The latest issue of International Mining Project News (almost 60 pages), out today, has reports on 31 prefeasibility studies, 23 feasibility studies, 30 projects in development, six new mines that have gone into production, eight existing mines that are expanding, ten merger and acquisition announcements and many new appointments to new positions. Ivanhoe Mines announced that an independent feasibility study estimates mineral reserves of 5.76 Moz of gold at the Kyzyl Gold Project in northeast Kazakhstan. Ormonde Mining has announced the results of the DFS on its 100% owned Barruecopardo tungsten project in Salamanca, western Spain, based upon an averaged 227,000 t/y of tungsten trioxide (WO3) production. Rodinia Lithium has commenced construction and operation of a pilot production facility on its 100% owned Salar de Diablillos lithium brine project located in Salta Province, Argentina.The reports covers 51 gold projects, 13 copper, nine silver projects, eight iron ore, seven coal, six uranium and zinc projects, four each on manganese and diamonds, three each of rare earth elements, lead, tungsten and polymetallic projects, two phosphate, tin, lithium and molybdenum projects and one project each for heavy mineral sands, nickel, magnetite, salt, potash, platinum and bismuth. 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.

A Bankable Feasibility Study, at Crusader Resources’ 100% owned Borborema gold project in Brazil, led by international consulting group Conestoga Rovers and Associates (CRA) has started. The BFS will consider a base case project processing 4 Mt/y of ore, a significant increase from the recently completed prefeasibility study (3 Mt/y) and reflects the increasing size of and Crusader’s rising confidence in the Borborema gold resource.

Sterlite Industries, Sesa Goa and Vedanta Resources announced a recommended merger of Sesa Goa and Sterlite and the proposed consolidation and simplification of the Group structure.

Shaw River Manganese has reported a 60% increase in the mineral resource for its 75.5%-owned Otjozondu manganese project in Namibia to 10.7 Mt, providing a strong foundation for its plans to become a manganese producer. The Otjo resource is already comparable to some of the larger manganese deposits found globally.

Victoria Gold Corp announced the results of a NI 43-101 definitive feasibility study for its 100% owned Eagle gold project located on the Dublin Gulch property, Yukon. John McConnell, President & CEO:  “Completion of this definitive feasibility study is a significant milestone for development of the Eagle gold project. The project is economically robust and, with several years of 200,000 oz/y of gold production at an operating cost less than $600 /oz, we are well on our way to creating a mid-tier gold company”.

DFS completed by independent consultants, TWP Australia, demonstrates compelling economics for Beacon Hill Resources’ Minas Moatize coking coal project. Financial modelling was based on a 4 Mt/y Run of Mine operation producing on average 2.2 Mt/y of saleable coking and thermal coal.

Guyana Goldfields has announced positive feasibility study results for its 100% owned Aurora gold project in Guyana. The NI 43-101 feasibility study report will be compiled under the supervision of SRK Consulting with contributions provided by prominent industry consultants. The project is expected to have a positive impact on the economy of Guyana by maximising employment, skills training, and generating business opportunities for local suppliers and service providers. Aurora is presently the only large-scale licensed gold mine development project in Guyana and will be the next producing gold mine in the country in late 2014.

Michael McPhie, President and CEO of Curis Resources: “We are very pleased with our progress in permitting of the Florence copper project. We expect to have all of our amended operating permits in place for Phase 1 operations by the third quarter of this year.”

MDM Engineering Group, the minerals process and project management company focused on the mining industry, has been awarded the bankable feasibility study for Amari Manganese’s Kongoni project, located within the Kalahari manganese field.

Minemakers has announces an important upgrade of phosphate resources in the Sandpiper phosphate project offshore Namibia.  The company advises that the results of the DFS resource sampling program in the initial target recovery area of the Sandpiper area have resulted in a substantial upgrade to the Indicated resource category as well as an overall increase of the total mineral resource tonnage estimate.

Adex Mining has announced an updated development plan with a primary focus on restarting production at the Fire Tower Zone (FTZ) tungsten-molybdenum-bismuth project, located at its Mount Pleasant mine property in southwest New Brunswick, Canada.

Bellzone Mining is making good progress on the Forécariah JV iron ore project in the Republic of Guinea.

Tembo Gold Corp has started trading on the TSX Venture Exchange.

Mongolian Resource Corp has completed the Front End Engineering and Design Work for the 400 t/d CIP gold plant at its Blue Eyes Project located in central north Mongolia, in the Territory of Bornuur Soum of the Tov Province approximately 150 km from Ulaanbaatar, and 15 km from the main National Trans-Siberian Highway.

Noble Mineral Resources has raised $10 million to fund the final commissioning of the 3 Mt/y Bibiani processing plant, where the first gold pour is scheduled to take place next month.

Doe Run Perú, owner of La Oroya metallurgical complex, plans to reach production levels reported prior to the closure of the refinery/smelting plant (June 2009), about six months after it resumes operations. This restart is scheduled for May 1.

Namakwa Diamonds has moved its Kao mine in Lesotho into Phase 1 of commercial production.

Ausenco has secured a create phase contract to manage the expansion of Barrick Gold’s $246 million Goldstrike project on an EPCM basis.

Toro Energy announces a further upgrade to its total Wiluna regional uranium resource base in Western Australia resulting from infill drilling and improved bulk density analysis of the Centipede deposit.

Tournigan Energy is taking the final steps to form a strategic alliance with AREVA, the French nuclear energy and uranium mining conglomerate, and acquire seven uranium properties from Mawson Resources located in Sweden and Finland. The record date was March 1, 2012, for the consolidation of the common shares of Tournigan on a five old for one new basis and its name will be changed to European Uranium Resources.

Atlantic Gold has announced results of the updated DFS for the Touquoy gold project in Nova Scotia, Canada.

The updated DFS is based on the mining and processing plan developed for the original DFS, completed in 2010 (ASX announcement, 5 July 2010) and is updated to include current costs and revenues where they have changed since the original DFS. The updated DFS re-affirms the strong viability of the Touquoy project as a significant development opportunity.

Full details on all these projects and information on and contacts for many, many more are to be found in the March 2 issue of International Mining Project News…..

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