SA and Japan sign mining deal

SOUTH Africa and Japan yesterday concluded a co-operation agreement in mining at the annual Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town.

Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane and Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Hiroshige Seko, signed the agreement, which will enable the two countries to collaborate in a number of areas across the mining value chain.

The areas of co-operation include exploration and the creation of geo-scientific knowledge, reciprocal investments, skills development, environmental issues, research and development, and cleancoal technology.

“With the agreement, the two countries acknowledge that Japan, as an important consumer and investor, and South Africa, as a supplier of minerals and, most importantly, a key participant in the mineral-beneficiation value chain, have complementary interests in mining,” Zwane said.

“Our country cannot grow exclusively on the back of supplying raw minerals to other nations. It is in this context that we wish to invite Japanese companies to invest in South Africa’s downstream mineral development industries, effectively manufacturing and beneficiation, as well as the production of goods and the supply of services.”

Japan is one of South Africa’s major trading partners. About 140 Japanese companies are active in the country.

Japan imports – mainly from Africa – nearly all the base metals and minor metals it requires to maintain its dominance of the car manufacturing and electrical appliance industries. – ANA