This podcast is brought to you by Sarens-nothing to heavy, nothing to high.

Friday, August 28, 2009.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Sheila Barradas.

Making headlines today:

The underperforming Marula platinum mine may be closed if it fails to return to operational profitability, Impala Platinum (Implats) CEO David Brown reported yesterday.

Delivering 45% lower gross Implats profits of R9,8-billion, Brown said that the year ahead remained challenging for Marula.

Marula had a difficult year, characterised by reduced productivity and persistent labour issues.

Brown said that the rhodium-price-dependent operation that is losing money and which has been the site of slower-than-expected ramp-up in production and safety stoppages must achieve its production targets.

Thousands of workers are demanding Peru's government save their jobs at a shuttered metals smelter high in the Andes, even if it means delaying a clean up at the plant that has turned their town into one of the most polluted places on earth..

Union members from Doe Run Peru's La Oroya factory say they will block highways in central Peru starting on Monday unless President Alan Garcia acts decisively to end a month-long crisis at the world's most diversified metals smelter.

The future of the smelter and about 20 000 local jobs that depend on it, hinges on a tussle between Garcia and Ira Rennert, the New York billionaire who owns the plant, over a contentious environmental clean up.

The controversy could play into the hands of opposition candidates from the left, and the right ahead of Peru's elections in 2011, when Garcia cannot run.

Also making headlines:

Eskom reports that the electricity discount to aluminium producers ‘unsustainable' .

SA union wants DRDGold mine licence revoked.

Mine firms in Zambia cheer move to limit taxes.

And, Gold Fields terminates royalties over St Ives.

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