South Africa needs 13 GW of gas-to-power capacity – more than the IRP envisions

Standard Bank head of Southern Africa’s oil and gas coverage Paul Eardley-Taylor has suggested that South Africa needs 13 GW of gas-to-power (GtP) capacity, rather than the 7.2 GW to 8.6 GW... 

Saldanha iron-ore terminal shut down for maintenance until Friday

State-owned Transnet Port Terminals’ (TPT’s) Saldanha Iron Ore Terminal has embarked on a five-day shutdown for the maintenance and servicing of equipment on two tipplers, starting on April 15. The... 

University of Pretoria inaugurates new immersive technology lab

The University of Pretoria’s Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology has launched a new immersive technology lab at the Department of Information Science as a way of... 

ABB becomes minority investor in GridBeyond

Technology company ABB has joined investors EDP, ESB, TotalEnergies, Act and DublinBIC in becoming an investor in energy management solutions company GridBeyond, which uses artificial intelligence... 

Shanta reveals ‘encouraging results’ for West Kenya exploration project

Aim-listed gold producer Shanta Gold has revealed “encouraging results” in an exploration update for the West Kenya project, in Kenya, for the fourth quarter of last year and the first quarter of... 

Brazil rare earths project shares key similarities with Phalaborwa – Rainbow

Rare earths miner Rainbow Rare Earths has revealed that the results of mineralogy and hydrometallurgical testwork recently carried out on phosphogypsum material from the Mosaic Company’s Uberaba... 

Zimplats to become cash generative in the next financial year, CEO says

Platinum group metals (PGMs) miner Zimplats CEO Alexander Mhembere is confident about the company’s ability to become cash-generative in the next financial year, which starts in July, despite the... 

Internal combustion engines are not going anywhere, says Northam’s Dunne

Platinum group metals (PGM) miner Northam Platinum CEO Paul Dunne firmly believes internal combustion engines (ICEs) are here to stay for the foreseeable future, which, in his view, will mean... 

Unisa, Palabora sign MoU to facilitate strategic collaboration

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the University of South Africa’s (Unisa’s) College of Science, Engineering and Technology (CSET) and copper mining company Palabora... 

Redpath acquires RUC

Contract mining company Redpath Mining subsidiary Redpath (Australia) Holdings has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire fellow contract miner RUC Mining Contractors. Pending regulatory... 

South Africa's science, innovation dept launches circular minerals, metals initiative

South Africa's Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), through the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has launched the first of three new government-led collaborative... 

Panel urges PGMs industry to make collaborative, strategic market development investments

Industry experts have agreed that the future of the platinum group metals (PGMs) market appears to hinge on collaborative efforts to make strategic investments in market development to ensure... 

Collaboration crucial to ensuring PGM industry’s success

Creating greater synergies between competing platinum group metal (PGM) companies might be the only way for the industry to survive the current economic downturn, diversified miner... 

Significant graphite assay results revealed at Nyorinyori, NyoriGreen

Africa-focused mining and development company Marula Mining has unveiled significant assay results confirming high-grade and broad graphite mineralisation at surface at the Nyorinyori and... 

Bankan gold project in Guinea yields ‘promising’ exploration results

ASX-listed Predictive Discovery has revealed “promising” findings from its regional drilling activities at the Bankan gold project, in Guinea, which has a substantial 5.38-million-ounce gold... 

CoJ promulgates reviewed municipal planning by-law

The City of Johannesburg’s (CoJ’s) Development Planning Department has promulgated the recently reviewed municipal planning by-law. The provisions of the reviewed by-law enable the city to simplify... 

Unions, industry prepare for ‘tough’ talks as metals, engineering negotiations set to get under way

Trade unions and industry associations expect negotiations at the Metal and Engineering Industries Bargaining Council (MEIBC), which are set to start on April 10, in Boksburg, to be tough. Trade... 

Altona enters into agreement with Ignate for Botswana copper/silver project

London-listed Altona Rare Earths has entered into a binding option agreement with Ignate African Mining concerning the exploration for copper and silver on prospecting licence (PL) 2329/2023,... 

Africa Data Centres breaks ground on new solar farm in the Free State

Technology group Cassava Technologies subsidiary Africa Data Centres (ADC) has broken ground on the construction of a solar farm in the Free State in collaboration with solar power company... 

Old govt buildings to be converted into homes for State employees

Human Settlements Minister Mmamaloko Kubayi wants to convert old and unused government buildings into residential properties for government employees. She said this was part of an effort to do away... 

Role of gas in SA’s future energy mix under intense scrutiny

Given South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis, there remains much debate around whether gas should be included in the future energy mix and, if so, how much. Advocates argue that the fossil fuel is a... 

Role of gas in SA’s future energy mix under intense scrutiny

Given South Africa’s ongoing energy crisis, there remains much debate around whether gas should be included in the future energy mix and, if so, how much. Advocates argue that the fossil fuel is a... 

Harmony concludes landmark wage negotiations with five unions at once

Gold miner Harmony Gold has concluded a landmark five-year wage agreement in respect of increases to wages and other conditions of service with its five labour unions, being the coalition, which... 

Coega Development Corporation has implemented R48bn worth of infrastructure since 2004

The Coega Development Corporation (Coega) says it has successfully implemented infrastructure projects to an accumulative value of about R48-billion since the inception of its development programme... 

Pensana confirms rare earths find at Sulima West in Angola

UK-based rare earths developer Pensana has reported trench and pit sampling results that confirm a 6 ha, enriched laterite at Sulima West, in Angola, grading at 2% to 3% total rare earth oxides... 

88% of global fossil fuel, cement CO2 emissions linked to 117 producers

A new report, released on April 4 by InfluenceMap using the Carbon Majors database, shows that 88% of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuels and cement from 2016 through 2022 can... 

Kore appoints new CEO

Potash development company Kore Potash has announced the appointment of JM André Baya as CEO, effective from April 15. The position is a non-board role. The company owns a 97% stake in the Kola... 

Ivanhoe reports 86 203 t of copper production at Kamoa-Kakula in first quarter

During the first quarter, Ivanhoe Mines’ Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) successfully produced 86 203 t of copper in concentrate, the company has... 

Askari’s strategic uranium prospect acquisitions align with clean energy objectives

ASX-listed Askari Metals has affirmed that its uranium acquisition strategy in southern Tanzania serves as a cornerstone of the company's African clean energy focus. Askari is set to propel various... 

OAR acquires two uranium prospects in Namibia

ASX-listed OAR Resources has signed a binding agreement with Bullrun Capital, Cityscape Asset and Impala Consulting to acquire a 100% interest in two exploration prospecting licences (EPLs) in the... 

IonicRE, Viridis to form JV to advance rare earth prospects in Brazil

ASX-listed companies Ionic Rare Earths (IonicRE) and Viridis Mining and Minerals are to form a 50:50 joint venture (JV) company to advance rare earth separation business prospects in Brazil. The JV... 

Policy uncertainty edging further into negative territory ahead of elections, report shows

The North-West University Business School Policy Uncertainty Index veered further into negative territory in the first quarter, at 65.8 index points, compared with the 65.5 index points recorded... 

Paladin achieves commercial production at Langer Heinrich

ASX-listed uranium producer Paladin Energy has achieved uranium concentrate production and drumming at the Langer Heinrich Mine (LHM), in Namibia, as of March 30. The company said in a statement on... 

Local gas supplies not likely to come on stream in time for South Africa to avoid a ‘gas cliff’

Although gas is widely regarded as a necessary part of South Africa’s future energy mix, Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) head of mitigation Steve Nicholls is not convinced that a reliable... 

Renergen’s helium plant integration nearly complete

Gas producer Renergen is approaching the final stages of its helium system integration, which will mark a significant step forward in its operations, making South Africa one of only eight countries... 

Ironveld ramp-up slower than expected

Although high-purity iron, vanadium and titanium producer Ironveld marked the first sales of metal products, including high-purity iron and titanium slag, from its Rustenburg smelter to local... 

Kropz records $5.7m loss for 2023 as Elandsfontein ramps up

As phosphate miner Kropz is still ramping up to steady-state production, the company recorded a $5.7-million gross loss for the 12 months ended December 31, 2023. The company said on March 28 that... 

Jubilee, Abu Dhabi company to form JV for Zambia waste rock project

Abu Dhabi's International Resources Holding (IRH) has exercised its right to proceed with the formation of a joint venture (JV) vehicle with diversified metals processor Jubilee Metals Group for... 

Exploration starts at Larisoro manganese mine

Exploration activities have started at the Larisoro manganese mine, in Northern Kenya, with Marula Mining exploration East Africa head Collins Aseto and his geological team having mobilised to site... 

Chicken industry needs no tariff rebates because there is no shortage, Sapa stresses

Executives from the South African Poultry Association (Sapa) met with Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel last week to discuss, among other matters, tariff rebates on chicken...