Gold surged past $2 400 an ounce as concerns over rising tensions between Israel and Iran stoked haven demand. Bullion rose as much as 1.3% and headed for a fifth weekly gain after unverified media reports of explosions in Iran, Syria and Iraq ..read more

The emerging use of elecrofuel (eFuel) as an interchangeable substitute for petrol, diesel and aviation fuel has the potential to create important new demand for Southern Africa’s platinum group metals (PGMs). This is because eFuel is a combination of green hydrogen and waste carbon dioxide (CO2) and where proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers are used to generate the green hydrogen, demand for PGMs will arise ..read more

Multinational mining and metals processing company Sibanye-Stillwater says the Siphumelele shaft at its Rustenburg operation is on schedule to resume production during May, as planned. A surface ore conveyor belt system at the shaft suffered damage in February when an ore collector bin attached to the shaft headgear sheared off and fell to the ground ..read more

Steadily improving milling rates enabled ASX-listed Tietto Minerals to reach record quarterly production of 37 111 oz of gold from its Abujar mine, in Côte d'Ivoire, for the quarter ended March 31. MD and CEO Matt Wilcox says production is expected to improve further in the second quarter as a result of measures being implemented to reduce mining dilution and increase mill head-grade with a specific focus on blasting techniques ..read more

London-listed mining services company Capital has recorded a 3.1% year-on-year increase in revenue to $80.2-million for the quarter ended March 31, marking a good start to its financial year. Mining revenue for the first quarter of $18.2-million, which was up 41% year-on-year, offset an 8.9% decrease year-on-year in drilling and associated revenue, which amounted to $52-million ..read more

LSE- and TSX-listed gold miner Centamin reports that the scheduled processing of lower-grade ore from the Sukari openpit, alongside the planned underground ventilation upgrades and mill maintenance during the quarter ended March 31 contributed to slightly lower production year-on-year. The company’s flagship Sukari mine, in Egypt, produced 104 821 oz in the first quarter, a 1% decrease year-on-year ..read more

South Africa will use future drawdowns of its Gold and Foreign Exchange Contingency Reserve Account to curb its debt burden, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana said, adding he was pondering tax hikes and expenditure cuts in the next post-election budget. Africa's most industrialised nation is grappling with an ailing economy and high debt ahead of a general election on May 29 that could see the governing African National Congress party lose its parliamentary majority for the first time since the end of apartheid 30 years ago ..read more

Aim- and ASX-listed Jubilee Metals has achieved record production levels at its South African chrome operations, both on monthly output for March and for the quarter ended March 31 – which is the third quarter of the company’s 2024 financial year. Chrome output of 408 710 t in the quarter compares with the 381 114 t of chrome produced in the second quarter of the year ..read more

JSE- and ASX-listed Orion Minerals has requested an immediate trading halt to be placed on its securities, pending the release of an announcement in relation to exploration results at its Okiep copper project in South Africa’s Northern Cape province. Orion said it expected to make an announcement to the market concerning this matter before the start of trade on April 22 ..read more

The world's governments must do more to convince local communities and Indigenous groups to support mines that produce critical minerals needed to power the energy transition and fight climate change, the head of a prominent industry group said. Mines across the globe increasingly face opposition for religious, ecological or other reasons, with pressure seeming to intensify in the past year after officials in Panama, responding to protests, shuttered a mine that supplies 1% of the world's copper ..read more