International - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Miners should embrace technological change – report

November 9, 2020November 9, 2020 admin

Multinational company Honeywell International published a whitepaper presenting a series of arguments as to why it is important for miners to avoid resisting technological change. In the firm’s view, digital technologies can make mines smarter, more sustainable, more efficient in terms of operating costs and safer. The latter is a point of particular importance as, according to Honeywell, tech solutions can help eliminate fatalities and injuries by enabling remote monitoring, process and worker safety and allowing for autonomy by moving the worker away from hazardous locations. The whitepaper states that, despite the… Read More Here

Shenbao Energy hosts unstaffed trucks trial

November 9, 2020November 9, 2020 arnbethnic

China Energy Investment subsidiary Shenbao Energy has started what it said is the first extreme cold-condition 5G-based unstaffed 220-tonne dump trucks trial at its open pit mine. A fleet of five trucks that has passed inspection of the Chinese Association of Automation was recently loaded automatically by excavators, it said of the programme. The State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council said the project also included 5G independent networking, planning for both the testing site and the truck renovations, installations and adjustments, and the trial testing and… Read More Here

Diamond Covid-19 International

Debswana to close diamond mine on weak demand says the union leader

November 8, 2020November 9, 2020 arnbethnic

Debswana Mining Company, equally owned by De Beers and the Botswana government, will close a diamond mine in the country as weak demand and trading disruption from the pandemic make the mining of lower value diamonds unviable, a union leader told Reuters on Friday. Debswana, among the world’s largest diamond producers, plans to close its Damtshaa mine in 2021 for a period of three years, said Joseph Tsimako, President of the Botswana Mine Workers Union. “The mine produces lower quality diamonds which makes it expensive to dig during this period when the market is depressed,” Tsimako said. The mine is one of four operated… Read More Here

Gold International

Gold price retreats as US voting stretches on

November 6, 2020November 6, 2020 admin

Gold erased gains from the previous session after latest voting tallies from the US presidential election showed a tight race, which left investors scrambling to parse the shifting odds. Spot gold fell 0.4% to $1,900.73 per ounce by 11:30 a.m. ET Wednesday. US gold futures also declined 0.4% to $1,901.70 per ounce With millions of ballots still to be counted, Donald Trump claimed early Wednesday he had won re-election and said he would ask the Supreme Court to intervene. Earlier, Joe Biden said he was “on track to win this election.” While his chances of… Read More Here

Events & Expos International

Africa Mining Forum hosts Ministerial Forum on 19 Nov

November 6, 2020November 9, 2020 admin

A Ministerial Forum with top government representatives from DRC, Rwanda, Botswana and Lesotho during the upcoming Africa Mining Forum Digital Event in November, will give an in-depth view of how the mining sectors in these regions have fared under COVID conditions. The session will be broadcast on 19 November from 09:00-10:30 GMT and will feature the following esteemed guests: –Hon. Francis Gatare, CEO, Rwanda Mines, Petroleum and Gas Board, Rwanda– Hon. Lefoko M. Moagi, Minister, Ministry of Mineral Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security, Botswana– Hon. Serialize Qoo, Minister, Ministry of Mining,… Read More Here

Equipment & Technology International

Goodyear targets opex costs with RH-4A

November 5, 2020November 5, 2020 admin

Tyre maker Goodyear has launched a new large haulage tyre called the RH-4A+ that uses new designs and technologies to achieve lower operating costs and higher productivity in hard rock conditions. The RH-4A+ has been engineered to deliver a lower operating cost per hour The tyre features Goodyear’s new Durawall Technology, which aims to improve sidewall durability and lateral stability, and has a wider bead design and moulded rim width. Field trials with mining customers using the 46/90R57 model showed that these features enable to the RH-4A+ to deliver up… Read More Here

International Gemstones New Mining Projects Precious Stones

How Madagascar is rebooting its mining sector

November 5, 2020November 5, 2020 Arnie

The Malagasy government’s ambitions to reform mining legislation has been accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, following a failed attempt to introduce a new mining code in November 2019. The drive for reform stems from widespread perceptions nationally that mining projects have failed to deliver expected outcomes or benefits, particularly in terms of government revenues and local content contributions. The combination of outdated tax policies, commodity prices fluctuations and governance shortcomings have all contributed to relatively poor performance of the sector, which has been compounded by poor public perceptions towards the… Read More Here

International

Metso Outotec to close Canada parts plant

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 admin

Mining engineering group Metso Outotec will close a consumables factory in North Bay, Canada, as part of a restructuring of its rubber and poly-met supply chain. Production will be ramped down by the end of the first half of 2021, with the closure impacting 65 employees, said the company. “We are continuously developing our global supply footprint to ensure sustainable and profitable growth. To close a factory is a hard but necessary decision, and we realize that it will have implications on our employees. We will work to support them… Read More Here

Aluminium International

Aluminium demand growth will soon outpace production growth

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 admin

Research agency Fitch Solutions Country Risk & Industry Research says the global primary aluminium market will remain largely in oversupply, owing to absolute production remaining higher than consumption this year, but the surplus is likely to start narrowing from 2021. This will remain the case up to 2024, before widening again from 2025. From 2025 onwards, Fitch expects the market oversupply to widen again, as demand will benefit from construction industry growth in key countries and the growing recognition of aluminium as a lightweight substitute for steel in automotive. Fitch further explains that global aluminium production will continue to rise over the coming… Read More Here

Gold International

Robex signs solar deal for Nampala

November 3, 2020November 3, 2020 admin

Canadian gold producer Robex Resources has chosen British fuel and lubricant distributor Vivo Energy to manage construction of a hybrid fuel and solar power plant at the Nampala mine in Mali. Gold production at Nampala rose 13% to 13,921 ounces in the second quarter of 2020 A 3.9 MWp photovoltaic power plant with a battery storage capacity of 2.6 MWh will be built and integrated into Nampala’s existing thermal power plant, said the companies, with the aim of reducing energy costs and carbon emissions. The plant aims to reduce the… Read More Here