Despite the market situation, September 2015 has ended with some interesting news about project activity around the world. The latest issue of the International Mining Project News (IMPN) newsletter, published every two weeks with more news, is now available. This issue has almost 40 pages of news. For subscription details contact [email protected]. Below are just some of the projects covered, including, the latest on Dacian Gold, whose Scoping Study has shown the potential for the Mt Morgans gold project in Australia, which the company believes is likely to make it a “low cost, mid-tier” producer.

Other early feasibility stage news includes Indico Resources signing the final shareholders agreement with Aruntani with respect to the development of the Irmin copper project (formerly Acana), located in the Arequipa region of Peru.  Rathdowney Resources Ltd has announced additional results from new drilling and an update on other programs at its flagship Olza Zinc-Lead-Silver Project in southwest Poland.

Metminco appointed RungePincockMinarco (RPM) to undertake a strategic Mining Study to determine an alternate development approach for Los Calatos in Peru as a potential high grade mining operation; while Panoro Minerals has received the results of an updated independent PEA of its 100% owned Cotabambas porphyry copper-gold-silver project, also in Peru.

Kibo Mining, the Tanzania focused mineral exploration and development company, has provided an update with regard to the company’s uranium joint venture with Metal Tiger plc covering the Pinewood Uranium Project in Tanzania.

Hastings Rare Metals has announced the results of its 2015 diamond drilling programme within the Yangibana Rare Earths Project in the Gascoyne Region of Western Australia, completed as part of the ongoing Pre-Feasibility Study.

Alecto Minerals plc, the AIM quoted mineral exploration company, has announced that further to the co-operation agreement entered into with Desert Gold Ventures Inc to assess the potential for jointly developing their respective neighbouring gold deposits in Mali, the Company and Desert Gold have completed a joint internal scoping study which highlights the robust economics associated with developing a potential 400,000 t/y low-cost gold heap leach operation combining Alecto’s Kossanto East Gold Project and Desert Gold’s Farabantourou Gold Project.

In fertiliser minerals, explorer Potash West NL has announced that the economics of a proposed A$205 million Western Australia phosphate mine have been boosted by results from a revised scoping study. Centrex Metals Ltd has completed initial bench scale roast and leach testwork for its Oxley Potash Project near the port of Geraldton in Western Australia, showing up to 85% conversion and leach of potassium from the potash feldspar bearing ultrapotassic lava flow using sodium chloride as a flux. The next 12 months represent an exciting period for Danakali as it finalises its definitive feasibility study for the Colluli potash project in Eritrea.

There is even news in Polish coal. European-focused coal developer Balamara Resources has advised that it has completed an inaugural Mineral Resource estimate for its recently secured Mariola 2 Thermal Coal Project in southern Poland resulting in the delineation of a JORC (2012) compliant Indicated and Inferred Resource totalling 66.4 Mt.

Great Panther Silver, the precious metals producer and explorer, expected to start in October, an 11,200 m exploration program in the polymetallic Coricancha mine, located in the district of San Mateo, province of Huarochiri, Department of Lima.

WPG Resources Ltd has announced the Ore Reserve estimate for the Tarcoola gold project in South Australia, prepared and reported in accordance with JORC (2012) guidelines, while Kaminak Gold Corporation has announce an updated Mineral Resource Estimate prepared in accordance with Canadian National Instrument 43-101, together with a feasibility study progress report, on the Company’s 100% owned, flagship, development track Coffee Gold Project located in Yukon, Canada.

Red 5 Ltd advises that it has completed a Technical Study of its mining strategy for the remaining life of the open pit operation at the Siana Gold Project on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines.

Stellar Resources Ltd has announced the results of its PFS optimisation studies. The NPV of the Heemskirk tin project has been substantially upgraded to A$99 million, highlighting Stellar and its 100%-owned project as a premier pre-production tin opportunity. Planning is underway to commence a DFS as soon as funding is secured.

Shanta Gold, the East Africa-focused gold producer, developer and explorer, has announced its underground feasibility study, base case mine plan and updated reserves statement for its New Luika Gold Mine in Southwest Tanzania.

Moving into mines in development, Bayhorse Silver Inc has reported on the first two weeks of underground work at its Bayhorse Silver Mine in east-central Oregon, USA. Mining contractor, American Mining and Tunneling (AMT) of Elko, Nevada has completed nearly three quarters of scheduled underground safety work.

Monument Mining Ltd reports that it has completed the on-site horizontal impact crushing trials of various pit and underground materials, and has made progress toward heap leach construction at the Burnakura site, located at Murchison Region, Western Australia.

Guyana Goldfields’ saprolite circuit is fully operational and its hard rock circuit is mechanically complete at its Aurora gold mine in Guyana. Goldrock Mines Corp has announced that basic engineering for construction of the Lindero gold heap leach project is nearing completion in Argentina.

Finally, those moving into production include Wolf Minerals Ltd, which has announced the completion of commissioning of the processing plant at the Drakelands open pit mine, constructed at the company’s world class Hemerdon tungsten and tin project in Devon, southwest England.