Operations, deal-making, policy and markets across African mining — every story, newest first.
Theta Gold Mines said on 1 June 2026 it had priced a $90m senior secured bond to fund construction of its TGME gold project at Pilgrim's Rest, targeting first gold in early 2027.
South Africa's energy regulator Nersa has approved a concessionary 62c/kWh electricity tariff for ten ferrochrome smelters run by Samancor and Glencore-Merafe, a 75% discount to Eskom's standard rate.
Rhodium prices fell about 10% in ten trading days in late May 2026, dropping to around $9,000 an ounce as the market repriced from deficit to expected surplus.
South Africa's energy regulator has approved a concessionary 62c/kWh Eskom tariff for Samancor Chrome and Glencore-Merafe's ferrochrome smelters, aimed at halting further plant shutdowns.
Elcora Advanced Materials signed a binding agreement on 27 May 2026 to acquire the Eldorado gold mine and tailings in South Africa's Barberton Greenstone Belt for $2m in cash plus shares, marking its entry into gold mine ownership.
Giyani Metals' definitive feasibility study for the K.Hill project puts initial capital at $535m and after-tax NPV at $481.5m, positioning Botswana to host its first manganese mine and a battery-materials supply chain.
South Africa's Reserve Bank raised its repo rate by 25 basis points to 7% on 28 May 2026, a move that supports the rand but raises borrowing costs across the mining sector.
The Minerals Council South Africa's 2026 AGM revealed the sector contributed R477bn, or 6.2% of GDP, in 2025, employed 470,457 people and paid R200bn in wages.
At London's annual Platinum Week, the World Platinum Investment Council warned against expecting another price doubling, while analysts highlighted AI-linked data storage and green hydrogen as emerging demand sources.
The Limpopo High Court granted a R4.5m forfeiture order against vehicles linked to suspected illegal chrome mining in the Sekhukhune district, after Hawks investigators seized trucks used to move stolen ore.
A Centre for Environmental Rights report launched in Johannesburg finds South Africa has at least 400 abandoned coal mines and that Mpumalanga has properly closed none of them.
Orion Minerals is advancing a $250m Glencore prepayment and offtake agreement alongside a roughly R180m share placement, completed around 28 May 2026, to fund redevelopment of its Prieska and Okiep copper projects in South Africa's Northern Cape.
Burkina Faso's government has created a sovereign mining fund, Siniyan-Sigui, to channel surplus mineral revenue into industrial and infrastructure investment.
Tharisa reached agreement with Zimbabwe's government on fiscal stability terms for its $545m Karo Platinum project, including a 15% corporate tax rate and the right to remit dollars to service project debt.
Pan African Resources is buying ASX-listed Emmerson Resources for about A$311m to gain full ownership of the Tennant Creek mineral field in Australia's Northern Territory, with the deal expected to close in July 2026.
The World Platinum Investment Council's Q1 2026 report showed the 2025 platinum deficit revised up to a record 1.1 million ounces, with a further 240,000-ounce shortfall forecast for 2026.
Zambia has cleared Chambishi Copper Smelter and Mopani Copper Mines to resume limited sulphuric acid exports to the DRC, after domestic stocks recovered from months of shortage.
The World Platinum Investment Council recorded a 268koz platinum surplus in the first quarter of 2026 as ETF holders sold and mine supply rebounded, but still forecast a 297koz deficit for the year.
Frontier Nuclear and Minerals says it is close to publishing a maiden mineral resource estimate for its Engo Valley uranium project in Namibia, after completing a second phase of drilling.
Eskom has gone 365 consecutive days without load shedding as of 16 May 2026, its longest stretch since 2018, saving an estimated R27bn in diesel costs over three years.
ZCCM-IH's chief executive said in May 2026 the Zambian state investment company was working to raise its stake in KoBold Metals' Mingomba copper project to 25% from 20%, after already lifting its Lubambe Copper Mines stake to 30%.
Xtra-Gold Resources says it has completed 705 holes and roughly 134,000 metres of drilling at its Kibi gold project in Ghana, with a further 20,000-metre programme planned for 2026.
Tharisa shares rose as much as 7% after the miner guided to headline earnings per share up 455% to 472% for its half-year to March 2026, as the PGM basket price it received nearly doubled.
Montage Gold says construction of its Koné gold project in Côte d'Ivoire remains on budget, with more than 10 million work hours logged and first gold still targeted for late Q4 2026.
