Inside Mining - Volume 7, Issue 3, March 2014

With gold mining facing a slew of problems from vacillating commodity prices to perennial labour issues, it is always a pleasure to report some good news from this industry. In this issue we speak to the CEO and president of Caledonia, Stefan Hayden, about the Canadian company's Blanket gold mine in Zimbabwe. Blanket has emerged as one of the lowest-cost gold producers in Africa. It is also seen as a model employer in Zimbabwe and has established an effective dialogue with the government. Hayden adds that Blanket's success has attracted an increasing number of highly-skilled expatriates back to the country.

The Mining Indaba provides an excellent deal-making platform for the various stakeholders in the mining industry. It also provides a spotlight on how Africa continues to have various unique, as well as attractive and excellent, investment opportunities, with a special focus on South Africa.

The Mindola Project represents the South African based Canadian company's maiden raise drilling project in Africa. Lawrence Schultz, RMSA operations director, comments: "This is particularly auspicious because it is the first equipped shaft to be raise drilled to a depth of 2 000 m."

South Africa is one of 10 'hot countries' for shale gas projects, with the MPRDA Amendment Bill aimed at augmenting the regulatory regime.

Mining news from around the world

The 100-year-old Blanket in Zimbabwe is one of the most venerable and productive gold mines in Africa. "It has been under reasonable stewardship for quite a long time," Caledonia Mining's CEO and president Stefan Hayden comments about its long history.

The success of Kibali proves it is possible to discover and develop profitable projects in Africa, says Mark Bristow.

Describing the two new mines as "key assets", AngloGold Ashanti CEO Srinivasan Venkatakrishnan (Venkat) says both Tropicana and Kibali were commissioned ahead of schedule and on budget. The two mines are expected to product 550 000 oz to 600 000 oz in 2014, at a cash cost of under US$700/oz (R7 538/oz).

The recent plight of trapped illegal miners having to be rescued has focused the spotlight on this shady sector.

Alluvial gold mining is a major global sector, from Africa to South America, and one company looking to make major inroads here is UMP of Edenvale, Johannesburg. "We have, in partnership with PET Mining, developed, designed and built a proprietary gold concentrator plant mainly geared towards alluvial gold mining," says Carolin.

African Barrick's Bulyanhulu expansion project is the first major Tanzanian project for Pump and Abrasion Technologies' BattleMax range.

MDM Engineering Group, a minerals process and project-management company focused on the mining industry, produced solid results for the six months ended September 2013.

Ivanhoe Mines' Platreef project in the Limpopo Province is destined to become the largest platinum mine in the world.

Anglo American executive director Khanyisile Kweyama comments on the reasons for mining's poor reputation, and reevaluates both its economic and social impact.

Carefully planned and well-managed aggregate quarries should leave little negative impact on the environment.

While the actual screening media represents about 2% of the total capital cost of a mining solution, it plays a critical role in optimising beneficiation.

A comprehensive remote monitoring and asset management service is being offered by Barloworld Equipment. Inside Mining attended the official launch.

This year will herald a new era for the SDLG brand in Southern Africa, with a significant investment planned.

The TLSD series lubricator is an electro-mechanical, single-point automatic lubricator providing direct or remote lubrication.

The Murray & Roberts Cementation Training Academy near Carletonville is using simulation to train operators in trackless mining.