Diversified miner South32 has placed its 63.7%-owned Mozal aluminium smelter on care and maintenance, with effect from March 15, after it was unable to secure an affordable power supply agreement for the operation with the Mozambique government, South African power utility Eskom and other stakeholders beyond March. South32 CEO Graham Kerr points out that the company had been in discussions with the various stakeholders for six years.
