Harmony granted new rights for SA gold mining
US mining firm Harmony has announced that it has been awarded a new order for mining rights for all 13 of its South African mining operations.
The South African government department of minerals and energy issued the new rights, which are required under the country's mining laws. The government owns all mining rights in the country, with mining companies having to reapply for mining and prospecting licences.
And under the new rights issued by the government, Harmony must also invest in communities where it is mining.
According to Reuters, Harmony's acting chief executive officer Graham Briggs said: "The granting of Harmony's mining rights for our South African mining operations will create stability and long term sustainability of our business."
The country's third-biggest gold miner is expected to have each of the rights for its 13 mines executed by January, converting the deals to Free State mining rights which meet certain social, labor and black-empowerment criteria.