Diamond market turned up notch

by David McKay | 29-Aug-07 10:00 | comment here

The diamond mining sector has been thrown open as De Beers' control over supply has weakened and future gem demand encourages new producers and explorers. Read ›

Alluvial miners find fresh legitimacy

by David McKay | 29-Aug-07 09:00 | comment here

Amid coming increased demand for diamonds, those who scrabble around riverbeds - the so-called alluvial miners - are becoming a more accepted member of the gem exploration industry. Read ›

Chrometco lifts DRC interest

by Allan Seccombe | 27-Aug-07 16:14 | comment here

Chrometco is promising a fresh start once it appoints a CEO, someone who can lift its exposure to the Congo ahead of a listing in London. Read ›

S.Africa govt formalises beneficiation for points system

by David McKay | 25-Aug-07 08:09 | comment here

The South African government is defining beneficiation that might see mining companies paying less in royalties. Read ›

S.Africa prospecting licences audit unveiled

by David McKay | 25-Aug-07 07:58 | comment here

The cession clauses in South Africa's mining laws will be investigated, the government says. Read ›

The (rising) cost of success

by David McKay | 24-Aug-07 15:35 | comment here

Costs will catch up with inefficient mining firms. Read ›

Return of the Bulldog: Wellesley-Wood resurfaces

by Allan Seccombe | 24-Aug-07 11:00 | comment here

Former DRDGOLD boss Mark Wellesley-Wood brings crisis management to bear at Zimbabwean gold miner Metallon. Given his track record at his former company many will watch this venture with great interes Read ›

No disinvestment from S.Africa for BHP Billiton

by David McKay | 23-Aug-07 18:30 | comment here

BHP Billiton quashes speculation it is withdrawing from South Africa as it streamlines its coal business there. Read ›

A changing of the guard at BHP Billiton

by David McKay | 23-Aug-07 18:21 | comment here

Leadership of BHP Billiton, the world's largest mining company, changes in October as Marius Kloppers takes over from Chip Goodyear. Some think he might be more aggressive when weighing growth opportu Read ›

African Vanguard spreads wings

by David McKay | 23-Aug-07 16:55 | comment here

Low-public profile empowerment company African Vanguard Resources' mining investments are primed to spread their wings. Read ›

Refinancing S.Africa's empowerment deals

by David McKay | 22-Aug-07 14:19 | comment here

Yesterday’s empowerment deals are today’s refinancing it seems. Read ›

A light-hearted bunch of bankers

by | 22-Aug-07 14:10 | comment here

A serious and not-so serious discussion with the bankers who matter. Read ›

South Africa's 'usual suspects'

by David McKay | 22-Aug-07 13:44 | comment here

South Africa’s empowerment pioneers tack individual courses as they grow two of the country's largest junior mining companies. Read ›

BSC dusts off old nickel prospect

by Allan Seccombe | 21-Aug-07 08:02 | comment here

A small but ambitious company BSC Resources is taking a fresh look at a well-explored nickel prospect in South Africa that failed to make the grade for Impala Platinum and Falconbridge. However, nicke Read ›

S.Africa's bourse is hoping to fly high

by Allan Seccombe | 20-Aug-07 17:31 | comment here

The hunt is on for offshore companies to list on the Johannesburg bourse. Read ›

Aquarius spurns pt juniors in growth quest

by David McKay | 20-Aug-07 10:25 | comment here

Aquarius Platinum distances itself from the junior platinum mining sector as its develops a growth strategy to counter its shrinking resource base. Read ›

Wesizwe plots growth in competitive platinum market

by Allan Seccombe | 17-Aug-07 10:21 | comment here

Major mining companies looking for footholds in the South African platinum sector will target the junior sector, but Wesizwe Platinum is actively plotting a growth strategy of its own and sees its emp Read ›

African Eagle to swoop on JSE

by Allan Seccombe | 16-Aug-07 15:11 | comment here

African Eagle, with no South African assets, is coming to the JSE. It has a portfolio of 40 projects in Zambia, Tanzania and Mozambique, comprising mainly copper and gold. Read ›

Battle scars and war stories from Africa

by David McKay | 15-Aug-07 16:09 | comment here

Doing business in Africa is hard, with nearly everyone able to tell a war story, but it is do-able. Read ›

Cote d'Ivoire peace a boon for gold firms

by Allan Seccombe | 13-Aug-07 17:35 | comment here

Peace in Cote d'Ivoire allows gold miners to breathe easier as they bring projects on stream in the first major gold developments in that country. Read ›

Xstrata's ambitious Mr. Davis

by David McKay | 07-Aug-07 18:25 | comment here

Mick Davis has built companies from scratch before. The latest incarnation is the ceaselessly ambitious Xstrata which has now burst into the platinum industry. Miningmx speaks to Xstrata's Davis. Read ›

Swanepoel's last interview at Harmony

by David McKay | 06-Aug-07 19:30 | comment here

In one of the last in-depth interviews while at Harmony Gold, Bernard Swanepoel told Miningmx's annual publication 'The Mining Yearbook' that he did not expect to resign soon. Read ›

Nkwe plans asset sale

by Allan Seccombe | 24-Jul-07 14:31 | comment here

Nkwe Platinum has a handful of small early-stage exploration projects for which it is seeking a buyer as it concentrates on two key projects. Read ›

Exxaro considers manganese output

by David McKay | 20-Jul-07 12:00 | comment here

In an effort to diversify its business from coal, Exxaro Resources is considering developing a ferromanganese joint venture with Samancor which could see it produce 200,000 tonnes/year of the metal. Read ›

Elphick targets five mines by year-end

by Allan Seccombe & David McKay | 19-Jul-07 12:56 | comment here

GEM Diamonds, which burst on to London earlier this year as the second largest diamond pure play, says it will be operating five diamond mines by the year-end. Read ›

Randgold chasing the fat chicken

by David McKay | 18-Jul-07 21:00 | comment here

Randgold Resources has always questioned the current rash of corporate action in the gold industry. But in an interview in which he also reveals he might have left the company, Mark Bristow, CEO, says Read ›

DRDGOLD's final throw of the dice

by David McKay | 18-Jul-07 14:36 | comment here

DRDGOLD has been through some scrapes in its time but it's thought the current period will be the most testing for the South African gold producer. Read ›

Gold supply to dominate long-term price

by Garth Theunissen | 17-Jul-07 09:42 | comment here

Amid gold's gyrations, the long-term health of the metal's price will be dominated by the strength of its supply, say two rated South African gold analysts. Read ›

Controversy clouds titanium project

by Allan Seccombe | 16-Jul-07 15:19 | comment here

Australia's MRC Resources is locked in a war of words with ecologists over its proposed mineral sands projects on South Africa's east coast. Read ›

Mills under the microscope

by David McKay | 16-Jul-07 14:43 | comment here

Brad Mills, Lonmin CEO, tends have have a bad rap in Johannesburg, a condition his supporters say could be related to his interest in changing old ways of business. But amid production problems, are t Read ›

Metal scarcity tough for ETF backers

by Garth Theunissen | 12-Jul-07 12:36 | comment here

A round up of the state of play in the platinum group metal markets including why analysts remain doubtful the PGM-backed exchange traded funds will make a significant impact. Read ›

Strong Pt price for years to come

by Garth Theunissen | 12-Jul-07 12:17 | comment here

Platinum may have shown signs of volatility in May and June but a five year price of above $1,000/oz is expected by analysts. Read ›