China gives platinum major boost with launch of PGMs centre in Shanghai

China gives platinum major boost with launch of PGMs centre in Shanghai: In what is a major boost for platinum group metals (PGMs), a new trade and technology centre dedicated to the growth of the PGMs market is being established in China, already the single largest consumer of PGMs, accounting for more than 25%  of total demand. Anglo American, Honeywell and the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) were among close to 70 organisations that signed strategic cooperation agreements with the Lin-Gang Group and other related parties in support of the Platinum and Precious Metals Centre or PPMC, which is being established in the Lin-Gang Special Area of Shanghai. The Lin-Gang Group is a state-owned developer of industrial parks.

BVian's ACTIVE Stock and Share Trading Ideas: Forward Looking Ideas.

BVian's ACTIVE Stock and Share Trading Ideas: Forward Looking Ideas.:   Resource Stocks climbed quite nicely as the word recovered from the Covid scourge.How ever the Ukraine war did not cause much slow down in...

SEE UPDATES IN RIGHT HAND COLUMN

Platinum could see at least 400 000 oz/y of demand from green hydrogen sector

Platinum could see at least 400 000 oz/y of demand from green hydrogen sector: The World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) finds in its Platinum Perspectives August 2022 research that platinum’s role in enabling the achievement of global decarbonisation targets could be highly significant, given its use in proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers. In turn, PEM electrolysers, when powered with renewable energy, generates green hydrogen. The WPIC explains that zero-emissions green hydrogen is an energy carrier that can be used in a range of applications to replace fossil fuels.

President’s new energy plan opens way for Glencore Alloys to target bigger power projects

President’s new energy plan opens way for Glencore Alloys to target bigger power projects: Glencore Alloys head Japie Fullard has hailed the new energy plan announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa as opening the way for the company to target bigger power projects. “I must say that the President’s energy presentation is definitely something that is appealing to us,” said Fullard, who welcomed the removal of the 100 MW cap, as well as clarity around the ‘wheeling’ of renewable energy back on to the grid.

SEE THE LATEST UPDATES IN THE RIGHT HAND SIDE COLUMN 

Electricity reforms to spur ‘boom in private fixed investment’

Electricity reforms to spur ‘boom in private fixed investment’: Minister in the Presidency Mondli Gungubele says the reforms under way in the electricity sector – including the removal of the 100 MW licensing threshold for distributed generation projects and the expedited procurement of new capacity from renewables, gas and battery storage – will “supercharge our efforts to modernise and transform the electricity sector”. “Most importantly, these changes will create the conditions for a boom in private fixed investment in the coming years, which will lift our economic growth overall,” Gungubele said during the release of Operation Vulindlela’s latest progress update.

Europe leads even though sun, wind, storage, green electron/molecule energy is tailor made for South Africa

Europe leads even though sun, wind, storage, green electron/molecule energy is tailor made for South Africa: This week the European Commission approved €5.4-billion of public support by 15 member states for a hydrogen technology value chain taking in hydrogen generation technology, fuel cells technology, storage technology and end-user technology. The week before, Shell started building Europe’s largest renewable hydrogen plant – Holland Hydrogen I – which will be Europe’s largest green hydrogen plant once operational in 2025, with the ‘I’ indicative of more to come.

Look out for the platinum coin toss at Wimbledon

Look out for the platinum coin toss at Wimbledon: In the year of the Queen of England’s platinum jubilee, the coins to be used in the Wimbledon ladies’ and gentlemen’s singles finals coin toss this weekend will be made of platinum for the first time in the championships’ history. As Mining Weekly reported earlier this year, the coins are being presented to the championships by the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) the members of which are  South Africa's Anglo American Platinum, Impala Platinum, Northam Platinum, Royal Bafokeng Platinum, Sedibelo Platinum and Tharisa.

Giant new power plants undermine South Africa’s emissions pledge

Giant new power plants undermine South Africa’s emissions pledge: In the rolling hills of South Africa’s Mpumalanga province, hundreds of builders, welders and engineers are putting the final touches to a gigantic new power station that’s set to burn as much as 15-million tons of coal a year until it is eventually shuttered in 2073. The 4 800 MW dry-cooled Kusile plant and the almost identical Medupi facility, which was completed last year, will be key to meeting demand for energy in a country that’s been plagued by rolling blackouts since 2008. Environmentalists however caution that their continued operation will be a major impediment to South Africa meeting its commitment to eliminating greenhouse gas emissions on a net basis by 2050.

European fund for critical minerals projects to launch next year

European fund for critical minerals projects to launch next year: A European fund to invest in critical minerals needed for a transition to zero carbon emissions is seeking billions of euros of public and private money for a launch early next year, an official working with an EU initiative on the project said. Europe and the United States have been scrambling in recent years to restart domestic production of rare earths, lithium and other raw materials used in electric vehicles (EVs) and to wean themselves from dependence on China.

Future metals beneficiation bonus on way for already hugely endowed Northern Cape

See June 2022 page updates in rght hand colum

Future metals beneficiation bonus on way for already hugely endowed Northern Cape: Modern technology and global decarbonisation demand is positioning South Africa’s already incredibly well-endowed Northern Cape with big beneficiation bonanza potential, in addition to being a green minerals, green metals and green energy haven. Rapidly developing clean beneficiation technology coupled with unprecedented demand growth for battery metal salts and specialist powders – precursor battery products –– are giving support to potential on-site production of added value products that attract significant price premiums as beneficiated products.