Welcome to Saint Barbara

Saint Barbara is an independent UK-based consultancy firm that offers specialist advice to the world's metal, minerals and mining industries.

Latest Metals and Mining Sector Projects

• June 2023 Shipping – Advice on particle size distribution of cargo of bauxite. Investigation into alleged illegal substitution of coal in transit. Advice on quality of sulphuric acid for Copper Heap Leaching. Advice on aluminium cargo exposed to the elements.
  
• May 2023 Shipping – Advice on safe disposal of bituminous coal wash water in the Mediterranean Sea.
  
• April 2023 Shipping – Advice on cargo of Iron Ore Fines.
  
• March 2023 Shipping – Confirmation of HS Codes for Aluminium cargoes. Advice on Flow Moisture Point/Transportable Moisture Limit/Moisture Content of Iron Ore Cargo. Advice on cargo of Green Iron Ore Briquettes.
  
• February 2023 Shipping – Expert Witness advising on alleged contamination of Prime Silver-Nickel Strips. Advice on drying Titanium Oxide cargo.
  
• January 2023 Shipping – Advice on alleged contamination of cargo of Salt. Advice on alleged fire/explosion during discharge of Sulphur cargo.
  
• December 2022 Shipping – Advice on loading cargo of copper cathodes. Advice on lime washing holds in preparation to carry cargo of solar salt.
  
• November 2022 Shipping – Advice on stowage of cargo of steel pipes.
  
• October 2022 Shipping – Advice on safe disposal of solid cargo residues and waste water in the Mediterranean Sea.
  
• September 2022 Ongoing provision of detailed design of the modifications required for change in smelting technology at an Asian base metals smelter. Shipping – Advice on carriage of steel scrap cargoes.
  
• August 2022 Ongoing provision of detailed design of the modifications required for change in smelting technology at an Asian base metals smelter. Shipping – Advice on hold preparation prior to loading cargo of salt.
• July 2022 Ongoing provision of detailed design of the modifications required for change in smelting technology at an Asian base metals smelter.
  
• June 2022 Provision of detailed design of the modifications required for change in smelting technology at an Asian base metals smelter.
  
advice on dispute between Buyer and Seller over price and specification clauses in sales contract for a consignment of zinc concentrate. Provision of detailed design of the modifications required for change in smelting technology at an Asian base metals smelter.

• May 2022 Expert advice on dispute between Buyer and Seller over quality (tin assay values) of consignments of tin concentrate.
  
• April 2022 Shipping – Advice on classification of direct reduced iron cargo as DRI(A) or DRI(B).
  
• March 2022 Shipping – Advice on specification of steel scrap cargo. Valuation of steel cargoes marooned in Odessa. Valuation of nickel ore cargo.
  
• February 2022 Shipping – Advice on carriage of various cargoes – Soda ash, bentonite and copper concentrates.
  
• January 2022 Advice on cargo of lead ingots contaminated with seawater.
  
• December 2021 Advice on transportation of iron ore concentrate cargo.
  
• November 2021 Shipping – Advice on carriage of iron ore pellets.
  
• October 2021 Shipping – Valuation of cargo of copper concentrate. Advice on carriage of various cargoes – phosphate rock, pyroxenite pyrites and Hot Briquetted Iron (HBI).
  
• September 2021 Shipping – Advice on carriage of various cargoes – coal tar pitch pencil, sulphur and iron ore.
  
• August 2021 Shipping – Advice on dewatering ores and concentrates by liquefaction. Advice on testing procedures for identifying cargo as iron ore fines either Direct Reduced Iron (DRI (C)).
  
• July 2021 Expert Witness – Review of advanced gold acquisition scheme. Shipping – Advice on condition of coal cargo and advice on contaminated cargo of salt.
  
• June 2021 Shipping – Advice on carriage of silico-manganese cargoes. Advice on lime washing of vessel hold structures to protect from corrosion by salt cargo.
  
• April 2021 Advice on transportation of self-heating zinc concentrate cargo.
  
• March 2021 Ongoing Expert Witness - Dispute concerning name, characteristics, specifications and contract terms for consignments of copper concentrate.
  
• January 2021 Expert Witness – Dispute between processing equipment supplier and mining company over design and performance of equipment.
  
• December 2020 Expert Witness - Dispute concerning name, characteristics, specifications and contract terms for consignments of copper concentrate and shipping advice on carriage of nickel ore.
  
• November 2020 Shipping - Advice on loading and carriage of Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) cargo.
  
• October 2020 Investigation into theft of tin concentrate consignments, Central Africa
  
• September 2020 Ongoing input into feasibility study (advising on metallurgical pilot plant testing and concentrate product quality) for a Ni-Cu-PGM Project, Finland
  
• August 2020 Expert Witness - Advice on Exploration Techniques for a Judicial Review of Exploration Licences in Northern Ireland
  
• July 2020 Investigation into in insurance claim for loss of copper concentrates at a Far Eastern smelter due to a typhoon.
  
• June 2020 Investigation into alleged tonnage loss and change in quality of copper concentrate shipped from Peru to Malaysia.
  
• April 2020 Input into feasibility study (advising on metallurgical pilot plant testing and concentrate product quality) for a Finnish Ni-Cu-PGM Project.
  
• March 2020 Due diligence on the assets of a Lead-Zinc smelter in Germany, for a potential buyer.
  
• February 2020 Assistance with DRI concept study in Africa (mining, beneficiation and pellet plant issues).
  
• January 2020 Risk assessment of Turkish Trona (Soda Ash) deposit for investment bank.
  
• September 2019 Expert Witness representing the Buyer in a dispute over the value of a consignment of Nickel Oxide.
  
• August 2019 Review of zinc rich steel dust recycling process.
  
• July 2019 Expert tin processing advice on a project in the CIS.
  
• June 2019 Opinion on mining risk at a gold deposit in Kyrgystan. Expert witness reporting on spent drilling muds.
  
• May 2019 Expert witness appearance on zinc processing in London Arbitration.
  
• April 2019 Petcoke and Indonesian self-heating coal advice.
  
• March 2019 Environmental audit on secondary lead processing plant, S Korea. Advice on manganese ore pricing.
  
• February 2019 Review of antimony processing plant design for a potential lender. Advice on radioactivity of containerised PVC cargo.
  
• January 2019 Advice on zinc retorting. Market valuation of sound arrived rock phosphate cargo.
  
• December 2018 Two confidential witness appearances at London and Geneva arbitrations. Advice on pet coke sales and self-heating coal.
  
• November 2018 Advice on manganese ore transportable moisture limit. Pricing of manganese and chromite ores.
  
• October 2018 Due Diligence and valuation of coal deposits in Bosnia Herzegovenia. Advice on caked cement and di-ammonnium phosphate cargoes.
  
• September 2018 Bulk shipping advice on a confidential intermediate mineral product.
  

Saint Barbara is part of the MCI Group of companies. For further information, visit Metals Consulting International.