B08 Metal Ore Mining

Steel mills to the rescue as Rio mines slow

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 17-Jul-19

Rio Tinto has advised that production at its flagship Pilbara iron ore mines totalled 155.7 million tonnes in the first half of 2019, which is eight per cent lower than previously. Pilbara iron ore shipments also fell by eight per cent, to 154.6 million tonnes. Export volumes were affected by factors such as cyclone activity and a fire at Cape Lambert port during the half-year. Rio Tinto received an average price of $US85.30 per tonne, excluding the cost of freight, an increase of 35 per cent compared with the same period in 2018.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, VALE SA, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED

Mining wages hit boom-time highs

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 15-Jul-19

Research by BDO Remsmart shows that wages for a number of jobs in the mining sector have risen above the peaks seen during the last resources boom. Western Australia in particular is seeing a surge in mining industry wages, as BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue Metals Group invest in new iron ore mines. Factors such as stricter rules on the use of foreign labour, declining enrolments in university mining courses and investment in new infrastructure projects on the east coast are also putting upward pressure on wages. The demand for staff has prompted some mining companies to hire WA School of Mines students up to 18 months before they graduate.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BDO REMSMART, CURTIN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY. SCHOOL OF MINES

BHP calls for LNG-powered iron ore vessels

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 15-Jul-19

BHP is seeking to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions its products create once they have been acquired by its customers. As part of that effort, it has launched a tender that would see around 10 per cent of its iron ore exports to China transported in ships powered by LNG by around late 2021. BHP executive Rashpal Bhatti notes that LNG can achieve a 25 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to low sulphur fuel oil.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

Rio expands drilling on copper prospect

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 17 : 15-Jul-19

Rio Tinto is undertaking further drilling work at its Winu copper discovery in Western Australia’s Paterson Range. Arnaud Soirat, the head of Rio Tinto’s copper division, says the resources giant has identified other sites in the region that could also be drilled in the future. He adds that Rio Tinto’s focus is on value over volume, and that Winu could potentially be developed before the Resolution copper project in the US.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, ANTIPA MINERALS LIMITED – ASX AZY, SIPA RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX SRI, ENCOUNTER INVESTMENTS PTY LTD, GREATLAND GOLD PLC, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Evolution back in the black

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 27 : 11-Jul-19

Evolution Mining has advised that its gold output totalled 194,866 ounces in the June quarter, compared with 175,901 in the March quarter, while it had a net cash position of $35.2m at the end of June. It produced 753,001 ounces of gold during 2018-19, at an average all-in sustaining cost of $924 an ounce, while it expects output in 2019-20 to be within the range of 725,000 to 775,000 ounces. Ramelius Resources in turn has reported 2018-19 output of 196,679 ounces.

CORPORATES
EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, RAMELIUS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RMS

Iron ore shortage to keep prices elevated

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Original article by Glenda Korporaal
The Australian – Page: 27 : 11-Jul-19

Some analysts have forecast a further pullback in the iron ore price, which has retreated from its recent peak of around $US126 per tonne. National Australia Bank now expects the price of the steel input to average $US92/tonne during 2019 and $US74 in 2020. Meanwhile, Macquarie has indicated that the downturn in iron ore inventories at Chinese ports suggests that it will trade in the $US90s in the near-term.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CHINA IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, VALE SA, BAOWU GROUP

Iron ore prices to remain high

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 20 : 9-Jul-19

The price of iron ore for delivery to China firmed on 8 July, after falling sharply in the previous week in response to calls for Chinese government intervention. Meanwhile, Ord Minnett expects the benchmark price of iron ore to remain high for the remainder of 2019, before averaging $US87 per tonne in 2020. The firm also notes that an increase in steel production has seen iron ore stockpiles at Chinese ports decline for 12 consecutive weeks. Ord Minnett has increased its Chinese steel production forecast for 2019 by seven per cent year-on-year, to 992 million tonnes.

CORPORATES
ORD MINNETT GROUP LIMITED, CHINA IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, CHINA. NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND REFORM COMMISSION, VALE SA, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

China: iron ore import prices too high

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Original article by Michael Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 8-Jul-19

The price of iron ore for delivery to China recently peaked at $US126 per tonne. However, the iron ore price retreated on 5 July after the Chinese government indicated that it could intervene after the nation’s steel mills claimed that futures traders are manipulating the iron ore market. The China Iron & Steel Association’s vice-president Qu Xiuli is said to have indicated that the government intends to address ‘irregularities’ that have been identified by the nation’s steel makers. The reports prompted a sharp fall in the share prices of BHP and Rio Tinto.

CORPORATES
CHINA IRON AND STEEL ASSOCIATION, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, MYSTEEL.COM LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE

Gindalbie shareholders approve Ansteel buyout

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 28 : 4-Jul-19

Some 81 per cent of Gindalbie Metals’ shareholders voted in favour of Ansteel’s takeover bid on 3 July. The deal required the support of at least 75 per cent of the struggling iron ore miner’s shareholders. Gindalbie’s key asset is a 48 per cent stake in the loss-making Karara magnetite project in Western Australia, which incurred a blowout in construction and operating costs.

CORPORATES
GINDALBIE METALS LIMITED – ASX GBG, ANSHAN IRON AND STEEL COMPANY, SANDON CAPITAL INVESTMENTS LIMITED – ASX SNC

Miners cashing in as iron ore price surges

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 28 : 4-Jul-19

The price of iron ore from the Pilbara peaked at $US185 per tonne in 2011, when the Australian dollar was at parity with its US counterpart. The headline price of Pilbara iron ore is now trading at almost $US125 a tonne, which equates to a relative price of nearly $US180 a tonne when a much lower exchange rate is taken into account. Macquarie says the spot price of iron ore may have further to run, given that stockpiles at Chinese ports are continuing to decline. Meanwhile, BHP and Fortescue Metals Group are likely to exceed their revised guidance for 2018-19 iron ore export volumes after strong performances in June.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, ATLAS IRON LIMITED, MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN, VALE SA