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Minerals Council expresses deep sadness at loss of 28 colleagues to Covid 
By: Martin Creamer 9th July 2020 Minerals Council South Africa health head Dr Thuthula Balfour on Thursday expressed deep sadness at the loss of 28 colleagues to Covid-19 and stated that research was being conducted to understand what makes people particularly vulnerable to the pandemic and what can be done to prevent the... →
Record-high gold prices are in sight
By: Bloomberg 9th July 2020 Gold prices could be set to take out their long-standing record as mounting concerns about the global economy fuel gains above $1 800/oz. Spot bullion extended its advance into a sixth day as the resurgence of the coronavirus in some parts of the world adds to concerns about a protracted global... →
South Africa’s July Ndlovu to chair World Coal Association
By: Martin Creamer 9th July 2020 South Africa’s July Ndlovu has been appointed the chairperson of the World Coal Association (WCA), Mining Weekly can today report. Ndlovu, who heads Anglo American’s coal business in South Africa, takes up the position at a time when, in his words, “the role of responsible coal is front and... →
July Ndlovu and Michelle Manook.
Alphamin exceeds second-quarter production guidance
By: Simone Liedtke 8th July 2020 JSE-listed tin concentrate producer Alphamin Resources’ tin production for the second quarter, ended June 30, increased by 29% quarter-on-quarter to 2 739 t. This exceeded the production guidance for the period. →
Gold’s rally to $1 800 sees ETF inflows exceed full-year record
By: Bloomberg 8th July 2020 Gold’s allure is only getting stronger as 2020 unfolds. Spot prices reached $1 800/OZ and year-to-date inflows into bullion-backed exchange-traded funds have topped the record full-year total set in 2009. Investors have favored havens this year as the coronavirus pandemic rips through economies,... →
First 1 100 foreign mineworkers scheduled to cross back into South Africa
By: Martin Creamer 8th July 2020 The first batch of 1 100 foreign mineworkers was scheduled to cross back into South Africa on Tuesday, Mining Weekly can report. This is part of a total of 12 500 gold and platinum workers returning from Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini, formerly Swaziland. →
Gold-backed ETFs record seventh consecutive month of positive flows, says WGC
By: Simone Liedtke 7th July 2020 Gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) recorded their seventh consecutive month of positive flows, adding 104 t in June (equivalent to $5.6-billion or 2.7% of assets under management (AUM)) and taking global holdings to new all-time highs of over 3 621 t. This brings the total global net... →
Covid death toll on mines rises to 21, positive cases at 3 119
By: Martin Creamer 7th July 2020 The Covid-19 death toll in the mining industry has risen to 21, Minerals Council South Africa recorded on its website on Tuesday, with the number of Covid-positive cases totalling 3 119. Platinum mining, which employs the most people, continues to have the largest number of Covid deaths so far at... →
Mining industry's Covid statistics.
South African govt initiates process of developing societal hydrogen roadmap
By: Martin Creamer 7th July 2020 South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) has initiated a process, with other government and industry stakeholders, to develop a roadmap that will lead South Africa towards a hydrogen society, Mining Weekly can today report. The aim is to create a policy document that will inform... →
Minerals Council regrets delay of 2018 Mining Charter review
By: Martin Creamer 6th July 2020 Minerals Council South Africa on Monday expressed regret that the finalisation of the review of the contested elements of the 2018 Mining Charter had been delayed following a judgement of the full bench of the High Court in Pretoria ordering that a number of other parties be joined to the action.... →
Minerals Council South Africa.
DN Invest and MIC conclude R760m empowerment transaction
By: Natasha Odendaal 6th July 2020 Diversified and niche telecommunications, retail, distribution and technology services company DN Invest (DNI) has concluded an empowerment transaction with broad-based black economic empowerment investment holding company Mineworkers Investment Company (MIC). MIC Investment Holdings acquired... →
Displacement continuing at copper mine where openpit give way is imminent
By: Martin Creamer 6th July 2020 Vertical and horizontal displacement is continuing at the Nchanga Open Pit Cut 2 in Chingola in Zambia, where geo-technical assessments point to an imminent collapse of a portion of the open pit – but the anticipated slough had not happened by late Sunday when Mining Weekly spoke by phone to... →
Konkola Copper Mines CEO Chris Sheppard.
Reopening of economies boosting metals prices
By: Marleny Arnoldi 3rd July 2020 Since lockdown measures have started to ease around the world to contain Covid-19, ratings and research agency Standard & Poor’s Global (S&P Global) says the reopening of economies, combined with monetary stimulus by banks and governments, has allowed industrial metal prices to rise. However,... →
Vedanta's Zambia copper unit warns part of Nchanga openpit mine about to collapse
By: Reuters 3rd July 2020 Zambia's Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), a unit of diversified miner Vedanta Resources, has closed part of its openpit mine as a portion of the pit is about to collapse, the chief executive officer said late on Thursday. KCM predicted that part of the Nchanga Open Pit in Chingola in Zambia's... →
Covid kills 13 mineworkers, no foreigners back at work
By: Martin Creamer 2nd July 2020 Thirteen mineworkers have now succumbed to the coronavirus, Minerals Council South Africa public affairs and transformation senior executive Tebello Chabana said on Thursday. Of the 13 who have died, seven were employed in platinum mining in North West province, which has the most cases at 1 413... →
Mining will need long-term strategies to survive new normal
By: Simone Liedtke 2nd July 2020 For the mining industry to be successful post-Covid-19, the industry will require long-term strategies to deal with its challenges, which includes the pandemic. In a webinar hosted by the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) on July 2, investment management firm Orion Resource Partners... →
Hydrogen-powered aviation preparing for takeoff – study
By: Martin Creamer 2nd July 2020 Hydrogen as an energy source will play a key role in transforming aviation into a zero-carbon/climate-neutral system over the next few decades, an independent study states in estimating that the first short-range hydrogen-powered demonstrator could be developed by 2028 if sufficient investments... →
RBPlat opens 200-bed field hospital to support govt in fight against Covid-19
By: Simone Liedtke 1st July 2020 Platinum group metals miner Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat), together with the North West Department of Health, has officially opened the 200-bed Royal Bafokeng Platinum Field Hospital, in Rustenburg, at a cost of about R10-million, to support government’s already overburdened resources in the... →
Hydrogen to fuel giant mining trucks in green shift by Anglo
By: Bloomberg 1st July 2020 Anglo American is advancing plans to convert its fleet of giant diesel-fueled mine trucks to hydrogen power as the company seeks to burnish its green credentials. More than 400 mine-haul trucks could be rebuilt to use hydrogen fuel, with a pilot project starting next year at Anglo American... →
Platinum group metals in pole position to benefit from global decarbonisation thrust
By: Martin Creamer 1st July 2020 Platinum group metals are in pole position to benefit from the fast-growing global decarbonisation momentum, Mining Weekly can today report. A multiplicity of global announcements are emerging daily that inextricably link platinum-catalysed hydrogen fuel cells as well as platinum-catalysed... →
Tariff implications not yet clear as Nersa loses another court battle with Eskom
By: Terence Creamer 30th June 2020 Power utility Eskom has welcomed the June 29 ruling of the North Gauteng High Court to review and set aside three regulatory clearing account determinations made by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa for the financial years 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17. In his judgment, Judge Jody... →
The Nersa panel at the MYPD4 hearing in 2019
South Africa's recession deepens in first quarter as mining plummets
By: Reuters 30th June 2020 South Africa's recession deepened in the first quarter of 2020, with official data on Tuesday showing that gross domestic product contracted 2% from the previous three months, led by declines in mining and manufacturing. The economy was already frail before the coronavirus pandemic hit South... →
Pleasantly surprised by productivity during lockdown – Babcock Ntuthuko Engineering
By: Martin Creamer 30th June 2020 Engineering company Babcock Ntuthuko Engineering has been pleasantly surprised by the productivity and agility that the lockdown has afforded it as an engineering house engaged in the energy sector. Babcock Ntuthuko Engineering’s major industrial clients include State electricity utility Eskom... →
Fairtree takes 5%-plus of Harmony Gold
By: Martin Creamer 29th June 2020 South African investment management company Fairtree Asset Management now holds more than 5% of the ordinary shares of gold mining company Harmony Gold, the company stated on Monday. The Cape Town-based Fairtree, which describes itself as a ‘long-only’ investment manager, has more than... →
Mponeng gold mine.
Increased continued loan support for Orion confirmed
By: Martin Creamer 29th June 2020 Private equity group Tembo Capital Mining Fund II LP on Monday confirmed its increased continued support of Orion Minerals through a loan facility boost. The Sydney- and Johannesburg-listed Orion is developing the Prieska copper-and-zinc project in the Northern Cape. →
Intensive communication playing key role in curbing Covid at South Deep
By: Martin Creamer 29th June 2020 Way ahead of any indication of national lockdown, South Deep gold mine started an intensive and focused communication awareness campaign to shield its people from the coronavirus pandemic. It placed a lot of reliance on leadership across the board, going down to basic family leadership, and put... →
Weir Minerals South Africa inks empowerment transaction with Medu Capital
By: Simone Liedtke 26th June 2020 Mineral solutions provider Weir Minerals Africa’s (WMA’s) South African operation, Weir Minerals South Africa (SA), is now 25.1% owned by black empowerment partner Medu Capital. Through the partnership, Medu will play an active role in guiding and fostering the future success of Weir Minerals SA,... →
Location has become the existential investment criteria for gold, says Kaplan
By: Mariaan Webb 26th June 2020 The frontier spirit that sent gold investors into riskier hunting grounds is a bygone era and investors are “coming back home”, to jurisdictions where the rule of law is not a novelty, says US businessman Thomas Kaplan. Kaplan is chairperson of NYSE American- and TSX-listed Novagold, which owns... →
Lesotho opens more border posts for return of foreign mineworkers
By: Martin Creamer 25th June 2020 Lesotho has opened up more border posts to speed up the return to work of locked-down foreign mineworkers. As reported by Mining Weekly last week, 12 000 mineworkers had one border post at their disposal on re-entering South Africa from Lesotho and the opening of more border posts was requested. →
Anglo American calls for cooperative response in trying times
By: Schalk Burger 25th June 2020 Diversified miner Anglo American CE Mark Cutifani has called for a society-wide response to the global Covid-19 crisis and says the miner is committed to global tax and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). In its Tax and Economic Contribution report for the year ended... →
Six mineworkers die from Covid-19 – Minerals Council
By: Martin Creamer 25th June 2020 Six mineworkers have succumbed to coronavirus since the start of the pandemic, Minerals Council South Africa said on Thursday. Back at work so far and screened daily are 272 770 mineworkers, on which 16 994 tests have been conducted, yielding 1 796 positive Covid cases and 666 recoveries,... →
Implats remains bullish about progress in a post-Covid-19 world
By: Simone Liedtke 24th June 2020 South African miner Impala Platinum (Implats) expects to face increasing challenges to its medical preparedness and operational resilience as the Covid-19 pandemic progresses in the coming months. According to CEO Nico Muller, the benefit of experience gained by the team over the past few months,... →
CEO Nico Muller
Deep sea mining could destroy undiscovered species, says Ocean Panel
By: Reuters 24th June 2020 Mining on the sea floor should not begin before a full assessment of likely environmental impacts can be made, a report commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) said on Wednesday. Environmentalists including Britain's David Attenborough have called for a... →
New business rescue plan proposed as Lily, Barbrook mines dispute continues
By: Simone Liedtke 23rd June 2020 Vantage Goldfields Limited (VGL) and Siyakhula Sonke Empowerment Corporation (SSC) representative Fred Arendse on June 23 proposed amended business rescue plans for the Lily gold mine, in Mpumalanga. The Lily and Barbrook mines have been the subject of a dispute after the operations were placed... →
Infrastructure investment only way to propel economy forward – New Development Bank
By: Martin Creamer 23rd June 2020 The only way for South Africa to propel the South African economy forward is to invest further in productive infrastructure, New Development Bank VP Leslie Maasdorp said on Tuesday. Maasdorp was speaking during a virtual Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium of South Africa (Sidssa),... →
New Development Bank VP Leslie Maasdorp
Bushveld retains vanadium production guidance
By: Martin Creamer 23rd June 2020 While Vametco and Vanchem’s production were disrupted by the 35-day nationwide Covid lockdown, London Aim-listed Bushveld Minerals is retaining the previously announced guidance, provided there are no more pandemic stoppages. Bushveld Minerals is a vertically integrated primary vanadium producer... →
BlueRock increases Kareevlei yearly run rate to 400 000 t
By: Simone Liedtke 22nd June 2020 Aim-listed diamond producer BlueRock Diamonds achieved its target to reach a yearly run rate of 400 000 t and operational profitability through enhanced production at the end of 2019. In a statement on June 22, the producer, which owns and operates the Kareevlei diamond mine in South Africa,... →
The masters of the diamond world are losing control 
By: Bloomberg 22nd June 2020 For decades, shopping for uncut diamonds was a tightly scripted affair: First, persuade De Beers to add you to its list of handpicked customers. Then, 10 times a year, attend a week-long sale to buy exactly the amount De Beers offers you at whatever price it chooses. The system, which works more... →
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