Mining Journal caught up with CEO Peter Steenkamp in Johannesburg to talk about these operations, the outlook for 2019 and his thoughts on operating in South Africa and the new mining c...Read More
I've been thinking a lot about Mexico.Warm beaches away from the cold weather sound great and I can't help but let thoughts of them creep in, but I'm thinking about business.Namely, the business of selling marijuana, and how to invest in the next big thing in the marijuana sector.A lot has been happening on the legalization front in recent months, and I think that Mexico may very well become a maj...Read More
RAPAPORT... Somewhere between the volatility of cryptocurrencies and thestability of diamond prices lies an opportunity for investors. That is, atleast, what several new initiatives to create diamond-backed crypto-coins arebetting on.In fact, developers of these coins, or "tokens," areconfident the asset class will offer a solution to challenges facing both thecrypto market and the diamond trade....Read More
RAPAPORT... Stones must have a stable color to qualify as padparadschasapphires, according to a ruling by the Laboratory Manual HarmonisationCommittee (LMHC), a global alliance of gemological groups.Gemstones that turn pink during a color-stability test donot meet the requirements for the term, LMHC concluded at a meeting in Lucerne,Switzerland, last month. The committee comprises representat...Read More
RAPAPORT... Tiffany & Co., Swarovski and Pandora are the preferredjewelry brands among more affluent immigrants in the US, according to a survey byMVI Marketing. Researchers asked 702 Asian-American, Hispanic andLatino-American consumers with an annual household income of $80,000 or more to name the threebrands whose jewelry they own. Tiffany was top, with 42% of respondents sayingthey ha...Read More
RAPAPORT... Zales Jewelers is embroiled in a dispute with a customerover whether the repair program that came with his diamond ring covered thesetting, or just the stone. Gordon Henry Lovette has sued the Signet Jewelers-owned retailer,claiming it failed to honor a lifetime-repair plan. Zales refusedto fix a loose stone in Lovette's ring earlier this year, even though he hadbrought it in for...Read More
(IDEX Online) - ALROSA sold $266.6 million of rough diamonds in November, and $4.1 billion worth in the first 11 months of 2018. ALROSA's total sales in November of rough and polished diamonds were down 18% on the year to $274 million, with polished diamond sales of $7.4 million. Meanwhile, total diamond sales in the January-November period increased by 3.7% on the year to $4.2...Read More
(IDEX Online) - Lucapa Diamond Company has recovered a 78-carat white diamond from the Mothae mine in Lesotho. The diamond (pictured above) is the largest special size stone recovered through the new 1.1Mtpa Mothae treatment plant following the commencement of commissioning and recovery of commercial diamonds and highlights Mothae's potential to regularly recover large diamonds, the miner s...Read More
RAPAPORT... Somewhere between the volatility of cryptocurrencies and thestability of diamond prices lies an opportunity for investors. That is, atleast, what several new initiatives to create diamond-backed crypto-coins arebetting on.In fact, developers of these coins, or "tokens," areconfident the asset class will offer a solution to challenges facing both thecrypto market and the diamond trade....Read More
Mining production lifted marginally, by 0.5% year-on-year, in October, primarily on the back of strong growth in platinum group metals (PGMs), diamonds and manganese ore output, according to Statistics South Africa (Stats SA).Production of PGMs, which occupy the second-highest weighting in the minerals basket at 23.5%, increased by 21.4%, adding 4.3 percentage points to the headline number.Adverti...Read More
Why Coal Prices Could Double this Year... and How To Profit from the SurgeWelcome to the Coal Bull Market.Coal, whose surging price has outpaced crude oil and natural gas, could double this year.When heavy rains and flooding cripple two million metric tons of thermal coal production at an Ensham mine in Queensland, Australia, coal prices go nuts. But when crippling China snowstorms, floods in Quee...Read More
The recent stock-market selloff is persisting, fueling mounting worries among investors. The intensifying volatility and lack of a quick rebound higher is strangling euphoric sentiment, spawning self-reinforcing selling pressure. Scoffed at a few months ago, the notions that a young bear market is underway and a recession looms are gaining traction. The great beneficiary of this ominous stoc...Read More
Sustained investment in people a big plus for consultancySPONSOREDbyrnecutMahenge the Cinderella of the graphite space?SPONSOREDblack rock miningSky is the limit for BSK at Amarillo GrandeSPONSOREDblue sky uraniumNew Energy brings experience to new dawnSPONSOREDnew energy mineralsCapstone said Monday the polymetallic underground mine now boasted 89% more compliant reserves at 6.2 million tonnes gr...Read More
The impending battle for control of DR Congo - and its mineral riches - threatens further pain for miners. The 23 December presidential, provincial and legislative elections are likely to have one of two outcomes. The first scenario, our base case, is a dubious electoral victory for Emmanuel Ramazani Shadary (anointed successor to the current president) and his incumbent electoral grouping, the FC...Read More
Base metal prices started the trading week on the back foot on the London Metal Exchange, with all bar nickel falling from Friday's closing prices on Monday December 10.The three-month lead price was the biggest loser, dropping 2.2% to close $1,950.50 per tonne. Three-month aluminium also took a hit - it closed 0.9% lower at $1,955 per tonne.Far from rallying after a thawing in US-China trade rela...Read More
Aurubis Executive Board chairman J? 1/4 rgen Schachler will leave the company on June 30 next year, the company said in a release today.The company has begun looking for a successor but has yet to find one.Aurubis is Europe's largest copper smelting company, producing over 1.1 million tonnes per year of refined copper at...Read More
Comex copper prices softened on Monday morning in the United States amid weak Chinese data and continued equity market weakness.The copper price for March settlement on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange dipped 2.25 cents to $2.7370 per lb."We expect copper prices to strengthen in the coming days," Fastmarkets analyst Boris Mikanikrezai said. "Although there is plenty of uncert...Read More
The Chinese ferro-silicon market climbed further on renewed demand in the week ended Friday December 7, while European prices have been hemmed in while suppliers and consumers negotiate long-term delivery settlements. China market gets boost from demand Tight supply underpins market strength European prices stabilize losses US ferro-silicon prices flat amid inactivityThe recent increase in domesti...Read More
Steel mills in China have lowered their bids for alloys, while ores resisted some downward pressure and some buyers secured deals at lower prices in the week ending Friday December 7. Lower and higher grade ore prices rangebound in cif market Low grade fob index increases on falling freight rate Alloy price in China falls Ferro-manganese into Europe soars US alloys unmoved in quiet spot marketThe...Read More
The Chinese ferro-silicon market climbed further on renewed demand in the week ended Friday December 7, while European prices have been hemmed in while suppliers and consumers negotiate long-term delivery settlements. China market gets boost from demand Tight supply underpins market strength European prices stabilize losses US ferro-silicon prices flat amid inactivityThe recent increase in domesti...Read More