AI and geologists both essential for exploration

The latest technologies, such as AI, neutral networks, and deep learning, are now of great importance regarding minerals exploration. But human field work remains essential. This was the consensus... 

Bank sees move to value chain development in African mining

Mining in Africa is moving away from the 'pit to port' model, highlighted West Africa-based pan-African banking group Ecobank Group executive corporate and investment banking Michael Larble, at the... 

Railway industry body accelerating localisation programme

The local railway manufacturing, maintenance, engineering and supply industry representative body, the Africa Rail Industry Association (ARIA), has announced an acceleration of its localisation... 

France seeks African input on critical minerals for G7 summit

Critical minerals will be one of the topics discussed at this year's G7 summit, pointed out French government Interministerial Delegate for the Supply of Strategic Ores and Minerals Benjamin... 

Miners need to adopt the concept of sustainability, says Barrick exec

Mining has to move from the traditional environmental, social and governance (ESG) approach to an inclusive sustainability approach, argued Barrick Mining group sustainability executive Grant... 

US focusing on critical minerals, stresses robust due diligence

The US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) currently has, regarding mining, a particular focus on critical minerals, pointed out USTDA deputy director and COO Thomas Hardy. He was speaking in a... 

Automation and AI needed for future of mining

Worldwide, the mining industry, indeed all sectors of the economy, face a major structural limit, warned Microsoft worldwide mining industry leader Joseph Starwood. A large number of people are... 

Technology transformation is really people transformation – Mining Indaba panelists

Mining currently faces the challenge of adopting the latest technologies, notably, but not exclusively, AI. This was the topic for a panel discussion on the first day of Investing in African Mining... 

Improvements at Richards Bay and on the railway allowing higher coal export volumes

Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) has seen a 56% improvement in its security situation, reported RBCT CEO Alan Waller at the recent Southern African Coal Conference 2026, held in Cape Town. “We’re... 

Transnet successfully rebuilding its coal (and other) rail transport capacity

Transnet is on track to return to profitability by the end of next month, Group CEO Michelle Philips told delegates on the second day of the twenty-first annual Southern African Coal Conference, in... 

New African defence exhibition, set for October, formally launched in Nigeria

The launch of the first ever Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) has been officially announced. The event will be held from October 26 to October 29 this year at Eko Atlantic,... 

New Thungela CEO bullish about coal mining

Thungela Resources’ recently appointed CEO Moses Madondo, who was recruited from the diamond-mining sector, was confident about the future of the mining sector in general, and coal mining in... 

Minister Mantashe highlights the Coal Reimagined Programme in conference keynote

Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe used his keynote address at the twenty-first annual Southern African Coal Conference (being held in Cape Town) on Thursday to highlight South... 

African countries pushing forward with nuclear energy programmes

African countries are aiming to achieve a total nuclear power generating capacity of 15 GW by 2035, most of it in West Africa. This would require a capital investment of $105-billion. This was... 

Airlink has started services between Johannesburg and Nacala

South African regional and domestic airline Airlink started operating its new regional route, between Johannesburg and Nacala in Nampula province in Mozambique, on Monday. The route will initially... 

AfDB has launched Phase II of continental electrification programme

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has launched the next stage of the Mission 300 initiative, which is a joint AfDB-World Bank programme to connect 300-million Africans with electricity by 2030.... 

DHL boosts its African air logistics network with Boeing 737 freighter aircraft

DHL Aviation, a subsidiary of Germany-based global logistics group DHL, has announced that it has taken delivery of two Boeing 737-400 freighter aircraft, in full DHL branding, to serve the West... 

Redefine Properties’ building at Coega awarded 5-star Green Star environmental rating

Redefine Properties’ modern logistics distribution centre, located at 62 Umlambo street, Zone 1, Coega Special Economic Zone (SEZ), in the Eastern Cape province, has been awarded five-star Green... 

Africa to see modest acceleration in economic growth this year, says UN report

The UN has released its 'World Economic Situation and Prospects 2026' report, and its launch in Africa took place at the Addis Ababa head office of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).... 

German group DEKRA has sold its South African NDT business to local consortium Raysonics

The sale, by Germany-based global group DEKRA, of its South African non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection company DEKRA Industrial RSA, to local consortium Raysonics Investment, has now been... 

Railway industry body is focusing on skills development for the sector

The local railway manufacturing, maintenance, engineering and supply industry representative body, the Africa Rail Industry Association (ARIA), has announced an acceleration of its localisation... 

The CSIR’s wildfire detection and monitoring system now accessible without needing a log-in

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has announced that its satellite imagery-based Advanced Fire Information System’s (AFIS’) active fire location layer is now available to... 

CHIETA highlights its support for maths and science education in under-resourced areas

The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (CHIETA) has stressed that providing equitable access to high-quality maths and science education, especially for learners in... 

Durban Direct welcomes Qatar Airway’s decision to increase flights to the city

Air travel and cargo development initiative Durban Direct has highlighted the recent decision by global major airline group Qatar Airways to increase the number of its flights between its home... 

Association warns consumer electrical product safety in South Africa not as good as it should be

South African voluntary safety association Safehouse has highlighted that while many electrical products found on local store shelves were assumed, by consumers, to have been vetted by the retailer... 

Innovative rural Limpopo small business benefits from inventor patent support programme

South Africa’s Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC), which is the local partner for the World Intellectual Property Organisation’s (WIPO’s) Inventor Assistance Programme (IAP), is... 

South Africa’s SALT telescope plays key role in solving a cosmic mystery

The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) has been used, by international astronomers, to solve a “cosmic mystery”. Located in the South African Astronomical Observatory complex at Sutherland in... 

The SKA is coming to life as it passes early science tests

This month saw the achievement of another milestone for the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope programme, which is being developed by the UK-based SKA Observatory (SKAO) and... 

The SKA is coming to life as it passes early science tests

This month saw the achievement of another milestone for the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope programme, which is being developed by the UK-based SKA Observatory (SKAO) and... 

Ethiopian Airlines confirms latest phase in its fleet expansion – an order for more Boeing 787s

Leading African carrier Ethiopian Airlines has confirmed that it has ordered nine more Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner widebody airliners. These aircraft will be delivered between 2031 and 2033. Ethiopian... 

New African defence exhibition, set for October, formally launched in Nigeria

The launch of the first ever Africa International Defence Exhibition (AFRIDEX) has been officially announced. The event will be held from October 26 to October 29 this year at Eko Atlantic,... 

ATNS says not responsible for air traffic control at Hoedspruit/Eastgate Airport

South Africa’s air traffic management and control agency, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), emphasised on Thursday that it was in no way responsible for air traffic control services at... 

Mountain glacier ice cores long-term storage facility opened in Antarctica

The Europe-based Ice Memory Foundation has announced the inauguration of its mountain ice cores sanctuary, with the arrival of the first two cores at the facility, located at the Franco-Italian... 

Boeing releases its delivery figures for 2025, including airliner deliveries of 600

US-based global major aerospace and defence group Boeing has released its air- and space-craft delivery figures for the whole of last year, as well as those for the fourth quarter of the year. It... 

Fifth Canada-Africa Business Conference to be hosted by Namibia next month

The Canada-Africa Chamber of Business will be holding the fifth Canada-Africa Business Conference in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, on February 5. The conference will have a strong focus on... 

Airlink buys two Embraer E190 airliners from Dutch company

South African domestic and regional airline Airlink has announced the purchase of two Embraer E190 smaller single-aisle airliners from TrueNoord, a Netherlands-based company. Although a specialist... 

Airbus reports year-on-year increase in airliner deliveries for last year

Europe-based global major aerospace group Airbus has released its commercial aircraft delivery and order figures for 2025. It delivered 793 airliners throughout the year. These aircraft were... 

OPEC Fund and AfDB reinforce their cooperation

The OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group have signed an amendment to their memorandum of understanding, to strengthen their cooperation... 

ATNS assures that air traffic services at OR Tambo International Airport are working normally

South Africa’s air traffic management and control agency, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (ATNS), has confirmed that air traffic services at Johannesburg’s OR Tambo International Airport... 

The SKA-Mid telescope array has passed its first true test as a science instrument

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Observatory (SKAO) has announced the successful conclusion of a key test of its South Africa-based SKA-Mid instrument. The SKA-Mid (Mid being short for mid radio...