Mining Weekly | Issue | Magazine Content

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March 11, 2022

POWER PLAY

Cape Town looks to IPPs to make the city load-shedding resilient by 2027

Cover Story

Cape Town looks to IPPs to make the city load-shedding resilient by 2027

By: Irma VenterCape Town Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis is taking steps to protect the city from Stage 3 load-shedding by 2027 at a minimum – but preferably Stage 4 – in a move that he believes will facilitate “meaningfully faster” growth across the metropole. “Not only is it inconvenient to have load-shedding, but... →

First Word

Mining Weekly News

Amplats benefits from increased host-community procurement

By: Marleny ArnoldiFollowing the award of a ground-breaking R1.2-billion contract to ten community-owned trucking companies in 2021, JSE-listed Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) says it remains committed to growing procurement from its communities. The company’s commitment to community upliftment includes the... →

Great to see healthy demand for the industry, says De Beers

By: Martin CreamerIt's great to see such a healthy demand for this great industry, De Beers Group CFO Sarah Kuijlaars said after posting a set of stunning financial results for the world’s leading diamond company by value. Underlying 2021 earnings before tax, depreciation and amortisation soared to $1 100-million... →

Iamgold reflects on impact of doubling of Essakane solar plant

By: Schalk BurgerThe 22 ha solar photovoltaic plant at gold producer Iamgold's Essakane mine, in Burkina Faso, produces 25 000 MWh/y of electricity, while also reducing carbon dioxide equivalent emissions by 16.5 t, eliminating 5.5-million litres of fuel use a year and 120 fuel delivery trucks a year to sustain... →

Kumba fast-tracking solar, customising green hydrogen, sees good lump premium prospects

By: Martin CreamerSouth Africa’s major iron-ore producer and marketer Kumba Iron Ore is fast-tracking solar power permitting and looking to wind energy, it is discussing the use of green hydrogen with particularly European customers, and it foresees relatively strong iron-ore prices continuing in the short term as... →

Multiple renewable energy forms being evaluated across South Africa – Anglo Platinum

By: Martin CreamerPlatinum group metals (PGMs) miner and marketer Anglo American Platinum (Amplats), which on Monday reported a record 2021 financial performance, is collectively evaluating options to access multiple forms of renewable energy across South Africa, including hydro pump power and wheeling renewable... →

South32 completes Sierra Gorda buy

By: Esmarie IannucciDiversified miner South32 has completed the acquisition of a 45% interest in the Sierra Gorda copper mine, in Chile, from Sumitomo Metal Mining and Sumitomo Corporation. South32 in October entered into two binding conditional agreements with Sumitomo Metal Mining and Sumitomo Corporation for the... →

Editorial Insight

Contested territory

By: Terence CreamerThe just transition was always going to be a highly contested concept and the battle, it appears, is only but beginning. South Africa has already made remarkable progress in adding some flesh to the concept’s bare bones: first through the diligent work of the second National Planning Commission... →

Engineering News News & Insight

BCX publishes inaugural Digital Innovation Report

By: Natasha OdendaalA new report has revealed how the Covid-19 pandemic served as a launchpad for digital innovation, with an increased uptake in e-commerce from online retail and click-and-collect to video streaming. The inaugural edition of the BCX Digital Innovation Report 2022, which outlines current trends and... →

Blue, Green Drop reports to be published by end of March

By: Natasha OdendaalThe long awaited publication of the Blue and Green Drop reports are due for publication by the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) by the end of March. The DWS last published the Green Drop and Blue Drop reports in 2013 and 2014 respectively. →

Creecy welcomes progressive carbon tax increases

By: Darren ParkerForestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has welcomed the announcement by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana that government plans to progressively increase the carbon price every year to reach $20/t of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) by 2026, $30/t of CO2e by 2030 and... →

Electric car sales hit 6.6-million in 2021, tripling their market share from 2019 – IEA

By: Irma VenterIn 2012, about 130 000 electric cars were sold worldwide. Today, that same amount is moved in the space of a single week, says a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report, authored by Clean Energy Technologies analyst Leonardo Paoli and Energy Technology Policy Division head Timur Gül. In this... →

Ending load-shedding, training experts can improve energy security

By: Donna SlaterSouth Africa needs to undertake six measures to improve its energy and electricity security and sustainability, as well as ensure it can meet ongoing electricity demand, FutureEnergy CEO Andy Calitz said on February 23. Speaking at a webinar on South Africa’s Energy Transition Journey, hosted by... →

First Generation III+ nuclear reactors suffer further delays

By: Rebecca CampbellUS electricity utility Georgia Power has announced a further delay and a significant cost increase in its Vogtle nuclear power plant (NPP) expansion project. Vogtle (full name: Alvin W Vogtle Electric Generating site) is located at the town of Waynesboro, in the US State of Georgia. It has two... →

Global supply chain turmoil to persist into 2023 – SAAFF

By: Irma VenterGlobal pandemic-induced supply chain woes are set to continue for much of the year, including elevated demand, staffing shortages and global port congestion, says South African Association of Freight Forwarders (SAAFF) CEO Dr Juanita Maree. Indeed, moderation, or a return to normal – albeit a... →

Government signals reduction or elimination of guarantees for REIPPPP projects

By: Terence CreamerA government study is currently under way to explore alternative support for the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), the National Treasure states in its 2022 Budget Review. “This is expected to result in a reduction or elimination of guarantee requirements... →

Government turns to private property firms to breathe new life into unused public buildings

By: Terence CreamerPublic Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille has unveiled a strategy for attracting government departments back to abandoned public buildings by entering into long-term lease agreements with private property companies, which will refurbish, repurpose and operate buildings over a 15-... →

Inventus Designs develops high-output water-harvesting device

By: Natasha OdendaalInnovative mechanical design services firm Inventus Designs is developing a new water harvesting product intended to produce water in areas that are affected by water shortages. The project, which started in November 2020 and is currently in the prototyping phase until the end of March, was... →

Low-carbon hydrogen power on the rise

By: Darren ParkerMarket research and analysis firm Fitch Solutions is expecting to see an increase in the development of low-carbon hydrogen production technologies and projects over the rest of the year. Speaking at a webinar on February 22, Fitch Solutions senior power and renewables analyst Thomas van Lanschot... →

Platinum industry sees value in offshore wind-to-hydrogen technology

By: Darren ParkerSustainable offshore energy production could help deliver cost-competitive green hydrogen, which the World Platinum Investment Council (WPIC) says could play a significant role in the transition away from fossil fuels. Green hydrogen is produced by the electrolysis of water, which is, in turn,... →

Sasol signs LNG term sheet as it prepares for R20bn-plus coal-to-gas switch at Secunda

By: Terence CreamerEnergy and chemicals group Sasol has approved development funds for the first phase of a project that is designed to increase the Secunda complex’s ability to use gas instead of coal to produce fuel and chemicals. The fuel switch is central to Sasol’s initial commitment to reducing its greenhouse... →

Sasolburg electrolyser to be repurposed to produce green hydrogen within 24 months

By: Terence CreamerGreen-hydrogen aspirant Sasol has set aside R350-million to repurpose an operational electrolyser at Sasolburg, in the Free State, to produce green hydrogen. CEO Fleetwood Grobler tells Engineering News that the “proof-of-concept project” is likely to be fully operational within 18 to 24 months,... →

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CROSSING THE LINE

Business Leader

Godfrey Marema

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