International - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

China’s JCHX on its evolution from global mining contractor to mine owner and developer 1

In late April, on behalf of JCHX Mining Management, Jianzhong Zhang signed a handover document with ERG for transfer of ownership of the Lonshi copper mine in DRC, located only 3 km from the Zambia border, which Zhang told IM “blew the horn of JCHX marching into its own mining development.” Zhang is the Managing Director JCHX’s DRC subsidiary Jimond Mining Management Company (JMMC) and is tasked with getting the mine up and running as soon as possible to take advantage of copper price highs. He is already highly experienced having overseen… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Cobalt International

UK fraud unit finds alleged bribe network behind cobalt hub

July 16, 2021July 16, 2021 admin

U.K. prosecutors have told Swiss authorities they have proof of an alleged money-laundering ring spanning from Africa to Europe that paid almost $380 million in cash bribes to authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Companies repeatedly bribed officials to further their business interests in the mineral-rich nation, according to the Swiss court judgment that cited information from U.K. prosecutors. Congo is Africa’s biggest producer of copper and supplies about 70% of the world’s cobalt, a critical input for the batteries that power electric vehicles. The $379 million that was… Read More Here

Battery Metals International Lithium

Elon Musk’s Table Salt Lithium Extraction Now Has A Tesla Patent

July 16, 2021July 16, 2021 admin

At Tesla’s Battery Day event, Musk mentioned the process but provided few details. Tesla’s Battery Day last year was a huge moment for the company. Elon Musk and others talked about the company’s future related to new battery tech. However, it didn’t go over very well with the media since the plans were not going to impact the immediate present, but rather, they were future plans. Tesla has already dealt with plenty of scrutiny as its Battery Day plans haven’t yet fully materialized. However, prior to the event, Musk made it clear that the plans… Read More Here

Equipment & Technology International Mining Supply Tenders

Delta Drone wins Barrick Gold contract in Mali

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 admin

Barrick Gold has awarded a contract to Australian “drones-as-a-service” provider Delta Drone for advanced light detection and ranging (LIDAR) services at Barrick’s project in Mali. Delta Drone’s mining specialist brand, Rocketmine, will provide a fleet of LIDAR-enabled mining specific drones and pilots for a week to Barrick Gold to seek mine expansion options. The contract is worth just A$25,000 (US$18,600), but Delta said it was significant as it brings the company’s list of countries of operations to 11. “We look forward to starting our partnership with Barrick Gold and showing… Read More Here

Gold International

Gold price hits 4-week high following Powell’s dovish commentary

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 admin

Gold prices moved higher on Wednesday following dovish commentary from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which helped ease fears of early tapering even as more inflation data beat expectations. In comments prepared for an appearance before a House committee, Powell said the US economic recovery still hasn’t progressed enough to begin scaling back the central bank’s massive monthly asset purchases. He added that inflation is likely to remain high in coming months before moderating. Powell’s comments helped ease concerns that faster-than-predicted US inflation data will see the central bank taper its monetary… Read More Here

Equipment & Technology International Mining Supply Tenders

Epiroc wins US$10M Ivanhoe battery-electric equipment order

July 15, 2021July 15, 2021 admin

Sweden’s Epiroc has secured a US$10 million order for battery-electric mining equipment from a subsidiary of Canadian miner company Ivanhoe Mines. South African subsidiary Ivanplats ordered “several” Boomer M2 Battery face drill rigs and Scooptram ST14 Battery loaders in the second quarter of 2021 for its Platreef project, Epiroc revealed. “It is encouraging that Ivanplats is considering going all battery-electric at Platreef, and we are proud to support them on this journey,” says Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO. The equipment will be delivered early in 2022, while Epiroc will… Read More Here

Equipment & Technology International Mining Supply Tenders

Metso Outotec chosen for Karara tailings plant expansion

July 14, 2021July 14, 2021 admin

Finnish mining equipment maker Metso Outotec has secured a contract worth up to €20 million (US$23.7 million) to supply key filtration and material handling equipment for Karara Mining’s iron ore project in Western Australia. Metso Outotec said the implementation of its technology at the operation will increase the current tailings filtration capacity from 30 kt/d to over 45 kt/d, noting that the facility was already one of the largest filtered tailings facilities in the world. Delivery will take place during 2022 with the expanded facility to start operations in Q4… Read More Here

Copper International

Copper price down while China’s smelters reduce production

July 13, 2021July 13, 2021 admin

China’s major copper smelters lowered production in June by 3.6% from the previous month due to seasonal maintenance, state-backed research house Antaike said on Monday. Copper for delivery in September fell 0.5% from Friday’s settlement price, touching $4.321 per pound ($9,506 per tonne) midday Monday on the Comex market in New York. The 22 smelters in Antaike’s production survey churned out 745,700 tonnes of refined copper cathode last month, which was still up 6.7% year-on-year, as producers including Tongling Nonferrous carried out overhauls. January-June production from the group came in at 4.61 million tonnes,… Read More Here

Cobalt Copper International

DRC: copper and cobalt keep their prices up this week (Mercuriales Min. Commerce Ext.)

July 12, 2021July 12, 2021 admin

Almost all of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s export commodities are showing rising prices this week on the international market, according to forecasts by the National Mercuriales Commission of the Ministry of Foreign Trade for the period from 12 to 17. July 2021. Copper is trading this week on the international market at $ 9,431.90 per tonne against $ 9,353.40 last week, a positive price differential of $ 78.5, according to Mercuriales forecasts from the Congolese Ministry of Foreign Trade. The same is the case for cobalt which will… Read More Here

Emeralds International Mining in Zambia

Gemfields shares spike tied to non disclosable, sensitive information

July 10, 2021July 10, 2021 admin

Shares in precious gemstones miner Gemfields (LON: GEM) (JSE: GML) jumped almost 10% in early trading in London for unclear reasons, which the company described later as “non disclosable unpublished price-sensitive information”. The company, which returned to the London Stock Exchange’s market for juniors last year, revealed it expects to announce sales of $95 million for the first half of 2021, up 533% from the same period in 2020. Gemfield’s revenues fell 83% to $15 million last year, due to impact of the pandemic on the diamonds and gemstones market. THE EMERALDS AND RUBIES MINER SAID IT… Read More Here