Mike O'Driscoll

About Mike O'Driscoll

Mike has over 30 years experience in the international mining and minerals industry, specialising in industrial minerals and markets, for which he is widely recognised as a leading expert. After serving 26 years at Industrial Minerals (IM) magazine – 17 years as Editor – Mike left IM in 2014 to pursue an independent career in the industrial minerals business, and launched IMFORMED in January 2015 with Ismene Clarke. Read more >

Gear up for GIFA: Foundry Minerals & Markets Forum 2015

Atlantic Congress Hotel, Essen, Monday 15 June 2015 Chromite | Zircon | Graphite | Andalusite | Mullite | Bentonite | Silica sand | Dunite | Cenospheres IMFORMED’s 1-day conference for the foundry mineral business is of high interest to all those active in the supply and use of industrial minerals used in metal casting. Topics include [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Tuesday, 2 June, 2015|Newsfile|Comments Off on Gear up for GIFA: Foundry Minerals & Markets Forum 2015

Chromite market challenge continues

Refractories and chemicals show bright spots The overall situation for non-metallurgical chromite supply is one of weak demand and oversupply, particularly for foundry grade, although there are some signs of improvement in refractory and chemical markets. World chromite production declined slightly in 2014 over the previous year, but South African output increased markedly, including activity [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Sunday, 17 May, 2015|Newsfile|Comments Off on Chromite market challenge continues

Indian barytes tender concluded

Garuda starts new barytes processing plant India’s tender for sale of crude barytes ore concluded earlier this week, with a total of 400,000 tonnes of barytes sold by the country’s dominant producer, state government-owned Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corp. Ltd (APMDC). The tender is normally conducted once every three years, and was due in 2014, [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Thursday, 14 May, 2015|Newsfile|1 Comment

Zircon plant opened in US by Southern Ionics Minerals

Timing good as Iluka winds down US operations Southern Ionics Minerals LLC has formally opened its new Mineral Sands Plant (MSP) in Offerman, Pierce county, Georgia, with zircon and titanium minerals production scheduled to start in June 2015. Invesment casting is one of the main targets for the new zircon source. Southern Ionics is exploiting the [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Tuesday, 12 May, 2015|Newsfile|1 Comment

Foundry Minerals & Markets Forum 2015, 15 June, Essen

Chromite, zircon, graphite, andalusite, mullite, bentonite, silica sand, dunite, cenospheres Only 1 week to Early Bird Rate cut-off 15 May 2015. Book now for a €125 saving! IMFORMED’s high profile 1-day conference for the foundry mineral business is attracting much attention from all those active in the supply and use of industrial minerals used in [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Friday, 8 May, 2015|Newsfile|Comments Off on Foundry Minerals & Markets Forum 2015, 15 June, Essen

Indian barytes upgrade jv between APMDC and ONGC

Revised barytes tender outcome uncertain India’s vast stockpile of low grade barytes material will be the feedstock for a new upgrading initiative planned between the country’s largest barytes producer, Andhra Pradesh Mineral Development Corp. Ltd (APMDC), and leading barytes consumer, national oil and gas explorer and producer, Oil & Natural Gas Corp. Ltd (ONGC). Meanwhile, [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Wednesday, 6 May, 2015|Newsfile|Comments Off on Indian barytes upgrade jv between APMDC and ONGC

Ceramic proppant pilot plant commissioning in Australia

Coretrack Ltd has commenced commissioning at its recently constructed pilot-scale proppant plant at Clontarf, near Brisbane, Queensland. Coretrack is developing a new ceramic proppant grade based on fly-ash for use in hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas wells. Construction of the pilot plant commenced in December 2014 and the fine grinding mill is now built [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Friday, 1 May, 2015|Newsfile|Comments Off on Ceramic proppant pilot plant commissioning in Australia

Mineral Logistics on a high in Rotterdam

IMFORMED's first event a success IMFORMED’s inaugural event, Mineral Logistics Forum 2015, took place last Friday, 24 April 2015, in Rotterdam, and by common consent of the attendees was an unqualified success. A total of 92 international delegates representing the full range of operations across the industrial minerals supply chain gathered at the impressive Inntel [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Tuesday, 28 April, 2015|Newsfile|3 Comments

Imerys move to buy Andalusite Resources quashed

SEE NEWSFILE UPDATE SA Competition Commission found deal “significantly preventing competition” The acquisition of Andalusite Resources (Pty) Ltd, which would have bolstered Imerys’ already strong grip on the global andalusite supply sector, has been prohibited by South Africa’s Competition Commission. After examining the deal and considering the concerns of refractory manufacturers and end users of [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Monday, 20 April, 2015|Newsfile|Comments Off on Imerys move to buy Andalusite Resources quashed

Oilfield Minerals & Markets Forum Houston 2015

Only 1 week to go until Early Bird Rate cut-off 27 April 2015! Book now for a US$300 saving! IMFORMED’s high profile conference for the global oilfield mineral business is attracting much attention as the market adjusts to the slowdown in rig activity and anticipates the timing of recovery. Oilfield Minerals & Markets Forum Houston [...]

By |2024-03-22T05:52:25+00:00Monday, 20 April, 2015|Newsfile|Comments Off on Oilfield Minerals & Markets Forum Houston 2015