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A new, long-term electricity solution for South Africa's Hillside Aluminium Smelter, in KwaZulu-Natal, has been advanced, which marks a crucial step toward supporting the future of one of Southern Africa's most important industrial businesses.

Hillside, which supports 3 650 direct and indirect jobs and contributes to an estimated 29 000 jobs across the economy, plays a key role in supplying aluminium to South Africa's domestic downstream industry.

The solution is targeted to commence in 2031, subject to compliance with all regulatory requirements, South32 and Eskom stated in a joint announcement on Tuesday, April 28.

The Sydney- and Johannesburg-listed South32 and State-owned power utility Eskom have reaffirmed their shared ambition to develop and deliver an enduring energy solution that supports Hillside's competitiveness, contributes to regional economic stability and industrial growth, and aligns with South Africa's broader decarbonisation objectives.

To support this ambition, South32 and Eskom have established a joint working group to explore mechanisms that can bring competitively priced renewable energy into the national grid, backed up by affordable firming capacity, within the existing regulatory framework.

While this work will help support the long-term energy needs of Hillside, the solutions being assessed have the potential to also benefit Eskom and its broader customer base.

"As Hillside celebrates 30 years of operation this year, we are collaborating with the government of South Africa and Eskom to secure its future for decades to come," South32 COO Noel Pillay stated in a media release to Mining Weekly.

"We have made a solid start. It is important we continue this momentum, working toward a viable, low-carbon energy solution for Hillside from 2031, when the current electricity contract expires," Pillay added.

The value that Eskom places on its longstanding partnership with South32 and the important role that Hillside Aluminium plays in South Africa's industrial economy was highlighted by Eskom Group CE Dan Marokane: "Through this joint process, we are working to develop a long-term energy solution that supports industrial competitiveness while advancing South Africa's transition to a lower-carbon electricity system.

"By exploring innovative mechanisms to integrate renewable energy into the grid with appropriate firming solutions, this collaboration has the potential not only to secure the future of Hillside, but also to contribute to strengthening the resilience and sustainability of the national electricity system for the benefit of all South Africans," he pointed out.

South32 stated that its purpose is to make a difference by developing natural resources, improving people's lives now and for generations to come.

"We are trusted by our owners and partners to realise the potential of their resources. We produce minerals and metals critical to the world's energy transition from operations across the Americas, Australia and Southern Africa."

South32, headed by CEO Graham Kerr, emphasised its aspiration to build meaningful relationships with its partners and communities. Kerr is leading a transition to incoming CEO Matthew Daley, who joined the company in early 2026 to take over leadership.

Wholly owned by the South African government, Eskom is committed to a responsible transition to a lower-carbon future.

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

Nasdaq-listed Critical Metals Corporation has signed a letter of intent to acquire all the outstanding shares of ASX-listed European Lithium in a deal valued at $835-million.

The deal will afford Critical Metals 100% ownership of the Tanbreez rare earths project, in Greenland, up from its current 92.5% stake, should Critical Metals proceed in taking over European Lithium's 7.5% stake in the project.

Critical Metals currently holds a market capitalisation of $1.45-billion and has seen its stock prices rise by 638% over the past year.

Under the proposed transaction, European Lithium shareholders will receive 0.035 shares of Critical Metals for each European Lithium share held.

European Lithium currently owns 45-million shares of Critical Metals, representing a 34% shareholding. These cross-holding shares had a market value of $540-million as of April 22. Critical Metals intends to cancel these shares upon completion of the transaction.

The transaction will be implemented through two interdependent Schemes of Arrangement covering European Lithium's shares and listed options. European Lithium's outstanding listed options and zero-dollar exercise price unlisted options will be converted to Critical Metals shares based on specified formulas.

Completion is conditional on several items, including negotiation of a binding Scheme Implementation Deed, approval by European Lithium shareholders, and European Lithium maintaining net cash and liquid assets of at least A$330-million.

The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2026, with a shareholder meeting anticipated in the third quarter of 2026.

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.

Despite elevated global geopolitical tensions, robust demand for platinum group metals (PGMs) has been accompanied by sustained beneficial pricing support in the three months ending March 31, Implats CEO Nico Muller reported on April 24.

The third-quarter production results reflect strong operating momentum at several key mining assets and processing assets delivering well to reduce excess inventory.

"We remain firmly on track to deliver our previously provided group volume, unit cost and capital expenditure guidance for our 2026 financial year.

"We are closely monitoring the impact of events in the Middle East on our supply chains, with steps taken to buffer availability of critical consumables and spares at our operations.

"We remain focused on delivering consistent and safe production – ensuring our ability to capitalise on strong rand PGM pricing, maximise free cash flow generation and deliver value," Muller reported in a media release to Mining Weekly.

For the nine months to March 31, six-element (6E) group production volumes have been stable at 2.56-million ounces.

Managed volumes were largely unchanged at two-million ounces, joint venture production decreased 2% to 395 000 oz and third-party receipts were a 16%-higher 167 000 oz.

Implats, in emphasising that it is determined to eliminate fatalities and life-changing injuries, expressed deep regret that Monnawapula Joshua Sikhomba and Karabo Edward Pitse were fatally injured in incidents at Impala Rustenburg.

Group lost-time injury frequency rate improved by 27% to 2.83 per million person-hours worked from 3.89, while the total-injury frequency rate improved by 37% to 5.68 per million person-hours worked.

6E production was stable at 762 000 oz and tonnes milled at managed operations increased by 10% to 6.49-million tonnes on a milled grade of 3.75g/t. Notwithstanding the improvements in mined and milled volumes, 6E production at managed operations retraced by 3% to 588 000 oz but rose at JVs to a 1%-higher 122 000 oz.

At Impala Refining Services, third-party 6E receipts were 27% higher at 52 000 oz and refined 6E production a 19%-higher 851 000 oz.

The first matte was produced at the Furnace 4 rebuild in mid-April.

The period ended with 320 000 6E ounces of excess inventory, with 6E sales volumes increasing by 9% to 847 000 oz.

Group production benefitted from improved operating momentum at Impala Rustenburg and Zimplats, which offset changes in operating parameters at Marula and Impala Canada, with milled throughput at the North American operation decreasing 4% to 680 000 t, milled head grade declining 9% to 2.85g/t, and 6E concentrate production dropping 13% to 52 000 oz.

Mining Weekly Editor Martin Creamer discusses electrolytic hydrogen being able to enable long-term energy storage way beyond what batteries can provide; South Africa’s manganese industry calling for a good logistics future; and the key takeaways from the recent Mining Equipment M

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.

ASX-listed Vulcan Energy has started with construction at its central lithium chemical plant Infraserv Industrial Park Höchst, in Frankfurt, which one of the largest major chemical and energy precincts in Europe.

The major construction works groundbreaking ceremony hosted Hesse State Minister-President Boris Rhein and other key government, financial and industry stakeholders, which Vulcan says underscores the high-level support for domestic lithium production in Germany and its strategic role in the European battery value chain.

The downstream central lithium chemicals plant will be used for the conversion of lithium chloride into lithium hydroxide monohydrate using electrolysis.

Lionheart, Vulcan's first phase of production, targets production capacity of 24 000 t of lithium hydroxide monohydrate, which is enough to supply 500 000 electric vehicle batteries a year.

Additionally, 275 GWh of renewable power and 560 GWh of heat will be generated every year as a co-products for local consumers over the project's estimated 30-year life.

Vulcan MD and CEO Cris Moreno says the company is delighted to move beyond preparatory works and start full scale construction at the commercial lithium chemical plant.

"This groundbreaking event follows a similar ceremony held at our upstream lithium extraction plant in Landau late last year and highlights the progress towards our construction schedule and our 2028 commercial start of production target.

"We are grateful to all our stakeholders who joined us for the event and are working with Vulcan to bring Lionheart to life," he states.

The company secured the required €2.2-billion, or $3.9-billion funding package for the project in December 2025.

Located in the Upper Rhine Valley Brine Field between Germany and France, Lionheart is targeted to be the first of many phases of production for Vulcan and is a lighthouse project for Europe's energy and critical raw material resilience.

At Lionheart, lithium is to be extracted from low impurity geothermal sub-surface brines using Vulcan's adsorption type direct lithium extraction technology.

Naturally heated, the brine powers production and conversion of lithium to battery-quality material by creating a renewable energy co-product for use in operations, with surplus sold into the local energy market.

Vulcan's two-step process starts with lithium extraction and is followed by downstream processing of the lithium using electrolysis at its central lithium processing plant.