JSE-listed diversified miner African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) advises shareholders that its joint venture subsidiary, Assmang, has been granted permission from Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe to operate its iron-ore load-out stations.
The Khumani and Beeshoek mines are therefore allowed to continue loading iron-ore from the mines’ respective stockpiles.
This while all ARM’s other mines have been placed on care and maintenance during the 21-day national lockdown.
Meanwhile, Transnet has mobilised the requisite resources and reactivated the rail and port export system from the Northern Cape to the Port of Saldanha which supports exports at about 40% of normalised iron-ore volumes for the week that started on March 30.
The State-owned freight utility plans to ramp up volumes for the remainder of the lockdown period depending on availability of rail and port services. The iron-ore operations have sufficient inventory to load for the remainder of the lockdown period.
“The safety and wellbeing of our employees and contractors remains a key priority. The loading functions require less than 2% of the total mine workforce to be on site. Strict hygiene, health and safety protocols are being maintained to protect employees who will be executing the loading functions,” ARM says.