify its investor base. Yancoal on Monday said that it would maintain its listing on the ASX flowing the Hong Kong Listing, with shares to be traded on both bourse. MOD reports 44% increase in T3 resource By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper explorer MOD Resources has reported a 44% increase in the T3 mineral resource, in Botswana, following recent exploration at the planned pit. The mineral resource at T3 is now estimated at 60-million tonnes, grading 0.98% copper and 14 g/t silver, for 590 000 t of copper and 27-million... Salamanca stays in government's good graces By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dual-listed Berkeley Energia has welcomed support from the government of Castilla y Leon, after a decision was taken last week to reject a resolution by the opposition to halt the €250-million investment in the Salamanca uranium mine. “There is a huge amount of support for the Salamanca mine,... Boss unveils restart strategy for Honeymoon By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed uranium junior Boss Resources has revealed a three tiered re-start strategy for its Honeymoon uranium project, in South Australia. The company on Monday told shareholders that the re-start strategy has already commenced. Indonesia’s Inalum close to acquiring Rio interest in Grasberg copper mine By: Reuters Indonesia's state-owned mining holding company PT Inalum is close to finalising a multi-billion-dollar deal to acquire a majority stake in the giant Grasberg copper mine, government officials said on Saturday. Situated in Indonesia's eastern-most province of Papua, Grasberg, the world's... Indian govt likely to backtrack on splitting GAIL By: Ajoy K Das In an apparent reversal of its earlier plans, the Indian government is toying with a proposal to create more independent verticals within gas infrastructure major, GAIL India, instead of splitting the company. According to indications available, the government is to accede to demands of GAIL and... Piedmont widens hunt in the US By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Piedmont Lithium has started a by-product study at its Piedmont lithium project, in the US, to evaluate potential quartz, feldspar and mica concentrate by-products. The ASX-listed company said on Monday that it would include revenue potential from by-products in an update of the scoping... Vital takes the plunge at Bouli By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Vital Metals on Monday announced that it will proceed with the earn-in agreement over the Bouli gold project, in the Niger. The company has already spent $1-million on exploration, completing aeromagnetic surveys and drilling as part of the exploration agreement with project owner SUMMA. Archer divests of worlds largest cryptocrystalline magnesite deposit By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior explorer Archer Exploration has struck a A$2-million share sale agreement with an unlisted company to divest of its Leigh Creek magnesia project, in South Australia. The Leigh Creek project hosts 48% of the world’s cryptocrystallin magnesite resources and consists of two granted... Orion issues shares to its BEE partner By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX- and JSE-listed Orion Minerals has issued additional shares to its South African black economic empowerment (BEE) partner to the value of $250 000. Real Economy Insight 2018 - Coal (PDF Report) This five-page brief is a synopsis of key developments in the coal sector over the past 12 months. It provides an overview of the South African coal markets, corporate activity and the role of coal in South Africa’s electricity generation.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 02-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1256.59 $/oz     Pt 845.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 03 July 2018 CAT

3rd July 2018

Bankers have gone AWOL in the race to build more lithium mines By: Bloomberg After clinching a deal with a Chinese battery maker in 2016, James Brown figured bankers would be eager to fund his new lithium mine. Altura Mining was racing to ship the raw material from Australia to the world’s biggest electric vehicle market as demand was surging. Instead, while lithium... Resolute’s updated study reduces Syama underground mining costs By: Simone Liedtke An update to the definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Syama underground gold mine, in Mali, has delivered a significant reduction in the life-of-mine (LoM) all-in sustaining cost (AISC) to $746/oz, from $881/oz. The DFS update presents the results of an ongoing effort by ASX-listed Resolute... METS Ignited awards second round of funding to mining suppliers By: Marleny Arnoldi Industry-led, government-funded mining equipment, technology and services (METS) sector growth centre, METS Ignited, has awarded A$7.14-million in project funding to eight mining supply businesses in Australia. Musgrave and Westgold to join forces on Cue projects By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed gold and base metals miner Musgrave Minerals has executed a non-binding term sheet outlining a mine management and profit sharing arrangement with fellow-listed gold miner Westgold Resources, whereby Musgrave will receive 50% of profits from operations that are financed, managed and... Metro Mining ups Bauxite Hills mining rate By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed bauxite miner Metro Mining on Tuesday reported an average mining rate of 8 167 wet metric tonnes (wmt) a day for June, which compares with May’s mining rate of 5 194 wmt/d and April’s 2 768 wmt/d. Rox exercises option over strategic gold and nickel tenements By: Simone Liedtke ASX-listed junior Rox Resources has exercised an option to purchase two tenements at its Fisher East nickel and Mt Fisher gold projects, in Western Australia. Under the terms of the option, the exercise price is $600 000 in cash. Galileo starts Norseman drilling four weeks after listing By: Marleny Arnoldi Newly listed Galileo Mining on Tuesday reported that drilling was under way at the Norseman cobalt project, in Australia, with two rigs currently on site. Havilah moves closer to closure of Portia sale By: Simone Liedtke South Australian copper junior Havilah Resources on Tuesday said that the transaction to divest North Portia was expected to close within the next two weeks, despite delays experienced with the completion of the required documentation and approvals. The transaction to divest North Portia is... Spanish cattle farmers are worrying about nearby uranium mines By: Mariaan Webb Maria Jose Alamo, whose 120 cattle graze on land close to the only major new uranium mine being developed in the world, is worried. “I myself wouldn’t buy the meat of cattle raised close to such a mine,” said Alamo, 48, in an interview at a cafe in the hamlet of Banos de Retortillo, in Western...

Hardey to acquire Argentina vanadium mine By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed junior minerals company Hardey Resources has entered into a share sale agreement to acquire 100% of the issued share capital of Nelly Vanadium – a mineral explorer that owns the Nelly vanadium mine in San Luis province, in Argentina. Orion surveys confirm nickel, copper potential in Areachap Belt By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX- and JSE-listed Orion Minerals has reported positive initial fixed-loop electromagnetic survey results over nickel and copper targets on the Disawell prospecting right, in the Areachap Belt, in South Africa’s Northern Cape province.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 03-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1255.92 $/oz     Pt 838.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 04 July 2018 CAT

4th July 2018

Mali lithium mine project economics improve – Birimian By: Esmarie Swanepoel An updated prefeasibility study (PFS) into the Goulamina lithium project, in Mali, has shown improved economics and an extended mine life on the back of an increase to the mineral resource. ASX-listed Birimian on Wednesday told shareholders that a two-million-tonne-a-year mineral concentrating...      Photo by Bloomberg        Terramin reviews gold's place in company portfolio By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed metals developer Terramin Australia is undertaking a strategic review of its asset, with the company telling shareholders that the review could result in the demerger of its gold assets from its base metals business. The company said on Wednesday that the strategic review will... Thakaringa gets a A$550m price tag By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Thackaringa cobalt project, in South Australia, is expected to require a capital investment of A$550-million to develop a 5.25-million tonne a year plant. ASX-listed Cobalt Blue on Wednesday revealed that the project would produce some 3 657 t/y metal in sulphate, and life-of-mine totals of... Newcrest strikes earn-in deal with Prodigy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Newcrest Mining has signed a farm-in agreement with ASX-listed junior Prodigy Gold over its Euro project, in the Northern Territory. Under the terms of the agreement, Newcrest could earn an initial 51% interest in the project by spending A$6-million on exploration over a period of... Indonesia extends permit for giant Freeport copper mine as talks continue By: Reuters Indonesia has extended a temporary operating permit for Freeport McMoRan's Grasberg project, the world's second-biggest copper mine, until the end of the month while discussions continue over long-term rights. Freeport's local unit, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), has been given a temporary... Technology Metals adds to Gabanintha portfolio By: Esmarie Swanepoel Vanadium developer Technology Metals Australia has acquired a strategic tenement adjacent to its proposed Gabanintha project, in Western Australia. The acquired tenement, which is adjacent to the Northern Block tenements of the Gabanintha project, covers some 109.2 ha and is to the west of the... Vango raises cash for Plutonic Dome By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold developer Vango Mining has raised A$5.1-million through a share placement to sophisticated and professional investors. The company on Wednesday said that some 28.3-million shares will be placed at a price of 18c a share, with the funds raised going towards exploration and development of the... Oposura gets 2.9mt initial resource By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Azure Minerals has reported an initial resource of 2.9-million tonnes, grading 5% zinc and 2.8% lead at its Oposura zinc/lead/silver project, in Mexico. The company told shareholders that 75% of the contained metal was within the indicated mineral resource category, with the resource...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 04-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1258.86 $/oz     Pt 843.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 05 July 2018 CAT

5th July 2018

Miners welcome Australia’s GST reform proposal By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Australian resources sector has welcomed the federal government’s announcement of an eight-year, three-step plan to update the way the Goods and Services Tax (GST) is redistributed. “Our preferred model involves moving to a new benchmark that will ensure the fiscal capacity of all states and...

Photo by Bloomberg

Record Qld exports driven by coal and LNG By: Esmarie Swanepoel Queensland’s exports have risen to a record A$73.8-billion in the year to May, with coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports driving the growth. Coal exports reached A$32.8-billion in the year to May, which was up more than A$5-billion on the previous year, reflecting the improvement in... Perseus reports record output from African mines By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dual listed gold miner Perseus Mining has reported record gold production from its two West African mines during the quarter ended June. Gold production for the three months to June reached 83 881 oz, which was a 31% increase on the previous quarter, while half-year gold production was reported... Eramet holds out hope for MDL bid By: Esmarie Swanepoel French company Eramet has declared its takeover offer for joint venture partner Mineral Deposits (MDL) unconditional. Eramet on Thursday maintained its offer price of A$1.75 a share in cash for each MDL shares held, noting that it has already obtained a 14.23% shareholding in the takeover... Piedmont finds land for lithium plant By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Piedmont Lithium has acquired a 60.6 acre parcel of land in North Carolina as a potential site for a planned lithium chemical plant. The site is some 20 miles from the proposed Piedmont lithium mine and concentrator, which would minimise the cost of freight for concentrate delivery to the... Lucapa delivers more diamonds in June quarter By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has reported a 20% increase in production at its Lulo project, in Angola during the June quarter. Themine produced 5 058 carats of diamonds during the three months to June, up from the 4 203 produced in the previous corresponding period, with the total weight... Sheffield opens Derby office By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral sands developer Sheffield Resources has officially opened a new office facility in Derby, Western Australia, which will play an important role in supporting the proposed Thunderbird project. “Thunderbird offers enormous opportunities, and we’ve pledged to the Kimberley community to... Agrimin raises A$10m for Mackay By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Agrimin has raised A$10-million through a share placement to institutional and sophisticated investors to fund the definitive feasibility study for its Mackay sulphate of potash (SOP) project, in Western Australia. The company on Thursday said that it placed 12.5-million shares at a... Triton tips EPC contractor By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Triton Minerals has appointed MCC International Incorporation as the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) service provider for the Ancuabe graphite project, in Mozambique. The two companies signed a letter of intent, that will allow them to accelerate the execution...

Kingston sells lithium assets By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Kingston Resources will divest of its Bynoe and Arunta lithium tenements in the Northern Territory, for A$1.8-million. The sale of the lithium tenements comes shortly after Kingston sold its Mt Cattlin lithium tenements to fellow-listed Galaxy Resources for A$600 000 in cash...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 05-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1254.79 $/oz     Pt 845.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 06 July 2018 CAT

6th July 2018

Tiger cancels sale of Kipoi to Chinese firm By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper miner Tiger Resources has pulled the plug on the divestment of its assets in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to a Chinese consortium. Tiger in January announced that it would sell its Kipoi mine and other assets in the DRC to special purpose vehicle Sinomine Fuhai (Hong Kong)... AngloGold starts development of Vogue orebody to increase Sunrise Dam production By: Simone Liedtke Development of the large, high-grade Vogue orebody at gold miner AngloGold Ashanti’s Sunrise Dam gold mine, in Western Australia, is now under way, with production expected to increase by 25% this year to about 300 000 oz. This development follows the commissioning of the miner’s Recovery Enhance... BHP, workers at Escondida mine in Chile 'far from agreement' By: Reuters Negotiations between workers and BHP Billiton at the Escondida copper mine in Chile, the world's largest, are "far from reaching agreement" with less than three weeks to go before the negotiation deadline, a union official told Reuters on Thursday. The official, Carlos Allendes, said the union... St Barbara sets new production records By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner St Barbara has reported record quarterly and full year production for the period ending June. During the three months to June, St Barbara delivered 119 436 oz of gold, while full-year production reached 403 089 oz, a 6% increase on the previous financial year and exceeding the 400 000...

Eramet holds out hope for MDL bid By: Esmarie Swanepoel French company Eramet has declared its takeover offer for joint venture partner Mineral Deposits (MDL) unconditional. Eramet on Thursday maintained its offer price of A$1.75 a share in cash for each MDL shares held, noting that it has already obtained a 14.23% shareholding in the takeover...

Mining starts at Macy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Base metals developer Symbol Mining has started mining at its Macy high-grade zinc project, in Nigeria, after receiving final approval for its mining lease. The company on Friday said that the mining lease and environmental protection and rehabilitation plan approvals concluded several months of... Tawana shareholders OK demerger By: Esmarie Swanepoel The shareholders of ASX-listed Tawana Resources on Friday gave their blessing for a demerger of the company’s non-core assets. The company in March announced plans to spin-out its Cowan and Yallari lithium projects, in Western Australia, and the Mofe Creek iron-ore asset, in Liberia, into a... Mt Morgans delivers first quarter By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold miner Dacian Gold has reported a maiden quarterly production of 34 155 oz from its Mt Morgans project, in Western Australia. Mt Morgans in April this year poured its first gold. Medusa takes inroads into Australia By: Esmarie Swanepoel Philippines-focused gold miner Medusa Mining has inked an earn-in agreement over two exploration projects in Queensland. Medusa could earn a 90% interest in either or both projects from owner Ellenkay Gold by managing and funding work programmes through to the completion of a prefeasibility study.

Toro raises A$3.8m By: Esmarie Swanepoel Uranium developer Toro Energy has raised A$3.8-million through a share purchase plan. The company on Friday said that it will issue more than 153.2-million shares.

Cullinan mine moves to centralised blasting to improve safety, efficiency    By: Nadine James Petra Diamonds’ Cullinan mine hopes to achieve further improvements in safety, mining efficiencies and productivity, following the implementation of BME’s AXXIS centralised blasting system across its underground operation. The system was officially launched on Wednesday.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 06-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1261.60 $/oz     Pt 851.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 09 July 2018 CAT

9th July 2018

Yancoal cuts Austar to skeleton staff as it awaits legal outcome By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Yancoal on Monday announced that it would start standing down the workforce at the Austar operation, in New South Wales, and where possible, redeploy the majority of the staff to other Yancoal-owned underground operations. Yancoal manages the Austar mine on behalf of subsidiary Watang...      Photo by Bloomberg        Independence’s Nova falls short of FY production guidance, Tropicana on target By: Esmarie Swanepoel Preliminary metal production estimates from miner Independence Group has found that the Nova nickel mine, in Western Australia, has failed to meet its full year production target. ASX-listed Independence on Monday told shareholders that nickel production for the three months to June was up 23%... Berkeley flags more cost savings in Spain By: Esmarie Swanepoel Uranium developer Berkeley Energia could potentially save up to €9-million in the construction of its Salamanca mine, in Spain. The dual listed company on Monday said that a capital cost review had identified a number of opportunities to reduce the initial capital expenditure required to bring... BP is front-runner to buy BHP's US shale unit By: Bloomberg BP has emerged as the front-runner to buy BHP Billiton’s onshore oil and gas operations in the US, according to a person familiar with the matter. The London-based oil major has made the highest offer for the assets, which BHP prefers selling in a single package, said the person, who asked to... Oz closes Avanco offer By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Oz Minerals has closed its takeover for fellow listed Avanco Resources, with a 97.7% interest. The company previously started the compulsory acquisition process for the remaining Avanco shares after gaining a 90.46% interest in the takeover target. Tawana's SA investors 'ineligible' for merger deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel The South African shareholders of ASX-listed Tawana Resources will not be receiving shares in Alliance Mineral Assets, as part of a merger agreement between Tawana and Alliance. The two companies in April agreed to pursue a scheme of arrangement, under which Tawana shareholders would receive 1.1... Karouni delivers another strong quarter By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Troy Resources has produced 19 510 oz of gold from its Karouni operation, in Guayana, during the three months to June. Troy noted that the June quarter production was well in excess of budget, and only 10% lower than the record production of 21 703 oz set in the March quarter, despite... Millennium enacts new mining strategy at Nullagine By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Millennium Minerals will implement a new mining strategy at its Nullagine project, in Western Australia, in the September quarter, aimed at increasing production to 100 000 oz/y by the end of the year. The new mining strategy will focus on larger, higher-grade ore sources. The... Mincor on track for first gold pour By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Mincor Resources is expecting first gold production from its Widgiemooltha gold project, in Western Australia, by the end of the month. The company told shareholders that mine development and production was progressing on schedule, with the first 40 000 t of ore from the...

AuStar starts mining Rose of Denmark By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior AuStar Gold has started mining at its Rose of Denmark gold mine, in Victoria, to assess gold grades land for longer-term mine planning. The first phase of mining is expected to take between two to three months to complete, and a further month to process the mined material. Denham Capital closes Mining Fund at $558m By: Marleny Arnoldi Resource and energy-focused global private equity firm Denham Capital has closed its first standalone mining fund, the Denham Mining Fund, at $558-million to expand its portfolio in Australia, Canada, South America and Africa. Magnum finds viability in Gravelotte re-establishment with 46 ct/t grade By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed Magnum Mining’s Phase 1 trial mining campaign at Gravelotte, in South Africa’s Limpopo province, has delivered more than 11 700 ct of emeralds to date, which were recovered from the treatment of 256 t of dump material, at an average grade of 46 ct/t. ONGC’s Iran investment plans hit by India-US dialogue By: Ajoy K Das Indian national oil exploration and production major ONGC Limited’s protracted investment plans in Iran were receding further into the realm of uncertainty ahead of the upcoming India-US bilateral meeting. A resolution for ONGC, which has inched closer to finalising an agreement with Iran on a... Real Economy Insight 2018 - Iron-Ore (PDF Report) This five-page brief is a synopsis of key developments in the iron-ore sector over the past 12 months, including details of the global and South African iron-ore markets, with a particular focus on supply and demand, iron-ore producers and their projects, as well as prospects for the sector.

LATEST VIDEOS

Platinum jewellery heading for good year – PGI   By: Martin Creamer Significant demand growth is under way in the platinum jewellery market, which remains the second biggest ounce contributor to platinum demand at 2.5-million ounces of yearly fabrication, some 35% of total demand. “We’re seeing a lot of growth in the market. Obviously, the platinum price is...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 09-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1254.45 $/oz     Pt 839.75 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 10 July 2018 CAT

10th July 2018

Rising minerals and fuel exports propel Australian trade to record high By: Esmarie Swanepoel Australia’s total trade in goods and services reached a record A$763.2-billion in 2017, new data from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has found. The Composition of Trade, Australia 2017 found that the value of Australia’s goods and services exports rose 14.8% to A$386.7-billion in...

Photo by Bloomberg

MDL urge acceptance of Eramet offer By: Esmarie Swanepoel Takeover target Mineral Deposits (MDL) has urged shareholders to accept the revised offer from joint venture partner Eramet. Eramet earlier this month declared its offer for MDL unconditional, while maintaining the offer price of A$1.75 a share in cash for each MDL share held, saying it will not... White Rock and Sandfire strike Alaska base metals deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper miner Sandfire Resources has struck a deal with fellow listed White Rock Minerals to form a strategic relationship in relation to White Rocks’ Red Mountain zinc project, in Alaska. Sandfire will subscribe for A$2.5-million shares in White Rock, and will be issued more than 208.3-million... Regis reports stellar quarter By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Regis Resources has increased gold production during the three months to June, from the 85 331 oz reported in the March quarter, to 92 008 oz. The miner said on Tuesday that the strong quarterly production result took the full-year production to an annual record of 361 373 oz, which... Emerald gets licence in Cambodia By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Emerald Resources has been granted a mining license for its Okvau gold project, in Cambodia. The mining license has an initial 15-year term, with the right of two renewals of up to ten years each. Pace change at Collerina Cobalt's NSW project By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Collerina Cobalt has placed plans for a nickel/cobalt project at its Collerina deposit, in New South Wales, on hold in lieu of a high purity alumina (HPA) project. The company this week told shareholders that prefeasibility study (PFS) testwork at the Collerina project has identified a... Galilee raises cash for Glenaras project By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal seam gas explorer Galilee Energy has raised A$5.6-million from a share placement to institutional and sophisticated investors. The company on Tuesday said that more than 14.15-million shares will be placed at a price of 40c each, representing a 9% premium to the company’s 15-day volume... Wilkes join Kingston board By: Esmarie Swanepoel Former OceanaGold president and CEO Mick Wilkes has been appointed as a non-executive director to ASX-listed Kingston Resources. In addition to being a member of both the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, he is also the chair of the... Alacer ups guidance for oxide plant By: Marleny Arnoldi TSX- and ASX-listed gold producer Alacer Gold on Monday announced an increase to its 2018 oxide plant production guidance to between 110 000 oz and 130 000 oz, at a reduced all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of between $650/oz and $700/oz.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 10-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1246.91 $/oz     Pt 833.75 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 11 July 2018 CAT

11th July 2018

BHP gains green light for long-term Pilbara expansion By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Western Australia Environmental Protection Authority has approved mining major BHP’s long-term mining plan in the Pilbara. BHP is planning to expand its iron-ore operations, with plans to more than double current production to 350-million tonnes a year, with the ultimate objective of...      Photo by Reuters        Dacian unveils A$37m raising to accelerate Mt Morgan exploration By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold miner Dacian Gold will raise A$37-million through an institutional placement to accelerate exploration programmes at its Mt Morgans project, in Western Australia. Some 13.7-million shares will be offered at a price of A$2.70 each, with the ability to take oversubscriptions to raise... Miners welcome ACCC power plans By: Esmarie Swanepoel The resources sector has welcomed recommendations from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to significantly improve electricity affordability for Australian consumers and businesses. The ACCC in March launched an inquiry to identify the root causes of the high electricity... Ounces continue to stack up at Deflector By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals will spend A$10-million on exploration activity at its Deflector gold project, in Western Australia, during 2019. The miner on Wednesday reported that the mineral resource at the Deflector project had increased by 34% after mining depletion, to 762 000 oz of gold, while... Lulo delivers 114ct diamond for Lucapa By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Lucapa Diamond Company has recovered a 114 ct diamond at its Lulo project, in Angola. The company on Wednesday said that the stone was recovered from alluvial Mining Block 6, and is the eleventh diamond over 100 carats recovered to date, and the third so far in 2018. Eramet to replace MDL board after gaining major share By: Esmarie Swanepoel French firm Eramet has extended the takeover offer period for its joint venture (JV) partner Mineral Deposits (MDL) until July 24, flaunting a 63.87% interest in the ASX-listed company. The directors of MDL this week unanimously recommended the revised takeover offer from Eramet, after the... Kirkland reports strong production from Australia, Canada mines By: Marleny Arnoldi Toronto-based Kirkland Lake Gold produced 164 685 oz of gold in the second quarter ended June 30, and 312 329 oz for the first half of the year. This compares with 160 305 oz produced in the second quarter of 2017 and 147 644 oz produced in the first quarter of 2018. Merlin readies for mining By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Merlin Diamonds is poised to start mining at its namesake project, in the Northern Territory. The company on Wednesday said that the Northern Territory’s Department of Primary Industry and Resources had reviewed the amended mine management plan, and was satisfied that it met the... Collerina raises cash for alumina push By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Collerina Cobalt will raise some A$4-million through a one-for-ten rights issue, priced at 8c each. The company said the funds raised will advance the high purity alumina (HPA) First process, at its Collerina project in New South Wales.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 11-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1247.10 $/oz     Pt 842.75 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 12 July 2018 CAT

12th July 2018

Costs outweigh price of Atlas Iron’s ore By: Esmarie Swanepoel Takeover target Atlas Iron has faced another tough quarter during the three months to June, with all-in sustaining costs outweighing the price for its ore. Atlas on Thursday told shareholders that C1 cash costs for the period reached A$42/t, up from the A$41/t in the March quarter, while full...      Photo by Bloomberg        Indonesia to pay $3.85bn for majority stake in Freeport's Grasberg copper mine By: Reuters Indonesia on Thursday struck an agreement with Freeport-McMoRan and Rio Tinto to buy a controlling stake in the world's second-biggest copper mine via a series of transactions valued at $3.85-billion. The heads of agreement establishes a structure for Indonesia, through its state-owned mining... Resolute beats production guidance, sets bar higher for FY19 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Resolute Mining is targeting 300 000 oz of production in the 2019 financial year, after 2018’s output exceeded expectations. The miner told shareholders on Thursday that gold production in the 2018 financial year reached 284 127 oz, which exceeded the guidance of 280 000 oz, with the... BHP makes contract offer to union at Escondida mine in Chile By: Reuters BHP Billiton handed in a proposal for a new labor contract to the union at its Escondida copper mine in Chile that includes a salary readjustment linked to inflation and a $23 000 bonus per worker, the company said on Wednesday. The offer falls short of fulfilling some of the demands laid out... WPG sets production record despite Challenger issues By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold miner WPG Resources has reported record quarterly production of 17 818 oz, with the month of June also producing a record 7 155 oz. The June quarter production was up from the 14 124 oz produced in the previous quarter. Empire strikes out at JV partner By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold miner Empire Resources has terminated its joint venture agreement with Brimstone Resources over the Penny’s Find mine, in Western Australia. Empire holds a 60% interest in the project area, with the receiver appointed to Brimstone holding the remaining 40% interest. Another Prominent Hill win for Thiess By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper miner Oz Minerals has awarded project house CIMIC’s mining services provider Thiess, a A$112-million contract to provide stockpile rehandling services at the Prominent Hill mine, in South Australia. Under the new five-year contract, Thiess will provide run-of-mine management, crusher feed... New Century sets August start date By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Century zinc mine, in Queensland, is on track to start production in August this year, ASX-listed New Century Resources said on Thursday. The company has completed the commissioning of the slurry concentrate pipeline, which is now filled and ready to receive first concentrate. Superior Lake fast-tracks mine restart By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior base metals developer Superior Lake Resources has announced plans to fast-track the restart of its Superior Lake metals project, in Canada. The ASX-listed company said that following the completion of a maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee compliant resource of 2.1-million tonnes, grading...

Platina finds site for Owendale plant By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Platina Resources has signed a lease for the site of its proposed Owendale scandium processing facility, in New South Wales. The site, a former abattoir, is some 70 km from the mine site and has road system capable of handling the trucks that will be used to transport ore from the... Hurting for buyers, US coal miners are learning to love India By: Bloomberg The big bright spot for US coal miners is located halfway around the world. India almost tripled its imports of the rock from America in the first quarter from a year earlier, helping fuel its fast-growing economy and making it the largest foreign buyer of US coal, according to the US Energy...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 12-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1242.41 $/oz     Pt 826.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 13 July 2018 CAT

13th July 2018

Resolute secures key permit to turn Bibiani back on By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Resolute Mining is expected to make a final investment decision on the Bibiani underground mine, in Ghana, in 2019, the company said on Friday, announcing that it had received an environmental permit authorisation to recommission the mine and processing plant. Resolute said on Friday...

Photo by Bloomberg

Rio Tinto autonomous train makes first delivery 280 km away By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining major Rio Tinto has delivered its first iron-ore delivery by autonomous train from the Tom Price mine, to the port of Cape Lambert, some 280 km away. The autonomous train consisted of three locomotives and carried about 28 000 t of ore. The train was monitored remotely by operators in... Dacian raises A$40m in oversubscribed placement By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold miner Dacian Gold has raised A$40-million in an institutional share placement, to accelerate the exploration at its Mt Morgans operation, in Western Australia, and to extinguish a life-of-mine royalty obligation. The ASX-listed miner earlier this week launched the placement, priced... Perseus sets conservative target for 2019 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dual listed Perseus Mining has set a production target of between 130 000 oz and 150 000 oz for the next six months to December, following a strong June quarter and full year. The miner said on Friday that based on actual operation performances at both its Edikan and Sissingue mines, in Ghana... FS launched at McIntosh JV By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Mineral Resources (MinRes) and Hexagon Resources have launched a feasibility study (FS) for the McIntosh flake graphite joint venture (JV), in Western Australia. Hexagon shareholders in May this year approved the JV, which will see MinRes earn a 51% interest in the project by managing...

Free-carried interest will foster loyalty among mineworkers – Mantashe   By: Nadine James Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe noted that the free-carry stipulation in the latest draft Mining Charter will result in workers deriving immediate value, thereby fostering diligent performance and loyalty towards employers, as workers strive to enhance and improve “their" mine. “It is...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 13-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1240.70 $/oz     Pt 823.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 16 July 2018 CAT

16th July 2018

Expert backs Hancock offer for Atlas By: Esmarie Swanepoel An independent expert has found that Hancock Prospecting’s offer for ASX-listed Atlas Iron is both fair and reasonable, with Atlas on Monday urging shareholders to accept the offer. Non-executive chairperson Eugene Davis told shareholders that the offer from Hancock was an excellent opportunity...

Photo by Bloomberg

Rio says workers return at South Africa's Richards Bay Minerals By: Bloomberg Rio Tinto’s Richards Bay Minerals in South Africa said workers are reporting for duty after violence and protests that started more than a week ago shut the operations. “Following a significant improvement in the security situation, employees are returning to work today and we will safely ramp up... Major Beadell shakeup targets $100m cost savings By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Beadell Resources has implemented major management changes and cost reductions at its Tucano mine, in Brazil, that could save more than $100-million. CEO and MD Simon Jackson and COO Peter Holmes will step down from their current positions, with Dr Nicole Adshead-Bell taking over as... Kasbah aims to have Morocco tin mine in production by 2020 By: Esmarie Swanepoel It is hoped that the Achmmach tin project, in Morocco, could be in production by 2020, following a positive definitive feasibility study (DFS). ASX-listed Kasbah Resources on Monday reported that the DFS is based on an underground mine with an initial ten-year mine life, producing 750 000 t/y... Whitehaven production drops slightly By: Esmarie Swanepoel New South Wales coal miner Whitehaven Coal has reported a fall in production during the June quarter, and the full year to June, with mechanical issues reported at its Narrabri mine. In the quarter ended June, Whitehaven produced 5.8-million tonnes of run-of-mine (RoM) coal, with 4.7-million... Pantoro hits targets By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Pantoro has hit its production targets for the full year ending June, producing 52 203 oz of gold, which was within the guidance of between 50 000 oz and 55 000 oz. In the three months to June, Pantoro produced 11 694 oz of gold, which is lower than the 13 385 oz produced in the... Symbol secures offtake and financing for Macy By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Symbol Mining has inked an offtake and marketing agreement with Noble Resources international for its Macy zinc project, in Nigeria. The offtake and marketing agreement also secured the final funding requirements for the development of the Macy project, with a short-term $3-million... India's Oil Ministry supports petcoke import ban – govt lawyer tells court By: Reuters India's Oil Ministry is in favour of a ban on the import of petroleum coke, the government's lawyer told the Supreme Court on Monday. An oil refinery by-product, petroleum coke, or petcoke, is used as a fuel because of its higher energy content than coal, but it releases larger amounts of carbon... Indian captive coal miners likely to be allowed merchant sale By: Ajoy K Das In a forthcoming revamp of coal block auction rules, India’s Coal Ministry is likely to allow captive miners free merchant sales of 25% of production in a step towards blurring the distinction between commercial and captive mining. The move towards greater flexibility for captive coal miners is...

MOD could increase plant throughput at T3 By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed MOD Resources has reported a 13% increase in the indicated resource of its T3 deposit, in Botswana, which could support a potential increase in the planned design throughput. MOD on Monday said that a reclassification of the T3 resource has seen the indicated mineral resource estimate... More resources at Montepuez By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Battery Minerals has reported a 14% increase in the mineral resource estimate of the Elephant deposit, at its Montepuez project, in Mozambique. The project is now estimated to host a total measured and indicated resource of 76.9-million tonnes, at 7.3% total graphitic carbon. Platinum 2018: A review of South Africa's platinum sector (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Platinum 2018 report provides a global overview of the platinum market, with a particular focus on South Africa’s platinum-sector business and regulatory environment. The report includes commentary on the main participants in South Africa’s platinum industry, other platinum...

LATEST VIDEOS

New mining fund raising R750m to co-finance ancillary mine projects   By: Martin Creamer In an economic environment of tight capital allocation and bank pull back from mining finance, the new tax-incentivised CCP 12 J Mining Fund is going all out to raise R750-million for co-investment in ancillary project opportunities on existing mine sites. On the list of targeted project...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 16-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1229.01 $/oz     Pt 819.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 17 July 2018 CAT

17th July 2018

Solid Q2 performance rounds out strong first half for Rio Tinto By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified major Rio Tinto has reported increased production in most of its commodities in the second quarter ended June, compared with the previous corresponding period. “Operational performance was solid across most commodities, rounding out a strong first half performance for the group,”... NT govt reveals fracking framework By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Northern Territory government has unveiled plans to implement the recommendations from an independent scientific inquiry into unconventional hydraulic fracturing, in a bid to unlock reserves. “This is a plan to protect our environment, create local jobs and ensure the actions of government... Mustang to focus on graphite/vanadium assets following gemstones deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel The A$10-million merger of Mustang Resources’ ruby assets with that of TSX-V listed Fura Gems will allow the Australia-listed company to focus on its graphite/vanadium assets in Mozambique. Under the agreement, Fura will issue Mustang with A$10-million in shares over a 20-month period, giving... Saracen sets higher target for 2019 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Saracen Mineral Holdings has a beaten its production expectations for the 2018 financial year, and set itself a higher target in 2019. Saracen on Tuesday reported record gold production of 316 453 oz during the full year ended June, which was above the 310 000 oz to 315 000 oz target... Bass reaching for nameplate capacity at Graphmada By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite miner Bass Metals is expected to reach its Stage 1 nameplate capacity of 500 t/m at its Graphmada project, in Madagascar, by the end of the first quarter of 2019. The company said on Tuesday that the production of premium graphite concentrate has steadily increased, with Bass now... Merlin conjures up pink diamonds By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of ASX-listed Merlin Diamonds rose by more than 14% on Tuesday after the company announced that 32 pink diamonds, totalling 6.63 ct, have been recovered from its Merlin mine, in the Northern Territory. Merlin told shareholders that the company was encouraged by the discovery of... Minotaur terminates Leinster deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Minotaur Exploration has terminated an April agreement to divest of its Leinster tenements, in Western Australia. Under the original agreement, Minotaur would have received A$1.55-million in a mixture of cash, shares and a milestone payment from the private investment firm acquiring... Laramide buys Rio tenements By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dual listed uranium developer Laramide Resources will spend A$450 000 to purchase the Murphy uranium tenements, in the Northern Territory, from major Rio Tinto’s exploration arm. The purchase agreement replaces an existing farm-in and joint venture agreement between the two companies. The world's biggest miners want more copper but nobody's selling By: Bloomberg It’s the mining world’s biggest dilemma: everyone’s hunting for copper deals, but even the richest producers just can’t pull the trigger. The largest miners all say they’re bullish on copper and looking for growth in the metal that’s forecast to be in ever-greater demand as cities expand and...

Orion on track for completing Prieska BFS By: Anine Kilian JSE-listed Orion Minerals is on track to complete its bankable feasibility study into the Prieska zinc/copper project, in the Northern Cape, by the end of the year. The company on Monday reported positive assay results from a further 13 drilled intersections at the project.

By: Martin Creamer In an economic environment of tight capital allocation and bank pull back from mining finance, the new tax-incentivised CCP 12J Mining Fund is going all out to raise R750-million for co-investment in ancillary project opportunities on existing mine sites. On the list of targeted project...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 17-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1217.62 $/oz     Pt 803.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 19 July 2018 CAT

19th July 2018

South32’s manganese production up 10%, Illawarra beats guidance By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner South32 has reported record performances at its Australian manganese and Mozal aluminium operations during the 2018 financial year ended June, while also exceeding revised production guidance for its Illawarra metallurgical coal operations. “We delivered record annual... Higher prices drive Santos revenue By: Esmarie Swanepoel Oil and gas major Santos has reported a 16% increase in sales revenue for the first half of 2018, compared with the previous corresponding period, on the back of stronger commodity prices and higher oil sales. Santos on Thursday reported that production during the first half of the year declined... Woodside production on the up By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Woodside Petroleum has reported increased production with the start of the second liquefied natural gas (LNG) train from the Chevron-operated Wheatstone operation. Production during the three months to June reached 22-million barrels of oil equivalent, up from the 20.7-million barrels... Oz reports a solid June quarter By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper miner Oz Minerals has reported another solid quarter during the three months to June in its bid to reach full-year production of between 100 000 t and 110 000 t of copper. During the second quarter, Oz produced 27 131 t of copper, which was in line with the 27 466 t produced in the first... Australia’s Minerals Council unfazed by US uranium investigation By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) appeared unfazed over a decision by the US Department of Commerce to launch an investigation on uranium imports. A MCA spokesperson told Mining Weekly Online on Thursday that Australia had been a long-standing uranium supplier to the US. In 2017, US... Piedmont delivers lithium scoping study for US project By: Esmarie Swanepoel The vertically integrated Piedmont lithium project is expected to produce 22 700 t/y of lithium hydroxide over an initial 13-year mine life, the project’s eponymous owner reported on Thursday. ASX-listed Piedmont Lithium said that a scoping study contemplated a staged development approach for... Metgasco turns to Mexican Gulf By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Metgasco has entered into an agreement with fellow listed Byron Energy to farm-in to the South Marsh Island block, in the Gulf of Mexico. Metgasco will gain a 30% interest in the project through funding 40% of the cost of an initial test well to casing point, as well as certain... BHP beats production expectations; warns of $650m Samarco charge By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified giant BHP on Wednesday announced that the company had met or exceeded the production expectations for its commodities during the 2018 financial year, but warned of a $650-million financial impact related to the Samarco dam failure, in Brazil. “We have delivered a strong finish to the...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 19-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1229.10 $/oz     Pt 830.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 20 July 2018 CAT

20th July 2018

Lynas production hits record, further increases planned for Q3 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Rare earths miner Lynas has reported record neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) and rare-earth oxide (REO) production for the June quarter, with further increases planned for the September quarter. The ASX-listed company on Friday reported REO production of 4 804 t, up 17% on the previous quarter’s...      Photo by Bloomberg        AngloGold chairperson warns South Africa on 'reckless' mining rules By: Bloomberg South Africa risks driving away new investment and crippling its mining sector if “reckless” new rules are implemented, according to AngloGold Ashanti chairperson Sipho Pityana. The latest Mining Charter, which is aimed at sharing the benefits of the country’s mineral wealth more equally among... Evolution warns of production drop in 2019 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Australian gold miner Evolution Mining has reported higher production in its June quarter, compared with the previous quarter, hitting its full year production targets. However, the miner this week warned of lower outputs in the 2019 financial year. WGC ‘optimistic’ about gold’s H2 performance By: Marleny Arnoldi Gold investors saw their fortunes change during the second quarter after benefiting from gold’s strong performance in the first quarter, says the World Gold Council (WGC) in its mid-year outlook. The study considers the impact of global economic trends on gold’s performance. PNG LNG signs mid-term offtake By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Papua New Guinea liquefied natural gas (PNGG LNG) project partners have entered into a mid-term LNG sale and purchase agreement with Hong Kong-based PetroChina International Corporation. Under the agreement, the PNG LNG project will supply some 0.45-million tonnes of LNG a year over a... OreCorp hoping for control of Tanzanian project By: Esmarie Swanepoel Metals developer OreCorp’s Tanzanian subsidiary has completed its earn-in obligations into the Nyanzaga gold project, and has now exercised its option to gain full control of the project. OreCorp acquired a 25% stake in the project through spending around $14-million in completing a... Oyu Tolgoi in deals with Chinese contractors for power station By: Mariaan Webb Mongolia copper and gold miner Oyu Tolgoi, which is controlled by Rio Tinto, has entered into agreements with three Chinese contractors to submit bids for the engineering, design and construction of a power station at the mine site. The company has refreshed previous plans to develop its own... Archer readies for spin-out By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Archer Exploration on Friday said that it will pursue an initial public offering (IPO) of its non-graphite exploration business on the ASX, before the end of 2018. The spin-out will be subject to market conditions and the necessary approvals, the company said. Silver Lake shows strong full year By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Silver Lake Resources has produced 42 258 oz of gold during the three months to June, which was down from the record 46 780 oz delivered in the previous quarter. The Daisy underground complex produced 17 585 oz during the June quarter, with Cock-eyed Bob adding 5 975 oz and Maxwells a...

Mount Gibson stays steady By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior miner Mount Gibson has reported another steady quarter of iron sales during the June quarter, with one-million tonnes sold for revenues of A$45-million. “It was pleasing to complete the financial year with another solid operational effort in the Mid West and excellent progress at our... Mustang reports maiden resource at Caula By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Mustang Resources has reported a maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee compliant resource of 22-million tonnes, at 0.37% vanadium pentoxide at its Caula vanadium-graphite project, in Mozambique. The Caula project is currently estimated to host some 81 600 t of vanadium pentoxide. Indian iron-ore exports shifting from fines to pellets By: Ajoy K Das Indian international trade in iron-ore is shifting to more iron-ore pellets, rather than high-grade fines, prompted by changing preferences of overseas buyers. Information and data sourced from industry indicate that overseas shipment and sales realisations of iron-ore pellets are outstripping...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 20-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1224.90 $/oz     Pt 828.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 23 July 2018 CAT

23rd July 2018

BHP confirms class action over Samarco dam disaster By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining major BHP on Monday said that defend itself against a class action filed in the Federal Court of Australia, in Victoria, relating to the Samarco dam failure. While the miner did not reveal any details regarding the class action proceedings, media reports on Monday said that some 3 000...

Photo by Bloomberg

Doray forecasts higher production at Deflector, resource increased by 34% By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals has extended the life-of-mine (LoM) plan for its Deflector operation to the end of 2022, with the Western Australia-based mine now expected to deliver 43% more gold than the previous plan. The updated Deflector LoM plan is expected to produce an additional 340 000 oz of... Winmar buys into DRC cobalt processing facility By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Winmar Resources has signed a head of agreement with African Holding Investment Company for a 50% interest in the Luapula cobalt processing facility, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The processing facility, which was constructed in 2014 at a capital cost of $80-million, is a... Western Areas hits full year targets By: Esmarie Swanepoel Nickel miner Western Areas has delivered a solid fourth quarter during the three months to June, with the miner hitting its production targets in the full-year. Western Areas produced 6 381 t of nickel during the June quarter, up from the 6 236 t produced in the previous quarter, with full year... New assets double Yancoal production By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal miner Yancoal has reported a 102% increase in saleable coal production and a 96% increase in sales volumes for the June quarter, after completing the acquisition of a 49% interest in the Hunter Valley Operations, in New South Wales, in May this year. The results also reflected Yancoal’s... Ark shares sink on sales talk By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of ASX-listed Ark Mines tumbled more than 15% on Monday, after the company announced the sale of its Mt Porter and Frances Creek tenements, in the Northern Territory. Ark told shareholders that it had inked a binding term sheet with Territory Iron to divest of the Pine Creek... Newcrest and Encounter extend search By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Newcrest Mining and fellow-listed Encounter Resources have extended a project generation alliance by a further 12 months. The initial agreement, which started in July last year, generated five separate unincorporated joint ventures between Newcrest and Encounter, covering some 4 400... Sanbrado permit adjusted for underground mining By: Esmarie Swanepoel The government of Burkina Faso has updated the mining permit for the Sanbrado gold project, allowing for both underground and openpit mining, and for the use of carbon-in-leach as a processing method. ASX-listed West African Resources in June this year updated the feasibility study for the... Poseidon gets new CEO By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Poseidon Nickel has appointed Robert Dennis as MD and CEO, effective from August 1. Dennis is currently a non-executive director of the company, and was formerly the COO before taking up a role as COO of Independence Group in 2014.

India takes step toward improving ease of doing business in mining By: Ajoy K Das In a bid to ease doing business in the mining sector, the Indian government has approved a “single window” bundled clearance of all mandatory approvals for 288 mining leases that are slated to expire in 2020. Government officials said that new lease holders of these mines would not need to make...

Anglo Platinum taking steps to reverse unjustified investor bearishness By: Martin Creamer Platinum group metals (PGMs) mining, refining and marketing company Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), which on Monday delivered an outstanding set of dividend-yielding financial results for the six months to June 30, is taking steps to reverse unjustified investor bearishness. After the company...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 23-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1226.81 $/oz     Pt 839.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 24 July 2018 CAT

24th July 2018

MMG has stellar quarter, awaits Sepon sale By: Esmarie Swanepoel Base metals miner MMG has reported increased production across most of its production portfolios, as its Dugald River operation, in Queensland, operated at commercial production levels. Copper cathode production fro the June quarter was up 4% on the previous corresponding period, to 37 457 t,...

Photo by Bloomberg

Pilgangoora delivers first coarse product By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Pilbara Minerals has produced its first coarse concentrate from the Pilgangoora lithium project, in Western Australia. The first coarse production followed on from the first fines concentrate last month, and resulted from the coarse circuit being brought online. Peabody posts Q2 profit; Australian mines drive revenue growth By: Mariaan Webb NYSE-listed coal major Peabody Energy, which mines metallurgical and thermal coal in the US and Australia, on Tuesday reported a return to second-quarter profit, with net income attributable to common stockholders increasing to $113.7-million, or $0.90 a share, in the three months ended June.... Ardea’s expansion study on WA base metals project completed By: Esmarie Swanepoel An expansion study of the Goongarie nickel/cobalt project, in Western Australia, has significantly improved the value, the rate of return (IRR) and the payback period of the project, compared with the previously released prefeasibility study (PFS), ASX-listed Ardea Resources said on Tuesday. The... Eramet extends MDL deadline By: Esmarie Swanepoel French firm Eramet has started the compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in ASX-listed Mineral Deposits (MDL), after achieving a shareholding of more than 90%. The directors of MDL earlier this month unanimously recommended the revised takeover offer from Eramet, after the A$1.75 a... Aurora holds its hand in Molopo bid By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Aurora Funds Management will hold off on making a decision to free its bid for fellow-listed Molopo Energy from its defeating conditions, until a ruling by the Review Panel. Molopo last week turned to the Australian Takeovers Panel to review its decision ordering Molopo to pay Aurora... Construction starts at ALCORE pilot plant By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Australian Bauxite on Tuesday reported that its subsidiary ALCORE has secured the minimum funding required to start Stage 1 of the ALCORE project. Site construction works started in July, as planned, at the pre-approved pilot plant site in New South Wales, for the production of... AngloGold says there's no escaping demise of South African gold By: Bloomberg South Africa’s gold industry, once the world’s largest, faces an inevitable decline, according to the chairperson of the country’s biggest producer of the metal by market value. Output will continue to shrink as miners chase ever-deeper ore bodies while struggling to keep costs down, said... Premium prices being paid for Kumba’s quality iron-ore By: Martin Creamer China’s flight to quality iron-ore is benefiting South Africa’s Kumba Iron Ore, which is receiving strong price premiums for high-grade ore.  Two thirds of Kumba ore is lump ore compared with the third or less of its main competitors.

Lucapa sells more diamonds in July By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diamond miner Lucapa has completed the first sale of alluvial diamonds for the second half of 2018 from its Lulo project, in Angola, generating $2-million in revenues. The parcel consisted of 2 527 ct and achieved an average price of $800/ct. Alliance takes greater stake in Wilcherry By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Alliance Resources has increased its stake on the Wilcherry project joint venture (JV), in South Australia, 75.01%. JV partner Trafford Resources, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tyranna Resources, has diluted its interest in the exploration area to 24.99%, after Alliance sole... Coal India production picking up but domestic shortage to persist for 2 to 3 years By: Ajoy K Das Green shoots are emerging for State-owned miner Coal India Limited (CIL), with first-quarter coal production and sales increasing, but the government has warned that the domestic coal shortage will persist for the next two to three years. CIL achieved a production growth of 15% during the June... Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 (Second Edition) This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 24-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1229.00 $/oz     Pt 834.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 25 July 2018 CAT

25th July 2018

Talison pushes button on A$516m WA lithium expansion By: Esmarie Swanepoel The board of Talison Lithium have green-lit a A$516-million expansion of the Greenbushes lithium operation, in Western Australia. The expansion will entail the construction of a new lithium concentrate plant capable of producing 520 000 t/y of chemical-grade lithium concentrate, a new crushing... BHP turns first sod at $3.4bn Pilbara mine By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining major BHP has turned the first sod at its $3.4-billion South Flank project, in the Pilbara. The South Flank operation will leverage and expand on the existing Mining Area C hub, and is BHP's preferred option to replace the 80-million-tonne-a-year Yandi mine, which will reach the end of... Altura delivers first concentrate 16 months after ground was broken By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Altura Mining has delivered its first lithium concentrate from its flagship project in Western Australia. The first concentrate production comes 16 months after ground was broken at the Pilgangoora project, in March 2017. Qld govt invests in mining center By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Queensland government will fund A$3.6-million to The Mackay Resources Center of Excellence, which will feature a simulated underground coal mine for training and research purposes. Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the Mackay... Troy sets new target for 2019 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Troy Resources has set a production target of between 65 000 oz and 75 000 oz for the 2019 financial year, after beating its production expectations in 2018. The miner earlier reported that gold production at its Karouni operation, in Guyana, had reached a record 70 207 oz during the... Nova to list its Canada lithium projects on TSX-V By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Nova Minerals is looking to unlock value from its lithium projects through the spin-off of Snow Lake Resources into a C$24-million initial public offering (IPO) on the TSX-V. Following a restructure, the subsidiary will have the right to earn an 80% interest in the Thompson Brothers... Mincor pours first gold By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Widgiemooltha gold project, in Western Australia, has poured its first gold, owner Mincor Resources reported. The first parcel of ore comprised material sourced from the start-up upper benches of the Flinders and Bass pits, with Mincor telling shareholders that mining remained on track to... Base increases Kwale production By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral sands miner Base Resources has reported increased ilmenite, rutile and zircon production from its Kwale project, in Kenya, following the successful ramp-up of mining operations post the commissioning of the Kwale Phase 2 (KP2) optimisation project. Lulo delivers higher output in June quarter By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has reported a 27% increase in mining volumes from its Lulo diamond project, in Angola, during the June quarter, increasing diamond production by 20%. The ASX-listed company on Wednesday reported that 5 058 carats were produced during the three months to...

Castillo joins forces with A-Cap By: Esmarie Swanepoel Juniors Castillo Copper and A-Cap Resources will joint venture (JV) to explore the Malborough nickel/cobalt project, in Queensland. A-Cap will invest A$2.25-million over a two year term to fund exploration activities on the Malborough project tenements, up to the completion of a bankable... Chile's Escondida copper mine makes final offer to union By: Reuters The world's largest copper mine, BHP's Escondida in Chile, said on Tuesday it had made a final offer in talks with the union representing its rank-and-file workers that includes a beefed up contract signing bonus and a 1.5% increase in wages. The Anglo-Australian miner offered a final signing...

Peabody posts Q2 profit; Australian mines drive revenue growth By: Mariaan Webb NYSE-listed coal major Peabody Energy, which mines metallurgical and thermal coal in the US and Australia, on Tuesday reported a return to second-quarter profit, with net income attributable to common stockholders increasing to $113.7-million, or $0.90 a share, in the three months ended June....

Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 (Second Edition)

This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

LATEST VIDEOS

Kumba ‘very bullish’ on exploration prospects   By: Martin Creamer Iron-ore mining and marketing company Kumba Iron Ore is bullish about its R664-million exploration programme, that has funded more than 200 000 m of drilling. "We’re very bullish and very excited,” Kumba Iron Ore technical and projects head Glen Mc Gavigan commented to Mining Weekly Online during...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 25-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1226.89 $/oz     Pt 833.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 26 July 2018 CAT

26th July 2018

Fortescue has its best quarter with 46.5Mt shipped By: Esmarie Swanepoel Iron-ore major Fortescue Metals has reported record iron-ore shipments of 46.5-million during the three months to June. “It was a strong finish to 2018 with the team delivering record shipments of 46.5-million tonnes in the quarter to achieve our target of 170-million tonnes for the full year....      Photo by Bloomberg        Peabody looks at longer life for North Goonyella By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed a decision by US major Peabody to extend its North Goonyella metallurgical coal mine, near Moranbah. Peabody on Thursday reported that with some 71-million short tonnes across the mine, the North Goonyella South project would extend the mine’s... MMG facing civil action in Peru By: Esmarie Swanepoel Base metals miner MMG is facing a legal battle in Peru, with the miner announcing a civil claim involving its Las Bambas subsidiary. MMG on Thursday told shareholders that the Fuerabamba community had submitted a civil claim agains Las Bambas, which owns the Las Bambas copper mine, seeking a... Strong Q2 puts Newcrest only 2% below original FY target By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Newcrest Mining has reported a strong June quarter, resulting in the company missing its original full-year production guidance by only 2%. Newcrest in April adjusted full-year production forecasts from between 2.4-million and 2.7-million ounces, to between 2.25-million and... Rio Tinto renews commitment to Quebec aluminium operations By: Esmarie Swanepoel PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Rio Tinto has struck a renewed partnership agreement with the government of Quebec, which the miner said would strengthen its aluminium assets in the region. The new agreement supersedes one that was signed in 2006, and will run until 2025. The... Uitkomst production spikes in June Q By: Esmarie Swanepoel South Africa focused MC Mining has reported increased production during the June quarter at its Uitkomst colliery, despite ongoing equipment challenges at the mine. Run-of-mine (RoM) production for the three months to June was up by 7% on the previous quarter, reaching 123 771 t. Penny's Find delivers on promise By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Penny’s Find gold mine, in Western Australia, delivered more than 18 300 oz of gold, generating higher than expected revenues, ASX-listed Empire Resources reported this week. Final accounting for the openpit mine, which has now completed production, has shown that Penny’s Find generated 5%... Australian Mines gets interest in new IPO By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Australian Mines has reported that its spin-out subsidiary has already secured A$5-million in funding commitments to progress its initial public offering (IPO). Australian Mines is planning have transferred its Western Australian gold and base metals exploration assets into subsidiary... Lepidico hunts for lithium on Venus soil By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed juniors Venus Metals and Lepidico have entered into an option agreement under which Lepidico will explore for lithium mineralisation in the Youanmi district in Western Australia. On executing the agreement, Venus will receive A$50 000 in cash and A$120 000 worth of Lepidico shares,...

India readying to lift ban on gold imports from South Korea By: Ajoy K Das A sharp fall in gold imported into the country during the first quarter of the current financial year has prompted the Indian government to move toward an early lifting of the import ban of the precious metal from South Korea. With gold imports down 25% during first quarter at $8.43-billion and...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 26-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1224.39 $/oz     Pt 829.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 27 July 2018 CAT

27th July 2018

BHP sells onshore US assets for $10.8bn By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining major BHP has struck deals to divest of its onshore US oil and gas assets for $10.8-billion in cash. BP American Production Company, a subsidiary of energy major British Petroleum (BP), has agreed to acquire all of the issued share capital of Petrohawk Energy Corporation, which holds the... MinRes to earn into Brockman’s Marillana project By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Mineral Resources (MinRes) has struck a deal with fellow-listed Brockman Mining, which could see it acquire a 50% share in the Marillana iron-ore project, in the Pilbara. Under a farm-in agreement, MinRes could earn a 50% interest in the project by spending A$250 000 on exploration... Ribbon cut at Browns Range By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Browns Range heavy rare earths pilot processing plant was officially opened on Friday. Owner Northern Minerals told shareholders that the project was now officially the first producer of heavy rare earths outside of China. Deflector hits production targets By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals has struck its production target for the 2018 financial year, with the miner producing 64 593 oz. The full year production was at the top end of the company’s guidance for the year of between 60 000 oz and 65 000 oz, and followed on from a solid quarter of production at... Hancock bid free of conditions - Atlas By: Esmarie Swanepoel Suitor Hancock Prospecting’s offer for iron-ore miner Atlas Iron has been declared unconditional. Atlas on Friday said that shareholders who now accepted the Hancock offer could expect a pay-out within seven days of their acceptance. DeGrussa delivers another strong quarter for Sandfire By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper/gold miner Sandfire Resources has reported a strong June quarter, with copper production up slightly on the previous quarter. Copper production in the three months to June reached 17 867 t, up from the 15 531 t in the previous quarter, while gold production was reported at 9 548 oz, down... Watershed sale formalised By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Vital Metals has signed a formal sales agreement for its Watershed tungsten project, in North Queensland, with fellow listed Tungsten Mining. The two companies in May this year struck a A$15-milion cash deal, that will see Tungsten Mining take control of the asset. Orocobre takes advantage of Advantage raising By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX- and TSX-listed Orocobre on Friday told shareholders that it would participate in a C$12-million private placement by TSX-V-listed Advantage Lithium. Advantage will issue more than 15.5-million shares, at a price of C$0.77 each, to raise the funds, with Orocobre investing a total of... Will BHP's CEO follow top miner's shale unit out of the door? By: Bloomberg BHP Billiton’s $10.8-billion of deals to exit its troubled US shale unit will allow CEO Andrew Mackenzie to shower investors with returns. It may also be a chance for him to bow out on top. Mackenzie, 61, who’s held his post since 2013, has delivered on plans to simplify BHP around a tighter...

Carnegie advances to PFS By: Esmarie Swanepoel A scoping study into the Carnegie potash project, in Western Australia, has confirmed the project had the potential to be technically and economically viable, prompting joint venture partners BCI Minerals and Kalium Lakes to green light a prefeasibility study. With the completion of the scoping... India makes tentative moves towards single tax rate for mining sector By: Ajoy K Das India’s Steel Ministry has made the first tentative move towards achieving a single unified tax for the mining industry, subsuming the plethora of taxes currently payable by miners. Ministry officials acknowledged that the goal of having a single rate of tax for the mining industry would be... West Wits breathes life into old gold mine By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed exploration and development company West Wits Mining is reinvigorating the goldfield known as the Witwatersrand basin, near Roodepoort, which has a revised Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant mineral resource estimate of 3.67-million ounces of gold. The company has restarted openpit...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 27-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1224.25 $/oz     Pt 831.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 30 July 2018 CAT

30th July 2018

Sundance clears A$133bn of debt in ‘transformational deal’ By: Esmarie Swanepoel Iron-ore developer Sundance Resources has struck a deal to restructure its balance sheet and wipe out A$133-million of debt. Sundance on Monday announced that it had signed a binding term sheet with its noteholders to cancel their convertible notes in return for a combination of equity and a...      Photo by Reuters        Gruyere’s price tag rises to A$621m on scope changes By: Esmarie Swanepoel An independent third party review of the definitive estimate for the Gruyere gold project, in Western Australia, has increased the capital cost estimate to A$621-million, up from the previous budget of A$532-million. Owners Gold Road Resources and Gold Fields said on Monday that the updated... New plant at Balama lowers 2018 guidance By: Esmarie Swanepoel A ramp-up review of the Balama project, in Mozambique, has seen graphite producer Syrah Resources adjust its full year production expectations. The company on Monday said that its new COO Julio Costa’s review had identified graphite recovery performance improvement actions, focused on stable... Core agrees funding and lithium supply term sheet with Meidu By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium hopeful Core Exploration has inked a non-binding term sheet with a subsidiary of Shanghai-listed Meidu Energy for the offtake of up to 150 000 t/y of lithium concentrate from the Finniss project, in the Northern Territory. Meidu subsidiary RuiFu Lthium, which is one of China’s largest... Rey sells Duchess Paradise for A$24m By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Rey Resources has signed a deal with Yuanrun Investment to divest of its Duchess Paradise thermal coal project, in Western Australia, for A$24-million. Yuanrun will pay A$2-million to Ray within ten days of the agreement, with the payment treated as a non-refundable deposit. Mothae delivers more diamonds for Lucapa By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diamond miner Lucapa has recovered another special diamond from ongoing bulk sampling at its Mothae mine, in Lesotho. The 11.88 carat diamond was recovered from the North zone, and is the first special diamond recovered from that section of the Mothae kimberlite pipe in the current bulk sample. Wolf adjusts finances as Drakelands ramps up By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX- and Aim-listed Wolf Minerals has secured an additional £4-million in funding as it ramps up operations at its Drakelands openpit mine, at the Hemerdon tungsten and tin project, in England. Wolf Minerals on Monday said that the existing bridge facility will be increased from £65-million to... Liontown gets maiden vanadium resource at Toolebuc By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Liontown Resources has reported a maiden inferred mineral resource of some 83.7-million tonnes at its Toolebuc project, in Queensland, grading 0.30% vanadium pentoxide. MD David Richards said on Monday that the maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant resource, which was based on... Golden Rim raises cash for Kouri By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Golden Rim Resources will raise A$3-million through a share placement to fund work at its Kouri gold project, in Burkina Faso. The company on Monday said that some 116-million fully paid ordinary shares will be placed to institutional and sophisticated investors, priced at 2.6c each,...

Jameson advances Crown Mountain By: Esmarie Swanepoel Project partners Jameson Resources and Bathurst Resources have accelerated work at the Crown Mountain coking coal project, in Canada. The two companies at the end of June signed an agreement which would see Bathurst provide an initial an initial C$4-million investment into Jameson’s Canadian... India’s NMDC bags gold mine through highest bid at auctions By: Ajoy K Das Indian State-run iron-ore miner NMDC will mark its maiden foray into gold mining, having bagged a gold mine in the southern province of Andhra Pradesh. NDMC was able to secure the rights to develop and produce from the gold mine emerging as the highest bidder at the auction pipping majors like... Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 - Second Edition (PDF Report)

This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

LATEST VIDEOS

First tin concentrate to market in Q4 – AfriTin   By: Martin Creamer Emerging tin mining company AfriTin is on track to place its first tin concentrate into the market in the fourth quarter of this year. The Aim-listed company is going all out to put Africa, once the fourth-biggest exporter of tin but now without an industrial-scale mine, back on the global tin...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 30-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1221.96 $/oz     Pt 832.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 31 July 2018 CAT

31st July 2018

Senex secures A$150m for project development By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Senex Energy has entered into a fully underwritten A$150-million debt facility to fund the development of its east coast gas projects and Cooper Basin assets. The debt facility includes a A$125-million senior secured reserve based lending facility with a seven-year tenor and...      Photo by Bloomberg        Metals X hoping to raise A$50m By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Metals X is hoping to raise A$50-million through an institutional placement, priced at 65c a share. The company on Tuesday said that it will issue some 76.9-million shares to professional and institutional investors, to fund regional exploration, advance its development projects, and... Beadell lowers FY guidance to focus on cash flow By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Beadell Resources has adjusted its full-year gold production expectations as the company focuses on cash flows, rather than production. Beadell on Tuesday said that production for the full 2018 is now expected to be between 125 000 oz and 135 000 oz, compared with the previous... Volt announces results of Bunyu Stage 1 study By: Esmarie Swanepoel A feasibility study into the Stage 1 Bunyu graphite project, in Tanzania, has delivered a pre-tax net present value of $18.6-million and an internal rate of return of 21%. ASX-listed Volt Resources on Tuesday said that the Stage 1 operation is based on a mining and processing plant with a... APLNG supports Origin earnings By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas (APLGN) project has driven production and revenues for ASX-listed Origin Energy during the three months to June. “APLNG continues to perform well and is making an increasingly important contribution to Origin,” CEO Frank Calabria said on Tuesday. Western Areas strike exploration deal with Iluka By: Esmarie Swanepoel Nickel miner Western Areas has signed a farm-in and joint venture (JV) agreement with fellow-listed Iluka, in South Australia. Under the terms of the agreement, Western Areas could earn an initial 51% over the metal rights in five exploration licenses by spending A$2.75-million within a three... Bald Hill reaches production milestone By: Esmarie Swanepoel Commercial production has been declared at the Bald Hill lithium mine, in Western Australia. Joint venture (JV) partners Tawana Resources and Alliance Mineral Assets were now targeting a production of between 60 000 t and 75 000 t of spodumene concentrate for the six months between July and... Cardinal finds funding for Namindi studies By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Cardinal Resources has signed a $25-million term sheet with Sprott Private Resource Lending for working capital and funding to complete preliminary and definitive feasibility studies at the Namindi gold project, in Ghana. Cardinal on Tuesday told shareholders that the loan facility... Union official at Chile's Escondida mine predicts 'overwhelming' vote against BHP offer By: Reuters The union at BHP's Escondida mine in Chile, the world's largest copper mine, is expected to overwhelmingly reject the final contract offer from the Anglo-Australian miner, increasing the likelihood of a strike, a union leader told Reuters on Monday. Union members have until Wednesday to finish...

Elementos to invest in Spanish tin By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Elementos has signed a heads of agreement with TSX-V-listed Eurotin to acquire the Oropesa tin project, in Spain, in exchange for one-billion shares in the company. Elementos told shareholders that Oropesa was one of the best undeveloped tin resources in the western world, with a... Sulphides intersected at Orion’s Rok Optel nickel/copper prospect By: Anine Kilian Semi-massive and injected-stringer sulphide veins have been intersected at Orion Minerals’ Rok Optel nickel/copper prospect, in the Areachap Belt, in the Northern Cape. The company noted in a release on Monday that the intersections achieved provide strong geological proof of concept for Orion’s...

Voorspoed diamond mine to close after search for bidder fails   By: Martin Creamer The Voorspoed diamond mine in the Free State is scheduled to close by year-end if the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) is unable to secure, in the next 30 days, a suitable bidder that will set the seal on the employment and community support that this Kroonstad-area mine provides. The...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 31-07-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1213.48 $/oz     Pt 829.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:21 on 02 August 2018 CAT

2nd August 2018

Gas industry pushes for further easing of restrictions to boost supply By: Esmarie Swanepoel The resources industry has called for a further easing of restrictions on the gas industry to ensure the development of more supply, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC’s) latest Gas Market Inquiry report. The ACCC said on Thursday that while conditions on the... Resources continue to drive Australian exports By: Esmarie Swanepoel New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has shown that the resources sector is still driving the economy. The ABS on Thursday reported that Australia’s exports of goods and services surpassed A$400-billion for the first time in 2017/18, owing mainly to growth in resources... Northern Star sets A$60m exploration budget By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Northern Star Resources has unveiled a A$60-million exploration budget for 2019, in a bid to convert some of its 15.9-million ounce resource to reserves. The miner on Thursday said that the strategy for 2019 is designed to lay the foundations for the next round of growth in both... Rio buys back more shares By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified major Rio Tinto has launched a $1-billion share buy-back programme, priced at 10 pence a share. The new share buy-back programme is in addition to the on-market buy-back programmes of $1.92-billion announced in September 2017, and of $1-billion announced in February this year, of... AngloGold to swing to H1 profit on higher output, lower costs By: Simone Liedtke Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti expects to report headline earnings of between $91-million and $108-million for the six months ended June 30, compared with a headline loss of $89-million in the first half of 2017. Headline earnings a share for the six months under review are expected to be between... NiWest to cost A$966m By: Esmarie Swanepoel A prefeasibility study (PFS) into the NiWest nickel/cobalt project, in Western Australia, has estimated that the project could produce 456 000 t of nickel and 31 400 t of cobalt over a 27-year mine life, based on a nameplate processing capacity of 2.4-million tonnes a year. Owner GME Resources... Red 5 expecting more in 2019 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Red 5 is expecting to produce between 100 000 oz and 115 000 oz from its Western Australian operations in the 2019 financial year. The company on Thursday announced a 64% increase to the reserve estimate at its Darlot mine, which now stood at 1.92-million tonnes, at 3.5 g/t gold, for... MC Mining takes over Uitkomst mining By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal miner MC Mining will spend some $4.9-million to acquire the mining equipment from independent mining contractor Khethekile Mining, allowing the company to transition to an owner-operator model at its Uitkomst colliery, in South Africa. The equipment includes a conveyor system and coal... MOD eyes LSE listing after Metal Tiger deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed MOD Resources has announced plans to seek a dual listing on the London Stock Exchange, following its deal with joint venture partner Metal Tiger to consolidate ownership of the T3 project, in Botswana. MOD said on Thursday that the LSE listing will likely take place in the fourth...

Volt signs another binding offtake By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Volt Resources has signed its second binding offtake agreement over the Bunyu graphite project, in Tanzania. The ASX-listed company has inked a binding offtake agreement with Chinese graphite company Qingdao Tianshengda Graphite for 9 000 t/y of graphite over a period of five... Koolan Island dewatering starts By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dewatering of the Koolan Island project’s main pit has started, ASX-listed Mount Gibson said on Thursday. The start of high volume dewatering in the main pit followed the successful completion of the concrete seepage barrier at the seawall, in mid-July, and following a necessary waiting period... Philippines says 23 of 27 mines pass review, but four may close By: Reuters The Philippines confirmed on Thursday that 23 of 27 mines reviewed for compliance with state regulations will continue to operate, while the remaining four in the world's No. 2 nickel supplier that failed the audit could face closure. The government review panel issued its final report after...

Energy access solution lies in adopting VRFB technology in renewable energy – Nikomarov   By: Simone Liedtke With about 650-million people in Africa currently without access to electricity, Bushveld Minerals subsidiary Bushveld Energy CEO Mikhail Nikomarov believes the solution lies in area-specific solutions. He explained in an interview with Mining Weekly Online that a solution needs to be an...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 02-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1217.89 $/oz     Pt 837.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:23 on 03 August 2018 CAT

3rd August 2018

Pilbara to seek board approval for 3Mt/y Pilgangoora expansion By: Esmarie Swanepoel The definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Stage 2 expansion of the Pilgangoora lithium/tantalum project, in Western Australia, has made a compelling case for the development, said ASX-listed Pilbara Minerals. The Stage 2 operation will see an additional three-million tonne a year processing...      Photo by Bloomberg        Merger volumes fall in second quarter By: Esmarie Swanepoel Global merger and acquisition (M&A) transaction values in the mining and metals sector fell by 9.5% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2018, advisory firm Ernst & Young (EY) reported this week. In its latest quarterly data, the company noted that while deal value in the first half of 2018 was... Gold's outback outperformers urged to turn M&A firepower on US By: Bloomberg Gold producers in Australia are outperforming their global competitors, prompting investors to encourage them to expand their horizons and acquire struggling North American rivals. Boosted by some of the sector’s best margins, low debt and swelling cash piles, miners in the world’s No. 2... Australian mining industry wins public support By: Esmarie Swanepoel New research undertaken on behalf of the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has shown that public opinion towards the Australian mining sector was at its highest level in six years, after hitting a low in 2016. Public opinion research conducted in May this year has shown that views towards coal... Regis goes underground at Rosemont By: Esmarie Swanepoel The board of gold miner Regis Resources has approved a A$29.4-million investment to develop an underground mining operation beneath the current Rosemont openpit mine, in Western Australia. Regis on Friday said that the underground component of the expanded operation would exploit a mineral... Silver Mines raises A$3.8m By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Silver Mines will raise A$3.85-million through a rights issue to fund exploration at its Barabolar project, in New South Wales. The company on Friday announced it will undertake a one-for-four renounceable pro-rata entitlement offer, priced at 3c a share, to raise the funds. Noble Group sues Australian coal producers for alleged breaches By: Bloomberg Noble Group, the commodity trader seeking to push through a restructuring after losing billions of dollars and defaulting, has filed a claim in Australia against two coal producers for alleged breaches of contractual obligations under a marketing services agreement. The Singapore-listed company,... Paladin noteholders set to meet By: Esmarie Swanepoel The noteholders of dual-listed Paladin Energy are expected to meet on August 21 to vote on the creation of a lien of Paladin Finance in favour of Nedbank in relation to the environmental performance bond obligations for the Kayelekera mine. The noteholders are also expected o vote on a waiver in... Ironbark finds contractor for Citronen By: Esmarie Swanepoel Base metals hopeful Ironbark Zinc has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with mining contractor Byrnecut Offshore over the Citronen zinc/lead project, in Greenland. The two companies will now work on a commercial agreement for underground contract mining services, underground mine cost...

Classic raises funds for gold exploration By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior explorer Classic Minerals has raised A$1.8-million through a share placement to fund drilling at its Forrestania gold project, in Western Australia. The company on Friday said that some 400-million shares were placed at an issue price of 0.45c each to institutional and sophisticated... Workers at Chile's Escondida give BHP deadline to avoid strike By: Reuters The union at BHP Billiton's Escondida mine in Chile, the world's biggest copper mine, told the company on Thursday that it should improve its contract offer by August 6 or it would begin preparations for a strike. Union workers announced earlier on Thursday that they had voted to reject the...

Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 - Second Edition (PDF Report)

This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

LATEST VIDEOS

Erudite adopts a fresh approach to transformation   By: Nadine James Becoming a sustainable and relevant mining industry service provider requires a genuine effort to meet and address issues of localisation and transformation, while fostering local partnerships to develop extractive projects in African countries, suggests engineering, procurement and construction...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 03-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1210.90 $/oz     Pt 825.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 06 August 2018 CAT

6th August 2018

Great Australian Bight holds a treasure trove for South Australia By: Esmarie Swanepoel A new study by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has found that successful oil exploration in the Great Australian Bight could see the creation of more than 2 000 jobs in South Australia and generate over A$7-billion a year in average tax revenue to federal...

Photo by Bloomberg

Fortescue cuts Atlas Iron stake, to retain ‘substantial holding’ By: Esmarie Swanepoel Iron-ore major Fortescue Metals on Monday said that it would retain a “substantial shareholding” in takeover target Atlas Iron, despite reducing its interest from 19.9% to 11.37%. “Fortescue has considered its options with regard to the 19.9% shareholding in Atlas Iron and has decided to retain... BHP boosts nickel mining, exploration investment amid electric vehicle boom By: Reuters Global miner BHP is ploughing more investment into nickel mine development and exploration in Western Australia, seeking to secure its own supply of a key material in batteries needed to meet booming demand for electric cars. BHP is building what is expected to be the world's largest... Updated study increases Frieda River mine life, production forecast By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Frieda River copper/gold project, in Papua New Guinea, could produce more copper and gold over a longer period than previously thought, ASX-listed Highlands Pacific reported on Monday. Highlands, which owns a 20% interest in the joint venture (JV) project, told shareholders that partner... Carpentaria finds funding partner for Hawsons By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Carpentaria Resources has reached an agreement with Mitsui & Co that would drive the development of the Hawsons iron project, in New South Wales. Carpentaria on Monday noted that the Japanese trading house will contribute A$5.4-million towards the cost of a bankable feasibility study... Dartbrook underground poised for restart with partner By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Australian Pacific Coal has struck a joint venture (JV) agreement with a subsidiary of Stella Natural Resources to restart underground operations at the Dartbrook coal mine, in New South Wales. Under the terms of the binding agreement, SNR Mineral Assets will pay Australia Pacific... Beadell raises funds for Tucano plant By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Beadell Resources will raise some A$11.8-million through a share placement to international institutional and sophisticated investors to fund the ongoing mill expansion at the Tucano project, in Brazil. The ASX-listed company will issue some 218.3-million fully paid ordinary shares,... Yandal Stage 1 gets approved By: Esmarie Swanepoel The board of ASX-listed Echo Resources has conditionally approved the development of the Stage 1 Yandal gold project, in Western Australia, following a positive bankable feasibility study (BFS). The BFS considered a staged approach to develop the Yandal mine, allowing Echo to mine the... Sihayo to cost $58.7m By: Esmarie Swanepoel An updated feasibility study (FS) into the Sihayo gold project, in Indonesia, has increased the expected capital cost from the $58.7-million estimated in the start of 2014, to $153-million. However, with an increase in the mineral resource estimate, the project is now expected to recover some...

Dacian adds to Mt Morgans resource By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold miner Dacian Gold has reported an 11% increase in the indicated resource at its Mt Morgans gold project, in Western Australia. A maiden mineral resource estimate of 245 000 oz has been declared at the Cameron Well deposit, with the project’s total measured and indicated resource now... Eramet to acquire remaining MDL shares By: Esmarie Swanepoel French group Eramet will start the compulsory acquisition of all the remaining shares in ASX-listed Mineral Deposits, after gaining a 99.24% interest in the company at the close of its takeover offer on August 3. Eramet had offered MDL shareholders A$1.75 a share in cash for their interest in... Novo and Apollo JV in Africa By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Novo Litio has struck a deal with fellow-listed Apollo Consolidated to acquire its 80% interest in the Boundiali and Korhogo gold permits, in Cote d’Ivoire. Novo will pay a A$250 000 exclusivity fee to Apollo, and on settlement of the acquisition, will issue 90-million shares to the... India's Goa state to push federal govt to restart mining By: Reuters India's Goa state on Friday passed a resolution asking the state's chief Minister to push the federal government to amend laws to restart mining across the state, a state lawmaker said, months after the country's top court quashed mining permits. The resolution seeks to amend laws in Goa so that...

Heavy-handed laws not needed to transform mining – RBPlat   By: Martin Creamer The growth of the once small community-based Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) into the fully fledged mining company that it is today provides ample evidence that the South African industry needs collaborative partnerships, built around real transformation for sustainable growth and development,...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 06-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1211.75 $/oz     Pt 829.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 07 August 2018 CAT

7th August 2018

New Hope buys 40% in Bengalla from Wesfarmers By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal miner New Hope Corporation has struck an A$860-million deal with fellow-listed Wesfarmers to purchase a further 40% interest in the Bengalla joint venture (JV), in New South Wales. News of the transaction that will increase New Hope’s holding in the project to 80% has lifted New Hope’s...

Photo by Bloomberg

Wages, activity pick up in Australia's iron ore heartland By: Reuters New spending by some of the world's largest iron ore miners is tightening the market for jobs and support services in Australia's biggest mining region, bringing a sense of optimism after years in the doldrums. Spending by majors BHP Rio Tinto and Fortescue has boosted confidence throughout the... Australia's Yancoal says Austar mine to restart production By: Reuters Coal miner Yancoal Ltd said on Tuesday that it will restart its Austar coking coal mine in New South Wales state after receiving regulatory approval to resume production. Work at the mine was halted in early July following a safety dispute with the New South Wales Resources Regulator. Mothae delivers more special stones for Lucapa By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diamond miner Lucapa has recovered more special and coloured diamonds from its Mothae diamond mine, in Lesotho. The special recoveries included a 28 carat stone from the North zone and two light pink diamonds. Gold Mountain faced with Asic fine By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior explorer Gold Mountain has been fined A$33 000 by the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (Asic) for an alleged failure to comply with its continuous disclosure obligations to the ASX. Asic on Tuesday said that the company has also been restricted from eligibility to issue a... Orion starts drilling at high conductance target at Rok Optel By: Simone Liedtke Drilling has started on a high conductance target at ASX- and JSE-listed Orion Minerals’ Rok Optel nickel/copper target on the Namaqua and Disawell mineral rights in the Areachap Belt, in South Africa. “Our first intersection at Rok Optel demonstrated that geological conditions exist for the... Sipa takes greater stake in Great Sandy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Sipa Resources has increased its stake in the Great Sandy copper/gold tenements, in Western Australia, to 80%, after spending A$2-million to earn a further 29% stake. Under the terms of a current joint venture (JV) agreement with private company Ming Gold, Sipa earned the majority stake in... Avenira raises cash for Baobab expansion studies By: Esmarie Swanepoel Phosphate developer Avenira will raise A$2.8-million through a share placement to fund the completion of a feasibility study to expand the Baobab project, in Senega. Avenira will place more than 139.9-million shares, at a price of 2c each, with the company saying on Tuesday that it has received... Matador's Cape Ray gets maiden resource By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Matador Mining has reported a maiden mineral resource of 750 000 oz at its Cape Ray gold project, in Canada. The project is also estimated to host some 2.7-million ounces of silver.

Atrum hoping to amend Jogmec deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Atrum Coal is hoping to amend its joint exploration agreement with Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (Jogmec) at the Panorama North coal project, in Canada, to include the Panorama South project. The two companies have agreed to convert the exclusivity Jogmec has had to... West African appoints executive to oversee Sanbrado development By: Simone Liedtke As ASX- and TSX-V-listed West African Resources moves into the development phase at its 90%-owned Sanbrado gold project, in Burkina Faso, the gold developer has also announced a key management appointment and project update. Matthew Wilcox will join the West African executive team as chief...

Govt must play role in limiting large-scale retrenchment – RBPlat   By: Martin Creamer Government must play a role in limiting large-scale retrenchment in the platinum sector by potentially granting tax relief to companies that limit retrenchment and that reach agreement on keeping employees in the work steam through work-time modification. Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 07-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1210.45 $/oz     Pt 827.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 08 August 2018 CAT

8th August 2018

Battery metal deals still sparking - EY By: Esmarie Swanepoel The battery metals sector appears to be somewhat isolated from the recently slow-down in global mining and metals transactions, advisory firm Ernst & Young (EY) said. EY earlier reported that global merger and acquisition (M&A) transaction values in the mining and metals sector fell by 9.5%... Ink dries on Sandfire-Talisman deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper/gold miner Sandfire Resources has signed a binding conditional sale and purchase agreement with fellow-listed Talisman Mining to acquire its 30% interest in the Springfield exploration and mining joint venture (JV), in Western Australia, for A$72.3-million. The two companies in June this... Fire suspends Deflector underground ops By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals has reported a fire at its Deflector gold/copper mine, in Western Australia. The ASX-listed miner said that while the extent of the fire, which involved an underground loader was still being investigated, all underground workers were safe, uninjured, and have returned... Graphmada reaches nameplate capacity By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Graphmada large flake graphite mine, in Madagascar, has reached nameplate capacity, ASX-listed Bass Metals reported on Wednesday. The company told shareholders that the process plant has reached and sustained 25 t/h feed rate at an average head grade of 4.5% total graphitic carbon, an... Copperstone and Sunstone to team up on Scandinavia copper By: Creamer Media Reporter Publically traded company Copperstone Resources on Wednesday announced that it had signed a nonbinding letter of intent to acquire the Viscaria copper project in Kiruna, northern Sweden, from ASX-listed Sunstone Metals. The transaction is proposed as a scrip and share deal and will make Sunstone... Alcoa's W.Australia workers walk out over labour agreement - union By: Reuters Alcoa workers in Western Australia have walked out indefinitely over an enterprise agreement dispute with the aluminium maker, the Australian Workers' Union (AWU) said on Wednesday. The strike comes after Alcoa applied to Australia's workplace regulator to terminate its current agreement,... ALCORE gets global licence for technology By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Australian Bauxite has told shareholders that its ALCORE subsidiary would have the global licence rights for bauxite refining using the ALCORE technology. The global licence will allow ALCORE to build multiple plants in any location to meet the growing demand for aluminium fluoride... Haulage starts at Altura's mine By: Esmarie Swanepoel First lithium concentrate from ASX-listed Altura Mining’s lithium mine has been hauled to Port Hedland, ahead of first shipments. “MD James Brown said on Wednesday that the start of haulage was another important step for the company. Santos taps possible PNG LNG source By: Esmarie Swanepoel Australian oil and gas major Santos on Wednesday reported that drilling at its Barikewa-3 well, in Papua New Guinea (PNG), has confirmed that there was significant natural gas resource close to the PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project infrastructure, which could still be developed. The well...

Helios takes option over Bronzewing South By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Rox Resources’ subsidiary Helios Gold has taken an option to acquire the Bronzewing South gold project, in Western Australia, from privately held Carnegie Exploration. Under the terms of the option agreement, Helios will pay a non-refundable cash deposit of A$20 000 for the six-month... Universal's A$18.6m deal advances By: Esmarie Swanepoel The South African Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has given ASX-listed Universal Coal approval for the transfer of ownership of the Glisa and Eerstelingsfontein mining rights. Universal, through a 49%-owned subsidiary North Block Complex Proprietary (NBC), in March entered into an... Indian private thermal power plants critical of CIL e-auctions By: Ajoy K Das India’s independent power producers (IPPs) have flayed State-run Coal India Limited’s (CIL) move to push higher sales through e-auctions forcing thermal power plants without fuel linkages to resort to high cost dry fuel imports. However, simultaneously, the Power Ministry has asked all thermal... Indonesia issues new tax rules as Freeport seeks fiscal guarantee By: Reuters Indonesia's president has issued new tax regulations aimed at providing clarity for mining companies shifting their current contracts to special mining permits, in a move that could help cement a $3.9 billion deal with Freeport McMoran Inc. Freeport last month signed a heads of agreement to sell...

By: Martin Creamer Government must play a role in limiting large-scale retrenchment in the platinum sector by potentially incentivising companies to curb job loss. Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has objected strongly to the retrenchment plans of Impala Platinum in particular and Royal Bafokeng Platinum... JOBS Civil Infrastructure Engineer and Electrical Engineer

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 08-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1214.20 $/oz     Pt 834.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 09 August 2018 CAT

9th August 2018

BHP reaches $50m settlement in US lawsuit By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining major BHP has reached a $50-million settlement on a class action filed in the US District Court in New York regarding the Samarco dam failure, in 2015. The settlement comes with no admission of liability from the miner, and was still subject to approval by the District Court.      Photo by Bloomberg        Newcrest warns of further impairments By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Newcrest Mining has warned of a non-cash impairment of between A$260-million and A$270-million for the 2018 financial year. Some A$190-million of the write-off is attributed to the Telfer gold mine, in Western Australia, where the latest life-of-mine plan indicated lower levels of ore... Alcoa output not affected by strike By: Esmarie Swanepoel Aluminium major Alcoa said that industrial action at its Western Australian operations were expected to last until August 17, but would have no effect on production. The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) on Wednesday said that Alcoa workers had walked out over an enterprise agreement dispute with... Mining starts at Century By: Esmarie Swanepoel Hydraulic mining operations have started at the Century zinc mine, in Queensland. “This is a fantastic achievement by the New Century team and our business partners to deliver the restart of operations at Century both on time and budget,” said ASX-listed New Century Resources MD Patrick Walta on... Altura walks away from takeover talks By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of ASX-listed Altura Mining climbed by more than 5.5% on Thursday on news that the company had walked away from a potential control transaction. Altura in March confirmed speculation that it was in discussions with Shaanxi J&R Optimum Energy Company regarding a potential control... WPG appoints receivers By: Esmarie Swanepoel South Australian gold miner WPG Resources has gone into receivership. The company told shareholders this week that receivers were appointed following a default of the group on a A$20-million debt facility with services provider Byrnecut Group. Doray output not at risk - Junk By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals told shareholders on Thursday that the temporary interruption to underground mining activities at its Deflector operation, in Western Australia, was not expected to affect the production guidance at the mine. While underground operations have been temporarily suspended... Rio starts earn-in in Uganda By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Sipa Resources on Thursday reported that its earn-in and joint venture (JV) agreement with the exploration arm of diversified miner Rio Tinto, has now started. The two companies in May struck an agreement that would see Rio earn up to a 75% interest in Sipa’s Kitgum-Pader base... ASX demands shareholder approval for Winmar deals By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Winmar Resources will require shareholder approval for its transaction with African Holding Investment Company for a 50% interest in the Luapula cobalt processing facility, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The company on Friday said that it had been informed by the ASX that the...

Sunstone to divest of Viscaria By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Sunstone Metals has signed a letter of intent (LoI) which could see the company divest of its Viscaria copper project, in Sweden, in exchange for a 30% shareholding in Swedish company Copperstone Resources AB. The proposed transaction will be completed in two stages, with the initial...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 09-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1214.30 $/oz     Pt 831.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 10 August 2018 CAT

10th August 2018

Consolidated Zinc moves forward Mexico mine plans to this year By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Consolidated Zinc has flagged the start of production from its Plomosas zinc/lead/silver mine, in Mexico, before the end of 2018. The company had initially targeted a large production facility to start in 2019/20; however, Consolidated Zinc said on Friday said that the results from...

Photo by Bloomberg

BHP says Brazil court approves Samarco settlement By: Reuters Mining heavyweight BHP said on Thursday a federal court in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais approved an agreement between miner Samarco and Brazil authorities, marking a milestone in the legal battle over a deadly 2015 dam failure. A 20-billion reais ($5.- billion) lawsuit against Samarco,... Aurora walks away from Molopo Energy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Suitor Aurora Funds Management has withdrawn its takeover bid for ASX-listed Molopo Energy, saying the company had made a number of transactions that are considered to be defeating conditions of the bid. The transactions saw Molopo not only take full ownership of the Orient oil and gas project,... Mining restarts at Deflector By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals has restarted mining operations at its Deflector underground gold/copper mine, in Western Australia. The miner on Friday said that mining was resumed after a thorough safety inspection of the area where a remote controlled loader had caught fire on Wednesday. MOD adjusts T3 feasibility By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper developer MOD Resources has incorporated a lager process plant for its T3 resource, in Botswana, into the project’s feasibility study, following a 44% increase in the project’s resource estimate. The feasibility study will now be based on a plant throughput rate of 3-million tonnes a... Arafura raising funds for Nolans By: Esmarie Swanepoel Rare earths developer Arafura Resources will raise A$11.5-million through a one-for-four non-renounceable entitlement offer, to progress the development of its Nolans neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) project, in the Northern Territory. The company said that some 143.9-million new shares will be... Australian miners steam ahead with lithium exploration By: Reuters Australian miners are ramping up exploration for lithium even as prices dip, betting on renewed strength in the raw material used for rechargeable batteries. Australian miners' enthusiasm for lithium projects appears undimmed by sliding prices as they expand their exploration and development... Watershed changes hands By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Vital Metals’ A$15-million sale of its Watershed tungsten project, in Queensland, has been completed. The company in May this year struck a deal with fellow-listed Tungsten Mining to divest of the asset. Alt eyes future production By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral explorer Alt Resources on Friday told shareholders that the potential for near-term gold production existed within the tailings dam operations at the Bottle Creek project, in Western Australia. Preliminary testing on the Bottle Creek tailings dams have estimated an average grade of 0.16...

BHP reaches $50m settlement in US lawsuit

By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining major BHP has reached a $50-million settlement on a class action filed in the US District Court in New York regarding the Samarco dam failure, in 2015. The settlement comes with no admission of liability from the miner, and was still subject to approval by the District Court.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 10-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1196.40 $/oz     Pt 805.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 13 August 2018 CAT

13th August 2018

Lithium and copper tipped as major Australian export drivers By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has tipped lithium and copper to be the major drivers for commodity exports in Australia, in the next few years. In its August Statement on Monetary Policy, the RBA noted that mineral exploration and mining activity for commodities used in the rechargeable...

Photo by Bloomberg

APA takes up A$13bn offer By: Esmarie Swanepoel The directors of energy infrastructure business APA Group have unanimously recommended a near A$13-billion takeover offer from a consortium led by CK Infrastructure Holdings. The A$11 a share offer was first flagged in June this year, with the consortium, which also includes CK Asset Holdings... Rio Tinto considers float of Canadian iron-ore business By: Reuters Rio Tinto, the world's second largest listed mining company, is exploring a public listing of its Iron Ore Company of Canada business, banking and industry sources said, as it focuses on boosting revenue from its flagship Australian assets. Iron-ore, which accounts for most of Rio's profit and... South32 completes Arizona buy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner South32 has completed the $1.3-billion acquisition for the remaining 83% share in TSX-listed Arizona Mining. The Canadian firm has now been delisted from the TSX, and will cease to be a reporting issuer under the Canadian securities law. NAIF to help fund road upgrade for Pilgangoora exports By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) is to make a A$19.5-million loan to help boost exports of lithium from the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan said over the weekend that the loan to a subsidiary of ASX-listed Pilbara... Tembang on care and maintenance while new mine plan is prepared By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Sumatra Copper & Gold has placed its Tembang gold/silver operation, in Indonesia, on care and maintenance. The company in May this year temporarily suspended openpit operations at the Tembang mine until the operation could be connected to the State-owned electricity grid later this year. Sheffield ticks another Thunderbird box By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Thunderbird mineral sands project, in Western Australia, has been granted environmental approval from the state’s Environment Minister Stephen Dawson. Project owner Sheffield Resources said on Monday that following the completion of the state environmental approvals process, the final steps... Realm takeover closes with T2 the winner By: Esmarie Swanepoel The takeover offer for ASX-listed Realm Resources has closed, with suitor T2 Resources holding a 96.3% interest. T2 has now informed the remaining Realm shareholders that the company will initiate a compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in Realm. Century produces first zinc concentrate By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Century zinc mine, in Queensland, has produced its first zinc concentrate, owner New Century Resources reported. The company on Monday said that the start of tailings slurry flotation at Century presented an important milestone, demonstrating the initial proof of concept for the large-scale...

Metro signs more offtake deals By: Esmarie Swanepoel Bauxite miner Metro Mining has signed two additional binding offtake agreements for 2018 and 2019, for an accumulative 780 000 t of product. The miner said on Monday that 580 000 t of this offtake was due for delivery in 2018, with the remainder, at Metro’s option, in either 2018 or 2019. Santos expands drilling in Cooper basin By: Esmarie Swanepoel Oil and gas major Santos has started operation of a fourth rig in the Cooper Basin, as part of a drive to produce more natural gas to supply the east coast domestic market. The company on Monday said that the rig will drill eight wells by the end of this year, starting with the Big Lake field,... GR Engineering settles Davyhurst dispute By: Esmarie Swanepoel Perth-based GR Engineering and fellow-listed Eastern Goldfields have struck a settlement agreement relating to the 2017 refurbishment contract of the Davyhurst processing plant. GR Engineering said on Monday that while the terms of the settlement deed were confidential, the company could... After ditching a billion-ton target, Coal India reviews demand and diversification afresh By: Ajoy K Das Formally acknowledging that its one-billion ton a year production target by 2020 will not be met, Coal India Limited (CIL) will undertake a complete review of domestic coal demand and diversification of business verticals. India’s largest coal miner will take a fresh view of domestic demand and...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 13-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1197.60 $/oz     Pt 806.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 14 August 2018 CAT

14th August 2018

Whitehaven posts record profits By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal miner Whitehaven Coal has reported a record net profit after tax of A$525.6-million for the 2018 financial year ending June, with sales revenues up by 27% and underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) up by 32% on the previous financial year. Revenue...

Photo by Bloomberg

Western Surat gas project receives final enviro nod By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Senex Energy has been given commonwealth environmental approval for its Western Surat gas project, bringing the project one step closer to development. Along with the previously granted state environmental approvals and petroleum lease, Senex has received all primary approvals to... BHP, union extend labor talks at mammoth Chile copper mine By: Reuters The union at the world's largest copper mine, Escondida in Chile, has called off a strike planned to start on Tuesday after agreeing to extend talks with operator BHP for another day. The announcement early on Tuesday comes amid fears of a repeat of last year's strike at Escondida, which jolted... Spitfire/Excelsior merger gets expert backing By: Esmarie Swanepoel An independent expert has concluded that the proposed merger between juniors Excelsior Gold and Spitfire Materials is in the best interest of Excelsior shareholders. The merger will be implemented through a scheme of arrangement, with Spitfire to acquire all of the issued capital of Excelsior by... Champion Iron posts a profit during Bloom Lake ramp-up By: Mariaan Webb TSX- and ASX-listed Champion Iron has reported net income of C$20.7-million for the June quarter, which chairperson CEO Michael O’Keeffe on Monday hailed as a major achievement, considering that the Bloom Lake iron-ore mine was in the ramp-up phase during the three months under review. Bloom... Boonanarring on track and budget - Image By: Esmarie Swanepoel Commissioning and first production from the Boonanarring mineral sands project, in Western Australia, remained on track for the fourth quarter of this year, owner Image Resources said. The company on Tuesday said that construction of the opencut mine started in April, with the exposure of first... Mustang to raise A$2.4m in private placement By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed Mustang Resources will raise about A$2.4-million through a private placement to advance its Caula vanadium/graphite project, in Mozambique, and for general working capital. Of this amount, A$2.18-million will be raised through the issue of about 158.6-million shares at $0.01374 apiece. AngloGold terminates Brazil earn-in JV with Equinox Gold By: Mariaan Webb Aurizona greenfields concessions in Brazil, the Canada-based junior reported on Monday. AngloGold has spent about $9-million at the greenfields concession since exploration started in August 2016, completing more than 43 000 line kilometres of high-resolution aeromagnetic radiomagnetic surveying... Balama fines circuit gets an upgrade By: Esmarie Swanepoel The commissioning of attrition cells for the fines graphite circuit at the Balama graphite project, in Mozambique, has been successfully completed, ASX-listed Syrah Resources said. The company told shareholders that initial assessment was showing significant improvement in fines graphite fixed...

Terramin refinances standby term facility By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Terramin Australia has struck a refinancing deal with shareholder Asipac Group to restructure a standby term facility. The existing unsecured facility has now been increased from A$3.25-million to A$5.25-million on similar terms and will be secured in accordance with the terms of the... Sabre's Sherlock Bay project still proving positive By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Sabre Resources will proceed with scoping and prefeasibility studies on its Sherlock Bay nickel/copper/cobalt project, in Western Australia. The decision comes after a review and update of a mining study on the Sherlock Bay project was conducted, which provided Sabre with updated... Gold Mountain boosts its exploration efforts in PNG By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Gold Mountain has completed the assembly and commissioning of a large-capacity mobile plant to process coarse gold and platinum bulk samples. Gold Mountain holds a number of exploration tenements in Papua New Guinea, with its flagship Crown Ridge project in the final stage assessment...

Lithium and copper tipped as major Australian export drivers

By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has tipped lithium and copper to be the major drivers for commodity exports in Australia, in the next few years. In its August Statement on Monetary Policy, the RBA noted that mineral exploration and mining activity for commodities used in the rechargeable...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 14-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1187.02 $/oz     Pt 790.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:35 on 20 August 2018 CAT

20th August 2018

Fortescue profit hit by China demand, 60% iron content product to be launched in FY19 By: Mariaan Webb China’s demand for higher grade iron-ore has hit Australian miner Fortescue’s pocket hard, with the company on Monday reporting that its net profit had more than halved in the 2018 financial year, ended June 30. Fortescue’s net profit after tax decreased from $2.09-billion in the 2017 financial...      Fortescue CEO Elizabeth Gaines        AngloGold ups half-year earnings, cash flow By: Martin Creamer Solid production and cost performances helped gold-mining company AngloGold Ashanti to deliver higher earnings and cash flow in the first half of this year. The increase in headline earnings of $85-million compared with a loss of $93-million in the first half of 2017 for the company, which is... Black Mountain warns Poseidon about ‘highly dilutive’ capital raising By: Mariaan Webb US group Black Mountain Metals on Monday warned Poseidon Nickel that it would terminate its takeover proposal if the company pursued a “highly dilutive” capital raising. This is in response to Poseidon’s request that the ASX halted trading in its shares to “discuss and announce a material fund... Artemis, Platina target gold mineralisation at Munni Munni JV project By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed Artemis Resources has invested the required $750 000 to earn a 70% interest in the Munni Munni project, in the West Pilbara, from fellow ASX-listed Platina Resources. The joint venture (JV) partners will now target gold mineralisation within the Munni Munni land package. Browns Range pilot plant achieves mechanical completion By: Creamer Media Reporter The Browns Range pilot plant, in Western Australia, has achieved mechanical completion, with the process plant components having been installed, powered up and tested as part of the commissioning process, heavy rare earths developer Northern Minerals reported on Monday. Bass sells first concentrate from Madagascar graphite mine By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed Bass Metals has achieved another milestone in the development of the Graphmada mine in Madagascar, with the company announcing on Monday that it had achieved its first sales revenue from the sale of concentrates from the large flake graphite mine. Bass, which earlier this month... Gold fades as world gets used to bad news, Perth Mint says By: Bloomberg Investors have grown immune to the economic and geopolitical risks that typically drive haven demand for gold. That’s how Richard Hayes, the chief executive officer of Australia’s Perth Mint, summed up the reason behind bullion’s slump to a 19-month low despite tensions between the US and China... Turnbull to cap power prices amid dissent over energy plan By: Bloomberg Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has vowed to cap power prices in Australia in an urgent policy rejig aimed at winning over critics within his own party for the government’s energy plan. Amid reports he faces a revolt from backbench lawmakers over his National Energy Guarantee, Turnbull said the... Oposura scoping study nears completion By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed Azure Minerals is nearing completion of a scoping study for its Oposura zinc/lead/silver project, in Mexico. The study remains on schedule for completion in the third quarter of this year.

Liontown expands prospective lithium footprint with new acquisition By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed Liontown has entered into an agreement to acquire a new project immediately west of its Buldania lithium project, extending its exploration footprint in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia to about 400 km2. Liontown announced on Monday that it entered into a sale agreement... Resgen continues pursuit of tandem funding solution for Boikarabelo By: Simone Liedtke ASX- and JSE-listed Resource Generation (Resgen) plans to continue pursuing a tandem approach to finding a funding solution for the development of its Boikarabelo coal mine, in South Africa, but warned that further delays are likely. Delays, the energy resources company pointed out on Monday,...

Multiple role-players needed within intelligent mine   By: Jessica Oosthuizen Mining companies need to establish ecosystems of suppliers and partners to establish, operate, manage and integrate an intelligent mine, says Internet of Things (IoT) solution developer IoT.nxt mining partnerships director Eric Croeser. “Mining companies, whether small or global, cannot solve the...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 20-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1189.46 $/oz     Pt 790.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:33 on 21 August 2018 CAT

21st August 2018

BHP’s underlying profit jumps 33%, pays record dividend By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner BHP has reported a 33% increase in underlying attributable profit for the financial year ended June, as well as a 10% increasing in operating cash flows. Underlying attributable profit, which excludes one-time gains and losses, was reported at $8.9-billion for the 2018...      BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie        Rio digging deeper at Diavik By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner Rio Tinto has opened the fourth diamond pipe at its Diavik diamond mine, in Canada’s Northwest Territories. The A21 openpit pipe will provide an important source of incremental supply over the next four years to sustain production levels at the mine, Rio said on Tuesday. Lattice Energy integration boosts Beach Energy’s FY results By: Esmarie Swanepoel Oil and gas producer Beach Energy has reported a 92% surge in revenue for the 2018 financial year, and an 86% increase in underlying net profit after tax, following the integration of the Lattice Energy assets into its portfolio. Beach in September last year struck a A$1.58-million deal to... NZ High Court orders Bathurst to pay L&M Coal $40m By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Bathurst Resources has been ordered to make a $40-million ‘performance payment’ to privately held L&M Coal holdings by the High Court of New Zealand, relating to the company’s Escarpment mine, which was placed on care and maintenance in 2016. L&M in December 2016 launched legal... Review launched over Australia's offshore potential By: Esmarie Swanepoel The federal government has announced a review into the commercial value of south-east Australian offshore petroleum titles. Federal Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan said the National Offshore Petroleum Titles Administrator (NOPTA) has been assigned to conduct the review. Symbol shares stumble on shareholder fears By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of ASX-listed Symbol Mining fell by 8% on Tuesday despite the company’s attempts to allay shareholder fears over the volatility of the zinc price. Symbol on Tuesday told shareholders that while the current zinc price was below the $2 800/t ‘low case’ scenario considered in the... Tyranna acquires US base metals project By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Tyranna Resources has inked an agreement to acquire privately held US Cobalt, in order acquire the Goodsprings cobalt and base metals project, in the US. Tyranna in March entered into an option agreement to acquire US Cobalt as part of its diversification strategy aimed at... Greenland moves to advance Kvanefjeld By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Greenland Minerals has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with shareholder Shenghe Resources Holding to commercialise the Kvanefjeld rare earths project. The MoU establishes a strategic framework for the two companies to enter future binding agreements covering the offtake of... BHP suffers outage at Olympic dam copper smelter By: Reuters Global miner BHP Billiton said it was assessing the impact of an ongoing outage at its Olympic dam copper smelter in South Australia, as it released its annual results on Tuesday. The outage followed the failure of several boiler tubes at the acid plant, it said without offering an expected...

Prospect granted Zim mining licence By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium developer Prospect Resources has been granted a mining lease for its Arcadia lithium mine, in Zimbabwe. The mining lease covers an area of 1 031 ha and encompasses some 57 mining claims owned by Prospect. Monax and Mithril team up By: Esmarie Swanepoel Juniors Monax Mining and Mithril Resources have struck a farm-in and joint venture agreement under which Monax could earn an 80% interest in the Limestone Well tenements, in Western Australia. Under the terms of the agreement, Monax will have to spend A$2.5-million over a five-year period to...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 21-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1196.10 $/oz     Pt 794.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:27 on 22 August 2018 CAT

22nd August 2018

Santos bids $2.15bn for WA-focused Quadrant By: Esmarie Swanepoel Oil and gas major Santos has made a $2.15-billion play for Western Australia-focused oil and gas producer Quadrant Energy. Quadrant holds natural gas and oil production, as well as near- and medium-term development, appraisal and exploration assets across more than 52 000 km2 of acreage,... Newcrest eyes larger Cadia expansion; FY profit up By: Esmarie Swanepoel A prefeasibility study (PFS) on the expansion of the Cadia operation, in New South Wales, has estimated a capital investment requirement of A$598-million, gold miner Newcrest Mining reported. Some A$58-million of capital investment would be required to expand the current plant from 30-million... Brazil's Samarco mine unlikely to restart in 2019 -BHP By: Reuters There is little likelihood that Brazil's Samarco iron ore mine, a joint venture between Vale SA and BHP Billiton, will restart operations next year even though it expects to have all of the required licenses, a BHP spokesman said on Tuesday. The statement confirmed comments made by another BHP... Saracen reports record profits By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Saracen Mineral Holdings has reported a 166% increase in net profits after tax for the full year ended June, on the back of an increase in production. Net profit after tax reached a record A$75.6-million, up from the A$28.4-million in the previous financial year, while earnings before... St Barbara posts another year of record production By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed gold miner St Barbara has reported the fourth consecutive year of record production from its Gwalia and Simberi operations, with the miner on Wednesday also reporting a 26% increase in underlying net profits after tax. St Barbara reported an underlying net profit after tax of... Silver Lake reports 697% jump in profits By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold miner Silver Lake Resources has reported a 697% increase in net profits after tax for the financial year ending June, on the back of higher production and revenues. Net profit after tax for the 2018 financial year reached A$16.2-million, up from the A$2-million reported in the 2017... South32 pulls option trigger in Peru By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner South32 has exercised its option to earn a majority interest in ASX-listed Inca Minerals’ Greater Riqueza zinc/silver/lead project, in Peru. South32 has agreed to the Phase 1 exploration funding to acquire an initial 60% interest in the project by spending between $8-million... Danakali ticks another milestone in Eritrea By: Esmarie Swanepoel Potash developer Danakali has reached another milestone at its Colluli project, in Eritrea, with the Eritrean Ministry of Land, Water & Environment accepting the finalised social and environmental management plans for the project. Danakali said on Wednesday that the acceptance followed extensive... Gindalbie takes first stake in Mt Gunson By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Gindalbie Metals has earned its first 25% interest in the Mt Gunson copper/cobalt project, in South Australia, after spending its first A$1.37-million under a 2017 farm-in agreement. Under the agreement with Torrens Mining, Gindalbie could earn up to a 75% interest in the project...

Volt signs cooperation agreement with Chinese graphite company By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed flake graphite development company Volt Resources’ subsidiary Volt Graphite Tanzania has signed a cooperation agreement with one of China’s largest graphite companies, HAIDA Graphite. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will exchange relevant information and conduct... BMG forms JV in Chile By: Esmarie Swanepoel Minerals explorer BMG Resources will form a joint venture (JV) to explore and potentially develop three lithium brine projects in Chile. The ASX-listed company signed an exclusive agreement with the owners of Lithium Chile Spa (LCS), which holds the lithium brine properties in the Salar de...

Free gold on cards at Harmony’s Wafi-Golpu project   By: Martin Creamer South Africa’s Harmony Gold is now in the next significant special-mining-lease milestone on the journey towards the co-development of the rich Wafi-Golpu project in Papua New Guinea (PNG), 65 km south-west of the port of Lae, PNG’s industrial hub and second largest city. Harmony owns 50% of this...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 22-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1188.94 $/oz     Pt 779.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:30 on 23 August 2018 CAT

23rd August 2018

South32 presses pause button on further acquisitions By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner South32 is likely to press pause on further merger and acquisition (M&A) opportunities, to focus on its own suite of assets, CEO Graham Kerr said on Thursday. Speaking to analysts following the release of the company’s financial results, Kerr noted that following the completion...      South32 CEO Graham Kerr        Santos half-year profit doubles By: Esmarie Swanepoel Oil and gas major Santos has doubled its interim underlying profit in the six months to June, as revenues surged. Underlying profit for the interim period was reported at $217-million, compared with the $109-million in the previous corresponding period, while earnings before interest, tax,... Northern Star posts record profits By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Northern Star Resources has reported a record net profit after tax for operations in the 2018 financial results, as gold production increased. Net profit after tax for the full year ended June was up 3% on the previous financial year, to A$194.1-million, when proceeds from asset sales... Qld's A$2bn ion-battery project gets backing By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Queensland government on Thursday inked an assistance agreement with international consortium Imperium 3, over the proposed A$2-billion lithium ion-battery factory planned for Townsville. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the agreement with Imperium 3, led by Boston Energy and Innovation,... BCI puts iron-ore assets up for sale By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed BCI Minerals has formally started a process of selling its iron-ore assets in the Pilbara, with the company’s Iron Valley mine, Kumina and Bungaroo South projects, as well as its proposed Cape Preston East port facility put on the market. The portfolio up for sale represents one of... Thor upgrades Molyhil economics By: Esmarie Swanepoel An upgraded definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the Molyhil tungsten and molybdenum project, in the Northern Territory, has resulted in improved economics, owner Thor Mining said. The updated DFS estimated a capital cost of A$69-million, with a finance requirement of $43-million, while the... Cardinal closes Sprott credit facility By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Cardinal Resources has finalised a $25-million senior secured credit facility with Sprott Private Resources. The facility, which was agreed upon in July this year, will provide the junior with working capital and funding to complete the preliminary and definitive feasibility studies... Orminex pours first gold from Comet Vale By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Orminex has reported first gold production from its Comet Vale project, in Western Australia. The gold pour was done following the first toll treatment campaign at the Burbanks Mill of 202 oz of gold. Geopacific continues Woodlark earn-in By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Geopacific Resources has increased its direct shareholding in the Woodlark project, in Papua New Guinea, to 51%, after completing the second earn-in period of the farm-in agreement. Through its’ 85% shareholding in project owner Kula Gold, Geopacific’s overall economic interest in the...

Arrow sells last of Pilbara project to Pacton By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Arrow Minerals has struck a deal with TSXV-listed Pacton Gold to divest of its remaining 49% interest in the Pilbara gold project, for C$2-million. The consideration will consist of C$1-million in cash and two-million Pacton shares. Chinese firm launches $832m Zambia copper mine By: Reuters NFC Africa, majority owned by China Non-ferrous Metals Company Limited (CNMC), on Wednesday launched output at a new $832-million Zambian copper mine, extending the firm's lifespan by over 20 years. Zambia, Africa's second-largest producer of the metal, saw output rise 10.6% in the first half of... Indian coal-fired power plants likely to miss new emission control norms deadline By: Ajoy K Das Indian coal-fired power plants are unlikely to meet the new emission norms by 2022, missing the deadline for the second time since the Environment Ministry first laid down compliance rules in 2015. In the 2015 notification, the Ministry made it mandatory for thermal power plants to retrofit... GAIL plans core, noncore diversification By: Ajoy K Das India’s State-owned natural gas marketer and infrastructure provider, GAIL India, is seeking to diversify into ‘core’ and ‘noncore’ business verticals that extend from solar power generation and electric vehicle charging stations to water transportation pipelines. The natural gas logistics major...

Nothing comes before safe production – Sibanye-Stillwater   By: Martin Creamer Precious metals mining company Sibanye-Stillwater on Thursday spent the most part of its half-year presentation of financial results reiterating ongoing commitment to safe production and taking safety to the next level. The Johannesburg- and New York-listed company, which reported 26%-higher...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 23-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1207.87 $/oz     Pt 793.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:38 on 24 August 2018 CAT

24th August 2018

Miners call for stable govt as Turnbull is replaced by Morrison By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Australian mining sector has called for a stable government following a leadership spill in the Liberal Party, which will see Treasurer Scott Morrison take over as Prime Minister from Malcolm Turnbull. Turnbull himself disposed of previous Prime Minister Tony Abbott in a similar manner in 2015.      Photo by Bloomberg Prime Minister Scott Morrison        Poseidon unveils A$75m capital raising By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Poseidon Nickel is hoping to raise about A$75-million through a fully underwritten entitlement offer to restart its Silver Swan and Black Swan mines, and bring the Black Swan processing plant back into production. Poseidon on Friday said that an initial placement will be made to... Profits fall as Resolute's transformation takes shape By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lower gold production has seen ASX-listed Resolute Mining’s gross profits decline from the A$177-million reported in the 2017 financial year, to A$69-million. The miner produced 284 000 oz of gold during the 12 months ending June, compared with the 329 843 oz produced in the previous financial... Tipping point? Inflation creep at Australia's mines to erode margins By: Reuters As Australia's big miners gear up for a new round of expansion after years of belt tightening, prices for everything from labour to fuel to equipment have begun to rise, driving up costs and eating into margins. Having repaired their balance sheets after a harrowing shake-out from a decade-long... Gold price may bounce back – World Gold Council By: Marleny Arnoldi The gold price has fallen to a 20-month low amid sharp emerging-market currency depreciation, the World Gold Council (WGC) reported on Thursday. It stated that the gold price had lost 3% in August, a downturn that was exacerbated by gold’s fall below $1 200/oz – an important technical support... EWC gets government funding to restart gasfields By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Energy World Corporation (EWC) has been granted A$2-million in government funding under the Gas Acceleration Programme to accelerate the recommisisoning of the Eromanga and Gilmore gas fields, in Queensland. The fields are fully owned by EWC and were placed on care and maintenance in... TopTung moves ahead with Canadian deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior TopTung on Friday said that it would now seek shareholder approval to acquire an advanced unlisted base metals explorer Zeus Minerals, following a positive due diligence period. TopTung earlier this month announced its intention to acquire Zeus for a non-refundable deposit of... Superior Lake raises funds for Canada feasibility studies By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Superior Lake Resources has raised A$5-million through a share placement to institutional and sophisticated investors, to advance the feasibility study at its namesake project, in Canada. More than 142.8-million shares were placed at a price of 3.5c each under the company’s existing...

Backup power to ensure safety, continuous production   By: Erin Steenhoff-Snethlage There has been increased interest in the generator sets of Himoinsa Southern Africa, a subsidiary of Spain-based power solutions provider Himoinsa. This is a good sign from the mines, as it indicates that they are prioritising their safety requirements,” claims Himoinsa Southern Africa services...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 24-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1210.26 $/oz     Pt 805.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 27 August 2018 CAT

27th August 2018

Moreton to re-evaluate its priorities By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed diversified junior Moreton Resources has launched a strategic review of its assets and subsidiaries, in order to determine its core and noncore assets. Moreton told shareholders on Monday that the review would allow the potential for the business to streamline its asset ownership and...

Photo by Bloomberg

Posco to buy lithium mining rights in Argentina from Australia's Galaxy By: Reuters South Korean steelmaker POSCO on Monday said it had signed a deal to buy lithium mining rights in Argentina from Australia's Galaxy Resources for $280-million. POSCO said in a statement that it would also build a lithium plant in Argentina, planning to produce 25 000 t of the commodity per year... Stanmore’s FY revenue and profit surge By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal miner Stanmore Coal has reported a surge in revenues and profit for the 2018 financial year, as coal prices increased. Revenue for the year ended June was up by 51%, to A$208-million, while gross profits increased by 55%, to A$52.29-million, Stanmore reported on Monday. New owner targeted for Ellendale By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Western Australian government is looking for a miner to reopen the Ellendale diamond mine, in the Kimberley region. The state government this week said it was seeking expressions of interest from mining companies to reopen the mine, which was operational between 2002 and 2015, when the... WA's next EIS round open for business By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (Amec) has urged explorers to make use of Round 18 of the Western Australian state government’s Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) co-funded drilling programme, which closes on October 5. The co-funded exploration drilling program offers up to... Record revenue, strong profit growth for mineral sands miner Base By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral sands miner Base Resources has reported record revenue and net profit after tax for the 2018 financial year, on the back of increased prices and consistent sales volumes. ASX-listed Base on Monday said that revenue increased by 22% to $198.8-million and that net profit after tax was up... Australian Mines pulls trigger on Flemington buy By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Australian Mines has exercised its option to acquire the Flemington cobalt/nickel/scandium project, in New South Wales, from fellow listed Jervois Mining. Jervois in late 2016 optioned the Flemington project to a wholly owned subsidiary of Australian Mines, for A$6-million in cash, of... Equus soars as Chile backs Los Domos By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of ASX-listed Equus Mining increased by nearly 17% on Monday, after the company announced that its Los Domos gold/silver/zinc/lead project had been identified as a key investment project by the Chilean Ministry of the Economy. The company told shareholders that Chilean government...

Sibanye expects Lonmin competition finality October   By: Martin Creamer Precious metals mining company Sibanye-Stillwater expects Competition Commission finality on its proposed acquisition of platinum company Lonmin in October, following the closure of its transaction with surface gold mining company DRDGold, which is expected to make a positive contribution to...

JOBS

Journalist (Entry Level)

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 27-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1209.34 $/oz     Pt 801.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 28 August 2018 CAT

28th August 2018

Posco deal provides cash injection for Sal de Vida – Galaxy By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Galaxy Lithium on Tuesday confirmed a binding agreement with Korean major Posco for the $280-million sale of a package of tenements located on the northern portion of Sal de Vida project, in Argentina. The two companies in May this year announced the transaction over the northern...

Posco to buy lithium mining rights in Argentina from Australia's Galaxy

By: Reuters South Korean steelmaker POSCO on Monday said it had signed a deal to buy lithium mining rights in Argentina from Australia's Galaxy Resources for $280-million. POSCO said in a statement that it would also build a lithium plant in Argentina, planning to produce 25 000 t of the commodity per year...

Pontoro warns of lower output citing Nicolsons production issues By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Pantoro has warned shareholders that production during the September quarter would be between 10 000 oz and 11 000 oz, compared with the 11 694 oz produced in the June quarter, as the Nicolsons underground mine, in Western Australia, experienced difficult operating conditions. Pantoro... Pilbara secures more funding as Pilgangoora ramps up By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium miner Pilbara Minerals has secured a $15-million working capital facility and $10-million foreign exchange hedging facility with BNP Paribas, in addition to a secured approval for a A$19.5-million concessional loan from the Australian government’s Northern Australia Infrastructure... Victoria sets exploration targets with new strategy By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Victorian state government has launched a new mineral resources strategy to ensure continued growth in the resources sector. Resources Minister Tim Pallas on Tuesday launched the State of Discovery strategy, setting out targets of total exploration investment of A$220-million by June 2023... Gulf welcomes cornerstone investor By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Gulf Manganese has secured a A$10.8-million cornerstone investment from Indonesian business man Bapak Dato Dr Low Tuck Kwong in exchange for a 19.8% equity holding in Gulf. Gulf on Tuesday said that it would issue more than 714.59million shares to Bapak TK Low at a placement price of... Pacton gains greater ground in Pilbara By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold explorer Calidus Resources has inked a letter of intent (LoI) with TSX-listed Pacton Gold to dispose of its non-core conglomerate gold rights for C$3.5-million in shares. Under the terms of the LoI, Calidus will receive a non-refundable payment of C$10 000 and will be issued... Eastern Iron takes an option in cobalt By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Eastern Iron has entered into an option agreement with junior Heavy Metal Exploration to acquire an interest in the Mt Cobalt Corridor project, in Queensland. Eastern Iron would be required to pay a call option fee of A$10 000 by September 11 to have an exclusive option to acquire an... Five killed in explosion at aluminium plant in China's Jiangsu - state media By: Reuters Five people were killed by an explosion at an aluminium plant in eastern China's Jiangsu province on Tuesday morning, state-run China News reported, citing local authorities. The blast occurred at around 2 a.m. (1800 GMT) in the city of Jiangyin, at a plant belonging to a company named as Yize...

Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 - Second Edition (PDF Report)

This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

LATEST VIDEOS

Global mining showing interest in Master Drilling’s new technology By: Martin Creamer The mining industry is showing strong interest in the new new blast-free mobile tunnel boring machine that the South African company will launch in Italy next month. This interest is exemplified by 32 mining executives from mining jurisdictions across the world making themselves available for two...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 28-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1203.95 $/oz     Pt 794.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 29 August 2018 CAT

29th August 2018

Independence posts strong FY results By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner Independence Group has reported record revenue and underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) for the 2018 financial year, as the Nova nickel operation delivered its first full year of production. Revenue for the year increased from... Atlas reports losses in FY18 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Embattled iron-ore miner Atlas Iron has reported a A$100-million drop in underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) for the 2018 financial year, on the back of lower iron-ore outputs. Underlying Ebitda for the full year was down from the A$116-million... Tala Hamza gets new price tag By: Esmarie Swanepoel A revised feasibility study into the Tala Hamza zinc/lead project, in Algeria, has shown that the project could recover some 129 300 t/y of zinc concentrate and 26 000 t/y of lead concentrate over a mine life of 21 years. ASX-listed Terramin Australia on Wednesday reported that a pre-production... Central Petroleum gets authority to prospect in Qld By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Queensland government has granted ASX-listed Central Petroleum an Authority to Prospect on coal seam gas acreage in the Surat Basin, covering some 77 km2. Central Petroleum was announced as the preferred bidder for the Queensland acreage in March this year, and in June agreed to a 50:50... South Africa’s Mantashe promises policy certainty by Nov By: Esmarie Swanepoel South Africa’s Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has made a case for future mining investment in South Africa, telling delegates at this year’s Africa Downunder conference in Perth, Australia, that the country was working towards policy certainty by November this year. Mantashe said on... Qld relooks at innovation By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has welcomed the state government’s review of its Advance Queensland policy to promote innovation in the region. Innovation Minister Kate Jones on Wednesday announced the ‘Our Innovation Future’ review, which is aimed at ensuring the state’s innovation... Sanbrado financing to be in place by year-end By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold developer West African Resources will secure financing for its 90%-owned Sanbrado gold project, in Burkina Faso, by the fourth quarter of this year, with first gold pour targeted for the back-end of 2020. Speaking at the first day of the Africa Downunder conference, West African MD Richard... MOD to make T3 decision by March By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed MOD Resources is expected make a decision to mine its T3 copper project, in Botswana, in by the end of March next year, with first production targeted for late 2020. MOD MD Julian Hanna told delegates at the Africa Downunder conference, in Perth, that an updated feasibility study for... Perseus’ production increases 45% y/y, costs fall 22% By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed West African gold producer Perseus Mining produced 255 916 oz of gold in the financial year ended June 30, which is a 45% increase compared with the prior financial year. The weighted average all-in site costs including the cost of production, royalties and sustaining capital,...

Azumah needs more ounces at Wa By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold developer Azumah Resources would need to establish a reserve base of at least one-million ounces at its Wa gold project, in Ghana, before a positive project decision could be made, MD Stephen Stone said on Wednesday. The company is working to add to the current 624 000 oz reserve... Prieska mine reopening targeted for 2020 By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX- and JSE-listed Orion Minerals aims to reopen the Prieska zinc/copper project, in South Africa’s Northern Cape, in 2020. Orion MD Errol Smart told delegates attending the Africa Downunder conference being held in Perth, this week, that the 12-month bankable feasibility study (BFS) for the... Automated Syama underground offering opportunities By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Resolute Mining on Wednesday said that sub-level cave ore production from the world’s first purpose-built, purpose-designed fully automated underground mine was still on track for December this year. Resolute MD and CEO John Welborn told delegates at the first day of the Africa...

By: Martin Creamer The mining industry is showing strong interest in the new blast-free mobile tunnel boring machine that South African company Master Drilling will launch in Italy next month. This interest is exemplified by 32 mining executives from mining jurisdictions across the world making themselves available...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 29-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1200.42 $/oz     Pt 794.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 30 August 2018 CAT

30th August 2018

Northern Star buys 300 000 oz/y Alaska gold mine By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Northern Star Resources will spend $260-million to acquire the 4.1-million ounce Pogo underground gold mine, in Alaska. The ASX-listed company on Thursday told shareholders that the acquisition will be funded from existing cash and a fully underwritten A$175-million placement to...      Photo by Bloomberg Northern Star executive chairperson Bill Beament        MinRes restarts ops at Yilgarn after wrapping up Cliffs deal By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Mineral Resources (MinRes) has restarted operations at its Yilgarn operations after completing the acquisition of US group Cleveland-Cliff’s Koolyanobbing iron-ore operation, in Western Australia. The two companies in June this year struck a sales agreement over the Cliff’s tenements... Walkabout’s Tanzania graphite mine jumps final legislative hurdle By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Walkabout Resources will look to advance project funding negotiations after a mining licence was granted for its Lindi Jumbo project, in Tanzania. “The mining licence approval is the final major legislative requirement for the project,” said Walkabout MD Allan Mulligan on... Doray narrows losses in 2018 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals has narrowed its net losses for the 2018 financial year after the closure of its Andy Well operation, in Western Australia, in 2017. Doray on Thursday reported a net loss of A$14.7-million for the 2018 financial year, compared with a net loss of A$74.2-million in the... Sandfire delivers record profits By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper/gold miner Sandfire Resources has delivered a record net profit in the 12 months ending June, on the back of record sales revenues. Net profit after tax for the full year ended June reached A$123-million, compared with the A$77.5-million reported in the previous financial year, while... Ramelius earnings surge in 2018 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Ramelius Resources has reported a 50% surge in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) for the 2018 financial year, and a 74% increase in net profits after tax, as gold production rose by 66%. Ebitda for the full year reached A$127-million, compared with... Base hoping for Kwale-size operation at Toliara By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral sands producer Base Resources was hoping to develop its Toliara sands project, in Madagascar, into a similar size operation as its Kwale mineral sands project, in Kenya. “It has to be strategically relevant, and it won’t make sense to us if the operation is smaller than Kwale,” Base MD... Coolgardie starts mining, lists on ASX By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining at newly listed Coolgardie Minerals’ Geko gold project, in Western Australia, has started, with first ore expected in early October. The project hosts a mineral resource of 136 000 oz, grading at 1.6 g.t gold. MC Mining receives first quarterly payment of R11m for Mooiplaats sale By: Marleny Arnoldi The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has timeously approved the requisite Section 102 application that was necessary to complete MC Mining’s Mooiplaats colliery sales transaction. The company has also received the first quarterly payment of R11.3-million.

Railway constraints take their toll on India’s captive thermal power plants By: Ajoy K Das Captive thermal power plants in India are facing coal supply shortages, as a result of constraints in the availability of railway wagons to transport the coal. Not officially acknowledging any shortage of coal and instead blaming distribution bottlenecks for the supply challenges, the country’s... Indian govt cracks the whip to get states to complete fresh exploration by year-end By: Ajoy K Das The Indian government has cracked the whip on mineral bearing states to ensure that they hold timely auctions of 288 mineral blocks, leases of which are slated to lapse in 2020. The federal Mines Ministry has issued an ultimatum to all mineral-bearing states to complete fresh exploration of... Worker strike halts operations at AngloGold's Guinea mine By: Reuters A strike at AngloGold Ashanti's Siguiri gold mine in Guinea has halted operations there, mines ministry secretary-general Saadou Nimaga said on Wednesday. The Société aurifère de Guinée, in which AngloGold holds an 85% stake, confirmed in a statement that a strike was underway and encouraged... Goldcorp and OceanaGold invest in explorer Gold Standard By: Creamer Media Reporter Vancouver-headquartered exploration company Gold Standard Ventures announced on Tuesday that mining firms Goldcorp and OceanaGold would participate in the company’s C$10.5-million private placement. TSX-listed Goldcorp would spend about C$6-million to acquire 2 926 829 shares in the...

Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 - Second Edition (PDF Report)

This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

LATEST VIDEOS

Proudly South African precision bearing packer launched   By: Schalk Burger A new Proudly South African precision bearing packer just launched is intended for bearings used in mining, engineering, transport and heavy industry. The locally developed unit allows for easy and precise lubrication of bearings with an inner diameter of 15 mm to 150 mm and a maximum outer...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 30-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1201.62 $/oz     Pt 789.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 31 August 2018 CAT

31st August 2018

Battery Minerals sits on $10bn worth of vanadium in Mozambique By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Battery Minerals is looking at ways to exploit the near $10-billion worth of vanadium contained in its assets in Mozambique. Battery Minerals MD David Flanagan on Friday told delegates at the Africa Downunder conference that the tailings that would be produced from its...      Battery Minerals MD David Flanagan        Universal posts record results By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal miner Universal Coal has reported a near 800% increase in after-tax profit for the full year ended June, while revenue has more than doubled. Net profit for the 12 months under review reached A$35.9-million, up from the A$4-million achieved last year, while revenue increased from... Woodside to make FID at SNE in 2019 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Australian oil and gas producer Woodside is expected to take a final investment decision on its SNE oil field, offshore Senegal, in 2019. Woodside’s business integration manager for Senegal field development, Jamie Stewart told delegates at the Africa Downunder conference, that Woodside would... CuDeco pauses Rocklands production By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed copper producer CuDeco has temporarily suspended mining and processing operations at its Rocklands project, in Queensland, to allow for critical maintenance work. The miner on Friday said that operations would likely be suspended until September 10. Strandline gets its licence in Tanzania By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Strandline Resources has been awarded a mining license for its Fungoni heavy mineral sands project, in Tanzania. MD Luke Graham said on Friday that securing the mining license was a crucial step in the company’s strategy to build a significant, low-cost mineral sands business. Orinoco secures A$8m to fast-track Brazil project By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Orinoco Gold has secured a A$8-million convertible note agreement with Magna to fast track the development of its Rio Do Ouru project, in Brazil. A$2-million of the convertible not will be immediately available, with three further tranches of A$2-million each available within the next... Triton raises funds for Ancuabe By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Triton Minerals will raise $4-million through a share placement to assist in funding its development activities at its Ancuabe graphite project, in Mozambique. Triton on Friday said that the an initial A$1.2-million will be raised through a placement to the company’s largest... Beyondie inching closer - Kalium Lakes By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Kalium Lakes’ mining proposal and mine closure plan for its Beyondie sulphate of potash (SoP) project, in Western Australia, has been approved by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, allowing the company to start early works at the project site. The approval comes... Uranium set for best run since 2014 as miners buy after halts By: Bloomberg Uranium is heading for its longest run of monthly gains since November 2014 as global supply tightens after mine closures and as producers and investors boost purchases in the spot market. Spot uranium is up 2.1% this month, set for a fourth monthly advance, and has climbed more than 30% since...

SA govt looks to drive PGMs demand with new coin By: Esmarie Swanepoel The South African government is considering a range of initiatives to increase the demand for platinum-group metals (PGMs), including the development of a Mandela Platinum Coin. The proposal to develop a Mandela Platinum Coin is based on the international success achieved by the Kruger Rand,...

Northern Star buys 300 000 oz/y Alaska gold mine

By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Northern Star Resources will spend $260-million to acquire the 4.1-million ounce Pogo underground gold mine, in Alaska. The ASX-listed company on Thursday told shareholders that the acquisition will be funded from existing cash and a fully underwritten A$175-million placement to...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 31-08-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1201.30 $/oz     Pt 788.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 03 September 2018 CAT

3rd September 2018

Australia’s June quarter exploration up 28% q/q By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral exploration expenditure increased by 28.4% to A$563.4-million in the June quarter, with base metals exploration acting as the driving force. Compared with the previous quarter, expenditure on greenfields exploration rose by 37.1%, or A$54-million, while brownfields exploration rose by...      Photo by Bloomberg        Australian gold production on the rise Australian gold production in the 2017/18 financial year was its highest since 1997/98, totaling 310 t, mining consultancy Surbiton Associates has reported. In the three months to June, gold production reached 81 t, a 9%, or 6.5 t increase on the previous quarter, and 8%, or 6 t more than the... Northern Star raises cash for Pogo buy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Northern Star Resources has completed a A$175-million capital raise to fund the acquisition of the Pogo underground gold mine, in Alaska. The company on Monday said that the placement was completed at A$6.70 a share, with some 26.1-million new shares placed with institutional... Venturex looks at larger Sulphur Springs By: Esmarie Swanepoel Metals developer Venturex Resources is considering a larger operation at its Sulphur Springs copper/zinc project, in Western Australia. The ASX-listed company on Monday said that a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Sulphur Springs mine has increased the expected production from... New Century raises funds to fast-track expansions By: Esmarie Swanepoel Zinc producer New Century Resources has secured a A$40-million debt facility with National Australia Bank (NAB) to fast track the expansion of its Century zinc mine, in Queensland. The two-year facility will have a 5.25% a year interest rate, New Century reported on Monday. Tungsten Mining buys Hatches Creek By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Tungsten Mining has struck an A$8.68-million deal with fellow listed GWR Group to acquire the Hatches Creek tungsten project, in the Northern Territory. The project consists of two granted exploration licenses totaling 31.4 km2, which cover the historic Hatches Creek tungsten mining... Beacon raises A$18m for Jaurdi restart By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Beacon Minerals will raise A$18-million through a debenture issue to professional and sophisticated investors to fund the restart of its Jaurdi gold project, in Western Australia, in the first quarter of 2019. A prefeasibility study released last week found that the project could... Evolution signs up for Andromeda project By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Evolution Mining has struck an earn-in agreement with fellow-listed Andromeda Metals over its Drummond gold exploration project, in Queensland. Under the terms of the agreement, Evolution would earn an initial 51% interest in the project by making a cash payment of A$300 000 to... Beadell's plant uprade heading on trend By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Beadell Resources has completed the installation and commissioning of the ball mill at its Tucano plant, in Brazil, two weeks ahead of schedule. The installation of the ball mill is one of four key areas being undertaken as part of the Tucano plant upgrade, along with the installation...

Vedanta Resources chairman to take miner private on Oct 1 By: Reuters Vedanta Resources chairperson Anil Agarwal will take the London-listed miner private on October 1, after the holders of 26% of shares agreed to sell to his family trust Volcan Investments. Volcan now holds or has received acceptances for 92.31% of Vedanta's shares, it said. India restricts private mineral sands exports By: Ajoy K Das In a bid to stop illegal mineral sand exports from the country, the Indian government has decided to canalise all exports of such minerals through State-run Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL), effectively banning all private mineral sand miners from making overseas shipments. Canalising exports...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 03-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1191.80 $/oz     Pt 773.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 04 September 2018 CAT

4th September 2018

Syrah raises A$94m for Balama ramp-up By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Syrah Resources will raise A$94-milion through an institutional placement to complete the ramp-up of its Balama graphite project, through to positive cash flow. The company on Tuesday said that some 42.2-million new shares would be placed at A$2.23 a share, to raise...

Photo by Bloomberg

Evolution provides three-year outlook By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold producer Evolution will be prioritising margins over production growth in the next three years, with the miner projecting a decrease in output over the next three years. The company stated that it would produce about 700 000 oz/y for at least the next three years, compared with 801 187 oz... POZ to bid for Ellendale mine By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed POZ Minerals on Tuesday told shareholders that it will throw its hat in the ring for the Ellendale diamond mine, in Western Australia. The state government in late August announced that it was looking for a new owner to reopen the Ellendale mine, with expressions of interest (EOI)... Volt granted enviro approval for Bunyu By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of ASX-listed Volt Resources rose by nearly 11% on Tuesday after the company received environmental approval for its Bunyu graphite project, in Tanzania. The company told shareholders that the environmental impact assessment certificate was the final pre-requisite for the... Magnis raises A$11m from new investor By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Magins Resources has secured an A$11.1-million investment from AL Capital Holding, giving the firm a 4.98% shareholding in the graphite miner. The placement was made under Magnis’ existing capacity, and the 30-million shares were issued at a price of 37c each, representing a 4%... Liontown delivers maiden resource at Kathleen Valley By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Liontown has reported a maiden 21.2-million tonne lithium/tantalum mineral resource at its Kathleen’s Corner and Mt Mann deposits, at the Kathleen Valley project, in Western Australia. MD David Richards said on Tuesday that the delivery of a maiden mineral resource was a major... Oz sets aside a further A$2m for Eloise By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper gold miner Oz Minerals will invest a further A$2-million on exploration on the Eloise joint venture (JV), in Queensland, during the 2018 calendar year. JV partner Minotaur Exploration on Tuesday reported that the two companies would expand exploration activity across the JV tenements with... Kalium Lakes adds to Beyondie resource By: Esmarie Swanepoel Potash hopeful Kalium Lakes has reported a 150% increase in the measured and indicated resources at its Beyondie sulpate of potash (SoP) project, in Western Australia. The project is now estimated to host a measured and indicated resource of 1.72-million tonnes, and an indicated resource of...

Beacon raises A$18m for Jaurdi restart By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Beacon Minerals will raise A$18-million through a debenture issue to professional and sophisticated investors to fund the restart of its Jaurdi gold project, in Western Australia, in the first quarter of 2019. A prefeasibility study released last week found that the project could...

Alcoa braces for alumina strike vote in Western Australia By: Reuters A vote by striking workers at Alcoa's giant west Australian operations will close on Thursday, with the union anticipating a strong "no" vote that could prolong the four-week old strike. Around 1 500 workers at three alumina refineries and two bauxite mines in Western Australia state walked out... Limpopo authorities approve amended EA for MC Mining’s Makhado project By: Marleny Arnoldi The Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (Ledet) has approved amendments to coal miner MC Mining’s 2016 environmental authorisation (EA) for the Makhado hard coking and thermal coal project, in Limpopo. MC Mining’s subsidiary Baobab Mining & Exploration, which...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 04-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1197.90 $/oz     Pt 786.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 05 September 2018 CAT

5th September 2018

Australian economic growth exceeds expectations By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Australian economy has completed its 27th consecutive year of economic growth, with real gross domestic product (GDP) beating median market expectations with a 0.9% increase in the June quarter. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Wednesday that the economy grew by 3.4% in through-the-year...

Photo by Bloomberg

BHP buys into Ecuador copper project with SolGold stake By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner BHP has struck a deal with TSX-listed Guyana Goldfields (GGI) to acquire its 6.1% interest in SolGold, which is the majority owner and operator of the Cascabel porphyry copper/gold project, in Ecuador. Under the terms of the agreement, BHP will acquire GGI's entire stake of... Consolidated Zinc starts mining in Mexico By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Consolidated Zinc will immediately start mining at its Plomosas zinc/lead/silver project, in Mexico, after inking a processing and offtake agreement with Grupo Mexico. Under the terms of the agreement, Grupo Mexico will process Plomosas ore through its plant at Santa Eulalia, and sell... Appea blasts South Australian decision By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has condemned the South Australian government’s decision to support a bill to legislate a decade-long moratorium on hydraulic fracturing (fracking) in the state’s Limestone Coast region. “It is disappointing to see the state... Altura cuts the ribbon at Pilgangoora By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium developer Altura Mining on Wednesday officially opened its Pilgangoora lithium project, in Western Australia. MD James Brown told shareholders that the opening marked a significant event in the evolution of Altura, with the mine opened in just 18 months from the start of construction. Black Rock gets enviro nod in Tanzania By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Black Rock Mining has received environmental approval for its Mahenge graphite project, in Tanzania. The environmental approval covers mining at the three ore bodies that comprise the broader Mahenge project, and is valid for the whole life cycle of the mine. Kibaran gets assurance for mine licence By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Kibaran Resources has been assured by the Tanzanian government that the mining license for its Epanko graphite project would be renewed for an additional ten years, upon its expiry. The renewal would be conditional upon Kibaran meeting the requirements of the country’s Mining... Downer wins mining contract extension at Commodore By: Esmarie Swanepoel Contractor Downer EDI has been awarded a five year mining contract extension at the Commodore opencut coal mine, in Queensland, worth A$286-million. The contract will see Downer continue operations at Commodore until the end of August 2024. Laramide consolidates NT landholding By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dual-listed Laramide Resources has struck a deal with Verdant Minerals to acquire the full interest in the Lagoon Creek joint venture (JV) tenement, in the Northern Territory. The acquisition agreement replaces an existing farm-in and JV agreement on the project, which saw Laramide hold a 50%...

Endeavour sells Mali mine for $60m By: Mariaan Webb TSX-listed Endeavour Mining has agreed to sell another mine to BCM Investments, this time the Tabakoto mine, in Mali. Endeavour on Tuesday announced a binding agreement to sell Tabakoto to Algom Resources – a subsidiary of BCM – for $60-million. Last year, the company sold the Nzema mine, in...

Syrah raises A$94m for Balama ramp-up

By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite developer Syrah Resources will raise A$94-milion through an institutional placement to complete the ramp-up of its Balama graphite project, through to positive cash flow. The company on Tuesday said that some 42.2-million new shares would be placed at A$2.23 a share, to raise...

Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 - Second Edition (PDF Report) This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

LATEST VIDEOS

DRDGold expecting rapid gold output from West Rand tailings project   By: Martin Creamer The high quality of the gold tailing retreatment infrastructure that surface gold mining company DRDGold has acquired on the Far West Rand in partnership with Sibanye-Stillwater is enabling the company to get into production very quickly, DRDGold CEO Niél Pretorius said on Wednesday. Speaking in...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 05-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1200.78 $/oz     Pt 791.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 06 September 2018 CAT

6th September 2018

Qld seeks public input on A$1bn coking coal mine By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Queensland government has called for public comment on the proposed A$1-billion Olive Downs coal mine, releasing its draft environmental impact statement (EIS). Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said on Thursday that the proposed project... Northern Territory’s 5-point plan to build a gas industry By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Northern Territory government has revealed a five-point gas strategy to drive its vision of creating a world-class hub for gas production, manufacturing and services, by 2030. The strategy will be aimed at getting more liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Darwin, and expand the Darwin LNG export... Lynas reports first profits By: Esmarie Swanepoel Rare earths miner Lynas has reported its first net profits after tax for the full year ended June, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) also increased significantly. Net profit after tax for the financial year reached A$53.1-million, compared with a loss of... Adani-owned Abbot Point Bulkcoal faces A$2.7m fine By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Queensland environmental regulator will be taking further action against a subsidiary of Indian major Adani over an unauthorised discharge of sediment water from the Abbot Point coal terminal during Cyclone Debbie, in 2017. It is alleged that Abbot Point Bulkcoal (APBC) discharged sediment... Pantoro raises funds for growth strategy By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed gold miner Pantoro will raise A$15-million to fund its growth strategy. An initial A$13-million has been raised through a share placement to professional and sophisticated investors, priced at 20c a share, with a subsequent share purchase plan (SPP) expected to raise a further... OreCorp eyes full ownership of Nyanzaga By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Tanzanian Fair Competition Commission has backed ASX-listed OreCorp’s plans to gain a majority interest in the Nyanzaga gold project. OreCorp in July this year exercised its option to gain a 51% interest in the gold project after gaining an initial 25% interest in the project by spending... Geko gold sold to Northern Star By: Esmarie Swanepoel Newly listed Coolgardie Minerals has entered into an ore sales agreement with gold miner Northern Star Resources over the sale of the first 100 000 t of oxide ore produced from its Geko gold mine, in Western Australia. Mining at Geko started at the end of August this year, and the project is... Emmerson hopes to fast-track Tennant Creek By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of Emmerson Resources rose by 6% on Thursday as the company revealed a strategic alliance with Territory Resources, that could fast-track gold production at the Tennant Creek operations. Under the strategic alliance agreement, Territory Resources will subscribe for A$2-million new... India-US dialogue to set outline for Indian crude oil imports from Iran By: Ajoy K Das The Indian government will not totally halt crude oil imports from Iran, but will likely show flexibility on volumes of inward shipment as a nuanced stance at the US-India bilateral engagements starting Wednesday. The Indian government reckons that this willingness to reduce crude volume imports...

Zijin trumps Lundin with C$1.86bn bid for Nevsun By: Mariaan Webb Canadian miner Nevsun Resources on Wednesday announced that it had agreed to a C$1.86-billion friendly takeover by China’s Zijin Mining, as it seeks to fend off a hostile takeover by Lundin Mining. Zijin will shareholders C$6 a share in cash, representing a 57% premium over the company’s closing... China's Western Mining to launch Qinghai copper smelter next month chairman By: Reuters China's Western Mining Co Ltd will start commercial production at its 100 000 t/y copper smelter in northwestern Qinghai province in October and spend 8-billion yuan ($1.17-billion) to expand its mine in Tibet, executives said on Thursday. The smelter project, which involved investment of...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 06-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1198.23 $/oz     Pt 783.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 07 September 2018 CAT

7th September 2018

Santos completes divestment of noncore assets By: Esmarie Swanepoel Oil and gas major Santos has completed the $221-million sale of its non-core Asian portfolio of assets to Ophir Energy. The deal was struck in May of this year, and would see Santos divest of its 31.87% interest in the Chim Sao and Dua oilfields, in Vietnam, the 67.5% interest in the Maleo and...      Photo by Bloomberg        Collins added to South32 lead team By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner South32 has appointed Simon Collins as chief development officer, accountable for exploration, portfolio strategy, business development, and acquisitions and divestments. Collins will also continue to oversee the study phase of the Hermosa base metals project, in the US. Red 5 enters into gold loan facility By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Red 5 has entered into a gold loan facility of 5 015 oz with Malaysia-based investment fund Asian Investment Management Services. The gold will be made available in one tranche, with the facility to have a term of 12 months, and will be secured by a security interest in Red 5’s...

Lynas reports first profits By: Esmarie Swanepoel Rare earths miner Lynas has reported its first net profits after tax for the full year ended June, while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) also increased significantly. Net profit after tax for the financial year reached A$53.1-million, compared with a loss of...

Danakali banks on new investor mood to fund Eritrean mine By: Reuters Fertiliser miner Danakali aims to raise $322-million this year to develop giant potash reserves in Eritrea, industry sources say, banking on Asmara's warmer ties with Ethiopia to help lure investors. The project will test the changing mood in the West towards the isolated nation, sandwiched... European Lithium raises funds to advance DFS By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed European Lithium has secured a finance facility of up to A$10-million to fast-track the completion of a definitive feasibility study (DFS) on its Wolfsberg lithium project, in Austria. “Securing the funding provides the company an opportunity to fast-track completion of the DFS with... Thor hopes to kickstart US tungsten production By: Esmarie Swanepoel A scoping study into the Pilot Mountain tungsten project, in Nevada, has found that the project could support a yearly throughput of 650 000 t over a 12-year operational life to generate 1 000 t/y of scheelite in concentrate, ASX- and Aim-listed Thor Mining said on Friday. The Desert Scheelite... Peel raises funds to advance projects, buy royalty By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Peel Mining will raise A$12.3-million to fund a maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee compliant resource at the Wagga Tank project, advance its Mallee Bull project towards production, and complete the acquisition of a 2% net smelter royalty over the Wagga Tank project. The company has... MC Mining to negotiate EPC package with Chinese group By: Marleny Arnoldi Coal miner MC Mining has signed heads of agreements with Chinese construction group China Railway International Group (CRIG) to negotiate an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the Makhado project, in Limpopo. Under the terms of the agreements, MC Mining and CRIG will...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 07-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1196.60 $/oz     Pt 794.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 10 September 2018 CAT

10th September 2018

Ramelius launches hostile bid for Explaurum By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Explaurum has urged shareholders not to take any action regarding a hostile takeover offer from gold miner Ramelius Resources. Ramelius on Monday launched an all-scrip bid for Explaurum, offering one of its own shares for every four Explaurum shares held, valuing the takeover...

Photo by Bloomberg

Palmer plans power station for Galilee project By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining personality and chairperson of Waratah Coal, Clive Palmer, has announced plans for the company to build a new A$1.54-billion coal-fired power station in Queensland’s Galilee Basin. The proposed 700 MW high efficiency low emission ultra-supercritical power station would be established on... Ghana on hook for $2bn China deal if bauxite plan stalls By: Bloomberg Ghana will have to use alternative sources to pay back China’s Sinohydro Corp. for $2-billion in infrastructure if the revenue from an earmarked bauxite project is insufficient to meet installments. Sinohydro agreed to a deal with the West African nation in May to build bridges, roads, hospitals... Santos signs new gas deal with Visy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Oil and gas producer has entered into a new gas supply agreement with packaging specialist Visy to supply wholesale gas for its New South Wales operations. The agreement starts on 1 January 2019 and was awarded following a competitive process. Chalice takes final stake in East Cadillac By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dual-listed gold junior Chalice Gold Mines has moved to acquire the remaining 30% interest in the East Cadillac gold project, in Canada, from TSX-V listed joint venture partner Monarques Gold Corporation. Under the original option and farm-in agreement, Chalice in March this year met its maximum... Thiess wins Nickel West contract By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining services provider Thiess has been awarded a A$190-million underground mining contract for the Leinster project, in Western Australia, from BHP’s Nickel West division. The contract would span a minimum of 24 months, and will include the provision of a full range of underground mining... Todd River raises cash for exploration By: Esmarie Swanepoel Base metals explorer Todd River Resources will raise A$4.2-million through a share placement to fund drilling at its Mt Hardy zinc/copper discovery, in the Northern Territory. The company has received form commitments for the first 12.5-million shares, at 8c each, to raise an initial A$1-million... Syndicated reports maiden resources at Monument By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Syndicated Metals has reported a maiden Joint Ore Reserves Committee compliant resource of 855 000 t, at 1.8 g/t gold for 50 000 oz of contained gold at the Korong deposit, at its Monument gold project, in Western Australia. The company on Monday said that the initial inferred mineral... Newmont backs Orosur with $2m placement, Colombia earn-in By: Mariaan Webb TSX- and Aim-listed Orosur on Monday announced an exploration and option agreement with gold major Newmont Mining, which will see the gold major earn into the 207.5 ha Anzá project in Antioquia, Colombia. Newmont has also invested $2-million through a private placement in the cash-strapped...

Rio Tinto exec joins Turquoise Hill board By: Creamer Media Reporter NYSE- and TSX-listed Turquoise Hill has appointed Rio Tinto VP for copper and diamond sales and marketing, Alan Chirgwin, to its board of directors. Chirgwin has extensive commercial background and a proven track record in the resources industry, specifically in the Asia Pacific region,...

Afrox achieves double-digit HEPS growth amid subdued economic environment By: Simone Liedtke Despite low economic growth in the six months to June 30, JSE-listed African Oxygen (Afrox) achieved double-digit growth in its headline earnings per share (HEPS) to 104c, representing an increase of 11.5% from the HEPS of 93.3c recorded for the six months to June 30, 2017. Referring to the...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 10-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1190.78 $/oz     Pt 787.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 11 September 2018 CAT

11th September 2018

Altura finds another $15m for lithium project By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium developer Altura Mining has secured an additional $15-million for its lithium project in the Pilbara, following an amendment deed with its existing loan note holders. “The additional funds will ensure the efficient ramp-up of commissioning towards nameplate capacity at the Altura lithium...

Photo by Bloomberg

Glencore-led Australian coal port wins court nod on $3.2 bln debt refinancing By: Reuters Australia's Wiggins Island Coal Export Terminal obtained court approval on Tuesday for a $3.2-billion debt refinancing plan, offering respite to its owners who would have had to start repayments this month. The Queensland-based terminal, known as WICET, is 40% owned by miner and commodities... Matsa starts mining at Red Dog By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior miner Matsa Resources has started mining at its Red Dog gold mine, in Western Australia. Red Dog is estimated to host a mineral resource of 368 000 t, at 2.2 g/t gold, for 26 300 oz of gold. New Century starts slurry movement By: Esmarie Swanepoel Based metals miner New Century Resources has started pumping zinc concentrate along the slurry pipeline to its port facility in Karumba. The company on Tuesday said that the operation of the slurry pipeline was another important milestone for New Century, with the saleable zinc concentrate... Prospect secures $10m more for Zimbabwe project By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium developer Prospect Resources has secured a $10-million export finance facility from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, which the company said will be used to meet development costs for its Arcadia lithium mine. The facility, which was issued to Prospect’s Zimbabwean subsidiary, will have a... DMR approves amended EA for MC Mining’s Makhado project By: Simone Liedtke The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has approved the environmental authorisation (EA) for the Makhado hard coking and thermal coal project, in Limpopo. The approval by the DMR follows confirmation earlier this month that the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and... Cobalt on the cards for CuDeco By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper miner CuDeco has entered into a memorandum of understanding with fellow-listed Cobalt Blue Holdings, allowing that company to conduct a due diligence to evaluate the applicability of its minerals processing technology to the cobalt-pyrite concentrate produced at the Rocklands mine, in... Ausenco leads the charge to address slurry pipeline failure rates By: Esmarie Swanepoel Consulting, engineering and project delivery firm Ausenco has organised the first, focused pipeline user’s symposium, to be held in Santiago, Chile, at the end of October, to discuss a framework to address the high mean failure rate of slurry pipelines. Ausenco VP for pipeline consulting, JP... Metalicity advances Canadian spin-out By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Metalicity has completed the sale of its Admiral Bay zinc project and the Lennard Shelf zinc project to its Canadian subsidiary Kimberley Mining, with the prospectus for the subsidiary being finalised for a TSX-V listing in the December quarter. Metalicity on Tuesday said that it had...

Kingston takes 70% stake in Masima By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Kingston Resources has increased its ownership in the 2.8-million ounce Masima gold project, in Papua New Guinea, after completing its expenditure requirements. Kingston has now increased its interest in the project from 49% to 70% with joint venture partner Pan Pacific Copper holding...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 11-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1203.53 $/oz     Pt 800.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 12 September 2018 CAT

12th September 2018

Further Australian LNG projects needed to keep prices in check By: Esmarie Swanepoel New Australian liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies will have to come on line by 2028 in order to forestall a shortage, advisory firm Wood Mackenzie (WoodMac) has forecast. “The Queensland LNG export projects have shattered the east coast’s ‘cheap gas forever’ mentality,” WoodMac director for...

Photo by Bloomberg

ACCC gives green light for A$13bn APA takeover By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Wednesday said that it would not oppose A$13-billion takeover of infrastructure group APA Group. The directors of the company in August unanimously recommended the A$11 a share takeover offer from a consortium led by CK Infrastructure... Australian Potash gets licence for Lake Wells By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Australian Potash has been granted a mining lease at its Lake Wells sulphate of potash (SOP) project, in Western Australia. “This is a major milestone on the approvals pathway and a significant step towards completion of the definitive feasibility study,” said Australian potash MD... Northern Star backs Venturex plans By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Venturex Resources has struck a deal with shareholder Northern Star Resources which will see the gold miner advance a A$2-million unsecured loan for the definitive feasibility study (DFS) on the Sulphur Springs copper/zinc project, in Western Australia. The unsecured loan will have a 12... Toro tips cost savings at Wiluna By: Esmarie Swanepoel Uranium developer Toro Energy has flagged the potential for significant cost reductions at its Wiluna uranium project, in Western Australia, following leach testing results. The ASX-listed company on Wednesday said that the leach testing results far exceeded expectations with efficiencies, pulp... Urquhart still on the radar By: Esmarie Swanepoel An updated prefeasibility study (PFS) into the Urquhart bauxite project, in Queensland, has confirmed the low capital cost requirements for the project development. The PFS estimated that a capital injection of A$2.2-million would be required to develop Urquhart to produce some 1.5-million... Titan could earn into Peru gold By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed junior Titan Minerals could potentially acquire an 85% interest in the Las Antas gold project, in Peru, after negotiations with a private Peruvian company. Subject to the execution of a formal binding earn-in agreement, Titan could earn an initial 60% interest in the project by... Simmering Alcoa labour dispute morphed into 'clash of the titans' By: Bloomberg Workers of the Alcoa-controlled Becancour smelter in Quebec stand guard under umbrellas outside the gates. Whenever a vehicle approaches, a pair scurries to take down the driver’s details and make sure there’s no scab laborer in disguise. The ritual, witnessed on a rainy August morning, has...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 12-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1204.11 $/oz     Pt 804.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 13 September 2018 CAT

13th September 2018

Metallica and Melior merger creates diversified Qld mining firm By: Mariaan Webb Brisbane-based resources firms Metallica Minerals and Melior Resources on Thursday announced a binding merger agreement, creating a diversified Queensland mining company with near-term production potential and a pipeline of future growth opportunities. The merger will combine mineral sands and...      The merged entity will own the near-production Goondicum project, in north Queensland.        Black Mountain buys idled nickel mine from Panoramic By: Mariaan Webb US private equity firm Black Mountain announced on Thursday that it would buy the Lanfranchi nickel mine, near Kambalda, Western Australia, as it seeks to tap into the growing battery minerals market. The company will buy the idled Lanfranchi mine from Panoramic Resources for A$15.1-million in... Kidman, SQM may have to forfeit lithium mine after Australian govt ruling By: Reuters Australia's Kidman Resources and Chilean partner SQM may lose their right to develop the Mount Holland lithium project after a recommendation by a unit of the West Australian government that regulates mining leases. Kidman had asked the Western Australia Department of Mines for an exemption to... Regulator objects to Poseidon’s entitlement offer By: Mariaan Webb Corporate regulator the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has approached the Takeovers Panel to prevent Andrew Forrests’ Squadron Resources from increasing its interest in ASX-listed Poseidon Resources to nearly 61% without first gaining shareholder approval. Poseidon last... Byproduct inclusion boosts US lithium project’s economics By: Mariaan Webb The inclusion of byproducts, including quartz, feldspar and mica, has delivered “substantial economic benefits” to the north Carolina lithium project that ASX-listed Piedmont Lithium is studying in the US. An updated scoping study determined that the recovery and selling of byproducts that are... Ramelius buys WA gold project By: Mariaan Webb Acquisitive Ramelius Resources on Thursday announced that it would buy the Marda gold project, about 190 km from its Edna May operation in Western Australia for A$13-million. The company, which earlier this week launched a hostile takeover for Explaurum, said that the Marda resource could be a... Power plant delays fuel tensions over Rio's giant Mongolia copper mine By: Reuters Nearly 10 years on from the launch of a giant copper and gold project in Mongolia, Rio Tinto is still looking to secure a domestic power source it needs for the mine under an agreement with the government. Oyu Tolgoi, located in the South Gobi region near landlocked Mongolia's southern border... Resgen pursues tandem approach to funding solution for Boikarabelo By: Simone Liedtke ASX-listed Resource Generation (Resgen) confirmed on Thursday that it had received a commitment from a lender to table a funding proposal prepared by the deal team for credit committee approval. The company, has until now, been pursuing a tandem approach to finding a funding solution for the... Europa initiate land use process for Spain mine development By: Creamer Media Reporter Triple-listed Europa Metals has initiated a change of land use process to facilitate the potential future development of its Toral lead/zinc/silver project, in northern Spain. The company has engaged consultancy MAGMA Soluciones Ambientales to progress the requisite land use applications across...

Indian mineral exploration policy and reality divergence By: Ajoy K Das The Indian government’s ostensible policy is to double mineral exploration every year with participation of domestic and foreign private players, but foreign participation in domestic non-coal mineral exploration is on a downtrend. “We are preparing a document for increasing the participation of... GAIL to expand natural gas pipeline capacity by 50% over next three years By: Ajoy K Das Having warded off the possibility of the company being split up, State-run natural gas marketer and logistic service provider GAIL India has firmed up plans to expand its gas pipeline network. GAIL will add 5 500 km of pipeline network to its existing 11 400 km, over the next three years, to... Nickel price to benefit from short supply, strong steel demand through 2019 By: Reuters Slower production increases in leading supplier Indonesia and continued growth in stainless steel demand are forecast to extend a supply shortage in the global nickel market, supporting price gains through 2019. Nickel, which recently hit its lowest since December, could climb as high as $16 000... China expected to continue as major driver in global silver market – Silver Institute By: Marleny Arnoldi China will continue to be a major driver in the global silver market for years to come, fueled by continued industrial demand and silver mining activity, says international industry association, the Silver Institute. “China is by far the largest consumer of silver globally, accounting for 18%... Barrick to eliminate innovation role under decentralisation By: Reuters Barrick Gold Corp will eliminate the executive role of chief innovation officer (CIO) as part of a broad decentralization push, the company said on Wednesday, adding that it will continue to work on innovation and productivity improvements. Barrick did not officially announce the change, which...

Strong new collaboration with governments of South Africa, Zimbabwe – Implats   By: Martin Creamer Platinum mining company Impala Platinum (Implats), which is in strong collaboration with the South African government to preserve jobs at the heavily lossmaking Impala Rustenburg operation, is also working in very close cooperation with the government of Zimbabwe, where it has secured major...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 13-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1197.11 $/oz     Pt 802.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 14 September 2018 CAT

14th September 2018

New Century brings new life to former Queensland mine By: Mariaan Webb Praise is pouring in for New Century Resources’ zinc tailings project at a former mine site north-west of Mount Isa, Queensland, with Mines Minister Anthony Lynham declaring it an “exciting new approach” and Queensland Resources Council CEO Ian Macfarlane labelling the project “ingenious”. The...      The New Century zinc mine.        Hydro withdraws bid for Rio Tinto Iceland plant By: Mariaan Webb Norwegian aluminium company Hydro has dropped its offer to buy Rio Tinto’s ISAL aluminium plant, in Iceland. The $345-million offer, announced in February and initially expected to close in the second quarter, also entailed a 53.3% share in Rio Tinto’s Aluchemie anode plant, in the Netherlands,... Myanmar unveils Bawdwin ‘starter pit’ scoping study By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed junior Myanmar Metals has unveiled the results of a scoping study for the Bawdwin polymetallic mine, in Myanmar, demonstrating the viability of developing a 13-year “starter pit” that will fund the life-of-mine infrastructure. Based on the indicated and inferred resources from the... South32 assumes operatorship of Eagle Downs By: Mariaan Webb Diversified mining group South32 has assumed operatorship of the Eagles Downs metallurgical coal project, following the completion of the acquisition of a 50% interest in the Bowen basin project. The other 50% is owned by Aquila Resources, a subsidiary of China’s BaoWu. Queensland ombudsman to help resolve land disputes By: Creamer Media Reporter Queensland has appointed its first land access ombudsman to help landholders and resource companies resolve disputes over conduct and compensation agreements, as a free alternative to legal action. Jane Pires, currently the energy and water ombudsman, will take up the new position, Natural... Nickel producers eye Indonesia to plug into EV battery market By: Reuters Several global metals producers have set their sights on Indonesia's nickel reserves to tap an expected surge in demand for the metal for electric vehicle batteries. Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) said on Thursday that it and nickel miner PT Vale Indonesia are conducting a feasibility study to... Premium Lulo diamonds to be sold under new Angola marketing system By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed Lucapa is preparing to sell its first diamonds from the Lucapa mine through the new marketing channels that Angola is establishing as part of the government’s diamond sector reforms. Certain large premium-valued diamonds will be the first Lulu production to be sold through the new... Growing demand for synthetics not a threat to natural diamonds By: Nadine James Although the global diamond market is currently worth about $87-billion, laboratory-grown diamonds only constitute 2% of that market, or $1.9-billion, says New York-based independent diamond analyst Paul Zimnisky. While the laboratory-grown diamond jewellery market is forecast to grow to about... Rising generations drive record diamond demand but require new approaches by industry By: Rebecca Campbell The worldwide demand for diamond jewellery set a new record high of $82-billion in 2017, diamond giant De Beers reported in its “Diamond Insight Report 2018”. The driving forces behind this demand were Millennial and Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers, who, together, accounted for 66% of global...

Coal crunch faced by Indian nonpower sector to ease, not end By: Ajoy K Das The coal shortage faced by the nonpower sector is expected to continue, although a reversal of the trend may emerge toward the end of the month, Coal India Limited (CIL) chairperson Anil Kumar Jha has said. “A surge in demand for coal at the start of the summer months this year forced CIL to... Spain's nuclear watchdog requests more info on Berkeley uranium mine By: Reuters Spain's nuclear watchdog CSN has asked Australian mining company Berkeley Energia for more information on its plans for a uranium mine in Salamanca, on which work is due to begin later this year, the regulator said on Friday. The project, which would become the European Union's only open-cast... Apollo now owns 100% of Couflens By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed Apollo Minerals said on Friday that it had completed the acquisition of the remaining 20% interest in the Couflens tungsten/copper/gold project in the Pyrenees region of southern France, increasing its ownership to 100%. The company initially bought an 80% interest in 2017, and... Mount Gibson names CEO successor By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed Mount Gibson has appointed CFO Peter Kerr as CEO to succeed Jim Beyer, who will leave the company at the end of the month to pursue another opportunity in the resources industry. Kerr has been CFO of Mount Gibson since September 2017 and prior to that, he was CFO of uranium...

By: Martin Creamer Platinum mining company Impala Platinum (Implats), which is collaborating closely with the South African government to preserve jobs at the heavily lossmaking Impala Rustenburg operation, is also working in very close cooperation with the government of Zimbabwe, where it has secured major tax...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 14-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1202.51 $/oz     Pt 803.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:43 on 17 September 2018 CAT

17th September 2018

Kidman and SQM ‘firmly committed’ to WA lithium venture By: Mariaan Webb Joint venture (JV) partners Kidman Resources and Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (SQM) have confirmed their commitment to the Mt Holland lithium project, in Western Australia, despite a recommendation that Kidman’s request to be exempt from minimum expenditure obligations over certain... Pilbara starts first deliveries of spodumene and tantalite By: Creamer Media Reporter Australian lithium producer Pilbara Minerals confirmed on Monday that its first shipment of spodumene concentrate from the Pilgangoora project would leave Port Hedland this month and said that its first shipment of tantalite concentrate had been delivered to Global Advanced Metals (GAM). MD and... AngloGold’s Tropicana on track to deliver 500 000 oz/y from 2020 By: Marleny Arnoldi There is a strong focus on continuous improvement at AngloGold Ashanti’s 70%-owned Tropicana mine, in Australia, and the aim is to produce 500 000 oz/y of gold from 2020, with support from the adjacent Boston Shaker prospect. In a presentation to the media, on Monday, AngloGold Ashanti... Vango makes offmarket bid for Dampier Gold By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed Vango Mining on Monday announced an all-scrip offmarket takeover offer for fellow-listed Dampier Gold, valuing the explorer and developer at 5.6c a share. The offer is a near 87% premium on Dampier’s share price on Friday and also 98% above the company’s one-month volume weighted... RNC says Fathers Day vein delivers more high-grade gold By: Mariaan Webb TSX-listed RNC Minerals on Monday announced that it had doubled the strike length of the high-grade coarse gold structure of the Fathers Day vein, in the Beta Hunt mine, to about 10 m and added that it would provide an update on the estimated ounces from this new Australian gold discovery later... How Anglo quietly built a commodity trader in Glencore's shadow By: Bloomberg Anglo American has quietly become a commodities trader. In just five years, the century-old miner assembled marketing operations that now sell more metals than the company produces. Yet the trading business gets barely a mention at presentations by Anglo executives or in analyst reports, taking... Feasibility study at Lance projects indicates a viable low-pH operation By: Marleny Arnoldi Uranium miner Peninsula Energy has completed a feasibility study for its Lance projects, in Wyoming, US, which confirmed the economic viability of transitioning to a low-pH in-situ recovery (ISR) operation. The study had the aim of demonstrating the robustness of the planned transition from... EIA for Maricunga lithium brine project submitted By: Simone Liedtke ASX-listed Lithium Power International (LPI), through its joint venture (JV) company Minera Salar Blanco (MSB), has submitted the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the Maricunga lithium brine project to the Chilean environmental authority, Servicio de Evaluación Ambiental (SEA). The... Jupiter declares healthy dividend for H1 2019 By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed Jupiter Mines has declared an interim unfranked dividend of $0.05 apiece, to be paid on October 10, equating to a near 100% payout ratio post South African withholding tax and Jupiter income tax payment. Jupiter owns 49.9% of the Tshipi openpit manganese mine, in the Kalahari...

‘Major’ drilling programme approved for Torrens By: Creamer Media Reporter The management committee of the Torrens joint venture – a 70:30 Aeris Resources and Argonaut partnership – has approved Stage 1 of a “major” drilling programme the iron-oxide/copper/gold project, in South Australia. Stage 1 will involve eight to ten drill holes to depths of between 700 m and 1... Encounter/Newcrest JV granted new Tamani licences By: Simone Liedtke ASX-listed Encounter Resources has been granted seven new exploration licences in the Tanami gold province of Western Australia as part of its joint venture (JV) with major Newcrest Mining. The JV now controls a granted exploration tenure covering about 3 500 km2 in the province, representing... Philippine President repeats desire to 'close all mining' after landslides By: Reuters Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday repeated his desire to shut all mines in the country following deadly landslides that some government officials and large miners said have been exacerbated by illegal small-scale mining. "If I were to try to do my thing I will close all mining in... Metminco plans acquisition and funding announcement By: Creamer Media Reporter Australia-headquartered Metminco requested a voluntary suspension from the ASX on Monday, pending an announcement about a proposed capital raising and acquisition. The company, which requested a trading halt last week, said that an announcement would be made on Tuesday.

Spain's nuclear watchdog requests more info on Berkeley uranium mine By: Reuters Spain's nuclear watchdog CSN has asked Australian mining company Berkeley Energia for more information on its plans for a uranium mine in Salamanca, on which work is due to begin later this year, the regulator said on Friday. The project, which would become the European Union's only open-cast...

Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 - Second Edition (PDF Report)

This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

LATEST VIDEOS

Mandela Mining Precinct to bolster mining sector    By: Tasneem Bulbulia JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Science and Technology Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane on Friday stressed the need for the mining industry to embrace the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Speaking at the launch of the Mandela Mining Precinct, in Melville, Johannesburg, she reassured the industry...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 17-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1199.20 $/oz     Pt 814.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:01 on 18 September 2018 CAT

18th September 2018

Ramelius goes underground at Edna May By: Mariaan Webb Gold miner Ramelius Resources has opted for underground operations at Edna May, rather than developing a large Stage 3 openpit cutback at the Western Australia-based operation. Starting in early 2019, the company will start underground mining and ore production is expected from the start of the...      Edna May is currently an openpit operations but will go underground early next year.        Universal Coal shares jump on takeover proposal By: Mariaan Webb Australia-listed coal miner Universal Coal on Tuesday confirmed that it had received a conditional, nonbinding offer from a consortium of investors, led by South African mining finance and private equity firm Ata Resources. Ata is proposing a cash offer of A$0.35 a share for Universal and... Kalium completes BFS for Beyondie SoP project By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed Kalium Lakes has completed a “compelling” bankable feasibility study (BFS) for the Beyondie sulphate of potash (SoP) project, in Western Australia, prompting the board to approve early works and front-end engineering and design work ahead of a final investment decision. The BFS... Top miner sees US-China trade tensions limiting global growth By: Bloomberg Rising US-China trade tensions threaten to curb consumer purchasing power, crimp productivity growth and limit global economic expansion, according to the world’s biggest mining company. The confrontation between the world’s top two economies, “along with an increasingly unpredictable policy... US gives rare earths reprieve in revised $200bn China tariff list By: Reuters The United States did not include rare earth elements, metals used in magnets, radars and consumer electronics, from its final list of tariffs on $200-billion of Chinese goods, underscoring its reliance on China for the strategic minerals. China is the world's largest producer of rare earths and... MMG slashes Las Bambas copper forecast By: Mariaan Webb Hong Kong- and Australia-listed MMG has lowered its 2018 copper concentrate production guidance for the Las Bambas mine, in Peru, to between 375 000 t and 395 000 t, from an earlier guidance of 410 000 t to 430 000 t. The lower production forecast is as a result of wall instability restricting... CNN-flighted advert projecting huge growth for platinum-using fuel cells By: Martin Creamer French company Air Liquide, a member of the Davos-launched Hydrogen Council that includes platinum-mining company Anglo American, is currently flighting an advertisement on the global television network CNN, which forecasts exceptional growth for the hydrogen and fuel cell market. Quoting the... PFS generates positive feedback for Cardinal’s Ghana gold project By: Tasneem Bulbulia Gold-focused Cardinal Resources’ prefeasibility study (PFS) for the Namdini gold project in Ghana has confirmed it as one of the country’s and continent’s most promising undeveloped, large gold assets. The financial modelling of the project has shown it to be technically sound and financially... Gladiator raises cash to fast-track North Arunta project By: Tasneem Bulbulia Gladiator has received firm commitment to raise up to A$625 000 to further the North Arunta project, in the Northern Territory. The capital raising entails commitments for a placement of 105-million shares at 0.2c apiece to raise up to A$210 000 placements before costs to sophisticated and... Commercial coal mining in India potentially heading for backburner By: Ajoy K Das Signs are emerging that commercial coal mining in India, sans any end-use restrictions and permitting free merchant sale, will be put on the backburner, if not die a slow death altogether. Although no official acknowledgement of the same is forthcoming from any of the departments involved in... Vector Resources secures $20m loan to aid Adidi-Kanga development By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed Vector Resources has secured a $20-million committed debt facility with resources focus fund Medea Future Materials Fund, to help reduce its indebtedness with a local Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) bank. The company needs $5-million for upfront acquisition costs, about $10-million... Orion nears drilling completion at Prieska project By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX- and JSE-listed Orion Minerals’ Prieska project drill-out programme is nearing completion, with continued high-grade results being returned at the deep sulphide target. The company has drilled more than 83 000 m since May 2017, across 94 intersections, including 15 intersections drilled for... Lulo kimberlite investment contract gazetted By: Tasneem Bulbulia Tphe Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum has gazetted a new mineral investment contract for the Lulo kimberlite exploration licence, covering a five-year period through to April 30, 2023. Lucapa Diamond Company co-owns and operates the kimberlite  exploration programme on the... Congo expects declaration on strategic metals by end of October By: Bloomberg The Democratic Republic of Congo expects to issue a decree identifying strategic metals by the end of October, a government official said. Congo’s government has said it’s preparing to categorize cobalt and other metals as strategic, imposing a 10% royalty tax on producers including Glencore and...

JOBS Plant Engineer

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 18-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1203.40 $/oz     Pt 823.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:57 on 19 September 2018 CAT

19th September 2018

Metminco buys Solomon Islands nickel project, to delist from Aim By: Mariaan Webb Share trading in Metminco resumed on the ASX on Wednesday as the miner announced the acquisition of the Jejevo nickel project, in the Solomon Islands, giving it exposure to the nickel market at a time of rising demand from the battery market. Metminco will buy Sunshine Metals in a scrip... NAIF approves A$95m loan for Sheffield’s Thunderbird By: Mariaan Webb The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) is backing the Thunderbird mineral sands project, in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, through a A$95-million loan, ASX-listed Sheffield Resources announced on Wednesday. The NAIF loan comprises a A$30-million project development... OceanaGold reports no operational impact from recent storms By: Mariaan Webb Multinational OceanaGold’s Didipio operation, in the Philippines and the Haile mine, in the US, have managed to pull through the past weekend’s severe storms in the respective regions without reporting any injuries or a significant impact to production. In the Philippines, where super typhoon... ASX-hopeful Montem to develop Canada coking coal projects By: Creamer Media Reporter Montem Resources, a company with coking coal development projects in Canada, has announced its planned initial public offering (IPO) and listing on the ASX as it seeks to shore up funding for its brownfield projects in Alberta and British Columbia. The company has lodged its prospectus the... Activities restart at New Century’s port facility By: Creamer Media Reporter Queensland miner New Century Resources has started stockpiling zinc concentrate in its 80 000 t storage shed at the Karumba port, paving the way for exports to start and first revenue to be received this month. “The successful refurbishment and restart of activities at New Century’s port... Gascoyne hits ultra-high gold grades at Dalgaranga By: Mariaan Webb Drilling at the Tanqueray prospect of the Dalgaranga gold project, near Mount Magnet, Western Australia, has intersected ultra-high gold mineralisation, Gascoyne Resources announced on Wednesday, sending its stock up 18%. Drilling intersected 373.5 g/t gold (12 oz/t) from 53 m, including 3 m at... Cobalt Blue seeks to reassure investors on Thackaringa BFS timing By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed explorer Cobalt Blue on Wednesday moved to reassure investors about the timeline for the Thackaringa joint venture (JV) project, a day after CEO Joe Kaderavek said in a letter to shareholders that an independent review has concluded that more pre-bankable feasibility study (BFS)... Poland's JSW seeks Ministry approval to buy Prairie Mining assets - CEO By: Reuters Poland's State-run JSW is awaiting approval from the Energy Ministry in its bid to acquire the Polish mining assets of Australia's Prairie Mining, JSW said on Wednesday. Prairie Mining has been developing coking coal projects at the Jan Karski mine in southeast Poland and the Debiensko mine in... Excelsior shareholders give thumbs up to Spitfire merger By: Creamer Media Reporter The takeover of Excelsior Gold by Spitfire Materials has received shareholder backing, paving the way for the merger implementation to proceed. Excelsior shareholders approved the transaction on Wednesday. The Federal Court approval will be sought next week and, should that be given, the scheme...

India working on mechanism to check gold imports without customs duty hike By: Ajoy K Das The Indian government is mulling measures to curb gold imports without having to increase import duties to rein in its rising current account deficit and rapidly depreciating rupee. Sources say that increasing import duty on gold to 12% or 13% from the current rate of 10% will be the last option... Coal exports from top shipper hobbled with miners facing constraints By: Bloomberg Coal exports from Indonesia will be restrained this year, which could frustrate a plan by the government to ease a burgeoning trade deficit while keeping prices elevated, according to an industry group. Producers in the world’s largest shipper face an order backlog of 18 months as they aren’t...

Pan African’s rapid turnaround removes false notions on doing business in SA By: Martin Creamer South Africa was on Wednesday reaffirmed as a country where business is able to do what is required when London- and Johannesburg-listed gold-mining company Pan African Resources outlined the remarkably efficient manner in which this country’s regulatory environment facilitated the closure of a...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 19-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1203.33 $/oz     Pt 828.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:04 on 20 September 2018 CAT

20th September 2018

Rio Tinto returns $3.2bn in coal disposal proceeds to shareholders By: Marleny Arnoldi Anglo-Australian multinational mining group Rio Tinto on Thursday unveiled how it intends to return the proceeds of its recent Australian coal disposals to its shareholders. The company will launch a $3.2-billion share buyback programme, combining an off-market buyback tender targeting up to...      Rio Tinto CEO Jean-Sébastien Jacques        Doray ‘firmly on path’ to 100 000 oz/y goal By: Mariaan Webb The upgrade of Doray Minerals’ resource for the high-grade Da Vinci gold discovery in the Deflector gold/copper mine has set the company “firmly on the path” to reaching its ‘target 1-5-1’ strategic goal of producing 100 000 oz/y of gold, over a minimum of five years and at an all-in sustaining... Axiom fully permitted for Isabel nickel project By: Mariaan Webb Solomon Islands has formally granted Axiom Mining a lease over the San Jorge nickel deposit, paving the way for the ASX-listed company to start construction of the Isabel mine – one of the last known undeveloped world-class nickel laterite deposits. The news sent Axiom’s stock surging 44% to... BHP seeks approval for $50m US pact over fatal Brazil dam burst By: Reuters BHP Billiton has asked a US judge to approve a $50-million settlement of claims that it fraudulently inflated its share price by overstating its ability to manage safety risks before a fatal 2015 dam burst at a Brazilian mine. The Anglo-Australian mining company's preliminary settlement of... Vale says it could expand Brazil iron-ore mine as Chinese demand grows By: Reuters Mining giant Vale is looking at expanding its flagship iron ore project in Brazil amid growing Chinese appetite for higher-grade varieties of the commodity, a company official said on Thursday. China, the world's top consumer of the steelmaking ingredient, has ramped up buying of higher-quality,... China's iron-ore demand to remain flat as scrap steel use rises By: Reuters China's iron-ore demand is expected to stay flat, said an official from Baoshan Iron & Steel Co, the country's biggest listed steelmaker, as Beijing's stricter environmental rules boost the use of scrap steel. China's growing stockpiles of scrap steel should also increase its use in steelmaking... Glencore to issue new bonds By: Marleny Arnoldi Global diversified miner Glencore has placed a tap issue of nondilutive zero-coupon cash settled guaranteed convertible bonds for $125-million to be consolidated with its $500-million nondilutive bonds due 2025. The new bonds are to be issued on the same terms as the original bonds and, as of... ‘Take no action’ Dampier tells shareholders By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed Dampier Gold has urged shareholders not to take any action in relation to the conditional scrip takeover offer from joint venture (JV) partner Vango Mining, arguing that the timing of the bid is a direct response to an unresolved dispute between the two companies over the K2 gold mine... Father’s Day yields gold worth $38m By: Mariaan Webb The recently discovered Father’s Day vein at RNC Minerals’ Beta Hunt mine, in Australia, has more high-grade gold than previously thought, with estimates now put at 24 000 oz, worth $38-million. The new estimate is more than double the initial estimate of 9 250 oz.

Graphex updates Tanzania graphite project’s PFS By: Mariaan Webb An update to the 2015 prefeasibility study (PFS) for the Chilalo graphite project has delivered “robust” financial returns and confirmed the “exceptional economics” of the Tanzania project, Australian firm Graphex reported on Thursday. The updated PFS assesses a two-stage production scenario,... Nexus expands Wallbrook project By: Creamer Media Reporter Gold explorer Nexus Minerals has acquired a 190 km2 tenement package adjacent to its Wallbrook tenements, expanding the project to about 250 km2 of prospective geological units in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia. The ASX-listed company has signed a tenement sale and purchase... Resources industry helping to keep Queenslanders employed – QRC By: Marleny Arnoldi The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) says in the space of a year, the state’s mining industry has created an extra 10 000 jobs, which is a 17% year-on-year increase when compared with the same quarterly data of last year. QRC CE Ian Macfarlane quoted the quarterly labour force data of the... Central banks add 193 t of gold to reserves in H1 By: Marleny Arnoldi Central banks have added 193.3 t of gold to their reserves in the first six months of this year, which is an 8% increase compared with the 178.6 t bought in the same period last year, making it the strongest first half for central bank gold buying since 2015. The World Gold Council (WGC) states...

Phosa says South Africa should be ‘plotting’ a credible economic strategy   By: Terence Creamer Former African National Congress (ANC) treasurer-general Mathews Phosa made a forthright appeal on Thursday for the creation and implementation of a credible economic strategy, centred on growth and job creation, rather than “vague, ill-timed, conflicting and populist” policies. Speaking at the...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 20-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1196.87 $/oz     Pt 826.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:07 on 21 September 2018 CAT

21st September 2018

Taskforce outcomes to set basis of Australia’s first resources plan in 20 years By: Nadine James Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Matt Canavan on Friday welcomed a report by the federal government’s Resources 2030 Taskforce, which he convened in March to ensure that the Australian resource sector remains globally competitive and sustainable The Minister will use the work of the...

Resources and Northern Australia Minister Matt Canavan

South32's Cerro Matoso mine wins appeal, will not pay damages By: Reuters Colombia's Cerro Matoso nickel mine, owned by Australian miner South32, will not be required to pay damages to indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities after winning an appeal in Colombia's constitutional court, a court spokesperson said on Thursday. The court had previously ruled that waste... Poseidon signs Black Swan ore tolling agreements By: Mariaan Webb Base metals firm Poseidon Nickel has found two potential sources of third-party feed for its Black Swan concentrator, which the company is touting as an alternative processing facility for stranded nickel miners following the closure of BHP Billiton’s Nickel West Kambalda concentrator. Private... Australian miners spearheading disruptive technology movement – Fitch By: Nadine James Australia’s strong information communications technology and energy infrastructure, highly skilled labour force and government support ensures that its miners will continue to be the frontrunners in implementing technology to cut costs, enhance efficiency and increase mine safety, the latest... Chinese lithium giant agrees three-year pact to supply Tesla By: Bloomberg China’s top producer of lithium, a metal used in electric-vehicle batteries, said it’s agreed a deal with Tesla Inc. to supply a fifth of its production to the vehicle maker, highlighting the push for supply pacts. Tesla will designate its battery suppliers to buy lithium-hydroxide products from... India to incentivise consortiums to build iron-ore pellet plants By: Ajoy K Das India’s Mines Ministry is exploring ways to incentivise private merchant iron-ore miners to form consortiums to construct pelletisation plants in mineral bearing states, in view of a changing raw material preference of steel mills worldwide, particularly in China. Government companies like... Chinese steel mills chase iron-ore contracts with Brazil's Vale By: Reuters Chinese steel mills and traders are rushing to secure long-term contracts for high-quality iron-ore ahead of winter steel output cuts, a boon for the main supplier of such grades of the commodity, Brazilian mining giant Vale. China, the world's biggest consumer of the steelmaking ingredient,... Centaurus resumes Salobo West licensing process By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed Centaurus Metals will resume the environmental licencing process for its maiden drilling programme at the Salobo West copper/gold project, in Brazil, after an earlier decision to deny the company a drilling and clearing licence was overturned. The key environmental agency responsible... Mongolian court says copper mine nationalisation broke laws By: Reuters The Mongolian government broke laws during a controversial attempt to seize full control over the Erdenet copper mine, a local court said on Thursday, the latest ruling in a long-running ownership dispute over one of Asia's biggest deposits. The Mongolian Copper Corporation (MCC) has been...

BHP's Spence copper mine in Chile partially closed following fire By: Reuters Global miner BHP Billiton said on Thursday that a fire at its Spence copper mine in Chile had forced it to partially shut down operations. No one was injured in the fire, which has since been extinguished, the company said. Pacton receives regulatory approval to buy rest of Arrow By: Creamer Media Reporter Canadian junior Pacton Gold hunting conglomerate-style gold in Australia’s Pilbara has received approval from the TSX Venture Exchange to buy the remaining 49% interest in Arrow Minerals. The transaction, announced last month, gives the company full ownership of a strategic landholding of 609... Release of Odysseus DFS delayed by one month By: Mariaan Webb Western Areas has reported a minor delay in the release of its definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Odysseus nickel sulphide project, in Western Australia, citing an unplanned late receipt of certain key data. The company said that the DFS release date has been moved to the end of October,...

Supplier grows installed base of Cavex hydrocyclones   By: Jessica Oosthuizen There is a fast-growing installed base of Cavex hydrocyclone technology in coal processing in both classification and dense-medium separation (DMS) applications, according to mining equipment supplier Weir Minerals Africa. “This is as a result of the lower total cost of ownership achieved by...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 21-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1202.68 $/oz     Pt 827.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 25 September 2018 CAT

25th September 2018

Barrick's Randgold acquisition may spur more gold mining deals By: Bloomberg Gold miners earned the ire of investors including billionaire hedge-fund manager John Paulson for entering into bad deals that destroyed shareholder value in the past. Shareholders of the two companies announcing a merger Monday signaled they think this time may be different.      Mark Bristow says there are Australian investors interested in Barrick's Kalgoorlie mine.        Great Panther adds Brazil mine to portfolio with $105m Beadell buy By: Mariaan Webb TSX-listed Great Panther Silver has announced that it will acquire ASX-listed Beadell Resources, which owns the Tucano gold mine in Brazil, in an all-scrip deal. The transaction will create a new “growth-oriented precious metals producer” focused on the Americas, with a portfolio of three... Sundance announces change of control transaction By: Creamer Media Reporter Iron-ore developer Sundance Resources on Tuesday announced that a significant transaction, which would enable the company to advance the development of the Mbalam—Nabeba iron-ore project, in Africa, and leave the developer debt free. In terms of the agreement, Sundance and fellow ASX-listed... Glencore increases share buy-back programme by $1bn By: Simone Liedtke Global diversified miner Glencore has increased its $1-billion share buy-back programme by a further $1-billion, and also extended the duration of the programme until the close of dealings in February 2019. The implementation of the programme is in line with the company’s financial policies and... US private equity firm launches Coronado Coal IPO in Australia By: Reuters US private equity firm Energy and Minerals Group (EMG) on Monday kicked off its planned float of Coronado Coal Group in Australia, seeking to raise up to A$1.3-billion for 30% of the group. The float will give the company an enterprise value of up to A$4.4-billion, making it the biggest coal... Rare earth miner Lynas to face review in Malaysia - media By: Reuters Australia-listed rare earths miner Lynas Corp said on Monday that reports an opponent of its refinery in Malaysia will head a government review of the plant "raise concerns", as its shares lost nearly a quarter of their value. Lynas is the only major miner outside China of the metallic elements,... US fund manager invests A$23m in Blackham Resources By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed Blackham Resources has signed executive agreement with New York-based institutional fund manager, The Lind Partners, for an investment of up to A$23-million, the company announced on Tuesday. An initial A$7.5-million would be provided as a secured convertible note with a 24-month term... Kalgoorlie nickel smelter shut after fire By: Reuters HP Billiton said on Monday its Kalgoorlie nickel smelter has been closed after a fire that broke out over the weekend and the plant will remain shut while it assesses the damage. The fire had been put out, there were no injuries and efforts would focus on returning the plant to normal... Heron marks Woodlawn milestone By: Creamer Media Reporter Base metals firm Heron Resources on Tuesday reported a significant milestone in the project development schedule of the Woodlawn zinc/copper project, in New South Wales, announcing that Pybar Mining has started underground activities. The company has a four-year underground mining contract with...

Tomingley underground development approved By: Creamer Media Reporter The board of multicommodity miner Alkane has approved the underground development of the Tomingley gold operation in central-west New South Wales, with first fore from the underground mine expected by the middle of next year. The approved plan includes 93 000 oz of gold that will be recovered... Barrick and Shandong announce $300m cross investment By: Creamer Media Reporter Gold major Barrick Gold, which on Monday announced a $18.5-billion merger with Randgold Resources, has reached a cross investment agreement with China’s Shandong Gold, which executive chairperson John Thornton said further deepened the partnership between the two companies. Under the agreement,...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 25-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1194.20 $/oz     Pt 822.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 26 September 2018 CAT

26th September 2018

Queensland fires up for gas supply challenge By: Creamer Media Reporter More explorers are on the hunt across Queensland for gas for the hungry Australian market. Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham on Tuesday announced that four companies would soon start exploring more than 6 600 km2 for more gas for local use, as well as export dollars. Newmont's CEO rejects talk of bids for Barrick, Randgold By: Bloomberg Newmont Mining CEO Gary Goldberg squashed speculation that Barrick Gold’s offer for Randgold Resources would tempt Newmont to make its own play. When asked about the speculation that’s been raised since the Barrick-Randgold merger was announced on Monday, Goldberg referenced past attempts at... New AngloGold boss weighs asset sales to unlock value at miner By: Bloomberg AngloGold Ashanti’s new CEO Kelvin Dushnisky said his goal of unlocking value at the world’s third-largest gold producer will involve focusing on its best assets and selling those that aren’t core to the business. Dushnisky, 55, took over at AngloGold on September 1 as the Johannesburg-based... Base case confirms Gabanintha vanadium project fundamentals By: Mariaan Webb An initial base case for the Gabanintha vanadium project, in the Murchison province of Western Australia, has indicated robust economics, with a net present value (NPV) ranging between $191-million and $2.37-billion, depending on pricing assumption. The upper-end of the NPV range is estimated at... Santos aims to double production by 2025 By: Creamer Media Reporter Australian oil and gas major Santos on Wednesday outlined its plans to grow production to more than 100-million barrels of oil equivalent (mmboe) by 2025, almost doubling current levels of production. MD and CEO Kevin Gallagher said the successful delivery of the ‘transform-build-grow’ strategy... Union says meeting with Alcoa again over strike at Australian aluminium project By: Reuters The union at Alcoa's aluminium operations in the state of Western Australia said it was meeting with the company again on Wednesday to try to resolve a strike that has lasted more than six weeks, after the firm last week revised an earlier offer. Unionised workers at two alumina refineries and... Harmony Gold shows off growing portfolio quality in Denver By: Martin Creamer Harmony Gold’s Moab Khotsong mine in South Africa and Hidden Valley mine in Papua New Guinea will together produce a third of the guided 1.5-million ounces in the 12 months to end June, with the projected 500 000 oz from these two operations being produced at an all-in sustaining cost of $950/oz,... Elementos ups Tasmania project's tin/copper resources By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed Elementos has increased the Cleveland project’s tin resource estimate by 168% and the copper estimate by 164%, following a revised Joint Ore Reserve Committee study. The openpit resource now contains 17 955 t of tin and 4 624 t of copper, the owner of the Tasmania-based project... Coal India offers assured volumes to fuel-starved captive power plants By: Ajoy K Das Throwing a lifeline to fuel-starved captive thermal power plants, Coal India Limited (CIL) has offered assured yearly supplies of dry fuel for a period of five years with volumes allocated through e-auctions. CIL has communicated to captive power plants operated by various industries like steel,...

China’s preference for long-term contracts affecting Indian iron-ore miners By: Ajoy K Das Indian overseas shipment of high-grade iron-ore fines and lumps is facing significant risks as Chinese steel mills are increasingly looking at long term supply agreements. According to three miner-exporters based in the eastern Indian province of Odisha, the largest iron-ore producer in the... Indonesia 2018 coal output target now 507Mt By: Reuters Indonesia has increased its 2018 coal production target to around 507-million tonnes from a previous target of 485-million tonnes, the Energy Ministry said on Wednesday, a move that may add to downward pressure on prices for the fuel. Indonesia is the world's top exporter of thermal coal, and...

Africa Mining Projects in Progress 2018 - Second Edition (PDF Report)

This edition of Creamer Media’s Africa Mining Projects in Progress highlights some of the prospective projects on the continent that have been announced in some of these sectors, focusing on recent preliminary economic assessments, scoping, prefeasibility and definitive/bankable feasibility...

LATEST VIDEOS

Aveng reports strong market interest in most of its noncore assets   By: Terence Creamer Following a series of capital markets transactions, which have helped stabilise Aveng’s precarious balance sheet, the JSE-listed infrastructure group has turned its attention to the disposal, by June 2019, of several noncore businesses, including its well-known construction business,...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 26-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1182.42 $/oz     Pt 808.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 27 September 2018 CAT

27th September 2018

Tawana unveils A$40m funding package from Tribeca By: Mariaan Webb Australian lithium producer Tawana Resources gained on the ASX on Thursday, after announcing a A$40-million funding package from Tribeca Investment partners and others to advance its Bald Hill project and to facilitate the listing of Alliance Mineral Assets. The company secured a A$20-million...      The Bald Hill lithium and tantalum mine in Western Australia.        Four-week public review of Yangibana to open next week By: Mariaan Webb The environmental review period of the Yangibana project is set to open next week, allowing the public 28 days to comment on the planned rare earth minerals mine in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. The environmental review document will be available for comment from October 1 to 28,... MC Mining reports normalised $9.8m loss By: Martin Creamer Coal exploration, development and mining company MC Mining on Thursday reported a normalised after-tax loss of $9.8-million in the 12 months to June 30, when the company achieved full integration of  the cash generating Uitkomst thermal and metallurgical colliery, which sold $32.7-million worth... Wolf working on longer term funding solution By: Mariaan Webb Speciality metals producer Wolf Minerals on Thursday deferred the release of its financial statement for the year ended June 30, until it could finalise a long-term funding solution. The dual listed company, however, reported that it had made significant advances on its production reliability... Neometals strengthens board ahead of demerger By: Mariaan Webb ASX-listed Neometals has appointed Jennifer Purdie and Leslie Guthrie as nonexecutive directors to its board, bringing new skills and experience to support the firm’s integrated lithium and titanium/vanadium growth strategies. Neometals will separately list its Barrambie titanium/vanadium... DRA Global confirmed as preferred EPCM contractor for Colluli By: Tasneem Bulbulia Danakali has, on behalf of the Colluli Mining Share Company (CMSC), confirmed DRA Global as the preferred engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) provider for the Colluli potash project, in Eritrea. This represents another critical milestone for the project, reinforcing that... Montepuez financing strategy advancing By: Mariaan Webb The development of the Montepuez graphite project, in Mozambique, is progressing well and the funding strategy has also advanced, ASX-listed Battery Minerals reported on Thursday. The company said that key construction milestones at the $51-million project, which will operate for ten years at 50... Malawian consent order allows Lindian to secure rare earths project EPL soon By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed Lindian Resources’ geologist Michael Saner has signed a consent order with the Malawi Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs, bringing the company a step closer to acquiring up to 75% in the Kangankunde rare earths project, in Malawi. With the consent order obtained,... NMDC firms up capex for next two financial years By: Ajoy K Das India’s largest iron-ore miner, NMDC, has earmarked a capital expenditure (capex) of $902-million over the next two financial years. NMDC has committed this investment even as the miner is on verge of starting commercial production of its three-million-ton greenfield steel plant in the central...

Tando speeds up drilling at SPD project, targets Jorc-compliant resource by end-October By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed junior exploration company Tando Resources has mobilised another diamond core rig at its SPD Vanadium project, in South Africa, with three rigs now drilling out the 513-million-tonne resource. This will contribute to the publication of a Joint Ore Reserves Committee- (Jorc-)... Simpec awarded additional work at Talison mine By: Mariaan Webb Engineering contractor business Simpec, part of ASX-listed WestStar Industrial, has been awarded contract scope extensions and purchase orders for A$1.8-million from MSP Engineering at the Talison mine, in Greenbushes, Western Australia. Simpec will supply and install site wide concrete... Uranium import probe threatens US nuclear power industry - group By: Reuters US nuclear power generators urged the federal government against taking action in a dispute over imported uranium, arguing tariffs or quotas would increase costs for the struggling industry and possibly cause some reactors to shut, according to a statement emailed on Wednesday. The US Department...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 27-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1191.26 $/oz     Pt 823.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 28 September 2018 CAT

28th September 2018

Metallurgical coal miners may curb costs as prices slip – Fitch Ratings By: Tasneem Bulbulia Strong cost inflation in the global metallurgical coal sector suggests that miners may focus on cost controls as prices decline over the next 18 months, says Fitch Ratings and CRU. CRU estimates that global costs in the metallurgical coal sector increased by 18% in 2017 and continued to rise this... Indian aluminium producers seek higher import barriers By: Ajoy K Das Indian domestic aluminium refiners are seeking tariff and non-tariff barriers to stem the rising tide of imports of the base metal into the country, which has led to lower sales by local metal producers. Major integrated aluminium refiners in the country, including State-run National Aluminium... Union says reached wage deal with Alcoa Australia, will end strike By: Reuters Unionised workers at aluminium producer Alcoa's Western Australian operations on Friday agreed to end a strike that lasted more than six weeks after securing better job security provisions in a new wage agreement. Workers at two alumina refineries and three bauxite mines walked out on August 8... Western Australia mineral sands project now fully permitted By: Creamer Media Reporter ASX-listed Sheffield Resources ended the week on a high note with the announcement that its Thunderbird mineral sands project, in Western Australia, is now fully permitted for development. The Australian government’s Department of the Environment and Energy has granted environmental approval for... China battery firms set up $700m nickel JV in Indonesia By: Reuters Chinese battery firm GEM on Friday said it was teaming up with four companies to invest a total of $700-million in a project to produce battery-grade nickel chemicals in Indonesia. The investment comes as several global metals producers have also set their sights on Indonesia's nickel reserves,... SolGold CEO: High grades deliver independence By: Mariaan Webb High copper and gold grades of the Alpala deposit are providing dual-listed SolGold with a level of independence in the development of the larger Cascabel project, in Ecuador, CEO Nicholas Mather said on Friday. Responding to critics saying that Brisbane-based SolGold is too small to fund a... Azumah grows Ghana project’s mineral resources to 2.5Moz By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX-listed gold developer Azumah Resources has increased the combined mineral resource of its Wa gold project by 21%, or 433 900 oz, to 2.5-million ounces, adding to the expectations for attractive financial metrics for the Ghana project. Azumah will update the ore reserves and financial metrics... GBM to buy project near Mt Coolon By: Creamer Media Reporter Precious metals miner GBM Resources could potentially double the resource base of its flagship Mt Coolon gold project, with the acquisition of the Twin Hills gold project, about 90 km away. GBM has signed a binding sale and purchase agreement with mid-tier miner Minjar Gold to acquire the... Volt says Bunya licences recommended for approval By: Creamer Media Reporter The Tanzania Ministry of Minerals has recommended the two mining licence applications covering the Bunya graphite project for approval, ASX-listed Volt Resources reported on Friday. The two mining licence applications cover the footprint for the Stage 1 and Stage 2 developments at Bunya.

India copper imports surge By: Ajoy K Das Almost a third of India’s domestic demand for copper is being met through imports with local copper refiners facing a challenge to meet this cheaper inflow of the base metal into the country. “There has been a surge in copper imports particularly from countries that have signed free trade... Venezuela, Iran uncertainties push back ONGC Videsh listing plans By: Ajoy K Das Uncertainties over its assets in Venezuela and Iranian projects will push back the listing of ONGC Videsh. The wholly owned overseas investment arm of Indian national oil exploration and production (E&P) major, ONGC Limited has maintained that with its ventures in Venezuela and Iran in a limbo,... Makhado project’s environmental authorisation faces fresh appeal By: Tasneem Bulbulia MC Mining plans to follow due process to have a fresh appeal against an environmental authorisation (EA) for its Makhado hard coking and thermal coal project dismissed. The appeal by what MC described as a “narrow interest group” has resulted in the suspension of the amended EA.

MC Mining eyeing acquisition, project access, SEZ   By: Martin Creamer Coal exploration, development and mining company MC Mining, which has painstakingly removed many obstacles in its path in the last five years, is targeting the acquisition of a second suitable operational coal mine in the mould of the cash-generative Uitkomst, taking strong steps to secure access...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 28-09-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1188.08 $/oz     Pt 821.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 01 October 2018 CAT

1st October 2018

Peabody expects no production from fire-hit North Goonyella in Q4 By: Esmarie Swanepoel US coal miner Peabody Energy has developed and is implementing a multi-tiered plan to extinguish and contain a fire at its North Goonyella mine, in Queensland. Elevated gas levels were detected at the mine during a scheduled longwall move, with personnel observing black smoke coming from the...      Photo by Bloomberg        Rio Tinto and Freeport aim to close Grasberg deal in Q1 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mining major Rio Tinto has confirmed that it has signed a binding agreement to divest of its interest in the Grasberg mine, in Indonesia. In terms of the divestment agreement announced last week, State-owned enterprise PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) will acquire all of Rio Tinto’s... BHP wraps up Fayetteville sale By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified giant BHP has completed the sale of its Fayetteville Onshore US gas assets for $0.3-billion. BHP in July announced that it had struck a deal with Merit Energy Company to divest of its interest in BHP Billiton Petroleum (Arkansas) and its membership interest in BHP Billiton Petroleum... Rio and partners to invest $1.5bn in Pilbara By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified major Rio Tinto and its Pilbara joint venture (JV) partners Mitsui and Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal, have approved an $1.55-billion investment to sustain production capacity at two iron-ore projects that form part of the Robe River JV, in Western Australia. Rio’s 53% share of... Regis abandons plans for Capricorn takeover By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Regis Resources has terminated takeover discussions with fellow-listed Capricorn Metals, after that company’s largest shareholder said that it would not support the deal. Regis earlier this month put forward a confidential, indicative and incomplete proposal to acquire gold developer... Shell, partners approve C$40bn project to speed gas to Asia By: Bloomberg Royal Dutch Shell and its four partners have agreed to invest in a multibillion-dollar liquefied natural gas project in western Canada – the largest new one of its kind in years that would carve out the fastest route to Asia for North American gas. LNG Canada – comprised of Shell, Malaysia’s... Pilbara readies for first shipment By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium miner Pilbara Minerals has loaded its maiden shipment of spodumene concentrate at Port Hedland, which is expected to depart shortly to offtake partners in Asia. The company’s chartered vessel is expected to receive up to 8 800 t of spodumene concentrate, with the product being loaded... Northern Star completes Pogo buy By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Northern Star Resources has completed its $260-million acquisition of the Pogo gold project, in Alaska, from Sumitomo Metal Mining company. Northern Star will receive the full financial benefit of Pogo from July this year, and as a result, the company’s full-year guidance has been... Base repays Kwale project debt By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral sands miner Base Resources will retire its $215-million project debt facility on October 9, following the delivery of an irrevocable notice of prepayment. The early retirement of the debt will be repaid from a combination of cash reserves and the use of an existing revolving credit...

Orocobre appoints new leadership By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX- and TSX-listed Orocobre has appointed Martin Perez de Solay as its new CEO and MD, following a global search by a recruitment specialist. De Solay will commence in the roles following the company’s annual general meeting, and a transition period with current MD and CEO Richard Seville.

Journalist (Entry Level)

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 01-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1207.30 $/oz     Pt 834.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 02 October 2018 CAT

2nd October 2018

Australia resources exports heading for record; country takes lithium crown By: Esmarie Swanepoel Australia’s resources and energy exports are forecast to hit a record high of A$252-billion in 2018/19, helped along by a decline in the Australian dollar over the past quarter. In its newest Resources and Energy Quarterly, the Office of the Chief Economist notes that the new outlook had been...      Photo by Bloomberg        Lynas calls for transparency in rumored Malaysia review By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral sands miner Lynas has written an open letter to the Malaysian government calling for transparency and fairness in a potential review of the company’s plant. Local media reports in Malaysia have been speculating about a review of the Lynas refinery, with a long-time anti-Lynas campaigner... Rio unveils three large diamonds By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified miner Rio Tinto and its joint venture partner Dominion Diamond Mines have revealed three of the finest large rough diamonds from the Diavik mine, in Canada, that will be up for tender, closing on October 25. Collectively known as the Diavik Stars of the Arctic, the three rough... Study confirms ‘quality, size’ of Copper Mountain’s Eva By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dual-listed Copper Mountain Mining has estimated that its Eva copper project, in Queensland, would require a capital investment of $350-million to develop. A feasibility study, results of which were announced on Tuesday, found that the project would produce 334-million tonnes of ore and waste... China's at 'peak steel' right now, top iron-ore shipper says By: Bloomberg The world’s largest steel market is about to go into reverse. Production in China will peak in 2018 and then shrink next year as local demand drops, according to forecasts from the Australian government, which says the shift will add to headwinds for core ingredient iron ore. Mainland steel... Chalice step-change releases funds to investors By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX- and TSX-listed Chalice Gold Mines has shifted gears, announcing its intention to focus on exploring its Australian and Canadian assets, rather than the acquisition of an advanced resources project. “After realising more than $100-million in net proceeds from asset sales over the last... Millennium increases production at Nullagine By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior gold producer Millennium Minerals has reported a 77% increase in production in the September quarter, compared with the previous quarter, as head grades increased on the back of new ore sources at its Nullagine gold project, in Western Australia. The ASX-listed company on Tuesday reporte... Paringa starts trading in the US By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal developer Paringa Resources has been approved for listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market, with US trading starting under the ticker symbol PNRL. Paringa on Tuesday said that the Nasdag listing did not include any capital raising, with the company’s cash reserves standing at $22.6-million at... Image signs second offtake agreement By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Image Resources has inked a second heavy minerals concentrate (HMC) offtake agreement over production from its Boonanarring mineral sands project, in Western Australia. Image told shareholders that along with the original HMC offtake agreement with Shantou Natfort Zirconiumand...

Breaker raises exploration funds By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold explorer Breaker Resources will raise A$10.5-million through a share placement to fund drilling and exploration work in Western Australia. Some 36.53-million shares will be issued under the company’s existing placement capacity, priced at 29c each. The offer price represented a 9.4%... Ivanhoe announces third major copper discovery in DRC By: Simone Liedtke TSX-listed Ivanhoe Mines has made an important new discovery of high-grade copper on its 100%-owned Western Foreland licences, west of the Kamoa-Kakula mining licence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This discovery, Makoko, is the first of multiple high-potential target areas identified...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 02-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1200.42 $/oz     Pt 834.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 03 October 2018 CAT

3rd October 2018

Sunstone’s Viscara sale becomes binding By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Sunstone Metals has enacted an earlier letter of intent to divest of its Viscaria copper project, in Sweden, in a transaction valued at A$47.3-million. Under the terms of a binding share sale and purchase agreement with Swedish listed Copperstone Resources, Sunstone will receive an...      Photo by Reuters        Boss sells Burkina Faso project stakes to JV partner Teranga By: Esmarie Swanepoel Uranium developer Boss Resources has struck a A$10-million deal with its joint venture partner Teranga Gold to divest of its interest in the Golden Hill and Gourma projects, in Burkina Faso. Under the terms of the transaction, Boss will sell its shares in Boss Minerals and Askia gold, which... Vale, BHP reach final deal with prosecutors over Brazil disaster By: Reuters Brazilian prosecutors in Minas Gerais state said on Tuesday they reached a final compensation deal with mining companies Samarco, Vale and BHP Billiton regarding a 2015 dam burst, Brazil's largest ever environmental disaster. According to a statement from prosecutors released late on Tuesday, the... Finders reports another wall failure By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior Finders Resources has reported a wall failure within the Kali Kuning openpit operation at its Wetar copper project, in Indonesia. The company on Wednesday said that some 300 000 bank cubic meters of waste rock from the north-eastern highwall was displaced into the pit on October 1,... Peabody reports good news in Queensland By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal miner Peabody Energy on Wednesday reported that the initial steps to extinguish the fire at its North Goonyella mine, in Queensland, appeared to be delivering results, with either steam or white smoke emanating from only one mine shaft. The company at the start of this week started... Euro Manganese starts trading on ASX and TSX-V By: Esmarie Swanepoel European manganese developer Euro Manganese has raised a combined C$8.6-million through a dual Canadian and Australian listing and initial public offering (IPO). The company raised C$2.5-million in an IPO on the TSX-V exchange in Canada, placing 10-million common shares at a price of C$0.25 each. Strandline signs another offtake agreement By: Esmarie Swanepoel Mineral sands developer Strandline Resources has signed an offtake agreement with commodity trader Industrial Minerals and Metals (IMMCO) covering all the rutile to be produced at its Fungoni project, in Tanzania. The sale price for the rutile is based on the prevailing US-dollar market price... Paringa signs more offtake deals By: Esmarie Swanepoel Coal developer Paringa Resources has signed a new sales agreement with utility Ohio Valley Electric Corporation and its subsidiary Indiana-Kentucky Electric Corporation for 650 000 t of coal from the Poplar Grove mine, in Kentucky, from 2019 to 2020. The company told shareholders that the new... Exxaro eyes South32's coal assets, export quota - CEO By: Reuters South African miner Exxaro is eyeing South32's local coal assets, which include an export quota, as it looks to increase its exports, Exxaro's CEO told Reuters on Wednesday. "We have expressed interest at this very early round in the South32 assets," Mxolisi Mgojo said on the sidelines of the...

EganStreet advances Rothsay By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has approved the project management plan for the Rothsay gold project, ASX-listed EganStreet Resources reported. A mining proposal has also been submitted, which, if approved, will allow Eganstreet to start key works at... Excelsior and Spitfire merger complete By: Esmarie Swanepoel The merger agreement between ASX-listed Excelsior Gold and Spitfire Materials has been implemented, following Federal Court approval, and the approval of Excelsior shareholders. Under the terms of the agreement, Spitfire has now acquired all of the issued capital of Excelsior by issuing one new... South African, global mining industry facing risks – PwC By: Marleny Arnoldi The challenges facing the local mining industry this year are comparable to those facing the global mining industry, PwC Southern Africa CEO Dion Shango said on the first day of the Joburg Indaba, on Wednesday. He said said there is a strong correlation between the market capitalisation of... Acquisition, manganese and agriculture in mining make headlines   MC Mining has an eye on acquisition and project access, Botswana manganese estimate fires up aspirant battery supplier and the Bokamoso Barona initiative is promising to show how mining and agriculture can go hand-in-hand. Mining Weekly editor Martin Creamer unpacks the headlines.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 03-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1202.51 $/oz     Pt 830.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 04 October 2018 CAT

4th October 2018

2019 Samarco restart unlikely despite deal with prosecutors – BHP By: Esmarie Swanepoel Diversified giant BHP on Thursday confirmed that it had reached an agreement with the State Prosecutor of Mariana in Minas Gerais, in relation to compensation for the impact of the Samarco dam failure in 2015. However, the miner said that operations were unlikely to restart next year. The...

Photo by Reuters

Fire forces partial suspension of Balama operation By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite miner Syrah Resources has been forced to partially suspend operations at its Balama graphite operation, in Mozambique, following a fire at the primary classifier within the process plant. The fire resulted from hot work activities below the unit during planned maintenance on piping.... BHP sees major copper demand boost from China's widening belt and road By: Reuters China's overseas expansion will spread over land that is home to more than half the world's population, potentially boosting copper use by 1.6-million tonnes, or roughly 7% of annual demand, major miner BHP said on Thursday. BHP has analysed the impact of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),... Rio is hunting deals, discoveries for 'beautiful' diamonds unit By: Bloomberg Two of the world’s top diamonds producers are both shopping for deals, with Rio Tinto following De Beers in hunting for projects to replace aging operations and position for an improving global market outlook. Rio is actively looking for more acquisitions after making a small investment in a... Aeris pays down debts By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Aeris Resources has made a $20-million dent in its debt, reducing its total debt to $29-million. Executive chairperson Andre Labuschagne said that the $20-million debt repayment meant that the company had now reduced its debt by more than $100-million since the current management... St Barbara sets pace for 2019 By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner St Barbara is on track to meet its 2019 financial year production target, after producing 98 547 oz of gold during the three months to September. Gold production for the September quarter was down from the 119 436 oz produced in the June quarter, as production from the Gwalia mine...

Euro Manganese starts trading on ASX and TSX-V By: Esmarie Swanepoel European manganese developer Euro Manganese has raised a combined C$8.6-million through a dual Canadian and Australian listing and initial public offering (IPO). The company raised C$2.5-million in an IPO on the TSX-V exchange in Canada, placing 10-million common shares at a price of C$0.25 each.

Altura loads first cargo ship By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium miner Altura Mining has started loading its maiden cargo of 5 000 t of spodumene concentrate at Port Hedland, bound for customers in China. The ASX-listed company said on Thursday that the final product testing of the cargo is ongoing, however, it added that the processing plant has... BHP'S Kalgoorlie nickel smelter restarts after fire - BHP By: Reuters Production at BHP's Kalgoorlie nickel smelter restarted on Wednesday after a fire last month, a company spokeswoman said on Thursday. "There was a fire at the BHP Nickel West Kalgoorlie Smelter on September 23 in the furnace building. The smelter is operating and production restarted again...

Awak Mas could deliver 100 000 oz/y By: Esmarie Swanepoel A definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the Awak Mas gold project, in Indonesia, has estimated that the project could produce 100 000 oz/y over an initial 11-year period. Owner Nusantara Resources on Thursday reported that the DFS estimated a post-tax net present value of $152-million and an... Great Boulder and Ausgold join hunt at Yamarna By: Esmarie Swanepoel Juniors Great Boulder Resources and Ausgold have entered into a joint venture agreement over the Yamarna nickel project, in Western Australia. Under the terms of the agreement, Great Boulder could earn a 75% interest in the Ausgold project by issuing that company with 1.5-million Great Boulder... Zimplats held up as mine safety benchmark at Joburg Indaba By: Martin Creamer Zimplats platinum mine in Zimbabwe was held up as a safety benchmark at the Joburg Indaba, which on Thursday observed a minute’s silence for mining colleagues fatally injured at work. Opening the second day of the well-attended event, Gold Fields, Kumba Iron Ore and AfriTin director Terence...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 04-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1202.70 $/oz     Pt 822.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 05 October 2018 CAT

5th October 2018

Beach sells 40% in Victorian Otway for A$344m By: Esmarie Swanepoel Australian energy company Beach Energy has struck a deal with O.G Energy to sell 40% of its Victorian Otway assets for A$344-million in cash. The Otway parcel includes the Otway gas plant, the existing Geographe, Thylacine, Hallandale, Speculant and Black Watch gas fields, as well as exploration...      Photo by Bloomberg        Canada’s Galane buys Andy Well from Doray By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Doray Minerals will divest of its Andy Well gold project, in Western Australia, to Canadian gold miner Galane Gold for A$10-million. Under the terms of the binding sale and purchase agreement, Doray will be paid A$3-million in cash up-front, along with A$1-million worth of Galane... Cowal expansion could come sooner - Evolution By: Esmarie Swanepoel The New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment has approved gold miner Evolution Mining’s plans to increase the processing rate at its Cowal plant by 31%, from 7.5-million tonnes a year to 9.8-million tonnes a year. “This approval is a significant step towards achieving our objective... Outflows in gold-backed ETFs slowing – WGC Holdings in global gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and similar products fell by 23.7 t to 2 329 t in September – the fourth consecutive month of falls – equivalent to $932-million in outflows, the World Gold Council (WGC) reported on Thursday. This, in addition to a drop in the gold... Resolute hedges more gold for Ravenswood expansion By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Resolute Mining has hedged another 35 000 oz of gold, at an average price of A$1 728/oz, taking advantage of the strong Australian dollar gold price to support the expansion project at its Ravenswood mine. The miner on Friday said that the additional 35 000 oz is scheduled for monthly... Lynas shares jump on Malaysia review comments By: Reuters Shares in Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corp jumped 12% on Friday after Malaysia's prime minister downplayed the roles of two Lynas critics in an environmental review of its processing plant in the country. Concerns that Malaysia's newly elected government could close down Lynas'... Tiger signs second deed of forbearance By: Esmarie Swanepoel Copper miner Tiger Resources has signed a second deed of forbearance with its senior lender group, replacing the initial deed that will conclude on October 24. Under the deed, the company’s lenders have agreed to continue to waive repayment of principal and to capitalse on interest on existing... Bauxite Hill ships milestone tonne By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Bauxite Hills mine, in Queensland, in September shipped its one-millionth tonne of ore since operations started in April this year. By the end of September, shipments had totaled 1.22-million tonnes, owner Metro Mining reported on Friday. Mining remains key driver in low to middle income countries – ICMM Despite falling commodity prices, many of the world’s poorest countries have become more dependent on their income from mining, new research published by the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) has found. The ICMM on Thursday released the fourth edition of its Mining Contribution...

Alacer sees FY output at lower end of guidance By: Mariaan Webb TSX- and ASX-listed Alacer expects its production to be at the lower end of its full-year guidance range of 160 000 oz to 230 000 oz, the owner of the Çöpler mine, in Turkey, reported on Thursday. In the third quarter, the mine produced 26 160 oz, taking year-to-date output to 89 233 oz. Alacer... Walkabout raises cash By: Esmarie Swanepoel Junior graphite developer Walkabout Resources will raise A$3-million to advance the development of its Lindi Jumbo project, in Tanzania, through a share purchase plan (SPP). The SPP will allow eligible shareholders to subscribe for up to A$15 000 worth of shares, priced at a 15% discount to the... India’s Mines Ministry pushes for governance of minor mineral sector By: Ajoy K Das India’s Mines Ministry is pushing 21 mineral bearing states to bring about better organisation and governance of the fragmented minor mineral sector, plagued by illegal mining and major law and order issues. The Mines Ministry has convened a meeting of all these states next week, to take stock...

Detailed Jobs Summit package includes R100bn for black industrial firms   By: Terence Creamer The detailed 84-page framework agreement unveiled by President Cyril Ramaphosa at the much-anticipated Jobs Summit on Thursday includes a reaffirmation of a commitment by the financial sector to invest R100-billion in black-owned industrial enterprises over the coming five years. Funding for...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 05-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1185.70 $/oz     Pt 814.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 08 October 2018 CAT

8th October 2018

MCA calls for legislation review to end ‘uranium discrimination’ By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) has called for a reform of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, to allow Australia to benefit from uranium mining. In a paper commissioned by the MCA, environmental assessment expert Lachlan Wilkinson recommended the Act be...

Photo by Bloomberg

Australia’s Newcastle port is ordered to cut coal carrying costs for Glencore By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has ordered the Port of Newcastle Operations (PNO) to reduce its charges for ships carrying coal for mining major Glencore by 20%. In January 2015, PNO increased the charge for coal ships entering the port by about 40% to A$0.69/t. St Barbara and Australian Potash enter into gold exploration venture By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner St Barbara has struck an earn-in and joint venture (JV) agreement with fellow-listed Australian Potash over the Lake Wells project, in Western Australia. Under the terms of the agreement, St Barbara will pay A$1.25-million in cash and will spend a minimum of A$1.75-million over an... Edna May continues as stand-out for Ramelius By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold miner Ramelius Resources has reached its production targets in the three months to September, producing 51 428 oz of gold. The miner on Monday said that the quarterly production was well within the guidance of 50 000 oz to 54 000 oz set out for the quarter. Northern produces first rare earth carbonate By: Esmarie Swanepoel Rare earths miner Northern Minerals has produced its first rare earth carbonate at its Browns Range pilot plant, in Western Australia. The production of the first final product followed the start of plant commissioning in June this year. Ramu increase on the cards By: Esmarie Swanepoel The share price of junior Highlands Pacific rose slightly Monday on news of the potential expansion of the Ramu nickel and cobalt operation, in Papua New Guinea, in which the company holds an 8.56%. Highlands on Monday confirmed that its project partner Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC)... Salt Lake gets approval for Williamson pond By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has given ASX-listed Salt Lake Potash the go-ahead to construct a pond system to dewater the Williamson pit, at its Lake Way project. The Williamson pond will be the first operational scale sulphate of potash (SOP)... Mustang to change name By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Mustang Resources will start trading under the name New Energy Minerals on October 15, after shareholders approved the name change earlier this month. The company said on Monday that the new moniker reflected its focus on vanadium and graphite exploration and mining. India to auction 102 mineral blocks in next six months By: Ajoy K Das In one of the most aggressive moves yet to monetise natural resources, India’s Mines Ministry is pushing to auction 102 mineral blocks in the next six months of current financial year. The Ministry’s new thrust to complete the auctions by March 31, 2019 can be gauged from the fact that since...

India's aluminium makers win Japan sales in market shake-up By: Reuters Indian aluminium makers including Hindalco Industries and Vedanta Ltd are boosting sales to Japan as US sanctions against Russia's Rusal and import tariffs shake up traditional supply routes. India's product has generally not been regarded as high enough quality by Japan's demanding buyers, who... Gold 2018: A review of South Africa's gold sector (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Gold 2018 report reviews the South African gold market in this context, with a particular focus on supply, labour challenges, the class law suits that some of the country’s major gold miners are facing, safety issues and prospects for the market. It also reviews the major and...

LATEST VIDEOS

Chinese delegation to witness proudly South African logging system   By: Martin Creamer The high-ranking delegation from China, which is due to arrive in South Africa next Monday to undertake a three-week study of South Africa’s globally recognised mineral reporting codes, will be given insight during their visit into a South African borehole logging system that is poised to go...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 08-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1189.30 $/oz     Pt 825.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 09 October 2018 CAT

9th October 2018

Hancock and Rio Tinto open new Pilbara mine By: Esmarie Swanepoel Miners Rio Tinto and Hancock Prospecting have opened the Baby Hope mine, marking the fourth mine to be developed at the Hope Downs operation, since the miners formed their Pilbara joint venture (JV) in mid-2005. The JV partners said that the development of the Baby Hope deposit would assist in...      Photo by Hancock Prospecting        Lithium-rich WA bids to host battery research centre By: Esmarie Swanepoel The Western Australian government on Tuesday confirmed that the application for the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre (FBI CRC) was one of six to be shortlisted to the next round by the Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) programme. The state government has included a... Kin raises more cash for Leonora By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Kin Mining is hoping to raise a further A$10.4-million for its Leonora gold project, in Western Australia. Kin on Tuesday announced a two-for-five pro-rata non-renounceable entitlement offer priced at 8c a share. The offer price represented an 11% discount to the last trading price of... Hancock's offer for Atlas about to close By: Esmarie Swanepoel Hancock Prospecting’s takeover offer for iron-ore miner Atlas will close on October 12, with the suitor gaining more than a 90% interest in Atlas to date. Hancock said that the shareholding would allow the company to start the compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in Atlas under the... Ardmore to cost A$77m to develop - Centrex By: Esmarie Swanepoel A definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the Ardmore phosphate rock project, in Queensland, has confirmed that the project could deliver 800 000 t/y of phosphate rock concentrate over a minimum ten-year mine life. ASX-listed Centrex Metals this week reported that the project would require a... Las Lagunas facing steep power costs By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed PanTerra Gold has warned that operating costs at its Las Lagunas gold tailings retreatment project, in the Dominican Republic, would increase by some $200 000 a month for up to the next six months. The announcement comes after the company received advice from its contracted power... Altura ships first lithium By: Esmarie Swanepoel Lithium miner Altura Mining has shipped its first cargo of spodumene concentrate from Port Hedland to its offtake partner in China. The company on Tuesday said that some 5 000 t of spodumene concentrate was loaded onto the vessel MV Clipper Tenacious, which was shared with two other exporters. Genesis adds to Ulysses resource By: Esmarie Swanepoel Gold developer Genesis Minerals has reported a 137% increase in the total mineral resource at its Ulysses gold project, in Western Australia. The project is now estimated to host some 760 000 oz of gold, up from the previous estimate of 321 000 oz. Clock ticking for Wolf to find money By: Mariaan Webb The stock of specialty metals producer Wolf Minerals plunged on London’s Aim on Tuesday, as the company said that it had only two days to finalise funding negotiations, or it would fail to meet its short-term working capital requirements. Wolf, which owns a tungsten and tin mine in Devon,...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 09-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1188.13 $/oz     Pt 824.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 10 October 2018 CAT

10th October 2018

Shell to drill 250 new wells at Queensland venture By: Esmarie Swanepoel Energy major Shell has announced plans to produce more gas from its QGC joint venture, in the Western Downs region of Queensland. Under the Goog-a-binge project, Shell will progressively drill 250 new wells during 2019 and 2020, which will connect the existing QGC gas processing plants and bring...      Photo by Bloomberg        Venturex eyes A$169m copper/zinc mine in Pilbara By: Esmarie Swanepoel The definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the enlarged Sulphur Springs copper/zinc project, in the Pilbara, has estimated a capital requirement of A$169-million, to develop a 1.25-million-tonne-a-year operation. Based on the base-case scenario, Sulphur Springs would produce some 65 000 t/y of... BHP aims to restart Olympic Dam copper facility this month By: Reuters BHP expects a plant at its Olympic Dam mine to restart this month following repairs and the company has found a way to deliver returns from the asset as part of a focus on maxmising productivity, its head of Australian operations said on Tuesday. "The expectation remains that we'll have that... Universal forecasts higher outputs By: Esmarie Swanepoel South Africa-focused coal miner Universal Coal has forecast a 29% increase in the 2019 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda), on the back of a 28% increase in sales tonnage and based on the current international coal pricing and foreign exchange forecasts. Ebitda... Superior Lake restart feasible By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Superior Lake will undertake a definitive feasibility study on its namesake project, which will be completed by mid-2019, after the restart study demonstrated that the project, in Canada, proved positive. The study estimated that some $75-million would be required to restart the... Fertoz buys stockpiled ore in Montana By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Fertoz has inked a marketing agreement over 100 000 t of additional phosphate ore resource close to its operations in Montana. Fertoz said on Wednesday that the stockpiled material provided sufficient supply to meet the company’s sales target of between 30 000 t and 50 000 t of... Higher nickel prices sees Rox relook at Fishers East By: Esmarie Swanepoel An updated scoping study into the Fishers East nickel project, in Western Australia, has proved the project to be financially robust, and technically low risk, ASX-listed Rox Resources said. The updated study is based on a mining rate of 500 000 t/y, resulting in the recovery of some 7 300 t/y... Kirkland Lake output exceeds targeted levels By: Mariaan Webb Triple-listed Kirkland Lake Gold has exceeded its production target for the third quarter, driven by record quarterly output from the Fosterville mine, in Australia, as well as a strong contribution from its Canadian operations – Macassa, Holt and Taylor. Third-quarter production increased to... ERA reports 36% increase in production By: Esmarie Swanepoel Uranium miner Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) has reported a 36% increase in production during the three months to September, with production reaching 544 t of uranium oxide, up from the 400 t produced in the June quarter. ERA said on Wednesday that the increased production resulted from...

Indian State miners to form JV for power projects By: Ajoy K Das Two of India’s largest State-run miners, Coal India Limited (CIL) and NLC Limited (formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited), have announced a joint venture (JV) to combine their respective strengths to implement thermal and renewable energy projects. According to mandatory filing with the... The battery boom created a new lithium superpower in China By: Bloomberg With a ruined 13th Century castle, the Irish town of Carlow is an unlikely staging post in the super-charged rise of a key player in China’s push to dominate the global electric-vehicle revolution. Ganfeng Lithium Co. sent a team to the town -- a 90-minute drive southwest of Dublin -- in 2013,...

Plea for govt to awaken to massive economic potential of mining   By: Martin Creamer A plea for the government to awaken to the massive real potential of the South African mining sector was made on Wednesday by Eunomix CEO Claude Baissac, who decried the disincentivising of South African mining over the past 20 years as an inexplicable paradox and a massive mineral policy...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 10-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1219.76 $/oz     Pt 840.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:48 on 11 October 2018 CAT

11th October 2018

A$60m Mt Carlton underground mine wins board approval By: Esmarie Swanepoel The board of gold miner Evolution Mining has approved the A$60-million development of the Mt Carlton underground mine, in Queensland. The miner on Thursday told shareholders that the start of the underground development would require regulatory approvals, and submissions to the Department of...      Photo by Bloomberg Evolution chairperson Jake Klein        Fortescue launches A$500m share buy-back By: Esmarie Swanepoel Iron-ore major Fortescue Metals has launched a A$500-million share buy-back programme. CEO Elizabeth Gaines told shareholders on Thursday that the share buy-back was a natural extension of the company’s capital allocation focus, which has shifted from debt reduction following the rapid de-gearing... Wolf in administration as it fails to secure funding By: Mariaan Webb The owner of the Drakelands openpit mine in the UK has run out of money and has gone into voluntary administration. Speciality metals producer Wolf Minerals announced on Wednesday that it had failed to secure funding and that it was not in a position to meet its short-term working capital...

BHP aims to restart Olympic Dam copper facility this month By: Reuters BHP expects a plant at its Olympic Dam mine to restart this month following repairs and the company has found a way to deliver returns from the asset as part of a focus on maxmising productivity, its head of Australian operations said on Tuesday. "The expectation remains that we'll have that...

Northern flags Browns Range increases By: Esmarie Swanepoel Heavy rare earths producer Northern Minerals has flagged the potential to increase production from its Browns Range pilot plant project, in Western Australia, at a capital cost of A$4-million. The ASX-listed company said on Thursday that it had investigated using ore sorting on the five...

Universal forecasts higher outputs By: Esmarie Swanepoel South Africa-focused coal miner Universal Coal has forecast a 29% increase in the 2019 earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda), on the back of a 28% increase in sales tonnage and based on the current international coal pricing and foreign exchange forecasts. Ebitda...

Oz earns majority share in West Musgrave By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed Oz Minerals has earned a 51% interest in the West Musgrave nickel/copper project, in Western Australia, after spending A$22-million on the project area. Oz and its joint venture (JV) partner Cassini Resources are now conducting a prefeasibility study, with OZ CEO Andrew Cole saying... Rio Tinto to restart sale of Icelandic aluminium plant – sources By: Reuters Rio Tinto is close to restarting a sale process for some of its aluminium assets, including a plant in Iceland, which have been valued at around $350-million, two sources familiar with the matter said. The assets include a 53% stake in a Dutch anode facility and 50% of the shares in a Swedish... Mt Peake gets Native Title Agreement By: Esmarie Swanepoel ASX-listed TNG has signed Native Title Agreement for its Mount Peake vanadium/titanium/iron project, in the Northern Territory. The agreement was struck with the Central Land Council and the Eynewantheyne Aboriginal Corporation, the body corporate for the native title holders of the land.

First Cobalt eyes restart of Canadian refinery By: Esmarie Swanepoel Dual-listed First Cobalt has undertaken three independent studies to assess restarting its refinery in Ontario, Canada. The First Cobalt refinery was commissioned in 1996, and has a nominal throughput capacity of between 12 t/d and 24 t/d. Syrah's improvement plans bear fruit By: Esmarie Swanepoel Graphite miner Syrah Resources has reported an 83% increase in production between the second and the third quarters, as the company’s improvement plan at its Balama operation, in Mozambique, starts to take shape. During the three months to September, Syrah produced 38 700 t of graphite, up from...

Gold 2018: A review of South Africa's gold sector (PDF Report)

Creamer Media’s Gold 2018 report reviews the South African gold market in this context, with a particular focus on supply, labour challenges, the class law suits that some of the country’s major gold miners are facing, safety issues and prospects for the market. It also reviews the major and...

LATEST VIDEOS

Mining Indaba intensely focused on driving capital into African mining   By: Martin Creamer An investment pavilion, which will end the separation between the investors and mining companies, will be introduced at the upcoming Investing in African Mining Indaba to drive capital into African mining with greater intensity, MD Alex Grose said on Thursday. Speaking to Mining Weekly Online...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 11-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1219.82 $/oz     Pt 839.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 18:32 on 12 October 2018 CAT

12th October 2018

Rio Tinto to take hit on legacy alumina contracts By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified miner Rio Tinto has warned of a $178-million impact on its financials during the first half of 2018, due to its legacy alumina contracts. The miner supplies some 2.2-million tonnes of alumina under legacy contracts, which are priced at a percentage of the benchmark aluminium price. Fire still burning at Peabody’s North Goonyella By: Esmarie Iannucci US coal producer Peabody has issued force majeure notices to coal customers and certain of its vendors at the North Goonyella mine, in Queensland, as the company continues to work to extinguish a fire. The US miner at the start of last week started implementing a multi-tiered plan to extinguish... Malaysian minister offers to step down from review of Lynas rare earth plant By: Reuters The Malaysian minister in charge of a committee reviewing Australian rare earth miner Lynas Corp's plant has offered to step down following company criticism that she would not be impartial. Malaysian Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister's Office Fuziah Salleh said in a statement on Friday that... Troy production slumps in Sept quarter By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Troy Resources has reported a slight drop in gold production during the three months to September, compared with the previous quarter. During the three months under review, Troy produced 18 991 oz of gold from its Karouni operation, in Guyana, compared with the 19 510 oz produced in... TerraCom looks at increased output at BNU By: Esmarie Iannucci oal junior TerraCom on Friday revealed the potential to expand production at its Baruun Noyon Uul (BNU) coking coal mine, in Mongolia, to three-million tonnes a year. TerraCom told shareholders that following an extensive exploration programme, the company has compiled a detailed execution plan... Canyon to take full ownership of Cameroon project By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Canyon Resources has inked a letter of intent with its joint venture partner Altus Strategies to gain full ownership of the Birsok bauxite project, in Cameroon. Under the agreement, Canyon would issue Altus 15-million ordinary shares, and a further 100-million some 12 months after the... Acacia Mining says employee in Tanzania charged with corruption By: Reuters London-listed Acacia Mining said on Thursday an employee at its North Mara mine in Tanzania was charged with corruption but plead not guilty and has been granted bail. The employee was "responsible for signing cheques for approved payments made by NMGML at the time, including a cheque regarding... Coal 2018: A review of South Africa's coal sector (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Coal 2018 report examines South Africa’s coal industry with regard to the business environment, the main participants, local demand, coal exports and coal logistics, projects being undertaken by the large and smaller participants, as well as various issues affecting the sector,...

LATEST VIDEOS

Mining Indaba intensely focused on driving capital into African mining

By: Martin Creamer An investment pavilion will be introduced at the upcoming Investing in African Mining Indaba to drive capital into African mining with even greater intensity, MD Alex Grose said on Thursday. Speaking to Mining Weekly Online during a media roundtable, Grose also revealed that more time would be...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 12-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1227.20 $/oz     Pt 846.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 15 October 2018 CAT

15th October 2018

Glencore’s Hail Creek restructuring hits 400 jobs By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified miner Glencore has announced plans to ‘reconfigure’ its Hail Creek coal mine, in Queensland, resulting in nearly 400 job losses. The miner announced that the two-dragline operation would be reconfigured into a truck-and-shovel mine, with a seven-day on, seven-day off roster. The... Australia's Atlas Iron names ex-Hancock executive CEO in board overhaul By: Reuters Australian Atlas Iron on Monday named Sanjiv Manchanda as chief executive in a board overhaul, replacing Cliff Lawrenson amid an acquisition by billionaire Gina Rinehart's Hancock Prospecting. Manchanda has earlier served as Head of Project Development for Hancock Prospecting. Evolution’s quarterly gold output dips, costs rise By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Evolution Mining has reported another solid quarter, producing 200 218 oz during the three months to September. The September quarterly production was slightly below the 202 254 oz produced in the June quarter. Highfield ups capital cost estimate for Spain potash project By: Esmarie Iannucci An optimised feasibility study into the Muga potash project, in Spain, has increased the project capital cost requirements, ASX-listed Highfield Resources reported on Monday. A 2015 definitive feasibility study estimated a capital investment of $256-million would be required to deliver... Northern Minerals secures A$27m from Browns plant By: Esmarie Iannucci Heavy rare earths producer Northern Minerals has secured a further A$27-million in funding to progress the development of the Browns Range pilot plant, in Western Australia, and to accelerate enhancement initiatives at the project. The company has entered into a subscription agreement with NRE... Mining at Gruyere to start in November By: Esmarie Iannucci The Gruyere gold project, in Western Australia, remains on schedule to produce its first gold in the June quarter of next year. Joint venture (JV) partners Gold Road Resources and Gold Fields on Monday revealed that the overall project engineering was about 96% complete at the end of the... Azure has received strong interest in Mexico zinc project By: Esmarie Iannucci The Oposura zinc/lead/silver project, in Mexico, would cost some A$69.9-million to develop, a scoping study has revealed. ASX-listed Azure Minerals on Monday revealed that the project could produce 19 000 t/y of zinc, 10 000 t/y of lead and 145 000 oz/y of silver, over an initial mine life of... NAIF takes a closer look at Sconi By: Esmarie Iannucci The Sconi cobalt/nickel/scandium project, in Queensland, will come under the microscope after the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) board indicated it would move to investigate the potential to provide support for the project. The NAIF provides access for up to A$5-billion of... Thiess wins A$1.2bn mining contract By: Esmarie Iannucci Mining major BHP has awarded project house Cimic’s global mining services provider, Thiess, with a A$1.2-billion contract at the Mt Arthur coal operation, in the Hunter Valley. The new five-year contract builds on Thiess’ existing agreement, and expands the scope of the contract to include...

Stonewall reveals South Africa gold project numbers By: Esmarie Iannucci A scoping study into the Theta Hill opencut gold project, in South Africa, has shown that the project could support a production of 67 000 oz/y over a near eight-year mine life. ASX-listed Stonewall Resources said that the scoping study was based on a Joint Ore Reserves Committee compliant... Arafura finds possible buyer for Nolans product By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed rare earths developer Arafura Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with magnet producer JingCi Material Science Co to supply neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) from the Nolans project, in the Northern Territory. The MoU envisaged the long-term supply of up to 900 t/y...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 15-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1228.80 $/oz     Pt 845.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 16 October 2018 CAT

16th October 2018

Rio Tinto copper output jumps; iron-ore, aluminium production slip By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified major Rio Tinto has reported lower production across nearly all its commodities, besides copper, in the three months to September. “We have delivered consistent operational performance in the third quarter, highlighted by strong production from the group’s copper assets,” Rio CEO... BHP doubles stake in Ecuador copper project By: Esmarie Iannucci Mining major BHP has subscribed for a further £45-million worth of shares in copper developer SolGold, which is the majority owner and operator of the Cascabel porphyry copper-gold project, in Ecuador. BHP will be issued an additional 100-million shares, at a price of 45p each, taking its... Lynas still waiting on clarity By: Esmarie Iannucci Rare earths miner Lynas was still seeking clarity from the Malaysian government over the details of a reported review committee established to review the company’s operations in that country. Lynas on Tuesday said that local media outlets in Malaysia had announced the members of the review... Northern Star sinks funding into Pogo By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed gold miner Northern Star will spend between A$15-million and A$20-million on exploration and drilling activities at its newly acquired Pogo project, in Alaska. The company on Tuesday reported a Joint Ore Reserves Committee (Jorc) compliant resource of 8.8-million tonnes, grading 14.7... Saracen strikes record quarter By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Saracen Mineral Holdings has reported record production in the three months to September, on the back of record group mill throughput and higher ore grades at all of its operations. Gold production in the quarter reached 88 940 oz, with the Carosue Dam operation delivering 51 753 oz... Whitehaven production dips By: Esmarie Iannucci Coal miner Whitehaven Coal has reported a 37% drop in production during the September quarter, compared with the previous corresponding period, reflecting a longwall change-out at the Narrabri operation. Managed run-of-mine (ROM) production reached 3.61-million tonnes in the three months to... Strandline to decide Coburn fate in 2019 By: Esmarie Iannucci Mineral sands developer Strandline Resources is expecting to take a development decision on its Coburn project, in Western Australian, during the first half of 2019, with the project potentially starting production by the second half of 2020. Strandline is in the midst of conducting a definitive... Berkeley to reduce costs citing uncertainty over key licence By: Mariaan Webb Despite reporting “strong and growing support” for the Salamanca uranium project in Spain, Australian mining firm Berkeley Energia on Monday reported that it was unlikely to imminently receive a key permit that would allow for construction to start. As a result, the triple-listed uranium project... Orion expects updated Prieska resource estimate by mid-December, BFS by Q2 2019 By: Marleny Arnoldi ASX- and JSE-listed Orion Minerals will publish an updated resource estimate for its Prieska zinc/copper project, in the Areachap Belt in South Africa’s Northern Cape province, in mid-December, which will underpin a bankable feasibility study (BFS) that is set for completion in the second quarter...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 16-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1226.70 $/oz     Pt 835.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 17 October 2018 CAT

17th October 2018

BHP iron-ore output up, FY copper guidance trimmed By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified giant BHP has reported increases in copper and iron-ore production during the three months to September, while petroleum and coal production fell. Iron-ore production for the three months to September was up by 10% on the previous corresponding period, to 61-million tonnes of ore,...      Photo by Bloomberg BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie        Troy reports wall failure at Karouni’s Smart 3 pit By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Troy Resources has suspended operations in the Smarts 3 pit, at its Karouni operation, in Guyana, following a geotechnical event which resulted in a small failure of the northern wall of the pit. Troy said that while no injuries or damages were reported as a result of the wall... Gulf cornerstone investor pulls out over mining moratorium risk By: Esmarie Iannucci Manganese ore and alloy developer Gulf Manganese has lost a cornerstone investor in the midst of uncertainty around a moratorium on all mining activities in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Gulf Manganese in August this year announced a A$10.8-million investment from Indonesian businessman Bapak... Samarco could begin partial production in 2020 after dam burst – Vale CEO By: Reuters Samarco, a joint mining venture between Brazil's Vale and BHP Billiton, could resume production at a third of its capacity at the beginning of 2020, Vale's CEO said on Tuesday. Samarco halted operations in late 2015 after one of its dams collapsed, killing 19 people and causing one of Brazil's... Lynas raises storage red flag By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Lynas could well be faced with another dilemma if the Malaysian government is lax to respond to a request to extend the company’s permission to store NUF at the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP). NUF is one of the two solid residues produced at LAMP. NUF is not a radioactive... Brazilian assets start to deliver for Oz By: Esmarie Iannucci Copper/gold producer Oz Minerals has reported an increase on copper production for the three months to September, following the addition o f the Antas copper project, in Brazil. Copper production in the September quarter was up to 31 919 t, up from the 27 131 t produced in the previous quarter,... Vector secures $35m in additional debt By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed junior Vector Resources has secured a $35-million debt funding for its Adidi-Kanga gold project, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Dubai-based FT General Trading will provide the funding, which will be used for payments relating to the acquisition of the Adidi-Kanga project, the... Alkane takes a stake in Calidus By: Esmarie Iannucci The board of ASX-listed Alkane Resources has approved a A$3.6-million investment into fellow-listed Calidus Resources. Alkane will subscribe for 125-million shares in Calidus, priced at 2.95c a share, giving the diversified junior a near 8.8% interest in Calidus at the close of the transaction. Openpit mining starts at Wiluna By: Esmarie Iannucci Openpit mining has started at the Wiluna gold mine, in Western Australia. ASX-listed Blackham Resources said on Wednesday that the restart of mining at Wiluna was expected to increase plant feed grade, reduce haulage costs and significantly reduce mine sequencing risks due to more mining areas.

Berkeley plunges on Spain permit uncertainty By: Mariaan Webb The stock of triple listed Berkeley Energia plunged on Wednesday, after news reports that the Spanish government has decided not to issue the permits needed for its Salamanca uranium mine. Berkley, which on Monday alerted investors to a delay in receiving an urbanisation licence, traded nearly... Metal Tiger T3 mine feasibility study ‘progressing well within budget’ By: Simone Liedtke The T3 mine feasibility study for Aim-listed strategic natural resource investor Metal Tiger’s joint venture project with ASX-listed MOD Resources in the Kalahari copperbelt, in Botswana, is “progressing well within budget”, and is due for completion in March 2019, Metal Tiger said on Tuesday.... Freeport CEO may be ready to sell, but does anyone want to buy? By: Bloomberg Freeport-McMoRan’s annual LME Week party is usually an opportunity for CEO Richard Adkerson to hobnob with the traders and consumers who buy copper from his mining company. At this year’s event, he was surrounded by investment bankers. With its biggest stock overhang – a deal around its...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 17-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1226.60 $/oz     Pt 834.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 19 October 2018 CAT

19th October 2018

Sheffield warns of A$115m Thunderbird cost blowout By: Esmarie Iannucci Mineral sands developer Sheffield Resources has warned of a cost blow-out at its Thunderbird project, in Western Australia, of some A$115-million. The company on Friday said that the Stage 1 capital cost for the Thunderbird project was expected to be some A$463-million, compared with the... Ramelius outlines merits of its offer for Explaurum By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Ramelius Resources has extended the deadline for its takeover offer of Western Australian explorer Explaurum until November 23, arguing that its takeover offer had merit. Ramelius in September launched an all-scrip bid for Explaurum, offering one of its own shares for every four... Verdant gains enviro nod for NT phosphate project By: Esmarie Iannucci The Northern Territory’s Environment Protection Authority has approved ASX-listed Verdant Minerals’ environmental impact assessment (EIA) for its Ammaroo phosphate project. MD Chris Tziolis said on Friday that the approval of the EIA was a major milestone for the company, providing Verdant with... Paladin revenue drops sharply as Namibia mine shuts down By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX- and TSX-listed Paladin Energy has reported $6.6-million in revenue for the quarter ended December, from the sale of 267 423 lb of uranium oxide (U3O8). The quarterly sales results compared with the $23.6-million in revenue generated from the sale of 1.14-million lb U3O8 in the previous... Arc exits Indonesia JV to focus on Ontario project By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed junior Arc Exploration has inked a binding sales agreement to divest of its joint venture (JV) interest in the Trenggalek copper/gold project, in East Java, Indonesia. The company has sold its interest to JV partner PT Sumber Mineral Nusantara for A$100 000, saying on Friday that the... Wolf Minerals UK to be wound up By: Creamer Media Reporter Embattled tungsten miner Wolf Minerals UK will be wound up under the UK Insolvency Act, while all directors of the company have resigned, with immediate effect. Wolf went into voluntary administration last week after failing to secure funding to meet its short-term working capital requirements... Clash over Trump tariffs heats up with barrage of WTO litigation By: Reuters Disputes over US tariffs and retaliatory moves by other states have sparked 12 requests for adjudication at the World Trade Organization, signalling an escalation in global trade tensions. The agenda for an Oct. 29 meeting of the WTO's dispute settlement body on Friday confirmed the legal moves,... Flow of LME nickel to hidden storage dents bull story By: Reuters The bulk of nickel moving out of London Metal Exchange-approved warehouses in Asia is showing up in hidden facilities in Europe, analysts said, denting a bullish scenario of potential shortages. LME nickel stocks have shrunk by about 40% this year, largely from warehouses in Malaysia, Taiwan... Mining Weekly iPhone and Android Apps available for free download Creamer Media’s readers continue to be part of the mobile revolution.  Over 20% of Creamer Media’s online readers view the websites on their mobile devices. To cater for this growing mobile readership Creamer Media offers a MiningWeekly.com app for iPhone and Android users.  These apps offer...

Alibaba’s Jack Ma to speak at Ramaphosa’s Investment Conference dinner  By: Terence Creamer Chinese tech sensation Jack Ma will deliver the keynote speech at a dinner to be hosted by President Cyril Ramaphosa on October 26 as part of the inaugural South Africa Investment Conference. The conference will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Gauteng, from October 25 to 27, in... Synfuels, manganese production train and Morila mine make headlines    This week Mining Weekly editor Martin Creamer unpacks South Africa’s synfuels know-how, Transnet’s manganese production train and Morila mine’s agribusiness conversion.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 19-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1221.51 $/oz     Pt 819.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 22 October 2018 CAT

22nd October 2018

Western Areas gives go-ahead for Odysseus nickel mine By: Esmarie Iannucci The board of nickel miner Western Areas has given the green light to the Odysseus project, following a positive definitive feasibility study (DFS). The DFS into the Cosmos Odysseus project, in Western Australia, confirmed that the project would produce on average 13 000 t/y of... MinRes buys BCI’s Kumina deposit, rules out interest in entire BCI portfolio By: Esmarie Iannucci Resource developer BCI Minerals has struck a A$35-million deal with fellow-listed Mineral Resources (MinRes) to divest of its Kumina iron-ore project, in the Pilbara. Under the terms of the agreement, MinRes will acquire the project for an initial A$27-million, with a further A$4-million payable... Strike bids for Perth basin explorer UIL By: Esmarie Iannucci Oil and gas explorer Strike Energy has inked a takeover implementation deed with fellow-listed UIL Energy, offering that company’s shareholders 0.485 Strike shares for every UIL share held. The UIL board has unanimously recommended that shareholders accept the offer in the absence of a superior... Coronado to start trading on ASX after massive IPO By: Esmarie Iannucci US coal major Coronado Global Resources is expected to start trading on the ASX at the start of business on Tuesday, after completing a A$774-million initial public offering (IPO). The company issued more than 166.5-million Chess Depository Interests (CDIs), at a price of A$4 each, and sold more... Lucapa starts commissioning at Mothae By: Esmarie Iannucci Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has started commissioning of the 1.1-million tonne a year treatment plant at its Mothae kimberlite diamond mine, in Lesotho. First commercial diamond recoveries are slated for early November. GR Engineering wins Fungoni EPC contract By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed junior Strandline Resources has awarded fellow-listed GR Engineering Services the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the Fungoni mineral sands project, in Tanzania. The EPC contract, valued at $17.6-million, will cover a two-million-tonne-a-year processing... Kidman reveals integrated lithium mine-to-refinery study results By: Esmarie Iannucci Lithium developer Kidman Resources on Monday revealed that an integrated mine, concentrator and refinery project, in Western Australia, would cost $601-million to develop. The company has completed a prefeasibility study on the proposed Kwinana lithium refinery, as well as an updated scoping... Black Rock signs largest graphite offtake yet By: Esmarie Iannucci Graphite developer Black Rock Mining has signed an offtake agreement with China's Heilongjiang Bohao Graphite Company for natural flake grahite from the Mahenge project, in Tanzania. The three-year agreement would see Black Rock supply 30 000 t in the first year, 50 000 t in the second year, and... Caula's two-phased development a treat By: Esmarie Iannucci A scoping study into the Caula vanadium/graphite project, in Mozambique, has estimated that the two-phased development would cost some A$167.6-million to develop. ASX-listed New Energy Minerals, which was previously trading as Mustang Resources, said on Monday that the Phase 1 project would...

Eskom gearing up for big grid-scale battery storage roll-out  By: Terence Creamer State-owned electricity utility Eskom is preparing to roll-out battery energy storage systems (BESS) across multiple sites as part of a replacement plan for the 100 MW Kiwano concentrated solar power (CSP) project initially approved as part of the $3.75-billion World Bank loan extended to the... Palladium nears record after hedge funds piled in amid shortages By: Bloomberg Palladium climbed near a record as the US plans to pull out of the nuclear weapons pact with Russia, fueling tensions with one of the largest producers at a time when consumers are already scrambling for supplies. Production will trail consumption by 481 000 ounces this year and deficits will...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 22-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1233.26 $/oz     Pt 830.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 23 October 2018 CAT

23rd October 2018

BHP powering ahead with plans to lift Nickel West production By: Esmarie Iannucci Mining major BHP’s Nickel West division is powering ahead with plans to increase production at its Leinster operation, in Western Australia. Nickel West head of integrated operations, Karl Stokes, told delegates at the Australian Nickel conference, in Perth, on Tuesday that the division’s... Ichthys ships first LNG to Japan By: Esmarie Iannucci The Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) has shipped its first LNG from its onshore gas liquefaction plant in Darwin, in the Northern Territory. Operator Inpex on Tuesday said that the first shipment of LNG was destined for the Inpex-operated Naoetsu LNG terminal in Japan, and followed the first... Anglo’s portfolio performs well in Q3   By: Nadine James Diversified miner Anglo American’s focus on driving efficiency and productivity across the business resulted in another strong quarter, with volumes for the third quarter 1% higher year-on-year, Anglo CE Mark Cutifani commented on Tuesday. “Production per employee has increased by 5% [so far this... Strike halts mining at Iluka's Sierra Leone operations By: Esmarie Iannucci Mineral sands miner Iluka has been forced to temporarily suspend mining operations at its Siera Rutile operations, in Sierra Leone, following a strike at the operation. The ASX-listed company reported on Tuesday that the unlawful strike action had been peaceful, but the decision was taken to... Backed by positive PFS, Global to enter offtake discussions for Nevada lithium mine By: Esmarie Iannucci The Rhyolite Ridge lithium/boron project, in Nevada, could be in production by 2021, delivering 20 200 t/y of lithium carbonate and 173 000 t/y of boric acid. ASX-listed Global Geoscience on Tuesday reported that a prefeasibility study (PFS) into the Rhyolite Ridge project had estimated initial... Independence invests A$51m in exploration By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified miner Independence Group will spend A$51-million on discovery expenditure in the 2019 financial year, MD and CEO Peter Bradford said on Tuesday. Speaking to the Australian Nickel conference, Bradford said that some A$33-million of this funding would go towards greenfields... Terramin flags higher output at Algeria zinc/lead mine By: Esmarie Iannucci An initial optimisation study into the Tala Hamza zinc/lead project, in Algeria, has flagged a substantial increase in production rates, ASX-listed Terramin Australia said on Tuesday. Terramin, which owns a 65% interest in the project, reported that the initial optimisation study had identified... Black Mountain sees exploration potential at Lanfranchi By: Esmarie Iannucci Privately held Black Mountain Metals on Tuesday told delegates at the Australian Nickel conference, in Perth, that the company would focus on exploring its recently-acquired Lanfranchi nickel operation, in Western Australia, before planning a restart. Black Mountain in September acquired the... Reduce and reuse raw materials to slash waste and emissions, UN and think-tanks urge By: Reuters The rapid consumption of raw materials must be curbed to cut waste and carbon emissions, the United Nations and global think-tanks have urged, with resource consumption set to almost double by 2060, especially in developing economies. In the twentieth century, the world mined 34 times more... How strong steel might kill off the next big battery metal story By: Bloomberg Vanadium’s astonishing rally is threatening its chances of being the next big battery metal. Prices have surged more than 800% in about two years, driven by Chinese demand for stronger steel. There’s also been speculation that vanadium will become a key metal for the battery industry. But with... Newcrest looking to boost automation and AI with Tata partnership By: Creamer Media Reporter Gold miner Newcrest Mining is looking to enhance the use of automation and artificial intelligence across its operations, announcing on Tuesday the creation of an Innovation and Digital Operations Center (IDOC) in India. Newcrest has signed a collaboration agreement with information technology... Sipa starts ‘extensive’ Uganda nickel exploration programme By: Nadine James Australia-based exploration company Sipa Resources on Tuesday announced that an “extensive” nickel exploration programme was under way at the Kitgum Pader joint venture (JV) project, in Uganda. The Kitgum-Pader project contains two new mineral discoveries, Akelikongo nickel/copper sulphide and...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 23-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1228.37 $/oz     Pt 828.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 24 October 2018 CAT

24th October 2018

Newcrest reports y/y increase in Q1 production By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Newcrest Mining reported a 5% increase in production for the quarter ended September 30, compared with the previous corresponding period, but output fell by 14% when compared with the June 2018 quarter Gold production in Newcrest’s first quarter reached 548 000 oz and the...      Newcrest CEO Sandeep Biswas        Resolute maintains FY guidance despite 'disappointing' Sept quarter By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Resolute Mining has maintained its full year production outlook despite a disappointing September quarter. Gold production in the three months to September reached 55 508 oz, compared with the 74 752 oz poured in the June quarter, while the group’s all-in sustaining costs (AISC)... Mount Gibson lifts iron-ore sales in Sept quarter By: Esmarie Iannucci Junior iron-ore miner Mount Gibson has reported an increase in iron-ore sales for the quarter ended September, with sales revenue increasing by some A$20-million over the previous quarter. Quarterly sales for the three months to September reached 1.1-million tonnes, compared with the 963 000 t... Mahenge graphite DFS results unveiled By: Esmarie Iannucci A definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the Mahenge graphite project, in Tanzania, has increased the capital cost of the project, while both the estimated net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) have dropped. ASX-listed Black Rock Mining on Wednesday revealed that the Phase 1... Strike Energy raises A$13m By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Strike Energy has received binding commitments from institutional and professional investors to successfully raise A$13-million through a share placement. More than 113-million shares will be issued at a price of 11.5c each under the company’s existing placement capacity. RNC Minerals' gold production surges By: Creamer Media Reporter TSX-listed RNC Minerals, which recently discovered the high-grade Father’s Day Vein at its Beta Hunt mine, in Australia, has reported a major increase in third-quarter production, with output hitting a record 31 360 mined ounces. This represents a 199% increase on the third quarter of 2017, and a... Employee dies in accident at Medusa's Philippines mine By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Medusa Mining has reported a fatality at its Co-O underground mine, in the Philippines. The ASX-listed company said on Wednesday that a worker had fallen from a height within the mine, and had subsequently succumbed from his injuries. TerraCom appoints new CEO By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed TerraCom has appointed Danny McCarthy as CEO, effective from December this year. McCarthy has been COO of ASX-listed Mineral Resources for the past two-and-a-half years, and is a highly experienced mining executive who has held several senior roles, including with Thiess, Wesfarmers... Indian power companies need to secure more own coal mines – Minister By: Ajoy K Das India’s Power Ministry has directed thermal power companies to be more aggressive in securing their own coal assets and to reduce dependence on Coal India Limited, as these power plants will continue to be the country’s source of base electricity and will continue to suffer a shortage of dry fuel...

India receives $822m investment commitment in first round of oil, gas block auction By: Ajoy K Das India has received an investment commitment of $822-million in oil and gas exploration through agreements with successful bidders of 55 oil and gas blocks at the recently concluded maiden auction under Open Acreage Licensing Policy (OALP). Of the 55 blocks, Anil Agarwal-controlled Vedanta bagged... Central banks to increase gold buying for first time since 2013   By: Bloomberg Central banks are set to increase their purchases of gold in 2018 for the first time in five years as eastern European and Asian countries seek to diversify their reserves. Net purchases of gold by central banks are forecast to rise to 450 metric tons this year, up from 375 tons in 2017,... South32's Cerro Matoso said to owe more than $56m in royalties By: Reuters The Cerro Matoso nickel mine, owned by Australian miner South32, owes more than $56-million in unpaid royalties to Colombia, the country's comptroller said on Tuesday. The company, which produced 40 600 t of ferronickel in 2017, applied incorrect discounts to its royalty payments over several...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 24-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1229.20 $/oz     Pt 827.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 25 October 2018 CAT

25th October 2018

Growth-fuelled Sept quarter keeps Northern Star on track By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Northern Star Resources has started its 2019 financial year strong, reporting production of 207 600 oz of gold in the three months to September. The production performance was a 13% increase on the 183 949 oz produced in the previous quarter, with the miner telling shareholders on...      Executive chairperson Bill Beament        Fortescue high-grade shipments to start in December By: Esmarie Iannucci Iron-ore major Fortescue Metals’ optimised product strategy has delivered results in the three months to September, with the miner reporting higher average realised prices for its product. The company, which has been hit by a shift from Chinese steel mills’ to higher grade iron-ore., on Thursday... Atlas Sept quarter iron-ore shipments down 10% By: Esmarie Iannucci Iron-ore miner Atlas Iron has reported another tough quarter in the three months to September, with iron-ore shipments declining from the 2.1-million tonnes in the June quarter, to 1.9-million tonnes. Atlas in late July this year suspended crushing activities at its Mt Dove operation, in the... Strong interest received for South32’s South African energy coal assets  By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified miner South32 has received nearly 40 expressions of interest for its energy coal assets in South Africa. Speaking on the sidelines of the company’s annual general meeting, South32 CEO Graham Kerr told Mining Weekly Online that, while the talks thus far have been confidential, the... South32 foresees short-term volatility, but long-term growth, sustainability  By: Schalk Burger Diversified mining and metals company South32 on Thursday forecast short-term price volatility for the commodities it produces, but also highlighted its strong cash position and its work to further optimise its global portfolio of assets. In a speech delivered at the company’s 2018 annual general... Lynas’ NEXT project starts to deliver as Sept quarter output rises By: Esmarie Iannucci Rare earths developer Lynas has reported record production for the three months to September 30, while revenue increased by 15.2% on the previous quarter. Neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) production for the quarter reached a record 1 579 t, up 9.1% on the June quarter. OceanaGold adjusts FY guidance By: Creamer Media Reporter On the back of strong operational performance in the first nine months of the year, OceanaGold has increased its 2018 gold production guidance for the second time, to a range of 515 000 oz to 545 000 oz. The Melbourne headquartered company previously forecast production to be in the 500 000 oz... Newmont adjusted income falls on lower prices, production By: Mariaan Webb Colorado-based Newmont Gold on Thursday reported weaker adjusted net income of $175-million, as its revenue decreased along with gold prices and lower production at various sites. The third-quarter income adjusted for impairments and a write-down in North America, came to $0.33 a diluted share,... Sandfire reports steady Sept quarter production results By: Esmarie Iannucci Copper/gold miner Sandfire Resources has reported solid September quarter results, with copper production remaining steady at 17 924 t, compared with 17 867 t in the June quarter. Gold production over the same period increased from 9 548 oz to 11 141 oz.

Cobalt Blue shares knocked on Thackaringa delay, ownership decision By: Esmarie Iannucci The share price of ASX-listed Cobalt Blue fell by 25% on Thursday following the company’s decision to delay the development of the Thackaringa cobalt project, in South Australia, and to maintain a 70% interest in the project rather than working towards full ownership. Following the completion of... Bald Hill JV ships first tantalum By: Esmarie Iannucci The Bald Hill joint venture (JV) partners have sold the first tantalum concentrate produced at the project, in Western Australia. ASX-listed Tawana Resources and JV partner Alliance Mineral Assets will sell some 20 t to 30 t of high-grade tantalum concentrate to HC Starck Tantalum and Niobium,... South Africa’s IDC invests R100m in Lucapa’s Lesotho mine By: Esmarie Iannucci Diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company has secured a R100-million development facility from the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa (IDC) for its Mothae kimberlite diamond mine, in Lesotho. The facility will span a four-year period, and will include a 12-month moratorium on capital... China cutting rare earth output, unnerving global manufacturers By: Reuters The Chinese government is limiting domestic production of rare earth minerals in the second half of the year, a move likely to crimp international exports and send prices for the critical materials higher, according to data from Adamas Intelligence. China is by far the world's largest producer...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 25-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1242.30 $/oz     Pt 834.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 26 October 2018 CAT

26th October 2018

Mining still booming in Oz - ABS By: Esmarie Iannucci The Australian economy reached over A$1.8-trillion in 2017/18, reflecting a 2.8% increase, new data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said. “Australia has now recorded its 27th consecutive year of economic growth and is performing above the 10 year average growth of 2.6%,” said ABS...      Photo by Bloomberg        Evolution's decline development approved By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Evolution Mining has been given approval by the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) to start construction of the Galway-Regal-E46(GRE46) exploration decline at its Cowal operation. Evolution will spend between A$20-million and A$22-million over 2019 and 2020... Cokal warns of possible fraud By: Esmarie Iannucci Coal miner Cokal has flagged possible financial irregularities and fraudulent activities that could have impacted the company’s financial statements for the 2018 financial year. The ASX-listed miner on Friday said that the company’s board was currently investigating the irregularities and... Universal offer one step closer By: Esmarie Iannucci South Africa-focused coal miner Universal Coal on Friday told shareholders that a possible takeover offer from a consortium of investors, led by privately held Ata Resources, was one step closer. In September this year, Universal received a conditional, non-binding indicative offer from Ata, of... Bellevue raises A$15m for exploration By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed junior Bellevue Gold has raised A$15-million through the placement of some 45-million shares, at a price of 34c each. The offer price represented a discount of 5.6% to the company’s last closing price on October 24, and the offering was conducted under Bellevue’s existing capacity. St Barbara adds to hedgebook By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed gold miner St Barbara has forward sold 50 000 oz of gold at a price of A$1 809/oz, with the gold to be delivered in monthly installments from January to December 2020. The miner currently has 68 000 oz of forward gold sales contracts that will be delivered between November this year... Hatches Creek sale stalls By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Tungsten Mining and fellow listed GWR Group have encountered difficulties with the sale of the Hatches Creek tungsten project, in the Northern Territory. The two companies in September struck an agreement under which Tungsten Mining would acquire the project for A$8.68-million. Havilah secures contingency cash By: Esmarie Iannucci Junior metals developer Havilah Resources has secured a A$6-milion standby facility from Invetec, which the company would use as a contingency measure to manage cash flow over the next 12 months as work is completed on permitting for its North Portia gold project. Havilah is due to receive...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 26-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1230.43 $/oz     Pt 838.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 29 October 2018 CAT

29th October 2018

Senex sanctions work programmes for Surat basin projects By: Esmarie Iannucci The board of ASX-listed Senex Energy has approved a capital spend of between A$220-million and A$250-million to develop its Project Atlas and Roma North natural gas projects, in the Surat basin. The multi-year work programmes were approved following the financial close of a A$150-million debt...

Photo by Bloomberg

Rio Tinto says $1.3bn Simandou sale lapses  By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified miner Rio Tinto on Monday reported that the 2016 non-binding heads of agreement with Chinalco over the sale of its interest in the Simandou iron-ore project, in Guinea, had lapsed. Under the initial agreement, Rio would have received between $1.1-bilion and $1.3-billion for its 45.05... Miners prepare for technology investments as Qld announces AI training hub By: Esmarie Iannucci Queensland is poised for an upsurge in artificial intelligence (AI), with the resources industry reportedly planning new investments in technology and innovation that will make it one of the state’s most cutting-edge job creators. In its latest quarterly State of the Sector survey, the... Alkane takes 12% stake in Ramelius’ takeover target Explaurum By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Alkane Resources will invest A$8-million into fellow-listed Explaurum, taking a 12.2% stake in that company. Alkane will subscribe for some 66.66-million shares, at a price of 12c each. Graphex secures Chilalo funding By: Esmarie Iannucci Graphite developer Graphex Mining has secured a funding package to fully fund the development of its Chilalo project, in Tanzania. The ASX-listed Graphex on Monday told shareholders that it had entered into a loan note subscription agreement with global private investment firm Castlelake to... Resolute adds more ounces to hedgebook By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Resolute Mining has forward sold a further 30 000 oz of gold between January and June 2019, which will be delivered in monthly batches of 5 000 oz. The company told shareholders on Monday that it was taking advantage of the recent strength in the US gold price to add to its US dollar... New Century readies for first shipment By: Esmarie Iannucci Base metals miner New Century Resources has loaded the first zinc concentrate from its Century mine, in Queensland, for export. The first shipment will consist of 10 000 t of zinc concentrate, and will be delivered to smelters in China. Beach reports solid start to 2019 By: Esmarie Iannucci Oil and gas producer Beach Energy has reported a 7% increase in production and a 9% increase in sales volumes for the three months to September, compared with the previous quarter, driving revenues to A$514-million. Production in the September quarter reached 7.76-million barrels of oil... AngloGold Ashanti awards $375m Obuasi contract   By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti has awarded a joint venture (JV) between ASX-listed Ausdrill and Barminco Holdings a $375-million mining services contract at the Obuasi project, in Ghana. A previously published feasibility study on Obuasi found a 5.8-million-ounce ore reserve and 34-million-ounce...

Another offtake secured at Mahenge By: Esmarie Iannucci Graphite developer Black Rock Mining has signed another offtake agreement at its Mahenge project, in Tanzania. The company on Monday told shareholders that it has inked an offtake agreement with China’s Qingdao Fujin Graphite Company to supply 15 000 t a year of sized graphite concentrate for up... Lynas gets permission to extend NUF storage By: Esmarie Iannucci Rare earths miner Lynas has been granted an extension of its temporary permission to store NUF at the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP), in Malaysia. The company earlier this month warned that its permission to store NUF at the LAMP site would run out at the end of October, with the miner... Metal Tiger, MOD JV prospecting licences extended By: Marleny Arnoldi Aim-listed Metal Tiger’s joint venture (JV) with ASX-listed MOD Resources, situated in the Kalahari copperbelt in Botswana, has been granted two-year extensions on its prospecting licences by the Botswana licensing authority. These licences were due for renewal by December 31, and hold the T3... MC Mining secures first Makhado coking coal offtake agreement  By: Simone Liedtke Coal exploration, development and mining company MC Mining has signed the first coal offtake agreement for hard coking coal (HCC) to be produced at its Makhado hard coking and thermal coal project, in Limpopo. The agreement was entered into between MC Mining subsidiary Baobab Mining & Exploration... Wescoal seeks to join Ata Resources consortium for proposed Universal Coal buyout By: Marleny Arnoldi JSE-listed Wescoal on Friday reported that it was in advanced negotiations with Ata Resources to join the consortium of investors that has submitted an indicative offer to acquire the entire issued share capital of ASX-listed Universal Coal, for A$0.35 a share. Wescoal previously signed a... India allows merchant sale of coal from captive blocks By: Ajoy K Das With commercial mining of coal unofficially on the backburner, India’s Coal Ministry has tweaked the rules of forthcoming coal block auctions to permit free merchant sales of production by successful bidders. The Coal Ministry has invited tenders for 18 coal blocks for captive mining by...

Mining still booming in Oz - ABS

By: Esmarie Iannucci The Australian economy reached over A$1.8-trillion in 2017/18, reflecting a 2.8% increase, new data by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said. “Australia has now recorded its 27th consecutive year of economic growth and is performing above the 10 year average growth of 2.6%,” said ABS...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 29-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1224.91 $/oz     Pt 834.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 30 October 2018 CAT

30th October 2018

Aurizon loses Queensland coal network legal challenge By: Esmarie Iannucci The Queensland Resources Council on Tuesday welcomed a ruling by the Queensland Supreme Court to dismiss freight operator Aurizon’s legal challenge to a draft decision from the Queensland Competition Authority (QCA) for the future operation of the state’s major coal rail network. Aurizon has...

Photo by Bloomberg

Rio CEO says mining industry has to reinvent itself  By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified miner Rio Tinto has called for a reinvention of the resources industry, in order to fit into a modern world. Speaking at the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Melbourne, Rio CEO Jean-Sebastian Jacques said on Tuesday that the resource industry’s vision had to be... TNG signs another LoM offtake By: Esmarie Iannucci Strategic metals company TNG has signed a binding term sheet with Switzerland-based speciality chemicals distributor DKSH, to purchase all the titanium dioxide pigment produced at the Mount Peake vanadium/titanium/iron project, in the Northern Territory. TNG MD Paul Burton said on Tuesday that... Deflector tips the scales for Doray By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Doray Minerals has reported record production from its Deflector operation, in Western Australia, during the three months to September. Some 19 683 oz of gold and 635 t of copper was produced during the three months under review, up from the 18 467 oz of gold produced during the June... Savannah restart under way By: Esmarie Iannucci Nickel miner Panoramic Resources has inked a contract with ASX-listed Pacific Energy to restart an existing 12 MW diesel power station at the Savannah nickel/copper/cobalt mine, in Western Australia. The power station will be restarted from November 1, and will be immediately upgraded and... Troy production falls in September quarter By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold production from the Karouni gold mine, in Guyana, fell from 19 510 oz to 18 991 oz in the three months to September, compared with the previous quarter. Gold miner Troy Resources said on Tuesday that production for the September quarter exceeded forecasts. BHP trims forecasts for US, China GDP growth due to trade conflict By: Reuters The world's biggest miner BHP Billiton has trimmed its expectations of global growth for next year and 2020 due to a "lose-lose" result from the US-China trade conflict, a senior executive said on Tuesday. BHP's modelling suggested the trade row would cut both Chinese and US GDP growth by about... Isaac Plains East delivers record RoM rates for Stanmore By: Esmarie Iannucci Coal miner Stanmore Coal has reported a fall in production during the three months to September, despite reaching a record run-of-mine (RoM) production at an annualised rate, with the start of production at its Isaac Plains East operation driving the growth. RoM production decreased by 9% on the... Bird-in-Hand to cost $34m By: Esmarie Iannucci A scoping study into the Bird-in-Hand gold project, in South Australia, has found that the project could produce some 47 000 oz of gold and 22 000 oz of silver a year, over a five-year mine life. ASX-listed Terramin Australia told shareholders on Tuesday that the scoping study estimated that a... Tiris tipped for 2020 start By: Esmarie Iannucci The Tiris uranium project, in Mauritania, is still expected to start production in 2020, ASX-listed Aura Energy said, with the company currently progressing a definitive feasibility study (DFS). A 2014 scoping study estimated that the project would require a capital investment of $45-million,... Resgen, Noble reach agreement on security condition to financing facility By: Tasneem Bulbulia ASX- and JSE-listed Resource Generation (Resgen) and Noble Resources International have agreed that the security to be provided as part of a revised funding arrangement between Noble and Resgen subsidiary Ledjadja Coal, be a share pledge over ResGen’s 74% interest in Ledjadja, which is held by... Alacer gears up for Çöpler autoclave start-up By: Mariaan Webb Turkey-focused, Canada-incorporated Alacer Gold has marked a “significant step change” in the third quarter, as its cornerstone organic growth initiative, the sulphide expansion project at its Çöpler mine, in Turkey, was brought on line and is now being prepared for first autoclave start up. In... India considering ordinance to resume Goa iron-ore mining By: Ajoy K Das With national elections barely a year away and pressures mounting from the ground up, India’s federal government is considering bringing in an ordinance to resume iron-ore mining in the western coastal state of Goa. Sources say that local government is concerned over the impact of the closure of... India extends Vedanta’s contract for Rajasthan oil, gas fields By: Ajoy K Das The Indian government has granted a ten-year extension to Vedanta’s contract for exploration and production at the Barmer oil and gas block in the central state of Rajasthan, possibly signalling the end of litigation between the company and government. "The government, acting through the...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 30-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1214.90 $/oz     Pt 836.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 31 October 2018 CAT

31st October 2018

TPP-11 to give Australian resources a major boost – Minerals Council By: Esmarie Iannucci PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Australian government has ratified the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11) trade agreement, a move that has been welcomed by the resources sector. Australia is the sixth country to ratify the agreement, meaning it can now enter into force on December 30, with...      Photo by Bloomberg Prime Minister Scott Morrison        Queensland gets tough on mine safety, gives inspectors more power By: Esmarie Iannucci The Queensland Parliament has backed changes to the Coal Mining Safety and Health Act, and the Mining and Quarrying Safety and Health Act, giving the state’s mine inspectors more power to directly take action on health and safety issues. The amendments to the legislation will see miners face... Australian Ministers call on miners to remain competitive Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan has called on the Australian resources sector to retain its international competitiveness. “In the last 20 years, we have seen remarkable growth in the resources sector. We have doubled the number of people working in mining today than we did before the... Peabody says Q4 focus is on North Goonyella, completing Shoal Creek buy By: Creamer Media Reporter NYSE-listed Peabody on Tuesday announced solid results for the third quarter, despite ending the three-month period with substantial challenges at the fire-hit North Goonyella mine, which remains idled. The miner reported revenue of $1.41-billion, compared with $1.48-billion a year earlier, and... Victoria poised for new resource boom By: Esmarie Iannucci Victoria’s mineral sector is expected to boom, with Resources Minister Tim Pallas this week announcing mining license extensions at two gold projects, and promising the release of further land for minerals exploration. Speaking at the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in... Indian govt to divest 9% of Coal India equity By: Ajoy K Das In a sudden move, the Indian government on Wednesday announced that it would disinvest 9% of its equity holding in Coal India Limited (CIL) through an offer for sale (OFS) to institutional and retail investors. The sale of 9% equity from total existing government holding of 78.32% was expected... NT govt looks at amending enviro legislation By: Esmarie Iannucci The Northern Territory government will amend provisions in the proposed new environmental impact assessment and approval system, in response to concerns raised by industry. Earlier this month the government released the draft Environment Protection Bill and draft Regulations for eight weeks of... Gold production starts at Geko By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold ore production has started at the Geko project, in Western Australia. ASX-listed Coolgardie Minerals on Wednesday announced that the sale of the oxide ore will start in mid-November under a sales agreement with gold miner Northern Star. Sierra Rutile resumes operations By: Esmarie Iannucci Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources has restarted mining operations at its Sierra Rutile project, in Sierra Leone, following illegal strike actions at the operation. Iluka told shareholders that that the company had engaged with the United Mineworkers’ Union and the government of Sierra Leone,...

Glencore hikes coal cost savings forecast by 50% By: Reuters Recent mine acquisitions have helped Glencore Plc achieve 50% more cost savings in its coal business than it had targeted, the world's biggest exporter of coal for power plants said on Wednesday. Glencore had expected to achieve annual cash savings of more than $300-million in its coal business... New research finds developing countries’ coal miners face ‘substantial risk inequality’ By: Tasneem Bulbulia Coal miners in developing countries are likely to be exposed to health and safety risks more often than those working in advanced economies, new research has found. Researchers from Cardiff University, funded by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), have found that a lack of... Blackham increases Matilda-Wiluna reserves By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Blackham Resources has reported a 27% increase in its gold reserves at the Matilda-Wiluna operation, in Western Australia. The reserve is now estimated at 26-million tonnes, grading 1.8 g/t gold for 1.53-million ounces of gold, while the free milling ore reserve has increased to 550... Santos continues Southern Amadeus farm-in By: Esmarie Iannucci Oil and gas major Santos has informed fellow listed Central Petroleum that it would proceed with Stage 3 of the Southern Amadeus farm-in, after completing seismic works as part of the Stage 2 farm-in. Following the Stage 3 investment, Santos’ share in the EP112 permit will increase to 70%.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 31-10-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1231.90 $/oz     Pt 860.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 01 November 2018 CAT

1st November 2018

BHP returns $10.4bn of US asset sale proceeds to shareholders By: Esmarie Iannucci Mining major BHP has completed the sale of its Eagle Ford, Haynesville and Permian onshore US oil and gas assets, for $10.5-billion and on Thursday announced that it would return $10.4-billion to shareholders. BHP in July this year announced the sale of its onshore US oil and gas assets for a...

Photo by Bloomberg

Glencore cuts costs at Australian operations By: Esmarie Iannucci PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner Glencore has unveiled significant cost cuts at its recently acquired coal assets in Queensland and New South Wales. Speaking to analysts on a site visit, Glencore noted that the Hail Creek operation, acquired from mining major Rio Tinto as part of a... New 20-year Bowen basin coking coal mine approved By: Esmarie Iannucci The Queensland government has approved the mining lease for the Ironbark No 1 mine, being developed by privately held Fitzroy Australia Resources. Queensland Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said on Thursday that the new coal mine would provide 350 ongoing jobs the communities in the Bowen basin. Fungoni economics improve on updated DFS By: Esmarie Iannucci An updated definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the Fungoni heavy mineral sands project, in Tanzania, has improved project economics. ASX-listed Strandline Resources on Thursday reported that the updated DFS estimated a pre-tax net present value of $48.7-million, up from the initial estimate... Emerald raises A$27m for Cambodian gold project By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Emerald Resources has raised A$27-million through a share placement to fund development activities at its Okvau gold project, in Cambodia. The company on Thursday said the share placement, priced at 3c a share, will take place in two tranches, with the first tranche consisting of... Marda buy a step closer for Ramelius By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Ramelius Resources has on Thursday reported that the creditors of Black Oak Minerals had approved the sale of the Marda gold project, in Western Australia. Ramelius in September announced plans to purchase the Marda gold project from the liquidators of Black Oak Minerals, for... Kidman signs lithium hydroxide supply agreement By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Kidman Resources has signed a binding heads of agreement (HoA) to supply lithium hydroxide to Japan’s Mitsui & Co, over an initial two-year term. The HoA could also be extended twice for further two-year periods, with the agreed-upon volumes supplied by Kidman gradually increasing to... Global gold demand growing across market segments, held back by US ETF outflows By: Marleny Arnoldi World Gold Council (WGC) member and market relations head John Mulligan says the third quarter was a strong one for the global gold industry. Although demand increased by only 1%, or 6 t, compared with the third quarter 2017, the 964 t of gold demand recorded in the third quarter was underpinned...

Indian govt to divest 9% of Coal India equity By: Ajoy K Das In a sudden move, the Indian government on Wednesday announced that it would disinvest 9% of its equity holding in Coal India Limited (CIL) through an offer for sale (OFS) to institutional and retail investors. The sale of 9% equity from total existing government holding of 78.32% was expected...

TPP-11 to give Australian resources a major boost – Minerals Council

By: Esmarie Iannucci PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Australian government has ratified the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11) trade agreement, a move that has been welcomed by the resources sector. Australia is the sixth country to ratify the agreement, meaning it can now enter into force on December 30, with...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 01-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1233.40 $/oz     Pt 870.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 02 November 2018 CAT

2nd November 2018

Industry warns Frydenburg to tread carefully in PRRT review By: Esmarie Iannucci The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (Appea) has warned that the commonwealth government’s changes to the Petroleum Resources Rent Tax (PRRT) should be assessed carefully. Treasurer Josh Frydenburg on Friday released its final response to a 2016 review of the PRRT,...

Photo by Bloomberg

Australian trade surplus growing on resource exports By: Esmarie Iannucci Australia’s trade surplus grew to some A$3-billion in September, driven by strong growth in the value of resource exports, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has shown. “Australia’s trade figures confirm the vital contribution Australia’s booming minerals sector is making to... Queensland releases more land for gas exploration By: Esmarie Iannucci The Queensland government has released more than 6 600 km2 of unexplored land for gas exploration, with more than 900 km2 of the acreage set aside to supply the Australian market only. Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Dr Anthony Lynham has extended an invitationt to companies to bid... Base metals major Teck to explore Australia’s sunshine state By: Esmarie Iannucci Canadian diversified miner Teck has been given the green light to start exploration on 102 km2 of tenements in Queensland’s North West mineral province. Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham said on Friday that Teck’s move was a sign of ongoing confidence in the region. Speewah gets massive price tag By: Esmarie Iannucci A scoping study into the Speedwah vanadium/titanium/iron project, in Western Australia, is estimated to cost between A$2-billion and A$2.5-billion to develop. ASX-listed King River Copper told shareholders that the scoping study outlined the path forward to develop the Speedwah project, with... Stanmore rises 2019 production guidance By: Esmarie Iannucci Coal miner Stanmore Coal has increased its production guidance for the 2019 financial year from 1.8-million tonnes to 2-million tonnes, after securing additional long-term port capacity. The company said that the additional long-term port capacity provided Stanmore with the ability to consider a... FEED studies planned at Mt Peake By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed TNG has appointed engineering group SMS to start front-end engineering and design (FEED) for the Mount Peake vanadium/titanium/iron project, in the Northern Territory. Under the contract, SMS will design and engineer the entire process flow sheet for the Mt Peake project, including... Capital-starved mining sector creates 'buyer's market' for investors By: Reuters Specialist mining investors have found a "buyer's market" for projects as the mining sector struggles to compete for funding with new industries, multiple industry executives said at a conference this week. Smaller mines and developers who previously found capital through retail investors in... Australia's Invictus says it has not found oil and gas deposits in Zimbabwe By: Reuters Australian-listed Invictus Energy said on Friday it had not found oil and gas deposits in northern Zimbabwe but there were indications of a "working petroleum system" which could only be confirmed by a planned exploration well. President Emmerson Mnangagwa told reporters on Thursday that Invictus...

Australian miners embracing automation in quest for improved safety, efficiency By: Esmarie Iannucci While the phrase ‘automation’ might evoke visions of a Schwarzenegger-esque future in which machines rise up to take over the world, it has come to have a distinctly different connotation in Australia. From drones being used to safely map, survey and explore mining operations to autonomous trains...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 02-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1232.23 $/oz     Pt 870.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 05 November 2018 CAT

5th November 2018

APLNG and QCLNG agree to share infrastructure; announce supply deal By: Esmarie Iannucci The Australia Pacific Liquefied Natural Gas (APLNG) project partners have struck a deal with Queensland Curtis Liquefied Natural Gas (QCLNG) over long-term infrastructure sharing agreements between the two projects. Under the tolling agreements, the QCLNG project will be able to transport and... BHP's runaway train damaged after 92-km run, Australia starts probe By: Reuters A train loaded with iron ore and operated by BHP Billiton ran away without a driver for 92 km before being forcibly derailed in the early hours of Monday, the company and Australian authorities said. As a result, the world's biggest miner had suspended all Western Australian iron ore rail... Indonesian firm Merdeka becomes Lion’s JV partner at Pani By: Esmarie Iannucci The share price of ASX-listed Lion Selection Group rose by 25% on Monday after the company’s joint venture (JV) partner in the Pani gold project, in Indonesia, struck a $55-million deal to divest of its 66.6% interest in the project. Lion told shareholders that the purchase price paid by PT... AngloGold Ashanti debt falls, Mponeng stands out By: Martin Creamer Production of 851 000 oz and a drop in costs helped gold-mining company AngloGold Ashanti to drive net debt down by 15% year-on-year in the three months to September 30, with net debt now 44% lower in six years. Third-quarter production of 851 000 oz was at a 14%-lower all-in sustaining cost... Yaouré underground feasible – Perseus By: Esmarie Iannucci A scoping study into a potential underground mine at the Yaouré gold project, in Cote d’Ivoire, has proved that the operation could be feasible. “The results of the Yaouré underground mining scoping study highlights one further avenue for Persues to expand its already technically feasible and... Renascor gets development partner for Siviour By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Renascor Resources has entered into a strategic partnership agreement with contractor Royal IHC Australia to accelerate the development of the Siviour graphite project, in South Australia. Renascor told shareholders on Monday that the strategic partnership agreement was the first step... Edna Beryl gets pipeline approval By: Esmarie Iannucci The Edna Beryl gold mine, in the Northern Territory, is one step closer to starting after plans for a dewatering pipeline was approved, which will extend the life of the mine by allowing access to the deeper reaches of the deposit. The Northern Territory’s Primary Industry and Resource Minister... Navarre gets more time at Tandarra By: Esmarie Iannucci The Victorian government has granted ASX-listed Navarre Minerals a ten-year retention licence for its Tandarra gold project. The retention licence will replace the existing exploration licence and would require Navarre to spend A$3.1-million on the project area during the ten-year period.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 05-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1230.35 $/oz     Pt 873.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 06 November 2018 CAT

6th November 2018

New Hope’s enviro efforts recognised with certification of rehabilitated land By: Esmarie Iannucci The Queensland government has certified 349 ha of progressively rehabilitated land at coal miner New Hope’s New Acland coal operations, on the Darling Downs. New Hope MD Shane Stephan said that this was recognition of the company’s ongoing commitment to the environment, and the long-term... Runaway iron-ore train derailment will take BHP a week to solve By: Bloomberg BHP Billiton expects to take about a week to recover from the derailment of one of its iron-ore trains that’s halted its rail operations in Western Australia, potentially bolstering prices of the steelmaking raw material. The company was forced Monday to derail the train that traveled 92 km... Peabody's Coppabella turns 20 By: Esmarie Iannucci US heavyweight Peabody Energy has marked 20 years of operation at its Coppabella coal mine, in Queensland. During 2017, some 2.9-million tonnes of coal was sold from the Coppabella mine, with $950-million of direct and indirect economic benefits reported from the mine during the same period. Randgold/Barrick merger giving gold mining investment new attraction  By: Martin Creamer During gold mining’s years of prosperity, the industry was able to harvest and feed off itself. But in recent years, it has lost $100-billion worth of value, with increasing revenue streams being consumed by lower reserve grade. Cimic wins A$100m in CHPP contracts By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Cimic’s mineral processing company Sedgman has been awarded two contracts worth a combined A$100-million to operate and maintain coal handling and preparation plants (CHPPs). A contract with Mach Energy to operate and maintain the Mount Pleasant site, in New South Wales, is expected to... Strandline raises funds for project advancement By: Esmarie Iannucci Mineral sands developer Strandline Resources will raise A$3-million through a share placement to institutional and sophisticated investors to fund its Fungoni project, in Tanzania, and complete a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its Coburn project, in Western Australia. The company on... Buxton adds to Merlin By: Esmarie Iannucci Junior Buxton Resources has struck a deal with fellow-listed New World Cobalt to acquire its West Kimberley project, in Western Australia. The three tenements making up the West Kimberley project lie adjacent to Buxton’s own Merlin prospect, and are considered to be highly prospective for... Alacer processes first sulphide ore through new Çöpler plant By: Creamer Media Reporter Dual-listed Alacer Gold has processed the first sulphide ore through its newly constructed sulphide plant at the Çöpler mine, with the first autoclave coming on line over the weekend and now operating as designed. Announcing the achievement on Tuesday, CEO Rod Antal hailed the successful... West Bengal seeks commercial mining permission for Asia’s largest coal block By: Ajoy K Das Although the opening up of India’s coal sector has been put on the slow track, the West Bengal government is nonetheless seeking the federal government’s approval for commercial mining from a coal block allocated to it – the largest single site reserve in Asia. The West Bengal government was...

Coal 2018: A review of South Africa's coal sector (PDF Report)

Creamer Media’s Coal 2018 report examines South Africa’s coal industry with regard to the business environment, the main participants, local demand, coal exports and coal logistics, projects being undertaken by the large and smaller participants, as well as various issues affecting the sector,...

LATEST VIDEOS

Anglo American recommits to sustainable development goals, sets milestones for 2020, 2030    By: Simone Liedtke The mining industry has to address the critical challenges of safety, productivity and the way land is used, as well as how energy and water are consumed as, alongside a growing population, there is greater demand for minerals and metals. However, meeting the growing demand for the materials that...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 06-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1229.52 $/oz     Pt 874.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 07 November 2018 CAT

7th November 2018

BHP says Port Hedland stockpile insufficient to cover for derailment By: Esmarie Iannucci Mining giant BHP has warned that iron-ore stockpile reserves at Port Hedland will not be sufficient to cover the entire period of interruption to its rail operations, following an intentional train derailment earlier this week. The miner will be liaising with customers in relation to its...      Photo by Bloomberg        APA takeover ‘contrary to national interest’ - Treasurer By: Esmarie Iannucci Federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg on Wednesday said that a A$13-billion takeover of infrastructure group APA Group by a consortium led by CK Infrastructure Holdings, was “contrary to the national interest”. The Treasurer is expected to make a final decision on the A$11 a share offer, which was... Arafura picks a spot for separation plant By: Esmarie Iannucci Rare earths developer Arafura Resources has revealed plans to build a separation plant at its Nolas neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) project, in the Northern Territory. Arafura had previously panned for the separation plant to be located offshore, however, the company said on Wednesday that process... Woodlark DFS numbers unveiled By: Esmarie Iannucci The definitive feasibility study (DFS) into the Woodlark gold project, in Papua New Guinea, has increased the estimated capital cost from the A$180-million considered in the March prefeasibility study, to A$198.5-million. Project developer Geopacific Resources on Wednesday told shareholders that... JSW eyes controlling stake in Prairie Mining – CEO By: Reuters Poland's JSW is interested in taking over Australia's Prairie Mining, CEO Daniel Ozon confirmed on Wednesday. Sources told Reuters in September that JSW, the European Union's biggest coking coal miner, wanted a controlling stake in Prairie Mining. MC Mining secures more funding for Uitkomst  By: Esmarie Iannucci South Africa-focused coal miner MC Mining has secured a R20-million facility from South African financial services provider ABSA Bank for its Uitkomst Colliery, to fund a potential expansion of operations. Uitkomst transitioned to an owner-operated mine in August this year, with the acquisition... New Energy gets partner for Caula By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed New Energy Minerals has announced a series of investments that will assist with the development of its Caula vanadium/graphite project, in Mozambique. The company on Wednesday said that it had entered into a binding agreement with a Hong-Kong based investor group, the first of which... Opuwo decision expected by 2020 By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Celsius Resources is targeting a decision to mine at its Opuwo cobalt project, in Namibia, by the second half of 2020. The scoping study confirmed the potential for a large-scale, long-life operation, prompting Celsius to immediately start a prefeasibility study into the project,... Sovereign adds to Malingunde costs By: Esmarie Iannucci A prefeasibility study (PFS) into the Malingunde graphite project, in Malawi, has estimated a capital cost of $49-million to develop the 52 000 t/y operation. ASX-listed Sovereign Metals on Wednesday reported that the project was expected to have a mine life of 16 years, with the pre-tax net...

Syrah signs MoU at Balama By: Esmarie Iannucci Graphite miner Syrah Resources has signed a binding term sales agreement with Qingdao Taida New Energy Technology for 20 000 t of natural graphite from the Balama project, in Mozambique. The agreement will start immediately, with the graphite to be delivered by the end of August next year. Triton signs MoU to help develop Ancuabe By: Esmarie Iannucci Graphite developer Triton Minerals has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China’s largest building materials group to develop the Ancuabe graphite project, in Mozambique. Under the terms of the MoU, Suzhou Sinoma Design and Research Institute of Non-metallic Minerals Industry Co,... Indian coal production shows signs of revival, but unlikely to keep pace with demand By: Ajoy K Das Production growth green shoots are emerging among Indian State-run coal mining companies, but it is unlikely that demand from thermal power plants will be met. Singareni Collieries Company Limited (SCCL), which has mining operations in the southern parts of the country, produced 5.27-million tons...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 07-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1225.10 $/oz     Pt 872.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:46 on 08 November 2018 CAT

8th November 2018

Land Court’s New Acland expansion recommendation lauded By: Esmarie Iannucci Coal miner New Hope Corporation has welcomed a positive recommendation from the Queensland Land Court on the Stage 3 expansion of the New Acland mine. The Land Court has conditionally agreed to recommend that a mining lease and environmental authority amendment be granted, subject to certain...

Photo by Bloomberg

BHP to meet iron ore commitments despite train derailment-CEO By: Reuters Global miner BHP Billiton will meet its iron ore commitments to customers despite a supply disruption after it had to derail a runaway ore train in Western Australia, CEO Andrew Mackenzie said on Thursday. The miner suspended its rail operations after the incident on Monday that wrecked track... BHP acquires two Canadian oil licences By: Esmarie Iannucci Mining major BHP has acquired two exploration licences in the offshore Orphan basin, in Eastern Canada. The miner on Thursday reported that it had been successful in its bid to acquire a 100% participating interest and ownership of blocks 8 and 12 in the Orphan basin, giving BHP the opportunity... Burrup Hub concept comes to life with Browse and Chevron agreements By: Esmarie Iannucci The partners in the North West Shelf joint venture (JV), in Western Australia, have reached non-binding preliminary agreements with the Browse JV and US energy major Chevron for the processing of offshore gas resources through the North West Shelf facilities. Woodside is the operator of the... BHP execs call for openness and alliances to prevent trade rift damage By: Esmarie Iannucci Diversified major BHP has called for open communication as global trade tensions intensified. The call comes as the US and Chinese governments ready for a stand-off, with both countries escalating tariffs on imports. Speaking at the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday, CEO Andrew... Leonora budget blow-out priced By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold developer Kin Mining has revealed cost blow-outs of between 30% and 50% at its Leonora gold project, in Western Australia, in the wake of the unauthorized release of a preliminary engineering report on the project, undertaken earlier this year. Kin in May announced plans to suspend plant... Kingsrose starts opencut mine at Talang Santo By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Kingsrose Mining has started an openpit operation at the Talang Santo mine, flagging its second operation at the Way Linggo gold/silver project, in Indonesia. Underground operations at Talang Santo were suspended in 2017 as the operation proved to be uneconomic in the face of... TNG raises A$3.8m from shareholders By: Esmarie Iannucci Strategic metals company TNG has raised A$3.8-million through a share purchase plan (SPP), with the funds to be used to progress development activities at the Mt Peake vanadium/titanium/iron project, in the Northern Territory. TNG on Thursday reported that more than 35.4-million shares were... McIntosh JV formalised By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Hexagon Resources and fellow listed Mineral Resources have struck a joint venture (JV) agreement over the McIntosh graphite project, in Western Australia. Under the agreement, the two companies will establish an unincorporated JV after Mineral Resources has completed its initial...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 08-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1211.65 $/oz     Pt 856.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:55 on 09 November 2018 CAT

9th November 2018

Western Australia approves Albemarle’s lithium plant By: Esmarie Iannucci The Western Australian government has approved US-based Albemarle’s plans to construct a lithium manufacturing plant in the state. The plant will produce up to 100 000 t/y of lithium hydroxide monohydrate from five 20 000 t/y process trains and produce up to 1.1-million tonnes a year of... Mining, metals industry anticipated to see spike in M&A activity in 2019 By: Marleny Arnoldi Global mining and metals deal appetite remained subdued in the third quarter amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, advisory firm EY notes in its latest ‘Mergers, Acquisitions and Capital Raising’ report. However, EY’s global capital confidence barometer (CCB) survey indicated the sector could... Altura signs lithium supply deal with Ganfeng By: Esmarie Iannucci Lithium miner Altura Mining has signed an offtake agreement with battery materials producer GFL International for the supply of a minimum of 70 000 t/y of lithium from the recently commissioned Pilgangoora operation, in Western Australia. The offtake agreement with GFL, which is a subsidiary of... Superior claims it has rights to Vango’s Plutonic tenements By: Esmarie Iannucci TSX-V-listed Superior Gold has launched legal proceedings against ASX-listed Vango Mining and its subsidiary Dampier Plutonic (DPPL) over tenements northeast of the Plutonic gold mine, in Western Australia. Superior Gold, through its own subsidiary Billabong Gold, is claiming that it held rights... Salt Lake raises A$13m for Lake Way By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Salt Lake Potash will raise A$13-million through a share placement to institutional and sophisticated investors, to fund the development of its Lake Way project, in Western Australia. The company on Friday said that some 31-million new shares will be placed at a price of 42c a share,... Atlas compulsory acquisiton set to start By: Esmarie Iannucci Hancock Prospecting will start the compulsory acquisition of the remaining shares in ASX-listed Atlas Iron, after gaining more than a 90% shareholding in the takeover target at the end of the offer on October 12. Hancock’s subsidiary Redstone Corporation on Friday told Altas that it would lodge a... Australia state to roll out new mine rehabilitation rules By: Reuters Australia's Queensland state is set to unveil proposed resource regulations next week that will require miners to pay into an "insurance fund" for the remediation of old mines. The regulations, if enacted, will impact the likes of BHP Billiton , Rio Tinto and Glencore, which all have operations... Metallica to take Urquhart for board decision By: Esmarie Iannucci Bauxite developer Metallica Minerals has signed a haul road access agreement at its Urquhart bauxite project, in Queensland, allowing for the construction of a haul road connecting the project to established barge loading facilities at Hey Point. “We are excited to have a binding access... WGC launches gold data, analytics and research platform  By: Tasneem Bulbulia The World Gold Council (WGC) on Thursday launched Goldhub, a source of data, insights and analytical tools to help investors understand gold’s value as a strategic asset. Goldhub will provide investors with a range of data that is necessary when making informed decisions in relation to gold...

Two-month skills development course concluded   By: Nadine James Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa (MEMSA) concluded its first skills development activity last week – a two-month skills course on implementing globally competitive manufacturing practices –  aimed at ensuring that MEMSA member companies are able to compete in local and international...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 09-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1204.20 $/oz     Pt 855.00 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:47 on 12 November 2018 CAT

12th November 2018

Stage 2 Pilgangoora lithium expansion approved By: Esmarie Iannucci The board of lithium miner Pilbara Minerals has approved the Stage 2 expansion of the Pilgangoora project, in Western Australia. The Stage 2 operation will see an additional three-million-tonne-a-year processing circuit added to the existing Stage 1 operation, taking the project capacity to...      Photo by Bloomberg        Senex awards Roma North LNG infrastructure contract By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Senex Energy has awarded the contract to build critical infrastructure for the development of the Roma North natural gas project, in Queensland, to Wasco. The contract includes the construction of the gas processing facility and a 6 km transportation pipeline to infrastructure... Rio completes first stage of $3.2bn share buy-back By: Esmarie Iannucci Global miner Rio Tinto has completed a A$2.8-billion off-market share buy-back, purchasing some 41.2-million shares at a price of A$69.96 each, representing a discount of 14% to the market price. The share buy-back, which was announced in September, forms part of a $3.2-billion share buy-back... Ramelius ups the ante in Explaurum bid By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Ramelius Resources has increased its takeover offer for fellow listed Explaurum by 5c a share in cash. Ramelius has presented Explaurum with a new indicative, non-binding and incomplete proposal of 5c a share in cash for Explaurum’s shares, in addition to the existing one-for-four... Koolyanobbing unaffected by derailment - MinRes By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Mineral Resources on Monday told shareholders that a train derailment over the weekend was not expected to have a material impact on iron-ore production at the Koolyanobbing project, in Western Australia, or on the company’s shipment schedule. Mineral Resources over the weekend... Sandfire reports delay in Black Butte permitting process By: Creamer Media Reporter The Black Butte permitting process has been “slightly delayed”, project developer Sandfire America reported last week, citing new environmental requirements in the US state of Montana. TSX-V-listed Sandfire America explained that the Black Butte project would be the first new copper mine in the... Major milestones struck at Thunderbird By: Esmarie Iannucci Mineral sands developer Sheffield Resources has awarded a A$336-million fixed-price, lump sum engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to fellow-listed GR Engineering to design and construct its Thunderbird mineral processing plant, as well as the supporting infrastructure, in... Universal completes third colliery buy   By: Esmarie Iannucci South Africa focused Universal Coal has completed the A$8.9-million acquisition of the North Block Complex from South Africa’s Exxaro Coal. The North Block Complex is an opencast operation located in proximity to South African State-owned utility Eskom’s Arnot, Tutuka and Komati power stations.... Rio Tinto completes sale of wharf to LNG Canada By: Mariaan Webb Rio Tinto has completed the lease and sale of a wharf and land in Kitimat, British Columbia, to Royal Dutch Shell-led LNG Canada for $576-million. LNG Canada, a joint venture comprising Shell, Petronas, PetroChina, Mitsubishi Corporation and Kogas, entered into an option agreement with Rio Tinto...

Stonewall raises A$6m for Theta Hill study By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Stonewall Resources will raise A$6-million through a private share placement to fund the feasibility study of its Theta Hill gold project, in South Africa. Shareholder Fineway Creation will subscribe for A$1.5-million in shares, representing some 166.6-million fully paid ordinary... Arafura aims for A$3m in SPP By: Esmarie Iannucci Rare earths developer Arafura Resources will raise A$3-million through a share purchase plan (SPP) to advance its Nolans project, in the Northern Territory. Eligible shareholders will be allowed to subscribe for up to A$15 000 worth of new shares in the company, with the new shares to be issued... India’s Petroleum, Natural Gas Ministry to overrule ONGC on small oil, gas fields By: Ajoy K Das ndications are emerging that the Indian government will take away oil and gas, small discovered fields (DSF) from ONGC and put them up for auction to private investors, overruling opposition from the State-run exploration and production (E&P) major. In a move that a section claims to be... Liquid Fuels 2018: A review of South Africa's liquid fuels sector (PDF Report) Creamer Media’s Liquid Fuels 2018 report examines these issues in the context of South Africa’s business environment, including the country’s refining capacity; the proposed introduction of cleaner fuels; the development of the country’s biofuels industry; fuel pricing; the logistics of...

LATEST VIDEOS

Two-month skills development course concluded   By: Nadine James Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa (MEMSA) concluded its first skills development activity last week – a two-month skills course on implementing globally competitive manufacturing practices –  aimed at ensuring that MEMSA member companies are able to compete in local and international...

JOBS Senior Programme Officer/Manager, Mining Innovation Senior Programme Officer/Manager, Innovation and Climate Change

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 12-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1200.58 $/oz     Pt 840.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 13 November 2018 CAT

13th November 2018

Northern Star offers A$150m for rest of East Kundana JV By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miner Northern Star Minerals has made a A$150-million offer to acquire the remaining 49% stake in the East Kundana joint venture (JV), in Western Australia. The 49% JV interest is jointly held by ASX-listed Tribune Resources and Rand Exploration, which have both faced a declaration of...      Photo by Bloomberg Northern Star executive chair Bill Beament        Spitfire declares new resource for Bardoc By: Esmarie Iannucci Following a successful merger with fellow-listed Excelsior Gold earlier this year, Spitfire Materials has now reported a Joint Ore Reserves Committee (Jorc) compliant mineral resource estimate of 2.6-million ounces for the consolidated Bardoc gold project, in Western Australia. Spitfire on... Broken Hill lodges dispute with Cobalt Blue By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Broken Hill prospecting has issued a notice of dispute to fellow listed Cobalt Blue over the start of drilling activities at the Thackaringa cobalt project, in South Australia. The dispute related to the drilling activities that have started outside the requisite approval process set... IEA warns of damaging price spikes if weak oil investment left unchecked  By: Terence Creamer The International Energy Agency (IEA) is cautioning of “damaging price spikes in the 2020s” if the current weak investment in new oil supply is “left unchecked”. The agency states that the average level of new conventional crude oil project approvals over the last three years is only half the... Vango continues on at Plutonic By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Vango Mining is advancing preparations and discussions to fast track its Plutonic Dome project, in Western Australia, despite a dispute with Canadian miner Superior Gold. Vango on Tuesday told shareholders that the company currently had a number of drilling rigs on site, targeting... Resgen to accelerate discussions with alternative funder  By: Simone Liedtke ASX- and JSE-listed Resource Generation (Resgen) has agreed to accelerate discussions with the facilitator of alternative funding being sourced from a third party as a substitute or as a complementary participant in its lender syndicate. This is owing to a short delay having arisen in scheduling... Venturex eyes A$3m SPP By: Esmarie Iannucci Metals developer Venturex Resources is hoping to raise A$3-million through a share purchase plan (SPP), priced at 18c a share. Under the SPP, shareholders will be entitled to subscribe for up to A$15 000 writh of new shares, with the new shares to be ranked equally with existing Venturex shares.

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 13-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047

[Mining Weekly]

To advertise on this newsletter email adver...@creamermedia.co.za If you cannot read this email follow this link

Australasia Edition

Au 1202.12 $/oz     Pt 838.50 $/oz            Indices supplied by IRESS as at 17:45 on 14 November 2018 CAT

14th November 2018

IEA’s World Energy Outlook holds good news for Australian coal miners By: Esmarie Iannucci The International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) latest World Energy Outlook (WEO) update holds good news for Australian coal producers, estimating that demand for coal in the Asia Pacific will increase by 492-million tonnes of coal equivalent by 2040. Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan noted that... Qld Parliament passes rehabilitation laws By: Esmarie Iannucci Queensland mining companies will now be compelled to sign up to progressive rehabilitation plans after the state Parliament passed the Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Bill. The bill delivers new requirements for the planning and delivery of progressive rehabilitation of... Western Australian miners Doray and Silver Lake to merge By: Esmarie Iannucci Gold miners Doray Minerals and Silver Lake Resources on Wednesday announced a merger to combine the two Western Australian gold companies. Under the terms of a scheme implementation deed, Doray shareholders will receive 0.6772 Silver Lake shares for every Doray share held, with Silver Lake... Woodside CEO on east coast gas solutions By: Esmarie Iannucci Australian energy producer Woodside Petroleum has called on Australia’s eastern state governments to revisit their policies in the face of the looming energy crisis. Woodside CEO Peter Coleman said on Wednesday that for the security of gas producers and the customers that they supplied, each... Kalamazoo sells Snake Well By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Kalamazoo Resources has struck a A$7-million deal with privately held Adaman Resources to divest of its Snake Well gold project, in Western Australia. Kalamazoo will maintain a 2.5% net smelter royalty on any base metals mine at the project area, the company said on Wednesday. Jervois hunting for partner in Nico Young By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed junior Jervois Mining has started the hunt for a development partner and offtake agreements for Nico Young cobalt/nickel project, in New South Wales. Jervois said on Wednesday that the company remained committed to majority ownership and joint venture operatorship of Nico Young, but... Sundance increases borrowing base By: Esmarie Iannucci ASX-listed Sundance Energy has increased its senior secured borrowing base from $87.5-million to $122.5-million. MD and CEO Eric McCrady said on Wednesday that the company’s pre-existing available liquidity was sufficient to support its development programmes through the second half of 2019,... Matsa acquires Anova's WA tenements By: Esmarie Iannucci Junior miner Matsa Resources has acquired an option over fellow-listed Anova Metal’s Devon tenements, south of the Red October gold mine, in Western Australia. Under the option agreement, Matsa could elect to exercise the option by paying A$200 000 within an 18 month period to acquire the... Chinese copper smelters look to mine investment to secure supply By: Reuters Chinese copper smelters are looking to make more investments in mines, pushing to shore up supply of concentrate at a time when competition for the raw material is heating up, industry executives said on Wednesday. China is the world's biggest consumer of the metal but its own copper mine...

This email was sent to pars...@googlegroups.com on 14-11-2018 by Creamer Media, P O Box 75316, Gardenview, 2047