MINEX Forum

Month: February 2024

  • December auctions for exploration of solid minerals in Kazakhstan: newcomers crowd out sharks

    December auctions for exploration of solid minerals in Kazakhstan: newcomers crowd out sharks

    The Ministry of Industry and Construction (MIC) published on its website detailed results of the December auction for exploration blocks within the framework of licenses issued by the department for the exploration of solid minerals. An inbusiness.kz correspondent studied the results of most trades.

    Judging by the data presented, the greatest interest in terms of the size of the final subscription bonus was generated by the lot for two blocks, where Novus Trade won the auction. She offered a rather large sum of 619 million tenge for it, which was much more than the auction bid of the KazGeoExploration company of 562.8 million tenge.

    By the way, in addition, Novus Trade won an exploration license for one block for 67 million tenge and two more blocks for almost 9 million tenge. Moreover, it became the winner in a competitive tender with the participation of four companies for 1 block, setting the final price at 11.2 million tenge. In these auctions, Novus Trade managed to beat Kazakhmys, Phoenix Mining and AvantEx, which offered lower auction steps of almost 9 million tenge, 4.6 million tenge and a starting price of 966,000 tenge, respectively. That is, in fact, Novus Trade spent more than 700 million tenge on all blocks received during the auction.

    The second largest signing bonus for an exploration license for another lot was given by the company ES Mining Group – its quotation at the auction was stated in the amount of 422.8 million tenge, also for two blocks, which became the final size of the signature bonus.

    The third most prized lot is the bid of Rio Tinto Exploration Kazakhstan for 173.7 million tenge for 130 blocks. Apparently, they are determined to continue geological exploration in Kazakhstan, despite many years of presence in the country without any high-profile discoveries. Therefore, the Kazakh subsidiary of one of the largest mining and metallurgical corporations in the world bought another 68 blocks at an auction organized by the Ministry of Industry for almost 22 million tenge in a fight with Kratos Resources, which offered 17.6 million tenge for these subsoil use rights.

    In addition to Rio Tinto, the Australian company Fortesque, which previously returned licenses to the Ministry of Industry, continues to remain active in geological exploration in Kazakhstan. Its Kazakh subsidiary, Kazakhstan Fortescue, won two lots during the auction: one for 17 blocks for 100.5 million tenge, and the other for 28 blocks for a starting subscription bonus of 966 thousand tenge.

    Based on the results of the auction, one can also note the activity of Kazakhmys, which won 11 of the more than 40 lots on offer for a total amount of more than 55 million tenge for 37 exploration blocks, which probably indicates a high readiness for big discoveries on the part of the team’s geologists Kazakhmys Barlau, which was created in 2018.

    Also on the list of winners of the subsoil use rights tender are companies with little-known names that received licenses for a lot of money. So, for example, Golden Mouse Mining acquired the rights to 5 exploration blocks at an auction for 173.7 million tenge. Another subsoil user called Lakeside Minerals Limited paid 100.5 million tenge for 13 blocks – judging by the contact information, it is associated with the Aurora Minerals company, and the widely unknown Ali-Nur Zhane Company supplied 144.8 million tenge for 2 blocks. I am glad that investors value Kazakhstan’s mineral resources, which belong to the people, and give a good price to the treasury for them.

    Let us recall that at the end of last year the Ministry of Industry reported that on December 20 an electronic auction was held for the right to explore solid minerals in 45 subsoil areas. As a result of the auction, signature bonuses amounting to 2.5 billion tenge were collected. Among the auction participants were such large companies as Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Kratos Resources, Cove Capital, Eczacibasi Holding, Kazakhmys, ERG Exploration and Kazgeology, the industry department specified.

  • Portuguese prosecutors seek to annul environment permit for Savannah lithium mine

    Portuguese prosecutors seek to annul environment permit for Savannah lithium mine

    Portuguese prosecutors have asked a judge to annul an environment permit for a lithium mining project being developed by London-based Savannah Resources, alleging various legal infringements, a court document seen by Reuters showed.

    The document, filed by the Prosecutor’s Office in December and seen by Reuters on Thursday, upheld a lawsuit filed by a municipality in northern Portugal that sought to block Savannah from developing what could become western Europe’s largest lithium mine.

    Last year Portugal’s environmental agency APA gave environmental approval, conditional on some remedies, for Savannah Resources to develop a mine in Boticas, in the Barroso region of northern Portugal, a world heritage site for agriculture since 2018.

    The Prosecutor’s Office requested that the Administrative Court of Mirandela in northern Portugal annul the environmental approval of the Boticas mine as it “suffers from the defect of violating the law”, citing risks “known” to APA that the mine could endanger the heritage site and Portugal’s international commitments.

    It also said that APA had failed to correctly assess mining waste management needs or water contamination risks, and did not consider the real joint impact from the Savannah mine and another mine being developed by Portuguese mining company Lusorecursos to extract battery-grade lithium in Montalegre, northern Portugal, despite their proximity and large scale.

    APA did not reply to a Reuters request for comment.

    Savannah said it was “ready to address the concerns” of the prosecutors and cited advice from its lawyers “that the lawsuit is without foundation” and does not impact the project’s activities.

    The Savannah mine was part of a wider probe last year by Portuguese prosecutors into alleged illegalities in lithium and “green” hydrogen deals.

    The probe led to the resignation in November of then Prime Minister Antonio Costa after prosecutors detained his chief of staff and named APA head Nuno Lacasta as a formal suspect in alleged illegalities. Costa and Lacasta have denied any wrongdoing.

    Savannah said in January that after a full legal assessment which included due diligence by independent experts of relevant accounts, facts and documents, “Savannah can confidently reaffirm its solid legal standing.”

    With more than 60,000 tonnes of known lithium reserves, Portugal has been seen as central to Europe’s efforts to secure more of the battery value chain and cut reliance on imports.

    Catarina Alves Scarrott, a campaigner against mining in Barroso, viewed the prosecutors’ move as a victory, but said there was no timing yet for a court decision.

  • «Казцинк» стал производить больше золота

    «Казцинк» стал производить больше золота

    Компания «Казцинк» активно увеличивает добычу и производство золота. По итогам 2023 года казахстанское предприятие выдало около 35 т (1,124 млн унций) драгоценного металла. Такую информацию сообщает inbusiness.kz, ссылаясь на данные ключевого акционера компании — трейдера Glencore.

    В 2023 году «Казцинк» произвёл 18,6 т (598 тыс. унций) золота из сырья, добытого на своих месторождениях, что на 1,6 т (52 тыс. унций) больше, чем в 2022-м. Это связано с тем, что в позапрошлом году для выполнения плана закупали сырьё других компаний, а значительную часть своих объёмов переработали уже в 2023-м. Если брать в расчёт чужое сырьё, рост производства составил 23% — почти 35 т драгоценного металла против 28,4 т в 2022-м.

    Такой быстрый темп работы отчасти обусловлен истощением некогда крупнейшего в стране месторождения. Напомним: основные запасы Васильковского уже отработаны, поэтому к 2026 году производство свернут. До этого добывать руду будут преимущественно в открытых горных карьерах. После закрытия рудника «Казцинк», вероятно, значительно снизит производство золота.

  • Kazzinc began to produce more gold

    Kazzinc began to produce more gold

    The Kazzinc company is actively increasing its gold mining and production. At the end of 2023, the Kazakh enterprise produced about 35 tons (1.124 million ounces) of the precious metal. This information is reported by i nbusiness.kz , citing data from the company’s key shareholder, trader Glencore.

    In 2023, Kazzinc produced 18.6 tons (598 thousand ounces) of gold from raw materials mined at its deposits, which is 1.6 tons (52 thousand ounces) more than in 2022. This is due to the fact that the year before last, to fulfill the plan, they purchased raw materials from other companies, and processed a significant part of their volumes already in 2023. If we take into account foreign raw materials, production growth was 23% – almost 35 tons of precious metal versus 28.4 tons in 2022. 

    This rapid pace of work is partly due to the depletion of what was once the country’s largest deposit. Let us remind you : the main reserves of Vasilkovsky have already been used up, so by 2026 production will be curtailed. Until then, ore will be mined primarily in open-pit mines. Following the closure of the mine, Kazzinc is likely to significantly reduce gold production. 

  • Aberpergwm: Eco campaigners appeal in bid to stop coal mine

    Aberpergwm: Eco campaigners appeal in bid to stop coal mine

    A further 42 million tonnes of coal is to be dug up at Aberpergwm mine, near Glynneath, in Neath Port Talbot.

    Climate campaigners lost a legal challenge over the site’s future last year but were granted an appeal.

    Welsh government lawyers argued they had no authority over how the mine’s plans were approved.

    Aberpergwm mine’s licence dates to the 1990s, but was altered in 2013 to expand the maximum area that could be mined in future, subject to conditions.

    In 2020, operator Energybuild applied to the UK Coal Authority to dig part of this wider area.

    The authority decided the company met the conditions and said it had a “legal duty” to allow the work.

    Powers over coal mining operations had been handed from Westminster to Cardiff Bay as part of the Wales Act 2017.

    At Cardiff Justice Centre, Coal Action Network’s lawyers argued this meant ministers could have stepped in to stop extra mining at Aberpergwm.

    The environmental campaigners, who had gathered in front of the court with banners and placards calling for an end to UK coal mining, said it was their “last stand”.

    They urged the Welsh government to “put its climate policies into action”.

    Inside, legal arguments focused on when authorisation for the mine’s expansion came into existence.

    Questions were asked over whether what was proposed constituted a new mine application.

    “Coal operations have never existed and no coal has been taken from the seams in that extended area,” argued Estelle Dehon KC for the campaigners.

    Gregory Jones KC, for the Welsh government, said the Coal Authority could not have “gone back” on the licence, which was authorised before Welsh ministers had any influence.

    “The licence has already been granted, and there’s a package of authorisations and conditions within it,” he said.

    Aberpergwm mine employs 184 people, including 20 apprentices.

    Following the hearing, the Court of Appeal will issue a judgement, which could take several months.

  • К 2029 году добычу ПИ в Казахстане хотят нарастить на 40%

    К 2029 году добычу ПИ в Казахстане хотят нарастить на 40%

    Перед отраслью добычи металлов и прочих полезных ископаемых поставили задачу показать 40%-ный прирост к концу десятилетия. Национальный план развития Казахстана, расписанный до 2029 года, опубликовали на портале «Открытые нормативно-правовые акты».

    Среди проблем, которые мешают развитию горнодобывающей промышленности, в документе отмечены такие, как истощение минерально-сырьевой базы, высокая энергоёмкость отрасли при вероятном дефиците энергии (ведёт к снижению конкурентоспособности продукции), рост стоимости труда и пр.

    Несмотря на значительные залежи ископаемых, в республике мало месторождений, готовых к освоению. Власти опасаются, что в ближайшие 10–20 лет существенно снизится добыча основных экспортных металлов: меди, хрома и железа. Кроме того, в плане отмечено, что РК не реализует своего потенциала по производству никеля, кобальта, лития, а также других редких и редкоземельных металлов.

    В первую очередь в Казахстане хотят решить проблему низкой активности геологоразведки. К 2029 году геолого-геофизическую изученность территории собираются увеличить с 1,9 до 2,3 млн, а коэффициент восполняемости запасов по критически важным металлам — до 20–50%.

    Стимулировать компании предлагают за счёт софинансирования, освобождения от уплаты НДС, амортизации 25% расходов на геолого-разведочные работы по ТПИ (практика действует для разведки углеводородов) и других финансовых инструментов поддержки.

    Помимо этого, в стране хотят создать инфраструктуру для хранения и обработки геоматериалов, в частности — построить фондохранилище и кернохранилища на базе геологического кластера в столице и других регионах страны.

    Национальный план развития также берёт на особый контроль вопрос освоения техногенных минеральных образований. Чтобы нарастить извлечение полезных компонентов из промышленных отходов, для инвесторов могут пересмотреть налоговую ставку.

  • By 2029, Kazakhstan plans to increase mineral resources production by 40%

    By 2029, Kazakhstan plans to increase mineral resources production by 40%

    The metals and other minerals mining industry has been tasked with achieving 40% growth by the end of the decade. The National Development Plan of Kazakhstan, scheduled until 2029, was published on the portal “Open Regulatory Legal Acts” .

    Among the problems that hinder the development of the mining industry, the document notes such as the depletion of the mineral resource base, the high energy intensity of the industry with a probable energy shortage (leading to a decrease in the competitiveness of products), rising labor costs, etc.

    Despite significant mineral deposits, there are few deposits in the republic that are ready for development. The authorities fear that in the next 10–20 years the production of the main export metals: copper, chromium and iron will decrease significantly. In addition, the plan notes that the Republic of Kazakhstan is not realizing its potential for the production of nickel, cobalt, lithium, as well as other rare and rare earth metals.

    First of all, Kazakhstan wants to solve the problem of low geological exploration activity. By 2029, the geological and geophysical exploration of the territory is expected to increase from 1.9 to 2.3 million, and the reserve replenishment rate for critical metals is expected to increase to 20–50%.

    It is proposed to stimulate companies through co-financing, exemption from VAT, depreciation of 25% of expenses for geological exploration work for solid mineral deposits (the practice is valid for hydrocarbon exploration) and other financial support instruments.

    In addition, the country wants to create an infrastructure for storing and processing geomaterials, in particular, to build a storage facility and core storage facilities on the basis of a geological cluster in the capital and other regions of the country.

    The National Development Plan also takes special control over the development of technogenic mineral formations . In order to increase the extraction of useful components from industrial waste, the tax rate for investors may be revised.

  • В 2025 году на шахте Абайской запустят две угольные лавы

    В 2025 году на шахте Абайской запустят две угольные лавы

    Компания Qarmet планирует открыть две лавы на шахте Абайской. Так предприятие хочет частично удовлетворить свои потребности в угле, сообщает пресс-служба акимата Карагандинской области. Общие запасы сырья на этих объектах составляют 1,25 млн т.

    На данный момент шахтёры добывают коксовый уголь. Была также возобновлена проходка, сообщает директор Абайской Андрей Сосунов. Лаву 321к12 планируют открыть в начале 2025 года, а запуск второй, с меньшими запасами, намечен на конец следующего года. Объёмы сырья в горных выработках составляют 650 тыс. и 600 тыс. т соответственно.

    Возобновление угледобычи — одна из приоритетных задач Qarmet. По словам гендиректора компании Вадима Басина, содержание неработающих объектов убыточно для предприятия. Когда угля не хватает, приходится покупать его у других предприятий. Это невыгодно и для шахтёров: они не могут получить бонусы за выработку, поскольку интенсивность работ оставляет желать лучшего. Важно учитывать, что предприятие крупное и в коллективе шахтёров насчитывается более 750 человек.

    Президент РК Касым-Жомарт Токаев дал руководству Qarmet пять лет на полное восстановление комбината. По мнению президента, этого времени достаточно, чтобы вернуть тому статус одного из лидеров металлургии в Центральной Азии.

  • In 2025, two coal faces will be launched at the Abayskaya mine

    In 2025, two coal faces will be launched at the Abayskaya mine

    The Qarmet company plans to open two longwalls at the Abayskaya mine. This is how the enterprise wants to partially satisfy its needs for coal, reports the press service of the akimat of the Karaganda region. The total reserves of raw materials at these facilities amount to 1.25 million tons.

    At the moment, miners are extracting coking coal. Drilling was also resumed, says Abayskaya director Andrey Sosunov. Longwall 321k12 is planned to open in early 2025, and the launch of the second one, with smaller reserves, is scheduled for the end of next year. The volumes of raw materials in the mine workings are 650 thousand and 600 thousand tons, respectively.

    Resuming coal mining is one of Qarmet’s priorities. According to the general director of the company, Vadim Basin, maintaining idle facilities is unprofitable for the enterprise. When there is not enough coal, you have to buy it from other enterprises. This is also unprofitable for miners: they cannot receive bonuses for production, since the intensity of work leaves much to be desired. It is important to take into account that the enterprise is large and there are more than 750 people in the miners’ team.

    President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev gave the management of Qarmet five years to completely restore the plant. According to the president, this time is enough to return him to the status of one of the leaders in metallurgy in Central Asia.

  • Черный снег в Сатпаеве связывают с газами котельной «Казахмыс Distribution»

    Черный снег в Сатпаеве связывают с газами котельной «Казахмыс Distribution»

    Черный снег в Сатпаеве связывают с газами котельной ТОО «Казахмыс Distribution», передает корреспондент агентства.

    «31 января 2024 года в послеобеденный период практически все жители города Сатпаев стали свидетелями выпадения «черного снега». Установлено, что выпадение «черного снега» в следствии загрязнения воздуха отходящими газами котельной ТОО «Казахмыс Distribution», – ответили редакции КазТАГ в департаменте экологии по области Улытау в субботу.

    По сути, как говорят в департаменте, на Сатпаев выпала несгоревшая угольная пыль.

    Специалисты заявили, что направление ветра способствовало выпадению «черных» осадков. Экологи говорят, что все котельное оборудование «Казахмыс Distribution» морально устарело и наблюдалась некорректная работа очистных сооружений, установлен ряд нарушений по разгерметизации оборудования. К тому же «котельная спроектирована на потребление высокозольного угля и замена на малозолистый уголь технически невозможен».

    Компания уже неоднократно привлекалась к административным мерам наказания и ей выдавались предписания.

    «По ТОО «Казахмыс Distribution» программа перехода на газ оказалась неисполнимой из-за нехватки в республики газа в ряде регионов. Соответственно, департаментом поставлена задача – пересмотреть в 10-ти дневный рабочий срок и заменить на мероприятия по снижению выбросов за счет внедрения дополнительных систем очистки или принятия технических решений по реальному снижению выбросов как по газам, так и по твердым веществам», – заключили в департаменте.

    В феврале специалисты обещают проверить котельную.