US auto import tariff will not drastically impact PGM demand – WPIC

The World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) finds in its latest Platinum Essentials publication that the US’s 25% tariff on vehicle imports from April 3 and parts from May 3 will have a 70 000 oz... 

Ironveld expects near-term cash generation from renegotiated DMS project

High-purity iron miner Ironveld’s shares have resumed trading on the Aim, after the company published its results for the financial year ended June 30, 2024, in addition to its results for the six... 

Lotus progresses Kayelekera grid connection arrangement ahead of production restart

ASX-listed Lotus Resources has signed two agreements with the Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (Escom) to facilitate connection of the Kayelekera uranium project to the national grid. The... 

Mondi completes acquisition of Western Europe packaging facilities

JSE-listed packaging and paper producer Mondi has completed the acquisition of the Western Europe packaging assets of Schumacher Packaging. The deal effectively expands Mondi’s footprint and... 

Nampak appoints Hood CEO, Roux to oversee new committee

Phildon Roux will step down as CEO of JSE-listed packaging producer Nampak with effect from September 30 and will be succeeded by Andrew Hood. To support a structured handover, Hood will take up... 

Lower chrome prices result in lower interim earnings for Jubilee

Aim- and AltX-listed Jubilee Metals has reported a 51% year-on-year increase in group revenue to $141-million in the six months ended December 31, 2024, mainly owing to higher production of chrome... 

Global gold-backed ETF holdings soar to $268bn in value

German technology group Hereaus finds in its latest precious metals appraisal that gold continues to enjoy strong support from institutional investors and price increases invoked by uncertainty on... 

Gold Fields announces potential ten-year bond offering

JSE- and NYSE-listed Gold Fields plans to undertake a senior unsecured dollar-denominated ten-year bond offering. The company has mandated Citigroup, RBC Capital Markets and Scotia Capital as... 

Caledonia swings to attributable profit of $17.9m

NYSE- and Aim-listed gold miner Caledonia Mining Corporation has swung from a net loss of $7.9-million in 2023 to a net attributable profit of $17.9-million in 2024. The company reported... 

Kore targets construction at Kola on January 1 next year

With large projects in the mining industry often facing challenges in terms of cost and time overruns, UK-headquartered Kore Potash chairperson David Hathorn confirms that the company’s contracting... 

Commercial operation starts at Botswana solar energy plant

Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec has started commercial operation of the first 60 MW of the 120 MW Mmadinare Solar Cluster, in Botswana. The power plant is Scatec’s first installation in... 

PPC unpacks turnaround progress, rationale behind new plant

As JSE-listed cement producer PPC prepares to start construction on a new R3-billion plant in the Western Cape in the second half of the year, CEO Matias Cardarelli has emphasised how the new plant... 

Ford South Africa ships first locally produced PHEV Rangers

Ford South Africa has shipped its first batch of locally produced plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) Rangers this week. During a showcase of the newly upgraded Silverton plant, in Pretoria,... 

Wits Mining Institute showcases new-generation electronic blasting initiation system

The Wits Mining Institute (WMI) has demonstrated to students and media the latest blasting initiation technology it is using in its simulated DigiMine as part of practical learning for students and... 

Specialist undertakes first-ever installation for ballasting

Industrial equipment supplier Atlas Copco’s pump dewatering specialist arm Integrated Pump Rental (IPR) has delivered its first pumps for a ballasting project in the maritime industry. The pumps... 

Minerals Council voices concern about dwindling mining investment

Following a quarterly decline in the third quarter’s real GDP, growth bounced back in the fourth quarter of last year, which the Minerals Council South Africa says bodes well for all sectors;... 

Experts unpack imperatives for improved trade in agri sector

With the world finding itself in turbulent territory with respect to trade relations, independent political and economic analyst JP Landman identifies three necessary actions to improve South... 

Experts suggest govt expenditure correction, collaboration to realise more infrastructure development

Business Unity South Africa CEO Khulekani Mathe is not very optimistic about government realising R1-trillion of investment in infrastructure over the next three years, as set out in the National... 

Cesa, Macpherson reflect on public works progress and imperatives

In the spirit of “engineering the future we want” Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) president David Leukes opened this year’s Cesa Infrastructure Indaba by emphasising the importance of... 

Grain SA introduces Krige as chairperson during congress, summarises sector insights

In a farewell address at the 2025 Grain SA Congress, outgoing chairperson Derek Mathews emphasised the resilience and determination of South African grain producers, saying the sector has always... 

BER survey respondents expect headline consumer inflation of 4.3% this year

Research company Bureau for Economic Research (BER) finds in its latest Inflation Expectations Survey for the first quarter of the year that respondents expect headline consumer inflation this year... 

Index reflects positive sentiment amid La Niña rains, better macroeconomics

The Agribusiness Confidence Index (ACI) increased by 11 points from the fourth quarter last year to 70 in the first quarter of this year. The index, which is compiled by Agricultural Business... 

Tertiary confirms more silver, base metal mineralisation at Mushima North

Aim-listed Tertiary Minerals has confirmed more silver, copper and zinc mineralisation at its majority-owned Mushima North project, in Zambia, following additional assay results received from... 

Operational challenges impact Hulamin’s full-year profitability

JSE-listed aluminium producer Hulamin has reported a much-improved 2024 financial year in terms of market conditions, particularly in the company’s export segments. “Demand recovery brought... 

Electric steel producers call for reinstatement of scrap metal export ban

A representative group of local electric steel producers has urged Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau to reinstate a ban on the export of scrap metal. “The ban will ensure the... 

Shuka Minerals extends Kabwe acquisition completion date while it awaits last approval

Aim-listed Shuka Minerals has received all but one of the regulatory approvals required to complete the acquisition of Leopard Exploration and Mining, and thereby the Kabwe zinc mine, in Zambia.... 

MC Mining’s loss widens to $8.4m

Coal miner MC Mining has recorded a 31% year-on-year decrease in run-of-mine (RoM) tonnes from the Uitkomst Colliery, in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province, for the six months ended December 31,... 

Sacci finds trade conditions improved in Feb but not enough to create more jobs

The South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) finds in its latest Trade Conditions Survey for February that respondents are positive following the “best conditions since the middle of... 

Petco encourages more consumers to join recycling efforts

Ahead of Global Recycling Day on March 18, producer responsibility organisation Petco asserts that even small actions can make a big impact. The organisation laments that valuable recyclable... 

Africa’s solar capacity grows, but falls well short of potential – council

Nonprofit trade body Global Solar Council (GSC) finds in its latest market report that Africa’s solar installations are set to soar over the next four years, with 23 GW projected to be installed.... 

Renergen sells first commercial liquid helium

Natural gas and helium producer Renergen’s share price has increased by 40.5% on March 14 after announcing the start of commercial sales of liquid helium. This follows the company having faced... 

Hulamin designates Baloyi to succeed Leeuw as chairperson

JSE-listed aluminium producer Hulamin reports that independent nonexecutive chairperson Thabo Leeuw will retire after 17 years of working for the company, effective August 31. During his tenure,... 

Alphamin temporarily stops mining at Bisie as DRC conflict continues

TSX-V- and JSE-listed Alphamin Resources has advised that it will temporarily cease mining at the Bisie tin mine, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), amid conflict in the country. Insurgent... 

PGMs, iron-ore, coal drag mining production down by 2.7% in January

Statistics South Africa reports that mining production decreased by 2.7% year-on-year in January, with the largest negative contributors having been iron-ore, platinum group metals (PGM) and coal.... 

Kieswetter confident that Sars modernisation will boost tax collection

South African Revenue Service (Sars) Commissioner Edward Kieswetter on March 13 explained the revised revenue estimate presented by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in the Budget tabled in... 

Scatec commissions first 60 MW of solar farm in Botswana

Norwegian renewable energy company Scatec has started commercial operation of the first 60 MW of the 120 MW Mmadinare Solar Cluster, in Botswana. The power plant is Scatec’s first installation in... 

Economists recognise Budget’s balancing act efforts, laud increased Sars funding to boost capacity

Economists have widely recognised the efforts of Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in the Budget tabled on March 12 to balance fiscal sustainability and economic growth. Standard Bank South Africa... 

Favourable trade metrics boost Hyprop’s interim distributable income growth by 14.5%

JSE- and A2X-listed specialist property retail fund Hyprop Investments has achieved double-digit growth of 14.5% year-on-year in its distributable income to R765-million for the six months ended... 

Godongwana burdens wine sector with ‘unworkable’ tax regime, industry body says

Industry body South Africa Wine has expressed strong condemnation towards Finance Minister Enoch Gogongwana’s decision to implement “excessive” excise tax increases on wine. The organisation says... 

Budget adds strain to mining employees, but other aspects support economy

Following Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s delivery of the national Budget speech on March 12, Minerals Council South Africa says the mining sector’s employees will be impacted on in various...