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The article discusses the activities of mining company Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold in Indonesia. It comments on the Grasberg Mine, a gold and copper mine in the province of Papua, examining labor unrest and violence in the area. The author reflects on conflicts between Papuans and Indonesians and claims of racism against Papuans. He also examines Freeport-McMoRan's relationship with the Indonesian government, commenting on the protection of the company by Indonesian troops and an Indonesian law requiring foreign companies to divest a percentage of equity to local partners. INSET: THE MAN WHO SHUT THE MINE.

Asante Gold recently acquired a 90% stake in the Chirano gold mine in Ghana, with the Ghanaian government already holding a 10% stake. The acquisition was made possible through public funds and aims to boost the national extractives sector, which contributes over 5% to the country's GDP. The Ghanaian government fully financed the deal through the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund and the Minerals Income Investment Fund. The government's involvement in supporting local entrepreneurs is seen as crucial for the emergence of true national champions in the mining sector. The example of Zambia's buy-back policy in the mining industry is also discussed, highlighting the importance of finding suitable means to regain control over mineral and oil resources. The article concludes by emphasizing the need for African governments to support and promote national private champions to achieve economic development. [Extracted from the article]

This paper reviews the recent achievements made by our team in the mitigation of rockburst risk. It includes the development of neural network modeling on rockburst risk assessment for deep gold mines in South Africa, an intelligent microseismicity monitoring system and sensors, an understanding of the rockburst evolution process using laboratory and in situ tests and monitoring, the establishment of a quantitative warning method for the location and intensities of different types of rockburst, and the development of measures for the dynamic control of rockburst. The mitigation of rockburst at the Hongtoushan copper mine is presented as an illustrative example. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the British Columbia mining industry's thrust to rebuild in 2015 following three tough years. Topics discussed include the steep drop in its coal, copper, and gold prices which forced companies to cut on operating costs, and the ongoing development of new projects. The article explores such current advanced projects on copper/gold by Red Chris, on gold/silver by Blackwater, and on molybdenum by Kitsault.

The article focuses on the development surrounding the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold deposit of mining company Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. Located in the South Gobi Desert, Oyu Tolgoi is said to be the most richest copper-gold deposits ever discovered. Many mining analysts believed that the deposit will be ranked along side great mines when it is fully developed. It has been estimated that it will take about 15 years to fully develop the Oyu Tolgoi project. Furthermore, at full capacity, the Oyu Tolgoi complex will be capable of average annual production in excess of 1 billion pounds of copper and 330,000 ounce of gold.

Copper-gold miner Newcrest has restarted mining operations at its Cadia project in Australia, two weeks after a tailings spill caused a shutdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rise in demand from the mining sector has led to a year-on-year improvement in the earnings of Swedish engineering group Sandvik, the company said this week. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes the copper and gold mining project at Bajo de la Alumbrera in Catamarca, Argentina. Geographical location of the mine; Ore reserves; Origin of the mine's name; Handling of exploration and exploitation rights by Yacimientos Mineros de Agua de Dionisio (YMAD); Problems during the planning stage of the Bajo project. INSET: Other mining projects in Catamarca Province..

Colombia's government reckons copper and gold mining can kick-start GDP growth. But voters are not so keen on the idea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This section offers news briefs related to the mining industry. The environmental plan of Corriente Resources for its copper-gold project was rejected by Ecuador. The Andorinhas Mine in Brazil of Australian gold producer Troy Resources is expected to be start production by the end of 2007. Outotec entered into an agreement with Sierra Rutile for the latter's expansion of its land-based processing plant in Sierra Leone.

Examines the projected volumes and prices in 2004 for the minerals sector in Australia. Factors influencing industrial production and inflation; Effects of speculative trading; Production levels and mining for gold, nickel, copper, alumina and aluminum.

The article discusses Australian mining giant Rio Tinto's revival of Mongolia's mining sector with its 5.3 billion U.S. dollars expansion of Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in Mongolia. It notes the issues around asset registration processes and regulatory challenges on the creation of collateral security over assets given the local officials' lack of knowledge of the workings of security packages. The Oyu Tolgoi project is said to be the world's largest undeveloped copper-gold mine to date.

The article reports on the agreement made between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Pebble Limited Partnership on May 11, 2017, clearing the way to pursue a gold and copper mine in the Bristol Bay Region of Alaska. It states that the decision of the agency do not grant approval for the mine, but it reverses its decision in 2014. It mentions that despite the EPA's ruling, the project is far behind from breaking ground and will face significant opposition.

The article reports that China Molybdenum Co. (CMOC) and Sumitomo have started development of a block cave mine at their Northparkes Mines joint venture. It mentions views of Steele Li, executive chairman at CMOC Group, on Northparkes. It also mentions views of Hubert Lehman, Acting Managing Director at Northparkes, on copper and gold deposits.

Copper-gold-molybdenum miner KGHM posted net profit of 1.1 billion zloty ($350 million) for the first half of 2014, down from 1.8 billion zloty in the prior-year period, on a decrease in revenue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers news briefs for mineral industries in Asia as of September 2018. Topics discussed include the planned expansion of its copper mines by Hindustan Copper Ltd. (HCL); the acquisition of Baimskaya copper project in Russia by KAZ Minerals; and the increase in gold production at its Sokor project in Malaysia by CNMC Goldmine Holdings Ltd.

The article reports on the increase in the earnings of Chile-focused copper-gold miner Antofagasta in the first quarter of 2012 on improved revenues. The company posted an 35% increase in earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) in the three months ended 31 March 2012. The improvement in the earnings is attributed to the major rise in production at its Esperanza operation.

The article reports on the plan of U.S. miner Freeport McMoran to invest in a copper-gold project in the Philippines as big as the mine of Xstrata in Tampakan, South Cotabato. Edwin Domingo, assistant director in the environment and natural resources department in the Philippines, cites that David Potter, company vice-president, and other company officials visited the Philippines to talk to Horacio Ramos of the environment and natural resources department. He notes that Freeport is looking at several areas in Kalinga in Northern Luzon as potential sites.

The article reports on the plan of Chinese gold and copper mine operator Zijing Mining Group Co. to acquire fellow operator Indophil Resources for 545 million Australian dollars. The Australian mining operator at issue owns 34.23% of the Tampakan copper-gold mine located in the Philippines. The Indophil board as well as its largest shareholder Xstrata, have accepted the all-cash offer from the Chinese company. Indophil chairman Brian Phillips states that the Tampakan project stands to benefit from the acquisition.

The article reports on the decision of Newmont Mining Corp. to temporarily halt work at Batu Hijau copper mine, a copper and gold mine owned by its affiliate PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara (PTNNT) and located on the island of Sumbawa in Indonesia, due to a geotechnical failure in 2009. On September 18 and 19, the mine experienced a geotechnical failure in the west wall of the open-pit mine. In a company statement, it stated the mine's use of an advanced monitoring system to measure movement in its pit walls.

The article reports that exploration at the Tampakan copper and gold project of Xstrata in the Philippines will resume on September 9, 2008 following the blockade of an access road. According to Xstrata, illegal miners were responsible for the blockade. A spokeswoman said the company is still on track to finish the pre-feasibility study by the end of the ear. The problems encountered by the project are cited.

The article discusses prospecting by Canadian miners in Colombia. The author notes that Colombia is becoming known for its undeveloped deposits of coal, copper and gold. According to Colombia's minister of mines, Hernán Martinez Torres, violence is a big hurdle to attracting more mining investment.

The article discusses various developments related to mineral explorations. Topics discussed include Ivanhoe Mines' Kakula copper discovery in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a sign of exceptional continuity of the deposit's high-grade copper mineralization, plan of Gold Standard Ventures for expansion of 2017 exploration program on its Railroad-Pinion project and signing of a letter of intent by Mirasol Resources and OceanaGold to explore and develop Mirasol's La Curva gold project.

The article focuses on the mining industry of Panama as of 2013. It informs that the region is most undeveloped copper deposit worldwide and mining accounts for 1.5 percent of gross domestic product while Molejon mine produced 68,002 ounces of gold in 2012. It mentions that the Cobre Panama project, developed in partnership between government and private sectors, will help to improve mining industry in the country.

This section offers regional mining industry exploration news briefs as of April 2016. An updated estimate on the growth of mineral resource for the Deep Kerr gold-copper deposit at the KSM project of Seabridge Gold (SG) in British Columbia, Canada has been submitted. Encouraging intercepts has been reported by Oban Mining on its drilling program at the Windfall gold project in Quebec, Canada. An exploration and option agreement was signed by Mirasol Resources with Centro Vanguard S. A.

The article offers updates on the major New South Wales mining projects. Bloomfield Colliery project has involved extending open cut mining to recover up to 14 million tonnes of run-of-mine coal. The Cadia East Gold/Copper Mine project extends mining operations until 21 years by mining copper and gold ore in the new Cadia East underground mine. The Wambo Coal Mine project seeks approval for the construction and operation of a mine water storage dam.

The article reports that the South African gold mining company Gold Field Ltd. has announced its plans for a combined total of more than 600 million dollars in capital commitments in Peru and Venezuela. In Peru, the company is moving with the development of its 277 million dollar Cerro Corona gold-copper project where there is an expected production of about 2.3 million ounces of gold and 412,00 metric tons of copper over 15-year mine duration. Meanwhile in Venezuela, the company has agreed to the acquisition of the company Bolivar Gold Corp. and its Choco 10 open-pit gold mine for a 300 million dollar cash consideration.

This article reports that Goldcorp Inc.'s mineral reserves at its Alumbrera copper/gold mine in northwestern Argentina have increased by more than 10 percent and $15.5 million will be spent on an expansion of the concentrator at the mine. The expansion, which is projected to increase mill throughput by 8 percent to 40 million mt/y, is scheduled for commissioning in December 2006 and should result in an increase in production levels. The company said Alumbrera recently confirmed 40 million mt of additional reserves from its on-going ore delineation drilling program, undertaken both within the existing ore envelope and from extensions at depth, plus improvements in the ultimate pit slope design. This equates to an additional 500,000 oz of gold and 375 million lb of contained copper over the life of the mine, and is a further increase to the 80 million mt of reserves Alumbrera announced in June 2004. The mine plan has been re-optimized based on a new geological model with this additional mineralization.

The article discusses the report "Value creation in the mining sector: a long-term divergence between copper and gold producers" by research firm Wood Mackenzie. Topics discussed include announcement of Chinese central bank for an increase in gold reserves, comments from Ryan Cochrane of Wood Mackenzie, regarding cash flow margins of copper miners as compared to copper prices and dividend yield of copper mining.

The article offers Asia mining industry news briefs. Topics discussed include approval of a second-phase of development of the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold-silver mine in southern Mongolia by Mongolian government, the start-up of the Cheremoukhovskaya-Gloubokaya mine at Russian aluminum producer UC Rusal's North Urals bauxite mine complex in Severouralsk, Russia and approval of development of the Qopler sulphide project at Alacer Gold's Qopler gold mine in Erzincan province, eastern Turkey.