Codelco leadership in focus as Chile voters shift to right

Chileans on Sunday picked right-winger Jose Antonio Kast to head the country. Now, the mining industry is focused on who he will choose to lead state copper giant Codelco. The names of a handful... 

Barrick regains Mali mine along with 3t of its gold

Mali has restored control of the Loulo-Gounkoto mine to Barrick Minin and will return three tons of gold to the company after the two sides resolved a years-long dispute last month. The... 

Lawmakers seek halt to easing rules for Starlink

The Parliamentary committee that oversees South Africa’s telecommunications industry called for the withdrawal of a policy directive that would enable Elon Musk’s SpaceX and other... 

South Africa set for biggest cash-system overhaul in decades

South Africa’s central bank plans the biggest overhaul of the nation’s cash system in decades, moving to create a cash-management company, roll out white-label ATMs and tighten oversight of how... 

BHP venture seeks Argentina incentives for major copper project

A BHP Group venture submitted an application to join Argentina’s investment incentives programme for a project in an area it hopes will be the next major production hub for copper. The Vicuña... 

Illegal miners are digging gold at a $4.8bn Newmont site in Peru

A multi-billion-dollar gold project owned by the world’s biggest bullion producer has been invaded by illegal diggers in northern Peru, according to a top government official. Newmont Corp.’s... 

Australian lithium miner Ioneer eyes bid for Rio’s US boron unit

Australian mining firm Ioneer is interested in bidding on a bundle of Rio Tinto Group’s US assets that produce boron, a critical mineral used in fertilizer, according to its top executive. CEO... 

South Africa sued over coal plant pollution exemptions

Environmental Activists sued South Africa’s environment department over its March decision to allow State-owned Eskom to breach emission rules at eight coal-fired plants. The court case was filed... 

China’s iron-ore buyer seeks new port rules to tighten its grip

China’s State-backed iron-ore buyer is proposing measures to curb hoarding of the steelmaking ingredient at ports, in a move that could dent the pricing power of foreign miners and traders. China... 

Lithium may get much-needed demand boost from battery storage

Lithium bulls are betting on energy storage systems as the next meaningful pillar of demand for the battery metal, nudging the global market back toward balance after years of oversupply. Giant... 

South African inflation expectations fall toward 3% target

South African inflation expectations for the next two years fell in the fourth quarter, edging closer to the central bank’s new 3% inflation target. Average inflation expectations two years ahead —... 

Most South Africans want empowerment policy ended, study finds

More than half of South Africans want a key policy aimed at addressing racial inequality scrapped and hiring and promotions to be merit-based, according to the Institute for Justice and... 

Silver extends gains above $60 on rate-cut hopes, tight supply

Silver extended gains after breaking above $60 an ounce for the first time on Tuesday, with traders betting on further monetary easing by the Federal Reserve and continued supply tightness. The... 

Gold surge sees shift to speculative asset from haven, BIS says

Retail investors drove the recent gold price surge, pushing bullion out of its traditional safe haven pattern to a more speculative asset, according to the Bank for International Settlements.... 

Silver, copper eclipse gold as top metals bets on supply fears

Silver and copper have replaced gold as the hot metal trade heading into 2026, with institutional and retail traders positioning for record rallies. Silver has nearly doubled this year, with most... 

South African private equity firms, lenders back $600m Congo dry port

South African private equity firms and lenders will invest $600-million in debt and equity on a dry port in the Democratic Republic of Congo to ease congestion on one of Africa’s busiest mineral... 

South Africa draws surging demand in $3.5bn eurobond sale

South Africa raised $3.5-billion in a sale of dollar bonds that attracted demand for almost four times that amount, the latest sign of investors flocking to the nation’s financial assets. Africa’s... 

Goldman says copper’s ‘breakout’ above $11 000 won’t last

Goldman Sachs Group injected some caution into the debate over copper’s prospects, saying its surge past $11 000 a ton will prove short-lived as there’s still more than enough metal to meet global... 

Poland to join US-hosted G20 Summit as South Africa is shunned

The US is inviting Poland to the next Group of 20 Summit — and plans to shun South Africa — when President Donald Trump hosts the forum of the largest global economies in 2026, Secretary of State... 

UK in talks to extend $1bn debt guarantee South Africa has failed to use

The UK may extend a $1-billion debt guarantee to help South Africa with its transition to a greener economy as it nears expiry without having been used. The guarantee was approved in late 2023 and... 

Zambian Presidency shuns plan to give State free stake in mines

Zambia’s Presidency rejected proposed regulations that seek to give the state a minimum 15% stake in mines producing copper and other critical minerals without having to pay for it. A draft... 

Japan considering helping South Africa finance energy reform

Japan is in talks with South Africa over potentially helping the country finance the reorganisation of its energy sector. The funding, if implemented, would add to the as much as $150-million lent... 

South Africa’s ruling alliance unlikely to last, DA’s Zille says

South Africa’s ruling alliance is unlikely to see out its current five-year term, with internal party dynamics set to test its cohesion, a senior politician who helped negotiate the coalition’s... 

S&P rejects Africa ratings bias claims: ‘No different treatment’

S&P Global Ratings pushed back against claims of bias in assessing the creditworthiness of African governments, saying all receive equal treatment. “We don’t treat Africa or Latin America or Asia —... 

Sasol CEO sees chemical business potentially listing by 2028

Sasol CEO Simon Baloyi said the South African company may spin off its international chemicals business as soon as 2028, depending on how quickly profit grows. Shares of the fuel and chemicals firm... 

Anglo, Teck pushed by Canada to give head office job guarantees

Canada is putting pressure on Anglo American to make stronger commitments to executive and management jobs at its proposed Vancouver headquarters as a condition of taking over Teck Resources,... 

Angola to speed up mine permits, cut red tape to lift investment

Angola will shorten the time it takes to award mining rights as it seeks to attract more investment into the southwest African nation’s minerals sector. Minerals and Petroleum Minister Diamantino... 

African businesses plot Trump-proof path as confidence builds

African nations are starting to adjust to Donald Trump’s new world order and investors are taking notice. Since returning to the White House in January, the US president has halted most aid to the... 

Motsepe says South Africa must curb crime to lure investors

South African billionaire Patrice Motsepe said the country must shake off its reputation for high crime levels if it wants to attract more investment. “Part of our challenge is crime,” Motsepe said... 

G20 Summit will move on without US, South Africa says

Leaders from the Group of 20 nations will take decisive action to reform the global financial architecture and make other key decisions at their annual summit this week, despite US President Donald... 

Africa Central Banks set to usher in wave of rate cuts as year ends

A wave of African central banks is set to cut interest rates at their final policy meetings of the year as inflation eases, a move that could reinvigorate economic growth. Major central banks in... 

South Africa hits out at credit rating ‘bias’ as upgrade awaited

South Africa would welcome an upgrade of its credit score, but Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana — who says ratings-company bias against the continent is real — isn’t holding his breath. “My sense... 

Zimbabwe lithium miners seek VAT moratorium until end of 2026

Zimbabwean lithium miners have asked the government to defer the imposition of a tax on concentrates until the end of 2026, so they can raise capital to construct processing plants. The southern... 

Rio Tinto mothballs flagship Jadar lithium project

Rio Tinto Group has mothballed the controversial $2.95-billion Jadar lithium project in Serbia, according to an internal note. The memo, sent this week and seen by Bloomberg, said that the project... 

Eskom’s borrowing costs fall as investors warm to turnaround

A measure of Eskom’s credit risk has narrowed to the lowest in a year as investors deepen bets that South Africa’s State-owned power utility has turned a corner after years of crisis. The extra... 

ArcelorMittal, IDC end exclusive South Africa talks with no deal

ArcelorMittal’s exclusive talks with South Africa’s biggest development finance institution regarding its potential sale of its local steel operation have ended without a deal, leaving the company... 

South Africa starts trial of first self-made vaccine in 50 years

South Africa started a clinical trial for its oral cholera inoculation, the first developed from scratch locally in 50 years as President Cyril Ramaphosa has joined continent-wide calls for growing... 

Goldman sees South Africa ratings upgrade this week after budget

Goldman Sachs expects an improvement in South Africa’s public finances to pave the way for a sovereign credit-rating upgrade on Friday, days after Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana delivers a... 

Environment Minister Dion George set to lose his post

Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Dion George looks likely to lose his post after his party, the Democratic Alliance, proposed that he be replaced by its spokesperson, Willie... 

Bolivia is rethinking lithium deals with China, Russia in US pivot

Bolivia is awash in the battery metal lithium, but the resource is nearly all trapped underground. President-elect Rodrigo Paz, who takes office Saturday, is vowing to finally bring Bolivia into...