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Drilling and Tunnelling News

Aiming to improve emergency preparedness

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st December 2017 Mpumalanga-based artisan and mining skills training centre Colliery Training College (CTC) is actively seeking more coal projects to contract the services of its Rescue Drill Unit (RDU) to improve the effectiveness of mines’ emergency preparedness procedures. “We encourage mines to contract us to... →

European Metals reports increased indicated resource at Cinovec

By: Samantha Herbst 28th November 2017 Following a four-month drilling campaign, ASX- and Aim-listed European Metals has announced an additional upgrade of its Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant Cinovec lithium/tin project, in the Czech Republic, confirming the project’s status as Europe’s largest lithium resource. The drilling... →

Ausdrill wins contract extensions in Africa and Australia

By: Creamer Media Reporter 28th November 2017 Mining services company Ausdrill said on Tuesday it had secured two contract extensions at African operations and one in Western Australia. The ASX-listed firm reported that South Africa-based AngloGold Ashanti had awarded its wholly owned subsidiary African Mining Services (AMS), a provision... →

Atlas Copco splits into entities focusing on mining and civil engineering, and the industrial market

By: Donna Slater 24th November 2017 Construction and mining equipment manufacturer Atlas Copco has started a process to divide the company into two separate entities – Atlas Copco and Epiroc. Epiroc will remain a subsidiary of Atlas Copco. →

SANJAY AHUJA Epiroc is now a house where we can live and breathe mining and rock excavation

Gold Fields invests R6m to boost mechanised mining skills

By: Nadine James 22nd November 2017 South African gold miner Gold Fields on Wednesday announced a R6-million, three-year partnership with the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) to further academic knowledge in the field of mechanised mining and rock engineering in South Africa. Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland and Wits... →

Call for better understanding of trackless mobile mining equipment regulations

By: Ilan Solomons 10th November 2017 Mechanisation of the South African mining sector is a major priority for all stakeholders. However, with the introduction of mechanised mining technologies come several new challenges, one of which relates to the brakes and in-service brake testing of trackless mobile mining (TMM) equipment, says... →

DANIE BURGER There are currently a number of problems relating to the standards for the testing of brakes and in-service brake testing of trackless mobile mining equipment

Photo by Creamer Media image
DANIE BURGER There are currently a number of problems relating to the standards for the testing of brakes and in-service brake testing of trackless mobile mining equipment

South Africa’s Master Drilling expands into India, Australia

By: Martin Creamer 1st November 2017 Raise bore drilling company Master Drilling on Wednesday announced its expansion into India, where it will support a zinc mine, and Australia, where it will support a gold project. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed company said it would be deploying a large raisebore machine to a Vedanta... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Master Drilling CEO Danie Pretorius

Drill series evolved to increase cost effectiveness and productivity

By: Nica Schreuder 27th October 2017 Intelligence platforms have been added to Sweden-headquartered engineering company Sandvik Mining and Technology’s Ranger series of drills to allow for automation, data connectivity and improved drilling processes, increasing productivity for customers. An example of this integration and the... →

DEVELOPED ON DEMAND The DX900i is Sandvik's latest answer to the evolving technological needs of the surface mining industry

Small-scale opencast mining to boost industry

By: Nica Schreuder 27th October 2017 For diamond mining company De Beers’ Venetia mine GM, Benford Mokoatle, opencast mining is the future, owing to changing priorities and mindsets within industry, which must occur to sustain the mining industry in South Africa. Specifically, Mokoatle says the country must begin focusing on... →

THINK SMALL Big industries and big underground mines are too capital intensive

Safer rock-breaking alternatives offered

By: Marleny Arnoldi 20th October 2017 Rock-breaking technology supplier Nxco Mining Technologies offers nondetonating cartridges that use a pyrotechnic composition to break rock based on its tensile strength, rather than on its compressive strength as is the case with traditional explosives. →

CARTRIDGE BENEFITS Using expanding gas improves workplace safety, recovery, reduces costs and also reduces the impact of the mining process on the environment

Rise in DRC exploration activity expected

20th October 2017 With the improvements in the copper price, mining interest will soon be returning to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), says mining consultancy SRK Consulting country manager Susa Maleba. “In fact, for explorers wanting to initiate drilling programmes, time is running out,” says Maleba.... →

EXTENDING LIFE The sulphide resources underlying the oxide resources at Kinsevere have the potential to extend the mine life to 2033

Gamsberg zinc project a thumbs up for South Africa amid investment slowdown

By: Mia Breytenbach 20th October 2017 Amid low levels of capital project activities in South Africa, the $400-million Gamsberg zinc and lead project, in the Northern Cape, has become the largest mining project under execution in the country. “Commentators have noted that this significant investment in the South African mining... →

Atlas Copco

20th October 2017 A world-leading provider of sustainable productivity solutions, Atlas Copco is characterised by focused businesses, a global presence with direct sales and service, a strong, stable and growing service business, professional people and an asset-light and flexible manufacturing setup. “We are... →

Large and small miners announce, plan contract awards for Moz projects

By: Keith Campbell 6th October 2017 Brazilian mining group Vale has awarded Mota-Engil Africa a $445-million contract to supply mining services to the Moatize coal mine, in Mozambique’s Tete province, the Macauhub news agency has reported. Mota-Engil Africa is a subsidiary of the Portuguese engineering, construction, contract... →

Botswana Diamonds to start drilling at Limpopo project in October

By: Mia Breytenbach 29th September 2017 Diamond exploration and project development company Botswana Diamonds has announced that it will start large diameter drilling (LDD) at the Zebediela project, in Limpopo, next month. Zebediela forms part of the Vutomi Joint Venture project, at Frischgewaagt. Seventeen reverse circulation... →

Offshore capital equipment markets come in handy amid ‘turmoil’ in domestic mining sector

By: Donna Slater 29th September 2017 South African capital equipment manufacturers that are exporting, and which have survived the ongoing turmoil in the mining industry and domestic economic environment, have showed resilience and bear testament to the lifeline provided through exporting products and not relying solely on sales... →

Master Drilling aiming to extend geographical, technological diversification

By: Mia Breytenbach 22nd September 2017 Raise-boring and drilling solutions provider Master Drilling continues to extend its service provision capacity and technology reach, with the company focusing on diversifying into new markets and industries and advancing technologically. “Diversification across geographies, commodities,... →

KEY COMPONENT Master Drilling aims to grow business not only in underground mining, but also in openpit mining, which makes up the majority of mining

Canadian-listed junior plans further drilling to increase Guinea project resource base

By: Mia Breytenbach 15th September 2017 TSX-V-listed Volcanic Gold Mines plans to drill within the significantly expanded mineralized footprint defined by air-core drilling adjacent to the inferred mineral resource at its Mandiana gold project, with a view to a resource increase and is actively orientating its exploration programme... →

Volcanic Gold Mines president Jeremy Crozier discusses the progress at the Mandiana gold project in Guinea. Video and Editing: Lionel da Silva.

Botswana Diamonds plans additional drilling at South Africa project

By: Mia Breytenbach 12th September 2017 Aim-listed Botswana Diamonds’ shares on the LSE rose by nearly 20% on Tuesday as the company announced it would start large diameter drilling (LDD) at the Zebediela project, in Limpopo, in October. Zebediela forms part of the Vutomi Joint Venture project, at Frischgewaagt. →

Master Drilling posts resilient interim results, continues technological innovation focus

By: Mia Breytenbach 12th September 2017 Two additional machines and the impact of favourable foreign-exchange movements have contributed to a 12.5% increase in JSE-listed drilling services provider Master Drilling’s revenue to $60.5-million for the six months ended June 30. The group added two raise-bore machines during the period... →

Notable shaftsinking progress achieved at Blanket mine

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 8th September 2017 Southern Africa-focused gold miner Caledonia Mining Corporation “is progressing well” with the sinking of a central shaft at its Blanket gold mine, in Zimbabwe, Caledonia CFO Mark Learmonth tells Mining Weekly. The company is “very happy” with the progress made thus far, he says, with the... →

NECESSARY DEVELOPMENTS Once the central shaft at the Blanket mine is completed, it will enhance operating efficiency

Narrow-reef mining solutions in the works

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 25th August 2017 With the platinum mining industry in South Africa experiencing tough times, technology has become a major driver in reducing costs and facilitating improved productivity, and global engineering group Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology is assisting in this regard through its strides in... →

Photo by Ilan Solomons
NIEL MCCOY Sandvik believes that platinum is the toughest mining equipment application to manage

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

Photo by Duane Daws
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

Local mine to adopt new generation jumbo drill rig

By: Simone Liedtke 18th August 2017 Mining company Vedanta Resources’ Black Mountain base metals mine, in the Northern Cape, will later this year become the first local mine to adopt a new generation jumbo drill rig equipped with an intelligent control system from high-technology engineering group Sandvik. →

SANDVIK DD422i The drill rig, which includes bit-navigation and tele-remote tramming readiness, also employs software for blasting optimisation

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

Photo by Bloomberg
INVESTIGATION PENDING The market and smelter investigation for the T3 project has been put on hold until production and concentrate specification is available

Blasting and drilling increasingly automated

By: Robyn Wilkinson 28th July 2017 Ongoing developments to underground mining solutions provider iRing’s mine planning software suite are increasingly automating blasting and drilling operations, providing increased accuracy and safety in hazardous mining environments. →

NEW ERA iRing aims to demystify blasting and drilling operations through its software solutions, making them safer and more efficient

Photo by Bloomberg
NEW ERA iRing aims to demystify blasting and drilling operations through its software solutions, making them safer and more efficient

Canada’s First Cobalt hoping to seal DRC exploration deal by next month

By: Mia Breytenbach 21st July 2017 Cobalt asset group First Cobalt aims to close the transaction of a strategic alliance for a 70% interest in seven prospective copper/cobalt exploration properties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by next month and progress exploration in one of the world’s “high-reward cobalt... →

PROPERTY PROSPECTS The seven properties cover 190 km2 on the Central African Copperbelt, in Katanga, all with known surface mineralisation

Hydropower – what the industry needs now

By: Marleny Arnoldi 21st July 2017 The contraction in the South African mining industry has resulted in many projects and expansions stalling in recent years, with mines having closed or scaled back on capital and operational expenditure. →

HOLY WATER Existing hydropower technology can deliver significant increases in productivity, reduced operational and maintenance costs, and up to 80% less energy consumption than pneumatic drills

Largest-diameter hole reamed in Africa – contractor

14th July 2017 The reaming phase of a 7.3-m-diameter hole at South African integrated energy and chemicals company Sasol’s Impumelelo coal mine, in Mpumulanga, has been completed, setting an African record for the largest-diameter hole reamed to date, says South African mining company Redpath Mining. Mining... →

DRILLING WORK Redpath Mining's Redbore 90EX is being to raisebore the shafts at energy and chemicals company Sasol’s Impumelelo coal mine

Golden prospects following exploration in Mali and Senegal

By: Nica Schreuder 14th July 2017 Privately owned UK-based gold exploration company Cora Gold believes there is strong potential to ultimately increase the scale of the discovery at the Sanankoro project to a size suitable for consideration as a standalone gold mine hence the project being the primary focus of the company’s... →

SANANKORO ARTISINAL MINING Cora Gold’s Sanankoro project is currently its primary focus, and it anticipate further discovery to yield over one-million ounces of in-situ gold

Laguna Verde surveys yield encouraging results

7th July 2017 Mineral resource company Wealth Minerals has completed transient electromagnetic and gravity geophysical surveys at the Laguna Verde lithium project, in northern Chile, with its geophysical contractor reporting that the data quality is good to excellent for both surveys. The resulting gravity... →

CHANGE-UP Laguna Verde was originally targeted for its surface brines; however, exploration results over the past six months have switched Wealth Minerals' focus to a conventional lithium brine model

Mining Indaba offering new junior zone, boosting interface opportunities

By: Martin Creamer 4th July 2017 Strong new thrusts are planned for next year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba, which is scheduled to take place at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from February 5 to 8, once again to support investment in mining companies operating in Africa and to provide an effective platform... →

Investing in African Mining Indaba MD Alex Grose (right) with Martin Creamer

Investing in African Mining Indaba MD Alex Grose outlines to Mining Weekly Online’s Martin Creamer the major new focus on junior miner involvement. Video and Video Editing: Lionel da Silva.

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... →

SEVERE NEED There is a severe need for services to be delivered from a central and well-organised body to the opencast mining sector

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... →

CHALLENGING CONDITIONS Overall, the construction materials sector remains relatively flat

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. →

NEW TECHNOLOGY PAYS The installation of the Cavex hydrocyclone at CNC Crushers’ Stilfontein operation has resulted in increased production and reduced slimes to the tailings dam

Method leads to increased productivity

By: Marleny Arnoldi 23rd June 2017 Mining industry drilling services provider Rosond has adopted an approach to drilling equipment maintenance which entails identifying trends to assist it in applying engineering fixes, altering maintenance periods and educating operational staff accordingly. “We follow a productive approach, with... →

OPTIMAL DRILLING Rosond ensures productivity during maintenance procedures through its machine swap offering when drilling equipment is best serviced above ground

Stator introduced for reduced energy and maintenance costs

16th June 2017 Solutions provider for difficult pumping applications Netzsch Pumps North America has introduced the iFD-Stator 2.0, which it says combines efficiency, economy and environmental safety in one system. Featuring a two-part, reusable stator housing and replaceable stator, the iFD-Stator 2.0 is... →

NEXT GENERATION The new housing concept of the iFD-Stator 2.0 is easier to handle than the previous generation and delivers a longer service life

Modern exploration tech to revive local diamond mining

By: Robyn Wilkinson 9th June 2017 With the application of third-generation exploration technologies, South Africa may prove to be the next diamond exploration frontier, says diamond explorer Botswana Diamonds MD James Campbell. →

REVISITING KEY LOCATIONS The first phase of drilling at Frischgewaagt, an eastward extension of the mined-out Marsfontein kimberlite pipe in Limpopo, was completed in April

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