What if mining could reduce environmental liabilities by rebuilding functional ecosystems?
asks Jaco Schoeman.

Recovering gold from legacy tailings storage facilities (TSFs) and restoring land are not separate objectives, but outcomes of the same activity, says gold tailings reminer DRDGOLD CEO Niël Pretorius, affirming that surface tailings retreatment is the cornerstone of the company’s model, in which historic mine waste is re-entered into the productive economy, effectively funding its own remediation.

Mining waste dumps has never looked so good, with DRDGold’s operating margins at a record 53% thanks to the triumphant gold price. But is this as good as it gets?

The miner reported a doubling of headline earnings per share for the six months to end-December

Mining experts say multiyear wage deals, including DRDGold’s agreement with NUM, will stabilise operations and prevent industrial action.

Wage negotiations at Johannesburg- and New York-listed DRDGOLD’s Ergo Mining operations have been finalised, following the conclusion of a single wage agreement with organised labour, the company confirms in a statement

The company confirmed on 2 February 2026 that it had finalised the wage negotiations following the conclusion of a single wage agreement with organised labour. This agreement, signed by the NUM – the majority union in the bargaining unit – will apply to all employees regardless of union affiliation.

DRDGOLD has concluded a five-year wage agreement with unions at its Ergo operations, heading off strike action that had been scheduled to begin on December 18.