FLSmidth supplies grinding mill for Katanga Mining operation

FLSmidth has provided Glencore’s Katanga Mining operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with a new 7 m grinding mill. Katanga Mining operates a large scale copper/cobalt project with substantial high grade mineral reserves and integrated metallurgical operations and the new grinding mill will  be delivered ex-works together with associated equipment. It is likely to be commissioned in the third quarter of 2014 at the mine’s copper KCC concentrator plant.

The new equipment will be commissioned into an existing milling plant at the Katanga concentrator, in which multiple AG and ball mills already operate. Terence Osborn, Minerals Capital Sales and Marketing Manager at FLSmidth says the new grinding mill will boost plant reliability and enable production throughput predictability. “It has been well proven to be high quality and reliable equipment, and we have a growing relationship with this client,” Osborn says. In addition, Katanga Mining will implement FLSmidth’s proprietary Process Expert System (PXP) advanced process control mill optimisation package. This high level process control solution is a proven method to simultaneously reduce cost and improve product quality. “The mill is running in closed circuit with hydrocyclones and we’ve developed software that takes the milling plant operation into account holistically,” Osborn says. “Having expert knowledge of mill circuits, we’re in an ideal position to ensure that the whole system runs in a well-balanced and optimal manner harnessing PXP to achieve a consistent throughput.

He added: “Achieving consistency is particularly important at this operation, since test work data indicates that the ore from this project will be variable from a hardness perspective and this always makes mill circuit control more challenging. The best way to maximise plant productivity is to maximise stability. By running the plant as consistently as possible, the mine will achieve a better quality downstream product.”

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Permanent light for night work, area illumination or remote site exploration

Exsto Group has a new light, with a minimum 40,000 lumens output, designed to provide permanent light for night work, area illumination or remote site exploration. The Cube combines a 24 V electrical system and high output LED lights with an automatic stop/start system and industrial-grade light sensor, which means users can simply ‘set and forget’, said Exsto’s Wayne Panther. Optional extras include 12 V and 24 V charge outputs for phones and workshop tools, CCTV with built-in video recorder, communications aerials, and remote monitoring that can include engine condition information and weather analysis.

Exsto also offers a Cube Master and Slave system where a second Cube slave light, with no engine or generator pack, can be connected by a high current lead to the master unit up to 50 m away. “This saves on fuel and capital costs, while doubling light output,” Panther said.

Exsto designs and manufactures LED lighting towers operating at 24 V and offers options such as remote monitoring, radar, and skid or truck mount. “Our tough-build approach means our lighting towers will offer many years of trouble-free service in the worst of conditions, while our LED lighting technology has the added bonus of 50,000 hours of service life,” Panther said.

Other benefits included air-cooled engines that used just 0.9 litres/h of diesel and could operate for 250 hours before refuelling, he said.

Renewable Energy and Mining Summit in Toronto in September

The Renewable Energy and Mining Summit is to be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre September 25 & 26, 2013 in Toronto, Ontario. This inaugural Summit, sponsored by the Centre for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI) will examine how renewable energy can meet the energy challenges facing the mining sector by providing cost competitive, reliable, low-carbon energy solutions. Energy decision-makers from global mines will present case studies and discuss how they are accessing renewable energy options.  These include senior representatives from Barrick Gold, Kinross Gold, Vale, Lonmin, Teck Resources, Rio Tinto, American Vanadium, Cronimet Mining, Volcan, and Semafo.

They will be joined by renewable energy experts who are developing products and solutions for the mining sector. These include Enercon Canada, Sea Breeze Power Corp., Mainstream Renewable Power, Rame Energy, Solar Frontier Americas, Borealis Geopower, Energia Llaima, SUNMARK, Solarpack, REpower Systems, Ameresco Canada, SunEdison, International Finance Corp and SolarReserve.

Douglas Morrison, President and CEO and Chair in Holistic Mining Practices at CEMI will also be one of these distinguished guest speakers.

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INDONESIA - Intrepid survives coup attempt

ASX-listed Intrepid Mines has survived an attempted coup by a Hong Kong private equity group with shareholders backing their board to continue its concerted efforts to confirm Intrepid’s 80% interest in the rich Tujuh Bukit Copper-Gold Project.  

Intrepid was removed from its $5 billion project last July and stripped of its interest by its joint venture partner, PT Indo Multi Niaga (PT IMN). Intrepid’s interest is now controlled by Indonesian tycoon Edwin Soeryadjaya. The attempted board coup was led by shareholder and hedge fund Quantum Pacific Capital, with which Edwin Soeryadjaya has said he would be willing to negotiate a settlement.

In a recent report to shareholders, Intrepid said: “We are advised that as previously reported the police investigations against PT IMN, the joint venture partner and its associates are ongoing.”

The company is seeking to have the proceedings instituted in the State Administrative Tribunal in Surabaya, seeking decisions of the Bupati of Banyuwangi to approve the transfer of the IUPs and the subsequent changes in shareholding, set aside. Meanwhile, a law suit initiated against various parties, including the company, in the South Jakarta District Court in Indonesia, is ongoing.

While activity on Tujuh Bukit was suspended on July 19, 2012, when access to the site was denied to the company by PT IMN, Intrepid expects to shortly complete technical work to pre-feasibility study status on the oxide project. Measured and indicated oxide resources stand at 70 million tonnes @ 0.71 grams/tonne gold and 27 grams/tonne silver for 1.6 million ounces of contained gold and 60 million ounces of contained silver. The inferred resource stands at 19 million tonnes @ 0.75 grams/tonne gold and 21 grams/tonne silver for 500,000 ounces of contained gold and 13 million ounces of contained silver.

The technical work for the scoping study for the porphyry deposit is still expected to be completed shortly. The inferred resource stands at 1.9 billion tonnes @ 0.45% copper and 0.45 grams/tonne gold for 19 billion pounds of contained copper and 28 million ounces of contained gold.

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PHILIPPINES - TVI Pacific completes Balabag feasibility

TVI Pacific has submitted a project feasibility declaration for its Balabag project to Philippine Environmental and Mines and Geosciences authorities. Approval will allow production at the gold-silver project, 75km east-northeast of the company’s Canatuan copper-zinc mine on Mindanao Island, to begin.  

This follows the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) filing which has already been approved by environmental management bureau officials and is now under review by mining regulators, pending signage by the environment and national resources review.

“The Balabag project is ‘ready to go’, as soon as these documents get the final approval of the government,” says TVI’s chairman Cliff James. “We have the funding in place, and we have completed all the technical requirements needed for approval.”

The ECC document certifies the project will not significantly harm the environment with relevant pre-conditions. In March, TVI announced it had secured low-interest financing for project development.

The Balabag epithermal asset lies within a 52sqkm area 75km east-northeast of TVI’s Canatuan mine. The report estimates an indicated mineral resource of 1.78 million tonnes averaging 2.34 grams/gold tonne and 72.3 grams/tonne of silver containing 134,262 gold ounces and 4,148,196 silver ounces. Exploration work is ongoing.

Glencore Xstrata slashes 450 Australian coal jobs

Glencore Xstrata plc will cut a further 450 jobs from its Australian coal operations after laying off 46 earlier this week.

The company said it would sack 300 at its Newlands coal mine and 150 at its Oaky Creek coal mine, both in Queensland, by the end of the year, ABC reported.

Glencore Xstrata blamed lower coal prices and higher costs for the decision to reduce staff.

Production would be rolled back at both mines, which were part of Xstrata plc’s portfolio before it merged with Glencore International plc in May.

Earlier this week, the group cut 46 jobs at its Ravensworth coal mine in New South Wales, also an Xstrata asset.

Glencore Xstrata produced approximately 15.5Mt of coking and thermal coal at its Australian operations in the March quarter. This represents about half of the coal output for the company, which also has coal assets in South Africa and Colombia.

It has been a tumultuous week in the Australian coal industry. 

US-based Peabody Energy Corp axed 450 contractor jobs at its Australian coal operations, Aquila Resources Ltd and Vale SA said it would reduce employee numbers at its Australian Eagle Downs coal project, and contracting firm Downer EDI Ltd cut 185 positions from its workforce at the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance’s Goonyella Riverside coal mine in Queensland.

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Resolute ups guidance but delays expansion

Australian-listed Resolute Mining Ltd said it would beat its forecast annual gold production but has delayed the expansion of its flagship mine as the price of gold dropped below US$1,200/oz this week.

Resolute, which operates mines in Australia, Tanzania and Mali, increased its 2013 gold production guidance to 430,000oz, up from 415,000oz.

The company said it revised output after stockpiles at its Golden Pride mine in Tanzania had performed better than expected, which would continue until the end of the year.

However, Resolute said it would defer US$113 million of spending in 2013-14, which had been earmarked for the expansion of its Syama gold mine in Mali.

Subsequently, capital expenditure for the financial year has been reduced to US$61 million.

Completion of the expansion, which was expected to be commissioned mid-2014 and increase annual output at the mine to 270,000oz, has also been pushed back by up to 18 months, the company said.

Syama produced 145,197oz of gold in 2012.

“Resolute continues to critically review all operating costs and mine plans with a view to reducing the cash cost base,” the company said.

The expansion of the Syama is expected to cost US$266 million and is currently 34% complete with US$92 million spent to date.

Resolute said total group production for 2014 would fall to 345,000oz mainly due to the scheduled closure of Golden Pride, which had reached the end of its mine life.

Resolute Chief Executive Officer, Peter Sullivan said: “We are in the fortunate position of having considerable flexibility in our operations to be able to generate cash over a wide range of adverse gold price movements and we will continue to apply a cautious and disciplined approach to how we deploy it.”

The spot price of gold hit a near three year low on Friday (June 28) to US$1,181/oz – its lowest point since July 2010.