The latest issue of International Mining Project News, out today, has reports on 17 prefeasibility studies, 15 feasibility studies, 46 projects in development, four new mines that have gone into production, five existing mines that are expanding, nine merger and acquisition announcements and many new appointments to new positions. The report covers 36 gold projects, 23 copper projects, 12 silver and 10 coal projects, nine projects on iron ore, six zinc projects, five potash, four nickel and molybdenum projects, three rare earths, lead and tin projects, two projects on PGMs, lithium and tungsten, one project each on graphite, antinomy, mineral sands, phosphate, uranium, alumina, zircon, chrome, cobalt and vanadium, and two projects covering base metals.First Quantum Minerals has applied for environmental approval for a smelter to be built in its Kansanshi mine license area in the Solwezi district in the North Western Province of Zambia. Its capacity is expected to be 300,000 t/y of copper. It will smelt copper concentrates to produce blister copper and is estimated to cost $460 million.

Open pit mining activities have commenced on budget and schedule at Xstrata Copper’s A$124 million ($122 million) Mount Margaret mining project in north-west Queensland. Ore will be trucked to the Ernest Henry mining operation where it will be processed through the existing concentrator. First ore production to the concentrator is expected by the end of August. A full article on Ernest Henry will appear in the October issue of International Mining.

Open pit mining has started at Randgold Resources’ giant Kibali gold project in the DRC, which remains on track for first production towards the end of next year.

Resource Generation, which has secured its major regulatory approvals and transport contracts for development of its Boikarabelo mine on one of South Africa’s largest remaining coal deposits, has released its quarterly report for the three months to 30 June 2012. This confirms that banks are undertaking due diligence before offering terms for project finance for the mine’s stage 1 development.

Procurement and earthworks operations at Largo Resources’ Maracas vanadium project are presently on schedule and under budget. To date, purchase orders and contracts have been issued for approximately 40% of the total project CAPEX. 

YTC Resources has received project approval for the Hera gold project from the NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DP&I) under Part 3A of the NSW Environmental Planning &Assessment Act. The Hera project will deliver a financially and technically robust underground mine and processing plant producing gold and silver doré bars and a bulk-lead-zinc concentrate for sale.

General Moly has announced an update to the Mt. Hope project’s capital cost estimate, which has increased by $130 million or 11% in total. In addition, the company has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with Hanlong (USA) Mining to provide additional capital to the Mt. Hope project, which is anticipated to meet the incremental project funding requirements.

Nautilus Minerals is to raise approximately C$34 million through a private placement of common shares to assist with the continued funding of its Seafloor Production System.

Southern Cross Goldfields has provided an update on recent progress at its 100%-owned Marda gold project, located 450km north-east of Perth in Western Australia.SXG has made significant progress with funding, approvals and infrastructure discussions following completion of the positive DFS on an initial 35,000oz/y gold operation at Marda in May this year.

Bellzone Mining has announced an update on the Forécariah JV project in the Republic of Guinea, where operations have commenced with the completion of the first barge loading with lump product grading at 59% Fe. In addition, internal resource development has delineated sufficient oxide (which requires beneficiation) to provide a six to eight year 4 Mt/y operation.

G-Resources Group advises that the first gold has been poured at its Martabe gold and silver mine in North Sumatra, Indonesia.

Freeport McMoRan (FCX) has completed projects to increase production at its North America copper mines, including restarting milling operations and increasing mining rates at Morenci and Chino, and restarting the Miami mine.

Resolute is a gold producer with three operating gold mines in Australia and Africa. It is currently undertaking a major expansion of its Syama gold project. The Syama gold project is located in the south of Mali, approximately 30km from the Côte d’Ivoire border and 300km southeast of the capital Bamako.

Atlas Iron has announce a 70% increase in Pilbara ore reserve tonnes since Atlas completed the acquisition of FerrAus in the December 2011 Quarter, a maiden ore reserve estimate for its McPhee Creek DSO project and a significant increase in the South East Pilbara ore reserves.

Bulletin Resources has provided an update on its Lamboo gold project. During the June quarter, Bulletin delivered the Lamboo gold project feasibility study which was based on a low-risk open pit start up strategy transitioning to underground (refer to ASX release dated 27 April 2012). The study recommended an upgrade of the existing processing facility to 200,000 t/y to support a five year mine life targeting a nominal production rate of 30,000 oz/y of gold.

And so much more…….

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. Contact [email protected] for a free sample copy.