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Explosives News
AECI Mining’s incoming CEO aims to cut carbon footprint, grow outside Africa in the medium term
By: Irma Venter 1st July 2022 Newly appointed AECI Mining CEO Mark Kathan (51) says his main focus over the medium term will be the greening of the company’s manufacturing and logistical footprint, while also growing the firm’s presence in the rest of the world. Kathan, the former AECI CFO, put up his hand for the top job at... →
ESG provides profitable returns from smart capital allocation – analyst
By: Martin Creamer 15th June 2022 Environmental, social and governance (ESG) frameworks not only help businesses and the communities in which they operate but can also generate positive returns as mining companies reduce operating expenses and receive favourable investor interest and cheaper finance. When it comes to ESG, the... →
Quarries upgrading to next-gen detonation tech
By: Tracy Hancock 10th June 2022 Mining explosives and blasting technology supplier BME is steadily upgrading local quarries that have been using its AXXIS GII electronic detonation system for years to its latest-generation electronic detonation technology, AXXIS Silver. “The conversion of one to the other is straightforward, as... →
Increased efficiency cuts carbon, advances net-zero path, research finds 
By: Martin Creamer 8th June 2022 Like all other key industries, mining is having to advance along a net-zero path as part of the global decarbonisation drive. Gone are the days when innovation and financial improvement can be sold on their own without a carbon advantage. (Also watch attached Creamer Media video.) →
AECI Mining’s new CEO aims to cut carbon footprint, grow outside Africa
By: Irma Venter 6th June 2022 Newly appointed AECI Mining CEO Mark Kathan (51) says his main focus over the medium term will be the greening of the company’s manufacturing and logistical footprint, while also growing the firm’s presence in the rest of the world. Kathan, the former AECI CFO, put up his hand for the top job at... →
Hydrogen can be stored in existing fossil fuel infrastructure for years, world webinar hears 
By: Martin Creamer 26th May 2022 Hydrogen can be stored in existing fossil fuel infrastructure for years if need be, giving it the potential to become a universal energy carrier in the same way as oil is now but without the environmental impact, World Hydrogen Leaders webinar heard this week. Allowing hydrogen to make use of... →
Platinum-boosted South African hydrogen electrolyser leaps ahead
By: Martin Creamer 25th May 2022 The proof-of-concept of the platinum group metals-boosted advanced alkaline electrolyser – the AAE – has been successfully completed by Hydrox Holdings of Randburg in a pioneering achievement that offers the potential for South Africa to enter the fray as world demand for hydrogen electrolysers... →
Electronic detonators ensure effective blasting
By: Nadine Ramdass 6th May 2022 Opencast mines have to contend with rising costs as they go deeper. Efficiency is required to contain these costs and remain profitable, which is offered by digital technology such as blast planning software and electronic detonation systems. Electronic detonator systems, such as mining... →
World Coal Association favours just energy transition to net zero future
By: Martin Creamer 5th May 2022 The World Coal Association, and its member companies, are in favour of a just transition to a net zero future, World Coal Association chairperson July Ndlovu said on Thursday. In his keynote address to the Southern African Coal Conference, Ndlovu emphasised the sincerity of the association’s... →
World Coal Association chairperson July Ndlovu
Supplier highlights mining efficiency at Indaba
22nd April 2022 Getting behind the renewed enthusiasm of the upcoming Investing in African Mining Indaba, Omnia Group subsdiairy and blasting and explosives company BME will be face-to-face with the mining industry at its exhibition booth. The Indaba will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre... →
President Ramaphosa to deliver keynote address at Mining Indaba 2022
By: Martin Creamer 20th April 2022 President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver a keynote address at the 2022 Investing in African Mining Indaba, which takes place in Cape Town from May 9 to 12. The attendance of Ramaphosa, who will speak on Tuesday, May 10, signals the continued importance of mining to the South African economy as a... →
Enaex Africa commissions expanded bulk emulsion plant
By: Marleny Arnoldi 8th April 2022 Explosives company Enaex Africa has completed the construction and commissioning of an expansion project at its bulk emulsion explosive plant in Secunda. The company says this is a significant milestone as this is the first infrastructure project developed and completed under the joint venture... →
Green finance taxonomy to help investors make green project decisions – law firm
By: Martin Creamer 5th April 2022 South Africa’s first green finance taxonomy will help investors and financial institutions make more informed decisions on ‘green’ projects, say Webber Wentzel’s Patrick Heron and Joon Chong. Heron and Chong describe the taxonomy, launched by National Treasury last Friday, as an official... →
New blasting system improves safety
By: Halima Frost 18th March 2022 Having developed, and now busy testing its second-generation WebGen™ 200 in Australia and Canada, mining and infrastructure solutions provider Orica says its trials have shown improved safety and productivity across operations. The WebGen™ 200, a wireless electronic blasting system with... →
AECI lifts 2021 revenue, records lowest total recordable incident rate
By: Donna Slater 2nd March 2022 JSE-listed chemicals group AECI increased its revenue by 8% year-on-year to R26.05-billion in 2021 and declared a total ordinary dividend of R6.85 a share – up 20% year-on-year. The company declared a final ordinary cash dividend of R5.05, 7% higher than the R4.70 in 2020. →
Namibian emulsion plant opened
25th February 2022 Mines in Namibia can look forward to buying locally-manufactured, quality bulk emulsion when provider of commercial explosives and innovative blasting systems Orica and Native Storage Facility opens a new ammonium nitrate emulsion (ANE) plant near Walvis Bay. →
Spanish firm fined $6m for Ghana truck blast en route to Chirano mine
By: Reuters 9th February 2022 The Spanish company in charge of a truck that exploded and killed 13 people last month en route to an internationally-run gold mine in Ghana violated storage and transport laws and has been fined $6-million, the lands ministry said on Tuesday. The truck was transporting explosives owned by... →
Directors face potential liability for climate change risks – Webber Wentzel
By: Martin Creamer 8th February 2022 Directors face potential liability if they fail to carry out their fiduciary duties to curb climate change risks and do not make complete disclosures about climate-related risks, Webber Wentzel partner Merlita Kennedy and associate Tobia Serongoane stated on Tuesday. In a release to Mining... →
Huge explosion in Ghana mining region kills residents, fells buildings
By: Reuters 21st January 2022 An explosion in Ghana's rural Western Region on Thursday razed hundreds of buildings and killed an unknown number of residents when a truck carrying explosives to a gold mine collided with a motorcycle. Unverified videos posted on local media showed a large, smouldering blast site in which... →
BME unpacks the benefits behind its new-generation electronic detonator
By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th January 2022 Mining explosives and blasting technology supplier BME has unpacked the benefits of its latest and most advanced electronic blast detonation system called AXXIS Titanium. The company hails this system as a significant advance for both the company and the country, as it improves South Africa’s... →
Newcrest to test new blasting tech from Orica
By: Esmarie Iannucci 13th January 2022 Gold miner Newcrest Mining’s Cadia underground operation, in New South Wales, will become a testing ground for a first-of-its-kind semi-automated explosives delivery system in the second half of 2022. The system, which was co-developed by Orica and Epiroc, is designed to remove people from... →
Intrinsic testing tools a necessity – manufacturer
By: Halima Frost 19th November 2021 Using intrinsically safe testing tools in the mining and industrial sectors is of the “utmost importance” amid the explosive gases, vapours and dust in those industries, says testing and measurement equipment provider Comtest technical sales manager Gerrit Barnard. Devices that are certified as... →
Flame-detection series in demand
By: Halima Frost 19th November 2021 Since the launch of its new Det-Tronics X-Series range of flame detectors earlier this year, multinational home and industrial appliance manufacturer Carrier Global has noted a marked increase in demand for the detectors. Carrier Global sub-Saharan Africa sales manager Randhir Seodutt attributes... →
AECI provide explosives to K9 detection team to help curb illicit, criminal use
By: Donna Slater 3rd November 2021 To help curb illegal use of explosives, AECI Mining Explosives has partnered with explosive detection patrol company Vapor Wake K9 South Africa (VWK9SA) by providing it with samples of explosives to assist in training its dogs. Criminal activities that involve the use of illicit explosives in... →
Explosives company achieves world-class rating
By: Halima Frost 29th October 2021 Mining explosives and blasting technology supplier BME, a member of diversified chemicals group Omnia, tells Mining Weekly it has achieved a record-low recordable case rate of 0.05% in the blasting sector for the last financial year. A recordable case rate is a well-established measure of safety... →
Explosives growth follows industry growth
By: Nadine Ramdass 15th October 2021 The African explosives sector remains steady, owing to an increase in African mining opportunities and positive market conditions, says BME Southern African Development Community (SADC) MD Ralf Hennecke. With the growing interest in battery minerals such as lithium and cobalt, there is a further... →
Differential GPS brings much needed autonomy to blasting
15th October 2021 AECI Mining Explosives’ new, high-accuracy (sub-1m) Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) brings autonomy to the blast hole tagging process, thus maximising efficiency by eliminating potential human error on the bench and ensuring integrity of drill and blast operations. Safety and good... →
Explosives tech aims to humanise mining
By: Nadine Ramdass 15th October 2021 The lack of new investment in the form of new mining projects has resulted in little growth for the explosives industry, and while the expansion projects of existing operations have helped the industry somewhat, greenfield projects can facilitate more significant growth. The mining explosives... →
Explosives company aims to extend its reach
By: Cameron Mackay 8th October 2021 As part of bulk emulsion explosives and mining technology manufacturer BME’s ongoing strategic global expansion strategy, the company plans to continue growing its footprint in mining in West Africa, states BME West African operations GM Michael Klaasen. “BME has been active in West Africa for... →
Predicted growth to bolster services demand
By: Claire O'Reilly 10th September 2021 Mining explosives and blasting technology supplier BME, a member of diversified chemicals group Omnia, expects growth opportunities that will run parallel to the predicted growth of the Zambian mining sector. →
Omnia firmly in a growth phase following restructuring – CEO
By: Simone Liedtke 16th August 2021 Diversified chemical manufacturing company Omnia intends to “settle down” following the completion of its strategic restructuring, and to take some time to focus on its people, culture and setting a “firm foundation to grow from”. Omnia CEO Seelan Gobalsamy tells Engineering News the company is... →
Company provides custom service packages
By: Nadine Ramdass 23rd July 2021 Explosives and blasting services provider BME Indonesia are providing the Indonesian mining industry with packages that can be customised based on the industries’ and customers’ requirements. This is beneficial to Indonesia in operational sense in that it entails safe and efficient blasting,... →
Electronic gauges for hazardous areas
16th July 2021 Industrial electronics producer Instrotech is offering geotechnical solutions specialist Keller’s range of five intrinsically-safe electronic pressure gauges for use in areas subject to gas explosion risks. The type approvals are compliant with the ATEX explosion protection directive regarding... →
Digital blasting on the rise in Africa
By: Darren Parker 9th July 2021 Africa’s mining industry is embracing digital technologies in blasting, says explosives technology company BME technology and marketing GM Ralf Hennecke. He explains that digital blasting technologies are enhancing safety, efficiency, ease of use and the integration of blasting processes into... →
Explosives demand in Africa picking up
By: Darren Parker 9th July 2021 With demand for explosives improving, mining explosives technology company BME, part of JSE-listed Omnia Group, has been successfully maintaining supply to customers across Africa. BME GM Ralf Hennecke notes that this was despite the disruptions and cross-border challenges the company faced. He... →
Australia’s Thiess extends AECI contract by five years
By: Donna Slater 6th July 2021 Explosives company AECI’s Australian subsidiary has been awarded a five-year contract extension by mining contractor and services provider Thiess for the supply of bulk emulsion explosives, initiating systems and related services to mines in Queensland and New South Wales. The Australian... →
Mining vital to economy, can help guide country's path – President
By: Martin Creamer 5th July 2021 Mining is vital to the South African economy and the opportunities that exist in mining can help guide the country’s path to a more inclusive and equitable economy, President Cyril Ramaphosa stated on Monday. Writing in his From the Desk of the President column, Ramaphosa placed mineral and... →
Enaex to open pioneer DaveyTronic electronic detonator assembly plant in Africa
By: Tasneem Bulbulia 7th June 2021 Blasting services company Enaex Africa has recently approved a R16-million investment in the pioneer Enaex Electronic Initiation Systems assembly plant in Africa. This local assembly facility will be located in the company’s Enaex Africa Secunda Complex in South Africa and is expected to start... →
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