The latest issue of International Mining Project News, out today, has reports on 18 prefeasibility studies, three feasibility studies, and 11 projects in development, nine new mines that have gone into production, nine existing operations that are expanding and three merger and acquisition announcements, and many new appointments to new positions. The report covers 19 gold projects, nine copper projects, eight silver projects, six iron ore projects, three nickel, base metals, zinc, and coal, two rare earths, antimony, lead, tungsten, lithium, polymetallic metals, and one uranium, tin, graphite, zirconium, niobioum, boron, diamond, laterite, mineral sands, and platinum. 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.
The government of the Spanish region of Andalusia has announced that following a successful environmental survey and subsequent approval by the Andalusian Parliament, the Aznalcóllar mine is open to tender by potential investors. The region of Andalusia is home to the largest reserves of polymetal sulphides in Europe, through the Iberian Pyrite Belt, and has an extensive history of mining operations dating back to the fourth millennium BC.
Arch Coal’s Tygart Valley Leer mine in northern West Virginia has begun operating its longwall mining system, representing a major milestone in the development of the overall mining complex. The Leer mine is expected to ramp up production during the first quarter of 2014, and to produce more than 3 Mt/y of coal thereafter. The majority of the output will be sold into domestic and international metallurgical coal markets for use in the production of steel.
Sedgman has been appointed preferred contractor and entered into a heads of agreement and terms sheet with Guyana Goldfields Inc (GGI) for the EPC contract on a new processing plant and power plant at GGI’s flagship Aurora gold project in Guyana. The proposed EPC contract will be delivered by the GSJV joint venture which Sedgman has established with Graña y Montero (GyM), the oldest and largest engineering and construction contractor in Peru, which has extensive experience in projects in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
Kazakhmys has appointed Non Ferrous China as a second principal contractor at its major copper growth project at Bozshakol. The additional resources will be targeted on the construction and commissioning of the processing plant. The Group anticipates that there will be an increase in the overall budgeted cost for the project of around $350 million, however the appointment of the additional contractor will provide greater assurance that the project remains on track for first production in 2015.
After four years of delays and a very significant overspend on the planned budget, CITIC Pacific has celebrated its first shipment of magnetite concentrate from its Sino Iron project in the Pilbara. West Australian Premier Colin Barnett launched the first shipment with CITIC’s chairman Chang Zhenming stating the completion of the project was a boon for the state’s magnetite iron ore sector. To mark this occasion, a ceremony was held, attended by Barnett, Consul General Huang Qinguo of the Chinese Consulate in Perth, the Chairman of CITIC Group Chang Zhenming, the President of CITIC Pacific Zhang Jijing, the Chairman of MCC Guo Wenqing and workers and contractors.
We wish all our readers best wishes for 2014 and our hopes for better markets. The next issue of International Mining Project News will be on January 10.