Every Friday, SAfm’s radio anchor Sakina Kamwendo speaks to Martin Creamer, publishing editor of Engineering News & Mining Weekly. Reported here is this Friday’s At the Coalface transcript:

Kamwendo: The need for global energy security has sent demand for hydrogen soaring, which is good news for South Africa.

Creamer: Yes, it is very good news for South Africa and probably the world, because you can't have continual disruption coming out of the Middle East, which is continuing to raise the price of fuel and then you do that inflation is a result. It makes it very hard for people to predict what is going to happen. So, we saw this week gatherings of people on webinars, Hydrogen Council bringing it around. This is a global body.

The most interesting input I think came from two places: China and Korea, but also then probably Europe after that. We saw China calling for cross-border policies, so that you know once you have got the hydrogen, you can get it through to other countries without any problem and countries can get hydrogen to you so that we can see it as a sort of infrastructure that we know of for oil, we know of for petrol, we know for diesel. Coming through from Korea were statistics like I cannot believe. You know the number of refueling stations they have already got in hydrogen, the number of vehicles they have got travelling around there that are powered by hydrogen are really interesting.

Then in Holland, you notice from Rotterdam, the port of Rotterdam is gearing up and they are gearing up to be able to cope with hydrogen coming into Europe from the Rotterdam port, and they have got extensive plans there and extensive production going on and extensive construction, so it was very interesting to hear this. I think it is going to be something that swings down into the southern hemisphere as well, because there were a lot of comments about the need to spread hydrogen around the world and grow the production of hydrogen. Particularly strong commentary came on from China about the right hydrogen. You would have the West talking about low-carbon hydrogen, but you would then have China and Korea talking about no-carbon hydrogen, which I think is the best form.

Kamwendo:  Artificial intelligence made a strong appearance at this week’s Electra Mining Africa show in Johannesburg.

Creamer: This Electra Mining Africa show, which is still on today, it has been on the whole week, is really an eye-opener. The number of companies taking part is very substantial and impressive was the element of foreign company participation and international companies coming in to look for South African partnerships.

Then on the technical front those two letters kept popping up – A and I, artificial intelligence. In the one place we saw, there is a tyre company from Canada which demonstrated how artificial intelligence – AI – is extending the lifespan of heavy-duty mining tyres. AI informs the mine operators the minute when a tyre gets damaged so they can fix it quickly. Even further, AI alerts the vehicle drivers to any spillages on the haul roads or any undulations or any berms that haven't been built properly and so it is extending the life of these heavy-duty mining tyres by up to 20%

Kamwendo: African Rainbow Minerals chairperson Dr Patrice Motsepe has made a strong plea for honesty and integrity.

Creamer: Yes, Dr Patrice Motsepe emphasised the importance during the latest presentation of African Rainbow Minerals financial results, which were very good. He made a point of starting off the presentation by emphasising the importance of honesty, the importance of integrity, good governance, and meritocracy.

He was insisting that you have got to also have the best person for the job, and I have noticed that particularly in the public sector, if the best person for the job is not hired, it is often when dishonesty starts coming through, corruption starts coming in. So, I think it was a very important point to come from the private sector, which is also appropriate, but probably targeting more the public sector, where, at the moment, it is absolutely necessary.

Kamwendo: Thanks very much. Martin Creamer is publishing, editor of Engineering News & Mining Weekly.