Wednesday, February 10, 2010.

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

Making headlines today:

Canadian diversified miner Teck Resources CEO Don Lindsay says that it "makes sense" for the company to consider a move into the iron-ore sector. But he added that there isn't much likelihood of any sort of deal in the near term.

He also indicated that the company will only consider reinstating its suspended dividend once the term loan taken on to buy Fording Canadian Coal in 2008 has been repaid.

The company has traditionally been focused on base metals zinc and copper, but became a major producer of metallurgical coal with the Fording transaction.

Teck also has interests in oil sands projects.

Mining group Exxaro Resources is planning to significantly grow its energy generation projects up to 2030.

Exxaro Growth Energy manager Thomas Garner says that the group is aiming to become a cleaner energy independent power producer in the Southern African region.

The group has set itself a target of growing its renewable energy power generation capacity to 2 000 MW by 2030.

It has already initiated a number of projects, including a 50 MW wind farm on South Africa's West Coast, a 40 MW wind farm in Tsitsikamma, a 210 MW solar plant in Lephalale and a 200 MW solar plant in Upington.

Also making headlines:

Mining giant BHP Billiton remains cautious about the speed and strength of the global economic recovery across the developed world in the short term.
South African platinum company Northam expects its half-year earnings to decline.
Miners and authorities in Katanga, in the DRC, settle a row over support for local farming, leading to the lifting of an export ban for 16 companies.
And, First Quantum's Zambia mine is hit by a power outage.

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