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

Currently just one company, #LynasCorporation, is mining #RareEarths outside of #China, rival #American firm #Molycorp went bankrupt in June, leaving Lynas as the last company standing.

Lynas mines rare earths at #Laverton in Western Australia’s #Goldfields region, and ships it to #Malaysia for processing.

Read more at: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-09-22/rare-earth-miners-face-tough-market/6786970

#Glencore, the world’s third-biggest miner, is in talks to raise more than $1 billion in so-called “streaming” deals, coming on the heels of transactions by No.1 gold producer #BarrickGold and diversified miner #TeckResources.

More such deals are expected as #Shareholders, ratings agencies and lenders pressure miners to slash debt amid a gloomy #Commodity price outlook and as other debt-cutting tools such as asset sales, dividend cuts and share issues are not enough.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/21/mining-denver-financing-idUSL1N11H1L620150921

(Reuters) – – If one was to compile a list of the biggest risk to #Metals and #Mining companies right now, it’s unlikely that planning and executing a renewed growth strategy would the top issue.

But that’s exactly the view of consultants #ErnstYoung (EY), who recently produced a report highlighting the top risks for metals and mining companies in the next year, and how these have evolved since the peak of the #Commodity cycle in 2008.

“But standing still is not an option: we believe now is the time to prepare for a switch to #Growth.”

Read more at: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/09/21/column-russell-metals-outlook-idUKL4N11R20720150921

The #WorldCoalAssociation (WCA) plans to press governments to provide equal backing for technology to make coal-fired #PowerPlants less polluting as they do for #RenewableEnergy in upcoming U.N. climate talks in #Paris, its chief executive said.

While #Coal is extremely #Polluting, it is also very cheap and a key fuel for several developing economies. As a result there is a greater push for new technologies such as Carbon capture and storage (CCS) by which countries can meet their energy needs without reneging on their commitments to cut emissions.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/21/us-coal-climatechange-idUSKCN0RL0Q720150921

#Newmont Mining Corp’s Indonesian #Copper export permit will not be renewed beyond Friday unless the U.S. miner submits a progress update to the government on its plans to develop a domestic smelter, a mine ministry official said.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/09/18/indonesia-newmont-exports-idUSL4N11O2X420150918

The Global #Scandium Market is currently at a nascent stage. It is believed that with a reliable supply, demand could increase exponentially. Scandium, being an alloy, allows #Aluminum to be welded. Imagine #Airplanes without rivets, weighing 15-20% less.

Read more at: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-scandium-market—segmented-by-product-type-end-user-industry-and-geography—trends-and-forecasts-2015-2020—reportlinker-review-300145399.html

Driven by the explosion of residential #SolarPower, the market for #HomeEnergy storage—which attracted little interest until earlier this year, when #Tesla announced its #PowerWallBattery —is suddenly looking crowded.

Read more at: http://www.technologyreview.com/news/541336/home-energy-storage-enters-a-new-era/

#SHANGHAI – #Chinese #RareEarth demand is likely to soar by more than 50% in the next five years, putting pressure on authorities to relax tough production quotas that have spurred illegal mining and rampant smuggling.

http://m.miningweekly.com/article/china-rare-earth-demand-seen-rising-50-pct-by-2020-industry-body-2015-09-17

“Vale sees the opportunity to do something similar to what #Belllabs, #Xerox’s #PARC, and the #GEResearchLab did, only from a 21st century perspective.”

Read more at: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathansalembaskin/2015/09/14/vale-researches-the-context-for-its-innovation/

#MUMBAI: An improvement in ease of doing business coupled with gains from higher education levels and convergence in technology is expected to put #India on a higher growth trajectory, according to American financial services major #GoldmanSachs.