Visitors to exhibitions have multiple shopping and learning objectives and research has confirmed that top reasons for visitors attending an exhibition include being able to obtain updated knowledge and gain insights on industry trends as well as seeing product demonstrations and having hands-on interaction with products. Electra Mining Africa 2014 will offer visitors just that: interactive product displays, daily live demonstrations, industry experts on stands and the additional attraction of industry workshops and conferences alongside the show offering valuable content and networking opportunities.

Conferences taking place alongside Electra Mining Africa 2014 include a Surface Mining Conference hosted by the Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, the International Infrastructure & Invest Convention hosted by SA-German Chamber of Commerce and Deutsche Messe, the Women in Mining Workshop hosted by Women in Mining South Africa , and the Powering African Industry Conference. In addition, the South African Institute of Mechanical Engineers will be hosting an exhibitor product showcase at the MAN Building throughout the show which features a daily programme of 30-minute exhibitor presentations. 

The SAIMM Surface Mining Conference will showcase African surface mining and takes place on 16 and 17 September. The preliminary programme includes topics such as Advanced reconciliation—how technology can be leveraged to drive efficiency and productivity initiatives in operating mines, presented by F. Du Toit of 3ds; Detecting adverse coal seam geology ahead of mining using advanced radiowave geophysics and recent longwall applications and also Mining complex geology, mitigating float dust, and developing autonomous machine capability using horizon sensing technology for coal seam boundary detection, both presented by J. Duncan and L.G. Stolarczyk of Stolar Global Mining; Advantages of using surface miners versus conventional excavation methods, presented by F. Villa of TESMEC SPA; Determining settlements rates and surface stability in-situ density of backfill as a proxy for displacement, presented by D. Fenn and A. Du Kanda of Applied Rock Engineering; Positive risk management: Hidden wealth in surface mining, presented by J.A. Luckmann of CBS Australia, and, A review of current mining industry QAQC practices, presented by M. Burnett of Snowden.

The International Infrastructure & Invest Convention Conference Theme is “African Solutions for African Challenges in the Transport, Energy and Water Sectors” and takes place on 16 and 17 September. The conference will bring together leading public, private and financial institutions to highlight opportunities and proposed solutions and partnerships to overcome challenges in the transport, energy and water infrastructure sectors in the Southern African Development Community. The 2-day program will include keynote speeches, panel discussions as well as insight presentations on the current infrastructure realities impacting mining projects in the region.

Ms. Daphne Nkosi, Chairperson of Kalagadi Manganese will be giving a Keynote talk at the WiMSA Women in Mining Workshop on 18 September. Presentation topics include: Why women matter – the value of diverse work forces, presented by Noleen Pauls, Chairperson WIMSA; feedback from the WiMSA Research Report 2014 - What women are doing to take advantage of the opportunities available to them, presented by Claire McMaster, Committee WIMSA; and Mining and Technology – where to next, presented by Dr Jeanette McGill of the CSIR. Speakers are followed by a panel discussion around ‘Communicating with Panache – do’s, don’ts, pitfalls and tips”. Daphne Nkosi’s keynote talk follows the panel discussion. WiMSA is a volunteer not-for-profit organisation which provides a forum to facilitate growth and participation of women in the mining industry of South Africa. The group provides opportunities for women already working in the industry, to seek personal mentoring and provides opportunities for networking.

The Powering African Industry Conference – Improving power reliability for African industry – takes place on Thursday 18 and Friday 19 September in the Black Eagle Conference Suite at Electra Mining Africa. The Powering African Industry conference is a source of information to reduce risk and improve operational performance through a reliable and quality supply of energy. The landscape of the energy sector is changing and business must take steps to adapt to alternative energy sources, micro-grids, carbon tax and energy management standards. The Conference will provide insights into finding solutions to the energy challenges that deplete business revenue, overcoming the risks associated with rising energy tariffs, load-shedding, carbon tax, and reliability of assets. Delegates will be taken on a guided tour of the exhibition floor to identified energy solution providers and they will have access to industry experts who will impart key developments and answer delegate questions. Topics include: Changing mind-sets around energy management and innovations; Technologies maintaining affordable and stable energy supply; Stability through microgrids – a potential solution for African industry;  Alternative power projects for large power users; Holistic approach to energy supply and demand – what the future holds; and an Energy Security Workshop: analysing energy intensive case studies.

Over 850 exhibiters will be showcasing their products and services at Electra Mining Africa 2014, taking place from 15-19 September at the Expo Centre, Nasrec in Johannesburg, together with co-located shows Elenex Africa and Transport Expo. It’s an opportunity to view the latest technology, new product launches and live demonstrations from companies in the mining, industrial, electrical and machines tools industries.

Electra Mining Africa has accreditation from UFI, which is the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry and Specialised Exhibitions Montgomery is a member of the Montgomery Group and is also a member of the Exhibition Association of Southern Africa.

For further information on the conferences, workshop and exhibitor soapboxes, visit www.electramining.co.za. Booking is essential for the conferences and workshop.