Gaining ground After what started out as a dreadful year for mining and with the outlook for most commodities everything but bullish, there is a hint of optimism in the air as the year 2016 draws to an end. Eleven months ago the global mining industry was in the doldrums. However, despite the doomsayers’ dreary predictions, there were subtle signs of recovery. Gold and silver started showing signs of revival, and a few months into 2016, gold mines in South Africa...