Cobalt

Baja CEO resigns, stock up 10%

Baja Mining stock was up 10% today after the embattled junior miner announced its CEO has resigned.

Canadian Baja Mining continues to struggle over funding for Mexico project

Canadian miner Baja Mining Corp (TSX:BAJ) said on Monday it won’t be able to continue with its copper/cobalt/zinc project in Mexico beyond mid-June, unless it finds a way to fund cost overruns quickly.

Strike and lower copper price hurt First Quantum production

A lower copper price and a strike at its Kansanshi mine in Zambia has bit into the bottom line at Africa-focused base metals producer First Quantum Minerals.

Chinese firm has plans to revive Uganda's Kilembe copper/cobalt mine

Gingko Energy Company plans to spend $100 million over five years to revive production at the Kilembe copper/cobalt mine, which was abandoned in the early 1980s due to political turmoil.

Mount Kellett demands Baja CEO quit

Mount Kellett Capital Management, a 20% shareholder in Baja Mining (TSX:BAJ), has escalated the war of words between the two companies by demanding the resignation of Baja CEO John Greenslade following a damning announcement of cost overruns at Baja's Boleo project.

Nickel price decline halves Sherritt's Q1 earnings

Toronto-based Sherritt International had a rough quarter, revealing on Wednesday a 50% drop in earnings from $63 million to $32 million when measured against the same quarter of 2011.

Billionaire behaving badly? Glencore's Glasenberg caught in Africa child labour, acid dumping row

In a scathing new BBC documentary that includes the first ever television interview with CEO Ivan Glasenberg, commodities trader Glencore is accused of allowing dumping of acid into streams, child labour and deadly underground working conditions at its copper-cobalt mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Liberty restarts operations

Liberty Mines Inc. (LBE:TSX) ("Liberty" or the "Company") today announced that its mining and milling operations have restarted in Timmins, consistent with the timelines announced previously by the Company.

Baja Mining urges shareholders: Vote the Gold Proxy

aja Mining Corp. (TSX:BAJ)(OTCQX:BAJFF) today announced that it has filed and is mailing a third and final letter to shareholders regarding the proxy contest initiated by dissident Mount Kellett Master Fund II A L.P. Baja has scheduled a vote to take place at a special meeting of shareholders on April 3, 2012 and urges shareholders to vote the GOLD proxy against Mount Kellett.

A nation's metallurgical Achilles' heel

The following have all combined to limit control of foreign minerals by US companies:

Investors pile into Caledonia Mining after new copper-cobalt find in Zambia

Caledonia, worth $57 million on the TSX, is up 35% so far this year and ten times the usual volume of 131,000 shares changed hands on Monday.

Two top copper mines in Zambia shut down

Two of Zambia's largest copper mines, Glencore's Mopani and Xstrata's Kansanshi were shut over the weekend; the former over health concerns and the other after workers downed tools.

Thought the fight for control of Baja's board couldn't get uglier? Read on

Baja Mining is fighting attempts by Mount Kellett, a $6 billion asset manager, to stack the miner's board with its own nominees. Baja is accusing Mount Kellett of a takeover by stealth while MK says Baja is a web of conflicts.

Vale resuming Sudbury operations, says no 2012 production impact

Brazillian miner Vale SA said Tuesday it is gradually resuming mining at its underground nickel operations in Sudbury, Canada.

Death of DRC mining go-to guy will reshape country's resource sector

Augustin Katumba Mwanke, the former governor of copper-rich Katanga province and go-to guy for resource deals, was seen by many as the power behind the throne.

Baja Mining announces further draw of US$100 million of senior debt for Boleo

VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwire – Jan. 18, 2012) – Baja Mining (TSX:BAJ)(OTCQX:BAJFF) today announced that its 70 per cent-owned Mexican subsidiary, Minera y Metalurgica del Boleo S.A de C.V. (MMB) drew a further US$ 100 million on January 17, 2012, the third draw on its senior debt facilities to date.

MINERAL PROCESSING: Simpler flowsheet increases economics for NICO plant

Fortune Minerals of London, ON, says the results of a mini-pilot plant test conducted on ore from its NICO gold-cobalt-bismuth-copper project near Mazenod Lake, NT, point toward a simplified flowsheet and improved economics.

African Metals says startup of processing plant in DRC delays by weather, unrest

The assembly of an African Metals Corp. (TSXV:AFR) processing plant at its Luisha South copper-cobalt project in Congo is now expected to be completed in January following delays caused by rainy weather and political unrest.

Pathe to replace Delaney as Sherritt’s retiring chief

David V. Pathe will take over as Sherritt International Corp.’s chief executive officer from the retiring Ian W. Delaney effective Jan. 1, the company said in a statement.

Samsung considering $2.2 billion investment in Australian nickel/cobalt mine

Powerful Korean conglomerate Samsung Group is said to be considering a $2.2 billion investment in an Australian nickel and cobalt mine, The Australian is reporting.

20 tonnes of cobalt stolen in Antwerp

A container with 20 tonnes of cobalt was stolen from the MSC shipping company site in the Antwerp harbour, Scheldelaan, quay 730 on November 14 said the Belgian police.

Katanga gets $635 million to build world's largest cobalt mine

Katanga Mining announced on Friday it has secured $635.5 million in new loan facilities from parent Glencore International to fund the expansion of its Democratic Republic of Congo copper-cobalt mine. The Toronto-listed firm wants to bump copper production to 270,000 tonnes per annum and thereafter bump it up to 310,000 tonnes from cash flow.

The company is already ramping up copper production with financials results also out on Friday showing year to date copper in ore mined was 157,658 tonnes, a 96% increase over 2010. Cobalt produced fell 30% to 593 tonnes, but that was in line with expectations. Katanga says with the expansion the DRC complex it could become Africa's largest producer of copper and the world's number one cobalt mine.

Formation Metals loses financing but continuing to develop Idaho cobalt project

Stock in Formation Metals (TSE:FCO) plunged 13% today after a European bank decided to terminate its loan agreement with the Vancouver-based company.

The $79.5 million loan from BNP Paribas was to go towards construction of Formation's Idaho cobalt mine.

Formation said the credit facility was terminated without the closing of the subject financing.

Tenke Fungurume gets green light for $850 million expansion

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. has approved a US$850 million expansion to the Tenke Fungurume mining operations in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Lundin Mining, a partner at the mine with FCX, made the announcement in a press release on Tuesday night.

The phase two expansion, targeted for completion in 2013, will increase copper production by 50% to about 195,000 tonnes of copper cathode and 15,000 tonnes of cobalt in hydroxide.

Funding will be split 70:30 between the mines two partners, FCX and Lundin Mining. The companies expect that capital costs will be funded by surplus cash from Tenke Fungurume operations.

Platinum brain device is top 10 medical breakthrough for 2012

A new minimally-invasive procedure that can safely and effectively treat brain aneurysms without open surgery by implanting an FDA-approved device consisting of a flexible braided mesh tube made of platinum and nickel-cobalt chromium alloy directly into the artery has been chosen by research facility Cleveland Clinic as one of the top 10 medical innovations for 2012.

The 90-year old multispecialty academic medical center which has pioneered among others coronary artery bypass surgery and performed the US's first face transplant also included a new Concussion Management System for Athletes, Genetically Modified Mosquitoes to Reduce Disease Threat and Wearable Robotic Devices in the top 10.