MINING CORPORATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Dacian downturn bodes ill for WA gold producers

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 19 : 6-Jun-19

Dacian Gold has advised that it now expects production at its Mount Morgans mine to be within the range of 36,000 to 38,000 ounces in the June quarter, compared with previous guidance of 50,000 to 55,000 ounces. Dacian has also warned that longer-term production at the mine will also fail to meet expectations, at an of average 160,000 to 180,000 ounces annually over a five-year period. Shares in Dacian closed 67.5 per cent lower at $0.515 on 5 June.

CORPORATES
DACIAN GOLD LIMITED – ASX DCN, GASCOYNE RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX GCY, MILLENNIUM MINERALS LIMITED – ASX MOY, ST BARBARA LIMITED – ASX SBM, NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, ATLANTIC GOLD CORPORATION, NORGES BANK

Adani downsizes, cuts new job numbers to as low as 800

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Original article by Sarah Elks
The Australian – Page: Online : 4-Jun-19

Doubts have emerged as to how many ongoing jobs would be created at Adani’s Carmichael coal mine if the $2bn project goes ahead. A spokeswoman says the project would create 1,500 direct jobs and 6,750 indirect jobs during the ramp-up and construction phases. She adds that the number of jobs when the mine becomes operational will be in line with open-cut coal mines of a similar size in Queensland, which is between 800 and 1,500. Adani had originally flagged the creation of about 5,000 operational jobs at Carmichael, before the size of the project was scaled back.

CORPORATES
ADANI MINING PTY LTD, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MARITIME, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, THE AUSTRALIA INSTITUTE LIMITED

BHP faces call for write-down as Rio advances potash dream

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 3-Jun-19

BHP is slated to decide within 18 months if it will commit an additional $US5.5bn to the first stage of its Jansen potash project in Canada. CEO Andrew Mackenzie recently told investors that BHP has overinvested in the project to date, and James Gurry of Deutsche Bank says it may be a good time for BHP to review the carrying value of Jansen. He adds that there is potential for an initial impairment of around $US1.2bn ($1.7bn). Meanwhile, Rio Tinto’s Albany potash joint venture in Canada could commence production within two years.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, JSC AKRON

Bullish iron ore could give budget $4b boost

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 29-May-19

The iron ore price reached a five-year high of $US108 per tonne on 28 May, prompting strong gains in the share prices of Australia’s three major producers. The federal government’s April 2019 Budget had forecast that the iron ore price would average $US88/tonne in 2019-20; Nicki Hutley of Deloitte Access Economics says government revenue could increase by $4bn if the price remains at its current level over this period. Goldman Sachs does not expect iron ore to remain above $US100 for long; it has issued a revised price forecast for 2019 of $US91.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, VALE SA, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MOUNT GIBSON IRON LIMITED – ASX MGX, ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MINERAL RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX MIN, GRANGE RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX GRR

Galaxy secures front-row seats to the next lithium IPO

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 28-May-19

Galaxy Resources recently announced that it would acquire $22.5 million worth of shares in lithium exporter Alliance Mineral Assets. The transaction will make Galaxy the biggest shareholder in Alliance, with a stake in excess of 10 per cent. Galaxy will also be a shareholder in Cowan Lithium when it eventually lists on the Australian sharemarket; it acquired an interest in Cowan as a result of buying shares in Alliance’s predecessor company, Tawana Resources.

CORPORATES
GALAXY RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX GXY, ALLIANCE MINERAL ASSETS LIMITED – ASX A40, COWAN LITHIUM LIMITED – ASX COW, TAWANA RESOURCES NL, KIDMAN RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX KDR, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES

Iron ore’s wild run threatens fragile balance

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Weekend Australian – Page: 15 & 16 : 25-May-19

The iron ore price recently rose to a five-year high of more than $US100 per tonne. While the price surge will boost the earnings of Australian iron ore producers, BHP and Rio Tinto in particular would prefer a sustained price of around $US70 per tonne. The current elevated price of the steel input provides an incentive for other mining companies to develop iron ore projects and emerge as rival exporters to Asian steel mills. Countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia and India could potentially resume iron ore shipments to China, while strong growth in China’s scrap steel market looms as another possible threat to Australian producers.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, ROY HILL HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ATLAS IRON LIMITED, VALE SA

BHP puts foot down on robotic truck drive

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

BHP may ramp up its deployment of autonomous haulage truck at its iron ore and coal mines in Australia. BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue now operate about 250 automated trucks at their iron ore mines in the Pilbara, and BHP recently said that most of its fleet could potentially be automated by 2023. Its fleet at the Jimblebar mine has been fully automated since 2017, and BHP executive Rag Udd notes that this has resulted in significant safety and productivity improvements. He stresses that such factors are driving the automation push, rather than job cuts, adding that many former truck drivers have been redeployed.

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

Coal being phased out faster than expected, BHP warns investors

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Original article by Killian Plastow
The New Daily – Page: Online : 24-May-19

BHP has indicated that it has no plans to increase its thermal coal portfolio. CFO Peter Beaven says it expects the thermal coal market to plateau over time, before declining. Jason Aravanis of IBISWorld says demand for black coal is expected to fall by around six per cent a year by 2024, with most of that fall coming from thermal coal. Demand for coking coal, which is used to make steel, is expected to remain sound. The Department of Industry, Innovation & Science’s Resources and Energy Quarterly report for March had forecast that thermal coal export earnings are likely to hit a record $27 billion in 2018-19, before falling to $20 billion by 2023-24.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, IBISWORLD PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, GLENCORE PLC, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MINERAL COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Fortescue approves $417m Queens mine as analysts tip dividend top-up

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 23-May-19

Pure-play iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group will develop the Queens Valley mine in the Pilbara, with the project slated to cost $US287m ($417m). Paul Hissey of RBC Capital Markets says the recent rise in the iron ore price could significantly boost Fortescue’s earnings in the June quarter. This could in turn prompt another dividend payout when Fortescue releases its full-year results.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, RBC CAPITAL MARKETS

BHP plugs into battery boom, holds line on ore

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 19 : 23-May-19

CFO Peter Beaven has told investors that BHP is unlikely to increase its Pilbara iron ore output to capitalise on reduced supply from Brazilian rival Vale. BHP will also maintain its current annual production target for metallurgical coal. Beaven also indicated that BHP will pursue growth in copper and nickel sulfide production in response to rising demand for electric vehicles and battery storage technology. He added that BHP may be open to nickel acquisitions, after dropping plans to divest its Nickel West division.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, VALE SA, NICKEL WEST, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD