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Monday, December 8, 2008.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon O'Donnell.

Making headlines today:

Diversified miner Exxaro Resources is bullish on the prospects for improved performance from its mineral-sands business, which generally performs contracyclically to most other mining activities, which are currently in steep decline.

The results of Exxaro's titanium dioxide business in the first six months of this year were not good, but Exxaro executive GM Wim de Klerk says that the results for the second half "will be interesting to see".

Exxaro is the world's third-largest titanium dioxide company after Rio Tinto and Iluka, although it is best known as a coal miner.

ASX-listed minerals producer Pepinnini Minerals has confirmed high-grade uranium and phosphate mineralisation within its Plain Creek prospect, in North Queensland.

The company stated that exploration by previous explorers investigating the uranium potential within the prospecting area had delineated at least ten prospects with phosphate and uranium potential.
Previous exploration reported phosphate results of up to 27%, and uranium oxide results of up to 4 200 parts per million, within relatively flat lying siltstones.

The reconnaissance survey undertaken by Pepinnini identified siltstone units up to three metres thick, within creek sections that extended for long distances below a relatively shallow cover of recent alluvium.

Also making headlines:

London and JSE-listed Lonmin Platinum says radical change is needed to rightsize its high cost structure.
Thompson Creek Metals trims its capital expenditure plans and delays its mine expansion.
Diversified black-empowered miner African Rainbow Minerals is on schedule to double production by 2010.
And, striking Mexican workers halt production at the world's top silver mine and two major zinc mines.

That's a round up of news making headlines today. For more on these and other stories please visit miningweekly.com.