Scandium International hits feasibility study milestone
With a management team loaded with former executives from BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP) and a definitive feasibility study under its belt for a specialty metal project with a 20-year mine…
Australia, NZ & South Pacific
Pure Energy’s Robinson surveys the world’s lithium deposits
VANCOUVER —While the burgeoning lithium market has sent companies scrambling to secure and advance lithium projects across the globe, anyone new to the scene may be left wondering what the…
Lead and zinc demand set to rise strongly in 2016, says ILZSG
The following is an edited release by the International Lead and Zinc Study Group (ILZSG), which held its spring meetings in Lisbon, Portugal, on April 27. For lead, the ILZSG…
US equities climb, April 11–15
The Dow Jones Industrial Average registered a 1.8% gain to close at 17,897.46, in its best week since March 18. The S&P 500 Index rose 1.6% to finish at 2,080.73,…
OceanaGold Macquarie’s top intermediate producer
In the first week of March, Macquarie Securities analyst Michael Gray visited OceanaGold’s (TSX: OGC) Haile gold project in South Carolina, which the company added to its portfolio last year…
Editorial: BHP slashes dividend 75%, braces for prolonged downturn
It was the last, biggest and most vocal defender in the mining industry of maintaining the status quo with respect to its generous dividend policy, but BHP Billiton has finally succumbed to industry-wide trends and deeply cut its dividend, and…
South32 restructures, flags US$1.7B writedown
The world’s largest manganese producer is taking a machete to supply so that it can rebalance the market.
Royal Nickel to become a cash-generating producer
Royal Nickel Corp. (TSX: RNX), also known as RNC, is taking advantage of the low commodity prices to transform into a multi-asset producer of nickel, gold and copper.
Sherritt hit by low nickel prices at Ambatovy
Sherritt International (TSX: S) is bracing for a $1.6-billion non-cash impairment at its Ambatovy nickel-cobalt mine in Madagascar due to lower nickel prices, months after it cancelled its quarterly dividend for 2015 and 2016 to reduce…
Top gold performers in 2015
Since the commodities downturn started four years ago, gold companies have sought ways to reduce costs and push ahead. The spot gold price ended 2015 at US$1,061 per oz., down 10% for the year and 36% since closing 2012 at US$1,664 per oz….
A sobering look at gold M&A since 2010
Raymond James analyst Phil Russo has reviewed 67 mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the gold space since 2010 to determine how many are viable producing, developing and streaming deals. He has found that 40% of transactions would not recoup…
Adventures in automation
Leaders in the mining industry are starting to recognize that automation is part of the answer to the sector’s productivity problems, says Michael Murphy, chief engineer, mining technology enabled solutions with leading mining sector…