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Consulting Engineers News

Coronavirus one of several factors affecting mining

By: Mamaili Mamaila 3rd April 2020 The volatility caused by global events, such as the outbreak of Covid-19, otherwise referred to as coronavirus, and stock market turmoil have definitely impacted on the planning and execution of mining operations and related supply chains, says mine ventilation equipment manufacturer Terramin... →

Uranium exploration programme announced

3rd April 2020 TSX-listed Blue Sky Uranium last month announced that the company had started a 4 500 m reverse circulation drilling exploration programme at its wholly-owned Amarillo Grande uranium/vanadium project (AGP) in Rio Negro province, Argentina. The programme will include a total of about 100 holes in... →

BLUE SKY AT NIGHT The drilling programme if successful holds the potential to expand the project form a single deposit to a multi-deposit uranium district

Namibia’s plan assists in responsible uranium mining

By: Halima Frost 3rd April 2020 The Namibian Uranium Association (NUA) states that the global uranium community has taken note of the responsible way in which uranium in Namibia is explored for and extracted, says Namibian Uranium Institute (NUI) executive director Dr Gabi Schneider. She states that this responsible method was... →

IN THE DESERT The Namibian Uranium Institute has cooperated with the Namibian Government in implementing a Strategic Environmental Management Plan in the Namibian uranium province

Coal remains vital to energy mix

By: Cameron Mackay 27th March 2020 Despite increased regulatory pressure regarding the environmental impacts of its mining, storage and use in power generation, coal is still essential to the local energy mix, says engineering consultancy WSP power generation consultant Wayne Lindecke. “We are not naïve to the negative... →

WAYNE LINDECKE As a country, we’re evolving and trying to get our energy mix right, so we are dependent on coal and will still be for a while

Coal supplier receives UPS systems

27th March 2020 Mining system solutions supplier Becker Mining South Africa has delivered 12 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems to a local coal mine to enhance safety and prevent unnecessary downtime. These specially designed UPS systems ensure continuous operation of the mine’s programmable logic... →

CONNECTIVITY These interconnected UPS systems, with Ethernet and RS232 connectivity, can be controlled or remotely managed and monitored from the control station

R2.8bn staff housing project continues apace

By: Halima Frost 27th March 2020 Platinum group metals mining company Royal Bafokeng Platinum (RBPlat) has to date invested almost R1-billion, of a projected R2.8-billion, in the housing project devised for its staff, in line with its aspirational creed to engage in “More than Mining”. The intention with the housing project is... →

MORE THAN A HOUSE Royal Bafokeng Platinum continues to uplift its workers by affording them the opportunity to own their own homes

DuPont takes over Lodestone partners

By: Marleny Arnoldi 20th March 2020 Operations management consultancy DuPont Sustainable Solutions (DSS) has acquired the assets of Toronto-based consultancy Lodestone Partners, effective end-February. This will deepen DSS’ knowledge and capability in the area of operations excellence in the natural resource and mining industry,... →

Mine haul roads can reduce emissions, costs

By: Cameron Mackay 20th March 2020 Having researched the design and management of opencast mine haul roads locally and globally for the past 30 years, retired University of Pretoria civil engineering professor Alex Visser highlights a specific road construction system for mine haul roads which can reduce fuel emissions and save... →

Photo by Bloomberg
PAVING THE WAY If roads are not constructed properly, undulations can form, increasing rolling resistance. This can cause increased diesel fumes from trucks and health and safety risks

Company provides local mining carbon tax solution

By: Cameron Mackay 20th March 2020 Information technology (IT) solutions provider EDS Systems, a subsidiary of Economic Development Solutions (EDS), is set to provide a cloud-based IT solution to help local miners calculate and comply with the Carbon Tax Act regulations. EDS provides services to the local mining,... →

FRANCOIS DU PLESSIS We are trying to create a basic environment for organisations to capture emissions according to the Act and display that in a simplistic, Web-based environment

Clean fuel pivotal for engine life

By: Mamaili Mamaila 13th March 2020 Clean, uncontaminated fuel is key to optimal fuel system performance and engine longevity in the mining industry, says filtration designer and manufacturer Cummins Filtration mining sales manager Tinus Naude. →

Policy review could improve investor confidence

By: Darren Parker 21st February 2020 Mining consulting firm The MSA Group is hoping that the review of Namibia’s Minerals (Prospecting and Mining) Act will enhance the country’s “friendliness” toward mining investors. The MSA Group principal consultant Mike Robertson says the 1992 legislation has been under review since 2018.... →

DRIVING INVESTMENT Namibia’s reliable transport infrastructure, despite the remote nature of many sites of mineral interest, is attractive to investors

Copperbelt spells opportunity for firm

By: Darren Parker 21st February 2020 Superior, modern exploration techniques have resulted in a surge of interest in the Kalahari Copperbelt in recent years, with the uptick in the 2019 year-end copper price spurring exploration activity. The Kalahari Copperbelt, which is regarded as one of the world’s most promising underexplored... →

BELT OF POTENTIAL The 1 000 km long Kalahari Copperbelt Is regarded as one of the world’s most promising underexplored copper provinces

Centenary milestone spurs ‘new dawn’ for genset specialist

By: Mamaili Mamaila 14th February 2020 Global diesel and alternative fuel engines supplier Cummins celebrated its hundredth year in 2019, which Cummins South Africa application engineer Rodney Naidoo states has resulted in a “new dawn”, as the company embarks on a mission to find alternatives to fossil fuels to supply back-up power. →

Cummins South Africa mining leader George Mahlangu and Cummins South Africa applications engineer Rodney Naidoo discuss the company’s role in the mining sector. Camerawork: Creamer Media’s Kutlwano Matlala. Editing: Creamer Media’s Nicholas Boyd. Recorded: 22.02.2020

NUM members allegedly being ‘held hostage’ at Rustenburg mine

By: Simone Liedtke 13th February 2020 The National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on Thursday voiced its concern that more than 100 of its members were allegedly “being held hostage” underground at the Lanxess chrome mine, in Rustenburg. According to a statement issued by the NUM, this was as a result of members of the National Union of... →

Drive package delivered to greenfield mine

7th February 2020 The last of nine units of a comprehensive drive package were successfully delivered to a major greenfield copper mining project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by drive and automation specialist SEW-Eurodrive. The five main 500 kW drives weighed 12 t each while the remaining four... →

BIG FAN A cooling unit had to be installed to the drives because of the extreme temperatures they would encounter in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Cobalt demand drives illegal trade

By: Halima Frost 7th February 2020 Increased global demand for cobalt is spurring mining activity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), specifically illegal and artisanal operations. The southern point of the DRC is reported to contain about two-thirds of the world’s natural cobalt reserves. →

IN THE TRENCHES Dire living and working conditions found in the Democratic Republic of Congo drive the artisanal and illegal mining sector

Gold paper released at global forum

By: Halima Frost 7th February 2020 The collaborative paper, titled Kibali Gold Mine sulphide concentrate treatment – understanding the pre-oxidation of sulphide concentrates, was presented by dual-listed miner Barrick Gold’s Kibali gold mine technical manager Dr Thamsanqa Mahlangu at the World Gold 2019 conference held in Perth,... →

RAMP UP The separators at Kibali will be ramped up to full sulphides in future

Land agreement in motion for cobalt producer

By: Halima Frost 7th February 2020 Katanga Mining, the Glencore subsidiary that operates in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has, as reported by Mining Weekly Online last month, reached an agreement to acquire land where it could build a new long-term tailings facility for its 75%-owned Kamoto Copper Company (KCC) operation.... →

Global pumps manufacturer brings training and expertise to SA

By: Cameron Mackay 31st January 2020 Pump manufacturer and independent maintenance specialist Sulzer is investing in its South African operations to ensure that it is well positioned to cover the needs of the mining sector locally and in Southern Africa. “Sulzer is continually investing in its personnel and facilities to enhance its... →

HANDS-ON TRAINING Training can involve using a cut-away model to help explain the function of the internal components and how they interact

Local company expands service offering as pumps service centre

31st January 2020 Mpumalanga-based mechanical engineering contractor Brimis Engineering has been accredited as a service centre for pumps manufacturer KSB Pumps and Valves in South Africa. The company received a certificate from KSB after a thorough inspection. The audit comprised a review of internal processes,... →

ANDILE NQANDELA Our capabilities as an end-to-end supply, fitment and maintenance organisation mean that we are ideally placed to be part of KSB SA’s service offering

Slurry pump’s enhanced wear resistance reduces TCO

31st January 2020 Pumping fluids with high solids concentrations is far more complicated than pumping water. To avoid sedimentation in the system, the correct pump size with appropriately dimensioned hoses and pipes must be selected, notes local Grindex pump distributor Integrated Pump Technology. Adding to the... →

FOR TOUGH CONDITIONS The Grindex Bravo submersible slurry pump is proving its worth in slurry pumping applications, as the hydraulic components are made from Hard Iron

Pumps supplier aims to grow footprint of ‘technical excellence’

By: Cameron Mackay 31st January 2020 Industrial equipment supplier Verder Pumps South Africa is focused on expanding its footprint in Africa by growing its network of local facilities and distributor partners. “With a history of over 18 years on the continent, we have a proud tradition of technical excellence and being committed to... →

Celebrating 40 years of building local capacity

By: Tracy Hancock 24th January 2020 The establishment of motor and controls manufacturer WEG in a remote area of southern Brazil in 1961 prepared its South African subsidiary, Zest WEG Group, for its localisation journey. WEG has a history of benefiting from available local resources, developing local capacity and supply chains to... →

LOCAL INVESTMENT Zest WEG has spent R25-million on skills development over the past three years

Climate change to amplify challenges

By: Tracy Hancock 24th January 2020 Economists agree that climate change risks have, to date, been underestimated by industry in general, including mining, says consulting engineers and scientists SRK Consulting South Africa director and principal consultant Andrew van Zyl. Consequently, he expects that challenges associated with... →

IN-COUNTRY ADVANTAGE With offices in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana, SRK can closely follow industry developments cited at Mining Indaba ‘on the ground’

Powerline relocation only major project left at Khanye

By: Tracy Hancock 13th December 2019 The relocation of an 88 kV powerline, which is traversing a future portion of one of the opencast pits and consequently sterilising a section of coal, is the only remaining project at the Khanye colliery. This project has been approved from an environmental and legal standpoint as part of the... →

COAL CAPITAL The cost of the Khanye colliery’s establishment and construction equates to R600-million, which includes land acquisitions

Bright future for copper – consultancy

By: Mamaili Mamaila 6th December 2019 The copper sector’s current buoyancy can be attributed to improved prices and substantial demand from industrialised nations, such as China, says civil and structural engineering firm ADA Consulting Engineers director Paul Maitre. →

LARGE FACILITY In the DRC, ADA Consulting is involved in the building of a large facility on the road towards Kinsevere mine, for a mining equipment supplier operating in the copper mining sector

Kansanshi benefits from longer wear life

By: Mamaili Mamaila 6th December 2019 Kansanshi mine, located near Solwezi in Zambia.has significantly reduced costs and improved productivity by applying solutions provider Weir Minerals’ Linatex premium rubber lining solutions. The mine site's remoteness meant that transporting parts and replacement material to site was time... →

RUBBER LINING Weir Minerals Africa also does rubber lining at the factory based in Alrode

Battery technology advances could create savings, environmental benefits

By: Mamaili Mamaila 29th November 2019 Further advances in battery technology are expected as new options come to market and new economies of scale are achieved, says independent consulting engineers and scientists SRK Consulting. →

ANDREW VAN ZYL AND MARCIN WERTZ Advancements in battery technology are likely to create the potential to reduce costs and environmental impact while providing a disruptive force as price volatility persists

Holistic solutions crucial for mining sustainability – consultancy

By: Mamaili Mamaila 29th November 2019 Holistic solutions that consider closure, social, environmental and technical best practices will be important for the sustainability and longevity of the African mining industry, say independent consulting engineers and scientists SRK Consulting. →

ENAURING BEST PRACTICE The integration of the various mining-related disciplines such as mine planning and geotechnical, to environmental and social – is key to ensuring best practice on any project

Tailings dam failures concerning

By: Mamaili Mamaila 29th November 2019 It is unacceptable that tailings dam failures are reported to be about ten times more frequent than water dams on a ratio basis, says geotechnical engineering company Geotheta CEO Ian Hammond, particularly in terms of loss of life, livelihood or environmental damage. →

STRICTER FOCUS Professional engineers overseeing tailings facilities must account for more stringent, more severe and more appropriate factors in the design, monitoring, surveillance and closure aspects of the tailings storage facilities and their appurtenant structures

Mine health, safety awareness crucial for consultants

By: Mamaili Mamaila 29th November 2019 Owing to the mining industry having historically gained a reputation for being “inherently unsafe”, consulting engineers need to be more mindful of this aspect when working in the sector, says professional association Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) CEO Christopher Campbell. →

CHRISTOPHER CAMPBELL As there is an explicit emphasis on zero harm in the mining sector, consulting engineers in mining have to conform to industry requirements

Mechanisation drives service offering

29th November 2019 Structural steel designers and fabricators Structa Group of companies manufactures and supplies a range of infrastructure-related products including water storage tanks and industrial process equipment. →

Consultants prioritise energy efficiency

By: Cameron Mackay 22nd November 2019 With the mining industry shifting towards more energy efficient processes, mining consulting and engineering services provider BBE is observing increased demand for developing and implementing energy efficiency in ventilation and cooling processes. “Ventilation, cooling and pumping are the major... →

RICHARD GUNDERSEN Ventilation on-demand is becoming more topical. One can switch fans on or off, and align cooling to where the activity is happening in a mine

Industry keen on cleaner, fuel cell-based ventilation

By: Cameron Mackay 22nd November 2019 The local mining industry has shown keen interest in research center Hydrogen Infrastructure South Africa’s (HySA’s) offering of cleaner ventilation systems for underground mines, says HySA director Dmitri Bessarabov. He explains that this can be achieved by replacing diesel-powered underground... →

CLEANER VENTILATION OPPORTUNITY Hydrogen Infrastructure South Africa produces and stores renewable energy on site and aims to integrate existing mini grids with batteries and fuel cells

Fan range redesigned to meet industry needs

22nd November 2019 Global ventilation fans and systems manufacturer TLT-Turbo GmbH has announced the redesign of its Auxiliary and Booster fan range. The new designs engender efficiency and cost effectiveness in a versatile product range able to meet the ventilation requirements of the mining industry. Development... →

UNDERGROUND DEMAND TLT-Turbo has received orders from a South African gold mine, and for the Kamoa Copper project

Shaft maintenance integral to operations

By: Theresa Bhowan 15th November 2019 Mining solutions provider United Mining Services (UMS) suggests placing significant emphasis on the operational maintenance of a mine shaft, as this can ultimately optimise the functionality of the mine, negating the potential financial and time-based losses that occur when shafts are not... →

MAINTENANCE OPTIMISED United Mining Services aims for mining houses to save on capital costs and downtime when conducting maintenance on the shaft infrastructure

Shaft capping prevents illegal mining, improves ground safety

By: Theresa Bhowan 15th November 2019 Redundant mine shafts are becoming a growing risk for mining companies, owing to a sharp spike in illegal mining activities. →

COVER UP Shaft capping and sealing is undertaken to reinstate land to unrestricted use

Co-opting Canadian strategies to create investor awareness

By: Theresa Bhowan 8th November 2019 International commodities consultancy Core Consultants states that African mining jurisdictions can create investor awareness through initiatives that have been successfully carried out in Canada. →

Photo by Creamer Media
BE AWARE, BE VERY AWARE Investor awareness can be created in Africa through initiatives that have been successfully carried out in Canada

Company Announcements

Clarion Events Africa moves DRC Mining Week to October

Dump trucks: New MK-42 to beat them all

New Cat® AD63 Underground Articulated Truck features increased payload, advanced emissions controls, enhanced comfort and serviceability

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