Mining

Weak commodities demand and unfavourable exchange rates saw Caterpillar Resource Industries Group profit evaporate in 2Q15 from US$114 million on the previous year.

Anglo American has appointed Tony O’Neill to the board as an executive director with responsibility for mining and technology, business performance, projects and safety, health and environment.

In a recent report on the global mining equipment market, Grand View Research forecast the market to grow to US$95.14 billion by 2022 with recovery coming post-2017.

ROM coal production at Atlantic Coal’s Stockton anthracite mine jumped 12% on the previous quarter in 2Q15.

Vietnamese coal mining company, Vinacomin, sold 18 million t of coal in the first six months of the year, 2.8% lower than in 2014.

An Arizona mine upgrades its missing tooth detection systems to Motion Metrics’ ShovelMetrics™, which has led to increased detection, higher accuracy and greater reliability.

China’s largest coal miner saw its coal sales drop by almost a quarter in the first half of this year as the country’s coal demand dropped.

Vietnamese coal mining company, Deo Nai Coal Co., produced 1.2 million t of coal in the first six months of 2015.

Number two US coal miners, Arch Coal, is to implement a one-for-ten reverse stock split in a bid to boost its share price and remain listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

Foresight Energy intends to restore power to a portion of the Deer Run Mine, following approval from the Federal Mine Safety and Health Administration and the State of Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Office of Mines and Minerals.

Hexagon Mining provides Exxaro’s Grootegeluk coal mine in South Africa with SAFEmine, a collision avoidance and fatigue monitoring technology.

Politicians from both main political parties have criticised the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement’s proposed Steam Protection Rule.

The United Mine Workers of American Pension Plan is suing Peabody Energy and Arch Coal to try to force the two companies to take on US$800 million of bankrupt Patriot Coal’s liabilities.

Operating profit at Sandvik Mining jumped 74% in 2Q15 on favourable foreign exchange raters and continuing structural saving.

The National Mining Association urges Congress to stop the Stream Buffer Zone Rule set out by the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation Enforcement.