Mining technology - Copperbelt Katanga Mining

Leading technology solutions – a new generation of mechanisation 1

Fermel is a 54-year original equipment manufacturer, specialising in the development of intellectual property which is converted into mechanised solutions for underground mining operations. Although the company’s roots are proudly South African, Fermel benchmarks itself against a global context where its core business is entrenched in the development of sustainable and relevant technology. The journey of NEWGEN technology started more than a decade ago through the development of programme architecture to create intelligent machines via CANBUS communication. Based on its engineering and mining industry experience, Fermel believes that the migration… Read More Here

Mining technology

Drilling automation holds promise for Africa’s quarries

February 19, 2021February 19, 2021 admin

Globally, the quarrying sector is embracing a trend in the automation of surface drill rigs; operations in sub-Saharan Africa are not expected to be left behind. Vanessa Hardy, business line manager surface drills at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, says she looks forward to growing interest especially in Southern Africa, with many quarry customers already owning Sandvik drill rigs which are automation-ready. “The move towards autonomous drilling will be increasingly difficult to resist, especially as more users see the benefits in terms of productivity and cost-saving,” says Hardy. She highlights… Read More Here

Mining technology

De Beers rolls out driver assistance technology

February 19, 2021February 19, 2021 admin

Pioneering the use of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in the mining sector, De Beers Group is successfully rolling out this safety innovation across its operations in southern African. The world’s leading diamond producer places Putting Safety First Everywhere as its number one value and has been fatality-free for the past two years, according to Dr Urishanie Govender, De Beers Group Head of Safety and Sustainable Development. “The application of ADAS aligns with our culture of pioneering brilliance as we equip our operations for Future Smart Mining,” says Dr Govender.… Read More Here

Mining technology

Metso Outotec launches services certification

February 18, 2021February 18, 2021 admin

Finnish mining engineering company Metso Outotec has launched a certification training programme for its services division. Metso Outotec said the Services Certification programme will be used to develop and standardise expertise among the firm’s 3,000 field services professionals and their support staff. Staff who take part in the course will undergo three training levels including on-the-job work experience. “Our customers have already expressed strong confidence in our service experts’ knowledge and technology competences. With the development program, the expertise is officially validated and standardized across the world,” said Markku Teräsvasara, president,… Read More Here

Mining technology

Kobe Steel demonstrates new, cleaner steel production technology

February 16, 2021February 16, 2021 admin

Kobe Steel says it has successfully demonstrated technology that can significantly reduce CO2 emissions from blast furnace operations, combining the technologies of Midrex in the engineering business and the blast furnace operation technology in the iron and steel business. This achievement is a result of the integrated efforts of the Kobe Steel Group (also known as the KOBELCO Group) leveraging its diverse businesses, it said. The demonstration test was conducted for a month at a large blast furnace (4,844 cu.m) of the Kakogawa Works in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, in October… Read More Here

Mining technology

DIGITALISATION & AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES: Resolute Mining

February 16, 2021February 16, 2021 admin

An important milestone in the industry’s move towards more automated and mechanised methods of mining occurred in 2019 when Resolute Mining achieved commercial production rates of +80% of nameplate capacity at its Syama underground mine in Mali. A 2.4 Mtpa sublevel cave operation, Syama is widely regarded as the most advanced automated mine in the world and its progress is being keenly watched by the global mining community. The company has quickly proven that operating in a remote region of Africa doesn’t have to be a technology implementation barrier. Drilling,… Read More Here

Mining technology

Tanzanian Mining Commission invests in 24 Hitachi handheld X-MET8000 analyzers

February 14, 2021February 15, 2021 admin

Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Science through its exclusive African Distributor United Scientific (Pty) Ltd based in South Africa has supplied 24 handheld X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) X-MET8000 Geo Expert analyzers to the Tanzanian Mining Commission based in Dodoma to help officials ensure correct analysis of minerals for value determination before they are exported. The Tanzanian Mining Commission has put in place new measures for exporting minerals where mineral values need to be controlled and verified before they are exported out of the country. Mining is one of the leading sectors in Tanzania… Read More Here

Mining technology

How reliable wireless communication is driving autonomous mining

February 2, 2021February 2, 2021 admin

Although slow to embrace digitalisation, mining is racing ahead of many other industries in its adoption of autonomous technology. Harnessing industrial IoT sensors, cameras, edge computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, mining operators are developing increasingly powerful algorithms using data from cameras and sensors to drive autonomous vehicles in their various operations. One of the key technologies making this possible is private wireless – based, today, on 4G/LTE and, in some early cases, 5G. The success of these autonomous technologies has many mines pursuing a full automation strategy without… Read More Here

Equipment & Technology Mining technology

Cat Mining signs global simulator-based training deal with ThoroughTec

February 2, 2021February 2, 2021 admin

Caterpillar Mining and South Africa-headquartered ThoroughTec Simulation have concluded a global cooperation agreement that they say will bring the latest generation, simulator-based equipment training solutions to Caterpillar customers. “This will help them improve safety, boost productivity, increase machine availability and create more sustainable mining operations.” A major move by Caterpillar Mining in simulator-based training has been widely expected, with mining simulator training major Immersive Technologies having been acquired by Cat’s main rival Komatsu in 2019. Under the agreement, Caterpillar Mining will recommend ThoroughTec Simulation as their approved supplier of mining… Read More Here

Equipment & Technology Mining technology

Sandvik introduces the Toro LH410 loader

February 2, 2021February 2, 2021 admin

Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology have introduced the transformed Toro LH410 underground loader, with a payload capacity of 10 tonnes. The new Toro LH410 builds on the best parts of its predecessor, the Sandvik LH410. The latest Toro LH410 is full of new features, and offers best in class performance in productivity. The machine features high ramp speeds and fast bucket filling, with a superior lift height when compared with other loaders of the same size class. The renewed unit also features the Sandvik Intelligent Control System, with a 7-inch touch… Read More Here