International - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Africa gears up to keep more of the Profits from Lithium boom

February 9, 2023February 9, 2023 Constance

Lithium-rich African countries, including Zimbabwe and Namibia, are trying to develop processing and refining industries to capture more of the profits of global demand for battery material. As the auto industry shifts towards electric vehicles (EVs) – spurred by proposed bans on fossil-fuel cars beginning at the end of the decade – lithium prices and demand have soared. China, the world’s top lithium refiner, and a leading producer dominates the supply chain, but Western governments and international companies are trying to challenge that and see Africa’s lithium reserves as an… Read More Here

Indonesia Emerges as the Top Cobalt Producer Outside of Africa

February 8, 2023February 8, 2023 Constance

Indonesia has emerged as a significant player in the global cobalt production, becoming the second-largest producer of the battery material. According to US government data, Indonesia surpassed other countries such as Russia and Australia to secure the second spot in 2022. This expansion is expected to continue this decade, reducing the world’s dependence on the Democratic Republic of Congo for over two-thirds of cobalt supplies and avoiding potential shortages. Indonesian President Joko Widodo has been promoting the country’s battery and EV industries, leveraging its abundant mineral resources. The country already… Read More Here

Copper International

The World Faces a Copper Shortage That May Continue Until 2030

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023 Constance

A copper deficit is set to inundate global markets throughout 2023 — and one analyst predicts the shortfall could potentially extend throughout the rest of the decade. The world is currently facing a global copper shortage, fueled by increasingly challenging supply streams in South America and higher demand pressures. Copper is a leading pulse check for economic health due to its incorporation in various uses such as electrical equipment and industrial machinery. A copper squeeze could be an indicator that global inflationary pressures will worsen, and subsequently compel central banks… Read More Here

Battery Metals International

How electric vehicles are Sparking a Battery Recycling Revolution

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023 Constance

Recycling batteries seems like a no-brainer. But our track record has been lousy. Hard numbers are difficult to come by, but in Canada, the U.S., and many European countries, it’s estimated that only two to 11 percent of lithium-ion batteries find their way to a recycling facility when they die. Instead, they sit forgotten in cupboards or drawers or worse, end up in landfills. Electric cars could change that. Their batteries are too big, too toxic, and too valuable to simply throw away. The global EV revolution has given rise to a new recycling… Read More Here

International Battery Metals Energy

Mozambique to Invest in Assembly Line for Electric Buses

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023 Constance

The government of Mozambique, through the Ministries of Transport and Communications and Industry and Commerce, is sponsoring a private initiative to invest in an assembly line for electric passenger transport buses as part of the National Program to Industrialize Mozambique. The project was presented and made public at a meeting in Maputo on Tuesday, January 31st, attended by key ministers and officials from relevant departments. The private partner, mentor of the project, was also present at the meeting. The problem of public transport in the country has been one of… Read More Here

Battery Metals International

Tata Considers Spain and Britain for European EV Battery plant

February 7, 2023February 7, 2023 Constance

Indian company Tata Group is considering setting up a battery cell plant for electric vehicles (EV) in Spain or Britain, a source with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, as the carmaker seeks to boost supply chains in Europe. Tata’s chief financial officer told Reuters last month the carmaker was considering setting up plants in India and Europe to produce battery cells for EVs. In Europe it would aim to provide batteries for its luxury Jaguar Land Rover unit, which has manufacturing facilities in Britain and Slovakia. The company told the Spanish government following… Read More Here

Copper International

FQM Suspends Loading Operations at Cobre Panamá port

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023 Constance

First Quantum (TSX: FM) said on Monday its subsidiary Minera Panama, the operator of the Cobre Panama copper mine has suspended concentrate loading operations at the Cobre Panamá port. According to the company, a resolution was issued by the Panamá Maritime Authority and requires the suspension of concentrate loading operations at the Cobre Panamá port until evidence is provided that the process of certification of the calibration of the scales by an accredited company has been initiated. The miner added that it might become necessary to shut down Cobre Panama if the… Read More Here

International Mergers & Acquisitions

Sandvik Completes Acquisition of Polymathian

February 6, 2023February 6, 2023 Constance

Sandvik announced on Wednesday 1st February that the company has completed the previously announced acquisition of Polymathian Industrial Mathematics (“Polymathian”) The Australian-based provider will form part of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions’, Business Unit Deswik. Polymathian’s solutions for automated decision-making and optimization complements Deswik’s suite of mine planning software and consulting services whilst remaining OEM agnostic. Deswik, a leading mine planning software company, was previously acquired by Sandvik in April 2022. “We are very excited to welcome Polymathian to the Deswik family,” said Matt Chilcott, CEO of Deswik. “Our employees… Read More Here

Battery Metals International

President Jokowi ‘confident’ Tesla will invest in Indonesia

February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 Constance

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is confident Tesla Inc will finalize a deal to invest in a production facility in his country, having offered the US car maker incentives ranging from tax breaks to a concession to mine nickel. Southeast Asia’s largest economy has been wooing Tesla to invest in battery and car manufacturing since 2020, seeking to leverage its rich reserves of nickel ore, which can be processed for use in EV batteries. The president, widely known as Jokowi, has held talks with Tesla Chief Executive Elon Musk twice, meeting… Read More Here

Coal International New Mining Projects

Canyon Coal Establishes New Mine in Mpumalanga, South Africa

February 5, 2023February 5, 2023 Constance

Canyon Coal, a subsidiary of private investment company Menar, is constructing a new coal mine in Hendrina, Mpumalanga. Production is expected to start in the second half of 2023. The first phase of the Gugulethu project, on track to be completed in 8-10 months, is expected to produce 1.2 million t/y of 5 500 kc NAR coal. “We are in the development phase and have already done the tenders for the civils and the processing plant. Our mining equipment has started to arrive,” states Gugulethu Colliery GM Jarmi Steyn. Formerly… Read More Here