Mining Global magazine - July 2016

www.miningglobal.com

Profile Responsible business strategies TECH Finger on the pulse

THE 10 LARGEST

IN THE WORLD

July 2016

IN THIS ISSUE

EDITOR’S COMMENT

Diamond in the rough H E L L O A N D W E L C O M E T O the

July edition of Mining Global magazine.

In this month’s edition the Director of Pulse Mining tells us what he believes the future holds for the mining industry and how much of a say technology and innovation will have in that future.

In the last few months some of the largest record breaking rough cut diamonds ever found have gone to auction, bringing in over $100million in sales, but what are the largest cut diamonds in the world today? We take a look at the top 10 largest cut diamonds in the world and the story of their discovery.

How important are responsible business strategies to the mining industry? Former Shell and Rio Tinto leaders spoke in a recent LinkedIn chat and we have some of the key messages in this month’s edition.

I hope you enjoy this month’s Mining Global magazine – let us know your feedback @MiningGlobal

Dale Benton Editor dale.benton@bizclikmedia.com

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F E AT U R E S

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PROFILE

Responsible business strategies LIST

TECH

Finger on the Pulse: what does the future hold for the mining industry?

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July 2016

The largest diamonds in the world

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Company profiles

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COEUR MINING Latin America

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MINERAL DEPOSITS (GCO)

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MACA Australia &Asia

PROFILE

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RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS STRATEGIES

Environmental and social governance are key issues in the mining, oil and gas industries, so how important is responsible business strategy in the current climate?

Former Shell and Rio Tinto leaders recently discussed the approach to responsible business strategies in a LinkedIn chat. Here, Mining Global sums up the key messages.

Wr i t t en by: SA RA H A R N O LD 7

PROFILE A long-term approach Tom Albanese, former CEO of Rio Tinto and current Chief Executive of Vedanta Resources, believes the industry needs to stop focussing on the short term. “Projects that would have taken 3-5 years to develop in the 1980s are now taking 8-12 years and they need to be developed in this type of cycle.” He says.

This need for a more long term approach is a result of increased budgetary pressures placed on companies to complete projects, a by-product of “the incredible expansion of the Chinese economy punctuated by an extraordinary recession”.

A larger focus on projects taking longer is born out of a demand induced recovery in what Albanese believes is an “equally extraordinary” response from the world’s central banks.

But of course there are other key factors which affect the time scale of projects. Namely, the finances and infrastructure of local economies.

“There are some very large projects where the budget can start at $5 billion but then you put it in a remote community where those 8 July 2016

‘A larger focus on pro born out of a demand Albanese believes is response from the w communities don’t have electricity.

They don’t have the amenities that you would normally expect when working on a larger project. These communities simply don’t have the infrastructure.” Says Albenese.

The former chairman also discussed the impact of these projects on the local rural communities. Extensive extractive programmes can produce a significant change in the country’s economy, sometimes contributing up to 30percent of its Gross domestic

R E S P O N S I B L E B U S I N E S S S T R AT E G I E S

ojects taking longer is d induced recovery in what an “equally extraordinary” world’s central banks’ product (GDP). When a project of this magnitude receives what can be anything up to a 75percent budget cut, mining companies must adopt a long-term approach.

Sir Mark Moody-Stewart, current CEO of Vedanta Resources emphasises this need for a longterm approach, also warning of the dangers of recruiting employees, investing money in training and then being forced to let them go in more difficult financial situations.

Multi-skilled employees When companies make employees redundant in this difficult financial climate, they lose out on workers with valuable skill sets. MoodyStewart believes that one way to look at this situation is to “seize it as an opportunity”.

“Try to make sure that the sustainability and social aspects of the work are spread into everybody’s job,” He says.

“When people are made redundant 9

PROFILE you are going to lose specialists, so we better make everybody into something of a specialist.”

Acknowledging the difficulties of approaching the industry with this outlook, resulting in a more constrained workload as they have a lot of work to do in other areas, Moody-Stewart adds; “If you want to be robust over cycles, you better embed it everywhere.”

Use minimal expats Both men agree that in some areas expats must be used at the start-up as local talent is not available.

“As we develop these programmes, they can’t be staffed by expat specialists. There has got to be a few, but staffed by local residents and people from these countries” says Albanese.

He points out that major projects can handle the strain of resource reductions when a project moves into that phase.

When a project winds down or reduces its capacity, expat workers are the first to be pulled out, but as Albanese points out, “the local residents have developed those skills so if they are given a sufficient level of resources then they can continue at least in some capacity.”

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‘When companies make difficult financial climat valuable skill sets. Moo to look at this situation Learn from China Over the last few years, China has fast become a dominant force in the global resources industry and has seen a huge boom in the economy as a result.

Sir Mark Moody-Stewart believes that despite centuries of mining resource experience, businesses in more developed countries have a lot to learn from China.

“We shouldn’t think it’s all about us explaining to them how to do it,” he says.

“China has more knowledge of lifting people out of poverty than anyone else in the world and they achieve this through infrastructure and connecting villages to markets. We have a lot to learn from our Chinese colleagues.”

R E S P O N S I B L E B U S I N E S S S T R AT E G I E S

e employees redundant in this ate, they lose out on workers with ody-Stewart believes that one way is to “seize it as an opportunity’ TOM ALBANESE Tom Albanese is the Chief Executive Officer of Vedanta Resources. Previously he was the CEO of Rio Tinto.

He has also held positions in other mining companies including Ivanhoe Mines and Palabora Mining Company.

SIR MARK MOODY-STEWART Sir Mark Moody-Stewart is the former Chair of Royal Dutch Shell. He first worked for the company in 1966 as a geologist before leading exploration teams and eventually he moved into management. He retired in 2005 and received a Knighthood in 2000.

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TECHNOLOGY

Mining companies and orga on technology, data and now more than ever w this reliance grows f this mean acr Bosworth, Dir tells us wh

Finger on the Pulse: what does the future hold for the mining industry?

Written by: Mining Global Staff

anisations rely heavily d IT management, and with a declining market further. But what does ross the industry? Ash rector at Pulse Mining, hat the future holds for mining companies.

FINGER ON THE PULSE

How do you believe the industry is changing?

The mining sector is subject to a cycle of investment largely dictated by global demand and economics.

Exchange rates and international commodity prices give tangible and clear indicators of where we are in relation to a particular cycle.

High and healthier levels of growth frequently result in lower levels of productivity, particularly in the larger organisations with broader margins and greater market control and influence. A ‘production at any cost’ mentality prevails.

In periods of decline, the less profitable assets that struggle to make returns to the extent required in the context of a larger organisation are divested and often picked up by prudent investors who acquire at bargain prices and operate at a fraction of the cost.

Given that the mining industry is currently in the midst of a prolonged downturn, with low commodity prices, increased rates of company liquidations and declining exploration activity, productivity improvement is essential for miners to ride out the crash.

As the current downturn has 13

TECHNOLOGY

progressed it has moved through several ‘waves’ of cost cutting measures, each of which has been progressively harder to successfully implement.

The first wave (2012/12) was centred around the exploitation of ‘low hanging fruit’, such as cancelling projects, stripping contracts/ consultants and refocusing on the basics: safety, production and costs.

The second wave (2013/14) saw sweating of assets, maximising value of existing capital and production, squeezing suppliers for better deals, reducing staff, and the elimination of organisational overlap.

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We are now well into the third wave (2015-) of cost cutting, which is the business and process re-engineering phase – this ‘wave’ is focused on using automation and technology to generate productivity improvement.

How is the use of data and IT in the mining industry evolving in particular?

Data-driven decision making is essential to current mining operations, particularly in an era when many mine managers have limited experience of operating effectively during an industry downturn. They need both reliable operational data, and the

FINGER ON THE PULSE

“High and healthier levels of growth frequently result in lower levels of productivity (…)

A ‘production at any cost’ mentality prevails”

means to make sense of it quickly in order to maximise productivity and operational effectiveness.

Automation of processes and equipment, together with the underpinning technologies that enable this are key to long-term and sustainable productivity improvement in the mining industry.

Automation is driven by data availability, analysis and action. For most contemporary miners there is no lack of available data, as it is available from their business applications, such as the Pulse Mining ERP, various geological, survey and blasting software packages, and increasingly from the mining machinery itself.

Insightful analysis to enable effective actioning of this data is another matter. This is where the range of tactical and operational visualisation

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TECHNOLOGY and analytics apps that Pulse Mining is currently producing come to the fore. They are centred on the cultural change and continual process improvements required within the industry, and in particular deliver against the wide range of KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) defined by our clients as necessary to maximise productivity and operational effectiveness.

What pressures are companies facing, and how are they using technology advancements to keep up and stay ahead of the competition?

The oft-publicised future vision of mine automation seems to be predominately one of robotic mining and transport equipment

“Data-driven decision making is essential to current mining operations, particularly in an era when many mine managers have limited experience of operating effectively during an industry downturn�

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monitored from an office suite in a cosmopolitan city, whilst the majority of the miners have moved on to other jobs, ashrams or the dole queue.

The reality, at least for the foreseeable future, is that this a purely Utopian vision and that the Artificial Intelligence (AI) required to make it a reality is still only on the drawing board. Whilst there is obviously substantial investment taking place in this space particularly from Google and the US Military (and to a lesser extent mining companies such as Rio Tinto), what is currently available at the leading edge is very much in its infancy… for instance look to the obvious real-world limitations of the autonomous robotic technology recently showcased by DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) and Boston Dynamics.

As is the case on our roads and in modern warfare, the status quo is that whilst there is currently a place for remote-controlled equipment and equipment with semi-autonomous capabilities such as proximity detection/sensing and remote monitoring, full automation is a long way off. Automating equipment is relatively easy, however effective

automation of process is hard, particularly as in most cases no process is completely isolated, but exists as a subset of a group of linked processes, which at various points require some kind of intervention in the form of decision-making.

Two areas where automation is perhaps making more of an immediate impact than others (such as production efficiency) are safety and plant maintenance. Given the high costs associated with accident, injury and equipment failure it isn’t surprising that automation of shut-down and harm minimisation processes via proximity and other sensors are becoming widespread.

Vast amounts of data are now available from many sources, which usually don’t effectively communicate with one another, hence there is a continuing need for operators to oversee complex systems and provide input based on human senses, experience, training and instinct.

With many of the old hands, who often relied on ‘gut feel’ to make operational decisions, having left the industry there is now an increasing level of acceptance of the use of data and technology to support 17

TECHNOLOGY decision making around increasing productivity and identifying potential problems and process bottlenecks.

The upshot of all this is that it is not automation that may be eliminating salaries on mine sites at present, but development of more effective processes based on data-based decision making and companies knowing where to invest to maximise their shareholder return.

Pulse Mining supports mining automation through collection and management of data (including

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June 2016

machine data) via our ERP, but the further we enable insight and decision-making based on this (and other data) through our tacticallyfocused Operational Mine Analytics suite of solutions (built using Birst).

What do your customers see as the future of mining?

Mining is here for the long haul. It has been foundational in the growth of

FINGER ON THE PULSE

“Mining is here for the long haul. It has been foundational in the growth of civilisation over the past 5,000 years or so, and will continue to have a key role in the future” civilisation over the past 5,000 years or so, and will continue to have a key role in the future. As mining is ultimately dependent on end-consumer demand there will always be changes in what is mined, in what quantity, and as a result, what technologies are employed to maximise productivity and return on investment.

Around 80 percent of Pulse Mining’s clients are coal miners, and coal is a commodity that many industry analysts see as being on the brink of structural decline; that is, global demand has peaked and will begin to fall, prices are low, are not viable, and will continue to remain low, and many of the larger companies are divesting and shifting their focus elsewhere.

In spite of this, coal’s future isn’t all bleak, particularly for savvy Australian coal miners in the short to medium

term. Metallurgical (coking) coal is, and will continue to be, required for steel and cement making, whilst good quality thermal coal will continue to be used for electricity generation.

Although demand will eventually diminish (10 years +), Australian coal will remain competitive on world markets due to our high quality coal resources.

Our thermal coal has a high thermal value (energy content) and is low in sulphur and ash, making it both more efficient in power production and less polluting than coal sourced from Asia. Australia has a well-established infrastructure, which together with the advantageous of our stable geo-political and industrial relations environment and our proximity to the big Asian markets means that there is considerable optimism for the future amongst Pulse Mining’s customers.

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LIST

A cut above: 10 of the largest gem quality diamonds

in the world

Throughout history there has been some incredible diamond finds. Here we take a look at 10 of the largest cut diamonds across the world W R I T T E N B Y: D A L E B E N T O N

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LIST

OVER THE LAST two months, two rough diamonds have accumulated over $100million in sales. Lucara Diamonds sold its 813 carat ‘Constellation’ diamond for a record $63.1 million, while the 1,109 carat Lesedi la Rona is expected to smash that record with a predicted $70million later this year.

These diamonds are still in rough form, once the they are cut there’s no telling how much they could bring. But what are the largest cut diamonds on record? Here we take a look at the 10 of the world’s largest gem cut diamonds.

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The Millennium Star Diamond 203.04 carat Discovered in Mbuji-Mayi, Zaire in 1990, the rough diamond weighed 777 carats.

Cut down to 203.04 carats and dubbed the ‘Millennium Star’ to coincide with the turning of the millennium, its unveiling was part of De Beers Millennium Diamonds collection.

Famously, the diamond was subject to a failed robbery attempt in 2000.

With its true value unknown, the chairman of De Beers Company said of the diamond: “Millennia come and go, but diamonds are forever.”

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The Red Cross Diamond 205.07 carat During an innocuous fund raising sale, on behalf of the British Red Cross Society, a group of diamond specialists presented an enormous 205 carat ‘canary’ diamond.

To no surprise, the diamond later known as the Red Cross diamond, sold for £35,575.

With the exact origins a mystery – it is said to have been discovered in De Beers mine in 1901 weighing close to 375 carats - the diamond has spent the best part of 30 years in and out of the spotlight.

Once believed to be owned by a European royal, then turning up in the US sometime later, the diamond recently appeared at a Tokyo auction in 1973, and Switzerland in 1977.

10 OF THE LARGEST GEM QUALITY DIAMONDS IN THE WORLD

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The De Beers diamond 234.65 carats One of the first diamonds found in the De Beers Consolidated Mines in Kimberley, South Africa, in 1888, the diamond has seemingly vanished into thin air.

In 1929, it was featured in the Maharaja of Patiala’s crown jewels – forming a ceremonial necklace. It was one of 2,930 diamonds.

Amazingly, in 1947, the abolition of the Patiala Raj with India’s independence saw the necklace disappear. The true whereabouts of the diamond are unknown, despite remnants of the necklace appearing, sans many of the diamonds, in a second hand London jewellery shop in 1998.

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The Jubilee diamond 245.35 carats The Jubilee diamond was discovered in South Africa in 1895. When first discovered, the 650.8 carat rough diamond was named the Reitz diamond after the President of the Orange Free State, F.W.Reitz. The ‘Jubilee’ name came from when it was presented to Queen Victoria during her Diamond Jubilee in 1897.

The diamond was later purchased at an exhibit by the industrialist and philanthropist, Sir Dorabji Jamestji Tata, where it remained until his death in 1932. Inherited and sold by The Cartier’s Jewellery firm, the Jubilee Diamond has been exhibited around the world, even returning to South Africa in the De Beers Diamond Pavilion.

Today, the Jubilee diamond is owned by international jeweller Robert Mouawad, of Mouawad Jewellers.

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The Centenary Diamond 273.85 carats The Centenary Diamond was discovered in De Beers’ Premier Diamond mines in July, 1986, but it wasn’t unveiled to the world until March 1988 – two years later.

The plan was to unveil the diamond during a celebration of De Beers Consolidated Ltd.’s 100-year anniversary. The diamond was rather aptly named the Centenary Diamond.

Cutting the rough diamond took 10 months, with thirteen different designs presented before completion in 1991, with the final heart shape design unveiled to the world.

Following its inauguration, the Golden Jubilee Diamond was insured for $100 million – but it’s true value has never been evaluated.

Where is the Golden Jubilee Diamond today?

Through a policy of anonymity, De Beers has never disclosed this information.

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The Spirit of de Grisogono Diamond 312.24 carats First discovered in the Central African Republic, the Spirit of de Grisogono weighed in at 587 carats. The name represents the black diamond cutting specialist De Grisogono.

It took a year to cut down the rough diamond into the 312.24 ‘Moghul-cut’. This was then set on a white gold ring mounting with 702 smaller white diamonds, an additional 36.69 carats.

Like many of the diamonds on this list, the whereabouts of the Spirit of de Grisogono remain unknown. There were rumours that the founder of De Grisogono jewellers sold the diamond but no confirmation has ever been given.

10 OF THE LARGEST GEM QUALITY DIAMONDS IN THE WORLD

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The Cullinan II Diamond – Lesser Star of Africa 317.4 carats The largest ever rough diamond to be discovered in the world at 3,106 carats, the Cullinan diamond was found in the Premier diamond mines of Transvaal, South Africa on January 26, 1905.

During a mine inspection, superintendent Frederick Wells happened upon the diamond a few feet above his head –18ft underground.

The name stems from Sir Thomas Cullinan – founder of the Premier diamond mine.

Purchased by King Edward VII, the diamond was cut into nine gems, with 96 smaller pieces. The Cullinan II was mounted on the Imperial State Crown of Great Britain, as worn by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Crown Jewels, including the Cullinan II Diamond, can be viewed on display in the Tower of London.

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The Incomparable Diamond 407.48 carats How ironic that a diamond titled ‘the incomparable’ isn’t the largest diamond in the world.

What is incomparable though, is the discovery of the diamond. Like many others, it too was found by accident. In the 1980s, in Mbugi Mayi, Democratic Republic of Congo, a girl playing at her uncle’s house spotted something in a rubble dump from a nearby MIBA mine. When she showed it to her uncle, he realised this was a large diamond and sold it to local dealers.

Eventually the diamond moved into the hands of the Zale corporation before going up for auction in 1988. The auction fell through after the $20 million reserve price wasn’t met.

Rumours persist that the diamond made appeared on eBay, in November 2002, for £15 million but the diamond didn’t sell.

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The Cullinan I – Star of Africa 530.20 carats

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The biggest of the Cullinan diamonds was ordered by King Edward VII to be mounted on top of the Sovereign’s Sceptre where it still sits today within the crown jewels.

During transportation from South Africa, detectives were ordered to protect the diamond.

This was a fake - the real diamond was sent via postal delivery in an everyday box.

When presented with the diamond, the king was convinced to accept by the future Prime Minister – Winston Churchill, who was given a replica as a token of gratitude.

The pear shaped diamond was formed in a way that would allow it to sit at the top of the sceptre, or be removed and worn as part of a brooch.

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10 OF THE LARGEST GEM QUALITY DIAMONDS IN THE WORLD

The Golden Jubilee Diamond 545.67 carats To date, the largest faceted cut diamond in the world. The Golden Jubilee diamond was first discovered in 1985 in the Premier diamond mines of Transvaal. Most diamonds are named after the mine company in which they are found, or of a founding father, the diamond was simply named – the unnamed brown diamond.

It wasn’t until 1997 when presented to King Bhumbibol of Thailand that it was renamed The Golden Jubilee. The unnamed brown diamond is believed to have been used for testing diamond cutting technology and techniques, using the expertise and guidance of Gabi Tolkowsky.

Taken to Thailand for exhibition by Thai Diamond Manufacturers Association, the diamond was purchased by a group of dealers in 1995 – with a plan to present it to the Thai King two at his coronation. The Golden Jubilee Diamond, blessed by Pope John Paul II, Supreme Buddhist Patriarch and Supreme Muslim Imam of Thailand, features in the Thailand Crown Jewels.

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SHINING LIKE GOLD AND SILV New ore discoveries, skills, and resources upgrades are key factors to Coeur Mining’s successful Latin America operations

Written by: Mateo Rafael Tablado Produced by: Taybele Piven Interviewee: Alberto Reyes, Vice-president to Latin America for Coeur Mining

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COEUR MINING

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oeur Mining is the largest silver producer based in the United States, as well as an important gold producer. It has two important operations in Latin America: Palmarejo in Mexico and San BartolomĂŠ in Bolivia. Operations in Mexico produce both gold and silver, while the San BartolomĂŠ mine only produces silver; the latter is located in Cerro Rico and considered one of the richest silver producers in the world, in operation since the 16th century.

Around four million oz are expected to be produced in Palmarejo by the end of 2016

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Coeur Mining’s operations in Latin America are lead by Alberto Reyes, a Canadian of Latin American descent and mining expert who has worked for different companies in operations around the world. Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Brazil and Southeast Asia are just some of the countries where Reyes has worked, increasing his knowledge within the trade and earning certifications. Reyes graduated from the Laurentian University in Ontario as a mining

Key People

Alberto Reyes Vice-president to Latin America for Coeur Mining Coeur Mining’s operations in Latin America are lead by Alberto Reyes, a Canadian of Latin American descent and mining expert who has worked for different companies in operations around the world. Australia, South Africa, Ghana, Brazil and Southeast Asia are just some of the countries where Reyes has worked, increasing his knowledge within the trade and earning certifications.

Reyes graduated from the Laurentian University in Ontario (Canada) as a mining engineer, where he also obtained the Hard Rock Underground Common Core certificate.

He has worked for Newcrest Mining (obtaining his Lean Six Sigma certification during this tenure), GoldFields LTD, Luna Gold and other companies. He obtained his Chartered Professional engineer certificate as firstclass mine manager at the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

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COEUR MINING

Coeur Mining’s investments for each operation include -in addition to moving and installing equipment- important training for its workers

engineer, where he also obtained the Hard Rock Underground Common Core certificate. He has worked for Newcrest Mining (obtaining his Lean Six Sigma certification during this tenure), GoldFields LTD, Luna Gold and other companies.

He obtained his Chartered Professional engineer certificate as first-class mine manager at the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. His current role is Coeur Mining’s vice president for Latin America operations.

“The university was able to sponsor me, so I could get the ‘Common Core’ from the beginning, which is required in Ontario to work

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Palmarejo mine in Chihuahua, in northern Mexico, open pit and underground operations producing gold and silver

in underground operations. It was important to obtain this certification, since it provided me of the basics and highest standards in mine safety,� said Reyes.

Palmarejo: above original expectations The Palmarejo mine is located in the State of Chihuahua in northern Mexico. Coeur Mining began work in this mine around 2009, both for open pit and underground mining operations.

Later explorations found deposits near Independencia and Guadalupe; the first one became a viable project after an acquisition from Paramount Mining in April 2015. These newfound

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COEUR MINING

“We have been succe

leadership culture wi – Alberto Reyes, Vice-president to Latin America for Coeur Mining

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L AT I N A M E R I C A

essful in deploying a

ithin our operations�

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COEUR MINING deposits add high grade value and reserves to Palmarejo operation.

The “Ambassadors” program detects workers with leadership skills, providing them special

Infrastructure for the Guadalupe underground mine was deployed and set up to ramp up operations, achieving commercial production in record time. These operations have proved themselves to have great potential to offer high grade material, especially in comparison with previous open pit efforts.

and extensive training

One of the challenges brought by this discovery was to achieve full production. In addition, the staff that had previously worked in open pits had to adapt their skills to underground operations with different equipment and machinery.

“The staff completed the transition, and this production success is a result of the transition itself,” said Reyes.

The transition towards underground operations was gradual but safe. Today, workers process between 2,500 and 3,000 tonnes per day, with the aim of increasing to 4,000 or 4,500 tonnes per day. The current reserves come in at 9.1 million tonnes, generating 44.9 million ounces of silver and 690,000 ounces of gold.

San Bartolomé: millennial legacy in Bolivia Coeur Mining began operations in 36

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San Bartolomé in 2008; it has a stable production, having produced up to 7.5 million ounces in a year, setting yearly average production at 6 million ounces. The mills in San Bartolomé receive around 2.3 million tonnes, and once filtered, process about 1.6 tonnes. This mine’s production cycle is estimated to end between 2019 and 2020.”

Currently, Cerro Rico has an 8.2 million tonnes reserve to be processed, which equals about four years of production.

“This doesn’t mean that we are not looking for other areas to work at, but our new challenge is how to increase our reserves,” said the executive.

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COEUR MINING

Coeur Mining prefers local hires for their Latin American operations

Adaptability within the market’s fluctuations One of the most important achievements for Coeur Mining has been its adaptability during the recent downturn in the stock market. This environment enabled cost revisions, successfully modifying the operations with no need of extreme measures such as large layoffs.

“Everyone has learned how to work in a more efficient and safe way. This has not only been transmitted within the operation, but throughout communities around us,” said Reyes.

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Technology Due to its surface, operations at San Bartolomé do not require a full array of high-tech machinery to extract minerals; still, the processing area is 80 to 90 percent automated. This innovative system has detectors for moisture, metal concentration, cyanide and pH levels, and is also enabled to monitor energy consumption. This data tracks any trends that indicate any adjustments and other measures that need to be taken.

For exploration tasks, technology contributes to be the most efficient processes of underground exploration, using laser beams, temperature sensors, and gas meters to send data to the surface.

Suppliers Coeur Mining’s key suppliers include vendors of replacement parts, lubricants and fuel, elements that guarantee a proper use of equipment. Other key supplies include explosives for detonations, and catering services.

The company’s vendors have been supportive during the decline in metals prices, open to renegotiate and cooperate with Couer Mining to, examine areas where savings would not impede in obtaining the same results.

“We work with suppliers able to share our same values, and they must adhere to the responsibilities of our company,” said Reyes. w w w . c o e u r. c o m

Key People

Tony C. Astorga Director of Supply Chain Management at Coeur Mining Tony C. Astorga joined Coeur in June 2012 and now serves as the Director – Supply Chain. Before joining Coeur, he served as the Contracts Manager for Barrick Gold of North America, Inc. working with various teams to standardize processes, improve contractor safety, and support CAPEX and OPEX projects throughout the region. Having originally working in various operational and maintenance support roles, Tony’s supply chain career has allowed him to serve various managerial roles (in Materials, Purchasing, Commodities, Service, Contracts and Supply Chain) working for companies such as ASARCO, Phelps Dodge (now Freeport-McMoran), Rio Tinto, Hecla, Barrick and now Coeur Mining Inc. Tony is a member of the Institute of Supply Chain (ISM) and holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in Business Administration.

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Organizational culture Coeur Mining invests in resources that help create the best possible employees with essential skills.

A version of the BENG Common Core is currently taught to underground workers at Palmarejo, a significant investment resulting in a four-week intensive training course.

Other incentives include scholarships for the company’s workers and their children.

Ambassadors: the leadership program Coeur Mining’s Ambassadors program detects workers with leadership traits. Once identified, these leaders join the Ambassadors program and undergo training in Chicago, where they are taught an overview of the company’s financial aspects, mining and engineering operations, and other skills by hired specialists. These ambassadors are then in charge of dispersing this message to the operations personnel, both verbally and by example in their work.

“We find those individuals with leadership traits, able to communicate their ideas, who can impact positively the rest of the workforce. These professionals display their passion while carrying out their regular duties, this is the reason why everyone else follows them. They are the current leaders at Coeur,” said Reyes, who participates in this program as an instructor.

Coeur Mining’s staff has completed excellent transitions from open pit mining to underground operations

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RSC: supporting the immediate environment The communities surrounding Coeur Mining’s operations not only benefit from the company’s service requirements, but also from the sustainable development programs carried out by the company.

Coeur Manquiri, the operation in San Bartolomé, has developed different programs along with the neighboring community, such as a trout farm, which has already benefitted members of the community. Additionally, the company has built and supports schools in the area, and has also helped locals in building greenhouses and helping into the creation of different means to achieve sustainability within the community not just during the mine’s productive cycle but also in the future.

Forecasts Coeur Mining’s current operations in Latin America look promising. Between 3.8 and 4.3 million ounces are expected to be obtained from the Palmarejo mines by the end of this year. These numbers are based on findings at Guadalupe and Independencia, taking into consideration previous production and planned machinery deployment expected to produce by late 2016. The goal for the mid-term is finding a third source at this site and getting it into production before 2020.

Coeur Mining’s operations in Latin American are set in Palmarejo (Mexico) and San Bartolomé (Bolivia)

Exploration activities in Palmarejo led to ore findings in Guadalupe and Independencia

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REFINING THE FUTURE www.elemetal.com/refining

Inquiries:

Conor Dullaghan, President cdullaghan@elemetal.com + 1 - 740 - 286 - 6457 x713

L AT I N A M E R I C A

Company Information NAME

Coeur Mining

Coeur reports several areas near Guadalupe with new deposits, known as Los Bancos, La Nación, La Bavisa and Las Ánimas, which promise to become productive.

“All these places are exploration targets that have provided promising preliminary data. We want to keep expanding them, so that they become important resources and reserves,” the executive said.

INDUSTRY

Latin America HEADQUARTERS

Chicago, Illinois, EE.UU. FOUNDED

1928 EMPLOYEES

1,200 (LATAM only) REVENUE

US $280 million (LATAM only) WEBSITE

www.coeur.com

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AMONG

THE MACAWS MACA Ltd has recently entered the mining market in South America with great success and is rapidly making itself part of the Brazilian mining ecosystem Written by: John O’Hanlon | Produced by: Glen White

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MACA

Volvo fleet at Antas

M

ACA are industry leaders throughout Australia known as a competent and established contractor specialising in earthmoving, civil work and specialised crushing and screening work for mining projects. It is widely acknowledged that the mining industry is having a hard time, particularly the Western 48

July 2016

Australian iron ore sector. Projects are running at capacity to get as much upside from volumes as possible, but long term prospects remain gloomy.

STRENGTH IN DIVERSE PROJECTS MACA’s management, noting current mining market trends,

AUSTRALIA

diversified at the time of the global financial crisis, diversifying across commodities through gold, nickel, iron ore and diamond projects in Western Australia. Its most timely and visionary action was to look abroad; in 2013, it sent a team to Brazil to explore opportunities in the country’s vibrant mining economy.

“Our systems and structure

weren’t in place to venture abroad,” said Mitch Wallace, General Manager for MACA Brazil Operations, “but we looked closely at the Tucano project for Beadell Resources, an Australian company that had a gold project up in Amapá State in the northern region of Brazil.

The following year we came over to Brazil in earnest and, in November w w w. m a c a . n e t . a u

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BEING THE FIRST KEEPING THE LEAD Equipamentos Agrícolas Volvo.

Fifty years ago the world’s first articulated hauler rolled off the Volvo production line in Braås, Sweden. Fondly known as ‘Gravel Charlie’ this machine would be the first step on a fifty year journey which has seen Volvo haulers transform earthmoving and transport operations in the construction sector.

Fifty years later and the Volvo articulated hauler line up is still leading the way.

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Volvo Dealer for SP, RJ, ES, MG, GO, DF, TO, MA, PA, AP, AM and RR

Volvo Construction Equipment

Dump trucks at Tucano

Tucano

Resource

Gold

Client

Beadell Resources Limited

Location

AmapĂĄ State - Brazil

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July 2016

started our first project for Beadell, which was to provide mining services through management and plant rental for Beadell at its Tucano project.�

Tucano is an established gold mine that has been producing for Beadell since 2012, and from it, Beadell produced more than 122,000 ounces in 2015. It is a huge project, covering 2,500 square kilometers that hold reserves of 5 million ounces and with expansions highly likely. Convinced that they could make a difference, the MACA team injected capital into the project and set about doing the work they

AUSTRALIA

know best.

Though they are on the same latitude, Brazil and Western Australia are very different environments. The most apparent difference is the weather: very rarely is a WA project held up by rain, whereas North of the Amazon River, annual rainfall is measured in meters as opposed to millimeters, most of it falling between January and May. Generally, service providers simply shut down during these months, but MACA understands that the primary goal of every miner in the world is to move ore, and that for every ton of

Wet season at Tucano site

ore delivered to the stockpile results in seven or eight tons of waste matter that has to be shifted. “It was hard getting things moving last year,” said Wallace. “One truck with a flat tire sat submerged in mud up to its front bumper for eight weeks.

Our focus was to safely establish haul roads and operating systems so we could operate through the wet season.”

With Tucano well under way, MACA started its second Brazil contract in November 2015: a five-year deal to support Avanco Resources at its Antas project in the

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MACA

state of Pará. This is a high grade – better than three percent – copper project with gold credits. MACA currently has 75 direct employees on site engaged in mining services, plant management and drill and blast activities. At present, this is a surface mine, but MACA plans to diversify in underground mining services and hopefully continue support and grow with its client Avanco.

In both cases, according to Wallace, MACA has chosen to work with a client it already knows well.

“We like working with small and mid

SUPPLIER PROFILE

AUSTRALIA

tier clients because you know the management is not going to change: we can build a strong relationship with them. We are aligning ourselves with the mid tier people and growing with them,” he said.

SOURCING LOCAL AS SETS In all, the company employs around 150 national employees directly and manages as many as 500 across both projects. This is in addition to the 16 expatriates in training and technical advisory roles.

“Our main aim is to create

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Track your shipment online or through our App, available for Android and iOS. (just type axis shipping, on your APP Store or google play and download our APP) P.S.: Axis is responsible of the whole international and national logistic of MACA´s shipments. Our strong partnership with MACA is leading to the success of all their projects.

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Turnaround at Tucano commenced. Improved operational efficiency and exploration potential will underpin future growth.

Beadell Resources Limited is an ASX listed gold producer with forecast gold production in 2016 of 145,000 – 160,000 ounces from its 100% owned Tucano mine, North of Brazil.

Tucano has an existing multi-million ounce JORC gold resource with significant exploration potential.

STRONG PARTNERSHIP IN-COUNTRY WITH MINING CONTRACTOR MACA

Email: info@beadellresources.com.au www.beadellresources.com.au

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MACA

sustainable employment here in Brazil, and continuously improve mining practices ,” said Wallace.

“This will be achieved through continuous improvement, upskilling our workforce and introducing safe and efficient mining practices. One of the prevalent barriers throughout South America is that people are operationally single-tasked. It’s our goal to introduce a multi-skilled and diversified workforce. We have identified some quick fixes

AUSTRALIA

and long-term solutions, and will implement programs so that we can keep continuously improving.

Brazilian people are passionate and enthusiastic about learning new things, and we have to be able to offer an attractive package to source and retain the best people within the sector.”

Working in Brazil and negotiating recruitment, tax and contract law issues is complex, and having a competent local partner is vital.

Start of shift - Toolbox meeting in Tucano

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MACA

MACA was fortunate in being able to form an association with FFA Legal and its founder Luis Azevedo, a well-respected mining geologist and corporate attorney.

“The support FFA has provided MACA has enabled us to focus on what we do best: provide reliable and safe support services to our clients and the broader resource sector. Without the team at FFA, we wouldn’t have been as fortunate in experiencing the early success we have seen,” said Wallace.

“Procurement and best practice asset management is our bread and butter at MACA and my background throughout the last 20-25 years,” he added. Operating in Brazil is a completely different ball game

AUSTRALIA

with barriers to entry designed to encourage local manufacturing places and huge restrictions on importation and foreign investment.

The majority of large mining equipment needed for mining is not made in Brazil though, and imported goods are extremely expensive.

For example, a earthmoving tire is typically 60% more expensive in Brazil than in Australia. Wallace said that the outlook does look promising, however, given that a change in government could create a possibility of changes within Brazil.

Many service providers will try to save and cut costs by sourcing equipment off shore, but Wallace does not agree with that strategy.

“We are proud to have been able to continue these relationships with their South America offices. Companies such as Liebherr and Orica were very quick to assist us with the transition into the new market place, offering us assistance and advice to navigate through the processes to get work done.”

– Mitch Wallace, General Manager (Brazil Operations)

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EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT

CHRIS TUCKWELL Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer B Eng (Construction)

MITCH WALLACE General Manager (Brazil Operations)

GEOFF BAKER Executive Director of Operations

TIM GOOCH General Manager (Mining) B Eng (Mining)

PETER GILFORD Chief Financial Officer / Company Secretary BCom, CA

MAURICE DESSAUVAGIE General Manager (Civil) B Eng (Civil)

MACA

“We have always sourced our equipment through OEM suppliers to secure their support. Our relationship with Tracbel and its CEO Luiz Gustavo R. Magalhães Pereira has been unbelievably helpful to us. Without his assistance and support, we would not be where we are today,” Wallace said.

Tracbel is a family-owned business, based in Minas Gerais and with 25 branches covering 75 percent of Brazil. Tracbel is a

AUSTRALIA

licensed dealer for many OEMs, including Volvo and Michelin.

MACA has always been proud of its long standing relationships with many companies in Australia.

Loyalty, customer services and reputation are often more important than price. “We are proud to have been able to continue these relationships with their South America offices,” said Wallace.

“Companies such as Liebherr and Orica were very quick to assist

Mitch Wallace and Geoff Baker with expats at the Antas site

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CO M AM CA PA N Y N A M E

First load at Antas site

us with the transition into the new market place, offering us assistance and advice to navigate through the processes to get work done.”

A C O M PA N Y WITH A HEART There are plenty of opportunities for expansion in Brazil, and MACA’s 62

July 2016

contracts department is working on prospects at present, but the company won’t overstretch itself at the expense of its existing clients.

The two projects in the North take up a lot of time, even for a hands-on company like MACA. Travel around Brazil is challenging and commuting between Rio de Janeiro—where

AUSTRALIA

Antas

Wallace’s office is located—and Amapá State is several thousand kilometers and therefore absorbs a lot of valuable time.

Though Wallace spends extended periods away and only gets to see his family back in Australia once every three or four months on average, boredom is never his

Resource

Copper

Client

Avanco Resources Limited

Location

Pará State - Brazil

problem. MACA is a company with a heart, actively supporting a range of Not-for-Profit organizations and community programs. Wallace manages to find time to contribute to these efforts. The Hawaiian Ride for Youth (HRFY) began in 2003 when a small group of recreational cyclists in Australia decided to raise w w w. m a c a . n e t . a u

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MACA

Orica provides market-leading customer solutions to improve productivity and resource efficiency in the mining, quarrying, oil and gas and infrastructure sectors. An Australian company with a global footprint, Orica has a diverse workforce of over 14,000 people, with operations in more than 50 countries and customers in more than 100.

Orica’s value of No Accidents Today underpins our commitment to the safety, health and wellbeing of our people and customers, the environment, and the communities in which we operate.

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funds for Youth Focus to assist in the prevention of youth suicide, depression and self-harm.

“2016 was my fourth HRFY. Though working abroad made training a little difficult, the sacrifice required to ride a few kilometers became insignificant, compared to the suffering many young people face with life’s challenges,” Wallace said. “I flew back to Australia 64

July 2016

Ride to Conquer Cancer

on March 23 to be a part of this amazing event that reaches out to so many young people.”

HRFY is held annually in March across five days, with riders covering over 700 kilometers. “On our journey, we stop at high schools to engage the students in the issues of youth suicide, depression and self-harm and the services that Youth Focus provides. The riders

AUSTRALIA

Company Information NAME

MACA INDUSTRY

Mining HEADQUARTERS

Welshpool, Western Australia BRAZIL PROJECTS

Tucano Resource - Gold Antas Resource - Copper

also share their personal stories and experiences as many have been touched in some way by these very personal issues,” he said.

Another bike ride, the MACA Ride to Conquer Cancer 2016 in support of the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, takes place in Perth. Last year 300 MACA riders raised $1.2 million for this cause. This may not seem very relevant to Brazil, but cancer is a global problem, and among others Tracbel’s Luiz Gustavo Pereira is enthusiastically supporting the event.

MINING SERVICES

Load and Haul Drill and Blast Crush and Screen Materials Handling

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EXTRACTING V Written by:Nye Longman Produced by: A. Munatswa

VALUE

MINERAL DEPOSITS (GCO)

How Mineral Deposits Limited is using its scale for good while maintaining an efficient, profitable mineral sands operation in Senegal

D

espite only being operational since the middle of 2014, Mineral Deposits’ Grand Côte Operations (GCO) in Senegal has already proved to the industry that a mining outfit can operate a profitable and productive business while making a positive impact in a developing country. In recognition of its formidable achievements thus far, GCO received an exclusive invitation to accompany the Senegalese government to last year’s COP21 conference – a well-deserved honour, as we shall explore.

Operations Listed on the Australian Stock Exchange, Mineral Deposits Limited (MDL) is specialised in mining, integrating, and transforming mineral sands. In partnership with French company Eramet, MDL owns 50 percent of the TiZir joint venture, which consists of the Grande Côte

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MINING

operation in Senegal, supported by a titanium and iron ilmenite upgrading facility (TTI) in Norway, enabling the extraction and subsequent smelting of mineral sands in a single operation.

Senegal’s Grand Cote Operations span over 445 square kilometres; the orebody present in this region is primarily made up of zircon and ilmenite, but also contains some high value co-products in the form of rutile and leucoxene. With an expected lifetime of just under 30 years (not counting some additional resources), the mine is set to be profitable for all involved if the correct strategy is adopted.

GCO CEO Daniel Marini explains: “The operation covers a very large area, however due to the nature of the deposit we need to maintain a very elevated throughput; this achievement owes a lot to operating the largest dredge in the world.”

A series of unique pumps supports this

800 Number of jobs to be supported

by Mineral Deposits

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MINERAL DEPOSITS

Unearth a productivity gold mine without having to dig deep.

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To unearth the benefits for your mine, visit www.abb.com/mining

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MINING

exceptional piece of equipment that moves the extracted ore to a floating wet concentrator plant which separates the mineral deposits from the surrounding sand. The resulting product is then driven to a dedicated mineral separation plant – once fully processed at the mineral sand process plant, the mineral sand travels via rail to GCO’s dedicated dock at the Port of Dakar.

Marini explains how a range of control measures certify that the minerals GCO ships are of the highest quality: “We have a laboratory operated by a technician with a Masters in Chemistry who takes hundreds of samples every single day. This ensures our product is free from pollutants and is up to international standards.”

Strategy GCO’s scientific approach goes far beyond geology, hydrogeology, and metallurgy involved in mineral grading – every aspect of its operations is calculated to deliver the most value - from shareholders to the surrounding communities. Even Marini’s appointment as CEO just over a year ago was a decision based on his broad professional experience and technical capabilities.

He says: “I earned a PhD in Geology and in Mining. I worked for the UN DP in Djibouti as a geologist and hydrogeologist. I also worked on a World Bank project in North Cameroon surveying over 400 villages for water, as well as in several executive roles ( as

“The Senegalese government is keen to help those looking to develop industrial operations in the country they want to have a mining industry and are prepared to make mining into a profitable business” – Daniel Marini, CEO

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MINERAL DEPOSITS (GCO) geologist, mining engineer and metallurgist) for mining companies part of Eramet Group.

Operating a successful business in Africa does not come without its challenges but, as Marini explains, the government of Senegal (which owns a 10 percent stake in GCO) has proved to be a strong asset to its operations: “The Senegalese government is keen to help to those looking to develop industrial operations in the country - they want to have a mining industry and are prepared to make mining into a profitable business.

“When we needed to speak to a government official, their doors were always open – perhaps

MINING

more so than in other African countries. There’s a level of respect, not solely from ministers, but from the people living near our operations as well. Senegal is a country with a culture of education and has a wealth of skilled individuals.�

He adds that GCO recently hired an external auditor to examine the entirety of its supply chain operations in order to find savings and promote efficiency. While this is yet to be fully completed, it is increasingly likely that the company will be looking to simplify its logistics operations, enabling it to work with a smaller number of providers and therefore streamline many of its processes.

Like many other mining companies faced by the fall in commodity prices, GCO has engaged in a process of optimising all of these costs.

Positive impact Far from ignoring its role as a key employer in the Grande Cote region, GCO has made a number

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MINERAL DEPOSITS (GCO) of commitments which will ensure its successful operations benefit both its employees – a mixture of locals and expatriates – and the communities touched by its work. Taking into account the relatively long life-span of the mine, the company has worked hard to make sure that its CSR work leaves a lasting, long-term impact.

Marini expands: “We have the potential to make a huge impact – out of the 800 people we employ, 740 of them are locals; our operations, directly and indirectly, are responsible for employing a total of 2,000 people. Alongside the training we provide on-site, we also take the brightest local people and give them top professional training across numerous European institutions.”

GCO also left a permanent mark on the area by constructing a resettlement village for the local people; where there were once temporary structures, now stand concrete buildings, supplied with running water and powered by solar panels.

With these initiatives, the company seeks to develop local economies and prove to the entire industry that ethical extraction is very much within reach. By challenging itself to do as much as it possibly can for local communities, it is not only improving living standards but also playing a major role in fostering Senegal’s local extraction talent pool. Furthermore, GCO is showing that Senegal is a country with healthy business opportunities and an environment that is investment-friendly.

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AFRICA

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