Editor’s take: Despite a waning desire for diamonds, the precious stone nevertheless continues to hold pride of place at many events, including the recently held Miss South Africa competition, which saw Natasha Joubert crowned, and become the first winner to wear the brand-new coronet dubbed Mowana, 'Tree of Life'. Mowana is the brainchild of Ursula Pule, creative director and co-founder of Nungu Diamonds, the sponsor of the new Miss South Africa crown. According to the press statement, the crown is made up of over 800 stones comprising diamonds, gemstones, and cubic zirconia, with the biggest weighing 15 carats. Joubert becomes the 67th queen to be announced since the pageant began.
On the cover
UMS brings fresh thinking to shaft sinking
Mining and professional engineering services provider UMS Group, which designs and constructs underground and surface works – as well as associated surface infrastructure such as process plants – for mining clients, has earned a reputation for being an innovator. In particular, the company has brought fresh thinking to the highly complex task of shaft sinking, as Robert Hull, Group Chief Operating Officer, and Murray Macnab, Group Technical Director, made clear when they spoke to Modern Mining recently.
$20 million debt facility helps Lindi Jumbo advance to production
With the finalisation in July of the $20 million loan agreement with Gemcorp, energy minerals developer, Walkabout Resources, remains on-track to deliver first production from its Lindi Jumbo graphite project in southeast Tanzania, early in 2024, CEO Andrew Cunningham tells Modern Mining. The $20 million deal with Gemcorp positions Lindi Jumbo as the first graphite project in the western world to be funded, in part, through debt.”
Cora Gold eager to start Sanankoro project construction
Gold exploration and development company, Cora Gold, is chomping at the bit to get its flagship asset, Sanankoro Gold Project, into construction as the miner awaits progress from the Malian Government, which announced a review of its mining laws in November 2022.
Maptek drives mining’s future readiness
With technology developments advancing at lightning speed, mining houses can unlock significant opportunities. However, to be future ready and achieve the required gains, they will need to partner with leading technology providers, says Maptek’s Gideon Slabbert, General Manager for Africa.
MMP advances mechanical cutting initiatives for NRHR mining
Once the Mechanical Rock Breaking Technical Design Study, currently at early feasibility study stage, achieves its intended outcome of a fit-for-purpose mechanical cutting product, it will allow miners to unlock significant tonnages from narrow reef hard rock mines in the platinum group metals (PGMs), chrome and gold sectors, says Mandela Mining Precinct’s (MMP) Martin Pretorius.
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