After missing much of the global mining boom because of inadequate rail and port facilities, South Africa has embarked on an urgent game of catch-up with its coal and iron ore exports. Agreements have now been signed between the mines and Transnet, South Africa's transport conglomerate, to upgrade essential rail services between the coal and iron ore mines and the ports of Richards Bay and Saldanha respectively. Transnet is investing R5.1 Bn ($790M) on upgrading the Saldanha ore terminal and the 860-km railway from the Northern Cape mines at Sishen, which will boost the line's capacity with a further 12M tonnes to 41M tonnes by 2009.
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