Keaton’s Vanggatfontein mine delivers 58% more coal to Eskom

JSE-listed coal miner Keaton Energy delivered 1.5-million tons of washed 2- and 4-seam thermal coal from its Vanggatfontein colliery, in Mpumalanga, to State utility Eskom during the year ended... 

SA at forefront of intra-Africa investment

South Africa has been at the forefront of growth in intra-African trade and broader emerging market investment during 2012, with intra-African investment showing a 33% compound growth rate,... 

Mondi achieves 35% growth in Q1 underlying operating profit

JSE- and LSE-listed packaging and paper group Mondi recorded a 35% year-on-year increase in underlying operating profit to €162-million during the first quarter of 2013, in line with its... 

Supply side factors to continue impacting platinum price

The price of platinum this year would, in large part, continue to be determined by supply side factors, Thomson Reuters GFMS mining research director William Tankard said on Friday. Discussing the... 

Marcus warns that cautious optimism is giving way to renewed concern

Despite a marked improvement in South Africa’s terms of trade since 2010, the country’s exports has seen a slow recovery, weighed down by lagging global recovery and widespread stoppages in the... 

Report looks at how domestic capital could be mobilised for African infrastructure

The African Development Bank (AfDB) launched its 'Structured Finance – Conditions for infrastructure project bonds in African markets' report at the International Monetary Fund–World Bank Spring... 

R300m air separation plant to cater for new E Cape industrial prospects

Site clearance and preparation for the construction of industrial gas supply company Air Products’ R300-million air separation unit (ASU) in the Coega Industrial Development Zone (IDZ) would start... 

Long-term fundamentals of SA’s platinum sector remain strong

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The long-term fundamentals of South Africa’s platinum mining industry remained attractive, despite labour unrest, increasing electricity prices and high operating... 

R300m SA wind tower factory to reach full production by Feb/March 2014

South Africa’s first wind tower manufacturing facility, which will be built at a cost of R300-million in the Coega Industrial Development Zone, outside Port Elizabeth, would produce its first units... 

Sylvania reports sustained Q3 production, despite various challenges

Despite operations being impacted by safety stoppages at its host mines, Aim-listed Sylvania Platinum managed to keep production from its dump operations fairly unchanged at 10 583 oz of... 

London hearing on AASA silicosis claims to start Wed

On Wednesday, a two-day hearing would start in London’s High Court to decide whether 2 500 gold miners who worked at Anglo American South Africa’s (AASA’s) gold mines can pursue their silicosis... 

Amplats to reveal restructuring plans on May 6

JSE-listed Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) on Tuesday announced that the outcome of the ongoing consultation process relating to its proposed Section 189 restructuring would be postponed to May... 

SA industrial rentals slowly recovering

The yearly growth in industrial rentals was slowly recovering in South Africa, seemingly benefiting from the lagged impact of declining vacancy rates, property consultancy Rode & Associates’ latest... 

SA companies face water-related risks – report

South African companies seem to be particularly exposed to water-related risks with 71% of respondents in the Carbon Disclosure Project’s (CDP’s) Water Disclosure Report 2012 indicating that they... 

Takeovers Panel issues interim order in Firestone takeover

The Australian Takeovers Panel has issued an interim order to prevent ASX- and TSX-listed Firestone Energy and ASX-listed Waterberg Coal Company (WCC), previously Range River Gold, from further... 

Paragon Diamonds increases processing rate at Lesotho project

Aim-listed Paragon Diamonds on Monday said it had increased the plant processing rate at its Lesotho-based Lemphane kimberlite project bulk-sampling programme to over 230 t/d. The company indicated... 

WTO announces final two candidates in DG selection process

World Trade Organisation (WTO) general council chairperson Shahid Bashir on Monday announced that Herminio Blanco, of Mexico, and Roberto Carvalho de Azevêdo, of Brazil, had progressed to the final... 

Amplats names Moosa new nonexecutive chairperson

Platinum major Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) on Friday said it had appointed Valli Moosa as independent nonexecutive chairperson with immediate effect. Moosa’s appointment followed the... 

Africa’s airport operators, govts must collaborate to enable econ growth

To drive economic growth and competitiveness in Africa, there was an urgent need for the continent’s airport operators and governments to collaborate, Airports Company South Africa acting MD... 

After 22-year interlude, IMF recognises Somali government

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Monday announced that it now recognised the new Federal Government of Somalia, which took office in September last year, paving the way for the resumption... 

Compact mobile maize-milling plant unveiled

Food processing plant and equipment supplier Bühler South Africa on Friday launched its 2 t/h mobile Isigayo compact mill, aimed at tackling government’s mandate of developing the small-scale... 

First of eight Zimbabwe toll plazas opens

Construction consortium Infralink has officially opened Zimbabwe’s first toll plaza at Ntabazinduna, 20 km outside Bulawayo. The plaza is the first of eight being constructed as part of the... 

DTI lauds jobs success of textiles competitiveness scheme

The Clothing and Textiles Competitiveness Programme (CTCP) had, to date, created more than 12 000 new permanent jobs in South Africa’s clothing, textiles, leather and footwear sectors, Department... 

Bronkhorstspruit biogas project poised to move into construction in June

Construction on the Bronkhorstspruit Biogas Plant (BBP) would start in June and be completed in the first quarter of next year, the project developer Bio 2 Watt says. Founder Sean Thomas told... 

Dismissals could soar as workers opt out of unions – lawyer

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The apparent opting out of labour union membership in South Africa amid a wave of wildcat strikes, could mark a rise in employee terminations, should companies... 

Davis agrees to step down as Glencore-Xstrata merger clears last major hurdle

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Xstrata CEO Mick Davis has agreed to not take up the six-month role of CEO and executive director of the combined Glencore Xstrata group – one of the conditions... 

AMCU indicates it will reject CoM collective bargaining proposal

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Although the Chamber of Mines (CoM) was expecting to receive a formal response from the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (Amcu) regarding its... 

Local new car sales show good growth in 2013 – Standard Bank

Notwithstanding the South African Reserve Bank’s projection that the country’s gross domestic production would grow only by a marginal 2.7% during 2013, local new car sales was showing good growth... 

Ncondezi concludes power agreement with Mozambique government

Aim-listed Ncondezi Coal has concluded a power framework agreement with the Mozambique government in relation to its proposed 1 800 MW Ncondezi power project in the Tete province. The agreement... 

Mponeng worker dies in loco accident

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has stopped operations on one level at South African gold major AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng mine, near Carletonville, after a worker was fatally injured.... 

Kibo selects Korean power company to participate in Rukwa power project

Tanzania-focused exploration and development company Kibo Mining on Wednesday said it had concluded its selection of global power producer Korea East-West Power (EWP) as the preferred strategic... 

Exxaro considers selling NCC

Diversified resources group Exxaro is calling for expressions of interest from parties to acquire its New Clydesdale Colliery (NCC) operation, near eMalahleni, in Mpumalanga. The company announced... 

Long-term fundamentals of SA’s platinum sector remain strong

The long-term fundamentals of South Africa’s platinum mining industry remained attractive, despite labour unrest, increasing electricity prices and high operating costs, research firm Frost &... 

Manufacturing Circle calls for monetary policy review

The time was ripe to review South Africa’s monetary policy, which was cited as one of the main challenges facing the country’s manufacturing sector, Manufacturing Circle executive director Coenraad... 

SA businesses to finance growth through retained earnings, sitting on cash piles – report

Advisory firm Grant Thornton’s International Business Report (IBR) 2013 shows that nearly 80% of South African business executives plan to finance organisational growth over the next three years... 

Redefine raises R800m in book build

Property loan stock company Redefine Income Fund has closed an R800-million book building after strong demand resulted in the initial proposed amount of R650-million being oversubscribed. The... 

Thani takes over management of Stratex JV projects

Aim-listed Stratex International on Tuesday said its Afar joint venture (JV) partner Thani Ashanti had assumed management of the partnership’s two copper projects in Ethiopia and the Republic of... 

SA Corporate Real Estate awards property management contract to Broll

JSE-listed SA Corporate Real Estate Fund on Monday said it had awarded the contract for the property management of its entire portfolio to property group Broll, effective from July 1. SA... 

CMH reports 51.5% growth in 2012 headline earnings

JSE-listed Combined Motor Holdings (CMH) recorded a 51.5% increase in headline earnings a share to 183.9c for the year ended February, boosted by net finance charges that grew by 26% off a low base... 

Zondereinde mine strike persists, losses grow

The three-week dispute by rock drill operators (RDOs) at JSE-listed Northam Platinum’s Zondereinde mine has seen the company lose about 16 000 oz of metal-in-concentrate production and roughly...