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  1. 6 HR AGO

    With BHP Xplor, Orion's looking to longer-term South Africa exploration potential

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. Following Orion's selection from the very high number of 780 Xplor programme applicants, Lennox spoke of "launching off into 2026 with a renewed vigour around exploration". "It's a very pleasing outcome," added Lennox about Orion making it through to the final 11 BHP Xplor parties. Moreover, in the week before last, the Johannesburg – and Sydney-listed Orion also reached a binding agreement with Glencore. "We've had a very good start to the year, particularly with these two prime announcements. As the market knows, we've been working hard to get the Glencore prepayment agreement in place, and we've done that. There are a few conditions precedent that we're working through, but we're confident we'll have those largely concluded by the end of March," said Lennox, a former leading light of Palabora Mining Company, which operates a copper smelter and copper refinery complex in South Africa's Limpopo province. Lennox: Correct, I did, and the market announcement Monday last week details the facts and figures of the Glencore agreement, but we had a delay during the course of last year in reaching that agreement, and I'm sure the market understands that there was a lot of discussion in the market about Glencore late last year, even this year, and so we've had to defer that by three months. In our announcement, we said that previously we were looking at Christmas this year, but now we've said we'll be producing concentrate at the end of the first quarter of 2027. Is this trading agreement largely on Glencore taking bulks, copper and zinc concentrates from Prieska into the market? It is. We start with the bulk concentrate out of the Uppers, then we move into the copper and zinc concentrate for the Deeps. The Uppers is a smaller, getting-match-fit-ready part of the operations. The real prize is the Deeps. We have a very clear line of sight into the Uppers and into the Deeps and, pleasingly, Glencore will be marketing our concentrate off into the future. When I chatted to BHP Xplor, they really loved everything about Orion and they said what's very interesting is the possibility of deep copper-centric metal systems emerging in South Africa's Northern Cape. Yes, that's the simple detail around BHP Xplor. South Africa has, to my knowledge, been explored extensively. The issue with the Northern Cape is undercover exploration, the Kalahari and those type of deposits. Pleasingly, Orion's deposits are at surface. They are not undercover and the large amount of data we have on the Northern Cape, and in particular, our thinking, our IP, around what that region looks like, is, to my mind, what attracted BHP Xplor. They think it's a very prospective region, and Orion showed them a very clear, well-thought-out, professional understanding about how to explore in the Northern Cape. You've executed the binding prepayment agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of Glencore for a $250-million prepayment facility, and it's linked to all these sales of concentrates. What subsidiary is this and give us a little bit more insight into that. A lot of it is in confidence, but we now have a relationship with Glencore that provides us with substantial funding, US$250-million, and that comes in two tranches. There's an initial tranche of US$40-million, which allows us to start execution of the Uppers. The second tranche, which is US$210-million, comes in two segments. There's an earlier US$50-million that allows us to address long-lead items for the Deeps and there's a subsequent US$160-million that comes a little later, when we're in the main activities of executing the Deeps and bringing it into production. So, that's the prepayment, and it is a prepayment. We have to repay that over time, but it's linked also to the offtake ag...

    6 min

  2. 1 DAY AGO

    'Other metallic minerals' South African mining's outstanding 2025 performers

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. Mining's standout 2025 performance was in "other metallic minerals", Minerals Council South Africa reports. Owing to the exceptional 17.2% higher 2025 production performance, this sub-sector, which includes silver, cobalt, lead, titanium and zinc, is now being viewed as one which is worth monitoring. What Mineral Council South Africa describes as 'bottom line', South Africa's mining sector displayed a distinctive divergence in 2025, marked by steel-linked commodities such as iron-ore, manganese, chromium – as well as transition minerals – strengthening Chinese steel exports to record levels. Headlined is the masking of divergent trends by the marginal 0.1% overall 2 mining production increase . Lower production centres on traditional revenue anchors such as platinum group metals (PGMs), gold, and coal, while production growth was driven by bulk commodities and emerging metallic minerals. (Also see infographics accompanying this report.) Mining's resilience, Minerals Council South Africa points out, reflects structural shifts in demand and production, with implications for competitiveness, energy use, and policy. Commodities that registered production growth in 2025 over 2024 were: At the lower end of the production scale were PGMs, which were down 4.4% owing to prices negatively affecting production until May 2025 – and then rains impacting production from October to December. The 1.7% decline in gold production is viewed as being largely geological, while coal's 0.7% lower output is seen as likely reflecting slightly lower domestic demanded. Export volumes were a marginally higher 71.9-million tonnes. GOOD PRECIOUS METALS PRICES The 2025 $3 440/oz gold price was 44.1% up on that of 2024. Platinum was also a 34%-higher $1 279.8/oz, palladium a 17%-higher $1 150.4/oz, and rhodium, a 35.3%-higher $6 258/oz. At the declining end of the commodity price scale was coal at a 14.9%-lower to $90.4/t and iron-ore at a 6.6%-lower $103.7/t. One of the infographics accompanying this report show 2025 mineral sales returning to nigh 2022 levels, with gold sales 29.7% higher at R185-billion, PGMs 19.5% higher at R206.7-billion, chromium ore 3% higher at R65.4-billion, and copper 9.4% higher R7.7-billion. Coal sales were 3.1% down at R194.3 billion, iron-ore sales fell 8.7% to R83.5-billion, manganese sales were 1.8% lower at R49.1-billion, and nickel sales fell by 8.9% to R8.9-billion. iron-ore (+3.0%), manganese (+5.0%), chromium ore (+3.9%), which are commodities linked to China's 2025 steel exports reaching a record 119-million tonnes, 7.2% higher than in 2024.diamonds with the production 3.9 increase seen as a sign of slight luxury market recovery.building material production being up by 2.9% on probable construction-linked recovery.

    3 min

  3. 4 DAYS AGO

    Sibanye-Stillwater secures more renewable energy in offtake agreement with NOA

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. Renewable energy trader NOA Group on Friday clinched yet another deal. Announced on Friday is that Sibanye-Stillwater and NOA have concluded a 138 MW renewable energy power purchase agreement. This is in addition to NOA's transactions with Sereti Green, DRDGOLD, and Pan African Resources. Headed by CEO Karel Cornelissen, NOA is a renewable energy generator, aggregator and trader and is helping to transform South Africa's energy market by enabling open-market trading. The additional supply to Sibanye-Stillwater will increase the renewable energy portfolio of this platinum group metals and gold-mining company to 765 MW. In terms of this agreement, Sibanye-Stillwater's South Africa operations will be supplied from NOA's portfolio of aggregated solar and wind generation facilities under a flexible ten-year agreement, supplemented by short-term supply on a take-and-pay basis. This additional renewable energy supply to the Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Sibanye-Stillwater from NOA is expected to reduce the mining company's greenhouse gas emissions by 433 080 tCO₂e a year from 2028 onwards. The electricity will be delivered through a national wheeling framework using the Eskom grid. The transaction reflects the strength of NOA's growing fleet of renewable energy generation assets and underpins NOA's execution capability in structuring long-term renewable energy solutions for energy-intensive customers. Cornelissen described the transaction as reinforcing the accelerating shift toward large-scale wheeled renewable energy in the mining sector. "We have scaled to deliver 1.5 TWh per annum of renewable energy to some of South Africa's leading mining companies," Cornelissen explained in the release to Mining Weekly. The agreement was structured to meet Sibanye-Stillwater's additional energy requirements on flexible terms, which mitigate potential variations in the group's future energy demand. "Our role is to absorb complexity while delivering bespoke renewable energy solutions aligned to real operational objectives. This agreement demonstrates what can be achieved when scale, execution capability and long-term strategy converge," Cornelissen explained. Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Richard Stewart highlighted the renewable energy supply agreement with NOA as "another critical step towards reducing our carbon emissions and achieving our goal of carbon neutrality by 2040". "As we further entrench our position as the leading renewable energy user in the South African mining sector, we continue to demonstrate our commitment to creating shared value for all our stakeholders through commercially attractive, sustainable energy security, while supplying our customers with responsibly produced products," Stewart explained. Sibanye-Stillwater has secured a 765 MW renewable energy portfolio through off-balance-sheet financing with its various projects financed by Independent power producers and other third parties. By 2028, 56% of total energy demand from the South Africa operations of Sibanye-Stillwater will be met by renewable energy supply. The annual renewable energy cost is forecast to average 20% to 30% lower than forecast Eskom wholesale annual tariffs, translating into a saving of more than R1-billion per annum from 2028. Through the renewable energy portfolio, greenhouse gas emissions of 2.63 million tCO₂e a year are expected to be avoided from 2028, 41% lower compared than 2024 emissions. The recent additions to Sibanye-Stillwater's SA renewable energy portfolio. The conversion factor used is 1.08 tCO2e per megawatt hour. Sibanye-Stillwater's current portfolio of renewable energy projects comprises 89 MW of wind energy from Castle wind farm, 75 MW of solar power from Springbok solar photovoltaic, 103 MW of w...

    4 min

  4. 4 DAYS AGO

    LBMA hopes Rand Refinery's gold partnership with Ghana is 'first of many'

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. I hope it's the first of many, says London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) CEO Ruth Crowell of the strategic gold partnership that South Africa's Rand Refinery has entered into with Ghana's Gold Coast Refinery. In a major advance that enables local refining of artisanal and small-scale (ASM) gold and elevates West Africa's responsible sourcing standards to a new high, South Africa's Rand Refinery, as Africa's leading LBMA good delivery accredited refiner, will provide technical, operational and commercial supervision. Rand Refinery has also exercised major leadership in the adoption of the gold bar integrity database that traces every ounce of gold from rock to bar. LBMA is an independent precious metals authority that advances standards for the good of the global industry. Its mission is to ensure the highest levels of leadership, integrity and transparency for the global precious metals industry by advancing standards and developing market solutions. In an interview with Crowell on day three of the Investing in African Mining Indaba, Mining Weekly put a series of questions to Crowell and these were her replies: LBMA has 190 refining, mining, trading, vaulting, manufacturing and transportation member companies across 27 countries. From LBMA's perspective, what does this kind of African-to-African refining collaboration signal about the future shape of bullion markets on the continent? Crowell: I'm delighted to see this announcement, and I hope it's the first of many. I think it is an excellent case study to demonstrate not just to other African nations but to the wider world how you can source responsibly from one of the most challenging sectors of the gold market, in terms of artisanal, small scale gold. I think the work by the government of Ghana has been excellent, but I think it's also Rand Refinery taking the view that we're not going to take everything. We need some due diligence. But we've also worked with them, with NGOs, with other governments, on creating a framework that's accepted to say these are the foundations you've got to have. It's got to be legal, it's got to be free of mercury. But it is about how we improve progressively and try to change the status quo, because boycotting is just a vote for the status quo. So, it's really exciting to see Rand Refinery taking this leadership move. As new and emerging African refineries seek deeper integration into global markets, how important is alignment with LBMA standards in ensuring that partnerships like this translate into long-term credibility and international market access? Well, I think it's not just LBMA standards, it's also global standards like the OECD. That's something that I think any centre, any refiner, trying to be ambitious and successful should adopt. The good news is you've got many years of examples to look at. I would also say, what's exciting about the Rand Refinery partnership in Ghana is also that Rand Refinery sees this as a Ghana story, and ultimately they agree with the ambition that they would like to see Ghana's Gold Coast Refinery apply to be an LBMA good delivery refiner. Now, when we had the first good delivery finer in India, which wasn't that long ago, the way that was achieved was similar in terms of partnering with established players who can help you fast-track how you come up to speed, not just on the OECD guidelines on sourcing, but technical requirements, operational requirements, so being willing to learn something from people who have been doing it longer, but also being clear that they're wanting to have ownership themselves. From LBMA's vantage point, what are the most important trends you're currently seeing in precious metals, both on the physical side and in financial demand? It's hard ...

    8 min

  5. 6 DAYS AGO

    South Africa can learn from Finnish beneficiation model, Minerals Council says at Mining Indaba

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. One of the countries South Africa can learn from when it comes to beneficiation is Finland, Minerals Council South Africa acting chief economist Bongani Motsa outlined on day-three of the Investing in African Mining Indaba on Wednesday. Speaking on a panel with Minerals Council senior executive environment, health, and legacies Shamini Harrington and Minerals Council senior executive public affairs and transformation Tebello Chabana, Motsa noted that Finland had pursued a deliberate strategy of mineral value addition, anchored in its National Mineral Strategy. "Finland recognised that simply exporting raw ores would not maximise economic or technological benefits, so it invested heavily in downstream processing, research, and innovation. "Finland's approach emphasises aligning mineral development with the EU's critical raw materials agenda, while also building domestic industrial capacity. "This has meant fostering strong linkages between mining companies, technology developers, and universities, ensuring that minerals are not only extracted but also transformed into advanced products for batteries, clean energy systems, and high-tech manufacturing," Motsa spelt out. Mining Weekly can report that Finland's strategy also integrates sustainability, circular economy principles, and environmental safeguards, positioning Finland as a responsible supplier in global mineral chains. The Finnish list of priority minerals reflects both domestic geology and global demand trends. It includes nickel, cobalt, lithium, graphite, and rare earth elements, alongside traditional strengths in copper, zinc, and platinum group metals. These minerals were chosen because of their importance in battery technologies, renewable-energy systems, and digital industries. For example, Finland has become a European hub for battery precursor production, leveraging its nickel and cobalt resources, while also investing in refining lithium and developing recycling systems for critical materials. By focusing on value addition, Finland has moved beyond being a raw material supplier to becoming a strategic player in the clean energy and technology value chains. Instruments used by Finland to promote the link between its priority minerals and industrialisation are a combination of policy, institutional, and financial instruments to link its priority minerals with industrialisation. The core policy instrument is the National Mineral Strategy, coordinated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, which sets clear objectives for value addition and integration into the EU's clean energy and digital transition. Motsa described South Africa's critical minerals and metals strategy as a good start. Institutionally, Finland's government has invested in research and innovation ecosystems, particularly through the Geological Survey of Finland and partnerships with universities, to ensure that mineral extraction is tied to advanced processing and technology development. "As South Africa, we already have institutional capacity, the question is, to what extend will there be a deliberate resource injection to advance the aspirations of the critical minerals and metals strategy. In fact, this takes me to an important aspect that I need to mention. Except for a few aspects including … electricity tariff funding of between R23.8-billion to R44.2-billion and the R400-million in exploration funding made by the IDC, generally the strategy is not costed," Motsa pointed out. Financially, Finland has used three broad instruments including public-private investment entities innovation funding, and EU-backed financing to derisk large capital projects. It has also embedded circular economy principles, encouraging recycling and secondary use of critic...

    11 min

  6. 10 FEB

    Africa must shift from policy intent to implementation, Teck merger good for SA – Wanblad

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. The time has come for Africa to shift from policy intent to implementation, says Anglo American CEO Duncan Wanblad. Speaking at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 held in Cape Tow this week, he noted that the mining community had for many years spoken about the "incredible potential of this continent. What is different today is that the conditions for unlocking that potential are increasingly aligned." Taking the Lobito Corridor as an example, Wanblad urged African governments "to continue engaging on developing the infrastructure required to establish cross-border value-chains, integrating power pools, harmonising customs processes and establishing governance structure that enabled action, rather than delaying". The Lobito Corridor is a 1 300 km, multi-nation rail-based logistics axis connecting the Angolan port of Lobito to the mineral-rich Katanga province in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Copperbelt in Zambia. Wanblad noted that developing such infrastructure required attracting "not tens, but hundreds of billions of dollars". He emphasised that such large investments would only flow where policy environments were stable, licensing processes were predictable and risk-sharing mechanisms were credible. "Surely, value-addition and beneficiation are crucial here, however, they must be economically viable, because it rarely makes sense to replicate each step of the value-chain everywhere. "The opportunity lies in planning corridors intelligently, allocating activities where they make the most sense, and then investing accordingly. "This is how Africa can unlock the full potential of its mineral endowment and turn potential into lasting prosperity." No Change for SA in Face of Anglo, Teck Merger Anglo American and Teck Resources in September last year announced that they had reached an agreement to merge into Anglo Teck, a global critical minerals champion and top-five global copper producer. "As CEO of Anglo American and soon to be Anglo Teck, it is deeply important to me that we are so much more than a mining company, and nowhere more so than here in South Africa," said Wanblad. "Now, the merger with Teck does not that change that in any way at all. In fact it strengthens our long-term commitment by creating new opportunities for growth, investment and value. "We have been a true partner for progress, contributing to nation-building and standing alongside communities through moments of both growth and challenge. "We certainly believe that a bigger, stronger Anglo America is not only good for our business, but that it is good for South Africa and everywhere else we operate," noted Wanblad. "It strengthens our capacity to invest, to grow and to contribute meaningfully to inclusive development. Anglo Teck is good for South Africa, and it is good for Africa."

    3 min

  7. 10 FEB

    Worrying fall-of-ground regression outlined by Minerals Council at Mining Indaba

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. The Minerals Council South Africa will renew its focus on key safety interventions, particularly on eliminating falls-of-ground incidents, which have increased in the past year despite 2025's record low number of fatalities The Minerals Council noted in a briefing on day-two of the Investing in African Mining Indaba that there was a worrying 25% regression in fatalities related to falls of ground, which increased to 15 deaths in 2025 from 12 the year before. In 2022, a CEO-approved fall-of-ground action plan contributed to fall-of-ground fatalities being lowered to six. Now fatalities the Minerals Council will work with its members to understand why there has been a setback. In the 2016 to 2020 five-year period, the number of fall-of-ground fatalities fell by 78% to an average of 24 a year from an average of 111 a year in 2001 to 2005. The key interventions were the implementation of entry examinations and actively making working areas safe daily since 2009. In 2012, netting and bolting of tunnel roofs and walls were introduced and the use of steel nets has become a common feature in South Africa's deep-level mines. The mining industry closed year 2025 on 41 known fatalities, an all-time low and one fatality fewer than the 42 in 2024. While pointing out that this was the second successive year of the lowest number of mining sector fatalities, Minerals Council CEO Zero Harm Forum chairperson Japie Fullard made a strong point of acknowledging that 41 families have lost their loved ones, as have friends and colleagues, and extend the industry's heartfelt condolences to them. "As mining CEOs, we believe that zero harm is possible. If you consider the significant reduction in fatalities, injuries and illnesses in the sector over the past three decades you will understand why we hold this belief," Fullard added. In the coal industry, for example, there were eight months up to end August 2025 without a fatality.. Indications that safety interventions and programmes delivering the outcomes the sector expects to see as it strives for Zero Harm is that the number of 2025 fatalities in 2025 is marginally down on 2024 fatalities and there has also been a 12% reduction in serious injuries to 1 693 from 1 925, The mining industry has reduced fatalities in three decades by 91% to 41 in 2025 from 484 in 1994. Serious injuries have fallen by 80% to 1 693 from 8 347 in that period, with specific sector focus on leading causes of fatalities such as falls of ground as well as transportation and mining contributing to the reduction. Increased attention at CEO level to lead safety and health initiatives and the sector's adoption of leading practices have contributed positively. The Minerals Council's most important partnership is with the Mines Inspectorate in the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and organised labour as we strive to achieve Zero Harm at South Africa's mines. This is the partnership most highly valued by the Minerals Council because of the significant interventions the sector has made in fatalities, injuries, and occupational diseases to return all employees home in safely after every shift. At the Minerals Council, member CEOs meet on the first working day of each month to share their learnings about safety incidents, the root causes and the actions they have implemented to ensure these incidents are not repeated again. "It's only through sharing like this that we grow our knowledge base and not repeat the mistakes that have hurt or killed our colleagues. It is a very powerful platform and I'm encouraged by the seriousness with which these sessions are treated and the level of engagement we have. I have no doubt this a major contributor towards the advances we are making in health and ...

    5 min

  8. 9 FEB

    Strong multi-year commodity period on way, Minerals Council president says at Indaba

    This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation. A strong sustained positive commodity cycle is on the way, and South Africa should go all out to take full benefit from it for the benefit of the South African people. To make the best of what is seen as a major new opportunity for South Africa, government should ensure a regulatory environment that is enabling, electricity competitiveness should be assured and the way should be opened for exploration to take place in the near term. These were among the points made by Minerals Council South Africa president Paul Dunne, who is leading the mining industry through regulatory shifts that will promote investment in exploration and mining. Dunne, who is also the CEO of Northam Platinum and who served as caretaker president in 2024, was officially elected at the council's 135th annual general meeting in May 2025. "It's a personal view, but I do think South Africa is in for a strong multi-year commodity cycle and not, as you might say, a flash in the pan," Dunne outlined during a key media briefing on day-one of this year's well-attended Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town, which is being covered by Mining Weekly. "The question, of course, that's certainly in our minds is, will we be able to take full advantage of a commodity cycle such as this? We're certainly going to be advantaged, but will we be able to take full advantage?" "There are still hurdles and obstacles that we're working on to improve our lot. The team at Minerals Council South Africa is a very dedicated bunch of quite quiet people. "In many respects, what they do is often hidden in the sense that it's a lot of hard grind behind the scenes with government departments. In essence, what Minerals Council South Africa is doing is grinding out better outcomes on some very difficult issues. "The issue that is foremost in our mind is the Amendment Bill," in reference to the 2025 draft Mineral Resources Development Bill, which aims to amend South Africa's Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act of 2002. "We were disconcerted by what we saw in the Bill and we hadn't yet got access to the regulations that support the Bill, and we had about five areas of broad concern. "In the first instance, we directly engaged with the Minister and the department to express concern, and we followed that up with a very lengthy legalistic document, pointing out the good bits and raising alarm on some of the more difficult areas," Dunne spelt out in the Minerals Council South Africa briefing covered by Mining Weekly. Fingers are now crossed that a reformed Bill will be published in the not-too-distant future. FERROALLOYS SHOULD BE GIVEN A CHANCE The second crucial issue raised by Dunne is the electricity issue. "Although we've had success as a country with the security of electrical supply, the cost of electrical supply has arisen by very substantial amount of somewhere between 800% nd 900% over the last ten years or so. "That has put pressure on the energy intensive users, such as the ferroalloy part of our sector, and beginning with the ferrochrome and then also the ferromanganese. These smelters are very heavy users of power and one of the biggest cost inputs is the cost of power. "Many of those furnaces are now dormant because they are not profitable in the current environment. What we have done, working with the government departments, including Minister of Electricity, together with the chrome sector, is to advise government that we need to help that sector. "The reason we worry about tariffs and quota application is it's contagious and has potentially unintended consequences, and we also think it's a misdiagnosis of the problem. "The real issue is the cost of power, and there is movement from Eskom under the guidance of the Ministry of El...

    5 min
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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.

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