Mozambican suspends granting of coal mining licenses in Tete Province

Saturday, 01 Oct 2011

The Mozambican government has decided to suspend the issue of new licenses for coal mining in Tete province.

Mr Afonso Abica inspector of the Mining Resources Ministry said that the suspension, which includes prospecting and surveying licenses, mining certificates and mining concessions aims to assess to what extent companies that already hold licenses are complying with the contracts signed with the government.

On the sidelines of a seminar on reviewing the Mining Law, Mr Mabica said that the decision to suspend the issuing of new mining licenses was only related to coal mining in Tete province and that other mining activities would not be affected.

The inspector also said that companies who were not complying with what had been stipulated in their contracts would be penalised and, in extreme cases, could have their licenses revoked.

He said “By revoking the mining licenses we want areas that are currently occupied without being explored can be handed over to other people who are interested and available to work on them.”

Over the last two years the government has granted over 112 licenses to 45 national and foreign companies linked to coal mining in Tete province, which is thought to have the largest coal reserves in the world.

It is estimated that within five years over 100 million tonnes of coal per year will be mined from the Zambezi coal basin, making Mozambique one of the world’s largest coal exporters. However, despite the huge potential, few companies are moving to develop their concessions.

(Sourced from macauhub)

SC extends mining ban in Karnataka

Saturday, 27 Aug 2011

Following a report of the centrally empowered committee of the court, India’s Supreme Court on Friday has finally suspended iron ore mining in the Tumkur and Chitradurga districts of Karnataka.

The forest bench headed by Chief Justice SH Kapadia said the fundamental right to life, which includes a clean environment, was above the right to trade in the Constitution. CJ stressed that economic development should be balanced by environmental considerations. He asked the industries to work out a rehabilitation plan and a scientific method to excavate the mines.

However, it asked for suggestions from the Attorney General and others to submit a formula to release 25 million tonnes of iron ore available for immediate use by the steel industry.

The court further directed a joint team to carry out a survey and demarcate the boundaries of the leases, as was ordered in the case of Bellary district earlier. The empowered committee will name the agency in charge of keeping the accounts of sales and royalty payable at the rate of 10 per cent of the market price.

Friday’s order followed the August 19 report of the empowered committee, which stated reckless mining in an unsustainable manner for short-term gains had affected the region’s ecology.

(sourced from BS)

Pilbara region takes cover as cyclone hits home

By Andrew Burrell
February 23, 2011 12:00AM

MAJOR petroleum and mining projects in Western Australia's Pilbara region were forced to suspend operations for the third time in a month yesterday as Tropical Cyclone Carlos battered the coast with 140km/h winds and heavy rain.

Loading of ships for export was halted after authorities at Port Hedland, which is used by iron ore miners BHP Billiton and Fortescue Metals Group, suspended operations due to the cyclone.

Plants across the Pilbara have experienced heavy rains that closed rail lines and roads.

A spokeswoman for Woodside Petroleum said production from its Enfield oilfield and Cossack Pioneer floating facility had stopped, while production from its Vincent oilfield remained shut-in due to planned maintenance.

Woodside chief executive Don Voelte said on Monday that plans for the $14 billion Pluto project near Karratha to be completed by August could be delayed by the wild weather in recent weeks, including Tropical Cyclone Bianca that hit the Pilbara last month.

The cyclones caused 20 days of lost production, which might not be recoverable, Mr Voelte said. "At this late stage of the project, it might be hard to make up any or all of that time," he said.

"It's a fact of life -- it's raining and raining and raining up there."

Apache Corporation said it halted production at its Stag and Van Gogh fields off Western Australia before Carlos, but output at Varanus Island continued.

On Monday, Rio Tinto warned that shipping volumes were likely to be affected this quarter as cyclones Carlos and Dianne hampered its operations.

Dianne moved further off the coast this week.

Fortescue said it was waiting to hear from the harbourmaster at Port Hedland as to when the port would reopen.

A spokeswoman for the port said it remained closed and on "yellow alert", although there was an expectation operations might resume late yesterday.

Smaller mine company Murchison Metals said its Jack Hills iron ore project in WA's mid-west had been suspended for at least 14 days because of heavy rain and floods, forcing at least two export shipments set to leave the port of Geraldton next month to be delayed.

(sourced:The Australian, Additional reporting:Dow Jones Newswires)

Tags:BHP Billiton, Australia's Fortescue Metals Group, Murchison Metals, Port of Geraldton, Australian iron ore shipment, raw material