Northam Platinum has signed a long term solar power purchase agreement worth about 645 million dollars, the latest South African miner to buy its own electricity supply as the national grid’s reliability and tariffs push producers off Eskom supply. Anglo American chief executive Duncan Wanblad told the Financial Times that technology companies have approached the group about its copper assets, as the data centre industry hunts for the metal its buildout depends on; Mining.com carried the interview. Richemont and Signet Jewelers are weighing joining a consortium bid for De Beers, the diamond producer Anglo is selling, which would put the two biggest names in luxury and mid market jewellery on the buy side of the industry’s defining asset.
A Mining.com report warned the energy transition faces a critical minerals crunch by 2035 on current investment trends, the demand side counterpart to today’s Pilgangoora and Thacker Pass financing decisions. Antofagasta added BHP veteran Carlos Avila to its board on Wednesday, The Rio Times reported. In Australia, lithium shares opened higher on Friday after a sector wide selloff, Kalkine reported, offering some relief to names including Elevra Lithium and Mineral Resources after the EU moved to cap Chinese hybrid imports. Arrow Minerals said it is targeting a 400 percent expansion of its landholding in the iron ore rich Pilbara, Mining Weekly reported; the item is single sourced.