Judge says he will need time to consider ‘complex’ Sishen matter

Proceedings in the North Gauteng High Court, in Pretoria, to review the Department of Mineral Resources’ (DMR’s) decision to grant Imperial Crown Trading 289 (ICT) a prospecting right over 21.4% of the Sishen mine, in the Northern Cape,...

Fraudulent copying of Sishen deeds 'grounds for rebuke'

The fact that incomplete and manipulated documentation, which was "fraudulently" obtained and copied from Sishen Iron Ore Company's (SIOC) title deeds, was submitted as part of Imperial Crown's Trading's (ICT's) exploration rights application at...

Former bureaucrat says criticism of mining companies often uninformed

South African mining law expert Jacinto Rocha believes South Africa needs to stop generalising about the social and environmental aspects of mining development to drive the industry forward.

Ex-regulator admits to blocking white applications to allow in black bids

South Africa’s former Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) deputy director-general Jacinto Rocha has admitted to staving off white mineral-rights applications to allow blacks to gain entry. Rocha, who was in charge of mine regulation for 13...

South African mining movie rekindles nationalisation debate

When the Mining Charter was leaked in 2002, R52-billion was wiped off the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in 72 hours.

Nationalisation will make 2002 JSE loss seem 'teacup storm'

The R52-billion that was wiped off the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in 72 hours when the Mining Charter was leaked in 2002 will look like a “storm in a teacup” compared with the impact of the adoption of full-blown nationalisation of...

‘I sat on Assmang, Samancor applications for 7 years’ – Rocha

Applications for mineral rights were deliberately held back for seven years to allow historically disadvantaged South Africans (HDSAs) to enter manganese mining, South Africa’s former Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) deputy director-general...

Minister upholds ICT iron-ore award, Kumba ‘disappointed'

South Africa's Mineral Resources Minister Susan Shabangu has upheld the awarding of the prospecting rights to Imperial Crown Trading (ICT) 289, and the JSE-listed Kumba Iron Ore (KIO) has expressed its disappointment at the decision. KIO's sole...

Law already in place for Lonmin to mine, sell and compensate rights holder Keysha

A statutory facility is already in place that allows Lonmin to extract and dispose of the nonplatinum minerals it mines, and to pay compensation to mineral rights holder Keysha, says former Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) DDG Jacinto Rocha,...

Daily podcast – February 5, 2010

Gold One plans to change its primary listing on the JSE to a secondary listing; and Nevsun Resources has arranged a non-brokered private placement to raise C$117-million.

Mineral Resources DDG to become consultant

Jacinto Rocha, the deputy director general of South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources (DMR), will step down at of the end of February to become an independent consultant. Rocha, who has been with the DMR for 13 years, was responsible for...

Nationalisation of mines not on the cards yet, says Mineral Resources Department deputy DG

It is highly unlikely that any policy changes on nationalising South Africa’s mines would be considered in the next two years, but the issue might be raised at the ruling party’s next policy conference in 2012, next a top government official...