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5 February 2012
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LAST WEEK'S STORIES

 Friday, 3 February 2012

Industry, MSHA both helping safety improve: Main


US MINE Safety and Health Administration assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health Joseph Main said Thursday that while there was a significant increase in overall miner safety thanks to the efforts of operators and government alike, there was still much work to be done. Donna Caudill reports from the West Virginia Coal Association symposium in West Virginia.
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QMI weighs in to drug debate


THE controversial use of a popular workout supplement that was banned at a Bowen Basin coal mine has prompted Queensland regulators to stress the importance of managing fatigue while on duty.
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WV safety overhaul


TIGHTER coal mine safety laws are on the cards in West Virginia as policy makers respond to some of the factors behind the Upper Big Branch mine disaster in 2010.
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Xstrata, Glencore in marriage talks


XSTRATA’S largest shareholder, commodities trader Glencore International, is seeking to merge with the mining giant to create a $A77 billion colossus that would rival the likes of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.
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Patriot puts Big Mountain on hold


PATRIOT Coal has not remained immune from depressed market conditions and weakened demand for thermal coal, announcing it has decided to idle its Big Mountain coal mine in the Boone County, West Virginia.
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Hogsback and the problem with railways in Australia


IF A few billion dollars were not involved Hogsback could be excused for imagining two of Australia’s top mining entrepreneurs suffered the same childhood frustration of not being allowed to own a toy train set.
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Foresight to go to IPO


BILLIONAIRE investor Christopher Cline’s Foresight Energy has filed with US regulators its plan to raise up to $US100 million in an initial public offering.
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NuCoal suffers from ICAC fallout


THE New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings into the granting of the exploration permit for the Doyles Creek project to its former owners is damaging NuCoal Resource’s reputation, according to NuCoal.
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New Horizon plans BFS


UTAH explorer New Horizon Coal has firmed up the numbers for its Kinney thermal coal project and says work will start soon on a bankable feasibility study for a 2 million tonne per annum operation.
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Rinehart tops rich list


MINING magnate Gina Rinehart has headed Forbes magazine’s latest Australian rich list, also taking the title of the Asia-Pacific region’s richest woman.
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Xstrata, Glencore in marriage talks


XSTRATA’S largest shareholder, commodities trader Glencore International, is seeking to merge with the mining giant to create a $A77 billion colossus that would rival the likes of BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.
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Xanadu courting coal interest


SHARES in Mongolia-focused explorer Xanadu Mines have jumped after the company said it was looking to sell its thermal coal assets in order to focus on its copper-gold projects and coking coal joint venture with Hong Kong’s Noble Group.
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Ulan faces music today on greenhouse gas offsets


THE future of greenhouse gas liabilities by New South Wales coal mines could hinge on the conditions laid down by the Land and Environment Court today over a provisional ruling that found that Xstrata’s Ulan mine would have to pay offsets if it wanted to double production.
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ZYL fields more interest in SA tenement


EMERGING anthracite producer ZYL has received six expressions of interest for offtake from its Mbila coal project in South Africa, representing the chance to produce more than 600,000 tonnes per annum of coal.
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Finns fly in


WHY has a Finnish delegation come to Australia to enquire about mining technology, given their fine pedigree in this area? Supply Side’s Noel Dyson endeavours to find out.
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Gas detector recall


PENNSYLVANIA-based Industrial Scientific Corporation has recalled a range of its portable gas detector GasBadge Plus products due to battery issues which can cause the units to unexpectedly shut down.
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Hogsback and the problem with railways in Australia


IF A few billion dollars were not involved Hogsback could be excused for imagining two of Australia’s top mining entrepreneurs suffered the same childhood frustration of not being allowed to own a toy train set.
Full Story...



County promises more bounty


US-FOCUSED, Australia-listed developer County Coal says its investors can look forward to an exciting quarter ahead as it gears up to export thermal coal from its projects in Wyoming within five years.
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QMI weighs in to drug debate


THE controversial use of a popular workout supplement that was banned at a Bowen Basin coal mine has prompted Queensland regulators to stress the importance of managing fatigue while on duty.
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Blackham eyes Esperance port


BLACKHAM Resources says it is still in discussions with Esperance port regarding the export of 8 million tonnes per annum of coal from its 70%-owned Scaddan coal project.
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US stocks soar


COAL companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange closed in the green today. Arch Coal jumped US78c to close at $15.49 and James River Coal managed a 56c gain.
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Kangaroo steps up work at Mamahak


INDONESIAN coal producer Kangaroo Resources has kicked off work at its Mamahak coking coal project, designed to ramp up the mine’s production to one million tonnes per annum.
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TSX climbs


STOCKS on the Toronto Stock Exchange managed small gains. Grande Cache Coal posted a C7c gain while Teck Resources was the biggest mover, jumping 15c.
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Imminent danger order for Peabody’s Francisco


PEABODY Energy’s Francisco complex in Indiana – a three-time winner of the company’s safest mine award – has received an imminent danger order from federal regulators for a noncompliance with lock-out/tag-out procedures.
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 Thursday, 2 February 2012

MSHA picking on the bad guys: Stricklin


WHILE much work still remains, the US Mine Safety and Health Administration is touting a notable reduction in the number of accidents at coal operations in its largest districts – a reflection, according to one official, of improving mine safety across the US. Donna Caudill reports from the West Virginia Coal Association symposium in West Virginia.
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World-first mobile gas lab unveiled in Qld


QUEENSLAND researchers have developed a mobile mine gas laboratory that can be rapidly deployed in the event of a coal mine emergency on the scale of the Pike River disaster.
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Imminent danger order for Peabody’s Francisco


PEABODY Energy’s Francisco complex in Indiana – a three-time winner of the company’s safest mine award – has received an imminent danger order from federal regulators for a noncompliance with lock-out/tag-out procedures.
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Longwall deployment delays for Gujarat


GUJARAT NRE Coking Coal has had to push back the commencement of longwall production at its NRE No. 1 colliery in New South Wales after encountering problems sourcing some longwall moving equipment.
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Gas detector recall


PENNSYLVANIA-based Industrial Scientific Corporation has recalled a range of its portable gas detector GasBadge Plus products due to battery issues which can cause the units to unexpectedly shut down.
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Newlands, Mangoola are Xstrata’s 2011 heroes


XSTRATA Coal’s Newlands Northern and Mangoola mines were the star performers in the company’s Australian stable, compensating for lost production at the Blakefield South and Ulan mines in New South Wales.
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County promises more bounty


US-FOCUSED, Australia-listed developer County Coal says its investors can look forward to an exciting quarter ahead as it gears up to export thermal coal from its projects in Wyoming within five years.
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Port Kembla hit with strike action


MORE than 100 workers at BHP Billiton’s Port Kembla coal terminal in New South Wales kicked off a week-long strike yesterday, breaking a 16-year industrial action-free record.
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Cap lamps must be approved: MSHA


THE US Mine Safety and Health Administration has released a safety alert stressing only electric cap lamps approved by the agency for portable illumination can be used in US coal operations.
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Stellar end to 2011 for Bandanna


QUEENSLAND coal explorer Bandanna Energy says it will continue to strengthen its position as an emerging force in the Australian thermal coal sector following a busy December 2011 quarter which saw the company step up its exploration activities.
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Prepare for phase three


THE third phase of the US Mine Safety and Health Administration’s Rules to Live By outreach and enforcement program will focus on 14 high-risk activities, eight of them in coal mining.
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Baralaba production up 46%


PRODUCTION at Cockatoo Coal’s Baralaba mine in Queensland rose by 46% to 152,659 tonnes in the last quarter, the company has confirmed.
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Kangaroo steps up work at Mamahak


INDONESIAN coal producer Kangaroo Resources has kicked off work at its Mamahak coking coal project, designed to ramp up the mine’s production to one million tonnes per annum.
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‘Economic powerhouse’ project fast-tracked


THE design details for what will be Queensland’s largest highway interchange outside the southeast corner have been released.
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White Energy to feel brunt of emissions scheme


WHITE Energy’s bid to expand the use of its binderless coal briquetting technology in North America could be hampered by a new greenhouse gas emissions scheme.
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Offshore partners likely at MetroCoal’s Surat Basin projects


METROCOAL is negotiating with both foreign and Australian parties in a bid to clinch joint venture partners for its promising thermal coal projects in Queensland’s Surat Basin.
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African Energy confirms 2.6Bt at Sese


AFRICAN Energy has hit more good news at its Sese thermal coal project in Botswana, announcing the project holds a 2.6 billion tonne indicated resource.
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White Energy to face Bayan in court


WHITE Energy is set for a pre-trial conference in Singapore on February 7 in Singapore over a dispute with its former JV partner Bayan over the coal upgrading plant at Bayan’s Tabang mine in East Kalimantan, Indonesia.
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Offshore partners likely at MetroCoal’s Surat Basin projects


METROCOAL is negotiating with both foreign and Australian parties in a bid to clinch joint venture partners for its promising thermal coal projects in Queensland’s Surat Basin.
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Indonesian mine development in sight for Pan Asia


A FEASIBILITY study for Pan Asia’s underground coal project in Indonesia’s South Kalimantan is on track to be completed by April, paving the way for development to commence soon after.
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US stocks rise


IT WAS all smiles for coal players listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Walter Energy was the biggest climber, with its shares jumping $US2.04 to land at $US71.17. Peabody’s shares rose $1.22 to close at $35.31.
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Bathurst clinches Port Taranaki agreement


NEW Zealand coal producer Bathurst Resources has cemented its shipping route for exports from its Buller coal project in the South Island plateau after it signed a deed of ground lease.
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TSX closes in the red


THE Toronto Stock Exchange did not share the same gains as the US stock market. Grande Cache Coal dropped C18c to close at $C9.43. Xinergy’s shares also took a tumble, falling 12c to close at $2.87.
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Vele colliery back on track


COAL of Africa’s Vele coking coal colliery near Mapungubwe has restarted production after a licence suspension preventing mining activities was lifted.
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 Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Illegal strike takes over Colombian mine


ILLEGAL strikers are blocking all access to Canadian producer Pacific Coal’s Le Caypa mine in Colombia.
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Pike River accused will make plea in March: report


LAWYERS representing Peter Whittall in relation to charges imposed by the New Zealand Department of Labour for the alleged role he played in the Pike River mine disaster convened at the Greymouth District Court yesterday for a procedural hearing.
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We will defend claims: Walter officials


WALTER Energy is in the center of a class action lawsuit and investigations into claims it may have breached its duty to shareholders by giving misleading production forecasts but the company has responded strongly to the allegations and says it will defend its position.
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Aquila gives tick to Eagle Downs development


BRAZILIAN giant Vale and joint venture partner Aquila Resources have officially approved a resolution for the development of their $1.25 billion Eagle Downs hard coking coal project in Queensland.
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Westmoreland buys Kemmerer for $76M


WESTMORELAND Coal has completed the acquisition of Chevron Mining’s Kemmerer coal mine in Wyoming for $US76.5 million.
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Coal up, copper down for Xstrata


SWISS mining giant Xstrata has reported record annual production from its Australian thermal coal operations, with output rising 12% to 49.8 million tonnes, while copper production was down.
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Go west in March for CMA annual conference


ORGANIZERS are putting the finishing touches on plans for the Colorado Mining Association’s 114th National Western Mining Conference and Exhibition next month in Denver.
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Carabella sells the pub


CARABELLA Resources has decided to sell its hotel in Clermont after less than a year, securing camp accommodation on its Grosvenor West project site in Queensland.
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Taking on the girl scouts


WESTERN Kentucky Minerals has bold plans to open a surface coal mine near a Girl Scouts camp but the scouts are already raising health concerns.
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Endocoal finishes 2011 on takeover talk


JUNIOR coal explorer Endocoal saw out the end of 2011 with the announcement of a 348.5 million tonnes total resource, attracting the attention of potential acquirers keen to gain a foothold in Queensland’s Bowen Basin.
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Port Kembla hit with strike action


MORE than 100 workers at BHP Billiton’s Port Kembla coal terminal have kicked off a week-long strike today, breaking a 16-year industrial action-free record.
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Pike River a focus at Coal 2012


MINE fires, spontaneous combustion, mine gases, outburst control, mine dust control and risk management in the aftermath of the Pike River disaster will be a focus of the Coal 2012 Coal Operators’ Conference in Wollongong this month.
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Indonesian mine development in sight for Pan Asia


A FEASIBILITY study for Pan Asia’s underground coal project in Indonesia’s South Kalimantan is on track to be completed by April, paving the way for development to commence soon after.
Full Story...



Tinkler defends donations


MINING magnate Nathan Tinkler has struck back at allegations that he made donations to the Liberal and National Party to influence decisions regarding his business interests.
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Coal up, copper down for Xstrata


SWISS mining giant Xstrata has reported record annual production from its Australian thermal coal operations, with output rising 12% to 49.8 million tonnes, while copper production was down.
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Linc secures $120M


LINC Energy has bagged a $A120 million line of credit with an affiliate of Fortress Investment Group, which has over $US40 billion ($A37.76 billion) under management.
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Universal talking to buyer for Kangala coal


UNIVERSAL Coal is in discussions with domestic power utility Eskom regarding offtake of thermal coal from its Kangala project in South Africa, the company has confirmed.
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Chinese export rules challenged


THE World Trade Organisation has ruled China must amend its export taxes and quotas for nine minerals due to breaches.
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Chinese export rules challenged


THE World Trade Organisation has ruled China must amend its export taxes and quotas for nine minerals due to breaches.
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Aspire gears up for 2012 exploration program


ASPIRE is edging towards the completion of a prefeasibility study for its Ovoot coking coal project in Mongolia which has identified the opportunity for the operation to produce 12 million tonnes per annum of run of mine coal.
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US stocks divided


HALF of the coal companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange posted gains. Alliance Resource Partners was the biggest mover, jumping $US1.17 to land at $79.35. Consol Energy dropped 47c and Cloud Peak Energy fell 65c.
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Flood-protecting Peak Downs


BHP Mitsubishi Alliance is navigating through green tape to help protect its flagship Peak Downs mine in the Bowen Basin from future central Queensland flooding disasters.
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TSX stocks fall


TECK Resources was the biggest loser on the Toronto Stock Exchange, dropping C12c to close at $42.52. There was no movement for Cobalt Coal and Corsa Coal which closed at 12c and 45c respectively.
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Tancoal production meets forecasts


BUDGETED coal production targets at Intra Energy’s Tancoal mine in Tanzania have been met, with a significant increase in production in the second half of 2011.
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 Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Ex-foreman suit against Patriot pressure


A FORMER mine foreman who admitted falsifying inspection reports at a West Virginia operation in 2010 is reportedly claiming he was pressured into his decision and is suing the mine’s owner and his ex-superiors.
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China First to sue QRN for $8B


CLIVE Palmer’s China First has launched an $A8 billion lawsuit in the Queensland Supreme Court against QR National and QR Limited for an alleged breach of confidentiality and misleading conduct over a proposed 500km rail link between the Galilee Basin coal region and the Central Queensland coast.
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BLM sets auction date for South Porcupine


THE US Bureau of Land Management will auction off a large coal tract in the Powder River Basin of Wyoming later this month that will give the successful bidder mining rights to more than 400 million tons.
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Integra’s open cut could be the carrot


SPECULATION is mounting that Brazilian giant Vale is considering selling its troubled Integra underground mine in New South Wales as a “job lot” with the more productive open cut operation.
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Quinsam overcomes opposition


THE only underground coal mine in Canada’s British Columbia province will continue to produce more than 500,000 tonnes per annum of thermal coal after it received government approval for expansion plans.
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Possible shutdown at Port Kembla looms


WORKERS at BHP Billiton’s Port Kembla coal terminal in New South Wales will decide today whether or not to commit to a seven-day strike.
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Legal firestorm brewing against Walter Energy


A CLASS action lawsuit has emerged against Alabama producer Walter Energy amid claims the firm may have breached its duty to shareholders by giving misleading production forecasts.
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Aston posts a busy December quarter


THERE was never a dull moment for Nathan Tinkler’s Aston Resources throughout the December 2011 quarter. The announcement of a $5.1 billion merger with Whitehaven Coal marked just one of the highlights of the reporting period.
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Another L&L-run Chinese mine


L&L ENERGY has acquired a 51% stake in the Weishe anthracite coal mine in China’s Guizhou Province for $US16.2 million and plans to more than triple its production to 450,000 tons per annum.
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SCL laws introduced in Qld


COMPANIES hoping to develop mining projects in Queensland have a new hurdle to clear after strategic cropping land legislation came into effect yesterday.
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Flood-protecting Peak Downs


BHP Mitsubishi Alliance is navigating through green tape to help protect its flagship Peak Downs mine in the Bowen Basin from future central Queensland flooding disasters.
Full Story...



Another one bites the dust


THAT music is starting again. From out of nowhere comes that familiar bass riff and drum beat as another Australian company falls.
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Aspire gears up for 2012 exploration program


ASPIRE is edging towards the completion of a prefeasibility study for its Ovoot coking coal project in Mongolia which has identified the opportunity for the operation to produce 12 million tonnes per annum of run of mine coal.
Full Story...



The Russians are coming


RUSSIAN coking coal giants Mechel and Raspadskaya would be ready to step in and supply Asian steelmakers to make up any shortfall from Queensland producers as a result of disruptions caused by industrial unrest or flooding.
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Mozambi makes steady progress on Mozambique tenements


ASX-listed Mozambi Coal says investors can expect plenty of news this year after advancing its exploration program in the Zambeze coal basin of Mozambique during the December 2011 quarter.
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Diesel emissions monitor gets funds


PEAK3’S strategy to commercialise products and services for the management, treatment and monitoring of diesel engine particulate emissions will receive a boost with an investment from the OneVentures innovation fund.
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Integra’s open cut could be the carrot


SPECULATION is mounting that Brazilian giant Vale is considering selling its troubled Integra underground mine in New South Wales as a “job lot” with the more productive open cut operation.
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Guildford wins Sth Gobi licence


GUILDFORD Coal’s South Gobi project in Mongolia has reached a key milestone with the granting of its first mining licence.
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Hodges’ Morupule project surprises on the upside


THE quality and shallow depth of the initial coal seams at Hodges Resources’ Morupule South project in Botswana have exceeded initial expectations after two diamond core holes were put through a wash test analysis.
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African Energy steps up work at its Sese coal project


AFRICAN Energy has progressed with bulk sampling work as part of the ongoing bankable feasibility study for its Sese thermal coal project in Botswana.
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US stocks down


US SHARES took a tumble today. Walter Energy faced the biggest loss, dropping $US1.51 to close at $69.86. Alpha Natural Resources also fell, by 54c.
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Hodges’ Morupule project surprises on the upside


THE quality and shallow depth of the initial coal seams at Hodges Resources’ Morupule South project in Botswana have exceeded initial expectations after two diamond core holes were put through a wash test analysis.
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Little gains for Canadian stocks


FOR a second day in a row there was minimal movement on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Cline Mining fell C7c to land at $2.07 while Xinergy managed a 6c gain to close at $2.95.
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Moabsvelden has underground mining potential


ASX-listed South African explorer Xceed Resources has established maiden JORC-compliant reserves of 43.8 million tonnes, which is capable of supporting a long term, open cut mining operation at its 74%-owned Moabsvelden thermal coal project.
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 Monday, 30 January 2012

Dryblower sifts the copper/gold paradox and finds a false signal


CAN the price of copper and the price of gold rise at the same time? The answer is yes because that’s what has been happening since the start of the year, though it’s not something Dryblower reckons can continue.
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FirstEnergy cites EPA regulations for six plant closures


FIRSTENERGY will cease operations at six of its coal-fired power generation facilities in three US states and pink slip more than 500 workers due to new Environmental Protection Agency emissions rules.
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Safety rule fears at Pike River delay sale


CONCERNS the Pike River mine in New Zealand could be hit with renewed safety regulations following an inquiry into the deaths of 29 men has given buyers cold feet.
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Strong Alliance brings 2011 to record end


RECORD coal sales volumes and prices helped deliver an 11th record year overall for producer Alliance Resource Partners, and despite a sluggish coal market amid higher natural gas demand, the company said its strong coal sales contract position is keeping its outlook bright.
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