Consulting analysts in tomorrow’s commodities and technologies

News

PGM PROJECTS: Ivanhoe's Kamoa-Kakula locked down, Platreef suspended

Ivanhoe said Platreef has temporarily suspended its shaft-sinking operations until at least April 16 in compliance with the 21-day, country-wide lock down imposed by the South African Government effective March 26. The project is maintaining a small workforce to conduct care and maintenance activities in order to have the operation ready for when project development resumes.

View full story

PGM PRODUCERS: Impala Platinum Holdings still operating in Ontario, Zimbabwe

Platinum group metals giant, Impala Platinum Holdings, said yesterday that Canadian mining operations have been classified as an essential business by the Ontario government and is permitted to operate during the provincial 14-day lockdown. In the fall Impala Platinum Holding paid $750 million for Ontario miner North American Palladium.

View full story

PGM PRODUCERS: Zimplats granted permission to continue Zimbabwean operations

Impala Platinum (Implats) subsidiary, Zimplats, has been granted permission to continue its Zimbabwean operations despite a national 21-day lockdown in the country, which came into effect from March 27 to midnight on April 19.

View full story

AUTO SALES: U.S. Auto Sales Poised for Crash After Slowest Pace in a Decade

  • Date: 01-04-20
  • Category: AUTO SALES
  • Source: Bloomberg

Carmakers gave an early glimpse of the damage a global pandemic is doing to the U.S. auto market, with General Motors Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV falling short of estimates and the industry selling vehicles at the slowest pace in a decade.

View full story

ELECTRIC VEHICLES: China may ease electric car quotas, delay emission rules to help automakers - sources

BEIJING (Reuters) - China is considering temporarily easing quotas designed to boost production of electric cars to help automakers badly bruised by the coronavirus pandemic to revive slumping sales, people familiar with the matter said.

View full story

PGM PRODUCERS: Northam Platinum joins peers in declaring force majeure

Like its larger fellow miners, the company has been affected by the Covid-19 lockdown and is now running just one furnace

View full story

SOUTH AFRICA: NUM condemns ‘barbaric’ decision of some mines to remain open

  • Date: 01-04-20
  • Category: SOUTH AFRICA
  • Source: Daily Maverick

The NUM union is angry that some mines will operate during the 21-day lockdown. Meanwhile, some mining companies are paying basic salaries during this period and others are not. Flashpoints for conflict between capital and labour are emerging, as are tensions between the ANC-led government and its political base. And Saftu is also seeing red.

View full story

ESKOM: South African Wind Industry Queries Legality of Eskom’s Force Majeure

  • Date: 01-04-20
  • Category: ESKOM
  • Source: Bloomberg

South Africa’s wind energy producers are questioning the legality of a decision by the state-owned power utility to curtail purchases of their output due to low demand stemming from a national lockdown.

View full story

Categories