South Asiab s main sources of polluting particulate matter identified
Vedanta in advanced stage of deal with Zambia over copper mine
Savannah Resources raises $8m for Portugal lithium project
Ministry to come up with SOP to curb illegal mining
Exclusive: New Mali mining law could boost state, local interest in projects to 35%
AMAK set to explore 78 sq. km of land after obtaining new license
Boats burned in illegal gold mining raid: Bolivia govt
Families in the DRC increasingly rely on children working in cobalt mines b report
Iron ore price climbs on stimulus bets, low stock
South Asiab s main sources of polluting particulate matter identified
Satellite image of the atmospheric pollution across South Asia. (Image by Martin lab, Washington University in St. Louis).
Primary organics b organic particles emitted directly into the atmosphere from various sources b have been identified as the main drivers of high concentrations of PM2.5 over South Asia.
PM2.5 refers to fine particulate matter that is 2.5 micrometres or smaller and that is produced by coal power generation, wood burning, motor vehicles and other combustion sources. Exposure to these particles is a leading mortality risk factor in India and the surrounding region of South Asia.
In a new study, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis evaluated the contribution of various emission sectors and fuels to PM2.5 mass for 29 states in India and six surrounding countries: Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar.
They showed that over 1 million deaths in South Asia attributable to ambient PM2.5 in 2019 were primarily from residential combustion, industry and power generation. Solid biofuel is the leading fuel contributing to PM2.5-attributable mortality, followed by coal and oil and gas.
b Understanding the major contributing sources is a critical first step towards the management of this serious problem,b study co-author Michael Brauer said in a media statement.
Vedanta in advanced stage of deal with Zambia over copper mine
Vedanta Resources, owned by Indian billionaire Anil Agarwal, said it has reached an b advanced stageb of executing agreements with the Zambian government over Konkola Copper Mines Plc assets that have been in provisional liquidation for about four years.
Konkola Mine
b Vedanta is alive to the fact that the talks have taken a little longer than initially anticipated,b it said in a statement on Sunday. b The company is firmly committed to the process.b
The Zambian government placed Konkola, of which Vedanta owns 79.4%, into provisional liquidation in 2019, and since then has been locked in legal battles with the company over the asset. The dispute has caused output to plunge.
Vedanta has pledged to invest $1 billion in the assets to double annual integrated production to 100,000 tons of copper, with the potential to 200,000 tons in the medium term.
Separately, Konkola struck a deal with Copperbelt Energy Corp., a Zambian power supplier, over a debt the mining company owed it. The agreement will see KCM paying the company $20 million in installments.
Thereb s one matter left to agree on before reaching a deal with Vedanta, Zambian Mines Minister Paul Kabuswe told reporters on Friday, without saying what it was. b We are counting days, itb s no longer months,b he said in Lusaka, the capital.
Savannah Resources raises $8m for Portugal lithium project
Savannah Resources (AIM: SAV) said on Friday it had raised B#6.1 million ($8m) through equity, which allows it to move forward with its Barroso project in Portugal, slated to be western Europeb s largest lithium mine.
The company fetched B#2.4 million ($2.7m) through the placing of 51.2 million shares at 4.67 pence each, alongside B#3.7 million ($4.2) through the subscription of 79.2 million shares at the same price.
Chief executive Dale Ferguson said Savannah Resources will now have the monetary reserves available to complete the DFS drilling program, the mineral resource estimate upgrade and other work, including processing plant and infrastructure design.
Savannah Resources is also progressing on the permits front. It received in May the environmental impact assessment (EIA) from the Portuguese government, which the company had hoped to secure last year, but it got caught up in red tape.
The company acquired a 75% interest in the lithium project in May 2017, maintaining a fast paced development approach since. Januaryb s 2022 parliamentary election in Portugal, chairman Matthew King recently said, impacted the timing of the assessment as meetings with government officials were postponed.
Barroso is expected to help Europe reduce its dependence on fossil fuels and speed up its green energy transition.
Ministry to come up with SOP to curb illegal mining
PUTRAJAYA: The Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change (NRECC) is developing a standard operating procedure (SOP) related to rare earth elements (REE) to ensure REE mining activities are carried out sustainably and to curb illegal mining activities.
Its Minister, Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad said the decision to develop the SOP was made during a National Mineral Council Meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Fadillah Yusof last May.
b We donb t want REE to be exported in a raw state and not get added value from it. This is because REE is in high demand worldwide, especially with the energy transition and so on,b he told a press conference on the Green Electricity Tariff (GET) here Friday.
He said this in response to the success of the Kedah police in uncovering human trafficking activities, as well as the theft of REE in Bukit Enggang, Sik, Kedah.
It was reported that nine individuals, comprising four Myanmar nationals and five locals were arrested last month, and various equipment suspected to be used for manual REE mining and four sacks containing REE weighing 99 kilogrammes were seized.
In another development, Nik Nazmi said the Ministry will meet the relevant parties soon to resolve the declining water level of Sungai Muda in Kedah.
b We will look into the matter in a more holistic way,b he said, adding that the National Water Service Commission (Span) is also conducting an investigation into the matter.
Last July 10, Span Chairman Charles Santiago was reported to have said that a failure in the automation system which caused the gates of barrage number 14 to open up to 47 percent, was found to be one of the causes of the sudden drop in the water level of Sungai Muda from 1.8 meters to 0.67 meters within 11 hours.
Exclusive: New Mali mining law could boost state, local interest in projects to 35%
NAIROBI, July 14 (Reuters) b Malib s military-led government is in talks with gold miners over proposed changes to its mining law that could see it boost state and private Malian interests in new projects to 35%, from up to 20% today, according to a draft of the new code seen by Reuters.
The government announced the review of the mining code in January after it said an internal audit had shown that Mali, one of Africab s biggest gold producers, was not receiving a fair share of profits while granting too many tax breaks.
The draft, dated June 17 and verified by three sources close to the talks, shows the government aims to take a direct 10% stake in mining projects once a permit has been issued, entitling it to 10% of dividend payments.
It would give the state the option to buy an additional 20% within the first two years of commercial production, possibly through a newly created state mining entity.
International investors would have to cede a 5% stake to locals, the document said.
AMAK set to explore 78 sq. km of land after obtaining new license
RIYADH: A new gold exploration study in Najran province is underway as Al-Masane Al-Kobra Mining Co., also known as AMAK, received a license from the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.
According to a bourse filing by AMAK, the company has been awarded a gold exploration license for an expansive area of 78.07 sq. km in Najran province, located in southern Saudi Arabia.
The license will remain valid until May 19, 2028. This grants AMAK a substantial timeframe to conduct the necessary exploratory studies to ensure the availability of the required raw materials.
The filing states that the financial impact of the issuance will become apparent once the studies and exploratory work are completed. It also notes that the company plans to announce any material developments regarding the license in a timely manner.
In January, AMAK secured a gold exploration license in the Asir region for an area that covers 34 sq. km, the company said in a Tadawul statement.
The mining sector in Saudi Arabia plays a vital role in the Kingdomb s economic diversification initiatives.
According to a recent report by the Payne Institute for Public Policy at the Colorado School of Mines in the US, Saudi Arabia is positioned to emerge as a global leader in the mining sector due to its positive investment environment.
In January, the Kingdom hosted the second edition of the Future Minerals Forum, a significant event where industry experts gathered to discuss the future of its mining sector.
Boats burned in illegal gold mining raid: Bolivia govt
STORY: Footage released by the Bolivian government showed the moment officers stormed a dredger boat with miners and workers on it. The boats were then set alight to be destroyed.
Authorities said the police and army conducted a six-day operation that ended on Friday with the arrest of 57 suspects for participating in alleged illegal gold mining activities and the seizure of 27 dredger boats.
In response, some miners and local residents staged a protest on Saturday (July 15), claiming to operate lawfully.
The operation took place after indigenous communities reported growing illegal mining in the Beni region, local media reported.
Families in the DRC increasingly rely on children working in cobalt mines b report
Families in the southern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have become dependent on the income produced by their children working in cobalt mines, a new report by Canadian NGO IMPACT Transforming Natural Resources Management states.
The DRC is known for its cobalt mining b about 70% of the worldb s cobalt is mined there and between 15-30% of the metal comes from informal, or artisanal mines. The trade has been previously linked to violence, substance abuse and food-water insecurity.
According to IMPACTb s document, women tend to turn to artisanal cobalt mining because is the highest-earning job in the region, it provides between $2.15 and $8.60 per day in cash, and it requires no investment, little training, or skill. However, inequality prevails at mine sites and women tend to take on the lowest-paid roles such as washing ore. They are also more likely to be cheated on price when selling their minerals or even prevented from accessing some mine sites under the stigmatic belief that their presence would bring poor fortune.
Within this context, the cost of living is rising, with the estimated living wage in the area reaching $15.78 per day. Consequently, families are struggling to make ends meet and bring enough food to the table. Thus, children are encouraged to step in.
b Children work when families get desperate, leading to a reliance on income from child labour to cover basic needs like food, clothing, or school fees,b the dossier reads. b Women understand children are not allowed to work in mine sites but see no other alternatives for their survival. Children circumvent bans on child labour by moving between mine sites, adjusting the hours they work, and paying informal b access feesb .b
Iron ore prices extended gains on Friday, underpinned by rising hopes of stimulus measures in China after weaker export data and lower inventories at both mills and ports. According to Fastmarkets MB, benchmark 62% Fe fines imported into Northern China were changing hands for $116.52 a tonne Friday morning, up 4.25%.
