A Blog for Browsing Mining, Mineral Processing, and Metals Info

#China is looking to encourage investment in #Graphite as, despite becoming the world’s leading producer, it still trails other more advanced countries in terms of processing and supply chain development.

China has launched the Graphite Industry Development Alliance in #Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang province, one of the biggest graphite-producing bases in China.

While China has become the world’s leading graphite producer, consumer and exporter, the country’s graphite industry still has a long way to go.

Read more at: http://www.indmin.com/Article/3564062/China-launches-Graphite-Industry-Development-Alliance.html

 

#Fitch Ratings has revised #Swiss-based #SolwayInvestment Group’s Outlook to Positive from Stable, while affirming the company’s Long- and Short-Term Issuer Default Ratings (IDR) at ‘B-‘ and ‘B’, respectively. The Outlook revision reflects the mining company’s improved liquidity position, debt reduction and continuing ramp-up of key project #Fenix, which will secure higher absolute (and potentially more stable) operating cash-flows over the next three years.

Read more at: http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKFit964828

A research project led by the Critical Materials Institute, a #US  #DepartmentOfEnergy Innovation Hub, has identified agents for the separation of rare-earth metals that are potentially much less costly and better-performing than those currently used.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2016-06-power-supercomputing-rare-earth-refining-alternatives.html#jCp

#Lithium-ion batteries currently on the market have #Graphite anodes and cobalt oxide, iron phosphate or manganese oxide cathodes.

Read more at: http://www.miningweekly.com/article/graphite-rush-intensifying-2016-06-20

#Cuban #Nickel, one of the island’s chief sources of revenue, faces some tough challenges in its need for efficiency and in its search for foreign partners to drive an industry weakened by the mineral’s ebbing international prices – but has great hopes that the nation’s new relations with the #UnitedStates will bring great opportunities.

Read more at: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/news/2016/06/17/cuban-nickel-industry-looking-to-us-for-new-opportunities/

A definitive solution for Vale’s loss-making #Vale #NewCaledonia (VNC) #Nickel project could involve keeping the operation as it currently is, as long as costs are brought down to a sustainable level.

Vale has been losing about $100 million per quarter on the New Caledonia project.

Read more at: https://www.metalbulletin.com/Article/3563040/Latest-news/Vale-seeks-definitive-solution-for-New-Caledonia-nickel-project-optimising-Canadian-operations.html

#Brazilian diversified miner #Vale expects the #Nickel market to register a deficit of 50,000 tonnes in 2016, but sees prices recovering gradually given the high levels of exchange-bonded inventories.

Read more at: https://www.metalbulletin.com/Article/3562991/Vale-sees-nickel-market-in-50000-tonne-deficit-in-2016-prices-will-recover-slowly.html

#Bolivia, #Chile and #Argentina were likely to become key players in the #Lithium industry, with the ‘lithium triangle’ of salt flats, or ‘salars’, of Uyuni in Bolivia, Atacama in Chile, and Hombre Muerto in Argentina, accounting for more than 70% of the world’s known reserves. All three countries had made clear their intentions to invest in and develop their lithium deposits, offering a mix of different opportunities and obstacles for investors.

Chile’s lithium industry is the most mature in the #Americas and its reserves of lithium were of a higher quality and more easily exploitable than Bolivia’s, yet the constitutional definition of the mineral as a strategic asset had complicated the investment process and could slow future investment, #London-based risk management consultancy PGI Intelligence

Read more at: http://www.miningweekly.com/article/as-lithium-demand-rises-investors-sharpen-focus-on-chile-argentina-and-bolivia-2016-06-14/rep_id:3650

“#Lithium-#Aluminium alloy is an extremely expensive alloy” #Nalco Chairman Tapan Kumar Chand told ET. “More importantly, it is critical to our strategic sectors. Given the ‘Make in  #India’ push in the defence sector and the plans of an energised #ISRO, we see a good domestic market for this product.”

Read more at: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/indl-goods/svs/metals-mining/nalco-midhani-plan-to-set-up-lithium-aluminium-alloy-plant/articleshow/52686949.cms

#Brazil’s federal police have formally accused mining company #Samarco, a joint venture between #Vale SA and #BHP #Billiton, of wilful misconduct in relation to a deadly dam burst last November.

The official police investigation said the company had ignored clear signs the dam was at risk of collapsing.

The case will now be passed to prosecutors to decide whether to press charges.

Read more at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-10/brazil-dam-burst-police-investigation-finds-samarco-ignored-risk/7500050http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-10/brazil-dam-burst-police-investigation-finds-samarco-ignored-risk/7500050