The latest issue of International Mining Project News, over 60 pages out today, has reports on 24 prefeasibility studies, 24 feasibility studies, 35 projects in development, two new operations that have gone into production, eight existing mines that are expanding, 14 merger, acquisition announcements or name changes and many new appointments to influential positions within mining and exploration companies. The reports covers 43 gold projects, 12 copper, 14 coal and 13 iron ore projects, 12 silver, six reports on uranium and rare earth projects, four on zinc, molybdenum and nickel, three projects on tungsten, phosphate, diamonds and tin, two on PGMs and manganese and one project each on zirconium, sulphur, titanium, feldspar, zircon, tantalum, cobalt and lead. [email protected] for a trial copy of International Mining Project News.

Colossus Minerals has provided an update on the development activities at its 75% owned Serra Pelada gold-platinum-palladium project. Colossus commenced construction of infrastructure in September, 2010 following receipt of its permits from various Brazilian federal and state authorities in May, 2010.

Wesizwe Platinum has announced another significant step towards the development of its Bakubung platinum mine with the awarding of the shaft sinking contract to Aveng Grinaker-LTA Mining (Aveng Grinaker-LTA).

Platinum Group Metals reports that the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) of South Africa has notified the company in writing that a Mining Right for the WBJV Project 1 platinum mine has been issued. This Mining Right is an important milestone and Platinum Group Metals now moves forward in a strong position. The WBJV Project 1 platinum mine is modelled to produce 275,000 4E oz/y (platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold) at a steady state.

Ausenco has signed the Create phase contract to provide EPCM services to manage $1.1 billion of HudBay Minerals’ Constancia copper project in Peru. Ausenco’s Minerals & Metals business line will continue with the next phase of the project which includes the development of the mine, concentrator and associated infrastructure.

MagIndustries Corp has entered into two contracts to further the development of its potash projects in the Republic of Congo (ROC). The first contract is for engineering design work for the company’s flagship Mengo potash project.

Discovery Metals’ Boseto copper project in Botswana continues to grow.

Leighton Asia has received a Letter of Award for a seven-year contract worth some A$420 million to provide mining services to PT Marunda Grahamineral in Central Kalimantan. Located in the Laung Tuhup of Central Kalimantan’s Murung Raya Regency on the island of Borneo, this coal mining project involves the extraction of over 2 Mt/y of high-quality thermal and coking coal by traditional drill and blast and truck and shovel methods.

Formation Metals provides an update on the progress of construction on its 100% owned Idaho cobalt project (ICP), which is managed by JDS Energy & Mining. The ICP is comprised of the development of a mine and construction of a concentrator at a primary cobalt deposit in Lemhi County near the town of Salmon, Idaho, and the construction of an EW cobalt production facility in Shoshone County, near Kellogg, Idaho, USA.

Poseidon Nickel has announced its proposed funding structure which is intended to finance the Windarra nickel project into production in 2013.

Sutter Gold Mining has provided an update regarding the development of its Lincoln mine project in the heart of California’s Mother Lode gold belt.

The Kurnool iron ore beneficiation plant being built in the southeast of India by Perth’s dual bulk commodity developer, NSL Consolidated remains on track. Commissioning on individual equipment components for Phase one dry plant continues, with sales to be generated by the end 1H 2012.

Aurcana has reported plans to commission a plant at the Shafter mine and the completion of expansion at La Negra mine in Mexico. The Shafter silver mine has entered the final phase of construction two months ahead of schedule and under budget with the commissioning of the processing plant expected April 1, 2012.

Emerging Australian gold producer Reed Resources has launched a non-renounceable entitlement offer to raise approximately A$40 million to fund the development of Reed’s 100%-owned Meekatharra gold project in Western Australia.

Balamara Resources has been advised by the Government of Togo that it has been placed on a short-list of bidders looking to become a partner in the Togo phosphate project.

Minsur, Peru’s top tin producer, will begin commercial production at its Pucamarca gold project, located in Tacna region, during the second half of 2012, according to its 2011 Annual Report.

Allied Nevada Gold provides a summary of the updated mine plan and economics as detailed in the Hycroft technical report, entitled Technical Report, Allied Nevada Gold Corp., Hycroft Mine, Winnemucca, Nevada, USA” and dated April 9, 2012. The revised mine plan supports a 19-year operating life and exploits the current mineral reserve of 1,100 Mt containing 12.7 Moz of gold and 481.9 Moz of silver.

Oracle Coalfields, the coal developer of a lignite mineral property in the southeast of Sindh Province, Pakistan, has been granted through its 80% owned local subsidiary, Sindh Carbon Energy, a Mining Lease by the Director General, Mines & Mineral Development, Government of Sindh, Pakistan.

Lithium One and Galaxy Resources have entered into a definitive arrangement agreement pursuant to which a wholly owned subsidiary of Galaxy will acquire by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement all of the outstanding securities of Lithium One. Galaxy is immediately undertaking an equity financing to strengthen the merged entity balance sheet and provide financial flexibility with its development plans. Galaxy has indicated that its intention is to undertake an equity raising of A$50 million with provision for oversubscriptions based on demand.

Ivanhoe Mines has received notice that Aluminum Corp of China (CHALCO) intends to make a proportional takeover bid for up to 60%, but not less than 56%, of the common shares of Mongolian coal miner SouthGobi Resources.

All this and so much more in this latest issue.

This fortnightly project watch is a great way of keeping up to date with your peers – other mining companies, other consultants or other engineering companies. These issues build into a global mine project overview. If you are a supplier – it is full of potential sales leads.

Full details on all these projects and information on and contacts for many, many more are to be found in the April 13 issue of International Mining Project News…..
To receive the full 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.