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MiningWeekly.com provides real time news reportage through originated written & video material. Now you can listen to the top three articles on Mining Weekly at the end of each day.

  1. HACE 1 DÍA

    Martin Creamer talks about: Platinum, Lion ferrochrome smelter

    Mining Weekly Editor Martin Creamer discusses Valterra Platinum's fruitful 2025, with a market capitalisation of over R300-billion; China’s strategic view of platinum; and the Eskom proposal that supports the continued operation of Lion ferrochrome smelter.

    5 min

  2. HACE 2 DÍAS

    New gold mine's a milestone for industry, economy, communities - Minerals Council

    This audio is brought to you by Astec Industries, a Global Leader in manufacturing equipment for infrastructure, including asphalt production, construction, and material processing, driving innovation and sustainability. The new Qala Shallows gold mine is not only a milestone for West Wits Mining but also for South Africa's mining industry, the South African economy, and the communities that will share in the opportunities created here, Minerals Council South Africa CEO Mzila Mthenjane highlighted at the official opening of South Africa's first underground gold mine since Burnstone gold mine opened near Balfour in Mpumalanga in 2009. Qala Shallows is a mere 15 minutes west of the central business district of Johannesburg, which is honoured as the Golden City because of its golden history. "It's cause for celebration," said the head of a council that has a mission to lower the cost of doing mining business in South Africa. "Gold is woven into the fabric of South Africa's life's story. From the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand in 1886, which transformed Johannesburg into the City of Gold, to today's modern operations, mining has been central to our nation's development," said Mthenjane, whose council continues to play a vital role in ensuring that the legacy of mining - and particularly gold - remains a driver of growth and shared prosperity for generations to come. "This West Wits gold mine continues this proud tradition, but with a new chapter - one defined by innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity. This mine is not just about extracting gold; it's about creating value responsibly, ensuring that the benefits extend far beyond the mine gates," he pointed out at the event covered by Mining Weekly. Mining contributes about 6% to South Africa's GDP in nominal terms and supports around 470 000 direct jobs. With the opening of West Wits' Qala Shallows, that contribution is being strengthened. "This mine will generate employment, stimulate local businesses, and contribute to government revenues that fund essential services for local communities and the country at larger. "Importantly, it will also attract investment confidence at a time when South Africa needs growth and stability." Gold mining in South Africa is characterised by declining resources and production. In 1994 the gold sector contributed about 43% to total mining production, the equivalent of 580 kg of gold. In 2024 South Africa produced 90.2 kg - a decline of 84% compared with 1994. Gold currently contributes 10.5% to total mining production, a significant decline from the 43% by any measure. However, as the gold sector shrunk, other commodities grew in prominence, including the platinum-group metals that currently contribute 27% to the production basket, coal (26%) and iron-ore (16%). And yet gold still contributes significantly to the South African economy by employing close to 90 000 people who were paid more than R35-billion in 2024 alone. Gold is a significant foreign exchange earner for South Africa, helping government to service its external debt. It also helps the economy to import the valuable productive machinery and technology so important for inclusive economic growth and development. In 2024 gold exports amounted to over R149-billion. This represented more than 7% of South Africa's total merchandise exports, which totalled slightly over R2-trillion. When it comes to community and social impact, mining is not only about production and GDP numbers. It is about people. West Wits has committed to working hand-in-hand with local communities, ensuring that skills development, education, and enterprise opportunities are embedded in its operations. "We envision a future where young people from this region see mining not as a distant industry but as a pathway to careers, innovation, and prosperity. This mine will be a partner in uplifting communities, respecting cultural heritage, and protecting the environment. "Sustainability and innovation are appar...

    4 min

  3. HACE 2 DÍAS

    South Africa's first underground gold mine in 15 years opens west of the City of Gold

    This audio is brought to you by Astec Industries, a Global Leader in manufacturing equipment for infrastructure, including asphalt production, construction, and material processing, driving innovation and sustainability. The official opening of Qala Shallows underground gold mine 15 minutes west of the Golden City of Johannesburg marks the start of a new growth chapter for South African gold mining, West Wits CEO Rudi Deysel highlighted on Thursday. As South Africa's first underground gold mine in 15 years, Qala is demonstrating that South Africa can still build safe, modern underground operations that generate long-term value for the economy and local communities, Deysel emphasised. The mine is expected to contribute more than $1.15-billion to the national economy over its 17-year life-of-mine, supported by a steady-state production profile of 70 000 ounces a year for 12 years. It will also create more than 1 000 direct jobs as part of the first phase of the broader Witwatersrand Basin Project, with positions sourced from local communities, and will support wider economic activity through local procurement, enterprise development and community partnerships. Progression has been rapid since team mobilisation in July 2025, delivering first ore to surface in October 2025 and establishing the underground infrastructure needed for production. A growing surface stockpile is already in place and is expected to reach 30 000 t ahead of the first gold scheduled for March 2026. The opening of Qala also marks a major milestone for the Australian-listed West Wits, transitioning the company from a developer into a producer and reinforcing its long-term commitment to South Africa. The mine forms the first phase of the company's broader Witwatersrand Basin Project, which hosts a resource of more than five-million ounces and provides a multi-decade foundation for growth. The next stages of development, including planned expansion into areas such as Bird Reef Central, are expected to build on Qala's' momentum and strengthen the company's long-term production profile. West Wits' long-term aspiration, known as Project 200, is to grow into a 200 000 oz/y producer through the disciplined and sustainable development of additional mining areas. The project creates lasting socio-economic value for its host communities and for the country. "For years, many believed the Central Rand had reached the end of its mining life, but Qala shows that with rigorous geological work, clear planning and disciplined execution, as well as robust cooperation between government and business, new underground gold mines can still be developed in this district. "The Witwatersrand built Johannesburg and shaped our economy, and it still holds substantial potential for the future. "This project would not have been possible without the support of government, our lenders, our host communities and our industry partners. Together we've brought a new mine to life in one of the world's most historic gold districts, and today Qala starts a fresh chapter for the Witwatersrand and for South African gold mining," added Deysel at the event covered by Mining Weekly. The event was attended by Mineral and Petroleum Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe, government representatives, Australian High Commissioner Tegan Brink, Minerals Council South Africa CEO Mzila Mthenjane, West Wits chairperson Michael Quinert and community leaders, investors, and industry partners.

    3 min

  4. HACE 3 DÍAS

    Energy transition needs investment of a further $304-trillion, Glencore calculates

    This audio is brought to you by Astec Industries, a Global Leader in manufacturing equipment for infrastructure, including asphalt production, construction, and material processing, driving innovation and sustainability. The global energy transition needs investment of a further $304-trillion, Glencore CEO Gary Nagle pointed out during the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed diversified mining and marketing company's Capital Markets Day 2025. The global energy transition investment of $9.6-trillion made has so far has reduced fossil fuel's share of global demand by 7%, Nagle reported. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.) The Glencore commodities to support the pathway requiring that further $304-trillion investment were displayed on a slide that listed copper, cobalt, nickel, aluminium, zinc, vanadium and steelmaking coal - metals used in items including batteries, solar power, wind power, electric vehicle mobility, electronics, grid, artificial intelligence infrastructure and packaging. The big focus of the day was on copper, where Glencore emphasised the global need for significant supply growth and investment. "Now today, in copper, we're producing about 850 000 t of copper this year, rebasing back up to a million tons of base copper production, as we were few years ago. And then the growth beyond that is really is going to be big," Nagle pointed out during the event covered by Mining Weekly. Highlighted was a portfolio of ten copper growth options capable of increasing Glencore copper production to a level of 1.4-million tonnes of copper a year from mines including Mutanda Mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Coroccohuayco and Antapaccay in Peru, and Collahuasi in Chile, to name a few. Its base copper portfolio is sufficient to return Glencore to one-million tons a year by 2028 and a growth pipeline targeting 1.6-million tonnes a year by 2035. Nine of the ten growth options in the pipeline are brownfield, capital efficient opportunities. A slide displayed showed Glencore as a big-five copper producer by 2029 and potentially the world's biggest by 2035 with a projected first-quartile total cash cost position. Then, moving to fossil fuel, Nagle described the coal as continuing to be "a key part of our business". On why retains coal and why Glencore needs coal, Nagle explained that it's not only because shareholders said the company should retain coal. "We believe we should keep coal. It makes a lot of sense to keep coal. "Look, if shareholders change their minds and don't want to keep coal, we can always relook at it. But as we sit today, we believe there's a strong case for particularly high-quality energy coal for many decades to come," Nagle said while pointing out that coal is a major generator to cashflow even in low coal price environments. Overall, Glencore has delivered more than $25-billion to shareholders over the last five years to shareholders and believes with the market and the business set up like it is, it will be able to continue to provide good returns. While Glencore is feeding the global energy transition with the copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and lithium, which it mines and trade, this is taking place amid fossil fuels losing 7% of the market share over 20 years, since 2004. "That's true, but the world has spent nearly $10-trillion on the energy transition, and the use of fossil fuels have gone down from 85% to 79%. That's all that $10-trillion has managed to achieve, and when you look at it in absolute terms, the pie has grown. "In fact, the use of absolute units of fossil fuels has gone up from 2004 to 2024 and thinking forward, you want to go build a nuclear power station today, we know Hinkley Point, here in the UK, is 20 years away, at least. "If you want to build a gas-fired power station, you've got a five-year waiting time for a gas turbine. "So, the need for fossil fuels, in particular high-quality steam coal in today's world is absolutely required, and that's where our strong con...

    6 min

  5. HACE 3 DÍAS

    China considers platinum strategic critical mineral, WPIC Asia Pacific head points out

    This audio is brought to you by Astec Industries, a Global Leader in manufacturing equipment for infrastructure, including asphalt production, construction, and material processing, driving innovation and sustainability. China considers platinum a critical mineral with strategic value owing to its importance in new energy technologies such as hydrogen fuel cells and electrolysers to produce hydrogen. China, which has negligible domestic platinum group metal (PGM) resources, has thus invested in physical platinum through its new Guangzhou Futures Exchange (GFEX), which is a natural mechanism for attracting metal to supply future industrial demand. The GFEX enhances platinum and palladium liquidity and is supportive of industrial development and growth. World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) regional head Asia Pacific Weibin Deng provided this important insight to Mining Weekly on the interesting significance of last week's launch on the GFEX of platinum and palladium futures and options. "For the first time, domestic industrial users and fabricators have a direct, regulated tool to hedge against global platinum and palladium price volatility. "Previously, many were exposed to this risk without an efficient hedging mechanism," explained Deng, who described the GFEX as being "transformative" for China's PGMs market. "The ability to enter into platinum and palladium futures contracts enhances price stability for key industries and it is expected to narrow the spreads on platinum jewellery and investment products - meaning lower premiums for buyers and smaller discounts on buybacks. "Ultimately, this boosts consumer confidence and supports demand growth, while also encouraging a more robust domestic recycling ecosystem," Deng noted. This initiative directly supports China's national strategic priorities amid the GFEX mandate being to develop financial instruments that serve the real economy. Given China's strong focus on the energy transition and decarbonisation, platinum and palladium have been prioritised to the benefit of South Africa, which hosts more PGMs than any other country. The approval of platinum and palladium aligns with China's national agenda to secure supply chains and manage risk for what have become essential raw materials for all countries that are pursuing a cleaner and greener planet to save Mother Earth from climate catastrophe. These are Deng's replies to a series of questions put to him: What has prompted GFEX to make these products available now? This initiative directly supports China's national strategic priorities. GFEX's mandate is to develop financial instruments that serve the real economy. Given the government's strong focus on the energy transition and decarbonisation, platinum and palladium have been prioritised. The approval of these products aligns with the national agenda to secure supply chains and manage risk for these essential raw materials. What are the contracts' key features and how do they align with other markets? GFEX offers innovative bi-monthly contracts, similar to those offered by Japan Exchange Group, with frequent opportunities for platinum and palladium risk management. A truly unique feature is the acceptance of both ingots and sponge for physical delivery. No other global exchange allows delivery of sponge, pure metal in a powder form which is most needed by industrial and automotive end-users. This ensures that contracts meet the precise needs of the real economy. Furthermore, the delivery mechanism is robust. Metal is accepted from both approved domestic refiners and international suppliers accredited by the London Platinum and Palladium Market, ensuring trustworthy and reliable physical settlement. Will GFEX's platinum and palladium contracts promote greater integration with global commodities markets? By making the contracts available to both institutions and individuals domestically and, in due course, internationally, GFEX creates a new, accessible benchmark using C...

    7 min

  6. HACE 4 DÍAS

    Eskom proposal supports continued operation of Lion ferrochrome smelter

    This audio is brought to you by Astec Industries, a Global Leader in manufacturing equipment for infrastructure, including asphalt production, construction, and material processing, driving innovation and sustainability. An electricity tariff proposal by South Africa's State-owned power utility Eskom is supporting the continued operation of the Lion ferrochrome smelter in Limpopo province, Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture has announced following its recent electricity tariffs engagements with Eskom. However, a viable tariff solution has still not been arrived at for the Wonderkop and Boshoek ferrochrome smelters in the North West province and in the absence of a power solution being achieved for Wonderkop and Boshoek, both of these ferrochrome smelters will be placed on care and maintenance from January 1. Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture described the review undertaken to assess the feasibility of the proposal as being comprehensive and while the proposal remained subject to further approval processes, analysis indicated that it supported only the continued operation of Lion, which is the most efficient of the ferrochrome smelters. "Unfortunately, it does not provide a sustainable solution for the long-term viability of the Boshoek and Wonderkop smelters," Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture noted in a release to Mining Weekly. As a result, formal retrenchment notices are proceeding. Voluntary severance package approvals began on December 1, with certain of these notices and approvals remaining conditional until December 8. Should a viable solution not be received from the government by December 8, these notices and approvals would automatically take effect and become binding. Furthermore, in the absence of a viable solution, Wonderkop and Boshoek would be placed on care and maintenance from the start of the New Year. Importantly, Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture continued to be unequivocal about its commitment to engaging with all stakeholders and emphasised its actively exploration of other viable options to safeguard jobs and maintain operational sustainability wherever possible. In August, Mining Weekly reported that Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture was working with the South African government to find solutions amid not one of the ferrochrome smelters being operative, although Lion was expected be brought back into operation following maintenance. Glencore Alloys produces chrome ore and then beneficiates it into ferrochrome product but is finding that it is getting most value by exporting chrome ore rather than adding value to the ore by producing ferrochrome, which should be a five-times value multiplier compared with chrome ore. Moreover, beneficiation is a job-creation cornerstone, so closing all the smelters is not good for South Africa. A negotiated price agreement, which is a flat rate, had, at that stage, been secured from Eskom, which eliminated the need to continue to shut down during winter months when tariffs are high. What is being sought now by Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture is electricity that is cheap enough for ferrochrome smelting to be competitive, as well as smelter inclusion into special economic zones, and the elimination of illegal mining of chrome ore, which accounts for about 10% of exports. Taking 10% of the chrome units out of the market by stopping chrome crime would benefit the industry, which is well aware of the benefit of beneficiation. More South African beneficiation means more revenue, more jobs and less logistical pressure. Also, capital investment in the new lower-energy SmeltDirect technology that slashes power needs will be taken up if there is more industry certainty.

    3 min

  7. HACE 6 DÍAS

    Valterra Platinum market cap soars to R300bn-plus as 2025 draws to close

    This audio is brought to you by Astec Industries, a Global Leader in manufacturing equipment for infrastructure, including asphalt production, construction, and material processing, driving innovation and sustainability. Valterra Platinum, South Africa's impressive 2025 platinum group metals (PGM) creation, is bringing its inaugural 2025 year to a massively fruitful close with a market capitalisation that has sky-rocketed to north of R300-billion. Since demerging from Anglo American in mid-year, the value of this strongly performing instant stalwart is up just shy of 100% on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), and also up 60% on the London Stock Exchange (LSE). "We're absolutely delighted at how Valterra has played itself out," an upbeat Valterra Platinum CEO Craig Miller told journalists attending the company's year-end media event on Friday. "It's been a year defined by both confidence and delivery," Miller noted after, in her introduction, Valterra Platinum executive head corporate affairs and sustainability Yvonne Mfolo had described the PGMs sector as being "technically complex and absolutely critical to the South African economy and to growth". On the factors that helped Valterra to become the 14th largest company on the JSE, Miller put "coherent strategy" on the top of the list of what had helped to remove the uncertainty surrounding Anglo American's demerger decision and, moreover, the then PGM prices failing to fairly reflect the real market tightness. "I'm pleased to say that we predicted that the prices would rise, and they did. But I think the real driver for us - and how we look to the future - is continuing to build that credibility as a company - and as an organisation - is remaining focused on delivering what we say we're going to deliver. "We're not going to give you a production or cost update or anything like that, but our firm commitment is to continue to deliver to our shareholders and to all our stakeholders around what we're going to do as a company," Miller outlined, while also being forced to acknowledge that "the world around us is shifting, and we've certainly seen a lot of geopolitical shifts this year". Regarding the domestic front he added that "we've certainly seen changes in terms of how the energy transition is going to play itself out and we've certainly said before that it's not going to be just one size fits all, and I think that's starting to play itself out. "We've certainly seen the scramble for critical minerals, and where PGMs feature on the critical minerals list. Therefore, it's going to continue to give us confidence about just how amazing the important properties of PGMs are and the uses that they can have in so many economies globally, and therefore, as a consequence of that, how we then invest capital back into our business. "We've certainly had a more vocal and more demanding public and that includes our communities, and we've certainly hope to demonstrate how we engage with the issues at hand, and how we try to lead and create solutions for those issues. "We've seen the rapid impact of technological disruption and the opportunities a new technologically advanced world will have and the role that PGMs can play," Miller told the journalists attending the year-end event. Also at home, Mining Weekly can report that Valterra Platinum has been engaging with Minerals Council South Africa and other peers regarding chrome tax and chrome quotas, and what that could mean for the PGM industry. The company has also worked collaboratively at public sector and private sector levels regarding the proposed amendments to the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act and will keep ongoing sight of what the beneficiation chain can bring for South Africa as well as the jobs that need to be created. Against all that background, Is Valterra Platinum still optimistic about the PGMs? The answer to that, as has been firmly stated since its Capital Markets Day earlier this year, is an "absolu...

    11 min

  8. 28 NOV

    Platinum metals could end up in both electric car technologies - BEV and FCEV

    This audio is brought to you by Astec Industries, a Global Leader in manufacturing equipment for infrastructure, including asphalt production, construction, and material processing, driving innovation and sustainability. Platinum is already very well embedded as an indispensable catalyst in the hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology that very impressively powered the Toyotas that chauffeured delegates during last week's B20 and G20 global summits in Johannesburg. Now, the precious metal that South Africa hosts in greater abundance than any other country on earth could also find that its remarkable catalytic qualities are utilised by battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as well. This is because platinum group metals (PGMs) have been found by Florida International University to be able to extend the life of lithium-sulphur batteries for the betterment of not only sustainable mobility but also for renewable-energy storage, and to have potential to be a significant efficiency and sustainability boost for electricity grids as well. New York- and Toronto-listed Platinum Group Metals Limited reiterates this in its latest 2025 annual results, in which the Canada-based company makes clear that it is continuing to advance the use of PGMs in lithium battery technologies by way of Lion Battery Technologies, which is highlighting the benefits that PGMs can bring to the lithium battery space. Interestingly, Platinum Group Metals Limited spelt out in a media release to Mining Weekly that it is also continuing to take the Waterberg project on the northern limb of South Africa's PGM-rich Bushveld Complex in Limpopo province towards a development and construction decision. While this is underway, the company, headed by CEO Frank Hallam, is continuing to collaborate with an affiliate of South Africa's Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Valterra Platinum and Florida International University to take PGMs to the next level. Valterra, it should be noted, is the company that last week chauffeured B20 and G20 delegates around Johannesburg in Toyota Mirai cars, which are FCEVs. Valterra led a mine-to-market FCEV display, which involved South Africa's Sasol providing the hydrogen, Air Products dispensing the hydrogen, Bambili Energy providing the South Africa-manufactured membrane electrode assemblies for the fuel cells, and Bosch, providing the fuel cells. On top of this, it is envisaged that the use of PGMs in BEVs will be achieved by allowing the catalytic contribution of PGMs to extend the life of lithium-sulphur batteries significantly, through the addition of nanoparticles of platinum to the sulphur side of the battery so that the tiny particles can work at molecular scale to ensure a cleaner, greener and healthier tomorrow. This comes against the background of diversified demand for PGMs having already extended well beyond the automotive, jewellery, investment, and hydrogen sectors into the fibreglass, semiconductor, health and even food preservation sectors in what many see as "only the beginning". Interestingly, research and development by Florida International University is repeatedly pointing to the lighter weight and higher energy density of lithium-sulphur batteries as important competitive advantages engendered by PGMs. "The unique properties of PGMs as powerful catalysts are being applied to various technologies as possible solutions for more efficient energy generation and storage, which may create new demand for PGMs. "The company's battery technology initiative through Lion with partner Valterra represents one such new opportunity in the high-profile lithium battery research and innovation field," Platinum Group Metals Limited stated, while also pointing out that the investment is creating a vertical integration with a broader industrial market development strategy to bring new PGM-using technologies to market. Lion's reiterated target is to develop batteries with specific energies that are 20% to 100% higher than current...

    6 min
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