GOLD production of 22,489 ounces during the September quarter at Kingsgate Consolidated’s Chatree project was lower than the previous quarter owing to lower grades during a planned mine cut back phase. Total cash cost per ounce was US$879, including royalty of US$93 per ounce.

OPERATIONS have resumed at Kingsgate Consolidated’s Chatree Gold Project following unsubstantiated claims that slightly elevated levels of arsenic and manganese in some members of the local community were attributable to the mining operation. Operations resumed on February 27 and the mine quickly ramped up to full capacity.

AUSTRALIA’S FYI Resources has lodged applications for special prospecting licences (SPL) covering potential high grade potash targets in Thailand’s northeast. FYI says Thailand is a net importer of fertilizer for its considerable agricultural industries.

AS part of the process to expedite the return of the Pike River Mine back to the New Zealand Department of Conservation, Australian auction company Hassalls will be selling the remaining Pike River Mine plant assets via global expressions of interest throughout April, May and June of 2015.

KINGSGATE Consolidated advises that, despite its best efforts, it has been unable to achieve any settlement of its claim against the Kingdom of Thailand for the unlawful expropriation of the Chatree Gold Mine. Accordingly, it has commenced arbitration proceedings against the government under the Australia-Thailand Free Trade Agreement.

AN ongoing program of optimizing operations at Kingsgate Consolidated’s Chatree Gold Project is paying dividends with a strong production performance in the December quarter. There were 34,221 ounces of gold produced in the quarter - 6% higher than the previous quarter.

THE new Caterpillar facility in Thailand has exclusively used Konecranes for the design, installation and servicing of more than 70 overhead and jib cranes. The new facility in Rayong has been operating since February 2013 and is used for assembly of medium-sized D5, D6, D7 and D8 tractors.

METAL Tiger has exercised its option to take 90% control of an exploration joint venture in Thailand focused on gold, antimony and copper. The UK-based company has now acquired outright its joint venture with Southeast Asia Mining (SEAM) for total consideration of US$50,000.

METAL Tiger has delayed the planned listing of KEMCO, which will hold its silver-lead-zinc mines in Thailand, until the first quarter of 2018. The reason for the delay is uncertainty as to how the new Thai Minerals Act will impact the joint venture’s in-country operations.

METAL Tiger has completed a pre-flotation financing of its new Thai mining joint venture to be called Kemco. The financing raised £514,000, payment of which will be triggered when the company lists on AIM later this year.

METAL Tiger has started exploration at its Chanthaburi joint venture property in southeast Thailand. Company chairman Terry Grammer and CEO Cameron Parry agreed on an initial exploration program during a recent site visit.

METAL Tiger PLC’s 90%-owned subsidiary Southeast Asia Exploration and Mining (SEAM) has identified a new copper target area in southeast Thailand. SEAM made the discovery as part of its exploration and has lodged three contiguous special prospecting licence applications (SPLAs) covering 48sqkm in Prachinburi province.

THE Reung Kiet project in southern Thailand is the only lithium project in South East Asia outside China. Reung Kiet is held by Pan Asia Metals, a private Singapore company that plans to list on London’s AIM market in the first half of 2018.

PAN Asia Metals is undertaking a drill program at the Reung Kiet Lithium Project and Khao Soon Tungsten Project. The program is being carried out in preparation for an Initial Public Offering of the company in quarter two of 2018.

SOUTHEAST Asia Mining Corp’s (SEA) joint venture partners have agreed to an extension of the second option payment from January 31, 2014 to July 15, 2014 as required pursuant to its joint venture agreement. SEA may exercise the second option by making a US$2.5 million payment to its partners prior to July 15, 2014.

Operations have resumed at Kingsgate Consolidated’s Chatree Gold Project following unsubstantiated claims that slightly elevated levels of arsenic and manganese in some members of the local community were attributable to the mining operation. Operations resumed on February 27 and the mine quickly ramped up to full capacity.

ECR Minerals plc advises that a two week extension has been agreed for the due diligence period in respect of the proposed acquisition of Mae Fah Mining Co Ltd and the Phang Nga lithium-tantalum-tin project in Thailand.

ECR Minerals has secured the conditional right to acquire an option over 98% ownership of Mae Fah Mining Co Ltd, a company incorporated in Thailand which has been granted two Special Prospecting Licences (SPLs) relating to contiguous areas in Phang Nga Province, southern Thailand. These areas are prospective for lithium, tantalum and tin.

Australia’s FYI Resources has lodged applications for special prospecting licences (SPL) covering potential high grade potash targets in Thailand’s northeast. FYI says Thailand is a net importer of fertilizer for its considerable agricultural industries.

Metal Tiger will start follow up work at its Chanthaburi joint venture exploration tenement in Thailand after encouraging initial findings. It says that soil sample assays indicate two anomalous areas highlighting there is gold in soil in the northern part of the area, while the antinomy and arsenic present is coincident with a large-scale regional structure.