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Around the World
Conferences

FEATURES

	Battery Electric Equipment
	Exploration Technology
	Haul Truck Maintenance
	Grinding Systems

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Nationalization Finally Backfires for Venezuela

The U.S. Supreme Court denied the request by Venezuela and Petroleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) for permission to appeal the U.S. District Court of Delaware’s decision designating companies as additional judgment creditors against seized shares of PDV Holding. PDVSA owns PDV Holding, which owns CITGO Petroleum Corp. CITGO refines Venezuelan crude and transports and sells it through out the USA. Venezuela owns PDVSA. By connecting the dots between CITGO and the government of Venezuela, the Delaware court is allowing companies with claims against Venezuela for the nationalization of assets to collect the money they are owed.
In 2008, under the direction of President Hugo Chavez, Venezuela nationalized the Las Cristinas gold mine, which was owned by Crystallex International Corp. In 2009, Chavez formed a joint venture with Rusoro Mining to take the Las Brisas .... read more

Steve Fiscor, Publisher & Editor in Chief

NEWS

Coeur Reports Record Output from Newly Expanded Rochester Operation
During Q4 2023, production at Coeur Mining’s Rochester silver and gold operation in Nevada reached record levels of approximately 1.3 million ounces (oz) of silver and 19,847 oz of gold. The company said that represented quarter-over-quarter increases of 120% and 345% and year-over-year increases of 38% and 71%, respectively .... read more

Plane Destined for Diavik Mine Crashes
Rio Tinto said it was informed by authorities that a plane on its way to its Diavik diamond mine crashed near Fort Smith, Northwest Territories, Canada. Four Diavik employees were killed along with two airline crew members. A fifth Diavik employee survived the crash and is being treated at a local hospital. “I would like to extend our deepest sympathy to the families, friends, and loved ones of those who have been affected by this tragedy,” said Rio Tinto Chief Executive Jakob Stausholm. “As a company .... read more

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Steppe Gold to Acquire Boroo Gold
Steppe Gold Ltd. announced plans to acquire Boroo Gold LLC in an all-share transaction. Both companies operate gold mines in Mongolia. Boroo Gold produces more than 60,000 oz/y with..... read more

IGO Places Cosmos on Care and Maintenance
IGO Ltd. said it made the difficult decision to transition the Cosmos project into care and maintenance. Deteriorating nickel prices, along with delays in getting the mine to full capacity and further increases in operating and capital costs, did not help the economics for Cosmos. The transition, which is expected to be concluded by May 31, 2024, will prioritize the safe preservation of the Cosmos assets, and the completion of select key workstreams includes finishing the wet commissioning of .... read more

AROUND THE WORLD - USA & CANADA

Hecla Restarts Lucky Friday
In its recently released Q4 2023 production report, Hecla Mining said the Lucky Friday mine restarted production on January 9 and is expected to ramp up to full production during Q1 2024. The company said plans to resume production were completed on schedule and involved developing a new secondary egress consisting of a 1,600-ft ramp and a 290-ft vertical escapeway. Hecla also received a favorable coverage .... read more

Suncor Posts Best Month Ever in December
Calgary, Canada-based Suncor reported upstream production of 808,000 barrels per day (bbls/d) for Q4 2023, the second highest quarter in the company’s history. The strong fourth quarter performance results in an annual average upstream production of 746,000 bbls/d, in line with the production guidance it provided in November 2022. “Not only did we meet the annual production guidance set a year ago, but December was also Suncor’s best month ever with upstream production averaging over 900,000 ....read more

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Sayona Makes Changes at North American Lithium
Responding to soft market conditions, Australia-based lithium producer Sayona Mining Ltd. said it is conducting an operational review of its North American Lithium (NAL) operation in Québec, Canada. NAL’s Piedmont mine is the largest operating lithium mine in North America. It’s a joint-venture operation with Piedmont Lithium. The company said the review will focus on opportunities to reduce NAL’s cost base, manage cash flow, and preserve the Québec operation’s financial sustainability. Sayona said it expects to complete .... read more

AROUND THE WORLD - Latin America

Capstone Begins to Commission Mantoverde in Chile
Capstone Copper Corp. reported commissioning activities are underway at its Mantoverde Development Project (MVDP) in Chile. The company is focused on a safe, efficient and phased project commissioning and ramp-up. MVDP should increase the company’s consolidated copper production .... read more

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Dumas Awarded 5-Year Mining Contract for Las Chispas in Mexico
Stracon Group, a leading mining services provider to the Americas, announced that its subsidiary, Dumas Contracting Ltd., has been awarded a 5-year service contract covering all underground development and production activities at SilverCrest Metals’ Las Chispas mine in Sonora, Mexico. “I want to thank SilverCrest for the opportunity to showcase Dumas’ operational expertise and decades of experience in underground mining, including in Mexico,” said Steve Dixon, CEO of Stracon ... read more

AROUND THE WORLD - Australasia

BHP Offers Production Update
BHP recently published its mid-year production report. Western Australian Iron Ore (WAIO) production for the second half of 2023 was down 2% compared to the first half of 2023. Copper production on the other hand rose 7%. The company’s main coal …. read more

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Alcoa to Idle Kwinana Alumina Refinery in 2024
Alcoa Corp. announced it plans to fully curtail production in 2024 at its Kwinana Alumina Refinery in Western Australia, with the process beginning in the second quarter. The refinery has an annual name plate production capacity of 2.2 million metric tons (mt). The company said it has been operating at approximately 80% of its nameplate capacity since January of 2023. The decision to curtail the 60-year-old facility is based on a variety of factors, including its age, scale, operating costs …. read more

AROUND THE WORLD - Africa

Lumwana Super Pit Project on Track for First Production in 2028
Barrick Gold recently announced that the Lumwana copper mine’s Super Pit expansion project has been accelerated with first production now scheduled for 2028. The project will transform Lumwana into one of the world’s major copper mines, with projected annual production of around …. read more

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Ivanhoe, Gécamines Sign New JV to Restart Kipushi
Ivanhoe Mines has signed a new joint venture (JV) agreement with Gécamines, the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s state-owned mining company, to restart the ultra-high-grade Kipushi zinc-copper-germanium-silver mine. Activities to restart Kipushi on the surface construction and underground are well underway with first production expected in Q2 2024. The signing of the new JV heralds the beginning of a new era of production for the Kipushi mine, which will resume operations 100 years after first opening in 1924 .... read more

AROUND THE WORLD - This Month in Coal

Sasol Makes Improvements in South Africa
Swiss South African coal operator, Sasol, recently reported that mining productivity for H2 2023 was 6% higher than the same period in 2022, and Secunda Collieries’ productivity was 5% higher. “Although we have seen an improvement in productivity rates since the implementation of our ‘full potential program,’ we experienced a .... read more

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Leer Coal Mine Achieves Level A Verification for TSM Initiative
Arch Resources announced that its Leer longwall mine in West Virginia has achieved Level A verification for all protocols comprising the Towards Sustainable Mining (TSM) initiative. Leer is the first mine of any type to achieve and verify this performance level through TSM’s new subscription program, which allows any mine anywhere in the world to implement this globally recognized sustainability initiative for the mining industry. “Arch views leadership in all aspects of sustainability — including mine safety, environmental .... read more

FEATURE - Battery Electric Equipment

Developing a BEV Strategy for Underground Mining
Battery-powered equipment differs, but the results are the same: less emissions and better performance.

By Steve Fiscor, Editor-in-Chief

More mines are evaluating and purchasing battery-electric vehicles (BEVs). To day, there is a BEV version of almost every piece of underground equipment. The loaders and trucks get a lot of attention as they are the production workhorses, but drilling is another area that lends itself to battery-electric power. There are also battery-electric scissor lifts, shotcrete sprayers, concrete trucks, and personnel .... read more

For more companies with products in the Battery Electric Equipment market - Go Here

FEATURE - Exploration Technology

Critical Minerals Demand Prompts Innovation
Leading suppliers announce new solutions, locations and capabilities to support miners riding the wave of demand for tomorrow’s resources.

By Jesse Morton, Technical Writer.

The main suppliers in the exploration space said that demand for battery and critical minerals is driving demand for their offerings. While that iron is hot, suppliers are announcing new solutions, new locations, and new capabilities. Boart Longyear announced the LF160i drill rig with autonomous capabilities, to include the FREEDOM automated rod-handling system. Previously, it released the new Surface Roller Latch Wireline System. The company said the solutions are the result of working closely with on their primary focus areas,” said Eric Humphrey, director of global products. “What we’ve heard from them .... read more

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For more companies with products in the Exploration Services market - Go Here

FEATURE - Haul Truck Maintenance

Keep on Trucking
We explore how digital technologies are influencing fleet maintenance practices and strategies.

By Carly Leonida, European Editor.

Maintenance practices for mine haul trucks have come a long way in recent years. While many core tasks, processes and metrics remain unchanged, the now ubiquitous presence of IoT-backed sensors and monitoring systems (many of which are factory fitted) mean that to day, technicians have more data at their fingertips than ever before. OEMs also continue to implement design changes that improve ease of maintenance and minimize technicians exposure to risk. For example, by adding remote accumulator charging ports or relocating breather systems, so that maintenance tasks can be conducted .... read more

For more companies with products in the Maintenance Services market - Go Here

FEATURE - Grinding Systems

Making Milling and Grinding More Efficient
We highlight cutting-edge research in the field of comminution.

By Carly Leonida, European Editor.

Although milling and grinding represent only a small number of steps within most mineral processing flowsheets, they are highly significant in terms of metals liberation and energy consumption. For example, a 2019 study by Bouchard et al. of three semi-autogenous grinding (SAG)/ball mill circuits (SABC) found that 91% of the energy input was lost, leaving only 9% available for ore breakage. The opportunities for improvement in both areas are significant and, subsequently, comminution has become a topic of heightened interest for both the scientific and industry communities. A flurry of .... read more

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For more companies with products in the Mineral - Processing Equipment market - Go Here

Video Presentations

The latest listings from the World Mining Equipment Video Library - to view the video, click the image.

Cummins Power : Balanced	Sandvik Operations Field Support	Normet Charmec Revo
Wirtgen MOBIREX MR 130 EVO2	Volvo Penta Shaping the Future of Off-Highway	CC Jensen Hydraulic Oil Filtration
Tomra OBTAIN™	MMD Bulk Ore Sorting	CR Powered by Epiroc Wearpact™
Valmet Mission Critical Solutions	Sleipner DB130 Lowboy Trailer	Zeiss Artificial intelligence in microscopy
For more details on the Video Hub - Go Here

SUPPLIERS REPORTS & EQUIPMENT GALLERY

Sandvik Introduces New Push Bore Reamer System
Sandvik is introducing a new push bore reamer system that it says will improve penetration rate, minimize downtime and simplify in-field service in underground slot hole drilling. The tool system includes two Ø740-millimeter push bore reamers, one for upwards and one for downwards push boring and a fit-for-purpose cutter. Key upgrades include simplified in-field service with bolted-on wing and wear pads and a patented .... read more

Watson-Marlow - Latest Pump in the Qdos Range
Watson-Marlow Fluid Technology Solutions (WMFTS) has launched the Qdos™ H-FLO chemical metering and dosing pump, designed specifically for higher flow rates up to 600 L/h. Qdos H-FLO delivers the same accuracy and reliability as other Qdos dosing pumps, says the company, but for higher flow rates ....read more

Hitachi to Start Remote Monitoring Support System
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd will start full-scale operation of a remote monitoring support system, operating 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, called the Technological Centre of Excellence (TCoE), which will monitor the dump truck Autonomous Haulage System (AHS) used at mines from a location in Brisbane .... read more

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Rolls -Royce Updates mtu SERIES 1600r
The new generation of the 12-cylinder mtu Series 1600 Gx1 diesel engine sets the standard in terms of performance, flexibility, life-cycle costs and lower carbon performance, says Rolls-Royce and an increased engine performance of up to 49 percent compared to the previous model. As a result, the 12V1600 Gx1 offers the highest power density in its power class and outstanding load ....read more

TOMRA - Artificial Intelligence in Mining
TOMRA Mining say it is opening a new era in sorting with its latest innovation, OBTAIN™, which leverages Deep Learning to bring single-particle precision to high-throughput particle sorting. The company’s experience with AI dates back to 1993, when its predecessor CommoDaS developed .... read more

Wingtra Launch LIDAR Drone Solution
Wingtra has announced the launch of its LIDAR drone solution, which it says is a significant advancement in drone LIDAR technology. The new Wingtra LIDAR payload integrates the features of WingtraOne GEN II drones with the new LIDAR .... read more

Metso Launches Remote IC
Rajant Metso has expanded its intelligent crushing and screening offering with a new software application called Metso Remote IC, which is used for remote control and monitoring of the crushing and screening process and connects wirelessly all the Lokotrack® crushers and screens at the site. Metso Remote IC app gives the operator the ability to view all the Lokotrack train machines and their .…. read more

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Maptek Introduce GeoSpatial Manager
Maptek has unveiled its latest innovation, GeoSpatial Manager, describing it as a groundbreaking solution that brings simplicity and efficiency to workflow, revolutionising the way mining and civil engineering projects handle data from laser scans and drones. GeoSpatial Manager updates surfaces, allowing users to manage, visualise ....read more

CONFERENCES & EXHIBITIONS

MAY 28-30, 2024: Euro Mine Expo, Skellefteå, Sweden
Contact: Web: www.euromineexpo.com

JUNE 3-6, 2024: Exponor, Antofagasta, Chile.
Contact: Web: www.exponor.cl

SEPTEMBER 24-26, 2024: MineExpo International 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.
Contact: Web: www.minexpo.com/

OCTOBER 15-17, 2024: International Mining and Minerals Hall, Seville, Spain.
Contact: Web: https://mmhseville.com

APRIL 6-9, 2025: Haulage and Loading, Tucson, Arizona, USA.
Contact: Web: https://www.haulageandloading.com/

JUNE 3-5 2025: US Coal Show - Longwall Edition, Pittsburgh, PA. USA
Contact: Web: https://www.uscoalshow.com

WHO'S MOVING WHERE

SSR BHP appointments of Catherine Raw as chief development officer. She has previously held roles at Barrick Gold as COO for North America and as CFO, and at BlackRock as managing director for its natural resources team.

Newmont Corp. appointed Peter Wexler as chief legal officer. He is an experienced legal and risk management leader with more than three decades of international knowledge in managing legal, risk, compliance, M&A, antitrust, litigation and corporate governance affairs.

Australian-based AMC Consultants appointed Andrew Hall as its new CEO. He succeeds Patrick Smith, who remains with the company as a director and principal consultant.

Electra Battery Materials Corp. appointed Heather Smilesas vice president, investor relations and corporate development. Electra is currently focused on cobalt sulfate processing in Bécancour, Quebec.

Epiroc has appointed Wayne Symes president of the under ground division and a member of its group management, effective April 1, 2024. Since 2020, he has served as vice president, global customer relationships, at Epiroc. He has almost 15 years within the Group in different positions.

FLSmidth named Pat Turner president for its PCV Business Line (pumps, cyclones and valves). Turner first joined the company in 1982. This includes having previously led the PCV business and significantly accelerated its growth. He also led the purchase of the millMAX pump line in 1999. In addition, he held various senior positions including leading the Mining Global Product Lines and president for FLSmidth’s North American Region, the latter of which he held until 2022, where he left to pursue an opportunity outside FLSmidth.

Don MacLean passed on January 11, 2024, surrounded by his family in Meaford, Ontario. He founded MacLean Engineering in 1973 and over the past five decades of growth and product development, helped to revolutionize safety in the underground mining industry globally. Mining was a world that Don MacLean was literally born into and spent all of his working life in. The company celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2023, and now numbers over 1,200 employees on four continents, led for the past two decades by Don’s son Kevin MacLean, CEO of MacLean Engineering.

Compass Minerals named Edward C. Dowling Jr. as the company’s new president and CEO. He will continue to serve on the company’s board, which he joined in March 2022. Dowling succeeds Kevin S. Crutchfield, who stepped down in mid-January. Dowling served in CEO positions with both Alacer Gold Corp., now SSR Mining Inc., and Meridian Gold Inc., as well as executive positions with De Beers S.A. and Cleveland Cliffs, Inc.

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