South Africa shuts 1 041 mom-and-pop stores as food deaths mount

South Africa has shut down 1 041 mom-and-pop stores in a bid to stop people from consuming pesticide-laden food, which has led to the deaths of 38 children across the country. President Cyril... 

BHP sees rising uncertainty for miners on trade as Trump returns

BHP Group, the world’s biggest miner, expects increasing uncertainty in the near term as US President-elect Donald Trump prepares to implement a slew of tariffs and other trade measures. “In the... 

Nouveau Monde Graphite gets $50m to fund Quebec project

Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. received $50 million from two government entities to help fund a production facility for electric-vehicle battery materials in Quebec. The equity investment comes as... 

Gold holds decline as focus on fed for next year’s rate outlook

Gold held a decline ahead of the Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate decision, with traders watching for clues about next year’s monetary-policy path. Bullion was steady near $2,647 an ounce, after... 

Kenya plans IVF to save rare White Rhinos nearing extinction

Kenya plans to use assisted reproduction techniques to save the northern white rhino — a species that has only two females remaining worldwide — from the brink of extinction. It will involve... 

Israel sees signs of breakthrough in talks over Gaza ceasefire

Israeli officials say a ceasefire in Gaza is a more realistic prospect than at any time in the past year, suggesting a long-awaited deal to free hostages and boost aid to the beleaguered territory... 

Australian graphite maker jumps on $755m US plant funding

Shares in Australian synthetic graphite maker Novonix surged after it received a conditional $755-million loan from the US Department of Energy to build a manufacturing plant in Tennessee. Novonix... 

Samarco to invest more than $1bn to resume full capacity

Samarco Minercao expects to invest more than $1-billion to return its iron-ore operations to full capacity by January 2028 — a date that’s more than 12 years after the operation was first sidelined... 

Rio Tinto’s $2.5bn lithium plan is a win for Milei

Rio Tinto Group plans to invest $2.5-billion in a new lithium mine in Argentina in a win for President Javier Milei’s efforts to deregulate the country’s economy and lure foreign investment. The... 

Exxaro is said to have discussed acquiring Tshipi manganese mine

Exxaro Resources has held talks with the owner of one of South Africa’s largest manganese mines about buying the asset, as the coal producer seeks to diversify its business, according to people... 

Australia’s opposition reveals A$331bn nuclear power plan

Australia’s main opposition group laid out a A$331-billion plan to create a taxpayer-funded nuclear power industry in just over a decade, despite the nation’s top scientists saying renewable energy... 

Canada weighs export taxes on uranium, oil if Trump starts trade war

Canada is examining the use of export taxes on major commodities it exports to the US — including uranium, oil and potash — if incoming President Donald Trump carries out his threat to impose broad... 

China is urging EV firms to invest in South Africa, official says

China is encouraging its electrical vehicle manufacturers to invest in South Africa as it seeks to broaden ties between the two nations. “We encourage the Chinese companies to consider, very... 

Court blocks ICTSI bid to appeal South Africa port-deal ruling

A South African court denied a bid by International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI) to appeal a decision that temporarily stops the nation’s state-owned logistics firm from going ahead with... 

‘We can’t sit back’: Canada’s Premiers float retaliatory options against Trump

Canada’s provincial premiers are helping to assemble a list of possible retaliatory measures if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on a threat to apply 25% tariffs against all goods the... 

V&A plans R20bn Granger Bay development

Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront plans a R20-billion expansion of the adjacent Granger Bay precinct and has sought permission from authorities in South Africa’s second-biggest city for the development.... 

South32 hopeful Trump will allow access to Alaska copper region

South32 is optimistic the incoming Trump administration will open up access to a copper-rich region in northwest Alaska, where the Australian miner has development rights. If the building of a... 

South African inflation inches up, leaving rate cut hopes intact

South Africa’s inflation rate crept up by less-than-expected in November, creating room for the central bank to deliver another cut in borrowing costs next month. The consumer price index rose 2.9%... 

Zimbabwe wants 26% free-carry stake in new mining projects

Zimbabwe is planning to hold 26% of new mining projects on a free carry basis, and will also negotiate with existing operators to acquire a similar stake. “We need to move to a level where we reach... 

Guinea plans sovereign wealth fund backed by iron-ore income

Guinea plans to use some of its income from mining the world’s largest iron-ore reserve to create a sovereign wealth fund. The facility will fund key development projects in the government’s... 

Trump vows fast permits for those investing $1bn in US

President-elect Donald Trump said his administration would help expedite permits for any person or company that invested at least $1-billion in the US. “Any person or company investing ONE BILLION... 

BHP, Rio accused of allowing sexual harassment on mine sites

BHP Group and Rio Tinto Group allowed environments on their Australian mining sites where female staff faced systemic sexual harassment and gender discrimination, according to two class actions... 

Barrick said to seek buyer for Tongon mine as bullion soars

Barrick Gold Corp. is seeking buyers for its Tongon gold mine in Côte d'Ivoire in an effort to sell the aging operation when bullion prices are surging. The world’s No. 2 gold miner started... 

South Africa business confidence jumps as government hopes grow

South Africa’s business confidence soared to the highest level in nine years last month, suggesting a significant improvement in the economic outlook as businesses take encouragement from the... 

Newmont cuts management jobs in major corporate restructuring

Newmont let go of nearly a dozen managers, including a member of its executive team, as part of a sweeping corporate overhaul, according to people familiar with the matter. The world’s top gold... 

Zimbabwe power users raise $250m for solar plan

Zimbabwe’s industrial power users have secured $250-million from the African Export-Import Bank to build floating solar panels at the world’s largest man-made lake. The Intensive Energy User Group,... 

OR Tambo International faces flight delays over refuel issues

Airlines at South Africa’s busiest airport are unable to refuel their aircraft, raising the possibility of renewed delays just two days after pilots at the state-owned carrier ended a strike. The... 

South Africa cautious on rates to avoid regrets, Kganyago says

South African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago said policymakers were proceeding with care on adjusting interest rates, to avoid having any future regrets. “In an environment of uncertainty... 

Citi chops back copper forecasts as Trump’s trade tariffs loom

Copper looks set to struggle as extra US trade tariffs from the Trump administration and economic risks in China drag on consumption and prices next year, according to Citigroup. The metal —... 

New Caledonia nickel miner flags ‘fragile’ outlook after restart

Nickel miner Prony Resources New Caledonia warned that its Goro mine in the French territory is economically vulnerable after a recent suspension due to unrest, even as the company restarts... 

McKinsey, Busa join for G20 event after scandal

McKinsey & Co. is partnering with South African business-lobby group Business Unity South Africa (Busa) to prepare for an event aimed at connecting global policymakers, civil-society organisations... 

Vale Base Metals to make dozens of job cuts in management cull

Vale’s base metals subsidiary will let go of dozens of managers to simplify its corporate structure and improve performance, according to people familiar with the matter. The job cuts are part of... 

Iluka shares slump after warning on its rare earths refinery

Iluka Resources shares tumbled as much as 10% after Morgan Stanley said the Eneabba rare earths project faces economic and execution risks, even after it received A$400-million ($258-million) in... 

Rio’s abandoned Panguna copper mine still a threat, report says

Rio Tinto Group contributed to widespread damage due to waste left at an abandoned copper mine in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, and risks to local communities are ongoing, a report has found.... 

Citi says deals from Gulf into Africa are keeping bankers busy

Rich investors from the Middle East are scouring Africa for deals in agricultural projects, critical minerals and renewable power, according to Citigroup. They’re looking at countries such as Kenya... 

Gold bulls’ ranks swell as Macquarie raises forecasts for 2025

Gold has scope to push higher next year, likely hitting a record, as the Federal Reserve cuts rates and central banks add bullion to reserves, according to Macquarie Group. The precious metal may... 

Adaro Andalan rises 20% after Indonesia’s largest IPO this year

Shares of coal miner PT Adaro Andalan Indonesia jumped in their first day of trading, in a show of demand for Indonesia’s largest initial public offering in about a year and a half. The... 

Rio Tinto CEO disputes activist call to unify listing

A call for Rio Tinto to abandon its primary London listing doesn’t make economic sense, CEO Jakob Stausholm said after an activist shareholder urged the miner to relocate to Australia. UK hedge... 

Trafigura’s ex-COO defends ‘inspirational’ founder at Swiss bribe trial

Mike Wainwright, Trafigura Group’s ex-COO who’s on trial in Switzerland accused of corruption, has defended the trading house’s late founder Claude Dauphin as an “inspirational person.” Dauphin, a... 

High Court says State can’t order new coal plants

South Africa’s High Court upheld a legal challenge to the government’s plan to procure 1 500 megawatts of new coal-fired power, ruling that it was unlawful because of the potential impact on public...