Around 1,800 jobs are at risk at Petra Diamonds' Finsch and Cullinan mines, part of a wave of South African mining retrenchments that Solidarity says could total more than 4,000 positions in 2026.
Sibanye-Stillwater has begun Section 189 consultations to close its Kwezi shaft near Rustenburg, putting 781 employees and 333 contractors at risk of losing their jobs.
Gold fell to about $4,400 an ounce on 8 September 2026 after a strong US jobs report strengthened the case for a hawkish Federal Reserve stance.
President Hakainde Hichilema announced in July 2026 that Zambia has discovered further copper deposits near Mumbwa's Kitumba mine, promising a new mine and jobs for the district.
Gounkoto Mining Services, the Bouygues-linked contractor that mined the Gounkoto and Yalea North pits at Barrick's Loulo-Gounkoto complex, is winding up in Mali and has issued termination notices to more than 600 workers.
First Quantum Minerals says its $500m, 430MW wind-and-solar project with Total Eren and Chariot for its Kansanshi and Sentinel mines in Zambia remains on track, creating over 1,200 construction jobs.
Samancor 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.
