US embassy cable - 05PRETORIA817

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PRETORIA 000817 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS USAID 
DEPT PLEASE PASS USGS 
 
E.O.   12958: N/A 
TAGS: EPET, ENRG, EINV, EIND, ETRD, ECON, SF 
SUBJECT: South Africa: Minerals and Energy Newsletter "THE ASSAY" - I 
 
REF: A) 2004 PRETORIA 3049, B) 2004 PRETORIA 2998 
 
This cable is not for internet distribution. 
 
1. (U) Introduction:  In January 2004, the Economic Section of Embass 
 
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Key 
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2. (U) Key to some of the terminology and abbreviations used is given 
 
BEE (Black Economic Empowerment) - the scheme whereby the South Afric 
 
- t = tons, 
- t/d = tons per day, 
- c/l = cents per liter, 
- t/m = tons per month, 
- t/y = tons per year, 
- oz = troy ounces (31.1 grams), 
- cmg = centimeter grams, 
- mcf = million cubic feet, 
- tcf = trillion cubic feet, 
- R = SA currency (rand), 
- MW = megawatts, 
- kt = thousand tons, 
- bbl/d = barrels per day, 
- MW = megawatts, 
- PGM = platinum group metals. 
 
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NEWS 
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Aquarius Platinum Lists on JSE 
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On December 8, after nearly two years in the offing, Aquarius Platinu 
 
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FERRO-CHROME 
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Environmental Resistance to Tata Steel 
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Tata Iron and Steel Company (TISCO) plans to construct a $100 million 
 
Cheap electricity and the port had originally attracted TISCO to Rich 
 
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTS 
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Court Rules Against Government EIA Process 
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On January 26, the Western Cape High Court ruled that the Department 
 
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RENEWABLE ENERGY 
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High Hopes for New Solar Panel 
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South African scientists at the Rand Afrikaans University (now part o 
 
Alberts believes that large-scale production could bring production c 
 
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GOLD 
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Finance Minister Backs IMF Gold Revaluation 
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On January 17, South African Finance Minister Trevor Manuel said that 
 
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COAL 
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South African Coal Exports Down 5% 
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South Africa's total coal exports decreased 5%, from 71.5 mt in 2003 
 
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DIAMONDS 
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Namibia Wants De Beers to Sell Local 
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Diamdel, a wholly-owned diamond-marketing subsidiary of De Beers, pla 
 
De Beers Raises Rough Diamond Prices by 3% 
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London-based Diamond Trading Company (DTC), the marketing arm for De 
 
New Lesotho Diamond Mine Sparkles 
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During the past two weeks, the newly reopened Letseng diamond mine in 
 
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OIL 
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South Africa to Send Oil Technicians to the Sudan 
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PetroSA, the South African National Oil Company, is to send technicia 
 
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FOREIGN BUSINESS 
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China Increases Involvement in South African Mineral Industry 
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China recently acquired a controlling interest in the Steelpoort chro 
 
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HEALTH and SAFETY 
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Fire at SASOL's NATREF Refinery 
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On January 23, a gas fire broke out in one of the storage tanks at th 
 
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INFRASTRUCTURE 
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Kumba and Transnet Sign HOA 
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On January 26, Transnet, the state-owned transport company, and minin 
FRAZER