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Jinchuan Group is expected to increase its selenium and tellurium production capacity to 200 tonnes and 20 tonnes respectively by 2015, the company told the Jinchang Daily.

Read more at: http://www.metalbulletin.com/Article/3324612/Minor-and-precious-metals/Jinchuan-to-increase-selenium-tellurium-production-capacity.html

Launceston, Australia. Indonesia’s ban on exporting unprocessed nickel and bauxite has been in force for more than two months, but the impact has yet to fully show up in Chinese imports.

China’s trade data for February shows nickel ore imports from Indonesia were about 3.1 million metric tons, down only 2.5 percent from the same month a year earlier.

Indonesia’s ban on exporting unprocessed minerals took effect on Jan. 12, and while there have been some moves to relax restrictions on copper and other ores, the total ban on nickel and bauxite remains.

Read more at: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/indonesia-nickel-bauxite-ban-yet-hit-china-clyde-russell/

Santo Domingo.- The Special Senate Commission that studies the bill that would create Loma Miranda National Park will tour the area Thursday, for an onsite inspection which could make or break Xstrata Nickel’s planned mine in the controversial hill set in Dominican Republic’s pristine Central Mountains.

Senate Commission chair Rafael Calderón didn’t specify the time for the tour, but noted that all its members would travel to La Vega province Thursday morning.

Read more at: http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2014/3/27/50984/Fateful-day-for-Xstrata-Nickels-Dominican-Republic-mine

(Reuters) – Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc has received export certification in Indonesia, a government official said on Thursday, taking it a step closer to resuming shipments from the world’s fifth-largest copper mine.

The company has not exported copper concentrate since January from the mine in remote Papua and it must still reach a deal on an escalating export tax, which it and a fellow U.S. miner Newmont Mining Corp have refused to pay, before restarting shipments.

Read more at: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/freeport-mc-indonesia-exports-idINL4N0MO2LL20140327

(Reuters) – Indonesia’s ban on exporting unprocessed nickel and bauxite has been in force for more than two months, but the impact has yet to fully show up in Chinese imports.

China’s trade data for February shows nickel ore imports from Indonesia were about 3.1 million tonnes, down only 2.5 percent from the same month a year earlier.

Read more at: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/03/27/column-russell-indonesia-minerals-idINL4N0MO0H620140327

China’s caps on exports of rare earth elements break global trade rules, the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled.

Rare earths are used in gadgets such as DVDs and mobile phones, and China accounts for more than 90% of their global production.

But it has put limits on their exports, which it says are aimed at reducing pollution and conserving resources.

However, the organisation said the limits helped “secure preferential use” of the elements for domestic firms.

In its ruling, the WTO said: “The overall effect of the foreign and domestic restrictions is to encourage domestic extraction and secure preferential use of those materials by Chinese manufacturers”.

Read more at: http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26743299

Another Australian coal mine has succumbed to the severe cost pressures in the industry, with mining giant Glencore Xstrata announcing the closure of the Ravensworth underground mine in New South Wales.

With thermal coal prices slumping close to four-year lows, the Hunter Valley mine was no longer profitable and will be closed by September.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/business/mining-and-resources/glencore-xstrata-shuts-down-ravensworth-mine-20140327-35kb4.html#ixzz2x9yTQBQk

China has lost a dispute at the World Trade Organization over limits on rare earth and metals exports, handing Europe and the United States a victory over what they see as Beijing’s unfair trade practices.

“Today’s ruling by the WTO on rare earth shows that no one country can hoard its raw materials from the global market place at the expense of its other WTO partners,” said EU Trade Commissioner Karel De Gucht.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/china-wto-rareearths-idUSL5N0MN2ZZ20140326

 

JAKARTA, March 26 (Reuters) – Newmont Mining Corp has not cut output at its Indonesian copper and gold mine, a spokesman at the Denver-based company said on Wednesday, denying government claims earlier in the day that its production had been slashed.

Indonesia implemented a ban on mineral ore exports and introduced an escalating export tax for concentrates on Jan. 12 to encourage mineral processing domestically in order to increase the value of exports. However, the new rules have left the mining sector in turmoil.

Read more at: http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/26/indonesia-newmont-mining-output-idUSL4N0MN1D220140326