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The article reports on the apology made by South African power utility Eskom for spying on environmental groups at its Medupu power plant in 2013.

The article reports on an increasing prices for iron ore due to an unexpectedly high demand in China.

The article reports that a South African court has dropped an attempt by the Metal Recyclers Association (MRA) to block a trade rule that will compel recyclers to offer material into the local market at a 20% discount. The MRS is against the export directive that was introduced by the International Trade Administration Commission. Scrap merchants reportedly cannot export their ferrous and non-ferrous scrap unless they first offer to the local market at a discount price.

The article reports that investors are demonstrating more interest in junior mining firms as company valuations become more appealing according to panelists at the Johannesburg Mining Indaba in South Africa on October 30, 2013. Panelists claim private equity investors are more interested to invest in juniors in 2013. However, these investors are also selective about the projects in which will get involved.

ChromTech Holdings is planning to build a smelter in South Africa that will produce charge chrome from 100% UG2 chrome ore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upcoming South African ferro-chrome producer FerroChrome Furnaces (FCF) has unveiled plans to become one of the leading low- and medium-carbon ferro-chrome producers in the industry over the next two years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African government is not likely to make bold interventionist moves in the chrome market, at least not within the next two years, according to David Kovarsky, director at Marco Strategic Services and a ferro-chrome industry veteran. The South African government is not likely to make bold interventionist moves in the chrome market, at least not within the next two years, according to David Kovarsky, director at Marco Strategic Services and a ferro-chrome industry veteran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

UG2 chrome ore remains the lifeline for South African platinum producers, market participants said on the sidelines of Metal Bulletin's Chromite Conference in South Africa on Wednesday September 18. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa is on track to become an exporter of chrome ore, rather than ferro-chrome, Gerhard Pariser, alloy metals and steel analyst at Heinz Pariser Alloy Metals & Steel Market Research, told Metal Bulletin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South African logistics firm Transnet is set to start an expansion of the Richards Bay port in mid-2015 that will increase the port's capacity for bulk commodities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrome ore buyers are finding it extremely difficult to secure credit facilities to finance their purchases, which, combined with constrained cash flow is making defaults on payments more prevalent, according to industry participants at the Chromite conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scrap merchants have stepped up aluminium and copper scrap exports from South Africa ahead of the implementation of a new export policy on September 16. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African Metal Recyclers Association (MRA) will only have its request for an urgent court interdict against a scrap policy heard after the date of implementation of the policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the possible impact of a strike by members of South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers on the Nkomati nickel mine of African Rainbow Minerals in 2013. A notice was received by MCC Nkomati Joint Venture, the contractor responsible for mining at the Nkomati mine, from the union concerning the strike driven by the firm's refusal to accede to wage demands. The mine produced a total of 23,220 tonnes of nickel in the 2013 financial year.

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 article focuses on the message given by Pan African Capital Holdings economist Iraj Abedian on the need for South Africa to consider beneficiation. He points out that commodities exchanges are part of beneficiation. He adds that they do not have an effective portion of global resources in every commodity. He argues that the government has looked at beneficiation in a too narrow sense. He also proposes to incentivise beneficiation than legislate it.

The article reports on the conflict between the South African Chamber of Mines and the government over whether mining companies should charge import parity prices for minerals. Chamber chief executive Roger Baxter says the mining industry is in intensive care and forcing companies to sell products at a discount is a challenging area. However, government representative Ben Turok argues that the country should maintain a protectionist stance during the era of industrialization.

The article reports on the concerns raised by South African mining company Exxaro over the relevance of the Mining Charter in 2013. Chief executive officer (CEO) Sipho Nkosi says all mining companies have done their deals. He cites a condition which stipulates that all firms must transfer 26% of equity to black economic empowerment (BEE) partners by May 2014. Uncertainty surrounds the deadline for mining firms' compliance with the stipulations of the Charter.

The article features Dalu Ncube, managing director at South African gold miner Village Main Reef. Ncube says the miner has not been immune to the squeeze affecting the gold industry but it continues its Cons Murch antimony mine operation. Antimony is the main product at Cons Murch and is trading at 10,100-10,500 dollars per tonne. Ncube relates that the ore body extends over the prospecting area and they are doing exploration on the surface.

Kalagadi Manganese is nearing the end of the hot commissioning phase at the 2.4 million-tpy sinter plant at its mine in South Africa's Northern Cape, ceo Thulo Malomise told Metal Bulletin on Wednesday August 28. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South African mining companies must engage more earnestly with government and workers to resolve the stark challenges faced by the country's mining industry, according to Anglo American ceo Mark Cutifani. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa's Metal Recyclers Assn (MRA) has started legal proceedings against the government in a bid to stop it from implementing a policy that will require scrap merchants to first offer scrap to domestic buyers at a 20% before merchants are allowed to export material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South African mining companies must be tougher with their workforce, Senzeni Zokwana, president of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) , told attendees at South Africa's second Mining Lekgotla in Johannesburg on August 27. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African government may pass an amendment to the country's Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) before the country's elections next year, opposition party shadow minister of mines, James Lorimer, told Metal Bulletin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South African industry bodies broadly support the introduction of a preferential rate on scrap sold domestically, but some warned that the effect of this and export restrictions may cause more harm than good. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

South Africa exported almost 50% more chrome ore to China in the first six months of this year, compared to the first half of last year, Merafe Resources said on August 6, when it released it first-half results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa's scrap export directive, which is aimed at controlling exports of recycled ferrous and non-ferrous material, will come into effect on September 16, the minister of economic development, Ebrahim Patel, announced on August 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South African copper scrap buyers and sellers are at loggerheads with one another over payment terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa aluminium scrap buyers are reporting subdued prices and buying trends as declining manufacturing output in the country weighs on them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An illegal strike at Village Main Reef's Consolidated Murchison (ConsMurch) antimony mine in South Africa, which ended on July 20, will cost the company R10.5 million ($1 million) in lost revenue, the company said. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chairman of a South African industry body has criticised the country's metal recyclers for ignoring the effect their opposition to the government's directive to curb scrap exports has had on its floundering foundry industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a delay in the Medupi power station project announced by South African power utility Eskom on July 8, 2013. The delay is expected to increase the project's capital cost and result in power shortages. It is attributed to a number of setbacks and illegal strikes which hit the site. The station was scheduled to supply its first power to the national grid by December 2013, according to Minister Malusi Gigaba.

The article focuses on the insights of Metal Recyclers Association (MRA) Chairman Mike Wilson on discounts on domestic scrap prices in South Africa. Wilson says the planned discounts will have detrimental impact on the economy. It has been argued by scrap merchants that domestic prices are discounted compared with international prices. Wilson explains that the scrap free market price is set within the international market. He adds that scrap is sold domestically at export parity.

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 announces that Trevor Moss will resign as chief executive officer (CEO) of African Eagle Resources on June 28, 2013 after the company failed to get financing through a strategic partnership for the nickel project in Dutwa, Tanzania.

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 the plan of mining company Assmang to build a manganese alloys smelter in Malaysia. The 169,000-tons per year (tpy) smelter project is Assmang's joint venture with China Steel and Sumitomo Corp. The construction will start in the first quarter of 2014 with smelter commissioning planned for 2016 in the site that would produce high carbon ferro-manganese.

The article reports on South African company Coal of Africa's (CoAL) completion of the definitive feasibility study (DF) for its Makhado coking coal project. It mentions the estimated capital expenditure for the project and the company's negotiation with possible black economic empowerment (BEE) partners. Regulatory approvals that CoAL is awaiting are also cited, including a mining right and a water-use license.

The article discusses minimal operations being conducted at three Glencore Xstrata chrome mines in South Africa due to a strike that has been adversely affecting output. It mentions the company's dismissal of 1,000 workers on June 2, 2013 for their participation in a wildcat strike at its chrome mines in Helena, Magareng and Thorncliffe. The strike began after a member of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union was allegedly assaulted by a supervisor at the Helena mine.

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 investment company African Eagle's plan to sell part or all of its Dutwa nickel project in Tanzania after failing to secure a strategic partnership to help finance the venture. The project is being operated by Red Hill, African Eagle's subsidiary in Tanzania. According to African Eagle Chairman Chris Pointon, the company is seeking to buy assets that would yield better results for shareholders.

Workers embarked on wildcat strikes at three South African chrome mines owned by Glencore Xstrata on May 28, after one of the workers alleged a shift supervisor had assaulted him. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the decision of South African platinum miner Jubilee Platinum to sell its ferro-alloys assets at its Middelburg, South Africa operations in order to focus on its platinum mine-to-metals strategy.

The article reports on the plan of Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) to cut its labour force in Zambia amid declining copper prices and increasing labour and electricity costs.

The article reports that the illegal strike at Lanxess's chrome mine in Rustenburg, South Africa has ended, with workers returning to work on May 27, 2013.

The article reports on the approval received by Transnet Freight and Rail (TFR) to proceed with the upgrade of the manganese railway corridor from South Africa's Northern Cape to the port of Ngqura in the Eastern Cape. According to TFR chief executive officer Siyabonga Gama, the rail and port development project would lift South Africa's manganese export capacity above 20 million tonne per year. Several manganese miners in the Northern Cape are set to benefit from the project.

The article reports on the plan of Zimbabwe's Chamber of Mines (CoM) to decline a proposal by the government to auction mineral deposits and control the production of strategic commodities. CoM president Alex Mhembere said that he will seek better dialogue with the government. Some foreign firms operating in the country have also expressed their frustration because policies are prone to change overnight without proper consultation.

The article reports on the announcement by specialty chemicals group Lanxess that workers embarked on a strike at its Rustenburg chrome mine in South Africa on May 16, 2013 in a dispute about bonuses. As the strike continued, the company added that there was still no production at the mine on May 20 after employees did not comply with a court ruling on May 17, ordering them to return to work with immediate effect.