International Media Resource Articles – Page 527

Searching Sea for Metal Is Japan’s Answer to Land That Has None – by Masumi Suga and Ichiro Suzuki (Bloomberg News – August 8, 2016)

August 9, 2016

http://www.bloomberg.com/

As deep as 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) under water and 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from Tokyo, work has begun on the new hunting ground for metals in Japan, a country so devoid of natural resources that most of what it needs has to be imported.

As the island nation depleted most of its land-based minerals in the economic boom that followed World War II, scientists have identified swathes of the sea floor littered with nuggets containing everything from copper to gold left over from the volcanic activity that created the archipelago millions of years ago. The trick is extracting them at a profit, something a government consortium will start testing next year.

Ocean mining isn’t new — Japan began exploring in the 1970s. But new technologies make it easier for companies like Canada’s Nautilus Minerals Inc. to collect mineral-rich rock from the sea. With more than 50 million metric tons of ore estimated in Japanese waters, the government wants to revive home-grown supply and ease dependence on imports. When Tokyo hosts the 2020 Olympic Games, bullion for gold medals may come from the deep ocean.

China drafts new rules to curb mining pollution (Reuters U.S. – August 9, 2016)

August 9, 2016

http://www.reuters.com/

China plans to raise environmental standards in its highly-polluting mining sector, according to a policy draft circulated by the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Amid rising concerns about the state of its environment, China has declared war on polluters and has drawn up new laws, standards and punishments aimed at forcing firms and local governments to toe the line.

The mining sector has been a crucial part of China’s rapid economic expansion in the last three decades, but poor regulation and weak enforcement of standards has contaminated much of the country’s soil and left parts of its land and water supplies unfit for human use, threatening public health.

Newmont’s Carlin team wins national mine rescue competition: Barrick’s Turquoise Ridge team won first in one of the technician portions (Elko Daily Free Press – August 8, 2016)

August 9, 2016

http://elkodaily.com/

RENO – Newmont Mining Corp.’s Carlin Team beat out 35 teams from 16 states nationwide to finish first at the 2016 National Metal and Nonmetal Mine Rescue Contest in Reno.

The Carlin team came in third in the field competition, first place for first aid and second for team tech (BG4) during the four-day event held July 25-28 in Reno. Barrick Gold’s “Turquoise Ridge Regulators” from Golconda, came in first in the bio technician team competition.

Co-hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration and the Nevada Mining Association, mine rescue competitions gauge the readiness of teams and their individual members – sharpening skills and testing their knowledge in a series of simulated emergency scenarios, such as a mine fire, explosion or roof collapse.

Exclusive: Jharkhand to crush ‘mica mafia’ by legalising mines to stop child worker deaths – by Nita Bhalla (Reuters India – August 8, 2016)

August 8, 2016

http://in.reuters.com/

NEW DELHI (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Authorities in Jharkhand will crack down on “mica mafia” by starting to legalise some mica mines, a senior government official said, after a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation revealed the cover-up of child deaths in illegal mining.

A three-month investigation in the mica-producing state of Jharkhand found that a flourishing black market had resulted in at least seven children being killed since June, mining for the prized mineral which adds the sparkle to make-up and car paint.

But the deaths went unreported as victims’ families and mine operators feared it could end the illegal mining of mica, the only source of income in some of India’s poorest regions.

Lone Philippine iron ore miner suspended in govt crackdown – by Manolo Serapio Jr and Enrico Dela Cruz (Reuters Africa – August 8, 2016)

August 8, 2016

http://af.reuters.com/

MANILA Aug 8 (Reuters) – The Philippines has suspended the operations of the country’s only iron ore miner due to environmental infractions, officials said on Monday, bringing to eight the number of mineral producers halted in a government crackdown.

The Southeast Asian nation, the world’s top nickel ore supplier, began an audit of all its metallic mines on July 8, shaking global nickel markets as seven nickel miners were suspended for causing environmental harm.

Ore Asia Mining and Development Corp, which runs an iron ore mine in Bulacan province, north of the capital Manila, was suspended after an investigation showed it polluted a river, Environment and Natural Resources Undersecretary Leo Jasareno told reporters.

[Philippines] Do we really need mining? – by Rita Linda V. Jimeno (The Manila Standard – August 8, 2016)

August 8, 2016

http://www.thestandard.com.ph/

President Rodrigo R. Duterte pronounced that the country would survive without mining companies and that mining as an industry is now at the sunset of its life in the Philippines.

To appreciate the President’s words, every Filipino who loves his country must take a look at the following figures. The Philippines has a land mass of only 30 million hectares and a population of now more than 100 million people. Australia has a land area of 76.8 million hectares—more than double ours —yet its population is only 24.3 million as of early 2016.

Canada, on the other hand, has a land mass more than triple that of the Philippines, with 99.8 million hectares, and a population of only 35.8 million in 2015. With the size of these countries’ land areas and small populations in contrast to our much smaller land mass and much bigger population, is it logical to allow destructive mining to prosper in the Philippines?

Vale vows not to flood iron markets – by Peter Ker (Australian Financial Review – August 7, 2016)

August 8, 2016

http://www.afr.com/

Brazilian miner Vale has played down fears that its new low-cost iron ore expansion program will flood the market later this year, with a top executive revealing that export growth would occur gradually over several years and will not only be aimed as Asia.

Vale is in the final stages of its $US14.5 billion “S11D” iron ore expansion project, which will create a new mine capable of supplying 90 million tonnes per year plus new rail and port facilities in northern Brazil.

The project is the major factor behind analyst forecasts for the iron ore market to move from a balance in 2016 to over-supply in 2017. But Vale’s executive director of ferrous minerals, Peter Poppinga, said the project’s arrival would be more subtle than the market was expecting, because rail capacity would not increase by as much as mine capacity.

Goldman warns ‘supply storm’ to engulf global copper market (Mineweb/Bloomberg News – August 5, 2016)

August 8, 2016

http://www.mineweb.com/

A storm’s about to hit the global copper market, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc., which forecasts that the price may slump to $4,000 a metric ton over 12 months as mine supply picks up, producers enjoy lower costs and demand growth softens.

“Company guidance and our estimates suggest that copper is entering the eye of the supply storm,” analysts including Max Layton and Yubin Fu wrote in an e-mailed report received on Friday. A drop to $4,000 would be a 17 percent slump from Thursday’s close on the London Metal Exchange.

Copper has lagged gains seen in other raw materials so far this year, especially zinc and nickel, which have benefited from forecasts for global shortages. For copper, there’s been solid growth in global mine supply in the first half and that trend is expected to pick up in the coming quarters, according to Goldman.

The Untold Story Of Britain’s Black Miners (The Voice – August 7, 2016)

August 8, 2016

http://www.voice-online.co.uk/

The memories of African Caribbeans who worked in Nottinghamshire’s coal mines will form part of a new lottery funded project. The Voice spoke to Norma Gregory to find out what inspired it.

THE SAYING, ‘You are only a handshake or two away from a coal miner’, seems to resonate now more than ever before, in Britain’s social, political and industrial landscape. However, little is known about the experiences of miners of African Caribbean heritage in the UK until now.

Nottingham News Centre, a community interest company that aims to improve the sourcing, collating and sharing of diverse local history and community news has been awarded a special grant to launch a special project looking at the history of African Caribbbean miners.

On spill’s anniversary, many concerns remain (Mexico News Daily – August 6, 2016)

August 8, 2016

Residents worry about the water quality two years after copper mine’s toxic spill

Two years after what has been described by federal authorities as Mexico’s worst environmental disaster, many residents who live near the Sonora and Bacanuchi rivers fear for the quality of their water and others for their health.

A spill at the Buenavista del Cobre copper mine in Cananea, Sonora, on August 6, 2014 released 40 million liters of copper sulphate solution into the two rivers and affected at least 21,000 residents of the region.

The copper mine, one of the world’s largest, is owned by Arizona-based Southern Copper Corporation, which is part of the Mexican mining company Grupo México. In addition to paying a 23-million-peso fine, the company agreed to put up 2 billion pesos for a trust fund that would repair the damage and pay compensation to victims.

DRC mining sector still attractive investment destination, despite risks – by Ilan Solomons (MiningWeekly.com – August 5, 2016)

August 5, 2016

http://www.miningweekly.com/page/americas-home

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC’s) mining sector will receive increasing amounts of foreign investment in the coming years, particularly from China, as a result of its low production costs and high-quality minerals, says research firm BMI, a unit of Fitch Group.

Nevertheless, the research company notes, political and operational risks will remain key concerns for investors, as with other countries in the African subcontinent.

BMI states that the DRC will remain a “destination of choice” for Chinese mining investors in the coming years, owing to the country’s rich endowment of copper and gold. The firm further notes that Chinese investment in copper mining will be supported by the DRC’s low production costs and the largest undeveloped high-grade (2% to 3%, compared with the global average of 0.8%) copper deposits in the world.

Philippine ‘shock and awe’ mine crackdown rattles nickel markets – by Manolo Serapio Jr. and Enrioc Dela Cruz (Reuters U.S. – August 5, 2016)

August 5, 2016

http://www.reuters.com/

MANILA – As the Philippines’ tough-talking new president ratchets up a campaign against irresponsible mining, the suspension of a quarter of the country’s nickel mines and the risk of more action to come is spooking global nickel markets.

The Southeast Asian nation is China’s biggest supplier of nickel ore – used to make stainless steel – and with few alternative suppliers available, the crackdown pushed nickel prices up 13 percent last month.

President Rodrigo Duterte, who swept to power on June 30 with a vow to crush crime by targeting hundreds of suspected drug dealers, warned miners this week to follow tighter environmental rules or shut down, saying the country can survive without mining.

Global firms beef up investigations of Indian mica suppliers after exposé on child deaths – by Nita Bhalla and Rina Chandran (Daily Mail/Reuters – August 4, 2016)

August 5, 2016

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/

DELHI/MUMBAI, India, Aug 4 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – M ajor global companies buying the mineral mica from India vowed on Thursday to beef up inspections of their suppliers for child labour after a Thomson Reuters Foundation investigation revealed children were dying in illegal mines.

A three-month investigation in the mica-producing states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh found at least seven children have been killed since June mining for mica, the valued mineral that puts a sparkle in make-up and car paint.

These deaths, feared to be just the tip of the iceberg, have gone unreported as victims’ impoverished families and mine operators do not want to end the illegal mining in abandoned mines and protected forests – often their only source of income.

Consolidation—the fastest way to get South Africa’s idled ferrochrome capacity back into action – by Mark Beveridge (CRU Group.com – August 4, 2016)

August 4, 2016

http://www.crugroup.com/

The recovery of the South African chrome industry over the last four months has been dramatic. Back in March, chrome ore prices were at a six-year low in nominal ZA rand terms; by July, they had rebounded to their highest levels since the global financial crisis in 2008.

The proximate cause of this turnaround is obvious: Chinese demand largely defines the chrome market, and since early Q2 it has been especially strong. A combination of stimulus-linked demand for ferrochrome in China and a relative absence of chrome inventory led to a scrabble for South African ore. Prices rose and have remained stable for about the last two months.

The recovery in chrome prices also coincides with what CRU believes to be significant moves to consolidate the South African industry. These should pave the way for the creation of a stronger South African chrome sector; one that can regulate supply (both of alloy and ore )better than has been possible in recent years, while also ensuring South Africa’s overall charge chrome output increases in future.

Why Australia will be at centre of lithium boom (Australian Financial Review – August 4, 2016)

August 4, 2016

http://www.afr.com/

Australia is on track to host the world’s two biggest lithium mines as soaring sales of electric vehicles and mobile phones in China drives demand for the rare metal.

Surging production of electric vehicles and the lithium batteries that power them is expected to underpin demand for lithium, the key Diggers and Dealers mining industry conference has heard.

Pilbara Minerals, which is developing the Pilgangoora Project in the iron-ore rich Pilbara region of Western Australia, has recently signed an offtake agreement with Chinese firm General Lithium and plans to start mining next year.