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A weak rand is bringing a welcome reprieve to the South African chrome ore and ferro-chrome producers, market analysts told delegates at Metal Bulletin's Chromite 2014 conference in Johannesburg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian-listed Discovery Metals will raise up to A$25.7 million ($23.8 million) through a rights issue to go underground at its Boseto copper mine in Botswana, the company said on September 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in UG2 ore sales to China is not coming from South African producers, but from South African buyers of the ore, Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) said. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is shelving many of its new ferro-chrome plants because of rising costs and difficult market conditions, a Chinese executive said. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eritrea is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordering Sudan, Ethiopia and Djbouti. Its key metals interests are copper, zinc and gold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the state of the mining industry in sub-Saharan Africa, and what are the prospects for these countries? Metal Bulletin's Fast Facts Africa series will present overviews of West, Central, Eastern and Southern Africa over successive days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liberia is a West African country with its western border on the Atlantic Ocean. Its key metals interests are gold and iron ore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, neighbouring Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Benin, Togo and Ghana. Its key metals interests include gold, zinc and manganese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gabon is a country on the west coast of Central Africa, bordering Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon, and Republic of Congo. Its key metals interests are manganese and iron ore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, bordering the Atlantic Ocean. Its key metals interests are bauxite, iron ore and gold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ghana is a West African country on the Gulf of Guinea, with neighbours including Côte d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Togo. Its key metals interests include gold and aluminium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Côte d'Ivoire, or Ivory Coast, is in West Africa and borders Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana, with the Gulf of Guinea to the south. Gold is the main focus for mining, but the country has undeveloped potential in iron ore, bauxite, nickel, cobalt, copper, manganese and tantalite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guinea is a West African country with its western border on the Atlantic Ocean. Its key metals interests are bauxite, iron ore and gold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Namibia is in Southern Africa, bordering on the Atlantic Ocean. Key metals interests include uranium, copper, zinc, lead, gold, tungsten, tin and manganese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa, lying between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. Its key metals interests are nickel, cobalt, chrome and platinum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zambia is a landlocked country in southern Africa. Copper is the country's mainstay, contributing 70% of export earnings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa's energy regulator is considering a request from power utility Eskom to review the shortfall in its revenues for 2010-2013, which could result in further tariff rises for consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on trends in the base metals market as of February 2014, including Indonesia implementing a ban on bauxite export, Canadian copper mining company Nevsun Resources seeking offtake agreements and analysts predicting that copper will remain the best-selling metal in 2014.

The article reports on the negotiation being done by miner African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) with the South African government in 2013 concerning its decision to establish a ferro-manganese smelter in Malaysia. The decision was defended by ARM Chairman Patrice Motsepe and Exploration Head Jan Steenkamp. Steenkamp says they are not walking away from beneficiation in South Africa, but is creating an opportunity.

The South African scrap landscape has changed considerably over the past ten years, and it is set for more changes with a new directive, due to take effect in September, that aims to stimulate the local manufacturing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glencore Xstrata South Africa has reported receiving almost 40,000 applications for vacancies at its Steelpoort chrome mines in South Africa, where the company recently fired 1,000 workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruukki SA is spending R170 million ($16.9 million) to install new equipment in the processing plant at its Mogale smelter, which will enable the company to produce more medium carbon granulated ferro-chrome, the company announced on July 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the South African (SA) government is expected to pass a directive on controlling ferrous and non-ferrous scrap exports. Recyclers opposed the directive but is supported by scrap users. Under the directive, scrap will be offered first in the domestic market at a discounted price to be set by the SA government before it will be exported. Recyclers argue that the move will affect businesses and employment.

The article reports on legal action that the Metal Recycling Association (MRA) may take against South Africa's government if it enforces a directive to curtail ferrous and non-ferrous scrap. It mentions South African Minister of Economic Development Ebrahim Patel's proposal that scrap metal be offered for sale domestically at a discount before it can be exported. The MRA contends that the directive will affect employment in the country.

The article reports on a pay increase to be demanded by the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) for its members when wage negotiations begin in May 2013. Numsa's recognition by steelmakers ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa) and Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium is mentioned. A mandate received by Namsa from members during its April 2013 national bargaining conference to negotiate for steep wage increases across all sectors is also cited.

This article reports on how the South African ferro-chrome industry will be affected by the decision of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) to deny national power utility Eskom the opportunity for further energy buy-back programmes, as of April 2013. Eskom has been paying ferro-chrome producers to switch off smelters for months to help with load-shedding across the nation's overstretched electricity grid.

Ferro-chrome producers in South Africa have expressed relief at the decision to allow electricity supplier Eskom an 8% per year price increase for the next five years, half of what the power company requested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) is scouting for growth opportunities through acquisitions in 2013, with the focus on platinum and copper assets, Mike Schmidt, ceo of the South African-based company said on February 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eskom's proposal for 16%-per-year tariff hikes over the next five years has been met with more resistance, as the African National Congress (ANC), South Africa's governing political party, said at the end of last week that such increases would be negative for the country's industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anglo American Platinum's restructuring plans for its South African platinum business, which include 14,000 job cuts and the closure of four shafts, have been heavily criticised by unions and the government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a review by Australian junior Kaboko Mining of local smelter options for its manganese ore in Zambia. Group financial controller Seko Mwanyungwi has confirmed that the miner is looking at smelter options and will soon be doing a feasibility study on this. He added that a major obstacle to beneficiation in Zambia is the availability of viable, constant power solutions for such a smelter.

The article reports on the developments in the global metals market. It focuses on the move by Berkley Mineral Resources to start its beneficiation plans at its Kabwe lead and zinc mine in Zambia. According to company chairperson Masoud Alikhani, the pilot facility at the mine is scheduled to come online in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The article focuses on the status of ferro-alloys market in South African as of November 2015. Topics discussed include the production report of the International Ferro Metals (IFM) for the third quarter of the year, the demand for ferro-alloys in which Lara Smith of Core Consultants says that the demand outlook for the metal is not good, and the status of the ferro-vanadium market.

The article reports on the call by South Africa's government for all chrome ore market stakeholders to submit information about production numbers and movement of chrome ore inside the country and for export in 2012. According to ferro-chrome producers, the government's attempt to curb exports of chrome ore is suffocating their business. They have been also canvassing for a 100 U.S. dollars per-tonne export tax on chrome ore until a longer term solution is devised.

The article reports on the efforts of South African ferro-chrome producers to discuss ideas to save the country's smelter business and keep chrome ore businesses going in 2012. One of the ideas discussed is the broad consolidation within the industry, including smelters and chrome mines. Ruukki Group's Danko Konchar, however, proposed at the Metal Bulletin's South African ferro-alloys conference that producers must consider combining to have better control of the flow of material.

The article reports on a statement by United Manganese Kalahari (UMK) chief executive officer (CEO) Johan Kriek predicting that the manganese market is in for hard times and only the lowest cost producers will survive. Kriek said at the South African Ferro-alloys conference in Johannesburg that he expected the market to get worse before it gets better. He added that global steel production has slowed and the market has a general oversupply of manganese amid the depressed global markets.

The article reports on a meeting held by representatives from all the factions in the South African chrome and ferro-chrome industry in August 2012 to discuss what to do about unbridled chrome ore exports from the country. An attendee noted that this was the very first meeting and the initiative to do this is constructive. Another attendee addressed the crisis facing the industry.

The article reports on the move by Tharisa Minerals to start operating the first crusher at its 3.6-million-tonnes per year (tpy) chrome and platinum group metals (PGM) concentrate plant on July 11, 2012. It was reported that the firm is also deep into the process for regulatory approval of its ferro-chrome smelter to be built in China. The PGM plant is already producing an output of 420,000 tpy of chrome concentrate mainly for the export market.

The article reports on the decision of South Africa's Eskom not to institute power buybacks from ferro-alloy producers for the rest of 2012, as it did between February and May. Eskom's Andrew Etzinger confirmed that they have no plans for buybacks in 2012, and in 2013 the situation will ease as Medupi comes online. He also noted that the company would only be able to supply all-new ferro-chrome smelters from 2016 or 2017.

The author discusses his work responsibilities as a chrome ore exporter. While he maintains a regular job at a bank, he mentions that he also sells chrome ore to car manufacturers in countries like Korea and China. Despite of being in the said field for seven years, he stresses that it is difficult to stay profitable in the export business. The challenges associated with exporting chrome ore which include cheating and betrayal are also described.

The article reports that HolGoun Investment Holdings is pushing ahead to reach an agreement with platinum producer Lonmin on how to exploit the metals. The private company embroiled in a dispute with Lonmin over base metals and chrome prospecting rights at a Lonmin mine in South Africa. According to HolGoun head of business development Anastasia Maimonis, they envisage a working agreement with Lonmin, which would effectively be a sharing of costs.

The article reports on the acquisition of a 20% stake in Ferrox Holdings by former South African Reserve Bank governor and labour minister Tito Mboweni and his brother Alto for 32 million U.S. dollars in January 2012. A memorandum of understanding has been signed by the parties on January 11. The former governor serves as AngloGold Ashanti chairman and Alto works as a chemical engineer. The Tivani iron ore project in Limpopo is controlled by Ferrox.

This article emphasizes that delays in the start-up of the new Eskom power plant in South Africa will endanger planned metal projects in the country that will rely on electricity supplied by the power plant. It notes that the Medupi power plant will be delayed for another 10 months and the country's demand for electricity is on the rise. It cites several metal projects in the country including the expansion plans of Xstrata.

The article discusses updates relating to the metal industry in Africa as of May 2017, and mentions topics including the downgraded investment rating for South Africa, the noted implication of the downgraded investment rating, and the reported decline in rand exchange rate in South Africa.

The article discusses the strategies used by the producers of ferro-alloys in South Africa to navigate the market in 2017. It mentions the condition of the ferro-alloys sector in South Africa wherein it is expected to produce 3.1 million tonnes of ferro-chrome for the year. It cites the effects of the workers' strike during the early months of 2017 on the sector and the strategy of using lower-grade UG2 and less expensive materials in the production of the metal products.

The article reports that the uncertainties surrounding South Africa affect the investment preference of several investors including the challenges related to labour force, violent strikes, and power black-outs.

The article reports on the dispute between copper scrap buyers and sellers in South Africa over payment terms, with buyers struggling to pay immediately for their purchases while scrap merchants complained that they could not afford to give their customers a month before receiving payments.

This article reports on the illegal strike at Village Main Reef's Consolidated Murchison antimony mine in South Africa, which ended on July 20, 2013. The demonstration cost the company 10.5 million rands (one million U.S. dollars) in lost revenue. According to the company, about 134 workers occupied the Monarch shaft, one of the three shafts at the mine, barring negotiators from entering the mine.

The article discusses the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa's (Numsa) plan to demand an increase of 20 percent for its members when wage negotiations begin in May 2013. Numsa's recognition by steel producers such as Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium and ArcelorMittal South Africa (Amsa) is mentioned. Numsa's representation of ferro-alloy smelter workers and metal and steelworkers is also cited.

The article reports that North River Resources is preparing to reopen its zinc, lead and silver mine in Namibia. The mine has been closed since 1991. To review the orebodies at the mine, North River has appointed a new project manager and geological consultants CSA Global. The company will also complete its environmental impact study.