Metals streaming transactions as a way to raise capital for development or acquisition financing is gaining popularity among African mining companies, says Baker McKenzie managing partner Morne van der Merwe and Banking and Finance head Wildu du Plessis. They point out that such transactions are already popular in Asia Pacific, the US, Canada and elsewhere, and now, mining companies in Africa are turning to streaming to raise funds for their mining operations because the risks associated with economic and political uncertainty on the continent have made it increasingly difficult to raise funds in traditional ways.