PORTS
MPRD in 2026: A maze of mineral policy
- Tim Cohen
MINING
Is Solar an optimum outcome for Omnia?
THE JSE looks set to lose yet another promising mid-cap stock, with mining explosives and agribusiness Omnia Holdings now on the cusp of a buyout, assuming a planned sale to Indian group Solar goes ahead. Its…
CRITICAL MINERALS
Pentagon takes stake in US tungsten miner
THE US Department of Defense is to take a stake of almost 20% in tungsten producer Elmet Group, the latest in a series of government investments aimed at reducing America’s reliance on China for critical…
DIVIDEND
Omnia to recommend R21.5bn buyout from India’s Solar
OMNIA Holdings said on Monday it had received a buyout offer from Indian company Solar Industries worth R21.5bn. The offer, which values the South African mining explosives and agribusiness group at R134.50…
COPPER
Three years of giving junior mining a voice
On 12 September 2023, a significant new chapter was written in South Africa’s mining industry at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). The launch of the Junior Mining Council (JMC) marked more than the birth…
CRITICAL MINERALS
US pledges support for Kenya’s minerals push
A SENIOR US official said this week Washington would help Kenya build a critical minerals processing industry. The offer comes amid US-China rivalry over access to such resources, according to a report by…
ILLEGAL MINING
Rare gemstones gain favour as supplies tighten
A SHRINKING supply of natural gemstones is pushing collectors and jewellers beyond the traditional favourites that have dominated the market since the Second World War, driving up prices for once-overlooked…
COAL EXPORTS
Transnet targets leap in coal exports despite cash squeeze
TRANSNET has targeted 65 million tons (Mt) in delivered coal exports after another year of rail volume growth, but debt and weak cash generation have put a brake on its ambition. Transnet CEO Michelle…
RICHARDS BAY
Miners doubt if Transnet’s rail reform is bankable
SOUTH Africa’s freight rail reform has moved past the stage of being dismissed as another policy aspiration without a timetable. The Transnet Rail Infrastructure Manager (TRIM) now exists, with its own CEO,…
MINING
Rio Tinto to buy Glencore bauxite project
RIO Tinto has agreed to buy the Aurukun bauxite project in Queensland from Glencore and Mitsubishi Development for an undisclosed sum, Bloomberg reported. The project is close to Rio Tinto’s existing bauxite…
MINING
Motsepe-backed phosphate producer Kropz puts 238 jobs at risk
KROPZ, a phosphate producer majority-owned by Patrice Motsepe’s African Rainbow Capital (ARC), will restructure its Elandsfontein mine in South Africa, putting 238 contractor jobs at risk, Bloomberg reported.…
CRITICAL MINERALS
Congo tightens grip on geological data
THE Democratic Republic of Congo plans to tighten state control over geological data used by mining companies, Reuters reported. The move could give the country greater sway over future mineral discoveries…
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
What resource nationalism means for Africa’s miners
Governments across Africa are seeking to assert greater control over their mineral wealth by rewriting mining codes, demanding larger equity stakes or greater local participation, scrapping investment…
MINERALS COUNCIL
Mining cost inflation eases in July, but energy risks linger
SOUTH African mining input cost inflation slowed in July, but high fuel and other energy-linked costs still weighed on the sector. The Minerals Council South Africa said its Mining Composite Input Cost Index…
COPPER
BHP’s Udd to take helm at Albemarle
ALBEMARLE has named BHP executive Ragnar Udd as its next CEO, Reuters reported on Thursday. Udd, currently BHP’s chief commercial officer, will take over on February 1, 2027, replacing Kent Masters, who will…
BHP
BHP’s commercial chief Udd to depart in January
BHP Group’s chief commercial officer, Rag Udd, is to leave the world’s biggest miner at the end of January, said Bloomberg News citing LinkedIn posts. Udd’s departure marks the most senior departure since…