Metals group casting eyes at stellar future

Chinese company follows path of acquisitions and integration to secure resources in Africa, report Xing Zhigang and Li Jiabao from Johannesburg

Boosted by expanding demand at home, a leading metals mining and production company from China has been looking to Africa to secure supplies through acquisitions as well as integration with local partners.

"Our parent company's output of metals such as copper and cobalt has grown very fast in recent years. Our own resources are far below what is needed for the smelting. And thus a stable and sustainable supply of such resources is a very urgent need," said Gao Jianke, chief executive officer of Wesizwe Platinum Ltd, speaking in his office in Devcon Park in Johannesburg.