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Analytical Services and Geology

Machine learning reaches mineral prospecting

By: Halima Frost 27th August 2021 The partnership between mining consulting services provider The MSA Group and Canadian mining software developer Koan Analytics has resulted in machine learning being available to minerals explorers in South Africa and throughout the world. “The partnership offers access to the most advanced... →

Real-time ore analysis set for African market

By: Halima Frost 27th August 2021 Digital mining solutions provider MineSense is establishing offices in Africa and Europe to introduce its real-time ore analysis technologies to the African Copperbelt by the fourth quarter. “Once we have successfully introduced the technology to the upper Africa region, we intend on filtering... →

An image of a large red tracked front loader at the mine face with bucket full of ore ready to be graded by a ShovelSense system

Caption: GRADE EXPECTATIONS The new ShovelSense ore grading technology is expected to reach African shores before the end of the year

Testing facility expansion under way

27th August 2021 Swiss multinational metals and minerals trade commodities group SGS has seen a rising demand for testing services to meet client requirements and, to facilitate the needs of its clients, it announced the construction of its new, state-of-the-art laboratory in April this year. →

Staff at SGS Group standing in front of a site being constructed at its better testing facility in Spijkenisse near the Port of Rotterdam

BREAKING GROUND The new groundbreaking state-of -the-art facility being built by SGS Group will allow for better testing

Metallurgical tests prove profitable

27th August 2021 Gold mining company African Gold Group in July announced the final metallurgical test results from its comprehensive sulphide testwork programme, which incorporated variability testing to determine the optimal process route of the ore across the extent of the orebody at its Kobada mine in Mali.... →

Gold nuggets on wooden table Shutterstock image

GOING FOR GOLD New results have reported a better than predicted recovery at the Kobada gold mine

Autonomously connecting ecosystems can boost mine safety

By: Cameron Mackay 31st July 2020 Mining solutions provider Hexagon and its subsidiary, IDS GeoRadar, announced the release of the mining industry’s first straightforward integration of systems for safety and radar-based slope stability hazards last month. Hexagon’s Mining Division chief technical officer Rob Daw states that this... →

MINE SAFETY ECOSYSTEM No-go zones are identified in IDS GeoRadar’s IBIS Guardian software, which creates geofenced zones and hazards maps, and is correlated with radar alarms

Analyser distributor aims for local brand recognition

By: Cameron Mackay 31st July 2020 Analysing and non-destructive testing equipment supplier GammaTec is the exclusive distributor of the handheld X-Ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRF) and laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) analysers, produced by handheld analyser provider SciAps, in non-Francophone African countries as of... →

MAKING BOULDER PREDICTIONS The portable XRF unit is designed for core analysis to define the mineral content and elements in a sample, or applications requiring high-volume manual testing

Lockdown highlights importance of data governance in mining

By: Cameron Mackay 31st July 2020 Covid-19 and the subsequent national lockdown have driven the demand for digital technologies, which has highlighted the importance of data management, governance and quality in the mining industry, notes digital solutions provider Master Data Management MD Gary Allemann. “People working from... →

GARY ALLEMANN We’re looking more at mines where there’s an economy of scale, and therefore making some investments in data makes sense

Bureaucracy hampering local consulting firms

By: Darren Parker 2nd August 2019 Small to medium-sized South African geological consulting firms continue to struggle amid a prolonged downturn in exploration opportunities in the country – a situation that has been exacerbated by unhelpful bureaucratic policy – according to local geological consulting group VP3 Geoservices... →

PETER WALKER The opaque bureaucratic policy environment over the past few years has stifled exploration opportunities in South Africa

Drill rig improves sample recovery in variable conditions

By: Darren Parker 2nd August 2019 Increasing pressure on mining companies to publicly disclose information on their tailings dams highlights the need for improved technology to more accurately test dam stability and more reliably predict potential failures. This was highlighted by the Brumadinho tailings dam failure in January,... →

TWO HEADS ARE BETTER THAN ONE The dual-head Geo 601 drill rig is equally effective in soft and hard ground conditions

New radar allows for real-time rockfall tracking

By: Darren Parker 2nd August 2019 The new RockSpot radar of Italian manufacturer IDS GeoRadar, a subsidiary of sensor and software group Hexagon, can locate, track and signal alerts on the slightest rockfalls and slope failures as they happen in real time. Introduced to the global market in the second quarter of this year, the... →

ALL-SEEING EYE Not one stone falls without RockSpot seeing it first

Analytical and Consulting Services offered

30th July 2019 Phase identification of crystalline materials by X-Ray Diffraction Phase quantification, using the Rietveld method Glass (amorphous) content quantification →

Drilling results confirm continued high-grade mineralisation

3rd August 2018 Exploration and development company Algold Resources – focusing extensively on gold deposits in West Africa – recently announced its preliminary assay results from its Phase IV 15 000 m drilling campaign, which was carried out on its Tijirit property, in Mauritania. Algold is developing the... →

ANALYSIS PENDING Algold Resources states that assay results from deeper intersections at its Phase IV 15 000 m drilling campaign are still pending with results expected in the coming weeks

Battery metals boom boosting services, project potential

By: Paige Müller 3rd August 2018 There is a boom in the battery metals mining space, owing to a global focus on environment-friendly power initiatives, or ‘green’ energy, says mining industry specialist consultants The MSA Group. MSA Group critical metals principal consultant Michael Cronwright says the company has noted a... →

KAMATIVI LITHIUM TAILINGS PROJECT The Kamativi lithium tailings project is currently ongoing in Zimbabwe

TRI opens subsidiary in South Africa

By: Paige Müller 3rd August 2018 Global independent third-party geotechnical testing and research company TRI Environmental launched its new African subsidiary, TRI Africa Environmental Services, last month. Owing to an increase in demand for its third-party quality assurance geotechnical testing services on the African... →

Independent global third-party geotechnical testing and research company TRI Environmental discusses the establishment of its new African subsidiary. Camerawork and Editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Lab closer to international accreditation of proficiency testing

By: Nadine James 4th August 2017 Laboratory service provider Qotho is one step closer to receiving ISO 17043 accreditation for its proficiency testing scheme, having been audited by national accreditation authority South African National Accreditation System (SANAS), says Qotho director and proficiency testing (PT) scheme... →

NHLANHLA MAMBA Qotho's imminent accreditation is vitally important

Aviation company adds drones to African offering

By: Nadine James 4th August 2017 Multinational aviation company ExecuJet has added unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) services to its African facilities, Cape Town and Johannesburg, in South Africa, and Lagos, in Nigeria, enabling clients to carry out inspections, surveys, mapping and photography in greater detail. ExecuJet Cape... →

USEFUL, ACCURATE, VARIABLE Unmanned aerial vehicle applications include producing orthomosiacs, three-dimensional models, digital surface models and calculating volumes of extracted materials

Virtual reality experience aids mine design analysis

By: Nadine James 4th August 2017 Virtual reality (VR) provides an immersive experience which makes it easier for project managers to make decisions on and improve project designs, and to undertake other activities that ensure the effective implementation of their strategies, believes the University of Pretoria's (UP’s)... →

ACTUAL BENEFITS Aside from improving the decision-making process, virtual reality ensures that risky incidents are reduced

Tramecon

By: Creamer Media Reporter 1st August 2017 Turnkey laboratory solutions provider Tramecon services mining projects worldwide from its wholly owned Randburg facility, comprising two mini factories covering 400 m2. The company further supplies South Africa-based product logistics monitoring for a Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) client... →

R10-million laboratory commissioned in DRC

By: Simone Liedtke 25th November 2016 Turnkey laboratory solutions provider Tramecon has commissioned the R10-million Kinsenda laboratory, a project headed by midtier mining group Metorex, near the border town of Kasumbalesa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). →

CONTAINERISED SOLUTION The Kinsenda laboratory project involved the design, supply, installation and commissioning of a containerised laboratory facility

Mining boom will highlight geology degree shortage

By: Simone Liedtke 25th November 2016 Should we enter another mining boom, there may not be enough universities offering bachelor degrees in geology to meet the industry’s subsequent demand for geological services, says mining software solutions provider MICROMINE technical product manager Frank Bilki. →

GEOLOGY FIELDWORK Good fieldwork is critical to the success of early exploration and it is vital that exploration companies hire competent geologists.

Drone solution offers built-in compliance features

By: Simone Liedtke 25th November 2016 Mining companies need to be able to track their daily operations and have full visibility of their sites in real time without having to worry about putting in place time-consuming administrative systems to comply with the complex regulatory regimen for commercial drones, says commercial drone... →

REAL-TIME VIEW By accelerating a previously manual process, we are giving quarry operators real-time visibility across their sites

Interest in diamond exploration testing persists

By: Simone Liedtke 25th November 2016 Mining industry consultancy The MSA Group says the significant increase in cost-estimate requests it has received for diamond exploration testing this year is continuing. →

HELPFUL HAND MSA advises its clients on how to cost-effectively approach their project to make an informed decision on a project’s viability before embarking on more expensive bulk sampling

Congress key to addressing socioeconomic challenges

By: Nadine James 19th August 2016 Owing to the increasing relevance of the geosciences field and the insights and solutions to global socioeconomic challenges it holds, the thirty-fifth International Geological Congress (IGC) – to be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from August 27 to September 4 – is... →

PASSING THE TORCH The Thirty-fourth IGC president Neil Williams symbolically handing over the IGC to current copresident Professor Richard Viljoen

No mining sector without geology

19th August 2016 Mining development is one of the main areas where geoscience directly contributes to a country’s economy, with Africa expected to supply a significant portion of the world’s future mineral resources through the application of various scientific approaches, states the local organising committee... →

ABERRA MOGESSIE The professor says geological, geochemical and geophysical investigations form the foundation for successful exploration activities

Decline in ore grades grows interest in geometallurgy

By: Nadine James 19th August 2016 The concept of geometallurgy is being researched by State-owned mineral research council Mintek’s Mineralogy division, owing to the global mining industry’s challenge of confronting declining grades and low-grade orebodies. The current lack of exploration, in addition to the finite number of... →

NOSIPHIWO NYAMANE Geometallurgical modelling absorbs a wider range of specialists, increasing opportunities for geologists and consulting companies

Company looks to strengthen position

By: Nadine James 19th August 2016 Despite the current depressed commodities market, Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) producer African Mineral Standards (AMIS) has had a successful year and intends to continue to strengthen its position as a market leader in order to maximise its growth once the market improves. As part of its... →

SIGNIFICANT STOCK AMIS stocks a wide range of certified reference material which are sourced from naturally occurring raw materials worldwide

Geology dept emphasises continued use of services in tough market

By: Donna Slater 27th November 2015 The consistent and continual grading of orebodies can help guarantee a mine’s sustainability in a sector that is facing low commodity prices, says State-owned council for mineral technology Mintek mineralogy manager Nosiphiwo Nyamane. →

$NEW AQUISITION The mineralogy department of Mintek recently acquired a Bruker D8 Advance X-ray diffraction instrument$

NEW AQUISITION The mineralogy department of Mintek recently acquired a Bruker D8 Advance X-ray diffraction instrument

Laboratory solutions provider expands despite commodity price slump

By: Donna Slater 27th November 2015 Laboratory solutions provider Tramecon is extending its service offering and warehouse capacity, in line with increased demand from the mining industry and despite the current industry slump brought on by the downturn in commodity prices. →

NEW BLENDER Tramecon acquired a new 1 t blender enabling it to process larger amounts of reference material batches

New geology software version due for release next year

27th November 2015 Mining solutions developer Maptek will release the latest version of its mine-planning software suit Vulcan 10 in the first quarter of 2016. Vulcan incorporates a dedicated geology package that features tools that enable geologists to access and view drillhole data, define geological zones and... →

GEOLOGISTS AID Horizon adaptive rectangular prism modelling in Vulcan enables drillhole data and downhole geophysical characteristics to be used to interpret and interpolate coal horizons

Plan under way to prevent equipment failure, ensure reliable analytics

By: Donna Slater 27th November 2015 State-owned council for mineral technology Mintek is implementing a five-year “grand plan” to replace existing equipment in its Analytical Services Division, in Randburg, thereby mitigating the risks of breakdowns and unavailability. →

ANALYTICAL INSTRUMENT Mintek’s Analytical Services Division’s new inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry instrument, similar to this one, will be commissioned at the end of January

Software to assist precision, accuracy of lab samples

27th November 2015 Mine design, planning, and operations technologies provider Hexagon Mining has launched MineSight QAQC, a flexible, easy-to-use product to validate and determine the precision and accuracy of field samples, thereby enhancing geology methods. →

SOFTWARE SCREENSHOT The MineSight QAQC software contains components for statistical analysis of laboratory assay data, user-controlled set-up of laboratory and shipment information and for migrating samples after they have been validated

Tramecon

27th November 2015 Tramecon is a turnkey laboratory solutions provider, servicing mining projects worldwide from its wholly owned Randburg facility, comprising two mini factories covering 400 m2. The company has recently supplied South Africa-based product logistics monitoring for a Democratic Republic of Congo... →

Analytical Services Division upgrade to streamline efficiency

By: Mia Breytenbach 28th November 2014 Refurbishments to State-owned minerals research organisation Mintek’s Analytical Services Division are expected to start in the first quarter of 2015, Mintek Analytical Services Division manager Joe Baloyi tells Mining Weekly, highlighting that expanding the division’s services to the... →

STREAMLINED EFFICIENCY Mintek’s Analytical Services Division will create an open-plan laboratory where ore weighing, sample preparation, testing, analysis and results processing are performed in successive stages

Increased demand for mineralogical services

By: Mia Breytenbach 28th November 2014 State-owned council for mineral technology Mintek has noted a 60% demand increase for its mineralogical services in the past five years, with a significant increase in analysis enquiries on graphites, manganese and phosphates, as well as a surge in inquiries from the platinum mining sector,... →

TECHNOLOGICAL INVESTMENT The Field emission gun Qemscan 650F implements chemistry and back-scatter electron signals to identify the mineral phases and determine their degree of liberation within particles

Increased uptake of PT schemes

By: Mia Breytenbach 28th November 2014 Coupled with year-on-year growth for mining laboratory quality-control services provider Qotho Laboratory Services, market uptake of the company’s interlaboratory proficiency testing (PT) schemes for various commodities has been successful over the past 12 months, says MD Hannelie de Beer. “Qotho... →

ACCREDITATION DRIVE
Qotho Laboratory Services recognises that laboratories are implementing ISO 17025 – the laboratory equivalent of the ISO 9000 quality management certification

Photo by Bloomberg
ACCREDITATION DRIVE Qotho Laboratory Services recognises that laboratories are implementing ISO 17025 – the laboratory equivalent of the ISO 9000 quality management certification

Demand increase for geological data management systems

By: Mia Breytenbach 28th November 2014 Australia-based mining software solutions and services provider MICROMINE has registered a 20% to 30% demand increase for its flexible and secure Geobank and Geobank Mobile mining data-management solutions software, MICROMINE Africa customer services manager Craig Peek tells Mining Weekly. He... →

DATA COMPARISON The Sample Tracker module in the Geobank Mobile data management software solution enables users to perform full reconciliation of laboratory dispatch and received samples

Statistical method assists in exploration borehole drilling

By: Mia Breytenbach 28th November 2014 As the mining industry needs to start adopting a fresh approach to determine mineral resources and the exploration required to do so, professional services firm Venmyn Deloitte introduced the Variance Towers statistical method in 2010 to assist in early-stage exploration. “This technique is used... →

DEFINITIVE APPROACH The Variance Towers technique is used to estimate the minimum number of boreholes to find the information required to declare the inferred to indicated mineral resources

Lack of funding for exploration activities impacts on analytical services – minerals research organisation

By: Pimani Baloyi 29th November 2013 There has been a significant downturn in exploration activity in the last few years, which has had a significant impact on the analytical services sector, says State-owned minerals research organisation Mintek. “The funding available for exploration in the past year has decreased dramatically,... →

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