News Archive
Archive of industry news from the global mining industryNews By Date
May 2013
Top
Bathurst Resources gains access approval for New Zealand coal mine
Australian exploration company Bathurst Resources has gained access approval to establish an open cast coal mine on the Denniston Plateau, near Westport, New...
International Mining & Infrastructure to acquire Canada's Afferro Mining
International Mining & Infrastructure (IMIC) has agreed to acquire Afferro Mining, a Canadian iron ore development company with a focus on West-Africa, in a deal worth $190m....
Investment in Australian mineral exploration in decline: report
Investment in mining exploration in Australia has dropped by 27% from June to December 2012, according to a report from the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics (BREE)....
Mintec receives President’s E-Award for Exports
Mintec, a software developer and service provider for the mining industry, has received the President’s E-Award for Exports by US Acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank in Washington, DC....
Quantum makes plans to regain ownership of Tujuh Bukit deposit
Quantum Pacific Investment, a private equity firm based in Hong Kong, has outlined plans to regain a controlling stake in a troubled $5bn copper and gold project in East Java, Indonesia, on...
Death toll from Indonesian mine collapse rises to 21
The confirmed death toll from an underground tunnel collapse in Indonesia has risen to 21, in what is believed to be one of worst mining disasters in the...
Iluka Resources plans major mining project in Virginia
Australian mining and minerals company Iluka Resources has announced its plans to develop a new $120m mineral sands mining project in Dinwiddie County,...
Rio Tinto Energy chief slams court decision on NSW coal mine
A recent decision by the New South Wales (NSW) Land and Environment Court to suspend Rio Tinto’s plan to expand its Mount Thorley Warkworth coal mine will put 150 more projects at risk, the...
Deals this week: GBM Resources, Central Australian Phosphate and more
GBM Resources has signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to purchase the Lubuk Mandi Gold Mine in Terengganu state, Malaysia....
Vedanta Resources to restart iron ore mining operations in Karnataka, India
Vedanta Resources, an India-focused metals and mining company headquartered in the UK, is planning to resume its iron ore mining operations in the Indian state of Karnataka from June, following...
NWR mulls sale of unprofitable operations after record quarterly loss
Central European hard coal and coke producer New World Resources (NWR) is looking to shut down or sell some of its unprofitable businesses and cut several jobs after reporting a record...
Rio’s South of Embley bauxite project gains environmental clearance
Australian Environment Minister Tony Burke has approved Rio Tinto Alcan’s $1bn South of Embley bauxite mine and port development near Weipa in western Cape York, Queensland....
Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi to begin mining in West Tsankhi, Mongolia
Mongolia’s state-owned mining company Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi (Erdenes TT) is planning to commence mining at Mongolia’s West Tsankhi coal area, a move which will help the company boost its output...
Grasberg mine collapse kills four, others trapped
A tunnel has collapsed at a gold and copper mine in the Indonesian province of Papua, killing four miners and trapping more than 20 others...
Wages increases, productivity losses may push SA rating down: Moody's
Wage increases and productivity losses linked to strikes could lead Moody's Investors Service to downgrade South Africa's credit rating...
Glencore Xstrata drops plans for Australian coal export terminal
Glencore Xstrata, the world's biggest exporter of coal for power stations, has cancelled its plans to build a A$1bn ($997m) new coal export terminal in Queensland,...
Africa Progess Panel commends Kenya’s new mining tax law
Kenya's announcement that it will tax the transfer of assets in the mining sector has been welcomed by The Africa Progress Panel (APP), an influential international policy think...
China closes all Sichuan coal mines after Taozigou mine blast
China has ordered the suspension of production at all coal mines in the southwestern province of Sichuan following a blast at the Taozigou coal mine in Luzhou that left 28 dead and 18 others injured....
Indian court directs government to consider Posco’s mining license application
The Indian Supreme Court has ordered the federal government to consider Posco's plans to develop a $12bn steel plant in the state of...
Deals this week: Cleveland Mining, Avalon Minerals, African Copper and more
Cleveland Mining has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to acquire 80% of three iron ore projects in Brazil....
Rio expects Mongolia’s approval for Oyu Tolgoi exports soon
Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is expecting to ship gold and copper from its Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia in the coming few weeks, after months of negotiations with the government over...
IMG approves stake sale in state-owned Coal India
An Inter-Ministerial Group (IMG) has given the go-ahead for the Indian Government's plans to offload a 10% stake in the state-controlled coal mining company Coal India (CIL)....
Barrick Gold inks tentative deal over taxation on Dominican gold mine
Barrick Gold has entered into a tentative deal with the government of the Domincan Republic concerning taxation of one of its flagship mines, Pueblo...
Primero receives Australian court approval for Cerro acquisition
Canadian gold and silver producer Primero Mining has received approval from the Federal Court of Australia for its C$119m ($118.7m) acquisition of precious metals exploration company Cerro Resources....
WPG exits Australian iron ore project amid market uncertainties
Australian mineral resources company WPG Resources has cancelled its plans to develop the A$1.5bn ($1.53bn) Giffen Well iron ore project in South Australia citing current uncertain market conditions....
Rio Tinto to proceed with iron ore expansion in Western Australia
Mining major Rio Tinto is set to proceed with the $5bn expansion of its iron ore mines in Western Australia, despite concerns over a looming supply...
Fortescue Metals opens new iron ore mine in Pilbara region
Australian iron ore company Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) has officially opened its Firetail iron ore mine, the first stage of the company’s $3.2bn Solomon hub project in Western Australia’s...
Quebec unveils new mining tax system to generate revenue
The Quebec Government in Canada has unveiled a new mining tax system that is expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in extra revenue to the...
Glencore International completes merger with Xstrata
Global commodities trader Glencore International has announced the completion of its long-awaited multibillion dollar merger with Xstrata, to form one of the world's biggest mining...
Mine collapse in western Sudan kills more than 60 miners
A gold mine has collapsed in the western Sudanese region of Darfur, killing at least 60...
Deals this week: Nkwe Platinum, Segue Resources, Western Mining and more
Nkwe Platinum has entered into an agreement with China's Zijin Mining to develop the flagship Garatau...
UK Coal in talks with creditors to stay solvent after Daw Mill closure
UK Coal is holding talks with creditors to remain solvent, a plan which could save nearly 2,000 jobs, following the shutdown of the company’s largest colliery earlier this year....
Anglo American seeks to develop Mongolia’s Tavan Tolgoi coal field
Anglo American is planning to join a group of companies that are keen to develop the Tavan Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia....
Energy Fuels Resources to reopen Grand Canyon uranium mine despite Obama ban
Energy Fuels Resources has announced its plans to reopen its Grand Canyon uranium mine, stating that the Obama administration's ban on the mine is void....
Poseidon to reopen Western Australian nickel mine
Australian exploration company Poseidon Nickel is set to reopen the historic Windarra nickel mine following a feasibility study that demonstrated viability of the project through low capital...
April 2013
Top
Sumisho Coal Australia pulls out of JV with Aquila Resources
Australia-based exploration company Aquila Resources has announced the termination of A$109m ($112.6m) coal joint venture agreement with Sumisho Coal Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of...
Rio Tinto opens $2.2bn underground diamond mine in Western Australia
Anglo-Australian mining major Rio Tinto has opened its new $2.2bn underground diamond mine in the east Kimberley region of Western...
BHP Billiton to sell Arizona copper mine to Capstone
Australian mining giant BHP Billiton has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Pinto Valley copper mining operation in Arizona, along with the associated San Manuel Arizona...
Mechel makes u-turn decision on mining sale plans
Russian steel and coking coal producer Mechel has put its plans to sell up to 25% of mining division Mechel Mining on hold, amid unfavorable market...
Vale posts drop in Q1 profits
Brazilian mining giant Vale has reported an 18% decline in net profit for the first quarter of fiscal 2013 to $3.11bn, compared to profit of $3.79bn in the corresponding quarter a year ago....
Deals this week: Agnico-Eagle Mines, Focus Minerals, Zijin Mining and more
Agnico-Eagle Mines has entered into an agreement to acquire a 9.96% stake in Kootenay Silver, through making a $4.75m investment in a private...
US Silver & Gold to shut down historic Drumlummon Mine amid dipping gold prices
US Silver & Gold, a primary silver producer in the US, is planning to shut down its historic Drumlummon gold and silver mine in the state of Montana due to falling gold prices....
US federal court supports EPA regulation against Western Virginia mountaintop mine
American coal producer Arch Coal’s plans to build a mountain top mine in western Virginia have been halted as a federal appeals court in the US backed the regulators who sought to stop the project....
JSW Steel plans to secure mining leases in Indian state
India-based JSW Steel is planning to obtain mining leases in the state of Karnataka following the Supreme Court’s decision to partially lift the mining ban in the state....
Security services company G4S launches global human rights policy
G4S, a global security solutions company in the mining sector, has launched a global human rights policy, aimed at protecting employee rights, supporting the communities in which the...
Queensland shortlists five companies for Aurukun bauxite project
Mining companies Glencore International, Rio Tinto Aluminium, Australian Indigenous Resources (AIR), Aluminum Corporation of China (Chalco) and Cape Alumina Consortium have been shortlisted...
Coal mine explosion in China claims 18 lives
An explosion in a coal mine in China’s Jilin province in the north-eastern part of the country has killed 18 people, injuring 12 others....
Weir Minerals Europe secures the Queen’s Award for Enterprise
Weir Minerals Europe, a manufacturer of equipment for the mining, minerals processing and other industrial markets, has won the UK Government's prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise for...
Indian court places Vedanta mining's fate in hands of local tribes
India’s top court has ruled that the decision to allow Vedanta Resources to mine bauxite in two districts of the eastern state of Odisha rests with local...
Metso signs major services agreement with Russian Copper Company
Global engineering and technology company Metso has signed a 6.5-year life-cycle services contract with Russian Copper Company (RMK), for the Mikheevsky GOK copper mine in the Chelyabinskya...
Fortescue Metals selects Ecologia to conduct biological assessments in Pilbara
Australian iron ore company Fortescue Metals (FMG) has selected Ecologia, an independent environmental consultancy, to conduct several biological assessment projects across the Pilbara region...
New Zealand court finds Pike River Coal guilty for 2010 mine blast
A New Zealand judge has convicted Pike River Coal of nine health and safety breaches over a 2010 gas explosion that killed 29 miners....
Deals this week: Coeur d’Alene Mines, Geo Energy Resources, Gold Anomaly and more
Coeur d'Alene Mines has completed the acquisition of Orko Silver in a cash and stock...
IMIC submits bid to acquire iron ore development company Afferro Mining
Investment company International Mining & Infrastructure (IMIC) has submitted a bid to acquire Afferro Mining, a Canadian mining company with focus on West-Africa, valuing the ire ore...
Glencore, Xstrata merger receives final clearance from China
China's antitrust authority has given approval for the merger of global commodities trader Glencore with mining giant Xstrata, clearing the final hurdle in the completion of the...
Gold mine collapse in Ghana kills 17 illegal miners
An abandoned gold mine has collapsed in Ghana's central gold-producing region, killing at least 17 miners who were working...
Court overturns approval for Rio Tinto’s Australian coal mine expansion
Rio Tinto’s plan to expand a coal mine in New South Wales, Australia has been put on hold after the NSW Land and Environment Court overturned a state government approval of the project, a...
Adani Mining selects BMT to design coal terminal expansion in Australia
BMT, an international design engineering and risk management consultancy, has teamed up with Adani Mining to design the expansion at the Adani Abbot Point Coal Terminal at Abbot Point, north...
3D Laser Mapping begins research to improve safety, efficiency in mining
UK-based Laser scanning specialist 3D Laser Mapping has commenced a research project, in partnership with UK’s Durham University, to improve safety and operational efficiency in the global...
Rio Tinto's Bingham Canyon Mine shut down after landslide
A landslide at one of the Rio Tinto’s largest copper mines in the US has extended further into the pit than predicted and caused greater damage to equipment than expected, resulting in a...
ABB to supply mine hoisting systems for BHP Billiton’s potash project
ABB, a global power and automation technology company, has been selected by Australian mining giant BHP Billiton to supply mine hoisting systems for the Jansen Potash Project in Canada....
Deals this week: Thor Mining, Southern Cross Goldfields, Ghana Gold and more
Thor Mining has announced that it has finalised the acquisition of a 26% stake in the Spring Hill gold project in Australia's Northern Territory, a decision which will increase the...
Rio Tinto’s Turquoise Hill to sell majority stake in Ivanhoe Australia
Mining major Rio Tinto is seeking buyers for its A$83m ($87.63m) majority stake in Ivanhoe Australia, a move which extends its list of non-core assets that are up for divestment....
Baosteel in talks to buy stake in Mechel’s mining unit for $1.25bn
Chinese steel major Baoshan Iron and Steel (Baosteel) is in talks to acquire a 25% stake in the mining division of Russian steel and coking coal producer Mechel, in a deal valued at about $1.25bn. ...
Dominion Diamond acquires BHP Billiton’s stake in Ekati Diamond Mine
Canadian diamond miner Dominion Diamond has completed the acquisition of BHP Billiton’s diamonds business, including its interests in the Ekati diamond mine and Diamonds Marketing operations,...
Oyu Tolgoi project production 'in the offing', says Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto is expecting to commence production at the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in Mongolia in the coming months, as investment talks with the government...
Gindalbie Metals opens Australian iron ore mine project
Australian iron ore miner Gindalbie Metals has officially opened the Karara iron ore project, Australia’s second largest magnetite iron ore project, in the country’s mid-western region....
Toro in talks with external partners for WA’s Wiluna uranium mine project
Australian uranium company Toro Energy is seeking an external partner to help in the development of the A$269m ($279.7m) Wiluna uranium project in Western Australia (WA)....
Vale obtains permit for Brazilian port to support Carajás logistics
Brazilian mining giant Vale has obtained final environmental clearance for its CLN 150 programme, which involves the construction of a port in north-eastern Brazil, a move which will...
Angola plans mineral investments to diversify earnings away from oil, diamonds
Angola, the fifth-largest diamond producer, has announced its intentions to invest billions of dollars into mineral deposits, as part of its efforts to generate its earnings away from the crude...
Alacer Gold closes sale of stake in Western Australia’s Frog's Leg Mine
US-based Alacer Gold has completed the sale of its 49% stake in the Frog’s Leg Mine in Western Australia to La Mancha Resources Australia for A$138.5m ($144m), a move which will help the company...
Deals this week: Nevada Copper, Santo Mining, Dominion Diamond and more
Nevada Copper has announced the closure of a $200m senior secured loan facility and copper concentrate off-take agreement with RK Mine Finance....
Nippon Steel wins approval to commence Mozambique coal mine project
Japanese steel producer Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal has obtained approval from the Mozambique government to begin work on the country’s Revuboe Coal Mine Development Project....
Rio Tinto to sell stake in Australia’s Northparkes mine
Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto is planning to divest its stake in the Northparkes copper and gold mine in New South Wales as a part of its plan to cut operational costs and...
Vale to use conveyor belt technology at Brazilian iron ore mine
Brazilian mining major Vale is replacing in-mine trucks with 23 miles of conveyor belts at its $20bn Serra Sul iron ore mine in the country to connect its deposits to plant that upgrades...
Australia’s Treasury says mining tax forecast requires company returns
Australia's federal Treasury Department has noted that the forecast of revenues from the Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) will be more accurate once the resource companies file their tax...
Western Australia’s first uranium mine receives final environmental clearance
Australia's federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has granted final environmental approval for Toro Energy's A$269m ($281m) uranium project near Wiluna, Western...
Rio Tinto seeks to divest stake in Australian coal assets
Rio Tinto is seeking to sell its stakes in Australian coal assets, in order to cut operational costs due to low coal prices, and increase shareholder...
Australia's Treasury admits mining tax may not generate predicted annual estimates
Australia's federal Treasury Department has admitted that Labor's controversial Minerals Resource Rent Tax (MRRT) is unlikely to generate predicted annual estimates of A$2bn ($2.08bn)....
Landslide at China Gold's Tibetan mine claims 36 lives
A landslide at a copper gold polymetallic mine in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region has killed at least 36 miners....
March 2013
Top
GMR Group to sell stake in South African mines
Homeland Mining & Energy SA (HMESA), a wholly owned subsidiary of GMR Group, has announced that it will sell its 50% equity holding in Tsheda Mining Resource, which holds the license...
Codelco copper exports hit as strikes spread through Chilean ports
Copper exports from mines owned by Codelco, the world's number one producer, have been affected by a series of strikes at ports in...
Rio Tinto estimates rise in costs for Oyu Tolgoi project expansion
Rio Tinto expects to face increasing costs to develop the second phase of its huge copper and gold mine, Oyu Tolgoi, in Mongolia....
Australian researchers develop new technique for speedy extraction
Researchers at Australia’s Murdoch University have developed a new microfluidics method that could help extract high value precious metals faster than conventional approaches....
Australia’s new energy minister rules out changes in mining tax
Australia’s newly appointed Federal Resources and Energy Minister Gary Gray has ruled out any possibility of making changes to Labor’s controversial Minerals Resource Rent...
Odisha to collaborate with Indian Bureau of Mines on mining tenement system
The Odisha government is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) to deploy a mining tenement system (MTS) in the...
First Quantum Minerals seals Inmet takeover
First Quantum Minerals has ended a six month battle to takeover Vancouver-based Inmet Mining for C$5.1 billion...
India's Jindal Steel and Power raises stake in Australian coking coal company
India's leading steel maker Jindal Steel and Power has increasded its equity in Gujarat NRE Coking Coal, the Australian stock exchange-listed subsidiary of Gujarat NRE...
Deals for the week: Arian Silver, Rockwell Diamonds, Steel Authority of India and more
Arian Silver has inked a provisional agreement with Sandy Hill to purchase a processing plant located close to Zacatecas City,...
Rio Tinto forms joint venture with Mozambique firm to explore coal
Rio Tinto has formed a joint venture with Empresa Mocambicana de Exploracao Mineira (EMEM), a Mozambique mining exploration company, to explore coal in the country’s Tete...
Vancouver-based gold miner Rusoro seeks $3bn compensation from Venezuela
Vancouver-based Rusoro Mining has filed a $3bn statement of claim in its arbitration against Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for taking over its gold assets in the...
Xstrata to restructure coal operations in Australia
Global miner Xstrata is merging its New South Wales and Queensland divisions under a single entity, Xstrata Coal...
Native American groups file environmental suit against Rio Tinto unit
Two aboriginal groups in Canada have filed a C$900m ($876m) lawsuit in Montreal's Superior Court against the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC), in which Rio Tinto holds a majority...
Ma’aden signs $7bn phosphate joint venture in Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Ma’aden) has entered into heads of agreement with The Mosaic Company and the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) to jointly develop a SAR26bn...
Sundance Resources in talks to sell stake in African iron ore project
Western Australian iron ore company Sundance Resources is holding negotiations with companies including commodities trader Glencore International to sell a stake in its Mbalam iron ore project...
Australia's Cauldron Energy makes takeover bid for Energia Minerals
Australian exploration company Cauldron Energy has announced its plans to make an off-market scrip takeover bid for Energia...
Apollo Minerals inks iron ore deal with Jindal Steel and Power
Australia’s iron ore developer Apollo Minerals has signed a deal with Indian company Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL) to split its iron ore assets into a new Australian Stock Exchange-listed firm,...
Australia begins hearing on Doyles Creek Mining coal licence
A decision by former Australian Labor minister Ian Macdonald to issue a licence to Doyles Creek mining in 2008 was a financial disaster for the state of New South Wales, a corruption hearing...
Rio Tinto pays $11.6bn in taxes during 2012
Global mining company Rio Tinto made tax payments of $11.6bn across the countries in which it operates for...
UK awards seabed mining licence
The UK Seabed Resources, in partnership with the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) has secured a licence and contract to explore the Pacific ocean for mineral-rich...
Indian government to offload stake in National Aluminum Company
An Indian ministerial panel has given its approval for the government to divest its 12.5% stake in the state-run National Aluminum Company...
Deals this week: Cape Lambart, Focus Minerals, Glencore and many more
Australia-based Cape Lambert Resources has appointed Deutsche Bank to offload its royalty rights in the Mayoko iron ore project for A$55m-A$114m...
Blackthorn, Glencore reach funding agreement for Peroka Project
Australian-based resources company Blackthorn Resources and global commodities trader Glencore have reached a funding agreement for the Perkoa project in Burkina Faso, west...
Whitehaven Coal secures approval for Tarrawonga Mine expansion
Australia-based Whitehaven Coal has secured conditional approval from the federal government to expand its Tarrawonga mine in the Gunnedah basin of New South...
Anglo American miners down tools at Kleinkopje coal mine in South Africa
Anglo American has reported an unprotected strike called by workers at its Kleinkopje colliery thermal coal mine in South...
TVI Pacific secures loan for Balabag project in the Philippines
Canada-based TVI Pacific has signed a nonbinding term sheet with the Philippines' Metropolitan Bank for a $20m loan facility that will fund its Balabag Gold/Silver...
Australia's Brierty secures access road construction contract from Atlas Iron
Australia-based civil and mining contractor Brierty Limited has secured a contract from Atlas Iron to construct a 60km access road for the Abydos Mine Project in Port...
Aurizon, GVK Coal to unlock Galilee Basin reserves in Australia
Australian rail freight company Aurizon has signed a non-binding term sheet with GVK Coal Infrastructure to jointly work towards the development of the Galilee Basin coal reserves in...
Crocodile Gold issues $25m in debt to fund Australian mining projects
Crocodile Gold has outlined its plans to issue $25m in convertible debt to fund its Big Hill Project and Stawell mine in the Australian state of...
Global miners seek collaboration with Coal India
Several coal mining majors, including Rio Tinto and Essel, are seeking greater role in a new public-private partnership (PPP) policy announced by the Indian...
Deals this week: Americas Diamond, Cavan Ventures and more
Diamond and precious metals exploration company Americas Diamond has completed the acquisition of a 100% stake in SUDAM Diamonds in consideration for the issuance of an aggregate of 1.2...
Wolf Minerals selects GR Engineering as EPC contractor for Hemerdon project
GR Engineering Services has secured an engineering, procurement and construction contract worth £75m from speciality metal exploration company Wolf...
UK pledges funding to help Afghanistan exploit natural resources
The UK has announced a £10m funding programme to help the war-torn Afghanistan exploit its natural...
Mining exploration in Australia is in decline, says AMEC
The Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) in Australia has expressed concern over declining greenfield exploration activities in the...
UK Coal cuts 650 jobs at Daw Mill Colliery
UK Coal Mine, the UK's biggest coal producer, has confirmed that it will close the Daw Mill colliery following a fire that broke out last...
Xstrata, Glencore report declining profits for 2012, merger delay expected
Global miner Xstrata and commodities trader Glencore, just a month away from completing a merger deal, have reported falls in...
Chinese miner seeks approval for $3bn Australian coal mine
Macmines AustAsia, the Australian unit of Chinese coal miner Meijin, is working towards securing approvals for a $3bn mine in the Galilee basin of Central...
Australia Minerals and Mining acquires Gibson aluminous clay project
Australia Minerals and Mining Group (AMMG) has acquired the Gibson aluminous clay project in Esperance, Western Australia, thereby increasing its clay resources to 297 million tonnes....
Hecla Mining to acquire gold producer Aurizon
US-based precious metals mining company Hecla Mining signed an agreement to acquire Canadian gold miner Aurizon Mines for CAD$796m...
Horseshoe reports first mineral resource estimate for Australian copper project
Horseshoe metals has released its first mineral resource estimate for its Kumarina copper project in the prospective Peak Hill Mineral Field of Western...
Metminco to develop Los Calatos copper project
Australian exploration and mining company Metminco plans to begin development works at its wholly-owned Los Calatos copper project in Peru following the conclusion of a scoping...
Deals this week: Western Pacific, Lara Exploration and more
Resource company Western Pacific signed an agreement to acquire the Deer Trail Mine in Piute County, Central Utah from the Deer Trail Mining Company, a subsidiary of Unico for $7m to be paid...
MZI Resources posts 60% resource rise at Keysbrook project
Australian mineral sands company MZI Resources has posted a 60% increase in resources at its Keysbrook project in Western Australia, registering 78.9 million...
Iron Ore Holdings, Mineral Resources to develop Iron Valley project
Australia's Iron Ore Holdings and Mineral Resources have signed a $150 million to develop the Iron Valley project in Pilbara, Western Australia....
February 2013
Top
Northern Star posts 66% increase in gold resources at Ashburton, Australia
Australian gold producer and exploration company Northern Star Resources has reported a 66% boost in resources to 1.67 million oz at its Ashburton Gold Project in Western...
Vale writes down $5.6bn in impairment charges for FY2012
Brazilian mining major Vale has written down $5.6bn in impairment charges for the 2012 financial year, including a $2.85bn write-down on its Onça Puma...
Ormet files for bankruptcy, sells business
American Aluminum producer Ormet Corporation has filed for bankruptcy and secured Debtor-in-Possession (DIP) financing from Wayzata Investment Partners and Wells Fargo to advance a proposed...
Inmet rejects $5bn hostile takeover bid by First Quantum
Canada-based Inmet Mining has again rejected a $5bn hostile takeover bid from First Quantum and recommended its shareholders refrain from accepting the...
Tropical cyclone Rusty to affect Pilbara ore exports
An approaching category-three tropical cyclone, Rusty, is expected to affect the iron ore exports from the Pilbara region in Western Australia, with Port Headland now placed on red...
UK Coal's Daw Mill Colliery faces permanent closure following fire
Daw Mill Colliery, the UK's biggest coal producer, may be shut down indefinitely following a major fire at the underground mine in...
Steel Authority of India to double iron production capacity
State-owned Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) has outlined plans to invest INR102.84bn ($1.9bn) to double its iron ore production...
Monadelphous secures construction contract for Rio Tinto's iron ore project
The Australia-based Monadelphous Group has secured a $260m contract from Rio Tinto to construct an iron ore project in...
Fortescue forges joint venture with two Aboriginal contractors in Australia
Australian iron ore major Fortescue Metals Group has forged a joint venture with two Aboriginal contractors for work at the company's Solomon mine in the Pilbara region of Western...
Deals this week: Cupric Canyon, QRS Capital, Precipitate Gold and more
Cupric Canyon Capital, a private equity firm backed by Barclays Capital, has completed the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Canadian exploration and...
Credit Suisse to provide financing for Tembang gold project in Indonesia
Indonesia-focused gold and silver producer Sumatra Copper and Gold has secured $30m in financing from Credit Suisse to fund its Tembang Gold Project in Indonesia....
Aditya Birla Minerals completes scoping study at Mt Gordon operations
Aditya Birla Minerals, a unit of the India-based Aditya Birla Group, has announced the completion of a scoping study at its Mt Gordon operations in Queensland,...
Xstrata unit secures environmental approval for $5.9bn Philippine mine
Sagittarius Mining, a unit of global mining major Xstrata, has received an environmental permit for its $5.9bn Tampakan mine in the...
India receives over 300 bids for coal mines
The Indian coal ministry has recieved over 316 applications for the allotment of 17 coal blocks with total estimated reserves of 8.45 billion tonnes....
BHP boss to step down after profit slump
BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers will step down after the world's biggest miner recorded a 58% fall in profits in the second half of...
ArcelorMittal applies for mining leases in south Indian state
Steel manufacturer ArcelorMittal has applied for mining leases in the south Indian state of Karnataka, despite a temporary halt on the allotment of new leases in the...
Activists urge US lawmakers to halt silica and sand mining
Lawmakers in Minnesota will begin discussions today to determine whether to halt sand mining in the US state....
Protestors attack Hellas gold mine in northern Greece
Nearly 50 intruders have set fire to equipment, machinery and cars at the Hellas gold mining site in the Halkidiki region in...
Anglo American posts huge loss for 2012 on impairment charges, strikes
Anglo American has reported a before-tax loss of $239m for 2012, compared to a profit of $10.8bn in...
Deals this week: Coeur, Cleveland Mining, Eagle Mountain and more
US-based Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation has submitted a proposal to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Canadian company Orko Silver for a total value of CAD$384m...
De Beers to develop South Africa's largest diamond mine
The De Beers Group of companies plans to invest ZAR20bn ($2bn) to build a new underground diamond mine underneath the existing Venetia Mine in Limpopo Province, South...
China's CITIC to purchase 13% interest in Australia's Alumina
Hong Kong-based CITIC Resources Holdings plans to acquire a 13% interest in Australia-based Alumina for...
Kinross records $3.2bn writedown on Tasiast gold project in West Africa
Canadian mining company Kinross Gold has reported a total non-cash impairment charge of $3.2bn in...
Palabora Mining records huge loss for 2012 on declining copper, magnetite prices
South Africa-based Palabora Mining has reported a ZAR97m ($11m) loss for the 2012 financial year due to declining copper and magnetite...
Cliffs Natural Resources reports 11% decline in revenues for 2012
US-based Cliffs Natural Resources has reported a 11% decline in revenues for 2012 due to a fall in commodity...
Xstrata reports 7% increase in Coal production for 2012
Diversified miner Xstrata released its 2012 production report for the year ended 31 December 2012, highlighting thermal coal production of 90.4 million...
Kingsrose secures funding to develop Talang Santo mine in Indonesia
Australian gold miner Kingsrose Mining has secured $15m in funding from Credit Suisse to speed up gold and silver production at its Talang Santo mine in...
Methane explosion at Russian coal mine kills 18
An underground methane gas explosion has killed 18 workers in the Vorkutinskaya coal mine located in the Komi region of northern...
Rio Tinto retains exclusive rights for Pilbara rail lines
Diversified mining firm Rio Tinto has won a long-standing legal battle with fellow Australian iron ore producer Fortescue Metals to deny shared rail network access in Western...
Mutiny Gold secures approval for Deflector gold, copper project in Australia
Australian gold, copper focused exploration and development company Mutiny Gold has secured the final government approval to start mining at its flagship Deflector gold-copper project in...
Deals this week: Xinergy, Jindal, Yinfu and more
US-based thermal and metallurgical coal producer Xinergy completed the sale of its Straight Creek and Red Bird thermal coal mining operations in Bell, Clay, Harlan, Knox and Leslie counties...
Australia earned only $130m from controversial mining tax
The Australian government has raised a mere A$126m ($130m) from the controversial Mineral Resources Rent Tax, a great deal short of predicted annual estimates of A$2bn...
Chile's Collahuasi reports 19% increase in mineral resources in 2012
Compañía Minera Doña Inés de Collahuasi has reported that the mineral resources at its Collahuasi mine grew 19% in fiscal 2012, partly due to new drilling operations and improvements in mining...
Arrium writes down $488m on steel assets over weak construction markets
Australian mining and metals group Arrium has announced a $474m ($488.62m) impairment charge due to weak construction markets and a strong Australian...
Australian Senate passes motion to force mining tax disclosure
The Australian Senate has passed a motion ordering the tax commissioner to reveal the total revenues the government has generated from the Mineral Resources Rent Tax (MRRT) since it was...
Atlas reports 21% increase in iron ore reserves at Pilbara
Australia-based Atlas Iron said a flurry of new discoveries has increased its total Pilibara ore reservers by 21% over the last six...
Silver Wheaton, Vale ink $1.9bn gold stream purchase agreement
Canada-based Silver Wheaton has agreed to acquire gold streams from Vale's Sudbury and Salobo mines for a total cash consideration of...
Aquila freezes operations at $7.7bn West Pilbara project
Australia's Aquila Resources will continue to keep operations on hold at its $7.7bn West Pilbara iron ore project, due to a lack of funding amidst rising costs and volatility in the...
Blackham Resources secures funding for Matilda gold project
Exploration and development company Blackham Resources has secured a $13m funding package for its Matilda gold project in Western...
Energy Resources of Australia reports 37% decline in revenues
The world's fourth largest producer of uranium, Energy Resources of Australia (ERA), has registered A$422.8m in revenues for 2012, a 37% decline from the previous...
Rio Tinto secures approval for $3bn Nammuldi mine expansion
Rio Tinto has secured approval from the Western Australian government to expand its Nammuldi...
Gurjarat NRE Coking Coal rejects Jindal Steel takeover bid
Gurjarat NRE Coaking Coal, the Australian subsidiary of Indian metallurgical coal miner Gujarat NRE Coke, has rejected a takeover bid made by Jindal Steel and Power...
Phase 2 of Esperance Port iron ore plant approved
The Esperance Port Authority in Western Australia has secured state government approval for the next phase of a multi-user iron ore facility (MUIOF) within the premises of the...
Deals this week: Sandstorm Gold, TMAC Resources, Brigadier Gold and more
Canada-based Sandstorm Gold has concluded an agreement with Premier Gold Mines to acquire common shares and warrants, representing a 43.2% stake in Premier Royalty....
January 2013
Top
Stornoway makes 6% cost cut to Renard diamond project
Diamond exploration company Stornoway has cut its estimated construction costs at the Renard diamond project in Québec by 6%, after completing an optimisation...
AngloGold Ashanti projects 11% increase in capital costs for Tropicana Project
AngloGold Ashanti expects that capital expenditure for its Tropicana Gold Project in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, is to increase by 11% from ealier estimates made in 2010, the miner said in...
Caterpillar reports 10% increase in revenue after writedown
Construction and mining equipment major Caterpillar said it has generated $65.8bn in sales and revenues in 2012, a 10% increase on 2011 figures....
Anglo American takes $4bn writedown on Brazil mine
Global mining major Anglo American has been forced to take an impairment charge of $4bn due to rising development costs at its Minis-Rio iron ore project in...
NSL partners with Vijay Group to expand Indian operations
NSL Consolidated, a dual bulk commodity company, has entered into a joint venture with mining equipment dealer Vijay Group to expand iron ore mining operations in...
Methane gas explosion at Pakistani coal mine kills eight
A methane gas explosion in a private coal mine in south-west Pakistan has killed eight workers, a mining official has...
Coal India targets production increase for 2013
Coal India has finalised a total production target of 492 million tons for the 2013-14 fiscal year, a 6% increase from the company's initial estimated production levels for the period ending...
BC Iron increases production targets by 80%
Australian mining company BC Iron said it plans to expand its iron ore production targets by 80% to 4.5 million tonnes per annum from the start of...
Deals this week: Lundin Mining, Ascot Mining, Fortuna and more
Diversified Canadian base metals mining company Lundin Mining, through a newly formed joint venture entity, has signed a definitive agreement with OM Group to acquire a large scale cobalt...
WesTrac to purchase distribution business from Caterpillar
Caterpillar has agreed to sell its distribution and support business, formerly operated by Bucyrus in Australia, to its equipment dealer...
London Mining reports increased iron ore production for 2012
London-based iron ore producer London Mining has reported an output of 1.52 million dry metric tonnes (dmt) in 2012, exceeding its target of 1.5 million...
Krucible to sell Queensland phosphate tenements to Daton Group
Australian resources company Krucible Metals has accepted a non-binding cash offer from Daton Group to purchase its Queensland phosphate tenements for...
BHP Billiton reports 70% increase in copper production for H1
Australian mining major BHP Billiton has recorded a 70% increase in its copper in concentrate production from Escondida, Chile, for the six month period ending 31 December...
Worker safety is highest priority for miners: report
Major mining companies across the globe consider work safety as their highest priority, according to a new survey conducted by ABB company,...
Deep Space Industries creates competition in the asteroid mining sector
A new space company, Deep Space Industries, said it will launch a series of spacecraft starting in 2015 to explore the possibility of harvesting natural resources from near-earth...
Cyclone off Australian coast threatens Pilbara iron ore ports
Almost half the world's iron ore trade has been brought to a standstill today as a tropical storm gathers strength in Western Australia's Pilbara region, leading to mining majors to close...
Rio Tinto’s $14bn writedown will have no impact on credit rating, says Moody’s
The $14bn writedown reported by Rio Tinto last week is "unlikely" to pull down the firm's credit rating, says...
Minority shareholder in Ekati diamond mine opposes sale to Harry Winston
BHP Billiton is facing a lawsuit from Fipke Holdings (Fipko), a minority stakeholder in the Ekati diamond mine that has opposed the sale of the mine to Canada-based diamond mining firm Harry...
Caterpillar reports writedown after China fraud scandal
Global construction and mining equipment major Caterpillar has reported a $580m writedown after it uncovered accounting misconduct at a Chinese company it purchased in...
NRI launches Energy Technology forum on LinkedIn
NRI digital has launched a LinkedIn group to unite professionals across all energy sectors for the opportunity to network and discuss today's most important energy technologies and...
Norton Gold Fields reports increase in gold resources at Enterprise project
Australian gold miner Norton Gold Fields has reported an 18% increase in its indicated and inferred mineral resources estimate for the Enterprise Open Pit Project in the state of Western...
Deals this week: Alamos Gold, Denison Mines, NewLead Holdings and more
Mexico-focused gold miner Alamos Gold has made a bid to acquire Canadian firm Aurizon Mines for CDN$780m...
Queensland in talks over lifting uranium ban at Mt Isa
Campbell Newman, the premier of Queensland has proposed changes to the current mining laws to improve the uranium mining sector in Australia's north-western...
Rio Tinto announces $14bn writedown, appoints new CEO
Rio Tinto chief executive Tom Albanese has stepped down after the company reported $14bn in writedowns related to its aluminium assets and coal division in Mozambique....
Australia forbids disclosure of mining tax earnings
The Australian government has refused to reveal mining tax earnings paid by individual mining companies and said that doing so would break the...
Russian miner to acquire remaining stake in Uranium One
Russian state-owned uranium miner JSC Atomredmetzoloto and its affiliate Effective Energy, collectively termed ARMZ, will purchase the remaining stake in Canada-based Uranium One for...
Unregulated coal mining causes cave-ins in China's Hunan province
Unregulated coal mining has led to a series of cave-ins, creating more than 20 crater-like pits in Fukou, a county in the Hunan province of...
Mechel acquires majority stake in Russian port to boost coal exports
Russian mining and metals firm Mechel has acquired a majority stake in Vanino Sea Trade Port for RUB15.5bn ($512m) as part of its strategy to boost coal exports and reduce transport...
Anglo American Platinum to close four mining shafts hit by SA strikes
Anglo American Platinum said it will halt operations at four mining shafts in Rustenburg, South Africa and cut 14,000 jobs in a bid to return to profitability after being hit by a series of...
Apex Minerals considers change of ownership
Australia-based gold mining company Apex Minerals has initiated a strategic review of its assets and business, with plans to undertake a major restructuring process that could lead to a change...
First Quantum accuses Inmet of sabotaging $5.17bn takeover deal
Canada-based mining and metals company First Quantum Minerals has accused Inmet Mining of attempting to sabotage its C$5.1bn ($5.17bn) takeover bid by proposing to sell a stake in the Cobre...
Deals this week: Probe Mines, Pilot Gold, NSGold and more
Canada-based gold exploration company Pilot Gold has signed an agreement to sell 100% of its interest in the Regent exploration property to Rawhide Mining for a cash consideration of...
Nemex Resources discovers iron ore at Boulere Prospect
Australia's Nemex Resources has identified a 258 million tonne inferred maiden iron ore mineral resource at a grade of 37.3% Fe at the Boulere Prospect in...
Anglo American, Carnegie Mellon University partner to develop mining robots
Mining major Anglo American has said it will partner with the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) in the US state of Pennsylvania to develop robotic technologies for...
China's Hanking to acquire St Barbara's gold
Hanking Gold Mining, a unit of China Hanking Holdings, has entered into an agreement to acquire Southern Cross (SXO) gold mining operations from Australian gold producer and explorer St Barbara...
Tiger Resources reports positive economics from Kipoi Copper project
Tiger Resources has released a feasibility study (DFS) for its Stage 2 Solvent Extraction Electrowinning (SXEW) facility at the Kipoi Copper Project in the Democratic Republic of...
Alcoa reports 69% increase in revenues for Q4
US-based Aluminum producer Alcoa has reported revenues of $242m for the fourth quarter of 2012, compared to a loss of $143 million in the previous...
Whitehaven Coal shares recover after Maules Creek hoax
Shares in Australian coal mining company Whitehaven Coal have recovered after a fake media release claimed that the Australia and New Zealand Bank (ANZ) had withdrawn $1.3bn in funding for...
Turkish coal mine accident kills eight
Eight miners have been killed in a coal mining accident in the Zonguldak province of...
Tanami Gold reports 60% rise in gold at Australian Groundrush deposit
Australian gold producer Tanami Gold has reported an increase in its mineral resource estimates at the Groundrush Deposit at the Central Tanami Project in North...
Chile postpones copper and gold projects valued at $39bn
The Chilean Copper Commission (COCHILCO) said that the country will delay work on 11 mining projects due to increasing operational...
Atlas Iron on track to produce 7.7MT in 2013
Australian iron ore company Atlas Iron said it is on track to export up to 7.7 million tonnes of iron ore in the 2013 financial year after commencing production at its third Pilbara iron ore...
Port Hedland reports surge in iron ore shipments to China
The Port Hedland Port Authority, owned by the Western Australian Government, has reported a 25% rise in iron ore shipments to China in December 2012 when compared to the previous...
Sandvik secures mining systems contract from Sasol Mining
Swedish engineering group Sandvik has signed a mining systems contract with South Africa-based Sasol for its services at the Shondoni Mine Materials Handling...
Iron ore miner NMDC to acquire coal mines in Mozambique, Russia
State-owned Indian iron ore producer National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has started negotiations to purchase coking coal mines in Mozambique and...
International Mining & Infrastructure Corporation bids to acquire Afferro Mining
UK-based International Mining & Infrastructure Corporation (IMIC) has made a formal bid to acquire iron ore exploration and development company Afferro...
Posco to purchase stake in Arcelormittal's Canadian iron ore firm
South Korea-based Posco and its partners have decided to purchase a 15% interest in ArcelorMittal Mines Canada for a total consideration of $1.1bn....
Sundance Resources secures mining permit for Congo iron ore project
Western Australian iron ore company Sundance Resources has secured a mining permit from the Republic of Congo to develop an iron ore mine at the Nabeba iron ore...
December 2012
Top
Deals this week: Cameco, Newmont Mining, Polymetal and more
Saskatchewan-based uranium producer Cameco has completed the acquisition of the Yeelirrie uranium project in Western Australia from BHP Billiton for...
China Hanking to acquire 70% stake in nickel producer Northeastern Lion
China Hanking Holdings has signed an agreement to acquire a 70% interest in Northeastern Lion in a deal valued at RMB311.8m...
Coalspur secures debt capital to develop Vista coal project in Canada
Canada-focused coal exploration and development company Coalspur Mines has secured a $300m senior secured debt facility from EIG Global Energy Partners for the advancement of the Vista coal...
Australian Uranium Association seeks changes in approval processes
The Australian Uranium Association has urged the government of Australia to reform the environmental assessment and approval processes employed for uranium projects in the...
BHP Billiton to divest Guinean iron ore stake to B&A Mineração
Global diversified mining major BHP Billiton has selected B&A Mineração as the preferred bidder for its stake in the Mount Nimba iron ore deposit in Guinea, West...
MMG to commence construction of Dugald River project in Queensland
The Board of Hong Kong-based global resources company MMG has endorsed the construction at the Dugald River zinc, lead and silver mine in north-west...
Inmet secures funding to develop Cobre Panama copper project
Canadian mining company Inmet Mining has announced the closure of a $500m senior notes offering which it will use to develop the Cobre Panama copper project in...
First Quantum Minerals improves Inmet takeover bid
Canada's First Quantum Minerals has increased its offer to acquire copper and zinc producer Inmet Mining to...
White Energy to purchase open-cut coal mine in US
Australian coal technology business White Energy has signed an agreement to purchase the open-cut coal mine located in the Central Appalachia region of the...
Kagara Mining to sell North Queensland assets
Kagara and Einasleigh Mining has signed sale agreements for the divestment of its assets in the North Queensland Central region to Snow Peak...
International Base Metals bags funds from Heilongjiang Heilong
International Base Metals has secured funding from China's Heilongjiang Heilong Resources Investment to help expand its mining operations and exploration activities in...
Primero Mining to purchase Cerro Del Gallo gold-silver project in Mexico
Canada-based precious metals producer Primero Mining has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Cerro Resources for approximately...
Macmahon exits construction business to focus on mining
Australian contract mining and construction company Macmahon has signed an agreement with Leighton Holdings for the sale of its construction business for...
Deals this week: Colorado Goldfields, BC Iron, Fortescue Metals and more
Denver-based junior exploration and mining company Colorado Goldfields has acquired the Champion Mine in the San Juan Mountains at Silverton, Colorado, for...
Galaxy Resources extends due diligence timeline for Chinese development firm
West Australian lithium company Galaxy Resources has extended the date for the receipt of a previously agreed capital rising from cornerstone investor East China Mineral Exploration &...
Sirius Resources to raise equity funding for project financing
West Australian mineral resource company Sirius Resources plans to raise A$44m ($46.4m) through a share placement to domestic and international investors, with assistance from its corporate...
Rio Tinto, Anglo American to divest majority stake in Palabora copper assests
Rio Tinto and Anglo American have signed an agreement to divest their combined 74.5% stake in Palabora Mining Company to a consortium of companies for $446m.
...
UK Coal restructuring prevents mine closures
UK Coal said is has completed the restructuring of businesses and prevented the closure of several mines across the...
Highlands Pacific commences nickel, cobalt project in Papua New Guinea
Australian mineral resource company Highlands Pacific has commenced operations at the $1.5bn Ramu Nickel/Cobalt project following the official opening by Prime Minister Peter...
Stornoway secures financing for Renard Diamond access road in Québec
Canadian diamond exploration and development company Stornoway Diamond Corporation, through its subsidiary Les Diamants Stornoway, has closed a finance agreement with the Québec Ministère...
Coal India hopes to begin mining at 13 new coal blocks by 2014
Government-owned Coal India (CIL) said it hopes to start coal mining from 13 out of 119 undeveloped blocks by...
Harry Winston reports increased net earnings for Q3
Canada-based diamond supplier Harry Winston Diamond Corporation has reported an increase in its third quarter net...
Deals this week: Aneka Tambang, Uragold, Centurion Minerals and more
Indonesian firm Aneka Tambang has agreed to acquire a 7.5% interest in domestic company Nusa Halmahera Minerals from Australia-based Newcrest Mining for about $160m....
UK mining museum appeals for coal mining memorial
The National Coal Mining Museum in the UK has launched an appeal to set up a memorial garden at the museum's Hope Pit in West Yorkshire as a tribute to individuals who died in mining...
Freeport-McMoRan signs billion dollar merger deals with exploration firms
US-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold has signed merger agreements with Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP) and McMoRan Exploration...
Western Areas raises capital to support growth
Nickel producer Western Areas has completed a previously announced share placement to raise A$50m funds for debt reduction as well as growth initiatives at its Forrestania deposits in...
Pallinghurst creates new entity Sedibelo Platinum Mines in South Africa
Guernsey-based private equity company Pallinghurst Resources has completed the creation of a new company called Sedibelo Platinum Mines with the consolidation of Platinum Group Metals...
Coal production scaled down as stringent regulations take effect
Global coal producers are set to further scale down investments in thermal coal as regulations against harmful emissions from burning fossil fuels eat into production...
Australian Central Bank reduces interest rate to offset mining industry slowdown
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has reduced its cash rate by 25 basis points to 3% as it steps up its efforts to offset a slowdown in the country's mining...
Mining-technology launches global mining industry survey
Mining-technology.com is launching a major global mining industry survey, and we’d like to hear your opinions on the most important business issues for 2013-2014....
Vale unveils $16.3bn budget estimate for 2013
Multinational metals and mining corporation Vale has unveiled a budgetary estimate of $16.3bn for...
Adani Group identifies huge Australian coal deposit
India's Adani Group has completed exploration studies at the Carmichael mine in Queensland and identified coal reserves of up to ten billion...
Coal output in Indonesia declines as several mines shut down
Indonesia has witnessed a steep decline in coal output with the closure of several mines across the nation, primarily due to poor market...
Indonesia's Antam increases stake in Gogowong mine
Indonesian mining company Antam has purchased a 7.5% stake in the Godowong mine from Australian gold producer Newcrest...
November 2012
Top
Gindalbie Metals to raise capital for Karara project in Australia
Western Australian iron ore company Gindalbie Metals plans to raise around $62m in equity to further develop its flagship Karara...
Thiess secures contract for Bowen Basin mine development in Australia
Australian construction, mining and services contractor Thiess will provide construction services for the Caval Ridge Mine Project at the Bowen Basin in Central...
Deals this week: Inmet, Endomines, Liberty Mines and more
Canada-based copper and zinc mining company Inmet Mining Corporation has declined a proposal from First Quantum Minerals to acquire the company for...
Russian Technologies to divest 45.42% stake in titanium firm VSMPO-Avisma
State-owned Russian Technologies (Rostekhnologii) will divest a 45.42% stake in titanium giant VSMPO-Avisma for...
Australian investment board approves Haohua investment in Coal of Africa
The Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) of Australia has approved a proposed $100m share placement from Haohua Energy International in Coal of Africa...
Toro Energy prepares to commence Wiluna uranium project
Australian uranium company Toro Energy will shortly commence operations at its 100% owned, flagship Wiluna Uranium Project in Western...
Iron Ore Holdings signs native title land access deed in Pilbara, Australia
Western Australia-based Iron Ore Holdings has signed a Native Title Land Access Deed with the Yaburara Mardudhunera (YM) Native Title claimant...
Aphrodite Gold secures capital from Franco Nevada for Australian gold project
Australia-based gold mining company Aphrodite Gold has secured $2.5 million in capital funding from the Australian division of Canadian gold royalties major Franco...
POSCO completes construction of magnesium refining factory in South Korea
South Korean Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) has completed the construction of a magnesium refining factory in Okgye Gangneung in the Gangwon-do province of South...
Coal mine accident kills 23 workers in China
A gas explosion inside the Xiangshui coal mine in the Guizhou province of south-west China has killed 23...
Rio Tinto secures approval for Yandicoogina mine expansion in Western Australia
Rio Tinto has secured approval from the Western Australian government for its proposed expansion of the Yandicoogina mine located in East...
Deals this week: Aldridge Minerals, L&L Energy, IMX Resources and more
US-based L&L Energy has acquired the LuoZhou and LaShu mines situated close to its existing Weishe model mine in Guizhou Province,...
Western Australia to alter mining tax legislation
The Western Australian government is considering alterations to legislation which allows mining companies to deduct royalties from their mining...
Rio Tinto Alcan releases environment impact statement for Bauxite project
Canada-based bauxite mining company Rio Tinto Alcan has released the draft Commonwealth Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for its South of Embley Project in...
Ivanhoe Australia to raise $83m for loan repayment
Mineral resources mining company Ivanhoe Australia has announced a three-for-ten accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer to raise up to A$80m...
Gemfields to acquire luxury jeweler Fabergé
Coloured gemstones miner Gemfields plans to acquire luxury jeweler Fabergé from its shareholder Pallinghurst investment company for a share offering valued at...
Citic Pacific seeks legal intervention against Mineralogy royalties dispute
Hong Kong-based Citic Pacific has filed for a court injunction in Western Australia to prevent the $8bn Sino Iron project from...
Queensland Resources Council reports huge coal industry job losses
The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has reported that the region's coal industry has lost between 4,000 and 5,000 jobs over the last few...
Foraco International acquires John Nitschke Drilling
Drilling services firm Foraco International has completed the acquisition of Australia's John Nitschke Drilling (JND) for...
Monnet Ispat to acquire Colombian coal mine to power domestic plants
India's coal-based sponge iron manufacturer and power plants operator Monnet Ispat and Energy plans to purchase a majority stake in a 25 million tonne Colombian coal...
Qatar Holdings approves Glencore takeover of Xstrata
Glencore's long drawn-out takeover of Xstrata could finally reach the finish line this week after stakeholder Qatar Holding announced its approval of the...
Uttam Galva purchases majority stake in Lloyds Steel
Indian steel manufacturer Uttam Galva has acquired a 58.35% stake in steel company Lloyds Steel with plans to revive the struggling...
CalAmp unveils new communication device for mining, construction equipment
Wireless products, services and solutions provider CalAmp has launched a new communication device LMU-4520 that enables location-and-messaging for mining and construction equipment and...
Posco mulls stake purchase in ArcelorMittal iron ore mines
Korean steelmaker Posco will lead a consortium of buyers to acquire a 10% stake in the iron ore mines of ArcelorMittal in...
Deals this week: Cliffs, Santo Mining, Duncastle Gold and more
Mining and natural resources company Cliffs Australia Coal has divested a 45% interest in the Sonoma coal mine in Queensland to its joint venture partners QCoal Sonoma and JS Sonoma for...
Harry Winston to acquire BHP's diamond assets
Canada-based Harry Winston Diamond Corporation has signed a agreement to acquire the diamond business of Australian mining company BHP Billiton for...
BHP Billiton secures extension to expand Olympic Dam
Mining major BHP Billiton has secured a four-year extension to expand the Olympic Dam...
Osisko Mining to acquire Ontario's Queenston Mining
Canada-based Osisko Mining has signed an agreement to acquire mineral exploration and development company Queenston Mining for...
Anglo American awards equipment supply contract to ABB
Power and automation technology group ABB has secured a $38m contract to design, engineer and install an integrated automation and electrification system at the Grosvenor coal mine in...
Poseidon Nickel to restart mining in Western Australia
Perth-based mineral exploration company Poseidon Nickel has secured a conditional approval from the Minister for State Development Colin Barnett MLA to recommence nickel mining at the Mt...
Thunder Mountain, ISR Capital finalise joint venture
Junior gold exploration company Thunder Mountain has finalised its previously-announced joint venture agreement with ISR...
London Mining to expand Marampa project in Sierra Leone
Iron ore producer London Mining will continue to scale up production capacity at its Marampa project in Sierra Leone to generate 5Mtpa of iron ore in...
Mining region of Myanmar hit by 6.8 magnitude earthquake
An underdeveloped mining region in northern Myanmar was rocked by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake on Sunday, leaving at least 12 people...
Paladin Energy to cut spending as uranium prices fall
Australia-based uranium producer Paladin Energy plans to scale down mining costs by $60m to $80m during the 2013-2014 financial year, as it begins its transition from development to...
Deals this week: Roman Abramovich, Argentina Mining, Globex Mining, Auric Mining and more
Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich is expected to invest in Australia-based Linc Energy, a company that produces diesel and jet fuel coal gas released from underground...
Tata Power purchases 26% interest in Indonesia coal mine
Indian integrated power company Tata Power has acquired a 26% stake in the Baramulti Suksessarana (BSSR) coal mine in Indonesia for an undisclosed amount to ensure fuel security for its...
Canadian government tables bill to develop mining projects in Nunavut
The Federal Government of Canada has tabled Bill C-47, also known as the Northern Jobs and Growth Act, in Parliament to encourage further mine development in Nunavut, the northernmost territory...
Armstrong Coal secures Caterpillar equipment for Kentucky coal mine
Armstrong Coal, a subsidiary of Armstrong Energy, is installing the first full fleet of Caterpillar room-and-pillar coal mining equipment at its new Lewis Creek underground mine in Kentucky....
Trevali acquires Maple Minerals, Brunswick mine complex
Canada-based zinc-focused base metals developer Trevali Mining has acquired Maple Minerals for approximately...
Anglesey Mining acquires stake in Canadian Labrador Iron Mines
UK-based metals and minerals development company Anglesey Mining has purchased a 19.7% interest in Canada-based Labrador Iron Mines...
Altona Energy selects Parsons Brinckerhoff to oversee Arckaringa mine development
Altona Energy has signed an agreement with Parsons Brinckerhoff's Global Mining Business group to carry out project management services at the Arckaringa mine in South...
Avexa to acquire 25.5% stake in Coal Holdings
Australian biotechnology company Avexa Limited will acquire a 25.5% stake in US-based Coal Holdings for A$3.88m...
Silver Falcon resumes operations at Sinker Tunnel gold project in Idaho
US-based Silver Falcon Mining has restarted operations at its 100%-owned Sinker Tunnel Gold Project in Idaho after a 100-year...
Newmont Mining reports 10% decline in Q3 revenues
US-based gold producer Newmont Mining Corporation has recorded consolidated revenues of $2.5bn in the third quarter of 2012, a 10% decrease compared to the same period in...
Deals this week: Coronet Metals, Castillian, Santo Mining and more
Canada-based gold and silver exploration and development company Coronet Metals has acquired all outstanding shares of White Caps Gold Mining...
Rockwell Diamonds to abandon Klipdam mine for contract mining in South Africa
Diamond mining and development company Rockwell Diamonds has announced that it is shifting its operations at the Klipdam Mine in South Africa to contract mining in order to reduce operating...
Bridon supplies sinking ropes to Leeuwkop platinum mine in South Africa
UK-based rope manufacturer Bridon International has delivered sinking ropes for the Leeuwkop platinum mine owned by Afplats, a South African subsidiary of...
Glencore to divest stake in Nyrstar to accelerate Xstrata takeover
Commodities trader Glencore International has offered to relinquish its 7.8% share in zinc and lead supplier Nyrstar in a bid to accelerate its proposed takeover of diversified mining group...
Cazaly Resources to acquire 75% stake in Halls Creek Copper Project
Cazaly Resources, a mineral exploration and resource development company based in Western Australia, will purchase 75% stake in the Halls Creek Copper Project in the Kimberly region, from...
October 2012
Top
Altura Mining to acquire 15% stake in Lithium Corporation
Australian commodity producer Altura Mining has agreed to acquire a 15% interest in American junior mining company Lithium Corporation for $550,000....
Cauldron Energy intersects high grade uranium at Yanrey project in Australia
Australian exploration company Cauldron Energy has identified high-grade uranium at the Yanrey Uranium Project in Western...
Peregrine Diamonds divests stakes to fund exploration in Canada
Canadian diamond exploration and development company Peregrine Diamonds has signed a $10m financing agreement with Newstar Securities and the Dundee...
U&D Mining Industry to acquire Australia's Endocoal
U&D Mining Industry, a joint venture between a unit of China Yima Coal Group and fertiliser manufacturer Daton Group Australia, has announced that it will acquire coal exploration and...
Scotland's Adrok to enter Australian mining industry
Scottish geophysical surveying company Adrok plans to establish its business in Australia next year to offer services to exploration...
Strikes in South Africa affect AngloGold's Q3 production
AngloGold has reported a lower-than-expected production level in the third quarter of 2012, citing ongoing strikes at several South African mines as the reason for the slow-down....
Premier secures approvals to advance Trans-Canada project
North American exploration company Premier Gold Mines has obtained an Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA) and a Permit to Take Water (PTTW) from the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (OME)....
Vale reports 66% fall in Q3 2012 profits
Brazilian mining company Vale has reported 66% decline in net profit for the third quarter ending 30 September 2012 to $1.67bn, compared to $4.94bn last...
Deals this week: Solid Resources, Red Eagle Mining and more
Canadian junior mining company Solid Resources, through its subsidiary Solid Mines España, has signed an option agreement with Lorente Y Pallares to fully acquire 62 iron ore concessions...
Rio Tinto awards construction contracts for Pilbara operations
Mining major Rio Tinto has signed two separate agreements with Australian companies Engenium and Monadelphous for ongoing construction and maintenance work at its Pilbara iron-ore...
Cupric Canyon Capital to acquire Canada's Hana Mining
US-based Cupric Canyon Capital has signed an agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares of Canada's mineral exploration company Hana Mining for C$67m...
Gold Fields sacks 8,500 workers as SA strikes continue
South African mining firm Gold Fields has dismissed 8,500 workers who refused to return to work after an illegal strike....
Oraco Resources secures permit to commence exploration in Sierra Leone
US-based mineral exploration and development company Oraco Resources has secured an exploration license from the Sierra Leone Ministry of Mines and Mineral...
Bandanna Energy seeks coal mining lease for Springsure Creek Mine in Australia
Australian coal mining company Bandanna Energy has submitted a mining lease application to develop the Springsure Creek project in central...
Queensland lifts uranium mining ban
The Australian state of Queensland has lifted a 23-year ban on uranium mining, a decision experts say could pump up to $900m worth of royalties into the...
Mine Site Technologies secures GOST certification in Russia
Australia-based communications solutions provider Mine Site Technologies has received GOST certification in Russia for its PED (Personal Emergency Device and ICCL Caplamp) and ImPact Wi-Fi...
Jindal Steel & Power to acquire iron ore mine in West Africa
India-based Jindal Steel & Power is looking to acquire a iron ore mine in West Africa for $2bn as it plans to build a pelletising project in...
Deals this week: International Goldfields, Santa-Fe Gold, Century Mines and more
International Goldfields and US-based Santa Fe Gold Corporation have signed a merger agreement to create a gold/silver entity with a market capitalisation of around A$70m...
Rio Tinto seeks to revive joint venture with Odisha Mining
Australia-based miner Rio Tinto has sought to revive its 17-year old joint venture with Indian state-owned Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC), a venture valued at an estimated INR110bn ($2bn)....
Riverstone to acquire Blue Gold to strengthen African capabilities
Canada-based mining company Riverstone Resources has signed an agreement to acquire a 100% stake in gold exploration company Blue Gold Mining for a total value of...
Firestone Diamonds discovers rare type 2B blue diamond from Liqhobong mine, Lesotho
UK-based Firestone Diamonds has discovered a small type 2B blue diamond and 28 of type 2A diamonds at its Liqhobong mine in Lesotho, South...
UEX Corporation identifies new Uranium zone at Shea Creek
Canadian uranium exploration and development company UEX Corporation has identified a new high-grade mineralization zone following exploration of the Kianna Deposit at the Shea Creek...
Petaquilla Minerals declines Inmet Mining's hostile takeover bid
Canadian gold mining company Petaquilla Minerals has rejected a hostile, C$109 million ($111.4 million) takeover bid from Inmet...
Prodigy Gold to merge with Argonaut Gold
Canada's Argonaut Gold has signed an agreement to acquire Prodigy in a friendly takeover worth C$277m...
Aureus Mining secures EPA approval to commence gold mining in Liberia
Canadian Gold mining company Aureus Mining has received an environmental permit from the Liberian Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to commence work on the New Liberty project in...
UK coal miner ATH Resources to be sold
UK-based coal producer ATH Resources will be put up for sale, having failed to generate enough capital to continue its future...
Government of India to divest stake in Hindustan Copper and Nalco
The Government of India (GoI) is hoping to divest its stakes in mining and metal companies Hindustan Copper Limited (HCL) and National Aluminum Company...
Coal India to boost production capacity by 8% in five years
Government-owned Coal India (CIL) will raise its coal production capacity by 180 million tonnes over the next five...
Deals this week: Bumi, Discovery Metals, Santo Mining and more
Indonesia's Bakrie Group is expected to cancel its 24% shareholding in coal energy Bumi and instead buy stakes in Indonesian subsidiaries Bumi Resources and Berau Coal Energy in a £750m deal....
Australian Government approves Abbot Point coal project in Queensland
Indian business conglomerate GVK has secured approval from the Australian government to develop the $6.9bn Alpha Coal Port Project at Abbot Point near Bowen,...
Calibre Group purchases Australian mining services provider G&S
Australia-based engineering services and project development company Calibre Group (CGH) has acquired coal mining services provider G&S Engineering Services for...
Minera Frisco acquires interest in Mexican mines
Minera Frisco has entered into an agreement to acquire the Ocampo mineand adjacent Venus and Los Jarros exploration projects in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, from AuRico Gold for...
Bio-fuel powered mining equipment to be studied by UA
The University of Arizona (UA) has secured a $1.4m, three-year grant from the US National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to undertake a comparative study on the effects of...
Arrium sells majority stake in Steel & Tube Holdings
Australian mining and materials company Arrium will sell its 50.3% interest in New Zealand-based steel and allied products company Steel & Tube Holdings for NZ$91.2...
European bank to fund Tsagaan Suvarga copper mine project in Mongolia
Mongolian-owned mining company Mongolyn Alt (MAK) has secured a $250m loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to develop the Tsagaan Suvarga copper mine in the...
Siemens to continue services at Minera Peñasquito mine in Mexico
Mexican mining company Minera Peñasquito has signed a €40m, five-year agreement with Siemens for operations and maintenance of its crushing and conveying...
Ausdrill secures debt financing to fund expansion and acquisition
Australian mining services provider Ausdrill has secured $550m in debt financing from a syndicate of banks under a three-year dual currency...
Ur-Energy obtains permit for Lost Creek uranium project
American uranium company Ur-Energy has secured approval from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to begin construction and production operations at its Lost Creek uranium in-situ recovery...
Anglo American Platinum sacks 12,000 striking workers in South Africa
Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), the world's biggest platinum producer, has dismissed 12,000 South African miners who chose to strike over pay and working conditions....
EVRAZ acquires majority stake in Raspadskaya
EVRAZ has acquired an indirect controlling interest in OJSC Raspadskaya, one of Russia's largest producers of coking coal, and its...
Chinese firm bids to acquire Discovery Metals
China-based private equity firm Cathay Fortune has put forth an offer to buy Australian copper producer Discovery Metals for...
Deals this week: Hanlong Group, Chalco and more
China's Hanlong Group is seeking an extension to close its $1.4bn acquisition of Australian iron ore miner Sundance Resources....
Lydian obtains mining license from Armenian government
Mineral exploration and development company Lydian International has obtained a new mining license contract for the Tigranes/ Artavazdes open pit at its Amulsar gold project from the Government...
EU Commission set November deadline for Glencore-Xstrata decision
EU antitrust regulators have set a November 8 deadline to decide on whether to let Glencore's $33bn takeover bid of mining group Xstrata go...
3D Laser Mapping supplies technology to aid Exxaro's South African mining projects
UK-based 3D Laser Mapping will supply its VZ 1000 long-range laser scanner to South African miner Exxaro to support several expansion projects and the construction of two coal processing...
TVI Pacific closes first batch of investments in Mindoro Resources
Canada-based TVI Pacific has completed the first batch of investment into Mindoro Resources and signed an agreement that stipulates the conditions for the...
Lanco Group to raise funds for Australian coal mine expansion
India-based natural resources, power and construction company Lanco Group is planning to raise $1.2bn to fund its mine expansion programme in...
Australian mining company Arrium rejects South Korean takeover bid
Australia's mining and materials company Arrium has rejected a A$1.01bn ($1.02bn) takeover offer from a consortium comprising Noble Group and...
BHP Billiton copper production to grow 10% annually until 2015
Global metals and minerals producer BHP Billiton has forecast a 10% annual growth in its copper production until the end of...
Xstrata recommends Glencore’s revised merger deal
Glencore and Xstrata came one step closer to finalising an all-share merger of equals today after the mining major recommended the revised deal to its...
Continental Coal wins approval for Ferreira mine expansion in South Africa
South African thermal coal producer Continental Coal has secured the Section 102 approval from the Department of Minerals and Resources of South Africa to expand the Ferreira coal...
September 2012
Top
DMT to exploit methane gas from German coal mine
Engineering and consulting company DMT has received a contract to explore the prospects of exploiting methane gas from the Bochum-Langendreer colliery in...
GE technology to aid Grupo Mexico's copper mine expansion
General Electric (GE) has secured a contract from Minera Mexico to supply its Quadramatic drive technology to power Latin America's largest ball mill operation.
...
Deals this week: Lundin Mining, Rio Tinto and more
Canadian-Swedish group Lundin Mining is looking to acquire zinc and copper mine properties to help boost its production, according to company CEO Paul...
Brazil Resources acquires Cachoeira gold project from Luna Gold
Mineral exploration company Brazil Resources (BRI) has acquired a 100% interest in the Cachoeira gold project in Pará, north...
Lundin Mining opts out of Touro copper project acquisition in Spain
Canada-based Lundin Mining has scrapped plans to purchase a controlling stake in the Touro copper project in northern...
Coal mine accident in northwest China kills 20
A coal mining accident in the Gansu province of China has left 20 coal miners dead and 14 others...
Caterpillar lowers revenue predictions for 2015
Construction and mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar reduced its profit projections for 2015 from $15-$20 a share to $12-$18 a...
New Gold completes preliminary economic assessment at Blackwater project
Canadian gold mining company New Gold has announced positive results from its Preliminary Economic Assessment (PEA) of its 100%-owned Blackwater Gold Project in British Columbia,...
Rio Tinto to cut workforce at Australian coal mines
Global mining major Rio Tinto is in discussions to lay off part of its workforce at its coal mines across Australia....
Cleveland Mining commences production at Premier gold mine
Australia-based minerals company Cleveland Mining has initiated mining at its Premier Gold Mine located in Brazil with live commissioning currently underway....
GE to establish mining business arm
General Electric Company (GE) has said it will acquire more mining services companies and mining equipment to create a new business unit called GE...
US EPA initiates uranium mines cleanup at Navajo Nation
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is to undertake a cleanup drive at three Navajo Nation uranium...
Deals this week: Shandong, Clifton Star and more
Chinese metal producer Shandong Gold Group has signed an agreement to buy a 51% stake in Focus Minerals of Australia for...
Borneo Lumbung to sell 20% stake in coal mining unit
Indonesia-based hard coking coal mining company Borneo Lumbung Energi & Metal has initiated discussions to sell a 20% stake in PT Asmin Koalindo Tuhup, its sole coking coal operating...
Kitumba Project scoping study in Zambia confirms mine potential
Blackthorn Resources has announced that a scoping study at the Kitumba Project in Zambia has confirmed the potential for a large open cut...
B2Gold, CGA Mining sign $1bn merger deal
Canadia's B2Gold has signed a C$1.1bn ($1.12bn) merger implementation agreement with CGA Mining, a gold producer with assets in the...
Indian government to restructure International Coal Ventures
The Indian consortium of mining and metal companies International Coal Ventures (ICVL) will be restructured to streamline its objectives with its promoters and enable quick...
Montana State Gold acquires stake in Butte Highlands JV
US-based Timberline Resources has announced that its joint venture partner Highland Mining has sold its 50% stake in Butte Highlands venture to privately-owned Montana State Gold...
Meijin Energy Group bids for Western Desert Resources
China-based Meijin Energy Group has made an offer to acquire Australian miner Western Desert Resources for A$435m ($457m)....
Rio Tinto seeks environment clearance for Indian diamond mine
Multinational metals and mining company Rio Tinto has sought approval from the Indian Environmental Ministry to mine for diamonds in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya...
Punchline Resources to acquire majority stake in US gold property
Mineral resources company Punchline Resources has signed an option agreement to acquire a 70% stake in the Winnemucca Mountain Property in Humboldt County, Nevada, US....
South African miners seek higher pay against ongoing strike
Striking South African miners have threatened to bring the country's platinum belt to a standstill if they don't see an increase in...
Deals of the week: Eurasian Minerals, Gold World Resources and more
Gold and copper exploration company Eurasian Minerals (EMX) has acquired ownership in the Malmyzh porphyry copper-gold district in Far East Russia, by buying a 36% stake in InterGeo Resources (IGR)....
Altona Mining identifies new copper deposit in Australia
Altona Mining has identified a new copper deposit at its Turkey Creek Roseby Project located near Mount Isa in Queensland,...
Cluff Gold partners with Samsung C&T to fund development
West African-focused gold producer Cluff Gold has signed a long-term alliance with South Korean trading company Samsung C&T Corporation to help fund its mining...
Transition Metals purchases gold prospect near Haultain property in Ontario
Canada-based exploration company Transition Metals has signed an option agreement with Goldeye Explorations to fully acquire the 850ha Van Hise property in the town of Gowganda in...
Advanced resonance technology uses virtual boreholes to distinguish rock layers
Scottish company Adrok has developed an advanced Atomic Dielectric Resonance (ADR) technology that uses 'virtual boreholes' to provide accurate data on rock...
Discovery Gold selects exploration targets at Edum Banso, Ghana
US-based mineral exploration company Discovery Gold has selected two priority targets for further exploration programmes from among six previously identified targets at the Edum Banso Gold...
ABB to automate Vale's Carajás Serra Sul mine in Brazil
Power technology group ABB has obtained a $140m deal from Vale to automate the Carajás Serra Sul S11D project, comprising the iron ore mine and processing plant, in...
Angkor Gold acquires 100% of existing Cambodia concessions
Angkor Gold has completed the acquisition of Transol Mining and Liberty Mining to expand its land holdings and take 100% ownership of its concessions in...
Viking Minerals acquires majority stake in Peru gold property
North American mining company Viking Minerals has acquired 60% ownership of gold prospects, encompassing 1800ha, in the district of Miraflores, a province and department of Lima,...
BHP Billiton divests 37% non-operating stake in Richards Bay Minerals
BHP Billiton has divested its 37% non-operated stake in Richards Bay Minerals through the sale of the South African operation to Rio Tinto for...
Glencore improves takeover bid, Xstrata to respond by 24 September
Glencore has improved its offering to Xstrata shareholders with a view to conclude its long drawn takeover bid of the mining major with a response now expected by 24 September 2012....
Deals this week: Peabody Energy, Gulf Mines and more
China-based Chalo has pulled out of its proposed acquisition of South Gobi Resources due to the ongoing political opposition to the...
Fall in diamond prices forces Shear Diamonds to close Jericho mine
Shear Diamonds has temporarily halted production of high-grade stockpiles from its 100%-owned Jericho diamond mine in Nunavut,...
Glencore delays vote on Xstrata takeover bid
Glencore has delayed a shareholder vote on the $34bn takeover bid of miner Xstrata, citing last-minute...
Agnico-Eagle to develop La India mine in Mexico
Canada-based gold producer Agnico-Eagle Mines has gained approval from its board of directors to construct and develop the La India mine in Sonora,...
Colt Resources, Contécnica to develop Penedono gold project
Canada-based exploration company Colt Resources has signed an agreement with Brazilian consulting engineering company Contécnica - Consultoria Técnica to jointly develop the Penedono gold...
Tertiary Minerals to acquire Nevada mining claims
Mineral explorations and development company Tertiary Minerals US will a acquire a group of mining claims in Nevada, US, which have the potential to host a major fluorspar...
Sirius Minerals plans controversial potash mine for UK national park
Potash development company Sirius Minerals said it plans to develop the proposed York Potash Mine on the outskirts of Whitby, which lies within the boundary of England's North York Moors...
Reliance Power commences coal production from Indian mines
Reliance Power, a unit of Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group, has commenced coal production from its mines in Sasan, Madhya Pradesh,...
India orders the closure of six coal mines
Authorities in the East Indian state of Odisha have halted production at six of Coal India’s mines following the expiry of the requisite environmental...
Ausdrill reports 53% annual profit growth
Australian mining services company Ausdrill has reported a 53% rise in net profit for fiscal 2011-2012 to $112.2m, compared to $73.3m last...
Chinese coal mine blast leaves 43 dead, three still missing
A gas explosion at the Xiaojiawan coal mine in the Sichuan province of China has killed at least 43 miners and three others are reported to be trapped beneath the...
August 2012
Top
Disruption set for US steel supplies as strike looms in Minnesota
Steel supply across the US could be severely disrupted by the imminent expiry of contracts between three major mining companies and the United Steelworkers of...
Deals this week: PTT, Cameco, Sundance Resources and more
Thailand-based PTT has offered $959m to acquire the remaining 54.7% stake in Sakari Resources to take complete ownership of the company and add to its coal assets in...
Jindal Steel & Power to acquire CIC Energy
Jindal Steel & Power will acquire Bahamas-based CIC Energy in a deal approved by shareholders of both...
Sarama Resources acquires exploration properties in West Africa
Canadian mining company Sarama Resources has acquired two exploration properties, Nyarafo and Noumoudara, covering an area of 338km² in West...
Lundin Mining resumes operations at landslide-hit Aguablanca mine
Canada-based Lundin Mining has resumed production at its wholly-owned Aguablanca nickel-copper mine in Spain after a landslide caused production to halt in December...
Sarama Resources identifies gold anomaly at Cape Mount prospect
Canada-based Sarama Resources has identified a 9km-long gold-in-soil anomaly at the Cape Mount property in...
Lonmin hopes to make peace with striking Marikana workers
Platinum mining company Lonmin is making renewed efforts to restart operations at the volience-striken Marikana mine in South...
Western Mining acquires Inter-Citic Minerals
China-based Western Mining has entered into a definitive agreement with Inter-Citic Minerals to acquire all of its outstanding common shares for CAD250m...
Search Minerals to explore rare earths in Canada
Vancouver-based Search Minerals has entered into a Mining Exploration Activities Agreement with the NunatuKavut Community Council, the political representative body of the Inuit of...
Indian prime minister dismisses claims of corrupt coalfield sales
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has dismissed claims that the government conned private companies out of billions of dollars through the improper sale of coalfields....
Arabian American Development sells assets from Saudi mine
Arabian American Development (ARSD) has executed a $11.5m sale of zinc and copper concentrate from its 37%-owned Al Masane Al Kobra (AMAK) mine in Saudi...
BHP Billiton to continue with $20b expansion of Port Hedland
BHP Billiton has announced its commitment to the $20b expansion of Port Hedland despite the reported fall in profits for FY2012 ended 30 June 2012, a first for the last three...
South African miners to sue leading mining companies for negligence
A South African lawyer representing over 3,000 miners with lung disease has filed a plea before the Johannesburg High Court to sue leading mining companies operating in the country for...
Deals this week: Rockwood Holdings, Natural Resource Partners and more
Rockwood Holdings entered into a definitive Scheme Implementation Agreement with Talison Lithium to purchase all of Talison's ordinary shares at C$724m ($728.2m) on a fully diluted...
AMEC secures EPC contract from Balkan Minerals and Mining
Global engineering and project management company AMEC has secured an engineering and procurement contract from Balkan Minerals and Mining for the Krumovgrad Gold Project in...
Australia's mining boom is over, says resources minister
Australia’s Federal Resources Minister has declared that the nation’s mining boom is over in the wake of BHP Billiton’s decision to shelve its $20bn expansion plans for the Olympic Dam...
Black Diamond Holdings to receive more gold from Eastern Resources
US-based Eastern Resources, through its fully owned subsidiary Elkhorn Goldfields, has signed a letter of intent with Black Diamond Holdings to sell an additional 38,000oz of...
Ma'aden awards mining software solutions contract
Ventyx, a supplier of industrial enterprise software under ABB, has secured a contract from Saudi Arabian mining company Ma'aden to supply mining-operations software...
BHP Billiton delays Olympic Dam expansion as profits decline
Global mining company BHP Billiton has announced that it will delay its proposed $20bn Olympic Dam expansion project due to tough market conditions and "subdued" commodity...
BC Iron, Cleveland Mining to acquire iron ore projects in Brazil
Iron ore mining company BC Iron has entered into a strategic partnership with Cleveland Mining to jointly acquire and develop iron ore projects in...
Inspiration Mining begins Transient Electromagnetic Survey in Chile
Inspiration Mining Corporation has initiated the transient electromagnetic survey at its Llamara project through its partly-owned company Potash Dragon....
Li3 Energy secures $10m in funding from POSCO
US exploration company Li3 Energy has closed the $10m, second-tranche of funding from POSCO Canada, a subsidiary of South Korean steel-making company...
Lonmin: sacking striking employees may fuel further violence
Platinum producer Lonmin fears that sacking 3,000 striking workers at its Marikana mine in South Africa could lead to an escalation in violence, the company said on...
OM Holdings to finance Sarawak project
Australia-based OM Holdings plans to raise equity capital of up to A$72.5m ($75.9m) to finance the development of its Sarawak Project in...
Northumberland County Council grants approval to HM Project for surface extraction of coal
HM Project Developments has secured permission for the surface extraction of coal at Halton Lea Gate in Northumberland following its appeal to Northumberland County...
Deals this week: Wexford Capital, T.B. Mining Ventures and more
Wexford Capital has acquired approximately 60.8 million common shares of Oro Mining at $0.11 per...
Chalco to drop SouthGobi takeover bid
Aluminum Corp of China (Chalco) is expected to drop its $926m bid to acquire SouthGobi Resources amidst fierce opposition to the deal from the Mongolian...
CanAm subsidiary secures mining permit and coal leases
Birmingham Coal & Coke (BCC), a subsidiary of CanAm Coal, has secured a permit from the Alabama Surface Mining Commission to commence mining at the Old Union II...
Seven more killed in Marikana mine riots
Continued clashes at Lonmin’s Marikana mine in South Africa have left a further seven people dead, witnesses say....
Thompson Creek Metals sells stake in Mt. Milligan copper mine
Royal Gold will acquire a 52.25% stake in Mt. Milligan copper-gold mine located in British Columbia, Canada from Thomson Creek...
Falling coal demand may force BHP to slash Australian jobs
Falling coal demand, especially from the Chinese market, may force mining major BHP Billiton to slash jobs at its coal mines in Queensland,...
Nautilus Minerals gets approval for deep sea mine
Canada-based Nautilus Minerals has obtained an approval from the Papua New Guinea government to begin work on its Solwara 1 deep sea gold and base metals mining...
Inter-union clashes leave nine dead at South Africa mine
Nine people have died in riots which broke out between rival unions at Lonmin's West Marikana platinum mine in South Africa....
Soil Machine to use Kongsberg cameras for mining vehicles
Mining equipment manufacturer Soil Machine Dynamics has selected Kongsberg Maritime
to supply cameras and related accesseries for its mining vehicles and a new deep water...
Perseus subsidiary secures exploitation permit in Côte d'Ivoire
Occidental Gold, subsidiary of Perseus Mining, has secured a exploitation permit from the Côte d'Ivoire government to develop its Sissingué gold deposit in the country....
Yukon-Nevada Gold installs new conveyors for enhanced production
Canada-based Yukon-Nevada Gold has installed two conveyors to replace a faulty bucket elevator at its Jerritt Canyon gold processing facility in Nevada, US, allowing the production of 10,964...
Silver Wheaton acquires mines in Peru and Canada
Canada-based Silver Wheaton will acquire two silver mines from HudBay Minerals for a total cash consideration of...
NGEx reports copper mineralisation at Argentine prospect
Canada-based NGEx Resources has reported assay results from two diamond drill holes conducted at the Filo del Sol project in San Juan,...
Deals this week: Regis Resources, Coeur and more
Regis Resources has signed a letter of intent to purchase the McPhillamys Gold Project in the Bathurst region of New South Wales, Australia for...
Rio Tinto to conclude operations Blair Athol Mine in Australia
Falling coal prices have led Rio Tinto to announce the closure of mining operations at the Blair Athol Mine, located near Clermont in Central Queensland, Australia, at the end of...
Endeavour Mining to acquire Avion Gold
Endeavour Mining will acquire all issued and outstanding common shares in Avion Gold via a court-approved plan of...
Orbite extracts first heavy rare earths and rare metals in North America
Canada-based clean tech company Orbite Aluminae has extracted commercial samples of heavy rare earth oxides gallium and scandium from its aluminous clay deposit in Grande-Vallée,...
Southridge Enterprises initiates drilling at Mexican gold and silver prospect
US-based mineral exploration company, Southridge Enterprises, has commenced drilling on its Jalisco Cinco Minas Property in...
Comstock Metals acquires 75% interest in Seafield Explorations
Canada-based Comstock Metals has purchased a 75% interest in Seafield Explorations, as part of joint venture with Volcanic Minerals for the exploration and development of the Walhalla...
Touchstone Gold merges with Atlantis Gold Mines
Touchstone Gold will merge with Atlantis Gold Mines to undertake gold exploration and development focused in...
Excelsior Gold reports rise in gold at Kalgoorlie Project
Excelsior Gold has reported that total measured, indicated and inferred gold resources have been increased at its wholly owned Kalgoorlie North Gold Project in Western Australia, following...
Silver Lake Resources buys Integra Mining
Silver Lake Resources has said it will merge with Integra Mining to create a gold company with several Australian operating mines and mills....
Roy Hill Holdings signs first Chinese sales agreement
Roy Hill Holdings has signed its first sales contract in China with Shougang International to provide iron ore from the Pilbara mine in Western Australia....
QRS Capital acquires San Felix Project under option agreement
QRS Capital Corp has entered into an option agreement to acquire a 100% stake in the San Felix Project located in Chile for an undisclosed...
Xstrata Copper begins Mount Margaret open pit mining
Australia-based Xstrata Copper has initiated open pit mining activities at Mount Margaret Mining project in north-west Queensland. ...
Deals this week: Rio Tinto, GE Mining and more
Rio Tinto has acquired 133.571 million shares in Ivanhoe for a total cost of $935m....
Europe eyes mining opportunities in Greenland
Europe is looking to extract rare earth metals and gem stones in Greenland following surface melting on the island in July, which opened up opportunities for...
Paramount acquires majority stake in Gunung Rosa mine
Paramount Mining Corporation's subsidiary PT Paramindo has acquired an 85% stake in the Gunung Rosa gold, silver and base metal mining project in West Java, Indonesia, from PT Cikondang...
Australian mining investment declines: study
Mining investment from Australian companies has declined with only 25% prepared to invest in major projects in 2012, according to The Mining Business Outlook report by Newport...
Comstock Mining secures finance for infrastructure programmes
US-based Comstock Mining will secure $10m from two financing partners to fund capital expenditure programmes across its...
July 2012
Top
BHP Billiton may delay proposed Olympic Dam expansion
BHP Billiton may delay a decision on the proposed $30bn expansion of the Olympic Dam mine in South Australia, according to local...
London Mining to receive royalty payment from BlackRock World Mining
Blackrock World Mining Trust will pay $110m for a 2% revenue-related royalty to London Mining for iron ore sales from the Marampa mine in Sierra...
Kentor encounters gold mineralisation at Gabanintha prospect in Australia
Kentor Gold’s drilling programme at Gabanintha prospect within the Murchison Gold Project in Western Australia has yielded significant mineralisation in targeted...
Gowest acquires Tully East Guidoccio Property
Canadian gold exploration and development company Gowest Gold has acquired Tully East Guidoccio Property, contiguous to Gowest’s North Timmins Gold Project in Ontario,...
Korean consortium provides interim financing for Boleo project in Mexico
An interim financing of $90m has been provided by a Korean consortium to Baja Mining subsidiary Minera y Metalurgica del Boleo (MMB) to advance its Boleo copper-cobalt-zinc project located...
Deals this week: Jindal Steel and Power, Ur-Energy and more
Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL) plans to acquire Canadian coal firm CIC Energy for C$16m ($15.8m) in an all cash...
Red Eagle Mining intercepts gold mineralisation at Colombian prospect
Red Eagle Mining has found strong gold mineralisation following drilling at the San Ramon gold system located within the Santa Rosa gold project in...
Cameroon exploration project recovers first diamonds
Botswana Diamonds has announced the recovery of a two-carat diamond at its sampling project at the Libongo site in...
Western Australia terminates Margaret River mining
The Western Australian Government has terminated all pending applications for coal exploration and banned further coal mining in the Margaret River area within a 230km² zone....
Gold One International completes sale of Ezulwini Mine
Gold One International has completed the acquisition of First Uranium, the holding company of Ezulwini Mining, for...
Anglo American to acquire majority stake in Mozambique coal project
UK-based Anglo American is purchasing a 58.9% interest in the Revuboè metallurgical coal project in Mozambique from the Talbot Estate for a total consideration of...
African Barrick Gold to acquire Aviva Mining
African Barrick Gold will purchase all of the outstanding share capital of Aviva Mining for a total consideration of A$20m...
Highland Resources begins drilling on US copper prospect
Canada-based Highland Resources has commenced a drilling programme on the Keweenaw Copper Project in northern Michigan,...
Orsu Metals to sell Talas project stake to Gold Fields
South African mining company Gold Fields will acquire the remaining 40% interest in the Talas gold-copper-molybdenum project in the Kyrgyz Republic from UK-based Orsu...
Thiess wins $2.3bn contract to extend mining operations in Australia
Thiess has received a $2.3bn contract from Jellinbah Group to extend mining operations at its Lake Vermont coal mine located in Queensland,...
AM Gold signs deal with Rokmaster for Pinaya project in Peru
Canada-based AM Gold has signed a definitive agreement with Rokmaster Resources for its 35 mineral claims at the Pinaya Gold/Copper Project located in the Caylloma and Lampa Provinces of...
Deals this week: Adani Enterprises, Endeavour Silver Corp and more
Adani Enterprises, a unit of Adani Group, is in negotiations with Mozambique-based NCondezi Coal to acquire a minority stake in its coal...
Crosshair commences 2012 drilling programme at Juniper Ridge
Crosshair Energy has started its 2012 drilling programme at its wholly owned Juniper Ridge Uranium Project in Wyoming, US, after receiving environmental clearance and land...
Coal of Africa to secure financing package from Investec Bank
Coal of Africa (CoAL) will receive $58.7m in debt and equity funding from Investec Bank to finance its infrastructure investment programmes across its mining...
Caterpillar rating downgraded to 'hold' over weak market
Global securities and investment banking group, Jefferies has cut construction and mining equipment maker Caterpillar Inc’s rating from Buy to...
Peru mine installs movement detection equipment
A new mine monitoring system has been installed at Newmont Mining's Minera Yanacocha gold mine in northern Peru to help geotechnical engineers predict potentially dangerous pit...
Hana Mining confirms high-grade copper-silver presence at Botswana project
Hana Mining has reported high grade copper-silver mineralisation at Zone 5 of its Ghanzi sediment-hosted Copper-Silver Project in Botswana, based on results from its latest drilling...
Miners rescued after fire at Newmont's New Zealand gold mine
A fire at a Newmont Mining-owned gold mine in New Zealand has led to the evacuation of 28 miners trapped in the underground refuge...
Universal Coal offloads stake to Power Origin
Universal Coal has signed an agreement with Power Origin Developments which will bring in direct investment of up to AUD$10m ($10.3m) for a 19.99% stake in the...
Vista Gold reports successful drilling results from Todd project in Australia
Vista Gold has completed the drilling of 19 holes totaling 13,047m as part of the ongoing resource conversion drilling programme at the Mt. Todd gold project in Northern Territory,...
Galaxy Resources to halt operations at Mt Cattlin project in Australia
Galaxy Resources will temporarily halt operations at its Mt Cattlin lithium mine project in Western Australia after citing high inventory levels of spodumene....
Deals this week: Sumitomo Corp Highland Gold, Brazil Resources and more
Sumitomo Corp has acquired a 50% stake in an Isaac Plains mine in Queensland, Australia, from Aquila Resources for A$430m ($426m)....
Downer EDI secures mining services contract in Australia
Downer EDI has secured a long-term rolling contract to provide mining services at the Meandu Mine in South East Queensland, Australia, from TEC Coal....
Queenston Mining announces drill results on Ontario prospect
Queenston Mining has announced the drill results from its 100%-owned Upper Canada property located in Kirkland Lake, Ontario,...
Cliffs Natural Resources sells Sonoma coal mine stake in Australia
Cliffs Natural Resources wholly owned subsidiary Cliffs Australia Coal (CAC) will sell its 45% economic interest in the Sonoma coal mine to QCoal Sonoma for...
Oracle Mining subsidiary signs MoU for US copper mine development
Canada-based Oracle Mining Corp’s subsidiary Oracle Ridge Mining (ORM) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Pima County for the development of the Oracle Ridge Copper Mine located...
Hodges Resources plans prefeasibility studies at coal project in Botswana
Hodges Resources intends to undertake concept and prefeasibility studies designed to establish the viability of the Morupule South project in Botswana....
Lupin Mines to acquire North Arrow's Contwoyto gold claims in Canada
Elgin Mining subsidiary Lupin Mines Inc has entered into an agreement with North Arrow to acquire a 60% stake in its Contwoyto gold properties, located in the vicinity of the past-producing...
Orosur Mining receives licence for San Gregorio mine in Uruguay
The Uruguayan National Environmental Agency has granted an operating licence to Orosur Mining, to dispose of tailings at the new tailings storage facility at its San Gregorio mine in Uruguay. ...
Aquila Resources intercepts gold mineralisation at US prospect
Aquila Resources has announced positive gold assay results from the 2012 drill programme at its 100% owned Reef Gold project in Marathon County, Wisconsin, US....
Canadian Mining completes JV agreement with Aureus Resources
Canadian Mining Company has finalised and entered into an option and joint venture agreement with Aureus Resources for the Bullard Pass Gold project in Arizona,...
Jubilee Platinum agrees to farm in deal for Madagascar project
Indian Pacific Resources (IPR) has entered an agreement with Jubilee Platinum to farm in up to a 90% interest in the Ambodilafa Project located in...
SolGold intercepts gold mineralisation at Australian prospect
SolGold has announced positive gold assay results from the nine hole reverse circulation drilling programme undertaken at Nicko’s Reward prospect at the Mt. Perry project in Queensland, Australia....
Deals this week: Cloud Peak Energy, Bandanna Energy, Westmoreland Coal and more
Cloud Peak Energy has acquired the Youngs Creek Mining Company joint venture and other related coal and surface assets in Wyoming's Powder River Basin in the US from Chevron and Consol Energy...
Marathon Gold gets court approval to acquire Mountain Lake Resources
Marathon Gold Corp said that the Supreme Court of British Columbia has approved its plans to acquire all of outstanding common shares in Mountain Lake Resources for $15.1...
Hudbay Minerals to suspend operations at Back Forty Project
Aquila Resources said its joint venture partner Hudbay Minerals has decided to suspend its development activities at the Back Forty Project located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan,...
Cayden Resources expand La Magnetita Target Area in Mexico
Cayden Resources has received more than 2,000 additional assay results from its 100%-owned Morelos Sur Gold project in Guerrero State, Mexico. ...
Leighton Contractors secures contract from QCoal
Leighton Contractors' mining division has received a contract for QCoal's Jax mine's bulk sample project in the northern Bowen Basin in Queensland,...
Stillwater Canada submits environmental impact statement for copper project
Stillwater Canada, a subsidiary of Stillwater Mining Company, has submitted an environmental impact statement (EIS) for its Marathon Platinum Group Metals-Copperproject in Ontario, Canada, to...
Diamond V Associates discovers rare tungsten reserves in Alaska
Green Technology Solutions' (GTSO) mining subsidiary GTSO Resources has announced that its joint venture (JV) partner Diamond V Associates (DVA) has identified tungsten resources for...
Westmoreland Coal to secure revolving credit facility
Westmoreland Coal Company has entered into a five-year, $20m revolving term credit facility with The PrivateBank and Trust...
Xstrata to acquire majority interest in Roseby Project
Altona Mining has received a notice from Xstrata Mount Isa Mines that it intends to exercise its option to acquire a 51% interest in a portion of the Roseby Project located in...
Chaarat Gold receives mining permit for Kyrgyz licence
Chaarat Gold Holdings has received a mining permit for its Tulkubash licence area from the Kyrgyz...
June 2012
Top
First Uranium and Gold One delay Ezulwini sale
First Uranium has agreed to delay the sale of its shares in Ezulwinig Mining Company to Gold One in order to satisfy terms and conditions surrounding the...
Deals this week: Vale, L&LEnergy, Chaarat Gold and more
Vale has closed the sale of its thermal coal assets in Colombia to CPC, an affiliate of Colombian Natural Resources, for total consideration of...
Dutch Gold reaches JV agreement in Nicaragua
Dutch Gold Resources (DGRI) has reached a definitive joint venture agreement with its partner in Nicaragua. ...
Pan American Silver closes sale of Quiruvilca mine in Peru
Canada-based Pan American Silver Corp has completed the sale of its first operating assest in the northern Andean region of Peru to Quiruvilca, a subsidiary of Southern Peaks...
Salta Exploraciones enters option agreement with OZ Minerals
Australia's OZ Minerals has entered into an option agreement to earn a stake in Salta Exploraciones' assets in...
Premier Royalty Corp acquires net smelter royalty on Canadian gold project
Premier Gold Mines has announced that its subsidiary, Premier Royalty Corp, has agreed to purchase a 1% net smelter return royalty on the Thunder Creek Deposit of the Timmins West Mine Complex...
Superior Copper acquires Glenrock property in Canada
Superior Copper Corp has entered into an agreement to acquire the Glenrock property located in Palmer and Ryan Townships, Ontario, Canada, for an undisclosed...
Hodges Resources reports major rise in resources at Botswana project
Hodges Resources has announced a 485% rise in resources compared to the previous maiden resources estimate at the Morupule South project in...
Rio Tinto ships first coal from Benga Mine in Mozambique
Mining giant Rio Tinto said it has started exporting premium hard coking coal from its Benga Mine in the Moatize Basin,...
BHP Billiton to invest in Australian coal mine
BHP Billiton has unveiled plans to invest $845m to sustain operations at Illawarra Coal, in southern New South Wales, Australia by opening a replacement mining area at its Appin...
Glencore receives Colquiri nationalisation decree from Bolivian government
Commodities trader Glencore International said that it has received a signed supreme decree from the Bolivian government, immediately nationalising the Colquiri zinc-tin mine in the...
Deals this week: INV Metals, Prophecy Coal, San Gold, Stelmine and more
INV Metals has entered into a definitive agreement with IAMGOLD Corporation to acquire the Quimsacocha Project in Ecuador for approximately...
Maritime Resources starts drilling at Newfoundland gold deposit
Maritime Resources Corp has begun its 3,000m drilling programme on the Green Bay property located near Kings Point in Newfoundland,...
Redstar Gold starts drilling programme on US gold-silver project
Redstar Gold Corp has announced the commencement of a drilling programme at its Root Spring project located in west-central Nevada,...
Peninsula Energy confirms uranium mineralisation at Karoo project
Peninsula Energy has confirmed the presence of high grade uranium mineralisation from its drilling programme at the Karoo Uranium/Molybdenum projects in South...
Ridgemont Iron starts drilling programme in Canada
Ridgemont Iron Ore Corp has started its 2012 exploration programme on the Lac Virot Iron Ore Project in Labrador, Canada....
Rio Tinto to invest $4.2bn to expand global iron ore business
Rio Tinto will spend an additional $4.2bn to expand its iron ore operations across Western Australia and Guinea....
Seabridge Gold acquires share of Banks Island Gold
Seabridge Gold has acquired four million common shares of Banks Island Gold by private issuance after entering an option agreement with respect to its Seabridge Gold's Red Mountain Project...
Capstone Mining completes pre-feasibility study at Minto mine
Capstone Mining has completed the Phase VI pre-feasibility study for its Minto copper-gold mine in Central Yukon,...
Yamana Gold to acquire Extorre Gold
Canada-based Yamana Gold has entered into an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares in Extorre Gold Mines for a total consideration of...
Ormonde Mining discovers gold mineralisation at Zamora gold project in Spain
Ormonde Mining has defined a gold mineralised zone with a length of over 600m in the El Facho gold structure at the Zamora Gold Project in Western...
Labrador Iron starts 2012 drilling programme in Canada
Labrador Iron Mines (LIM) has commenced the 2012 exploration programme at its iron ore properties in Labrador and Quebec in...
Deals this week: Vedanta Aluminium, Majan Mining, Glencore and more
Vedanta Resources subsidiary Vedanta Aluminium has purchased a 24.5% equity interest in Raykal Aluminium from Larsen and Toubro for a total sum of Rs2bn...
Serabi Gold to restart Palito mine in Brazil
Brazilian firm Serabi Gold is planning to restart mining operations at its wholly owned Palito Gold Project in Para State, based on positive results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment...
Beaufield Resources begins drilling at Canadian iron property
Canada-based mineral exploration company Beaufield Resources has begun drilling work at its 100%-owned iron property in Schefferville, in the Canadian state of...
Ariana Resources acquires exploration licences in Turkey
Ariana Resources has announced the acquisition of four new exploration licences via auctions undertaken by the General Directorate of Mining Affairs (GDMA) in western...
Pacific Potash inks LOI to acquire Brazilian assets
Pacific Potash Corporation has signed a letter of intent to purchase all its issued and outstanding securities in Moonraker Acquisition Corp and its...
Summit Mining to acquire Big Gossan copper project
Summit Mining Exploration II, a US-based subsidiary of Sumitomo Corp, has signed an agreement with Renaissance Gold to acquire 70% stake in the Big Gossan copper project in Nevada, US. ...
Millrock Resources signs option agreement for Alaska project
Millrock Resources has signed an option agreement with Vale Exploration in a bid to discover large-scale copper-gold porphyry deposits in target zones of the AUDN project in...
Sandstorm acquires net smelter royalty on US gold project
Sandstorm Gold has acquired a 2.4% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on the Mt Hamilton gold project in Nevada, US, for...
Western Pacific Resources bags drill permit for US project
Gold explorer Western Pacific Resources Corp has been granted a drilling permit for its Mineral Gulch project in Cassia County, Idaho,...
Paragon Diamonds extends Lemphane exploration licence in Lesotho
Paragon Diamonds has received a one year extension to its key Lemphane kimberlite exploration licence in...
Mawson West secures debt financing facility for Congo projects
Australia-based copper producer Mawson West has secured a $30m working capital facility from RMB Resources to finance development programmes across its portfolio of projects in the...
Essar Energy wins final approval for Indonesian coal project
Essar Energy said it has received final forest approval for its Aries coal mine project in the West Kutai region of East Kalimantan, Indonesia....
Anglo American wins approval for $1.7bn coal mine in Australia
Anglo American has received final approval from the provincial government of Queensland to build its $1.7bn Grosvenor mine project in Australia....
Deals this week: Highland Gold, Caterpillar and more
Highland Gold Mining will acquire LLC Klen in Russia for $69m, subject to approval by the Russian anti-monopoly authorities....
Cayden starts drilling on La Magnetita target in Mexico
Cayden Resources has begun a reverse circulation (RC) drilling programme at its 100% owned Morelos Sur Gold project in Guerrero State,...
Paragon Diamonds receives Lemphane license extension in Lesotho
Paragon Diamonds has received a one-year extension to its key Lemphane kimberlite exploration license in...
Castle Peak launches 2012 Ghana exploration programme
Castle Peak Mining has launched a 2012 exploration programme for the Akorade Project in Ghana, Africa, which will focus primarily on confirming the geometry of the potential high grade shoot...
Aurizon Mines completes feasibility study at Joanna project in Quebec
Aurizon Mines has received positive feasibility study results, which have established in-pit mineral reserves of 1.66 million ounces of gold in the Hosco deposit that forms part of its 100%...
Canada Lithium receives mining licence for Quebec project
Canada Lithium has received the mining licence from Québec's Ministère Des Resources Naturelles et de la Faune (MNRF) for its Québec Lithium project near Val d'Or in Canada....
Deals this week: Vale, GVK, Adit Resources, and more
Brazilian mining company Vale has entered into an agreement for the sale of its thermal coal assets to CPC, a unit of Colombian Natural Resources for $407m....
Marifil Mines identifies multiple veins at silver property in Argentina
Marifil Mines has intercepted two additional vein structures at its Toruel Property in Rio Negro Province,...
All Grade Mining to acquire Chilean iron ore project
All Grade Mining has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire a second iron ore mining project in Chile....
May 2012
Top
Rock Tech Lithium to acquire graphite property in Canada
Rock Tech Lithium has entered into an option agreement with UniMera Holding Public to acquire a 100% interest in a graphite property located in south western Quebec,...
GTSO Resources to explore mining operations in North America and Africa
GTSO Resources, an emerging tungsten mining company, has entered into a joint venture agreement to explore mining projects and operations in North America and Africa....
Kinross Gold to sell Crixas mine to AngloGold
Kinross Gold Corp has entered into a purchase and sale agreement with subsidiaries of AngloGold Ashanti to sell its 50% interest in Crixas gold mine in Brazil for total consideration of $220m....
Bostwana Diamonds bags diamond exploration licence
Botswana Diamonds has received a three-year, 262.6km² diamond exploration licence in the Orapa area of Botswana....
Agnico-Eagle starts drilling at Alaska's Ester Dome
Miranda Gold Corp has announced that Agnico-Eagle, a wholly owned subsidiary of Agnico-Eagle Mines, has started a drilling programme on its Ester Dome project located in the Fairbanks...
Royal Nickel awards contract for Dumont feasibility study
Royal Nickel Corp has awarded a contract to global engineering firm Ausenco and SRK Consulting for the preparation of a feasibility study for its Dumont Nickel Project located in Québec,...
Lake Shore Gold resumes operations at Canadian Mine after forest fire
Lake Shore Gold Corp has resumed operations at its Timmins West Mine located in northeastern Ontario, Canada....
Vane Minerals stops work at New Mexico property
Vane Minerals has encountered weak mineralisation at the Peg Leg property in southwest New Mexico following the completion of two rotary drilling...
China Digital Venture signs MoU to acquire equity interest in Sao Camilo
China Digital Venture Corp has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the shareholder group of Sao Camilo Mineradora Group to acquire a equity stake in Sao Camilo, an open pit...
Deals this week: Inner Mongolia, Marathon Gold, China Shenhua Energy and more
Zoje Sewing Machine is planning to acquire Inner Mongolia's Tuquan Xiliduo Mining for a total consideration of about CNY200m ($31.5m)....
ABB secures contract for copper mine in Kazakhstan
Power and automation technology group ABB has secured a $44m contract to deliver three gearless mill drive systems (GMDs) for a new copper mine to be operated by Kazakhmys in...
International Minerals close smelter royalty sale transaction
International Minerals Corp (IMZ) has completed the sale of its 3% net smelter return (NSR) royalty on production from Barrick Gold's Ruby Hill gold mine in Nevada, US, for...
Bluesky introduces unmanned aerial vehicle for mining industry
UK-based aerial survey company Bluesky has unveiled a new fast response aerial survey service, using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) or drones, for the mining...
Siguiri Mining to acquire stake in Guinea property
Siguiri Mining Guinea, a wholly owned subsidiary of Siguiri Gold Mining will acquire an 80% interest in a mineral property located in Guinea from Samaranta...
Jacobs Engineering Group wins contract for Saudi Arabian phosphate project
Jacobs Engineering Group has received a contract to undertake a bankable feasibility study and front end engineering design for Saudi Arabian Mining Company's Umm Wu'al Phosphate Project in...
ECR Minerals confirms gold mineralisation at El Abra prospect
ECR Minerals has confirmed the presence of gold mineralisation at the El Abra prospect within the company’s Sierra de las Minas gold project area in La Rioja Province,...
Western Sierra, Mission Holdings to operate gold-silver project in Arizona
Western Sierra Mining has concluded a joint venture agreement with Mission Holdings for the development of the Silver Cord mine located in the US state of...
Lace Diamond Mines in loan funding deal with Industrial Development Corp
Lace Diamond Mines, a subsidiary of African diamond mine development and exploration company DiamondCorp, has entered into a loan funding term sheet agreement with the Industrial Development...
First Nickel secures credit facility from Canadian bank
First Nickel has closed a $10m revolving term credit facility with The Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) in Canada to fund its ongoing mining...
John Holland to expand Australian coal mine contract
John Holland has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Isaac Plains Coal Management to extend its mining services contract for the Isaac Plains open-pit coal mine in the Bowen Basin...
Deals this week: All Grade Mining, Blue Gold Mining, Trevali Mining Corp and more
All Grade Mining has signed a letter of intent (LOI) to acquire a Jose Del Transito copper mining project, located in Chile for an undisclosed...
Golden Dory Resources to increase stake Canada's Gabbro Lake iron project
Golden Dory Resources Corp has signed an agreement with joint venture partner Metals Creek Resources Corp to increase its ownership stake in the Gabbro Lake iron ore property in Canada to 70%....
Xmet Acquisition to acquire gold assets in Canada
Gold exploration company Xmet has inked a deal with Brionor Resources to purchase 24 contiguous mineral claims located in the Canadian province of...
GE to acquire mining equipment makers Industrea, Fairchild International
General Electric (GE) has entered into an agreement to acquire a 100% stake in Australia-based mining-equipment maker Industrea for total consideration of...
Uranium Energy acquires exploration rights for US project
Uranium Energy Corp (UEC) has acquired the rights to explore uranium on the Channen Project located in southern Goliad County in the US state of Texas....
Cadillac Ventures completes assessment study for Thierry Project in Ontario
Cadillac Ventures has announced the completion of a positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA) study for the Thierry Project in Northwestern Ontario,...
Falcon Gold starts work at Burton gold property in Canada
Falcon Gold Corp says that it has commenced work on the Burton Gold Property located in Ontario,...
MinCore confirms economic potential of copper-molybdenum project in Mexico
Canada-based MinCore has announced the completion of a positive preliminary economic assessment (PEA) study, which confirmed the economic potential of the Tameapa copper-molybdenum project...
YTC Resources signs deal with OZ Exploration for New South Wales project
YTC Resources has signed an agreement with OZ Exploration, a subsidiary of OZ Minerals, to acquire a tenement holding that surrounds its Hera-Nymagee project in western New South Wales...
AK Drilling wins contract for Kaituma project in Guyana
Canada-based Argus Metals Corp has contracted AK Drilling International to conduct a 2,500m drilling programme at its Kaituma uranium and gold project in north-west Guyana....
Cliff Natural Resources’ $3.3bn chromite mine enters feasibility phase
Cliff Natural Resources has announced that it will advance its proposed $3.3bn chromite project in the Ring of Fire area of Northern Ontario, Canada, to feasibility...
Deals this week: ATAC Resources, Harvest Gold, Electrum and more
ATAC Resources has completed the acquisition of Klondike Silver Corp in Yukon, western...
Lydian starts drilling programme on Amulsar gold project in Armenia
Lydian International has started an initial drilling programme at the Amulsar gold project in Armenia....
Exterra Resources to increase stake in Australian gold project
Exterra Resources will increase its equity stake in the Eucalyptus Gold Project located in Western...
Temex Resources identifies new gold targets at Canadian property
Temex Resources Corp has announced that it has identified high-grade zones of gold at its Whitney Property in Ontario,...
Astra Resources to begin dredging at iron sands project in the Philippines
Astra Resources has announced plans to begin dredging at its iron sands project located in Cagayan, the Philippines, later this...
Imperial Metals receives permit for Canadian mine
Imperial Metals has received a Mines Act permit from the Province of British Columbia, Canada for the Red Chris mine, located 80km south of Dease...
Marifil Mines signs option agreement for potash claims in Argentina
Marifil Mines has entered into an option agreement to acquire the K-5 and K-6 potash properties located in Neuquen Province,...
Bold Ventures executes option agreement with Fancamp Exploration
Bold Ventures has executed an earn-in option agreement with Fancamp Exploration for its chromite project located in the James Bay Lowlands, northern Ontario,...
Inmet Mining sets out financial plan for $6.2 billion Panama prospect
Canada-based Inmet Mining Corp has completed basic engineering work for the $6.2 billion Cobre Panama project located in Panama and launched a financing plan to fund its 80% share of...
Deals this week: B2Gold Corp, Equinox Exploration and more
B2Gold Corp has acquired ownership of 20,000,000 units of Calibre Mining Corp, following a subscription agreement between the two companies....
Meadow Bay reports gold mineralisation at US prospect
Meadow Bay Gold has reported gold mineralisation from assay results at its Atlanta Gold Mine Project located in Nevada,...
Leighton wins service contract for Australia mine
Leighton Contractors, through its mining division, has received a contract to provide mining services at the Peak Downs Mine located in Central Queensland's Bowen...
Afferro Mining identifies new iron targets at Cameroon project
Afferro Mining has reported 25 new iron targets at the Akonolinga iron ore project in Cameroon following the completion of an airborne geophysical...
Berkeley Mineral Resources wins mining licence for Kabwe project in Zambia
Mineral processing company Berkeley Mineral Resources (BMR) has received the official large-scale mining licence for the Kabwe lead-zinc project in Lusaka, Zambia....
Orogen Gold confirms high grade gold mineralisation at Deli Jovan mines
Orogen Gold has confirmed the presence of very high grade gold mineralisation at the historic Gindusa and Rusman gold mines at Deli Jovan in eastern Serbia, following the completion of...
Xstrata increases Zinc production from Australian mines
Xstrata has increased its annual zinc production by 5% or 25,000t from two mines in Australia, the company has...
Temex Resources starts drilling programme on Golden Lake property in Canada
Temex Resources Corp has started an initial diamond drill programme on the recently-acquired Golden Lake property, located close to the Juby Main Zone in north-eastern Ontario, Canada....
Silver Lake Resources announces drilling updates from the Eelya Complex
Silver Lake Resources has announced new updates on its drilling activities at the Eelya Complex, part of the Murchison project off the coast of Perth,...
April 2012
Top
Continental Coal to extend South African coal mine life
Continental Coal has entered into agreements that will allow it to extend the operating mine life of the Ferreira Coal Mine and its production of thermal coal in South...
Xstrata Coal seeks partner to acquire Donkin Coal stake
Xstrata Coal is seeking an operating partner to divest its stake in the Donkin Coal project located in Nova Scotia,...
Deals this week: Dassault Systèmes, Kincora Copper, Pan Terra Industries and more
Dassault Systèmes has announced plans to acquire geological modeling and simulation company Gemcom Software International for approximately $360m. ...
East Africa Resources wins consent for Tanzanian exploration programme
East Africa Resources has announced it has received approval from Mkuju Resources for its one-year exploration programme at the Mkuju South uranium project in...
Vale reports drop in operating revenues in Q1 2012
Brazilian mining firm Vale has reported operating revenues of $11.3bn in the first quarter of 2012, 16.3% lower than figures reported in the same period last...
Habtoor Leighton and Dragados Gulf win construction contract for Saudi Arabian mine
Habtoor Leighton Group in joint venture with Dragados Gulf Construction Company / Intecsa Industrial (ACS Group) has secured a $169m contract to construct mine-related infrastructure for...
Rio Tinto and Chinalco to develop iron ore project in Guinea
Rio Tinto and Chinalco have completed the formation of their joint venture which will develop and operate the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea, following completion of all regulatory...
Steele Resources to acquire gold and silver mine in New Mexico
Steele Resources Corp has executed formal documents for the acquisition of the privately owned Billali gold and silver mine located in New Mexico, US....
Woulfe completes feasibility study at Sangdong project in Korea
Woulfe Mining has completed a feasibility study for its wholly owned Sangdong mining project in South...
Afferro Mining reports positive results from Nkout project
Afferro Mining has reported positive drilling results from its Nkout Iron Ore Project in Cameroon, which indicated high-grade zones of...
Fission Energy to acquire Pitchstone Exploration
Fission Energy has signed an arrangement agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Canada-based Pitchstone Exploration....
Driven Capital to earn 60% stake in Canada's White River Property
Driven Capital has entered into a definite option agreement with Tarsis Resources to earn a 60% interest in the White River Property located in Yukon,...
Lucara Diamond secures credit facility from Canada bank
Lucara Diamond Corp has closed a $25m revolving term credit facility with The Bank of Nova Scotia in Canada to fund its ongoing operations, primarily at the Karowe Mine in Botswana....
Klondike Gold commences drilling programme in Canada
Klondike Gold Corp has begun its 1,500m drilling programme at its Lone Star project in Yukon,...
Avanti Mining signs investment agreement to develop Canadian mine
Avanti Mining has signed a mandate letter with five bankers for up to $640m of financing to develop the Kitsault molybdenum mine located in British Columbia,...
Deals this week: Caterpillar, Pele Mountain Resources and more
The Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM) has formally approved the Caterpillar's planned acquisition of ERA Mining...
Bearing Resources begins drilling programme at Mexican gold-copper project
Bearing Resources has begun a 1,200m drill programme at its Parrandera gold-copper project located in the Mapimi region of Durango,...
Soltoro begins drilling at silver project in Mexico
Soltoro has begun a reverse circulation (RC) drill programme at its 100% owned El Rayo silver project in Mexico....
Cape Lambert Resources signs binding agreement for iron ore project
Cape Lambert Resources has signed a binding heads of agreement (HoA) confirming access to key transport infrastructure related to the development of its 100% owned Marampa Iron Ore Project...
Rio Tinto named official metal provider for London 2012 Olympic games
Rio Tinto has been named the official metal provider for the 4,700 medals which will be awarded at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games....
Horseshoe Metals intersects copper mineralisation at Australian prospect
Horseshoe Metals has intersected copper mineralisation at the first diamond hole drilled at its 100% owned Kumarina Copper project in Western Australia....
Selwyn Resources closes debt facility for Canadian Mine
Selwyn Resources has closed a $10m non-resolving debt facility with Waterton Global Value, the company has...
Endeavour Silver to acquire AuRico Gold’s mining assets in Mexico
Endeavour will acquire a 100% stake in AuRico Gold's El Cubo silver-gold mine and the Guadalupe y Calvo silver-gold exploration project for total consideration of up to...
Pershing Gold completes acquisition of US gold mining claims
Pershing Gold Corp has closed the previously announced acquisition with Victoria Gold Corp to secure exclusive control of lands surrounding the Relief Canyon Mine in Nevada, US....
BHP closes Norwich Park Mine in Australia
BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance has announced that it has closed its Norwich Park Mine located in east Queensland,...
Deals this week: Caterpillar Inc, Lundin Mining Corp, Magnum Mining and more
Mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has signed an agreement to sell its Bucyrus distribution and support business to WesTrac, a wholly owned subsidiary of Seven Group Holdings, for about...
Anglo American signs IT service contract with BT Group
Communications service provider BT Group has signed a $220m contract to deliver IT services across Anglo American's global...
Millrock Resources to commence drilling programme in Alaska
Millrock Resources is planning to start a drilling programme on its Humble project in south-west Alaska and the Council project on the Seward Peninsula in western Alaska....
Anglogold Ashanti awards IT contract to Fujitsu
IT products and services provider Fujitsu has secured a five-year contract from South Africa-based Anglogold Ashanti to undertake a SAP (Systems, Applications and Products) implementation...
Leighton Asia wins service contract for Indonesian mine
Leighton Asia has received a $432.1m letter of award from PT Marunda Grahamineral to provide mining services for its coal mining operations in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia....
Bannerman Resources gets the go-ahead for Namibia uranium project
Bannerman Resources said that its definitive feasibility study (DFS) has confirmed the commercial viability for its 80% owned Etango Uranium Project in Namibia....
Eastern Resources acquires Montana Tunnels Mining and Elkhorn Goldfields
Eastern Resources has completed the acquisition of Montana Tunnels Mining and Elkhorn Goldfields, which will now become wholly owned subsidiaries of the company....
Qatar wealth fund buys $2.65bn interest in Xstrata
Sovereign wealth fund, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) has acquired a 5% stake in global miner Xstrata for $2.65bn, ahead of the planned $41bn takeover by commodities trader...
Alliance Coal acquires Illinois Basin Coal Assets
Alliance Resource Partners' wholly-owned subsidiary Alliance Coal has completed the acquisition of all of the coal related assets of Green River Collieries located in Kentucky, US, for...
Fire River Gold secures loan to fund US gold mine expansion
Canadian-based Fire River Gold Corp has secured a $12.75m credit facility from Waterton Global Value to fund its expansion plan for its Nixon Fork mine in Alaska,...
ABB secures mine hoist order in Sweden
Power and automation technology group ABB has secured a $32m contract from Swedish mining company LKAB, to update four mine hoists at its Kiruna iron ore mine....
Peninsula Energy to begin mining work at US Uranium prospect
Peninsula Energy has announced that it will begin commercial mining operations at its Lance in-situ recovery (ISR) uranium projects in Wyoming, US, in the second half of...
Trade union to step up strike action at BHP Billiton’s coal mines
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said it intends to step up strike action at six of BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance’s (BMA) coking coal mines in Queensland's Bowen...
Mwana Africa to raise funds to restart Zimbabwean nickel mine
Mwana Africa said it plans to commence a share sale to raise $35m in a bid to fund the restart of the Trojan nickel mine in...
Aluminum Corporation of China to buy 60% stake in SouthGobi Resources
Aluminum Corporation of China Limited (CHALCO) has announced its intention to acquire controlling stake in Mongolian coal miner SouthGobi Resources from Canada's Ivanhoe Mines for C$533m ($538m)....
Global consortium to acquire 30% stake in Roy Hill Holdings
Iron ore prospector Hancock Prospecting and a consortium comprising of POSCO, Marubeni Corp, and STX Corp, have entered into agreements to acquire a 30% equity interest in Australia's Roy...
March 2012
Top
Mitsubishi to acquire 25% stake in Stillwater Mining venture
Mitsubishi Corporation will acquire a 25% stake in Stillwater Mining’s Marathon PGM and copper project in Ontario, Canada for $94.6m....
Xstrata Zinc to close Brunswick Mine in 2013
Xstrata Zinc will close its Brunswick mine located in New Brunswick, Canada, in march 2013, following 50 years of mining operation....
Deals this week: Hancock Prospecting, Gold Fields, Atlas Iron and more
Hancock Prospecting and a consortium comprising of POSCO, Marubeni Corp and STX Corp have entered into agreements to acquire a 30% equity interest in Roy Hill Holdings in Australia for...
Queenston Mining to sell its JV stake to KL Gold
Queenston Mining will sell its 50% interest in properties located in Teck Township in Ontario, Canada, to KL Gold for...
Sumitomo discovers gold deposit at Pogo mine in Alaska
Japanese firms Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) and Sumitomo Corp (SC) have discovered a gold deposit at their jointly-held Pogo mine in Alaska, US....
Trafford Resources signs LOI for Australia iron ore assets
Trafford Resources has signed a letter of agreement (LOI) to gain iron ore rights in two mines owned by Independence Group in Western...
Rio Tinto opens innovation centre in India
Rio Tinto, in partnership with IT firm iGATE Patni, has opened a new innovation centre in Pune, India to accelerate development of mining technologies globally in line with its Mine of the...
U3O8 Corp enters into gold exploration agreement with Minexco Minerals
Canadian uraniam company U3O8 Corp has entered into a definitive agreement with Minexco Minerals to acquire gold exploration properties in Guyana, for an undisclosed...
Firestone-Sekoko JV signs MoU with Eskom for 30-year coal agreement
Australia's Firestone Energy and its black-owned joint venture (JV) partner Sekoko Coal have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with power utility Eskom for a 30-year coal supply...
Rio Tinto May Divest its Diamond Business
Rio Tinto is considering divesting its diamond interests to create value in other areas of its...
Silver Lake signs agreement to acquire Phillips River Mining assets
Silver Lake Resources has entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of Phillips River Mining for a total consideration of $20m. ...
WorleyParsons wins EPCM contract for Mongolian project
WorleyParsons has received a contract to provide engineering, procurement and construction management services (EPCM) for the Tsagaan Suvarga copper-molybdenum concentrator project, Mongolia. ...
Uranium Energy wins exploration rights for US project
Uranium Energy Corp (UEC) has acquired the rights to explore for uranium on the Burke Hollow project located in Texas,...
Deals this week: GeoVenCap, Ridgemont Iron and more...
GeoVenCap has completed the previously announced acquisition of Blue Note Mining for total consideration of $7.94m....
Cerro Grande Mining announces drill results on Chilean prospect
Cerro Grande Mining Corp has reported the preliminary results from its first diamond drill hole at the Santa Cecilia prospect located at the southern end of the Maricunga District in Chile. ...
Dart Mining to begin Unicorn resource upgrade drilling in Australia
Dart Mining will begin a resource upgrade drilling programme at the Unicorn Molybdenum Project in Victoria, Australia, at the end of this...
REE International acquires rare earth property in Guyana
US-based REE International has acquired a rare earth property located in Port-e-Kiatuma, Guyana, for an undisclosed sum....
EMED Mining to receive initial investment from Yanggu Xiangguang Copper
EMED Mining (EMED) will receive $15m from its Chinese partner Xiangguang Copper Co (XGC), under the terms of an agreement signed between the two companies last...
Australia approves 30% mining tax
The Australian Government will levy a 30% tax rate effective from 1 July this year on iron ore and coal mining companies, following approval from the senate....
Strathmore Minerals to purchase Saratoga Gold
Strathmore Minerals has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Saratoga Gold Company for a total consideration of...
Black Fire Minerals discovers tungsten mineralisation at Nevada project
Black Fire Minerals has discovered high grade tungsten mineralisation at the Desert Scheelite prospect, located within its Pilot Mountain Tungsten-Copper Project in Nevada, US. ...
Guildford Coal issues equity to fund global exploration projects
Australia-based Guildford Coal plans to raise $25m through the issue of new equity, as part of a plan to fund its exploration projects across the globe....
Anglo American secures construction licence for Brazilian project
Anglo American has secured a construction licence for the development of its Minas-Rio iron ore project in Brazil from the Minas Gerais environmental...
Deals this week: Newbridge Capital, Portage Minerals and more.....
Newbridge Capital has received approval to acquire a 100% interest in Safin Element for total consideration of $70.2m in...
Atlas Copco launches new drilling rigs for underground mining
Atlas Copco's underground excavation division has unveiled new drilling rigs as part of its new line of tunnelling and mining...
Kincora Copper to acquire Mongolian mining company
Canada's Kincora Copper has announced that it will acquire Mongolian-based mining company Golden...
Woulfe Mining completes assessment study for South Korean gold mine
Woulfe Mining has completed a preliminary economic assessment (PEA) study for its Muguk gold project in South...
China to face WTO over rare earth metal trade limitations
The US, Japan and the European Union (EU) have jointly filed a case against China with the World Trade Organization (WTO) over trade restrictions of rare earth metal exports....
Japan-Australia JV to develop metallurgical coal assets in Canada
Xstrata Coal and JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp have agreed to form a joint venture (JV) to develop metallurgical coal assets in the Peace River Coalfields in Western...
Kalimantan Gold JV to explore Indonesian copper project
The Kalimantan Gold Corporation joint venture (JV) will commence exploration work at its copper porphyry property located in central Kalimantan, Indonesia....
Indian iron or producer to acquire majority interest in Brazil's Amplus
India-based iron ore producer, the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), has agreed to acquire majority interest in Brazilian iron ore firm...
Hana Mining finds copper-silver mineralisation at Botswana project
Canadian exploration company Hana Mining has encountered high-grade copper-silver mineralisation at its Ghanzi sediment in Botswana....
Lake Shore Gold, Franco-Nevada close equity investment transaction
Canada's Lake Shore Gold Corp has closed its previously-announced royalty and equity investment agreements with Franco-Nevada...
Silver Lake cancels merger agreement with Phillips River Mining
Western Australia's Silver Lake Resources has cancelled a merger implementation agreement with Phillips River...
Deals this week: KGHM Polska, Molycorp, MMEX Mining and more…
KGHM Polska Miedz completed the purchase of Canada’s Quadra FNX Mining for...
TNG signs farm in deal with Rio Tinto Exploration
TNG has agreed in-principle terms for a farm-in and joint venture agreement with Rio Tinto Exploration to explore its 100% owned Melville Island licence in Australia’s Northern Territory....
Xstrata to acquire Canadian coal deposit from Talisman Energy
Xstrata Coal has agreed to acquire the Sukunka hard coking coal deposit in Canada from Talisman Energy for total consideration of $500m in cash....
Extorre Gold signs private placement financing deal
Canada's Extorre Gold Mines has signed an agreement to sell common shares to an underwriter for C$25m...
Armistice Resources signs ore processing contract with SMC
Armistice Resources Corp has signed a custom milling contract with SMC (Canada) to process ore from the McGarry gold mine located in Ontario's Kirkland Lake area....
Rio Tinto to invest $2bn in Indian iron ore project
Australia's mining giant Rio Tinto plans to invest $2bn to set up an iron ore mining project in the Indian state of Orissa....
Goldman Sachs to fund the restart of Rio Tinto's Spanish copper mine
EMED Mining has formally mandated Goldman Sachs International on an exclusive basis to provide $175m in financing to restart the Rio Tinto copper mine in Spain....
Northern Star to fast track Ashburton project in Australia
Northern Star Resources (NSR) has confirmed plans to establish a 100,000ozpa standalone operation at its Ashburton sulphide gold project in Western Australia following favourable metallurgy...
Gold One to acquire Ezulwini mine from First Uranium
Gold One has entered into a binding letter agreement with First Uranium Corp to acquire 100% of Ezulwini Mining for a total consideration of $70m....
Leighton secures Rio Tinto expansion works in Western Australia
Leighton Contractors has entered into a five year framework agreement with UK-based Rio Tinto to deliver a stream of projects as part of its A$18bn ($19bn) expansion programme in the...
Cadillac Mining to begin core drilling at Goldstrike project
Cadillac Mining Corporation has unveiled plans to commence a 5,000m core drilling programme from next month at its Goldstrike project in southwestern Utah,...
Deal this week: Aquila Resources, Chengtun Mining, Alliance Coal and more…
Aquila Resources is in advanced talks to sell its Washpool coking coal asset to Indian state consortium International Coal Ventures...
Peabody extends Leighton's Moorvale mine contract
Leighton Holdings subsidiary Leighton Contractors has secured a contract extension worth A$125m ($134.5m) for the provision of mining services at the Moorvale Mine in Australia’s...
Extract Resources agrees to $2.4bn Chinese takeover offer
Extract Resources independent directors have agreed to a A$2.2bn ($2.4bn) takeover offer from China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corporation...
Alkane Resources to raise funds for gold project in New South Wales
Australia-based Alkane Resources will raise $107m in new capital for the Tomingley Gold Project (TGP) and the Dubbo Zirconia Project, estimated to cost...
Universal Bioenergy closes acquisition of Whitesburg Coal Mine stake
Universal Bioenergy has completed the acquisition of a 40% stake in the Whitesburg Friday Branch Mine, a producer and provider of thermal steam coal in eastern Kentucky, the...
February 2012
Top
IMX Resources submits environmental study for Ntaka Hill project
IMX Resources has taken the first step to advance the Ntaka Hill nickel-copper project with the submission of an environmental scoping study (ESS) to the National Environment Management...
Predictive Discovery reveals gold mineralisation in Burkina Faso
Predictive Discovery has discovered a second gold lode at Dave East, which is open to the north and northeast in the Bonsiega project in Burkina Faso, West...
Birimian Gold begins drilling at Dankassa gold project in Mali
Birimian Gold has commenced a 4,000m aircore drilling programme at its Dankassa gold project in Mali, West...
Coalspur signs loan for Vista coal project in Canada
Coalspur Mines has signed an agreement with the Highland Park Group for a CAD$70m ($69.8m) loan facility to commence detailed engineering on its Vista coal project in Alberta,...
Kentor Gold intersects high grade gold at Murchison project in Australia
Kentor Gold has discovered high grade gold at the Murchison project in Western Australia, which is scheduled to commence production in June...
Archer Exploration completes drilling on Eyre Peninsula
Archer Exploration has completed a 15-hole RC drill programme to test the Sugarloaf, Campoona, Grid 2 and Council Pit graphite deposits located on Eyre Peninsula, South...
Callabonna awards contract for Arunta Mt Denison project
Callabonna Uranium has awarded Underdale drilling the contract for works at the Five Mile Creek...
Navaho Gold forms alliance with Genesis Gold
Navaho Gold has entered into an agreement with Genesis Gold Corporation to form an alliance to explore Carlin-style gold deposits in New Mexico,...
Deals this week: VHGI Coal, Mega Uranium and more…
VHGI Holdings subsidiary VHGI Coal has completed the acquisition of all of the stock of Lily...
Astra acquires Norwegian metal ore deposit
Astra Resources has acquired the Joma Minerals Project, a concentrated metal ore mine in Norway, for an undisclosed...
US Red Hills Deposit mineral resource estimate completed
Tosca Mining has announced that Mine Development Associates (MDA) has completed a NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate for the Red Hills Deposit, located in Presidio County, Texas, the...
Elemental Minerals to raise $1.7bn for Sintoukola project in Congo
Elemental Minerals (ELM) is hoping to raise around $1.7bn to boost its production capacity by...
Rio Tinto to develop technologies for underground tunnelling and mineral recovery
UK-based mining group Rio Tinto plans to develop and test new technologies in underground tunnelling and mineral recovery as part of its Mine of the Future programme....
QRS to acquire 100% stake in Chilean gold project
QRS Capital Corp has signed an option agreement to purchase a 100% stake in the Las Leddas project located in Chile’s Maricunga district....
Caledonia Corp to divest majority stake in Zimbabwean gold mine
Caledonia Mining Corporation has entered into a memorandum of understanding to divest 51% of its Blanket gold mine located in Zimbabwe to Indigenous Zimbabweans for...
Rio invests in world's first automated rail network in Australia
Global miner Rio Tinto has become the first mining company to explore the use of a long-distance heavy-haul rail network after announcing it will invest $518m to test the technology at its...
Global Geoscience, Osisko Mining ink deal for Nevada gold projects
Australian greenfield exploration firm Global Geoscience and North American gold production company Osisko Mining have entered into a binding agreement to explore the former's five gold projects...
Legend Mining, Posco sign MoU for Cameroon iron ore project
Legend Mining has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Posco to form a joint venture to develop the Ngovoyang iron ore project in Cameroon, West...
Deals this week: Anvil Mining, Joy Global and more….
Copper producer Anvil Mining has won approval from its stakeholders in Democratic Republic of Congo to be taken over by China-based Minmetals...
AuryxGold Namibia to revive Otjikoto gold mine
AuryxGold Namibia said it plans to revive the Otjikoto gold mine located in...
Padbury Mining JV completes diamond drilling programme in Australia
Padbury Mining, in partnership with its joint venture (JV) partner Aurium Resources, has announced the completion of its diamond core drilling programme at the Peak Hill Iron Project in...
Detour Gold completes share sale
Detour Gold Corporation has completed its previously announced bought deal public offering of common shares for total gross proceeds of C$277m...
Fortescue signs MoU for Australia's Iron Valley project
Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Iron Ore Holdings (IOH) for the Iron Valley project in Pilbara region, Western Australia....
Xstrata offers to sell 20% stake in Wandoan project in Australia
Mining giant Xstrata is offering to sell a 20% stake in its proposed $6.44bn Wandoan project in...
BHP Billiton approves $2.6bn investment for Escondida mine expansion
BHP Billiton has approved a total investment of $2.6bn for the expansion of facilities at the Escondida copper mine in...
Philippines plans to tighten mining rules
The Philippine government is planning to introduce new measures to tighten mining rules to cut tax breaks and review resource contracts under a new policy....
Thiess wins civil works contract from BMA
Leighton Holdings subsidiary Thiess has received a $180m contract from BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) for the development of the Caval Ridge Mine Project in Central Queensland, Australia....
Padbury Mining, Aurium Resources complete merger deal
Padbury Mining and Aurium Resources have signed a binding scheme implementation agreement (SIA), following the completion of merger...
Franco-Nevarda buys Lake Shore Gold royalty share
Franco-Nevada Corp has announced it will invest $50m to become a shareholder of Lake Shore Gold...
Deals this week: Hebei Veyong, Eurasian Minerals and more….
Hebei Veyong Bio-Chemical said it will fully acquire Xinneng Mining from controlling shareholder, Xinao Investment...
BHP Billiton miners plan week long strike
Over 4,000 mine workers at BHP Billiton’s coal mines in Queensland’s Bowen Basin plan to begin a seven day industrial strike starting on Monday....
Rio Tinto to spend $3.4bn on iron ore expansion in Australia
Rio Tinto will spend an additional $3.4bn to expand its iron ore operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region. ...
Glencore may pay double premium for Xstrata merger
Glencore International may need to double the premium it agreed to pay the owners of Xstrata, to complete the mining industry’s biggest takeover....
Thiess wins $1bn mining contract for South Australian project
Thiess, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings, has received a $1bn mining contract from OZ Minerals to extend mining operations at its Prominent Hill Copper and Gold Mine in...
Glencore-Xstrata deal opposed by shareholders
Two shareholders in Xstrata are planning to vote against a planned takeover by commodities trader...
Downer EDI wins mining services contract in Australia
Engineering firm Downer EDI Limited has received a contract to provide mining services for Karara Iron Ore Project in Western...
Rio Tinto report shows potential of automation in mining
A new research report commissioned by Rio Tinto has outlined the benefits and costs of autonomous technology in the mining...
Claude Resources completes acquisition of St. Eugene Mining
Canadian gold exploration and mining company Claude Resources has completed the acquisition of St. Eugene Mining Corporation....
Glencore to offer 8% premium for Xstrata merger deal
Commodities trader Glencore is set to pay a larger premium than expected to finalise its proposed $88bn merger with global miner...
Deals this week: BHP Billiton, Claude Resources and more….
BHP Billiton has completed its acquisition of the HWE Mining subsidiaries from Leighton...
Stanmore Coal submits lease applications for transport corridor
Stanmore Coal has submitted two new mining lease applications for a new coal transport corridor in Queensland, Australia....
BHP Billiton approves funding for iron ore port in Australia
BHP Billiton has approved spending of $917m in pre-commitment funding for expansion of its iron ore export harbour at Port Hedland in Western...
Glencore Xstrata deal could create mining super giant
Glencore, the world's biggest commodities trader, is in talks to buy Swiss mining giant Xstrata in a move that could create a mining group worth...
BHP Billiton divests stake in Richards Bay Minerals
BHP Billiton has exercised an option to sell its 37% interest in Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) to partner Rio Tinto for an undisclosed...
Vale uncertain about restart of nickel mines in Canada
Brazilian miner Vale said it has not yet decided upon a specific date to restart production at eight mines in Ontario, Canada, following temporary closure of mining...
Guildford Coal wins licence for South Gobi project
Guildford Coal has received a mining licence for the South Gobi project located in Mongolia and plans to begin first production by the first half of 2012....
Westmoreland coal completes Kemmerer mine acquisition
Westmoreland Coal Company has completed the acquisition of Chevron Mining’s Kemmerer coal mine located in Wyoming, US for a total consideration of...
January 2012
Top
L&L to acquire 51% stake in the Weishe coal mine
US-based L&L Energy has acquired a 51% stake in the Weishe coal mine located in China’s Guizhou province for a total consideration of...
Coalspur completes BFS on Vista coal project in Canada
Coalspur Mines has completed a bankable feasibility study (BFS) at its Vista Coal Project in Alberta,...
Gold Dynamics Corp forms alliance with Thomas Mining
Gold Dynamics Corp has formed an alliance with Thomas Mining Properties (TMP) to evaluate potential gold and precious metal projects in...
Sirius to raise funds for UK potash drilling project
Sirius Minerals will raise £50m through a share placing to speed up the drilling programme at a new potash mine between Whitby and Scarborough in the...
Liberty Silver begins drilling at US silver prospect
Liberty Silver Corp has begun its drilling programme on the Trinity Silver property located in Nevada, US....
Deals this week: Global Advanced Metals, Dalradian Resources, Bear Mining Corp and more….
Global Advanced Metals (GAM) has completed its $400m acquisition of the tantalum processing arm of Cabot Corp, which was first announced in August 2011....
GoldSands signs JV agreement with Mineros
GoldSands Development Company has signed a mineral rights option as well as a joint venture agreement with Colombia-based Mineros....
Kinder Morgan and Arch Coal to expand US coal terminal network
Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (KMP) said it will invest a total of $140m to expand its coal-handling facilities along the US Gulf...
Rio Tinto acquires majority stake in Ivanhoe Mines
Rio Tinto has acquired a majority stake in Ivanhoe Mines for a total consideration of C$302m...
Pan American Silver to acquire Minefinders Corp for C$1.5bn
Canada-based Pan American Silver Corp has agreed to acquire Minefinders Corporation for a total consideration of C$1.50bn (US$1.48bn)....
London Mining launch equity offering to develop Marampa mine
London Mining plans to raise $90m through an ordinary share offering to increase development and production at the Marampa iron ore project in Sierra Leone....
NBR signs JV for Canadian gold-platinum property
North Bay Resources (NBR) has formed a joint venture (JV) with Devlin's Bench Mining and P Wright Contracting (PWC) to jointly operate the Monte Cristo Property in British Columbia's Lillooet...
Peabody Energy to extend its Colorado coal mine
Peabody Energy is planning to extend its Twentymile Coal Mine in Colorado,...
Newmont Mining plans to expand gold mines in Canada
Gold producer Newmont Mining Corp is going to expand new gold mines located in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut, Canada....
FAM gets positive metallurgical results for Bolivian project
Ferrum Americas Mining has received positive results from preliminary magnetic separation metallurgical test work at its Cerro Rojo iron ore project in eastern...
Finning acquires Caterpillar distribution business unit
Finning International has reached an agreement with Caterpillar to acquire part of its distribution and support business functions for...
Deals this week: Rio Tinto, Ferrous Resources, Glencore and more…
Global miner Rio Tinto is free to take control of Ivanhoe Mines, after Ivanhoe recommended scrapping its shareholder rights plan....
Comstock Mining secures permit for US drilling programme
Comstock Mining has received a reclamation permit for an exploration drilling programme in the...
Visualization Sciences Group launches core analysis software
Visualization Sciences Group (VSG) has released version 7 of Avizo Fire, a 3D visualization and analysis software for digital rock physics and core...
Navaho Gold intersects gold assays at US mine
Navaho Gold has discovered elevated gold intercepts at the Rose mine project in Nevada,...
Afferro Mining to divest iron ore project in Liberia
Afferro Mining has received final approval from the TSX Venture Exchange to divest its stake in the Putu iron ore project, located in...
Franklin Mining, Bolser sign agreement for Bolivian mine project
Franklin Mining has finalised a six-month agreement with Bolser to provide civil and mechanical works for the Escala mine project located in Potosí,...
AXG Mining signs options agreement with Lara Exploration
AXG Mining has signed option agreements with Lara Exploration for the exploration of copper, gold and molybdenum porphyry projects in the Andahualyas Yauri mineral field located in south...
Capstone awards contract for feasibility study to AMEC
Capstone Mining's subsidiary has awarded a contract to AMEC for the preparation of a feasibility study for its Santo Domingo Iron Oxide-Copper-Gold project located in...
Rio Tinto completes Hathor Exploration acquisition
Rio Tinto, through an indirect wholly owned subsidiary, has acquired uranium mining company Hathor...
Fortescue Metals resumes mining at storm-hit Pilbara mines
Fortescue Metals Group has resumed operations at its cyclone-hit mines located in Pilbara, Australia, the company has...
Exxaro plans to acquire African Iron for $349m
South African mining firm Exxaro Resources has made an offer worth up to A$338m ($349m) to buy a controlling stake of African Iron, targeting the latter's Mayoko iron ore project in the Republic...
KPMC buys 20% stake in Inmet's Copper project
Korea Panama Mining Corp (KPMC) will buy a 20% equity interest in Cobre Panama copper project located in...
Deals this week: Teck Resources, Sinofert Holdings and more…
Canadian diversified mining company Teck Resources has agreed to acquire SilverBirch Energy Corp for about...
Karara Mining awards tailings management contract to Bis Industries
Karara Mining (KML) has awarded a 15-year contract to logistics group Bis Industries to provide a complete tailings management system for its iron ore project in Western Australia....
P&H Joy Mining to set up manufacturing unit in India
P&H Joy Mining Equipment is planning to set up a $25m manufacturing and servicing facility in West Bengal,...
Amarc Resources expands gold discovery area in Canada
Amarc Resources has confirmed that Newton bulk tonnage gold discovery in south-central British Columbia, Canada, is open to expansion in several...
NLC to invest $7.6bn in increasing mining production
India-based Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) said it will invest $7.6bn in ramping up its mining production capacity to 45Mtpa by 2017....
Gold One completes acquisition of Rand Uranium
Gold One International has completed the acquisition of Rand Uranium for $250m....
Goldcorp gains approval for $3.9bn El Morro project in Chile
Goldcorp's board of directors have approved the construction of the El Morro Project in northern...
US mines killed 21 coal miners in 2011, reports MSHA
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) have reported that 21 coal miners died in various mine accidents across the country last...
US to levy mining ban near Grand Canyon
The US Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is expected to finalise a 20-year ban on new mining claims made on public land surrounding the Grand...
Deals this week: Codelco, Eurasian Natural Resources, Xinergy and more...
Codelco has exercised an option to purchase a 49% equity interest in Anglo American's mining assets in south Chile for...
NMDC drops bid to acquire US coal mine
Indian state-controlled mineral producer NMDC has dropped its bid to acquire the Tacoa coal mine in the...
Adroit Resources and Forage Perfection sign diamond drilling contract for Canadian prospect
Adroit Resources has signed an agreement with Forage Perfection for a 4,000m diamond drill contract at Little Pigeon Lake section prospect in northern Ontario,...
Moly Mines enters strategic alliance with China Development Bank
Moly Mines has inked a preliminary deal with China Development Bank (CDB) for a strategic alliance to finance its new mining...
Zuari-Mitsubishi JV buys 30% stake in Fospac
MCA Phosphates, a Singapore-based joint venture (JV) between Zuari Industries and Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan, has acquired a 30% stake in Fosfatos del Pacifico (Fospac) of Peru for a...
Sino Prosper to acquire stake in Chinese gold mining firm
Sino Prosper State Gold Resources has signed an agreement with Guizhou Qianxi'nan Prefecture Longyu Mining to acquire a majority stake in the company....
Turkish mine accidents killed 79 miners in 2011, reports the MMO
According to a new mining report by the Chamber of Mining Engineers (MMO), 79 miners died, including two mining engineers, and 117 were injured in 86 mine accidents in Turkey over the last year....
Zhaojin Mining to acquire majority equity interest in Baicheng Xian Dishui
Zhaojin Mining Company has unveiled plans to acquire the majority equity stake in Baicheng Xian Dishui Copper Mine Development Company....
December 2011
Top
Perseus Mining increases resource estimate at Ghanaian gold mine
Perseus Mining have announced a 954,000oz increase in measured and indicated (M&I) mineral resources at its Edikan Gold Mine (EGM), located in Ghana....
Leighton Contractors wins contract extension at Australian coal mine
Leighton Contractors has been awarded a one-year contract extension for providing mining services at the Dawson Mine in Central Queensland,...
Anglo American commissions iron ore mine in South Africa
Anglo American has commissioned its new 9Mtpa Kolomela iron ore mine in South Africa's Northern Cape and the mine has shipped its first product of 100,000t of iron ore lump from the port...
Kangaroo moves towards direct ownership of Pakar coal project in Indonesia
Kangaroo Resources has executed a deeds of transfer agreement with PT Bayan Resources, granting it direct ownership of five key concessions and one asset-holding company at Pakar Thermal...
Peabody Energy completes acquisition of Macarthur Coal
Coal miner Peabody Energy has completed the acquisition of Macarthur Coal for a total value of...
Nalco to acquire 25% stake in MEC Coal
Aluminium producer National Aluminium Company (Nalco) has said that it plans to acquire around a 25% equity stake in MEC Coal by March...
Yanzhou, Gloucester Coal in merger deal
China-based Yanzhou Coal Mining is in talks with Australian miner Gloucester Coal for a proposed merger deal to create an A$8bn ($7.9bn) coal mining...
Eldorado Gold to acquire European Goldfields for $2.4bn
Eldorado Gold Corp has agreed to buy European Goldfields for about C$2.5bn...
Xstrata Copper completes base metal mine expansion in Canada
Xstrata Copper has completed the expansion of Kidd Mine in Northern Ontario, Canada, at an estimated cost of C$120m...
Glencore buys 80% stake in Rosh Pinah Zinc
Glencore International has acquired an 80.08% stake in Rosh Pinah Zinc Corporation, a zinc and lead miner in Namibia, for an undisclosed...
Deals this week: Caterpillar, Shandong Gold, Hecla Mining and more...
US-based heavy machinery maker Caterpillar will sell part of its Bucyrus distribution business for about $360m to the industrial division of Malaysia's Sime...
Peabody Energy increases production at Australian coal mines
Peabody Energy is increasing seaborne coal volumes at its Wilpinjong and Millennium mines in Australia, following expansion of the...
Bridon’s new UK rope manufacturing unit to open next year
UK-based Bridon International’s new manufacturing unit, which will produce multi-strand ropes for the mining industry, is expected to be operational by the end of 2012....
Rio Tinto wins arbitration ruling against Ivanhoe Mines
Rio Tinto has won an arbitration ruling against Ivanhoe Mines, which took a poison pill defence to prevent an unwanted...
BHP to divest stake in South African coal mine
Global mining company BHP Billiton said it will sell an 8% stake in its South African coal unit to a consortium led by the Pembani Group for an undisclosed...
Mining Technology launches major mining survey
To understand what our readers view as the most important business issues for 2012–2013, mining-technology.com is launching a major industry survey covering all its readers...
Kalgoorlie Mining ramps up production at Australian gold mine
Kalgoorlie Mining Company has ramped up production at the Bullant Gold Mine located northwest of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, as it moves into the next phase of...
Coal India to complete GPS system installations this month
State-controlled Coal India has announced that it will complete the installation of GPS-based movement tracking systems at 11 Indian mines later this month....
Affero Mining to divest stake in Liberian iron ore project
Affero Mining has unveiled plans to divest its 38.5% stake in the Putu iron ore project located in Liberia to Lybica Holdings for...
FDG Mining begins drilling at Nicaraguan concession
Canadian based FDG Mining has begun the first phase of the drilling programme on its Topacio concession located in east central...
Whitehaven Coal to acquire Aston and Boardwalk for $2.77bn
Whitehaven Coal has agreed to buy Aston Resources and Boardwalk Resources in a deal valued at...
Deals this week: Vedanta Resources, Kalahari Minerals, Zhong Zhu Holding and more
Diversified mining company Vedanta Resources has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Cairn India for a total value of...
Peabody Energy acquires equity stake in Winsway Coking
Peabody Energy has acquired a 5.1% stake in China-based Winsway Coking Coal for an undisclosed...
Vedanta to complete $11.67bn smelting expansion project in 2012
Vedanta Resources subsidiary Vedanta Aluminum has unveiled plans to complete its smelting capacity expansion project by...
Glencore completes Umcebo stake sale
Glencore International has completed the acquisition of a 43.66% equity interest in South Africa-based coal mining business Umcebo...
REM shortage to 'seriously' affect manufacturing industry
The shortage of minerals and metals is expected to affect seven core manufacturing industries and disrupt the entire supply chain, according to a new research report by PwC....
Ormonde Mining JV begins expansion work at Zamora gold project
Ormonde Mining and its joint venture (JV) partner Aurum Mining have commenced its expanded drilling programme at its Zamora gold project in western Spain. ...
KGHM Polska Miedz to buy Quadra FNX Mining for $2.84bn
Polish copper miner KGHM Polska Miedz will acquire Canada's Quadra FNX Mining for about...
Hiap Teck subsidiary wins iron ore mining concession in Malaysia
Hiap Teck Ventures (HTV) subsidiary Eastern Steel has unveiled a 600ha mining concession for iron ore in the Bukit Besi area of Terengganu, Malaysia....
Universal Bioenergy signs deal for coal mine acquisition
Universal Bioenergy has signed an agreement to acquire the Whitesburg Friday Branch Mine for an undisclosed...
Kinross Gold reaches agreement with Ecuador Government
Canada-based Kinross Gold Corporation has reached a non-binding agreement with the Government of Ecuador for the Fruta del Norte (FDN) deposit located in Zamora Chinchipe...
Xanadu Mines reports initial maiden coal estimate at Mongolian prospect
Xanadu Mines has reported an initial indicated and inferred resource of 170Mt of coal at its Galshar Coal project in Dornogovi province of eastern...
Padbury Mining JV begins drilling at Australian prospect
Padbury Mining and joint venture (JV) partner Aurium Resources has commenced drilling at Peak Hill Iron Project’s Mt Padbury prospect in Western...
Ruby Creek completes mining asset acquisition in Tanzania
Gold exploration and mining company Ruby Creek Resources has completed the acquisition of Gold Standard Tanzania’s assets, which are located adjacent to its Gold Plateau project....
London Mining begins production at Sierra Leone mine
London Mining has started production of iron ore from its Marampa operation in Sierra...
Evolution Mining wins mining lease for Mt Carlton project in Australia
Evolution Mining has received a 25-year mining lease for its Mt Carlton gold-silver-copper project in...
Marcventures Holdings subsidiary signs nickel ore sales contract
Philippines-based Marcventures Holdings' subsidiary Marcventures Mining and Development Corp has signed an agreement to sell nickel laterite ore to Dunfeng...
Whitehaven and Aston plan merger
Australia-based coal mining companies Whitehaven Coal and Aston Resources are currently negotiating a planned corporate...
Rio Tinto wins bid to acquire Hathor Exploration
Rio Tinto has won a 70.21% stake in uranium exploration company Hathor Exploration, based in Vancouver, Canada, for a total sum of $A627m...
TNG secures copper exploration licence in Northern Territory
Australian firm TNG has secured a new exploration licence in the Northern Territory, expanding its copper exploration...
Atacama Minerals to raise funds in private placement
Atacama Minerals Corp has signed an agreement with a syndicate of underwriters led by Cormark Securities to raise $50m in private placement...
Xanadu Mines wins mining licence for Mongolian coal project
Xanadu Mines has secured a mining licence for the Khar Tarvaga Coal Project in the Tov Province, Eastern...
Deals this week: BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Glencore and more
BHP Billiton plans to sell all or part of its diamond assets, which include the Ekati mine in Northern...
Liberty Mines to renovate TSF at Canadian project
The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources has approved a proposal from Liberty Mines to renovate its Redstone Mill tailing storage facility (TSF) in Ontario,...
Extract Resources' subsidiary bags mining licence for Namibian project
Extract Resources' subsidiary Swakop Uranium has received a mining licence for the Husab uranium project from Ministry of Mines and Energy of...
Putra Perkasa bags mining contract for Indonesian coal project
Kangaroo Resources' subsidiary PT Mamahak Coal Mining has signed a five-year mining contract with PT Putra Perkasa Abadi for the Mamahak project in...
Pan African starts platinum production at South African project
Pan African has produced first platinum group metal (PGM) concentrate from its chrome tailings retreatment plant (CTRP) at the Phoenix platinum project in South Africa, two months ahead of...
Highland Gold receives construction permit for processing plant
Highland Gold has received approval for the construction of a stand-alone gold processing plant at the Belaya Gora project from the Russian...
Vale to invest $21.4bn for 2012 operations
Vale's board of directors has approved a $21.4bn investment budget for its operations in...
K+S to invest $3.1bn for Canadian potash project
German firm K+S Aktiengesellschaft has approved capital expenditure of C$3.25bn ($3.1bn) for the Legacy potash project in the Saskatchewan province of...
November 2011
Top
Amarillo Gold completes PFS for Brazilian gold deposit
Amarillo Gold has completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on its Posse gold deposit in the Mara Rosa gold project in Goias,...
Ma'aden to receive $1bn financing for Saudi Arabian aluminium project
Ma'aden subsidiary Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina, has signed a financing agreement worth $1bn with the Public Investment Fund (PIF), for the second phase of its aluminium project in Saudi...
Canadian, Indian firms to develop iron ore deposits in Afghanistan
The Government of Afghanistan has awarded mining rights to Canadian and Indian firms for the development of blocks of the Hajigak iron ore concession in central...
Chinese province to invest $2.81bn for mineral exploration
The government of the Qinghai province in northwest China is planning to invest about CNY18bn ($2.81bn) to explore its mineral resources over the next five...
MMK to acquire Flinders Mines
Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works (MMK) will acquire 100% shares of Flinders Mines for a total value of A$554m...
Nautilus Minerals increases resources at PNG project
Nautilus Minerals has increased its resource estimate at its Solwara 1 project located in the Bismarck Sea of Papua New Guinea (PNG), through completion of an exploration drilling...
CRTX to start operations in China
Chinalco Rio Tinto Exploration (CRTX) has received approval from the Industrial and Commercial Administration of China to explore mineral deposits in the...
Madhucon bags EPC contract for Indian project
Bharat Coking Coal has awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract worth INR4.22bn ($79m) to Madhucon Projects for an Indian coal...
Dundee Precious Metals receives EIA approval for Bulgarian project
Dundee Precious Metals has received environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval from the Bulgarian minister of environment and waters for the Krumovgrad gold project in...
SANY to supply mining equipment to DTEK
Ukraine-based DTEK has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Chinese firm SANY Heavy Equipment to supply mining equipment and coal extraction technologies to...
WDR and Xstrata Zinc sign MoU for iron ore export option
Western Desert Resources (WDR) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Xstrata Zinc to investigate the feasibility of gaining access to Xstrata Zinc's McArthur River mine...
Anglo American delivers first copper production from Chilean project
Anglo American has delivered the first copper production from its Los Bronces expansion project in central...
Deals This Week: MMK, Mitsubishi, PTBA and more...
Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) has made an offer to acquire all the shares of Australian firm Flinders Mines for A$554m...
Goldplat receives mining lease for Kenya project
UK-based Goldplat has received a 21-year mining lease for its Kilimpesa gold mine from the Kenyan Minister for Environment and Mineral...
TNG completes PFS on Mount Peake project
Australian firm TNG has completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on its Mount Peake iron-vanadium-titanium project in Northern Territory,...
Canwealth, ICBS and Bayport form new mining venture in the US
Canwealth Minerals, ICBS and Bayport Corporation have formed a mining joint venture named Goldshore Mining to drill for gold and rare earth elements in the US state of...
Lonrho recovers 53.25 carat diamond at Angola project
Lonrho Mining has recovered a 53.25 carat diamond from its Lulo project located about 150km west of the Catoca diamond mine in...
Vale to invest $6bn for Mozambique coal mine expansion
Vale's board has approved the expansion of the Moatize coal project in Mozambique, with an investment of...
Hastings completes scoping study of Australian rare earth project
Hastings Rare Metals has completed scoping study on its Hastings Heavy Rare Earth project located in the Kimberley region of western...
Siburan Resources enters JV to acquire PNG mining assets
Australian gold and uranium exploration company Siburan Resources (SBU) has entered into a joint venture (JV) agreement with RH Resources to acquire mineral exploration and mining tenements...
Silver Falcon Mining seeks bids for drilling at Sinker Tunnel
Silver Falcon Mining is seeking bids for its planned underground exploration drilling programme, which will begin early next year at its Sinker Tunnel in Idaho,...
ABB secures mine hoist order from Xstrata Zinc
Power and automation technology group ABB has secured a $24m contract from Xstrata Zinc to design, supply and commission ore hoisting equipment for its George Fisher Mine (GFM) located...
Royal Energy secures US consent for rare earth property
Royal Energy Resources has secured consent from the state board of Wyoming for an all-out lease of 2,100 acres of the Crook County Rare Earth property....
ICVL plans JVs for US mining companies
International Coal Ventures (ICVL) has discussed forming alliances with small and medium-sized mining companies to explore the mineral-rich region of Virgina in the US....
China signs contract to explore the Indian Ocean
The China Ocean Mineral Resources Research Development Association has signed a 15-year contract with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to conduct exploration activities in the Indian...
Outotec bags contract for Chinese copper plant
Guangxi Jinchuan Non-Ferrous Metals has received a contract from Outotec to design and deliver a copper production plant to be built in the Fangchenggang port area near Bei Hai in southern...
Guyana Goldfields receives mining licence for Guyana gold project
Canadian firm Guyana Goldfields has signed a mineral agreement with the Government of Guyana and has received a mining licence for its Aurora gold...
AuRico starts pre-production work at Canadian mine
AuRico Gold has started pre-production development work at the Young-Davidson open pit mine in Ontario,...
India and British Columbia sign MoU for mining cooperation
The Indian Ministry of Mines has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Energy & Mines of British Columbia Province for the promotion of mining and geoscience...
SKM selects Intergraph's enterprise solutions for mining projects
Engineering and project delivery firm Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) has selected Intergraph's SmartPlant Enterprise solutions to provide integrated engineering and project delivery capability...
MACA's subsidiary secures mining contract for Australian project
MACA's subsidiary Mining & Civil Australia has received a 21-month mining services contract from Kimberley Diamonds for the Ellendale project in Western...
Rio Tinto to close aluminium smelter in north-east England
Rio Tinto's subsidiary Rio Tinto Alcan is planning to close its Alcan Lynemouth aluminium smelter in Northumberland,...
Firestone selects AmmLeach process for Guatemala project
Firestone Ventures has selected Alexander Mining's AmmLeach processing method for its Torlon Hill project in...
Deals this week: NMDC, Rio Tinto, ENK and more...
Indian firm NMDC is planning to acquire mines in Brazil and the US by using its cash reserves of Rs190bn...
Shandong Gold eyes Jaguar Mining for $1bn
Shandong Gold Group has made an offer to acquire Brazilian firm Jaguar Mining for $1bn by paying $9.30 per share in...
BHP approves investment to develop Australian mine
BHP Billiton's board has approved an $822m investment for the development of the Orebody 24 mine, located about 10km north-east of Newman, Western...
General Moly completes PFS on Liberty project
General Moly has completed an updated pre-feasibility study (PFS) on its Liberty project located in Nevada,...
SML completes drilling at Australian magnetite prospect
Strategic Minerals (SML) has completed 3,588m of reverse circulation and 864m of diamond drilling at the Iron Glen magnetite prospect in Queensland,...
Burnstone receives drilling permit for US copper-moly project
Burnstone Ventures has received the necessary permits to conduct a drilling programme on the Tomichi copper-moly project in south-central Colorado,...
Dumas and Monnis form strategic alliance in Mongolia
Canadian firm Dumas Contracting and Mongolia-based Monnis International have entered into a strategic alliance to carry out mining contracts in...
Gold Corp to begin construction of $1.4bn Canadian gold project
Gold Corp has received a certificate of authorisation from the Quebec Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks for the construction of the $1.4bn Éléonore gold project in...
Orion Metals identifies rare earth targets at Australian project
Orion Metals has received the preliminary results of the aeromagnetic-radiometric survey conducted on the Killi Killi rare earth project in the Northern Territory,...
Gowest Gold completes PEA on Canadian project
Gowest Gold has completed the preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on its Frankfield East Gold deposit located in the North Timmins gold project in...
Riedel Resources receives exploration licence in Western Australia
Riedel Resources has received the Charteris Creek exploration licence 45/2763 located in the Pilbara region of Western...
Caterpillar to expand operations in Indonesia and the US
Caterpillar is planning to build a new mining truck facility in Indonesia and invest $640m in the expansion of its facilities in the...
Noble Minerals receives environmental permit for Ghana project
Noble Mineral Resources has received an environmental permit from the Ghana Environmental Protection Agency for the Bibiani gold mine in western...
IVRCL secures contract for copper project in India
IVRCL Consortium has received a Rs11.76bn ($235m) contract from Hindustan Copper for the development of an underground mine at Malanjkhand copper project in Madhya Pradesh,...
JSPL to develop Bolivian Iron ore mines
Jindal Steel & Power (JSPL) plans to invest $600m in the development of the El Mutun iron ore mines in Bolivia over the next six...
Denham Capital and Pangea form new African mining firm
US-based private equity firm Denham Capital has committed $200m to start a new African mining venture in partnership with South Africa's Pangea...
Gustavson to conduct scoping study at US rare earth project
Texas Rare Earth Resources has contracted Gustavson Associates to conduct a scoping study at the Round Top rare earth project in Texas,...
Mitsubishi acquires stake in AAS for $5.39bn
Mitsubishi has completed the acquisition of Anglo American's 24.5% interest in Anglo American Sur (AAS) for...
Caterpillar to acquire mining machinery firm in Hong Kong
Caterpillar has made a preconditional offer to acquire all issued shares of ERA Mining Machinery of Hong Kong for an estimated value of HK$6.8bn...
Vanadio secures loan facility for Brazilian project
Largo Resources' subsidiary Vanadio de Maracas has received a loan facility of $150m for the development of its Maracas vanadium project in...
Great Western, TKS to develop Tanzanian copper project
Great Western Exploration has entered into a head of agreement with Kazakhstan's national mining firm Tau-ken Samruk (TKS), to develop the Spasskaya copper...
Deals This Week : Glencore, Dragon Mountain Gold, Zijin Mining and More...
Glencore has signed a deal to acquire Mercuria's 15% stake in South African firm Optimum Coal Holdings in its drive to acquire the whole company, worth around...
M3 Engineering bags EPCM contract for US copper project
M3 Engineering has received a engineering procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract from Curis Resources for the first phase of a production test facility (PTF) at its Florence...
Alcoa approves second phase of Canadian aluminium project
The Quebec Government and aluminium producer Alcoa have approved the next phase of the five-year, $2.1bn investment plan for the overhaul of the Baie-Comeau, Deschambault and Becancour smelters...
Stanmore Coal completes PFS on Australian project
Stanmore Coal has completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on its Range project located in Surat Basin in Queensland,...
Outotec to provide process solution to Chilean project
Quadra FNX Mining has awarded a €26m contract to Outotec for the design and delivery of a process solution for the new copper-molybdenum concentrator at the Gorda project in Sierra Gorda,...
Hambledon Mining commences mining at Kazakhstan project
Hambledon Mining has commenced underground mining operations at the Sekisovskoye gold project in eastern Kazakhstan, one month ahead of schedule....
Kazakhstan to start gold refinery construction in 2012
Kazakhstan is planning to start construction of the third gold refinery in 2012, in order to process the precious metals in the...
Scotia bags EPCM contract for US vanadium project
Scotia International has received an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract from American Vanadium for its Gibellini vanadium project in Nevada,...
Origo and Trafigura form JV for Mongolian operations
Origo Partners and Trafigura Beheer have formed a joint venture (JV) to invest in coal and iron ore operations in...
Padbury and Aurium receive drilling approval for Australian prospect
Padbury Mining and joint venture partner Aurium Resources have received approval for drilling of iron mineralisation targets at the Peak Hill iron project"s Mt Padbury prospect in Western...
Sandfire to supply direct shipping ore to MRI Trading
Sandfire Resources has entered into a sales contract with MRI Trading to purchase 50% of direct shipping ore from the DeGrussa copper-gold project in Western...
Hitachi to set up mining equipment plant in Japan
Hitachi Construction Machinery is planning to build a mining equipment factory in...
Gujarat NRE receives approval for Wongawilli mine expansion
Gujarat NRE has received approval from the New South Wales Planning Assessment Commission for its $62m upgrade and expansion plans at the NRE Wongawilli mine west of Dapto....
Anglo American to acquire stake in DB Investments and De Beers
Anglo American has entered into an agreement with CHL and Centhold International to acquire its 40% interest in DB Investments and De Beers for a total value of...
RCR secures EPC contract for Solomon iron ore project
RCR Tomlinson has received an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from Fortescue Metals Group for the Solomon iron ore project in Western...
Katanga SPRL secures mining services contract for DRC project
Katanga SPRL has received a mining services contract for the development of the pit cut-back at the Dikulushi copper-silver project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
Aurcana receives all permits for Shafter silver mine
Aurcana has received the final water discharge permit for its Shafter Silver mine in Texas, US, allowing the mine to increase operations from 900t a day to 1,500t a...
Chalice Gold and Eritrean Government sign mining agreement
Chalice Gold Mines' joint venture firm Zara Mining Share (ZSMC) has signed a mining agreement with the Government of Eritrea for the financing and development of the Koka gold mine at the...
Deals this week: Anglo American, Bakrie & Brothers, Marubeni and more...
Anglo American has entered into an agreement with CHL and Centhold International (CIL) to acquire their 40% interest in DB Investments and De Beers for a total cash consideration of...
Chinese consortium to build zinc smelters in Bolivia
Chinese consortium Henan Yuguang International Economic & Technical Cooperation will construct two zinc smelters in the regions of Oruro and Potosi in Bolivia....
Rio Tinto to purchase mining trucks from Komatsu
Rio Tinto has signed a deal with Japanese firm Komatsu to purchase a 150-strong fleet of driverless trucks over the next four...
Norilsk Nickel to expand exploration activities
Russian firm Norilsk Nickel is planning to invest $300m in its exploration activities around the...
FCX approves second phase expansion of DRC project
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold's (FCX) board has approved the second phase of expansion at the Tenke Fungurmue project in the Democratic Republic of Congo...
BHP to develop and expand Australian coal mines
BHP Billiton's board has approved the development of the Caval Ridge mine project and the expansion of the Peak Downs mine located in the Bowen Basin of Queensland,...
CEPT JV secures EPC contract in Australia
The Cloudbreak Enhancement Project Team (CEPT) joint venture (JV), comprising AMEC and KAGC, has received a £160m engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the ore handling...
Borneo Lumbung to acquire stake in Bumi for $1bn
Indonesian firm Bakrie & Brothers is planning to sell a 23.8% stake in coal producer Bumi to Borneo Lumbung Energi for...
Western Potash completes PFS on Canadian project
Western Potash has completed a prefeasibility study (PFS) on the Milestone project in southern Saskatchewan, Canada....
Aveng Moolmans bags mining contract for South African mine
African firm Aveng Moolmans has been awarded an open pit mining contract worth R1.35bn ($167m) for the Tshipi Borwa manganese mine project in South Africa....
Bid Co to acquire Grand Cache Coal
Japanese firm Marubeni and China's Winsway Coking Coal's joint venture Alberta Corporation (Bid Co) has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all the shares of Canadian firm Grande...
Sudan signs contracts for gold exploration
The Government of Sudan has signed contracts with 50 firms to explore for gold in the...
Anglo American to invest $15bn for Australian coal operations
Anglo American is planning to expand its coal operations in Australia over the next eight years with an investment of up to...
Nantou Mining receives exploration permits renewal in Burkina Faso
Blackthorn Resources subsidiary Nantou Mining has received a three year renewal for its Seboun and Sepaogo exploration permits in Burkina...
Solid Energy to develop Reddale mine
New Zealand-based Solid Energy is developing the Reddale opencast mine near Reefton, to start coal supply to West Coast and upper South Island customers in early...
Codelco to acquire stake in Anglo American Sur for $9.76bn
Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco)'s board has agreed to exercise its right to acquire up to 49% of Anglo American Sur in January 2012 for about...
October 2011
Top
Chinese coal mine explosion kills 29 miners
A gas explosion at Xialiuchong coal mine in China has killed 29...
TRE JV to develop Buckreef project in Tanzania
Tanzanian Royalty Exploration (TRE) has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with the Tanzanian federal government to develop the Buckreef gold mine...
Energy Fuels receives EPA approval for uranium mill
Energy Fuels has received approval from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to construct tailings impoundment and evaporation pond facilities for the Piñon Ridge uranium and vanadium...
Foster Wheeler and GE Energy to provide mining solutions to South America
Foster Wheeler Chile and GE Energy have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to provide mining solutions to the South American mining...
Mechel launches ferronickel production complex in Russia
Mechel’s subsidiary Southern Urals Nickel Plant has started construction of an experimental industrial complex in Orsk, Russia, to produce ferronickel through electric smelting....
EDB to provide funds for Kazakhstan project
The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) has allocated $150m to fund Altynalmas Gold’s gold production project in the Akbakai ore field, Zhambyl Oblast,...
Deals this week: JSW Steel, Bumi Resources, Riverstone and more...
Indian firm JSW Steel is planning to acquire Australian coal miner New Hope, which has been valued at A$5bn...
AMAK to commence Saudi mine operations next month
Saudi Arabian firm Al Masane Al Kobra Mining (AMAK) is expected to commence operations at its new mine next month, following completion of the construction...
Largo Resources receives installation licence for Brazilian project
Largo Resources' subsidiary Vanadio de Maracas has received a final installation licence to begin construction at the Maracas project in...
UK and South African firms to inject $1bn into Nigerian mining activities
UK-based Savannah Mining, South African firms Equator Minis and VML Resources will invest $1bn to improve mining production in...
AGC bags contract for Australian iron ore mine
AusGroup's subsidiary AGC Industries has received a contract to build a low-grade pilot plant at Rio Tinto's Brockman 4 iron ore mine in the Pilbara region, Western...
Colt Resources receives mining licence for Portugal project
Canada-based Colt Resources has received a mining licenxe from the Portuguese Secretary of State for Energy and Mining for its Boa Fé gold...
Ur-Energy receives mining permit for US project
Ur-Energy has received a mining permit from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality for an in-situ recovery uranium project at Lost Creek, Sweetwater County, Wyoming in the...
Royal Boskalis secures bauxite mining contract in Suriname
Netherlands-based Royal Boskalis Westminster has received a €125m contract from Suralco for bauxite mining in Lelydorp near Paramaribo in the Republic of Suriname....
Faisal Resources secures debt facility for Australian project
Fair Star Resources has secured conditional approval for an A$300m (US$310m) debt facility to speed up the development of the Steeple Hill iron project in Western...
Nimrodel Resources commences scoping study on Botswana project
Australian firm Nimrodel Resources has selected Nightingale Africa Partnership to conduct a scoping study at the Taklamakan project in...
Macmahon bags contract from Glencore
Macmahon Mining Services has received a contract from Glencore International for a hoisting shaft extension and upgrade at the CSA copper mine in Cobar,...
Indo Mines to start construction of iron ore project in Indonesia
Australian firm Indo Mines is planning to start construction of its $1bn iron ore project, located in Java, an island of Indonesia, in December...
Astra Resources to develop Nigerian thermal coal license
Astra Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a joint venture development of a thermal coal exploration license in...
Molycorp provides investment for rare earth processing facility
Rare earth oxides producer Molycorp will invest an additional $114m for the rare earth processing facility, which is under construction at Mountain Pass in California,...
Eco Ventures and Broken Hills sign exploitation agreement
Eco Ventures Group (EVGI) has signed a mineral exploitation agreement with Broken Hills to recover the precious metals from mine claims in Nevada, US....
ERAMET and Variscan sign MoU for development of European projects
PlatSearch's subsidiary Variscan Mines has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with ERAMET to assist in the development and construction of new projects in Europe....
Rio Tinto to acquire Hathor Exploration
Rio Tinto, through its Canadian subsidiary, has made an all-cash offer to acquire all the common shares of Hathor Exploration for C$578m...
Codelco to invest $875m for Chuquicamata mine in Chile
Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco) will invest $875m in initial works to transform Chuquicamata open-pit mine into an underground...
Coal of Africa to resume operations at Vele Colliery
The South African Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs has lifted suspension of the integrated water use licence for Coal of Africa's Vele Colliery in the Limpopo...
Mansfield Minerals receives environmental permit for Argentinian mine
Mansfield Minerals has received an environmental permit from the Salta Provincial Government for the development of the Lindero open pit, heap leach gold mine in Salta Province,...
Rio Tinto to provide $1.3bn fund for Guinean iron ore project
Rio Tinto will provide an additional $1.3bn for the development of the Simandou iron ore project in...
Deals this week: Gunvor Group, New Gold, Karaga and more...
Gunvor Group's subsidiary Pinesdale has acquired one third interest in Signal Peak coal mine, which is jointly owned by FirstEnergy and Boich Companies subsidiaries, for...
Gujarat NRE recives approval for Australian mine upgrade
Gujarat NRE has received approval from the New South Wales (NSW) Planning Assessment Commission (PAC) to upgrade its existing infrastructure at the NRE No.1 mine at Russell Vale in NSW,...
Sandvik and Shandong Energy form coal mining equipment JV
Swedish firm Sandvik has completed the establishment of a coal mining equipment joint venture (JV) with Chinese firm Shandong Energy...
CiDRA bags contract for Anglo America's Chilean mine
Anglo American has awarded CiDRA Minerals Processing a contract to supply SONARtrac process monitoring systems to its Los Bronces development project in...
North Bay to form JV to develop Canadian platinum project
North Bay Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Devlin's Bench Mining and P. Wright Contracting (PWC) to enter into a joint venture (JV) in order to develop the Fraser...
Zimplats to invest $1bn in Zimbabwe mine expansions
Zimbabwe platinum miner Zimplats will invest $1bn in the expansion of its mines throughout the...
IronClad Mining receives MLP approval for Australian project
IronClad Mining has received approval for a mining lease proposal (MLP) from the South Australian Government for its Wilcherry Hill iron ore...
Rio Tinto to sell its aluminium assets
Rio Tinto is planning to divest its 13 aluminium assets in different countries to allow Rio Tinto Alcan to concentrate on its strategy to grow the value of its tier one assets and improve...
Ma'aden concludes aluminium project second phase funding agreement
Alcoa and Ma'aden's subsidiary Ma'aden Bauxite and Alumina has signed financing agreements worth $991.5m with 13 local and international banks for the second phase of the Ma'aden Alcoa...
Trevali Mining and Xstrata sign toll milling agreement
Trevali Mining and Xstrata Canada's Xstrata Zinc Canada division have entered into agreements for toll milling and a metal concentrate purchase...
Macmahon and Operta JV secures Mongolian coal mine contract
Macmahon Holdings and German firm Operta's joint venture (JV) has won a contract for coal mining operations at the Tavan Tolgoi mine in...
PT Antam to refine PTAR's gold and silver bullion
G-Resources Group's Indonesian subsidiary PT Agincourt Resources (PTAR) has entered into an agreement with PT Antam to refine gold and silver...
Mitsui to invest in Australian coal mine extension
Japanese firm Mitsui & Co is planning to invest 9.6bn yen ($124m) in the Kestrel mine extension in Queensland, Australia, due to a recent increase in development...
BHP to provide $1.2bn for Olympic Dam project in Australia
BHP Billiton will provide $1.2bn to develop an open pit mine, as part of the first phase of the Olympic Dam project in South Australia....
Peabody and ArcelorMittal receive approval for Macarthur Coal acquisition
Peabody Energy and ArcelorMittal have received clearance from the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China (MOFCOM) to proceed with the acquisition of Macarthur Coal for...
Codelco to receive $6.75bn in debt finance from Mitsui
Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile (Codelco) has entered into an agreement with Mitsui & Company to receive debt finance of up to $6.75bn, which will be utilised for the acquisition of up...
Astra and CRCDS to develop iron sand deposits in Philippines
Astra Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Cagayan River Construction & Development (CRCDC) to form a joint venture...
Nyota Minerals discovers gold in Ethiopia
Nyota Minerals has made three new gold discoveries at the 3,200km2 Northern Blocks, located about 100km north of Tulu Kapi gold project in Western...
Astra Resources receives trading licence for Indian port
Astra Resources has received a trading licence to trade and transport self-mined and third party mined iron ore to Paradip Port in Orissa, India, where it can be...
Deals this week : ENRC, China Nickel, B2Gold and more...
Eurasia Natural Resources (ENRC) is planning to acquire two million common shares of Shubarkol Komir from Eurasian Industrial for an aggregate value of US$600m and assumed debt of about...
Thor Mining completes feasibility study on Australian project
Thor Mining has completed a definitive feasibility study (DFS) on the Molyhil tungsten and molybdenum project in the Northern Territory,...
ENRC to acquire stake in Kazakh coal mine
Eurasia Natural Resources (ENRC) is planning to acquire two million common shares of Shubarkol Komir from Eurasian Industrial (EIC) for an aggregate value of $600m and assumed debt of...
Lydian subsidiary receives exploration and mining licence in Georgia
Lydian International's subsidiary Georgian Resource Company has received an exploration and mining licence foran area of gold mineralisation in Guria province of western...
American Bonanza acquires mining fleet for US gold mine
American Bonanza Gold has acquired a mining fleet for the transition to owner-mining at its Copperstone gold mine in Arizona, US....
CDB to provide $1.43bn financing for Russian aluminium smelter
China Development Bank (CDB) has signed a deal with Russian state bank VEB to provide $1.43bn project financing for the first stage of UC RUSAL's Taishet aluminium...
Lonrho Mining recovers high-grade diamonds from Angola project
Lonrho Mining has recovered its highest-ever grade of diamonds, ranging up to 6.2 carats, after processing alluvial gravels from the BLK_06 bulk sample of the Lulo project in...
BHP receives EIS approval for Olympic Dam project
The Australian federal government has conditionally approved BHP Billiton's environmental impact statement for the proposed Olympic Dam project in the state of South Australia....
EDMS to merge with Hughes Drilling
Australian firm Everyday Mining Services (EDMS) has entered into a binding agreement to merge with Hughes...
Sudan and Saudi Arabia to start exploration in Red Sea
Sudan and Saudi Arabia are planning to produce large quantities of gold, silver and copper from the Red Sea within three...
Vale launches iron ore distribution centre in Malaysia
Vale has launched its iron ore distribution centre in Perak, Malaysia, and will invest $1.4bn for the first phase of the...
Selwyn Resources receives environmental approval for Canadian mine
Selwyn Resources has received an environmental permit to reopen the ScoZinc mine near Gays River in Canada from the Environmental Department of Nova...
Pisces Exim to expand operations in Asia
Pisces Exim India is planning to expand its operations in India and other Asian countries with an investment of Rs10bn ($199m) over the next two...
UBK Resources to develop Bolivian assets
UBK Resources has entered into a share exchange agreement with UBK Resources S.R.L. Bolivia to jointly explore and develop natural resources in Bolivia, including silver, manganese, zircon...
Delta SBD bags drivage development contract for Australian mine
Delta SBD has been awarded a drivage development contract by Whitehaven Coal for its Narrabri mine in New South Wales,...
Dia Brass starts mill operations at Mexican property
Dia Bras Exploration has started operations at its new Piedras Verdes mill at the Bolivar Property in Chihuahua,...
Comstock Mining receives drilling permit for US County prospect
Comstock Mining has received a special use permit from the Storey County Board of Commissioners to further develop its exploration drilling in the southern portion of Storey County in Nevada,...
AKR to expand operations in Indonesia
Indonesian firm AKR Corporindo is planning to invest $100m to expand its operations in the country and acquire a coal-mining plant in...
Deals this week: Sundance Resources, Xstrata Zinc, WPG and more...
International iron ore company Sundance Resources has accepted a $1.47bn takeover bid from Chinese firm Hanlong...
Carpathian Gold receives loan to develop Brazilian project
Carpathian Gold has received a project loan facility of $75m from the Macquarie Bank for the construction and development of Riacho dos Machados gold project in Brazil....
Industrea Mining secures contract from Rio Tinto
Industrea's subsidiary Industrea Mining Services has won a $100m contract from Rio Tinto to supply more equipment to Mt Thorley Warkworth in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales,...
Essal Mining wins contract for Indian coal mine
Essal Mining has received a contract to carry out mining operations at the Bhubaneswari open cast mine in India from Coal India's subsidiary Mahanadi Coalfields...
Philex Mining to invest $1bn in Philippines project
Philex Mining is planning to invest $1bn in the development of the Silangan project in Surigao del Norte, the...
Sundance Resources accepts $1.47bn offer from Hanlong
International iron ore company Sundance Resources' board has accepted a $1.47bn takeover bid from Chinese firm Hanlong...
URS to conduct environmental study on Twin Metals project
Twin Metals Minnesota has retained URS as the lead environmental consultant for the Twin Metals underground copper, nickel and platinum metals mine project in northern Minnesota,...
Santa Barbara Resources receives drilling permit for Peruvian project
Santa Barbara Resources has received a drilling permit for its Sancos project in the Ayacucho Region of...
European Goldfields secures loan for Greek projects
European Goldfields (EG) has entered into talks with Qatar Holdings for a $600m loan to develop its Skouries and Olympias gold projects in...
Shanduka to conduct feasibility review of Lonmin's Limpopo assets
Lonmin, Western Platinum (WPL), Messina and Messina Platinum Mines (MPML) have entered into a conditional share subscription agreement with Shanduka Group....
Bandanna Energy to start coal export terminal construction at Gladstone
Bandanna Energy is planning to start the construction of the first stage of the Wiggins Island coal export terminal (WICET) at Gladstone, Australia, following completion of its financing...
Indian Cabinet approves new mining bill
The Union Cabinet of India has approved a new mines and mineral development and regulation (MMDR) bill, which force mining companies to compensate people affected by mining...
EPA to clean up uranium mine in New Mexico
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a plan to clean up the Northeast Church Rock uranium mine located in the Navajo Nation, New...
Thiess bags contract extension for Indonesian coal mines
Bayan Resources has awarded a $500m contract to Thiess Group subsidiary PT Thiess Contractors Indonesia, extending its existing contract by three years for the further development and operation...
Hindustan Copper to expand mining capacity by 250%
Hindustan Copper will invest Rs18.56bn ($367m) to expand its mining capacity by 250% in...
CaNickel Mining receives Environment Act licence for Canadian nickel mine
CaNickel Mining has received an Environment Act licence from the Manitoba Government to construct and operate a land-based tailing management area (TMA) at its Bucko Lake mine in Manitoba,...
Atlantic to conduct study on bauxite exploration in Vietnam
Australian firm Atlantic has signed an agreement to carry out a development study on bauxite exploration in Central Highlands,...
Minmetals to acquire Anvil Mining for $1.28bn
Chinese firm Minmetals Resources has entered into a binding agreement to acquire all common shares of Anvil Mining for a total value of...
Grande Portage to conduct water baseline studies for US project
Grande Portage Resources has contracted Admiralty Environmental of Alaska to conduct pre-permitting water baseline studies at the Herbert Glacier gold project in Alaska,...
GolfGear International and Mission Holdings sign JV agreement
GolfGear International has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Mission Holdings to place the Silver Cord mine into...
September 2011
Top
Deals this week: Wesfarmers, Detour Gold, Silver Standard and more...
Wesfarmers has agreed to sell its Premier Coal business to Yancoal Australia's subsidiary Austar Coal Mine for $296m....
South Africa's Anglogold Ashanti to increase gold production in Brazil
South Africa-based Anglogold Ashanti will increase its gold production in Brazil by investing $250m a year until...
GolfGear and EnviroXtract sign licence agreement for processing technology
GolfGear International has acquired a sub-licence to utilise EnviroXtract's ore processing...
Cortona Resources receives approval for Australian project
Cortona Resources has received environmental approval from the federal government for the Dargues Reef gold mine at Majors Creek in New South Wales,...
Tombstone receives US exploration permits
Tombstone Exploration has received approval from the Arizona State Land Department for four new state permits, which cover an 8km² area at the eastern edge of the Tombstone Mining...
TSJV secures construction contract for Australian coal mine plant
Macarthur Coal has awarded Theiss Sedgman (TSJV) an A$85m ($84.5m) contract for the construction of a new coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) in...
ArcelorMittal starts Liberian iron ore production
ArcelorMittal has started commercial iron ore production at its mining operations in Liberia, West...
Rio Tinto and North Atlantic Potash to form JV
Acron Group subsidiary North Atlantic Potash has signed a joint venture (JV) agreement with Rio Tinto to carry out potash exploration activities in...
ActivEX granted exploration permit in Queensland
The state government of Queensland has granted Australian firm ActivEX an EPM permit for exploration of Selwyn East....
New World Resources to explore coal deposit in Czech Republic
Netherlands-based New World Resources is planning to explore the hard coal deposit at the Frenštát Mine site, north-east of the Czech...
Rio Tinto acquires additional stake in Ivanhoe Mines
Rio Tinto, through its subsidiary Rio Tinto International, has acquired additional common shares in Ivanhoe Mines for C$73m...
Orvana Resources submits mine permit application for US copper project
Orvana Minerals' subsidiary Orvana Resources has submitted a mine permit application for the Copperwood copper project to the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality...
Alliance Resource and White Oak sign agreement for US coal mine development
Alliance Resource Partners (ARP) has signed an agreement with White Oak Resources and related entities for the development of a longwall mining operation in Illinois,...
Anglo American to develop iron ore project in Australia
Anglo American will invest $51m ($49.3m) to develop the Earaheedy iron ore project near Wiluna in Australia and earn a 75% stake in the project....
Silver Standard completes sale of Australian project
Silver Standard Resources has completed the sale of its Bowdens project in New South Wales,...
Mongolia seeks greater control of Oyu Tolgoi project
The Mongolian Government may increase its interest in the Oyu Tolgoi project from 34% to...
Goldgroup commences tunnel operations at Mexico project
Goldgroup Mining has started blasting and tunnel construction operations at the La Paila mineralised zone at the Caballo Blanco project in Veracruz,...
Teck Resources to expand Canadian operations
Teck Resources will invest $685m in expansion projects at two of its facilities in British Columbia,...
Sichuan Hongda to invest $3bn in Tanzania mining operations
Chinese firm Sichuan Hongda will invest $3bn to carry out coal and iron ore mining operations in...
Bechtel to conduct prefeasibility study for Twin Metals project
Twin Metals Minnesota has awarded a contract to Bechtel Mining & Metals as the lead consultant for the prefeasibility study on the Twin Metals underground copper, nickel and platinum group...
Vale's subsidiary starts up pig iron demonstration plant in Brazil
Vale's subsidiary Tecnored Desenvolvimento Tecnológico has started up the first pig iron demonstration plant in São Paulo state, Brazil, in partnership with BNDES Bank of Brazil and Logos...
Minotaur, CSIRO to conduct trials for gold extraction process
Minotaur Exploration has entered into a collaborative research agreement with the Commonwealth Scientific Research Industrial Organisation (CSIRO), to conduct field trials for CSIRO's new...
Lunsin to develop polymetallic ore deposit in Siberia
Zijin Mining Group's subsidiary Lunsin is planning to invest about RUB9b ($285m) for the development of a Kyzyl-Tashtyg polymetallic ore deposit in...
Deals this week : Agnico-Eagle, Franco-Nevada, Roxgold and more...
Agnico-Eagle has agreed to acquire all outstanding common shares of Grayd Resource for $275m, or $2.80 a...
First Majestic completes first stage of Mexican mine expansion
First Majestic Silver has completed the first stage of expansion at the processing plant near the La Parrilla silver mine in...
Thiess bags contract for Solomon Hub iron mine in Australia
Leighton Holdings subsidiary Thiess has received a $100m contract from Fortescue Metals Group for phase one development works at the Solomon Hub iron ore mine in the Pilbara region, Western...
IGE to increase diamond production at South African diamond mine
IGE Resources has entered into a contract mining agreement with Frontier Mining Projects for its Bakerville diamond mine in South...
Rio Tinto increases resources at copper mine in the US
Rio Tinto has increased its mineral resources at its Kennecott Utah Copper Bingham Canyon mine in the US by 20 million tons, the company has...
GVK to acquire Australian coal assets for $1.2bn
Indian firm GVK Power and Infrastructure has entered into a transaction to acquire a majority stake in Hancock Coal's assets in Queensland, Australia, for...
Sino-Sindh Resources signs MoU to develop Pakistani coal mine
Chinese Global Mining subsidiary Sino-Sindh Resources has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the provincial government of Sindh in Pakistan to mine in Block-I of the Thar Coal...
GWMG to supply rare earth alloys to German firm
Great Western Minerals Group (GWMG) has entered into a long-term agreement with German firm Vacuumschmelze (VAC), to supply rare earth alloys and metals....
Victory Nickel to start development of Canadian nickel mine
Victory Nickel has received approval from its board of directors for the development of the Minago sulphide nickel mine located on the Thomson Nickel Belt in central Manitoba,...
De Beers and Botswana Government sign sales agreement for diamond production
De Beers Group and the Government of the Republic of Botswana have signed a ten-year agreement for the sorting, valuing and sale of diamond production from Debswana, a joint venture between...
Carpathian Gold receives approval for construction of Brazilian gold mine
Carpathian Gold has received approval from the Brazilian Government for the construction of its Riacho dos Machados (RDM) gold project in the state of Minas Gerais. The project is expected...
Brazil Gold and SSC to develop mineral exploration technology
Brazil Gold has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Software Sciences Corporation (SSC) to launch a new exploration technology initiative. According to the MoU, both the firms...
China to expand Indian Ocean activities
China is planning to expand its mineral exploration activities in the seabed of the Indian Ocean. The nation received approval from the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to...
Frontier Rare Earths receives new prospecting rights in South Africa
The South African Department of Mineral Resources has granted Frontier Rare Earths a new prospecting right near its Zandkopsdrift project. The new prospecting right covers a total area...
Rio Tinto to increase iron ore production in Western Australia
Rio Tinto is planning to invest $833m in power and fuel supply projects to increase iron ore production capacity in Western Australia. Rio Tinto will invest $520m to upgrade its integrated...
Quadra and Sumitomo form JV to develop Chilean project
Quadra FNX Mining, Sumitomo Metal Mining and Sumitomo Corporation have formed a joint venture (JV) to develop the Sierra Gorda copper-molybdenum project in Chile. Sumitomo will hold a 45%...
CNEC WorleyParsons secures Brazilian contract
MMX Mineração e Metálicos (MMX) has awarded a $150m contract to Australian firm CNEC WorleyParsons to provide professional services for the expansion of the Serra Azul iron ore mining unit in...
Barrick to expand mining operations at Peruvian mines
Barrick Gold is planning to invest $550m to expand the mining operations at its gold mines in Peru by 2013. The funds will be used to expand the Lagunas Norte mine, which produced 808,000oz...
Xstrata Copper to begin production from Antapaccay mine in 2012
Xstrata Copper is planning to start production from its $1.47bn Antapaccay copper project in Peru in the second half of 2012. The project, located in the Cusco region, has resources...
Deals this week: Banpu Minerals, Petra Diamonds, ENK and more...
Banpu Public's subsidiary Banpu Minerals has entered into a bid implementation deed to acquire all the shares of Hunnu Coal for an estimated value of A$477m (US$498m). Thailand-based Banpu...
Trapped worker found dead in Welsh mine
A miner who was trapped in the flooded Gleision Colliery in Swansea Valley, Wales, has been found dead, police have confirmed. The unidentified worker was found dead this morning as...
Galaxy Resources commences DFS on Canadian project
Galaxy Resources has started a definitive feasibility study (DFS) on the James Bay Spodumene project in Quebec, Canada. According to the memorandum of understanding signed with Lithium...
MBMI Resources to expand nickel production in the Philippines
Canadian firm MBMI Resources is planning to invest $180m in nickel production in Palawan, the Philippines. If approval is granted by the government, the firm will invest about $80-100m...
Outotec to provide iron pelletising plant to NLMK
Finland-based Outotec will supply an iron ore pelletising plant to NLMK Novolipetsk Metallurgisk Kombinat for its Stary Oskol project in Moscow, Russia for €150m. The company will...
HudBay Minerals to invest $1bn in Peruvian copper project
HudBay Minerals is planning to invest about $1bn in the development of Constancia copper project in Peru. The project is expected to produce about 85,000t of red metal per year starting in...
American Vanadium completes feasibility study for Gibellini project
American Vanadium has completed a feasibility study on its Gibellini vanadium project located in Eureka County, Nevada, US. The feasibility study, prepared by AMEC E&C Services, has reported...
Peruvian mining sector to invest $50bn
Peruvian mining firms are planning to invest $50bn for new mines and expansion projects in the country. Major projects include Xstrata's $4.2bn Las Bambas copper project in Apurimac region...
MDM bags EPCM contract for Ghana project
Gold Fields Ghana (GFGL) has awarded an engineering, procurement, construction and management (EPCM) contract to MDM Engineering for its Tarkwa project in Ghana. Under the contract, MDM...
Midway Gold receives expanded drill permit at US project
Midway Gold has received regulatory approval for an expanded drilling permit at its Pan Project in Nevada, US. The expanded permit will enable the firm to increase the drill roads and drill...
Guinea adopts new mining code
Guinea has adopted a new mining code that will double the country's stake in mining projects to 35% and toughen the procedures for acquiring development permits. The new code would give Guinea...
Rio Tinto and OMC to invest $2bn in Indian iron ore mining
Rio Tinto India and Orissa Mining Corp (OMC) are planning to invest up to $2bn to develop three iron ore mines in Keonjhar district of the Indian state of Orissa. Rio Tinto India is a...
Metalloinvest to supply iron ore to MMK
Russian firms Metalloinvest and Magnitogorsk Iron & Steel Works (MMK) have signed a long-term iron ore supply agreement for a period of three years. Under the terms of the...
Banpu Minerals to acquire Hunnu Coal
Banpu Public's subsidiary Banpu Minerals has entered into a bid implementation deed to acquire all the shares of Hunnu Coal for an estimated value of A$477m (US$498m). Thailand-based Banpu...
SEMAFO to increase plant capacity in Burkina Faso
SEMAFO is planning to increase the processing capacity of its plant at Mana property in Burkina Faso by 6,000t a day. The aim of the expansion project is to increase the capacity of the plant...
Compliance Energy receives exploration permit for Canadian project
Compliance Energy has received an exploration permit from the Ministry of Energy and Mines of British Columbia, for the Camp Lake project. The Camp Lake project, which covers 34.42km²...
Lundin Mining completes feasibility study for Portuguese project
Lundin Mining has completed a feasibility study for the Lombador Phase I project near Neves-Corvo mine located in Portugal. According to the feasibility study, the total initial capital cost...
VINCI to build tunnels for Chilean mine
Chile's Codelco has awarded a $400m contract to VINCI for the design and construction of two tunnels at the El Teniente mine in Chile. VINCI will carry out the project through its...
Barrick Gold discovers gold deposits at US project
Barrick Gold has made two gold discoveries at Red Hill and Goldrush on the Cortez property in Nevada, US. The discoveries are located on highly prospective ground, 6km south-east of the...
Deals this week: Rio Tinto, Major Drilling, Nautilus Minerals and more...
Rio Tinto and Anglo American are planning to sell their stakes in Palabora Mining Company Limited and have initiated a commercial process to sell its shareholding. Anglo American currently...
Eramet to invest $6bn in Indonesian nickel project
France-based Eramet is planning to invest about $6bn on the Weda Bay nickel project located in Maluku province, Indonesia. Earment CEO Patrick Buffet said that the firm will have spent...
Chinese firms to invest $14bn in Filipino mining sector
The Philippine mining sector will receive an investment of $14bn from Chinese firms for mining activities in the next five years. Philippines Chamber of Mines president Philip Romualdez said...
GTSO and NWE to explore and develop Indonesian gold resources
Green Technology Solutions (GTSO) has signed a definitive agreement with New World Energy (NWE) to explore and develop gold resources in Indonesia. GTSO and NWE will jointly secure the...
Venezuela signs cooperation agreements with Chinese firms
The Government of Venezuela has signed three cooperation agreements worth $470m with Chinese firms to increase iron ore production and transportation of Ferrominera del Orinoco. The government...
Rio Tinto and Anglo American to sell stake in Palabora Mining
Rio Tinto and Anglo American are planning to sell their stakes in Palabora Mining Company Limited and have initiated a commercial process to sell its shareholding. Anglo American currently...
Ercosplan to conduct feasibility study on Ethiopian potash project
Ercosplan Ingenieurgesellschaft Geotechnik und Bergbau (ERCOSPLAN) has received a feasibility study contract from Allana Potash for their Ethiopian potash project. Currently additional...
Xstrata Copper increases resources at PNG project
Xstrata Copper has increased its mineral resource estimate at the Horse-Ivaal-Trukai (HIT) deposit at the Frieda River copper-gold project in Papua New Guinea (PNG). The new resource...
China Niobium acquires stake in CBMM for $1.95bn
Chinese consortium China Niobium Investment Holdings has acquired a 15% stake in Brazilian firm Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM) for $1.95bn. The consortium consists...
Botswana Diamonds receives exploration licence in Cameroon
UK-based Botswana Diamonds has been granted a 430km² exploration licence near Libongo in Cameroon. Botwana Diamonds has received the licence for an initial period of four years and it...
Washpool Coal completes DFS on Australian coal project
Aquila Resources' subsidiary Washpool Coal has completed the definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Washpool hard coking coal project in Bowen Basin, Australia. The DFS proposed an...
Minera Alumbrera JV to acquire stake in Argentina project
Xstrata Copper has entered into a definitive agreement with Goldcorp and Yamana Gold, by which Minera Alumbrera will have the option to acquire Yamana's 100% interest in the Agua Rica project...
DRA Pacific to build processing facility for Cortona's Australian project
Cortona Resources has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with DRA Pacific to construct a processing facility at its Dargues Reef gold project in New South Wales,...
Lynas to supply production of rare earths to BASF
Lynas Corporation has signed a new long-term supply agreement with BASF for the supply and production of rare earths at the Lynas advanced materials plant (LAMP) in Malaysia. Under the terms...
Glencore offers $1.2bn for Optimum Coal
Glencore International is planning to acquire a controlling interest in Optimum Coal Holdings of South Africa for a total value of £750m ($1.2bn). According to the terms of the offer,...
Pluton Resources signs term sheet for Cockatoo Island assets
Pluton Resources has signed a term sheet to divest its interests in the mining tenements and certain infrastructure of its Cockatoo Island joint venture located in the Kimberly iron ore hub...
Aecom secures contract for mine expansion in Australia
Aecom Technology Corporation has received a $20m service contract for the $1.4bn Ravensworth North mine expansion project in New South Wales, Australia. Under the terms of the contract,...
MMX to expand Brazilian iron ore mining unit
Brazilian firm MMX Mineracao e Metalicos has received a preliminary licence from the Minas Gerias state environmental authority for its Serra Azul iron ore mining unit in Minas Gerais...
Golden Star resumes mining at Ghanaian prospect
Golden Star Resources has resumed mining activity at the Pampe Deposit on the southern end of the Akropong Trend in Ghana. The company has also commenced an exploratory drilling programme...
Deals this week: AuRico Gold, Glencore International, Bird Construction and more
Canadian gold mining company AuRico Gold will acquire Northgate Minerals Corp for $1.49bn. The deal is expected to close in October, following approval from Northgate and AuRico shareholders. ...
Cimeco bags EPC contract for Solomon project
Fortescue Metal Group Solomon has awarded a $200m engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to Forge Group's subsidiary Cimeco for primary crushing...
TransAmerican bags mining permit in Colombia
TransAmerican Minerals has received a mining permit from the Colombian Government for the development of surface coal. With the receipt of the permit, the firm has now secured all of...
Mawson West completes feasibility study on DRC project
Mawson West has completed a feasibility study for the development of a pit cut-back at its Dikulushi copper-silver project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). According to the...
AuRico Gold to acquire Northgate Minerals and form new entity
AuRico Gold has entered into a definitive acquisition agreement with Northgate Minerals to create a new intermediate gold producer. The new firm will own five operating gold mines and a...
Sweco bags project management contract for expansion project
Sweco has been awarded a consulting contract to help expand Boliden's ore production in Garpenberg, Sweden. The scope of work will include structural engineering, land planning and...
Buller Coal receives environmental approval for New Zealand project
Bathurst Resources subsidiary Buller Coal has received environmental approvals for its Escarpment mine project in Westport, New Zealand. Buller Coal gained approval for its 24 resource...
Cameco to acquire Hathor Exploration
Canadian mining company Cameco is planning to acquire all the outstanding shares of Hathor Exploration for about C$520m ($531m), with a cash consideration of C$3.75 ($3.80) per share. ...
August 2011
Top
GVK to acquire Australian coal mines for $2.2bn
Indian firm GVK Power & Infrastructure has made a deal with Hancock Coal to acquire two coal mines in Australia for $2.2bn. GVK will pay $1.3bn for the Alpha Coal mine and Kevin's Corner mine...
Macmahon and BBM JV bags contract for Mongolian mine
Macmahon Holdings and BBM Operta Group's joint venture (JV) has been awarded a mining contract from Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi for its Tavan Tolgoi coal mine in Mongolia. Under the contract, the...
Conquest Mining secures financing for Australian project
Conquest Mining has received a $100m financial package from Macquarie Bank to fund construction of the Mt Carlton gold-silver-project in North Queensland, Australia. The finance package...
Alstom secures air quality control equipment contracts
Alstom has bagged €100m contracts for air quality control equipment from Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) and Hanwa Engineering and Construction. Under the first contract, Alstom will provide...
Victory Nickel receives environmental licence for Canadian nickel project
Victory Nickel has received an Environment Act licence for the construction, operation and subsequent decommissioning of the Minago sulphide nickel project in central Manitoba, Canada. With...
Venuzuela to nationalise its gold mining sector
Venezuela has signed a decree to formalise the nationalisation of its gold mining industry, which will give the government total control over the gold produced in the country. ...
IEC to develop Tanzanian coal mine
Australia-based Intra Energy Corporation (IEC) is planning to invest $116m for the development of the Mbalawala coal mine in Tanzania. The project is expected to increase the coal output...
Rio Tinto increases stake in Ivanhoe Mines
Rio Tinto has exercised its right to subscribe for and acquire additional common shares in Ivanhoe Mines for $536m. Rio Tinto has paid $19.2 per share to acquire 27 million additional shares...
Murray & Roberts bags contract for Zambian mine
Murray & Roberts Cementation Zambia has bagged a $320m shaft sinking and equipping contract from Mopani Copper Mines for the Nkana copper and cobalt mine near Kitwe, Zambia. The main shaft...
MMC Norilsk offers $8.7bn to acquire stake in UC Rusal
Russian firm MMC Norilsk Nickel is planning to acquire a 15% stake in UC Rusal Investment Management for $8.7bn. MMC Norilsk has offered to purchase 28.5m ordinary shares from UC Rusal...
Caterpillar to build new manufacturing unit in China
Caterpillar has signed an agreement with Xitong Technical Industrial Park Administrative Committee to build a proving ground and large wheel loader manufacturing facility in Jiangsu...
Deals this week: Glencore, Sigdo Koppers, OneSteel and more...
Glencore International's subsidiary Glencore Investment has made an off-market cash takeover offer to acquire all the shares of Minara Resources for A$1bn (US$1bn). According to the...
Rio Tinto awards two JV contracts for Australian project
Rio Tinto has awarded two indigenous joint venture (JV) contracts, collectively worth $184m, for to its Hope Downs 4 mine site located in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The mining...
Sigdo Koppers to acquire Magotteaux Group
Chilean firm Sigdo Koppers has signed a deal to acquire Belgian company Magotteaux Group for total value of €550m. According to the deal, Sigdo Koppers will pay about €470m in cash...
Tancoal receives mining licence in Tanzania
Tancoal Energy has received a mining licence for the initial mining area of the Mbalawala mine at the Ngaka Coalfields in south-west Tanzania. With the receipt of the mining licence,...
Glencore offers $1bn for Minara Resources
Glencore International's subsidiary Glencore Investment has made an off-market cash takeover offer to acquire all the shares of Minara Resources for A$1.01bn (US$1.06bn). According to...
NALCO to invest $12bn in expansion projects by 2020
The National Aluminium Company (NALCO) is planning to invest Rs579bn ($12bn) in expansion projects in India and Indonesia by 2020. NALCO will spend $3.6bn to set up a 5Mt aluminium smelter...
Republic Gold commences drilling at Bolivian project
Republic Gold has commenced the first phase of a 10,000m drilling programme at the Amayapampa gold project in Bolivia. The 60 drill-hole programme is expected to expand and optimise the...
Endeavour and Adamus merge to form new entity
Endeavour Mining and Adamus Resources have entered into a definitive merger implementation agreement to form a new West African gold producer. The newly merged entity has a forecasted...
Siemens and Outotec to build pellet plant in Russia
NLMK Group's subsidiary Stoilensky has awarded a €280m contract to a consortium of Siemens VAI and Outotec for the construction of an iron pellet plant at Stoilensky, Russia. The...
NALCO receives coal mining lease for Indian coal block
The National Aluminium Company (NALCO) has received a mining lease from the Union Coal Ministry for the Utkal coal block in Orissa, India. The block covers an area of 0.8km² and...
China to introduce national standards for coal mining safety
China's state administration of work safety (SAWS) is planning to introduce national standards for safety technologies used in the country's coal mines. The four standards will relate to...
Eldorado Gold completes feasibility study on Turkish mine
Eldorado Gold has completed a feasibility study on its Kisladag gold mine in western Turkey and is now making detailed plans to expand the project. According to the study, the project...
Aquila Resources receives mining lease for Australian project
Aquila Resources has been granted a mining lease for the Eagle Downs hard coking coal project in Central Queensland, Australia. The project, approved by the Queensland Government, involves...
Nemex encounters iron ore mineralisation at Guinea project
Nemex Resources has encountered high iron ore mineralisation from the 17 ironstone samples collected at its Coastal project in Guinea, West Africa. These samples were collected from...
BHP, Xstrata and Anglo to invest $1.3bn in Colombian mine
BHP Billiton, Xstrata and Anglo American have formed a joint venture to invest $1.3bn in the expansion of the Cerrejón coal mine in La Guajira, Columbia. The expansion is expected to...
Macmahon bags Australian copper mine contract
Macmahon Holdings has bagged a $110m underground engineering construction contract from Cobar Management for the CSA copper mine in New South Wales, Australia. Under the two-year...
Evraz begins construction of Russian coking coal mine
Russian firm Evraz Group has started construction of a new coking coal mine, Yerunakovskaya-VIII, in the mining division of Yuzhkuzbassugol in Russia. The firm will invest R17bn ($590m) in...
Mount Gibson to supply iron ore to Glencore
Mount Gibson Iron has entered into a life of mine agreement with Glencore International, for the sale of iron ore from the Extension Hill Hematite deposit in Western Australia. Under the terms...
IOC to conduct a study into operations expansion
Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) is planning to carry out a study to assess the feasibility of expanding its mining and infrastructure assets in Newfoundland, Labrador and Quebec, Canada. ...
Aben resources commences drilling on Canadian project
Aben Resources has commenced the first phase of its diamond drill programme at its Justin gold project in Western Yukon, Canada. The 16km² Justin gold project has the potential to...
Deals this week: Petra Diamonds, Anglo Coal, Zijin Mining and more...
Petra Diamonds has received approval from the South African Government to acquire the Finsch diamond mine from De Beers for a total value of $210m. Anglo Coal Canada has entered into an...
Detour Gold Secures More Funds for Mining Fleet
Detour Gold has executed a term sheet with Caterpillar Financial Services for additional funding for its mining fleet. Cat Financial will provide $40m to fund the company's acquisition...
Royal Bafokeng to Expand South African Platinum Project
Royal Bafokeng Platinum is planning a R10bn ($1.4bn) expansion of the Styldrift II project in South Africa to increase its platinum production. The expansion follows the rise in demand...
Murchison Metals Receives EPA Approval for Australian Project
Murchison Metals has received approval from the Environmental Protection Authority of Western Australia (EPA) for the Jack Hills expansion project (JHEP) at the Jack Hills iron ore mine in...
EVGI to Commercialise Mineral Recovery Technology
Eco Ventures Group (EVGI) and Raptor Technology have signed a joint venture agreement to commercialise mineral recovery technology. EVGI will use separation and leaching technology to...
LIM to Supply Iron Ore to Canadian Firm
Labrador Iron Mines Holdings (LIM) has entered into an agreement with the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) for the sale and shipping of its iron ore production in 2011. Under the terms of...
Ormonde Receives Permits for Spanish Mining Project
Ormonde Mining's subsidiary Ormonde Espana has received four investigation permits in the Huelva Province of southern Spain, from the provincial mining authority. The permits cover a total...
SNC-Lavalin Secures EPCM Contract from EMAL
Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) has awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract to SNC-Lavalin for the second phase of its smelter project in Abu Dhabi, UAE. ...
Capstone Completes Pre-feasibility Study for Chilean Project
Capstone Mining has completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on its Santo Domingo iron oxide-copper-gold project in Region III, Chile. The PFS, completed by engineering firm Ausenco,...
Molycorp to Produce Rare Earth Materials for Hitachi Metals
Rare earth oxides producer Molycorp has agreed to supply rare earth magnetic materials, including didymium metal and alloy, to Japanese firm Hitachi Metals. Under the three-year...
Anvil to Start Copper Production from DRC Mine
Anvil Mining is planning to start commercial production of copper at its newly constructed plant at the Kinsevere copper mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the current quarter. ...
GMR Energy to Acquire Stake in Indonesian Mine
GMR Energy has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 30% stake in Indonesia's Golden Energy Mines (GEMS) for $450m to $550m. As part of the deal, GMR Energy will purchase coal for...
Macmahon Awarded Several Australian Mining Contracts
Contract mining and construction firm Macmahon Holdings has secured various Australian mining contracts worth $90m. The first contract involves predevelopment work adjacent to current...
Nautilus Secures Exploration Licences in Fijian Tenements
Nautilus Minerals has secured 14 special prospecting licences covering a total of approximately 60,000km² in offshore Fiji and has become the first private company to receive...
Argentina in Talks with China to Build Copper Refinery
Argentina is in negotiations with Chinese investors regarding the construction of a $750m copper refinery in the South American country. The project includes the construction of a plant to...
Alcoa and Ma'aden Begin Alumina Refinery Construction
Alcoa and Saudi Arabian Mining firm Ma'aden have commenced the construction of an alumina refinery at Ras Al Khair, Saudi Arabia, as part of their $10.8bn integrated aluminium JV. The...
Adani Group Forms JV to Develop Coal Block in India
Parsa Kante Collieries (PKC), a new joint venture (JV) company, has been formed to develop Parsa and Kante Basan coal blocks in Chhattisgarh, India. Adani Group's Adani Enterprises holds a...
Xstrata to Commence Pre-feasibility Study on Australian Mine
Xstrata will commence a pre-feasibility study this month on the Mount Isa mines in Australia, in preparation for the development of a large multi-commodity open pit mine. The firm has...
Peabody Energy to Install LTCC Technology at Australian Coal Mine
Peabody Energy has entered into a new licensing agreement with Yanzhou Coal to install Longwall top coal caving (LTCC) technology at the Goonyella mine in Australia in order to...
Deals This Week: Rio Tinto, BHP, Sesa Goa and More...
Mitsubishi subsidiary Mitsubishi Development and Rio Tinto have proposed acquisition of all the remaining shares in Coal & Allied Industries for A$1.49bn ($1.55bn). Coal & Allied's...
Elenilto and Sesa Goa to Invest $2.6bn for Western Cluster
Indian firm Sesa Goa and Elenilto Minerals & Mining are planning to invest more than $2.6bn in Liberian iron ore firm Western Cluster. Elenilto Minerals & Mining will invest $77m while Sesa...
BHP to Acquire Contract Mining Services Unit
BHP Billiton has signed an agreement with Leighton Holdings to acquire HWE Mining subsidiaries for $735m. HWE Mining subsidiaries provide contract mining services to BHP's Western Australia...
Aquila Receives EPA Approval for Australian Iron Ore Project
Aquila Resources has received environmental approval for the mine and rail facilities at the West Pilbara iron ore project in Western Australia. The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)...
Votorantim to Conduct Tests on Search Minerals' SALT Process
Votorantim Metais Níquel and Votorantim Novos have secured a contract to conduct test work on Search Minerals' starved acid leaching technology (SALT) process. Votorantim will carry out the...
Cockatoo Coal to Sell Thermal Coal Project
Australian firm Cockatoo Coal is planning to sell its Taabinga thermal coal project located in Queensland. The firm has appointed RFC Corporate Finance to handle the sale of the project, which...
SARCO to Supply Alumina to NFC
Sino Australian Resources (SARCO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with China Non-Ferrous Metal Industry's Foreign Engineering & Construction (NFC) for the sale of alumina from...
Australia to Invest $1.9bn in Indian Mining Sector
Australia has announced plans to invest INR90bn ($1.9bn ) to set up mineral-based mining projects in the Indian state of Orissa. Australian High Commissioner to India Peter Varghese...
Buenaventura to Open Peruvian Gold Mine
Compañía de Minas Buenaventura has received permits from the Ministry of Energy and Mining of Peru to start its metallurgical operations at Tantahuatay gold mine. Buenaventura holds a...
Rio Tinto, Mitsubishi to Acquire Coal & Allied
Mitsubishi's subsidiary Mitsubishi Development and Rio Tinto have proposed to acquire all the remaining shares in Coal & Allied Industries for A$1.49bn ($1.55bn). Coal & Allied's...
Mechel, Somani Group Form JV for Coal Operations
Russian mining firm Mechel has formed a joint venture with India-based Somani Group to meet the growing demand of coal. The JV, Mechel Somani Carbon, will receive coal from Mechel's mines...
BCMJV Bags EPCM Contract for Canadian Mine
British Columbia Mining Joint Venture (BCMJV) has reached a final agreement with Terrane Metals to provide mining services at Mt. Milligan copper-gold project in Canada. A joint...
Silver Falcon to Supply Bullion Dore to IPMR's Abu Dhabi Refinery
Silver Falcon Mining (SFMI) has entered into a three-year toll refining agreement with International Precious Metal Refiners (IPMR) for the refining and sale of its bullion dore. In the...
Rio Tinto Profit Rises to $7.8bn in Q1
Rio Tinto has posted a 35% rise in profit to $7.8bn during the first half of 2011 when compared with the same period last year. The firm has also invested $5.1bn to develop its...
Essar Africa and Zimbabwe Form Mining Joint Venture
Essar Africa Holdings and the Government of Zimbabwe have set up a new mining entity called NewZim Minerals (NZM). The new firm will explore and develop Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company...
Mesa Acquires Potash Lease in the US
Mesa Exploration has acquired a 2.5km² potash lease from the US state of Utah, through a competitive lease offering. The lease will now be combined with the company's Whipsaw...
CIL to Invest $6bn in Indian Mining Projects
Coal India is planning to invest about INR280bn ($6.2bn) in 68 coal mining projects in India, which have a production capacity of 230 million tonnes per annum. The investment will fund...
Outotec Bags Contract from EMAL
Outotec has received two contracts worth €100m from Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) to expand an aluminium smelter in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Under the contract, Outotec will deliver aluminium...
Lanco Secures Coal Contract for Indian Project
Lanco Infratech has been selected by Maha Tamil Collieries (MTC) as the developer and operator of the Gare Pelma II Coal block in Chhattisgarh state, India. Under the contract, Lanco...
American Power Receives Permit for US Coal Project
American Power has received approval of a prospecting permit for its Pace coal project in Montana, US, from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality. With the receipt of the permit...
Deals This Week: Essar, Atlas Consolidated, Yanzhou Coal and More...
Essar Group has completed the acquisition of Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO) with a commitment of $750m and will take over all liabilities of the firm and Zimbabwe Government. Under...
Ten Killed in Helicopter Crash Near Indonesian Mine
Ten people were killed when a helicopter en route to the Gosowong Mine on Halmahera Island, Indonesia, crashed near Manado at around 2.30pm local time on Wednesday. Nusa Halmahera Minerals...
Platinum Group to Secure Loan for South African Mine
Platinum Group Metals has sought a $260m loan to develop the Western Bushveld joint venture project in South Africa. The company will receive the loan from Barclays Capital, Standard Bank...
Metso Acquires Copperstate Industrial Services
Metso has acquired US-based mining services provider Copperstate Industrial Services for an undisclosed amount. With the acquisition, Copperstate's team will be intergrated into the...
Xstrata to Develop Nickel Projects in Canada
Swiss-based mining company Xstrata will spend $649m to develop two nickel projects in Canada. The company's nickel unit will invest $530m in the expansion of the Raglan project in...
Woulfe Mining Receives Permit to Develop South Korean Mine
Woulfe Mining has received permit approval for the production adit at its Sangdong tungsten / molybdenum mine in South Korea. The production adit, which will be located near to the crusher...
Uranerz Starts Uranium Mine Construction in the US
Uranerz Energy has started the construction of an in-situ recovery uranium mine at its Nichols Ranch ISR uranium project in Wyoming, US. The construction work will include building the...
SISG to Invest $1.5bn in Sierra Leone Iron Ore Project
Shandong Iron & Steel Group has signed agreements with African Minerals to invest $1.5bn in the Tonkolili iron ore project in Sierra Leone. Under the terms of the agreement, SISG will acquire...
Centrex Receives Approval for Australian Iron Project
The South Australian Government has approved Centrex Metal's environmental protection and rehabilitation programme in Eyre Peninsula. With this approval Centrex will mine the Wilgerup...
Caterpillar to Expand US Remanufacturing Facility
Caterpillar is planning to invest $50 million in an expansion of its remanufacturing facility in North Dakota, US. The expansion will add 225,000ft² to the facility with the aim of...
Erdenes to Supply Coal to East Asian Firms
Erdenes Tavan Tolgoi has signed agreements with Chinese, Japanese and South Korean firms to supply coal from its Tavan Tolgoi coking coal project in Mongolia. Erdenes will supply a total of...
VDM Secures Service Contract for Nickel Mine
Australia-based contracting group VDM Group has secured a $40m contract from BHP Billiton to provide haulage services at its nickel operations in Kambalda. VDM's subsidiary Cape Crushing...
BHP Billiton Secures Approval for GEMCO Expansion
BHP Billiton has received approval from its joint venture partner Samancor Manganese to expand the GEMCO operation in the Northern Territory of Australia. The $279m expansion is set to...
Chinalco to Build $2.2bn Toromocho Mine in Peru
Investment management firm Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco) has received a permit to build a new $2.2bn Toromocho copper mine in Peru, the company has announced. The permit will allow...
Wing Hing to Acquire Stake in Taung Gold
Chinese firm Wing Hing International is planning to acquire an 87% interest in South Africa-based Taung Gold for HK$4.5bn (US$580m). Taung Gold assets include Jeanett and Evander...
CSIRO Creates Mining Research Centre in Chile
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), in collaboration with the University of Chile and other industry and research partners, has created a new mining...
Ukraine Coal Mine Accidents Kill 37
37 miners have been been killed in two coal mining accidents in Ukraine. A methane explosion is suspected to have caused a blast at the Suhodilska-Eastern mine in the Luhansk region, which...
EPS to Receive EBRD Loan to Enhance Coal Mines
Serbian firm Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) will receive a loan of €80m from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) to enhance its coal mines. EPS will use the loan,...
July 2011
Top
Deals This Week: Xstrata, G-Resources, King Stone and More...
Xstrata Coal has made proposal to acquire 100% of First Coal Corporation for a total value of C$147m ($153m) by paying C$1.75 ($1.83) per share. The acquisition will provide Xstrata Coal...
Xstrata Starts Construction of Australian Mine
Xstrata Zinc has started construction work in Queensland, Australia, to develop the high-grade zinc-lead-silver Lady Loretta deposit as a new greenfield underground mine. The work will...
Buenaventure to Develop Peruvian Copper Project
Peru-based Buenaventura has approved full funding for the development of the Conga gold and copper project in Peru. The Conga project has a mine life of about 19 years, with an estimated...
NovaGold Completes PFS for Canadian Project
NovaGold Resources has completed the prefeasibility study (PFS) for its Galore Creek copper-gold-silver project in British Columbia, Canada. The Galore Creek project is owned by a...
Newmont Selects ApplyIT to Tighten Safety Procedures
Newmont Mining has selected ApplyIT's IntelliPERMIT software for its Boddington gold mine in Australia, to tighten and streamline safety procedures. IntelliPERMIT, the computerised...
Highlands Pacific Gets Clearance to Start Papua New Guinea Nickel Project
Highlands Pacific has received clearance from the National Court of Madang to commence operations at its fully constructed $1.5bn Ramu nickel project in Papua New Guinea. The National Court...
Formation Metals Starts Construction at US Cobalt Project
Formation Metals has commenced the construction of mine site earthworks at its cobalt project, located in east-central Idaho, US. The firm has started portal bench mine site earthworks,...
Downer Bags CHPP Contract for Australian Project
Xstrata Coal has awarded a contract to Downer EDI for the development of a coal handling and preparation plant (CHPP) at the Ravensworth North coal project in Hunter Valley, New South...
KBR Secures EPC Contract for US Project
Molycorp's subsidiary has awarded an engineering, procurement and construction contract to KBR to construct a new chlor-alkali plant at its $781m Project Phoenix in California, US. The...
GWMG to Build Rare Earth Separation Plant in South Africa
Great Western Minerals Group (GWMG) has entered into a heads-of-terms agreement with Chinese firm Ganzhou Qiandong Rare Earth Group (GQD) to build a rare earth separation plant in South...
NALCO Receives Forest Clearance for Bauxite Mining in India
India-based National Aluminium Company's bauxite mining lease for the Panchpatmali South Block in India has been renewed for 20 more years. This will require the diversion of 1.1km²...
Ausdrill Secures Mining Services Contract from FMG
Ausdrill has been awarded a mining services contract from Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) for its Solomon iron ore project, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Under the $75m...
Grande Cache Receives Permit for Canadian Coal Mine
Grande Cache Coal has received an amended mine permit and a new mine licence from the Alberta Energy and Resource Conservation Board (ERCB) to develop its new No. 12 South B2 underground...
EMAL to Invest $4.5bn to Increase Aluminium Smelter Capacity
Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) will invest $4.5bn to double its aluminium smelter's annual capacity, as part of its phase two expansion programme. On completion, the aluminium smelter's annual...
TOML Receives Exploration Licences in Eastern Pacific
Nautilus Minerals subsidiary, Tonga Offshore Mining (TOML), has been granted exploration licences in the Clarion Clipperton Zone (CCZ) of the Eastern Pacific region from the International...
Coal India to Invest $6.6bn to Boost Capacity
Coal India (CIL) is planning to invest about Rs300bn ($6.6bn) in new mining projects, washeries machinery and equipment to increase its capacity over the next five years. The firm has set...
MSHA Approves Lockheed's New Wireless Communication System
The US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has approved a new wireless communication system, which can be used by trapped miners during an accident. The new MagneLink...
Cornerstone Receives Environmental Licence for Ecuador Project
Cornerstone Capital Resources has been granted an environmental licence from Ecuador's Ministry of Environment for its Cascabel gold-copper project in northern Ecuador. Cornerstone has...
US EPA Releases Surface Coal Mining Guidance
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released final guidance on Appalachian surface coal mining, to ensure a consistent and timely review of surface coal mining permits under the...
Pathfinder Bags Mining Licence in Mozambique
The National Directorate of Mines has issued a new mining concession licence to Pathfinder Minerals for its Moebase mineral sands deposit in Mozambique. Pathfinder has received the...
Uranerz Receives Material Licence for US Uranium Project
The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has issued Uranerz Energy with a materials licence for its Nichols Ranch ISR uranium project located in the Central Powder River Basin...
Firestone Recovers Diamonds at Lesotho Project
Firestone Diamonds has recovered high-quality diamonds from a 3,000t sample of K5 material at its Liqhobong mine located in Lesotho, Africa. The results have confirmed that 33 carat white,...
Peruvian Mining Sector Investment Rises by 68% in Q1
Mining companies in Peru have invested about $2.43bn during the first five months of 2011, a 68% rise compared with the same period last year. According to the Mines and Energy Ministry,...
Deals This Week: Glencore, Zijin, Cuervo and More...
Glencore International has agreed to buy a 70% interest in CST Mining Group's subsidiary Marcobre for a total value of $475m. Marcobre is the sole owner of the Marcona copper property and the...
ENRC Completes Expansion of Kazakh Alumina Refinery
Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC) has completed the expansion of its alumina refinery Aluminium of Kazakhstan in Kazakhstan, with a expenditure of $305m. The refinery has reached its...
CGM Secures Mining Contract for Saudi Arabian Mine
Arabian American Development has awarded a $79m contract to China National Geological & Mining (CGM) for the operation, management and maintenance of the surface works of the Al-Masane...
Minera IRL Encounters Gold Mineralisation at Peru Project
Minera IRL has encountered high grade gold mineralisation at the Ollachea project in Peru, according to a prefeasibility study undertaken at the site by engineering firm AMEC. The Minapampa...
DAE Discovers Huge Uranium Mine in India
The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) of India has discovered a uranium mine in the Tumalapalli area of Andhra Pradesh state. The mine has close to 49,000t of uranium, which is three times...
UCIL Gets Go Ahead for Uranium Processing Unit in India
The state Government of Karnataka has approved a proposal by the Uranium Corporation of India (UCIL) to set up a uranium mining and processing unit at Yadgir district in Karnataka. The...
Hanlong Mining to Acquire Sundance for $1.5bn
Hanlong Mining has made a conditional proposal to acquire 100% of Sundance Resources for a total value of A$1.4bn (US$1.5bn). According to the transaction, Hanlong will acquire all the shares...
Hunnu Coal Receives Mongolian Mining Licence
Hunnu Coal has received mining licence MV-016872 from the Mineral Authority of Mongolia for its Tsant Uul project. The mining licence has been granted for an initial term of 30 years with...
NRW Secures Contracts from FMG
Australia-based Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) has awarded two contracts worth $190m to NRW Holdings for its projects and port facilities in Australia. The first contract, valued at $80m,...
Xinergy to Supply Coal to J.P Morgan Ventures
Xinergy Corporation has signed a long-term coal supply agreement with J.P. Morgan Ventures Energy for the delivery of coal from Raven Crest/Brier Creek mines in West Virginia, US. Under the...
Joy Global to Acquire Stake in IMM
Joy Global has entered into a share purchase agreement to buy TJCC Holdings' stake in International Mining Machinery Holdings for a total value of $585m. Under the terms of the agreement,...
Macmahon Bags Contract for Western Australian Project
Macmahon Holdings has received a $900m contract from a joint venture between AngloGold Ashanti Australia and Independence Group to develop the Tropicana gold project in Western Australia. ...
MDM Receives Contract for South African Project
Taung Gold has awarded a contract to MDM Engineering Group (MDM) for its Evander 6 shaft project in South Africa. Under the contract, MDM will provide process and engineering design services...
Peabody Energy, Xinjiang to Develop Surface Coal Mine
Peabody Energy has entered a framework agreement with the Government of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region to develop the 50 million tonnes-per-year surface coal mine in Xinjiang, China. ...
MDM Awarded ECPCM Contract for South African Project
MDM Engineering Group has secured a contract from Kalagadi Manganese to provide services for its Umtu project, which is under construction in Hotazel, South Africa. Under the contract, MDM...
Fortune Coal, POSCO to Develop Canadian Coal Project
Fortune Coal, a subsidiary of Fortune Minerals, has entered a definitive agreement with POSCO Canada (POSCAN) and its subsidiary POSCO Klappan to form a joint venture to develop the Mount...
Cokal, EMEM to form Joint Venture
Australian coal group Cokal has signed a cooperation agreement with Empresa Mocambicana de Exploracao Mineira (EMEM), a Mozambique mining exploration company, to form a joint venture to explore...
Deals This Week: Peabody Energy, Northgate, Stillwater and More...
Peabody Energy and Arcelor Mittal's joint venture has made an offer to acquire all the shares of Macarthur Coal for a total value of A$4.7bn (US$5bn) in an off-market takeover. Under the...
Metso to Supply Minerals Processing Equipment to Chinese Firm
Metso has received an order to supply minerals processing equipment to Taigang Group Lanxian Mining's Yuanjiacun iron ore processing plant in Lan county, China. Metso will supply seven units...
Fluor Bags $1bn EPCM Contract for Chile Project
Fluor Corporation has been awarded a contract by Quadra FNX Mining's subsidiary Minera Quadra Chile, to perform work at its Sierra Gorda copper / molybdenum project in Chile. Under the...
Frontier and Kores to Develop South African Rare Earth Project
Frontier Rare Earths has signed an agreement with Korea Resources (KORES) to form a strategic partnership for the development of Frontier's Zandkopsdrift rare earth project in South...
Atlas Copco Wins Mining Equipment Contract from Penoles
Atlas Copco has been awarded an underground mining equipment contract worth Skr420m ($63m) from Mexican mining firm Penoles. Under the contract, Atlas Copco will deliver a total of 87...
Peabody Energy and Arcelor Mittal Offer A$4.7bn to Acquire Macarthur Coal
A joint venture between Peabody Energy and Arcelor Mittal has made an offer to acquire all the shares of Macarthur Coal for a total value of A$4.7bn (US$5bn) in an off-market takeover. The...
Vicstar to Build Tin Processing Plant in Bolivia
Chinese firm Vicstar Union Engineering has been awarded a $50m contract to build a new tin processing plant near the Huanuni Mine in Bolivia. Vicstar Union Engineering is a joint venture...
Standard Gold to Process Gold from Activated Carbon
Standard Gold has entered into agreement with mining firm in Central America to process gold from activated carbon. Activated carbon is a form of carbon that has been processed to make...
European Goldfields Receives EIS Approval for Greek Project
European Goldfields has received environmental impact study (EIS) approval from the Greek Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change for the development of its assets in Greece. ...
SMM Restructures Zinc Operations
Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) has unveiled plans to restructure its business and will now concentrate its operations on recycled zinc oxide ore, starting from 1 April 2012. SMM...
Fast Cooper Receives Patent for Electro-Mining Technology
The China Patent Office has granted a patent for Fast Cooper's electro-mining technology. The technology extracts copper directly from crushed raw material using an electrical and...
'World's Highest' Carbon Tax to Hit Australian Mining Sector
Australia's mining sector has opposed the carbon tax package released by the Australian Government that requires polluters to pay A$23 (US$24.5) in tax for a metric ton of carbon from...
Amex Resources Exercises Lease Option for Fiji Project
Amex Resources has exercised its option for a 45-year lease at Lautoka Port, after receiving positive results from the pre-feasibility study of the MBA Delta Ironsands Project in Fiji. The...
WPG Receives Approval for Peculiar Knob Project
WPG Resources has received mining and rehabilitation programme approval from the state government for its Peculiar Knob project in Coober Pedy, South Australia. The government has...
Gold Standard to Explore Russian Mineral Deposits
Gold Standard Mining has entered into an agreement with GPK Umlekan and its subsidiary Umlekan MC to explore gold, copper and other mineral deposits in the Amur region of Russia. Under...
FMX and Tolima to Develop Colombian Properties
FMX Ventures has entered into a letter of intent with Tolima Gold to form a new combined business unit that will explore and develop gold mineral properties in Colombia. The transaction will...
Quadra FNX Receives EIA Approval for Chile Project
Quadra FNX Mining has received environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval for its Sierra Gorda project in Region II, northern Chile. Sierra Gorda project is a joint venture between...
Aston Resources Completes DFS on Australian Coal Project
Aston Resources has completed a definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Maules Creek project in New South Wales, Australia. According to the DFS, the project has a mine life of 30...
SouthGobi Receives Mining Licence for Mongolia Deposit
SouthGobi Resources subsidiary SouthGobi Sands has received a mining licence for the Soumber deposit in Mongolia. Mongolia's mineral resource authority granted the licence for the...
BioteQ Signs Agreement for Regeneration Project
BioteQ Environmental Technologies has signed an agreement with an unnamed European engineering firm to advance a cyanide regeneration and recovery project at a gold mine site in central Asia. ...
Caterpillar and WesTrac to Provide Mining Solutions to Australian Mine
Caterpillar and WesTrac have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) to implement an autonomous mining solution at FMG's Solomon iron ore mine in...
Deals This Week: Lynas, Bradken, Arab Mining and More...
Japanese Bank Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group has acquired a 9.99% stake in Australia's rare earth developer Lynas Corp for a total value of $324m. The shares acquired by Mitsubishi will...
CoAL Receives Environmental Go-ahead for South African Project
Coal of Africa (CoAL) has been granted environmental authorisation for its Vele coking coal project in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. The authorisation has been granted by the...
Mozambique to Revise Mining Law
State-owned Empresa Moçambicana de Exploraçäo Mineira is expected to gain stakes in several strategic mining projects, following the unveiling of the Mozambique Government's plans...
HudBay to Build Ore Concentrator at Canadian Project
HudBay Minerals is planning to invest $144m in the construction of a new ore concentrator at Lalor zinc-copper-gold project in Manitoba, Canada. An optimisation study has supported an...
Mawson West Completes Feasibility Study at DRC Project
Mawson West has received positive feasibility study results for the development of open cut mine at its Kapulo copper project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to the study,...
American, Chinese and Russian Firms to Develop Mongolia Coal Deposit
A Russian-led consortium, Peabody Energy and a joint venture (JV) between Shenhua and Mitsui have been selected to jointly develop the Tavan Tolgoi coal deposit in Mongolia. Tavan Tolgoi...
Sydvaranger to Supply Iron Ore to Tata Steel UK
Northern Iron's subsidiary Sydvaranger Gruve has signed a long-term offtake agreement with Tata Steel UK to supply iron ore concentrate from its mining operations in northern Norway. Under...
Mineral Resources Secures $1bn Contract for Australia Project
Fortescue Metals Group has awarded a $1bn contract to Mineral Resources for the design, construction and operation of the second ore processing facility and related infrastructure at...
Japanese Scientists Discover Rare Earth Minerals in Pacific Ocean
Japanese scientists have discovered vast deposits of rare earth minerals in the Pacific Ocean seabed, which can be used in high-tech appliances. About 100 billion tons of rare earth...
Bissa Gold Gains Mining Licence for Burkina Faso Project
High River Gold Mines' subsidiary Bissa Gold has received a mining licence from the government authorities of Burkina Faso for its Bissa gold project in West Africa. The mining license has...
Mantra Resources to Build Uranium Mine in Tanzania
Australia-based Mantra Resources is planning to build a uranium mine worth $400m in Tanzania in the next three years. The Tanzania Government will allocate about 345km² of land in...
AMEC to Conduct Feasibility Studies for Namibian Uranium Projects
Engineering and project management firm AMEC has secured two contracts to carry out definitive feasibility studies for uranium projects in Namibia. The work will be carried out by the...
BHP Receives EIS Approval for Jansen Project
BHP Billiton has been granted environmental impact statement (EIS) approval from the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment for the development of the Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada. ...
Outotec Secures Iron Pelletizing Plant Contract in Brazil
Finland-based Outotec has received a €200m contract from Samarco Mineração to deliver an iron ore pelletizing plant in Brazil. The plant will be installed at Samarco's iron ore port...
Eldorado Gold Starts Operations at Turkey Gold Mine
Eldorado Gold has started operations at Efemcukuru gold mine in Izmir, Turkey, with all necessary permits to carry out full mining and processing operations in place. Currently, low grade...
Nordex to Supply Explosives to Canadian Mine
Nordex Explosives has entered into a supply agreement with First Nickel for the supply of explosive products to their Lockerby Mine in Ontario, Canada, for six years. Under the terms of...
Vale Increases Coal Production at Mozambique Mine
Vale has increased its initial coal production target at the Moatize mine in Mozambique by 76% and is planning to quadruple that result in 2012. Vale sales manager Marcelo Matos said Moatize...
Proto Resources Receives Mining Lease in Tasmania
Proto Resources & Investments has received a mining lease from the Tasmanian Government for the firm's Barnes Hill project near Beaconsfield, Tasmania, for an initial period of 15 years. ...
China Hit by Two Coal Mine Disasters
Heavy flooding in China has led to two separate coal mine accidents, which killed three people and trapped more than 40 on Saturday. In the first accident, heavy rains caused part of a coal...
Northland Resources and Peab form JV for Iron Ore Transportation
Northland Resources has signed a letter of intent with civil and construction engineering company Peab to form a joint venture to manage transportation of iron ore from Northland's Kaunisvaara...
Deals This Week: NMDC, Xstrata, Avocet and More...
Indian firm National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is in negotiations to acquire a controlling stake in Brazil's Greystone Mineracao do Brasil, which is owned by Zamin Ferrous, for...
Woulfe Mining Sets Date for Production at South Korean Project
Woulfe Mining is planning to start production from its Sangdong tungsten and molybenum project in South Korea in 2012, the company has announced. Woulfe has completed a 19-hole...
Moly Mines Signs Loan Agreements for Spinifex Ridge Mine
Moly Mines has signed project debt agreements valued at $494m with the China Development Bank Corporation (CDB) for the construction of the Spinifex Ridge molybdenum/copper mine in...
June 2011
Top
Nuinsco and Ocean Partners Gain Approval to Access Chibougamau Assets
Nuinsco Resources and Ocean Partners have received approval from the Quebec Superior Court in Canada to acquire all exploration, mining and processing assets previously owned by Les...
Cassidy Gold Receives Exploration Permit in Guinea
Cassidy Gold has received an exploitation permit covering all gold resources identified to date at its Kouroussa gold project in Guinea, West Africa. The exploitation permit covers a total...
Wallbridge Delivers Material to Xstrata's Mill for Processing
Wallbridge Mining has completed the delivery of 30,500t of material from its Broken Hammer platinum-palladium-copper deposit to Xstrata's Strathcona mill in Sudbury, Canada for processing. ...
Rio Tinto Awards CiDRA Supply Contract for Mongolian Project
Rio Tinto has selected CiDRA Minerals Processing's SONARtrac flow monitoring systems for its slurry lines at its Oyu Tolgoi project in Mongolia. CiDRA will install 30 lines at the...
Orvana Completes Prefeasibility Study at US Copper Project
Orvana Minerals' subsidiary Orvana Resources US has completed the prefeasibility study for its Copperwood copper project in Michigan, US. The cost of pre-production capital is estimated...
White Tiger Commissions Crusher for Siberian Gold Project
White Tiger Gold has commissioned a new CH 430 Sandvik cone crusher for its Savkino heap leach gold operation at Savkino gold project in south Siberia, Russian Federation. The firm expects...
Bellzone Mining Completes Studies on Guinea Project
Bellzone Mining has announced the completion of the socioeconomic and environmental studies for the Kalia mine project in the Republic of Guinea. The studies were conducted by...
Peru Cancels Concession for Bear Creek Mine
The federal government of Peru has cancelled the concession for Bear Creek Mining's Santa Ana silver project in the Puno region, following protests against the development last week. ...
UC RUSAL to Explore Low Iron Bauxite in Komi
Russian firm UC RUSAL has started a project for the extraction of low iron bauxite in the Republic of Komi through its subsidiary Timan Bauxite. UC RUSAL is expecting to extract bauxite...
BHP to Invest in Canadian Potash Project
BHP Billiton will invest an additional $488m in the development of the Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada, which will be used to fund site preparation and the procurement of long...
Collahuasi to Commence Prefeasibility Study for Chilean Copper Project
Compania Minera Dona Ines de Collahuasi SCM's board has given approval for the commencement of a prefeasibility study for the third phase of the Collahuasi copper project in Chile. ...
NMDC Considers $1bn Stake in Brazilian Firm
Indian firm National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is in negotiations to acquire a controlling stake in Brazil's Greystone Mineracao do Brasil, which is owned by Zamin Ferrous, for...
IMG Signs Iron Ore Sale Contract
Iron Mining Group subsidiary IMG Iron Ore Trading (IMG Trading) has entered into a contract for sale of iron ore to an undisclosed global physical commodities company. Under the terms of the...
Solid Energy to Reopen Ohai Mine in New Zealand
Coal mining company Solid Energy will reopen its Ohai mine in Western Southland, New Zealand, after discovering a new 50,000t coal deposit. The company said it would continue exploration...
Joy Global Acquires LeTourneau Technologies for $1.1bn
Mining solutions provider Joy Global has completed the acquisition of LeTourneau Technologies for $1.1bn in cash. Joy Global concluded the transaction with Rowan Companies, a provider...
Orbit Garant Renews Drilling Contract with Newmont Mining
Orbit Garant Drilling has renewed a diamond core drilling services contract with Hope Bay Mining at the Hope Bay gold mining project in Nunavut, Canada. The company, which was...
Deals This Week: Nyrstar, Orosur, Guangdong Rising Assets Management and More...
Nyrstar subsidiary Nyrstar Resources Canada has agreed to purchase Canadian mineral resource company Breakwater Resources for C$663m (US$677.4m). The offer will expire on 29 July 2011,...
Kalimantan Gold Gets Extension on Gold Mining Permit
Kalimantan Gold Corporation has extended its mining permit at the Jelai Gold project in East Kalimantan until 2 June 2015. The extension fulfils one of the two conditions of the option...
Mercator Minerals Acquires Creston Moly
Mercator Minerals has completed acquisition of Creston Moly Corp, for an undisclosed sum. Creston will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Mercator following the transaction, which has...
WorleyParsons Secures Tailings Management Contract
WorleyParsons' subsidiary WorleyParsonsCord has received a contract to engineer and build tailings treatment facilities at the Syncrude Aurora Mine in Alberta, Canada. The contract is valued...
Strike Action Planned at BHP Coal Mines in Australia
Union workers plan to strike later this week at six BHP Billiton- and Mitsubishi-owned coal mines in Queensland, Australia. The strikes will occur during the night shift at mines from 24 June...
NRW Holdings and Rio Tinto Sign Agreement for Pilbara Expansion
Civil and mining contractor NRW Holdings’ subsidiary NRW has signed a framework agreement with Rio Tinto's iron ore business for its Pilbara expansion programme in Western Australia. ...
Prosperity Goldfields Receives Drilling Permits for Gold Project
Prosperity Goldfields Corp has received drilling permits for its 100%-owned Kiyuk gold project located in Nunavut, Canada. The company plans to undertake 3,500m of diamond drilling to test...
Gold Fields Receives Approval for IAMGOLD Acquisition
Gold Fields has received approval from its stakeholders to acquire IAMGOLD's 18.9% stake in the Tarkwa and Damang gold mines in Ghana for $667m. The acquisition, first announced on 15 April...
Baja Mining Breaks Ground at Mexican Mining Project
Baja Mining has broken ground at its 70% Boleo copper-cobalt-zinc project in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The company has invested $1.2bn in the construction project, in which a Korean...
Portage Signs LOI to Buy Peruvian Mining Assets
Portage Resources (Portage) has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Airon Peru and Albroock Gold Peru to purchase Wukakuy properties located in Peru, for an undisclosed sum. The company...
US Extends Ban on Uranium Mining Near Grand Canyon
The US government has extended a temporary ban on new uranium mine stakes around the Grand Canyon in Arizona by six months. The extension will give officials time to study the impact of a...
Dingli to Acquire Majority Stake in Xinbao Mining
Shanghai Dingli Technology Development has unveiled plans to acquire a 51% interest in Guilin Gongcheng Xinbao Mining for 178m yuan ($27.5m). Shanghai Dingli also intends to invest an...
Rusoro and Vittoria Sign Service Agreement for Venezuelan Mine
Rusoro Mining has entered into an agreement with Vittoria to provide mining services at its Choco Mine in Venezuela. Vittoria will provide loading, hauling and dumping of material as part of...
Adex to Evaluate Mount Pleasant Mine Development
Canada-based Adex Mining is in the process of evaluating the feasibility of developing the Mount Pleasant Mine in New Brunswick, Canada. The company will take about a year to decide whether...
China Plans to Create Heavy Rare Earth Reserve
China plans to create a strategic heavy rare earth reserve in its effort to protect key resources and ensure supplies for the domestic market. The plan, if approved by the government, would...
G&M Wins Permit for Selib North Project in Saudi Arabia
Gold & Minerals has received a grant from KEFI Minerals for the first mineral exploration licence at Selib North project in Saudi Arabia. The licence, which is renewable for five years,...
Tata Steel to Sell Riversdale Mining Stake for $1.6bn
Indian firm Tata Steel will sell its stake in Riversdale Mining to Rio Tinto for a total value of A$1.06bn (US$1.12bn). Tata Steel holds a 26.27% stake in Riversdale Mining through...
Catalpa and Conquest to Merge and Acquire Newcrest Mining
Catalpa Resources and Conquest Mining have entered into a binding transaction agreement to form a merged entity that will purchase Newcrest Mining's interests in the Cracow and Mt Rawdon gold...
Cimeco Secures Iron Ore Contracts in Australia
Forge Group's subsidiary Cimeco has been awarded new contracts worth $102m for iron ore projects in Australia. Cimeco will provide mine buildings and support facilities for Rio Tinto's...
ITOCHU to Invest $1.5bn in Drummond JV Stake
Drummond Company has reached an agreement with ITOCHU to form a new entity that will own and operate coal mining operations and transportation infrastructure in Colombia. Drummond will own an...
Nyrstar to Acquire Breakwater Resources for $636m
Nyrstar has entered into a binding agreement with Breakwater Resources to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Breakwater via a friendly takeover bid for a total value of...
Deals This Week: Arch Coal, Gloucester Coal, Glencore, Kangaroo and More...
Arch Coal has completed its acquisition of International Coal Group (ICG), through a merger with ICG for a total value of $3.4bn. Prior to the merger, Arch acquired about 92% of ICG's...
Rio Tinto Speeds Up Iron Ore Expansion in Pilbara Region
Rio Tinto is investing $676m in early works and procurement at the Pilbara region of Western Australia, to speed up its iron ore expansion programme. With this investment, the firm will raise...
NNT Secures Loan to Expand Indonesian Project
Indonesian firm PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (NNT) has secured a $600m credit facility to fund its expansion plan at its Batu Hijau gold and copper mine in West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. NNT...
Catalyst Resource Constructs Metals Facility in California
Metals recovery and technologies firm Catalyst Resource Group has completed construction of its laboratory and recovery facility in California, US. The facility consists of commercial...
First Quantum to Increase Copper Production in Zambia
First Quantum Minerals' subsidiary Kansanshi Mining may spend about $900m on increasing production at its Kansanshi mine in Zambia over the next three years. Kansanshi general manager...
OceanaGold Commences Construction at Philippines Project
OceanaGold Corporation has started construction activities at its Didipio project located in northern Luzon, the Philippines. The firm has identified opportunities through further...
Xstrata Copper to Export First Shipment of Magnetite to Asia
Xstrata Copper is planning to export the first shipment of magnetite concentrate to Asia, from its A$79m (US$84m) magnetite project at Ernest Henry Mining in Queensland, Australia. The export...
Xstrata to Begin Prefeasibility Study on Chilean Project
Xstrata Copper's executive committee has given approval for a prefeasibility study to begin evaluating the development of a copper sulphide deposit at the Lomas Bayas project, northern Chile. ...
Eldorado Receives Key Permits for Turkey Projects
Eldorado Gold’s subsidiary Tuprag Metal Madencilik Sanayi ve Ticaret has received key permits for its gold projects in Turkey. The firm has received a trail operating permit for its...
Canada Lithium Completes Feasibility Study for Québec Project
Canada Lithium has completed the updated feasibility study for the development of a mine and lithium carbonate processing facility at its lithium project in Québec. The study was carried out...
Kazakhmys Secures $1.5bn Loan for Copper Project
Kazakhmys has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the China Development Bank Corporation (CDB) to secure a $1.5bn loan that will be used to develop the copper project at...
Santa Teresa Signs Agreement to Acquire Stake in Chilean Gold Mine
Santa Teresa Minerals, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Casablanca Mining has signed an agreement to acquire interests in a hard rock gold mine in Rancagua, Chile. Post transaction, the company...
Ethiopia to Achieve Mining Export Target Early
Ethiopia is expected to double the mining exports to an annual $1bn earlier than planned. Ethiopian Mining Minister Sinkenesh Ejigu told Reuters that the country is expected to earn...
Australia Issues Mining Tax Draft Legislation
Australia has issued a draft mining tax law which is expected to raise A$7.7bn ($8.2bn) in the first two years of implementation. The tax will be introduced on 1 July next year, if the...
Tanzania Plans to Levy Super-Profit Tax on New Entrants
Tanzania will discuss with mining companies how a super-profit tax will be implemented if the parliament approves the proposed plan. Tanzanian Mines Minister William Ngeleja said new entrants...
Workers at Six Queensland Coal Mines Plan Strike
Over 2000 workers at Queensland coal mines in north-eastern Australia operated by BHP Billiton are planning to go on strike. BHP has been notified that workers at six mines owned by...
Sumitomo Discovers Gold and Silver, Antimony Zone at Alaskan Mine
Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) and Sumitomo Corporation (SC) have discovered a gold, silver and antimony zone in the Monte Cristo area of the Stone Boy project in Alaska, US. The discoveries...
Alexis Initiates Lac Herbin Mine Turnaround Plan
Alexis Minerals Corporation has initiated a turnaround plan for the Lac Herbin mine to improve recoveries, make significant near mine exploration and carry out intensive underground development. ...
Profit Margins of Top Miners Shrink on Rising Costs
The profit margins of the 40 top mining companies globally have decreased compared to 2006 and 2007 levels due to higher costs, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. The companies recorded a...
Ok Tedi Losing $5.5m a Day from Production Halt
The Ok Tedi mine in Papua New Guinea is losing $5.5m every day after a pyrite concentrate waste pipeline rupture halted production. Four localised ruptures occurred in a small section of...
Deals This Week: Polyus, MRC Allied and More
Russia-based Polyus Gold has begun merger negotiations with Newmont Mining, Newcrest Mining and AngloGold Ashanti. The merged company is expected to be placed in the top four gold...
Uranium One Completes Acquisition of Mantra Resources
Canadian mining company Uranium One has announced that its 51% shareholder, JSC Atomredmetzoloto (ARMZ), has completed the acquisition of Mantra Resources (Mantra). Uranium One has now become...
Indian Firm Awarded Zambian Copper Refinery EPC Contract
India-based Hindustan Dorr-Oliver has been awarded a contract by Zambian Konkola Copper Mine for the expansion of its copper refinery at Chingola. The $85m contract involves residual...
Copper Mountain to Start Full Production at Canadian Mine
Copper Mountain Mine Corporation has completed the construction of the processing plant at Copper Mountain Mine in British Columbia, Canada, and will begin full production later this...
Massey Report Contradicts Federal Investigations into Virginia Mine Blast
A report released by the former chairman of Massey Energy said that the explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, US, that killed 29 men in April last year was caused by natural...
ArcelorMittal Starts Production at Liberian Iron Ore Project
ArcelorMittal has begun production at its $1.5bn Mount Nimba iron ore project in Liberia, after work was halted last year. The company first shipment is scheduled for this month,...
Meijin Plans Thermal Coal Mine in Australia
China-based coke producer Meijin Energy has unveiled plans to build a thermal coal mine in Queensland, Australia, at an estimated cost of A$3bn (US$3.2bn). Meijin said it found a coal...
Wesgold Minerals to Obtain 51% Stake in Colombian Mineral Project
Canada-based mineral exploration company Wesgold Minerals has entered into an agreement pursuant to which it may obtain a 51% stake in the Cordoba Property, Colombia, from Minatura International. ...
Sable Buys Interest in Liberation Mining
Sable Mining Africa has bought 49% interest in Liberation Mining for an undisclosed sum. Liberation Mining is the owner of the Lubimbi Coal Project in the Gwaai area of the Kariba coal basin...
Kinross Gold Commissions Third Ball Mill at Paracatu Mine
Canadian-based gold mining company Kinross Gold Corp has commissioned the third ball mill at its Paracatu expansion plant in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The mill has been recently installed and...
Thiess Receives $237m Contract Extension
Thiess has received a A$222m ($237.1m) contract extension from Peabody Energy Australia to continue mining operations at the Wilpinjong Coal Mine in New South Wales, Australia. Mine owner...
ICVL to Buy Stake in Mozambique Coal Project for $1bn
India-based International Coal Ventures (ICVL) is considering an option to acquire a 59% stake in Mozambique's Minas de Revuboé for an estimated $1bn from the Talbot Group. Minas de...
SNC-Lavalin to Develop Feasibility Study for Scandium Project
EMC Metals Corp (EMC) has selected SNC-Lavalin to develop a feasibility study on the Nyngan Scandium project in New South Wales, Australia. The company is currently in the process of...
Alpha Natural Resources Acquires Massey Energy
Alpha Natural Resources has completed the acquisition of Massey Energy, creating a coal company in the US, the company has announced. Massey stockholders received 1.025 shares of common stock...
Ecuador Expects $3.5bn Investment in Mining Sector
Ecuador's minister for non-renewable natural resources Wilson Pastor has said the nation's mining sector is expected to receive $3.5bn in foreign investment. Currently, international...
True North Gems Completes PFS on Greenland Project
True North Gems has completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the Aappaluttoq ruby and pink sapphire project in south-west Greenland. According to the PFS, the project will require an...
Minemakers and NMDC to Develop Australian Phosphate Deposit
Australia-based Minemakers has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian-firm NMDC to develop the Wonarah phosphate deposit in Northern Territory, Australia. Under...
Peab Secures Civil Works Contract for Swedish Iron Ore Project
Northland Resources has awarded a SEK800m ($125m) contract to Norway-based Peab to construct all civil works for the industrial area of the Kaunisvaara iron ore project in northern...
Rio Tinto and Chinalco Form JV
Rio Tinto and Chinalco have signed a contract to form a joint venture (JV) company to explore mineral deposits, including copper, coal, potash, in mainland China. Rio Tinto will hold...
Erdene Awarded Mining Licence for Mongolian Project
Erdene Resource Development has received a mining licence from the Government of Mongolia for its Zuun Mod molybdenum-copper project. The Zuun Mod mining licence covers an area of...
Deals This Week: Mongolian Mining, Talvivaara Mining and More...
Mongolian Mining is to acquire the Baruun Naran mine in Mongolia from QGX Holdings for a total value of $464.5m. QGX Holdings will receive $379.5m in cash and $85m in convertible bonds...
Osisko Mining Starts Work on Canadian Malartic Gold Mine
Osisko Mining has officially inaugurated the Canadian Malartic gold mine located in Abitibi, Canada. The Canadian Malartic mine, which is Osisko's first mine to go into production, covers...
NIER to Develop Safer Mining Technology
The Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER) in Australia is to develop new technology to make mines more efficient, sustainable and safer. NIER will develop mathematical...
Ferrominera Orinoco Receives $900m Loan from China
Venezuela-based iron firm Ferrominera Orinoco has received a $900m loan from China, to increase its iron output capacity. Ferrominera Orinoco will use half of the loan to build a second...
Ausenco Bags EPCM Contract for Brazilian Gold Project
Beadell Resources has awarded a A$75m (US$80m) engineering, procurement, construction and management (EPCM) contract to Ausenco for its CIL plant at the Tucano gold project in...
Whitehaven Extends Tarrawonga JV with Boggabri Coal
Whitehaven Coal (WHC) has entered into an agreement with Idemitsu Australia Resources subsidiary Boggabri Coal to extend its existing Tarrawonga joint venture (JV). Under the terms of...
Brierty to Provide Mining Services to Karara Iron Project
Gindalbie Metals has awarded a contract to Briety to supply haematite mining and associated services at its Karara iron ore project in Western Australia. Under the $185m contract, which...
Antioquia Discovers Two Gold Mineralised Zones at Colombian Project
Antioquia Gold has discovered two new mineralised zones at its initial drilling programme at the Cisneros project in Colombia. The results include an assay of 7.27g/t gold over a length...
Metso Secures Contract for Russian Copper Project
Global Engineering firm Metso has won a €200m contract to supply minerals processing equipment and services to Russia's ZAO for its Mikheevsky GOK copper project in...
Jake Mining to Develop $2bn Gold-Copper Project in the Philippines
The Philippines' Jake Mining will develop a gold and copper prospect in southern Philippines at an estimated cost of $2bn. The firm is in negotiations with seven to eight foreign groups...
Venus Metals Acquires Processing Plant for Diamond Project
Venus Metals Corporation has purchased a containerised, modular diamond processing plant for its alluvial diamond project located at Smoke Creek, Western Australia. The processing plant...
May 2011
Top
Aura Energy Discovers Uranium Mineralisation at Sweden Project
Aura Energy has identified extensive uranium mineralisation from an initial drilling programme on its Kallsedet uranium project in Sweden. The firm has conducted 419m of drilling on four...
SARCO Receives Loan Proposal for Alumina Refinery
China Minsheng Banking (CMBC) has offered to finance a $600m proposed alumina refinery built at Laos by Sino Australian Resources (SARCO). CMBC said it will provide 70% of the finance for...
CIL Eyes Stake in Indonesian Coal Assets
State-run Coal India (CIL) is planning to submit a bid next month to buy a 40% stake in Indonesia-based Golden Energy Mines for an estimated $1bn. CIL is in the process of completing the...
Apogee Silver Receives Mining Permit for Bolivian Silver Project
Apogee Silver has received an environmental mining permit approval from the Bolivian authorities for its Pulacayo project. The permit will allow the firm to conduct underground exploration...
Caterpillar Opens New Remanufacturing Facility in Singapore
Mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has opened a new 20,000m² remanufacturing facility in Singapore, which aims to reduce waste and the need for raw materials. The new...
Cobar Receives Approval for Silver Project in Australia
Cobar Consolidated Resources has received development approval from the Western Region Joint Regional Planning Panel for the Wonawinta Silver project in New South Wales, Australia. The...
Deals This Week: Gold One, Exxaro, Hunnu Coal and More...
Gold One International has signed a sale of shares agreement to acquire 100% of Rand Uranium, which is expected to potentially boost the company's gold production to 300,000oz a year. Gold...
Terra Firma Gains High-Grade Mineral Yield from Indonesian Project
Terra Firma Resources has received high-grade copper and silver mineralisation from the first reconnaissance sample results of the initial exploration programme at Malawa property in...
Australian-American Mining to Begin Drilling at US Project
Australian-American Mining has approved a major drilling programme at the Rio Puerco uranium project located in New Mexico, US. The firm has planned a 7,700m drill programme with 35...
NMDC to Acquire 50% Stake in Legacy Iron Ore
Indian firm NMDC has signed a memorandum of understanding with Australia-based Legacy Iron Ore to acquire up to a 50% stake in the company. NMDC chairman and managing director Rana Som said...
GTSO, Ar Erkhes to Work on Rare Earth Project
Green Technology Solutions (GTSO) has signed a letter of intent with Mongolia's Ar Erkhes to excavate and ship rare earth ore from three mining sites in Mongolia to South Korea. Both firms...
Indonesia to Audit Thousands of Existing Mining Permits
Indonesia is to audit over 8,000 existing mining permits, to check if they are in line with the mining and environmental laws of the country. Last week, Indonesia President Susilo...
RUSCAL Eyes Cameroon Metal Projects
Russia's largest aluminium producer RUSAL has signed a memorandum of intent with Cameroon's Ministry of Industry, Mines and Technology Development to undertake a wide-ranging feasibility study...
National Union Demands Pay Rise for South African Miners
The National Union of Mineworkers has demanded a pay rise for gold and coal miners in South Africa. The union has demanded an increase of 25% to the monthly minimum wage, and a 14% increase...
SAIL to Open Tenders for Iron and Coal Developments
Steel Authority of India (SAIL) is planning to open a global tender to outsource the mining of its 2bn-ton iron ore reserves at Chiria mines in Chattisgarh, India. The firm will appoint...
Moly Mines Awards EPC Contract to CACS
Moly Mines' subsidiary Moly Metals Australia (MMA) has awarded an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to CACS Corporation of China for its Spinifex Ridge...
MSC to form JV with DRC for Tin Development
Malaysia Smelting Corporation (MSC) has entered into a confidentiality agreement with the Ministry of Mines of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), regarding a possible joint venture (JV)...
BHP Terminates JV with Blackthorn Resources
BHP Billiton will withdraw its direct involvement in the Mumbwa Project in Zambia, Blackthorn Resources has been advised. The company will assign its interest in the JV to Blackthorn...
Avanco Resources Makes New Copper Discovery at Brazilian Project
Avanco Resources has confirmed a new copper discovery at its Serra Verde project located in Carajas Mineral Province, Brazil. The new discovery, located about 300m south-east of the...
Arcelor Mittal to Invest $2.1bn in Canadian Mining Complex Expansion
Arcelor Mittal is planning to invest C$2.1bn (US$2.15bn) to expand its Mont-Wright mining complex and additional construction at Port-Cartier in Canada. The firm is planning to increase its...
Wolf Minerals Receives Positive DFS for UK Tungsten Project
Wolf Minerals has received a positive definitive feasibility study (DFS) for its Hemerdon tungsten and tin project in the UK. The project consists of a two-stage open pit, along with a...
Namibia to Increase Stake in De Beers Marine
The Government of the Republic of Namibia (GRN) has signed an agreement with the De Beers Group to increase its shareholding in De Beers Marine Namibia (DBMN) from 15% to 50%. Shareholders...
Kalagadi Manganese Project Secures €150m Loan
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a €150m loan to finance the Kalagadi manganese mining project in South Africa. The work will include mining and processing operations in...
Easternwell Secures Drilling Services Contract from Fortescue Metals
Transfield Services' subsidiary Easternwell has received a contract from Fortescue Metals Group to provide drilling services and associated equipment to its mining operations in Western Australia....
Xstrata to Expand Mining Operations at Mount Isa
Xstrata is planning to sustain its Mount Isa mine operations by expanding mining and concentrate production, and phasing out copper smelting and refining by the end of 2016. The Mount Isa...
Reliance to Invest up to $10bn in Indonesian Mining Infrastructure
Indian firm Reliance ADA Group is planning to invest between $5bn and $10bn in the development of the coal mining infrastructure in Indonesia. The firm has acquired a coal mine on Sumatra...
Deals This Week: Joy Global, St Barbara, Gloucester Coal and More...
US-based high productivity mining solutions provider Joy Global has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a 100% ownership interest in Rowan Companies' LeTourneau Technologies for...
Nautilus Completes Drilling at Solwara Project in PNG
Nautilus Minerals has completed its 2010-11 seafloor drilling programme at the Solwara Project located in Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea (PNG). During the drilling programme, Nautilus completed...
CIL May Form JV with Peabody to Develop Australian Coal Mine
Coal India (CIL) is in talks with US-based Peabody Energy to form a joint venture (JV) to develop the $600m Wilkie Creek coal mine in Queensland, Australia. Peabody Energy will hold 85% stake...
Extorre Receives EIA Approval for Argentinian Gold-Silver Mine
Extorre Gold Mines has received a positive environmental impact assessment (EIA) for its Cerro Moro gold-silver mine from the Santa Cruz provincial government, Argentina. With receipt of...
Australia Addresses Skills Policy for Mining Sector
The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME), Queensland Resources Council (QRC) and SkillsDMC have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to identify strategies to source...
La Mancha Receives Positive DFS for Sudan Gold Mine Project
La Mancha Resources has received a positive definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the upgrade of its heap leach plant, which uses carbon-in-leach (CIL) technology at the Hassai gold mine...
Joy Global to Acquire LeTourneau for $1.1bn
US-based high productivity mining solutions provider Joy Global has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire 100% ownership interest in Rowan Companies' LeTourneau Technologies for $1.1bn...
Platinum Group Receives Mining Rights for South African Mine
Platinum Group Metals has received mining rights for its WBJV Project 1 platinum mine from the South African Department of Mineral Resources (DMR). With the receipt of mining rights, the...
Quadra FNX to Develop Chilean Project
Sumitomo Metal Mining (SMM) and Sumitomo Corporation (SC) have signed an investment agreement with Quadra FNX Mining for the development of the Sierra Gorda project in Chile. Under the terms...
Vale Starts Nickel Operations at Brazilian Plant
Vale has started nickel production operations at its $2.48bn Onca Puma ferronickel plant in south-east Para, Brazil. The plant will use deposits of lateritic nickel from areas in the...
Gloucester Coal to Acquire Two Australian Coal Assets
Gloucester Coal has entered into an agreement to acquire Noble's 100% interest in Donaldson Coal Holdings for a total value of A$585m ($618m). Donaldson Coal's assets include one open-cut...
BHP Billiton Releases Environmental Impact Statement for Australian Project
BHP Billiton has released the final supplementary environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the expansion of its Olympic Dam project in South Australia. The firm submitted the SEIS for...
St Barbara to Merge with Catalpa Resources
Australian firms St Barbara and Catalpa Resources are planning to merge to form a mid-tier gold company. The A$865m ($914m) merged company will have four Australian production assets,...
Sundance Resources Seeks Chinese Partner to Develop Mbalam Project
Sundance Resources is set to develop its Mbalam project in Cameroon, and may sell half of the development to a Chinese partner to help fund construction. Sundance completed a study of the...
Venture Minerals Sets 2013 Start Date for Tasmanian Tin Production
Venture Minerals is planning to start tin production, from its Mount Lindsay project in Tasmania in 2013, as increased tin prices have resulted in market demand. Venture Minerals...
Aurium Receives Drilling Permit for Telecom Hill
Aurium Resources has received drilling approval from the Department of Mines and Petroleum for Telecom Hill, which is part of the Peak Hill Iron joint venture (JV) in Australia. The Peak...
Heirro IMG to Explore Mineral Concessions in Mexico
Iron Mining Group's (IMG) subsidiary Heirro IMG Mexico has signed an exclusive iron ore development agreement with Minera BarraNava to explore mineral concessions in Mexico. According to...
Aquila Resources Completes PFS on Hardey Deposit
Aquila Resources has completed the pre-feasibility (PFS) study for its Hardey iron ore project, which is located near the West Pilbara iron ore project in Western Australia. The total cost...
Deals This Week: Cloud Peak, Newmont Mining, Severstal, Brilliant Mining and More...
Cloud Peak Energy has acquired the lease of West Antelope II North Coal Tract from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for a total value of $297.7m. According to BLM, the tract...
Yanzhou Coal Offers $3.74bn for Whitehaven Coal
Yanzhou Coal Mining of China has offered more than $3.74bn to acquire Australian coal miner Whitehaven Coal. Last year, Whitehaven Coal put itself up for auction, and was seeking offers of...
Barminco is Awarded $500m Renewal Contract for Sunrise Dam Project
AngloGold Ashanti has awarded a mining services contract worth about $500m to Barminco for its Sunrise Dam project, located 56km south of Laverton, Western Australia. Under the...
Metinvest to Invest $619m for Modernisation of Ukrainian Iron Ore Works
Ukraine's Metinvest is planning to invest about UAH5bn ($619m) for the modernisation of iron ore enrichment works (GOKs) at its mining sites in the country. Metinvest will spend...
Quebec to Invest $33bn in Mining Sector
The Quebec Government has launched 'Plan Nord' to develop its frozen northern reaches into a powerhouse of mining and renewable energy. The 25-year plan covers about 1.2 million km#&179 and...
Ledcor Secures Mining Services Contract for US Gold Project
Golden Phoenix Minerals has awarded a mining services contract to Ledcor CMI for its Mineral Ridge Gold heap leach project in Nevada, US. Ledcor has begun mobilisation of equipment and setup...
BHP Approves Misery Project in Canada
BHP Billiton has announced the approval of the Misery open pit project at its EKATI diamond mine in the Northwest Territories, Canada. The firm expects stripping operations at the Misery...
Xstrata and Vale to Expand Canadian Fraser Mine
Xstrata Nickel and Vale have entered into a partnership agreement to expand Xstrata's Fraser mine in Ontario, Canada. Xstrata Nickel will mine copper ore from Vale's ore deposits, which...
Vale Commences Operations at Mozambique Coal Mine
Vale has started mining operations at its $1.6bn Moatize coal project in the Tete province of Mozambique. The coal from the Moatize project will be transported through 600km of Sena...
Lonmin to Invest $2bn in Platinum Expansion
UK-based platinum firm Lonmin is planning to invest about $2bn to restart its mines in South Africa and increase its production. The firm will spend about $400m a year to increase...
FAST JV Wins BHP Contract for Iron Ore Expansion
Flour and SKM's joint venture FAST JV has received a contract from BHP Billiton for an iron ore expansion programme in Western Australia. FAST JV is a joint venture between Flour Australia...
Anvil Starts Copper Cathode Production at DRC Mine
Anvil Mining has started production of copper cathode at its Kinsevere stage two solvent extraction and electro-winning (SX-EW) mine in the Katanga province of the Democratic Republic of...
Iberian Minerals Awarded Exploration Concessions in Spain
Iberian Minerals has received 17 exploration concessions for the underground copper-zinc Sotiel mine in Spain from Junta de Andalucia government. The firm will conduct a work...
Nautilus Secures Subsea Equipment for Papua New Guinea Mining Project
Nautilus Minerals has ordered a subsea slurry lift pump (SSLP) from GE Oil & Gas, as part of the next step to construct its seafloor production system at the Solwara 1 project in Papua New Guinea....
Sterlite Industries to Commission Coal Berth in South India
Vedanta Group's subsidiary Sterlite Industries is planning to commission a coal-handling facility worth $150m at Visakhapatnam in South India by July 2012. The coal berth will consist of a...
Ausenco Bags EPCM Contract for GDP3 Project
Ausenco Minerals has received an engineering procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract from Taseko Mines for the Gibraltar Development Plan 3 (GDP3) project in British...
Coal Mine Blast in Mexico Officially Kills 14 Miners
Rescue teams in Mexico have recovered the body of the last of the 14 miners who were killed in a gas explosion at a coal mine in Coahuila last week. The explosion, which occurred on 3 May,...
Caterpillar Receives EU Approval for Bucyrus Acquisition
Construction equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has received approval from European Union (EU) antitrust regulators to buy Bucyrus International for $8.6bn. The European Commission said in...
Akara Mining Secures $100m Loan for Thai Mine
Kingsgate Consolidated's Thailand subsidiary Akara Mining has secured a $100m syndicated loan facility for the expansion of Chatree gold mine in Central Thailand. The loan facility will be...
Rio Tinto Terminates JV with First Bauxite
Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration has terminated its option and joint venture (JV) agreement with First Bauxite Corporation. In 2008, Rio Tinto Exploration signed a letter of understanding...
Deals This Week: Arch Coal, Aquarius Platinum, Lake Share Gold and More...
Arch Coal has signed a definitive agreement with International Coal Group (ICG) to acquire all the outstanding shares of ICG for $14.60 per share, in an all-cash transaction valued at...
Sandvik Secures Materials Handling Contract in Latin America
Sandvik Mining and Construction has signed a major materials handling contract worth SKr1.2bn ($197m) with an unnamed mining company in Latin America. Under the contract, Sandvik will design...
Mundra Acquires Australian Coal Terminal for $2bn
Indian firm Adani Enterprises' subsidiary Mundra Port & Special Economic Zone has won a $2bn bid to operate the Abbot Point X50 Coal Terminal in Queensland, Australia, for 99 years. The...
Spartan Discovers New Gold Mineralisation at Ziggurat Property
Spartan Gold has discovered a new Carlin-style gold mineralisation, alteration and felsic dike at Ziggurat property in Nevada, US. The new 'Whitehorse' discovery occurs in a window of...
Mexican Coal Mine Blast Kills Five
Five trapped miners out of 14 are dead as a result of a gas explosion that occurred on 3 May 2011 at a small coal mine at Coahuila, Mexico. Authorities had to wait until toxic gases...
CiDRA to Install Flow Meters at Argentina Mine
AngloGold Ashanti has awarded CiDRA Minerals Processing a contract for the installation of three flow meters at its Cerro Vanguardia mine in Patagonia, Argentina. CiDRA will install two of...
Century Mining to Expand Lamaque Mine
Century Mining has received approval to expand operations of the Lamaque mine in Val d'Or, Québec, from the Québec Ministry of Durable Development, Environment and Parks (MDDEP). Century...
Monadelphous Wins $200m Contracts
Australia-based engineering group Monadelphous Group has received various maintenance and construction contracts worth $200m and contract extensions worth $140m. Under the contract the...
SKKGM Bags Exploration Concessions in Poland
The government of Poland has granted an exploration concession to Slasko Krakowska Kompania Górnictwa Metali (SKKGM), it has been announced. The licence is valid for six years, allowing the...
Vale Begins Operations at Oman Pelletising Plant
Vale has begun production at its $1.35bn pelletising plant in the coastal city of Sohar, Oman. The pelletising plant and distribution centre will serve as a hub for the growing demand of...
Seabridge Completes PFS for KSM Project
Seabridge Gold has completed an updated preliminary feasibility study (PFS) for its Kerr-Sulphurets-Mitchell (KSM) project located in northern British Columbia, Canada. According to the PFS,...
Mexican Blast Traps 14 Miners
A gas explosion at a coal mine in the town of Sabinas, Coahuila, Mexico, has left 14 workers trapped. According to officials the blast occurred in the early hours of Tuesday morning at a...
Arch Coal to Acquire ICG
Arch Coal has signed a definitive agreement with International Coal Group (ICG) to acquire all the outstanding shares of ICG for $14.60 per share, in an all-cash transaction valued at...
Sandvik Mining forms JV with Shandong Energy
Sandvik Mining and Construction has signed an agreement with Shandong Energy Machinery of China to form a 50/50 owned joint venture (JV) for the production and sales of coal mining equipment. ...
BHP Billiton and Vale to Invest $3.5bn in Brazilian Expansion Project
BHP Billiton and Vale have approved the expansion of the fourth pellet plant project at Samarco in Brazil with a total investment of $3.5bn to increase production capacity. BHP will invest...
GWA Signs Rail Haulage Agreement with WPG Resources
Genesee & Wyoming Australia (GWA) has signed a rail haulage agreement to transport 3.3Mpta of hematite iron ore from WPG Resources' Peculiar Knob mine in South Australia. GWA will operate...
Petaquilla to Increase Gold Production Capacity at Panama Facility
Petaquilla Minerals is planning to increase its grinding and processing capacity as part of the expansion of its production system at the Molejon gold mine facility in Panama. The firm...
April 2011
Top
Western Sierra Receives Exploration Permit for Gold Crown Project
Western Sierra Mining has received exploration permit approval from the US state of Arizona for its Gold Crown property located in Skull Valley. The firm has received the grant subject...
Karara Mining Receives Loan for Iron Ore Project
Australia-based Gindalbie Metals' joint venture Karara Mining has secured a loan of $336m for the next phase of the Karara iron ore project in Western Australia. The loan was provided by...
Deals This Week: Barrick Gold, Rio Tinto, Gold One and More...
Barrick Gold has entered into a support agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares of Equinox Minerals in a takeover offer valued at C$7.3bn (US$7.6bn). Equinox...
African Queen Mines Begins Field Work for Kenya Gold Project
African Queen Mines is carrying out field work for the phase 1 exploration programme at the Ugunja gold project located on the shores of Lake Victoria in Western Kenya. The firm is...
Crowflight Resumes Operations at Canadian Nickel Mine
Crowflight Minerals has received permission from the Mine Safety Branch of the Manitoba Government to resume mining operations at its Bucko Lake nickel deposit in Manitoba, Canada. ...
Rio Tinto Signs Settlement Agreement With Guinea
Rio Tinto's subsidiary Simfer has signed a settlement agreement with the Government of Guinea to secure the southern concession of the Simandou project in Guinea. Under the terms of...
Norilsk Nickel to Develop Copper Nickel Deposits in Russia
Norilsk Nickel is planning to develop copper-nickel deposits in Russia's Voronezh Region nickel areas, the firm has announced. According to the company's geological exploration...
Barrick Gold to Acquire Equinox for $7.6bn
Barrick Gold has entered into a support agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares of Equinox Minerals in a takeover offer valued at C$7.3bn ($7.6bn). Equinox assets...
Selwyn Chihong Secures Water Licence for Canada Project
Selwyn Chihong Mining has received a type B water licence from the Yukon Water Board for its Selwyn project located in Yukon, Canada. Selwyn Chihong Mining president and CEO Harlan Meade...
Regis Awards Mining Services Contract to MACA
Regis Resources has awarded a mining services contract worth $450m to MACA for its Garden Well gold project in Australia. Under the eight-year contract, MACA will provide various civil...
Xstrata to Acquire Exco Resources' Copper Assets
Xstrata Copper has entered into an agreement with Exco Resources to acquire the E1 and Monakoff copper tenements in north-west Queensland, Australia for a cash value of A$175m ($183m). El...
Geovic Mining Approves Feasibility Study for African Project
Geovic Mining has accepted the final feasibility study for its Nkamouna cobalt-nickel-manganese project in Cameroon. The feasibility study has been prepared by Lycopodium Minerals and...
Leighton Joint Venture Secures Service Contract for Botswana Mines
A joint venture between Leighton International, Basil Read Mining and Bothakga Burrow has received a $586m mining service contract for Debswana diamond mines in Jwaneng, Botswana. Debswana...
Metso to Supply Mineral Process Equipment to Swedish Project
Metso has secured a contract to supply mineral processing equipment and services to the two processing lines at Northland Resources's Kaunisvaara iron ore project in northern Sweden. Under...
Nevado Resources and Neomet Sign Metal Extraction Agreement
Nevado Resources has signed an agreement with Neomet Technologies to apply the patented Neomet process to extract all valuable metals from its La Blache iron-titanium-vanadium project...
L&L Signs Purchase Contracts with KISC
L&L Energy has entered into two purchase contracts with China-based Kunming Iron & Steel Group (KISC) to supply a total of 700,000t of coal. Under the first purchase contract, L&L will...
Alto Group Receives Environment Permit for West African Gold Project
Alto Group has received an environment permit from the Ministry of Mines of Mali for its Bogue gold project. With the receipt of this permit, the firm will begin production at the Bogue...
Ramelius Approves New Mine Plan for Australian Gold Mine
Ramelius Resources' board has approved a new mine plan for the Wattle Dam underground gold mine near Kambalda in Western Australia. The firm will mine a total of 216,000 tons of ore from...
Old Mining Law Threatens US Natural Treasures
An old mining law in the US is threatening the country's natural treasures, including the Grand Canyon National park, as mining claims on public lands increase, according a report by...
Capstone to Acquire Far West Mining
Capstone Mining has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Far West Mining for a total value of C$725m ($755m). Far West owns...
Adamus Receives Mineral Licences in Liberia
Adamus Resources has been granted three mineral reconnaissance licences that cover an area of over 3,000km² in the Republic of Liberia. The licences are located in a highly...
NRW to Provide Mining Services for Australian Coal Project
NRW Holdings has received a five-year contract to provide mining services for the Middlemount coal project in Queensland, Australia for a total value of A$780m ($822.4m). NRW will...
Taurian to Build Manganese Plant in Zambia
Indian firm Taurian Manganese is planning to build a manganese processing plant in central Zambia with an investment of $150m. Taurian Manganese director Imran Merchant told Reuters...
Gold Fields to Acquire Stake in Ghana Gold Mines
Gold Fields Limited has entered into a binding agreement with IAMGOLD to acquire its 18.9% minority stake in the Tarkwa and Damang gold mines in Ghana, for a total value of $667m. With...
Vale Begins Drilling at Brazilian Iron Ore Project
Vale has begun drilling at Avanco Resources' Trindade North iron ore project in Brazil. Currently, four rigs are operating on the project and the fifth rig will be mobilised in the...
South Africa to Launch Online System of Minerals Rights Application
South Africa is set to launch an online system for mineral rights application this week that will ensure transparency and avoid administrative blunders. The Department of Mineral Resources...
Nautilus Minerals and Harren to Form JV for Seafloor Production
Nautilus Minerals has formed a strategic partnership with German shipping company Harren & Partner to form a joint venture company for its seafloor resource production. The new company...
ICL to Expand Spanish Potash Unit
Israel Chemicals (ICL) is investing €160m ($231.6m) in the first stage of an expansion plan for its Iberpotash unit in Spain. Under the first stage, ICL will expand the...
M3 to Conduct Feasibility Study for US Copper Project
Curis Resources has awarded a contract to M3 Engineering to conduct a feasibility level study on final design, engineering, capital and operating costs for the Florence copper project in...
Deals This Week: Vale, Aquarius Platinum, GPIL and More...
Vale has made an offer to buy the total share capital of Metorex for a total value of R7.52bn ($1.12bn). Metorex's assets include Chibuluma mine in Zambia, which has an estimated...
RX Completes Decline at Drumlummon Mine in US
RX Exploration has connected a new decline to the current internal ramp system and existing historical workings of the Drumlummon mine in Montana, US. The new 'Gunsinger Decline' will...
Botswana Begins Exploration of Cameroon Diamond Field
Botswana Diamonds has started a 60 to 90-day exploration work programme on its diamond reconnaissance licence, located to the south of the Mobilong diamond field in Cameroon, to identify...
ICL to Mine Polyhalite in UK Potash Mines
Israel Chemicals (ICL) is set to begin mining mineral salt polyhalite located at lower levels of its potash mines in the North Sea. According to geological studies conducted by ICL's...
MSHA Issues Violation Notices to Two US Coal Mines
The US Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a notice of a pattern of violations (PoV) to two coal mining operations under the federal Mine Safety and...
NTPC to Begin Pakri Barwadih Coal Production Next Year
India-based NTPC is planning to start coal production from the Pakri Barwadih coal mine, located in Jarkhand, India, next year. NTPC's coal mining project general manager, Upendra Rao,...
Queensland Awards Legend Second Phosphate Mining Lease
Legend International Holdings has received a mining lease from the Queensland Government, Australia, for its Paradise North phosphate project. The mining lease ML90191 is the second...
Cortona and GBF Sign MoU for Australian Gold Project
Cortona Resources has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with underground mining services firm GBF Mining and Industrial Services to mine its high-grade Dargues Reef gold deposit...
OceanaGold to Begin Construction of Philippine Mine
Australia-based OceanaGold is planning to start the construction of its Didipio gold-copper project in the Philippines within the next few months. The firm has awarded the engineering,...
Lu'an Group Tests Underground Mining Refuge Chamber
Lu'an Group has tested an underground refuge chamber at the Changcum coal mine in Jilin, China, which can be used during rescue operations. A group of 80 miners, rescue workers and...
Moly Mines Receives $500m Boost from the China Development Bank
Moly Mines has received $500m in funds from the China Development Bank (CDB) to develop the Spinifex Ridge molybdenum/copper mine in Western Australia. The CDB has increased its amount...
London Mining Completes PFS on Sierra Leone Project
London Mining has completed a prefeasibility study (PFS) for phase 2 of the Marampa project in Sierra Leone. Phase 2 will consist of three stages: low capex expansion will take place in...
Konkala to Invest in New Copper Project
Konkala Copper Mines (KCM) of Zambia is planning to invest $172m in a new copper treatment project. The project, located in the area of Nchanga mine plant will have as estimated lifespan of...
Rio Tinto Increases Stake in Riversdale
Rio Tinto has acquired a majority interest in Riversdale Mining, the company has announced. Riversdale Mining assets include Benga and Zambeze coal mining and exploration projects in the...
Barminco Gets Mining Services Contract for Australian Nickel Mine
Australia's Western Areas has awarded Barminco an underground mining services contract worth $60m for its Spotted Quoll nickel mine. The Spotted Quoll mine is a open pit mine located in...
Vale Offers $1.12bn to Acquire Metorex
Vale has made an offer to buy the total share capital of Metorex (Metorex) for a total value of R7.52bn ($1.12bn). Metorex assets include Chibuluma mine in Zambia, which has an estimated...
Vallar to Increase Stake in Bumi Resources
Vallar plans to increase its shareholding in Indonesia's Bumi Resources to 25% to gain an indirect controlling stake in Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) mine operated by Bumi, in Kalimantan,...
Rio Tinto to Expand Copper Mine in US
Rio Tinto is to invest $238m in a feasibility study and long-lead time equipment for Kennecott Utah Copper's Bingham Canyon mine in Utah, US, to extend its mine life. The mine life will...
MACA Receives Crushing Services Contract for Australian Project
MACA subsidiary Mining & Civil Australia has won a crushing services contract from WPG Resources subsidiary Southern Iron for the Peculiar Knob iron ore direct shipping ore (DSO) project...
Anglo American to Begin Prefeasibility Study on Chilean Project
Anglo American is to begin a prefeasibility study on the Dona Ines de Collahuasi mine in northern Chile to investigate mine expansion and increasing copper output. Anglo American...
Nevada Copper to Begin Pumpkin Hollow Project
Nevada Copper has received all the state and county permits required to begin development of underground access to the Eastern deposits of the Pumpkin Hollow project in Nevada, US. The firm...
Minmetal Offers $6.5bn to Acquire Equinox
Minmetal Resources has made an offer to acquire all the common shares of Equinox Minerals for C$6.3bn (US$6.5bn) at C$7.2 a share. The acquisition will mark Minmetal's first investments...
Deals this Week: GVK, New Gold, Kinross and More…
GVK has signed an exclusive agreement to continue negotiations for the acquisition of Hancock Coal for $8bn. Under the agreement, GVK must make an initial payment of $1.3bn or prove...
Sundance Resources Completes Feasibility Studies on Mbalam Project
Sundance Resources has completed the definitive feasibility study (DFS) for stage one, and the pre-feasibility study (PFS) for stage two of Mbalam iron ore project in Cameroon and the...
Extract Resources Completes Feasibility Study on Namibian Project
Extract Resources has completed its definitive feasibility study (DFS) on the Husab uranium project in Namibia. The DFS was based on indicated resources defined at zones 1 and 2 and...
New Gold to Acquire Richfield Ventures for C$550m
New Gold is to acquire all outstanding common shares of Richfield Ventures for C$550m, under a definintive agreement. According to the agreement, each Richfield shareholder will receive...
Bralorne Gold Mines Receives Permits for Gold Production
Bralorne Gold Mines has received all necessary permits from British Columbia's Ministry of Environment to begin gold milling at the Barlorne mine in the Canadian state. With the permits,...
Anglo American Awards Mining Services Contract to John Holland
Anglo American's Metallurgical Coal business has awarded a mining services contract worth $144m to John Holland Group. Under the three-year contract, John Holland Group will provide coal...
Kinross Gold and CUE Sign Share Purchase Agreement
Kinross Gold subsidiary Chikotka Mining and Geographical Company (CMGC) will repurchase 2.2 million shares, currently held by Chikotka Autonomous Okrug (CUE), for $350m, under a share...
Gindalbie Schedules Maiden Iron Ore Shipment from Karara
Gindalbie Metals has scheduled the maiden shipment of iron ore from its Karara iron ore project in Western Australia to China. The Karara haematite lump ore, along with ore from...
GVK to Acquire Hancock Coal
GVK has signed an exclusive agreement to continue negotiations for the acquisition of Hancock Coal. Under the agreement, GVK must make an initial payment of $1.3bn or prove its capacity for...
First Quantum to Increase Production from Kevitsa Project
First Quantum Minerals plans to increase the potential capacity at its Kevitsa nickel / copper / platinum-group-metals project in Finland and start the commercial production by mid-2012. ...
Southern Copper to Increase Annual Production In Mexico
Southern Copper is planning to increase its production in 2011 and explore new operations in South America. CEO Oscar Gonzalez told Reuters that the firm will increase its copper production...
Resource Generation Gets Mining Rights for South African Project
Resource Generation's Ledjadja joint venture has received mining rights for a period of 30 years for the Boikarabelo mine from the South African Department of Mineral Resources. The...
BHP to Invest $554m for Chile Project
BHP Billiton has approved a $554m investment for the development of the Escondida Ore Access (EOA) project in northern Chile. Under the EOA project, the crushing and conveying...
Anglo American Produces Nickel from Brazilian Mine
Anglo American has produced the first nickel from its $1.9bn Barro Alto nickel project in Brazil on schedule. The project is one of four major Anglo American projects and is the first to...
Mining Firms to Invest $7bn in Ecuador
Ecuador is expecting a $7bn investment in gold and copper projects in the next seven years from mining firms including Kinross Gold of Canada. Ecuador's natural resources minister Wilson...
Molycorp Signs R&D Agreement with Ames
Molycorp has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with the US Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory. Molycorp will team-up with Ames to develop new methods of...
BHP Billiton Starts Feasibility Study of ODP
BHP Billiton has begun the feasibility study phase for the Olympic Dam Project (ODP) in South Australia. The firm is planning to develop a new open-pit copper mine and related gold...
Lundin and Inmet Terminate Merger Deal
Lundin Mining and Inmet Mining have terminated an agreement made in January to merge and create a new international copper-producing entity, the companies have announced. Both firms have...
Mining-technology.com Launches Major Mining Survey
Mining-technology.com is launching a major global mining industry survey, and we'd like to hear your opinions on the most important business issues for 2011-12. Participants will receive a...
Deals This Week: Fronteer Gold, Belon, Kinross and More…
Fronteer Gold's shareholders have approved the proposed buyout of Newmont Mining Corporation for a total value of $2.3bn. According to the terms of the deal, Newmont agreed to give...
BHP Awards Iron Ore Infrastructure Contract to Thiess
BHP Billiton Iron Ore has awarded a $166m contract to Thiess to provide bulk earth works and selected infrastructure for the Jimblebar mine in Western Australia. Under the contract,...
Banpu to Increase Coal Production in Indonesia and Australia
Thailand-based Banpu is planning to increase its coal production in Indonesia and Australia to compensate its divestment of a suspended Chinese mine. Banpu's Indonesian unit, Indo...
Pon to Supply Mining Equipment to Swedish Project
Pon Equipment is to supply Caterpillar and Bucyrus mine mobile equipment to Northland Resources for the Kaunisvaara project in Sweden. Under the agreement, Pon will supply 23 machines...
March 2011
Top
BHP Billiton to Expand Australian Coal Projects
BHP Billiton has approved three key metallurgical coal projects in the Bowen Basin in Central Queensland, Australia for which it will invest $2.5bn of the total investment of $5bn. BHP...
Brigus Completes Underground Construction at Black Fox Mine
Brigus Gold has completed the construction of new underground infrastructure at Black Fox Mine in Ontario, Canada, and has begun underground ore production. The firm has completed a 1.1km...
MMG to Invest $100m to Expand Australian Mine
China's Minerals and Metals Group (MMG) is planning to invest $100m for expansion of the Golden Grove copper-zinc mine east of Geraldton, Australia. With this expansion, the Golden Grove...
Philippine MGB Clears Half of Mining Applications
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) of the Philippines has cleared half of all pending mining applications filed it its various regional offices. The bureau has cleared total of 1,150...
Anglo American to Begin Iron Ore Shipping from Brazil in 2013
Anglo American will begin shipping iron ore from its Minas Rio mine in Brazil in July 2013, according to port company LLX Logistica. LLX CEO Leonardo Gadelha said the company had made a...
FLSmidth to Supply Equipment to Indonesian Coal Mine
FLSmidth will supply material handling equipment to PT Adaro Energy subsidiary Adaro Indonesia coal mine in the Tanjung district of South Kalimantan, Jakarta, Indonesia for Kr700m ($135m). ...
Japan's Zinc Production Falls by 60%
Over 60% of Japan's production capacity of zinc, used in automotive steel sheet and construction materials, has been suspended since the 11 March earthquake. Mitsui Mining and Smelting...
BHP to Invest $6.6bn in Western Australian Iron Ore Operations
BHP Billiton plans to invest $6.6bn of a total approved capital investment of $7.4bn to increase the production of iron ore operations in Western Australia. The firm will invest $3.3bn out...
Mining Firms Eye China's Iron Ore Market
Many major iron ore producers are eyeing the undeveloped western regions of China for future growth as the country's steel output is at its peak. Industrialisation and urbanisation of...
QRC to Restore Exploration Investments in Queensland
The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) has launched a new body called the Queensland Exploration Council (QEC) to place Queensland Australia as a minerals and energy exploration leader by 2020. ...
Yara to Construct TAN Plant in Australia
Yara International will construct a technical ammonium nitrate (TAN) plant on the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia for Técnicas Reunidas for about $500m. The contract will...
BHP to Invest $400m for Hunter Valley Coal Expansion
BHP Billiton has approved an investment of $400m for the expansion of Hunter Valley Energy Coal in New South Wales, Australia. The expansion known as the RX1 project (RX1) will facilitate...
Leighton Receives $317m Gold Mining Contracts
Leighton Holdings has won two gold mining contracts in Australia for a total value of $317m. Newcrest Mining awarded a $200m contract to Leighton for the Telfer gold mine in Western...
Tirex Resources, Ekin Maden to Establish New Company
Tirex Resources and Ekin Maden have signed a memorandum of understanding to organise and establish new operating company OpCo with a 50% stake each. Tirex will provide six mineral deposits...
Indonesia to Divert Japan Coal Exports
Coal exports to Japan from Indonesia are expected to be diverted to other Asian countries following damage by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake of 11 March 2011, which affected several coal-fired...
China Gold Plans Acquisitions and Production Increases
China Gold International Resources is to increase its copper production and will acquire gold and copper mines outside China. The firm's executive vice-president Jerry Xie told Reuters that...
Bostwana Diamonds Receives Exploration Licence in Cameroon
Botswana Diamonds (BOD) has received a diamond reconnaissance exploration licence for an 8,087km² area in the east of Cameroon, which is 85% held by BOD and 15% held by local...
BHP Billiton Awards Hub Contract to SNC-Lavalin
SNC-Lavalin has signed a multiyear Hub contract with BHP Billiton to execute potash projects that are to be developed and built in Saskatchewan, Canada. SNC-Lavalin's work will...
Deals This Week: PTT, Gold Fields, Fortis and More…
Thailand-based PTT Mining has completed the acquisition of International Coal Holdings (ICL), which was formerly Straits Resources, for A$544.1m (US$545m). The Federal Court of...
EnviroGold Revises Scoping Study for Ecuador Project
Australia-based EnviroGold has revised the scoping study for its 65% owned Azuay gold project in Ecuador, as part of the proposed expansion of production from the Papercorp and Pinglio...
Kentor Gold Receives Debt Facility for Andash Project
Kentor Gold has received a committed letter of offer for a $50m debt facility from the Macquarie Bank, which will be used to construct the Andash gold-copper project in the Kyrgyz Republic. ...
Clean TeQ Develops New Process for Uranium Extraction
Clean TeQ Holdings of Australia has developed a patent-pending process for the extraction and recovery of uranium from high saline acidic solutions. The new process, U-HiSAL, which is...
PTT Acquires ICL
Thailand-based PTT Mining has completed the acquisition of International Coal Holdings (ICL), formerly Straits Resources, for a total value of A$544.1m (US$545m). PTT said the Federal Court...
Xstrata Coal Receives Environmental Approval for Australian Coal Project
Xstrata Coal has received conditional environmental approval from the Commonwealth Government for the Wandoan coal project in the Surat Basin, Queensland, Australia. The approval covers...
Gindalbie Begins Scoping Studies on Karara Iron Ore Project
Gindalbie Metals has begun scoping studies for the proposed expansion of the Karara Iron Ore Project in Western Australia. The study will evaluate an expansion from the project's 10Mtpa...
Queensland to Develop New Shot-Firing Guidelines
The Mining Safety and Health Directorate of Queensland has established an industry steering group to examine post-blast fume events and develop steps to further minimise risk to workers. ...
Western Mining to Build Copper Smelter in China
Western Mining plans to build a 100,000tpa copper smelter in the north-western Chinese province of Qinghai at an estimated cost of 2.28bn yuan ($347m). The firm will require a partner to...
Rio Tinto Awards $101m Contract to NRW and NYFL
NRW Holdings, in a joint venture with the Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi Foundation (NYFL), has been awarded a $101m car dumper and bulk earthworks contract for the Cape Lambert Port B project. ...
New Gold Receives EIA Approval from Chile
New Gold has received environmental impact assessment (EIA) approval for its El Morro project in northern Chile. The El Morro copper-gold project is owned by New Gold (30%) and Goldcorp (70%)....
Murchison Executes $100m Finance Facility from Capital Fund
Murchison Metals has executed its agreement with Resource Capital Fund for a $100m bridge finance facility. The facility will provide Murchison the ability to fund bankable feasibility...
No Survivors at Collapsed Pakistan Mine
All 43 workers at the Sorrange coal mine in Pakistan have died following the methane gas explosions on Sunday, government officials have announced. The mine, located about 30km from Quetta...
Selwyn Mobilises Mining Equipment for Canadian Exploration Project
Selwyn Resources has begun mobilising mining equipment supplies for an underground advanced exploration programme in Yukon, Canada. Selwyn Chihong Mining and its contractors will transport...
India and Canada Sign MoU to Develop Mineral Resources
The Indian Ministry of Mines and the Ministry of Energy and Resources of the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to cooperate in the mineral...
Barrick Gold Receives SEIS Approval for Cortez Hills Mine
Barrick Gold has received a record of decision (ROD) approving the supplemental environmental impact statement (SEIS) for the Cortez Hills mine in Nevada, US. The mine was previously...
Mine Explosion in Pakistan Kills 19
A series of methane gas explosions at a coal mine in Pakistan has killed at least 19 and trapped more than 30 people. Three explosions occurred at a depth of 4,000m on Sunday, causing a...
White Tiger Signs Business Agreement with Century Mining
White Tiger Gold has entered into a binding agreement with Century Mining to form a 'business combination'. Under the terms of agreement, Century Mining shareholders will receive 0.40 of...
Deals this Week: Rio Tinto, Aditya Birla, Baotou Steel and More...
Rio Tinto has increased its cash offer for Riversdale Mining, valuing the coal miner and its African operations at $4bn. Rio Tinto has increased the offer price from $16.00 to $16.50 a share,...
Indonesia Ready to Export More Coal to Japan
Indonesia is ready to provide more coal to Japan to meet a surge in demand following the 9.0-magnitude earthquake last week, the Indonesia Coal Mining Association has announced. Thousands...
Capstone Completes Prefeasibility Study on Minto Mine
Capstone Mining has completed a prefeasibility study for the phase V expansion (phase V PFS) of its high-grade Minto copper-gold mine in the Yukon, Canada. According to the study, conducted...
PNG to Acquire Stake in Nautilus Solwara Project
The Government of Papua New Guinea is to acquire a 30% stake in the Nautilus Minerals Solwara 1 project in the Bismarck Sea in Papua New Guinea (PNG). PNG treasurer Peter Neill said that...
Ivanhoe Mines Discovers New Mineral Zone at Mongolian Project
Ivanhoe Mines has discovered a new zone of shallow copper-molybdenum-gold mineralisation at Ivanhoe Mines-BHP Billiton joint venture licence in southern Mongolia. The new discovery, Ulaan...
Queensland University Develops Green Technology for Mine Sites
The University of Queensland (UQ) has developed a new technology to support plant growth at mine sites previously unable to support any vegetation due to heavy metal soil contamination. ...
Shanxi Coal Receives Licence from Government
Puda Coal's subsidiary Shanxi Puda Coal Group has received a transitional business licence from the Shanxi Provincial Government of China for the operation of Shanxi Pinglu Dajinhe Coal...
JSPL to Begin Iron Ore Exports from Bolivian Mine
India-based Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL) will begin exporting iron ore from El Mutun mine in Bolivia in the coming months. JSPL vice-chairman and managing director Naveen Jindal said...
Rambler Receives Construction Approval for Canadian Mine
UK-based Rambler Metals and Mining has received the final construction approval for its Ming copper-gold mine in Canada from the provincial government. With final construction approval for...
Castlemaine Begins Development of Underground Mine
Castlemaine Goldfields has begun underground mine development at its Ballarat Gold Project in Australia with the first development blast. Pybar Mining Services will provide mine...
LIM Signs Rail Transportation Contract with QNS&L
Labrador Iron Mines Holdings (LIM) has signed a contract with Quebec North Shore Labrador Railway Company (QNS&L) for the transportation of iron ore from LIM's DSO iron ore projects in...
Vale Starts Nickel Production from Brazilian Project
Vale has started nickel production from the Onca Puma nickel project in the Para State of Brazil. The project, consisting of a mine and a processing plant, will have a capacity of 53,000t...
Power Cuts in Japan Lead to Shutdown of Copper Smelters
Two major copper smelters in Japan have been shut down due to power cuts, following the recent earthquake. Pan Pacific Copper, which is partially owned by JX Nippon Mining & Metals,...
Xstrata Explores A$900m Integrated Development Plan
Xstrata Zinc plans to increase capacity at McArthur River Mine (MRM) in the Northern Territory, Australia, and upgrade its smelters in Europe and Canada using A$900m (US$890m). The...
Zimbabwe Mineral Exports Increase to $1.3bn
Zimbabwe's mineral exports have doubled to $1.3bn in 2010, according to the latest figures from the country's Chamber of Mines. Platinum shipments have earned $409m, a third of the revenue...
Rio Tinto Increases its Offer for Riversdale Mining
Rio Tinto subsidiary Rio Tinto Jersey Holdings (RTJ) has made a new offer to increase its takeover bid for Riversdale Mining with further changes. According to the new offer, RTJ has...
Australia Grants Export Permit to Energy Metals
Energy Metals subsidiary NT Energy has received governmental export permission to export uranium oxide concentrate (UOC) from Australia for ten years. Energy Metals is planning to acquire...
Pike River Coal Resumes Control of Pike River Mine
Pike River Coal Company has resumed control of mine stabilisation operations at the Pike River mine in New Zealand. The firm will carry out a mine stabilisation plan by appointing a panel...
Queensland Sets Stringent Mining Safety Standards
The Queensland Government has set stronger safety standards for its mining industry, as part of its changes to legislation. Queensland Mining Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the...
Minera Alumbrera to Acquire Copper Gold Project in Argentina
Xstrata Copper and Goldcorp have signed a letter of intent (LoI) with Yamana Gold to grant Minera Alumbrera an option to acquire Yamana's Agua Rica copper gold project in the Catamarca province of...
CiDRA to Install Monitoring Technology at Australian Project
US-based CiDRA Minerals Processing is to install SONARtrac systems at CITIC Pacific Mining's Sino iron project in Australia. The Sino Iron project is being developed at Cape Preston in...
Deals This Week: Lanco, James River, OZ Minerals and More…
India's Lanco Infratech has agreed to acquire Griffin Coal of Australia for A$730m (US$739m) to fuel its power projects in India. The assets of Griffin Coal include thermal coal mines with...
Tameralane to Develop Canadian Lead-Zinc Project
US-based Tamerlane Ventures has awarded two major contracts to develop its Pine Point lead-zinc project in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The firm has awarded a contract to...
Energy Fuels Receives Licence for Uranium Mill in US
Energy Fuels has received the final radioactive materials licence to construct the Pinon Ridge uranium mill in Montrose County, Colorado, US. The licence, issued by the Colorado Department...
China Guangdong Offers $1.2bn for Kalahari Minerals
State-owned China Guangdong Nuclear Power Group has made an offer of $1.2bn to acquire Kalahari Minerals. The Chinese Government is seeking uranium to boost its atomic generation. With...
Russia to Improve Coal Mining Safety
Russian coal mining firms need to allocate one-third of their combined profits from last year to increase their safety spending, Russian Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko has said. The...
Xstrata Gets Environmental Approval for Peru Copper Project
Xstrata Copper has received the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment approval from Peru's Ministry of Energy and Mines for its $4.2bn Las Bambas copper project in Apurimac. Las Bambas is...
Tata Steel to Develop New Millennium's Taconite Project
New Millennium Capital will develop the Taconite project, which comprises the LabMag and KéMag iron ore deposits in Canada, for Tata Steel Global Minerals. Under the terms of the...
Japan to Restructure Mining Law
The Japanese Trade Ministry is planning to restructure a mining law, as part of a push to develop seabed resources within the country's exclusive economic zone. According to...
Lanco Acquires Australian Coal Mine
India's Lanco Infratech has agreed to acquire Griffin Coal of Australia for a A$730m (US$739m) to fuel its power projects in India. The assets of Griffin Coal include thermal coal mines with...
Firestone Receives Test Results from Guatemala Project
Firestone Ventures has received favourable results from the AmmLeach amenability test work on Firestone's Torlon Hill zinc oxide project located in Guatemala. The testwork conducted...
US China Mining Launches Coal-Sorting Business at its Mine
US China Mining has launched a coal-sorting business at its Xing An mine that produces high-quality thermal coal in China in the Heilongjiang Province of China near the Russian border. ...
Sandfire Approves DeGrussa Project
Sandfire Resources has granted approval for the development of the DeGrussa copper-gold project in Western Australia, based on the results of a pre-feasibility study (PFS). The PFS conducted...
Norilsk to Reduce SO2 Emissions from Plants
MMC Norilsk Nickel is to reduce SO2 emissions from its metallurgical production facilities in Norilsk, Russia. As part of its air emissions programme, the firm has posted a tender for set...
Japanese and Korean Firms to Acquire Stake in Niobium Company
Japanese and Korean steel firms have entered into an agreement to acquire a 15% stake in Brazilian company Companhia Brasileira de Metalurgia e Mineração (CBMM) for $1.9bn. JFE...
Met-Chem to Develop Mine Plan for Mali Project
Robex Resources has appointed Met-Chem Canada to develop a mine plan for the feasibility of the Nampala project in Mali, Western Africa. Met-Chem will develop an open pit concept for...
Talison to Increase Production at Australian Lithium Project
Talison Lithium is set begin the Stage 2 expansion of production capacity of the chemical-grade plant at the Greenbushes Lithium Operations in Western Australia. The expansion, expected to...
Sandvik Signs Strategic Agreement with SKF
Sandvik Mining and Construction and SKF have signed a three-year strategic partnership agreement worth Skr335m ($53m) to strengthen their relationship Of the total amount, Skr70m ($11m) will...
Venture Minerals Completes PFS on Tasmania Project
Venture Minerals has completed a pre-feasibility study (PFS) on the Mt Lindsay tin / tungsten project in north-west Tasmania that confirms its 'robust economics'. The study concluded that...
ENRC to Invest $6.8bn in Kazakhstan and Brazil
UK-based Eurasian Natural Resources (ENRC) is planning to invest $6.8bn in Kazakhstan and Brazil to increase its iron-ore output in those countries. ENRC CEO Felix Vulis told Bloomberg that...
Equinox to Offer $4.9bn for Lundin
Equinox Minerals is to make an offer to acquire Lundin Mining for about C$4.8bn (US$4.9bn) in cash and shares. Equinox has proposed the acquisition of all of the outstanding common shares...
Vale Concludes Aluminum Transactions with Norsk Hydro
Vale has completed the transactions related to aluminum assets with Norsk Hydro, subscribing to 447,834,465 Hydro shares or 22% of the 2,035,611,206 shares outstanding, valued at about...
Sinosteel to Supply Plant Components for Cudeco's Rockland Project
Sinosteel will supply components for a mineral processing plant for Cudeco's Rocklands Group copper project in north-west Queensland, Australia. Under the agreement, Sinosteel will source...
Deals This Week: Abcourt, Exeter, Puda Coal and More…
Abcourt Mines has acquired the Vendome property, comprising 15 half claims, located in range ten of Fiedmont township and range one of Barraute township in Canada, from Xstrata subsidiary...
Bear Creek Awards EPCM Contract for Peru Project
Silver producer Bear Creek Mining has awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract to GMI for its Santa Ana project in Southern Peru. The Santa Ana...
Fortescue Discovers High-Grade Iron at Nyidinghu Project
Fortescue Metals Group has discovered over a billion tons of high-grade Brockman iron formation at the Nyidinghu project in Western Australia. The Nyidinghu project, located 35km south...
Zambia Witnesses Increase in 2010 Copper Production
Zambia witnessed an increase in copper production in 2010, with the privatisation of the mining sector leading more revenues for local authorities on the copper belt. Chamber of Mines...
Merukh to Invest $48bn in Iron Ore Plants
Merukh Enterprises subsidiary PT Merukh Iron and Steel plans to invest €35bn ($48bn) to build two iron ore plants in Sumba Timur and Sumba Barat in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. The...
Rio Tinto Receives Exploration Extension for Guinea Project
Rio Tinto subsidiary Simfer has received a letter from the Guinean minister for mines confirming the extension of its exploration tenure for its Simandou iron ore project in Guinea, West Africa. ...
Vale's 2010 Profits Reach $17.3bn
Brazilian mining firm Vale has achieved net earnings of $17.3bn for 2010 and net earnings of $5.9bn in the fourth quarter. The firm has generated record operating revenue of $15.2bn in...
Victory West Begins USSU Nickel Project Development
Victory West Moly has begun construction and development activities at the USSU nickel project in Indonesia. Work on the project includes clearing and commencement of earthworks for the...
Swedish Firm to Invest $74m to Start Kankberg Mine
Sweden-based Boliden will invest Skr475m ($74m) to start up the Kankberg mine to extract gold and the rare metal, tellurium. In addition to the investment, the firm has hedged 80% of...
Rio Tinto Awards EPCM Contract to SKM
Rio Tinto has awarded an EPCM contract to Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) for the expansion of the Cape Lambert port facility in Pilbara, Western Australia. The award is a part of Rio...
Brigus to Begin Production at Black Fox Mine
Brigus Gold is planning to start the production of over 250t of gold a day from its Black Fox underground mine in Timmins, Canada, by 15 March 2011. The underground ore production from...
Nullagine to Ship Iron Ore to China
Nullagine Iron Ore Joint Venture, a 50:50 joint venture between BC Iron and Fortescue Metals Group, has loaded its first shipment of iron ore in Port Hedland, Western Australia, to be...
Ivernia to Resume Operations at Australian Mine
The Minister for Environment of Western Australia has lifted the temporary ban on Ivernia's transport operations at the Magellan mine in Western Australia. The firm's subsidiary,...
February 2011
Top
ENRC Receives Loan from China
China Development Bank has granted a loan package of about $2bn to Kazakh state-owned Eurasian Natural Resources. The loan is granted in pursuance to the deals signed between the bank...
Raspadskaya Plans to Increase Coking Output
Raspadskaya plans to invest $1bn to increase its coking coal output to 18.5 million tons by 2015 and to combat the effect of the deadly methane explosions at the Raspadskaya-Koksovaya mine in...
Caterpillar to Supply Equipment for Discovery’s Botswana Project
Discovery Metals will receive financing and mining equipment from Caterpillar Financial for the Boseto copper project in Botswana. As part of the Boseto Debt Syndicate, Caterpillar, along...
China to Increase Overseas Iron Ore Assets
China plans to purchase overseas iron ore assets to obtain half of its iron ore imports from Chinese-invested overseas mines. With this target, the China Iron & Steel Association...
Deals This Week: Polymetal, Denison, PanAust and More…
JSC Polymetal has entered into a binding letter of intent with Olsen Business to acquire a 100% interest in the mining and exploration licence for the Kutyn gold deposit in Russia. ...
Raptor Begins Construction Work on Mineral Facility
Raptor Technology has started the construction of a 10,000t mineral recovery facility in a joint venture with Eco Ventures. The firm has received high-capacity separation tanks and...
Coal India Awards $130m Supply Contract
Coal India has signed a contract with US-based mining equipment maker P&H for the procurement and supply of heavy mining equipment. The contract, worth INR5.9bn ($130m),...
Vale's Guinean Iron Ore Mine to Start Production in 2012
Vale has said it will begin iron ore production at its Zogota mine in Simandou, Guinea, in 2012. Phase I of the project involves the development of the Zogota mine, a dry processing plant,...
London Mining Receives Study Results for Greenland Project
London Mining has received scoping study results for its Isua project, located 150km northeast of Nuuk in Greenland. According to the study, the estimated capital expenditure of the project...
Indonesian Ports to Clear Coal Backlogs in Three Months
The Indonesian Government will clear the bulk coal backlogs at its ports in the next three months, as the re-application process for exporters has been completed. A change in Indonesia coal...
Taseko Mines Submits New Project Plan to Canada
Taseko Mines has submitted a new plan for its Prosperity gold-copper project to the Canadian Government. The plan reduces the project's environmental impact and enables all mine operations...
Bathurst Resources to use Westport Harbour Facility to Ship Coal
Bathurst Resources has announced a deal with Westport Harbour for the exclusive use of a coal-handling facility to ship coal from its Buller project. Under the terms of the agreement, the...
Vale to Proceed with Coal Exports
Vale intends to proceed with exporting coal from its Mozambican project despite the delays in renovating the Sena railway line. The Sena line is the only existing railway line to transport...
Cyclones Force Rio Tinto to Suspend Operations in Western Australia
Unfavourable weather conditions caused by the tropical cyclones Dianne and Carlos have forced Rio Tinto to suspend its coastal operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. ...
AMEC Awarded EPCM Contract for Chile Iron Ore Project
AMEC has received an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract for the $574m Cerro Negro Norte iron ore project in Chile. Work will begin immediately...
OAO Severstal Proposes $2bn Investment Programme in 2011
OAO Severstal has announced its plans to invest $2bn to improve operating efficiency, overhaul its operational facilities and ensure that the company maintains industry-leading health and...
Norilsk's Upgrade Works Reduce Emissions in 2010
MMC Norilsk Nickel's work to upgrade its production lines, implement new technologies and launch projects led to a dramatic reduction in harmful emissions in Russia last year. Sulphur...
Phillipines to Refrain from Issuing New Mining Permits
The Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has instructed all regional directors of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) to refrain from accepting and processing...
Taseko Mines to Increase Gibraltar Mine Production
Taseko Mines is implementing 'Gibraltar development plan 3' (GDP3) to increase the production capacity at the Gibraltar mine in British Columbia, Canada. As part of development, the firm...
Raptor and Eco to Commercialise Mineral Recovery Technology
Raptor Technology subsidiary, D&D Mining has signed a contract with Eco Ventures Group (EVG) to commercialise Raptor's mineral recovery technology. EVG will provide funding, management...
Sterlite Acquires Irish Zinc Mine
Vedanta Resources' Indian subsidiary Sterlite Industries has acquired the Lisheen zinc mine in Ireland from Anglo American's Taurus International for $546m. In 2010, Vedanta...
Atlantic to Provide $335m for Windimurra Project
Australia-based Atlantic subsidiary Midwest Vanadium (MVPL) has raised funds of $335m for the construction and commissioning of MVPL's Windimurra vanadium project located in Western Australia. ...
Tahoe Resources Receives EIA Approval from Guatemala
Tahoe Resources has received approval from the Guatemalan Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources for an underground exploration programme at the Escobal project in Guatemala. The...
Sumitomo Metal to Increase Nickel Production
Sumitomo Metal Mining plans to invest 14bn yen ($170m) to boost the electrolytic nickel production capacity of its Niihama Nickel Refinery over three years. The firm will increase...
Metso to Supply Mineral Processing Equipment for Swedish Project
Northland Resources has signed a letter of intent with Metso Mining and Construction Technology, as part of which it will provide long-lead items for the Tapuli process line and basic...
Deals This Week: AUX Canada, Sterlite, Independence Group and More...
AUX Canada Acquisition, a subsidiary of EBX Group, has entered into an agreement with Ventana Gold to acquire its shares for US$13.6 a common share, for a total value of US$1.56bn. With...
Spain Grants Leases for Edgewater's Corcoesto Project
Canada's Edgewater Exploration has been granted 90-year mining leases for the Corcoesto gold project in Galicia, Spain. Galician Government authorities have granted three central mining...
NWT to Develop Mine Safety Training Standards
The Government of Northwest Territories (NWT) in Canada, the Northern Safety Association and three diamond mining companies in NWT will together develop new common standards for mine...
BHP Billiton Profits Rise 72% in 2010
BHP Billiton's net profits soared to $10.52bn, an increase of 72% in the six months ending December 2010, the firm has announced. The rise in profits could be put down to adverse...
Colombia Closes 20 Mines for Safety Violations
Colombia has closed two thirds of the 30 mines where Colombian mining inspectors have run safety checks in recent days. The death of 26 miners in two separate accidents earlier this year led...
AUX Canada to Acquire Ventana Gold for $1.56bn
AUX Canada Acquisition has entered into an agreement with Ventana Gold to acquire its common shares for $13.60 a common share, for a total value of $1.56bn. Ventana rejected AUX Canada's...
Xstrata Temporarily Closes Australian Coal Mine
Xstrata has shut down its Ulan thermal coal mine in New South Wales, Australia due to heavy rain. Xstrata spokesman James Rickards told Reuters that the firm had declared force majeure on...
Kenya Approves Goldplat Project
The Government of Kenya has granted permission for Goldplat's subsidiary Kilimapesa Gold to commence operations at its mine in the Trans Mara District of SW Kenya. The mining lease...
Ausdrill Secures Contracts in Africa and Australia
Subsidiaries of Ausdrill, a mining and exploration company, have been awarded four contracts in Africa and Australia. Ausdrill's East African subsidiary, Ausdrill Zambia, has secured...
Chilean Firm Awards Engineering Contract to Foster Wheeler
Chile's Corporación Nacional del Cobre (CODELCO) has awarded Foster Wheeler an engineering design contract for a copper concentrator plant in the country, as part of the improvement...
Russia to Build $3bn Nickel Smelter in Indonesia
Russia is to invest $3bn to build a nickel smelter in Halmahera Island, eastern Indonesia, as part of its plan to increase revenue from the country's mining sector. Indonesian Chief...
SNC-Lavalin Signs Contract to Develop Colombian Coal Mine
Canadian Engineering firm SNC-Lavalin has signed a contract with its 50/50 joint venture partner Sinclair Knight Merz (SKM) to develop phase I of the Cerrejon coal mine project in...
Rio Tinto's 2010 Profit Rises to $14bn
Rio Tinto's net profit increased to $14bn in 2010, a 122% increase from 2009 according, to the financial statement released by the company. With this increase, the company is proceeding with...
Grupo Mexico to Invest $1.9bn for Copper Expansion
Mexico's largest mining corporation, Grupo Mexico, plans to invest $1.9bn expanding its copper mining operations for 2011. The expansion includes an increase in overall output in the...
Norilsk Nickel Offers $12bn for UC Rusal's 20% Stake
Russia-based MMC Norilsk Nickel's subsidiary has made a new offer of $12.8bn to acquire a 20% interest in the company held by its UC Rusal's subsidiary United Company RUSAL Investment...
Brazil Launches 20-Year Plan to Guide Mining Sector
Brazil's Ministry of Mines and Energy has launched a national mining programme to guide the Brazilian mineral sector over the next 20 years. The 20-year mining plan, PNM-2030, will address...
Independence Group Acquires Jabiru Metals for $533m
Independence Group has signed a bid implementation agreement with Jabiru Metals, to acquire all the shares of Jabiru for A$532m (US$533m), A$0.96 a share. Under the agreement,...
Kalagadi Receives $480m Funding for South African Manganese Project
Kalagadi Manganese has received R3.5bn ($480m) fund from partner Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) for the on-going construction operations of new manganese mining project in South Africa. ...
SAIL Receives Forest Clearance for Iron Ore Mines
Steel Authority of India (SAIL) has received forest clearance from the Indian Ministry of Environment and Forests for its Chiria iron ore mines in Jharkhand, India. SAIL plans to develop...
Goldcorp Sells Interest in Osisko for $532m
Canada’s Goldcorp has sold its 10% equity interest in Osisko Mining Corporation, for a total value of C$530m ($532m). The transaction represents about 38.6 million common shares of...
Xstrata Exercises Option Agreement for Congo Project
Xstrata has exercised a call option agreement over Zanaga Iron Ore Company (ZIOC) subsidary Jumelles, which owns the Zanaga iron ore project located in the Republic of Congo. Under...
Deals This Week: Newmont, Sterlite, Rio Alto and More…
Newmont Mining has signed an agreement to acquire all of Fronteer Gold’s outstanding common shares for C$2.3bn (US$2.3bn). Under the agreement, Fronteer Gold shareholders will receive...
Rio Tinto to Expand Canadian Iron Ore Project
Rio Tinto will invest $277m in the second phase of its Canada-based Iron Ore Company (IOC), to increase its production capacity from 18 million tons to 22 million tons per annum. The...
Peru to Witness $41.9bn Mining Investments over Ten Years
Peru's National Society of Mining, Petroleum and Energy (SNMPE) said the country’s mining sector will see an investment of about $41.9bn over the next ten years. SNMPE president Pedro...
Rio Tinto to Invest $933m in Australian Iron Ore Mine
Rio Tinto will invest $933m in the development of the Mrandoo iron ore mine in the Pilbara Region, Australia, to extend its life to 2030. The project will extend the mine's life by...
Lanco to Increase Australian Coal Mine Production
Lanco Infratech is planning to increase the coal production of Griffin Coal Mines in Australia from five million tons to 18 million by 2015. The company will invest about $1bn in the mines...
Xstrata Finds Increased Copper Reserves in PNG
Xstrata Copper has found increased mineral reserves and indicated resources at the Horse-Ivaal-Trukai (HIT) deposit in the Frieda River copper-gold project, Papua New Guinea. According...
Peru Discovers Large Volumes of Gold and Silver
Peru has discovered large volumes of gold and silver in the north of the Peruvian Andes, Cajamarca region, Lima, according to the country’s Ministry of Energy and Mines. The ministry...
Mechel to Develop Russian Coal Mine
Russia's Mechel OAO has signed a loan agreement to finance the construction of the second line at the Sibirginskaya mine, owned by its subsidiary Southern Kuzbass Coal. Under the agreement,...
Jupiter Mines to Construct Manganese Mine in South Africa
Australia’s Jupiter Mines will construct a manganese mine at Tshipi Borwa in the Kalahari manganese field, South Africa. Jupiter Mines said in a statement that its joint venture firm, Tshipi...
Gemcom Launches New Version of Mining Software
Mining software solutions supplier Gemcom Software has launched the latest version of its Gemcom InSite mine production management solution. The software helps mining firms to...
WPG Awards $285m Mining Contract to MACA
WPG Resources' subsidiary Southern Iron has awarded a mining services contract to Mining & Civil Australia for the Peculiar Knob Iron Ore Direct Shipping Ore project in Australia. The...
AfDB Funds Mining Projects in South Africa
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched New Africa Mining Fund's second Africa-focused junior venture capital fund, NAMF II, in Johannesburg. The NAMF II equity fund will invest...
Explosion Disrupts Xstrata’s Norwegian Copper Production
An explosion has disrupted Xstrata's copper production operations at its copper and nickel plant in Norway. The explosion at a roasting facility in Xtrata's Kristiansand plant, which killed...
Sterlite Acquires South African Black Mountain Mines
Sterlite Industries, part of Vedanta Resources Group, has completed the acquisition of a 74% interest in Black Mountain Mining in South Africa from Anglo American Group. Under the...
POSCO to Set Up $7bn Steel Plant in India
South Korea's Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) is planning to set up a steel plant with an investment of INR320bn ($7bn) in Karnataka, India. The company will set up the six...
BHP Advances Development of Canadian Potash Project
BHP Billiton has advanced into the feasibility study phase for its Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada. The company has begun drilling and site preparation for the ground...
Caterpillar to Fund Detour's Mining Fleet Acquisition
Caterpillar Financial has agreed to finance the proposed plans of Detour Gold to acquire mobile fleet mining equipment supplied by Toromont Industries for its Detour Lake gold project...
Newmont to Acquire Fronteer Gold for $2.3bn
Newmont Mining has signed an agreement with Fronteer Gold to acquire all of its outstanding common shares for C$2.3bn ($2.32bn). Under the arrangement, Fronteer Gold shareholders will...
Jupiter Mines Raises $150m to Build Projects in South Africa and Australia
Jupiter Mines has raised $150m to fund its projects in South Africa and Western Australia. The company said that it successfully placed 142.9 million New Ordinary Shares (Tranche1)...
Deals this Week: Alpha Natural, Paladin Energy, Silvercorp and More…
Alpha Natural Resources has signed a merger deal with Massey Energy to acquire all outstanding shares of Massey common stock, valued at US$8.5bn. Under the deal, Massey stockholders...
Mercator to Develop Indonesian Coal Mine
India's Mercator Lines is planning to develop a coal mine in the Batuah region of Kalimantan province in Indonesia. Mercator will form a joint venture with Indonesia's PT United Coal to...
Rio Tinto to Fund Exploration of BRC's Congo Project
BRC Diamond Core has entered into a new joint venture with Rio Tinto Mining and Exploration Limited, where Rio Tinto will fund the proposed new exploration programme for the DRC North...
India Approves $12bn Steel Complex
South-Korea's Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) has obtained approval from India's Ministry of Environment and Forests for its proposed $12bn steel complex in Orissa. The approval...
Moly Mines to Get $250m Financing for Spinifex Mine
Moly Mines is to receive financing for up to $250m for the development of the Spinifex Ridge molybdenum-copper mine in Australia. The firm has received a financing commitment letter,...
Xstrata Constructs Magnetite Plant in Australia
Xstrata Copper has completed the construction of a magnetite base plant at Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) in Queensland, Australia. The plant part of a A$589m (US$542m) project that aims...
Thiess Sedgman to Expand Australian Coal Plant
Thiess and Sedgman's joint venture firm, Thiess Sedgman, has received a contract to expand the coal handling and preparation plant at the Lake Vermont coal mine in central Queensland, Australia. ...
Radar Iron Confirms High Reserves in Western Australia
The geophysical review of the aero-magnetic data covering Radar Iron's Johnston Range project in Western Australia has confirmed a five billion ton exploration potential. The review, conducted...
Torvec Signs Contract with Eastern Mining & Industrial Supply
US-based Torvec has entered into a contract with Eastern Mining & Industrial Supply to develop, evaluate, manufacture and sell Torvec's IsoTorque differential technology in mining shuttle...
MSHA Proposes Rule to Revise POV Regulation
The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) of the US Department of Labor has proposed a rule to revise its pattern of violations (POV) regulation. The regulation will be published in...
Codelco Raises $1bn to Increase Copper Production
Chile's state-owned company, Codelco, has sold its stake in a Chilean electricity company for $1bn, to expand its copper production. The company sold 424 million shares in E-CL SA,...
Minmetals Plans $2bn Mining Acquisition
China Minmetals Group subsidiary Minmetals Resources is planning to invest up to $2bn in copper, lead, zinc and nickel mining acquisitions. The news follows Minmetal's $1.85bn cash and...
POSCO to Expand African Operations
South Korea's Pohang Iron and Steel Company (POSCO) is planning to expand its operations in Africa to augment its resource self-sufficiency. The firm has agreed to develop a coal mine in...
Extract Gets Environmental Approval for Namibian Uranium Project
Extract Resources subsidiary Swakop Uranium has received environmental approval from Namibia's Ministry of Environment and Tourism for its Husab uranium project’s mining licence area. The...
Alpha Signs $8.5bn Merger Deal with Massey
Alpha Natural Resources has signed a merger deal with Massey Energy to acquire all outstanding shares of Massey's common stock, valued at $8.5bn Under the deal, Massey stockholders will...
January 2011
Top
Explosion Killed NZ Miners Within Minutes: Inquest
An inquest into New Zealand's Pike River mine explosion, which happened in November last year, has found that the 29 miners trapped in the mine were killed within minutes of the initial...
Guinea to Increase Mining Stake
Guinea will boost its stake in mining projects to a third, according to its newly elected President, Alpha Conde. A mines ministry official told Reuters that Guinea's mining contract...
Ferro to Commission Ore Processing Plant in Brazil
Australia's South American Ferro Metals is set to commission an iron ore processing plant and mine operation in Minas Gerais, Brazil, next month. Once commissioned, the plant is expected...
Colombian Mine Explosion Kills 20 Miners
An explosion at an underground coal mine in north-eastern Colombia has killed at least 20 miners and wounded six others. Colombia's mining regulatory agency, Ingeominas official...
Deals This Week: Adani, ArcelorMittal, Regent Pacific and More…
Adani Group subsidiary Adani Enterprises has signed a US$1.6bn agreement with PT Bukit Asam, a Government of Indonesia coal mining company. Under the agreement, Adani Enterprises will...
West Virginia Introduces Mine Safety, EPA Bills
A West Virginia delegation has introduced two separate bills in the US Congress on mine safety and limiting the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) authority. The delegation, led by...
New Coal Mining Regulations to Affect US Coal Production
Proposed regulations by the US Environmental Protection Agency to protect streams from coal mining are likely to affect coal production across the country, according to a government...
Trimex to Build Two Titanium Projects
Trimex Group is planning to develop two titanium projects worth $1.3bn. The company will set up its first plant in Andhra Pradesh, India, by 2014, and will invest INR22.5bn ($490m) in...
Outotec to Offer Copper Smelting Technology to Serbian Smelter
Finnish mining technology firm Outotec has signed a contract with Canada's SNC-Lavalin engineering and construction company to design and deliver a copper flash smelting furnace to RTB...
Adani to Develop Coal Transportation Infrastructure in Indonesia
Adani Enterprises will develop transportation infrastructure for Indonesia under a $1.6bn deal signed with the Indonesian Government and its coal mining firm PT Bukit Asam Tbk. Adani...
First Quantum Plans $2b Expansion for 2011-14
First Quantum Minerals is planning to invest $2bn in 2011-14 to expand and develop its operating mines and new projects. The proposed expansion covers Zambia-based Kansanshi and...
Reliance Coal to Invest $5bn in Indonesian Coal Projects
Reliance Power subsidiary Reliance Coal Resources will invest $5bn to develop projects in South Sumatra and Jambi, Indonesia. The funds will be used to develop coal mines and...
Genivar wins EPCM contract for Canada Mine Development
Canada Lithium has contracted Genivar for engineering, procurement, construction and management of its proposed lithium mine and processing plant in Quebec, Canada. The company...
Bauxite Resources, Yankuang to Build Australia Refinery
Bauxite Resources (BRL) has signed a joint venture resource agreement with Yankuang Corporation for the design and construction of a refinery in Western Australia. The facility...
Molycorp Approves Phase II Expansion of Mountain Pass Project
Molycorp has obtained board approval for its phase II expansion plan of the Mountain Pass facility in California, US. The expansion is expected to double the production capacity of...
ENRC to Invest $7bn in Kazakhstan
The Eurasian Natural Resources Corporation (ENRC) is planning to invest around $7bn in proposed mining development programmes in Kazakhstan. The firm will invest $2bn to expand the...
Vale to Invest up to $4.5bn in Malaysia
Vale will invest around $4.5bn in the construction of its iron-ore transshipment project in the Perak state of Malaysia. The construction cost ranges from RM9bn ($2.9bn) to RM14bn ($4.5bn) over...
India to Introduce Coal Regulator Bill
The Indian Government will introduce the Coal Regulator Bill in parliament to ensure a level playing field for all the stake holders. Indian Union Minister for Coal Sriprakash Jaiswal said...
Petra Diamonds to Acquire De Beers’ South African Mine
Petra Diamonds will acquire the Finsch diamond mine in South Africa from De Beers Consolidated Mines for R1.425bn ($210m). Finsch is expected to produce over 1.5 million carrots per annum in...
Rio Tinto, Chinalco to Form Mining JV in China
Rio Tinto and the Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco) will form a domestic mining joint venture in China. Rio Tinto’s managing director in China Ian Bauert said the companies are in...
Arch Coal and Ridley Terminal sign on Coal Exports Deal
Arch Coal has signed a five-year agreement with Canadian Crown Corporation Ridley Terminals (RTI) to export coal to Canada’s Pacific Coast. Arch will have an output of two million tons of...
Coal India to Develop Underground Mine
The world's largest coal producer, Coal India, is set to develop a new underground mine in the state of Jharkhand, India Located at Muraidih, near Dhanban, the site has 20 million tons of...
IGE Gets Mining Rights for South African Project
IGE Resources has obtained the mining rights for its Bakerville diamond project, located near Johannesburg, South Africa. The Bakerville project has a verified resource base of 454,000...
Jindal to Begin Bolivian Iron Ore Exports
India's Jindal Steel and Power is planning to begin iron ore exports from its El Mutun mine in Bolivia from March. The company will invest about $280m and expects up to a million tons...
Sichuan Hongda to Invest $3bn in Tanzanian Projects
Tanzania's National Development Corporation (NDC) said Sichuan Hongda of China will invest $3bn in the country to construct an integrated coal mine in Mchuchuma and an iron ore mine and a...
Deals This Week: Spectral, Pacific Coast Nickel, Trevali and More…
Spectral Capital Corporation of the US has acquired 65% of a vast gold resource located in Kazakhstan. Under the terms of transaction, Spectral will provide $200m in financing for...
Thiess Gets $1.3bn Mining Contract from Peabody Energy
Thiess has won a contract worth $1.3bn to extend mining operations at Peabody Energy Australia’s Burton coal mine in the Bowen Basin, Australia. Under the six-year contract, Thiess...
SNC-Lavalin Wins Modernisation Contract for Serbian Project
Canada's SNC-Lavalin has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction contract by Rudarsko Topionicarski Basen Bor Grupa (RTB-Bor) for the modernisation of its copper smelting...
Boliden to Invest $590m for Garpenberg Mine Expansion
Swedish mining and smelting company Boliden will invest Skr3.9bn ($590m) to expand its Garpenberg mine in Dalarna county, Sweden. The investments will be used for developing a...
EMED Gets Heritage Clearance for Spanish Mine
EMED Mining has obtained heritage clearance from the Department of Culture and Heritage of the Junta de Andalucía, Spain, for its Rio Tinto copper mine. The Department of Culture and...
Rio Tinto’s 2010 Iron Production Sets New Record
Rio Tinto's global iron ore operations have set a new annual record of 239 million tons in 2010 and a quarterly production record of 65 million tons. Releasing its fourth quarter...
Anglo American to Raise $4.7bn by Selling Assets
Anglo American will sell some of its assets to raise £3bn ($4.75bn) as part of its strategy to cut costs and focus on core mining. The company plans to sell Tarmac Building Products, which...
Nautilus Receives World’s First Deep Sea Mining Lease from PNG
Nautilus Minerals has received the world’s first deep sea mining lease from the government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) for the development of its Solwara 1 project in the Bismarck Sea. The...
Floods Disrupt Australian Coal Supply Chain
The heavy flooding in Queensland has disrupted Australia's coal supply chain, which is expected to have a global impact on the energy sector. The flooding has damaged rail lines connected...
inthinc Introduces Mining Safety Technology
US-based inthinc Technology has introduced a new technology that can help mining companies receive real-time tracking and instant alerts for vehicles operating in open pit mining blast...
Natural Resource Acquires US Coal Reserves for $70m
Natural Resource has completed a fourth acquisition of coal reserves of nearly 200 million tons at the Deer Run mine from Colt, an affiliate of Cline Group. Located in Illinois, US, the mine...
India Forms Committee for ‘No-Go’ Mining Areas
The Indian Government has set up a ministerial committee to set boundaries for 193 coal blocks falling in ‘no-go’ forest areas. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh established the committee...
Haranga Discovers Large Iron Ore at Mongolian Project
Australia's Haranga Resources has discovered a large, intense magnetic anomaly at the Sumber iron ore project in Mongolia. A magnetic survey reported that the identified iron mineralisation...
GMDC to Develop $3bn Alumina Project
The Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) of India is planning to develop a INR136bn ($3bn) alumina project in Kutch District, Gujarat. The GMDC is planning to develop...
US Nickel Purchases Ball Mill in Australia
US Nickel is purchasing a ball mill to begin construction of a 500,000t-per-annum gold processing plant at the Bullant mine project near Kalgoorlie, Australia. The purchase includes...
Floods Affect Rio Tinto’s Aluminium Supply
Heavy flooding in Queensland, Australia, has affected the supply of aluminium from Rio Tinto Alcan’s Boyne Smelters. The floods have disrupted road and rail access between Gladstone...
Dolat to Expand Diamonds Operations in West Africa
US-based Dolat Ventures is planning to expand its diamonds operations at the Baimbawai Pool in the Sewa River, located in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Initial drilling and exploration by...
US Revokes Permit for Mountaintop Mining
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has revoked a permit for the mountaintop-removal of one of the largest coal mining projects in West Virginia. The agency said that Mingo...
NY University to Train Chinese Team on Mining Safety
The Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) in the US will conduct a pilot programme on mining safety for a Chinese team. The 15-member team, comprising scientists...
Detour Gold Commences Construction on Canada Project
Detour Gold has begun construction on its Detour Lake gold project in north-eastern Ontario, Canada. The company has invested over C$500m in project expenditures. Detour has contracted...
Inmet, Lundin Sign $9bn Merger
Inmet Mining and Lundin Mining will merge to create an international copper producer, Symterra Corporation. The firms have signed an agreement valued at around C$9bn (US$9.12bn). ...
Deals This Week: Cliffs Natural, Inmet, Hudbay and More
Cliffs Natural Resources has signed an agreement to acquire Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines for C$4.9bn (US$4.96bn). Under the agreement, Cliffs will acquire all of Consolidated's...
Sirius Finds Nickel Gossan at Australian Project
Sirius Resources has found a new gossan at its Polar Bear project in Western Australia. The gossan, known as the Dundas gossan, averages 2.8% copper, 0.8% nickel and 13.3g/t total platinum...
Southern Arc Gets Licence for Indonesian Project
Southern Arc Minerals' Indonesian subsidiary, PT Indotan Lombok Barat Bangkit (PT ILBB), has been granted a mining business licence (IUP) for its West Lombok property, located on Lombok...
Caterpillar to Open Thailand Facility
Mining equipment manufacturer Caterpillar is planning to open a manufacturing facility in Thailand this year, with production scheduled to begin in late 2012. The 60,000m2 facility will...
Cliffs Natural to Acquire Consolidated Thompson for $4.9bn
Cliffs Natural Resources has signed an agreement with Consolidated Thompson Iron Mines to acquire all of Consolidated Thompson's common shares for C$4.9bn (US$4.96bn) at C$17.25 a share. ...
Vietnamese Mining Group Records $3.6bn Revenue for 2010
The Vietnam National Coal Mineral Industries Holding Corporation (Vinacomin) recorded a total revenue of VND69,600bn ($3.57bn) in 2010, with an investment of around VND24,580bn...
HudBay to Acquire Norsemont
HudBay Minerals has signed an agreement with Norsemont Mining to acquire the outstanding common shares of Norsemont by way of a formal takeover bid. The transaction value is estimated to be...
Major Indian Firms to Bid for Afghanistan Mine
Major Indian steel firms are planning to bid for Hajigak Mine in Afghanistan, which is estimated to contain 1.8 billion tonnes of iron ore deposits, according to Indian Mines Secretary Vijay...
Australian Mines to Acquire Nigeria Gold
Australian Mines has completed due diligence to acquire Nigeria Gold, owned by Mines Geotechniques (MGL), in north-west Nigeria. The company said it expects NGL to finalise the acquisition...
Strzelecki Receives Exploration Concession from Poland
The Government of Poland has granted a six-year exploration concession to Strzelecki Metals’ Polish subsidiary, Slasko Krakowska Kompania Górnictwa Metali. The concession, comprising...
China to Tighten Pollution Standards for Rare Earth Mining
The Chinese Government is taking measures to tighten pollution standards for rare earth mining in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. Inner Mongolia government rare earth adviser Yang...
Jindal to Explore Coal in Mozambique
India-based Jindal Poly Films subsidiary Jindal Resources has been awarded coal blocks for geological prospecting and exploration in Mozambique. The company bid for the tender, issued by...
Afghanistan Focuses on Mining to Boost National Income
The Afghan Government is planning to increase its income from the mining and exploration of underground natural resources to $3.5bn within the next 15 years. Minister for Mines...
Mine Refuge Capsule Clears Stability Tests
A life-saving mine safety capsule that can provide emergency shelter for trapped miners has cleared stability tests in Xi'an, Shaanxi province, China. The capsule can provide shelter for 12...
Philippine Mining Investment to Reach $17bn by 2016
Investments in the mining sector of the Philippines are expected to reach $17.3bn by 2016, according to The Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The...
New Millennium to Begin Construction on DSO Project
Canada's New Millennium Capital will begin construction work on phase I of its direct shipping ore (DSO) project within the next few months. The company has obtained environmental...
Australia to Expedite Dewatering Works at Flood Affected Mines
The government of Queensland, Australia, is working closely with flood impacted mines in the state to expedite dewatering works and protect the quality of the water. Treasurer and acting...
MSHA Plans New Safety Rules for 2011
The US Mine Safety and Health Administration is planning to implement new safety rules in 2011, according to its director, Joe Main. The federal agency plans to issue six regulations under...
Deals This Week: Franco-Nevada, Puda Coal, Qiao Xing and More
Franco-Nevada has acquired 56.5 million common shares of Gold Wheaton Gold from Quadra FNX Mining for C$262m (US$262m) at C$4.65 a share. Franco-Nevada is also in the process of negotiating...
Prophecy, JUST Group Sign on Coal Purchase MOU
Prophecy Resource has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the JUST Group of Mongolia, which allows JUST to purchase a minimum of 1.2 million tons of coal from Prophecy's...
London Mining Gets SLEPA Permit for West African Mine
London Mining has obtained environmental permits from the Sierra Leone Environmental Protection Agency (SLEPA) for the development and operation of its Marampa iron ore mine in Sierra Leone,...
Jindal Saw to Mine Iron Ore in India
OP Jindal Group subsidiary Jindal Saw will mine iron ore from a deposit in Rajasthan, India, that is estimated to contain 180 million tons of iron ore reserves. Jindal Saw signed a mining...
Orocobre Gets EIS Approval for Argentina Project
Australia's Orocobre has obtained environmental impact statement approval from the Jujuy provincial government for the development and exploitation of its Salar de Olaroz lithium-potash project...
Uranerz Energy Receives Mining Permit from WDEC
Uranerz Energy Corporation has received a commercial permit from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) to mine the Nichols Ranch in-situ recovery uranium project in Wyoming, US. ...
Vallar Eyes $1bn Coal Assets in North America, Australia
UK's Vallar is eyeing the possible acquisition of $1bn-worth of coal assets in North America and Australia to strengthen its aspirations of joining the FTSE 100. The acquisitions are...
Peninsula Energy to Develop Uranium Recovery Facility in US
Peninsula Energy is planning to construct and operate an in-situ uranium recovery facility at its Ross ISR project, located near Oshoto, in north-eastern Wyoming, US. The facility will...
Vale’s Tres Valles Completes First Copper Shipment
Vale’s Tres Valles copper complex in Chile has completed the first shipment of its copper cathodes output. Mine operations manager Carlos Roa said the first export, amounting to 94t of...
Indonesia to Augment Coal Production in 2011
Indonesian coal companies will increase their coal production rate by 23% in 2011 to meet growing domestic and global market demand. Asosiasi Pertambangan Batubara Indonesia - Indonesian...
Zambia on Track to Reach Copper Target by 2012
The Zambian mining sector is on track to reach its annual production target of one million tons by 2012, according to the country’s Chamber of Mines. The Chamber is expecting...
Indonesian Mining Records $2.28bn in Investments in 2010
Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has reported that investment in mineral and coal mining sectors reached $2.28bn in 2010. The realisation of minerals and coal...
Hochschild to Develop Inmaculada Project in Peru
Hochschild Mining has signed a definitive joint venture agreement with International Minerals Corporation (IMZ) to develop the Peru-based Inmaculada project. Inmaculada is a 200...
Heavy Rains Disrupt Australian Coal Mining Operations
Heavy rain and floods have disrupted coal mining operations in Queensland, Australia. Coal deliveries in the region have been put on hold because flood damage to rail tracks between mines...
India to Amend the Mines Act
The Indian Government is proposing to amend the 1952 Mines Act to regulate working conditions of miners and provide them with increased safety and welfare measures. The union cabinet has...
December 2010
Top
En+ Group, South Korean Consortium to Develop Chinea Deposit
En+ Group and a consortium of South Korean investors with participation of state-owned enterprise Korea Resources Corporation (KORES) have agreed to set up a joint venture (JV) to develop...
Deals This Week: Atlas Iron, Paladin, Duluth and More
Atlas Iron and Giralia Resources have signed a bid implementation agreement for an off-market takeover bid by Atlas for US$828m at US$4.57 a share. Upon completion of the transaction,...
Riversdale Agrees to Rio Tinto's $3.9bn Takeover Offer
Riversdale has agreed to a A$3.9bn takeover offer by Rio Tinto for a cash offer price of A$16 per ordinary share. The companies have entered into a Bid Implementation Agreement, whereby...
Ma'aden Secures $2.1bn PIF Loan for Aluminium Project
Ma'aden has secured a $2.1bn loan from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance through its Public Investment Fund (PIF) for initiating Phase 1 work on its aluminium project. As part of the loan,...
Season's Greetings
mining-technology.com will be taking a short break over Christmas. Our full daily news service will return on 4 January. Thank you for your support in 2010, and we wish you a happy and...
Atlas Copco to Expand Swedish Plant Production
Atlas Copco is expanding its production capacity of rock drilling tools in Fagersta, Sweden, by investing around $60m. According to the company, the investment will ramp up its...
Uralkali to Acquire Silvinit for $7.8bn
Russian potash producer Uralkali is acquiring Silvinit for $7.8bn in cash and shares to benefit from the rising demand of the commodity. Under the transaction, Uralkali will acquire 1.56...
Australia Proposes Marathon’s Exploration Licence Renewal
The South Australian Government is set to renew Marathon Resources' exploration licence (EL 4355) for the Northern Flinders Range project for one year. The government has also...
Wesizwe Secures $877m from JNMC and CADF
South Africa's Wesizwe Platinum has secured $877m in project financing from Chinese non-ferrous mining firm Jinchuan Mining Group (JNMC), and the China-Africa Development Fund (CADF). The...
Moly Mines Announces First Shipment of Iron Ore
Moly Mines has confirmed that the first iron ore produced from its Spinifex Ridge iron ore project is ready for shipment from Port Hedland. The maiden shipment will carry up to 55,000t of iron...
Continental Coal Begins South African Coal Mine Development
Continental Coal has commenced development of the Penumbra underground coal mine, located in the Ermelo coalfield, south of the town of Ermelo in Mpumalanga province, South Africa. The...
CIC Mining Signs MOU with CRM on Rail and Port Services
CIC Mining Resources has entered into a memorandum of understanding with China Railway Materials Commercial Company (CRM) to provide integrated rail and port services. The services offered...
BHP Submits EIS for Canadian Potash Project
BHP Billiton has submitted an environmental impact statement (EIS) for its Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada, to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment. The company prepared the...
ARMZ Uranium to Acquire Mantra Resources for $1.2bn
ARMZ Uranium Holding has signed an acquisition agreement with Mantra Resources to acquire 100% of issued shares of Mantra Resources for A$1.2bn (US$1.2bn). The company will pay A$8 (US$7.94)...
Rio Tinto to Divest Cloud Peak Shares
Rio Tinto has announced a sale price to divest its interest in US coal miner Cloud Peak Energy. The company priced the underwritten secondary offering of 25.6 million shares of Cloud Peak...
KCM to Invest $1bn for Expansions in Zambia
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) will invest $1bn in expansions and upgrades in Zambia to become a 400,000t-a-year copper producer by 2012. The investment will be spent on the refractory ore project...
DMC to Develop BHP’s Mine in Canada
DMC Mining has signed a five-year contract worth $400m to develop two mine shafts at BHP Billiton's Jansen Potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada. DMC president and CEO William Shaver said...
Mantle, Exergen Sign Deal over Australian Coal Project
Mantle Mining has executed a pre-joint venture agreement with Exergen to develop the Bacchus Marsh coal project, located 50km west of Melbourne, Australia. The firms have set out 50:50...
Uranium Energy Gets TCEQ Permits for Texas Project
Uranium Energy has received regulatory permits for its Goliad in-situ recovery project in South Texas from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). The TCEQ has provided the...
Rio Tinto to Expand Aluminium Smelters in Canada
Rio Tinto will invest $758m in the modernisation and expansion of its Canadian aluminium smelters to improve production efficiency. The investment will be spent to complete the first phase of...
Platinum Group to begin $100m Platinum Mine Construction
Platinum Group Metals will invest $100m for the construction of the Western Bushveld joint venture (WBJV) project 1 platinum mine. The proposed budget has been approved by the Board of...
Afghanistan Approves Gold Mining Deal
The Government of Afghanistan has approved a project to mine gold under the mountains of northern Afghanistan. The deal is the first mining project in Afghanistan to be backed by...
Deals this Week: ARMZ, Franco-Nevada, Inmet and More
ARMZ Uranium Holding has entered into an acquisition agreement with Mantra Resources to acquire 100% of issued shares of Mantra Resources for A$1.2bn (US$1.2bn). Each common share of...
MMX Plans $3bn Expansion in Brazilian Mines
Brazilian iron-ore mining firm MMX Mineracao & Metalicos SA is planning to invest BRL$5bn ($3bn) to expand mines in Brazil to meet the growing demand for raw materials in Asia. The firm...
HCL to Develop New Mine in Indian State
Hindustan Copper is planning to develop a new mine with about 50 million tons of ore reserves in Jharkhand, India. The firm plans to engage contractors to develop the underground mine...
Molycorp to Construct Rare Earth Facility at California
Molycorp will invest $531m to begin construction of its rare earth mine-to-magnets manufacturing facility at Mountain Pass, California, US. The firm has secured the last of several...
ICVL to Bid for Australian Riversdale
The Indian Steel Ministry has advised International Coal Ventures (ICVL) to bid for Australian mining firm Riversdale. ICVL will be competing with Rio Tinto to secure Riversdale's coal assets...
Pike River Placed in Receivership
Pike River Coal (PRCL) in New Zealand has been placed in receivership after the firm found itself in a precarious financial position, following last month's mine explosions. Pike River...
Franco-Nevada to Acquire Gold Wheaton for $823m
Franco-Nevada will acquire Gold Wheaton in the form of a plan of arrangement for C$830 (US$823m) in cash and shares. The firms have entered into a friendly business combination agreement...
Strategic Mining Gets Licence Expansion for Vietnamese Gold Mine
Strategic Mining has obtained an expanded exploration licence for its Nat Son gold property in Vietnam. The People's Committee of Hoa Binh Province awarded the licence after geology...
Rwanda Expects More Investments in Mineral Industry
The Rwandan Government is expecting increased investment in its minerals industry following the ban on mining in Congo, its neighbouring country. Congo suspended mining in the North Kivu,...
Zimbabwe Needs to Reconsider Mining Contracts
Zimbabwe needs to reconsider some of the mining contracts it has signed, according to the Zimbabwean Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy. Committee chairman...
Debswana Expands Jwaneng Mine in Botswana
Debswana Diamond has launched a multi-billion dollar Cut-8 extension project at its Jwaneng mine in Botswana. The company will invest $500m in capital expenditure and the estimated...
Xstrata to Invest $1.36bn in Australian Coal Mine
Xstrata is developing the Ravensworth North open cut coal mine in the Upper Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia, for a total investment of $1.36bn. Located within the existing...
Anglo American Secures Key Licence for Brazilian Project
Anglo American has secured a key licence for the development of its Minas-Rio iron ore project in Brazil. The award of the second part of the mine installation licence was granted by SUPRAM,...
African Minerals Receives Phase 1 Funding for Tonkolili Project
African Minerals has received phase 1 funding for the development of its Tonkolili project in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The company received $370m through a loan facility, with 10%...
Heavy Rains Stall Rio Tinto’s Australian Operations
Heavy rains in central Queensland, Australia, have stalled Rio Tinto’s mining operations in the region. The firm declared force majeure for three of its mines – Clermont, Blair Athol and...
Xstrata to Spend $23bn on Expansion
Xstrata will spend £14.5bn ($23bn) over the next six years on mining operations and expansion, with a focus on coal, copper and nickel projects. The firm said that its expansionary...
SMM to Explore Nickel in Solomon Islands
Sumitomo Metal Mining has acquired nickel exploration rights for three mining districts of the Solomon Islands through an international tender, opened by the Government of the Solomon...
Rio Tinto to Develop Mongolian Mine with $1.8bn
Rio Tinto has entered into an agreement with Ivanhoe Mines to assume direct management of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project in Mongolia. Under the agreement, the firm will provide...
Komatsu to Build $50m Mining Equipment Facility at Wacol
Construction and mining equipment manufacturer Komatsu has invested $50m to build a ‘super site’ at Wacol, Australia, as part of its nationwide expansion programme. Located south-west...
Deals This Week: Walter, Vedanta, ITOCHU and More
Walter Energy will acquire all outstanding shares of Canada’s Western Coal for a total enterprise value of C$3.3bn (US$3.3bn). The firms have entered into an arrangement agreement for...
Moly Mines Gets China Approval for Financing Spinifex Project
Moly Mines' major shareholder, Hanlong Mining Investment, has received Chinese Government approval that will enable it to complete financing for the Spinifex Ridge molybdenum/copper project. ...
Norilsk Relaunches Nickel Production in Australia
Russia's MMC Norilsk Nickel has re-launched nickel production out of its Australian assets, which were placed on indefinite care and maintenance due to an unfavourable economic environment...
Capstone Recommences Mexico Mine after Rock Fall Incident
Canada-based Capstone Mining has recommenced operations at its Cozamin mine, located north-west of Zacatecas City in Zacatecas, Mexico. The firm plans to ramp up production levels to...
Rio Tinto Extends Channar Mining JV in Australia
Rio Tinto has extended its Channar Mining joint venture (JV) with Sinosteel, in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The firm said the extension will lead to a further 50 million tons of...
Walter Energy to Acquire Western Coal for $3bn
US-based Walter Energy will acquire all outstanding shares of Canada’s Western Coal for a total enterprise value of $3.3bn. The firms have entered into an arrangement agreement for Walter...
CNEEC to Develop IRC Kimkanskoye and Sutarskoye Deposits
IRC Group has awarded a $400m engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to Chinese contractor CNEEC. Under the contract, CNEEC will develop IRC's Kimkanskoye and Sutarskoye iron...
India to Renovate Bureau of Mines
The Indian Government has established a panel to renovate the Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) for enhancing its role to meet the projected growth in the mining sector, including increased inflow...
Global Nonferrous Metals Exploration Reaches $12.1bn
The estimated 2010 budget for global nonferrous metals exploration has reached $12.1bn, according to a report by Metals Economics Group (MEG). MEG's 21st edition of Corporate...
Sterlite Acquires Namibian Zinc Mine for $707m
Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, has acquired the Skorpion zinc mine in Namibia from Anglo American for a cash consideration of around $707m. Initially, Skorpion was to...
Rio Tinto, Chinalco Sign Exploration JV in China
Rio Tinto and Chinalco have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a landmark exploration joint venture (JV) to explore mainland China for mineral deposits. The JV will...
Vale Opens Copper Plant in Chile
Vale has opened its first copper plant in the IV Region of Coquimbo, Chile. The Valles plant will be the company's first to produce cathodes on an industrial scale using the...
Discovery Metals Gets Botswana Approval for Capacity Upgrade
Discovery Metals has received an approval from the Government of Botswana’s Department of Environmental Affairs for a capacity upgrade for the Boseto copper project. The approval allows...
Silver Dragon to Commence Silver Production in China
Silver Dragon resources will start silver production at its Erbahuo silver mine in China in the second quarter of 2011. The open-pit mine is expected to produce dore silver bars by the...
Ok Tedi to Repurchase Inmet's Royalty for $335m
Ok Tedi Mining (OTML) has signed an agreement with Inmet Mining to repurchase a 5% net smelter royalty (NSR). Under the NSR repurchase agreement, Inmet will receive a cash payment of $335m in...
Kinross to Invest $1.5bn in Mauritania Gold Mine
Canada-based Kinross Gold will invest $1.5bn in the Tasiast gold mine in Mauritania. The investment will be spent over three years to increase the mine's production from 200,000oz to one...
Sesa Goa Ceases Mining Operations in Thakurani Mine
Sesa Goa has closed down the Thakurani mine in Orissa, India, because it could not renew mining contracts on viable commercial terms on a long-term basis. The third-party mining contract...
Altona to Begin Tunnelling at Finnish Copper Project
Altona Mining will commence decline tunnelling on its Outokumpu copper project in Eastern Finland this week, one month ahead of schedule. The initial development contract for the project's...
Deals This Week: Inmet, CoAL, Lugansk and More
Inmet Mining has signed a binding agreement with Leucadia National and an affiliate to acquire its 30% indirect equity interest in the Cobre Las Cruces copper mine in Spain for $552m. ...
GSI Discovers Coal Reserves in Indian State
The Indian Government's apex and mineral exploration agency, Geological Survey of India (GSI), has found substantial coal reserves in several areas of southern and northern Tripura, India. ...
Rio Tinto Invests Additional $1.2bn in Pilbara Region
Rio Tinto has approved a $1.2bn investment in Western Australia's Pilbara region to increase the state’s annual iron ore production capacity to 283 million tons per annum (Mt/a). The capital...
Tawana, Gryphon to Collaborate on West African Projects
Tawana Resources has signed a strategic alliance agreement with West African gold explorer Gryphon Minerals as part of its expansion plans into West Africa. The agreement provides Tawana...
Thiess Wins Coal Contract Worth $5.5bn in India
Leighton Holdings subsidiary Thiess has secured a mine development and coal mining contract worth $5.5bn in India. The contract calls for Thiess to develop and operate the greenfield...
Mining-technology.com Launches Major Mining Survey
To understand what our readers consider the most important business issues for 2011-12, mining-technology.com is launching a major industry survey. We are looking to find out how...
Norilsk Nickel to Divest Stillwater Mining Stake
Russian mining firm Norilsk Nickel is selling its 51% stake in Stillwater Mining. The transactions are consistent with Norilsk Nickel’s strategy to rationalise its international...
Xstrata Approves $122m for Frieda River Project in PNG
Xstrata has approved a $122m feasibility study for its Frieda River copper-gold project in Papua New Guinea, a joint venture with Highlands Pacific. A pre-feasibility study noted that the...
Inment to Acquire Interests Worth $552m in Spanish Copper Mine
Inmet Mining has signed an agreement with Leucadia National to acquire a 30% indirect equity interest and subordinated sponsor loans in the Cobre Las Cruces copper mine. The purchase value of...
WPG to Develop Peculiar Knob Mine in Australia
WPG Resources is planning to develop its Peculiar Knob DSO iron ore mine, located south-east of Coober Pedy in South Australia. According to the company, Peculiar Knob is the highest...
Sidon to Initiate MEG Property Drilling in Tanzania
AFGF, Sidon International Resources' operating consultant, has signed a contract with Simba Drilling of Tanzania to initiate a drilling programme on the company's MEG property, south-east...
Rio Tinto to Invest in Canada Mine Research Centre
Rio Tinto will invest $C10m (US$10.1m) into an underground research centre in Canada as part of its global expansion programme. The centre will be based at the Centre for Excellence in...
Zambezi Receives Positive Results from Kalulu Prospect
Zambezi Resources has received additional positive assay results from the Kalulu prospect as part of its continuing assay programme on previously sampled drilling. The results confirm...
Ausgold Discovers Thick Gold at Australian Boddington Project
Ausgold has discovered thick ore bodies at its Boddington South gold project, located within the underexplored south-west Yilgarn region of Western Australia. The assay results from six holes...
November 2010
Top
Wai Chun Mining to Acquire Three Mines
Wai Chun Mining has entered into an agreement with Guangxi Non-Ferrous Metals Group and Guangxi Sincerity Investments and Trading for possible acquisitions of interest in a manganese mine and...
Lynas and Sojitz to Expand Rare Earth Project
Lynas Corporation has signed a strategic alliance agreement with Sojitz Corporation to secure additional supplies of rare earths products for the Japanese market, by expanding the country's...
Coal Sector Witnesses M&A Transactions Worth $47bn
The global coal mining sector has witnessed merger and acquisition (M&A) transactions worth over $47.1bn through 968 deals this year, according to the report by a deal tracking firm...
Uranium One Gets Approval for ARMZ Transaction
Uranium One has received US Nuclear Regulatory Commission approval to close its transaction with Russia's JSC Atomredmetzoloto (ARMZ). The approval will enable the company to proceed with...
Channel Resources Resumes Exploration Drilling at Tanlouka Project
Channel Resources has resumed exploration drilling at the Tanlouka gold project in Burkina Faso, West Africa, with a 10,000m reverse circulation programme. Initial drilling programme...
JSW Energy Acquires CIC Energy
India's JSW Energy has acquired Canadian coal company CIC Energy for C$422 (US$414m) and will receive coal mine assets in Africa as a result of the transaction. CIC Energy owns and develops...
Gold Hawk, Tetra Tech Sign Contract for Oracle Ridge Copper Mine
Gold Hawk Resources has signed a contract with Tetra Tech for environmental baseline studies for the Oracle Ridge Copper Mine, located in Pima County, Arizona, US. Gold Hawk vice-president...
Blackthorn and Glencore Form Mining JV
Blackthorn Resources has entered into a joint venture agreement with Glencore for the Perkoa Zinc project in Burkina Faso, Africa. The agreement requires Glencore to fund $80m for the...
Anglo American to Sell Australian Coal Mine
Anglo American is planning to divest its Callide thermal coal mine in central Queensland, Australia, adding to the six other coal assets it will sell. Callide Mine produced 8.8 million tons...
San Miguel May Acquire Indophil
San Miguel Corporation is set to acquire up to 100% of Australian mining firm Indophil Resources, which shares a third of the $5.2bn Tampakan copper-gold project in Mindanao, the...
Deals This Week: Wai Chun, Baja Mining, Korea Zinc and More
Wai Chun Mining Industry Group has signed an agreement for the possible acquisition of some mineral resources from Guangxi Non-ferrous Metals Group (GNMG). Wai Chun may acquire 74%...
Minmetals Resources to Acquire MMG
Minmetals Resources, a subsidiary of China Minmetals Non-Ferrous Metals Company (CMN), plans to acquire Minerals and Metals Group (MMG) for $1.8bn from Album Resources. MMG produces zinc,...
Third Explosion Hits NZ Mine
A third explosion has erupted inside the Pike River Coal mine in New Zealand where 29 miners were killed in an earlier explosion two days back. Pike River Coal chairman John Dow said the...
Codelco to Invest in Chilean Copper Mine
Codelco is planning to invest $2.2bn in the construction of the Ministro Hales copper mine in the northern Chilean region of Antofagasta. The company said the mine will produce 163,000t of...
Base Titanium Plans to Invest in Kenyan Mine
Base Titanium, the Kenyan unit of Base Resources in Australia, aims to raise nearly $270m to develop a heavy mineral-sand deposit in the south of Mombasa, Kenya, the company has announced. ...
K+S to Acquire Potash One for $425m
K+S Aktiengesellschaft and Potash One will acquire Potash One for $425m. The companies have entered into a support agreement pursuant to which K+S will make an offer to acquire all of the...
Mongolia Suspends Mining Licences
Mangolia's department of mineral resources and energy has suspended nearly 1,800 mining licences, more than a year after the government passed a law to protect the country's environment. ...
Second New Zealand Mine Blast Leaves 29 Dead
A second explosion has ripped through the Pike River mine in New Zealand, leaving rescuers with little hope of finding any of the 29 trapped miners alive. Local police confirmed that they...
BHP Billiton to Invest $635m in Iron Ore Production
BHP Billiton has unveiled a plan to invest $635m to boost iron ore production in Western Australia. The investment expands on BHP Billiton's earlier pre-commitment of $1.73bn, announced...
Stillwater Plans to Develop Montana Mines
Stillwater Mining Company will develop two platinum and palladium projects in Montana's Beartooth Mountains, in the US. The Graham Creek project and the Blitz project will be located along...
EBX Bids to Acquire Ventana
EBX Group, an investment company controlled by Brazilian billionaire Eike Batista, plans to acquire its remaining shares at Ventana Gold. The company owns a 20% stake in the Canadian mining...
Usiminas Plans Brazilian Mine Operation with MMX
Brazilian steel producer Usiminas has signed an agreement with MMX to jointly operate its Pau de Vinho mine. Usiminas will use MMX's Southeast Port to ship iron ore exports in 2012-16 and MMX...
Vedanta to Raise $1.1bn to Expand Zambian Mine
Vedanta Resources' Konkola Copper Mines is planning to raise $1.1bn through an IPO in London to expand its mines in Zambia and pay debt. Vedanta owns a 79.4 % stake in the company and...
Medusa Plans Philippines Mines Expansion
Australian mining company Medusa Mining is planning to invest $80m to expand the capacity of the Co-O mine in the Philippines. The expansion includes the construction of a treatment plant...
Oyu Tolgoi Awards Mining Project Contract to AMEC
Mongolian mining company Oyu Tolgoi has contracted AMEC to undertake a feasibility study for Lift 1 of the Hugo North block cave operation of its copper and gold mining project in Mongolia. ...
Vale Proposes $9bn Expansion Plan in Canada
Brazil's Vale has unveiled a C$10bn (US$9.78bn) capital investment plan in Canada over the next five years, including a potash project in Saskatchewan. Vale plans to build a $3bn potash mine...
Xstrata to Reactivate Australian Mine
Swiss miner Xstrata will restart its Sinclair nickel mine in Australia after suspending operations due to the global financial crisis. The company is also planning to start production at...
Vallar to Invest $3bn in Stakes
British investment firm Vallar intends to buy a 25% stake in Bumi and a 75% stake in Berau for around $3bn. Bumi is an Indonesia-based natural resources group that focuses on coal mining,...
Rescuers Begin Drilling at NZ Mine Explosion Site
Rescuers have started drilling a 15cm ventilation shaft at the Pike River mine on New Zealand's South Island following an explosion last week that left 29 miners missing. Once the hole is...
Caterpillar to Acquire Bucyrus for $7.6bn
Caterpillar is planning to acquire US-based mining equipment maker Bucyrus International for $7.6bn. Caterpillar will also assume $1bn of Bucyrus' debt. The transaction is expected to...
MDM Secures South Africa Manganese Mine Contract
MDM Engineering has secured a $140m contract for the engineering, design, and project and construction management of the Kalagadi Manganese mining and Umtu Sinter plant project in South...
New Zealand Mine Explosion Leaves 24 Missing
Up to 24 miners are missing in New Zealand after an explosion blasted through Pike River Coal mine today. Early reports suggested that at least 30 people were trapped in the mine, which reaches...
Deals This Week: Caterpillar, Nyrstar, Inmet, Global Gold and More
Caterpillar will acquire Bucyrus International for $8.6bn, boosting its line of mining equipment. Farallon Mining is being bought in a takeover deal valued at $380m by European-based...
Citigold Plans North Queensland Expansion
Citigold has signed an agreement with Anhui Geology and Mining Investment in China to jointly explore and develop the area around the Charters Towers mining operation in Queensland,...
Lonmin Plans to Increase Platinum Production
South African mining company Lonmin Platinum will spend about $1bn over the next three years to increase its platinum output to 850,000oz a year. The company said it will invest nearly $380m...
Xstrata to Invest $6bn in Mauritania Project
Swiss mining group Xstrata is planning to invest about $6bn in the production of iron in Mauritania. The company, which is in the process of buying three iron ore projects in Mauritania...
CGA Mining Masbate Project Output Rises
Australia's CGA Mining's daily throughput production at the Masbate gold project in the Philippines reached 21,831 dry tons of ore on 10 November 2010. On 10 May, the project had a record...
Hindalco to Increase Aluminium Production
Hindalco, the metal flagship of India's Aditya Birla Group, said the company's US-based unit, Novelis, will increase its aluminium production capacity by 20% by 2014. Novelis will invest...
Anglo American Divests Moly-Cop, AltaSteel
UK mining giant Anglo American has agreed to sell Moly-Cop and AltaSteel to Australia's OneSteel for $932m. Under the agreement, economic interest in the businesses passes to...
Usiminas to Boost Iron Ore Capacity
Usiminas is planning to invest BRL550m ($319.9m) to boost the iron ore capacity of its mining division, Mineracao Usiminas. The Brazilian steelmaker is planning to increase its iron ore...
Zambia's Copper Production Up
Copper production in Zambia increased by 21% to 625,844t during the nine months of 2010 compared with 517,512t during the same period last year. Copper exports increased to 614,455t in the...
US County to Turn Gravel Mine into Marine Park
King County in the US has agreed to buy a gravel mine on Maury Island in the Puget Sound for $36m and turn the site into a marine park. The move puts an end to concerns over damage to...
China Molybdenum Acquires Mine Rights in China
China Molybdenum has acquired exploration rights for a mine in the Xinjiang province of China for CNY1.04bn ($157m). The company will explore an area of 16.77km2 around a mine in East Gobi, Hami....
Paladin Plans Langer Heinrich Operation Early 2011
Australian uranium miner Paladin Energy will start commissioning an expansion project at the Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia in early 2011. The project will expand the mine's capacity to...
Vale to Expand Garo Nickel Output
Vale is planning to increase nickel production by 25% in the Garo nickel project in New Caledonia and reach full capacity by 2013. The Brazilian mining company plans to produce 75,000t of...
SA Mining Production Up
Mining production in South Africa has increased 12.1% year-on-year in September, according to Statistics South Africa. The report said platinum group metals output rose by 45.6%, while...
Vedanta Posts Half-Yearly Profit
Indian mining company Vedanta has reported an 83% rise in its half-year pre-tax profit to $1.1bn compared with $604m in 2009. The company’s revenue rose 54% to $4.6bn, Vedanta said. During...
Ivanhoe to Begin Production at Oyu Tolgoi Mine in 2012
Ivanhoe Mines said construction at its Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in Mongolia is progressing ahead of schedule. The $5bn project, being developed in partnership with Rio Tinto and...
Xstrata Receives Wandoan Project Approval
The Queensland Government in Australia has given environmental clearance to Xstrata Coal's A$3bn Wandoan coal project in the state's Surat Basin. The 30 million ton-per annum open-cut thermal...
Afghanistan to Float $10bn Mining Tender
Afghanistan is planning to float tenders worth $10bn to give exploitation licences of mineral resources by next year, according to the government. Minister of mines Wahidullah Shahrani...
CNMC to Halt Zambia Mining Operations
China Nonferrous Metals Corporation (CNMC) will suspend operations at its Baluba copper mine in Zambia from 15 November to replace its ore hoisting system. However, CNMC said underground...
SNC-Lavalin Secures Panama Mining Contract
A joint venture led by SNC-Lavalin has secured a $4bn contract from Minera Panama, a subsidiary of Inmet Mining of Canada, to provide engineering, construction and management services at its...
Deals This Week: ArcelorMittal, Xstrata, Rio Tinto, American Sierra and More
ArcelorMittal is eyeing an iron ore deposit on Baffin Island in the Arctic with an agreed C$433m bid to acquire Baffinland Iron Mines of Toronto, Canada. ArcelorMittal is planning for a...
Sierra Leone Orders London Mining to Stop Lunsar Operations
Sierra Leone has ordered the London Mining Company to halt operations at one of its sites following environmental violations. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) deputy director Momodu Bah...
Costa Rica Votes to Ban Open-Pit Mining
Costa Rica's Congress has voted to ban open-pit mining projects in the country, barring the Crucitas gold mining project. The lawmakers said open-pit methods can lead to deforestation and...
ArcelorMittal Bids for Baffinland Iron
ArcelorMittal is eyeing an iron ore deposit on Baffin Island in the Arctic with an agreed C$433m (US$432) bid to acquire Baffinland Iron Mines of Toronto, Canada. The C$3.9bn project could...
Chile Mine Accident Kills Two
An accident that happened at the Los Reyes mine in Chile on 8 November has killed two workers and injured one. Police said the victims were starting their first working day at the mine when...
Mine Explosion Traps Five, Injures Two
A gas explosion in an unlicensed coal mine in China's Guizhou province has left two injured and five trapped underground. The explosion took place at 8:40pm on 8 November in Qinglong...
PNC Bank Decides Against Funding Mountaintop Mining
PNC Bank will stop financing mining projects that extract coal through mountaintop mining. As part of PNC's corporate responsibility, the bank will not fund projects or offer credit to coal...
Xstrata Eyes New Iron Ore Deals
Xstrata is looking for more acquisitions to create an iron ore division following its recent bid to acquire Sphere Minerals for A$514m (US$520.9m). The creation of an iron ore division will...
Zimbabwean Government Takes Control of JV Following Core Mining Ban
The Zimbabwean Government said it is taking over a joint mining venture following allegations that its private partners deal in blood diamonds. Core Mining's 12 directors have been barred...
American Sierra Gold Acquires Mining Claims in Canada
American Sierra Gold has acquired six mining claims in the Adams Plateau area of southern British Columbia, Canada. Company president James Vandeberg said the technical reports prepared...
Eastern Platinum Receives Rights for Mareesburg Project
Lion's Head Platinum, a subsidiary of Canada-based Eastern Platinum, has received the New Order Mining Right for the Mareesburg project in South Africa from the country's Department of...
Sudan Signs Fresh Mining Deals
Sudan has signed ten gold and mineral exploration deals relating to contracts in the north of the country. Mining Minister Abdel Bagi al-Jaylani told Reuters that the country has initiated...
Sandvik Mining to Provide Equipment for Rio Tinto Expansion
Sandvik Mining and Construction has been chosen as the preferred supplier of mobile machines for Rio Tinto's iron ore capacity expansion. Rio plans to raise capacity to 283 million tons per...
Origen to Mine Pampa Colorada Claim
Alturas Minerals has given Origen the right to mine iron ore from its 3.6 million-square metre Pampa Colorada claim for ten years. Alturas will receive royalty payments based on the tonnage...
Integra Identifies More Gold Zones in Majestic
Integra Mining has identified four zones of high-grade gold mineralisation with strong intersections at the Majestic gold discovery near Kalgoorli, Australia. According to Integra, the area...
Canada Blocks BHP's PotashCorp Takeover Bid
Canada has blocked BHP Billiton's US$40bn takeover bid of PotashCorp stating the proposed deal may not provide financial benefits to the nation. The Canadian Government, however, has given...
Kinross Gold Records Improved Earnings for Q3
Kinross Gold has achieved net earnings of $346.9m in the third quarter, following a net loss of $21.5m in the same quarter last year. Production during the quarter was up 7% to 575,065...
Newmont Q3 Profit up 38%
Newmont's profit has increased by 38% to $537m, compared with a $388m profit in the same period last year. The US gold producer reported quarterly revenue of $2.6bn for the third quarter...
Deals This Week: Whitehaven, Baja Mining and More
US coal producer Peabody Energy and Alpha Natural Resources may bid for Australian mining business Whitehaven Coal following its announcement of a formal bidding process last week. The...
Eldorado Gold Ships Iron Ore from Brazil Mines
Eldorado Gold has started the first shipment of iron ore from its Vila Nova mine in Brazil. The shipment consists of 45,000 tonnes of lump ore. The Canadian miner is planning to ship...
Southern Copper Invests in Peru Mines
Southern Corporation has invested $154m to expand the production of the Cuajone and Toquepala mines in Peru. The US-based mining firm has invested $114.6m to expand the output of its...
Mwana to Restart Trojan Nickel Mine Next Year
Mwana Africa is expecting to restart full operations at its Trojan Nickel Mine in Mashonaland, Zimbabwe, during September next year. The mine was closed two years ago following the...
Canada Rejects Taseko's Mine Proposal
Canada has rejected Taseko Mines' proposal for a gold and copper project in British Columbia. Canada refused to grant approval due to concerns about the adverse impact the project,...
China to Consolidate Coal Production in Five Years
China is planning to limit its annual coal production to 3.8bn tonnes in the next five years, compared with 3.2bn tonnes last year. Under the five-year plan large mines would account for...
Mining Union Suspends Planned Strike Following Wage Offer
The National Union of Mineworkers of South Africa has suspended a proposed strike at JIC Mining following a fresh wage offer from the company. The strike was planned to begin on 31 October...
China Invests 24% of FDI in Mining
China has invested about 24% of its outbound foreign direct investment in the mining industry. The country's vice minister of the Ministry of Commerce, Chen Jian, said that the cooperation...
Chinese Plant to Produce Mine Rescue Robots
A north China plant will start producing coalmine rescue robots that can enter hazardous sites to collect data when accidents happen. Kaicheng Electronic in Tangshan has designed a...
Colorado Court Denies Mine Expansion Permit
A Federal District Court judge in Colorado, US, has denied an expansion permit for a coalmine on the Navajo reservation. John Kane has called for a thorough review of the impact of the...
Rwandan Tin Mine Accident Kills Eleven
Eleven miners are reported to have died in an accident at a tin mine in the Rwamagana district of eastern Rwanda on 30 October. Police spokesman Eric Kayiranga said such accidents are...
Queensland Authorities Approve Xstrata Mine Expansion
Xstrata said its $246m expansion plan for the George Fisher mine in Mount Isa has been approved by the Queensland Government. The expansion will increase the annual production rate by almost...
Luiri in Talks Over Zambian Mining Licence Cancellation
Luiri Gold is holding talks with Zambian mining officials to resolve the cancellation of tenure of its mining licence. The licence covered the Matala and Dunrobin gold deposits in the Luiri...
Vale to Invest $24bn in 2011
Brazilian mining giant Vale is to invest $24bn in 2011 as it seeks to increase production of iron ore and expand in terms of fertilisers, nickel and copper. Vale's total output of iron ore...
Adani to Develop Indian Coal Block
Adani Enterprises has obtained an order to develop and operate a coal block in the state of Orissa, India. The Indian firm will carry out the development and operation of the Chendipada...
Nippon Steel to Develop Mozambique Coal Mine in 2012
Nippon Steel Corporation has said that it will start the joint development of a coal mine in Mozambique with three other firms in 2012. The $600m hard-coking coal mine will have produce...
Tata Steel Joint Venture to Start Iron Ore Mining in Canada
India-based Tata Steel has formed a joint venture with Canada's New Millennium Capital Corporation to carry out iron ore mining operations in Canada. The joint venture company, Tata...
Vale Reports Increased Q3 Profit
Brazilian mining company Vale has reported net earnings of $6bn in Q3 2010, a 260% increase from the $1.68bn recorded during the corresponding period of 2009. Vale said its revenue for...
October 2010
Top
Collahuasi Copper Mine Workers to Resume Wage Talks
The workers union at Anglo American and Xstrata's Collahuasi copper mine in Chile has said that workers will continue wage negotiations, following the rejection of an offer on 27 October. ...
Methane Blamed for West Virginia Mine Blast
Massey Energy chief executive Don Blankenship has said that methane gas was solely responsible for the disaster at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, US, that claimed 29 lives in...
Chinese Coal Mine Flood Kills Twelve
Twelve coal miners have been killed due to flooding at the Dapo Mine in Guizhou Province, China, on 27 October. The authorities are investigating the cause of flooding, reports Xinhua. ...
Deals This Week: Equinox, Nippon Steel, Sable Mining and More
Equinox Minerals has said it will acquire Citadel Resource Group to gain access to a copper and gold project in Saudi Arabia. The total consideration of the transaction is $1.23bn. ...
Newcrest Gold Output Rises 79%
Newcrest Mining has said that its gold production for the quarter ending 30 September was 674,219oz, a 79% rise from 377,084oz a year ago. The increase in production has been boosted by...
Mining to Contribute Half of Congo's GDP
The mining sector is expected to make up half of the Democratic Republic of the Congo's gross domestic product (GDP) over the next five years, according to officials. Mines Minister...
Alcoa Starts Construction of Saudi Aluminum Complex
Alcoa has begun the construction of a $10.8bn integrated smelter and rolling mill complex in Saudi Arabia. The project, owned by a joint-venture between Saudi Arabian miner Maaden and...
Japan and Vietnam to Jointly Develop Rare Earth Mines
Japan and Vietnam are set to sign an agreement to jointly develop rare earth mines in Vietnam. The agreement comes after China stopped shipments of rare earth minerals to Japan following...
Equinox to Acquire Citadel Resource for $1.23bn
Zambia's Equinox Minerals is to acquire Citadel Resource Group for $1.23bn. The deal will give Equinox control of Citadel's flagship Jabal Sayid copper-gold development project in western...
Gold Field Workers Plan Strike at South African Mine
Gold Fields has said that workers at its South Deep mine in South Africa are planning to strike, following a dispute over employee-management relations. In a statement, Gold Fields said...
Grupo Mexico Resumes Operations at La Caridad Smelter
Grupo Mexico has said its copper smelter at La Caridad mine has resumed normal operations after a labour disruption halted output. A spokesman for the company said the force majeure declared...
Congo Extends Mining Ban
The Democratic Republic of the Congo has extended a mining ban in three provinces that are rich in tin, gold, tungsten and coltan. Mining operations were banned in the North Kivu, South Kivu...
Australian Copper Miner Fined for Creek Contamination
Australian copper mining company Great Australian Operations in Cloncurry, Queensland, has been fined $135,000 for causing damage to a creek. Brisbane Magistrates Court ordered the fine...
Impala Platinum Worker Dies in South African Mine
Impala Platinum has announced that a worker has died at its number 11 shaft in Rustenburg, taking the death toll in South African mines to three in less than two days. The employee is...
Colombian Officials Shut 18 Illegal Gold Mines
The Columbian Government has shut down 18 illegal gold mines as part of an effort to regulate the industry and mitigate environmental hazards to workers. The mines that received closure...
India Rejects Vedanta's $8.5bn Alumina Expansion Plans
India has rejected Vedanta Resources' $8.5bn plan to expand its alumina refinery in eastern India. The six-fold expansion was expected to boost output by up to six million tons per year. ...
Harmony and Newcrest to Proceed with Wafi-Golpu Mine Study
Harmony Gold has said that its joint venture with Newcrest Mining will proceed with a $150m pre-feasibility study at the Wafi-Golpu copper-gold project in Papua New Guinea. The...
Adani to Invest $6.9bn in Queensland Mine
Adani Enterprises is to invest $6.9bn to develop coal, rail and port projects in its Galilee Basin coal mine in Queensland, Australia. The company expects its first coal output by the end...
Deals This Week: Kingsgate Consolidated, Eurasian Natural, Sterling Group and More
Kingsgate Consolidated is set to acquire Dominion Mining for $334m. Dominion owns the Challenger gold mine in South Australia and gold and base metals projects in Western Australia. ...
Debswana to Extend Jwaneng Mine Life
Debswana Diamond will invest $3.7bn to extend the life of its Jwaneng mine in Botswana. The funds will add seven years to mine life and secure another 102 million carats of diamond...
Asia is Engine for Future Mining Growth: Vale
Brazilian mining company Vale has said that the majority of its revenue (80%) is expected to come from Asia over the next five years. Speaking at a press conference in London, Vale CEO...
Xstrata to Initiate Lion Ferrochrome Smelter Expansion
Xstrata will initiate the second phase of its Lion ferrochrome complex expansion in South Africa, which includes the building and commissioning of a 360,000t per annum capacity smelter. ...
Massey Energy to Idle Production for Miner Training
US-based Massey Energy will idle production at its 92 underground coal producing sections on 29 October to provide safety training to its miners. The training will also include reviews of...
Kentucky Governor Supports Coal Body in Law Suit
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has directed the US Energy and Environment Cabinet to support the Kentucky Coal Association (KCA) in a law suit filed against the Environmental Protection...
Hochschild Increases San Jose Mine Life by 50%
Hochschild Mining has extended the resource lifespan of the San Jose mine in Chile by almost 50%. The company said a nine-month-long drilling campaign has extended the mine's lifespan from...
Chinese Firms to Explore Australian Coal Reserves
Two Chinese coal firms have signed an agreement to jointly explore and develop coal resources in Queensland, Australia. A five-year agreement has been signed between China Coal Geology...
Ramelius Records Gold Production Hike
Ramelius Resources has recorded a 4.6% increase in gold ore production from its Western Australia operations in the first quarter of 2010-11, compared with the last fiscal quarter. The...
Rio Tinto to Invest $3.1bn in Expansion Plans
Global miner Rio Tinto will invest $3.1bn in expanding its iron-ore infrastructure in Western Australia. The venture will hike the company's capacity to 283 million tons a year, a 28% increase...
Rio, BHP End Pilbara JV Plans
Rio Tinto has ended plans with BHP Billiton for an iron ore production joint venture in Pilbara in Western Australia. The companies have been informed by regulators from Europe, Australia,...
Rescuers Continue Search for Trapped Miners in Ecuador
Rescue workers are continuing search operations for two miners trapped underground by a cave-in that killed two workers in southern Ecuador. Search crews have been trying to clear debris to...
Wings International Signs Deal with Glencore for US Mine
Wings International has signed an agreement with Glencore International for the joint development of its Pea Ridge iron and rare earth mine in Missouri, US. The Pea Ridge deposit has more than...
Harmony Gold to Shut Down SA Mine Shaft
Harmony Gold will close the Merriespruit 1 shaft in Virginia, South Africa, at the end of the month because it is no longer profitable. Earlier this year, the company worked out...
Xstrata Falcondo Ferronickel Facility to Restart Operations Next Year
Xstrata Nickel's Falcondo ferronickel complex will restart its operations to a proposed 50% installed capacity by March next year. The nickel mining and processing operations at the facility...
Zijin Mining Subsidiaries Sued for Pollution Spill
Two subsidiaries of China-based Zijin Mining have been sued for property damage following a toxic spill at a tin mine after heavy rain triggered the collapse of a tailings dam last month. ...
First Quantum to Acquire Antares
First Quantum will acquire Antares for C$460m (US$450m). Antares owns the Haquira large-scale copper and gold project, located in Peru, which has an indicated resource of 3.2 million tons...
Gas Burst in China Kills 37
A gas blast in a pit owned by Pingyu Coal and Electric in the central province of Henan, China, has left 37 people dead. A total of 276 miners were at work below ground when the accident...
Rio Tinto Ramps Up Iron Ore Production
Rio Tinto has reported record iron ore production in the quarter ended in September. The company's iron ore production increased from 43.61 million tons in the quarter ending June to 47.60...
UK Open-Cast Mine Decision Faces Delays
The UK's Leicestershire County Council has extended the final decision on UK Coal's proposed open-cast mine near Measham until later this year. UK Coal has proposed to dig 1.5 million tons of...
Chile Senate Approves Increase of Mining Royalty
Chile's Senate has approved a revised bill to increase royalties of mining companies to help fund post-earthquake reconstruction. The bill, which initially sets the royalty at 4-9% and...
Massey Fined for Ruby Mine Fatality
Massey Energy has been fined by US federal regulators for a violation that led to the death of a West Virginia miner in May this year at the Ruby Energy underground mine in Mingo County,...
Sona Forms JV with First Nation
Sona Resources has signed an agreement to form a joint-venture with the Stswecem'c Xgat'tem Development Limited Partnership (SXDLP) for mine development in British Columbia, Canada. SXDLP is...
Breakwater Resources Reaches Deal with Striking Miners
Breakwater Resources said unionised workers at its Toqui mine in southern Chile have accepted a new contract ending a week-long strike. The new contract has been renewed for a period of...
Mincor Resources Seeks Nickel Projects to Increase Output
Mincor Resources is looking to acquire nickel projects as it seeks to increase production. The company said it is looking to acquire projects at any stage of development because the market...
Deals This Week: Indophil, South American, Steele Resources & More
Indophil has agreed to make a US$40m share placement at A$86 per share to Philippines-based San Miguel Corporation. Indophil has entered into a binding exclusivity period with San Miguel until...
Teck’s Copper Production to Reach 400,000t
Teck Resources said its copper production will increase to more than 400,000t in 2012. Company vice-president of corporate development Ron Vance said production could more than double in five...
Production Up at Gammon’s Ocampo Mine
Canada's Gammon Gold said third-quarter production at its Ocampo mine, Mexico, has increased 10% sequentially. During the third quarter, the Ocampo mine produced 27,018 gold ounces and...
All 33 Miners Rescued
The last of the 33 trapped Chilean miners has been rescued after 70 days of being underground. Luis Urzua, the shift foreman, is the first person to be trapped so long underground and...
Gold Fields Suspends Output After Miner’s Death
Gold Fields has suspended production at the No 3 shaft of its Beatrix mine in South Africa following a fatality. The worker was killed after a ground fall. Gold Fields spokesperson...
Alpha Shuts WV Mine After Fatality
US-based Alpha Natural Resources has announced that a worker has died following a rock fall at its Kingston Mining No 1 coal mine in Fayette County, West Virginia. The section of the mine...
SA’s Anooraq Resources to Double Output
Anooraq Resources plans to double the output of platinum group metals (PGMs) at a South African mine within the next three years. Anooraq Resources CEO Philip Kotze said the company aims...
Chile Trapped Miners Rescued After Two Months
The first miners trapped 700m underground in Chile for over two months have been finally hoisted safely to surface in a 28in-wide narrow capsule. There are 28 miners and one rescuer...
Northam Platinum Increases Pay Offer to End Strike
South Africa's Northam Platinum has raised its pay offer to encourage workers to end the Zondereinde mine strike, estimated to be costing $1.28m in revenue losses a day. The country's...
Jindal Starts $2.1bn Bolivian Mine
India's Jindal Steel and Power has started work on its $2.1bn iron ore mine and steel project in eastern Bolivia following long delays. The company began construction in a ceremony at the...
MSHA Issues Closure Orders to Massey Mine
The US Mine Safety and Health Administration said it has issued 11 closure orders to Elk Run Coal's Seng Creek Powellton mine, owned by Massey Energy. The closure order follows a surprise...
First Quantum to Boost Security at Zambian Mine
First Quantum Minerals will install a security surveillance system to protect sensitive areas at the Kanshansi copper mine, in north-western Zambia. The company has appointed C3 Shared Services...
Miners at Centerra Mine End Strike
Centerra Gold said workers have ended their ten-day long strike at its Kumtor gold mine in Kyrgyzstan. The company said a new collective agreement has been ratified by the union. Workers...
South Australia to Tighten Mining Laws
South Australia is increasing the penalties for mining breaches. Mineral Resources Minister Paul Holloway said penalties have been increased for companies that break the law, following...
Vedanta Cuts Investment and Aluminium Expansion Plan
Vedanta Resources has cut its investment plan by $2bn and deferred its planned aluminium expansion after the company was denied a licence by the Indian Government to mine bauxite in...
Hochschild Mining Makes High-Grade Discovery at San Jose
Hochschild Mining has made a high-grade gold and silver discovery at its San Jose project in southern Argentina. The company said it has discovered nine high-grade gold/silver veins as well...
Zijin Mining Fined for Toxic Leaks
China's Zijin Mining has been fined $1.43m for wastewater leaks this summer. The fine follows an on-site investigation that found there had been two leakages of acidic copper solution in...
Chile Mine Rescuers Reinforce Shaft for Evacuation
Rescue workers in Chile's San Jose mine have reinforced an escape shaft to hoist 33 miners trapped underground for over two months. The rescuers have successfully drilling a 625m shaft that...
Illegal Mining Waste Causes Hundreds of Child Deaths in Nigeria
Lead poisoning from illegal gold mining in the Nigerian state of Zamfara has killed at least 400 children in the past six months, it has been revealed. The deaths have been attributed...
Deals This Week: Gammon Gold, Perilya, Village Main And More
Gammon Gold has said it will acquire rival company Capital Gold in a friendly $288m cash and share deal. Capital owns the El Chanate gold mine in Sonora Mexico as well as the Orion...
Vale Plans $20bn of Expansions
Vale has announced that it is planning to invest $20bn in mine developments and expansions in 2011. The company's major investment projects include the Serra Sul mine, linked to the...
John Holland Wins Australian Mining Services Deal
Services company John Holland has won a $348m contract to provide mining services for the Plains pit of the Jellinbah coal mine in central Queensland, Australia. The four-year contract...
De Beers to Boost Output by 50%
Diamond mining specialist De Beers said it hopes to increase production in South Africa by 50% this year as global demand recovers. The company expects to boost diamond output in South Africa...
Harmony Gold Halts SA Mine Operations After Fatality
Haromony Gold has suspended operations at its Tshepong mine in South Africa following the death of a miner. The company said it is cooperating with the Department of Mineral Resources in...
Chile Trapped Miners Could be Rescued by Weekend
Chilean rescue workers are drilling into the last 100m of rock to reach miners trapped a half-mile underground and may begin pulling them out by the end of the weekend, it has been revealed. ...
Mitsui and Smelting on Track to Reach Zinc Targets
Japan's Mitsui and Smelting plans to increase its second-half zinc production by over 6,000t, the company has said. Meeting the target of producing 112,900t of zinc between October and March...
Consol Closes Mine, Idles Another
US-based Consol Energy will close its Mine 84 near Washington and idle its Emery mine near Price, Utah, due to higher mining costs. Consol said costs of mining coal at the operations are...
Sable to Acquire Interest in Gulukwane Project
Sable Mining said its subsidiary African Iron Ore Investment has signed an agreement to access the Gulukwane iron ore project in South Africa. The company will acquire a 61% interest in...
Guinea Sets Deadline for Surrender of Rio Project
Rio Tinto has been given until February 2011 to formally surrender its rights to its Guinea iron ore project, the country's mines minister said. Mines Minister Mahmoud Thiam said the...
Strike at Gammon’s El Cubo Mine Declared Illegal
Canada's Gammon Gold said the labour strike at its El Cubo mine has been declared illegal by the Federal Labor Board. In June the company suspended operations due to a labour...
Kumba Reaches Wage Deal with Union
South Africa's Kumba Iron Ore said its workers have agreed to its revised pay offer and will call off a strike at its mine. The workers, belonging to the National Union of Mineworkers, have...
Centerra Workers Start Strike at Kyrgyz Gold Mine
Centerra Gold said workers at its Kumtor mine in the Kyrgyz Republic are on strike over pay and production has been suspended. The company said the strike is illegal because there is a...
Sterlite to Reopen Indian Smelter
Sterlite Industries, a subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, has been given the go-ahead to reopen its copper smelter in southern India after a court ordered the company to close it last week. ...
First Quantum Files Arbitration Case for Congo Mine
First Quantum Minerals has launched an international arbitration case against the Democratic Republic of Congo for the withdrawal of a licence for its Frontier mine. A case filed at...
Trapped Chile Miners Could be Rescued Soon
The 33 Chilean miners trapped underground for the last two months could be rescued in the second half of this month, Chile's Mining Minister Laurence Golborne has announced. The miners have...
Beijing Gas Leak Kills Six, Injures 12
Six people have been killed and 12 others injured following a gas leak at a coal mine in south-west China. At the time of the accident, 35 people were working at the Xinglong coal mine...
Mongolia to Increase Rare-Earth Exports to Japan
Japan, the world's biggest importer of rare earths, plans to buy more of the minerals from Mongolia to reduce dependence on China, according to local newspaper reports. The country gets 90%...
SNC-Lavalin Wins Renard Project Deal
Stornoway Diamond has awarded a contract to SNC-Lavalin for the preparation of a feasibility study of the Renard Diamond project in Quebec, Canada. The contract will cover principal mine...
Argentina Seeks to Curb Mining to Protect Glaciers
Argentina's Senate has passed a bill to curb mining near the nation's glaciers to protect water supplies. The bill prohibits mining near glaciers along Argentina's 5,000km border with Chile. ...
Teck Resources Agrees Deal with Striking Miners
Teck Resources said workers at its Coal Mountain mine in British Columbia, Canada, have agreed to a five-year contract and production will resume immediately. The mine has been shut since...
Sterlite Ordered to Close Indian Smelter
A subsidiary of Vedanta Resources has been ordered by an Indian court to shut its copper smelter in southern India due to environmental concerns. The Madras High Court in the southern state...
Deals This Week: Impala Platinum, Gold Hawk, De Beers And More
Impala Platinum is looking to acquire Royal Bafokeng Platinum to gain access to the Bafokeng Rasimone mine, in which Royal holds a 67% stake. Gold Hawk Resources has closed its acquisition...
September 2010
Top
Baja Secures $858m for Mexican Project
Baja Mining has secured $858m to finance the development of its Boleo project in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The Boleo project has 265 million tons of measured and indicated resources...
Missing Harmony Gold Miners Found Dead
Harmony Gold Mining Company has said it has found the bodies of two miners who went missing following a tremor affecting its Bambanani Mine, South Africa, earlier this week. The rescue...
Claude Resources Fined for Water Pollution
Canada's Claude Resources has been fined for leaking a potentially lethal substance into a waterway in Saskatchewan. The company has pleaded guilty to three offences under Canada's Metal...
Adani to Invest $4bn in Queensland Mine
Adani Enterprises has revealed that it will invest $4bn to develop mining infrastructure and logistics at its recently acquired mine in the Galilee Basin of Queensland, Australia. The...
Pacific North West Launches BC Exploration Programme
Pacific North West Capital has launched its 2010 exploration programme for the Rock and Roll gold-silver-polymetallic project, located in Northern British Columbia, Canada. The...
Harmony Suspends Bambanani Mine Following Tremor
Operations at Harmony Gold-owned Bambanani mine in South Africa remained suspended after two employees became trapped underground following an earth tremor. Harmony said a tremor hit the mine...
India Ready for Coal Import Boom, says Adani
India's Adani said the country will have the required infrastructure to handle a surge in coal imports due to rising domestic coal demand from power, steel and cement industries. Import of coal...
Rio Tinto Could Lose Guinea Mining Licence
Rio Tinto may lose its mining licence for the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea if it fails to hand-over documentation for the project, according to Mines and Geology Minister Mahmoud...
Solidarity Reaches Wage Deal with Northam Platinum
South Africa's Solidarity union said it has signed a wage agreement to end its strike at a mine owned by Northam Platinum. The union has agreed to an 8.5% increase in wages and another...
Peabody to Expand US Gateway Mine
Peabody Energy has approved the expansion of the Gateway mine in Southern Illinois, US. The project will advance underground operations north of the existing site and will increase annual...
Xstrata Ends Two-Year Long Dispute with NSW Mine Workers
A two-year-long dispute between Xstrata and striking workers at its New South Wales Southern Highlands operation has come to an end after the workers struck a deal on a new enterprise...
Afghanistan Opens Tender for Giant Iron Ore Mine
The Government of Afghanistan has invited bids from international mining firms to develop the Hajigak iron ore deposit, one of the richest mines in the world. The mine is believed to hold up...
Northland Resources Moves Forward with Kaunisvaara Project
Northland Resources has concluded a positive definitive feasibility study of its Kaunisvaara project in northern Sweden. Mining operations are expected to start in the fourth quarter of 2012. ...
Zijin Suspends Tin Mine Following Deaths
Zijin Mining has halted production at its Yinyan tin mine in southern Guangdong province, China, after a break in the mine's residue pool flooded nearby villages, killing four people. Last...
Massey Reopens WV Revolution Mine
Massey Energy has resumed operations at its Revolution mine in Uneeda, West Virginia, US. The mine had been idle since 4 June 2010 while the government considered approving the implementation of...
Rio Tinto to Raise Iron Ore Capacity to 230Mt/a
Rio Tinto has invested $230m to expand its Parker Point facility at Dampier Port in Pilbara, Australia, the company has announced. Once complete, the expansion work will enable Rio to load...
Congo to Uphold Mining Ban
The Democratic Republic of Congo will continue a mining ban in three provinces in a bid to curb the income of rebels from minerals. Mines Minister Martin Kabwelulu said a mining suspension...
Cassiterite Mine Collapse Kills Six in Burundi
A cassiterite mine has collapsed in Burundi leaving at least six miners dead and three others injured. The authorities in Kayanza province said the miners were digging illegally for...
Iron Mining Buys 70% Stake in La Serena Reserve
Chile Inversiones de Minerales (CIM), a subsidiary of Iron Mining Group (IMG), has acquired 70% of the La Serena Reserve property, believed to contain iron ore worth more than $11.2bn...
Deals This Week: Baffinland, Strongbow Exploration, Bullion Monarch And More
Baffinland Iron Mines said it has received a hostile takeover bid of C$274m (US$265m) from a private investment firm Energy & Minerals Group. The acquisition, if successful, would...
Moly Mines to Hit Shipment Target
Moly Mines is on track to reach its first shipment target in early December, the company has announced. Around 70,000t of ore from Atlas Iron has been shipped from its Utah Point berth and...
Bunder Project is Biggest Deposit in a Decade
Rio Tinto said its Bunder project in India is the world's biggest diamond discovery in a decade. Rio Tinto head of exploration Eric Finlayson said there have been few diamond discoveries in...
BHP says Potash Lawsuit “Without Merit”
BHP says Potash Cor'’s lawsuit against its hostile takeover bid is "without merit", according to the miner. The lawsuit alleges BHP misrepresented and failed to inform investors of...
Miners Reject Northam Platinum Wage Offer
Zondereinde mine in South Africa remains shut for a 17th day after Northam Platinum failed to reach a deal over wages with the workers' union. The demands of the workers include a 15% basic...
Baffinland Iron Mines Receives Hostile Takeover Bid
Canada's Baffinland Iron Mines said it has received a hostile bid of C$274m (US$265m) from Energy & Minerals Group. The offer of C$0.77 a share is at a premium of about 43% to the closing...
Zijin Mining Suspends Yinyan Mine Operations
Zijin Mining has suspended operations at its Yinyan tin mine in Guangdong province, China, after the tailings dam collapsed due to mud and rock slides triggered by typhoon Fanapi. ...
Miranda Gold Forms JV for Nevada Project
Miranda Gold will form a joint-venture with Ramelius Resources for its Angel Wing project in Nevada, US. Under the terms of agreement, Ramelius will initially fund $4m over a five-year...
AngloGold Suspends SA Mine Operations Following Fatality
AngloGold Ashanti has suspended operations at its Kopanang mine in South Africa after a miner died at the site. The company said a mine worker sustained injuries during a ground fall accident...
Vale Buys Stake in Logistics firm for Moatize Project
Vale has bought a 51% stake in Mozambique logistics firm SDCN to transport coal during the second phase of its Moatize coal project. SDCN is a majority shareholder of the CDN and CEAR...
Hindustan Copper Plans to Sell Waste Rock
Indian miner Hindustan Copper is planning to sell excavated waste rock worth INR60bn ($1.3bn) for use in infrastructure projects. The company is looking for buyers for the 200 million metric...
Crowfight to Miss September Output Target
Canada's Crowfight Minerals will not meet its September production target at its Bucko Lake nickel mine after the mill's production was suspended. The company, which mined 21,400t in August...
Indonesian Coal Demand up in 2010
The Indonesia Coal Mining Association forecasts its coal production this year to rise by about 310 million tons, up from the last month's forecast of 300 million tons. Coal prices are likely...
Mining Companies to Share Profits with Indigenous Indians
An Indian ministerial panel has approved a mining bill that will see mining companies share 26% of their profits with the local population of communities affected by mining projects. The...
Mandalay Resources Launches Operations at Chilean Mine
Canada's Mandalay Resources Corp has started operations at its Cerro Bayo silver-gold mine in Chile. The mine, acquired by Mandalay in August, is expected to produce 12,000oz of gold and...
Gammon Gold Lowers Cost Guidance for 2010
Gammon Gold has lowered its cost guidance for 2010 on strong output from its Ocampo mine in northern Mexico. The company expects cash costs for 2010 to remain at $410-$435 per ...
Sinochem Seeks Government Support for Potash Bid
China's Sinochem Group has asked for government support to bid for Canada's Potash Corp. A preliminary assessment shows Sinochem would require $40bn-60bn to beat a $39bn hostile offer by...
Orsu Metals Starts Feasibility Study of Kazakh Mine
Orsu Metals Corp has launched a feasibility study for its Karchiga volcanogenic sulphide copper project in north-eastern Kazakhstan. The feasibility study, expected to cost $4.2m and to...
Rio Tinto to Invest $803m on Argyle Mine Expansion
Rio Tinto will invest $803m in order to increase production at its Argyle diamond mine in Western Australia (WA). The investment will cover project development and construction of...
Paladin Seeks Uranium Assets in Kazakhstan, Canada
Paladin Energy is looking for assets in Kazakhstan and Canada to boost its uranium output as it seeks to meet increasing overseas demand for nuclear fuel, especially from China. The company...
Deals This Week: Rio Tinto, Korea Resources, New World Gold And More
Rio Tinto has increased its stake in Ivanhoe Mines by 5.3% to 34.9%. The company bought 40.1 million Ivanhoe shares at $10 each by exercising a $350m convertible credit facility issued to...
AcelorMittal to Invest $4bn on Iron Ore Expansion
ArcelorMittal is planning to invest $4bn to increase iron-ore production to 100 million metric tons by 2015. The world's largest steelmaker is looking to develop coal assets through joint...
Codelco’s Mine Workers Reject Wage Proposal
Workers at Chile's Codelco-owned Radomiro Tomic mine have rejected an early wage proposal. Union leader Erwin Mascayano said the proposal, which included bonuses and loans totalling $31,000...
Korea Resources May Spend 83% More on Overseas Mines
Korea Resources may increase its investment in overseas mines by 83% in 2010 to secure South Korea's uranium, copper and coal supplies. The company has raised $550m to invest in new and...
First Quantum Launches Legal Action Over Kolwezi Project
First Quantum Minerals has launched legal action against subsidiaries of Eurasian Natural Resources in relation to the expropriation of its legal title of the Kolwezi project in the...
African Aura Obtains Government Agreement for $2.5bn Putu Project
African Aura Mining has been granted a mineral development agreement by the Government of Liberia for the Putu iron ore project. The total investment in the project is expected to reach...
Labrador Signs Benefits Agreement with Naskapi Nation
Anglesey Mining said its subsidiary, Labrador Iron Mines, has entered into an agreement with the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach for the development and operation of its Schefferville iron...
KBR Awarded $1.28b Hope Downs Mine Deal
KBR has been awarded a $1.285bn contract to provide engineering, procurement management and construction management for the Hope Downs 4 iron ore mine in Western Australia. Under the contract,...
Mitsui Teams Up with Shenhua Group to Expand Coal Operations
Mitsui & Co has teamed up with Shenhua Group Corp to expand coal operations in China, Japan and beyond. The companies will jointly develop the supply of overseas coal to China, coal mine...
Anglo American Awards Leighton Australia Mine Deal
Anglo American Metallurgical Coal has awarded a two-year contract to Leighton Contractors for mining and operations at its Dawson mine in Queensland, Australia. Under the $159m...
Continental Metallurgical to Work on Mesa Potash
Mesa Uranium has awarded a contract to Continental Metallurgical Services (CMS) for its Pine Valley potash project in Utah, US. Under the contract, CMS will review metallurgical and...
Rio Tinto Boosts Stake in Ivanhoe Mines
Rio Tinto has increased its stake in Ivanhoe Mines by 5.3% to 34.9%. The company has bought 40.1 million Ivanhoe shares at $10 each by exercising a $350m convertible credit facility issued...
South Africa Could Revoke Mine Licences to Enforce Charter
South Africa will revoke the mining licences of companies that fail to increase control by black people in line with local regulations, said Sandile Nogxina, director general of the Department...
Chile Rescue Mine Operations Face Setback
Rescue efforts to save 33 trapped miners face a setback after a drill struck an iron support beam for a mine shaft at about 300m, destroying the drill bit. Mining minister Laurence Golborne...
Resources at Hochschild’s Peruvian Project Triple
Hochschild Mining said the resources at its Inmaculada project in Peru have more than tripled and is expected to produce 11 million silver equivalent ounces a year. The company's partner in...
Antamina Expansion to Boost Copper Output by 40%
Peru's Antamina said its copper production will rise by 40% after a $1.2bn expansion is completed. Antamina president Ian Kilgou said the company's copper output will grow 30-40%...
Grupo Mexico Declares Force Majeure at La Caridad Smelter
Grupo Mexico declared force majeure at its La Caridad copper smelter in northern Mexico after a labour dispute with the National Miners Union. In a statement, Grupo Mexico's subsidiary,...
Deals This Week: Goldcorp, China Gold, Stillwater Mining and More
Goldcorp is to acquire Andean Resources for $3.4bn, beating a rival offer from Canadian miner Eldorado Gold Corp. Yanzhou Coal Mining Company has said it will acquire a 51% stake in Haosheng...
Mexico Cananea Copper Mine Workers Clash with Company
Several people have been injured during recent fighting between mine workers and union members at the Cananea copper mine in Sonora, Mexico, according to local media reports. El...
Jabiru Metals Increases Jaguar Mine Life
Base metals miner Jabiru Metals said it had increased the life of its Jaguar project in Western Australia by three years after upgrading its mineral reserves. The total reserve at the Jaguar...
Trevali Signs Deal with Glencore for Peruvian Project
Trevali Resources has signed an agreement with Glencore for the development and operation of the Santander zinc-lead-silver mine project in Peru. Under the contract, Glencore will...
ArcelorMittal, Indiabulls to Establish Indian Mining JV
ArcelorMittal and Indiabulls will form a coal and iron ore mining joint venture aimed at owning captive mines in India. The world's largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal, has proposed a series...
Ivanhoe Eyes Production from Oyu Tolgoi in 2012
Ivanhoe Mines' full-scale construction of its Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold complex is on schedule with first ore expected to be processed during the fourth quarter of 2012. The complex, which is...
China to Boost Russian Coal Imports
China is planning to increase coal imports from Russia while lending a $6bn loan to the country as part of an agreement signed at the end of August. China will receive about 15 million...
Zijin Decides Against Platmin Acquisition
Chinese gold miner Zijin Mining Group has terminated its plans to acquire Congolese copper miner Platmin Congo. An agreement was entered by Zijin, it's wholly-owned subsidiary Golden...
Gem Finds Rare Diamond at Letseng Mine
Gem Diamonds said "an exceptional" 196 carat rough white diamond has been recovered from the Letseng mine in Lesotho. The company said the rough diamond is expected to achieve a substantial...
Zimbabwe Cancels Marange Diamond Mining Licence
Zimbabwe's high court has cancelled British-owned African Consolidated Resources' licence in the eastern Marange diamond fields. The court has rescinded a judgment that confirmed the validity...
Miners End Strike at Rio-BHP JV
Richards Bay Minerals, a joint-venture between Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, has resumed full production after workers ended a week-long pay strike. Richards Bay Minerals spokesperson...
Metorex Predicts Strong Demand and High Copper Prices
South Africa's Metorex predicts a strong demand and higher prices for copper due to robust demand from India and China. Demand for copper has rebounded and boosted prices, encouraging producers...
Chilean Mine Rescue Efforts Progress as Costs Soar
The rescue operation to free the 33 copper miners trapped in a mine in northern Chile is advancing well while costs of rescue efforts soar, according to Chilean Mining Minister Laurence...
AngloGold to Boost South African Mine Output
AngloGold Ashanti is planning to expand some of its gold and uranium mines in South Africa to boost production. The company will maintain a minimum gold output of 1.75 million ounces a year...
First Quantum Loses Mine Rights to Fortune
Mining rights for two mines previously operated by First Quantum Minerals have been awarded to Hong Kong-based company Fortune, according to the Congolese Government. Fortune is a joint...
Workers Strike at SA Northam Mine
Members of South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers have started a strike at the Zondereinde mine owned by Northam Platinum. Northam said 80% of its employees have been on strike...
Russia's Mechel OAO Suspends Production
Russia's Mechel OAO has suspended work at its New-Olzherasskaya underground mine due to coal self-heating. Mechel said coal self-heating occurred at the production area of long wall face No...
Goldcorp to Acquire Andean Resources
Goldcorp will acquire Andean Resources for $3.4bn, beating a rival offer from Canadian miner Eldorado Gold Corp. The company said its cash and share offer of C$6.50 (US$6.26) has been...
China Metallurgical to Develop WA Iron Ore Mine
China Metallurgical Group Corp plans to develop an iron ore mine in Western Australia. Construction of the Cape Lambert iron ore mine will start by mid-2012 and operations will begin by...
Rio Tinto Predicts Iron Ore Price Fall
Rio Tinto said iron ore prices will fall 13.3% in the fourth quarter, the first decline in three quarters as Chinese demand weakens. Chief executive Sam Walsh said prices will fall to $127 per...
Maaden Awards Contracts for Aluminium Complex
Saudi Arabian state-run mining company Maaden has awarded contracts totalling $274.7m for a mega aluminium complex in the country. The contracts have been awarded to Germany's SMS Siemag and...
Excellon Resumes Platosa Mine Production
Excellon Resources has resumed limited production at its Platosa mine in Mexico after encountering a water inflow during mine development on 18 August. Last week Excellon said it...
Mali to Introduce New Mining Code in October
Mali is set to introduce a mining code in October to boost production and encourage investment in its minerals industry. Mines Minister Abou Bakar Traore said the mining code assures...
CAP Approves $916m Iron Ore Projects
Chilean steel and iron ore producer CAP has approved $916.5m to develop and expand two iron ore projects. The company will invest $574.5m to develop its Cerro Negro Norte project and $342m...
Anaconda Mining, New Island Form Friendly Deal
Anaconda Mining said it has forged a "friendly" deal with gold explorer New Island Resources to acquire its interest in Pine Cove mine. Under the agreement, New Island will continue as a...
African Minerals Obtains Approval for Sierra Leone Project
African Minerals has received government and parliamentary approval for a mining lease for the Tonkolili project in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The company has been granted two large-scale...
India’s Nalco Seeks to Buy Indonesian Coal Mine
India's National Aluminum Co (Nalco) is looking to acquire a coal mine in Indonesia to secure fuel supplies for its planned power plant in East Kalimantan province. In a statement, Nalco said...
Chile Bill May Increase Mining Royalty on High Copper Prices
Chile may increase its mining royalty from 4-9% from 2018 through a new bill to reap the benefits of higher copper prices in a bid to raise $1bn to help fund construction after the country...
Petropavlovsk Cuts 2010 Output Target
Russia's Petropavlovsk has reduced its gold production target for 2010 by less than expected after it posted a 26% fall in gold production for the first half of the year. The miner has cut...
ARM, Vale Begin Construction of Zambia Copper Mine
African Rainbow Minerals has started construction of the Konkola North copper mine, which is being developed with Vale. The $380m mine will reach full production in 2015 and will yield 45,000t...
Rio Tinto Approves $1.6bn for Pilbara Iron Ore Project
Rio Tinto has approved a $1.6bn investment for the development of the Hope Downs 4 iron ore project in Western Australia. The open-cut mine, located in south-eastern Pilbara, will have an...
First Quantum Suspends Operations at Congo Mine
First Quantum Minerals has suspended operations at its Frontier mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo after a government agency withdrew its exploitation permit. State-owned mining...
August 2010
Top
Shanta Gold Wins Permit for Tanzanian Project
Shanta Gold has been awarded an environmental permit to develop the Chuniya gold project in Tanzania. The final approval of the mining licence application will be processed after the...
Jiangxi Copper to Raise $1bn to Fund Mines
Jiangxi Copper plans to raise $1bn to fund projects in Peru and Afghanistan. The funds will be used to expand production at the Dexing mine in Jiangxi, the Aynak copper mine in Afghanistan and...
Chilean Family Members File Lawsuit Against Mine Owner and Inspectors
The family of a miner trapped underground along with 32 others in Chile's San Jose mine has lodged a lawsuit accusing the mine's owners and government inspectors of criminal negligence. ...
Codelco Signs Exploration Deal with Antofagasta
Chile's Codelco has signed a four-year joint exploration deal with Antofagasta Minerals. Codelco, the world's top copper producer, said Antofagasta will invest $2.5m to explore the...
Deals This Week: Korea Resources, Golden Phoenix, Innocent and More
Eurasian Natural Resources has acquired a large suite of assets in the Democratic Republic of Congo that includes a majority stake in the Kolwezi copper project. The total value of...
MCC to Build South African Mine
Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) will build an iron-titanium mine in South Africa as a part of three mining contracts signed between the countries. The mine, to be located in...
Explosives Found in Massey Mine
Massey Energy has received a citation for improperly stored explosives at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, US, where 29 men were killed in an explosion in April. Massey said the US...
Zijin Copper Mine Likely to Stay Shut Until End of Year
Zijin Mining is unlikely to resume production at its copper mine this year following a leak at the site in the summer, it has been revealed. Rebuilding of the mine's wastewater treatment tank...
Xstrata Acquires Sphere Minerals
Xstrata will acquire Sphere Minerals, which holds magnetite iron ore deposits in Mauritania, for $381m. The company's offer represents a 61% premium over the closing price of A$1.55 a share on...
Chilean Miners Could be Trapped Until Christmas
The 33 Chilean miners who have been trapped underground for three weeks have been told that they may not be rescued until the end of the year, it has been revealed. Health Minister...
Bezant Commissions Philippine Mine Study
Bezant Resources has awarded a contract for a conceptual mining study of its Mankayan copper gold project in the Philippines. Bezant said TWP Australia will focus on the infrastructure and...
Canada to Share Mining Revenues with Aboriginals
The Canadian province of British Columbia has signed an agreement to share mining tax revenue with aboriginal groups in the Kamloops area. Minister of State for Mining Randy Hawes said...
Mine Cave-In Kills Six in Venezuela
A collapsed tunnel at a wildcat pit in southern Venezuela has killed at least six people and injured another two. The accident occurred on 23 August when the men were using jackhammers to dig...
BHP Unveils Profit
BHP Billiton has revealed its best half-year profit in two years as it moves ahead with its hostile takeover bid of Potash Corp. BHP said it was cautious of the short-term global outlook...
Singapore's Nava Bharat to Invest $108m in Zambian Mine
Singapore's Nava Bharat will invest $108m to modernise Zambia's Maamba coal mine. Nava Bharat CEO, Zambian operations, Kalunga Mumba said the money will be invested in a coal processing plant...
Northland Resources Wins Permit for Swedish Mine
Northland Resources has received an environmental permit from the Finnish-Swedish Border River Commission for the Tapuli mine and the Kaunisvaara mill, located in Sweden. The permit allows for...
India Rejects Vedanta Bauxite Mine Plan
India has rejected a plan by Vedanta Resources to mine bauxite in Orissa state. The country's environment ministry rejected the proposal to mine bauxite in the Niyamgiri Hills in eastern...
Excellon Suspends Production at Mexico Mine
Excellon Resources has suspended production at its Platosa mine in Mexico after a large water-bearing fissure was found last week. The company said no employees were injured during the inflow...
Second Bore Hole Reaches 33 Trapped in Chile Mine
Rescuers are lowering capsules containing rehydration tablets, glucose and oxygen down a hole to 33 miners who have been trapped half-mile underground for over two weeks. A second bore...
Straits Resources Upgrades Indonesian Coal Mine Reserves
Australia's Straits Resources has upgraded its coal reserves and resources at the Jembayan coal mine in Indonesia by 21%. The company said its marketable coal reserves at Jembayan has...
Minefinders Discovers Mineralised Zone at Mexico Mine
Minefinders Corp has announced a mineralised zone discovery at its Dolores mine in northern Mexico. Chief executive Mark Bailey said the initial drill results of the North Dome deposit...
Scottish Gold-Silver Mine Rejected on Environmental Grounds
A local authority has rejected a plan for a proposed gold and silver mine owned by Scotgold Resources at Cononish in the Grampian Highlands of mid-western Scotland due to environmental...
Western Australia Hikes Iron Ore Royalty
The Parliament of Western Australia has approved legislation to raise royalty rates for iron ore miners including BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto. According to the law, the companies will have to...
Trapped Chilean Miners Found Alive
A group of Chilean miners trapped for 17 days inside a collapsed mine are alive, Chilean President Sebastián Piñera has announced. A rescue probe that drilled down 2,257ft (688m) to the bottom...
Wildfires Bring Huckleberry Mine to a Halt
Canada's Imperial Metals has suspended operations at its Huckleberry mine in northern British Columbia due to wildfires in the area. The mine operations were temporarily suspended from 16 August....
Deals This Week: BHP Billiton, Vale, Harmony Gold and More
BHP Billiton has made an unsolicited bid of $40bn to acquire Potash Corp, which controls 20% of the world's potash supplies. Eagle Plains said it has completed the acquisition of Prize...
South Africa Upholds Kumba Mining Rights
South Africa has upheld its decision to award part of the prospecting rights of the Kumba Iron Ore Sishen mine to a company whose biggest shareholder has been in business with the son of...
Ivernia Revises Lead Production Outlook at Magellan Mine
Ivernia has reduced its 2010 lead production forecast for its Magellan mine in Australia due to problems with a processing plant. The company said it aims to produce 50,000-55,000t of lead...
Bayan Resources Lifts Force Majeure
Indonesia's Bayan Resources has lifted the force majeure at its Wahana coal mine in Indonesia. The renewed output could help drive up the benchmark Australian thermal coal price to $90 a...
Xstrata Says Coal Demand Robust as India and China Increase Demand
Xstrata said the demand outlook for coal is robust due to urbanisation in China and India. Xstrata chief executive for coal Peter Freyberg said Australia will be a key investment region as...
MCC Pakistani Mines Unaffected by Floods
The Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) said operations at its copper and zinc mines in Pakistan have not been affected by recent flooding. MMC vice-president Huang Dan said the company's...
SouthGobi Plans Second Mining Pit in Mongolia
SouthGobi Resources is planning to obtain a mining licence for its second coal pit in Mongolia by the end of the year. CEO Alexander Molyneux said the company will apply for a permit for...
AngloGold Ashanti to Boost Global Gold Output
AngloGold Ashanti is looking to boost its global output of gold by almost 25% over the next five years. CEO Mark Cutifani said the target is to raise global output from 4.5 million ounces of...
BHP Billiton Makes Hostile $39bn Bid for Potash
BHP Billiton has made a $39bn (£25bn) hostile bid for Potash Corporation, the world's largest fertiliser company, after it rejected an earlier approach. The $130-a-share cash offer is a...
Newcrest Mining Profits Soar
Newcrest Mining's second-half profits climbed more than threefold due to increased prices and production. The company's net income for the six months ended 30 June stood at A$340m, compared...
Indian Government Turns Down Vedanta Orissa Mining Project
The New Deli Government in India has ordered Vedanta Resources not to proceed with its bauxite mining project in Orissa's Niyamgiri hills until local tribal communities give consent. A...
ArcelorMittal, Wuhan Steel Plan Joint Mine Investments
ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaker, and Wuhan Iron & Steel Group are looking to jointly invest and acquire mines as rising prices spur mills to take greater control of raw...
Bolivian Protestors End Strike, Mines Reopen
Bolivian protestors have ended a strike that paralysed a mining town for 19 days and disrupted operations at two of the world's top silver mines, after reaching a deal with the government. ...
Indonesian Coal Output Projected to Fall
Indonesian coal output may fall by 6% this year to 300 million tons due to continuous unseasonal rains, which may tighten an oversupplied regional market. The Indonesian Meteorology,...
Quadra FNX Posts Q2 Rise in Profits
Quadra FNX Mining has recorded a second quarter profit of $21.8m for the three months ended 30 June compared with a loss of $7.3m a year earlier. The company’s revenue rose to $169.1m. Quadra...
Tasmania Approves Mining Lease at Arthur River Magnesite Project
Beacon Hill Resources has been granted a mining lease by the Government of Tasmania, Australia, to develop the Arthur River magnesite project in north-west Tasmania. Beacon Hill executive...
South Africa Mining Output Drops
South Africa's mining output fell 4.9% compared with last year due to declines in platinum group metals (PGMs), Statistics South Africa revealed. Mining production for the three months ended...
Four Illegal Miners Shot Dead in SA Gold Mine
Four illegal miners have been shot dead at a gold mine run by Aurora Empowerment Systems in South Africa. Aurora Empowerment Systems chairman Khulubuse Zuma said the men died in a...
Indian Mining Bill Proposes Profit Sharing With Residents
Indian mining companies will allocate 26% of their profits to local residents to develop the area where they operate, according to Indian Mines Minister BK Handique. CLSA Asia-Pacific...
Chenzhou Plans to Acquire King Stone Minerals
Chenzhou Mining Group will acquire King Stone Minerals Group to expand its business into the zinc industry, according an official from Hunan province, China. "The government-owned takeover...
Coal of Africa Ceases Mining at Vele
Coal of Africa has stopped all construction activities at its Vele colliery in South Africa following a government order. Environmental groups protested against a new mining right granted to...
Highland Gold on Track to Meet Output Target
Russia's Highland Gold Mining said it expects to meet its annual production target after recording gains from its newest mine. The company said it is on track to meet its full-year...
Deals This Week: Arcelor Mittal, Nippon Steel, Goldcorp And More
Arcelor Mittal will buy back its 21.4% stake in Kumba Iron Ore's Sishen mine, which was arbitrarily awarded by the South African Government to Imperial Crown Trading 289. The total...
Chile Sacks Top Mine Regulators as Attempts Continue to Save Trapped Miners
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera has sacked top officials from the country's mining regulator following efforts by rescue workers to save 33 trapped miners in a gold and copper mine. ...
Protestors Shut Down Sumitomo's Bolivian Mine
Sumitomo's San Cristobal mine in Bolivia has been shut down after protestors took over a key power station that supplies the mine in the southern Potosi region. Protesters in Potosi have...
Copper Demand to Exceed Supply in 2011
Copper demand may exceed supply in 2011 for the first time in four years as ore grades decline while China sustains purchases. Pan Pacific Copper general manager of marketing Hidenori Kamoo...
Mine Safety Team Evacuates Massey Mine After Methane Detection
Federal and safety mine officials have been evacuated from the Massey-owned Upper Big Branch coal mine in the US due to high levels of methane. Mine Safety and Health Administration...
ArcelorMittal Re-Enters Sishen Iron Ore Project
ArcelorMittal South Africa has re-entered Africa's biggest iron ore mine, the Sishen project, by acquiring Imperial Crown Trading (ICT), which owns a stake in the mine. the company has...
Illegal Miners Loot Freeport Congo Mine
Illegal miners have allegedly damaged trucks and stolen copper from the $2bn Tenke Fungurume mine owned by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Congo's...
Methane Tests at Massey's WV Mine Revealed
Tests of methane monitors taken from Massey Energy's Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia, US, reveal that the devices had not been tampered with before the explosion that killed 29 miners...
Zhaolin Suspends Mine Production
China's Zhaolin Mining has suspended mining operations in the Zhaoyuan region in Shandong province following a demand by local government officials. Zhaolin said the suspension will not have...
Mine Closure Order to Impact Zijin Ouput
China's Zijin Mining said a government order of suspension of all non-coal underground mines in Shandong province has shut down two mines in the area, impacting the company's annual...
Chile to Overhaul Mine Supervision
Chilean President Sebastian Pinera said the government will overhaul the supervision of mining operations after 33 workers remain trapped in an underground mine. Pinera said the government...
Newmont Indonesia Workers Resume Operations
Workers at Newmont's Indonesian unit have agreed to end a strike over pay. The workers at PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara had been on strike since 2 August. PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara general...
Zambia Konkola Extends Mine Life
Zambia's Konkola Copper Mines has extended the life of its Nchanga copper mine by more than ten years after improvements to the operation. Konkola Copper Mines spokesperson Rahul Kharkar said...
Peru Grants Approval to Start Newmont-Buenaventura Gold Mine
Peru has permitted Newmont Mining and Buenaventura to begin operations at the La Zanja gold mine in the northern region of Cajamarca. La Zanja is expected to produce more than 100,000oz of...
Cave-in Hampers Chilean Mine Rescue Efforts
A cave-in has prevented rescue workers reaching 33 miners trapped underground at the San Jose mine in northern Chile. On 5 August a tunnel collapsed at the mine owned by San Esteban, trapping...
Xstrata Net Profit Triples
Xstrata has posted a threefold increase in its net profit during the first half of the year, aided by rising prices and increased sales volume. The company's net profit for the six months to...
China Coal Mine Accidents Kill 17 Workers
At least 17 workers have been killed over the weekend at two separate mining accidents in China. A gas leak on 7 August at a mine run by Hongda Red Star Mining in the south-western province...
Indonesia Mining Projects May Face Delays
A number of coal and mining projects with a total value of $14bn could be delayed due to a forest moratorium in Indonesia. Indonesia has drafted rules for a two-year ban on permits for...
Methane Monitors at Massey Mine Under Investigation
Investigations are in progress into alleged maintenance lapses and tampering of equipment that monitors methane levels at the Massey Energy mine in the US. An explosion at the mine killed...
Xstrata Approves $4.2bn Peru Copper Project
Xstrata has approved the development of the $4.2bn Las Bambas copper project in southern Peru's Apurimac region. Las Bambas will have an initial production of 400,000t per annum of copper...
Linc Energy Sells Project to Adani
Australia's Linc Energy will sell its Galilee coal project to India's Adani Enterprises in a cash and royalty deal worth A$2.7bn. Under the terms of the deal, Linc will receive A$500m in cash...
Major Deals This Week: Kinross Gold, Linc Energy, Aurox Resources and More
Kinross Gold Corporation has obtained approval from the Russian Federation's State Commission for the Control of Foreign Investments to acquire 100% of the shares of Northern Gold, the owner of...
Zambia Copper Output Up
Zambia's copper output climbed 16% in the first half of 2010 as mine output increased following the easing of the global economic crisis. The country produced 393,089t of copper during the...
Rio Approves Further Funding for Guinea Project
Rio Tinto will spend an additional $170m to develop its Simandou iron ore mine project in Guinea. The investment, which bolsters $650m already spent, will be used to optimise the mine's design...
Bellzone Mining Signs Deal with Chinese Investor for Guinea Project
Bellzone Mining has signed an agreement with the China International Fund (CIF) to fund and develop the $2.7bn rail, port and associated infrastructure services required for the Kalia iron...
Child Poisoned in Queensland Every Nine Days
A child in the Queensland mining town of Mount Isa develops lead poisoning every nine days, a newly released study claims. The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, suggests...
Japan National Corp Signs Namibia Rare Earth Pact
Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp (JOGMEC) has agreed with Namibia to jointly explore and develop mineral resources in the African country. JOGMEC said it will explore mining...
Consolidated Minerals Ramps Up Manganese Output
Consolidated Minerals said it wants to increase its annual manganese production by 25% to meet rising global demand from steelmakers. CEO Glenn Baldwin said the company is ramping up...
Chile Collahuasi Copper Mine Resource Up
The Xstrata and Anglo American joint venture that owns the Chile Collahuasi copper mine said mineral resources at the mine increased by 40% to over seven billion tons. Minera Dona Ines...
Gas Leak in Chinese Coal Mine Leaves Nine Dead
A gas leak in the pit of a coal mine in central China has left at least nine workers dead and seven others trapped. The leak occurred on 2 August at the Sanyuandong mine owned by Zhengzhou...
Xstrata Queensland Mine Workers on Strike
Xstrata said workers at its Queensland coal mine are on strike over pay issues. More than 200 workers at the Collinsville mine, which is operated by Thiess, a unit of Leighton Holdings,...
North American Gem Kentucky Mine Gets Green Light
North American Gem will start mine production at North American Gem 2 Mine in Knox County, Kentucky, US, following approval from the Kentucky Department of Natural Resources. North American Gem...
Leighton Wins Indonesian Mine Contract
A Leighton Holdings subsidiary has secured a A$172m (US$154m) contract for the provision of mining services at the Martabe gold mine in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia. Under the...
Newmont Workers Strike in Indonesia
Workers at Newmont Mining's Indonesian unit are striking at the Batu Hijau gold and copper mine. About 300 workers downed tools at midnight on 2 August over pay and are expected to continue...
US Judge Bans Mosaic Mine Expansion
A federal judge has ruled against Mosaic Company expanding its South Fort Meade mine until the US Army Corps of Engineers reviews less environmentally damaging alternatives to the project. ...
Northam Platinum Loses Output on Shaft Closure
South Africa's Northam Platinum has said it is losing 1,500 ounces of output per day after it closed a shaft due to an accident that killed two miners. Around 5,000 workers went on strike at...
Vale to Invest in Brazilian Iron-Ore Mine
Vale plans to invest $11.3bn in an iron-ore mine in northern Brazil. The mine will have a capacity to produce 90 million metric tonnes of ore annually, according to local news source IG. ...
Chinese Mine Workers Trapped by Flooding
Two dozen workers were trapped in a flooded mine in northeast China on 31 July, the latest accident to hit the country's coal industry. Water gushed into the Hengxinyuan coal mine, located in...
Construction of Australia's Largest Underground Mine Gets Underway
Newcrest Mining has started construction of Australia's largest underground mine near Orange, New South Wales. The $2bn Cadia East gold project will extend the lifespan of Cadia...
July 2010
Top
Stornoway Signs Quebec Mine Pre-Development Pact
Stornoway Diamond has completed a pre-development agreement with the Grand Council of the Crees for the Renard diamond project in Quebec, Canada. The project has the potential to...
Massey Output Drops Due to Federal Inspections
US-based Massey Energy, owner of the West Virginia mine where 29 people died in April, said increased federal inspections have curbed productivity during the second quarter of 2010. The...
Zijin VP Detained Following Toxic Leak at Mine
Police in China have detained Zijin Mining's vice-president, Chen Jiahong, following an accident at a copper-processing plant that released toxic waste. Jiahing was the former head of...
Major Deals This Week: Rio Tinto, Grupo Mexico, Newcrest and More
Rio Tinto has signed an agreement with China's state-owned company Chinalco to establish a joint venture for the development and operation of the $1.35bn Simandou iron ore project in Guinea. ...
Zimbabwe May Reduce Demand for Black Ownership
Zimbabwe may water down a demand that foreign companies hand over majority stakes in their local operations to black investors, instead asking that they sell a percentage of holdings and invest...
Newcrest Posts 32% Rise in Gold Production
Newcrest Mining has posted a 32% rise in fourth quarter gold production, aided by a record output at mines in Australia, Indonesia and a new operation in Papua New Guinea. The company's...
Xstrata Coking Coal Output Up
Xstrata has posted a 73% rise in coking coal production for the first six months of 2010. The company's coking coal output stood at 1.6 million tons due to the resumption of longwall operations...
Zijin Mining to Cut Gold Production
Zijin Mining will reduce gold mining production by one ton this year following waste leakage in China's Fujian province. The company said it is required to maintain low production levels to...
Illegal Gold Processing Poisoning Children, Say Chinese Authorities
Authorities in the south-western Chinese province of Yunnan have discovered a number of children in Heqing County with excessive levels of lead in their blood caused by illegal gold...
Red Back Cuts Output Forecast
Canadian gold miner Red Back Mining has reduced its full-year gold production prediction by 9% due to a damaged water pipeline at its Tasiast mine in Mauritania. The company's total...
Vale's Mozambique Mine Nearly Ready
Vale has completed a major part of its Moatize coal mine in north-western Mozambique. Financial manager Fabio Bechara said the company has completed 75% of the work needed to start production...
Aquarius Resumes Marikana Mine Operations
Operations have resumed at Shaft 4 of Aquarius Platinum's Marikana mine in South Africa, where four workers died. Aquarius said it will introduce several interim safety measures which include...
CNGG Starts Gold Production at Tibetan Mine
China National Gold Group (CNGG) has started gold production in the first phase of its Gyama polymetallic mine in Lhasa, Tibet. The Gyama mining project is one of eight priority...
New Gold Q2 Output Rises
New Gold has posted a 62% increase in production for the second quarter of the year. Production for the quarter stood at 89,919oz compared with 55,633oz produced in the same period in 2009. ...
Zijin Mining Continues Wastewater Processing
Zijin Mining Group, China's largest gold producer, is still processing wastewater from a copper plant following a leak that poisoned fish, according to local government officials. The...
Namakwa Diamonds to Start Lesotho Mine Next Year
Namakwa Diamond will start pre-production of the Kao diamond project in Lesotho in January 2011 and commercial production in September next year. Namakwa is working in partnership with...
US House Panel Approves Tighter Mine Safety Bill
A US House panel has approved sweeping mine and workplace safety reforms prompted by the blast in April that killed 29 coal miners in West Virginia. The safety bill is set to increase...
Alliance Resources Restarts Production at US Mine
Alliance Resources Partners has restarted coal production at its Pattiki mine near Carmi City in White County, Illinois, US, following a suspension of operations. Coal production was...
Zambia's Mine Union Opposes Vale Copper Plan
Zambia's mineworkers union said it opposes Vale's $400m investment plan for the development of a copper mine at Konkola North. Mineworkers Union of Zambia president Rayford Mbulu said the union...
Russian Mine Blast Kills One and Injures Two
An explosion in a Russian coal mine in the Kemerovo region on Saturday has killed at least one miner and injured two others. Sixty four miners were working in the mine. All survivors have...
Aquila Queensland Mine to Go Ahead
Aquila Resources said a study has confirmed the technical and economic feasibility of the Washpool hard coking coal project in Queensland, Australia. The study proposes a 4mtpa open-cut...
BHP Q4 Ore Output up
BHP Billiton has posted a 16% increase in iron ore and metallurgical coal output for the fourth quarter but warned growth containment measures in China could hit demand. The company's iron...
Aquarius Platinum Predicts No Production Cut at SA Mines
Aquarius Platinum does not expect to lose output following a mine-by-mine safety review in South Africa of its two largest operations. Aquarius spokesman Gavin Mackay said implementing...
Deals This Week: Korea Electric Power, Quadra FNX, ZYL and More
Korea Electric Power Corporation, South Korea's largest utility company, will acquire a 20% stake in Indonesian coal producer PT Bayan Resources in order to increase its coal supplies. The deal...
Workers Plead Guilty Over US Mine Fire
Four employees of a Massey Energy-owned coal mine have pleaded guilty to US federal misdemeanour charges in relation to the deaths of two men in a conveyer belt fire. The employees admitted...
NMA Files Suit against EPA and Army Corps
The US National Mining Association (NMA) has filed lawsuits against two federal agencies for unlawfully obstructing the permitting of coal mining operations in the Central Appalachian coal region....
African Queen Starts Exploration in Kenyan Gold Mine
African Queen has started the first phase of exploration at the Rongo Gold Field in Migori district, Kenya. The $300,000 programme will include sampling, geological mapping and...
UK Coal Plans to Sell Scottish Mine
UK Coal is in advanced negotiations to sell its Blair House surface mine site in Fife, Scotland. Scottish Resources Group has expressed an interest in buying the mining assets, which UK Coal...
AngloGold's Tropicana Project Obtains Environmental Approval
AngloGold Ashanti's proposed Tropicana gold mine in Western Australia has been given approval by the state's Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). The EPA recommend the West...
Codelco Mines Resume Operation Following Storm
Codelco, Chile's state-run copper company, has resumed mining at its Chuquicamata and Radomiro Tomic mines following a violent storm. Codelco suspended outdoor mining activities on 18 July...
Zijin Toxic Leak Spreads to Second Province
The toxic leak from Zijin Mining's copper plant in China has spread to a second province, according to officials. Ministry of Environmental Protection officials in Guangdong province issued...
New Zealand Drops Plan to Mine in Conservation Areas
The Government of New Zealand has withdrawn a plan to start mining in conservation areas following opposition from protestors. New Zealand Resource and Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee...
OZ Minerals Approves Prominent Hill Mine Development
OZ Minerals has approved the development of an underground mine at Prominent Hill in South Australia to complement its existing open pit mine operations. The decision was made as a result of...
Fujian Province to Sue Zijin for Toxic Leak
China's Fujian province is set to take legal action against government officials and Zijin Mining executives over a copper mine waste leak that contaminated the Ting River on 3 July. The...
SA Orders Safety Directives Following Rockfall Incidents
The South African Government has ordered mines in the North West region to reduce the size of mineable rock panels and leave bigger support pillars behind in an attempt to improve safety. In...
Dozens Die in Chinese Mining Accidents
Dozens of people have been reported dead in separate mining accidents in central and north-west China. At least 13 miners have been trapped underground in a coal shaft when water gushed into...
Three Zijin Personnel Held over Waste Leak
Three managers of Zijin Mining, China's largest gold producer, have been detained in relation to an acid leak that affected thousands of people and poisoned nearly 2,000 tons of fish. ...
Safety Equipment Disabled in Massey’s WV Mine Before Explosion
Crucial safety equipment was disabled weeks before an explosion at the Upper Big Branch mine in the US killed 29 miners on 5 April, it has been alleged. According to miners who survived...
Latest Deals: Shandong Iron, Adani Enterprises, POSCO
China's Shandong Iron and Steel Group will buy a 25% stake in a Sierra Leone mine project owned by African Minerals. The total value of the consideration is $1.5bn. India's Adani...
Aquarius SA Mine Remains Suspended
Operations at a shaft at Aquarius Platinum's Marikana mine in South Africa remain suspended a week after the death of five miners. Aquarius Platinum commercial director Hulme Scholes said he...
Resource to Launch Waterberg Coal Mining in 2013
Australian energy company Resource Generation will start coal mining at its Boikarabelo project in South Africa's Waterberg region by 2013. The company will start open pit coal mining in...
Rio’s Iron Ore Output Drops
Rio Tinto has announced that its global iron ore production for the second quarter of 2010 fell 2% compared to 2009. In its second quarter operations review, the mining giant said its iron...
Newmount to Operate Batu Hijau Mine Until 2027
US mining giant Newmount's subsidiary PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara will operate the Batu Hijau mine in Indonesia until 2027. Although the ore in the mine will run out by 2023, operations at...
Tata Steel Extends Exclusive Canadian Mining Deal
Tata Steel has extended its exclusive option to undertake Canadian iron ore projects through its Canadian partner New Millenium Capital Corporation (NMCC) to 31 December. NMCC plans to tap...
Alamos Gold Output Slips
Alamos Gold has announced a 9% drop in its second quarter gold production. During Q2 2010, the company’s Mulatos mine produced 38,400oz of gold compared with 42,400oz last year. This figure is...
Zijin to Probe Management over Wastewater Leakage
Zijin Mining, China's largest gold producer, will investigate its management methods after wastewater from a mine contaminated a river in Fujian province. Zijin spokesman Zhao Jugang said...
Indophil Shares Drop After Mining Ban Confusion
Indophil Resources' share prices slumped after it announced the situation concerning a proposed government ban on open-pit mining in South Cotabato in the Philippines remained unclear. Shares...
Production Begins at Vale’s Peruvian Phosphate Mine
Vale has started production at the Bayovar phosphate mine in northern Peru. The mine, scheduled to open in August, has an annual capacity of 3.9 million tons of phosphate rock. The...
Hunter Dickinson to Buy 30% of European Nickel
Canadian mining investment company Hunter Dickinson has announced plants to invest $60m into nickel laterite producer European Nickel with a two-tranche share purchase. Once the deal...
Areva to Form JV With Waseco for Quebec Uranium Properties
Waseco Resources has received written confirmation that Areva Quebec has completed the $2m earn-in expenditures and plans to proceed to form a joint venture with Waseco for further...
Energy Resources Uranium Output Falls
Energy Resources of Australia, a part of Rio Tinto, has posted a 44% drop in second-quarter uranium output after heavy rain and instability in a pit wall reduced access to high-grade...
Rio Tinto Invests $200m in Western Australia Operations
Rio Tinto will invest $200m to expand its iron ore operations in Western Australia. The news comes just two weeks after the company threatened to lower its investment in the region if...
Geovic Could Start Mining Operation in Cameroon
Geovic Mining said it could start mining at its Nkamouna cobalt, nickel and manganese project in Cameroon this year. Interim manager Conrad Houser said that if digging begins in 2010,...
Toldeo, Jinchuan to Develop Philippine Nickel Projects
Toledo Mining has signed an agreement with Jinchuan Group for the exploration, mining, processing and sale of nickel products from its nickel interests on Palawan Island, Philippines. According...
Zijin Mine Contaminates Chinese River
Waste leakage from a mine owned by Zijin Mining Group has contaminated a river in Fujian province, China. The leak at Zijinshan mine killed fish in a reservoir on the Tingjiang River,...
Rio to Focus on Sustainable Development
Rio Tinto has signed a collaboration agreement with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to work on sustainable development projects. Rio said the agreement will help...
India and Canada Seal Mining Deal
India and the Canadian Province of Ontario have signed an agreement to boost cooperation and investment in the field of geology and mineral resources. The Memorandum of Understanding was...
The Spread of Resource Nationalism May Cut Supplies: Rio
Rio Tinto CEO Tom Albanese said "resource nationalism" may curb supplies, with governments seeking to increase their share of mining profits. Albanese said the approach may spread as...
Xstrata Begins Construction of Canadian Mine
Xstrata has started building its Bracemac-McLeod mine in Quebec, Canada. The mine will be located approximately 4km from Xstrata Zinc's Matagami concentrator, which is currently supplied with...
New Gold Appeal for Mexico Mining Rejected
New Gold said its appeal against a federal ruling in a Mexican court has been denied, which could force the company to halt production at its Cerro San Pedro mine. Last December New Gold won...
China’s Resource Tax to be Extended
China plans to extend a tax on oil, gas and coal output across the country in a move that could reduce profits for resource companies. National Development and Reform Commission vice-chairman...
Deals This Week: Cliffs Natural, Kepco, Rae Wallace and More
Cliffs Natural Resources will acquire all of the coal operations of privately owned INR Energy, a producer and exporter of high-volatile metallurgical and thermal coal. The total value of...
Xstrata Approves Investment for Peruvian Mine Expansion
Xstrata has approved a $1.47bn investment to develop the Antapaccay copper project in Peru by expanding its Tintaya copper mine to increase its output by 60%. The mine, located 10km away from...
Union Calls for Improved Safety Measures at SA Mines
South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has asked the country's mining industry to step-up safety efforts following the death of seven mine workers in three separate incidents. ...
BHP-Rio JV Project Suspended
A plan to build a $116bn iron ore joint venture between BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto has been put on hold by The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The ACCC said the timeline...
Avion Gold Q2 Output Doubles
Avion Gold said its second-quarter production has more than doubled at its Tabakoto and Segala projects in Mali, West Africa. The company also said it is on track to meet its 2010...
Goldrich Alaska Mine Starts Production
Goldrich Mining has started commercial gold production at its Chandalar mine in Alaska, US. The company said it expects to produce 5,000-7,000oz of gold and that it will take two years to...
Five Die at Marikana Mine
Five miners have died at the Marikana mine in South Africa due to a ground fall on 6 July, mine operator Aquarius Platinum said. A sixth person has been hospitalised but is not in...
Banpu Acquires Centennial Coal
Australia's Centennial Coal has agreed to a buy-out by Banpu, Thailand's biggest coal producer, totalling A$1.7bn. Banpu will pay A$6.20 ($5.22) a share to acquire an 80% interest in...
Peru Declares Emergency Following Toxic Leak
Peru's Environment Ministry has declared a 90-day emergency to clean up 21,420m3 of toxic mine tailings that spilled late last month into the Opamayo River. The spill occurred on 26 June when...
Vale Strikes Deal with Sudbury Striking Miners
Vale has reached a tentative contract agreement with its striking workers, seeking to end a year-long dispute at its Ontario mining operations in Canada. The company struck a five-year deal...
Xstrata, Rio Tinto to Resume Mine Work after Tax Deal
Xstrata will resume A$186m ($157m) of planned investment in exploration activities associated with its Rolleston West, Sarum and Wandoan coal projects in Queensland, Australia. The company...
Canada’s Nord Resources Suspends Mine to Cut Costs
Canada's Nord Resources will temporarily suspend mining at the Johnson Camp mine and lay off 43 workers, to cut costs. The copper mine developer said the decision comes as it reduces costs...
Nine Die from Gas Poisoning in China Mine
Nine miners have died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a coal mine owned by Dongsheng Mining in central China's Henan province. Coal Mining Bureau deputy director Liu Xianghua said rescuers...
Buenaventura Workers Threaten Strike
Unions at two mines owned by Peru's Buenaventura have voted to strike over higher wages. The mines that could be affected are the Uchucchacua silver mine and the Orcopampa gold mine located in...
Australia Considers Iron Ore Tax Breaks
Australia's government could make more concessions on its mining tax to iron ore miners, the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME) said. CME chief executive Reg...
MCC Afghan Mine Delayed
A copper mine joint venture between Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC) and Jiangxi Copper in Afghanistan plans to start production of copper concentrate in 2013. This is two years later...
Aluminum Corp, Queensland Deal Terminated
Aluminum Corp of China said its $2.5 billion agreement with Queensland state, Australia, to develop bauxite resources has been terminated due to adverse changes in the aluminum sector. In...
Iamgold Opens Essakane Mine Ahead of Schedule
Canadian miner Iamgold has opened its Essakane gold mine in Burkina Faso, West Africa, six weeks ahead of its production schedule and six months ahead of the original target of year-end...
Zambia Copper Output Up
Zambia's copper production rose 16% in the first five months of 2010, aided by rising global metal prices. Copper output for the period from January to May 2010 stood at 321,132t, compared...
Australia Scraps Super Profits Tax Plans
Australia has ended a damaging dispute with global miners by dumping its super tax for a lower resources rent tax backed by key global miners, it has been announced. The Minerals Resource...
Rio Tinto Forms Joint-Venture with Kazakhstan
Rio Tinto has signed an agreement with Kazakhstan's state-owned Tau-Ken Samruk on joint prospecting and mining in the Central Asian state. The 50:50 joint venture will explore for copper,...
Deals This Week: Sumitomo, Rio Tinto And More
Sumitomo Corp has acquired a 30% interest in Usiminas, Brazil's largest maker of flat steel, for $1.93bn. The deal will help Usiminas to invest up to $2.2bn by 2015 to develop its iron...
South Africa Retains 26% Black Ownership Target for Mining Companies
South Africa has retained its 26% black ownership goal for mining companies and raised targets for training as it tries to boost participation in the industry by people disadvantaged by apartheid....
Philippine Open-Pit Ban Threatens Xstrata Project
A southern Philippine province has approved a ban on open-pit mining in the area, threatening a $5.2bn Tampakan copper-gold project majority owned by Xstrata. South Cotabato province...
Whitehaven Coal Begins Output at Australian Mine
Whitehaven Coal has started coal production at the Narrabri underground mine in New South Wales, Australia. The mine will initially produce 500,000t-700,000t of coal a year using...
US Bill to Crack Down on Unsafe Mining Practices
US Democratic lawmakers have proposed legislation that could see mines with poor safety records swiftly shut down in a bid to prevent a repeat of a mining accident in West Virginia earlier...
Fluor Wins Chile Copper Contract
Fluor Corp has won a $1.3bn contract from Minera Lumina Copper Chile to deliver engineering, procurement and construction management services for the Caserones copper mine project in central...
Farallon Mining Plans Second Mine in Mexico
Canada's Farallon Mining is planning to build a second mine at Mexico's Campo Morado due to rapid rises in gold price. Farallon is initiating feasibility studies to assess four deposits on...
June 2010
Top
US Proposes New Mine Safety Bill
US legislators have proposed a mine safety bill that would introduce tougher penalties for repeated safety violations. The bill is expected to be introduced to the US House of...
Harmony Gold Suspects Illegal Miners Behind Explosion in SA
Harmony Gold Mining has said it suspects illegal miners planted explosives at its Phakisa mine in South Africa, which might have led to an explosion that killed four people. Last week...
Dozens Trapped in Ghana Mine Collapse
At least 80 miners have been trapped in a collapsed gold mine in central Ghana, with rescuers fearing that many may have already died. Around 100 miners fled the mine in the town...
Gammon Gold Lowers 2010 Ocampo Outlook
Gammon Gold has lowered its 2010 production and cash outlook for the Ocampo mine due to the suspension of operations at its El Cubo mine in Mexico. Gammon expects gold production to remain...
Coeur Starts Kensington Mine Production
Coeur d'Alene Mines has started production at its Kensington Gold Mine in Alaska. The company expects to produce 50,000oz of gold during the rest of 2010 and will average approximately...
Guatemala Suspends Goldcorp Mine Operations
The Government of Guatemala said it would suspend the Goldcorp-owned Merlin mine following complaints it is contaminating water supplies. The government said it received complaints from...
Russia to Improve Safety in Coal Mines
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said he will introduce systematic changes to improve safety in the country's coal industry following the Raspadskaya blast that killed at least 67 miners...
Upper Big Branch Mine Investigation Begins
A team of US Federal investigators are expected to launch an underground mine examination next week at the site of the Upper Branch mine explosion in Arlington, Virginia, US. Last week the...
Afghanistan Seeks Investors to Tap $3tn Mineral Wealth
Afghanistan has called for investors to bid for a number of mining projects in the country in order to exploit $3tn in untapped mineral deposits. Mining Minister Wahidullah Shahrani said...
Explosion Kills Three at Harmony Mine
Harmony Gold said an underground mine explosion at its Phakisa mine in South Africa's Free State province has left three rescuers dead and two seriously injured. The rescue team was...
China Mine Explosion Kills Five
An explosion at the Hongyuan coal mine in China's Shikong Town of Zhongning County has left at least five miners dead and seven injured. The explosion was triggered by burning explosives...
Rio Tinto Opens Operations Centre
Rio Tinto has opened an operations centre in Perth, Australia, to ensure smooth functions and maximise efficiency in its Pilbara mining units. A key part of Rio Tinto's vision for the 'Mine of...
Deals This Week: Riversdale, Mitsubishi, New Dawn and More
Riversdale Mining has signed an agreement with Wuhan Iron and Steel Group for the acquisition of a 40% interest in the Zambeze coal project in Mozambique for a total consideration of...
China National Gold Signs Deal with US Precious Metals Miner
China National Gold Group Corporation has signed a contract with US miner Coeur d'Alene Mines through its subsidiary Coeur Alaska for the purchase and processing of gold concentrates produced...
New Australian PM Could Change Tax that Threatens Projects
Australia's new Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, who entered power after her party ousted its leader Kevin Rudd, could look to alter the proposed super profits mining tax, according to reports. ...
Soltera Signs Deal with Goldlake for El Torno Project
Soltera Mining has signed an agreement with Goldlake Group for the development of eluvial gold production at the El Torno property in northern Argentina. Under the agreement, Goldlake will...
China Mine Blast Kills Dozens
A blast in a coal mine in China's Henan province on 21 June has left at least 47 people dead. About 75 miners were in the mine when the blast took place at the Xingdong No 2 Mine in...
Leighton Asia Awarded A$1.1bn Indonesian Contract
Leighton Asia, a Leighton Group company, has been awarded a A$1.1bn ($950m) contract to expand its mining services at the MSJ coal mine in Indonesia. The contract will run for six...
Namibia's Diamond Output Signals Market Recovery
Namibian diamond production increased 102% in 2010 as diamond sales value rose, signalling a post-downturn recovery. Figures released by the Namibian Ministry of Mines and Energy show that...
Meijin Energy Leaves Door Open for Cape Lambert DMC Takeover
China's Meijin Energy Group has terminated its offer for DMC Mining. Meijin was offering the same price Cape Lambert had put forward conditional on securing a controlling interest of 48.7...
Sundance's Talbot Mourned by Mining Sector
Australian mining magnate Ken Talbot, a non-executive director of Sundance Resources, has died in a plane crash in the Congo. Talbot, 59, one of Australia's richest men, was on board a...
Super Profits Tax Leads to Drop in Australian Takeover Rate
Mining acquisition deals in Australia are set to fall to a five-year low after the government announced plans to enforce a 40% tax on mining company profits. The number of transactions in...
US Army Corps Gets Tough on Appalachian Coal
The US Army Corps of Engineers has suspended the use of Nationwide Permit 21 in six states in the Appalachian region. NWP 21 is used to authorise discharges of dredged or fill material into...
Quadra FNX Lowers Outlook
Quadra FNX has reduced its 2010 copper production outlook by about 12% due to low output from its Franke mine in Chile and its Carlota mine in Arizona, US. Copper production is now expected to...
Massey Finds Crack in WV Mine Floor
Massey Energy said exploratory teams have found a crack on the floor that could have allowed methane gas to seep in to the West Virginia mine where 29 men died on 5 April this year, in one of...
Caterpillar to Launch Shovel Line
Caterpillar will invest $700m in the next four years on a new a line of mining shovels. The shovels will be manufactured in the company's US facility and should be available in 2011. ...
Alcoa-Ma’aden JV Starts Work on $10bn Aluminium Plant
Alcoa and Saudi Arabian Mining Company - Ma’aden have started work on a $10bn aluminium plant at Ras az Zawr in Saudi Arabia. The integrated industrial complex - which includes a bauxite mine...
Rio Tinto, BHP Increase Royalties on Pilbara Operations
Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton have agreed to pay higher royalties on their giant iron ore operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Under the agreement, royalties for fine ore are set...
Death Toll in Colombia Mine Blast Hits 70
The death toll at the Colombia coal mine where an explosion occurred last week has risen to 70, with rescuers recovering more dead bodies from the site. On Friday 23 bodies hade been recovered....
Patriot Coal Suspends WV Mine Output as Roof Caves in
Patriot Coal is suspending output for two weeks at its mine in Boone County, West Virginia, US, after a roof collapsed. The company said the accident could impact the mine's...
Rio Tinto to Start Work on Kennecott Eagle Nickel and Copper Mine
Rio Tinto will invest $469m in constructing the Kennecott Eagle nickel and copper mine in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, US, after it received final environmental approvals. First production...
African Consolidated Signs MOU to Develop Pickstone Mine
African Consolidated Resources has signed an agreement with SSSB Group for the development of its gold property at the Pickstone Peerless mine. SSSB Group comprises a number of highly...
Harmony Finds Illegal Miners Dead at SA Mine
The bodies of five illegal miners have been found in a closed shaft at one of Harmony Gold's South African operations. Harmony spokeswoman Marian van der Walt said the bodies were discovered...
Deals this Week: Premier Gold, African Consolidated and More
Premier Gold Mines has closed its previously announced acquisition of Saddle Gold. Saddle Gold owns the mineral rights and a majority portion of the Saddle Gold Deposit, and has a...
Zimbabwe to Lift Ban on Diamond Exports
The Zimbabwe Government is to lift its ban on diamond exports and trade over four million carats of diamonds worth $1.7bn. Last month, the government put a suspension on all diamond...
Death Toll High in Colombia Coal Mine Blast
Officials have said the death toll could be as high as 70 following an explosion in a coal mine in Colombia on Wednesday. 18 miners have already been confirmed dead, and many are still...
Xstrata Considers Quitting Mt Isa Project
Xstrata is considering abandoning its Mount Isa project in north-west Queensland, Australia, because of the super profits tax proposed by the government. The operations include two...
BHP Strikes $3bn Deal with Liberia
BHP Billiton has struck a $3bn deal with the Liberian Government to develop a large-scale iron ore project in the country. Liberia National Investment Commission chairman Richard Tolbert...
African Consolidated Makes Headway in Zambian Rare Earth Project
African Consolidated Resources has made a joint-venture agreement with Rare Earth International (REI) to explore its recently acquired Nkombwa Hill project in Zambia. The 720km2...
Wesfarmers Says Australian Tax Will Raise Sovereign Risk
Australian coal-to-retail conglomerate Wesfarmers has said the proposed super profit resource tax will raise the nation's sovereign risk and could threaten dividends. The conglomerate said...
Australia Considers Revising Resource Tax
The Australian Government, under pressure from the resource industry, said it is considering revising its super profit resource tax in an attempt to lessen the impact on companies. ...
China Considers Mining Tax
China is considering following in Australia's footsteps and increasing its resource tax. In a report in the China Daily, China's Government said it sees the resource tax as a way to...
ArcelorMittal Restarts Two African Mines
ArcelorMittal has restarted work on two iron ore projects in West Africa that have been suspended for a year. Work at Mount Nimba in Liberia and Faleme in Senegal had been halted following...
Penn Virginia Resource Buys Coal Reserves in Northern Appalachia
Penn Virginia Resource (PVR) has acquired about ten million tons of Pittsburgh seam-coal reserves in Northern Appalachia for $17.7m. The transaction supplements 40 million tons PVR acquired...
Uranium One to Buy into Kazakh Mines
Uranium One has signed a definitive purchase and subscription agreement with Atomredmetzoloto to buy its 50% stake in the Akbastau uranium mine and its 49.67% stake in the Zarechnoye uranium...
Xstrata Moves on with $5.2bn Philippine Project Despite Risk
Xstrata will proceed with a $5.2bn copper-gold project in the Philippines despite a proposed law banning open-pit mining in the country. The proposed law aims to ease environmental concerns by...
Congo Proposes New Contracts for Mines
A model contract drawn up by the Congo Mines Ministry has proposed that state-owned mining companies retain a 35% stake in all future mining projects in the country. Congo deputy chief of...
Trans-Hex Strikes Wage Deal with Union
Diamond-miner Trans Hex has made a one-year wage agreement with South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers. The mineworkers have secured wage increases of between 9% and 10%, depending on...
Taseko Gets Mining Lease for Gold-Copper Project
Taseko Mines has received a 25-year mining lease from the provincial government of British Colombia for its Prosperity gold-copper project. The Canadian company said the long-term and...
US Finds Resources are Rich in Afghanistan
US geologists have discovered almost $1tn-worth of untapped mineral deposits in Afghanistan, including vast reserves of copper and lithium. The deposits, including huge veins of iron,...
Australia Promises A$2bn to State as Tax Backlash Grows
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, facing a backlash over his super profits tax, has promised A$2bn to the state of Queensland if the proposal is approved in the hope it will ease concern...
Australia's White Dam Gold Mine Commissioned
The White Dam Gold Mine project has been commissioned at a cost of A$14m in South Australia. The project is a joint venture between gold and copper developer Exco Resources and Russian...
JSW Energy to Invest $426m in Coal Mines
JSW Energy (Bengal) will invest R20bn ($426m) to develop coal mines in India. JSW Energy (Bengal) is a special purpose vehicle (SPV) floated this year to develop power and coal projects in...
Mining-technology.com Launches User Survey
To understand what our readers view as the most important sustainability issues for 2010-11, mining-technology.com is launching a major industry survey. We are looking to find out how...
Australian Reports Hint at Chinalco Problems due to Mining Tax
Chinalco has said it could temporarily pull out of a $3bn bauxite mining project in Queensland, Australia, because of the Australian Government's super profits tax on mining. The...
Perseus Mining Gets Ghana's Approval for Gold Mine
Australia's Perseus Mining has received approval from Ghana's Government for construction and production at its Central Ashanti gold project. The Perth-based gold producer has already...
Deals This Week: Newcrest, Reliance, Atomredmetzoloto and More
Australia's largest gold miner Newcrest Mining said it has completed its due diligence on its purchase of Lihir Gold and expects to complete the A$9.5bn ($7.75bn) acquisition in...
Australian Mine Construction Could Decline Next Year
Australia's mining and heavy construction industry may decline in 2011 for first time in seven years, according to BIS Shrapnel. The segment, which accounts for one-third of Australia's...
HWE Mining Secures Manganese Operation Contract
HWE Mining, a division of Leighton Contractors, has been awarded a $170m contract extension by Pilbara Manganese, a subsidiary of Consolidated Minerals at its Woodie Woodie manganese operations...
Thailand Approves Chatree North Gold Processing Plant
Kingsgate has received approval from the Thai Board of Investment to undertake a $100m expansion of its Chatree North gold processing plant. The Australian gold miner, which has been working...
Japan to Invest in African, Bolivian Mines Post Regulatory Revision
Japan is planning to invest in African and Bolivian mines after changes in the country's laws that will allow domestic companies to acquire overseas mining rights from 1 July. State-owned...
Two Indian Firms to Establish JV for Joint Coal Mining
India's National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) and Monnet Ispat & Energy will establish a joint venture to acquire and develop coal blocks in India. NMDC will acquire a 51% stake in...
Australia to Direct More Tax Proceeds to Mining States
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said the government will direct a bigger share of the super profits tax proceeds back to the mining states of Western Australia and Queensland. The...
Drilling Begins at Yukon Olympic Mine
Copper Ridge Explorations has commenced drilling at its 5,359ha Yukon Olympic iron-oxide-copper-gold mine in British Columbia, Canada. The drilling will involve an initial four-hole...
Quadra to Pursue JVs with Vale and Xstrata
Quadra FNX Mining may collaborate with Vale and Xstrata to tap the potential in small mine deposits in the Sudbury and Ontario regions of Canada. Quadra CEO Paul Blythe said the company is...
Wildfire Halts Capstone's Yokon Mining Operations
Canada's Capstone Mining has halted mining operations at its Minto mine due to a spreading wildfire. In a statement Capstone said the wildfire, which was spreading along the west bank of the...
Leighton to Work on Mongolia’s Khushuut Coal Project
Mongolia Energy has awarded a $232m contract to Australia's Leighton Holdings to develop and operate its Khushuut coal mine in western Mongolia. The contract covers all mining activities...
Miners Rescued from Flooded Mine in China
Six miners have been rescued from a coal mine in the Shanxi province of China three days after it flooded. Rescue operations are still being carried out for three missing people after the...
Illegal Gold Mining Brings About Death in Nigeria
More than 160 Nigerians have died because of lead poisoning from illegal gold mining in the nation's north. Nigeria's chief epidemiologist, Henry Akpan, told CNN 163 Nigerians, including...
Resources Council Joins Fight Against Australian Mining Tax
The proposed resource super profit tax could short-change Queensland, Australia, by A$2.5bn, according to analysis undertaken by the state. Queensland Resources Council chief executive...
Ukraine Mine Accident Kills Two
Two miners have died after methane gas was unexpectedly released in a Ukrainian coal mine on Sunday. The accident happened at about 16.00GMT at the Skochynsky mine, according to...
Central American Nations Suspend Mining Projects
Four Central American nations have put a halt to new mining projects fearing environmental and political protests. Mining has been a cause of frequent protests by residents who fear losing...
Tax Leads Xstrata to Suspend Australian Mine Investment
Xstrata is holding back all spending on two mining projects in Australia as a result of the government's proposed tax on mining profits. The company had planned to spend A$586m...
Deals This Week: Vale SA, Goldcorp, Brazil Gold And More
Vale SA said it will acquire Aquila Resources' 24.5% interest in the Belvedere hard coking coal project for about $900 million this week. While Goldcorp said it will sell its San Dimas...
Henry Alleged to Support Only Unchanged Mine Tax
Australian Treasury boss Ken Henry does not support an altered version of the country's proposed super profit resource tax, according to Fortescue Metals CEO Andrew Forrest. The mining...
Indonesia Takes Tough Environmental Stance, but Threatens Coal Output
Proposed regulations by Indonesia, the world's biggest power plant coal exporter, to protect the environment and designate set areas where mining is allowed in the country could reduce...
MineTech to Work on Tartan Lake Gold Mine
St Eugene Mining has awarded a contract to MineTech International to work on the Tartan gold mine in Canada. Under the contract, St Eugene will provide geological and engineering assistance...
Whitehaven Says New Mine Makes it Ripe for Takeover
Australia's Whitehaven Coal said its expansion programme aimed at increasing production at its Narrabri mine in New South Wales, Australia, may make it a takeover target. Managing director...
Cape Lambert Raises Offer for DMC Mining
Cape Lambert has raised its offer in a third attempt to take over DMC Mining after it received a second proposal from China's Meijin Energy Group. The company increased its offer to $0.43 a...
Greystar Environmental Study Ongoing Says Columbia
Colombia has yet to decide on an environmental impact study for a gold project operated by Greystar Resources near a delicate Andean ecosystem, the government has announced. The...
Alcoa and USW Reach Labour Deal
Alcoa has reached an agreement with the United Steelworkers Union on a four-year labour contract covering 5,400 workers at ten manufacturing locations in the US. The agreement, subject...
Australia Stands Firm on Mining Tax
Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) the government would not back down on its super profit tax on mining companies. The government has held...
Zimbabwe Tries to Ease Concerns of Foreign Mine Firms
The Government of Zimbabwe, eager to ease the concerns of foreign mining companies, said it will not expropriate mines but instead refine a local ownership law to encourage foreign miners to...
Rio Tinto Starts $300m Diamond Mine Expansion in Zimbabwe
Rio Tinto's diamond unit in Zimbabwe has begun work on a $300m expansion programme to raise output six-fold. The company has begun preparatory work for the planned expansion in...
AngloGold Threatens to Cut Australian Exploration
AngloGold Ashanti will cut its investment in exploration in Australia if the country implements its proposed mining tax. Of the company's $180m global exploration investment, 10% to 15%...
Explosion in Central China Mine Kills 17
An explosion in a coal mine in central China has killed 17 miners and injured one. Dynamite stored at the Shuguang coal mine in Rucheng County, Chenzhou City, exploded on Saturday releasing...
Atlantic Coal Posts Massive Growth for 2009
Atlantic Coal has posted a 400% increase in revenue for the year ending December 31. The company’s revenue for 2009 stood at $9m compared to $2.2m in 2008. The boost in revenue has...
Vale to Raise Prices by 35%
Vale will increase its iron ore prices by about 35% to $145 a ton in July as part of its move towards quarterly pricing. Vale Ferrous Metals director Jose Carlos Martins told Brazilian newspaper...
BHP Billiton to Form Indonesian Coal Project JV
BHP Billiton will form a joint venture with Adaro, a subsidiary of PT Adaro Energy TBK, for its Indonesian coal project after receiving approval from the Indonesian Government. In the...
May 2010
Top
Gold Demand Rises as Markets Remain Uncertain
The World Gold Council (WGC) said demand for gold should rise this year, with jewellery demand in China and India growing, and increased industry investment being seen in Europe and the US. ...
Miners Offer $4bn for Australian Coal Rail Network
A group of Queensland coal producers under the Queensland Coal Industry Rail Group (QCIRG) have made a joint $4bn bid for a rail network in the hope of acquiring it before it goes to public offer....
Mining to Boost Namibian Economy
Namibia’s economy is expected to grow 4.4% this year as a result of the rebound of mining in the region, according to the International Monetary Fund. The country’s economy contracted 0.8%...
Deals This Week: BHP Billiton, Valencia and More
BHP Billiton has formed a joint venture with a PT Adaro Energy subsidiary for its Indonesian Coal Project, with Adaro holding 25% interest and BHP owning the rest. Emerging Chinese company...
Bellzone Secures Funding for Kalia Project
Bellzone Mining has signed an agreement with China International Fund (CIF) for its Kalia iron project in Guinea, West Africa. Bellzone said it has signed a Binding Memorandum of...
SA Platinum Miner Forges Ties with China
South African platinum miner Wesizwe has signed a deal with a Chinese consortium to provide an $877m financing package to be used for the development of its Frischgewaagd-Ledig project. ...
Zambia Expects Mining Revenues to Rise 30% on High Prices
Zambia is expecting mining revenues to rise 30% by 2013 from about 4% last year as mining companies start making profits on high metal prices. Finance Minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said...
Australia Considering Changes to Super Profit Tax
Australia could ease its proposed super profit resource tax to lessen the impact on miners in an effort to renew confidence in the nation's mining industry. The government said it is...
Dowa Metals to Double Ore Procurement Rate
Dowa Metals & Mining is looking to double its ore procurement rate from its mines to 30% to face-up to competition from China and India. The company is planning to invest in small-...
Simmer and Jack Resumes Buffelsfontein Operations Following Fatalities
Simmer and Jack Mines has resumed operations at its six Buffelsfontein gold mine shafts in South Africa after the deaths of three miners in an accident earlier this month. Underground...
Leading Economist Urges Africa to Make the Most of Mining Resource
A joint study by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation (OECD) and the African Development Bank (ADB) said African states should renegotiate unfavourable contracts with multinational...
Rio Tinto Fears Mining Tax Could Spread
Rio Tinto said it fears other countries may follow Australia's lead of implementing a mining super profits tax. The proposed tax, due to come into force in 2012, has generated widespread...
South Africa Continues Safety Shutdowns
South Africa will continue to order the closure of mines in an effort to further reduce fatalities. So far this year, 45 miners have died in mining accidents – a reduction on the 57...
Hearings into Massey Mine Disaster Begin
Court hearings continued today into the Massey Energy-owned Upper Big Branch mine accident, which killed 29 miners on 5 April in Beckley, West Virginia, US. Several miners testified...
Indonesian Firm Looks Offshore for Tin
Indonesia's state tin miner PT Timah Tbk is to increase the supply of tin ore from its offshore mines to 70% to overcome the environmental challenges posed by onshore mining. Conservation...
Saudi Arabian-Alcoa JV Awards Contracts Worth $453m
Saudi Arabian Mining and Alcoa have awarded three contracts totalling $453m for an integrated aluminium project. The Fluor Corp and WorleyParsons joint venture won a $202m contract for...
London Mining Triples Expectations for Marampa Mine
London Mining said its expectation for resources at its Marampa iron ore project in Sierra Leone has increased threefold, and it will now invest to start mining there in the first quarter of 2011....
Russia's Raspadskaya Pledges to Maintain Supply
Troubled Russian miner OAO Raspadskaya pledged to maintain supplies to six domestic clients after it declared force-majeure last week following a mine accident which killed 90 people at its...
Newmont Offers Timeline for Peru Mine
A Newmont Mining executive said the company expects to start production at its Conga gold mine in Peru in late 2014 or late 2015. Newmont Mining executive vice-president Guy Lansdown said...
Australian Treasurer Shows Support for Super Resource Tax
Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan said he supports the 40% resource tax, dismissing claims that the tax on mining profits will hit investment or increase domestic prices. Swan said the 40%...
Deals This Week: Jindal Steel, Petra Diamonds and More
In mining deals this week, India's Jindal Steel bought nine coking coal mines in West Virginia to meet its expanding steel-making capacities. The total consideration of the transaction is...
Thai Unrest Delays Mine Expansion
Political unrest in Thailand has started to affect the nation's mining operations, with Kingsgate Consolidated, which owns Thailand’s largest gold mine, saying government approval for its...
Australia Reassures China on Resources Tax
Australia has been quick to reassure China that its proposed resource tax will not drive up commodity prices for iron and coal imports. Trade Minister Simon Crean told members of the press...
Russia and Namibia Set Sights on Uranium Exploration
Russia and Namibia are set to sign an agreement to jointly explore uranium in Namibia. According to a report by Reuters, a memorandum of intent will be signed when Namibian President...
Rio Tinto Orders Eight Bulk Carriers
Rio Tinto has awarded a $504m contract to Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction at Subic Bay in the Philippines to build eight 205,000dwt bulk carriers. The construction of the carriers...
Death Toll at Turkish Mine Reaches 28
Rescue teams have found the bodies of 28 miners missing after a methane gas explosion caused a major coal mine in Turkey to collapse three days ago. Turkey's energy minister, Taner Yildiz,...
Goldgroup Reports 39% Rise in Q1Gold Production
Goldgroup Mining's gold production for the first quarter of 2010 is up by 39% to 6,382oz. Goldgroup re-iterated its full-year production outlook and expects to produce 25,000oz of gold to...
Raspadskaya Declares Force-Majeure
Russian coal miner Raspadskaya declared force-majeure following a mine blast that killed at least 66 miners earlier this month. The force-majeure notice will allow Raspadskaya to stop or...
Harmony Works With Unions to Keep Jobs at Mine
Harmony Gold Mining has entered into an agreement with unions to continue operations at one of three loss-making South African shafts in an effort to protect jobs. Last month Harmony Gold said...
Fortescue Joins Protest Against Australian Mining Tax
Yet another mining company has pulled the brakes on mining projects in Australia. This time it is Australian iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group, which has put $15bn-worth of projects on...
Rio Tinto Predicts Copper Output Fall
Miner Rio Tinto said it expects mined copper production to fall about 15% this year, mainly due to lower grades, an executive said. Head of Rio's copper unit, Andrew Harding, said copper...
Russian Mining Boss Quits as Charges Pressed for Mine Accident
The director of Russia's Raspadskaya mine has quit and been charged with criminal negligence in relation to two methane gas explosions that claimed at least 66 lives at the mine this...
Macarthur Rejects Revised Peabody Bid
Australian miner Macarthur Coal has rejected Peabody's takeover bid as too low. The bid has been reduced from A$4.1bn ($3.6bn) to A$3.8bn ($3.4bn) following the Australian Government's...
Putin Calls for Tighter State Mining Controls
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has called for tighter state control of mines to avoid a repetition of the accident that killed at least 66 people this month at a Siberian coal mine. ...
At Least 23 Missing in Turkey Mine Explosion
An explosion at an underground coal mine in Turkey has injured 11 miners and at least 25 others are missing, according to officials and local news reports. The blast occurred at the...
Australia Mining Tax Laws Should Only Affect New Projects Says BHP
BHP said any change to tax regulations by the Australian Government must only apply to new projects to ensure minimum impact on the country's resources industry. The 40% resource 'super'...
Massey Energy Under Investigation Over US Coal Mine Blast
The Massey Energy-owned Upper Big Branch coal mine where 29 miners died in an explosion last month is under criminal investigation, the US Justice Department said. The US attorney’s office for...
Quadra Mining Q1 Profit Doubles
Quardra Mining said its first-quarter net profit has more than doubled on rising copper prices and strong production. Quadra profits were reported at $55.6m in the first quarter of the...
China Coal Mine Blast Kills Workers
At least 21 miners have been killed and five wounded in a coal mine explosion in China's south-western Guizhou province. Rescue operations are continuing at the privately run Yuanyang colliery...
Raspadskaya Cuts Coal Supply Following Mine Blasts
Russia's Raspadskaya Coal has reduced coal shipping to consumers by 70% following explosions at its west Siberian mine in Russia. Raspadskaya Coal general director Gennady Kozovoi said there is...
Deals This Week: Vedanta, Severstal, Honeywell and More
Vedanta Resources has bought zinc assets of Anglo American for $1.3bn. The deal will help Vedanta acquire the Namibian Skorpion Lisheen mine in Ireland and the Black Mountain mine in South...
South Africa Mines See Output Rise on the Back of Demand
South Africa’s mining production rose 11% last month from a year earlier with demand for commodities from developing economies increasing. This is the third month of positive annual growth...
Rescue Operations Halted at Russian Coal Mine
The rescue of 24 miners still missing in a Siberian coal mine accident has been halted because of fears of a new blast. Two methane explosions shook the Raspadskaya mine in Kemerovo late on 8...
China Helps Fund Zambian Copper Mining
China has cemented investment plans with Zambia, offering $5bn in loans to private mining firms operating in the copper-rich country. Zambian President Rupiah Banda said an agreement has...
Massey Energy Expects Early Restart of WV Plant
Massey Energy expects to complete construction and restart operations earlier than anticipated at its Bandmill preparation plant in West Virginia, US. The Zigmond Processing plant, which...
Workplace Safety Tops Mining Priority List
Workplace safety has come out as one of the top priorities for senior level executives in North America in a survey carried out by Mincom Research. The mining software and services provider...
Chile’s Collahuasi Resumes Operations Following Protest
Chile’s Collahuasi copper mine has resumed limited operations a day after protesting subcontractors lifted a five-day blockade over better pay and work conditions. The mine, which produces...
Treasury Secretary Supports Australian Super Mining Tax
The Australian Government’s proposed super profit resource tax will boost the mining industry and economy, according to Australian Treasury Secretary Ken Henry. The 40% tax, proposed last...
Death Toll from Russia Mine Blast Reaches 60
The death toll at Russia's Raspadskaya mine has risen to 60 after eight bodies were found by rescue workers. Thirty people are still missing following two explosions at the mine on...
ASX Asks Miners to Tone Down Their Language
The Australian Stock Exchange has asked two miners to tone down the language used in statements referring to Australia's proposed 40% super profit resource tax. The exchange said it has...
Anglo American to Sell Zinc Assets to Vedanta
Anglo American will sell its portfolio of zinc assets to Vedanta Resources for $1.3bn. The assets include the Skorpion mine in Namibia, the Lisheen mine in Ireland and a 74% interest in...
Gold Found in Chucapaca Project
Gold Fields and Buenaventura have discovered a major gold-copper-silver deposit in their Chucapaca project in southern Peru, near the border with Chile. The Canahuire deposit, inside the...
Australia Mining Tax Puts Xstrata Off
Xstrata has suspended copper exploration activities in north Queensland as a result of 40% resource super profits tax proposed by the Australian Government. The company said it needs...
Costa Rica Bans Gold Mining
Costa Rica has banned new gold mining projects after environmentalists increased the pressure to stop mining activities. President of Costa Rica Laura Chinchilla signed a decree banning new...
US Closes Six Kentucky Coal Mines
The US Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has given closure orders to six underground coal mines in Kentucky following an inspection blitz last month. The...
Russia Orders Probe as Mine Blast Death Toll Reaches 43
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has ordered an investigation into explosions that rocked a coal mine with the death toll increasing to 43 today, with 47 workers still trapped underground. ...
Tax Leads Peabody to Lower Bid for Macarthur Coal
Peabody Energy has lowered the value of its takeover proposal for Queensland-based Macarthur Coal in response to the 40% super-profit resource tax proposed by the Government of...
Dozens of Lives Lost in Russia Coal Mine Explosions
Two massive explosions at Russia’s Raspadskaya mine, east of Moscow, have left 30 people dead and 60 people missing. The first explosion, believed to have been caused by a methane buildup,...
BHP Reassesses Projects in Light of Australian Tax
BHP Billiton has joined Rio Tinto in reassessing projects in Australia as the nation considers a 40% super profit resource tax of the Government of Australia. BHP Billiton chief executive...
Vale’s Sudbury Mine Talks Fail
Talks between Vale SA and striking nickel miners at Sudbury, Ontario, Canada, broke down after six days of efforts to renew a labour agreement. The company and the United Steelworkers...
Deals This Week: Newcrest, Lihir Gold, Norsk Hydro, Goldcorp and More
The big news this week is that Newcrest Mining has agreed to merge with Lihir Gold for $8.6bn. The merger will create a A$25bn ($22.7bn) company which is expected to produce about 2.8...
Peabody Says Resource Tax Won’t Derail Macarthur Coal Deal
Peabody Energy will proceed with its $3.8bn takeover of Australian coal miner Macarthur Coal despite the proposed 40% super profit resource tax that threatens to cut mining revenues significantly....
Xstrata Achieves 9% Growth in Coal Production for Q1
Xstrata has recorded a 9% increase in coal output for the first quarter of 2010 boosted by increased production in Australia of coking coal sold to steelmakers. Production from Australian...
Ground Fall Claims Lives at South African Mine
Three employees of South African miner Simmer & Jack Mines have died after the ground fell at the Buffelsfontein gold mine. The miners were engaged in a routine inspection in the Number...
Saudi-Alcoa JV Awards Aluminium Contracts Worth $10.8bn
A $10.8bn joint venture between Alcoa and Saudi Arabian Mining has awarded contracts for the construction of an integrated aluminium complex at Ras Azzour, Saudi Arabia. US-based Fluor Corp...
Chinalco to Begin Construction at $2.2bn Peruvian Mine
Chinese metals company Chinalco said its $2.2bn mine in Peru is on track to start construction this year. The Toromocho mine, with a 35-year life, will be developed by Chinalco’s Peruvian unit...
Rio Tinto Takes Time Out to Consider Australian Super Tax
Rio Tinto has taken a strong stance against Australia’s proposed super tax, putting on hold some of its expansion projects in the country. The proposed 40% tax on local mines is expected to...
Newcrest Mining Acquires Lihir Gold for $8.6bn
Newcrest Mining has entered into a merger implementation agreement to acquire Lihir Gold for $8.6bn. The cash and share offer, Newcrest’s third bid, values the Papua New Guinea-focused miner...
Barrick Gold Doubles Q1 Profit
Barrick Gold, the world's largest gold producer, said its first-quarter profit has more than doubled compared with that of a year ago. The company's net income for the first three months of...
Hanlong Mining to Invest Over $4bn in Australia
Hanlong Mining Investment, the owner of Moly Mines, is looking to put $4.6bn in resource assets in Australia to help meet China’s growing demands. Hanlong, which acquired a 55% stake...
Mining Giants Say Australian Tax Could Kill Competition
The world’s biggest mining companies including Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Xstrata have expressed their concerns about Australia’s proposed 40% tax on local mines, which could come into effect...
Australian Tax Proposal Scares Away Cape Lambert
Perth-based Cape Lambert Resources said the nation’s proposed 40% resource rent tax rise has led it to cancel a massive iron ore project. The decision comes less than a week after the...
Greystar Appeals for Angostura’s Future
Greystar Resources has filed an appeal with the Government of Colombia to reinstate its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for its flagship Angostura gold and silver project. The...
Union Asks for Public Hearing on West Virginia Mine Explosion
The United Mine Workers of America has urged federal regulators to conduct a free and public hearing on the deadly explosion at West Virginia's Upper Big Branch mine. An open investigation...
Glencore Considers £55bn Xstrata Merger
Glencore International is considering a merger with miner Xstrata to create a mining and trading group worth £55bn. A two-stage proposal is being worked out where Glencore could merge...
Massey Energy Faces FBI Probe
Massey Energy is being investigated by the FBI following the death of 20 miners from an explosion at its West Virginia mine. The company is being probed for possible negligence and the bribery...
April 2010
Top
Newmont Q1 Revenues Rise 46%
Gold producer Newmont Mining posted a 46% increase in its first-quarter revenue on higher selling prices for the precious metal. Newmont, the world's second-largest gold miner, said its...
Kentucky Mine Accident Claims Lives
Two miners have been killed after a roof collapsed in a Kentucky underground coal mine that has had a long history of safety violations. The rock fall happened about four miles inside...
Deals This Week: Sinosteel, Osisko, BHP Billiton and More
Sinosteel Corp, China's largest iron ore trader, signed an iron ore purchase agreement with Australian mining firm Brockman Resources this week. The agreement, with a potential value of...
Enerpac Lift Used in Sino Iron Ore Project
Enerpac said its strand lift system, capable of safely positioning huge loads to accuracy, is being used to construct the Sino iron ore project, Australia’s largest-ever magnetite mining...
Macarthur Coal Records 15% Output Drop
Macarthur Coal recorded a 15% fall in third quarter coal production from the previous quarter after Cyclone Ului closed port and rail services in Queensland, Australia. The company’s total...
SA Mine Deaths Low but Technology Could Save More, Union Says
Deaths from mining accidents in South Africa have decreased but mine safety technology still needs to be improved, South African trade union Solidarity said. Statistics show that in 2007...
Mongolia Stops Issuing Mining Licences
Mongolia has temporarily suspended the issuance and transfer of mineral exploration licences until the government can enact a stricter law on mining investment. The order was given by...
Troubled Indonesian Mine Resumes Operations
Indonesian coal miner PT Indo Tambangraya Megah Tbk will resume operations at its Jorong mine in June. Police temporarily sealed the coal mine in Kalimantan in February over a land permit...
Drilling Underway at Gleichen Resources Morelos Gold Project
Gleichen Resources said drilling is underway at its Morelos gold project in Mexico, with the first exploration hole nearing completion. The company will add one rig every two months to reach...
Coal Production Begins at Clermont Mine
Mitsubishi Corporation has begun production at the Clermont thermal coal mine in Australia. The first coal has been delivered to neighbouring Blair Athol mine, from where it will be transported...
Heads Roll as MSHA Finds Faults at Massey Energy Mines
The US Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) said it inspected three mines owned by Massey Energy for hazardous conditions in response to anonymous complaints. MSHA inspectors...
Australia at Risk of Becoming Highest Taxed Mining Nation
Australia, the world’s biggest exporter of iron ore, alumina and coal, could become the highest-taxed mining nation if a 40% resources tax is enforced, Citigroup said. Citigroup analyst...
Vale Halts Work at New Caledonian after Acid Spill
Vale has partially halted work at its Goro nickel operation in New Caledonia after an acid spill. The company has begun investigations into the 690m³ spill of acid-containing...
Rangold’s Tongon Gold Mine Production to Begin in October
Randgold said construction at its Tongon mine in the Ivory Coast is underway, with production expected to begin in October. Rangold executive director Mark Bristow said the mine will be ready...
DRDGOLD to Begin Gold Exploration in Zimbabwe
DRDGOLD's gold production rose 4% for the third quarter to 62,404oz, and the company now plans to begin exploration for gold in Zimbabwe. The company has begun preparations for an initial...
Massey Energy Defends Safety Record
Massey Energy has defended its safety record saying that air samples did not show high levels of explosive gases before the West Virginia coal mine explosion that killed 29 people this...
Isaac Plains Coal Mine Gets Approval for Increased Production
Aquila Resources, an exploration company with interests in coal and iron ore, has received environmental approval to increase production at the Isaac Plains coal mine from two million tons a...
Lincoln Minerals Seeks Indian Partners for Mining Projects
Lincoln Minerals said it is looking for Indian partners for four mining projects in Australia. Lincoln Minerals managing director John Parker said the company is in talks with five companies...
Tanzania’s New Mining Law Increases Royalty on Minerals
Tanzania has increased the rate of royalty paid on minerals such as gold from 3% to 4% under the Mining Act 2010. The new law will give governments the right to own a stake in future...
White Canyon Acquires Red Canyon Tenements
White Canyon Uranium has acquired 74 mineral tenements at Red Canyon in the White Canyon district, referred to as the Yellow Parrot project. The company purchased the properties through...
US Investigators Blitz Mines Following Virginia Coal Accident
The US Mine Safety and Health Administration has launched a surprise investigation of 57 mines, focusing on ventilation and methane violations, following the West Virginia coal mine explosion...
Striking Miners Threaten to Destroy Mexico’s Largest Copper Pit
Hundreds of striking miners at Mexico’s Cananea copper mine said they will destroy the site if the government tries to dislodge them. The union representing the striking miners, who...
Deals This Week: Massey Energy, Molycorp, North American Palladium and More
Troubled Massey Energy has completed the acquisition of Cumberland Resources Corporation and its affiliated companies for $640m. Cumberland is one of the largest privately held coal producers...
Explosion in Central China Mine Blast Kills Seven
An explosion in a nickel mine in China’s Henan Province has killed at least seven people and left four seriously injured. The Government of Tanghe County in Nanyang City, where the accident...
West Virginia Disaster to Cost Massey More than 2009 Earnings
Massey Energy, the owner of the West Virginia coal mine where 29 people were killed in a mine blast this month, said the accident will cost the company about $212m, more than twice its...
Newcrest Mining Records 6% Drop in Gold Output
Newcrest Mining posted a 6% drop in gold output for the quarter ended 31 March. Full-year production could fall short of the bottom of its previous production target of 1.81 million to...
Codelco Brings in New CEO to Negotiate with Unions
BHP Billiton’s Diego Hernandez has been named as the next CEO of Chile’s state copper company Codelco, as it struggles to keep production at record levels while easing tension with...
BHP in Corruption Probe
BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining company, has uncovered potential violations of anti-corruption laws in dealings with government relating to its exploration activities. The case is...
Xinwen Mining Adopts Virtualisation Solution
Xinwen Mining has contracted Jinan Yinquan Technology, the subsidiary of China VoIP & Digital Telecom, for an integrated data centre virtualisation solution to optimise its business...
BHP Posts 11% Rise in Iron Ore Output
BHP Billiton has posted an 11% increase in iron-ore output for the quarter ended 31 March. Iron ore production is BHP's biggest revenue earner and for the quarter the company produced...
West Virginia Mine Explosion to Bring Stringent Inspections
The US mining industry could see more stringent safety inspections in coming months after the Upper Big Branch coal mine explosion which killed 29 people in West Virginia this year. Arch...
Super Pit Resumes Operations in Western Australia
The Super Pit gold mine has started operating again along with 60 mines in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder region of Western Australia on 20 April after a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook the region...
Macarthur Coal Backs Down on Gloucester Following Noble Rejection
Macarthur Coal will back down on plans to take over Gloucester Coal after the shareholders of Noble Group, the parent company of Gloucester, rejected Macarthur's bid to acquire Noble's 87.7%...
Harmony Gold Begins Closure of South African Mine Shafts
Harmony Gold has begun to close three under-performing shafts in the Free State province in South Africa. The affected units include the Harmony 2, Merriespruit 1 and Merriespruit 3 shafts...
AngloGold Hints at $3bn Investment for Colombian Mine
AngloGold Ashanti could invest as much as $2.5bn to $3bn to develop a gold mine in Colombia if feasibility studies prove the project is viable, according to a company official. ...
Earthquake Shuts WA Mines
An earthquake measuring 5.2 that hit the Kalgoorlie mining region in Western Australia has led to the closure of all mines in the area, including the Super Pit gold mine. Evacuations...
Turbo Air Touts Energy Saving Technology for SA
South African engineering company Turbo Air has come up with a way to help some mining companies overcome the increased cost of energy in South Africa while helping the nation meet its...
Oz Minerals Records Strong Prominent Hill Gold Results
Oz Minerals posted an increase of one-third in gold production for the first quarter of 2010 beating expectations at its Prominent Hill copper-gold mine in South Australia. Prominent...
Obama Orders Federal Investigation into West Virginia Disaster
US President Barack Obama has called for a federal investigation into the mining disaster in West Virginia that killed 29 people this month. The deaths occurred after an explosion ripped...
Medoro Resources to Announce Colombian Mine Investment
Canada's Medoro Resources is looking to invest between $30m and $40m in its recently acquired Frontino gold mine operation in Colombia. Medoro Resources general manager Juan Manuel Pelaez...
Ex-Rio Tinto Executive Avoids Jail
A former Rio Tinto executive convicted and fined for insider trading has avoided jail and has been released on an 18-month good behaviour bond in a state court of Australia. Britain-based...
Deals This Week: Mitsubishi, Hunnu Coal, Big Bear and More
Mitsubishi, JX Holdings and Mitsubishi Materials will pay more than JPY50bn ($537m) to increase their combined stake in Chile’s Escondida copper mine. The companies will acquire the...
DuPont Exec Raises Fears over Health and Safety Culture
Carlman Moyo, regional director for DuPont Sub-Saharan Africa, said a culture of safety needed to start with top executives and stressed that mining houses could not continue to use the...
Peabody Raises Bid for Macarthur
Peabody has raised its proposed takeover offer for Macarthur Coal to $3.8bn at $14.8 a share, driving Macarthur's shareholders to consider the revised cash offer. This is Peabody's third...
Local Protesters Block Access to Bolivia Mine
A key railway access to Bolivia's San Cristobal mine has been blocked by local residents since Monday forcing the mine to store mineral ore on the site. The Bolivian Mining Ministry said it...
Rio Tinto Q1 Ore Production Jumps 39%
Rio Tinto posted a 39% jump in its first-quarter iron ore output compared to the corresponding period last year driven by high demand from China and recovery in the West. The company's...
Anglo-Platinum to Boost Mogalakwena Output by 69%
Anglo-Platinum plans to increase output by 69% at the Mogalakwena mine in South Africa, the world’s largest open-pit operation, to meet rising demand. Anglo Platinum general manager Ted...
North American Palladium Restarts Ontario Mine
Canada's North American Palladium has resumed production at its Lac des Iles mine in Ontario. The mine has been under maintenance since October 2008. North American Palladium...
Market Gives Shareholders Jitters over Rio Pilbara JV
Rio Tinto might walk away from a proposed A$116bn iron ore joint venture with BHP Billiton as surging iron ore prices and regulatory delays put doubts in the mind of Rio shareholders. BHP...
Riversdale Signs Contract for Mozambique Coal Project
Riversdale Mozambique has signed a contract with MCC Contracts for its first open pit mine, the Benga coal mine, in Mozambique. The contract with MCC includes open pit mining and...
Mongolia Cancels Khan Uranium Licence
Mongolia has invalidated the uranium exploration licenses of two units of Khan Resources. Mongolia's Nuclear Energy Agency has cancelled the uranium licence of the company's two...
Anglo Asian Finds Double the Riches at Azerbaijan Project
Anglo Asian Mining said its Gedabek gold/copper project in Azerbaijan could contain at least 50% more metal than previously indicated in 2006. The first of a report into the resource...
Gammon Gold's Q1 Output Drops 23%
Gammon Gold has recorded a 23% drop in its gold production in the first quarter of 2010. Gammon said its gold output during the first three months of 2010 fell to 28,431oz from 36,829oz...
Miners Eyeing Deep Undersea Vents
Miners are eyeing the world's deepest undersea volcanic vents, which were recently discovered in the Caribbean. The vents, known as black smokers, are located 5,000m down in the Cayman...
Hudbay Selects Mincom for Mining Solutions
Canada's Hudbay Minerals has selected Mincom for technical mining solutions including exploration and outbound logistics which it says will optimise its value chain and improve performance. ...
Companies Edge Towards Uranium Production in Tanzania
Tanzania is expected to begin mining uranium next year when a new law comes into force aimed at increasing uranium operations and reducing sector reliance on gold. An official from...
Macarthur Coal Rejects New Hope's Takeover Bid
Macarthur Coal has rejected a $3.7bn takeover bid from New Hope. The company, which previously rejected a takeover approach from Peabody Energy, said the New Hope offer did not represent...
Kyrgyzstan Foreign Miners Face Tumbling Shares; Mining Investments Uncertain
Foreign mining companies with operations in Kyrgyzstan are suffering from last week's uprising which resulted in the president fleeing the capital. The miners, including Centerra and...
New Mesh Invention Promises to Improve Mine Safety
The University of Western Australia has invented a technology that could protect miners from underground rock blasts and improve overall safety conditions. A high-energy absorbing mesh made...
Death Toll Increases to 29 at West Virginian Mine
The bodies of four miners have been found five days after an explosion in a West Virginian coal mine last Monday killed 25 others. Rescue teams found the miners on their fourth search and...
Rio Tinto Moves to Quarterly Pricing System
Rio Tinto is negotiating contracts to supply iron ore priced on a quarterly basis, a shift from the annual benchmark pricing system. Rio, which was one of the companies that said it preferred...
West Virginian Coal Mine Deemed a Hazard Before Blast
Records published by the US Mine Safety and Health Administration show that Performance Coal, the operator of the West Virginian mine where 25 people died this week, had a history of health...
Alcoa Keeps Investors Happy with Increased Saudi Aluminium Funds
Aluminium maker Alcoa said it will investment $1.1bn into a planned $10.8bn aluminium complex in Saudi Arabia in the next four years. The announcement follows news that some partners in...
Deals This Week: Agnico-Eagle, Jinchuan, Big Bear and More
Agnico-Eagle will acquire the remaining 87% of Comaplex Mining for C$570m ($569.7m). The acquisition will help Agnico take ownership of the Meliadine gold property in the Nunavut province...
Bumi Reports 50% Drop in Net Profit
Indonesia’s largest coal producer Bumi Resources said its net profit for 2009 dropped almost 50% due to one-off costs related to mine stripping expenses. Bumi posted a net profit of $190.45m...
Rescuers to Enter West Virginian Mine
Rescuers will enter a West Virginian coal mine in the US early Thursday US time to search for four miners missing since a fatal blast killed 25 workers two days ago. Four rescue teams will...
Codelco to Invest $15bn for Copper Mining in Next Half Decade
Codelco will invest more than $15bn in all its mining divisions over the next five years, according to executive president Jose Pablo Arellano. The Chilean state-owned company said it wants...
After 115 Saved, 14 Dead at Flooded Chinese Mine
Rescuers have confirmed 14 deaths at the flooded Wangjialing coal mine in north China's Shanxi Province, with the recovery of two more bodies on Thursday from a shaft where the water level...
Peabody Raises Bid to Acquire Macarthur
Peabody Energy has raised its bid for Macarthur Energy to $3.27bn after Macarthur rejected Peabody's initial $3bn offer. The proposal is conditional on Macarthur not proceeding with a...
SA Mining Companies Fear Ethnic Violence Following Terreblanche’s Death
UK-based mining companies with stakes in South Africa fear ethnic violence could break out in the nation following the murder of a far-right politician last week. White supremacist leader...
Job Prospects in US Mines Improve
Employment in the US mining industry is improving with new jobs being created every month, according to a US Department of Labor report. The Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly report...
Seven Bodies Found After 115 Rescued in China Mine Flood
Rescuers who earlier saved 115 miners trapped for eight days underground have found seven bodies at a flooded coal mine in China. It is believed 31 miners were still trapped inside...
Miners Rescued From Flooded Chinese Coal Mine
After eight days trapped underground more than 100 miners were rescued from a flooded underground coal mine in northern China - one of the nation’s rare successful rescue attempts. A total...
US Coal Mine Explosion Kills 25
A coal mine explosion in a Massey Energy Company mine in West Virginia, US, has killed at least 25 miners and left four trapped 1,000ft down in the country's worst mining disaster in 26...
Rio to Start Work on $4bn Oyu Tolgoi Mine
Rio Tinto said it will now start developing the $4bn Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in Mongolia following approval by the Mongolian Government. According to the agreement,...
Xstrata Raises the Benchmark for Coal
Xstrata has raised benchmark coal prices with the finalising of a thermal coal contract price with a major Japanese utility customer. As a result of the deal, which states that for the next...
Earthquake Fails to Shake Chilean Copper Ouput
Chile’s copper output remained undisrupted in February, although the country’s industrial production rose less than expected after a massive earthquake hit the country last month. A report by...
MMG Century Fined for Polluting Queensland Waterway
Australia’s MMG Century Mine has been fined by a magistrates' court for causing serious environmental damage to Page Creek near Mt Isa in Queensland. Queensland Climate Change and...
Argentina Considers Benefits of Open Pit Mining
Argentina’s mining-sector representatives and provincial officials in Chubut province are meeting to discuss potential changes in policy that would allow open-pit mining in some areas. Talks...
Abterra Forms New JV with Chinese Firms
Mining and minerals trader Abterra said it has entered into a joint venture agreement with three Chinese firms to form a new mining company in China’s Shanxi province. The firms include...
March 2010
Top
AECOM to Work on Rio Tinto's Queensland Project
AECOM Technology said it has received a design contract from Rio Tinto Coal Australia for its Kestrel mine in Queensland. Under the $12m contract, AECOM will carry out the remaining work...
PanAust to Develop Laos Gold/Silver Project
Australian miner PanAust is to go ahead with the development of its Ban Houayxai gold/silver project in Laos. The decision comes following a feasibility study based on an open pit mining...
Iron Giants Set High Iron Ore Prices
Vale, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto are looking to raise iron ore prices by at least 80% each, with Vale winning a 90% increase on the 50% existing commission already brought in from iron ore sales. ...
Xstrata to Extend Life of Black Star Zinc Mine
Xstrata said it is planning to spend $130m to extend an open-cut zinc mine in north-west Queensland. The extension will add another four years of life to the Black Star Open Cut at Mount Isa. ...
Jinchuan’s Zambia Nickel Mine Resumes Output
China’s Jinchuan Group has resumed production at its Munali nickel mine in Zambia and is looking to increase output to 1.2 million tons by 2012. The mine currently produces 900,000t a...
More than 150 Miners Trapped in Flooded Chinese Mine
More than 150 people are trapped underground in a flooded coal mine in north China's Shanxi province. A total of 261 workers were working in the pit of the Wangjialing coal mine, which was...
Idemitsu to Invest in Australian Mine
Idemitsu Kosan is looking to invest $128m in Australia's Ensham mine to begin underground mining in the middle of 2011. The Ensham mine has been producing thermal coal via open-cut mining,...
Cyclone Forces BHP to Close Groote Eylandt in Australia
BHP Billiton has halted production at its Groote Eylandt manganese mine on Australia’s Gulf of Carpentaria in its far north due to Tropical Cyclone Paul, which was downgraded to category...
Chinese Gold Demand Predicted to Double in Ten Years
Chinese demand for gold is set to increase twofold in the next ten years, according to the latest World Gold Council (WGC) analysis. Chinese gold demand last year was worth $14bn, equivalent...
Q4 Output up 42% at Century Mining’s Peruvian Mine
Century Mining posted a 42% rise in fourth quarter gold production at its San Juan mine in Peru. The company said the mine’s fourth-quarter production in 2009 stood at 4,744oz compared...
Rio Tinto Employees Jailed in China
A Chinese court has sentenced four Rio Tinto employees to jail on charges of bribery and stealing commercial secrets. The Shanghai Intermediate People's Court sentenced China-born...
China May Finance Ethiopian Potash Project
China’s sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp may finance the Ethiopian potash project planned by China Mining United Fund, a top official familiar with the situation said. The...
Deals This Week: Quadra Mining, Osisko, BHP and More
BHP Billiton said it has completed the acquisition of Athabasca Potash. The acquisition gives BHP 100% control of the Burr project and various additional potash exploration properties...
Rio Tinto Verdict on 29 March
The verdict in the trial of Rio Tinto employees facing bribery and other charges will be delivered on 29 March, the company said. Rio Tinto executive and Australian citizen Stern Hu is one...
Kenya Set to Resume Large-Scale Gold Mining
Large-scale gold mining will soon resume in Kenya after the government enacts new mining laws to attract foreign companies, a government official said. Gold mining in Kenya stopped in 1952 at...
Temasek to Invest in Africa
Singapore sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings is looking to invest in the mining sector in Africa and increase its exposure to mining in Mongolia. Temasek Holdings managing director...
Rio Tinto Eyes New Projects to Meet China Demand
Rio Tinto is studying six new Australian iron ore projects that could help it meet China’s increasing import demands. Rio Tinto CEO Sam Walsh told Business Day that to align with major...
Jindal Steel to Invest $2bn in World’s Biggest Iron Reserve
India’s Jindal Steel and Power will invest $2.1bn in a Bolivian mine project. As part of a 40-year contract, Jindal will have rights to half the El Mutun site, one of the world's largest...
Canada Lithium Completes Pre-Feasibility Study for Quebec Project
Canada Lithium has completed a pre-feasibility study for its Quebec lithium project and expects to complete the full feasibility study by the first quarter of 2011. The pre-feasibility...
Doe Run Unveils New Lead Production Technology
Doe Run has unveiled environmentally friendly technology for producing lead that could replace conventional smelting operations. The process replaces traditional, high-temperature lead...
Xstrata Mulls $9bn in Investments
Xstrata is considering $9bn-worth of investments and looking at acquisitions, a top official from the company said. Xstrata CEO of nickel Ian Pearce said the company is studying ten projects...
Rio Tinto China Trial Ends Without Verdict
The trial involving four Rio Tinto employees in China ended without a verdict on Tuesday. In the three-day case against the Shanghai-based executives, including Australian national Stern Hu,...
Quebec’s First Diamond Mine a Real Win for Stornoway
Stornoway Diamond’s Renard Quebec mine might prove almost twice as profitable to develop following a revised preliminary assessment, making it one of the best undeveloped diamond sites in...
US Bill Calls for Creation of Rare Earth Minerals Stockpile
A bill introduced by US Representative Mike Coffman has called for the establishment of the country's first stockpile of rare earth minerals as part of a revival of the US's rare earth...
Indian Institute to Test Deep-Sea Mining Equipment
India's National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) will test indigenously built deep-sea mining equipment in April at a never before attempted depth of 1,100. The 15t crawler has already...
The Philippines Opens Up Gold-Rush Area
Two mining companies are planning investments over the next couple of years to explore portions of the Mt Diwalwal gold-rush area in Southern Mindanao, the Philippines. Philippine...
Chile Considers Hiking Mining Tax to Help Rebuild Following Earthquake
The Government of Chile is considering increasing taxes on mining companies to help pay for the nation’s reconstruction following last month’s earthquake, a ministry official said. According...
Rio Tinto Executive Admits to Accepting Bribes
In his second day on trial for corruption, Australian Rio Tinto executive Stern Hu has admitted to receiving bribes during his role as chief iron ore negotiator in China. Hu is one of...
Porcupine Gold Mine to Receive Thermal Fragmentation Unit
Goldcorp has signed an agreement with Rocmec Mining to install a thermal fragmentation unit at its Porcupine gold mine in Ontario, Canada. Goldcorp will use the thermal fragmentation unit...
New Zealand Plans to Open Up 7,000ha for Mining
The New Zealand Government said it will open up more than 7,000ha of conservation land for mining at the Coromandel Peninsula and Paparoa National Park on the west coast. New Zealand Energy...
African Aura's Putu Project Aims for Larger Resource Expansion
African Aura Mining has announced that its Putu iron ore project in eastern Liberia will enter a pre-feasibility stage, with an intensive 60,000m resource expansion drilling project scheduled...
CoAl Starts the Hard Work on Vele Project
Coal of Africa Limited (CoAl) is ready to start Phase 1 of its Vele project after receiving a New Order Mining Right (NOMR) from the South African Department of Mineral Resources. The...
China Steel Makers Opposes Iron Ore Price Hikes
Mining giants Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Vale’s plans to raise the price of their products by up to 90% could mean hundreds of billions of yuan in losses for Chinese steel makers. According...
Severn Trent Wins Contract for Desalination Plant in Chile
Copper and gold mines in Antofagasta, Chile, will soon benefit from a desalination plant built by US-based Severn Trent Services. The 634,000-gpd plant will use ultrafiltration and...
Major Deals This Week: Rio Tinto, Moly Mines, Bryn Resources, and More
In major deals this week, Australian miner Rio Tonto and China-based Chinalco have said they will jointly develop a large iron ore field in Africa with Chinalco acquiring a 47% stake in...
Rio Tinto, Chinalco to Develop Iron Ore Project in Guinea
Rio Tinto and Chinalco have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture that will develop and operate the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea. The proposed joint venture...
New Gold Cerro San Pedro Mine to Resume Operations
New Gold has announced that the Cerro San Pedro mine in Mexico is to resume full operations, following the removal of explosives restrictions permits. The company said it will...
China Sets Rio Tinto Trial Dates
Rio Tinto has announced that the trial of four of its employees accused of committing commercial crimes will be held in China later this month. The charges relate to receiving bribes...
Macmahon Awarded $190m Contract to Develop Queensland Mine
Engineering contractor Macmahon Holdings has won a A$190m contract from Syntech Resources to develop and operate Syntech’s Cameby Downs coal mine in Queensland. The three-year contract...
Barrick Suspends Bulyanhulu Mining Ops
Barrick Gold Corporation has suspended operations at its Bulyanhulu mine in Tanzania following a rock fall which killed three workers. The area of the rock fall will be closed until the...
Chinese Coal Mine Fire Claims 25 Lives
An electrical fire in an illegal Chinese coal mine has killed 25 people in the country’s latest mining disaster. Six other miners were saved when the mine, in Zhengzhou, the capital of...
Rio Tinto’s Unproven Information Technologies May Hit Output
Rio Tinto has hinted that some of its risky information technology investments remain unproven and could impact negatively on the company’s cost management and productivity. The company - in...
Zambia Copper Output Falls 13%
Copper production in Zambia, Africa's largest producer, declined 13% in January 2010 due to mine closures. Zambia earlier projected a production rate of one million tons by 2011 with new mines...
Murchison Posts $20m Loss
Murchison Metals has recorded a A$20m loss for the half year ending December 2009. The miner’s major expense for the period was $32.4m to finance feasibility studies and exploration costs for...
Vale to Increase Output at Sudbury Mine to Overcome Strikes
Vale said it will bring in outside workers to increase production at its strike-bound nickel operations at Ontario's Sudbury mines. The move comes after the striking workers rejected a...
Newmont Forecasts High Gold Demand from China in 2010
Newmont Mining said Chinese demand for gold will continue to remain strong in 2010 in spite of metal's soaring prices. Speaking with Dow Jones, Newmont Asia Pacific operations regional...
Goldcorp Q4 Revenue Up 28%
Vancouver-based miner Goldcorp said its fourth-quarter revenue for 2009 is up 28% on the previous year, thanks to higher gold prices. The company's revenue for the quarter was posted at $778.3m...
Mine Leak Threatens City of Johannesburg
Highly toxic and acidic water from Johannesburg's Gauteng mine is at dangerous levels and could put the city at risk if it is not pumped out, according to an environmental report. A joint...
Australasian's Balmoral Project Receives Final State Approval
Australasian Resources said its Balmoral South iron ore project has received final state government environmental approval. The Balmoral project has a projected 25-year life span and can mine...
Cameco Expects Strong Output Despite Flood
Cameco Corp said its Cigar Lake uranium mine is estimated to produce a total of 18 million pounds a year at full production even though its mine was flooded twice. Cameco Corp CEO Jerry...
ArcelorMittal Announces Massive Plans to Boost Mine Production
ArcelorMittal says it aims to increase iron ore production from its mines by 50%. ArcelorMittal head of mining Peter Kukielski said the company aims to achieve annual iron ore production of...
Vedanta to Start Spin-Off of $20bn Aluminium Business
India-based miner Vedanta Resources is set to begin a massive break up of its business by selling off its $20bn aluminium division. While the company has not formally told the press of...
Ontario to Help Indian Miners with New Technologies
Canada’s Ontario will sign an agreement with India for the transfer of mining technology which will help increase Canadian investment in India. Ontario is Canada's richest province in...
Major Deals This Week: Essar, Kinross Gold, Uragold Bay Resources and More
Indian conglomerate Essar has acquired West Virginia-based Trinity Coal for $600m. The acquisition will help Essar secure raw materials with coal and iron ore prices set to rise as the...
Western Lithium Seeks Partners to Fund Nevada Mine
Western Lithium is looking for strategic partners to help develop the Kings Valley Lithium project in Nevada. The development of mine will cost approximately $400m, according to Western...
St Barbara's Lenora Project Approved
St Barbara Mines said its King of the Hills gold project near Leonora in Western Australia has been granted approval for development. Production from the mine is expected to begin in the...
Australian Miner to Raise Funds for Guinea Projects
Australian-based Bellzone Mining said it wants to raise $100m to accelerate its drilling programme and upgrade so it can achieve additional JORC resources and complete a feasibility study at...
Antofagasta's 2009 Net Income Falls 61%
Copper producer Antofagasta said its full-year profit for 2009 fell 61% because of lower prices and output. The company's net income dropped to $667.7m, from $1.706.5m in 2008. ...
Rusal Restarts Aluminium Smelter Production
Rusal has resumed production capacity at site no 1 of its Novokuznetsk aluminium smelter. In March 2009 smelting capacity was suspended as part of the anti-crisis Cost Efficiency...
Peru Mining Investment to Rise 7% in 2010
Investment in Peru's mining industry is projected to rise more than 7% this year as the country recovers from the economic downturn, Minister of Energy and Mines Pedro Sanchez said. Sanchez...
Alexco Awards Services Contract for Bellekeno Deposit
Alexco Resource has awarded a mining services contract to a joint venture between Procon Mining and Nacho Nyak Dun for the development and production of the Bellekeno silver-lead-zinc deposit...
Anglo Peru Copper Project to Start in 2011
Anglo American said that construction at its Quellaveco copper project in Peru is expected to begin next year, with initial production in 2014. Anglo American chief executive Cynthia Carroll...
Brazil to Limit Mining Rights
Brazil may limit companies to explore mines for just 35 years as it seeks to increase domestic output of minerals and fertilisers, according to a government official. The new rules come...
Sasol Commits $418m to Export Coal Mine
Coal miner Sasol is investing R3.1bn ($418.6m) in an export coal mine to replace the depleting Twisdraai operation. The Thubelisha export coal mine, which is currently under construction,...
Premier Discovers Gold at Ontario Project
Premier Gold said its drilling programme has discovered two gold zones at the company’s Hardrock project in north-western Ontario, Canada. The 83 and 93 zones were discovered to the south of...
Nippon Steel to Invest in Coal and Iron Ore
Nippon Steel will invest more in iron ore and coal mines to reduce costs and secure supplies of steelmaking ingredients. Nippon Steel executive vice-president Shinichi Taniguchi said the...
Quadra, Chinese Utility to Develop Chilean Mines
Quadra Mining has signed a deal with China's largest utility State Grid International to develop major copper projects in Chile. The joint venture will develop and operate Quadra's Sierra...
AMEC to Undertake Feasibility Study for Avanti Mining
Avanti Mining has appointed engineering company AMEC to prepare a feasibility study for its Kitsault molybdenum mine in northern British Columbia, Canada. The Kitsault molybdenum mine has...
Journey Resources Begins Pilot Mining at Charay
Journey Resources has begun a pilot-mining programme on the Charay Property which includes three mineral concessions covering approximately 380ha located in northern Sinaloa State, Mexico. ...
Rio Tinto Could Win India Diamond Mining Lease
Rio Tinto could be on course to get a mining lease for its $480m diamond mining project in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, a ministry official said. The state government has recommended...
Philippine Mining Hot on Heels of 2010 Investment Goals
The Philippine Government has approved 13 new mining contracts as part of its $13bn mining investment goals for 2010. The government expects mineral production for 2010 to touch $2.95bn...
Duluth Metals Advances on Nokomis Project Drilling
Duluth Metals has commenced a drilling programme in its two federal prospecting permits on the Nokomis Deposit near Ely, Minnesota, US. The drilling is part of a winter programme that...
Citigold to Develop Charters Towers Gold Project
Citigold Corp has signed a deal with China's Henan Jinqu Gold to form a joint venture company to develop mines at Citigold’s Charters Towers gold project in Australia. Under the MoU, Jinqu...
Georgia Blast Kills and Wounds Coal Miners
A powerful explosion killed four coal miners and left several wounded in the western town of Tkibuli, Georgia, earlier this week. The blast, caused by leaked methane, left several...
Major Deals This Week: Rio Tinto, Kalahari Minerals, Columbus Gold and More
Rio Tinto will acquire 15 million shares in Ivanhoe Mines, increasing its ownership in the company by 2.7% to 22.4 %. The total consideration for the acquisition is $237m. Hong-Kong...
Fluor Wins Botswana Diamond Mine Expansion
Fluor Corporation has won an engineering, procurement and construction management contract from Debswana Diamond Company for the Jwaneng Cut 8 mining project in Botswana. Fluor completed...
AngloGold to Explore the Sea for Gold
AngloGold Ashanti will explore the seabed for gold as mining companies seek alternatives to replace increasingly scarce reserves. AngloGold has formed a marine exploration company with...
Leighton Takes on Toka Tindung Gold Mine
Leighton will provide mining services at the Toka Tindung gold project in Indonesia, under a $125m contract with Meares Soputan Mining and Tambang Tondano Nusajaya. Under the six-year...
Ausenco Wins Xstrata Construction Deal
Ausenco has won a contract from Xstrata Copper to develop a magnetite extraction plant at its Ernest Henry Mine in Australia. Under the $9.6m contract, Ausenco will provide...
Rio Tinto Granted Permit for Indonesian Nickel Project
Rio Tinto's Indonesian unit has been granted a mining permit for a $2bn nickel project on Sulawesi island. Rio Tinto is the first mining company to gain investment approval under Indonesia's...
Oz Gold Output to Ramp Up
A report by the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) says that gold production in the country may increase by 10% by next financial year. The report predicts...
Union Calls Off Strike at SA Gold Fields Mines
Miner Gold Fields said the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has called off a proposed strike across all the company's operations in South Africa. The NUM threatened to walk out on 7...
India to Introduce More Controls against Illegal Mining
The Indian Government could introduce a grading system to legislate mineral-bearing areas that have a high percentage of illegal mining. A senior official from the ministry said that states...
Mining Key Contributor to SA Economy, Says Report
The mining sector was an important contributor to South Africa's GDP and economic growth last year, according to a report. Ernst & Young's 2009: The Year of Survival and Revival states that...
Copper Prices Rise as Chilean Mines Resume Operation
Copper futures gained the most in nearly a year, before declining on reports that the earthquake in Chile has not caused major disruptions to supply. Chile’s mines, which are situated mostly...
Potash One Submits Environmental Impact Statement for Legacy Mine
Potash One has submitted an environmental impact statement to the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment for its proposed $1.9bn Legacy potash solution mine, near Belle Plaine in...
Xstrata Reaches Labour Agreement with Union
Xstrata Nickel has reached a labour agreement with office, technical and clerical workers at its Sudbury nickel operations in Canada after a three-year agreement expired Sunday. Workers...
Project Financing Remains Risky Following 2009 Drop
Project finance in the mining sector was significantly affected by the downturn in 2009, leaving miners to deal in an environment of excessively high risk, according to a report by Ernst & Young. ...
China's Coal Mine Flood Kills One, Leaves 31 Trapped
One miner died and 31 others remain trapped after the Luotuoshan coal mine was flooded in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Water gushed into the pit of the mine where 77...
Kimber to Start Drilling at South Mexico Silver Project
Kimber Resources said it is going to start drilling at the Pericones silver project in Southern Mexico in March this year. The initial core drilling programme will be in the range of 2,500m...
Mining Deals Fall by Half in 2009
Mergers and acquisitions in the mining sector fell by more than half to $77.1bn in 2009 due to the global financial crisis, according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report. PwC said...
Japan Smelters to Assess Chile Quake Impact on Copper Output
Japan's leading copper smelters said that they are yet to assess the impact on their copper production from the massive earthquake in Chile. The country's top three smelters said...
Japan's Pan Pacific Copper to Develop Chilean Mine
Pan Pacific Copper said that it will start developing a Chilean copper-molybdenum mine with Mitsui in March 2010. Pan Pacific, a joint venture between Nippon Mining & Metals, Mitsui Mining...
February 2010
Top
British Society Seeks Key to Britain’s Mining Past
The British Geological Society has asked mining companies and enthusiasts to dig through their plans in an effort to unearth the oldest mining plan ever created in Britain. The society wants...
Major Deals This Week: Bucyrus, Golden Hope, Zoro Mining and More
In the major deals to take place this week, Bucyrus International said it has completed the acquisition of Terex Corp's mining equipment business for $1.3bn in cash and stock. The...
Ivernia Restarts Processing at Magellan Mine
Ivernia said its Magellan mine in Western Australia resumed its processing operations on 22 February. The Magellan processing plant has been under maintenance for nearly three years and...
SQM Suspends Operations at El Toco and Pampa Blanca Mines
Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile SA (SQM) is suspending operations at its El Toco and Pampa Blanca mining facilities following a decline in global demand for nitrates and iodine. The...
Rio Tinto Expands Future Mine Technology Programme
Rio Tinto is expanding its 'Mine of the Future' programme to develop new equipment and systems for deep underground mines. Aker Wirth and Atlas Copco will help Rio develop two new...
Robbers Steal Gold From Troy Mine
Robbers made away with 2,000oz of gold bars from the Andorinhas mine in Brazil, owned by Australia's Troy Resources, on 22 February. Employees were taken hostage during the incident but...
Areva and JAEC in Uranium Search
Nuclear power company Areva said it has signed an agreement with the Jordan Atomic Energy Commission (JAEC) to mine uranium resources in Central Jordan. The mining agreement grants Areva...
Buenaventura Miners to Resume Strike
Workers at Buenaventura's precious metals mines in Peru are likely to resume their strike from 4 March unless their requests for the company to share its profits with them are met. The...
Chief Consolidated Signs Utah Deal with Rio Tinto Subsidiary
Chief Consolidated has signed an agreement with Kennecott Exploration, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, to mine for copper, gold and molybdenum in the former's Big Hill project located in Utah,...
Patriot Delays Reopening of Federal Coal Mine
Patriot Coal in the US has delayed the opening of its West Virginia Federal No 2 until ongoing safety inspections have cleared the mine of any risk of explosion. Towards the end of last week...
Turkish Coal Mine Explosion Kills 17 Workers
Seventeen workers have been killed after a methane gas explosion ripped through a coal mine near the town of Dursunbey in north-west Turkey. The blast caused an underground chamber to...
Chevron Uses Mining Land for Solar Plant
Chevron’s subsidiary Chevron Technology Ventures will use land at its molybdenum mine in the village of Questa, New Mexico, for solar panels that will feed into its planned 1MW solar power...
Anglogold Suspends Operation at Ghanaian Mine
Anglogold Ashanti has temporarily suspended operations at its Iduapriem mine in Ghana following problems at its water storage facility. Anglogold and the Environmental Protection Agency...
Newcrest Cadia Valley Mine Gets New Water Treatment System
Water equipment supplier CST Wastewater Solutions has installed a wastewater treatment system at Newcrest's Cadia Valley Operations to purify wastewater. The Fixed Activated Sludge Treatment...
BHP Awards Pilbara Development Deal
BHP Billiton has taken the first step on work at its iron ore mine in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia by awarding a $500m contract to the Fluor Corporation joint venture. The...
Glencore Plans Prodeco Mine Buyback
Swiss commodities trader Glencore said it is in talks with potential partners to buy back the $2.5bn Prodeco Colombian coalmine, owned by Xstrata, it has been revealed. The group has...
Xstrata off the Hook with Mt Isa Lead Tests
Xstrata has been cleared of releasing high levels of lead into the air at the Queensland mining town of Mount Isa. Tests at the rural mining town, however, showed activities by other...
British Columbia, Montana Sign Deal to Ban Mining in Glacial Park
The Province of British Columbia has signed an agreement with the State of Montana in the US to ban mining and drilling in the Flathead River Basin along the US-Canadian border, north of...
Anglo Gold Ashanti Q4 Profit Rises to $228m
Anglo Gold Ashanti said its adjusted headline earnings rose to $228m in the last quarter of 2009 compared to the $162m predicted in 2009. It credited an increase in output from its...
Rio Tinto Starts Mesa A Iron Mining
Rio Tinto has started producing iron ore from the Mesa A/Warramboo mine located 50km west of Pannawonica in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The $901m open-cut iron ore mine will...
World Bank to Keep Close Eye on Chinese-Run Afghan Mine
The World Bank has recommended close monitoring of Metallurgical Corp of China (MCC) mine in Afghanistan to ensure the local community sees benefits from it. World Bank mining specialist...
Xstrata Hints at Longer Life for Brunswick Mine
Xstrata is likely to extend the life of its Brunswick Zinc Mine in Canada having signed a workplace agreement that goes into 2011. Union employees at the Xstrata Brunswick Zinc Mine in...
Major Deals this Week: Goldcorp, Eurasian Natural Resources, Pro Minerals and More
Goldcorp said it has completed the acquisition of 70% of the El Morro copper-gold project in north-central Chile with reserves of 6.7 million ounces of gold and 5.7 billion pounds of...
Gold Still Appeals Despite Drop in Demand
The World Gold Council said the dollar demand for gold remained above the $100bn mark in 2009 for the second successive year despite global demand falling by 11% to 3,386t. In its Gold...
Pan America Predicts Bumper Years on Top of Record Q4
Pan American Silver, which has a number of operating mines in the Americas, said it hopes to double its output by 2013, following its announcement that it has seen its best Q4 to date. ...
China's Mining Equipment Demand to Grow 7% through 2013
The demand for mining equipment in China is estimated to increase at an annual rate of 7.1% through 2013 to CPY150.5bn, according to a Mining and Equipment in China study. The study,...
US Department Accuses Coal Company of Dam Damage
The US Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) said that longwall mining at Consol Pennsylvania Coal Company's Appalachian Bailey Mine in Greene County resulted in ground movements...
Sabodola Gold Mine Gets Closer to Production Start
Senegal's Government has granted a 15-year mining license to a joint venture which includes Oromin for the Sabodola Gold Project. Oromin can now start its mining operations once it has...
Ivory Coast Gold Output Increases 142% in 2009
The Ivory Coast produced 6.94t of gold in 2009 compared to 2.87t of output in 2008. This marks a 142% increase from last year's figure. The output will further increase as a...
Engineering Works to Start at Centamin's Egypt Gold Mine
Gold miner Centamin said that engineering works for the expansion of throughput to eight to ten million tonnes a year at the Sukari gold mine in Egypt will commence in the first quarter of 2010. ...
Madagascar Government Makes Ownership Part of Approval Process
Madagascar’s government said it will make efforts to ensure it has shares in all large mining projects that are approved there in future to ensure it gets a cut of revenues from its resources...
Analysts Predict Rise in Value for Mining M&As in 2010
The value of mining mergers and acquisitions may increase twofold in 2010 as China and India aim to secure supplies of raw materials, analysts at Ernst & Young have said. Ernst & Young said...
London Mining's Sierra Leone Project Receives Parliamentary Approval
London Mining has received parliamentary approval for the Marampa iron ore project in Sierra Leone, West Africa. The project is the first comprehensive mining agreement to have been...
BHP Looks to Larger Projects for Future Growth, CEO Says
BHP Billiton said it will focus on creating tier-one mines as the mining industry heads towards large-scale projects. BHP Billiton CEO Marius Kloppers said that miners today are looking more...
Vale, BHP Signal Doubling of Iron Ore Spot Market Prices
BHP Billiton and Vale SA, the two companies ironing out ore prices with China, have said that this year’s iron contracts should reflect the doubling in so-called spot market prices. BHP...
Xstrata and Erdene Complete Donkin Coal Project Review
Xstrata and Erdene Resource Development Corp have completed a strategic review of the development plan of Donkin Coal Project and will now focus on export coking coal market...
British Columbia and US Officials Support Mining Ban for Glacial Park in British Columbia
Officials have said that mining and energy exploration will be banned near the Glacial National Park in British Columbia, along the US-Canada border, despite a number of mining companies...
UK Research Team Points Finger at Lapindo Brantas for Indonesian Volcano Eruption
New evidence suggests a mining company, not an earthquake, was responsible for the ongoing Luci volcano eruption in Indonesia which to date has resulted in 14 deaths. British scientists say...
Atlas to Reopen Nickel Mine as Market Prices Rise
Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation said it is planning to reopen its Berong nickel mine this year at Palawan in Southern Luzon, Philippines. Atlas said the rising price...
Africa’s NFC Reinstates Miners Held on Fire Sabotage Claims
NFC Africa Mining said it has reinstated its 79 suspended miners suspected of alleged sabotage that caused an underground fire at the Chambishi copper mine. An electric cable caught...
China's Gansu Province to Become Major Coal Mining Region
China plans to develop a 7.1 billion-ton coal mining region in its Gansu province, which will become one of the biggest energy bases in north-west China. The plans to develop the...
Chile Approves Barrick's Copper Mine Expansion Plan
Chilean environmental authorities have approved Barrick Gold's $38m proposal to expand the production capacity of its Zaldivar copper mine in the northern Antofagasta region. The...
Major Deals This Week: Angloplat, Mitsubishi, Global Iron and More
Anglo Platinum (Angloplat) said it will raise R12.5bn ($1.6bn), the largest rights issue in South Africa to date, to reduce its net debt of R19.3bn ($2.5bn). Angloplat's parent company...
Obtala Resumes Mining at Sierra Leone Project
Mineral assets developer Obtala Resources has resumed alluvial diamond mining activities at its recently acquired Konoma diamond operation in Sierra Leone. The company acquired the project...
Peru Reaches Second Position in Global Copper Output
Peru became the second largest global copper producer in 2009, displacing the US, with a total output of 1.273 million metric tons. Peru's National Association of Mining, Oil and Energy said...
Northgate Receives Approval for Ontario Gold Mine Development
Northgate Minerals' board of directors has approved the development of a gold mine near the town of Matachewan in Ontario, Canada, which contains 2.8 million ounces of proven and probable...
Trafigura to Buy Quarter of Zambia’s Copper
Trafigura plans to purchase a quarter of Zambia's copper production in 2010, which is expected to be at least 700,000t. The commodities trading company has been purchasing copper from...
BHP Postpones Share Buyback
BHP Billiton has postponed a share buyback despite reporting better than expected results between July and December 2009. BHP said it is wary about the pace and intensity at which...
Canadian Union Requests Government to Probe Xstrata Kidd Creek Refinery Closure
The Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union has requested the Canadian Government to probe Xstrata's plans to shut down the Kidd Mine copper and zinc metallurgical facilities in Timmins, Ontario, on...
Queensland Ready to Cope with Resource Boom, Premier Says
The regional areas of Queensland, Australia, are preparing for a forecast mining boom, as companies ramp up production of coal to meet power demand. Mining towns in the Galilee Basin,...
Leak from Uranium Mine Contains 5,000 Times Normal Level, Australian Regulator Says
Water leaking from a mine at Kakadu National Park in Australia contains uranium concentration 5,400 times more than the natural background level, the Australian Office of the Supervising...
Power Companies Sign Pact for Uranium Mine in Niger
Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) has signed an agreement with AREVA for development of Niger-based Imouraren uranium mine. The agreement is a continuation of a pact between...
Xstrata Shuts Australian Mine Over Strikes
Xstrata has closed down operations until 14 February and locked out miners at its eastern Australia Tahmoor coal mine due to ongoing strikes over an enterprise agreement (EA). Nearly...
Dutch Hits $3bn-Worth of Gold at Montana Site
Dutch Gold Resources said it has discovered a site at Montana in the US with 2.8 million ounces of proved and probable gold reserves, worth nearly $3bn. Dutch Gold CEO Daniel Hollis said...
Queensland Coal Mines Stand Up Under Water Discharge Guidelines
Australia’s south east coal mines in Queensland have met new water discharge guidelines established by the Department of Environment and Resource Management and the Queensland Resource...
Zambian Copper Mines Invests $100m for Mine Shaft Development
Zambia's Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) will invest $100m in the development of a new mine shaft to access unexploited ore resources and enhance mine life by 25 years. Zambian mines minister...
BHP Appoints New President for Rio Iron Operation
BHP Billiton has hired Chris Campbell as the new president of its iron ore business in the place of Ian Ashby who will be the CEO of the Western Australia iron ore production joint venture...
Resourcehouse Signs $60bn Coal Export Deal with Chinese Company
Australia's Resourcehouse signed a $60bn, 20-year export contract with China Power International Development under which the latter will annually purchase 30 million tonnes of coal for $3bn,...
South Africa's DMR to Tighten Mine Safety Laws
South Africa's Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) said it is looking to tighten mining safety regulations this year to ensure more deaths are avoided at South African mines. Over the last...
Rio Commits to China with New Management Post
Rio Tinto has reinforced its commitment to the Chinese market, appointing Ian Bauert as its first ever managing director for China. Bauert will head the company's 160-strong team of employees...
Coeur d’Alene Discovers New Gold Bearing Vein at Alaskan Mine
Coeur d'Alene Mines has found a new gold bearing vein at its Alaska-based Kensington mine which is expected to produce first gold at the rate of 120,000oz per annum in the third quarter this year....
Cloud Peak Aims to Achieve 100mt Output by 2013
US coal miner Cloud Peak Energy said it can raise output to 100 million tonnes by 2013 provided prices and demand remain strong. Cloud Peak Energy CEO Colin Marshall told Mining Weekly...
Etruscan to Produce First Gold from West African Mine by 2012
Etruscan Resources said its new Agbaou gold mine in the West African country of Côte d'Ivoire will begin production in 2012 with an initial target of 80,000oz of gold per annum. Etruscan...
Major Deals This Week: GoldCorp, Metallurgical Corporation of China, Khan Resources and more
Canada's GoldCorp has completed the acquisition of Canplats Resources for C$4.80 per share or C$308.5m ($289.7m). The acquisition includes the Camino Rojo project, which will...
Griffin Coal Administrator Signals Entire Sale of Griffin
KordaMentha, administrator for Griffin Coal Mining, said it would prefer Griffin Coal was sold in its entirety as opposed to divesting company assets separately. The administrator was hired...
Hungary Pushes for Cyanide Ban
Hungary has aggressively been pushing a ban on cyanide mining technology throughout Europe, which it says can have severe environmental and health affects. Cyanide is a toxic chemical...
Anvil to Begin Copper Production at DRC Mine Next Year
Anvil Mining will begin commercial copper production at its Kinsevere copper project in Katanga Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in the second quarter of 2011. The...
Amnesty Urges Investigation into Evictions Near Barrick Mine
Amnesty International has urged Papua New Guinea to investigate claims that its police force made people leave land located next to Barrick Gold's Porgera gold mine last year to allow for...
Quadra's Carlota Mine Q1 Output to Be Less than Forecast
Canada's Quadra Mining said the first quarter copper output from its Carlota mine near Miami, Arizona, will be less than expected due to a series of rain storms, the first in 300 years. ...
Industry Told to Be Ready for a Rise in IPOs
A revival in equity markets is expected to lead to a record amount of capital being made from initial public offerings, according to experts at accountancy firm Grant Thornton who spoke...
Continental Coal Plans Production Start for SA Mine
Continental Coal said it will begin production at its South Africa-based Vlakvarkfontein Coal Mine in the first quarter of the year after signing a three-year mining pact with Trollope...
Chilean Copper Mine Expansion Approved
Corema, north Chile's region I environmental regulator, has given EIA approval to Minera Doña Inés de Collahuasi for a $750m copper mine expansion that will raise mineral processing capacity at...
Xstrata, Sudbury Workers Reach Consensus
Xstrata Nickel and Canadian auto workers and smelter union miners have reached an agreement that has seen workers pull out of a strike following an expired workplace agreement. The...
India's Vedanta Considers Massive Company Split for Stock Exchange Listing
Indian mining company Vedanta Resources is said to be contemplating a spin-off of several of its interests into five or six firms and a parent company, which would be one of the biggest...
PotashCorp Criticises Low BPC Potash Price Settlement
Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (PotashCorp) has criticised the potash price finalised by Belarusian Potash (BPC) with Chinese importers for being too low, saying that fertiliser prices...
Xstrata Reports Record Zinc, Coal and Nickel Output in 2009
Xstrata achieved record annual output levels for zinc in concentrate, consolidated coal and mined nickel for the 12 months leading to 31 December 2009 as production was ramped up at its...
Chile Copper Production Rises Despite Wage Disputes
Chile's copper output increased in December 2009 thanks to higher copper in concentrate production, the national statistics bureau INE said. This was despite the country's overall...
Elenilto Secures $1.6bn Western Cluster Deal
Engelinvest Group's unit Elenilto Mineral Mining has secured a 25-year licence to develop the $1.6bn Western Cluster iron ore project in Liberia, one of the world's largest iron ore mining sites. ...
BP Begins Reorganisation on Expectations of Mass Profit Rise
BP has started reorganising its board as it prepares to release its 2009 profits, which analysts say could reflect an increase as high as 80%. On 1 January BP chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg...
Water Will Bring on a Flood of Concern, CEO Says
Consol CEO and president Brett Harvey said that increased regulation of US coal-fired plants could hamper future investment in the industry. Speaking with Reuters, he said government...
Uranium Oxide Sales Bring Profitable Year for Australia’s Energy Resources
Energy Resources of Australia (ERA) recorded double-digit growth in net profit for 2009 due to a sharp rise in uranium oxide sales. The move shows the future prospects for uranium mining...
January 2010
Top
Flood Forces Aurora to Evacuate 800 Workers at SA Mine
Water seepage in two shafts has forced Aurora Empowerment Systems to evacuate 800 workers at its East Rand Mines in South Africa. The South African mining company said 80 million litres of...
Lonmin Q1 2010 Platinum Sales Drop 13.6%
Lonmin, the third-largest platinum producer in the world, recorded a 13.6% drop in platinum sales to 109,044oz for the quarter ending 31 December 2009 compared with 126,202oz in Q1 2009. ...
Australian Mining Sector Voices Concern on New Tax
Australia's mining sector says it is against the nation's proposed resources rent tax, saying it will not only reduce mining profits but also foreign investment in the sector. The proposed...
Major Deals This Week: BHP, Athabasca Potash, Tech Resources, New Gold and More
BHP Billiton signed a definitive agreement with Athabasca Potash this week to purchase all its issued and outstanding common shares for C$341m ($321m) on a fully diluted basis. The...
Global Mining Firms to Face the Heat of Climate Change: Report
Extreme weather events are expected to affect a majority of global mining companies, very few of which have taken action to protect assets from climate change risks, according to an...
Mining Services Get Global Push with BHP and Codelco
BHP and Codelco are working with mining suppliers to develop technologically advanced mining services that can be exported worldwide. Codelco said it wants Chile to export copper as well...
First Quantum Resumes Operations at Zambia Copper Plant
First Quantum Minerals has resumed operations at its Bwana Mkubwa copper SX/EW plant in Zambia. In October 2008 the plant became idle following a shortage of feedstock as ore shipments to...
Field Work Begins at Indonesian Gold Project
Central China Goldfields has started field work at the Indonesia-based Cikoleang gold project. Initial work involves geological mapping of the 19,721-acre field, with a focus on surface...
BHP, Rio Merger Idea Investigated by EC
The European Commission (EC) has started investigations concerning BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto’s proposed merger of iron ore operations in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. ...
India Signs First OS Company Up to Mine Coal
India has had its first coal deal signed with an overseas company – a move that will help the local coal sector develop its exploration potential. Australia's India Resources Limited...
Chinalco Shifts Investment Focus to Copper
Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco) is shifting its investment focus from aluminium to copper to capitalise on the latter's growth potential. Since the beginning of last year, prices...
Ausenco Wins $130m EPC Copper Contract
Ausenco has won an engineering, procurement and construction contract worth $130m to help complete Anvil Mining’s Kinsevere Stage II copper project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). ...
Vale to Resume Nickel Operations in Labrador, Canada
Vale’s Canadian unit Vale Inco will restart nickel mining and milling activities at Canada’s Voisey’s Bay using miners that have not taken part in a United Steelworkers (USW) Strike. The move...
US Debates Environmental Concerns of Surface Mining For Coal
The debate about surface mining has heated up in the US, with environmentalists from West Virginia’s Appalachia region striking a controversial public debate with coal industry...
Newmont Fined for Cyanide Spill in Ghana
Newmont Ghana Gold will pay $4.9m compensation for a cyanide spill at its open pit gold mine in Ghana in late 2008. The compensation will be split among the affected communities, the...
Cyclone Forces MMG to Suspend Loading at Century Mine
A cyclone approaching north Queensland’s Karumba port has forced China Minmetals unit Minerals & Metals Group (MMG) to halt zinc concentrate loading at the Century zinc mine. China...
Escom to Inject $750m in Angola Diamond Sector
Escom Mining will inject $750m in Angola's diamond sector by 2014, adding to a previous investment of $430m since 2001. The investment will bring the total amount injected in Angola to...
BHP, Nippon Set 2010 Copper Fees
BHP Billiton and Japan's Nippon Mining & Metals have reached a consensus on fees for copper processing for 2010. Nippon president Masanori Okada told a mining association news conference...
Australia Considers New Uniform Rent Tax Despite Mining Industry Opposition
Australia is expected to introduce a new uniform national resource tax that will act like a rent on land used for mining projects, replacing the existing royalty tax. Already the tax,...
Copper One Begins Drilling at New Mexico Porphyry Prospect
Copper One has begun drilling activities at its Lone Mountain porphyry copper prospect in New Mexico. Work at the mine is expected to help refine and increase the potential 110 to 160...
Xstrata Revises Estimate for Frieda River Copper-Gold Project
Xstrata Copper has amended the mineral resource estimate for the Horse-Ivaal-Trukai deposit at the Frieda River copper-gold project in Papua New Guinea. The new estimate includes a 26% hike...
Major Deals This Week: Essar, Exeter, Kinross and more
India's Essar Group said it plans to acquire coal mining companies across the world and to take a 100% stake in a UK coal company with assets in Australia for $330m and a 100% stake in a...
China Mining Sector Reports Fall in Fatalities, Mishaps in 2009
China's mining sector recorded a 20% decline in fatalities in 2009 compared to 2008, a drop attributed to the closure of a number of dangerous mines, China’s State Administration of Coal...
Illegal Mining Forces Rand Uranium to Step up Security
Illegal mining activities have forced Rand Uranium to step up security at its underground mining operation to safeguard the mine from vandalism and damage. In recent weeks, several areas of...
OZ Minerals Copper, Gold Output Exceed Estimates
OZ Minerals' copper and gold production rates for its Prominent Hill operation in 2009 have exceeded earlier estimates, spurred by higher milling rates, increased plant utilisation and...
Vale Predicts Record High for Iron as China Stokes the Market
Vale said that its iron ore exports could reach record volumes this year due to a boom in worldwide demand. The Brazil-based miner said strong global demand has been created by a surge...
Firestone to Commence Mining Operations in Botswana
Firestone Diamonds said it will commence commercial mining operations on its B/K11 kimberlite project near Letlhakane Village in Botswana, with production likely to begin by mid 2010 and...
Newmont Boosts Open Pit Operation with New Radio Deal
Newmont Mining has increased radio communications at its Nevada-based open pit gold mine for better traffic management, computer aided dispatch and inventory tracking of its trucks, drills,...
BHP to Invest $240m to Develop Maiden Potash Project
BHP Billiton will invest $240m for the development of its first potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada, the Jansen potash project. The funds will be used for early stage work for...
Oceana's Macraes Mine Increases Gold Reserves
Oceana Gold said that its New Zealand-based Macraes open pit mine has increased its gold reserves by 259,000oz, which will prolong the mine’s life to at least 2016. The total reserves at...
South Africa Will Struggle to Catch Global Mining Sector Boom, Analyst Says
The global mining sector is expected to boom this year but South Africa may not reap as much of the rewards as other parts of the world, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan. Frost...
ArcelorMittal, BHP Commence Talks for Iron Ore Joint Venture
ArcelorMittal and BHP Billiton have started talks on establishing a joint venture (JV) that will merge their iron ore mining assets in Guinea and Liberia. The JV will strengthen...
NAP Sets 50,000t Production Target for Quebec Gold Mine
Canada's North American Palladium (NAP) has set a production target of 50,000t of gold in 2010 for its Sleeping Giant gold mine in the Abitibi region of north-western Quebec. The gold...
BHP to Invest in Caval Ridge Mine
BHP Billiton said it will speed up development of its Caval Ridge coal mine and the Hay Point Coal Terminal Stage 3 expansion in Queensland, Australia, by investing $267m. The development of...
Massey Starts Development of West Virginia Coal Mine
Massey Energy has started development of a metallurgical coal mine at its West Virginia-based Rowland Reserve, which has 56 million tons of low and mid volatile metallurgical coal. Between...
Newmont Halts Work at Indonesian Mine Following Death
Newmont Mining's Indonesian unit PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (PTNNT) halted operations at its Batu Hijau copper and gold mine in Eastern Indonesia's Sumbawa Island following an accident that killed...
China’s Iron Ore Discoveries Topped Five Billion Tons in 2009
China's iron ore discoveries totalled five billion tons in 2009, according to China’s Ministry of Land and Resources. In the Liaoning province more than three billion tons of iron...
John Holland Secures $260m Contract for Queensland Mine
Contracting, engineering and services provider John Holland has won a $260m contract to carry out mine operations at the Isaac Plains coal mine in Queensland, Australia. The work will...
Rio Tinto Hits Record with 49% Hike in Iron Ore Output
Rio Tinto produced 47.23 million tons of iron ore in Q4 2009, setting a new record representing a 49% increase compared to the 31.76 million tons produced in Q4 2008. The rise in iron...
Queensland Warns of 18,000-Strong Skills Gap
Queensland's mining sector could face problems capitalising on the next super cycle of global minerals because of a shortage of skilled personnel and an ageing workforce, according to a...
Xstrata Closes Bulga Mine as Staff Strike over Pay
Xstrata has halted production at an Australian coal mine following industrial action over wage disputes. The Bulga mine in eastern Australia saw a 48hr strike over the weekend. Following...
Major Deals This Week: Antofagasta, Cardero, Adhunik and more
Shares in mining companies rose yesterday following Rio Tinto’s strong fourth quarter production report which proved Chinese demand for iron ore was strong. The mining industry in Canada...
Analysts Put Money Behind Gold High
Gold prices in 2010 are expected to surpass last year's record high of $1,226/oz and could reach $1,300/oz if the economic recovery is not slow and new funds for investment enter the...
Analysts Predict Volatile Metal Prices in 2010
Prices of metals in 2010 are expected to be high and volatile, with a mean price less than the current day level for most metals, according to Raw Materials Group (RMG). The Swedish...
Investor’s Call for More Stable Argentinean Mining Laws
Argentina will have to create a stable and predictable environment around its Mining Investments Law if it wants to promote investment in mining, according to Argentine Chamber of...
Zimbabwean Gold Output Surged in 2009
Zimbabwe's gold output increased to 4.2t last year, representing a 35% hike compared to 3.1t produced in 2008, according to the Chamber of Mines. The hike in output can be attributed to...
Pakistan Threatens to Cancel $3bn Mining Project
Pakistan is threatening to terminate Barrick Gold and Antofagasta's $3bn copper and gold joint venture project in the country’s south-western Baluchistan province. The Tethyan Copper...
Riversdale Receives Approval for Mozambique Coal Mine
Riversdale Mining has received approval from the Mozambican Government to develop an $800m coal mine in the country’s north-west. Mozambique's regulatory authority for the environment,...
TVI Partners with DACON for Canadian Exploration
TVI Pacific's Philippine affiliate has entered into an agreement with DACON to explore, develop and produce minerals in the Greater Canatuan tenement in Canada. TVI Resource...
Zimbabwe Stops Sale of Diamonds from Marange Fields
Zimbabwe has stopped the sale of diamonds from the Marange fields, saying an auction earlier announced was premature and that international supervision would be required before the sale...
Gold Fields Lowers Production Forecast by 2.8%
South Africa-based Gold Fields has decided to lower its production forecast for the second quarter financial year 2010 by 2.8% to 900koz. The company said production stoppages due...
Canadian Miners Ready to Make M&A Moves
Canada's mining sector is set to experience a large rise in merger and acquisition activity this year following a series of contested takeover deals and the escalating price of metals. Banks...
Alcoa Reports $277m Q4 Loss
Aluminium maker Alcoa has reported a $277m net loss in the fourth quarter of 2009, compared to a $1.19bn loss in Q4 2008. A drop in sales in its other non-mining businesses - the gas...
Libya Iron Ore Offers Economic Lifeline
Libya will restart production of iron ore this year, a move expected to encourage development of other sectors once the country reaches political stability. Political instability in Libya in...
Rio Tinto Espionage Case Goes Before Public Prosecutors
The fate of four Shanghai-based Rio Tinto employees accused of bribing officials at Chinese steel mills and obtaining secrets could be undecided until the second half of this year. Rio...
Saracen Begins Gold Mining at Western Australian Dam
Saracen Mineral Holdings has started gold mining activity at its Western Australia-based Carosue Dam gold project with wet commissioning currently underway. The company said it hopes to become...
Australia Calls for Tax Scheme to Keep Geologists in Work
Almost 40% of the 4,000 geologists in Australia are being forced to leave the mining sector due to a lack of demand and because of an absence of a tax scheme for mining investment, according to...
Major Indian Firms to Bid for Afghanistan Mines
Major Indian steel firms are planning to bid for the Hajigak mine in Afghanistan, which is estimated to contain 1.8 billion tons of iron ore deposits, according to mining secretary Vijay Kumar. ...
Newcrest Receives Planning Approval for Massive Underground Mine
Cadia Holdings subsidiary Newcrest Mining has received planning approval for its proposed Cadia East project, which is expected to become Australia's largest underground mining operation. ...
Andes Gold to Start Preliminary Assessment of Tailing Operation
Andes Gold said it will start phase one preliminary assessment of its tailing operation in Ecuador following the accumulation of 5,000t of tailings from several months of output at its...
Galaxy Resources Awards Equipment Contract to Orionstone
Galaxy Resources has awarded a contract to Eastern Goldfields mining contractor Orionstone for the Mt Cattlin Spodumene Project near Ravensthorpe in Western Australia. Under the...
Perseus Receives Two Leases for Ghana Gold Project
Perseus Mining has received two 15-year mining leases for the Ghana-based Central Ashanti Gold Project (CAGP). Following approval of the leases the project, which spans 93sqkm and was...
CONSOL, Green Holdings Work on Coal Mine Ventilation
CONSOL Energy has joined forces with Green Holdings Enlow to develop the biggest ventilation air methane (VAM) emission abatement project in the US at CONSOL’s Enlow Fork coal mine in...
Major Deals this Week – China Railway Materials, IMX Resources, Gentor and More
China Railway Materials Commercial (CRM) has entered into a conditional strategic agreement with African Minerals (AML) to acquire a 12.5% stake in the company for $244m (£152.6m). Pursuant...
Chinese Officials Lose Jobs over Fatal Coal Mine Fire
A fire at a coal mine in China's Xiangtan County in Hunan province on Tuesday this week led to the death of 25 miners and has left three trapped. Nearly 43 workers managed to escape from...
Codelco Chuquicamata Miners End Strike
Miners at Codelco's Chile-based Chuquicamata copper mine called off their strike over pay on 6 January 2010 and returned to work, with mine operations resuming. The Codelco miners went on...
Canadian Mining to Proceed with Bullard Drill Programme
Canadian Mining said it will proceed further with its proposed 5,000ft drill programme at its Arizona-based Bullard Pass gold project after receiving the required permits. O'Hara,...
Petra Resumes Operations at Koffiefontein Mine
Petra Diamonds has resumed operations at the South Africa-based Koffiefontein mine after underground operations were suspended following the death of a miner on 3 January. The...
NovaGold Plans to Put Galore Creek Gold Project on the Map Again
NovaGold Resources said it will issue a new mine proposal for its 50%-owned Galore Creek project in British Columbia by the end of the first quarter this year. The Galore Creek...
Teck Resources Offers Positive Forecast for Antamina Mine
Teck Resources said expansion at the Compania Minera Antamina-owned copper-zinc mine will help raise ore throughput by 38% a day to 130,000t and copper and zinc output per annum by...
Equipment Demand Pushes Bucyrus Worth Up
Demand for mining equipment has seen Barclays Capital upgrade its earnings forecast and share price target for Bucyrus International. The mining equipment company doubled its market...
DAO Unearths Gold Bearing Zones in Mongolia
DAO Mining has uncovered two gold bearing vein zones at its Gutain Davaa mine in Mongolia following exploration at the site. The mine, which has achieved full throughput in the last month,...
Thiess Secures $126.47m Coal Mine Contract for Australian Power Supply
Leighton subsidiary Thiess has secured a $126.47m one-year contract extension at the Queensland-based Tarong coal project's Meandu mine. Thiess, which originally secured the contract in...
Angola Signs for Diamond Project with IGE
Sweden's International Gold Exploration (IGE) has established a joint venture with Angola's national diamond company Empresa de Diamantes de Angola for IGE's diamond project in Luxinge, Angola. ...
US Mining Sector Reports Lower Fatality Levels
According to the Mining Health and Safety Administration (MSHA), the US mining sector reported lower fatality levels in 2009 due to stricter mining health and safety regulations. In 2009,...
Codelco's Chuquicamata Miners Commence Strike
Miners at Codelco’s Chilean Chuquicamata copper mine have commenced a strike after rejecting the company's new 36-month contract, which includes an increased wage rise. Codelco's offer...
Ironclad Mining to Fast-Track Wilcherry Hill Production
Ironclad Mining said it will hasten production of iron ore at its South Australia-based Wilcherry Hill project to capitalise on strong international markets for the commodity. By the end of...
Filipino Mining Projects to Begin Operations on Rising Metal Prices
Five mining projects valued at $185m are likely to begin operations in the Philippines during the first quarter of 2010 to capitalise on escalating global metals prices. The four direct...
Fortescue Wins Court Case Against ASIC
Fortescue Metals has emerged a winner in a court case filed by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC), which claimed the company misled stakeholders. ASIC filed a...
Jinshan, Monnis Sign MoU for Gold Exploration
Jinshan Gold Mines and Monnis International have signed a memorandum of understanding for joint gold exploration and development in Mongolia. Jinshan will own a 51% equity stake, while...
Rio's Yandicoogina Mine Achieves Production Milestone
Rio Tinto's Australia-based iron ore mine Yandicoogina has achieved a milestone by producing 50 million tonnes per annum for the first time on 29 December 2009. The mine, which was launched...
Codelco Miners to Begin Strike after Failing to Reach Consensus
Miners at Codelco's Chile-based Chuquicamata mine are expected to begin a strike for the first time in 13 years after they failed to reach an agreement on bonuses. Codelco miners have...
December 2009
Top
Northwest Backs Out of Firstgold Purchase
China-based Northwest Non Ferrous International Investment said it will withdraw from a $26.5m deal to acquire 51% stake in gold junior Firstgold, following US protests against the...
Benguet, Hunter Search Philippines for Copper and Gold
Benguet Corporation and Canada's Hunter Dickinson entered into a partnership agreement for a copper and gold mining venture in Luzon, Philippines. Under the agreement, Benguet will explore...
Queensland University Eyes Mining’s Future
CQUniversity Australia (CQU) in Queensland said it is helping build central Queensland's resources sector by providing key skills in partnership with the Queensland Resources Council. CQU...
Mali Sets 2010 Gold Production Target
Mali has set its gold production target for 2010 at 52.4t, which will help the country earn $277m (CFA130bn) during the year, a Ministry of Mines official said. Mines and Geology...
Bucyrus to Buy Terex Mining Equipment
Bucyrus has agreed to acquire Terex Corporation's mining equipment business for $1.3bn. The acquisition includes Terex's subsidiaries and assets used to design, produce and sell...
Resolution Copper Nears Arizona Mine Development
Resolution Copper's proposal to build a huge domestic copper source in Arizona's protected forests is close to realisation. Rio Tinto's Phoenix-based subsidiary received legislation...
Australian Mines Raises Capital for Gold Mine
Australian Mines has raised capital for definition and extension drilling of the Mt Martin gold mine, 40km from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. The gold mine, which has historically...
Suek Plan Could Kick off Mine Listings
Plans for a $9bn listing of Siberian Coal Energy Company (Suek) could trigger other mine listings, according to UK newspaper The Independent. The listing on the London Stock Exchange has...
AIM Mining Firms Raise $1.3bn
Mining firms listed on London's Alternative Investment Market (AIM) have raised $1.3bn for the first 11 months of 2009, according to Ernst & Young (E&Y). The amount represents a...
Rio Tinto Holds on to Northparkes
Rio Tinto has scrapped plans to divest its Australia-based Northparkes copper and gold mine following a rise in copper prices. The company told Bloomberg the copper and gold mine has...
Groupe ONA Wins Gabon Gold Mining License
Morocco's Groupe ONA's unit in Gabon has won a license to mine gold in the West African country. Groupe ONA's general manager in charge of precious metals Youssef El Hajjian said...
Aurubis Foresees Improved Copper Performance in 2010
European copper producer Aurubis says it foresees an increase in earnings next year following a higher than anticipated operating profit for the past year. Company earnings before tax in...
Australian Iron Ore Port Closes Following Cyclone
A cyclone that hit Australia's north-west coastline has caused the closure of the country's Port Hedland iron ore export terminal and halted operations at Newmont Mining’s Telfer gold mine. ...
Australian Coal Project Could Require Rail and Port Link
Australian iron ore prospector Hancock Prospecting says it plans to develop two mines at Alpha and Kevin's Corner in the Galilee Basin and a 500km rail line to port facilities. ...
Alumina to Contribute $120m for Saudi Aluminium Project
Alumina says it will contribute $120m to a Saudi Arabia-based $10.8bn aluminium project, which will be developed by Alumina's joint venture partner Alcoa and Saudi Arabian Mining. The...
Weatherly Unveils Plan to Resume Underground Mine Operations
Weatherly has unveiled a five-year mine plan for its operations at its Otjihase and Matchless underground mines near the Namibian capital Windhoek. Late last year the mines were put under...
South Australian Treasurer Approves Kanmantoo Copper-Gold Mine
South Australia Treasurer Kevin Foley has approved the development of the $130m Kanmantoo copper-gold mine in Australia. Australia's Hillgrove Resources will operate the mine, which is 55km...
Novadx Receives Surface Coal Mining Permit
Novadx Ventures has obtained approval from the Alabama Surface Mining Commission to carry out surface coal mining activities at the Rosa Coal Mine in Blount County in Northern...
MMX to Spend $1.2bn Increasing Output
Brazil's MMX will more than triple its iron ore output capacity by 2015 through a $1.2bn investment. The company will achieve an annual production capacity of 33.7 million tonnes compared to...
Rio Tinto Awards $200m Iron Ore Contract to Indigenous JV
Rio Tinto has awarded a $200m contract for developing, mining and transporting iron ore to a joint venture between native title holders the Eastern Guruma and mining services company NRW. ...
Major Deals This Week
Newmont Mining subsidiary Newmont Indonesia and Sumitomo affiliate Nusa Tenggara Mining have completed the $247m sale of their 7% stake of PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara to PT Multi Daerah Bersaing....
Daleco Gets Approval for Open Clay Mine
Daleco has obtained regulatory approval for its Sierra Kaolin Open Clay Mine on the Southerner Federal Mining Claim in Sierra County, New Mexico. The USDA Forest Service has approved...
Rio Tinto Sells First Iron Ore to India
Rio Tinto says it will sell its first iron ore to India with a 160,000t shipment expected to arrive in India this month. In late December the cargo will be loaded onto the Genco Claudius ship...
Jaguar's Cascaronal Extraction Begins 2010
Jaguar Mining said that iron ore extraction activities at its Cascaronal Mine in Mexico is expected to begin on 19 January 2010. Jaguar has teamed up with a local company to start...
Xstrata Begins Sudbury Contract Talks
Xstrata has commenced contract negotiations with miners at its Sudbury, Ontario-based nickel operations before the 31 January 2010 deadline for contract terminations. Xstrata spokesman...
CNMC Confirms LCM Restart
China Nonferrous Metal Mining Company (CNMC), owner of the Luanshya Copper Mine (LCM), has confirmed that LCM has restarted copper production. The mine was placed under care and maintenance...
Vale Predicts Iron Ore Price Hike
Prices of iron ore are likely to increase next year, underpinned by China's escalating demand, Brazil mining company Vale said. Vale chief executive Roger Agnelli said it would be a...
Strikes Hit Mexico's Mining Sector
Mexico's mining sector has lost more than $3.2bn in metals production due to strikes and has seen year-on-year investment drop by 26% to $2.7bn in 2009, the Mining Chamber of Mexico...
Development of Nullagine Iron Project to Begin in 2010
BC Iron and Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) will start development of the Nullagine iron ore project in Australia's East Pilbara region after successful results from its final test pit...
Mitsui Resumes Operations at Peruvian Zinc Mine
Japan's Mitsui Mining & Smelting has resumed operations at its Peru-based Pallca zinc mine following an increase in demand and strengthening metal prices. Mitsui spokesman Yushi Sugiura...
Mongolia Keen on IPOs for Mineral Assets
Mongolia is seeking IPOs for its state-owned mineral assets in New York, London, Hong Kong and other international stock exchanges so it can boost its revenue from natural resources. ...
Turkish Coal Mine Explosion Kills 19 Miners
A blast at a coal mine in Mustafakemalpasa town in the north-west province of Bursa, Turkey, triggered a collapse in the underground chamber, killing 19 miners. Labour minister Omer Dincer...
ASARCO Pay Out Biggest Environmental Bankruptcy
American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO) has paid $1.79bn to the US Government for the environmental clean-up and restoration of land contaminated at various mining sites. The...
Chief Consolidated to Resume Mining at Eureka
Chief Consolidated Mining plans to resume mining at a zinc, lead and silver deposit at Eureka in the US state of Utah after initial drilling of core samples is completed. Chief...
China Discovers One Billion-Tonne Iron Deposit
China has discovered a one billion-tonne iron ore deposit, said to be the biggest find of the mineral in the country since the 1980s, which lies 100 to 600m underground in Hebei province. ...
Australia Keeps an Eye on Foreign Mine Investment
Australia will continue to scrutinise overseas investment in the mining sector, with a particular focus on transactions that can help investors gain control over production and pricing of...
Newmont to Decide on Second Ghana Mine Next Year
Newmont Mining says it will make a decision on the development of a second mine in Ghana by the middle of next year. Newmont regional senior vice-president for Africa Jeff Huspeni...
Zambia Decides Against New Mining Tax
Zambia has decided not to relaunch a 25% mining windfall tax, a move that will see it continue imposing existing mining taxes over the long term. Zambia Finance Minister Situmbeko...
Zimbabwe Cracks Down on Illegal Miners
Zimbabwe has ordered South Africa's Mbada Diamond Mining and Canadile Miners to stop work after they were found to have exploited Marange diamond fields without an environmental impact clearance. ...
Vedanta to Launch Copper Treatment Facility at Zambia Unit
Vedanta Resources will launch a copper treatment facility at its Zambia-based Konkola Copper Mine Nchanga unit to raise output. The project involves the development of a granulated slag dump...
De Beers Suspends Output at S African Diamond Mine
De Beers has decided to halt production at its Namaqualand diamond mine in South Africa in the first quarter following a decline in demand for diamonds. The South African diamond producer...
Mountaintop Mining Regulation to Stay Same for Now
The US head for the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement Joe Pizarchik has adopted a wait-and-see approach to regulation of mountaintop removal mining and will not implement...
Codelco Mine Strike to Hit Output
An indefinite union workers' strike that has halted mining activities at Codelco's Chuquicamata mine complex in Chile will affect its overall output, the company said. The protest started...
DMC Starts Congo Iron Ore Project
Australia's DMC Mining has started drilling at its 80%-owned Mayoko Iron Ore Project in the Republic of the Congo. The company has started a stage 1 diamond drill programme to test the...
Formation to Start Work on Idaho Cobalt Mine
Canada's Formation Metals will begin construction at its 100%-owned Idaho cobalt mine in three stages from January 2010, after gaining approval from the US Forest Department. Planned...
Goedgevonden Signs 17-year Coal Supply Deal with Eskom
The Goedgevonden Colliery in Africa, a joint venture between Xstrata and ARM Coal, has signed a 17-year coal supply agreement with the power utility Eskom. Goedgevonden will supply about...
Freeport's Congo Mine Strike Not Affecting Tenke Output
A strike at Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold's Tenke Fungurume copper and cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo has not affected production, according to the company. Company...
Major Deals this Week - Chinese Miners Spend Big
Resource-hungry Chinese miners lead the week with a series of acquisitions. Yanzhou Coal Mining, China's fourth-biggest coal producer, obtained the Australian Government securities...
Uzhuralzoloto to Up Gold Ore Processing
Russia's OAO Uzhuralzoloto Group will process lean ores from its mines in West Kurosan to produce ore with gold content as low as 1gm/t as part of its strategy to augment ore processing volumes...
Ivanhoe to Start Mongolian Copper-Gold Mining Complex
Ivanhoe Mines will begin full-scale construction of its copper-gold mining operation at Oyu Tolgoi Mining Complex in southern Mongolia with an approved budget of $758m for 2010. The...
Washington Resources Starts Second Round Drilling at S African Mine
Washington Resources has commenced the second round of drilling at Moonlight iron ore prospect in the Limpopo region of South Africa, with the results of first assay expected in mid-January. ...
Xstrata Ceases Operations at Kidd Metallurgical Plants
Xstrata Copper Canada says it will shut down its copper and zinc metallurgical plants at the Kidd Metallurgical site in Timmins, Ontario, on 1 May 2010 as part of its Canadian ...
Blackfire Mine to Close After Mexico Mine Arrests
Three workers of Canadian Mining firm Blackfire Exploration have been arrested by Mexican authorities in connection with the alleged murder on 27 November of an anti-mining activist. ...
Storeham Grants Extension to Start Marudi Gold Mine
The delayed Marudi Mountain Gold Mine in Guyana is scheduled to begin operations by February 2010 following an extension granted by Storeham Resources. The mine has witnessed delays due to...
Centerra Gold Announces Additional Reserves at Kyrgyzstan Mine
Canada's Centerra Gold said 1.3 million ounces of gold reserves have been added at the Kumtor mine in the Issyk Kul Province of Kyrgyzstan. Proven and probable mineral reserves at the...
Kopane Announces Increased Resource Grade at Lesotho Mine
Kopane Diamond Developments has announced an increased resource grade of 34.3 carats per hundred tonnes at its Main Pipe at Liqhobong in the Kingdom of Lesotho, Southern Africa. The...
Philippine Coal Mine Explosion Kills One, Injures Four
A coal mine gas blast in the town of Imelda in Zamboanga province, southern Philippines, caused the death of a worker and injured four others on 3 December. The blast occurred inside a...
BHP, Rio Tinto Form Iron Ore JV for Western Australia Projects
BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto have signed a binding agreement to form a $116bn joint venture to work on their iron ore assets in Western Australia. Work will be shared equally and will cover...
Yukon-Nevada Enters into Mining Pact with SMD
Yukon-Nevada Gold has entered into a mining pact with Small Mine Developers (SMD) to restart underground mining at Jerritt Canyon in Nevada, US. SMD's scope of work as a contract miner for...
Zambian Government Overturns Chinese Ownership Decisions
The Luanshya copper mines in Zambia will restart full capacity operations on 22 December, according to Chinese Ambassador to Zambia Li Quiangmin. The mines closed following opposition to...
BHP Sells Ravensthorpe Mine
BHP Billiton will sell its West Australian Ravensthorpe nickel mine for $340m to First Quantum Minerals. The Vancouver-based African copper producer said it will restart operations at the...
Felix Shareholders Welcome Yanzhou Coal Deal
Felix Resources has received the go-ahead from shareholders for a takeover by Yanzhou Coal Mining, the Chinese firm that has offered $3.2bn for the Australian miner. The Chinese Government...
Gabon Predicts Manganese Output Recovery in 2010
Gabon's manganese production is expected to rebound to around three million tons next year as the country aims to expand its mining sector through the exploitation of gold, uranium, iron ore...
Mining Sector Investment Up, Says E&Y
Miners have found it easier to raise funds through secondary issues in the third quarter of 2009 compared with the same period in 2008, according to Ernst & Young's Mining Eye Q3 2009 report. ...
Junior Miners Continue to Face Funding Problems, E&Y Reports
Junior mining companies listed on London Stock Exchange's AIM continued to face funding problems in the third quarter with the more major exploration companies attracting the investment,...
Xstrata Extends Ernest Henry Mine Life to 2024
Xstrata has received corporate approvals for $542m of investment to increase the life of its Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) operations in north-west Queensland, Australia, to at least 2024. ...
Republic Gold Signs Deal with Bolivia for El Mutun Iron Project
Republic Gold has signed a letter of intent with the Bolivian Government to jointly explore the El Mutun iron ore project. The agreement with the Department of Santa Cruz in Bolivia allows...
Canada's Rio Alto to Begin Peru Copper Project in 2010
Rio Alto Mining will begin construction work at its La Arena copper and gold project in the northern region of La Libertad, Peru, mid-2010 with production scheduled to commence by the end of...
Namibia Creates State-Owned Firm for Exploration and Mining
Namibia has formed a state-owned company that will be launched this month which will play an active role in the nation's exploration and mining of gold, diamonds, copper, uranium and...
Sparton to Evaluate Vanadium Operations in China
Sparton will undertake a technical and commercial review of the vanadium development programme in the Jiangxi province of China with a specific emphasis on vanadium operations by Jiangxi...
Palabora to Decrease Production by 15% for Repairs
Palabora Mining says it plans to decrease output by 15% until 15 December because of repair work being carried out at its copper facility. The South African copper producer said on 25...
Construction Contract Awarded for Karara Iron Project
Gindalbie Metals has awarded a A$70m contract to Doric Constructions for the build of the main camp at its Karara iron ore project in Australia, a joint venture with Anshan Iron and Steel...
Hope Lost for Chinese Miners Trapped in Flood
A Chinese coal mine plagued by floods is still suffering an inflow of water, leaving little or no chance of survival for the 16 miners trapped there, according to reports. The Zhonge Coal...
Harmony Gold Suspends Operations at Mine Following Death
Harmony Gold Mining has halted production at its South Africa-based Merriespruit 3 shaft following the death of a miner due to a tramming mishap at the mine. The accident follows the death...
Kerman Awarded Contracts for BHP's Pilbara Project
BHP Billiton Iron Ore has awarded two contracts worth $58m to Kerman Contracting for its Rapid Growth Project 5 in the Pilbara region of Australia. Under the first contract, Kerman will...
New Round of Drilling Begins at Lincoln's Gum Flat Project
An expanded drilling programme has started at Lincoln Minerals Gum Flat iron ore project in the southern Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. On the Barns Prospect, a parallel reverse...
Deal Negotiations Dominate Mining Sector in Q3 2009: E&Y
Deal talks for joint ventures, offtake agreements, and commencement and conclusion of mergers and acquisitions dominated activity in the AIM mining sector in the third quarter of 2009, according...
Major Deals This Week – Zijin, Xstrata, Wuhan, De Beers and More
In mining business this week, Zijin Mining made its presence known by creating a bigger stamp in the international mining space. Zijin implemented its cash takeover bid for all of...
China to Prosecute Dozens of Officials over Mine Accident
China plans to prosecute dozens of officials and ten journalists regarding a cover up of an accident that occurred at an illegal mine in Yuxian in Hebei Province of China. The mining...
First Quantum to Develop Finland Nickel Copper Project
First Quantum Minerals will develop the $400m Kevitsa nickel-copper-PGE project in north Finland following approval by the board. The project has a mineral reserves estimate of 107.5...
FLSmidth Secures $30m Mining Equipment Contract
FLSmidth has secured a $30m contract to supply mining equipment to Minera Chinalco Peru’s Toromocho copper mine in the Morococha mining district. Under the contract, FLSmidth will be...
Fox to Return to Nickel and Copper Output at Australian Mine
Fox Resources is once again going to look towards nickel and copper output at its Radio Hill mine in Western Australia's Pilbara region, developing a cost-effective, eco-friendly base metals...
NTPC to Acquire Two Indonesian Coal Mines
Indian power generator NTPC plans to purchase two Indonesian coal mines to ensure secure fuel supplies for its plants, which are experiencing a severe coal shortage. Cost, size, and...
Antamina Reaches Wage Agreement with Workers
Peru's Cia Minera Antamina has signed a three-year wage contract with its miners to prevent a strike at one of the world's biggest copper and zinc mines. Negotiations over wages have been...
Fortescue Could Spend Big on Cloudbreak Mine Expansion
Fortescue Metals Group could spend $2.6bn on extending its Western Australia-based Cloudbreak mine. Citigroup analyst Clarke Wilkins told news service Bloomberg the iron ore producer...
GMC Searches for Tantalum as Rwanda Taps into Resource
Gatumba Mining Concessions (GMC) will help expand Rwanda's emerging mining sector by investing $2.5m and developing ten small processing plants over five years. The efforts follow a...
Australia Regains Second Position in Global Gold Production
Australia has reclaimed second position in global gold production in the initial half of 2009 with 112t of gold. It is also likely to sustain the position until the end of the year. ...
India Starts Work on Mineral Development Fund
The Indian Government has started work on a mineral development fund that will encourage scientific mining practices in the country. The fund involves levying a maximum of 10% cess on...
China Suffers Another Mine Accident
A flood at Zhonghe coal mine near Meihekou City, in China's Jilin province, trapped 16 miners last week, according to China's State Administration of Work Safety. One worker has been...
Debswana Extends Damtshaa Mine Closure
Debswana will prolong the closure of the Damtshaa diamond mine until the end of next year because of uncertainty in the sector. Debswana MD Blackie Marole said the company agreed to prolong...
Shandong Gold to Acquire Exploration Right in China
Shandong Gold Mining will acquire a geological exploration right in the Sanshandao gold mining area in Laizhou City, north China's Shandong Province, from its parent company Shandong Gold Group...