Mining Investment Research Articles

Determining the working status of the production organization structure in the mechanized longwall when the negative impact factor has appeared

For the purpose of ensuring sustainable development, one of the important factors is to increase labor productivity and minimize the number of workers directly working in the mine. In the context of increasing requirements for underground coal mining, the number of workers tends to decline due to shifting to other types of economy. Therefore, the mechanization investment in coal mining is the inevitable destination, which guarantees the long - term strategic development of the coal mining industry. Although the mechanized mining has obtained several achievements, the annual coal mining output is still not high, specifically reaching 73.8%; 51.3%; 61.4% according to the plan respectively for the years of 2013, 2014 and 2015. A total of mechanized lines has been invested and applied in Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Holding Corporation Limited, but there are only six lines in operation until at this time. For five recent years, when the mining industry has accumulated a lot of experience in using mechanization technology, it is found that the potential factors causing production interruption have resulted in the effectiveness of these longwalls not achieved as expected. Summary of advantages, difficulties, and unsuccessful implementation of mechanization technology in the condition of Quang Ninh mine area has shown a big gap in production organization that should be specifically studying. In this study, the author wants to build a basic background in determining the impact of potential factors conscious of the longwall mechanized.

‘Old Trees Cannot Be Replanted’:When Energy Investment Meets Farmers’ Resistance

Open-cast lignite mining often arouses discontent due to its controversial use of land. This is particularly apparent when a mining operation interferes with well-managed agricultural areas. Mining investments usually face resistance from farmers who are attached to a rural setting and farmland. This paper summarises the results of a study on farmers’ attachment to place and patrimony. The placeoriented research was conducted among a traditionally farming-oriented community that expressed its disapproval of a lignite coal operation. Data were collected via questionnaire. The measurement of place attachment used a five-point Likert scale. The survey was distributed among the rural dwellers of two communes, Krobia and Miejska Górka (in the Wielkopolska Region, Poland), which will be affected by open-cast mining and a power station; both are dependent on the “Oczkowice” lignite deposit. The results show that the farmers have a deep attachment to their farmland; however, only a little attachment was detected to the local community.

Between pacification and dialogue: Critical lessons from Colombia’s territorial peace

Colombia's peace process prioritised conflict-torn geographies ostensibly suffering from historical state absence. We examine the origins and afterlives of this 'territorial' peace using discourse analysis, archival research and field interviews. The state-initiated agenda exceeded the objective of structuring negotiations with FARC guerrillas, pointing to the transformative potential of social dialogue. The negotiating parties co-sponsored participatory rural development forums, which attracted numerous collectives. These diverse actors' visionary proposals to address neglected claims and conflicts influenced the government's and FARC's respective discourses, ultimately informing the 2016 peace agreement. Yet, state priorities for peace centred on international legitimation and post-conflict infrastructure development to accelerate foreign investment in export-oriented mining, oil extraction, and agri-business. The beleaguered FARC challenged government's narratives while struggling to rebuild organisational legitimacy and prevent fragmentation. Subsequent disappointments with fraught territorial development plans, a new government's securitization of peace programmes, and continuing violence mar the post-agreement period. Prior contributors to participatory forums have joined contentious actions against neglectful austerity, extractivist maldevelopment and targeted assassinations. Thus, we argue that Colombia's international lessons may reside less in governmental pacification programmes - the potential of state-sponsored participatory dialogues notwithstanding - than in resilient (post-)conflict communities open to exercising their peace imagination while remaining mobilised against new-and-old violences. Furthermore, the territorial peace saga illustrates productive overlaps between critical peace geographies and socio-territorial analysis - especially the territorial restructuring induced by neoliberal economic policies, the violent multiple territorialities of differentiated state presence in geographical peripheries and pluriversal struggles against ontological occupation addressed herein.

Mujeres en las composiciones de tierra en Zacatecas durante el siglo XVII

This article focuses on the participation of women in the formation of large territorial groups in Zacatecas during the seventeenth century. Investment in agro-livestock production could be managed by women with more ease than mining investments, reason why we found some examples of large owners who managed their investments in this sector very closely.  

Key criteria, principles and directions for sustainable gold mining

Subject. The article discusses what distinguishes the sustainable development of gold mining in the Russian Federation. Objectives. I herein set up criteria and principles for ensuring the sustainable development of gold mining so as to reach the balance of the economy, environment and social sector throughout places where gold mining enterprises operate. Methods. My theoretical projections are based on the analysis of economic literature and empirical research on resources, environment and sustainable economic development in the existing economic growth areas. Results. I examine the relationship of key criteria and principles for the sustainable development of gold mining. The article aligns directions for the reasonable natural resource use in gold mining, displays opportunities digital technologies give at phases of prospecting, production, processing, trade, maintenance and repair of mining equipment. The article also sets up gold mining investment requirements in terms of further sustainable development. Conclusions and Relevance. The set of gold mining requirements for the Russian Federation will now help flag points for further sustainable development of the gold mining sector as a method to steer and manage the business, ensuring the dynamic growth and balance of related and mutually dependent social, environmental and economic aspects provided they could be regularly and constantly updated. The set of requirements will bring the gold mining sector to the forefront of the Russian industrial production. If a 50 tonnes limit is raised or lifted, the sector will more easily apply for foreign investment and increase the finance of geological prospecting, since the 50 tonnes limit restricted foreign investment in federal subsoil areas.

The role of institutional mining investors in driving responsible tailings management

Recent devastating tailings dam failures have led many investors to view mining projects as increasingly risky investments compared with other industrial projects. In 2019, institutional investors worth US$14 trillion in assets called for the development of an independent classification system for quantifying the safety risks associated with tailings storage facilities (TSF), and played a central role in the Global Tailings Dam Portal Project disclosure request which called for a significant increase in transparency of TSF data. This paper draws upon an extensive literature review to explore the role and motivations of institutional mining investors in mitigating TSF failure risks. Results from qualitative interviews with institutional mining investors are presented to triangulate findings. It is concluded that the financial materiality of TSF failures cannot be argued to be the sole motivating factor for increased investor interest in this topic. Increasingly, the risk of TSF failure is being recognized as a critical environmental, social and governance (ESG) issue. Despite growing interest by investors to directly influence TSF management at mining sites, challenges arise due to the lack of a global tailings standard, technical training and differing regulations across jurisdictions. However, it is found that investors can also play an important role through pressuring company boards, and in improving the overall transparency of data associated with TSF risks. An outstanding research challenge lies in developing tools and frameworks to support investors to meaningfully incorporate TSF risks into investment decisions.

The effects of the mining operation activities permit process on the mining sector in Turkey

The most important problems faced by mining are the long permit application periods and the obstacle to bureaucracy. In Turkey, mining operating license and operation permits are given by the Mining and Petroleum Affairs Department (MAPEG) affiliated to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources (MENR). However, in order to start operation activities today, it is necessary to obtain permissions from 15 to 20 separate units of 8–10 different Ministries. The requirement to obtain permission from such a large number of institutions in order to carry out mining operation activities causes delays and investment losses in the permit process. In order to find solutions to these problems, some questions were asked to mining companies in 2018 through the SurveyMonkey. According to the survey, other permits in Turkey (such as “landownership permit” and “business license and work permit”) are mostly given to mining enterprises in a period of 3–34 months. This indicates that the rule that “permits required for mining operation activities should be completed within 3 months at the latest in the EIA process” does not work in Turkey. In addition, this caused an average investment loss of 21% within the total investment amounts of mining enterprises. This causes Turkey's ranking in the world in investment attractiveness index (IAI) and other categories to decrease or become unstable. Moreover, it causes many mining investors to stop investing in Turkey. Completion of the permit processes within a certain period of time will remove a major obstacle for the mining investor. Mining enterprises require that the operation permit be issued within a period of 2–6 months from the receipt of the operating license. Increasing license security will reduce the risks in mining investments, which will enable the mining sector to develop rapidly.

Analysis on the Exploitation and Utilization of Non-oil and Gas Mineral Resources in China from 2015 to 2017

A comprehensive understanding of the exploitation and utilization of non-oil and gas mineral resources, which is of great significance to both the mineral resources management departments and mining investors. This article analyzed the exploitation and utilization of non-oil and gas mineral resources in China from 2015 to 2017, by using the authoritative data which issued by the Ministry of Natural Resources, PPC, and the work achievements of the project “Remote Sensing Monitoring of Mineral Resources Exploitation Environment in China”. It was found that the number of non-oil and gas mines in China was generally decreasing, with a decrease of 20.1% from 2015 to 2017. It showed that the exploitation of non-oil and gas mineral resources in China was changing to large-scale and intensification. China’s coal and iron ore production capacity had been significantly reduced in 2015-2017. It showed that the socio-economic dependence on mineral resources was gradually decreasing. It was suggested that the mineral resources management department should strengthen the crackdown on illegal mining. It was suggested that mining investors should strengthen cooperation, and transform to knowledge intensive industries such as deep processing of mineral products.

The influence of the investment factor on the transformation of the global energy market

The object of the study is the transformation of the world energy market under the influence of investment. The study of the impact of investments on the transformation of the world energy market was carried out in terms of market, structural, and organizational parameters in the following areas:– the growing role of renewable sources in the world energy balance;– liberalization of sectoral energy markets;– wide application of information technologies, including the introduction of Smart Grid at various levels.The main disadvantages are the inability to analyze the transformation processes in all sectors of energy at the global level.Such general scientific and special methods as methods of analysis and synthesis, method of comparative analysis, graphic and statistical methods were used in the research.The paper shows that at the present stage the main prerequisite for investment has been the COVD-19 pandemic and pre-crisis expectations. This has led to a sharp decline in global investment in all energy sectors (both in aggregate energy supply and in end-use) and in research and development. In terms of industry, investments in oil and oil products (by all organizational forms of companies) and coal decreased the most. Investment in electricity and electricity networks exceeds investment in mining and processing of fossil fuels. The main factors holding back international investment in renewable energy are:– relatively lower economic and energy return on investment (EROI);– the high cost of connection to power systems;– local component requirements and other protectionist requirements;– discrediting by global oil and gas corporations about the danger of economic downturn and job cuts, etc.In the regional structure, the largest volumes of global investment are in the Asia-Pacific region, North America, and Europe.Insufficient investment in the accelerated transformation of the world energy market on the basis of sustainable development has been stated in all areas. The targeted efforts of both national governments and the international community are needed to ensure the desired transformation of the global energy market.

Struggles for land: comparing resistance movements against agro-industrial and mining investment projects

ABSTRACT Investments in large-scale land-based projects increased over the past two decades, with a concomitant rise in community-level resistance. Drawing from data on resistance movements, literature findings, and two case studies in Senegal, this paper compares movements resisting either agro-industrial or mining projects. Building on contentious politics and materialist approaches from political ecology we find that outcomes seem largely case-dependent and determined by political opportunities, while resistance motives, narratives and more confrontational practices differ across both sectors. We suggest that this can be explained through sector-specific material, discursive and institutional factors. Our findings shed light on challenges for cross-sectoral alliances.

The attitude of the local community towards investments in lignite before transitioning to the post-lignite era: The case of Western Macedonia, Greece

In Greece, lignite has played a key role in energy security and has delivered notable social benefits such as local employment. Since mining projects affect profoundly the life of residents living in the vicinity of these projects, the understanding of residents' attitudes to lignite mining assumes a great importance as it can guide the design of policies. Hence, this study investigates the attitudes towards new investments in lignite mining among residents living near Greece's largest lignite center which is located in Western Macedonia. Results showed that a considerable share of residents desired new lignite projects and categorical regression analysis revealed that men desired new lignite plants more than women while, in terms of occupation, workers, undergraduate students, unemployed and private employees desired new lignite investments more than public employees and farmers. In addition, this study segmented survey respondents into three attitude groups (positive, neutral and negative) based on their desire for new lignite plants in their vicinity to indicate how the views of each attitude group on various topics related to resource extraction differentiate. As lignite phase-out is approaching in Greece, the findings of the present study may be particularly useful to policymakers in order to design a more socially acceptable decommissioning plan.

Application of BP Neural Network in Early-Warning Analysis of Investment Financial Risk in Coastal Areas

Wang, J. and Xie, S., 2020. Application of BP neural network in early-warning analysis of investment financial risk in coastal areas. In: Gong, D.; Zhang, M., and Liu, R. (eds.), Advances in Coastal Research: Engineering, Industry, Economy, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 106, pp. 259–262. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.Financial risks in coastal areas are not only related to the current state of capital markets, but also to the positive fiscal policy effects implemented in recent years. Foreign speculative capital has not yet had a serious impact on China's monetary and financial markets. In this paper, first, the factors of financial risk in coastal areas are identified, and the corresponding evaluation index system is established with the Delphi method. Then the back-propagation neural network model is used to carry out the early-warning analysis of the major destinations of overseas mining investments. The results show that risk warnings will be moderate in Canada, Russia, and Australia in the coming years, with fewer risk warnings in Brazil, India, and South Africa. South Africa's economy is in a poor state of economic development; Brazil's real lending rate is too high. Chinese enterprises may consider investing in overseas mining in countries where the risk warning is light.

Chinese control over African and global mining\u2014past, present and future

Chinese companies are far from taking control over African or global mining. In 2018, they control less than 7% of the value of total African mine production. Chinese investments in African mining of non-fuel minerals between 1995 and 2018 have contributed to production growth but it has also increased Chinese control over African mineral and metal production. There is evidence pointing to a continued Chinese expansion in African minerals and metals but at a slower pace than in the past decade. Through a detailed analysis of every mine, fully or partially controlled by Chinese interest in Africa and all other parts of the world the paper also measures total Chinese control over global mine production to be around 3% of the total value.

RECOMENDATIONS FOR AUTHORIZED ADMINISTRATION ORGANIZATION IN THE MINING OPERATION PERMIT PROCESS IN TURKEY

Issuing permits needed to conduct mining activities in Turkey requires bureaucratic procedures involving many public institutions. In Turkey, even after obtaining the operation permit, the application of asking opinion to other institutions, except authorized ministries, is ongoing. This situation is not only legally contradictory to the Mining Law but also provides a status that the mining investors cannot start production even though they have received all the required permits. In addition, the elapsed time for mining operation permits leads to delay in mining production activities and even to a considerable loss of mining investments. In this table, a number of questions were asked to the mining enterprises using the "Survey Monkey" program to identify problems with authorized institutions on permitting processes. When the answers given to these questions are evaluated collectively, the majority of the mining enterprises think that having more than one institution in the permit process eliminates the predictability in the sector. In this direction, the management of all mining operation permit processes by an Authority to be established under a single roof will prevent the loss of mining investments and accelerate all the processes related to mining.

Attracting mining investments: the relationship between natural endowments and public policies

Mining jurisdictions avid to attract international investments to find and exploit their mineral deposits contend for international capitals. This led to policymakers, analysts, and companies to think about the factors affecting the competitiveness of mining districts. The traditional paradigm states that the capacity of a country or jurisdiction to attract investments and develop its local industry is a function exclusively of the quantity and quality of the ore deposits within its territory. On the other hand, the alternative view suggests that the previous conception is incomplete, because companies not only look for a good geologic potential but also for a favorable investment climate (Tilton 1992). Through cross-country econometric models covering the years 1996 to 2014, this work supports the alternative paradigm of mining competitiveness and tries to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between the geological potential and the investment climate when determining the attraction of mining investments. The study concludes that, in order to develop a local mining industry, a country should have a wealthy natural endowment, but also it must offer a good investment climate. In addition, it shows that both variables are related through a multiplicative effect, but once public policies and other contextual variables reach certain reasonable levels (the “investment climate threshold”), jurisdictions compete almost exclusively based on its natural endowment. These results have significant implications for the implementation of public policies, especially in periods when mining contribution to social welfare is under scrutiny.

Effects of the private land acquisition process and costs on mining enterprises before mining operation activities in Turkey

According to the mining legislation in Turkey, different permits must be obtained from the authorized institutions or to reach an agreement with a private landowner according to whether there is private or public land for mining. If the landowner and the mining investor do not agree, the expropriation is conducted if the public interest is observed in the mining operation. There is no doubt that the rights of landowners should be adequately ensured by legislation. However, there are cases where land ownership problems cannot be solved in areas that overlap with mining areas and are subject to private ownership. The expropriation permit process may sometimes last 1.5–2 years. Therefore, mining enterprises are unable to start production activities and risk losing their investments. Especially for the reasons related to private landowners and experts, private land acquisition/expropriation costs for mining activities are quite high compared with the market.To identify and produce solutions to the legal problems in Turkey, in May, June, and July of 2018, a survey study was conducted to ask mining enterprises about their problems in private land acquisition and the costs for them. The mining sector in Turkey expects that all applicable legislations will be proposed in a manner that does not waste the time of the mining investor and that the private land acquisition/expropriation costs will be reduced in a manner that does not pose a risk of mining investment. In this respect, the ratio of expropriation costs to the mining investment amount (MIA) was analyzed according to the different mineral groups and the social and economic development level of the cities where mining was conducted. Based on this research, legislation practices also have negative effects on mining enterprises, on the expropriation costs and the expropriation permit processes.

Waste management costs (WMC) of mining companies in Turkey: Can waste recovery help meeting these costs?

Humankind is in need of mines throughout its entire life. As a result of mine production obtained for this need, mining wastes emerge. Mining waste management is reflected in mining enterprises as a cost item. It would be useful to determine how much share these costs have in mining operating costs (OC). At the same time, considering that the ratio of land use costs to mining investment amounts (MIA) in Turkey is very high, mining investment risks should be reduced. In order to bring forward solutions for the WMC and its regulation, in May, June and July of 2018, a survey was conducted to mining corporations via the survey software called “Survey Monkey”. The cost of wastes of each mining enterprise is proportionate to the yearly average OC of these mining companies. The results that come out when the ratio of the costs of mining waste management to the estimated investment costs as well, changing based on the different mineral groups, show that the mining WMC take a noticeably high place among the mining investments and OC in Turkey. Despite the environmental expenses made by mining companies in Turkey, the recovery of waste still lacks. In this regard, necessary arrangements should be made in the legislation, and the recovery of waste should be promoted despite the expenditure of the miner, and the return of the cost of the mining investor should be provided.

Energy-sustainable industrialized growth in the Czech Republic: The Cínovec lithium mining project

Scoping studies of mining investment projects are based on initial drilling data and expert assumptions, generally including an elementary mine plan, a processing method and preliminary estimates of the financial outcomes. They are not detailed enough for investment decision making but should provide at least sufficient knowledge of the project's risks.In this paper, the Cínovec lithium project in the Czech Republic will be assessed at the scoping study level. Data used for this analysis were collected by the Czechoslovakian government from the 1960s to the 1980s. Nevertheless, only information related with significant drill intercepts and the analysis made of the samples was used. Thus, the conclusions that were obtained cannot be considered in any way as a professional recommendation for investment.The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that scoping studies based on adequate data gathered from similar mining investment projects around the world can help to make the case for quick, early, and sound strategic decisions, something that may be especially crucial for small mineral development companies to decide whether they should proceed with further project developments.The basis for this analysis will be the previously published paper, “Lithium mining: accelerating the transition to sustainable energy”, in which five ready-to-go lithium mining investment projects were studied around the world: Whabouchi Project (Canada), Keliber Project (Finland), Cauchari-Olaroz Salars Project (Argentina), Sonora Project (Mexico), and Pilgangoora Project (Australia). Also used from this paper was the probable upper limit that was estimated for lithium carbonate battery-grade spot prices.

КРИТИЧЕСКИЕ ТОВАРНЫЕ ПОТОКИ МАРГАНЦЕВОГО СЫРЬЯ В РОССИИ

Актуальность работыобусловлена необходимостью изучения проблем импортозависимостиРоссии по марганцевому сырью. Цель: изучение динамики товарных потоков (производства, импорта, экспорта, потребления) марганцевых продуктов (руд и концентратов, ферромарганца, слиликомарганца и марганца металлического); выработка рекомендаций по оптимизации товарооборота марганцевых продуктов. Методы: статистический, графический, логический. Результаты. Марганцевые продукты являются одним из самых массовых импортозависимых товаров России, которых в 2018 г. суммарно импортировано свыше 1,6 млн т, что составляет 72% от их потребления.Импортозависимость по марганцевым рудам по состоянию на 2018 г. составляет 100% от потребления (импортировано 1318 тыс. т), по силикомарганцу – 46% (импорт 192 тыс. т), по марганцу металлическому – 100% (импорт 68 тыс. т) и по ферромарганцу – 10% (импорт 21 тыс. т). Потребление марганцевого концентрата увеличилось с 285 тыс. т в 1996 г. до 1,3 млн т в 2018 г. (+7,2%/год). В ближайшее времячерная металлургия России не сможет обойтись без импорта марганцевого концентрата. Требуется серьезное упорядочение импортных поставок марганцевого концентрата из Казахстана, Южно-Африканской Республики и Габона, а также российские инвестиции в зарубежные марганцедобывающие и ферросплавные компании. Национальное потребление силикомарганца увеличилось с 170 тыс. т в 1998 г. до 455 тыс. т в 2017 г. (+5,3%/год), а производство возросло с 50 до 355 тыс.т/год (+6,5%/год). Объемы импорта силикомарганца остаются на прежнем уровне – 170–190 тыс.т/год, хотя в 2003–2008 гг. они составляли 310–435 тыс.т/год. Сократившийся импорт с Украины замещен поставками из Грузии, Казахстана и Норвегии. Национальное потребление ферромарганца увеличилось незначительно – с 193 тыс. т в 1996 г. до 262 тыс. т в 2017 г. (+0,6%/год), причем объемы производства резко возросли с 50 до 260 тыс.т/год (+6,5%/год). Объемы импорта ферромарганца при этом серьезно сократились с 130 до 21 тыс.т/год (–3,9%/год). Ферромарганец вышел из полной импортной зависимости в импортонезависимую категорию. Появился спрос на новый товарный продукт – марганец металлический, потребление которого выросло с 0,3 тыс. т в 1996 г. до 68 тыс. т в 2018 г. (+12,2%/год). На фоне тотального импорта марганцевых ферросплавов появилось явление встречной импортно-экспортной торговли (экспорт до 63 тыс.т/год ферромарганца и до 133 тыс.т/год силикомарганца), вплоть до формирования направления нетто-экспорта ферромарганца (до 41 тыс.т/год ферромарганца).

Investment in Agriculture and Extractive Industry: A Panacea for National Development

Economic diversification into agriculture and extractive industry in Nigeria has been a fascinating and crucial economic issue that deserves consideration especially as the country is shifting from mono-economy (caused by oil boom) to other viable economic sectors. The global economic meltdown and depression have stimulated countries to look into other sectors of the economy in order to enhance their national development. Hence, this study tries to examine the contribution of agriculture and extractive industry to the Nigeria’s real gross domestic product (RGDP). The study makes use of time series data gathered from CBN Statistical Bulletin ranging from 1981-2017 and employs Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) method as the statistical tool with the aid of e-views version 9. The findings reveal that agriculture has a robust and noteworthy positive impact on RGDP while the solid mineral equally has a substantial positive influence on RGDP. However, crude petroleum (proxy for crude petroleum & natural gas) has a positive inconsequential effect on RGDP. This brings the study to a conclusion that investment in agriculture and solid minerals is highly imperative at the moment. Therefore, the study has suggested that economic diversification should be focused more on agriculture and solid mineral extraction. In addition, the government should try to manage the crude petroleum and natural gas exploration so as to prevent fund repatriation and transfer to other countries due to borrowed technology.