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An image of the Masama Coal Mine at sunset

Published: 24 May 24

Coal mining and trading company Minergy Coal has resumed production at its Masama coal mine, in the Mmamabula West coalfield of southern Botswana, after successfully entering a mining contract with a new end-to-end services mining contractor, Meropa Resources – a consortium of four Botswana companies – following an unplanned shutdown in early 2023. Having started production in 2018, Minergy Coal encountered various challenges at Masama. Less than a year into its operation, the mine was affected by Covid-19-related challenges, crippling initial efforts to raise more capital as intended in the business case. The setbacks were further compounded by a general retreat of capital from the coal sector, says Minergy Coal CEO Matthews Bagopi.

Committed to strategic growth goals amid industry challenges

Published: 24 May 24

Despite encountering various challenges – including commodity price volatility closely linked to global economic conditions and supply chain dynamics – metallurgy and process engineering company Multotec Botswana remains committed to pursuing strategic growth and expanding its reach in the country. Multotec Botswana is committed to complying with relevant legislation in Botswana, including the Economic Inclusion Act, which came into operation in 2022. Further, it fully supports the Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme aimed at creating an enabling business environment and promoting citizen participation in the development of the country’s economy, says GM James Phagane.

The above image depicts the fourth generation Outotec Kaldo L furnace is able to achieve smelting, reducing and converting in a single vessel

Flexible furnace system launched

Published: 24 May 24

Finnish industrial machinery company Metso has launched the compact fourth generation, heavy-duty Outotec Kaldo L Furnace, which is ideally suited for the melting, reducing and converting of various primary and secondary raw materials such as concentrates, copper scrap, anode slimes and e-waste. The top blown rotary converter (TBRC) Kaldo L furnace features smooth movement with improved process control for flexible processing and the optimal recovery of metals.

Lexington confirms gold mineralisation extends beyond historical drill sites at Bothaville

Published: 23 May 24

Aim-listed Lexington Gold has completed 2 355 m of drilling at the Bothaville project, in South Africa’s Free State province, which proves the concept of A-Reef channels occurring on the site. While three drill holes showed eight intersections of gold-bearing mineralisation, drilling on a fourth borehole was abandoned owing to an unexpected geological structure.

AngloGold inks Tanzania farm-in deal with EcoGraf

Published: 23 May 24

Gold mining company AngloGold Ashanti has signed a $9-million, five-year farm-in agreement with ASX-listed junior EcoGraf for the exploration of gold at the Golden Eagle project, in Tanzania. Located on the easter-margin of the Archean Lake Victoria goldfields, the Golden Eagle project is in the same structural corridor as the historical 3.4-million-ounce Golden Pride mine that Resolute Mining operated.

Madison begins drilling at Namibian uranium project

Published: 23 May 24

Toronto-based Madison Metals has started its maiden 2024 drill programme at the Khan project at Madison West in Namibia’s Erongo uranium province. In April, the company announced that it had embarked on a mapping programme ahead of the drill programme, which consisted of infill geological mapping, along with ground scintillometer and spectrometer surveys over several Anomaly 5 drill targets.

Russia's Nornickel board proposes no dividend for 2023 results

Published: 23 May 24

The board of Russian metals and mining giant Nornickel recommended no dividend on its 2023 results, a year when the company faced significant pressure from sanctions restrictions and geopolitical challenges, Nornickel said on Thursday. Disagreements on dividends have for years been the main reason for on-and-off rows between Nornickel's main owners, CEO and largest shareholder Vladimir Potanin and aluminium producer Rusal.

Activist investor asks Rio Tinto to give up its primary London listing

Published: 23 May 24

A UK-based activist investor has called for Rio Tinto to abandon its London listing and unify its corporate structure in Australia instead, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. Palliser Capital, which has taken up a stake in Rio Tinto, said that the metals and mining behemoth's dual corporate structure is a "barrier to its strategic plans, which made it difficult to do major acquisitions," the FT reported.

Pakistan coal miners face expansion issue as China stops funding

Published: 23 May 24

Chinese and other major lenders are increasingly reluctant to invest in Pakistan’s expansion of coal mines, according to the head of a local producer. “The real challenge for us is financing,” Amir Iqbal, CEO of Sindh Engro Coal Mining Co., said in an interview in Islamabad, mentioning China among the backers that have withdrawn their support.

Green hydrogen must be allowed to decarbonise optimally, Junior Indaba hears

Published: 23 May 24

Green hydrogen must be made cheap enough to decarbonise optimally at a time when the delay in emission reduction needs to be reversed if the world is to hit net zero by 2050. A range of factors need to be aligned relating to policy, technology, the circular economy, social buy-in and primary supply.