MPRD in 2026: A maze of mineral policy
It is a cliché of effective industrial policy that developing an industry works best if there is “policy certainty”. It is also one of those clichés that becomes a cliché because…
MMG pushes EU to clear Anglo nickel deal
CHINESE-backed miner MMG has urged European Union regulators to approve its $500m purchase of Anglo American’s Brazilian nickel assets, despite concerns the deal would hand…
US-backed group eyes $500m Tanzania nickel investment
AMERICA’S race to loosen China’s grip on critical minerals is zeroing in on Tanzania, where a US-backed investment vehicle is preparing to put roughly half a billion dollars…
Tharisa sees price support despite weaker chrome
CHROME concentrate prices have softened in the wake of softer stainless steel demand, partly owing to the Middle East conflict, said Tharisa CEO Phoevos Pouroulis. He was…
Chinese nickel investors eye Africa as Indonesia policy bites
CHINESE companies that transformed Indonesia into the world’s dominant nickel producer are scouting African alternatives as rising policy pressure in Jakarta unsettles the…
Merafe’s Eskom deal: Government needs it more
THE Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture’s proposed 62c per kWh electricity tariff deal with Eskom, far below the standard tariff of around 234c per kWh, could determine whether its…
Glencore-Merafe JV taps ferrochrome but closure looms
SOUTH Africa’s Lion ferrochrome smelter tapped its first metal this month in a partial restart, but owner Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture said a recently approved electricity…
Nickel retreats as Indonesia withholds output cut details
NICKEL prices extended losses after Indonesia failed to specify production reductions that had previously sparked a sharp rally in the battery metal, said Bloomberg News.…
EU warn Anglo nickel deal will divert metal from Europe
EUROPEAN Union regulators warned MMG’s proposed acquisition of Anglo American’s Brazilian nickel operations could divert ferronickel supplies from Europe, potentially harming its…
Why Tharisa could be worth double its market value
THE irony of the government’s proposed chrome tax, aimed at encouraging local beneficiation of minerals, is that it punishes companies that do most to beneficiate. Platinum is…
Congo quotas could push cobalt into deficit in 2026
COBALT prices have reached a three-year peak as export restrictions in the Democratic Republic of Congo threaten supply shortages of the critical battery material, said Bloomberg…
SA needs better solutions than an export tax to save ferrochrome
THE government’s proposed actions to save the waning local ferrochrome industry will adversely affect the chrome mining sector — a high criticality mineral and one of the few…
South Africa weighs 25% chrome export levy – report
SOUTH African authorities are mulling a 25% levy on raw chrome ore exports as part of efforts to rescue the beleaguered ferrochrome sector, which has haemorrhaged jobs amid…
SA ferrochrome industry is running out of time.
SOARING electricity costs are decimating South Africa’s ferrochrome industry, forcing widespread furnace closures and threatening global stainless steel supply chains, said…
MMG confident Anglo nickel deal will pass muster
CHINESE-owned MMG is confident it will secure European regulatory approval for its $500m acquisition of Anglo American’s nickel assets, according to a report in the Financial…
Nickel price collapse strengthens China’s grip
NICKEL prices have plummeted to just over $15,000 per ton – roughly one-third of their 2022 peaks – undermining Western efforts to reduce dependence on Indonesian production…
Brazil probes Anglo American nickel disposal
BRAZIL’S competition regulator has opened an investigation into Anglo American’s proposed disposal of its nickel assets in the country, creating fresh obstacles for the mining…
Indonesia’s nickel boom faces supply chain crisis
INDONESIA’S ambitious nickel expansion strategy is encountering significant difficulties as plummeting prices and ore shortages compel refiners to cut production and dismiss…
Tharisa wary on chrome demand and prices because of US tariffs on major customer China
Tharisa’s chrome and pgm production bounced back in the March quarter but CEO Phoevos Pouroulis is wary over the possible negative impact of USA tariffs on future chrome and pgm…
Merafe may idle up to two-thirds of ferrochrome production
MERAFE Resources could mothball up to two-thirds of ferrochrome production in terms of a business review which is expected to be completed by May. Zanele Matlala, CEO of Merafe…