Gas industry undergoes shift amid depleting supply

The South African gas industry is experiencing pressure as gas supply from energy company Sasol’s Pande and Temane gas fields, in Mozambique, is expected to decline from 2026, while liquified... 

Environmental concerns cloud mineral sands mining

With the mineral sands mining industry continuing to grow in South Africa, noncompliance with environmental regulations could become significantly costly for the environment and mining companies.... 

Low demand threatens sustainability

The South African steel sector is facing significant challenges, primarily because of oversupply, in addition to very little demand, coupled with economic constraints. Resolving these issues... 

Customs increase aims to level out steel products field

Industry association Southern Africa Coil Coaters Association (SACCA) has applied for an increase in the general rate of customs duty on certain coated or plated flat-rolled steel. The proposed... 

Association remains steadfast amid challenging conditions

On the back of the energy crisis and poor economic growth, steel consumption has decreased, resulting in the steel and steel-related industries contracting over the past decade. Despite these... 

Ringrollers brings its expertise to new sectors

Leading steel products manufacturer Naledi Ringrollers has, for more than 50 years, been committed to high-quality standards and is making significant strides in the railway, general engineering,... 

Equity facility to facilitate innovation

The newly launched Defence Equity Facility (DEF) aims to bolster private equity and venture capital funds in European companies that are developing innovative technologies with dual-use components,... 

Industry faces expertise shortage amid international competition

The South African defence industry continues to grapple with diminishing skills availability amid a competitive market dominated by international defence companies. However, increased government... 

Hybrid solutions to boost energy efficiency

Hybrid energy solutions combine various technologies that mining companies can integrate to establish a more reliable source of power, decrease operational costs and enhance their sustainability... 

Standardising best practices to develop better project managers

Through its commitment to advancing the profession, project management authority Project Management Institute (PMI) is focusing on improving efficiencies and ethical standards of asset-intensive... 

Project management skillsets highlighted

Developing projects in the mining industry, and other industries, demands a unique and complex set of skills. These skills are often more specialised compared to those typically required for core... 

Loadshedding could increase in 2024

Loadshedding is expected to continue in 2024, possibly at even higher levels than those of 2023, says tertiary institute Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy... 

Hydrogen implementation remains limited

Following global trends, discussions in South Africa on hydrogen, its production and use have gained momentum, although actual implementation remains limited, says power technology provider Cummins... 

Gold miner eyes significant growth with project

Midtier gold miner Pan African Resources aims to increase gold production by about 50 000 oz/y by 2025 through its Mintails project, which will increase the miner’s yearly production to about 250... 

Developer progressing Gauteng project

Gold explorer, developer and producer West Wits Mining’s Witwatersrand Basin project (WBP) is set to reinvigorate the gold mining sector of west Johannesburg, says West Wits Mining COO Rudi Deysel.... 

Startup elevates local production, aims for rapid growth

To promote renewable energy and local manufacturing, lithium battery manufacturing startup IG3N produces battery storage systems to address the intermittent nature of renewable energy while... 

Hybrid solutions gain traction amid energy challenges

As loadshedding continues to impact businesses, many corporates are opting for hybrid solutions that leverage grid, generator, and renewable energy, mainly solar, to alleviate the pressure of... 

Microgrids gain traction to combat critical outage impacts

Microgrids are gaining traction globally owing to its ability to alleviate the impact of critical outages, caused by extreme weather, climate events, and various other reasons.  Microgrids can... 

Industry fundamentals require re-addressing

Fundamental challenges present in South Africa’s mining and exploration sector need to be addressed to reinvigorate and promote further development of the industries in the country, according to... 

West Africa focus

To meet the growing demand for broadening the range of skill sets in West Africa's burgeoning mining industry, in an effort to cater to its development challenges and various other issues,... 

Policy changes attract investment

Recent mining policy reforms in Malawi aim to facilitate the sustainable development of the country’s mining industry and mining practices as well as reap the “full benefits” of the country’s vast... 

Financial software simplifies data collection

Finnivo software aims to simplify financial reporting processes for mining companies in Africa by automating the data collection process, thereby enabling finance teams to focus more on analysis... 

Manufacturing Indaba fosters industry ties

The recent Manufacturing Indaba conference provided State-owned research body National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) with a platform to highlight the importance of accurate... 

Sustainable gas development needed for South Africa

Accelerated exploration in the oil and gas sector is critical for South Africa to boost economic development, help meet climate change targets by offering less carbon-intensive fossil fuels, and... 

Oil, gas development activism lambasted

Lengthy and costly litigation is stymying significant progress in exploration and development of oil and gas deposits in South Africa, according to Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede... 

Health, safety measures boost productivity

In the oil and gas sector, prioritising the health and safety of workers is crucial, particularly considering that operating in onshore and offshore environments presents unique health challenges... 

Supplier addresses challenges through product offering

The mining industry requires innovative and automated solutions to mitigate the impact of various challenges, which industrial product supplier Bolts and Engineering Distributors (B.E.D.) provides... 

Optimising to address issues

As mining operations contend with various industry challenges, operations and maintenance  specialist Associated Energy Sources (AES) MD Chris Paterson points to energy plant optimisation and... 

Investment firm launches solar-focused funding

Investment firm Bravura Energy has launched a Solar Fund for the exclusive investment in solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. The fund generates income through triple net power purchase agreements... 

Miner focuses on improving energy capacity, sustainability

Gold producer Gold Fields plans to increase its embedded electricity generation capacity through wind energy at its South Deep operation in Gauteng.  Further, the company is in talks with... 

Projects driven by regulatory improvements

Embedded electricity projects are increasing in size and complexity, owing to improvements in regulations. A wider variety of power solutions, capitalising on the benefits offered by independent... 

Embedded generation threshold increase drives PPAs

Increasing the threshold for embedded projects has been the biggest positive policy change in unblocking private power purchase agreements (PPAs) and stimulating South Africa’s energy transition,... 

Railway project midway to completion

Japan-based railway signal and track maintenance equipment manufacturer Hayashi Soji is midway through the second phase of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) railway project in South... 

Local manufacturers poised to support sector

Local manufacturers are well positioned to support the South African railway and transportation sector through products, services and maintenance support tailored to the specific needs of the... 

Integrated security tech can mitigate risk

Transport systems encounter challenges related to capacity, reliability, transference and integration. However, integrated surveillance technology can mitigate these risks and enhance efficiency,... 

TES providers simplify recruitment processes

The logistics sector can significantly benefit from temporary employment service (TES) providers in bridging the skills gap and improving efficiencies. Further, through working with TES providers,... 

Neglect, mismanagement threaten S Africa's once-promising transport infrastructure, warns Cesa

South Africa boasts extensive road and railway systems, along with well-equipped ports and airports, some of which are comparable to infrastructure in developed nations. However, a lack of... 

Protection systems simplify safety

Conveyor materials handling original-equipment-manufacturer Electrotron’s ScanBelt suite of conveyor belt protection systems helps to improve safety and efficiency while decreasing downtime and... 

Crane-less technology simplifies turbine repair

Given the increasing size and weight of wind turbine components, ‘crane-less technology’ is becoming more relevant in the wind energy sector and will likely be adopted more widely in South Africa... 

Offshore wind energy offers value to energy mix

Offshore wind energy has significant potential to provide a consistent source of renewable energy and create jobs in South Africa. While there are challenges to overcome, such as grid upgrades and...