Tesla evacuates its Germany plant. Musk blames 'eco-terrorists' for suspected arson

MARCH 5, 2024
By Esme Nicholson


The Tesla Inc. Gigafactory in Grünheide, Germany, on Tuesday. The company halted production at its factory outside of Berlin and sent workers home after suspected arson at a nearby high-voltage pylon caused power failures throughout the region.Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

BERLIN — Production at Tesla's electric vehicle plant in Germany ground to a halt and workers were evacuated early Tuesday due to a power failure caused by suspected arson, drawing condemnation from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

André Thierig, who manages 12,500 staff at the Grünheide Gigafactory, near Berlin, said it would take several days before production would be back up and running. He said the outage would cost "in the high nine-digit euro range," meaning more than $100 million.

The incident at Tesla's first European factory poses another setback for the company, which is facing pressure from a German metalworkers union and global supply chain issues because of attacks on shipping in the Red Sea.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday afternoon, Thierig said, "We are very concerned about the safety of our employees," adding, though, that the outage "had not posed any danger to people or the environment."

TECHNOLOGY
Tesla's first European factory needs more water to expand. Drought stands in its way

Police say firefighters extinguished a blaze at a nearby high-voltage electricity pylon in the early hours of the morning and prevented it from spreading to the Gigafactory. The power outage also affected the surrounding area, stretching as far as some boroughs in Berlin.

Police also confirm they are investigating a confession posted online by the far-left "Volcano Group," which called for the "complete destruction of the Gigafactory" because the group alleged Tesla "eats up earth, resources, people and labor" and "spits out 6,000 SUVs, killer machines and monster trucks a week."

Judge skeptical of lawsuit brought by Elon Musk's X over hate speech research

Musk wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "These are either the dumbest eco-terrorists on Earth or they're puppets of those who don't have good environmental goals." Using the German words for "extremely stupid," he added that "stopping production of electric vehicles, rather than fossil fuel vehicles, ist extrem dumm."

German Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser issued a statement condemning the alleged attack on critical energy infrastructure, which she said is "a serious crime that cannot be justified by anything."

What Will Tesla's New German Gigafactory Mean For Germany's Auto Industry?

Musk's decision to base his most modern Gigafactory just outside Berlin has challenged Germany's domestic automakers, which are struggling to keep up with the electric vehicle (EV) market.

Swedish dockworkers refused to unload Teslas at ports in broad boycott move

Tesla has faced resistance since before it opened the Gigafactory's doors in Grünheide. Local residents are concerned about the plant's water usage and object to the automaker's latest plans to double the site's manufacturing capacity to a million electric vehicles a year.

Last week, environmental activists erected tents and built make-shift tree houses in the woodland Tesla plans to cut down in order to expand.

Far-left group claims attack on Tesla factory in Germany

Production halted at electric vehicle plant in Brandenburg after suspected arson attack causes power outage.

The fire brigade at Tesla's German factory checks one of the facility's buildings in Gruenheide southeast of Berlin after a suspected arson attack cut power to the factory [Filip Singer/EPA-EFE]

Published On 5 Mar 2024

Tesla has halted production at its German factory after power lines supplying the plant were set on fire in an act of “sabotage” claimed by a far-left group.

Emergency services were called early on Tuesday after reports of a burning electricity pylon southeast of Berlin close to the Tesla plant.

The blaze was extinguished, but damage to the lines knocked out power to the electric car factory, located in the state of Brandenburg, as well as surrounding villages.

Police said they have launched an investigation into suspected arson.

Far-left activists from the Vulkangruppe (Volcano Group) claimed responsibility for the act.

“With our sabotage, we have set ourselves the goal of achieving the biggest possible blackout of the Gigafactory,” the group said in a statement.Tesla said production at the Tesla Gigafactory in Gruenheide has been stopped due to a blackout [Filip Singer/EPA-EFE]

The group highlighted concerns about the environmental impact of the plant and its effect on the local water supply.

“We feel connected to all the people who won’t let Tesla turn the tap off,” the group said.

Michael Stuebgen, Brandenburg’s interior minister, said that if arson is confirmed, it would be “a perfidious attack on our electricity infrastructure”.

“Thousands of people have been cut off from their basic supply and put in danger. The rule of law will react to such an act of sabotage with the utmost severity.”

Electricity was restored after a few hours in the nearby towns and villages, but Tesla remained without energy and authorities said it would likely take several days to restore it at the plant.

Tesla opened the factory in March 2022, launching a challenge to German automakers on their home turf.

The company wants to expand the facility to add a freight depot, warehouses and a company kindergarten. Those plans would entail felling more than 100 hectares (247 acres) of forest.

Referring to the possible attackers, Tesla CEO Elon Musk, wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that “these are either the dumbest eco-terrorists on Earth or they’re puppets of those who don’t have good environmental goals.”

“Stopping production of electric vehicles, rather than fossil fuel vehicles, ist extrem dumm,” he added, using German to say “is extremely stupid”.

The power outage came as environmental activists have been protesting in a forest near the plant against plans by Tesla to expand. Dozens of activists have put up tents and built treehouses.

SOURCE: NEWS AGENCIES

Houthis unlikely to be responsible for damage to Red Sea cables, Indian experts say

Three fibre-optic cables carrying data between Asia and Europe have been cut, telecoms company says

There are 16 fibre-optic cables in the Red Sea. Damage to underwater cables can disrupt internet services. 

Taniya Dutta
Mar 05, 2024

Yemen's Houthi rebels are unlikely to be responsible for damage to underwater telecommunications cables in the Red Sea, where the Iran-backed group have been carrying out attacks on commercial ships.

Three fibre-optic cables carrying data data between Asia and Europe were cut in the Red Sea, Hong Kong telecoms company HGC Global Communications reported on Monday.

The cables affected were Asia-Africa-Europe 1, the Europe India Gateway, and Seacom and TGN-Gulf line, affecting 25 per cent of the data flow through the Red Sea, the company said. It did not specify where or how the cables were severed.

Seacom told AP that “initial testing indicates the affected segment lies within Yemeni maritime jurisdictions in the southern Red Sea”.

Indian company Tata Communications, which has ties with Seacom, said there was a “snag” with the undersea cables, but that communications were “automatically rerouted to other services”.

READ MORE
Britain's undersea cables vulnerable to attack

There were initial fears the Houthis were behind the severing of Red Sea lines. The group has attacked commercial vessels in the region over Israel's war in Gaza.

A social media account linked to the Houthis posted maps in December showing international cables passing through the Red Sea, prompting fears the group was planning to attack them.

Pooja Bhatt, a researcher in maritime security with the Observer Research Foundation in Delhi, said the depth of the cables made sabotage unlikely.

The cables "are not very thick but encapsulated in watertight sheets. They lie in the deep ocean and are not easy to cut," Ms Bhatt told The National.

“We can very well understand Yemenis should not have the capability to dive down that deep to physically damage cables."

While the undersea cable communication infrastructure is commercial, attacks or sabotage would prompt countries to send their militaries to protect them, Ms Bhatt said.

“Such activities will bring a lot of geopolitical focus on these issues. Until now, submarine cables that have been around for several decades were seen commercially where countries per se were not involved, but now with a focus on attacks on those activities, countries will bring their militaries into action for protection,” she said.

There are reportedly 16 fibre-optic cables in the Red Sea that carry an estimated 17 per cent of all international data traffic from East Asia to Europe.

Damage to telecommunications cables has caused major disruptions, including in 2008 and 2011, when cables were damaged in the Mediterranean, Arabian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.

 

Court rules Florida’s ‘stop woke’ law restricting business diversity training is unconstitutional

CURT ANDERSON

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA.

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PUBLISHED 8 MINUTES AGO

Open this photo in gallery:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis addresses the crowd before publicly signing HB7, 'individual freedom,' also dubbed the 'Stop Woke' bill during a news conference at Mater Academy Charter Middle/High School in Hialeah Gardens, Fla., on April 22, 2022.DANIEL A. VARELA/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A Florida law pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that limits diversity and race-based discussions in private workplaces is unconstitutional, a federal appeals court has ruled.

A three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday upheld a Florida federal judge’s August 2022 ruling that the so-called “Stop WOKE” act violates the First Amendment as it applies to businesses and is impermissibly vague.

“By limiting its restrictions to a list of ideas designated as offensive, the Act targets speech based on its content. And by barring only speech that endorses any of those ideas, it penalizes certain viewpoints – the greatest First Amendment sin,” Circuit Judge Britt C. Grant wrote for the court.

The governor’s office Tuesday was considering options for a further appeal.

“We disagree with the Court’s opinion that employers can require employees to be taught – as a condition of employment – that one race is morally superior to another race,” the governor’s office said in an email. “The First Amendment protects no such thing, and the State of Florida should have every right to protect Floridians from racially hostile workplaces.”

The law prohibits teaching or business practices that it says contend members of one ethnic group are inherently racist and should feel guilt for past actions committed by others. It also bars the notion that a person’s status as privileged or oppressed is necessarily determined by their race or gender, or that discrimination is acceptable to achieve diversity.

DeSantis frequently referred to the law during his unsuccessful run for president, with the slogan that Florida was where “woke goes to die.” Other parts of the law involving education have also been challenged but have not been blocked.

Florida attorneys had argued that the law banned conduct, such as requiring employees to attend diversity meetings, rather than speech. The court disagreed.

“Banning speech on a wide variety of political topics is bad; banning speech on a wide variety of political viewpoints is worse,” Grant said in the opinion.

The lawsuit was filed by private entities, Clearwater-based Honeyfund.com and others, claiming their free speech rights are curtailed because the law infringes on company training programs stressing diversity, inclusion, elimination of bias and prevention of workplace harassment. Companies with 15 or more employees could face civil lawsuits over such practices. Honeyfund is in the wedding registry business.

Head of UNRWA Says Netanyahu and Allies Aim to Deliberately Destroy Aid Agency


Philippe Lazzarini described “a deliberate and concerted campaign to undermine its operations, and ultimately end them.”

By Jake Johnson ,

COMMONDREAMS

March 5, 2024

UNRWA Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini speaks to the press after a briefing to diplomats on the situation in Gaza, at the United Nations Offices in Geneva

FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

The head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees told the U.N. General Assembly on Monday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies are intentionally trying to decimate the critical aid body as mass starvation looms in the Gaza Strip.

“UNRWA is facing a deliberate and concerted campaign to undermine its operations, and ultimately end them,” said Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s commissioner-general. “Part of this campaign involves inundating donors with misinformation designed to foster distrust and tarnish the reputation of the agency. More blatant, is the Israeli prime minister openly stating that UNRWA will not be part of post-war Gaza.”

“The implementation of this plan is already underway with the destruction of our infrastructure across the Gaza Strip,” he continued. “Attempts to evict UNRWA from its headquarters in East Jerusalem, and from a nearby vocational training center for Palestine refugee youth, are underway. Draft legislation in the Israeli Knesset seeks to prohibit outright any activity by UNRWA on Israeli territory.”

The UNRWA, the most important aid agency operating in Gaza, has long been a target of the Israeli government. But attacks on UNRWA have escalated since October 7, with Israeli forces killing more than 150 of the agency’s employees during its war on Gaza and accusing a small number of the body’s staffers of taking part in the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel.

The Israeli government has not provided any evidence to support its claims, but the allegations alone led more than a dozen countries — including the United States — to suspend aid to UNRWA, putting its operations in Gaza and across the Middle East at risk of total collapse.

Last month, the U.S. Senate passed legislation that would prohibit any U.S. funding for UNRWA.

On Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) claimed — again, without providing evidence — that 450 of UNRWA’s 30,000 employees are “military operatives in terror groups in Gaza.”

Lazzarini noted Monday that he swiftly terminated agency staffers accused of playing a role in the October 7 attack and that an independent probe into Israel’s accusations was launched by the U.N. Office of Internal Oversight Services.

“Despite these prompt and decisive actions, and the unsubstantiated nature of the allegations, 16 countries have paused their funding, totaling $450 million,” said Lazzarini, thanking the countries that maintained or boosted their funding as the agency faced a potentially existential threat. The European Union has also agreed to partially restore funding.

“Thanks to them, the agency, which is the backbone of humanitarian assistance in Gaza, can continue operating and remains a lifeline for Palestine refugees across the region,” he said. “But for how long? It is hard to say. We are functioning hand-to-mouth. Without additional funding, we will be in uncharted territory — with serious implications for global peace and security.”

Lazzarini said conditions on the ground in Gaza are “impossible to adequately describe” as Israel continues its bombing campaign and blockade, which have prevented badly needed aid from reaching large swaths of the territory.

“Doctors are amputating the limbs of injured children without anesthetic. Hunger is everywhere. A man-made famine is looming,” said Lazzarini. “Babies — just a few months old — are dying of malnutrition and dehydration. I shudder to think of what will still be revealed about the horrors that have taken place in this narrow strip of land.”

Ahead of Lazzarini’s speech to the U.N. General Assembly, a coalition of aid organizations issued a joint statement warning that if “funding suspensions are not reversed, the risk of a complete collapse of the already restricted humanitarian response resulting in preventable loss of lives in Gaza becomes even more likely.”

“Over 1 million displaced Palestinians are sheltering in UNRWA facilities across Gaza,” the groups said. “UNRWA’s 13,000 staff in Gaza far outstrip the collective capacity of the rest of the humanitarian sector in the territory. Their role in the facilitation and delivery of lifesaving humanitarian aid at scale in this crisis has been heroic. UNRWA’s supply of vital shelter, food, and basic services like sanitation, as well as the use of infrastructure by other aid organizations, is irreplaceable.”

 

Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads down in widespread outage

The Associated Press

Users of Meta's Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Messenger platforms are experiencing login issues in what appears to be a widespread outage.

Internet traffic observer Down Detector is reporting vast outages on several Meta platforms Tuesday. The problems are being reported across the world, suggesting that the outage could be global. 

London-based internet monitoring firm Netblocks said on X that four Meta platforms -- Facebook, Instagram, Messenger and Threads -- were “currently experiencing outages related to login sessions in multiple countries.” 

But the firm, which advocates for internet freedom, said there was no sign of “country-level internet disruptions or filtering,” which are typically imposed by governments.

Andy Stone, Meta's head communications, acknowledged the issues on X, formerly known as Twitter, and said the company is “working on this now.”

Facebook and Instagram users report severe

 login and stalling problems

Issues on Meta-owned platforms coincided with login

problems on Google’s sites



Meta updated the entire status page to report 'unknown' status for all services other than Messenger API for Instagram

Tue Mar 5 2024 

Facebook and Instagram are experiencing severe issues, as of Tuesday afternoon Irish time, with the services refusing login attempts and feeds stalling. The outages were first reported at about 3.30pm.

Unusually, the issues have coincided with login problems on Google’s platform, suggesting a common cause between the outages at two tech conglomerates who largely control their own infrastructure.

Meta’s business status page reported a number of disruptions, including “major disruptions” for the group’s admin centre, as well as for Facebook login, the service which allows users to log in to third-party services using their Facebook details. That, in turn, has led to some reporting outages at a variety of other sites.

At 4pm, Meta updated the entire status page to report “unknown” status for all services other than Messenger API for Instagram. Some Meta services, such as WhatsApp and the Facebook Ads Transparency page, were apparently still working. At 4.15pm, the Meta status page stopped working.

Google’s ads status page reports a disruption to the company’s Ad Manager beginning at about 3.30pm GMT. The company said it was investigating reports of other issues. But the company’s hiccups are more contained than those of Meta, with most consumer-facing services, including Search and YouTube, still up without issue. Problems with the company’s login service, however, have affected some business customers, including the Guardian.

A systemic internet issue is likely to be the root cause, with sporadic issues also being reported by users of sites including X and Microsoft’s Teams.

The outages are unlikely to be as severe as Facebook’s 2021 outage, when a configuration error in a little-known protocol called BGP led to the company accidentally deleting its own address from the systems that allow servers to talk to each other on the internet.

Although that error was spotted immediately, it took several hours for the fix to be enacted and take effect – in part because the company’s engineers could no longer gain remote access to their own servers to fix the problem, nor could they use their corporate passes to get through the electronic locks to gain physical access.

Meta and Google have been contacted for comment. – Guardian

Utility solar dethrones coal as the cheapest power source in Asia

Michelle Lewis | 

Photo: China News Service

Renewable energy costs in Asia last year were 13% cheaper than coal and are expected to be 32% cheaper by 2030, according to a new study.

Source: Wood Mackenzie Asia Pacific Power & Renewable Services

According to Wood Mackenzie’s latest analysis of the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, the LCOE from renewables reached a historic low in 2023. This is significant because it marks a shift toward making renewables increasingly competitive with coal, a mainstay in APAC’s energy mix. The driving force behind this trend is the substantial reduction in capital costs for renewable energy projects.

China leads the pack with a 40-70% cost reduction in utility-scale solar, onshore wind, and offshore wind compared to other Asia Pacific markets. China is expected to maintain a 50% cost advantage in renewable energy up to 2050.
Solar is cheapest and falling

The significant drop in solar power costs, by 23% in 2023, signals the end of supply chain disruptions and inflationary pressures. As a result, utility solar is now the cheapest power source in 11 out of 15 APAC countries. New-build solar project costs are expected to fall by another 20% by 2030 due to lower module prices and an oversupply from China.

This drop in solar costs, particularly in 2023-24, puts pressure on coal and gas and highlights a 23% decrease in LCOE for utility PV across the Asia Pacific, driven by a 29% decline in capital costs.

Distributed solar, such as residential rooftop solar, saw a 26% decrease in 2023. This makes distributed solar 12% cheaper on average than residential power prices, unlocking substantial potential for rooftop solar.

Distributed solar is becoming increasingly enticing for customers in many Asia Pacific markets, with costs now 30% below rising residential tariffs in countries like China and Australia. However, markets with subsidized residential power tariffs, such as India, might have to wait until 2030 or later to see competitive prices for distributed solar.
Wind power isn’t far behind

While solar is surging ahead in terms of cost-effectiveness, onshore wind isn’t far behind despite costs being 38% more than solar in 2023. With a forecasted 30% cost reduction by 2030 as cheaper Chinese turbines gain market share, Australia and Southeast Asia stand to benefit from low-cost wind power equipment imports.

However, there will be less of an impact on markets with limited uptake of Chinese turbines such as Japan and South Korea, which focus more on domestic supply chains.

WoodMac also underscores the growing competitiveness of offshore wind with fossil fuels in APAC. With an 11% cost reduction in 2023, offshore wind costs are now competitive with coal along China’s coast and are expected to undercut gas in Japan and the Taiwan region by 2027 and 2028, respectively. Falling capital costs and tech improvements are opening up new markets for offshore wind in India, Southeast Asia, and Australia over the next five to 10 years.

In contrast with falling renewables costs, coal and gas generation expenses have increased by 12% since 2020 and are projected to rise through 2050, primarily due to carbon pricing mechanisms.

While developed APAC markets anticipate a significant hike in carbon prices, reaching US$20-55/tonne by 2030, Southeast Asia and India are expected to see lower carbon prices.

This trend suggests that gas power, with costs remaining above US$100/MWh on average until 2050, will gradually lose its cost competitiveness with offshore wind over the next decade.

Alex Whitworth, vice president, head of Asia Pacific Power Research at Wood Mackenzie, concluded:

Solar power costs have reached an historic low in the Asia Pacific region in 2023, reversing fears of permanent cost inflation. But while low costs support a continued boom in renewables investments, there is concern among investors on profitability, grid integration, backup, and energy storage.

Government policies will play a crucial role going forward to support upgrading grid reliability, transmission capacity, and promoting battery storage to manage the intermittent nature of renewables.

CORNWALL

South Crofty tin mine project advances with early shaft refurbishment

Story by Hannah Baker

 • 

Cornish Metals drilling at South Crofty in Cornwall© www.cornishmetals.com

Mining exploration company Cornish Metals will bring forward its plans to refurbish a mine shaft at its South Crofty tin project.

The AIM-listed firm, which is working to revive production at the mine in Pool near Redruth, said on Monday (March 4) that after an assessment of the timbers in New Cooks Kitchen (NCK) shaft it had decided to start refurbishment ahead of schedule.

Cash raised from an offering completed in May 2022 will be re-allocated to fund the works on the NCK shaft, the firm added.

Cornish Metals said the refurbishment would “significantly improve” the functionality of NCK shaft and mean larger equipment would be able to access the mine at an earlier stage in its redevelopment. It also said it would ensure the safety of the mine as the company regained access to the underground workings.

Under the plans, the rate of mine dewatering has been reduced - with the water level being maintained - to allow shaft refurbishment and dewatering to proceed at the same time. Shaft refurbishment and mine dewatering are now expected to complete by the third quarter of 2025.

Cornish Metals said the cost saving of around £4m from reducing the rate of dewatering will cover the cost of shaft refurbishment during 2024.

Cornish Metals is funded for the remainder of 2024 and has said there is “no anticipated impact” on the overall cost of re-opening South Crofty arising from the re-phasing.

Richard Williams, chief executive and director of Cornish Metals, said: “Cornish Metals is committed to safe, efficient and cost-effective work practises and has, accordingly, brought forward the refurbishment of NCK shaft.

"This is a key milestone for the project and demonstrates the confidence both we as a company and our largest shareholders have in the future of South Crofty. Importantly, management believes the project remains on track for production by the end of 2026.”

Cornish Metals is looking to restart tin production at the mine, which closed in 1998 after 400 years of continuous production, by 2026.

Draslovka and Barrick Gold Revolutionize Mining with Glycine Leaching Technology, Slash Cyanide Use by 80%

Draslovka's GlyCat technology, implemented at Barrick Gold's Bulyanhulu mine, offers a sustainable and cost-effective solution for gold mining, reducing cyanide consumption by 80% while maintaining high recovery rates. This strategic partnership sets new standards for responsible mining practices worldwide.

Ebenezer Mensah
29 Feb 2024


Draslovka, a pioneer in sustainability-driven technologies, has initiated the commercial deployment of its groundbreaking Glycine Leaching Technology (GlyCat) at Barrick Gold Corporation's Bulyanhulu mine in Tanzania. This landmark move is part of a broader strategic alliance aimed at enhancing mining sustainability and efficiency across the globe.

Revolutionizing Gold Mining with GlyCat

The adoption of GlyCat technology at the Bulyanhulu Gold Mine signifies a monumental shift towards more sustainable and cost-effective mining practices. Glycine Leaching Technology (GLT), leveraging glycine, a non-toxic and biodegradable amino acid, promises a substantial reduction in cyanide consumption by 80% without compromising gold recovery rates. This innovation not only aligns with the industry's growing emphasis on environmental responsibility but also presents significant economic advantages by lowering detoxification requirements and expenses. Read more about the GlyCat technology and its benefits.

Strategic Partnership for a Sustainable Future

The collaboration between Draslovka and Barrick Gold Corporation extends beyond the implementation of GlyCat. It encompasses a comprehensive testing program slated for 2024 across various mining sites. This partnership reflects both entities' dedication to setting new benchmarks for responsible mining practices worldwide. Barrick Gold's commitment to environmental sustainability and operational efficiency is well-documented, with the company posting positive earnings and achieving a production record in 2022. Furthermore, it has recently entered into a significant agreement with federal and Balochistan governments for a new mining project, underscoring its leadership in the global mining sector. Discover more about Barrick Gold's recent achievements and future plans.

Implications for the Mining Industry

The successful application of GlyCat technology at Bulyanhulu and the subsequent expansion of its use across Barrick’s operations could potentially set a new industry standard for gold and metal recovery processes. By demonstrating that it is possible to maintain high recovery rates while significantly reducing the environmental impact and operational costs, Draslovka and Barrick are leading the way toward a more sustainable and economically viable mining future. This partnership not only highlights the practical benefits of Glycine Leaching Technology but also reinforces the mining industry's capacity for innovation and adaptability in response to global sustainability challenges.

As the mining industry continues to evolve, the integration of environmentally friendly technologies like GlyCat could play a pivotal role in shaping its future. The collaboration between Draslovka and Barrick Gold Corporation exemplifies the potential for strategic partnerships to drive significant progress in operational efficiency, cost reduction, and environmental stewardship. As such, this development is not just a win for the involved companies but a beacon of hope for the broader mining sector striving towards sustainability and responsible resource extraction.

Draslovka and Barrick Gold Commence Commercial Use of Glycine Leaching Technology for Gold Mining

• Commercial use of GlyCat™ at Barrick’s Buylanhulu operation in Tanzania

• 80% reduction in cyanide consumption with no change to recoveries

• Strategic partnership to include broader testing programme spanning
•  multiple sites

February 29, 2024 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

PRAGUE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Draslovka a.s ("Draslovka"), a provider of sustainability-led technologies, reagents and services for mining and the energy transition, has progressed its previously announced partnership with Barrick Gold Corporation ("Barrick") and today announces the start of commercial use of its revolutionary glycine leaching technology for gold, GlyCat™ (“GlyCat”), at Barrick’s Buylanhulu operation in Tanzania. In addition, Draslovka and Barrick’s strategic partnership will now include a broader testing programme in 2024 that will span multiple mining sites.

“The application of GlyCat technology within our operations has significant potential to deliver improved operational efficiencies and cost savings, whilst also improving our environmental legacy. Consequently, we are very pleased to embark upon this strategic partnership with Draslovka to take advantage of this innovative technology across our global operations.”

Post this

At Bulyanhulu Gold Mine, the GlyCat pilot programme has led to an 80% reduction in cyanide consumption while achieving gold recoveries that are comparable to traditional cyanidation. With GlyCat as part of the process, the mine’s tailings show undetectable levels of WAD and are free of cyanide, thereby reducing detoxification requirements and costs.

Pavel Bruzek Jr, CEO of Draslovka, commented: “This licensing agreement follows a highly successful pilot programme that proved the major benefits GlyCat offers to the gold mining industry. GlyCat provides significant economic and sustainability benefits at a time when the future of mining is conditional on cost savings, sustainable operations and securing social license to operate. I look forward to continuing to work with Barrick and am confident others in the sector will soon see that GlyCat is revolutionary and its development will enable a major shift for the gold mining industry through massive economic and environmental benefits. Barrick was the first major mining company to recognise the potential glycine leaching offers and it is a pleasure and honour to work with the team on its commitment to sustainable operations.”

Simon Bottoms, Barrick Mineral Resource Management & Evaluations Executive, added: “The application of GlyCat technology within our operations has significant potential to deliver improved operational efficiencies and cost savings, whilst also improving our environmental legacy. Consequently, we are very pleased to embark upon this strategic partnership with Draslovka to take advantage of this innovative technology across our global operations.”

About Draslovka

Draslovka a.s. (“Draslovka”) is a chemical technologies, products and services company creating value and improving sustainability in several industries, including mining, agriculture and manufacturing. Today, Draslovka is best known as the world’s largest producer of sodium cyanide, a chemical vital for gold mining however its most important contribution to the sector is its Glycine Leaching Technology (“GLT”), the company’s proprietary technology that leaches metals (including gold, copper, nickel and cobalt) in a more sustainable and economic manner. Draslovka also manufactures other specialist chemicals and reagents and provides class-leading chemical application services to the mining and pest control industries as well as AI-enabled support services.

About Glycine Leaching Technology

Glycine Leaching Technology (“GLT”) uses glycine, a non-toxic, recyclable and biodegradable amino acid that is commonly used as a food additive, to recover gold, copper, nickel and cobalt. GLT was inspired by nature when researchers at Curtin University in Perth observed plants absorbing gold and other metals out of the soil through the presence of glycine, which carries those metals through the soil and into the plant.

GLT has the capacity to revolutionise the mining industry and the potential to save mining companies billions of dollars. GLT significantly reduces processing costs, enhances a mine’s sustainability profile and can extend mine life by lowering the cut-off grade or unlocking value hidden in a mine’s tailings. GlyCatTM technology for Gold from the GLT product family dramatically reduces cyanide usage while also lowering or in some cases completely eliminating detoxification measures. In select ores, the process also results in higher recoveries.

In 2023, Barrick Gold rolled out a global testing and implementation programme with the goal of using GlyCatTM to unlock substantive savings and generate value for its operations while also improving its environmental footprint.

About Barrick Gold

Barrick’s mission is to be the world’s most valued gold and copper mining business by finding, developing, and owning the best assets, with the best people, to deliver sustainable returns for our owners and partners.

Barrick is a sector-leading gold and copper producer, operating mines and projects in 18 countries in North and South America, Africa, Papua New Guinea and Saudi Arabia.

Barrick’s portfolio spans the world’s most prolific gold and copper districts and is focused on high-margin, long-life assets, with a highly diversified workforce drawn almost entirely from host nations and equipped with world-class skills.

The company’s shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GOLD, and on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ABX.

Fleet Space joins Stanford Mineral-X program

March 4, 2024
Staff reporter



New research focused on improving mineral drill targeting using satellite connectivity and space-enabled geophysical sensors will be conducted at Stanford University in California, USA, under a collaboration with Australia’s Fleet Space Technologies.

Fleet Space, a privately-owned Adelaide firm, says it has worked with at least 35 mining and exploration companies, including Rio Tinto and Barrick Gold, on sub-surface surveys on five continents. It describes itself as a leader in space-enabled mineral exploration, with rapid relaying of results from its ExoSphere ambient noise tomography surveys enabled by its growing satellite constellation.

ExoSphere could deliver 3D subsurface models in days, rather than months with other methods.

The company has been named as an industrial affiliate of Stanford’s Mineral-X program.

“By engaging with Stanford University’s faculty and scientists at Mineral-X, Fleet Space will engage in joint research on technological innovation to accelerate sustainable mineral discovery in support of the global clean energy transition,” the company said.

Fleet Space chief scientist Gerrit Olivier said scalable 3D geophysical methods stood out as “the cornerstone for breakthroughs in exploration efficiency” in an era marked by declining mineral exploration success rates and rising demand for raw materials.

“These methods provide a vital foundation for multi-physics and ML technologies to enhance exploration success,” Olivier said.

Dr Jef Caers, professor of earth sciences at Stanford and founder of Mineral-X, said the university was “thrilled to work with Fleet Space to accelerate the development of a resilient supply chain for the minerals needed for clean energy innovation globally”.

“The technology developed by Fleet Space provides critical innovations in geophysical imaging needed to map orebodies with an accuracy not possible with current airborne and surface methods.”

As well as its terrestrial activities, Fleet Space said last November a variant of its ExoSphere technology, called SPIDER, would be deployed on the Moon as part of a NASA Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative to search for water ice deposits and deliver subsurface insight about the lunar regolith in 2026.

Recharge buys ‘highly sought-after’ Newnham Lake uranium project

4TH MARCH 2024 BY: CREAMER MEDIA REPORTER

Australia-listed Recharge Metals on Monday announced a binding agreement to acquire 100% of Newnham Lake uranium project in the Athabasca basin of Canada.

“The ongoing collaboration between Recharge and DGRM, which vended our Express lithium project, has forged a strong working relationship over the last year, resulting in the valuable opportunity for Recharge to successfully bid for the highly sought after Newnham Lake uranium project in the Athabasca basin,” commented Recharge MD Felicity Repacholi.

Historical drilling at Newnham Lake has confirmed the presence of uranium inthe system. However, drilling has only focused on the shallow Athabasca basin unconformity, with minimal drilling done in the underlying basement rocks.

“Advancements in the understanding of basement-hosted mineralisation has helped uncover some spectacular deposits, such as NexGen’s Arrow deposit. This basement-hosted geological model adds weight to the prospectivity of Newnham
Lake, as does the scale of the coincident low resistivity anomaly which is analogous to Arrow, and will be Recharge’s primary target,” said Repacholi.

Newnham Lake is near the north-east margin of the Athabasca basin and is about 56 km north-west of TSX-V-listed IsoEnergy’s Hurricane deposit, which has an indicated resource of 48.6-million pounds of uranium oxide (U3O8), based on 63 800 t grading 34.5% U3O8.

Recharge has received firm commitments for a A$1.44-million share placement to fund the acquisition and accelerate exploration activities at Newnham Lake project, with an additional A$50 000 to be placed to directors, subject to shareholder approval.