Govt ‘distancing itself’ from mining sector, says analyst

Cadiz Corporate Solutions mining policy consultant Peter Major noted at the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa’s post budget speech industry briefing that there was... 

Germany to host African mining opportunities next week

The Competence Centre for Mineral Resources at the Southern Africa-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry will co-host the Mining Opportunities in Africa workshop at the House of German Economy,... 

WCC enters into negotiations to recapitalise its balance sheet

The Waterberg Energy Group (WEG), which included dual-listed Waterberg Coal Company (WCC) and its controlled entity Firestone Energy, is in negotiations with Villora, soon to be AME International,... 

South Africa’s manufacturing prowess on show in MeerKAT project

Heavy engineering company Efficient Engineering has delivered 15 radio antennas comprising a stationary pedestal and a rotating yoke, which are being used for the MeerKAT radio telescope project,... 

Fashion-inspired luxury vehicle unveiled in South Africa

Car manufacturer Rolls Royce unveiled its Wraith Inspired by Fashion vehicle last month at logistics company Bidvest Panalpina Logistics’ (BPL’s) premises, adjacent to the OR Tambo International... 

Africa central to future growth – ERG

Diversified international natural resources producer Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) highlighted the importance of Africa in its long-term international growth strategy at the recent Investing in... 

Oil conference to explore Saldanha Bay IDZ opportunities

The South African government’s planned R9.2-billion investment to develop Saldanha Bay into a world-class hub for Southern Africa offshore oil and gas drilling will create substantial opportunities... 

Contract awarded for new luxury high-rise in Sandton

Luxury accommodation provider Legacy Group announced earlier this month that it had awarded multi-disciplinary construction and engineering group Aveng Grinaker-LTA with the Leonardo building... 

Low prices, escalating costs, energy deficit and taxes take toll on Zambian copper mines

The current challenges facing Zambia’s copper mining industry because of a global downturn and declining commodity prices are further fuelled with general increases in operating costs.  Escalating... 

Namibia-bound diamond sampling, exploration vessel launched in Norway

Marine diamond miner Debmarine Namibia’s new $139-million diamond sampling and exploration vessel, the SS Nujoma, was launched at the Kleven Verft shipyard in Ulsteinvik, Norway, when the 12 000 t... 

Aggreko installs 30 MW of power generation capacity at African mines

Global temporary power generation company Aggreko’s installed generator capacity in African mining grew by 20% year-on-year, adding 30 MW of additional capacity in 2015. East Africa and Southern... 

Municipal pipe replacement projects could help relieve water pressures

South Africa is in the throes of its worst drought in decades, with the South African Weather Service announcing last month that 2015 was the driest year on record since 1904. To combat this,... 

Membrane filtration system removes heavy metals from contaminated water

Switzerland-based university ETH Zurich announced last month that its researchers had developed a new water filtration system that efficiently removes a number of toxic heavy metal ions and... 

Preliminary results of Joburg seismic study expected in March

The preliminary results of the Council for Geoscience’s (CGS’s) seismic microzonation model for Johannesburg are expected to be released by the end of March this year CGS microzonation project... 

Contract awarded to remove dredge spoil from uMfolozi river

The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority signed a R10-million contract last month with local tailings storage facility specialists Cyclone Engineering Projects to remove about 100 000 m3 of dredge... 

Mineral sands miner hands over resource centre to Western Cape community

Australia-based miner Mineral Sands Resources (MSR), which owns and operates the Tormin Mine near Vredendal, in the Western Cape, celebrated the launch and official handover of a resource centre to... 

Midrand suburbs to have fibre-to-the-home services

Fibre-optic broadband connectivity service provider Metrofibre Networx has been awarded the contract to install fibre-optic cable in the Beaulieu, Heathcliff and Blue Hills estates in Midrand,... 

UCT joins international university research alliance

The University of Cape Town (UCT) last month became the first African university and the eleventh member of the International Alliance of Research Universities (IARU), which boast membership from... 

Fibre roll-out ushering in new connectivity future for South Africa

The roll-out of fibre-to-the-curb (FTTC) promises to change the connectivity landscape of South Africa’s consumer and small-business markets, which have largely been neglected by the country’s... 

Child labour rife at DRC cobalt mines, say NGOs

Major electronics brands, including Apple, Samsung and Sony, are failing to do basic checks to ensure that cobalt mined by children has not been used in their products, according to Amnesty... 

Silicosis class action could spur reforms that usher in adequate, effective redress – lawyer

A decision by the South Gauteng High Court regarding the application for class action certification in the case of South African mineworkers who have contracted silicosis could have significant... 

Local power utility event puts water on its agenda

The sixteenth African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa conference and trade exhibition, which will be held in Cape Town from May 17 to 19, is expected to host 6 000 engineers, stakeholders and... 

Upgraded Zim oil depot to enter operation by April

Local fuel distributor Afric Oil’s $1-million upgrade project at the Beitbridge oil depot, in Zimbabwe, which Afric Oil bought in October 2014, is expected to be complete by April. Once completed,... 

Work advancing on locally made workboat

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) announced last month that significant progress has been made on the 100% locally manufactured Inyosi workboat that will support TNPA’s new R889-million... 

Silicosis class action could spur reforms that usher in adequate, effective redress – lawyer

A decision by the South Gauteng High Court regarding the application for class action certification in the case of South African mineworkers who have contracted silicosis – a degenerative lung... 

Maputo ranked African large city with highest potential for inclusive growth

Mozambique’s capital Maputo was the large African city with the highest potential for inclusive growth, according to the 2015 MasterCard African Cities Growth Index (ACGI). Casablanca, in Morocco,... 

Africa Water Facility engages stakeholders to gauge its performance

African Ministers’ Council on Water (Amcow) water resource development unit the Africa Water Facility (AWF) engaged stakeholders from November 25 to 27 in a series of meetings to evaluate its... 

Surge and lightning protection specialist launches academy

Lightning and surge protection, and safety equipment supplier Dehn Africa launched its Dehncademy, in Johannesburg, last month to transfer its knowledge and experience to customers across Africa.... 

Radebe calls for more local philanthropists

The efforts of the Motsepe Foundation were applauded by Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe during his keynote address at last month’s African Rainbow Minerals Broad-Based Economic Empowerment... 

High tech seen spurring on SA’s mine modernisation push

The timeous implementation of the latest technology, particularly virtual reality (VR) technology, was key to the development of South Africa’s modernisation drive, said University of Pretoria... 

Virtual reality set to revolutionise explosives education

Virtual reality (VR) will revolutionise education, said University of Pretoria mining engineering department senior lecturer Wolter de Graaf, At the inaugural Explosives Education and Research in... 

MoU raises prospect of halaal meat exports to UAE

The Richards Bay industrial development zone (RBIDZ) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Dubai-based trader DBL World General Trading last month, which will result in South African... 

Gold Reef City relaunches in wake of R630m facelift

Johannesburg’s mining-themed amusement park Gold Reef City was relaunched last month, following a R630-million investment in refurbishing and expanding the famous tourist destination from hotel... 

Local company receives Dutch wastewater technology licence

International engineering and project management consultancy Royal HaskoningDHV (RHDHV) and South African wastewater specialists WEC Projects signed an agreement for the use of RHDHV’s Nereda... 

Mining mogul Patrice Motsepe’s foundation to provide R117m for schools sport, culture programmes

The Motsepe Foundation has committed about R117.5-million to the Department of Basic Education (DBE) for sports and music development at schools across South Africa. Basic Education Minister Angie... 

ARM’s BBEE trust ploughs R120m into CSI initiatives since 2005

More than R120-million had been donated by the African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) Broad-Based Economic Empowerment (BBEE) Trust since its inception in 2005, which was used for projects in education,... 

Billions being lost as a result of poor performing contractors, AG warns

The lack of consequences for poor performance and transgressions on the part of contractors remains a significant hurdle to tackling South Africa’s service delivery challenges, delegates heard at... 

Solution helps decongest Sandton CBD traffic

Property management company Sandton Central Management District (SCMD) announced last month its sponsorship of uninterrupted power supply (UPS) units, which have been installed to ensure power is... 

Gauteng positioning itself as a jewellery manufacturing hub

The Gauteng Industrial Development Zone (GIDZ), together with the Gauteng Infrastructure Financing Agency (Gifa), will soon appoint professional deal brokers to attract and secure tenants and... 

Zim has not received ‘genuine benefit’, despite threefold increase in mineral production – Jordaan

Despite the economic instability in Zimbabwe, which was rocked by hyperinflation between 2004 to 2009, the country’s mining industry had managed to improve output, particularly in platinum,...