Skillings Mining Review December in Review 2022

2022 DECEMBER IN REVIEW

111/12

Biden Says Coal Plants ‘Across America’ Will Be Shut Down

07

Mining Automation

The Path To Sustainability continuous improvements in terms of technology and machinery are needed to ensure that the competitive demand of metals is met in a safe manner.

18 us steel iron ore could bring new boom

28 implementing esg during a recession

40 2022 annual index of skillings mining review

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THE LEAD 07

Mining Automation The Path To Sustainability

MINING EQUIPMENT 34

18

22

38

Mining Projects in Latin America Face the Brunt of Inflation

36 28

US Steel Iron Ore Could Bring New Boom

MINING JOBS

Smart Technology Drives Promising Market Growth for Global Mining Automation

SURFACE MINING 06 Indian Government Accredits Thirteen Private Companies To Explore For Minerals

UNDERGROUND MINING

SPECIAL FOCUS

05

Angola Set To Become Globally Competitive Mineral Producer

Queensland Acland Coal Mine in Australia Given $1Billion Adrenaline Shot

24

Biden Says Coal Plants ‘Across America’ Will Be Shut Down: Faces Backlash

27

US Mines More Coal In The West, But The East Employs More Workers

Implementing ESG During A Recession

STATISTICS 46

47 Crude steel production

ArcelorMittal Creates Jobs in Liberia

MINING TECHNOLOGY

World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Haul Truck Could Contribute To A Cleaner Mining Industry

MINING FINANCE 10

Support To Create Jobs

October 2022 crude steel production

40 2022 ANNUAL INDEX

06 Hiring Levels In The Mining Sector Expected To Increase 22

Mines To Create 4,000 New Jobs in Zimbabwe

14

Deploying Artificial Intelligence To Help Fill The Short-Term Essential Minerals Gap

20

Career Prospects for Mining Engineers

21

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Queensland Acland Coal Mine in Australia Given $1Billion Adrenaline Shot

BY ROBEL RAMOS

Twelve years after the initial proposal, the controversial

Acland Coal Mine extension has been given the green light to proceed.

This development means additional jobs for the local economy.

T

he region, where the unemployment rate is approximately 5.5%, will receive a $1 billion aid and will include 600 jobs on offer.

Initial earthworks have already started in the Acland Coal Mine, but New Hope hasn’t launched recruitment for the time being.

Dave O’Dwyer, General Manager of New Hope, said that there was already significant

interest in jobs. O’Dwyer said that some previous employees and engineers had hinted at going back to the region to work in the mine.

"A lot of people had moved and worked in the Bowen Basin…doing long commutes…

away from their families," he said. "Some of our engineers went right up to Moranbah on a 10-day roster."

Around 80 to 100 workers are expected to start working in the mine early next year.

More than 400 employees will be required when the mine becomes 100% operational.

A large number of former New Acland Coal Mine Workers had shown interest - potentially including Junior mining engineers who had previously been fired between 2019 and late 2021 when the reserves of coal were exhausted.

www.skillings.net | 5

Indian Government Accredits Thirteen Private Companies To Explore For Minerals

Hiring Levels In The Mining Sector Expected To Increase

JOHN EDWARD

The Central Indian Government announced on November 8, 2022 that it had accredited thirteen private agencies to conduct mineral exploration in the country.

T

he goa l of the Mi ne s Mi n i s t ry 's privatization plan is to boost the economic potential of the mining industry and to open up new job opportunities.

Th e M i n i s t r y a i m s t o a c h i e ve t h e same by including more agencies in mineral prospecting.

“With the amendment of Mines & Minerals (Development & Regulation) MMDR Act in 2021, private agencies can also participate in exploration for the mineral sector after getting duly accredited by QCI-NABET (National Accreditation Board for Education and Training of the Quality Council of India). So far, 13 private agencies have been accredited and subsequently notified by the Central Government," the Ministry declared in a statement.

Currently, there are twenty two government organizations actively engaged in mineral prospecting. Any private exploration agencies who are interested will be “…required to obtain accreditation in accordance with the scheme and thereafter apply to the ministry for their notification under the second proviso to sub-Section (1) of Section 4 of the Act," the Mines Ministry stated. The development is expected to speed up exploration and to increase the number of explored blocks available for auction.

MARIE GABRIELLE LAGUNA

When compared to the same month last year, the proportion

of mining sector operations and technologies businesses hiring for future work-related positions increased, with 43.5% of the companies in the analysis recruiting for at least one such position.

T

his latest figure was higher than the 40% of companies that were hiring for future work-related jobs a year ago, but it was lower than the 52.5% figure in the previous months of 2022.

In terms of the percentage of all job openings that were linked to the future of work, related job postings fell - with 2.4% of newly posted job advertisements being linked to the topic.

This latest figure was higher than the 1.9% of newly advertised jobs that were linked to future employment in the same month a

6 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

year ago. Many researchers have detected the future of work as a key disruptive force that companies will face in the coming years.

Companies that excel in these areas and invest in them now are better equipped for the future business landscape and better equipped to deal with unforeseen challenges.

It is perhaps promising to note that mining industry operations and technology firms are currently hiring for future work positions.

Mining Automation

The Path To Sustainability AALIYAH ZOLETA

It goes without saying that mining involves a significant amount of risk. Continuous improvements in terms of technology and machinery are needed to ensure that the competitive demand of metals is met in a safe manner.

A

ccording to GlobalData’s Thematic Research, robotic technology is indispensable for any mining company which aligns itself with the goals of safety,

productivity and sustainability. Mining automation has increased the efficiency and productivity of different mines around the world. It has also helped to ensure the

safety of workers in the workplace while still maintaining low mine operating costs.

There are many instances where technology has saved a large number of lives. For instance, in 2018, an over-pressurized water pipe was detected at the BHP Nickel West drill mine.

Together with the robotics expertise of Woodside and Deakin University, the company was able to cut the pipe without having www.skillings.net | 7

THE LEAD

someone go through the tunnel. The entire operation involved working with a robot from a safe distance as it was a risky affair.

Because of the robot, the company was able to resolve the issue within two weeks.

Gudai-Darri: Three steps ahead Rio Tinto launched their most technologicallyadvanced mine in 2022 in the Pilbara region of Australia. The company was able to optimize mine safety and productivity in terms of ore sampling and the distribution of parts needed for the mine.

Rio Tinto’s mine is expected to last 40 years with an annual production of 43 million tons.

Together with Caterpillar, Rio Tinto will develop new autonomous water carts that will be used for dust suppression, assess road dryness, and dispense water automatically.

“We’ve worked closely with both the Banjima and Yindjibarndi People through the planning and development stages of Gudai-Darri and we look forward to partnering with them into the future to ensure the project achieves significant social and economic benefits.

Gudai-Darri represents a step-change in the deployment of automation and technology within our iron ore business and a fantastic demonstration of the talent, ingenuity and capability that exists in Western Australia, a region which is now known globally for its technical excellence and innovation,” said Rio Tinto Iron Ore Chief Executive Simon Trott.

Modern technology, expert analysis and digital solutions will help lower water and energy use and reduce waste– and FLSmidth and ABB can really move the needle in this area,” said Mikko Keto, Group CEO, FLSmidth.

8 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Trott added, “Gudai-Darri's combination of data and analytics, machine learning and automation, will make this mine safer and more productive. Gudai-Darri is our first greenfield mine in the Pilbara in more than a decade and a multi-billion-dollar investment in the State of Western Australia that will operate for decades to come.”

There are a lot of different advancements and innovations in Gudai-Darri such as

Apromore. HeartCore will mostly cater to Japanese enterprises and help with their digital transformation.

“We are pleased to sign a licensing agreement with TCDT, a company that understands the magnitude and importance of digital transformation.Though the prevalence of process mining is in its nascent stage, the growing concern among business managers struggling to optimize complex operations led us to pursue our initial exclusive reseller agreement with Apromore in June of last year.

We intend to continue partnering with companies such as TCDT, as we expand our go-to-market efforts. We remain laser focused on leveraging our exclusive right to resell Apromore in Japan, as part of our own process mining service and plan to continue taking advantage of synergistic opportunities to scale our Digital Transformation initiative,” CEO Sumitaka Kanno (Yamamoto) stated.

ABB, FLSmidth to help mining companies de-risk operations trucks that have sensors that provide live dig face progression and accurate assessments of existing ground conditions that help improve safety of the workers. They also have autonomous trains which will be used for transporting heavy equipment and different types of ore.

The company also has the first notable bucketwheel reclaimer, a solar farm which consists of 83,000 solar panels, and paperless field mobility. The solar panels’ capacity is 34MW - enough to supply a third of the mine’s average electricity demand.

HeartCore signs with Transcosmos Digital Technology HeartCore Enterprises recently announced their partnership with Transcosmos Digital Technology Inc. for the process mining tool

ABB and FLSmidth have joined forces to lower operating costs and ensure safety of laborers in the workplace. The agreement was finalized at the FT Mining Summit in London.

According to Joachim Braun, division president, ABB Process Industries, this collaboration is very important to the mining industry and will help achieve the targets outlined in the UN Paris Agreement. He also added that these two companies have chosen to work together during these times to help customers achieve their business goals and carbon-free operations that will benefit their workers.

“FLSmidth and ABB already have many of the building blocks for carbon-free, resource-optimized operations. By assessing how to combine and integrate these technologies and our respective expertise we will, together

Mikko Keto, Group CEO, FLSmidth (left) shaking hands with Joachim Braun, Division President, Process Industries, ABB

with our customers, accelerate transition in mining operations. Mining is essential in the energy transition. Meanwhile, the mining industry is facing unprecedented challenges due to declining ore grade and high demand as it develops new sites, while also being asked to make existing operations more sustainable.

Modern technology, expert analysis and digital solutions will help lower water and energy use and reduce waste–and FLSmidth and ABB can really move the needle in this area,” said Mikko Keto, Group CEO, FLSmidth.

FLSmidth is known for providing sustainable productivity to the mining industry with market-leading technology and products that help their customers reduce their environmental footprint. The company introduced ‘MissionZero’ in a bid to make mining sustainable by 2023 in terms of technology, equipment, mineral processing expertise, automation, electrification and digital solutions.

www.skillings.net | 9

MINING FINANCE

Mining Projects in Latin America Face the Brunt of Inflation

Truck at Chuquicamata, world's biggest open pit copper mine, Calama, Chile.

T JOHN EDWARD

In a worrying development, mining projects across Latin America

are stalling in the face of rising inflation and inflating production costs.

An article published by Bnamericas stated that escalating inflation has hit mining projects across Latin America and driven costs higher. The extent of the problem can be gleaned from the fact that mining companies are being forced to ‘dig in’ to ensure continued impacts in 2023.

10 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

he Russian invasion of Ukraine has only worsened the problem by driving up the prices of natural gas, diesel, and energy.

Mining companies have also highlighted that the steep increase in the cost of materials like equipment, tires, reagents, and steel have added to their woes.

Additionally, companies are also facing the brunt of rising labor costs in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. Inflationary pressures have also led to spikes in shipping and freight costs.

“Cost inflation is definitely occurring across the [mining] industry,” opined Joe Bormann, Fitch Ratings’ head of Latin America corporate ratings. “At a general level, it’s happening to every company out there.”

What is more troubling perhaps is the fear that the situation might not get better any time soon. “As we look ahead, we expect that inflationary pressures and the impacts from a competitive labor market will persist into 2023, resulting in production levels and unit costs that will be similar to this year,” Newmont CEO Tom Palmer stated.

Needless to add, mining projects across Latin America are feeling the heat of the situation.

In September 2022, Newmont pushed back a construction decision for the US$2.0bn Yanacocha Sulfides gold-copper project in Peru by two years to 2024.

The decision was taken after a review of the project scope. “As part of its review, Newmont considered the unprecedented and evolving market conditions, including the continued war in Ukraine, record inflation rates, the rising prices for commodities and raw materials, prolonged supply chain disruptions and competitive labor markets,” the company said in a release.

Needless to add, mining projects across Latin America are feeling the heat of the situation.

In September 2022, Newmont pushed back a construction decision for the US$2.0bn Yanacocha Sulfides gold-copper project in Peru by two years to 2024.

According to Torex, the March estimate is, in part, a reflection of the current inflationary environment. “We want the project to be palatable to the market but we also want it to be credible, realistic, and something we can deliver on,” admitted CEO Jody Kuzenko in July.

Despite this worrying inflationary environment, some companies have managed to keep their project costs in check. For instance, SilverCrest Metals is in the process of ramping up operations at its US$138mn Las Chispas silver-gold mine in Mexico.

The mine started production ahead of schedule and was under budget in July. Similarly, Minera Alamos highlighted low-capex devel-

opment in its Cerro de Oro PEA earlier in October. The project’s pre-production capital costs were pegged at US$28.1mn for an asset which is expected to produce 58,400oz/y gold over an 8.2-year mine life. The company president Doug Ramshaw had attributed the low capital intensity of the project, in spite of rampant inflationary pressures, to the company’s sound business model in a release.

All isn’t well however. Inflation has been tagged as the key driver in Pan American Silver’s decision to suspend underground operations at its Dolores gold-silver asset in Mexico. The company said in August that the decision came in the backdrop of a shortfall in grades which triggered an analysis for impairment.

The trend of rising capex estimates can be seen in other projects as well. On the basis of the current cost environment and estimate accuracy, Teck Resources and new JV partner Agnico Eagle Mines said in September that development capex for the San Nicolás copper-zinc project in Mexico could go up to anywhere near the US$1-1.1bn range. This figure is significantly higher than the previously forecast US$842mn.

Elsewhere in Mexico, Torex Gold is expecting higher construction costs for its Media Luna gold-copper project. The project was estimated at US$848mn in a March feasibility study in comparison to the US$496mn in a 2018 PEA. www.skillings.net | 11

MINING FINANCE

Rising costs have also pushed First Majestic Silver to reduce its spending plans. The company focuses on silver production in Mexico and is pursuing the development of its existing mineral property assets.

First Majestic Silver presently owns and operates the San Dimas Silver/Gold Mine, the Santa Elena Silver/Gold Mine, and the La Encantada Silver Mine.

Rising production costs have further exacerbated the problem. According to Chilean copper commission Cochilco, the higher production costs across the country’s copper assets are linked to global inflation and a reduction in output.

Chile happens to be the world’s top copper mining country. In a worrying development, cash costs of larger producers increased by US$0.183/lb in H1, compared to the same period last year, with 16 smaller operations seeing a much steeper rise, up US$0.542/lb.

These higher costs will eventually be passed on to consumers despite the fact that mining companies are likely to benefit from the strong prices of industrial and precious metals in comparison to historical averages.

Metals prices are increasing partly due to global shortages associated with slow project development, mine disruptions, and growing demand.

It is important here to note that consumption of metals like copper and lithium is expected to increase significantly in the coming years with the increasing push towards renewable energy and electric vehicles.

“With the shortage of metals out there, most of those increases in price are going to be transferred on to the end users,” Bormann added. “Buyers out there are just going to pay for it and at the end of the day they are just going to push [rising costs] onto consumers.”

What Effects Will The Global Energy Crisis Have On Crypto Mining Markets?

Even though the current energy crisis will have a considerable impact on miners, there is still some hope that the present macroeconomic circumstances will favor the crypto business.

T

here is no denying that the world is currently experiencing an unprecedented energy crisis. This crisis has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This has resulted in severe shortages and sharp increases in the price of oil, gas, and electricity in nations around the world – especially in Europe and North America.

Limited gas supplies have drastically increased the cost of necessities like fertilizer. In addition, they have also led to a greater reliance on coal and other natural resources. Europe alone had a 14% increase in coal usage last year and another 17% increase is anticipated by the end of 2022. European gas prices are currently approximately ten times higher than their average level over the previous ten years, hitting a record high of over $335 per megawatt-hour in late August. On a related note, the recently released winter fuel estimate for 2022 from the United States Energy Information Administration predicts a staggering 28% increase in average fuel prices for Americans over the current year, reaching a staggering $931.

With such alarming data available in the public domain, it is important to investigate how this prolonged energy deficit may impact the crypto industry and whether its negative impacts will abate any time soon.

Experts Weigh In On The Subject The global economy is in bad shape according to Matthijs de Vries, founder and chief technical officer of AllianceBlock – a blockchain company that bridges the gap between decentralized finance and traditional finance. He recently told Cointelegraph that a number of factors – such as the power crisis, an impending recession, surging inflation, and rising geopolitical tensions – are to blame.

He added that, “These problems are connected, particularly in the way that capital enters and exits businesses that have an impact. The capital that flows into and out of the digital asset industry is negatively correlated with the macroeconomic environment. The blockchain’s incentivization processes can only function as long as there is this liquidity. Therefore, if there is a lack of liquidity, miners will have fewer transactions to confirm, lower fees, and fewer incentives.”

De Vries also thinks that rising energy prices may give miners greater motivation to switch to Ethereum 2.0’s validator ecosystem, which uses a proof-of-stake mechanism that is much more energy-efficient.

12 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

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www.skillings.net | 13

SPECIAL FOCUS

Deploying Artificial Intelligence To Help Fill The Short-Term Essential Minerals Gap

MARIE GABRIELLE LAGUNA

Software-based systems that use data inputs to decide for

themselves or to assist people in making decisions are referred to as artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The use of AI will be crucial to the survival of businesses of all sizes and in all industries within a few years.

A

part from growing environmental challenges, there are significant energy security issues in many parts of the world.

This is taking place in the backdrop of rising energy costs, partly as a result of supply chain issues influenced by the ongoing crisis

in Ukraine. In Europe, where natural gas is heavily used for heating and cooking as well as the production of electricity, this effect is amplified. Thus, the market becomes more susceptible to supply shortages.

Governments around the world are being

14 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

compelled to improve their domestic resilience and energy security through the provision of clean energy in order to protect consumers from significant financial effects.

Additionally, this is hastening a change in energy production to help limit global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Nevertheless, the demand for minerals particularly vital minerals like lithium, cobalt, copper, nickel, and graphite - is anticipated to rise significantly because of the energy tran-

sition. Predictions state that by 2040, there will be a four-fold increase in the number of key minerals needed for renewable energy technology.

For the mining sector, this is a breakthrough.

However, the industry must develop new strategies to boost productivity and efficiency in order to meet rising demand and to close the supply gap.

In order to maintain its current permits and obtain new ones, the mining sector will also need to keep its environmental and climate footprints under stringent control.

The Landscape for Mining Businesses Using Artificial Intelligence In the mining sector, AI is more crucial than ever due to declining yields and adverse environments. Every stage of the mining value chain - from exploration to extraction, processing, and even marketing - can be significantly impacted by AI.

In the coming years, digitization may help close the gap between the supply and demand of essential minerals. A 3% to 5% boost in metal recovery utilizing AI applications would increase our potential to provide an extra 450,000 tons of copper annually, valued at $3.2 billion, according to the earlier estimates for copper mine production. culties including growing costs, fluctuating commodity prices, and variability in operating procedures.

Concerning the effect of mining on natural resources, there is another troubling factor.

Roughly 3 billion tons of ore are extracted annually and the mining sector accounts for 10% of the energy utilized globally. Furthermore, mining operations utilize over 4 billion cubic meters of water annually.

The increasing demand for minerals and metals will only exacerbate the effect on our natural resources unless we take a dramatically different and climate-smart approach.

Miners use numerous systems and databases to manage their processes in an effort to boost efficiency. However, the collected data remains vastly underutilized in a significant number of cases. According to the findings of recent McKinsey studies, mining corporations only utilize less than 1% of the data collected by their equipment and tools.

As a result, many petabytes of data are not utilized for operational decision-making and instead languish in silos.

With the potential to maximize ore processing, AI is making systems smarter and capable of extracting more value from already-existing resources. AI can even benefit the environment by improving the remote targeting of rich mining resources.

This results in the reduced need for pointless excavation which can be extremely harmful to the environment.

The Effects Data May Have Every mineral processing facility has inefficiencies because of the intrinsic geological variability of the ore that these facilities deal with - irrespective of whether such a facility processes 50,000 ounces of gold annually or 400,000 tons of copper annually.

Even with mineral processing facilities working towards increasing productivity, the mining sector faces a number of diffiwww.skillings.net | 15

SPECIAL FOCUS

Excellence in Next-Generation Operations Mining executives are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI)-based technology to plan for future operations.

Digital twins, autonomous systems, and deep learning neural networks are a few of the technologies that reveal hidden correlations between various process parameters to reveal hidden insights into process performance.

This is especially useful for the mining industry due to the dynamic nature of its processes, the challenging working environment that causes data loss and data quality problems, and the inherent geological uncertainty linked to different ores.

When data is fully utilized, the deployment of an integrated physics-informed machine learning model (scientific AI) through a realtime software environment can uncover concealed insights, provide superior forecasts, and encourage efficiency improvements through real-time optimization.

Scientific AI-driven software technologies can improve organizations' decision-making processes to deliver more significant business outcomes when properly integrated into workflows that traditionally require human intelligence. It is important to note, however,

In the mining sector, AI is more crucial than ever due to declining yields and adverse environments. Every stage of the mining value chain - from exploration to extraction, processing, and even marketing - can be significantly impacted by AI. that there is no one-size-fits-all technological solution to solve every industry challenge.

The improvements in communication are a fantastic illustration of how digitization may increase productivity. About 53% of the

energy consumed in mines is used in "the process of crushing and grinding ore." Using AI technologies for real-time monitoring and mill prediction has already demonstrated the potential to boost throughput while lowering

16 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

energy consumption. This is achieved by safely pushing equipment to its maximum operational capacity.

Effect of Efficiency on the Supply of Essential Minerals Efficiency gains have a big impact on the mining industry. As an example, copper is one of the most widely used metals in the world with demand coming from a variety of sectors including renewable energy and building.

The top 20 copper mines in the world today have an annual production capacity of about 9 million tons.

In 2020, this accounted for 44% of global copper production. However, given that the demand is expected to rise by 31% between 2020 and 2030, this present source of supply simply won't be enough.

In the coming years, digitization may help close the gap between the supply and demand of essential minerals. A 3% to 5% boost in metal recovery utilizing AI applica-

tions would increase our potential to provide an extra 450,000 tons of copper annually, valued at $3.2 billion, according to the earlier estimates for copper mine production.

This is the equivalent of the yearly output capacity of Peru's Las Bambas Mine - one of the world's top eight copper producers.

tial minerals, are already needed to support a sizable transition to renewable energy for a low-carbon future.

The mining sector can boost productivity, cut waste, and avoid using energy from non-renewable resources by implementing next-generation AI-based software technologies such as scientific AI.

Improvements like these give an already strangled industry some breathing room, especially in light of the fact that "the average mine takes 15 years to bring into production."

Millions of tons of minerals, including essen-

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SURFACE MINING

US Steel Iron Ore Could Bring New Boom US Steel is set to produce taconite pellets that could poten-

tially save the iron ore mining industry and create more job opportunities.

For almost a century, Minnesota mines have produced iron ore not just for US Steel mills but also for other major corporations. These mills then turn ore, coal, and limestone into cast iron and eventually steel.

Kangas, Director of the Natural Resources Research Institute at Coleraine, part of the University of Minnesota. Duluth. “This is a huge step forward for Minnesota’s iron ore industry,” he added.

Cleveland-Cliffs, the most significant player on the Iron Range, is already producing highgrade iron ore pellets.

The future of the Iron range depends on whether these two major players, which have been associated with blast furnace steelmaking, make it or not in this new industry. It is important to note that the mines found in this region have always been in the hands of their steelmakers.

“We are on Pins and Needles on the Rail Belt as the Steel Industry Turns Around [electric furnaces]. Are we going to be part of the long-term future of the steel industry? That worries me,” said John Arbogast.

Arbogast is the 11th district representative for the United Steelworkers of America, which represents workers at all but one of the state’s six taconite operations.

Minnesota’s taconite industry is still a pillar of the Iron Range economy despite having diminished from its prime.

ROBEL RAMOS

H

owever, this process is becoming obsolete as cheaper and more energyefficient plants utilizing electricity and scrap metal become the new norm. Furthermore, as governments increasingly call for greener and cleaner alternatives, traditional steelmaking’s future is beginning to look a bit uncertain. The Pittsburgh-based company is

In its heyday, this industry contributed about five thousand jobs. This figure may have dwindled to four thousand jobs but, on a positive note, has remained steady for the last two decades. The mining industry provides one of the highest-paying jobs in the country and the industry forms the Iron Range’s tax base. set to put in $150 million in its Keewatin plant.

This plant produces high-grade iron ore to power electric furnaces or mini-mills. These mini mills create high-quality steel and need high-quality iron to supplement scrap metal.

“The biggest advance in modern iron ore processing technology is what’s happening right now in the Iron Range,” said Kevin

18 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Keewatin mayor Mike LaBean said, “Mining is still the straw that stirs the drink.” LaBean was a miner until he lost his job in the early 1980s. Keetac, a site near Keewatin City Hall, is one of the many taconite sites in the area. It was built between the mid-50s and mid-70s and is the smaller of the two Iron Range mining and processing opera-

tions owned by US Steel. Keetac has 400 workers and will continue producing traditional seeds. Taconite is about 30% iron and is mined from the Keetac site and then fed into a large crusher. The iron is culled from the pulverized ore using magnets. It is then molded with clay into smaller pellets containing approximately 66% iron.

In August, US Steel started expanding to take this process one step further. If Keetac’s new wing begins operating by 2024, the facility will still produce new pellets with 68% to 69% iron. They will also have less silica as compared to traditional pellets

thereby making them more suitable for use in electric furnaces.

Mike Bakk, director of operational readiness at the iron ore factory in Minnesota said, “This is probably the most exciting thing that has happened in the Iron Range in 50 years.”

Electric furnaces are increasingly gaining a foothold in the industry. In the 1980s, electric furnaces gained traction - especially in the US where scrap metal is abundant. First, they produce low-grade steel products like rebar for reinforced concrete. However, the influx of newer technology prompted small-scale

mills to enter the premium steel market. By 2021, 71% of US steel production comes from electric furnaces - a 47% increase from 20 years ago. These figures come from Carnegie Mellon University’s Iron and Steel Research Center in Pittsburgh.

Traditional steelmaking’s share in the market has plummeted and the number of blast furnaces in the country has dipped from 60 in 1990 to 21 in 2021. Small-scale mills employ electrodes in order to melt scrap metal, together with pig iron and DRI or direct reduced iron, both of which are critical in making high-quality steel.

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MINING JOBS

A new “direct reduced” iron pellet from US Steel and Cleveland-Cliffs is being designed for use in DRI furnaces, creating a product with about 95% iron.

In the US, there are three DRI plants. One is owned by Cleveland-Cliffs and is located in Toledo, Ohio. This plant uses DRI for its electric and blast furnaces.

US Steel is contemplating disposing the reduced pellets directly to DRI manufacturers. They also plan to build their own DRI plant.

Kevin Lewis, US Steel’s vice president of investor relations, said, “It is not a matter of if, it is a matter of when and where it comes with DRI.” He also said US Steel “did not go into much site consideration for the DRI plant.”

The Iron Range would like to have a DRI plant and Cleveland-Cliffs has put in $1 billion in its DRI operations.

To produce grain for its DRI plant, Cleveland-Cliffs in 2019 shelled out $100 million in the North Shore taconite operations in Silver Bay. However, the plant and the Babbitt mine that supplies it has been decommissioned.

Steve Mekkes, senior engineer for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said, “You can’t judge the market for DR pellets based on what Cleveland-Cliffs is doing because they’re making their own internal business decisions.”

Electric furnaces will continue to benefit considering they are less harmful to the environment as compared to carbon dioxide-emitting blast furnaces.

“Most blast furnaces shut down because the CO2 concentration is so high,” said Chris Pistorius, a fellow at Carnegie Mellon’s Iron and Steel Research Center.

Career Prospects for Mining Engineers

BY ROBEL RAMOS

A lot of people still think of traditional miners when they

talk about mines and the mining industry. The truth, however, is that mining is more than just pickaxes, hard-hats, and getting down to a mineshaft on a lift to mine and haul gold, coal, and other precious metals.

The influx of modern technology has drastically changed how things work - especially in dangerous workplaces typically associated with the mining industry. These changes , however, have prompted industries to rethink their traditional practices. It goes without saying that organizations are adopting better and more modern strategies in order to ensure survival, growth, and productivity.

The rise of technology has also swayed companies to hire tech-savvy senior roles like planning engineers, machine learning engineers, geologists, and senior mining engineers to name a few. Technological advances have proven to be efficient thereby helping companies reduce costs while increasing productivity.

In 2019, Market Intelligence discovered that companies with female CEOs saw an increase of 20% in stock price momentum. Diversity and inclusion in the industry are the future.

For individuals trying to venture in this industry, the career path for mining engineers within the domain may differ but the future is bright.

Mining Engineer This professional is responsible for assessing the safety, feasibility and productivity of potential locations. They develop the design of the mine and also mining equipment. To be a mining engineer, one has to have a degree in one of the following: Civil Engineering Minerals Surveying Mine and Quarry Engineering

Geology Mining and Mineral Surveying

In case an individual possesses any of these degrees, a multitude of career paths open up including:

20 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Junior Mining Engineer Mine Planning Engineer Senior Mining Engineer Mine Supervisor Resident Manager

Biden-Harris Administration Announces More Than $109M Support To Create Jobs

BY JOHN EDWARD

T

he Biden-Harris Administration announced a $109.48 million plan as part of President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law intended to create “goodpaying union jobs” and to “catalyze economic opportunity” on November 15, 2022. The aforementioned goals will be achieved by reclaiming abandoned mine lands (AML)

in Alabama, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas and New Mexico. The Department of the Interior has made $725 million available to 22 states and the Navajo Nation in fiscal year 2022. More than $533 million were announced in awards in October for Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

Funding will be awarded to additional eligible entities on a rolling basis as they apply.

“Through President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are making a once-in-a-generation investment to clean up environmental hazards that are harming local communities,” said Secretary Deb Haaland.

“Reclaiming and restoring these sites will create jobs, revitalize economic activity, and advance outdoor recreation. I am so excited about what we can do with these new resources, today and for future generations.”

It is important to note that millions of Americans live within just one mile of an abandoned coal mine or orphaned oil and gas well across the country.

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MINING JOBS

Mines To Create 4,000 New Jobs in Zimbabwe

BY JOHN EDWARD

In an article for The Sunday Mail, Oliver Kazunga opined that mining companies were expected to create four thousand jobs in Zimbabwe thanks to US$1 billion capital expenditure programs in the sector.

According to the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe, this projected growth represents an increase of 9 percent in new formal employment from the current figure of approximately 45,000 workers in the sector.

The mining industry is one of Zimbabwe’s key productive sectors and is responsible for bringing in 73% of foreign direct investment into the country. It also accounts for 83% of exports, 19% of government revenues, 2% of formal employment, and 11% of individual incomes. Keeping in mind the industry’s significance to the economy, the Second Republic - under President Mnangagwa in 2019 - had launched a US$12 billion mining economy target to be achieved by 2023.The envisaged milestone will depend upon increasing production through expansion projects, reopening of closed mines, and the launch of new projects.

By the end of 2022, the mining sector is expected to grow to a US$8 billion economy as compared to US$5.3 billion last year.

Growth of Oilsands Mine in Recruiting Female Equipment Operators MARIE LAGUNA

'The more equal we feel out here, the nicer it is for all of us,' says Robin Hebbard.Robin Hebbard was one of the handful of women who worked as heavy equipment operators and simulator trainers at Syncrude's Aurora mine in 2007.

Female workers now account for roughly 30% of the workforce at the Aurora site.

The increase was most noticeable in the locker room, which had 135 lockers and 180 women. "We saw two to three women per locker," Hebbard explained. She raised the issue with her director, and the corporation switched one of the men's locker rooms with the smaller women's locker room in December, freeing up 213 lockers. "It's really great to have a remedy to the issue and a space for all the women to feel comfortable," she said. "The more equal we feel out here, the better it is for all of us."

Hebbard credits the success of the Aurora site to programmes such as Women Building Futures, which provides support services to assist unemployed and underemployed women in discovering different careers. Women Building Futures collaborated with the Aurora site to recruit and support female heavy equipment operators, according to Thomson. Careers The Next Generation is also working to increase the number of women working in trades.

ArcelorMittal Creates Jobs in Liberia With one of the best paying rates and consistent investment in programs that enrich its staff’s working experience, it comes as no surprise that ArcelorMittal’s workforce is growing steadily in Liberia.

In an article for GNN Liberia, Cholo Brooks opined that ArcelorMittal was a top-rated employer in Liberia. The company has nearly 3,000 employees and contractors in the country, out of which 95% are Liberians.

Partly owned by the Liberian Government, ArcelorMittal Liberia benefits the country on many fronts, including job creation, revenue generation, socio-economic development, and community development projects. Investing in the country and sharing the values of the communities where it operates are important priorities for the business.

22 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

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UNDERGROUND MINING

Biden Says Coal Plants ‘Across America’ Will Be Shut Down

JOHN EDWARD

The White House scrambled to clarify President Biden’s declaration that an energy transition would mean shutting down coal plants. In an article for Bloomberg News, Anna Edgerton and Jennifer A. Dlouhy reported that the White House sought to reframe President Joe Biden’s comments on closing coal plants as part of a US “energy transition.”

O

n November 4, 2022; Biden had declared that coal plants were simply too expensive to operate. He had further added that he was inclined to shut “these plants down all across America" in order to transition towards more renewable sources of energy.

"I was in Massachusetts about a month ago on the site of the largest old coal plant in America," Biden mused at an event in Carlsbad, California. "Guess what? It cost them too much money.

They can't count. No one is building new coal plants because they can’t rely on it. Even if

they have all the coal guaranteed for the rest of the existence of the plant.”

"So it's going to become a wind generation.

And all they're doing is it’s going to save them a hell of a lot of money and using the same transmission line that they transmitted the coal-fired electric on, we're going to be shutting these plants down all across America and having wind and solar power, also providing tax credits to help families buy energy efficient appliances, whether it's your refrigerator or your coffee maker, for solar panels on your home, weatherize your home, things that save an average, experts say, a minimum of $500 a year for the average

24 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

family," he added. Biden’s comments drew almost immediate criticism from different quarters including the mining industry and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin.

The latter called the remarks “outrageous and divorced from reality.” The situation is particularly delicate because the US is days before midterm elections with Democratic congressional majorities at stake.

Republicans were also quick to criticize Biden for pursuing an energy policy that could cost American jobs. “We know how this ends,” Representative Steve Scalise, Republican of Louisiana, said on Twitter.

“People lose their livelihoods. You pay more for energy.

A Department of Energy report published this summer had indeed shown massive job losses in the fuel industry. The annual U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER) stated that the coal industry lost 7,125 jobs in 2021 which reflected a reduction of 11.8% year-over-year.

The backlash came just as the President was about to campaign in Pennsylvania which is a coal-rich state and has a long history as both a producer and user of the fossil fuel. Pennsylvania is also the battleground of a closely fought Senate race that could potentially determine control of the chamber.

The neighboring states of West Virginia and Pennsylvania are the second-largest and third-largest coal-producing states in the US respectively.

a meaning that was not intended” and that the President “regrets it if anyone hearing these remarks took offence.”

White House Press Secretary Karine JeanPierre said in a statement that Biden’s comments “have been twisted to suggest

However, the damage may have already been done. “Being cavalier about the loss of coal jobs for men and women in West Virginia

and across the country who literally put their lives on the line to help build and power this country is offensive and disgusting,” Senator Manchin said in a statement on November 5. He called for a public apology and declared that it was time that Biden learned “a lesson that his words matter and have consequences.”

Jean-Pierre also went on to state that Biden recognized that coal had long powered the US economy. She also highlighted that Biden had worked with Manchin to bring jobs and federal funds to regions hit by the transition away from fossil fuels. “No one will be left behind,” assured Jean-Pierre.

The United Mine Workers of America also jumped to defend the coal industry’s role in the energy transition and in developing technology which would lower coal’s carbon footprint. UMWA President Cecil Roberts stated that Biden’s comments were

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UNDERGROUND MINING

“disheartening”. He went on to invite the President to visit communities in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky that had been impacted by coal plants shutting down.

“It’s easy to talk about ending an industry that supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in Appalachia and the Midwest, but the reality of such an action is harsh,” Roberts declared in a statement.

For his part, Rich Nolan - Head of the National Mining Association - said that Biden’s comments were “completely incompatible” with energy-driven inflation. Furthermore, he stated that the statements were not in tune with the needs of the electric grid in many parts of the US. Any action that contributes to the global energy crisis would be “reckless and unthinkable” he opined.

It is important to note that Manchin isn’t up for re-election this year. He also happens to be a rare Democrat who represents primarily conservative constituents. Manchin had previously emerged as a key vote in the evenly split Senate when he helped to pass Democrat-only projects such as the Inflation Reduction Act. This was after he had initially blocked Biden’s Build Back Better tax-and-spending plan.

Manchin has come under fire recently from parts of the Democratic Party for holding up policy priorities and for refusing to end the filibuster which depends on a 60-vote majority to pass most bills. On November 5, his frustration with Biden boiled over as he publicly questioned the President’s credibility.

“Comments like these are the reason the American people are losing trust in President Biden,” Manchin said in a statement.

“It seems his positions change depending on the audience and the politics of the day.”

Western Lenders Restrict Financial Services to Coal Miners ROBEL RAMOS

When it comes to mining, especially coal mines, now is both

the best and the worst of times for coal miners. After years of steady decline, the demand for coal has finally made solid breakthroughs as Europe scrambles to find an alternative to Russian gas.

With the prices of coal hitting record highs, one would expect companies to expand their operations. However, projects are being either shelved or left behind as Western banks stand by climate pledges to restrict lending to the coal miners sector. The Chief Financial Officer at the Australian coal miner Coronado Global Resources Inc., Gerhard Ziems, said, “If you are a business with a bank right now, it is easier. If you want to build a new mine, forget it; that has become impossible.”

The lower-value thermal coal typically used in power plants traded above coking coal for the first time in June. Ziems added that this was a crazy scenario – akin to silver trading at a higher price than gold. Benchmark Australia Newcastle thermal coal was suffering at $50 per ton at the start of 2020 before spiking above $150 per ton at the start of 2022. Thermal coal further hit a record high at more than $400 per ton in September as countries tried hard to replace Russian gas.

However, with most Western banks under pressure from shareholders to stay true to their commitment to climate change, coal miners say they are having a hard time scouring for alternative financial backing to take advantage of the scenario.

For some mining companies, it has become difficult to even find a lender for simple financial assistance. Shortly after North American miner, Ben Creek Group was listed on London’s AIM in October 2021, Lloyds Banking Group withdrew its banking services to the company due to a change in policies related to fossil fuels.

The banking company said that it would stop financing miners that generate more than 5% of their revenue from thermal coal by the end of 2022. Managers of Ben Creek suffered from the rejection and had to wait for months before they were able to open an account at the State Bank of India’s branch in Britain, CEO Adam Wilson said to Reuters.

The chief executive of Ben Creeks said that no company had these problems five years ago. Lloyds did not provide any comments on individual client relationships. It is a similar scenario for Minergy Limited – a startup company listed in Botswana. The company is looking for a financial institution to fund its expansion projects.

26 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

US Mines More Coal In The West, But The East Employs More Workers The annual Coal Report by AJOT revealed that about 60%

of coal was produced in the western part of the United States in 2021.

However, only 28% of workers in coal mines worked there. The difference is due to the technologies employed in the East and West - surface mines in the latter use massive mining equipment and machines to extract a large amount of coal using fewer workers.

BY ROBEL RAMOS

T

he report separated the US into two regions, East and West, divided by the Mississippi River. Before the 1970s, most of the coal in the country came from the East. However, starting in the 1970s, the production of coal started expanding in the West due to the following reasons:

New emissions laws and regulations New large-scale surface mines at the Powder River Basin in Wyoming, and other areas in the West.

Lesser freight rail shipping costs.

It is important to note that coal is basically used for electricity generation in the US. However, the Clean Air Act of 1970, and subsequent amendments in 1977 and 1990, restricted sulfur emissions from power plants powered by coal.

In order to meet the regulations, these power plants have to burn low-sulfur coal which is normally found in the West. This resulted in an increased demand for low-sulfur coal,

especially in the Powder River Basin. In 2021, coal mine workers in the West produced 16 tons of coal every hour, significantly higher than their counterparts in the East where workers produce only 4 tons per hour of coal.

The difference can be attributed to the size of the coal mines in the West which are often large, open-pit operations that tap thick coal seams close to the surface. This lets miners from the West utilize super-sized draglines, shovels, and monster trucks, allowing companies to extract and haul more coal with relatively fewer workers.

In the East, mines are smaller, underground operations with thinner coal seams which are often deeper and more difficult to extract.

And despite deploying advanced technology like the longwall mining systems, mines in the East are not only laborious and toilsome compared to their western counterparts, they also have a lower productivity rate.

The new business environment in the railroad industry following the country’s railroad deregulation prompted railroads to inno-

vate and utilize dedicated unit trains that typically load a single commodity directly to its destination. These unit trains let coal from the western side be transported in an economical manner to power plants all over the US. Coal production in the United States peaked at about 1.2 billion tons in 2008. Since then, the production of coal has slipped significantly as the country sways towards natural gas, renewable and green energies for electricity generation. In 2021, the country managed to produce 577.4 million tons of coal, which is less than half of the amount it produced before.

Aside from coal production, employment in the coal mining business has also dwindled. Most of the jobs that were cut were in the East. Since 2008, coal mining employment fell by: 59% in the East, down from 68,605 workers in 2008 to just 28,314 employees in 2021 39% in the West, dropping from 18,114 employees in 2008 to about 11,115 employees in 2021

Brief 2021 Highlights of US Coal Performance In 2021, US coal production went up by 7.8% year over year to 577.4% million short tons or MMst. However, total productive capacity slipped to 871 MMst, a decrease of 6.6% from the previous year's level. www.skillings.net | 27

SPECIAL FOCUS

Implementing ESG During A Recession As part of the energy transition, mining and metal corporations have started placing a greater emphasis on upgrading their environmental, social, and governance credentials. But will they be able to stick to their promise as a worldwide recession approaches?

BY MARIE LAGUNA

T

he mining and metals sector, which was previously demonized in discussions about environmental sustainability, is now recognized as a vital component of the solution. Investors and consumers are becoming more aware of the industry's importance as a supplier of essential raw materials for the global energy transition as well as an important stakeholder in the value chain.

The way mining and metals corporations position themselves in anticipation of the energy transition, especially in light of a

potential recession, will determine their viability and might make or break their competitive edge over the course of the next ten years. Boards should think about how to strengthen current environmental, social, and governance (ESG) frameworks to make sure that they are resilient against the potential economic realities of the future.

To achieve this, it is critical to ensure that ESG is fully included in the long-term business strategy as means of contributing value as opposed to an optional expense to be eliminated.

28 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Evaluating The Resiliency Of ESG In A Recession ESG is likely to be an important area of concern for stakeholders during a potential recession. ESG investing, according to a recent article in The Economist, "is a dysfunctional system [that] needs urgent repairs." Nevertheless, it aims to hold "firms and their owners accountable for their negative externalities."

The high-profile ESG engagement priorities of BlackRock and State Street, along with the more than 5,000 investors who have signed

ESG-related expenditures - such as capital costs for energy-use reduction, choosing renewable energy, paying living wages and so on - to be just costs rather than investments.

Companies will face intense pressure to handle ESG factors while maintaining quarterly expectations both before and during any recession. Boards must make sure governance standards continue to be in line with market realities because the greater the challenge an executive team has, the more tempting it is to take shortcuts.

Is ESG Mandatory Or Optional In The Mining And Metals Industry?

A rising corpus of research is revealing how important it is to take ESG issues seriously in order to increase resilience, long-term business performance, and investment returns. Businesses with high ESG credentials can outperform their peer groups and the general market.

the Principles of Responsible Investment, serve as evidence of the depth and breadth of investor commitment in this area. Related proxy voting and activism trends also serve to highlight this commitment.

Risks and opportunities can both be produced by ESG variables. For some time now, boards in the mining and metals sector have been working to address a wide range of ESG issues such as how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, the working conditions in supply chains, tailings management, worker and community health and

safety, and adherence to ever-increasing reporting requirements.

However, during a downturn in the economy, leaders will need to choose which of these themes to emphasize, specify the goals to be met, and outline the anticipated timelines—all against the backdrop of unpredictability in the market and the economy.

Many people continue to believe that choosing a more sustainable future requires making a trade-off between attaining corporate growth and profit. They consider

Mining and metals businesses are investing extensively in efforts to cut emissions or meet other goals in the hopes of seeing a return on their investment in the future.

Decarbonization investments, for instance, need high upfront capital expenditures but these might be compensated by tax breaks and enticing financing arrangements. Decarbonization initiatives can also increase energy efficiency which has a direct bearing on operating costs and margins. They also lower the possibility of adverse stock price ramifications or regulatory penalties.

Net-zero targets and the energy transition will fuel demand - and tremendous annual growth in market value - for metals and essential minerals like nickel, lithium, and copper. These factors will also drive demand for energy transition technologies and minerals. ESG drivers - including solid social licenses, appropriate divestitures, and tax transparency - will all be crucial for a comwww.skillings.net | 29

SPECIAL FOCUS

business strategy through annual reports, proxy statements, sustainability reports, or other public materials after the management determines the appropriate level of corporate investment in ESG.

A Consistent Focus On "E" Fifty-nine percent of investors, according to the 2022 Accenture Global Institutional Investor Study on ESG in Mining, want miners to pursue decarbonization aggressively and be industry leaders in this endeavor. In the mining and metals sector, almost 63 percent of investors said they would be prepared to sell their holdings in mining companies that fall short of their decarbonization goals or don't undertake enough decarbonization initiatives.

According to this report, mining and metals investors assess "essential" environmental projects as those that reduce scope three emissions, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050, produce energy-critical metals, and produce no coal. Seven out of ten of the main mining and metals corporations publicly stated that they wanted to be carbon neutral by 2050. pany's sustained success as the transition to net zero will demand more mining, not less.

A worldwide economic downturn could lead to increased cost-cutting initiatives in mining and metals thereby affecting both operations and capital expenditures at a time when further investment commitments are needed to satisfy rising ESG expectations from different stakeholders. Chief financial officers are under pressure to manage businesses' capital spending plans as they venture into uncharted terrain by allocating funds to initiatives with hefty price tags, protracted timelines, and often elusive returns.

The difficulty of achieving the ideal balance is increased by the fact that businesses frequently make these investments before new legislation is put forward or before consumer preferences alter. From a financial standpoint,

it involves striking a balance between necessary spending and possible losses brought on by ignoring or improperly managing ESG aspects. ESG is now the minimum operating standard, particularly in the mining and metals industry. It is no longer optional or a source of differentiation.

It is crucial for the company to align its strategy to ESG priorities as part of its overall

Other pertinent variables included diversifying the board, management, and staff; investing in cutting-edge technology and digitalization; and having a great safety record.

By switching from "take, make, and waste" to "take, make, recover, and reuse," core revenue will be improved, and the value of end-of-life materials will be maximized.

Risks and opportunities can both be produced by ESG variables. For some time now, boards in the mining and metals sector have been working to address a wide range of ESG issues such as how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, the working conditions in supply chains, tailings management, worker and community health and safety, and adherence to ever-increasing reporting requirements.

30 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Recycled resources will go down the cost curve, lowering supply costs and providing insurance against fluctuations in the price of raw materials. Likewise, businesses can leverage their circularity procedures to draw in clients who are concerned about the environment.

Companies are finding it harder to get funding if they don't have a systematic plan for closing significant ESG gaps or if they can't demonstrate any real results. This may also make it difficult to enter the stock market, secure licenses or insurance, recruit employees, or keep one's social license to operate.

For instance, mine development projects must include ESG and sustainability best practices at every level, from planning to mine decommissioning, as well as throughout the supply chain, in order to be bankable.

If they are unable to persuade investors that ESG remains a priority, mining and metals companies may also find it difficult to obtain other sources of funding during a crisis.

The Significance Of "G" During A Recession For succeeding with ESG, solid and creative corporate governance approaches are essential. ESG must be integrated into corporate processes and structures in order to meet set objectives. In this approach, ESG should be viewed as a source of value addition and competitive advantage rather than a risk that needs to be managed or an expense that needs to be cut.

quantifiable goals and increased reporting openness. Increased regulatory compliance requirements, such as those set forth by the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, have also played a significant role towards this end.

Additionally, mining and metals corporations want to switch their reporting from a broad corporate level to a more detailed mine-site level. According to a Responsible Mining Foundation analysis that examined 38 large-scale mining corporations, few mining companies have truly incorporated the UN Sustainable Development Goals into their business strategy, even though many of them reference them in their sustainability reporting.

Reduced business risks related to an organization's ESG footprint might lessen the possibility of regulatory expenses, reputational harm, or loss of the social license to operate. The destruction of historic Aboriginal heritage sites in Australia and the deadly dam collapse in Brazil are two examples of how the latter can have a detrimental influence on shared values.

Furthermore, focusing on the "G" and maintaining ESG as a top board agenda item,

particularly during a recession, can aid in managing costs, enhancing stakeholder engagement, diversifying supply chains, enhancing performance in comparison to peers, and aiding in the "war for talent" in order to build a sustainable and resilient company. Mining and metals firms can strengthen their balance sheets, experience more stable values, and make better long-term investment decisions.

An Essential And Continuous Journey Inevitably, ESG considerations will alter the business environment for mining and metals industries. A company is unlikely to thrive if it permits itself to become an ESG laggard, especially if peers are setting the bar high.

ESG projects may experience some shortterm erosion during an economic downturn as companies look to cut expenses. Still, over the long run, the focus on ESG concerns will only be revitalized and strengthened. All stakeholders must place their ESG strategies front and center, with the same focus paid to ESG as to the extraction of minerals, if the mining and metals sector hopes to be recognized as a leader in the effort to reach net zero and complete the energy transition.

In a downturn, good governance is especially important. Alberto Calderon, CEO of AngloGold Ashanti, has declared: "Improving operational performance and regaining cost competitiveness against our counterparts provide greater value for us in the medium term."

Focus has shifted from ESG compliance and reporting to stronger commitments with www.skillings.net | 31

MINING TECHNOLOGY

Epiroc Agrees to Acquire Mining Automation Company RCT Mining expert Epiroc gave the green light to acquire mining automation company Remote Control Technologies Pty Ltd (RCT) and is expected to complete the deal later this year.

BY ROBEL RAMOS

R

TC, an Australian company based in Perth, provides an array of automated solutions for either a single machine or an entire mixed fleet of machines. The company offers mining automation and remote-control solutions to the global mining industry.

The acquisition will usher the company to become a “world-leading mining automation solutions provider,” for unloading, loading, and haulage apart from surface and underground rock drilling.

Currently, RCT has customers in more than 70 countries. The company offers data and information systems, fleet and machine management systems, and machine protection systems.

In August 2022, Epiroc announced that they had acquired RNP Mexico. They also said that they would be acquiring mining equipment manufacturer AARD in September 2022.

In a statement, the President and CEO of Epiroc, Helena Hedblom said, “mining automation is increasingly important for the mining industry to strengthen safety and productivity, and RCT’s advanced solutions complement Epiroc’s existing automation offering well. Together we will provide complete mining automation and remote-control 32 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

solutions to support our customers on their journey towards optimal operations.” “We are especially pleased that Bob Muirhead, RCT’s founder and a true pioneer within mining automation, will continue in an active management role. We look forward to welcoming the strong RCT team to Epiroc,” the statement stated.

In October 2022, Epiroc launched a new long-hole production drill rig for medium to large-sized drifts designed to provide increased mining automation and high-quality drilling. This is the company’s initial step towards its optimization program.

Mikael Larslin, the company’s Global Product Manager of Production Drilling said, “The connected Simba E70 S provides us with performance and quality data, so we can take the first step towards providing tailored process management to our customers.”

Navtech Radar aims to reduce “single point of failure” problem in minining automation Navtech Radar’s Sam Wood said that banking exclusively on one sensor-based technology for autonomous operations of vehicles is a risk that most mining companies cannot afford to take.

company is well-invested in providing radar-based solutions, the organization is also focusing on integrating its platform into multi-sensor fusion setups at mine locations thereby integrating with LiDAR GPS and others.

“We see our solutions complementing and integrating with other technologies,” Wood said. “We feel mines and other industrial sites should not have a ‘single point of failure’ within an automated setup as this can lead to unnecessary downtime, or – in some cases – potential accidents or injuries.”

The President and CEO of Epiroc, Helena Hedblom said, “Mining automation is increasingly important for the mining industry to strengthen safety and productivity, and RCT’s advanced solutions complement Epiroc’s existing automation offering well.

Wood, the Product Manager of Navtech Radar, also said that the issue of operational continuity is likely to become evident in 2026 when an anticipated solar excitation event pushes a lot of GPS-based systems offline. Wood talked to IM on the sidelines of the recent Bauma 2022 fair in Munich, Germany. This event showcased the American company’s Terran360 single-sensor radar localization solution.

Navtech added, “In the mining and construction industry, autonomous vehicles solely depend on GPS sensors to report their whereabouts. However, their ability to reliably maintain centimeter-level positioning required for autonomy, particularly within developments with tall infrastructure, deep pits, or at high latitudes, is often compromised.

According to Navtech, their machine leverages the company’s millimeter wave radar technology to reliably position a machine in its surroundings especially in working conditions that are often harsh - like mining and construction. While the Oxford-based

“Terran360, on the other hand, draws on high-resolution radar technology which penetrates the atmospheric and weather conditions to constantly deliver highly accurate, centimeter-level location data,” Navtech further explained.

A spike in GPS attacks, by “jamming” or “spoofing”, effectively means that depending completely on GPS is turning into a commercially risky proposition for autonomous mine operators. “Terran360, and other examples of innovation developed by Navtech, aims to address these challenges,” Wood said.

In partnership with Oxbotica, an autonomous software expert, the Terran360 is certified to IP66 standard. The radar localization technology installed is protected from water and debris. This ensures constant operations with minimal maintenance to allow 100% visibility of assets at all times. “Oxbotica’s world-class localisation algorithms are combined with Navtech’s ruggedised industrial radar sensors to provide a package that is resilient to weather and harsh environments,” Navtech added.

Oxbotica’s product portfolio in the mining industry includes software for the entire technological spectrum from low-level sensor managers to calibration, four-modal localization, mapping, perception, 3D mapping, and planning and control.

The two companies have been partnering on solutions for the industry after several successful radar deployments. Amongst them are the trials in one of Boliden’s major underground mines in Europe wherein the radar sensor provided situational awareness to support machine retrieval from smokefilled mining tunnels.

Navtech has also partnered with Örebro University in Sweden where its radar-based sensor was tested as part of a sensor fusion project with the school’s Centre for Applied Autonomous Sensor Systems. This trial has seen the company’s teleremote and automated setup in applications like mining.

Wood also said that more companies are keeping their eyes on these kinds of automated solutions. Navtech also sees demand for radar-based platforms in other applications. www.skillings.net | 33

MINING EQUIPMENT

World’s First Hydrogen-Powered Haul Truck Could Contribute To A Cleaner Mining Industry A typical mining haul truck is one of the largest vehicles on

the planet - standing three stories tall and weighing 500 metric tons when fully loaded. It also happens to be a major contributor to emissions in an industry which is often accused of polluting.

BY MARIE LAGUNA

According to the consulting firm McKinsey, the mining industry contributes up to 7% of global carbon emissions each year. According to David Gerhardt, principal systems engineer for First Mode, a Seattle-based clean energy company, roughly 50% of this comes from haulage trucks which are used to transport heavy rocks between different sites.

That is why First Mode is developing a zero-emission alternative to the truck's diesel engine. To do so, it is turning to one of the world's most abundant natural resources: hydrogen.

After launching the project in 2019, the company claims to have built the world's largest mobile hydrogen power plant - a hybrid that combines hydrogen fuel cells with battery power. The power plant must generate two megawatts of electricity per second in order to power a vehicle of this size, which is enough energy to power 1,500 American homes.

Creating Mining Moves Gerhardt claims that in order to meet that output target, they had to do something never done before. "The scale of fuel cells that we needed did not exist on the market," he says. Instead, First Mode combined several smaller fuel modules to create a 25-metricton hybrid power plant.

Gerhardt describes the power plant as weighing five elephants and capable of carrying a load weighing 100 elephants.

"Imagine the force required to move 100 elephants up the hill at 15 kilometres per hour," he adds.

The hydrogen-powered haul truck made its official debut this past May, three years after the project began, at Anglo American's Mogalakwena mine in South Africa.

According to the mining multinational that commissioned the development of First Mode's power plant, an average mining haul truck in its fleet consumes 900,000 litres

34 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

of diesel fuel per year. While hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have been around since the 1960s, their adoption in the mining industry is relatively new, with many companies only now beginning to set emissions reduction targets. Prior to First Mode's truck, the only other zero-emission vehicle of this scale was a Swiss all-electric mining haul truck.

According to Chris Voorhees, CEO of First Mode, partnering with Anglo American "has provided us with a platform and an

mately 18 in Australia. Anglo American's investment was announced in the form of a Form D filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. According to the filing, First Mode was raising $32.5 million in funding, with $8.5 million in equity sold.

The Power Potential Of Hydrogen More industries, ranging from ground transportation to aviation, have recently turned to hydrogen as an energy source.

Germany unveiled 14 hydrogen-powered passenger trains in August. Airbus has also stated that it intends to test hydrogenpowered planes in 2026.

Glenn Rambach, an energy research engineer who has worked in the field for over four decades, believes hydrogen technology will eventually outperform electric batteries.

However, he adds that one of the primary challenges facing a project of this scope is sourcing and producing the type of hydrogen fuel required to support a fleet of haul trucks.

Rambach believes hybrid vehicles, which are powered by a combination of hydrogen and electric batteries, are best for powering heavy-duty vehicles and can "soften the challenge of any inadequacy in electricity or hydrogen infrastructure."

The nuGenTM truck is retrofitted from a diesel-powered vehicle. | © Photo: Anglo American

entry point into what is a very complicated environment, which is the mine operation itself." However, according to Voorhees, the decarbonization of the industry extends beyond haul trucks to how raw materials are sourced, created, and manufactured.

As per the First Mode, the newly announced agreement will sharpen the focus on decarbonizing global mining operations and developing clean technology solutions for the world's largest industrial applications.

"The investment supports First Mode's capacity for growth, scaling to meet customer needs for clean energy across many industries, and investing in their most important product: their people."

As of the end of last year, First Mode had 75 employees, three of whom were based in Perth, Western Australia, which is a mining hub. Those numbers have grown significantly since then, with First Mode now employing more than 100 people, including approxi-

However, the carbon emissions from using hydrogen as a fuel are determined by how the hydrogen is produced. Green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources, whereas blue hydrogen is produced using fossil fuels. Green hydrogen detractors argue that using renewables to create another fuel is a waste of clean energy.

As per the First Mode, its hauling truck was designed to run on green hydrogen, and the company is working to develop a sustainable supply chain to support the trucks.

www.skillings.net | 35

SPECIAL FOCUS

Angola Set To Become Globally Competitive Mineral Producer In recent years, Angola has tapped into its rich mineral wealth in several ways in order to

diversify its economy. In an article for Energy Capital & Power, Miguel Artacho stated that Angola is the leading producer of crude oil in sub-Saharan Africa. In the third quarter of 2021, the country’s mining sector contributed to 1.6% of its GDP - primarily through the export of diamonds. Surprisingly, the country is the sixth-largest producer of diamonds globally despite the fact that it has only exploited about 40% of its reserves.

BY JOHN EDWARD

T

he global energy transition and the use of strategic minerals in lithium-ion batteries are expected to dramatically increase the demand for rare-earth elements. The mining industry is cognizant of these developments and is expected to play a bigger role than ever before in contributing to Angola’s GDP. Indeed, several key developments across the mining and extractive industries were in the spotlight as Angola celebrated the 37th anniversary of its Mining Labor Day in April 2022. Some of these are highlighted below:

Diamond Production According to H.E. Diamantino Azevedo Angola’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Petroleum and Gas - the country is on the road to becoming the second-largest producer of rough diamonds globally by 2030. The growth is linked to developments across the diamond space coupled with market-driven regulatory reforms that have enabled investment in the sector.

These reforms include the establishment of the National Agency of Oil, Gas and Biofuels as the national concessionaire along

36 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

with the approval and implementation of Presidential Decree 143/20. The latter is a governance model which has streamlined the mining sector by reducing the State’s role. A significant boost has also come from measures that promote transparency along with fiscal incentives for encouraging the exploration of mineral wealth.

Currently, Angola is the fourth-largest producer of diamonds globally - with production estimated to be around 9.3 million carats in 2021. However, about 60% of the country’s mineral basins remain unexplored which

opens up crucial opportunities for further exploration. It comes as no surprise then that Angola is accelerating diamond mining activities in 2022 and beyond.

Retaining Value In The Country Angola has been focusing on building capacity in the domestic mining sector in order to galvanize its economic and industrial development. The country has ramped up local production and manufacturing industries to stimulate j o b c re a t i o n , i n d u s t r i a l i z a t i o n a n d infrastructure development.

Angola has invested in a slew of forward-looking initiatives. For instance, given the fact that the country currently exports 95.5% of its rough diamonds, the Ministry announced plans to cut 20% of diamonds domestically in April 2021.

The country also launched the $77-million Saurimo Diamond Development Hub in August 2021. This facility brings the entire diamond value chain together and consists of three major diamond cutting factories along with a diamond cutting and polishing training center to facilitate capacity building and skill transfer. Similarly, Angola has heavily invested in upskilling its local mining workforce – a development which the country celebrated during Mining Labor Day 2022. An initiative of the then-Defense and Security Council, Mining Labor Day is a celebration of the role that mining workers play in transforming Angola’s mining sector and the fabric of the national economy.

country’s energy transition-related minerals which rope in foreign investment.

Riding The Strategic Minerals Wave

With shifting global priorities and new technologies like electric vehicles (EV) and battery storage, rare-earth elements found on the African continent have become hot commodities. Estimates by The World Bank predict that mineral production is likely to increase almost five-fold by 2050. Furthermore, roughly 3 billion tons of minerals and metals will be needed to sustain wind, solar and geothermal power expansion along with energy storage.

Apart from diamonds, Angola is blessed with iron ore, phosphates, copper, gold and manganese. There are 28 gold mining projects - including 20 in the prospecting phase - with average production capacity for each mine pegged at roughly 4.5 kg per month. However, it might just be the

Consequently, the demand for minerals like lithium, nickel, copper, cobalt, manganese and graphite has escalated. These minerals are essential for battery performance. Similarly, the demand for minerals like neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr)

has increased dramatically because of their utilization in wind turbines and EV production. Angola has taken action to ensure that it is at the cutting edge of producing energy-transition minerals at the global level. For instance, the Longonjo Rare Earth Project is set to become the first major rare earth mine in Africa.

The project is located near the city of Huambo and has a production target of 56,000 tons per year. The initiative will be operated and funded by London-listed Pensana Plc along with additional funds coming from Angolan Sovereign Wealth Fund (FSDEA).

The country has also positioned itself strategically to meet the surge of demand in clean energy by targeting investment and development within the sector. www.skillings.net | 37

MINING TECHNOLOGY

Smart Technology Drives Promising Market Growth for Global Mining Automation Artificial intelligence, augmented reality, and remote-control

solutions are starting to emerge as major market drivers of mining automation industries. Previous forecasts from Zion Market Research revealed that the global market size of mining automation will increase by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7.3% until the year 2030.

BY RANDY MOLEJONA JR.

P

art of the catalysts for this rapid market growth is the array of technological advancements initiated around the globe to conserve energ y, increase productivity, and promote safety in harsh mining environments.

The call for these innovations in mining automation comes from the escalating demand of the industrial sector for common base metals, thereby pushing the development of high-productivity technologies for mining exploration activities.

One of the technological trends attracting investments in the mining automation industry is the development of autonomous surveying technology through artificial intelligence (AI).

“The integration of autonomous surveying technology into a construction workflow has groundbreaking potential,” said Aviad Almagor, Vice President of Technology Innovation of Trimble, after the announcement of his company’s partnership with Exyn Technologies in Nevada, USA in November 2022.

The Trimble X7 already has high accuracy and speed when it comes to capturing the surrounding environment through 3D laser

scanning. However, a brand-new potential can still be unleashed with the integration of smart technology from the autonomous robots powered by ExynAI. These robots are equipped with sensors to avoid obstacles regardless of the complexity of the construction environment. Self-navigation without the need for a GPS is also one of the emphasized features of this innovation.

Another emerging development derived from augmented reality (AR) is being launched

by Torsa in Antamina, Peru. The Collision Avoidance System (CAS) features centimetric precision for detecting hazards in the vehicle’s surroundings to improve the safety of the operator while fetching realtime data that could be useful for remote management centers to optimize current mining operations.

“In our fourth generation CAS system, we have incorporated a predictive algorithm to avoid false positives, because we know that this is key for someone who is driving many hours every single day,” explained Gabino de Diego, the new Business Development Director of Torsa. He also acknowledged the help of business intelligence modules which allowed users to replay footage of incidents to serve as a reliable basis for generating corrective measures.

38 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Remote control solutions are also seen to influence major business decisions as the mining specialist, Epiroc, gains control over Remote Control Technology (RCT) company in October 2022. This smart technology company based in Perth, Australia is expected to serve as a vital player in Epiroc’s goal to become one of the leading automation solutions providers around the world.

Helena Hedblom, CEO and President of Epiroc, welcomed Bob Muirhead, founder of RCT, as she announced that the latter will remain in an active management role upon joining her team. One of the expected contributions of RCT is to provide automation on either a single or mixed fleet of machines, regardless of manufacturer and type of equipment, effectively maximizing compatibility. However, the rise of these innovations comes with significant environmental responsibility. Fortunately, green initiatives are extensively discussed during the development of these mining automation technologies.

In November 2022, Epiroc introduced the Smart and Green Series to highlight the company’s efforts in designing zero-emission vehicles without compromising productivity.

As tested, these battery-electric vehicles showed positive results in reducing carbon emissions, improving sustainability, and satisfying end-users.

Two of the sustainability-centered components of the Smart and Green Series is the use of fossil-free steel sourced from SSAB and green batteries developed from Northvolt. The materials of the mining equipment used in the series were claimed to, indeed, reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, the high-energy density batteries used for the machine models were said to be certified to comply with international standards and designed with multiple safety features.

With all the mentioned progress, one of the

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2022 ANNUAL INDEX OF SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW Perusing through our 100+ annual index will give the reader a good retrospective of 2022. New headings reflect trends unique to what has been an extremely interesting year. There is an increasing emphasis on sustainability - clean technologies, waste water management, re-vegetation and adherence to legislation.

SPECIAL FOCUS Article

SPECIAL FOCUS Month

P

Times Of Economic Complexity, Going for Gold: An Idea

Jan

34

Advantages of Growing Renewables on Contaminated Lands

Jan

36

Miners Alert: Global Push For Green Steel In Way Of $150 Billion In Iron Ore For Australia: Adapt Says Analysts

Jan

43

Philippines Mining Industry Reviving After the Shock

Feb

18

Underground Mining Market To Go Upto US$ 25 Bn By 2031: Comprehensive Inspection Solutions for Mining Giants Behind the Revenue Gains

Feb

The State of Precious Metals Hamilton Harbor Lighthouse: Allow Public Access Soon

40 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Article

Month

P

Plans Keep ON for Wind Turbines

Mar

20

Western Blazes: Are Underground Coal Fires Responsible!

Mar

40

$144 Million Given by Biden-Harris: Paving Good-Paying Union Salaries: Reviving Coal Groups

April

18

Epanko Graphite Project in Tanzania: EcoGraf Chooses Vermeer as a New Companion to Assess Surface Mining Technology

April

22

38

Russian Ukraine War Impacts Mining Supply Chains

April

24

Feb

42

Iron Ore Price Up as a Consequence of the Russia- Ukraine Conflict

April

26

Mar

16

Russia-Ukraine War at Play Ferrexpo Share Drops by 70%

April

27

SPECIAL FOCUS Article

SPECIAL FOCUS Month

P

Article

Month

P

Grängesberg Iron Ore, Dalarna County, Sweden Resuming

Oct

29

Audit: Intelligent Unmanned Mining

Oct

36

Latest Uranium/Vanadium district: Advanced exploration: Argentina

Nov

26

Lithium Mining in North America

Nov

30

Thousands of Roles, No Experience, Easy Entry: Australians can now earn more than $160,000 a year

April

Stabilize Prices in China: Supporting Iron Ore Market Management

April

20

Iron Ore Miners Revitalizing

April

42

On Earth and Beyond Now, from Ancient Profession to Modern Mining

May

22

Coal Companies Recklessly Going Go!

Nov

38

AMC has a Gold Mine!

May

38

Nov

42

Former Rio Tinto Executive for Uranium Mine Leadership: Environmentalists’ Criticize and Concern

May

43

Fogmaker south africa: Dominate ema 2022 show: With Smart, Efficient And Cost-Effective Fire-Suppression Practices Is It Possible For The Iron Ore Mining Industry To Go Green?

Nov

44

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Boosts in house battery production with $3.16 Billion

June

Circular Thinking: The Key to Sustainable Mining in Africa

June

Best Dividend Paying Mining Metal Stocks

June

40

Geotechnical Software, Finally a dry solution

July

China Recovers Iron Ore on the High

28

18 THE LEAD 26

Month

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Jan

8

38

Why Women are Quitting the Mining Industry and what mining companies can do about it

Article

July

26

The Best Copper Stocks potential in 2022

Feb

10

Engineering Projects of the Coming Age, What a Transformation!

July

28

Environmental Loses Due to Unethical Sand Mining!

Mar

10

Environmental harm from mining emissions is estimated to be worth £2.5 trillion annually

Aug

26

Discover the Largest Critical Mineral Mines of America

April

10

The Pilbara’s most technologically advanced mine is Gudai-by Darri’s Rio Tinto

Aug

38

Oklahoma Report: Climate Change Plays Chaos With Mining Education

May

10

Global Opportunities and Demand by Top Players in the connected mining market

Aug

40

June

10

China No More Dependent Upon Foreign Iron Ore

Sep

26

The Salton Sea would produce the world’s Greenest Lithium let the latest extraction technologies work!

July

8

Resuming the Cut Task: Woodsmith Shaft Boring Roadheaders

Sep

36

Rio Tinto: The Ultimate Commodity Leader for Commodity Expansion Iron Hunt in China

Aug

8

Prevention is the Predictive Cure! bulk handling in mining

Sep

38

Biden All Set To Promote Minerals, However, Lag In Mine Permits

Sep

8

Mining Technology Inculcation: Australia a Trendsetter!

Oct

16

Australia: Brightening Up as the Latest Rare Earth Elements Producer

Oct

8

www.skillings.net | 41

ANNUAL INDEX

THE LEAD Article Sandvik Needs To Be Applauded In Underground Mining: Established A New and Commendable Battery System Safety Standard

STATISTICS Month

P

Nov

8

Month

P

Interview with Heng Huang, Financer, HOT Mining Tech Co., Ltd, Beijing.

Jan

28

Interview with Mr. Marc Mesa Capodicasa.

Founder & CEO, Eco–Soil Group

Feb

30

Interview with Mario Santiago Juarez, 1st Member, Senior Mine Engineer, CADIM. www. terraomnia.ar

Mar

Interview with Joseph Sam, Chief Business Office. Exclusive Quarries P Limited

April

30

Interview with Ta M. Li, Retired Vice President, Operations, Tetra Tech

May

30

Interview with Scott Austin Quillinan, Senior Director of Research, University of Wyoming School of Energy Resources, USA.

June

32

Interview with Mr. Ludovic Donati. Group Chief Digital Officer, Eramet

July

30

Interview with Mr. Phil Christopherson. CEO, Energy Capital Economic Development

Aug

30

Interview with Mr. Prasanajit Mishra, Founder and Managing Director, Mining Today

Sep

32

Interview with Trina Igelsrud Pfeiffer, Interim Director, Center for Carbon Capture and Conversion, at the University of Wyoming Deep-sea Mining: Environmental And Social Considerations And Risks. By Tom Mills, Founder & Managing Director of Two Oceans Strategy, London, UK.

Oct

Nov

30

32

32

STATISTICS Article

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P

Mar

47

February 2022 crude steel production

April

46

Crude steel production December 2020

April

47

March 2022 crude steel production

May

46

Crude steel production December 2020

May

47

April 2022 crude steel production

June

46

Crude steel production December 2020

June

47

May 2022 crude steel production

July

46

Crude steel production December 2020

July

47

June 2022 crude steel production

Aug

46

Crude steel production December 2020

Aug

47

July 2022 crude steel production

Sep

46

Crude steel production December 2020

Sep

47

Great Lakes Iron Ore Trade Down in August

Oct

26

August 2022 crude steel production

Oct

46

Crude steel production December 2020

Oct

47

August 2022 crude steel production

Nov

46

Crude steel production

Nov

47

Crude steel production December 2020

PROFILES IN MINING Article

Article

SURFACE MINING Article

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Jan

20

In 2031, the global smart mining market is expected to reach US$55.15 billion

Jan

22

In a bid to boost iron-ore rebound, Vale has lowered its production guidance

Jan

25

Mining diplomacy’ is critical for the future of energy

Jan

26

Australian Mining Companies Try to Scrap Old Equipment

Feb

8

Billion-Dollar Lithium Drilling Project Aims U.S. to Energy Independence

Feb

16

Surge Battery Metals: Northern Nevada: First Outcomes of the Lithium Exploration Programs

Feb

24

Mar

24

April

6

Month

P

November 2021 crude steel production

Jan

46

Crude steel production December 2020

Jan

47

November 2021 crude steel production

Feb

46

Crude steel production December 2020

Feb

47

Blueprint Ready for Commercial Mine Energy Storage Capacity in Sweden

December 2021 crude steel production

Mar

46

Honduras Stops Open-Pit Mining

42 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Month

How can we ensure that technology is adopted in the mining industry?

SURFACE MINING Article

SURFACE MINING Month

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Article

Month

P

Shaft sinking innovations, safer workplace by 2040

Oct

15

Slam Exploration Mobilizing to Drill Gold Veins at Menneval

Oct

19

Vale Unveils the Next Sustainable Sand Operation

Oct

31

Gold Mining Stocks Bullish Mid October

Nov

21

Mining Jobs In India

May

25

Kamoa Copper to enlarge by the concentrator

June

24

Vale Hits a Nickel Supply Deal with Tesla: Ensures Long-Term Collaboration

June

24

Palito output has ‘continued to improve,’ according to Serabi Gold

July

05

Iron Ore Revival

July

06

John Robins Joins Gelum Resources as Advisor

Nov

22

Nucor Expanding ON Steel Utility Structures: Acquires Manufacturers

July

06

Fossil Fuel Growth Vs. Clean Energy’s Progress

Nov

24

Nov

29

July

16

2022 Great Lakes Marine Hall of Fame Inductees

Michael C. Liptak, Co-Founder of ALL, Dies at 91 CR Meyer Announces Leadership Succession Plan

July

17

UNDERGROUND MINING Article

Month

P

05

Hanstone Gold appoints a Director, Chief Financial Officer, and Executive Chairman

Jan

05

Aug

21

Jan

06

At MIT, an old African smelting method is being revived

Aug

22

At Its Spanish Mountain West Project, West Mining Identifies Several Geochemical Anomalies. Bc

ASV RT-50: Yanmar-Powered with More Power and Comfort

24

25

Sepro gets the award for water conservation technology

Critical Minerals Could Be A Threat To America’s Security. Mineworkers, on the other hand, are in short supply.

Jan

Aug Aug

42

Feb

28

McFarlane Lake Completes some Handsome Acquisitions

Greatland Gold Gives Out Proceedings of the Juri JV final Exploration

Sep

05

Mar

05

Ollagüe Salar: Strategic Partnership

Sep

06

Fifty-nine people killed in Burkina Faso Gold Mine blast Largest Coal Project In India, More Jobs Promised

Mar

27

The State of North Dakota has been awarded $2.8 Million to Reclaim and Repurpose Abandoned Coal Mines

April

05

In April through June, Vedanta’s aluminium production increased by 3% to 565,000 tonnes

Aug

CGG Advances on Geothermal Resources R&D

Magnus Mineral Resources and Sixth Wave Innovations sign MoU

Sep

14

Latest on Ojos del Salado in Chile

Sep

16

The Impact of China Steel Mills on Iron Ore Prices

Sep

16

India: Bellary Reddy Mining, Andhra ‘No Objection’

Sep

22

Report World Bank Group: “Minerals for Climate Action.”

April

08

U.S. Representative Mike Gallagher 2022 Legislator of the Year

Sep

29

Advisory Appointment for Quimbaya Gold Inc.

May

05

Exciting Lithium Projects in Canada

Sep

44

May

06

Agnico Eagle’s Fosterville Gold Mine: Big Preparations

Oct

05

Anne Currie appointed to the FPX Nickel Board of Directors

May

06

Iron-Ore Processing: New Gen Compact Pelletizing

Oct

06

Lithium reserves in India and the game-changing Australian lithium partnership

Mantos Blancos and Manotverde mines in Chile

Oct

06

May

08

Metso Outotec Expands: Pennsylvania

Oct

06

SME Statement: Domestic Mining Education Act of 2022

www.skillings.net | 43

ANNUAL INDEX

UNDERGROUND MINING Article

UNDERGROUND MINING Month

P

With Rio’s bid, Turquoise Hill Stockholders Might Make Lots of Profits

May

26

Nickel Price Spike could Pull the IGO’s Western Area Deal into Shreds

May

Artisanal mine: 35 Killed in a Raid

Month

P

Latest Geopolitical Tensions Improved Gold Performance

Sep

20

28

Simandou: China’s Latest Iron Ore Supplier

Sep

30 14

22

India: Sandvik Mining Automation Learning Center Opened

Oct

June

Labrador West Iron Project Gets a Start: High Tide Begins Drilling

June

22

Viscount Mining TITAN MT Survey Confirms Conductive Anomaly at Silver Cliff, Colorado

Oct

20

Expanded state mining rights not okay in Chile’s constitutional assembly

June

25

Iron & Steel: The Route Starts!

Oct

39 40

Rio Tinto: Reviving the Serbian lithium project

29

Awards Ceremony Recognition: Longwall Automation from Anglo American’s Milestones

Oct

June

Elon Musk’s Supply Chain All Set To Change the Energy Sector

June

30

Oct

44

Mining Equipment Industry Up To $133.2 Billion: 2026 Forecast

July

18

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July

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Feb

05

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Feb

23

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July

37

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USA Rare Earth, Gov’t to Bolster Domestic Mineral, EV Battery Supplies

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Feb

08

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Feb

18

Worley purchases Minera Mining Technologies, an automation expert

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44 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

Article

MINING INSIDER Article

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ADVERTISING INDEX

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www.skillings.net | 45

STATISTICS

october 2022 crude steel production

W

orld crude steel production for the 64 countries reporting to the World Steel Association (worldsteel) was 147.3 million tonnes (Mt) in October 2022, a 0.0% change compared to October 2021.

CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION BY REGION

Africa produced 1.4 Mt in October 2022, up 2.3% on October 2021. Asia and Oceania produced 107.3 Mt, up 5.8%. The EU (27) produced 11.3 Mt, down 17.5%. Europe, Other produced 3.7 Mt, down 15.8%. The Middle East produced 4.0 Mt, up 6.7%. North America produced 9.2 Mt, down 7.7%. Russia & other CIS + Ukraine produced 6.7 Mt, down 23.7%.

South America produced 3.7 Mt, down 3.2%.

The 64 countries included in this table accounted for approximately 98% of total world crude steel production in 2021.

Regions covered by the table: Africa, Asia and Oceania, European Union (27), Europe, Middle East, North America, Russia & other CIS + Ukraine, South America.

TOP 10 STEEL-PRODUCING COUNTRIES

China produced 79.8 Mt in October 2022, up 11.0% on October 2021. India produced 10.5 Mt, up 2.7%. Japan produced 7.3 Mt, down 10.6%. The United States produced 6.7 Mt, down 8.9%. Russia is estimated to

Table 1. Crude steel production by region

africa

Table 2. Top 10 steel-producing countries

change oct 2022 % change jan-oct %jan-oct (mt) oct 22/21 2021 (mt) 22/22 1.4 2.3 12.5 -5.6 107.3

5.8

1,145.3

-2.1

11.3

-17.5

117.1

-9.2

europe, other

3.7

-15.8

38.4

-9.8

middle east

4.0

6.7

36.4

7.7

north america

9.2

-7.7

94.0

-4.7

russia & cis + ukraine

6.7

-23.7

72.6

-19.0

south america

3.7

-3.2

36.4

-4.5

147.3

0.0

1,552.7

-3.9

asia and oceania eu (27)

total 64 countries

have produced 5.8 Mt, down 11.5%. South Korea produced 5.1 Mt, down 12.1%. Germany produced 3.1 Mt, down 14.4%. Türkiye produced 2.9 Mt, down 17.8%. Brazil is estimated to have produced 2.8 Mt, down 4.5%. Iran produced 2.9 Mt, up 3.5%.

oct 2022 (mt)

% change oct 22/21

jan-oct 22 (mt)

% change jan-oct 22/21

11.0

860.6

-2.2 6.1

china

79.8

india

10.5

2.7

103.8

japan

7.3

-10.6

75.2

-6.5

united states

6.7

-8.9

68.1

-4.8

russia

e 5.8

-11.5

60.4

-6.6

south korea

5.1

-12.1

55.7

-5.0

germany

3.1

-14.4

31.4

-6.9

turkey

2.9

-17.8

30.2

-10.1

brazil

e 2.8

-4.5

28.7

-5.2

2.9

3.5

25.1

9.0

iran

The 64 countries included in this table accounted for approximately 98% of total world crude steel production in 2020. Regions and countries covered by the table: Africa: Egypt, Libya, South Africa. Asia and Oceania: Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Korea, Taiwan (China), Vietnam. CIS: Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine, Uzbekistan. European Union (27). Europe, Other: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, United Kingdom. Middle East: Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates. North America: Canada, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, United States. South America: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela

46 | SKILLINGS MINING REVIEW December 2022

CRUDE STEEL PRODUCTION DECEMBER 2020. Source – World Steel Association COUNTRY

DEC 2020

DEC 2019

%CHANGE DEC-20/19

2020

% CHANGE

COUNTRY

DEC 2020

DEC 2019

%CHANGE DEC-20/19

2020

% CHANGE

Austria

530 e

521

1.7

6 665

-10.2

Mexico

1 550 e

1 361

13.9

16 854

-8.3

Belgium

359

505

-28.9

6 119

-21.1

United States

6 434

7 292

-11.8

72 690

-17.2

North America

9 107

9 801

388

326

19.0

3 651

-21.4

2 886

2 462

17.2

30 971

-4.9

Bulgaria

40 e

43

-6.3

485

-14.3

Croatia

15 e

7

101.9

47

-32.0

Argentina

-7.1 101 119 -15.5

Czech Republic

408

359

13.7

4 465

0.6

Finland

339

186

81.8

3 500

0.8

France

1 155

918

25.7

11 596

-19.8

Chile

105 e

109

-3.5

1 165

2.8

Germany

3 137

2 835

10.6

35 658

-10.0

Colombia

110 e

97

13.5

1 126

-15.5

94

17.0

1 430

5.9

Ecuador

50 e

50

0.5

477

-21.5

164

-44.8

1 513

-14.5

Paraguay

3 e

3

-4.4

22

-17.5

1 404

6.9

20 200

-12.9

Peru

105 e

91

15.8

671

-45.4

Uruguay

5 e

5

-7.2

47

-24.6

Venezuela

2 e

0

315.8

29

-43.6

3 654

3 143

16.3

38 158

-8.4

Egypt

994

574

73.0

8 229

13.4

Libya

73

63

16.2

495

-18.4

297

-1.5

3 877

-37.0

934

45.5

2 224

19.6

29 030

13.4

85

186

-54.3

1 218

-52.4

Saudi Arabia

440

664

-33.8

7 775

-5.1

United Arab Emirates

280

297

-5.8

2 722

-18.2

Middle East

3 465

3 371

2.8

40 745

2.7

China

91 252

84 692

7.7 1 052 999

5.2

India

9 796

9 383

4.4

99 570

-10.6

Japan

7 526

7 785

-3.3

83 194

-16.2

South Korea

5 952

5 880

1.2

67 121

-6.0

380 e

261

45.6

3 743

13.3

1 700 e

1 693

0.4

20 570

-6.3

Thailand

410 e

357

14.8

4 420

4.1

Vietnam

1 600 e

1 876

…

19 500

11.6

Greece Hungary Italy

110 e 90 1 500 e

Luxembourg

113

97

17.3

1 886

-11.0

Netherlands

540

521

3.6

6 054

-9.1

Poland

680 e

642

5.9

7 890

-11.9

Slovenia

50 e

34

45.0

570

-8.5

Spain

891

765

16.4

10 934

-19.5

Sweden

410

376

8.9

4 409

-6.6

United Kingdom

710 e

550

29.0

7 185

-0.5

Other E.U. (28) (e)

680 e

642

6.0

8180

-12.1

European Union (28) 11 757

10 665

10.2 138 786 -11.8

Bosnia-Herzegovina

75

70

6.5

759

-5.2

Macedonia

33

24

35.9

180

-24.8

Norway

41

40

3.2

624

0.5

Serbia

119

158

-24.8

1 456

-24.6

Turkey

3 403

2 893

17.7

35 763

6.0

3 671

3 185

15.3

38 782

3.9

Other Europe Byelorussia

200 e

225

-11.2

2 490

-5.0

Kazakhstan

355 e

374

-5.0

3 835

-7.2

45 e

35

28.2

465

18.7

Russia

6 110 e

6 159

-0.8

73 400

2.6

Ukraine

1 906

1 561

22.1

20 616

-1.1

84

-4.8

950

42.6

3.1 101 756

1.5

Moldova

Uzbekistan C.I.S. (6) Canada

80 e 8 696

8 438

1 070 e

1 092

-2.0

11 078

-14.1

20 e

22

-8.5

181

-21.4

El Salvador

8 e

8

-5.7

79

-22.5

Guatemala

25 e

26

-3.9

237

-22.6

Cuba

Brazil

South America

South Africa Africa Iran Qatar

Pakistan Taiwan, China

Asia Australia New Zealand Oceania Total 64 countries (1)

292 e 1 359 2 660 e

118 616

111927

12 600 -10.1

6.0 1 351 117

1.6

473

449

5.4

5 490

0.0

59

57

3.8

586

-12.2

533

506

5.2

6 076

-1.4

160 858

151969

5.8 1 829 140 -0.9

(1) - HADEED only. (2) - the 64 countries included in this table accounted for approximately 99% of total world crude steel production in 2019. e - estimated

www.skillings.net | 47