Megan van Wyngaardt

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Megan van Wyngaardt

Megan van Wyngaardt is Creamer Media Senior Contributing Editor Online for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.

Tel: +2711 622 3744

Email: newsdesk@engineeringnews.co.za

Apollo will now hold 100% in Couflens project

8th March 2018 ASX-listed Apollo Minerals has entered into an agreement to acquire the remaining 20% interest in the Couflens tungsten/copper/gold project in the Pyrenees region of southern France from ASX-listed Variscan Mines. Apollo would then own 100% of the Couflens project, which covers a 42 km2 licence... →

Northern Star snaps up Westgold’s South Kalgoorlie operations

8th March 2018 ASX-listed Northern Star Resources is acquiring ASX-listed Westgold Resources’ South Kalgoorlie operations (SKO) for A$80-million, comprising the project’s operating processing facility, which has a throughput capacity of 1.2-million tonnes a year, a Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant... →

South Kalgoorlie

Basil Read to take on building of top structures

7th March 2018 Local construction company Basil Read has received permits from the National Home Builders Registration Council (NHBRC) to start building top structures at its housing developments, such as its Savanna City Estate mixed-use development, near Orange Farm, in Gauteng. The top structure would be... →

AVZ finds offtake partner for DRC lithium project

7th March 2018 ASX-listed AVZ Minerals has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology for potential investment in the company and offtake opportunities from the Manono lithium project, in southern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Tinci is the largest battery... →

HGM raises $4.5m for Austrian projects

7th March 2018 Australian exploration company High Grade Metals (HGM), which completed its relisting on the ASX this week, will use the A$4.5-million that it raised to advance nine projects in Austria. These projects include the Leogang cobalt, nickel and copper prospect, as well as the Schellgaden North gold... →

Volcanic Gold Mines looks at Côte d’Ivoire for growth

6th March 2018 TSX-V-listed Volcanic Gold Mines has entered into a binding memorandum of understanding to acquire up to 100% of Jofema Mineral Resources, a private company registered in Côte d’Ivoire. The assets of Jofema under option comprise near-adjacent exploration permits and exploration permit renewals... →

Political party highlights alleged violation of BEE laws by Gupta companies

6th March 2018 Democratic Alliance shadow Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Dean MacPherson on Tuesday laid a complaint again Gupta-linked companies, Tegeta Exploration and Resources, Optimum Coal Mine, Trillian Management Consulting, Eskom Holdings and BEE Matrix at the Broad-Based Black Economic... →

Clover not too worried about land expropriation proposals, satisfied with H1 results

6th March 2018 Despite concerns about the recent controversial calls for land expropriation without compensation and the possible effect this could have on South Africa’s economy and food security, JSE-listed foods and beverages group Clover believes it is not all doom and gloom. Speaking to Engineering News... →

Crusader updates Borborema resource

6th March 2018 A revised ore reserve estimate at Crusader Resources' Borborema gold project, in the Seridó area of the Borborema province, in north-eastern Brazil, represents a production plan comprising four-million tonnes a year for 11 years life-of-mine. The ASX-listed company said that it was also currently... →

TNG in talks for Mt Peake finance, offtakes

6th March 2018 Australian strategic metals developer TNG on Tuesday said it has had preliminary meetings with Germany's KfW IPEX-Bank and received a positive hearing with an expression of interest to conduct further due diligence ahead of possible mandating for finance for the development of its flagship Mount... →

Fall in Australia's greenfield minerals exploration worrying - Amec

6th March 2018 In the December 2017 quarter, Australian mineral exploration expenditure rose by 4.4% or A$20.9-million, compared with the last quarter, to A$496.1-million in original terms, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported on Tuesday. In its Australia mineral exploration statistics for the... →

Africa attracts 14% of world's 2017 exploration budget - S&P's

5th March 2018 Africa attracted 14% of the $8.4-billion budgeted for exploration for nonferrous metals globally in 2017, Standard & Poor's (S&P's) 'Global World Exploration Trends' report highlights. Exploration in Africa was focused mainly on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burkina Faso, Tanzania and... →

S&P's sees further improvement in most metal prices in year ahead

5th March 2018 Metals prices have benefited from the improved global economy and from a recently weaker US dollar, in which most commodities are valued, with the Standard & Poor's (S&P's) GSCI reaching a two-year high on January 26, aiding the uptick in global exploration, the research firm's 'World Exploration... →

Altus enters sixth African country with new gold project

5th March 2018 Africa-focused exploration project generator Altus Strategies' subsidiary Aeos Gold has been granted the Prikro gold exploration licence in the Prikro and Koun-Fao departments in eastern Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. The 369.5 km2 exploration licence targets Birimian meta-sedimentary greenstone... →

Standard Bank PMI improves to 51.4 in February

5th March 2018 For the first time in 11 months, business activity expanded in the South African private sector in February, with the Standard Bank Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) increasing from 49 in January to above the crucial 50-point mark, at 51.4 points. This was after being in contraction for six months.... →

Eastplats secures financing deal for Crocodile River Mine retreatment project

5th March 2018 Dual-listed Eastern Platinum (Eastplats) and its subsidiary Barplats Mines have entered into an agreement with Union Goal Offshore Solution for the construction, mining and processing of the tailings resource, and the subsequent offtake of chrome concentrate from the Barplats Zandfontein Upper... →

Stellar trusting Newfield deal to provide Tongo-Tonguma funding

5th March 2018 Aim-listed Stellar Diamonds has, over the past six months, continued to focus on sourcing the necessary funding to bring its Tongo-Tonguma project, in eastern Sierra Leone, into production. "The capital markets in the UK have proven extremely difficult to raise funds for junior mining companies... →

Drilling programme ups resources at Namdini gold project

5th March 2018 As a result of an additional 15 684 m of diamond drilling at dual-listed Cardinal Resources Namdini gold project, in Ghana, the company has converted its inferred category ounces into the indicated mineral resource category, which now stands at 6.5-million ounces, contained in 180-million tonnes.... →

New Century Resources appoints EPC contractor for zinc plant

5th March 2018 ASX-listed New Century Resources has contracted Sedgman as its engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor, while selecting Ausenco as preferred bidder for the complete refurbishment and commissioning of operations associated with the Century zinc processing plant, slurry pipeline... →

Lucapa sells $1.7m diamond parcel from Lulo

5th March 2018 Angola-focused diamond miner Lucapa Diamond Company sold 2 072 ct of diamonds recovered from the Lulo mine, achieving gross proceeds of $1.7-million during its second sale for the year. This represented an average price per carat of $804. The ASX-listed miner said the largest diamond in the sale... →

Strong H1 performance motivates Universal Coal to declare a mid-year dividend

5th March 2018 Given the solid financial performance in the six months to December 31, ASX-listed Universal Coal has taken the decision to reward shareholders, declaring an interim dividend of A$0.01 a share unfranked. This came on the back of net profit after tax having increased substantially to... →

Mondi FY17 profit rises 4% to €1bn

2nd March 2018 Packaging giant Mondi on Friday reported a 4% year-on-year increase in underlying operating profit to €1.01-billion for the year ended December 31, benefitting from good demand and higher average selling prices across most of its businesses. "Our continuous drive for operational performance... →

Bacanora eyes midyear construction start at Sonora

2nd March 2018 Dual-listed lithium exploration and development company Bacanora Minerals on Friday said it was keen to start the construction of a 35 000 t/y mine and processing plant at its Sonora project, in Mexico, in the first half of this year, with a view to achieving first production in the first quarter... →

Azure exploration returns strong zinc, lead anomolies

2nd March 2018 ASX-listed Azure Minerals' regional exploration programme over the western half of the Oposura project area, near Hermosillo, Mexico, has identified areas of strong zinc and lead anomalism and high-grade gold, silver and base metals mineralisation on the Mina Blanca Ranch prospect. The company is... →

Mastermyne secures early contractor involvement at proposed Isaac Plains development

2nd March 2018 ASX-listed Mastermyne Group has been selected as a contract partner for an early contractor involvement (ECI) process for ASX-listed Stanmore Coal's proposed Isaac Plains underground mine. The ECI process will see the company working with Stanmore to undertake a bankable feasibility study, which... →

Improved H2 sees Grange record stable FY17 profit

2nd March 2018 ASX-listed Grange Resources' profit after-tax reached $60.7-million for the year ended December 31, despite a combination of iron-ore market uncertainty and operational difficulties experienced in the first half of the year. The company's operations were restored back to full production in the... →

Perseus still looking at merits of an LSE listing

2nd March 2018 Dual-listed Perseus Mining on Friday said it was still examining the merits of listing on the LSE, on top of its ASX and the TSX listings. In view of that, the miner has decided to extend the settlement arrangement for investors from its scheme of arrangement with Amara Mining to hold depositary... →

ACCC proposes joint gas marketing in Northern Territory

2nd March 2018 The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released a draft determination proposing to authorise joint gas marketing arrangements between joint venture partners ASX-listed Central Petroleum and Macquarie Mereenie for their Mereenie oil- and gasfield, located in the Amadeus... →

Fortescue secures $500m through bond offering

2nd March 2018 Australian iron-ore miner Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) has raised $500-million through offering 5.25% senior unsecured notes, due 2025. FMG CFO Ian Wells on Friday noted that the completion of the offering was a step in the transition from an all-asset secured capital structure to one which... →

Lithium Australia secures A$18m loan

2nd March 2018 ASX-listed Lithium Australia (LIT) has secured an A$18.27-million convertible note facility from US institutional investor Arena Investors. "Lithium Australia has previously announced our intention to proceed with the large-scale Sileach pilot plant programme and to recommission the Very Small... →

Dual carriageway conversion for Joburg road

2nd March 2018 The Johannesburg Road Agency (JRA) has developed a draft design for the future upgrading of Jan Smuts avenue to a dual carriageway from Northwold drive to Bolton drive and from Eighth avenue to Kent road in Rosebank, to improve mobility and decrease congestion on the main arterial route. The... →

Sasol Chemicals completes alumina expansion

2nd March 2018 Sasol Chemicals' inorganics and catalyst division has completed a 15 000 t/y expansion of alumina capacity at its Brunsbuettel site, in Germany, enabling the company to meet growing global demand. The expansion involved debottlenecking the alumina slurry feed capacity by installing an additional... →

Central bank keeping abreast of fintech developments

2nd March 2018 The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has established a financial technology (fintech) programme to strategically assess the emergence of fintech in a structured and organised manner, and to consider its regulatory implications. The central bank explains that the programme is aimed at tracking... →

R57bn for fee-free higher education and training

2nd March 2018 Finance Minister Malusi Gigaba on Wednesday said R57-billion from the 2018 Budget would be allocated towards the fee-free higher education and training alluded to by former President Jacob Zuma in December 2017. Noting that this was the largest reallocation of resources to fulfil government’s... →

RCL Foods eyes greater market share as new pet food facility opens

1st March 2018 Fast-moving consumer goods manufacturer RCL Foods on Thursday launched its new R150-million pet food manufacturing facility, in Randfontein. Through the establishment of the 1 500 m2 facility, which employs around 700 people, the company aims to take a greater share in the R5-billion a year South... →

Photo by Dylan Slater
RCL Foods

Jubilee, BMR extend agreement deadline for Zambia project

1st March 2018 Dual-listed Jubilee Metals Group and Aim-listed BMR Group have agreed, under their joint venture (JV) agreement for the Kabwe lead/zinc/vanadium project, in Zambia, to extend the date for the fulfilment of all conditions precedent from February 28 to March 31. The extension will allow for the... →

Stratex welcomes geologist Livesey as CEO

1st March 2018 Gold-focused Stratex International on Thursday welcomed CEO Tim Livesey in his new position. “I am very pleased to be joining Stratex International and am looking forward to working with the team to enhance the value of our existing portfolio and, importantly, to develop some new avenues for... →

Battery Minerals completes scoping study on Balama graphite project

1st March 2018 ASX-listed Battery Minerals has completed a $50.1-million scoping study on its Balama Central graphite project, in Mozambique, to determine the potential viability of an openpit mine and building a graphite processing plant on site. The study was also aimed at determining the order of magnitude... →

Las Iguanas to open 200-seater restaurant in Centurion in June

28th February 2018 The UK restaurant chain Las Iguanas will open its first restaurant in South Africa's Irene Mall, in Centurion, on June 7, franchisor Gold Brands said on Wednesday. The chain specialises in authentic Mexican, Brazilian and other South American food and cocktails, and the Irene restaurant will seat... →

South Africa hosts first UN Drought Core Group meeting

28th February 2018 A meeting, focusing on the outlook and risks for drought and famines on the African continent in the year ahead, was held at the Department of International Relations and Cooperation's (Dirco's) offices, in Pretoria, on Wednesday. The inaugural meeting, which was hosted and chaired by South... →

Bluebird makes speedy progress on Kochang reopening

28th February 2018 Asia-focused resource development group Bluebird Merchant Ventures on Wednesday said that it had made significant progress on the Kochang gold and silver mine in South Korea, since signing its $750 000 farm-in agreement with ASX-listed Southern Gold, in February. Bluebird is currently looking to... →

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