Operations at Buffalo Coal Aviemore colliery suspended following fatality

Operations at JSE- and TSX-listed Buffalo Coal’s Aviemore colliery, near Dundee, in KwaZulu-Natal, have been suspended following the death of an employee. The company on Tuesday said a mine... 

Goldplat reports FY loss amid lower gold price

Aim-listed gold producer Goldplat on Monday reported a £356 000 loss for the financial year ended June 30, compared with a £399 000 loss the year before, as the lower gold price cut revenues.... 

Bellzone shares suspended as final agreement on $4m loan not yet reached

Aim-listed Bellzone Mining on Monday announced that its shares would be suspended from trading on the Aim with immediate effect, as the company had not yet been able to reach agreement with China... 

Small-scale IPPs urged not to delay bids

While the Department of Energy (DoE) has indicated that standard documents would be developed to reduce transaction costs related to bidding for the small projects Renewable Energy Independent... 

Assaf president named ICSU president-elect

Academy of Science of South Africa (Assaf) president Professor Daya Reddy has been named president-elect of the International Council for Science (ICSU). Reddy, whose research interests lay at the... 

Hyundai Automotive SA opens commercial vehicle assembly plant

Through its new commercial vehicle assembly plant, in Benoni, east of Johannesburg, automotive company Hyundai Automotive South Africa (HASA) was increasing its contribution to the local economy,... 

Odinga says Africa must deliberate on energy policy

With 12 new African nations expected to enter the oil production space over the next decade, the African continent had to start deliberating energy policy that focused on security and... 

Mwana gold production up at reduced cost, nickel production rising

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Multicommodity miner Mwana Africa produced 11 314 oz of gold at its Freda Rebecca mine, in Zimbabwe, during July and August at a reduced cash cost of $854/oz,... 

Solidarity, Assmang discuss alternatives to proposed retrenchments

Trade union Solidarity on Wednesday said it had been in discussions with the management of mining company Assmang, in Machadodorp, Mpumalanga, in an attempt to find alternatives to the retrenchment... 

Waterberg Coal, Eskom in discussions to convert MoU to coal supply agreement

Discussions between State-owned power utility Eskom and ASX- and JSE-listed Waterberg Coal Company (WCC) to resolve the outstanding requirements to convert the Waterberg coal project’s (WCP’s)... 

Mokopane tin scoping study indicates robust economics

Aim-listed Bushveld Minerals on Tuesday said the scoping study for the development of its Mokopane tin project indicated robust after-tax economics. The company reported that the scoping study had... 

122.52 ct Cullinan diamond sold for $27.6m

Diamond miner Petra Diamonds on Tuesday announced that the 122.52 ct blue diamond recovered from its Cullinan mine, in Gauteng, in June this year, has been sold for a value equivalent to... 

Construction at Stornoway’s Renard project proceeding according to plan

Construction mobilisation at Canadian diamond exploration and development company Stornoway Diamond Corporation’s Renard diamond project, in Québec, was proceeding rapidly with no major variances... 

Beacon Hill raises £1.25m

Aim-listed Beacon Hill Resources has entered into conditional subscription agreements with certain institutional investors, arranged by and including Darwin Strategic, to place up to 1.25-billion... 

Nayega manganese mining permit award expected in Q4

Aim-listed iron-ore and manganese developer Ferrex expected the mining permit for its Nayega manganese project, in Northern Togo, to be awarded during the fourth quarter of the year, MD Dave Reeves... 

Mwana welcomes Zimbabwe gold royalty reduction

Multicommodity miner Mwana Africa has welcomed the Zimbabwe government’s decision to reduce the royalty on Zimbabwean gold producers from 7% to 5%. Mwana operates the Freda Rebecca gold mine in... 

African Potash to issue new shares following exercise of $200 000 convertible security

Aim-listed African Potash on Friday announced that it had received notice of exercise in respect of $200 000 of convertible security issued last month, pursuant to which 4.89-million ordinary... 

Mineral processing equipment cluster to engage on local procurement

Government, in conjunction with industry clusters had to encourage preferential procurement in the mining industry, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) capital equipment and allied services... 

More engineers needed to improve social welfare in South Africa

South Africa did not produce enough graduate engineers, which was worrying, as good engineering made a significant contribution to social welfare, Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor said... 

ACSA shows resilience to ‘sluggish economic growth’

Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) increased its operating profit for the financial year ended March 31 by 7.1% as it remained resilient against the country’s sluggish economic growth, owing to a... 

Ramaphosa says ‘mutually supporting initiatives’ needed to spur transformation

South Africa’s economic transformation and inclusive growth will not result from a single intervention but rather a range of mutually supporting initiatives, Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa said... 

Mozambique’s first gas to power facility inaugurated

Petrochemical giant Sasol, in partnership with Mozambique State-owned power utility Electricidade de Moçambique (EDM), has inaugurated Mozambique’s first permanent large-scale gas-to-power facility... 

Energy constraints biggest threat to SA ferrochrome industry

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The biggest challenge facing South Africa’s ferrochrome industry was no longer China, but local energy supply constraints, chrome producer Afarak executive... 

Pan African Resources reports higher gold, PGE reserves

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Africa-focused precious metals producer Pan African Resources on Wednesday announced a 9.8% gross yearly increase in group gold reserves to 10.1-million ounces, up... 

Platfields shares remain suspended as cash flow constraints prevent publishing of results

Emerging platinum miner Platfields, in a quarterly update on Wednesday, advised that trading in the company’s shares on the JSE remained suspended as cash flow constraints were negatively impacting... 

Mwana gold production up at reduced cost, nickel production rising

Multicommodity miner Mwana Africa produced 11 314 oz of gold at its Freda Rebecca mine, in Zimbabwe, during July and August at a reduced cash cost of $854/oz, compared with an average cost of $1... 

Rukwa coal mine confirmed as suitable power station fuel source

Preliminary economic and technical evaluations of mineral exploration and development company Kibo Mining’s Rukwa Coal to Power project, in Tanzania, have confirmed the Rukwa mine as a suitable... 

Keaton, DRA reach settlement

Coal miner Keaton Energy on Tuesday announced that its subsidiary Keaton Mining had reached an agreement with DRA Mineral Projects, for the settlement of all claims and disputes – both historic and... 

Initial drilling results for Sarama’s Cape Mount project promising

West Africa-focused gold explorer Sarama Resources on Monday reported that the initial drilling programme at its Cape Mount project, in Liberia, had confirmed the presence of shallow, in situ gold... 

Clough AMEC JV awarded A$70m Bowen FEED contract

Australia-based oil and gas-focused engineering and construction company Clough, a subsidiary of Murray & Roberts, on Monday announced that the Clough AMEC joint venture had been awarded the... 

Camac enters into $100m credit facility for Nigerian offshore oil development

Oil and gas exploration and production company Camac Energy’s wholly-owned subsidiary Camac Petroleum has entered into a five-year $100-million credit facility to enable it to further expand and... 

Sierra Rutile assessing impact of four-day Ebola lockdown

Aim-listed mineral sands miner Sierra Rutile was assessing the extent to which a four-day lockdown, in response to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, would impact on its operations. Sierra Rutile,... 

SA has big biogas potential, but lacks supportive incentives

Although South Africa has significant biogas potential, investment in the sector was being deterred by a lack of incentive schemes to make establishing such projects more affordable, energy company... 

Eskom invites bids for 400 kV transmission line

State-owned power utility Eskom has invited bids for the construction of the Borutho–Witkop portion of the 400 kV transmission lines that form part of the Medupi power station integration project.... 

20 000 George residents connected to free WiFi

Western Cape Minister of Economic Opportunities Alan Winde on Monday officially launched free wireless internet in Eden, George. This initiative, which connected 20 000 residents to affordable... 

Schneider Electric, BMW to partner on i3 charging technology

BMW South Africa sales and marketing director Antonio Antela Martinez has reiterated plans to launch the i3 electric vehicle and the i8 hybrid car in South Africa in March or April 2015, while also... 

Platfields in negotiations for mining assets acquisition

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Emerging platinum miner Platfields on Friday said it had been approached by a third party and had started negotiations for the acquisition of substantial mining... 

Energy constraints biggest threat to SA ferrochrome industry

The biggest challenge facing South Africa’s ferrochrome industry was no longer China, but local energy supply constraints, chrome producer Afarak executive chairperson Dr Alistair Ruiters said on... 

NUM demands better working conditions at Springs refinery

The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Wednesday marched to Impala Refining Services’ Springs branch, a division of JSE-listed Impala Platinum, to hand over a memorandum demanding better... 

Amplats in final planning stages for new Amandelbult chrome plant

Platinum miner Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) is in the final stages of getting a project under way to establish a new 600 000 t/y chrome smelter at its Amandelbult mine, in Limpopo, Anglo...