Skilling Mining Review August 2022

2022 AUGUST IN REVIEW

111/08

IRON HUNT

26

Environmental harm from mining emissions worth £2.5 trillion

in china

40

The world's largest undeveloped iron-ore deposit is located in Guinea's Simandou Mountains. Now, a group of businesses with ties to China is moving through with a scheme that threatens one of Africa's most biologically diverse ecosystems.

Global Opportunities and Demand by Top Players in the connected mining market

08

The market size for connected mining was estimated to be $9.45 billion in 2021 and is expected to increase to $32.63 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 13.3 percent between 2022 and 2031.

Interview with Mr. Phil Christopherson CEO, Energy Capital Economic Development

30

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THE LEAD

08 Iron Hunt in China PROFILES IN MINING

30 Interview with Mr. Phil Christopherson. CEO, Energy Capital Economic Development

SPECIAL FOCUS

26 Environmental harm from mining emissions is estimated to be worth £2.5 trillion annually

SURFACE MINING

05 In April through June, Vedanta's aluminum production increased by 3% to 565,000 tonnes

21 CGG Advances on Geothermal Resources R&D

22 At MIT, an old African smelting method is being revived

25 ASV RT-50: Yanmar-Powered with More Power and Comfort

42 Sepro gets award for water conservation technology

STATISTICS

46 June 2022 crude steel production 47 Crude steel production December 2020 UNDERGROUND MINING

06 Worley purchases Minera Mining Technologies, an automation expert

06 Uplifting Ore Processing in this Century 20 Up, Up, Down, Down: Uranium.

Only uranium is the winner!

24 $4,000,000 Strategic Investment: Labrador Iron Mine

38 The Pilbara’s most technologically advanced mine is Gudai-by Darri's Rio Tinto

40 Global Opportunities and Demand by Top Players in the connected mining market

MINING FINANCE

19 Industry taxes hit records, according to a research

44 Gold Price and Production Drop

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PUBLISHER

2022 AUGUST VOL.111.

NO.08

CHARLES PITTS Skillings Mining Review of CFX Network LLC, publishes comprehensive information on global mining, iron ore markets and critical industry issues via Skillings Mining Review Monthly Magazine and weekly. SMR Americas, Global Skillings and Skilling Equipment Gear newsletters.

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In April through June, Vedanta's aluminum production increased by 3% to 565,000 tonnes Mining behemoth Vedanta Ltd. stated in July that its production of aluminium increased by 3% to 5,65,000 tonnes in the current fiscal's April-June quarter.

V

edanta Ltd reported in a filing to BSE that the business produced 5,49,000 tonnes of aluminium in the equivalent quarter of the prior fiscal. Due to improved ore output across all mines and better mill recovery,

mined metal production at Zinc India grew by 14% to 2,52,000 tonnes.

Due to heavy rains that affected ore handling, the first quarter's production of saleable iron ore in Karnataka fell by 14% to 1.26 million tonnes above 1.46 MT. The entire amount of saleable steel produced by the company decreased from 2,89,000 tonnes a year ago to 2,69,000 tonnes, a decrease of 7%.

In comparison to the equivalent period of the previous year, it increased ore output by 14% to 1,40,000 tonnes in the first quarter of FY'23.

www.skillings.net | 5

UNDERGROUND MINING

Uplifting Ore Processing in this Century For the mining industry, it

is crucial to track the quantity and quality of resources like iron ore, with effective tracking increasing the extraction of ore's economic feasibility and productivity.

The use of several sensors to monitor anything from mine integrity to equipment health to tracking essential assets and resources like ore has been a significant development in mining in recent years.

The various sensors used in mines are becoming more interconnected as a result of Industry 4.0 innovations like the Internet of Things (IoT) technology, which feeds a plethora of multivariate data streams back to centralized hubs where they are processed by skilled operators.

For mining firms, the flow of minerals from the mine to the processing facility and, ultimately, to the final consumer is crucial. One of the current objectives of mining businesses is to improve information on a resource's trip throughout the entire process. This procedure is greatly aided by technologies like sensors, RFID tags, and centralized data processing.

6 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

Worley purchases Minera Mining Technologies, an automation expert Minera Mining Technologies, a global provider of technical solutions to the mining, mineral, and metals industry, has been bought by Worley.

The mining, geological, and technical consultants of Western Australia-based Minera assist mine owners in automating and decarbonizing by identifying the most appropriate technological options and business models for their assets. The partnership offers improved front-end solutions for automation, fleet electrification/decarbonization, and realizing operational benefits.

Worley's involvement in the energy transition will be strengthened by the addition of Minera to its current Technology and Expert Solutions team. Minera will also add depth to the roadmaps required to deliver sustainable mining solutions.

"More mining is needed in the world. However, as the energy transition and ESG demands call for sustainable materials to be delivered quickly, performance and production improvements are necessary, according to Nick Bell, Global Sector Lead, Resources at Worley. "The industry needs the right partner to recognize and embrace new and emerging technologies, frequently inside an operating environment, in order to meet these objectives. With the acquisition of Minera, we can now fulfill this promise to all of our clients worldwide.

With the support of Minera, Worley is now able to develop autonomous business plans that will assist our customers in defining their goal technological environment and providing the delivery capabilities necessary to reach this operational state.

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THE LEAD

8 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

Iron Hunt in China The world's largest undeveloped iron-ore deposit is located

in Guinea's Simandou Mountains. Now, a group of businesses with ties to China is moving through with a scheme that threatens one of Africa's most biologically diverse ecosystems.

T

doned lorries, which are flipped over like defenseless turtles, roam goats and hens.

Still, trucks carrying massive machinery keep coming. All of us are traveling to Simandou.

The highways are punctuated with craters. Around the wrecks of aban-

Our destination is a chain of iron mountains. There are thought to be 8.6 billion metric tonnes of ore buried, which would be sufficient to produce 100,000 Empire State Buildings' worth of steel. Geologists claim that the iron-rich ore in the 2.5 billion-year-old mountains is the world's largest and purest undeveloped source.

hree days are required to travel the 500 km across Guinea in West Africa. The path passes via hundreds of thatched roundhouse hut settlements as well as forests, mountain ridges, savannas, multiple rivers, and the downtowns of four cities. The large dirt roads are congested with swirling laterite particles thrown up by rumbling automobiles and clouds of black exhaust.

www.skillings.net | 9

THE LEAD

16.46%

China's Iron Ore Import Basket 2019

However, efforts to uncover this treasure have only recently been made. Beginning in the 1990s, mining concessions were obtained by Rio Tinto Plc, Israeli entrepreneur Beny Steinmetz, and eventually Brazil's Vale SA. Allegations of bribery, military takeovers, legal battles, an Ebola outbreak, and, last but not least, the vast sum of money required to extract all that ore from such a remote location prevented successive efforts.

62.21%

21.33%

China's turn is now. A group of businesses with ties to China, including the biggest producer of aluminum in the world, was granted permission to excavate half of the range three years ago. For a 400-mile railway line to transport the ore to a new port planned for the Atlantic coast, where it can be loaded onto ships headed for the other side of the globe, Chinese laborers started cutting mining roads and blasting tunnels last year. The riches of Simandou were finally about to be discovered after a 25-year wait.

China aims to use this cache to create new natural resource streams and lessen its dependency on Australia, which President Xi Jinping has referred to as a "strategic weakness." China has become the largest importer of raw resources from Africa due to its global quest, including the raw materials necessary to produce electric vehicles, such as cobalt for batteries, copper for wires, and bauxite for aluminum. With more than half of the world's output, China is already the leading producer of steel. It imported 1.2 billion metric tonnes of iron ore in 2020, mostly from Brazil and Australia. If consumption continues at that rate, Simandou has enough ore—worth $1.1 trillion at today's prices—to assemble all of China's airports, skyscrapers, cargo ships, and arsenal for seven years.

"It has become a strategic imperative for China to maintain its access to raw

materials and energy supplies in order to ensure its sustained economic production in case of potential future disruptions," says Nadège Rolland, a senior fellow at the Washington-based National Bureau of Asian Research who has written about the political implications of Belt and Road. "Beijing increasingly sees the world as 'decoupling' as a result of great power rivalry."

Concerns About Guinea's Iron Mining Have Increased However, this effort has a high environmental cost. Chinese corporations are developing mines to extract the minerals, energy plants to power the

10 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

excavations, ports to transport the resources away, and roads and trains to remote locations across Africa to access previously unreachable mineral riches.

A United Nations research showed "alarming" environmental damage at the copper and cobalt mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which are now owned by Chinese investors to the tune of 70%. While North American and European mining firms predominated in Africa for much of the 20th century, with major environmental repercussions as well, the new infrastructural drive is leaving a mark much farther inland. 14 Chinese businesses operate mining-related operations in Guinea, which joined

Graph has been made by the authors based on data collected from www.industry.gov. au/oce

22%

World Iron Ore Consumption 56

%

 CHINA

 JAPAN

 INDIA

 SOUTH KOREA

3% 5%

 EU  REST OF THE WORLD

5% 9%

How to Get to Simandou The Simandou range is one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems in the world, and it is located in the nation that is still home to the majority of critically endangered West African chimpanzees.

Trees on more than 182,000 acres will be taken down as part of open-pit mining plans. The extraction process results in heavy metal and acid discharge, and diesel generators, vehicles, and other equipment emit carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions. According to the Chinese consortium, the project will have an impact on at least 450 settlements when it starts extracting ore from the mountains in 2025.

However, a military coup in September increased the ambiguity when the new administration declared it wanted to renegotiate Guinea's mining contracts.

Environmental organizations expressed concern over the consortium's decision to start tunnel blasting before filing the

the Belt and Road initiative in 2018 after surpassing Australia to become China's main bauxite supplier.Jingjing Zhang, the founder and executive director of the Center for Transnational Environmental Accountability in Washington and a native of China, claims that although this is a small nation, Chinese investment there follows a pattern of China's outbound investments in developing nations.

Zhang, a driven attorney, has been dubbed the "Erin Brockovich of China" for successfully representing Chinese peasants who sued a Chinese chemical corporation for contaminating their local water supply in that nation's first significant class-action environmental litigation. According to

Zhang, China never established clear criteria to manage the impact of its outbound investments, and its business practices were built throughout the 1990s and 2000s, a time when lax environmental regulations at home resulted in significant degradation.

"Those Chinese businesses take advantage of these weak institutions to bypass the obligations of the national law when they enter a country like Guinea with very weak governance and rule of law," she claims. "The firms will take advantage and avoid obeying the regulations without international pressure and outside supervision."

Leading markets for Iron ore exports from Australia (in $) China 126,822 South Korea 9,219 Japan 9,211 Taiwan 3,126 Indonesia 41 India 10

www.skillings.net | 11

THE LEAD

necessary impact assessment for government clearance. Zhang, the executive director of the non-profit Action Mines Guinée, and researchers left for Simandou in November. Zhang wanted to verify for herself whether Chinese businesses are honoring the promises made by their authorities.

According to Bangoura, the compensation given to the 63 Sékousoryah families whose homes or property were taken is insufficient: just 11 million Guinean francs ($1,235) were given for the farm where he farmed pumpkins, peanuts, and coconuts, instead of the 200 million francs he believes it is worth.

37-year-old Bah, a former radio journalist, has committed his life to repair the harm that the mining sector has inflicted.

They have joined forces with the goal of requiring the consortium to abide by both Guinean law and widely accepted mining standards in the absence of effective government oversight. We don't want to halt the project since it's crucial to our economy, according to Bah. But we favor ethical mining.

With what they were given, the majority of people cannot afford to construct new homes, and there is no compensation for destroyed structures. He states, "We are unable to discuss the compensation rate.

But since there is nowhere we can protest, we must accept it. These individuals were brought in by the government, and you cannot bargain with the government.

Simply accept it and learn to live with it.

On the approach to a location where Chinese laborers are detonating a tunnel close to the Sierra Leonean border, the road damages a tie bar on one of our Toyota Prados, causing it to lose steering and droop listlessly to the side of the road.

For the final two hours of the trip, we all cram into the second SUV. Abdoulaye Bangoura, the 63-year-old goateed district chief of Sékousoryah, joins us and immediately leads us the final kilometer to the construction site.

Since March 2021, the contractor—a division of the government-owned China Railway Construction Corp. (CRCC)—has started digging tunnels. Bangoura points out ragged cracks in the clay walls of buildings close to a busy open-air market where uniformed Chinese employees purchase food and cigarettes, saying "Dynamite blasting damaged a number of houses here." Because no one alerts them when explosives are being detonated, he claims, nearby residents and animals are scared at all hours. "To be completely honest, their economic benefit from this is zero. Zero.”

12 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

Zhang and Bah both express concern that the environmental assessment for the tunnel, when it was submitted three months after blasting began, didn't specify measures for compensating

villagers, a budget for mitigation, or what the consortium would do to protect the 256 bird species, nine types of primates, and mammals in the area, such as forest elephants and pygmy hippopotamuses, instead stating that their "conservation is of concern."

Successful Consortium Requests for response from Simandou, the company that was awarded the mining contract, went unanswered. Also, not CRCC. On the eastern side of the Simandou mountain, at Damaro, there are more complaints. The area has been transformed by Chinese laborers into a walled camp the size of several football fields, complete with a greenhouse for vegetable production and rows of containers from China COSCO Shipping Corp. filled with supplies and machinery. Ansoumane Ziko Camara, the district's liaison with the consortium, reads out a list of grievances at a community meeting on a scorching Sunday morning.

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THE LEAD

Camara claims that by placing their latrines upstream, the Chinese quickly tainted relations with the natives. He claims that he repeatedly warned the consortium that their operations were contaminating their streams with chemicals used for prospecting in addition to human waste. Their cows and goats are being killed by rocks that are sliding down the hillside where they are constructing mining routes. As he speaks, a half-dozen elders nod respectfully.

The Chinese community liaison officer at the camp denied to meet with us.

Although he and Camara both speak French, the villagers' problems have not been resolved as a result of their shared language.

The partnership did construct a school, but Camara claims the water well it drilled was dry. According to him, locals may be employed to manage rubbish or grow vegetables, creating jobs. When it began prospecting, Vale operated in this manner. Instead of receiving a salary today, residents who work for the consortium as security guards or drivers are paid meager daily earnings. Additionally, Camara claims that the neighborhood does not receive a sufficient amount of the taxes it pays. He admits that there is no economic benefit for them in this situation. "Zero."

To stop Chinese laborers from traveling to Simandou, some want to strike or barricade the road, but Damaro's elders have recommended patience. Camara cautions that "we have methods to speak up and defend our rights." We're trying to be diplomatic for now, but if they don't show any sign of understanding for our wants and requirements, we'll find other solutions.

When we go to Simandou, Chinese laborers are clearing mango and shea tree patches to make rust-red mining

roads. Rock fragments that are metallic-gray can be seen slicing through the ferrous ground where its excavators have scratched. Your shoes turn rusty as you walk along the ridge. Since Stone Age cave paintings, this form of hematite—from the Greek word for "blood"—has been employed as a pigment because it turns so red when exposed to oxygen.

According to Jamie Wilkinson, a professor of geology at Imperial College London, the peaks contain up to 65 percent iron, the highest grade possible in nature.

A core sample marking the size of a hopscotch box with the completion date of June is located at 3,700 feet: 2021.6.15.

The consortium's $14 billion proposal to sever these peaks and load the ore onto railroad wagons for the trip to the ocean is marked by a white sentry shelter on the ridgeline with the graffiti "Point 0" in the center.

The 110-kilometer-long range's northern half will be mined, according to Winning Consortium Simandou (WCS), which obtained the rights to do so three years ago. The largest producer of aluminum in the world and family-controlled China, Hongqiao Group Ltd., is a member of the consortium. It is run by Winning International Group, a private shipping firm with headquarters in Singapore whose founder is from the same Chinese province as the aluminum company's headquarters, Shandong.

Both are members of the SMB Winning Consortium, which has been mining bauxite in Guinea's Boké region since 2015. However, neither had any experience mining iron. There, their "mine first, fix it later" philosophy resulted in ruined crops, poisoned water, demonstrations, and condemnation by human rights organizations concerned about Simandou's impending demise. Companies that have pledged to perform better this time denied

14 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

requests for interviews or did not return inquiries for comment.

The concession for the other half of the range is held by Rio Tinto. Simandou was previously completely their property, but in 2008 the Guinean government took half of it away and gave it to Israeli mining magnate Beny Steinmetz after accusing the British mining corporation of stalling the project to dominate worldwide supplies. Rio Tinto defended its velocity and cited expensive logistics. For the rights, Steinmetz paid $160 million, and two years later, he sold Vale a 51% share for $2.5 billion.

In 2014, the government of New Guinea stepped in and found that Steinmetz had been bribed to receive his concession.

Despite not finding Vale guilty of any offense, it removed his rights. Steinmetz, who amassed wealth via the mining of diamonds, was found guilty of bribery in Geneva last year and given a five-year prison term. He was accused of paying $10 million in bribes to Guinean authorities via Swiss accounts, although the prosecution claims he was unaware of this and has challenged the decision.

In 2019, the Guinean government put its blocks up for bid again, and WCS won the bid.

"Dust is all we ever get."

According to a Guinean mining ministry official who wanted to remain anonymous because he isn't authorized to speak in public, the government has long been irritated with Rio Tinto's sluggish pace and has let the Chinese race ahead as a method of pressing the corporation.

In 2010, Rio Tinto sold 40 percent of its interest to Chinalco, the world's secondlargest producer of aluminum and a stateowned corporation. Chinese involvement, however, did not cause Rio Tinto to act more quickly.

Rio Tinto announced to the government that it was restarting the preparatory work on Simandou when it reopened its office in Conakry, the country's capital, last year. Trucks were seen traveling about the base camp at Beyla, another mining hamlet at the base of the range, in drone footage obtained in late November. However, talks to work with WCS to build the railway and port were still in stalemate. Rio Tinto CEO Jakob Stausholm was summoned to Conakry in December by coup mastermind and current interim president Mamadi Doumbouya. After the discussion, the CEO said on LinkedIn that

he was committed to the project but only "in the proper way, in accordance with high ethical and environmental standards."

Executives from Rio Tinto in Conakry and London declined to make any additional comments.

an office on the top floor of a contemporary Conakry skyscraper. He asserts that because of "their own culture regarding risk-taking, the Chinese will expedite that. The operating system is more adaptable.

Ismael Diakité, head of the business association Guinea Chamber of Mines, once served as Rio Tinto's country's top executive and is currently a senior advisor for the Boké bauxite consortium. He claims that Western businesses spend too much time on feasibility studies and that Guinea needs speedy development while seated in

Zhang, a Chinese environmental lawyer, wouldn't describe it as "flexible." Chinese businesses frequently believe that because they are investing in your country and bringing economic opportunity there, you should put up with any negative impacts that result. "However, when you invest here, you are not only doing it

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for the benefit of the nation; you are also doing it for your own financial gain. To support China's internal economy, you are bringing natural resources to the country, and your mining operations are profitable. You ought to be accountable to the nations and communities where you are making money.

Dust is everywhere due to mining.

Boké, a bauxite mining region on Guinea's northwest coast, is the ideal location to observe why Simandou is causing people to worry. Fishing has been hampered by barge traffic, and waterways have been contaminated.

Saa Pascal Tenguiano, a Guinean lawyer and environmental activist who works for the South African group Natural Justice and has accompanied us on the trip, claims that dust created by vehicles moving bauxite 24 hours a day on dirt roads results in respiratory ailments and decreased crop output.

We observe struggling cashew trees and other crops everywhere, all covered with dust. He claims that roughly 30 communities are affected. In Katougouma, one of the most affected fishing villages in Boké, Tenguiano explains, "Today these people face food insecurity where they cannot have proper food to nourish themselves."

After a 2018 Human Rights Watch investigation identified these shortcomings and riots broke out in Boké the following year, the bauxite consortium pledged to address the issues. Measures done by Winning Shipping and China Hongqiao include dust reduction, school construction, and new wells.

Tenguiano claims that, with the exception of a few schoolhouses, it is evident that these pledges have not been kept by simply looking around. Even if trucks

To stop Chinese laborers from traveling to Simandou, some want to strike or barricade the road, but Damaro's elders have recommended patience.

wash the mining road to reduce the dust, the water rapidly dries and the dust keeps flying. Two of the communities' wells are dry, and the consortium advised the inhabitants not to consume the water from a third well because it had too much iron. The indication of empty promises, according to Tenguiano, is a roadside placard pointing to a designated crop field that leads nowhere. "Do you believe that this company can comply with national and international norms in Simandou if it cannot in Boké?"

Little has changed, according to Zhang, who is visiting Boké for the seventh time.

After two days of exploring, she declares, "All the issues relating to people's health, their livelihood, their land, and their right to a clean and healthy environment are still here."

The consortium paid too little for the property it took, claims Tiguidankè Sylla,

16 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

a 40-year-old former cucumber grower in a community near the mining route, and as a result she is no longer able to produce enough food from the dust-covered crops that are left. On the way to a well that was drilled to make up for the community's groundwater loss, she says, "From the time they arrived, our income decreased, and the only thing we experienced was hardship.

When the pump is pressed, water starts to flow immediately, but because the water's iron level is too high, the villagers claim the firm warned them not to drink it. There is no line dropping down to give electricity, despite the fact that power wires are directly overhead. Other villagers show to a few dust-covered, long-defunct solar panels that were donated by the corporation. Sylla claims, "The only thing we receive is dust." The mining activist Bah claims that more has to be done by the government. The

business cannot turn local areas into paradise, he asserts. The leader of the mining industry association, Diakite, claims to sympathize with the situation. He asserts that it is the duty of the government to collect its fair share of taxes and use them for the benefit of its people. He acknowledges that the consortium erred in Boké, but he is adamant that the industry is improving as a result of its failures. However, he adds, "Government institutions also have a responsibility to be close to us, monitoring, advising, assisting, and reporting." If it cannot create awareness on its own, there are numerous NGOs and even the media available.

The project's immense size will increase scrutiny of and tensions over topics like local content, biodiversity, and governance.

Early in March, the authorities of Doumbouya stopped construction on Simandou.

In order to build the railway and port, Guinea had asked Rio Tinto to work with the Chinese consortium. According to Eric Humphery-Smith, a senior Africa analyst based in London for the risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, the competing mining groups were "miles apart," in part because of disagreements over how to address the project's environmental impact.

Simandou was never going to be abandoned, though, not with the government expecting $15 billion in tax revenue over a 25-year period. Just a few weeks later, the president's order brought the two parties together and increased the government's participation in the mine and infrastructure projects to 15%. The total output might increase to 200 million metric tonnes each year, or $26 billion at the present exchange rate. In addition, the government warned the firms that failure to finish the railway by the end of 2024 and start mining by the beginning of 2025 would result in penalties, including expropriation. Investors are concerned

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www.skillings.net | 17

THE LEAD

Simandou is home to vast, high-quality iron ore reserves that would be instrumental in weaning off Chinese dependence on Australian ores. The potential output from these mines is ~ 200 Mn tons annually, which is a fifth of the Australian imports. Chinalco, a Chinese SOE and Rio Tinto group have a stake in this project – that costs north of $20 Bn. Successfully producing that humongous amount is going to take a lot of effort. From the atmosphere, everything looks hunky-dory. But once we dive deeper, more questions arise.

that this ultimatum would encourage developers to take shortcuts, according to Humphery-Smith.

The project's immense size will increase scrutiny of and tensions over topics like local content, biodiversity, and governance. Doumbaya increased the pressure on the businesses on June 18 by giving them two weeks to secure finance for the project.

Sidiki Conde, the director-general of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development division in charge of overseeing Simandou, admits that the project presents significant difficulties for his organization.

He claims that a group of government agencies, charity organizations, and academics "seriously questioned" the

environmental impact statement the consortium submitted in December for its mining operation. In the end, he claims, "the political decision counts." We make every effort, but eventually, we must contribute to the project.

The pace is increasing up, and the 2025 aim appears within sight now that the Chinese consortium and Rio Tinto have decided to work together. WCS began accepting bids for laying wood along the length of the railroad tracks in late May. The state-owned China Communications Construction Co.'s subsidiary China Harbour Engineering Construction Co. was awarded the contract to construct the port at Morébaya, where the iron ore will be loaded onto ships headed for China.

Even China's plan to reduce carbon emissions and the housing market crisis

18 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

there aren't preventing it. The nation's climate goals shouldn't conflict with other priorities, such as ensuring adequate raw material supplies, according to Xi's earlier this year. More control over international manufacturing methods and prices, along with domestic demand-shaping regulations, would go a long way toward ensuring the Chinese government's absolute control over its key economic pillars.

Environmental organizations in Guinea will be keeping an eye on this development in the hopes of winning the support of a new administration that has stated that it wants mining companies to assist in reducing the crippling poverty in the nation and reducing environmental destruction. Action Mines' Bah claims that "the new government won't let them do whatever they want." "If it happens, the environment will be destroyed."

Industry taxes hit records, according to a research and thermal coal and a strong year for base metals, gold, and iron ore. According to the research, Western Australia's portion of royalty payments rose sharply from 2018/19 to 2020/21, climbing from 56 percent in 2019/20 to 73 percent in 2020/21, exceeding the six-year high set in 2019/20.

The analysis discovered that the surge in Australian iron-ore exports is one of the key factors contributing to Western Australia's increased royalty payments.

In the 2020–21 fiscal year, mining firm tax and royalty payments from the Australian resources industries reached a record A$43.2 billion, an increase of 16% from the prior fiscal year.

Ninety-nine percent of Australia's iron ore is produced in Western Australia. The remaining 1 percent is produced in South Australia and Tasmania, thanks to rising royalties from the state's mining firms.

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ccording to a report by consulting firm Ernst & Young, which was commissioned by the Minerals Council of Australia, royalties and company taxes paid in 2020/21 reached new highs of A$16.7 billion and A$26.5 billion, respectively. These highs helped federal, state, and territory governments significantly during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The research also reveals that the mining sector paid A$254 billion in corporate taxes and royalties in the last ten years, or A$142 billion and A$112 billion, respectively.

In 2021/22, company taxes and royalties payments are anticipated to keep rising in step with the growth in export revenues.

This is caused by an upbeat expectation for the price and output of metallurgical www.skillings.net | 19

UNDERGROUND MINING

Up, Up, Down, Down: Uranium Only uranium is the winner!

Since an early increase in spot prices in march above us$60/

lb, the generally regarded price threshold required to encourage new production in the nuclear industry, uranium has been on a downward trend.

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he conflict between Russia and Ukraine was the main cause of the uptick. After initially plummeting on (unfounded) worries that Russian forces would destroy Europe's largest nuclear power facility at Zaporizhzhia in Ukraine, spot buying increased as worries sanctions could affect Russian, Uzbek, and Kazakh supplies.

The most recent drivers of uranium price growth have originated from a comparable source.

Although the US is trying to move away from fossil fuels and toward carbon-free energy sources like nuclear, nuclear power still provides 20% of the country's electrical needs. The Biden Administration

is anxious to lessen its dependency on Russia to meet its energy demands, and the President is actively lobbying Congress to support a US$4.3 billion proposal to purchase enriched uranium from US companies.

The most recent drivers of uranium price growth have originated from a comparable source.

That will necessitate significantly more output, not just from the United States but also from other non-Russian nations like Australia, where Boss Energy (ASX:BOE) recently announced the reactivation of the Honeymoon uranium mine in South Australia.

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Although prices of U3O8 are currently around three times stronger than their cyclical lows from about five years ago, uranium bulls are predicting that they will rise further as supply at nuclear reactors increase. Rick Rule, a well-known investor, informed early in June that an incentive price of US$75/lb would now be required to meet the needs of the worldwide nuclear power sector.

According to Rule, "the incentive price for additional uranium production with inflation in the supply chain is $US75/lb."

Given that the world consumes 180 million pounds while generating 120 million, leaving a 60 million pound shortage annually, it is easy to determine that the price of uranium needs to surpass the incentive price of $US75 over the course of five years. That or the lights go out, I guess. There are only those two options.

Which of those takes place? It is believed that uranium costs shall increase.

CGG Advances on Geothermal Resources R&D CGG MINING, A GLOBAL GEOSCIENCE TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS, HAS ANNOUNCED THE PUBLICATION OF A NEW GEOVERSETM LITHIUM BRINE SCREENING STUDY TO AID IN THE HUNT FOR NEW SOURCES OF THIS ESSENTIAL ENERGY TRANSITION ELEMENT.

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he worldwide research, which is supported by industry financing and is available for licensing, provides a data-rich screening tool to help explorers, operators, investors, and extraction technology firms find, analyze, and compare lithium brine potential. “Our Lithium Brine Screening study is the latest module in our exciting new suite of GeoVerse prod-

ucts in our Earth Data Library designed to support the energy transition. CGG is continuing to focus its geoscience data, know-how and data science expertise on addressing the challenges in the fields of geothermal energy, critical mineral exploration and carbon and energy storage,” CGG EVP Dechun Lin said.

The Lithium Brine Screening research and related primary data are given via the GeoVerse platform, using CGG’s unique Earth Data Library and vast knowledge in geothermal and mineral systems.

CGG’s Minerals & Mining experts created a proprietary methodology to evaluate

over 250,000 data points and 27,000 lithium measurements in order to create a comprehensive and consistent water chemistry database, supplemented by key engineering and geochemical characteristics, to help inform project development and investment decisions.

Data from the predicted supply vs expected demand (both till 2030) show that lithium is a critical raw element for electric vehicles and energy storage systems, but the lack of investment in new supply in past years may result in a structural deficit throughout this decade. Inadequate lithium supply might slow the energy shift.

SOLVING YOUR MOST COMPLEX CHALLENGES. With SEH, you are a true partner and collaborator.

Engineers | Architects | Planners | Scientists 800.325.2055 | sehinc.com/subscribe

www.skillings.net | 21

SURFACE MINING

At MIT, an old African smelting method is being revived

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ne warm May day, the smoke rising from East Campus could have easily been mistaken for a barbecue going on in the courtyard. Burgers were indeed cooking on the grill. However, a mud-and-straw iron smelting furnace was where the smoke was coming from, making it a considerably more uncommon sight on the MIT campus or anywhere else outside of West Africa.

Apprentices in class 3.094 (Materials in Human Experience) spent two months constructing the furnace or bloomery per Mossi customs from Burkina Faso.

Apprentices in class 3.094 (Materials in Human Experience) spent two months constructing the furnace or bloomery per Mossi customs from Burkina Faso. The furnace was a cylinder that was five feet high. Two tubes, each into a huge pot covered in goatskin and pumped by students and volunteers wearing T-shirts and polo shirts, extended from an aperture on the lower third of the cylinder. From the top end, dancing orange flames and billowing grey smoke emanated.

According to Mike Tarkanian, senior lecturer in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, "the goal of this segment is to teach individuals about materials through archaeological materials." Roman concrete, the substance used to build historic structures like the Pantheon in Rome, was the main topic of the first part of the class, which was instructed by associate professor of civil and environmental engineering Admir Masic.

The second half of the talk focused on the lengthy history of iron smelting in Africa, how it was used to fight wars and till fields, and some current issues with iron and steel manufacturing, which is one of the greatest carbon dioxide generators. And now they're discovering just how challenging this 4,000-year-old procedure is.

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FloLevel Technologies www.skillings.net | 23

SURFACE MINING

option, among other customary terms and conditions. The operating subsidiary of the company, Labrador Iron Mines Limited ("LIM"), will also create Labrador Iron Mines Limited Partnership ("LIMLP"), which will hold and advance the Houston Project.

A division of Scully will serve as the LIMLP's limited partner while LIM will serve as the project's general partner and operator. Scully will get the first opportunity to suggest project debt financing for the Houston Project's construction.

Scully will receive a number of rights in connection with the Strategic Investment, including the right to propose one director for the Company's Board of Directors, participation rights in any future financing to allow Scully to keep its ownership interest, and various other reporting rights and covenants.

$4,000,000 Strategic Investment: Labrador Iron Mine Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Limited (OTC Pink: LBRMF) (the "Company") announced a US$4,000,000 strategic investment by New York Stock Exchange-listed Scully Royalty Ltd. ("Scully").

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US$3,000,000 equity component and a US$1,000,000 convertible credit facility make up the Strategic Investment. Scully has consented to subscribe for 13,043,478 of the Company's common shares at a price of US$0.23 per share, for a total gross purchase price of US$3,000,000, and

transform into a strategic shareholder by holding 7.4% of the Company's shares at close.

Additionally, through a subsidiary, Scully will grant the Company a US$1,000,000 unsecured, convertible credit line with a five-year duration, a 6.8% interest rate, and a US$0.31 per share conversion

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“We are delighted to welcome Scully as a strategic investor,” commented John F. Kearney, President and CEO of Labrador Iron Mines. “Scully’s strategic investment and partnership represents a significant milestone for LIM and a strong endorsement by the company. Leveraging Scully’s extensive experience and relationships in iron ore mining in the Labrador Trough will be invaluable. for our advancement in Houston.”

Samuel Morrow, CEO of Scullydeclared, “We are delighted to partner with the team at Labrador Iron Mines and believe this investment will enable significant progress towards bringing the Houston Project into production.

Proceeds from the strategic investment will be used as working capital to advance the Houston project through a number of initiatives, which are expected to culminate in a Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS) next year.

ASV RT-50: Yanmar-Powered with More Power and Comfort

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SV RT-50 Yanmar engine: ASV Holdings Inc., an industryleading manufacturer of all-purpose and all-season compact track loaders and skid steers, introduces a new generation of the company’s RT-50 Posi-Track® loader, now powered by a Yanmar engine.

The new machine boasts an impressive-for-its-size 53.8 horsepower, up

small package, and is ideally suited for work in tight spaces, such as for rental, landscaping, construction, snow clearing and more.

“We often hear from customers that our RT-50 is the perfect blend of performance and mobility. Now, with the additional horsepower and new convenience features, that performance factor is dialed to eleven,” said Buck Storlie, ASV Holdings Inc. product manager.

a full 8% from the previous model. The repowered RT-50 also offers improved serviceability, allowing owners to have the Yanmar engine serviced at ASV dealers. In addition to these benefits, the new RT-50 features new comfort, visibility and performance features, elevating the RT-50 as one of the top compact track loaders in both performance and comfort in its class.

The Yanmar-powered RT-50 provides construction-grade performance in a

“And that’s before even mentioning the world-renowned reliability of the new Yanmar engine.”

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SPECIAL FOCUS

Environmental harm from mining emissions is estimated to be worth £2.5 trillion annually According to a new study, greenhouse gas emissions from global mining and resource exploita-

tion cause up to £2.5 trillion ($3 trillion) in damages annually. The world relies on extractive industries to supply it with fossil fuels, metal ores, and mineral resources, but new research found that these businesses have annual environmental costs of up to £4 trillion ($5 trillion). Most of them are a result of acidification, greenhouse gases, and particle pollution, especially from the steel and coal industries.

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ineral resources have been referred to as one of Earth's "great endowments" and as playing a "dominant role" in the economies of numerous nations by UN secretary-general António Guterres.

In fact, the analysis shows that, for the majority of nations, the mining industry generates more economic advantages than losses.

It also comes to the conclusion that for some weaker nations, such as Afghanistan, Gabon, and Madagascar, the

environmental costs may outweigh the economic benefits. This is consistent with the "resource curse," which refers to connections between mineral extraction and unfavorable outcomes, including inequality and environmental degradation.

The authors claim that the data demonstrate the advantages of switching to cleaner energy sources since the extraction of fossil fuels accounts for approximately half of the environmental costs, not including the combustion of the fuels they produce.

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Calculating Costs While the extraction of natural resources can benefit economies and create jobs, it can also have a negative impact on the environment, biodiversity, and human health. The study team makes an estimate of the proportion between these expenses and the economic benefits that these industries bring. In order to do this, they used datasets from the US and British geological surveys to analyze the global output of 38 basic materials, including coal, iron, and natural gas.

The life-cycle assessment (LCA) was carried out by the researchers utilizing a "cradle-to-gate" methodology. This evaluates the environmental effects of all stages of a product's life, excluding usage, including greenhouse gas emissions, particulate matter emissions, acidification, land-use change, resource depletion, and toxicity.

Because fossil fuel burning is excluded, the article claims that it is possible to analyze costs and benefits from the perspective of the countries that extract the resources.

The study focuses on how these activities affect people's health, including the respiratory illnesses and skin conditions that miners experience as well as the decline in biodiversity brought on by habitat loss and degradation.

In order to generate data that could be compared with other economic indicators, the LCA results were later "monetized." This entails converting indices like mortality, environmental harm, and extinction of species into monetary values. The researchers employed a "high" and a "low" monetization factor for each individual endpoint in order to emphasize

the uncertainty surrounding monetization. According to the study's lead author Rosalie Valeska Arendt of the Technical University of Berlin, "For the high estimate, we added future effort expenditures. These expenses arise because it takes more effort and energy to extract materials due to the declining concentration of ore and material resources. If future effort costs are included, they dominate all other expenses, and the influence of fossil energy carriers becomes even more evident. For the low estimate, these costs are not included because mining costs have traditionally dropped despite declining ore grades.

One of the study's biggest surprises is how the research team matched the estimated environmental costs of various nations to their GDP and employment levels. With the exception of several African nations, where the expenses were smaller, the damages for the majority of countries surpassed £420 ($500) per employed person.

The scientists aimed to demonstrate the disparity between local and global mining costs. The study fails not to take into account the "transboundary consequences of air, soil, and water pollution"

since they "assumed all impacts to be local impacts aside from global warming," according to the paper.

Resources are Cursed It was concluded that the global environmental costs associated with the extraction industries average £0.3 trillion ($0.4 trillion) year, or 0.5% of the global GDP of £71 trillion ($85 trillion) annually.

This sum increases to £4 trillion ($5 trillion) annually when future effort costs are considered, or 6.4 percent of world GDP. According to the study, between £0.3 trillion ($0.3 trillion) and £3 trillion ($3 trillion) of all these expenses are attributable to climate change, which is mostly caused by greenhouse gases associated with extraction.

The extraction of resources "contributes most to environmental damage" in terms of climate change, according to the research, with iron (23 percent), coal (18 percent), magnesium (13 percent), crude oil (10 percent), aluminum (8 percent), and manganese (7 percent).

Overall, ecosystem damage accounts for 43% of expenses, while effects on human

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SPECIAL FOCUS

Mass share of materials (left, A) – aluminium, methane, coal, chromium, crude oil, copper, iron, graphite, lignite, magnesium (top down); Cost share of materials (middle, B) – silver, aluminium, gold, methane, coal, chromium, crude oil, copper, iron, graphite, magnesium, manganese, nickel, zinc (top down); Share of impacts (right, C) prices in euro, low estimate. Source: Arendt et al (2022).

health account for 21% of total costs. Fossil fuels account for 43% of all costs and are a material group that contributes disproportionately to environmental harm. The most expensive fuel was oil, followed by natural gas and coal.

Despite the fact that the environmental costs associated with the clean energy transition have received considerable attention, Valeska Arendt tells Carbon Brief that when it comes to total environmental costs today, the effects of steel, aluminum, and fossil fuel transporters still dominate.

The graph above illustrate each material's production volume (on the left), the distribution of damages for each material (in the middle), and the "low" cost estimate for damage expenses (on the right).

Estimate Aluminum, methane, coal, chromium, crude oil, copper, iron, graphite, lignite, and magnesium make up the majority of materials (left, A); silver, aluminum,

gold, methane, coal, chromium, crude oil, copper, iron, graphite, magnesium, manganese, nickel, and zinc cost share (middle, B); Impacts share (right, C), low estimate; prices in euros. From Arendt and others (2022).

Gains vs. Losses The analysis comes to a conclusion that generally speaking, mining is more economically advantageous for the majority of countries when expenses for individual countries are calculated without taking into account losses caused by the global climate.

The countries with the highest environmental expenses—China, Brazil, India, and Russia—all see greater advantages from their mining operations than costs. When the costs of climate change are factored into the high "global" estimate, however, 20 countries' GDP losses exceed their gains from mining operations. According to the research, these nations, which are concentrated in Africa, Central, and South America, and south-east Asia, are

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"severely impacted by climate change."

For the low estimate, only a few nations— Rwanda, Gabon, Madagascar, and Afghanistan—have environmental costs that outweigh economic benefits.

The low estimate, the double logarithmic scale of GDP gain versus domestic costs on the left and damage costs on the right.

From Arendt and others (2022). As per a study published in Nature Climate Change under the direction of Prof. Katharine Ricke, the costs of climate change are distributed globally.

"If climate change costs are added to domestic costs, more countries have a negative cost-benefit ratio (their total environmental costs exceed their GDP contribution for mining and processing), but these costs of climate change are not borne by the extracting countries themselves," Valeska Arendt tells Carbon Brief.

According to the report, the nations that process materials—like those that manufacture steel in Germany and Japan—as

well as those that produce oil—like Algeria, Azerbaijan, and Nigeria—benefit the most economically. This is because, according to the research, they "primarily externalise environmental costs of upstream and downstream activities," which means that society as a whole is responsible for paying such costs.

According to the study, China is the country with the biggest emissions of greenhouse gases due to its operations, particularly its production of iron, steel, coal, magnesium, and aluminum. However, given that China's production of magnesium is "actually quite low," Dr. Daniel Smith of the University of Leicester, who was not involved in the study, tells Carbon Brief that he is quite surprised by this.

According to the study, manganese mining and production in South Africa are the second biggest contributors, followed by natural gas extraction in the US and Russia.

Future Investigation The absence of sufficient data for a thorough analysis is cited by the authors as the study's primary drawback. The paper is simply a global estimate, and as Valeska Arendt explains to Carbon Brief, "I

hope that we can enhance this analysis in more depth in the future."

The life-cycle assessment databases "did not give enough process steps in between mining and processing," the author continues, "thus we were not able to discriminate between the mining and processing of all minerals."

However, she continues, "Future study could focus more narrowly on a single element identified as relevant."

Dr. Simon Jowitt, a geologist at the University of Nevada who was not engaged in the study, brings up a different problem.

According to him, it is "a little inaccurate" to compare the environmental expenses to the portion of GDP that mining contributes to.

He gives the example of Germany's mined resources, which have a high value yet only make up 0.5% of the country's GDP. These resources "could be considerably more than countries we would consider mining-dominated, such the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia, Mexico, and so on," according to one expert.

According to Jowitt, a sizable amount of mining in Germany will be coal, which is "environmentally problematic," but because of the higher GDP of the German

GDP gain vs domestic costs (left), GDP gain vs damage costs (right), low estimate, double logarithmic scale. Source: Arendt et al (2022).

economy as a whole, "taking the contribution of mining to GDP as a value leads [the environmental damages] to be artificially reduced."

The authors concede that not all environmental effects are covered in their research; for instance, they do not discuss the harm done to freshwater and marine species. "[There is] no recognition of the numerous other potential impacts associated with mining either," continues Dr. Gavin Mudd, a mining researcher at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology who was not involved in the study. "Especially water pollution, water depletion, acid rain, and particulate pollution associated with smelters."

However, the authors contend in their study that their analysis offers "several insightful perspectives into the environmental implications of mining and processing worldwide." They add, "We found which countries profit from the continuing of local mining activities, from a cost-benefit viewpoint, which is valuable if a game-theoretical examination of fading out the extraction of fossil resources is sought after.

The approach that was created can be utilized to analyze other large-scale changes in evolving resource extraction patterns, the authors further state. www.skillings.net | 29

PHIL CHRISTOPHERSON CEO, ENERGY CAPITAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

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Interview with Mr. Phil Christopherson CEO, Energy Capital Economic Development

Phil Christopherson is a visionary Business and Economic Development Executive with two decades of experience leading high-performance teams, building strategic partnerships, and implementing innovative business strategies. Phil is a Wyoming native and has lived in the state most of his life. Phil graduated from UW with a BS degree in Computer Engineering. After graduating Phil and his family moved to Seattle Washington where Phil worked as a design engineer and Project Manager for The Boeing Company on several different military and commercial airplane projects. Phil has continually added to his education earning several certifications and a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wyoming.

Phil has always been very active in the community. While living in Washington, he helped organize a committee to incorporate his local area into a city and after a successful incorporation effort was elected to the first city council.

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PROFILES IN MINING

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hil Christopherson started his professional career with a BS degree in Electrical (Computer) Engineering from the University of Wyoming. His first engineering work was with The Boeing Company designing avionics for the AWACS program and later designing and testing Flight Data Recorder systems (the black box) for the 737 and 757 aircraft.

Phil completed work at Boeing by leading a team to develop and produce the first Air Force airborne fiber optic network.

After moving home to Wyoming, he took a position with the University of Wyoming’s Manufacturing Extension program teaching Lean Manufacturing around the state.

Phil further advanced his education with a Masters in Business Administration (MBA), which he put to work in businesses that he have owned and operated.

Phil Christopherson, CEO of Energy Capital Economic Development, presented the Linda Hewitt award by WEDA, Wyoming Economic Development Association.

SMR: Please share us in detail, your educational background, your career path so far and your professional journey, some of the biggest milestones so far.

Phil Christopherson: I am a Wyoming native and have lived in the state most of my life. I hold a degree in Computer Engineering, several certifications and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wyoming.

After graduating, I moved to Seattle, Washington where I worked as a design engineer and project manager for The Boeing Company on several different military and commercial airplane projects.

In 1999, I was offered a position with the University of Wyoming’s Manufacturing Extension Center (Manufacturing-Works) in Riverton as a field engineer. There, I was very involved with local and statewide economic development efforts

Phil Christopherson, CEO of Energy Capital Economic Development, has received the recognition of IOM from the Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.

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and worked closely with manufacturers around the state, providing Lean Manufacturing training and other services.

In June of 2004, I became the Executive Director for IDEA Inc. (the economic development organization for Riverton), where I wrote several grants obtaining over 9 million dollars for business expansion and growth in Fremont County.

I also managed four construction projects that were instrumental in saving two

SMR: Please throw detailed light on the opening of Wyoming Innovation Center (WyIC) in Campbell County, Wyo., a 5,500-square-foot facility that will be home to companies and researchers developing commodities using coal and coal byproducts.

Phil Christopherson: The state-of-theart WyIC features two buildings and seven demonstration sites for pilot plants, for private companies and researchers to advance coal-to-product, rare earth element/critical minerals (REE/CM)

Since Wyoming is the nation’s leading coal producer, with more than 165 billion tons of recoverable coal, it is imperative that we better utilize the resources available, especially in a sustainable way. Our focus - evaluating the commercial viability of high-value nonfuel, low-or zero-emissions products made from coal–will allow us to move in that direction.

businesses and expanding two others, providing or saving over 120 jobs in Fremont County. In 2007, I was elected to the board of the Wyoming Economic Development Association, in 2008, I became the president of that organization, and in 2010 I was appointed by Governor Mead to the State of Wyoming’s Work Force Council to represent economic development on the council.

In June of 2014, I accepted the position as CEO of Campbell County Economic Development Corporation, and my family and I moved to Gillette. Since then, I have worked on many projects, including the recently opened Wyoming Innovation Center.

processes and other minerals related to scale up activities. Tenants at WyIC will focus on evaluating the commercial viability of high-value nonfuel, low- or zero-emissions products made from coal and coal by products. In addition, REE/CM projects are looking to extract pivotal rare earth elements found in the fly ash of coal burned at power plants and in the over and under burden of coal seams. The region’s Powder River Basin (PRB) coal contains extractable rare earth element content in portions of the coal seams—particularly in the coal ash materials left over from burning coal at power plants. REEs and CMs are in high demand for use in batteries, magnets, cell phones, camera lenses, wind turbines, electric cars and more. www.skillings.net | 33

PROFILES IN MINING

coal, it is imperative that we better utilize the resources available, especially in a sustainable way. Our focus – evaluating the commercial viability of high-value nonfuel, low- or zero-emissions products made from coal–will allow us to move in that direction. It is also imperative to expand on methods to burn coal cleanly and capture the C02 just as other harmful elements have been successfully captured.

The center, which officially opened on June 14, includes 4,000-square-feet of office, lab and workspace for tenants to utilize, along with a 1,500-square-footbuilding that can be used to handle raw materials. These tenants have access to one of the six half-acre testing sites and one 1-acre site where they can upscale their lab-proven processes from using small amounts to up to several hundred pounds of coal or coal byproducts daily.

We had attendees from the local, state and federal level that formally cut the ribbon to officially open the facility.

ratory (NETL), will focus on applied research for the production and use of clean energy resources.

Phil Christopherson: Since Wyoming is the nation’s leading coal producer, with more than 165 billion tons of recoverable

SMR: What is your take on the work happening at WyIC including a focus on evaluating the commercial viability of high-value nonfuel, low- or zero-emissions products made from coal and extracting pivotal rare earth elements found in the fly ash of coal burned at local power plants. (The U.S. currently depends on China for as much as 97% of its rare earth element sources.) WyIC’s first tenant, the National Energy Technology Labo34 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

Once we utilize the coal, we can access the rare earth elements that are found in the fly ash. This will allow the U.S. to lessen its dependence on other countries, for the pivotal elements needed for electric vehicles, batteries, magnets, cell phones, laptops and more. The coal found in the Power River Basin already has these elements in the coal seams, so it is just a matter of accessing it.

The state of Wyoming has found itself in the enviable position to reshore the REE mining effort by having some of the largest REE deposits in North America.

Located in the northeast part of the state,

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the Bear-Lodge Deposit, which sits under both federal and privately owned land, is estimated to contain 18 million tons of REE. In addition to the Bear Lodge REE deposit, REEs have been discovered in the vast coal seams that underlie Wyoming.

Wyoming provides about 40% of America’s coal through the mines located in the Powder River Basin. Sixty-five percent of Wyoming’s economy is tied to mining and extractive production, and with close to 5,000 workers with expertise in this field, the state is well placed to also become a leading domestic U.S. supplier of REE. Thanks to efforts underway at the School of Energy Resources (SER) at the University of Wyoming, the day will come when a large portion of REE extraction and processing can take place in North America.

SMR: Tell us more about broader efforts to spur innovation in Carbon Valley, including utilizing its natural resources and mines to grow and sustain jobs and advance beneficial environmental studies. Also tell us how the Wyoming Innovation Center is among several projects that are

Now, due to the increase in CO2 in our atmosphere we need to scrub that from the exhaust of power plants as well.

Until an effective method of scrubbing CO2 is developed, coal will continue to decline as a thermal source of energy.

In Carbon Valley, we are learning optimal ways to keep our planet clean, while diversifying our economy and continuing to utilize some of our most abundant natural resources. exploring new options to address the entire life cycle of carbon – including the Wyoming Integrated Test Center (ITC) and the University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources’ CarbonSAFE project?

Phil Christopherson: Several years ago, we saw a shift happening in the world, where the global population wanted to move away from coal, oil and natural gas. Scrubbing mercury, sulfur and other pollutants lead to the popular use of PRB coal as it is the cleanest natural burning coal. Now, due to the increase in CO2 in our atmosphere we need to scrub that from the exhaust of power plants as well. Until an effective method of scrubbing CO2 is developed, coal will

continue to decline as a thermal source of energy. In Carbon Valley, we are learning optimal ways to keep our planet clean, while diversifying our economy and continuing to utilize some of our most abundant natural resources. One of the solutions was to find alternative uses for coal – something other than burning it – that would utilize the carbon, but not the contaminants.

Finding a research institution with the ability to scale up from a lab to commercial operation was an essential next step.

When we determined that nothing like that existed in our region, we decided to create it ourselves. That was the basis for developing the Wyoming Innovation Center; it will serve as a place where www.skillings.net | 35

PROFILES IN MINING

researchers can use our resources, contribute to our state and national economy, and find new ways to use coal that are better for our environment.

The Wyoming Integrated Test Center (ITC) is connected to Dry Fork Power Station, owned by Basin Electric Power Cooperative. The ITC is a public-private partnership that brings together government, industry and cooperatives with the shared goal of developing commercially viable uses for CO2 emissions from power plants.

The research being done here will allow Wyoming and the rest of the U.S. and world to have the knowledge for how we can utilize coal without burning it, if it must be burned, how it can be done in a clean manner, and how those emissions can be reduced or stored safely to allow this industry to remain steady.

Basin Electric provided the site for the ITC, along with significant in-kind contributions for the design, engineering and construction of the facility. There, when coal is burned in the power plant, it emits CO2 as a byproduct The ITC works to capture those CO2 emissions and funnel it to the test center, where companies can plug directly into the emissions and test

alternative ways to use it. The Wyoming CarbonSAFE project works with the ITC to take the flue gas, made up of ambient air, water vapor and 12.5% carbon dioxide, compress it into a liquid-like state called “supercritical phase” and store it underground, where it can eventually separate back into its original forms of carbon and oxygen over time.

A steel duct connects the Dry Fork plant’s gas flue to the ITC. This project is currently in stage three and is one of 13 original carbon capture, utilization and

36 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

store sites in the U.S. The three sectors of the Carbon Valley are important to the overall research efforts happening in this coal-rich region of Wyoming.

The research being done here will allow Wyoming and the rest of the U.S. and world to have the knowledge for how we can utilize coal without burning it, if it must be burned, how it can be done in a clean manner, and how those emissions can be reduced or stored safely to allow this industry to remain steady.

entities to diversify the state’s economy.

Our Wyoming Innovation Center will support that by allowing coal and mineral-related projects expand to commercialization.

We want future projects to grow and build new manufacturing facilities, providing good jobs and bringing new revenue into the region. To move forward with a project, you must know that tenants will come. For this project, combined strategic partnerships with future tenants, the state of Wyoming, University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, the city of Gillette and Campbell County ensure that we are moving forward with a facility that will contribute to the overall economic growth of the region.

Energy Capital Economic Development Energy Capital Economic Development is a dynamic, evolving organization with a goal of making Campbell County, Wyoming a great place to do business.

Campbell County has a wealth of culture, industry, and energy that make it an especially rewarding place to live and work. In Campbell County we capitalize on our abundant natural resources, highly

skilled labor, supportive government partners, and friendly business climate to grow economic opportunities and diversify our existing economy.

The company recognize that the primary goal of economic development should be the retention and expansion of existing employers, while also attracting new industries and businesses. Energy Capital Economic Development work to ensure that their businesses have access to skilled labor and that the community's quality of life is attractive to those looking to relocate.

With the help of local business, community leaders, and state, county, and city government, Energy Capital ED has successfully developed a strong, pro-business climate in Campbell County.

Energy Capital ED are the prominent private, not-for-profit corporation leading economic advancement in Gillette and Campbell County Wyoming. Building and sustaining a strong economy requires coordination between Energy Capital ED and its valued investors. The new Energy Capital ED is focused on the long-term development and growth of primary business.

SMR: How do you lead high-performance teams, build strategic partnerships and implement innovative business strategies in Mining?

Phil Christopherson: My background in engineering has taught me to see problems as an opportunity. Energy Capital Economic Development uses that mindset to work with businesses to help them grow and innovate. We work closely with Gillette College, the University of Wyoming, community leaders and other economic development www.skillings.net | 37

SPECIAL FOCUS

The Pilbara’s most technologically advanced mine is Gudai-by Darri's Rio Tinto The state-of-the-art Gudai-Darri mine operated by Rio Tinto has begun operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region. Rio Tinto's 17th iron ore mine, with a capacity of 43 million tonnes annually, has been delivered after 14 million hours of labor since development got underway in April 2019.

W

ith some of the most cuttingedge machinery, including a robotic ore sample laboratory that gives visibility of the ore grades out of the mine within minutes, it is the company's most technologically advanced iron ore mine in the area.

There are autonomous trucks, trains, and drills, which are common in many of Rio Tinto's Pilbara mines, as well as a virtual processing plant that enables teams to swiftly test various scenarios before putting them into practice.

Gudai-Darri combines a number of advances, such as Robotic drills and vehicles Three CAT MD6310 autonomous drills and 23 CAT 793F autonomous haul trucks are both available at Gudai-Darri. Using sensors, the trucks use real-time ore tracking to give live dig face progression, and the drills' data-informed modeling contributes to building more precise evaluations of the ground's current conditions and enhancing safety.

Rio Tinto is developing the creation of emission-free autonomous haul vehicles in partnership with Caterpillar. It is envisaged that the world's first operational deployment of Caterpillar 793 zero-emissions autonomous haul trucks will take place at Gudai-Darri after development is complete.

Gudai-Darri anticipates increasing iron ore production volumes beginning in the second half of this year and reaching capacity in 2023. The mine has an expected life of more than 40 years.

One-third of the mine's electricity requirements will be met by a 34-megawatt solar farm being constructed by Rio Tinto, with completion scheduled for August 2022.

A one gigawatt solar and wind power project in the Pilbara, which may be seven times bigger than Western Australia's 38 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

The first autonomous water carts in the world

Robots in a warehouse for heavy mobile equipment

The new vehicles, which Caterpillar and mine operations jointly developed, are largely used for dust suppression on the job site, increasing productivity by allowing mine operations to digitally track water use and decrease waste. When the location's dry and dusty circumstances are detected by the vehicle's sophisticated onboard technology, water is applied to the roads to maintain their condition.

Four automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) made to automate the handling of pallet frames are housed in the heavy mobile equipment (HME) warehouse. With the addition of laser obstacle scanners and auto-stop features, AGVs will lessen manual handling while increasing safety in the warehouse.

Autonomous locomotives (AutoHaul)

The business is utilizing technology to give its employees access to real-time data while they are on the job, linking teams to one another, to projects, and assets. Team members may access many of the apps they need in the field using tablets, eliminating the need for paper-based systems and cutting down on nonessential travel.

The first fully automated long-distance, the heavy-haul rail network in the world, AutoHaul, went into full operation in June 2019. Remote operators are keeping an eye on the driverless train from the Operations Center in Perth, which is more than 1500 kilometers distant.

First rotatable bucketwheel reclaimer from Rio Tinto Reclaimer maintenance typically necessitates a protracted stoppage while several components are taken out. This patented global first will make it possible to replace the complete bucket wheel module for care, increasing safety and effectiveness.

Laboratory for robotic ore sampling Our mine is integrated with the highly automated Gudai-Darri laboratory. Production samples (both lump and fines) are conveyed into the lab from the sampling station by a robot, who then moves them to the automated production cell. The excellent sight of the ore grade being stacked up on-site will be made possible by this facility.

Gudai-Darri anticipates increasing iron ore production volumes beginning in the second half of this year and reaching capacity in 2023. The mine has an expected life of more than 40 years. largest solar farm, is also being developed by the iron ore miner. Premier of Western Australia Mark McGowan claimed that

Field mobility without paper

'Digital twin' resource The team members will be able to visually traverse the digital asset, organize their work using a (to scale) 3D model, and examine or download related technical data and papers thanks to this asset, which will be a first for Rio Tinto. A feature-rich, interactive 3D environment is created using the same digital asset data for virtual reality training.

A solar farm The solar farm has roughly 83,000 photovoltaic solar panels, which are used to turn sunlight into power. When construction is finished in August, the facility's capacity, which is up to 34MW, should be able to meet about a third of the mine's typical electrical needs.

the multi-billion dollar investment would strengthen the state's economy and create thousands of employment over the course of the mine's 40-year life.

Western Australia has a strong economy, a highly qualified workforce, and world-class mineral resources that are supported by industry-leading mining and logistics infrastructure. In light of this, our state is positioned for the future, he remarked.

representatives of the Pilbara Traditional Owners, the Banjima People, Mines, and Petroleum, claimed that Rio Tinto's creativity and sustainability served as a model for mines of the future.

"Once the new solar farm is finished, it will be able to supply Gudai-Darri with one-third of its operational energy requirements. This will cut annual carbon dioxide emissions by 90,000 tonnes, or about the same as 6,000 Australian dwellings, he added.

Bill Johnston, who was there for the inauguration ceremony together with www.skillings.net | 39

SPECIAL FOCUS

T

o survive the current fierce business competition, organizations have switched toward digitalization and increasing Industry 4.0 adoption, which calls for a seamless solution and platform to satisfy business needs. The acceptance of Connected Mining Solutions is ultimately boosted by the growth in industrial IoT usage, the integration of IT and OT, big data analytics, and maintenance, as well as the enhancement of business operations.

Large firms dominated the connected mining sector as a whole in 2021, and this trend is forecasted to remain throughout the projection period. Due to the complexity of the enormous amounts of data and the demand for simple processes, there is a rise in the deployment of connected mining solutions, which fuels intense industry competitiveness.

Global Opportunities and Demand by Top Players in the connected mining market The market size for connected mining was estimated to be $9.45 billion in 2021 and is expected to increase to $32.63 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 13.3 percent between 2022 and 2031.

40 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

Additionally, to improve speed, accuracy, and value chain scalability, huge organizations are integrating their substantial amounts of data in the cloud, which is advantageous for the industry. However, the SME sector is anticipated to have the highest market growth for connected mining solutions in the future.

It is anticipated that more connected mining solutions would be adopted to improve the commercial capacities of small and medium-sized businesses.

Additionally, the industry expands due to an ongoing rise in government activities through numerous global digital SME campaigns.

In terms of mining type, the surface segment held the largest market share for connected mining in 2021, and this trend is forecasted to hold throughout the forecast period. To lower capital risk and boost productivity, surface mining businesses are turning to AI and machine

learning technology. They can more effectively analyze and interpret data thanks to this, which will speed up production and cut expenses.

Therefore, during the projected period, the market is likely to benefit from increased adoption of AI and machine learning in the surface mining sector. However, the underground sector is anticipated to increase faster in the next year. With a steady economic expansion in both developed and developing nations, demand for several minerals has increased dramatically. These minerals include iron, gold, copper, coal, lead, aluminum, and silver.

As a result, underground mining is becoming more popular. The spread of urbanization and industrialization has also led to a considerable increase in energy consumption, which benefits the development of the connected mining industry.

As a result, underground mining is becoming more popular. The spread of urbanization and industrialization has also led to a considerable increase in energy consumption, which benefits the development of the connected mining industry.

The connected mining market was estimated to be worth $10.62 billion in 2022 and is forecasted to rise at a CAGR of 13.3 percent to reach $32.63 billion by 2031. It is anticipated that the current projection for 2030 will be greater than pre-COVID-19 forecasts.

To ensure economic continuity during the epidemic, governments and corporations are increasingly requesting that employ-

ees work from home or transferring work to workers in less afflicted areas. To manage costs while enhancing the customer experience, however, the scenario has hastened the use of cutting-edge technologies, including industrial IoT, AI-based solutions & services, simulation technology, automation, big data, analytics, and cloud computing technology.

Due to the development of industrial IoT, big data, and analytics, enterprises may now convert unstructured and semi-structured data into structured and pertinent data.

Enterprises can use this data to speed up data management, process and analyze data, and increase the effectiveness of

corporate operations with the use of connected mining. Consequently, it is expected that throughout the Connected Mining Market Forecast period, the need to upgrade business operations would increase.

In-depth profiles of some of the major market participants in the connected mining industry are provided in this study.

These companies include ABB Ltd., Accenture Plc., Cisco Systems Inc., Hexagon AB, IBM Corporation, Rockwell Automation, SAP SE, Schneider Electric SE, Siemens, and Trimble, Inc. To find the best investment scenarios, this study also considers market trends, market analyses, and future projections.

ESSENTIAL RESULTS OF THE STUDY • In 2021, the Connected Mining Industry was dominated by the solution sector by component. But during the projected period, the services segment is anticipated to develop significantly.

• The on-premise segment dominated the connected mining market in terms of deployment model in 2021; however, the cloud segment is anticipated to experience the greatest growth rate throughout the forecast period.

• Based on the size of the organization, major businesses produced the most revenue in 2021. But shortly, the SMEs segment is anticipated to increase at the fastest rate.

• Depending on the type of mining, the surface sector produced the most money in 2021. But in the near future, the subsurface sector is anticipated to grow at the fastest rate.

• The exploration segment dominated the connected mining market in terms of application in 2021; however, the processing & refining sector is anticipated to experience the greatest growth rate throughout the forecast period.

• In terms of geography, North America dominated the connected mining market in 2021. However, significant growth is anticipated in the Asia-Pacific region during the next few years.

www.skillings.net | 41

SURFACE MINING

Sepro gets award for water conservation technology Following the competition's inception in late 2017, Foresight Canada and the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) have announced the winner of the Mining Innovation Challenge: Reducing Water Use.

challenges with cleantech innovators who are ready for market. The mining industry in Canada and worldwide might greatly benefit from Sepro's invention in terms of the environment and the economy." In a press release, Foresight Canada's CEO, Jeanette Jackson, made a statement.

"We believe we have made peristaltic pumping advances that will significantly reduce the amount of water used for mineral processing and make it possible to build safer tailings storage facilities at lower costs than previously possible.

The accolade that comes with winning this award will be crucial in launching a beta website. We anticipate that the increased credibility will enable us to move up the field testing timeline by at least a year, "Sepro Mixing and Pumping's director, Steve McAlister, remarked.

Sepro’s water saving peristaltic pumps won the MABC challenge. Credit: Sepro Mixing and Pumping

T

he challenge sought approaches to lessen the intensity of water usage at active B.C. mines, with the winner receiving a $150,000 reward and perhaps the chance to pilot the technology if it makes sense for a mine.

Sepro Mixing and Pumping of Langley, British Columbia, emerged victorious after a difficult two-stage review procedure with its large-scale linear fluid-driven peristaltic pump. With the help of this technique, water waste for slurry liquefaction will be reduced, and tailings

will be able to be transported to a storage facility at a considerably higher density than is currently feasible.

Additionally, it enables more environmentally friendly tailings storage methods and permits water to be recycled for use in the concentrator. For this technology, pilot possibilities are being investigated.

"Salutations to Sepro Mixing and Pumping Ltd. and all the other challenge finalists!

We can hasten Canada's transition to a green economy by connecting business leaders who are facing sustainability

42 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

Finalist and former Foresight employee 2S Water received special recognition for its AquaValid sensor. To promote water reuse and decrease freshwater consumption, this creative approach provides real-time data collection of metal concentrations in water. Envirobay, Forward Water Technologies, Reveau Technologies, and Solutions were additional contest finalists.

Technology readiness, technical excellence, innovation, added impact, resources, and an implementation strategy were all taken into consideration when evaluating the project. The challenge's fairness evaluation was conducted by PwC.

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MINING FINANCE

Gold Price and Production Drop Anglo Asian Mining PLC said that its output of gold equivalents and the gold price dropped in the second quarter compared to the same period last year.

T

he mining business with an emphasis on Azerbaijan reported output of 15,052 goldequivalent ounces for April through June, a decrease from 16,740 ounces the previous year. Output of gold decreased to 10,866 ounces from 12,340.

Anglo Asian said that they anticipate starting production at Vejnaly and the Hasan vein at Gosha in the second half, and starting production at a significant new mine at Zafer in 2023.

Anglo Asian Mining PLC is a holding company with its headquarters in the UK. The Company offers management and support services to its operational subsidiary R.V. Financial Group Services LLC (RVIG).

The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the exploration and development of gold and copper projects in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The flagship project, the Gedabek gold/copper mine, which is situated in 300 square kilome-

ters and produced 52,068 ounces of gold, is also operated by the Company.

or having the option to purchase various copper exploration projects in North and South America, Libero is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange in Canada. These properties include Mocoa in Colombia, one of the biggest untapped copper-molybdenum deposits in the world.

The Government of Azerbaijan adopted changes to its Production Sharing Agreement on July 5, 2022, awarding Anglo Asian three new concessions covering a combined 882 square kilometres of land. This includes the Soviet-classified Garadagh porphyry copper deposit, which contains about 300,000 tonnes of copper. The addition of these concessions completely changes Anglo Asian’s asset portfolio and supports the company’s strategic goal of becoming a mid-tier copper-focused miner.

Mining activities and exploration locations are its two main business divisions.

Both parts are found in the country of Azerbaijan. It has a potential portfolio of 1,962 square kilometers worth of gold and copper assets that are in various stages of development.

gold price dropped more than 2 %

Ordubad Contract Area, an area of 462 square kilometers, is situated in the Republic of Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan. The 300 square kilometer Gosha Contract Area is situated 50 kilometers northwest of Gedabek in western Azerbaijan. For the fiscal year that concluded on December 31, 2021, the Company generated 64,610 gold equivalent ounces (GEOs).

The dollar touched its highest level in about two decades and strengthened its position as the favored sanctuary for investors concerned about a future recession, making the safe-haven metal less desirable for foreign purchasers.

After the US CPI report came, traders are now banking on 175 basis points (bps) of rate increases by September, with some anticipating a 75 bps increase.

The Company completed a private placement in December 2021 to acquire 19.8%. representing Libero Copper & Gold Corporation (“Libero”). The deal was finished in January 2022. In addition to owning

44 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

The previous week, the gold price dropped more than 2 per cent and will fall even lower below the $1,800 support level as demand for the non-yielding asset was dampened by a significant rise in the dollar and increasing interest rates.

Following the release of the inflation figures, gold fell to its lowest level in a month, but later rose as economic worries gained attention. This week has seen an

increase in volatility, with bullion reversing a dramatic decline from a one-month high reached during the Asian session.

The swift unwinding in gold emphasizes the present struggle between the factors that drive its price, with strong inflation being fought off by bets on aggressive policy actions, according to a report from JP Morgan. An optimistic gold outlook would need greater evidence that economic expansion is faltering due to increasing inflation, the paper continued.

This week, dramatic tightening measures

taken by central banks throughout the world to fight inflation—including the U.S. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by the most since 1994.

Gold typically benefits from inflation and economic uncertainty, but rising interest rates raise the potential cost of storing the non-yielding metal. Despite a favourable backdrop of global economic instability and China lockdowns, analysts claim that gold’s recent movement has been strongly correlated with that of the dollar and bond rates. With prices returning to levels

they were at before 2022 began, slightly around $1,800, gold’s performance in the second quarter reversed gains achieved earlier in the year as a spiraling crisis between Ukraine and Russia increased demand for the safe haven.

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www.skillings.net | 45

STATISTICS

JUNE 2022 CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION

W

orld crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 158.1 million tonnes (Mt) in June 2022, a 5.9% decrease compared to June 2021.

CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION BY REGION

Africa produced 1.2 Mt in June 2022, down 18.7% on June 2021. Asia and Oceania produced 118.8 Mt, down 3.1%. The EU (27) produced 11.8 Mt, down 12.2%. Europe, Other produced 3.8 Mt, down 10.9%.

The Middle East produced 3.4 Mt, down 5.0%. North America produced 9.6 Mt, down 2.4%. Russia & other CIS + Ukraine produced 5.9 Mt, down 34.3%. South America produced 3.7 Mt, down 4.9%.

The 64 countries included in this table accounted for approximately 98% of total world crude steel production in 2021.

Regions covered by the table: Africa, Asia and Oceania, European Union (27), Europe, Middle East, North America, Russia & other CIS + Ukraine, South America.

TOP 10 STEEL-PRODUCING COUNTRIES

China produced 90.7 Mt in June 2022, down 3.3% on June 2021. India produced 10.0 Mt, up 6.3%. Japan produced 7.4 Mt, down 8.1%. The United States produced 6.9 Mt, down 4.2%. Russia is estimated to have produced 5.0 Mt, down 22.2%. South

Table 1. Crude steel production by region

africa

Korea is estimated to have produced 5.6 Mt, down 6.0%. Germany produced 3.2 Mt, down 7.0%. Turkey produced 2.9 Mt, down 13.1%. Brazil is estimated to have produced 2.9 Mt, down 6.1%.

Iran is estimated to have produced 2.2 Mt, down 10.8%.

Table 2. Top 10 steel-producing countries

june % change jan-june % change 2022 (mt) june 22/21 2021 (mt) jan-june 22/22 1.2 -18.7 7.3 -9.1

may 2022 (mt)

% change may 22/21 -3.3

jan-may 22 (mt)

% change jan-may 22/21

526.9

-6.5

china

90.7

india

10.0

6.3

63.2

8.8

japan

7.4

-8.1

46.0

-4.3

united states

6.9

-4.2

41.1

-2.2

russia

e 5.0

-22.2

35.4

-7.2

south korea

e 5.6

-6.0

33.8

-3.9

3.2

-7.0

19.6

-5.5

118.8

-3.1

701.4

-4.8

11.8

-12.2

73.8

-6.2

europe, other

3.8

-10.9

24.0

-5.0

middle east

3.4

-5.0

20.4

-5.9

north america

9.6

-2.4

57.2

-2.3

russia & cis + ukraine

5.9

-34.3

43.6

-18.0

south america

3.7

-4.9

21.8

-2.8

turkey

2.9

-13.1

19.0

-4.6

brazil

e 2.9

-6.1

17.4

-2.9

158.1

-5.9

949.4

-5.5

iran

e 2.2

-10.8

13.6

-10.8

asia and oceania eu (27)

total 64 countries

germany

The 64 countries included in this table accounted for approximately 98% of total world crude steel production in 2020. Regions and countries covered by the table: Africa: Egypt, Libya, South Africa. Asia and Oceania: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan (China), Vietnam. CIS: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan. European Union (27). Europe, Other: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, United Kingdom. Middle East: Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. North America: Canada, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, United States. South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

46 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW August 2022

CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION DECEMBER 2020. Source – World Steel Association COUNTRY

DEC 2020

DEC 2019

%CHANGE DEC-20/19

2020

% CHANGE

COUNTRY

DEC 2020

DEC 2019

%CHANGE DEC-20/19

2020

% CHANGE

Austria

530 e

521

1.7

6 665

-10.2

Mexico

1 550 e

1 361

13.9

16 854

-8.3

Belgium

359

6 434

7 292

-11.8

72 690

-17.2

9 107

9 801

388

326

19.0

3 651

-21.4

2 886

2 462

17.2

30 971

-4.9

505

-28.9

6 119

-21.1

United States

Bulgaria

40 e

43

-6.3

485

-14.3

Croatia

15 e

7

101.9

47

-32.0

North America Argentina

-7.1 101 119 -15.5

Czech Republic

408

359

13.7

4 465

0.6

Finland

339

186

81.8

3 500

0.8

France

1 155

918

25.7

11 596

-19.8

Chile

105 e

109

-3.5

1 165

2.8

Germany

3 137

2 835

10.6

35 658

-10.0

Colombia

110 e

97

13.5

1 126

-15.5

94

17.0

1 430

5.9

Ecuador

50 e

50

0.5

477

-21.5

164

-44.8

1 513

-14.5

Paraguay

3 e

3

-4.4

22

-17.5

1 404

6.9

20 200

-12.9

Peru

105 e

91

15.8

671

-45.4

Uruguay

5 e

5

-7.2

47

-24.6

Venezuela

2 e

0

315.8

29

-43.6

3 654

3 143

16.3

38 158

-8.4

Egypt

994

574

73.0

8 229

13.4

Libya

73

63

16.2

495

-18.4

297

-1.5

3 877

-37.0

934

45.5

2 224

19.6

29 030

13.4

85

186

-54.3

1 218

-52.4

Saudi Arabia

440

664

-33.8

7 775

-5.1

United Arab Emirates

280

297

-5.8

2 722

-18.2

Middle East

3 465

3 371

2.8

40 745

2.7

China

91 252

84 692

7.7 1 052 999

5.2

India

9 796

9 383

4.4

99 570

-10.6

Japan

7 526

7 785

-3.3

83 194

-16.2

South Korea

5 952

5 880

1.2

67 121

-6.0

380 e

261

45.6

3 743

13.3

1 700 e

1 693

0.4

20 570

-6.3

Thailand

410 e

357

14.8

4 420

4.1

Vietnam

1 600 e

1 876

…

19 500

11.6

Greece Hungary Italy

110 e 90 1 500 e

Luxembourg

113

97

17.3

1 886

-11.0

Netherlands

540

521

3.6

6 054

-9.1

Poland

680 e

642

5.9

7 890

-11.9

Slovenia

50 e

34

45.0

570

-8.5

Spain

891

765

16.4

10 934

-19.5

Sweden

410

376

8.9

4 409

-6.6

United Kingdom

710 e

550

29.0

7 185

-0.5

Other E.U. (28) (e)

680 e

642

6.0

8180

-12.1

European Union (28) 11 757

10 665

10.2 138 786 -11.8

Bosnia-Herzegovina

75

70

6.5

759

-5.2

Macedonia

33

24

35.9

180

-24.8

Norway

41

40

3.2

624

0.5

Serbia

119

158

-24.8

1 456

-24.6

Turkey

3 403

2 893

17.7

35 763

6.0

3 671

3 185

15.3

38 782

3.9

Other Europe Byelorussia

200 e

225

-11.2

2 490

-5.0

Kazakhstan

355 e

374

-5.0

3 835

-7.2

45 e

35

28.2

465

18.7

Russia

6 110 e

6 159

-0.8

73 400

2.6

Ukraine

1 906

1 561

22.1

20 616

-1.1

84

-4.8

950

42.6

3.1 101 756

1.5

Moldova

Uzbekistan C.I.S. (6) Canada

80 e 8 696

8 438

1 070 e

1 092

-2.0

11 078

-14.1

20 e

22

-8.5

181

-21.4

El Salvador

8 e

8

-5.7

79

-22.5

Guatemala

25 e

26

-3.9

237

-22.6

Cuba

Brazil

South America

South Africa Africa Iran Qatar

Pakistan Taiwan, China

Asia Australia New Zealand Oceania

292 e 1 359 2 660 e

118 616

111927

12 600 -10.1

6.0 1 351 117

1.6

473

449

5.4

5 490

0.0

59

57

3.8

586

-12.2

506 151 969

5.2

6 076

-1.4

533

Total 64 countries (1) 160 858

5.8 1 829 140 -0.9

(1) - HADEED only. (2) - the 64 countries included in this table accounted for approximately 99% of total world crude steel production in 2019. e - estimated

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