Новости за 21.01.2021

Russian State-controlled diamond producer Alrosa sees strong global demand for diamonds in the first quarter of 2021 after its sales fell by 4% to 32.1-million carats in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, it said on Thursday. Alrosa, the world's largest producer of rough diamonds, which competes with Anglo American unit De Beers, reduced 2020 production by 22% to 30 million carats as it suspended mining at less profitable mines.

Global copper smelting activity climbed in December, led by top producer China, while North America extended its decline as coronavirus cases surged, data from satellite surveillance of copper plants showed. Europe dipped slightly, but its copper smelting activity remained strong, satellite service SAVANT and broker Marex Spectron said in a joint statement on Thursday.

One man working deep in Brazil's Amazon said he knows how to stop the illegal logging, gold mining, deforestation and fires plaguing the region: let President Jair Bolsonaro carry out his plans to develop the rainforest. "If people listen to him and believe in his ideas ... many of the environmental issues would improve here in the Amazon," said the 53-year-old wildcat miner, who asked to be identified only by his nickname, Grande.

Canadian-listed gold mining and exploration company Calibre Mining has started openpit mining at the Pavon Norte mine in Nicaragua, and the mill feed has been delivered to the Libertad complex for processing, in accordance with the company’s hub-and-spoke operating philosophy. “I am extremely pleased with the team’s effort to safely deliver mill feed from Pavon Norte ahead of schedule and under budget.

Brownfield mine developer Xtract Resources’ broker, Novum Securities, has conditionally raised £5-million, before expenses, following the placement of over 111-million ordinary shares. The placing shares represent 17.9% of the current issued ordinary share capital of Xtract.

Cobalt-focused Cruz Cobalt intends to start operations at its cobalt projects in Ontario, Canada. Cruz is one of the largest landholders in the historic silver/cobalt producing region of Cobalt, Ontario, and the company's projects are in the direct vicinity of TSX-V-listed Fuse Cobalt and TSX-V-listed First Cobalt.

JSE- and NYSE-listed Gold Fields has appointed Chris Griffith CEO designate. Griffith will succeed Nick Holland with effect from April 1. Holland, who had been due to retire on September 30 after 13 years as CEO of the company, has agreed to retire six months earlier to facilitate the leadership transition. “We are delighted that an experienced executive of Chris’s calibre will join Gold Fields. He has deep-rooted operational mining experience and an impressive record of delivering safe operational performance and leading effective change. Читать дальше...

Aim-listed central Asia gold, copper and silver producer Anglo Asian Mining welcomes the agreement between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia which has ended the military conflict over the enclave of Nagorno Karabakh, subsequently opening up the region for the miner to restore its three contract areas in formerly occupied territories and Nagorno Karabakh. Nagorno Karabakh is a mountainous enclave within the borders of Azerbaijan and is bordered by seven districts of Azerbaijan which were occupied by Armenia in 1994 (the occupied territories).

Plant improvements at tungsten, tin and gold miner W Resources’ La Parrilla project, in Spain, should be completed early next month. During the quarter ended December 31, the plant continued to work a four-day week. Operations moved to a five-day working week earlier this month and the plan is to move to a seven-day working week by April.

First Majestic Silver, with three producing projects in Mexico, produced 5.5-million silver-equivalent ounces (SEO) in the fourth quarter of 2020, representing a 5% increase over the prior quarter. Silver production reached 3.5-million ounces, representing a 9% increase over the prior quarter and the company’s second-highest quarterly silver production.

Diversified Canadian base metals miner Lundin Mining met its production guidance for all metals for the 2020 financial year, ended December 31, with copper production standing out at 230 781 t. Gold production exceeded guidance, reaching 163 000 oz.

TSX-listed Harte Gold is proceeding with an expansion of its fully owned Sugar Zone mining operation, in Canada, from a capacity of 800 t/d to 1 200 t/d, based on the positive results of a feasibility study. With expansion capital of $21-million, the gold producer intends to reach the 1 200 t/d target by the first quarter of 2023, marking a 58% increase in yearly gold production.

Zambia's mining investment arm ZCCM-IH said it expects to find a new investor for Mopani Copper Mines by the end of the year, as the International Monetary Fund looks into Zambia's deal with Glencore, Mopani's majority stakeholder. Zambia became Africa's first pandemic-era sovereign default in November, but ZCCM-IH agreed on Tuesday to take on $1.5-billion in debt for Glencore's stake, making it the sole owner of the mine.

Brazil’s Vale said on Thursday it is buying out minority stake partner, Japan’s Mitsui & Co, in a Mozambique coal mine and port project, ahead of selling the loss-making asset as it works to become carbon neutral by 2050. Vale, the world’s second-biggest iron ore miner, said in a statement it planned to divest its loss-making Moatize coal mine and Nacala Corridor rail and port projects in Mozambique, to focus on its core operations.

South African coal miner Buffalo Coal has appointed Rory Taylor independent nonexecutive director and chairperson of the audit committee with effect from January 22. Taylor, a Canadian resident, is a chartered accountant (South Africa) and seasoned finance executive with a record of capable financial leadership in mining companies.

Diversified miner South32 has set a number of production records in the first half of 2021, following a solid December quarter. “This was another period of strong operating performance across our business, with three of our operations setting production records for the half year,” said CEO Graham Kerr on Thursday.

Top copper producer Chile managed to navigate the pandemic disruptions that stalled mining in other countries, churning out more metal last year than in 2019. That helped keep Chinese refineries supplied at a time of market tightness and high prices. But while Chile is well prepared to operate through a second wave of infections, eventually output could suffer, according to a group representing industry heavyweights.