Party like it's 2008On Thursday, base metals rebounded from financial crisis levels hit earlier this week on speculation of output cuts in China, hopes a new program of stockpiling by the state and a possible probe by Beijing into short-selling by Chinese hedge funds.In New York trade on Thursday copper for delivery in March gained more than 2% to $2.09 per pound. On Monday the red metal hit i...Read More
Rio Tinto's (LON:RIO) decision on its long-delayed expansion of the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in Mongolia is likely to be affected by the current slump of the metal, which hit a fresh six-year low this week.The world's-second biggest miner, which began production from an open pit of Oyu Tolgoi over two years ago, has not finished lining up financing for the $5 billion expansion, Reuters rep...Read More
The depth of a bull market speaks to the size of the recovery and Rick believes that this bear market could be one for the history books. But when will the bear end?The depth of a bull market speaks to the size of the recovery and Rick believes that this bear market could be one for the history books. But when will the bear end?Watch Interview with Rick RuleTalking points from this week's intervie...Read More
It's hard to find an analysis of the mining and minerals sector that offers even a glimpse of a brighter future.A new report by consultants McKinsey & Company takes a fresh look at the industry and finds much of today's doom and gloom is misplaced.The study suggests that the steadily deteriorating quality of accessible resources combined with the current cuts in new mine investment, will likely sq...Read More
Anglo American sold the Mantos Blancos copper mine in Chile (pictured) earlier this year.Shares in Anglo American (LON:AAL), the second-worst performer in the FTSE 100 after Glencore this year, plummeted Wednesday, after HSBC downgraded it to 'reduce' from 'hold' and highlighted the miner's precarious cash flow situation may force it to cancel its dividend.The diversified miner's stock closed down...Read More
El Morro and Relincho projects are located approximately 40 km apart in Chile's Atacama region. (Image from archives)Canadian mining giants Goldcorp (TSX:G), (NYSE:GG) and Teck Resources (TSX:TCK.A & TCK.B) (NYSE:TCK) have finished combining their respective El Morro and Relincho projects in Chile.The projects, located approximately 40 kilometres apart in Chile's copper-rich Atacama region, are...Read More
Study shows copper price fall matches previous down-cycles going back to 1975, but expect a long painful slog before a sustained recoveryIt's been a brutal November for copper which despite a nice bump on Tuesday is down more than 10% during the month.In New York on Tuesday copper gained 2.5% to $2.06 a pound after coming dangerously close to dropping through $2.00 on Monday, the lowest since Mar...Read More
Illegal mine in Colombia's Choco province. (Image from archives)A sudden boom in illegal gold mining in Colombia is fuelling human trafficking and forced labour in and around mines loosely connected to paramilitary groups, drug traffickers and leftist guerrillas, according to Aljazeera.In an in-depth report, the news outlet reveals that small-scale miners are being forced out at gunpoint or extort...Read More
Chile's Escondida, the world's largest copper-producing mine. (Image courtesy of BHP Billiton)More than 18,600 km from Beijing, in copper-rich northern Chile, beleaguered miners are barely coping with the impact of China's economic slowdown.The situation is worse than many think, according to the country's mining industry group Consejo Regional Minero de Coquimbo (Corminco), which represents some...Read More
What percent of Canada's minerals are produced in Manitoba? How much mineral potential does the province have?Learn about this, as well as mining's contributions to Manitoba in wealth and safety.Courtesy of: Visual CapitalistPresented by: Mining Association of ManitobaMining in Manitoba had humble beginnings. Settlers of the province needed non-metallic raw materials, and began to extract salt fro...Read More
Large scale futures investors like hedge funds or so-called managed money have entered an unprecedented bearish position towards commodities markets.According to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's weekly Commitment of Traders data, five weeks of selling has seen 13 of the 24 commodities tracked pushed into net short positions.Those include the major commodities like crude oil, gasoline, go...Read More
The expansion of the definition of indigenous communities' benefited Quechua-speaking highland groups.A recent decision by Peru's government to require mining companies to carry out prior consultation with indigenous communities is set to further complicate the investment climate at a time when the sector is struggling as a result of low prices and a slowdown in investment. On 12 November, Deputy...Read More
Immersive Technologies has been providing analytics and reporting to identify operator training needs tied directly to Los Bronces site objectives. This in turn provided focus for simulator based training activities which precisely targeted and closed performance gaps. The site has had early reports of 25% reduction in body up ground speeds, 60% reduction in overspeeds and 62% reduction in service...Read More
After five trying years, RAB Capital Founder and President Philip Richards sees the light at the end of the tunnel. In this interview with The Gold Report, he argues that a continued zero-interest-rate policy from the Fed will be good for gold and silver, while continued quantitative easing will be good for base metals. Many fine mining companies now trade at deep discounts relative to their NPVs,...Read More
Doctor copper, can no longer be viewed as a leading indicator, in fact, a name change might be in order. A change of name from Dr Copper to deadbeat copper might in order, given its dismal record over the years. After the financial crisis of 2008-2009, the economy, the stock markets and copper parted ways; while the markets and the economy trended higher, copper plunged into an abyss, and it is...Read More
Aerial view of the Batu Hijau copper and gold mine.Newmont Mining Corp (NYSE:NEM) were barred from exporting copper and gold concentrate from its operations in Indonesia in September, but the company is now free to resume exports again.The export licence forDenver-based Newmont's local unit, PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara, was suspended because the company failed to meet government stipulations for d...Read More
Image from archives.While commodities are mired in the worst slump in a generation and all the market wants to hear is that the worst is already over, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) warns prices may fall even further.Unless demand picks up or more miners cut output, prices for raw materials are set to stay low for years, or worse, continue to drop, it said in a note on Thursday, FT.com reports (subs. req...Read More
Brazil's Vale (NYSE:VALE) on Thursday announced it will shutter its nickel smelting and refining operations in Canada's Manitoba province in 2018.The operations were originally set to end this year, but the government stepped in to extend work for at least another three years reports Reuters.Mining and milling at the Thompson mine will continue and the Rio de Janeiro-based company said it will fin...Read More
Chart by Preqin.Year to date the mining sector has raised a miserable $400 million down from a high of $4.6 billion just three year ago, according to data compiled by Preqin released today.The research firm looked at private equity-style funds targeting assets in energy (including oil and gas); agriculture and farmland; metals and mining; and timberland and water.The decline in mine financing fro...Read More
The once obscure Baltic Dry Shipping Index came to prominence at the start of the Chinese-led commodity supercycle around a decade ago.The London-based Baltic Exchange tracks the cost of moving commodities along more than 50 routes around the world.With China's emergence as the dominant trading economy in the world the index became one of the go-to barometers.China now controls the global trade in...Read More