Global projects and exploration
quality thermal coal, according to a 20 April
presentation by state resources company
Erdenes Mongol.
Source: Terrence Edwards for Bloomberg
Argentina
Sibanye on diversification drive
Amid criticism about safety in its deep-
level gold mines in South Africa, Sibanye-
Stillwater announced that it has partnered
with international companies to pursue
a gold a nd copper exploration target in
Argentina.
The company has created a strategic
partnership with Canadian-listed Regulus
Resources and a newly formed subsidiary
of Regulus, Aldebaran Resources, to unlock
value at the Altar copper-gold project in San
Juan Province of the South American country.
According to Neal Froneman, CEO of
Sibanye-Stillwater, Aldebaran possesses the
vision, skills, and experience to unlock the
considerable upside potential of the Altar
Project, in which Sibanye will continue to
hold a meaningful interest. “Consistent
with our vision, we believe this partnership
with Aldebaran will deliver value for
all stakeholders, as the Altar Project
is progressed up the value curve,” says
Froneman.
The Altar Project is in the Andes
Mountains, about 10km from the Argentina–
Chile border, and 180km west of the city of
San Juan. As at 31 December 2017, Altar
contained 2 057 million tonnes of measured
and indicated resources at 0.3% copper and
0.1g/t gold (14.5 billion pounds of copper
and 5.2 million ounces of gold) and 557
million tonnes of inferred resources at 0.3%
copper and 0.1g/t gold (3.4 billion pounds of
copper and 1.1 million ounces of gold).
Australia
Impact ramps up exploration
Exploration work will be ramped up over the
next six months at four of Impact Minerals’
100% owned gold and base metal projects
across Australia. Following recent board
approval, follow-up drill programmes are
planned for the Commonwealth gold-silver-
base metal project in New South Wales, the
Clermont gold project in Queensland, and
the Mulga Tank gold and nickel project in
Western Australia. Furthermore, the first
bulk samples will be taken at the Blackridge
conglomerate gold project in Queensland,
in which Impact recently acquired an option
to earn 95%. According to the company, a
recent strategic review has identified eleven
prospective targets for gold and other metals
that will be drill tested in the near future.
USA
Lithium at is Zenith
ASX-listed Zenith Minerals has intersected
widespread, near-surface lithium at its
drilling programme at the Burro Creek
Project in Arizona, USA, part of the
American Lithium joint venture with Bradda
Head. The company advised shareholders
that the key aim of the programme is to
obtain sufficient technical information
on the lithium clays to allow for an initial
mineral resource estimate to be calculated.
Burro Creek is in central western Arizona,
within an active mining district. Freeport-
McMoRan operates the Bagdad porphyry
copper mine in the area. Bagdad is located
only 10km from Burro Creek. Assay results
from the maiden drill programme at Burro
Creek show that the higher-grade portion
of the lithium-bearing clay zone is a near-
surface, flat lying horizon extending over
900m by 400m within the eastern project
state leases.
India
Germans enter huge market
With the inauguration of German company
GHH-Fahrzeuge’s new training centre not
far from the Indian town of Udaipur, the
manufacturer is now putting its know-how to
profitable use and entering a huge growth market.
The site in the north-west of the country
is a smart choice because markets in Nepal,
Bangladesh, and Bhutan are also easy to
reach. India itself is seen as tomorrow’s
mega market. Domestic demand for raw
materials is high and the supply limited: “A
lot of the mineral resources have not yet even
been located in India,” says Dr Jan Petzold,
managing director of GHH headquarters
in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. “The Indian
government knows the situation and has
taken action; foreign investors are now
welcomed with open arms,” he adds.
The inauguration took place in April 2018.
GHH currently employs 80 workers; this
number is set to grow to 120 by the middle
of the year. The site is primarily a training
centre, but also houses a supply and spare
parts warehouse for the surrounding mines
belonging to the company Hindustan Zinc
(HZL). “We don’t just train customers here;
we also offer courses for mine operators and
our own personnel of course,” says Rajeshwar
Singh, managing director of GHH India
Mining and Tunneling Equipment, the
operator of the training centre.
A large part is currently taken up by
the workforce of a key HZL customer.
Cooperation with Hindustan began even
before the contract was signed for the
Mochia Mine and the training centre,
SEPTEMBER 2018 MINING MIRROR
[15]