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Chemicals News
Govt permits Tharisa to continue to operate with fewer personnel 
By: Martin Creamer 9th April 2020 Chrome and platinum group metals (PGM) mining company Tharisa has received government permission to continue operating with a reduced number of personnel during the Covid-19 lockdown. Revealing this with its release on Thursday of second-quarter results for the three months to March 31, Tharisa... →
Transnet scales back to only essential services, operations
By: Simone Liedtke 27th March 2020 In line with government’s implementation of a three-week lockdown of the country to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 virus, State-owned entity Transnet will be scaling down its transportation services and operations of non-essential cargo during this period. After consultation with various... →
Question marks over protracted re-entry of trimetal PGM catalysis 
By: Martin Creamer 19th March 2020 Trimetal catalysts, which use three platinum group metals (PGMs) rather than two and thereby balance PGM demand, have a multi-decade history of curbing gasoline vehicle emission, which poses question marks over why their re-adoption should be so protracted. New York-based CPM Group MD Jeffrey... →
CPM Group MD Jeffrey Christian
AECI’s acquisition of Brazilian explosives business finalised
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 18th March 2020 JSE-listed chemicals manufacturer AECI’s acquisition of an explosives business near Lorena, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, for $6.3-million, has been concluded. The business was acquired out of business rescue and had been conditional on certain conditions precedent being fulfilled. →
Every effort must be made to ensure economy ‘does not grind to a halt’
By: Terence Creamer 16th March 2020 Finance Minister Tito Mboweni stressed on Monday that, before contemplating any possible stimulus package to address the negative economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, all efforts should be geared towards ensuring that the already weak domestic economy “does not grind to a halt”. A failure... →
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni
Billions wiped off South Africa market in minutes amid global bloodbath
By: News24Wire 16th March 2020 The JSE’s all share index started the week with an instant loss of 6% in opening trading, as global panic selling intensified. Last week, the JSE lost 15% of its value – and suffered two of its biggest crashes in the past forty years. On Monday, the JSE’s all share index dropped by more than 6%,... →
Clean fuel pivotal for engine life
By: Mamaili Mamaila 13th March 2020 Clean, uncontaminated fuel is key to optimal fuel system performance and engine longevity in the mining industry, says filtration designer and manufacturer Cummins Filtration mining sales manager Tinus Naude. →
New catalyst technology bodes well for platinum – Implats
By: Martin Creamer 11th March 2020 The newly announced tri-metal catalyst technology that rebalances market demand for platinum group metals bodes well for platinum, Implats CEO Nico Muller said on Wednesday. The tri-metal catalyst technology, which involves the use of palladium, rhodium and platinum in various degrees of loading,... →
Implats CEO Nico Muller
Sasol’s record plunge boosts speculation of a rights issue
By: Bloomberg 10th March 2020 Sasol’s record share plunge on Monday, coming as the oil price slumped and just days after the company credit rating was cut to junk by Moody’s Investors Service, is raising concern among investors that it may need to hold a rights offer as it struggles with a debt burden of about $8-billion. The... →
Sasol leads South African stocks to 4-year low as oil crash hits global markets
By: Reuters 9th March 2020 South African stocks plunged to a more than four-year low on Monday, joining a global sell-off in riskier assets as oil prices collapsed more than 30%, hitting chemical and energy firm Sasol the hardest. Saudi Arabia's plans to hike crude production and slash its official selling price came after... →
Omnia announces group FD
By: Creamer Media Reporter 2nd March 2020 Chemicals group Omnia has appointed Stephan Serfontein group FD, effective March 1. Serfontein, a chartered accountant, has been with the group since January 2012 and was previously part of the executive committee at Omnia Agriculture. →
Sasol holds back on dividend as it reports big H1 earnings slump
By: Terence Creamer 24th February 2020 Energy and chemicals group Sasol reported a 72% slump in earnings to R4.5-billion in the six months to December 31, 2019, compared with the prior period. Headline earnings a share, meanwhile, decreased by 74% to R5.94 when compared with the prior period. The board also decided not to declare an... →
Bill Gates-led fund invests in making lithium mining more sustainable
By: Bloomberg 20th February 2020 Breakthrough Energy Ventures, helmed by Bill Gates, and MIT’s The Engine fund are leading an investment round of $20-million for Lilac Solutions, a US startup aimed at making the extraction of lithium less water-intensive and more sustainable. As the world looks to cut carbon emissions, people... →
Drive package delivered to greenfield mine
7th February 2020 The last of nine units of a comprehensive drive package were successfully delivered to a major greenfield copper mining project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by drive and automation specialist SEW-Eurodrive. The five main 500 kW drives weighed 12 t each while the remaining four... →
More bad news for Sasol's giant Lake Charles Chemical Plant
By: Bloomberg 31st January 2020 The bad news from Sasol’s chemical project in Louisiana keeps stacking up. South Africa’s biggest fuel and chemicals producer said the Lake Charles Chemicals Project will make a smaller contribution to earnings, cutting its guidance for the second time in five months. The stock fell as much as... →
Unit at Sasol’s Lake Charles plant remains shut after fire
By: Bloomberg 21st January 2020 Sasol is still assessing the damage from an explosion and fire at its Lake Charles plant in Louisiana a week after the incident. The explosion at the low-density polyethylene unit at Lake Charles on January 13 could be heard across southwest Louisiana and blew the hurricane doors off a fire... →
Anglo set to make low carbon fertiliser contribution
By: Martin Creamer 20th January 2020 The polyhalite-based Poly4 product that Anglo American will market if its bid for Sirius Minerals is successful emits significantly less carbon dioxide (CO2) per tonne relative to both of the other two main fertiliser products.. Poly4 emits 93% less CO2 than the more elaborate processing of... →
Duncan Wanblad
Fire, explosion latest setback for Sasol’s LCCP
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 14th January 2020 Integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol on Tuesday confirmed that there had been an explosion and fire at the low-density polyethylene (LDPE) unit at its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP), in the US. The company said the fire had been extinguished and that all employees and contractors... →
Regional deals to drive merger activity in chemicals sector globally – AT Kearney
By: Marleny Arnoldi 13th December 2019 Most chemical industry executives believe global chemicals merger and acquisition (M&A) activity will continue to increase or stay at high levels, as a global trend of coping with challenging economic conditions. Management consultancy AT Kearney in its latest ‘Chemicals Executive M&A’ report... →
France allows cyanide processing at gold mine in French Guiana
By: Creamer Media Reporter 4th December 2019 The French government has authorised the start-up of a cyanide processing plant at a gold mine west of Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana, a decision that TSX-listed Columbus Gold hailed as a “very positive” development. “This development is a major step and a clear message that the French... →
Urgent calls for reform as South Africa’s GDP contracts 0.6% in third quarter
By: Simone Liedtke 3rd December 2019 South Africa’s gross domestic product contracted by 0.6% in the third quarter. However, on a year-on-year basis, the economy grew by 0.1%, Statistics South Africa statistician-general Risenga Maluleke told media on Tuesday. Previously, Stats SA had revealed that the GDP, in the first quarter of... →
Sasol scores ‘own goal’ as climate pressure mounts in South Africa
By: Bloomberg 29th November 2019 Sasol, South Africa’s second-biggest polluter, angered some of its investors by refusing to put a resolution on its response to climate change to shareholders and could face legal challenges if it continues to refuse votes on the issue. Sasol dismissed a request by some investors, including Old... →
Sasol pledges climate action
By: Bloomberg 27th November 2019 Sasol, South Africa’s second-biggest producer of greenhouse gases after State-owned Eskom Holdings, pledged more clarity on plans to reduce its impact on the environment. The company, which together with Eskom also produces pollutants such as sulfur dioxide and particulate emissions, said its... →
Climate risk widely acknowledged, but rarely incorporated into strategy
By: Marleny Arnoldi 25th November 2019 The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) says that although the majority of South African corporate companies recognise climate change as an already occurring and imminently worsening risk, they are slow to mitigate and manage these risks, at least according to publicly accessible information.... →
Sasol warns of lower interim earnings
By: Marleny Arnoldi 25th November 2019 JSE- and NYSE-listed Sasol expects its headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six months to end December 31, to be at least 20%, or R4.65, lower than the HEPS of R23.25 reported for the six months ended December 31, 2018. The company on Monday said its earnings per share (EPS) should be about... →
R400m deal furthers dream of supporting fleet of local vessels
By: Tracy Hancock 22nd November 2019 Mnambithi Group subsidiary Nduna Maritime and petrochemicals company Sasol have entered into a R400-million enterprise and supplier development funding agreement for South Africa’s first locally owned maritime vessel. The landmark event boosts South Africa’s maritime capabilities edging it closer... →
Clariant presents study on efficiency of chemical collectors for metallurgical recovery
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 19th November 2019 Africa is home to an abundance of natural resources, including platinum, copper, iron, diamonds, silver, gold and uranium; however, mining and processing these resources can be challenging for operators on the continent looking to run efficient mines. International specialty chemicals company... →
Sasol, Enaex conclude negotiations to establish explosives JV
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 19th November 2019 Integrated energy and chemicals company Sasol and Enaex, a subsidiary of the Sigdo Koppers Group, have concluded negotiations to establish a joint venture. The companies will file an application with the South African Competition Commission to seek approval for the merger. →
Sasol mulling several gas supply options as it seeks to reduce carbon footprint 
By: Terence Creamer 28th October 2019 Chemicals and energy group Sasol is investigating several gas-supply alternatives for its coal-heavy South African operations as it seeks ways to reduce its carbon footprint. The JSE-listed group is simultaneously working on a ‘sustainability roadmap’, which will have a strong focus on lowering... →
Sasol seeks to use leadership ‘reset’ to rebuild trust in wake of damning LCCP review
By: Terence Creamer 28th October 2019 Sasol CEO-designate Fleetwood Grobler insists that he is “realistic” about the challenges still confronting the chemicals and energy group, which parted ways with its previous joint CEOs on Monday, following a damning board review of cost and schedule overruns at the giant Lake Charles Chemicals... →
Sasol's joint CEOs to step down following US project glitch
By: Reuters 28th October 2019 South African petrochemicals group Sasol said on Monday its joint chief executives, Bongani Nqwababa and Stephen Cornell, will step down following a review of its Lake Charles Chemicals project (LCCP), which has been hit by delays and rising costs. Sasol said both CEOs, who have not been found to... →
Sasol provides R400m in financing for first South African-owned chemical tanker
By: Shirley le Guern 9th October 2019 Integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol has provided R400-million to finance the acquisition of the first South African-owned chemical tanker, the Bow Cecil, by empowered entity, Nduna Maritime. Speaking after the 37 000 dwt vessel, which is equipped with 47 tanks, docked in Durban harbour... →
Sasol is said to plan sale of its South African coal mining unit
By: Bloomberg 18th September 2019 Sasol is planning to sell its South African coal-mining business, according to people familiar with the matter. The company will begin a formal sales process in the coming weeks, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information isn’t public yet. The mining business had turnover... →
Sasol investors suggest co-CEO Cornell leave after Lake Charles costs surge
By: Bloomberg 30th August 2019 Sasol has been asked by some of the country’s biggest fund managers to consider executive changes including ousting Stephen Cornell, one of two CEOs, over cost overruns at a flagship project, according to people familiar with the matter. The money managers began meeting with Sasol’s board and... →
Sasol co-CEOs Stephen Cornell and Bongani Nqwababa
Sasol's Louisiana ethane cracker reaches beneficial operation
By: Creamer Media Reporter 28th August 2019 Chemicals and petrochemicals group Sasol says its world-scale ethane cracker – the heart of its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP), in Louisiana, in the US – has reached beneficial operation. The ethane cracker is the third and most significant of the seven LCCP facilities to come on line and... →
Sasol lowers LCCP Ebitda guidance, but says no further increases in capital cost
By: Marleny Arnoldi 26th August 2019 JSE- and NYSE-listed petrochemicals giant Sasol has resolved an issue related to a large heat exchanger on its ethane cracker at the Lake Charles Chemicals Project, in Louisiana, in the US. On August 16, Sasol announced that the problem had interrupted the ethane cracker operation for several... →
Omnia appoints Seelan Gobalsamy as its new CEO
By: Simone Liedtke 22nd August 2019 JSE-listed Omnia Holdings on Thursday announced the appointment of Seelan Gobalsamy CEO, effective immediately, after Adriaan de Lange stepped down for personal reasons. Gobalsamy will also remain as CFO until a successor is appointed, while De Lange will remain available to Omnia in an advisory... →
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