Iliad Africa to sell loss-making ceramic business for R50m

JSE-listed Iliad has agreed to sell its ceramics business Ferreiras as a going concern to Portion 140 Springs Properties for R49.64-million. “The strategy developed after reviewing Iliad’s business... 

Gold producers, unions to sign ‘house rules’ for wage talks

All parties involved in this year’s gold wage negotiations have committed to sign a historic ‘house rules’ document or protocol on Monday, which will govern the manner in which negotiations are to... 

Royal HaskoningDHV, VEI to build €2.2m Maputo water distribution system

Consulting and engineering services provider Royal HaskoningDHV and Dutch water utility Vitens Evides International (VEI) will develop a €2.2-million water distribution system for the northern... 

PMI improves, but manufacturing conditions remain tough

The seasonally adjusted Kagiso Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) increased by 1.2 points to 51.6 in June, marking its third consecutive month above the key 50-point mark, with all the major... 

Commission recommends conditional approval of Rio Tinto deal

The Competition Commission has recommended conditional approval of the proposed acquistion of the entire shareholding of Rio Tinto South Africa by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and a... 

SA gold wage negotiations kick off

Centralised wage negotiations between gold producers represented by the Chamber of Mines (CoM) and trade unions, the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU), the National Union of... 

Mongolia awards coal licence to Modun Resources

The Mineral Resources Authority of Mongolia (MRAM) has approved Australia-listed coal explorer Modun Resources’ application for a mining licence for the Nuurst thermal coal project, 120 km south of... 

SA trade conditions remain positive, despite international tightening – Sacci

Trade conditions in South Africa remained positive, despite the tightening of international and retail trade, the South African Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) said on Thursday. The... 

Cokal identifies coking coal at Indonesian project

Metallurgical coal producer Cokal on Thursday said it had identified over 35 coal seam outcrops after a month of geological-surface mapping in the company’s newly acquired Tambung Benua Alam Raya... 

Bristow calls for cooperation between govts, miners amid tumbling gold price

The falling gold price in recent months has emphasised the need for governments of mineral-rich countries to cooperate with mining companies in the optimal development of their resources, Randgold... 

Hot Chili to raise A$11.7m for Chile project

Copper developer Hot Chili on Wednesday said it had successfully arranged a placement to raise A$11.7-million for its Productora project, in Chile. The placement at A$0.45 a share had seen strong... 

Reed reports improved Meekatharra mine-to-mill reconciliation

Gold junior Reed Resources on Wednesday said early indications were that the change to ore block interpretations at its Meekatharra gold mine, in Western Australia, had improved the mine-to-mill... 

Aspire says Chinese interested in Ovoot coking coal

Mongolian coal explorer Aspire Mining on Wednesday said it had signed nonbinding memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with four North Asian steel mills and other buyers for the coking coal that its... 

IAC, Feltex set up auto components JV in East London

Luxembourg-headquartered International Automotive Components (IAC) said on Tuesday that it had formed a joint venture (JV) with South African automotive flooring, acoustics and trim components... 

IMF revises SA growth downward to 2% for 2013

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) revised South Africa’s forecast growth for this year down to 2% in its latest World Economic Outlook (WEO), marking a fall of 0.8% from the fund’s April... 

Yanzhou announces plan to privatise its Australian subsidiary

Hong Kong-listed Yanzhou Coal Mining Company has proposed the privatisation of its 78%-owned subsidiary Yancoal Australia, the shares of which were currently listed on the ASX. The detailed terms... 

WPG Resources starts exploration at Northern Gawler tenements

ASX-listed iron-ore developer WPG Resources has started exploration on its tenements in the Northern Gawler Craton region, near Coober Pedy, in South Australia. The Gawler Craton hosts several... 

TFR CEO says loco delivery schedule remains unchanged

Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) still expects to take delivery of the first 10 of 95 new dual-electric locomotives in December, CEO Siyabonga Gama said on Monday, dismissing claims that the contract... 

Nxesi vows to take steps to rid construction of ‘criminal tendencies’

The combined fine of R1.4-billion imposed on the group of 15 construction companies admitting to collusive tendering, was viewed in many quarters as merely a “slap on the wrist” and sent out the... 

Collective effort needed to bridge Africa’s refining gap

A regional effort was needed to overcome the disconnect between Africa’s gas and oil production and its refining capacity, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Africa oil and gas advisory leader Chris... 

SA’s engineering science graduates increasing, but still below target

The number of engineering science graduates in South Africa has increased from 8 424 in 2009, to 9 387 in 2011, below the target of 10 093, Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Blade Nzimande... 

DiamondCorp completes modifications to Lace processing plant

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Southern African diamond development and exploration company DiamondCorp on Monday said it had completed the required modifications to the 1.2-million-ton-a-year... 

Commission recommends conditional approval of Rio Tinto deal

The Competition Commission has recommended conditional approval of the proposed acquistion of the entire shareholding of Rio Tinto South Africa by the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and a... 

SA prepares to roll out new smart ID cards

It would take between six and eight years for all South Africans to get smart identification document (ID) cards, which would replace green ID books, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor said on... 

Western Areas beats full-year guidance

ASX-listed Western Areas on Thursday said that unaudited nickel sales had exceeded the 2013 guidance provided at the end of May by nearly 1 000 t, with stronger-than-expected sales in June... 

Cabinet approves DEA proposal of introducing regulated rhino horn trade

Cabinet has approved the development and submission of a proposal by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to the seventeenth Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Convention on the... 

Molewa launches final Second National Water Resources Strategy

Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa on Wednesday launched the final version of the Second National Water Resources Strategy (NWRS2), following Cabinet’s approval of the plan last... 

Venture secures capital items, executes mining contracts for Riley

Australian exploration company Venture Minerals on Tuesday said it had secured capital items and executed mining contracts for its Riley direct shipping ore (DSO) project in north-west Tasmania.... 

Queensland Bauxite buys into Mozambique coal licences

ASX-listed Queensland Bauxite on Tuesday announced that it would buy an interest in two Mozambique coal exploration licences in the Zambezi basin, close to majors such as Vale and Rio Tinto. The... 

Ansteel injects $84m into Karara Mining

ASX-listed Gindalbie Metals on Tuesday said that Karara Mining – its 50:50 joint venture (JV) with Ansteel – had received an $84-million cash injection from the Chinese steel group, representing... 

PMI improves, but manufacturing conditions remain tough

The seasonally adjusted Kagiso Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) increased by 1.2 points to 51.6 in June, marking its third consecutive month above the key 50-point mark, with all the major... 

Nuclear important for global power security – Rosatom

In his closing statement at the International Atomic Energy Agency International (IAEA) Ministerial Conference last week, Russian State atomic energy corporation Rosatom director-general Sergey... 

‘Peer pressure’ could help improve nuclear safety

If countries that used nuclear as a power source regularly used national and international peer reviews of nuclear installations as reference, the safety of power plants around the world would be... 

Rosatom awaits SA govt decision on nuclear power

Russian State-owned nuclear company Rosatom was awaiting the South African government’s decision regarding the nuclear aspect of its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2010), as well as Russia’s role in... 

Empowered shipping group places R300m vessel order

Black-empowered shipping company Marine Bulk Carriers (MBC) and its partners have placed a R300-million order for a new anchor-handling tug and supply vessel, purpose-built for South African... 

Itac to make final decision on chicken meat imports in July

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (Itac) said it would make a final determination regarding the South African Poultry Association’s (Sapa’s) application for... 

Baobab presents 2Mt/y model for Mozambique pig iron project

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – London-listed junior Baobab Resources could significantly scale up its pig iron and ferro-vanadium project, in the Tete province, with an increased production... 

Platinum industry could shed 145 500 jobs by 2015

South Africa’s embattled platinum industry is at risk of losing 145 500 jobs by 2015. Assuming a breakeven platinum price of $1 500/oz for 2014 and 2015, Nomura analyst Peter Attard-Montalto said... 

PhokaThaba agrees to R3.5m settlement with JIC

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – JSE- and Aim-listed Jubilee Platinum on Wednesday said the liquidation application by Westdawn Investments, trading as JIC Mining Services, against Platinum... 

Assmang completes DFS for Malaysia manganese smelting facility

JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Diversified miner African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) on Wednesday reported that mining group Assmang, which it jointly controlled with Assore, had completed a...