Germany’s Chancellor plans lithium deal with Serbia after Rio ruling
Olaf Scholz plans to visit Serbia this week to secure supplies of lithium that are critical for the nation’s energy transition and auto industry.
Workers at Lonmin’s (LON:JSE) Marikana mine have accepted a 22% pay increase to end more than five weeks of deadly strikes.
The agreement reached Tuesday also includes a once-off payment of $250 (2,000 rand) to partly account for their wage loss while on strike, said Associated Press Bishop Joe Seoka, a member of the negotiating team.
Also today, world number one platinum producer Anglo American Platinum said it had resumed its operations in the strike-hit Rustenburg area.
“Anglo American Platinum Limited confirms that all of its Rustenburg operations have resumed, effective from today’s morning shift,” the company said in a statement.
South Africa’s mining sector, which accounts for 6% of gross domestic product, has been repeatedly hit by disputes over low wages that reflect widespread anger over enduring inequalities in the economy.
Image courtesy of Al Jazeera English, via YouTube.
