MiningWeekly.com Audio Articles

Creamer Media's Mining Weekly
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Noticias diarias
  • Cada día

MiningWeekly.com provides real time news reportage through originated written & video material. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Mining Weekly at the end of each day.

  1. hace 1 h

    Mining production decreased by 4% y/y in June

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) reports that mining production decreased by 4% year-on-year in June, with the largest negative contributor being platinum group metals (PGMs), which recorded a decline of 8.4% year-on-year, contributing -2.4 percentage points. Coal production decreased by 6.6% and contributed -1.7 percentage points, while iron-ore production declined by 10.2% and contributed -1.5 percentage points. Seasonally adjusted mining production increased by 0.3% in June compared with May. This followed month-on-month changes of -5.2% in May and 3% in April. Seasonally adjusted mining production decreased by 2.7% in the second quarter of this year compared with the first quarter. The largest negative contributor was PGMs, which declined by 6.4% and contributed -1.8 percentage points. Manganese ore production declined by 5.3% quarter-on-quarter and contributed -0.4 of a percentage point, while gold declined by 3.2% and contributed -0.3 of a percentage point. Additionally, seasonally adjusted iron-ore production declined by 2% quarter-on-quarter and contributed -0.3 of a percentage point. Meanwhile, mineral sales at current prices increased by 27.2% year-on-year in June. The largest positive contributors were gold, which increased by 125.7% and contributed 17.1 percentage points; PGMs, which increased by 27% and contributed 7.3 percentage points; and chromium ore, which increased by 49% and contributed 3.7 percentage points. Iron-ore, however, declined by 16.1% and contributed -1.7 percentage points and 'other' non-metallic minerals declined by 35.5% and contributed -1.3 percentage points. These were the only negative contributors. Stats SA adds that seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices increased by 2.7% in June compared with May. This followed month-on-month changes of -4.4% in May and 3.1% in April. Seasonally adjusted mineral sales at current prices decreased by 1.6% in the second quarter of this year compared with the first quarter.

  2. hace 5 h

    Scoping study on Brazilian Rare Earths' Rocha da Rocha project confirms lowest-cost Western supply opportunity

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. ASX-listed Brazilian Rare Earths' newly published scoping study on the Rocha da Rocha rare earths project, in Brazil, particularly its anchor Monte Alto deposit, finds the potential for life-of-mine average production of 5 276 t/t of neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) oxide and 2 253 t/y of heavy rare earth concentrate, containing about 247 t of dysprosium and terbium and 989 t of yttrium. This scale positions Brazilian Rare Earths as a potential leading supplier for a growing market that needs more heavy rare earth feedstocks. The company identified the Rocha da Rocha's flagship deposit, Monte Alto, in February 2024 and deems it the anchor of a broader critical minerals province with the potential to become one of the most important new sources of rare earth supply globally. Monte Alto's primary and residual mineralisation averages 11.3% total rare earth oxides, which gives Brazilian Rare Earths a high-grade structural advantage that few rare earth projects can match globally. The scoping study reports an after-tax net present value of $7.9-billion, an after-tax internal rate of return of 89% and a payback period of 1.1 years. The Monte Alto operation can generate life-of-mine average yearly earnings of about $1.37-billion. CEO and MD Bernardo da Veiga says the high grades at Monte Alto changes the entire development equation, since fewer tonnes, a smaller mining footprint and lower processing intensity is economically viable. The scoping study finds Rocha da Rocha to be the lowest-cost non-Chinese rare earth project and the second-lowest-cost project globally on Benchmark Mineral Intelligence's rare earth cost curve at $21/kg of NdPr-equivalent, before potential future cost credits from uranium, scandium, nobium and other co-products. The company has determined a simple initial development strategy focused on a seperated NdPr oxide and a heavy rare earths-rich concentrate containing significant amounts of dysprosium, terbium, yttrium and gadolinium. Brazilian Rare Earths says uranium is being advanced as a strategic co-product and future value pathway, while scandium, nobium and tantalum provide additional upside for future studies. "The key point for shareholders is that the initial scoping study investment case does not rely on the suite of critical mineral co-products. It is built on high-grade Monte Alto feedstock, a simple beneficiation pathway and the production of rare earth products that global customers urgently need," Da Veiga explains. Monte Alto will be designed as a small-footprint mine site operation using dry crushing, screening and sensor-based ore sorting, with no chemical processing at the mine site. Upgraded feed will be transported to the company's planned Camaçari refinery hub, located within an established industrial complex with access to infrastructure, utilities, reagents, industrial services, logistics and skilled labour. This unique hub-and-spoke model allows us to keep the mine site operations to a minimum while locating more complex hydrometallurgical and separation activities in an established industrial environment. Having signed a binding ten-year offtake and engineering, and technical services agreement with French rare earth processor Carester in October last year, Brazilian Rare Earths says Carester's role in the scoping study further strengthens the development pathway of Monte Alto. Carester's downstream seperation work supports the production of high-purity NdPr oxide and a heavy rare earths-rich concentrate. Da Veiga says the significance of this scoping study is not simply that Rocha da Rocha generates compelling economics across this wide range of price scenarios, rather, its greater importance is that it highlights a unique combination of project str...

  3. hace 18 h

    No material impact anticipated for copper, cobalt market from DRC policy shift – BMI

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. A Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ministerial Order banning the export of copper and cobalt concentrates, which also introduces a new tax regime, is unlikely to have a material impact on either the global copper or cobalt market, but could add a near-term risk premium to copper prices while details of the policy are clarified, BMI, a Fitch Solutions company, posits. On August 6, Reuters reported that the DRC has banned exports of copper and cobalt concentrates, citing a joint Ministerial order dated June 29, signed by Mines Minister Louis Kabamba Watum, Foreign Trade Minister Julien Paluku Kahongya and Economy Minister Daniel Mukoko Samba. The order, which was later released publicly by the DRC Ministry of Mines, states that 'the export of copper and cobalt concentrates is prohibited' and takes effect immediately, although one-year waivers may be granted under 'strategic circumstances.' The order also introduces a new tax regime for economically significant mining by-products, with a three-month transition period. BMI explains that since the mid-2010s, the DRC has operated a de facto ban on exports of unbeneficiated copper and cobalt concentrates, with ad hoc exemptions granted to select mining companies where domestic processing capacity was insufficient or where said companies committed to investing in local processing. "We therefore interpret the new policy as a shift to a de jure ban with tighter rules around waivers and exemptions on the export of concentrates," the company avers. For copper, about 13% of the DRC's copper exports last year were contained in concentrates, with most of the rest exported as refined copper cathodes, BMI points out. The former equates to about 400 000 t of copper metal, or about 1.7% of global copper mine production, it elaborates. "While a loss of this magnitude has the potential to push the delicate copper market balance into deficit, we note that the DRC should have some spare capacity to smelt additional copper concentrates domestically, given the recent commissioning of the Kamoa-Kakula smelter, which has a nameplate capacity of 500 000 t/y," BMI predicts. Currently, the Kamoa-Kakula mine is producing copper feedstock well below the smelter's nameplate capacity, owing to the residual impact of a seismic incident last year, which caused much of the underground mine to flood. Therefore, there is a possibility for Kamoa-Kakula's owners, Ivanhoe Mines and Zijin Mining, to allow neighbouring copper mines to process concentrates at the Kamoa-Kakula smelter if those miners are unable to negotiate waivers with Kinshasa, provided spare capacity exists and third-party feed is technically and commercially viable, BMI hypothesises. It notes that Ivanhoe themselves smelt a portion of their copper concentrate output at the nearby Lualaba copper smelter, which is 60% owned by Mainland China's CNMC. "For this reason, we are not yet revising down our DRC copper mine production forecasts for this year or 2027, which we have already revised down this year following the aforementioned disruption at Kamoa-Kakula," the company reassures. Meanwhile, it says that, for cobalt, the ban is "even less impactful than for copper". According to trade data published by the Congolese authorities, almost all cobalt that leaves the DRC leaves as cobalt hydroxide, an intermediate product after concentrate but before battery-grade cobalt, the company explains. The more important policy constraint remains the quota system introduced after the temporary cobalt export ban last year, it adds. The DRC has set cobalt export quotas at 96 000 t for this year, including a 10% strategic allocation, equivalent to less than half the DRC's cobalt exports in 2024. "As a result, the concentrate ban shou...

  4. hace 1 día

    India's iron-ore approach for ambitious steelmaking strategy can shape global demand, decarbonisation, IEEFA warns

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. US-based think tank Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) outlines in its latest report 'India's looming iron-ore challenge' how the country may not have enough access to the right quality of ore for its ambitious steelmaking expansion plans. IEEFA says how India sources imported iron-ore and how much domestic ore it upgrades could shape the country's steelmaking technology choices, as well as influence India's dependence on imported coking coal and the pace of steel decarbonisation. Under India's proposed National Steel Policy 2025, the government aims to more than double crude steel production capacity to 400-million tonnes by 2035/36 while cutting the sector's emissions intensity and reliance on coking coal. India produced about 289-million tonnes of iron-ore in the 2024/25 financial year, making it the world's fourth-largest producer, however, about 66.5% of India's remaining resources are medium- and low-grade ore that requires beneficiation. Expanding the country's 27 beneficiation plants' capacity from 136-million tonnes a year to 170-million tonnes a year by 2030 will require about $5.7-billion of investment, alongside supportive policy such as reduced royalties for beneficiated low-grade ore. Many Indian ores also carry high alumina levels. IEEFA says every 1% rise in alumina lifts coke consumption by 2.2% and cuts blast furnace productivity by 4%. "India's iron-ore challenge is shifting from securing sufficient supply to securing the right quality of ore needed for an expanding and lower-emissions steel industry. As iron-ore imports become more important for the country, the type of ore it sources could influence technology choices and thereby the pace of steel decarbonisation and long-term dependence on imported coking coal," IEEFA report author Saumya Nautiyal elaborates. With global suppliers increasingly producing premium direct reduction-grade feedstocks and green iron, India should evaluate future iron-ore sourcing through the lens of technology, energy security and industrial competitiveness, and not simply cost. IEEFA stresses that upgrading domestic ore should be at the centre of India's strategy, but with more than 357-million tonnes of steelmaking capacity under development, imports of premium ore will also grow. Nautiyal says the grades that India chooses to import will shape steelmaking technologies it locks in and how exposed the sector stays to coking coal. He points out how the higher grade iron-ore shift is already reshaping corporate strategy. On Tata Steel's fourth-quarter earnings call, CE T.V. Narendran set out a post-2030 raw material approach built on securing domestic mining leases, expanding production where ore is available, and evaluating imported ore to complement domestic supply. Tata Steel has already trialed imported Canadian iron-ore, with Narendran noting that lower-alumina ores can deliver better value in use, particularly for its expanding coastal plants. Globally, demand growth is moving from a maturing China towards emerging producers, including Southeast Asia and India. Iron-ore giant Vale has identified India as a strategic growth market and the Australian government forecasts India's iron-ore imports rising from three-million tonnes in 2025 to 50-million tonnes by 2031. The head of raw materials at Jindal Steel estimates that producing around 220-million tonnes of steel by 2030 would require roughly 500-million tonnes of iron-ore, leaving a potential 40-million tonne gap even after planned mine expansions. Beyond Australia, Brazil is well positioned to benefit from India's shift towards lower-emissions steelmaking, given its abundant high-grade iron ore resources and growing production of direct reduction-grade feedstock...

  5. hace 1 día

    Southern Palladium's JSE share price surges on granting of Bengwenyama mining right

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. Johannesburg- and Australia-listed Southern Palladium's share price on the JSE jumped by nearly 28% on August 11 after the company confirmed that South Africa's Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) had granted the mining right for the company's flagship Bengwneyama platinum group metals (PGMs) project, in Limpopo. The granting of the mining right marks the completion of a comprehensive regulatory engagement process between Southern Palladium and the DMPR following the lodgement and acceptance of the mining right application in October 2023. "Securing the Bengwenyama mining right is a pivotal catalyst for driving the Bengwenyama project from studies to execution. With the mining right in hand, we can continue to progress the definitive feasibility study's (DFS's) completion, fast-track the project execution plan and operational readiness activities, to mobilise contractors for decline and boxcut works and start early works at the project. "The significant improvement in our metallurgical results recently announced, including the step-change in chromite recoveries and the inclusion of a dense media separation component in the plant, combined with our mine design optimisations, means the team can confidently convert technical outcomes into constructible workstreams and turnkey schedules. The mining right materially de-risks the pathway to early development," says Southern Palladium MD Johan Odendaal. Southern Palladium chairperson Roger Baxter adds that the granting of the mining right is the result of constructive and sustained engagement with the DMPR leadership and regulators and the Bengwenyama community and demonstrates the strength of government support and the company social licence to operate. "The project's location in the Bushveld Complex, the premier PGM jurisdiction globally, gives the Bengwenyama project compelling geological, processing, smelting, refining and infrastructure advantages. With global demand for PGMs remaining firm, driven by multiple, large-scale industrial sectors and emerging technologies such as hard drive storage devices that use PGMs, and ongoing supportive fundamentals, the project is exceptionally well-positioned to deliver strategic, long-term value for stakeholders while continuing to prioritise responsible development and meaningful benefits for our partners, the Bengwenyama community as well as the broader region," he says. The company notes that its board has approved the start of early boxcut and decline development before the end of this year, subject to the completion of the relevant waste management and water-use permitting processes. Further, it says the DFS works programme is expected to be delivered in the first quarter of 2027, which is a one-quarter extension to ensure the significant value arising from recent excellent metallurgical test results is fully incorporated into the DFS plant design and optimisation work. Southern Palladium notes that, at full steady state Stage 2 production, the project will produce more than 400 000 oz/y of PGMs and one-million tons of high-grade chrome concentrate a year. The company points out that experienced project director Michiel Breed and underground PGM mine manager France Modau are leading preparations for the project's execution. Southern Palladium share price on the JSE rose by 27.8% to R23.01 a share on August 11, compared with the close of R18 a share on August 7. Corporate advisory firm Bridge Street Capital Partners has welcomed the news, stating in a report that the granting of the Bengwenyama mining right allows Southern Palladium to advance discussions with South African PGM smelters and refiners and chromite traders. "This may enable product pre-pays/streaming/royalty deals to be pu...

  6. hace 2 días

    Barrick says Newmont deal clears path for North American IPO

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. Barrick Mining reported a rise in second-quarter profit, buoyed by higher bullion prices, and struck a $1.95-billion deal with Newmont Corporation to settle disputes over Nevada Gold Mines. Newmont consented to Barrick's planned initial public offering (IPO) of its North American gold assets, the companies said, clearing the path for an IPO that Barrick expects to complete by the end of this year. Barrick is looking for a new CEO to lead its businesses outside of North America. CEO Mark Hill, who is set to head the company's North American entity, said he would prefer an internal candidate. The Canadian gold miner met analysts' profit estimate of 82 cents, according to data compiled by LSEG. It earned $1.22-billion, or 73 cents per share, for the three months ended June 30, compared with $811-million, or 47 cents per share, a year earlier. Barrick shares were trading down 8% on the Toronto Stock Exchange at 1:00 p.m. ET (18:00 GMT). Higher fuel costs are adding to pressure on gold miners as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran disrupts oil flows and keeps energy prices elevated. Barrick said fuel expenses, lower grades and higher royalties contributed to an 11% rise in gold all-in sustaining costs. Its second-quarter realized gold price rose 34% from a year earlier to $4 417/oz, while gold output was flat at 796 000 oz. Barrick said lower grades processed at its Carlin and Cortez gold mines in Nevada and North Mara mine in Tanzania, along with higher fuel costs and royalties associated with the stronger realized gold price, drove the increase in gold costs. Its gold cost of sales rose 20% in the second quarter to $1 993/oz, while gold's all-in sustaining cost, a key industry measure of the total cost of producing gold, including sustaining capital spending, rose 11% to $1 866/oz. NEWMONT DEAL CLEARS IPO PATH Barrick owns 61.5% and Newmont 38.5% in the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture. Earlier this year, Reuters reported that Barrick will need Newmont's approval to move ahead with its proposed North American spin-off, because Newmont has the first right of refusal if Barrick tries to sell its stake. Newmont also had disputes with Barrick regarding the operational issues at Nevada Gold Mines. Under the agreement announced on Monday, Barrick will transfer its Fourmile project to the Nevada Gold Mines joint venture, while Newmont will transfer its Mike and Fiberline projects and pay Barrick $1.95-billion in cash within 30 days. The agreement will create a nearly 100-million-ounce gold complex in Nevada, Barrick said. Barrick's planned North American IPO will include its interests in and operatorship of Nevada Gold Mines and Pueblo Viejo, the Fourmile project and other North American exploration properties, along with the assets contributed by Newmont.

  7. hace 6 días

    Revived Far West Rand gold mines looking to add 1 000 more jobs

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. Gold mining company Aurous Resources, which has been ticking away quietly off the radar with its revived Blyvooruitzicht and Doornfontein gold mines, is looking to adding 1 000 more employment opportunities in the near term. Both the Blyvooruitzicht mine, which was established in 1937, and the Doornfontein mine, established in 1947, are located 70 km to 80 km west of Johannesburg, near Carletonville. Aurous, founded by CEO Richard Floyd, is looking to grow its current production of around 25 000 oz of gold a year, which is achieved with a workforce of close to 2 000 people. "We're just shy of 2 000 at this point, with near-term plans to add an additional 1 000. Ultimately, that will go up a further 1 000, so a doubling over the next five years, and largely from the local community, over 90%. "So, really proud of that, and it has been, over the last decade, a real loyal, committed, driven, skilled, and safe workforce, and we really have a great chemistry and a great synergy," an upbeat Floyd said of his employees, who have seen to the delivery of well over two tons of gold to South Africa's Rand Refinery. Following the initial reestablishment phase, growth plans have been coming to fruition amid Aurous' focus on unlocking long-term value. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.) Mining Weekly: What did you see about these assets that perhaps others did not see? Floyd: It's fundamentally about counter cyclical investing. Gold price was weak in that era. South Africa was in a different space politically and economically, and both of those have had a more recent turnaround. Ultimately, we saw incredible, massive sunk costs in the investment of the underground. Access to the orebodies over 40 000 meters of underground development worth billions, which massively reduced the forward-looking cost to roll out the ramp-up production that we currently are undertaking, and ultimately having the conviction and the long-term mindset in the commodity, as well as the jurisdiction, despite the naysayers. You've often said that turning around an historic underground mine is a marathon rather than a sprint. Looking back, what have been the biggest milestones in getting Blyvooruitzicht and Doornfontein to where they are today? It requires persistence and patience, but the transition from legacy inefficient operations to a stabilised, modern, and safer model of execution took great grit. We invested intensely in leveraging the existing massive infrastructure, which has saved us great time and money in delivering on our growth plans, and it's been a long-term march towards sustainable production, profitable production. You've spoken before about disciplined execution. What does that mean in practice? We're all about walking the walk and not talking the talk. To us, discipline is the application of experienced operational leadership to an existing wealth of data, trusting in the data and not arm's length scepticism, focusing on concrete outcomes, returning these legacy operations to profitability through steady, continuous improvement and rigorous cost control, of course, helped by recent commodity price tailwinds. We've put a strong emphasis on building a sustainable business by focusing on operational realities, sometimes hard realities, rather than chasing market headlights. So we've been ticking away quietly off the radar, and largely our plans have been coming to fruition, and we're very proud to say so. If I went out to the mines now, what would I see? You would see a committed, loyal workforce, a team mentality, very clear understanding of collectively working and fighting for a prosperous future. You would see a hyper focus on safety. You would see a strong resolve to grow the business and enjoy the econom...

  8. hace 6 días

    Wheaton posts record net earnings, operating cashflow in Q2

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. London-, Toronto- and New York-listed precious metals streaming company Wheaton Precious Metals has reported record year-to-date net earnings of $1.1-billion and record operating cashflow of $1.4-billion. The company generated a record $929-million of revenue, net earnings of $543-million and operating cashflow of $650-million in the second quarter alone. Wheaton's year-to-date revenue reached $1.8-billion, which president and CEO Haytham Hodaly attributes to solid production across the portfolio, robust margins and the strength of the company's streaming model despite commodity price volatility and cost pressures so far in the year. The company, which has streaming and royalty agreements on 22 operating mines, 20 development projects and 15 exploration and other stage projects, declared a quarterly dividend of $0.195 apiece. The group's attributable gold-equivalent production amounted to 202 200 oz in the second quarter, marking a 6% year-on-year increase. As at June 30, about 157 600 gold-equivalent ounces were produced but not yet delivered, representing about 2.6 months of payable production. Hodaly says Wheaton's cash balance of $100-million and $2.6-billion of available liquidity puts it in good stead to pursue accretive streaming opportunities while continuing to advance one of the strongest growth profiles in the industry. "Backed by a diversified portfolio of high-quality assets and a compelling pipeline of growth, we believe we are well positioned to deliver long-term value for all stakeholders." Wheaton's estimated attributable production in 2026 is forecast to be between 400 000 and 430 000 oz of gold, between 27-million and 29-million ounces of silver and between 19 000 and 21 000 gold-equivalent ounces of other metals, resulting in yearly production of between 860 000 and 940 000 gold-equivalent ounces. This production will increase by about 50% to reach 1.2-million gold-equivalent ounces by 2030 through 2035.

Ver todo (102)

Acerca de

MiningWeekly.com provides real time news reportage through originated written & video material. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Mining Weekly at the end of each day.

Información

También te podría interesar