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Mining for centuries has been the predominant pillar of thousands of industries across the world. Most importantly, it ensures that millions of people across the planet receive the key resources that we need to thrive as a society. Therefore, mining is integral in the production and development of many everyday materials that we take for granted. Significantly, mined materials are integral in the construction of roads, hospitals, cars, computers, and even satellites. You name it, and mining will have had an integral involvement along the process. Accordingly, as the unsung hero of many industrial and technological businesses, we firmly believed that mining deserved its own publication, to highlight the key work it does in the advancement of our technological society.
In this issue, we learn how mining can be used to build a more sustainable world. This particular focus can be seen within Sun Metals. As one of the most technologically advanced zinc refineries in the world, it has a clear aim to go green. To add to this, we also heard from the new innovative company, ProSealCorp, and their advancements in green technology development. Further exciting developments can also be seen in AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi mine, and Teranga Gold Corporation’s investment in the future of gold mining. We also spoke to further titans of the mining industry like Banro Corp. Ltd. and Blast Movement Technologies.
All in all, this special mining publication can provide you with all the latest information on mining, as the integral underdog of the growing technological world, grows bigger and better every year.
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited
As the third largest gold producer in the world, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (Agnico Eagle) is a senior gold mining company, developing precious metal mining assets in Canada, Australia, Finland, and Mexico. With this reputation, Agnico Eagle has become a partner of choice across the mining industry that is committed to developing vital mining projects to build a high-quality, yet low-risk and sustainable portfolio of mining assets. However, throughout every aspect of its operations, Agnico Eagle’s commitment to environmental, social and governance practices can be felt to deliver assets which meet the needs of today whilst protecting the communities and resources for future generations.
Founded in 1957, Agnico Eagle has consistently created value for its shareholders, and with this has seen significant cash dividends every year since 1983. This continuous growth has been underpinned by Agnico Eagles’ strategy to deliver the best possible mining assets and exploration projects across the globe. Key ways Agnico Eagle is achieving this is through steadily growing its portfolio by focusing on delivering on performance and growth expectations, building and maintaining a high-quality project pipeline, utilising the skills and expertise across its network, and delivering results in a socially responsible manner. Agnico Eagle’s commitment to operating in a socially responsible manner ensures that it can continue to create value for its stakeholders and shareholders, whilst ensuring that its mining operations are contributing to the prosperity of its people, their families and the communities in which it operates.
Under Agnico Eagle is the Detour Lake which is the largest gold-producing mine in Canada, with a total gold reserve of 19.9 million ounces. The deposit, located in northeastern Ontario, was first discovered in 1974 and produced 1.8 million ounces of golf between 1983 and 1999 through open-pit and underground mining operations. Agnico Eagle acquired 100% of the mine in 2022, following a merger with Kirkland Lake Gold, and it celebrated its 5 millionth ounce of gold poured since 2013. One of the unique aspects of the Detour Lake mine is that it is now served by an airfield which delivers flights to and from Timmins and Moosonee, and so it is vitally connected to deliver its resources across the country more efficiently. Currently evaluation plans are underway to evaluate the potential of further underground mining operations to access the inferred mineral reserved below and to the west of the existing pit.
The second largest gold mine in Canada, the Canadian Malartic Complex is also under the operations of Agnico Eagle and is one of the world’s largest gold mining operations. The Canadian Malartic Complex is comprised of the open pit mine, the Odyssey underground mine and a processing facility. The first gold was discovered in the Malartic areas in 1923; however, modern drilling of the site didn’t begin until 2005, with commercial production taking over in 2011. The pit and mine were built by
Osisko Mining Corp, however, Agnico Eagle and Yamana Gold acquired Osisko and formed the Canadian Malartic GP in which Agnico Eagle and Yamama each have 50% ownership interest. Just last year, Agnico Eagle acquired Yamana Gold’s Canadian assets, and now Agnico Eagle owns 100% of the complex. By the second half of 2023, the Canadian Malartic mine had poured its 7 millionth ounces of gold since 2011.
In addition to the Canadian Malartic Complex and Detour Lake mine, Agnico Eagle also has the Goldex Complex, LaRonde, Meadowbank Complex, and Meliadine mining assets. Throughout all of these operations, Agnico Mines is delivering significant economic potential throughout its mining operations, and so continues to expand its portfolio across Canada. However, one of the most interesting sites for Agnico Eagle is the Macassa complex which is home to one of the highestgrade gold mines in the world. The mine was first discovered in 1911 and has been vital to the town of Kikland’s history ever since. Between 1905 and 1935, the area saw significant mining operations, which
Established in 1983, Levert specializes in providing skilled personnel and staffing solutions for the mining sector in Canada. With one of the most extensive databases of skilled labourers, Levert’s approach ensures faster talent identification, cost-effective onboarding and better job fits. Whether you are seeking recruitment support in Mining, Construction or Industrial operations, our expertise will equip you with seasoned professionals that align with your business requirements.
Agnico Eagle Mines Limited
collectively produced 23 million ounces of gold in the 20th century.
The mine has continued to be developed under Agnico Eagle, and in 2023 the company incorporated the sourcing of additional production from Macassa with the Amalgamated Kirkland (AK) deposit. The mine’s reputation with the global economy is significant, particularly in the world of sustainability in mining, as the mine was one of the first to introduce battery-electric vehicles for mining operations. By adopting electric vehicles across the mine, Agnico Eagle remains committed to its goal to mine in a responsible manner whilst protecting the people and the planet in the process as much as possible.
By January 2023, Macassa celebrated its 6 millionth ounce of gold poured, and with this Agnico Eagle announced that a new shaft was set to be put into production, which would lower unit costs, improve working conditions and increase the company’s exploration capacity in Macassa. Across the mining operations at Macassa, Agnico Eagle’s
commitment to positive development of the future, whilst protecting the people and places of today is incredibly evident.
Agnico Eagle also has operations outside of Canada, with the Kittila Mine in Finland, Fosterville in Australia and the La India and Pinos Altos in Mexico. The Kitilla Mine is one of the largest primary gold producers in Europe and was Agnico Eagle’s first mining operation outside of Canada. The open pit of the mine was completed in 2012, with only underground mining activities taking place. The mine first began as two separate mine sites; the Suuri and the Roura which were underground mining operations. However, these were joined together to enhance the mining operations in Finland. By the third quarter of 2022, shaft sinking was carried out on the site, and the construction and commission of a nitrogen removal plant was completed in late 2022.
As the Kittila Mine looks towards the future, it has recently signed an agreement for clean electricity which would see 100% of the electricity used across the mine site stem from wind or nuclear power over
fossil fuels. This shift towards renewable energy resources across its operations highlights Agnico Eagle’s push towards more sustainable practices throughout the mining process to make the most of such finite resources, whilst not contributing more emissions through its operations. Agnico Eagle’s commitment to sustainability can be seen in every single one of its assets or exploration operations, as its primary goal is to not only meet but go beyond the regulatory standard for environmental, safety, social and governance matters. The company achieves this by ensuring that every member of the Agnico Eagle team is committed to being a responsible gold miner.
In June, Agnico Eagle announced that it had acquired 33,821,842 common shares of Maple Gold Mines Ltd, at the price of $0.085 per Common Share for a total consideration of approximately $2,874,856.57. These were acquired from several sellers in connection with an offering of flowthrough Common Shares Issues. After the acquisition, Agnico Eagle now owns 74,674,257 common shares, which equates to 19.9% of the issued and outstanding Common shares on a non-diluted basis. The two companies have now entered into a conveyance and option agreement, and subject to the satisfaction of the agreement closing conditions, Maple will grant Agnico Eagle a 1.0% net smelter return royalty in respect of the projects, and Agnico Eagle will retain certain options to acquire a 50% ownership interest in the projects.
Agnico Eagle’s strategic share purchasing has allowed it to remain a leader within the global market. The acquisition of the Maple Gold Mines shares follows more share purchasing earlier this year with Prism Resources Inc. Here, Agnico Eagle acquired 5,750,000 common shares of Prism from Trevali Mining Corporation further expanding its ownership of global mining assets. What we have seen throughout this acquisition framework is that Agnico Eagle is set on building up its portfolio, to deliver significant mining potential across the world as a leading precious metals producer.
Ultimately, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited is a vast mining and exploration company that is set to optimise and produce significant returns for its stakeholders across its gold mining operations. With
Canadian Mining Excellence
vital developments and assets in Canada, Mexico, Australia, Finland and even the US, Agnico Eagle has established itself as the partner of choice for many mining operations to develop their operations towards the future. However, what remains important to Agnico Eagle’s operations is its focus on giving back and supporting the communities in which it operates to ensure that the mining operations bring both economic and social development to regions. Thanks to its socially responsible mining culture, Agnico Eagle looks set on expanding its portfolio further and maintaining its role as one of the leading gold producers on the globe.
Barrick Gold Corporation: Mali
Barrick Gold (Barrick) has long been one of the most prolific gold and copper producers in the world, that is focused on delivering high-margin and longlife assets from across its portfolio. Throughout every development, Barrick is committed to giving back to the local communities in which it operates to ensure that all its projects continue to deliver tangible benefits and mutual prosperity for the company and the people affected by its mining operations. In Mali, Barrick has its Loulo-Gounkoto Mine Complex a key gold-producing asset, bringing continued economic prosperity to Mali and the local community.
The Loulo-Gounkoto Mine Complex, situated in western Mali, comprises two district mining permits: Loulo and Gounkoto. Both Loulo and Gounkoto are owned by Barrick (80%), with the State of Mali holding the additional 20% ownership. Production at the Loulo mine site began in 2005 and comprises an open-pit operation and two underground mines. The Gounkoto mine is an open-pit operation as well as a number of satellite deposits. Gounkoto poured its first gold in 2011 and began developments in 2020 on a new underground mine which delivered its first ore in 2021.
The combined sites make up The Loulo-Gounkoto Complex, and as of 2022 had 6.7 million ounces of proven probable gold reserves combined, which positioned Barrick Gold as one of the top 10 gold producers in the world and the biggest in terms of enterprise value in the whole of Africa. Therefore, when combined with the production at another of Barrick’s gold operations in Mali, the Morila Mine,
Investing in Mali’s Economy: The Loulo-Gounkoto
the two projects collectively contributed $9.3 billion to the Malian economy and accounted for 5-10% of the country’s GDP over the past 10 years. This highlights the significant economic impact of Barrick’s operation across the region for the last decade, providing it with the essential foundation to continue to develop towards the future.
The complex has continued to create major value for Barrick, and in March announced that over its 27-year lifetime had contributed almost $10 billion to the Malian economy, 1 billion of which was delivered in the last 12 months in the form of taxes, royalties, salaries and payments to local suppliers.
However, almost 70% of the economic benefits seen by the mine project, have been reinvested back into the country through the State. This maintains LouloGounkoto’s record as one of the country’s largest and most consistent revenue generators. However, Barrick continues to expand the development and implemented a solar field, which it announced in March, would see the commissioning of the second phase of this project to extend its output by a further 60 megawatts. This development hopes to make its operations more sustainable and bring fresh growth opportunities to the region for the next generations of mining exploration.
Love of Nature
Barrick Gold Corporation: Mali
The development of the solar field has been a key step in the sustainable development of the Loulo-Gounkoto complex and a significant milestone in Barrick’s global Green Energy Strategy. Since the commission of the power plant in 2020, it has significantly cut emissions by 57 kilotons (kt) and has led to the continued development of the plant, which directly feeds the microgrid of the mine. It is expected that the second phase of the solar field will be commissioned ahead of its planned 2024 timeline.
Throughout every aspect of Barrick’s operations, it aims to deliver value, whilst also taking the social, environmental and economic impact of its operations into consideration. It achieves this through 4 key pillars: contributing to the social and economic development of its host countries and communities, protecting the safety and health of its people, respecting human rights, and minimising its impact on the natural environment.
According to Mark Bristow, President and Chief Executive Officer of Barrick, “We continue to work
constructively towards a global resolution of our difference and finding common ground on the key issues of sharing the economic benefits of our operations without damaging the future viability of these valuable contributors to the economy”. This follows his previous comments a few months before that outlines that “In our 29 years in Mali, we have seen multiple changes in government and administration. We have worked with each of these administrations for the mutual benefit of all stakeholders and, in the spirit of partnership, we continue to invest in the extension of LouloGounkoto’s life. It is worth noting that, in line with Barrick’s policy of supporting local businesses, Malian contractors have been appointed to extend Gara West and re-open the Babotot open put where drilling has confirmed a potential high-grade extension of the mineralization structure”.
Bristow’s comments really highlight the focus throughout the Loulo-Gounkoto project on developing for the benefit of those local to its projects. By ensuring that the majority of its operations are supported by Malian contractors and suppliers, Barrick can deliver significant mining
Investing in Mali’s Economy: The Loulo-Gounkoto
resources that directly benefit the economy and citizens of Mali. In addition to this, Barrick is enhancing its sustainable development to position the Loulo-Gounkoto project as a development that is constantly evolving towards a more responsible future.
Ultimately, as a key player in the global gold and copper fields, Barrick Gold Corporation continues to develop projects that bring vital economic and social development to every region and community in which it operates. In Mali, Barrick has long been the leading gold-producing company, that is focused on delivering significant benefits for all those who interact with the Loulo-Gounkoto project. In recent years, as Barrick has moved towards the future of the project, we have seen the implementation of sustainable initiatives and developments such as the solar field, to ensure that its operations in Mali remain effective both now and for many years to come.
Sibanye Stillwater
As a multinational mining and metals processing group, Sibanye-Stillwater is home to a diverse portfolio spanning operations, projects and investments across the globe. Under its portfolio is a range of key metals including platinum, palladium, rhodium, and gold amongst many others. However, in recent years the company has made a necessary strive towards metals such as lithium which are spearheading the global shift towards electric vehicles in the form of lithium-ion batteries. These varied but crucial metal operations highlight Sibanye-Stillwater’s vast role in the metal market as it looks to shift gears to meet the growing demand for such vital metals to support the world’s future.
The key purpose behind Sibanye-Stillwater’s operations is to safeguard the global sustainability of metals by ensuring that a positive social and environmental impact is maintained throughout every aspect of its operations from mining, processing and marketing. Sibanye-Stillwater achieves this by ensuring that it takes vital responsibility for the resources, operations and local communities surrounding each project to ensure significant positive impacts for communities on a local scale, whilst also contributing towards a more economically developed future. To ensure that every operation remains committed towards these goals, SibanyeStillwater has set out a strategy to form the foundation of operations. This foundation brings together the company’s purpose, vision and values to ensure that in every decision and operation, its core mission is always present.
To fully understand the role of Sibanye-Stillwater we must look at their role within the global gold industry. Gold was the first metal ever mined by
Sibanye Stillwater in South Africa, and now the company has two key gold mining projects in the country. The most advanced gold project for the company is Burnstone, located in the Mpumalanga province. The project encompasses a shallow developmental stage gold mine in the South Rand Goldfield of the Witwatersrand Basin as is part of the Southern Free State (SOFS) project across the Free State Province of South Africa. The SOFS assets were acquired in 2014, and in 2017 saw the mining consolidation of 4 areas of the development approved for 23 years. Collectively, these projects are key producers for Sibanye-Still water and have played a vital role in positioning them as a top-tier gold producer across global markets.
The other key project under Sibanye-Stillwater in South Africa is the Beatrix mine complex. The complex was one of the original assets acquired when Gold Fields International completed its unbinding transaction in 2013, however, gold has been produced at the mine since 1983. The Beatrix mine adds to the existing output of gold across the Witwatersrand Basin alongside Driefontein, Kloof, and Burnstone. As of December 2023, the Beatrix project has a total surface and underground gold Mineral Reserve of 0.7Moz, and
Investing in the Future of Metals
in the manufacture of water cooled copper components for the pyrometallurgical industry across the globe
Some of the products and services offered include:
~ Pipe manipulation & coil manufacturing
~ Casting of the full range of CU cooling elements, both with coil circuits and deep hole drilled water passages
~ CNC line, deep hole boring and vertical milling
~ Complete across the spectrum of NDT testing and inspection (X-Ray, UT and thermal imaging testing)
~ Welding capabilities, including CU welding, fabrication welding and hard facing overlay welding
~ Graphite Freezeline Solutions –supply of machines graphite products
a Mineral Resource of 7.6Moz. However, Beatrix is not just known for its gold reserves, the mine is also home to 27Mlb of uranium resources which are contained within the Baisa Reef. With such value gold deposits across South Africa, Sibanye-Stillwater’s operation across the country contributes significantly towards the local economy by bringing the gold to market and providing employment opportunities throughout its projects.
Alongside Gold, Sibanye-Stillwater is also a leading player in the PGM market. PGMs are the combination of platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, and osmium which, to varying proportions, tend to occur together in the same geological deposit. It is this combination of metals due to their chemical and physical properties that make the PGMs so valuable in their end markets.
Sibanye Stillwater has two PGM operations in America with Stillwater and East Boulder located in Montana. Both operations extract and process PGM ore from the J-M Reef, which is the only known significant source of PGMs in the US and the highestgrade PGM deposit in the world. These PGM metals are crucial to the profitable automobile market. Sibanye Stillwater owns the Columbus Metallurgical Complex also in Montana, which smelts the material mined from their operations to produce PGM-rich
filter cake and recycles auto catalysts to recover PGMs. Consequently, their operations in America to mine PGMs are increasingly profitable for the large automobile market in the production of auto-catalysts.
A key part of Sibanye-Stillwater’s strive towards the future of metal sustainability is through technology. The company utilises top-of-the-range and innovative technology to make its projects and operations have a positive lasting effect. The digital evolution of Sibanye-Still water is a key enabler of its 3-dimension strategy which positions innovation at its core to deliver its foundational promises. It is for this reason that Sibanye-Stillwater is considered a digital-first organisation, and it ensures the best practices in digital technology adoption are implemented to help it remain competitive in both the mining and exploration of metal resources world.
This focus on technology underpins SibanyeStillwater’s development into the world of lithium. Sibanye-Stillwater has accessed the battery metals sector through a partnership and investment into Keliber, a leading European lithium project located in Finland. It’s a strategic step by Sibanye Stillwater towards a greener future to mine metals that benefit the sustainable manufacturing market. This strategy was furthered in 2022 by acquiring a 100% stake in Sandouville, a nickel hydrometallurgical processing facility in France, to build a leading battery metals platform in Europe. The Keliber Lithium project is
Investing in the Future of Metals
the most advanced lithium project in Europe – and is dedicated to supplying the EV battery sector This project has become so vital for SibanyeStillwater that just a few weeks across it secured a €500 million Green Financing package. The Green loan secures the final capital expenditure funding required for the construction and development of its lithium mining, processing, and refining facilities for the Keliber Lithium project in Finland. The proceeds from the Green loan will be used to complete the development of the Keliber Lithium project, with a total capital expenditure of roughly €656 million (2023) terms.
Neal Froneman, CEO of Sibanye-Stillwater highlighted in the announcement of the loan that “We are delighted with the strong support from a diverse group of financiers, including the European Investment Bank and Finnvera. This funding package provides cost-effective, long-term funding for the balance of the Keliber project’s funding needs and significantly improves the group liquidity, effectively ring-fending the existing group facilities for
operational requirements confirming the viability and ESG credentials of the Keliber lithium project, as well as underscoring its strategic important to the European clean energy transition.” Froneman’s comments highlight the growing role SibanyeStillwater plays in the development and accessibility of lithium metal products across the world. Its role therefore plays a vital role in developing the world towards a more sustainable future where lithium can be utilised across the renewable battery industry. Across Sibanye-Stillwater the sustainable development of metals in order to meet the needs of the future, whilst protecting the communities and economy of today is vital to its operations. With key developments across a range of metals including gold, PGMs and lithium, Sibanye-Stillwater has established itself as a key multinational mining and metal processing group with key investments across the world. From its home in South Africa, the company has continued to expand its portfolio to bring metals which will power the future into production today.
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana
AngloGold Ashanti Plc (AngloGold Ashanti) is one of the largest mining companies in the world focused on delivering a range of diverse, high-quality portfolio operations, projects and exploration activities spanning 9 countries across the globe. Throughout its operations, AngloGold Ashanti has been set on a mission to utilise mining to empower people and communities and ensure that all of its operations are working towards the collective goal of bringing economic and social development to vital regions across the globe.
AngloGold Ashanti’s operations predominantly work to turn vital gold resources across the world into economically viable assets that bring stable economic benefits across the world. This goal to develop vital assets is something that began the company in 1998 when it was just called AngloGold Limited as a consolidation of AngloAmerican Plc. In 2004, AngloGold combined with the Ashanti Gold Fields Company Limited, under the new name AngloGold Ashanti Limited, where the company we know today took full shape. In 2023, the company experienced vital restructuring and formed AngloGold Ashanti Plc and changed domicile due to its new registration in the United Kingdom. Today, AngloGold Ashanti has established a rigid strategy to ensure that it can generate sustainable cash flow improvements across its gold assets and bring long-term benefits to the communities and stakeholders with which each mine site interacts. Currently, AngloGold Ashanti has vital gold projects in Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Guinea, the United States, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia. However, one of the current key countries for development is Ghana, where AngloGold Ashanti has two key mining operations.
Africa has long been a vital continent for AngloGold Ashanti, with Ghana’s Iduapriem and Obuasi projects adding key gold reserves to the company’s portfolio. Obuasi is a underground mining operation located in the Ashanti region. The mine consists of a single access decline with interlevel development between 15 and 30 metres, as well as various shafts. The mining operations encompass the existing infrastructure including a 2.4Mtpa processing plant with flotation and bacterial oxidation, hoisting shafts with associated infrastructure, and power and water reticulation facilities.
Production at the Obuasi complex began in 1897, however, this was brought to an end in 2014, with only a very limited portion of the mine’s facilities functioning under limited operational conditions. One of these limited operations was the development of an underground mine decline, which following a feasibility study in 2017 indicated a strong technical and economic case for the mine and would suggest a possible 20-year life of mine operation for Obuasi. The feasibility study received strong approvals from the AngloGold Ashanti Board,
and so in 2019, the current project at Obuasi began with a projected three-phase approach.
The first phase of the current operations began in September 2020 with the conceptualisation and planning of the site. The second phase included the construction of the mine and its development which was completed in 2021 bringing a capacity of 4,000tpd of gold a day. The current and final phase of the project is working on establishing the infrastructure necessary to ramp up production of the Obuasi mine to an intended 5,000tpd capacity. This final phase is scheduled for completion by the end of 2024.
The second vital project for AngloGold Ashanti is the Iduapriem mine site located in the west of Ghana. Much like Obuasi, the project is 100% owned by AngloGold Ashanti and spans 137km2 inclusive of the Ajopa southwestern region of the country. The initial feasibility of the mine was completed in 1990, with the original owners (Golden Shamrock Limited) beginning construction in 1991 utilising a semiautogenous million circuit and carbon-in-pulp (CIP) plant. Official construction began the following year in 1992, when it also poured its first gold. By
Economic and Community Development
AngloGold Ashanti Ghana
2000, AngloGold had purchased the site and began upgrades which saw the mine’s operation output capacity increased to 4Mtpa following the merge of Ashanti with AngloGold in 2002. Today AngloGold Ashanti has continued to expand the plant and it now has a current 5.2 Mtpa capacity.
As the Iduapriem Mine operation looks towards the future, AngloGold Ashanti has begun a joint venture with Gold Fields which aims to merge the existing Tarwa mine in Ghana. This merge would create one of the largest gold mines in Africa, and highlight even further the vital role that Ghana has continued to play in gold production and marketing worldwide. In fact, developing the Iduapriem Mine towards the future has been a central mission for AngloGold Ashanti’s current daily operations as it has set out plans to open a trial farm on part of the Old Tailing Storage Facility (OTSF), a rehabilitated area of the mine, which would look to enhance the ecological processing on the site and support growth in the local community through training and employment across the farming land.
The farming land on the previous OTSF site highlights AngloGold Ashanti’s commitment to ensuring that the community surrounding its
operations are provided with vital socio-economic benefits from the mine site. Therefore, the proposed rehabilitation of part of the Idupriem site would see vital employment across the local community as they oversee farming and crop production. This aims to provide both economic development to those in the local community and provide long-term skills and benefits to support the workers going forward. Furthermore, the work to rehabilitate the land will play a vital role in understanding how the mine can be utilised and redeveloped when it is one day closed.
AngloGold Ashanti recently announced that the company has partnered with Absa Bank Ghana Limited in conjunction with the MasterCard Foundation, to bolster local economic growth and empowerment of local businesses. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlines 4 main projects which are planned to support the sustainable expansion of small and medium businesses in Obuasi and provide the impetus for future economic development across the region. The project includes the Business Acceleration and Sustainability initiative which is aimed at providing SMEs with organisation systems and models to
increase operational capacity and secure financing. This will allow businesses across the region to bring more investment into Obuasi and access new and international markets. Across the various projects outlined by Absa Bank Ghana and AngloGold Ashanti, they aim to bring more entrepreneurial opportunities for local operations and enhance the role of local businesses in stimulating the Ghanaian economy for many years to come.
As we have seen across AngloGold Ashanti’s operations in Ghana it is working to enhance the existing mining potential of the region and strategically place them as vital producers for the company and for Ghana as a whole. However, throughout these projects and initiatives hoping to develop the mines of Ghana, it is also working to bring significant economic development for the country and their respective communities. Through vital work and partnerships, AngloGold Ashanti aims to continue to bring investment into the region and position the local communities of Ghana as a priority in the development of AngloGold Ashanti’s mining operations going forward.
Economic and Community Development
Newmont Corporation
With a portfolio spanning world-class assets, Newmont Corporation has spent almost a century as a leading mining company operating in every corner of the globe. The company focuses primarily on gold mining, however, it has many vital mining operations spanning the metal industry from copper, to silver, zinc and even lead. Throughout its operations, Newmont remains focused on developing each deposit to create value that meets strict safety standards and internationally recognised regulations, all of which are backed by its leading technical proficiency to remain a key player within the international mining sector.
In 1925, Newmont began its operations with a central focus on enhancing and developing the natural resources of gold, copper, silver, lead, zinc, lithium, uranium, coal, nickel and various aggregates across the mining industry. These vital deposits sought to bring economic development to their respective regions, whilst working to enhance the company’s role as a leading mining and deposit exploration company. This commitment to development was also seen across the oil and gas industry, as it worked to utilise its expertise in the mining sector to bring value to the energy resources to market. Today, all of this remains the same, however, Newmont now has one of the largest and most expansive portfolios across the mining industry.
This portfolio covers more than half of the world’s leading Tier 1 assets – many of which include long-life operations, value-accretive projects, as well as many exploration opportunities. With such a vast array of assets, prospects and people behind its operations, it’s no surprise that Newmont is the only gold producer currently listed on the S&P 500 Index. This listing highlights Newmont’s vital role in developing assets towards the future, whilst working closely with shareholders, supply chains, host communities and its network of employees together to bring significant benefits across every single mining project under its operations.
A central mining area for Newmont is in Papua New Guinea, on Lihir Island where there is a significant gold deposit. Lihir Island is located on a geothermally active extinct volcano crater and is home to the Lihir Gold Mine. The mine one the largest producing gold mines in the world, and began its life almost 30 years ago with the aim to bring economic value to the people of Papua New Guinea through employment opportunities, investment in infrastructure and local supply chains. The mine is estimated to contain 310 Mt of combined proven and probable reserves grading 2.4g/t of gold with the in-sit gold of 23Moz as of June 2020.
The island consists of 5 Miocene Pleistocene volcanic units of which there are volcanic calderas and two sequences of mafic volcanic rock. The geothermal activity remains present in the Luise caldera, and so the orebody is contained in a hydrothermally altered porphyry gold system. Therefore, the gold is hosted in the volcanics, intrusives and breccias within the caldera and consequently, most of the gold is contained in sulphides. Consequently, the ore produced from the mine is refractory and is therefore treated with pressure oxidation before the gold is recovered using leach processes.
The mine contains several defined deposits which are adjacent or partly overlapping, including the Lienetz, Minifie, Coastal and Kapit. These are adjacent to the Borefields and Camp deposits, all of which are connected by areas of low-grade mineralisation. The current mining of the deposits will take place over a 13-year period during which higher-grade ore will be fed directly for processing and lower-grade ore will be stockpiled. It is expected that it will be processed during the following 17 years to oxidize and carry out cyanide leaching, and so gives a total projected life of 30 years to the mine. The mine utilises an autoclave for direct feed ore to reduce the proportion of ore fed through the flotation circuit to increase gold recoveries and increase total gold production. The processing facility treats the sulphide and oxide ore and now can output more than 6Mtpa of ore and an output capacity of 800,00oz of gold a year. This ensures that Newmont can accelerate its processing rates and produce more gold with maximum value.
In October last year, Newmont became the first company to list on PNGX (Papua New Guinea
Supporting Mining in Papua New Guinea
Exchange Market) with its depository interests. This highlights the valuable role Papua New Guinea continues to play in establishing the region as a key gold resource in international markets. This is supported by the vital role Papua New Guinea plays in developing Newmont’s global gold deposit portfolio. This listing highlights Newmont’s commitment to the future development of the nation.
In recent news, Newmont announced that it would be partnering with John Wood Group plc, commonly known as Wood, to expand the current Lihir Gold Mine and deliver concept and feasibility studies. Wood, a multinational engineering and consulting business, will facilitate the detailed design and construction management services as
part of an $18 million contract with Newmont. The consulting and engineering services will bolster the company’s working capital programme and work to bring continued economic development to Papua New Guinea.
For Newmont, Papua New Guinea adds yet another valuable mining project to its growing portfolio of world-class assets, prospects and talents across the world. Its mission to create value across all of its operations can be clearly seen with the Lihir Mine in Papua New Guinea where it has implemented safety standards, superior execution and technical expertise all for the benefit of those in the region. With roughly 4,500 residents and fly-in fly-out workers, it’s clear the role the mine plays in supporting Papua New Guinea and its development on both a local and international scale cannot be understated. We look forward to seeing the growing role the company will continue to play in Papua New Guinea and how vital partnerships with international consulting and engineering services such as Wood, will take the mine into the next level of its value creation development.
Vulcan International
With a diverse portfolio spanning across the globe, Vulcan International is a leading mining company which is utilising its commitment to growth and development for the benefit of Mozambique. Vulcan is a privately owned company which is part of the global Jindal Group, which is focused on building Africa’s mining industry via a rich and profitable portfolio of product assets across the continent. Vulcan achieves this by implementing cutting-edge technology and efficient logistical operations to ensure that every mine site delivers significant economic benefits for the surrounding region, whilst bolstering the role of African mines in international markets.
To best understand the valuable role of Vulcan, we must look at the Moatize Coal Mine in Mozambique which is one of the largest coal mines in all of Africa. Vulcan’s operations in Mozambique span 25,000 hectares of land encompassing the open-cut mine and coal processing plant which makes up the Moatize Mining Concession. The Moatize Coal Mine is located in the Tete Province of Mozambique. The mine was previously owned by mining giant Vale, however, in 2021 Vale sold the Moatize Coal Mine and the Nacala Logistics Corridor to Vulcan for the total proceeds of USD 270 million, comprised of USD 80 million at Closing and USD 190 million from the existing business until Closing. The sale to Jindal Group came following Jindal’s experience within Mozambique with its existing Chirodzi Mine operation also located in the Tete Basin. Therefore, with this expertise behind them, Vulcan took on the Moatize Coal mine which then became one of the main coal assets for the company with an estimated reserve of 1.9 billion tons of coal.
The Moatize Mine produces two central types of coal: metallurgical and thermal. Metallurgical coal is vital to the steel-making industry, which for Vulcan has long played a central role across its operations. Therefore, with the asset of a key metallurgical coal producer under its ownership, Vulcan can continue to build its portfolio across the steel-making industry and place Mozambique in great competition with other metallurgical mines across the world. Thermal coal, as the name suggests, is used primarily for generating heat and power through thermoelectrical plants. Burning coal has long been a central process for many industries worldwide, therefore the coal produced at the Moatize mine further develops Mozambique’s reputation within the thermal coal market.
To ensure that these vital coal resources are available for both local and international markets, Vulcan also operates the Coal Processing Plant within the Moatize Mining Concession. The processing plant has the capacity for 22 million tons of raw coal a year, which is then split into two thermal and metallurgical types. The processing is facilitated through four modules, which are capable of feeding thousands of tons of coal every single hour, with a total feed capacity of 4,000 tons.
Alongside the processing plant, Vulcan utilises state-of-the-art technology which sees top-ofthe-range excavators, wheel loaders, as well as auxiliary equipment including crawler tractors, tore tractors, motor graders, drilling machines and tanker trucks utilised to serve the Moatize Mine. This machinery includes those from leading brands such as Caterpillar, Komatsu, Le Tourneau and Volvo. By utilising this leading machinery, Vulcan ensures that every mining operation remains efficient, costeffective and productive for continued production rate and subsequent economic benefits.
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However, what separates Vulcan’s operation from traditional mine operators is that through the purchase from Vale, the company also now has the Nacala Logistics company. Nacala Logistics is a railway port company that manages the Nacala Corridor with logistical transportation services. The company specialises in connecting Mozambique with Zambia by providing efficient transportation services to the coal and general cargo industries. By utilising the vital infrastructural links of the Nacala Logistics company, Vulcan can move coal from its processing plant and onto end markets making it more competitive than other coal mines in the region for not only mining and processing but delivering its products to customers and industries too. Therefore, the entire operations of Vulcan at the Moatize Coal Mine work cohesively together to bring such vital resources to life through its mining operations, and then they are processed and moved along the country’s infrastructure onto end and customer markets.
However, it is impossible to talk about Vulcan’s coal operations at Moatize without highlighting its community efforts to show how the company works to ensure that its operations positively
impact those in the surrounding areas. Vulcan has established a network of partnerships across the region with local communities and stakeholders, to ensure that the mine’s positive economic impact is felt down the supply chain. For Vulcan, this is in the form of fostering generational income and social inclusions as a way of supporting families and communities, often through educational and training programs. These educational programs aim to support local development and ensure that the mine brings with it positive employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
In terms of sustainability, the mining industry has long played a balancing act between delivering significant economic development to a region whilst also working to remain respectful and conscious of the environmental impact its operations are having. For Vulcan, this balance is essential and with every operation, it accesses the environmental, social and economic aspects before it begins any operation. In the Moatize Industrial Complex, Vulcan has implemented environmental management programs which are working to ensure that all regulations of environmental management are upheld to ensure things such as air quality, noise, vibrations, water
quality, and waste management are monitored. These measures ensure that all operations carried out are meeting strict regulations and are working to protect, preserve and make value from the mined resources Moatize produces as much as possible.
The Moatize Coal Mine is a valuable asset which is enhancing the coal mining industry of Mozambique and providing the country with a significant role within global metallurgical and thermal coal markets. For Vulcan, the mine signifies a key project which has allowed it to expand its mining business, and enhance the existing infrastructure of the region to bring economic growth on both a local and international scale. However, it is Vulcan’s operations towards education and community development which highlight the sustainable role it hopes to continue to play across all of its operations in order to bring socio-economic to the people and places its operations encounter.
With a chief commitment to safety and transparency, Vale is an international mining company that focuses on producing iron ore, pellets, and nickel. Spread across 5 continents, the global mining company works every day to take the natural resources available to us and develop them into prosperous resources; all whilst still working to promote environmental protection. This drive towards sustainable development underpins everything that Vale does, as it believes the safety of people and the planet must always take priority.
Since its establishment in 1942, Vale has grown into one of the largest mining companies in the world with operations across roughly 30 countries all over the globe. However, the foundations of its operations in Brazil, remain the focus for the company operating across both the mining and logistics sectors. The company began under the name Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, where it first extracted ore in Itabira in Minas Gerais. Over the years, the name was shortened, and the company began to take on a larger role across the country’s mining industry by also providing logistical solutions via the country’s railroads, ports, and terminals. It even began operations within the energy industry to promote sustainable electrical production, and now is responsible for producing 54% of its own energy consumption.
Vale’s operations in Brazil centre around iron ore, particularly iron pellets which are used in the construction or manufacturing of many products and services we use every single day. Vale highlights that these ores are working towards the evolution of society as they are used in industries that are developing the world towards the future such as construction for houses and medical facilities, as well as in the technology and manufacturing sectors for things such as cars and household appliances. Also, ore found in the Carajás region in Brazil is considered to be the best quality in the world, at 67% iron content. Therefore, with such a rich deposit of iron ore in Brazil, Vale’s operations play a crucial role in mining and delivering these metals for the development of society.
Vales has multiple mine sites across Brazil, which are involved in the mining, processing, and then logistical movement of the mined products to the steel industries in which it sells the iron. To understand Vale’s valuable role in the mining industry in Brazil, we first must look at the birthplace of the company in Minas Gerais. The state accounts for over 50% of Vale’s iron ore production, with 20 mines currently in operation. Mining in Minas Gerais takes advantage of Vale’s railroad connections between Vitória and Minas.
Vale has invested more the 1.3 billion dollars in the acquisition of trains and freight cars, which it primarily uses for transporting iron ore as well as other cargo. The logistics sector of Vale’s operations allows it to play a more well-rounded role in the mining industry and the distribution of its mined products to the ports and steel-making marketplace. Therefore, the mining operations at
Minas Gerais highlight how the mining and logistical operations of Vale work so closely together to deliver the rich ore to end markets for the betterment of a future planet.
In Minas Gerais, Vale is working alongside the city of Itabira to use its efforts within the mining industry to positively impact the city and build a plan for a more sustainable city. The plan, devised in conjunction with the municipal administration, aims to develop the region with projects which concern the environment, education, and security – all of which are developed with innovation in mind. These projects include the Little Seed of Sport Project, Judo Classes and the Bright Minds Chess Project which is bringing key development to kids across the region all thanks to Vale’s commitment to putting people and the environment at the forefront of its operations.
Vale announced in February that it had entered into an agreement with Anglo American Minério de Ferro Brasil in the Minas-Rio complex in Minas Gerais. The agreement will see Vale acquire a 15% ownership interest in the complex, whilst Anglo
will retain control, management, and operation of the Minas-Rio complex as well as any future expansions. The agreement marks a vital step for Vale and Anglo to develop the mining for iron ore whilst facilitating Anglo’s shift towards low carbonemission steelmaking processes. The Minas-Rio complex has a nameplate capacity of 26.5Mtpy for high-grade iron pellet feed, and the whole complex comprises the mine, plant, as well as geotechnical and supporting structures.
As part of the agreement, the Minas-Rio complex will be able to utilize Vale’s nearby rail line and Tubarão port to expand output as an alternative to the construction of a second pipeline to the port facility at Açu. The partnership between the two companies was celebrated by Vale CEO, Eduardo Bartolomeo, stating in a press release that “Minas-Rio is a Tier-1 asset that will benefit from great synergies with Serpentina’s deposit and Vale’s logistics, and we are confident that this partnership will unlock significant value to all of our stakeholders.”. Bartolomeo’s comments highlight the valuable role both companies can play
Mult Engrenagens
Mult Engrenagens has a modern and complete industrial site, operated by trained and highly qualified professionals, guaranteeing customers high quality services in the manufacture and reform of parts. The company has a specialized engineering team and trained and updated technicians with national and international technologies and standards for the development and improvement of high-performance projects. We have experience and tradition in the manufacture of spare parts for multi-brand gearboxes. The manufacture of parts for gearboxes involves reverse engineering with an extensive database already built or according to our customers’ designs, preserving geometric and dimensional interchangeability.
in developing the deposit whilst taking advantage of the company’s existing infrastructural logistics links which will bring economic development for both companies and the respective region.
Pará, the largest mining complex in Brazil, is owned by Vale and represents one of the largest private investments in the country in recent years. The S11D mine complex in Pará encompasses the mines, a processing plant, and rail and port logistic services, which have continued to drive the region’s economic development for many years. The mines are responsible for mining iron, manganese, copper, and nickel across a vast array of mines which span the complex. However, much like in Minas Gerais, Vale also has a vast array of environmental projects in Pará which ensure that the rich biodiversity of the nearby Carajás National Forest is protected.
A key environmental project for Vale is the Vale Amazon Biopark within the Carajás National Forest which works to provide education on the landscape and species which inhabit the forest. The Biopark ensures that more than 270 animals can roam freely, allowing visitors to learn about the animals in
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their natural habitats. Over the last decade, the site has seen more than 1.1 million people visiting the site, which has allowed Vale to continue to invest in the protection of the forest which is home to one of the most biodiverse regions in the country.
In Espírito Santo, mining extends back more than 50 years and highlights the vital role the state’s railway and port systems can play in the mining industry. In Espírito Santo, Vale developed a fully integrated strategy for mining logistics which continues to be used every day. Vale’s operations in Espírito Santo highlighted the company for its production of iron pellets, and now the production of pellets by Vale in the region is globally recognised.
Espírito Santo is also home to the largest environmental investment by Vale towards the development of the Tubarão Environmental Master Plan (PDA). PDA aims to control atmospheric emissions and covers 160 projects which are implementing new equipment, improving the environmental controls of its operations, and researching new technologies to reduce environmental impacts. The vast project which encapsulated Vale’s core values, has been successful in its efforts to make vital developments towards the future, whilst remaining clear in its aim to respect the planet, the local communities and the people who live and work across their sites of operation.
Other key mining sites for Vale in Brazil are in Maranhão and Rio de Janeiro. In Maranhão, Vale works with the state to support the logistical movement of ore production through the Carajás Railway to the Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal. The terminal plays a valuable role in distributing the ore to consumer markets across the globe, including in China which is currently one of the largest buyers of iron ore products. Then, in Rio de Janeiro, Vale operates the Porto Sul Complex in the Costa Verde region. Vale’s headquarters are based
in the capital, along with a number of terminals which are used for the loading of iron ore. The entire site has the capacity to move more than 75 million tonnes of ore every year through the terminals and towards end markets.
Surrounding the terminals, Vale continues to carry out environmental projects, such as its Fazenda Marinha Project which, much like PDA, monitors environment quality indicators to ensure that the environment is protected as much as possible whilst implementing initiatives which are centres on valuing local culture and promoting education across the region.
Ultimately, Vale’s existence hinges on a passion for improving life and transforming the future for generations to come. To do this, Vale is carrying out mining operations which are essential to life whilst producing ores, pellets and various metals which help to make this possible. However, it is Vale’s commitment to education, environmental protection and innovative approach to the future that has allowed it to play such a valuable role in Brazil for many years thanks to its constant commitment to developing necessary mining operations whilst putting great investment back into the protection of landscapes to support the rich biodiversity of this part of the world.
On a mission to deliver responsible mining that creates value across its supply chains, Centamin Plc has been developing the mining landscape of Egypt and West Africa for many years. Egypt and Western Africa are home to rich gold deposits, many of which haven’t been fully explored in this century. Therefore through a system of responsible and sustainable mining practices, Centamin hopes to deliver significant economic potential for these regions and solidify its place as a vital gold producer across the globe.
Through disciplined investment into the growth and diversification of its gold deposits, Centamin now has a large portfolio of exploration assets spanning Egypt and West Africa. These assets are supported by the company’s strong financial position and expertise across the mining industry, to deliver gold resources which will economically develop their respective regions. Centamin’s role in creating value has been recognised internationally and now has premium listings on both the London Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange.
To best understand Centamin’s role in Egypt’s gold mining industry we must look at the Sukari Gold Mine the principal asset under the company which has been operating in the country for over 10 years. The mine site spans a bulk tonnage open pit and underground operation which began operation in 2009. Sukari signifies the first large-scale modern gold mine in Egypt, which is also one of the largest gold mines across the globe. This vital asset for Centamin is forecast to produce close to 400,000 ounces per year across its 12year life of mine. This significant production rate should provide the country with almost 30 years of value. Therefore, the Sukari mine is a significant project for the country, and so Centamin works closely with the Egyptian government, local communities and local stakeholders to ensure that its economic impact can be seen across the country throughout its supply chains.
The Sukari mine builds on the company’s exploration success when the founder of Centamin discovered the Sukari deposit back in the 1990s. Today, the mine is served by roads, a solar off-grid power plant and a 25km waterpipe fed from the Red Sea into the mine. Across this vast project, the Sukari Mine employs almost 4,000 people, 95% of which are from Egypt. This focus on employment within the country is just one way that Centamin continues to ensure that the mine’s operations positively impact those in the local community. With every ounce that the mine produces, Centamin’s operations remain focused on producing profitable results, and in 2022 Sukari celebrated its delivery of its 5 millionth ounce of gold. However, despite its growing volume of gold, Centamin’s operations all turn towards producing value for all those involved rather than just volume. Through stringent regulations, disciplined capital control and improving operating efficiencies, Centamin continues to develop gold for the benefit of Egypt.
Another key project under Centamin is the Doropo Gold Project. The mine has a proven-probable reserves of 1.9 Moz across the 1847 km2 license holding. The project is located northeast of Côte d’Ivoire in West Africa and comprises 7 exploration permits. The license covers 13 gold deposits, however, 85% of the site’s gold deposits are concentrated within a 7km
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radius. Extensive exploration began at Doropo in 2016, which saw the project have a mineral resource estimate of 5 Moz by 2021. Part of the pre-feasibility study work programme saw a maiden mineral reserve of 1.87 Moz declared in the probable reserves category. The project is currently being progressed through to a definitive feasibility study stage, which is scheduled for completion in mid-2024.
The ABC Project is located in the northwest of Côte d’Ivoire roughly 360km from the Doropo Gold Project. The ABC project has 2.16 Moz of inferred resources over an 1143km2 license holding. It is a greenfield exploration with 3 permits across the highly prospective landholding along the underexplored contact zone between the Archean and Birimian cratons. Exploration at present has delineated a north-to-south trending foldmineralised corridor, the Loloso Gold Corridor, which is over 30km in length within the Kona permit of the ABC Project. The early stages of explorations saw the resource base double between 2019 to 2020. Development at the Farako-Nafarana and Kona permits led to the delineation of 7 new anomalous areas to be followed up with close-spaced sampling to generate new targets from trenching and then drill testing which was set to begin last year.
The final key development of Centamin is the Eastern Desert Exploration (EDX) Project which
comprises 3000 km2 of greenfield exploration tenements within the Egyptian section of the Arabian Nubian Shield. The site hasn’t been explored using the current top exploration methods in the modern era, but it represents a significant land package of highly prospective but underexplored geological terrain. The Nugrus Block surrounds the Sukari Mining concession and is set to target potential satellite deposits and low capex mill feed to the Sukari processing plant. Additionally, the Um Rus Block located to the north of the Sukari and the Najd Block located to the northwest are looking to explore potential standalone operations.
Exploration work continues to be done across these sites in the form of artisanal mining,
satellite imagery interpreting and mineral mapping techniques which continue to suggest that the three blocks of the EDX project are highly prospective and will bring significant economic development to Egypt in the future. The maiden exploration of the EDX drilling program began just last year in the Nugrus block. This exploration highlights 8 priority targets from the systematic generative exploration work, with 2 key main prospects emerging which will be explored over the coming years.
Throughout Centamin’s operations, the focus on delivering substantial value for Egypt and West
Africa’s local communities remains paramount. Centamin achieves this through its strict commitment to responsible mining as it works throughout all of its projects to protect, innovate and provide economic development across the gold mining industry. Therefore, Centamin has been successful in its mission to create value across its operations, as it works to continue to expand its portfolio across Egypt and West Africa, whilst establishing its place as a leading gold producer across the globe.
International Zinc Association
Bringing together members from across the global zinc industry, the International Zinc Association (IZA) is dedicated to promoting, protecting and enhancing the interests of zinc and its users across the world. Zinc has increasingly gained popularity in recent decades as the world shifts towards a more sustainable future. The metal is a valuable and versatile resource that is essential for the construction, storage, infrastructure and maintenance of many sustainable and green energy options. Therefore, when dealing with a metal that largely looks to be the key to a more sustainable future, the internationally recognised organisation IZA was established to bring together producers, suppliers and stakeholders across the globe to ensure that the interests of all of these key players are supported.
IZA is the only organisation that is dedicated solely to promoting and protecting the interests of zinc and its users across the world. As an international organisation, IZA is working with its members to help sustain the long-term global demand for zinc and its markets by promoting the use of the metal across new and developing industries such as automotive, energy storage, and renewable energy as well as for corrosion prevention. Therefore, as these industries are slowly being geared towards the future of sustainability, IZA continues to champion and advocate for its members with a unified mission to support the future of zinc adoption across the world.
Members under IZA include a range of mining and refining companies, which have a full membership in the Association. These companies are leading players in their respective zinc operations and so are given a seat on the Association’s board of directors. As a full member, companies and stakeholders are also eligible to vote in the Annual General Meeting which helps to drive the mission of the Association and continue to influence IZA’s decisions going forward in promoting the zinc industry. Affiliate members include exploration companies, recyclers, oxide producers, first users of zinc and other companies whose operations concern the development and promotion of Zinc. Then, Associate members include all of these within the industry including trade associations, universities, research institutes and noncommercial organisations that work with its members and the Association to develop and understand the valuable role of zinc across global markets.
A central role of the Association is through the networking and promotion of the industry through publishing brochures, fact sheets and case studies which encourage investment into the sector by promoting the vital benefits of zinc across a range of applications. These applications span the technology, market development, environment, health, and sustainability sectors which aim to highlight the role zinc plays as a sustainable and essential metal for so many aspects of modern life. To achieve this IZA has two central committees: the Environmental and Sustainable Development Committee and the Technology and Market
Development Committee. These committees are made up of experts and specialists across the industry from its member companies and work together under the association to address the sustainable development of zinc, whilst ensuring that once sourced this vital metal will be utilised across the world as a metal for the future.
A central market that IZA is focused on promoting is the automotive market, where electric vehicles have vastly been adopted by customers and manufacturers across the world. Within the automotive market, zinc is utilised in high-strength galvanized steel which is used to create autobody parts. The metal has been adopted in car parts by leading vehicle manufacturers in China and India, as it ensures a stronger, more formable, sustainable and significantly cheaper operation compared to aluminium. Today, almost all automakers are utilising zinc for galvanized steel for internal combustion, hybrid and electric vehicle models.
Further, in the automotive industry, zinc is playing an increasingly popular role in the development of
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Promoting the Future of Zinc
Eloro is a publicly traded exploration and mine development company focused on developing its potential world-class Iska Iska silver-tin polymetallic property in the Potosí Department of southern Bolivia.
International Zinc Association
rechargeable batteries, many of which are utilised in electric vehicles. Rechargeable batteries have been at the forefront of decarbonisation efforts as governments across the world are pushing for the implementation of electric vehicles in place of petrol and diesel vehicles. This global shift aims to reduce carbon emissions, and so rechargeable batteries have seen great investment in the last 15 years. Until
now rechargeable batteries tend to focus on lithium which is widely utilised across multiple operating systems for energy storage. However, zinc provides a flexible, long-life cycle and highly powered battery option which can operate at a variable temperature whilst maintaining its performance. Zinc batteries are also non-toxic, often more cost-effective to make and are importantly recyclable. This ensures that even when a zinc battery reaches the end of its life, the metal can be reused to create more, making it a great sustainable option for the future of energy storage.
To oversee these vital industries in the zinc sector, IZA established the Zinc Battery Initiative (ZBI) in 2020 to promote zinc batteries and their many benefits to the energy and automotive sectors. The members of ZBI aim to market the batteries to bring more significant investment into the metal. Alongside, IZB, IZA also established the Galvanized Autobody Partnership (GAP), which works alongside IZA and the automotive industry to retain and grow the market for high-steel automotive parts. GAP’s operations aim to advance the zincautomotive sector and carry out tests to enhance the performance of zinc in these industries which it then reports back to both the zinc and automobile markets. This fostering of information continues
to allow the two sectors to work closely together for the betterment of zinc development in the construction of cars. The work of GAP can be seen today with many models on the current market utilising innovative zinc galvanized car parts which were developed as a result of the Partnership’s operations.
Another vital sector of IZA operations is within the fertilizer and food security sector where zinc deficiencies are rife. Zinc is essential to ensuring a reliable and sustainable crop yield, and currently, more than half of the world’s agricultural soils are deficient in zinc. In soil, zinc is vital in improving water uptake, which results in healthier and stronger crops, and so by utilising fertilizers which contain zinc, farmers can significantly improve crop yield which helps support food security. Therefore, to promote the utilisation of zinc in the agricultural sector, IZA launched the Zinc Nutrient Initiative (ZNI) which aims to raise awareness of zinc deficiencies in humans, and the vital role zinc plays in the development of fertilisers for food security. ZNI is supported by members across IZA who are pushing
for the best practices in these sectors to drive agricultural development and deliver significant economic results – all thanks to the powerful role zinc plays in the agricultural sector.
As we have seen, zinc is a valuable metal that is continuing to play a vastly important role in the development of modern life. Therefore, with the support, development and marketing of IZA, the zinc industry on a global scale looks set to only get larger. Zinc plays a vital role in automotive/electric vehicles, energy storage, and agricultural sectors, and so with the support of the committees and initiatives established by the Association, IZA is set to lead the necessary promotion of zinc for the development of life now and in the future.
Aurum Resources Limited
Aurum Resources Limited is an international ASX-listed Australian gold exploration company with projects spanning from its base in Australia all the way to Côte d’Ivoire. Its current major exploration work has been towards the Boundiali Gold Project in Côte d’Ivoire, where the company is working across four neighbouring exploration tenements which are delivering significant results and further partnerships for the project’s continued development. As such a current project, we are delighted to have been able to catch up with Dr. Caigen Wang, Managing Director of Aurum Resources, who has been on the ground in Côte d’Ivoire and has updates on the most recent developments of the project as it continues to mark a significant exploration step for the company and Côte d’Ivoire’s mining sector.
Côte d’Ivoire is home to 34% of West Africa’s Greenstone belt which hosts a wealth of rich gold deposits. Therefore, the mining industry in the country has long been a rich and lucrative industry which benefits from Côte d’Ivoire’s stable political government and strong economic performance. This rich deposit potential has already seen eight mines operating within the region from companies such as Barrick Endeavour, Perseus, Tietto, Allied Gold and Fortuna. However, Aurum Resources identified sites of underexplored discovery potential across the belt in Côte d’Ivoire and so began operations towards the Boundiali Gold Project.
Across the Boundiali Project, Aurum Resources operates a network of diamond drill rigs to access and study the ore potential of the region. These rigs are known for reducing drilling costs by up to 65%, which in turn needs less capital to keep the operation running. In addition, its ownership of the drill rigs minimises dilution and can fast-track the mined resource growth. For the project, Aurum Resources purchased two diamond drill rigs and the first 26,000 diamond drilling consumables. Just last month, Aurum Resources announced the addition of a third rig which will continue to help the company expand its operations across the project site.
The Boundiali Gold Project, therefore, is located within the Greenstone belt home to the large Syama and Sissingué gold mines which are 11.5Moz and 1.0Moz respectively. The project comprises four neighbouring exploration tenements with the first being the Boundiali Minex Tenement PR0893 (BM) spanning 400 km2. BM’’s holder is Minex West Africa, from which Aurum is earning 80-88% interest through its subsidiary Plusor Global Pty Ltd. This interest is achieved through the expansive diamond drilling programs reaching up to 8,000m. This drilling program will cover a first diamond drilling hole of 400m, to earn 30% interest in the tenement. Then, following a second 400m diamond drilling hole, Aurum will accumulate a further 51% interest leaving it with a total 80% interest in the BN tenement exploration. The total exploration expenditure of USD 2.5million with the additional normal diamond drilling cost of USD 140/m in calculators for expenditure commitment. Therefore, Aurum will play a vital role with 80-88% interest in the future of the gold exploration development.
The second key tenement is the Boundiali DS Tenement PR808 (BD), which covers 260km2 and is held by DS Resources Joint Venture Company of
The Boundiali Gold Project: Exploring Côte
Aurum Resources Limited
which Aurum has an 80% share capital ownership again through its Plusor subsidiary. The diamond drilling at BD has allowed Plusor to acquire its 80% ownership from DS Resources Joint Venture Company’s two shareholders; Ds Resources Sarl from which Plusor acquired a 45% share capital and a further 35% share capital from Turaco Gold Ltd. The acquisition from Turaco Gold comes from Plusor drilling 3,500m diamond holes in Turaco’s other gold projects in Côte d’Ivoire however this is yet to be carried out.
The third tenement spans 167.34 km2 and is located directly south of the BD and BM tenements. Boundiali South Tenement PR414 (BST) is an exploration site which has been granted to Predictive Discovery Côte d’Ivoire 10 years ago in 2014 and now is currently under renewal. Predictive Discovery Côte d’Ivoire SARL’s ownership is split 89% to Turaco Gold Limited and 11% to Predictive Discovery Limited. However, Predictive Discovery Limited has an agreement to a 100% sale to Aurum Resources subject to it obtaining a renewal of BST and being satisfied with the terms of the renewal. In addition, the sale terms agree that it will not
restrict exploration or potential future mining rights and that all developments will gain all required Governmental approvals.
The final Boundiali North Tenement PR283 (BN) has seen some exciting new developments with the recently announced partnership between Geb & Nut Resources SARL (GNRR) and Plusor Global Pty Ltd. The partnership between Aurum Resources’ subsidiary and the Ivorian company aims to continue the exploration and development of the BN tenement. Located immediately north of the BD tenement, the BN tenement covers 208.87km and is currently under renewal in accordance with Côte d’Ivoire’s mining code. From recent step-back drilling at BD, it has ported 90m at 1.16g/t Au from 143m and grades up to 16.82g/tAu1. Upon grant of a new exploration licence, Aurum Resources and GNRR will jointly move forward in the systematic exploration of the tenement. As part of the agreement, Aurum will earn increasingly more interest over the licence grant, with 35% interest upon spending USD 1.2 million within 36 months, 51% interest by spending USD 2.5 million within 60 months, and 70% interest upon completion of the pre-feasibility study for the site.
The Boundiali Gold Project: Exploring Côte d’Ivoire’s
Upon the granting of a mining exploration licence, the ownership structure will see Aurum Resources with 70%, GNRR 20% and the final 10% with the Ivorian Government.
The partnership between Aurum Resources and the Ivorian-owned GNRR marks a big milestone for the Boundiali Gold Project as it continues to develop and bring in more investment from local companies. Managing Director of Aurum Resources, Caigen Wang, highlighted that “this partnership with Geb & Nut Resources is a significant step in expanding our footprint at Boundiali with the addition of the exciting Boundiali North tenement. Our existing knowledge of the region’s geology and mineralization will be invaluable as we explore BN.”. He continues, “We are grateful for GNRR’s confidence in our exploration capabilities and are eager to unlock the potential of
this highly promising tenement. The addition of this new joint venture project strengthens our belief in the potential for discovering a multi-million-ounce gold resource at Boundiali”.
As Aurum Resources moves towards the future it plans to continue its high-intensity exploration activities at Boundiali with ongoing scout drilling and assay results expected in the coming weeks. With an unaudited cash balance of ~A$6 million behind it, the company is comfortably on track to continue to develop its operations across the Boundiali exploration site. We look forward to seeing the inaugural resource estimate by late CY2024, as Aurum continues to expand its exploration and drilling operations to make the most of the rich gold deposits available to the region.
Barrick Gold Corporation: Zambia
With a portfolio spanning some of the world’s most prolific copper and gold deposits, Barrick Gold Corporation is a sector-leading gold and copper producer which has an impressive portfolio of high-margin, long-life assets across many prolific copper and gold regions. With these assets, Barrick is focused on delivering continued economic benefits to all of its stakeholders, whilst remaining committed to partnerships within host communities to transform the natural resources of these regions into tangible benefits and mutual prosperity. As the global energy transition continues to take the forefront of the development on a global scale, the mining industry has made key investments into copper mining operations as the metal plays such a valuable role in facilitating the future of renewable energy options. Therefore, Barrick has made a crucial development into Zambia’s Copperbelt to source this valuable resource set on shaping the future of energy development.
Barrick operations span 13 counties with 16 current sites of operation building both copper and gold deposits. However, a key producer of copper for Barrick is in Zambia, where a significant copper deposit can be found. Zambia is one of the largest copper producers on the planet contributing around 4% to the global copper production figures. Copper is fundamental to the global transition towards renewable energy, as it plays a vital role in energy infrastructure, energy storage systems and electric vehicles. However, one of the main issues with the development of copper deposits across the globe currently, is the geopolitical environment in which many are found which has made the supply of the ore often unstable.
Zambia, alternatively, is home to a fairly stable geopolitical climate and so the country is a valuable player in the future of copper development as it works to meet the growing demand for copper on a global scale. This growing demand has already been key to Zambia’s economic growth and the country expects to see a sharp increase over the next few years with an estimated production close to 1 million tons by 2026. Whilst Zambia cannot yet rival the outputs seen in places such as South America, the Zambian government has been investing in the industry and hopes it will one day rival some of the largest copper producers on the planet and subsequently bring exponential economic growth to Zambia in the process.
Barrick’s leading copper operation in Zambia is in the Lumwana Copper mine located 100km west of Solwezi in Zambia’s Copperbelt. The region is one of the most prospective copper deposits in the country, and produces predominately sulphide, which, once treated throughout a conventional sulphide floatation plant, produces copper concentrate for use in a whole range of renewable energy operations. The Lumwana Copper Mine is a conventional open pit mine site, utilising truck, and shovel operations. The mine has a proven and probable copper reserve of 3.0 million tonnes, with 4.0 million in inferred copper resources. In 2023, the mine produced 118,00 tonnes of copper, and by 2024 is set on improving on this figure to grow its role in the global copper production industry.
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Barrick Gold Corporation: Zambia
Copper is used throughout wind turbines, generators, transformers, inverters, electrical cables, power electronics, information cables, solar thermal and cooling energy systems, and solar panels. Therefore, the production of this ore is vital to supporting the infrastructure of the future, especially in the creation of turbines, solar panels and generators which will lead the world towards a future that is run on renewable energy solutions.
One of the other major benefits of copper is that it is completely recyclable and actually has a much higher recycling rate than any other metal. Even through this recycling process, copper benefits from never losing any of its beneficial properties such as conductivity. Therefore, copper once formed into a metal ore is such a versatile and crucial metal that will continue to play a vital role in energy transmission networks now and for many years to come.
To enhance the copper output of the Lumwana Copper Mine, Barrick has set out its Super Pit expansion project which aims to transform Lumwana into one of the world’s major copper mines with an annual production output of around 240,000 tonnes per year over a lifespan of 30+ years. As part of the project, Barrick will be working alongside Zambia’s
government to help on their mission to significantly revive the country’s copper industry over the next decade. The project is estimated to cost close to $2 million, and the construction of the Super Pit expansion is planned for the end of this year.
Barrick’s announcement of the Super Pit expansion project in January highlighted how since 2019 Lumwana has contributed close to $3 billion to the Zambian economy spanning from royalties, taxes, salaries and the procurement of goods and services from local businesses. Therefore, we can already see the vast role that Barrick’s Lumwana project has played in developing the Zambian economy, which has seen significant economic benefits to stakeholders across the sector. This has been particularly seen in businesses and employment within the local community which are responsible for $472 million in procurement and covers more than 81% of the total spending for Lumwana.
To further align the operation of the Lumwana Mine with the people of Zambia, Barrick has launched its Business Accelerator Programme
The Lumwana Mine: Producing Copper for the Future
which is designed to build the business capacity of Zambian contractors across its supply chains. The programme will therefore equip them with the ability to grow and diversify each of the contractors’ enterprises which will sustain their businesses for years beyond the life of mine span of the Lumwana Mine. This key fostering of relationships within the country, and the sustainability of its operations, is something that President and Chief Executive of Barrick Gold Corporation, Mark Bristow, outlined in the project’s development press release. Bristow outlined that, “In line with Barrick’s partnership philosophy, our RED++ initiative will uplift our host communities through conservation of the natural forest surrounding the mine. Resources have already been allocated and engagement with the communities is underway. We are in discussion with the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment to facilitate the required licensing and our partnership with local government”.
As we have seen from Barrick’s operation in Zambia, the copper industry is a rich and lucrative one that is set on delivering significant continued economic benefits for people across the country. By working closely with the government and local stakeholders, Barrick has expanded the mine’s operation and is set on continuing this development to establish Zambia as a leading copper producer across the global mining sector. With renewable energy set on taking centre stage for copper mining operations as the demand for sustainable energy solutions takes an even more prominent role in the world of the future, Barrick is strategically developing the Lumwana Mine to be a key supplier to these markets which will bring economic benefits to the people of Zambia in the process. We look forward to seeing how the Super Pit expansion continues to develop over the rest of the year, and as Lumwana takes centre stage as a key copper producer across the globe.
Barrick Gold Corporation: DRC
Spanning 13 countries, with 16 sites of operation producing gold and copper worldwide, Barrick Gold Corporation is a global heavyweight in the gold mine sector. Its expansive portfolio can be seen across the world finding and operating some of the most prolific, high-margin, and long-life assets in the gold mining sector. Barrick Gold’s operations have key stakes in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it operates the largest gold mine in Africa. With the vital development of the gold mining sector in the DRC, Barrick Gold has cemented its place as a key gold producer on both local and international scales. However, even with such a worldwide reputation for gold mining, Barrick Gold’s operations are always focused on stimulating thriving and sustainable economies for local communities.
In the DRC, Barrick Gold has the Kibali Mine Project located 220km from the Haute-Uele province. The mine is owned by Kibali Goldmines SA (Kibali), a joint venture company with 45% ownership with Barrick Gold, 45% with AngloGold Ashanti, and the final 10% by Société Miniére de Kilo-Moto (SOKIMO). The mine is operated by Barrick Gold, and in 2023 produced 343,000 ounces of gold in 2023. The mine has been in operation for the last 10 years, and over that decade has grown to now be the largest and most automated gold mine in Africa. With this vast expansion, the DRC has greatly benefitted from the mine seeing it boost a previously non-existent economy.
The mine itself combines both open pit and underground mining to retrieve the 4.7 million ounces of proven and probable gold reserves. The first gold was poured from the Kibali Mine Project in 2013 from its open pit operations. Shortly after, underground mining began, with the ore being truck hauled by a twin decline to the surface. However, in 2017, this system was replaced by a hauling shaft and materials handling system, which greatly increased the ore production operations.
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The main risks encountered identified in the mining sector are linked to falls, exposure to chemicals, exposure to dust. The main health problems resulting from this are musculloskeletal disorders, dermatological disorders and respiratory disorders. Respiratory functional exploration, acronym RFE, consists of a series of specialized examinations, thus contributing to the early detection and effective treatment of respiratory problems linked to mines. Thanks to advanced tools such as spirometry and blood gas monitoring, each breath becomes a crucial source of lung health information for miners. By scheduling additional medical consultations or tests such as audiometry and skin sensitization testing, workers can effectively prevent occupational health risks. Take the step toward optimal health by scheduling regular screenings, at least once a year.
Today the Kibali Mine Project is made up of 10 mining concessions and a metallurgic plant. The plant comprises twin-circuit sulphide and oxide plants with conventional carbonin-leach, including gravity recovery as well as a floating and ultra-fine grin circuit.
In addition to this, the Kibali mine is also home to 3 hydropower stations which in the first quarter of 2024 contributed a power blend average of 90.89%, with a generating average power output of 4MW at 0.09$/kWh. This shift towards hydroelectric power highlights Barrick Gold’s commitment to implementing green initiatives across its sites of operations to produce great economic benefits for the region, whilst limiting its impact on the environment.
To further facilitate the green electricity supply of the project, a new 16MW solar plant and a battery energy storage infrastructure are being commissioned to help offset the cyclical load on the energy grid and reduce the mine’s overall reliance on diesel-powered generators. It is expected that once in full operation, the miner’s overall renewable energy supply will increase from the current 81% to 85%, with the project running entirely on renewable energy for 6 months of the year.
President and Chief Executive of Barrick Gold, Mark Bristow outlines this key development towards sustainability in a press release, noting that, “Bearing in mind that Kibali is also a leader in automation, the mine is a real role model for mining in Africa. As a long-standing partner of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), we built Kibali in the remote northeast of the country, opening a new mining frontier and, in the process, also promoted the development of a flourishing local economy”. Bristow’s comments highlight the main goal of the project to deliver vital gold production, whilst always working to reduce environmental impacts where it can and create economic benefits for the DRC simultaneously.
As the Kibali mine looks towards the future, it is looking to enter into new gold and copper opportunities in partnership with the government of the DRC. The project’s commitment to boosting the local economy and reducing environmental impacts has already been vastly seen across its last 10 years of operation. Therefore, the project is looking to work more directly with the government to make vital steps towards making the mine project provide even greater economic benefits to the country. In addition to this, Kibali recently announced a key collaboration with the ARSP, a public regulator which oversees the country’s subcontracting sector, which has already seen a vital range of initiatives implemented to bolster Kibali’s leading local content strategy.
Overall, the Kibali Mine Project in the DRC highlights the joint venture’s commitment to developing the gold mining industry in Africa, whilst also implementing real change to local communities and the environment. Through a range of key investments, collaboration with local suppliers, and implementation of renewable energy initiatives, Barrick Gold and the Kibali Mine are setting up the project and country for continued economic, environmental, and social development for the future.
The Largest Gold Mine
Caterpillar Inc.
The Caterpillar Inc., brand is one you will be very familiar with if you’ve ever stepped foot onto a construction or mine site. With its iconic yellow branding and ‘Cat’ logo, Caterpillar is a world-leading manufacturer of construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel, and natural gas engines, as well as industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives. With almost 100 years of experience behind its operations, Caterpillar is committed to delivering innovative products and services across its global network that are shaping the future of the mining and construction industries.
When you buy a product from Caterpillar you are buying top-quality machinery, which is backed by industry experts who are focused on ensuring that its customers get the most out of every bit of equipment they purchase. To achieve this, Caterpillar believes in bringing together the right people, products, technologies, and services needed to provide solutions which meet the needs of every project. The reputation of Caterpillar’s machinery and equipment speaks for itself, with business operations now spanning every continent on the globe and in sectors such as construction, mining, energy, and transportation.
With every development for Caterpillar, its operational efficacy, cost, reliability, and work site safety are of paramount importance. We see this in the Mining sector, where Caterpillar has its Cat® product line for surface mining which spans the drilling, digging, loading, hauling and maintenance of mine sites to ensure efficiency. When buying one of its vast collection of heavy-duty mining equipment, whether it be a large wheel loader, dozer, motor grader or truck, customers can be sure that every machine has been developed with performance in mind. To achieve this, Caterpillar offers Cat MineStar™ Solutions with its mining equipment, which provides the industry’s most comprehensive and thoroughly integrated suite of technology offerings.
Cat MineStar™ Solutions ensures that customers can have optimized control over fleet management, whilst getting real-time feedback on the health of their machinery. This solution is aimed at improving operations and maintenance of these heavy pieces of equipment so that Caterpillar can continue to deliver results of value for its customers. The MineStar solution is available across its drilling, loading, hauling, dozing, and grading machinery and is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of its mining equipment to make mining operations more productive for its customers.
However, as Caterpillar moves towards the future it is increasing its product offering to meet the mine sites of the future. In May 2023, Caterpillar introduced the Cat® D10 Dozer which is designed to be more productive, efficient and durable to meet the harsh conditions of the mine site. The D10 features industry-leading technology, which reduces the fuel burnt, and increases the productivity and uptime of the machine. With a stator clutch torque converter and load-sensing hydraulics, the D10 is designed to be more efficient than previous models and provide
Caterpillar Inc.
a longer component life with reduced oil changes and reduce the need for maintenance and repair costs.
By significantly reducing cycle times thanks to the focus on maximising material moved per litre of fuel, the D10 has been designed for the future but is ready to integrate into customer’s projects tomorrow. Consequently, the D10 highlights the focus by Caterpillar to make machinery which provides optimum efficiency for its customers now, whilst integrating technologies which will allow the dozer to have a prominent role in the future of mines.
Much like the mining industry, the world of construction is just as challenging, but now with more project restraints, schedules, and heightened safety concerns. Therefore, Caterpillar has developed a range of industry-leading construction equipment which is designed to handle the challenging confines of construction projects and deliver efficient productivity for its customers. Machines spanning Caterpillar’s construction range include excavators, mini excavators, dozers, wheel loaders, skid steer and compact track loaders, backhoe loaders, telehandlers, articulated trucks, and motor graders – to name just a few!
With every purchase of construction machinery from Caterpillar, customers can take advantage of its Global Dealer Network which supports them throughout their projects. The network provides customers with access to partners, services, and guidance from a team of construction industry experts. Therefore, when customers buy from Caterpillar, the machines do not lose their value as the network works to maintain the efficiency, health, and productivity of the equipment for its entire operational life.
What separates Caterpillar’s equipment from its rivals is its Cat® Command Remote Control Technologies which provides the construction industry with equipment that can be remotely controlled without the need for the machine operator on site. The Command Remote Control Technologies is reshaping construction projects for the future, but removing the need for operators which improves operational safety whilst reducing downtown which drives bottom-line benefits for the customer.
For Caterpillar, its Command Remote Control Technology is pushing the future of autonomy into the construction industry. The automation technology began almost two years ago following
the acquisition of Marble Robotics of San Francisco. Marble Robotics had developed a range of small delivery robots for use in dynamic environments, and so Caterpillar adopted this technology and infused it with the rugged durability of its Cat Construction range to deliver construction equipment that is equipped with completely remote systems for greater site automation. This development allows Caterpillar to jumpstart its lightweight and costeffective autonomous equipment range, which has allowed it to remain ahead of its competitors.
Using Caterpillar’s Command Remote Control Technology, customers can operate up to 5 machines at once, with machines able to deliver precision operations. To achieve this all operators need to do is assign the machine to a drop point, which the machine will then navigate to alone. Once jobs are completed the machines leave the material and then navigate back to the pickup area where the operator can then take back control. This allows for multiple points of development to take place at once, as the operator does not physically need to be with the machine for it to operate. This
Optimized Equipment Solutions
reduces downtime and increases efficiency, whilst removing the opportunity for safety risks across the construction site.
For Caterpillar, it aims to deliver machinery and equipment which delivers results for its customers. This is something we can see throughout every piece of equipment produced, and every new technology introduced. With a network of dealers behind its products to ensure that customer satisfaction and machine health are guaranteed, Caterpillar has established a world-renowned reputation for reliable machinery which can be seen across mine and construction sites all over the globe. However, it is with this reputation that Caterpillar is striving towards the future, to adopt new and innovative technology to enhance performance and reduce environmental impacts. With this in mind, Caterpillar is focused on making equipment that will be seen across the future of the mining and construction industries, however, it is implementing these technologies now for the benefit of its customer’s projects today.
The United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Minerals
Tanzania’s landscapes are rich with vital mineral deposits which today, thanks to the country’s key mining industry, is the 4th largest gold producer in Africa. With an abundance of minerals and natural resources such as gold, diamonds, gemstones, coal and natural gas at its disposal, the country’s economy has grown rapidly in line with mining operations to retrieve these resources. Therefore, mining operations in 2020 accounted for roughly 7% of Tanzania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures, highlighting the prominent role the mineral sector plays in sustaining the country’s economy alongside the energy sector.
As such a prominent industry bringing vital investment to the country, the President of the United Republic of Tanzania established the Ministry of Minerals as its own entity to promote, regulate and support the mineral sector to maintain its prominent role within the country in 2017. The United Republic of Tanzania’s Ministry of Mineral’s role will now be to formulate and monitor the implementation of mining policies, mine, geophysical and geological surveys, and mining commission affairs. In addition, the Ministry will work to bring value to the mining industry through local content, small-scale mining development, performance improvement, and cooperation with other ministerial departments, agencies, stakeholders, programmes, and projects. This vast role as a governmental body continues to provide the ministry with a stellar reputation for its management of these resources which provide substantial contributions to the national economy and the well-being of Tanzanians thanks to employment opportunities.
The United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Minerals
Therefore, it is the Ministry of Minerals’ mission to effectively manage Tanzania’s mineral resources through sound policy and legal frameworks to play a vital role in bringing investment to the country and its mining industry. A crucial way that these investments are achieved is through networking to show the geological and infrastructural potential of a region to make investing in mining operations more attractive. Just last month Tanzania attended South Africa’s Mining Indaba Conference in collaboration with the Tanzania Chamber of Mines, which is one of the largest conferences in the sector. The Conference annually brings together about 900 key investors, 40 sectorial institutions and roughly 1000 executives from large companies. The conference serves as a platform for participating countries and organisations to build and strengthen their relationships and business networks across the international mining sector. The conferences provide an essential opportunity for organisations, such as the Ministry of Minerals to seek investment capital, learn about technological advancements in the sector, form partnerships for trade, and
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The United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Minerals
Fueling your journey
continue to share experiences to learn more about the sustainable management and development of the mining industry across Africa.
The Ministry of Minerals’ main focus at the conference was on advancing investment in mining to help accelerate prosperity for the country. This focus remains consistent with the government of Tanzania’s commitments set out in its ‘Vision 2030’ project which aims to facilitate more geoscientific surveys to uncover the country’s mineral potential. Therefore, a large part of the Ministry’s time at the conference was spent promoting investment opportunities in the country’s mining sector in things such as exploration, extraction, and value-added activities. The government-owned Ministry hopes the conference will lead to further investment over the coming year. The conference was also the first time it has collaborated with the private sector to facilitate its participation at the conference. For this, the Ministry thanked its sponsors, which include some of the world’s leading mining companies such as Barrick Gold, Anglo Gold Ashanti, Tembo Nickel, Shanta Gold, TRX Gold, Mantra Tanzania, Petra Diamonds, Orica, City Engineering and AUMS.
However, a key part of the Ministry of Mineral’s operations outside of the private sector is through strong relationships and partnerships with other vital mining industries within Africa. An example of this keen commitment to partnering with other governmental operations was seen in July last year when the United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Minerals signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Water, Energy and Minerals of the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar. This agreement continues the two ministries’ cooperation towards making key developments and investments in the relevant mining sectors to bring continuous benefits for both parties. Therefore, the Ministry’s role across the region’s mining sector is to ensure that it continues to bring vital investment that will help shape the future of the country and its citizens for the future through economic development and plentiful job creation.
As we have seen, the United Republic of Tanzania Ministry of Minerals highlights the crucial value that the mining industry provides to the country, and so throughout its operations, it works to ensure that this value continues to expand and with it comes significant investment for Tanzania. With
Harnessing Minerals for the Future
this investment, Tanzanian mining can continue to support and uplift the country by ensuring that the regulation, promotion and investment into the country’s natural mineral resources remains steady for future generations.
The demand for green energy has seen a vital increase over the last few decades, as companies worldwide take on the responsibility to reduce emissions and build infrastructure better suited for a carbon-neutral society. However, many of these vital infrastructural developments, including the development of renewable energy, electric vehicles and sustainable farming, require mined metals and minerals. This a tricky balance to play for companies, who seek to drive the world towards the energy transition whilst also participating in the necessary mining activities required to source such resources like copper, nickel and iron. However, companies like BHP are world leaders in these resources but operate with a key focus on building a better and cleaner future to support the renewable energy industry and the planet.
BHP is a world-leading mining company, which produces iron ore, copper, metallurgical coal and nickel, as well as potash. Its operations span the globe and include a complex portfolio of large, long-life quality assets which are focused on delivering value as well as sustainability. BHP is focused on the need for decarbonisation efforts to take effect immediately, so have established themselves as a responsible body that manages commodities which are vital in the development of a renewable energy future.
To understand the valuable role BHP plays we must understand the role of each of the metals and minerals which they mine and the role they play in energy transition targets. Iron ore and metallurgical steel are vital for the development of global infrastructure, and so are crucial resources needed to support the future implementation of renewable energy on an infrastructural level. Copper and nickel also play a vital role in making renewable energy possible, with copper covering the vast majority of electrical wiring. Nickel is a prominent metal used in the development of rechargeable batteries which are used in electric vehicles worldwide.
A crucial aspect of development for BHP in recent years has been towards potash, which is utilised across the agriculture industry to see higher crop yields which contribute to the production of biofuel on an international scale. Therefore, these metals and minerals are crucial throughout all of BHP’s work to ensure that their mining, processing and transportation services for these products are always working towards the betterment of the future of the planet.
BHP manages some of the world’s most resilient long-term portfolio assets which continue to grow in value thanks to the company’s discovery explorations, development of resources and acquisition of assets. Across its array of assets and mine operations, BHP develops and implements mining operations and then oversees the processing and refinement of ore before it transports these resources to customers. In addition to the mining, processing and logistical movement of the resources, BHP also focuses on waste management to ensure that its environmental impact on the planet remains at a consistent minimum.
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Whilst the mining and transport of its ore play a vital role, BHP is also heavily involved in the sales, marketing and procurement of assets to bring continued investment and expertise into the mining sector. It achieves this through a close understanding of the markets, customers and suppliers’ needs. By close attention to global mega-trends, BHP can cater its operations and acquisitions to seek out the most vital and profitable assets which will contribute greatly to the renewable energy transition.
Australia is a key site of operations for BHP with assets covering metallurgical and energy coal, iron ore, nickel and copper operations spanning the entire country. In Western Australia, BHP has the West Musgrave Project which covers the Nebo and Babel nickel-copper deposits, as well as the Succoth copper deposit. The project has an expected mine life of 26 years, with a proposed ore production rate of 10-14 Mtpa. Also in western Australia is BHP’s Nickel West operation which is part of its Minerals Australia business. Nickel West covers a variety of locations across traditional lands with a fully integrated mine-to-market operation spanning both open-cut and underground mines, as well as concentrators, a smelter and a refinery all within the complex. The asset is a crucial driver for renewable energy markets for BHP with 85% of its nickel being sold to battery suppliers across the world.
Whilst BHP develops vital metal production at Nickel West, part of the company’s mission is to make its operations just that little bit more sustainable. Therefore, BHP has been implementing a range of sustainable projects aimed at improving the overall impact of the complex’s operations on the region. These projects include the Northern Goldfields Solar Farm and BESS Project with Tansalta, which incorporated two solar farms and a battery energy storage solution. The project aims to support the mine and concentrators needs of the Nickel West complex.
The Goldfield Solar Farm began construction in 2021 and built upon the existing Merredin Solar Farm which was a power purchase for BHP in agreement with western Australia’s largest solar farm. Then
in 2022, BHP announced another power purchase agreement with Enel Green Power for the Flat Rocks Wind Farm which once completed will power the Kalgoorlie Smelter and Kambalda Concentrator on the Nickel West Complex. This investment in utilising renewable energy across BHP’s operations shows the company’s commitment to mitigating its environmental impact on the planet as much as possible.
In Queensland, BHP mines metallurgical coal across 7 assets in the Central Queensland Bowen Basin. The asset is owned in a 50:50 partnership with Mitsubishi Development, and is regarded to be one of Australia’s largest producers and suppliers of seaborne metallurgical coal. The site includes the Hay Point Coal Terminal which can handle more than 55 million tonnes of coal which the mine exports every year. In addition to BHP’s operations in the coal industry in Queensland, BHP also operates the Mt Arthur Coal Mine in New South Wales which produces coal products for an international customer base across the energy sector.
As BHP look towards the future, along with the rest of the world, it is hoping to significantly cut its carbon emissions by 2030, and achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions (including both scope 1 and scope 2 emissions) across its operated assets by 2050. By working with its partners in the steel and maritime industry, BHP hopes to reduce its emissions across its BHP-chartered shipping operations for BHP products by 40%. To achieve this it is working with key stakeholders, and is backed by US$400 million in investments from its Climate Investment Program to significantly improve the low carbon steel making and low-emission technologies of the future.
With BHP you can feel throughout every operation a need and drive to make real change in the world. Through the acquisition, operations and development of BHP’s long-life assets continue to play a crucial role in developing the world towards a more sustainable future. Therefore, BHP’s goal to bring people and resources together has been largely successful and has built a steady foundation ready to meet the renewable demands of the future.
As the leading gold producer in Africa, the mineral industry in Ghana is vast and profitable, with a whole host of critical metal and mineral reserves naturally occurring across the country. Therefore, a regulatory body was established by the government to ensure that this natural resource potential brings vital economic development to the region. With the sole responsibility of developing and coordinating the mineral sector across Ghana, The Minerals Commission of Ghana takes great pride in implementing policies and regulations to bring continued prosperity to the people of Ghana and establish it as a key player in mineral trade on a global scale.
The Mineral Commission of Ghana was established as a government agency under the Minerals Commission, which gave the commission legal backing to act as a regulatory and management body for the utilization of Ghana’s miner’s resources and establish any policies relating to the mining of these minerals. The commission aims to foster an efficient and effective regulation and management system developed through knowledge which recognises and establishes the means for mining investments to bring joint prosperity for both investors and the country. The goal of the commission is to make Ghana the leading destination of mining sector investment in Africa as it works to establish an atmosphere where mining companies, investors, stakeholders, and local businesses all mutually benefit to bring continued investment and support the economy of Ghana for the future.
Before the establishment of the commission, there were two governmental agencies which were working to develop and promote the industries for specific minerals in Ghana. These agencies were the Aluminium Industries Commission (AIC) for Bauxite and the Integrated Iron and Steel Commission (IISC) for iron ore. However, the maintenance of two separate agencies with similar mandates posed some challenges and concerns over budgetary constraints and scarce human resources. Therefore, a single united body was established by the government to develop and coordinate the mineral sector all under one roof. The new company, which we today know as The Minerals Commission of Ghana, was then made responsible for coordinating mineral sector policy and monitoring its implementation across all mineral types. This greatly reduced the division of resources and promoted a well-established governing body better suited to manage key investments into the sector for the country.
Today the commission is overseen by a board of 9 members, with the secretariat headed by the Chief Executive Officer. The secretariat is made up of 3 main divisions which oversee the Commission’s operations. These divisions are support services, promotion and development, and inspection and compliance. The commission oversees the vast resources across the country, which has 6 mineralisation belts including the KibiWinneba, Shanti, Sewfi-Bekwai, Bui, Bole-Nangodi and Wa-Lawra. Between these belts are a range of basins including Birim, Kumsai (Asankrangwa Belt),
Investing in Mineral Resources
Sunyani and Maluwe. This vast resource potential makes Ghana the preferred destination for mineral mining, and so the Commission’s divisions work across all of these belts and basins to oversee mineral operations to ensure continued economic development.
The commission’s role is vast, as we have seen with the expansive mineral potential across the country. However, its overarching mission is to bring continued prosperity to Ghana by investing revenue generated from mineral sales back into the Ghanaian economy. To do this the commission work with stakeholders and government agencies to formulate recommendations for national policy regarding the exploration and exploitation of mineral resources with special reference to establish national priorities. Furthermore, the Commission continues to monitor the implementation of these policies throughout all bodies operating within and alongside the country’s mineral industry.
Just last year, The Minerals Commission of Ghana announced the implementation of the newest edition of its procurement list which now has 50 items on the provisions of goods and services. In an announcement by the CEO of the Mineral Commission, Mr. Martin Kawaku Ayisis, outlined
how the procurement list’s regulatory purpose is to promote job creation using local expertise, goods, and services throughout the country’s mining industry. The list is part of the Minerals and Mining (Local Content and Local Participation) Regulation 2020. Part of this legislation requires the commission to provide a public local procurement list which stipulates the goods and services with Ghanaian content which are to be procured in the country.
One of the purposes of the regulations and procurement list ensure continued economic benefits for the country. This means all mining companies are expected to ensure that a minimum of 60% of their financial services including revenue from sales are submitted to local banks. In a similar way, regulations are in place to ensure that 60% of all insurance services which also require placements are to be made with insurance companies which are owned exclusively by Ghanaians. This regulation ensures that banks and insurance companies are keeping a large amount of money from mineral mining within the country.
This commitment to keeping the economic impact of the mineral industry benefitting Ghana is crucial as a whole range of new mines are set to come
into commission, and existing ones will continue to expand. New projects expected to begin are with Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and the US$850 million investment in the Ahafo North Gold mine project, the US$500 million gold project currently being undertaken by Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited, a $200million gold mine in the upper west region, and a $125 million lithium project in Ewoya. The planned projects are set to be roughly US$1.7 billion of investment to Ghana. It is these crucial investments that will bring sustained economic development to the region, as the Commission expects these investments to support the growth of the economy and boost local participation.
Overall, The Mineral Commission of Ghana is focused on ensuring that the mineral resources of the country are constantly working to benefit the people of Ghana. As a governing body, it has been vastly successful in regulating and overseeing the mineral industry, which in turn has brought several large investment opportunities to the industry. With over a billion in investment announced just last year, the Commission continues to solidify Ghana’s place as a vital mineral and mining sector not just in Africa but across the globe. As a key area that already benefits from mineral resource potential, a stable regulatory environment, and a favourable fiscal scheme; the Commission’s work continues to make Ghana a hub for minerals.
