major manganese mine set for growth spurt , page-2

Apologies - forgot another reference:

Samancor Manganese approves expansion of GEMCO mine

Reuters reported that the world's largest manganese mine the GEMCO operation in northern Australia is set to boost annual output to 4.8 million tonnes from 4.2 million from late 2013.

BHP Billiton, 60% shareholder in Samancor Manganese, which owns the GEMCO mine on Groote Eylandt, off north
Australia, said that there is also scope to increase production further to 5.9 million tonnes.

Mr Tom Schutte, head of BHP Billiton's manganese businesses, said in a statement that "The first phase expansion confirmed GEMCO's status as the world's largest and lowest cost producer of manganese ore. This second expansion will further enhance GEMCO's competitive advantages and create additional options for growth."
BHP added that "The expansion will also address infrastructure constraints by increasing road and port capacity to 5.9 million tonnes per annum, creating 1.1 million tonnes per annum of latent capacity for future expansions."

The GEMCO mine accounts for more than 15% of the world's high grade manganese ore production with about 70% of its
output exported. Manganese is a used to make stainless steel.

(Sourced from www.reuters.com)

http://www.steelguru.com/sfTCPDF/getPDF/MjE3NDU1/Samancor_Manganese_approves_expansion_of_GEMCO_mine.html
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2012 could be the best year so far for manganese producers

MINING.com Editor | February 1, 2012
http://www.mining.com/2012/02/01/2012-could-be-the-best-year-so-far-for-manganese-producers/
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Just some food for thought about what is going on with NTM holdup. One company allowed to expand and minor competition not permitted to start.

MS