Archives: General

Roskill reports that “for the nickel market, 2014 may prove to be a turning point when vitality is restored to an industry that saw prices dip below $14,000/t in July 2013. At this level, not seen since 2009, an estimated 30% of operations are believed to be unprofitable, as demonstrated by numerous suspensions and closures[…]

In the end of an era in US lead operations, Doe Run Company finally shut down all primary lead operations at its Herculaneum, Missouri location as of December 23, 2013. This was the last primary lead smelter operating in the US. Doe Run’s Missouri lead mines and mills continue to operate, producing high quality lead concentrate.[…]

On the occasion of French President François Hollande’s visit to Riyadh on December 30, 2013, EDF and AREVA signed two sets of agreements aimed at supporting the Saudi nuclear energy program. The two companies have signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with five Saudi industrial partners (Zamil Steel, Bahra Cables, Riyadh Cables, Saudi Pumps, Descon Olayan).[…]

Nucor Corp has achieved the successful start-up of production at its direct reduced iron (DRI) facility in St. James Parish, Louisiana.  Production of DRI began on Tuesday, December 24, and has continued at planned ramp-up levels since that time.  The quality of material being produced in terms of both metallisation and carbon content has improved[…]

With the global electronic-waste market projected to exceed $20 billion within the next two years, Green Technology Solutions (GTSO) is investigating the potential of a new research and development resource in Latin America that specialises in metallurgical processes and recovering value from electronic waste. GTSO, through its joint venture partner Chilerecicla, recently began talks with[…]

A new material has been developed by ZeMC² to produce wear components for pumps. In the past, it was easy to manufacture a component that would last but the hardness they required to prevent them from wearing would wear the shaft on which they rode; this new material, the company says, “is the first to[…]

Outotec is to deliver technology and services worth over €100 million to Cengiz Group for the Mazidagi and Samsun operations in Turkey. The orders include a roasting plant for pyrite concentrates, calcine leaching and solvent extraction plants, copper smelter modernisation, as well as gas cleaning and sulphuric acid plants. Cengiz Group, a major Turkish aluminium and copper[…]

For over 65 years of being an international leader in manufacturing quality pneumatic and hydraulic drilling equipment for mining and minerals, and for recently opening its world headquarters in Wentzville, Missouri, Mid-Western LLC received the Business Spotlight Award for December from the Economic Development Roundtable of St. Charles County. With company roots dating back to[…]

UK-based Blue Dog Scientific Ltd, run by Dr Gary Sharpe, has developed a drill & blast system which he says can significantly cut costs and increase production rates. The focus of the system is to scientifically engineer and design tailored solutions which minimise wasted explosive energy but maximise outcomes. This includes directional blasting and borehole partitioning exploiting[…]

Mount Thorley Warkworth will be the first of Rio Tinto’s mines to trial a cutting-edge noise monitoring system with the aim to be more effective in real time management of noise. A new directional noise monitoring system will be installed in the southern area of Bulga village in the coming weeks to assist with monitoring[…]