London-listed URA Holdings has appointed Bonas Group as its sales partner and to market and sell rough emeralds recovered from the company’s Gravelotte emerald mine (GEM) in South Africa. This strategic partnership will leverage Bonas Group’s extensive expertise in the diamond and gemstone industry to ensure the highest standards of security, transparency and compliance throughout the sales process, URA avers.
Tirupati confirms Lynch-Bell’s appointment as chairperson following EGM
Flake graphite company Tirupati Graphite has confirmed the appointment of Michael Lynch-Bell as nonexecutive chairperson, following a shareholder-requisitioned extraordinary general meeting (EGM) on June 11. A group of shareholders, who hold about 5.8% of Tirupati’s ordinary share capital, in April requested that the company convene an EGM. These shareholders were seeking the removal of then chairperson Shishir Poddar, as well as Puruvi Poddar and Alastair Bath as directors.
Artificial intelligence used to eliminate need for rare earths in permanent magnets
Discovering new materials has historically been slow. Now artificial intelligence (AI) is making it possible to discover a material entirely computationally and have that verified experimentally. An example of this is AI being used to create a permanent magnet that does not contain any rare earth – and this is just the start, Materials Nexus chief technical officer and co-founder Robert Forrest outlined to Mining Weekly in a Zoom interview. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.)
South Africa’s quickly advancing Copper 360 is guiding sharp 2025 revenue rise
The revenue of South Africa’s quickly advancing Northern Cape copper mining company Copper 360, the only pure copper play on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, is forecast by the company to have risen sharply by the end of February next year. The AltX-listed company headed by CEO Jan Nelson, is guiding revenue of R1.2-billion to R1.9-billion at the end of February next year, from the R38.2-million revenue level generated in the 12 months to the end of February this year. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.)
Kamoa-Kakula Phase 3 concentrator achieves first production ahead of schedule
Canada-headquartered miner Ivanhoe Mines has achieved first concentrate production at the Kamoa-Kakula operation’s Phase 3 concentrator, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The Phase 3 concentrator was completed nearly two quarters ahead of schedule and is expected to increase Kamoa-Kakula’s output to more than 600 000 t/y of copper once it is fully ramped up.
CEOs, policy leaders ready to accelerate action on hydrogen deployment by 2030
In a significant step towards accelerating public-private action on hydrogen, Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Robert Habeck and the European Commission executive VP for the European Green Deal Maroš Šefčovič, met with a global delegation of Hydrogen Council executives on June 11. Leaders took stock of the sector’s continued progress, despite macroeconomic headwinds, with a 90% year-on-year increase in committed capital in hydrogen across the value chain globally.
Oriole starts delayed Phase 5 drilling at Cameroon project
Aim-listed Oriole Resources has advised of a number of logistical challenges hampering a Phase 5 drilling programme on the main mineral resource area of its Bibemi gold project, in Cameroon.
Despite the delays, Oriole expects the 7 060 m drill programme across 62 holes in the Bakassi Zone 1 prospect of Bibemi to conclude by the end of the third quarter.
Southern Palladium appoints new nonexecutive director
Dual-listed Southern Palladium has announced the appointment of Advocate Lindi Nkosi-Thomas as a nonexecutive director, effective from June 10. Nkosi-Thomas, a practising lawyer and senior counsel, is a member of the Johannesburg Bar, having been called to the Bar in November 1994. She was conferred the status of silk by then-President Jacob Zuma in 2009.
Eskom arrests suspected coal-swapping thief
State-owned power utility Eskom says the security investigation team at its Arnot power station has arrested a truck driver, who is suspected of having participated in the swapping out of coal destined for the power station with lower-quality product. On June 8, a tactical team spotted a truck loaded with coal to be delivered to Arnot entering a coal yard in Middelburg and then leaving after about an hour.
Gemfields appoints former De Beers exec Cleaver as chairperson
Former CEO and co-chairperson of diamond miner De Beers Bruce Cleaver will join the board of gemstone miner Gemfields as chairperson from July 1. He will succeed Martin Tolcher, who is stepping down.