News

Gold Industry

Gold Industry Commits to Declaration of Responsibility and Sustainability Principles

The gold industry has come together, convened by LBMA and World Gold Council, to sign a Declaration of Responsibility and Sustainability Principles which formally expresses a shared commitment to operating in a responsible and sustainable way based on clear set of shared goals. The Declaration was announced at the LBMA/ LPPM Global Precious Metals Conference, Lisbon on 18th October.

Signatories to the Declaration are LBMA, World Gold Council (WGC), Singapore Bullion Market Association (SBMA), China Gold Association, Swiss Association of Precious Metals Producers and Traders, London Metal Exchange (LME), Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), Indian Gold Policy Centre (IGPC), Indian Bullion and Jewellery Association (IBJA), Indian International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) and World Jewellery Confederation (CIBJO), Artisanal Gold Council (AGC), Responsible Jewellery Council (RJC), and the Watch and Jewellery Initiative 2030.

In all, this group has agreed ten key sustainability objectives, including commitments to responsible sourcing standards, respect for Human Rights, the advancement of the UN SDGs, and action and disclosures on climate change.

Gold industry participants understand that environmental and social concerns are increasingly important in shaping investment and policy decisions, as well as wider consumer and societal expectations. Whilst there has been significant progress in addressing many issues through industry-led initiatives and performance standards, it is important and timely that the gold sector adopts a clear collective statement of awareness and intent.

Technology

Tomra Mining Publishes New E-Book to Help Mines Turn Data from Sorting Machines into Greater Profitability

TOMRA Mining has published a new eBook to help mines enhance efficiencies and profitability by using information gathered by sorting machines. The easyto-read, 21-page booklet, titled ‘When Sorters Become Data Generating Machines’, explains how businesses can “connect to possibilities” with the TOMRA Insight data platform, and the competitive advantages this gives.

The eBook starts by reminding us that sensors in sorting machines can do a lot more than identify whether products or materials on a line should be accepted or rejected. As the book says: “They collect and store every piece of information about what they see. And this information can tell you a lot about how your machine is performing, about the products that pass through it, and your process.”

The eBook makes the encouraging point that turning TOMRA’s sorters into connected devices isn’t difficult, and businesses can benefit from digital sorting data with minimal impact – all that’s needed is wiring and a stable internet connection. The data solution’s software stores and processes the data coming from sorters and presents this in near real-time in a dashboard-style monitoring and reporting system.

South Africa

Kwatani Watani Goes Digital On Screen Monitoring

Close monitoring is the basis for keeping vibrating screens productive and achieving the lowest cost of ownership, says Kenny Mayhew-Ridgers, chief operating officer of leading South African vibrating screen specialist Kwatani. Moving from paper systems to digital solutions is a vital step towards this goal.

“Where machine data recording – combined with periodic inspections and regular maintenance – can be captured in the digital sphere, you can generate a complete picture of the equipment’s lifecycle,” says Mayhew-Ridgers. “Real-time data monitoring is a game changer for screen reliability and performance.”

Wherever there are operational deviations from the prescribed norm, sensor-generated data can quickly alert the right people on the mine – giving them the ability to react timeously, he says. Importantly, this technology also allows patterns to be detected in the relationship between component life and throughput.

Energy

Hitachi Energy to Secure Power Supply in Africa’s Longest HVDC Link

Hitachi Energy, a global technology leader that is advancing a sustainable energy future for all, today announced it has signed a long-term service agreement with Société Nationale d’Electricité (SNEL), the national electricity company of the Democratic Republic of Congo, to secure power supply in the country’s most important power transmission asset: the Inga-Kolwezi high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link.

The link supplies up to 1,000 megawatts of emissionfree electricity from the Inga Falls hydropower plant in the far west of the country to the Kolwezi mining region in the south. With a length of 1,700 kilometers, it is the longest HVDC link in Africa. It also enables the Democratic Republic of Congo to export surplus power to the member countries of the Southern African Power Pool.

The agreement continues the close collaboration between SNEL and Hitachi Energy over the past 40 years to ensure the link operates at maximum availability and reliability over its long operating life. Hitachi Energy supplied the two converter stations at either end of the link in 1982 and has subsequently upgraded them and doubled transmission capacity.

As part of the agreement, Hitachi Energy will assess the precise service needs of the converter stations and develop a preventive maintenance program and supervise its implementation over the next five years. The agreement includes training, knowledge sharing and expertise enhancement of SNEL service personnel.

Exploration drilling

The GeoGroup comprises of a group of companies that provide a range of services to the Geotechnical, Civil, Exploration, and Mining industries.

Geomechanics and Geomech Africa have extensive experience in delivering Geotechnical and Exploration services at the highest standards in quality and safety in the following areas: Geotechnical services for railways, tunnels, dams, bridges, buildings, excavations, box cuts, roads, power stations, borrow materials, tailings facilities, void filling, and tunnel and dam grouting.

They are also equipped for Mineral Exploration core drilling up to 2000m deep.

Site Investigations

The group owns a significant fleet of geotechnical and exploration drilling machines, supported by highly trained experienced operators & maintenance staff. They also have a staff count of over 200 employees.

Their Capabilities: • Sonic drilling and coring • Geotechnical & exploration rotary core drilling with: • Double Tube: TBW, TNW, T2-101, T6-131, T6-146 and ZWF • Split Double Tube: NWD4 • Wireline Drilling: BQ, NQ, NQ3 HQ, HQ3, PQ and PQ3 • Conventional air percussion drilling (Optional Jean Lutz) • Sonic Coring • 6 “x 8” system • 3.75” x 4.75”system • CPTu and SCPTu testing • DPSH testing • In-situ testing: SPT, Vane Shear, PMT,

Lugeon and Goodman Jack • Geotechnical instrumentation, monitoring and testing • Drilling and grouting • Hydro power projects • Sub-horizontal holes for drainage of tailings dams and mine pit walls

They also offer the following fleet for support: • 3 x Long-haul trucks • 50 x LDV Vehicles • 13 x Support trucks

With 33 years of experience, the team has an extensive fleet to services these industries.

Geotechnical Instrumentation, Monitoring and In-situ Testing

One of the Group’s sister companies, Terra Monitoring, have successfully been delivering Geotechnical instrumentation, monitoring and in-situ testing services to the Civil Engineering, Mining, Railway and Road Infrastructure industries since 1980.

About Terra Monitoring

Terra Monitoring offers a turnkey solution, specifically aimed at assisting the mining industry with the automation of tailings facility readouts. Terra Monitoring specialises in installing Vibrating Wire Piezometers and slimline VWP’s connected to remote data loggers with a comprehensive list of additions to manage your facility.

Terra Monitoring has consistently and progressively expanded its Geotechnical Instrumentation and In-situ testing equipment portfolio by associating with world-leading manufacturers, to meet the growing demand in the market. Their broad and long-term experience translate into their sales and installation teams being able to provide clients with the best possible advice, technical support, and aftercare service.

Their sister companies, Geomechanics and Geomech Africa, offer a wide range of services that service the tailings divisions including sonic drilling for quality core recovery, CPTu testing, seismic testing, Mostap sampling, and standard standpipe piezometer installations. Working hand-inhand with Terra Monitoring, they can offer a turnkey solution for tailings facilities. In-situ Testing Services • Vibrating wire piezometers & slimline piezometers • Standpipe piezometers • Permeability tests: Falling head, constant head, rising head, and Lugeon testing using both conventional and wireline packers in all sizes (double and single packers) • Goodman jack testing • Plate bearing testing • In-situ stress measurements • Vane shear • Pressuremeter testing & recycle tests • Vibrating wire borehole stressmeters • Norwegian hydro fracture • Water sampling and pumping in small diameter boreholes

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