Alignment breeds success

There seems to be a misperception that if South Africa mechanises and/or digitises its mines, all the country’s problems will disappear, according to business management consultant company OIM... 

Rest of 2022 holds many potential demand outcomes

Amid heightened economic and geopolitical uncertainties, the remainder of the year holds a range of potential outcomes for gold demand, says World Gold Council (WGC) Europe, the Middle East and... 

Maintenance of ageing road network a top priority – JRA

The deterioration of Johannesburg’s roads is a key concern in terms of the general maintenance of the city, with inclement weather, vandalism and theft, as well as ageing infrastructure, the key... 

Sanral success stories

Despite the negative impact of its recent tender cancellations, South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) says it continues to improve, manage and maintain the national road network. In... 

Majority of Sanral road network exceeds design life

With 83.6% of the national road network under South African National Roads Agency Limited’s (Sanral’s) jurisdiction exceeding its 20-year design life, there is increased risk of rapid deterioration... 

Local bridge construction of concern

The quality of new bridges being built generally complies with South African National Road Agency Limited (Sanral) standards, which are aligned with international best practice, but the quality of... 

Improved commodity prices spur AFS knife gate valve demand

Improved commodity prices have resulted in increased demand for knife gate valves from slurry-related valves manufacturer Abrasive Flow Solutions (AFS), in Gauteng, as mining houses upgrade... 

Aggregate prices to rise with fuel price

The rising cost of fuel in the wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict is placing increased pressure on South Africa’s quarries, which are at pains to limit the impact on the price of their aggregates.... 

Association tackling quarry safety with handbook

Trackless mobile machines and vehicles, unfortunately, remain a major cause of accidents on mines, says surface mining association Aspasa director Nico Pienaar. Earlier this year, Aspasa published... 

Quarrying under pressure, owing to lack of road builds

A lack of genuine infrastructure development over the past ten years has reduced demand for aggregates, placing significant pressure on local quarries, says construction materials supplier AfriSam.... 

Quarries upgrading to next-gen detonation tech

Mining explosives and blasting technology supplier BME is steadily upgrading local quarries that have been using its AXXIS GII electronic detonation system for years to its latest-generation... 

Award-winning Optima Classifier supplied for fine coal beneficiation

Minerals and fines processing specialist Gravitas is nearing completion of a fine coal beneficiation project for which it has supplied two Optima Classifier water-only density separator units to... 

Truck tyre insurance a local first

Dunlop Tyres manufacturer and distributor Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (SRSA) says it is the first tyre manufacturer in South Africa to launch truck tyre insurance. As of April, the company... 

Gearing up for Ranger, Grenadier production

Towbar expert Brink Towing Systems, in Pietermartizburg, KwaZulu-Natal, is expanding its manufacturing capacity in preparation for the production of automotive manufacturer Ford’s new-generation... 

Local bus sector under the pump

The South African bus sector has faced challenges over the past two years, with commercial-vehicle sliding-window designer and manufacturer Widney Transport Components noting a drop in volumes,... 

Local truck, bakkie markets highly competitive

The local truck and bakkie accessory markets are highly competitive, with consumers “not spoiled for choice of brands”, says KwaZulu-Natal-based stainless steel and mild steel vehicle accessories... 

Construction mafias driving away civil engineering skills

If the scourge of South Africa’s construction mafias is not soon addressed collaboratively by all stakeholders, the country’s civil engineering industry, which already faces limited job... 

Local construction sector continues to struggle

The fragile South African construction sector is being further weakened by the continuing lack of implementation of the infrastructure delivery plan by government, as well as the demand for... 

Certification launched successfully

Professional project management association Project Management Institute (PMI) has introduced its first industry-specific solution tailored for construction professionals in the African market.... 

Versatile bolted column connections in demand

Construction products and solutions specialist Peikko South Africa’s bolted column connections are helping to fast-track the development of a large residential project in Ferndale, Gauteng. The... 

Improvements to corrosion resistance of MSP’s Rocnet could yield new product

Mining support systems manufacturer Mine Support Products (MSP) is working on an improved version of its Rocnet modular safety net that will offer better corrosion resistance for longer-term... 

Cobalt development an exciting prospect

While copper is still the main commodity driving reagent demand in Zambia, mining reagent manufacturer and supplier Axis House MD Justine Stubbs is also excited by the prospects presented by the... 

Zambia’s amethysts, emeralds still tops, but mining could be better

The state of Zambia’s amethyst and emerald mining sectors has improved after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic resulted in poor demand. However, the sectors continue to battle systemic... 

OEM supporting sustainable Zambian mining

As Zambian mines move to adopt more sustainable mining practices, the reduction of energy use, water consumption and carbon emissions – as per global mining trends – is a significant priority, says... 

Refinery project makes headway in Zambia

The ramp-up of the copper oxide and copper sulphide circuit at the Project Roan copper concentrator near Kitwe, in Zambia, was scheduled to start this month, according to diversified metal recovery... 

Webinars provide free practical knowledge for engineers

There is a growing need to bridge the gap between theory and practice in the minerals processing sector, with metallurgical engineering graduates quickly realising their lack of practical... 

Major gold producer orders AZMET Cyanide Reduction Process Technology

A major gold producer has placed the first order for the award-winning AZMET Cyanide Reduction Process Technology (AZ-CRP) developed by professional engineering design and project management... 

Servo-hydraulic tech reduces energy needs

As most machinery is manufactured overseas, there is not much local demand for servo-hydraulic technology, but “massive” energy savings can be achieved, says local industrial automation solutions... 

Market expected to be worth $22.2M by 2030

The South African hydraulic gear pumps market is expected to be worth $22.2-million by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 3.9% over the next eight years, says market research and... 

Actuator can contribute to growth of auto sector

The Parker Water Retract Actuator (WRA250) can help the welding cell become an important contributor to the plant-wide adoption of lean best practices that support the goals of the South African... 

Hydraulic cylinder manufacturer embarks on African roadshow

Precision hydraulic cylinder specialist Kappa Engineering aims to navigate the African business environment through a series of roadshows this year to showcase its expertise to key mining... 

Rethink of local waterborne sewage system unavoidable

As a water-scarce country, a rethink of South Africa’s waterborne sewage system is inevitable, owing to the threat of climate change, with the country’s overall water security partially hinging on... 

Privately run Cape Town wastewater plants in good nick

To improve the operating efficiency of its wastewater treatment works (WWTWs), South Africa needs to increase the number of plants operated by private companies, such as the Zandvliet WWTW in Cape... 

Local sanitation industry development funding, incentives needed

Industry development funding and incentives by government for local manufacturers at the forefront of next-generation sanitation products, such as NEWgenerator sanitation system manufacturer WEC... 

Act compliance lacking in municipalities

Although the purpose and provisions of South Africa’s National Water Act, No 36 of 1998 and Water Services Act, No 108 of 1997 are prescribed, it is the observance and compliance with the... 

Powerstart hydraulic starter overcomes overseas quality concern challenge

Non-electric engine starting solutions company Powerworks has secured significant orders for its Powerstart hydraulic starter motors from overseas markets this year, despite the challenges faced by... 

New SAIMC fund to empower local revolution

The Society for Automation, Instrumentation, Mechatronics and Control (SAIMC) is establishing a skills trust fund to sponsor individuals in their studies and work experience so that they can step... 

I-DAIR hub to boost digital health innovation locally

While South Africa is leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) in Southern Africa, the level of technological advancement in the local medical sector is low, with only some innovation and... 

Mining leader in S Africa’s 4IR transformation

While the South African mining industry in many aspects is leading the country’s Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), the manufacturing sector is not as quick to adopt to new ways of working and the... 

Africa is a ‘data desert’

Data scarcity and the lack of data scientists are the main challenges hindering the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in Africa. “Africa is a data desert compared with the US and other...