[miningmx.com] – SOUTH Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) has lifted the suspension it placed on Optimum Coal, the Mpumalanga province mine owned by Glencore, the Swiss-headquartered group said in a statement.
“This follows extensive discussions between the company and the DMR during which the company demonstrated that it had complied with all legal requirements in respect of the retrenchment process and the conditions of its mining right,” said Glencore.
Ngoako Ramalthodi, South African mines minister, said earlier this week that the mine had been suspended for inhumanely restructuring Optimum in which forced retrenchments were cut from an initial figure of 1,000 to about 359 people.
Glencore has subsequently placed the mine into care and maintenance following a separate dispute with Eskom over supply of coal to its Hendrina power station.
“The business rescue practitioners of Optimum also confirmed their commitment to continue engaging with the government and the unions regarding the unsustainable financial position at Optimum,” it said.
