South African authorities have not published their new mining royalties bill, despite earlier suggestions that the proposed bill would emerge after a cabinet meeting which took place on June 28th.

"It will be released in the near future, but it won't be today," national treasury spokeswoman Thoraya Pandy told Reuters news agency.

Earlier this month, chief government spokesman Joel Netshitenzhe had previously told waiting reporters: "The processing of that bill has been completed by national treasury, which means that it will go to the cabinet committees next week and then to cabinet the week after."

Opposition to the bill has come from the mining sector, which argues that the royalties should be charged in relation to profits, rather than sales.

In the original proposals, it was suggested that a rate of 4.0 per cent should be levied for the mining of platinum.

In revealing that the report would not be published on June 28th, Ms Pandy added that it was unlikely to be released this week.

South Africa contains the richest deposits of platinum anywhere in the world.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd