Dominant South African workers union NUM has declared a dispute with the group's Hotazel manganese mines and the issue had been referred to a government mediator to avert a strike.
Copper strengthened further on Thursday in a generally stronger base metals sector on comments from China Premier Wen Jiabao which was interpreted as suggesting possible further monetary easing there.
Canadian exploration junior, Atico Mining, is off to a good start in its underground drill program at El Roble in Colombia, hitting two 40-metre intercepts with high-grade copper and gold.
History suggests that to sell gold ahead of an extended period of deflation would be counter to the likely price outlook, as well raising investment risk profile rather than reducing it
It's a case of perhaps not so bad in a bad junior market. A slew of junior gold and silver producers, among others, have been trading sideways in recent months while explorers have continued to fall.
