A new Pilbara force takes shape
September 3 - 9, 2007
D-DAY – the day Andrew Forrest’s dream of breaking a Pilbara iron ore duopoly is realised – is getting closer for Fortescue Metals Group. If it is deals that have defined FMG up until now, it will most certainly be deeds over the next 12 months. Meeting project completion deadlines, demonstrating the effectiveness of new iron ore diggers, delivering into supply contracts, paying back debt, drilling out new resources: the ‘d’-line is long, but Forrest declared last week that China’s demand for the region’s mineral wealth meant his Pilbara vision was only just starting to take shape.
Breaking with convention
September 3 - 9, 2007
FORTESCUE Metals Group now expects to have its operating fleet of 14 Wirtgen surface miners, plus two spares, on site at Cloud Break by April 2008. The extra units, says FMG head of mining John Blanning, are in case availability of the machines goes the same way as most other mining equipment and becomes scarce.
Platinum project testing
September 3 - 9, 2007
WHILE Platinum Australia’s Kalplats joint venture project in South Africa could well prove a particularly significant PGM development given its uniqueness and the global paucity of platinum resources, Goldman Sachs JBWere (GSJBW) has canvassed a number of potential operational issues that will need negotiating.
Finland upside is strong
September 3 - 9, 2007
RATED by resource investment aficionados as the pick of companies on display at the recent Diggers & Dealers conference in Australia’s gold mining capital Kalgoorlie, Vulcan Resources’ big attraction is two projects in Finland with multi-mine potential. It also has market challenges.