TSX-listed Barrick Gold and London-listed Acacia Mining on Friday announced that the High Court of Justice in England had sanctioned a scheme under Section 899 of the Companies Act 2006, enabling Barrick to acquire all outstanding issued share capital it does not already own in Acacia. Barrick has a 64% shareholding in Acacia.
Indonesia, which is weighing an early ban on exports of bauxite and copper concentrates, is betting on Chinese companies to add to the billions of dollars of investment in building smelters and processing plants. Making a deal with China is “simple", as the country “is willing to meet any request from us,” said Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, who also oversees mining.
The mining industry in South Africa is on the cusp of the digital transformation journey, and is ideally positioned to undertake this necessary change, Dassault Systèmes South Africa MD David Osborn told Mining Weekly Online on the sidelines of company’s fifth Natural Resources Forum, held in Johannesburg, on Wednesday. “The digital transformation journey in mining has started, and we as a company are willing to drive that with mining houses. We will embark on this journey with them, through identifying... Читать дальше...
The Gunnison copper project, in southern Arizona, remains on schedule for first copper production before the end of the year, TSX-listed Excelsior Mining confirmed on Thursday, reporting that the drilling of the production wellfield had been completed. A total of 41 production wells had been successfully drilled, toa depth of nearly 400 m each. The company said that all wells were open within the copper orebody.
JSE-listed resources group Exxaro Resources won a silver award in the service design category at the 2019 Loeries, which was the highest award given in the category this year, for its MyNexxt: Future-ready workforce learning platform. The Loeries has been Africa and the Middle East’s premier award since 1979, recognising excellence in advertising and brand communication.
Empowered resources group Exxaro Resources’ Belfast coal mine, in Mpumalanga, has started producing thermal coal six months earlier than expected. The R3.3-billion, first-of-its-kind digital mine was expected to start producing coal only in 2020.
A group of investors including the hedge fund founded by billionaire John Paulson said “significantly mismanaged” gold companies could unlock $13 billion in value through mergers and cost cuts. The Shareholders’ Gold Council of 18 investors including Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris’s La Mancha found that the median spending of senior gold producers is double that of mining companies that produce other metals, including Vale, the world’s largest iron-ore producer.
Metallurgical coal producer Coronado Global Resources has awarded project house CIMIC Group’s mining services provider Thiess with a A$1.3-billion contract at the Curragh mine, in Queensland. The six year contract will extend Thiess’ current operations at the mine, allowing Thiess to continue providing overburden removal and haulage, mining and run-of-mine rehandling services, equipment maintenance and pit dewatering.
ASX-listed Paladin Energy has completed a A$30.2-million share placement to institutional and sophisticated investors. The company will issue approximately 262.81-million shares, at a price of 11.5c each, with the placement price representing a 14.8% discount to Paladin’s closing price on September 10.
A Southern African pump manufacturer has received its order for Vesconite low-swell hard-wearing water-flinger polymer bearings for four of its pump sizes.
Mines need to partner with suppliers who can support pumps through the full life cycle of the mine. “As a market leader with more than 80 years of experience in providing slurry transportation systems, Weir Minerals is well positioned to supply and support appropriate pump solutions, says Weir Minerals Africa slurry pumps product manager Marnus Koorts.
Since being appointed the South African distributor for coupling manufacturer Straub’s couplings range, pumps supplier Mechanical Rotating Solutions (MRS) has completed several mining projects that included the supply and installation of these couplings. “The removal of a suction pipe for pump maintenance or repair usually requires that the flange bolts are removed either manually – which is highly time consuming – or using a cutting torch. This entails acquiring the necessary permits to conduct welding... Читать дальше...
Pump solutions specialist Integrated Pump Rental is celebrating being the Sykes diesel-driven pump set distributor for over three years. Integrated Pump Rental rental development manager Ruaan Venter says the Sykes distributorship has exposed the company to a broader market enabling it to offer mines a pumping solution in areas where there is no electricity.
Pumps supplier Mechanical Rotating Solutions (MRS) has witnessed a marked increase in refurbishment orders for its pumps division in the first quarter of 2019 – as opposed to new installations – compared with the same period last year. “The company has invested significantly in the improvement of its technologies, which are geared towards assisting in the servicing and refurbishing of pumping equipment,” says MRS CEO Franscois Steenkamp.
The demand for gravel pumps in South Africa has been on a steady decline over the past twenty years, says mining equipment manufacturer PCF Engineering managing partner Jan Feldtmann. “At times, it takes up to a week to secure an order, whereas sometimes it can be anything from a month to a year before a client actually places an order. A few years ago, we could hardly keep up with demand, but lately, we usually have stock on the floor,” he adds.
Normal mining operations continue at a Lesotho mine, thanks to the quick delivery by pump solution specialist Integrated Pump Rental of a rapid dewatering solution.
South Africa boasts a substantial mining industry that is a considerable electricity user, yet the industry is hampered by intermittent supply and the high cost of electricity, as well as considerable waste emissions by operations. A potential solution to this conundrum is being offered by Swedish Stirling, a Swedish clean tech company founded in 2008, with a mission to further refine the ability of Stirling technology to convert thermal energy to electricity.
The Angolan Ministry of Mineral Resources and Petroleum has announced that the public bidding process for five minerals concessions, being offered to local and international investors, will be opened on October 7. Previously, it had been expected that the bidding period would run from September 30 and October 2. The short delay is to accommodate an extension to the roadshow currently being undertaken to generate interest in the concessions on offer.
The technical and operational teams of Aim- and AltX-listed metals processing company Jubilee Metals Group are focused on bringing the Sable Zinc Kabwe refinery project, in Zambia, on line against an accelerated timeline. This will advance the processing of the Kabwe surface material, significantly reducing production lead times.
Earthmoving equipment manufacturer Bell Equipment’s Zambian operation is benefiting from good demand for after-sales support amid the country’s tough economic conditions. “We have had success with our ReMan re-power programme through which complete rebuilds of articulated dump trucks (ADTs) are undertaken to provide a second life for equipment at reasonable prices,” says Bell Equipment Zambia MD Mike Quin.
Zambia’s growth is projected to slow to 2% this year, reflecting a decline in mining sector activity, owing to policy uncertainty and the ongoing drought’s impact on the production capacity of the country’s hydropower plants, according to a press release published by the International Monetary Fund last month. International specialist banking and asset management group Investec portfolio manager Thys Louw agrees with this forecast, noting that general investor sentiment is that Zambia is at high risk of debt distress... Читать дальше...
China has played an important role in developing the mining industries of Africa’s emerging nations, such as Zambia, where the Asian country’s investment has particularly helped infrastructure development, an important precursor needed for mining, says African Mining Network chairperson Yolanda Torrisi. “In Zambia, project developers and industry representatives are seeing the results from their relationship with Chinese investors. Among the most notable of investments in infrastructure is China’s... Читать дальше...
The width of the mineralised zone at junior exploration company Arc Minerals’ Cheyeza East target area is now more than 300 m and still open-ended, according to further drill results from the company’s maiden exploration drill programme in Zambia. This is demonstrated by drill holes six and seven, which were drilled about 100 m on either side of drill holes four and five respectively, according to a company statement released last month.
Mine tailings dumps at the Kalengwa copper project in Zambia have yielded an average grade of 1.03% copper and 4.44 parts per million silver, with copper values ranging from 0.59% to 2.48%, according to assay results from preliminary sampling by resource, development and mining company Xtract Resources. Xtract executive chairperson Colin Bird said in a statement released last month that the result confirmed copper grades in tailings over a large sample population, similar to results reported in the... Читать дальше...
Zimbabwean companies in the mining supplies sector are being encouraged by the country’s national trade development and promotion organisation ZimTrade to take advantage of opportunities in the Zambian market. In May this year, ZimTrade conducted a market survey in Zambia, which indicated that vast opportunities were identified in the processed foods and mining supplies sectors.
