IN THIS ISSUE
EDITOR’S COMMENT
Industry leading HELLO AND WELCOME TO
the June issue of Mining Global. In this issue, we take a look some of the top 10 mining companies in the world, their asset value and stock prices based on the Australian Securities Exchange. What are rare earth minerals? Another feature breaks down what makes rare earth minerals key to technological devices and how they play a huge part in shaping the modern world. We also lift the lid on the secrets to the success of 10 of the world’s leading mining companies, including Rio Tinto, BHP Biliton Ltd and Anglo American. We hope you enjoy the issue – let us know your feedback @MiningGlobal
Dale Benton Editor dale.benton@bizclikmedia.com
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F E AT U R E S
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PROFILE What on Earth? The story behind rare earth minerals
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FINANCE Top Australian
mining companies listed on the ASX Â 4
June 2016
TOP10 Striking gold: Top mining companies and the secret to their success
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Company profiles
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COEUR MINING Latin America
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MINERAL DEPOSITS (GCO) Africa
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MACA Australia &Asia
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PROFILE
WHAT ON EARTH
behind rare eart
Rare earth minerals hold the key to the technological them? We take a look at what makes rare earth mine
H? The story
th minerals
Writ ten by: ALI C E YO U N G
l devices of today, but what do we know about erals a substantial element in the modern world 7
PROFILE RARE EARTH MINERALS are a collection of elements that are found within the earth’s crust. They are essential to many modern technological devices such as computers, electronics, information networks, communications technologies, advanced transport, defence, environmental mitigation, and much more. They are useful due to the fact that they possess particular properties such as luminescence, magnetism and electrochemical properties – properties that help rare earth minerals to aid our technology by offering various functionalities. Reduced weights, lowered emissions, reduced energy consumption, better efficiency, miniaturization, improved performance, speed, thermal stability, durability and just about any desirable mechanical or chemical property with which we wish to imbue a device or system can be achieved through rare earth minerals How are rare earths formed? Most, if not all rare earths are already formed, except where volcanic processes may create them. It is the weathering of rocks into sediments which are deposited into a range of 8 June 2016
geological locations and environments that allow us to find rare earths. They are most often found on shorelines, in rivers, alluvial fans and deltas. Erosion works to concentrate dense materials into deposits which are called placers. The source of the erosion determines which rare earth
THE STORY BEHIND RARE EARTH MINERALS
‘The rates at which they are found are nearly uniform worldwide, though there are a few places where by chance, their concentration seems to be more pronounced’
elements will be found concentrated with element bearing minerals like xenotime and monazite. Where are rare earths found? Rare earth minerals are found in mines all over the globe. The rates at which they are found are nearly
uniform worldwide, though there are a few places where by chance, their concentration seems to be more pronounced. Due to the even global distribution of rare earth elements, it is generally accepted that they were already formed and contained in the rocky objects that formed 9
PROFILE our planet before those objects gathered together to form the Earth.
less damaging to the environment are always being researched.
How are rare earths used? The uses of rare earths are usually in the creation of special alloys. These alloys are used to achieve the various functionalities mentioned above as many of the components in delicate computerized circuitry and other sensitive mechanical elements require very specific properties. Hardness, weight, and conductivity are just a few which must be matched to very specific standards.
Efforts to improve the environmental sensitivity of mining processes include:
What are best practices for mining rare earths? Modern and advanced mining technologies and the regularity constraints that mining companies are restricted by having had a major impact on the best practices of the industry, meaning mining techniques and methods have become more sensitive to environmental concerns. Current “Green” methods of mining must become more common in the industry if it is to remain sustainable and viable in the decades to come. For these reasons, plans to improve the technology in ways that are 10 June 2016
• Closing down unregulated or illegal mines • Selecting environmentally friendly processes • Implementing newly discovered clean mining technologies • Cleaning up shut-down mines • Reevaluating cut-off grades • The development of “green” mining tech
The plans described in modern mining regulatory documents cover many of the same problems that are inherent in the mining of other strategic elements and are not necessarily limited to the mining of rare earth minerals. Which companies make the most profit from rare earths? Recognising industry leaders in rare earth mining is an important part of how developing and new companies can model their business plans. Major corporations are always looking to their peers to see how each is behaving within the circumstances under which they must operate.
THE STORY BEHIND RARE EARTH MINERALS
The top 5 rare earth mining companies are Lynas Corporation The Lynas Corporation owns the most valuable deposit of rare earths in existence and it is among the largest mining companies in the business. Molycorp Formed in 2008 in California, Molycorp has been the world’s largest source of rare earth minerals from the middle 1960s to the early 1990s. Arafura Resources Arafura Resources is responsible for the development of the Nolans rare earths project in Australia – one of the largest rare earth mines in the world. Avalon Rare Metals Inc. A Toronto-based rare metals firm, Avalon is now developing a number of projects in Canada. Rare Element Resources Rare Element Resources is listed among the Top 50 companies on the Toronto Venture Exchange in 2010.
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PROFILE
‘Recognising industry leaders in rare earth mining is an important part of how developing and new companies can model their business plans’
Regulatory restrictions, geological peculiarities, environmental concerns, and geopolitics are just a few of the circumstances that vary from one firm to another. The technologies they use The 17 elements that fall into the category of rare earth minerals must be extracted, concentrated, smelted, and refined. The leading companies tend to use the most advanced methods which include; Benefaction: a machining process used to enrich useful minerals. This uses the flotation method which is usually accompanied by gravity and magnetic separation techniques. Concentrate decomposition: This technique uses acid, alkaline and chlorine to decompose and remove unwanted materials from the desired minerals. Smelting processes: Two kinds; • Hydrometallurgy: a complex industrial process that results in high purity levels but low productivity. • Pyrometallurgy: a simpler process with higher productivity but lower purity.
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THE STORY BEHIND RARE EARTH MINERALS
Extraction Technologies; • Fractional Stepping: a method that separates minerals by their level of solubility. • Solvent Extraction: the method that replaced ion exchange, solvent extraction extracts elements from an aqueous solution based on their nonmiscibility using organic solvents. Where are their most productive rare earth mines? At present, China holds about 97
percent of the global market in rare earth minerals. Unfortunately, the quantities of rare earth elements usually found are not often exploitable to the point of being economically viable for a large operation. A large part of the reason China is able to maintain a near monopoly on the industry is due to the size and power of their country combined with their refusal to adhere to labor or environmental standards. This has given them a huge advantage in production. 13
FINANCE
Top Australian mining companies listed on the ASX Â The Australian Securities Exchange Ltd (ASX limited) is an Australian database of stock prices, market data and investment information. Here we look at the top 10 mining companies as listed on the ASX
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FINANCE BHP Billiton Limited (BHP) BHP is the largest diversified mining company that is traded on the Australian Securities Exchange, with market cap exceeding $108 billion AUD and average volume exceeding 16 million shares. It is both Australia’s and the world’s largest mining company, posting $61.2 billion in revenue and $1.9 billion in profit in 2015. BHP has five specific divisions for mining coal, copper, iron ore, petroleum, and potash and mines coal, gas, oil, and precious metals in sites all over the world. Australia is home to the majority of BHP’s mining sites but there are also sites in 25 other countries employing over 41,000 people. Andrew Mackenzie serves as CEO and Jacques Nasser as Chairman.
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Rio Tinto Limited (RIO) Rio Tinto is a world leader in mining with over 140 years of history, posting $34.8 billion AUD in annual revenue and an average trade volume of 2.5 million shares. The company is a chief producer of aluminum, iron ore, copper, uranium, coal, and diamonds as well as industrial minerals like titanium dioxide, salt, gypsum, and borates. Rio Tinto primarily focuses on extracting these resources but also owns refineries for iron ore and bauxite. With operations across six continents and a complex web of mining subsidiaries, Rio Tinto’s longest-standing mine is the Huelva complex on the Rio Tinto river in Spain. Additionally, a further 35 percent of its resources come from Australia and another 34 percent from Canada. Sam Walsh serves as CEO and Jan du Plessis as Chairman.
T O P A U S T R A L I A N M I N I N G C O M PA N I E S L I S T E D O N T H E A S X
Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) Headquarted in Peth, with $8.12 billion AUD in annual revenue and $1.7 billion in net income, and average trade volume of 22 million shares with a market cap of $14.5 billion, Fortesque Metals Group is the fourth largest iron ore producer in the world. The company chiefly extracts ore in the resource-rich Pilbara region of Western Australia with operations in the Solomon Hub, Chichester Hub, and Iron Bridge regions. Through the Billion Opportunities program, Fortescue Metals Group has also awarded $1 billion in contracts to businesses that have at least 25 percent ownership by Aboriginal Australians. Nev Powar serves as CEO and Andrew Forrest is the founder and Chairman.
Newcrest Mining Limited (NMC) Founded in 1921, Newcrest Mining is a Melbourne-based mining company that specifically concentrates in the exploration, mining, development and sale of gold and gold-copper concentrate. The company has an average trade volume of 4.6 million shares and market cap of $14.5 billion AUD. The leading gold miner in Australia, Newcrest Mining is the sixth-largest producer of gold in the world, producing over 1.6 million ounces of gold per year with gold fields around Australia, Indonesia, the Ivory Coast, and Papua New Guinea. Sandeep Biswas serves as Managing Director and Peter Hay as Chairman. 17
FINANCE Independence Group NL (IGO) Independent Resources Group is a mining conglomerate with average trade volume of 4.4 million shares, and market cap of $1.5 billion AUD and over $500 million in annual revenue. Independent Resources also acquired Sirius Resources to diversify their mining operations, expanding from gold and copper to nickel, zinc, and other minerals with significant mining operations in Western Australia, New South Wales, and the United States. Peter Bradford serves as Managing Director and Peter Bilbe as Chairman.
Iluka Resources Limited (ILU) Iluka Resources concentrates on the project development, mining, and marketing of mineral sands exploration. The company has an average trade volume of 3 million shares and market cap of $2.6 billion AUD. Iluka Resources is the largest producer of zircon in the world and mines heavy mineral sands in New South Wales as well as Western Australia. The company also has major operations in Brazil and Sri Lanka. David Robb serves as Managing Director and Greg Martin as Chairman. 18
June 2016
T O P A U S T R A L I A N M I N I N G C O M PA N I E S L I S T E D O N T H E A S X
Whitehaven Coal (WHC) Whitehaven Coal is a New South Wales based coal and sulphur mining operation with a market cap of $763 million AUD and average trade volume of 4.9 million shares. Whitehaven has mines and quarries all over the eastern coast of Australia in Queensland and New South Wales with steel mills in the Asia Pacific region as their main customers. Paul Flynn serves as Managing Director and CEO, and former Deputy Prime Minister The Hon. Mark Vaile as Chairman. Woodside Petroleum (WPL) Woodside Petroleum is the largest operator of oil and gas production in Australia, as well as the country’s largest independent dedicated oil and gas company. The company posted $4.4 billion AUD in annual revenue and has an average trade volume of 3.2 million shares and market cap of $23.8 billion. Woodside’s largest site is the North West Shelf Project in Western Australia, making it the largest producer of domestic gas for over 30 years. Peter J. Coleman serves as CEO, and The Hon. Michael Chaney as Chairman.
Oz Minerals Limited (OZL) Oz Minerals Limited is an Adelaidebased modern mining company specializing in copper-gold mining and exploration. The company has an average trade volume of 2.8 million shares and market cap of $1.78 billion AUD, and posted annual revenue of $879 million. Oz Minerals’ largest operations are the Prominent Hill and Carrapateena developments in South Australia, and has met or exceeded all extraction targets for 2015 with a 40.7 percent increase in copper production from 2014 to 2015. Andrew Cole serves as Managing Director and CEO and Neil Hamilton as Chairman. 19
What is the secret to success? We take a look at some of the global leaders in the mining industry and what it is that makes them so successful Wr i t ten by: ALI C E YO U N G
LIST
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LIST
BHP Billiton Revenues for the Australian-based company almost tripled between 2004 and 2012. The company bases its revenues on metals as well as mining. By revenue alone, it stands as the largest company in all of Australia. Andrew Mackenzie currently serves the company as CEO, following in the footsteps of Chip Goodyear and Marius Kloppers, two men who took the stock price of the company from $8 to $70 in less than three decades. Much of the success of BHP Billiton comes from its diversification. The company loves to reinvest in its operations around the world and always maintains the cash on hand to follow up on new deposits of natural resources as they are found. To this end, BHP has oil, coal and other operations in Algeria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Pakistan, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom and the United States.
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STRIKING GOLD
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LIST
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STRIKING GOLD
Rio Tinto The Rio Tinto Group is a dual British and Australian mining and metals operation with many individual operations focused on particular natural resources. Rio Tinto has perhaps the most complex subsidiary structure of any mining company on this list. The result is a highly specialised operation that has proven successful for the parent company, as each specialty company is able to completely maximise its profitability in bull markets for certain natural resources and metals. Rio Tinto also negotiates its ownership stake in subsidiaries dependent upon the futures of certain resources, ensuring that there is always liquid cash available for the right mining operation at the right time. Money moves more freely within this company than with any other, and that freedom of resources creates opportunity for the subsidiaries Rio Tinto has in Australia, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Canada, Madagascar, Chile and Brazil, among many other countries. Partnership with the Chinese opens up markets for Rio Tinto that are closed to many of its competitors. Chinalco, a state owned Chinese mining company is the major shareholder in the main Rio Tinto company. Although efforts by Chinalco to increase its 18.5 percent stake have been blocked by shareholders and regulators, Chinalco continues to be a major investor in big projects that Rio Tinto takes on. For instance, Chinalco recently invested $1.3 billion in a Rio Tinto iron ore project that is currently taking place in Guinea. Sam Maurice Cossart Walsh AO currently serves as the CEO of Rio Tinto, taking over from Tom Albanese in 2013. 25
LIST
Vale As the number one mining operation headquartered in Brazil, the Vale Mining Company can lay claim to be the largest nickel and iron ore mining company in the world. Investments in technology specifically catered to nickel and iron ore help Vale corner the market on these two resources, although the company also has many smaller investments in other mining operations including copper, coal, fertilizer and manganese. Brazil and Indonesia house the major operations that Vale undertakes. Vale prides itself on one of the most thorough exploration operations of any mining company in the world. The Mineral Development Center, located in Brazil, is a laboratory that is geared specifically to finding new ways to extract, process and economise ores. It has played a central part in the creation and the exploration of many technologies that have greatly benefited the
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mining industry as a whole. One particular focus in technological advancements is the development of more accurate and less expensive ways of subsoil drilling and testing rock sample collections for potential deposits. The logistics structure of the company is also one of the best in the industry. Much of the profitability in Vale comes from its speed in operations, and Vale operates a complete system of railroads, ships and ports alongside its mines in order to ensure a complete infrastructure that can move as quickly as the company requires with no bottlenecks. This infrastructure stretches from Brazil into Indonesia and includes Mozambique, Oman, the Philippines and Argentina. Another income stream comes from the transportation of products for other businesses, and Vale also operates consumer railroads as well in the Vitória – Minas and Carajás Railroads. Murilo Ferreira is the current CEO of the Vale Mining Company.
STRIKING GOLD
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LIST
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STRIKING GOLD
Glencore Glencore is the third largest family business in the world, quite impressive when you consider that it is also tenth on the list of Fortune Global 500 companies in terms of size. The company headquarters is in Switzerland and was previously known as Glencore International before its merger with Xstrata to create Glencore. Two of the biggest products of Glencore are zinc and copper. The company holds the major market share in zinc with a global share of 60 percent, and a 50 percent
share in the copper market trade. With substantial operations in Zambia, Ecuador, Colombia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the company seems to specialise in areas with enough political upheaval to keep others out -even when potential profitability may be high. In order to shore up these investments, Glencore has ownership in the much safer market trading platform globalCOAL and Century Aluminum Co. Currently, the most important executives in the Glencore company are Tony Hayward, the Chairman, and the CEO Ivan Glasenberg. 29
SHINING LIKE GOLD AND SILV New ore discoveries, skills, and resources upgrades are key factors to Coeur Mining’s successful Latin America operations
Written by: Mateo Rafael Tablado Produced by: Taybele Piven Interviewee: Alberto Reyes, Vice-president to Latin America for Coeur Mining
VER
COEUR MINING
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oeur Mining is the largest silver producer based in the United States, as well as an important gold producer. It has two important operations in Latin America: Palmarejo in Mexico and San BartolomĂŠ in Bolivia. Operations in Mexico produce both gold and silver, while the San BartolomĂŠ mine only produces silver; the latter is located in Cerro Rico and considered one of the richest silver producers in the world, in operation since the 16th century.
Around four million oz are expected to be produced in Palmarejo by the end of 2016
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Coeur Mining’s operations in Latin America are lead by Alberto Reyes, a Canadian of Latin American descent and mining expert who has worked for different companies in operations around the world. Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Brazil and Southeast Asia are just some of the countries where Reyes has worked, increasing his knowledge within the trade and earning certifications. Reyes graduated from the Laurentian University in Ontario as a mining
Key People
Alberto Reyes Vice-president to Latin America for Coeur Mining Coeur Mining’s operations in Latin America are lead by Alberto Reyes, a Canadian of Latin American descent and mining expert who has worked for different companies in operations around the world. Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Brazil and Southeast Asia are just some of the countries where Reyes has worked, increasing his knowledge within the trade and earning certifications. Reyes graduated from the Laurentian University in Ontario (Canada) as a mining engineer, where he also obtained the Hard Rock Underground Common Core certificate. He has worked for Newcrest Mining (obtaining his Lean Six Sigma certification during this tenure), GoldFields LTD, Luna Gold and other companies. He obtained his Chartered Professional engineer certificate as firstclass mine manager at the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
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COEUR MINING
Coeur Mining’s investments for each operation include -in addition to moving and installing equipment- important training for its workers
engineer, where he also obtained the Hard Rock Underground Common Core certificate. He has worked for Newcrest Mining (obtaining his Lean Six Sigma certification during this tenure), GoldFields LTD, Luna Gold and other companies. He obtained his Chartered Professional engineer certificate as first-class mine manager at the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. His current role is Coeur Mining’s vice president for Latin America operations. “The university was able to sponsor me, so I could get the ‘Common Core’ from the beginning, which is required in Ontario to work
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Palmarejo mine in Chihuahua, in northern Mexico, open pit and underground operations producing gold and silver
in underground operations. It was important to obtain this certification, since it provided me of the basics and highest standards in mine safety,� said Reyes. Palmarejo: above original expectations The Palmarejo mine is located in the State of Chihuahua in northern Mexico. Coeur Mining began work in this mine around 2009, both for open pit and underground mining operations. Later explorations found deposits near Independencia and Guadalupe; the first one became a viable project after an acquisition from Paramount Mining in April 2015. These newfound
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COEUR MINING
“We have been succe
leadership culture wi – Alberto Reyes, Vice-president to Latin America for Coeur Mining
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essful in deploying a
ithin our operations�
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COEUR MINING deposits add high grade value and reserves to Palmarejo operation.
The “Ambassadors” program detects workers with leadership skills, providing them special
Infrastructure for the Guadalupe underground mine was deployed and set up to ramp up operations, achieving commercial production in record time. These operations have proved themselves to have great potential to offer high grade material, especially in comparison with previous open pit efforts.
and extensive training
One of the challenges brought by this discovery was to achieve full production. In addition, the staff that had previously worked in open pits had to adapt their skills to underground operations with different equipment and machinery. “The staff completed the transition, and this production success is a result of the transition itself,” said Reyes. The transition towards underground operations was gradual but safe. Today, workers process between 2,500 and 3,000 tonnes per day, with the aim of increasing to 4,000 or 4,500 tonnes per day. The current reserves come in at 9.1 million tonnes, generating 44.9 million ounces of silver and 690,000 ounces of gold. San Bartolomé: millennial legacy in Bolivia Coeur Mining began operations in 38
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San Bartolomé in 2008; it has a stable production, having produced up to 7.5 million ounces in a year, setting yearly average production at 6 million ounces. The mills in San Bartolomé receive around 2.3 million tonnes, and once filtered, process about 1.6 tonnes. This mine’s production cycle is estimated to end between 2019 and 2020.” Currently, Cerro Rico has an 8.2 million tonnes reserve to be processed, which equals about four years of production. “This doesn’t mean that we are not looking for other areas to work at, but our new challenge is how to increase our reserves,” said the executive.
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COEUR MINING
Coeur Mining prefers local hires for their Latin American operations
Adaptability within the market’s fluctuations One of the most important achievements for Coeur Mining has been its adaptability during the recent downturn in the stock market. This environment enabled cost revisions, successfully modifying the operations with no need of extreme measures such as large layoffs. “Everyone has learned how to work in a more efficient and safe way. This has not only been transmitted within the operation, but throughout communities around us,” said Reyes.
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Technology Due to its surface, operations at San Bartolomé do not require a full array of high-tech machinery to extract minerals; still, the processing area is 80 to 90 percent automated. This innovative system has detectors for moisture, metal concentration, cyanide and pH levels, and is also enabled to monitor energy consumption. This data tracks any trends that indicate any adjustments and other measures that need to be taken. For exploration tasks, technology contributes to be the most efficient processes of underground exploration, using laser beams, temperature sensors, and gas meters to send data to the surface. Suppliers Coeur Mining’s key suppliers include vendors of replacement parts, lubricants and fuel, elements that guarantee a proper use of equipment. Other key supplies include explosives for detonations, and catering services. The company’s vendors have been supportive during the decline in metals prices, open to renegotiate and cooperate with Couer Mining to, examine areas where savings would not impede in obtaining the same results. “We work with suppliers able to share our same values, and they must adhere to the responsibilities of our company,” said Reyes. w w w . c o e u r. c o m
Key People
Tony C. Astorga Director of Supply Chain Management at Coeur Mining Tony C. Astorga joined Coeur in June 2012 and now serves as the Director – Supply Chain. Before joining Coeur, he served as the Contracts Manager for Barrick Gold of North America, Inc. working with various teams to standardize processes, improve contractor safety, and support CAPEX and OPEX projects throughout the region. Having originally working in various operational and maintenance support roles, Tony’s supply chain career has allowed him to serve various managerial roles (in Materials, Purchasing, Commodities, Service, Contracts and Supply Chain) working for companies such as ASARCO, Phelps Dodge (now Freeport-McMoran), Rio Tinto, Hecla, Barrick and now Coeur Mining Inc. Tony is a member of the Institute of Supply Chain (ISM) and holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.
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Organizational culture Coeur Mining invests in resources that help create the best possible employees with essential skills. A version of the BENG Common Core is currently taught to underground workers at Palmarejo, a significant investment resulting in a four-week intensive training course. Other incentives include scholarships for the company’s workers and their children. Ambassadors: the leadership program Coeur Mining’s Ambassadors program detects workers with leadership traits. Once identified, these leaders join the Ambassadors program and undergo training in Chicago, where they are taught an overview of the company’s financial aspects, mining and engineering operations, and other skills by hired specialists. These ambassadors are then in charge of dispersing this message to the operations personnel, both verbally and by example in their work. “We find those individuals with leadership traits, able to communicate their ideas, who can impact positively the rest of the workforce. These professionals display their passion while carrying out their regular duties, this is the reason why everyone else follows them. They are the current leaders at Coeur,” said Reyes, who participates in this program as an instructor.
Coeur Mining’s staff has completed excellent transitions from open pit mining to underground operations
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RSC: supporting the immediate environment The communities surrounding Coeur Mining’s operations not only benefit from the company’s service requirements, but also from the sustainable development programs carried out by the company. Coeur Manquiri, the operation in San Bartolomé, has developed different programs along with the neighboring community, such as a trout farm, which has already benefitted members of the community. Additionally, the company has built and supports schools in the area, and has also helped locals in building greenhouses and helping into the creation of different means to achieve sustainability within the community not just during the mine’s productive cycle but also in the future. Forecasts Coeur Mining’s current operations in Latin America look promising. Between 3.8 and 4.3 million ounces are expected to be obtained from the Palmarejo mines by the end of this year. These numbers are based on findings at Guadalupe and Independencia, taking into consideration previous production and planned machinery deployment expected to produce by late 2016. The goal for the mid-term is finding a third source at this site and getting it into production before 2020.
Coeur Mining’s operations in Latin American are set in Palmarejo (Mexico) and San Bartolomé (Bolivia)
Exploration activities in Palmarejo led to ore findings in Guadalupe and Independencia
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REFINING THE FUTURE www.elemetal.com/refining
Inquiries:
Conor Dullaghan, President cdullaghan@elemetal.com + 1 - 740 - 286 - 6457 x713
L AT I N A M E R I C A
Company Information NAME
Coeur Mining
Coeur reports several areas near Guadalupe with new deposits, known as Los Bancos, La Nación, La Bavisa and Las Ánimas, which promise to become productive. “All these places are exploration targets that have provided promising preliminary data. We want to keep expanding them, so that they become important resources and reserves,” the executive said.
INDUSTRY
Latin America HEADQUARTERS
Chicago, Illinois, EE.UU. FOUNDED
1928 EMPLOYEES
1,200 (LATAM only) REVENUE
US $280 million (LATAM only) WEBSITE
www.coeur.com
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EXTRACTING V Written by:Nye Longman Produced by: A. Munatswa
VALUE
MINERAL DEPOSITS (GCO)
How Mineral Deposits Limited is using its scale for good while maintaining an efficient, profitable mineral sands operation in Senegal
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espite only being operational since the middle of 2014, Mineral Deposits’ Grand Côte Operations (GCO) in Senegal has already proved to the industry that a mining outfit can operate a profitable and productive business while making a positive impact in a developing country. In recognition of its formidable achievements thus far, GCO received an exclusive invitation to accompany the Senegalese government to last year’s COP21 conference – a well-deserved honour, as we shall explore. Operations Listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, Mineral Deposits Limited (MDL) is specialised in mining, integrating, and transforming mineral sands. In partnership with French company Eramet, MDL owns 50 percent of the TiZir joint venture, which consists of the Grande Côte
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AFRICA
operation in Senegal, supported by a titanium and iron ilmenite upgrading facility (TTI) in Norway, enabling the extraction and subsequent smelting of mineral sands in a single operation. Senegal’s Grand Cote Operations span over 445 square kilometres; the orebody present in this region is primarily made up of zircon and ilmenite, but also contains some high value co-products in the form of rutile and leucoxene. With an expected lifetime of just under 30 years (not counting some additional resources), the mine is set to be profitable for all involved if the correct strategy is adopted. GCO CEO Daniel Marini explains: “The operation covers a very large area, however due to the nature of the deposit we need to maintain a very elevated throughput; this achievement owes a lot to operating the largest dredge in the world.” A series of unique pumps supports this
800 Number of jobs to be supported by Mineral Deposits
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MINERAL DEPOSITS
Unearth a productivity gold mine without having to dig deep.
ABB is one of the pioneers in developing drives, motors and PLCs for a variety of mining applications from trucks, crushers, grinders, hoists, drills and excavators through to pumps, fans, compressors and conveyors. While ABB’s products and services can help mining companies meet the energy efficiency regulatory requirements, the added bonus is reduced maintenance costs, improved productivity and higher efficiencies across all mining applications. To unearth the benefits for your mine, visit www.abb.com/mining
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AFRICA
exceptional piece of equipment that moves the extracted ore to a floating wet concentrator plant which separates the mineral deposits from the surrounding sand. The resulting product is then driven to a dedicated mineral separation plant – once fully processed at the mineral sand process plant, the mineral sand travels via rail to GCO’s dedicated dock at the Port of Dakar. Marini explains how a range of control measures certify that the minerals GCO ships are of the highest quality: “We have a laboratory operated by a technician with a Masters in Chemistry who takes hundreds of samples every single day. This ensures our product is free from pollutants and is up to international standards.” Strategy GCO’s scientific approach goes far beyond geology, hydrogeology, and metallurgy involved in mineral grading – every aspect of its operations is calculated to deliver the most value - from shareholders to the surrounding communities. Even Marini’s appointment as CEO just over a year ago was a decision based on his broad professional experience and technical capabilities. He says: “I earned a PhD in Geology and in Mining. I worked for the UN DP in Djibouti as a geologist and hydrogeologist. I also worked on a World Bank project in North Cameroon surveying over 400 villages for water, as well as in several executive roles ( as
“The Senegalese government is keen to help those looking to develop industrial operations in the country they want to have a mining industry and are prepared to make mining into a profitable business” – Daniel Marini, CEO
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MINERAL DEPOSITS (GCO) geologist, mining engineer and metallurgist) for mining companies part of Eramet Group. Operating a successful business in Africa does not come without its challenges but, as Marini explains, the government of Senegal (which owns a 10 percent stake in GCO) has proved to be a strong asset to its operations: “The Senegalese government is keen to help to those looking to develop industrial operations in the country - they want to have a mining industry and are prepared to make mining into a profitable business. “When we needed to speak to a government official, their doors were always open – perhaps
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more so than in other African countries. There’s a level of respect, not solely from ministers, but from the people living near our operations as well. Senegal is a country with a culture of education and has a wealth of skilled individuals.� He adds that GCO recently hired an external auditor to examine the entirety of its supply chain operations in order to find savings and promote efficiency. While this is yet to be fully completed, it is increasingly likely that the company will be looking to simplify its logistics operations, enabling it to work with a smaller number of providers and therefore streamline many of its processes. Like many other mining companies faced by the fall in commodity prices, GCO has engaged in a process of optimising all of these costs. Positive impact Far from ignoring its role as a key employer in the Grande Cote region, GCO has made a number
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MINERAL DEPOSITS (GCO) of commitments which will ensure its successful operations benefit both its employees – a mixture of locals and expatriates – and the communities touched by its work. Taking into account the relatively long life-span of the mine, the company has worked hard to make sure that its CSR work leaves a lasting, long-term impact. Marini expands: “We have the potential to make a huge impact – out of the 800 people we employ, 740 of them are locals; our operations, directly and indirectly, are responsible for employing a total of 2,000 people. Alongside the training we provide on-site, we also take the brightest local people and give them top professional training across numerous European institutions.” GCO also left a permanent mark on the area by constructing a resettlement village for the local people; where there were once temporary structures, now stand concrete buildings, supplied with running water and powered by solar panels. With these initiatives, the company seeks to develop local economies and prove to the entire industry that ethical extraction is very much within reach. By challenging itself to do as much as it possibly can for local communities, it is not only improving living standards but also playing a major role in fostering Senegal’s local extraction talent pool. Furthermore, GCO is showing that Senegal is a country with healthy business opportunities and an environment that is investment-friendly. 56
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AMONG
THE MACAWS MACA Ltd has recently entered the mining market in South America with great success and is rapidly making itself part of the Brazilian mining ecosystem Written by: John O’Hanlon | Produced by: Glen White
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MACA
Volvo fleet at Antas
M
ACA are industry leaders throughout Australia known as a competent and established contractor specialising in earthmoving, civil work and specialised crushing and screening work for mining projects. It is widely acknowledged that the mining industry is having a hard time, particularly the Western 60
June 2016
Australian iron ore sector. Projects are running at capacity to get as much upside from volumes as possible, but long term prospects remain gloomy. STRENGTH IN DIVERSE PROJECTS MACA’s management, noting current mining market trends,
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diversified at the time of the global financial crisis, diversifying across commodities through gold, nickel, iron ore and diamond projects in Western Australia. Its most timely and visionary action was to look abroad; in 2013, it sent a team to Brazil to explore opportunities in the country’s vibrant mining economy. “Our systems and structure
weren’t in place to venture abroad,” said Mitch Wallace, General Manager for MACA Brazil Operations, “but we looked closely at the Tucano project for Beadell Resources, an Australian company that had a gold project up in Amapá State in the northern region of Brazil. The following year we came over to Brazil in earnest and, in November w w w. m a c a . n e t . a u
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BEING THE FIRST KEEPING THE LEAD Equipamentos Agrícolas Volvo.
Fifty years ago the world’s first articulated hauler rolled off the Volvo production line in Braås, Sweden. Fondly known as ‘Gravel Charlie’ this machine would be the first step on a fifty year journey which has seen Volvo haulers transform earthmoving and transport operations in the construction sector. Fifty years later and the Volvo articulated hauler line up is still leading the way.
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Dump trucks at Tucano
Tucano
Resource
Gold
Client
Beadell Resources Limited
Location
AmapĂĄ State - Brazil
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started our first project for Beadell, which was to provide mining services through management and plant rental for Beadell at its Tucano project.� Tucano is an established gold mine that has been producing for Beadell since 2012, and from it, Beadell produced more than 122,000 ounces in 2015. It is a huge project, covering 2,500 square kilometers that hold reserves of 5 million ounces and with expansions highly likely. Convinced that they could make a difference, the MACA team injected capital into the project and set about doing the work they
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know best. Though they are on the same latitude, Brazil and Western Australia are very different environments. The most apparent difference is the weather: very rarely is a WA project held up by rain, whereas North of the Amazon River, annual rainfall is measured in meters as opposed to millimeters, most of it falling between January and May. Generally, service providers simply shut down during these months, but MACA understands that the primary goal of every miner in the world is to move ore, and that for every ton of
Wet season at Tucano site
ore delivered to the stockpile results in seven or eight tons of waste matter that has to be shifted. “It was hard getting things moving last year,” said Wallace. “One truck with a flat tire sat submerged in mud up to its front bumper for eight weeks. Our focus was to safely establish haul roads and operating systems so we could operate through the wet season.” With Tucano well under way, MACA started its second Brazil contract in November 2015: a five-year deal to support Avanco Resources at its Antas project in the
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MACA
state of Pará. This is a high grade – better than three percent – copper project with gold credits. MACA currently has 75 direct employees on site engaged in mining services, plant management and drill and blast activities. At present, this is a surface mine, but MACA plans to diversify in underground mining services and hopefully continue support and grow with its client Avanco. In both cases, according to Wallace, MACA has chosen to work with a client it already knows well. “We like working with small and mid
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tier clients because you know the management is not going to change: we can build a strong relationship with them. We are aligning ourselves with the mid tier people and growing with them,” he said. SOURCING LOCAL AS SETS In all, the company employs around 150 national employees directly and manages as many as 500 across both projects. This is in addition to the 16 expatriates in training and technical advisory roles. “Our main aim is to create
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Turnaround at Tucano commenced. Improved operational efficiency and exploration potential will underpin future growth.
Beadell Resources Limited is an ASX listed gold producer with forecast gold production in 2016 of 145,000 – 160,000 ounces from its 100% owned Tucano mine, North of Brazil. Tucano has an existing multi-million ounce JORC gold resource with significant exploration potential.
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MACA
sustainable employment here in Brazil, and continuously improve mining practices ,” said Wallace. “This will be achieved through continuous improvement, upskilling our workforce and introducing safe and efficient mining practices. One of the prevalent barriers throughout South America is that people are operationally single-tasked. It’s our goal to introduce a multi-skilled and diversified workforce. We have identified some quick fixes
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and long-term solutions, and will implement programs so that we can keep continuously improving. Brazilian people are passionate and enthusiastic about learning new things, and we have to be able to offer an attractive package to source and retain the best people within the sector.” Working in Brazil and negotiating recruitment, tax and contract law issues is complex, and having a competent local partner is vital.
Start of shift - Toolbox meeting in Tucano
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MACA
MACA was fortunate in being able to form an association with FFA Legal and its founder Luis Azevedo, a well-respected mining geologist and corporate attorney. “The support FFA has provided MACA has enabled us to focus on what we do best: provide reliable and safe support services to our clients and the broader resource sector. Without the team at FFA, we wouldn’t have been as fortunate in experiencing the early success we have seen,” said Wallace. “Procurement and best practice asset management is our bread and butter at MACA and my background throughout the last 20-25 years,” he added. Operating in Brazil is a completely different ball game
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with barriers to entry designed to encourage local manufacturing places and huge restrictions on importation and foreign investment. The majority of large mining equipment needed for mining is not made in Brazil though, and imported goods are extremely expensive. For example, a earthmoving tire is typically 60% more expensive in Brazil than in Australia. Wallace said that the outlook does look promising, however, given that a change in government could create a possibility of changes within Brazil. Many service providers will try to save and cut costs by sourcing equipment off shore, but Wallace does not agree with that strategy.
“We are proud to have been able to continue these relationships with their South America offices. Companies such as Liebherr and Orica were very quick to assist us with the transition into the new market place, offering us assistance and advice to navigate through the processes to get work done.” – Mitch Wallace, General Manager (Brazil Operations)
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EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT
CHRIS TUCKWELL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer B Eng (Construction)
MITCH WALLACE General Manager (Brazil Operations)
GEOFF BAKER Executive Director of Operations
TIM GOOCH General Manager (Mining) B Eng (Mining)
PETER GILFORD Chief Financial Officer / Company Secretary BCom, CA
MAURICE DESSAUVAGIE General Manager (Civil) B Eng (Civil)
MACA
“We have always sourced our equipment through OEM suppliers to secure their support. Our relationship with Tracbel and its CEO Luiz Gustavo R. Magalhães Pereira has been unbelievably helpful to us. Without his assistance and support, we would not be where we are today,” Wallace said. Tracbel is a family-owned business, based in Minas Gerais and with 25 branches covering 75 percent of Brazil. Tracbel is a
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licensed dealer for many OEMs, including Volvo and Michelin. MACA has always been proud of its long standing relationships with many companies in Australia. Loyalty, customer services and reputation are often more important than price. “We are proud to have been able to continue these relationships with their South America offices,” said Wallace. “Companies such as Liebherr and Orica were very quick to assist
Mitch Wallace and Geoff Baker with expats at the Antas site
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CO M AM CA PA N Y N A M E
First load at Antas site
us with the transition into the new market place, offering us assistance and advice to navigate through the processes to get work done.” A C O M PA N Y WITH A HEART There are plenty of opportunities for expansion in Brazil, and MACA’s 74
June 2016
contracts department is working on prospects at present, but the company won’t overstretch itself at the expense of its existing clients. The two projects in the North take up a lot of time, even for a hands-on company like MACA. Travel around Brazil is challenging and commuting between Rio de Janeiro—where
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Antas
Wallace’s office is located—and Amapá State is several thousand kilometers and therefore absorbs a lot of valuable time. Though Wallace spends extended periods away and only gets to see his family back in Australia once every three or four months on average, boredom is never his
Resource
Copper
Client
Avanco Resources Limited
Location
Pará State - Brazil
problem. MACA is a company with a heart, actively supporting a range of Not-for-Profit organizations and community programs. Wallace manages to find time to contribute to these efforts. The Hawaiian Ride for Youth (HRFY) began in 2003 when a small group of recreational cyclists in Australia decided to raise w w w. m a c a . n e t . a u
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MACA
Orica provides market-leading customer solutions to improve productivity and resource efficiency in the mining, quarrying, oil and gas and infrastructure sectors. An Australian company with a global footprint, Orica has a diverse workforce of over 14,000 people, with operations in more than 50 countries and customers in more than 100. Orica’s value of No Accidents Today underpins our commitment to the safety, health and wellbeing of our people and customers, the environment, and the communities in which we operate.
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funds for Youth Focus to assist in the prevention of youth suicide, depression and self-harm. “2016 was my fourth HRFY. Though working abroad made training a little difficult, the sacrifice required to ride a few kilometers became insignificant, compared to the suffering many young people face with life’s challenges,” Wallace said. “I flew back to Australia 76
June 2016
Ride to Conquer Cancer
on March 23 to be a part of this amazing event that reaches out to so many young people.” HRFY is held annually in March across five days, with riders covering over 700 kilometers. “On our journey, we stop at high schools to engage the students in the issues of youth suicide, depression and self-harm and the services that Youth Focus provides. The riders
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Company Information NAME
MACA INDUSTRY
Mining HEADQUARTERS
Welshpool, Western Australia BRAZIL PROJECTS
Tucano Resource - Gold Antas Resource - Copper
also share their personal stories and experiences as many have been touched in some way by these very personal issues,” he said. Another bike ride, the MACA Ride to Conquer Cancer 2016 in support of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, takes place in Perth. Last year 300 MACA riders raised $1.2 million for this cause. This may not seem very relevant to Brazil, but cancer is a global problem, and among others Tracbel’s Luiz Gustavo Pereira is enthusiastically supporting the event.
MINING SERVICES
Load and Haul Drill and Blast Crush and Screen Materials Handling
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