Barrick, Newmont said to be in talks to merge Nevada operations

South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources, defending itself in court after awarding prospecting rights to a company linked to President Jacob Zuma’s son, will seek criminal charges against the plaintiff Sishen, part of Kumba Iron Ore, a company controlled by Anglo American. Kumba and Indian iron ore giant ArcelorMittal are asking the High Court to overturn the award of prospecting rights for the Sishen mine to Imperial Crown Trading 289, whose owners include Jagdish Parekh, a business partner of Duduzane Zuma. Kumba says it’s the only party eligible for the rights to the nation’s largest iron ore mine.

Caledonia Mining, which owns Blanket Mine near Gwanda, on Friday said Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere acted outside his ambit in asking the ministry of mines to cancel the company’s operating licence. The company noted that the mine was operating normally. The move follows reports that Kasukuwere had rejected various foreign-owned companies plans for “indigenising” their operations in the country, or transferring at least 51% ownership to locals. The news knocked 17% of Caledonia’s share price on the TSX, which fell to C$0,075 by close of trade on Friday.

Zimbabwe's government has given foreign companies including miners and banks a 14-day ultimatum to submit plans on how they propose to transfer majority stakes to local owners or risk losing permits, state media reported on Friday. However, immediately thereafter the country's central bank governor Gideon Gono launched a scathing attack on the minister responsible for the indigenization policy saying the threats “could irreparably harm the nerve-centre of the recovering economy.” Before a new unity government in 2009 Zimbabwe economy had shrank by as much as half over the preceding decade amid hyperinflation, property seizures and civil unrest. The country is the number two platinum producer in the world and rich in gold and diamonds.

Anglo American is exploring a bid for Macarthur Coal that would challenge Peabody Energy Corp.’s $4.9 billion offer for the Australian miner, said two people with knowledge of the matter. Anglo American, part owner of the world’s biggest platinum and diamond producers, is studying Macarthur’s finances, said one of the people, who declined to be identified as the talks are private. Buying Brisbane-based Macarthur would give Anglo steelmaking-coal mines in Australia as prices trade near a record. Peabody and its bidding partner, ArcelorMittal, took their offer directly to Macarthur shareholders after talks with the board collapsed.

London and Toronto-listed Noventa announced Friday that it placed 73,600,000 new ordinary shares at a price of 25 pence each with institutions and other investors to raise roughly $30.3 million. The specialty metal miner with operations in Mozambique is also extending an offer to shareholders to subscribe for a total of 17,500,000 new ordinary shares to raise up to a further US$7.2 million. In London stock in Noventa duly plunged 24% to 27.75 pence in line with the placing price of 25 pence.

Mining Review reports Newcrest Mining CEO Greg Robinson told reporters on Friday it would acquire Harmony Gold Mining’s 50% stake in their massive Wafi-Golpu joint venture in Papua New Guinea if it was for sale. Last month Harmony Gold upgraded the resource estimate for Wafi-Golpu increasing it by 57% to over 1 billion metric tons, making it one of the highest grade copper-gold porphyry systems on the planet. Rumours about a possible sale by Harmony have been swirling for months and estimates of the value of the mine forecast to start production only in 2017 have bounced up and down with one investment bank pegging it at $9.9 billion.

China, the world's largest consumer of iron ore, aims to develop and control resources, especially in west Africa, to gain a foothold on supply and tackle the hegemony of three iron ore suppliers – Rio Tinto , BHP Billiton and Vale. Chinese firms have signed a number of iron ore deals in Africa, which at their peak could contribute nearly 250 million tonnes of iron ore when they come on stream in the medium to long term.

A day after news of an onerous new mining royalty and taxation regime in Peru, Namibia, the world’s biggest miner of offshore diamonds and a top four uranium producer, drops plans for a huge jump in the corporate tax rate for miners and mineral export levies. Deputy Finance Minister Calle Schlettwein said on Wednesday, the country has withdrawn a proposal to increase the tax on non-diamond miners to 44% from 37.5% and will instead propose a windfall tax when international prices for the commodities are high. Namibia was one of 25 countries around the world that recently announced their intentions to increase their take of the mining industry’s profits or impose ownership and other restrictions.

Bloomberg reports the proposed expansion by South Africa's Royal Bafokeng Platinum follows an increase in demand for platinum which has gained 19% in the past 12 months to $1,818/oz. Steve Phiri, RB Platinum CEO said demand is likely to exceed supply in the next three years, while a shortage of palladium, typically mined along with platinum, may rise to 1 million ounces in 2014. South Africa produces more than three-quarters of global supply.