BHP Billiton courted African official at Olympics
Around mid-2007, mining giant BHP Billiton arranged for an enticing hospitality invitation to be sent to the soon-to-be-appointed Minister of Mines in the tiny war-torn African country of Burundi, according to the Australian Financial Review.
The world's largest miner, seeking to capitalise on its lucrative multi-million dollar sponsorship of the upcoming Olympics in China, wanted to fly Samuel Ndayiragije and his wife business class to the greatest sporting event on earth.
The influential political couple from the economically poor but ore-rich nation mingled with BHP executives, customers and foreign government officials at the Beijing Olympics in August 2008.
Coal of Africa shares spike as it secures mining rights in South Africa
After announcing it had been granted a new order mining right by the South African Department of Mineral Resources in relation to its flagship Makhado hard coking and thermal coal project, shares in Coal of Africa nearly doubled in a matter of days, according to the Australian Financial Review.
The group completed a definitive feasibility study on the coal resource in 2013, and now it has received approval it should be able to develop a colliery capable of producing 2.3 million tonnes per annum of hard coking coal and a further 3.2Mtpa of thermal coal over a 16-year mine life.
