Twitter

Europe Mining

Europe has avoided energy collapse. But is the crisis over? – by David McHugh (Associated Press -January 10, 2023)

https://apnews.com/

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Europe has dodged an energy apocalypse this winter, economists and officials say, thanks to unusually warm weather and efforts to find other sources of natural gas after Russia cut off most of its supply to the continent.

Natural gas suppliers in recent days have increased their stocks at a time when they’re usually being drawn down — an unexpected boost that has relieved fears of gas used to heat homes, generate electricity and power factories running out by winter’s end.

Read more

Mystery of why Roman buildings have survived so long has been unraveled, scientists say – by Katie Hunt (CNN.com – January 9, 2023)

https://www.cnn.com/

The majestic structures of ancient Rome have survived for millennia — a testament to the ingenuity of Roman engineers, who perfected the use of concrete. But how did their construction materials help keep colossal buildings like the Pantheon (which has the world’s largest unreinforced dome) and the Colosseum standing for more than 2,000 years?

Roman concrete, in many cases, has proven to be longer-lasting than its modern equivalent, which can deteriorate within decades. Now, scientists behind a new study say they have uncovered the mystery ingredient that allowed the Romans to make their construction material so durable and build elaborate structures in challenging places such as docks, sewers and earthquake zones.

Read more

The View from England: When copper production was dominated by the Welsh -by Chris Hinde (Northern Miner – January 5, 2023)

https://www.northernminer.com/

The U.K. no longer springs to mind as a mining giant, but we used to have a dominant role in the global industry. The extraction of non-ferrous metals on these islands, particularly copper and tin, dates back to before 2000 BC, and surface workings for coal and iron ore were widespread after the beginning of the Iron Age around 750 BC. This mineral wealth was one of the things that attracted the attention of Rome.

The nation’s mining history comes to mind with the recent news (courtesy of the ‘North Wales Live’ website) that after 37 years of clearance work, volunteers are nearing their goal of breaking through to an unexplored section of Llandudno’s Ty Gwyn copper mine.

Read more

Lützerath: German coal mine stand off amid Ukraine war energy crunch – by Jenny Hill (BBC News – January 8, 2023)

https://www.bbc.com/

From her tiny wooden treehouse, which sways precariously in the winter wind, a young woman watches an enormous mechanical digger tear into the earth below, its jaws edging ever closer to the village which she’s determined to save.

Lützerath, in western Germany, is on the verge – literally – of being swallowed up by the massive coal mine on its doorstep. Around 200 climate change activists, who are now all that stand in the way of the diggers expanding the Garzweiler opencast mine, have been warned that if they don’t leave by Tuesday they’ll be forcibly evicted.

Read more

The view from England: Coal mine approval a seasonal gift from UK government – by Chris Hinde (Northern Miner – December 2022)

https://www.northernminer.com/

Gifts have been exchanged in England during December since before the building of Stonehenge 5,000 years ago. Back then our Neolithic ancestors were celebrating the midwinter solstice (Dec. 21) with feasts and offerings.

The parties became more formal following the landing of Roman legions in AD43, with their festival of Saturnalia (Dec. 17-23) and its tradition of banquets and the giving of gifts. In the first half of the 4th century, Emperor Constantine amalgamated the Empire’s various mid-winter festivals into a celebration of the birth of Christ (choosing Dec. 25 as it corresponded with the winter solstice in the Roman calendar).

Read more

Rio Tinto hunts for lithium deals, eyes Jadar revival – by Cecilia Jamasmie (Mining.com – December 13, 2022)

https://www.mining.com/

Rio Tinto (ASX, LON, NYSE: RIO) said on Tuesday is actively searching for lithium assets as its expects prices for the metal used in the making of batteries that power electric vehicles to remain high for a “long period of time”.

The company had to shelve its proposed $2.4 billion Jadar lithium mine in Serbia early this year after the government revoked the project’s licences. In a presentation posted on its website, Rio confirmed it has not scrapped Jadar completely as it still considers the project as part of its portfolio and said it intends to de-risk the development process.

Read more

UK approves 1st new coal mine in decades, sparking anger – by Jill Lawless (Associated Press – December 8, 2022)

https://apnews.com/

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Conservative government on Wednesday approved the U.K.’s first new coal mine in three decades, a decision condemned by environmentalists as a leap backwards in the fight against climate change.

Hours earlier, the government had reversed a ban on building new onshore windfarms in Britain. Opponents called that announcement a cynical attempt to offset criticism of the mine decision.

Read more

The View from England: Miners still await a miracle – by Chris Hinde (Northern Miner – December 6, 2022)

https://www.northernminer.com/

Two years ago, in this column, I reminded readers of The Northern Miner that the mining industry has a patron saint, Barbara, whose feast day (Dec. 4) is observed by miners and tunnellers around the world, especially in continental Europe.

You might recall that Saint Barbara was an early Christian martyr, with accounts placing her in third century Nicomedia (in present-day Turkey) or in Heliopolis (present-day Lebanon). Although Barbara was declared a saint in 1568 by Pope Pius V, doubts about the authenticity of her legend (there is no reference to Barbara in early Christian writings) led to her removal from the General Roman Calendar in the 1969 revision, although not from the Catholic Church’s list of saints.

Read more

Russian mercenaries accused of using violence to corner diamond trade – by Mary Ilyushina and Francesca Ebel (Washington Post – December 6, 2022)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/

A Russian mercenary group that has gained international attention for its role in the war in Ukraine is also active in one of Africa’s poorest countries, using violence and extortion in an effort to corner its extremely lucrative diamond industry, according to a new report issued by European-based researchers.

Individuals linked to the Wagner Group, which is most infamous for its brutal tactics in eastern Ukraine, have set up a shell company in the Central African Republic (CAR) to secure and sell diamonds, say researchers from two groups, France-based All Eyes on Wagner and the London-based Dossier Center, sponsored by exiled Russian oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and European Investigative Collaborations, a network of news organizations.

Read more

UK, South Africa seek deeper cooperation on critical minerals – by Valentina Ruiz Leotaud (Mining.com – November 27, 2022)

https://www.mining.com/

London and Pretoria announced a partnership to promote the responsible exploration, development, production, and processing of critical minerals in South Africa.

In a media statement, both governments said that this new collaboration will start with the launching of regular ministerial and technical dialogues between South Africa’s Department for Mineral Resources and Energy and the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Read more

Mining Coal in Your Garden Is a Lucrative Business in Poland – by Natalia Ojewska (Bloomberg News – November 27, 2022)

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/

(Bloomberg) — Polish taxi driver Grzegorz says his phone won’t stop ringing, such is the demand for his services. Yet it’s not a ride people want. Grzegorz has given up driving for a far more lucrative line of work as Poland grapples with energy shortages: illegal mining.

Around his home in the Lower Silesian city of Walbrzych, coal sits as little as a meter below the surface in fields, recreation areas and even gardens. A four-man team can unearth a ton in an hour and make 1,000 zloty ($220) each for half a day’s work, roughly 60% of what an average person earns in a week.

Read more

Classy niche market: Europe and the USA benefit from the diamond trade with Russia. Only one country refuses to do so (Indo & New York News & Announces – November 23, 2022)

https://www.indonewyork.com/

Wearing gloves, jewels are draped on velvet in the window of a shop in Antwerp’s diamond district. The Belgian port city has been one of the hubs for the gemstone business since the 15th century.

According to the Antwerp World Diamond Centre, 37 billion euros are turned over here every year, discreetly and confidentially. When asked where the diamonds come from, a jeweler replies with a laugh: “I’d rather not ask.” His reluctance is not entirely unfounded.

Read more

Column: LME stays Russian metal ban with views starkly split – by Andy Home (Reuters – November 15, 2022)

https://www.reuters.com/

LONDON, Nov 15 (Reuters) – The London Metal Exchange (LME) has announced it will continue accepting Russian metal as good delivery against its industrial metal contracts, for now at least.

It made the decision knowing “it is likely that additional tonnages of Russian metal will – in time, if not immediately – be warranted in the LME physical network.” That brings with it the risk of LME pricing moving from a global to a Russian benchmark, creating a disconnect between paper and physical markets.

Read more

Poland building its first nuclear power plant is ‘A clear message to Russia: We will not let them weaponize energy any longer’ (Associated Press/Fortune Magazine – October 29, 2022)

https://fortune.com/

Poland has chosen the U.S. government and Westinghouse to build the central European country’s first nuclear power plant, part of an effort to burn less coal and gain greater energy independence.

Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said late Friday on Twitter that Poland would use the “reliable, safe technology” of the Westinghouse Electric Company for the plant in Pomerania province near the Baltic Sea coast. The exact location remains to be identified.

Read more

Poland Is Facing Mounting Energy Insecurity – by Haley Zaremba (Oil Price – Oct 25, 2022)

https://oilprice.com/

Poland, one of the most coal-dependent nations in the world, has slowly and steadily been working its way toward decarbonization. In 2010, 86.6% of Poland’s energy mix came from coal-fired power. In 2021 that number had dipped to 70.8%.

On the one hand, this is a major improvement which deserves recognition. On the other hand, 70.8% is still very, very high, and poses a major hurdle for the European Union’s decarbonization goals – not to mention the entire world’s progress toward meeting the targets set by the Paris agreement in 2015.

Read more