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Consulting Engineers News
Despite high upfront costs, technology investments yield long-term savings – BMI
By: Mia Breytenbach 1st September 2017 With metals and mining companies increasingly investing in technology that will help reduce their carbon footprints, owing to the global drive to lower carbon emissions, meaningful efforts to improve environmental standards in the extractive industries require significant upfront costs, according... →
Debate on land rehab for future farming comes to the fore as mine closures increase
By: Donna Slater 1st September 2017 As the mining industry winds down from the supercycle, thereby also coming under increasingly constrained budgets as markets tighten up and commodity prices fall, more mines are closing and, subsequently, the need for their rehabilitation is coming to the fore. →
‘Key milestone’ for Platreef project
25th August 2017 The completion of the definitive feasibility study (DFS) for the first phase of production at platinum group metals (PGMs) miner Ivanhoe Mines’ Platreef project, on the northern limb of South Africa’s Bushveld Igneous Complex, is another key milestone in Ivanhoe’s planned transformation of the... →
Gamsberg project to retore Vedanta’s zinc output to 300 000 t/y from mid-2018
By: Mia Breytenbach 25th August 2017 Diversified miner Vedanta Resources subsidiary Zinc International has committed more than 80% of the $400-million capital expenditure (capex) for the first phase of the Gamsberg zinc project, in the Northern Cape. The first phase of the project is expected to have a mine life of 13 years,... →
PROGRESSING WELL More than 25-million tonnes of the estimated 65-million to 70-million tonnes of waste rock have been excavated at the Gamsberg project
Mines realise commercial, social gains of off-grid power
By: Robyn Wilkinson 25th August 2017 Mining companies in Africa are beginning to realise the full potential of standalone power solutions as they strive to improve operational efficiencies and meet the social obligations governing their ventures in emerging economies, says engineering consultant WSP Africa power director Dinesh Buldoo. →
REMOTE CHALLENGES As mining companies expand their mining activities into ever-more remote locations in Africa, access to basic services, such as power, becomes more challenging
Elegen
25th August 2017 Edenvale-based original-equipment manufacturer Elegen has grown to be one of Africa’s largest generator manufacturer and suppliers, and has complemented its power-generation offering with the launch of its mobile pneumatic light-emitting diode (LED) lighting tower. This lighting tower has been... →
WorleyParsons developing black enterprises 
By: Martin Creamer 21st August 2017 Project delivery and engineering consultancy WorleyParsons RSA is answering South Africa’s call for broader economic participation and transformation. The local company, which is part of the Australian Securities Exchange-listed WorleyParsons engineering group that serves the resources and energy... →
New tech combination to solve communication lag
By: Simone Liedtke 18th August 2017 Mines of the future will have fewer people and a higher level of automation, but to be successful, Australia-based mining system designer and manufacturer Nautitech GM Alex Lester says mines will need reliable communications as well as visibility of underground operations. →
Progress at Botswana copper project
18th August 2017 Investor in strategic natural resource opportunities Metal Tiger has received all sample assays from previous infill /extensional drilling at its T3 copper/silver project, in Botswana, and is making good progress with its prefeasibility study (PFS) which is on track for completion in the fourth... →
INVESTIGATION PENDING The market and smelter investigation for the T3 project has been put on hold until production and concentrate specification is available
Technology set to unleash mining innovation – Anglo’s O’Neill
By: Martin Creamer 16th August 2017 In the next ten years, technology is set to unleash a wave of mining innovation, with the sweet spot centred on changing the thinking around orebodies and processing plants rather than much-spoken-about automation. “Our focus has changed from hunting technologies to hunting value,” Anglo American... →
Mining to continue to support valves industry
By: Nica Schreuder 11th August 2017 Mining will remain the primary long-term source of revenue for the valves industry on the African continent, says valves and actuator technology manufacturer and supplier AR Controls director Julien Van Niekerk. He is confident that, with the cyclical nature of commodities, prices will improve... →
Gamsberg zinc project on course for first production in mid-2018
By: Mia Breytenbach 11th August 2017 Diversified miner Vedanta Resources' Gamsberg zinc project, in the Northern Cape, remains on track for first production in mid-2018. Prestart activities and waste stripping at the project have progressed well, with the completion of the north access ramp – a critical milestone and part of the... →
Continued reciprocal trade between S Africa, Australia predicted
By: Marleny Arnoldi 11th August 2017 Despite the current economic climate in South Africa and the global downturn in mining owing to low commodity prices, South Africa and Australia will continue to build their reciprocal trade relationship, says law firm ENSafrica. →
Tech trade between Australia, S Africa can be mutually beneficial
By: Marleny Arnoldi 11th August 2017 Owing to the global mining downturn, lower commodity prices are forcing manufacturers and suppliers to expand into international markets to take advantage of more supply opportunities, a wider demand base and favourable exchange rates. →
Local valves company employs competitive strategy
By: Nica Schreuder 11th August 2017 Over the past two years, the African valves market has experienced trying conditions when dealing with the mining industry; however, the business environment is now slowly recovering as a result of improved commodity prices, South African valves industry manufacturer AR Controls director Julien... →
Employee diversity fosters innovation, creativity
By: Nica Schreuder 4th August 2017 Global engineering consultancy Aurecon geotechnical engineer Dr Gabrielle Wojtowitz advocates for cross-gender, -cultural and -border teams in the workplace, as this stimulates diverse thinking and creativity. Within her role at Aurecon, Wojtowitz works within the built environment space as well... →
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)... →
Mines continue to drive sustainable value creation
By: Simone Liedtke 28th July 2017 The African mining industry is increasingly focusing on generating as much value as possible from mining projects to benefit all mining stakeholders and strengthen its position as a sustainable contributor to the continent’s economies, says consulting engineer Aurecon resources client director... →
Top trends impacting on mining come under the spotlight
By: David Oliveira 28th July 2017 During project delivery and engineering consultancy WorleyParsons’ Supplier Grow Conference earlier this month in Johannesburg advisory firm Deloitte Africa energy and resource leader Andrew Lane discussed ten trends currently impacting the global mining industry. The first trend highlighted was... →
ANDREW LANE The mining industry is realising that it operates in an ecosystem where it is dependent on governments for regulatory access and to communities for physical access
Pockets of potential bode well for future
By: Nica Schreuder 14th July 2017 The expected turning point in the African mining sector has not yet occurred, owing to continued soft economic growth in emerging economies allied to uneven global economic recoveries, divergent monetary policies and significant geopolitical/social issues, which continue to create further... →
Advanced diagnostics, IIoT to unlock valuable mining data – Endress & Hauser
By: Schalk Burger 7th July 2017 Using the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and advanced diagnostics systems that draw new data from sensors in mines can provide deeper insight into operations and improve control, says industrial automation multinational Endress & Hauser Group mining industry manager Jenish Gheewala. Data is... →
SA company designs shaft hoisting infrastructure for Philippines gold mine
By: Donna Slater 7th July 2017 Pretoria-based engineering firm Thuthukani Engineering has designed full service shaft hoisting infrastructure for Philippines-based gold miner Philsaga Mining Corporation, which is owned by Australian mining company Medusa Mining. →
Data-mining improves mine management
By: Victor Moolman 7th July 2017 The new technologies being developed by multinational engineering and electronics company Bosch to help improve mine management are part of Mining 4.0 taking place at projects worldwide. →
Disruptive tech needed in local gold sector
30th June 2017 Trends in gold production and processing have remained largely unchanged; however, the varying nature of future gold reserves will force change and, as such, the industry needs to be prepared to invest in and employ disruptive technology, says independent process industry consultant Santosh... →
Implementation of hybrid renewable-diesel microgrids set to increase
By: Nadine James 30th June 2017 Mining houses’ use of microgrids and renewable energy to generate power and supplement diesel energy at isolated mining operations has been steadily increasing, says renewable-energy and microgrid consultant THEnergy. THEnergy founder and MD Dr Thomas Hillig notes that the company has been... →
Local miners leverage existing infrastructure to extend operations
By: Nadine James 30th June 2017 As a result of financial constraints, South African gold miners are looking to exploit their existing infrastructure to mine licensed blocks adjacent to existing operations, says mining engineering consultancy Ukwazi Mining. Ukwazi underground engineer Hans Dippenaar notes that, in this way,... →
Start of Elikhulu TSF construction imminent
By: Nadine James 30th June 2017 Mining services company Fraser Alexander will start construction of a tailings storage facility (TSF) at the Evander gold mine, in Mpumalanga, next month, with completion of the TSF expected by December 2018. Last month, the company was awarded the tender for the construction of the TSF for the... →
Association applying changes to expand representation
By: Simone Liedtke 23rd June 2017 Owing to it being approached by various other opencast mining and quarrying companies and bodies, private-sector producers’ association Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of Southern Africa (Aspasa) will from now on only be known as Aspasa as it has dropped the ‘aggregate and sand’ from its... →
Multidisciplinary mining company says market is challenging
By: Simone Liedtke 23rd June 2017 With the general depletion of natural sand reserves around South Africa, especially within large cities, multidisciplinary materials openpit mining company Afrimat has invested in sand producing plants – especially in Gauteng – to produce high-quality concrete sands to ensure higher concrete... →
Process-focused solution ups output
23rd June 2017 North West sand and aggregate supplier CNC Crushers raised throughput by 45% at its Roadstone Shaft 5 crushing plant while simultaneously cutting back on maintenance, after implementing a full process-focused solution from industrial equipment supplier Weir Minerals Africa. →
Manica neither complex, capital demanding
9th June 2017 The Manica gold project’s definitive feasibility study (DFS) results demonstrate a robust, simplistic project with an average gold grade of 2.62 g/t producing 215 293 oz over its seven-year life, says diversified miner Xtract Resources. In the DFS results announcement in February, Xtract... →
Tete steel project BFS near completion
By: Nadine James 9th June 2017 SRK Consulting South Africa, a firm of consulting engineers and scientists, has completed its share of work on the bankable feasibility study (BFS) for the Tete iron-ore mining and steelmaking project, in Mozambique. The BFS for the project, which is expected to start production in the first half... →
New mine design focused on realising business excellence
By: Robyn Wilkinson 9th June 2017 Johannesburg-based project management and engineering company Paradigm Project Management (PPM) will apply its “three halves” philosophy to design and develop diamond producer Stellar Diamonds’ Tongo-Tonguma project, in Sierra Leone. →
RADICAL REVIEW NECESSARY With a diamond supply shortfall looming, exploration companies must employ innovative planning to obtain funding for new projects
Mines can use their vast amounts of data to lower costs – Rockwell Automation
By: Schalk Burger 2nd June 2017 The connected mine concept helps mines to lower costs by providing detailed, real-time control at all levels of operations, says industrial automation multinational Rockwell Automation sub-Saharan Africa MD Barry Elliot. The concept can be implemented in areas where mines have optimisation... →
Govt continues to encourage investment beyond diamonds
By: Simone Liedtke 26th May 2017 Botswana's mining industry will see steady value growth as government continues its efforts to diversify away from the diamond sector, encouraging foreign investment, particularly in coal projects, says industry analyst BMI Research, a Fitch Group company. →
Botswana to adopt Canadian model of sustainability
26th May 2017 A Canadian model aimed at improving the sustainability of mining through environmental and community outreach practices is being introduced in Botswana, says mining networking platform African Mining Network (AMN) chairperson Yolanda Torrisi. →
Valves training centre well received by industry
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 5th May 2017 Valves supplier AVK Southern Africa (AVK SA) strives to deliver high-quality, flawless and durable valves, and assist mining companies with the critical aspect of selecting the correct valve for high-quality water flow solutions, by providing training to mining industry players through its new... →
Mining consulting outlook stable to positive – consultancy
By: Nadine James 28th April 2017 The short-term outlook for the mining consulting industry is “stable to positive”, says SRK Consulting, a firm of consulting engineers and scientists. SRK partner and principal consultant Andrew van Zyl stresses that the South African economy is still in a transitional phase which – combined with... →
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