JSE-listed Mantengu Mining has announced the successful commissioning of Langpan Mining’s second chrome processing plant on December 10. The 50 t an hour will require about 31 500 t of chrome ore feedstock to produce chrome concentrate.
JSE-listed Mantengu’s 70%-owned subsidiary Blue Ridge Platinum has entered into a life-of-mine chrome concentrate supply agreement with Monteagle International. In terms of the supply agreement, Blue Ridge has agreed to deliver, and Monteagle has agreed to buy, a minimum of 300 000 dry metric tonnes at a rate of 10 000 dry metric tonnes a month.
JSE-listed Merafe Group, Glencore International and Glencore South Africa have concluded a further addendum to extend their chrome ore marketing agreement to January 23, 2026. The remaining terms of the marketing agreement are unchanged. The agreement initially started on May 22, 2014, and has subsequently been amended, supplemented and/or extended from time to time.
JSE-listed Merafe Resources’ attributable ferrochrome production from the Glencore Merafe chrome venture for the nine months ended September 30 was 112 000 t – a 51% decrease on the 230 000 t produced in the nine months ended September 30, 2024. The lower production was primarily the result of the suspension of production at the venture’s smelters owing to adverse market conditions.
The Glencore Merafe Chrome Venture, a joint venture (JV) between Merafe Resources and Glencore Operations South Africa, has concluded a renewed supply agreement with energy company Astron Energy that extends to July 31, 2030. Astron currently supplies and delivers diesel and petrol to Glencore’s South African sites, including the JV operations with Merafe.
The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is concerned about potential retrenchments having been announced by diversified miner Glencore and Samancor at their South African ferrochrome operations. The proposed job cuts are owing to economic pressure, as a result of high electricity tariffs and a decline in ferrochrome prices, among other factors.