Hi SN:
Yes I agree with you on the closer to home and capture the Market on this side of the continent.
Here is a some info on Extrata and ferrochrome in South Africa.
Description of Operation
Xstrata Alloys' Lion Ferrochrome Operation is located near Steelpoort in Mpumalanga, South Africa. It is located close to the chrome ore reserves and adjacent to Xstrata Alloys' former Vantech plant.
Lion Ferrochrome is the latest addition to Xstrata’s chrome division which utilises Xstrata’s Premus technology for the production of low silicon ferrochrome. Premus is the most sophisticated, competitive and technological advanced process available for the production of ferrochrome. The process is able to maximise resource utilisation by utilising low cost reductants and fine ores whilst being the most environmental friendly practice available for the production of ferrochrome. The plant is supplied with ore from Xstrata’s Helena mine which is situated 22 kilometres from the smelter.
Merafe is Xstrata’s Pooling and Sharing Venture (PSV) partner which holds a 20.5% participation in Xstrata chrome and participated in the Lion expansion. The PSV is jointly managed by Xstrata and Merafe with unrestricted voting rights and economic interests equivalent to shareholding.
There are some very large companies that are taking a very close look at the ROF and in what I gather are in discussions with the key players in the ROF. Now, how advanced these discussions are I do not know.
The Ring of Fire Deposits are to big to ignore.
These Companies do not look at what they have today, but look down the road for future deposits.......RL
