Mining safety - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Congo says Angola tailings pollution kills 12, to seek compensation

September 3, 2021September 3, 2021 Janet

The Democratic Republic of Congo will seek compensation from the owners of an Angolan diamond mine after a tailings dam leak polluted drinking water, causing 12 deaths and making thousands of people ill, the country’s environment minister said on Thursday. The late-July leak from Angola’s biggest diamond mine turned a tributary of the Congo River red following a rupture in a spillway for the mine’s tailings dam, which stores mining industry waste meant to stay undisturbed. Researchers at Kinshasha University last month pointed to “huge pollution” that affected some two-million people, killed fish… Read More Here

ICCM publishes updated practice guide for Water Reporting in the Mining Industry

August 31, 2021August 31, 2021 arnbethnic

A new practice guide from The International Council on Mining and Metals states that there is need for Corporate transparency around water in the mining and metals industry. This new guide; Outlines the importance of site level information as the fundamental building block of consistent reporting; and provides points to consider when developing and compiling site level metrics and assessments for the purpose of external reporting. Outlines points to consider when preparing external reports to meet the minimum reporting commitments. Summarises mappings between ICMM water reporting metrics and key external… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Mining safety

Ivanhoe reports fatal accident at Kamoa-Kakula mine in Congo

June 4, 2021June 6, 2021 Janet

Ivanhoe Mines on Friday reported a fatal accident at its Kamoa-Kakula joint venture in Democratic Republic of Congo, which started producing copper concentrate last week. The accident occurred underground at the Kakula mine, Ivanhoe said in a statement, when a contractor’s employee was hit in the leg by a loose rock while working at one of the working faces, causing him to fall backwards and strike his head on a rock. “Despite immediate first-aid assistance by his colleagues, he passed away at the accident scene,” Ivanhoe said. The Kamoa-Kakula mine,… Read More Here

Mining safety Mining technology

Hexagon signs partnership with Fatigue Science to enhance MineProtect safety portfolio

May 25, 2021May 25, 2021 Janet

Hexagon’s Mining division has partnered with Fatigue Science, a leader in fatigue and performance predictive analytics and fatigue management information systems. Combined with its real-time operator alertness and collision avoidance solutions, Hexagon will now be able to help customers further protect and optimize their people and equipment with Fatigue Science’s Readi platform for predictive fatigue management. Hexagon and Fatigue Science are at the forefront of innovation to help mines increase output and prevent accidents caused by fatigued and/or distracted operators of vehicles and equipment. Today’s partnership signifies the completion of… Read More Here

Mining technology Mining safety

How are safety analytics changing the mining industry

May 25, 2021May 25, 2021 Janet

Safety is critical to the mining industry. However, despite that, accidents are fairly common. There’s a silent agreement between employers and employees in the field that accidents will happen. Of course, no one in their right mind wants them to happen, but it is what it is. The number of deaths related to mining has gone down over the years, dropping to a record low in 2019. But that can always improve. Fortunately, modern technology can help lower those numbers even more by increasing awareness, building real-time insights, and offering… Read More Here

Mining technology Mining safety

Tech-driven training creates safer mines

April 16, 2021April 16, 2021 Janet

The most important thing to come out of a mine is the miner.” These immortal words are believed to have come from 19th century French sociologist and mining inspector general, Frédéric Le Play, and they are as truthful today as they ever were. The challenges for any mining operation are countless and research shows that the vast majority of incidents can be linked back to human error. As such, the need for in-depth, hands-on and continuous health and safety learning for all levels of mining work grows more urgent by… Read More Here

Mining safety Mining in Zambia

ZAMBIA: World Bank lends $65 million for sanitation around mining sites

January 6, 2021January 6, 2021 Janet

The World Bank is committing $65 million to finance an environmental remediation and restoration project around several mining sites in Zambia. Mining that benefits the Zambian economy has many impacts on the environment, including pollution that affects people’s health. Initiated by the Zambian government, the Zambia Mining and Environmental Remediation and Improvement Project (ZMERIP) aims to clean up the environment around mining sites. It now benefits from financial support of $65 million from the World Bank. The funds granted to the Zambian government will be used to clean up contaminated… Read More Here

Mining safety

Zimbabwe bans use of mercury in mining

December 29, 2020December 29, 2020 Janet

Zimbabwe has banned the use of mercury in mining and placed controls on its release from industrial operations, joining several countries that have phased out the toxic metal, state media reported on Tuesday. The ban will affect small-scale gold miners who use it to extract gold. Small-scale miners now produce more than half of the country’s bullion output The state-owned Herald newspaper reported that Zimbabwe had ratified the Minamata Convention banning the use of mercury in mining and put in place regulatory measures to stop its release from industrial equipment like boilers, incinerators and… Read More Here

Mining safety

Sandvik reinforces underground mining safety focus with DSI Underground buy

December 26, 2020December 26, 2020 Janet

Sandvik has signed an agreement to acquire DSI Underground, a global leader in ground support and reinforcement products, systems and solutions for the underground mining and tunneling industries, from owner Triton. The OEM has agreed a purchase price of approximately €943 million ($1.15 million) on a cash and debt free basis, it said, adding that the company will be reported in the Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions division. Stefan Widing, President and CEO of Sandvik, said: “This acquisition is an important step in our growth ambition. DSI Underground’s track record… Read More Here

Mining in DRC Mining safety

Ministry of Mines in partnership with the DCAF to ensure respect for rights and security in the extractive sector- DRC

October 13, 2020October 13, 2020 Janet

The Minister of Mines, Willy KITOBO SAMSONI, and his Human Rights colleague, André LITE, carried out an official mission in early October 2020 in Geneva, Switzerland to the Center for the Governance of the Security Sector (DCAF), reports a dispatch from the ministry of mines. In Geneva, the two members of the government discussed with DCAF officials with a view of benefiting from its support in the process of adhering to the Voluntary Principles of respect for rights and security in the extractive sector. On this occasion, the two ministers of… Read More Here