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| Freeport to Proceed with Climax Moly Mine
Restart - Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold
(FCX) plans to proceed with the restart of the Climax
molybdenum mine near Leadville, Colorado. The initial
$500-million project involves the restart of open-pit
mining and the construction of new milling facilities.
Annual production is expected to approximate 30 million
lb of molybdenumbeginning in 2010 at estimated cash
costs of $3.50/lb. The project, according to Freeport,
is designed to enable the consideration of a further
large scale expansion of the Climax mine. FCX will
evaluate a second phase of the Climax project which
could potent..... read
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Diavik Gets Funding Approval for Underground Mining
Phase - Diavik Diamond Mines announced in late
November that its co-owner, Rio Tinto, approved a
$563-million investment in the underground mining
phase of the Diavik mine. The additional funding,
which brings the total investment to date in the underground
mine to $787 million, will be funded by the two Diavik
joint venture partners—Rio Tinto (60%) and Harry Winston
Diamond Corp. (40%). Under the current life of mine
plan, diamond production from underground would begin
in 2009 and continue beyond 2020. Open-pit mining
is expected to cease in 2012, at which time Diavik
would become an all-underground.... read
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| Xstrata’s Raglan Nickel Sees Growth in Resources
- Xstrata Nickel reported that exploration results
at its Raglan operation in northern Quebec have confirmed
Zone 5-8 as the largest mineralized zone in Raglan’s
history, adding an estimated 4.5 million mt of inferred
resources in 2007, up from the 2 million mt of resources
previously announced. In August, Xstrata Nickel announced
plans to increase mine production at Raglan to over
2 million mt/y of ore. Work is currently under way
to increase production to 1.3 million mt/y by ....
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 Anglo American Taps Bechtel for Los Bronces
Expansion - Bechtel Corp. announced on December
7 that it has been awarded an engineering, procurement
and construction contract to execute Anglo American’s
Los Bronces development project. Work on the $1.7
billion project started immediately following the
announcement, according to Bechtel, and the project
is scheduled to be completed in December 2010 with
production commencing in January 2011. The project
is expected to result in a mine life of more than
30 years …… read
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Goldcorp Boosts Peñasquito Project Capacity
- Goldcorp in early December provided details of a
plan to expand mill throughput by 30% at its Peñasquito
project in Mexico to 130,000 mt/d ore and to accelerate
the project production schedule. This expansion follows
a 48% increase in proven and probable reserves announced
in June, 2007. The revised plan for the project also
calls for an increase in estimated capital cost completion
to $1.49 billion, up significantly…. read
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Cardero Advances Peru Iron Projects
- Cardero Resource Corp. recently issued an update
of activity on its key iron ore projects located in
the Marcona iron district of Peru. Vancouver, Canada-based
Cardero said that advanced engineering/prefeasibility-
level studies had been initiated at the Pampa El Toro
iron sands and scoping level studies were being planned
for the Pampa de Pongo iron deposit.
Cardero Iron Ore Co., Cardero’s iron ore subsidiary
has purchased a magnetic separation pilot plant from
Eriez Magnetics which will be installed…. read
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Jubilee Agrees to Xstrata Takeover
- Xstrata plc and Australian nickel miner Jubilee
Mines NL announced a bidding agreement intended to
provide an all-cash offer by Ithaki Australia Pty
Ltd., a whollyowned subsidiary of Xstrata plc, to
acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of
Jubilee through an off-market takeover offer. The
offer is for A$23/share, valuing Jubilee at approximately
A$3.1 billion (US$2.9 billion). It will be financed
through Xstrata’s existing credit facilities and cash
on hand. "This is a great offer…. read
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Braemore Completes Nickel Testwork
- Braemore Resources said it has successfully completed
a program of testwork at Outotec’s research facilities
in Pori, Finland, for the extraction of nickel from
the BHP Leinster tailings dams in Western Australia.
According to the company, the continuous pilot plant
hydrometallurgical testwork allowed the optimization
of process parameters and demonstrated the first production
of nickel sulphate solutions as well as sulphate solutions
of by-product base metals, copper, cobalt and zinc.
The program also allowed for the first production
of high purity nickel metal through electrowinning….
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Centerra Gets License to Mine Satellite
Deposit at Kumtor - Centerra Gold’s Kumtor
mine, located in the Kyrgyz Republic, has received
a mining license for its nearby Sarytor deposit,
according to a recent announcement by the Toronto,
Canada-based company. The Sarytor deposit is approximately
4.5 km southwest of the Kumtor mill and has about
300,000 contained oz of gold in probable reserves
which are included in Kumtor's total 4.7 million
contained oz of proven and probable reserves….
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Philex to Partner with Freeport Subsidiary
- The entry of one of the world’s largest copper
producers, Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold, into
Philex Mining’s Sibutad project is expected to lead
to the exploration of a potentially huge copper
resource in Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines. Philex
announced early this month that it signed an agreement
with PDEPI (Phelps Dodge Exploration Philippines.
Inc.), an indirect 40% owned subsidiary of Freeport.
Apart from restoring a pilot gold operation of Philex
at Sibutad, Freeport McMoRan—more well known for
its copper operations—is reportedly also interested.….
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Nevsun, Eritrea Reach Development Agreement
on Bisha Project - Nevsun Resources announced
in mid-December that its Eritrean venture company,
Bisha Share Mining Co., concluded a mining agreement
with the government of Eritrea which reportedly covers
the customary provisions governing future development
and operation of the Bisha goldcopper- zinc project.
Nevsun also said that BMSC has applied for a mining
license that the government advised would be issued
soon…. read
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Petra Acquires Cullinan Diamond Mine
- Petra Diamonds Ltd. has entered into an agreement
with De Beers Consolidated Mines to acquire the
Cullinan diamond mine in South Africa, an operation
that has yielded many of the world’s most spectacular
diamonds.
The Cullinan kimberlite pipe located east of Pretoria
was discovered in 1903 and has been mined for many
years as a block cave mine. De Beers is of the opinion
that it is the second largest indicated diamond
resource in the world by in-situ value (estimated
by De Beers at 193.1 million carats)……
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Galore
Teck Cominco, 
Exploration 
Miners Killed in Ukraine Mine Explosion
- A methane blast ripped through a coal mine in eastern
Ukraine on November 18, killing at least 63 miners
in the ex- Soviet nation’s worst mining accident in
years, the Associated Press reported. More than 360
miners were rescued but 37 others remained trapped
inside the mine—one of Ukraine’s largest and deepest—with
a raging fire hampering efforts to save them. The
explosion occurred around 3 a.m. more than 3,300 feet
deep inside the Zasyadko mine in the regional capital
Donetsk. Authorities evacuated 367 miners and 28 were
hospitalized. The accident…... 
Underground Drilling:
Vale Inco 
Sandvik’s
Cassette 
Thickened
Outotec
Expands Australian Service Center - Minerals
processing technology specialist Outotec announced
that it is further expanding its Australian service
center, which is one of an integrated network of more
than 10 similar Outotec centers. The Australian center
is focused on key areas such as process audits and
optimization, preventative maintenance, upgrades,
spare parts management and training…. 
TK
Fördertechnik Jaw Gyratory Crushers Gain Ground
- The ThyssenKrupp Fördertechnik crushing team at
Ennigerloh, Germany, reports increasing recognition
of the benefits of its unique jaw gyratory crushers.
One of the firm’s first metal mine customers, North
Parkes in Australia, which installed its first unit
in 2003, is adding a new crushing station approximately
550 m below the surface. The BK63-75 crusher is designed
to run at an average capacity of 900 mt/h copper ore
to provide a final product size of .…… 
Metso
Continues Profitable Growth Trend -Overall,
Metso Corp. recorded improved third quarter results
in 2007, as compared with July–September 2006. Net
sales increased by 24% and totaled €1,452 million
(€1,169 million in Q3/06). Organic growth was good
in all business areas but strongest in Metso Minerals,
which contributed 42% of net sales. Total earnings
before interest, tax and amortization (EBITA) were
€157.3 million or 10.8% of net sales. However, Metso
Minerals’ EBITA margin decreased…. 
New Wheel Dozer is Largest in Product Line
- Caterpillar says its new 854K wheel dozer—which
replaces the 854G and is the largest of its type in
the product lineup— incorporates innovations to lower
engine emissions and boost fuel efficiency, improve
reliability and serviceability, and optimize operator
efficiency and comfort. The 854K retains many G series
features, including the impeller clutch torque converter
for superior operator control and optimum power to
the ground, lockup clutch for direct drive efficiency,
and STIC control system for reduced steering and transmission
control effort. Operating weight is .…… 
Conveyor
Return Idler Guard Improves Worker Safety
- ASGCO’s lightweight SAFE-GUARD return idler guard
is designed to prevent injuries from conveyor-related
pinch points and to catch the return idler if it should
fall. The original SAFE-GUARD line, which works with
CEMA B, C, and D series idlers up to 7-in. diameter,
was recently expanded to include CEMA E and F return
rollers. The transverse support of the new heavy-duty
SAFE-GUARD is angled to provide a more robust design
that prevents bending and is sized to fit over CEMA
E and F return roller brackets. Both the mounting
brackets…. 
Cutting
the Cost of Drying Compressed Air - Sullair’s
new SRC cycling air dryer is designed to reduce the
cost of drying compressed air. The SRC dryer is furnished
in 10 models, ranging from 150 to 1,000 scfm. Standard
on SRC-250 to SRC-1000 models, Sullair utilizes a
reliable and energy-saving scroll compressor. Other
standard features on dryer models SRC- 400 to SRC-1000
include a unique zero-loss drain integrated into the
heat exchanger to collect condensate. The SRC-150
through SRC-200 cycling air dryers are equipped with
simple analog…. 
Mine
Planning Software for Stratified Minerals
- Gemcom Software International Inc. has released
Minex 5.2, a software package that supports the geology
and mine planning needs of mining companies working
stratified deposits. Underground and openpit mining
operations use Minex to support surveying, mine planning
and scheduling. The system integrates key functions
like borehole data management, geological modeling,
mine planning and design, allowing its users to make
fast, effective…. 
Commodity
Supply Chain Management - Pit to Port.net
Version 4.3.0 is the latest release of a software-based
management information system for companies operating
export and/or domestic bulk materials supply chains.
The system, according to developer QMASTOR, allows
management to plan, record, track, optimize, account,
reconcile and report the tonnage, quality and value
of bulk materials across the supply chain. Pit to
Port synchronizes the operations, logistics, marketing
and commercial functions providing a clear and transparent
view of supply chain operations. Developed to be commodity.….
Weba
Chutes Save in Western Australia- Rio Tinto’s
Paraburdoo mine extension project in Western Australia
has reported significant savings in maintenance and
operating costs following installation of two transfer
points by South African company Weba Chute Systems.
Productivity at the mine has risen sufficiently that
Weba Chute Systems is negotiating forfuture deliveries
that could ultimately replace all the transfer points.
The two main transfer points already replaced handle
up to 300-mm material on the incoming…. 
Rio Tinto
plc and Rio Tinto Ltd. announced that, following the
acquisition of Alcan Inc., Yves Fortier,
currently chairman of the board of Alcan, and Paul
Tellier, currently a non-executive director
of Alcan, have been named non-executive directors.
James
R. Daley recently joined Skelly and Loy,
Inc. as the vice president and manager of the firm’s
Monroeville, Pa., office. He will also serve as federal
government market coordinator..
Rolf
J. Persson has been appointed managing director
of Alimak Hek. He replaces Nils-Erik Häggström,
who has been named group business area manager-industrial.
Resources
Inc. has appointed Jim Mustard president.
Peeyush Varshney has resigned as
president but will remain chairman and CEO. 
Scott
Ellis has been named director of capital
projects permitting at ENSR. 
The Mining
Association of British Columbia named Ronald
Caldwell the 2007 recipient of the British
Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Public Safety.
Black
& Veatch has named Ed Walsh executive
vice president and director of business lines for
its global energy business.
Chris
Gause has been promoted to UGC sales manager
for the Admixture Systems business line of BASF Construction
Chemicals, LLC. The company also announced that Mike
Rispin has been appointed global head of
mining for UGC International. 