In a speech this week, Mines minister Susan Shabangu stressed the importance of domestic metals exchanges in "extracting maximum socio-economic benefits" from mineral deposits.

Ministry spokesman Bheki Khumalo said on Friday the department had started to look into the possibility of setting up an exchange, although stressed that it was still very early days.

"Ideally that is what South Africa would like to have," Khumalo said. "But the details have not been worked out." South Africa is the world number one platinum producer and a top gold and coal exporter.

Copyright Reuters, 2011