29 Dec, 2021
Vale, Anglo in talks for iron ore JV; 32 dead in Sudanese gold mine collapse
By Karl Decena
TOP NEWS IN METALS & MINING
* Vale SA and Anglo American PLC confirmed that they have had preliminary discussions on a potential partnership for the development of the Serpentina iron ore project, which is contiguous with the latter's Minas Rio project in Brazil's Minas Gerais state.
* Rescue efforts are ongoing at a collapsed gold mine in Sudan where at least 32 people were killed, Reuters reported, citing Khaled Dahweya, director of state-owned Sudanese Mineral Resources Co.
➤ Push to electrify mines accelerates but raises thorny questions over cost
Experts say the electrification of mining truck fleets is inevitable, but the shift will be challenging.
➤ Biden sets in motion new trade policy on steel, aluminum imports from EU
The proposed tariff-rate quota system outlined in two presidential proclamations sets out to limit the volume of steel and aluminum products brought into the U.S. from the EU.
BASE METALS
* NorthWest Copper Corp. will consolidate ownership of the Kwanika copper development in British Columbia by acquiring the remaining 31% stake in project owner Kwanika Copper Corp. from POSCO subsidiary POSCO International Corp. for C$11 million in shares.
PRECIOUS METALS
* The Brazilian government suspended seven gold prospection permits in the Amazon rainforest following rejection by regulatory bodies and opposition from environmentalists, The Rio Times reported.
* Barrick Gold Corp.'s North Mara gold mine in Tanzania achieved its goal to bring the tailings storage facility’s pond back within its permitted design capacity by the end of this year.
BULK COMMODITIES
* Total U.S steel imports for the first 11 months of 2021 jumped 44.6% year over year to 29.7 million net tons, and finished steel imports grew 46.1% to 21.6 million net tons.
* China's industry ministry outlined a plan to cut the energy consumption of steel by 2%, and reduce emissions in the aluminum sector by 5% by 2025, Reuters reported, citing a raw materials development plan.
* Poland is seeking to advance talks with the new government of the Czech Republic over PGE SA's Turow coal mine, which an EU court ordered to shut down due to environmental damage to Czech villages, Reuters reported, citing Poland Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
* Aluminum producer UC Rusal IPJSC allocated 11.6 billion Russian rubles to social programs in 2021.
SPECIALTY
* Tesla Inc. will secure 8,000 tonnes per year of active anode material from the proposed expansion of Syrah Resources Ltd.'s Vidalia graphite plant in Louisiana under a previously announced off-take deal.
* Semi-automated production has started at Magnis Energy Technologies Ltd.'s iM3NY lithium-ion battery plant in New York.
* Ukraine plans to invest 9.1 billion hryvnia over the next five years to increase uranium production and meet the needs of its nuclear power units after 2026, Reuters reported.
* The commissioning of Northvolt AB's Northvolt Ett AB gigafactory in Sweden led to the assembly of what is touted as the first lithium-ion battery developed and built by a homegrown European battery company.
* Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. does not expect a material impact to production at the Gahcho Kue diamond mine in Canada's Northwest Territories, a joint venture with Anglo American's De Beers SA, following a COVID-19 outbreak at the operation.
