Southern Copper’s long-stalled Tia Maria project in Peru is set to break ground by the end of the year or in the first half of 2025, a senior executive told Reuters. Raul Jacob, vice president of Finance at Southern Copper, said “social conditions” had improved after years of protest that have halted the $1.4 billion mine’s development. “We are fine-tuning…
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ENAMI plans first lithium project
Chile’s state mining firm ENAMI said it aims to start construction on its first lithium project in the country by 2028, reported Reuters. The project is part of the government’s push to boost its role in production of the battery metal. ENAMI has launched a search for a private partner to offer financial backing or operational support for the project…
Read MoreTocantinzinho nears completion: G Mining Ventures
G Mining Ventures provided an update on progress made at its flagship Tocantinzinho gold project currently under construction in the state of Pará, Brazil. The miner said the project remains on schedule and on budget for commercial production in the second half of 2024. Pre-production mining continues to progress above budget, having excavated 12.4 million tonnes of material from the…
Read MoreVale closer to resuming Onca Puma operations
Vale and the Brazilian state of Para have moved closer to an agreement that could allow the miner to resume operations at its Onca Puma nickel mine, reported Reuters. Onca Puma, which has an estimated annual nominal capacity of 27,000 metric tons, had its operating license suspended earlier this year after Para’s environment department flagged irregularities in an annual environmental…
Read MoreHorizonte enters administration after Araguaia financing dropped
Horizonte Minerals, owner of the Araguaia nickel project in Brazil, has entered administration after it confirmed in April it was unable to secure additional financial backing for the Para State project and is eyeing liquidation. In a 16 May announcement, company officials said its administration of the company and Araguaia was effective that day and that representatives from FRP Advisory…
Read MoreChile provides Albemarle option to increase quota
Chile’s economic development agency said it reached an agreement with U.S.-based Albemarle to establish an option to increase its production quota by 240,000 metric tons of lithium metal equivalent (LME), reported Reuters. The increase would raise Albemarle’s production quota by close to 50%, from about 460,000 metric tons of LME currently. CORFO said that Albemarle would need to prove its…
Read MoreHochschild achieves commercial production at Mara Rosa
Precious metal miner Hochschild Mining has reached commercial production at its Mara Rosa gold operation in Goias, Brazil. The milestone was met 13 May. During this month, the Mara Rosa processing plant operated at an average throughput of approximately 90% of its nameplate capacity of 7,000 tonnes per day and exceeded 80% average recoveries. The ramp-up is on schedule to…
Read MoreNew Panamanian leader puts First Quantum talks on ice
Panama President-elect Raul Mulino has ruled out talks with First Quantum Minerals until the Canadian miner drops multiple arbitration proceedings it has launched against the government for shutting down its Cobre Panama mine, reported Reuters. “To consider talking about mining, those arbitrations need to be suspended,” Mulino said, noting the government’s preeminent role in any mining project in Panama. Mulino…
Read MoreBrazil rejects Vale, BHP settlement offer for dam disaster
Brazil and the state of Espirito Santo have rejected a proposal by Vale, BHP and their iron ore joint venture Samarco regarding reparations for the deadly 2015 Mariana tailings dam collapse, reported Reuters. The failure of the Fundão Dam caused a giant mudslide in the Minas Gerais state, killing 19 people, leaving hundreds homeless and polluting the Doce River, a…
Read MorePan American Silver exits La Arena
Pan American Silver has agreed to sell its 100% stake in La Arena, which owns the La Arena gold mine as well as the La Arena II project in Peru, to Jinteng (Singapore) Mining, a subsidiary of Zijin Mining. Under the terms of the deal, at closing Zijin will pay US$245 million in cash and will grant Pan American a…
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