Southgobi to stop coal production at Ovoot Tolgoi
VANCOUVER — SouthGobi Resources (SGQ-T) is ramping down production at its Ovoot Tolgoi coal operation in Mongolia as it faces an uncooperative government and dwindling coal contracts.
Asia
SMI can’t touch the copper-gold pie at Tampakan
On the Philippine island of Mindanao, advancement of the Tampakan project — encompassing one of the planet’s largest undeveloped copper-gold deposits — remains in limbo following months of environmental opposition to a planned…
Exchange rates
EXCHANGE RATES CANADIAN/U.S. EXCHANGE (Bank of Canada noon rate) Date June 4 June 1 May 31 May 30 May 29 US$ in C 1.0418 1.0380 1.0349 1.0286 1.0253 …
Mongolia to increase lands reserved for state
Chief investment strategist Dale Choi of Frontier Securities in Ulaanbaatar reported today that Mongolia’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy is proposing measures that would designate at least 30% of the country’s…
The China paradigm and commodity demand
After hosting two days of meetings with government policy advisors, experts and consultants about China’s medium- to long-term demand for commodities, the Nomura Group concludes the country’s industrial demand is “moving to…
Changes for Ivanhoe as Rio Tinto takes driver’s seat
Ivanhoe Mines (IVN-T, IVN-N) is shifting gears as it adjusts to Rio Tinto (RIO-N) having acquired a majority ownership stake in the company, and first production approaches at its Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold-silver mine in Mongolia.Ivanhoe released…
Crazy Horse moves Taysan ahead with prefeasibility study
Philippines-focused Crazy Horse Resources (CZH-V) has outlined a 15-milliontonne- per-year open-pit copper operation at its Taysan project in a prefeasibility study. The mine plan, like the November scoping study before it, splits the project…
Freeport in eye of Indonesia’s nationalization storm
The world’s largest, publicly traded copper producer, Phoenix-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (FCX-N), is standing tough in the face of simmering labour turmoil and nationalization overtures aimed at its Grasberg…
Altan Rio sees potential in Mongolia
Having assembled a collection of greenfield copper-gold prospects in Mongolia’s western frontier, Vancouver-based explorer Altan Rio Minerals (AMO-V) is aiming to take the next step forward with a US$2-million drilling campaign in 2012.
Centerra chops Kumtor’s output for 2012
Centerra Gold (CG-T) recently saw its shares plunge 15% after cutting its production forecast for the Kumtor gold mine owing to increased ice movement in the southeast section of the pit, which will restrict access to high-grade ore.
China’s investment in smart grids to benefit copper, aluminum
China plans to increase investment in its power sector by 88% under its 2011–2015 plan, and a significant amount of that will be directed towards smart-grid technology, London-based Barclays analyst Gayle Berry writes in a recent research…
Friedland resigns from Ivanhoe Mines
Just a few months after Rio Tinto (RIO-N) took a controlling 51% stake in Ivanhoe Mines (IVN-T, IVN-N, IVN-Q), billionaire founder and chief executive Robert Friedland has resigned from the company, along with five other members of the senior…