Barrick Gold Corporation – Page 9

Gold price boosts Barrick profit as miner eyes copper deals – by Arundhati Sarkar, Zandi Shabalala and Helen Reid (Reuters U.S. – May 6, 2020)

May 7, 2020

https://www.reuters.com/

(Reuters) – Barrick Gold Corp (ABX.TO) (GOLD.N) reported a nearly 55% rise in quarterly profit on Wednesday as gold prices surged, bolstering its ability to snap up mines including in copper, its chief executive said.

Investors’ anxiety about a global economy brought to its knees by the coronavirus pandemic has boosted “safe-haven” gold XAU= by 12% so far this year, while copper CMCU3, seen as a bellwether for economic growth, is down about 15%.

Barrick CEO Mark Bristow has previously said the world’s No. 2 gold miner aims to increase its exposure to copper because of its expected higher use in electrification. He added on Wednesday the relative price performance between copper and gold made deals more attractive.

Zijin warns Papua New Guinea of China anger over end of gold mine lease – by Tom Westbrook and Tom Daly (Reuters U.S. – April 29, 2020)

April 29, 2020

https://www.reuters.com/

SINGAPORE/BEIJING, April 29 (Reuters) – China’s Zijin Mining has warned Papua New Guinea that its failure to renew the lease of a gold mine it jointly owns with Barrick Gold Corp there could damage bilateral relations.

Papua New Guinea on Friday said it would not renew a 20-year mining lease at its Porgera gold mine, citing environmental damage and social unrest even as gold prices have soared to more than seven-year highs.

Barrick (Niugini) Limited (BNL), the local venture in which both miners have a 47.5% stake, suspended operations on Saturday, saying the government had not given it formal notification that it would not renew the lease, or any details of a planned transition.

Papua New Guinea lashes out at Barrick for halting Porgera – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – April 28, 2020)

April 28, 2020

https://www.mining.com/

Papua New Guinea is threatening to take immediate control of Barrick Gold’s (TSX: ABX) (NYSE: GOLD) Porgera mine after the company’s local unit halted operations over the weekend following news that the mining lease would not be renewed.

Barrick, the world’s second largest gold miners, and its joint venture partner, China’s Zijin Mining, had applied in June 2017 for a twenty-year renewal of the mine lease, which expired in August.

Since then, the company has faced backlash from landowners and residents over what they claim are negative social, environmental and economic impacts from the mine.

Barrick says PNG’s Porgera decision is tantamount to nationalisation – by Mariaan Webb (MiningWeekly.com – April 24, 2020)

April 24, 2020

https://www.miningweekly.com/

Global miner Barrick Gold will challenge Papua New Guinea’s decision not to extend its special mining lease (SML) for the Porgera gold mine, saying the move is tantamount to nationalisation.

Prime Minister James Marape on Friday announced that Papua New Guinea had refused an application to extend mining at Porgera, citing alleged environmental and resettlement issues.

Barrick, led by president and CEO Mark Bristow, said it remained willing to discuss the matter with Marape and his government in the hope of averting what it described as a “catastrophic situation for the communities at Porgera and in Enga, and for the country as a whole”.

Papua New Guinea snatches Barrick Gold’s Porgera mine – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – April 24, 2020)

April 24, 2020

https://www.mining.com/

Papua New Guinea is set to take control of Barrick Gold’s (TSX: ABX) (NYSE: GOLD) Porgera mine after refusing to extend the company’s lease on environmental and social grounds, Prime Minister James Marape said on Friday.

“In the best interests of the state, especially in lieu of the environmental damages, claims and resettlements issues, the Special Mining Lease will not be renewed,” Marape said.

The decision comes nine months after the mining lease expired. During that time, the world’s second largest gold miner has faced backlash from landowners and residents over what they claim are negative social, environmental and economic impacts from the mine.

Barrick to invest $10 million in Dominican-focused Precipitate Gold – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – April 14, 2020)

April 14, 2020

https://www.mining.com/

Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX) (NYSE: GOLD) has inked an earn-in agreement with Precipitate Gold (TSX-V: PRG) that gives it the right to earn a 70% stake in the junior’s Pueblo Grande project, located right next to the gold giant’s Pueblo Viejo mine in the Dominican Republic.

To earn the set interest, the world’s second largest gold producer will have to invest a minimum of $10 million in exploration and deliver a pre-feasibility study within six years of the agreement.

As part of the deal, Barrick has also agreed to subscribe for $1 million (Cdn$ 1.39m) of Precipitate’s common shares in a private placement, the Vancouver-based junior miner said in a separate statement.

Coronavirus to fuel gold-miner deals: Barrick Gold CEO – by Jonathan Garber (Fox Business – April 7, 2020)

April 7, 2020

https://www.foxbusiness.com/

The COVID-19 pandemic could lead to a flurry of deals in the gold mining industry, according to Barrick Gold CEO Mark Bristow.

The pandemic has caused some miners to put operations on care and maintenance, shrinking gold supplies. At the same time, major central banks and governments have been injecting cash into their economies, devaluing their currencies and spiking interest in gold, a traditional safe haven.

“There’s a real opportunity that there might be some acquisition options coming out of this,” Bristow told FOX Business. “We’re certainly keeping very busy looking at those options.”

Barrick progressing towards modern miner goal – by Simone Liedtke (MiningWeekly.com – April 6, 2020)

April 6, 2020

https://www.miningweekly.com/

Following its merger with Randgold Resources, NYSE- and TSX-listed Barrick Gold has made progress towards its goal of being a modern mining business, according to executive chairperson John Thornton in the company’s information circular for 2020 published on April 6.

The circular follows the recent publication of Barrick’s 2019 annual report, in which president and CE Mark Bristow said the work done during the past year had equipped management well to take Barrick to the next level.

Included in the report is Barrick’s ten-year production plan which projects production of around five-million ounces of gold a year over the next decade.

Barrick unveils 10-year plan to become world’s most valued gold miner – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – March 26, 2020)

March 27, 2020

https://www.mining.com/

Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX) (NYSE: GOLD), the world’s second largest gold miner, has unveiled a 10-year production plan aimed at becoming the most valued bullion company.

The strategy, outlined in its first annual report since its merger with Randgold Resources, includes boosting Barrick’s production to about 5 million ounces of gold a year, with the bulk coming from its North American operations.

President and chief executive officer, Mark Bristow, said Nevada Gold Mines — its recent joint venture with Newmont (NYSE: NEM) — would be the “value foundation” of its business moving forward.

Barrick Gold extends life of Argentina mine (Resource World – March 17, 2020)

March 18, 2020

https://resourceworld.com/

Barrick Gold Corp. [ABX-TSX; GOLD-NYSE] President and CEO Mark Bristow said the life of Barrick’s Veladero gold mine in Argentina has been extended to at least 10 years following a comprehensive review of the company’s strategy and business plan.

Bristow made the comments while briefing an Argentinian audience of local media, government authorities and local business and community leaders about the mine’s progress from Barrick’s offices in Chile. The briefing was broadcast via a video conference to comply with Covid-19 related travel restrictions imposed by Argentina.

“Our review included the reinterpretation of the mine’s geology and an ongoing infill drilling campaign,” Bristow said. “We established exploration and resource management teams to identify satellite orebodies with the potential to deliver an increase in resources and reserves,” he said. “Our aim is to extend Veladero’s life-of-mine beyond 2030 and elevate it to a Tier One asset.”

Australian mine contractor moves into Hemlo – by Staff (Northern Ontario Business – March 9, 2020)

March 12, 2020

https://www.northernontariobusiness.com/

Western Australian mining interests have been steadily scooping up gold exploration properties in northwestern Ontario. One company is mobilizing to run an underground gold mine in the region. Perth-headquartered Barminco has signed a letter of intent with Barrick to provide underground contract mining at its Hemlo Mine, near Marathon.

Barminco bills itself as one of the world’s largest hard rock underground mining services companies in the world with operations in Australia, Asia and Africa. This would be the company’s first foray into Canada, starting in April.

Under the three-year, $200-million mining services contract, Barminco’s scope of work would involve mine development, production and haulage, and using mine equipment provided by Barrick.

Barrick issues cease and desist notice to AJN over Kibali stake purchase – by Hereward Holland, Jeff Lewis and Helen Reid (Reuters Canada – February 26, 2020)

February 26, 2020

https://ca.reuters.com/

KINSHASA/TORONTO/JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Barrick Gold, the operator of Congo’s biggest gold mine, has issued a cease and desist notice to junior miner AJN Resources as it moves to block its acquisition of a 10% stake in the project, which it says the deal undervalues.

Barrick and AngloGold Ashanti, which each own 45% of the Kibali mine, said they had not been consulted about the acquisition even though the stake’s owner Societe Miniere de Kilo-Moto (SOKIMO) may not transfer or sell its Kibali shares without their approval.

The two companies and the chair of state-owned SOKIMO say AJN’s planned acquisition was prematurely announced to the market, without notifying stakeholders or securing approval from SOKIMO’s board.

Freeport’s Adkerson does not want to sell Grasberg mine to Barrick – by Jeff Lewis (Reuters U.S. – February 24, 2020)

February 25, 2020

https://www.reuters.com/

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. (Reuters) – Freeport McMoRan Inc (FCX.N) is not interested in selling its Grasberg copper and gold mine in Indonesia, Chief Executive Richard Adkerson said on Monday, tamping down speculation of a deal with Canadian miner Barrick Gold Corp (ABX.TO).

Barrick CEO Mark Bristow in recent weeks has expressed interest in buying Grasberg. Earlier this month Bristow said he sees no competition for the asset from global or state-backed Chinese miners.

That back and forth from two of the mining industry’s most-powerful executives comes as investors are expecting a wave of buyouts this year, especially for copper assets.

M&A deals reshape Canadian mining landscape – by Kelsey Rolfe (Northern Miner – February 19, 2020)

February 20, 2020

https://www.northernminer.com/

The flurry of M&A transactions last year brought a much-awaited consolidation of the global gold sector. It also brought significant changes to the Canadian mining landscape:

Newmont’s (NYSE: NEM) takeover of Goldcorp wiped a major Canadian firm off the board, and Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX; NYSE: GOLD), while still Canadian, has undeniably shifted its focus away from the country, with few executives remaining in its Toronto headquarters and only one Canadian mine.

Those headline-making deals have prompted concerns that Canada’s influence in the global gold mining sector is waning. Franco-Nevada (TSX: FNV; NYSE: FNV) Chairman Pierre Lassonde said in an interview with BNN Bloomberg in January 2019 that Barrick’s smaller footprint in Canada was the same kind of diminishment of the country’s mining sector that Barrick founder Peter Munk had decried.