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

(Reuters) – Indonesia’s new president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said he wants to sit down with mining companies and other parties in a bid to resolve a row over mining policies that has halted $500 million of metal exports a month in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

The comment by the former Jakarta governor, who has a reputation for tackling entrenched interests, appeared to be a positive sign after an increasingly bitter dispute between the mining sector and the outgoing government.

Read more at:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/07/22/us-indonesia-election-jokowi-mining-idUSKBN0FR1YN20140722

Metalysis says that it won the award because of its contribution to metal 3D printing, developing a low cost titanium powder that can be processed in just one step, directly from ore. The company’s low-cost titanium powder is opening up the possibility of titanium 3D printed parts in new industries such as automotive and aerospace.

Read more at: http://www.metal-powder.net/view/39380/metalysis-wins-customer-award/

Sudbury citizens struck gold and coal in attempting two world records.

While people enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Big Nickel’s 50th birthday party at Dynamic Earth on July 22, there was a small army of volunteers attempting to use the occasion to get into the famed Guinness Book of World Records.

The two endeavours could not be more different — even though both involved, fittingly, the use of coins. While one group attempted to build the world’s largest mosaic (of the Big Nickel itself) out of Canadian coins, others were attempting to beat the world record for coin stacking.

Read more at:  http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2014/07/22-big-nickel-record-attempt-sudbury.aspx

Western Areas is pleased to report another solid quarterly performance and excellent full year results on safety, costs, operational metrics and positive free cashflow generation. Unit cash cost of production was A$2.61/lb of nickel in concentrate for the quarter, with full year unit cash cost at A$2.50/lb (US$2.28/lb) which is 7.4% below the full year guidance of A$2.70/lb.

Read more at: http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140721-913892.html

The technology and its benefits

Unlike traditional manufacturing that produces fabricated engine parts through the tooling, lathing, milling, and forging process, 3-D printing builds solid objects or parts by laying down successive layers of material. According to the American Society of Testing and Materials International, 3-D printing (which is also known as “additive manufacturing”) is a process of joining materials to make objects from 3-D model data, as opposed to “subtractive” manufacturing methodologies, which are the standard and traditional manufacturing processes.

Read more at:  http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/07/21/how-general-electric-company-is-pushing-the-envelo.aspx

State-owned miner PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) says that the total investment value of the FerroNickel (FeNi) processing plant project in Buli, East Halmahera, North Maluku, could reach US$800 million to $1 billion.

In January, Antam and Australian Direct Nickel Pty Ltd. (DNi) announced their cooperation on building a FeNi processing plant that would have the capacity to produce 10,000 to 20,000 tons of nickel concentrate each year.

Read more at:  http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/07/21/antam-dni-s-nickel-processing-plant-worth-1b.html

Six months after the implementation of a ban on mineral ore exports, the development of a number of smelters are progressing, although challenges have halted the acceleration of the work.

Sixty four smelters are under development by independent or joint mining license holders, according to data from the directorate general of mineral and coal at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry.

The ministry estimated the 64 ongoing smelter projects would require US$17.4 billion in investment.

Nickel smelters dominate the projects, with 30 such projects ongoing at present, followed by 13 zircon facilities, seven iron, five bauxite, four kaolin and zeolit, three manganese and two lead and zinc.

Read more at:  http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/07/21/smelter-projects-progressing-despite-hurdles.html

Beijing: Brazilian mining giant Vale has signed MOUs with two Chinese banks during Chinese president Xi Jinping’s recent visit in Brazil.

China’s Exim Bank has extended a $5bn credit facility to Vale over the next three years to buy or lease ships and shipping equipment from Chinese companies.

Read more at: http://sinoshipnews.com/News/Vale-signs-financing-deals-with-Chinese-Banks/3w3c2863.html

General Electric reported second-quarter results Friday that reflected its steady return to its industrial roots, as the giant conglomerate looks to accelerate the shift.

GE, the largest industrial company in the United States, said revenue from its industrial businesses, with products including jet engines, power generators, oil field machinery, and medical imaging equipment, rose 7 percent. Revenue at its sizable finance unit, GE Capital, declined 6 percent.

Read more at:  http://www.bostonglobe.com/business/2014/07/19/general-electric-earnings-reflect-transformative-strategy/IuuNkh8NbjXGCzLxW3nxbO/story.html

Hong Kong. Chinese nickel pig iron producers are aiming to get around an Indonesian ban on nickel ore exports by buying a shipment of slightly lower grade material and labeling it as “iron ore”, two Chinese industry sources said.

Market talk of the move at a time of weak seasonal demand has curbed Chinese buying of nickel ores from rival supplier the Philippines, traders said, and helped depress ore prices that have already fallen from record levels in May.

“The sign of a supply rise from Indonesia has helped push down nickel ore prices,” said a source with direct knowledge of the shipment at a Chinese nickel pig iron maker, whose firm imported Indonesian ores before the ban.

Read more at:  http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/business/china-nickel-ore-buyers-said-aim-skirt-indonesia-ban/