BGR Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe

navigation ▼

Logo der Deutschen Rohstoffagentur in der Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR)

Logo der Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR)

Press Release

Hannover, September 5, 2012

State cooperation: Geologists assess potential of raw materials in South Africa

Rare earths and antimony are the main focus of an expedition to South Africa conducted by experts from the German Natural Resources Agency (DERA) at the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) together with their colleagues from the Council for Geoscience (CGS, the South African geological survey). From 7th to 26th of September 2012 the team intends to evaluate the mineral potential of rare earths and antimony in various regions of the central and north eastern part of South Africa. The fieldwork will be accompanied by a BGR film crew. Existing liaisons of DERA/BGR with the South African mining industry are to be intensified during this visit. Furthermore, active participation in the 5th International Platinum Conference is planned.

The expedition is part of the cooperation between CGS and DERA that began at the end of 2011. Separate studies on the different natural resources will be compiled in a manual on new occurrences and deposits with investiment and supply options for German investors and purchasers in South Africa. The first field campaign took place in May 2012 when data was collected on zircon, rutile and ilmenite.

"The cooperation with South Africa in the natural resources sector is an important cornerstone on aligning with government’s objectives of promoting investment in exploration and opening of new mines and creation of jobs in South Africa, and will also highlight new sustainable methods and technologies for exploration, exploitation and processing,” says DERA Manager Dr. Peter Buchholz.

In addition, the studies will also flag up new potential for German investors and natural resource purchasers. With its information, DERA intends to technically back up and assist German companies interested in becoming involved in the South African mining sector. The manual on the new deposits of natural resources and supply options will successively be prepared for each specific natural resource.

In addition to this project, in spring 2012, the German Ministry for Economics and Technology (BMWi) commissioned a study carried out by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Southern Africa (AHK) and Germany Trade and Invest (GTAI), in cooperation with DERA, to provide an initial assessment of the general investment conditions and opportunities for German businesses in the South African natural resources sector. Moreover, the demand for German technologies and services for the South African natural resources industry, as an opportunity for German companies, will also be analysed. This study will be published at the beginning of 2013.


More information:
http://www.bgr.bund.de/DERA/DE/Home/dra_node.html


Contact:
Dr. Herwig Marbler
Tel.: 030 36993 233, E-Mail: Herwig.Marbler@bgr.de


Logos der drei Institutionen im GEOZENTRUM HANNOVER


Press spokesman: Andreas Beuge, Tel.: 0511 643 2679, mobil: 0170 8569662
E-mail: info@bgr.de Internet: http://www.geozentrum-hannover.de
to the top ▲