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Martin Creamer is Creamer Media Publishing Editor of Engineering News and Mining Weekly.

Coal contracts with Eskom must be honoured
Coal contracts with Eskom must be honoured
23rd April 2021 By: Martin Creamer

The decision of Eskom to ask Treasury to consider the release of a top coal mining company from its long-term contractual obligations should be opened to full public scrutiny. In this instance,... 


Self-generation limit that’s free of  red tape must be lifted much higher
Self-generation limit that’s free of red tape must be lifted much higher
16th April 2021 By: Martin Creamer

Holding South Africans to a 10 MW self-generation grid-linked electricity threshold of 10 MW is a measure that is holding back the economic future of this country. The limit must be raised to at... 


South Africans must disallow official tardiness that prevents economic progress
9th April 2021 By: Martin Creamer

The South African people must no longer tolerate national slowness that keeps us out of the benefits of global trends. South Africa began in green hydrogen more than a decade ago is now falling... 


Government must join the platinum group metals promotion effort
Government must join the platinum group metals promotion effort
2nd April 2021 By: Martin Creamer

South Africa is blessed with the planet’s largest endowment of platinum group metals (PGMs) but is not doing enough to promote this, at a time when PGM demand faces a potential decade of strength.... 


Mines correct to take tailings management  very seriously
Mines correct to take tailings management very seriously
26th March 2021 By: Martin Creamer

It is a pity that there have to be horrific tragedies before due attention is paid to dangerous practices. For example, Brazil had to be he location of a shocking mine tailings disaster before the... 


An immediate end must be brought to inexplicably slow mineral rights processing
An immediate end must be brought to inexplicably slow mineral rights processing
12th March 2021 By: Martin Creamer

It has been so very disheartening to hear just how slowly the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has been processing applications for mining rights, prospecting rights, mining... 


Test mine to try out  new technologies is  a great idea
Test mine to try out new technologies is a great idea
5th March 2021 By: Martin Creamer

Hats off to the South African mining industry for planning a test mine for Fourth Industrial Revolution technology try-outs. The industry needs to go all out to be globally competitive, having... 


Decarbonising South Africa is a must
Decarbonising South Africa is a must
26th February 2021 By: Martin Creamer

The private sector the world over is responding very well to climate change. This is because is the shareholders of public companies are demanding a switch away from fossil fuel to renewable sun,... 


Multitrillion-rand opportunity staring South Africans in the face. What are we waiting for?
Multitrillion-rand opportunity staring South Africans in the face. What are we waiting for?
19th February 2021 By: Martin Creamer

South Africa is in an amazingly good position to create huge wealth and generate hundreds of thousands of near-term jobs by producing carbon-neutral powerfuels for aviation, and green hydrogen for... 


We’re allowing the benefits of mineral exploration to pass us by
We’re allowing the benefits of mineral exploration to pass us by
5th February 2021 By: Martin Creamer

South Africa is a mining country which was supposed to have a mineral exploration strategy by the end of this month. But, as I write, none has been forthcoming, despite the commitment being made... 


The ‘greenness’ South Africa can help bestow on the world needs hard sell now
The ‘greenness’ South Africa can help bestow on the world needs hard sell now
29th January 2021 By: Martin Creamer

South Africa and the amazing platinum group metals it hosts in such abundance have been cleaning up emissions from vehicle exhaust pipes for decades. Now they are earmarked to do so in elevated... 


Australia’s loss becomes South Africa’s gain
Australia’s loss becomes South Africa’s gain
22nd January 2021 By: Martin Creamer

China’s refusal to buy Australian coal has resulted in the Asian country taking the unprecedented step of turning to South Africa for its supply of combustible black rock – a very welcome fillip in... 


Time to build back better as we fight off Covid
Time to build back better as we fight off Covid
15th January 2021 By: Martin Creamer

A well-known chairperson was once criticised for spending much of his time looking out of the window of the high-rise corporate building that his company occupied. He would do so in deep thought,... 


African Continental Free Trade deal must get rid of those long truck queues at border posts
African Continental Free Trade deal must get rid of those long truck queues at border posts
11th December 2020 By: Martin Creamer

When I passed through a few Southern African border posts last year, I was disappointed to see the long queues of trucks waiting to get through customs. The one of truck driver I spoke to... 


South Africans must  focus unflinchingly  on creating economic growth and jobs
South Africans must focus unflinchingly on creating economic growth and jobs
4th December 2020 By: Martin Creamer

The focus has got to be unflinching. We South Africans must not allow ourselves to be diverted away from creating economic growth and jobs. Heaven knows how huge many of our problems are; some of... 


If Egypt is anything to  go by, South Africa  could see brisk exploration response
If Egypt is anything to go by, South Africa could see brisk exploration response
27th November 2020 By: Martin Creamer

Egypt awarded 82 exploration blocks to 11 companies in an international bid round for mineral exploration that took place briskly, with foreign investors quick to take part. Egypt is targeting... 


South Africans, please seize the green hydrogen opportunity with far greater enthusiasm
South Africans, please seize the green hydrogen opportunity with far greater enthusiasm
20th November 2020 By: Martin Creamer

Green hydrogen is selling itself globally. Climate change mitigation has created the demand. It was good to hear Kumba Iron Ore say that it is investigating the use of green hydrogen for its mining... 


At last, the Witwatersrand Gold Basin is being targeted once more
At last, the Witwatersrand Gold Basin is being targeted once more
13th November 2020 By: Martin Creamer

When it comes to gold, additional exploration in South Africa’s Witwatersrand Gold Basin is not as needed as with other metals and minerals. The Wits Gold Basin has been so thoroughly explored that... 


South Africa must protect its national chrome patrimony by supporting ferrochrome
South Africa must protect its national chrome patrimony by supporting ferrochrome
6th November 2020 By: Martin Creamer

South Africa has more chrome than any other country, which is why it made such sense to add value to it in South Africa and turn chromite into ferrochrome, at many times the price and many times... 


Excessive dividend demand is ripping heart out of mining’s future
Excessive dividend demand is ripping heart out of mining’s future
23rd October 2020 By: Martin Creamer

Mining majors are putting emphasis on dividends over capital investment and it will come back to haunt them. Those with long enough memories will recall what happened to Rand Mines, which ended up... 


Govt, stop charging alluvial miners an arm and a leg  in regulatory fees
Govt, stop charging alluvial miners an arm and a leg in regulatory fees
16th October 2020 By: Martin Creamer

The regulatory charges imposed on small miners by the South African government are absurd. Alluvial diamond miners are charged within the same framework as the mining majors. The mere application... 


Gear up to the reality of the circular economy being the new normal
Gear up to the reality of the circular economy being the new normal
9th October 2020 By: Martin Creamer

There’s money in muck, we used to say, but failed to do enough to ensure that muck was collected efficiently. Now all that has to change. If you’re in the business of material production, what you... 


This time round let’s  do it, South Africa, and never have to look back
This time round let’s do it, South Africa, and never have to look back
2nd October 2020 By: Martin Creamer

South Africans were quick off the mark with the public-private grid-tied renewable energy programme, then we fell behind. We were again quick off the mark with green hydrogen, then we fell behind.... 


Platinum must grab on to the coattails of the hydrogen economy with all the strength that it has
Platinum must grab on to the coattails of the hydrogen economy with all the strength that it has
25th September 2020 By: Martin Creamer

A few years back, platinum group metals mining analysts would fight shy of including hydrogen economy pull in their demand calculations. Today, that’s all changed and they’re falling over... 


South Africa must seize its huge new-world opportunities immediately
South Africa must seize its huge new-world opportunities immediately
18th September 2020 By: Martin Creamer

If we work together, we can treble the size of our platinum industry. Why don’t we? Minerals Council South Africa has an already-drafted plan to take South Africa from the $11-billion -a-year... 


South Africa Inc is duty-bound to be constructive on all fronts
11th September 2020 By: Martin Creamer

The world hates nitrous oxide smog and rhodium can take it away. But there’s not enough rhodium to meet galloping demand and the upshot is that the rhodium price has rocketed out of sight. South... 


Hats off to Namibia and Botswana for going solar
Hats off to Namibia and Botswana for going solar
4th September 2020 By: Martin Creamer

Namibia and Botswana deserve pats on the back for going big on solar. After all, both have lots of sun and sand, and Namibia has sea to boot. From the seawater, green hydrogen can be electrolysed... 


Well done to Germany for including Southern Africa in its green hydrogen strategy
Well done to Germany for including Southern Africa in its green hydrogen strategy
28th August 2020 By: Martin Creamer

Hats off to Germany for funding a green hydrogen atlas initiative across 12 Southern African states. Germany is to be credited, too, for wasting no time in making green hydrogen central to its... 


South Africa must  take steps to sustain  its invaluable gold  mining industry
South Africa must take steps to sustain its invaluable gold mining industry
21st August 2020 By: Martin Creamer

When I heard that Japan is opening its doors to gold exploration, I got thinking about how wonderful it would be right now if South Africa was still the biggest gold producer in the world. Gold... 


Grow the industrial base using new technologies that make low volumes competitive
Grow the industrial base using new technologies that make low volumes competitive
14th August 2020 By: Martin Creamer

New opportunities for local industrialisation are unfolding, thanks to modern technologies that ensure that even low-volume production can be globally competitive. South Africa must look to using... 


Kumba doing right thing to explore in our wonderfully endowed Northern Cape
Kumba doing right thing to explore in our wonderfully endowed Northern Cape
7th August 2020 By: Martin Creamer

Hats off to Anglo American group company Kumba Iron Ore, led by CEO Themba Mkhwanazi, for doing such exciting mining exploration in our wonderfully prospective Northern Cape. South Africa needs so... 


South Africa must incentivise mining exploration, the ANC is 100% correct
South Africa must incentivise mining exploration, the ANC is 100% correct
24th July 2020 By: Martin Creamer

As pointed out the well-received 30-page discussion document of the economic transformation committee, the South African mining industry has in recent years experienced falling levels of investment... 


South Africa needs a hydrogen  roadmap and it needs one fast
South Africa needs a hydrogen roadmap and it needs one fast
17th July 2020 By: Martin Creamer

In April 2016, I listened to then Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor say that the South African government was working on a fuel cell and hydrogen roadmap. She was speaking at the launch... 


SA Inc must get going fast to benefit optimally from the great green electricity rush
SA Inc must get going fast to benefit optimally from the great green electricity rush
10th July 2020 By: Martin Creamer

No country in the world is better placed than South Africa to take optimal advantage of the world’s colossal surge towards clean electricity. Virtually every day now, far-reaching strategic strides... 


Hurry up with the 88 chosen projects  and list them for all to see
Hurry up with the 88 chosen projects and list them for all to see
3rd July 2020 By: Martin Creamer

The sentiment at last week’ virtual Presidential sustainable infrastructure development symposium was absolutely correct, namely that the South African economy needs to be propelled forward by the... 


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