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Mining Services News
Eskom highlights financial limitations as it mulls industrial applications for discounted tariffs 
By: Terence Creamer 12th May 2021 State-owned electricity producer Eskom confirms that it has been approached by customers in various industrial sectors with regard to possible applications for discounted Negotiated Pricing Agreements (NPAs), but says its weak financial position prevents widespread implementation. The first NPA... →
Colleagues pay tribute to Wits’ Fred Cawood as he prepares to retire 
By: Donna Slater 10th May 2021 After 22 years with the Wits School of Mining Engineering, Wits Mining Institute director Professor Fred Cawood is planning to retire at the end of May, starting what he calls his “second life” at the age of 60. He explains that the theory behind a “second life” is based on Japanese work ethics... →
‘Right policy changes’ could ignite R150bn in electricity investment by private firms
By: Terence Creamer 10th May 2021 Business Leadership South Africa, which is made up of some of South Africa's largest domestic and multinational companies, estimates that private firms would move to invest billions in new power generation capacity in the near term should the rules governing embedded or distributed plants be... →
Orion obtains urgent interdict to prevent further protest disruption at Prieska
By: Simone Liedtke 10th May 2021 Copper developer Orion Minerals has obtained an urgent interdict in the Northern Cape High Court, in Kimberley, to prevent any further disruption to its business at the Prieska copper/zinc mine involving violence and intimidation. Orion on May 7 said actions at the miner’s operations have “mostly... →
Perenti chair steps down over health concerns
By: Esmarie Iannucci 10th May 2021 Contractor Perenti has announced that non-executive chairperson Ian Cochrane would step down from the board, effective immediately. The board has appointed non-executive deputy chairperson Robert Cole as chairperson, and has started the process of identifying and appointing a new non-executive... →
New Memsa CEO to focus on advocacy, partnerships to grow local mining equipment manufacturing
By: Schalk Burger 7th May 2021 Industry organisation the Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa (Memsa) has appointed Lehlohonolo Amos Molloyi CEO and programmes manager. He plans to maximise the industry body's impact through advocacy and partnership to support localisation, transformation, technology development and... →
Sandvik Group to acquire African OEM Kwatani
By: Schalk Burger 7th May 2021 Mining and construction equipment and services company Sandvik Group will acquire African original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) of custom-engineered vibrating equipment Kwatani. The transaction is expected to be finalised in the fourth quarter of this year, subject to regulatory approvals and... →
Protest action across South Africa damaging country’s prospects for further investment, exploration
By: Simone Liedtke 7th May 2021 The Minerals Council South Africa has condemned the “violence and thuggery” being experienced at various operations and in various communities across South Africa and has called on authorities – especially the South African Police Service – to “act swiftly and impartially” to ensure the safety of... →
Pumps acceptance testing achieved remotely
7th May 2021 Local pumps manufacturer KSB Pumps and Valves has launched an innovative online acceptance test procedure that no longer requires customers or their engineering teams to be present when acceptance testing takes place. “Acceptance tests and final inspection are an essential proof of compliance... →
Substantial water savings add up
7th May 2021 Solid liquid separation specialists Watercare Mining, in a case study published last month, highlighted cost savings of about R760 000 a month, following its upgrade of a mine’s water treatment plant. The upgrade of the existing water treatment plant entailed the optimised use of abundant and... →
Grads’ community involvement an upside during lockdown
By: Darren Parker 7th May 2021 For original-equipment manufacturer Weir Minerals Africa, a positive consequence of the Covid-19 lockdown last year was that graduates in the company’s graduate programme were introduced to more community work than they otherwise would have been. “It has become one of the highlights in terms of... →
Academy’s upgrades embrace Industry 4.0 approach
By: Darren Parker 7th May 2021 Occupational technical skills and safety training facility Murray & Roberts Training Academy (MRTA) has invested in a series of additions and upgrades to further ensure that learners are better prepared for the digitised, mechanised and automated future of mining. One of the most significant... →
Learnerships benefit entire economy
By: Darren Parker 7th May 2021 Providing education in the form of learnerships, apprenticeships or internships should not be regarded as merely a means of achieving skills development points or ensuring a good broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE) rating, but rather as a means of benefiting and strengthening the... →
Mechatronics added to training offering
By: Darren Parker 7th May 2021 Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions’ South African operation has introduced a 12-month mechatronic training programme. The first intake of ten apprentices was in January and the second intake will take place in July. “There is a shift across the market towards using more intelligent machines. The... →
Pandemic highlights value of digital learning
By: Darren Parker 7th May 2021 The Covid-19 pandemic made all sectors realise just how powerful the online technology at our disposal truly is, says University of Pretoria (UP) project management associate Professor Giel Bekker. “Platforms, such as Skype, Zoom, GoToMeeting and Microsoft Teams, were available, but the real... →
Company offers engineered solutions for pump systems
By: Marleny Arnoldi 7th May 2021 Specifying pumps for mine water applications is not as simple as it would first appear, and these applications often require a bespoke solution, says original-equipment pumps manufacturer Weir Minerals Africa. Incorrect specification could result in poor performance, excessive operational and... →
Local clarification, dewatering system going global
By: Halima Frost 7th May 2021 Water treatment specialist Watercare Mining tells Mining Weekly that it is in talks with mining houses in Australia, Canada, India and Europe to incorporate the Watercare Integrated High-Rate Clarifier and Dewatering (IHRC&D) system as part of early feasibility studies for various mine... →
New mining filtration solutions launched
7th May 2021 Minerals and metals processing technology company Metso Outotec announced last month that it would be launching a comprehensive range of smart and sustainable filtration solutions to meet the needs of the mining industry. The filtration solutions will also address the needs of demanding... →
Implementation of new tailings standard seen as key to avoiding future disasters
By: Marleny Arnoldi 7th May 2021 Stakeholders agree that it is a pity there had to be horrific tragedies before due attention was paid to dangerous tailings storage facility (TSF) practices. Australia-based tailings solutions consultancy Decipher states in the Major Tailings Dam Failures Guide, published last year, that about... →
Plant destined for coal mine
7th May 2021 Water solutions provider Clean TeQ Water, in March, announced that it had been awarded a contract to design, procure, deliver and install a BIONEX water treatment plant at a coal mine in inner Mongolia, China. “We have persisted for a long time to make inroads into the very large Chinese water... →
New training centre for diamond mine
By: Darren Parker 7th May 2021 Diamond mining company De Beers Group – majority owned by diversified mining major Anglo American – is constructing a new training facility at its Venetia Diamond Mine, in Limpopo, to facilitate the transitional training of personnel for the Venetia Underground Project (VUP). The VUP is under way... →
Skills development integral to sector mandate
By: Darren Parker 7th May 2021 The mining industry needs to employ more skilled workers with higher qualifications to progress and modernise, which will, in turn, enable the industry to operate safer and more efficiently, says mining investment company Menar group social licensing manager Xolile Mankayi. Menar runs several... →
ICMM launches protocols, guide to improve tailings management, safety
By: Donna Slater 6th May 2021 The organisation lobbying for a safe, fair and sustainable mining and metals industry, the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), has launched two new resources to support continual improvement in the safe and transparent management of tailings facilities. These resources include... →
The scene post the catastrophic tailings dam collapse at Vale’s Córrego de Feijão mine, in Brumadinho, Brazil
Ministerial determination sanctioning private power procurement would spur investment, clear regulatory blockages
By: Terence Creamer 5th May 2021 The chairperson of the South African Independent Power Producer Association (SAIPPA) believes that the quickest and cheapest way to reduce, or eliminate, South Africa’s growth-sapping risk of load-shedding would be for Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe to issue a Ministerial... →
Energy specialist encourages mines to consider hybrid energy systems
By: Simone Liedtke 5th May 2021 Electrical energy solutions provider Senergy energy specialist Wilco de Villiers has encouraged miners to consider the value of implementing hybrid energy systems at their operations, as mines cannot function effectively without reliable energy supply. Speaking during this year’s Energy & Mines... →
African miners note benefits of investing in renewables 
By: Marleny Arnoldi 4th May 2021 The mounting pressure by governments and investors on industries globally to reduce emissions, coupled with favourable economics and the need for reliable and cost efficient power, are increasingly nudging mining companies towards considering renewable energy. TSX- and LSE-listed gold miner... →
Appetite for renewables remains strong, despite economic uncertainties
By: Simone Liedtke 4th May 2021 Despite ongoing economic uncertainties globally, investor appetite for renewables remains strong, with optioned renewable capacity increasing by 15% year-on-year in the nine months from January through to October 2020, compared with the same period the previous year. This sets a new record, juwi... →
Aspasa launches online explosives audit, encourages members to register qualified engineers
By: Simone Liedtke 3rd May 2021 Surface mining industry association the Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of Southern Africa (Aspasa) has launched an innovative and nonintrusive online explosives audit in its ongoing attempts to increase the safety and effectiveness of blasting operations at mines. Over the past three... →
Law firm adds to call for South Africa to launch an online central mining cadastral system
By: Simone Liedtke 3rd May 2021 South Africa aims to increase its share of global exploration expenditure to at least 3% in the next five years, an ambition which Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has touted as “laudable” during a recent keynote address to the platinum-group metals (PGMs) industry. He... →
Raising distributed generator licence-exemption cap to 10 MW ‘does not go far enough’
By: Terence Creamer 3rd May 2021 Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) says a proposed amendment to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, which would raise the licence exemption threshold for private distributed-generation plants from 1 MW to 10 MW, “does not go far enough”. Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede... →
Local mine planning on par with global offering
By: Khutso Maphatsoe 30th April 2021 South African mine service providers are on par – or even slightly advanced – compared with international peers in terms of mine planning and software offering, says Ukwazi Mining business development manager Spencer Eckstein. “Mine planning is a fundamental discipline for mining companies and,... →
Mines shift towards cloud-based ERP
By: Khutso Maphatsoe 30th April 2021 With mining companies often operating in remote locations and having to adapt to poor communications infrastructure and sensitivities regarding data security, companies must have a deployment strategy that allows for flexibility in choosing which business operations should run on cloud-based... →
Group introduces new blasting brand
By: Khutso Maphatsoe 30th April 2021 Blasting technology is moving mining towards a more sustainable future, a trend spurred by the recent launch of blast services provider BME’s Blast Alliance brand on April 1, says BME MD Joe Keenan. Member of the JSE-listed Omnia group, BME announced during the launch that the Blast Alliance... →
New drill promises better efficiency
By: Darren Parker 30th April 2021 Original-equipment manufacturer Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions launched its new Top Hammer XL large-hole drilling system for large-scale surface mining and quarry applications through a global virtual event on March 24. The new machines are available to order, with the first machines ready for... →
New excavator hits local shores
By: Darren Parker 30th April 2021 Original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) Bell Equipment, which through its Southern African distribution network is the exclusive distributor of Japanese OEM Kobelco excavators in Southern Africa, has introduced the tenth-generation Kobelco SK220XD excavator to South Africa. Bell Equipment marketing... →
Menar extends opencast coal operations
By: Darren Parker 30th April 2021 Mineral resources investment group Menar’s subsidiary Canyon Coal is ploughing ahead with plans to begin the development of two new coal mines – De Wittekrans near Hendrina, in Mpumalanga, and Bekezela Colliery in Springs, Gauteng – this year. Menar MD Vuslat Bayoglu said in a statement issued in... →
WIDENING PROSPECTS Several opencast mine exptensions are currently being planned and developed by Menar’s coal mining subsidiaries
Demand high for automated fuel system
By: Darren Parker 30th April 2021 Since the launch of a fuel automation system at the Investing in African Mining Indaba in February last year, mining technology company Minetec Smart Mining has seen significant demand for the technology. The fuel automation system allows for the management of fuel allocation and expenditure to... →
Proposed regulation lifting ‘embedded generation’ licence-exemption cap to 10 MW released for comment
By: Terence Creamer 23rd April 2021 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has released, for public comment, an amendment to the Electricity Regulation Act, proposing an increase in the licensing-exemption threshold for embedded power generation plants from 1 MW to 10 MW. The Gazette notice, which was published on... →
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