B08 Metal Ore Mining

Fortescue upbeat as cash rolls in

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 16 : 1-May-20

Fortescue Metals Group has advised that it ended March with a net cash position for the first time since it commenced iron ore exports in 2008. It had a net cash position of $US100m, compared with net debt of $US2.9bn previously. Fortescue’s production report for the March quarter also shows that its shipments rose by 10 per cent to 42.3 million tonnes during the period. It now expects total shipments of up to 177 million for 2019-20; its previous guidance was for export volumes of up to 175 million tonnes.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG

BHP aims to lift Pilbara exports

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 20 : 29-Apr-20

BHP’s iron ore export capacity at Port Hedland is currently 290 million tonnes per annum, but the resources group will seek approval to lift this by up to 40 million tonnes. This could increase BHP’s revenue from its Pilbara operations by around $5bn a year, based on the current iron ore price of around $US80 per tonne. Hayden Bairstow of Macquarie says BHP could increase its Pilbara exports to 300mtpa without the need for ‘material’ capital expenditure. Fortescue Metals Group has also flagged plans to increase its Pilbara export volumes.

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

Right as rain: Evolution sticks to guidance

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Brad Thompson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 24-Apr-20

Evolution Mining has advised that its gold production fell by three per cent to 165,502 ounces in the March quarter, while it still expects full-year output of about 725,000 ounces. This excludes the contribution of the Red Lake mine in Canada, which it acquired from Newmont Goldcorp. Meanwhile, Evolution has indicated that concerns about water supply at the Cowal mine in drought-affected New South Wales have eased due to recent rainfall and the completion of a water pipeline upgrade.

CORPORATES
EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, NEWMONT GOLDCORP CORPORATION

Chinese demand has BHP optimistic

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 16 : 22-Apr-20

BHP produced 68 million tonnes of iron ore in the March quarter, a year-on-year increase of four per cent. Production for the first nine months of 2019-20 rose to a record 205 million tonnes. BHP notes that demand for iron ore in China remains strong, but it has flagged a potential double-digit fall in steel production outside of China in 2020. BHP’s quarterly production report also shows that output at its coal mines in Queensland was 16 per cent lower than in the December quarter and seven per cent lower year-on-year.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

Miners seek assurance on fuel tax break

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 21-Apr-20

The resources sector is lobbying the federal government not to touch the diesel excise rebate as it looks at ways to repay the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rebate is worth around $2 billion to the resources sector; it is also received by other industries, including fishing and agriculture. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable contends that imposing higher taxes to pay for the cost of COVID-19 will harm jobs and curtail growth, while she notes that both the Henry tax review and Treasury are of the view that the fuel tax credit is sound economic policy.

CORPORATES
MINERAL COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

BHP iron ore shipments steady as Vale falls short

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 21-Apr-20

BHP will release its quarterly update on 21 April, and analysts estimate that its Pilbara iron ore shipments totalled 68 million tonnes in the first three months of 2020. This means BHP should be on track to achieve its full-year guidance for iron ore exports. Fortescue Metals Group also seems set to achieve record export volumes for the year. Brazilian iron ore giant Vale recently advised that it produced 59.6 million tonnes of iron ore fines in the March quarter, which is well below its revised target of 68-73 million tonnes.

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

Mine workers drive the great COVID migration

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 20-Apr-20

It is estimated that around 5,000 workers have had to relocate interstate over the past month to overcome coronavirus restrictions on the movement of people between states. More than 900 BHP workers have relocated to Western Australia, while around 800 of Rio Tinto’s fly-in, fly-out workers have relocated indefinitely, and most of them have moved to WA. Trevor Hart, KPMG’s global head of mining, says the current situation presents an opportunity for both the resources sector and the WA government to persuade affected workers to move permanently to the state.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO HOLDINGS LIMITED, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, NEW CENTURY RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NCZ

Records to fall as miners defy crisis

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Dennis Shanahan, Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 13-Apr-20

Factors such as a resilient iron ore price and a rally in the price of gold have prompted expectations that the value of Australia’s resources exports will top $$299bn in 2019-20. This is $18bn higher than was forecast in December. The nation has exported $65.4bn worth of iron ore since 1 July, including $13.9bn in the first two months of 2020. Iron ore for delivery to China is trading at almost $US80 per tonne, compared with the Treasury’s forecast of $US55 a tonne. The resources and energy sector is largely continuing to operate during the pandemic.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Rio Tinto to maintain payout

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 13 & 16 : 9-Apr-20

Rio Tinto chairman Simon Thompson say its dividend policy will have to be reviewed before the release of its half-year results in July. However, shareholders will still receive the final dividend of $US2.31 per share for calendar 2019, as announced in February. Thompson has cited factors such as Rio Tinto’s strong balance sheet and the fact that its iron ore order book is full. Many listed companies have opted to review their dividend policies or defer interim dividends due to the coronavirus pandemic.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

Iron ore dividends still on track

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 18 : 8-Apr-20

Macquarie Group is bullish about the outlook for iron ore producers BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group, arguing that continued strong cashflows should enable them to maintain dividend yields. Macquarie notes that BHP’s iron ore operations will have helped to offset the impact of the sharp fall in the crude oil price on its petroleum division. Glynn Lawcock of UBS also expects BHP and Rio Tinto to maintain their dividend payments, although he says gold and base metal miners may reduce their dividends.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD