Zambezi gets Zambia copper project enviro approval

ASX-listed exploration and mining company Zambezi Resources reports that it received formal approval from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (Zema) earlier this month confirming the... 

SA, Egypt and Morocco African countries reviewed in mining guide

Global law firm Baker & McKenzie’s newly released Global Mining Guide, which reviews the legal regulations and developments in 28 key mining jurisdictions, explores the mining issues of three... 

SA-manufactured safety system installed at Mongolian copper mine

An emergency fall arresting system (EFAS) developed and manufactured in South Africa by conveyance safety solutions provider Horne Group was commissioned this month at a large copper mine in Mongolia. 

Wescoal trading arm merging with MacPhail Distributors

Coal mining junior Wescoal is in the merging process between MacPhail Distributors and Wescoal subsidiary and coal trading arm Chandler Coal. 

Employees of companies that can’t meet wage demands may initiate business rescue proceedings – lawyer

The current strikes and demands for wage increases in the South African mining sector holds an interesting opportunity for employees and trade unions. 

High moisture content barrier to extensive use of coal in power generation, other processes

The high total moisture content of coal, especially that of fine coal, after mining and processing, is one of the major reasons why this resource is not extensively used in subsequent power... 

IT firm’s graduate internship programme gets off to a good start

Information technology (IT) company Spatial Dimension’s inaugural graduate internship programme, which started last month, is progressing well. 

New body aiming to strengthen Australia, Southern Africa ties through networking

The Australian Business Chamber of Commerce Southern Africa (ABCSA) would deepen the bilateral relationship between Australia and the Southern African countries by providing a networking platform... 

Kumba’s employee share ownership plan lauded as payouts keep rolling in

Mining company Kumba Iron Ore’s 6 209 worker shareholders, who became pretax half-millionnaires in 2011, when the company paid out R2.7-billion during the first phase of the ten-year Envision... 

Kumba’s employee share ownership plan lauded all round as payouts keep rolling in

While still enjoying the R2.7-billion payout during the first phase of the ten-year Envision employee share ownership plan (Esop) in 2011, turning 6 209 worker shareholders at JSE-listed iron-ore... 

Namibia installing computerised mining cadastre system

Information technology company Spatial Dimension will start work on a six-month project this week to implement its computerised mining cadastre system, FlexiCadastre, for the Namibian Ministry of... 

Coal research needs blue-sky approach – professor

While coal research in South Africa is alive and, at the very least, slowly increasing, significant and exponential technological and scientific advances using blue-sky research are needed to... 

ABCSA set to strengthen bilateral ties

The Australian Business Chamber of Commerce Southern Africa (ABCSA) will deepen the bilateral relationship between Australian and the Southern African countries by providing a networking platform... 

Contractors hand over huge Sishen haul truck maintenance workshop

Mining contractors WorleyParsonsTWP and Stefanutti Stocks handed over a medium- and long-term haul truck maintenance facility of more than R1-billion last month to iron-ore producer Kumba Iron Ore,... 

Tenova awarded Sasol Mining materials handling contract

Total technology solutions provider Tenova Mining & Minerals South Africa announced last month that it had been awarded a significant materials handling contract by coal miner Sasol Mining. 

There are both good and bad in draft mine health Bill – lawyer

Time is up for mining companies to make submissions concerning the proposed amendments to the Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA), following the publication of the draft Mine Health and Safety Bill... 

Bosveld Phosphates, directors and employees in trouble over contaminated water spill

Mining company Bosveld Phosphates, its directors, officers and, potentially, its environmental advisers, could face hefty remediation costs and even criminal charges, owing to a week-long... 

Company reinforces Mpumalanga coal mine canal system

Geotextiles and geosynthetic solutions provider Kaytech supplied 100 000 m2 of its heavy-duty high-density polyethylene (HDPE) Geocell reinforcement structures, to London-listed Glencore’s... 

Local mill manufacturer sets sights on Africa

Following the launch of an upgraded version of its patented m-series vertical milling system last year, UK-based fine grinding equipment manufacturer International Innovative Techologies (IIT) is... 

Glencore Merafe’s Tswelopele project lauded for slashing energy use by 21%

The implementation of chrome venture Glencore Merafe PSV’s R800-million Tswelopele project, undertaken at the venture’s Rustenburg ferrochrome smelting complex, saw it reduce its energy use from... 

SRK’s Congo office to widen focus on geology and enviro, social-impact assessments

Consulting engineers and scientists SRK Consulting reports that its office in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), is set to further broaden its focus on environmental- and... 

Yellow metal sales decline expected to continue

The South African mining slowdown that resulted in an 8% decline in mining and construction equipment (‘yellow metal’) between January and November last year is set to continue this year, owing to... 

Mintek, association partner to increase ewaste collection, recycling

State-owned minerals researcher Mintek and the eWaste Association of South Africa (eWasa) has signed a five-year memorandum of understanding to jointly tackle the growing challenge of dealing with... 

New scheduling solution receiving exceptional initial feedback

Mining consultancy RungePincockMinarco’s (RPM’s) latest commodity-based solution, Open Pit Metals Solution (OPMS), which is a comprehensive, end-to-end openpit metals mine scheduling solution, has... 

Anglo Thermal Coal, municipality join forces in R26m Sasolburg sports centre

Mining major Anglo American’s New Vaal colliery, located south of Vereeniging, in the Free State, has partnered with Ward 21 of the Metsimaholo local municipality to build the R26-million Harry... 

Gibb providing rail construction monitoring services

South African consulting engineering firm GIBB is undertaking construction monitoring services during the 18-month-long construction of the 20 km Kalagadi Manganese railway siding project,... 

SA firm establishes mobile mineral sample preparation facility in Gabon

Analytical chemistry laboratory Set Point Laboratories, a division of the Set Point Group, have mobile mineral sample preparation facilities in South Africa and Botswana and are expanding their... 

Sandvik bolstering Zambian presence with multimillion-dollar support offices

High-technology engineering group Sandvik is establishing multimillion-dollar support offices in Kitwe, Zambia, which will significantly support the country’s ambition to become the mining capital... 

Draft amendments to compensation law ‘not preferable’ – lawyer

Although the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases, Rehabilitation and Reintegration draft Bill produced in August 2012, which proposes amendments to the Compensation for Occupational... 

Keaton Energy aiming to produce 5 Mt/y of coal by 2017

JSE-listed coal junior Keaton Energy's medium-term goal is to develop into a five-million-ton-a-year saleable coal producer by 2017 – a step closer to its longer-term strategy of becoming a... 

Middle Island Resources to pursue further West African gold prospects despite failure to gain majority interest in Niger gold mine

Despite failing to secure a majority interest in the Samira Hill gold mine, in Niger, ASX-listed Middle Island Resources’ board plans to focus on pursuing other projects to maximise shareholder... 

De Beers initiative ensuring impact of mining is monitored, evaluated and assessed

While a consequence of diamond mining is the effect it has on the environment, diamond miner De Beers Diamond Route chairperson Rob Smart tells Mining Weekly that the overall impact of mining can... 

Mineral processing sector intensifying focus on efficient asset use

With no immediate respite from the prevailing economic conditions in the global mining industry, the minerals-processing sector is intensifying its focus on optimising existing assets. These... 

Mintek, association partner to increase e-waste collection, recycling in Africa

State-owned minerals researcher Mintek and the eWaste Association of South Africa (eWasa) have signed a five-year memorandum of understanding to jointly tackle the growing challenge of dealing with... 

Coal junior aims for 5Mt a year by 2017

JSE-listed coal junior Keaton Energy's medium-term goal is to grow to a five-million-ton-a-year saleable coal producer by 2017; a step closer to its longer-term strategy of becoming a midtier coal... 

Importance of end land use and mine closure planning increases in SA

Significant improvement to mine closure planning has taken place over the last decade in South Africa since the promulgation of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA), which is... 

Security technology firm considering its SA manufacturing options

Safety and security technology provider International Security Consulting is in high-level negotiations with large South African company’s with regard to the distribution and sales of its proactive... 

Attitudinal change found to be key to raising safety performace

Raintree Safety, a subsidiary of deliverer of change to companies and communities, Raintree Solutions, was contracted to undertake safety change programmes at petrochemicals group Sasol. 

BME expanding explosives manufacturing capacity to secure supplies to Southern African customers

Explosives supplier BME, a member of specialist chemical services provider Omnia group, is bolstering the ways in which it manages its supply security constraint for its Southern African clients. 

Maintenance of public infrastructure still undervalued in SA

The maintenance of public infrastructure in South Africa is undervalued and the country has not yet planned strategically on how to deal with the maintenance of its asset base.