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CONTENTS NEWS

PRODUCTS

EVENTS

PROFILE

FEATURE

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Ugandan exports plunge as gold shipments halted

MAN laments influx of foreigners in mining communities

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Aggreko’s gas plant to slash CO2 emissions at gold mine

2022 Investing in African Mining Indaba to be held in May

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Application Brief: Solar Powering the “Digital Oilfield”

Improving blasting productivity

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TEAM Editor Bertha M. bertham@fmdrc-zambia Sub-Editor Anthony Kiganda Contributing Writer Oscar Nkala, Mfuneko Jack Lindani Mkhize Caroline Thomas Anthony Kiganda Anita Anyango

COVER STORY: PG 26 Restoring sanity in Zambia’s mining sector The government of Zambia, through the newly-appointed mines minister has announced plans to restore sanity in the mining sector. It has said that it is committed to putting in place a taxation regime that is stable, predictable, consistent, and transparent. Investors have welcomed this and obviously this should translate into a very bright future for the Zambian mining industry.

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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 Published By Mailing Times Media Circulation/Sales info@fmdrc-zambia.com sales@fmdrc-zambia.com +27 11 044 8986

EDITOR’S COMMENT The mining industry can help tackle climate changemining is now

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he mining industry continues to face an ever increasing challenge on how to tackle the challenge of the impact of climate change.

Reports indicates that mining is currently responsible for 4 to 7 percent of greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions globally. CO2 emissions from the sector mostly emanates from mining operations and power consumption.

While capital investments are required to achieve most of the decarbonisation potential, certain measures, such as the adoption of renewables, electrification, and operational efficiency can go a long way to helping in decarbonisation.

The challenges for continued CO2 emissions from mines are many. To begin with climate change is expected to cause more frequent droughts and floods, altering the supply of water to mining sites and disrupting operations.

According to a recent report by research firm McKinsey 30 to 50 percent of production of copper, gold, iron ore, and zinc is concentrated in areas where water stress is already high, and things could get worse in the coming decade.

Mining companies need to look into ways of recycling used water and reduce water loss from evaporation, leaks, and waste. In the long term, more capitalintensive approaches are also possible. New water infrastructure, such as dams and desalination plants, is expensive but sometimes necessary.

We all need to work together to tackle the problem of climate change and mining industry should take the front seat.

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

Ugandan exports plunge 30 percent as gold shipments halted over tax

this tax downwards,” according to the statement. Negotiations are being held to this end. While Uganda is Africa’s largest coffee exporter, it has recorded more earnings from gold shipments in recent months. The metal brought in US $166-million in June, compared with US $58.6-million from the beans.

Uganda’s trade deficit in July narrowed to US $196.4-million from US $478.1-million in June as a decline in imports offset the fall in exports. Economic activity also took a hit from measures imposed to curb a wave of coronavirus infections in the period.

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gandan exports plunged in July as a new levy on gold, which vies with coffee as the nation’s leading trade product, halted shipments of the metal.

According to the Finance Ministry, shipments from the East African nation fell 30% to $300.4-million from a year

earlier. Exports fell by about a similar margin from the previous month. No gold was exported in July after the government imposed levies of 5% a kilogram of refined metal and 10% on unprocessed shipments.

Players in the mineral industry “have requested the government to revise

Gold occurs in several places in Uganda among them, in the districts of Buhweju, Bushenyi, Ibanda, Rubirizi and Mitooma.

Other gold potential areas include Kaboong, Kopoth, Loyoro-Lopedo, Kalapata, Kathile, Mamoru, Kangapeth, Morulem, Sokodu, Kotome, Kanguoth, Lemonye, Loith, Nakapel in Kaabong, Chepkart (Karita-Nakapiripirit), Moruangaber, Kanyimpa, near Acherer, Lotonyiri, Lamariyo, around Nakoit Bridge in Nabilatuk Sub-County, Rupa and Nakabat in Moroto, Alerek and Morulem, Kokano, Pupu, found in Kamoya parish Nyakwae Sub county and Gul Aleri in Abim District.

Aya raises US $55M for Zgounder silver expansion in Morocco

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ya Gold and Silver has inked a US $55million financing deal that is set to fund a feasibility study for an expansion of its Zgounder silver mine in Morocco. The company announced the deal aims to boost production to 5 million oz. silver annually from the current rate of 1.2 million oz. The plan involves increasing the mining and milling rates to 2,700 t/d from 700 t/d. The study is due out by the end of the year.

The company has recently been granted five new exploration permits within the Zgounder region and is drilling 41,000 metres this year with the expectation that 100 million oz. of contained silver might be outlined in an expanded resource.

Located in the central Anti-Atlas Mountains, Zgounder began commercial production in 2019. Silver production in 2020 was 726,319 oz. and guidance for 2021 is 1.2 million oz. of silver.

The underground mine and mill are part of a joint venture between Aya (85%) and Morocco’s national office of hydrocarbons and mines (15%).

The Zgounder mine has measured and indicated resources of 4.9 million tonnes averaging 282 g/t silver for 44.4 million contained oz., and inferred resources of 59,000 tonnes at 2.09 g/t silver for 395,000 contained oz., according to a May 2021 estimate.

In June, Aya announced drilling results including its second-highest grade – 6,437 g/t silver over 6.5 metres, including 24.613 g/t, 11,483 g/t and 12,775 g/t over separate 0.5-metre lengths.

Drilling also extended near-surface, high-grade silver mineralization by 75 metres to the east. Underground results extended mineralization by 30 metres below the lowest level. The offering was conducted by a syndicate of underwriters co-led by Desjardins Capital Markets and Sprott Capital Partners with Desjardins acting as sole bookrunner.

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NEWS

Uganda loses Shs400bn in gold tax

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The 10th Parliament in May approved the

ganda has recorded a Shs475.257 billion loss in gold revenue in the last two months, following the Government’s decision to impose a 5% tax on every kilogramme of refined gold and 10% on unprocessed export of the precious mineral.

Dr Albert Musisi, the commissioner of macro-economics at the ministry of Finance, confirmed the report and said that the government failed to extract any revenue from the lucrative gemstone.

He noted that this is a heavy blow to the government and strongly discourages private sector dealings in the valuable mineral.

“For the last two months, we have not made many exports. It is something to do with the new fiscal policy on minerals. We

Mining Bill (Amended) 2021, giving the government the go ahead to impose the 5% levy on every kilogramme of refined gold and 10% on unprocessed gold exported.The revenue loss is attributed to the illegal channels through which the local traders conduct the trade. are engaging the private players to have a harmonised position on that.

“If there are any minerals that are

The players have requested the government to revise this tax downwards and negotiations are being held to this end. Pending the conclusion of these negotiations, there were no exports of gold from Uganda in the month of July,” said Dr Musisi.

that there is someone who is not doing his

smuggled, that is unfortunate. It means job to allow our minerals to be smuggled out of the country. We shall find a solution to this,” assured The State minister of Finance in charge of Planning, Mr Amos Lugoloobi.

Reforms spur Angola diamond sector growth

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ngola’s diamond mining sector is undergoing a series of reforms that enhance transparency thereby positioning it for growth, experts have said. This came out during an Africa Mining Forum webinar, in which experts also urged better dispute resolution mechanisms and other reforms to attract more investment.

Mr Ahmed Abdel-Hakam, senior associate at international arbitration group Eversheds Sutherland in the United Kingdom, said the Angolan mining sector was going through substantial reforms. “So I think that this reform is key to compensate for the sharp decline in public revenues because of the low oil and gas prices and the decrease in the global demand for these commodities,” he added.

He also said “it is crucial that Angola keeps to the pace of current legislative reforms and also, the best way of avoiding disputes down the line, is to work on how to avoid disputes with foreign investors.

The more disputes you have with foreign investors, the less attractive you become as a country”.

He said Angola needed an accredited dispute resolution mechanism for diamond traders. “If it wants to have a successful diamond industry, Angola needs to have a bourse and the bourse needs to be a member of the WFDB (World Federation of Diamond Bourses).”

Mr Edahn Golan, an Israeli diamond industry analyst, said Angola should modernise its approach to the sector.

“This is true for producing countries as well as for trading countries such as India and Belgium. What we should remember in this context is that when we talk being involved, we are talking about support, the kind of support that generates a lot of problem solving, allowing commerce to work freely.

“Diamonds are an unusual commodity.

They are small, high value, difficult to price and we find that many traders are very price sensitive, so the way taxation is treated and all of those elements are very important when a government is evaluating what kind of policies it needs to implement when approaching its diamond sector.”

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Diamond production is one of Angola’s main revenue sources. The Southern African country is the world’s sixthbiggest producer and third largest in Africa. The Africa Mining Forum webinar also discussed how the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the Angolan diamond market.

According to Mr Golan, diamond prices globally declined between nine percent and 15 percent, with the retail market hardest hit.

“Consumers don’t buy a lot of diamonds online … Even cars are bought online more frequently than high priced diamond jewellery,” he said.

Mr Golan said because the industry was cash intensive, small miners had found it difficult to stay open during the pandemic. However, the mines that continued to operate built up a big inventory.

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NEWS

Nordgold, Columbus to launch financial software solution designed specifically for gold miners

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ordgold and Columbus have announced a combined partnership to launch innovative new financial software solution designed specifically for gold miners. The two are set to launch the “CN Planning Analytics for the Mining Industry”, an innovative corporate finance software solution tailored specifically to meet the challenges of the resources industry, in particular the gold sector.

CN Planning Analytics is a highly effective software-based tool which provides a user friendly interface that facilitates the transparent planning, measurement, monitoring and reporting of gold mining companies’ financial and operating performance. The tool is now available on the IBM Global Solutions Directory.

CN Planning Analytics was designed to address gold miners’ common challenges when planning, measuring, monitoring and reporting their activities.

The software includes preconfigured budgeting and management reporting models based on industry-specific KPIs. It is designed to work with different types of mining methods including open

pit, underground and mixed as well as gold processing technologies (CIL, CIP, heap leaching and BIOX). CN Planning Analytics also allows data from mine planning IT platforms to be integrated into the gold mine’s financial models, which, among other things, streamlines and facilitates long-term strategic financial planning.

“Having worked together with Columbus to successfully develop a powerful and convenient software-based management tool to support the financial management of our own operations, we recognized we had built a system that could benefit other companies in the sector as well, presenting an interesting commercial opportunity for both parties.

What sets CN Planning Analytics apart is its unique focus on gold mining company performance and the fact it is adaptable to all mining and processing technologies. At Nordgold, we continue to invest in our IT capabilities which helps us drive performance, in particular as we move forward on our ambitious growth plans in the Gross region in Russia, where we have built a market leading position,” said Dmitry Markeev, Director of Transformation and Business System Development of Nordgold.

“Partnering with Nordgold to develop CN Planning Analytics was a unique collaboration that allowed us to combine the practical business experience of a mining company with the industry and product expertise of a consultancy. The solution’s functionality has been proven

by IBM and by its high performance in automating Nordgold’s real-world business processes. These are the prerequisite that help us guarantee the business value of this solution to future users,” said Andrey Yudaev, Business Development Director for Information and Analytical Systems at Columbus.

Mining licence for Kayelekera project in Malawi renewed

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otus Resources’s licence for mining and exploration of its Kayelekera project in Malawi has been renewed.

The Mining Licence, ML0152, which was signed by the Honourable Rashid Abdul Gaffar, Minister of Mines, in accordance with the Mines and Minerals Act, has been renewed for 15 years. Kayelekera is located in northern Malawi, 52km west (by road) of the provincial town of Karonga and 12km south of the main road that connects Karonga with the township of Chitipa to the west.

The mine was officially opened in April 2009 and produced 10.9Mlb between 2007 and 2014. The mine is currently in care and maintenance since 2014 due to the sustained low uranium spot price and to preserve resource and shareholder value, Lotus explained.

be one of the first assets to recommence production in an ever- improving uranium price environment,” Managing Director Keith Bowes commented.

Lotus Resources owns an 85% interest in the Kayelekera uranium project which hosts a current resource of 37.5M lbs U3O8. The company noted that once uranium prices offer sufficient incentive for restart, production, with some RIP/ elution upgrades, is expected to be approximately 3Mlbpa.

“We are delighted to have received an extension of our Mining Licence for an additional 15 years. This is a critical step, as it provides certainty and confidence to our investors that Lotus has the full backing of the Government to continue our on-going development of Kayelekera, as we position the project to

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The company added it completed a positive Restart Study which demonstrated that Kayelekera can support a viable long-term operation and has the potential to be one of the first uranium projects to recommence production in the future.

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NEWS

Gravita starts aluminium recycling plant in Mozambique The Group has made investment of approx. 2 Crores for procuring and commissioning of this New Recycling Plant which is invested from internal accruals of the company. The said plant has been set up on a leased premises keeping in view of judicious use of capital & lean capex policy of Gravita, the company said in the filing.

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ravita informs that a step-down subsidiary of the company situated in Mozambique, East Africa has started commercial production of Aluminium from its new recycling plant having an annual capacity of around 4,000 MTPA in addition to its existing Lead recycling facility of 4,500 MTPA and is also in process of setting up of a new plastic recycling unit in Mozambique.

The Company is expecting an additional revenue of approx. Rs50cr per annum coupled with gross margins of ~18% from this Aluminium Recycling Plant.

The stock is currently trading at Rs206.95 up by Rs3.35 or 1.65% from its previous closing of Rs203.60 on the BSE. The scrip opened at Rs205 and has touched a high and low of Rs211.60 and Rs204.40 respectively.

The Company will be procuring domestic aluminium scrap for the purpose of production from this plant and it will cater the needs of Aluminium die casting components manufacturing industries of Auto & FMCG sector located in South and East Asian markets, it added.

Gravita Group is among well-known recycling companies across the globe and capacity expansion of this plant will help company to change its sales mix by increasing the ratio of Aluminium business.

Aya Gold & Silver Inc. closes C$70M Bought Deal Public Offering

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ya Gold & Silver Inc is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced bought deal financing (the “Offering”). A total of 6,830,000 common shares (the “Common Shares”) were sold under the Offering at a price of $10.25 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds to Aya of $70,007,500.

The Offering was conducted by a syndicate of underwriters co-led by Desjardins Capital Markets (“Desjardins”) and Sprott Capital Partners (collectively, the “Co-Lead Underwriters”) with Desjardins acting as sole bookrunner,

and including Cormark Securities Inc., National Bank Financial Inc., Stifel GMP, and BMO Capital Markets (together with the Co-Lead Underwriters, the “Underwriters”).

About Aya Gold & Silver Inc. Aya Gold & Silver Inc. is a rapidly growing, Canada-based silver producer with operations in the Kingdom of Morocco.

The Common Shares were issued pursuant to a short form prospectus (the “Prospectus”) dated September 9, 2021, filed in each of the provinces of Canada.

The only TSX-listed pure silver mining company, Aya operates the high-grade Zgounder Silver Mine and is exploring its properties along the prospective South-Atlas Fault, several of which have hosted past-producing mines and historical resources. Aya’s Moroccan mining assets are complemented by its Tijirit Gold Project in Mauritania, which is being advanced to feasibilit

Aya intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering for the expansion of its Zgounder Mine, for advancement of its other properties and for general corporate purposes.

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NEWS

Guskin Gold Corp. reports Kukuom property samples

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uskin Gold Corp. a company focused on acquiring and advancing gold properties in Ghana, the world’s seventh largest gold producing nation, is pleased to report initial samples collected at the Company’s Kukuom property open pit tested up to 46.6 grams per tonne gold.

In preparation for an upcoming drill and open pit bulk testing program scheduled to begin in October 2021, the Company collected six samples on the Kukuom property from the hard rock vein, surrounding open pit wall, and two historic alluvial tailing piles found onsite.

Most notably, three samples were taken from two bedrock pits exposed vein and measured 46.6 grams per tonne (g/t) and 10.65 g/t gold. The third sample was a combination of both pits, crushed, and panned with the slurry measuring 23.3 g/t gold. Additionally, a random wall sample taken measured 1.84 g/t gold, and samples of two historic tailing piles were

P.Eng. MEng, head of Mine Operations and Engineering and were delivered to ALS Geochemistry Labs’ facility in Kumasi, Ghana. The six grab samples tested for gold were determined by ALS’ method Au-AA23, which is a fire assay with an atomic absorption spectroscopy finish on a 30-gram split. Guskin Gold is reliant on ALS in Kumasi, for its quality assurance/quality control protocol, as these are preliminary samples and limited in number.

also taken to be studied. Historic tailing samples may be of interest for studies of historic artisanal mine locations, nonmodern mining techniques, the gold left behind from the alluvial payload. The two samples contained 1.14 g/t and 0.80 g/t gold. The six samples collected were overseen by Naana Asante, Guskin Gold CEO, and Owusu Sekyere Boateng,

Mr. Boateng, Guskin Gold Mine Operations head, states: “We have remained very active advancing our programs and defining targets on our Kukuom property in advance of our drill program and open pit, bulk sampling.

The positive results of high-grade gold samples, and multiple geophysical anomalies, represent strong drill targets for the Company and very favourable indicators for our bulk sampling program.”

Court dismisses RioZim case on gold mine grabbing

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High Court in Zimbabwe has dismissed a case of attempts to grab of gold mine. Justice David Mangota has dismissed an application

by Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna in which he sought to be declared the lawful owner of Danly Mine.

The lawmaker had sued RioZim Private Limited for grabbing his lucrative gold mine in Chakari. Nduna told the High Court in an urgent chamber application RioZim had erected a fence within his boundary and carried out mining activities to his prejudice. Justice Mangota however ruled that Mr. Nduna did not give the court any evidence to prove he was the owner of the claim, and as such his request was invalid.

“The applicant, it is evident, portrays the picture that he has a claim at the mine.

He insists that the second respondent invaded his claim. He produces no evidence which shows that he has any mining claim in any part of Zimbabwe, let alone at the mine,” the judge said in his ruling.

show a clear picture of events that led to the filing of the urgent court application.

“The application is everything which an urgent application should not be.

It contains an incoherent narration of events. It is contradictory in many respects. It is panel beaten in other respects. It is a complete sham which cannot be condoned let alone accepted.

The application is dismissed with costs.”

“The prospecting license he attached to his application, it has been observed, has no relationship at all with the mine.

Nor do their contents translate into conferring upon him the right to any claim in Zimbabwe. All they do is to allow him to prospect for minerals in Zimbabwe,” added the ruling.

The court also ruled the sequence of events as narrated by Nduna in his founding affidavit were incoherent.

Justice Mangota said Nduna’s application was contradictory and did not

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Nduna approached the High Court last month accusing RioZim of invading his claim and a building fence around the perimeter to bar him access. He also accused the local police of assisting the mining company and one Langton Ndlovu to take over the mine. He sought a spoliation order against RioZim, claiming that it was the only way to stop the illegal mining at the claim which was causing him to suffer irreparable financial damages.

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NEWS

Global Atomic to break grounds for Dasa’s uranium mine in Niger

to begin the initial work to open the mine.

The Company is currently engaging in an internal review of key elements of the feasibility study (FS), which provides the company with the opportunity to audit key FS assumptions, ensure Dasa is an efficient and modern operation, and attain the highest level of project cost certainty.

Global Atomic added that its pilot test program and successful testing of Dasa ore at Orano Mining’s nearby Somaïr mill confirmed the process flow sheet and higher metal recoveries than carried in its April 2020, preliminary economic assessment for Dasa.

In addition negotiations is ongoing with Orano Mining to finalize an agreement for direct shipment of ore to their Somaïr uranium mine in Arlit, Niger.

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lobal Atomic is set to break ground to excavate the box cut for Dasa’s uranium mine portal in

Niger in the first quarter of 2022.

President and CEO Stephen G. Roman announced the plans and said that its local team in Niger has been moving forward with quotations for contractors

“Our review of the draft feasibility study has identified a number of opportunities to enhance the economics and operating cost profile of the Dasa project. We now anticipate a report filing in late Q4 2021, however, we remain on schedule to break ground in Q1 2022 to excavate the box cut and collar the portal in early Q2 2022 and then begin the development of the Dasa underground mine,” Mr. Stephen G. Roman commented.

Libya to allow export of locally quarried marble

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he government of Libya has announced plans to allow export of locally quarried marble. The revelation was made by the Ministry of Industry and Minerals following a tour of a leading mine in eastern Libya by Deputy Minister for Mining Affairs.

During the tour, Deputy Minister Moncef Al-Shalawi was briefed on one of the mining sites in Al-Mabani area of Tokra, which the Ministry described as is one of the largest and finest marble quarries in Libya.

The Ministry said the site operated by the Mountain World Company is considered to be of high productivity and of a quality that exceeds its counterparts that are imported from regional countries and some European countries. Through this visit, the Ministry seeks to assist the

company in exporting its marble products, in coordination with it the Libyan Export Promotion Centre (LEPC).

The Ministry said the series of visits by the deputy minister to the eastern region comes in the framework of its policy of localizing industry, whether in the public or private sectors alike, by providing all the facilities needed by companies and factories.

The mining industry of Libya does not contribute significantly to its economy.

Mining resources are located in remote regions with limited accessibility. The identified sources of minerals relate to

diamondiferous kimberlites in the East Saharan craton and metamorphic belts with potential for gold in the southern region of the country.

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NEWS

MAN laments influx of foreigners in mining communities of adequate logistics, equipment for fieldwork, training and retraining of mining engineers and resuscitation of the revenue generation committee of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development.

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he Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has lamented the rising trend of foreign nationals, especially from Asia, invading mining communities across the country.

According to the president of the association, Kabir Kankara illegal mining in the country is being carried out under the connivance of security operators and wealthy Nigerians, adding that 99% of rich miners in Nigeria are not members of the association.

“There’s no country in the world that is endowed with minerals resources like

Nigeria. However, mining cannot explore in the country without a proper regulatory framework. The nation losses billions of dollars annually to smuggling due to improper channelling of the minerals.

There must be an improved funding for the mines and steel ministry as well as a regulatory framework to monitor foreigners before mining activities can properly function in the country,” said Kankara.

The association’s president noted that Nigeria has minerals that can’t showcase itself hence the need for provision

Following the destruction that goes on in Mining communities across the country, there are four Bills before the National Assembly for consideration.

These bills are the Nigerian Minerals Development Corporation Establishment Bill 2021, Solid Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission Establishment Bill 2021, Institute of Bitumen Management Establishment Bill 2021, and the Explosive Act 1964 Repeal and Re-enactment Bill 2021.

He emphasised that these Bills when passed into law would encourage people in communities to go into mining while mineral producing states would be well taken care of. The Senate had in December 2020, mandated a panel to probe the loss of N9 billion annually as reported by the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI).

The mandate followed a motion on illegal mining and smuggling of gold in the country brought by Sen Orji Uzor Kalu.

Ghana signs US $1.2bn deal to develop its bauxite resources

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hana has inked a US $1.2billion deal to develop its bauxite resources. The country has picked Rocksure International as a strategic partner to build a mine and refinery to develop the industry out of its untapped bauxite reserves.

of about US $1 billion, according to Michael Ansah, chief executive officer of GIADEC. The mine is expected to produce 5 million tons of bauxite a year and create more than 1,000 jobs, according to GIADEC.

GIADEC is looking to partner private companies to develop infrastructure worth as much as US $6 billion to leverage the West African nation’s bauxite. The US $1.2 billion project is one of four for which GIADEC is seeking investors.

The Accra-based company will own a 70% stake in the project and the stateowned Ghana Integrated Aluminium Development Corp. will have the remaining 30%, according to an emailed statement Thursday. Rocksure will lead the construction of a US $200 millionbauxite mine at Nyinahin-Mpasaaso in central Ghana and a bauxite refinery

Ghana’s bauxite reserves are estimated at 900 million tons, with the potential to produce 10 million to 20 million tons a year, according to the state company founded in 2018 to create an integrated industry for the mineral. Bauxite is a reddish ore which has to be refined into alumina and then smelted to produce aluminum.

“The discovery of abundant reserves of bauxite, an important element in the production of aluminium, has attracted interest and highlights provisions of the regulations that will help to ensure that the exploration of Ghana’s bauxite reserves is beneficial to the people of Ghana”, said ENSafrica Ghana senior associate Ekua Newman.

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Mining opportunities in SADC will favour those in the know frameworks on this score, others are yet to implement their plans. It will be vital to be well-informed of future demands on business, and to plan decisively.

These in-country partnerships also imply investment in local infrastructure and skills transfer, to build capacity in the local supply chains upon which mines are built. A firm understanding of compliance requirements goes hand-inhand with building a secure value chain that delivers fit-for-purpose solutions.

Only if a mine can rely on receiving the inputs it needs, can it generate a secure future for itself and its host communities.

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ith mining seeing a more sustained improvement in many Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, fortune will favour those miners and supply partners with experience on the ground.

It has been an encouraging few months for mining in the region. While the annual growth figures for March and April this year were expected – as they were off a low base from the Covid-19 lockdowns Ralf Hennecke last year – the positive Director SADC trend has continued from June. Strong commodities include iron ore, platinum group metals, gold, manganese, copper and cobalt, benefiting the economies especially of South Africa and Zambia Improving prospects for diamonds, uranium and coal also make for some optimism in countries like Botswana, Namibia and Angola. In the longer term, there is a hopeful outlook for platinum and other minerals in Zimbabwe.

The key to mining success in the region, however, lies not with commodity prices; these will always be cyclical

and unpredictable.

It resides really in the institutionalised knowledge of the companies that operate here, and their understanding of how to respond constructively to the prevailing conditions and future trends. Among these considerations are evolving regulations on local business participation and a heightened concern with safety and environmental impact.

Responsible companies BME Managing mining have embraced these principles, and it has long been standard procedure for service providers to align with the stringent expectation of zero-harm.

As the mining sector strives towards shared value, practical empowerment measures call for more proactive partnerships with in-country entities.

Those industry players with a long heritage in SADC can draw more readily on their business networks to implement this vision. They will also see the value in preparing in advance to meet localisation imperatives. While some countries in the region have well-developed regulatory

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In line with global trends, mining in southern Africa is seeing the active acceptance of environmental and commercial sustainability as two sides of the same coin. It is also a direction driven strongly by technological innovation. As the sector pursues the goal of smart mining operations, so the region’s miners are applying digital tools to streamline activities, raise efficiencies and reduce carbon emissions.

We are seeing this first-hand in the blasting sector, where the use of software, electronic detonators and other digital tools are constantly finetuning both the quality of blasting and the productive impact on the way mines work. By ensuring better fragmentation, for instance, energy use is optimised in downstream functions like loading and comminution – leading to less power consumption and a lighter carbon footprint. Few of these innovations can be achieved, however, without decades of experience in the field, where mines and technology providers can develop and apply their technical insights.

Nowhere is this currently more telling than in the field of data generation, gathering and analysis. As mines look to leverage real-time information from every machine and function on their sites, so technology must be developed to interrogate data for better and quicker decision-making.

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Not only must this data be intelligible and useful, it must also be integrated into the mine’s chosen platforms. This has required suppliers of services, equipment and materials to develop a depth of expertise in the digital space so that – whatever their core offering to mines – it can be tracked, measured and assessed through the mine’s dashboard.

Beyond the operational efficacy of such systems, mines and their partners must also be aware of how best to ensure the security of this data – and comply with evolving local regulations governing data protection. Once considered a niche field for technology specialists, data management is increasingly becoming core to every sector including mining.

The mineral opportunities of the SADC region remain exciting to all of those involved. It is the task of the mining sector to realise those prospects in the most responsible and sustainable way – sharing the value with a broad base of stakeholders. Those with local experience and expertise are best placed to do this.

Up to 9000 Nm overload protection

H

ighly dynamic, high-performance, regulated drives are playing an increasingly important role in today’s advancing automation.

The SKY-KS safety coupling series with Balganbau offers these highperformance drives the adequate safety element. With a maximum disengaging torque of 9000 Nm, the current, everincreasing performance data are taken into account.

They protect complex and expensive equipment from consequential damage with costly machine damage, repairs and downtime. Key features of the SKYKS series are compact dimensions, low moments of inertia, the compensation of misalignment between the input and output shafts with low restoring forces, and, above all, an absolutely backlashfree angular transmission of the torques due to a very high torsional rigidity of the metal bellows and the ball latching mechanism.

As a special version, disengaging torques of up to 9000 Nm and operating speeds of up to 8000 min-1 can be realized. The safety couplings of the SKY-KS series are a combination of the thousand times proven release mechanism with a torsionally rigid, multi-shaft metal bellows. In a variety of applications, especially as collision protection in feed axes, they were able to prove their effectiveness.

The sophisticated design principle, a high-quality material selection, the precise manufacturing, as well as the numerous variations in the shafthub connection give this product an exceptional position in the safety coupling market. The field of application covers all demanding high-dynamic servo axes for machine tools up to the overload protection of conveyor systems.

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INSIGHT

No sector unaffected by growing ESG demands

From extracting raw materials to end-consumers, society is looking more closely at the whole supply chain

I

n a world facing challenges ranging from climate change to social inequality, every business sector will experience rising demands on its environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.

a holistic and complex process that must address a myriad of risks through the integrated application of relevant disciplines,” he said. “This applies to every stage in the economic value chain.”

“The importance of ESG issues has grown steadily in recent decades – building momentum from concerns around environmental and human rights, which are now front-of-mind for consumers and governments alike,” said Vis Reddy, managing director of SRK Consulting. “It is now clear that no project can succeed without prioritising ESG factors from its early stages.”

According to Darryll Kilian, partner and principal environmental consultant at SRK Consulting, mining has to take account of the greater ESG focus required by financiers and other stakeholders.

“The financial sector is being subject to mandatory ESG disclosure requirements in many jurisdictions and is responding quickly to stakeholder interest in ESG investment”, said Kilian.

Reddy noted that SRK Consulting had been a pioneer in evolving its professional services to meet a range of sustainability hurdles – and had recently re-branded its environmental business unit to focus on ESG.

Consideration of ESG from the earliest stages of planning, from exploration onwards, is now recognised to add value to mining projects. Mineral resource and reserve reporting codes are being updated to recognise this,” said Kilian.

Holistic approach “The rise of ESG confirms SRK’s approach that good engineering is

However, the urgency to address ESG in planning projects goes well beyond the mining sector. He said. SRK

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Vis Reddy, managing director of SRK Consulting

Consulting has increasingly seen ESG risks affecting projects related to water, infrastructure and energy.

Social aspects Vassie Maharaj, director and principal consultant in social risk and stakeholder relations management at SRK Consulting, highlighted that projects in every sector now require effective engagement processes for meaningful stakeholder participation and shared value. “The evolving global ESG framework places social aspects at the centre of the project lifecycle – requiring decisionmakers to take account of issues such as gender, human rights, vulnerability and livelihoods in development planning and implementation”, Maharaj said.

SRK’s ESG offerings focus the expertise and experience of a number of professionals on advising clients to integrate these requirements into their operations and systems, according to Franciska Lake, principal environmental scientist at SRK Consulting. Lake notes that, “there has been an important

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shift to strengthen the link between licencing and the engineering design requirements, which aligns with SRK’s standard integrated approach to projects,” said Lake.

Broader pressure Reddy argued that the sustainability requirements of large financiers had once been the prime drivers of ESG, but that this pressure was now coming through at many points in the supply chain. “From manufacturers to endconsumers, our society is looking more closely at the whole supply chain to see whether ethical and other standards are being maintained,” he said.

In a recent example of this, the RESOURCING initiative is working to ensure that the European Union sources its minerals responsibly and sustainably.

Funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, the RE-SOURCING project has involved SRK Consulting to help facilitate the necessary input from affected stakeholders in Africa and Asia.

Kilian pointed out that companies across the continent are expected to make more ESG progress on issues such as disclosure, integration and inclusivity as well as health, safety and climate change.

Aside from the lender requirements, this impetus is also being driven by international sustainability frameworks such as UN Sustainable Development Goals and AU Agenda 2063 which are in turn influencing national legislation.

Enviro now ESG at SRK

S

RK Consulting has long been a pioneer in offering sustainable solutions to address the environmental, social and governance impacts of development, according to Darryll Kilian, partner and principal environmental consultant at SRK Consulting.

“Our environmental business unit – now rebranded as the ESG unit – has been evolving its sustainability approach for decades,” said Kilian.

“This has allowed us to take a leading role in helping our clients to align with frameworks and standards – for instance, from the earliest versions of the Equator Principles and the International Finance Corporation’s Performance Standards.”

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15

PRODUCT & TECH

Loadscan launches new Mine Payload Scanner™ to deliver accurate volume measurement to mines

MPS scanner 1200x630.png

L

oadscan, pioneers of the original patented LVS Load Volume Scanner™ have launched their latest innovation, a new volume measurement scanner specifically designed and engineered for the demanding requirements of surface and underground mines around the world.

Designated MPS (Mine Payload Scanner™) this innovative product is a ‘ground-up’ redesign of their industry standard LVS Load Volume Scanner™.

The new mining specification unit is the result of close collaboration with numerous international mining customers and satisfies the extreme demands of this harsh environment.

Loadscan CEO Carey West says, “Our customers have been asking us for specific features for their mines and we have responded by developing the brand new MPS™ unit, which sets a new standard for payload scanning in the mining industry.”

The MPS Mine Payload Scanner™ can accurately scan small underground trucks right up to the largest 400t rigid dumpers, with a certified accuracy of +/-1%. The new MPS incorporates advanced visual alert functionality that provides load status alerts to drivers and operators in real time, enabling immediate corrective

action to be taken. Examples of load status alerts are; underload, overload, load OK, carryback and off-centre load.

The MPS scanner has been redesigned to deal with rugged and harsh mining environments, with upgraded miningspec cabling, ruggedised componentry and an IP67 ingress rating. The unit can operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +60°C (-40°F to 140°F).

In 2021 Loadscan created Mine Payload Technologies, a specialist mining division within the company, to deliver deeper insights and added-value to the sector.

Through this focused business unit, Loadscan will support the global mining sector by delivering innovative and unique mining features and enhanced capabilities.

Loadscan will be presenting the Mine Payload Scanner to the mining community at a range of tradeshows over the next few months: MINExpo (Las Vegas - September 2021), XXXIV Convención Internacional de Minería (Acapulco - October 2021) and IMARC (Melbourne - January 2022).

ABOUT LOADSCAN Over 20 years ago Loadscan invented and patented the original load volume scanner, and since then has been the market leader in providing certified*

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accurate and reliable load information.

Loadscan is the only volumetric scanning manufacturer with internationally recognised Weights and Measurement Certifications*, which ensures that when Loadscan measure loads you can be confident they are absolutely accurate to +/-1%.

Loadscan’s advanced volume scanning and measurement systems provide the detailed insights necessary for mines to optimise production loading and throughput. Our business is about improving the profitability of our global customer base, and our load scanning technology is enabling substantially improved operational and financial performance for forward-thinking mines across the world.

Mine Payload Technologies is the specialist mining division of Loadscan Ltd. *Trade Approval Certificate 1556 (MAPPS NZ) and pattern approval Certificate 13/1/15 (NMI AUS). Loadscan systems are sold as ‘monitor only’ outside New Zealand and Australia but still perform to the same high tested accuracies. www.MinePayloadTechnologies.com for more information

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PRODUCT & TECH

ORICA reveals 4D™ Bulk Explosives System to optimise productivity and blasting costs Orica (ASX: ORI), launched 4D™, its latest bulk explosives technology at MINExpo, Las Vegas. The revolutionary 4D™ bulk system enables the real-time tailoring of explosives energy to geology across a blast, delivering improvements in fragmentation, on bench productivity and an overall reduction in drill and blast costs. The 4D™ bulk explosives technology will enable Orica’s customers to seamlessly match a greater range of explosives energy across a mine’s geology and target specific blast outcomes in real-time.

that will unlock greater value for our customers across their operations.”

Delivering up to 23% more relative bulk strength for hard rock applications and up to 43% reduction in soft rock1, 4D™ will enable a broader range of applications.

In hard rock, the extra energy can be used to improve fragmentation in ore blasting, or to expand patterns while maintaining the same energy per bank cubic metre (BCM) to substantially reduce drill and blast costs.

4D™ enables the seamless matching of the required energy to rock strength, to target the desired blast outcomes.

B

y combining emulsion blended with ammonium nitrate porous prills, 4D™ supports both pumped and augered loading methods across dry, wet and dewatered hole conditions.

An outcome of this unique capability is greater on bench productivity by Orica’s fleet of 4D™ enabled Mobile Manufacturing Units (MMU™), without the need to change raw materials in the MMU™.

Orica Chief Technology Officer, Angus Melbourne said: “Our 4D capability demonstrates the convergence of our new technologies and solutions, allowing our customers to think differently, mine more efficiently and operate more precisely. By combining our range of advanced digital, formulation chemistry and explosives delivery technologies with our technical expertise, we are able to offer this breakthrough solution

The advanced formulation of 4D™ emulsion blended with ammonium nitrate porous prills enables both pumped and augered loading methods for improved productivity of explosives delivery.

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In softer geology, the potential of loading significantly lower energy products into wet holes leads to reduced cost and fume risk, as well as better management of blast vibration.

Orica Vice President – Blasting Technology, Adam Mooney described the solution and the significant change in the application of explosives, saying: “Traditionally blast designs are often driven by Powder Factor, which is the overall consumption of explosives for the blast, rather than the energy required for different parts of the blast based on geology, resulting in the same type of explosive being applied across a blast pattern regardless of changes in geology or the required blast outcome.

“4D now enables us to consider another dimension – the application of energy in real-time matched to the rock strength of the blast pattern as well as the desired blast outcomes, such as consistent fragmentation, fume risk reduction or better vibration control. This is a really powerful technology that will allow customers to manage their drill and blast operations and achieve improved blast outcomes.”

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4D™ will be delivered through MMU™s equipped with LOADPlus™, Orica’s proprietary in-cab smart explosives delivery control system that enables the ease of manufacture and accurate and efficient delivery of formulated explosives products to plan.

Integration with Orica’s suite of digital blasting technologies including BlastIQ™ and SHOTPlus™ will further enable customers to leverage seamless digital workflows including blast designs and blast quality assurance and control, as well as BlastIQ™ digital insights to continually optimise blasting outcomes.

4D™ is currently being developed across Orica’s Fortis™, Fortan™ and Aquacharge™ bulk systems. The technology will eventually be applied across Orica’s suite of bulk systems.

The first release of 4D™ will begin with Australia from the end of the year with other regions to follow from 2022.

4D™ enables the seamless matching of the required energy to rock strength, to target the desired blast outcomes.

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FEATURE

Composite Stands Revolutionise Jack Stand Market First Mining asked Matthew Dow, the inventor of the brand-new Composite Stands jack stands, about the product that is revolutionising support of heavy equipment. Jack stands are in every maintenance workshop the world over and they are traditionally made of steel, and often are too heavy for one technician alone to use safely. Now Dow, an Australian who managed fleet operations in his country’s mines for more than 20 years, has developed a range of jack stands using lightweight composite materials, like those used in space travel. It’s the biggest shake-up in the world of support stands in 75 years.

First Mining: Firstly, Matthew, tell us what have you invented?

Matthew Dow: Essentially the product we have invented is an extremely lightweight, very strong support stand, for medium to heavy industry applications. Presently, the range covers capacity loads from 8 metric tonnes all the way up to 75 metric tonnes. We have ongoing research and development in progress to increase the capacity beyond 75 metric tonnes.

First Mining: How is it different to a traditional jack stand?

Matthew Dow: It’s the same in that it has to comply with the same performance criteria, load bearing qualities and the like. It differs essentially in the technology that’s used to manufacture the column that supports the load. It’s made from a combination of composite materials. The advantages are that it reduces the overall operational weight of the stand, which makes it easier for transporting and placing underneath the suspended load.

First Mining: Why is there a market for a lighter-weight jack stand? Why should we care?

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Matthew Dow: The motivation in developing the product came from my background in the industry, and, in particular, one day I watched a technician in the workshop pulling a stand out from underneath a machine. He was bent down on his hands and knees reaching underneath the machine and pulling and tugging on this stand which was about 55 kilograms in weight. That got me thinking. There’s a significant number of personal injuries in the workplace that are direct causes of strains and sprains associated with pulling and pushing of heavy items. So, we thought can we develop a product that can reduce the

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load that someone has to push and pull and perhaps in turn reduce the potential for an injury in the workplace.

First Mining: Apart from being safer have you found any other benefits to using the lighter weight product?

Matthew Dow: We set out to improve the safety aspect; to reduce risks to do with manual handling. But we’ve also found that the lighter weight product created a significant productivity gain in the workplace. It just reduced the amount of people, and/or equipment, required to move and store and place our product.

You know labour costs are a significant portion of maintenance costs on any mining project, whether it’s in South Africa, or in Australia where we also have vast mining operations with huge fleets of mining equipment that literally require tens of thousands of man hours to service and maintain annually. Companies are always interested in reducing costs and increasing productivity where they can and this is another area that our products assist in. In fact, we’ve had customers like Komatsu conduct time and motion studies, and calculate their payback period whereby they’ve recovered the capital costs of the implementation of the product through productivity gains.

So, it’s turned out it’s a product that improves safety, and also improves the productivity and profitability in the workshop.

First Mining: Are the products fully designed and built in Australia?

Matthew Dow: They are. We worked with Australian designers to build prototypes and then had them tested in laboratories at universities — Newcastle and South East Queensland.

First Mining: So you’re saying that because they’re very light weight,

they are safer to use. That makes sense. What do you know about manual handling injuries in relation to jack stands? I figure this must be a selling point for you?

Matthew Dow: Sprain and strain injuries are significant in the workplace.

We’ve looked at studies which show other incidents involving jack stands in the workplace are directly related to

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21

FEATURE

pins and latches in height-adjustment mechanisms of the traditional jack stands. We designed that potential out of our product. We have a limited amount of adjustment in our stands and that adjustment has no pins and no catches so you can’t have operator error.

First Mining: You have had the new Composite Stands patented. Tell us where they have been patented?

Matthew Dow: We have patents in several countries at the moment. One of the first countries to grant us a patent was South Africa. We have a registered patent in Australia, the USA and Europe..

We have several other patents pending, in various parts of the world.

First Mining: How long have Composite Stands jack stands been in the market?

Can you also talk about durability. Will they last 10 years and more, like a traditional jack stand?

Matthew Dow: They have been in the marketplace since 2018. The first customer that bought the stands has about 80 now in use. To my knowledge there have been no incidents and they are happy with the product and continue to use it. As far as the tests they have undergone, they are made to an Australian standard which requires a minimum of three times the load, so for our 25 tonnes rated stand it has to hold

First Mining: Can you give us any idea of who is using Composite Stands jack stands? at least 75 tonnes. As far as the life of the product goes, the material that is in the composite column is said to have a life of 50 years. I tell the customers they can expect at least 10 years service life out of the product.

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Matthew Dow: Komatsu, Caterpillar dealerships, Hitachi, BHP, Rio Tinto, Glencore and lots of other mining and OEM (original equipment manufacturing) organisations.

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FEATURE

Aggreko’s world-class gas plant to slash CO2 emissions at gold mine miners to reduce carbon by providing them with cleaner, scalable and modular energy as they work toward their NetZero targets.”

Ora Branda Mining Managing Director David Quinlivan said mining operations started on their large land holding in Western Australia in 2019 and reprocessing started again in January 2021. “As part of the capital works program, we needed to reestablish a power station at Davyhurst and we worked with Aggreko and Evol LNG to build a natural gas-powered station to power all of the site,” Mr Quinlivan said.

I

n what is a world-first for global energy provider Aggreko, the company has introduced its latest highly efficient gas engines at a West Australian gold mine.

The power station, which uses a virtual pipeline of gas trucked over 650km, is expected to slash the mine’s carbon emissions (Co2) by 25,000 tonnes during the next five years. Aggreko’s provision of modular energy services spans more than 80 countries, and it has serviced the mining industry for more than 30 years.

Aggreko Australia Pacific Managing Director George Whyte said the newly commissioned gas power station was built at Ora Banda Mining’s Davyhurst Gold Mine, which is about 150km north of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. Mr Whyte said the Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) station project was another step in the company’s mission to help miners’ get closer to their Net-Zero emission targets.

“The Davyhurst gas power station is a great example of how a mine which previously operated on diesel wanted to operate on cleaner fuel and we were able to switch from diesel to gas,” Mr Whyte said.

“Creating a virtual pipeline application is a way to switch from diesel to a cleaner fuel source and reduce carbon immediately without requiring any capital outlay or a physical gas pipeline.

“The result at Davyhurst is a gas power station comprising five LNG generating sets and two diesel generating sets for a combined modular power output of 8.2 MW. Aggreko’s gas-fired power station will enable Ora Banda Mining to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 25,000 tonnes during the initial five years of operation. “This project demonstrates great innovation, uses a virtual gas pipeline and is a world-first for us using the high-speed reciprocating gas engines in our power generators. The power station is highly efficient, scalable and very suitable for transient loads and for the introduction of solar at a later stage.”

Mr Whyte added that Aggreko’s contract to supply the mine with power saved the junior miner on large capital expenditure and allowed miners to focus on their core skill of mining.

“Of appeal to miners is being able to take on flexible contracts with no capital outlay. In addition, Aggreko upscales the technology, and the level of power is scalable so it can evolve with the mine,” he said.

“At Aggreko we will reduce the amount of fossil diesel fuel used in customer solutions by at least 50% by 2030 and become a Net-Zero business across all services we provide by 2050. We are continuing to innovate and work with

“Initially, power was supplied to the site via an overhead line from Kalgoorlie. It is now trucked 650km to site where it is used to power the gas generators. The power station developed for the site now supplies power to the processing plant, to the administration complex, our exploration and core processing facilities, the main mine accommodation plant, and out to the underground mining offices. It also powers our primary communications facilities. Working with Aggreko has resulted in a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for our company.”

An virtual gas pipeline is a substitute for a physical pipeline whereby gas that would typically be conveyed through a conventional gas pipeline is instead transported as liquified natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) to the point of use by sea, road, rail or through a combination of one or more of these transport modes.

Aggreko’s team is skilled at designing, installing, and operating off-grid virtual power plants to provide reliable energy even as mines explore further away from power grids. For more information visit https://www.aggreko.com/en-au/sectorsand - ser vices /power- plants / vir tual power-plants

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FEATURE

BMG Screening Products Materials Handling

Included in BMG’s range are PU and rubber screen panels, side liners, spray nozzles, screen mounts, springs and rubber buffers.

B

MG is committed to ensuring operational efficiency of light and bulk materials handling systems through the supply of a wide range of quality components, supported by technical resources, fabrication and field service capabilities.

Key components for efficient materials handling include screening media, with various surfaces and designs, to suit exact performance requirements.

“Selection of the correct product is based on the specific application, material size, desired throughput and required efficiency of the screen,” explains Chantelle Olivier, Product Manager, Materials Handling, BMG. “Other factors to consider include operating temperature, vibration and weight.”

BMG’s extensive range of screening products encompasses PU and rubber screen panels, side liners, spray nozzles, screen mounts, springs and rubber buffers.

Standard PU screen panels, with an 85

Woven wire mesh screens are available in square, slotted, standard harp and tri-harp weave types

BMG is committed to ensuring operational efficiency of light and bulk materials handling systems through the supply of a wide range of quality branded components, supported by technical resources, fabrication and field service capabilities.

Shore hardness, have a dynamic load capacity and are designed for efficient operation in wet and dry applications.

Special PU (PolyTuff) screen panels, with a 60 Shore hardness, have the properties of standard PU and rubber and improved flexibility from specially engineered plastics. These screens do not perish in elevated temperature environments and offer extended service life.

manufactured from a natural rubber compound that withstands high frequency applications and prevents deterioration that would normally result from heat build-up. Also in the range are screen mounts, side clamps, perforated plates and nosing rubber. Wear liners – available in ultra high molecular weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), rubber and Polyurethane (PU) – are suitable for chute, truck and side liners.

Woven wire mesh screens, which are designed for corrosion and abrasion resistance, are manufactured from high carbon, galvanised and stainless steel. The mesh screens are available in square, slotted, standard harp and tri-harp weave types, with an aperture range from 0.315 mm to 120 mm. Wire diameter ranges from 0,15 mm to 12,50 mm.

All standard over-hook options are available in the C shape, 45˚ hooks and flat. Other screening products include side liners, pins, sleeves and spray nozzles. Rubber buffers are

BMG supplies a wide range of screening media, with various surfaces and designs, to suit exact performance requirements. Selection of the correct product is based on the specific application, material size, desired throughput and required efficiency of the screen.

The world leader in industrial private LTE networks

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W O R L D

C L A S S

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andals lay-flat hoses are an important part of an optimal water management system. Effective mine de-watering and slope depressurization systems are important components of many surface and underground mining operations.

In high flow and deep well de-watering systems for mines, layflat hoses are used to deliver or remove the many thousand gallons of water needed per minute. In mines where pit slope depressurization is essential to maintain stable slopes, lay-flat hoses offer ease of handling, deployment and retrieval. And if the mining operation is to be taken to a deeper level, bore hoses are used to remove ground water.

Lay-flat hoses are ideal for rapid large volume de-watering due to less pressure drop over large distances. Not to forget the rapid and flexible deployment compared to other types of rigid hoses or steel pipes.

Mine de-watering takes place in the harshest of environments.

This requires extremely abrasion resistant hoses to withstand being deployed down steep, rocky mountain sides, lowered into deep wells and to carry the weight of a full set of submersible pumping equipment. www.mandals.com/industries/mining

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MANTEX HP World class lay-flat hose designed for compressed air at high working pressures, while still offering a light-weight solution easy to deploy and store

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Mandals (a Michelin Group company) is a world leading manufacturer of premium lay-flat hoses. With over 245 years of experience in production and distribution of lay-flat hoses, you can trust us as your next business partner. Mandals has become a well-known brand though our worldwide sales and distribution strategy.

We can offer a solid base of products and solutions, in addition to in-house services that can help your business grow together with the Mandals brand.

We are looking for new partners in various industries, such as agriculture/irrigation, oil and gas, mining and portable water. We are always open to explore new industries as well.

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9/30/2021 9:33:16 PM

COVER FEATURE STORY

Restoring sanity in Zambia’s mining sector It is gratifying to see that the government has shown serious desire to engage in dialogue to arrive at optimum levels of taxation which will ensure that government continues to receive taxes from the mines, and also that the mines continue to thrive and invest, on a sustainable basis. Clearly this is the way to go.

This state of affairs has been confirmed by government, which has said that it is committed to putting in place a taxation regime that is stable, predictable, consistent, and transparent. Investors have welcomed this and obviously this should translate into a very bright future for the Zambian mining industry.

Z

ambia has a long history of mining and a large known resource base of copper, emeralds and other deposits, as well as good potential for further discoveries given the high degree of prospectivity.

The mining sector is a major contributor to foreign direct investment, and mining tax revenues contribute a significant portion of total government revenue.

The sector is also a significant source of formal employment both directly and indirectly which is a result of it being a more mature mining economy.

The geology of Zambia shows great potential for further investment in mining.

The past few years have seen significant instability in the fiscal regime and this has undermined new investment into the sector. The mines performed badly during the period of nationalization, since they lost focus from their core business.

The challenges of the 2013 to 2014 fiscal regime resulted in copper production

dropping from 763 000 t in 2013 to 708 000 t in 2014. The first half of 2015 saw a further decline in production, particularly following the uncertainty brought about by the Mineral Royalty Taxation regime of 2015. The government through the newly-appointed mines minister has announced plans to restore sanity in the mining sector.

Zambia as a whole hopes to increase its annual copper output to 2 million tonnes by 2026, new finance minister Situmbeko Musokotwane said last month. The country produced 882,000 tonnes last year.

Hitting that target will require significant investment in Mopani and other mines across Zambia, as well as in exploration.

To start off, copper producers are ready to start expansion projects worth US $2 billion next year if the industry can reach an agreement on royalties with President-elect Hakainde Hichilema’s new administration.

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“We may not do everything in the coming budget but I can assure you that sanity will be brought back to the mining sector before 2026. We have to make policies that will not disadvantage the investors.

We have to have stability in the economy so that the investor is happy. Hichilema would oversee Zambia’s policy on Mopani Copper Mines and Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), two critical operations his new administration must tackle,” Kabuswe said.

These policies should be dynamic in nature so that the country remains competitive with other major players on the global market. The key here is continuous engagement with stake holders so that the government is abreast of the changing challenges and other requirements in the industry.

To counter the legacy of prolonged undercapitalization of the old mines, particularly regarding modern machinery and technology, government should encourage greenfield projects that are able to build low-cost mining operations that can withstand the constant shock of copper price fluctuations.

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FEATURE

Metso Outotec to supply copper solvent extraction and electrowinning technology to US

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etso Outotec has signed an agreement with Florence Copper Inc., a subsidiary of Taseko Mines Limited, to supply copper solvent extraction and electrowinning technology for a plant to be built in Arizona. The order exceeding EUR 20 million has been booked in the Metals’ segment Q3/2021 orders received.

says Stuart McDonald, President and CEO of Taseko Mines.

The Metso Outotec delivery includes the modular VSF®X solvent extraction plant and the main process equipment for the electrowinning plant.

“We are very excited to have purchased the key SX/EW process equipment from Metso Outotec, a world leader in mineral processing and hydrometallurgical technologies. The VSF®X technology is ideally suited for our Florence Copper Project, which is set to become one of the most

energy-efficient and low-carbon copper producers in the world. The modular nature of the equipment will reduce construction time and allow Florence to commence copper production quicker than with other technologies available,”

“We are looking forward to working with Taseko Mines on the Florence Copper Project. The energy-efficient VSF®X solvent extraction plant, which is part of our Planet Positive product range, reduces emissions and is safe to operate.

The Florence Copper Project will become an important new reference for Metso Outotec in the US copper market as a supplier of a complete production plant that uses solvent extraction and electrowinning technology for copper recovery,” says Jari Ålgars, President of the Metals business area at Metso Outotec.

Read more about solvent extraction and electrowinning technologies on our website.

Metso Outotec to supply Planet Positive grinding technology to a greenfield iron ore mine in China

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etso Outotec will deliver several energyefficient stirred mills to a greenfield iron ore processing plant in Liaoning Province in northeastern China. The stirred mill installation, which corresponds to 11 MW of power, will be the largest of its kind in China. The value of the delivery is not disclosed. The order has been booked in the Minerals segment’s Q3/2021 orders received.“We are very pleased that we have been chosen as a supplier for this project.

Previously, we agreed on the delivery of a PG4265™ primary gyratory crusher and three HP900™ cone crushers for the same project.

Our stirred milling technology with its excellent

performance and ability to increase both iron ore concentrate and recovery has proven itself multiple times in the Chinese market. The new installation will also benefit from class-leading energy efficiency and wear life,” says Christoph Hoetzel, Head of Grinding business line at Metso Outotec.

Metso Outotec is the only manufacturer worldwide than offers several stirred mill technologies (Vertimill®, HIGTM mill, and SMD), enabling it to support customers with the most suitable and efficient mills for their applications.

Discover more about Metso Outotec’s grinding technology and Planet Positive approach.

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FEATURE

High performance pumps for sludge and slurries

through the pump discharge, without damaging the impeller,” says Rick Jacobs, senior general manager (SGM) for consumables, Becker Mining South Africa. “Another advantage of Becker’s pumps design is that spares are completely interchangeable. This reduces inventory management costs and simplifies on-site repairs. Because all components are locally manufactured, these pumps are readily available and a large stock holding of spares and raw materials ensures swift delivery throughout the country.”

The PVS series, with a robust one-piece casing, has been designed to efficiently cope with all types of solids and fibrous materials. A locknut that fastens the impeller to the shaft prevents the impeller from turning off if the motor is started in the incorrect direction of rotation.

T

he SOLARPOLE offers an integrated aesthetic option to fully suit your off-grid solar lighting requirements in outdoor residential and public applications.We are proud to be driving the market with the solution of vertical solar panels and integrated battery system to provide our customers with a range of solar products that will suit their needs.

Becker Mining South Africa’s PVS range of vortex pumps has been designed to efficiently pump sludge and slurries containing large abrasive solids and fibrous materials in light, medium and heavy service industries.

The PVS range, which can handle solids to 72 mm (3 inches) and S. G’s to 1,5, achieves up to 87 m heads at speeds of 2 950 rpm. These units are available in 2 and 3” models, with a 0,7 m spindle length and direct motor drive.

“The most important feature of these vertical pumps is the recessed, nonclog impeller design that prevents binding and clogging problems. Since the impeller is clear of the pump casing, any solids and fibrous materials that enter the suction inlet will be expelled

These pumps have a sleeve stuffing box clearance that minimises blow-back of materials being pumped around the shaft sleeve, without requiring sealing contact.

A high strength pipe column maintains alignment between the bearing frame and its casing. There are no submerged bearings on the cantilevered shaft.

Bearings have been selected for a minimum service life of 24 000 hours when operating at any point on the hydraulic coverage curve with 1,0 S.G. Grease lubrication is standard.

These pumps have a heavy-duty construction, with chrome iron CR28% material, which has been hardened to withstand abrasive materials and for increased service life. When in its annealed state, it is 280-400 BHN, after undergoing heat treatment, it is 650-700 BHN. Other materials include cast iron and SS316.

Becker Mining South Africa employs a fully integrated ISO quality management system as part of a dedicated design, manufacturing, testing and repair facility.

The company is also able to adjust its extensive range of pumps to suit specific requirements.

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EVENT

ICMM CEO Rohitesh Dhawan to address ESG -Focused Africa Mining Forum in November

“

that are resource dependent today, they account for 30% of the world’s population.

So, a very large part of the world lives in countries that are resource dependent.

And amongst those people, we have 450 million people that are living in poverty.

So getting this right really matters. And getting this right really matters in an African context.”

What we have known for a long time is that countries and jurisdictions that are better governed, tend to generate better outcomes for their people, especially when it comes to the mining sector.” This is according Rohitesh Dhawan, CEO of the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) and keynote speaker at the upcoming Africa Mining Forum from 2–4 November 2021.

This tailored mining investment platform for junior miners, mid-cap companies and sustainable technology solutions providers, returns with a uniquely themed concept, with each of the ESG principles, Environment, Social and Governance, providing the inspiration for separately focused, digital sessions and activities during three days.

ICMM CEO - Rohitesh Dhawan

Our objective Africa Mining Forum hosts executives and decision-makers to engage directly with key stakeholders, investors, and asset managers through the unique networking channels to identify promising projects and deploy capital in Africa’s mining. The event also provides extensive opportunities to industry technology and service providers to showcase and demonstrate their practical solutions.

The live, digital programme will include a daily commodities outlook, three exclusive keynote sessions, strategic spotlights, technology roundtables and A-Z investment guides for burgeoning mining countries on the continent.

Mining Review Africa, premium media partner for Africa Mining Forum, the ICMM CEO said: “Ultimately, governance is just a fancy word for management.

When we look at the question of governance of natural resources and countries, we can ask, do countries have the right laws in place? And if they do, do they implement them consistently and effectively over time? We found from the research that the countries that have made the most progress over the last 25 years (this research looked 25 years back up until 2018), the countries that made the most progress have been the likes of Indonesia, Bolivia, Peru and Botswana.”

Awards Ceremony Earlier this year, two of the African mining industry’s most innovative brands joined forces, when Africa Mining Forum merged with Mining Review Africa’s Mining Elites in Africa publication with a Digital Awards Ceremony during which the 2022 edition winners of Mining Elites in Africa will be announced.

According to Dhawan, the common theme amongst all of these countries was developing the right policies and then executing them consistently and effectively over time. “If one of those two is not right, typically, you don’t see the progress on social indicators, because what is what we were looking for, how good governance translates into better lives for people.”

Getting governance right The ICMM recently upped the ESG ante by publishing a series of enhanced Mining Principles which define good practice requirements for the mining and metals industry, aligned with its objective of the responsible sourcing and production of metals and minerals. In an interview with

Focus on Africa According to Rohitesh Dhawan, the ICMM’s research had a special focus on Africa because they observed that since 1995, the number of countries that are resource dependent, has increased by 60%. “When we look at the 88 countries

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More headline speakers will be joining Rohitesh Dhawan at Africa Mining Forum in November, including: • Jayne Mammatt, Partner and ESG Lead for Africa, PwC, South Africa • Harry Fisher, Senior Analyst l Battery Metals, CRU Group, Australia • Marta Dec, Senior Analyst l Base Metals, CRU Group, UK • Terence Lyons, CEO, TSC, Singapore • Gerard Reid, CEO, Alexa Capital, UK • Kwasi Ampofo, Head of Metals and Mining, BloombergNEF, UK • David Bleiker, Vice President Mining Environment & Infrastructure Solutions, Wood, Canada.

Unique platform Africa Mining Forum is hosted on the Mine.it Africa – Connect platform, a unique, all-in-one, interactive digital mining platform providing in one place, African mining news and opportunities, live, interactive events and engagement.

Over 3300 mining professionals from 78 countries are already using the platform and attending the digital events and webinars. It is also an ongoing source of industry news, print and video content, interviews and podcasts as well as live webinars and conferences.

Mining Review Africa is the leading monthly magazine and digital platform in the African mining industry. Every month, MRA reaches an audience of over 50 000 influential mining authorities and key decision makers through a variety of channels, including an interactive website, videos and print distribution at all major mining conferences in Africa and across the globe.

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EVENT

2022 Investing in African Mining Indaba to be held 9-12 May

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he 2022 edition of Investing in African Mining Indaba, originally scheduled for 7-10 February 2022, will now take place 9-12 May 2022 at the CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa.

In the announcement released by Hyve Group Plc, the event organisers of Mining Indaba, they stated the coronavirus pandemic was the reason for the postponement.

Simon Ford, Portfolio Director, said, “We consulted extensively with our partners, key stakeholders across the mining value chain and local government ministers.

Collectively, due to ongoing challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, we decided that a postponement was the most practical solution and provides the highest chance of holding a physical, in-person event in 2022 so the industry can reconnect once again. We are fully committed to running the event in South Africa and are grateful for the support of our Advisory Board, partners and key stakeholders.”

Roger Baxter, CEO of the Minerals Council South Africa, long-term partners

of Mining Indaba, expressed the importance of running the event, “Mining Indaba is an integral part of the industry’s calendar. Although it is disappointing that the February 2022 event had to be postponed due to the pandemic, the next gathering promises to be a pivotal event to reset the dialogue around opportunities and challenges in Africa’s mining industry.

We look forward to welcoming the industry back to Cape Town and driving further growth for our industry.”

Anglo American’s Head of Corporate Communications, Nevashnee Naicker echoed the importance of the event, “Mining Indaba has been a significant platform in Africa’s mining industry for over 27 years – bringing together unique voices and perspectives. We look forward to being back at the Indaba in-person in May 2022, where we will continue to interact and learn from our peers, host governments and investors who are at the heart of Africa’s mining industry.”

The fact the CTICC has been converted into a vaccination centre until the end of this year, with the possibility of an extension, also contributed to the

decision. Organisers explained that if extended, it would impact their ability to build the event in January, in time for the large scale gathering the following month.

Ongoing travel restrictions in and out of South Africa for many internationals would impact the event’s ability to bring foreign investment into the continent, further adding to the decision. Organisers also recognised that current government guidelines regarding event capacities are unlikely to be lifted to the level required to run a meaningful event by February.

Simon Ford went on to add, “We are extremely confident that that by May, we can deliver a Mining Indaba to remember.

The event dates are different, but the connections, discussions and experience our attendees come back year after year for will undoubtedly continue to be unmatched.”

The 2022 event will run under the theme “Evolution of African Mining: Investing in the Energy Transition, ESG and Economies”.

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FEATURE

TOMRA’s XRT technology:

a game-changer at Letšeng Diamond Mine in Lesotho TOMRA’S XRT sensor-based sorting technology unlocks significant value for Gem Diamonds at its Letšeng Diamond Mine. It delivered an effective solution for coarse fractions in historical tailings dumps, recovering 15 times the initial investment in 4 years. This success has led to the installation of the first TOMRA Final Recovery sorter in the world, now in its final commissioning stage. Projects to further upgrade the mine’s Recovery Plant with more TOMRA XRT sorters are in the pipeline.

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em Diamonds, a leading global diamond producer of large high value diamonds, owns 70% of the Letšeng mine, located in the Maluti Mountains of Lesotho. It is one of the largest open pit diamond mines in the world, it processes ore from two kimberlite pipes – the Main pipe (17.0ha) and the Satellite pipe (5.2ha) – and is known for the recovery of Type II diamonds. The ore is treated through two plants with conventional crushing,

scrubbing, screening and Dense Medium Separation (DMS) processes. The DMS concentrate is split into three fractions that are sent to be processed with XRT (X-Ray Transmission) and XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence) technologies.

In 2017, the company undertook several activities to unlock the mine’s full potential and contacted TOMRA Mining to explore ways of improving its Coarse Recovery process.

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A trial of TOMRA’s XRT technology quickly reveals its potential Jaco Houman, Senior Manager Technical and Projects at Gem Diamond Technical Services, explains: “We had quite a lot of historic tailings material. We had a view that, since we had commissioned a new Coarse Recovery in 2015, we weren’t quite getting all the diamonds we were looking for. We worked with our supplier to improve, but we felt we had reached a ceiling point. That’s when we

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decided to augment the installed base and contacted TOMRA.” Gem Diamonds rented a TOMRA COM Tertiary XRT sorter, which was deployed in the second half of 2017 to process historic tailings. “Our objectives were to audit the Coarse Recovery Plant performance, increase diamond recovery, improve the recovered revenue and evaluate the TOMRA unit as a recovery and bulk sorting unit,” says Jaco Houman.

The initiative was a success and the TOMRA sorter delivered on all the objectives Gem Diamonds had set: “During the 6-month rental of this unit, we got a better understanding of our primary recovery efficiencies, we were able to conduct off-line auditing and scavenging activities, we increased our diamond recovery and revenue, and we effectively introduced bulk treatment of historical recovery tailings.”

TOMRA’s XRT sorter exceeded all expectations: “The unit showed that it recovers consistently from the tailings material. The value that came from it spoke volumes about the technology and the potential that could still be obtained with the material available. It cemented the realisation that we needed a recovery unit for scavenging, auditing and second-pass recovery.”

High Value Recoveries and excellent ROI with TOMRA COM XRT 2.0 sorter On the back of the excellent results

achieved with the rental unit, Gem Diamonds purchased a TOMRA COM XRT 2.0 sorter to replace the rental unit at the end of the contract.

Featuring a bigger ejection chamber, higher belt speed and throughput, this unit was perfectly suited to the large diamond recovery set up the company was looking for, and they didn’t have to wait for it to deliver: “In January 2018, we had pretty much just finished commissioning this unit and we recovered the biggest stone Letseng had ever seen, the 910-carat Lesotho Legend. There was no question about performance after that,” says Jaco Houman.

“Since 2017, we have recovered 6 diamonds that were sold for more than 1 million US$ with the two TOMRA XRT sorters.” Since installing the TOMRA COM XRT 2.0, the mine’s +5mm historic material has been depleted and the company is now focusing on scavenging and auditing the existent tailings. Jaco Houman explains: “About 10 tonnes a day of coarse fractions are stockpiled per export period, and we do roughly 8 exports a year. Over an average of about 45 days, we accumulate 450 to 500 tonnes, which we process at the end of the export period. We are seeking confirmation that all economical value has been recovered and that nothing has been missed in our recovery process. By having this unit in place, we are now able to recover all

the diamonds that are present in our concentrate, either through a first or a second pass.”

With its performance, the TOMRA COM XRT 2.0 sorter has more than paid for itself, as Jaco Houman points out: “To date, we have recovered about 15 times the investment value over the 4 years it has been in operation.”

Gem Diamonds purchases the first TOMRA XRT Final Recovery sorter in the world Gem Diamonds has been so impressed with TOMRA’s XRT technology that they have become early adopters of its ground-breaking Final Recovery solution, purchasing a TOMRA COM XRT 300 /FR sorter before it was even launched, so that the Letšeng mine is home to the first unit to be installed in the world. Having found an effective solution for Coarse Recovery with the TOMRA COM XRT 2.0 sorter, Gem Diamonds turned their attention to the Fines Recovery Circuit. “We sent some samples for testing to an independent facility and our assumptions of underrecovery in certain size fractions were confirmed,” says Jaco Houman.

“We wanted to find a solution to increase our revenue from the treatment of historic material. We were looking for a compact machine we could use as a final recovery sorter, and the TOMRA COM XRT 300 /FR performs very well in that duty, or even as a single particle sorter. Also, it is a sorter that will treat a

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FEATURE

The installation of the TOMRA COM XRT 300 /FR is the first in a series of three projects that Gem Diamonds is planning in order to upgrade its Recovery Plant with the addition of further TOMRA XRT sorters. The company is also working on a project for the construction of a second recovery circuit that would combine the TOMRA COM XRT 2.0 sorter currently on site, a new TOMRA COM Tertiary sorter and a COM XRT 300 /FR sorter to create an off-line scavenging facility.

This will be followed by a third project, which will look at implementing TOMRA XRT technology through the remainder of the Final Recovery. super-concentrate and work very well as a scavenging unit.”

“The diamond industry had been waiting for 20 years for a way to introduce XRT directly into the Diamond Final Recovery instead of the bulk concentration stages where the DMS modules exist,” explains Ryan Szabo, Sales and Project Manager Diamonds at TOMRA Mining.

“The TOMRA COM XRT 300 /FR is a compact sorter that can function within the diamond recovery and sort house environment, and it is the first to accurately sort diamonds based on their properties and not their proxies, achieving market leading recovery with the highest recovery factor to date.

This made it ideal for Gem Diamonds’ requirements at the Letšeng mine.”

TOMRA’s Final Recovery sorter is now in the commissioning stage, and

performing well, as Jaco Houman states: “We are getting consistent recovery from the TOMRA COM XRT 300 /FR, which is performing to our expectations from this perspective. The overall throughput has not been attained due to deficiencies in the drying system upstream, which are making feeding the sorter at higher throughput rates difficult. However, design corrections are in the process of being implemented and I am confident that we will be able to demonstrate performance of the Final Recovery sorter at the higher capacities.”

“The Final Recovery sorter has functioned exceptionally well,” adds Ryan Szabo. “To date the sorter has never failed a performance test at the Letšeng Diamond Mine. It has already had successful results in the commissioning stage. In fact, it’s the most successful first implementation of a new solution that TOMRA has ever had.”

TOMRA: invested in the client’s success The last four years have seen the successful introduction of TOMRA’s XRT technology at the Letšeng Diamond Mine, where it has provided effective solutions in different stages of the process, improving the operation’s profitability and efficiency. For Jaco Houman, this success stems not only from the advanced technology, but also from TOMRA’s approach to serving its customers: “What I like about TOMRA, is that for them it’s not just about selling you a piece of equipment. If the equipment doesn’t work in the solution or the system that you want, they’d walk away from the sale. For me, this testifies to the fact that they have a vested interest in the success of your business.”

The support that TOMRA has provided throughout the projects also stands out: “My experience has only been positive.

We’re dealing with an organisation with experienced, professional people. I can see that they love what they do, they’re very diligent in their work. The technical people on site have spent hours and hours not just setting up the equipment, but also imparting knowledge and getting the operational staff up to the required levels, so that when they walk away, we know that there’s going to be continuity. I believe that when TOMRA makes a commitment, you can bank on the fact that they will deliver on that.”

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www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

FEATURE

Application Brief: Solar Powering the “Digital Oilfield”

solar electric array with Morningstar controllers powering oilfield lighting in the desert, for Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. Courtesy EcoSol Energy Systems

What exactly is meant by the “Digital Oilfield?”

From its origins in the early 1970s when the first pressure/temperature gauges were fitted into subsea wells and data logging via satellite began, the “Digital Oilfield” concept has evolved from simple data gathering activity to the automation, control and optimization of nearly every process involved upstream (exploration, development and production) and midstream (transport and storage).

Initially adopted for offshore, deep-water facilities where the extremely remote and hazardous nature of operations made automation a valuable asset, Digital Oilfield technology is expanding rapidly into all facets of on-shore operations.

New technologies have transformed the

concept from simple data acquisition and monitoring to a fully-digitized management system, one that freesup valuable engineering resources for analysis, planning and implementation activities rather than reading screens and watching gauges. Key elements of a Digital Oilfield today include (but are not limited to): • Data management • Process automation • Drilling and production optimization • Control and monitoring • Sensors and instrumentation • Pipeline integrity, including cathodic protection • Robotic drilling and “smart wells” • Security • Lighting (fields and platforms) • Safety management

Of the many definitions of what exactly constitutes a “Digital Oilfield,” one of the simplest is “the sensors, telecommunications networks, simulation and optimization, and robotics, coupled with advanced condition monitoring and computational power, which enable major changes to working methods.”

What are its advantages for Oil & Gas operations?

Those working method changes drive real-world results.

Recent industry reports indicate that Digital Oilfield implementation can deliver on the average an 11% bottom line improvement and 7% increase in productivity. One report highlighting a major oil producer as a case study credits Digital Oilfield

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FEATURE

increased production and decreased down-time, through process optimization and remote management. All this is why the Digital Oilfield market is expected to reach an estimated $28.5 billion USD over the next five years.

North Sea platform using solar electricity with Morningstar controllers to power telecom, navigation aid, bird deterrence, foghorn and other critical systems. Courtesy JCE Energy

adoption with saving the company some $200 million in capital operating expense (CAPEX); one example mentioned was reducing the time it took to check pipeline integrity from seven days manually to just 30 minutes using Digital Oilfield automation technology.

As operators make up for lost time in the post-pandemic environment, they are discovering that the digitization of the oilfield is essential to unleashing productivity by freeing up resources for more productive purposes. As a result, the modern Digital Oilfield represents a direct response to industry demand for

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Solar electricity in the Digital Oilfield Globally there are well over 2 million miles/3.2 million kilometers of oil & gas pipelines, the longest of which stretches over 5,400 miles/8,700 kilometers. The oil & gas extraction sites they support total over 65,000 worldwide, with some 9,000 off-shore. The sheer size and scope of this network means that the majority of operations occur in locations far removed from any electrical grid—yet on-site electricity is needed for every mile of pipeline and at every wellhead and terminal, to provide critical power for the monitoring, control, process automation and production optimization functions that comprise the Digital Oilfield.

Diesel and gas generators initially provided a solution at extraction sites, but as Digital Oilfield technology expanded across pipeline networks installing, running and supporting more and more generators became less practical due to two reasons: they require regular

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maintenance and periodic teardowns which are expensive, and they must be refueled which further increases operating costs (OPEX). A third liability with generators is that, as a source of noise and emissions pollution, their very use compromises any “oilfield greening” initiatives important to operators today.

For these reasons operators with remote powering needs have embraced renewable energy for on-site electricity generation, and solar in particular.

Solar’s value proposition for the Digital Oilfield stems from the fact that, unlike generators, solar requires no fueling.

Equally important, unlike both generators and wind turbines, solar electric systems have no moving parts and therefore no need for costly regular maintenance or “teardowns.”

Along with solar’s inherently higher reliability and significantly lower OPEX, the CAPEX side can be offset by new, advanced technology batteries for energy storage for 24/7 operation, particularly lithium-iron/phosphate (LiFePo) types which are both safe and, because they can last 10x longer than conventional batteries in offgrid solar systems, can “pencil out” more economically than other battery types over the long term. Also, unlike generators and wind turbines, solar is unaffected by environmental extremes.

In fact, solar panels or modules actually become more efficient and work better the colder it gets. This can be maximized to great effect in a field installation through advanced charge controlling technology such as Morningstar’s TrakStar MPPT (maximum power point tracking) which effectively extracts every possible Watt from a system for running a load for storage for later. Equipped with the right batteries for the application, solar can function equally well under harsh conditions at sea, in deserts, on mountaintops, and even at the poles.

Using solar electricity to power the Digital Oilfield Nearly any off-grid powering scheme can be upgraded to solar electricity.

Because the many different Digital Oilfield applications and environments out there mean that there are hundreds of possible system configurations and specifications, the detail, design and components needed are best discussed with a professional system integrator with solar expertise. The following are a

solar-powered Remote Terminal Unit (RTU) at a pumping site using a Morningstar HazLoc-rated SunKeeper controller. Courtesy of SunWize

few general guidelines applicable to any industrial off-grid solar electric system equipped with energy storage.

Solar electric system types, like electricity itself, comes in two “flavors:” AC (alternating current) and DC (direct current). Since solar electricity produced by modules or panels is DC, these systems are usually simpler and can be used to power and control DC loads and also charge batteries without the need for any power conversion.

If the system to be powered had AC components, an inverter is added to provide DC-AC conversion. Because the module-produced solar electricity must be controlled and regulated in order to safely and effectively charge batteries and power loads, the “heart and brain” of an off-grid solar electric powering system is the solar charge controller. Depending on the system design and capacity, solar charge controllers can vary in battery bank voltage from 6V to 48V (depending on the type of batteries) and with solar input power capacities typically ranging

The SunKeeper™ (below) is a small UL/CSArated controller used with single-panel systems

from 200W to over 3,000W; for larger systems multiple charge controllers are usually specified.

For all the brand and model diversity, charge controllers come in essentially two types: • PWM (pulse-width modulation): simple and cost-effective, PWM controllers are basically a switch that “throttles back” solar electricity to prevent battery overcharging.

They are ideal for locations with very consistent sunlight, minimal shading, and no physical space limitations. Typical uses are with pole-mounted 36 or 72-cell solar panels which are typical in smaller industrial systems.

• MPPT (maximum power-point tracking): while more costly and complex, they have the advantage of maximizing solar array output in areas where it can widely “swing:” in cold climates where solar modules are actually more efficient, or where shading or inconsistent sunlight affects solar “harvesting.” They work by balancing voltage and amperage to find the optimum blend for the panel’s output. MPPT controllers are better suited for larger arrays as well as the new PERC (passive emitter) technology higheroutput solar cells. Morningstar MPPT controllers have the added advantage of proprietary TrakStar™ technology, based on patented

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FEATURE

Solar in Hazardous Location (HazLoc) applications For oil & gas and other uses where hazardous gasses and liquids might be present (such as mines), having the proper certifications for use in hazardous locations is critical. A hazardous area is defined as one where three fundamental components are in place: 1. A flammable substance: • Gas, vapor, or liquid • Dust • Fibers 2. An ignition source: spark, open flame, excessive heat, etc.

3. An oxidizer: oxygen present in the open air

Morningstar’s line of ProStar™ (upper) and SunSaver™ (lower) solar charge controllers with UL/ CSA and IECEx/ATEX Hazardous Location certifications, widely-used in on and off-shore oil & gas operations around the globe.

algorithms that enable them to even more effectively harvest solar energy.

MPPT controllers can convert all available solar energy into electricity, while PWM controllers typically “throw away” some of it—but in areas of strong, consistent sunlight that is less of a concern. The point being is that there is no inherent quality difference between PWM and MPPT controller technology.

It’s simply a matter of which is the right tool for the job.

With the solar charge controller doing the heavy “electronic lifting,” the rest

of the off-grid industrial solar powering system is comprised of usually three elements: • Solar panels or modules and racking/masting to support them • Batteries for energy storage. Most commonly used are advanced lead acid (sealed gel or valve-regulated AGM), with both lithium ironphosphate and nickel-cadmium becoming increasingly popular depending on the application • An enclosure with suitable breakers, connectors, and possibly additional load-management or communications electronics on board

With that, there are three primary ways to prevent an electronic device from causing an explosion 1. Explosion-proof: isolatge or protect from an explosion through an explosion proof device or enclosure 2. Intrinsic safety: design and build to remove the possibility of a spark or other source of ignition (i.e. by keeping operating temperature low) 3. Isolate the explosive substance from anything that could possibly ignite that material (not always possible) Morningstar ProStar and SunSaver charge controllers are designed around intrinsic safety principles, to meet HazLoc certifications.

In selected models that includes: • Fanless design—many charge controllers, and nearly all higherpowered ones, use cooling fans to get rid of excess heat during

operational areas where solar electricity is most applicable to Digital Oilfield processes

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•

•

operation. But in addition to their inherent reliability and efficiency issues, cooling fans require air-flow around hot internal components to work and exposing the controller’s innards to potentially hazardous vapors. Removing the fan removes the hazard—which Morningstar does across its entire product line. That’s accomplished through advanced electronic and mechanical design for superior thermal management, and a hallmark of Morningstar engineering.

Encapsulated components— selected Morningstar models have internal components sealed in superior-grade epoxy plastic, to further insulate them from hazardous and extreme environments.

Designing to HazLoc standards— all internal circuitry and external connections are designed for intrinsic safety, to eliminate sparks or overheating that could cause ignition of hazardous gases. Besides the superior control of energy, the integrated design and construction of Morningstar products reflects enhanced safety in all aspects, to

•

prevent risk factors accumulating Comprehensive and ongoing testing and evaluation to rigorous HazLoc standards, to ensure safety and compliancy and achieve the necessary Quality Assurance Notifications and Registrations required for HazLoc certification.

When it comes to charge controllers and other critical components, it’s vital for system planners to be aware of the agencies and certifications behind a fully-compliant, safe solar electric powering scheme:

•

North America: UL (Underwriters Laboratories) and CSA (Canadian Standards Association). Compliant devices will have an ETL label, which (summarized) means that they meet the UL/CSA standards for Class 1/Division 2 (areas where explosive concentrations of gasses, vapors and liquids are not normally present but may accidentally exist) and Groups A-D substances (which include Acetylene, Hydrogen, Propane, Gasoline and Methane among others).

•

Rest-of-World: IECEx (International, various agencies) and ATEX (Europe, also various agencies). Their Zone system is roughly comparable to the Class/ Division scheme in North America, with Zone 2 approval applicable to areas where an explosive atmosphere is unlikely to occur under normal conditions except for short periods, from propane, ethylene, or gasses and vapors of equivalent hazard.

Morningstar ProStar and SunSaver controllers meet both UL/CSA and IECEx/ATEX standards, and the Morningstar SunKeeper controller (used in small, single panel systems). meets U/CSA. In addition, both standards also have operating temperature requirements and the devices are rated for safe operation to the maximum ambient temperature marked while not exceeding the surface temperature limit designated, i.e., 212° F/100° C (which is boiling water) for T5.

Solar electric system implementation on the Digital Oilfield

www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

39

GOLD PREMIUM QUALITY ON-BELT ELEMENTAL ANALYSER FOR MINERALS

GEOSCAN GOLD Applications Premium measurement performance for

GEOSCAN GOLD Advantages •

demanding applications. High quality real time elemental analysis for conveyed flows where precision and short measurement times are essential for optimal control.

standard idlers; •

Unmatched proven performance;

•

Operational at completion of commissioning;

Ideal for bulk diversion (bulk sorting) and fine control where elements at ppm levels need to be measured or determined from proxies, such as gold, platinum group

Ultra-compact design. Installs between

•

Customised calibrations;

•

Three models cater for belts 600mm to 2400mm and bed depths to 530mm;

elements, silver, toxic contaminants e.g. mercury, cadmium, chlorine, etc.

•

No contact with material or conveyor belt;

GEOSCAN GOLD Technology

•

No sampling necessary during normal

GEOSCAN GOLD incorporates a high performance proprietary detector array

operation; •

No wear parts = low maintenance;

•

Optional customised SUPERSCAN console;

giving a better, cleaner spectrum at lower concentrations for superior element recognition. The sophisticated array overcomes limitations of conventional, low efficiency detection systems. The GEOSCAN GOLD can operate at extremely high count rates with negligible

•

Interface to most process control systems;

•

Proven short paybacks in many applications (bulk diversion, blending, monitoring, feed forward, etc.) to optimise plant performance.

pulse pile-up.

This innovation vastly improves the signal to noise ratio and spectral peak resolution, enabling elemental detection at lower levels.

Website: www.scantech.com.au

Email: sales@scantech.com.au

Scantech Products

GEOSCAN GOLD Description

Scantech’s Analysers

• GEOSCAN GOLD Premium On-belt Elemental Analyser for Minerals • GEOSCAN-M On-belt Elemental Analyser for Minerals • IRONSCAN 1500 On-belt Natural Gamma Iron Ore Analyser

The GEOSCAN GOLD Elemental

Scantech provides the recycling,

Analysis System is a compact, fully

energy, mining, coal, steel and

integrated, single IP65 rated enclosure,

cement sectors with analysers

which is installed on the conveyor

for a wide range of applications

• MINERALSCAN 2100 On-belt Density Analyser

and monitors the full flow of ore and

and environments. Scantech can

concentrates, without the need for

deliver online solutions that suit

• CM100 On-belt Conductive Material Moisture Analyser

routine samples to be taken and

your process, reduce your operating

analysed. The GEOSCAN GOLD

costs and minimise Health, Safety

provides real time information, with

and Environmental risks for your

updates as often as every 30 seconds

operations. Whether you need

with high measurement precisions.

to monitor moisture, ash, sulphur,

Trace elements can be measured to

mineral or energy content we have the

ppm levels with high confidence.

right application for your needs and

Typical elements analysed are Gold,

budget. Real time analysis during the

Copper, Nickel, Mercury, Cadmium,

various phases of production provides

Silver, Titanium, Sulphur and Chlorine.

operators with significant opportunities

It is used in precious metals, PGEs,

for plant optimisation and quality

base metals, lithium, diamond ores

control. Over the past three decades,

and other critical commodities. This

Scantech analysers have become

premium technology provides real

a standard process control tool in

time analysis of the important quality

the resources and recycling sectors.

parameters for process control. The

Scantech analysers are a fundamental

analyser is fully contained in the single,

component of companies’ digital

heavily shielded enclosure that contains

technology strategies utilising real

the radioactive source, gamma-ray

time measurement systems to enable

detection assembly and all electronics.

core processes to become fully

Industry standard communication

integrated, autonomous, remote and

outputs are available for interface

automated.

with any plant control system or with

• MINERALSCAN 1500 On-belt Natural Gamma Minerals Analyser

• GEOSCAN-R On-belt Elemental Analyser for Recycling • TBM 280 Through Bale Moisture Monitor • BALZSCAN 9500X On-belt Elemental Analyser for Alternative Fuels • BALZSCAN 2100 On-belt Ash Analyser for Alternative Fuels • TBM 280 BaleScan Through Bale Moisture Monitor for Alternative Fuels • GEOSCAN-C On-belt Elemental Analyser for Cement • BLENDSCAN Process Control for the Cement Industry • TBM 260 ReadiMoist Through Bin Moisture Analyser for Concrete • GEOSCAN-S On-belt Elemental Analyser for Steel • CM 100-S On-belt Conductive Material Moisture Analyser • COALSCAN 9500X On-belt Elemental Analyser for Coal • COALSCAN 1500 On-belt Natural Gamma Ash Analyser • COALSCAN 2100 On-belt Ash Analyser • CIFA 350 Carbon in Fly Ash Analyser

Scantech’s SUPERSCAN output display

• TBM 210/220/230/240 Through Belt Moisture Analysers

system installed in any suitable remote

• TBM 260 Through Bin Moisture Analyser

location.

• SIZESCAN Particle Size Distribution Analyser Scantech Products have Patented Technology & Registered Trademarks

Specifications Dimensions & Weight

ADELAIDE OFFICE PO Box 64 Unley South Australia 5061 AUSTRALIA Tel: +61 8 8350 0200 Fax: +61 8 8350 0188

Website: www.scantech.com.au

BRISBANE OFFICE PO Box 1485 Springwood Queensland 4127 AUSTRALIA

Length

1.00 m

Width

2.24 m

Height

2.04 m

Weight

2500 kg approx.

(Plus 1,200kg for shield extensions) Specifications subject to change without notice.

Details shown for standard model.

Large and Extra-Large sizes available.

Email: sales@scantech.com.au

FM5423R0 GEOSCAN GOLD - English

FEATURE

Improving blasting productivity Stemming enhancement plugs could potentially improve the effectiveness of stemming material in the blast hole.

S

temming is one of the major effective parameters of open pit blasting. “Stemming plugs” are the new technological development on the increase of blasting efficiency without changing the feature of explosives. They are used in the stemming zone of the blast hole to increase the containment of the explosive gasses.

In order to install the plugs in the hole, it is lowered onto the first part of stemming material functioning as buffer with an appropriate insertion tool that is a wooden stick a holding mechanism at the end. After ensuring that the plug is properly seated, at least one borehole diameter of stemming material is added on the plug to disengage the insertion tool from it. Plugs are designed to occupy approximately 90% of the actual borehole diameter to allow space for plugs to freely down detonation wires and compensate for drill bit wear.

Stemming plug ıs a cone shaped device constructed of high impact polystyrene.

The circumferential wall of the conic shape ends with a placement part at the top. It can easily be compressed under any load to change its shape.

This characteristic of the plug is used for placing the plug firmly in the hole when any load coming from stemming material applied over it.

This yields an increase in explosive energy transmitted to rock mass, resulting in better fragmentation.

Stemming plugs were first developed in University of Missouri in 1994 in order to protect explosive gasses escaping from the blast hole. The main purpose is to block the chemical output gasses those are effective source of fragmentation in blasting within the blast hole.

Stemming plugs are one of the widely used accessory in surface mining operations. They assist conventional stemming material in gas retention and help in better fragmentation and explosive utilization. Effective use of the stemming plugs results in economic benefits and enhance the efficacy of the project.

Addition of stemming plugs to a new system requires ergonomic challenges for operators conducting drilling and blasting operation. Induction of a newer product in already established system is subject to overall positive feedback.

How they work Stemming plugs are placed in the stemming zone of the blast hole to increase the containment of the explosive gasses. The resultant increase in explosive energy is transmitted to the

rock mass and is utilized to fragment the rock more efficiently.

The plug is inserted in the borehole over the explosive charge. First of all, one third of the total stemming material is placed in the hole over the explosive column to provide cushion effect against the heat produced by chemical reaction. This protects plug from rapid deformation due to excessive heat and pressure.

Then the next step is to put rest of total stemming material over the plug.

The plug should be as firm as to resist the burden from stemming material above it, but at the same time it should expand to close the gap with hole wall to restrain necessary friction when the explosive column is initiated. This provides necessary caption forces to keep high pressure explosive gasses inside the stemming zone giving a better fragmentation effect.

When the explosive column is initiated, the energy created from rapid chemical reaction drives the stemming plugs upwards into the stemming column, the typical path of least resistance and engages the stemming material in the borehole wall. At the same time, the expansion occurs on the plugs providing a better friction resistance to keep its position in the hole.

42

Conclusion The process of rock fragmentation by blasting has been used in the mining industry for the past century. Explosives are employed in the blast hole in a variety of ways to fracture the rock and dislodge the broken rock to enable excavation equipment to remove the rock as easily as possible. Explosives are extremely energetic substances in compact form and the utilisation of the energy released in an effective manner is the aim of all good mining operators.

The energy released from the detonation of an explosive charge occurs in millisecond time frame and extracting useful work from this energy is of prime concern. A major portion of the explosive energy is in the form of gas energy and it is this portion that is said to perform the movement of the fragmented rock mass.

The transmission of this gas energy into the confining medium in the blast hole will determine the success or otherwise of the blast performance. In other words, when blasting we need to ensure the gas emitted when blasting is confined within the blast hole.

Miners frequently utilise crushed hard rock that is approximately 20 to 25mm in diameter to stem the top of a blast hole in order to prevent this gas from escaping out the top of a blast hole and into the atmosphere, therein reducing the impact of the blast. Stemming has the additional environmental effect of mitigating excess noise levels at the time of a blast.

www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

Blasters Tool & Supply Company

B

lasters Tool & Supply Company has always been committed to provide competitive pricing and great customer service. We have recently taken big steps in this direction with the acquisition of two companies which have serviced the blasting industry for many years.

Blasters Tool & Supply Company has recently acquired Exploration Products and Thomas Instruments.

Exploration Products designed and manufactured quality stemming/ seismic plugs and accessories which have been primarily utilized in the mining, seismic, engineering, construction, and blasting industries.

Thomas Instruments designed and manufactured specialized testing equipment which have been primarily utilized in the mining, engineering, construction, and blasting

industries. The acquisition of these two companies allows our customers to have a direct source for the products needed every day. This acquisition has positioned Blasters Tool & Supply Company to offer even more competitive pricing and larger inventories of these items.

Please contact one of our team members below and ask for more information about how we can better serve you.

Kim Schell, Inside Sales/ Administration – kschell@ blasterstool.com David Temple, Purchasing/Sales – dtemple@blasterstool.com Charles Harrod, Owner – charrod@ blasterstool.com

BLASTERS TH

INSTRUMENTS INC.

Tool & Supply Co.

www.BlastersTool.com Sales@BlastersTool.com

Blasters Tool & Supply Co., Inc. has expanded to better serve our customers. We have been supplying blasting supplies for over 30 years, with a wide range of products and experience to provide the best service in the industry. We are now the sole producer of Exploration Products Stemming Plugs & Thomas Instruments Testing Equipment.

Please visit our website at the address above and contact us at sales@BlastersTool.com about how we can supply quality products and service to you.

www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

43

FEATURE

Thermoplastic Valve and Actuators: All you need to know

T

he Mining Industry has a diverse number of operations that require the control of the flow of various fluids in different processes.

For over 50 years, thermoplastic valves have been growing in acceptance as an effective choice over metal valves in many applications. The advantages of thermoplastic valves include: • Thermoplastic valves are dielectric, so they do not support an electrical charge. This enables them to be immune from the electro-chemical corrosion that occurs with metal valves.

• Thermoplastic materials are immune to microbiologicalinfluenced corrosion that leads to rust and pitting in metal valves.

• Interior walls are moulded with a smooth finish that enables high flow coefficient and consistent performance over an extended service life.

• Up to 50% lighter in weight than metal valve counterparts. This allows for lower freight and handling costs, and ease of installation.

is rugged and well-proven for industrial applications when used within the range of the material’s specifications.

Thermoplastic valves fitted with electric or pneumatic actuators also allow for automated control and remote access by operators.

Thermoplastic valve materials The most common materials used in thermoplastic valve manufacturing are PVC, CPVC, GFPP and PVDF. Both

Thermoplastic valves have the advantage of being lightweight, corrosion resistant, chemical resistant and non-toxic. They also will not scale or rust and have low thermal conductivity. Commonly used in municipal and industrial chemical feed systems, thermoplastic material

44

materials inherently perform differently at the same operating temperature, pressure, impact and UV exposure.

The thermoplastic valve body is precision molded from the base material.

Thermoplastic valve assemblies additionally have smaller components made of different material that also interact with the liquid process. All of these materials require careful attention during valve selection due to potential chemical compatibility.

Incorrect material selection, especially of O-rings and liners, can lead to premature valve failure.

Ball valves use elastomer O-rings made of EPDM or FMP. These are located in the end connections and stem to create a sealing surface between plastic components. PTFE seats on either side of the ball provide a smooth travel and sealing surface for the ball to ride and seat against. Thermoplastic butterfly valves have an elastomer liner that the disc seals into and O-rings made of EPDM, Viton or Nitrile. A thermoplastic butterfly valve also has a stainless steel or titanium shaft that holds the liner and disc assembly in place within the valve body.

When specifying a valve for a potentially corrosive application, consulting a chemical resistance chart for the thermoplastic and elastomer material

www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

FEATURE

chemical compatibility will ensure correct material selection. EPDM rubber is an elastomer recommended for water, steam, dilute acids, dilute alkalis and alcohols. All thermoplastic material operating pressure decreases as temperature increases. Maximum operating pressure of a 2-inch ball valve can be 250 psi at 70°F, non-shock. The pressure and temperature curves are different for PVC and CPVC. The same schedule 80 PVC ball valve will have a max pressure of 130 psi at 145°F. A valve actuator is the device that “actuates,” or moves, a valve open or closed. It attaches to and works in conjunction with two parts: the valve body and the valve pilot.

Types of actuators When considering actuating a thermoplastic valve, the following points need to be identified: • Valve type: ball, butterfly, diaphragm, three-way ball • Valve size • Valve operation: on/off, throttling (modulating 4-20 mA), 3-position • Installation: indoors or outdoors Electric or pneumatic Pneumatic actuators require plantsupplied air and come as either double-acting or spring return. Options include solenoid (AC or DC), air filter/ regulator, positioner (4-20 mA), auxiliary limit switches, visual indicator and declutchable manual override.

Actuator cycle time is the time it takes an actuator to travel from open to close and is important for preventing water hammer resulting from a valve opening or closing too fast. The cycle time of Hayward’s HRSN2 electric actuator for a 4-inch ball valve is approximately 9 to 13 seconds.

Cycle time for a 12-inch butterfly valve is approximately 39 seconds. For electric actuators, this speed is fixed.

Speed of a pneumatic actuator is governed by a solenoid assembly that opens or closes on command and regulates the flow of air into and out of the actuator piston cylinder. Doubleacting actuators have air supplied to both the open and close cylinders. On loss of supply air, a double-acting valve will remain in the last position. Failsafe spring return actuators are used in applications that require a valve to travel

46

to either a full-open or full-close position in the event of loss of air supply. The failsafe position is selected when specifying the actuator but can be changed in the field, if needed.

Electric actuators –These types of valves are among the most common and the most dependable. They’re capable of quickly operating some of the largest valves, and they’re powered by a single or three-phased electric motor that drives a combination of level gears and spurs. Subsequently, these gears and spurs drive a stem nut, which engages the stem of the valve to open or close it. They often include a declutching mechanism and a hand wheel that allows for manual operation in the event of a power failure.

Manual actuators – Manual actuators use levers, wheels, and/or gears to facilitate movement. Manual actuators differ from automatic actuators, as automatic actuators have an external power source providing the force and motion needed to operate a valve automatically or remotely. For many valves, manual operation isn’t an option, either because the application includes valves in remote pipelines or due to the sheer force required for operation.

Additionally, manual actuators aren’t a practical solution for valves located in toxic or hostile environments, and they’re not as useful in applications requiring the safety precaution of allowing for immediate shutdown.

Conclusion When choosing valve actuators, usage factors are a significant consideration.

For example, electric actuators, by nature, require electricity to operate.

Pneumatic actuators can operate in temperatures ranging from -4 to 150° F (-20 to 70°C), or in some cases in the range of -40 to 250°F (-40 to 121°C), provided the right seals, grease, and bearings are in place. Electric actuators can operate in temperatures ranging from -40 to 150°F (-40 to 65°C).

Pneumatic actuators are often preferred in hazardous or toxic environments due to their explosion-proof nature, but if there’s a lack of compressed air or a pneumatic actuator is unable to meet other operating specifications, electric actuators may be used.

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TRILLION TONNES of HAULAGE over the

Congratulations to our customers for

OPTIMISING

last 40 years

Leveraging Data and Innovation to Optimise the Mining Value Chain in Real Time

ADVERTISER’S INDEX Agruline..................................................................................................................................IBC Aliaxis.........................................................................................................................................45 Allijam......................................................................................................................................IFC Ambra Solutions....................................................................................................................24 Arsenal.......................................................................................................................................11 Bata Industrie....................................................................................................................OBC Begg Cousland......................................................................................................................27 Blaster Tool & Supply Co.................................................................................................43 CICSA........................................................................................................................................05

Composite Stands................................................................................................................19 Mandals.....................................................................................................................................25 MineSupply..............................................................................................................................22 Modular Mining.......................................................................................................................47 Scantech...................................................................................................................................40 Tyre Rim Wheels SA..........................................................................................................48 Vietti Slurrytec.......................................................................................................................15 Vivian Conveyors..................................................................................................................17

FMDZ is a bi-monthly magazine for mining industry incorporating, exploration, oil, power, drilling and other large scale extraction, storage, transport, Market and utilisation of Africa’s Copper Belt wealth and resources.

First Mining DRC-ZAMBIA is published 6 times per annum: Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug Sept/Oct and Nov/Dec.

TO ADVERTISE CALL: +27 11 044 8986 Email: sales@fmdrc-zambia.com

Affiliate publications: THE JOURNAL FOR PUMP INDUSTRY LEADERS

www.pumps-africa.com

www.farmersreviewafrica.com

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47

TYRE RIM WHEEL SA (PTY) LTD TREAD

STAR

SIZE

PATTERN

CODE

TYPE

DEPTH

PLY RATING

LOAD INDEX

Q/40'

11.00R20

CM126 CM126A CM126 CM126A CMA2 CMB3 CMB7 CMB5 CM169 CM169 CMB8 CMB2 CMB2 CMA5 CMB3 CMB5 CME919 CMB9 CMD1 CMA5 CMB5 CME919 CMB9 CMD1 CMB2 CMB1 CMA5 CMB5 CMA1 CMB5 CMB5 CMB5 CMB7 CMA8 CMAS+ CMA6 CMB5 CMB3 CMB7 CMA2 CMA9 CMA9 CMA1 CMB5 CMB5 CMAS+ CMA7 CMA8 CMA2 CMA9 CMA1 CMA1A CMB5 CMB5 CMB5 CMA7 CMA8 CMA2 CMA9 CMA9 CMA1 CMA3 CMB5 CMB5 CMB5 CMA7 CMA7 CMA8 CMA1 CMA3 CMB5 CMA7 CMA8 CMA1 CMA7 CMB5 CMB5 CMA7 CMA7 CMA7 CMA8

E4 IND5 L5-S E3 MINING HIGHWAY G2 G2 E2 IND-5 E3 E3 E4 E4 E2 E3 E3 E4 E4 G2 E2 E2 E4 E3/L3 L3 E3/L3 E4/L4 L5-S L5 G3/L3 E2 E4 IND-4 L5-S E4 E4 E4 E3/L3 E3/L3 L3 G3/L3 L5 L5 E3 E4 E3/L3 E3/L3 E3/L3 L3 E4/L4 L5 L5 E4 E4 E4 E3/L3 E3/L3 E3/L3 L3 E4/L4 E4 L5 L5 E3/L3 E3/L3 E4/L4 E4 L5 E3/L3 E4 E3/L3 E3/L3 E4 E4 L4 L5

TT TT TT TT TT TT/TL TT/TL TT TT/TL TT/TL TT/TL TL TL TL TT/TL TT/TL TT TT/TL TT/TL TL TT/TL TT TT TT/TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TT/TL TL TL TL TT/TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TT TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL TL

32 30 32 30 31.5 40 56 28 21 21 20 26 26 23 63 30 30 36 40 23 30 30 36 40 28 25 23 45 28 26.5 26.5 36 60 64 28 30 47 63 83 54 49 49 26 28.5 28.5 31 68 68 32 53 31.5 41.5 32 32 48 76 78 57 58 58 36 38.5 35 35 54 58 86 88 43 43 57 60 95 43 60 38 43 62.5 62.5 62.5 95

22PR 22PR 22PR 22PR ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ 20PR 20PR 20PR ★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★ ★★★★ ★★ ★★

160/156B 160/156B 162/158B 162/158B 158/155F 180A8 177A2 163B 164/161F 164/161F 164/161F 153A8 153A8 170E 170B 170B 170B 170B 170B 170E 170B 170B 170B 170B 161A8 177E 177E 182B/196A2 167B/182A2 167B/182A2 167B/182A2 167B/182A2 182A2 193A2 153A8/182A2 186E 204A2 214A5 204A2 191B 191B 196B 177B/193A2 177B/193A2 177B/193A2 161A8/193A2 193A2 193A2 200B 201B 185B 185B 185B/201A2 185B/201A2 185B/201A2 201A2 201A2 209B 209B 214B 209B 209B 209A2/193B 209A2/193B 209A2/193B 193B 209A2 209A2 216B 216B 200B/216A2 200B 216A2 218B 202B 180B/193A2 190B/202A2 207B 225A2 224A2

220 220 200 200 170 170 170

12.00R20 12.00R24

13.00R25 14.00R20

14.00R24 (385/95R24)

14.00R25(385/95R25)

16.00R24(445/95R24) 16.00R25(445/95R25)

17.5R25(445/80R25)

18.00R25(505/95R25)

18.00R33

20.5R25(525/80R25)

21.00R33 21.00R35 23.5R25

24.00R35

26.5R25

29.5R25

29.5R29 650/65R25 750/65R25 35/65R33

South Africa: Phone: +27 71 100 7675 WhatsApp:+1 587 334 2246 | Skype: hendri.swanepoel1 Email: info@tyrerimwheel.com

144 144 146 114 114 100 95 95 97 86 86 95 95 97 86 86 80 76 76 74 90 90 90 90 88 80 90 44 44 40 35 36 36 36 57 57 57 57 57 56 24 24 43 43 43 43 43 42 42 22 22 22 36 36 36 36 36 35 35 35 25 25 25 25 24 22 22 35 28 17 17 17 17

CMA1

CMA5

CMA2

CMA6

CMA3

CMA7

CMA8

CMA9

CMB1

CMB2

CMB3

CMB5

CMB6

CMB7

CMB8

CMB9

CMD1

CME919

CMAS+

CM126

CME169

3 YEAR WARRANTY No S.A. SALES ON OTR COACH MASTER TBR AVAILABLE PLEASE CONTACT US FOR PRICES

AGRULINE FITTINGS & PIPES RESISTANT TO CRACKS LONGER SERVICE LIFE crack resistant PE 100-RC HIGH ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY sandbed-free installation LASTING CONNECTIONS better welding results ONE STOP SHOPPING complete PE 100-RC piping system

agru Kunststofftechnik Gesellschaft m.b.H. | Ing.-Pesendorfer-Strasse 31 | 4540 Bad Hall, Austria | T +43 7258 7900 | sales@agru.at www.fmdrc-Zambia.com

3

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O

LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

FOR DISTRIBUTOR OPPORTUNITIES, CONTACT DEREK.YEGAMBARAM@BATA.COM