The board of Debswana, the joint venture between De Beers Group and the government of Botswana, has approved investment for a key development phase of the Jwaneng underground project, paving the way for the world’s most valuable diamond mine to transition from open pit to underground operations. The US$1 billion (BWP 13.6 billion) investment in the Exploration Access Development Phase…
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Ivanhoe Mines said the first shipment of copper concentrate from the Kamoa-Kakula Copper Complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo has arrived by rail at the Atlantic Ocean port of Lobito in Angola. “Our first trial shipment is an important milestone on the path to creating a new supply chain linking the Central African Copperbelt to world markets,” said Robert…
Read MoreEpiroc has agreed to acquire the business of Weco Proprietary Ltd., a South African manufacturer of precision-engineered rock drilling parts and provider of related repairs and services. “This acquisition will strengthen our manufacturing capabilities and expand our product portfolio of spare parts in the growing and important African region,” said Helena Hedblom, Epiroc president and CEO. “We look forward to…
Read MoreAn illegal mine strike organized underground at Wesizwe’s Bakubung platinum operation in Rustenburg, North West, South Africa, has ended and all parties have convened in talks. The mine owner said on 9 December that the approximately 200 workers at the complex, who had been demanding pay increases and revisions to its maternity policy, resurfaced the prior evening at about 11…
Read MoreImpala Platinum (Implats) has restarted production at its Rustenburg complex in the North West province of South Africa following a 27 November incident at its 11 Shaft that has now claimed 13 workers’ lives.
Read MoreCanadian miner First Quantum has confirmed two fatalities, both contractors, at its Kansanshi and Sentinel operations in Zambia. The first was a worker from a Reliant Drilling at the operator’s Kansanshi open-pit copper mine in the North Western province on 23 November. The incident involved a fall of ground at the underground dewatering decline. In a separate incident on Friday,…
Read MoreAustralian-headquartered MMG has confirmed the formation of a share purchase agreement (SPA) for the acquisition of the Khoemacau operation in Botswana, which it said is one of the world’s highest quality new copper mines. The deal, worth US$1.875 billion, was confirmed 21 November and gives MMG access to a long-life operation – in excess of two decades – in a…
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About 540 workers at Gold One International’s Modder East gold mine near Johannesburg, South Africa, have been prevented from returning to the surface by labor-union members after a dispute over recognition, reported Bloomberg. Workers at the operation were kept underground after the night shift ended by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union, according to Jon Hericourt, a Gold One…
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Trigon Metals said it achieved commercial production as of October 11 at its Kombat copper mine in Namibia. The milestone marks a major step forward in Trigon’s journey toward becoming a leading mid-tier copper producer. The miner said commercial production status was achieved swiftly in accordance with its targets. The mill started producing concentrate on August 3 then Triggon proceeded…
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Canadian company Trigon Metals confirmed 5 October that it shipped first copper concentrate from its Kombat mine in Namibia on 29 September.
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