Week 20 (23/05/2020-28/05/2020)
Company news
Americas
- Golden Star Resources puts close to 60 workers at the mine in Ghana under quarantine but expects only limited impact on production and underground development.
- Sierra Metals says it's seeking approval to restart mining activities at Yauricocha as the country's state of emergency and nationwide lockdown have been extended again, to June 30.
- Teck Resources announces Compania Minera Antamina, in which Teck has a 22.5% interest along with BHP (33.75%), Glencore (33.75%) and Mitsubishi Corporation (10%), has now resumed operations at the Antamina mine.
EMEA
- Sociedade Mineira de Catoca (Catoca Mining Society), which operates the country's Catoca mine, suspends operations and launches cost-cutting measures due to operating restrictions and a drop in demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
- AngloGold Ashanti suspends operations at the Mponeng mine temporarily following 196 confirmed positive tests for COVID-19 since commencement of a contact tracing and testing program on May 21.
- OKD closes the Darkov coal mine in the city of Karviná after over 200 workers tested positive for COVID-19.
- Harmony Gold Mining CEO Peter Steenkamp indicates the company's US$300 million deal to acquire AngloGold Ashanti's assets in South Africa may be slightly delayed but hasn't been derailed by COVID-19.
- Kangra is placing its mine in Mpumalanga, South Africa, on care and maintenance citing the impact of COVID-19 global lockdowns, paired with low prices and depressed demand for thermal coal.
- Axora launches Smart Mining Resource Centre to help mining companies recover from COVID-19.
Australasia
- Peabody Energy lays off 50 contractors from its Coppabella mine in Queensland as the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on the global economy takes hold and repairs to the mobile plant on site are made.
- Newcrest Mining donates $600,000 towards a United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund initiative to get personal protective equipment to Papua New Guinea's frontline health workers.
- BHP is giving another $3.3 million to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander controlled community health services across Australia support their communities through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commodities & market outlook
- International Energy Agency found April 2020 coal exports from Australia's biggest competitor, Indonesia, hit their lowest level since June 2009 amidst the COVID-19 crisis.
Industry bodies, government departments & regulators
- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announces the country will move to level three restrictions from June 1, which means all mines can ramp back up to 100%.
- Russian President Vladimir Putin orders the army to help gold miner Polyus treat an outbreak of COVID-19 at its Siberian unit. 77 doctors and nurses set up a field camp and mobile hospital near the Olimpiada asset, the nation's largest mine. There are approximately 866 virus infections in the area.
- Peruvian government extends the COVID-19 national emergency and lockdown to the end of June, but certain economic activities will be allowed to restart.
- Minerals Council South Africa CEO Roger Baxter believes the country's mining production will be impacted up to 10% this year due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
- Victoria's Earth Resources Regulation is deferring the collection of rent and annual fees worth $3.5 million until January to help preserve the cash flow of the state's mines, quarries and exploration companies and help them deal with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
