Author Archives: transtainer

17 Apr

Centrex leaning towards transhipment for Port Spencer

Centrex Minerals is likely to choose transhipment over a deepwater jetty at its Port Spencer export project in South Australia, chief executive Ben Hammond has told AJM. After initially planning to build a 500m jetty and shiploader out to water deep enough to handle a large bulk carrier, Centrex had a re-think in November last

Read More
16 Apr

4 jewels in New BHP’s crown

As BHP’s financial adviser Goldman Sachs beavers away on possible structures for the mooted spin-off company that will contain the Big Australian’s grab bag of unloved and secondary assets, AJM takes a look at the pick of the litter. In most reckonings, the Worsley alumina refinery is the number one asset in the New BHP.

Read More
03 Apr

Moon mining not pie in the sky

While we are decades away from developing the technologies needed to commercially exploit the moon’s resources, some experts are saying that we should already be thinking about lunar property rights. When China’s lunar robot, Jade Rabbit, ground to an unexpected halt in January, it temporarily put paid to that country’s plan to drill moon rock

Read More
03 Apr

BHP mulls split from non-core business

Mining giant BHP Billiton is reportedly considering a plan which would see its nickel, manganese and aluminium businesses moved to a separate, $20 billion firm. Early reports that the mining company’s board were considering splitting the business were at least partly confirmed on Tuesday, when the miner released a statement on the ASX. “As we

Read More
06 Mar

BHP mulls nickel sale as price hits 9-month high

Indonesia’s proposed ban on ore exports has pushed nickel prices to a nine-month high, as Glencore Xstrata thinks about buying BHP’s Nickel West operation. Ivan Glasenberg, Glencore’s biggest shareholder and chief executive, told analysts overnight that the world’s fourth-biggest miner would “kick the tyres” on Nickel West, BHP’s nickel operations in Western Australia. “It’s something

Read More
06 Mar

Indo contractor cuts fuel cost 7%

Indonesian mining contractor Cipta Kridatama has managed to improve haul truck fuel efficiency by 6.9%, through an operator training program incorporating simulation technology. Employing more than 3,400 workers, who operate 624 units of heavy and supporting equipment, Cipta Kridatama is among Indonesia’s biggest mining contractors. But with operating costs rising and a softening global mining

Read More
20 Feb

Cost cutting, iron ore buoyancy reap profits for Rio, BHP and FMG

Australian mining’s big three – Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Fortescue Mining Group – all recorded impressive profit increases for the end of 2013, while British multinational miner Anglo American isn’t where it wants to be. An iron ore price that stayed higher and more stable than some predicted, and increased shipment volumes were the

Read More
20 Feb

Commodities stable against the odds, analysts say

A pair of analysts from HSBC Global Research say that, despite recent suggestions to the contrary, it’s “so far, so good” for global commodity prices – and that’s good news for Australia and New Zealand. Paul Bloxham, HSBC Global Research’s chief economist for Australia and New Zealand, says while “doomsayers” have suggested that slower Chinese

Read More
30 Jan

Kazakhstan, Russia, top mining risk/reward list

Business Monitor has just released its latest analysis on mining opportunities in Central Europe, and it has listed Kazakhstan and Russia at the top of its risk/reward ratings, due to the substantial rewards on offer in those countries, relative to other European players. While some might shy away from the two nations – Kazakhstan is

Read More
16 Jan

Fortescue switching from diesel to gas power generation

Fortescue Metals Group has signed a 20-year gas transportation deal which will underwrite a new $178m gas pipeline to the company’s Solomon hub power station. The iron ore miner expects the switch from diesel to gas static power generation to save it $20m per annum. A joint venture of pipeline developer DUET Group (57%) and

Read More