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ISSUE No. 67 | www.bus-ex.com

Codelco Chuquicamata Mine:

Bigger is better The world’s largest open-pit mine goes underground

AngloGold Ashanti – Geita Gold Mine:

Eurostar Diamond Traders:

walter energy:

Included The BE Mining Directory showcases leading mining organisations from across the world, ranging from big corporations to junior mines and their supply chains.

Be seen throughout our portfolio of magazines: • BE Mining Directory • BE Mining • BE Weekly • BE Monthly •

Go to page 72 to see this week’s listing To find out how to get involved contact: vincent@bus-ex.com

business excellence

Business John O’Hanlon Editor johanlon@bus-ex.com Will Daynes Editor wdaynes@bus-ex.com Matt Johnson Art Director mjohnson@bus-ex.com Louise Culling Production Designer lculling@bus-ex.com Richard Turner Director of Sales rturner@bus-ex.com

Business Excellence brings you content from leading business influencers and strategic thinkers providing inspiration and guidance to help you and your business grow.

We showcase some of the best examples of successful organisations from around the world giving you a unique insight into how they operate.

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Mush Honda QA Director, KMS Technology James Hardy Head of Europe, Alibaba.com

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issue No.67

6 6 top ten

Tips on How to Best Manage Offshore Teams

Too often, companies think about offshore product development only as a means to cutting costs and accelerating time to market. This short-sightedness can yield poor results without a plan in place.

12 supply chain

Emerging Markets – how to source suppliers and export For companies looking to expand into growing overseas markets there are a great many ways to prepare properly.

16

12

16 codelco Chuquicamata Mine Bigger is better

The mineral wealth of Chuquicamata, now the world’s largest open-pit mine, has been known since prehispanic times. Today a massive underground expansion project is taking the asset into a new era of future prosperity.

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contents

30 Walter Energy

Getting better all the time

Walter Energy Canada’s continuous improvement initiatives, as implemented in its metallurgical coal mines, is helping the company navigate difficult market conditions.

30

46 SRK Consulting – SVS Ingenieros Prospering in Peru

Since merging with SRK Consulting in 2011, SVS Ingenieros has consolidated its Peruvian market share and diversified its range of technical services.

52 Eurostar Diamond Traders A cut above the rest

Even in the face of challenging market conditions the sheer quality and unmatched excellence of Eurostar Diamond Traders products mean that it remains a leading global force in the diamond sector.

52

62 AngloGold Ashanti – Geita Gold Mine (GGM)

Tanzania’s most productive mine

In 2012, the Geita Gold Mine (GGM) became one of AngloGold Ashanti’s largest production centres and cash generating assets. Michael Van Anen, talks about how the company intends to further build upon its success.

BE Directory 72 planet projects engineering service

62

74 princeco

mining suppliers BE Weekly

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top ten

Tips on How to Best Manage Offshore Teams Too often, companies think about offshore product development only as a means to cutting costs and accelerating time to market. This short-sightedness can yield poor results without a plan in place Words by: Mush Honda

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Top Ten tips

M

ore and more organizations are outsourcing software product development but many are hard pressed to know much about managing a team that may be thousands of miles away on another continent. Too often, companies think about offshore product development (OPD) only as a means to cutting costs and accelerating time to market. Such an approach can produce poor results with your projects if you don’t take into account certain issues like cultural barriers, metrics and workflows.

The smart strategy is to focus on the needs and skills of the team and to implement procedures that will help manage them better. Your standard bottom-line goals -- cutting costs and accelerating time to market -- will take care of themselves if you can follow these ten tips for managing OPD. >>>

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manage offshore teams Establish Roadmap 10 for Refinements

To ensure that the offshore team continues to increase its value to the project team, it is important to leverage the daily, weekly and monthly reports/metrics to identify areas of improvement/streamlining for testing processes and test strategies. These refinements should be prioritized and scheduled for implementation by the team, and tracked for progress along with other project deliverables.

get 9 Don’t hung up on cost

The lowest rates don’t always equate to the lowest total cost of the relationship and ownership of the end product. More importantly, the lowest rate doesn’t necessarily solve the business challenges you are encountering in this everchanging world. The offshore team is a partner and should become an extension to the project team. Many OPD projects fail because they were railroaded by a cost saving agenda.

8 Don’t Forget Metrics

Offshore team deliverables and activities should be gauged with quantifiable metrics such as timeline delays, actual-to-estimated effort, QA-to-production defect ratios, and so on. Metrics should be established under at least three categories: timelines, productivity, and quality. These metrics should be established at the beginning of the project, and tracked either by release or on a monthly basis.

Root Cause 7 Use Analysis on defects

Root cause analysis (RCA) metrics on defects can be leveraged to improve software quality

by fixing the ineffective areas of the software development process such as requirements, design, code verification, unit testing, test planning, and QA testing. The end result is drastic improvements in the overall quality of the software, and that means happy customers and lower development costs.

Process 6 Establish Workflows

A clearly defined testing activity workflow should be established and reviewed with the offshore team, to ensure that all team activities are synchronized. Documenting a process workflow allows the team to streamline, validate and verify expected activities that could impact the project delivery timelines. It can also have the advantage of automating redundant tasks and ensuring that uncompleted tasks are followed up, not overlooked.

Track Detailed 5 Onshore/Offshore

Planning and Tasks

To ensure that the offshore team understands the assigned tasks and is progressing as expected, it is very important to have a milestone-driven WBS (Work Breakdown Structure) that identifies the effort associated with each task, and identifies the timeline of when the tasks need to be completed. This level of detail ensures that everyone is clear on their assignments, and that any delays (and corresponding affects) can be identified as early as possible, so that a mitigation plan can be implemented if need be. Team progress on assignments and activities should be followed up with daily, weekly and monthly reporting, leveraging defined templates where possible.

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Top Ten tips Strong 4 Create Communications

The distance between remote teams working on the same project can be eliminated by use of communication tools such as IMs, VOIP-based phone calls, online meeting tools and other electronic mediums.

However, communication is only as good as the information provided. All relevant documentation and domain knowledge must be continuously shared with members of the offshore team.

Clearly Define Roles 3 and Responsibilities

To ensure that all members of the project team understand their expected tasks, it is vital to establish clear roles and corresponding responsibilities early on. Create a collaborative, pyramid-style team structure for the offshore team, so that the key people responsible for daily communication with the rest of the project team are identified, along with an obvious reporting hierarchy.

Eliminate Language 2 Barriers

Working with remote teams on different continents/countries requires strong and effective communication. It’s critical for the key contacts between the offshore team and the project team to familiarize themselves with the pronunciation and grammatical styles of each other, while also ensuring that the offshore team obtains International English certifications, such as TOEFL. In addition, when possible, I recommend that the team leaders from the vendor side and client side visit each other’s offices to understand the culture of the companies and to instill a sense of partnership.

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1 Know Your Team

It’s important to address people correctly.

People respond well when somebody knows how to spell and pronounce their name. To infuse a sense of team spirit, attach a face to the person who is communicating via e-mail, phone or IM. Have a kick-off meeting for a project team, where each person introduces himself or herself with some basic personal information such as a hobby or interest, to help establish a ‘human-side’ to the offshore team. While meeting in person might not be a possibility or even desirable, given that we are talking here about learning to create global team-working, the liberal use of video conferencing can really improve the relationship with remote teams – and people need to get used to it.

In summary

Establishing and managing an offshore team is a complex challenge. Cultural differences, time zone variations and lack of face-to-face time contribute to the intricate nature of the offshore team model. In addition, some companies focus too much on cost-cutting objectives.

To successfully manage an offshore test team, a company needs to focus on people, processes and communications.

About the Author Mush Honda is QA Director at KMS Technology, a provider of IT services across the software development lifecycle with offices in Atlanta, GA and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. KMS services include application management, testing, support, professional services and staff augmentation.

manage offshore teams

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Supply chain

Emerging Markets –

how to source suppliers and export For companies looking to expand into growing overseas markets there are a great many ways to prepare properly Words by

E

James Hardy

merging markets such as the BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – provide a wealth of opportunities for businesses looking to grow their global market share.

Not only are these countries home to billions of potential customers, they are great place to source materials and supplies at a low cost.

If you want to take advantage of the numerous business opportunities emerging markets offer, you should proceed with caution and conduct background research. Each country has a different way of doing business and

unique regulations, which you need to be aware of if you are to develop successful trading links.

Finding suppliers in growing economies Back in 2003, Goldman Sachs suggested that the BRICS nations will become the world’s most dominant suppliers, with China and India providing manufactured goods and services and Brazil and Russia accounting for much of the world’s raw materials[1]. It is thought that South Africa will be a very important mineral supplier across the globe, with figures from Citigroup suggesting the nation is BE Weekly

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already the world’s richest country in terms of its mineral reserves, worth an estimated $2.5 trillion.

It’s not just the plentiful products and resources which make suppliers in the BRICS countries so appealing; sourcing products from emerging markets can be considerably cheaper as labour costs are lower.

However choosing a supplier is not simply a case of finding someone who can provide you with the products you want for the lowest price. You need to be able to guarantee quality, ensure your supplier can meet your demands and build a lasting relationship so you aren’t let down in the future.

Make use of the internet To get started finding potential suppliers, make use of the web. You can use global marketplaces to get in touch with suppliers and see what they can offer, or visit virtual trade shows, which allow you to peruse potential suppliers from the comfort of your desk.

Check trading capabilities When choosing a potential supplier it is important to check their trading capabilities; are they able to produce the quantities you need to the required quality and specifications? You also need to consider your own expansion plans; if a supplier is unable to cope with growing

“To get started finding potential suppliers, make use of the web” 14 |

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orders, it may not be worth establishing a relationship with them to start with.

Have contracts in place In the earlier days of trading with BRICS nations, many buyers did not have longterm purchase contracts with their suppliers. This was because products were so cheap, they could absorb the costs incurred if products were subject to an intellectual property infringement challenge or found to contain nonstandard parts.

This is no longer the case and buyers need to impose the same contracts on foreign suppliers as they would domestic companies. It is important to make sure that suppliers understand these contracts and what non-compliance will mean for them.

Establish communication Once you have selected suppliers it is important to maintain regular communication. Once again, you can make use of the web and tools such as email, video chat and instant messaging to check that suppliers have understood your requirements and are on track with orders.

When working with suppliers in emerging markets there is also the language barrier to consider. Does your chosen supplier speak any English or can someone in your organisation speak their language?

Check you are getting the best deal Emerging markets are developing at a fast pace, which means that their business environments are shifting continually.

For example, China was once the go-to country for cheap products; however, in

Supply chain

recent years labour costs have increased meaning it is not always the most competitive option, especially when compared to India.

Make sure you are assessing your suppliers and alternative options regularly so you know you are getting the best deal.

“When you first start trading with other nations, online marketplaces can be a good place to start”

Localise your offering While it is easy to group the BRICS nations together, it is important to remember that they are culturally very different, meaning offerings need to be localised.

Think about the products you are selling; is there an audience for them in all the BRICS countries or just one or two?

You also need to think about your packaging and marketing materials.

Different countries use different units of measurement and would expect different portions etc.

is not very well regulated, it is only recently that laws were passed saying all e-tailers must display official registration numbers, addresses and contact details.

In China, the government has no direct responsibility to ensure consumers’ personal information rights are adhered to when using ecommerce, instead the payment method is supposed to protect the consumer.

The legal system in India is closely aligned with that in the UK, making it easier to trade with than other nations in theory, although logistics can be a huge challenge in India.

Understand the culture you are working with When selling overseas, it is important to be respectful of different cultures.

Think about local customs and how you can adapt your products and business practices so they fit in.

Small changes can make all the difference. For example, in Brazil you should address customers by their title followed by their first name, while in India it is important to use formal titles or ‘sir’ or ‘madam’ when communicating with consumers.

Consider the legal framework Each of the BRICS nations has very different rules and regulations governing international trade. In Brazil, ecommerce

Make use of online marketplaces When you first start trading with other nations, online marketplaces can be a good place to start. They put you directly in touch with millions of potential customers, without you having to go to the trouble and expense of building a presence in the country you want to sell to.

[1] www.investopedia.com/terms/b/bric.asp

About the author James Hardy is Head of Europe at Alibaba.com, the global leader in e-commerce for small businesses. www.alibaba.com

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Bigger is better The mineral wealth of Chuquicamata, now the world’s largest open-pit mine, has been known since prehispanic times. Today a massive underground expansion project is taking the asset into a new era of future prosperity

written by: Will Daynes research by: Candice Nice

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Codelco - Chuquicamata Mine

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Air extraction tunnel which is 11 meters in diameter

Codelco - Chuquicamata Mine

I

f you were to set out today from Chile’s capital city, Santiago, and head 1,650 kilometres north you would eventually come to what is the world’s largest open pit mine. Based 2,870 metres above sea level, the Chuquicamata Mine is without question one of the jewels in the crown of Codelco, the planet’s largest producer of copper.

In its possession Codelco holds approximately ten percent of the world’s total copper reserves, producing some 1.75 million tonnes of refined copper in 2012 alone. This massive amount of copper stems through the company’s seven mining divisions, one of which is Chuquicamata, which itself is responsible for producing around 366,000 tonnes of fine copper per annum.

Although mining at Chuquicamata commenced in 1910, its mining properties had been known for centuries by the prehispanic cultures present in the region.

Said properties continue to be exploited to this very day with Codelco currently embarking on a structural expansion of the site in order to mine the resources located under the last open pit at Chuquicamata.

This pit has successfully delivered wealth and prosperity to Chile for the better part of 100 years, and yet in its current state it will no longer be profitable by the end of this decade.

It is with that in mind that the company embarked on its plan to transform the world’s largest open-pit mine into an underground operation and one with a projected output rate of 140,000 tonnes per day.

“In recent years,” explains Sergio Bustamante, Project Director for Chuquicamata, “further explorations have

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Codelco - Chuquicamata Mine been made which have siemens confirmed that beneath Direct drives equipped with synchronous motors are the pit exist 4,200 million a proven drive solution. These gearless drive systems tonnes of resources.” are often found in steel rolling mills, but also in mining This figure translates applications, such as hoists and mills. into around 1,700 million Direct drives are now being increasingly used for belt tonnes of copper ore conveyors requiring high power.

Conveyor drives must be reliable and efficient – that’s why reserves and molybdenum ThyssenKrupp and Siemens partnered up to develop a simple (512 p p m), which drive solution with few components. The drive train consists represents over 60 percent only of the pulley, two bearings, the rotor and stator. of all mined resources The availability of the drive increases as a result of the low in the last 100 years. It number of components installed. has subsequently been Direct drives are more efficient and represent the best decided by the company choice for power ratings of several Megawatts. www.siemens.com/mining that exploiting the reserves through the construction of an underground mine, which will be one of the largest and most modern and efficient in the world, is the most economical option going forward.

Such a large undertaking, especially one that is unprecedented anywhere in the industry, obviously throws out its own technical challenges, all of which have been taken into account by the mine operators. The material handling system for example will be unique in that it will run entirely through belts, with the main strap

“The material handling system is unique in that it will run entirely through belts”

The access tunnel is approximately 7.5km long

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The result of a joint venture Between ACCIONA Infrastructure, SA and Obras Subterrรกneas, SA. The Consortium ACCIONA-OSSA, SA is today a hugely important contributor to the Codelco Chuquicamata underground mine project PMCHS.

www.acciona-infraestructuras.es | www.ossaint.com

Codelco - Chuquicamata Mine

Entrance to tunnel number 12

ACCIONA-OSSA

ACCIONA-OSSA, SA brings over 100 years of experience in the construction industry with a philosophy of sustainable development and excellence in quality, technology and innovation, covering all aspects of our business, from engineering and design to implementation and maintenance.

The philosophy of global character ACCIONA-OSSA, SA considers the interests and needs of the customers and the company both locally and globally.

ACCIONA-OSSA, SA has all the necessary means to carry out innovative solutions to the most challenging projects, both small and large scale, located on any terrain and in any part of the world.

All operations are carried out according to environmental, social and economic ties with a global sustainability criteria and constant attention is paid towards improving construction processes, innovation and implementation of measures for environmental protection. www.acciona-infraestructuras.es www.ossaint.com

having two sections of approximately three kilometres of belt each.

Elsewhere, technical operations on the early stages of the mine’s structural design, which comprises of four levels of production, include the construction of a main access tunnel measuring 7.5 kilometres, a similar tunnel system that will be used to transport ore, five clean air injection ramps, two air extraction shafts and numerous other works.

Despite the obvious scale of the task at hand Bustamante and the company have a clear target in mind when it comes to the timescale for the expansion project. “Underground operations are due to commence from 2019.

360,000 Tonnes of fine copper produced by the mine per annum

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Codelco - Chuquicamata Mine After that will be a ramp Sandvik up period that will take Sandvik Mining is a business area within the Sandvik about seven years to reach a Group and a leading global supplier of equipment and tools, production level of 140,000 service and technical solutions for the mining industry. The tonnes of ore per day which offering covers rock drilling, rock cutting, rock crushing, converts into 366,000 tonnes loading and hauling and materials handling. of fine copper a year.”

Every product is preceded by extensive R&D and backed with application expertise and a worldwide service network offering As the home of both the on-site service, training and round-the-clock support. largest open pit mine and We have a tradition of localization and conviction that there the biggest producer of can be no substitute for direct service and contact with copper in the world, it really our customers. Our service-oriented, organization is wellgoes without saying that developed and we have technicians located strategically Chile is a hugely important around the world. location when it comes to the www.sandvik.com health and future growth of the mining sector, not only in South America but on a global scale. It therefore stands perfectly to reason that the State of Chile assigns a great deal of important to the industry.

By breaking down the figure it becomes clear very quickly indeed how important Codelco’s operations are to the country and the wider region. In 2012 the state-owned company generated more than $7,500 million in income and since it was created in 1971 it has generated wealth equivalent to more than $100 billion. A sizeable percentage of this is in turn assigned by the state to areas Work platform for air extraction such as health, education, public services and

“In recent years further explorations have been made which have confirmed that beneath the pit exists 4,200 million tonnes of resources” be weekly | 25

Show the world what your company has to offer with our tailored packages

Seen www.bus-ex.com

Codelco - Chuquicamata Mine infrastructure projects, all for the benefit of the Chilean Astaldi is a leading Italian general contractor with people, particularly those over 90 years of global experience. Its expertise is in classed as being the most the construction of large infrastructure projects in deprived. This makes the fact transportation, water and energy and civil and industrial that the industry is continuing building as well as concessions. Listed on the Italian to grow rapidly and robustly Stock Exchange since 2002, today Astaldi operates in 18 countries with close to 10,000 employees. Over the a hugely positive one, years Astaldi completed and delivered numerous iconic with a least five structural works in Europe, Central and South America, Africa and projects in different stages Asia. In 2012, Astaldi ranked among the first ten top global of development presently contractor in transportation and hydro-electric projects by underway under the Codelco Engineering News Record. banner alone. www.astaldi.com As well as supporting Chileans on a national scale, Codelco’s Chuquicamata mine has long been a vital source of support for the local Calama community. “Here,” Bustamante states, “the company has led a very important program called Calama Plus. Together with the support of various private companies the program centred on a voluntary citizens’ consultation, in which more than 20,000 residents participated, with the aim being to create a master plan to improve the standard of life in the community.”

Looking at future of the mine and its underground expansion, the biggest challenges for Codelco when it comes to

ASTALDI GROUP

2019 When underground operations at the mine are due to commence Jumbo rig working in the transport tunnel

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Codelco - Chuquicamata Mine Building personnel separating different areas of construction

“The next five to ten years are arguably going to be this project’s most vital period of time” managing and constructing a mega-mining project valued at over $4,000 million will be to ensure that it continues to capture the enormous potential of the Chuquicamata site for many years to come, something that must be done within time and cost limits, and without serious accidents. This last point is critically important to the company as it has long placed emphasis on the fact that safety is its top priority and that it believes that there is no target it could reach that would ever justify placing its employees at risk.

“The next five to ten years are arguably going to be this project’s most vital period of time,” Bustamante concludes. “This is the period in which we are going to be building the project, and then it will be put into operation and subsequently we will advance with the productive scaling (ramp up). Our primary goal throughout will be to materialise a good project to benefit Chile and all the people of Chile.”

For more information about Codelco - Chuquicamata Mine visit: www.codelco.com

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Walter Energy

Getting better all the time Walter Energy Canada’s continuous improvement initiatives, as implemented in its metallurgical coal mines, is helping the company navigate difficult market conditions

written by: John O’Hanlon research by: Peter Rowlston

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A

s reported last year, just a year in from its $3.3 billion purchase of Western Coal, Walter Energy had succeeded in dramatically increasing the output of the three Canadian mines.

Wolverine, Willow Creek and Brule located near the towns of Tumbler Ridge and Chetwynd have all seen further rationalisation and improvement in the intervening year.

Dan Cartwright, president of Walter Energy’s Canadian operations, though his brow may be knitted over global coal prices and a market over which he can have little influence, has plenty to be pleased about.

Let’s start with the big one. Some really significant improvements in safety have been achieved over the last twelve months. “We have seen a rapid drop in the rate of reportable incidents at all three of our operations,” says Cartwright. “At the Wolverine mine for example, in September we celebrated a full year without a lost-time incident (LTI) for the first time in the facility’s history.” At the newer Brule mine too, a year has nearly passed with no reportable incidents at all, something that rarely happens in the endemically hazardous coal mining industry. “We are particularly proud of the Brule team and the results they have achieved,” he adds.

These things don’t happen by luck – it takes the efforts of the entire team, he stresses. The approach of Walter Energy is to breakdown every activity and analyse it step by step. Safe Job Procedures have been developed for the majority of tasks within the company. You can’t hope to finish this process because jobs change and new jobs arise: this is part of a

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Walter Energy

Cheryl Franklin, Brule Training Coordinator

THE DUZ CHO GROUP OF COMPANIES Working together with other First Nations, Federal and Provincial Governments, industry and the communities in the areas in which they operate has been the hallmark of the Duz Cho group of companies. The companies provide a wide range of services to the mining, oil and gas, wind energy, and forest industries and are well recognized for their professional conduct.

The McLeod Lake Indian Band, the sole owner of the Duz Cho companies, is as innovative and progressive an Indian Band as you will find anywhere in All of the Duz Cho companies are presently North America. coming together under what will be known Much of this as the Duz Cho Group of Companies. credit must go to This includes Duz Cho Construction Ltd., their chief, Derek Duz Cho Logging Ltd., Mackenzie Wood Orr. He is young Processing, and a new joint venture-and vibrant and Northern Indigenous Crane. The Duz Cho knows very well what it takes to ensure a companies have earned the respect of future that is filled with opportunity for his both industry and government and are band members. Chief Orr has a vision for recognized as an organization that is his people. This includes development of approachable and open for business. The the natural resources we are all so blessed quality of the work performed by these with, while at the same time ensuring companies, as well as their understanding of that the footprint we leave on the land the need to be competitive in their pricing, base is minimized by adhering to sound has made them a company that industry environmental management of our land, looks to when a job needs to be done on air, and water. time and on budget.

The Duz Cho companies are led by Jim and Although time and cost effectiveness is a Al Humphreys who have both helped turn cornerstone of what has earned the Duz these companies into the successes that Cho Group of Companies their reputation, they are. The key reason for their success is it is the safety of their workers and other teamwork and Jim and Al have built a team workers on the job sites that is their that is not only extremely competent but first priority. Duz Cho’s safety record is each one is focused on the success of the something the entire team is very proud of companies that they are part of. and is what drives each and every job to its successful completion. www.duzcho.com

Walter Energy

Walter Energy Brule haul truck

culture of continuous improvement that by how those hazards can be mitigated. This definition is never-ending. information is shared with the supervisor.

The company is going the extra mile Nevertheless the process has had a great bearing on the success achieved. “We have in terms of personal protection too. High established a safety contact policy that visibility reflective clothing is now a requires each supervisor to make a certain requirement, and passing beyond industry number of safety contacts each week.� This safety standards employees are now required involves observing the person to wear metatarsal boots. This at work then taking time is being augmented currently by the issuing of metacarpal with them to compliment gloves – between them these work done well, challenge two initiatives will go a long where it could be better and discuss their individual way to protecting those risk evaluation. Before they vulnerable extremities. start any task, individuals Toes and fingers are the most commonly injured parts are asked to do their own Cost of Western of the body. It is important, inspections, walk around, Coal acquisition says Cartwright to address and note any hazards and

$3.3

Billion

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“Our results show in our operations one of the most dramatic cost transitions that I have been associated with in my entire career” the ‘routine’ hazards as well as the more infrequent but perhaps more serious ones.

“We want to eliminate the cuts and bruises while not losing sight of the bigger picture. So we ask employees the question: ‘If you were away from work and heard there had been a fatality at the mine, what would you suspect?’

In other words, what would be the first thing that would come to mind without knowing the facts of the case?” Gut feelings are not always

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expressed but can provide valuable insight that could save a life, he acknowledges.

The Canadian mines all started out being mined by mining contractors. That made sense for Western, a relatively new company, but Walter Energy’s policy is to bring what is after all its core activity in-house. The last of the Canadian mines to be shifted from contract to company mining was Brule, which has a production capacity of around

Walter Energy

Brule mine LeTourneau loader

two million tonnes per annum (tpa). The operation involves two big elements: people and equipment. The mining equipment had to be purchased from the contractor but the personnel could not be transferred so easily.

Most of the management and a large proportion of the supervisory staff left, quite understandably, for reasons connected with continuity of employment and the fact that most of them were not locals, having been flown or driven to the remote site. “In some ways it was a bit like starting up a new operation, particularly from a personnel point of view,” says Dan Cartwright. “We didn’t want anybody to stay who didn’t want to be there. Part of the challenge at Brule is that it is our most remote mine. But it gave us the opportunity to convert to a more local workforce. We still have quite a

few drive ins though there are no longer many people who fly in.”

Cost management, productivity and safety ideally go hand in hand. In the current climate, with coal prices well below where they need to be to sustain the higher cost operations, Walter Energy has been stepping up its program of cost reduction. One initiative that has been extended in the last year is its reliability centred maintenance, condition-based program.

Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) and condition-based maintenance practices can extend the duration between routine maintenance, improve unit availability, and eliminate some forced outages, he explains.

“We also do sophisticated diagnostics and condition-based monitoring to determine the ‘health’ of key machines and to make sure that

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Walter Energy

CANADIAN NATIONAL RAILWAY CO CN is a true backbone of the economy, with access to over 75% of the North American population, we transport C$250B worth of goods annually. A key driver of our business is Western Canadian coal. We have been partners with Walter Energy since day one; collaborating and innovating together to form a fluid supply chain.

Whether customers are shipping domestically or internationally, we are there to help them win in their market, wherever it may be. CN provides rail access to Walter Energy’s U.S. destinations, given that our network extends to three coasts.

With nearly 20% of Canada’s exports moving over our rail network, CN has also given Walter Energy worldwide reach. We have been able to supply them with direct rail access to two West Coast ports and three bulk terminals, including Ridley at Prince Rupert, the closest port to Asia.

One thing that CN and Walter Energy definitely have in common is the understanding that supply chain partnerships are just that,

partnerships. We work together to balance and align capacity, improving the coal supply chain from mine to mill. We have expanded our capabilities to synchronize our growth with the growth that our customers, as well as the ports, are planning.

This collaboration is based on continuous communication. We have a bulk logistics team that is engaged with our customers, connecting with them on a daily basis. With this visibility and in-depth understanding of our customer’s business, we can remain nimble and adapt to their needs.

We have a solid supply chain with Walter Energy, one where we share the same goals and work hard every day to keep getting better and gain efficiencies. CN is proud both to be their partner, and to be able to play a key role in keeping Canada at the forefront of the global economy. www.cn.ca

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ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

Customer focused and result driven Lakewood Electric Ltd. is a customer focused, results driven Canadian Electrical/Instrumentation contractor.

The Company encompasses the full scope of electrical, instrumentation, power and control, project design, and turn-key installations from coast to coast in the following industries:

• Mining • Oil and Gas • Pulp and Paper • Chemical • Instrumentation • High Voltage Power Distribution • Fiber Optics/Data Networking

www.lakewoodelectric.ca

PRECIOUS RESOURCE DISCOVERED Click here to visit our dedicated homepage for the mining community

www.bus-ex.com/mining

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we are listening when the machine is telling us work is due.”

As an example, oil changes are no longer just time based. OEMs and agents tend to stay on the safe side when specifying maintenance schedules, but components and fluids can often work far longer before needing to be replaced. Using things like vibration analysis and thermography the condition of the machine can be monitored very closely. The machine rather than just the manual will decide when it needs help!

There was a lot of room for improvement when he took over the job 18 months ago, he admits, but that slack has been taken up.

“Our results show in our operations one of the most dramatic cost transitions that I have been associated with in my entire career. We have

Walter Energy

Brule mine shovel loading haul truck

seen reductions in cost that range between 20 and 50 percent.” But make no mistake, this has been achieved primarily by the application of common sense on the part of the people who actually have to implement it, he insists. “It is our people who make us what we are.”

While emphasising the role of teamwork in safety, productivity, maintenance and lean working, he does not forget those team members who don’t work for Walter. “One of the things we have been doing is to reach out to our partners in the supply and delivery

chain to see how we can work together better.”

He singles out the Caterpillar dealer Finning, which has been working with Walter to make the RCM work, optimise performance and at the same time preserve its reputation by avoiding equipment failure. “The leadership of Finning in British Columbia has done a really good job in working with and helping us. I believe that our success will be their success in the long run and they recognise that.”

Mines and railroads are sometimes viewed as natural enemies and there’s no doubt a

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Walter Energy Brule Pit

Walter Energy coal mine can be a demanding customer for a railroad. There is tension between the mine’s need to have trains ready to take loads whenever the mine is ready and the rail operator’s need to not have trains waiting. But this can be overcome by better communication and Canadian National Railway (CN) and Walter’s transportation group have done a great job in sharing information. “Both sides are now kept informed so they know our mining plans and we know their plans and commitments too.”

He says. “It has turned a good relationship into an exemplary relationship!”

In the end, the steelmakers of Korea and Japan who take most of the BC coking and PCI coal do have other sources to turn to so, the mining companies, the logistics operators and the ports of western Canada need to sell themselves as a united supply chain. The good news is that the railroads and port authorities have been responding to this situation. Westshore, Neptune and Ridley Terminals have recently seen over $1 billion invested in improvements to the efficiency and capacity of their terminals.

This includes the addition of more than 20 million tonnes in coal handling capacity.

Of all the commodities carried by rail and handled by ports in Canada, coal ranks number one, and an efficient and inter-connected network of rail and port infrastructure is critical to get Canadian coal to market, Dan Cartwright believes.

For more information about Walter Energy visit: www.walterenergy.com

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Prospering in Peru

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SRK Consulting - SVS Ingenieros Since merging with SRK Consulting in 2011, SVS Ingenieros has consolidated its Peruvian market share and diversified its range of technical services

written by: Will Daynes research by: Jeff Abbott

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Underground mine decline rehabilitation

SRK Consulting - SVS Ingenieros

O

ver the last ten years, the value of Peru’s mineral production has increased dramatically.

During the five-year period from 2005 to 2010, mining exports increased from $9.8 billion to $21.7 billion, raising the country’s mining profile internationally and presenting significant consulting opportunities.

The Peruvian company SVS Ingenieros has served the mining, engineering, and civil construction sectors since 1985. SVS employs a team of professionals with extensive experience in surface and underground mining, geology, geotechnical and civil engineering, environmental control, and mining health and safety. In the late 1990s, following the approval of mining-related environmental legislation, SVS dramatically expanded its environmental services to include the design of mine tailings and waste facilities and the supervision of mine services and field construction.

SVS’s vision is to become the consultant of choice in its local market by providing exceptional service to its customers and meeting the highest international standards of quality, safety, and social responsibility.

This vision moved closer to reality in 2011 when SVS merged with SRK Consulting.

Formed in 1974, SRK is an independent, international consulting practice that provides focused advice and solutions to clients, mainly from earth and water resource industries. For mining projects, SRK offers services from exploration through feasibility, mine planning and production to mine closure. Today, SRK employs more than 1,600 professionals

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Mine tailings facility reclamation

“For mining projects, SRK offers services from exploration through feasibility, mine planning and production to mine closure” internationally in over 50 offices on six continents. Among SRK’s 1,500 clients are many of the world’s major and medium-sized metal and industrial mineral mining houses, exploration companies, banks, petroleum exploration companies, construction firms, and government departments.

In 2010, SRK was looking for opportunities to expand. Peru was an attractive option, given a forecast increase in mining activity

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of $4 billion per year for the next five years.

SRK had already worked on many projects in Peru and had enjoyed a strong working relationship with SVS for almost 20 years.

“In order to better serve our Peruvian clients, we decided in 2011 to merge with SVS,” said SRK Group CEO Andy Barrett.

“SVS already held a very strong position in the local market and from this well-established base we have gained a foothold in Peru. We

SRK Consulting - SVS Ingenieros

Biological field work

have brought new services to the marketplace by combining our mining and geology experience with SVS’s strong skills in rock mechanics, tailings, and the environment.

We have also augmented our international teams, particularly in Latin America.”

SVS General Manager Carlos Soldi was equally enthusiastic about the merger and the resultant synergies. “Prior to the merger, SVS could not offer professional services in areas such as due diligence and hydrogeology,” he said. “Since the merger, we have drawn upon the talent and technical abilities that SRK has cultivated across its global operations. We have expanded our service line to include due diligence and geotechnical services, resource and reserve calculations and certification, mine planning, and process design. We have

Underwater geotechnical drilling

also strengthened SRK’s and SVS’s strategic relationships with international firms, further broadening the fields in which we provide high quality services to our Peruvian clients.”

Soldi concluded, “Following the merger with SRK, SVS has been able to offer a wider range of services to its traditional clients and to enter fruitful, new relationships with other mining companies. While we continue to work predominantly in Peru, we have also been able to take on more projects in countries such as Mexico, Colombia and Argentina.”

For more information about SRK Consulting - SVS Ingenieros visit: www.srk.com

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A cut above the rest Even in the face of challenging market conditions the sheer quality and unmatched excellence of Eurostar Diamond Traders products mean that it remains a leading global force in the diamond sector

written by: Will Daynes research by: James Boyle

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Eurostar Diamond Traders

Polishing the pavilion facets

Eurostar Diamond Traders

T

he diamond industry has been on something of a rollercoaster ride since the global financial crisis of 2008, with prices plummeting in 2008 and 2009, before rebounding to reach historically high levels in 2010 and 2011. This pattern of extremes was replicated in 2012, with retail sales of diamonds growing 1.8 percent from 2011 to $72.1 billion at the same time that overall prices for rough and polished diamonds declined by 14 percent and 13 percent respectively.

Reassuringly, given that we are fast approaching the November/December period that is traditionally the healthiest for diamond retailers in any given year, the market has shown signs of continued improvement during the first half of 2013.

“The main positive we can take from this year so far is that we have seen business levels remain slightly higher than those recorded in 2012,” explains Kaushik K. Mehta, Chairman of the Eurostar Group.

“The real litmus test for the sector will come during the pre-Christmas months which are typically the busiest on our calendar.”

Mehta has been at the helm of Eurostar Diamond Traders ever since he founded the business as a diamond processing plant in Belgium back in 1978. In the 35 years since he has witnessed all manner of economic events and successfully guided his company through both good times and periods of uncertainty. As such you would be unlikely to find a business in this field of industry better prepared for what the next couple of months hold.

“We have already undertaken the work

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$72.1 Billion Global diamond retail sales in 2012

Facetting

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necessary to set ourselves out for the busy period that will be upon us shortly and for the sudden increase in consumer demand that we have come to expect,” Mehta states. “The Christmas buying season has always proven to be one of the most crucial times for us, if not the most crucial, and because of this we prepare many weeks in advance to ensure that our inventory levels and processes are up to scratch, thus making us perfectly positioned to satisfy consumer demand.”

As one of the world’s leading diamond wholesalers and manufacturers, it is Eurostar Diamond Traders’ expressed aim to help in shaping and leading the global diamond market. In order to do so it has expanded its own operations into some of the most important regions for diamond sales, namely the United States, China and India, and this fact continues to reap considerable benefits to this day.

Indeed, looking at the market ’s performance over the first half of this year, some of the most encouraging trends have originated from the US, Japan, China and India, with sales in the first two rising particularly strongly on the back of accelerating GDP growth, a trend that looks poised to continue during the remainder of 2013.

Eurostar Diamond Traders

Every Eurostar diamond undergoes 32 meticulous quality checks before reaching your doorstep

“While demand from key markets across Europe has slowed compared to that of previous years, this has been supplemented by the increase in demand we have been receiving from the US, China and India,” Mehta continues. “It is these parts of the world that we expect will go on to be the

driving force behind our sales throughout November and December.”

The emergence of China and India as important growth centres for Eurostar Diamond Traders and the diamond market as a whole is an event that has taken on even greater significance in the last five years or

“The Christmas season has always been one of the most crucial times for us and we prepare many weeks in advance” be weekly | 57

“The emergence of China and India as important growth centres for Eurostar Diamond Traders has taken on even greater significance in the last five years” so, and Mehta has a pretty good explanation for this. “Higher average incomes in these countries certainly seem to be one of the main factors driving demand,” he says. “Higher incomes have resulted in growing middle

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class populations and it is these people who are now being able to demand a better quality product when it comes to the diamonds they purchase compared to those which they were able to afford previously.”

Eurostar Diamond Traders

Marked rough diamonds, ready for sawing

Fortunately for Eurostar Diamond Traders, the foresight of its management and owner has enabled it to be extremely well geared towards the growth it is experiencing in these developing nations, as well as in the US which remains a vital marketplace in its own right. Today it retains a strong presence in these markets with offices in New York City, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Mumbai respectively.

While Eurostar Diamond Traders’ peerless commitment to quality products and service has enabled it to retain what Mehta refers

to as its ‘bread and butter business’, the fact remains that growth across the greater part of the world has come to something of a standstill. This makes attracting new business the biggest challenge facing companies in the diamond market today.

“From an infrastructure and business model standpoint we are confident we have the tools in front of us to overcome such difficulties,” Mehta highlights. “In addition to the hugely important sales and marketing centres that we have in places like China and the US we also have a number of teams made

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“What is as true about the company now as it has always been ... is the fact that it has never lost sight of the need to continually improve from within�

Sawing quality control

60 | be weekly

Eurostar Diamond Traders up of highly experience professionals whose job it is to remain in direct contact with all of our key retailers.

This allows our brand to maintain a sizeable presence in our core markets, thus we are able to retain our existing business while also making every effort to attract new growth as and when it appears.”

What is as true about the company now as it has always been, even during those first years following the economic crisis when the diamond market suffered Sorting rough diamonds greatly, is the fact that it has never lost sight of the need “The diamond market to continually improve from of today is very much within. This has meant that a fragmented one,” he investment has continued to concludes. “The reality is that be poured into its facilities there are too many players and polishing centres to at present and I believe that The year that Kaushik K. Mehta founded the ensure that they follow in the long run this number company will diminish, especially if the latest international economic conditions remain s t a nda r d s a nd are much as they are at present. adequately equipped with innovative, state-of-the-art technologies.

This will leave behind a scenario where only If diamond market data from the last the very best players are left and we will five years has highlighted anything it is continue to do our very best to prove that we the unpredictable nature of the business remain one of these players.” in what are uncertain economic times. In spite of this Mehta does have a theory as For more information about to how the market, and as such Eurostar Eurostar Diamond Traders visit: Diamond Traders, will evolve in the shortwww.eurostardiamond.com to-medium term.

1978

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Tanzania’s most pro

In 2012, the Geita Gold Mine (GGM) became one of AngloGold Ash production centres and cash generating assets. Managing Director, Anen, talks about how the company intends to further build upon

written by: Will Daynes research by: Candice Nice

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AngloGold Ashanti - Geita Gold Mine (GGM)

oductive mine

hanti’s largest r, Michael Van n its success

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AngloGold Ashanti - Geita Gold Mine (GGM)

S

Engineers carrying out general maintenance

ince the early 1990s, the use of modern technology and refined models has seen gold exploration in Tanzania grow rapidly, in turn transforming the country into one of the fastest-emerging gold producers in Africa, behind only South Africa and Ghana. Yet despite the relatively recent expansion of the sector, the presence of gold beneath Tanzania has been known about since it was first discovered in the Geita region in the late 1800s.

Today, the region is home to the Geita gold deposit, located 20 kilometres south east of Nungwe Bay on Lake Victoria, at an elevation of approximately 1200 meters above sea level. Geita Gold Mine (GGM) commenced production in 2000, initially as a joint venture between South Africa’s AngloGold Ltd and Ghana’s Ashanti before the two companies merged in 2004.

An open cast mine with three pits, GGM has been the recipient of approximately US$600 million in investment from AngloGold Ashanti since 2000, while the mine has paid some US$683 million in direct contributions to the Tanzanian government through taxes and royalties in the same time period.

“AngloGold Ashanti is immensely proud that Geita Gold Mine is currently Tanzania’s most productive mine,” states Managing Director, Michael Van Anen. “Four years ago, GGM underwent a focussed turnaround and in 2012 became AngloGold Ashanti’s largest production centre and cash generator.

Presently, Geita produces about one third of the total ounces of gold from our African production, excluding South Africa, and

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Tel:+255 28 2540790 | Cell: +255 784 223 007 Email: princeco@thenet.co.tz www.princeco.co.tz

Princeco Ltd. is a Tanzanian registered company based in Mwanza, Tanzania. It started its operations in September 2005 as a Procurement and Trading company to cater the growing needs of the approaching gold & oil / gas investors in the country. Princeco selects sources and delivers products and services for the mining, fishing, and the overall corporate sector. Today it has a product range of over 350 items and more than 30 corporate customers. We are dealers & stockist for Welding Equipments, Abrasives, Personal Protective Equipments,

Workwear & Rainwear, Geological & Survey Items, Visibility Products, Fire Equipments, Filters and General Procurement. We have dealership for Lincoln Welding, 3M, ‘Steelblue/Howler/Krusher’ Australian Boots, ‘Dy-Mark’ Mine Marking, ‘Wild Africa’ Workwear, ‘Precious Earth’ Geology & Survey items, ‘Fleetguard’ filters, ‘Norton’ Abrasives. If you are a foreign company looking to invest in Tanzania in the Mining Sector & looking for a local partner do contact us.

KARIBU SANA! TUJENGE NCHI TANZANIA – HAKUNA MATATA!

Wild Africa

WORKWEAR

NEW PRECIOUS RESOURCE DISCOVERED

Click here to visit our dedicated homepage for the mining community www.bus-ex.com/mining BEST PRACTICE IN MINING

AngloGold Ashanti - Geita Gold Mine (GGM) is one of our largest mines in Africa. It therefore goes Princeco is always adding new products to its product list without saying that we are to make sure the mining industries and oil & gas industries very proud of our investment are served in this country to the best of Tanzania’s ability at Geita and in Tanzania.” so that we preserve its opportunities within the country. We In making its ambitions are proud to say we have grown and developed our supplies in the country a reality, and services to Mining Industries with the knowledge and support from the foreign investors to an international level. the company has worked We work with world renowned mines like Barrick Gold Mine, tirelessly to ensure that it AngloGold Ashanti Mine, Xstrata Nickel and etc. If you are a maintains productive and foreign company looking to invest in Tanzania in the Mining fruitful relations with all of Sector and looking for a local partner do contact us. its stakeholders in Tanzania. www.princeco.co.tz Part of this work has involved helping to strengthen the capacity of all stakeholders involved and interested in extractive industries to build a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities presented by the extractive sector for Tanzania’s long-term development.

Despite the obvious success that the company has had with GGM, it continues to push this further forward and at present has three key growth projects that it is continuing to explore, these involving underground extensions, surface extensions to already open pits and a refractory ore project.

“Each of the above projects is designed

Princeco

$4.8

Million (US) Invested by the company into community development projects Haul truck

be weekly | 67

to build upon GGM’s current strong performance and invest in its future as a mine,” Van Anen continues. “Geita is an important mine for AngloGold Ashanti, Tanzania and the local Geita community and as such we will work to ensure that remains the case for a long time to come. In Tanzania, we have successfully turned around the business over the last three years, with a 30 percent improvement in productivity and throughput improvements that had provided us with a more robust margin.”

In addition to these projects, the company also has exploration tenements surrounding its Special Mining License at Geita. This means that should an appropriate opportunity with sufficient economic potential be identified in the future, AngloGold Ashanti has the option to apply for a separate license to mine and realise the potential of said opportunities.

AngloGold Ashanti is committed to fulfilling its obligations and duties as a responsible corporate citizen across the entirety of its operations, and its belief in the importance of the concept of sustainability clearly extends through to its activities at GGM. It was as recently as August 2013 that GGM was named the winner of eight awards from the Tanzanian Presidential

Award on the Extractive Industry Corporate Social Responsibility and Empowerment Programme (CSRE) for its commitment to communit y investments. These awards were bestowed on the company as recognition of its health, education,

“The mine has paid some US$683 million in direct contributions to the Tanzanian government through taxes and royalties since 2000” 68 | be weekly

AngloGold Ashanti - Geita Gold Mine (GGM)

Aerial view of the mining operations

procurement, and water programmes for its host communities in Tanzania.

As GGM continues to gain ground in its own right, so too are many of AngloGold Ashanti’s current community empowerment projects. These include the Geita Town Water Project Implementation, which has seen the company invest US$4.9 million towards the implementation of a water supply system in partnership with the Tanzanian government.

The establishing of a clean water supply will ultimately benefit some 130,000 residents located around Geita.

Another US$5 million investment from

GGM has gone into the construction of the Nyankumbu Girls Secondary School, the final stage of which began in July 2013. This stage includes the construction of the remaining batch of teachers’ housing, school fence, sports fields and purchase of laboratory equipment. The overall project is expected to be completed by the end of March 2014, after which more than 900 girls will have access to a science-focused boarding school, the only one of its kind in the Geita region.

Meanwhile, a joint venture with the Geita local government authority, and other parties, has successfully implemented an

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“AngloGold Ashanti is immensely proud that Geita Gold Mine is currently Tanzania’s most productive mine”

The open pit at Geita

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AngloGold Ashanti - Geita Gold Mine (GGM) integrated malaria control program in Geita. The Geita Malaria Prevention program, which covers approximately 19 villages annually, focuses on carrying out indoor residual spraying within the community and was responsible for offering this prevention to more than 90 percent of the target population. Furthermore, from an environmental perspective, GGM is understandably proud to have maintained ISO 14001 certification, which will remain valid until June 2016.

“In addition to the work we carry out on behalf of local communities,” Van Anen highlights, “we are also a significant taxpayer in Tanzania, making US$213.8 in tax payments last year alone. This represents the second highest tax contribution across our global portfolio, and second only to South Africa where we have a much larger operating base. In addition to our tax remittances in Tanzania last year, AngloGold Ashanti provided a direct income and benefits to about 3,600 people and thousands more indirectly, and invested US$4.8 million in community development projects. We believe we contribute a great deal towards national development goals through our direct contribution to government and through our community investments.”

As Van Anen goes on to conclude, AngloGold Ashanti is committed to building on this

success by continuing to explore efficiencies and further opportunities to ensure that Geita’s future remains bright. “Crucial to our success going forward will, of course, be the support of our host communities. GGM is currently rolling out an enhanced engagement strategy, involving the surrounding communities and creating awareness of our mining processes and activities. We believe this will enhance public knowledge and understanding of the industry and strengthen the all so important stakeholder relationships which currently exist.”

For more information about AngloGold Ashanti - Geita Gold Mine (GGM) visit: www.anglogoldashanti.com

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engineering service

Douglas Simpson Projects (Pty) Ltd Trading as Planet Projects is an engineering company that was established in 1969 and situated in Labore, Brakpan

P

lanet Projects offers services such as the detailing, planning and fabrication of all types of structural steelwork, platework and piping with specialised welding capabilities. We offer a drawing office service which includes the detailing and developing of fabrication items for various industries.

Our company has a production area of 6186 square metres with a production capacity of 850 tons per month.

Planet Projects is an ISO 9001:2008 and OHSAS 18001:2007 certified

“ We are merSETA workplace approved and also accredited as a training institute�

72 | be directory

company and all work undertaken is subject to our Quality Assurance and Safety Processes.

Planet Projects is actively involved in the skills development initiatives to close the skills shortage. We are merSETA workplace approved and also accredited as a training institute.

Planet Projects is participating in the AATP project of which it is a merSETA flagship project in artisan development and other merSETA skills development projects.

Planet Projects is accredited to offer both welder and boilermaker institutional training and we currently have apprentices for both trades.

Our apprentices receive the theoretical training, practical training in a controlled environment and on the job practical training.

Our construction team has the ability to perform site erections and

Planet Projects

construction duties. Our team ensures that all the necessary quality, health, safety, legal and statutory requirements are followed.

We have an internal transportation division ensuring our clients receive on time deliveries at the most competitive prices.

Planet Projects has been involved in a number of large projects such as Great Basin Gold’s Burnstone Mine, Goldfields’ South Deep Mine, Xstrata Coal’s Atcom Mine and Anglo’s Waterval Smelter.

Our company is committed to product delivery and continual improvement to secure client satisfaction.

Our client base includes: • Goldfields • Bateman • TWP Projects • Impala Platinum • Anglo Platinum • Group 5 Projects • Howden Energy Systems • Xstrata Coal • Arcelor Mittel • Bhubezi Projects • DRA • Alstom

Planet Projects Norman Hadiaris (Projects Director) 101 Lumen Street, Labore, Brakpan T 011 738 1700 F 011 738 2721 E norman@planetprojects.co.za www.planetprojects.co.za

be directory | 73

Mining suppliers Princeco Ltd. is a Tanzanian registered company based in Mwanza, Tanzania

P

rinceco Ltd. is a Tanzanian registered company based in Mwanza, Tanzania.

It started its operations in September 2005 as a Procurement and Trading company to cater the growing needs of the approaching gold investors in the country. Princeco selects sources and delivers products and services for the mining, fishing, and the overall corporate sector.

Today it has a product range of over 350 items and more than 30 corporate customers.

“ Today Princeco has a product range of over 350 items and more than 30 corporate customers” 74 | be directory

We are dealers & stockist for Welding Equipments, Abrasives, Personal Protective Equipments, Workwear & Rainwear, Geological & Survey Items, Visibility Products, Fire Equipments, Filters and General Procurement. We have dealership for Lincoln Welding, 3M, ‘Steelblue/Howler/Krusher’ Australian Boots, ‘Dy-Mark’ Mine Marking, ‘Wild Africa’ Workwear, ‘Precious Earth’ Geology & Survey items, ‘Fleetguard’ filters, ‘Norton’ Abrasives. KARIBU SANA! TUJENGE NCHI TANZANIA HAKUNA MATATA! Princeco is always adding new products to its product list to make sure the mining industries and oil & gas industries are served in this country to the best of Tanzania’s ability so that we preserve its opportunities within the country. We are proud to say we have grown and developed our supplies and services to Mining Industries with the

Princeco Ltd

knowledge and support from the foreign investors to an international level. We work with world renowned mines like Barrick Gold Mine, AngloGold Ashanti Mine, Xstrata Nickel and etc. If you are a foreign company looking to invest in Tanzania in the Mining Sector and looking for a local partner do contact us – KARIBU. With the new upcoming of oil/gas industry in the country, Princeco strives to serve this sector as well within the coming years building the requisitions from clients. With Tanzania having abundance resources, we see Tanzania opening up lots of opportunity globally

and locally and would invite many entrepreneurial spirits. Minerals/ oil/gas projects development has the potential to create tremendous value for companies, government & local communities.

Princeco Ltd P.O.Box 1905 Bantu Street Mwanza,Tanzania, East Africa T +255 28 2540790/1 C: +255 784 223007 E: princeco@thenet.co.tz www.princeco.co.tz

be directory | 75

Included The BE Mining Directory showcases leading mining organisations from across the world, ranging from big corporations to junior mines and their supply chains.

Be seen throughout our portfolio of magazines: • BE Mining Directory • BE Mining • BE Weekly • BE Monthly •

To find out how to get involved contact: vincent@bus-ex.com