New duty-rebate provision aims to mitigate South Africa’s bitumen shortages

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) confirmed on Friday that its recommendation that a rebate provision be introduced to cater for the duty-free importation of... 

Cement industry body to close doors after 75 years

Following the resignation of its main funding members, the 75-year-old Cement & Concrete Institute (C&CI) announced earlier this month that it would be closing its doors. The C&CI said in a... 

Gauteng key to success of government’s localisation plan

Gauteng’s participation in national government’s Local Procurement Accord (LPA) was cardinal to the success of the campaign, Cosatu Gauteng provincial secretary Dumisani Dakile said on Thursday.... 

Powertech consolidates three subsidiaries

Power Technologies, a subsidiary of the JSE-listed Altron group, has formed a new consolidated business – Powertech System Integrators – through merging its three existing Powertech IST, Strike... 

East London IDZ aims to develop research consultant database

The East London Industrial Development Zone (ELIDZ) was seeking to establish a database of prequalified research consultants and service providers and has issued a request for information in this... 

Lion II commissioning on track for 2013 H2, despite industry hurdles

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Commissioning of the Xstrata-Merafe chrome venture’s Lion Ferrochrome Complex Phase 2 expansion project (Lion II), in Limpopo, was still expected during the second... 

First Quantum sets 2013 copper output guidance at up to 330 000 t

London- and Toronto-listed miner First Quantum Minerals anticipated its copper production to reach between 302 000 t and 330 000 t in 2013, after recording a 16% year-on-year increase in copper... 

Platmin anticipates good production growth in 2013

Black empowered platinum miner Platmin anticipated production at its flagship Pilanesberg platinum mine (PPM), in the North West, to reach 180 000 oz/y in 2013, while the company would also break... 

Botswana advised to turn focus to power generation not exports

Given Botswana’s vast coal reserves, which were estimated at 200-billion tons, the country’s coal mining industry should seek to encourage investment and drive expansion in power generation, rather... 

DMR approves Trans Hex's acquisition of Namaqualand Mines

The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has approved the R166-million acquisition of De Beers Consolidated Mines’ (DBCM’s) Namaqualand Mines, in South Africa, by diamond-mining group Trans Hex’s... 

Beacon Hill plans to raise $15m to $25m through share placings

Aim- and ASX-listed Beacon Hill Resources on Monday announced its intention to raise between $15-million and $25-million through the placing of new ordinary shares in the company at 25p apiece. The... 

DMR grants new-order mining right at Pandora JV

Platinum producer Lonmin on Monday said its application for the conversion of an old-order mining right to a new-order mining right at its Pandora joint venture (JV), in the North West, had been... 

Property fund moves to raise capital as it outlines acquisition plan

Investment firm Vunani Property Investment Fund (VPIF) would, in the coming 12 months, aggressively pursue further acquisitions and raise additional capital, CEO Rob Cane has told Engineering News.... 

Sephaku Cement plant still on track to start production by end-2013

JSE-listed Sephaku Holdings and its 36%-owned subsidiary Sephaku Cement reported in late February that construction of the 1.2-million-ton-a-year cement production facility it was building near... 

South African cargo owners subsidising foreigners – study

South African cargo owners carried the majority of the burden of port infrastructure costs, while foreign cargo owners and vessels received globally competitive rates or discounts, the Ports... 

SA needs balance between energy affordability, access – Frei

Renewable energy and electricity storage were two critical uncertainties in South Africa’s energy sector, the World Energy Council’s (WEC’s) World Energy Trilemma Study has shown. Speaking at the... 

Financing Africa’s large-scale power requirements will be challenging

Financing large capital-investment requirements would be the biggest challenge facing Africa's power sector going forward, especially the need to increase private sector funding and cashflow by... 

Special taxes for special economic zones

The National Treasury has proposed a 15% corporate income tax rate for businesses in some of South Africa’s special economic zones (SEZs). In Budget documents, tabled in Parliament by Finance... 

Youth employment tax incentive unveiled

The National Treasury has proposed the introduction of a youth employment tax incentive to assist South Africa’s young work seekers in gaining valuable work experience and access to employment.... 

Strikes cost SA R15.3bn in mining output in 2012

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The total value of mining production lost owing to strikes and stoppages in 2012 amounted to R15.3-billion, the National Treasury revealed in its 2013 Budget,... 

AECI would work to return AEL to profitability – incoming CEO

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – South African chemicals and explosives producer AECI would, in the year ahead, focus on improving the operational performance of its explosives business AEL Mining... 

First Quantum sets 2013 copper output guidance at up to 330 000 t

London- and Toronto-listed miner First Quantum Minerals anticipated its copper production to reach between 302 000 t and 330 000 t in 2013, after recording a 16% year-on-year increase in copper... 

Richland to determine feasibility of potential graphite partnership

Gemstone producer Richland Resources has entered into an exclusivity agreement with an international trading company to determine the feasibility of a potential business relationship in connection... 

Jennings to leave African Barrick Gold for another mining company

Tanzania-focused gold producer African Barrick Gold’s (ABG’s) executive director and CFO Kevin Jennings would leave the company to take up a similar role at another mining company. ABG announced on... 

Buildmax subsidiary awarded $25.8m Congo mining contract

Opencast mining contractor and construction materials supplier Buildmax has, through its subsidiary Diesel Power Congo, been awarded a $25.8-million openpit quarrying and mining contract at the... 

Lion II commissioning on track for 2013 H2, despite industry hurdles

Commissioning of the Xstrata-Merafe chrome venture’s Lion Ferrochrome Complex Phase 2 expansion project (Lion II), in Limpopo, was still expected during the second half of 2013, despite heavy... 

Heavy rains, Somkhele strike lower Petmin's interim profit by 36%

Production losses brought on by excessive rain and an unprotected strike at JSE- and Aim-listed Petmin’s Somkhele metallurgical anthracite mine, in KwaZulu-Natal, resulted in the company recording... 

Firestone Energy second-stage financing postponed

ASX- and JSE-listed Firestone Energy is currently in discussions in relation to the rescheduling of the second-stage financing to be provided by Ariona Company through the issue of new convertible... 

Sibanye 2012 earnings up 16% year-on-year

JSE- and NYSE-listed Sibanye Gold on Friday reported net earnings of R2.98-billion for the year ended December 31, 2012, marking a 16% increase in net earnings compared with that of the equivalent... 

Microsoft initiative reaches more than 500 000 African youth

Since the launch of its YouthSpark initiative in December last year, global software developer Microsoft has reached over half a million youth and made $1.1-million worth of software donations to... 

Engineer’s renewable-energy projects enter construction

Management consultancy firm Arup reports that construction has started on a number of the renewable-energy projects in South Africa for which it was acting as lender’s technical adviser or owner’s... 

Survey ranks SA as top African emerging economy, but Nigeria rising

South Africa has maintained its position as the leading emerging economy on the African continent, ahead of Nigeria, in terms of potential investment destinations, a report by global business and... 

Balanced approach urged as SA mulls green-growth challenge

South Africa must only adopt a green approach to developing its economy, if it made economic sense, World Wide Fund for Nature South Africa Living Planet Unit head Saliem Fakir said on Tuesday.... 

Fund not attracting sufficient applications from ‘job-rich’ sectors

Not many applications from high-impact, job-rich sectors, such as agroprocessing, agriculture, information and communication technology (ICT) and manufacturing, were being received for the South... 

Strikes, safety stoppages result in 64% drop in Village’s earnings

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – JSE-listed miner Village Main Reef recorded a 64% fall in basic earnings a share to 5.92c in the six months ended December 2012, down from 16.57c in the 2011... 

SA mining sector leadership to publicly denounce violence, intimidation

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) - To create a mining industry in South Africa where peace and stability reigned supreme, the leadership of sector role-players would collectively and publicly... 

Strikes cost SA R15.3bn in mining output in 2012

The total value of mining production lost owing to strikes and stoppages in 2012 amounted to R15.3-billion, the National Treasury revealed in its 2013 Budget, released on Wednesday. Mining... 

AECI would work to return AEL to profitability – incoming CEO

South African chemicals and explosives producer AECI would, in the year ahead, focus on improving the operational performance of its explosives business AEL Mining Services, the company’s incoming... 

SNR appoints new CEO as Elitheni reaches production

Aim-listed Strategic Natural Resources (SNR) CEO and board member David Nel would step down to focus exclusively on managing the operations at the company’s 74%-owned subsidiary Elitheni Coal’s... 

Northam expects 2013 to see stable metals demand

Despite more production disruptions expected in South Africa’s platinum sector this year, JSE-listed Northam Platinum marketing manager Jerry White said Friday that 2013 would be another year of...