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Mining Iron Ore and Chrome South Africa

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2019

Alex Conradie | South Africa | 15 November 2019

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2015

Alex Conradie | South Africa | 20 November 2015

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2015

Alex Conradie | South Africa | 29 July 2015

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Report Coverage

This report on the mining of iron ore and chrome includes comprehensive information on the size and state of the industry, its major players, and their activities and corporate actions in South Africa, on the continent and globally. There are profiles of 21 companies including Kumba Iron Ore, which dominates the iron ore sector, and other players such as Assmang and Palabora Copper. Chrome producers profiled include integrated ferrochrome producers Glencore (Glencore-Merafe), Samancor and Afarak.

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome

South Africa is the world’s sixth-largest iron ore producer and third largest iron ore exporter. It has 36% of the world’s chromite reserves, and is the is the world’s largest chrome producer and second-largest producer of ferrochrome. The iron ore mining sector employed 18,613 people in 2018, while the chrome ore mining sector had 18,935 employees in 2018. Rapidly rising input costs and policy and regulatory uncertainty are some of the challenges faced by the iron ore and chrome ore mining sectors. Expected growth in demand for chrome ore and ferrochrome, due to increasing stainless steel production, continues to present opportunities for the sector, as does growing demand for higher-grade iron ore from China.

Cost Pressures

Above-inflation electricity, water, and labour cost increases continue to affect the industry. Kumba, the major player in the iron ore sector, said its challenges include high stripping ratios, long hauling distances and high transport costs while Merafe Resources referred to global uncertainty and inflationary pressures locally. Electricity constraints and tariff increases continue to weigh heavily on the sector. The Minerals Council said substantial tariff increases will have a major effect on the mining industry’s cost structure, jeopardising the viability of marginal and loss-making mines and accelerating job losses. The introduction of carbon tax could cost the mining industry between R900m and R1.8bn per year during the first phase.

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Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2019

Full Report

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

Industry Overview

R 1 330.00(ZAR) estimated $ 70.34 (USD)*

Historical Reports

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2015-11-20

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

View Report Add to Cart

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2015-07-29

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

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Table of Contents

[ Close ]
PAGE
1. INTRODUCTION 1
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY 1
2.1. Industry Value Chain 1
2.2. Geographic Position 4
3. SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY 6
4. STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 8
4.1. Local 8
4.1.1. Trade 13
4.1.2. Corporate Actions 15
4.1.3. Regulations 17
4.1.4. Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development 21
4.2. Continental 22
4.3. International 23
5. INFLUENCING FACTORS 30
5.1. Economic Environment 30
5.2. Labour 31
5.3. Mine Safety 33
5.4. Environmental Concerns 34
6. COMPETITION 35
6.1. Barriers to Entry 37
7. SWOT ANALYSIS 38
8. OUTLOOK 39
9. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS 39
10. REFERENCES 39
10.1. Publications 39
10.2. Websites 40
APPENDIX 1 - SUMMARY OF NOTABLE PLAYERS 42
Mining of Chrome and Production of Ferrochrome 42
Mining of Iron Ore 45
COMPANY PROFILES - MINING OF CHROME AND PRODUCTION OF FERROCHROME 47
AFARAK GROUP OYJ 47
ANGLO AMERICAN PLATINUM LTD 51
ASSORE LTD 55
BAUBA RESOURCES LTD 59
EASTERN PLATINUM LTD 63
GLENCORE OPERATIONS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD 66
IMPALA PLATINUM HOLDINGS LTD 70
JUBILEE METALS GROUP PLC 75
LANXESS CHROME MINING (PTY) LTD 79
NORTHAM PLATINUM LTD 81
SAMANCOR CHROME LTD 86
SIBANYE GOLD LTD 89
THARISA PLC 95
THUTSE MINING (PTY) LTD 99
COMPANY PROFILES - MINING OF IRON ORE 101
AFRIMAT LTD 101
ASSMANG (PTY) LTD 107
ASSORE LTD 111
KUMBA IRON ORE LTD 115
MANNGWE MINING (PTY) LTD 119
PALABORA COPPER (PTY) LTD 121
SEDIBENG IRON ORE (PTY) LTD 124
STRATA AFRICA RESOURCES (PTY) LTD 126

Report Coverage

The report on the iron ore sector describes the current market, outlines developments within the sector and focuses on factors influencing the success of the local industry. The report also profiles six companies, including Kumba Iron Ore which in July 2015 announced the decision to close its Thabazimbi mine after a review of its operations. Other players profiled include Assmang, Palabora Copper and the vertically integrated steel and vanadium producer Evraz Highveld Steel and Vanadium which initiated voluntary business rescue proceedings in April 2015 and in July 2015 announced a temporary halt to its mining and steelmaking operations.

The Mining of Iron Ore in South Africa

This report focuses on the South African iron ore mining sector which produced 78 million tonnes (Mt) of iron ore during 2014. Of this total, 67.2Mt worth US$6.7bn was exported. China remains the largest importer of South African iron ore, importing 73% of all local iron ore exports in 2014, valued at US$4.91bn. The latest statistics from the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) indicate that more than 21,000 people were employed by the iron ore mining sector at 12 iron ore mines in 2013.

Challenging Conditions

Challenges faced by this sector include unreliable and reduced electricity supply and rapidly escalating production costs. Added to these is the drastic decrease in iron ore prices as a result of large supplies of low-cost iron ore from Australia and Brazil. The recent drop in iron ore prices to less than US$40 per ton means that local companies, already struggling to survive, will have to implement more effective strategies in an attempt to mine the iron ore at a lower break-even price. To add to its difficulties, the country’s largest producer, Anglo-American’s Kumba Iron Ore was informed by its most important local customer ArcelorMittal South Africa that it wants to re-open iron ore pricing negotiations.

Read More..
Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2015

Full Report

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

Industry Overview

R 1 330.00(ZAR) estimated $ 70.34 (USD)*

Historical Reports

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2019-11-15

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

View Report Add to Cart

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2015-07-29

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

View Report Add to Cart

Table of Contents

[ Close ]
PAGE
1. INTRODUCTION 1
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY 1
2.1. Industry Value Chain 1
2.2. Geographic Position 3
3. SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY 3
4. STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 5
4.1. Local 5
4.1.1. Corporate Actions 7
4.1.2. Regulations and Government Programmes 8
4.1.3. Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development 12
4.2. Continental 12
4.3. International 13
5. INFLUENCING FACTORS 15
5.1. Government Support and Intervention 15
5.2. Labour 17
5.3. Economic Environment 18
5.4. Information Technology 20
5.5. Environmental Concerns 21
5.6. Mine Safety 21
5.7. Power Supply 22
5.8. Technology, Research and Development (R&D) and Innovation 22
6. COMPETITION 23
6.1. Barriers to Entry 24
7. SWOT ANALYSIS 24
8. OUTLOOK 25
9. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS 26
10. REFERENCES 26
10.1. Publications 26
10.2. Websites 27
COMPANY PROFILES 28
ASSMANG (PTY) LTD 28
EVRAZ HIGHVELD STEEL AND VANADIUM LTD 32
FERRUM CRESCENT LTD 36
KUMBA IRON ORE LTD 39
PALABORA COPPER (PTY) LTD 42
SEDIBENG IRON ORE (PTY) LTD 45

Report Coverage

The report on the Chrome sector describes the current market, outlines developments within the sector and focuses on factors influencing the success of the local industry. The report also profiles nine companies, including the world’s largest ferrochrome producer Glencore Operations South Africa (Pty) Ltd, which employs 9,500 people at its seven chrome mines and five ferrochrome plants, and the second-largest producer, Samancor Chrome, which owns two mines and three ferrochrome plants.

The Mining of Chrome in South Africa

This report focuses on the chrome ore mining sector in South Africa. The country holds 72% of global chromite resources, which includes more than 41% of the world’s reserves, and during 2014 the industry produced 15Mt of chromite, exporting 7Mt valued at US$1.1bn. Also produced during 2014 was 3.7Mt of ferrochrome, an alloy of iron and chromium, and 3.6Mt of this, worth US$3.2bn was exported.

Challenges and Investments

Challenges faced by the sector include unreliable and reduced electricity supply, rapidly escalating input costs and the impact of strikes. As well as rising productions costs, South African ferrochrome producers have to deal with low ferrochrome prices because of the inability of the steel mills to absorb higher prices. Despite these difficulties on the domestic front, the sector has seen stakeholders investing in production capacity and the introduction of new energy-efficient technologies. The industry also saw newcomer Bauba Platinum arranging its first shipment of chromite to ASA Metals during March 2015 and Assore undertaking trials to re-establish open-cast mining at the Zeerust Chrome mine in the North West province. The export market for chromite remains strong but stakeholders have expressed concern that Chinese imports of South African chromite have resulted in China becoming the world’s largest producer of ferrochrome.

Read More..
Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2015

Full Report

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

Industry Overview

R 1 330.00(ZAR) estimated $ 70.34 (USD)*

Historical Reports

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2019-11-15

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

View Report Add to Cart

Mining of Iron Ore and Chrome Industry in South Africa 2015-11-20

R 1 900.00(ZAR) estimated $100.48 (USD)*

View Report Add to Cart

Table of Contents

[ Close ]
PAGE
1. INTRODUCTION 1
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY 1
2.1. Industry Value Chain 2
2.2. Geographic Position 3
3. SIZE OF THE INDUSTRY 5
4. STATE OF THE INDUSTRY 7
4.1. Local 7
4.1.1. Corporate Actions 9
4.1.2. Regulations 10
4.1.3. Enterprise Development and Social Economic Development 13
4.2. Continental 13
4.3. International 14
5. INFLUENCING FACTORS 17
5.1. Government Support and Intervention 17
5.2. Labour 17
5.3. Economic Environment 19
5.4. Rising Input Costs 20
5.5. Information Technology 21
5.6. Environmental Concerns 21
5.7. Mine Safety 21
5.8. Power Supply 22
6. COMPETITION 22
6.1. Barriers to Entry 24
6.2. Research and Development (R&D) 24
6.3. Innovation 25
7. SWOT ANALYSIS 25
8. OUTLOOK 26
9. INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS 27
10. REFERENCES 27
10.1. Publications 27
10.2. Websites 28
ORGANOGRAM 29
COMPANY PROFILES 30
ASSMANG (PTY) LTD 30
DILOKONG CHROME MINE (PTY) LTD 33
GLENCORE OPERATIONS SOUTH AFRICA (PTY) LTD 35
HERNIC FERROCHROME (PTY) LTD 40
INTERNATIONAL FERRO METALS (SA) (PTY) LTD 43
LANXESS CHROME MINING (PTY) LTD 46
MARICO CHROME CORPORATION (PTY) LTD 48
RUSTENBURG MINERALS DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (PTY) LTD 50
SAMANCOR CHROME LTD 52