The latest issue (over 40 pages) of International Mining Project News, out today, has reports on 23 Prefeasibility Studies, seven Feasibility studies, 32 projects in development, three new operations that have gone into production, eleven existing mines that are expanding, nine merger and acquisition announcements and many new appointments to new positions. The reports cover 39 gold projects, 21 copper, eight coal, six silver, five of both nickel and uranium, four of each of iron ore, cobalt and zinc, three lead, potash and rare earths projects, two lithium, molybdenum, phosphate and mineral sands projects and one project each of tungsten, manganese, titanium, platinum, bismuth and zircon . This fortnightly project watch is a great way of keeping up to date with your peers – other mining companies, other consultants or other engineering companies. These issues build into a global mine project overview. If you are a supplier – it is full of potential sales leads.

After a long dispute, First Quantum Minerals has reached an agreement with Eurasian Natural Resources Corp (ENRC) to dispose of its residual claims and assets in respect of the Kolwezi Tailings project, and the Frontier and Lonshi mines and related exploration interests, all located in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and to settle all current legal matters relating to these interests for a total consideration of $1.25 billion.

Inmet Mining has reported that the Government of Panama, through the Autoridad Nacional del Ambiente (ANAM), approved on December 28, 2011 the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) required for development of the Cobre Panama copper project, including the mining operations and related infrastructure, a port facility, and a coal-fired power plant.

Sandfire Resources has entered into a product sales agreement with Yunnan Copper Corp for the remaining high-grade Direct Shipping Ore to be produced from its 100% owned DeGrussa Copper-Gold Project in Western Australia.

Baja Mining has commenced marketing activities for high purity manganese carbonate that could be produced at Boleo from the currently planned process plant solution. Baja is in discussions with a number of parties interested in off take of potential production. Concurrent with these marketing activities, Baja has made preparations to undertake test work and engineering studies to optimise the production of manganese carbonate and future electrolytic manganese metal.

Crocodile Gold has announced two important milestones at its Cosmo underground mine in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Lithium Americas has secured long term land use agreements with five aboriginal communities located on the Cauchari-Olaroz properties.

YTC Resources has reached an agreement with Allegiance Mining Operations, a company owned by Minmetals Resources group of companies, to acquire an additional 5% in the Nymagee Mine Joint Venture to bring YTC’s total beneficial interest to 95%. YTC Resources purchased an 80% interest in the Nymagee Mine Joint Venture from CBH Resources as part of the Hera Project purchase transaction in September 2009. YTC has subsequently earned a 90% interest through sole funding exploration expenditure. YTC has recently announced a maiden resource at Nymagee of 8.1 Mt @ 1.2% Cu, 0.3%Pb, 0.7% Zn and 9 g/t Ag.

Chieftain Metals has entered into a gold and silver purchase transaction with a subsidiary of Denver-based Royal Gold to sell a portion of the precious metals stream expected to be produced at the Tulsequah Chief mine.

Kangaroo Resources has executed the deeds of transfer with leading Indonesian coal conglomerate PT Bayan Resources giving it direct foreign ownership of five key concessions and one asset-holding company at the Pakar thermal coal project in Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Trevali Mining has received its Mining Lease for the Halfmile polymetallic (zinc-lead-silver-copper-gold) mine in the Bathurst Mining Camp of northern New Brunswick.

Fortune Minerals has provided an update on the Environmental Assessment process currently underway in the Northwest Territories to permit the mine and mill for the company’s NICO gold-cobalt-bismuth-copper deposit.  The NICO project, which was referred to EA in February 2009, has completed an additional milestone by progressing to the Technical Meetings Stage.

Sumatra Copper & Gold has announced that recent geotechnical testing has provided further support for the development of an underground mine at its Belinau deposit. The high grade Belinau deposit lies within the company’s wholly-owned, flagship Tembang gold and silver project in central Sumatra.

Banro has provided an update on its wholly-owned Twangiza oxide gold mine in South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, which is in the process of ramping up to full production in the first quarter of 2012, as originally scheduled.

Pan Asia Corp has entered into an arrangement for Kopex to commit a further $1 million to fund the remainder of the expanded drill program at TCM through until the completion of the final feasibility study. Completion of the final feasibility study of this coal project is expected end of March 2012. In April 2011, Kopex entered into an Agreement with Pan Asia to co-fund the accelerated infill drilling program and the final feasibility study at the TCM Project. Kopex’s total commitment to date towards the drilling programme at the TCM Project now stands at $1.6 million.

Avalon Rare Metals has retained SNC-Lavalin to complete the feasibility study for its Nechalacho rare earth elements project.

Agreements have been signed with the owners of the Cigar Lake project and McClean Lake mill to process all Cigar Lake ore at McClean Lake. Under the previous toll-milling agreements, both the McClean Lake mill and Cameco’s Rabbit Lake mill would process uranium from Cigar Lake. Under the new milling arrangement, the McClean Lake operation will process and package 100% of Cigar Lake uranium.

Full details on all these projects and information on and contacts for many, many more are to be found in the January 6 issue of International Mining Project News…..

To receive the full report, subscriptions to this service can be registered and paid for on-line (SUBSCRIBE TO IM PROJECT NEWS BUTTTON), or contact [email protected] for a free trial copy.