Mondi reports improved demand, but lower prices for the first quarter

JSE-listed paper and packaging manufacturer Mondi has noted improved market conditions in the first quarter of the year, with stronger order books and higher sales volumes across its range of paper... 

Manook stresses importance of abated coal in energy future of many nations

Global coal organisation FutureCoal has suggested that world leaders follow a balanced, pragmatic and responsible approach to energy policy, following an announcement by the Group of Seven (G7)... 

WBHO completes two solar plants, impactful community initiatives in Lichtenburg

Construction group Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) and renewable energy company Sola Group have completed construction of the Merak 2 & 3 solar photovoltaic projects near Lichtenburg, in North... 

Epiroc acquires South African rock drilling parts maker Weco

Swedish equipment manufacturer Epiroc has successfully acquired Weco, a South African manufacturer of precision-engineered rock drilling parts. Weco has been operating in Krugersdorp, Gauteng,... 

Saudi, Johannesburg stock exchanges partner to advance new instruments, market access

The JSE has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Saudi Tadawul Group (STG), aimed at enhancing financial market collaboration and bolstering economic ties between South Africa and Saudi... 

UNTD warns of continuing deceleration in global economic growth this year

While the global economic slowdown in 2023 was less severe than expected, intergovernmental organisation United Nations Trade and Development (UNTD) has warned that a further deceleration in global... 

Investors prioritising PGM miners able to generate free cash flow, reduce costs in current low-price environment

With the platinum group metals (PGM) basket price remaining at low levels, particularly with platinum pricing at about $935/oz currently, investors are looking at how mining companies are able to... 

Tiger Brands unveils brand-new Black Cat peanut butter factory in Krugersdorp

Food processing company Tiger Brands has unveiled a new peanut butter manufacturing facility for its Black Cat brand in Chamdor, Krugersdorp. Having moved from another facility in Randfontein, the... 

Kazera nuclear permit delayed over additional requirements

Aim-listed Kazera Global has completed all the mechanical commissioning work required for the Whale Head Minerals heavy mineral sands project in Alexander Bay, South Africa, to proceed with final... 

Galileo receives second payment from Afrimat for Glenover business, last payment expected soon

London-listed Galileo Resources has confirmed receipt of a second payment totalling R48-million, or £2.1-million, from JSE-listed diversified miner Afrimat in its option to buy shares in Glenover... 

Walkabout achieves first concentrated ore at Lindi Jumbo, ramp-up efforts continue

ASX-listed Walkabout Resources has started concentrating ore at its Lindi Jumbo graphite mine, in Tanzania, with commissioning activities continuing to ramp up. The mine is poised to become one... 

Lower prices impact on Tshipi mine’s profitability in Q3, but operational performance intact

Despite a 25% quarter-on-quarter and 11% year-on-year decrease in production in the quarter ended March 31, ASX-listed Jupiter Mines’ 49.9%-owned Tshipi é Ntle Manganese Mining subsidiary remains... 

Rossouw to step down as Sasol CFO in October

Petrochemicals company Sasol has announced that CFO and executive director Hanré Rossouw will step down from his position, effective October 31. Sasol has started the process to appoint a... 

Outa asks govt to clarify roles of Ministers in ERA Bill, minimise Nersa’s price-setting power

While the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa) supports the broad intent of the Electricity Regulation Amendment (ERA) Bill, as it seeks to improve energy security in the country, it says more... 

CER lauds enactment of Climate Change Bill, says related policies should also be collaborative

With the National Council of Provinces having passed the Climate Change Bill and it nearing official promulgation, nonprofit organisation the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has stressed the... 

Central banks, record first-quarter over-the-counter purchases support gold demand

Continued exchange-traded fund (ETF) outflows drove gold demand, excluding over-the-counter (OTC) purchases, down by 5% year-on-year in the first quarter of this year to 1 102 t. However,... 

NBI launches pragmatic Just Energy Transition Skilling for Employment Programme

With skills having been identified as a key cross-cutting requirement for the Just Energy Transition Implementation Plan (JET-IP), the National Business Initiative (NBI), together with the... 

CGA, ECDC to spend R1.2m on capacitating ten Eastern Cape citrus farmers for exports

The Grower Development Company of the Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa (CGA) has partnered with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) to bolster commercialisation prospects... 

Globeleq appoints Hoffman interim CEO

Independent power company Globeleq has appointed Jonathan Hoffman interim CEO, effective end-June. He has been chief development officer of the company since 2020 and will be succeeding Mike... 

Astral to post 465% rise in earnings as operations normalise

Integrated poultry producer Astral Foods has advised that its earnings per share (EPS) for the six months ended March 31 will increase by between 465% and 475% year-on-year. This will result in... 

Mavuso encouraged by restored business, govt relations following turbulent Zuma reign

Ahead of South Africa’s national elections on May 29, Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso says regardless of changes to government, the facts of what businesses need to thrive do not... 

Eskom says generation recovery plan gathering momentum

During a State of the System address hosted on Friday, Eskom confirmed its generation recovery plan (GRP) is making tangible progress, with various coal-fired power station units having been... 

Eskom anticipates limited winter loadshedding amid generation improvements

Newly appointed Eskom group CEO Dan Marokane has provided assurances that loadshedding during the upcoming winter months will likely be contained at Stage 2, thanks to improvements in generation... 

ASM secures another financing letter of intent from Canadian agency

Credit agency Export Development Canada (EDC) has indicated in a conditional letter of interest that it will provide a direct lending debt funding package of up to A$400-million to ASX-listed... 

Electrical specialist says load curtailment in Ekurhuleni should be respected, or more outages may ensue

With the City of Ekurhuleni having entered into a load curtailment agreement with national power utility Eskom, this mandatory energy reduction has been met with some protest by businesses, but... 

Hummingbird’s first-quarter performance impacted by contractual dispute at Kouroussa

Despite what its CEO Dan Betts deemed a challenging quarter, Aim-listed Hummingbird Resources delivered an 18% quarter-on-quarter increase in gold production at just under 17 000 oz from the... 

Pilot Crushtec introduces Swedish brand of large-scale crushers to the Southern African market

Local mobile and semi-mobile crushing and screening equipment provider Pilot Crushtec has expanded its product lineup to the Southern African mining market with the addition of Swedish brand... 

Some uncertainties remain around incoming visa regime changes

Government is changing the way the South African visa system works and immigration law experts have lauded this positive step to enable more foreign skilled labour into the country, but they stress... 

Marula secures eight mining licences next to existing graphite projects in Tanzania

UK- and South Africa-listed battery metals miner Marula Mining has advised that its NyoriGreen Mining Limited (NML) subsidiary has been granted eight new mining licences in Tanzania. A... 

Invictus partners with Zim-focused gold miner to investigate gas supply to Eureka mine

ASX-listed Invictus Energy has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) that could lead to a maiden gas offtake agreement with Dallaglio Investments, involving the supply of gas to the Eureka... 

Bushveld warns it may have to halt some operations amid funding constraints

Aim-listed Bushveld Minerals recorded record quarterly production of 498 t of vanadium from the Vanchem operation, in Mpumalanga, South Africa, for the three months ended March 31, as well as... 

Macroeconomic factors dampen Sasol’s year-to-date performance

NYSE- and JSE-listed petrochemicals company Sasol says its energy business benefitted from higher basic fuel prices, as well as improved refining margins towards the end of the nine months ended... 

Amplats posts lower first-quarter output

Platinum group metals (PGM) miner Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) has reported a decrease in 5E metal-in-concentrate production of 7% to 834 100 oz for the quarter ended March 31, compared with... 

Novare partners with IFC to advance green building, retail decarbonisation

Real estate investment firm Novare Equity Partners has partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) on its Greening Real Estate Investment Portfolios (Grips) programme, which affords... 

CSIR researchers confirm latest El Niño is among harshest in history

A research team tasked to monitor the impact of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climatic phenomenon has confirmed that the 2023/24 El Niño was among the top five strongest on record. El... 

Lucapa sells three diamonds for $10.5m in first tender

ASX-listed Lucapa Diamond Company has sold three exceptional diamonds recovered from the Lulo mine, in Angola, for $10.5-million at tender. The tender was concluded on April 19 and was conducted... 

Gem Diamonds recovers 169 ct diamond in Lesotho

London-listed Gem diamonds has recovered a 169.15 ct Type II white diamond from the Letšeng mine, in Lesotho. The find marks the fourth diamond greater than 100 ct that Gem has recovered in the... 

Over-optimistic, exaggerated expectations in platinum market can lead to bad investment decisions, says CPM

Independent commodity research group CPM Group managing partner Jeffrey Christian has dispelled some of the common myths in the platinum market, which can lead to bad investment decisions on the... 

Iluka posts lower first-quarter volumes as planned

Australia-focused mineral sands and rare earths miner Iluka Resources has reported lower year-on-year production of most of its commodities owing to inventory management and a major maintenance... 

Whitehaven expects newly acquired mines to add up to 5Mt a quarter to production

Australia-based coal producer Whitehaven Coal continues to deliver strong operational performances at its Maules Creek and Gunnedah openpit mines, having produced 4.4-million tonnes of run-of-mine...