Despite the third iteration of the Mining Charter having been gazetted and the starter’s gun fired, discussion still under way between the Mineral Resources Ministry and Minerals Council South Africa has fired enough holes in the cloud that still hovers above new mining investment and greenfield exploration to keep everyone marking time. Much still continues within the mine fences and at operational level, but no discernible action is visible outside existing concession areas. Disappointingly, labour unrest has burst out, which does not encourage the new investment that the industry so urgently needs during this period of economic recession.