Cortec Mining Kenya Limited (CMK) has today announced the award and gazettment of a special mining licence for the exploration, development and mining of high grade Niobium and associated Rare Earths metals by the Mines and Geology Department, clearing its way to start commercial exploration on the 142-hectare site on Mrima Hill in Kwale County.
http://www.fountainmedia.co.ke/stage-set-for-the-mining-of-niobium-in-kenya/
Current nickel prices of a little more than $7 a pound are comparable to $2.50 a pound a decade ago, creating huge challenges for Sudbury’s largest nickel miner.
http://www.northernlife.ca/news/localNews/2013/04/16-vale-strong.aspx
LONDON (SHARECAST) –Xstrata has announced that its Koniambo Nickel project in New Caledonia has gone into production after producing its first metal this week, a key milestone for the five billion-dollar greenfield project.
http://www.sharecast.com/cgi-bin/sharecast/story.cgi?story_id=20819933
BHP Billiton is understood to have made a substantial copper discovery in the remote West Australian outback, in a move that could finally help open up the potential of the West Musgrave region.
Industry sources told The Australian that recent drilling by BHP at the Succoth prospect had returned broad intersections of copper mineralisation at relatively high grades.
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South Africa’s Exxaro expects to start mining iron ore in the Republic of Congo this year, with an eye to producing up to 10 million tonnes a year, as the miner diversifies beyond its traditional reliance on coal.
http://www.miningweekly.com/article/exxaro-aims-to-mine-iron-ore-in-congo-this-year-2013-04-10?
Ratan Jindal-led Jindal Stainless Ltd, part of the $16.5 billion OP Jindal Group, has signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korean steel major Posco for a long-term joint business opportunity.
Nickel miner PT Vale Indonesia, whose shares are traded on the bourse under the code INCO, is planning to spend up to US$216 million to support its business this year.
Mining and wind farm deals valued at more than $3 billion have been signed in Beijing during Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s visit on Tuesday.
http://www.skynews.com.au/businessnews/article.aspx?id=862004
CONAKRY– Guinea has amended its mining code to reduce some taxes in an effort to improve the investment climate, as mining investors and major producers become increasingly wary of big-ticket projects in difficult locations.
http://www.miningweekly.com/article/guinea-cuts-mining-taxes-cites-investment-climate-2013-04-09
Production of niobium in Brazil will reach 120,000 tpy by 2016, a 33% increase from 2011 levels, according to estimates released by the country’s mining institute, Ibram.
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