mining

News

Govt to Develop Realistic Mineral-Specific Proposals
Government is to develop realistic mineral-specific proposals to establish secondary and tertiary industries.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 20:34

Zimbabwe: Gold Deliveries Fall 181,6 Percent
ZIMBABWE'S gold deliveries fell 181,6 percent last month compared to the same period last year. According to the Chamber of Mines, gold output for October was 125 kilogrammes, down from 352kg last year.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 17:17

South Africa: Uncertainty Still Surrounds Controversial Proposal to Mine Titanium at Xolobeni
SIX weeks after titanium mining was to have started at Xolobeni in Eastern Cape, the AmaDiba community, fiercely opposed to the mine, is still uncertain about its future.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 15:14

South Africa: Platinum Market Likely to Show Deficit Due to Fall in Local Output
PLATINUM was likely to trade between $700 and $1400/oz and palladium between $125 and $300/oz in the next six months, depending whether markets remained bearish or recognised the positive fundamentals for both metals, according to Johnson Matthey's interim review.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 14:41

South Africa: New Study Highlights Mines' Use of Subcontracted Labour
RESEARCH findings by the sociology of work unit of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) revealed yesterday that more than 60% of platinum mines in the Rustenburg area employed subcontracted mineworkers to avoid direct accountability in cases of accidents and death.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 14:41

South Africa: Lonmin Takes the Axe to Costs
LONMIN, the world's third-biggest platinum producer, announced drastic steps yesterday, including retrenchment, suspending growth projects and passing its final dividend, to weather low platinum group metals (PGM) prices and the credit crunch.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 14:26

South Africa: COPE 'Misinforming Miners About Their Pensions'
THE National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) has accused the Congress of the People (COPE) of starting a campaign of misinformation among miners concerning their pension funds in an effort to recruit new members.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 14:26

Southern Africa: Chiefs Launch 'Save Zambezi' Campaign
CONCERNED that its people, wildlife and natural heritage are under unparalled and imminent threat from mining activities, 17 chiefdoms in the Zambezi basin from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique have come together to call for urgent action, that of saving the Great Zambezi.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 13:23

Nigeria: U.S., Govt Searching for Missing Nuclear, Radioactive Sources
The Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA) and the United State Embassy in Abuja are collaborating to search for nuclear and radioactive substances scattered in the country. US Ambassador to Nigeria, Robin Renee Sanders yesterday donated nuclear radiation detection equipment to the Nigerian government worth $100,000 (about N1.1billion) to search for the sources.
Source : AllAfrica | 19-Nov-2008 12:41

South Africa: Mining Sector Opting for Subcontractors
Research conducted by the Human Science Research Council (HSRC) and the University of the Witwatersrand has indicated that companies in the mining sector are opting for subcontractors instead of employing permanent staff.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Nov-2008 14:21

BMWUmwu Withdraws Case Against BMR
The Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) has withdrawn its case against Botswana Metal Refinery (BMR), the main contractor at the collapsed Activox refinery project at Tati Nickel Mines near Matshelagabedi village, 40km from Francistown.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Nov-2008 10:27

Zambia: Mining Operations to Go On
IN the past few months, there has been uncertainty in the economy and there were fears that Zambia might lose the gains that have been achieved so far.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Nov-2008 09:31

Zambia: No Turning Back for Lumwana
LUMWANA Mining Company says there is no turning back on its ongoing multi-million dollar copper project in Solwezi despite declining copper prices.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Nov-2008 09:31

South Africa: Why So Slow?
MINE workers' unions are justifiably concerned over the delay in the release to the public of a long-overdue audit report on mine safety, but this is a matter of greater importance than the interests of labour.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Nov-2008 09:02

Namibia: Bret Goes Bust
DIAMOND mining industry operator Bret Investments, which over the past year has become embroiled in controversy and conflict over its activities in diamond mining on Namibia's Skeleton Coast, is facing bankruptcy.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Nov-2008 08:58

South Africa: Teal Cutting Costs But Continuing Exploration
TEAL Exploration & Mining, which is 65%-owned by African Rainbow Minerals, was continuing to explore for copper in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo but had slowed mining at Lupoto to help cut costs , it said yesterday.
Source : AllAfrica | 18-Nov-2008 08:22

Nigeria: 'How Funds Stall Mineral Resources Development'
Director-General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) Mr. Azikiwe Peter Onwalu has identified high cost of exploration lack of adequate funds and the absence of the private sector in mineral development as the major problems influencing optimal utilization of the mineral resources in the country.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Nov-2008 14:14

Mineral Exports Fetch $70 Million
Rwanda's mineral exports have hit a record $70 million mark in a period of nine months, Sunday Times has learnt.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Nov-2008 12:09

Botswana: African Copper Nets Us$4.75 Million From Copper Put Options
African Copper has announced that it has exercised and sold all of its copper put options for US$4.75 million.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Nov-2008 12:05

South Africa: MIC Lifts Primedia Stake to 50 Percent
THE Mineworkers Investment Corporation (MIC) now owns nearly 50% of one of SA's biggest media groups, having steadily increased control over Primedia for the past few years.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Nov-2008 09:10

Nigeria: A People's Concern Over Untapped Bitumen Deposits
Over a hundred million years, bitumen deposit started gathering in some parts of what is now regarded as Nigeria. In Ogun, Edo, and Ondo States of the country, the mineral was discovered around 1900 by the then Nigeria Bitumen Corporation. But what was not determined was the quantity of the deposits. The outbreak of First World War in 1914, coupled with eventual discovery of crude oil in the Niger Delta suppressed further efforts to explore the prospect of bitumen in Nigeria. Lately however, its quantity in Ikale Kingdom in Ondo State has been identified as large enough to sustain road construction in the country and help relieve heavy dependent on crude oil as major exports. More than a decade after, the kingdom is still wondering what fate has befallen their God-given unique brand of mineral.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Nov-2008 08:56

South Africa: Uranium One Forced to Pull in Its Horns
URANIUM One, which recently put its Dominion mine near Klerksdorp on care and maintenance with the loss of about 1000 jobs, has written down its assets by a net $2bn because of weak market conditions.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Nov-2008 08:53

South Africa: Unions Want Mine Safety Audit to Be Made Public
TRADE unions are considering ways to pressure the government to release a long-overdue audit on mine safety as fatalities in the industry continue to rise.
Source : AllAfrica | 17-Nov-2008 08:23

Namibia: Careful With Mining Royalties
THE proposed royalties to be levied on all unprocessed minerals exported in raw form could scare investors away, a Member of Parliament has cautioned.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 15:33

Africa: Leaders Urged to Optimize Mining Revenues
The Environmental Programme Officer of Third World Network (TWN)-Africa, Mr. Abdulai Darimani has indicated that while mineral resources have been integral to the social and economic development prospects of mineral endowed countries and local communities in Africa, domestic measures have not been adequate to optimize the benefits of the resource.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 14:29

Global Meltdown Hits Gem Sector
The devastating world financial crisis is affecting most businesses in some way and diamonds, one of the country's economic mainstays is no exception.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 11:59

Coal Firms Incur Heavy Losses
THE country's three major coal producers are incurring huge losses because of the tight grip on prices being maintained by the government-run National Incomes and Pricing Commission (NIPC), The Financial Gazette can reveal.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 11:13

Zimbabwe: BNC Battles to Stay Afloat
THE country's largest nickel producer, Bindura Nickel Corporation (BNC), is exploring measures to mitigate the impact of tumbling prices of the metal on the international market threatening the survival of the company.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 11:13

Namibia: Namdeb Braces for Rough Ride
NAMDEB says the current global economic turmoil and downturn has affected the profitability of the company negatively.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 11:04

Zimbabwe: 3 500 Lose Jobs As Metallon Closes Five Mines
ZIMBABWE'S largest gold mining group, Metallon Gold, has shut down its five mines across the country, rendering at least 3,500 workers jobless. Metallon, owned by South African mining magnate - Mzi Khumalo, this week closed Red Wing Mine, Shamva Gold Mine, How Mine, Acturus Mine and Mazowe Mine as the nine-year-long economic crisis continues to eat into the country's real sectors.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 10:34

Zambia: Kansanshi Profits Fall
DECLINING copper price and global cost pressures have negatively impacted increased production at Kansanshi Mine following commissioning of sulphide circuit expansion at its plant in Solwezi.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 09:52

South Africa: Steel Going for a Song
HOW the mighty have fallen. Steel makers have been riding the crest of enthusiastic expansion in China and India, but also at home.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 09:17

South Africa: Gold Production Plummets 17,7 Percent
SA's gold production dropped 17,7% in September compared with September last year, underlining the country's retreat from once being the world's largest gold producer.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 08:23

Western Cluster Re-Bidding Halted
Western Cluster Iron ore project bidding process which was won by Delta Mining Company, a South African concessionaire that the government recently revoked without justification has now been subjected to final hearings in two weeks.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 07:37

Tunisia: Independent TV Reporter Wanted By Police for Coverage of Unrest in Mining Region
Reporters Without Borders calls for the withdrawal of the charges brought against Fahem Boukadous, a reporter for the independent Tunisian television station Al-Hiwar Attounsi. Boukadous, who went into hiding on 5 July 2008, is wanted by the authorities on charges of "belonging to a criminal association" and "spreading reports liable to disrupt public order" for his coverage of protests earlier this year in the Gafsa mining region, 350 km south of Tunis, and because he put foreign news media in contact with labour leaders in the region.
Source : AllAfrica | 14-Nov-2008 06:53

Eritrea: Delegation Participates in Chinese Mining Conference
An Eritrean government delegation headed by the Minister of Energy and Mines, Mr. Tesfai Gebreslasie, participated in the Chinese Mining Conference - 2008 that was held in Beijing from November 11 to 13. The delegation attended the conference at the invitation of the PRC's Minister of Land and Natural Resource, Mr. ShiShawoshi.
Source : AllAfrica | 13-Nov-2008 23:22

Namibia: Uranium Mine Fuels Fears Over Tourism
TOURISM companies operating in the Namib-Naukluft Park are worried about the potential impact of the prospective Etango Uranium Mine on the industry.
Source : AllAfrica | 13-Nov-2008 15:12

Sierra Leone: Mines Ministry Certifies 17
Seventeen staff of the ministry of mineral resources were Friday certified after the completion of a week-long training on basic human resource management at the Hill Valley hotel in Freetown.
Source : AllAfrica | 13-Nov-2008 14:33

South Africa: Lower Costs Help Boost Trans Hex
DIAMOND miner Trans Hex believed it was in a better position than its competitors to weather the sudden downturn in rough diamond demand, which had seen even prices for top-quality stones drop as low as after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the US, CEO Llewellyn Delport said yesterday.
Source : AllAfrica | 13-Nov-2008 09:19

Poor Sales Plunge DiamonEx Shares
DiamonEx share price on the Botswana Stock Exchange plunged to a 52-week low last week following the company's "below expectations" first sale of diamonds from its Lerala Mine.
Source : AllAfrica | 12-Nov-2008 20:04

Salary Dispute Finally Ends At DTC
Hundreds of diamond workers at Diamond Trading Centre (DTC) Botswana will be smiling all the way to the bank with 17percent back pays of the last seven months.
Source : AllAfrica | 12-Nov-2008 20:04

South Africa: Gemfields Retreats From Offer for TanzaniteOne
COLOURED gemstones miner Gemfields Resources, which is 28% owned by JSE-listed Pallinghurst Resources, had allowed its offer for shares in Tanzanian-based miner of precious stones TanzaniteOne to lapse, it said yesterday.
Source : AllAfrica | 12-Nov-2008 09:13

South Africa: Investors Hesitant to Exploit Tax Break for Junior Mine Firms
INTEREST in taking advantage of the recently introduced tax breaks for investments in exploration and smaller enterprises has not been significant, possibly because of the number of conditions attached to the legislation, BDO Spencer Steward director Ursula van Eck said yesterday.
Source : AllAfrica | 12-Nov-2008 08:11

Ghana: A Decade of Community-Based Mining Advocacy in Country - Wacam's Story
Recently, one of the effervescent human rights and environmental advocacy organisation in Ghana, WACAM celebrated its 10th birthday in Accra under the theme "A Decade of Community-Based Mining Advocacy in Ghana - Challenges and Prospects."
Source : AllAfrica | 11-Nov-2008 21:38

Botswana: De Beers Outlines Strategy for Lean Times
In a presentation, senior executives from De Beers, including the Managing Director of De Beers Group Gareth Penny, the Managing Director of Diamond Trading Company Varda Shine, and the Chief Strategic Officer of Forevermark David Lamb spoke of strong long-term fundamentals of the diamond industry, and De Beers' strategy for maintaining its market share of discretionary spending during the current global economic crisis.
Source : AllAfrica | 11-Nov-2008 12:13

Hana Hits More Copper
Hana Mining quadrupled the strike length of Zone 2 at its Ghantsi Copper Project from 500 metres to two kilometres.
Source : AllAfrica | 11-Nov-2008 12:12