This, like so many issues of IMPN these days, includes quite a bit of news on iron ore developments. Many of these will just use screening and sizing for beneficiation. Such equipment is experiencing long lead times because of demand. The March issue of International Mining will, in one feature, review the latest developments in the equipment available and the technologies involved. That issue will also include articles on the doubling in ore output of Boliden’s Aitik copper mine, and Rio Tinto’s leading edge automation of its Pilbara iron ore mines. Both will employ the latest in surface drilling, loading and hauling; all of which will be examined.

Among the iron ore players featured are, predictably, several Australians. Polaris Metals is in the middle of a prefeasibility study at its Poondano project in Western Australia, which it hopes to tie up by mid-year having recently appointed engineering consultants. Ferrowest has entered into agreements with joint venture partner Kobe Steel over technology being considered for the merchant pig iron plant at its Yalgoo project.

At the more advanced stages, Aurox Resources has reached a major milestone in the development of its Balla Balla project to the SouthWest of Port Hedland in WA, having agreed with major engineering and manufacturing partners for the construction of its concentrate plant and associated infrastructure. Meanwhile, Atlas Iron, which is also putting an iron ore project through the development phase, has increased the resource at its Pardoo project marginally from 14.3 Mt 14.7 Mt through a recent drilling program, which has also opened the door for considerable future increases.

Gold peppered this edition of IMPN in virtually every stage. One of the biggest announcements was that of Yamana Gold, which has approved a construction start-up for its C1 Santa Luz gold mine in Brazil, where production is projected for early 2010. Other big news came from giant Rio Tinto, which has submitted its plan for a $2 billion expansion project at its Kitimat smelter in Canada to the BC Utilities Commission.

There is of course more on these stories and many others within 30 plus pages of project news from around the globe!

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