B08 Metal Ore Mining

Chinese seize African iron projects

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 29-Jun-21

Chinese-backed company AustSino Resources has emerged as the likely developer of a number of iron ore projects in the African countries of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The former ASX-listed company has connections to state-owned Chinese enterprises like China Railway Construction and steelmaker Baowu, while the projects in question would add around 100 million tonnes of iron ore to global markets and could help China to reduce its dependence on Western Australia’s Pilbara region for iron ore.

CORPORATES
AUSTSINO RESOURCES GROUP LIMITED, CHINA RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION CORPORATION LIMITED, BAOWU

Pilbara gold find WA’s biggest since Gruyere and Tropicana

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Original article by Peter de Kruijff
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: Online : 24-Jun-21

De Grey Mining has reported a 6.8 million ounce maiden mineral resource for its Hemi deposit in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, making it the largest gold discovery in WA since the Gruyere project in 2013 and the Tropicana project in 2005. The Hemi deposit is part of its Mallina Gold Project, which now has a total mineral resource of nine million ounces. Gold exploration expenditure rose 16 per cent in Australia in 2020 to $1.3 billion, with $908 million spent in WA alone.

CORPORATES
DE GREY MINING LIMITED – ASX DEG, CHALICE MINING LIMITED – ASX CHN

BHP sacks second worker accused of rape

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 10 : 24-Jun-21

News that BHP has sacked a second worker accused of rape will not encourage women or men to join the mining industry, according to women in mining advocate Sabina Shugg. The two former employees are both ‘fly in, fly out’ workers accused of raping female colleagues in unrelated incidents. Both have denied the police charges against them and have accused BHP of unfair dismissal.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

BHP blasted by Indigenous elder amid WA impasse

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Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 23-Jun-21

Some Western Australian Indigenous leaders claim new legislation aimed at preventing a repeat of Rio Tinto’s 2020 destruction of the 46,000-year old Jukaan Gorge heritage site offers even less heritage protection, and they are seeking veto power over mining developments in WA. One such leader is Banjima elder Slim Parker, who has attacked BHP over the time it is taking to investigate damage to a culturally important cave at one of its mines on Banjima country. The WA government is not willing to allow Indigenous leaders veto powers over mining developments, while the WA Chamber of Minerals and Energy also opposes the idea.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY

BHP to overtake Rio in premium iron ore

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 7-Jun-21

BHP could soon become Australia’s biggest exporter of ‘lump’ iron ore following the recent start of production at its new South Flank mine in the Pilbara. Lump iron ore is a premium product that attracts a higher price than ‘fines’, which is Australia’s biggest iron ore export. Lump iron ore can be used in steel-making without first undergoing the sintering process, which is both energy-intensive and generates carbon emissions. The South Flank mine will increase the proportion of lump in BHP’s iron ore exports to 30-33 per cent, compared with 24-25 per cent in recent years.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

BHP hiring as it faces critical lack of drivers

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 27-May-21

BHP plans to hire an additional 200 train drivers for its iron ore operations in the Pilbara, in response to what has been described as a ‘critical’ shortage in the sector. BHP’s iron ore asset president Brandon Craig says the new trainees will have "rewarding careers" at the resources group, which suggests that BHP will not follow Rio Tinto in shifting to driverless trains. BHP uses automated trucks at its Jimblebar iron ore mine, while the Gina Rinehart-backed Roy Hill aims to fully automate its fleet of trucks by 2023.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD

China price blitz raises iron ore threat

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Original article by Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 25-May-21

The price of iron ore futures fell on 24 May after Chinese authorities announced plans to crack down on commodity price speculation by domestic traders and firms. The crackdown is also seen as an attempt to curb inflation, with China’s producer price index having risen 6.8 per cent year-on-year in April, compared to 4.4 per cent growth recorded in March. Traders expect the clampdown on commodity price speculation will impact on futures trading, but it is not expected to undermine strong demand for iron ore, which is being driven by "tight supply". The share prices of Australian iron ore producers also fell sharply.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

China trade tension a risk to economy: BHP mining boss

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Original article by Emmaline Stigwood
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 21-May-21

China’s unofficial ban on coal imports from Australia has forced local producers to find alternative markets for metallurgical coal. BHP Minerals Australia president Edgar Basto notes that this has resulted in the price falling by up to 50 per cent; he says this is unsustainable and action to improve Australia’s relations with China will eventually be needed, given that China is a major market for coal used in steel-making. Basto says that both nations must take action to "rebuild trust".

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

Super quick payback looms on BHP’s South Flank mine

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: Online : 21-May-21

BHP commenced production at its new South Flank iron ore mine on 20 May, less than three years after the $US3.6bn project was approved. South Flank is slated to produce about 40 million tonnes of iron ore in fiscal 2022, and the mine is scheduled to reach full capacity of 80 million tonnes in its third year of operation. The iron ore price is currently trading above $US210 per tonne, compared with just $US66 per tonne when BHP’s board approved the project in June 2018.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

McGowan drive cuts FIFO numbers

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-May-21

The number of east coast-based ‘fly-in fly-out’ workers in Western Australia’s mining sector was estimated at between 4,000 and 5,000 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Chamber of Minerals & Energy estimates that about 2,000 of these workers have relocated to WA since Premier Mark McGowan urged them to do so in May 2020. CME CEO Paul Everingham says the number of FIFO workers in the state’s mining sector could eventually fall to around 1,000. However, he believes that a labour shortage means that resources groups will need to continue to recruit workers from interstate.

CORPORATES
THE CHAMBER OF MINERALS AND ENERGY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET