The Finance Ministry proposed this week to put a portion of the country’s gold and gems into a special reserve that can be accessed in times of war.

Brown was also the former chief executive officer of Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. and Zimbabwe’s Kuvimba Mining House Ltd. 

Two South African trade unions have signed a three-year wage agreement with miner Sibanye Stillwater.

In recent years the uptick in the price of precious metals has reinforced their reputation as a store of value and leading drivers of mining activity around the world.

The Darwendale project was expected to become the biggest mining venture in the country

Northam says takeover of Royal Bafokeng Platinum by Implats would be anti-competitive as it would concentrate significant mineral reserves with one company.

“Supply is fairly constrained and you will not see supply from mines growing in the near or medium-term future,” said the World Platinum Investment Council.