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Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, I'm Shannon de Ryhove.

Making headlines today:

Diamond giant De Beers has cancelled a planned four-week December shutdown at its Snap Lake underground mine, in Canada, because of improving market conditions.

Besides Snap Lake, in the Northwest Territories, De Beers also owns and operates the Victor mine, in Ontario.

After rough diamond demand plummeted in the fourth quarter of last year, the company cut employee and contractor jobs at Snap Lake and reduced output, first late in 2008 and then again in February this year, to trim costs and match market demand.

However, there are increasing signs that demand for rough diamonds has begun to recover, particularly from Asian markets.

Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica said on Tuesday that South Africa currently had around 104 mines operating without legal water licences.

Sonjica stated that the majority of these mines operated in Limpopo and the North West with a respective 32 and 29 mines in these provinces acting without a valid water licence.

She stated that none of the mines have had their operations suspended.

Also making headlines:

South Africa's Impala Platinum resumes operations at a shaft at its Rustenburg mine which was suspended last week following a fatality.
National Union of Mineworkers members march to DRDGold's Blyvoor offices as the strike enters its third week.
A preliminary study shows that Verena Minerals' Brazil gold project could produce 200 000 ounces a year.
And, Jubilee Platinum curtails its operations in Madagascar.

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