South Africa's Mining Charter may be brought into line with the country's other black economic empowerment (BEE) codes.

It has been suggested that the charter could be amalgamated into the other BEE codes which are currently in operation, which are generally regarded as less restrictive than those imposed on the mining industry.

The Mining Charter it set to be reviewed in 2009 and it is thought that the South African government may be tempted to bring the charter into line with a generic BEE framework, reports Mining MX.

However, Jacinto Rocha, Chief of Licensing at South Africa's department of minerals and energy, has warned that the mining sector does historically involve different aspects to other areas of the country's economy.

"The mining industry was used by the former government to enforce apartheid," he commented.

"It has unique features and needs to be handled separately."

But despite these considerations, Mr Rocha admitted that when the Mining Charter comes up for review in 2009 there may be "a discussion then as to whether the mining industry goes across to the codes, or not".

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