Lithium Australia has a nonbinding Heads of Agreement with European Metals Holdings to process lithium mineralisation at Cinovec in the Czech Republic on a 50/50 JV basis. Cinovec contains abundant lithium micas and is one of the world’s largest hard-rock lithium occurrences. Altura continues with the Pilgangoora lithium project feasibility as planned with the detailed mining study nearing completion. Neometals and Mineral Resources (MinRes) have commenced a DFS on their patented ELi Process, to produce 20,000 t/y of battery-grade lithium hydroxide (LiOH) directly from spodumene (lithium oxide) concentrates. Kibaran Resources (seen in the picture) has achieved key de-risking milestones during 2015, including advancing discussions on debt financing, for our aspirations to develop a graphite mining, processing and export hub in Tanzania in East Africa to service direct sea routes to European markets. Alabama Graphite Co has the most advanced flake graphite project in the contiguous USA, its objective is to become the first producing American graphite mine this century. Mason Graphite has completed and filed the technical report entitled NI 43-101Technical Report: Resources Update and Feasibility Study, Lac Guéret Graphite Project, Québec, Canada and much more news of important projects in this 60+ page report. This fortnightly update review of project activity around the world is available by subscription from International Mining. Contact [email protected] for more details. See also https://im-projectnews.com

The following are some more of the highlights – with much more detail on each in the actual report, especially the big Kinross/Barrick news.

Moving to feasibility

Paringa Resources has received competitive bids for all major capital items for the construction and development of its Buck Creek No.1 coal mine. These bids were received as a result of an extensive six month contract negotiation and bidding process for all major capital items including site development, electrical substation and infrastructure, slope (decline) construction, shaft excavation, mine fan and escape hoist, surface facilities, coal preparation plant, materials handling, overland conveyor belt and barge load-out facility.

Search Minerals will receive research and development funding totalling C$1,250,000 from the Research & Development Corp Newfoundland and Labrador (RDC) and from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) to assist in the construction and operation of a pilot plant for the testing of Search’s metallurgical process for rare earths recovery.

Kibo Mining has engaged Tractebel Engineering, a 100% subsidiary of Engie to conduct the definitive feasibility study for the Mbeya Coal to Power Project (MCPP) power component and any additional work, inclusive of the role as owners engineer, which Kibo and Tractebel may agree upon for subsequent development phases of the project.

Danakali provides an update of the definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the Colluli potash project in Eritrea. The project is 100% owned by the Colluli Mining Share Co (CMSC), a 50:50 joint venture between Danakali and the Eritrean National Mining Co (ENAMCO).

Significant progress is being made at the Etango uranium project, one of the world’s largest undeveloped uranium projects. It is located in Namibia, one of the world’s top five uranium producing nations with substantial mining infrastructure. Etango is one of the few uranium projects in the world with a completed definitive feasibility study and environmental permitting and will be a top 10 producer once developed, Bannerman Resources says.

Horizonte Minerals, a nickel development company focused in Brazil, announces the completion of the integrated Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace pilot plant campaign for its 100% owned Araguaia nickel project in Parà State, north-central Brazil, which produced high grade ferronickel on a continuous and sustained basis to commercial specification.

Moving into development

The WA Department of Water has granted Pilbara Minerals’ wholly-owned subsidiary Tabba Tabba Tantalum approval to take water from Ground Water Licence 181791. TTT with Global Advanced Metals Wodgina, hold a minerals and processing agreement for the operation of the Tabba Tabba mine. The initial annual approval allows water to be taken for mineral ore processing, dust suppression and mining care and maintenance as well as for mining camp purposes.

Centurion Minerals has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent with Demetra Minerals to develop the Ana Sofia agricultural gypsum project in Santiago del Estero province, Argentina.

Emerging Australian strategic metals producer TNG Ltd advises that the Notice of Intent (NOI) for the proposed downstream refinery site in Darwin for its flagship Mount Peake vanadium-titanium-iron project in the Northern Territory has now been submitted to the Northern Territory Government, representing a significant milestone in the overall Environmental Impact Study (EIS) assessment process.

Seabridge Gold reports that results from the final two core holes drilled into Deep Kerr at its 100% owned KSM project in northwest British Columbia continue to expand the size of a potential low cost, underground block cave mining operation at the Deep Kerr deposit.

Venturex Resources delivers great results from Pilbara copper-zinc project optimisation study. The study confirms robust project economics with a significant reduction in capital cost and increased mine life.

Oracle Coalfields, the UK energy developer of a combined lignite mineral resource and mine mouth power plant located in the Thar desert in the southeast of Sindh Province, Pakistan, has received a Letter of “No Objection” from the Central Power Purchasing Agency Guarantee Ltd (CPPA) for the Block VI mine mouth 600 MW coal fired power plant project.

Red Eagle Mining has met all the conditions precedent to drawn down its first advance from the previously announced secured $60 million credit facility. Proceeds will be used to fund the construction of the fully financed and fully permitted San Ramon gold mine in Colombia.  Construction at the San Ramón mine began in August 2015 and continues on time and on budget.

PolyMet Mining has completed the NorthMet Final Environmental Impact Statement. This demonstrates that PolyMet can mine and process copper, nickel and PGMs in a manner that complies with the law, protects the environment and creates hundreds of high-paying jobs in northern Minnesota. “Completion of the Final EIS is a huge milestone for PolyMet, for the Iron Range communities, and for the state of Minnesota,” said Jon Cherry, President and CEO.

Centerra Gold has received the final approval of the EIA for the Öksüt project from the Turkish Ministry of Environment and Urbanization. Scott Perry, Centerra’s CEO: “The timetable for Öksüt continues to move forward as planned. The company will now focus on obtaining all the necessary land use and other operational permits to allow us to start construction and development of the project late in the first quarter or early in the second quarter of 2016.

Then there are the sections on mine expansions, those now starting production and the news of mergers, acquisitions and people movements.