Tighter vehicle emissionS legislation helps to increase the demand for platinum metals the world over and it seems a no-brainer that the promulgation of such laws by the South African government would be a fantastic local beneficiation route for the metal. Read on page 6 of this edition of Mining Weekly of this point being made in SFA Oxford’s address to last week’s Investing in African Mining Indaba. Ivanhoe Capital Corporation chairperson Robert Friedland reinforces the message on page 6 of this edition of Mining Weekly with his comment that South Africa is uniquely placed to supply the major volume of the platinum metals to clean the air and that platinum metals equal healthier air. If other countries are making the air healthier using imported platinum metals, surely South Africa could too, using a metal that comes out of our ground and is experiencing an hour of great need.

There are still serious problems with the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) Amendment Bill before Parliament, says Webber Wentzel mining head Peter Leon. Read on page 11 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the Bill being scheduled to come before Parliament’s mining portfolio committee again on February 18 and 19. The MPRDA Amendment Bill was introduced to remove ambiguities and streamline administrative processes but concern lingers around the power the Minister will have to compel mining companies to sell so-called strategic minerals at discounted prices to local producers. Recent mineral export bans in Indonesia are a warning of how an economy can be hurt by interventions of this kind. Declaring certain South African-mined minerals strategic is not sending a good message to investors.

Local crushing and screening equipment manufacturer Osborn has secured its first export order from China for a modular plant that will be used at Xinjian Bayi Iron & Steel’s Dunde iron-ore mine. Read on page 31 of this edition of Mining Weekly of Osborn winning the contract amid stiff competition from leading global players because of the robustness of its machines that work well in the iron-ore application.

Integrated manganese developer Kalagadi Manganese has secured a R2.2-billion ($202-million) loan from the African Development Bank for its mine, sinter plant and part of the proposed smelter complex in the Northern Cape. Read on page 15 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the 11-year loan at an undisclosed interest rate having a two-year grace period.