• GLOBAL NEWS
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Continuous progress in ‘ ease of doing business ’, with the World Bank placing Saudi Arabia in the top 10 in terms of an improving business climate Strong infrastructure , including roads , rail , ports and electricity networks , and significant investments in water utilization and infrastructure .
Sustainability :
• The Mining Sustainability Principle aims to protect the environment and the health and safety of workers in the sector .
• The Kingdom has launched the Mining Sector Sustainability Assurance Initiative , which aims to create a sector that is focused on balancing economic value and environmental protection .
• The country ’ s new mining law ensures that sustainable practices are a foremost priority for new mining operators as they apply for licenses .
Vice-Minister Al-Mudaifer announced details of the inaugural Future Minerals Summit ( FMS ), the first-ever event to offer a ‘ onestop-shop ’ for investors , miners and other industry stakeholders interested in learning more about the mining potential of the Middle East , Central Asia , and North and East Africa .
Planned for January 11 to 13 , 2022 , in Riyadh , FMS will welcome attendees from around the world , including governments , investors , and mining majors and corporates . The Summit programme is being built around four pillars :
• Defining a New Mining Hub – Showcasing opportunities across the Middle East , Central Asia , and North and East Africa .
• Lands of Opportunity – Outlining partnership opportunities across integrated value chains .
• Reimagining Mining – Shining a spotlight on innovations that will support mining in the future .
• Mining ’ s Contribution to Society – Highlighting the industry ’ s vital role in producing the inputs needed to create a circular carbon future , as well as attracting the workforce of the future .
In addition to the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources , FMS has been endorsed by the Ministry of Investment , Public Investment Fund , and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs .
AUSTRALIA : ROXGOLD UPDATES RESULTS
West Australian focused gold exploration and development company , Rox Resources , in conjunction with its joint venture partner Venus Metals , has announced an update on drill results from the Youanmi Gold Project near Mt Magnet in Western Australia ( WA ), in the OYG JV area .
Drilling continues at Youanmi , with diamond and RC rigs operating at the OYG JV and regional aircore drilling progressing on the Regional Joint Ventures .
Managing director Alex Passmore says that they are pleased to report strongly mineralised intersections in a newly identified
8 • African Mining • November 2021 structure near the Youanmi mine and up-sequence from the main-lode ore body . This an exciting development as it lies within a previously untested area .
“ In addition , extension and infill drilling at Junction continues to deliver highgrade results that will contribute to resource growth at Youanmi and is likely to add ounces in crucial areas that will improve project economics ,” says Passmore .
BRAZIL : GREAT PANTHER EXTENDS OPEN PIT
TSX-listed Great Panther Mining recently announced results from Phase 2 of the 2021 resource replacement and expansion drilling programme and regional exploration results from the company ' s wholly-owned Tucano Gold Mine in Brazil .
Tucano comprises a 7-kilometre-long trend of gold deposits hosted within a large tenement package controlled by Great Panther covering approximately 2 000km 2 of the Vila Nova Greenstone Belt .
" One of the primary objectives of our exploration programme at Tucano this year is to extend the open pit mine life , and I am pleased to report that our intention is to bring TAP C back into production in 2022 as the drilling has demonstrated continuity of mineralisation at depth below the current pit floor ," says Rob Henderson , Great Panther ' s President & CEO .
" The other main objectives at Tucano this year include extending the high-grade zones underground and defining the regional potential of our district-scale land package ," says Henderson .
" Initial results from our regional exploration programme are very promising as they confirm the potential surrounding Tucano and our ability to generate new quality targets through focused , systematic exploration .
Drilling of new targets is planned for the fourth quarter of this year . Our immediate focus is making new discoveries within a 20km radius of the mine . However , we believe that the greenstone belt has significant exploration upside , and our long-term objective is to make a major new discovery within our extensive tenement package ."
Great Panther continues to focus on resource definition along the 7-kilometer-long mine sequence . Last year the focus was on the Taperaba pit where the company successfully upgraded inferred resources to Measured and Indicated status and , as a result , significantly increased the open pit reserves at TAP AB .
This year the focus has been on TAP C , situated between the TAP AB and Urucum pits that are the current focus of production at Tucano . The definition of new resources at TAP C will give Tucano additional operational flexibility with new production fronts from shallow pits close to the plant . •
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