OVERVIEWto the Richards
OVERVIEWto the Richards Bay Coal Terminalfrom 2023 to 2024, up from 47.9Mtto 51.9Mt.The acquisition of the liquidatedMintails operations will increase PanAfrican Pan African Resources’ goldproduction by about 50 000oz oncesteady production is reached at theend of 2024. The company currentlyhas production capacity in excessof 200 000oz of gold per annum.R400-million of a R2.5-billionfunding arrangement was releasedby Rand Merchant Bank.Underground operations at a Thungela mine in Mpumalanga.Building Materials” section, has changed its classification to“General Mining”, a recognition of the company’s ambitiousbuying programme in the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.With construction and building now contributing just 20% tooperating profit, Afrimat is active in anthracite and iron ore andwill further expand into phosphates, rare earth elements andvermiculite. Among its new acquisitions, Afrimat now controlsthe Nkomati Anthracite mine in Mpumalanga. The mine, which isin the south-eastern corner of the province, has proven resourcesof 8.7-million tons and upwards of 400 jobs were created overthe last two years. Local communities have a 16.1% stake inthe relaunched mine and the Mpumalanga Economic GrowthAgency (MEGA) holds 34%. Greenfields Mpumalanga (DingwellQuarry Rocky’s Drift) is another Afrimat asset in Mpumalanga.Another issue relevant to mining touched on by the Premierin the SOPA was logistics and backlogs in the nation’s harbours.He declared himself confident that the national operation to fixlogistics, Vulindlela, would help improve mining outputs. AlthoughExxaro reported using more trucks to transport its coal, TransnetFreight Rail actually improved in terms of the amount of coal takenONLINE RESOURCESCouncil for Geoscience: www.geoscience.org.zaMinerals Council South Africa: www.mineralscouncil.org.zaSouth African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy:www.saimm.co.zaPlatinumPlatinum is an important mineral forthe modern economy. Two Rivers isa joint venture between Implats(46%) and African Rainbow Mineralswhich is located on the southern partof the eastern limb of the BushveldIgneous Complex, 35km south-westof Burgersfort in Mpumalanga.Northam Platinum, which hasassets on both limbs of the BushveldIgneous Complex, has purchasedthe Everest mine from AquariusPlatinum. Everest is adjacent toNortham’s existing Booysendal mine.Jubilee Platinum has sold itsSmelting and Refining business inMiddelburg to Siyanda Resources.Sylvania Platinum now has sevenPGM recovery plants that extractchrome from tailings on both sidesof the Bushveld Igneous Complex.Lydenburg is home to the Lionferrochrome smelter that is a jointventure between Glencore andMerafe Resources. Assmang, thejoint venture between ARM Ferrousand the JSE-listed Assore, operatesa chrome mine (Dwarsrivier) and aferrochrome plant where chromealloys are made. ■MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2025/2646PHOTO: Thungela
PROFILEBig Eye Minerals & EnergyFrom dust to dominancecommitment to innovation and carbon reduction in themining and construction sectors, compliance and goinggreen.Mission: Deliver superior services while fostering aninclusive, empowered work environment.Vision: Be the leading mining contractor known forinnovation and community upliftment.Values: Integrity, safety, innovation, empowerment andrespect.Big Eye Minerals is not just growing – it’s redefining whatmining success looks like in South Africa. ■Big Eye Minerals & Energy (Pty) Ltd, founded in2015 by four visionary entrepreneurs from a smallvillage in Mpumalanga, began with a dream notjust to run a mining business, but to transformlives. Led by CEO Mthokozisi Winston Pini, the companyfocused on empowerment, community upliftment andsustainable growth.Starting with rented equipment and a small contractfrom Exxaro, they reinvested every cent and trained localyouth. Their big break came in 2021 when funding fromthe Mpumalanga Premier’s Office enabled them to buytheir first mobile screen. Support from MEGA helpedthem implement scalable systems, and a major bankfacility later allowed them to purchase their own mobilecrushers and loaders.Now a Level 1 BBBEE contributor and a key player inmobile crushing and screening, Big Eye serves clients likeNdalamo Resources and SARMCO. Their core servicesinclude mining, crushing and screening and rehabilitation.The future beckonsThe launch of ShayileTime, the company’s in-houseequipment and workforce management system thatalso replaces the use of paper checklists, shows Big Eye’sCONTACT DETAILSPhysical address: 9 Koraan St, Kriel, Mpumalanga 2271CEO: Mthokozisi Winston PiniTel: 072 920 02867 | 013 492 2897Email: info@bigeyeminerals.co.zaWebsite: www.bigeyeminerals.co.za47 MPUMALANGA BUSINESS 2025/26
