Medusa Mining (ASX:MML) – DENR mine audit update
Savannah Resources (LON:SAV) – Metallurgical assays on the Oman copper project
Strategic Minerals* (LON:SML) – Interest in Cornwal Resources increased to 50%
Gold is holding on to its Friday gains after a weaker than expected increase in job earnings that saw chances of a Mar Fed rate increase coming down slightly.
• The US$ index is little changed today following a marginal decline on Friday which marked a sixth weekly decline.
• Oil is up 0.2% trading around $57/bbl after capping three weekly gains on Friday on the back of the news of OPEC reaching c.60% of its planned production cuts and the US imposing new sanctions on Iran.
• Iron ore prices continued to slide amid reports of record high inventories at Chinese ports (c. 124mt) as well as weak steel prices.
• Rebar inventories are estimated at 6.9mt, the highest mark since Apr/19, according to Shanghai Steelhome data.
• Shipments of iron ore from the Australia’s Port Hedland hit record high for Jan with 40.3mt exported in the first month of 2017.
• Numbers are likely to would have been higher if not for a 18 hour stoppage last month amid a tropical storm warning.
• The port posted record shipments of 478.9mt in 2016, up 7.3%yoy, including a record high month of 43.9mt in Dec.
Global economic activity hit the strongest rate in 22 months in Jan led by higher production, new orders and business sentiment, JPMorgan/Markit PMIs showed.
• Although the data does not include a number of Asian nations’ numbers including ones for China.
• Services sector growth climbed to a 17-month high more than compensating for a slight decline in manufacturing expansion pace.
• “The global economy looks well set to build on this solid start during the remainder of the quarter,” the report read.
• Input price increases were recorded at both manufacturers and services providers with output charges climbing for the 11th consecutive month.
Dow Jones Industrials +0.94% at 20,071
Nikkei 225 +0.31% at 18,977
HK Hang Seng +0.91% at 23,339
Shanghai Composite +0.54% at 3,157
FTSE 350 Mining -3.22% at 16,293
AIM Basic Resources -0.14% at 2,560
Economic News
US – Headline employment numbers beat estimates; although, earnings growth underperformed.
• Given a slower than expected wage growth despite a strong growth in jobs created suggests there is more slack in the labour market and supports the Fed case for a gradual monetary tightening.
• The US$ index dropped and gold prices jumped post the release of payroll numbers.
• “Three rate increases, like I said, it’s a reasonable guess, a reasonable perspective to have as a base case… But honestly, I think there’s a lot of potential that this economy is going to perhaps get more of a boost than the base case,” San Francisco President John Williams said in Friday interview to Bloomberg News.
China – Following weaker manufacturing PMI data released on Friday, services sector numbers also showed slowing growth momentum in Jan.
• Although the Dec services PMI did mark a 45-month high.
• “New business (in the services segment) continued to grow rapidly, though at a marginally slower rate than in the previous month; while input and output charges increased at faster rates,” Markit said.
• “The economy is unlikely to maintain the pace of expansion seen in the fourth quarter of last year… China’s economic growth may decelerate after the first quarter of this year.”
• Caixin/Markit Manufacturing PMI (released on Friday): 51.0 v 51.9 in Nov and 51.8 forecast.
• Caixin/Markit Services PMI: 53.1 v 53.4 in Nov.
• Caixin/Markit Composite PMI: 52.2 v 53.5 in Nov.
Germany – Factory orders hit the highest level since the Eurozone crisis in 2011 in Dec summing up a year which demonstrated the strongest growth in five years.
• Factory orders (%yoy): 8.1 v 2.0 (revised from 3.0) in Nov and 4.2 forecast.
Currencies
US$1.0758/eur vs 1.0759/eur last week. Yen 112.67/$ vs 113.14/$. SAr 13.270/$ vs 13.435/$. $1.248/gbp vs $1.253/gbp.
0.766/aud vs 0.765/aud. CNY 6.863/$ vs 6.871/$.
Commodity News
Precious metals:
Gold US$1,223/oz vs US$1,213/oz last week
Gold ETFs 57.4moz vs US$57.2moz last week
Platinum US$1,007/oz vs US$994/oz last week
Palladium US$760/oz vs US$750/oz last week
Silver US$17.57/oz vs US$17.34/oz last week
Base metals:
Copper US$ 5,785/t vs US$5,823/t last week
Aluminium US$ 1,826/t vs US$1,823/t last week
Nickel US$ 10,330/t vs US$10,160/t last week
Zinc US$ 2,760/t vs US$2,773/t last week
Lead US$ 2,310/t vs US$2,291/t last week
Tin US$ 19,700/t vs US$19,845/t last week
Energy:
Oil US$57.0/bbl vs US$57.1/bbl last week
Natural Gas US$3.066/mmbtu vs US$3.135/mmbtu last week
Uranium US$25.75/lb vs US$25.25/lb last week
Bulk:
Iron ore 62% Fe spot (cfr Tianjin) US$78.0/t vs US$77.5/t
Chinese steel rebar 25mm US$502.8/t vs US$499.7/t
Thermal coal (1st year forward cif ARA) US$66.7/t vs US$68.2/t last week
Premium hard coking coal Aus fob US$167.8/t vs US$167.7/t
Other:
Tungsten - APT European prices $196-205/mtu vs $194-200/mtu
Company News
Medusa Mining (ASX:MML) A$0.4, Mkt Cap A$87m – DENR mine audit update
• Philsaga Mining Corp, a Philippines based subsidiary holding mining permits to Co-O operations, is not on the audited list of companies recommended for closure or suspension.
• Operations have been audited by the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) in early Aug/16 as part of the industry-wide review launched in Jul/16.
• Co-O operations are reported to have been unaffected by the review.
Savannah Resources (LON:SAV) 6.1p, Mkt Cap £28m – Metallurgical assays on the Oman copper project
• The Company completed preliminary metallurgical tests on the Mahab 4 copper deposit located in Oman and estimated to host 1.51mt at 2.1% Cu in JORC compliant Inferred Resources.
• Study looked at a standard copper floatation circuit with results based on Mahab 4 master composite containing 4.38% Cu.
• Sulphide mineralisation is predominantly pyrite, chalcopyrite (the sole copper bearing mineral) with minor amounts of sphalerite (a zinc containing sulphide mineral).
• The liberation size of chalcopyrite was estimated at 50 microns with a reground concentrate to 38 microns yielding over 90% recoveries and suggesting a potential for a >23% Cu saleable concentrate production with gold and silver by-products.
• The presence of sphalerite will require zinc depression during floatation to keep zinc grade in the concentrate below 3% Zn.
• Further work regarding a potential to recover zinc without affecting copper grades and recoveries is required.
• Rock hardness tests showed the processed ore to be relatively soft.
• Additional test work is currently being carried with a view to optimise the process flowsheet and improve recoveries and copper concentrate grades.
Strategic Minerals* (LON:SML) 0.6p, Mkt Cap £7m – Interest in Cornwal Resources increased to 50%
• The Company completed the subscription to 248,864 shares of Cornwall Resources (CRL) for £844k (£3.39/share).
• This brings total number of shares owned by the SML in the JV with New Age Exploration to 309,838 shares or 50%.
• Additional funds will see Cornwall Resources commencing a two-stage drilling programme aimed at expanding the current resource at the Redmoor tin/tungsten project.
• “We look forward to updating the market on the drilling programme in the first quarter of 2017,” the Company said.
*SP Angel act as Nomad and joint broker to Strategic Minerals alongside Optiva Securities