Mashala mulls R500m Mpumalanga coal project

Coal mining junior Mashala Resources, part of the Continental Coal group, is expecting to spend over R500-million to develop its new De Wittekrans underground coal project near Ermelo, Mpumalanga.... 

Continental Coal extends Shanduka coal supply deal

Junior miner Continental Coal has extended its coal supply agreement with Shanduka indefinitely, says GM for operations Mike Nel. The company supplies between 85% and 90% of its coal production to... 

Global iron-ore output to increase by 50%-plus by 2015 – Vale

One of the world’s largest mining companies, Brazilian mining giant Vale, reports that it expects total iron-ore production to rise by at least 50% by 2015. 

Zambia’s KCM suspends operations at Nchanga smelter

Zambia's Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), which is owned by Indian mining najor Vedanta Resources, has temporarily suspended operations at its Nchanga smelter because of problems with the Nchanga smelter. 

BME to prioritise expanding African footprint this year, says MD

Explosives engineer and manufacturer BME, a member of the Omnia Group, reports that the company will spend a significant portion of 2011 focusing on growing its African footprint off the back of... 

Great Basin ready to step up exploration in Africa – CEO

Midtier gold-miner Great Basin Gold is ready to expand its African footprint, CEO Ferdi Dippenaar tells Mining Weekly Online. The company, which is developing the Burnstone mine in South Africa... 

Green shoots appear but Zimbabwe mining still politically snagged

After a tumultuous 2010, where human rights abuses within the Zimbabwe mining industry were brought to the world’s attention, mining investment companies report that green shoots are starting to... 

Don’t be lax on safety as mines age and become less profitable, mine bosses urged

Commercial and corporate law firm Werksmans Attorneys reports that corporates within the mining sector will need to confront the health and safety challenges of ageing mines with renewed vigour in... 

SRK Consulting prioritises expansion into Africa as demand for commodities is set to soar

Chairperson of South Africa founded consulting engineers and scientists SRK Consulting Roger Dixon reports that Africa’s time has come and that expansion into the continent will form a strong focus... 

Pilot Crushtec launches cash-saving stacking machine

South African comminution supplier Pilot Crushtec, will be exhibiting at construction and mining trade show bC India 2011, which will be held in Mumbai, from February 8 to 11. 

Green shoots appear but Zimbabwe mining still politically snagged

After a tumultuous 2010, where human rights abuses within the Zimbabwe mining industry were brought to the worlds attention, mining investment companies report that the green shoots of commodity... 

Electronic initiation design house aiming for growth of up to 40% this year

High technology electronic initiation design house DetNet has reports that it expects 2011 to be a significant growth year after achieving volumes akin to 2008 during 2010.  

Zim bending over backwards to comply with Kimberley Process, says diamond body boss

World Federation of Diamond Bourses honorary life president Ernest Blom reports that Zimbabwe is ‘bending over backwards’ to ensure that it is compliant with all of the guidelines of the Kimberly... 

Zambia’s Lumwana copper mine to produce less metal in 2011 as it prioritises cost reduction

Australian mining major Equinox Minerals has announced that the 2011 production target for its Lumwana project, Africa’s biggest copper project, is 145 000 t copper in concentrate with a target... 

Riversdale-Tata JV to acquire 100% of Mozambique’s Benga power project

Australian mining major Riversdale mining has announced that its joint venture (JV) with Indian steel producer Tata Steel will acquire 100% ownership of the Benga power project in 2011, following... 

Pilot Crushtec commissions its biggest-ever modular plant in Zambia

Diversified comminution engineer Pilot Crushtec has ended 2010 with the commissioning of its biggest ever modular plant, which has been installed at a limestone crushing site in Ndola near Lusaka,... 

Bateman clinches Iran, Russian DMS plant contracts as orders soar

Diversified engineer and project house Bateman Engineering reports that its modular plant business has seen a considerable upswing in orders over the fourth quarter of 2010, with a number of new... 

SRK Consulting opens offices in Mongolia, Mexico as mining sector rebounds from 2009 recession

South African-founded consulting engineering company SRK Consulting has expanded into Mongolia and Mexico following a strong recovery from the 2009 global financial crisis, which has seen a... 

Sierra Leone grants London Mining enviro permits for iron-ore mine

UK mining junior London Mining has been issued its environmental permits for the development and operation of its Marampa iron ore mine in Sierra Leone by the Sierra Leone Environmental Protection... 

Chile rescue operation spurs development of innovative mine safety boot

Industrial footwear specialists Bata Industrials reports that the recent rescue operations in Chile, in which 33 miners were rescued from a collapsed mine in the Atacama desert near, Copiapó, has... 

Knowledge sharing by miners will shore up sagging SA-Canada trade – envoy

The transfer of knowledge between South African and Canadian mining companies will be a key factor in continued good trade between the countries, reports newly appointed Canadian high commissioner... 

Mining industry could lead drive to reduce electricity demand – Wits professor

South Africa’s oldest mining school, the School of Mining Engineering, at the University of Witwatersrand, reports that the South African mining industry, one of the major sector users of... 

Australia’s Bannerman to advance feasibility study into Namibian uranium project

Australian emerging uranium development company Bannerman Resources has announced its plans to advance the feasibility study on its Etango uranium project, in Namibia. 

Increased mining activity an opportunity to grow R&D, says SAIMM president

The South African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) reports that the current increased levels of mining activity in South Africa and Southern Africa present the industry with a perfect... 

Mine Waste Solutions raises R3,2bn for North West process plant expansion

Mine Waste Solutions (MWS), a wholly owned subsidiary of uranium-mining major First Uranium, has raised R3,2-billion from private equity companies in North America and the UK to boost the capital... 

Samancor opens five-million-litre-a-day wastewater treatment plant

Chrome-focused mining major Samancor Tubatse Ferrochrome has officially opened its new 5-million-litre-a-day (5 000-m3/day) integrated wastewater treatment plant, near Steelpoort, Limpopo.

 

Wits mining school expects increased number of first years to proceed to the second year

The oldest mining engineering school in the country, the School of Mining Engineering at the University of Witwatersrand reports that, although the end of year results have not been finalised, the... 

South African mining, infrastructure project spend 
has dipped below that of North African countries

Petroleum and gas advisory firm Global Pacific & Partners reports that, although South Africa has the highest level of infrastructure development on the continent, growth projects in Africa... 

Work on Moz coal processing and 
wash plant ‘progressing well’

South African steel fabrication and construction company Cosira Group reports that work is progressing well on the recently awarded supply contract for the Riversdale Benga coal processing and wash... 

Wits Gold raises R120m through share issue

Mid-tier gold miner Wits Gold has raised gross proceeds of R120-million, through the issue of just over 2,2-million ordinary shares at a price of R54 a share, to fund an acquisition and exploration... 

Metso clinches contract to maintain UAE liquid gas plant

Scandinavian diversified engineering company Metso Minerals has signed an agreement with South Korea-based civil engineering company GS Engineering & Construction (GS E&C) for the supply of... 

New institute to boost mining sector’s R&D capacity

The launch of the South African Minerals to Metals Research Institute (Sammri) will increase the local capacity of research and development (R&D) in the mining sector, which will hopefully... 

Capex approved for SA’s first nitric acid plant in almost 30 years

Explosives company BME, a member of the Omnia group, reports that it is looking to strengthening its market position by 2012, when the company will complete the construction of the country’s first... 

Project house assessing feasibility of Harmony’s planned Free State uranium venture

South African project house Bateman Engineering is undertaking the feasibility study for gold-mining major Harmony Gold’s TPM uranium project, which has the potential to recover uranium from 280... 

Metso subsidiary helps Ghana gold mine increase mill throughput

Metso Process Technology and Innovation (PTI), a division of Metso Minerals South Africa, recently conducted a process integration and optimisation (PIO), or mine-to-mill project, at Newmont Ghana... 

Burnstone pours its first gold

TSX-listed gold-mining junior Great Basin Gold has announced that the Burnstone metallurgical plant project achieved a major milestone with the first gold pour completed on October 31, 2010. 

Africa poised to eclipse China as an investment destination, says infrastructure consultant

Africa is on the cusp of an unprecedented growth cycle with returns that could eclipse those found in China, reports infrastructure advisory firm Cordev Group. 

Hatch’s R2,5bn portion of Kolomela expansion project 
ahead of schedule, within budget

South African consulting engineering and project implementation firm Hatch Africa has successfully implemented a global engineering, procurement and construction management information sharing... 

AEL’s African expansion projects 
on track for 2011 completion

Explosives manufacturer African Explosives Limited reports that the company’s expansion projects in its West, East and Central African regions are progressing satisfactorily and are on course for a... 

Proposed merger deal will provide Citadel with expansion possibilities in the underexplored Middle East

ASX-listed Equinox Minerals has announced that it has entered into an agreement with fellow Australian miner Citadel Resource Group under which Equinox proposes to acquire all of the issued and...