Draft regulations to improve dust management on mines

The introduction of dust control regulations, which are currently being drafted, could result in potential liabilities for opencast mines in South Africa and have a definite impact on the already extensively regulated mining industry, says...

Environmental impact weighs heavy on opencast mining operations

Opencast mining has become increasingly unpopular with nongovernmental organisations and government authorities owing to its high environmental footprint, but the method is still the most economical option for mining houses, says minerals industry...

Bushveld Minerals starts trading on Aim

Minerals development company Bushveld Minerals on Monday started trading on the Aim to raise money for developing its iron-ore and tin projects in South Africa. Executive director Fortune Mojapelo said in a statement that Bushveld Minerals’...

Craton Mining says low-cost recovery of 1.2 Mt of contained copper at Namibia prospect possible

Namibian copper explorer Craton Mining and Exploration has announced the potential for the low-cost recovery of some 1.2-million tons of contained copper along the company’s Omitiomire copper deposit, in Namibia.

Ekati mine, Canada

An opencast mine, situated in Canada.

Wescoal buys stake in Pegasus project near Witbank

JSE-listed Wescoal has snapped up a 51% stake in the Pegasus project, which is considered to be the last high-grade coal deposit in the Witbank coalfields, it announced on Monday. Wescoal, led by CEO André Boje, offered to buy 51% in...

Company to spend more on Botswana exploration projects

Australia-based exploration company Hodges Resources plans to use the A$8-million it raised through a book building exercise, in May, to further explore the Morupule South and Moiyabana coal projects, in Botswana.

Drilling confirms 1.2bn ton Jorc-compliant resource

Emerging thermal coal producer Universal Coal reports that its recent drilling has confirmed a coal resource of 1.2-billion tons of Joint Ore Reserves Committee- (Jorc-) compliant coal at the Berenice-Cygnus coking coal project, located in the...

Coking coal resource at Limpopo prospect increases to 1.2bn tons following drilling programme

Emerging thermal coal production and development company Universal Coal reports that, following the completion of its first phase drilling programme, the company has had an upgrade on its Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant (JORC) coal...

Moiyabana coal project, Botswana

The Moiyabana coal operation has an estimated 660-million tons of reserves, with potential for opencast mining.

Hodges Resources embarks on drilling programme at Botswana prospect

Australia-based exploration company Hodges Resources has started a drilling programme at its Moiyabana project, in central-eastern Botswana. The country’s eastern region has massive coal resources, estimated at 17-billion tons.

Demand for commodities buoys industry

There has been sustained growth of opencast mining operations globally as demand for commodities buoys the industry, says mining and exploration management software developer Micromine Pitram sales manager Dennis Kattowitz.