The MiningWrap BriefNo. 13
Manganese producers line up to bid for new Ngqura export terminal
The week in African mining — 5 March 2026.
1Energy & InfrastructureManganese producers line up to bid for new Ngqura export terminalAfrican Rainbow Minerals has joined a consortium of manganese producers bidding to build and run a new 16Mtpa export terminal at Ngqura, replacing the ageing Port Elizabeth facility.
2PGMSibanye-Stillwater welcomes near-242% US duties on Russian palladiumThe US announced a countervailing duty of 109.10% on Russian palladium, on top of a proposed 132.83% anti-dumping duty, after Sibanye-Stillwater and the United Steelworkers alleged dumping had hurt American producers.
3Manganese & ChromeSamancor issues Section 189 notice covering 2,403 chrome smelter jobsSamancor Chrome issued a Section 189 retrenchment notice in March 2026 covering the majority of its 2,403 smelter and corporate employees, blaming unsustainable electricity costs across six South African smelters.
4CopperFriedland warns Iran war threatens Africa's copper outputIvanhoe Mines' Robert Friedland warned that African copper production faces serious disruption if the Iran conflict persists, given the region's reliance on Middle Eastern sulphur for acid production.
5MarketsCentral bank gold buying eases in January even as more countries join inWorld Gold Council data published on 3 March 2026 showed central bank gold buying momentum easing in January even as the base of participating countries continued to broaden.