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Barrick Gold, the world’s largest producer of the metal by sales, is in talks to sell more assets as it seeks to reduce operating costs and focus on its most efficient mines.

The company, which last month agreed to sell three Australian mines, is in talks about selling additional assets in the country, chief executive Jamie Sokalsky said at the Denver Gold Forum.

The Toronto-based company is mulling over the sale of other assets around the world and would consider a joint venture with US competitor Newmont Mining in Nevada to reduce costs.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/barrick-gold-in-talks-to-sell-off-smaller-australian-mines-20130925-2uei0.html#ixzz2g1kHtyQ4

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 26 (Bernama) — Lynas Malaysia Sdn Bhd has target the first phase of its advanced materials plant in Kuantan, Pahang, to operate at full capacity by year-end.
Vice-President and Managing Director Datuk Mashal Ahmad said only then would the company begin to record positive returns as right now the plant was currently at a ramping up stage and production value was still negligible.
“Right now, we are producing only for customer certification test.
“Until we come to a stage where all this is settled, only then can we go full steam ahead and see changes in our revenue,” he told reporters after delivering a lecture on “Rare Earth: Towards a Greener Future” here Thursday.

http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/bu/newsbusiness.php?id=980787

(Reuters) – Indonesia’s PT Aneka Tambang (Antam) expects to export up to 50 percent more nickel ore this year at 10 million-12 million tonnes, a director at the state-controlled miner said.

Indonesia is the world’s top exporter of nickel ore, a key component of stainless steel, and exports have increased this year ahead of a planned 2014 ore export ban.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/09/26/indonesia-antam-nickel-idINL4N0HL18920130926

BELO HORIZONTE, Brazil–Global mining giant Anglo American PLC (AAL.LN) has taken a more positive view of its Brazilian phosphate and niobium businesses in recent months and believes the worst is over for its troubled iron-ore venture, Chief Executive Mark Cutifani said Tuesday.

The company continues looking for a partner in its $8.8 billion Minas-Rio project to mine iron ore in southeastern Brazil and transport it to port via a 525-kilometer pipeline. But Mr. Cutifani said it “will take some time before potential partners” are likely to feel comfortable buying into Minas-Rio, the investment budget of which has risen threefold and made the project a poster child for cost overruns in the mining industry.

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20130924-709317.html

Russia’s Norilsk Nickel will likely be selling its 50% stake in South African nickel and platinum producer Nkomati Nickel to partner African Rainbow Minerals (ARM).

According to Business Day, “Nkomati is a 50-50 joint venture between Norilsk and ARM and ARM spokeswoman Corne Dippenaar has confirmed that ARM has a right of first refusal on Norilsk’s 50% stake in the operation should it decide to sell out.”

http://agmetalminer.com/2013/09/16/norilsk-selling-stake-in-nkomati-to-arm-indian-nickel-cash-price-declines/

Ives declared that his firm’s Nickel Rim South project in Sudbury, Canada, is “as good as it gets” .

http://www.metalbulletin.com/Article/3254308/Base-metals/HOTLINE-Nickel-Rim-South-better-than-any-Norilsk-projectGlencore-Xstratas-Ives.html

Nickel pig iron prices in China are now above those for refined nickel, following a rally in August when stainless steel mills increased purchases.

(Reuters) – Indonesia plans to relax a rule forcing foreign miners to sell majority stakes and allow those who make downstream investments to keep bigger holdings, a spokesman at the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry said on Thursday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/05/indonesia-mining-divestment-idUSL4N0H116D20130905

Thirty tin smelters in Indonesia, the world’s largest exporter, agreed today to start trading the metal on a local exchange to comply with a government rule that comes into force this month.

The smelters will begin trading in early September with about 100 importers on the Jakarta Futures Exchange, which will introduce a dollar-denominated and electronically-traded contract on Aug. 28, said Tjahyono Mukmin, president director of the Serumpun Tin trading board. That will replace bilateral dealings between producers and importers.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-08-22/tin-smelters-in-indonesia-to-start-trading-through-exchanges.html