Author: yinghui
SOUTH32 TO ACQUIRE A 45% INTEREST IN THE SIERRA GORDA COPPER MINE
金属矿商South32以15.5亿美元收购Sierra Gorda铜矿45%股权，早盘冲高11%
2021-10-14 13:45:54 (AET) by Edward Zhang 4345
金属矿商 South32（ASX：S32）以15.5亿美元从Sumitomo手中收购智利Sierra Gorda铜矿45%的股权。Sierra Gorda是位于智利矿产丰富的Antofagasta铜矿区的一家正在运营的铜矿。预计2021年将生产18万吨铜、5千吨钼、5.4万盎司金和160万盎司银。
【澳股资讯平台 – 61 Financial 10月14日讯】金属矿商 South32（ASX：S32）发布公告称，该公司与在东京证券交易所上市的Sumitomo Metal Mining（TYO: 5713）和Sumitomo Corporation（TYO: 8053）签订了两项具有约束力的有条件协议，收购智利Sierra Gorda铜矿45%的股权。
根据公告，双方已同意以15.5亿美元的预付现金对价收购这部分股权。此外，South32还同意向卖方提供高达5亿美元与铜价相关的或有价格挂钩的对价，按2022-25年的最低铜产量和价格支付。
关于Sierra Gorda
Sierra Gorda是位于智利矿产丰富的Antofagasta铜矿区的一家正在运营的铜矿。预计2021年将生产18万吨铜、5千吨钼、5.4万盎司金和160万盎司银。
公司指出，此次收购使South32与在波兰上市的全球矿商KGHM Polska Miedz共同拥有控股权。
截至9月底，South32未经审计的净现金余额为6.6亿美元。而本次交易的资金将通过该公司手头的现金和10亿美元的债务融资来筹集，这将保持其资产负债表的实力和灵活性。
South32首席执行官Graham Kerr表示：“公司正在积极地重塑我们的投资组合，以实现低碳世界的目标。收购Sierra Gorda的权益将增加公司对大宗商品的敞口，这对这一转型至关重要。”
“在全球能源网络的脱碳过程中，铜是一种关键金属，具有强劲的长期市场基本面。加入Sierra Gorda进一步改善了我们的投资组合，预计将立即提高公司的利润率和盈利水平，在保持我们资产负债表实力和灵活性的同时，支持未来向股东回报。”
公司股价今日早盘冲高至4.07澳元（涨幅11.5%）回落后，高位震荡。截止发稿，股价上涨5.75%至3.86澳元。
【更多S32公告和股价走势请点击S32个股页面 】
消息来源：
公司公告SOUTH32 TO ACQUIRE A 45% INTEREST IN THE SIERRA GORDA COPPER MINE
Newcrest Advancing our global organic growth portfolio
黄金生产商Newcrest完成四项预可行性研究，铜产量目标或提升37%
2021-10-12 10:37:28 (AET) by Edward Zhang 4411
黄金生产商 Newcrest（ASX：NCM）对4个新金铜项目（包括Red Chris矿、Lihir矿、Havieron矿和Cadia PC1-2矿）进行的预可行性研究显示，内部收益率（IRR）均有望达到16%或更高，净现值（NPV）达32亿。
【澳股资讯平台 – 61 Financial 10月12日讯】黄金生产商 Newcrest（ASX：NCM）发布公告称，其对4个新金铜项目（包括Red Chris矿、Lihir矿、Havieron矿和Cadia PC1-2矿）进行的预可行性研究显示，内部收益率（IRR）均有望达到16%或更高，净现值（NPV）达32亿。
公司指出，大部分新投资将集中在世界上的一级司法管辖区。其中，位于澳大利亚的Havieron项目第一阶段预可行性研究表明，该项目预估的内部收益率为16%，投资回报期为4年。
基于这些项目优秀的回报率，Newcrest的营运利润率和现金流都将有实质性改善。该公司透露，这些项目的目标是在未来10年将铜产量提高37%，并将其目前已经处于低位的每盎司全部维持成本进一步降低50%以上。
Newcrest首席执行官Sandeep Biswas表示：“公司铜产量的预期增长状况尤其令人兴奋，这将使我们不仅能够推进自己的可持续发展目标，还能参与全球转向脱碳带来的潜在机遇。”
“虽然Newcrest主要是一家黄金公司，但我们认为铜也仍是一种具有大规模增长前景的大宗商品，因此我们将继续大量增加对铜的投资。”
截止发稿，公司股价微跌0.13%至23.87澳元。
【更多NCM公告和股价走势请点击NCM个股页面 】
消息来源：
公司公告Presentation – Advancing our global organic growth portfolio
How BHP developed its most technically advanced mine
BHP has officially opened its $4.6 billion South Flank iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, celebrating the completion of the project’s five-year journey on time and budget.
In 2016, the company began planning for a new operation to potentially replace its ageing Yandi iron ore mine, with environmental documents opened to the public in June of that year.
South Flank began gathering pace in 2017 when Decmil secured a $13 million contract with BHP for initial works at the proposed development.
The project scope included civil and enabling works at the Mulla Mulla village, which required expansion to support operations at Mining Area C and the South Flank project.
Contract mining and earthworks provider MACA (https://www.maca.net.au/our-business/crushing/crushing-and-screening/) secured a three-year contract to become a crushing and screening provider for BHP in May the following year.
BHP turned the first sod at the site a year later in July after the project received approval from the Western Australia Government.
In December, 2019, Mammoet started transporting the first heavy components for BHP’s South Flank iron ore project in the Pilbara region, Western Australia.
BHP used Mammoet trailers to move approximately 1900 items, including prefabricated and modular mine processing plant units across 340 kilometres from Port Hedland to the new site.
BHP contractor Fluor Corporation commenced the construction of the ore handling plant in the South Flank project at the start of January 2020.
Six months later the company held off a portion of mine development in June due to its impact on cultural heritage sites belonging to the Banjima people.
By August last year the company had developed more than three quarters of the South Flank project.
The company advanced its development projects and delivered strong results during the 2020 financial year despite the impact of COVID-19.
First ore was delivered at the site in May this year ahead of this week’s official opening with the development creating 9000 direct and indirect jobs during construction, and will sustain more than 600 permanent ongoing jobs.
The opening celebrations were attended by Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan, Banjima Traditional Owners and joint venture partners, ITOCHU and Mitsui.
The 80 million tonne per annum (Mtpa) site is the largest iron ore mine Australia has seen in over 50 years and combines with BHP’s Mining Area C to be the largest iron ore hub in the world – producing a combined 145Mtpa.
BHP Western Australia iron ore (WAIO) asset president Brandon Craig said South Flank is BHP’s most technically advanced mine.
“It will sustain more than 600 ongoing jobs, plus opportunities for hundreds of local businesses and billions of dollars in royalties to Western Australia,” Craig said
“South Flank’s product has high lump content and increases the quality of BHP’s blended products for steelmaking customers, improving blast furnace efficiency and supporting decarbonisation efforts.
“South Flank’s premium iron ore will be shipped to global steel producers to build electricity, transport and urban infrastructure around the world over the next 25 years.”
Agreement to divest Mt Carlton gold mine for up to A$90M
金矿公司Evolution Mining以9000万出售Mt Carlton项目，股价走强
2021-10-05 13:44:38 (AET) by Edward Zhang 3367
金矿公司 Evolution Mining（ASX：EVN）已经与Navarre Minerals Limited（ASX: NML）达成具有约束力的协议，以高达9000万澳元的总价出售昆士兰州的Mt Carlton金矿。此外，Evolution还更新了指导方针，其22财年的产量将略微减少到67万至72.5万盎司的区间，以反映本次出售。
澳股资讯平台 – 61 Financial 10月5日讯，金矿公司 Evolution Mining（ASX：EVN）发布公告称，公司已经与Navarre Minerals Limited（ASX: NML）达成具有约束力的协议，以高达9000万澳元的总价出售昆士兰州的Mt Carlton金矿（包括Crush Creek项目）。
公司指出，对价总额将包括交易完成时支付的4000万澳元，达到累计的黄金生产里程碑时支付的2500万澳元，还有以5%与黄金价格挂钩（当该季度黄金现货平均价格高于每盎司2250澳元的情况时适用）的特许权使用费形式支付的2500万澳元。特许权使用费将自2023年7月1日开始收取，期限不超过15年。
此外，Evolution还更新了指导方针，以反映本次出售。根据最新的指引，该公司22财年的产量将略微减少到67万至72.5万盎司的区间。
Evolution还透露，公司同意参与NML的股权融资，将其在NML的持股比例最高或提升至19.9%（约2000万澳元），最终持股的份额将在其股权融资结束后确定。
公司执行董事长Jake Klein表示：“Mt Carlton是Evolution的第一个开发项目，自2013年投产以来为股东带来了出色的回报。鉴于公司专注于投资组合中增长型项目的主要资产，我们认为现在是将Mt Carlton交给一家新兴黄金生产商的时候。”
“NML可以专注于延长该业务的矿山寿命，公司保留的风险敞口也将使Evolution的股东受益于未来的成功运营。”
Evolution股价今日盘中涨至3.735澳元。截止发稿，股价上涨1.80%至3.685澳元。
【更多EVN公告和股价走势请点击EVN个股页面 】
BHP closes in on EV market with first nickel sulphate
BHP has produced the first nickel sulphate crystals from its Kwinana nickel sulphate plant south of Perth in Western Australia.
Nickel sulphate is a key material in the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles (EVs), with more than 85 per cent of BHP’s current production sold to the future-battery supply chain.
The production follows an announcement in July that BHP will supply Tesla with nickel from its Nickel West assets in a collaboration which will aim to make the battery supply chain more sustainable.
According to BHP, the nickel sulphate plant is an Australian-first and will produce 100,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate per year when fully operational.
Nickel from BHP’s mines is processed at the Kalgoorlie nickel smelter, before it is transported to the Kwinana nickel refinery and refined into nickel metal in the form of powder or briquette.
The powder is then processed through the new sulphate plant to make nickel sulphate and will be exported to global battery markets from Fremantle port.
BHP Nickel West asset president Jessica Farrell said the plant is expected to produce enough premium nickel sulphate to make 700,000 EV batteries each year.
“The plant will create 80 new direct jobs and support 400 new indirect jobs, in addition to the 200 construction jobs that were created during the construction phase,” Farrell said,
“High quality and sustainable nickel is essential for our customers, and we expect demand for nickel in batteries will increase by 500 per cent in the next decade.
“Our investment to upgrade the refinery to produce high purity nickel sulphate, along with nickel powder and briquettes, will enhance Nickel West’s position as a supplier of choice for the growing global electric battery market.”
Over half of the plant was fabricated in Western Australia using local skills and suppliers including the steel work, fibreglass leach vessels and stainless steel tanks.
The plant consists of leaching tanks, purification technology, a crystalliser and dryer, and an automated packaging system.
BHP’s Nickel West employs over 2500 people and its operations include a fully integrated mine-to-metal business.
This includes open cut and underground mining operations in Western Australia; concentrators at Mt Keith, Leinster and Kambalda; a smelter at Kalgoorlie that produces nickel-in-matte; and the Kwinana refinery.
Debt Ceiling
当机会来敲门——美国债务危机一触即发！
2021-10-01 15:24:23 (AET) by AETOS 218
美国债务危机是否会成为2021年最后一只黑天鹅？交易者应该如何把握契机进行短线操作？美国股市在美联储缩表和恐慌指数骤增的同时，是否可能出现大幅回调，机会又该如何利用？
去年的这个时候，两位古稀之年的老同志为了争夺美国总统宝座而掐得天昏地暗，虽然时年75岁的特朗普最终败给年长自己3岁的拜登，但是特朗普的大量拥护者依然通过暴力占领国会山，为自己心目中的偶像挽回些颜面。
巧合的是，今年的这个时候，两位年龄相当的重量级女性政客再次展开角逐——75岁的财政部长耶伦（前美联储主席）和81岁的众议院议长佩罗西就财政预算问题开始针锋相对。
美国财政部长珍妮特·耶伦（Janet Yellen）曾任美联储主席
这场从8月就开始酝酿的危机终于在9月下旬进入了公众和金融市场的视线——美国政府将面临再次停摆（Government Shutdown）。
经济学家出身的耶伦于华盛顿时间9月28日致信以强悍著称的佩罗西，并在信中公开表示：“在我9月8日写给您的信里已经阐明，财政部的现金和特殊周转方式（extraordinary measures）大约将在10月耗尽……基于目前最新信息，我可以更加确认，10月份（耗尽）的预测是准确的。”
财长耶伦（Janet Yellen）致佩罗西（Nancy Pelosi）的信件内容，信息来源：美国国会
换句话说，目前正在美国国会争执的两党，如果无法在资金耗尽之前通过预算提案，那么美国联邦政府不仅要面对政府停摆，还将面临更严重的后果——全球债务违约。
除此之外，一向严谨的耶伦还明确表示，美国联邦政府在过去一年里，每日所需平均现金流大约为500亿美元，最高时也达到过3,000亿美元，如果国会无法就提高（或废除）债务上限（Debt Ceiling）达成共识，那么资源耗尽之时，也就是美国政府违约之时。
要知道，美国政府从来没有在国债上出现过违约。
从抽象的理想主义角度来看，这可以理解为“合约精神”。
但是，在只认可硬实力的国际竞争角度来看，美国政府从不违约的原因非常简单——极高的信誉造就了极低的借贷成本，极低的借贷成本又赋予了美国源源不断的资金，这些资金恰好就是美国维护军事和金融霸权的关键一环。
价值超过28万亿美元（折合39.5万亿澳元）的美国国债持有者，不仅仅是个体投资者和金融机构（对冲基金、信托基金等），还包括主权基金（国家持有），比如日本（1.27万亿美元）、中国（1.062万亿美元）、英国（4,530亿美元）以及爱尔兰（3,229亿美元）等。
2020年美国债务总额已经高达26.5万亿美元，相当于每个家庭分担20.7万美元
也就说，如果美国政府出现债务违约，那么这根稻草压垮的将不只是一匹骆驼，而是一群骆驼。
对此，国际三大分析机构之一的穆迪（Moody’s Analytics）首席分析师表示，如果债务危机被触发，那么美国经济将面临巨大的创伤——高达600万个工作岗位流失、15万亿美元的家庭财富蒸发、失业率再次蹿回9%（目前为5%）。
与此同时，华尔街同样出现异动，三大股指纷纷出现大幅下滑，其中道琼斯平均工业指数（DJIA/US30）在9月28日盘间大跌逾500点。市场恐慌指数（VIX）也于同期出现跳涨，从9月28日下午的18点跳涨至傍晚时的24.2点，涨幅高达34.4%。
道琼斯平均工业指数（US30）单日跌幅超过500点，数据来源：Trading view.com
CBOE恐慌指数（VIX）意外跳涨34.4%，数据来源：yahoo!finance.com
除此之外，债市和汇市同样出现了明显变化，其中美元指数创下一年新高（94.28），自然，美元兑7大货币同时明显走高。而影响美元走势的不仅是这场潜在的债务危机，还有已经进入倒计时的美联储缩表，两种变量之间的碰撞也让强势复苏的美元带来了变数。
美元指数（DXY，深蓝色曲线）与其他主要货币对走势对比，数据来源：Tradingview.com
由此可见，金融市场已经开始提前布局提前计价。
如果这还不够热闹，那么北半球多国正在经历的“能源慌”对原油和天然气等大宗商品价格带来的大幅抬升，也可以成为交易者对冲风险或者中短线操作的良机。
天然气（LNG）价格自从2021年初至今已经翻倍，数据来源：Tradingview
所以，美国债务危机是否会成为2021年最后一只黑天鹅？如果黑天鹅真的起飞，那么交易者应该如何把握契机进行短线操作？充满泡沫的美国股市在美联储缩表和恐慌指数骤增的同时，是否可能出现大幅回调，而这样的机会又该如何利用？
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Smart mines embracing digital safety solutions
Advances in digital technology are set to transform safety in the mining industry and equip remote operating centres with better tools and leading-edge analytics to improve the safety of workers in high risk locations.
Smart mining operators are replacing paper-based systems with new cloud-based technology to improve safety and predictability by overseeing people and equipment on site from back office locations, accessing real-time data for incident prevention and even using facial recognition and geo fencing alarms to safeguard isolated workers.
New safety challenges require a new approach
Although health and safety in mining has improved significantly in recent years, serious injuries are still regularly occurring, and COVID-19 has brought a new range of new health and safety challenges to the forefront.
Distributed and remote workforces remain critical to mining operations and a safe working environment is vital. Improved safety requires higher levels of communication, greater visibility of safe work practices and earlier identification and mitigation of potential hazards to maintain work operations and enforce safety controls during tough times.
High-tech solutions that improve safety while maintaining privacy
Leading asset and work management systems, such as Lumada Field Service Management, are using the latest technology to enable asset-intensive industries to be more insightful, adaptive, predictive and prescriptive, allowing to operate safely, efficiently and effectively.
The risk of incidents can be dramatically reduced by enabling a regional control centre to monitor the location of vehicles and the safety of people, in near real time.
The use of video insights, Internet of Things (IoT), analytics and artificial intelligence technologies is enabling a new world of more granular data and offers continuous operational insights without breaching personal privacy expectations.
Employees and contractors on site can also receive, review and execute work enabled by digitalised workflows, which improves data capture and can help identify and prevent future asset failures that may pose safety risks and result in downtime.
Special features such as the ability to create safety geofences that raise alerts when people enter defined locations of risk and assessments verifying that the environment is safe prior to workers commencing, greatly improve situational awareness and reduce onsite incidents.
Should an incident occur, analysis using worker replay can show the prior movement of onsite field workers and identify areas where compliance or safety controls need to be reviewed and improved.
The Lumada Field Service Management solution also integrates and builds on existing technologies, without sacrificing software investments that have already been made. Manual processes, such as the transfer of data to upstream systems, is eliminated, improving accuracy and freeing resources to focus on higher value work.
A holistic approach to asset management is key
Smart mines are embracing high-tech solutions to holistically and cost effectively manage the performance of workforces and assets. Advanced enterprise software is becoming essential for not only achieving best practice safety management by allowing managers to react in real time, but also for minimising asset downtime, maximising efficiency and reducing operating costs.
Lumada Enterprise Asset Management is a solution for mining organisations looking to gain efficiencies in managing their asset portfolio and establishing best practice processes.
For mining companies with aging assets, Lumada Asset Performance Management enables the prevention of critical failures while minimising asset lifecycle costs.
Predictive, condition-based maintenance can ensure employees are working in a safer environment and in the right place at the right time, to cost-effectively address asset performance issues.
Predictive maintenance can extend the remaining useful life of assets and optimise utilisation to increase return on investment.
Hitachi ABB Power Grids is a global technology leader with a combined heritage of almost 250 years, employing around 36,000 people in 90 countries. Headquartered in Switzerland, the business serves utility, industry and infrastructure customers across the value chain, and emerging areas like sustainable mobility, smart cities, energy storage and data centers.
With a proven track record, global footprint and unparalleled installed base, Hitachi ABB Power Grids balances social, environmental and economic values. It is committed to powering good for a sustainable energy future, with pioneering and digital technologies, as the partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid.
BHP aligns with KoBold for billionaire-backed exploration tech
BHP has partnered with exploration technology company KoBold Metals in the hunt for Western Australian metals and critical minerals to be used in clean energy technology.
The Silicon Valley-based start-up has been backed by major venture capitalists and entrepreneurs including Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Michael Bloomberg.
KoBold chief executive officer Kurt House said the alliance would combine KoBold’s technological expertise with BHP’s extensive knowledge of the Australian landscape.
“BHP has the highest standards for operational excellence and unparalleled troves of data from more than 130 years as a mining industry leader,” House said.
“Combined with our Machine Prospector technology, BHP and KoBold will work to identify new sources of the critical raw materials needed for the electric vehicle and renewable energy revolutions.”
KoBold’s Machine Prospector analyses large datasets which are initially compiled using its TerraShed technology. BHP hopes these innovations can uncover ore resources deeper than previously explored.
BHP Metals Exploration vice president Keenan Jennings said the company was open to all kinds of new technologies if they led to Australia’s next big metals discovery.
“Globally, shallow ore deposits have largely been discovered, and remaining resources are likely deeper underground and harder to see from the surface,” Jennings said.
“We need new approaches to find the next generation of essential minerals, and this alliance will combine historical data, artificial intelligence and geoscience expertise to uncover what has previously been hidden.”
The partnership was inspired out of BHP Ventures, which seeks out up-and-coming businesses like KoBold and taps their true potential in the resources sector.
BHP Ventures head Mark Frayman said KoBold ticked all the boxes as a promising partner for BHP.
“We are excited to partner with KoBold. Their powerful platform combined with our in-house capabilities and datasets could unlock an enduring competitive edge as we grow our options in future-facing commodities like copper and nickel to meet increasing global demand,” Frayman said.
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New Century zinc exploits receive Senex gas boost
New Century Resources will receive seven petajoules (PJ) of natural gas over the next three years from Australian energy company Senex to support the mining company’s zinc production.
The natural gas will be supplied to APA Group’s Diamantina Power Station in Mount Isa, generating the power required to operate the Century mine located approximately 250 kilometres north-west of Mount Isa.
Commencing in January, the three-year agreement will see Senex provide its seven PJs of natural gas at a fixed price, in line with current market levels.
As New Century looks to increase its production levels associated with the potential development of existing deposits at the Century Mine, Senex will further supply around one PJ of additional natural gas at New Century’s request by mid-2022.
Senex managing director and chief executive officer Ian Davies said the company was proud to establish ties with such a strong Queensland customer.
“Century mine generates significant state royalties and export earnings, and is a critical project in the Queensland Government’s strategic blueprint for the North West Minerals Province,” he said.
“Senex looks forward to building another strong, long-term and mutually-beneficial relationship that supports jobs, the economy and helps meet Australia’s energy demand as it transitions to a lower-carbon future.
“Senex also acknowledges APA as an important part of the value chain delivering energy to Mount Isa.”
Employing more than 250 people in the production of zinc concentrates, New Century exports to 12 smelters on three continents.
The agreement continues Senex’s evolution as a natural gas provider. Since 2019, the company has signed 10 major natural gas supply agreements, linking up with the likes of Adbri, CleanCo Queensland, CSR Building Products, Opal, Orora and Visy Glass.