Mining and Exploration

Khnaiguiyah Mining Company (KMC), a joint venture between United Arabian Mining Company and Alara Resources, is one of the most exciting projects in Saudi Arabia’s newly established mining industry. Chief operating officer Sohan Singh Rathore talks to Jane Alverca.

Technip, a world leader in project management, engineering and construction for the energy industry, is particularly busy in Australia, where its local entity Technip Oceania is keeping its finger on the pulse.

Barrick Gold’s Granny Smith mine in Western Australia has already been in operation for 21 years. General manager Julie Shuttleworth talks to Gay Sutton about the enormous potential for expansion.

Statoil Canada has announced it is investing $1 million into research expertise in reservoir engineering.

The investment is to be matched by the Research & Development Corporation (RDC), and will create the Statoil Chair and Statoil Associate Chair in Reservoir Engineering at Memorial University, Newfoundland, fostering the development of a new Petroleum Engineering research program in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science.

Statoil Canada and RDC will each contribute a total of $1 million over the next five years.

Vancouver-based Silvercorp has acquired China’s SX Gold Mining Company for US$22.75 million, it has been announced.

The company has made the purchase through its 77.5 percent owned subsidiary Henan Found Mining Co. A payment of $19.6 million has already been made, with the balance due upon completion of the share transaction and the transfer of the mining and exploration permits. 

Continental Coal Ltd has rapidly shifted from being a junior player in the coal exploration market to achieving profitability as a mid-tier producer. CEO Don Turvey talks to Jayne Alverca.

With a new beneficiation plant coming online, Assmang Manganese is preparing to double its production and become one of the biggest manganese mines in Africa, as Jane McCallion reports.

Formed in 1935 and listed on the Johannesburg Stock exchange the following year, Assmang Manganese Limited specialises in the mining of manganese, iron ores and chrome. The company, which is owned jointly by African Rainbow Minerals Limited and Assore Limited, operates mines in the Kalahari manganese field in the Northern Cape province.

After several years studying renewable energy resources, the Diavik Diamond Mine in Canada’s Northwest Territories has announced that construction has begun on a wind farm at the mine site.

Diavik currently relies on diesel fuel for all its energy needs, but the construction of four 2.3 megawatt turbines will provide a capacity of 9.2 megawatts of electricity.

Fortune Minerals Limited and the Tlicho Government have signed a co-operative relationship agreement for the NICO gold-cobalt-bismuth-copper project in Canada’s Northwest Territories.

Village Main Reef Limited has offered to acquire the Blyvooruitzicht gold mine from DRDGold for R150 million.

Village said the acquisition would be an opportunity for it to apply specialist skills to unlock further value from Blyvoor going forward, as well as providing Blyvoor with access to Village’s significant management and operational skills, thereby creating a platform for sustainable and socially responsible future development.