Новости за 21.09.2021

China’s Ganfeng Lithium is unlikely to match a competing offer for Millennial Lithium, according to people familiar with the matter. The lithium producer is not keen to enter a bidding war for Vancouver-based Millennial, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information is private. Contemporary Amperex Technology, the world’s largest electric-car battery maker, is the unnamed suitor behind a C$377-million offer, Bloomberg News reported Wednesday.

Iron-ore’s rollercoaster ride this year is set to end with a whimper as the contraction in China’s steel industry heralds further declines. The steelmaking ingredient was in the vanguard of this year’s commodities boom, but has plunged 60% from a record above $230 a ton in May. Curbs on steel output, alongside a property crackdown and concerns about a power shortage, have hammered iron-ore demand in China.

TSX- and NYSE-listed Great Panther Mining has entered into a $20-million gold doré prepayment agreement with Asahi Refining Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Holdings, as well as a $5-million lead concentrate prepayment agreement with Samsung UK. The new credit facilities contribute an additional $25-million in working capital funding, providing Great Panther with increased financial strength and flexibility to execute on its objectives of replacing resources, extending mine life, and unlocking... Читать дальше...

Dual-listed Tharisa on Tuesday  announced a change to its lead independent director and the composition of certain board committees.  In addition, the platinum group metals and chrome producer also announced additional senior management appointments to enhance its corporate governance, climate change and sustainability initiatives.

The Biden administration’s top energy official said the nuclear industry should broaden its business case beyond power markets in order to ensure its place in a carbon-free economy. US nuclear energy has come under relentless pressure in recent years from cheap natural gas, solar and wind power. More reactors are being taken offline permanently than built, risking the long-term future of the country’s biggest clean energy source. President Joe Biden has pledged financial support to keep aging atomic plants online. Читать дальше...

Aim-listed AfriTin Mining has entered into a £4.5-million five-year loan agreement with Standard Bank Namibia, to fund the Phase 1 expansion of its processing plant at the Uis tin mine. The expansion is planned to increase tin concentrate production by 67% from 720 t/y to 1 200 t/y.

Precious metals miner Sibanye-Stillwater has confirmed that two mine rescue team workers have died at the Kloof mine, in Carletonville, because of heat exhaustion. The rescue workers were on a search mission for an employee at the Thuthukani shaft, after the employee was reported missing on Sunday morning.

The European benchmark ferrochrome price for the fourth quarter of 2021 has been settled at $1.80/lb, a 15.4% increase from the third quarter, JSE-listed ferrochrome producer Merafe Resources said on Tuesday. Mining Weekly last month reported that steel production had recovered to prepandemic levels, resulting in robust demand for ferrochrome and chrome ore, and better pricing on both.

Canadian miner Teck Resources cut its forecast for annual refined zinc production on Tuesday, citing an impact on its operations from wildfires in British Columbia. The company projected refined zinc production for 2021 to be in the range of 285 000 t to 290 000 t, down from a previous estimate of 290 000 t to 300 000 t.

Emerging miner Salazar Resources has acquired the mineral title to a 1 175 ha property on which it will base the El Potro project for $50 000. The property is based in the Loja porphyry district of Ecuador.

Aim- and BSE-listed diamond explorer Botswana Diamonds (BOD) has successfully completed its nine-hole drilling programme on the Thorny River property in South Africa. The objective was to see if two kimberlite blows – the River and River Extension –  were one contiguous orebody, thus increasing the overall resource and improving the commercial prospects of the project.

TerraCom said on Tuesday its bondholders had agreed to a payment delay for the fourth time as the Australian coal miner finalises details of a new refinancing programme. The new three-week extension now sets the bond maturity date for October 8, which was initially due on June 30.

Gold miner Gold Fields will trial new battery electric vehicles (BEV) at its St Ives operation, in Western Australia. The company has struck a deal with heavy equipment provider Sandvik, which will see the St Ives mine become the first in Australia to receive the new Sandvik LH518B 18-t BEV underground loader.

Diversified miner South32 on Tuesday announced that COO Mike Fraser, who has accountability for the African and Colombian operations, would leave the company. Current VP of operations at Worsley Alumina, Noel Pillay, will be appointed as COO, alongside Jason Economidis, who will remain COO with accountability for operations in Australia.

ASX-listed Independence Group (IGO) has started the due diligence process for a potential takeover of nickel miner Western Areas. Western Areas last month confirmed that it was in preliminary discussions with IGO in relation to a change of control proposal, with IGO telling shareholders that there was no certainty that a definitive transaction would eventuate.

Major BHP this week unveiled that it had paid $84-billion in global taxes, royalties and payments to governments over the last ten years, with $11.1-billion in payments made during the 2021 financial year. BPH reported that its total economic contribution in 2021 amounted to $40.9-billion, of which $16.5-billion was paid to suppliers, $8.7-nillion to investors, shareholders and lenders, a further $175-million in social investments and $4.4-billion in employee expenses.

The share price of TSX-V-listed QC Copper and Gold surged 30% on Monday, as the company announced an initial resource estimate on the Opemiska project, in the Chibougamau district of Quebec. The deposit contains 81.7-million tonnes at 0.88% copper-equivalent of pit constrained measured and indicated mineral resources and 21.3-million tonnes at 0.73% copper-equivalent of inferred resources. The pit-constrained mineral resource contains more than 532 000 t, or 1.17-billion pounds of copper and 816... Читать дальше...

Zambia's mines minister Paul Kabuswe on Monday criticised the previous administration's push to liquidate Vedanta's Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) unit, which sparked years of wrangling between the company and government. Vedanta and the Zambian government have been in a legal dispute over the mine and smelter since May 2019 when Zambia, which owns 20% of KCM through state mining investment firm ZCCM-IH, handed control of the business to a liquidator. Kabuswe's comments, made during a tour of the country's copperbelt... Читать дальше...