First Mining Drc-Zambia May/June edition 2021

CENTRAL AFRICA'S PREMIER BUSINESS TO BUSINESS MINING MAGAZINE

VOL 13 | ISSUE 3 | May - June 2021

Digital Transformation in Mining In this issue...

Malawi President eyes mining as key money maker Pg 08

Transforming the future of mining for Africa Pg 25

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High Temperature Furnace Cameras for Safety and Control Pg 32

7TH ANNUAL EDITION

1 - 2 JUNE 2021 www.juniorindaba.com

FOR EXPLORERS, DEVELOPERS & INVESTORS IN JUNIOR MINING Resources 4 Africa is pleased to announce the 7th edition of the annual Junior Indaba, taking place on 1 & 2 June 2021. Known for its incisive, informative and frank discussions, the Junior Indaba focuses on the exploration and junior mining sectors in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa. Panel discussions will focus on topics such as: access to finance; the regulatory environment; outlook for commodities; demand for metals; the global energy transition; the hydrogen economy and much more.

Discussions will include: • What the global outlook for junior mining and exploration post Covid-19?

• What can be done to make South Africa a more attractive destination for junior miners?

• What lessons can be learned from junior miners who are already operating?

• How can juniors take advantage of the shift towards 4IR, digital transformation and modernization in mining?

• What are investors’ perspectives on the junior mining sector?

• What does the shift towards a hydrogen economy mean for junior mining?

• What does the global energy transition mean for African junior coal miners?

• And much more…

Popular features over the two days include: Lessons from the Legends; Myth Busters and a showcase of presentations from junior miners across the continent. Other speakers include investors, government, analysts and industry experts .

Mining Industry Partners:

Sponsors:

Contact us about sponsorship opportunities sponsorship@resources4africa.com

For more information please contact, Carina Willemse: Tel: +27 (0) 61 421 9492 Email: carina@resources4africa.com or Stuart Alderson-Smith: Tel: +27 (0) 83 685 8777 Email: stuart@resources4africa.com

CONTENTS NEWS

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PRODUCTS

EVENTS

AVZ building strong contacts with DRC

Hybrid satellite communications

Operating your process blindfolded?

PROFILE

FEATURE

Caterpillar-Argonne engine design partnership

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Copper, Africa’s oil?

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Perseus Mining: 2020 Strong Sustainability Performance

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CENTRAL AFRICA'S PREMIER BUSINESS TO BUSINESS MINING MAGAZINE

TEAM Editor Bertha M. bertham@fmdrc-zambia

VOL 13 | ISSUE 3 | May - June 2021

Sub-Editor Nita Karume Digital Transformation in Mining In this issue...

Malawi President eyes mining as key money maker Pg 08

Transforming the future of mining for Africa Pg 25

High Temperature Furnace Cameras for Safety and Control Pg 32

www.fmdrc-zambia.com

Cover Image: Endress + Hauser

COVER STORY: PG 22 Digital Transformation in Mining Within the MMM industry, digitalisation transforms key aspects at every step of the value chain. Digital transformation in mining connects people, technology and processes to achieve strategic transformation, and also places organisations ahead of competition.

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Contributing Writer Oscar Nkala, Mfuneko Jack Lindani Mkhize Caroline Thomas Anthony Kiganda Anita Anyango Sales and Marketing Victor Ndlovu victorn@fmdrc-zambia.com +27 11 044 8986 Isabel Isiziwe isabelsiziwe@gmail.com zambia@fmdrc-zambi.com +260 96 187 4888 Advertising Consultants Meshack Ndzendevu Polite Mkhize Gladmore Ndhlovu Leslie Nyembe Production Coordinator Kholwani Dube kholwani@fmdrc-zambia.com Art Director/Layout Augustine Ombwa Arobia Creative Consultancy austin@arobia.co.ke

EDITOR’S COMMENT Time to embrace AI in mining The benefits of full-scale digitalization in mining cannot be overemphasized. According to research firm McKinsey, smart mining that utilizes data analysis and digital technologies such as Artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to save mineral raw materials producers between $290 billion and $390 billion annually by 2035.

In Artificial intelligence, a computer-controlled robot or machine is enabled to perform tasks that require human intelligence. The systems powered by artificial intelligence use different algorithms to organize and understand vast amounts of data, with the purpose of making optimal decisions.

McKinsey recommends that to succeed with AI, companies should leverage historical data via automation. They will need to adapt their big data into a form amenable to AI. This ‘smart data’ can improve predictive accuracy and support root-cause analysis. Additionally, bolstering and upskilling expert staff to manage the process can result in an EBITDA increase of 5 to 15%.

And with the emergence of Covid-19 pandemic, the need for smart mining cannot be more urgent. At the onset of the pandemic, governments were forced to enforce complete lockdowns that resulted in untold job losses and decreased profits.

Published By Mailing Times Media

As a result, some companies such as Shell have come up with digital innovations to help mining companies find novel solutions to mine safely and sustainably.

It is therefore important for mining companies to quickly embrace sustainable ways of doing business because opportunities and challenges will always present themselves in equal measure.

Circulation/Sales info@fmdrc-zambia.com sales@fmdrc-zambia.com +27 11 044 8986

Anthony Kiganda

Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of the contents of its publications, but no warranty is made as to such accuracy and no responsibility will be borne by the publisher for the consequences of actions based on information so published. Further, opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by Mailing Times Media (Pty) Ltd

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NEWS

AVZ building strong contacts with DRC government

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opportunities and upgraded infrastructure including electricity supply.”

VZ Minerals has revealed to shareholders that the newly established government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had approved the draft inter-Ministerial decree and draft cooperation agreement with the lithium and tin developer.

Ferguson said that the cooperation agreement also reinforced the DRC government’s pledge to financiers that the country was open for business to the international investment community

The approval of both documents by the DRC government’s Council of Ministers would deliver significant fiscal benefits for the Manono lithium and tin project, once finalised, AVZ told shareholders.

“The approval of both the draft decree relating to the cooperation agreement and the daft cooperation agreement is yet another milestone for the Manono project,” said MD Nigel Ferguson.

“The final cooperation agreement will deliver significant long-term economic benefits for the project, as well as further

A definitive feasibility study into Manono has estimated that it would produce around 700 000 t/y high grade lithium and 45 475 t/y of primary lithium sulphate over a 20-year mine life.

underpinning our substantial investment in the DRC. “It will also deliver long-term benefits for the people of the Manono region, including access to improved health and education services, stable employment

The project is expected to require a capital investment of some $545.5-million, which will include transport upgrades and the rehabilitation of the Mpiana Mwanga hydroelectric power plant, which would account for $41.85-million and $46.54-million worth of investment, respectively.

Barrick Gold begins talks with the DRC Government regarding the 2018 mining code

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he Democratic Republic of Congo overhauled its mining code in 2018, to try to benefit more from its natural resources, which includes the world’s largest cobalt reserves.

get money out of the country,” said Bristow, adding that “engagement” on a controversial Mining Code promulgated under Kablia in 2018 “had already started”.

Despite firms lobbying the government to reconsider the terms, the code was signed into law in 2018. Barrick Gold recently opened a discussion with DRC Govt on this controversial mining code.

“There has been no new net investment in the DRC since the mining code was brought into being and now we’ve got charging mineral prices,” said Bristow.

The CEO of Barrick Gold, Mark Bristow, said he expected “real change” in the regulatory and political environment of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following the formation of “a true” coalition government in the country.

The DRC is one of the world’s largest copper producers. The price of the metal surged through $10,000/t again this week – its highest level in about a decade – after fresh supply side concerns developed in Chile.

DRC president, Felix Tshisekedi, formed a new cabinet in April signalling that the balance of power in the central African country may have shifted. Previously, the cabinet reflected the influence of the former head of state, Joseph Kabila.

The DRC’s mining code drew criticism from miners at the time of its being passed into law. Mining firms said it disregarded stabilisation clauses in the previous code by immediately upping export duties on the base and precious minerals production.

“I think we will land on a proper set of legislation and allow investors to

Bristow said the newly elected prime minister of the DRC (Jean-Michel Sama

Lukonde) was “a real deal guy. We met with him about 10 days ago.”

“We also get to meet with Felix Tshisekedi any time we need to talk to him,” said Bristow.

Barrick’s recent track-record with the DRC has been far from perfect. The company has been trying for nearly two years to extract its $500m share of profits generated by Kibali Goldmines SA, a joint venture which it holds with AngloGold Ashanti.

It has also faced disruption in the joint venture from SOKIMO (Societe Miniere de Kilo-Moto) which has a 10% stake in Kibali Goldmines. It filed a financial claim with the commercial court in the DRC’s Kinshasa during April saying it was owed $1.1bn in unpaid dividends and other funds.

Barrick described the court action as an attempt to “… extort certain benefits from the company”. Said Bristow this week: It is of no real importance. Just ignore it.

The court has dismissed the claim.”

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NEWS

Exxaro’s move to renewable a sign of progress

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Increase in ESG investment “More and more, investors are becoming acutely aware of this, which is why we are seeing an increase in environmental, social and governance (ESG) investing,” says Duncan.

xxaro Resources chief executive, Mxolisi Mgojo, announced in February that his company will join a growing list of international miners divesting from thermal coal assets, reinforcing the global pressure for mining houses to reduce exposure to fossil fuels is gaining momentum.

He said that Exxaro, which exports coal as well as supplying it for domestic power generation, would continue to supply thermal coal to state-owned power utility Eskom’s Medupi and Matimba power stations through its coal contracts.

“As we come to the the end of life of our other coal reserves, we will not be building any new ones,” Mgojo said during a virtual panel at the Investing in African Mining Indaba conference.

While the announcement signals that the mining sector is responding to an increasingly diverse stakeholder base, the financial ecosystem is evolving in parallel. “The move to divest from coal assets is a global trend to accommodate

investors looking to decarbonise their holdings,” says Jon Duncan, head of responsible investing at Old Mutual Investment Group.

“While we cannot ignore the global context, which is material to the divestment from the likes of Exxaro and Anglo American, the reality is that locally, climate change – the effects of which can no longer be denied – risks accelerating a host of social challenges which threaten the country as a whole.

However, given that many investors are benchmark-cognisant in respect of financial returns, many investment managers, take a risk-managed approach to fossil fuel exposure and so don’t take a hard exclusion approach. “We have not adopted a hard-exclusionary approach on primary fossil fuel producers at this stage as our approach is informed by a recognition of the Just Transition dimension of climate change and so are aligned with the idea of a decarbonisation pathway over time.

We support our commitment to this pathway through a pro-active approach to stewardship or active ownership on climate-related issues with clear escalation pathways in order to drive impactful change among our investee companies,” he says.

Eurasian Resources takes action to support elimination of child labour in DRC

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urasian Resources announced that it has submitted an Action Pledge to strengthen its commitment to eliminate child labour in the cobalt mining sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where UNICEF has estimated that close to 40,000 children are engaged in mining activities.

This strategy is focused on keeping 2000 children out of artisanal and small-scale mining in 2021.

The Action Pledge is administered by the International Labour Organisation and the Alliance 8.7. The mechanism aims to accelerate efforts to eradicate child labour worldwide in support of the UN’s designation of 2021 as the International Year for the Elimination of Child Labour.

“The elimination of child labour is crucial to the Group’s wider efforts to help ensure a safe and sustainable future for mining communities in the DRC,” Benedikt Sobotka, CEO of Eurasian Resources, said in a media statement.

a fully traceable, ethical and sustainable battery supply chain”.

“For 2021, we have envisioned new steps to fight child labour in mining, including signing a new multi-year agreement with the GSIF to expand their support network to new communities in the DRC and developing initiatives like the Battery Passport from the GBA, which promises

Eurasian owns the Metalkol Roan Tailings Reclamation operation in the southern Kolwezi region in the DRC. RTR is a tailing reprocessing operation that aims to provide a long-term, stable supply of ‘green’, ethically-produced cobalt and copper to the market.

In terms of specific actions, ERG has said that it already has a targeted community investment strategy in partnership with the Kolwezi chapter of the Good Shepherd International Foundation (GSIF).

The Luxembourg-based miner also said that it is always implementing controls to ensure that its operations are in no way connected to child labour.

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NEWS

Copper prices soaring to 10-year high on rising demand

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rice of Copper stormed higher averaging $US10,008 ($12,868) per tonne on the London Metal Exchange as the red metal inches closer to its highest price since 2011. While rising close to its $US10,190 record, copper closed at $US9990 recently.

Demand has risen due to economies rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic across the globe.

The rally in base metals is driven by depleted copper inventory versus a strong post-COVID-19 demand as the world economy recovers from the pandemic and relatively low global inflation expectations, Shi Lin, an analyst from Huaan Securities.

In April, Goldman Sachs stated that “copper is the new oil”, anticipating a demand increase by as much as 900 per cent (8.7 million tonnes) by 2030. “The critical role copper will play in achieving the Paris climate goals cannot be overstated. Without serious advancements in carbon capture and

EV penetration forecasts upwards” Udd said in April.

“These vehicles use four times as much copper as petrol-based cars, and they will also need more infrastructure to connect charging stations to the grid.

A Reuters poll has anticipated that copper prices will likely stall in the second half of 2021.

storage technology in the coming years, the entire path to net zero emissions will have to come from abatement – electrification and renewable energy,” Goldman Sachs stated in the report.

BHP president minerals Americas Ragnar Udd stated that electronic vehicles (EVs) would use four times as much copper as petrol cars. “Policy signposts for rapid EV adoption were distinctly favourable over the last 12 months and we have revised our internal

According to Reuters, Chinese officials have warned a cap will be placed on high commodity prices to prevent inflation.

“We estimate that by-mid decade this growth in green demand alone will match, and then quickly surpass, the incremental demand China generated during the 2000s,” Goldman Sachs stated.

“Ripple effects into non-green channels mean the 2020s are expected to be the strongest phase of volume growth in global copper demand in history.”

FQM’s Sentinel copper mine meets production projections

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irst Quantum Minerals’ Sentinel copper mine, in Zambia, has met the expectations set for the first quarter of this year with production having increased by 3% year-onyear. The company pointed out that innovation helped ensure the robust management of costs, reducing the unit cost of production, but savings were outweighed by a dramatic rise in mineral royalty tax as a result of high world copper prices that pushed the country’s largest taxpayers to the highest level of the tiered tax system.

The 58 252 t of production during the quarter at Sentinel was despite repair work on the mine’s ball mill limiting throughput and heavy rainfall recorded in the North Western province, says First Quantum.

Sentinel’s total production amounted to 28.4% of the mining company’s global production of 205 064 t, while the mining unit’s total copper sales volume increased by 45%.

“Sentinel mine delivered in line with the company’s overall plan despite the heavy rains experienced in the quarter. With our continued low costs and the strong copper price, we generated significant cash flow,” says First Quantum country GM Kingsley Chinkuli.

The continued increase in copper production at Sentinel is a direct result of First Quantum’s investments into its operations, notes Chinkuli. The investments have led to a significant reduction in the unit cost of production.

“At our operations, we aim to be efficient

while also living up to the expectations of all our stakeholders,” he says. In the third quarter of 2020, Sentinel achieved its highest ever quarterly production of 70 829 t and recorded low cash costs.

Zambia uses a sliding scale for the determination of mining royalty tax rates, linked to the prevailing copper price.

The scale is adjusted so that royalties are paid at higher levels as commodity prices climb and are reduced as prices fall.

Chinkuli says that, for the company to continue being a major contributor to the Zambian economy, the government needs to put in place a competitive mining sector tax regime to attract foreign direct investment that should seek to adequately compensate the country while remaining internationally attractive and competitive.

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NEWS

Global iron ore production to recover by 5,1% in 2021

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lobal iron ore production fell by 3% to 2,2-billion tonnes in 2020.

Global production is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3,7% to 2 663,4-million tonnes between 2021 to 2025. The key contributors to this grow will be Brazil (6,2%), South Africa (4,1%), Australia (3,2%) and India (2,9%). Key upcoming projects expected to commence operations include South Flank in Australia (2021), Zulti in South Africa (H2 2021), Serrote Da Laje in Brazil (H2 2021) and Gudai-Darri (2022), according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

Vinneth Bajaj, associate project manager at GlobalData, comments: “Declines from Brazil and India were major contributors to the reduced output in 2020. Combined production from these two countries fell from a collective 638,2 Mt in 2019 to an estimated 591,1 Mt in 2020. The reduced output from the

iron ore giant, Vale, was the key factor behind Brazil’s reduced output, while delays in the auctioning of mines in Odisha affected India’s output in 2020.

“Miners in Australia were relatively unaffected by COVID-19 due to effective measures adopted by the Australian Government, while a speedy recovery in China led to a significant 10,4% increase in the country’s iron ore output.”

Looking ahead, the global iron ore production is expected to increase by 111,3 Mt to 2 302,5 Mt in 2021. Rio

Tinto is expected to produce up to 340 Mt of iron ore, while BHP has released production guidance of 245-255 Mt, supported by the start of the Samarco project in December, which is expected to produce between 1-2Mt.The company has retained its guidance for Australian mines at 276-286 Mt on a 100% basis, due to scheduled maintenance work at its ore handling plant and tie-in activity at the Area C mine and South-Flank mine.

Bajaj continues: “The remaining companies are expected to produce more than 600 Mt of iron ore, including FMG, whose production is expected to range between 175-180 Mt supported by its Eliwana mine that commenced operations in late December 2020, and Anglo American, which is expecting to produce between 64-67 Mt. Vale is expected to resume 40 Mt of its production capacity, taking its overall production capacity to 350 Mt in 2021, with production guidance of 315-335 Mt.”

GoviEx Uranium Announces Chirundu Mining License in Zambia has been Re-instated

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oviEx Uranium Inc is pleased to announce that it has received a letter from the Mining Cadastre Department of the Republic of Zambia notifying the Company that the previously cancelled Chirundu Mining License (12634-HQ-LML) has now been re-instated. “We are very pleased and warmly welcome the decision made by the Mining Cadastre concerning the reinstatement of the Chirundu mining license and believe this decision was well considered and in the best interests of all stakeholders both in Zambia and abroad. The Zambian Government has indicated its strategy to diversify its mining industry from the heavy weighting of base metals and advancing its longterm desire to include uranium and clean baseload nuclear power as part of its economic development plans.

exploration drilling later this year.

We look forward to advancing and deepening our long-term and mutually beneficial relationship with the Republic of Zambia,” stated GoviEx’s Executive Chairman Govind Friedland.

As the uranium market improves, the Company plans to reinvigorate the development of the Mutanga Project starting with targeted resource

The PEA reported a Net Present Value (“NPV”) at long-term uranium price of US$58/lb U3O8 and a 9% mining royalty rate, an after-tax NPV of US$112 million

The Chirundu Mining License was acquired from African Energy Resources Ltd. (ASX: AFR) in October 2017 and includes the Njame and Gwabe mineral deposits. These deposits were subsequently included with the Mutanga, Dibwe and Dibwe East deposits in the technical report titled, “NI 43-101 Technical Report on a Preliminary Economic Assessment of the Mutanga Uranium Project in Zambia”, dated November 30, 2017, prepared by SRK Consulting (UK) Limited for the Company (the “PEA”).

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(at 8% discount rate) with an internal rate of return (IRR) of 25%. The PEA is preliminary in nature, it includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the PEA will be realized.

Since acquiring the Chirundu Mining License, GoviEx has ensured all statutory reports and payments have been made, and in addition has expanded its Community and Social Responsibility programs to cover the villages within the Chirundu Mining License, including the reconstruction of a school and the commencement of an adult education program. The reinstatement of the Chirundu Mining License (12634-HQLML), is subject to completion of certain exploration and development milestones to advance the license towards final feasibility study.

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NEWS

Malawi President eyes mining as key money maker

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alawi’s President Lazarus Chakwera has announced plans to reform the country’s mining sector to boost the economy and crack down on rampant, illegal mining and mineral smuggling. Chakwera said, if properly regulated, mining could play a major role in Malawi’s economy, currently one of the poorest in Africa. Malawi’s president, in a national television address late Sunday, said a wellregulated mining sector has the potential to develop the country’s economy.

Lazarus Chakwera noted that despite a lot of mineral resources in Malawi, the sector has faced exploitation not only by foreigners but also local miners.

He gave an example of uranium mining activities in the Kayelekera area of northern Malawi, run by Australiabased company Paladin Africa, which he said did not yield the desired results.

“Although the Kayelekera sandstone uranium deposit was discovered during Malawi’s first presidency in 1982, six presidencies later our country has nothing developmental to show for it, not even in the Kayelekera community itself,” said Chakwera.

Chakwera said Malawi has issued over 250 mining licenses but has no

proper mining industry or returns to speak of. Minerals found in Malawi include uranium, gold, bauxite, coal and phosphates. The country has a proliferation of small-scale miners - most of whom are operating without a license.

In 2018 Malawi police and soldiers cracked down on a gold mining site outside the capital, Lilongwe, that was attracting foreign buyers from neighboring countries. They burnt down the mining site and shacks and also arrested some illegal miners.

Percy Maleta is the chairperson for Nyasa Mining Corporative in the capital Lilongwe. He says the minerals being mined do not generate any revenue for the country.

“We have a sector which doesn’t pay tax especially with the gold rush where we are losing a lot of land to unprofessional type of mining,” said Maleta. “When we are exporting these stones, very few stones go through the system. I wouldn’t ever be surprised to say that it is less than 10%. Most of our stones are being taken outside Malawi through unchartered routes.”

He says there is greater need to bring sanity into the industry so it can replace

Wenco acquires fatigue monitoring wearable device maker SmartCap

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enco International Mining Systems has acquired all assets and intellectual property of fatigue monitoring wearable maker SmartCap Technologies. The deal will merge fatigue monitoring capability to the safety solution portfolio of Wenco.

The SmartCap device evaluates fatigue levels in real-time and screens for oncoming microsleeps that can cause safety hazards. More than 5,000 consumers in mining, trucking, and various sectors are using the device.

Wenco noted that the SmartCap improves the workers’ ability to stay safe.

SmartCap CEO Tim Ekert said: “This purchase is an important step for the

continued growth of the SmartCap fatigue technology. We have made significant progress these past eight years and we are proud of every safety incident our technology has prevented.

“We believe joining Wenco will enable us to grow even further and increase the safety of even more industrial operations.”

Lately, Wenco and its parent company Hitachi Construction Machinery (HCM, have concentrated on solutions for simplifying and enhancing end-toend mining venture, with safety as the primary concern. SmartCap is expected to add a fatigue analysis layer for

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tobacco as Malawi’s main source of foreign exchange. Lawmaker Welani Chilenga chairs the Natural Resources Committee in Malawi parliament.

He told a local radio Monday that Malawi has enough laws to regulate the mining industry but the problem is implementing them. “As a country we have a very strong Mines and Minerals Act,” said Chilenga. “Implementation is not taking place. If the act was implemented illegal mining would not have been there. We have mine all over. We don’t have to regularize illegal mining. We should have contained according to the law. So, the government is failing to implement the existing laws which parliament passed which are the biggest problem.”

In his speech, President Chakwera said the ministry of mining will work with the police to curb illegal mining and smuggling activities. operator protection to the digital mining drive. It may be incorporated under HCM’s Solution Linkage family, the ICT/IoT solution platform for worldwide mining and construction clients made in response to high demands for enhanced safety, lifecycle cost, and output. Wenco president and CEO Andrew Pyne said: “Wenco has long been observing SmartCap’s success in enhancing safety for their customers, and we have been in regular discussion on how we can integrate our technologies to provide a comprehensive, next-generation safety solution.

“Ultimately, it was decided that bringing our technology, personnel, and business relationships together under Wenco offered the greatest opportunity for us to deliver on our mutual vision for mine safety.”

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PRODUCT & TECH

Caterpillar-Argonne partnership shifts heavy-duty engine design into higher gear

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eavy-duty diesel engines still power most large vehicles used in the construction, mining and transportation industries in the US. Engineers are working to improve the fuel efficiency of these engines while minimising pollution to reduce energy consumption and ensure the sustainability of these industries in the future. To tackle this problem, researchers at the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory joined forces with Caterpillar Inc, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of construction and mining equipment. Taking advantage of Argonne’s high-performance computing resources, researchers developed a potential piston design for Caterpillar’s engines that could improve fuel efficiency while reducing harmful emissions.

The team first created a framework to optimise combustion system design using a 3Dcomputational fluid dynamics tool called CONVERGE, developed

by Convergent Science, Inc. Merging heat transfer and combustion data derived from CONVERGE models with environmental data on soot and nitrogen oxide (NOx) production, they then ran hundreds of high-fidelity simulations to develop promising designs for piston bowls — the combustion chambers in diesel engines. Using this method, they were able to identify several designs that had the potential to improve fuel efficiency while reducing emissions. Caterpillar created prototypes of the top-performing

designs using additive manufacturing techniques to validate the model results.

“By leveraging the supercomputing resources available at Argonne, we ran very detailed simulations and also got the results much more quickly, reducing the simulation time from months to weeks,” said Chao Xu, an Argonne postdoctoral appointee leading the simulation efforts.

One particularly promising piston bowl design improved the mixing process between fuel and air. Researchers found that it could reduce fuel consumption by nearly 1%, a measurable improvement, while reducing soot by up to 20%.

“The workflow we developed will benefit everyone,” said Sibendu Som, Manager of the Computational Multi-Physics Research Section in Argonne’s Energy Systems division, who supervises the team working on the project with Caterpillar. “We are publishing our methodology so companies can use it to design new piston bowls for themselves.”

In addition to the project’s simulation innovations, one of the team’s key contributions was its development of an industry-friendly approach, which allows companies to optimise their engine designs using their own inhouse computer systems. This simplified model, based on the results of hundreds of the complex simulations, provides a similar level of accuracy while reducing the computational requirements by as

much as 40%. “It actually reduces the testing costs if we have a predictive model and optimise designs on a supercomputer. It also reduces the time industry needs to develop a product — a great benefit,” said Prithwish Kundu, a research scientist who is managing the project at Argonne.

“Our work with Argonne on this project enabled the exploration of a massive design space,” said Jon Anders, Principal Investigator and Senior Engineering Specialist in Caterpillar’s Integrated Components and Solutions division. “By working together and leveraging simulation expertise and computing resources from Argonne with manufacturing and testing expertise at Caterpillar, we were able to optimise and test a piston on a timeline that was far shorter than would have otherwise been possible.”

This research was funded by DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office and Vehicle Technologies Office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, under the High-Performance Computing for Manufacturing (HPC4Mfg) Program umbrella. The team used Argonne’s Laboratory Computing Resource Center, as well as the Mira supercomputer (now retired), operated by the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility, a DOE Office of Science User Facility.

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PRODUCT & TECH

Tracker selects IFS to enhance and expand its service offering

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racker, the largest provider of telematics-based data insights for vehicle and home monitoring services in South Africa, is continuing its digital and business transformation journey through partnering with IFS. Tracker has selected an IFS solution that spans enterprise resource planning (ERP) functionality, cutting-edge service management capabilities and AIpowered customer engagement tools.

The solution will ensure an elevated customer experience and reduce time and costs across Tracker’s entire operations. Established in 1996, Tracker’s base of more than 1,1-million active subscribers enjoy a range of services, including vehicle telematics, home solutions, roadside assistance, as well as business solutions for fleet managers.

These services provide customers with peace of mind and cost saving through a focus on safety and business efficiency.

Tracker has evolved significantly over the last 25 years thanks to a culture of continuous innovation. The company has grown into the preferred partner for turning raw vehicle tracking data into valuable insights and services. The partnership with IFS is the next step in Tracker’s digital transformation strategy.

This will provide better business insights resulting in an accelerated release of new services, improved customer engagement and experience, and Tracker being able to provide the appropriate value-adding services to its customers at the right time. Tracker has chosen a holistic IFS solution that encompasses broad functionality including finance and human capital management, cuttingedge service management capabilities and AI-powered customer engagement tools.

“As we take the next step on our digital transformation journey, we require a

platform that will enable us to connect more intimately with our stakeholders whilst still ensuring the same excellent experiences that our customers have become accustomed to,” Tracker, CTO, Deon du Rand says. “The IFS platform’s comprehensive nature and IFS’s stellar track record in the service sector were driving factors in our decision.”

Emma Murray, MD of IFS Africa, adds, “I am proud to welcome such a wellrespected brand as Tracker to the IFS community. By basing its digital transformation project on a single enterprise solution, Tracker will benefit from increased productivity and improved data quality driving better decisionmaking. IFS’s open and enabled architecture will also give Tracker total freedom in extending their capabilities to ensure they keep delivering outstanding service to their customers.”

Introducing the SOLARFLOOD Beka-Schreder announce the launch of SOLARFLOOD a solar lighting highmast solution for all area applications

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ur solar lighting high mast solution for outdoor open area and rural applications provides you with a high performing, robust option for your off-grid solar lighting requirements. The SOLARFLOOD, combined with the OMNISTAR-MINI luminaire, provides a reliable lighting solution with a high Ingress Protection level (IP 66) that withstands high ambient temperatures.

The OMNISTAR-MINI range is a sustainable off-grid performer with a superior lumen/watt ratio. Our highperforming optics allow for mounting of up to 30m, providing high-quality light where it is needed. The photovoltaic energy conversion is optimized by highly efficient Monocrystalline solar module technology. This, in conjunction with our Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) charging system and our lithium battery technology, provides a state-of-the-art

quality system, offering the required system autonomy and providing a long lasting solution to operate in any of our very challenging African environmental conditions.

Key advantages of the SOLARFLOOD include: • Designed and manufactured in South Africa, thus taking our continent’s harsh environmental conditions into account • Designed to operate reliably with a dimming profile at an optimum light output for a 12-hour period • It has sufficient autonomy to cater for up to two continuous overcast or rainy days, to continue its reliable night operation • Specific Dimming profiles for maximum output to suit your application (right light at the right

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• •

time) Specifically engineered for geographical locations in Africa Long life lithium battery technology

Whether used for high mast lighting, car parks, squares and pedestrian areas or security lighting, the SOLARFLOOD offers the ideal LED lighting solution.

For further enquiries, contact Grant Combrink at 011 238 0000 or g.combrink@beka-schreder.co.za

www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

LEDNOVA Robust and highly reliable LED bulkhead range Superior efficiency

High reliability

+27 11 238 0000 www.beka-schreder.co.za

Low maintenance

Robust

PRODUCT & TECH

Unleash the potential in your mining data with Pitram OLAP Analysis

U

sing data driven insights to improve the decision-making process has been one of the biggest trends in the mining industry over the past few years and it will continue to be a strategic priority for mining companies going forward. Understanding the role data plays at both micro and macro levels can assist in unlocking value for the business. Whilst data collection on site is important, what happens with that data next can sometimes be a challenge.

Many tools exist to help management with analysis, modelling and reporting in order to realise the value in their data. Pitram’s OLAP (Online Analytical Processing) tool is an example of this type of technology.

Pitram’s OLAP Analysis module provides users with the necessary tools to perform multidimensional analysis of operational mining data. OLAP is a powerful technology used across various industries for data discovery, reporting, complex analytics and predictive forecasting. With mining

companies required to manage large and very complex data sets, this type of technology can provide enormous value to a mining operation. The Pitram OLAP Analysis module is an extension to the wide array of standard reports that come “out of the box”, OLAP provides the ability for users to further slice and dice their data. OLAP technology has been integrated into the Pitram solution to assist mine sites to understand their key mining data and improve business intelligence. Multidimensional analysis, complex calculations, trend analyses, and sophisticated data modelling can be applied through the OLAP Analysis module. Pitram Product Strategy Manager Gareth Dean understands the importance of this type of technology in the mining industry.

“Understanding and managing minesite data can be a challenge, the Pitram OLAP module assists mine managers, engineers, geologists and analysts to perform data analysis and provides them

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with the insight and understanding they need for better decision making” he said.

The benefits of the OLAP Analysis module for Pitram users are significant.

Multidimensional analysis, trustworthy data and calculations, self-service reporting and the ability to manipulate data to identify areas of improvement assist management to increase business intelligence and improve the decision-making process. “Having a fully dedicated and integrated OLAP Analysis module within Pitram makes it easy for users to access their key mining data relating to equipment, minesite personnel and materials. “Users of the Pitram OLAP Analysis module can leverage the large amounts of data collected on site to improve key focus areas such as production, safety and mine planning” Mr. Dean added.

The OLAP module can also easily aggregate data from 3rd party sources such as Microsoft Excel and OEM systems. Utilising a familiar tool like Excel, provides a level of confidence in data delivery. Pitram’s sophisticated yet intuitive functionality makes it ideal for any mining environment. It has been implemented at more underground sites than any competitor product and is increasingly popular with sites using automated practices. The Pitram solution is backed by a global team of experienced technical specialists who work closely with Pitram users to ensure they get the most out of their software investment.

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PRODUCT & TECH

Sungrow Joins Hands with JCM Power and InfraCo to Construct Malawi’s First Solar-plus-storage Project demonstrating the pathway for clean, affordable and reliable energy for Malawi and further as a demonstration to other developing nations” said Shane Eglinton, Engineering Director of JCM Power.

S

ungrow, the global leading PV and ESS solutions supplier for renewables, has recently partnered with JCM Power, InfraCo Africa, RINA and Innovate UK to construct the Republic of Malawi’s first utility-scale solar-plus-storage project.

Located in the Dedza district of Malawi near the town of Golomoti, the 20MWac solar PV and 5MW/10MWh energy storage project is set to become a leading project in sub-Saharan Africa in demonstrating the value of solar PV coupled with energy storage.

The project will fully adopt Sungrow’s one-stop solar-plus-storage MV solution comprised of PV inverter, MV station, all-in-one Power Conversion System, battery container, and energy management system (EMS). Sungrow’s leading PV and storage technologies will be deployed to improve the availability,

reliability, and quality of the Malawi power supply through its outstanding capabilities in providing frequency regulation, voltage regulation, peak shaving, and reactive power support.

The Golomoti project, which is expected to enter operations at the end of 2021, will have all engineering, procurement and construction activities managed by JCM Power. The inclusion of lithium-ion batteries behind the meter at this scale will be a first in sub-Saharan Africa, demonstrating JCM’s position as a leader in deploying leading technologies and innovation for solar-storage projects.

“We are pleased to have selected Sungrow to supply solar inverters, transformer kiosks and a one-stop lithiumion battery energy storage solution for this pioneering project. Together, with Sungrow’s global experience and expertise, we look forward to this project

“We are extremely proud to be part of this iconic project. At the same time, we are certain that the introduction of our latest outdoor Power Conversion System solutions to the African market will boost the region’s clean-power access and economic growth,” said Phyllis Yang, the head of Sungrow Southern Africa.

After years of growth with zero security incidents, Sungrow is on the path to becoming the world’s leading supplier of ESS equipment and integrated system solutions. In 2020, thanks to its broad product portfolio and perfectly localized after-sales service network, Sungrow led Southern Africa’s PV sector with a market share over 20%.

Dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial & industrial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 24-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products power installations in over 150 countries.

Safety Stop Switch Saves Lives

T

he Model RS pull cord, manufactured by Conveyor Components Company, is a rugged safety stop control that provides a quick positive shut off of dangerous equipment in emergencies. It is actuated by a cable pulled by endangered personnel.The outputs of the Model RS can control up to four separate circuits, depending on the model chosen. These alarms can include one for machinery shutdown and one for alarm.The Model RS was developed to meet the stringent requirements of safety agencies throughout the world.

This control is designed to act as an emergency stop for conveyors and other moving machinery.

This standard housing construction is corrosion resistant cast aluminum, with an optional polyester or epoxy powder coating. The operating handle must be manually reset after the problem has been corrected.

If you would like additional information on this or other products that Conveyor Components Company offers, please

contact their sales department toll free 800-233-3233, fax 810-679-4510, e-mail: info@conveyorcomponents. com or visit their website at www. conveyorcomponents.com.

An ISO 9001 registered company.

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NEWS

CERA 4in1 and ICL Iberia announce breakthrough in cross-recognition of sustainability certification

By Ivan Closa

were selected as one of the CERA 4in1 pilot projects to test the “CERA 4in1 Performance Standard” which evaluates the responsible performance of mine activity and subsequent processes.

T

he CERA 4in1 initiative and ICL Iberia – with the support of CONFEDEM – have announced a major breakthrough in the crossrecognition of raw materials sustainability certification. The announcement follows pilot project results at ICL Iberia’s Súria & Sallent potash mine and its Súria processing plant near Barcelona, Spain.

It is a development that will provide smaller domestic producers with a clear route to meeting the sustainability requirements of international markets.

Since 2020, the CERA 4in1 initiative has been working with a range of pilot projects to actualise its mission to standardise the evaluation of sustainability for every raw material, in every country, under a single scheme. Within this mission, a framework has been developed to recognize sustainability schemes that are already been in place at operational sites.

As part of the recertification process of Súria & Sallent under the UNE 22470/22480 standard, the UNE Standard requirements were evaluated and successfully transferred to meet the majority of the performance criteria within CERA 4in1’s internationally recognised standard.

To-date, sustainability at the ICL Iberia’s Súria & Sallent mine and processing plant – which produces 4,000 kilotonnes of potash ore annually – have been evaluated using the UNE 22470/22480 Standard, Spain’s national technical standard, which is not known in a broader international context, but has now been recognised through the CERA 4in1 framework. Súria & Sallent

Commenting on the significance of this achievement, Dr Andreas Hucke, Project Director, CERA 4in1, said: “From the outset, CERA 4in1 set out to harmonise the way the raw materials value chain ensures the sustainability of its processes, products and linkages – a constant headache for the industry.

CERA 4in1 has made a major step in cross recognition, opening the door for other individual standards to receive international accreditation.”

Commenting on the pilot project, Carles Aleman, President of ICL Iberia, said: “Reaching a sustainable mining has been one of ICL Iberia’s top priorities in recent years. We are certain that working with the CERA4in1 Standard will not only help us meet our sustainability goals, but also lead the entire industry toward a more sustainable future”.

The CERA 4in1 Performance Standard criteria was first published as a working model in April 2019, before being presented and initially discussed during the CERA 4in1 stakeholder workshop at the EIT Raw Materials Summit in Berlin in May 2019. Following this audit, the Súria & Sallent mine and processing plant will now aim to achieve full CERA 4in1 certification as soon as practicable.

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A. H. L U N D B E R G S Y S T E M S L I M I T E D

Engineered Process Solutions

INTRODUCTION

. . . .The product is greater than the sum of its parts.

From modest beginnings in 1954, A.H. Lundberg Systems has evolved into a leading designer of environmental systems, energy optimization, chemical handling, and process engineering services to power, resource, and processing industries.

W e are a Canadian company with corporate offices located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Through our Vancouver office and our agents, we provide custom designed process equipment and engineered solutions to industrial enterprises worldwide. Continuous involvement in limited areas permit us to offer specialized services utilizing the latest state-of-the-art technology in our process equipment designs.

W orking with A.H. Lundberg Systems means working with a company that takes care of every aspect of a project. W e understand how integrated systems can interact and how they may affect one another. Building upon years of experience, we continually provide new solutions to plant needs, expanding on what has been done before.

A.H. Lundberg Systems’ capabilities do not stop with process knowledge. W e have the resources to perform every element of an EPC project, tailoring our scope and project team to meet the specific needs of the client, looking carefully at every aspect to find the best fit and develop the most cost effective solution. The ability to adjust our scope to meet project needs allows our clients to efficiently utilize existing plant resources and expertise in conjunction with ours.

Our innovative ways include not only what we do, but also how we do it. Our knowledge gives us the flexibility to adjust the system design, or the implementation of the project, to provide the customized solution required.

The proper scoping of a project, the ability to tie multiple systems together that are diverse, yet interrelated, and building the proper project team are all ingredients assuring overall success. W e are committed to the goal of providing a technically advanced, high quality, economical, safe and reliable installation.

A.H. LUNDBERG SYSTEMS LIMITED 5118 JOYCE STREET, SUITE 300 VANCOUVER, B.C., CANADA V5R 4H1

PHONE: 604-629-5599 * FAX: 604-629-5199 * E-MAIL: sales@ahlundberg.com * WEB PAGE: www.ahlundberg.com 00b_06-10-2016

EVENT

Mining Indaba expands the Advisory Board for 2022

• • •

Finance & Business Development – Base Metals, Vale Dr Nombasa Tsengwa, CEODesignate & MD – Minerals, Exxaro Resources Fortune Mojapelo, CEO, Bushveld Minerals Rohitesh Dhawan, President & CEO, ICMM

Finance & Investment Committee • John Startin, Senior MD, Evercore • Jerry Agyeman-Boateng, Executive Director & Head – Global Subsidiaries, Standard Chartered Bank • Colin Hamilton, MD Capital Markets, BMO • Nivaash Singh, Co-Head: Mining & Resources, Nedbank CIB • James Wellsted, Senior Vice President – Investor Relations, Sibanye-Stillwater

A

ustralian based company, Kinder Australia, are pleased to welcome their exclusive agent Mngeniseni “Lucky” Nkosi. Enhancing their growing list of international partners, Lucky is based in Felixton and can service South African bulk handling sites. He brings an impressive set of technical skills and is well acquainted with the servicing and maintenance of conveyors. Investing in African Mining Indaba (Mining Indaba), organised by Hyve Group Plc announced the newly expanded Advisory Board last week. The strategic committee includes distinguished finance, technology, sustainability, mining operations, policy, and governance leaders whose focus will be to shape and guide the priorities of the conference.

“Designed to reflect the true voice of the industry in shaping the purpose and agenda, this is an important milestone for Mining Indaba,” said Tom Quinn, Head of Content, Mining Indaba. “We carefully curated this Board to include industry experts whose collective experience ensures the conference has the guidance it needs to navigate its way in the mining industry”.

and ambitions of governments, investors, and businesses in Africa’s mining sector for Mining Indaba to continue being the event created by the industry for the industry. The Board of CEOs and leaders will bring formidable prestige to Mining Indaba, and is projected to meet on a formal basis, building on the already existing relationships, through yearly meetings in South Africa, alongside weekly conference calls.

Joining the newly established board includes: Executive Committee • Mpho Makwana, Co-Chair, Investing in African Mining Indaba • Tom Quin, Head of Content & CoChair, Investing in African Mining Indaba International & South Africa Committee • Frans Baleni, Former General Secretary, National Union of Mineworkers • Noluthando Gosa, Founder/ NonExecutive Director, Akhona Group/ Investec Asset Management • Tony Carroll, International Advisor, Investing in African Mining Indaba

Sustainability Committee • Daniel Litvin, Founder & CEO, Critical Resource • Estelle Levin-Nally, Founder & CEO, Levin Sources • Bady Baldé, Deputy Executive & Africa Director, EITI • Naseem Cholan, EVP – Sustainable Development, Gold Fields Mining Operations & Technology Committee • Cyrille Mutombo, DRC Country Manager, Barrick Gold • Patrick Murphy, President – Rock Drills & Technologies, Sandvik • Mohamed Cisse, Manager – Technical Services & Automation, Resolute Mining • Roland Ehrl, Global Head Minerals Solutions Business, Siemens • Clive Govender, CEO & Founder, CGC Consulting & ADAPT Digital Solutions

CEO & Leadership Committee • Roger Baxter, CEO, Minerals Council South Africa • Errol Smart, CEO, Orion Minerals • Deshnee Naidoo, Director of

Policy & Governance Committee • Jorgen Sandstorm, Head of Mining & Metals Industry, World Economic Forum • Alex Buck, Managing Director, Women in Mining • Sven Renner, Program Manager EGPS Trust Fund, World Bank • Tebello Chabana, Senior Executive – Public Affairs & Transformation, Minerals Council South Africa • Dr. Anthony Costa, Investment Mobilisation Programme Lead, Industrial Development Corporation

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With combined years of expertise spanning the sector, the Advisory Board will play a valuable role in guiding strategic decisions to help strengthen Mining Indaba’s commitment to the sector. Whilst, linking leaders in the PanAfrican mining sector to identify the goals

FEATURE

How to mine the future with Illumiti ERP solutions T o build and run a successful mining operation has never been more complicated – sustainability, workforce management, supply chain constraints, and community engagement are constant challenges. Those needs come on top of the standard finance, procurement, inventory and maintenance needs shared by all operators. And the future looks even more challenging.

Fortunately, Illumiti enables better business outcomes with cost-effective, digital solutions to enterprise resource planning (ERP) that harness the power of the cloud and puts improved productivity at the operator’s fingertips. Illumiti does this by taking SAP software and tailoring it to the core activities common at all mines and mills. By digitizing the core, process efficiencies are gained, decision making is improved, costs are controlled, revenues grow, and employees are empowered. “No matter where in the world they are, most mines perform core processes in the same manner – finance, procurement, inventory and maintenance,” Illumiti’s head of its mining division Rory Friedman told The Northern Miner.

“Our goal is to leverage industry best practices and implement a system as quickly and responsibly as possible.

This accelerates time to value and gives various stakeholders visibility into what is actually happening, giving them a platform to continuously improve over time.”

Companies setting out to establish ERP protocols for their sites often fall into the trap of thinking that they have to create the perfect system. Such an approach necessitates making hundreds of decisions upfront and taking as long as two years before improvements to the business are seen, he said.

Instead, Illumiti has created a modular template with the necessary processes

common to all mine and mill operations.

“The solution is 80% pre-built,” Friedman said. “This allows us to focus our efforts on the 20% that may be unique to a particular operation.”

Implementation of the template can take as little as 12 to 16 weeks. The software is generally introduced as early as the post feasibility study, before construction begins. The modular nature of the template means that the capabilities needed earliest can be implemented first and additional capabilities added as the mining operation matures. By the time production starts, the core modules are in place and customized to the unique needs of the project.

“You learn by doing and by using,” Friedman said. “Our goal is to implement the templated solution and make it perfect as you use it. You focus on what you actually need, not on what you think you need.”

He likens implementing ERP to building a house. Once the elements common to all houses – the foundation, roof, electrical and plumbing – are in place, owners can move in. Then the focus moves to interior design and decorating to create a unique space.

The benefits of using ERP software What Illumiti offers is a platform to get a business system running very, very quickly and implementing more efficiencies earlier.

Entering data is done on a tablet in the field. A maintenance superintendent can walk through the mill, for example, and pull up history on a piece of equipment, see if parts are available, and generate a maintenance request. Gone are the days of returning to the office (which may be miles away) and entering data manually from notes jotted on paper.

The digitized approach helps eliminate

errors that may creep in when a second party is entering data. This frees the supervisor or manager to become more of a problem solver because he/she can look at the operation as a whole and trust the software to organize the data.

“We can knock down the silos between finance, supply chain and maintenance.

This allows our clients to create better integrations between stakeholders across a business process creating holistic efficiencies and thereby streamlining the operation,” he added.

Process automations and machine learning can be leveraged in a variety of areas, one of which is to scan incoming accounts payable (AP) invoices quickly and accurately then allowing the system to perform a three-way match against goods or services received. This frees up staff to manage by exception and focus on analysis of data as opposed to data entry.

Gone are the days of extracting data into multiple spreadsheets and performing various analyses. Using the standard embedded key performance indicators (KPIs), SAP allows a business to set targets across process chains and also perform peer comparisons setting the stage for improvement. Because all the data is in one system, drilling down to get necessary information and understanding the root cause of a problem is simpler with ad hoc reporting and advanced analytical capabilities.

In simplest words, the tools are now available to allow the business to focus its time on decision making as opposed to key stroking. The modular implementation model is gaining a global following. Illumiti has already helped miners in 35 countries around the world reap the benefits of a faster, leaner approach to digitization.

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FEATURE

Underground mining support vehicles Vehicles of Greener, Safer, More Cost effective and Productive Underground Operations While OEMS of underground support vehicles are pulling all the stops to address current and urgent needs of mine operators in the area of reducing emissions, improved safety, low operating costs and productivity, clearly, ‘constant innovation’ is the operative word for their products to remain relevant and meet demand.

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ining activity is migrating deep level -even ultra-deep - in search of valuable ore-bearing rock, as far as recent projects in African precious and base metals sector go. And so, to excel in this environment, mining companies require the most appropriate equipment to ensure safe, productive and cost-effective operations. And, as critical equipment in underground mining environment, mining support vehicles are no exception. Commonly, underground support vehicle categories include but may not be isolated to the following - agitators, motor graders, personnel

carriers, delivery trucks, service trucks, water cannons, water tanks, among other specialised equipment.

Product relevance Underground support vehicles is one arena where OEMs are going all-out to deliver the more relevant products to mine operators, who are very particular about their needs. Of course, the question is whether or not they are rising to the challenge. Thus, in a bid to establish this, recently, First Mining DRC-Zambia conducted a survey amongst select OEMs to establish contemporary preferences

for underground support vehicles used in different mining applications. The OEMs are involved in the design, engineering, manufacturing and support of equipment for the global underground mining market.

An interesting trend has emerged from the exercise. Though they produce a wide range of brands for mining companies, the OEMs declare that, through their vehicles, mine operators would be able to improve safety and productivity, reduce emissions as well as minimise operating costs, which in recent years have been skyrocketing.

Meeting expectations Conspicuously, what stands out are common features in the vehicles, which indicate OEMs efforts to address industry’s requirements in the four critical areas, thanks to meticulous design and engineering.

do uprated axels, simple drive train seen in some vehicles improve productivity, they also reduce maintenance and operation costs.

Ultimately, less requirement for maintenance increases equipment availability, which results in increased productivity.

•

•

Productivity ‘Increasing productivity’ is the catchphrase in contemporary environment, and mines are only eager to acquire machinery that can enable them to realise this objective.

And on their part, OEMs have been responding to this need through different productivity-enhancing innovations, as different features in vehicles illustrate.

One area where productivity-enhancing feature is manifest is in graders. For instance, deploying a grader with a shortened wheel base and a lower profile for haul road maintenance can increase productivity and reduce operational costs in a mine’s production fleet. This can be seen in one top OEM’s grader can manoeuvre in a tighter turning circle and reach areas that a standard grader cannot. It is hard to fail to notice that remote operation has become a standard as can in another OEM’s dual-application water cannon. The water cannon has a wireless remote-operated telescopic boom with a high-pressure water cannon for washing down valuable ore fines and blast material blockages. This ensures that the machine can be operated at higher cycle times and speeds.

The other common features in ground support vehicles are uprated solid axels, simple drivetrain and ove designed chasis. This improves vehicle performance movement. Also, to handle the extreme temperature in underground mines, vehicles have spacious and climate-controlled cabins to create ideal conditions for operator comfort. In such an environment, operators can be able to work effectively.

•

Reduced running costs (reduction of maintenance and operation costs) Various features in underground vehicles can enable mines to reduce vehicle maintenance and operating costs, especially through fuel-efficiency and high machine availability. Using vehicles with fuel-efficient engines can contribute towards reducing vehicle operating costs.

This is quite significant considering that, estimates say, energy constitutes about a third of a mine’s operating costs. Not only

Safety Legislation on Mining health and Safety – in South Africa the Mining Health and Safety Act (MHSA) comes to mind – stipulates that operator safety is paramount in the vehicles. To help mines comply with this, mines have a number of safety-enhancing features.

A hardbody with Roll Over Protection Standard (ROPS) and Fall Over Protection Standard (FOPS) certification is standard. WR810 is a case in point, with a cabin Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) are certified to ISO 3471:2008 and a Falling Object Protective Structure (FOPS) certified to ISO 3449:2005.

These features give assurances that the operator is protected in the event of a fall over or roll-over accident.

Another safety feature is tag in/out all engine and machine isolation functions which are safely accessible at ground level. Besides, Collision avoidance Systems (CAS) have been incorporated in vehicles to mitigate the risk of head-on collision as a measure to ensure enhance operator separator.

Last but not least, to mitigate the high risk of fire, the vehicles have integrated fire suppression systems. Similarly, the

use of fire-resistant wiring is becoming popular.

•

Reducing emissions Emission reduction has been prioritised in the vehicles to comply with legislation obligating mines to reduce diesel particulate emissions from vehicle engine combustion to protect the health of mineworkers underground.

It is noteworthy that the World Health Organisations (WHO) categorises Diesel Particulate Matter as a carcinogen with cancer-causing properties. That’s why, effective filter products are in engines are a must. Furthermore, through reduced fuel consumption, the engines produce less emissions.

It is hard to ignore growing interest in the adoption of Battery-operated Electric Vehicles (BEV)in underground mines.

BEVs are punted as the ‘greener’ option to diesel engine powered vehicles.

Already, as First Mining DRC-Zambia hears, some mines have placed orders from manufacturers.

Constant innovation While OEMS are pulling all the stops to address current and urgent needs of mine operators in the area of reducing emissions, improved safety, low operating costs and productivity, clearly, ‘constant innovation’ is the operative word for their products to remain relevant and meet demand. Preferences in mines are changing rapidly as the operating environment is prompting adoption of new means of managing operations.

ADVERTORIAL

WR810 water cannon exceeds expectation

comprising a 6m3 agitator, scissor lift, fuel & lube, and delivery configurations.

UG20K and UG20M Grade control Elphinstone identified an opportunity to expand their growing range of underground support vehicles by including a haul road maintenance vehicle, based on the Caterpillar 120K and 120M surface grader platforms.

The role of the underground grader is to create safe, consistent access throughout the underground tunnel network and ensure adequate drainage.

Quality haul road maintenance ensures all production, support and light vehicles can move freely in a safe and controlled manner with optimal efficiency. The added benefit is increased production equipment tyre life and speed on grade.

The Elphinstone WR810 Underground Water Cannon

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ince the founder, Dale Elphinstone, started modifying Cat surface mining equipment to suit underground applications in 1975, the Elphinstone name has been synonymous with underground mining.

The company has developed and released six new underground support vehicles in the last 24 months with the first production units already operating in North America, South America, and Australia.

In 2020, Elphinstone identified an opportunity to trial an Elphinstone WR810 Underground Water Cannon in a mine in Victoria, Australia. Exceeding expectations, the dual application machine has significantly increased the recovery of high-grade ore at the mine.

The operators were very impressed with the ergonomically designed, spacious 3-person ROPS/FOPS cabin, access to controls, ease of operation, and the lighting arrangement, reported by the customer to be “the best they have ever seen on an underground machine”. The machine’s primary purpose is to wash down valuable ore fines by reaching into the stope using a high-pressure water cannon mounted to a telescopic boom.

In addition, the machine’s rear and side sprays are used for dust suppression and maintenance of haul roads.

“The trial was so successful it secured a sale for Elphinstone through William Adams and potential opportunities for future orders” - Tim Waller, Elphinstone Regional Sales The optional wireless controller allows the operator to position the 8m telescopic boom from a safe remote location. The operator controls the side and rear sprays for dust suppression from the cabin. Other features include a proven Caterpillar power train, all-wheel drive, oscillating hitch, heavy-duty axles and fingertip-controlled electromagnetic brake retarder for downhill haulage. The WR810 10-t nominal base platform is highly configurable with applications

Elphinstone acquired the IP for the UG20M and UG20K underground graders from Ground Force and further refined the existing platforms to ensure compliance and performance in the harsh and demanding environment.

In addition to Elphinstone’s renowned operator safety and ergonomic features, a robust rearguard provides rear protection whilst a front counterweight balances the machine.

An optional shortened gooseneck frame and moldboard improves the operation and manoeuvrability of the machine.

This adjustment increases the turning radius with the standard articulation features of the grader. The redesign of the moldboard lift cylinders and exhaust complete the conversion to a low-profile configuration.

Units are operating on the ground in Canada, Argentina, Chile, Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and USA.

The Elphinstone UG20K Underground Motor Grader

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WR810 VERSATILITY & MACHINE COMMONALITY

LED OPERATION LIGHTING

APPLICATION SPECIFIC CAB DIAL CONTROL FOR RETARDER ON OPERATORS ARM REST

3-SEAT ENCLOSED CABIN CLIMATE CONTROLLED ROPS/FOPS CERTIFIED FOR SUPERIOR OPERATOR COMFORT (OPTIONAL)

REAR WINDOW GUARD (OPTIONAL)

EXHAUST OPTIONS TO 5 -SPEED POWERSHIFT TIER 3 OR TIER 4 FINAL SUIT ENGINE PACKAGES TRANSMISSION ENGINE (OPTIONAL) FIRE SUPPRESSION ACTUATION (OPTIONAL)

FIRE RESISTANT WIRING AND HEATSHIELDS

BOLT-ON RADIATOR COVER

ENCLOSED BATTERY COMPARTMENT

HYDRAULIC OIL TANK (RHS)

SWING OUT RADIATOR GRILL PROVIDES EASY ACCESS FOR CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE

MACHINE LIFTING POINTS (RED)

WHEEL CHOCKS X2 CENTRE FRONT MACHINE RETRIEVAL POINTS (RED)

EMERGENCY STOP MACHINE TIE DOWN POINTS

3-PIECE WHEEL RIMS

WR810 Underground Water Cannon

ARTICULATION STEERING LOCK

FRONT SUSPENSION (OPTIONAL) MACHINE ISOLATION ADJACENT TO OPERATORS CABIN

OSCILLATING HITCH FOR OPERATOR COMFORT

GROUND LEVEL ACCESS TO ALL FILTER AND SERVICE POINTS

WR810 Underground Agitator 6m 3

FORWARD TILTING CAB ELECTRO-MAGNETIC BRAKING RETARDER

WR810 Underground Fuel & Lube

The WR810 is designed with safety as a priority.

Serviceability means more time for production.

The cabin structure features a Rollover Protective Structure (ROPS) certified to ISO 3471:2008 and a Falling Object Protective Structure (FOPS) certified to ISO 3449:2005.

Forward tilting cabin, swing out radiator grill, hinged bonnet and exhaust module make regular maintenance quick and easy. Easy access to daily service points increases the likelihood that maintenance will be done resulting in increased machine service life. In addition, less maintenance time means more working time and greater productivity.

All engine and machine isolation functions are conveniently located on one panel accessible from ground level. Switches have been designed to incorporate the requirement for the site tag in/out machine isolation process.

Handrails are fitted standard in accordance with ISO 2867:2011. All handrails are painted green and designed for 3-point access to cab and machine.

Full hydraulic controlled steering via opposed cylinders at the oscillating hitch. Secondary emergency steering is also provided as standard.

Steps and grab handles positioned for 3-point contact are standard for easy access to the service and operation areas. Ground level servicing access allows convenient servicing to tanks, filters, lubrication points and compartment drains.

Bolt-on guards offer protection to critical components and are easily removable for servicing. Removable floor plates and side plate allow access to components under the cab.

elphinstone.com

COVER STORY

Digital Transformation in Mining I n recent years, the world has witnessed a rapid increase in the consumption of commodities. This is due to the rising trends in urbanisation and industrialisation. The Mining, Minerals, and Metals (MMM) industry play a critical role in this growth. In fact, according to U.S. Geological Survey (2017), It is estimated that each person uses more than 11,000 kilograms of new non-fuel minerals found in everyday products like medicine, buildings, vehicles, homes, electronic gadgets, etc. Commodity consumption therefore continues to be a significant driver for the Mining, Minerals and Metals industry.

Customers The mining industry has experienced many challenges over the last few decades with regards to productivity.

The constant change in technology has disrupted industries and businesses around the world. They are now being forced to accept this new reality rather quickly. However, the advantages of adopting new technologies are immeasurable and have a tremendous potential to deliver exceptional value for those willing to adopt.

Endress+Hauser offer a broad range of devices with Heartbeat Technology to help optimise mining processes.

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According to McKinsey research, mining operations are as much as 28 percent less productive today than a decade ago. McKinsey also states that the profitability of mining over the past three years has decreased. However, the adoption of new technologies and the implementation of digitalisation can help mines to reduce complexities, improve overall productivity and optimise operational performance.

Heartbeat Technology breathes life into your devices: • Devices continuously show their status: from the sensor to the output signal

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You receive a diagnostic coverage up to 98% Full texts give clear guidelines on what to do Everything at a glance: Efficient maintenance according to actual needs You increase the availability of your plant and avoid unplanned shutdowns

Real-time data for smooth mining operations What does this mean for your engineer on site? The engineer will now be able to commission, run diagnostics or perform verification tests without physically touching the device. This leads to flexibility in mining operations, increased productivity, greater safety, and lowering costs.

While productivity globally has declined, the harnessing of data and the utilisation of automated systems offers the potential to enhance the productivity, efficiency,

Source: https://www.usgs.gov/energy-and-minerals/mineral-resources-program/science/ -we-take-minerals-granted?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects.

Source: https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/metals-and-mining/our-insights/productivity-in-mining-operations-reversing-the-downwardtrend#:~:text=Worldwide%20mining%20operations%20are%20as,according%20to%20new%20McKinsey%20research.

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and safety of mining operations into the future. Therefore, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is transforming industries across the world. The Mining industry is in a prime position to benefit from the adoption of digital technology across its operations. There is no longer any need to wait, because the technology has now matured and is ready to be implemented.

How to ingrate IIoT into your plant?

Netilion is a cloud service offered by Endress+Hauser, which demonstrates the intelligent utilisation of data and information from field instrumentation.

While the data already exists, the Netilion applications allow users to take advantage of it, with the Netilion cloud-based ecosystem, which enables intelligent and connected applications for the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

When combined with Heartbeat technology and Netilion applications, this data enables predictive maintenance.

The information also provides an indication of operational reliability and process safety. Since the instruments automatically monitor their own condition, manual inspection cycles can be reduced.

Exploit the potential of IIoT and Heartbeat • Combine monitoring data with the Endress+Hauser Predictive Analytics app to calculate the optimum date for maintenance

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When maintenance is due, you get notified by a message via your smartphone Connect the data with other business processes via cloud to automatically place a purchase order via e-procurement Automatic delivery to your operation site at an optimal date for exchange Integrate data of your devices with different fields of applications

Automate your processes and analysis while saving money Within the MMM industry, digitalisation transforms key aspects at every step of the value chain. Digital transformation in mining connects people, technology and processes to achieve strategic transformation,

and

also

places

organisations ahead of competition.

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FEATURE

Hybrid satellite communications Seamless Communications for Mining Operations Via Satellite If well deployed, multiple satellite networks and terrestrial connections, which act as the single point of contact for the entire network, through seamless communications, can achieve high end to end performance in any mining environment worldwide.

By Nick Barnes t is hard to ignore the rise to prominence of satellite-terrestrial hybrid connectivity as one of the critical enablers of efficient communications in modern remote mining areas in the past decade. Interestingly, this is the face of other ‘tried and tested’ conventional techniques which enjoy wide usage.

Satellite-terrestrial hybrid connectivity involves the combination of Very Small Aperture Terminal (VSAT), and terrestrial services, based on either Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) or Post Office Protocol (POP). With keen interest, it is hard to resist the urge to find out what is behind this phenomenon. When asked about what could be driving increase in the adaptation of satellite-terrestrial hybrid -enabled communications in a survey, providers of hybrid satellite communications packages more or less pointed to similar factors.

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The need for reliable communications The significance of satellite-terrestrial hybrid communications becomes better understood when one looks at the need for reliable communications to drive operations and how the satellite as a means fills void. Reliable connectivity gives decision makers in mining companies the ability to make effective and timely decisions.

In particular, reliable communications serves a number of critical purposes in mining operations, mainly: • Enabling the connection of mines, which are located in remote areas, to the outside world as well as machine to machine networks; • Improving site safety and security;

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Facilitating the provision of internet access.

Perfect fit for communications in mines Providers of satellite-terrestrial hybrid communications, share the view that satellite would be perfect fit for the scattered nature of Africa’s mining operations, mainly due to the following factors: Short lead time; No need for infrastructure; and connection of scattered operations under a single platform. i. No need for costly infrastructure There is no need for time-consuming and frustrating process of developing land-based infrastructure. This makes satellite communications comparatively cost effective. ii. Short lead time By eliminating the need for costly landbased infrastructure, satellite offers the benefit of a short lead time. In this way, it enables a mining company to have efficient and cost-effective communications.

iii. Single management hub (no need for infrastructure) Broadband internet, delivered through satellite, connects scattered mining operations together under a single management hub. This is possible through uniting high-capacity very small aperture terminal (VSAT)/MSS Satellite connectivity resources to provide a single, seamless network experience.

For instance, through MPLS connection, a mine can be able to get satellite connectivity between production sites and hybrid satellite/terrestrial connectivity to its headquarters in the UK. What mines would need The service providers indicate that mines operating in remote areas with poor signal would need the following to fully exploit the benefits of broadband satellite internet: the assurance of more broadband, single provider for all terrestrial and hybrid networks, and most of all reliability. Most importantly, mine operators need the confidence of assistance, should there be any issue with connectivity.

More relevant and integral If well deployed, multiple satellite networks and terrestrial connections, which act as the single point of contact for the entire network, through seamless communications, can achieve high end to end performance in any mining environment worldwide. What makes satellite communications all the more relevant is that currently mining is undergoing a revolution, with equipment automation becoming integral, and advanced communications is pivotal.

The world leader in industrial private LTE networks

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ADVERTORIAL

Transforming the future of mining for Africa James Trevelyan, SVP, Enterprise and Emerging Marketing, Speedcast

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ining in Africa is now starting to recover from the global pandemic, with GlobalData predicting gold production in the western part of the continent will see a significant rise this year in growth. Therefore, it is imperative operators utilize the power of digital transformation to revolutionize their operations and bounce back as strongly as possible. Mining has long been an uncertain sector in Africa but coupled with the global economic downturn and the falling prices of metal and oil prices, it needs a drastic shift.

Technology is the answer With mine sites vast and spread across a large area, whether open bit or below ground, the Connected Mine builds upon the essential communication needed for day-to-day operations. It layers digital systems and applications over the top to provide a complete digital transformation.

The systems put in place can be leveraged to boost productivity of both workers and resources. Sensors placed on mining equipment and other applications enable

ADVERTORIAL

huge amounts of data to be collected, which can then be sophistically analysed to reveal any operational bottlenecks and cost inefficiencies. Technology, such as autonomous haulage and drilling systems, has been shown to have an immediate impact, achieving higher utilization, resulting in more engine hours and more tons of material to be moved per day. Due to their programmed nature, tire life is also significantly improved with vehicle collisions and sidewall punctures being completely avoided. Analytics can also generate predictive maintenance schedules so equipment can be swiftly taken offline at a convenient time and serviced without causing the need for a major breakdown bringing operations to a stop.

Digital twin technology can transform how companies operate even further.

Using data from every device, sensor and application within the mine, it is possible to create a digital replica which is kept up to date with data flowing in from the field in real-time. This enables any proposed changes or additions to the site to be tested with a great deal of accuracy before physical on site implementation.

This technology is being adopted at a rapid rate, as operators save millions of dollars by eliminating any errors prior to installation.

Mining has long been one of the most world’s most dangerous professions. The Connected Mine drastically improves safety as the most hazardous jobs can be performed autonomously, keeping staff out of harms away. Meanwhile, work site surveillance provided via video CCTV systems and analytics play a key role in keeping employees safe, as unlike human supervisors, cameras and data processing platforms never sleep or get distracted.

The health of people living near the mine is equally important. The same surveillance and analytic capabilities enable mines to monitor their environmental impact and take pre-emptive action to prevent harm to nearby communities. Technology offers significant opportunities for mines across Africa to transform their operations and boost performance.

High-quality connectivity is essential The Connected Mine can only be successful if there is robust, reliable connectivity. This places special

requirements on the network and requires a fully managed service that can seamlessly integrate a mix of communication technologies, including microwave, Wi-Fi and satellite services.

It also needs to be intelligent and able to dynamically select the best price performance at any time to avoid stranded capacity or transmission bottlenecks.

The network must also be able to deliver extreme uptime and be highly secure to protect the sensitive information that is always being transmitted. It also needs to support critical enterprise applications such as e-learning to remote management and have installation services, field maintenance and technical support accessible worldwide.

Incorporating private LTE solutions such as the Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC), provided by Speedcast, will enable a private wireless network that can support every application and system operating within any mine, regardless of the environment or remoteness. To enable smart manufacturing, predictive maintenance, remote operations and machine-to-machine communication, a high-quality network is essential.

Success for the long term With mining starting to recover from COVID-19 in Africa, it is now a good time for operators to embrace digital transformation and the benefits it can bring. With remote management more of a priority now than ever before, it is imperative they look at incorporating the Connected Mine to totally rejuvenate their processes with increased productivity and safety.

To do this successfully, they need solutions that guarantee high quality communications and connectivity to manage all of the applications running at the mine and ensure access to the outside world for vital information, entertainment and news. This will protect the recovery of Africa’s mining industry with technology affording greater efficiency and return on investment alongside all the benefits remote management, automation and detailed insights can provide. The operators that utilize technology today, will guarantee their success for the long term and be one step ahead of their competitors at what is a crucial time for the industry.

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Amos-17 C-Band

FEATURE

Copper, Africa’s oil?

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ntil now, professionals in the mining sector thought that the charismatic Robert Friedland, CEO of Ivanhoe Mines, which is developing the Kamoa-Kakula copper megaproject in the DRC, was simply looking out for his best interests when he presented copper as the ‘metal of the future’ at his investor conferences.

Copper is currently trading at around $9,500 per tonne in London, which is already its highest price in a decade. A year ago in April, it was selling at below $5,000 per tonne, the same price it was going for in November 2015 and October 2016.

Anton Löf, a metals market specialist at the Stockholm-based RMG Consulting, agrees for the most part with Goldman Sachs’ analysis. “The transition to a lowcarbon economy cannot happen without copper, which is both a key electrical conductor – far more efficient than other metals such as aluminium – and a crucial component for solar and wind power plants, electric vehicles and batteries, as well as energy-efficient buildings,” he says. But while it takes about 10 years to get a copper project off the ground and three to five years to expand an existing

mine, according to this specialist, there are not enough sites in operation or in the pipeline to meet the inevitable explosion in demand.

The irony of it all “The environmental regulations for producing copper are also becoming increasingly strict, which makes it more expensive to produce,” he says. Even though the current price is higher than in the past, it is not enough to make all mines profitable, which has led to a decrease in investment in the industry.

The Swedish analyst also notes the irony of having, on the one hand, financial partners who are reluctant to support copper mining on the grounds of environmental and social risks, while at the same time championing an energy transition that requires its widespread use.

transition, as it is used to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles.

Another significant advantage, for companies based in the African copper belt, is that they have easier access than South America to Asian markets – especially China – thanks to logistics that are geared towards the major Indian Ocean ports of Dar es Salam and Durban, from where ore is shipped.

Finally, the cost of smelting ore – which transforms copper concentrate into pure ore – is currently very low, which benefits African producers who do not have foundries on site. They can therefore send concentrate to China to process at a lower cost. “It is currently more profitable to invest in mine expansion than in foundries,” says Löf.

According to Löf, the African copper belt, which straddles the DRC and Zambia, should be the main region of the world – with South America to a lesser extent – to benefit from renewed interest from investors. Many of the African deposits – particularly in the DRC – contain not only copper, but also cobalt, which is another mineral that is crucial to the energy

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FEATURE

Industrial degreasers for mining equipment Informed Degreaser Choice, Optimum Equipment Performance Oil and industrial lubricants can be a double-edged sword - good when they keep machinery operating and production going, on the one hand; and on the other bad (a liability) when greasy surfaces attract dirty and contaminants. A suitable degreaser has to be used to clean the affected areas. Decisions on purchasing a product have to be informed by correct data on exact needs.

By Nick Barnes

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ith mining activity truly on the upswing, it is unavoidable for unwanted grease, tar, oils, hydraulic fluid, cutting fluids, corrosion inhibitors and other greasy build-up to get stuck on engine components or equipment. Cleaning using heavy-duty degreasers is a technique commonly used in mining. Nonetheless, as it has been established, the quality of the degreasers used can have a huge bearing on effectiveness of the cleaning process. Unfortunately, there are many implications for using cheap or unproven products – at best, a poor cleaning job, or more time spent on cleaning, resulting in loss of productivity due to equipment unavailability, at worst.

And so, consistently, hard but rational decisions that are good for business have to be made.

First Mining DRC - Zambia sifted information from product managers of suppliers of heavy-duty degreasers to mines in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to find out what properties of products would perform better cleaning job in contemporary mining conditions.

Eventually, what emerged is that legislation obligates mine operators to use high-quality industrial degreasers that are both safe (do not contain elements that can cause harm to employees handling them), as well as environmentally friendly (as lubricating grease contains additives and petroleum oils generally considered contaminants).

So, environmentally-friendly degreasers are preferred or highly recommended,

not least at a time when Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) has become part of the DNA of business operations.

Degreasing a necessity, not a costly distraction Before delving into what would make good degreasers for the current mining conditions it is important to ask: Is degreasing a distraction to production a mine operator can do without?

Of course, when production is at its peak, it is very tempting for plant engineers with an eye on increasing productivity to ignore the grease and grime on components, nonchalantly ‘business as usual’. Routine maintenance sacrificed in hot pursuit of profit. However, inevitably, there is a price to pay, sooner or later.

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FEATURE

influence a decision. So, it is best to look at the merits and demerits of both of these two options. Of course, solely on environmental friendliness grounds, solvent degreasers, which use chemical formulations, won’t be recommended. Solvent degreasers contain volatile organic compounds which dissolve grease and remove stubborn contaminants from parts and equipment. However, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) they contain are regarded as extremely hazardous.

For instance, if inhaled, the fumes the degreasers produce are harmful. Also, many solvent degreasers are flammable.

Effects of grease and grime on equipment When small bits of grease and grime are ignored, and left to accumulate, they create conditions for a myriad of challenges that, in most cases, are difficult to address.

These challenges include and may not be isolated to: • Engine or hydraulic leaks going unnoticed; • Contaminants causing workplace safety hazards like fires or injuries to operator; • Slowing down machinery, causing abrasion that degrades performance of equipment like pumps as metals gets scored; • Reduce the value and life of equipment; • Inspection failures and fines, even legal action; • High energy consumption. An area which Peter Crossen, VP of the Maintenance and Partsmaster Innovation Platform at NCH Europe, in the journal, Engineer Live, observes: “Something seemingly insignificant as 0.25mm of dirt on a heating exchange coil can lead to a 40% increase in electricity usage, which in turn drives up operation costs for businesses.”

Quality of degreasers (recommended product properties) That is why the quality of degreasers used is of paramount importance. In general, the following are cited as recommended properties of degreasers for mine operators: • Ability to remove most stubborn grease and grime and easy to rinse away; • Safe to use on all kinds of metals, aluminium and zinc, and all paintwork • Biodegradable, non-toxic and nonhazardous to humans, animals and aquatic life • Non-flammable and unable to support combustion • Storage and handling in ambient temperatures and atmospheric pressures within buildings or roofed outdoor storage.

Options - Solvent or Water-based?

Armed with this information, an informed decision on whether to use solventbased or water-based degreasers has to be made. The assumption is that environmental considerations, a high priority in current conditions, would render water-based degreasers as the obvious choice. However, how environmentally friendly a degreaser is cannot be the only factor that to

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From an environmentally friendliness perspective, this leaves water-based degreasers as an alternative. Nonflammable, water-based degreasers use latest surfactant technology to emulsify the greasy soil; the penetrating agents increase the speed of degreasing. From a safety perspective too, available as concentrates, water-based degreasers are non-flammable and do not produce harmful vapours. This would leave, water-based degreasers as the only option to be used in cleaning equipment.

Nonetheless, an interesting fact emerged - water-based degreasers may not be the suitable for all equipment. They are not recommended for electronic and electrical applications. Instead, it would be advisable to use solvent degreasers. The fast evaporation of solvent degreasers allows electrical equipment to be back up and running sooner. However, as far as regulatory compliance goes, the use of low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) would get a thumbs up any day.

Decisions, decisions, decisions The decision about a degreaser to invest cannot be made at the whim.

Careful thought has to go into it as it is money being spent on a suitable consumable, nothing should be taken for granted. Extensive research should be made when shopping around to select a product carefully. It would be even more convenient to contact a maintenance solutions specialist. An informed decision can result in improved energy efficiency, reliable operation and minimal production cost. They create a safe working environment, reduce maintenance costs and manpower requirement.

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factories, buildings, workshops, offices, trucks and vehicles, equipment, and even overalls.

SAFETY

DEGREASER

Prepsol is pH neutral, making it safe for the user, while reducing the risk of corrosion on metal, paint, seals, stickers and other components.

It is safe to use on canvas, carpets, stainless steel, aluminium, chrome, brass, painted and bare metal, plastic, all stone, drains, seals, gaskets, and rubber.

PREPSOL is a product of ALLIJAM, a South African company based in Johannesburg. We manufacture and distribute motor vehicle, domestic and industrial cleaners throughout Africa.

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APPLICATION Apply through a pressure washer, by brush, broom, mop or trigger spray.

UR flagship product

TM (registered trade mark 81/7763) has been specifically formulated to clean away mud, grease, oil and grime.

The first water-based degreaser developed in South Africa, it is an industry benchmark cleaner developed specifically for the mining industry, and is an efficient, environmentally friendly product.

This renowned all-purpose degreaser is gentle but effective, making it ideal for use across many different applications.

PREPSOLS MANY OTHER DEGREASING APPLICATIONS INCLUDE: ENGINES

TRACTORS

VEHICLES CRANES

MOTORCYCLES

WALLS

ENGINE PARTS

UPHOLSTERY

OVERALLS

OILY FLOORS AND SPILLS TOOLS

BOATS

BICYCLES

AND MANY MORE…

USES

SALES

Prepsol ccan be used on most washable surfaces at mine sites, from large mining trucks, electric rope shovels, rotary drill rigs, rock drills, motor graders, large wheel loaders, draglines, wheel tractor scrapers and underground mining loaders.

It is also the optimal degreaser for

Bulk sales available for wholesalers and retailers, with smaller-quantity sales direct to consumers.

Allijam’s considerable expertise is available to assist with purchasing, delivery and training on the product, to ensure clients enjoy the full benefit of its potential.

“Industry benchmark cleaner developed specifically for the mining industry”

Contact us for more information,

we look forward to doing business with you.

Tel: +27 11 614 1555

info@allijam.co.za

www.allijam.co.za

FEATURE

Accurate temperature measurement in high temperature furnaces Real-time, Accurate, Continuous Monitoring for Improved Furnace Performance Via the data, they gather through real-time, accurate continuous monitoring, thermal imaging cameras enable predictive maintenance of furnaces, ensuring long periods of availability and optimal performance.

By Nick Barnes

cameras fill the gap, addressing drawback of traditional methods by providing continuous high-accuracy temperature measurement for process monitoring and control applications in furnaces. With the camera, operators are able to measure inside high temperature furnaces and acquire high-definition images. The camera is installed through a hole bored in the outer refractory wall, which is then sealed.

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ptimal process monitoring and control is a tried and tested approach to increasing equipment output in mining. In the contemporary atmosphere, it could not have been more relevant – the cost of ore extraction is escalating, squeezing profit margins. And so, to offset this trend, it makes businesses sense for mine mining companies to invest in process monitoring and control techniques that will enable them get more value from their ore in mineral processing. This is most especially, in when it comes to monitoring systems for refractory-lined furnaces and rotary kilns, which always need high accuracy continuous temperature measurement.

Traditional techniques out of kilter Certainly, traditional processing monitoring and control techniques, inherent with their limitations, would be out of kilter with the current requirements.

Conveniently, infrared thermal imaging camera systems, which have emerged as a practical alternative, are filling the void, based on ongoing trends.

Switching from traditional to thermal imaging monitoring One would ask: How has thermal imaging cameras entered a space where the primary choice has been traditional process monitoring and control techniques? Specifically, why is industry jettisoning the ‘tried and tested’ method shifted to thermal imaging cameras? Recently, when contacted, business development managers from some of the leading providers of thermal imaging cameras in the game, who count mining companies among their major clientele, were eager to share their insights on factors driving the increase in demand for their products. The

information they provided is compelling.

While there are differences in wording, it points to common factors that render the thermal cameras preferable to traditional techniques with reference to contemporary demands. At least based on the client’s feedback, the thermal imaging cameras, they concur, improved furnace availability and output. The relevance and convenience of thermal imaging cameras can be appreciated better when first analysing the gaps in the traditional techniques and how capably thermal imaging cameras fills them.

Traditional approach The traditional approach of monitoring furnace process and control involves cutting open refractory-lined furnaces and kilns to view critical areas.

Unfortunately, this method does not always produce the desired end. Most often, this results in significant heat loss, as well as the debris entering the opening. In addition, visual inspection using a camera can take hours to complete. Typically, the visual cameras used do not provide continuous temperature readings. Even more, instances of failure or loss of connection thermocouples cannot be ruled out.

Filling the gap As an alternative, thermal imaging,

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Through a single high-resolution image, the camera provides real-time, accurate, temperature measurement and monitoring, which is delivered though a high-speed digital connection. It is able to measure product, refractory and heat transfer surfaces from temperature ranges 600 to 1800oc. Besides, there is no interference from the hot atmosphere and furnace gases. With the data gathered, streamed online, operators are able to optimise furnace temperature.

What is more, with advanced control software, simultaneous data acquisition from multiple thermal imaging cameras, additional analysis, archiving, or integrating with the plant’s local network can be done. Accurate data analysis, in addition to automated alarm outputs and control, alert the user in the event of any problem.

Valid business case Clearly, there is a valid business case supporting the deployment of thermal imaging cameras in the area of continuous monitoring inside furnaces.

This is especially in three areas: 1. The impact of furnace failure, due to inadequate monitoring, can be costly, prompting unbudgeted replacement and repair expenditure.

This is without mentioning downtime

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to processes and the loss of production caused.

Thus, the role of thermal imaging cameras in providing critical insight for failure prevention and asset management is central. Specifically with the information gathered by the furnace camera on the thermal situation enables the operator to perform the following:

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Determine whether or not temperature sensors need to be exchanged: • Indicate If the temperature of the piping is within acceptable ranges; • When to raise productivity: and • Whether the burner needs adjustment or cleaning.

Ultimately, through monitoring and controlling process temperature uniformly, the life of a furnace can be extended.

2. Thermal imaging cameras also enable energy efficiency savings.

3. Enabling process control optimisation.

4. As the monitoring is done remotely, it removes personnel out of harm’s way.

Application engineering teams and customisation The thermal imaging cameras may employ state of the art technology but the reality is that every furnace has unique requirements. Thus, bearing this in mind, application-engineering teams from manufacturers are able to customise the cameras to the operators’ requirements. This is common in a number of areas. For instance, use of spectral filters to prevent the burning firing interfering with flame image visibility. In most cases, a spectral filter is used to make flame visible.

In addition, some operators do request, the use of additional systems, where a single system does not suffice. Should additional precautions be deemed necessary, a camera enclosure can also be equipped with pressurised air or water for better cooling or be mounted on an automatic retraction system. Customisation is also done in other areas, depending on client requirements.

Robust enough to withstand high heat The most outstanding feature, as manufacturers claim, is robustness to withstand challenging conditions experienced on mine sites. They point to several features. Most prominent is the protective enclosure, which allows the camera to withstand the high heat and measure temperatures through the combustion gas and flames. The cameras are available in a range of housing dimensions and mounting options.

Metso Outotec launches robust camera solution for smelting furnaces to increase safety and availabilit

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etso Outotec is launching a robust Furnace Camera to reduce or even eliminate the need to power off or cut the feed to inspect the furnace.

Operators can safely monitor conditions inside the furnace in real time and react immediately to situations that would otherwise not necessarily be detected. The furnace camera is a fully integrated solution that is fast and easy to install into new or existing furnaces. “The Metso Outotec Furnace Camera is part of our extensive range of smart digital tools designed to support customers by helping them to increase safety, improve efficiency and availability, and reduce costs in their pyrometallurgical processes,” says Tapani Keronen, Product Manager, Digital Solutions, Metso Outotec.

An intelligent user-friendly system Real-time monitoring of the furnace enables operators to identify potential issues, like water leaks, and to take action to prevent damage.

provides training for operators and plant management to ensure maximum benefit from the solution. Technical support is also available via an optional remote connection service.

The video feed provides visibility to the condition of internal furnace components, such as electrodes and material feeding. The camera can measure accurate temperature values from user-specified locations and help the user to find hot spots. Additionally, the operator can identify refractory wear from camera images. Image clarity is not affected by fumes or dust. The automatic retraction function protects the camera in case of a break in utilities supply. Video, snapshots, and historical trend data can be viewed on the control-room display or used for later analysis.

Metso Outotec supports customers with the commissioning process and

The Furnace Camera is part of Metso Outotec’s Planet Positive offering.

Key benefits of the Metso Outotec Furnace Camera • Improved operational safety and reduced need for personnel to work in harsh environments • Improved furnace availability due to continuous monitoring without production disturbances • Faster response to abnormal situations, such as water leaks, electrode breaks, or hot spots • Pre-tested solution with bolt-on design, enabling quick and easy installation • Significantly lower operating costs compared to standard camera solutions due to effective cooling system

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FEATURE

and taken care of. Sintrol is committed to provide full service all the way from design and commissioning to service and support.

Cameras are designed to withstand extreme conditions and maintain clarity even in dust or fume afflicted installations. The intelligent safety system prevents it from overheating in case of extremely volatile temperatures.

As a result, operators are able to enjoy a clear on-line video feed from furnace, boiler or other process from the comfort of the control room.

Operating your process blindfolded?

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t is incredible to imagine how subjective and fragmentary the information is that operators have of what is happening inside their furnace walls. Needed data is gathered from various separate measurements (temperature, pressure etc.) from which the current situation and optimal process values should be deducted. Many times, this leads to straightforward guessing.

Fast, unexpected changes in the process or related equipment could even lead to dangerous circumstances. In such cases, reaction time and correct actions are crucial. However, it is an extremely challenging task for the operator to interpret the numeral data and evaluate appropriate operation procedures in a limited time frame.

Is it time to take off the blindfold?

Finnish quality Sintrol is a Finnish company specialized in process measurements, analysis, and safety equipment with a long history of providing a full ecosystem of imaging solutions for process industry worldwide.

Whether it is systems consisting of thermal cameras or temperature scanners, customer satisfaction has always been first class. Specialized in high-temperature installations, the Sintrol Vulcan furnace cameras have become a solution relied upon in forest and metal industry providing impeccable support for process safety and control.

Through real-time monitoring of process conditions, operators can swiftly react to unpredicted and potentially dangerous situations. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video feed is worth a thousand parameters. In addition to visual data, cameras are able to provide comprehensive temperature readings, enabling the operators to have control over their processes unlike ever before.

Care-free solution for safety and control Sintrol camera systems are always custom designed to match your specific needs. Even though we deliver a variety of camera models and a wide range of related options, we and our worldwide support network will make sure that an optimal setup is delivered, installed,

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Trusted technology in a variety of applications The history behind Sintrol’s camera technology reaches way back to early 1970’s. During this time the hightemperature cameras have proven their necessity in a myriad of installations.

Providing both visual and IR cameras, feasible applications for Sintrol Vulcan equipment are countless, and as a result Sintrol has become the trusted camera partner of Finland based OEM’s in forest and metal industry.

Key benefits Safety and control • Detection of hotspots and leaks • Visual control over process • Temperature surveillance • Continuous and real-time Smart software • Automatic alarms based on temperature • Range of options available (e.g. analog outputs and OPC) • History trends Low maintenance, ease of use • Final design in collaboration with Sintrol experts • Minimal to none mechanical maintenance • Robust design for extreme conditions • Worldwide support available Contact Sintrol for more information: info@sintrol.com, +358 9 56 17 360 www.sintrol.com

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High Temperature Furnace Cameras for Safety and Control

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Industry Leader in Process Imaging World leader in difficult conditions Analysis software for temperature measurement, alarms, image processing and data management Detection of hotspots and leaks Outstanding Image Quality info@sintrol.com

+358 9 56 17 360

www.sintrol.com

FEATURE

The future of rock reinforcement: locally ancored self-drilling bolts ahead, is that we offer variety with these bolts. We have two basic designs based on the material property, and we have several models made of these two basic models that differ in shape. We have the bolt made of seamless tube and a thread on the outer side that is rolled evenly on the left and the right of the tube. These bolts are commonly either 1.5m, 2m, 2.4m or 2.5m, and they can be extended with a coupling. By offering an extendable solution, we are able to substitute cable bolts if you need to drill much deeper into the rock.

M

ines are increasingly digging deeper to access unexploited minerals, and deeper mines present a whole host of challenges, including rockbursts, large deformation, squeezing and creeping rocks. With this in mind, rock bolting and strata reinforcement is more important than ever, and it may not be easy to rely on traditional methods. Normet is an innovative company whose dynamic D-Bolt has not been matched, despite attempts from the competition to reverse engineer a similar product. However, it is Normet’s range of self-drilling dynamic bolts (SDDB) that really has the future in mind.

A challenge with using traditional bolts is that a hole must be drilled before the bolt and grout are inserted, and with rock that deep being under so much stress, there is the risk that these drilled holes will not stay open. Additionally, fractured ground allows for water ingress, which can dilute the cement grout or polyester resin being used. Normet’s SDDBs overcome this problem as they can be drilled directly into the rock, making them ideal for fractured ground or unstable strata.

According to Martin Petranek, director of products and production for rock reinforcement at Normet: “Using a selfdrilling bolt does half of the installation for you, and then all you need to do is use a pumpable thixotropic grout or resin to bond the bolt. At Normet, we offer hydrophobic sodium silica-based resins, so it won’t be diluted or flushed by water ingress, and is also able to flow through cracks to consolidate the rock.”

The deformable resin is able to absorb some of the energy from the rock, further reducing the risk of bursts. As for the bolts themselves, the installation of these selfdrilling bolts can be fully mechanised, so workers can stay back at a safer distance.

“You can use bolting machines that are able to install these bolts, and the operator is protected in ROPS/FOPS certified cab.

Major mining manufacturers are already looking at developing new equipment for installing self-drilling bolts, so it’s really what the future demands,” Petranek says.

With other competitors entering selfdrilling bolts into the market, what is it about Normet’s portfolio that sets it apart?

Petranek explains: “Where Normet is

36

“We are not limited to any size, it’s very customisable. Bolts can be tailored to customer demand, for length, diameter, even the length of the threaded section.

We can also customise what kind of drill bit they want to use, as bolts will need to be able to drill a hole that is bigger than a coupling if the customer is doing extended drilling, but still kept as small as possible to limit how much grout that you need.”

It is not just the customisable design that sets Normet’s locally ancored selfdrilling hollow rock bolts apart from the competition. Normet has paid close attention to using materials that are best suited for mining applications.

“Conventional rock bolts are usually manufactured from ordinarily construction steels, which is not really ideal. It has certain load-bearing parameters, and is fine for applications such as concrete reinforcement where it is pretensioned, but for mining there are challenges with the impurities in the steel. The steel is rolled in just one direction when it is manufactured into a bar, and the resulting impurities can make it very weak because of the microscopic bubbles in the steel.

The material that we use for dynamic bolts is homogenised, which requires a different treatment to get a uniform structure and is much stronger.”

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FEATURE

Ventilation and Cooling in Underground Mines U

nderground mine ventilation is particularly important in situations where heavy machinery is in operation, as plants such as drills and long haul dumps have a huge impact on humidity and temperature. On top of this, extraction can release gases which are harmful to staff working below ground.

For example, radon, which is often present in uranium mines, is poisonous if inhaled.

The main objective of mine ventilation is the provision of sufficient quantities of air to all the working places and travel ways in an underground mine

to dilute to an acceptable level those contaminants which cannot be controlled by any other means. Where depth and rock temperatures are such that air temperatures are excessive, mechanical refrigeration systems may be used to supplement the beneficial effects of ventilation.

The Mine Atmosphere The composition of the gaseous envelope encircling the earth varies by less than 0.01% from place to place and the constitution of “dry” air is usually taken as 78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon and 0.03% carbon

dioxide. Water vapour is also present in varying amounts depending on the air temperature and pressure and the availability of free water surfaces. As ventilation air flows through a mine, the concentration of water vapour may change significantly and this variation is the subject of the separate study of psychrometry. To define the state of a water vapour and dry air mixture at a particular point requires the three measurable independent properties of barometric pressure, dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures.

Ventilation Requirements

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37

FEATURE

Higher diesel engine powers are used in larger mobile equipment which require bigger excavations to operate safely.

Allowing for normal vehicle clearances and a typical diesel exhaust gas dilution rate of 0.04 m3/s per kW, the minimum air velocities where diesels operate average about 0.5 m/s.

The provision of suitable thermal conditions to minimize the dangers and adverse effects of heat stress may require mechanical cooling in addition to the ventilation necessary to control contaminants. Although the applied heat stress is a complex function of climatic variables and physiological responses to them, in practical mining terms it is the air velocity and wet bulb temperature that have the greatest influence.

The contaminants to be controlled by dilution ventilation are primarily gases and dust, although ionizing radiations associated with naturally occurring radon may present problems, especially in uranium mines and where the background uranium concentrations of the host or adjacent rocks are elevated.

The amount of air required for dilution control will depend on both the strength of the contaminant source and the effectiveness of other control measures such as water for dust suppression or methane drainage systems in coal mines.

The minimum dilution air flow rate is determined by the contaminant requiring the greatest dilution quantity with due cognizance of the possible additive effects of mixtures and synergism where one contaminant can increase the effect of another. Overriding this value could be a minimum air velocity requirement which is typically 0.25 m/s and increasing as air temperatures also increase.

Diesel-powered equipment ventilation In mechanized mines using dieselpowered mobile equipment and in the absence of continuous gas monitoring, exhaust gas dilution is used to determine

the minimum ventilation air requirements where they operate. The amount of air required normally ranges between 0.03 and 0.06 m3/s per kW of rated power at the point of operation depending on the type of the engine and whether any exhaust gas conditioning is being used.

Continuing developments in both fuel and engine technology are providing lower engine emissions while catalytic converters, wet scrubbers and ceramic filters may further reduce the leaving concentrations of carbon monoxide/ aldehydes, oxides of nitrogen and diesel particulates respectively. This helps in meeting increasingly stringent contaminant limits without significantly increasing exhaust dilution rates. The minimum possible dilution limit of 0.02 m3/s per kW is determined by the carbon dioxide emissions which are proportional to engine power and unaffected by exhaust gas conditioning.Diesel engines are about one-third efficient at converting the energy available in the fuel to useful power and most of this is then used to overcome friction resulting in a heat output which is about three times the power output.

Even when hauling rock up a decline in a truck, the useful work done is only about 10% of energy available in the fuel.

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The first mine refrigeration system was installed at Morro Velho, Brazil, in 1919.

Since that date, the growth in worldwide capacity has been linear at about 3 megawatts of refrigeration (MWR) per year until 1965, when the total capacity reached about 100 MWR. Since 1965 the growth in capacity has been exponential, with a doubling every six or seven years.

The development of mine refrigeration has been influenced both by the air conditioning industry and the difficulties of dealing with a dynamic mining system in which the fouling of heat exchanger surfaces may have profound effects on the amount of cooling provided.

Initially, the refrigeration plants were installed on surface and the mine intake air was cooled. As the distance underground from the surface plant increased, the cooling effect was reduced and the refrigeration plants were moved underground closer to the workings.

Limitations in underground heat rejection capacity and the simplicity of surface plants has resulted in a move back to the surface location. However, in addition to the intake air being cooled, chilled water is now also supplied underground.

This may be used in air-cooling devices adjacent to the working areas or as the service water used in drills and for dust suppression.

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Stay cool this summer with a Quietcool

Q

uietaire Australia’s range of Portable Evaporative Coolers will provide you with premium cooling throughout your work areas this summer.

We specialise in providing cost effective and efficient solutions for air circulation, air scrubbing, dust suppression and cooling large areas, staff and machinery quickly.

Quietaire Australia’s Quietcool Portable Evaporative Coolers are the original ‘Big Blue’ Portable Evaporative Coolers and have been proudly Australian Made for 24 years. So what makes the Quietcool different? Regular fans simply circulate the existing air, same humidity at the same temperature. The Quietcool takes that same existing air and combines it with evaporating water, which dramatically lowers the temperature creating a cooler conditioned space. Which means staff will be cooler increasing productivity or machinery that runs hot will be cooler and run more efficiently. Quietcools also have the added benefit of being an air

scrubber. When the air passes through the wet filter pads, dust and fine debris in the air sticks to the filter pads providing cleaner air in the conditioned space.

All our Quietcool units are constructed of rotomolded, corrosion free polyethylene, have stainless steel componentry for corrosion resistance, a custom designed industrial motor for high efficiency and magnetic drive, maintenance free and corrosion resistant submersible pumps.

Our fan blades are designed to spread the air as it leaves the unit, pushing away from the unit in a ‘V’ formation, cooling a broader area the further away you move from the unit. We know how difficult it can be to service machinery, particularly out in the field and with this in mind have designed the Quietcools to be as low maintenance and simple to service as possible.

Applications our Quietcools are suitable for are many and diverse. From keeping

you cool when working underground or servicing machinery above ground, cooling a state of the art warehouse facility, hot running machinery such as generators or using them to pull dust and debris from the air. Our Quietcools are portable, strong and durable and will last under the toughest conditions.

The success of Quietaire is attributed to the commitment of our management and staff, in manufacturing these world class products. Our Worldwide customer base is our testimony. So if you want to beat the heat this summer, don’t be fooled, just because it’s blue doesn’t mean it’s a Quietcool. If you want the best, make sure it’s a Quietaire Quietcool! Contact us for the latest prices.

Phone: +61 7 3442 0888 Web: www.quietaireaustralia.com, Email: paulgodwin@ quietaireaustralia.com

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FEATURE

TOMRA digitization in mining TOMRA is tapping the potential of digitalization with a constantly expanding offer of digital services to help mining operations improve their efficiency and profitability – most recently with the introduction of the new augmented reality tool for remote assistance, TOMRA Visual Assist.

I

for decision support. The process of digitalization is set to continue, as more mining companies become aware of the huge potential in operational and financial benefits.

n a challenging market, mining companies under increasing pressure to improve the environmental performance, efficiency, and safety of their operations are turning to digitalization and advanced analytics.

Data captured in their mines provides valuable insights, enabling them to make fact-based strategic decisions, improve their processes, reduce downtime, shrink their environmental footprint, and enhance safety. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality are proving useful in training and problem solving on-site.

The mining sector is in the early stages of digitalization, but the Covid-19 crisis has dramatically accelerated the process as companies have looked for solutions to protect employees and address mobility restrictions to maintain effective sales and service support to customers. For example, in October 2020, Management consulting firm McKinsey wrote that mining companies seeking to mitigate the impact of the pandemic had started to relocate around 15 to 20 percent of their on-site workforce by setting up “control towers” to facilitate remote working. It noted a renewed interest in

TOMRA Sorting Mining: a constantly expanding offering of digital services TOMRA is applying its holistic approach to helping customers to unlock the potential of digitalization, with digital services covering the complete customer journey – from sales support and technical consultations to remote service and training. All its digital solutions collect, manage and store data securely following data security best practices.

Klaus Berns, Head of Service at TOMRA Sorting Mining

remote operating centers that build on remote working capabilities, with some companies implementing cloud-based systems that enabled the collection and analysis of data from the mines

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The cloud-based data platform, TOMRA Insight, turns sorting machines into connected devices that generate valuable process data, which is gathered in near real-time and can easily be accessed on a desktop computer or mobile device.

It transforms sorting into a strategic management tool that helps processors in near real-time and retrospect. On the one hand, machine operators can take prompt action in response to changes

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in material composition on the line. On the other hand, managers can make operational and business decisions based on more complete information.

They can also make more accurate comparisons between multiple sites or lines, and monitor remotely difficult-toreach operations. TOMRA is constantly expanding its portfolio of digital services, and it is now introducing the new Augmented Reality tool for remote assistance, TOMRA Visual Assist.

It enables remote experts to provide specialist support to a customer or a TOMRA Field Service Engineer on-site.

“Our service teams cover large areas, generally with one hub per continent, so giving troubleshooting, maintenance and guidance remotely can be a great help,” explains Klaus Berns, Head of Service at TOMRA Sorting Mining. “It enables us to be more efficient and ensure a fast response. If the technical expert is a far away, the customer doesn’t have to wait for qualified and detailed feedback.

Some mines are particularly difficult to reach, for example at high altitudes, 4,000m above sea level, or in harsh

“TOMRA Visual Assist can also make a big difference for diamond operations where the equipment is located in a red area, where mobile phones or cameras are not allowed, as we can use the headset linked to the local network,” adds Klaus Berns.

climates with temperatures well below zero. In some cases, it may take 2 or 3 days for the technical expert to arrive on site. TOMRA Visual Assist can save time, and long and difficult journeys.”

TOMRA has also harnessed digital technology to provide mining companies with a Virtual Demonstration and Test Solution to enable them to test the sorting solutions on their samples without leaving their office. By providing them remote access to its Test Center in Wedel, Germany, which has capabilities for all applications, it enables them to identify the best sorting solution for their mine, discuss the options with TOMRA’s experts, and make a fact-based decision.

TOMRA Visual Assist can be used on standard devices like cell phones or tablets, but also with advanced tools such as Smart Glasses, which provide an Augmented Reality experience, so that the technician on-site can follow the remote expert’s guidance with their hands free, working in maximum safety.

TOMRA is also proactively engaged in spreading knowledge about the potential of sensor-based sorting solutions in mining through regular webinars. The sessions explore the various technologies, discuss financial and technical aspects, and analyze how they can add value to different mining operations.

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41

FEATURE

Strong Sustainability Performance sees Perseus Mining deliver US$385 million to Ivorian and Ghanaian Economies in 2020 As part of its longstanding commitment to the communities in which it operates, Perseus reported increasing community investment by 71% to around US$1.9M in CY20

P

erseus Mining Limited (TSX & ASX: PRU) (www.PerseusMining.com) has released its CY20 Sustainable Development Report. The report details the company’s progress over the past 12 months in delivering on its commitment to responsible mining operations in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, including an overall economic benefit to host countries totalling about USD$385M. As part of its longstanding commitment to the communities in which it operates, Perseus reported increasing community investment by 71% to around US$1.9M in CY20, funding critical health and education infrastructure projects for local communities. Additionally, Perseus announced it had increased its proportion of local procurement from 66% in CY19 to 78% in CY20, totalling US$287M, and further expanded its

employment of local populations, with 96% of its current workforce local to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire.

Jeff Quartermaine, Managing Director & CEO of Perseus said: “Sustainability is deeply rooted in

Perseus’s culture and operations and has had a large part to play in our resilience during this challenging year. We believe that responsible gold mining can play a key role in sustainable development, and that investing in our employees and our communities to create enduring social value will remain a guiding force in our growth path and future business operations. I am proud of my team’s effective response to the pandemic which successfully safeguarded our operations as well as our people, enabling us to deliver our Yaouré mine in Côte d’Ivoire this year ahead of schedule. Our approach to sustainability has continued to mature as our business has grown, and in the coming years we look forward to expanding our ESG offering and delivering greater impact across Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana.”

Jessica Volich, Group Sustainability Manager at Perseus said: “Despite the challenges the past year has brought, Perseus’s sustainability agenda has continued to strengthen and evolve alongside its expanding operations. Our wide-ranging efforts and

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Storage Facilities (TSFs) Governance • Worked with independent sustainability risk experts, KPMG, to refresh sustainability materiality analysis and conduct deeper analysis of sustainability risks and opportunities, and start development of a 3-year sustainability roadmap • Announced appointment of a new Director by the end of FY21 to enhance sustainability skills of the Board • Release of the first Modern Slavery Statement to address potential human rights risks in Perseus’ global supply chain.

engagement with our local communities and host governments has enabled us to create shared sustainable value for all our stakeholders. We are committed to strengthening these relationships in the coming years as we endeavour to generate socio-economic value for our people, communities and host countries.”

In CY20, Perseus has enhanced its disclosure on sustainability-related risks and opportunities by aligning with the key reporting frameworks used by our stakeholders. These include the World Gold Council Responsible Gold Mining Principles, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) and the Task Force on Climate Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD).

Highlights of the report include: Economic and Social Contribution • Total economic contribution of US$385M in CY20 to Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire • Increased community investment by 71% (from CY19) to around US$1.9M in CY20, funding critical health and education infrastructure projects for local communities and providing COVID-19 support • Creation of new health clinics near Sissingué to improve health outcomes for the ~27,000 residents of the local communities • Increased in-country employment, with over 96% of total employees from host countries • Local procurement spend of $287M, an increase from 66% in CY19 to

• •

78% in CY20 Held 587 consultations with local communities Paid >US$69M in taxes, royalties, and duties to Government

Health & Safety performance: • Maintained record of zero workplace fatalities and reduced injuries • Implementation of comprehensive measures and protocols to prevent introduction and spread of COVID-19 and maintain business continuity Environmental stewardship: • Re-use of 12,495,163 KL of water • Water intensity of 7.46M3/oz gold produced, benchmarked ahead of peers • Enhanced tailings disclosures in line with the Investor Mining and Tailings Safety Initiative, and completed independent audits of all our Tailings

Future ambitions • Establish a 3-year sustainability roadmap, and enhance social value and sustainability risk management through updates to the Risk Management Framework and policy standards • Establish the Yaouré Community Development Fund in FY21 • During FY21 and FY22, Perseus will complete and commence implementation of our biodiversity plan at Yaouré in Côte d’Ivoire mine site in and establish our site nursery, to be staffed by local community members • Explore strategic opportunities for community partnerships in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana • Achieve full alignment with the World Gold Council Responsible Gold Mining Principles by FY23

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Perseus Mining Ltd.

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NE ÉNERGIE HYDROÉLECTRIQUE PROPRE, RENOUVELABLE ET FIABLE PO UNE ÉNERGIE HYDROÉLECTRIQUE RENOUVELABLE ET FIABLEET POUR KAMOA UNE ÉNERGIE HYDROÉLECTRIQUE PROPRE,PARTENARIAT RENOUVELABLE FIABLE POUR KAMOA COPPER GRÂCE À UNPROPRE, DEUXIÈME PUBLIC-PRIVÉ COPPER GRÂCE À UN DEUXIÈME PARTENARIAT PUBLIC-PRIVÉ ENTRE IVANHOE MINES KAMOA COPPERET GRÂCE À UN DEUXIÈME PARTENARIAT PUBLIC-PRIVÉ ENTRE IVANHOE MINES L'OPÉRATEUR NATIONAL DE LA RDC - SNEL ET L'OPÉRATEUR NATIONAL DE LA RDC - SNEL ENTRE IVANHOE MINES ET L'OPÉRATEUR NATIONAL DE LA RDC - SNEL

La collaboration entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-soeur de Kamoa Copper SA, et collaboration entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-sœur Copper eta SNEL, La collaboration entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-sœurde de Kamoa Kamoa Copper SA, etSA, SNEL, pour a p SNEL, a pour but de produire de l'hydroélectricité pour alimenter le centre minier de Kamoa et pour but de produire de l'hydroélectricité pour alimenter le centre minier de Kamoa et pour contribuer au but de produire pournational alimenter le centre minier de Kamoa et pour contribuer au contribuerde aul'hydroélectricité développement durable de ladurable RDC. développement national de la RDC. développement durable national de la RDC.

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KOLWEZI, LA RÉPUBLIQUE͵ ʹͲʹͳ DÉMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO, LE XX AVRIL 2021- Dans l'objectif de soutenir une ȋ mise en œuvre réussie et continue du site minier de Kamoa, Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-sœur Ȍ de Kamoa Copper SA, a annoncé la signature d'un protocole d'entente (Memorandum of Understanding MOU) dans le cadre d'un partenariat public-privé avec la compagnie d'électricité appartenant à l'État, La Société Nationale d’Électricité (SNEL), pour fournir de l'énergie hydroélectrique propre, renouvelable et fiable à Kamoa Mine.

WEZI, LA RÉPUBLIQUE CONGO, et LE fiable XX AVRIL 2021- Danssituée l'objectif de soutenir ans l’objectif deDÉMOCRATIQUE soutenir une propre,DU renouvelable à hydroélectrique au sud-ouest Les co-présidents d'Ivanhoe Mine, Robert Friedland et Yufeng “Miles” Sun, expliquent que le partenariat mise en et oeuvre réussiedu et site la RDC,Energy sur le fleuve le Kamoa Mine. de Kamoa, IvanhoedeMines e en œuvre réussie continue minier DRC,Congo: une public-privé entre Ivanhoe SNEL, est une collaboration quietasociété-s pour continue du site minier de Mines Energy DRC et l'opérateur national, plus profond fleuve au monde le amoa Copper SA, a annoncé la signature d'un protocole d'entente (Memorandum of Understandi but de renforcer la capacité du réseau avec une énergie renouvelable, et cela par l'amélioration d'une Kamoa, Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, Les co-présidents d’Ivanhoe Mine, deuxième plus long d’Afrique, après principale à Inga II,public-privé une centrale hydroélectrique située au sud-ouest de la RDC, appartenant sur le fleuve Congo: Robert Friedland et Yufeng “Miles” Kamoa Copper le Nil. U) dansune le société-soeur cadreturbine d'unde partenariat avec la compagnie d'électricité à l'Éta Sun, etexpliquent queplus le long partenariat le plus profond fleuved’un au monde le deuxième d'Afrique, après le Nil. SA, a annoncé la signature été Nationale (SNEL), pour fournir deIvanhoe l'énergie hydroélectrique propre, renouvelab public-privé entre Mines protocole d’Électricité d’entente (Memorandum La centrale hydroélectrique Inga Energy DRC et l’opérateur national, of Understanding MOU) dans le II, est opérationnelle depuis près La centrale hydroélectrique Inga II, est opérationnelle depuis près de 40 ans, avec quatre de ses huit turbines e à Kamoa Mine.

SNEL, est collaboration quicinq a pourest de cadre d’unqui partenariat public-privé avecturbines quatre en de attente ses ont fait l'objet de réfection.

Laune turbine numéro une40desans, quatre but de renforcer la capacité du réseau avec la d'amélioration compagnie d’électricité huit turbines qui ont fait l’objet et dont on estime la capacité de production d'énergie hydroélectrique renouvelable de à 162 avecFriedland une énergieetrenouvelable, et réfection. appartenant à l’État, La Société Laexpliquent turbine numéroque cinq est co-présidents d'Ivanhoe Mine, Robert Yufeng “Miles” Sun, le parten mégawatts (MW). Par conséquent, le centre minier de Kamoa Copper, ainsi que la fonderie prévue, seront Nationale d’Électricité (SNEL), pour cela par l’amélioration d’une turbine une des quatre turbines en attente alimentés par de l'énergie durable futurs.

Une des sociétés de génie ic-privéfournir entredeIvanhoe Mines Energy DRCenetvue l'opérateur SNEL, estmeilleures une collaboration l’énergie hydroélectrique principale à des Ingadéveloppements II, une national, centrale d’amélioration et dont on estime la qui a p

en Allemagne, Voith Hydro de Heidenheim, vient d'être nommée maître d'œuvre pour le prochain projet.

Allemagne, Voith Hydro de Heidenheim, vient d'être nommée maître d'œuvre pour le prochain projet. de renforcer laencapacité du réseau avec une énergie renouvelable, et cela par l'amélioration d ine principale à Inga II, une centrale hydroélectrique située au sud-ouest de la RDC, sur le fleuve Co us profond fleuve au monde et le deuxième plus long d'Afrique, après le Nil.

entrale hydroélectrique Inga II, est opérationnelle depuis près de 40 ans, avec quatre de ses huit turb ont fait l'objet de réfection. La turbine numéro cinq est une des quatre turbines en att mélioration et dont on estime la capacité de production d'énergie hydroélectrique renouvelable à awatts (MW). Par conséquent, le centre minier de Kamoa Copper, ainsi que la fonderie prévue, se entés par de l'énergie durable en vue des développements futurs. Une des meilleures sociétés de g

capacité de production d’énergie citoyens congolaisPROPRE, en facilitant succès. À ce ET stade, la centrale UNE ÉNERGIE HYDROÉLECTRIQUE RENOUVELABLE FIABLE POUR hydroélectrique renouvelable à 162 l’accès à l’électricité. En même de Mwadingusha est presque KAMOA COPPER temps, GRÂCElaÀ UN DEUXIÈME PARTENARIAT PUBLIC-PRIVÉ mégawatts (MW).

Par conséquent, production électrique entièrement rénovée avec des le centre minierENTRE de Kamoa Copper, supplémentaire permettra à Kamoa instruments de contrôles derniers IVANHOE MINES ET L'OPÉRATEUR NATIONAL DE LA RDC - SNEL ainsi que la fonderie prévue, seront Copper d’enrichir ces produits cris. alimentés par de l’énergie durable miniers dans la RDC. Ceci assurera La collaboration entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-sœur de Kamoa Copper SA, et SNEL, a pour en vue des développements futurs. des revenus supplémentaires pour À ce jour, Kamoa Copper a financé but de produire de l'hydroélectricité alimenter le centre minier Kamoa et pour contribuer au Une des meilleures sociétés de le pays et,pour en tant qu’actionnaire un de accès routier de 70km, une développement durable national de la RDC. génie en Allemagne, Voith Hydro de de Kamoa Copper, la RDC estime station d’épuration, un établissement Heidenheim, vient d’être nommée que cette création de valeur locale offrant des soins médicaux ainsi maître d’oeuvre pour

le prochain est un impératif que toutes les infrastructures et stratégique,” a projet. ajouté le Président Tshisekedi. tout l’équipement nécessaires pour L’approvisionnement en énergie ȋ Ȍ que Mwadingusha devienne viable ͓ͳ ʹͻ ʹͲʹͳ Le Président de la République renouvelable à long terme est et durable. Une fois terminée, la Démocratique du Congo, Son indispensable à la réalisation de la ȋ Ȍ centrale de Mwadingusha produira ͓ʹ ʹͻ ʹͲʹͳ Excellence Monsieur Félix vision d’Ivanhoe : développer Kamoa 78 mégawatts d’hydroélectricité Tshisekedi, a exprimé ͓͵ son soutien Copper de͵ ʹͲʹͳ façon responsable sur les ȋ Ȍ propre, exactement ce qu’il faut pour total au partenariat public-privé visant plans environnementaux, sociaux et amener Kamoa-Kakula jusqu’à la fin ͓Ͷ numéro 5, éthiques, ͵ ʹͲʹͳ l’amélioration de la turbine pour devenir un des plus ȋ Ȍ des phases de production (phase 1 étant donné que ceci ne subviendra grands projets d’exploitation de et 2). Un aperçu des progrès réalisés ͵ ʹͲʹͳ ȋ pas seulement aux ͓ͷ besoins de cuivre au monde. à Mwadingusha est disponible ici: développement de Kamoa Copper, https://1drv.ms/v/s!AucuRMimq5xj Ȍ mais permettra d’assurer également La production d’hydroélectricité gbFk2gpz4tW XMZNn_g?e=wQvd une alimentation électrique fiable améliorera largement, et contribuera Yu (le lien sera remplacé par un lien aux communautés locales. au développement économique et YouTube).

KOLWEZI, LA RÉPUBLIQUE DÉMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO, LE XX AVRIL 2021- Dans l'objectif de soutenir une social de la RDC. Ben Munanga, mise en œuvre réussie et continue du site minier de Kamoa, Mines Energy uneengagé société-sœur Son Excellence Tshisekedi s’est Président de Kamoa CopperIvanhoe a Kamoa CopperDRC, s’est à de sujet KamoadeCopper SA, a annoncé la signature protocole d'entente (Memorandum exprimé au l’importance déclaré: “Cette d'un nouvelle entente exploiter le cuivreof Understanding de manière de ce partenariat : “Lale République d’approvisionnement en laénergie responsable, les générations MOU) dans cadre d'un partenariat public-privé avec compagnie d'électricitépour appartenant à l'État, La Démocratique du Congo estd’Électricité dotée constitue important dans hydroélectrique actuelles et futures. ailleurs, et Société Nationale (SNEL), un pourpas fournir de l'énergie propre, Par renouvelable de possibilités hydroélectriques notre parcours vers la durabilité, Kamoa Copper se fait fort d’opter fiable à Kamoa Mine. extraordinaires. Il est impératif de étant donné que cela permettra pour des solutions minières développer ce potentiel, car l’énergie à Kamoa Copper Mine d’avoir un intelligentes sur le plan climatique Les co-présidents d'Ivanhoe Mine, Robert Friedland et Yufeng “Miles” Sun, expliquent que le partenariat hydroélectrique est propre, fiable et accès prioritaire à une puissance pour servir aussi bien à la transition public-privé entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC l'opérateur national, SNEL,énergies est une collaboration qui a pour renouvelable.

C’est sans le moindre combinée de et240 mégawatts aux non polluantes, but de renforcer la capacité du réseau avec une énergie renouvelable, et cela par l'amélioration d'une doute le type d’électricité qui convient d’électricité propre et renouvelable, qu’à l’intérêt des communautés principale à Inga centrale située au sud-ouest de la RDC, sur le fleuve Congo: le mieux turbine pour accompagner lesII, une obtenus en hydroélectrique combinant les turbines environnantes. plus profond fleuve au monde le deuxième plus long d'Afrique, après le Nil. priorités deledéveloppement de notre des et centrales hydroélectriques de pays à long terme.”

Mwadingusha et Inga II.” Le cuivre produit par Kamoa Copper unavec rôlequatre déterminant dans la La centrale hydroélectrique Inga II, est opérationnelle depuis près dejoue 40 ans, de ses huit turbines “Des partenariats comme ceuxLe premier partenariat public-privé énergétique qui ont fait l'objet de réfection. La turbine numéro cinq est transition une des quatre turbinesmondiale, en attente ci, entre Ivanhoe Mines et et dont SNEL, entre la Ivanhoe Energy DRC afinhydroélectrique de réaliser renouvelable des objectifs d'amélioration on estime capacitéMines de production d'énergie à 162 nous permettront d’améliorer la et SNEL, qui consistait à améliorer ambitieux concernant le climat, tout mégawatts (MW). Par conséquent, le centre minier de Kamoa Copper, ainsi que la fonderie prévue, seront capacité de notre réseau électrique la centrale hydroélectrique de en soutenant les communautés alimentés par de l'énergie durable en vue des développements futurs. Une des meilleures sociétés de génie et aussi les conditions de vie des Mwadingusha, a connu un large congolaises.

en Allemagne, Voith Hydro de Heidenheim, vient d'être nommée maître d'œuvre pour le prochain projet.

UNE ÉNERGIE HYDROÉLECTRIQUE PROPRE, RENOUVELABLE ET FIABLE POUR KAMOA COPPER GRÂCE À UN DEUXIÈME PARTENARIAT PUBLIC-PRIVÉ ENTRE IVANHOE MINES ET L'OPÉRATEUR NATIONAL DE LA RDC - SNEL

KAMOA COPPER S.A. : DEBUT DE PRODUCTION DANS UN MOIS

La collaboration entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-sœur de Kamoa Copper SA, et SNEL, a pour but de produire de l'hydroélectricité pour alimenter le centre minier de Kamoa et pour contribuer au développement durable national de la RDC.

La première phase d’installation du concentrateur de 3.8- Mtpa étant achevée à 98 %, Kamoa Copper peut entamer, avec un mois d’avance, la prochaine étape de ȋ Ȍ la mise en exploitation. ͓ͳ ʹͻ ʹͲʹͳ

L

͓ʹ ͓͵

a phase de mise en route du concentrateur C4 ͓Ͷ de Kamoa Copper S.A., qui comprend le broyage du minerai et ͓ͷ la première production de concentré de cuivre, devrait commencer entre la fin du mois de Mai et début juin 2021.

ʹͻ ʹͲʹͳ ͵ ʹͲʹͳ

la dernière étape des travaux sera entamée, autrement dit, le traitement ͵ ʹͲʹͳ de minerai par l’usine pour produire du concentré de cuivre. ͵ ʹͲʹͳ

ȋ Ȍ

ȋ Ȍ

battu tous les records une fois de plus, avec une progression de plus ȋ Ȍ de 3,625 mètres, portant le total du développement sous-terrain à près ȋ de 42.2 kilomètres, soit 15 kilomètres Ȍ d’avance sur ce qui était prévu.

Le Président du Conseil chez Kamoa Copper S.A., Ben Munanga, a eu le plaisir de faire l’annonce suivante: Le minerai entreposé en surface KOLWEZI, LA RÉPUBLIQUE DU CONGO, LE XX AVRIL 2021Dans l'objectif de soutenir Grâce à une construction accélérée DÉMOCRATIQUE issu de préproduction contient, selonune “Dans l’ensemble, la construction et un bon de et la continue misedéroulement en œuvre réussie du site minier de Kamoa, Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-sœur liée à la phase un de l’usine de les estimations, près de 3,0 millions mise en exploitation, la première de tonnes de minerai de qualité concentration ded'un Kamoa Copper, de Kamoa Copper SA, a annoncé la signature protocole d'entente (Memorandum of Understanding phase d’installation l’usined'un de partenariat et élevée, d’une àteneur avec sa public-privé capacité deavec 3.8la compagnie Mtpa, moyenne MOU) dansde le cadre d'électricité appartenant l'État, La concentration de Nationale Kamoa Copper, moyenne combinée d’environ 4.74 % et et (SNEL), de sespour installations Société d’Électricité fournir deconnexes, l'énergie hydroélectrique propre, renouvelable d’une capacité de 3,8 Mtpa, touche progresse rapidement. Fin Avril, de cuivre. L’objectif qu’avait Kamoa fiable à Kamoa Mine. à sa fin. La plupart des certificats la réalisation était achevée a près Copper d’extraire 3.0-millions de d’achèvement de travaux de de 98 %. Ce progrès nous emballe tonne de minerai de qualité moyenne Lesont co-présidents Mine, Robert Friedland Yufengde“Miles” Sun, expliquent le partenariat construction été signés. d'Ivanhoe Kamoa particulièrement, et élevée, a été atteintque plusieurs mois car leetdébut public-privé entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC et l'opérateur national, SNEL, est une collaboration qui ade pour Copper est désormais alimenté en la production chez Kamoa Copper avant la date estimée par l’étude but de renforcer la capacité du réseau avec une énergie renouvelable, et cela par l'amélioration d'une permanence par l’hydroélectricité et annonce l’inauguration d’une région faisabilité conduite en 2020. Pendant les vérifications deprincipale l’instrumentation turbine à Inga II, une centrale hydroélectrique située au sud-ouest de la RDC, des sur letravaux, fleuve Congo: la dernière phase du minière cuprifère, qui contiendra sont en bonne La distribution faible teneur sera introduit un grand nombre deplus mines haute minerai le plusvoie. profond fleuve au monde et le deuxième longàd'Afrique, après leà Nil. d’eau dans certaines parties teneur, où l’extraction de cuivre se dans l’usine afin de s’assurer de l’usineLa centrale annonce le début Inga le avec rendement deses celle-ci, et fera II, deest génération en génération.” hydroélectrique opérationnelle depuis près deque 40 ans, quatre de huit turbines la récupération de cuivre, seront des vérifications d’étanchéité, qui ont fait l'objet de réfection. La turbine numéro cinq est une des quatre turbines en attente l’étalonnage de certains instruments Le développement sous-terrain du satisfaisants avant d’augmenter la d'amélioration et dont on estime la capacité de production d'énergie hydroélectrique renouvelable à 162 et des contrôles en continu. Ensuite, mois d’avril chez Kamoa Copper, a teneur.

mégawatts (MW). Par conséquent, le centre minier de Kamoa Copper, ainsi que la fonderie prévue, seront alimentés par de l'énergie durable en vue des développements futurs. Une des meilleures sociétés de génie en Allemagne, Voith Hydro de Heidenheim, vient d'être nommée maître d'œuvre pour le prochain projet.

UNE ÉNERGIE HYDROÉLECTRIQUE PROPRE, RENOUVELABLE ET FIABLE POUR KAMOA COPPER GRÂCE À UN DEUXIÈME PARTENARIAT PUBLIC-PRIVÉ ENTRE IVANHOE MINES ET L'OPÉRATEUR NATIONAL DE LA RDC - SNEL

Voici les commentaires de Mark “Le début de la production à Kakula d’assurer une continuité et pour Farren, Directeur General de annonce l’inauguration d’une région transmettre l’expérience obtenue La collaboration entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-sœur de Kamoa Copperphase.

SA, et SNEL, a pour minière cuprifère qui contiendra un durant la première Kamoa Copper: “En Avril nous but de produire de l'hydroélectricité pour alimenter le centre minier de Kamoa et pour contribuer au avons enregistré, encore une fois, grand nombre de mines à haute développement durable national de la RDC. de bonnes performances par nos teneur, où l’extraction de cuivre se Selon les prévisions, la production combinée de la première et équipes minières, qui continuent à fera de génération en génération. deuxième phase, devrait être autour produire au-delà de nos prévisions.

Nous mettrons désormais l’accent de 400,000 tonnes de cuivre par Désormais, nous avons atteint notre sur le développement de cette an. Cet agrandissement progressif ͓ͳ ʹͻ ʹͲʹͳ ȋ Ȍ objectif de réserves de préproduction immense région cuprifère de façon jusqu’à 19 Mtpa permettrait à Kamoa sur les plans social et ȋ Ȍ Copper S.A. de se classer deuxième de 3.0 million de tonnes. ͓ʹ Cette responsable ʹͻ ʹͲʹͳ quantité est susceptible d’augmenter éthique, et d’instaurer un nouveau plus important centre minier de l’échelle mondiale pour ȋ Ȍ cuivre au monde, dont la production étant donné que le taux͓͵ d’extraction modèle à͵ ʹͲʹͳ annuelle dépassera mensuel dépasse en ce moment l’élimination des gaz à effet de serre maximale dans la production de cuivre, car le 800,000 tonnes. le taux de traitement et ne devrait ͓Ͷ ͵ ʹͲʹͳ ȋ Ȍ baisser que lorsque le concentrateur monde en a grand besoin.”

Une attention particulière sera de phase deux entrera ͓ͷ en service à ͵ ʹͲʹͳ ȋ La construction de l’usine de Ȍ donnée au développement de cette la mi-2022.” concentration, d’une capacité immense région cuprifère de façon Robert Friedland, Co-Président de 3.8 Mtpa, dans le cadre de la responsable sur les plans social et Executif d’Ivanhoe Mines, la société deuxième phase, progresse bien. éthique, et d’instaurer un nouveau En ce moment, DU l’accent est LE sur modèle l’échelle mondiale pourune KOLWEZI, LA RÉPUBLIQUE CONGO, XXleAVRIL 2021- àDans l'objectif de soutenir mère de Kamoa Copper, a ajouté DÉMOCRATIQUE terrassement et le génie civil. l’élimination des gaz à effet de serre mise en œuvre réussie et continue du site minier de Kamoa, Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, une société-sœur : “Nous sommes fiers de toute dans(Memorandum la production de l’équipe de CopperSA,S.A. de Kamoa Copper a annoncé la signature d'un protocole d'entente ofcuivre.

Understanding Dans les deux domaines, il y a une pour leur dévouement MOU) dans leremarquable cadre d'un partenariat public-privé avec la compagnie d'électricité appartenant à l'État, La avance sur le calendrier Découvrez en survol comment et l’accomplissement d’avoir légère Société Nationale d’Électricité (SNEL), pour fournir de l'énergie hydroélectrique propre, renouvelable et prévu.

L’ingénierie et les activités Kamoa Copper s’efforce de produire terminé la phase un de production fiable à Kamoa Mine. d’approvisionnement avancent bien. du cuivre de façon responsable plus rapidement que prévu tout en en regardant cette nouvelle respectant le budget malgré les Les co-présidents d'Ivanhoe Mine, Robert Friedland et Yufeng “Miles” Sun, expliquent que le partenariat Les deux premières expéditions vidéo: https://www.youtube.com/ défis que présente la pandémie de d’acier de construction, ainsi que watch?v=JWC4S2e1X20 public-privé entre Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC et l'opérateur national, SNEL, est une collaboration qui a pour la COVID-19. premiers envois de tôlerie but de renforcer la capacitéles dutrois réseau avec une énergie renouvelable, et cela par l'amélioration d'une sont partis hydroélectrique du fabricant et située sont en turbine principale à Inga àII, une centrale au sud-ouest de la RDC, sur le fleuve Congo: Nous tenons particulièrement route pour le site.

Nous attendons exprimer notre l’équipe le plusgratitude profond àfleuve au monde et le deuxième plus long d'Afrique, après le Nil. dirigeante de Kamoa Copper. Leur les premières livraisons d’acier et de tôlerie en juin 2021. Un passion indéfectible, leur vision et Inga La centrale hydroélectrique II, est opérationnelle depuis près de 40 ans, avec quatre de ses huit turbines grand nombre des entrepreneurs leur poursuite qui de ontl’excellence, fait l'objetjouent de réfection.

La turbine numéro cinq est une des quatre turbines en attente un rôle central dans la transformation principaux ont été retenus pour la d'amélioration et dont on estime la capacité de production hydroélectrique renouvelable à 162 deuxième phase de production d'énergie afin et la croissance de l’entreprise.

mégawatts (MW). Par conséquent, le centre minier de Kamoa Copper, ainsi que la fonderie prévue, seront alimentés par de l'énergie durable en vue des développements futurs. Une des meilleures sociétés de génie en Allemagne, Voith Hydro de Heidenheim, vient d'être nommée maître d'œuvre pour le prochain projet.

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