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Friday, March 27, 2009.

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

Making headlines today:

On Friday, gold major AngloGold Ashanti agreed to provide 10-million-rand for wages at Pamodzi Gold's provisionally liquidated Orkney gold mine. It also simultaneously began a five-day technical study into the impact of a possible closure of the Orkney mine.

AngloGold Ashanti corporate affairs manager Joanne Jones said that a request had been made for AngloGold to provide 10-million-rand for wages. She said that the request had been granted.

SBT Trust liquidator Enver Motala said on Thursday that he was in discussions with AngloGold Ashanti. AngloGold Ashanti toll treated gold ore for the Orkney gold mine, which is currently on care-and-maintenance. Jones couldn't confirm that AngloGold was reportedly owed some 98-million-rand for toll-treating gold ore for Pamodzi Gold.

The technical project would include a risk assessment of the impact the closure of Pamodzi Gold's Orkney mine would have on safety, as well as other technical issues.

On Thursday, precious metals junior Platmin reported that a worker employed by mining contractor MCC Contracts, died at its Pilanesberg mine.

The worker was killed in a vehicle accident on the mine late on Wednesday.

South Africa's Department of Minerals and Energy has launched an investigation into the incident. All mining activities at Pilanesburg have been suspended, pending the outcome of the investigation.

However, the DME has given permission for the processing plant to resume operations, Platmin said.

Also making headlines:

Australia rejects Chinese Minmetals' 2,6-billion-Australia-dollar bid for Oz Minerals.
Vancouver-based Amerigo Resources will generate own power to cut costs at its mine tailings facility in Chile.
TSX-listed Lake Shore Gold has started processing development ore from its Timmins mine, in Ontario.
And, Aim-listed Ridge Mining posts a 24% profit increase.

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