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Drilling and Tunnelling News
Equipment, automotive divisions boost Barloworld’s performance in difficult interim period 
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 15th May 2017 Fleet management and logistics solutions company Barloworld on Monday posted a 5% increase in its operating profit for the six months ended March 31, to R1.84-billion, as its automotive division achieved record results and its overall equipment division boasted strong growth amid challenging... →
Start-up solution offered by crushing specialist
12th May 2017 With most major mining firms already on its customer list, blasting and excavation company B&E International – based in Kempton Park, South Africa - has developed a solution for start-up miners that likely need to conserve their cash flow in the early days of operation. →
Dust-suppression specialist geared for growth in Africa
By: Simone Liedtke 12th May 2017 Environmental management company I-CAT Environmental Solutions continues to grow its market share in dust-suppression management and solutions, and intends to increase its market share in Africa this year. →
Dust regulations hinder productivity
By: Simone Liedtke 12th May 2017 Regulations implemented by governmental authorities, including municipalities, and environmental bodies, are impacting significantly on productivity in the global mining industry at a time when opencast operations are running tight margins, says Johannesburg-based mining equipment manufacturer... →
Opencast mine equipment relocation method saves costs, time
By: Simone Liedtke 12th May 2017 By loading, transporting and offloading draglines for opencast mining clients in one piece, global engineered heavy lifting and transportation specialist Mammoet is driving project feasibility by saving its clients time and money. →
Geodrill reports ‘most promising start to any fiscal year ever’ – CEO
By: Henry Lazenby 9th May 2017 A 20% jump in first-quarter revenues bears witness to strong demand for drilling services provided by Canada-based Geodrill, prompting president and CEO Dave Harper to bill the three months ended March as “the most promising start to any fiscal year ever”. The Toronto-based company recorded... →
Platinum sector water management improves considerably
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 5th May 2017 The platinum mining sector in South Africa has made “considerable” progress over the past ten years in its endeavours to recycle and reuse water, with 50% to 60% of water pumped into tailings dams being returned to the plant for reuse, indicates SRK Consulting, a firm of consulting engineers and... →
Ex-prof says new rock mechanics book will deal with ‘incompleteness’ of existing texts
By: Ilan Solomons 5th May 2017 The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) has published a new rock mechanics textbook, which is entitled ‘Theoretical Rock Mechanics for Professional Practice’. Speaking at an event hosted by the SAIMM’s Johannesburg branch last month, author Matthew Handley elaborated that... →
NEW VIEWS REQUIRED The practice of rock mechanics has stagnated for the past 30 to 40 years within a reduced 2D view of what is very much ‘at the least’ a 3D problem
Drilling specialist to receive training accreditation
By: Marleny Arnoldi 5th May 2017 Mining industry drilling services provider Rosond is in the process of becoming an accredited Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (Merseta) training provider. →
Shaft sinking progresses at Platreef’s Shaft 1
21st April 2017 The sinking of Shaft 1 at the Platreef platinum-palladium-gold-nickel-copper project in Limpopo, South Africa, has reached a depth of more than 283 m below surface, 697 m away from its target depth. Proceeding at an average rate of about 45 m a month, the shaft, with an internal diameter of 7.25... →
Test production starts at Mowana
21st April 2017 Africa-focused gold and copper exploration and development company Alecto Minerals has started test production at its Mowana copper project, in Botswana, after initial commissioning at the project’s process plant, says CEO Mark Jones. He notes that Alecto is moving at speed to deliver continuous... →
NOTABLE PRODUCE The atmosphere on site at the Mowana copper project in Botswana is buoyant, with the plant producing saleable concentrate up to 28% copper
Blanket’s Central shaft sinking on schedule
21st April 2017 The Central shaft at the Blanket gold mine, in Zimbabwe, remains on track to reach a target depth of 1 080 m by 2018 and is the key enabler of mining company Caledonia Mining’s longer-term life-of-mine plan at Blanket, says CEO Steve Curtis. →
Digging deeper becoming more attractive, financially possible
By: Victor Moolman 21st April 2017 Developing a new shaft is regarded as a grudge purchase by mining companies and their shareholders because of the capital-intensive nature of such projects. However, 2017 Rapid Underground Mine & Civil Access Conference organising chairperson Murray Macnab avers that underground orebodies are... →
Strategic mining alliance to clients’ benefit
21st April 2017 Mine shaft sinking and mining services company Redpath Mining South Africa has entered into an alliance with multidisciplinary construction group Stefanutti Stocks, joining their complementary capabilities and services to enhance benefits to their clients. →
Liberian gold miner driving near-mine satellite exploration
14th April 2017 TSX- and Aim-listed West African gold producer Avesoro Resources points to a strong outlook for 2017, with its main aim for the year being the discovery of additional mineable satellite resources within close proximity to its New Liberty gold mine, in Liberia. With numerous high potential targets... →
Mali lithium project developments ‘great endorsement’
14th April 2017 A potential second placing worth about £4.3-million with trading company Suay Chin International, if completed, will ensure that West Africa-focused mineral exploration and development company Kodal Minerals is well funded to produce initial mineral resource estimates at its Bougouni lithium... →
LITHIUM DEMAND Suay Chin was formed to take advantage of its extensive connections to supply the Chinese lithium market
New drill logistically self-sufficient
By: Victor Moolman 31st March 2017 The new track-mounted VersaMobile KmN.8UM drill from mining equipment manufacturer VersaDrill Canada is self-sufficient to the point that it does not need mine vehicle involvement to facilitate its transportation when operating underground. →
Productivity at SA gold, platinum mines declined 49% from 1999 to 2014 – Chamber of Mines
By: David Oliveira 31st March 2017 Productivity in the platinum and gold mining sectors declined by 49% from 1999 to 2014, while labour costs increased by about 309% during the same period, Chamber of Mines (CoM) modernisation and safety intern Katlego Letsoalo noted earlier this month during The Southern African Institute of... →
Automation software improves ease of work
24th March 2017 Sustainable productivity solutions provider Atlas Copco has introduced the Dynamic tunnelling package, a new automation software for face drilling rigs, such as its Boomer range, which is built for blast hole drilling in underground mining and tunnelling. The package is offered by Atlas Copco’s... →
First Bougouni drilling assays ‘highly encouraging’
24th March 2017 West-Africa-focused mineral exploration and development company Kodal Minerals has a busy exploration programme planned for the months ahead, with a focus on its lithium projects at Bougouni, in Mali. CEO Bernard Aylward said in February that the company would return to drill its Ngoualana... →
DRILLING DEVELOPMENTS As of February, a total of 328 samples had been received, with regard to the first drilling assays at the Bougouni lithium project, in Mali, with a further 400 samples pending
Raise drill tackles first African project
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 24th March 2017 The Redbore 100, “the crown jewel” of Redpath Mining’s series of raise drills, is undertaking its inaugural African project, in Zambia, extolls Redpath Mining Africa raiseboring manager Johan Davel. “One of the most powerful, largest-capacity, proven raise drills ever manufactured” is in... →
Mine mechanisation and automation accelerating in South Africa and globally, says Sandvik
By: Ilan Solomons 24th March 2017 The mechanisation and automation of mines in South Africa and globally is accelerating, with ancillary support services, such as information technology (IT), information transfer and data analysis, among others, taking on greater importance, says mining equipment and services provider Sandvik... →
Digitalising underground drilling
24th March 2017 Digitalisation will improve drilling accuracy and cycle times, and reduce operation costs by improving the efficiency of the drilling and bolting phase, says global engineering group Sandvik. “Drilling as planned, with accurate visual information, leads to continuous improvement across the whole... →
Drilling operations achieve impressive safety records
24th March 2017 Two underground diamond drilling sites operated by mining industry services provider Rosond have achieved five years of ‘zero harm’. Platinum producer Anglo American Platinum’s (Amplat’s) Dishaba mine, previously known as Amandelbult before being split into Dishaba and Tumela, near Thabazimbi, in... →
Master Drilling boasts strong order book
By: Megan van Wyngaardt 22nd March 2017 The launch of new projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Tanzania, paired with increased investment in human resources, has resulted in a 12.1% drop in JSE-listed Master Drilling’s gross profit to $23.5-million for the 2016 financial year. However, the company noted that... →
Sonic drilling represents untapped potential for mining
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 17th March 2017 There is huge scope in the future for the adoption of sonic drilling by mining companies in South Africa, which heavy minerals mining companies can capitalise on, says exploration drilling industry training course provider Colin Rice Exploration & Training founder Colin Rice. Local use of sonic... →
ENHANCED EXPLORATION The high penetration rates of sonic drilling produce high-quality, accurate core samples
Ravene drilling programme completed at Mutamba
17th March 2017 Aim-listed diversified miner Savannah Resources has completed drilling to more precisely define the high-grade zones of total heavy minerals (THM) at its “relatively under-evaluated” Ravene deposit, in Mozambique. The deposit is part of its Mutamba mineral sands project, which it is developing... →
A catalyst for innovation, Goldcorp pushes the envelope on technological advances
By: Henry Lazenby 11th March 2017 Canadian gold major Goldcorp is acting as a catalyst to bring innovation into the mining industry, an industry traditionally loathe to adopt new technologies that could ultimately improve the bottom line. As exemplified in its leading role in sponsoring the #DisruptMining competition during the... →
Goldcorp’s existing policies promote diversity in the work place
Partnership benefits miner, Ghanaians
By: Robyn Wilkinson 10th March 2017 Canadian gold explorer Asante Gold has offered Ghanaian communities employment opportunities and the restoration of agricultural land in exchange for their support of its Keyhole gold project’s drilling programme, aimed at identifying a high-grade underground mineable gold deposit. The first... →
Sierra Leone gold sector ‘open for business’
By: Robyn Wilkinson 10th March 2017 The moderate rise in the average gold price to $1 248/oz in 2016 increased investor appetite for gold exploration and triggered some merger and acquisition activity in the sector, providing a positive environment for miner Sula Iron & Gold to advance its planned drilling programme at its... →
More contracts out to tender with commodity price upswing
By: Simone Liedtke 3rd March 2017 With commodities, such as gold and copper, showing positive growth, mining contracting and engineering company Redpath Mining Africa has noted an upswing in contracting work in the African mining sector. Redpath Mining Africa MD Ockert Douglas says this was also the sentiment held by others at... →
Drilling services provider declares Indaba ‘great success’
By: Simone Liedtke 3rd March 2017 The 2017 Investing in African Mining Indaba was a “great success” for drilling services and equipment, including for performance tooling provider Boart Longyear, as it secured deals and has several prospective projects to follow up on, says general sales manager Andre van Heerden. →
Group to split to improve customer focus
17th February 2017 Swedish sustainable productivity solutions provider Atlas Copco will create a new company focused on mining and civil engineering, should it receive backing at its annual general meeting in April. →
Master Drilling readies for international roll-out of new horizontal raiseboring technology
By: Ilan Solomons 7th February 2017 JSE-listed drilling services provider Master Drilling announced at the Investing in African Mining Indaba on Tuesday that its horizontal raiseboring (HRB) technology is ready for international roll-out after a successful pilot test at the Cullinan diamond mine, in Gauteng. Master Drilling CEO... →
Milestone for Two Rivers as PGM production surpasses 400 000 oz/y
By: David Oliveira 3rd February 2017 Mpumalanga-based Two Rivers, a joint venture between diversified miner African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) and platinum producer Impala Platinum (Implats), reached an important milestone last year, producing more than 400 000 oz of platinum-group metals (PGMs) for the first time since the mine started... →
African company one of biggest underground mining contractors
By: Martin Creamer 2nd February 2017 The predominantly Africa-based Murray & Roberts Cementation has served the mining industry for more than a century. Along with Cementation Canada, Cementation USA and RUC Cementation Australia, the Murray & Roberts Underground Mining Platform ranks among the biggest underground mining contracting... →
VENETIA MODEL What the Venetia underground diamond mine will look like when complete
Raubex
27th January 2017 With more than four decades of experience in the Southern African construction and mining industry, infrastructure development and materials handling specialist Raubex Group is a leading player on the sub-continent. Listed on the JSE since 2007, Bloemfontein-headquartered Raubex specialises in... →
Propellant-based rock breaking system mooted as alternative to traditional explosives
By: Ilan Solomons 27th January 2017 It is generally acknowledged that South Africa’s narrow-reef mining sector is in a precarious state as its viability is challenged by declining global commodity prices, labour instability, uncertain government policy, overregulation and declining productivity. Adding to the problem is mine... →
IMPROVING SAFETY The 1.4S initiation system propellant powders produce no shock energy, which ensures improved hanging wall conditions, and therefore a safer working environment
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