Editor’s take: South Africa’s mining industry remains hamstrung by a range of challenges, including power, port and rail and yet, despite recording a drop in profits, the sector is reinvesting in its future operations, says PwC South Africa’s 2023 SA Mine: Adapt to thrive report. According to the report, miners have opted to dig deep into their pockets and have retained less of their funds in order to fund new capital investments.
For the first six months of 2023, the South African Revenue Service’s export data showed that the value of mined material exports amounted to R575 bn, which equates to around 58% of total exports made by South Africa to its trading partners. However, while new capital investment is good news, investment into exploration projects remains on the backfoot, with Anglo American CEO, Duncan Wanblad, conceding that while South Africa had incredible mineral endowment, it was definitely underexplored, with the mining major itself having not prioritised exploration in South Africa, as it sought more lucrative prospects for its scarce dollars.
On the cover
Empowering mining through innovative blasting techniques
In the realm of mining, rapid technological advancements are reshaping the industry's landscape, particularly in the field of blasting, according to Ralf Hennecke, managing director of mining solutions company BME, a member of the Omnia Group.
"The adoption of emulsion explosives has been a game-changer, enhancing both safety and performance in mine blasting," explained Hennecke. Having pioneered the use of cold emulsions in the local market in the mid-1980s, BME played a pivotal role in introducing emulsion explosives to opencast mines.
Kalia – finger on the start button
Touted as the world’s sixth largest undeveloped iron ore deposit, the Kalia Iron Ore deposit, which was recently acquired by Millennium Panorama Group Limited subsidiary, Stella Vista, is ready for a revised bankable feasibility study (BFS) ahead of being taken up the value curve and into production.
“We remain highly focused on updating the BFS numbers as a first step, which will provide a credible development plan with associated economics. Simultaneously, we are focusing our efforts on securing access to both rail and port infrastructure, which will underwrite the successful development of the mine,” says MD Blair Sergeant.
Strong demand for emeralds underpins investment in Grizzly mine
Given the robust demand for gemstones, emerald miner, Grizzly Mining, one of the world’s largest producers of emeralds, recently acquired the Olympic licence area, which hosts an extension to the ore body adjacent to its current open pit mine. The Olympic licence is set to expand the life of mine by another 20+ years, says Abdoulaye Ndiaye, of Grizzly Mining.
Bara Consulting enters new markets, expands offering
Engineering consultancy firm, Bara Consulting’s recent moves are paving the way for growth in international markets. This follows the opening of a new office in Canada (Bara Americas) and strengthening of the UK team.
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