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China signs deal to revamp decades-old Southern African railway

Published: 04 Sep 24

China signed an agreement Wednesday to revamp a railway that will help landlocked Zambia, Africa’s second-largest copper producer, export the metal through Tanzania. The heads of state of the three nations oversaw the ceremony at the Forum on China Africa-Cooperation, kicking off the biggest upgrade of the so-called Tazara railway since Mao Zedong agreed to help build it in the 1970s.

Northam sees Eland becoming significant chrome producer in coming years

Published: 04 Sep 24

Northam Platinum, which benefits from a full mine-to-market value chain in chrome, sold around 1.3-million tons of chrome for the year, which contributed 12.5%, or R3.8-billion, to the revenue of this Johannesburg Stock Exchange company best known for its platinum group metals (PGMs) production. Chrome production improved by 24% with higher upper group two (UG2) tonnages treated and improving chrome yields at all operations.

Resources Watch

Published: 04 Sep 24

This week: Mechanical cutting for mining set to move needle for Master Drilling and, Headwind-hit Implats delivers guided production, controls costs

Codelco bids $500m for stake in key Chilean copper mine

Published: 04 Sep 24

Chile’s Codelco, seeking to retain the title of world’s top copper supplier, made a $500-million offer to buy a stake in a mine run by Teck Resources, people with knowledge of the matter said. The proposal to acquire a 10% stake in the Quebrada Blanca mine from fellow state firm Enami is before the latter’s board, said the people, asking not to be named commenting on a deal that’s yet to be made public. La Tercera, a Chilean newspaper, reported in July an offer was in the works.

Accommodation village being installed at Meeka's Murchison

Approvals for Meeka’s Murchison development in place

Published: 04 Sep 24

Western Australia-focused Meeka Metals’ Murchison gold project is fully approved, paving the way for development to get under way. The company has now started construction of the haul road between the processing plant and the openpit mining area, allowing for mining to start early in 2025. Work on the accommodation village and office infrastructure is also continuing and will accelerate with all approvals in place. The camp is set to be commissioned in December.

Stanmore expands Isaac South with new agreement

Published: 04 Sep 24

Australian coal miner Stanmore has entered into an agreement with Anglo American and Exxaro, the participants of the Moranbah South joint venture, to explore and study designated area of tenements adjacent to Stanmore’s Isaac South project. The studies will evaluate the potential for a large-scale mining operation that spans Stanmore’s Isaac South project and the adjacent Rangal coal measures.

E25 and Nissan Chemical explore Japanese HPMSM facility

Published: 03 Sep 24

Australia-listed Element 25 (E25) has partnered with Nissan Chemical (NC) and NC Tokyo Bay (NCTB) to study the possibility of setting up a high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate (HPMSM) facility in Chiba, Japan. The study will consider co-locating E25’s low-emission technology and process at NCTB, which operates a sulphuric acid plant at the Chiba production facility, which can supply acid to the proposed project.

BME, Hypex Bio continue to drive environment-friendly explosives

Published: 03 Sep 24

With 20-million tonnes of bulk nitrate-based explosives being used every year in the mining industry, contributing significantly to greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, explosives and detonation specialist BME is driving the development and market expansion of Hypex Bio’s hydrogen peroxide emulsion (HPE) technology. BME’s parent company Omnia entered into a strategic partnership with Scandinavia-based Hypex Bio in 2023, securing Omnia’s exclusive distribution rights of the technology in Canada and other major global mining markets.

DBSA approves $200m for Lobito Corridor Railway project

Published: 03 Sep 24

Development finance institution the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has, alongside the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), approved funding of up to $200-million towards the Lobito Corridor Railway project, in Angola. The funding will support the construction and upgrading of the railway infrastructure, including the procurement of 50% of the required wagons from a South African local manufacturing company.

Kropz reveals restructuring plans to simplify debt, boost operational progress

Published: 03 Sep 24

Aim-listed phosphate producer Kropz has announced plans to restructure its finances and raise additional funds to support its projects. This move is aimed at simplifying the company’s debt situation and boosting its operational progress at key projects, particularly the Elandsfontein phosphate project in South Africa and the Hinda project in Congo-Brazzaville. In an announcement to shareholders on September 3, Kropz said it was simplifying the complex financial relationships within its group of companies and with its major investor ARC Fund.