The poor relationship between the Chamber of Mines and the Department of Mineral Resources was highlighted ahead of an urgent court appearance on Friday, with the industry body levelling charges of inappropriate behaviour at the regulator, which strongly denied the claims. The chamber alleged the department had ordered its regional offices to freeze all applications for mining and prospecting rights as well as mineral rights transfers between companies, a charge the department dismissed. The latest spat comes as the chamber approaches the High Court in Pretoria on Friday to urgently interdict a proposed moratorium on new mineral rights by Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane. The industry body argues Zwane is acting outside his powers under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act. This will be the first airing of one of three court processes brought by the chamber against Zwane and his department, challenging actions that threaten to burden the troubled sector with...
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