SA’s new BEE ‘review’ a stinging test of political courage
WHEN it comes to BEE sceptics, there are few more vociferous than Moeletsi Mbeki, a man who, as the son of Govan Mbeki and brother of former president Thabo Mbeki, is as close to…
Geopolitics sidelining climate goals, says BHP’s Slattery
ONGOING energy disruptions are pushing climate goals down the priority list as governments focus on securing supplies, said Bloomberg News citing a speech by Geraldine Slattery,…
Why SA rebranded thermal coal a critical mineral
IS coal a critical mineral? The question has risen to prominence since South Africa designated coal as a “highly critical” mineral in its Critical Minerals Strategy released last…
Despite improvements last year, SA mines remain deadly
DESPITE a marginal decline in the number of fatalities on South African mines, the poor safety performance of the industry continues to cast a shadow over the sector. The…
Why Future Coal thinks it can win back the banks
COAL is enjoying a resurgence in reputation. Last month the 300-year-old Lloyd’s of London abandoned one of its climate commitments by allowing its insurers to go back to the…
Rise in coal shipments may signal market shift
GLOBAL thermal coal shipments reached their highest levels since late 2024 during August, driven by robust import demand from China, Japan and South Korea, breaking a nine-month…
Thungela, the coal mining success no-one expected
STRICTLY speaking, Thungela Resources CEO July Ndlovu is retiring a year earlier than at the firm’s mandatory age of 60. In a twist of fate his papers were destroyed during…
Ethiopia secures $1.7bn in minerals investment
ETHIOPIA has secured investment deals worth more than $1.7bn for its minerals and energy sectors, predominantly with Chinese firms, said Reuters citing the country’s finance…
Afrimat is a new breed of diversified miner
If there is a fatal flaw in mining companies, it is poorly timed capital allocation at the top of a particular commodity cycle. More than a few counters – especially of the…
Court rules against farmers who fleece mining companies
IMPEACHED Judge John Hlophe wants to do away with Roman Dutch law and the Constitution in South Africa. Even Hlophe in a lucid interval would admit that the Romans were brilliant…
Glencore’s EVR bid to close by July 11 after Canada approves deal
GLENCORE said on Friday its $6.93bn bid for Elk Valley Resources (EVR), a subsidiary of Canada’s Teck Resources would close on July 11 after the country’s regulatory authorities…
Long road back for SA’s junior mining sector
INEFFICIENT administration, no working mining cadastral system, and a lack of government support for the mining industry have badly hampered the development of mining projects in…
Mantashe says SA to burn coal “for a long time”
SOUTH African mines and energy minister Gwede Mantashe says the country will continue to burn substantial amounts of coal “for a long time”. “This belief that you can leave coal…
Glencore should keep its coal mines, says shareholder
ONE of Glencore’s investors have asked the miner to retain its coal mines rather than spin them out as they were “world class assets”, according to a report by Bloomberg News.…
Thungela down 30% this year as forecasts hefty earnings slide
THUNGELA Resources, the Johannesburg-listed coal miner, on Friday forecast a steep decline in earnings for the 12 months ended December 2021. Share earnings would be between 69%…
Six million people could be affected by coal, gold mine closures
AN estimated six million people who live near mining areas in South Africa will be affected socially and economically by mine closures, said BusinessLive. Citing a report funded…
Coal exports surpass billion ton mark, registering all-time record
WORLDWIDE electricity generation from coal hit record highs in 2023, while thermal coal exports surpassed 1 billion tons for the first time as coal’s use in power systems…
DMRE official explains SA’s mining licence snafu – sort of …
THE South African government blamed the backlog in mining licence applications in its current financial year ended March on the applicants. Responding to an article this week in…
Thungela says SA’s coal exports to fall to fresh lows in 2023
THUNGELA Resources said the failure of Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) to stop a decline in coal deliveries this year would result in lower export sales from its South African mines.…
Portia Derby bows to critics announcing resignation from Transnet
TRANSNET’S Portia Derby has bowed to nearly a year of pressure announcing today her resignation from the state-owned ports and rail company, effective October 31. Nonkululeko…