Reuters article on Transfer of Mineral RightsEastern Platinum (ELR-TSX) is in queue to have their mineral transfer rights granted by the
South African government. This Reuters article states the process is moving ahead, and
that no properly completed applications have been refused.
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New mining order rights on track, says S.Africa Fri Aug 26, 2005 2:29 PM GMT
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's process to convert to new order mining rights was
on track, the minerals department said on Friday, with AngloGold and Harmony Gold
already granted licences so far.
The government enacted new legislation in May last year transferring all mining and
prospecting rights in the world's biggest producer of gold and platinum, to the state.
Companies already mining were given up to five years to re-apply for new licences and
had to meet wide-ranging targets, including employing more black South Africans.
Minerals and Energy Minister Lindiwe Hendricks said in a written reply to a parliamentary
question that three companies had received new order rights and that no applications had
so far been refused.
She added three applications were rejected for being incomplete and 173 conversions
were still being considered.
"The process is going fine, it's moving quickly and I don't think there is any rush from
anybody," Jacinto Rocha, deputy director-general in the department, told Reuters.
AngloGold Ashanti, the world's second biggest gold producer, was granted a licence this
month and Harmony was approved last year. Rocha did not name the third miner, saying
only the licence was for "a small mining company".
Companies applying for rights are required to have a plan in place to meet targets set out
in a mining charter on equity ownership, increasing black representation in management
and on raising the standards for mine workers and communities.
The charter demands that 15 percent of South African mines are black-owned by 2009
and 26 percent by 2014.
Hendricks said 126 old exploration rights had so far been converted to new order
prospecting licences, and that 23 applications for new mining licences had also been
granted.