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                                                      China to boost land reclamation in mining areas 
                                           Source: www.chinamining.org  Citation: Xinhua  Date: Dec.03, 2012 The Ministry of Land and Resources is expected to issue specific measures to facilitate the implementation of a regulation to reclaim land, especially in mining areas.

The specific measures have finished collecting public opinion and are expected to help implement the Land Restoration Regulation, said Liu Yanping, deputy chief engineer of the law center under the Ministry of Land and Resources, on Thursday at an ecological restoration forum.

China passed the Land Restoration Regulation in February last year.

China`s 1,500-plus mining districts occupy about about 2 million hectares of land, and the figure is expanding by 33,000 to 47,000 hectares annually, Liu said.

But the land reclamation ratio is merely 15 percent, far below the international level, which mainly stands at around 50 to 70 percent, Liu said.

Land destroyed near coal mines makes up about 80 percent of the total ruined by all kinds of mining. Thus, future efforts will mainly focus on coal mine areas, said Hu Zhenqi, secretary general of the land reclamation and ecological restoration committee of the China Coal Society.

The report to the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China emphasized the importance of ecological progress and advocated the building of a "beautiful" China in the country`s overall development plan.

About CHINA MINING

Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year.  As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.

CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2013 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on November 2-5, 2013. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 15th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us.  For more information about CHINA MINING 2013, please visit: m.balanzskin.com.  

                                                China to raise environmental bar for mining projects: Assn   
                                                                    Source: www.chinamining.org  Citation: Reuters  Date: Oct.30, 2012 

China is expected to issue new guidelines by the end of the year to encourage metals miners to conserve domestic resources and protect the environment, a director at the China Nonferrous Metals Industry Association said on Tuesday.

Hu Changping, director of heavy metals at the association, said Beijing aims to tighten the requirements on firms allowed to mine metals and will announce the guidelines before the end of this year.

"Copper, lead and zinc mines will be included," Hu told Reuters on the sidelines of an industry conference in Xiamen, in the southeastern province of Fujian.

Authorised firms would be required to submit mining project proposals to the Ministry of Land and Resources and also receive approval from environmental authorities. No other details of the scope of the guidelines were immediately available.

About CHINA MINING

Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year.  As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.

CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2012 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on November 3-6, 2012. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 14th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us.  For more information about CHINA MINING 2012, please visit: m.balanzskin.com.  

                                           China`s 10 nonferrous metal output up 7.1% in Jan-Sep   
                                                     Source: www.chinamining.org  Citation: China Knowledge  Date: Oct.25, 2012 The combined output of the ten nonferrous metals rose 7.1% YoY to 27.26 million metric tons in the first nine months of this year, according to the latest statistics released by the National Development and Reform Commission.

The output of aluminum electrolytic rose 10.6% YoY to 14.77 million metric tons in the nine-month period. The output of copper and alumina continue to see slower growth of 7.4% and 9.8%, respectively.

The output of lead rose 11.1% YoY in the period, after increasing 15.1% in the first nine months of 2011. The output of zinc saw decline of 6.2% YoY, after recording YoY growth of 3.5% in the same period of last year.

In September, the prices of major nonferrous metals remained flat from a month earlier. The average prices of copper and zinc futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange stood at RMB 56,459 and RMB 14,755 per metric ton, up 2.2% and 1% from the previous month, or down 15.9% and 12.2% YoY, respectively. The average price of aluminum electrolytic was steady at RMB 15,462 per metric ton, down 0.1% MoM and 12.2% YoY.

In the first eight months, the nonferrous metal industry realized RMB 111.5 billion in profit, reflecting a decline of 21% YoY. The profit of nonferrous metal mining and dressing sector decreased 4.8% YoY to RMB 44.4 billion, while that of the nonferrous metal smelting and processing sector fell 29% to RMB 67.1 billion.

About CHINA MINING

Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year.  As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.

CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2012 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on November 3-6, 2012. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 14th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us.  For more information about CHINA MINING 2012, please visit: m.balanzskin.com.  

                                                            Mining slump, China`s M&As to the rescue  
                                                                   Source: www.chinamining.org  Citation: China Daily  Date: Oct.18, 2012 The mining sector had enjoyed ten glorious years of soaring commodity prices and even higher demand. Yet, this was never guaranteed to last forever, as the sector would inevitably succumb to the ups and downs of the global economy.

As miners experience a sudden downturn, they should adapt to a new era of cutting costs, take less risks and debts, while mergers and acquisitions, or M&As, would become more of a necessity for some companies.

Mega mining giants have already anticipated a shift in their fortunes. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, miners have scaled back "on expansion plans and cut costs, with top global miner BHP Billiton shedding jobs in its most profitable iron ore business and rival Rio Tinto also deepening a cost-cutting program across its back office."

"Everyone`s back to square one. We can deliver outcomes, but you`ve got to reduce your costs and manage your business," Australian Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson said to Reuters.

Tom Albanese, chief executive of Rio Tinto, told the Financial Times, "we have seen contractor rates in particular starting to go down, rolling back some of the unsustainable cost increases of recent years."

A new phase for miners could offer opportunities for Chinese companies to emerge as stronger competitors.

Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) reports, "the number of Chinese-led mining merger and acquisition deals nearly doubled in the first half of 2012, despite the slowdown in the world`s second largest economy."

"China accounted for 13 percent of all mining M&A deals completed in the first half of the year, against 7 percent in the same period last year," according to PwC.

The downturn of the mining sector could create better buying opportunities for Chinese companies. Ken Sun, PwC China mining leader, believes that Chinese miners could see "overseas resource assets at attractive valuations" in North America, South America and Africa."

Sun added, "China`s miners have shown that despite the macro global challenges, they still have an appetite for doing deals abroad."

China has a population at over 1.3 billion and its annual GDP is expected to grow by nearly 8 percent this year. The country maintains strong demand for commodities, although it won`t be as strong as a year ago.

Hence, Chinese miners can play a pivotal role in sweeping up struggling mining companies into its operations to capture more global influence among their peers.

The London Metals Exchange has hinted at "reducing or eliminating barriers" for Chinese investors "to trade on the world`s largest metal exchange," as reported by the Chinese media.

Plans include: Hong kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd (Hex) to offer new commodity offerings from the London Metal Exchange. The LME may also introduce renminbi clearing, and working the potential of renminbi denominated products, since the globalization of the RMB has been picking up pace.

The LME should have implemented these proposals a few years ago. China consumes approximately 60 percent of the world`s base metals. Nationwide demand for copper has increased by 16 percent annually in recent years.

Meanwhile, "China consumes 651 million tons of steel per year," according to a Chinese media report, "compared with 71 million tons in Japan and 95 million tons in the United States."

Such high demand for metals could not be sustainable, since China`s GDP had witnessed at or near double-digit annual growth rates in recent years. So it would seem that commodity prices might remain lower.

Nevertheless, the mining slump provides favorable circumstances for bargain hunters, which could spark a buyers` market for Chinese companies.

Perhaps the downward trend would serve a useful purpose. Labor and operational costs for miners had surged too high. Some companies were assuming greater risks and debts. A drop in commodity prices would change how mining companies conduct their business activities. It`s time for Chinese companies to adapt and dig into the changing miners` market as well.

About CHINA MINING

Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year.  As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.

CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2012 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on November 3-6, 2012. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 14th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us.  For more information about CHINA MINING 2012, please visit: m.balanzskin.com.  

China backs giant Venezuela goldmine
Source: www.chinamining.org Citation: Associated Press Date: Sep.24, 2012

Venezuela`s President Hugo Chavez plays guitar at a cabinet meeting.

Chinese and Venezuelan officials have signed an agreement to jointly develop one of the world`s biggest gold mines, the Las Cristinas asset near a town bearing the name of the mythical golden city of El Dorado.

The agreement to develop the Las Cristinas gold mine was signed by officials of the Venezuelan Government and Chinese company China International Trust and Investment Corp (CITIC) at the weekend.

It comes as a blow to Western mining companies that had eyed the massive deposit, such as Canada`s Crystallex International Corp, which has appealed to the World Bank arbitration body for $3.7 billion in compensation after its development permit was cancelled.

The Las Cristinas ore body, in southern Bolivar state, is estimated to contain 17 million ounces of gold. Previous proponents had flagged a low-grade, high-tonnage operation producing more than 200,000oz of the precious metal a year.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez called it an agreement to begin exploiting both gold and copper deposits at the mine. He described Las Cristinas as "one of the biggest reservoirs of gold that exists - not only in Venezuela, not only in Latin America, but in the world".

Officials did not discuss financial details of the agreement but said it specified engineering, construction and processing of the gold and copper. Mr. Chavez said officials also signed an agreement to produce a map of mineral deposits in Venezeula.

China`s ties with Venezuela have grown rapidly in recent years, encouraged by Mr. Chavez who has shunned traditional Western allies, such as the US, during his 13-year rule of the South American OPEC member. China also has become the country`s biggest creditor, offering Mr. Chavez`s Government more than $US36 billion in loans, which are being paid off largely with increasing oil shipments.

Development of Las Cristinas has been dragging on for decades because of bureaucratic, political and financing issues, while locals say the project is cursed.

The Las Cristinas ore body is massive but low grade, with Crystallex putting the average grade at 1.13 grams per ton gold. It had flagged an operation producing 233,000oz annually for 65 years.

About CHINA MINING

Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year.  As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.

CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2012 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on November 3-6, 2012. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 14^th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us.  For more information about CHINA MINING 2012, please visit: m.balanzskin.com.

                                                           Iron ore imports pile up in China`s ports    
                                                                Source: www.chinamining.org  Citation: Xinhua  Date: Sep.05, 2012 Iron ore stockpiles continued to build up at 25 major ports during the week ending on September 3 as Chinese steel makers posted widespread losses in the first seven months of the year, according to Xinhua`s latest iron ore price report released on Tuesday.

Inventories of imported iron ore at the ports climbed 1.86 million tons from the previous week to 102.53 million tons.

The price indices for 63.5-percent-grade and 58-percent-grade iron ore imports both dropped 11 points to reach 97 points and 78 points, respectively.

Most steel companies were reluctant to fill their stocks of raw materials, as demand from the property and manufacturing sectors, the industry`s primary customers, has remained weak amid the current economic slowdown.

"In the short-term, the iron ore market will continue to suffer from oversupplying and the downward trend seems irreversible," Xinhua analysts said in the report.

Chinese steel companies saw their profits decline sharply in the first half, with the sector`s combined profits tumbling 49.4 percent from a year earlier to 6.64 billion Yuan ($1.05 billion), data from the National Development and Reform Commission showed.

Of the steelmakers, 37 listed companies were hit hardest by the economic slowdown, with their combined net profits plunging 75.29 percent from a year ago to 3.8 billion Yuan in the first six months, according to their half-year reports.

China`s crude steel output added 2.1 percent year on year to 419.46 million tons, while iron ore imports rose 9.1 percent to 424.88 million tons in the January-July period, according to the NDRC data.

The price of iron ore plunged about 40 percent from a year earlier to 99.6 U.S. dollars per ton at the end of August, according to data from the Steel Index.

About CHINA MINING

Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year.  As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.

CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2012 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on November 3-6, 2012. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 14th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us.  For more information about CHINA MINING 2012, please visit: m.balanzskin.com.  

                                                      China`s coal price `to rebound` in September       
                                                             Source: www.chinamining.org  Citation: China Daily  Date: Jul.30, 2012

China`s thermal coal market will rebound in late September as the country`s economy recovers, boosting demand, said the head of Yanzhou Coal Mining Co, the nation`s fourth-largest coal producer, on Friday.

"China`s economy is strengthening, so we expect that the demand will start increasing at the end of the third quarter this year," Li Weimin, chairman of the company, said in Sydney on Friday at an investor briefing for Yanzhou-controlled Yancoal Australia Ltd, listed on the Australian stock exchange, according to Bloomberg.

He said the thermal prices will stabilize in September.

"Coal prices are hitting the bottom and we are waiting the rebound," he added.

Shandong-based Yanzhou Coal Mining Co is the key energy group in the province. Amid falling coal prices and weak demand since March, the company realized total revenue of 45.2 billion Yuan ($7.2 billion) in the first half, up 4 percent year-on-year.

The company aims at reaching total coal output of more than 100 million tons with revenue of 100 billion Yuan this year, according to the company.

About CHINA MINING

Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year.  As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.

CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2012 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on November 3-6, 2012. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 14th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us.  For more information about CHINA MINING 2012, please visit: m.balanzskin.com.  

                                              China`s coal mining provinces cut output to reduce oversupply      
                                                                        Source: www.chinamining.org  Citation: Platts  Date: Jul.13, 2012

China`s major coal mining provinces, including northern China`s Shanxi and eastern China`s Shandong, have cut or have plans to cut coal output in a bid to alleviate oversupply and end persistent weakness in the domestic coal market, industry sources told Platts Thursday.

A number of Shanxi-based coal miners are said to have cut their coal output by 20-30% since May, according to a source at a big Shanxi-based coal mining and trading company.

 "Our company has cut coal output by 10-20% since May," he said, adding that his company has coal stocks of about 6 million mt, compared to its current mining capacity of about 10 million mt/year.

Shandong Province will enact measures to cut local coal output with a view to stopping coal prices from slipping further in the second half of 2012, according to a release on the official website of the Shandong Provincial Economic and Information Committee.

The province had total coal stocks of over 11 million mt at the end of June, able to last for 32 days of burn at local power plants.

 "Stocks at local power plants and coal ports are still too high and probably that is the reason for the planned output cuts in the second half of 2012," a Shandong-based trader said.

China`s largest coal miner Shenhua Group, however, has no plans to cut its output in the second half of 2012, a source of Shenhua Group`s corporate office told Platts Thursday.

"We are still planning to achieve a 4-5% year-on-year increase in coal output in 2012," he said. In 2011, Shenhua Group mined 400 million mt of crude coal, up 12% year-on-year.

 In the first half of 2012, China`s railroads carried 1.1658 billion mt of coal, up 4.5% year-on-year.

"The year-on-year rise in coal railings indicate that China`s major coal mining provinces have not cut their output much," Mao Xiaoling, an analyst with Beijing-based Dexin Yongming Consultation.

Shaanxi Province, for example, mined 42.07 million mt of coal in June, up 14.2% year-on-year, although down 2.2% from 43.01 million mt in May, Platts reported previously.

Additionally, small coal miners and small coal mining provinces are more likely to cut their output than big ones in that the former are more vulnerable to unfavorable market conditions, Mao noted.

About CHINA MINING

Since first held in 1999, the scope and influence of CHINA MINING has grown rapidly year by year.  As a global mining summit forum and exhibition, CHINA MINING Congress and Expo has become one of the world’s top mining events, and one of the world’s largest mining exploration, development and trading platforms, covering all aspects of the whole mining industry chain, including geological survey, exploration and development, mining rights trading, mining investment and financing, smelting and processing, mining techniques and equipment, mining services, etc. playing an active promotion role in creating exchange opportunities and enhancing mutual cooperation between domestic and foreign mining enterprises.

CHINA MINING Congress and Expo 2012 will be held at Meijiang Convention and Exhibition Center in Tianjin on November 3-6, 2012. We invite you to join the event and to celebrate the 14th anniversary of CHINA MINING with us.  For more information about CHINA MINING 2012, please visit: m.balanzskin.com.