Новости за 25.10.2018

The increased mineral resource at TSX- and NYSE-listed B2Gold’s Fekola mine, in south-western Mali, indicates potential to increase mill throughput tonnage and yearly gold production with moderate capital expenditure, the company said on Thursday. Based on about 192 000 m of exploration drilling in 928 drill holes, B2Gold on Thursday reported an updated indicated mineral resource estimate of 92.8-million tonnes at 1.92 g/t gold, for a total of 5.7-million ounces of gold.

For nearly a decade, Trafigura Group chairman Claude Dauphin coveted a zinc deal with Europe’s top smelter. The commodities trader finally got across the threshold in 2015, months after its co-founder’s sudden death. Just a few years later, it’s become one of Trafigura’s biggest headaches.

Jair Bolsonaro, the far-right candidate favored to win Brazil's Presidential election this Sunday, has a vision for his nation's economy: niobium. This mineral is used as an additive to steel to make the metal stronger and lighter. Niobium is in high demand by automakers, aerospace companies and a host of other industries.

Benefitting from a smooth ramp up and high copper grades at its newest mine, Aktogay, Kazakhstan miner KAZ Minerals is on track to achieve its 2018 copper guidance and will likely touch the upper-end of its gold guidance. London- and Kazakhstan Stock Exchange-listed company produced 77 200 t of copper, and 45 200 oz of gold in the September 2018 quarter. This is a 7% improvement for copper and 19% improvement for gold on a quarter-on-quarter basis.

Colorado-based Newmont Gold on Thursday reported weaker adjusted net income of $175-million, as its revenue decreased along with gold prices and lower production at various sites. The third-quarter income adjusted for impairments and a write-down in North America, came to $0.33 a diluted share, which is lower than the prior-year quarter’s $0.34 a share, but better than analyst estimates of $0.20 a share.

Canadian gold major Goldcorp has reported a third-quarter net loss of $101-million, compared with $111-million a year earlier, and a 20% drop in production during a transition period at its flagship Peñasquito mine, in Mexico. The Vancouver-based miner produced 503 000 oz at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $999/oz, compared with 633 00 oz at an AISC of $827/oz in the September 2017 quarter.

Diversified miner South32 has received nearly 40 expressions of interest for its energy coal assets in South Africa. Speaking on the sidelines of the company’s annual general meeting, South32 CEO Graham Kerr told Mining Weekly Online that, while the talks thus far have been confidential, the company has seen “very strong interest” from prospective suitors.

Brazil's Vale on Wednesday posted weaker-than-expected net income, as a weaker currency coupled with lower base metals production and prices weighed on the world's largest iron ore producer. The miner, also the world's largest nickel producer, reported $1.408-billion in third-quarter net income, 27% below analysts' estimate of $1.926-billion. The figure was also well below the $2.23-billion reached in the year-ago period.

Canadian gold major Agnico Eagle has again increased its gold guidance for 2018, adding another 200 000 oz to its production target for the year, following a strong operational third quarter. The NYSE- and TSX-listed miner now expects to produce 1.60-million ounces in 2018, up from its previously-raised 1.58-million-ounce guidance. In the June quarter, the 2018 production estimate was increased from 1.53-million ounces.

Gold major Barrick Gold, which has agreed to a $6.1-billion deal to buy Randgold Resources, has posted a third-quarter net loss of $412-million, or $0.35 a share, reflecting a $405-million impairment charge at the Lagunas Norte mine, in Peru. The net loss is significantly wider than the $11-million loss reported in the prior-year period.

Copper/gold miner Sandfire Resources has reported solid September quarter results, with copper production remaining steady at 17 924 t, compared with 17 867 t in the June quarter. Gold production over the same period increased from 9 548 oz to 11 141 oz.