Massive Chinese mine closures expected in 2016
To meet economic growth slowdown and a shifting awareness towards comprehensive pollution reduction measures, China’s Energy Bureau has announced large-scale closure of mines expected to be implemented this year. This comes as part of their comprehensive power market reforms despite China leading global coal consumption. Mines with annual output capacities below 90,000 tonnes will be required to cease operations and coal mine projects will be subject to heavy-handed approval constraints for at least the next three years. Click here for full article.
New proven CO2 and water conversion into liquid hydrocarbon fuel
A small team of chemists and engineers from a University of Texas based research group have developed a simple cost-effective and environmentally sustainable fuel-conversion technology. The technology uses photothermochemical flow reactors to subject carbon dioxide and water to extreme temperatures and pressures, resulting in a one-step conversion to synthesized liquid hydrocarbons and oxygen. Stimulating both fuel creation and waste absorption means the newly developed conversion is likely to have positive broad-based repercussions for sustainability efforts and subsequent technological development. Click here for full article.
Foreign firms and the future of China’s electric vehicle ambition
With continued concerns around pollution control, a surplus of electricity and an exponential rise in vehicle users as the urban population’s wealth grows, it’s no wonder China have prioritised rapid development in the national electric vehicle (EV) sector. However, in the wake of overall disappointing results from foreign firm and state owned enterprise joint ventures, it seems as though China is pushing a more local-oriented approach, ultimately spelling an uncertain future for foreign carmakers. Click here for full article.
Relief as Iron Ore trades above US$47
On the back of Chinese steelworkers returning to work after the Lunar New Year holiday iron ore trading prices have risen 1.1 percent from the previous session as of Monday the 22nd of February. This comes as a nice assurance of steady recovery since the late year low in 2015 and should cushion the responsive cuts that medium to large mining enterprises had to make. Click here for full article.