The application of State electricity utility Eskom for a six-year negotiated pricing agreement for the Glencore-Merafe ferrochrome smelter operation in Rustenburg, in the North West Province, has been approved by South Africa’s energy regulator Nersa.

Outokumpu has ambitious sustainability goals and is constantly looking for options to further reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the industry and from the company’s stainless steel production.

Eastplats continues to produce chrome concentrate from its retreatment project, and has also started blasting operations at CRM, which initiated the soft restart of the Zandfontein underground section.

Zimbabwe’s bourse in the resort city of Victoria Falls plans to start a commodity and electricity exchange in the first quarter of next year, its chief executive officer said.

The Energy Regulator has approved six-year negotiated pricing agreements (NPAs) for ferrochrome smelters operated in South Africa by both Glencore-Merafe Chrome Venture and Samancor Chrome

Production of chrome concentrate increased to 336 683 t from 344 315 t in the previous quarter.

Shareholders of Merafe Resources are advised that the European benchmark ferrochrome price for the fourth quarter of 2023 has been settled at 153 US cents per pound, an increase of 1.32% from the third quarter of 2023.

The greenfield smelter capacity in Kalinganagar will be commissioned by FY26, and mining expansions will take six to seven years.