South Africa’s national utility Eskom – struggling with a serious liquidity crunch, frequent strikes, a credit downgrading to junk status as well as top-management changes – has implemented frequent blackouts this year as it cannot produce enough electricity to meet demand.

The blackouts threaten mining and coal loading activity at South Africa’s massive Richards Bay export terminal…..http://reut.rs/1Q4i1o8

BMI Research has maintained a positive outlook for Botswana’s mining sector to 2018 with diamonds remaining the country’s main product but coal production accelerating in the years ahead.

“Over the next few years we highlighted particularly strong potential for growth in coal production,” BMR Research said in it’s a recent report. “Fast growth from a low base will be driven by companies including Anglo American, Exxaro, African Energy and CIC Energy.”

The country came top of BMI Research’s regional risk/reward ranking with the market research firm saying it saw “little pospect of the country being usurped in the near future.”

“Botswana’s impressive country risk scores are due to a strong legal framework and investor-friendly environment,” the report said. “The country has some of the lewest tax rates in the region and there is little government interference in the mining sector. Additionally, Botswana has some of the lowest rates of corruption in Africa.”

[source:  http://www.worldcoal.com/]

South Africa has granted mining rights for 36 new projects over the past year, with a potential to create about 6 000 jobs. Is the mining industry still a good way out of unemployment? http://bit.ly/1cUqVYE