Air Liquide launches €200m air separation unit at Sasol

Gas company Air Liquide has launched a €200-million air separation unit (ASU) at energy and chemicals company Sasol's Secunda plant. Said to be the biggest oxygen production unit in the world, the... 

Joburg teams up with private sector on recycling scheme

Adcock Ingram Critical Care, Netcare, Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba and the City of Johannesburg, this week launched a project that recycles used, nonhazardous intravenous infusion drip bags... 

AfDB renews its commitment

The African Development Bank (AfDB) plans to provide 29.3-million people on the continent with access to electricity by 2020. Speaking during meetings of the United Nations Economic Commission for... 

Commission proposes conditions for Scaw acquisition

The Competition Commission has recommended that the Competition Tribunal approve the proposed transaction, with conditions, whereby Barnes Southern Palace intends to acquire steel maker Scaw from... 

Botswana Diamonds undertakes scoping study at Thorny River

Aim-listed Botswana Diamonds has started a scoping study to determine the commercial potential of the Thorny River diamond project, which is a consolidation of the Frischgewaagt, Hartbeesfontein... 

JRA to convert Jan Smuts avenue to a dual carriageway

The Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) has developed a draft design for the future upgrading of Jan Smuts avenue to a dual carriageway from Northwold drive to Bolton drive and from Eighth avenue to... 

DRDGold lifts H1 profit on higher production

Dual-listed gold recovery company DRDGold on Thursday posted a 27% year-on-year increase in operating profit to R219.9-million for the six months ended December  31, on the back of an 11%... 

Pretorius sees WRTRP transaction as an investment

Johannesburg-focused gold processor DRDGold is hoping that the addition of the West Rand tailings retreatment project (WRTRP), currently the subject of a R13-billion deal with Neal Froneman-led... 

GBI takes steps to further expand Chesanyama footprint

JSE-listed franchising company Gold Brands Investments (GBI) has entered into a development agreement with a master franchisor, who will have the exclusive right of developing the Chesanyama brand... 

PwC forecasts 'pain' for the public amid prospects of tax hikes

The nature of fiscal revenues and expenditure in the 2018/19 fiscal year so far indicate that the fiscal deficit will likely expand to R250-billion, unless prudent spending cuts are implemented,... 

Emira returns to positive distribution in H1

South African real estate investment trust (Reit) Emira Property Fund on Wednesday declared an interim dividend of 70.65c a share for the six months ended December 31 - a 2.5% year-on-year... 

Sasol Chemicals completes alumina capacity expansion project in Germany

Sasol Chemicals' inorganics and catalyst division has completed a 15 000 t/y expansion of alumina capacity at its  Brunsbuettel site, in Germany, enabling the company to meet growing global demand.... 

SARB stays abreast of latest fintech developments

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has established a financial technology (fintech) programme to strategically assess the emergence of fintech in a structured and organised manner, and to... 

Kumba profit up 12% in 'royal flush' year – CEO

In a year that CEO Themba Mkhwanazi describes as a "royal flush", Kumba Iron Ore posted a 12% increase in headline earnings to R9.7-billion. Headline earnings reached R30.47 a share, while earnings... 

Westgold, S2R shake hands on gold tenements

ASX-listed companies Westgold Resources and S2 Resources (S2R) have entered an agreement, whereby Westgold would acquire S2R's interest in the Polar Bear project, its 80% interest in the Eundynie... 

Middle Island to exit West Africa as focus shifts to Australia project

ASX-listed Middle Island (MDI) has signed a heads of agreement (HoA) to sell its remaining gold interests in West Africa, as its focus shifts to Western Australia. The HoA with TSX-V-listed Tajiri... 

PFS outlines 'compelling case' for Pilgangoora expansion – Pilbara

Australian lithium developer Pilbara Minerals has delivered a prefeasibility study (PFS) for its flagship 100%-owned Pilgangoora lithium/tantalum project, in Western Australia. The company reported... 

Savannah's Mina do Barroso drilling programme shows good results

Aim-listed Savannah Resources on Monday said that it had identified significant widths of lithium mineralisation through the ongoing reverse circulation (RC) drill programme at its Mina do Barroso... 

Oracle Power gets approval for next step in coal, power plant development

The Private Power and Infrastructure Board (PPIB) of Pakistan has approved the issue of notice to proceed (NTP) and letter of intent (LoI) for a coal mine and mine-mouth power plant in Block VI of... 

RCL Foods reports uptick as chicken processing business improves

South African food producer RCL Foods expects to report an upswing in its financial results for the six months ended December 31, with its headline earnings a share to be between 46% and 66% higher... 

Wind energy installations continue to grow – WWEA

The overall capacity of all wind turbines installed worldwide by the end of 2017 reached 539 291 MW, preliminary statistics published by World Wind Energy Association (WWEA) has shown. A WWEA... 

Top mining companies' value increased by 15.5% y/y

The 25 top global mining companies were worth an aggregate $818.2-billion at the end of January, a 15.5% increase compared with their value in the corresponding month in 2017, when the same... 

Maiden resource estimate declared for Kapunda copper project

Terramin Exploration (TEL), a wholly owned subsidiary of Terramin Australia and its joint venture (JV) partner, Environmental Copper Recovery (ECR), have completed the maiden on site recovery (ISR)... 

Cooper Energy swings to H1 profit as it executes gas strategy

Australian gas producer Cooper Energy has grown its net profit, operating cash flow, production and reserves by 200% in the first half of the 2018 financial year, as the company realised gains from... 

QRC, Aurizon at loggerheads over coal line maintenance

The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) on Monday said it was "extremely disappointed" by Aurizon's move to pre-empt the state's regulatory process by moving to change its maintenance programme... 

Kumba expects FY17 earnings to soar as production improves

Kumba Iron Ore's headline earnings for the year ended December 31 are likely to increase by 7% to 15% year-on-year to between R9.3-billion and R9.98-billion and its headline earnings per share... 

AfriBusiness believes new competition legislation will harm large businesses

The proposed Competition Amendment Bill will transform South Africa's competition authorities into instruments for black economic empowerment (BEE), argues business lobby AfriBusiness. CEO Piet le... 

Budget is watershed moment for South Africa's economy - economist

While there are early signs of a recovery in the local economy, with expected business conditions improving, government now needs to show - through its Budget later this month - that it has the... 

New petroleum pipelines regulator appointed

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has appointed Muzuvukile Mkhize as full-time regulator member responsible for petroleum pipelines regulation, following Cabinet approval.... 

CompCom suspends advisory services pending appeal

The Competition Commission has suspended its advisory opinion services pending the finalisation of the case against Hosken Consolidated Investments (HCI). This follows a Competition Appeal Court... 

Signs of manufacturing recovery, despite ongoing metals industry pressures

The latest preliminary production data for the metals and engineering sector, released by Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) on Thursday, reflected a slowdown in production in December, despite a... 

Gold Fields expects up to 12% decrease in FY17 HEPS

Dual-listed Gold Fields on Thursday said it expected as much as a 12% drop in its headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the 2017 financial year. HEPS would be between $0.23 to $0.26 apiece. 

Limpopo roads agency seeks funding from mining sector

Roads Agency Limpopo (RAL) will, on February 16, host a stakeholder engagement and fundraising session with the mining industry in the Sekhukhune district municipality. The session is aimed at... 

South African professor receives prestigious award

University of South Africa (Unisa) Unesco-Unisa chair in nanosciences and nanotechnology Professor Malik Maaza has been awarded the African Union (AU) Kwame Nkrumah Award for Scientific Excellence... 

Miranda Minerals gets prospecting right for base metals project in Northern Cape

The Department of Mineral Resources has granted Miranda Minerals a prospecting right in respect of the remainder of Rozynenbosch farm No 104, measuring 6 483 ha, in the Northern Cape. The right is... 

New R14m slipway, truck arrestor bed being built at Sir Lowry's Pass

The Western Cape Department of Transport and Public Works (DTPW) has started a R14-million project to build a new slipway and truck arrestor bed on the downward slope of the N2 near Sir Lowry's... 

Peabody delivers best result in five years, eyes continued growth

Reflecting a strong operational performance, significant cash generation and debt repayment, NYSE-listed coal miner Peabody on Thursday reported adjusted earnings before interest, taxes,... 

Orca Gold gets water use permit for Sudan project

TSX-listed Orca Gold has received an exclusive permit for the exploitation of water from the Area 5 aquifer, first discovered by the company in May 2017, from the government of Sudan. The water... 

Troy Resources delivers sizeable production in January

South America-focused gold miner Troy Resources achieved gold production of 6 124 oz of gold in January, in line with budget and at a similar level to the previous month's production of 6 224 oz.... 

Basil Read CEO upbeat about capital raise, company prospects

Although still in the grips of a financial predicament, owing to poor construction prospects in South Africa, paired with bad debts and cash-depleting projects, local construction company Basil...