Mining Developments News

Shopping centres hold a special place in festive holiday routines worldwide, from sunny South Africa to snowy Poland. “No matter what you may think (or not think) about shopping malls, they are simply an unbeatable place to be this time of year,” says Hadley Dean, CEO of EPP, Poland’s largest owner of shopping centres, which is listed on the stock exchanges in Johannesburg (JSE) and Luxembourg (Euro MTF). Hadley puts this down to the experience and delight that only shopping centres can offer. The sights: malls do decorations in a spectacular manner. Management spends a great deal of time and effort creating a festive environment crafted to put you in a good mood, and it works. Even better is that, like snowflakes, no two centres are decorated exactly the same. The sounds: head to your local shopping centre where you are guaranteed they will be playing holiday tunes; there may even be live performances. The taste: Food and beverage have become a critical point in modern shopping

Johannesburg, 18 December 2018: Gold Fields Limited (Gold Fields) (JSE, NYSE: GFI) is pleased to announced that it has reached agreement with the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) to officially end the 45-day strike at its South Deep mine in South Africa. Employees have been returning to work since last Thursday (13 December 2018) when the NUM called off the strike, but the formal settlement agreement to end the strike was only signed today after a mass meeting held by the NUM. In terms of the agreement, the retrenchments of 1,082 employees will go ahead, with most of these retrenchments having already been processed. Retrenched employees have been offered portable skills training to assist in their future job searches. To alleviate the financial burden of employees who were on the ‘no-work no-pay’ strike, South Deep has agreed to deduct the lost earnings over four months and to pay all non-management employees an ex-gratia payment of 20% of basic pay should they have returned to wor

People do business with people they know, like and trust. Building relationships, however, takes time and effort. Even so, relationships are fundamental to growing small businesses, and entrepreneurs should never lose sight of that. At small business accelerator Property Point, a Growthpoint initiative, relationships are considered to be so fundamental for building sustainable small companies that they are one of its three pillars: Risk, Reputation and Relationships. “The obvious relationships that a small business wants to nurture are those with clients, funders, suppliers or mentors. While less apparent, when you are building a business from the ground up, the power of peer networking is invaluable,” says Desigan Chetty, Head of Operations at Property Point. “Entrepreneurship can be an isolating journey, but you don’t have to go it alone. Having a strong peer network can help you as a business owner, and support you with referrals, advice or even just an empathetic friend to mee

The improper disposal of waste is one of the fastest growing risks to our planet and way of life. Rotting food leads to increases in methane gasses as the food decomposes in landfills. To address this, the City of Cape Town plans to start banning wet waste from its landfills from 2022. The Waste Transformers from the Netherlands and South Africa’s own JSE-listed international property company Growthpoint Properties have united to help take on this challenge. They are leveraging end-of-pipeline food waste from shopping malls and adopting a de-centralised approach to organic waste. An on-site, anaerobic digester has been installed at Growthpoint’s N1 City Mall in Cape Town, which is processing the waste from the mall to generate clean methane. This methane is consumed by an internal combustion engine to produce green electricity and hot water for the shopping centre. A fertiliser is also created, which will be used for the mall’s gardens. It is an on-site, smart, green, transporta

Brokk, the world’s leading manufacturer of remote-controlled demolition machines, hires Ted Graser as its southeast regional sales manager. Graser manages sales for both Brokk robotic demolition machines and the company’s Aquajet Systems AB hydrodemolition robots. He provides support to customers throughout Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and the Carolinas. “Ted’s sales and equipment experience are a valuable asset to our team,” said Peter Bigwood, Brokk vice president of sales and marketing. “His knowledge of the southeast region and drive to help service customers gives him valuable insight when it comes to building and maintaining relationships.” Graser joins Brokk with 25 years of construction and industrial equipment sales experience, including managing international territories for Link-Belt Excavators, a U.S.-based heavy construction equipment manufacturer; Time Manufacturing Company, a Texas-based manufacturer of aerial lifts; and Sennebogen, a German material handlin

World Bank president Dr Jim Yong Kim, currently on an official visit to South Africa, was hosted yesterday afternoon by the Minister of Health Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, Compensation Commissioner Dr Barry Kistnasamy, the Minerals Council South Africa, and the Occupational Lung Disease (OLD) Working Group and its six member mining companies: African Rainbow Minerals; AngloGold Ashanti; Anglo American SA; Gold Fields; Harmony and Sibanye-Stillwater. The purpose of the event was to demonstrate to Dr Kim the outreach work being carried out collaboratively by these organisations in mining regions and labour-sending areas around the southern African sub-continent. The World Bank was instrumental in providing initial investments and analytical work which assisted in towards a more comprehensive and fully integrated occupational health services for ex-mineworkers in southern Africa. The purpose of the work is to track and trace former mineworkers, test them for any occupational lung diseases they ma

Talbert Manufacturing, a North American leader in specialized heavy-haul solutions, offers the 60CC/55SA-LD trailer for optimum versatility. The trailer pairs with Talbert’s optional East Coast-style E2Nitro™ spreader, allowing for 60-ton capacity with a close-coupled configuration or a 55-ton hauling capacity with a spread axle configuration. This innovative Talbert design gives customers flexibility to switch between configurations to meet differing hauling regulations. While maintaining a 60-ton rating at half the deck length, the 60CC/55SA-LD offers a 6-inch ground clearance with an 18-inch loaded deck height — two inches lower than competitive models. “We’re the only manufacturer offering a trailer in this hauling class with an 18-inch loaded deck height,” said Troy Geisler, Talbert vice president of sales and marketing. “Those two inches make a huge difference in today’s hauling world.” The Talbert 60CC/55SA-LD is a hydraulic detachable gooseneck trailer featuring a non-ground

Haver & Boecker, a leading equipment manufacturer and solutions provider in mining and aggregates applications, offers a conversion kit for older model H-Class vibrating screens. H-Class models V-50 and older can be updated to the current V-85 H-Class model to reduce operating noise to levels below 100 dBA, gain better control over the running frequency and decrease maintenance costs by as much as 50 percent. The H-Class’ modular design uses pre-engineered components, which allows the machine to be easily configured based on an operation’s requirements. The machine is effective for screening hot materials, such as phosphate, potash and asphalt. The V-85 conversion kit can be installed in one day. The package includes the heavy-duty welded bridge, A/C drives, controls and optional rubber dust covers for hot or cold applications. “As an industry leader, we offer our customers an array of services and upgrades to improve their equipment and add value to their processes, which is w

Industries are under constant pressure to meet deadlines which requires many companies to extend their working hours well into the night. Without the necessary lighting facilities companies can face operational downtime which can ultimately lead to production losses and increased costs. Atlas Copco Power Technique, a specialist in portable power product solutions, recognises this growing need by customers for extended working hours whilst not compromising on safety. In answer to this, the company offers a beacon of light in the form of the compact, innovative and highly cost-effective HiLight light tower range featuring advanced and efficient LED technology. “Our HiLight range of light towers has been specifically designed to provide efficient optimal lighting performance for greater visibility, improved working conditions and enhanced worker safety after dark,” states David Stanford, Atlas Copco Power Technique Business Line Manager, Portable Products. This flexible and economic

‘Expensive, inaccessible, complicated and unreliable’are a few of the misperceptions about renewable energy that persist, despite South Africa’s success in building out its large-scale renewable energy infrastructure. To a large extent, the country’s progress in renewables has been driven by the highly successful Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) program, which has set the country on its path to achieving 30% clean energy by 2025. According to the South African Department of Energy (DoE), since 2011, 6,327MWs of renewable energy has been procured from 92 independent power producers located in South Africa’s nine provinces. The energy delivered by these power producers warms homes, keeps schools, businesses, and hospitals open, and allows South Africans around the country to live fuller, brighter lives. All eyes have been on Marrakech recently, where the 22nd Conference of Parties (COP22) took place. There, countries from around the world, including Sou

JOHANNESBURG – The Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) said on Monday that it has initiated a ground stability study in the Johannesburg area with immediate effect. In a statement, the DMR said the study, which will commence shortly through the Council for Geoscience (CGS), aims to assess whether there is any long-term damage to critical infrastructure installation. "While there is no immediate threat to critical infrastructure as has been claimed, government wants to confirm this assertion scientifically, and proactively deal with this matter not only in Johannesburg, but in other areas where illegal mining occurs," it said. "The CGS is expected to provide a preliminary report on the matter within two weeks." This follows weekend reports that the iconic FNB Stadium and other landmarks were at risk as illegal miners tunnel under the city close to fuel and gas pipes, raising danger of buildings collapsing and deadly explosions. Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba had r

Gold Fields Limited (Gold Fields) (JSE, NYSE: GFI) has noted the statement issued yesterday by Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe. The Minister suggested the company was carrying out the current retrenchment process at its South Deep mine in bad faith. The statement followed a meeting yesterday evening between Minister Mantashe, Department of Mineral Resource officials, national leaders of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and senior Gold Fields leaders, including CEO Nick Holland. The company understands, and is sensitive to, the impact on families and communities of job losses due to the restructuring. That is why the retrenchments currently being carried out were the last resort following many interventions over a long period of time. The total number of 1,082 employees and 420 contractors was considerably lower than would have been the case had it not been for additional cost savings totalling around R500m and other initiatives instituted by the South Deep management t

PERTH – Global diversified miner Rio Tinto has signed a binding agreement with China National Uranium Corporation (CNUC) to divest of its 68.62% stake in the Rössing uranium mine, in Namibia, for up to $106.5-million. Rio CEO Jean-Sebastian Jacques said on Monday that the transaction represented the culmination of an “extensive assessment of strategic options” for the uranium mine. “The sale of our interest in Rössing once again demonstrates our commitment to strengthening our portfolio and focusing on our core assets, which deliver sector leading returns in the short, medium and long term,” he said in a statement. The total consideration comprises an initial cash payment of $6.5-million, payable at completion, and a contingent payment of up to $100-million following completion of the transaction. The contingent payment is linked to uranium spot prices and Rössing's net income during the next seven calendar years. In addition, Rio will receive a cash payment if CNUC sells the

Gold and copper miner Newmont Mining has declared commercial production at the Subika underground mine in Ghana – its third completed expansion project for the year. The $186-million Subika underground project will expand the production of the Ahafo mine, producing an average of 150 000 oz/y to 200 000 oz/y for the first five years of its initial ten-year mine life. Combined with completion of the Ahafo Mill Expansion project expected in the second half of next year, Ahafo’s average annual all-in sustaining costs are projected to improve by between $250/oz and $350/oz, compared with 2016. “In addition to increasing gold production and lowering costs at Ahafo, Subika underground leverages the operation’s existing infrastructure and experienced workforce to further extend mine life,” Newmont CEO Gary Goldberg commented in a news release on Monday. He added that the mine provided an underground platform to explore additional upside potential in adjacent orebodies and also included som

JOHANNESBURG – Sibanye-Stillwater said on Monday that attendance at its operations has improved relative to last week, but remains low, as a result of the ongoing strike action by the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) at its South African gold operations. "The situation remained relatively stable over the weekend, with visible intimidation limited to the Beatrix operations in the Free State. Management is pleased to report that no significant violence was reported over the weekend," Sibanye said in a statement. "Management will continue to engage with the unions in order to secure the peace pact, which was discussed by the parties on Friday." An update on the operational impact of the strike would be provided later on Monday. Sibanye said while the atmosphere remained tense over the weekend, there had been a noticeable reduction in levels of violence and intimidation, and an increase in the number of employees reporting for work. The mine

CAPE TOWN – Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe has announced he will amend the moratorium currently in place for the oil and gas sector, to allow for the processing of applications currently in the system. The moratorium, which was originally put in place in June, restricts the granting of applications for technical cooperation permits, exploration rights and production rights until a notice of invitation for applications is published. Mantashe told an oil and gas investor event, in Cape Town, that the path needed to be cleared for companies to invest in the oil and gas sector. “We can’t delay exploration. We know the sector has been worried. We want to accelerate investment and boost investor confidence in the economy. The amendment will ensure that applications currently in our system are processed and granted.” The regulatory uncertainty has caused investments to stall. Meanwhile, Mantashe said he was very happy that Total would resume its drilling operations on a dee

Atlas Copco’s re-introduction of the ZL lobe blower to its low pressure portfolio positions the company as a total solutions supplier of highly cost-effective and reliable low pressure compressed air. Standing the test of time, the positive displacement principle of the ZL tri-lobe blower has proven itself as a very reliable and stable technology for round the clock operation in the harshest environments and within a multitude of low pressure applications such as chemical processes, pneumatic transport and wastewater treatment. “Due to an enhanced package, the ZL VSD is now available in a variety of configurable models,” confirms JC Lombard, Business Line Manager at Atlas Copco Oil-free Air Division. “Customers now have the choice between a purely mechanical unit using dial gauges for pressure reading or a high-end solution with an integrated VSD inverter and Elektronikon® controller.” With the introduction of the ZL VSD lobe blower, Atlas Copco is now able to offer customers not