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The new automation at Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) in KwaZulu-Natal has begun with very efficient coal stacking and reclaiming processes that have millimeter accuracy.

The stacker reclaimer, with no onboard operator, calculates the most productive way to stack coal while operators oversee the process safely from a central control room.

Rather than air digging in and out of coal, the machine finds the most optimal way of continuously remaining in coal

Digging efficiency is already up by 6.2%; electricity consumption, fuel use and dust emissions are down.

By introducing Africa's first fully autonomous stacker reclaimer, RBCT is adhering to international best practices and securing long term competitiveness

"We have the potential, we believe, probably achieve around eight per cent to ten per cent improvement overall," RBCT GM asset management Kubendren Naidoo outlined to visiting journalists during this week's media briefing attended by Mining Weekly.

"We're in the process of further finetuning and optimising the project of machines while we roll out phase two, which is being approved for four machines in the current year.

"We have the skills, the knowledge and the capabilities within the terminal which set the detailed specifications, methodologies and requirements and we were on time and under budget.

"We took two weeks to roll out the technology on the machine, and a further two weeks to commission and optimise the machine," Naidoo pointed out.

This year's phase 2 involves four stacker-reclaimer machines and the autonomous stockyard machine rollout plan for phase 3 in 2027 and phase 4 in 2028 has already been outlined.

"Our commitment to our employees is that we will not retrench anybody as a result of automation," RBCT CEO Alan Waller emphasised.

Established in 1976, RBCT turns 50 on April 1 as Africa's single largest coal terminal. With a 91-million tons a year capacity, RBCT last year exported a 10%-plus higher 57.66-million tons of coal and its budgeted rate for 2026 is 60-million tons and contracted rate 63-million tons

"We're always trying to look at smarter, better, faster ways of handling coal to make sure we are a company of choice," said Naidoo.

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State-owned rail enterprise Transnet and private-sector owned Richards Bay Coal Termina (RBCT) have jointly agreed to establish a project office.

This structured office will identify projects with the highest impact on coal export volume growth and efficiency and fast-track assessments and interventions where early wins can be realized.

"When Transnet performs, we perform … that is how intertwined we are," RBCT chairperson Nosipho Damasane explained during her opening address at the RBCT media briefing in Richards Bay on Tuesday, January 27.

"RBCT's success and the sustainability of the coal value chain is inextricably linked to the reliability, security and capacity of the rai. Network feeding into Richards Bay.

"Without a stable rail system, volumes are constrained, costs rise and the country loses competitiveness," Damasane outlined to the journalists attending the media briefing attended by Mining Weekly.

RBCT's collaborative approach to rail reform has involved the coal industry being fully behind the transformation agenda.

"We have established a very good foundation. From the outset, we were deliberate and intentional on how we, as the private sector, will participate," Damasane explained.

The journey began with a jointly funded technical study on the state of infrastructure to jointly understand the maintenance, refurbishment and investment needed on the network.

Recognising the need for greater precision, advanced scanning and diagnostic assessments of rail has been carried out using gear rail, which identified bottlenecks, failure points and priority intervention zones where restoration would deliver the greatest reliability and throughput returns.

An execution exercise is now being worked in to ensure that low hanging fruit is not missed and mega projects that will give...best value are implemented.

Transnet has introduced policy and regulatory determinations that make it possible for RBCT, as a private sector entity, to strengthen the rail system in a structured, compliant and transparent manner.

Since the end of 2025, RBCT and Transnet have been on a joint project planning and execution stage.

It is on this foundation that the two have jointly agreed to establish the project office.

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A novel platinum development has resulted in the $2 per kilogram 2026 green hydrogen cost target being beaten.

The new approach results in more hydrogen being obtained from less platinum and is also applicable to other platinum group metals such as iridium, palladium and ruthenium.

The breakthrough by the Dongguk University of South Korea, published in Journal of the American Chemical Society and Angewandte Chemie,

uplifts green hydrogen production through the platinum-based proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis route in a way that challenges fossil fuels.

The big picture is that the economics of hydrogen to power cars, trucks, buses, ships, planes, commercial buildings, factories, homes, far-flung off-grid rural areas and so much more has been made more attractive as a result of research led by Dongguk University's Assistant Professor Jitendra N Tiwari and Professor Young-Kyu Han in Seoul, where, interestingly, the Global CEO Summit 2025 of the Hydrogen Council involving 140 big-name companies of the world's leading hydrogen-linked businesses, which have a collective market capitalisation of $9-trillion.

Attendees of the summit, who were transported in hydrogen buses and hydrogen cars, witnessed for themselves the speed of vehicle refuelling that matches what today's conventional petrol and diesel refuelling stations provide.

"In the long term, this will accelerate hydrogen adoption, contributing to the fight against climate change," Professor Han is quoted as saying in Fuel Cell Works dated January 21.

No matter where one is in the world, sun, wind and water can potentially be turned into hydrogen and the far-reaching value of hydrogen's local accessibility on every continent is being highlighted more brightly than ever because of the very concerning risk that global geopolitics is adding to energy importation.

Countries are again looking at the economics of producing energy for themselves, by themselves, rather than importing it, and doing what is better for the planet at the same time.

Notably, the Dongguk University breakthrough, now widely publicised, surpasses the US Department of Energy's 2026 green hydrogen cost target, which indicates its application potential.

The US Department of Energy set a primary 2026 goal of reducing clean hydrogen production costs to $2 per kilogram as part of its Hydrogen Energy Earthshot initiative.

This target focuses on developing affordable, net-zero-carbon, and highly durable electrolyser technologies.

The breakthrough now is that the final structure of the catalysts consists of single platinum atoms bonded to nitrogen atoms, atomically dispersed on graphitic nanosheets.

Because each metal atom acts as an active catalytic site, these materials use precious metals far more efficiently than conventional catalysts, potentially lowering costs while improving performance.

Asked by Mining Weekly to comment on Dongguk University's release, Heraeus Precious Metals global head of strategy and projects hydrogen systems Robert Marić had this to say: "Briefly, today's research and development efforts in PEM electrolysis – both in academia and industry – are still focused on improving iridium-based catalysts for the anode, as this is the main performance, stability and cost-driver.

"Platinum-based cathode catalysts are usually not the bottleneck, especially at today's 'relatively high' platinum loadings. That said, the work of the Dongguk University still matters, as it shows a credible platinum group metals-thrifting route for future platinum-based cathodes.

"They demonstrate an improved activity towards the hydrogen evolution reaction with stable operation over 200 hours, compared with an industrial reference in application-relevant tests.

"The overall...

Mining Weekly Editor Martin Creamer unpacks the partnership between Rand Refinery and Ghana’s Gold Coast Refinery; Sasol and Valterra Platinum’s CEOs being part of one of the world’s biggest CEOs-only alliances; and experts calling the new blue diamond recovered at Cullinan one o

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Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed surface gold mining company DRDGOLD has, through its wholly owned Ergo subsidiary, disposed of its 100% interest in Stellar Energy Solutions to NOA Group Assets for R147.5-million cash.

Headed by CEO Karel Cornelissen, NOA is a South African renewable energy independent power producer, aggregator and energy trader, with a trading licence from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.

DRDGOLD commenced the development of a 150 MWh solar plant in Polokwane, Limpopo, in collaboration with the Neethling family in 2023. The Stellar project is shovel-ready with most licences and approvals having been obtained, including the budget quote from Eskom.

Stellar represents DRDGOLD's second initiative in the solar energy sector.

During the 2025 financial year, the company successfully commissioned a 60 MWh solar plant and accompanying 160 MWh battery energy storage system at its Ergo gold recovery operation, near Brakpan in South Africa's Gauteng province.

This facility provides 12 hours of off-grid power daily to Ergo, meeting half the operation's total power requirements. Surplus power fed into the national grid is credited by Eskom against Ergo's consumption.

In addition to realising cost savings, DRDGOLD is earning credits from Eskom for this supply and will pursue carbon credits in due course. Abatement of about 182 000 t of CO2-equivalent is expected.

Concurrent with the disposal is DRDGOLD's electricity supply agreement with NOA to provide 76 GWh a year of renewable energy, with supply starting in January 2028. This agreement advances DRDGOLD's objective of reducing its carbon footprint and aligns with the anticipated increased production profile under DRDGOLD's Vision 2028 growth strategy.

The disposal enables DRDGOLD to realise value from the Stellar project while securing a long-term renewable energy supply agreement that supports the company's operational requirements and sustainability objectives.

DRDGOLD's Vision 2028 aims to lift consolidated throughput to three-million tonnes a month and yearly production of 6 t of gold.

Under Vision 2028, the company, headed by CEO Niël Pretorius, is investing about R8-billion over three years in five large projects to extend their operating lives by up to two decades, as well as to significantly increase throughput.

At its Far West Gold Recoveries project, Phase 2 of the expansion continued throughout this year, including detailed engineering for the DP2 plant and a proposed carbon-in-leach circuit. The plant is being expanded to reach a throughput of 1.2-million tonnes a month, sourcing tailings from the Driefontein 3 and Libanon tailings dams.

At Ergo, DRDGOLD is preparing to resume deposition at the Daggafontein tailings storage facility (TSF) and developing the Withok TSF to systematically replace the Brakpan TSF, with the latter operating at a reduced rate of 1.65-million tonnes a month.

Mining Weekly can report that 2026 marks NOA's fourth year of operation in the private power sector, where the company is growing a pipeline of projects across multiple provinces. At its projects under construction, there have been initiatives by NOA and its engineering, procurement and construction partners to develop local communities and economies by employing local workers, enabling small businesses, improving local infrastructure, and supporting environmental education and school initiatives.

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Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed South32 is targeting the copper-dominant Arctic project in the Ambler mining district of north-western Alaska with its Canada-based 50:50 joint venture (JV) exploration and development partner Trilogy Metals.

"During the quarter, our Ambler Metals joint venture approved a $35-million work programme to advance the high-grade Arctic polymetallic deposit and test exploration targets within this underexplored, regional land package in Alaska," South32 CEO Graham Kerr disclosed in the diversified mining company's latest quarterly report released on Thursday, January 22.

Mining Weekly can report that Ambler Metals, the operating company for the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects, has signed off on a 2026 programme that prioritises preparation of mine permit submissions for the Arctic project, while advancing engineering, environmental and technical work required to support a future final investment decision.

The JV is targeting 2026 mine permit submissions and assessing the potential to leverage US federal expedited permitting frameworks, including FAST-41, which is a process of reducing environmental review timelines.

Alongside the permitting push, Ambler Metals plans to continue technical and organisational derisking across the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects, with this year's exploration activities focusing primarily on the Arctic project and geotechnical and drilling programmes intended to support mine design, infrastructure placement and production planning.

Also featuring in the 2026 programme is the Bornite project, with the JV is planning to reopen the Bornite camp during the summer field season. Work will include geotechnical and exploration drilling, as well as camp maintenance and capital improvements to enable multi-year use and future exploration campaigns.

Ambler Metals will also re-establish an independent management team during 2026 to oversee the next phase of project advancement. This team will be tasked with progressing permitting for the Arctic project, executing critical drill programmes, advancing technical studies and strengthening community engagement, workforce development and local participation.

SOUTH AFRICAN ALUMINIUM

In South Africa, South32's half-year aluminium production increased by 2% amid the Hillside Aluminium operation in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, continuing to test its maximum technical capacity.

Studies being undertaken on the future power source for South32's Hillside Aluminium beyond 2031 are taking place amid awareness of the different energy levers that can potentially be pulled for Hillside, the southern hemisphere's largest aluminium smelter.

The power agreement, which extends to 2031, is providing time to study power options for Hillside, which draws on 1 140 MW virtually every minute of the day, every day of the week, every week of the year.

The competitive smelter contributes nearly R10-billion to South Africa's GDP and public–private effort could ensure that the aluminium produced can benefit from the green price premium being paid for carbon-light aluminium.

SOUTH AFRICA MANGANESE

Manganese production increased by 58% in the December 2025 half-year, when Australia Manganese returned to normalised production rates and South Africa Manganese completed planned maintenance.

South Africa Manganese is located in the manganese-rich Kalahari basin that hosts 80% of the world's manganese and is made up of the opencast Mamatwan mine, which began operating more than half a century ago, and the underground Wessels mine, which followed a few years later.

The two mines are part of the Hotazel Manganese Mines consortium, in which South32 holds 44.4%. The remaining interest is held by Anglo America plc and broad-based black economic empo...

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In a major advance that enables local refining of artisanal and small-scale (ASM) gold and elevates West Africa's responsible sourcing standards to a new high, South Africa's Rand Refinery, as Africa's leading London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) good delivery accredited refiner, has entered a strategic partnership with Ghana's Gold Coast Refinery to provide technical, operational and commercial supervision.

As an LBMA-accredited refinery, Rand Refinery enforces strict, audited compliance to eliminate conflict gold, combat money laundering, and ensure environmental and social responsibility throughout its supply chain.

In a media release to Mining Weekly, Rand Refinery CEO Dean Subramanian hailed the signing of the agreement as a momentous occasion and declared that Rand Refinery, as the leading LBMA good delivery accredited refiner on the continent, stood ready to support the aspirations of the Ghana government for local refining, through the partnership with the Accra-based Gold Coast Refinery, which has a refining capacity of more than 80 t of gold a year and scope to grow.

Gold Coast Refinery, which was established in 2016, has signed an agreement with the government-owned Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) to meet responsibly mined and sourcing standards while refining up to 1 000 kg of ASM gold dore a week.

The GoldBod is the sole entity authorised to buy, sell, and export gold from small-scale miners in Ghana.

Subramanian expressed strong commitment to working with Gold Coast Refinery and Goldbod to implement the necessary framework and to ensure that the material sourced meets international responsible sourcing requirements.

Interestingly, the Rand Refinery, which turns 106 later this year, prioritises sustainability through its "People, Planet, Product and Provenance" framework, which goes all out to ensure Africa's gold benefits local communities and reduces environmental impact.

Through these strategic partnerships, South Africa's illustrious Rand Refinery will further strengthen the footprint that it has on the African continent, as the preferred refining partner that supports and enables local ASM refining while ensuring ethical sourcing and transparency.

"We're committed to supporting and developing Africa's ASM sector as a key enabler of country economic growth," Subramanian emphasised in the release dated Tuesday, January 20, the day the LBMA reported at all-time high gold price of $4 747.80/oz.

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In an announcement to Mining Weekly from Brussels on Tuesday January 20, South Africa's Simon Baloyi, the CEO of Sasol, and South Africa's Craig Miller, the CEO of Valterra Platinum, featured prominently as board members of the Hydrogen Council, which is one of the world's biggest CEOs-only alliances and which is now strongly emphasising the take off of its next big delivery phase.

In the words of Hydrogen Council co-chair Jaehoon Chang, who is also vice-chair of Hyundai Motor Group, "we stand at a pivotal moment for the scale-up of the hydrogen industry" and second co-chair François Jackow, who is also CEO of Air Liquide, declared the words "lead, build, and deliver" as the council's new mandate,

As the newest board member, Baker Hughes CEO Lorenzo Simonelli hailed hydrogen as "a versatile, clean energy vector that we firmly believe has the potential to drive meaningful industrial outcomes, from fostering economic growth to reducing emissions and transforming power generation", while Hydrogen Council CEO Ivana Jemelkova let it be known that "strong projects are moving forward", with this month's alone including:

Kawaski Heavy Industries signing an agreement with Japan Suiso Energy to build the world's largest liquefied hydrogen carrier, with a capacity of 40 000 m3. The vessel is designed to significantly increase liquefied hydrogen transport capacity and marks an important step toward scaling international hydrogen shipping infrastructure.Uniper signing a long-term binding offtake agreement with AM Green Group for up to 500 000 t/y of renewable ammonia from India, with first deliveries expected from 2028. The agreement helps anchor one of the first large-scale supply corridors between India and Europe and supports decarbonisation across chemicals, refining, and fertiliser value chains.

Partial production starting at Egypt's 100 MW renewable hydrogen and ammonia project in Ain Sokhna. This project, which is being commissioned by Scatec ASA and backed by the Sovereign Fund of Egypt, Orascom Construction plc, and Fertiglobe, is designed to supply renewable hydrogen into ammonia production for export to Europe under long-term contracts supported by Germany's H2Global mechanism.SK Innovation announcing a $300-million investment alongside the Sylvan group to scale hydrogen mobility in South Korea through the SK Hyverse platform. The initiative plans to deploy 29 liquefied hydrogen refuelling hubs and support more than 6 000 hydrogen-powered buses by 2029, targeting high-utilisation public transport applications.

Meanwhile, the Hydrogen Council is focused on unlocking demand through policy action, putting in place pragmatic regulations, building out infrastructure, aligning on global standards, and fostering strong public-private partnerships, with its announcement out of Brussels following closely on the heels of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, where South African President Cyril Ramaphosa positioned green hydrogen at the centre of Africa's big energy opportunity and he did so during a top-level, on-stage interface with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

It also follows Miller's B20 and G20 drive around Johannesburg in a platinum-based fuel cell electric Toyota Mirai, which was fuelled by hydrogen from Sasol, dispensed by Air Products. In addition, South Africa's women-led Bambili Energy provided locally manufactured membrane electrode assemblies needed in the fuel cells that German giant Bosch provided. With BMW, these companies are all collaborating partners within a key mine-to-market green mobiity ecosystem.

Interestingly, Toyota Motor Corporation is also Hydrogen Council board member, along with an alliance of 140 big-name companies that have a collective market capitalisati...

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Ferrochrome output from the Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture was 63% lower in 2025 than in 2024, Merafe Resources reported on Tuesday, January 20.

Attributable production fell from 301 000 t in 2024 to 112 000 t in 2025. Contributing significantly to this major production decrease for the year ended December 31 was the venture's very low 147 t output in the last three months of 2025, which took place against the backdrop of smelter production being suspended owing to adverse market conditions.

On the chrome-ore front, Merafe's attributable fourth-quarter chrome-ore production from the venture was a mere 2% lower at 222 000 t, a decrease resulting mainly from temporary equipment breakdown.

Total chrome-ore production for 2025 was 932 000 t compared with 948 000 t in 2024.

Meanwhile, Merafe's attributable fourth-quarter platinum group metals (PGMs) concentrate production from the venture was a 5%-higher 4 000 oz and PGMs for the year also 1 000 oz higher at 15 000 oz.

The main focus of Merafe, which listed in the general mining sector on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and Johannesburg's A2X, is on its 20.5% participation in the Glencore-Merafe Venture, in which Glencore has a 79.5% participation. The wholly owned Merafe Ferrochrome and Mining participates in the earnings before taxes, depreciation and amortisation of the venture.

What is important to note is that South Africa's private-sector ferrochrome industry is continuing to struggle because of high public-sector electricity tariffs, which has prompted an electricity tariff proposal by South Africa's State-owned power utility Eskom to support operation at the venture's flagship lower-energy Lion ferrochrome smelter in Limpopo province.

But unfortunately work is still underway to bring about economic sustainability for the venture's Wonderkop and Boshoek ferrochrome smelters in the North West province.

Although beneficiation of chrome ore into the five-times higher valued ferrochrome is a job-creation cornerstone, and the closure of smelters is not good for South Africa, arriving at economically viable solutions has become a long drawn out battle in a low ferrochrome price environment.

While for decades much more was made from mining the chrome ore and beneficiating it into ferrochrome product, it is now being found that more can be made from exporting chrome ore in unbeneficiated form.

As reported by Engineering News in December, Eskom has signed a memorandum of understanding with the venture as well as with Samancor Chrome in a bid to finalise an electricity tariff solution that prevents the closure of additional smelting capacity, and averts the threat of widespread job cuts in the sector.

What is being sought now is electricity that is cheap enough for South African ferrochrome smelting to be competitive, as well as smelter inclusion into special economic zones, and the elimination of illegal mining of chrome ore, which accounts for about 10% of exports.

Taking 10% of the chrome units out of the market by stopping chrome crime would benefit the industry, which is well aware of the benefit of beneficiation. More South African beneficiation means more revenue, more jobs and less logistical pressure.

Also, capital investment in the new lower-energy SmeltDirect technology that slashes power needs by 70% will be taken up if there is more industry certainty.

Trade union Solidarity has expressed the belief that a win-win agreement is possible and that decisions can be made that will be beneficial to all parties.

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The illustrious Cullinan diamond mine, flagship of London-listed Petra Diamonds, is not only famous for hosting the largest gem diamond but a flurry of reports is now affording sky-high status to the latest big blue diamond find at the mine.

Located about 100 km north-east of Johannesburg 25 km from Pretoria, Cullinan is owned by the London Stock Exchange-listed Petra Diamonds.

"The latest blue diamond recovered at the famous Cullinan diamond mine, discovered in 1902, is another rare and exceptional Type-2b stone," diamond mining luminary Dr John Bristow pointed out in response to Mining Weekly's request for insight.

"The mine is famous for these stones and rare large Type-2a white stones, as for example the 3 106 ct Cullinan diamond found in 1903.

"This latest exceptional blue diamond will hopefully achieve a top dollar price for Petra, who like all kimberlite diamond producers have been under considerable financial stress given depressed natural diamond prices over the past three years.

"This latest stone could potentially provide much needed uplift for Petra's balance sheet if the dollar per carat value realised is in line with previous blue diamonds mined and sold from Cullinan," added Bristow, who is himself renowned for developing a unique micromineral (perovskite) age-dating technique at the Research School of Earth Sciences (RSES), Australian National University, Canberra, with Hugh Allsopp (Bernard Price Institute, University of the Witwatersrand) and Bill Compston (RSES) in the 1980s, courtesy of De Beers.

Forbes reported on January 16 that experts believe that Cullinan's latest 41.82 ct blue diamond could be one of the most significant ever recovered.

Highlighted by Rapaport on January 14 was the big blue diamond's significance for Petra, which has been facing challenges owing to lower demand for diamonds in the past few years. The average October price Petra received for rough, Rapaport pointed out, fell 13% to $110/ct in the first fiscal quarter that ended September 30, amid the company having drawn its $102-million revolving credit facility as of September 30.

The Diamond Fields Advertiser estimated in a separate report that the big blue diamond could fetch R655-million once polished and Instagram quoted Johannesburg's third-generation diamond dealer and manufacturer of important fancy coloured diamonds Gregory Katz as saying that the discovery could be exceptional if early reports prove accurate.

"As remarkable as the diamond itself may be, its impact extends far beyond the global luxury market, Only Natural Diamonds Jewelry & Watch editor Grant Mobley explained in a widely circulated January 14 newsletter.

"On average, around 80% of the value generated by responsibly recovered diamonds remains within the local economies. That revenue will support jobs, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and essential social programmes.

"At Cullinan, responsible production is at the centre of their operations. Petra reports that 100% of procurement spend at its South African operations goes to local suppliers, further supporting the economy. Petra also prioritises training, education, and skills development for people in the community, enabling long-term economic impact and job creation," added Mobley.

In a media release, Petra described the big blue diamond as seemingly being of exceptional quality in terms of both its colour and clarity and that the company was ascertaining the preferred sales method.

On the general diamond front, meanwhile, the first of De Beers' ten 2026 sales schedules is under way, with nine more to follow.

Against the backdrop of ongoing diamond industry uncertainty, Rapaport's website states that the De Beers sales will take place in South Africa, Botswana and Namibi...