Leagold’s interim production in line with guidance

Canadian gold miner Leagold Mining Corporation on Thursday reported consolidated gold production of 91 285 oz for the second quarter, bringing year-to-date production to 197 234 oz – in line with... 

Exxaro’s digital journey paying dividends

The Digital@Exxaro Show & Tell event last week, demonstrated that the digital transformation initiatives implemented by Exxaro Resources have been instrumental in the company’s achieving record... 

Policy has handicapped South Africa’s minerals industry – Baissac

South Africa's minerals policy has changed the market in inefficient ways, exacerbated the impact of external factors such as volatile commodities prices and failed to meet its primary objectives,... 

Lydian lenders agree to extend forbearance agreement

TSX-listed Lydian International has entered into a second amended and restated (A&R) forbearance agreement with its senior lenders, stream financing providers and equipment financiers. Lydian... 

Golden Predator given go-ahead to restart Brewery Creek

Canadian miner Golden Predator Mining has received formal notification from the Yukon government confirming the validity of the existing quartz mining licence and water licence, allowing for the... 

Yanfolila’s second ball mill completed ahead of schedule

The construction of the second ball mill at Hummingbird Resources’ Yanfolila gold mine, in Mali, has been completed ahead of time and within budget. Commissioning is set to begin “imminently” and... 

Mkango terminates earn-in deal, extends Thambani exploration

Aim- and TSX-V-listed Mkango Resources and metals investor Metal NRG have agreed to terminate their heads of terms agreement regarding an earn-in over Mkango’s Thambani licence, in Malawi. Thambani... 

Concerted effort needed to arrest decline in South Africa’s gold, platinum output – Dixon

Gold and platinum mines in South Africa exemplify the Albert Einstein quote on insanity, consulting engineer and industry expert Roger Dixon noted at an African Mining Network event on Thursday... 

Improving SA’s Doing Business ranking requires acceleration of reforms

During his State of the Nation Address in February, President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that “the World Bank’s annual Doing Business Report (DBR) currently ranks South Africa 82 out of 190 countries .... 

Studies reveal numerous product opportunities for Giyani’s Botswana projects

Metallurgical testing results of stockpile material from TSX-listed Giyani Metals’ K.Hill and Otse manganese deposits, in Botswana, indicate that a variety of lumpy and fine particle manganese... 

S&P revises Sibanye’s outlook to negative, owing to liquidity concerns

Ratings agency S&P Global has revised its outlook for JSE- and NYSE-listed Sibanye Gold to negative, over concern about the gold miner’s ability to absorb potential near-term liquidity events. The... 

Uranium prices seen rising in the long term

TSX-listed Blue Sky Uranium CEO Niko Cacos tells Mining Weekly Online the uranium market is in the early stages of a longer-term rising price trend. Blue Sky, which owns the Amarillo Grande... 

Russian miner partners with AI solutions provider to mine in the extreme north

First Ore-Mining Company, which forms a part of ARMZ Uranium – the mining division of the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation – has signed a memorandum of understanding with Finnish-Russian... 

AST declares maiden quartz at Van Dykspruit quarry

AST Sand Mines’ Van Dykspruit quarry, on the border between Gauteng and Mpumalanga, on Friday declared its maiden quartzite-roadstone resource. AST management also oversaw the inaugral blast that... 

Mgojo confident Exxaro will meet full-year coal production targets

Exxaro Resources CEO Mxolisi Mgojo is not “too worried” about the expected 5% decline in the miner's coal production for the first half of this year, as he expects the company will meet its full... 

Second Lake Charles facility reaches beneficial operation

Petrochemicals company Sasol reported earlier this month that the new ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol (EO/EG) production facility at its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP), in Louisiana, in the... 

First-ever Kenyan mining PhD holder graduates from Wits

Kenya’s first PhD graduate in mining, Dr Joseph Muchiri Githiria graduated at the end of last year from the University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Mining Engineering (Wits School of Mining).... 

Studies reveal numerous product opportunities for Giyani’s Botswana projects

Metallurgical testing results of stockpile material from TSX-listed Giyani Metals’ K.Hill and Otse manganese deposits, in Botswana, indicate that a variety of lumpy and fine particle manganese... 

Innovative strategies boost platinum jewellery margin – PGI

Platinum jewellery industries across key markets are becoming increasingly innovative to improve margins, Platinum Guild International’s (PGI’s) first quarter 2019 ‘Platinum Jewellery Business... 

BlueRock sells 24.98 ct diamond for $190 000

Aim-listed BlueRock Diamonds, the owner and operator of the Kareevlei diamond mine, in Kimberley, has sold a 24.98 ct diamond recovered earlier this month for $190 000. Executive chairperson Mike... 

S&P revises Sibanye’s outlook to negative owing to liquidity concerns

Ratings agency S&P Global has revised its outlook for JSE- and NYSE-listed Sibanye Gold to negative, over concern about the gold miner’s ability to absorb potential near-term liquidity events. The... 

Blue Sky sees first-mover advantage in Argentina uranium, vanadium market

TSX-listed Blue Sky Uranium CEO Niko Cacos tells Mining Weekly Online the uranium market is in the early stages of a longer-term rising price trend. Blue Sky, which owns the Amarillo Grande... 

Russian miner partners with AI solutions provider to mine in the extreme north

First Ore-Mining Company, which forms a part of ARMZ Uranium – the mining division of the Rosatom State Atomic Energy Corporation – has signed a memorandum of understanding with Finnish-Russian... 

AST declares maiden quartz resource, celebrates with inaugural blast

AST Sand Mines’ Van Dykspruit quarry, on the border between Gauteng and Mpumalanga, on Friday declared its maiden quartzite-roadstone resource. AST management also oversaw the inaugral blast that... 

Third-quarter ferrochrome price down 13% q/q

JSE-listed Merafe Resources on Friday advised shareholders that the European benchmark ferrochrome price had been settled at $1.04/lb for the third quarter. This represents a 13.3% decrease on the... 

Deterioration in manufacturing index described as ‘worrying’

The seasonally adjusted Absa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) erased most of last month’s gain and fell to 45.4 index points in May from 47.2 points in April, which – excluding the drop to 45... 

Capital equipment exporters urged to comply with host-country legal frameworks

South African machinery and capital equipment companies must understand the legislation of countries they are operating in, or exporting to, South African Capital Equipment Export Council... 

Australia mulls fungi as potential exploration tool

Australia’s national research organisation, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), is looking into fungal biogeochemical cycling as a potential method for finding... 

Strategic partnerships with midtiers, majors key to securing funding for juniors

Strategic partnerships with midtiers or majors was one of the more realistic and beneficial means for junior miners to secure funding for initial exploration, a panel of speakers at the Junior... 

Palladium, tin constraints offer upside for Ivanplats, Alphamin

Palladium and tin are both entering into periods of constrained supply, attendees of the Junior Mining Indaba – hosted at the Country Club Johannesburg in Auckland Park – were told on Wednesday. In... 

Nordgold increases employee development budget

Gold producer Nordgold, which has operations in West Africa, Russia and Kazakhstan, has increased the budget for its employee development programme by 23% year-on-year to about $4.8-million for the... 

Second Lake Charles facility reaches beneficial operation

Petrochemicals company Sasol on Monday said the new ethylene oxide/ ethylene glycol (EO/EG) production facility at its Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP), in Louisiana, in the US, had reached... 

Glencore’s management reshuffle continues

Diversified miner and commodities trader Glencore on Monday announced that the head of its oil business, Alex Beard, would retire from Glencore, effective June 30. The announcement of his... 

Mining Charter III provisions seen by some as too onerous for junior miners

There should be a new regulatory regime for juniors – one that adheres to the spirit of Mining Charter 3, but which introduces reasonable and achievable transformation and procurement targets... 

Institute lauds ‘improved’ Mining Charter but urges govt to ‘loosen grip’ on industry

Mining Charter 3 has to be judged, not against previous versions, but against the context of a real-world economy in which population growth has outstripped faltering economic growth for some five... 

SKA could have unintended consequences for mining, law firm cautions

While the building of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope is one of the most exciting projects in South Africa’s scientific and academic fields, it is likely to impact the use and... 

Getting It Right

In the May 17, 2019, edition, the cover article included three factual inaccuracies under the Health and Safety sub-head.  The Industry Buy and Maintain Quiet Initiative requests that companies buy... 

Mining Charter III provisions seen by some as too onerous for junior miners

There should be a new regulatory regime for juniors – one that adheres to the spirit of Mining Charter 3, but which introduces reasonable and achievable transformation and procurement targets... 

New map highlights major platinum discoveries in South Africa

The fifth edition of Barker’s Platinum Map of Southern Africa highlights recent major platinum discoveries in South Africa – including the Waterberg and Flatreef projects, notes Banzi Geotechnics... 

Minerals Council welcomes safety improvements, but warns of continuing policy concerns

The Minerals Council South Africa will, later this year, launch a new health and safety initiative called Khumbela iKhaya, council chaiperson Mxolisi Mgojo revealed on Wednesday. Addressing the...