Emerging lithium producer Galaxy Resources has signed an offtake agreement with Mitsubishi for a significant proportion of its battery grade lithium carbonate production, starting this year. The agreement involves long term offtake sales and distribution of Galaxy’s product to the Japanese market. This follows closely on Toyota’s agreement with Australian-based Orocobre to a 25% stake [...]

Crews safely re-entered the main working level of the Cigar Lake mine, 480 m below surface, on February 10. Prior to re-entry, the mine was fully dewatered and the main shaft refurbished including installation of the ladderway, replacement of electrical and mechanical components, and extension of the in-shaft pumping system. The workings at the 420 m [...]

Scottish Coal has ordered ten Cat 785D off highway trucks for its fleet modernisation program at the Broken Cross surface mine  in Ayrshire, Scotland (IM October 2009, pp 61-62), which will make it the first company in the UK to operate Cat’s new D-Series version. The new trucks will be delivered, serviced and maintained by [...]

ICMM has launched Working together a guidance note (of over 100 pages) for companies engaging with the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector. This is a very important subject, particularly in Africa, Asia and South America. The document is the product of a fruitful partnership with Communities and Small-Scale Mining (CASM), the International Finance Corp’s [...]

Jubilee Platinum and Sylvania Resources have entered into a Framework Agreement to form a smelting company and a separate tailings processing company. The companies intend to process and treat low grade and high chrome concentrate PGM resources on South Africa’s Bushveld Complex, which have previously been deemed uneconomic. Smelting and refining activities will be carried [...]

Imperial Oil has chosen Finning as a mining mobile equipment supplier for the Kearl oil sands project. The ten-year agreement includes the supply of Caterpillar equipment, parts, specialized maintenance labour and training. The Kearl project is envisioned to be developed in three phases and could ultimately produce more than 300,000 barrels/d of bitumen. The first [...]

Arch Coal subsidiary Mingo Logan Coal Co’s Mountain Laurel complex has earned top honours for underground mine safety from the West Virginia Office of Miners’ Health, Safety and Training. In addition, Coal-Mac has earned three top West Virginia state honours for achieving a strong safety performance and exhibiting exemplary environmental care.

Relative to its size, Britain is well endowed with mineral resources. Considerable mineral exploration was carried out by the British Geological Survey (BGS) over a 25-year period as part of its Mineral Reconnaissance Program (MRP). This provided geological, geochemical, geophysical, mineralogical and metallogenic information on prospective areas across Britain. By the end of the MRP [...]

The Global Acid-Rock Drainage (GARD) Guide is a recent development to support sustainable management of ARD. This internet-based global best practices guide for the prevention and mitigation of ARD was recently published by the International Network for Acid Prevention (INAP). INAP is an international consortium of major mining companies, working collectively to combat the issue [...]

Eden Energy has executed a non-binding terms sheet with Indian Oil Corp (IOCL) through which, subject to certain conditions being satisfied, the two companies will enter into a farm-in agreement to scale up a new Pyrolysis technology jointly developed by Eden and the University of Queensland, to produce hydrogen and ultra-strong solid carbon fibres and nanotubes [...]

Adding a variable frequency drive (VFD) to a compatible Bucyrus machine has a positive impact on the bottom line. Costly DC motors are replaced by more efficient brushless AC motors which require less maintenance and have a longer service life. A Un-A-Hauler® with VFD control transports more tonnes per shift. A VFD-equipped Vers-A-Trac® completes longwall moves [...]

Sandvik has come to an agreement with Barrick regarding the supply of several classifications of equipment for its Pascua-Lama project. Sandvik says: “Barrick’s positive experiences with Sandvik products in the past and the results generated by the proactive relationship between and within the two organizations will benefit both companies. At Pascua-Lama’s 5,200-m altitude all equipment must be able [...]