A ramp-up to full project execution is gradually taking place of Palabora Copper’s R9.3-billion Lift II project, in Limpopo province, following shareholder approval to fund the extension of the life-of-mine to 2033. Read on page 15 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the JSE-listed mining company supplying some 90% of the copper it produces and refines to the South African market. Coproduct vermiculite is sold in virtually equal quantities to both the international and local markets and some of the mine’s magnetite is used domestically for coal washing. The company reports that historically disadvantaged South African suppliers will be granted additional opportunities to directly and indirectly supply the mine with goods. It also wants to see more contractors coming from previously disadvantaged communities in the area.

JSE-listed platinum exploration company Bauba Platinum, which has undertaken the first blast on the chrome horizon at its Moeijelijk operation, expects the first delivery of run-of-mine chrome ore to take place by month-end to ASA Metals, its offtake partner. The blast is expected to yield 15 000 t of chrome ore at a grade of 39% chrome, building up to 20 000 t of chrome ore a month within two months from start-up. The first blast marks the transformation of Bauba from a pure platinum exploration company to an exploration and production company, with chrome production underpinning the availability of funding for the platinum exploration programme. Bauba is also evaluating other potential chrome projects to generate more free cash flow.

Investment conference organiser Resources 4 Africa’s Junior Indaba conference is scheduled to take place at the Turbine Hall, in Newtown, Johannesburg, from June 3 to 4. Read on page 44 of this edition of Mining Weekly of the conference aiming to highlight crucial junior mining issues by giving the strategic importance of exploration and junior mining in Africa centre stage. High on the agenda will be innovative global solutions, with prospective investors having the opportunity to assess the merits of junior mining project plans in Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, South Africa and Ghana, across sectors including bulk commodities, base metals, industrial minerals, gold, precious metals, diamonds and platinum-group metals. How international mining economies have created thriving junior sectors will be scrutinised, along with ways of attracting more of the global exploration spend to Africa. The MSA group is the conference’s lead sponsor and Resources 4 Africa CEO Paula Munsie emphasises the need for juniors to be better organised and represented in dialogues between industry, government and labour.

As reported on page 16 of this edition of Mining Weekly, Zimbabwe’s Hwange Colliery Company has started taking delivery of new heavy earthmoving equipment from Belarus, as part of a re-equipment programme aimed at boosting coal production from 300 000 t a month to 450 000 t a month. An $18.2-million loan from PTA Belaz Bank funded the equipment, which includes 130 t bulldozers, front-end loaders and dump trucks.