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By Rachel Dally-Watkins March 2015 GREATER transparency, fiscal stability and community consultation were the common themes at the 2015 Investing in African Mining Indaba conference and exhibition, all aimed at improving investor confidence. Held in Cape Town, South Africa from 9 to 12 February, Indaba is Africa’s largest mining event, dedicated to the capitalisation and development of mining interests in Africa. Royalties and land ownership were familiar topics of discussions, raised once again as a result of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s plans to increase royalties and revise its mining...

SIRIUS Resources has signed a $440 million syndicated facility agreement with four top tier banks to fund the development of its 100 per cent owned Nova nickel mine in WA. Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, BNP Paribas, the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation and Westpac Banking will participate equally in the facility, which combined “generationally low” interest rates, no hedging requirements, early repayment flexibility and an option for Sirius to retain free cash. Sirius said the pricing, terms and conditions reflected the project’s low technical and commercial risks, and the competitive banking environment for quality projects. Key points of the financing include no financial penalties should the facility not be fully drawn; a long tenor fixed schedule of...

THE beleaguered thermal coal price will begin to increase this year, however poor Chinese demand will continue to put pressure on the market, Whitehaven Coal has predicted. In its December quarterly report, the Australian miner revealed it had sold a record 6 million tonnes of coal in the second half of 2014, most of which was thermal. Whitehaven achieved an average sale price for its export thermal coal of US$66.07 per tonne in the quarter, down from US$82.28/t in the December 2013 quarter. The benchmark Newcastle thermal coal index dropped 6.7 per cent during the December quarter. However, Whitehaven predicted the thermal coal price would record a “stable to gradual” increase in 2015, despite leading forecasters tipping a further drop...

FORTESCUE Metals Group has increased its Pilbara iron ore mineral resource by more than 300 million tonnes and outlined at a new deposit within the Chichester hub. The Australian miner announced in January it had discovered new resources at its existing Cloudbreak and Christmas Creek operations during drilling in the middle of last year. Fortescue added 70mt of resources – with 37mt classified as indicated – to the 40 million tonne per annum Cloudbreak mine, and 46mt of resources – 19mt indicated – to the 50mtpa Christmas Creek operation. In a statement, the company said the new resources were at or very near the surface and were expected to be dry and have a low strip ratio. “They will now...

ARTIST Jamie North has given the by-product of iron ore smelting a new lease on life, recycling slag and using it in conjunction with concrete to create a set of sculptures on display at the National Gallery of Victoria. The six impressive rock columns are made from materials collected in collaboration with Australian Steel Mill Services from the stony waste matter that is separated from metals during the refinement process. Each piece is entwined with native vines that will bloom clusters of cream flowers with red or pink throats, showing how plant life can emerge from a state of erosion. The plants will eventually overrun the pillars, reflecting “nature’s awesome power to survive the most baron environments, even penetrating rock,...

NEW coal projects are edging closer to operation amid industry claims that the coal price has bottomed out. The $1.7 billion Eagle Downs coal project, an equal joint venture between Vale Australia Holdings and Aquila Resources, is a drivingforce behind the sector’s revived optimism; the 48-year project is expected to initially peak at a production rate of 5.9 million tonnes per annum and average at 4.5mtpa. The mine’s product has been assessed as “low volatile, standard-grade hard coking coal and the brand is expected to be well received in global metallurgical coal markets”, according to Aquila Resources. The joint venture, Bowen Central Coal (BCC), is constructing an underground longwall mine 25km southeast of Moranbah and 2km east of BHP Mitsubishi...

AFRICA-focused Blackthorn Resources has been granted a large-scale mining licence and environmental approval for the development and operation of its Kitumba copper project in Zambia. The Kitumba mining licence – covering 163 square kilometres within the existing Mumbwa prospecting licence, about 200km west of the capital, Lusaka – was a key condition to a merger arrangement between Blackthorn and precious metals developer Intrepid Mines. It was granted for an initial 25 years following approval by the Zambia Environmental Management Agency. “This is a significant milestone for Blackthorn Resources and confirms the support of the Zambian Government for the development of the project,” Blackthorn Resources managing director Mark Mitchell said. “We now look forward to advancing the project through the definitive...

THE WA Government has granted environmental approval for the proposed mine and ore processing facilities at Northern Minerals’ Browns Range project, facilitating the process of secondary approvals and completion of the project’s feasibility study. Browns Range, 160km southeast of Halls Creek, is one of the highest grade heavy rare earth (HRE) resources in the world. It has significant dysprosium resources (hosted in xenotime), which is used in nuclear reactors, data storage applications and the alloy formula Terfonel-D. “Receiving the primary environmental approval is a significant step forward in the project’s development and clears the path for Browns Range to become the first significant dysprosium producer outside of China,” Northern Minerals managing director George Bauk said. “The focus is now on...

ESTABLISHED in 1963, A&G Engineering & Mining Supplies has five decades experience producing high quality stainless steel vessels and equipment. Today, it is the preferred tank manufacturer for many industries across Australia. The A&G team is involved in thedesign, manufacture and installation of an extensive range of stainless steel vessels and equipment for all major industries including mining, heavy industry, dairy, brewing and wine. Growing demand for A&G products has led to its further expansion into the mining sector. A&G now maintains a strong focus on supplying the industry with a range of products, including stainless steel tanks, valving, pipe work systems, carbon screens, hoppers, screening products, storage bins, catwalk and stair-tower structures, along with a full and comprehensive supply...

IN 2011, building contractor Abigroup approached SEE Civil to create a large capacity, mobile mineral separation plant. The plant was required to receive dump trucks with loads of up to 100t; produce at least 1200t per hour of process material; and output 3.8 million tonnes in total material within a eight month timeframe. SEE Civil owner and director Brian Turner responded by creating one of the world’s largest mobile trommels. “It was designed to process 1200t per hour, but we have achieved output of up to 2000t an hour, which is remarkable,” Mr Turner said. The trommel has since been modified and upgraded to further increase efficiency. The original trommel was powered by a diesel driven hydraulic system; this was...