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8 minute read
MINING INDUSTRY NEWS
The Minnesota Governor, Tim Walz, said he is optimistic about his government finding common ground and helping people come together on the problem.
We've m ined the Iron Range for qu ite a long tim e, in cooperation with environm ental commu nities. It has been challenging. There are people who tell m e m ining can't and never will be accomp lished.
I hear you, I hear you. We all know that these are flash issues from Ely, down to individuals who reside in Mankato and utilize either the border waters or northeast Minnesota."
Walz is currently speaking at the debate between those in opposition and those in service.
In view of the future of mining in Minnesota, the current Governor and his administration are ensuring the public is advised and placing focus on the process. "Yes, we are, because we now understand the materials we have and that's extremely important in the energy market from solar panels to electric vehicles."
"We must have the most rigorous and well-defined environmental impact statements, in adherence to science and in accordance to the procedure. This will help us build public confidence, irrespective of our readiness.”
MINING INDUSTRY PEOPLE
GoldMining Inc. announced the appointment of Dr. Ken Wang to its advisory board. Dr. Wang is a former Managing Director and the Head of Natural Resources for both Royal Bank of Canada's Asia Investment Banking and Bank of China's Global Investment Banking operations based out of Hong Kong and Beijing. Over the past 20 years, he has been at the forefront of the global mining industry, intimately involved in the successful completion of more than $100 billion of investment banking transactions in mining and other sectors.
Titan Mining Corporation announced the closing of a senior secured credit facility with the Bank of Nova Scotia, and the appointment of Naomi Johnson as Vice President, Community Relations. Naomi Johnson joined Titan in April 2018 and is a global community relations executive, international development specialist and lawyer with 15 years of management experience in leadership positions across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Ms. Johnson brings a broad perspective to the development of sustainable and leading-edge approaches to stakeholder impact and risk management at Titan.
African Gold Group Inc. appointed Malcolm Campbell as President and Chief Operating Officer and Andrew Cheatle as Vice President. Mr. Campbell is a Professional Certified Mining Engineer with over 30 years of extensive exploration and mining project experience across Africa. Mr. Cheatle is a mining industry executive and professional geoscientist with over 25 years of domestic and international experience encompassing both the senior and junior mining sectors.
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ADVERTISING INDEX
Azcon ........................................19
Barr Engineering..........................9
CR Meyer ...................................11
Freyberger..................................19
Global Minerals Engineering ....19
Golder Associates.......................9
Hallett Dock...............................05
Lake Superior Chapter ISEE......19
Malton Electric Company .........21
walcot water..............................22
Mielke Electric Works................13
Minnesota Power ......................15
Naylor Pipe ................................24
Neo Solutions............................21
Northern Engine & Supply.........21
RMS ...........................................17
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March 2018 Crude Steel Production
By John Edward, Associate Publisher
World cru de steel produ ction for the 64 cou ntries reporting to the World S teel Association (worldsteel) was 148.3 m illion tonnes (Mt) in March 2018, a 4.0% increase comp ared to M arch 2017. World cru de steel produ ction was 426.6 Mt in the first three m onths of 2018, up by 4.1% comp ared to the same period in 2017.
Asia produced 294.1 Mt of crude steel, an increase of 4.6% over the first quarter of 2017. The EU produced 43.1 Mt of crude steel in the first quarter of 2018, up by 0.9% compared to the same quarter of 2017. North America’s crude steel production in the first three months of 2018 was 29.5 Mt, an increase of 1.9% compared to the first quarter of 2017.
China’s crude steel production for March 2018 was 74.0 Mt, an increase of 4.5% compared to March 2017. India produced 9.2 Mt of crude steel in March 2018, up 5.3% on March 2017. Japan produced 9.1 Mt of crude steel in March 2018, an increase of 2.2% compared to March 2017. South Korea’s crude steel production was 6.1 Mt in March 2018, an increase of 4.7% on March 2017. In the EU, Italy produced 2.3 Mt of crude
Preliminary USGS Iron Ore Statistics for November 2017
By John Edward, Associate Publisher A ccording to the U.S. Geological Su rvey (USGS ) report by Mineral Comm odity Specialist Christopher A. Tuck, U.S. m ine production and shipm ents of iron ore in Novem ber 2017 were 4.47 m illion m etric tons (Mt) and 4.33 Mt respectively. A verage daily produ ction of iron ore was 149,000 m etric tons (t), 7% greater than that of October and 27 % greater than that of November 2016.
Average daily shipments of iron ore were 144,000 t, slightly less than those in October and 3% greater than those in November 2016. Mine stocks at the end of November 2017 were slightly greater than those held at the end of October 2017 and slightly less than those held at the end of November 2016. U.S. exports of iron ore totaled 943,000 t in November 2017, 9% less than those in October 2017 and 27% less than those in November 2016. U.S. imports of iron ore totaled 320,000 t in November 2017, 45% greater than those in October and 11% greater than those in November 2016.
steel, up by 1.0% on March 2017. France produced 1.4 Mt of crude steel, up by 1.5% compared to March 2017. Spain produced 1.3 Mt of crude steel, down by 4.1% on March 2017. Turkey’s crude steel production for March 2018 was 3.4 Mt, up by 7.6% on March 2017. The US produced 7.3 Mt of crude steel in March 2018, an increase of 5.3% compared to March 2017. Brazil’s crude steel production for March 2018 was 3.1 Mt, up by 7.6% on March 2017. The crude steel capacity utilisation ratio of the 64 countries in March 2018 was 74.5%. This is 2.2 percentage points higher than March 2017. Compared to February 2018, it is 0.9 percentage points higher.
Statistics based on World Steel Association Report released on April 25, 2018.
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CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION, MARCH 2018. Source – World Steel Association
COUNTRY MARCH 2018 FEB 2018 MARCH 2017 % CHANGE MARCH – 18/17 Canada 1,230 e 1,030 e 1,175 4.7 Cuba 20 e 15 e 16 25.0 El Salvador 10 e 5 e 8 33.3 Guatemala 25 e 25 e 22 12.6 Mexico 1,750 e 1,535 e 1,701 2.9 Trinidad and Tobago - - - - United States 7,261 6,446 6,894 5.3 Total - North America 10,296 9,056 9,816 4.9 Argentina 474 417 392 20.8 Brazil 3,065 2,714 2,848 7.6 Chile 110 e 85 e 109 0.7 Colombia 125 e 90 e 117 7.0 Ecuador 55 e 45 e 46 19.6 Paraguay 1 e 2 e 1 66.7 Peru 115 e 100 e 104 10.4 Uruguay 5 e 5 e 4 25.0 Venezuela 40 e 25 e 49 -17.9 Total - South America 3,990 3,483 3,669 8.7 Egypt 650 e 583 528 23.1 Libya 30 48 49 -39.3 Morocco - - - - South Africa 527 e 491 e 545 -3.1 Total - Africa 1,207 1,122 1,122 7.6 Iran 2,350 e 2,120 e 1,635 43.7 Qatar 239 152 240 -0.4 Saudi Arabia (HADEED only) 425 e 385 376 13.0 Total - Middle East 3,262 2,859 2,534 28.7 China 73,980 64,930 e 70,800 4.5 India 9,227 8,434 8,764 5.3 Japan 9,082 8,296 8,888 2.2 South Korea 6,095 5,415 5,823 4.7 Taiwan, China 2,000 e 1,810 e 2,000 0.0 Total - Asia 102,190 90,475 97,979 4.3 Australia 482 90,475 429 12.3 New Zealand 47 52 47 0.5 Total - Oceania 529 477 476 11.1
U.S. RAW STEEL PRODUCTION COUNTRY MARCH 2018 FEB 2018 MARCH 2017 % CHANGE MARCH – 18/17 Total - European Union (28) 15,111 13,354 15,038 0.5 Total - Other Europe 3,645 3,290 3,425 6.4 Total - C.I.S. (6) 8,101 7,675 8,621 -6.0 Total (64 countries) 148,330 131,791 142,681 4.0 e – estimate | r – revised Monthly Crude Steel Production in the 67 Countries included in the report, in thousands of metric tons. The 67 countries included in this table accounted for approximately 99% of total world crude steel production in 2017.
WEEK ENDING
April 28, 2017 Previous Year April 21, 2017 Previous Year April 14, 2017 Previous Year April 7, 2017 Previous Year Weekly Production Year-to-Date Production Production Percent Change* Capability Utilization Rate Production Percent Change* 1,754 -1.9 74.8 29,723 1.6 75.5 1,721 1.9 73.8 29,252 - 74.4 1,788 0.2 76.3 27,969 1.6 75.6 1,721 3.9 73.8 27,531 - 74.4 1,784 - 1.2 76.1 26,181 1.4 75.5 1,721 3.7 73.8 25,810 - 74.4 1,805 1.6 77.0 24,397 1.3 75.5 1,721 4.9 73.8 24,089 - 74.4
In thousands of Net Tons – Source - American Iron and Steel Institute * Percent Change is a comparison between a given week and the previous week. The % change figure in the previous year row refers to the change from a given week compared with the corresponding week of the previous year. AISI’s estimates are based on reports from companies representing about 50% of the Industry’s Raw Steel Capability and include revisions for previous months.
WEEKLY U.S. RAW STEEL PRODUCTION BY DISTRICT DISTRICT WEEK ENDING 4/28 4/21 4/14 4/7 North East 207 214 213 218 Great Lakes 657 667 685 683 Midwest 163 165 159 166 Southern 652 666 653 660 Western 75 76 74 78 Total 1,754 1,788 1,784 1,805 In thousands of Net Tons – Source – American Iron & Steel Institute.
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