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Memsa CEO Lehlohonolo Molloyi standing at a podium addressing delegates and speakers at last year’s Mind Shift Conference

Conference drives mining innovation, skills

Published: 26 Apr 24

The second yearly Mind Shift Conference, hosted by industry association Mining Equipment Manufacturers of South Africa (Memsa), will delve into innovation, digital technology and skills in the South African mining supply chain. This year’s event will be held from May 15 to 16 at a new location – financial institution Old Mutual’s head office in Sandton, Gauteng.

An image of Geovia's Strategic Mine Planner role interface

Enhancing efficiency

Published: 26 Apr 24

Software solutions provider GEOVIA, a brand of software company Dassault Systèmes, has introduced two new roles to its portfolio, which facilitate improved collaboration, and fast-track work processes to ensure increased efficiency across departments. The two new roles comprise the GEOVIA Strategic Mine Planner role, introduced in December 2023; and the GEOVIA Underground Mine Designer role, introduced in February this year.

Job, cybersecurity concerns cloud 4IR transition

Published: 26 Apr 24

While mining companies are exploring the integration of data analytics and other artificial intelligence (AI) systems into their operations, job-loss concerns, compounded by cybersecurity concerns, cloud the cost-effectiveness and optimisation benefits of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technology, says consultancy firm World Wide Industrial and Systems Engineers MD Muhammad Ali. Generally, the mining industry is investing heavily in technology, such as data analytic tools, advanced systems and industrial control system apps, to reduce all-inclusive costs and optimise profits.

An image of the TruScan system scanning material

Scanner finds copper-rich mineralisation

Published: 26 Apr 24

Mining technology provider Veracio’s TruScan core scanning system has facilitated the generation of geological insights instrumental to discovering diversified explorer and developer Foran Mining’s Bridge target zone, which is adjacent to Foran’s McIlvenna Bay copper development project, in the Province of Saskatchewan in Canada. Since its partnership in 2022 with Veracio, Foran has deployed the TruScan system onsite as part of its ongoing exploration at its flagship McIlvenna Bay project to better understand the intricate geological complexities of the existing resource and the Tesla discovery, explains Foran exploration VP Erin Carswell.

Reflux flotation cell in an industrial coal application

Testing backlog as global interest in new flotation tech grows

Published: 26 Apr 24

Global interest in and the uptake of the new REFLUX Flotation Cell (RFC) from full flowsheet technology and service supplier FLSmidth has been gaining considerable momentum. As a result of this significant interest, the company is experiencing a backlog in paid-for test programmes at its Salt Lake City facility, in the US, FLSmidth global product director REFLUX technologies Lance Christodoulou tells Mining Weekly. “We've got customers that are prepared to proceed with the purchase of full-scale equipment to trial in Europe, following the results achieved during lab testing. We are yards ahead in the commercialisation phase compared with where we were when we started two years ago.”

BHP has spent the last ten years simplifying their asset base only to buy one of the most complex portfolios in the industry.

BHP’s mega bid for Anglo sets stage for industry shakeup

Published: 25 Apr 24

Australia-headquartered BHP has made a bold move with its bid to acquire rival Anglo American in an all-share deal valued at $38.8-billion. With this manoeuvre, BHP aims to create the largest copper miner globally, but it could face scrutiny from Anglo shareholders over valuation concerns. Commenting on the proposed deal, Wood Mackenzie mining and metals corporate research director James Whiteside remarked that the transaction would represent the biggest shakeup of the global mining industry in more than a decade.

Anglo American share price shows traders want a sweeter bid

Published: 25 Apr 24

Traders are pushing Anglo American Plc shares above the value of BHP Group’s takeover proposal, a sign they expect a higher bid from the suitor or an interloper. BHP’s proposal, which values the target at £31.1-billion ($38.9-billion), has several moving parts — it calls for Anglo shareholders to receive BHP shares, plus stock in two listed Anglo units that would be spun off.

Vale sees no impact from BHP-Anglo American deal on Minas-Rio project

Published: 25 Apr 24

Brazilian miner Vale sees no impact from BHP Group's bid for Anglo American on the latter's Minas-Rio project, its CEO, Eduardo Bartolomeu, said on Thursday. "We don't see any impact on the Minas-Rio deal. It's being done, of course, by Anglo and will be respected by whoever comes after, if they come after," said the CEO, during a conference call with analysts on the firm's first-quarter results.

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

Mantashe signals opposition to BHP-Anglo deal

Published: 25 Apr 24

South African Mines Minister Gwede Mantashe signaled his opposition to BHP Group Ltd.’s proposed takeover of Anglo American. The offer by the world’s largest miner envisages an all-share deal in which Anglo American would first spin off controlling stakes in South African platinum and iron-ore companies to its shareholders before being acquired by BHP. The proposal values Anglo American at £31.1-billion ($38.8-billion)

Hummingbird’s first-quarter performance impacted by contractual dispute at Kouroussa

Published: 25 Apr 24

Despite what its CEO Dan Betts deemed a challenging quarter, Aim-listed Hummingbird Resources delivered an 18% quarter-on-quarter increase in gold production at just under 17 000 oz from the Yanfolila mine, in Mali, in the quarter ended March 31. This while the Kouroussa project, in Guinea, produced 5 868 oz of gold. The newly commissioned mine experienced disrupted operations in January owing to a fire at a fuel depot, with fuel deliveries having resumed later in the month.