Creamer Media Reporter

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Creamer Media Reporter

Creamer Media’s news team is based mainly in South Africa, but the team includes regular correspondents from other parts of Africa, such as Zimbabwe, Malawi, Botswana, Kenya and the rest of the world, including the United Kingdom, Australia and India. Email: newsdesk@engineeringnews.co.za

Govt reviews framework for procuring electricity capacity from IPPs

25th October 2024 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses government's review of the current framework through which electricity capacity is procured from independent power producers; the reasons for the review; and what changes are being considered. →

Mondi to permanently shut Bulgaria paper mill after fire

25th October 2024 Packaging and paper group Mondi has decided to permanently close its Stambolijski paper mill, in Bulgaria, after a fire caused extensive damage to the 100 000 t/y brown kraft paper machine in September. "After evaluating the options for repairing the mill and the ongoing investment required for... →

Talon makes new Michigan copper/nickel discovery

25th October 2024 Toronto-listed Talon Metals’ in-house exploration drilling and geophysics team has discovered 99.92 m of copper and nickel mineralisation on its maiden drill hole at the Boulderdash target in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The discovery, Talon says, marks a major milestone in the ongoing... →

Rio Tinto’s Nuton invests $35m in McEwen Copper

25th October 2024 Nuton, a copper technology venture of Rio Tinto, has pumped $35-million into McEwen Copper, which owns the Los Azules project in Argentina. McEwen previously announced a nonbrokered private placement financing of up to 2.34-million shares at $30 a share for up to $70-million. The first tranche... →

Kinross earn-in a ‘stamp of approval’ for Puma’s New Brunswick project

25th October 2024 Canada-based Kinross Gold has agreed an option to earn a 65% interest in the Williams Brook project, in New Brunswick, by funding C$16.7-million in exploration drilling over five years, project owner Puma Exploration reports. “We believe in the region’s potential to host Canada’s next major gold... →

Branislav Bibic

25th October 2024 This week we profile Branislav Bibic, Area VP for sub-Saharan Africa at Philip Morris International, a producer of tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes and smoke-free products →

Branislav Bibic, Area VP for sub-Saharan Africa at Philip Morris International

Petroleum Products Bill released for public comment

24th October 2024 The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has published the draft Petroleum Products Bill for a 60-day public comment period, which was launched on October 21. The DMRE says the Bill, which seeks to repeal and replace the Petroleum Products Act of 1977, aims to expand and streamline... →

Balwin Properties achieves its tenth 6 Star Green Star Design rating

24th October 2024 Residential property developer Balwin Properties has secured its tenth 6 Star Green Star Design rating on a lifestyle centre for the Thaba Eco-Village Lifestyle Centre and Montessori School, located within the Thaba Eco-Village residential estate, in Gauteng. The recognition, awarded by the Green... →

The Thaba Eco-Village Lifestyle Centre

New lab to improve road safety policies, products in Africa

24th October 2024 Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Blade Nzimande has unveiled a new Transport Safety Lab at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research's (CSIR's) Scientia campus, in Pretoria. The lab features a stationary driving simulator, as well as a vehicle equipped with sensors to collect... →

A CSIR researcher demonstrates how a driving simulator can be used to recreate uniquely South Africa driving hazards.

Mantengu to report higher interim earnings

24th October 2024 JSE-listed mining investment company Mantengu Mining expects to report earnings a share and headline earnings a share of between 1c and 2c for the six months ended August 31. That represents an increase of 105% to 125% year-on-year. →

Rumble retires as South32 nonexec director

24th October 2024 Diversified miner South32 has announced the retirement of Keith Rumble as an independent nonexecutive director, effective following the company’s 2024 AGM. Rumble joined the board in 2015 and played a pivotal role as the inaugural chairperson of South32’s sustainability committee. →

IRMA releases chain of custody standard for responsibly mined materials

24th October 2024 The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) has released its new Chain of Custody (CoC) Standard, which sets requirements for tracking material produced from mining operations audited against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. This enables consumer-facing brands and other actors... →

Osisko Development announces $50m offering

24th October 2024 NYSE- and TSX-V-listed Osisko Development has announced a new offering aimed at raising $50-million. The company has entered into an agreement with lead agents to facilitate the sale of up to 27.78-million units at $1.80 each. →

Lotus receives firm commitments to raise A$130m to support Kayalekera restart

24th October 2024 ASX-listed Lotus Resources has successfully completed its bookbuild for a non-underwritten two-tranche placement to raise A$130-million, or $87-million, at A$0.25 a share to support the accelerated restart of its Kayelekera uranium project, in Malawi. “This is a terrific outcome for Lotus and we... →

The Kayelekera uranium mine

TNPA, Hillside Aluminium sign 15yr lease agreement at Richards Bay port

24th October 2024 Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has signed a 15-year lease agreement with South32 Hillside Aluminium, securing the continued operational presence of South Africa’s only primary aluminium producer at the Port of Richards Bay. TNPA says South32 Hillside Aluminium plays a crucial role in... →

New rare earths discovery at Monte Alto

23rd October 2024 ASX-listed Brazilian Rare Earths on Wednesday announced an “outstanding” heavy rare earth discovery near Monte Alto. The new discovery, located just 2.5 km from the Monte Alto deposit, boasts outcropping rare earths mineralisation with grades of up to 14.5% total rare earth oxide (TREO), and... →

Bengwenyama mineral resource rises above 40.25Moz

23rd October 2024 ASX- and JSE-listed Southern Palladium has reported an increase in the total contained resource at its 70%-owned Bengwenyama platinum group metal project, including the Merensky reef on the Eerstegeluk and Nooitverwacht exploration areas, to 40.25-million platinum group element (PGE) ounces. This... →

Southern Palladium MD Johan Odendaal

West African on track to meet upper end of full-year guidance

23rd October 2024 Gold miner West African Resources says it is on track to achieve the upper end of its full-year gold production guidance of between 190 000 oz and 210 000 oz at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of less than $1 300/oz. The ASX-listed company’s Sanbrado mine, in Burkina Faso, produced 47 799 oz of... →

Jean Nel to step down as director of DRDGOLD in Nov

23rd October 2024 Jean Nel has decided to step down as a director of gold producer DRDGOLD, with effect from November 27, after serving on the board for six years. DRDGOLD says it is thankful for his valuable contribution during his tenure and wishes him well with his future endeavours. →

Families welcome South African Parliament's call for two engineers to be released from Equatorial Guinea prison

23rd October 2024 The families of Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham, the two South African engineers who have been illegally imprisoned in Equatorial Guinea since February 9, 2023, say they are "deeply grateful" to the South African Parliament, which on October 22 adopted a unanimous motion calling for the... →

Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter

Nampak subsidiary agrees to sell stake in Nampak Zimbabwe for up to $25m

23rd October 2024 JSE-listed Nampak's Nampak Southern Africa Holdings subsidiary has agreed to sell its 51.43% shareholding in Nampak Zimbabwe to TSL for up to $25-million. Nampak Zimbabwe is listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and manufactures paper, plastic and metal packaging products. The business has been... →

EOH proposes name change, says major legacy issues resolved

23rd October 2024 Technology services provider EOH Holdings says it has delivered a "significantly improved" financial position for the financial year to July 31, as well as improved its capital structure, resolved many of its legacy issues, significantly streamlined its corporate office and administrative... →

IsoEnergy and Purepoint form Athabasca Basin exploration JV

23rd October 2024 Toronto-listed IsoEnergy has announced the formation of a joint venture (JV) with TSX-V-listed Purepoint Uranium to explore in the Athabasca basin of Saskatchewan. Both companies will contribute assets from their respective portfolios to the JV, which will consist of ten projects covering more... →

Perseus delivers strong production, cash flow for the September quarter

23rd October 2024 Africa-focused gold miner Perseus Mining again achieved strong production and cash flow for the quarter ended September 30 – the first quarter of its 2025 financial year – with output having increased to 121 290 oz and cash flow to $127-million, compared with output of 120 929 oz and cash flow of... →

Assay results confirm down-dip continuation of high-grade copper mineralisation at Flat Mine South – Orion

23rd October 2024 Ongoing drilling at Orion Minerals' Okiep copper project (OCP), in South Africa's Northern Cape province, continues to deliver the highly anticipated extensions of previously intersected wide, high-grade copper mineralisation, "confirming the substantial upside of this project", MD and CEO Errol... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Orion MD and CEO Errol Smart

Gem lifts third-quarter revenue on higher sales, prices

23rd October 2024 London-listed Gem Diamonds, which operates the Letšeng diamond mine in Lesotho, generated revenues of $42.7-million from the sale of 26 627 ct of diamonds in the quarter ended September 30. This compares with the sale of 24 422 ct for revenue of $34.8-million for the second quarter, which ended... →

MAC reports strong production at CSA mine

22nd October 2024 Australian copper producer Metals Acquisition Corp (MAC) has announced a solid performance at the CSA mine in Cobar, producing 10 159 t during the September quarter. This marks MAC’s second-highest production figure since taking ownership, following a record-setting June quarter. “This marks... →

St Barbara explores pumped hydro at Nova Scotia’s closed Touquoy mine

22nd October 2024 Gold miner St Barbara subsidiary Atlantic Mining is studying a pumped hydro energy storage facility at the now-closed Touquoy gold mine in Nova Scotia, Canada. Independent power producer Natural Forces has confirmed the technical feasibility of the project and is currently engaged in cost... →

Northern accelerates LDI mill maintenance to boost output

22nd October 2024 Graphite flake producer Northern Graphite has brought forward mill maintenance and repairs at its Lac des Iles (LDI) operation, in Quebec, to accelerate throughput expansions in the face of rising demand for natural graphite outside of China. The shutdown is scheduled from November 2 until... →

West Cobar gains EIS funding for Fraser range exploration

21st October 2024 ASX-listed West Cobar Metals has been successful in its application for government co-funding for the Fraser Range project, in Western Australia. The application is part of the Round 30 Exploration Incentive Scheme (EIS) which provides cofounding of certain drill programme costs, up to A$156 000,... →

NickelSearch appoints geologist with Mt Isa experience as CEO

21st October 2024 Multi-commodity explorer NickelSearch on Monday announced the appointment of Johan Lambrechts, formerly VP for geology and exploration at Askari Metals, as CEO with immediate effect. Over the last 20 years, Lambrechts has held senior positions with Anglo Platinum, Xstrata Zinc and Glencore. →

Primary uranium supply ‘way behind’ rapidly growing demand – Yellow Cake CEO

21st October 2024 London-listed Yellow Cake, a company focused on providing exposure to the uranium spot price, remains optimistic about medium-term sector fundamentals despite current subdued uranium prices. In a company update on Monday, Yellow Cake CEO Andre Liebenberg highlighted a “fundamental global... →

West Red Lake upsizes placement

21st October 2024 Canadian gold company West Red Lake on Friday announced it would increase the size of its previously announced bought-deal financing from C$20-million to C$25-million. The TSX-V-listed firm would now issue 36.23-million units at C$0.69 each, with units comprising one common share and one common... →

Newmont’s Peñasquito signs labour agreement

21st October 2024 Gold miner Newmont announced on Friday that its Mexico subsidiary, Newmont Peñasquito, had signed a new collective bargain agreement (CBA) with the National Union of Mining, Metallurgical, Steel, and Similar Workers of Mexico for 2024 to 2026. The company said the agreement was the outcome of a... →

Graphite One lines up potential $325m Exim loan

21st October 2024 North America-focused Graphite One has received non-binding letter of interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Exim) for potential debt financing of up to $325-million to fund a planned anode active materials (AAM) manufacturing facility. The funding is proposed through Exim’s... →

Image speeds up mineral sands project construction

18th October 2024 Mineral sands company Image Resources has cleared the final construction approvals for its Atlas project, north of Perth, with water licences being issued. The company started roadwork and civil construction on a temporary 5C water abstraction licence, however, the receipt of the full licences... →

The Atlas camp was recently completed

AuMEGA plans $10m private placement

18th October 2024 Canada-focused AuMEGA Metals (formerly Matador Mining) said on Friday that it was in the process of arranging a private placement of $10-million. The ASX- and TSX-listed company would use the proceeds of the raising to advance its exploration programme in Newfoundland and Labrador, which would... →

Turaco raises A$35m to accelerate drilling in Cote d'Ivoire

18th October 2024 West Africa-focused Turaco Gold has announced a A$35-million equity raise to accelerate drilling at the Afema project, in Cote d’Ivoire. The ASX-listed company will raise the funds in a two-tranche placement of 112.9-mllion shares at 31c a share. →

Wesdome Gold gaining momentum

18th October 2024 Canadian miner Wesdome Gold is on track to achieve the midpoint of its guidance of 160 000 oz to 180 000 oz, thanks to increasing operational momentum. The company on Thursday reported a strong third quarter, producing 109 305 oz – up from 102 504 oz in the same quarter of 2023. →

The Kiena Gold Complex

World moves into the Age of Electricity – IEA

18th October 2024 Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the International Energy Agency's statement that the world is moving into the Age of Electricity; how the critical minerals demand associated with this coming age is an opportunity for Africa; and what this could mean for South Africa. →

Global Uranium sells gold project to Koonenberry

17th October 2024 ASX-listed Global Uranium has announced the sale of its Enmore gold project, in New South Wales, Australia, in line with its growth strategy focusing on its North American uranium portfolio. →

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