Новости за 13.01.2023

The Minerals Council has noted with dismay the above-inflation electricity tariff increase of 18.65% that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa granted to Eskom in its 2023/24 financial year, starting April 1. This increase, coupled with the 12.74% tariff increased that is poised for the following financial year, will translate into a R13.5-billion, or 33.7%, increase in the mining industry’s electricity costs to R53.5-billion by the end of 2024, the council states.

India's power ministry has asked utilities to import 6% of their coal requirement until September, according to a letter seen by Reuters, warning that domestic supplies could be curtailed if import targets are not met. Coal accounts for more than 70% of India's power generation, with coal-fired plants accounting for more than three quarters of India's use of the polluting fuel.

Copper prices paused their rally on Friday but were set to end the week with a 6.6% gain on hopes that a weaker dollar and China's dismantling of Covid-19 restrictions will lift demand. Other industrial metals were also on course for hefty weekly gains, with aluminium, zinc and tin up by between 9% and 14% from last Friday.

Battery and vehicle controller system WAE Technologies has completed and delivered to Australia the largest battery of its kind, ready to be installed in a 240 t prototype zero-emission battery-electric mining haul truck. The battery has now arrived at Fortescue’s workshop in Perth, Western Australia, and will be assembled and installed, before it is transported to the Pilbara for testing on site.

China’s reopening and ‘whatever it takes’ approach to the property sector are tectonic shifts that should underpin an acceleration in commodity demand through 2023, say Barclays Equity Research analysts. 2023 is set to be another strong year for miners, European metals and mining analysts Amos Fletcher, Ian Rossouw and Tom Zhang state.

Metals exploration company Kavango Resources announces that drilling is about to restart at the company’s Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB) project area following a scheduled summer break. At hole KCBRD006, Kavango will restart drilling on the sixth and final hole in the current drilling programme on prospecting licence (PL) PL082/2018 this weekend.

Global markets have yet to price in fully the reopening of China and copper exporters are set to benefit from the world’s second-biggest economy returning, according to AllianceBernstein. For sectors like copper where supply constraints remain and inventory levels are low, there is “a good underpinning” for higher prices, said Christine Phillpotts, portfolio manager at AllianceBernstein in New York. She specified that key exporters such as Chile, Peru, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia will get a boost.

Barrick Gold is open to developing mining assets across the Middle East, Africa and southern Asia with Saudi Arabia, as the oil-rich country looks to improve its access to critical minerals. Barrick, the world’s No. 2 gold producer, operates a copper mine in Saudi Arabia and this week formed two joint ventures for exploration in the country with state miner Maaden.

ASX-listed Australian Mines will pay a A$450 000 penalty as well as a further A$55 550 in legal costs to resolve its dispute with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). The company on Friday reported that the Federal Court had approved an agreement between Australian Mines and ASIC concerning civil proceedings brought by the watchdog in 2022 against the company.

Indonesia will limit construction of nickel smelters to ensure new plants produce high-value products and follow green principles in the production process, state news agency Antara reported on Friday, citing the country's investment minister. Noting many existing smelters already produce nickel pig iron or ferronickel, Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said Indonesia needed to prioritise using ore reserves to create higher value materials including input for batteries for electric vehicles.

The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has again called on the state government to repeal its increased coal royalty rates introduced last year. Pointing to analysis from the Federal Treasury, which found that the resources sector was responsible for significant job opportunities in the state, particularly for Queenslanders born in the 1960s and 1970s.

Mining Weekly Editor Martin Creamer discusses lithium sales out of the country this month; the ANC's statement that South Africa should become a green hydrogen centre; and the need for collaboration for a green hydrogen transition in the near future.

The Abra base metals mine, in Western Australia, has produced its first concentrate just days after first ore was fed into the plant. “More great progress at Abra with first concentrate produced. Commissioning of the processing plant is progressing quickly and concentrate production shows initial process flow continuity,” said ASX-listed Galena Mining MD Tony James.

The Provincial Court of British Columbia has ordered diversified miner Teck Resources to pay C$2.2-million for the unlawful deposit of effluent into the Columbia river. The company has pleaded guilty to two charges laid under the federal Fisheries Act and one charge laid under the Environmental Management Act, Environment and Climate Change Canada reports.

A group of armed men in Chile stole several shipping containers filled with copper that belonged to state-owned giant Codelco on Wednesday, adding pressure over shipments security in the world’s largest copper producer. The assailants took 13 containers that were destined for China from San Antonio port in central Chile. Citing police sources, local media reported the copper plates were worth an estimated $4.4-million.