Wednesday, 08 Feb 2012
Minister for Industries and Commerce, Mr SS Slathia said the government will sympathetically consider the demands of coal mine workers in view of the tough nature of their job.
He asked the management of Jammu & Kashmir Minerals Ltd to come up with a workable and financially viable action plan to meet the genuine demands of the workers and employees.
Chairing a meeting of Board of Directors, JKML, Mr Slathia, according to an official statement, constituted a high level committee comprising Commissioner/Secretary, Industries and Commerce, Special Secretary, Finance, Managing Director, JKML and representative from the Law Department.
The committee will examine all the demands of the coal mine workers and employees adding that recommendations and suggestions of the committee shall be deliberated in a Special Board Meeting of the corporation shortly.
Mr Slathia said that “We shall have to take a humanitarian view of the demands and problems of Coal Mine Workers in view of their tough job as compared to other PSUs.”
The Minister asked the management to formulate target oriented and production linked business plan to ensure a sound economic base for sustained growth of the organization.
He also called for introducing Voluntary Retirement Scheme in a big way to minimize wage bill of the corporation.
He directed for increasing coal and gypsum production which has a vast market, adding that production should be the bench mark of the Corporation’s business plan.
He said there is a potential of 3500 tonne of coal and 100,000 tonne gypsum production which needs to be exploited in the next year adding that the Corporation should reactivate its men and machinery to achieve this target.
(Sourced from www.greaterkashmir.com)
Showing posts with label mines minister. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mines minister. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
S.Africa adopts strategy to add value to minerals
Tue Feb 7, 2012
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa will encourage companies to process raw minerals before they are exported, the mines minister said on Tuesday, to increase value-added jobs in the resource industry.
Africa's largest economy is keen to diversify its mining sector through the processing of raw minerals before export, known as beneficiation.
"A beneficiation strategy has been adopted by government. Five minerals which will be a priority are manganese, iron ore, coal, platinum and titanium," Susan Shabangu told a news briefing on the sidelines of an annual mining conference.
She said the strategy would not lead to a "complete ban on exports", but did not give futher details.
South Africa accounts for about 80 percent of global platinum supply, so any move to add value to the precious metal will be keenly watched by markets.
Saddled with an official jobless rate of 25 percent, South Africa is desperate to create jobs.
(sourced Reuters)
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa will encourage companies to process raw minerals before they are exported, the mines minister said on Tuesday, to increase value-added jobs in the resource industry.
Africa's largest economy is keen to diversify its mining sector through the processing of raw minerals before export, known as beneficiation.
"A beneficiation strategy has been adopted by government. Five minerals which will be a priority are manganese, iron ore, coal, platinum and titanium," Susan Shabangu told a news briefing on the sidelines of an annual mining conference.
She said the strategy would not lead to a "complete ban on exports", but did not give futher details.
South Africa accounts for about 80 percent of global platinum supply, so any move to add value to the precious metal will be keenly watched by markets.
Saddled with an official jobless rate of 25 percent, South Africa is desperate to create jobs.
(sourced Reuters)
S.Africa mines minister targets CEOs on fatalities
Tue Feb 7, 2012
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's mines minister said on Tuesday that industry chief executives should be held liable for avoidable fatalities, also raising the possibility of court action.
Targeting chief executives would take her safety drive to new levels as the government tries to stem the death toll in the country's mines, the world's deepest and among the most dangerous.
"Fatalities which could have been avoided, we feel that CEOs must be held liable for those accidents, because they are responsible for the operations. As they show interest in how they grow the profits they must also show interest in safety," Susan Shabangu told Reuters in an interview.
Asked if this meant possible court action, she said: "These are some of the issues that we must look at. For me the courts are the last option. But legislation provides for us to go to courts."
Earlier she told the annual African mining conference in Cape Town that the platinum industry's contribution to fatalities in the mining sector remained a "serious concern" and defended safety stoppages which she said had contributed to a drop in accident rates.
South Africa's platinum sector has been battered by oversupply, squeezed margins and an uncertain economic outlook, making producers increasingly vocal about regulatory pressures, particularly the impact of inspections and stoppages as part of the government's zero-harm target.
"The department has been greatly concerned about lack of improvement in compliance and fatalities in the major platinum mines," Shabangu said.
"The platinum sector alone contributes about 30 percent of all fatalities which remains a serious concern."
The gold sector has also been subject to increased scrutiny and Graham Briggs, chief executive of Harmony Gold, South Africa's third largest gold producer, described the government's campaign on Monday as punitive.
Harmony cut its full-year output target by 13 percent because of the stoppages.
Shabangu said that there was a slight drop in mining fatalities to 123 in 2011 from 127 in 2010 and that 13 miners have been killed so far this year in South Africa.
She also said in her speech that the governing African National Congress (ANC) had reinforced in a key policy document that nationalisation, long feared by the country's mining industry, was not a viable option.
"I must indicate that we welcome the fact that the report of the ANC task team on nationalisation has reinforced the ANC's earlier decision that nationalisation is not a viable policy for South Africa," she said.
(sourced Reuters)
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa's mines minister said on Tuesday that industry chief executives should be held liable for avoidable fatalities, also raising the possibility of court action.
Targeting chief executives would take her safety drive to new levels as the government tries to stem the death toll in the country's mines, the world's deepest and among the most dangerous.
"Fatalities which could have been avoided, we feel that CEOs must be held liable for those accidents, because they are responsible for the operations. As they show interest in how they grow the profits they must also show interest in safety," Susan Shabangu told Reuters in an interview.
Asked if this meant possible court action, she said: "These are some of the issues that we must look at. For me the courts are the last option. But legislation provides for us to go to courts."
Earlier she told the annual African mining conference in Cape Town that the platinum industry's contribution to fatalities in the mining sector remained a "serious concern" and defended safety stoppages which she said had contributed to a drop in accident rates.
South Africa's platinum sector has been battered by oversupply, squeezed margins and an uncertain economic outlook, making producers increasingly vocal about regulatory pressures, particularly the impact of inspections and stoppages as part of the government's zero-harm target.
"The department has been greatly concerned about lack of improvement in compliance and fatalities in the major platinum mines," Shabangu said.
"The platinum sector alone contributes about 30 percent of all fatalities which remains a serious concern."
The gold sector has also been subject to increased scrutiny and Graham Briggs, chief executive of Harmony Gold, South Africa's third largest gold producer, described the government's campaign on Monday as punitive.
Harmony cut its full-year output target by 13 percent because of the stoppages.
Shabangu said that there was a slight drop in mining fatalities to 123 in 2011 from 127 in 2010 and that 13 miners have been killed so far this year in South Africa.
She also said in her speech that the governing African National Congress (ANC) had reinforced in a key policy document that nationalisation, long feared by the country's mining industry, was not a viable option.
"I must indicate that we welcome the fact that the report of the ANC task team on nationalisation has reinforced the ANC's earlier decision that nationalisation is not a viable policy for South Africa," she said.
(sourced Reuters)
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Update on Indian royalty rates of non prime minerals
Saturday, 27 Aug 2011
Mr Dinsha Patel minister of state for mines informed the Lok Sabha that there is no classification of minerals as non-prime minerals in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 (MMDR Act) and Rules framed there under.
However, Section 9 of the MMDR Act provides that a mining lease holder shall pay royalty in respect of any mineral removed or consumed from the leased area at the rate for the time being specified in the Second Schedule of the MMDR Act and the royalty rates of minerals may be revised upwards only once in three years. During the last ten years, the royalty rates in respect of major minerals (other than coal, lignite and sand for stowing), have been revised in the years 2000, 2004 and 2009.
Mr Dinsha Patel minister of state for mines informed the Lok Sabha that there is no classification of minerals as non-prime minerals in the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act 1957 (MMDR Act) and Rules framed there under.
However, Section 9 of the MMDR Act provides that a mining lease holder shall pay royalty in respect of any mineral removed or consumed from the leased area at the rate for the time being specified in the Second Schedule of the MMDR Act and the royalty rates of minerals may be revised upwards only once in three years. During the last ten years, the royalty rates in respect of major minerals (other than coal, lignite and sand for stowing), have been revised in the years 2000, 2004 and 2009.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
S.Africa to exceed mine transformation target: minister
Sun Aug 21, 2011
By Ed Stoddard, Reuters
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Mines Minister Susan Shabangu said she is confident that a government-set ownership target for blacks in the mining sector would be exceeded and, if the process was done right, the policy may no longer be needed.
The government's mining charter calls for 26 percent of the mining industry in Africa's largest economy to be transferred to black owners by 2014 as part an empowerment drive to rectify the disparities of white apartheid rule.
"I am confident that we will exceed the 26 percent by 2014... We have seen progress," Shabangu told Reuters on Saturday on the sidelines of a mining conference.
Investors have been unnerved by nationalization talks by radical elements in the ruling African Nation Congress, which has focused attention on issues such as profits, safety and racial imbalances in ownership.
The industry has in the past made scant progress on the transformation process and an annual review of the industry on this score is currently taking place, a process Shabangu said was helping to keep companies on track.
"What we are saying is that every year we have got to go and do reviews," she said.
Only 8.9 percent of mines were owned by blacks in 2009, well below a target of 15 percent.
Shabangu said changing or raising targets was not on the cards, but she wanted to see black-owned mining companies that were sustainable. If this was achieved, the empowerment policy in the industry might no longer be needed, she said.
"It's about making sure whatever companies are there, are sustainable. As soon as they become sustainable they can roll on their own without necessarily setting targets," Shabangu said.
One problem has been companies that got into the sector with little or no experience, that were not been viable or that were seen as fronts for white capital.
Mine safety is another major issue and Shabangu on Thursday said the pursuit of profits was behind amounting death toll in the industry.
The minister said she planned to publicly comment on a report submitted by the platinum industry on rock falls and fatalities.
"On the basis of that report we have to take steps to put into place to avoid or minimise rock falls in the platinum sector," she said.
South Africa is the worlds largest platinum producer and a major supplier of gold and coal.
By Ed Stoddard, Reuters
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - South Africa's Mines Minister Susan Shabangu said she is confident that a government-set ownership target for blacks in the mining sector would be exceeded and, if the process was done right, the policy may no longer be needed.
The government's mining charter calls for 26 percent of the mining industry in Africa's largest economy to be transferred to black owners by 2014 as part an empowerment drive to rectify the disparities of white apartheid rule.
"I am confident that we will exceed the 26 percent by 2014... We have seen progress," Shabangu told Reuters on Saturday on the sidelines of a mining conference.
Investors have been unnerved by nationalization talks by radical elements in the ruling African Nation Congress, which has focused attention on issues such as profits, safety and racial imbalances in ownership.
The industry has in the past made scant progress on the transformation process and an annual review of the industry on this score is currently taking place, a process Shabangu said was helping to keep companies on track.
"What we are saying is that every year we have got to go and do reviews," she said.
Only 8.9 percent of mines were owned by blacks in 2009, well below a target of 15 percent.
Shabangu said changing or raising targets was not on the cards, but she wanted to see black-owned mining companies that were sustainable. If this was achieved, the empowerment policy in the industry might no longer be needed, she said.
"It's about making sure whatever companies are there, are sustainable. As soon as they become sustainable they can roll on their own without necessarily setting targets," Shabangu said.
One problem has been companies that got into the sector with little or no experience, that were not been viable or that were seen as fronts for white capital.
Mine safety is another major issue and Shabangu on Thursday said the pursuit of profits was behind amounting death toll in the industry.
The minister said she planned to publicly comment on a report submitted by the platinum industry on rock falls and fatalities.
"On the basis of that report we have to take steps to put into place to avoid or minimise rock falls in the platinum sector," she said.
South Africa is the worlds largest platinum producer and a major supplier of gold and coal.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Zimbabwe diamond, coal exploration fees soar
Wed Feb 9, 2011
HARARE Feb 9 (Reuters)-Zimbabwe has drastically increased exploration fees for diamonds and coal, in an effort to discourage companies from speculating on mining claims, state media reported on Wednesday.
The state-owned Herald newspaper said the exploration fee for diamonds had increased twenty-fold, to $1 million, while the coal fee went up five-fold to $100,000 from $20,000.
Mines Minister Obert Mpofu could not be reached for comment.
The Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines said the increase was unexpected but would not say whether it would impact new investment in the resource-rich nation.
"We were not consulted about it and this is quite a hefty increase," Chris Hokonya, the chamber's chief executive, told Reuters.
The government has said many companies hold mining claims for speculation and the increase in exploration fees is seen as discouraging the practice.
Global miner Rio Tinto (RIO.L: Quote) (RIO.AX: Quote) is just one of the foreign companies mining diamonds in the southern African nation.
The government last year announced it would nationalise all alluvial diamond mining operations, mostly in the eastern Marange district, while handing management contracts to private companies.
(Reporting by Alfonce Mbizwo;editing by Keiron Henderson,sourced:reuters)
Tags:Zimbabwe, coal exploration fees, diamond exploration fees, Herald newspaper, mines minister, The Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines,investment, Rio Tinto
HARARE Feb 9 (Reuters)-Zimbabwe has drastically increased exploration fees for diamonds and coal, in an effort to discourage companies from speculating on mining claims, state media reported on Wednesday.
The state-owned Herald newspaper said the exploration fee for diamonds had increased twenty-fold, to $1 million, while the coal fee went up five-fold to $100,000 from $20,000.
Mines Minister Obert Mpofu could not be reached for comment.
The Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines said the increase was unexpected but would not say whether it would impact new investment in the resource-rich nation.
"We were not consulted about it and this is quite a hefty increase," Chris Hokonya, the chamber's chief executive, told Reuters.
The government has said many companies hold mining claims for speculation and the increase in exploration fees is seen as discouraging the practice.
Global miner Rio Tinto (RIO.L: Quote) (RIO.AX: Quote) is just one of the foreign companies mining diamonds in the southern African nation.
The government last year announced it would nationalise all alluvial diamond mining operations, mostly in the eastern Marange district, while handing management contracts to private companies.
(Reporting by Alfonce Mbizwo;editing by Keiron Henderson,sourced:reuters)
Tags:Zimbabwe, coal exploration fees, diamond exploration fees, Herald newspaper, mines minister, The Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines,investment, Rio Tinto
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Mining nationalisation "road to ruin" for S.Africa: Anglo boss
Tue Feb 8, 2011 8:24am GMT
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa should not heed "false prophets" calling for mining nationalisation because of the damage such a move would do to its economy, the head of global mining giant Anglo American said on Tuesday.
"Mining companies simply will not invest if they cannot be assured that the assets they create will be secure," chief executive Cynthia Carroll said in a speech at a major African mining conference in Cape Town.
"In ignoring this truth, the false prophets who argue for nationalisation are advocating the road to ruin -- a path we must not follow," she said.
In the last year, radical elements within South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) -- most notably its Youth League -- have been calling for nationalisation of the mining industry, sparking concern among domestic and foreign investors.
Senior ANC figures including President Jacob Zuma and mines minister Susan Shabangu have said nationalisation is "not policy", but have stopped short of quashing the idea, suggesting it may have some traction in the corridors of power.
The notion, which was tabled at a major ANC policy meeting last year, is seen as one of the primary reasons for the decline over the last 10 years in the mining sector in South Africa, the world's biggest platinum and number three gold producer.
The industry has also been plagued by a series of controversies in the administering of mining and prospecting licences, although the government says it is overhauling the system to eliminate the possibility of corruption and blunders.
Mining accounts for 8 percent of GDP in Africa's biggest economy, and directly employs more than 500,000 people.
The government has placed it at the heart of plans to tackle 25 percent unemployment over the next five years, although many anlaysts are sceptical about turning the industry round.
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - South Africa should not heed "false prophets" calling for mining nationalisation because of the damage such a move would do to its economy, the head of global mining giant Anglo American said on Tuesday.
"Mining companies simply will not invest if they cannot be assured that the assets they create will be secure," chief executive Cynthia Carroll said in a speech at a major African mining conference in Cape Town.
"In ignoring this truth, the false prophets who argue for nationalisation are advocating the road to ruin -- a path we must not follow," she said.
In the last year, radical elements within South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) -- most notably its Youth League -- have been calling for nationalisation of the mining industry, sparking concern among domestic and foreign investors.
Senior ANC figures including President Jacob Zuma and mines minister Susan Shabangu have said nationalisation is "not policy", but have stopped short of quashing the idea, suggesting it may have some traction in the corridors of power.
The notion, which was tabled at a major ANC policy meeting last year, is seen as one of the primary reasons for the decline over the last 10 years in the mining sector in South Africa, the world's biggest platinum and number three gold producer.
The industry has also been plagued by a series of controversies in the administering of mining and prospecting licences, although the government says it is overhauling the system to eliminate the possibility of corruption and blunders.
Mining accounts for 8 percent of GDP in Africa's biggest economy, and directly employs more than 500,000 people.
The government has placed it at the heart of plans to tackle 25 percent unemployment over the next five years, although many anlaysts are sceptical about turning the industry round.
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