Category Archives: Life Extension

From UF/IFAS

There is a team of University of Florida scientists ready to take on your palm tree woes.

On Feb. 25, the team will be in Orlando for a Palm Short Course at the UF/IFAS Extension office in Orange County, located at 6021 S. Conway Road. The program runs from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and provides breakfast and lunch at the cost of $150 for the day.

Registration is required.

Our Palm Short Courses are a chance for homeowners, landscapers, growers, and land managers to meet the complete Palm Team based at UF/IFAS Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center, said Mica McMillan, assistant professor of palm horticulture at the center. We cover all aspects of palm growth from diseases to grading. We will also discuss the future of palm research at UF. We are committed to making UF the leading global resource for palm research.

Palm trees are a Florida staple in Florida landscapes and an important ornamental plant in the state. For the nursery and greenhouse sector, palms alone account for annual sales of approximately $400 million in Florida and well over $1 billion in the US, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).

As beautiful as they are, some palm species are vulnerable to pests and diseases. Issues can also arise when palms are planted incorrectly or in nutrient-poor soils. These problems can lead to yellowing of leaves, early fruit drop, and even death.

There is a science to growing palms and managing them in the landscape, said Hannah Wooten, a commercial horticulture agent at UF/IFAS Extension Orange County, hosting the event. There are also new diseases and phytoplasmas capable of killing a plethora of pricey palms. People are often surprised to learn that nutritional issues are one of the biggest reasons palms decline.

It is our hope that attendees will know whom to direct their questions and that we are accessible, said McMillan. We want them to know where we are with the current and future focus of our research. We also want to hear from attendees on what they think we are missing in our research to meet their needs.

For information on the program, contact McMillan at mica.mcmillan@ufl.edu.

The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human, and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the states agricultural and natural resources industries and all Florida residents.

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Need help with your palm trees? UF/IFAS offers instruction: Palm Short Course coming to Orange County this month - The Apopka Voice

Gen. David Thompson: 'Right now the most important thing we and others can do is stop making the problem worse'

HERNDON, Va. Its not the job of the U.S. Space Force to clean up orbital debris. However the military wants to partner with private companies that can perform that service and help cultivate that sector of the industry, vice chief of space operations Gen. David DT Thompson said Feb. 10.

Speaking at an AFCEA information technology event, Thompson said he frequently is asked about the growing hazards in space caused by debris and his answer is that its a hard problem. That said, right now the most important thing we and others can do is stop making the problem worse.

There are other ways the Space Force can contribute, Thompson added. Ultimately, the Space Force does not want to be in the business of cleaning up debris. However, we would certainly love to partner with innovative new companies, or even innovative old companies, to develop ideas and technologies, and help in some way shape or form.

Thompson plugged Orbital Prime, a new effort by SpaceWERX, the Space Forces technology arm, to invest in debris-removal and in-space servicing technologies. Bids for Orbital Prime contracts close Feb. 17.

Orbital Prime in the first round will award $250,000 study contracts for technologies focused on satellite life extension, refueling, on-orbit inspection, orbit transfer, active debris removal, reuse and recycling of materials in space. Winners can compete for a second round of $1.5 million contracts to prototype systems.

There is no guarantee of success, said Thompson, but maybe we can help foster and stimulate this new segment of the market. And who knows, maybe in the future therell be a market for some company or companies to go after.

The Space Force also is reviewing its routine practices in an effort to generate less debris. That starts with how you launch and field space capabilities, he said. Its amazing the amount of debris we produce just in the simple act of putting satellites into orbit and deploying them into space.

Thompson said destructive anti-satellite tests are especially egregious. He noted that there are still 3,000 debris objects from Chinas 2007 test. Russia blew up one of its defunct satellites in November over the North Pole, he said, which means the debris cloud will circle over the poles for years, endangering satellites and space missions.

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Space Force eager to invest in debris removal projects - SpaceNews

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, and the Centers Deputy Director for Science have expressed gratitude to the nations Cooperative Extension System, including University of Tennessee Extension, for addressing vaccine hesitancy by educating and raising awareness about the importance of getting vaccinated for COVID-19 in rural America.

Rural America continues to be especially hard hit by the pandemic, and the lives of families and communities continue to feel the impacts, said Director of the USDAs National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Dr. Carrie Castille. Because our communities are faced with making important decisions about vaccinations, having a trusted, independent community agent to aid in decision making is essential. Cooperative Extension agents and educators are well placed to have that discussion and provide objective educational information. Talk with your Extension agent, and then decide.

Through an interagency agreement with the CDC and NIFA, Cooperative Extension units at land-grant universities across the nation received funding and launched the Cooperative Extension Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) in June 2021 to address health disparities among rural and other underserved communities.

Acting director of the CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases Samuel F. Posner said in a letter to the U.S. Cooperative Extension System, Agents and educators are trusted messengers working in every county across the nation and are uniquely situated at local levels to engage with their communities and build partnerships to improve community health.

As my team listens to our partners in the field, we hear story upon story of the need for one-on-one, honest discussions with trusted messengers to address concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, said Posner.

UT Extension is proud to be one of the 24 Extension agencies across the nation addressing vaccine hesitancy issues. UT Extensions EXCITE project team includes state and county-based Family and Consumer Sciences personnel, as well as nursing faculty from the UT Health Science Center. To ensure maximal local involvement, participating counties have recruited Community Advisory Boards and held community conversations to uncover the attitudes and concerns that underlie vaccine hesitancy in their locations. Girded with this knowledge and support, the team is developing tailored educational campaigns to encourage COVID-19 and other adult vaccine uptake that are community-inspired and motivational, fully informed by county-based advisory boards and focus groups.

Tailored messaging in rural areas works, said Posner. As of today, over 76% of people in the United States have received their first COVID-19 vaccine dose. In rural areas, 71.4% of people ages 18 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine with the percentage of those reporting that they definitely will get vaccinated on the incline. Thank you to those who helped realize these achievements by getting vaccinated and helping others do the same.

To reach the remaining individuals who are hesitant about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine, we are relying on trusted messengers to provide education about the vaccines, share information on how they were developed, and address myths about whats in the vaccines, he said. Theres an enormous need to cut through the confusion that exists about why everyone should receive a vaccination, how to get a vaccine, where to get vaccinated, and what services are available to get them to the point of vaccination (if needed).

The CDC recently published a COVID-19 Vaccination Field Guide Addendum: Rural Considerations for Vaccine Confidence and Uptake Strategies. This resource complements CDCs 12 COVID-19 Vaccination Strategies for Your Community and content on How to Conduct a Rapid Community Assessment, both designed to support the work of communities across the U.S. to increase vaccine confidence and vaccine uptake.

I know how hard field agents work, the long hours and distances traveled especially in rural and frontier areas, and how much you all care about the community members you serve. Thank you for all that you do! Posner said.

The Cooperative Extension System is operated through the nations land-grant university system in partnership with the federal and state and local governments. As the federal partner, NIFA develops methods to address national priorities, funds and awards grants, and provides program leadership. The agency supports both the universities and local Extension offices to bring science directly to the regional and county level.

NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and Extension across the nation to make transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges. NIFA supports initiatives that ensure the long-term viability of agriculture and applies an integrated approach to ensure that groundbreaking discoveries in agriculture-related sciences and technologies reach the people who can put them into practice. In FY2020, NIFAs total investment was $1.95 billion.

Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.

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UT Extension Playing Critical Role in COVID-19 Vaccine Education in Rural Tennessee - Therogersvillereview

To Haines City CommissionerRoy Tyler, building new roads and adding extra lanesisn't enough to bring long-term trafficrelief to U.S. 27.

"My grandpa used to call it putting perfume on a pig," he said in a phone call.

For a bumper-to-bumper stretch ofNortheast Polk County where more than10,000 new homes are planned, Tyler ispushing another option to take cars off I-4 and U.S 27 one that moves residents on a track.

'Chasing money': Polk County seeks millions for projects aimed at easing traffic on U.S. 27

He wants to see SunRail, a publicly-funded commuter train that runs 61 milesbetween DeBary in Volusia County to Poinciana in Osceola County, extended into Haines City and then ultimately into Auburndale and Lakeland.

The Haines City Commission, at its Jan. 20 meeting, approved a resolution in support of a pieceof that extension.

Tyler wouldlike to see a similar nod of supportfromother local government bodies, including Polk County, which hasinvested hundreds of millions of dollarsinto fiveroad projects aimed at relieving U.S. 27 and recently touted support for the extension of a different train network.

"We cant keep saying'let'sbuild another road,''Tylersaid. "Traffic is like water, it will find the path of least resistance. We are just moving the flood somewhere else. You can't just pave your way out of this problem."

Tyler, as current chairman of the Polk Transportation Planning Organization, hopes to get all of the cities and the county to commit to funding some of the not-yet-determinedcost to make it happen.

Funded by taxpayers, SunRail runsto three stations in Osceola County, eight in Orange County, four in Seminole County, and one in Volusia County, with a second Volusia County station now being developed in DeLand.

Except for special nighttime service during home Orlando Magic games, SunRail service is limited to commuter hours on weekdays. Since the train began rolling in 2014, officials have expressed hope that weekend and fuller evening service would become possible, but it hasnt yet.

U.S. Rep. Darren Soto, D-Kissimmee, stands ready to help secure federal funding for anextension into Polk County.

The timing couldn't be better to make that ask, he said.

President Joe Biden in November signed into law a $1.1 trillion infrastructure bill that promises to put$66 billion into freight and passenger rail projects over the next five years.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity," Soto said. "We wantto expand SunRail.This is a part of a strategyto address traffic problems and improve quality of life for all Floridians."

Soto is also endorsingfederal funding to extend Brightlinethrough Polk County and into Tampa. The high-speed passenger train currently connects Miami to Orlando.

Polk pushes for Brightline extension: They got update from leaders in December

The Polk County Commission in November sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in support of $31 million in federal funding for theBrightline extension. The commission, as a collective body, hasn't discussed SunRail since the federal infrastructure bill was adopted.

The potential SunRail extension was discussed, however, at the Feb. 10 meeting of the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), which Tyler chairs.

It's not yet known what a possible expansion into Polk County would cost.

The last time FDOT conducted a feasibility study looking into that extensionwas back in 2015. At the Feb. 10TPO meeting, board members requested that another study be conducted with updated cost projections.

FDOT District secretary L.K.Nandamsaid that that study alone could cost $1 million, but expressed confidence in the state's ability to find that money.

"We want to get this feasibility study going," he said. "If this feasibility study shows some merit, which we all know should based on the travel patterns that we see, we can go after (funding) opportunities from the federal infrastructure package."

Too much growth?: Polk County is one of the fastest-growing areas in the nation, U.S. Census says

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Nandamtold city and county leaders on the TPO board that the federal government would only fund a portionof the expansion cost and thatlocal governments would have to carry 25%of the burden.

He added that Polkwould then have to be committed in the long-term tofund maintenance and operations for years to come once a SunRail stop arrives in the county.

"All of these things have to come into the picture," he said. "But the first step is the feasibility study. We've got to start this process."

There's a sense of urgency to start the study now. The federal infrastructure money is only available for the next five years.

Nandam said he'd give the TPO board some rough cost projectionsat an upcoming meeting.

While Polk County has pushed for the Brightline extension, they have not taken similar action on SunRail. They are different animals while Brightline is a business funded largely by private investors, SunRail's operation relies heavily on tax dollars.

FDOT currently funds maintenance, operations and upgrades to the SunRail system.But in 2024, those costs will be handed to the five local government partners: Volusia, Seminole, Orange, Osceola Counties and the city of Orlando.

If Polk County gets into the SunRail game, they'll have to join in on the funding.

"Brightline and SunRail are two very different business models," County Manager Bill Beasley told The Ledger. "Any future county commitment or investment in such an endeavor would likely be contingent upon many factors, of which this Board has had no formal discussions."

Chairwoman Martha Santiago said she'd be interested in learning more.

"I definitely want to look at how the state andfederal governmentcan help us out with that," she told The Ledger. "I asked (FDOT)to bring us up to date with the rail and what thepossibilities are forthat. Ithink theres a big interest in it."

Whether the county agrees to pay into SunRail depends on the price tag,said County Commissioner George Lindsey.

"Wed have to see what the ask is, he said.

A South Carolinanative, Dustin covers Polk County government and county-wide issues. He can be reached at dwyatt@gannett.com or on Twitter @LLDustin_Wyatt.

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Haines City officials push for SunRail station. Will other government bodies follow suit? - The Ledger

People are being invited to have their say on plans to extend the Dewsbury Road cycle route delivered in partnership by Leeds City Council and the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

Under the plans, an additional 1km of two-way cycle track will be added to the city centre end of Dewsbury Road.

The Dewsbury Road extention will use part of underused two lane Dewsbury Road and Parkfield Street coming out of the city centre. This will allow for a 3m wide two-way cycle track as well as a widened footpaths and improved side road crossings. You can find a more detailed description of the plans by clicking here.

The consultation runs until midnight on Tuesday 15 March. Find out more information and have your say at http://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/drl

An online information session will be held on Monday 28 February, 5:30-6:30pm where you can learn more about the proposals from the project team and ask them any questions you have. Follow the link above to join the event.

A separarte scheme will see the cycle route extended from the Tommy Wass junction to the White Rose Shopping Centre and Office Park, the consultation on these plans closed in December.

The Dewsbury Road extension is in addition to the 4.5kms of new fully segregated two-way tracks planned across the city centre to create 11km of cycling routes, following a consultation on five other sections last year.

The schemes are aimed at making it easier to cycle and walk across Leeds city centre, whether that is for shorter journeys or as part of a longer journey by public transport.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Councils executive member for infrastructure and climate, said:

Its important that everyone in Leeds can access the growing cycle network across the city and Im pleased to see these proposals coming forward to provide a vital link to communities in south Leeds.

Its always important to remember that as well as being a primary way to get about, cycling and walking can play a part in bigger journeys. Thats why Im pleased to see how this scheme will improve further the cycle access to Leeds railway station, enabling people to extend their trips by train across West Yorkshire and beyond.

We want to make Leeds a cycle friendly city by embracing cycling as a normal everyday activity for everyone. We are working on greater and improved connectivity and with more appealing public space to make that vision a reality.

Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, said:

Making it easier to cycle and walk is a vital part of my commitment to make transport work for people and tackle the climate emergency on our way to becoming a net zero carbon economy by 2038. That is why I am pleased to see plans progress to extend the existing Dewsbury Road cycle route.

A better and more inclusive transport network goes beyond getting people from A to B. It is about making sure everyone can access job,educationand training opportunities andgetting all of usour people, our communities, our businesses to where we want to be as a region.

Cllr Manisha Kaushik, the West Yorkshire Combined Authoritys Transport Committee Lead Member for Active Travel, said:

We are pleased to be working in partnership with Leeds City Council on this important scheme, which will plug an important missing link in the existing network, and I would encourage everyone to make the most of this opportunity to have their say by taking part in the public consultation.

From connecting us to the places we need to go, to reducing air pollution and congestion, and boosting our physical and mental health, we know getting more people cycling and walking has a vital role to play in making West Yorkshire an even better place to live, work and play.

The five areas consulted on previously were:

The first phase of the Holbeck Connector is now complete, with work on the second phase due to start in spring.

Construction work is also due to start on the Crown Point Bridge Gateway in the spring, with the Western Gateway and Southern Gateway on site in the summer.

These routes are part of a 7 million package delivered by the council in partnership with the Combined Authority through its Transforming Cities Fund programme, which is aimed at making it easier to walk, cycle and use public transport.

Once completed, the six sections will complement the new Elland Road and Dewsbury Road cycle routes, which opened last autumn, and has been delivered through the Combined Authoritys CityConnect programme.

This post is based on a press release issued by Leeds City Council

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Have your say on plans to extend Dewsbury Road cycle route - South Leeds Life

A life-changing week for Big Bash slugger Tim David just got better after he inked another contract with the Hobart Hurricanes as top-up cash for his staggering Indian Premier League deal.

David, 25, was last weekend snapped up for $1.53m by the Mumbai Indians, the highest price paid for any Australian in the mega-auction, and hes now secured his short-term future in the BBL, signing a two-year contract extension with the Hurricanes.

Im really happy to be extending my time with the Hurricanes, David said in a statement issued by the club.

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Im thankful to the opportunity they gave me two years ago to be part of this team. The Hurricanes have been an important part of my growth as a player. I believe we have some great talent in this squad and Im confident that if we play our best cricket we are capable of winning the BBL.

David was locked in as one of five deals secured by the Hurricanes before the BBLs contracting embargo period began following the end of the season.

His value has now skyrocketed on the back of some blistering efforts in the Pakistan Super League, where the Singapore-born batter is averaging 81.50 and striking at 211.69 with the Multan Sultans.

David has also signed with the Lancashire Lightning for the Vitality Blast in the UK, could return to the Southern Brave in The Hundred competition and play in this years Caribbean Premier League as his earnings around the world head towards $2m.

It could also potentially put him on a path to being part of Australias T20 squad for the defence of their World Cup title later this year.

I think were going to see players potentially taking different paths to the Australian set-up, former Hobart coach Adam Griffith, who lured David to the Hurricanes, told cricket.com.au.

It might not necessarily be about piling on the runs in state cricket anymore.

Hes got some good deals in a few different competitions and hes learning his game in varying conditions around the world, and these days thats another way to go about it.

(Australia) have just won the World Cup, theyve got Stoinis and Wade there, and theyll be defending their title, so its a difficult side to break into.

But who knows? For Tim now its all about gaining experience in different situations. The more of that he gets, the better off hell be.

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Shock IPL millionaire signs another new deal in life-changing week - Fox Sports

Last year, the price of copper rose 33%, but that was just the entree.

Goldman Sachs reckons the red metal will hit a record US$12,000/t over the next month, up from ~$US9,700/t currently. Thats uncomfortably bullish, but even the more mild mannered analysts are revising their forecasts upwards.

White & Case recently conducted its sixth annual survey of industry participants, with 63 senior decision-makers sharing their thoughts on commodity performance for the year ahead. Copper came out on top.

By a massive margin.

For the third straight year, our survey has picked copper to be the best-performing metal in 2022, with 31 percent saying its set for another year of outperformance, it said.

The metal, an economic bellwether and a key material for the energy transition, hit record prices last year, breaking above US$10 thousand per ton.

White & Case flagged that minor production losses from both COVID-19 disruptions and water issues in Chile have combined with strong industrial demand.

Our respondents enthusiasm for the metal is matched by the wider mining industry, it said.

The biggest miners remain universally bullish on its prospects, with demand expected to surge this decade and new supplies looking increasingly scarce.

In this environment producers, and those companies looking to start production in the near term, are sitting pretty.

Who is producing and who is getting close?

Rio has copper operations all around the world, and a number under development.

In the December quarter, lower grades, and throughput at the Escondida mine in Chile meant Rios copper production increased 6% to 132,000t (from December quarter 2020). Full year production was 494,000t, down 7% from 2020.

Rio is projecting higher production in almost every commodity group in 2022, including copper production of 500-575,000t.

BHP owns and operates several copper mines in Chile, one in South Australia (Olympic Dam), and a proposed mine in Arizona, US.

BHPs total copper production decreased by 3% to 365,500t during the December quarter, with full year production is trending towards the low end of the guidance range (1.59Mt to 1.76Mt) for the 2022 financial year.

Oz has three operations two in Australia and one in Chile plus a handful of near-term developments or expansions.

In FY21, the company met its copper guidance for the seventh year, producing 125,486t for record revenue of $2.1 billion. It ended the year with $215m in the bank.

FY22 guidance is between 127,000t and 149,000t copper at higher all-in sustaining costs of 135 to 155 US cents per pound.

Earlier this month Sandfire officially became the owner of MATSA copper complex in Spain, capping its transition from an Australian mid-tier to a global producer of the red metal.

The 100,000tpa operation, which includes a 4.7Mtpa central processing facility surrounded by three underground mines, will become the cornerstone of Sandfires business over the next decade and potentially more.

While it has an initial mine life of 12 years based on known reserves and resources which can be converted, Sandfire boss Karl Simich has been open in his belief additional resources around the MATSA project could establish a mine life of 20 years or more.

The closure of the $2.6 billion deal comes as the companys flagship DeGrussa mine in WA enters its final nine months as an economic mine barring a major new discovery.

Our vision for Sandfire is to become an international diversified and sustainable mining company, and the completion of this transaction represents a major step closer to realising this aspiration, Simich said at the time.

With the acquisition of MATSA, Sandfire immediately becomes one of the largest copper-focused producers on the ASX, with high-quality operations in Spain and Australia and an impressive growth pipeline and exploration portfolio that we believe will continue to drive our growth for many years to come.

Sandfire also owns the Motheo copper-silver project in Botswana, where first production is due next year.

Its safe to say the $3b market cap company is on track to reach its long-term 2027-2030 target of becoming a 300,000tpa global mid-tier.

This dual listed (ASX-TSX) $850m market cap producer is up almost 100% over the past year.

The flagship asset is the 75%-owned Copper Mountain mine in British Columbia, which currently produces ~45,000t of copper equivalent per year with average annual production expected to increase to approximately 63,500 tonnes of copper equivalent.

It is also advancing its development-stage Eva copper project in Queensland, which is expected to add over 45,000t of copper production per year.

In December a feasibility study update highlighted the projects after-tax net present value (NPV) of $622 million thats a 42% increase compared to the May 2020 feasibility study which the company said was mostly due to higher metal prices.

Total initial development capital is estimated to be ~A$836 million.

Detailed engineering is currently underway, a final investment decision is expected this year, and commissioning is flagged for late 2024.

Late last year the company picked up the Eloise copper mine for ~$25m in cash and shares and made the move from explorer to miner.

Eloise is a high-grade operating underground mine in North Queensland which has produced 339,000t of copper and 167,000oz of gold since production kicked off in 1996.

December quarter production totalled 8,597dmt of concentrate containing 2,392t of copper at an AISC of A$3.05/lb and AIC of A$3.29/lb for November and December 2021.

This meant an immediate strong cashflow for the company, with sales of 1,818t copper, 945oz gold and 19,654oz silver generating net revenue of $25 million.

And the companys exploration strategy to extend known resource areas, discover new satellite lodes and extend the mine life beyond five years is paying off with AIC reporting a 58% increase in contained copper and 55% increase in gold in the quarter.

The updated mineral resource now totals 4.4 million tonnes grading 2.3% copper and 0.7g/t gold containing 103,500 tonnes of copper and 93,300 ounces of gold.

The AIC share price is up almost 100% since this time last year. It ended the December quarter with $29.3 million in cash.

The Tritton copper mine in the Cobar Basin produced almost 23,000 tonnes in FY21, giving Aeris exposure to record prices for the base metal.

Shareholders have also piled into the stock on the back of the high-grade Constellation discovery 45km away, where drilling has struck ripper intersections like 61.6m at 5.12% copper and 12.5m at 11.14% Cu.

It also has exposure to Helix Resources (ASX:HLX) emerging discovery at Canbelego, also in the Cobar.

FY22 production is expected to be lower at between 18,500t and 19,500t.

The company is kicking off the first of three life extension projects this year at a cost of $50m, which it hopes will extend mine life to the back end of the decade.

These include the Budgerygar deposit an extension of the Tritton underground mine the Avoca Tank underground mine, and Murrawombie Pit cut-back.

Earlier this month the small Queensland copper producernabbed a $21 million prepayment facility and offtake deal with Glencore.

From the second half of 2022, Glencore will take 40,000t of copper cathode from Australs Anthill mine, covering the projects initial 10,000tpa, four-year life.

Not bad considering mining only kicked off on the January 7.

Austral CEO Steve Tambanis said the deal would shield Australs finances over the ramp up phase and enable the company to accelerate exploration activities.

Together with this offtake agreement, a A$21m prepayment facility enables us to accelerate our planned exploration programme and importantly, provides a solid financial buffer for Anthills start-up phase over the next five months, he said.

Glencore underwent a lengthy due diligence process to assess our production capabilities and is pleased with the high quality of Australs copper cathode.

Going forward, there is potential to review other copper development opportunities in the region.

The new miner says the recently acquired Mt Carlton operation is already outperforming forecasts.

The Queensland project produced 14,603oz of gold, 100,781oz of silver and 610t of copper during the December quarter.

If NMLsustains this for FY22 it places Mt Carltons performance above the top end of the vendors forecast in August 2021.

The small copper-gold mine developer is now +300% year-to-date.

The company has been plugging away at the 51% owned Al Wash-hiMajaza copper-gold project in Oman for well over a decade and now production is in sight with first concentrates scheduled for late 2022/early 2023.

Early mining has now kicked off, comprising pre-stripping of waste from the first stage of the open pit.

Pre-stripping will continue through the first quarter of calendar 2022, with ore mining projected to begin during the June 2022 quarter.

This work is being undertaken by 35% owned primary contractor Alara Resources LLC which inked a preliminary 10-year, $167.83m deal to provide mining services to the project.

A revised DFS envisaged a smallish open pit operation producing 35,000tpa concentrate a year for ~80,000t copper and 21,800oz gold over 10 years. It will cost about US$60m to build.

At a $US9,500/t copper price, project EBITDA is ~$US370m, AUQ says.

Boasting resources of 1.1 million tonnes of copper, 3.1 million ounces of gold and 232,000 tonnes of cobalt, Kalkaroo is one of the largest undeveloped open pit copper deposits in Australia, the company says.

The mine would cost $332m to build and produce 30,000t copper and 72,000oz gold every year over an initial 13-year period.

Havilah wants to start mining a low cost open pit gold mine from 2022 before moving into the main copper orebody later on but this may change if a financier with deep pockets decides to bankroll the whole shebang.

The company expects to secure final approvals from the SA Department for Energy and Mining early this year for the West Kalkaroo open pit mining operation to kick off during 2022 subject to a final investment decision by the Havilah Board.

KGLs main game is the 426,200 tonne (and growing) Jervois copper project in NT, where the plan is to produce 30,000 tonnes of copper per year, plus silver and gold.

A final feasibility study is underway with completion targeted for the March Quarter.

An updated resource estimate for the Rockface deposit is expected in Q1 and will complete the resource updates planned to be included in the FS which include new resources at Bellbird and Reward.

The updated total resource will be used to refine the mine plan and to estimate the Jervois Ore Reserve.

The $198m market cap company is also drilling to extend mine life to a minimum 10 years.

The company is aiming to produce first copper from its Prieska copper-zinc and Okiep copper projects in South Africa within the next two years.

In its December quarterly, MD and CEO Errol Smart said the company is moving to capitalise on current positive market conditions.

With copper prices close to record highs and demand set to outstrip production for the foreseeable future, the timing is perfect for Orion, he said.

We have fast-tracked our assessment of an early production strategy for the Prieska Copper-Zinc Project based on moving the open pit development to the start of the mine plan.

Advanced feasibility studies for the Flat Mines at the Okiep project are due for completion by June 2022.

An initial 12-year operation at Prieska is targeting 22,000 tonnes of copper and 70,000 tonnes of zinc per year.

The company is aiming to produce first ore in 2022 from its mothballed Kanmantoo mine in SA.

The underground economic assessment from the December quarter has detailed strong project economics for Stage 1 of the project, including:

A solid profit margin at current prices.

It helps that existing infrastructure has been maintained, enabling a fast restart, with first copper sales expected within 7 months of a final investment decision.

It contributes to the low capital costs of only A$26 million, which makes the Kanmantoo Underground one of the lowest capital intensity projects in the world at just US$1,550 per tonne of annual copper produced.

The $34m market cap companys main game is the Whim Creek copper-gold-PGE project in the Pilbara, where a scoping study predicts ~11,000tpa copper production (Cueq) over an initial 5-7 years for free cash flow (profits) of ~$196m.

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Copper could be the best performing metal of 2022. Here are the producers, and the players hot on their heels - Stockhead

Tarmac has lodged a proposal with North Yorkshire County Council to extend the life of Nosterfield Quarry, near Masham, by seven years to 2031 as the authority continues to examine Lightwater Quarries plan to extend and restore the nearby Gebdykes Quarry, which could see the daily number of HGV movements rise from 138 to 206.

While documents submitted by both companies state no mitigation measures would be needed, unless delivering locally, the cumulative impact of the proposals will be scrutinised as most lorries from both extended quarries would travel towards the A1(M) along the B6267.

As Tarmacs plans have only recently been submitted community leaders said they had not yet formed a view over its potential impact.

However, they said it had been noted the firms proposals would see many more HGVs for years to come on the rural roads than if Nosterfield Quarry stopped being worked in 2024, as agreed in its previous planning permission.

Bedale division councillor John Weighell said while the roads in the area were already much used by HGVs, the industry was important for the area, so any potential issues for the road network would need to be carefully considered.

Agents for Tarmac its proposed 40-hectare Oaklands extension to Nosterfield Quarry would be worked between next year and 2027, producing 250,000 tonnes a year, before a further 470,000 tonnes of the mineral beneath the current plant site would be extracted until 2030.

These phases would be followed by final restoration of the quarry, which is near the ancient monument complex of Thornborough Henges. That work would overseen by a group including English Heritage and the county council before the end of 2031, according to the documents.

The papers state: Restoration to date at Nosterfield Quarry has been primarily nature conservation-based, but with a guiding principle of enhancing the understanding of the history of the area and its evolving landscape.

The group oversees the management and development of the wider area, including the western end of the quarry, and the Thornborough Henges to ensure that archaeological understanding, nature conservation, and public access are all managed in a unified manner.

Tarmacs agents said all lorries would use the quarrys existing access onto the B6267 and that there would be no change to the volume of traffic entering and leaving the site, where ten staff are employed, alongside scores of contractors and hauliers who rely on work derived from site.

The papers state: In terms of road haulage, the extension would see a continuation of the existing haulage operations that result, on average, in 88 vehicle movements per day, which equates to eight vehicles per hour.

Overall, it is considered that the proposed development can be accommodated on the surrounding highway network without significant impacts and no mitigation measures are required.

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Plans unveiled to extend life of North Yorkshire quarry by seven years despite concerns over lorries on rural roads - The Yorkshire Post

SRINAGAR: The panel assigned the task of redrawing the Assembly constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir is expected to get a two-month extension to complete its job.

Quoting the government sources newspaper The Tribune reported that the term of the Delimitation Commission would end in early March and, as has been requested by it, the panel would require more time to complete its task and present its final report.

The panel, headed by former Supreme Court judge Ranjana Prakash Desai and Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and the J&K election commissioner as its ex-officio members, was formed in March 2020. It was granted one-year extension last year.

In its draft report shared with its five associated members all Lok Sabha members from Jammu and Kashmir the delimitation panel has proposed an overhaul of the Assembly and Lok Sabha constituencies in the UT.

The commission has asked the associate members to give their inputs and objections to the draft in the coming days, reported The Tribune.

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Delimitation Commission Likely To Get Another Extension - Kashmir Life

A new investigation from Chicago found that sleep extension reduced energy intake and resulted in a negative energy balance in real-life settings among overweight adults who routinely curtailed their sleep duration.

Investigators suggested that improving and maintaining healthy sleep duration over longer time periods could be practiced in obesity prevention and weight loss programs.

Previous studies had recognized sleep duration as a risk factor for obesity, though the mitigation of the risk of obesity through extending sleep duration remains unknown.

As such, investigators led by Esra Tasali, MD, Department of Medicine at the University of Chicago, set out to determine the effects of sleep extension intervention on objectively assessed energy intake, energy expenditure, and body weight in real-life settings among adults with overweight who habitually curtailed their sleep duration.

Tasali and colleagues conducted a single-center, parallel-group, randomized clinical trial from November 1, 2014, to October 30, 2020.

Adults men and women aged 21 to 40 years with a BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 and a mean habitual sleep duration of less than 6.5 hours per night were eligible for the trial. All participants were required to have stable self-reported sleep habits for the past 6 months.

Participants were recruited from the local community and were tasked with completing an initial online survey followed by a face-to-face interview. Race and ethnicity data were self-reported and included Asian, Black or African American, Hispanic, and White categories.

From there, all participants underwent a laboratory screening to determine eligibility. Habitual sleep duration was confirmed by a 1-week screening wrist actigraphy at home.

Following a 2-week habitual sleep period at baseline, participants were randomized to either an individualized sleep hygiene counseling session that was intended to extend their bedtime to 8.5 hours (the sleep extension group) or to continue their habitual sleep.

All participants were instructed to continue daily routine activities at home without any prescribed diet or physical activity.

A total of 80 randomized participants were included in the study. Participants had a mean age of 28.9 (5.1) years and consisted of 41 men (51.3%) and 39 women (48.7%).

Investigators observed that participants in the sleep extension group had a significant increase from baseline in mean sleep duration by actigraphy compared with those in the control group (1.2 hours; 95% CI, 1.0- 1.4 hours; P < .001). The findings were similar regarding change in sleep duration when only participants' workdays (1.3 hours; 95% CI, 1.0-1.5 hours; P < .001) or free days (1.1 hours; 95% CI, 0.7-1.5 hours; P < .001) were considered.

Additionally, sleep duration was increased by approximately 1.2 hours per night (95% CI, 1.0 to 1.4 hours; P < .001) in the sleep extension group compared with the control group, and the sleep extension group had a significant decrease in energy intake compared with the control group (270 kcal/d; 95% CI, 393 to 147 kcal/d; P < .001).

The change in sleep duration was inversely correlated with the change in energy intake (r = 0.41; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.20; P < .001). However, no significant treatment effect in total energy expenditure was found, resulting in weight reduction in the sleep extension group vs the control group.

Overall, the trial found that short-term sleep extension reduced objectively measured intake and resulted in a negative energy balance in real-life settings in overweight adults.

The findings highlighted the importance of improving and maintaining adequate sleep duration as a public health target for obesity prevention and increasing awareness about the benefits of adequate sleep duration for healthy weight maintenance, the team wrote.

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Sleep Extension Reduces Energy Intake in Overweight Adults - MD Magazine