The 2009 Paydirt Resources Victoria conference was opened by Victorian Minister, Peter Batchelor, today, with him announcing that the State “is still open for business and offers many investment opportunities.” He continued to say that “despite the changes in the economic landscape, we have still seen many positive stories in Victoria in the last 12 [...]

Western Areas has executed a Heads of Agreement to acquire the BioHeap sulphide leaching technology from Pacific Ore. The agreement provides Western Areas with an option period of up to six months to conduct due diligence on the BioHeap process, assess the global patents and licences and conduct test work on a range of low [...]

Immersive Technologies and P&H Mining Equipment have renewed their exclusive alliance for advanced training simulators development. Equipment simulators are to be covered in detail in International Mining’s September issue. This formal Licensing and Technical Information Agreement was renewed to ensure the companies’ respective customers would continue to have access to training simulators that provide a realistic [...]

Heron Resources reports that a feasibility study is investigating the potential to process 1 Mt/y of nickel laterite ore from the Yerilla project, producing 80,000 t/y of nickel concentrate, containing some 8,000 t/y of payable nickel and cobalt metal, via a reduction roast process. On May 29 Heron entered Framework Agreement with Ningbo Shanshan which provides for [...]

Euracoal reports that for the first time in many years, the world market for hard coal fell by some 8 % during the first quarter 2009. This latest Euracoal (http://www.euracoal.org/) report arrived too late for International Mining’s August article on the global coal industry, which is about to be published. Steam coal was 140.1 Mt, [...]

Earlier this year, Wirth became a fully controlled subsidiary of Aker Solutions. Wirth Maschinen- und Bohrgeräte-Fabrik is now to be known as Aker Wirth, reflecting the change of ownership and the successful integration that has taken place since the acquisition. “Our acquisition of Wirth complements and expands our customer offering. Aker Solutions is now one [...]

It is 103 years since froth flotation was patented, and it is often said to be the 20th century’s most important technological development. Recent advances were reviewed in IM’s July issue, just published, and there will be more in the August issue’s focus on copper. It is still the most intensively researched area of mineral processing, [...]

Latest issue of International Mining Project News available (July 17): This issue we cover a wide variety of minerals and metals ranging from the usual batch of iron ore, cobalt, gold, silver, uranium, zinc and nickel projects to oil sands, fluorspar, potash, tin and chromium projects. We also have reports from two diamond projects (one in [...]

This headline is the latest message from Ronald W. Thiessen, President and CEO of Northern Dynasty Minerals. He notes that “even in the midst of the worst global recession since the 1930s, demand for metals hasn’t slowed all that much. Take copper. Worldwide demand for the red metal has grown by an average of 4% [...]

Caterpillar® has added four new towed-scraper models to its product line. The new towed-scraper models-TS180 and TS220, with two rear wheels, and TS185 and TS225, with four rear wheels-feature an innovative, heavy-duty design and large load capacities for durable productivity in construction applications. The towed scrapers come standard with dry-disc brakes and radial tyres. They [...]

International Mining is just finalising its annual review of developments in copper extraction and in its latest examination of the copper market Aurubis is sounding cautiously bullish and says “copper cathodes could be in short supply after the summer break if the order intake picks up further.” www.aurubis.com

Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Chief Executive Michael Roche delivered a major speech to a coal and energy conference in Brisbane this week. Among the highlights are a record year for coal exports from Queensland according to preliminary figures, and a surprise increase in resource sector employment in the 12 months to May 2009 (Australian Bureau [...]