vale importa tecnologia que tira caminhões de dentro das

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vale importa tecnologia que tira caminhões de dentro das
 21 de março de 2011 O conteúdo das matérias é de inteira responsabilidade dos meios de origem A missão da ADIMB é a de promover o desenvolvimento técnico‐científico e a capacitação de recursos humanos para a Indústria Mineral Brasileira VALE IMPORTA TECNOLOGIA QUE TIRA CAMINHÕES DE DENTRO DAS MINAS A Vale vai aplicar de forma inédita no minério de ferro tecnologia usada nas minas de carvão. A novidade consiste em utilizar correias transportadoras móveis ao invés de caminhões fora de estrada. Será a primeira vez que esse modelo de exploração funcionará em larga escala em uma mina de minério de ferro. O novo sistema irá operar em meio à Floresta Amazônica em um bloco do maciço de Serra Sul, em Canaã dos Carajás, no Sudeste do Pará. É o maior projeto da história da Vale, com produção de 90 milhões de toneladas de minério de ferro por ano, a partir do fim de 2014, volume a ser garantido por investimentos de US$ 6,77 bilhões. A tecnologia, que dispensa o uso de caminhões, é conhecida na mineração como truckless. O sistema vai ser desenvolvido no bloco de Serra Sul chamado S11D, uma faixa de cordilheira de 30 km de extensão por cerca de 1,8 km de largura. No futuro, esse tipo de exploração poderá ser estendido, em menor porte, a outras minas de ferro da empresa. O truckless reduz custos operacionais e permite diminuir emissões de gás carbônico. Se a mina S11D fosse operada por caminhões fora de estrada, teria 100 veículos circulando, os quais iriam consumir 65 milhões de litros de diesel por ano. Com as correias, o consumo de diesel será de 15 milhões de litros anuais, economia de 77%. Só tratores de esteiras e outras máquinas auxiliares continuarão consumindo o combustível. Os principais equipamentos serão movidos a energia elétrica. Haverá redução de CO2 em idêntico percentual ao do diesel e deixarão de ser usados 174 pneus de grande dimensão que são trocados a cada ano nos caminhões (cada pneu tem mais de três metros de altura). O projeto do truckless envolveu equipes de engenharia do Brasil, Canadá e Austrália, país que tem experiência nessa tecnologia e onde a Vale tem operação de carvão. Um dos desafios da Vale no S11D ‐ projeto que levou cinco anos e exigiu US$ 100 milhões para ser desenvolvido ‐ será formar mão de obra para trabalhar a mina de minério à semelhança da operação de carvão. O bloco em Serra Sul também vai inovar ao utilizar equipamentos que serão fabricados e instalados em módulos, conceito desenvolvido pela indústria de petróleo e utilizado pela Petrobras na montagem de plataformas marítimas. Mas um dos principais ganhos da tecnologia, além da economia operacional e da redução nas emissões de gases do efeito estufa, será permitir instalar fora da floresta, em uma área de pastagem, a usina de beneficiamento que vai processar o minério, diz Jamil Sebe, diretor de projetos ferrosos da Vale no norte do país. Ao colocar a usina em área ocupada pelo homem, são reduzidos os impactos sobre a floresta causados pela atividade mineradora, como a produção de resíduos e de lixo. "A aplicação do truckless no S11D vai representar um grande passo [em termos de sustentabilidade] e a tendência é de que o sistema seja um exemplo a ser seguido em outros projetos greenfield [novos]", diz Sebe. Segundo ele, o bloco foi escolhido para receber a tecnologia devido às suas características: uma lavra longilínea e cujo minério é bastante homogêneo em qualidade. Isso faz com que a realocação das frentes de lavra se dê em velocidade menor. Ao todo, serão instalados no bloco 37 km de correias transportadoras distribuídas dentro da mina, incluindo ramais que vão se conectar ao tronco principal a ser estendido por 9,5 km até a usina de beneficiamento. O ponto máximo de coleta do minério poderá chegar a 15 km. O sistema inclui escavadeiras que coletam o material na mina e o jogam em britadores móveis que alimentam as correias. Entre o platô onde está o minério e a área onde será instalada a usina de beneficiamento, há um desnível de 450 metros. Essa é outra vantagem do sistema, pois a correia consegue vencer essa rampa de forma mais fácil do que o caminhão, que teria de "serpentear" para chegar ao destino. Os caminhões fora de estrada usados na mineração também não conseguem percorrer longas distâncias. O seu uso, portanto, tornaria inviável colocar a usina de beneficiamento fora da Floresta Nacional de Carajás, unidade de conservação dentro da Amazônia. Fonte: Valor Econômico Data: 03/03/2011 NOVO CÓDIGO DA MINERAÇÃO RETORNARÁ À CASA CIVIL AINDA EM MARÇO O ministro de Minas e Energia, Edison Lobão, afirmou hoje que a proposta de novo código da mineração será devolvido à Casa Civil ainda em março. Segundo ele, a minuta do projeto de lei já sofreu mudanças em relação ao modelo apresentado no ano passado. Lobão afirmou que um dos principais pontos de mudança se refere ao tratamento das reservas de urânio. Ele explicou que as empresas exploradoras de outros minérios são obrigadas a interromper a atividade quando encontram urânio, que deve ser explorado exclusivamente pela União. As mudanças estudadas pelo ministério não preveem, segundo o ministro, a quebra do monopólio na extração do urânio, que está previsto na Constituição. “Estamos vendo judicialmente o que é melhor”. O ministro não deu previsão de quando serão enviados os demais projetos de lei que tratam da criação agência reguladora para o setor, que assumirá boa parte das funções do Departamento Nacional de Mineração (DNPM), e do projeto sobre a cobrança dos royalties da exploração mineral. Este último ainda dependia, até o início do ano, de tratativas com o Ministério da Fazenda. Fonte: Valor Econômico Data: 04/03/2011 PESQUISA APONTA PARA JAZIDA DE FERRO NO NOROESTE DE MT Previsão é de 5 bi de toneladas do minério; Governo recomenda cautela A região de Juína e Juara (735 e 709 km, respectivamente, a Noroeste de Cuiabá) pode apresentar uma reserva de ferro na ordem de 5 bilhões de toneladas. A perspectiva foi mostrada no dia 28 de fevereiro passado, em Cuiabá, durante seminário sobre mineração. De acordo com o presidente da IMS Engenharia Mineral, de Minas Gerais, Juvenil Tibúrcio Félix, as primeiras análises revelaram teores entre 35% a 57% de ferro. A estimativa é que sejam 2 bilhões de toneladas em Juína e de 3 bilhões de toneladas em Juara. Outra vantagem, segundo Félix, é que as reservas não teriam outros minerais contaminantes, que poderiam dificultar a extração da matéria‐prima. Depois destes estudos, o próximo passo é dimensionar as reservas e realizar estudos de viabilidade econômica. Apesar disso, em entrevista ao MidiaNews, o superintendente de Minas, da Secretaria de Estado de Indústria, Comércio, Minas e Energia (Sicme), Joaquim Moreno, afirmou que é preciso cautela em avaliações dessa categoria. Conforme Moreno, os números são apenas estimativas e a Sicme ainda não considera a região como área de reserva de ferro. "Já fizeram furos de solo, mas, só quando for encerrada a pesquisa, é que será possível afirmarmos se é reserva, jazida ou nenhuma das duas. Por enquanto, são números que não podem ser considerados verdadeiros", disse. A possibilidade de minério de ferro no Estado, ainda assim, acende possibilidades para avanços na economia. De acordo com o superintendente de Minas, atualmente, o ferro tem valor maior que do ouro no mercado. "O minério de ferro vale mais do que ouro, já que a demanda por ele é muito grande, atualmente, no mercado. Portanto, traria reflexo no crescimento de Mato Grosso", observou. Pré‐sal de Mato Grosso Caso a reserva de minério de ferro seja comprovada na região de Juína e Juara, esta será a segunda reserva de minério de importância econômica encontrada em Mato Grosso. Em setembro do ano passado, o governador Silval Barbosa anunciou, com entusiasmo, uma reserva de 427 milhões de toneladas de fosfato (fósforo) e 11.500 bilhões de toneladas de ferro, na Serra do Caeté, próxima a Mirassol D'Oeste (300 km a Oeste de Cuiabá). Na ocasião, Silval chegou a tachar a descoberta como "pré‐sal de Mato Grosso", já que a área é maior que a jazida de Carajás, no Pará, considerada a maior a céu aberto do mundo, com reservas de aproximadamente 5 bilhões de toneladas de minério, segundo a Vale do Rio Doce. No entanto, na mídia nacional, à época, após o anúncio do governador, o Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral (DNPM) negou que estivessem comprovados as medidas da reserva e o potencial anunciado pelo Governo do Estado. Fonte: Midia News Data: 06/03/2011 DNPM DIZ QUE NÃO ESTÁ COMPROVADO O TAMANHO DA JAZIDA DE FOSFATO DE MIRASSOL Em setembro do ano passado, o governador Silval Barbosa anunciou, com entusiasmo, uma reserva de 427 milhões de toneladas de fosfato (fósforo) e 11.500 bilhões de toneladas de ferro, na Serra do Caeté, próxima a Mirassol D'Oeste. Na ocasião, Silval chegou a tachar a descoberta como "pré‐sal de Mato Grosso", já que a área é maior que a jazida de Carajás, no Pará, considerada a maior a céu aberto do mundo, com reservas de aproximadamente 5 bilhões de toneladas de minério, segundo a Vale do Rio Doce. No entanto, na mídia nacional, à época, após o anúncio do governador, o Departamento Nacional de Produção Mineral (DNPM) negou que estivessem comprovados as medidas da reserva e o potencial anunciado pelo Governo do Estado. Fonte: Jornal Oeste Data: 07/03/2011 COUNTRIES PUT A SAFE SPIN ON MINING IN DANGEROUS PLACES It was supposed to be Colombia's moment before an international audience at the world's largest mining‐industry gathering. Instead, Colombian officials in Toronto were doing damage control on Tuesday after reports a rebel group kidnapped 23 oil workers for Canada's Talisman Energy Inc. on Monday night in the eastern part of the country, near the Venezuelan border. Twenty‐two of the workers were freed by Tuesday morning, after the Colombian army stepped in with foot soldiers and helicopters, and a Colombian official said the 23rd escaped captors. But the incident cast a pall over the country's plan to pitch a "revamped image" as a prosperous emerging economy with a "remarkable improvement in national security." As oil, metals and other commodities surge in price, resource‐rich countries such as Colombia are increasingly competing to attract investment and prove they are safe for foreign companies. But kidnappings in Colombia, drug wars in Mexico and violence in Venezuela highlight the risks that persist even in countries that have worked hard to promote stability for business. From Mexico to Afghanistan, officials are putting out the message that their countries are ripe for more resource investment. But political and financial risks abound Colombia's mines and energy minister Carlos Rodado Noriega offered assurances Tuesday that his country is stable, despite the abductions the night before. He argued the army's swift action is proof the country has greatly improved its security measures. "It was a very clean operation. It shows the capacity of the Colombia police and army," Mr. Noriega said on the sidelines of the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention in Toronto. The government said Colombia's largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, is to blame for the kidnapping and that they have been reduced to a small group. Mr. Noriega said Monday's kidnappers have since fled to Venezuela. "We can guarantee that all the companies can now act safely in our country," he said. Talisman has halted its seismic work in the area where the workers were seized, said David Mann, the company's vice‐president of corporate and investor relations. "It's a tragic situation," he said, declining to comment on how the kidnapping might affect Talisman's investments in the country. Colombia will need to work extra hard now to promote business, which includes a promise the government has made not to increase royalties and to stick with only a small tax increase. The vow comes as many resource‐blessed nations hike royalties and taxes to cash in on soaring commodity prices. For instance, copper‐rich Chile raised taxes recently to help it share in the bonanza of record‐
high prices for the widely used metal. The money will be used to help fund a $1‐billion reconstruction effort as a result of last year's devastating earthquake. An original plan to hike royalties was tossed by Chile's congress last summer. Chile's mining minister Laurence Golborne said the taxes are necessary to help rebuild damaged infrastructure and allow it to better compete for investment. "When we talk about mining, we talk about decades," Mr. Golborne said in an interview in Toronto this week. "We have to work today for the mines we are going to exploit in the next 50 years ... We need investment in exploration, prospecting and development. We want to promote Chile as a target for investment of any developer around the world." Another country entering the competition for foreign resource investment is war‐torn Afghanistan, which is lobbying hard to be recognized as a prospective place for resources such as oil and gas and iron ore. Last year, Afghanistan, alongside a team of U.S. geologists backed by the Pentagon, announced the country may be sitting on an estimated $1‐trillion (U.S.) in untapped mineral deposits including huge veins of iron, copper, cobalt, gold and lithium. Still, many investors are skeptical of doing business in such a dangerous nation. There is also the issue of how to transport commodities out of the landlocked country. On Sunday, Afghanistan aimed to address the security concerns by announcing with its partner, the U.S. defence department's Task Force for Business and Stability Operations, the hiring of independent legal and technical experts to speed up investment in the country. Afghan mining minister Wahidullah Shahrani said in an interview that consultants will help make the mining industry more transparent. He said the mining ministry has been transformed in the past year, promising to put government security at each mine to ensure security of its operations. Mr. Shahrani said Afghanistan is working to develop international investor confidence which is "key to sustainable economic growth in our country." Fonte: The Globe and Mail Data: 09/03/2011 SECURE SUPPLY OF RARE EARTHS AND RARE METALS CRITICAL It is interesting how events on the other side of the world can affect us locally. One significant development is China’s shift in attitude regarding the export of rare earths. Up until now, it was responsible for about 97% of world production. This has suddenly changed as the country is now severely cutting back on exports to countries that need rara earths, as well as rare metals, for manufacturing consumer goods such as cell phones, computers, speakers, to name a few. Rare earths also have important military applications. Joe Martin, owner of Cambridge House International , who presents a number of popular resource investment conferences throughout North America, had the fore thought to recently hold a two‐day Critical Metals Investment Symposium which I attended. Various rare earth and rare metals authorities and companies made enlightening presentations on the impact of Chinese cutbacks of rare earth and critical metals exports. China’s export reduction will have huge repercussions around the world. For example, the United States has to import 80% of the 32 critical metals it requires. Besides the US, other major manufacturing countries such as Japan and Korea are justifiably concerned about abtaining secure suppliers of rare earth elements and other critical metals, including tungsten, antimony, germanium, gallium, indium, tantalum, zirconium and others. Many of these metals are used in the new green technologues. It is estimated that China has some 100,000 scientists working in the rare earth sector. At the same time, China is trying to curb the smuggling on an estimated 20,000 tonnes of rare earths out of the country while also shutting down illegal and environmentally destructive mines. With Chinas’s growing demand for rare earth products and the export of products that use them, the rest of the world must play catch‐up – fast. Molycorp in the US and Lynas in the Australia are moving as quickly as possible to bring rare earth production on line. However, while world demand for rare earths in 2010 was abot 127,000 tonnes, this is expected to increase to 188,000 tonnes by 2015. When I spoke to Patrick Wong, President of Rare Metals International, he pointed out that finding REE deposits and mining them is the easy part. The hard part will be to build suitable extraction facilities, which are complicated and expensive to construct, but, of course, absolutely necessary. At the Critical Metals Investment Symposium, Jack Lifton of Technology Metals Research, pointed out that up until now many manufacturers of products containing rare earths and rare metals could just pick up the phone and order them. Those days are ending and manufacturers must take steps to secure suppliers as the traditional supply chain is now broken. Lifton also commented that Canadians should step up to the plate and grow our manufacturing sector that utilizes rare earths as the country has all the ingredients for success. With events developing quickly, it is hard to predict exactly how rare earths and rare metals markets will evolve; however, it is clear that both explorers and users of these important metals will have to act now to prosper in this new paradigm. Fonte: Resource World, Vol. 9, Issue 2 Autor: Ellsworth Dickson Data: February, 2011 RARE EARTHS REVIEW They are unseen but all around us, hiding in consumer products. The rare earths market is facing a supply crisis which has already benefited rare earth stocks One can be pretty sure that most people don’t get up in the morning thinking about lanthanum, scandium, neodymium or the 14 other rare earths in the periodic table of the elements. Yet, we are literally surrounded by tiny quantities of rare earth elements (REEs). They are in our celol phones, televisions, lights, speakers, computers and are also utilized in electricity generation and military applications. According to their various applications, demand for REEs is different for each rare earth. China is playing a central role in the availability of these important elements. During the 1980s, massive loans in China led to a proliferation of small REE mines and resulted in an annual average production increase of 40% during that decade. Production doubled again in the first half of the 1990s and then doubled again. The law of supply and demand then kicked in and prices of REEs plunged by about 95%. Other REE suppliers were driven out of business. With such Chinese over‐production and its closing of illegal REE mines, China plans to curtail exports to satisfy its own needs. China is responsible for about 97% of world REE production, and uses about 70% of that domestically. China cut REE export quotas by 72% for the second half of 2010; that was recently followed by a further 35% cut for the first half of 2011. Not all Chinese production comes from stand‐
alone REE mines – some production comes from reprocessing tailings from existing mines that recover more commonplace metals. The Chinese Daily newspaper reported a Ministry of Commerce official who said, “Strategic, environmental and economic considerations mean that the country can’t afford to continue shouldering the burden of supplying the world. The consequenceof these recent developments has been dramatic prices increases in REEs. Since May 2009, the process of samarium oxide is up 3,386% and cerium oxide is up an astounding 4,493%. Geopolitical events have also impacted the REE sector. When the Japanese detained the captain of a Chinese trawler in disputed waters last September, Japanese manufacturers were very concerned about Chinese suppliers of REEs. The Japanese government ia aware of this situation and is paticipating in a number of REE exploration projects in order to secure suppliers. Basically, there are light rare earth elements (LREEs) and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). Both China and Molycorp produce mostly LREEs. There is no dedicated HREE mine in the world and that’s why the real supply crunch will develop. Some might argue that with only about 150,000 tonnes of REEs produced each year, the market is small. Not so. The tremendous, widespread demand for products containing REEs is growing quickly. Junior Canadian mining companies have not stood idly by and there are numerous REE exploration projects under way, in Canada, and elsewhere. Last November, the BC Geological Survey and the Pacific Section of the Geological Association of Canada hosted a two‐day workshop in Victoria, British Columbia on the geology of REEs. Rare earth deposits are the least known and most complex of all ore systems. A.E. (Willy) Wiliams‐Jones of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at McGill University, told the audience that “more high‐level research is needed to understand the origin of REE deposits”. Another speaker at the workshop, George Simandl of the BC Geological Survey and Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria, noted that “the external trade balances of many industrialized and developing countries depend on the availability of REEs. High technology industries cannot operate effectively without a secure supply of REEs at competitive prices”. In an interview, world renowed REE authority, consulting geologist, Dr. Tony Mariano, told Resource World that “if China restricts exporting rare earths and Canada or the US require them for strategic purposes, we have sources in the US and Canada that we can go to immediately. It will be costly, but we can do it”. Regarding the availability of REEs for western munufacturers, Dr. Mariano said, “We have the talent here in North America to do what the Chinese are doing. It’s just a question of cost and setting up infrastructure. We have allowed China to do that and take over the marketplace, wich was an error”. “The winner in the current rare earth exploration play will be the one who gets there first with the deposit that is most amenable to economic recovery that has the proper grade and tonnage”, said Dr. Mariano. “Processing and distribution are very important parts of viable REE operation”. Processing is key, as it is difficult to separate the various REEs as many of them aften occur together in the same mineral deposit. However, even with new REE discoveries being made, with the exception of the re‐started Molycorp mine, it is important to keep in mind that takes years to build a modern mine and processing facility. REE processing facities have strict environmental challenges to meet. A tell‐tale event took place in late 2010 when the US government passed the Rare Earths and Critical Materials Revitalization Act, which supports the discovery and development of rare earth projects in the United States. Fonte: Resource World, Vol. 9, Issue 2 Data: February, 2011 RARE METALS REPORT The modern world is increasingly dependent on these valuable metals In the past 25 years or so, the world has seen exponential growth in an emerging class of metals as a result of the technological leap forward in the development of clean energy, consumer electronics, computers and health care technologies, to name a few. Known as rare metals, this group represents a resource sub‐sector experiencing unprecedented growth in global demand, combined in many cases with critical issues of near‐term supply. These metals include the unique elemental suite known as rare earth elements and a select group of specialty metals, sometimes known as minor metals, produced primarily for technology applications that are used in a vast array of everyday applications ranging from nuclear reactors to aerospace components. In terms of strategic importance in the modern high‐tech world, the following are arguably the most significant minor metals: beryllium, lithium, gallium, indium, tantalum, niobium and tellurium. Beryllium is only found combined with other elements in minerals such as bertrandite (a beryllium sorosilicate hydroxide) and gemstones such as aquemarine and emerald. Beryllium is a strong, steel‐gray, lightweight, brittle, alkaline earth metal, primarily used as a hardening agent in alloys such as beryllium‐copper and beryllium‐aluminum. The metal has a high melting point (1,287 ºC), a high temperature stability and low coefficient of thermal expansion, making it ideal for aerospace and military applications. Beryllium also has a high transparency to X‐rays and other ionizing radiation types, making it useful in filter and window applications for radiation and particle physics experiments. Beryllium mirrors are used in meterological sattelites and smaller beryllium mirrors are used in optical guidance systems and in fire‐control systems. Because beryllium is non‐magnetic, tools fabricated out of beryllium are used by military explosive ordnance disposal‐teams. Beryllium is also widely used in reactors, and other nuclear applications. The US is the largest producer of beryllium products and has large known reserves in Brazil as well as in Central Africa, Russia and Kazakhstan. Beryllium sells for about $1,000/kg IBC Advanced Alloys Corp. [IB‐TSXV] is a manufacturer and supplier of beryllium related alloys for a broad range of industrial applications including nuclear power, oil and gas, defense, electronics and automotive. Lithium, the lightest metal of all, is a soft, silver‐white metal that belongs to the alkali metal group. Like all alkali metals, it is highly reactive and flammable and, therefore, never occurs free in nature and is found only in compounds. It is found in pegmatitic minerals – spodumene and petalite being the most commercialy viable sources – but is also obtained from brines and clays. Deposits of lithium are found in South America with Chile being the leading lithium producer, followed by Argentina. Both countries recover lithium from brine pools. Nearly half the world’s known reserves are in Bolivia. In the US, lithium is recovered from Nevada brines. In recent years, demand for lithium has increased due to its use in lithium ion batteries for hybrid and electric vahicles. Other uses of lithium include coolants for heat transfer applications and, as lithium niobate, it is used in mobile phones and optical modulators. World demand for lithium is about 100,000 tonnes/year. Lithium sells for about $6,000/tonne Fonte: Resource World, Vol. 9, Issue 2 Data: February, 2011 TITAN URANIUM EXPANDING RESOURCES TO FUEL THE FUTURE As of November 2010, a total of 29 countries worldwide are operating 441 nuclear reactors for electricity generation and 65 new nuclear plants are under construction in 15 countries, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI). The NEI predicts by 2030, the US will need nearly hundreds of new power plants and energy companiesare developing license applications to build as many as 30 new commercial reactors in the US. The NRC is reviewing applications for new reactors under its new licensing precess. In Canada the nuclear sector is a $6.6 billion per year industry generating $1.5 billion in federal and provincial revenues from taxes. (Source: Canadian Nuclear Association (CNA) 2010 Fact book) Canada’s nuclear sector provides 71,000 jobs (21,000 direct, 10,000 indirect plus 40,000 spin‐
off jobs). It represents 150 firms ans $1.2 billion per year in exports. (Source: Canadian Energy Research Institute (CERI) 2008). In 2009, 17 nuclear reactors provided 14.8% of Canada’s electricity. The World Nuclear Association estimates that about 63% of the world’s uranium production comes from mines in Kazakhstan, Canada and Australia. An increasing proportion of uranium, now 36%, is produced by in situ leaching. Uranium production fell until 1993 when it began to rise to where it now meets 76% of demand for power generation. The resource industry has seen a new surge of activity in the uranium sector worldwide as companies began exploring and developing projects since uranium prices recovered in the new millenium. The World Nuclear Association projects world uranium in 2015, most of which will need to come from mine production. In 2009, 24% came from secondary sources. There is no doubt that nuclear energy will have to play a larger role in the near future. Uranium explorers are seeking new resources to fuel the many new reactors that are required to meet world energy demands. Titan Uranium Inc. Is one of those companies exploring proven and prospective areas for uranium. The company is at the permiting stage with its Sheep Mountain mine in Wyoming. Titan is exploring for uranium on over 1.0 million acred of land in the proven Athabasca and prospective Thelon Basins, as well as in Utah and Wyoming. The company is actively pursuing merger and acquisition oppotunities. Titan’s 100%‐owned Sheep Mountain Project is in Freemont County, Wyoming and consists of 135 lode mining claims (~2780 acres/1125 ha) and two State of Wyoming mineral leases for an additional 790 acres/320 ha. A preminary feasibility study has been completed at the Sheep Mountain Uranium Project. The Sheep Mountain Uranium mine hosts a NI 43‐101 compliant probable reserve of 14.2 million pounds U3O8 (6.4 million tons at an average grade of 0.111% U3O8). The study shows a pre‐tax NPV of $101 million, with an IRR of 25%. Project plans include an underground mine and an open pit mine, with heap leaching to extract the uranium, and a central recovery plant to produce yellowcake. A 63‐hole drill program (6,132 m) was completed in the summer of 2010 in the areas of the panned open pit. The project has an active Mine Permit from the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality and is preparing an application for a Source Materials License from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. In the Athabasca Basin, Titan is one of the largest landholders with 17 properties covering all six conductive corridors. The company completed 3,288 metres of diamond drilling (10 holes) in 2010. Titan’s exploration plans for 2011 include geophysics for target preparationand 6,00 metres of diamond drilling. Half of the proposed Cdn $4.4 million budget for the2011 exploration program will come from Titan’s partners. Titan will be the operator for each project. Fonte: Resource World, Vol. 9, Issue 2 Data: February, 2011 VALE IN $10 BN, 5‐YEAR INVESTMENT SPREE IN CANADA Global mining giant Vale is in the throes of a C$10‐billion five‐year investment programme in Canada, which will further entrench the country’s position as the base‐metals hub of the mining group. Headquartered in Brazil, Vale is the world’s largest producer of iron‐ore and the second‐
biggest nickel producer. It is also active in other base metals, coal and platinum‐ group metals, in addition to steelmaking, logistics and energy. Copper, nickel and fertilisers have been identified as key components of its diversification strategy, and its operations and projects across Canada form an integral part of its plans. In November 2010, the group outlined its five‐year investment plans for Canada worth in excess of $10‐billion. “Vale is investing in its Canadian operations at an unprecedented rate. We are very excited about our projects in Canada and see significant growth potential in copper and nickel,” Vale corporate affairs vice‐president Cory McPhee tells Mining Weekly. “Vale has traditionally been a primary producer of iron‐ore, mainly in Brazil. When Vale acquired Inco, of Canada, in 2006, Inco had nickel as its primary focus. Today, the Canadian operations serve as the hub of the group’s base‐
metals activities and we will aggressively pursue further growth in these metals, in particular copper, for which there is strong global demand. “Having said that, we will not limit our expansion to base metals but seek to unlock all value to be found on Canadian soil,” says McPhee. The company will spend an estimated $3,4‐billion in Ontario to upgrade mining and processing facilities at its century‐old operations in Sudbury in order to ensure that the facilities are more efficient, and to significantly reduce atmospheric emissions by 2015. One of the Sudbury projects is the Totten mine, located west of the city near Worthington. Representing an investment of $360‐million, Totten is the first new Vale mine in Sudbury in almost 40 years. “When other operations were closing shop during the financial crisis, Vale announced that it would reopen the Totten mine,” says McPhee. He explains that the mine was operated by Inco until 1972, when it was deemed mined out. “However, technological advancements, particularly in the area of exploration, have allowed us to find new sources of ore that had previously eluded us.” As part of the redevelopment project, a new headframe was constructed and a new shaft sunk. McPhee reports that the project is progressing well and on schedule to start production in late 2011. The mine will produce 8 200 t/y of nickel and copper, with precious metals as by‐products. It has an expected life span of about 20 years and will provide employment for an estimated 130 people. He explains that the mine represents a major investment in developing new sources of ore to feed the company’s Sudbury processing facilities. The ore mined at Totten will be transported to the Clarabelle mill for processing. Vale has allocated $200‐million for an upgrade project at the Clarabelle mill in Sudbury, with the investment focused on changing the flow sheet and improving recoveries by between 3% and 4%. The investment includes the construction of a new building at the existing mill site and implementation of a new floatation system with state‐of‐the‐art technology. McPhee reports that engineering work is under way at Clarabelle and Vale expects to break ground on the project in March 2011, with completion expected in 2012. Also in Sudbury, the company is undertaking a feasibility study on the Atmospheric Emissions Reduction project, which, with a cost of $1,5‐billion to $2‐billion, is the most significant environmental investment ever contemplated in the Sudbury basin. The project will reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) by more than 80% over current levels, resulting in cleaner air for the community and generating significant economic spin‐off benefits to Sudbury and Northern Ontario. Once the project gets the green light, construction could begin in early 2012 and be completed in late 2015. Between 800 and 2 000 workers are expected on site at any one time during the course of the project. Other nickel‐mining‐related expenditures and exploration in Ontario include a re‐ evaluation of the previously suspended Copper Cliff Deep project targeting 126‐ million tons of ore in and around the community of Copper Cliff and Creighton mine, where drilling has yielded strong results at depth, with ore down to 3 048 m, as well as the examination of low‐grade, near‐ surface deposits and ongoing underground and surface exploration programmes in the Sudbury basin. As part of the group’s strategy to significantly grow its copper production, an aggressive exploration drilling programme is under way in zones of high copper and precious metals, including the Victor and Capre properties in Sudbury. Vale has indicated that it will make announcements in the “near future” on its strategy and investments for increasing copper production in Canada by 100 000 t. The mining studies and exploration expen‐ ditures in the Sudbury basin represent an investment of more than $50‐million in 2011. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the company is investing an estimated $2,8‐billion to build new processing facilities in Long Harbour in order to process nickel concen‐ trate produced at the Voisey’s Bay mine, in Labrador. The Long Harbour plant is Vale’s first processing facility in Canada located on tidewater. The processing plant will use hydrometallurgy (hydromet) technology developed and tested by Vale in Canada in a $200‐million research and development effort. Once in operation, the Long Harbour plant will be the world’s first nickel processing plant to process concentrate from nickel sulphide ore directly into finished nickel product. Hydromet technology has the benefit of eliminating airborne emissions of SO2 and improving overall metal recoveries. McPhee reports that good progress is being made on site and that the facility is on schedule for completion in the first quarter of 2013. At the peak of construction in 2011, as many as 2 500 people will be involved in construction activi‐ ties at Long Harbour, with about 500 permanent jobs to be created on completion. With the company intent on broadening its product horizons, it is evaluating a $2,5‐bilion to $3‐billion potash development project in Saskatchewan, under the umbrella of its fertilisers business. Currently in the prefeasibility stage, the project would target production of 2,9‐million tons of potash a year. It is expected that about 1 500 contractors will be employed over a four‐year construction period and that up to 500 permanent jobs will be created once operation gets under way. Board approval for the project is expected in 2012. As part of its base‐metals blueprint for the future, Vale is focusing its efforts in Thompson, Manitoba, on developing new sources of ore as it transitions its operations to mining and milling, with the phasing out of smelting and refining by 2015. The group believes that this will enable it to better align processing capa‐ city with mineral reserves while meeting its environmental commitments. Two key issues underpin the decision to implement operating changes in Manitoba. Firstly, mineral reserves in Thompson have not been sufficient to operate the smelter and refinery at full capacity for some time. To account for this shortfall, Vale has been importing as much as 45% of the nickel processed in Thompson from sources outside Manitoba. This external feed is no longer available after 2013. Secondly, new federal SO2 emission standards, which are expected to come into effect in 2015, require a reduction in airborne emissions of about 88% from current levels at the Thompson operation. Vale has concluded that it cannot practically meet this new regulatory standard in Manitoba. Vale has started taking steps to develop the next generation of ore sources needed to create a long‐term, sustainable mining base. Current plans at the company’s Birchtree mine see operations continuing well beyond 2020. Simultaneously, it is pursuing new mine development opportunities in northern Manitoba at both the Thompson 1‐D and Pipe‐Kipper deposits. The 1‐D project is examining alternatives to exploit a significant minerals resource base in the existing Thompson mine. In the prefeasibility stage, the project represents a potential investment of more than $1‐billion in Manitoba’s mining future. The Pipe‐Kipper project, meanwhile, is examining the mining potential of a metallurgically complex ultramafic ore resource. Concentrate qualities and recoveries achieved to date with a conventional milling flow sheet indicate a business case that warrants continued study. Pipe‐Kipper is a high‐volume, low‐grade resource with the potential for many more years of mining activity in Thompson. As mine development projects continue, Vale is investing $150‐million to upgrade its tailings containment facilities in Manitoba, which it believes will aid the transition to a sustainable mining and milling future. Vale is also continuing an aggressive exploration programme in the Thompson Nickel Belt that saw more than $25‐million in expen‐ ditures in 2009 directed at identifying and developing new ore sources for future operations. The programme continues to generate encouraging results that support a sustain‐ able mine‐mill operation. Vale has stated that it is committed to becoming the biggest and best mining company in the world, and that Canada has an important role to play in that effort. “We are investing in our future in Canada because we believe it has so much to offer. We do face challenges ahead and there have been some bumps in the road related to labour issues, but we see a very bright future in Canada,” says McPhee. Fonte: Mining Weekly, PDAC 2011 supplement Data: 06 to 09/03/2010 PEAK OIL MAY TAKE SECOND PLACE TO PEAK MINERALS You’d probably be hard pressed to find a veteran of the minerals industry who wouldn’t admit that this particular commodities cycle is different from those in the past. Clearly, one major difference is the fact the United States is no longer the primary influence driving commodity prices. In bygone days, when boom‐bust economic cycles were the norm, it took a strong recovery in the US before key industrial commodities such as copper pulled out of their doldrums. Back in the early 1980s, when Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker initiated his program to curb inflation by raising interest rates to unprecedented levels, he had to kill the global economy to achieve his goal. The federal funds rate, which was about 11% in 1979, rose to 20% by June 1981. The prime interest rate, a highly important economic measure, eventually reached 21.5% in June 1982 – hardly an environment in which consumers would purchase big tickets items. As a result, housing prices collapsed in the US and, for that matter, in most other parts in the world. Not surprisingly, demand for consumer products used in the housing market ( and the commodities used to manufacture them) declined in lockstep. Commodities subsequently trated at prices, that, one senior executive told me at the time, were at depression era levels. The crash in oil, copper, grain and other commodities in 2008, outpaced the crash of technology stocks in early 2000. In the former’s case, it took roughly six months to achieve 80% declines in some market segments, whereas similar losses were accomplished in about two years in the tech sector. When the entire commodities market virtually collapsed in 2008 following the financial contagion that engulfed the world, even the most diehard of us had misgivings about the future – and what the nature of any recovey would actually be. I’m sure nobody expected the recovery to be as rapid as it actually was, including myself. Nonetheless, few people I spoke with envisioned China shutting down its massive economic development program given the political consequences of creating millions of unemployed and aggrieved Chinese workers. Today, we find ourselves in a period of seemingly unquenchable demand for mineral commodities. Natural calamities such as the recent floods in eastern Australia have chocked already tight coal supplies on international markets, pushing prices higher. And what the future holds in store seems more than apparent by the way the Chinese are gobbling up global resources and the companies that produce them. From my vantage point, it would appear that the concept of peak oil (the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline) might take second place to “peak minerals” given the depletion rates we are seeing for the world’s mineral resources and the lead time required to discover and develop new sources of supply. Looking into the future (10‐15 years), I can see a doubling or tripling of prices for major commodities including copper, zinc, lead, iron, uranium and coal, the last one representing the cheapest means of producing electrical energy. Despite all the political and environmental dialogue we hear these days about carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, I believe that people will vote with their wallets. In any event, mining companies today are focusing on sustaining and growing production at or near existing operations for very good reason – that’s where the infrastructure is and it’s the most cost efficient and least capital intensive place to do it. But many of these operations are getting more and more expensive to operate, as mines get deeper and their resources approach the point of exhaustion. Really alarming is the fact that few, if any, high quality, reasonably accesible mineral discoveries are being made these days. This is particularly acute for commodities with a broad commercial use such as copper and iron ore. At some point in the future, we might well se major shortfalls for specific commodities as mines shut down and companies are unable to coordinate these closures with the inauguration of new production from other sources. Perhaps an indicator of things to come is the supply squeeze in the rare earths market which is dominated by China. I suspect most of the clamor related to this issue is due to the fact that rare earth elements are uniquely indispensable in many electronic, optical and magnetic applications for the US military. However, on the other side of the coin, the market size for rare earths hardly compares to major industrial commodities such as copper, meaning that prices could turn down as new supply sources come on line. Rising uranium production from Kazakhstan in recent years is probably a good example of what could happen. It will be very much a different story for major industrial commodities. Fonte: Resource World, Vol. 9, Issue 2 Data: February, 2011 METALS ECONOMICS GROUP PIPELINE ACTIVITY INDEX REACHES A NEW HIGH AS FINANCING ACTIVITY SKYROCKETS Metals Economics Group Pipeline Activity Index (PAI) rose for the fifth consecutive month in December, setting a new high‐water mark for the 32‐month period since MEG initiated the PAI. The increase in the number of significant drill results and initial resource announcements in the latter half of the year contributed to a steady rise in the PAI since July; however the jump in the number of financings completed over the last few months of the year—particularly in November and December as some juniors rushed to close financings before year‐end—drove the PAI’s steep upward trajectory over the fourth quarter. The industry’s aggregate market capitalization for December also set a new high since MEG initiated the PAI, reaching almost $2.36 trillion—a far cry from the low of $656 million in November 2008. The number of significant drill results reported increased in November 2010, before slowing in December for the holiday season. North America continued to be the main destination for gold explorers, while Latin America led the way in base metals for the second consecutive bimonthly period. Apart from a slow December 2010, gold results virtually mirrored the relative gold price, while base metals results appear to have regained the momentum lost for most of 2009. Initial resource announcements in the November‐December period remained above the 2010 bimonthly average, but were still well below the levels seen prior to mid‐2009. The relatively low number of new initial resources is primarily the result of a continuing dearth in initial base metals resources. Given the increase in earlier‐stage drill activity observed since early 2010—especially for base metals since midyear—MEG expects the number of initial resource announcements will eventually rise. The overall value of initial resources reported in the latest period is down from September‐
October 2010. The largest new resource announced in the period was for the Claude Hills deposit at Metals X’s Central Musgrave nickel laterite project in Australia, which straddles a tenement subject to a JV agreement with Rio Tinto. The number of significant financings completed by junior and intermediate companies continued to be the main driver of the PAI in November‐December 2010. The bimonthly total was 62% above the previous high of $4.5 billion raised in November‐December 2009, and the amount raised in December 2010 is more than double the next‐highest month (November 2009 = $2.55 billion). In 2010, a total of 66 qualifying IPOs (each for at least $2 million) raised a combined $1.5 billion, including 25 completed in November‐December 2010 for $721.2 million. The MEG Pipeline Activity Index (PAI) measures the level and direction of overall activity in the supply pipeline, incorporating significant drill results, initial resource announcements, project development milestones, and significant financings into a single comparable index. The PAI is featured in the MEG Industry Monitor—a series of comprehensive graphs and charts, with related commentary, illustrating MEG's analysis of monthly changes and emerging trends in the base and precious metals pipeline. Using information only available from MEG, the Industry Monitor tracks developments based on announcements over the past two years of significant drill results, initial new resources, project development milestones, significant financings, and acquisitions. For more information on the PAI, visit Metals Economics Group’s web site at www.metalseconomics.com. Fonte: Planning for Profits – Report on Mining (PDAC edition) Data: 06 to 9/03/2011 E&MJ’S ANNUAL SURVEY OF GLOBAL MINING INVESTMENT The volume of global mining investment grew at an unexpectedly quick pace in 2010 The slump in mining industry investment was shorter than most observers—including the Raw Materials Group (RMG)—expected only a year ago. In last year’s project review we predicted renewed growth to take place mostly toward the end of the year. Mining investments did increase over the year but the start was faster than predicted and hence overall activity was much higher than projected. During 2010, 105 new mining investment projects with total announced costs of $60 billion were registered in our Raw Materials Data Metals Mines/Projects database. This represents sensationally healthy growth and the industry seems to be heading for a new boom in the next few years. Our prediction from 2009 holds for another year: Investment activities are bound to continue to increase in the next 12 months. Recovery Under Way, Not There Yet The total amount of investment in the global mining industry’s project pipeline as recorded in RMD Metals’ Mines/Projects database is $562 billion at the end of 2010. This figure increased by more than 21% compared with the previous year, when investment growth was only 14%. The industry has recovered from the 2009 slump but has not yet reached 2008’s peak, when growth was almost 30%. RMG’s oft‐repeated conclusion that metal prices will be underpinned by a rising long‐term investment cost level still holds. In 2010, the level of these long‐term prices increased again after a drop in 2009. RMG does not anticipate metal prices will drop to the level of the early 2000s, however. In today’s market there is an upside developing if metal demand continues to soar. The growth of the investment pipeline illustrates the industry’s crisis is over and the future looks bright. The inflow of projects is once again increasing and will most probably continue to grow as metal demand increases. A slowdown in new projects may, however, become evident in a couple of years due to the very sharp drop in exploration activity in 2009, although there’s no current trend in that direction. In fact, there has been strong growth in the number and volumes of early stage projects while the number of late stage projects, including feasibility and construction phases has been reduced, as few projects were brought into the final stages during the crisis in 2009–2010. The amount of investments in brownfield projects has increased in absolute terms while the relative share has increased marginally. As would be expected, brownfield projects demand lower investments, with the average project costing only $264 million, while the average greenfield project is $542 million. Admittedly such a comparison does not take the capacities of each project into account but in our view brownfield projects are likely to be more cost effective measured on a capacity basis. All of this year’s survey statistics are based on projects with an announced investment estimate. The RMD Metals database also includes approximately 1,800 projects—mostly in the conceptual stage—for which no investment figure has been announced. The investment total for all mining projects, including projects for which no investment estimate has been published, is therefore larger than the $562 billion recorded at the end of 2019. It is difficult to estimate how much bigger. If it is assumed that the projects without published investment estimates have a similar cost structure to those projects whose costs are known, the total figure would increase considerably. Many of the early stage projects included in the $562‐billion total will not, or at least not during a period of low metal prices, pass from the conceptual study phase to the construction stage for a number of reasons, including insufficient profitability, inadequate ore reserves, failure to secure financing, technological problems or excessive political risk. Historically RMG has observed 60%–75% of all projects announced will materialize during a three‐year period. Top Metal: Iron Trumps Copper Iron ore, copper, gold and nickel, in that order are the most important investment targets for mining companies. These four metals account for 84% of the total project pipeline. They also dominate the mining business in terms of the total value of its output; they are cumulatively valued at $280 billion or 76% of the total value of all non‐fuel mineral production during 2008. Continued high demand for iron ore and healthy increases in prices paid has gradually moved iron ore to the top of the list. Iron ore investment has surpassed that of copper with a project pipeline of $162 billion—compared with $155 million for copper—while gold and nickel are at much lower levels ($83 billion and $69 billion, respectively) distantly followed by the sector, valued at $15–$20 billion, in which uranium, lead/zinc and PGMs are to be found. Investment in gold projects increased considerably in 2009, but then dropped in 2010 to just under 11% of total project investment despite the high level of gold prices during this period. Iron ore outpaced the other metals in terms of new investment, registering an increase to $28 billion. New gold project investment totaled $7 billion and copper to just under $6 billion in 2010. In 2010, 36 new gold projects were announced, along with 22 iron ore projects and 12 copper projects. The average iron ore project investment was almost $1.3 billion, up from $750 million, while the average gold project has remained steady at $204 million. Iron ore’s share of total new investment announced in 2010 increased again after a decline in 2009, reaching 47%. The continuing demand growth for steel and the concomitant high prices paid for iron ore point to a strong increase in iron ore production in the next three to five years. High metal prices drive exploration and subsequently, investments in new mines. In 2010, the favorable price levels for silver resulted in a number of new projects being launched, particularly toward the end of the year. Six new silver projects were announced with a total investment of more than $4 billion. The political interest in rare earths also resulted in four new projects outside China with a total investment of more than $3 billion. The Chinese near‐monopoly of rare earths production has caused serious concern in many countries and has been seen as a Chinese attempt to take control over vital metal resources. The low production level of rare earths outside China is, however, more a function of quick growth in demand that has not been possible to meet in the short term, given that mine startup often takes five to 10 years, rather than a problematic long‐term supply situation. So far, demand has been limited and the production volumes of these metals so small—
with total volume a few thousand metric tons annually, valued at the mine at a few hundred million dollars—that none of the major mining companies has bothered to get involved. The new projects outside China indicate the situation is changing. Latin America Back at No. 1 Latin America regained its position at the top of the list in 2010, attracting more than 32% of total global investment—more than double of any other region, each of which attracted roughly 13%–15% except for Europe with 11%. Asia, which was the top region in last year’s survey, fell behind in 2010. The Latin America investment pipeline grew by US$46 billion in 2010, much stronger than the global average of 21%. The Latin American project pipeline includes more very large projects than any other region. Currently, 58 projects have an investment figure of more than $1 billion each, which makes the Latin American average investment roughly 50% higher than in Oceania and 20% higher than in North America. Europe is still the least favored region with only 11% of the total or $62 billion. But the downward trend is broken and, interestingly, new European projects are located mostly outside Russia, which had earlier dominated the region. Several new projects in Greenland, Sweden, Finland and Romania are indications of an investment climate slowly becoming more positive as the European Commission gradually understands the benefits of a domestic mining industry. One of the objectives of EU’s new Raw Materials Initiative is to improve the conditions for mining in Europe. Mining Investments Spread Over the World The share of total investment accounted for by the top 10 countries increased again in 2010 to 67%, almost back to the 2008 figure (68%). The discussion in the three last Project Surveys as to whether there is a trend toward spreading mining investments more evenly across the globe or not continues: At the end of 2009 we were almost convinced there is a tendency to find new target countries, but this year we are less sure. There is a growing political interest in securing a stable mineral and metals supply among consuming countries in Europe, and in Japan and the U.S. Governments of producing countries, in particular those of emerging economies, are trying to retain more of the profits from mining within their economies. Royalties and taxes are increasing and in some countries such as Ghana and Guinea the state has the right to a certain free carried interest in each project. Such political initiatives change the competitive situation between countries, at least in the short term. Currently it appears that political instability in certain areas—for example, West Africa—is making investors think twice before they engage in the region, in spite of fantastic geological potential. Australia is once again the leading country for mining investors, riding a continuing iron ore boom. Of the 20 largest projects in Australia, 11 are for iron ore and all require investment of more than $1 billion. In Canada, the mix of projects is much broader with several gold and base metal projects among the 20 largest—but total investments has not grown as fast on average as has the number and size of the iron ore projects in Australia, thus making Canada’s tenure at the top of the list one brief year. Both countries account for 11% of total mining investment, or some $65 billion each. Brazil remains in third place but the gap between it and the top two has shrunk as a result of strong growth in investment in the country and the region. Below third place, there has a complete reshuffle: Russia has fallen from fourth place to sixth, and Chile has risen to fourth. Peru remains in fifth. South Africa’s downward trend has been broken and it moved up again to rank seventh. It is interesting to note that high costs and antiquated mining legislation in the U.S. is finally and gradually undermining its attractiveness for miners. In 2010, the U.S. was the only top‐10 country that did not increase its project pipeline, with its investment total remaining at $23 billion. Below the top‐10 cutoff are Guinea, Indonesia, Argentina, Kazakhstan New Caledonia, China and Papua New Guinea in that order, each with a portfolio of projects between $8–$11 billion. It should be noted that as some projects are much bigger than others and one new project announced in a small country or one major project completed makes a big difference in the position of this country relative to others. In Guinea, for example, one new iron ore project increased its total investment figure by 70%; thus, not too much importance should be attributed to relative country rankings below the top 10. The figure for China is most certainly an underestimate, since many of the projects run by the state‐owned companies are never reported in such a way that they reach the international mining press. With comparable reporting from China there is no doubt that the country would be high up among the top 10 countries. Chinese projects are mostly small at an average of $150 million per project, compared with Canada where the average project is priced at $545. China’s scramble for resources in Australia, Africa and elsewhere, which has come into political focus, is still negligible in spite of rapid growth in recent years—although it represents growth from almost zero. It will take years before Chinese companies, and China, become a powerful global player in the mining industry. Further it is a mistake to view the Chinese investors as a homogenous group. There are many different types of Chinese companies active internationally: small companies earning a quick dollar in the Congolese copper industry, and major companies like Chinalco cooperating with global giants such as Rio Tinto. Fonte: E&MJ Data: January, 2011 DEPARTAMENTO NACIONAL DE PRODUÇÃO MINERAL PORTARIA No‐ 64, DE 24 DE FEVEREIRO DE 2011 DOU de 25/02/2011 Retifica a Reserva Garimpeira de "Peixoto de Azevedo" revoga as demais Reservas. Garimpeiras do Estado de Mato Grosso. O DIRETOR‐GERAL DO DEPARTAMENTO NACIONAL DE PRODUÇÃO MINERAL‐DNPM, no uso da competência que lhe confere o Decreto nº 7.092, de 2 de fevereiro de 2010, publicado no DOU de 3 seguinte e tendo em vista o disposto no art.11, da Lei n° 7.805 de 18 julho de 1989, resolve: Art. 1° O art.1° da portaria DNPM nº 237, de 16 de agosto de 1999, passa a vigorar com a seguinte redação: "Art. 1° Fica delimitada, para fins de aproveitamento mineral pelo Regime de Permissão de Lavra garimpeira a área de 3.275,294 km², situada nos Municípios de Novo Mundo, Nova Guarita, Matupá, Marcelândia, Peixoto de Azevedo, Terra Nova do Norte e Nova Santa Helena, Estado de Mato Grosso, delimitada por um polígono com o seguinte memorial: a partir do vértice 1, de coordenadas geodésicas de latitude 10°02'00'' Sul e longitude 55°15'00" WGr; daí segue rumo leste até o vértice 2 de latitude 10°02'00" Sul e longitude 55°15'30" WGr; daí segue rumo Sul até o vértice 3 de latitude 10°07'30" Sul e longitude 55°05'30" WGr; daí segue rumo leste até o vértice 4 de latitude 10°07'30" Sul e longitude 54°49'00" WGr; daí segue rumo sul até o vértice 5 de latitude 10°18'00" Sul e longitude 54°49'00'' WGr; daí segue rumo leste até o vértice 6 de latitude 10°18,00" Sul e longitude 54°25'43'' WGr; daí segue rumo sul até o vértice 7 de latitude 10°45'00" Sul e longitude 54°25'43" WGr; daí segue rumo oeste até o vértice 8 de latitude 10°45'00" Sul e longitude 54°43'00" WGr; daí segue rumo norte até o vértice 9 de latitude 10°29'00" Sul e longitude 54°43'00" WGr; daí segue rumo oeste até o vértice 10 de latitude 10°29'00" Sul e longitude 54°59'30" WGr; daí segue rumo norte até o vértice 11 de latitude 10°18'00" Sul e longitude 54°59'30" WGr; dai segue rumo oeste até o vértice 12 de latitude 10°18'00" Sul e longitude 55°15'00" WGr; daí segue rumo norte até o vértice 1 de latitude 10°02'00" Sul e longitude 55°15'00" WGr.". Art. 2° Ficam revogadas as Portarias MME n°s 2.230, de 8 novembro de 1978, a 549, de 9 maio de 1983, 550, a de 9 maio de 1983 e a 338, de 21 de março de 1988. Art. 3º Esta Portaria entra em vigor na data de sua publicação. MIGUEL ANTONIO CEDRAZ NERY