VANCOUVER — Ero Copper (TSX: ERO; US-OTC: ERRPF) is on track to become Canada’s next intermediate copper producer after a $110.6-million initial public offering (IPO) on the Toronto Stock Exchange where it issued 23.3 million shares at $4.75 each
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The Tucumã copper project was approved for construction in February 2023 and commenced construction in Q2 2023
The Tucumã copper project (formerly Boa Esperanca project) is an open-pit mine in Pará
The Boa Esperance deposit concession was acquired by Mineracao Caraiba (MCSA) from Nacional del Cobre (Codelco) in 2007
Ero Copper acquired an approximately 85% interest in MCSA in December 2016 and an additional 14.5% in December 2017
An optimised feasibility study for the project was completed in September 2021
The study highlighted a mine life of 12 years and an investment of $294.2m
The project was approved for construction in February 2022 and construction works commenced in the second quarter of the same year
First production from the mine is expected in the second half of 2024
The project is expected to produce approximately 35,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of copper concentrates for the first five years and up to 27,000tpa over the rest of the mine life
The Tucumã copper project is situated within the Carajas mineral province
approximately 40km south-west Tucuma in Pará
The Carajas mineral province is divided by two distinct Archean tectonic domains – Carajas and Rio Maria
The base and precious metal bearing Carajas domain is associated with granitic rocks
The Rio Maria domain is host to Mesoarchean granite and greenstone belts that are intruded by Archean granitoids
with Paleoproterozoic fissure-controlled volcanic rocks
The Tucumã copper deposit occurs within a north-northeast trending isolated hill
Mineralisation is hosted in a Neoarchean biotite-granite intersected by breccias composed of quartz and magnetite
The proven and probable mineral reserves at the Tucumã copper project are estimated at 43.05Mt grading 0.83% copper
The Tucumã copper project will be operated as a conventional open-pit mine with diesel mining equipment
The plan involves a single mine area with consecutive mining phases or pushbacks
Mining will be carried out in 8m benches using 5.2m³/3.9m³ (waste/ore) backhoe configured excavator and 38t conventional trucks and double flitching to improve selectivity
Fresh rock in interim and final slopes will utilise a 16m double bench
Mining operations are planned to be conducted in two phases
Phase one will consist of pre-production and five years of production through contract mining
Phase two will begin in year six with owner equipment and labour
The processing plant for the Tucumã copper project is designed based on a nominal operating capacity of four million tonnes per annum
The run-of-mine (ROM) ore will undergo primary crushing in a conventional three-stage crushing circuit consisting of a primary single jaw crusher
The crushed ore will be transferred to a grinding circuit consisting of a ball mill and a discharge screen in a closed circuit with a classifying cyclone cluster
The copper flotation circuit will consist of a conventional rougher flotation stage followed by rougher concentrate regrind to further reduce the size of the concentrate
a Jameson cleaner scalper stage and two stages of cleaner flotation to produce the final copper concentrate
Copper concentrates from the rougher flotation cells will be combined with the cleaner scavenger concentrate and pumped to the regrind mill cyclone cluster
The regrind circuit will consist of a regrind cyclone cluster in an open circuit with the regrind mill
Tailings from the rougher flotation circuit will be combined with copper cleaner scavenger tailings and fed directly to the pyrite flotation circuit
The tailings will be fed to a bank of six flotation cells to separate the pyrite concentrate
The final concentrate from the copper flotation circuit will be dewatered in the dewatering circuit comprised of a high-rate thickener
filter feed tank and a vertical plate pressure filter
The concentrate will be dewatered to reduce the moisture to approximately 10% solids (by weight)
The concentrate will be fed to a high-rate thickener and then filtered in a conventional vertical plate pressure filter
The resulting copper concentrate product will be stored for export
The project can be accessed by road from Ourilandia do Norte and Tucumã state highway PA-150
Power will be supplied by Equatorial Energia Para
the public electricity supplier for the region
138kV power line is proposed to connect to the Tucuma substation
Process water will be drawn from Jataba Creek and will be stored in a raw water reservoir
The stored water will also serve as the raw water
gland water and potable water for use within the project
The 2021 feasibility study was prepared by Ausenco Engineering Canada
an affiliate of Australia-based engineering company Ausenco
Ausenco was also responsible for mineral processing and metallurgical testing, processing design
External analytical control data containing the assay results of the quality control samples for the project was provided by MCSA
SRK Consulting was contracted to prepare the feasibility study
provided the mineral reserve estimates and mine plan for the Tucumã copper project
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16 years old Clinton Dongala Carlos was shot dead at around 6:50 pm in the Boa Esperança 1 neighbourhood
Clinton had just finished dinner at his aunt’s house and was returning home
including two FAA members and one PNA agent
who was running towards his home and shot him in the back
probably realizing that the boy was ‘innocent’
asked neighbours for water and poured it in his face
The neighbours who were in hiding heard a second shot
the neighbours saw that Clinton had just been shot in the face
Clinton’s neighbours and family members broke into the homes of police officers who allegedly murdered Clinton and destroyed their belongings
Three neighbours and four family members of Clinton were arrested and taken to the 41st police station
they were transferred to Cacuaco Municipal Command where they were held for 14 days
the seven people were released without charges after paying a deposit of 140,000 Kwanzas (approximately 250 USD)
Clinton’s parents told Amnesty International and OMUNGA that the police informed them that the officers suspected of criminal responsibility for Clinton’s murder were in prison
but they have not received other information about the procedure against them
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A young girl lights a candle and places it on the grave of Sr
The pilgrims cross the Anapu River at the start of the 10th Romaria da Floresta
A view from behind some of the pilgrims as they stretch across one of the hills along the route of the Romaria da Floresta
On the third day of the Romaria we entered into areas where the forest had not been clear-cut
and the sounds of birds filled the air along with the fresh smell of the forest
The memorial built on the road where Sister Dorothy was murdered is marked by a cross with her name
View Author Profile
Eleven years ago on February 12, 2005, Sr. Dorothy Stang, my sister in the congregation of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
She was gunned down by assassins hired by local ranchers
Dorothy's tireless work for the rights of the dispossessed and the protection of the Amazon rainforest stood in the way of the profits of logging and cattle ranching
Since her murder, people gather each year in late July to remember Dorothy and to recommit to the work of justice and land reform by walking the Romaria da Floresta (Pilgrimage of the Forest), a 34-mile journey from Anapu, Pará, Brasil
where Dorothy is buried to the middle of a dirt road in the Boa Esperança Sustainable Development Project where she was murdered
Last July I had the opportunity to go to Brazil and walk the same roads Sister Dorothy walked in her last days
to walk with the people for whom she lived and died
Over 200 people took part in this 10th pilgrimage: families and friends who knew Dorothy
priests and sisters from many dioceses and religious congregations
and to ponder questions that connected the ongoing struggle for justice to our lives of faith
up and down the hills that led us through mile after mile of land that only two decades ago was lush rain forest
I saw the remnants of trees in hastily cleared acres
Because the soil can only sustain cattle grass for a few years
We rested each day between noon and three because the intensity of the sun in the areas that have been clear-cut is too much to bear
told the first Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur that their hearts needed to be as wide as the world
My heart became a bit wider on that road through the graced encounters with those with whom I walked
Even after we've returned to the familiar external landscapes of our lives
our interior landscapes have been reshaped and do not go neatly back to the way they were
The Romaria da Floresta enfleshed the idea of journey for me
With my heart stretched and my feet aching
I felt my interior landscape shifting during the days of the journey
but I am realizing now that the greatest landscaping of my soul has been happening since I returned
seeds are scattered along the way that sprout and grow much later
In these days since returning from Brazil I find myself wrestling with what looked to me like hope in the people with whom I walked on the Romaria
It creates a certain amount of dissonance within me to experience hope in the midst of continued suffering and injustice
My Portuguese is limited to a few basic phrases
so I did not have the privilege of deep conversations along the way
I could only observe what I saw and what I felt as I walked
The hope of the people seemed to be expressed in the way they kept showing up in the struggle
families continue to work the land using the sustainable methods Sister Dorothy taught them
Despite the threats made on their families by large cattle ranchers or loggers illegally cutting the majestic hardwoods
despite having their homes burned to the ground or their crops ruined by ranchers sowing cattle grass in their fields
often the first in their families to ever have land of their own
embodied hope is the only way I can describe it
What I witnessed was a hope that seemed to be deeply rooted in the community
Walking alongside different people over the three days of Romaria
It felt rooted in knowing one's self as a part of a people
a people with a past and a people with a future
The hope I experienced during these days of pilgrimage was not neat and tidy. Rather it is life lived in the midst of a certain amount of chaos. It is not an optimism that everything is going to work out. It felt like a profound trust that, despite challenges and tragedies, this journey will continue. I felt the kind of hope Vaclav Havel described as "an orientation of the heart."
People will gather again in July to walk the Romaria da Floresta for an 11th time
they will tell the stories of Sister Dorothy and many others who have been killed
embodying hope as they show up again to show that another world is possible when we know all people as brothers and sisters
Julie left us a strong heritage to be with the poor in their struggle for a more just existence." May our hearts continue to be landscaped ever wider and deeper so that we too can grow into a hopeful presence
knowing ourselves as sister and brother to all people and all creation
works with young adults to provide ways to connect to the charism and mission of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur
She is a member of the Ohio Province Leadership Team and Vocation Ministry
in a community of Notre Dame Mission Volunteers and Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur.]
By Metro Report International2022-03-08T16:01:00+00:00
BRAZIL: Metrô São Paulo has signed a contract with Consórcio Expresso Boa Esperança for the construction of a two-station extension of monorail Line 15 from Jardim Colonial to Jacu Pêssego
after challenges by four rival consortia which had submitted lower or similar bids were dismissed by the courts
Consórcio Expresso Boa Esperança is a consortium of Construtora Queiroz Galvão and MPO Soluções
The contractor will extend Line 15 by 3 km and build the Boa Esperança and Jacu Pêssego stations
as well as a second maintenance depot at Ragueb Chohfi
and currently runs for 14·6 km from São Mateus to Jardim Colonial
The municipality has plans to extend the line at both ends
eastwards from Jacu Pêssego to Cidade Tiradentes and west from Vila Prudente to an interchange with metro Line 10 at Ipiranga
The line was last extended by 1·8 km and one station to Jardim Colonial in December 2021
BRAZIL: The first of the 19 seven-car monorail trainsets that CRRC Puzhen Alstom Transportation Systems is supplying for São Paulo’s Line 15-Silver has been unveiled at the manufacturer’s plant in Wuhu
It is now being shipped from the port of Shanghai to Santos with scheduled ..
BRAZIL: Chinese manufacture BYD has unveiled the first monorail trainset for São Paulo Line 17 at its factory in Shenzhen
BYD SkyRail São Paulo and Metro do São Paulo signed a contract for the supply of 14 five-car trainsets
BRAZIL: São Paulo’s Metrô has approved an order for 19 Innovia 300 monorail trains to be supplied by CRRC Puzhen Alstom Transportation Systems
This will expand the Line 15 fleet to 46 sets to enable a reduction in headways and handle the increase in ridership which ..
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NYSE: ERO) (“Ero” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its operating and financial results for the three months ended March 31
Management will host a conference call tomorrow
Dial-in details for the call can be found near the end of this press release
“Our vision of high-return organic growth took several critical steps forward during the first quarter," said David Strang
"Following the announcement of our strategy to double copper production by 2025
we successfully bolstered our liquidity position to support the execution of these growth plans and received Board approval to construct the Boa Esperança Project
we made significant progress at the MCSA Mining Complex on our Pilar 3.0 initiative
which included securing key long-lead items such as the third ball mill and shaft winder
advancing shaft construction and new surface installations
and completing the installation of our Cooling Project
Successful execution of these initiatives is expected to allow us to increase mining and processing capacity to accommodate significantly higher planned throughput in the years ahead
"Despite these significant positive developments
the first quarter was not without challenges
In addition to an underlying strengthening of the Brazilian Real during the first quarter
our operating costs faced the same inflationary headwinds experienced globally across all industries
While many of the challenges related to costs are externally driven
we are focused on continuing to improve our operating efficiencies through existing programs and by investing in new technologies applicable across all areas of our business
we are taking a cautious approach and currently guiding to the higher end of our full-year operating cost guidance ranges
"Highlighting our pursuit of continuous improvement
we commenced an engineering initiative last year
that is already delivering significant near-term value for our operations
Through this initiative our engineering teams
supported by our geology and exploration group
have developed a comprehensive program to identify and recover high-grade stopes at the Pilar Mine that were left behind by previous operators decades ago
While the addition of Project Honeypot stopes to the mine plan are expected to be gradual
we anticipate a positive impact on mined copper grades commencing in the second quarter of 2022
These contributions are expected to drive higher copper production through the remainder of the year and
we are currently guiding to the high-end of our full-year production guidance range."
Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company
Adjusted net income per share attributable to owners of the Company
C1 cash cost per ounce of gold produced and All-in Sustaining Costs (“AISC”) per ounce of gold produced are non-IFRS measures – see the Notes section of this press release for additional information
C1 cash cost per pound of copper produced are net of by-product credits from metal produced at the MCSA Mining Complex
AISC per ounce of gold produced are net of by-product credits from metal produced at the NX Gold Mine
Adjusted net income (loss) attributable to owners of the Company
Adjusted net income (loss) per share attributable to owners of the Company
C1 cash cost of gold produced (per ounce) and AISC of gold produced (per ounce) are non-IFRS measures – see the Notes section of this press release for a discussion on non-IFRS Measures
The Company is reaffirming its full-year production
cost and capital expenditure guidance as detailed in the tables below
the Company is guiding to the high-end of its full- year copper production guidance range
Increased copper production is expected to result from higher mining rates at the Pilar Mine relative to the first quarter as well as improved grades due to planned stope sequencing and mining of an initial stope within the Project Honeypot zone
Higher mined and processed volumes from the Surubim Mine are also expected to contribute to higher copper production volumes through the balance of the year
Unit operating costs during the first quarter were affected by inflation in the cost of key consumables and impacted by the strengthening of the BRL versus the US dollar
While unit costs are expected to benefit through the remainder of the year from higher copper and gold production
based upon the influence of first quarter operating costs
the Company is currently guiding to the higher end of its full- year operating cost guidance ranges
The Company's cost guidance for 2022 assumes a USD:BRL foreign exchange rate of 5.30
a gold price of $1,725 per ounce and a silver price of $20.00 per ounce
(1) C1 Cash Costs and AISC are a non-IFRS measure - see the Notes section of this press release for additional information
The Company's capital expenditure guidance for 2022 assumes a USD:BRL foreign exchange rate of 5.30 and has been presented below in USD millions
(*) Guidance is based on certain estimates and assumptions
grade and continuity of interpreted geological formations and metallurgical performance
Please refer to the Company’s SEDAR and EDGAR filings
including the Company's most recent Annual Information Form
The Company will hold a conference call on Tuesday
2022 at 11:30 am Eastern time (8:30 am Pacific time) to discuss these results
The Company utilizes certain alternative performance (non-IFRS) measures to monitor its performance
including C1 cash cost of copper produced (per lb)
adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company
These performance measures have no standardized meaning prescribed within generally accepted accounting principles under IFRS and
amounts presented may not be comparable to similar measures presented by other mining companies
These non-IFRS measures are intended to provide supplemental information and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for measures of performance prepared in accordance with IFRS
C1 cash cost of copper produced (per lb) is a non-IFRS performance measure used by the Company to manage and evaluate the operating performance of its copper mining segment and is calculated as C1 cash costs divided by total pounds of copper produced during the period
C1 cash costs includes total cost of production
and certain tax credits relating to sales invoiced to the Company's Brazilian customer on sales
net of by-product credits and incentive payments
C1 cash cost of copper produced per pound is widely reported in the mining industry as benchmarks for performance but does not have a standardized meaning and is disclosed in supplement to IFRS measures
C1 cash cost of gold produced (per ounce) is a non-IFRS performance measure used by the Company to manage and evaluate the operating performance of its gold mining segment and is calculated as C1 cash costs divided by total ounces of gold produced during the period
C1 cash cost includes total cost of production
C1 cash cost of gold produced per ounce is widely reported in the mining industry as benchmarks for performance but does not have a standardized meaning and is disclosed in supplemental to IFRS measures
All-in Sustaining Cost of gold produced (per ounce)
All-in sustaining cost of gold produced (per ounce) is an extension of C1 cash cost of gold produced (per ounce) discussed above and is also a key performance measure used by management to evaluate operating performance of its gold mining segment
AISC of gold produced (per ounce) is calculated as AISC divided by total ounces of gold produced during the period
accretion of mine closure and rehabilitation provision
AISC of gold produced (per ounce) is widely reported in the mining industry as benchmarks for performance but does not have a standardized meaning and is disclosed in supplement to IFRS measures
depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) and Adjusted EBITDA
EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA are non-IFRS performance measures used by management to evaluate its debt service capacity and performance of its operations
EBITDA represents earnings before finance expense
Adjusted EBITDA is EBITDA before the pre-tax effect of adjustments for non-cash and/or non-recurring items required in determination of EBITDA under its revolving credit facility for covenant calculation purposes
Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company and Adjusted net income per share attributable to owners of the Company
“Adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company” is net income attributed to shareholders as reported
adjusted for certain types of transactions that
are not indicative of our normal operating activities or do not necessarily occur on a recurring basis
“Adjusted net income per share attributable to owners of the Company” (“Adjusted EPS”) is calculated as "adjusted net income attributable to owners of the Company" divided by weighted average number of outstanding common shares in the period
in addition to conventional measures prepared in accordance with IFRS
the Company and certain investor and analysts use these supplemental non-IFRS performance measures to evaluate the normalized performance of the Company
The presentation of Adjusted EPS is not meant to substitute the net income (loss) per share attributable to owners of the Company (“EPS”) presented in accordance with IFRS
but rather it should be evaluated in conjunction with such IFRS measures
Net (cash) debt is a performance measure used by the Company to assess its financial position and ability to pay down its debt
Net (cash) debt is determined based on cash and cash equivalents
net of loans and borrowings as reported in the Company’s condensed consolidated interim financial statements
Working capital is calculated as current assets less current liabilities as reported in the Company’s condensed consolidated interim financial statements
The Company uses working capital as a measure of the Company’s short-term financial health and ability to meet its current obligations using its current assets
Available liquidity is calculated as the sum of cash and cash equivalents
short-term investments and the undrawn amount available on its revolving credit facilities
The Company uses this information to evaluate the liquid assets available
CAUTION REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION AND STATEMENTS
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively
Forward-looking statements include statements that use forward-looking terminology such as “may”
“view” or the negative or grammatical variation thereof or other variations thereof or comparable terminology
statements with respect to the Company's guidance and/or outlook on future production
costs and capital expenditures; development plans
growth projects including development of the Deepening Extension Zone
and construction of the Boa Esperança mine; the Company’s expectations
the NX Gold Property and the Boa Esperança Property
development and production activities; the expected impact of Project Honeypot on future mine plans and production; and the significance and timing of any particular exploration program or result and the Company’s expectations for current and future exploration plans
Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance and are based upon a number of estimates and assumptions of management in light of management’s experience and perception of trends
current conditions and expected developments
as well as other factors that management believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances
as of the date of this press release including
assumptions about: continued effectiveness of the measures taken by the Company to mitigate the possible impact of COVID-19 on its workforce and operations; favourable equity and debt capital markets; the ability to raise any necessary additional capital on reasonable terms to advance the production
development and exploration of the Company’s properties and assets; future prices of copper and other metal prices; the timing and results of exploration and drilling programs; the accuracy of any mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates; the geology of the MCSA Mining Complex
NX Gold Property and the Boa Esperança Property being as described in the technical reports for these properties; production costs; the accuracy of budgeted exploration and development costs and expenditures; the price of other commodities such as fuel; future currency exchange rates and interest rates; operating conditions being favourable such that the Company is able to operate in a safe
efficient and effective manner; work force conditions to remain healthy in the face of prevailing epidemics
pandemics or other health risks (including COVID-19)
political and regulatory stability; the receipt of governmental
licenses and permits on favourable terms; obtaining required renewals for existing approvals
licenses and permits on favourable terms; requirements under applicable laws; sustained labour stability; stability in financial and capital goods markets; availability of equipment and critical supplies
spare parts and consumables; positive relations with local groups and the Company’s ability to meet its obligations under its agreements with such groups; and satisfying the terms and conditions of the Company’s current loan arrangements
While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable
the assumptions are inherently subject to significant business
contingencies and other factors that could cause actual actions
performance or achievements to be materially different from those projected in the forward-looking statements
Many assumptions are based on factors and events that are not within the control of the Company and there is no assurance they will prove to be correct
such forward-looking statements involve a variety of known and unknown risks
uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual plans
performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future plans
performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements
without limitation the risk factors listed under the heading “Risk Factors” in the Company's most recent Annual Information Form
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions
performance or achievements to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements
there may be other factors that cause actions
performance or achievements to differ from those anticipated
The Company cautions that the foregoing lists of important assumptions and factors are not exhaustive
Other events or circumstances could cause actual results to differ materially from those estimated or projected and expressed in
the forward-looking statements contained herein
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate
as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements
readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements
Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement
except as and to the extent required by applicable securities laws
CAUTIONARY NOTES REGARDING MINERAL RESOURCE AND MINERAL RESERVE ESTIMATES
In accordance with applicable Canadian securities regulatory requirements
all mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates of the Company disclosed in this press release have been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101 and are classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining
Metallurgy and Petroleum (“CIM”) Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves
NI 43-101 is a rule developed by the Canadian Securities Administrators that establishes standards for all public disclosure an issuer makes of scientific and technical information concerning mineral projects
NI 43-101 differs significantly from the disclosure requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) generally applicable to U.S
“indicated mineral resource” and “inferred mineral resource” are defined in NI 43-101
These definitions differ from the definitions in the disclosure requirements promulgated by the SEC
information contained in this press release may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S
companies reporting pursuant to SEC disclosure requirements
Mineral resources which are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability
mineral resources have a higher degree of uncertainty than mineral reserves as to their existence as well as their economic and legal feasibility
when compared with measured or indicated mineral resources
have the least certainty as to their existence
and it cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource as a result of continued exploration
inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of any economic analysis
readers are cautioned not to assume that all or any part of a mineral resource exists
will ever be converted into a mineral reserve
or is or will ever be economically or legally mineable or recovered
A Financial Times article explored the rapid transformation and economic boom experienced by Brazil’s central-west region
particularly in towns like Boa Esperança do Norte
This boom is characterized by significant growth in agriculture
with soybean production being a major driver
The region’s economy has witnessed remarkable expansion
evident in rising GDP and conspicuous consumption
the article also highlighted the looming threat posed by climate change
as evidenced by extreme weather events impacting agricultural productivity
Last year’s record-breaking heatwave and drought significantly affected crop yields
signaling potential challenges ahead for Brazil’s “agro” boom
Despite assurances from some locals attributing these issues to cyclical weather patterns like El Niño
there’s a growing recognition among experts and larger producers of the need to adapt to a changing climate
Investments in technologies like genetically modified seeds and soil management techniques are being considered to mitigate these risks
concerns linger regarding increased competition from other regions and countries
as well as shifting patterns in global demand
While optimism remains high among locals and officials
there’s acknowledgment of uncertainties and the need for resilience in the face of evolving market dynamics and environmental challenges
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Someone arriving at Fazenda Mário Ferreira might think he or she was suddenly transported to somewhere in Iowa or Kansas
It doesn't look like a typical Brazilian farm
situated around crop-covered gentle hills with grain elevators visible in the distance
with an asphalt road well into the impeccably clean farming facilities and manicured lawns
It is only when Mário Ferreira de Souza activates the hangar power door from his cellphone to reveal two immaculate EMB-202 Ipanemas inside that you confirm you’re still in Brazil - in Boa Esperança
Mário Ferreira de Souza comes from a farming family from Primeiro de Maio
a city in Paraná right next to the border of the state of São Paulo
Mário’s family had no farm and used to rent land to grow their crops
he co-owned an ultralight aircraft with an uncle
even before he finished his private pilot course at the Aeroclube de Campo Mourão
Mário is actually fond of dealing with aircraft
he started an ag operation called Aviação Agrícola Boa Esperança Ltda
With a nephew who is an ag pilot as a partner
As Mário’s son João Paulo Ferreira de Souza grew up
Márioi expected him to follow his steps and help him in the ag aviation business
He wanted to get a degree in computer science
This caused an estrangement between father and son
João Paulo changed his mind and went to the Aeroclube de Londrina for his private pilot course
which he started in 2010 and finished in 2011
Mário bought a Cessna 140 for João Paulo to build time for his commercial pilot license and ag school
Mário says this is the cheapest way to obtain the required flight experience
as the airplane holds its value when you sell it
and in 2012 he took his ag school course at the Aeroclube de Ponta Grossa
Mário’s nephew and partner in Aviação Agrícola Boa Esperança decided to go his own way
so Mário and João Paulo started a new company
It is based on Fazenda Mário Ferreira and operates out of a 700-meter private grass strip (SNYY)
Like all the facilities and equipment on the farm
Mário took care of the farm and the administrative chores of the ag operation while João Paulo flew
Mário got his aerial applicator license at the Aeroclube de Ibitinga ag school
becoming one of Brazil's few private pilots with an ag rating
Ferreira & Souza has had several different ag planes
and an Air Tractor AT-402A they operated for two years
many Ferreira & Souza customers in Boa Esperança bought large ground rigs
reducing the demand for aerial applications
Mário and João Paulo had to look for other clients to keep their operation flying and found them in Naviraí
about 150 miles northwest of Boa Esperança
Mário and João Paulo built a base with a hangar and a strip in a farm that belongs to their largest customer
most of their customers are neighboring farms
so they fly out of only three satellite strips in addition to the base strip
Ferreira & Souza operates two EMB-202 Ipanemas with Zanoni spray equipment
They use rotary atomizers to spray insecticides and fungicides at 1.2 and 1.25 GPA - the 0.05 “extra” GPA being for easier figures when spraying fields in “requires,” an ancient area measure roughly equivalent to 5.93 acres that are still used in the state of Paraná
Ferreira & Souza does not spray herbicides
with the remaining 30% around their home base in Boa Esperança
Crops sprayed are mostly soybeans and corn
Once split over João Paulo's professional plans
planning the future of Ferreira & Souza Aeroagrícola
They were recently joined by Maurivan Oliveira
a former loader who obtained his private and commercial licenses in the Aeroclube de Toledo
He then saved for three years to pay for ag school
which he attended in 2015 in the Aeroclube de Ponta Grossa
He then flew a difficult season in the state of Pará (in the Brazilian Amazon) before finding a seat in an operation in the state of São Paulo
where he flew for six years and got to fly an Air Tractor AT-402A
Mário flying his own crops and João Paulo and Maurivan flying full-time for the other customers
their expansion plans for Ferreira & Souza Aeroagrícola will certainly succeed
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NYSE: ERO) (“Ero” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce its financial results for the three and twelve months ended December 31
“2021 marked another exceptional year for Ero
In addition to delivering record copper production and financial results
our team made significant progress in solidifying transformational organic growth plans
placing the Company in a strong position to execute on initiatives targeting approximately 100,000 tonnes of annual copper production and 60,000 ounces of annual gold production by 2025
subsequent to year-end we bolstered our balance sheet with a $400 million senior unsecured notes offering
providing ample liquidity to fund our organic growth plans over the coming years
we will be focused on commencing the construction of the Boa Esperança Project
further advancing construction of the external shaft of the Pilar Mine
an integral component of our Pilar 3.0 initiative
and continuing to grow our asset base through ongoing exploration
we are excited to solidify our position as one of the world's cleanest and fastest growing copper producers
With decarbonization and tightening emission standards expected to drive significant copper demand growth in the years ahead
our fully-funded growth strategy leaves us well-positioned to be at the forefront of low carbon-intensive copper production.”
Copper production guidance from the MCSA Mining Complex of 43,000 to 46,000 tonnes of copper in concentrate is expected to come from the Pilar and Vermelhos underground mines as well as the Surubim open pit mine
Total ore processed of approximately 3.0 million tonnes at a blended grade of 1.60% copper is expected to be comprised of 1.8 million tonnes at 1.50% copper from the Pilar Mine
900,000 tonnes at 2.05% copper from the Vermelhos Mine
and 300,000 tonnes at 0.75% copper from the Surubim Mine
Gold production guidance from the NX Gold Mine for 2022 of 39,000 to 42,000 ounces is expected to come from the Santo Antônio Vein based on total ore processed of approximately 168,000 tonnes at a gold grade of 8.00 grams per tonne
The Company's Annual Report on Form 40-F for the year ended December 31
2021 will be filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov) by March 30
The Company will hold a conference call on Wednesday
net of loans and borrowings as reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements
Working capital is calculated as current assets less current liabilities as reported in the Company’s consolidated financial statements
short- term investments and the undrawn amount available on its revolving credit facilities
and creation of a two-mine system at the Pilar Mine
development and production activities; and the significance and timing of any particular exploration program or result and the Company’s expectations for current and future exploration plans
Editor’s note: This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
BRAZIL — The nun walks along the muddy jungle road
But she is nothing like the nuns you see in movies: she does not wear a habit or walk with her hands clasped reverently behind her back
She does not spend her days in quiet contemplation
She rides a motorcycle and camps in the jungle
but she doesn’t know that today she is being followed
Her name is Sister Dorothy Stang and she is from Dayton
When she first arrived here in the Brazilian Amazon
She loved walking in the shadows beneath the towering canopy
where the air was thick and musky with the scent of jungle
Now it is February of 2005 and the forest is vanishing
She is headed to a village called Boa Esperança
It is a sort of experiment to prove that farming and rainforest preservation can go hand and hand
This has made Sister Dorothy powerful enemies
Boa Esperança is on disputed land and wealthy families here lay claim to it
From the shadows two men emerge on the road
They block her path and ask if she has any weapons
She opens to her favorite scripture and begins to read
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,” she reads
The gunmen listen as she continues to read
From hundreds of feet above, the Amazon rainforest seems to never end. There are muddy rivers crisscrossing through the jungle, cities and towns and villages that are home to 30 million people, and a vast sea of green, where indigenous tribes — some never contacted by the outside world — have lived for millennia. The sheer size of the Amazon basin
nearly the size of the continental United States
In the burning season, which lasts from June through August, smoke covers parts of the forest, making it difficult to see from above. This year the fires were so bad they captured the world’s attention. Celebrities posted pictures on Instagram. The president of France offered help. “Our house is burning,” he tweeted
In June I traveled to the arc of deforestation for the Deseret News
I wanted to see what remained of Sister Dorothy’s legacy
and how much longer the forest she gave her life for would stand
the picture of what’s happening there comes into focus
It pits peasant farmers against cattle barons
multinational soy conglomerates against the indigenous
It is a battle for the future of the world’s most important rainforest
It is a battle that cost Sister Dorothy her life
It’s also part of a much broader conflict playing out across the globe, in places remote and often forgotten: near villages in Indonesia and the Congo and the Philippines, over coal and pineapple, timber and gold. As agribusiness and mining advance, forests are vanishing. In 2017 alone, 39 million acres of tropical forests disappeared
This is the equivalent of losing 40 football fields of trees every minute for an entire year
Nowhere are the stakes higher than in the Amazon
which contains 40 percent of the world’s rainforest and 10 to 15 percent of the planet’s biodiversity
an area of forest larger than France has been lost
Scientists warn that if another 3 to 8 percent disappears
we could reach an irreversible tipping point
The forces that drive deforestation mirror the march of modern civilization across every continent
It’s a story familiar to anyone with a rudimentary understanding of the American West: of poor farmers seeking opportunity flocking to the frontier
and moneyed interests competing for precious natural resources
This was the dynamic in the Amazon when Sister Dorothy arrived in the 1970s
Sister Dorothy’s death drew international attention and was seen as a test of Brazil’s justice system in the Amazon
which has long had a reputation for corruption
rural activists and religious workers had been killed in skirmishes over land in the 20 years before her death
according to the Catholic Pastoral Land Commission
Only a handful of killers had ever been prosecuted
Conservationists hoped Sister Dorothy’s death would be a catalyst for change
In some ways it was: the Brazilian government sent 2,000 troops to the area
declared a ban on logging on 20 million acres
and established two more federally protected parts of the forest
Her killers were convicted and sentenced to prison
But in recent years, as deforestation has begun to escalate after a near decade of decline, so has violence. According to Global Witness, a nonprofit that tracks land conflicts, Brazil was the most dangerous place in the world in 2017 for this type of conflict
18 people have died in land disputes near Anapu
Anapu sits in the northern end of the Xingu Basin
a once majestic stretch of forest marked by glittering rivers and thick jungle
Missionaries and explorers searching for El Dorado came here centuries ago
followed by slave traders and rubber trappers
I had been told that to understand what was happening in the Amazon
I needed to understand Brazil’s history here
deforestation was on the rise all over region
The farmers were emboldened by the new president
who had signaled he would not prosecute those who illegally cleared the forest
I found the home of Sister Jane Dwyer on a dirt road not far from the city center
Decorated with statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus
it sat behind a yellow picket fence that seemed to sag in the humid tropical heat
Despite death threats after Sister Dorothy’s killing
the military dictatorship that ruled the country was pushing to settle the Amazon
If Brazil’s portion of the Amazon wasn’t tamed
neighboring countries would invade and plunder its resources
And so the government agreed to give farmers land if they would clear forest and make it productive
They flew families into the jungle and dropped them off
“It was all trees and forest and they were mostly people from other parts of Brazil who didn’t have a clue how to live in the Amazon,” Sister Jane said
Hundreds of miles away from the state capital
isolated by muddy roads nearly impossible to navigate during the rainy season
there was little in the way of impartial courts or police to intervene as conflicts began to escalate between peasants and wealthy landowners
Sister Dorothy believed that the answer to growing inequality and the displacement of the poor lie in a concept called liberation theology
written by a Peruvian priest named Gustavo Gutierrez
and the only way to truly understand the Bible is through their perspective
They believed this was the essence of Jesus’ message
helping the poor meet their immediate needs
It would also mean calling out the “sinful” structures fueling economic inequality throughout Latin America
our work is defined by this idea of walking with the poor
they turned their focus to organizing and educating peasant groups about Brazilian land reform
land that had been illegally cleared and was not productive could be re-appropriated
Studying maps marking indigenous reserves and conservation units
Sister Dorothy petitioned the Brazilian government to turn this land over to peasant farmers
some of whom had been kicked off their land by loggers and cattle ranchers
and help peasants make a living farming small plots and extracting high value timber without deforestation
This marked a dramatic departure from standard farming methods in the Amazon
Farmers do this as a final stage of clearing forest for pasture
but because the soil in the Amazon depends on the thick forest canopy
without tree cover it’s quickly degraded: most cattle pastures cleared from the forest are abandoned within 10 years
Sister Dorothy persuaded the peasants who agreed to move to the settlements that there was a better way
They could farm the land without destroying the forest
but they could pass their land down to their children
Landowning families protested that their property was being stolen
Death threats to Sister Dorothy began and police arrested her on suspicion that she was supplying guns to peasant groups and inciting violence
The Anapu city council declared her persona non grata
But in the capital of Brasilia and within the ranks of the country’s leftist government
families began moving into the two settlements under the protection of security forces that patrolled the only roads in and out
The settlements became a model for the rest of the Amazon and drew attention from conservationists around the world
A nearby stretch of the Trans-Amazonian Highway was about to be paved
which would bring trucks through Anapu carrying lumber and other products to market
The value of land around the city increased
and land-grabbers began killing peasants and burning down their houses
Sister Dorothy followed illegal loggers into the forest
to meet with state officials tasked with protecting the forest
showing the spots of illegal logging camps
In 2005, a month before Dorothy’s death, loggers blocked highways and rivers
and threatened to pollute rivers in response to a series of reforms passed by the federal government designed to reduce deforestation
They warned that unless the government backed down
Sister Dorothy became something close to a saint in the years after her death. A documentary chronicling the quest to bring her killers to justice premiered at South By Southwest in 2008
An opera about her life played in Brooklyn
along with Dorothy’s followers and members of the parish
walk the 34 miles from where she is buried in Anapu to the spot she was killed in what’s called “Pilgrimage of the Forest,” to recommit to the work of justice and land reform
What will become of her legacy is an open question
The two settlements she started are still intact
Loggers and land speculators have begun to invade and are clearing the forest and selling plots of land
a once sleepy outpost on the Xingu that’s been transformed into a raggedy boomtown with a shopping mall and a Burger King
Perhaps there is no place in the Xingu Basin that better illustrates the promises and perils of developing the Amazon
Altamira is the temporary home of Father Amaro Lopes
the protector of Sister Dorothy’s two settlements and the heir to her mantle as the region’s most prominent land defender
who was then the nation’s environmental minister
Sister Dorothy had asked Father Amaro to hand deliver a letter to Silva titled “The Scream that Wasn’t Heard,” which detailed the rising violence in the region and unchecked deforestation
When he heard Sister Dorothy was dead he collapsed and sobbed
unable to rise to his feet without assistance
He later went to the spot where she was killed and gathered dirt
He put it in a glass vial he still keeps with him
Father Amaro was arrested by the police in Anapu and held in prison for 92 days
Father Amaro says the charges were trumped up to intimidate him and get him out of town
It worked: Father Amaro is now under house arrest at the house of the bishop in Altamira
A hulking white structure that sprawls over half a city block on the banks of the Xingu River
the building has the feel of a fortress with long hallways and rows of rooms where visiting nuns and priests pass through on the way to conferences or new assignments
telling him she needed him to stay at home and help his father farm
But one day in 1986, at the age of 17, he read about a priest belonging to the Catholic Pastoral Land Commission, or CPT
providing legal services to landless peasants and helping them gain access to public land that had been illegally cleared and abandoned
When he heard that a priest with the CPT had been murdered defending the land he decided to join the priesthood
He fell in love with her idea of a sustainable development and a model society where farmers would pool their profits to build schools and health clinics and sponsor scholarships for the children raised there
“When we created the sustainable development
the ranchers and the lumber men said we wouldn’t survive
We raised in a sustainable way and we managed it,” Father Amaro said
The threats against him began shortly after Dorothy’s death
“They told me that I’d be found on the side of the road with my mouth full of ants
There were people who would tell me up to the hour
Father Amaro told me he longs to return to Anapu and lead the parish
but now it’s in the hands of a young priest who does not belong to the CPT
And so Father Amaro is waiting for a new assignment
you gave me to drink’ and that’s what I prefer to do
On one of my last days in Anapu one of the farmers who lives in the Virola Jatoba settlement named Alexandre (he asked not to use his last name for safety) agreed to give me a tour
He warned that it would be dangerous to go inside without someone who lives there because of rising tension with “invaders,” but agreed to meet me at the entrance just after dawn
At this point I had been in Brazil for several weeks
where the most dramatic deforestation has occurred over the past 20 years
I was dismayed by how little forest seemed to be standing along the Trans-Amazonian highway
It looked like a tropical storm had ripped through the region and only left stumps and a few strands of trees
The Virola Jatoba settlement was different
Thanks to Sister Dorothy’s vision to keep 80 percent as forest in the 161-square-mile region
As we drove down the narrow dirt road into the settlement
A mist rose from the top of the canopy as the sun rose
Alexandre took us to the home of one of the original settlers
a simple brick and stucco structure painted turquoise
He said he made enough from the cocoa he sold in town to buy whatever his farm didn’t supply
He admitted that at first the words “sustainable development” didn’t make much sense
But he said with Sister Dorothy’s guidance
and technical engineers and agronomists brought in by Embrapa
and begun to increase their yields without having to remove more trees
As Elias led us into the forest behind his farm
the air filled with the sound of a burbling creek and a chorus of birds
you could hear the low hum of howler monkeys from hundreds of yards away
One nearly attacked his wife while she was hanging laundry
He seemed proud to live in harmony with the land
While farmers throughout Brazil are required to maintain at least 50% of the forest on land they own
the two settlements Sister Dorothy started are unique in that they maintained continuous forest
This has allowed the biodiversity that existed prior to the settlements to remain more or less intact
whereas the fragmentation that has occurred in other areas near the Trans-Amazonian Highway has caused a dramatic loss of species
“Instead of seeing the forest as a place where I could exploit and get rich
we have learned to live in a way that preserves it for future generations.”
As we left Elias’ farm I asked Alexandre what had changed over the last few years
They shared Sister Dorothy’s mission to preserve most of the forest and felt good about it
selling their land to families who had never met Sister Dorothy
which included not being able to bring in tractors or bulldozers to clear forest
With only 20% of their land available to farm
it was not possible to build a herd of cattle
or raise enough crops to make much of a profit
a confluence of events dramatically changed life within the settlement
a massive corruption scandal led to the ouster of the leftist Worker’s Party
which had pushed for preservation of the Amazon
The new business-friendly administration cut funding to agencies dedicated to environmental preservation and there was no longer money for the security forces that patrolled the entrances to the development
Outsiders began invading and taking over plots of land
the farmers inside the settlement were preparing a load of timber from a sustainable development project when they heard the rumble of motorcycles
Between 150 and 200 men surrounded the encampment and warned the farmers that if they didn’t leave
and the invaders took over the timber encampment
It took the federal government one year to expel them
the government had returned with police forces to expel the invaders again
Alexandre pointed out abandoned houses and property now under the control of invaders
as if the information he was sharing was dangerous and he didn’t want to be overheard
“It’s getting dangerous for me to live here
“We need the support of the government to protect this land
But now people come in without fear and chop down the forest.”
He said he could already see changes caused by the loss of trees
The rainy season was a month shorter than when he was a kid
“It used to rain all the time but as the forest is changed and destroyed we have less rain
Despite what the Amazon looks like from the sky
the roads that cut through it show a landscape in the midst of a radical transformation
can be seen in the south of Pará and the north of Mato Grosso
Terrain once covered by thick jungle is now almost entirely denuded
replaced by fields of soy and cattle pasture
the population of Anapu has steadily grown
What was once a dusty hamlet now has the intensity and energy of a small city of 27,000
Most of the growth is due to the construction of the Belo Monte Dam
which brought thousands of workers to the region
But now that it’s completed the workers are looking for other ways to feed their families
and wonder why parts of the forest that surround the city are blocked from much needed economic development
Like other parts of the world with tropical forests
While mining companies in Canada and the U.S
are behind some of the deforestation in the Amazon
and major American food companies like Cargill and Walmart have been linked to deforestation to make way for cattle and soy
sometimes the battles over the land are between local families simply trying to eke out a living
They wonder why conservationists from parts of the world that have already cleared their forests now come to Brazil and tell them to do what Americans and Europeans weren’t willing to do
the families that have lived in her two settlements have sustained themselves while preserving the forest
The indigenous tribes who live even deeper in the Amazon have done so for thousands of years
“We have to decide if we want to live in a way that preserves the land for our children and grandchildren
or if we want to use it all up now,” she says
Sister Dorothy would be amused by how she has become a martyr
how her name has become associated with forest preservation
It is because her memory is still alive that the media even know about Anapu
or visit the town to see what’s left of her legacy
she worries the ranchers and loggers who want the forest inside the settlements would run off the few families who remain
and the other nuns who live with her are also advancing in age
The priest who has replaced Father Amaro does not belong to the CPT
His focus is on growing his parish and celebrating mass
not visiting the villages and helping the people there
And so Sister Jane prays the land will be preserved
Her face carries the look of fierce determination
and she can’t help but wonder how much longer the settlements Sister Dorothy gave her life for will survive
MAPUSAA group of agitated gaonkars of the Comunidade de Boa Esperanca in Aldona met the North Goa Comunidade Administrator Ulhas Kadam on Monday
to demand elections to the new committee at the comunidade
the aggrieved gaonkars said while elections to the new committee need to be held every three years
there had been no elections to the committee at the Comunidade de Boa Esperanca since the last seven years
leaving the lone clerk to handle all administration
Fernandes stated that then Administrator of Comunidades Kabir Shirgaokar had announced elections to be held on January 6
He added that some land belonging to the comunidade has been sold as plots and despite requests
the State government had not shown any enthusiasm to conduct the elections
They requested Kadam to look into the matter and conduct elections at the earliest
Kadam invited some Gaonkars for another meeting.
red-metal producer plans to double output in the next 5 years
Ero Copper has emerged as a returns-oriented
eco-friendly Brazilian copper producer with a funded growth trajectory to firmly establish itself as a mid-tier company
Ero posted record copper production in 2021 from its Mineração Caraíba SA (MCSA) complex in Bahia
The MCSA complex comprises the Pilar and Vermelhos underground mines
the Surubim open pit and a conventional flotation mill
The rapid advance of Ero Copper stems from company founders
executive chair Christopher Dunn and CEO David Strang
and who between them have extensive experience in structuring
financing and transacting copper companies
Dunn has 25 years' experience in the investment-banking industry
Bear Stearns and JP Morgan where he led their respective investment banking practices in mining and metals
Strang has a long history in the copper space
which includes successfully growing and selling several companies
Strang served as president and CEO of Lumina Copper
which was sold to First Quantum Minerals in 2014
he spent time at Global Copper (sold to Teck Resources in 2008)
Regalito Copper (sold to Pan Pacific in 2006) and Northern Peru Copper (sold to China Minmetals and Jiangxi Copper in 2008)
Ero showed how it is rapidly maturing by publishing its first ever five-year production guidance
in which it said red metal output will increase incrementally in 2022 to 43,000 to 46,000t at MCSA before more than doubling to a range of 92,000 to 102,000t as Boa Esperança comes online
"We are executing on a very exciting and compelling growth strategy
and felt that the time was right to share the details around how we plan to become a 100,000t a year copper producer," said Ero Copper president and CEO David Strang
"We have grown tremendously since our IPO in 2017
we more than doubled our copper production to over 45,500t in 2021
and are now showing the pathway to doubling copper production once again."
The company's confidence in its guidance is rooted in its exploration success
which enabled it to report a 13% increase in its proven and probable reserves at MCSA to 607,100t of contained copper hosted in 59.3Mt grading 1.02% copper
with a 56% increase within the Deepening Extension zone of the Pilar mine to 194,200t of contained copper hosted in 11Mt grading 1.76% copper
Despite the copper price being at an historically high US$4.50/lb
that increase was through the drill bit as the company maintained its reserve price of $2.75/lb in its recently published update
"We continue to take a conservative approach with our resource estimates and cut-off grades
It's a controversial topic in the mining industry; many people believe that as metal prices increase
you should adjust your cut-off grade in lockstep
Our view is that you originally went to build a mine using the cut-off grade at that particular time
excess returns should be returned to shareholders," said Strang
Strang highlighted the continued expansion of the Deepening Extension Zone at MCSA which continued to exceed the company's expectations with year-on-year growth in the high-grade superpod through ongoing drilling since 2018
"These results support our decision in 2021 to undertake a redesign of the new external shaft
While the larger design requires a greater upfront investment
it will now allow us to effectively operate two separate mines from one deposit and ultimately increase overall production volumes from the Pilar Mine," said Strang
Ero is not content to just grow production at MCSA and has its eyes set on being a multi-asset producer
The next phase of its growth will be the construction of Boa Esperança
with construction due to start in April of this year
Boa Esperança was originally owned by Chile's state copper company Codelco
Ero geologists saw possibilities that hadn't been recognised before and that allowed the company to model the deposit with enhanced selectivity
producing a reserve highlighting a better overall project
Geological work included the identification of a gap in mineralised continuity within the open pit that hadn't previously been drilled
"It was clear to us that it was a zone that was essentially joining the two high-grade zones between surface and depth
and based on the initial drill results we've seen so far
it appears that our intuition was correct," said Strang
The company recently launched a US$400 million offering of 6.5% senior notes due in 2030 to provide funds for the development of Boa Esperança
"With the recent completion of our senior notes offering
we have all of the pieces in place to aggressively execute on our plans to double copper production and continue generating industry-leading returns on invested capital
we expect to be a very different company in terms of our size and profitability," said Strang
Ero Copper is far from being a one-metal company as it also owns the NX Gold Mine in Mato Grosso
which produced 37,798 ounces of gold in 2021
providing a natural commodity hedge to the company's copper production
an operation acquired with the acquisition of the copper assets with no reserves at the time of the transaction
This has been a considerable boon for the company as exploration by Ero has increased the mine life to six years with every indication that it will continue to grow
Ero increased the reserves at NX Gold by 25% to 306,800oz of contained gold hosted in 1.1Mt grading 8.64g/t
the company could leverage its stock and cash flow to acquire other assets around its existing operations and perhaps even further afield in Latin America
where Strang has operated for more than two decades
Regardless of the direction the Ero team follows
the destination is sure to be high investor returns
eco-friendly copper producer with operations in Brazil and corporate headquarters in Vancouver
Sandstorm to exchange Hod Maden interest for US$200M gold stream
each focused on a key discussion point for the mining sector
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priorities and preferences of 130+ mining investors and top factors influencing investment decisions in 2025
A detailed analysis of mining investment risks across 117 jurisdictions globally
assessed across six risk categories and an industrywide survey
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Lisboa might have been off your radar, since output from its three historic, quality-focused DOC sub-regions (Bucelas, Carcavelos, Colares) is minuscule. What’s more, for most of the last century, the region was predominantly an engine room for the supply of bulk wine to the colonies and cheap drinking for Lisbon’s traditional tabernas
led by boutique estates and artisanal winemakers
With more than 100 different permitted varieties for Vinho Regional wines
Just as the waterfront and Lisbon’s hills help differentiate its neighbourhoods
so Lisboa’s windswept coastline (a surfing mecca) informs this long
In Colares – a narrow strip of land bookended by the Atlantic and Serra de Sintra – mountains trap cool
Surveying the wider region from Serra de Montejunto, its highest point, the wind turbine-studded landscape and the beautifully restored windmill, Moinho de Avis attest to the Atlantic’s reach further inland
Windmill owner Miguel Nobre explains that the wind-whipped
western (Atlantic) side has completely different growing conditions to the sheltered
On the western face of the mountain itself
Marta Soares of Casal Figueira has won fresh respect for her old vine Vital; grown on limestone-streaked soils
Finely balanced mineral whites from local grapes Fernão Pires and Arinto are also a strength for new-wave producers Vale da Capucha (certified organic) and Quinta da Boa Esperança
Commodity broker Artur Gama gave up the day job to follow his passion for wine
but has yet to persuade his teenage daughter to quit city living
so you can rent his stylishly renovated house and experience vineyard living first hand
Fans of military history may know Torres Vedras. The Duke of Wellington helped devise the ‘Lines of Torres Vedras’
which repelled Napoleon during the Peninsula War
It is enjoying a revival of interest from outsiders – including Sogrape (Portugal’s biggest producer)
which bought the region’s largest vineyard (Quinta da Romeira) – and it features in the ranges of winemakers Nuno Mira do Ó and Jorge Rosa Santos
Discover why Arinto works so well in the Trancão Valley (as well as Bucelas’ connection with Shakespeare) at Quinta da Murta
former chief winemaker of Maison M Chapoutier
In Obidos DOC, you can visit leading natural winemaker Rodrigo Filipe’s bucolic estate, Humus Organic Wines
most of Lisboa’s artisanal producers lack the time and resource for oenotourism
top sommeliers and new-wave wine bars are keen to showcase them
In early July, Portugal’s pioneering artisanal wine supplier, Os Goliardos, co-hosts Vinho ao Vivo wine fair in the city with restaurant A Margem
Names to look for include two organic producers from DOC Encostas de Aire
Quinta da Serradinha makes the best Baga and Encruzado I have found outside Bairrada and Dão
Quinta do Montalto was pivotal in the recognition of DOC Medieval de Ourém Encostas d’Aire – a unique blend of Fernão Pires (80%) and red grape Trincadeira (20%) – made using 12th-century methods inherited from Cistercian monks
Henrique Sá Pessoa offers a witty take on traditional flavours at this two-star Michelin experience
The two-star Michelin flagship of José Avillez’s empire
Wine choices embrace both Portuguese classics and quirky gems
Vincent Farges’ Michelin-starred eatery completes Chiado’s golden triangle of modern Portuguese cuisine
A cosy natural and minimal intervention wine bar with open kitchen
offers António Galapito’s seasonal small plates and hip organic
indulgent 14-room boho-chic spa hotel by the coast
Pared-back beachfront sister-hotel Noah Surf House for sportier types
Pretty hotel and restaurant in a converted water mill in northern Lisboa
Stylish art deco hotel in a quiet location off Lisbon’s chic shopping streets
Big on comfort and hospitality; nice touches include a complimentary G&T trolley
Sarah Ahmed is an awarded wine writer specialising in Portugal and Australia, publishing her own site at thewinedetective.co.uk. This guide appeared in full in the September 2019 issue of Decanter.
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Acclaimed Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire gives an intimate recital of classics by Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Vila-Lobos.
Brazilian pianist Nelson Freire was a pianist known and loved by Australian audiences who had the good fortune to catch him live or on ABC Classic on his several tours of this country.
A quiet achiever, Nelson Freire came to be regarded as one of the great pianists of our era. He was renowned for his thoughtful and intimate interpretations of the classics, with celebrated recordings of the keyboard works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Liszt and Debussy, as well as the music of his musical compatriots such as the Brazilian composer, conductor, cellist and classical guitarist Heitor Villa-Lobos.
In spite of his early rise and numerous accomplishments, for many years Freire kept a relatively low profile, avoiding the limelight, publicity, and interviews. In a 1992 profile in The Baltimore Sun he’s quoted as saying:
There is a big difference between music and the music business. It’s a completely different language, and when I get too involved in talking it, I get a little bit sick. As for talking about myself, it actually bores me.
Freire was much mourned when he died at the age of 77 just last year on 1st of November, 2021.
For this, his 1994 Adelaide recital, he chose major works by three of the great Classical and Romantic composers for the piano – Mozart, Beethoven and Chopin - rounding out the program with music by Villa-Lobos and Spanish composer-pianist Albeniz.
This concert was recorded at the Adelaide Town Hall on 30 April 1994.
Mozart: Piano Sonata in A, K331Beethoven: Piano Sonata No 17 in D minor, Op 31 No 2 (Tempest) Chopin: Piano Sonata No 3 in B minor, Op 58Villa-Lobos: Bachianas brasileiras No 4: PreludeVilla-Lobos: The Child's Dolls: 3 mvtsAlbeniz: Iberia Book 1: No.1 EvocationAlbeniz: Navarra (arranged Severac)
1980s/early 90s portrait photo of pianist Nelson Freire.
Published: 28 Nov 2022Mon 28 Nov 2022 at 9:00am
Published: 21 Nov 2022Mon 21 Nov 2022 at 11:00am
Published: 21 Nov 2022Mon 21 Nov 2022 at 9:00am
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