The National Development Plan wants South Africa to use gas for energy generation, a gas find off the Western Cape may result in local gas firing an onshore peak power plant, Mozambique gas strikes are impressing hydrocarbons fundis and Namibia is also looking to use gas. Against this background, the South African Oil and Gas Committee has delivered the South African Code for the Reporting of Oil and Gas (Samog), which is based on Canada’s National Instrument 51-101 when it comes to general disclosure. Read on page 12 of this edition of Mining Weekly of Samog dovetailing with the South African government’s newly promulgated oil and gas regulations in that it formalises the standard of reporting on the size of oil- and gasfields and reservoirs, as well as items that must be disclosed in public reports, which the regulations do not do. Like Canada, South Africa is opting to publish details of both proven and probable reserves, unlike the US, where the Securities and Exchange Commission has laid down that only the highest level of confidence may be disclosed.

State research enterprise Mintek has invited proposals from qualifying bidders to design, engineer, procure, build and supply a modular coal X-ray transmission (XRT) sorting demonstration plant on a lump- sum turnkey basis. Read on page 15 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the possibility of the plant being built at the Vlakfontein coal mine, in Mpumalanga, of State mining company African Exploration Mining and Finance Corporation by Mintek’s minerals processing division to test the ore-sorting capabilities of coal using XRT technology. Commissioning must be complete by December, with availability remaining until May 27. Tenders close on August 14.

A new book on South African mining history portrays the past as well as “the agony and the ecstasy” of those who came to seek their fortunes in South Africa. Read on page 44 of this edition of Mining Weekly of Ode to the Miner, published by Dream Africa Productions & Publishing, providing commentary on the role mining played politically, economically and culturally. Art features prominantly in the work, which includes images of sculpture, paintings, photographs, historical maps and documents.

Jobs are being cut left, right and centre, with Anglo American taking the knife to what could eventually tally up to tens of thousands of jobs, Marikana-hosting platinum mining company Lonmin going into formal Section 189 consultation processes with trade unions that could see 6 000 jobs go, Kumba Iron Ore now battling to achieve a break even position at an iron-ore price of $45/t after having already discarded more than 1 700 jobs and the gold price falling to new lows that could see more retrenchments from already hard-pressed gold mines battling to conclude a new wage settlement with a restive workforce.