National Infrastructure Plan offers blueprint, but capacity concerns weigh

A common thread throughout the second Sustainable Infrastructure Development Symposium South Africa (SIDSSA), held on October 6 and 7, is that the fiscus, as well as the State’s professional... 

The road ahead for the civil engineering and construction industry

As the year draws to a close, frustrations have been growing over the slow recovery of South Africa’s civil engineering and construction sector – and the knock-on effects to the wider economy. The... 

Construction industry holds key role in economic recovery

While the South African gross domestic product has seen some growth in the last four quarters, the construction industry remains key to expediting economic recovery and creating jobs, according to... 

Company celebrates one year

Specialists in the design and slurry related valves manufacturer Abrasive Flow Solutions (AFS) is celebrating its first year of business. “AFS was established by the Engineering Solutions Group... 

Valves manufacturer aims for Africa expansion

Valve manufacturer Dynamic Fluid Control (DFC) aims to extend its global footprint to include a stronger presence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) through partnerships with local DRC... 

New opportunities in strained industry

The partnership between industrial valves supplier Process and Allied Contracting Equipment (PACE Valves) and Australia-based specialist flow control solutions company Proeger, is helping to meet... 

Coating solutions extend valves life span

High technology spray coating specialist Thermaspray offers the distinct technologies of thermal spray, laser cladding and Teflon for application of coatings on new or refurbished valves. These... 

Local-content policies need fine-tuning

While the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has worked closely with the valve manufacturing industry and industry bodies to boost the industry and local content, policies... 

Covid accelerates 4IR, women in mining progress

Women have gradually become formal participants in the mining industry, which has resulted in their having to deal with various challenges, and although the industry has improved in its identifying... 

Studies show women benefit from modernisation

As more women join the mining industry in a professional capacity, more research and studies are analysing the various obstacles they have to contend with, as well as how employers can address... 

Targeted assistance improves workplace vaccination success

Mining industry employers’ organisation Minerals Council South Africa champions vaccines as being integral to curbing the transmission of Covid-19 and protecting people. The Minerals Council is... 

Commitment to Zero Harm unwavering

The Minerals Council South Africa, and its member companies, remain unwaveringly committed to ensuring every mineworker returns from work unharmed every day through the goal of zero harm, says... 

Vaccine campaigns tackle hesitancy

Having administered the vaccine to over 200 000 people to date in the mining industry, mining industry employers’ organisation Minerals Council South Africa is confident that the industry will meet... 

Plans to tackle transport risks

Mining industry employers’ organisation Minerals Council South Africa has remained steadfast in its goal of Zero Harm. However, as of September 23, 2021, 40 fatalities were reported compared with... 

Explosives tech aims to humanise mining

The lack of new investment in the form of new mining projects has resulted in little growth for the explosives industry, and while the expansion projects of existing operations have helped the... 

Explosives growth follows industry growth

The African explosives sector remains steady, owing to an increase in African mining opportunities and positive market conditions, says BME Southern African Development Community (SADC) MD Ralf... 

Machine learning can enhance manufacturing productivity

The South African manufacturing sector is diverse and contributes 11.8% to gross domestic product and 10.3% to employment. Although these figures are small, compared with the figures of other... 

Load-shedding hinders holistic growth

For custom plastic injection moulding company Bambisana Plastics, a subsidiary of Bambisana Holdings, the biggest challenges it has to contend with are labour and electricity. However, despite... 

Quality expertise extends component longevity

Conveyors are the veins of many operations, as they are used to transport materials efficiently and effectively, which makes proper expertise when sourcing conveyors and its components, as well as... 

Quality components reduce downtime

For any operation, including the mining sector, unscheduled breakdowns are one of the main challenges that affect production. To reduce the odds of breakdowns, mines need to ensure their equipment... 

Trend towards decarbonisation discouraging coal investment

South Africa’s coal production, sales and exports reached a plateau some years ago; however, the lockdown last year caused a noticeable decline. The main reason for this local decline is that the... 

SOE challenges hamper growth

The South African coal industry is broadly divided into domestic and export consumption. Export coal is sold primarily to India and China markets while coal for domestic consumption is mainly sold... 

Infrastructural challenges impede coal industry

South Africa is a major coal-exporting country, with its coal sector also providing baseload capacity for the country. However, infrastructure challenges negatively impact on the local industry,... 

Novel solutions improve costs

The South African mining industry “insists on value for money”, which has led to companies’ analysing entire life-cycle costs when making buying decisions, says pumps manufacturer, supplier and... 

Mines’ transition pushes industry to adapt

The South African mining industry’s expansion and adapting in line with global demands requires the pumps industry to expand accordingly by offering various and robust pumping solutions for... 

Local manufacturers struggle to secure business from miners

The local mining industry fails to consider smaller, local manufacturers’ products, which have the potential to extend the life of equipment, reduce wear and tear and, consequently, decrease... 

Local supplier mitigates mines’ supply chain challenges

The global disruption of supply chains has resulted in the local pumps industry having to increase stockholding to assist in mitigating production losses and increasing operational efficiency at... 

Rare helium supply opportunity unlocked

While the South African helium market is small, helium is sought after in the international market, which has created a good opportunity for dual-listed helium, liquid natural gas (LNG) and... 

Fully developed legislation needed

The legislation has not caught up with where the gas industry needs it to be, says gas producer Renergen CEO and MD Stefano Marani. Technical aspects that are critical to companies’ decision-making... 

LNG opportunities abound

The anticipated decline of Mozambique’s Pande & Temane gasfields creates a need for new sources of natural gas for the local industry, says engineering services consulting firm WSP regional... 

Hydrogen a suitable greener alternative

South Africa’s Gas Act defines “gas” as natural gas (CH4) and hydrogen (H2). Hydrogen will, in the future, be a suitable substitute for natural gas to support decarbonisation, says South African... 

Battery minerals demand unlocks exploration

Increased interest in the development of electric vehicles (EVs) and battery storage has created demand for the minerals required for their development. This, in turn, provides opportunities to... 

Telecoms solutions solve connectivity challenges

Mobile satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat aims to solve some of the Australian mining industry’s biggest connectivity challenges. Inmarsat products and services have been used across... 

Integrated mining, beneficiation approach to optimise production

The parallel development of the Ngualla rare earth project and the Teesside Refinery project positions ASX-listed, Australia-headquartered Peak Resources to become one of the world’s lowest cost... 

Increased demand strains resources supply

While the Australian mining industry is doing very well on a macroeconomic scale, increased demand and Covid-19-related restrictions have made it challenging to acquire the resources needed to... 

Booming industry results in project delays

The Australian mining industry is flourishing and is the core of the Australian economy, despite the ongoing pandemic. However, the sheer amount of work being done in Australia’s exploration and... 

Partner deemed fundamental for operator training

Australia-headquartered global mining simulation technology solutions provider Immersive Technologies has been deemed fundamental in assisting Portuguese mining and construction firm Mota-Engil to... 

Covid exacerbates retail sector challenges

Amid the negative impact of Covid-19 on the retail property sector, real estate investment trust company Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) FD José Snyders says rental relief enables retail businesses to... 

Pandemic can spur innovation in property sector

Although the pandemic has made it difficult for commercial and industrial property stakeholders to plan effectively for the future, this has led to great innovations, new approaches and renewed... 

Industrial properties remain resilient

The industrial real estate sector has shown resilience during a period that has proven to be most volatile for the office property and retail sectors, says JSE-listed real estate investment trust...