Afghanistan's 10 Million-Ton Giant Copper Mine Restarts
Reuters, July 26 - The highly anticipated Mes Aynak copper mine project in central-eastern Afghanistan is set to restart, according to Afghan Foreign Ministry spokesman Homayoon Afghan. Mes Aynak is one of the world's largest undeveloped copper mines, containing over 10 million tons of copper. The project is expected to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue for Afghanistan. Previously, the project had been stalled due to a range of complex issues, making its restart highly significant.
Australia Plans to Revise Mineral Resource Reporting Standards to Strengthen Domestic Exploration Market Management
Bloomberg, August 1 - The Australian government has announced plans to amend the JORC Code (Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves) to further regulate the domestic exploration market and strengthen the management of mineral resource reporting. The draft of the new code will introduce additional environmental requirements and mandate that resource estimates for proposed mines be validated by qualified experts before becoming effective. Once approved, the revised code will apply to all locally listed companies. The JORC Code, one of the most recognized reporting standards in the international mining market, was developed by the Joint Ore Reserves Committee, comprising the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the Australian Institute of Geoscientists, and the Minerals Council of Australia. The code, which covers exploration results, mineral resources, and ore reserves of solid minerals, was first published in 1989 and was last updated a decade ago.
Brazil Launches Key Mineral Resource Potential Assessment Program
BNAmericas, July 29 - The Brazilian Geological Survey (SGB) has launched an initiative to explore the country's critical mineral potential. The program, named the Key Mineral Resource Potential Project, will utilize 3D magnetic inversion and machine learning technologies to assess key mineral resources in various regions of Brazil, including Upper Floresta in Mato Grosso, Tapajós in Pará, and Araçuaí in Minas Gerais. The SGB plans to reprocess previously published 500-meter interval aeromagnetic survey results using 3D inversion and machine learning, aiming to complete eight 1:100,000 scale maps each month. This initiative is expected to be a significant step towards diversifying Brazil's mining industry.
