Sisulu presses Transnet for pledge of unused land for housing developments

Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu is putting pressure on State-owned freight and logistics company Transnet to pledge its unused land to be transferred to government for housing... 

Amec, Foster Wheeler merge to create engineering major

Engineering and project management company Amec has completed its merger with Switzerland-headquartered global engineering and construction company and power equipment supplier Foster Wheeler. The... 

Construction starts on 4.5 MW Free State hydropower plant

Construction has started on the 4.5 MW Stortemelk hydropower plant, in the Free State, with engineering, management and specialist technical services company Aurecon having been appointed as the... 

Eskom UCG commercialisation date ‘slips’ amid permitting delays

State-owned power utility Eskom is no longer targeting 2017 for the commercialisation of underground coal gasification (UCG) at its Majuba power station, in Mpumalanga, owing to delays in receiving... 

Mining equipment market recovery expected from 2016 onwards – Barloworld

Although the mining environment was expected to remain tough in 2015, JSE-listed Barloworld expected to see a recovery in terms of mining equipment deliveries from the 2016 financial year onwards,... 

Work started towards defining Agata limestone resource

Joint venture company Agata Mining Ventures (AMVI) has started with an exploration programme aimed at defining a National Instrument (NI) 43-101-compliant resource estimate at its Agata limestone... 

Competition Commission recommends approval of Anglo American, Samancor transaction

The Competition Commission on Thursday recommended the approval of the merger that would see mining major Anglo American gain joint control over Samancor, without conditions. Anglo American already... 

Sustainability reporting on the rise among JSE-listed companies

This year, 82 companies met the JSE’s Socially Responsible Index (SRI) requirements relating to environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies and management practices, compared with only 72... 

Mponeng stoping, development activities halted following fatality

Stoping and development activities at gold miner AngloGold Ashanti’s Mponeng mine, near Carletonville, have been suspended following the death of an employee. The deceased, a scraper winch... 

Glencore Finance extends, increases Katanga loan facilities

TSX-listed Katanga Mining on Wednesday announced the execution of extended and increased loan facilities with Glencore Finance. Katanga said the maturity date of its existing term loan facility... 

AMVI modifying DSO operations to increase Agata revenue

Joint venture company Agata Mining Ventures (AMVI) was modifying its high-iron/low nickel direct shipping ore (DSO) operations to include shipments of ore containing higher nickel content to... 

ABG shareholders approve name change to Acacia Mining

African Barrick Gold (ABG) shareholders on Wednesday voted in favour of the company’s proposed name change to Acacia Mining, with the new name to come into effect on Thursday. ABG earlier this... 

SA coal-related R&D inadequate – ASSAf

South Africa’s investment in coal-related research and development (R&D) was inadequate, given the fact that coal would continue to dominate the country’s energy supply for the foreseeable future,... 

Namib DFS shows low risk and robust economics

The definitive feasibility study (DFS) for Aim-listed North River Resources’ Namib lead/zinc/silver mine, in Namibia, has confirmed that the project is technically low risk and economically robust,... 

IFM Section 54 notice lifted, 4 000 t of production lost

International Ferro Metals (IFM) on Wednesday announced that the Section 54 notice for its two ferrochrome furnaces and pelletiser has successfully been lifted following a meeting with the... 

Kobada scoping study demonstrates robust project economics

TSX-V-listed African Gold Group on Tuesday announced the completion of a scoping study and an updated preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for its Kobada gold project, in Mali, demonstrating low... 

US Federal Court grants injunction halting EPA process against Alaska’s Pebble

The US Federal District Court has granted the Pebble Limited Partnership’s (PLP’s) request for a preliminary injunction in its litigation against the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), PLP... 

Omnia expecting future benefit from new underground mining product, H1 profit lower

Specialised chemicals provider Omnia was expecting to see financial gains from its new underground charging unit, which enables it to take its emulsion into the underground mining space, during the... 

IFM, DMR settlement agreement made court order

International Ferro Metals (IFM) on Monday, in court, reached an agreement with Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), stipulating that an agreement reached by the parties last week, which allowed... 

Orezone on schedule to deliver Bomboré feasibility study by Q1 2015

TSX-listed Orezone Gold Corporation was on schedule to complete the feasibility study of its Bomboré gold project, in Burkina Faso, during the first quarter of next year, after which it would apply... 

Final stage lithium extraction pilot plant at Cauchari-Olaroz to be inaugurated next month

TSX-listed Lithium Americas on Monday announced that the formal inauguration of the final stage Posco lithium extraction pilot plant at its Cauchari-Olaroz lithium project in Jujuy, Argentina, was... 

Burkina Faso gold project sold to Alecto

TSX-V-listed Kaizen Discovery on Monday announced that it had completed the sale of its Kerboulé gold project, in Burkina Faso, to Alecto Minerals. Kaizer had received 55-million common shares in... 

Kipushi drilling programme indicates high-grade resources – Ivanhoe

High-grade silver, zinc and copper drill intercepts have been reported in the third batch of assay results from Africa-focused project developer Ivanhoe Mines’ underground diamond-drilling... 

Portfolio committee to consult steel-, mineworkers on minimum wage

The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour would, this week, interact with steel- and mineworkers on the national minimum wage during the second leg of its public hearing process. The first... 

First set of Rukwa coal sampling and testwork results positive

African coal explorer Edenville Energy on Monday announced positive results from the first set of detailed coal sampling and test work at its Rukwa coal project’s Namwele deposit, in western... 

Ntsimbintle targeting additional 800 000 t/y project

Broad-based black economic-empowered company Ntsimbintle Mining was targeting the development of a new 800 000 t/y manganese mine, in the central-northern part of the Kalahari basin, in the... 

IFM to appear in court in relation to Section 54 notice

International Ferro Metals (IFM) would on Monday appear in court in relation to a claim by the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) that the ferrochrome producer had not met all the requirements... 

Savannah raises £1.3m, terminates Bergen agreement

Aim-listed Savannah Resources on Friday advised that it had raised about £1.3-million through the placing of 29.48-million new ordinary shares with new and existing investors. The funds would be... 

Bloodhound high-speed communications tests deliver promising results

High-speed communications testing at the Bloodhound supersonic car (SSC) land-speed record attempt site at Hakskeenpan, in the Northern Cape, had delivered promising results, Bloodhound information... 

South African firm takes top honours at London infrastructure awards

South Africa was again recognised for excellence in engineering earlier this month, when Cape Town-based computer-aided design draughting (CADD) specialist 3D Draughting took top honours at global... 

SunPower to open solar panel factory in Cape Town

Solar technology and energy services provider SunPower on Tuesday plans to open a solar panel manufacturing facility in Cape Town in 2015 to meet the growing demand for solar technology in the... 

New higher-yield Siemens wind turbine to be available in early 2017

Electronics and electrical engineering company Siemens launched its new model SWT-3.3-130 wind turbine at the 2014 WINDaba, held in Cape Town this week, stating that the first of these units would... 

September mining production up 5.3%

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South African mining production increased by 5.3% year-on-year in September, the latest data from Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) has shown. Stats SA on... 

Platinum exchange could benefit SA economy, advance beneficiation objectives – economist

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – If South Africa was serious about platinum beneficiation it had no choice but to put in place a platinum exchange, investment company Pan-African Capital Holdings... 

Treasury Metals restarts Goliath drilling programme

TSX-listed Treasury Metals on Thursday said drilling at its flagship Goliath gold project, in northwestern Ontario, had restarted. The company stated that the initial 5 000 m drilling programme... 

Seabridge to release new Deep Kerr resource estimate during Q1 2015

British Columbia-focused project developer Seabridge Gold expected to release a new resource estimate for its Deep Kerr deposit, in Northwestern British Columbia, Canada, during the first quarter... 

Titanium exercises Paragon share call option

Diamond development and production company Paragon Diamonds on Thursday announced that Titanium Capital Investments has exercised its call option to buy 60-million ordinary shares in Paragon from... 

SCDHEC requested to review Haile operating permit

TSX-listed Romarco Minerals on Wednesday advised that the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) had received a request to review the mine operating permit issued... 

Darnley Bay enters into option agreement for Eastmain Quebec project

TSX-V-listed Darnley Bay Resources has entered into an agreement with TSX-listed Eastmain Resources, whereby Darnley Bay can acquire a 50% undivided interest in Eastmain’s Lac Lessard project, in... 

Metals Creek to partner with Benton on Staghorn project

Junior exploration company Metals Creek Resources has entered into an option and/or joint venture (JV) agreement with TSX-V-listed Benton Resources through which Benton could acquire up to a 70%...