Suppliers news (May 09, 2011)

Veolia gets two new contracts

Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies will supply the initial equipment for a new water treatment plant for U.S.-based Coeur d’Alene Mines‘ (CDM-T, CDE-N) Palmarejo silver-gold mine in the Occidental Mountains of northwestern Mexico.

The project’s objective is to improve internal water balance in a sustainable solution so that water can be recycled from the tailings pond back to the mill. The process includes chemical feed systems and mixing/reaction tanks.

The treatment solution accomplishes residual cyanide destruction, total suspended solids and metals removal and filtration for water that is recycled back to the mill. 

Veolia will also provide operational support services at the Palmarejo mine.

The new water treatment plant will be commissioned in mid-2011. 

Vale (VALE-N) has also chosen a Veolia subsidiary to provide engineering design for evaporation and crystallization equipment for the Carnalita potash project in Sergipe, Brazil.

The award is part of the first phase of development for the initial 1.2 million tonnes per year production of potassium chloride expected to begin in 2015. Carnalita will have the largest potash extraction facility in Brazil.

The evaporation and crystallization equipment will purify natural deposits from solution-mining operations of carnallite for producing potassium chloride that would be sold as chemical fertilizer in the Brazilian market.

 The scope of this first phase of development will include both basic and detailed engineering for the various portions of the evaporation plant towards a full project release. Veolia will also conduct pilot-testing in the United States.

Finning inks deal with Thompson Creek

Finning International (FTT-T) has won a contract to supply mining equipment for Thompson Creek Metals‘ (TCM-T, TC-N) Mt. Milligan copper-gold mine project near Prince George, B.C.

As part of the agreement, Finning will supply trucks, support equipment, parts and specialized maintenance labour to the Mt. Milligan mine.

The machines include Caterpillar 793F mining trucks and support equipment, which will be delivered to the mine throughout 2012.

“We are extremely proud to partner with Thompson Creek as they begin developing their Mt. Milligan mine,” said Dave Parker, president of Finning Canada, in a statement.

Mt. Milligan, a conventional truck-and-shovel, open-pit mine, is currently under construction. Production is scheduled to begin in 2013 with average annual metal production of 81 million lbs. copper and 194,000 oz. gold over a
projected 22-year mine life.

Major Drilling buys Mozambican operation

Moncton N.B.-based Major Drilling Group International (MDI-T) is buying the drilling operations of Resource Drilling in Mozambique for US$9.73 million. Through the purchase the company hopes to establish a presence in the southern African nation.

Major Drilling will acquire 15 drill rigs, related support equipment, inventory and contracts with the transaction. In addition to the drilling assets, Major Drilling is retaining the existing operations’ management teams, as well as most staff.