July 2015

Index
Foreword 3
Rationale for a style guide

Writing for Creamer Media

Structuring your interview and writing

Production Guidelines

Guidance from A Z

Areas of common difficulty

19

Annexures
1. Hyphenation

31

2. Abbreviations of units of measurement

34

3. Commonly used scientific elements and their abbreviations

The Periodic Table list

37
38

4. Commonly used abbreviations

Abbreviating the names of government departments in headlines
Commonly used plastics

39
41
42

5. Glossary of standards authorities

43

6. Glossary of mining terms

45

7. Currencies guide

57

8. Research reports

61

9. Whats On listings

62

Foreword
When it comes to style
When it comes to the style in which one should write for Engineering News and Mining Weekly, one can do worse
than to take a cue from Radio 702 presenter John Robbie.
Those who have listened to Robbie will know that he instructs contributors to his talk shows: Keep it short,
he pleads from the outset. If there is the slightest waffle, Robbie adds: Get to the point. The moment there is
adulation, he bellows: Cut the slush.
Staff of Engineering News and Mining Weekly may benefit from applying Robbies three main lines when they are
putting their reports into readable form.
Probably the briefest message of all time was from a British officer whose regiment had conquered Sinde in India;
he cabled a one-liner, Pecavi, the Latin for I have sinned.
I recall this to stress the need for brevity.
Most of all, reports in Engineering News and Mining Weekly must be easy reads: they must inform, they must
stimulate, they must expose and, where appropriate, yes, also entertain.
Clarity of writing usually follows clarity of thought. Should you not be certain, phone around until you are, then
complete your work. Your reports must always have meat, but avoid constantly pouring over them the same
gravy.
Writer George Orwell is credited with having said that a scrupulous writer will ask himself four questions in relation
to every sentence written: What am I trying to say? Which words will express it best? Which image could make it
clearer? Could I reduce it to fewer words?
Test what you have written by handing it to a nonjournalist colleague and then finding out what it has communicated.
If communication proves moggy, try again.
I have, however, regularly used this route with a semblance of success: write it, sub it, rewrite it, resub it, submit it.
A stylebook ensures consistent quality; its a newsrooms bureau of standards, a verbal constitution, an arbiter
in times of dispute and doubt. Thus, we are indebted and very grateful to all those who undertook the laborious
task of producing this stylebook, and this electronic version.

Martin Creamer
Publishing editor

Rationale for a Style Guide

Even those born to the English language will freely admit that this is not an easy language to speak, let alone write. If you listen to
the language spoken in parts of the UK you would not believe that this, too, is English.
In South Africa, English is seldom a first language it may only be a fourth or fifth language. It is, however, the language of
business and thats where we come in. Poor language usage can mislead and confuse the reader. We want clarity. A style guide
is just that a guide. It does not contain all the answers, but it does have some.

How to use this guide

This is a living document as it constantly evolves as style tips surface. Its purpose is best served as an electronic document, which is
easily updated and, most importantly, searchable! To ensure that the master copy remains an authoritative document, please send all
additions/queries/updates to Chanel de Bruyn (chanel@engineeringnews.co.za). Regular updates of the document will be posted on
the site.

Writing for Creamer Media

Get both sides of the story
When you write a controversial article (anything that could/will discredit a company) it is imperative that comment is obtained from the
company you are writing about.
As a journalist, you are accountable you need to be sure of your efforts and ensure you are contacting the right people. The
words substantiation and verification should be high up on your list when attempting anything of a controversial/ investigative nature.
Do not, under any circumstances, simply use random information you got off the Internet for the basis of your argument. Use only
relevant, secure sources and always include the other side of the story.
Your job as a journalist is to be objective and you should do everything in your power to get both sides of the story. All sources
should have equal opportunity to state their case and it is your job to ensure that they do. However, in the event that is it a
news-breaking or extremely important issue that you feel you need to probe and you are struggling to get comment from a particular
source, please speak to your editor for guidance.
If you have any questions, please speak to your editor.

Editorial style
Think like a reader
Given Engineering News and Mining Weeklys readership profile, we strive to produce a riveting read for the MD and an
intelligible, clear, educational medium for shopfloor workers and artisans.

Structuring your interview and writing

PART ONE

News story structure

GOLDEN RULE: News first, scene setting second, context third, comment last (pack article with news, limit commentary).
GUIDELINE 1: If you dont understand your sentence/article, no one else will (rewrite it until it is clear dont forget
punctuation).
GUIDELINE 2: Exhaust your angle before moving on to a new theme.
GUIDELINE 3: Have appropriate joiners to introduce a new theme (meanwhile, further, in addition, another priority . . .).
GUIDELINE 4: Multisource where appropriate, and always get the other side of the debate if one is raised.
GUIDELINE 5: Clear stories with source and accept reasonable changes, particularly if the article arose from an unsolicited
approach by us. Stories arising from public media events do not need to be cleared, unless you have gained additional
information on the side of the event.
GUIDELINE 6: Limit the use of direct quotes and rather interpret for the reader in indirect speech.
GUIDELINE 7 (most important): Read your article through three times before submission to an editor or a source.
INTRO 1: News first, then who said it
1. Sourced, nonexclusive: State-owned power utility Powerkom approved four new mega-projects, involving a combined
capital investment of R42-billion, CEO Coal Stoffberg reported last week. (past tense)
2. Sourced, exclusive: State-owned power utility Powerkom has approved four new megaprojects, involving a combined
capital investment of R42-billion, CEO Coal Stoffberg tells Engineering News. (present tense)
3. 
Nonsourced, exclusive: State-owned power utility Powerkom has approved four new megaprojects, involving a
combined capital investment of R42-billion, Engineering News can today report. (present tense)
4. Nonsourced, nonexclusive: State-owned power utility Powerkom has approved four new megaprojects, involving a
combined capital investment of R42-billion, industry sources reveal. (present tense)
INTRO 2: Describe company generically, then say where it is from
1. Generic description: State-owned power utility . . .
2. Where: Bomber Engineering of Boksburg, on the East Rand, . . .
INTRO 3: Once you have chosen your tense, you have to stick with it throughout the article.
INTRO 4: Try not to start your story with a direct quote.
PARAGRAPH TWO: Scene setting
1. Sourced, nonexclusive: Speaking at a results presentation in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Stoffberg said the projects were
part of a bigger R97-billion, five-year capital-investment programme, which had been scaled up from R84-billion to cater
for faster-than-expected demand growth. (past tense)
2. Sourced, exclusive: Speaking exclusively to Engineering News, Stoffberg reveals that the projects are part of a bigger
R97-billion, five-year capital-investment programme, which has been scaled up from R84-billion to cater for faster-thanexpected demand growth. (present tense)
PARAGRAPH THREE: Direct quote
We were asked by our shareholder, the government, to review our planning in light of the accelerated and shared growth
initiative for South Africa, or Asgisa, and this review made us realise that we needed to accelerate our capital programme,
particularly with regard to new baseload capacity, Stoffberg explains.
PARAGRAPH FOUR: Provide context
The South African utility has been mandated to lead the power-expansion programme, following a decision by Cabinet in
2003, not to break Powerkom into its various components of generation, transmission and distribution, so that it could
lead the increasingly urgent security-of-supply initiative.
PARAGRAPH FIVE: More context, if needed
For nearly three decades, Powerkom has not needed to make major investments, given that South Africa had surplus
generation capacity and had even mothballed several stations. It was also uncertain whether it would be allowed to move
ahead with new investments, given that government was considering a new competitive framework for electricity supply.
5

PARAGRAPH SIX: More context, if needed

However, demand has been rising steadily, given higher-than-anticipated economic growth rates and South Africa is
now expected to run short of generation capacity, particularly peaking capacity, in the not-too-distant future.
PARAGRAPH SEVEN: More news
The review concluded that there would also be a shortage of baseload capacity ahead of the initial projected date of
2012. For that reason, Powerkom has brought forward the development of a new R26-billion baseload coal-fired station,
which will be built in the north of the country.
PARAGRAPH EIGHT: More news
The four other projects approved relate to a peaking power plant to be built in the Drakensberg, and two major transmission
lines from the Mpumalanga region in the north of the country through to the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces,
in the south.
PARAGRAPH NINE: This additional news may also need context
The transmission projects are deemed necessary to strengthen the network supplying the Western Cape, which was
shown up as fragile in December, when the Koeberg nuclear reactor was forced to shut down, owing to a damaged
stator . . .
PARAGRAPH TEN: More news
Pack the article with facts and figures about the investment programme, the projects, the contractors, the technologies
chosen, etc.
PARAGRAPH 11: A balanced article may want to raise concerns
Many observers believe the capex programme is too little, too late. Western Cape DA spokesperson Joe Moan says . . .
PARAGRAPH 12: Direct quote for concerned party
There is little doubt that the power-supply shortage currently being faced comes down to poor policymaking from the
national government and bad planning on the part of Powerkom, Moan argues.
PARAGRAPH 13: Get a response
Powerkom, though, is sanguine about its ability to deal with the challenge . . .
PARAGRAPH 14: Another direct quote, possibly to conclude
We believe we have the structures and systems in place to deliver on this ambitious capex programme, Stoffberg
concludes.
PARAGRAPH 15: May want to end with summing up, or a fact
1. All eyes will be on Eskom and the executive team to see whether they will be able to translate the paper plans into reality.
2. Tenders are out for the coal-fired power station and construction is expected to start next week.
TYPES OF STORIES
Project story
Name of the project and location
Project description (brownfield or greenfield)
Mine project 1: (expansion or replacement)
Mine project 2: (output, when commissioned, when at full production)
Value
Duration
Breakdown of main contracts
Client
Latest developments
Companies awarded contracts
Any challenges
Any unique features or technology
Will the project require the use of structural steel and, if so, how much?
On budget and on time?
FINANCIAL PRESENTATION
Always look for an angle beyond the results (new projects, new strategic direction, views on the business environment)
But also include:
Earnings (net profit/loss after tax in R-million rather than earnings a share)
Can also include operating profit/loss as nonoperational issues often affect the bottom line.
If the company is looking to raise finance there are three issues to look at:
6

1. If it is debt finance: Is it project finance or will it involve the issue of a bond?

2. What is the companys current gearing (debt:equity ratio) Do observers believe it has the capacity to raise more debt?
3. If it is equity finance: What is the dilution factor on other shareholders and is there any attempt to limit dilution?
BEE DEALS
Give a context of why the BEE deal is necessary (the company needs a licence to operate or the company wants to
secure its position as a supplier to a company that has a BEE procurement policy).
Give details of the nature of the consortium. Who leads it? Is it broad based and how is it structured?
How will the deal be funded? Will banks fund it, will shareholders fund it (through dilution), or will the company act as
a funder through vendor finance?
Is the deal expansionary? In other words, will the proceeds go into expanding the operation in some way?
COMPANY PROFILES
Get a good generic description of the company. How does it describe itself?
Try to understand what the company actually does (we favour manufacturers over traders, but both have their place).
Does the company do any R&D? Does it have any of its own commercial innovations on the market?
Is it simply a conduit for imports? If so, what value does it add to the economy and its client base?
How is it being affected by macrofinancial (interest rate, rand), economic (growth rate, importation), and social trends
(BEE, social development)?
What new projects does it have on its book? Then use project questions.
What new products and services is it pursuing?
How many people does it employ?
What raw materials does it use in its business process?
Who is the leader?
NOTE 1: When you write up these types of interviews, look for hard news in the form of projects, innovation or business
development first. If there is nothing there, then move to issues confronting the industry as a whole.
NOTE 2: If it was an exclusive interview, dont hold the person to his exact quotes. If the language was a little rough, try
to interpret it through indirect speech or finesse them into direct quotes that are more readable.
NEW PRODUCTS/NEW TECHNOLOGY
Be circumspect about the use of words such as revolutionary, world-first, unless you can verify that.
Try to write using as few adjectives as possible.
Be careful in making big changes to releases other than simplifying the language.
Make sure you know what the product does and for which sector it is appropriate purely by reading your text.
If it is a locally developed innovation, you can go a bit bigger.
Get chapter and verse on what has been spent, who the researchers were, who verified the products efficacy, where
it has been sold, whether it has export potential.
You could even do a sidebar on the innovator him/herself.
HANDLING OPINION-HEAVY COPY
1. Journalists often engage with sources who are interested in sharing their untested thoughts and opinions with a view
to airing these in public through an article in one of our publications.
2. As a general rule, try direct interviewees and stories towards what a company, department or agency is actually doing,
rather than what the executive is saying.
3. If there is unhappiness, for instance, with the workings of a government department, another company or a policy, direct
the source/story to what the company is doing about the issue (e.g. taking legal action, seeking meetings to address
the matter, or withdrawing from a market).
4. However, if the story is going to be opinion-heavy:
a) Assess whether the source has, by virtue of his or her position, reputation or qualification, the authority to offer
thought leadership, or criticism.
b) If he or she does, then ensure the source remains within the bounds of his or her expertise.
c) Ensure the opinions expressed can be backed by sound argument and are not merely the sources prejudiced or
unbalanced view on a subject.
d) Be aware of the reputational impact on yourself as a journalist (people tend to attack the messenger as much as the
source), on the publication and, lastly, even on the source.
5. On the whole, Creamer Media will always favour fact-rich articles that are light on commentary.
6. However, where commentary is justified, we should provide a platform to enable the source to make her or his case.
7. In many instances, you will also need to seek comment from the subject of the criticism to ensure the article is properly
balanced.
7

UNSOLICITED NEWS LEADS

The South African business environment has become prone to the emergence of individuals who attempt to create a
profile for themselves in the media despite the absence of sound underlying business structures and/or experience. These
individuals use that profile to tap into deal flow that would otherwise be out of their reach. Therefore, it has become necessary
for Creamer Media to tighten procedures regarding its handling of unsolicited news leads. These procedures are:
1. Should a journalist receive an unsolicited news lead, she or he should immediately approach her or his editor to assess
whether the story should be pursued at all.
2. In instances where the source is unknown to the editor, the journalist will be asked to do a preliminary Web-based
investigation of the company and report back. During that preliminary probe, the journalist must assess what other
reportage there has been on the company and individual, whether the company has a Web presence, and he or she
should also phone the company switchboard to assess whether there is in fact more than a Web presence.
3. Once that has been done, the responsible editor will either approve that the story be followed up, or will suggest that
we politely decline the interview.
4. If the editor remains uncertain, there should be a meeting with other editors before the journalist is given permission to
follows up.
5. Following the interview, the story should again be given to an editor before it is sent for clearance. If there are assets
(such as a mine or a factory) or partners (such as a financier or a technology provider), the editor will ask the journalist
to do another Web search to ascertain their existence. He or she will also ask the journalist to make a few calls to those
companies to enquire about the company and its relationship with the source.
6. If satisfactory answers are not forthcoming, the story will be put on hold. If the answers are satisfactory, we will
proceed.
7. The journalist is also encouraged to write the piece in a manner that avoids editorialisation and/or commentary.
The article should merely state the position of the source and, if possible, should include comment from business
partners and third-party analysts. In other words, adjectives should be limited to generic descriptions rather than to
offering any value assessments.
8. The same applies for the way we write about new products and services. Unless you are 100% certain that the
products is truly a breakthrough, do not use the words such as breakthrough, world first, revolutionary, etc.
9. Should you have any further questions in this regard, please approach your editors.
10. Golden Rule: Research and Check the Facts Before you Write!

PRODUCTION GUIDELINES

Below are a few production-related guidelines that features editors and proofreaders should take note of.
1. When we reproduce a map in the magazine, we must delete the scale as it would be wrong after we resize the map.
2. We may not have a widow (a single word in a line) at the top of a column.
3. Its preferable not to have two abbreviations in a headline, eg SAs GDP seen contracting.
4. In those headlines where we a attribute a statement to someone, we use a dash if the name comes last and a colon
if it comes first, eg: Double-digit growth rate a pipe dream Gordhan, but Gordhan: Double-digit growth rate a pipe
dream.
5. There must always be a strong link between a story and the photograph accompanying it. An example of where this is
not the case would be a story about Zimbabwe used with a photograph of President Robert Mugabe where he is not
mentioned in the story. One way of dealing with this would be to insert a short line mentioning Mugabe, eg Zimbawe,
whose President, Robert Mugabe, was re-elected for a seventh five-year term in July....

GUIDANCE FROM A TO Z
Abbreviations

Always write the full form on first appearance; for example, extensions are under way at the South African Bureau of
Standards (SABS); the bracketed abbreviation follows immediately. Try not to use the abbreviation too frequently by
substituting a generic, for example, the bureau instead of SABS.
Remember there is no need to abbreviate if the organisation is only mentioned once.
Do abbreviate:
Chief executive officer, managing director, general manager, chief financial officer and financial director in body text as
CEO, MD, GM, CFO and FD respectively. It is not necessary to write out in full at the first time of mention.
It is also not necessary to write out Member of Parliament at first mention. Use only the abbreviation MP.
Director-general and deputy director-general are not abbreviated to DG and DDG respectively
Exceptions:
Use only the abbreviation CIO when referring to chief information officer. However, when this abbreviation refers
to chief investment officer, we spell it out at first mention and abbreviate it as CIO thereafter. If used in a title of an
event, for example, the Africa CIO Summit, the acronym is to be used as is, as it is the name of the event.
Chief technical officer must also be written out at first mention and abbreviated as CTO thereafter.
Avoid using Prof, Gen and Col, but Dr is acceptable.
Do not abbreviate in body copy (although it is acceptable in headlines):
South Africa (SA in heads).
Million and billion in body copy for example, $46-million ($46m in heads).
Familiar abbreviations, such as GDP or Scada, must be written out on first mention, but may be used in headlines.
For information on abbreviations used in units of measurement, see Annexure Four.
When abbreviating year-on-year in headlines, use y/y and not y-o-y.
When abbreviating South Africa in headlines, use SA. However, when writing for an international audience (such as Mining
Weekly Online or Engineering News Online), please rather spell out South Africa/South African or abbreviate it to S Africa/
S African, as readers may confuse SA with the abbreviation for South Australia.
Acronyms
If an abbreviation can be and is pronounced, for example, Numsa, Nato, Seifsa and Gatt, then it is written in upper and
lower case and further reference takes the following forms: . . . it was reported that Numsa . . . the Numsa delegates . . ..
In cases where it cannot be or is not pronounced, capitals are used, for example, SABC and GDP and further preceded
by the, for example, the SABC will operate . . .
Note that the NUM and DIN are written in capitals because this is the way in which they are commonly referred to,
African Rainbow Minerals is shortened to ARM, Kumba Iron Ore is referred to as Kumba when mentioned a second
time and ArcelorMittal South Africa as AMSA
Agreement between subject and verb
Engineering News and Mining Weekly always refer to companies in the singular: De Beers Consolidated Mines has
completed its feasibility study.
The building contractor, Buildright Engineering, refuses to comment on the allegations.
In general, two ordinary nouns joined by the word and take the plural form of the verb:
Time and tide wait for no man
When the subject refers to one concept, notion or idea, it takes the singular form of the verb. It is important to establish
the way in which the subject is perceived:
The wages of sin is death.
Fish and chips makes the perfect meal.
There are some words that refer to a group, and can take either the singular or plural form, depending on the context
of the sentence. When the noun refers to separate members or individuals, the plural form is used, but when the entity
is meant, the verb takes the singular:
Our team has lost every game.
The board has reached a conclusion.
Words that refer to pairs take the plural form, but not when the word pair is actually used:
Pliers were needed to lift the lid.
Where is my new pair of scissors?
Anybody refers to one person; therefore it always takes the singular form of the verb.
Each always takes the singular, for example, Each of the men is going to succeed. But when each follows a plural word,
use a plural verb: the workers are each expected to . . .
None usually takes the singular form of the verb, for example, none of us understands his motivation. However, in some
cases, the plural may be possible, for example, none of the tools are in good condition. Many is plural and uses the
plural verb.
9

Apostrophe
The apostrophe is usually used to indicate possession, for example, the gold mines profits.
Names that end in s, for example, James and Jones become Jamess and Joness when denoting possession.
Euphony may decide the addition or omission of s, although it is often omitted when the last syllable of the name is
pronounced iz, and in Bridges and Moses. Plural-sounding company names that end in s, take an apostrophe
after the s when denoting possession: De Beers exploration tenements.
Plural possessives ending in s are written as bosses, dogs, directors, countries.
Apostrophes are not used in the plurals of abbreviations such as PCs and PLCs.
There is no apostrophe in 1980s, the 20s.
The towns Jeffreys Bay and Richards Bay do not take apostrophes, but Simons Town and King Williams Town do,
however.
Apostrophes also indicate the place where a letter is missing from a word:
Its wrong to judge = it is wrong to judge
Compare this to the possessive its:
Its profits have increased.
The apostrophe when used to mark the omission of a letter or numeral:
Dont (do not)
Thats (that is)
Rock n roll (rock and roll)
Its (it is)
In 94 or 95 (1994 or 1995).
Articles
Used in every sentence, articles are an integral part of the English language. Often misapplied, a and an are usually
referred to as the indefinite articles. In general, an is used before a vowel while a appears before a consonant. An is also
used before a silent h (but not before the words hotel and hospital since the h is pronounced). In addition, words which
begin with u but are pronounced as though the begin with a y are preceded by a, for example, a utensil, a useful idea;
but an ugly gesture, an upstart. The definite article the generally points to some particular subject, thereby distinguishing
it from others named in the sentence. The effect of the is stronger on a singular noun than with a plural:
The engineer will notice a difference in engine performance.
Engineers notice slight differences in engine performance.
Note that the definite articles should be used only when the purpose is to draw attention to a noun and it cannot be used
interchangeably with a or an.
When adjectives that denote quantities belonging to different things are connected, the article should be repeated:
A black and a blue vehicle passed the test. (This means two vehicles.)
When connected adjectives relate to the same thing, the article must not be repeated:
A black and blue vehicle passed the test. (This means one vehicle.)
Bold
The full names of people are written in bold on first appearance in an article. Thereafter, use only the surname in medium
font. Headings, crossheads and questions are also in bold.
Brackets and parentheses
Phrases can be inserted into a sentence in parentheses ( ) as an explanation or qualification. A phrase inserted in
parentheses must make complete grammatical sense on its own and must not have any grammatical connection with
the main sentence. Phrases used in parentheses must be kept short. Where possible, insert commas in place of these
punctuation marks.
Square brackets [ ] are used to enclose an explanation by the writer in clarification of a quoted source.
Capitals
General rule if in doubt, use lower case
We do not uppercase government, but Parliament is always capped, as are certain political positions such as President
and Minister.
Legislation (Act, Bill, White Paper and Green Paper) are also capped.
All private appointments are written in lower case, for example, marketing manager and operations director. But
CEO, MD and GM are never written out in full. Ranks and titles are written with a capital letter, but only when written
in conjunction with a name, for example, President Jacob Zuma.
Also note the capitalisation of military titles Colonel, Vice-Admiral; academic titles Dean of the Faculty of Engineering,
Vice-Chancellor, Professor; plus, Pope Benedict XVI, Queen Elizabeth and God. Also capitalise: Councillor. However,
US ambassador to the UN Susan Rice says . . . .
10

Write: undersecretary-general
Also note the capitals in State (as in government, but not in state of the economy), Internet, Web (but website) and Ethernet.
The names of race groups are not written with a capital letter but Asians, Europeans, Africans and other group names,
which are derived from the names of continents, are.
Definite geographical places, regions areas or countries take initial capitals. These include Western Cape, South East
Asia, Middle East, South Atlantic, the West. Use lower case with east, west, north or south when it is used as an
adjective, for example southern Free State and northern Canada, but South Africas West Coast.
Use lower case for province, city or state when it is not strictly part of a name, for example, Kuwait city, New York city,
Washington state, Eastern Cape province.
The same applies to streets, rivers, dams and project names, for example, Smith street, Van Riebeeck avenue, Fish
river, Katse dam, Alusaf Hillside smelter project, Kendal power station, but the Lesotho Highlands Water
Project.
The names of programmes or developments, which are not proper nouns, take lower case, for example, mine extension
programme.
When referring to projects under governments Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme,
wind farm and solar PV should be capped if it is part of the name of the project. For example: Mulilo Renewable Energy
Solar PV Prieska and not Mulilo Renewable Energy solar PV.
Dont be too liberal with caps.
Names of seagoing vessels should be in italics, for example, MSC Catania or MV Peace in Africa.
Common errors
Pacific Ocean, not Pacific ocean.
Lowercase website.
Lowercase doctoral, as in doctoral research.
Clichs
Clichs become clichs because they are useful in the first instance; but although they can find a new life from the very fact
that they are familiar expressions, they should be avoided. However, use a familiar phrase if it expresses meaning correctly,
not just because it is easily recognised.
Collective nouns
Words that refer to a group or collection of elements, for example:
Team, staff and joint venture, take the singular form:
The board has reached a conclusion.
However, in some cases, the sense may not lend itself to the singular:
The staff have collected money for the Christmas party.
A safe rule when using the word number:
The number is . . . A number are . . . (when number means many).
A pair and a couple are plural.
Think carefully before using the plural form.
Colons
If a colon does not add to the clarity of the wording, then it should be omitted. For example:
The manufacturing facility has the following features: a tool shop, a spray booth and a training centre for artisans. If the
colon is removed, the sentence is still perfectly understandable.
Writers are often tempted to add a colon after including, and the same rule applies.
Before a whole quoted sentence, but not before part of a quoted sentence, for example, She said: I need to hone my
gardening skills. However, I need to hone my gardening skills, she says is preferred by Engineering News and
Mining Weekly.
The colon is used to precede an explanation or to expand on what has gone before, for example, the cause of the fire
was obvious: the wiring of the entire building had long been a reason for concern.
Commas
Use commas sparingly. Short sentences are easier to read than long ones interspersed with many commas. Engineering
News and Mining Weekly style is that if a sentence may be understood without using commas, they should be omitted:
Use:
Engineering Anonymous contract manager Piet Smith says the plant is operational.
Rather than
Piet Smith, contract manager for Engineering Anonymous, says the plant is operational.
Commas are used to separate phrases or clauses. When a sentence begins with a subordinate clause, a comma must
appear after the clause, that is, before the main clause:
11

 While the four sets at Morupule were being phased in, the supply from Gaborone was phased out.
Two commas must be used when a phrase is inserted into a sentence parenthetically:
Large power stations, we have come to realise, require a lot of maintenance.
Not: Large power stations, we have come to realise require a lot of attention.
The use of commas is required when several items are listed in a sentence:
The local agency stocks valves, bolts and nuts. Dont use commas before and at the end of a list.
The use of a decimal point is mandatory, for example 2.6 and not 2,6. Also note that a space (and not a comma) is
used to separate thousands from hundreds, for example, 3 400.
Companies
Call companies by the names they call themselves, but omit (Pty) Ltd, Limited and cc unless the name is used in an
Engineering News plant profile when we specify Pty or Limited, but never (Pty) Ltd on the basis that if it is Pty it must
be Ltd and if it is Limited it is a public company as opposed to private one. Other abbreviations omitted after a company
name are AG, SA or Gmbh. However, in Coal of Africa Limited and South African National Roads Agency Limited, the word
Limited remains because this is part of the name.
The names of companies may be abbreviated after first appearance, for example, Atomic Energy Corporation (AEC).
Compound modifiers
Two words functioning as a single adjective should be hyphenated to ensure clarity, for example, long-term growth and
twentieth-century technology.
Generally, no hyphen is needed between an adverb and an adjective:
A carefully researched article.
Neither is a hyphen required when single adjectives follow a noun:
The proposal was ill considered (but: an ill-considered proposal).
Currencies
The commonly used currencies of rand, dollar, pound, yen do not take initial capitals. When before a figure, currency
abbreviations are used without a space, for example, 40 and $400. Other examples of usage:
The European benchmark ferrochrome price has increased by 16%, to $1,03/lb, which is $0,14 higher for the fourth
quarter
rand:dollar exchange rate
Countries:
In most cases the names of countries should be written out in full. Exceptions are the UK for the United Kingdom and
the US for the United States of America.
Note that Russia, often used interchangeably with the ex-Soviet Union, is only one of the republics that make up the
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
Remember the use of capitalisation in country names, such as Far East, South America and sub-Saharan Africa.
In cases where a country is know by more than one name, we use the United Nations list of member states as a reference
for official names. For example, we refer to Cte dIvoire rather than Ivory Coast.
Use http://www.un.org/en/members/index.shtml to check the accuracy of country names.
We use the noun form (Mozambique government) and not the adjectival form (Mozambican government) when referring to
the government of a country. However, there may be instances where the adjectival form reads better than the noun form
(French government not France government). In such cases, use the adjectival form.
Dash
The dash () must not be confused with the hyphen (-). The hyphen links words whereas the dash separates groups of
words. The presence of a dash indicates a slight pause.
Dates
The acceptable style for dates is October 27, 2009. Dates are always written out in full. Note that when a date is written
out in midsentence, a comma follows the year, for example, on September 3, 1939, Great Britain and France declared
war on Germany.
Use twentieth century rather than 20th century.
Wherever possible, use exact dates rather than the mid-1920s.
Likewise, avoid the use of hyphens between two dates, for example, 1995-96. Use a slash instead, for example, 1995/6
2008/9, not 2008/2009
August 2009, not August, 2009.
On June 2 and 3, Nersa held hearings
Defamation
We need to be very careful to avoid a situation where we find ourselves in hot water for defaming any individuals or
companies, or making ourselves vulnerable to any claims that we have defamed anyone. It was not long ago that another
12

mining publication from South Africa suffered a heavy blow when it was taken to court in London for the alleged defamation
of a Russian mine owner. The settlement cost them millions of rands.
If you are ever in doubt as to whether an article is defamatory, get it checked before we publish it on our website or in our
magazines. We really cannot afford to make any mistakes in this regard. As Martin Creamer always says, If in doubt,
find out or leave it out.
Webber Wentzel defines defamation law as a branch of the law of delict (or tort), which protects a persons reputation.
The law of defamation seeks to find a workable balance between two conflicting rights:
the right to an unimpaired reputation (the right to dignity); and
the right to freedom of expression.
The law of defamation protects the reputation of a person; reputation is defined as the estimation or good opinion,
which an individual has in the eyes of society. All natural persons are entitled to sue for defamation, as are trading and
non-trading juristic persons.
The law allows a plaintiff to claim against a defendant if the plaintiff is able to prove three elements: that the defendant (a)
published, (b) defamatory matter, (c) referring to the plaintiff. In respect of defamatory material published on the Internet,
the High Court has held that publication takes place where the material is accessed (i.e. where the content of the website
is downloaded). On proof of the above three elements, the defendant is presumed to have published the matter wrongfully
and with the intention of defaming the plaintiff.
It is then for the defendant to rebut either of these presumptions by relying on a defense. There are three traditional
defenses:
Truth in the public interest. Here, the defendant argues that the material allegations contained in the defamatory
statement are substantially true and were made in the public interest;
The defamatory statement amounted to fair comment on a matter of public interest (e.g. an editorial or a satirical
cartoon); or
Qualified privilege. The defendant will escape liability in the absence of malice if he or she is under a legal, moral
or social duty to publish defamatory matter, and the recipient has a similar interest or duty in receiving it (e.g. an
employment reference). This defence also extends to the fair and accurate reporting of the proceedings of Parliament,
courts and certain other public bodies.
It is also possible to be sued for defamation for comments made on the social web, such as Twitter or Facebook or on
blogs, forum discussions or in messages sent by email. So think before you vent.
Ellipses
The ellipsis (. . .) should be used only to mark the omission of a word or phrase from a quoted source. There must be a
space before and after the ellipses, as well as in between the points.
Ethnic groups
Avoid distinguishing different races. Since South Africas move to democracy and the announcement of the Reconstruction
and Development Programme, many companies have invested in small business, rural and human resource development.
This has sparked the use of racist classifications for projects, such as the black managers programme or underprivileged housing subsidies (note the use of lower case). Avoid mentioning race if it does not detract from the story.
Foreign words
Try not to use foreign (anything not English) words and phrases. Avoid Latin phrases in particular. Use:
on site rather than in situ, if you mean the machine was assembled on site, but use in situ if you mean the in situ ore
reserves the ore reserves in the ground, prior to mining
a year rather than per year the rule with the use of per is that it can be used if substituting a or for each does not
read well, for example, . . . about 441 a year per person is better than . . . about 441 a year a person.
year rather than annum
through or by rather than via
However, in South Africa:
Lekgotla, which translates as meeting place, in Tswana is italicised, but indaba, which is Zulu and means a
conference, a council or a matter for discussion, is not. Judging by the number of search engine hits, Indaba is, by far,
the more commonly used of the two, and is widely adopted at least in South Africa.
Names of languages. Use Zulu, not isiZulu
Forward slash is the name of the / character on the computer keyboard. Examples of common usage:
quartz/magnetite/chalcopyrite veins.
Gender
Avoid differentiating between the sexes. Use:
chairperson not chairman
businessperson not businessman
13

draughtsperson not draughtsman; draughtsmen becomes draughtspeople

work hours not man hours
work years not man years
labour not manpower
workers compensation not workmans compensation
spokesperson not spokesman or spokeswoman
firefighters, not firemen or firepeople
service personnel, not servicemen
women-owned, not female owned

Where this rule doesnt work that well is when using middleman or middlemen, which would, if this rule is followed, be
changed to middleperson or middlepersons, ie, the iron-ore is sold at low prices and the middlepersons make a big profit
selling on at inflated prices. Middlepersons just doesnt work. For the same reason, foundrymen remains foundrymen.
Hanging clauses
Watch out for hanging clauses when beginning a sentence with an adjectival or adverbial phrase. Ensure that the phrase
qualifies the subject of the sentence.
Avoid at all costs:
A specialist of extensive experience, the board entrusted him with the project.
Hyphenation
See Annexure One
Initials
The initials of peoples names are never used in body copy. Always write first names and surnames and not initials, for
example, William Jones not WH Jones. The initials of directors are, however, used in company profiles, for example,
marketing director WH Jones, not W.H. Jones.
The acronyms of companies or initials in company names are also used without points or spaces, for example, AEC not
A.E.C. Remember to spell out the companys name at first mention in an article.
Inverted commas
Double inverted commas are used in direct speech:
The state of the industry is more positive since the elections, says Engineering Anon MD Burt Smith.
If certain words are quoted as they appear, double inverted commas are necessary: MacGregor remarked that the Minister
had fervently promised some sort of remuneration.
Single inverted titles are used to enclose the titles of articles or reports, for example, Wheels within Wheels.
Single inverted commas are used to indicate a quotation within a quotation:
The president of the association has agreed to challenge imports head-on and will be announcing a plan early next
year, reports SAACE member John Brett.
Single inverted commas are also used to indicate an unusual word or phrase:
The advent of chronobiology could change the world.
They are also used to indicate a quote in a headline or in a pullout quote.
Jargon
Avoid at all costs. Technical terms work well in proper context and should be defined or briefly explained early in the article.
In many instances a simpler synonym is the harder-working word. Remember, you dont sacrifice precision when omitting
jargon.
Legal aspects
There are three legal pitfalls into which journalists can fall: defamation, contempt of court and interfering with sub judice
matters.
Defamation is the publication of any injurious statement in respect of another person or class of persons with the intent of
causing disrepute to his or her name, company credit or reputation.
Contempt of court includes irresponsible reporting to the extent that the judge or magistrate has reason to consider the
report an interference with the process of the law. Matters under consideration by a court are sub judice until evidence is
heard. Any report written on the case must not impute blame to any party. Report dont judge.
Lists
No colons in front of lists, unless the list is bulleted.
Lower case
Refer to the section on capitals. If in doubt as to whether to use capitals or lower case, opt for lower case.
Metaphors
Although a skilfully used metaphor can evoke a visual image, adding this new dimension to a story can be tricky. To use
14

this figure of speech without loss of vividness steer clear of dipping into the well of worn-out metaphors, which will only tire
the reader and force him or her to move on to another story. Use all metaphors sparingly. Strive for accuracy, not ambiguity.
Names
The names of people are written out in full and appear in bold on first appearance. Thereafter, only the surnames are used
when using direct or reported speech.
When citing people in articles, our style is to write Mineral Resources Minister or Department of Mineral Resources directorgeneral Thibedi Ramotja, not Minister of Mineral Resources or director-general of the Department of Mineral Resources
Thibedi Ramotja.
Numbers
Never start a sentence with a figure; write out the number in words.
Numbers one to ten are written out in full, unless the number is a decimal, for example, 4.6 and 5.9 or precedes a unit
of measure, for example, 4%.
Use two-billion and ten-million, but R10-million, not ten-million rands.
Numbers should be rounded off to the second decimal place, for example, R5.68-million not R5.683-million.
Fractions should be hyphenated when spelled out in full, for example, two-thirds, even when the number is higher
than ten. The same applies to figures used as adjectives: He gave a tenth (not 10th) of his salary to the poor.
When to is being used as a ratio it is best to spell it out rather than use a colon: They voted nine votes to two,
to abandon the project. However, ratios expressed as percentages can be referred to in figures, for example, the
shareholding was 50:50.
It is acceptable to have 22 000 but million and billion must be written out in full and with a hyphen, for example,
R22-million.
Do not use a hyphen in place of to when using two figures: the project will take 12 to 18 months (not 12-18 months)
to complete.
When million is used, for example one-million tons, it has to be written out in full if the number is below 11. Do not use
1-million tons. However, 3.2-million tons and 1 t is acceptable, as is 4 c/t.
If there is a sequence of numbers, use figures as in 9 of the 11 units, or by 10-million to 13-million tons.
Use:
fiftieth not 50th anniversary; however, if the number is too long, for example thirty-thousandth, rather use 30 000th.
20 m a minute, not 20 m/m
20 angle, but 30 C
twelve 200 mm pinch valves
one metre to ten metres is written in words, thereafter 11 m is used
five-thousandths of a millimetre (.005 mm)
the project is expected to take 24 to 30 months, not take between 24 months to 30 months.
Ongoing, one word
Omitted words
Passages omitted from a quotation must be indicated by three dots (. . .) or four dots (. . . .) to indicate a full stop.
Please note the space between the dots.
Percentage
Use the sign % instead of per cent wherever possible. Write 5%, 30% but five per cent and thirty per cent when starting
a sentence with a percentage.
When hyphenating, use:
26%-owned by . . .
Per cent/percentage point
Interest rates best illustrate the difference between per cent and percentage point. If the interest rate was 5% and
government increased it to 6%, we would say it was increased by one percentage point. Saying that it was increased by
1% would mean that it was increased by 1% of the original amount (that is, 1/100 of 5%, or 0.05%).
The Four Ps
Engineering News and Mining Weekly have their own unique hierarchy of subject importance. These are, in order of
preference:
Projects (major developments, their values and the companies involved)
Products (introduction of innovative technology in products and its features)
People (whos making the news)
Policy (government regulations in industry)
These can be extended to include:
Polemic (debate the issues, present both sides of the story)
Probing (this is what investigative journalism is all about!)
Prodding (encourage formal institutions to take action)
15

 Praise (acknowledge creditworthy performance)

Please (give the reader what he or she wants)
And theres another P Priority. Journalism has evolved with the advent of online reporting, which needs to be brief and
to the point. The inverted pyramid is a metaphor used to illustrate how information should be arranged or presented in
a report; the most important facts first and less important detail tapering to the inverted point of the pyramid. This historic
form of news writing is ideally suited to the web and also suits many of the articles written for Creamer Media publications
as it makes editing easier when text needs to be cut for layout purposes.
Pyramid format writing is more suited to academic papers, where a foundation is supported by research findings, data and
extensive summaries. It is unsuited to journalism.
Feature writing results in several pages of articles, supported by photos and advertising, providing an overview of an
engineering or mining aspect. It is vital to ensure that writing is informative, interesting and relevant in support of the
Engineering News and Mining Weekly status as an essential source of information for those involved in the engineering and
mining sectors. To this end, the inverted pyramid format is often best suited to feature writing, but the flow of information
may dictate the use of other formats.
The question and answer format is also used to bring variety and interest to the publications. It is also suited to online
journalism and is popular in personality profiles.
Cover stories for Engineering News and Mining Weekly typically begin with a scene-setting opening paragraph and then
present various points of view on the topic setting out the challenges, successes, dilemmas and other aspects, and
ending with a thought-provoking concluding paragraph.
The more interpretive narrative form of writing is not a style associated with Creamer Media but is often used in magazines,
where the article opens with a human-interest story designed to catch the readers attention. The writer presents the facts
or views by crafting these around this story and other illustrative stories. The key message or messages unfold throughout
the piece and may or may not wrap in a punchy conclusion.
Most published columns follow a format of writing and columnists are featured in Engineering News and Mining
Weekly. There are many fine examples of this format in a myriad of publications and many talented writers who have
become esteemed columnists, some who have become powerful opinion formers in arenas from politics and sport to
entertainment and food.
Quotations
Quotations are not something written but rather something that is spoken. Hence, make a quote less formal and more
friendly. Strive to reflect the speakers character. Quote only when imperative.
Quotation marks
Quotation marks are used in direct speech:
Tourism will benefit from the 2010 FIFA World Cup, says Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk
They are also used when quoting phrases within a sentence:
We are warned that the legislation will force industry to evaluate its production processes.
Note the relative placing of quotation marks and punctuation: if a complete sentence is quoted, the final stop should be
placed inside the quotation marks and, if the quotation forms part of a sentence, the quotation marks should precede any
punctuation marks.
Relative pronouns
In short, who, or whom is used for people while which or that is used for animals and inanimate objects. Note that a
company is not human and therefore it does not take who:
The company that survived . . .
not
The company who survived . . .
Note also:
The company, the premises of which are situated in . . .
rather than
The company, whose premises are situated in . . .
Reported speech
Engineering News and Mining Weekly style is to report before attributing the speech:
The product has enjoyed unprecedented success, reports Engineering Anon sales manager Joe Myburg.
rather than
Engineering Anon sales manager Joe Myburg says: The product has enjoyed unprecedented success.
Note that the attributive verb is always in the present unless reporting on a speech or presentation. Use says not said,
explains not explained, reports not reported.
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Semicolons and colons

Semicolons mark a pause longer than a comma but shorter than a full stop. They can be used to distinguish phrases listed
after a colon if commas will not do the job clearly. Dont overdo.
The colour patterns are red, white and blue; silver, green and purple; gold, black and yellow; and grey, brown and
orange.
They agreed on only three points: that the ceasefire should be immediate; it should be internationally supervised,
preferably by the AU; and a peace conference should be held, either in Geneva or Ouagadougou.
Slang
Slang, like metaphors, should be used only occasionally if it is to have any effect. Even then, slang should be used with
caution.
Examples of South African slang include bakkie (pick-up), dorp (town), dwaal (lost), fundi (from the Nguni umfundisi,
meaning teacher or preacher), gogga (insect), howzit, just now (shortly), muti (medicine) platteland (countryside), takkies
(as in wheels or running shoes) and vrot (rotten or smelly).
Avoid using expressions such as thumbs up or thumbs down, guesstimate, massive. As an alternative, always opt for the
simpler, clearer word.
Spacing
A space must be left between a figure and its unit of measurement: 26 m, 32 km, 12 and 30 C (temperature) is the
correct style, but 24% and 16 (angles).
Split infinitives
Splitting of infinitives is justified only when avoiding ambiguity. Compare: Our object is to further cement trade relations
(split infinitive), and Our object is to cement further trade relations.
He wanted to desperately expand his business. (wrong)
He desperately wanted to expand his business. (right)
Style
Golden rule: News first, scene-setting second, context third, comment last. (Pack article with news, limit commentary.)
Guidelines:
1. If you dont understand your sentence or article, no-one else will. Rewrite it until it is clear. Dont forget punctuation.
2. Exhaust your angle before moving into a new theme.
3. Have appropriate joiners to introduce a new theme (meanwhile, in addition, another key priority . . .)
4. Multisource where appropriate and always get the other side of the debate if one is raised.
5. Limit the use of direct quotes and rather interpret for the reader in indirect speech.
6. (Most important) read your article through three times before submission to an editor.
Tenses
The present tense is the norm when writing an article:
Johansen says that building will start in two months time.
The past tense is used only when reporting on a speech which has already occurred:
MacKenzie said in his inaugural speech that he was looking forward to his term of office.
Note that was and not is is used after the word said. The past tense will follow throughout the rest of the reported speech.
For the sake of immediacy it is better to say:
Retecon has been commissioned as main contractor rather than Retecon was commissioned.
Time
Time should always be given in figures according to the 24-hour clock without specifying am or pm or using an h:
A decision is expected by 14:00 on Monday
Dont use three years to five years. Use three to five years
When referring to time zones, it is acceptable to use only the abbreviation. For example: CAT not Central African Time.
Titles
Although the overriding principle is to treat people with respect, do not indulge peoples self-importance unless it is insulting
not to use the titles they themselves adopt.
Titles are used only to indicate positions of importance, for example, Professor Jan Goldblatt; Dr Jack Mulder, Sir Ernest
Oppenheimer.
Mr, Mrs and Miss are not used in Engineering News and Mining Weekly. First names and surnames are used on first
mention: Nols Oliver not Mr Nols Oliver. After having used a persons first name and surname once, just his surname is
necessary thereafter: Oliver not Mr Oliver, Mulder not Dr Mulder and Goldblatt not Professsor Goldblatt.
The only time Mr is used is for the names of judges, for example Mr Justice J McArthur.
Peoples designations in a company are rarely written with capitals.
Note: For the sake of brevity and ease of reading, use Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies rather than
Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies.
17

Book titles
Newspaper and magazine titles are not written in Italics, with the exception of our own publications, Engineering News,
Mining Weekly, Polity and Research Channel Africa. Titles of articles appearing in a book, newspaper or magazine, and
titles of reports, are enclosed in single inverted commas, for example, Wheels within wheels, Gold hits new high and
World Competitiveness Report.
Song and movie titles are Italicised no quotes for example Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika and District Nine.
Italics are used for the titles of books or poems, for example, Oliver Twist; the titles of films, for example, White Wedding;
names of ships and aircraft, for example, Destiny and Challenger and words from another language, for example, lekgotla.
Units of measure see Annexure Two
Unnecessary words
Some words, while adding length to an article, do nothing for journalistic style. Adjectives can be used to make your
meaning more precise but you should guard against those that serve only as decorations. Prime examples are very and
wide.
Deleting these from a phrase rarely detracts from their intended meaning:
The chances of inflation increasing in the next two years are (very) good.
The company offers a (wide) range of petrochemical products.
Other examples include strike instead of strike action; cuts instead of cutbacks; record instead of track record; sold
instead of sold off.
Watch points
(Engineering News and Mining Weekly no-nos)
There are several words and phrases that Engineering News prefers not to use.
According to Tom Ansley says is preferred
Address/ed Do not use address or addressed as a verb. Substitute with words like confront, consider, promote.
Almost all Most is more concise, although an exact figure would be even better
Annually and per annum use yearly or a year instead of Latin words.
Anticipates rather use expects
Approximately About or almost is preferred.
At the same time Simultaneously is preferred.
Company location do not write Endenvale-based Acme Props but Acme Props, of Edenvale.
The use of a number of and several are acceptable.
In situ On site is preferred.
Intros Do not start introductions with company names unless the alternative is grammatically incorrect or very
cumbersome.
Now Avoid using unless its omission changes the meaning of a sentence.
The use of a number of and several are acceptable.
Per Use of this word should be avoided. For example, eight hours per day can be replaced by eight hours a day.
Percentage When writing percentages use per cent rather than percent.
Presently means soon, not at present. Avoid.
Quantity Please distinguish between amount, number and quantity (and fewer and less).
Recently Avoid using as the word is vague and, in some cases, redundant. Rather use the exact date or nothing
at all.
On his visit to South Africa . . . not . . . On his recent visit to Africa.
The building has been finished . . . not . . . The building was recently finished.
S vs Z The letter s is preferred to the letter z as a verbal ending: emphasise rather than emphasize; specialise
rather than specialize. Use horizon, not horison.
Today do not use, except in cases such as . . . Engineering News can today report.

18

Areas of common difficulty

A

Ability, Capacity
Ability is physical and mental power, particularly the power to plan and execute, while capacity is the power to receive:
The MD has the ability to carry out the companys rationalisation plans.
The MD has a great capacity for technical equations and mathematical calculations.
The plant has a production capacity of 500 t/y.
Academic qualifications should be mentioned in chronological order, for example, BA, MA.
Act and Bill as in legislation, are capped
According to Tom Ansley says is preferred.
Advertisement, is preferred to advert
Address/ed do not use address or addressed as a verb. Substitute with words like confront, consider, promote.
Addressing issues rather use tackling or dealing with
Adviser, not advisor
Affect/effect.
Affect and effect as verbs are frequently confused. Effect is to bring about, to accomplish, affect is to produce
an effect on, to attack, move or touch. The majority of the time you use affect with an a as a verb and effect with an e
as a noun.
Examples from the CM style guide:
The struggling economy had a disastrous effect on the gold price
The struggling economy affected the gold price terribly.
T
 he Chinese and South African markets had been impacted on to a lesser extent. Replace impacted on with
affected.
Agroprocessing, not agro-processing
Aims, Objectives
Aims are the goals set and objectives are the measurements we undertake to achieve the aims.
Almost all most is more concise, although an exact figure would be even better.
Allow, enable and afford
allow means to:
give permission for something to happen or somebody to do something, or take no action or make no rule to prevent it
let somebody or something enter or be present in a place
let somebody or yourself have something, often a benefit or pleasure of some kind
give or credit somebody with an amount of money as a discount or in exchange for something
set aside or make available something such as a period of time or amount of material for a particular purpose
take something into consideration or make provision for it when making a plan or decision
admit something or accept it to be true or valid (formal)
present something as possible or reasonable (formal)
US usage means to state or suppose
Enable means to:
provide somebody with the resources, authority or opportunity to do something
make something possible or feasible (note: this definition is not given for allow.)
Afford means to:
be able to meet the cost of something without unacceptable difficulty
be able to do or provide something without unacceptable or disadvantageous consequences. Do not use allow when
you mean afford as in to to do or to provide.
be able to spare something without unacceptable or disadvantageous con-sequences
supply or provide something
Allusion, illusion, delusion
The first two especially are frequently confused. An allusion is an indirect or covert reference to something. An illusion is
a false or mistaken conception. A delusion is a view of belief so utterly false that it suggests insanity:
In the first stanza, the poet makes several allusions to the works of earlier poets. The author alludes to Hamlet but
nowhere names the play.
Though he had never managed to publish anything, he was under the illusion that he was a poet.
In his famous speech in the fourth act of the Tempest, Prospero presents the world as a vase illusion
The belief that he and his soldiers could not be harmed by the enemys bullets was only one of the delusions he
suffered.
19

Allusive, elusive, elusory, illusory

Allusive is the adjectival form of allusion. When poets make frequent allusions, we
speak of their style as allusive. If we call something elusive or elusory, we mean that it is perplexing, difficult to grasp (it
eludes us). Illusory is the adjectival form of illusion. To call something illusory is to say that it is deceptive, that it has the
character of an illusion.
Alternate(ly), alternative(ly)
Alternate(ly) implies first one, then the other. Alternative(ly) traditionally referred
to a choice between two, but its use in referring to a choice among several possibilities is now firmly established:
They marched and rested on alternate days.
They worked and played alternately and never became bored.
They could surrender; alternatively, they could retreat and wait for another opportunity to attack.
The generals had several alternatives to choose from in deciding on a course of action.
Annually. Use yearly or a year instead of Latin words.
Anticipate, expect use expect instead where appropriate
Anticipate means to:
1. imagine or consider something before it happens and make any necessary preparations or changes.
2. think or be fairly sure that a certain thing will happen or come.
3. feel excited, hopeful, or eager about something that is going to happen.
4. imagine or consider something that might happen and take action to prevent it.
5. say or do something before it becomes fashionable or comes into widespread use (formal).
6. make use of something before it has actually been received (formal).
Expect means to:
1. believe with confidence, or think it likely, that an event will happen in the future.
2. wait for, or look forward to, something that you believe is going to happen or arrive.
3. demand or anticipate receiving something because of a perceived right to it or because it is somebodys duty to give it.
Amend, emend
Amend means to alter, usually in the sense of improving something. Emend means to remove errors from:
The legislature met to amend the countrys constitution.
Several amendments to the motion were passed.
The writer emended two passages in the typescript
The manuscript shows that the writer made several emendations before submitting the article for publication.
American spelling
The only time this is not changed to UK spelling is when it is the name of an American organisation, for example: The
Center for Disease Control.
Among (not amongst), between
Traditionally between and among were carefully distinguished in both speech and writing. Something could be divided
between two people or among more than two. Among continues to imply more than two, while between has come to
be permitted when more than two are indicated. Even in formal writing, between can be used with more than two when
it is used spatially or geographically:
Their house was situated between the railway, the road and the shopping centre.
Apart from this exception, unless your phrasing lands you in difficulties, you should observe the distinction in formal
writing. The correct expression is between you and me (between us) and not between you and I.
Ante, Anti ante means before and anti means against:
An antecedent is a preceding thing or circumstance.
An antidote is a remedy against poison.
Approximately about or almost is preferred
Archaisms Archaic r-k-ik, adj. ancient; savouring of the past; not absolutely obsolete but not longer in general use;
old-fashioned.
Examples:
Coolth = coolness
Proven = proved
Thereafter = after that
Therein
Thereof = of that
Whilst = while
Amid = among
Amongst = among
Not archaic but a nonword: Telephonic
At the same time simultaneously is preferred
20

Artisanal mining, not artisinal mining

Autocatalyst, not auto catalyst.
Aside and Apart. Aside means to or toward the side, for example, he stepped aside; away from others or into privacy,
for example, she pulled him aside; out of the way especially for future use, for example, they are putting aside savings.
Apart means at a little distance, for example, he tried to keep apart from the family squabbles; or away from one another,
as in space or time, for example, they lived in towns 20 km apart.

Backup, not back-up

Bail-out, as in following a bail-out by JSE-listed company Zambia Copper Investments.
Baseload, not base load. Use baseload expansion, baseload generation capacity.
Basin is lowercased (like reef) for example, the Witwatersrand basin or the Eastern, Western and Central basins.
Geologically, a basin is a broad tract of land in which the rock strata are tilted toward a common centre, or a large,
bowl-shaped depression in the surface of the land or ocean floor. It is also the catchment area of a particular river and its
tributaries or of a lake or sea.
Benefiting/Benefited is spelled with only one t, but modelling and signalling are spelled with a double l.
Beside, besides
Beside is a preposition while besides is a conjunction or an adverb meaning as well as:
He sat down beside the toolbox.
Besides gaining a head start in the local market, the company found success in the export market.
Biannually twice a year. One word. See also Biennially.
Biennially occurring every two years. One word.
Bloc: a bloc is a group of countries or people with a shared aim.
Born, borne
A child is born but the burden of birth is borne by the mother. If what you wish to express is not related to birth, the word
you should use is borne. Borne refers to burdens, insults and responsibilities.
Breakthrough, not break through
By-product, not by product

Called/known as be careful about using either. You may have called someone an expert, but the person may not be
known as one. A current trend is to write: the R5-million machine, called Mighty Mouse, has . . . , when the R5-million,
machine, Mighty Mouse, has . . . would be acceptable!
Both cannot and can not are acceptable spellings, but the first is much more usual. You would use can not when the
not forms part of another construction such as not only
Capex, is an abbreviation for capital expenditure; however, use was spent on capital projects instead of was spent on
capex.
Cause, reason the cause of an event is the power or agency that brings about its circumstance, while its reason is an
explanation formulated in the human mind
Cautionary. We do not need to write cautionary announcement or notice when the phrase the company issued a
cautionary yesterday morning, prior to the announcement of its quarterly results is understandable.
Cash flow, not cashflow
Century
twenty-first century,
twenty-first-century skills
Channel, as in Maputo channel, is lowercased
City, we uppercase City of Johannesburg, but city on its own, is lowercased
Coalfield, one word but coal bed is two words, for example the coal bed is to be mined.
Co the use of the prefix co is confusing. Here are some examples of when to use a hyphen:
Cochairperson, not co-chairperson
Co-opt
Co-owner
Cooperation
Coordination
Co-suppliers
Co-modality
Co-investors
Co-author
Cofiring boilers, not co-firing
21

Colour, lower case blue, green, yellow etc

Commonwealth, not Common Wealth
Compare to, compare with
Compared to is used when the subjects are of different orders, for example:
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) compared to US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US
GAAP).
Recent climate observations compared to projections
But developments in diesel technology have to be compared to continuing advancements in gasoline-powered
vehicles.
Compared with is used when the subjects are of the same order, for example:

Cash generated from operations increased by 134% to R147.3-million compared with R62.9-million the
year before.
Refracting telescopes compared with reflecting telescopes,
When discussing climate Japan is often compared with California because of its north-south placement.
An easy way to remember is that you can compare one type of apple with another type of apple, but you would compare
an apple to an orange.
Competence The state or quality of being adequately or well qualified; ability. The plural is competences, as in Aurecon
will be exhibiting its mining competences.
Compliment, -ary (flattering), is often confused with complement, -ary (in completion of) or form a complement to as in
her scarf complements her dress.
Complex, as in Bushveld Complex, is capped.
Complete/Completed The project is 80% complete, but the shaft fitting has been completed.
Compound modifiers Two words functioning as a single adjective should be hyphenated to ensure clarity, for example,
long-term growth and twentieth-century technology. Generally, no hyphen is needed between an adverb and an adjective,
for example, a carefully researched article. Neither is a hyphen required when single adjectives follow a noun, for example,
the proposal was ill considered (but, an ill-considered proposal).
Concentrated solar power not concentrating solar power
Contemporary (noun and adjective) means both belonging to the same period of time and current, of our own time.
This can lead to confusion. If contemporary is used in a sentence that refers to an earlier period or a particular person,
it means of that period or that persons period. It is therefore incorrect to write: Shakespeares plays are relevant to
contemporary problems, if what you mean is that his plays are relevant to problems of our own time. As a rule, if you
refer to an earlier period or a particular person who lived in an earlier period, and you want to relate that period or person
to our own time, avoid using contemporary in your sentences. Find an acceptable substitute to express what you want
to say. The following show some of the correct uses of contemporary:
Shakespeares plays surpass even the best works of his contemporaries.
Blakes poetry is significantly different from the work of contemporary poets.
Ben Jonson was a contemporary of Shakespeare.
Emily Dickinsons poetry was largely ignored by contemporary writers and critics.
Continual, continuous Continual implies a recurrence at frequent intervals; continuous means extending
uninterruptedly, unbroken and connected. The best way to remember the difference between these words is to make up
a saying along the lines of the following: You can learn to play a musical instrument by continual practice; but your effort
cannot be continuous.
Contracts are awarded, not rewarded.
Copperbelt is one word and capped.
Crosscuts, not cross cuts.
Currency When speaking it is acceptable to say ten rand or a million rand we all do it; but when writing especially
for publication we must write ten rands or a million rands. However, if rand is used adjectivally, then it remains rand
and may need to be hyphenated, for example, a multibillion-rand initiative.
Cutoff, not cut-off

Data
In Latin, data is the plural of datum, meaning, one piece of information. Datum is infrequently used. When it is used, it
typically means thing known or granted, unquestionable fact.
The word data is often used with a plural verb; however, increasingly it is used as a collective noun denoting a single body
of facts or information. In such constructions it takes a singular verb. It is correct to use the singular construction unless it
seems awkward in the particular sentence you are writing:
The available data are insufficient to draw any conclusions
The data on the subject is rather meagre
22

Database, not data base

Dependant, dependent
Dependant is the noun, while dependent is the adjective.
Dependence is a state of being dependent on somebody.
Dependency a territory subject to nonadjacent country, or overreliance on a drug.
Die casting is not hyphenated, for example die casting technology.
Differ with, differ from
Normally a distinction is drawn between differ with and differ from. We differ with eople when we do not agree with
them. Differ from is used in the sense of be different. The confusion arises because although I may differ with you (or
disagree with you) my ideas would be said to differ from yours.
Differ with is the more frequently used expression. In present usage, differ from is often replaced by phrases using
different:
He differs with those historians who think of history as the actions of famous people.
His description differs from the accounts of other anthropologists.
Different from/to/than
Although different has been used variously with from, to and than since at least the seventeenth century, expressions
using different can trigger off heated disagreement among grammarians. Many writers continue to insist that different
from is the only permissible construction, though more recently some have been prepared to tolerate different to in
speech and even in writing.
Directions:
North-west Johannesburg
North-western bypass route
North-northeast of Sishen
Unless a town is very small, it is not necessary to write the mine is situated 25 km west of the town of Musina,
when 25 km west of Musina would suffice.
Diversified, as in a diversified mining company. To be classed as a diversified mining company, the company needs to
mine at least three different minerals, for example, gold, coal and iron. An example is BHP Billiton.
Downtime, one word.
Draft, an air current, the order to join the armed services, a preliminary sketch or plan, a preliminary report or speech,
a written order to pay money, a drink, a dose of medicine, the depth required for a ship to float.
Draughting, not drafting, services. Draughtsperson or draughting technician
Due diligence, not due diligence study
Due to, owing to see O

E
Electricity. We use electricity, not electrical power.
Electromechanical, not electro-mechanical
En dash
The en dash is used instead of a hyphen to indicate a break in a sentence followed by information, which adds to or
clarifies the first part of the sentence, sometimes as an alternative to using brackets. It is also used in lists to avoid using
too many commas. Other uses include:
A publicprivate partnership, where the use of a hyphen may be deemed adjectival when, instead, the two entities have
equal weight.
Lloyd-Jones (one person), but a LennonMcCartney composition (two people).
ParisDakar Rally.
JohannesburgLondonCairo trip.
Waterval-BovenWaterval-Onder railway line.
End
Does in the end and at the end mean the same thing? In the end is most commonly used to mean finally or after a
long while. At the end is generally used to mean the point where something stops.
End-user is hyphenated. Collins does not hyphenate this, but we do.
Enormity means extreme evil or moral offensiveness or a very evil or morally
offensive deed. An enormity can mean sheer size, terrible nature or atrocity, so be careful in its usage, for example:
The enormity of war crimes.
The bombing of the defenceless population was an enormity beyond belief.
When referring to size, cope, extent, influence or immensity, examples include:
The enormity of the task.
The enormity of such an act of generosity is staggering.
eresearch, not e-research
23

Farther, further farther has reference to distance; further to continuance:

He rode farther
Further to our conversation
Both a feasibility study into and a feasibility study on are correct
Fast-tracking is hyphenated
Fibre-optic cable, not fibre-optics cable
Flowsheet, not flow sheet
Follow-up is the noun, follow up is the verb
Forklift, one word
Fundraising, one word
Further, not furthermore

Gasfields, not gas fields

Going forward is one of those phrases people like to use; however, if dropped from a sentence and the meaning is
unchanged, it is best deleted.
Government, it is not necessary to use the in front of government use . . . commitment to governments
economic agenda, rather than . . . commitment to the governments economic agenda. Similarly, do not use the in
front of Cabinet.
Groundwater, one word.
Groundwork, one word.

Happen, occur, take place

Happen and occur usually refer to circumstances beyond control whereas take place refers to things that are done
intentionally:
The accident occurred in the plant.
The meeting will take place tomorrow.
What happened to Europes winter?
Something really pivotal has happened to South Africas public finances; they have collapsed and the fault does not lie
entirely with the global recession.
Hard wearing (two words), as in hard wearing and corrosion resistant
Healthcare, one word
Hematite, not haematite
However Many of you have trouble using the word however, which is usually followed by a comma when used as the
first word of a sentence, and preceded and followed by a comma when used later in a sentence. For instance: In any case,
however, the siphon may be filled.
When it means to whatever extent however needs no following comma, for example, Bring the drum, however full it is.
However can come at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a sentence, but it is best positioned immediately after
the item that is held up for contrast: In the morning, however, nothing was done (in contrast to the preceding afternoon).
It should be surrounded by commas unless it means no matter how, as in however hard I work.
The use of a comma or semicolon before however: However is preceded by a semicolon only when the semicolon
can be replaced with a full stop and the resultant two sentences still make sense.
For example:
My child has always been a hard-working learner; however, she has never passed any exam with flying colours.
My child has always been a hard worker. However, she has never passed any exam with flying colours.
The following is incorrect because the two clauses are complete sentences in their own right. A punctuation mark that is
stronger than a comma should be used after learner:
My child has always been a hard-working learner, however, she has never passed any exam with flying colours.
Hyphenation. See Annexure One

Impact or impacted is followed by on, as in China and South Africa have been impacted on to a lesser extent.
However, the meteriorite impact was felt . . . is not followed by on as, in this case, impact implies force.
Indicate/suggest sometimes used incorrectly. You can indicate your approval with a nod; indicate the right road or
have the first rains indicate the start of summer. You can put forward a suggestion, see a cloud that suggests a mushroom,
endure a silence that suggests disapproval or feel that such a crime suggests apt punishment.
Independently, not independantly
24

Information technology sectors, not information-technology sectors

Independencies and independences The former is the plural from of independency, an independent territory or state,
while the latter is the plural form of independence.
Input, one word.
Inquiry Inquiry is correct when used to indicate an investigation, for example, a Court of Inquiry. Enquiry would be used in
the sense that is it a request for information.
Internet Internet is always captatilised.

Junior miner
What is a junior miner anyway?
Juniorminers.com set out to find what the definition of a Junior Miner was. So we contacted the nice folks at the PDAC
(Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada) and asked them for their definition of a junior mining company. Their
response was this:
Mining companies are defined largely by the way in which they derive their revenues. A senior producer or operator
generates its revenues from the production and sale of the commodity it is mining. A junior mining company has no
mining operations and is essentially a venture capital company. It must rely almost entirely on the capital markets to finance
its exploration activities [I say almost entirely because some juniors derive their financing from private sources]. There
is another category: midtier producers. These are generally junior companies that have decided to go into production on
properties that they have discovered.
We then asked the folks at the TSX and their response was:
Everyone has their interpretation of the definition of a junior mining company. We see most of them as being listed on TSX
Venture Exchange instead of on the TSX.
Judgement, judgment
Use judgment not judgement.

Keeps up. Rather use maintains ie He maintains morale.

Kick-off, not kickoff as in 100 days to kick-off.

L
Landfill, not land fill.
Landmark, not land mark.
Largest, rather use biggest.
Lend, loan, borrow
Lend is the verb while loan is the noun:
The company lent the entrepreneur R50 000 and he was grateful for the loan. The entrepreneur borrowed R50 000 from
the company.
Learn, learned, learnt
Learn acquire knowledge or skill
Learned is the past tense and past participle of learn (also learnt, which is a variant of learned).
Learned having great knowledge or characterised by scholarship (not learnt).
The difference between learned and learnt is the tenses:
I learned something yesterday. (Past tense)
I have learnt my lesson. (Past participle)
There is a lesson to be learned/learnt in the smallest and simplest things in life each day. (Both forms are correct.)
Learning difficulties, use instead of mental handicap or retarded to avoid giving offence, as in people with learning
difficulties, her son has learning difficulties (also learning disabilities).
Less, fewer,
Less refers to degree or quantity; fewer to number.
Licence, license
The letter c refers to a noun, while the letter s refers to a verb. Hence, licence is a noun and license is a verb:
The company manufactured the produce under licence to its overseas principal. (noun). If you use card, contract or
papers instead of licence and the sentence still makes sense, then licence is correct.
The company had the product licensed. (verb) In this case, if you can use the verb to allow, which is a verb, in its various
forms (allowing, allowed, allows) instead of license, then license, is correct. If you use allowance and the sentence makes
sense, then you should be using licence.
Hana Botswana holds 11 prospecting licences.
Licences are revoked, not taken away.
Life-of-mine is hyphenated unless used as the life of the mine.
25

Life span, not lifespan.

Lifestyle, not life style.
Life cycle, two words, but life-cycle costing.
Lightweight, not light weight.
Line-up is hyphenated, as in part of the line-up for the day.
Load-shedding is hyphenated when used as an adjective, noun or verb.
Location If, for example, you are referring to a company that is based in France, it is France-based the geographical
location. To use French-based means that it may have originated in that country, for example, French is widely spoken in
Africa. Write:
Australia-based.
England-based.
However, we would refer to South African-produced motor vehicles.
London Metal Exchange is written as LME
Looking at, rather use considering.

Manhours. Rather use work hours, for example . . . including engineering work hours . . .
Manmade, rather use artificial or synthetic, if appropriate.
Majority, on its own, is singular. (However, if you write about a majority of some specified group, such as a majority of
employees, you should use the plural form, are.)
Many, much
Many refers to number, much to quantities:
There must have been as many as a hundred at the conference.
The company was willing to spend as much as R2-billion on the project.
Measurements
The use of centimetres is, for some peculiar reason, restricted to textiles and garments. In all other instances, please use
millimetres.
All imperial measurements must be converted to the metric equivalent. Thus, use hectares instead of acres,
kilometres instead of miles, metres instead of yards, litres instead of gallons, kilograms instead of pounds and
note: tons instead of tonnes. The exception is nautical miles, which remain the same.
However, when used with numerals, the use of symbols, such as (inches) is acceptable. For example: 5, 5 or 47 lb.
When these units of measurement are used at the beginning of a sentence, they must be written out.
Mega is a prefix that should be combined with the word it precedes. For example, megaproject, megachurch and
megastar.
Metaphors
Although a skilfully used metaphor can evoke a visual image, adding this new dimension to a story can be tricky. To use
this figure of speech without loss of vividness steer clear of dipping into the well of worn-out metaphors, which will only tire
the reader or force him or her to move on to another story. Use all metaphors sparingly. Strive for accuracy, not ambiguity.
Marketplace, not market place.
Mount Moreland, not Mt Morland.
Multi-element, not multielement
Multi-user, not multiuser

None is or are? Not one is = none. So, none is. When used with a plural noun, however, opinions begin to differ, for
example, none of my colleagues is does not read as well as none of my colleagues are. In this case the most natural
usage would be acceptable.
Now avoid using unless its omission changes the meaning of a sentence.
Nuclear-1, not Nuclear One.
The use of a number of and several are acceptable.

Obligate is an ugly and unnecessary word. Use oblige.

Off the shore of Cte dIvoire, not offshore of Cte dIvoire, but maintenance of the oil rigs (two words) offshore of
Angola.
Offtake, one word offtake agreement.
OK, not okay, but rather use acceptable.
26

On line, but online when referring to the Web or an online account.

On site, is two words
One-off costs, not once-off costs.
On to, is two words.
Ongoing, is one word
Openpit, not open pit.
Opencast, not open cast.
Orebody, not ore body.
Orepass, not ore pass.
Output, one word.
Overperformed, overcommitted, overstressed and oversold (one word, not two words).
Owing to is always used as a conjunction, or joining word. For example: Owing to his lack of qualifications, he could
not be employed which can also be written as: He could not be employed, owing to his lack of qualifications. If you
can change a sentence around like this, then you should definitely use owing.
Due to examples:
The furnace was due to be shut down in April.
The employee wants payment of money due to him.
The plane is due to arrive at noon.

P
Pan-African. We refer to a Pan-African project, not a pan-African project.
Paper use Green Paper or White Paper, not green paper or white paper
Past, last
These words are often confused. For the sake of clarity, use past when referring to a historic event and last when you
mean lately:
The company manufactured carbon steel in the past.
He has been away the last three days.
Last can mean the final (as in He ate the last remaining sweet) or, in this context, the most recent, as in Last week we
went to the beach or Last time I saw him, we went to the cinema.
Past is more vague and can be used to refer to a nonspecific period millions of years ago or a couple of years back,
although it tends largely not to be used for more recent events, ie. In the past, dinosaurs roamed the earth or In the
past, we used to go to the fair together.
It is fine to use past to say, for example, The company has invested millions of rands in new equipment in the past three
years.
Last should only be used where one refers to a final event. For example: In the last six months before the company was
bought out, it invested millions of rands in new equipment.
Per should be avoided, use each, for example each year. Per annum should also be replaced by a year. There are,
however, acceptable uses of per:
Per capita.
100 carats per hundred tons (cpht).
When used in a quote.
Phase 2, not phase 2.
Pilanesberg, not Pilansberg.
Platinum-group metals (PGMs), not platinum group metals, but a platinum-group metal (PGM).
Platework, not plate work.
Policymaking, one word as in the policymaking process.
Polokwane, not Pietersburg.
Ponder, rather use consider
Port is lowercased, for example, the Beira port but the Port of Beira.
Post usually attached without the hyphen when referring to the past, except when the next word begins with t or a
capital letter.
Postelection, not post-election.
Post-tax, not posttax.
Postwar, not post-war ie postwar Japan.
Practice, practise
The letter c is used in the noun while the letter s is used in the verb. Hence practice is a noun and practise is a verb:
He opened his own practice on the Rand. (noun)
He practised his putting daily. (verb)
27

Presently. There are still those among us using the word presently to mean now. It does not: it means before long,
soon or shortly. Currently is preferred.
Preventive, not preventative.
Principal, principle
Principal is the main, head or chief or an organisation while principle refers to values or features. Principal may be a
noun or adjective, principle is always a noun.
The principal shareholder has a major say in the day-to-day workings of the company.
The principle behind the workings of the lathe is simple.
Pumpstation, one word.

Qualifications
Write:
PhD, not PHD.
BSc (Hon), not B. Sc. (Hons).
Quantity distinguish between amount, number and quantity (and fewer and less). Use:
A small quantity of ore or goods.
Pilbara blend comprises the different qualities of iron-ore blended in specific quantities.
Quick. There is some debate surrounding the degree of comparison (adjective or adverb [the positive], comparative and
superlative) for quick, quicker (or the preferred more quickly) and quickest. Quicker is used in informal English and has
passed into common usage. However, in writing, the better use of the comparative is more quickly. Another example is
more succinct as opposed to succincter. The former is easier to say than the latter, so it is doubtful that this will become
used in common speech. Similarly with more beautiful and most beautiful, more sincere and most sincere.

Raiseboring is one word, while raise-drilled is hyphenated.

Rail track is two words.
Rare-earth oxide and rare-earth element, but rare earths mine and rare earths plant.
Recently avoid using as the word is vague and, in some cases, redundant. Rather use the exact date or nothing at all:
On his visit to South Africa . . . not . . . on his recent visit to South Africa.
The building has been finished . . . not . . . the building was recently finished.
Reef. Lowercase, for example, Merensky reef, UG2 reef, Main reef.
Reorder
Risk averse, not risk adverse.
Roadshow, not road show.
Rock drills, not rockdrills.
Roll-out is hyphenated whether used as an adjective or noun, but the verb is roll out two words. This applies to
rolled-out and rolling-out.
Rollover, as in rollover doors is one word
Roofs, not rooves.
Runoff is one word if refering to an election runoff but to run off a copy is two words.

Semiskilled, not semi-skilled.

Sewage, sewerage and sewer. Sewage is the waste matter carried off by sewer drains and pipes. Sewerage refers to
the physical facilities (for example, pipes, lift stations, and treatment and disposal facilities) through which sewage flows.
Its a sewage treatment works, not a sewerage treatment works.
Old sewerage piping was replaced.
Source as in the origin or a story. Use: a source confirmed to Engineering News . . . or Engineering News
confirmed with . . . .
Standalone, not stand-alone.
Stock exchanges The JSE is listed as such and should not be written as the Johannesburg Securities Exchange
Use:
Aim- and ASX-listed Sylvania Resources
The New York and London stock exchanges
TSX- or TSX-V-listed
28

Stormwater runoff, not storm water run off.

State with a capital S refers to the government of a country. The lowercase s refers to:
state
The condition that something or somebody is in at a particular time
A nervous, upset, or excited frame of mind or manner of behaving (informal).
A formal, dignified or grand way of doing something in which all the appropriate ceremonies are observed
Any of the various forms such as solid or liquid or quantifiable conditions such as energy levels that a physical substance
can be in depending on its temperature and other circumstances
A messy or disreputable condition (informal)
To express something in spoken or written words, especially to announce something publicly in a deliberate formal way
To declare something officially so that it has the force of a law or regulation
Use:
State-owned power utility, but State power utility does not take a hyphen.
non-State, not nonState.
Subconsultants, not sub-consultants.
sub-Saharan, not Sub-Saharan.
Standards authorities
Abbreviations for standards authorities need to be written out in full at the first time of mention if used without reference to
the particular standard ISO 90001:2000
IAF International Accreditation Forum.
ILAC International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation.
ISO International Organisation for Standardisation.
SANAS South African National Accreditation System.
A full list of standards authorities names and abbreviations is available in Annexure Six
Surnames In articles where people have the same surnames, use both name and surname at the second time of mention.
Sustainability includes the economic, social and environmental spheres of corporate involvement and influence so dont
write environmental and sustainability challenges.

Telecommunications and telecoms Both are acceptable but be consistent

Tender and Award stage of projects.
That part of the project life cycle during which construction contractors are invited to prepare and submit bids, a selection
is made and contracts are awarded. A call for bids or call for tenders or invitation to tender (ITT) (often called tender for
short) is a special procedure for generating competing offers from different bidders looking to obtain an award of business
activity in works, supply or service contracts. They are usually preceded by a prequalification questionnaire (PQQ).
Testwork, not test work.
Third World countries, not third world countries.
Real-time monitoring, not real time monitoring.
Today do not use except in cases such as . . . Engineering News can today report.
Tool, die and mouldmaking, not tool-, die- and mould-making.
TSX-V, use in full at the first time of mention Canadian Toronto Stock Exchanges Venture Exchange (TSX-V)
Trading as should not be abbreviated to t/a.
Two, too, to
Two means twice one: too has the meaning of also; to is an indication of direction.
The two men went to the factory. He went there too.

Underallocation, not under allocation

Under way. Two words.
Underused, not under underutilised. One word.
Upon, on
Upon should be used when there is a superposition, actual or figurative, according to the rules of grammar:
The copy was laid upon the desk.
She heaped her adjectives one upon the other.
However, the choice between upon and on usually depends on euphony. Base your choice on the sound of the words
with which the preposition is used, for example, upon my word, depend upon it, but it depends on him, on hearing. The
same consideration can be applied to till and until.
Uranic contamination, as in contaminated by uranium.
Used, not utilised, so underused
29

Very. To write that a company is very systems based is unnecessary. It is systems based.
Vice Versa, rather use the other way around.

Web is capped. Web-based is hyphenated, but website is lower case.

Wellbeing, one word
Wellhead, as in wellhead generators for power production not well head or well-head.
WiFi not Wi-Fi.
Within in is preferred, unless used as he was within his rights.
Workforce, not work force
World War Two, not World War II or World War 2. Use the first DRC War, not the first Congo War
Whilst Use while, not whilst.

30

Annexures
Annexure One
Hyphenation examples
The hyphen should be used only when its presence assists in the understanding of a word or phrase. If youre not sure
whether to use one or not, consult the dictionary!
Use of the hyphen indicates that two or more words should be read as one word. This compound then acquires a meaning
of its own, entirely different from that of the individual words, for example:
High-tech
Know-how
Devil-may-care
Out-of-date
State-of-the-art
Hyphens are used when forming composite adjectives. If they are omitted, confusion could arise:
A little-known area does not mean the same as a little known area.
Some words beginning with prefixes need to be hyphenated, for example:
If the prefix is with a capital, as in neo-Darwinism.
If the prefix is used with a vowel, as in pre-empt, semi-illiterate, re-enter or anti-aircraft.
Do not hyphenate override, withhold and underrate.
Hyphens are not used in:
Non, as in nongovernmental
Nouns formed from prepositional verbs are hyphenated, for example roll-out and build-up.
Some titles also take hyphens, for example, vice-president, director-general and attorney-general, but not deputy
director and district attorney.
All numbers from twenty-one to ninety-nine (except for the single words) need to be hyphenated, as do other
compounds formed from numbers, if there is any possibility of ambiguity, for example three-tiered; four-lane;
three-legged. Note that it is not necessary to hyphenate numbers above one hundred, for example, four hundred and
ninety-six. Fractions are also hyphenated, for example, two-thirds, four-fifths.
The quarters of the compass when used as a compound are hyphenated, for example, north-west and south-east.
A compound modifier (also called a compound adjective or a phrasal adjective) is an adjectival or adverbial phrase of
two or more words. According to modern writing guides, compound modifiers before a noun generally require a hyphen
between each word (see exceptions below). Hyphens help prevent confusion; otherwise, a reader might interpret the words
separately, rather than as a phrase. One or more hyphens join the words into a single idea.
Hard-won victory
Better-educated learners
Science-fiction writers write science fiction
Military-history experts
A man-eating shark (not a man eating shark, the exact opposite meaning)
The one-way street is very narrow.
A wild-goose chase (not wild goose chase, a goose chase that was wild)
New-car sales not new car sales
Exceptions
Do not use a hyphen following adverbs that end in -ly, but use one following adverbs that do not end in -ly: a
well-known actress.
Most phrases that need hyphens as compound modifiers should not be hyphenated if they come after the noun they
describe: a contract for a long term.
Creamer Media style may differ from other house styles and this is often most evident in hyphenation. Generally,
hyphenation rules and exceptions are subject to a writers judgment and may be applied differently, but the overarching
aim is to avoid confusion.
The Times Online Style Guide suggests using the hyphen when the phrase would otherwise be ambiguous.
The Chicago Manual of Style now takes the position that the hyphen may be omitted in all cases [of adjectival compounds]
where there is little or no risk of ambiguity or hesitation.
Examples of noncompound modifiers
A new looking glass (not to confuse with a new-looking glass, looking glass being a rather old-fashioned term for a mirror)
Oxygen free radicals (in chemistry, free radicals that contain oxygen, not to confuse with oxygen-free radicals, radicals
which are free of oxygen, or oxygen-consuming radicals, nonconformist chemists given to expounding their views at
length.)
31

Hyphenation examples:
black economic-empowerment group and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act of 2003
broad-based black economic-empowerment initiative
black-empowered company
challenge imports head-on
coal-fired power station
community-owned and -operated factory
Consul-General
Cost-effective solution
Deep-water discovery, not deepwater discovery
Demagnitising, not de-magnitising
demand-side management
director-general (Botswana Democratic Party secretary-general Daniel Kwelagobe)
Eco-trails
Electricity intensive mines
Environmental-impact assessment
environmental-impact assessment report
environmental- and social-impact assessment study
Exchange-traded funds (lowercased), not Exchange Traded Funds
End-users, not end users
ex-Soviet Union
fibre-optic cables but fibre optics (no hyphen)
First-quarter new-vehicle sales
fit-for-purpose
Gold-miner Mintails
Gold-, platinum-, coal-, diamond- and copper-mining sectors
Greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions
hand-held drilling
gold-mining and exploration company Newcrest
heavy-metal-free materials, not heavy metal free materials
high-cost, uneconomic mines
life-of-mine
Low-cost affordability
ill-considered proposal
in-house design, not inhouse design
iron-ore, not iron ore, both noun and adjectival
an iron-ore-mining licence
South Africas biggest iron-ore-miner
Long-term growth
Lost-time-injury frequency rate
Lower-grade ore
low- and medium-carbon commercial grades
low-, medium- and high-alloy steels
Materials-handling systems
mid-1920s
nine-million-ton-a-year mine, but a nine-million ton a year greenfield openpit mine
One-liner
On-reef and off-reef
Open-cycle gas-turbine project
Pebble-bed nuclear reactor, but the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor Company
per-kilowatt-hour payment
platinum-group metals but a platinum group metals producer
polished-diamond sales
project-managed, not project managed ie . . . plants DRA designed and project-managed.
Precious-metals-miner (JSE-listed precious-metals-miner Village Main Reef)
Plural-sounding company names
Public- and private-sector entities
ramp-up of production
renewable-energy technology
rigid-pillar system
Run-of-mine production
state-of-the-art computer
sub-Saharan Africa
32

Twentieth-century technology
value-added tax or value-added service
Vice-Admiral
Well-thought-out structure
Year-on-year in June

Hyphenation in Numbers:
Fractions should be hyphenated when spelled out in full, for example, two-thirds, even when the number is higher
than ten. The same applies to figures used as adjectives: He gave a tenth (not 10th) of his salary to the poor
It is acceptable to have 22 000 but million and billion must be written out in full and with a hyphen, for example,
R22-million. Also note: 2 000 t/y but 20-million tons a year.
Do not use a hyphen in place of to when using two figures: the project will take 12 to 18 months (not 12-18 months) to
complete.
When million is used, for example one-million tons, the number has to be written out in full if the number is below 11. Do
not use 1-million tons. However, 3.2-million tons and 1 t is acceptable, as is 4 c/t.
Use:
The 555 km 24 inch trunk-line from Durban
20-million-ton-a-year processing plant
150-m-wide 500-m-long north-west-trending corridor
180 mm 80 mm 40 mm unit
26%-owned by . . .
ISO 9002-, 14001- and 18001-listed plant
multimillion-rand turnkey project
twenty-fifth year of service; not 25th
Ten-million-tons-a-year iron export project, but a ten-million-ton a year iron export project. The plural or singular tons
or ton is governed by the use, or not, of either a or an before the figure.
100-t-capacity wagon, not 100-t capacity wagon
300-t/h Laixin plant
2.7-m-diameter Koepe winder, not 2.7-m diameter Koepe winder
12-million-ton-a-year dense medium separation (DMS) plant
three 54-hole golf courses
25-m-high crusher tips
144-m-long tunnel section
fiftieth not 50th anniversary, however, if the number is too long, for example thirty-thousandth, rather use 30 000th.
two-and-a-half years
24/7 services, not twenty-four-seven services
24 hours a day (no hyphens), but 24-hour-a-day facility
Hyphenation exceptions
20- to 30-million tons per annum (a quote)
care and maintenance, unless used adjectivally
co-chairperson
coordinate
cooperate
email
Energy efficient system, do not hyphenate the adjectival use of energy efficient.
Mideighties not mid-eighties
Midsized, not mid-sized
Midtier, not mid-tier
Preadjusted not pre-adjusted
Preassembly, not pre-assembly
Preapproval capital expenditure
Reoptimised, not re-optimised
Short to medium term, unless used adjectivally
Also, coal mining company not coal-mining company

33

Annexure Two
Abbreviations of units of measurement
Units of measure are written in lower case (for example, kg, km, m), unless they are derived from the name of a person
(for example, W, kJ, kW, Hz). When used with figures, these abbreviations should follow with a space (for example, 11 kg,
15 km, 35 mm) and when used adjectivally, a hyphen is necessary: a 15-km journey. However, two abbreviations together
must be separated with a space.
When beginning a sentence, figures and units of measurement should be written out in full (for example, eight kilograms,
seventy-seven hectares).

Abbreviation Unit of Measurement

A Ampere
ac
alternating current (in full unless with numbers)
Ah
Ampere hour
B Byte
bar (unit) The bar (symbol bar), decibar (symbol dbar), centibar (symbol cbar), and millibar (symbol mbar or
mb) are units of pressure. The bar is widely used in descriptions of pressure because it is only about
1% smaller than atmospheric pressure, and is legally recognised in countries of the European Union.
Except for the power of ten, the definition of bar fits in the sequence of SI pressure units (Pa, kPa, MPa),
namely, 1 bar = 100 000 Pa = 100 kPa = 0.1 MPa. This is in contrast to the well-known unit of
pressure, atmosphere, which now is defined to be 1.01325 bar exactly. As a rule of thumb, a bar is
almost equal to an atmosphere.
bcm
billion cubic metres
bcf
billion cubic feet
bl barrel
bbl barrels
Bq
Symbol for the becquerel, an SI unit of radioactivity
Cad
Computer-aided design
Cam
Computer-aided manufacture
cubic centimetre
cc3
cm Centimetre. Use for clothing and textiles, otherwise use millimetres (mm).
cmg/t
raw gold (cm) grams a ton
ct Carat/s
cpht
carats per hundred ton
Carbon dioxide equivalent
CO2-e
cSt Kinematic viscosity is sometimes expressed in terms of centistokes (cSt or ctsk), named after George
Gabriel Stokes.
C
degrees Centigrade
dc
direct current (in full unless with numbers)
dB decibel
dm decimetre
DWT
deadweight ton
fl oz
fluid ounces
g gram
Gb
Gigabits (network or internal circuits)
Gb/s
Gigabits a second
GB
Gigabyte (high transmission)
GHz gigahertz
GJ gigajoule
Gt gigatons
gr grain
gro gross
GWd/t
Gigawatt days a ton
GWh/y
Gigawatt hours a year
ha hectare
hl hectolitre
Hz Hertz
hp horsepower
34

Abbreviation Unit of Measurement

J joule
K Kelvin
KB kilobyte
Kilogram force a square millimetre
kgf/mm2
kg kilogram
kHz kilohertz
kl kilolitre
km kilometre
kN kilonewton
kNm
kilonewton metres
kV kilovolt
kVA kilovolt-ampere
kW kilowatt
kWh kilowatt-hour

Litre ( symbol in mathematical font)
m metre
mA milliampere
Mb/s
Megabit a second
MB Megabyte, which is the amount of data transferred, as opposed to Megabits, which is the speed of
transfer
mcm million cubic metres, a unit of volume, but write out 36-million cubic metres of water a day
MN meganewton
g microgram
m
microns, micrometre
mg milligram
MHz megahertz
MJ Megajoule
ml millilitre
M megalitre
mm millimetre
ms milliseconds
mt
metric ton
Mtep
million ton equivalent of petroleum
MPa MPa is a metric (SI) unit for pressure, or force per unit area. Pa is the Pascal, which is one Newton of
force applied to one square meter of area (1 N/m2). MPa is a mega-Pascal, or one million Pascals. Since
atmospheric pressure is 101 000 Pa, or 101 kPa (about 14.7 psi), this is about 9 atmospheres (around
150 psi).
MVA megavolt-ampere
MVAr
megavolt-ampere reactive
MW megawatt
MWdc
megawatt direct current
MWe
Megawatt electrical
MWt
Megawatt thermal
Nano billionth
nm
nautical miles
Nm Newton meter (Unit of Torque) 1 Nm = 0.737 lb-ft
ns nanosecond
ohm, the derived SI unit of electrical resistance; the resistance between two points on a conductor when
a constant potential difference of 1 V between them produces a current of 1 A.
oz ounce.
Troy ounces The troy ounce is the only measure of the troy weighting system that is still used in modern times. It
is used in the pricing of metals such as gold, platinum and silver. When the price of gold is said to be
US$653/oz, the ounce being referred to is a troy ounce, not a standard ounce.
3
cubic ounces
oz
pH
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution
picovolt
a unit of potential equal to one trillionth of a volt
35

Abbreviation Unit of Measurement

ppm
parts per million
ppb
parts per billion
psi
pounds per square inch
rpm
revolutions a minute
SI 
The international system of units of measurement. SI is used to reduce the number of zeros
shown in numerical quantities. For example, one-billionth of an ampere (a small electrical current)
can be written as 0.000000001ampere. In symbol form, this is written as 0.000000001A. Using an SI
prefix, this is equivalent to 1 nanoampere or 1 nA.
t ton
TB terabyte
tcf
trillion cubic feet
tcm
trillion cubic metres
TCu
Total copper
TDS
Total dissolved solids
TJ
Terajoule
TWh Terawatt-hour
V Volt
VAC
Volts of alternating current
W Watt
Wp 
Watt-peak, a measure of power output, most often used in relation to photovoltaic solar energy
devices. Related units such as kilowatt-peak or kilowatts-peak (kWp) and megawatts-peak are
also used, and in the context of domestic installations kWp is the most common unit encountered.
w/v an abbreviation for weight by volume, a slightly confusing phrase used in chemistry and pharmacology
to describe the concentration of a substance in a mixture or solution. The weight by volume is the mass
(in grams) of the substance dissolved in or mixed with 100 millilitres of solution or mixture. For example,
the concentration of fluoride in toothpaste is usually about 0.15% w/v, meaning that there are 0.15 gram
of fluoride for each 100 millilitres of toothpaste. Thus 1% w/v is equal to 1 gram a decilitre (g/d) or 10
grams a litre (g/).
w/w an abbreviation for by weight, used in chemistry and pharmacology to describe the concentration of a
substance in a mixture or solution. Properly speaking, 2% w/w means that the mass of the substance is
2% of the total mass of the solution or mixture. The metric symbol g/g has the same meaning as w/w.

36

Annexure Three
Commonly used scientific elements and their abbreviations
Scientific elements must be spelled out in full on first appearance and referred to thereafter by their periodic symbol for
example, carbon dioxide (CO2).

Abbreviation Scientific Element

4E PGM
(platinum, palladium, gold and rhodium) platinum group metals
3 PGE+Au
Three platinum group elements and gold
6 PGE+Au
Six platinum group elements and gold
angstrom
CO
carbon monoxide
carbon dioxide
CO2
CH4 methane
CFCs chlorofluorocarbons
CrC
chromium carbide
Depleted uranium hexafluoride
DUF6
NOx
Oxides of nitrogen
Nm
Newton metre (Nm or Nm), a unit of torque
Nm3 The similar symbol Nm3 stands for normal cubic metres, a unit of volume (Normal in this context
means at standard temperature and pressure), although it also stands for newton cubic metres in SI
notation.
P-239
plutonium-239
uranium oxide
U3O8
U-238 uranium-238

37

The Periodic Table List

Elements Sorted by Element Name
Name Symbol

Name Symbol

Name Symbol

Actinium Ac
Aluminium Al
Americium Am
Antimony Sb
Argon Ar
Arsenic As
Astatine At
Barium Ba
Berkelium Bk
Beryllium Be
Bismuth Bi
Bohrium Bh
Boron B
Bromine Br
Cadmium Cd
Calcium Ca
Californium Cf
Carbon C
Cerium Ce
Cesium Cs
Chlorine Cl
Chromium Cr
Cobalt Co
Copper Cu
Curium Cm
Dubnium Db
Dysprosium Dy
Einsteinium Es
Erbium Er
Europium Eu
Fermium Fm
Fluorine F
Francium Fr
Gadolinium Gd
Gallium Ga
Germanium Ge

Gold Au
Hafnium Hf
Hassium Hs
Helium He
Holmium Ho
Hydrogen H
Indium In
Iodine I
Iridium Ir
Iron Fe
Krypton Kr
Lanthanum La
Lawrencium Lr
Lead Pb
Lithium Li
Lutetium Lu
Magnesium Mg
Manganese Mn
Meitnerium Mt
Mendelevium Md
Mercury Hg
Molybdenum Mo
Neodymium Nd
Neon Ne
Neptunium Np
Nickel Ni
Niobium Nb
Nitrogen N
Nobelium No
Osmium Os
Oxygen O
Palladium Pd
Phosphorus P
Platinum Pt
Plutonium Pu
Polonium Po

Potassium K
Praseodymium Pr
Promethium Pm
Protactinium Pa
Radium Ra
Radon Rn
Rhenium Re
Rhodium Rh
Rubidium Rb
Ruthenium Ru
Rutherfordium Rf
Samarium Sm
Scandium Sc
Seaborgium Sg
Selenium Se
Silicon Si
Silver Ag
Sodium Na
Strontium Sr
Sulphur S
Tantalum Ta
Technetium Tc
Tellurium Te
Terbium Tb
Thallium Tl
Thorium Th
Thulium Tm
Tin Sn
Titanium Ti
Tungsten W
Uranium U
Vanadium V
Xenon Xe
Ytterbium Yb
Zinc Zn
Zirconium Zr

38

Annexure Four
Commonly used abbreviations
Abbreviations should be written out in full at the first time of mention, followed immediately by the
abbreviation in brackets.
However, there are a few exceptions. Abbreviations followed by a * indicate that it is not necessary
to use in full at the first time of mention.

A
African National Congress
African National Congress Youth League
African Rainbow Minerals
Airports Company South Africa
Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union
analogue to digital converter
alternating current
Asymmetrical digital subscriber line
Aktiengesellschaft (German or Swiss public limited company).
In common with Pty and Ltd, this abbreviation is not used when mentioning company names in
text for Creamer Media purposes, for example, do not use Glass Company Ltd, Glass Company
will suffice.
alternative investment market
Accelerated Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa
application
automatic teller machine

ANC
ANCYL
ARM
ACSA
AMCU
ADC
ac
ADSL
AG

Aim
Asgisa

app
ATM

B
black economic empowerment
broad-based black economic empowerment

BEE
BBBEE

C
carats per hundred tons
central processing unit
Coal of Africa Limited (include Limited as it is used in the
acronym)
computer-aided design
computer-aided manufacture
computer numeric control or computer numerically
controlled (CNC) machining
Congress of the People
Congress of South African Trade Unions

cpht
CPU
CoAL
Cad
Cam
CNC
Cope
Cosatu

D
dense medium separation
Director-general
digital versatile disc
Deutsches Institut fr Normung

DMS
DG
DVD
DIN

E
earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation
Engineering Council of South Africa
engineering, procurement and construction
engineering, procurement and construction management
environmental-impact assessment
European Commission
European Union
Enhanced video connector

Ebitda
ECSA
EPC
EPCM
EIA
EC
EU
EVC

F
Fdration Internationale de Football Association
front-end engineering and design

FIFA*
Feed
39

G
General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
General Export Incentive Scheme
geographical information system
global systems mobile
gross domestic product
Group of Eight
Group of Twenty
growth, employment and redistribution
Gesellschaft mit beschrnkter Haftung (German or Swiss limited private company)

Gatt
Geis
GIS
GSM
GDP
G8
G20
Gear
GMBH

I
Independent Power Southern Africa
information and communication technology
intelligent network
input-output

Ipsa
ICT
IN
I/O

J
Joint Ore Reserves Committee

Jorc

L
large-coal dense-medium separator
lost-time injury frequency rate per million hours worked
light-emitting diode
London Metal Exchange

larcodem separator
LTIFR
LED
LME

M
Member of Parliament
Member of the Executive Council
Minerals Resource Rent Tax
Movement for Democratic Change
Multiyear price determination

MP*
MEC
MRRT
MDC
MYPD

N
National Occupational Safety Association
Nondistributive reserves

NOSA*
NDR

O
original-equipment manufacturer

OEM

P
platinum-group metals
portable document format
preliminary economic assessment
printed circuit board
programmable logic controller
proportional integral derivative

PGMs
PDF*
PEA
PCB
PLC
Pid

R
random access memory
Rare earth element
read only memory
real estate investment trust
renewable-energy feed-in tariff
Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme
request for proposal
research and development
run-of-mine

Ram
REE
Rom
Reit
Refit
REIPPPP
RFP
R&D
RoM

S
short message service

SMS*
40

solvent extraction and electrowining

Stock Exchange News Service
South African Code for the Reporting of Mineral Resources
and Mineral Reserves
South African Development Community
South African National Roads Agency Limited (include
Limited as it is used in the acronym
South African Reserve Bank
small-, medium-sized and microenterprises
strategic integrated projects
subscriber identity module
supervisory control and data acquisition

SX-EW
Sens
Samrec
SADC
Sanral
SARB
SMMEs
SIPs
Sim*
Scada

T
technical and vocational education and training
Three-dimensional system

TVET
3D system

U
United Association of South Africa
Underground coal gasification
United Kingdom
uninterruptible power supply
United Nations
Universal Serial Bus
upper group two

Uasa*
UCG
UK*
UPS
UN
USB*
UG2

V
very important person
value-added tax

VIP
VAT

W
World Wide Fund for Nature
World Wide Web

WWF
WWW

Z
Zimbabwe African National Union Patriotic Front

Zanu-PF*

Abbreviating the names of government departments in headlines

In headlines, it is acceptable to abbreviate the names of the following government departments:
Dirco Department of International Relations and Cooperation
DMR Department of Mineral Resource
DoE Department of Energy
DoL Department of Labour
DoT Department of Transport
DPE Department of Public Enterprises
DST Department of Science and Technology
DTI Department of Trade and Industry
For all other departments, rather use generic descriptions, for example:
Department of Home Affairs Home Affairs
Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries agriculture department
Department of Telecommunications and Postal Services telecoms department
Department of Small Business Development small business department
Note that this is only for headlines. In the body copy of stories, use the full name of the department, followed by the
abbreviation should you use it again later on in the story.
It is acceptable to use Treasury in a headline when referring to National Treasury.
In the body copy, refer to the National Treasury and not just National Treasury.
41

Commonly used plastics

Name Abbreviation
acrylonitrile butadienestyrene

ABS

ethylene propylene dymonomer

EPDM

ethylene propylene monomer

EPT

fluorinated ethylene propylene

FEP

high-density polyethylene

HDPE

low-density polyethylene

LDPE

polyamide
polycrystalline silicon

polysilicon

polyethylene terephthalate

PET

polymethylmethacrylate PMMA
polypropylene PP
polytetrafluoroethylene

PTFE (Teflon)

polyvinyl chloride

PVC

42

Annexure Five
Glossary of standards authorities
While ISO is in common usage and does not have to be written out in full unless used without numbers, the rest are not
well known to our readers and would have to be written out in full.
APLAC
Asian Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation
ARSO
Africa Regional Standards Organisation
Beltest
Belgisch Accreditatiesysteem; Testen en Keuring
BIPM
Bureau International de Poids et Mesures, Paris
BKO/OBE
Belgische Kalibratie Organisatie
BMwA Austria
CNACL
China National Accreditation Committee for Laboratories
CNLA
Chinese National Laboratory Accreditation
COFRAC
Comit Franais; Accrditation
DANAK
Dansk Akkreditering
DAR
Deutscher Akkreditierungsrat
DKD
Deutsch Kalibrierdienst
DTI
Department of Trade and Industry
EA
European Cooperation for Accreditation
EMAS
European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
ENC
Entidad Nacional de Acreditatin
EU
European Union
FINAS
Finnish Accreditation Service
FRIDGE Fund for Research into Industrial Development Economic Growth and Equity
HOKLAS
Hong Kong Accreditation Service
IAAC
Inter American Accreditation Cooperation
IAF
International Accreditation Forum
IANZ
International Accreditation New Zealand
IATCA
International Audit and Training Certification Association
IEC
International Electrotechnical Commission
ILAB
Irish National Accreditation Board
ILAC
International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation
IPQ
Instituto Portugus da Qualidade
ISO
International Organisation for Standardisation
JAB
Japan Accreditation Board for Conformity Assessment
JNLA
Japan National Laboratory Accreditation System
KOLAS
Korean Laboratory Accreditation Service
MLA
Multilateral Agreement/Arrangement
MoU
Memorandum of Understanding
MRA
Mutual Recognition Agreement
NA
Norwegian Accreditation
NATA
National Association of Testing Authorities, Australia
NEDLAC
National Economic Development and Labour Advisory Council
NEPAD
The New Partnership for Africas Development
NCS
National Calibration Service, South Africa
NLA
National Laboratory Accreditation Service, South Africa
NMISA
National Metrology Institute of South Africa
OECD Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development
RAAF
Representative Accreditation Advisory Forum
RvA
Raad voor Accreditatie
SAATCA
South African Auditor and Training Certification Association
SABS
South African Bureau of Standards
SADC
Southern African Development Community
SADCA
Southern African Development Committee for Accreditation
SANAS
South African National Accreditation System
SAQI
South African Quality Institute
43

SANS
South African National Standards
SAS
Swiss Accreditation Service
SINCERT
Accreditamento Organisi Certificazione Italy
SIT Servizio Italiano di Taratura
SWEDAC Swedish Board for Accreditation and Conformity Assessment
UNIDO
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation
UKAS
United Kingdom Accreditation Service
Source: SANAS

44

Annexure Six
Glossary of Mining Terms
Acid treatment
Acid treatment is the process of soaking activated carbon granules in a dilute hydrochloric acid solution to dissolve calcium
carbonate and other impurities that have become absorbed in the carbon, and that, thereby, reduce the ability to adsorb
gold.
Adit
An adit is a type of entrance to an underground mine and is horizontal or nearly horizontal. Adits are usually built into the
side of a hill or mountain, and often occur when a measure of coal or an orebody is located inside the mountain but above
the adjacent valley floor or coastal plain. In cases where the mineral vein outcrops at the surface, the adit may follow the
vein until it is worked out. The use of adits is generally called drift mining.
Adjusted gross margin
Adjusted gross profit (loss) divided by gold sales including realised nonhedge derivatives.
Adjusted gross profit (loss)
Gross profit (loss) excluding unrealised nonhedge derivatives and other commodity contracts.
Adjusted headline earnings
Headline earnings excluding unrealised nonhedge derivatives, fair value adjustments on the option component of the
convertible bond, fair value gain (loss) on interest rate swap, adjustments to other commodity contracts and deferred tax
thereon.
All-in sustaining cost
According to the World Gold Council, all-in sustaining costs are an extension to the cash cost metrics used by gold
miners and it includes costs related to sustaining production, such as capital expenditure and explorations costs to
replenish mined reserves.
Assay
A chemical test performed on a rock sample to determine the amount or grade of valuable metal contained.
Artisanal and small-scale mining
Low tech, labour intensive mineral processing and excavation activity, which is an economic mainstay in rural sub-Saharan
Africa, providing direct employment to over two million people.
Small-scale mining falls into two broad categories: the mining and quarrying of industrial minerals and construction
materials on a small scale; and the mining of relatively high-value minerals, notably gold and precious stones.
The first is mostly for local markets and exists in every country. Regulations to control and tax these mines and
quarries are often in place, and the existence of informal or illegal operations at this level is generally attributable to a lack
of inspection and the lax enforcement of regulations rather than to the lack of a legal framework, much the same as for
small manufacturing plants.
The output from the second category of small-scale mines is generally exported. The size and character of small-scale
mining of this type has often made what laws there are impossible to apply or has highlighted their inadequacy. The vast
majority of the diggers are very poor, exploiting marginal deposits in harsh and sometimes dangerous conditions and
having considerable negative impact on the environment.
Artisanal diamond mining
To a large extent, artisanal diamond mining is a livelihood strategy adopted primarily by rural and small village populations
for whom it appears to be the most promising income opportunity.
Almost all artisanal miners are unregistered, unregulated and unprotected. Most work for nothing except what they are
lucky enough to find. Their work is dirty, hard, sometimes dangerous, and it produces little more than a couple of hundred
dollars a year for most diggers. In fact, the competitive scramble in a largely informal economy only serves to drive prices
down at the pit level, creating a lucrative business for middlemen.
Children are widely involved; residents of the mining areas complain of environmental degradation, water pollution, and the
influx of a migrant labour force with high rates of prostitution and HIV/Aids. Family and societal violence follow. And most
alluvial diamond diggers lead hard, insecure, dangerous and unhealthy lives. With average earnings of less than a dollar a
day they fall squarely into the broad category of absolute poverty.
Among initiatives aimed at tackling the issues surround artisanal diamond mining is the Diamond Development Initiative,
which aims to gather all interested parties into a process that will address, in a comprehensive way, the political, social and
economic challenges facing the artisanal diamond mining sector in order to optimise the beneficial development impact of
artisanal diamond mining to miners and their communities within the countries in which the diamonds are mined.
Backfill
Waste material used to fill the void created by mining an orebody to provide both regional and localised support
Below collar
A distance below the surface elevation of a shaft.
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BIF
Banded ironstone formation a chemically formed iron-rich sedimentary rock.
Blast furnace
A shaft furnace in which solid fuel (coke) is burned with an air blast to smelt ore in a continuous operation.
Block caving
An inexpensive method of mining in which large blocks of ore are undercut, causing the ore to break or cave under its
own weight
Bord-and-pillar mining (see room-and-pillar)
Breast stoping
A method of stoping employed on veins where the dip is not sufficient for the broken ore to be removed by gravity.
The ore remains close to the working face and must be loaded into cars at that point.
Brownfield
The term brownfield is used in mining, construction and development to reference land that at some point was occupied
by a permanent structure. In a brownfield project the structure would need to be demolished or renovated or rebuilt
from an existing one.
Bulk sample
A large sample of mineralised rock, frequently hundreds of tons, selected in such a manner as to be representative of the
potential orebody being sampled. Used to determine metallurgical characteristics on an industrial scale.
By-product
A secondary metal or mineral product recovered in the milling process or any products that emanate from the core process
of producing gold, including silver, uranium and sulphuric acid.
Calc-silicate rock
A metamorphic rock consisting mainly of calcium-bearing silicates such as diopside and wollastonite, and formed by
metamorphism of impure limestone or dolomite.
Capital employed
Equity plus minority interests, interest-bearing debt, less loans and cash. Where average capital employed is referred to,
this is the average of the figures at the beginning and the end of the financial year.
Capital expenditure
Total capital expenditure on tangible assets, which includes stay-in-business and project capital.
Captive mine
A mine that produces coal or mineral for use by the same company
Carbon columns
Any vertical cylindrical vessels used to contain granules of activated carbon for processes such as the extraction of gold
from solution, elution or acid treatment.
Carbon-in-leach (CIL)
Gold is leached from a slurry of gold ore with cyanide in agitated tanks and adsorbed on carbon granules in the same
circuit. The carbon granules are separated from the slurry and treated in an elution circuit to remove the gold.
Carbon-in-pulp (CIP)
Gold is leached conventionally from a slurry of gold ore with cyanide in agitated tanks. The leached slurry then passes
into the CIP circuit where carbon granules are mixed with the slurry and gold is adsorbed on the carbon. The granules are
separated from the slurry and treated in an elution circuit to remove the gold.
Cash costs
Cash costs include site costs for all mining (excluding deferred development costs), processing and administration, but
are exclusive of royalties, production taxes, amortisation and rehabilitation, as well as corporate administration, capital and
exploration costs.
Cash gross margin
Cash gross profit (loss) divided by, for example, gold sales, including realised nonhedge derivatives.
Cash gross profit (loss)
Adjusted gross profit (loss) plus amortisation of tangible and intangible assets less noncash revenues.
Channel width
The total thickness of all reef bands, including internal waste mined as one unit.
Coke
Coke is a solid carbon fuel and carbon source used to melt and reduce iron-ore
Cokemaking
The processes used to make coke. The process begins with pulverised, bituminous coal. The coal is fed into a coke
oven, which is sealed and heated to very high temperatures for 14 to 36 hours. After completion, the coke is moved to
quenching towers and stored until it is needed.
Comminution is a group of mineral processing techniques used in extractive metallurgy to reduce rock sizes through
crushing or grinding. Comminution processes are used to pulverise rocks for further processing.
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The machinery used for comminution is usually divided into classes based on the size of the fragments produced, crushers
producing coarse material and grinders producing finer particles.
It would therefore be correct to refer to a company producing this machinery as a comminutions company.
(See also Milling)
Competent person
A Competent Persons Report (CPR) is a Techno-Economic Report. It represents the opinions on a deposit of a registered
professional, independent of the client and its subsidiaries. By reason of his/her education, professional associations and
past relevant work experience, the person is deemed as qualified to form an opinion of the deposit.
A full CPR is required for listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Securities Exchange and will also be accepted for
listing on the London Stock Exchanges AIM.
The technical equivalents of the CPR are the NI43-101 Technical Report and the JORC Qualified Persons Report.
Concentrate
A fine, powdery product separated in the milling process that contains a high percentage of valuable metal.
Concentrator
A process where iron-ore is upgraded to a higher iron content.
Contained gold
The total gold content of the orebody (tons multiplied by grade), irrespective of economic potential and without deduction
for mining and processing losses prior to recovery.
Crushing
The process of breaking up large rocks into smaller rocks, gravel or rock dust. Crushing is an essential part of mining,
reducing run-of-mine ore to a size that can be easily transported or processed.
Cupola furnace
Cupola furnaces are tall, cylindrical furnaces used to melt iron and ferroalloys in foundry operations. Alternating layers of
metal and ferroalloys, coke and limestone are fed into the furnace from the top.
Cut-and-fill
A method of stoping in which ore is removed in slices, or lifts, and then the excavation is filled with rock or other waste
material (backfill), before the subsequent slice is extracted.
Cutoff grade
The estimated lowest grade of ore that can be mined and treated profitably in a mining operation, for example, a cutoff
grade of 20% iron (Fe) implies that any material containing less than 20% Fe will be uneconomical to mine. If the average
mine grade drops below the cutoff grade, the mine will operate at a loss.
Debt
Borrowings including short-term portion, plus debentures.
Decline
A sloping, underground opening for machine access from level to level or from surface; also called a ramp.
Depletion
The decrease in quantity of ore in a deposit or property resulting from extraction or production.
Development
The process of accessing an orebody through shafts and/or tunnelling in underground mining operations.
Development reef all development on the reef horizon.
Development waste all development in country rock.
Dilution
Mixing of ore grade material with nonore grade waste material in the mining process. Dilution reduces the overall grade of
the ore.
Direct-reduced iron (DRI)
Produced from the direct reduction of iron-ore (in form of lumps, pellets or fines) by a reducing gas produced from natural
gas or coal. Direct-reduced iron is richer in iron than pig iron, typically between 90% and 94% total iron, as opposed to
about 93% for molten pig iron, and an excellent feedstock for the electric furnaces used by mini mills, allowing them to
use lower grades of scrap for the rest of the charge.
Diorite
An igneous rock formed by the solidification of molten material.
Discontinued operation
A component of an entity that, pursuant to a single plan, has been disposed of or abandoned or is classified as held-forsale until conditions precedent to the sale have been fulfilled.
Dividend cover
Headline earnings before unrealised hedging activities for each ordinary share divided by dividends for each ordinary share.
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Drill bit
Drill bits are cutting tools used to create cylindrical holes. Bits are held in a tool called a drill, which rotates them and
provides torque and axial force to create the hole. Specialised bits are also available for noncylindrical-shaped holes.
The other end of the drill bit is the shank. Drill bits come in standard sizes. The term drill can refer to a drilling machine, or
can refer to a drill bit for use in a drilling machine. For clarity, use drill bit or bit throughout to refer to a bit for use in a drilling
machine, and drill refers to refer to a drilling machine.
Ebitda
Operating profit (loss) before amortisation of tangible and intangible assets, impairment of tangible and intangible assets,
profit (loss) on disposal of assets and investments and unrealised nonhedge derivatives, plus the share of associates
Ebitda.
Effective tax rate
Current and deferred taxation as a percentage of net profit before taxation.
Electric arc furnaces (EAFs)
Electric arc furnaces are often used in large steel foundries and steel mills. The metal is charged into the furnace, with
additives to make recovery of slag easier, and heat to melt the metal is produced with an electric arc from three carbon or
granite electrodes. Frequently mills producing steel with EAF technology are called minimills.
Electrowinning
Recovery of metal from solution by electrolysis. A process of recovering gold from solution by means of electrolytic
chemical reaction into a form that can be smelted easily into gold bars.
Elution
Recovery of the gold from the activated carbon into solution before zinc precipitation or electrowinning.
Energy optimising furnace (EOF)
The EOF was developed to replace the electric arc and other steelmaking furnaces. The EOF is an oxygen steelmaking
process. Carbon and oxygen react to preheat scrap metal, hot metal and/or pig iron.
Environmental baseline studies
The environmental monitoring work completed before a production decision is taken on a mining project, examining
the existing state of the environment and the potential effects that proposed mining activities will have on the natural
surroundings. The studies will include ground water (lakes, streams, rivers etc), wildlife (plants and animals), potential
noise levels from construction and mining operations, potential impacts from ongoing mining operations such as dust and
vibration levels etc.
Environmental-impact study
A written report, compiled prior to a production decision that examines the effects proposed mining activities will have on
the natural surroundings.
Equity
Shareholders equity adjusted for other comprehensive income and deferred taxation. Where average equity is referred to,
this is calculated by averaging the figures at the beginning and the end of the financial year.
Exploration
Activities associated with ascertaining the existence, location, extent or quality of mineralised material, including economic
and technical evaluation of mineralised material.
Feasibility study (Bankable feasibility study)
A detailed engineering study which defines the technical, economic, social and legal viability of a mining project with a
high degree of reliability, identifying and quantifying any risks and providing sufficient information to determine whether or
not the project should be advanced to the final engineering and construction stage. A bankable feasibility study forms the
basis on which banks and other lenders provide the capital necessary to build the mine(s).
Fines
Material that passes through a standard screen on which coarser fragments are retained.
Flotation
A milling and concentration process in which valuable mineral particles are induced to become attached to bubbles and
float away from the waste particles in a solid/solution pulp. Specific chemicals are added to either float (foam off) particular
minerals or to depress the flotation of other minerals. Several stages of processing are generally involved with rough bulk
flotation products being subjected to additional flotation steps to increase product purity.
Free cash flow
Net cash inflow from operating activities less stay-in-business capital expenditure.
Gangue
The worthless minerals in an ore deposit.
Grade
The metal content of ore measured in grams a ton or per cent. For example:
The company additionally reviewed grab samples of ore currently being exploited by local artisanal miners that returned
between 4 g/t and 22 g/t gold, while veins sampled graded between 1 g/t and 3 g/t gold, with significant grades of
silver also reported. One sample of lead-zinc-silver ore returned 24% zinc and 105 g/t silver.
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 K
 agara noted that the ore produced so far was outside the indicated and inferred resource estimate of 1.15-million
tons grading 4.6% nickel
Greenfield
The term greenfield is used in mining, construction and development to reference land that has never been used, where
there is no need to demolish or rebuild any existing structures.
Greenschist
A schistose metamorphic rock whose green color is due to the presence of chlorite, epidote or actinolite.
Gross margin percentage
Adjusted gross profit (loss) as a percentage of, for example, gold income including realised nonhedge derivatives.
Hanging wall
The rock on the upper side of a vein or ore deposit.
Head grade
A general term referring to the grade of ore delivered to the processing plant.
Heap leaching
A process whereby valuable metals (usually gold and silver) are leached from a heap, or pad, of crushed ore by leaching
solutions percolating down through the heap and are collected from a sloping, impermeable liner below the pad.
Hedging
The sale of a commodity at fixed future prices in order to guard against price uncertainty and guarantee revenue streams.
Commonly practised in the gold market.
An unhedged company is one that is not hedging its prices. A dehedging company is one that was previously hedged,
but is reducing its hedging.
Hematite
The mineral form of iron oxide (Fe2O3); one of several iron oxides.
Illustrative dividend rate
For illustrative purposes, a US dollar dividend value has been provided based on the rate of exchange ruling on the date
of declaration.
Induction furnaces
Induction furnaces are the most widely used type of furnace for melting iron and are increasingly popular for melting
nonferrous metals (USEPA, 1992). They are popular because they provide excellent metallurgical control and are relatively
pollution free.
In situ deposit
The original natural state of the orebody before mining or processing of the ore takes place. The reserves are still in the
ground.
Interest cover
Ebitda divided by finance costs and unwinding of obligations.
Internal waste
Any waste within the reef channel.
Intrusive event
The intrusion of an igneous body into older rocks.
Ironmaking
During ironmaking, iron-ore, coke, heated air and limestone or other fluxes are fed into a blast furnace to produce molten
iron that is free from impurities.
Iron-ore
Rocks or deposits containing compounds from which iron can be made.
Leaching
Dissolution of gold from crushed or milled material, including reclaimed slime, prior to absorption on activated carbon.
Ledging
The phase of mining of ore before stoping operations
Level
The workings or tunnels of an underground mine which are on the same horizontal plane.
Life of mine (LoM)
Number of years that the operation is planning to mine and treat ore, and is taken from the current mine plan.
Longwall mining
An underground high-productivity mechanised mining system for extracting panels or blocks of mineral, usually coal.
Market capitalisation
Number of ordinary shares in issue at close of business on December 31 multiplied by the closing share price as quoted
on the JSE.
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Metallurgical plant
Processing plant used to treat ore and extract the contained metals.
Magnetic separation
A process in which a magnetically susceptible mineral is separated from waste or undesirable minerals by applying a strong
magnetic field; ores of iron are commonly treated in this way.
Magnetite
Fe3O4, iron oxide a dense metallic grey ore mineral of iron.
Metallurgical plant
A processing plant erected to treat ore and extract gold or other metal.
Metallurgy
The study and practice of removing valuable metals from an ore and refining the extracted raw metals into a purer form.
Mill
A processing plant which crushes and treats ore for the purpose of upgrading the mineral content into a higher-grade
product called a concentrate, or to produce metal.
Milling
The comminution of the ore, although the term has come to cover the broad range of machinery inside the treatment
plant where the mineral is separated from the ore. Essentially, milling reduces broken ore to a size at which concentrating
can be undertaken. (See also comminution).
Mine call factor
The ratio, expressed as a percentage, of the total quantity of recovered and unrecovered mineral product after processing
with the amount estimated in the ore based on sampling. The ratio of contained gold delivered to the metallurgical plant
divided by the estimated contained gold of ore mined based on sampling.
Mineable
That portion of a mineralised deposit for which extraction is technically and economically feasible.
Mineralogy
The study of the chemistry and physical properties of ore and gangue minerals within mineral deposits.
Mineral deposit
A mineralised body, which has been delineated by appropriately spaced drilling and/or underground sampling to
support a sufficient tonnage and average grade of metal. This material or deposit does not qualify as a reserve until
a comprehensive evaluation, based on costs, grade, recoveries and other factors, demonstrates economic feasibility.
Consequently, although the potential exists, there is no assurance that this mineral deposit will ever become an ore
reserve.
Mineral reserve
A mineral reserve is the economically mineable material derived from a measured and/or indicated mineral resource. It is
inclusive of diluting materials and allows for losses that may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments,
which may include feasibility studies, have been carried out, including consideration of, and modification by, realistically
assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors. These
assessments demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction is reasonably justified. Mineral reserves are subdivided in
order of increasing confidence into probable mineral reserves and proven mineral reserves
Mineral resource
A mineral resource is a concentration (or occurrence) of material of economic interest in or on the earths crust in such
form, quality and quantity that there are reasonable and realistic prospects for eventual economic extraction. The
location, quantity, grade, continuity and other geological characteristics of a mineral resource are known, estimated from
specific geological evidence and knowledge, or interpreted from a well-constrained and portrayed geological model.
Mineral resources are subdivided, in order of increasing confidence in respect of geoscientific evidence, into inferred,
indicated and measured categories
Mineral resource classification
There are several classification schemes worldwide, however the Canadian CIM classification (NI 43-101), the Australasian
Joint Ore Reserves Committee Code (Jorc Code), and the South African Code for the Reporting of Mineral Resources and
Mineral Reserves (Samrec) are the general standards.
An inferred mineral resource has a lower level of confidence than that applied to an indicated mineral resource. An indicated
mineral resource has a higher level of confidence than an inferred mineral resource but has a lower level of confidence
than a measured mineral resource.
1. Inferred mineral resource An inferred mineral resource is that part of a mineral resource for which tonnage,
grade and mineral content can be estimated with a low level of confidence. It is inferred from geological evidence
and assumed but not verified in terms of geological and/or grade continuity. It is based on information gathered
through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes that may be
limited or of uncertain quality and reliability.
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2. Indicated mineral resource An indicated mineral resource is the part of a mineral resource for which tonnage,
densities, shape, physical characteristics, grade and mineral content can be estimated with a reasonable level of
confidence. It is based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate
techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. The locations are too widely or
inappropriately placed to confirm geological and/or grade continuity but are spaced closely enough for continuity to
be assumed.
3. Measured mineral resource A measured mineral resource is that part of a mineral resource for which
tonnage, densities, shape, physical characteristics, grade and mineral content can be estimated with a high level
of confidence. It is based on detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through
appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. The locations are
spaced close enough to confirm geological continuity.

Further classification:
Probable mineral reserve A probable mineral reserve is the mineable material derived from a measured and/or
indicated mineral resource. It is estimated with a lower level of confidence than a proved mineral reserve. It is inclusive
of diluting materials and allows for losses that may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments, which
may include feasibility studies, have been carried out, including consideration of, and modification by, realistically
assumed mining, metallurgical, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors. These
assessments demonstrate at the time of reporting that extraction is reasonably justified.
P
 roven mineral reserve A proven mineral reserve is the economically mineable material derived from a measured
mineral reserve. It is estimated with a high level of confidence. It is inclusive of diluting materials and allows for losses
that may occur when the material is mined. Appropriate assessments, which may include feasibility studies, have
been carried out, including consideration of and modification by, realistically assumed mining, metallurgical, economic,
marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors. These assessments demonstrate at the time of
reporting that extraction is reasonably justified.
Minimills
Steel production plants that rely on steel scrap as a base material rather than on ore. Products do not have the tight
chemical composition of integrated plants and have narrower product lines.
Mining rights (South Africa)
Mining companies that hold old-order mining rights have to convert those rights to new-order mining rights (which can
be issued for up to 30 years) to continue mining in South Africa. The principal requirement of the Mining Charter is black
ownership of 15% by 2009 and 26% by 2014.
When writing about mining licence applications for projects, it is not necessary to use the submission for the
new-order mining rights application, when the submission for the mining rights application is better.
Monetary asset
An asset that will be settled in a fixed or easily determinable amount of money.
Net asset value per share
Total equity in the balance sheet divided by the shares in issue.
Net capital employed
Equity as defined above plus minority interests and interest-bearing borrowings, less cash and cash equivalents and other
cash investments. Where average net capital employed is referred to, this is the average of the figures at the beginning
and the end of the financial year.
Net debt
Borrowings less cash and cash equivalents and other cash investments.
Net operating assets
Mining assets, inventories, trade and other receivables (excluding value-added taxation), less trade and other payables.
Net operating assets
Tangible assets, the current and noncurrent portion of inventories, current and noncurrent trade and other receivables
(excluding recoverable tax, rebates, levies and duties), less current and noncurrent trade and other payables and deferred
income (excluding unearned premiums on normal sale extended contracts).
Net smelter return (NSR)
A royalty payment made by a producer of metals based on gross metal production from the property, less deduction of
certain limited costs including smelting, refining, transportation and insurance costs.
Net tangible asset value per share
Total equity in balance sheet less intangible assets, divided by the number of ordinary shares in issue.
Nonhedge derivative and other commodity contract gain (loss)
Derivatives that are neither designated as meeting the normal sale exemption under IAS 39, nor designated as cash flow
hedges and other commodity contracts.

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 The company said loss on nonhedge derivatives and other commodity contracts was R11.22-billion or US$1.42billion compared with gain on nonhedge derivatives and other commodity contracts of R148-million or US$92-million
last year.
Normal purchase normal sale exemption (NPSE)
Hedge contracts designated as meeting the exemption criteria under IAS 39.
NI 43-101 (National Instrument 43-101)
A set of reporting and disclosure standards imposed by regulators on Canadian-listed mining and exploration companies
that govern how issuers report scientific and technical information about their mineral projects to the public anywhere in
the world. It covers oral statements as well as written documents and websites, and it requires that all disclosure be based
on advice by a qualified person.
Nonrefractory ore
Ore that is relatively easy to treat for recovery of the valuable substances.
Nugget
A small mass of previous metal, found free in nature.
Openpit
A mine that is entirely on surface. Also referred to as an opencast mine.
Operating margin %
Operating profit as a percentage of product (gold) income.
Ore
A mixture of valuable minerals and gangue minerals from which at least one of the minerals can be extracted at a profit.
Ounce (pluralounces) abbreviation oz.
1. An avoirdupois ounce, weighing 1/16 of an avoirdupois pound, or 28.3495 grams.
2. A troy ounce, weighing 1/12 of a troy pound, or 480 grains, or 31.1035 grams.
3. A US fluid ounce, with a volume of 1/16 of a US pint, 1.804 687 cubic inches or 29.573 531 millilitres.
4. A British imperial fluid ounce, with a volume of 1/20 of an imperial pint, 1.733871 cubic inches or 28.413063 millilitres.
Overburden
Soil, rock and other material that has to be removed to access the economic mineral in opencast mining.
Pay limit
The grade of a unit of ore at which the revenue from the recovered mineral content of the ore is equal to the total cash
cost including ore reserve development and stay-in-business capital. This grade is expressed as an in situ value in grams
a ton or ounces a short ton (before dilution and mineral losses).
Pellet
A small, round, marble-sized ball of iron-ore manufactured as feed for blast furnaces.
Pelletising
The process by which iron-ore is crushed, ground into a powder, rolled into balls and fired in a furnace to produce strong,
marble-sized pellets that contain 60% to 65% iron. Raw iron-ore pellets are generally manufactured within certain size
categories and with mechanical properties high enough to maintain usefulness during the stresses of transference,
transport and use. Both mechanical force and thermal processes are used to produce the correct pellet properties.
Pig Iron
The intermediate product of smelting steel ore with coke and resin. Pig iron has a very high carbon content, typically 3.5%
to 4.5%, which makes it very brittle and not useful directly as a material except for limited applications. Pig iron is typically
poured directly out of the bottom of the blast furnace through a trough into a ladle car for transfer to the steel plant in
liquid form, referred to as hot metal.
Pillar mining
The mining of scattered blocks of reef of variable size usually associated with older shafts, which have been left behind
and are now being mined in the final clean-up stage of the mines orebody.
Precipitate
The solid product of chemical reaction by fluids such as the zinc precipitation referred to below.
Prefeasibility study
A relatively comprehensive analysis that is qualified by the availability and accuracy of fundamental criteria and assumptions
to the degree that it cannot be the basis for final decisions. This is a preliminary assessment of the economic viability of
a deposit and forms the basis for justifying the completion of a more expensive feasibility study. A prefeasibility study
summarises all geological, engineering, environmental, legal and economic information accumulated to date on the project.
The prefeasibility study should have error limits of about 25%.
Prestripping
Removal of overburden (waste rock) in advance of beginning operations to remove ore in an openpit operation.
Price received ($/oz and R/kg)
Attributable gold income including realised nonhedge derivatives divided by attributable ounces/kilograms sold.
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Productivity
An expression of labour productivity based, for example, either on the ratio of grams of gold produced a month to the total
number of employees or area mined (in square metres) a month to the total number of employees in underground mining
operations.
Project capital
Capital expenditure (Capex) to either bring a new operation into production; to materially increase production capacity; or
to materially extend the productive life of an asset.
Pyrite flotation
This is the addition of a suite of chemicals to a mixture of ground ore and solution in such a way that a froth rich in pyrite,
which also contains gold, floats to the surface for collection.
Qualified person (also see competent person)
A qualified person (QP) is defined in NI43-101 (see above definition) as an individual who is an engineer or geoscientist
with at least five years of experience in mineral exploration, mine development or operation or mineral project assessment,
or any combination of these; has experience relevant to the subject matter of the mineral project and the technical report;
and is a member of good standing of a professional association. The QP must warrant the accuracy and completeness
of a companys technical reports and public disclosures such as press releases or presentations and retains professional
responsibility for the contents of the report.
Realised nonhedge derivatives
Represents the current year income statement effect of nonhedge derivatives that were settled during the current year.
Reclamation
In the South African context, reclamation describes the process of reclaiming slimes (tailings) dumps using high-pressure
water cannons to form a slurry, which is pumped back to the metallurgical plants for processing.
Recovered/ Recovery grade
The actual grade of ore realised after the mining and treatment process. The recovered mineral content for each unit of
ore treated.
Reef
A gold-bearing sedimentary horizon, normally a conglomerate band that may contain economic levels of gold.
Refining
The final purification process of a metal or mineral.
Rehabilitation
The process of reclaiming land disturbed by mining to allow an appropriate post-mining use. Rehabilitation standards are
defined by country-specific laws including, but not limited to, the South African Department of Mineral Resources, the US
Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, and the relevant Australian mining authorities, and tackle, among
other issues, ground and surface water, topsoil, final slope gradient, waste handling and revegetation issues. The impact
on neighbouring communities is of vital importance.
Related party
Parties are considered related if one party has the ability to control the other party or exercise significant influence over the
other party in making financial and operating decisions.
Resource calculation
The mathematical or statistical process of calculating or estimating the amount of material in a mineral deposit, using drill
hole information in combination with a variety of geological data. Resources are generally quoted in terms of tons of rock
present which contain a specified grade of metal(s), for example 98-million tons at 43% iron.
Return on equity
Adjusted headline earnings expressed as a percentage of the average equity, adjusted for the timing of acquisitions and
disposals.
Return on net capital
Adjusted headline earnings before finance costs and unwinding of decommissioning and restoration obligations expressed
as a percentage of average net capital employed, adjusted for the timing of acquisitions and disposals.
Rod and tube mills
These are types of circular grinding mills used to break the ore down into fine particles in preparation for dissolving out the
gold by means of cyanide.
Room-and-pillar (also called bord-and-pillar)
A mining system in which the mined material is extracted across a horizontal plane while leaving pillar of untouched
material to support the overburden leaving open areas or rooms underground. It is usually used for relatively flat-lying
deposits, such as those that follow a particular stratum.
Royalty
An amount of money paid at regular intervals by the lessee or operator of an explor-ation or mining property to the owner
of the ground. Generally based on a certain amount a ton or a percentage of the total production or profits. Also, the fee
paid for the right to use a patented process.
53

Secondary gold recovery

Any scavenging process for gold following initial primary gold recovery.
Seismic event
A sudden inelastic deformation within a given volume of rock that radiates detectable seismic waves (energy).
Scoping study
The first level of engineering study that is performed on a mineral deposit to determine its economic viability. This is
usually performed to determine whether the expense of a full prefeasibility study and later a full feasibility study is warranted.
Scoping studies may be completed internally by the company or by independent engineers.
Sinter
Pieces or granules of fused iron-ore.
Sintering
Manufacturing process in which sinter is produced from fine raw iron-ore, small coke, sand-sized limestone and numerous other
steel plant waste materials that contain some iron. These fine materials are proportioned to obtain a desired product chemistry
and then mixed together. This raw material mix is then placed on a sintering strand, which is similar to a steel conveyor belt,
where it is ignited by a gas fired-furnace and fused by the heat from the coke fines into larger-size pieces of 0.5 in to 2.0 in.
Significant influence
Finance: The ability, directly or indirectly, to participate in, but not exercise control over, the financial and operating policy
decision of an entity so as to obtain economic benefit from its activities.
Sustainability: Although a mining entity may feel that its activities do not impact the environment in which a nearby
community operates, the use of underground water resources by the mine may deplete community water reserves. The
mining company would there be deemed to have a significant influence on the community.
Skarn
A rock of complex mineralogical composition, formed by contact metamorphism and metasomatism of carbonate rocks.
Shaft
A shaft provides principal access to the underground workings for transporting personnel, equipment, supplies, ore and
waste. A shaft is also used for ventilation, and as an auxiliary exit. It is equipped with a hoist system that lowers and raises
conveyances for men, material and ore in the shaft.
Slag
The vitreous mass separated from the fused metals in the smelting process, for example impurities in the iron-ore that have
been captured by limestone or other fluxes.
Sliping
The widening of an existing excavation, either by mechanical or explosive means, to increase its overall dimensions.
Smelting
Thermal processing whereby molten metal is liberated from beneficiated ore or concentrate with impurities separating as
lighter slag.
Stay-in-business capital
Capital expenditure to maintain existing production assets, including replacement of vehicles, plant and machinery, ore
reserve development and capex related to safety, health and the environment.
Steel
Steel is an alloy of iron usually containing less than 1% carbon which is used most frequently in the automotive and
construction industries or is cast into bars, strips, sheets, nails, spikes, wire, rods or pipes as needed by the intended
user.
Strip ratio
The ratio of tons of overburden waste material to tons of ore in an openpit mine.
Stope/s
The underground excavation within the orebody where the main production takes place.
Stoping
The process of mining the orebody on the plane of the reef.
Stoping width
The sum of the channel width and external waste widths.
Strike
The direction in which a horizontal line can be drawn on a plane.
Syngenetic
Formed contemporaneously with the deposition of the sediment.
Tailings
The portion of the ore from which most of the valuable material has been removed by concentrating and that is, therefore,
low in value and rejected.
54

Tailings dam
Dams or dumps created from waste material from processed ore after the economically recoverable metal has been
extracted.
Thermal processing
To give to iron-ore pellets high resistance metallurgic mechanics and appropriate characteristics, the pellets are subjected
to thermal processing, which involves stages of drying, daily pay burn, burn, after-burn and cooling (in a cooling tower).
The duration of each stage and the temperature that the pellets are subjected to have a strong influence on the final
product quality.
Thermal regeneration
The process of heating activated carbon granules typically to 750 C to restore the properties of carbon for the next gold
extraction cycle.
Thrusting event
A period of structural compression in geological time with the generation of low-angle thrust faults.
Total cash costs (total cash costs per ounce)
A measure of the average cost of producing an ounce of gold, calculated by dividing attributable total cash costs in a
period by attributable total gold production (in ounces) over the same period. Total cash costs include site costs for all
mining, processing, administration, royalties and production taxes, as well as contributions from by-products but are
exclusive of depreciation, depletion and amortisation, rehabilitation, employment severance costs, corporate administration
costs, capital costs and exploration costs.
Total production costs (total cash costs per ounce)
A measure of the average cost of producing an ounce of gold, calculated by dividing attributable total production costs
in a period by attributable total gold production (in ounces) over the same period. Total production costs represent total
cash costs, plus depreciation, depletion and amortisation, employee severance costs and rehabilitation and other noncash
costs.
Ton
Wikipedia defines several similar units of mass or volume called the ton:

Units of mass/weight
There are several similar units of mass or volume called the ton:

Full Common Quantity

name name

Pounds Kilograms

Notes

long ton
ton (UK)
2 240
1 016

Used in countries such as UK that use

the imperial system, except Canada.
Conveniently, the mass is less than 2%
different from the metric ton.

Used in the US and Canada.

short ton

tonne,
metric ton

ton (US)

2 000

907.2

metric ton
2 204.6
1 000
(US, UK),
else ton

The tonne is also known just as a ton

in areas that use the metric measurement
system.

ton
2 240
1 016
shortweight

Used in the iron industry in the 17th

and 18th centuries.

ton
2 400
1 088.6
longweight

Used in the iron industry in the 17th

and 18th centuries. The hundredweight
was 120 lb.

There is a difference between the metric ton in the US (which the British spell tonnes), which is equal to 1 000 kg, and
the British ton, which is equal to 1 016.047 kg. Use either ton or tonne, depending on how your source uses it. This is
only necessary when you are writing out ton/tonne. For any figures less than a million, use the t. For example: One-million
tons/tonnes but 7 000 t.
Tonnage
Quantities where the ton or tonne is an appropriate unit of measure. Typically used to measure resources and reserves of
ore-bearing material in situ or quantities of ore and waste material mined, transported or milled.
Tramming width
A dimension used to denote the effect of waste tons in the stoping operation, such as from gullies, on the reef tons
produced. It is the sum of the channel width plus the impact of waste tonnage in the stoping operations, for example
from gullies and extraneous falls of ground, expressed in centimetres.

55

Tribute agreement
A legal agreement between two parties in which one party makes a portion of its mining rights available to the other party
for exploitation in consideration for a share in the revenue and costs derived from such mining rights.
Troy ounce (see ounce)
(Used in imperial statistics) Equal to 31.10348 g.
Unrealised nonhedge derivatives and other commodity contracts
This represents the change in fair value, including translation differences, of all open nonhedge derivative positions and
adjustments to other commodity contracts from the previous reporting date to the current reporting date.
Vibroseis survey (3-D survey)
Geophysical technique used to generate seismic waves of controlled frequencies. These waves reflect from rock interfaces
and are analysed to produce three-dimensional images of the subsurface geological structure with a resolution of around
25. This process facilitates accurate long-term mine planning.
Waste
Barren rock or mineralised material that is too low in grade to be economically processed.
Weighted average number of ordinary shares
The number of ordinary shares in issue at the beginning of the year, increased by shares issued during the year, weighted
on a time basis for the period during which they have participated in the income of the group, and increased by share
options virtually certain to be exercised.
Yield
The amount of valuable mineral or metal recovered from each unit mass of ore expressed as ounces a short ton or grams
a metric ton.
Zinc precipitation
Zinc is the element used to precipitate gold from solution.

56

Annexure Seven
The currencies guide
The correct spelling of currencies and use of their symbols has attracted considerable debate among members of
the Creamer Media team. We are, therefore, guided by The Economist usage.

Country

Currency

Symbol

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Argentina
Armenia
Aruba
Australia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia & Hercegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Brunei
Bulgaria
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Comoros
Congo (Brazzaville)
Congo (Dem. Rep. of)
Costa Rica
Cte dIvoire
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark

afghani
lek
Algerian dinar
kwanza
peso
dram
Aruban florin
Australian dollar
euro
manat
Bahamian dollar
Bahraini dinar
taka
Barbadian dollar
rubel
euro
Belize dollar
CFA franc
Bermuda dollar
ngultrum
boliviano
convertible marka
pula
real (pl. reais)
Brunei dollar/ringgit
lev
CFA franc
Burundi franc
riel
CFA franc
Canadian dollar
Cape Verde escudo
CFA franc
CFA franc
Chilean peso
yuan/renminbi
Colombian peso
Comorian franc
CFA franc
Congolese franc
Costa Rican coln
CFA franc
kuna
Cuban peso
Cyprus pound/Turkish lira
koruna
Danish krone

Af
Lk
AD
Kz
Ps
Dram
Afl
A$

Manat
B$
BD
Tk
Bd$
BRb

Bz$
CFAfr
Bda$
Nu
Bs
KM
P
R
Br$
Lv
CFAfr
Bufr
CR
CFAfr
C$
CVEsc
CFAfr
CFAfr
Ps
Rmb
Ps
Cfr
CFAfr
FCNZ
C
CFAfr
HRK
Ps
C/TL
Kc
DKr

57

Country

Currency

Symbol

Djibouti
Dominican Republic
Dubai
East Timor
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Fiji
Finland
France
Gabon
The Gambia
Georgia
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea-Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kirgizstan
North Korea
South Korea
Kuwait
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia

Djibouti franc
Dominican Republic peso
UAE dirham
US dollar
US dollar
Egyptian pound
El Salvador coln
CFA franc
nafka
kroon
birr
Fiji or Fijian dollar
euro
euro
CFA franc
dalasi
lari
euro
cedi
euro
East Caribbean dollar
quetzal
Guinean franc
CFA franc
Guyanese dollar
gourde
lempira
Hong Kong dollar
forint
krona
Indian rupee
rupiah
rial
New Iraqi dinar
euro
New Israeli shekel
euro
Jamaican dollar
yen
Jordanian dinar
tenge
Kenya shilling
som
won or North Korean won
won or South Korean won
Kuwaiti dinar
kip
lat
Lebanese pound
loti (pl. maloti)
Liberian dollar

Dfr
Ps
Dh
US$
US$
E
C
CFAfr
Nfa
EEK
Birr
F$

CFAfr
D
Lari

EC$
Q
Gnf
CFAfr
G$
G
La
HK$
Ft
Ikr
Rs
Rp
IR
NID

NIS

J$

JD
Tenge
KSh
Som
Won
W
KD
K
LVL
L
M
L$

58

Country

Currency

Symbol

Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macau
Macedonia
Malagasy
Malawi
Malaysia
Mali
Malta
Mauritania
Mauritius
Mexico
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
Netherlands Antilles
New Caledonia
New Zealand
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian Territories
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Rwanda
Samoa
So Tom & Prncipe
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia and Montenegro
Seychelles
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia

Libyan dinar
litas
euro
pataca
denar
Malagasy franc
kwacha
ringgit Malaysia
CFA franc
Maltese lira
ouguiya
Mauritius rupee
Mexican peso
Moldavian leu (pl. lei)
togrog
euro
dirham
metical
kyat
Namibia dollar
Nepalese rupee
euro
Netherlands Antilles florin
French Pacific franc
New Zealand dollar
crdoba
CFA franc
naira
Norwegian krone
Omani rial
Pakistan or Pakistani rupee
Jordanian dinar, New Israeli shekel
balboa
kina
guarani
nuevo sol
Philippine peso
zloty
euro
US dollar
Qatari riyal
leu (pl. lei)
rouble
Rwandan franc
tala or Samoan dollar
dobra
Saudi riyal
CFA franc
dinar
Seychelles rupee
leone
Singapore dollar
koruna

LD
LTL

MPtc
Den
Mgfr
MK
RM
CFAfr
Lm
UM
MRs
Ps
Lei
Tg

Dh
MT
Kt
N$
NRs

NAf
CFPfr
NZ$
C
CFAfr
N
NKr
OR
PRs
JD, NIS
B
Kina
G
Ns
P
Z

US$
QR
Lei
Rb
Rwfr
Tala
Db
SR
CFAfr
YuD
SRs
Le
S$
Sk

59

Country

Currency

Symbol

Slovenia
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Turks and Caicos Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Western Samoa
Windward & Leeward Islandsb
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

tolar
Solomon Islands dollar
Somali shilling
rand
euro
Sri Lanka or Sri Lankan rupee
Sudanese dinar
Suriname guilder
lilangeni (pl. emalangeni)
Swedish krona
Swiss franc
Syrian pound
New Taiwan dollar
somoni
Tanzanian shilling
baht
CFA franc
paanga or tonga/tongan dollar
TT dollar
Tunisian dinar
Turkish lira
manat
dollar
New Ugandan shilling
hryvnya
UAE dirham
pound/sterling
dollar
Uruguayan new peso
som
vatu
bolvar
dong
tala
East Caribbean dollar
Yemeni rial
kwacha
Zimbabwe dollar

SIT
SI$
SoSh
R

SLRs
SD
SG
E
SKr
Swfr
S
NT$
S
TSh
Bt
CFAfr
T$
TT$
TD
TL
Manat
US$
NUSh
HRN
Dh

$
Ps
Som
Vt
Bs
D
Tala
EC$
YR
ZK
Z$

60

Annexure Eight
Research Reports
Conducting industry and mining research
In the research and writing process, distinguish between those sections of the report that relate to topical information
relevant to the sector and information that is specific to a particular company.
This guide refers to the topical information as chapter information for example, the report may include chapters
on the nature of business, labour, environmental considerations, logistics and outlook, among others. The previous
report can serve as a guide on the chapters, but always be alert to the possibility (and need) for change.
The company information relates to the major and other relevant companies in the sector. The previous report can
serve as a guide on the companies to include, but again, be aware that there are often new companies that are
important, while certain others may no longer be relevant.
Initial searches
The best place to conduct initial searches on any sector is the Engineering News and Mining Weekly websites, as
they give a good overview of what is happening in any particular sector.
Formulate a list of search terms. Generally, these will include the topic of the report, as well as the full list of
companies covered in the previous report.
Search these terms, and gather up the articles. This will take several hours. Rather than printing the articles, first cut
and paste them into a single word document (as this enables easy reference at a later stage, if necessary). Typically,
searches should go back to about a month before the previous report was written. The collection of articles in a word
document will be several hundred pages long.
Once all the searches have been done on the EN and MW sites, print the articles, and start skimming through them.
Articles relating to the sector in general will be grouped into the relevant chapters. Many of the articles will relate to
several of the chapters, so make a note on the article of all the chapters to which it relates. Several of the articles
relating to specific companies will also be important for the chapters, and must be grouped as such, and later
re-used in the company sections.
Articles relating to company-specific information (not necessarily relevant to the chapter information) can be grouped
separately, with each company having a collection of relevant articles.
Additional searches
Go through a similar process with other news websites (such as Business Day, Business Report and MiningMX).
Also, do general google searches on the topic (and the specific chapters being covered), so pick up any new reports.
Again, skim read the articles and divide the information into the relevant chapters and companies.
Working on the chapters
At this point, you should have a fairly substantial collection of information, and it is time to start working on the
chapters. Work on one chapter at a time, and read all the research you have collected relating to that chapter. Once
you have done with this reading, devise a coherent structure for the chapter. While the previous reports chapter may
serve as a guide, always be alert to changes in the sector that may necessitate that the previous years chapter be
completely restructured. Where necessary, you may need to conduct further searches, to clarify or supplement the
information you are using.
Once finished with a particular chapter, move onto the next. Remember that some of the articles you have used
should be included in your reading for subsequent chapters.
Preparing a chapter can take several days, depending on the state of the sector.
Writing about companies
Once all the chapters have been worked through, work on the company pieces. As you move from company to
company, remember to also make use of company websites and annual reports, which are extremely valuable
sources of information. Decide on the basic information that you intend to provide for each company, and try to be
consistent across companies, so that a reader could make some sort of comparison. If you come across company
information that is relevant to a chapter, go back to that chapter and incorporate additional examples.
Be concise in writing about the companies. Generally, use annual rather than quarterly figures, although quarterly
happenings can sometimes be indicative of what is happening at a company. In such cases, use the figures to
illustrate a particular point, rather than simply providing the figures.
Writing about the companies is generally simpler than the work on the chapters, and each company should take a
few hours.
Finishing up
After the chapters and companies are covered, move onto the finishing touches of the report table of contents,
abbreviations, latest developments, contact information and references. This should take a few hours.

61

Annexure 9
Whats On listings
When capturing events for the Whats On page of Engineering News Online, please use the following template and
guidelines.
Location:Always enter the city, followed by the country
Website:Ensure that http://www is at the beginning of the address
Telephone:Country Code + Area Code + Number
Example:
SANEA Energy Awards
Location:Johannesburg, South Africa
Telephone:+27 11 622 3744or+27 83 123 4567or +1 601 234 4563
Email:saritac@mweb.co.za
Web:http://www.sanea.org.za
Furthermore, the months of the year should be abbreviated as follows:
January:Jan
February:Feb
March:Mar
April:Apr
May:May
June:Jun
July:Jul
August:Aug
September:Sep
October:Oct
November:Nov
December:Dec
Note: The print version may vary

62