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South32 reported record production from its manganese operations in the September quarter. Image: South32. BY AMY BLOM SOUTH32 has more than tripled metallurgical coal production in the first quarter of FY19 compared to the first quarter of FY18, according to its September quarter report. Production at Illawarra rose to 1.5 million tonnes (mt) in the Q1 up from 494,000 tonnes in the previous year. Despite the jump, South32 believed a significant increase in development rates was still required to sustain the operation of two longwalls in parallel at the Appin colliery from H2 FY20. South32’s Australia Manganese division also achieved a record quarterly performance of 932,000 tonnes and an 8 per cent increase quarter-on-quarter in total manganese ore production as…

BY JESSICA CUMMINS A NEW $218 million research collaboration has launched in Adelaide that will develop new technologies to increase the discovery of mineral deposits across the country. The MinEx Cooperative Research Centre (MinEx CRC) was opened at the Australian Geoscience Council Convention in Adelaide on 15 October. The centre, backed by a $50 million Federal Government grant, was a collaboration between 34 companies in the Mining Equipment, Technology and Services (METS) and majors including BHP, South32, Anglo American and Barrick, which will commit $165 million over the next decade. It would also be supported by research organisations including the CSIRO, University of Adelaide, Curtin University, University of South Australia, the University of Western Australia, University of Newcastle, and Geoscience…

BY ELIZABETH FABRI NEODYMIUM and praseodymium – or NdPr for short – has been labelled one of the “biggest blind spots of today’s global commodity market”, but interest is beginning to pick up for rare earth elements with analysts forecasting strong demand to come out of China in the early 2020s. It’s in our mobile phones, the hard disc drive of our laptops and the NdFeB magnets in the electric vehicles soon to be hitting our roads – yet there is still a level of restraint within the investment community towards NdPr. To date, China has been the biggest producer of the rare earths material. But an emerging group of ASX-players were now getting attention, as the NdPr price increased…

BY AMY BLOM MAMMOTH gold specimens found at RNC’s Beta Hunt mine in WA Goldfields could be among the largest ever discovered, with the potential to turn the miner’s fortunes around. The Toronto-based company recently announced 9250 ounces of high-grade gold had been produced from a single cut about 500 metres underground over one week. The high-grade gold included about 190 kilograms of specimen stone, the largest of which was 95kg with an estimated gold content of 2440oz. A second piece came in at 63kg with an estimated gold content of 1620oz. Early estimates from RNC have put the total yield at about $C15 million in cash. RNC followed it up its success just two weeks later when 43kg specimen…

The old pit at Kapunda. Image: Environmental Copper Recovery. BY ELIZABETH FABRI A GROUP of researchers and miners have joined forces in a two and a half year study that aims to identify and resolve key challenges with in-situ recovery (ISR) mineral extraction in mining. The research program, led by Mining3 and ISR specialists Environmental Copper Recovery (ECR), will be undertaken at Terramin’s Kapunda copper mine in South Australia with Thor Mining, the University of Adelaide and CSIRO. The program would involve a “tangible demonstration of ISR mining” at Kapunda, providing examples to industry of how to unlock value in stranded assets. Kapunda – Australia’s first commercial copper mine – has been mothballed since the early 1900s, and been examined…

Ramelius Resources has committed to an early 2019 start for Edna May gold mine. Image: Ramelius Resources. BY AMY BLOM  RAMELIUS Resources has its sights set on more gold, recently launching a takeover bid for junior explorer Explaurum and inking a deal to purchase Black Oak Minerals’ Marda project. In early September, the miner launched an all scrip $59 million takeover bid for Explaurum, which owns the Tampia project, 140km south of its Edna May gold mine in WA. Ramelius said it attempted to engage with the Explaurum board to “jointly explore a recommended deal”, but had not come to an agreement so decided to put its offer directly to shareholders. According to Ramelius managing director Mark Zeptner, there was…

BY ELIZABETH FABRI THE gold price may have slumped; but this hasn’t dampened the spirits of Australian gold producers with the big players posting record profits, and a new cohort of conglomerate-focused explorers making moves in the Pilbara. In January gold prices were hovering at a peak of $US1362 per ounce on the back of a turbulent year for US politics and weakening US dollar. Australian gold producers, which benefit strongly from the AU/US exchange rate, were widely optimistic for the year ahead. But over the last eight months, gold prices have taken a dive, plummeting to lows of $US1176/oz mid-August, in line with a rising US dollar and inflation-adjusted interest rates. Australia’s biggest gold players weren’t complaining though; Saracen,…

Image: Barminco. BY REUBEN ADAMS AUSDRILL’s “compelling” $271.5 million acquisition of underground mining contractor Barminco would create Australia’s second largest mining services company. Ausdrill will acquire Barminco – its current partner in the lucrative African Underground Mining Service (AUMS) joint venture – in exchange for 150.7 million Ausdrill shares and $25.4m in cash; equivalent to an equity acquisition price of $271.5m. Once the transaction is completed, Barminco vendors will own about 22.1 per cent of the enlarged Ausdrill, with experienced company director and current Barminco non-executive chairman Keith Gordon to join the Ausdrill board. The acquisition announcement accompanied a set of outstanding full year results from diversified mining services company Ausdrill, including a year-on-year net profit increase of 95.7 per…

Image: Saracen Mineral Holdings. BY JESSICA CUMMINS SARACEN Minerals capped off FY18 with a net profit surge of 166 per cent to $76 million; an increase from $28.4 million a year prior. Results stemmed from increased gold sales of 317,675 ounce sand lower AISC of $1139/oz. Underlying NPAT – excluding the $10.6 abnormal profit received from its sale of King of the Hills; doubled to $67.3 million. In early August, Saracen reported a 64 per cent increase in reserves at its Karari Dervish project to 1 million ounces, , and an increase in reserves to 980,000oz at Thunderbox. Saracen managing director Raleigh Finlayson said the strong results were particularly pleasing given the company was in the middle of a major…