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INDUSTRIAL METALS / MINERALS

NAMIBIAN QUEST

Phosphate now the new sparkler for Bonaparte Diamond Mines

Monday , 05 Jan 2009
A change of name could be in the wind for Australian explorer Bonaparte Diamond Mines now that it has a tangible marine phosphate resource off the Namibian coast.

MINERAL SANDS DEAL

Two proposals put longevity into North Perth Basin’s heavy minerals mining

Monday , 29 Dec 2008
Successful Australian mineral sands explorer Image Resources NL has signed memoranda of understandings (MOUs) with two established mineral sand producers that could add some life to Western Australia’s diminishing heavy minerals activity.

KEY SECTOR

Russia considers merging major potash and phosphate companies

Friday , 26 Dec 2008
Uralkali, Silvinit and Apatit may be pushed into a state run merger.

LOWER PRICES AND SALES

Potash miner PCS cuts earnings outlook 10 percent

Friday , 19 Dec 2008
World's biggest fertiliser company cuts earnings outlook for 2008 due to weak fourth quarter sales and the weak global economy.

TWO MILLION TONNES OF CUTS

Potash Corporation to cut 2009 output by 20 percent

Wednesday , 10 Dec 2008
The world's top potash miner, Canada's Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, says it will cut production by 2 million tonnes in 2009 as demand is expected to fall back in first quarter.

IDEAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EXPANSIONS

Potash Corporation says potash supply short to balanced over next few years

Thursday , 04 Dec 2008
Potash Corporation sees opportunity in expansion projects while rival Agrium says ahead of schedule on UAP cost savings, but share prices still weaken further.

FIVE MORE FURNACES SHUT DOWN

Xstrata, Merafe suspend more ferrochrome output

Monday , 01 Dec 2008
South African ferrochrome output being cut further as Xstrata/Merafe shut more furnaces.

SCOTIABANK COMMODITY PRICE INDEX

Mohr: Potash, coking coal at record levels, spot uranium prices reverse decline

Monday , 01 Dec 2008
Despite low metals prices, Scotiabank economist Patricia Mohr says Canadian resource industries continue to enjoy high prices, a situation that could change next year.

LOW GRADES AND LOW PRICES

BHP delays big Escondida moly process plant plans

Friday , 28 Nov 2008
Because of the fall in molybdenum prices, BHP has decided to delay building of a $120 million moly processing plant at its huge Escondida copper mine in Chile.

FINANCIAL CRISIS CASUALTY

Final stage of Eramet/Tinfos deal cancelled due to stock prices collapse

Friday , 28 Nov 2008
French nickel and manganese mining and metallurgical company, Eramet, has cancelled the final stages of a deal which would have given it 100 percent of Norwegian alloys producer, Tinfos.

INDUSTRIAL MINERALS ACQUISITION

Golden Gate Capital buys U.S. Silica in $337m deal

Thursday , 27 Nov 2008
Golden Gate Capital has announced it has completed the acquisition of U.S. Silica, the second largest miner and processor of industrial sand.

30 PERCENT OF WORLD OUTPUT

Indefinite shutdown for world top tantalum miner

Wednesday , 26 Nov 2008
The world’s largest tantalum miner, Australia’s Talison Minerals, is to shut its Wodgina mine indefinitely due to weak demand.

ECONOMIC CRISIS RESPONSE

Uralkali to halve potash production in Nov and Dec this year

Thursday , 20 Nov 2008
Even the previously high flying potash sector is suffering as Russia’s Uralkali cuts output which will cost it $650 million in lost revenues, while outlook for 2009 production is unclear.

BUCKING THE TREND

Zircon and titanium dioxide may buck metals price downtrend

Wednesday , 19 Nov 2008
Goldman Sachs JB Were reckons zircon and TiO2 will command higher prices on supply concerns as other metals and mineral prices fall

CRITICAL TO ELECTRIC CAR BATTERIES

Morales government invests $5.7m in Bolivian lithium pilot plant

Wednesday , 19 Nov 2008
The future of the electric car could depend on the lithium production generated from what is said to be the world’s largest lithium reserve in Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni. The government is to fund a state-owned pilot project.

MARKET LEADERS

Rio Tinto starting divestment of borates and talc businesses worth up to $1.2 bn

Saturday , 15 Nov 2008
Rio Tinto has started the sale process for its borates and talc businesses in a process which could raise raise $1.2 billion.

AGREEMENT RATIFIED

Three month Canadian potash mining strike ended

Friday , 14 Nov 2008
77.5 percent of Potash Corporation's workforce has agreed a new contract which will end a 3-month walkout.

SALES OUTLOOK TONED DOWN

German potash and salt miner K+S profit up sharply on high potash price

Wednesday , 12 Nov 2008
K+S Q3 operating profit up sixfold at EUR502.2 million and beats analysts estimates, but still tones down 2008 sales outlook.

MARKET SURPLUS

World's largest ferrochrome producer cuts back sharply

Monday , 10 Nov 2008
The Xstrata-Merafe Chrome Venture cuts out a third of 2009 production on weak demand.

DAMAGES COULD CRIPPLE COMPANY

Potash miner Uralkali’s future at risk from flood probe

Monday , 10 Nov 2008
Uralkali says its future is at risk if it must pay “enormous” damages for a flood in 2006.

UNREASONABLE BUREAUCRACY

Kenyan titanium mining project delayed yet again

Saturday , 08 Nov 2008
Tiomin Resources appears to be blaming Kenyan bureaucracy for the latest delays in the implementation of the Kwale ilmenite/rutile/zircon mineral sands project.

POTASHCORP REPORTS FIVE-FOLD EARNINGS INCREASE

Growing global food need helps potash miners more easily weather financial crisis

Friday , 24 Oct 2008
Despite uncertain global economic conditions, the growing global food need has shown no signs of slowing, generating record profits for Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan.