Posts by Reuters Africa:

Russia RUSAL rejects Norilsk buyback offer

The board of the world's top aluminium producer UC RUSAL said on Monday it had unanimously rejected a $8.75 billion offer by mining giant Norilsk Nickel to buy back its shares. The $306 per share offer for a 15 percent stake, which represents a 20 percent premium to the weighted average market price for the past six months, was approved by Norilsk's board and was valid until 1400 GMT on Sept. 5. Norilsk said that it plans now to make a buyback offer to other shareholders.

Gold steady on persistent euro zone fear

French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel unveiled far-reaching plans for closer euro zone integration, but stopped short of increasing the bloc's rescue fund and said joint euro bonds may be a long-term solution.

Platinum miner Stillwater’s profit misses, stock slide continues

Platinum and palladium producer Stillwater Mining Co's quarterly profit almost tripled, but the results fell short of Wall Street expectations and the company's stock slipped. Analysts said investors are concerned about Stillwater's plans to diversify by buying Canadian gold and copper miner Peregrine Metals. Since the $450 million deal was announced last month, Stillwater's stock has fallen 37 percent.

Talks fail to end South Africa gold strike

South Africa's National Union of Mineworkers said no progress was made in talks on Monday with the Chamber of Mines to end a strike against the country's main gold producers. The talks were set to resume on Tuesday. The strike of some 100,000 workers in the world's fourth largest gold producer is costing mining companies up to $25 million a day in lost output. The workers at those mines downed tools on Thursday. (Image of 1941 postage stamp depicting mining around Johannesburg by Igor Golovniov / Shutterstock.com)