| AROUND THE
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Canada Lithium Starts Production in Quebec
Canada Lithium Corp. produced its initial run of 99.1% lithium carbonate from its processing plant 60 km north of Val d’Or, Quebec, in early July. The material was then upgraded to 99.5% battery-grade material during the commissioning of the plant’s solvent extraction and bicarbonate circuits. The first shipment to the Tewoo Group in China under a five-year off-take agreement occurred soon thereafter. All circuits of the Canada Lithium mine and plant had been tested at commissioning-level volumes...... read
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Lundin Reports Progress at Eagle Project
Lundin Mining said on July 17 it had closed its acquisition of the Eagle nickel- copper mine construction project on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula from Rio Tinto, previously announced on June 12. In a project update, Lundin reported that Eagle project construction is more than 50% complete, and initial production is expected to begin during the fourth quarter of 2014. Project ramp-up is proceeding well, according to the company. Earthworks, concrete installation, and steel erection are under way at the mill site. The contract for mine-site coarse ore storage has been awarded, and the contractor and all vendors have been mobilized. New delivery dates are being finalized. Most equipment has been ordered and is expected to be delivered to site prior to year-end.... read more
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Veris and Newmont Announce Toll Mill Deal
Veris Gold announced on July 24 entry into a toll milling agreement with Newmont Mining to process ore produced from Newmont mines at Veris’ Jerritt Canyon mill complex in Elko County, Nevada. Under the terms of the agreement, which ends December 31, 2014, Newmont will deliver up to 45,000 st/month of ore to the Jerritt Canyon mill. The Newmont ore will be batch processed, and all doré produced from the ore will remain the property of Newmont throughout the process. Veris will treat the associated toll milling fee as.... read
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WORLD - Latin America |
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Sea-water Desalination Project Approved for Escondida
BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto announced on July 25 approval of their shares of investments in a new, $3.43-billion, 2,500-liter/ sec sea-water desalination facility that will be built to ensure continued water supply to the Escondida mine in northern Chile. Escondida—the world’s largest copper mine—is located in the Atacama Desert 170 km southeast of the city of Antofagasta at an elevation of 3,100 m above sea level. A new, 152,000 metric tons…… read
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Tahoe Targeting Early 2014 for Production at Escobal
Tahoe Resources reported on July 10, that Guatemala President Otto Perez Molina, in an effort to promote consensus in Guatemala’s Congress and advance support for mining in Guatemala, asked the Congress to approve a two-year temporary moratorium on the granting of new mining and exploration licenses in Guatemala. Tahoe received the final permit for its high-grade, underground Escobal silver project in southeast Guatemala in April, and the company reported that the proposed government action will not affect the permit. Surface plant construction and underground…. read more
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| AROUND THE
WORLD - Australasia |
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Fortescue Sees Solomon Hub at Capacity by Year-end
Fortescue Metals expects to have the two iron ore mines, Firetail and Kings, at its Solomon Hub in Western Australia operating at combined design capacity of 60 million metric tons per year (mt/y) of iron ore by year-end 2013. The mines are separated by a distance of 5 km. Associated infrastructure includes two ore processing facilities, crushing hubs, 15 km of overland conveyors, and a stockyard and train loadout facility…. read
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Atlas Iron Developing Mount Webber Mine
Atlas Iron is proceeding with development of the Mount Webber iron ore project 230 km via road south-southeast of Port Hedland, Western Australia. The direct shipping ore project spans property owned by Atlas (70%) and Altura Mining (30%), and an adjoining northern tenement owned 100% by Atlas. Mount Webber mining operations are scheduled to begin before year-end 2013, with first ore shipments from the second quarter of 2014. The initial production rate will be 3 million mt/y, and initial mine life is estimated at 18 years. Atlas is targeting a second stage of development that would increase production to 6 million mt/y…. read
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Oyu Tolgoi Begins Concentrate Shipments, Hits Snag in Underground Development Funding
Rio Tinto announced on July 9 that Oyu Tolgoi had begun shipping copper concentrate to customers from its copper and gold mine in Mongolia. The event, according to the company, marks the culmination of a three-year, $6.2-billion project to build the first phase of one of the world’s top five copper mines. Oyu Tolgoi is owned by Turquoise Hill Resources (66%) and Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi (34%)….
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Vietnam’s First Nickel Mine Begins Production
Production of concentrate has started at Asian Mineral Resources’ (AMR) Ban Phuc nickel project, 160 km west of Hanoi in Son La Province, Vietnam. At the official opening ceremony on June 29, local and national dignitaries noted the significance of the opening of the first nickel mine in Vietnam and the importance of the continued development of the nickel industry for the province and Vietnam’s economy. Operations at the underground mine started May 10, and with the commissioning of the processing plant…. read
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Implats Commissions New Shaft in South Africa
Impala Platinum (Implats) has commissioned the new No. 16 shaft complex at its operations near Rustenburg, South Africa. The complex consists of a 10-m-diameter, 1,675-m-deep main hoisting shaft and a 6.8-m-diameter, 1,440-m-deep ventilation shaft. The seven levels of the main shaft will access both the Merensky and UG2 reef horizons, with the emphasis being on mining the Merensky reef during the initial ramp-up phase. The No. 16 shaft’s 108-m-tall headgear is the tallest known concrete headgear in the world. The headgear is equipped with two Koepe winders for man/material transport and rock hoisting…. read more
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Randgold Preparing for Start-up at Kibali
Randgold Resources reports that the Kibali gold project in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has advanced to its immediate pre-production stage, and final preparations are being made for the first gold pour, targeted for October this year. Kibali development is based on a 10-million- oz-plus gold deposit and is owned by Randgold (45%), AngloGold Ashanti (45%), and the Congolese parastatal, Sokimo (10%). The life-of-mine plan envisages average production of.……
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Kestrel Extension in Australia Begins Production
Rio Tinto officials have announced that coal production is under way at their Kestrel mine extension, a $2-billion project near Emerald in central Queensland, Australia. The extension, according to Rio Tinto, will add 20 years to the Kestrel mine, the company’s only underground coal operation. Kestrel uses longwalls to produce metallurgical grade coal. John Coughlan, Kestrel’s general manager for operations, called the event a "milestone" following four years of …. read more
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Bowie Resource Partners Acquires Canyon Fuel Mines
Bowie Resources and the Galena Private Equity Resource Fund created a joint venture, Bowie Resource Partners, to purchase Canyon Fuel Co. from Arch Coal for $435 million in cash. The sale has been approved by the Arch board of directors and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2013. Bowie Resource Partners (BRP) will own the Bowie and Canyon Fuel mines and will be based in Louisville, Kentucky, with a regional office in Grand Junction, Colorado. It will have an annual productive …. read more
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Pike River Says it has No Money for Families
Pike River Coal says there is no cash in its coffers to pay court-ordered compensation to the families of victims of the 2010 mine explosion—despite the personal wealth of its former directors and the assets of its biggest shareholder, according to The New Zealand Herald. The company was sentenced in the Greymouth District Court on July 4 over health and safety failings that led to the deaths of 29 miners in November 2010. Judge Jane Farish ordered Pike River Coal to pay a total of $3.41 million in reparation…. read
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Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. announced that Joseph Carrabba will retire as president and CEO by December. James Kirsch, who currently serves on Cliffs’ board as lead director, has been elected non-executive chairman of the board, replacing Carrabba as chairman. The company also announced that Laurie Brlas has retired as executive vice president and president, global operations. Mark E. Gaumond, former senior vice chair, Americas of Ernst & Young, has been elected a new director.
Goldgroup Mining Inc. has appointed Chairman and Director Keith Piggott president and CEO, replacing Dr. Hans von Michaelis. Dr. von Michaelis has resigned as the company’s president and CEO. The company also announced that Donald Siemens has been appointed a lead director.
Allied Nevada Gold Corp. has appointed Randy Buffington president and CEO.
Mechel OAO has appointed Pavel Shtark CEO of Mechel Mining Management Company OOO. He replaces Boris Nikishichev, who is retiring.
Verde Potash has appointed Antônio Schettino COO.
The National Mining Association Executive Committee has met to fill the vacancy of NMA chairman due to the retirement of Frank McAllister from Stillwater Mining. The committee selected Red Conger, president of Freeport-McMoRan Americas, as McAllister’s successor. Conger currently serves as chairman of the Audit and Finance Committee and has agreed to continue in that capacity until the fall board meeting.
Philippi-Hagenbuch Inc. recently promoted Danette Hagenbuch Swank to president from her current position as vice president of internal operations.
Jessica Alm has been appointed executive vice president and head of group communications as well as a member of the Group Executive Management of Sandvik AB. She succeeds Jan Lissåker, who will become group senior adviser in larger projects.
