According to South Africa-based Kumba Iron Ore, subsidiary of Anglo American, South Africa's constitutional court has ruled that only Kumba Iron Ore can apply for the remaining 21.4 percent mining right in Sishen iron ore mine.

Kumba, which applied for the remaining stake in January 2011, already has 78.6 percent mining rights in Sishen.

As SteelOrbis previously reported, ArcelorMittal South Africa signed a new iron ore supply agreement with Kumba Iron Ore which will regulate the sale of up to 6.25 million mt per year of iron ore by Sishen Iron Ore Company (SIOC) to ArcelorMittal South Africa, complying with agreed specifications from both the Sishen and Thabazimbi mines. The agreement will become effective from January 1, 2014, and settles various pending disputes between the two companies.