Silicon prices lack upward momentum

South Africa's Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources (DMPR) issued a media statement on September 19, 2026, clarifying its position in ongoing litigation between the Bapedi Kingdom and Samancor Chrome Ltd concerning the Wintersveld and Jagdlust farms in Limpopo, where Samancor Chrome has held a mining right since 2016. The statement was issued in response to media reports the Department said had mischaracterized its role in the proceedings. According to the DMPR, the Bapedi Kingdom obtained an ex parte order from the High Court in December 2025 authorizing rehabilitation works on the properties through contractor Envirostep (Pty) Ltd and interdicting what the order described as unlawful mining activities. The Department was cited as a respondent in that application but, following legal advice from the State Attorney, elected not to oppose or participate in it. Samancor Chrome was not cited as a party at that stage. The order was varied in February 2026 to apply to both farms, with Samancor Chrome still not cited. In May 2026, after the South African Police Service seized equipment belonging to Envirostep, the Bapedi Kingdom obtained a further ex parte order restraining SAPS and the Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources from interfering with the rehabilitation activities, a development SAPS subsequently opposed. The matter was argued at a joint hearing on July 31, 2026, after which judgment was reserved; as of the Department's statement, no ruling had been handed down. The Department used the statement to draw a clear distinction between its own regulatory role and Samancor Chrome's position as mining right holder, stating that it does not itself hold a mining right or license over the Wintersveld and Jagdlust properties, and that the court order in question did not suspend or set aside any DMPR-held license. The mining right at the center of the dispute belongs to Samancor Chrome and remains the subject of the pending litigation. The Department also addressed allegations, raised by a party to the proceedings, that it had failed to discharge its regulatory responsibilities under the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act, stating that these claims have not been judicially determined and should not be presented as established findings against it. The Department said it respects the judicial process, will continue to discharge its statutory responsibilities while the matter remains pending, and will continue cooperating with law enforcement agencies on allegations of criminality in the minerals sector. No date has been given for when a ruling is expected.

Australasian Metals reported that a review of historical exploration data identified near-surface columbite-tantalite mineralisation at its Atex project. The company is preparing drilling to assess the tantalum potential alongside lithium. The historical estimates are not a current mineral resource. Atex adds a potential West African tantalum project to watch, but fresh sampling and drilling are needed before its scale or commercial value can be assessed.

[SMM Tantalum-Niobium News] According to the DRC Technical Committee for Mining Coordination and Planning (CTCPM), the country produced approximately 868.94 tonnes of coltan in H1 2026. Of this total, artisanal output reached 803.73 tonnes, accounting for about 92.5%, while industrial output stood at 65.21 tonnes. Artisanal output jumped to 648.08 tonnes in Q2 from 155.65 tonnes in Q1, a notable sequential increase.