Barrick reaches deal with Mali unions, averts strike
BARRICK Mining has reached a new labour agreement with unions at its Loulo-Gounkoto gold mine in Mali, easing the threat of strike action, Reuters reported. The Canadian miner…
Does Sibanye-Stillwater need its US mine? Probably not
THE Stillwater palladium mine in Montana has performed many functions under the ownership of Sibanye-Stillwater, the JSE miner. When the group first bought it in 2017 for $2.2bn,…
Mali unions threaten strikes at Barrick mine
UNIONS at Barrick Mining’s Loulo-Gounkoto gold complex in Mali have lodged a series of strike notices, threatening to disrupt operations at one of the country’s biggest gold…
Sibanye-Stillwater to shut Kwezi platinum shaft costing 1,000 jobs
SIBANYE-Stillwater is to close its Kwezi platinum group metals shaft near Rustenburg, which could affect over 1,000 full-time employees and contractors. The miner said on Tuesday…
Sibanye-Stillwater warns US mine may close if workers oppose plan
SIBANYE-Stillwater CEO Richard Stewart warned on Wednesday his company would have no option but to shut the 284,000 ounce a year Stillwater mine if a strike launched by employees…
Metals of war: why US Govt has weaponised mining
Eighteen mining companies went public in the past 12 months with one aim in common: an ambition to supply the US government’s defence industry. Assisted by US President Donald…
BHP warns copper output to fall on lower grades
BHP Group reported record annual iron ore production but warned that copper output will decline in the coming year as ore grades weaken at its major Chilean operations, including…
South32 to sell aluminium assets to Alcoa for $4.1bn
SOUTH32 is to sell its aluminium assets, including South Africa’s Hillside facilities but excluding the shuttered Mozal Aluminium in Mozambique, to Canada’s Alcoa for $4.1bn in…
CMOC threatened dismissal after illegal strike
WORKERS at Tenke Fungurume Mining, CMOC Group’s flagship copper operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have returned to work after the company threatened dismissal for…
Implats monitoring contractor strike at Rustenburg shaft
IMPALA Platinum said it was monitoring an unprotected strike among contractors at its Impala Rustenburg North shaft. “It’s not giving us headaches but we take it seriously,” said…
NextSource closes in on Abu Dhabi plant funding
NEXTSOURCE CEO Hanré Rossouw said his company wouldn’t jump “head first” into building its proposed battery anode factory in Abu Dhabi given geopolitical tensions in the Middle…
Strike halts mining at Guinea’s Simandou project
A PAY dispute has halted mining operations at the Baowu-led blocks of Guinea’s giant Simandou iron ore project since last week, said Reuters on Wednesday. An estimated 3,000…
SA rues gold’s plunge – and it could get a heap worse
THE stranger aspect of the Iran conflict’s fallout on markets – at least, for South African investors – has been the rout in gold shares these past two weeks. With gold down 17%…
SA mining uncompetitive as economic constraints persist
THE Minerals Council South Africa (MCSA) tried to strike a diplomatic stance when it launched its 2026 State of Mining Report, which traditionally kicks off the Mining Indaba in…
DRDGold finalises five-year wage deal at Ergo
DRDGOLD has concluded a five-year wage agreement with unions at its Ergo operations, heading off strike action that had been scheduled to begin on December 18. The agreement,…
Ghana tax reforms threaten investment, miners warn
GHANA’S Chamber of Mines has raised concerns that sweeping fiscal reforms could damage the country’s attractiveness to mining investors and hamper production growth. The industry…
Copper prices surge to record on tariff uncertainty
COPPER has extended its powerful rally, breaking through $13,000 per ton for the first time as traders rushed to ship metal to the United States ahead of potential tariffs.…
Copper surges towards record on supply concerns
COPPER rallied about three percent towards record levels as traders anticipated tightening supplies and potential United States import tariffs in the new year. “Overall supply…
Despite Trump’s antipathy, mining companies will not abandon ESG
This article was first published in The Mining Yearbook 2025 In the US, the second administration of President Donald Trump has been dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion…
Fragile supply gives platinum price new lease on life
IT was once common to describe the platinum price in terms of gold, the so-called gold-platinum ratio. Then came the global financial crisis in 2008. As automakers’ demand…