A new section has been added to IMPN with this edition – NEW PLAYERS – looking at mergers and acquisitions – in this case Goldcorp acquiring Andean Resources, Anatolia Minerals Development and Avoca Resources merging to form Alacer Gold and the Kinross takeover of Red Back. This issue also looks at many iron ore projects, base metals in Botswana, Oyu Tolgoi progress, the fantastic Reko Diq copper project in Pakistan and much more.Weld Range Metals has announced scoping study results for the first stage of the Weld Range Metals project. Minemakers expects a scoping study, on its marine phosphate mining operation offshore from Namibia, to be completed by the end of the month. AMEC Americas (AMEC) has completed an independent update of the mineral resource estimates for Magma Metals’ Thunder Bay North Pt-Pd-Cu-Ni project in Ontario. Results from Kria Resources’ recently completed Preliminary Economic Assessment for the combined Halfmile Lake and Stratmat deposits, have improved the project’s economics. La Mancha Resources has received a positive PEA for each of the two phases of its VMS project at its 40%-owned Hassai mine in northeast Sudan.

Hana Mining is making great progress with its Ghanzi project in the centre of the Kalahari copper belt in northwest Botswana. Discovery Metals’ bankable feasibility study results for its Boseto copper project in Botswana demonstrate a robust project. Tethyan Copper Co Pakistan has submitted its feasibility study for the $3.3 billion Reko Diq copper-gold mine project to the Ministry of Minerals & Mine Development for the Government of Balochistan. Sandfire Resources has reported a further increase in the JORC compliant mineral resource inventory for its 100%-owned DeGrussa copper-gold project in Western Australia.

Orosur Mining has announced the results of the Arenal Deeps feasibility study Orosur Mining has announced the results of the Arenal Deeps feasibility study. Lithium Americas has provided a timeline and key milestones leading to the completion of the feasibility study for its Cauchari lithium/potassium resource in Argentina. High grade uranium assays have been returned from newly discovered Zone 5 at Extract Resources’ Rössing South located approximately 3 km to the south of Zone 2 along regional strike.

African Minerals and Vale have announced that the Government of Sierra Leone has approved and the Parliament of Sierra Leone has unanimously ratified the mining lease for the Tonkolili iron ore and related infrastructure projects. Rio Tinto has announced an investment of $1.6 billion to develop the Hope Downs 4 iron ore project in Western Australia. Azumah Resources has reported that fresh drilling results have highlighted the excellent potential of its 1.1 Moz Wa gold project in Ghana. Sundance Resources has set an end of year target to complete offtake contracts and secure project financing terms for its $3.3 billion Mbalam iron ore project on the border of the Central African countries of Cameroon and Republic of Congo.

Ivanhoe Mines’ Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold complex is proceeding on schedule and the first ore now is expected to be processed during the fourth quarter of 2012. Trevali Resources Corp has signed the definitive legal agreement with Glencore’s Peruvian subsidiary, Empresa Minera Los Quenuales, for the development, construction and operation of Trevali’s wholly owned Santander zinc-lead-silver mine project in Peru.

Atlas Iron has announced a 50% increase in reserves for its northern Pilbara projects in a move which paves the way for the  company to increase production from the current planned rate of 6 Mt/y towards its next target production rate of 12 Mt/y by the end of 2012. Signature Metals has announced preliminary results from an internal scoping study into the expansion of production at the Konongo gold project.

All this and much, much more in International Mining’s Project News….

To receive the full 30+ page report, subscriptions to this service can be registered and paid for on-line (SUBSCRIBE TO IM PROJECT NEWS BUTTON), or contact [email protected] for a free trial copy.