South Africa: Minerals and Energy Newsletter "THE ASSAY" - I

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000817

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SUBJECT: South Africa: Minerals and Energy Newsletter "THE ASSAY" - I

REF: A) 2004 PRETORIA 3049, B) 2004 PRETORIA 2998

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1. (U) Introduction: In January 2004, the Economic Section of Embass

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Key
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2. (U) Key to some of the terminology and abbreviations used is given

BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) - the scheme whereby the South Afric

- t = tons,
- t/d = tons per day,
- c/l = cents per liter,
- t/m = tons per month,
- t/y = tons per year,
- oz = troy ounces (31.1 grams),
- cmg = centimeter grams,
- mcf = million cubic feet,
- tcf = trillion cubic feet,
- R = SA currency (rand),
- MW = megawatts,
- kt = thousand tons,
- bbl/d = barrels per day,
- MW = megawatts,
- PGM = platinum group metals.

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NEWS
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Aquarius Platinum Lists on JSE
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On December 8, after nearly two years in the offing, Aquarius Platinu

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FERRO-CHROME
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Environmental Resistance to Tata Steel
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Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) plans to construct a $100 million

Cheap electricity and the port had originally attracted TISCO to Rich

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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS
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Court Rules Against Government EIA Process
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On January 26, the Western Cape High Court ruled that the Department

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RENEWABLE ENERGY
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High Hopes for New Solar Panel
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South African scientists at the Rand Afrikaans University (now part o

Alberts believes that large-scale production could bring production c

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GOLD
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Finance Minister Backs IMF Gold Revaluation
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On January 17, South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said that

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COAL
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South African Coal Exports Down 5%
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South Africa's total coal exports decreased 5%, from 71.5 mt in 2003

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DIAMONDS
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Namibia Wants De Beers to Sell Local
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Diamdel, a wholly-owned diamond-marketing subsidiary of De Beers, pla

De Beers Raises Rough Diamond Prices by 3%
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London-based Diamond Trading Company (DTC),the marketing arm for De

New Lesotho Diamond Mine Sparkles
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During the past two weeks, the newly reopened Letseng diamond mine in

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OIL
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South Africa to Send Oil Technicians to the Sudan
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PetroSA, the South African National Oil Company, is to send technicia

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FOREIGN BUSINESS
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China Increases Involvement in South African Mineral Industry
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China recently acquired a controlling interest in the Steelpoort chro

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HEALTH and SAFETY
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Fire at SASOL's NATREF Refinery
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On January 23, a gas fire broke out in one of the storage tanks at th

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INFRASTRUCTURE
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Kumba and Transnet Sign HOA
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On January 26, Transnet, the state-owned transport company, and minin
FRAZER