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In a 60-page resources and reserves publication, diversified mining and marketing company Glencore has outlined its copper, zinc, nickel, ferroalloys, aluminium, coal and oil reserves spread across Africa, Australia and Americas.

Large-scale copper operating assets and development projects in Africa and the Americas take up nine pages, which reflects the London- and Johannesburg-listed Glencore's growing copper portfolio.

On the South African front, mineral resources and ore reserves are provided for four ferroalloys operating complexes as well as for coal.

Among the ferroalloys complexes are Western Chrome Mines and Eastern Chrome Mines chromite complexes, the Rhovan vanadium operation, and the Mokala manganese mine in the Kalahari Manganese Field (KMF). These collectively mine stratiform chromitite and vanadiferous magnetite deposits within the Bushveld Complex, a layered mafic intrusion that hosts chrome, vanadium, and platinum group element mineralisation.

The Western Chrome Mines mining complex has the operating Kroondal mine and the resource areas of Waterval and Klipfonten. Kroondal is an underground mine that exploits laterally continuous chromitite layers, primarily the LG6 seams, which occur as shallow-dipping tabular orebodies. Chrome ore mineralisation is hosted in discrete, solid chromitite layers with sharp contacts, characterised by regional grade consistency and continuity.

The Eastern Chrome Mines consist of three operating underground mines focused on regionally extensive chromitite seams of the MG1 and MG2 packages, mined from shallow-dipping tabular orebodies in the eastern limb of the intrusion. Solid chromitite layers have consistent grades and thickness across the mining areas.

Rhovan, an opencast vanadium operation, mines vanadium-bearing magnetite deposits within the Bushveld Complex.

The mineral lease area is situated on gabbroic rock formations that host layered magnetite seams in the upper zone of the intrusion, forming shallow-dipping stratified magnetite orebodies at angles of six degrees to 25°.

Rhovan's 2025 ore reserve depletion was 2.5-millon tons and life-of-mine based on the declared ore reserves is seven years with a mining right expiring in 2027.

Mokala, an opencast manganese operation near Hotazel in South Africa's Northern Cape, within the KMF, has three stratiform upper, middle, and lower orebodies within the Hotazel Manganese formation. The high-grade mineralisation is in laterally continuous stratiform orebodies that vary in thickness from a few metres to more than 20 m, dipping gently up to about 12° to the west.

Mokala's ore reserve depletion during 2025 in the ore reserves was 1.3-million tons. Based on the declared ore reserves Mokala's life-of-mine is 11 years.

Glencore's South African coal assets are in the Mpumalanga province's coalfields taking in the Witbank, Highveld and Ermelo coalfields, which are part of the broader Karoo Basin coal measures on the Highveld. The coalfield extends about 180 km in an east–west direction between the towns of Belfast and Springs.

Tweefontein, Goedgevonden, iMpunzi, which are active opencast mining operations, are situated near the town of Ogies within the Witbank coalfield.

Oogiesfontein and Nooitgedacht are extension projects associated with Tweefontein, Goedgevonden, and iMpunzi. These assets are not yet operational with mining planned to comprise underground operations.

Zonnebloem, located east of Middelburg in Mpumalanga province within the Witbank Coalfield, is currently non-operational, with mining planned for opencast operations.

Paardekop, in southern Mpumalanga within the Highveld coalfield, is currently in prefeasibility.

In Africa, KCC in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has metasedimentary ...

Mining Weekly Editor Martin Creamer discusses the project office that Transnet and Richards Bay Coal Terminal have established; the benefits of the new automation at Richards Bay Coal Terminal; and the developments around Exxaro’s manganese movements.

This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation.

Reflecting the ongoing benefits of simplified operating structures, London- and Johannesburg-listed Glencore on Thursday reported full-year key-commodity production volumes within guidance ranges.

Second-half copper production at 500 000 t-plus was almost 50% above that of the first half.

"Glencore's production update was stronger than expected," Barclays equity research analysts stated.

The notable increases in Glencore's copper mineral resource base follow the pathway the company provided at its year-end Capital Markets Day towards becoming one of the world's largest producers over the next decade.

In zinc, second-half volumes were an 8%-higher 39 000 t and on the coal front, 1.4 million more energy coal tonnes were produced as well as 1.1-million more steelmaking coal tonnes.

"We expect to report full year 2025 marketing adjusted earnings before interest and tax around the mid-point of our recently upgraded (in July 2025) $2.3-billion to $3.5-billion per annum long-term through the cycle guidance range," Glencore CEO Gary Nagle stated in a release to Mining Weekly.

Own-sourced copper production of 851 600 t was 11% below 2024, primarily owing to lower head grades and recoveries associated with mine sequencing and resultant ore feedstock to the plants, contributing to the reductions at Collahuasi, Antamina and Antapaccay. Copper production from the Mount Isa complex, recorded as part of the zinc department, reduced by 13 300 t reflecting closure of the MICO mine in mid-2025. Second-half own-sourced copper production was 48% higher on grade-related uplifts at KCC, Antamina and Antapaccay.

Own-sourced cobalt production of 36 100 t was 5% lower than 2024, mainly reflecting proactive planning to prioritise copper production over cobalt, noting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) cobalt export restrictions. Fourth-quarter cobalt production was 2 000 t lower than in the third quarter of 2025.

Own-sourced overall zinc production was a 7%-higher 969 400 t on higher zinc grades at Antamina and higher McArthur River production.

Own-sourced nickel production was a 7%-lower 71 900 t as a result of lower production at INO and Murrin Murrin.

Attributable ferrochrome production of 436 000 t was 730 000 t (63%) lower than the comparable 2024 period, reflecting the suspension of operations at the Boshoek smelter in May and the Wonderkop smelter in June. Operations at the Lion smelter are suspended for extended annual maintenance and planned furnace rebuilds.

Underlying attributable chrome ore production of 3.6-million tonnes was in line with 2024.

Steelmaking coal production of 32.5-million tonnes mainly comprises the Elk Valley Resources business acquired in July 2024, which produced 25.2-million tonnes compared with 12.5-million tonnes in 2024. Australian steelmaking coal production of 7.3-million tonnes was in line with 2024.

Energy coal production of 98-million tonnes was 2% down on 2024 owing mainly to voluntary Cerrejón production cuts, partially offset by a stronger performance from the Australian business.

Although the DRC, which lifted its cobalt export ban in the last quarter of last year, is ramping up its quota systems and controls, there were delays to initially intended fourth-quarter exports. As KCC and Mutanda did not export any cobalt in the fourth quarter, their 2025 quotas are available for use up to March 31.

Glencore intends to export cobalt according to its allocations in 2026 and 2027, with DRC copper production being prioritised over cobalt, where it makes commercial sense. This strategy is expected to continue while the quotas are in effect. Cobalt in ore processed above sales quota levels, will either build as work in process inventory or be stored as final product in-country.

This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation.

The binding agreements of JSE-listed Exxaro Resources to acquire manganese assets advanced further on Thursday with the fulfilment of first transaction conditions.

Exxaro has entered into binding agreements to acquire shares and claims in manganese assets held by Ntsimbintle Holdings and OM Holdings in a "transformational" R11.67-billion transaction.

The involved assets, located within the globally significant Kalahari Manganese Field in the Northern Cape, comprise 74% of Ntsimbintle Mining; 19.99% of Jupiter; 100% of Ntsimbintle Marketing and Trading; 51% of Mokala; and 9% of Hotazel Manganese mines.

Through the acquisition, Exxaro gains exposure to four operating mines, including 60.1% effective ownership in the Tshipi Borwa mine, 51% in Mokala and 9% in Hotazel Manganese Mines which operates the Mamatwan and Wessels mines.

The acquisition of select manganese assets from Ntsimbintle and OM Holdings has become unconditional, Exxaro stated in a stock exchange announcement.

The Mokala sale transaction remains subject to the fulfilment of the remaining suspensive conditions, with the long stop date also now February 27. Mining Weekly can report that a further announcement will be made regarding remaining suspensive conditions in due course.

The broader strategy of Exxaro, headed by CEO Ben Magara, includes significant investments in renewable energy, including wind and solar; exploration of essential transition minerals such as manganese and copper; and the use of innovative technologies to enhance operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact.

This audio is brought to you by Endress and Hauser, a global leader in process and laboratory measurement technology, offering a broad portfolio of instruments, solutions and services for industrial process measurement and automation.

The new automation at Richards Bay Coal Terminal (RBCT) in KwaZulu-Natal has begun with very efficient coal stacking and reclaiming processes that have millimeter accuracy.

The stacker reclaimer, with no onboard operator, calculates the most productive way to stack coal while operators oversee the process safely from a central control room.

Rather than air digging in and out of coal, the machine finds the most optimal way of continuously remaining in coal

Digging efficiency is already up by 6.2%; electricity consumption, fuel use and dust emissions are down.

By introducing Africa's first fully autonomous stacker reclaimer, RBCT is adhering to international best practices and securing long term competitiveness

"We have the potential, we believe, probably achieve around eight per cent to ten per cent improvement overall," RBCT GM asset management Kubendren Naidoo outlined to visiting journalists during this week's media briefing attended by Mining Weekly.

"We're in the process of further finetuning and optimising the project of machines while we roll out phase two, which is being approved for four machines in the current year.

"We have the skills, the knowledge and the capabilities within the terminal which set the detailed specifications, methodologies and requirements and we were on time and under budget.

"We took two weeks to roll out the technology on the machine, and a further two weeks to commission and optimise the machine," Naidoo pointed out.

This year's phase 2 involves four stacker-reclaimer machines and the autonomous stockyard machine rollout plan for phase 3 in 2027 and phase 4 in 2028 has already been outlined.

"Our commitment to our employees is that we will not retrench anybody as a result of automation," RBCT CEO Alan Waller emphasised.

Established in 1976, RBCT turns 50 on April 1 as Africa's single largest coal terminal. With a 91-million tons a year capacity, RBCT last year exported a 10%-plus higher 57.66-million tons of coal and its budgeted rate for 2026 is 60-million tons and contracted rate 63-million tons

"We're always trying to look at smarter, better, faster ways of handling coal to make sure we are a company of choice," said Naidoo.