First mining drc zambia may june 2015 edition

Central Africa’s Business To Business Mining Magazine» May-June 2015 » Vol.8 #3

Is The Democratic Republic Of Congo The Next Emerging Economy?

-Pp17 Schneider Electric Opens New Operation In Kenya -Pp08 Power Challenges in Katanga -Pp13 DEATH TO XENOPHOBIA -03

NEWS AND TECHNOLOGY BRIEFS -06

CHALLENGES FACED

BY WOMEN IN MINING -20

TACKLING FATIGUE IN MACHINE OPERATION -22

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CONTENTS

31 20

Empowering Women In The Mines Of The Eastern Democratic Republic Of The Congo Death to Xenophobia.

Including:Controversial Collum Coal Mine to Re-open in Zambia.

Schneider Electric Opens New Operation In East Africa With Headquarters In Kenya.

Demag Expands African Footprint With Quality Equipment And Services.

Dealing with Power Challenges in Katanga.

Is The Democratic Republic Of Congo The Next Emerging Economy?.

Finding Technology Solutions To Combat Operator Fatigue.

How Asset Tagging Can Reduce Costs and Increase Productivity.

EXECUTIVE EDITOR Sipho L. Dube EDITORS Patricia Shabangu Ishmael Ndile

WRITERS Anne Thomas, Mfuneko Jack, Lindani Mkhize Caroline Thomas,

PUBLISHED BY: Mailing Times Media Tel. +27 11 038 1648 info@fmdrc-zambia.com www.fmdrc-zambia.com

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1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 03

IN THIS ISSUE To paraphrase Africa we are one ‘Common ground’ we are only separated by common language and a common bond. There are too many shared interests between African States and as such we must work as one rather than rivals. The issue of the recent wave of xenophobia in South Africa is unfortunate, but we must not throw away the baby with the bath water, xenophobia should not define South Africa.

Let us learn something positive about this issue. If it is wrong to hate people because they are foreigners in your country, it must equally be wrong to hate fellow citizens because they are from a different tribe or region or religion. Charity begins at home. African nations, must address prejudices such as tribalism and religious intolerance at home because the best way to get others to love you is to first love yourself.

This has always been my desire for the Black Race. No one put it as good as the late Peter Tosh in his song ‘African’ when he sang “don’t care where you come from As long as you’re a black man, you’re an African. No mind your nationality; you have got the identity of an African”.

There is nothing to be ashamed of about being an African and everything to be proud of about that identity. Even more are yet unaware that before many in Europe and Asia came up with the idea of a single visa and economic free continental zone (EU/ASEAN), Kwame Nkrumah had already c onceived of the idea and was advocating for one pan Africa without borders.

The reason contemporary Africans have not have lived up to this great ancestry is because we lack unity as a people. Let me give a couple of examples. If the Prime Minister of Israel or any prominent Jewish leader from Israel is to visit the United States, they plan such a visit and consult with Jewish groups in the US such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). This ensures that Jews at home and in the Diaspora speak with one voice.

I am yet to see African leaders in politics and businesses do the same in an organized and consistent manner with the Black lobby and common interest groups in America such as the Congressional Black Caucus or The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) and other such groups. We cannot get the respect and global voice we crave for as a people if we do not build a platform where black people the world over can speak with one voice.

We will remain shut out of permanent membership of the United Nations’ Security Council if we don’t blend our voice. Tribalism and Xenophobia, which are rampant in Africa, makes people with such inclinations think ‘how can I like them if they don’t like themselves’?

It is the greatest love of all”. No wonder the late Whitney Houston reprised it and made it an anthem.

As Jesus said in John 8:32, ‘ you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free’. Right now, I say to the whole of Africa and the Black Race in the Diaspora, let us acquire that greatest love by exploring radical ideas. Once that happens, it will not be too long that xenophobia and tribalism will die a natural death.

As always, a varied read enjoy.

Sipho L. Dube

Executive Editor editor@fmdrc-zambia.com

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NEWS IN BRIEF Controversial Collum Coal Mine to PLC Begin Work on a $219 million Cement re-open in Zambia China's Collum Coal Mining Industries is restarting Plant operations this week at its controversial mine in Zambia.

Lafarge Zambia Plc will begin work on a 200 million-euro ($219 million) cement plant this year even as Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, starts up his own factory in the country and economic growth slows.

Construction on the expansion in Lusaka, the capital, will start in the second-half of the year and be complete in 2018, Emmanuel Rigaux, chief executive officer of the Lafarge SA unit, said in an April 1 interview.

The work will double Lafarge’s plant in the city, adding 1 million metric tons of capacity. Dangote Cement Plc was due to start production at its $400 million Zambia facility last month, challenging Lafarge’s dominance for the first time since it was founded in 1949 to supply cement for Kariba, at the time the world’s biggest dam. The Dangote plant will produce 1.5 million tons a year, more than Lafarge’s two existing factories combined. Even so, the expansions won’t cause a glut, mainly because of demand from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, Rigaux said. “The growth there is massive, in fact it’s even higher than in Zambia,” he said. The DRC “has one of the lowest cement consumption per capita and one of the highest growth rates in the world,” he said. “It’s a perfect combination.” Dangote plans to start work on a second plant, the same size as its existing facility in Ndola in Copperbelt province, the stateowned Zambia Daily Mail reported last month.

Collum coal mine was seized and placed under care and maintenance by the Zambian Government in 2013 citing safety lapses, and all three licences held by the company were revoked. The mine, which currently has the potential to produce 12,000t of coal a month, supplies fuel to Zambia's copper and cobalt mines and is expected to employ more than 1,000 workers when operational.

Zambia's decision to return the mine to the company's control comes after Collum assured the government it will enforce proper measures for improvements.

Media sources cited Collum Coal Mining Industries general manager Xu Jain Xue as saying that the company plans to renovate the mine's facilities "The company over the next four years with plans to renovate the a $40m investment. Upon mine's facilities over completion of renovation works, the next four years the company aims to increase with a $40m its existing coal production capacity to more than 40,000t, Lusakatimes reported. investment."

Zambia President Edgar Lungu said if the government finds no improvement in operations at the mine it may again be closed. Lungu also instructed the Ministry of Mines to ensure that safety is guaranteed at the mine prior to commencing operations. Zambian Mining Minister Yamfwa Mukanga said the licences were previously revoked due to poor safety, health and environmental records, and a lack of approved personal protective equipment for employees. Collum Coal Mine also failed to provide emergency medical treatment facilities underground and did not declare the quantity of coal it was producing.

Barrick Gold Will Not Cease Operations At Lumwana Copper Mine In Zambia

Canada-based Barrick Gold has cancelled plans to cease operations at its Lumwana copper mine after Zambia's Government announced a reduction in mining royalties.

Zambia has recommended royalty tax rates for open pit and underground mining to move to 9%, Reuters reported. the revised royalty-based tax system comes into Congo's Tax Hike Plan When effect on 1 July, the corporate income tax rate will be 30%.

Based on this, the mineral processing tax rate will be 35%.

Will Hurt Investment Last December, Barrick Gold announced plans to suspend Any increase by the Democratic operations at the Lumwana copper mine in Zambia's northRepublic of Congo in the taxes it western province as the country propo- "Economics of levies on mining will stifle new sed an increase in royalty rates on investment in the mineral-rich an operation such open pit mining from 6% to 20%.

African country, gold miner as Lumwana cannot Randgold Resources' chief executive Barrick Gold co-president Kelvin support a 20% gross Dushnisky previously said: "The said. Congo's draft mining code royalty, particularly introduction of this royalty has which proposes to raise corporate in the current copper taxes to 35% from 30% and introduce left us with no choice but to initiate the process of suspending price environment." a new 50% windfall tax - is an effort by the government to boost revenue operations at Lumwana. "Despite the progress we have made to reduce costs and improve efficiency at the mine, from an industry that has been the main driver of GDP growth. "All those the economics of an operation such as Lumwana cannot support a 20% gross royalty, particularly in the current (proposals) really hurt, to a point where a standard gold mine doesn't copper price environment." With a net carrying value of make a return for the investors so no $1bn, Lumwana supports 4,000 direct jobs. The mine produced 138 million pounds of copper at C3, with fully one will invest," CEO Mark Bristow allocated costs of $2.98 per pound in the first nine months told Reuters by phone, while on his of this year, and had 6.6 billion pounds of copper in way to Congo to lobby the governreserves as of 31 December 2013. ment to roll back the proposal.

Aurecon To Work On Zesco Power Upgrade Contract

Zambia Electricity Supply Corporation (ZESCO) has awarded Aurecon a $200m contract to provide engineering, design and construction supervision services.The World Bank funded project will improve Transmission and Distribution Rehabilitation in Lusaka.The Zambia capital is regarded as the second fastest growing city in Africa. Its Electricity demand has grown at 6% per annum over the previous 10 years.

“We are excited to work with ZESCO to increase the capacity and improve the reliability of Lusaka’s electricity transmission and distribution system for the community,” Aurecon Project leader Anton Harmse said. “The creation of this transmission and distribution infrastructure will ensure the long-term sustainable operation of the network,” Harmse said. Using experience from previous projects executed for ZESCO and the World Bank, the Aurecon team will look at identifying remedial or preventative measures that can be auctioned to optimize the benefits of the system upgrades. “The large number of subprojects and the sequential implementation of the various components of the project will require significant effort during the project planning and scheduling stages,” Harmse added. The project is expected to be completed in 2019.

ABB Launches SmartVentilation For Underground Mines

ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has launched its SmartVentilation system for mines. ABB’s SmartVentilation is a complete solution to the challenge of providing fresh air and venting toxic gases from subterranean mines. It also minimizes energy use by ventilating only those areas of a mine that require it. ABB estimates that this ability to work “on-demand” could reduce an operator’s electricity bill by up to half. The SmartVentilation is divided into three “implementation levels”, SmartBasic, SmartMid and SmartPerfect. These give different degrees of control over the operation of the mine’s intake and exhaust fans.

Mine operators have the option of installing one implantation level and then upgrading it at their own pace. (www.abb.com).

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NEWS IN BRIEF Drought In Chile Curbs Copper Production

A drought in Chile is hampering copper production, a water-intensive business, in the world’s biggest producer of the metal, one more factor that could trim an expected surplus this year. Both Anglo American and BHP Billiton have said the extremely dry conditions have hit production due to restrictions on water, used for everything from toilets for workers to separating the metals in the ore body from waste rock and tamping down dust that heavy trucks kick up.

“The one caveat or the risk I think that we need to flag… is Chile is still in drought,” Anglo Chief Executive Mark Cutifani told a results presentation last week. “It remains a risk, and in fact it was impacting our operating performance in November and December.”

In some parts of Chile, January was one of the driest since records began, exacerbating a drought that began in 2007, said Chilean meteorologist Claudia Villarroel. Winters in central Chile are becoming drier because of climate change, she added.

Indeed, Anglo’s Los Bronces mine in central Chile has been the worst affected of the company’s mines. It warned that water scarcity at the mine, the world’s sixth-largest copper producer, could cut as much 30,000 tonnes or 4 percent off Anglo’s overall copper output this year. Output at BHP Billiton’s Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine, in the bone-dry Atacama, fell 2 percent in the second half of 2014, weighing on a strong operating performance. State copper commission Cochilco has said that water scarcity is “a latent risk for mining in Chile”. Lower rainfall and river flow has led the levels of aquifers and reservoirs to drop or dry up c ompletely, giving miners fewer options. In Chile, the situation is complicated by the fact that many of its copper mines are located in the Atacama, the world’s driest desert.

Analysts polled by Reuters have forecast a global market surplus of 221,000 tonnes this year. But a variety of production problems are already raising questions about whether the market may end up tighter than expected. Several mining companies have already cut their forecasts for 2015 copper production due to geological and technical issues in other countries.

“This (Chilean drought) bears out our view that there’s been too much overoptimism about copper mine production this year,” said Caroline

Bain, senior commodities economist at consultancy Capital Economics in London. Last month, Cochilco cut its forecast for copper production in Chile this year to 6.0 million tonnes, from a previous estimate of 6.2 million. In 2014 the country produced 5.8 million tonnes.

Too Much Over-optimism

Chile’s falling ore grades also mean increasing amounts of water are needed to produce the ore body, industry sources say. The shortages have also pitted mining companies against farmers and others who fear for the quality and quantity of their supplies.

Tailings And Tailings Management

Building and operating an open-pit mine is a complex business. It takes rigorous study and careful planning to ensure that a mine is safe, that the environment is protected, and that the interests of local people are met.

One of the most prominent features of an open-pit mine is its tailings storage area. Providing for the safe, permanent storage of tailings is important because tailings material that is not properly contained can have undesirable effects on the local environment. In the mining sector, the storage and handling of tailings is a major environmental issue.

Many tailings are toxic and must be kept perpetually isolated from the environment. Scale of tailings production is immense, since metal extraction is usually only ounces or pounds, for every ton of ore. Tailings containment facilities are regarded as the world's largest man-made objects.

Disposal of mine tailings is usually the single biggest environmental concern facing a hardrock metal mine, and creates very long-term environmental liabilities which future generations must manage. Many mine tailings do not become appreciably safer over time, if stored properly, and therefore must store for an indefinite period using current technology.

The historically-used alternative to storage was to dispose of tailings in the most convenient way possible (such as river dumping), which led to widespread environmental contamination in mining areas. This was nominally viable in earlier eras, but human production of mine tailings has increased by several orders of magnitude in the modern age, making such methods unacceptable to many societies.

Acid mine drainage is the most frequent and widespread problem. From a mining engineering standpoint, designing a tailings storage facility (TSF) is one of the less glamorous assignments. It is, however, one aspect of a mining operation that can impact a project from beginning to end.

The ways mines manage tailings systems varies by region and commodity. Obviously, a mine operating in an arid environment, especially those that pay to pump water to a site or have limited water resources on site, would want to recycle as much process water as possible. There are sites where containment and sedimentation is more important than water recovery. Sound structural integrity of the dam is a must and every TSF design has to take into account individual site conditions ranging from, but not necessarily limited to, its geotechnical setting, geochemical setting, geologic setting, construction material availability, hydrologic setting, permitting requirements, closure requirements and potential impact to the environment.

Design of each TSF is unique and has to consider all elements that might affect long-term operation and functionality of the facility and the closure requirements for the facility. Basically the tailings are discharged behind the dam. The tailings settle and the water is either recovered from the impoundment or it evaporates. With thickened tailings, more water is removed, the thickened tailings is pumped to the deposition area (or underground in paste

backfill operation) and the tailings form steeper slopes because they are less fluid.

For filtered (dry-stacking) processes, filtration is used to reduce the moisture content to a range that is near optimum moisture content as defined by ASTM D-698, Standard Test Methods of Laboratory Compaction Methods of Soil.

The tailings are usually hauled and/or conveyed to the deposition area and compacted to form a dry stack. These systems can be designed to be completely safe but special attention is required in the areas of focus cited above due to the process solutions that are typically contained with conventional tailings facilities. Conventional TSF systems can vary, but the principles remain the same.

Some mines may use a rotating discharge system for example, while others use a single-point discharge. Depending on the nature of the tailings or the jurisdiction, the impoundment may need to be lined.

Most impoundments are designed with under-drains to drain and consolidate the tailing and/or to reduce potential driving head on liner systems.” Costs and environmental controls are major considerations when it comes to handling tailings. A well engineered facility with proper construction quality control will not only minimize the cost associated with tailings management but will also minimize the risks.

What issues are raised by tailings manage-ment?

The first issue is making sure that tailings storage areas are located properly.

Extensive studies are done in an effort to site tailings storage facilities away from sensitive environmental areas – such as lakes and streams, wetlands, fishing, and hunting areas. Secondly, care must be taken to ensure that tailings material is as environmentally friendly as possible. This can be achieved by designing a milling process that captures the vast majority of minerals present in ore, and by ensuring that the chemicals present in tailings are kept at predictable and manageable levels. Finally, Tailings storage areas must provide for the safe and permanent storage of tailings material. This is achieved by designing tailings embankments to withstand any potential catastrophic event such as an e arthquake or flood and by controlling the seepage of tailings water. Mining companies are required to design and build permanent tailings s torage facilities. The water collection system is operated until monitoring shows that water in the tailings pond is entirely safe. This may occur naturally at some mine sites (usually over a period of 2 to 5 years) or it may require water treatment.

After mining is complete, tailings storage areas are reclaimed or returned to a natural like condition.

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FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC OPENS NEW OPERATION IN EAST AFRICA WITH HEADQUARTERS IN KENYA Schneider Electric, a multinational electrical products manufacturer with operations in more than 100 countries, has acquired long-time local manufacturing partner Power Technics Ltd. The acquisition follows Schneider Electric’s strategy to increase its local footprint in East Africa and on the continent, and continue to align to customers’ needs with the creation of Schneider Electric Kenya.

Power Technics’ state of the art production tools will help Schneider Electric provide its customers with locally manufactured qualitative electric products, adapted for the African market, as well as complex and sensitive equipment, like low voltage switchboards and medium voltage switchgears for industrial companies.

The firm, situated along Mombasa Road, and with a workforce of 300, was established in 1982.

Commenting on the deal, Chairman and CEO, Schneider Electric, Jean-Pascal Tricoire, said that the company is very keen on boosting its production to capitalise on emerging opportunities in the wider East African region.

“As a global company, following this acquisition, we would like to bring in top-notch technology, best practices and energy automation solutions.

Kenya is the ideal place for us to establish our main manufacturing hub for the East African region, ”said Tricoire.

The company, based in Kenya with subsidiaries in Uganda and Tanzania, has been Schneider Electric’s exclusive partner in East Africa for decades.

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DEMAG EXPANDS AFRICAN FOOTPRINT WITH QUALITY EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES In growing its footprint across the continent, Demag – one of the world´s leading providers of cranes and port technology aims to provide high quality equipment and service to ensure less downtime and greater productivity in Africa.

1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 09

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 Demag national product and sales manager Wynand Andeweg states that the potential for growth across Africa is excellent for companies willing to provide superior products and backup service. “It’s the last frontier as far as development is concerned and global firms are realising this.

Andeweg says that it’s vital that Demag trains new partners in every aspect of its equipment and operations, in order for them to deliver the same quality of service Demag does. “There is also potential for partnerships in manufacturing, which gives customers the advantage of rapid transport times.”

“There’s a lot of growth happening on the continent and a definite need for premium products backed up by local support. Where low-quality products are used in these harsh environments, there’s a lot of productivity loss due to down time and issues with repairs.”

As with breaking into any new regions, Andeweg appreciates possible challenges posed by broadening Demag’s scope in Africa. “People discuss issues like corruption but, as an ethically responsible company, Demag isn’t willing to entertain the notion and is guided by strict corporate rules and responsibilities. We get the business because of the products and services we provide, or we walk away.”

Andeweg says Demag’s push into Africa starts with basic training for local personnel on all products, as well as access to technicians who can fly out to sites and keep downtime to a minimum.

“We are also currently sourcing partners in African countries that can provide direct support to those customers.”

He adds that Demag has established partnerships in Zimbabwe and Namibia, and is currently in negotiations in Zambia and Kenya too. “As part of the Terex Group, there are a number of Terex agents and distributors in various African ountries who can potentially overlap with Demag technicians to provide immediate support to customers.”

1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 10

Another challenge is third-party recommendations to a potential Demag customer, he says.

“Often there are dealers who act as as ‘middle-men’, where we would prefer to deal directly with customers to ensure that we understand the very specific technical equirements each customer has.”

Safety Compliance

With many foreign companies working on projects in Africa, Andeweg has dealt with both African and overseas clients.

“We’ve found ourselves with orders from Australian or Canadian companies that have operations in Zambia.

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015

“Safety is priority number one for us. Safety comes before profit.”

Current equipment in the market is often dangerous, Andeweg asserts, such as cranes that have long passed their lifecycles and pose a safety risk.

“Some cranes have been standing for 30 years and the company decides that they want them back in use and asks us what we can do.”

According to Andeweg, the challenge here is not knowing the full history of the crane and understanding exactly what it’s been doing.

“This makes it hard to tell whether it can be fixed properly or not. Demag makes a decision as to whether or not to assist, as we will not be a part of a dangerous piece of equipment being used on a job site.”

In some instances, fixing up equipment means finding spares that could be many years old, Andeweg notes.

Demag is currently working on customised equipment for large projects, which require good quality products to meet both safety regulations and deadlines.

Andeweg indicates that local companies still buy lower-end products, but many are seeing the pitfalls and are looking for higher-spec components.

“Once they realise the extent of our experience in South Africa and other parts of the continent, they know that we understand both the market and the conditions of the terrain. As we expand into new regions and more companies become familiar with Demag’s safety, quality and ethics as part of the value we add, we believe we will see more projects using our equipment and technical services.”

“We’re quite fortunate in that we have these components that are fairly flexible. Typically, we cut out the old components and replace them with an interface, then put our components in. We often have to get a bit creative to solve the problem.”

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Power Challenges in Katanga

Dealing with the biggest challenge to the economy and mining industry of Katanga.

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FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 Power is without a doubt the biggest challenge to the economy and mining industry of Katanga. With the potential of generating 106,000 MW per year, the equivalent of 37% of the current power needs of the entire African continent, the DRC presently produces only 2,100 MW annually.

Katanga's total demand is about 900MW of power from the mining companies, and that only 461.7MW is available.

DRC’s main hydropower plants include Inga I (351 MW), Inga II (1,424 MW), Mwadingusha, Nseke (260 MW), Nzilo (100 MW) and Koni (36 MW). Works for Inga III, a $12 billion, 4,800 MW capacity project, the first phase of the gargantuan 40,000 MW Grand Inga project, were announced to commence in 2015, coincidentally just one year before the elections of 2016.

Samir El Masri, general manager of Panaco, talks about one of the company’s in-house energy efficiency studies: “Across Katanga Province, the construction and maintenance of power substations has not kept pace with the industrial growth that has occurred in recent years. A substation that in the past supplied 40 houses could now be serving 100 households, and sometimes power drops from 220W to 130W in the evenings.”

Often overlooked, the optimization of the existing power network could also make a big impact. Established in 1981,

Panaco is one of the leading general electricity companies in Katanga, and the official distributor of brands such as Phillips and Schneider in the province.

Restoring production to nominal capacity had its costs however, as Miles Naude, general manager of MMG in the DRC, explained: “Since there is not enough energy to meet demand, companies can embark on two different routes. The first is to operate with whatever energy you can get from the grid while the second entails the installation of your own power-generating facilities.

In order to mitigate our reliance on existing power supply, and to keep production at high levels, MMG decided to install its own generators, for a total of 17 MW, which were commissioned and came into play in November 2012.

Due to this strategic move, ever since December 2012 MMG has been able to produce coppercathode at our Kinsevere plant’s name plate capacity, which is 5,000 tons per month, 60,000 tons per year. However, the costs associated with the utilization of this extra power are signicant.”

These developments align perfectly with the capabilities of companies like Aggreko, which specialize in providing temporary power generation solutions.

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FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 Mathew Fredericks, head of mining for Aggreko EMEA, explains: “There is a huge demand for the supply of reliable, high-quality power for mine operators in DRC. ”These developments align perfectly with the capabilities of companies like Aggreko, which specialize in providing temporary power generation solutions. Mathew Fredericks, head of mining for Aggreko EMEA, explains: “There is a huge demand for the supply of reliable, high-quality power for mine operators in DRC. Mining in DRC is booming yet there is insufcient power infrastructure in place to support this. We are developing our presence in-country to better support mining customers, while also being available to support other industries and local utilities when requirements arise.”

All companies that are able to provide power generators are also seeing opportunities across the market. Miguel Dos Santos Ferreira, area sale manager of BIA DRC, said: “The most important part of our business in DRC is currently represented by Cummins. The power and electricity issues facing the country call for the application of Cummins Power Generation, which BIA can sell to the private, commercial and mining sectors. We are working on a big project of power station for up to 16 MW.” Finally, Amaury Lescaux, general manager of Swedish Machinery and Trucks (SMT), Volvo’s exclusive dealer in DRC, is also seeing its business obtaining increased profits on generators: “Volvo Penta’s main strategic products in the DRC are its gensets, which benefit from enormous demand in the DRC, given the country’s power supply issues.”

Solving the power supply issue is essential to unleashing the full potential of Katanga’s mining sector and the plans on paper so far look promising. The main question remains when are these plans are going to become reality?

Ernest Gielink, operations director at MCK Trucks, one of the leading mining subcontractors in Katanga, calls for unity among players to overcome Katanga’s number one challenge: “Access to power in the DRC is a two- part problem, which involves generation and distribution.

However, distribution is difficult, as the power plants are located far from the operations. It does not help if every mine builds its own independent project. In order to create wealth for the country, a new or upgraded national grid needs to be built, which includes interlinking all of the independent projects.

The off-take agreements are crucial, and we need to get everyone to work together and to approach it jointly.”

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FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015

TO PRESERVE PRECIOUS WATER MINES SHOULD BE USING GRP PIPING

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For more information visit: http://www.iwc.co.za

onserving South Africa’s water is a top priority as a Water Affairs study shows that South Africans will be using more water by 2025 than is currently available. By 2030, it will be using 17% more, according to the 2030 Water Resources Group. To guarantee mine wastewater never contaminates South Africa’s water systems, mine operators should be using corrosive-resistant glass-¬bre reinforced plastic (GRP) piping when transferring this toxic water to a water treatment facility. Mine wastewater, a highly toxic cocktail of organic compounds with high concentrations of SO4, silica, iron, and other toxic metals, and Acid Mine Drainage (AMD), are two major sources of water contamination in South Africa.

AMD is characterized by low pH (high acidity), high salinity levels, elevated concentrations of sulphate, iron, aluminium and manganese, high levels of toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, cobalt, copper, molybdenum and zinc, and sometimes deadly radionuclides. Says Roger Rusch, CEO of Industrial Water Cooling (IWC), “GRP pipes are inherently resistant to galvanic and electrolytic corrosion making them the only real piping solution for mine wastewater transportation as well as effective AMD management. With very low potential for leaks caused by corrosion, GRP pipes significantly reduce the risk of contaminants entering South Africa’s water system.

“The resins used to manufacture GRP pipes provide a natural resistance of pH 1 to 10 making them suitable to use in the desalination and reverse osmosis processes of wastewater treatment. And since the hydraulic characteristics of these durable pipes remain constant over time, there is no need for additional linings, coatings or cathode protection.”

1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 16

Is The Democratic Republic Of Congo The Next Emerging Economy?

Written by Djenabou Cisse, a political analyst at G-NOVA First Appeared in Global Risk Insights.

D

uring his last visit to the DRC in March 2015, IMF deputy managing director David Lipton said he was impressed by the country’s economic progress over the past five years.

This is fair; despite a difficult security environment, the country has managed to increase its average growth rate from 2.8% in 2009 to 8.7% in 2014, recording the third fastest growth rate in the world this year.

Inflation has decreased from about 50% in 2009 to 1% since 2013, thanks to cautious monetary and budgetary policies. If the country truly is at a turning point, it can finally capitalise on its huge economic potential.

While the country is ranked as the second least developed country in the world, it has the potential to become one of the richest in the continent thanks to its tremendous natural resources: 80 million hectares of arable land, over 1 100 minerals and precious metals, one of Africa’s largest copper reserves, and the world’s leading cobalt producer.

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015

W

hile the country is ranked as the second least developed country in the world, it has the potential to become one of the richest in the continent thanks to its tremendous natural resources: 80 million hectares of arable land, over 1 100 minerals and precious metals, one of Africa’s largest copper reserves, and the world’s leading cobalt producer. Public investments and robust extractive industries have also stimulated the DRC’s growth. The mining sector, which grew by an average 10.5% from 2010 to 2013 as a result of increased production, is one of the main drivers of the DRC’s growth. The country has also slightly_improved its human development index, leading the UNDP to think that it could become an emerging country within 13 years.

The UNDP has also recently hinted that the country could gain more than 10 places in the HDI ranking, if they take into account updated national socioeconomic data. It appears that international bodies do not always take into account such data when writing their reports because Congolese statistical institutions have historically transmitted data_late and do not make enough efforts to update them. With an international community pleased by the DRC’s progress, the government is using these positive indicators to validate its policies against its detractors. National authorities finally seem more willing to implement structural and institutional reforms to help the DRC become an emerging country.

In fact, authorities are more and more aware that the Congolese economy is highly vulnerable to external shocks, due largely to the booming mining sector.

Last April, the DRC’s Prime Minister Augustin Matata Ponyo claimed that he wants to boost

the economic reforms in order to consolidate the country’s economic progress. Among such reforms is the liberalization of the insurance sector and the electricity sector.

Government has also reaffirmed its will to improve the business climate and promote good governance. The DRC has been working with the World Bank since 2010_to improve governance and transparency in extractiveindustries through measures aimed at consolidating the reforms launched under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative.

Such measures would also restore the confidence of development partners and private investors.

The reform of the mining code is another measure of the government to boost revenues and better capitalise on its potential. This reform results from the observation that growth in the mining sector has not led to strong revenue mobilisation for the government, as confirmed in the 2014 World Bank report on the DRC’s economic and financial situation.

It appears that mining revenues do not grow as rapidly as mining production, thus causing total government revenues to subside.

For example, in 2013, while growth peaked at8.5% and

1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 18

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 copper production skyrocketed to 52%, domesticgovernment revenues amounted to only 13% of GDP (14.9% in 2012, 12.5% in 2011).

Transparency International, which has taken part in talks about the reform, has also recommended a more comprehensive analysis of the realities on the ground in order not to pass the law too quickly. Given the miners’ strong opposition, the government has said to be “open” to more discussions with miners to find a consensus.

These goodwill gestures show the government’s growing determination to work with domestic and international actors to reform its economy.

the Indaba Conference, some investors said to be in favour of exploiting the country’s mining sector and waiting for the new code to be revised.

As the government seems willing to appease miners, it is likely a consensus will be reached.

Given the country’s economic progress and the government’s strategy to encourage investments in large infrastructure projects, the DRC’s attractiveness to investors is likely to keep growing. But goodwill gestures are not enough if the government does not turn them into significant actions.

The mining code controversy underscores the difficulty for DRC to make the most of its economy without discouraging investors with overly high taxes.

But, as the World Bank points it out, “better mobilisation of revenues from the natural resources sector would increase fiscal space and give the country the necessary financial means to finance its economic and social development”. Using international aid to help implement reforms for better revenue mobilisation would be one solution.

In any case, foreign investors remain aware of the DRC’s potential. Last February during 1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 19

Photo by Myriam Asmani / MONUSCO STORY HIGHLIGHTS In eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, 4 in 10 women in artisanal mining face sexual abuse to gain access to work or basic goods.

Recent research suggests that such abuses are due to everyday actors rather than armed groups that take advantage of vulnerable populations based on livelihoods, education and economic access.

The World Bank is working to launch a network in the DRC to raise public awareness and promote effective polices to protect women’s rights in mining sectors.

After two decades of civil war and ongoing conflicts, vulnerable populations throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have continually been pushed off their traditional agricultural land and forced to seek out their livelihood through other means such as artisanal mining. It is estimated that between 500,000 and

2 million people work informally in the artisanal and small-scale mines of the DRC. Workers in these mines suffer a variety of labor and social problems, but recently the question of human rights abuses, specifically sexual violence, has been widely reported by international media and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).

Recent media coverage has drawn connections between rape against women, armed conflict and natural resource extraction, fuelling a narrative of women being victims of rape by armed groups in the mining areas of eastern DRC. However, little evidence based research has examined the extent to which these claims best represent the challenges facing women in the mines of eastern DRC.

From 2012 to 2014, the World Bank and the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI), designed and carried out a research project to examine the trends and scope of human rights abuses faced by women and men in the mines of eastern DRC. The results of this research challenge the perception that the violence is due to gangs that promote armed conflict, but rather it comes from everyday actors that take advantage of vulnerable populations based on livelihoods, education and economic access.

One woman revealed in an interview, how commonplace sexual violence is to the informal mining economy. Speaking of a mine supervisor she revealed that “he tells his friends not to work with her because she refused to have sex with them. People do the prostitution so that they can get other work.

You are selling yourself, tiring yourself to get some money for your children.”

rights and limited availability of social forms of organization for women and others. Only 26% of women and 40% of men knew there was a mining code in DRC with provisions to protect their right to work. More alarming, only 17% of women and 20% of men interviewed thought that women had the legal right to work in the mines.

The World Bank is working to establish a “Women in Mining” network, to be launched in August 2015 in the DRC. Promines, the mining sector reform program led by the Ministry of Mines in partnership with the World Bank, will fund a three day conference to bring The research revealed that one in four women in together women from all segments mining towns self-identified as sex workers, and 4 in of the country’s mining sector to 10 reported having to trade sex simply to gain access discuss the latest research on to work or basic goods. Rape was cited by women as women’s situation in the mines commonplace, though not predominantly at the of the DRC, and establish the manhands of armed forces. Perpetrators of sexual abuses date and functioning of the network. were largely civilians working in traditional, local and state power structures.

The conference will include women from other “Women in Mining” networks in sub-Saharan Africa to “These results suggest that share their experiences of putting simply disarming rebel groups in place networks in their respective will not end abuses in the mining countries, and to support this landsector, since civilian power mark occasion for women’s structures are some of the most development in the DRC. Women’s exploitative. Close Quotes networks have proven critical in Rachel Perks raising awareness with government Mining Specialist, World Bank and policy makers on important Rather DRC faces much more systemic institutional public policy issues facing women problems. Assistant Professor Laura Seay at Colby in mining sectors globally. Also they College said that “these research results show a have led advocacy work at national narrow approach in DRC will not work. Rather the and subnational levels to improve problems are institut- ional and will require a longworking conditions for women; and term commitment to rebuilding rule of law, a function- also connect women to solutions ing justice system, and effective delivery of public and knowledge in a variety of services.” domains that improve their social Research also found pervasive lack of education on and familial standing.

HEALTH AND SAFETY

FINDING TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO COMBAT

OPERATOR FATIGUE

● pupil response properties) ● Heart rate ● EEG C. Operator behaviour ● Head nodding ● Mental and physical reaction times

“We started thinking we would have more success if we can get to the source and get them interested in mining,” Edwards says. “Then we could develop a technology that is focused on mining from the beginning.”

Caterpillar is providing funds and access to mining equipment that allows research and development groups to work on a fatigue management solution for the industry.

“We want these researchers to see the differences between onhighway trucks and large mining trucks and their environments,” Edwards says.

“We need to increase awareness in the scientific community that there is a need for them to provide solutions to help miners and mining companies mitigate the effects of fatigue.”

ADVANCING EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES Caterpillar recently partnered with customer BHP Billiton to study existing technologies and promote the advancement of the most promising solutions. Results of that study will be published and shared with the world to advance the cause, says Edwards.

“Along with Circadian Technologies, we evaluated all known technologies that are commercially available or will be emerging in the next three years,” Edwards says.

The goal of the study was to: ● Identify the most promising technologies ● Develop an objective assessment tool ● Score each technology ● Examine the feasibility of incorporating the best technologies into mining applications “We came up with a list of 35 technologies in all industries, and shortened that list to the 21 we felt were the most viable,” Edwards says. “We then tested the leading technologies through driving simulation studies and field trials.”

Fitness-for-duty tests have been in use for some time to check operators for drug and alcohol usage. New technologies are being employed to test for fatigue, including: ● Pupilometry—measures eye reflexes, pupil constriction and the speed of eye movement.

Degradation of reaction times can indicate impairment. ● Psychomotor Vigilance Tests—evaluate reaction times and hand/eye coordination. Using a computer mouse, trackball or joystick, operators must follow a target and maintain their position.

“These units are not costprohibitive,” says Edwards.

“They range from US$5,000 to US$10,000 per unit and they are Two main types of technology rock solid for drugs and alcohol. exist: “fitness for duty” tests that We’re still evaluating how well check operator fatigue levels they work for fatigue, or more prior to their shifts, and systems precisely, impaired alertness.” that measure operator and Systems that monitor operator machine behaviour during activity in the cab as well as operations. These technologies vehicle activity also show measure: promise. These systems monitor A. Machine behaviour the operators around the clock, ● Lane deviation sometimes sending information to ● Steering wheel movement dispatchers as well as accumulating long-term data ● Pedal usage about the behaviour of an ● Machine movement operator or his or her machine.

B. Operator physiological conditions ● Eye behaviour (blink and

1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 23

Techniques to deal with the root causes of fatigue. with David Edwards, Ph.D

A

round-the-clock operations are commonplace in the mining industry. The search is on to help those who experience the fatigue that goes along with shift-work. Operator fatigue is proven to be one of the most prevalent causes of accidents within the mining industry. In the surface mining industry alone, some 60 to 65 percent of truck haulage accidents are directly related to operator fatigue.

Mining companies have long been aware of the dangers of fatigue and have tried to manage the situation through policies and procedures, and through various education, training, scheduling, diet and motivational efforts. “These techniques all help deal with the root causes of fatigue,” says David Edwards, Ph.D., an ergonomics research engineer who studied operator fatigue in Caterpillar Inc.’s Technology and Solutions Division before joining the new Caterpillar Safety Services Division.

“At the end of the day, there are still people falling asleep,” says Edwards. “That’s why everyone in the industry is desperate for a new solution—a technology solution—to help better manage fatigue.”

THE COST OF FATIGUE Sleep deprivation, fatigue and drowsiness decrease awareness, diminish attention spans, and increase reaction time—all significant factors that contribute to accidents. The UK reports over US$2 billion in fatigue-related accident costs. Australia’s Transport Safety Bureau reports that 30 percent of all fatal crashes are linked to fatigue.

Commercial on-highway truck collisions due to fatigue are estimated to account for 1,200 deaths and 76,000 injuries a year in the United States, at an estimated cost of US$12.4 billion to the commercial trucking industry.

Fatigued drivers often are not aware of their condition, frequently driving for up to 30 seconds with their eyes totally closed—a situation known as micro-sleeps. Studies show that driving drowsy is equivalent to being under the influence of alcohol or drugs and that drowsiness impairs the ability to make decisions. Signs of fatigue include: ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ●

Sleepiness/difficulty keeping eyes open Excessive yawning Blurred vision/loss of focus Irritability Becoming quiet and more withdrawn Inability to concentrate Inability to remember activities of the last five minutes Lacking motivation to do the task well

Studies in the mining industry indicate that fatigue affects even those with the best training and years of experience. Human error due to fatigue is not fundamentally a behavioural problem—it’s primarily a problem of human physiology.

MANAGING THE SITUATION Ergonomic improvements in the operator environment have helped lessen fatigue. Education, training and biocompatible scheduling have also proven to be important tools.

“Miners can learn the importance of a good diet—what foods to eat to

keep them alert and help them maintain energy levels,” says Bill Sirois, senior vice president of Circadian Technologies, Inc., a leading international research and consulting firm that assists shiftworking companies. “Workers also can learn the right behaviours at work and at home that help minimize drowsiness.”

A lot of sites have started educating the families of employees about how to best support their family members for shift-work. More and more companies are also converting to user-friendly work schedules to alleviate as much of the physical stress of shift-work as possible, Sirois says.

In conjunction with Circadian Technologies Inc., Caterpillar will introduce a CD/DVD designed to educate supervisors, operators and their families on things they can do to lessen fatigue. “Caterpillar used its resources to create an educational tool that we can share with every mine site,” says Edwards.

While an educational video will be helpful, Caterpillar customers have made it clear that they’re looking for additional solutions—in particular those that take advantage of technology to detect the onset of fatigue and interface with the operator and dispatcher to elicit a response.

“There has been a major effort to develop technologies to monitor fatigue, but they have been primarily for automotive use—particularly with on-highway trucks,” says Edwards. “There isn’t one technology that has come to the forefront for use in the mining industry.”

Caterpillar and mining companies have tried to leverage existing automotive technologies to adapt them for mining, but have met with little success.

1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 24

Techniques to deal with the root causes of fatigue. with David Edwards, Ph.D RECOMMENDATIONS “Good technologies exist and we think they are viable,” says Edwards. “The question is, ‘How do you create a technology that deals with the world, and works for all?’

The answer is, ‘You can’t.’ We know we must have multiple solutions because all current technologies exhibit shortcomings when the application range is too broad. In other words, they don’t work everyone in every situation.”

“There are some things you cannot change,” he continues.

“You will always have people falling asleep no matter what you do. People are simply not designed to be awake at night. No matter how much you do, you can’t prevent it from happening. The best thing you can hope for is to manage and mitigate the risk.” His recommendation is to use a combination of technologies.

“The Optalert glasses and ASTiD steering system performed best in the lab testing. The ideal solution in the long term would be to fuse these types of technologies together. A system that combines information from both the machine and the operator is the best hope for robustly detecting fatigue and drowsiness in the future. That’s what we’re recommending to the developers.”

Cat will continue to provide support for research and development and allow access to Cat machines for companies to test their products.

“They are the experts,” Edwards says. “We’re not in a position to put this equipment on a machine at the factory. The technology is too immature at this point. But we can try to influence developers to move quickly.”

The most important aspect of a successful fatigue management program is taking responsibility. “We must ensure that people recognize and take responsibility for their own fitness for work,” says Michael Farmer, global practice leader for fatigue management at BHP Billiton.

“Frontline supervisors must understand and manage their workgroups, and companies must develop a culture that encourages workers to report and take action on drowsiness and fatigue risks.”

MANAGING A MINING LIFESTYLE One out of five people in the world currently works hours that fall outside the traditional workday. Those who have long hours, work nights, or maintain irregular shifts face different challenges than day workers. Shift work affects sleep, alertness, health, and family and social lives.

Human alertness has a daily rhythm— measurably higher during the day and lower during the night. People also tend to get drowsy after lunch. It’s important to be aware of and manage these challenges.

Caterpillar is collaborating with Circadian Technologies, Inc., an international firm that helps companies manage shift-work and extended hours, to develop a DVD to help machine operators and their families better cope with the lifestyle required of those in the mining industry.

The video provides practical solutions for easing the adjustment and day-to-day challenges associated with mining lifestyles. The video serves as a powerful tool for improving the physical and psychological well-being of heavy equipment operators—increasing safety, morale and performance.

David Edwards, Ph.D., Is an ergonomics research engineer who studied operator fatigue in Caterpillar Inc.

Edwards says he is proud of Caterpillar’s focus on this important topic. “We’re working to meet the mining industry’s needs, the customer’s needs and to energize the research community to care,” he says. “We’ll share this with the world and hopefully all companies can benefit.

And we can make the world a safer place to live and work.”

1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 25

Techniques to deal with the root causes of fatigue, with David Edwards, Ph.D

MANAGING INFORMATION

One of the technology systems investigated helps mine sites manage the information gained through ON-BOARD TECHNOLOGIES monitoring—a feature Edwards can see as the future INCLUDE: of fatigue management technologies. Data goes to a ● In-dash cameras or eyeglasses with sensors dispatcher, who has a log of the operator’s habits and that monitor eye movement and blink speeds— can suggest a break or recommend the operator end both indicators of fatigue. In-dash systems can his shift. have difficulty with vibration or motion in the Edwards says it’s important to make someone other cab, making the glasses a more viable option, than the operator aware of any fatigue issues. “An Edwards says. The eyeglass system, called Optalert™ and made by Sleep Diagnostics Pty operator who is fatigued is the worst judge of how tired he really is,” he says. “That’s like asking a Ltd., costs about US$10,500 per truck. The price includes three pairs of glasses and system drunk person if they believe they are too intoxicated to drive.” hardware.

Studies suggest that users strongly prefer systems ● Monitors that measure steering wheel and that require as little personal monitoring and contact machine movement. When operators are with the technology as possible. The preference is for awake and alert, they maintain consistent systems that monitor vehicles instead of people. position within their lane. When they get drowsy, movements are more erratic and machines swerve and sway. The leading system of this type is ASTiD made by Pernix Ltd. and costs less than US$10,000 per truck. Unlike the eyeglasses, this system is passive to the operators.

“There are a lot of confidentiality issues, in particular with the operator measurements,” says Edwards. “The operator could have a perception that being personally monitored is a bad thing—so they may choose not to use a given technology.”

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FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 The current objective is, therefore, going back to basics and focusing on core business.”

Another primary concern in Africa is the lack of infrastructure to support mining projects.

Lok warns that this, together with the current commodity price downturn, makes it incredibly difficult for projects to obtain finance. “As a result, the majority of execution projects are largely on hold, with greater focus being placed on concept, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies,” he reveals.

In an EPC contract, the EPC contractor is usually liable for costs and for meeting predetermined performance specifications and standards. In contrast, EPCM contractors focus more on a professional services agreement, taking responsibility for; the provision of engineering and design services; procurement of contracts with suppliers and contractors as agent of the owner; and management of the construction phase o f the project. The commercial and financial risks in the case of the ECPM model is the responsibility of the client.

Lok believes that the development of infrastructure in Africa should be pushed more aggressively. He continues: “Infrastructure in this context is a major project enabler and should be seen as holding immense potential from a project and engineering perspective.

For bulk commodity projects, access to power, water and product transport remains the main obstacles.”

Lok points out that, in theory, projects will select the EPC model in higher-risk environments due to the fact the appointed contractor carries greater responsibility and liability. “This does not always happen in practice, as the decision to select the EPC or EPCM model is often rather determined by the willingness of owners or engineering contractors to accept risk given the current market cycle and opportunities available.”

When the commodity pricing cycle begins EPC or EPCM? experiencing an upward turn, the engineering Under an EPC delivery model, an EPC consultant is often in the position to be m ore contractor will generally be responsible for the selective, due to the fact that they have a greater design, construction and commissioning of a facility.

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1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 27

INFORMED

PROJECT MANAGEMENT DECISIONS VITAL IN CHALLENGING CONDITIONS

According to Gerrit Lok, general manager for resources at global engineering consultancy firm SMEC, there has been a significant reduction in projects, especially from larger mining companies. “There are very few greenfield developments, and most capital projects are typically brownfield expansions. Given the current state of commodity prices, this trend looks set to continue for at least 18 months.”

With ongoing pressure on commodity prices and the subsequent trend of downsizing project pipelines, resource operations and consulting engineers are faced with increasingly complex challenges.

Bearing this in mind, the main focus is currently on productivity improvements and the optimal use of assets. This has led to a measurable decrease in both engineering, procurement and construction (EPC), and engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) projects across Africa.

Lok indicates that the primary focus of many mining companies is operational efficiency.

“As far as capital projects are concerned, there is a strong focus on capital efficiency to the extent that many capital project programmes in the local mining industry have been reduced by as much as 80 percent.

KCM AND PEPZ TO BROADEN LOCAL ACCESS TO MINING SUPPLY CHAIN Africa’s largest copper mining companies, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has merged with the Private Enterprise Programme Zambia (PEP-Z) to explore ways to include more local entrepreneurs in its supply chain.

The two signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) , in which both organisations agreed to further opportunities for local economic development in areas around KCM’s operations.

“Our aim at KCM is to encourage economic diversification of the Copperbelt and throughout Zambia. We aim to work with partners that have similar objectives and complementary skills.

We look forward to working with PEPZ and helping to create wealth within and outside of the mining sector,” KCM Vice President Local Economic Development, David Paterson, said during the signing ceremony.The Private Enterprise Programme Zambia, which is funded by the UK government’s Department for International Development(DFID) aims to strengthen and build the capacity of Zambia’s private sector to create jobs and contribute to the diversification of the economy. PEPZ will work with Zambian enterprises that have the potential to grow, create jobs and contribute to economic diversification.

KCM is one of the largest copper mining companies in Zambia, with operations in Chingola, Chililabombwe, Kitwe and Nampundwe, and is currently developing a local economic development strategy with the intention of extending the economic benefits of its operations further into the communities in which it operates.

“Mining is the backbone of Zambia’s economy,” said PEPZ Programme Manager Bayo Akindeinde. “It is only correct that as many Zambians as possible participate and benefit from the sector and contribute to the value chain through the products, services and skills they specialise in.”Under the MoU, PEPZ will work with KCM to assess the capabilities of prospective and existing local small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) suppliers known to have potential to do meaningful business with the mine.

1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 29

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 choice of projects to become involved in, and in so doing are less likely to assume any additional risks. “This means that they will almost exclusively move to an EPCM model in more prosperous times,” states Lok. “The opposite tends to be true during times of falling commodity prices.

EPC Advantages

• One-stop-shopping option for project • Hands-off approach to project from the owner’s perspective • Minimal staff requirements from the owner’s perspective • Less commercial and financial risk by owner • Best for well-defined projects with detailed engineering complete.

EPCM advantages • Lower overall cost • Sense of ownership for staff • Greater control over processes • Flexible financing for owner • Better-suited to less defined projects with anticipated changes to scope of supply.

Lok suggests that mixed models may be the most viable solution. “Ideally, resource companies and engineer ing consultants should come together and study the nature of the projects and the overall environment, thus making an informed decision on what deli very model they will be entering into, based on an indepth understanding of all elements f the pr oject and the operating environment.”

SMEC is a well-diversified engineering company and has the benefit of shifting work within the organisation over many sectors, geographies and engineering disciplines. “Given the nature of our projects and the services we provide from a min ing perspective, we actually view the mining secto r as a growth area in the medium to long term,” Lok asserts.

Although SMEC’s mining department in Africa has only recently been started in South Africa, Lok observes that the key objective will be to bring a strong infrastructure focus to mining clien ts in Africa. “Given our significant footprint in Africa, this will be a strong base from which to operate.

Most of our projects are consulting and engineering related as far as the mining industry is concerned, and our clients are some of the largest names in the industry,” he concludes.

Fleet Management Systems Address Three Big Challenges 1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 31

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 Managing people and equipment efficiently through every shift change.

Tracking and continuously improving cycle time and payload. Ensuring the right material is moved to the right place the first time. These are three of the big challenges surface miners deal with on a daily basis and many are turning to fleet management technologies to address them while reducing cost per ton, enhancing productivity and boosting profitability on their sites.

Every day, mine managers face a similar set of questions: Which operators are doing which tasks?

What machines do they need to use?

Where did the last shift leave those machines? Who called in sick and how do we juggle assignments to get work done?

Fleet management systems help miners answer these questions more quickly and efficiently. They enable the scheduling and assignment of all types of equipment haul trucks, loaders, drills, draglines, light vehicles, fuel trucks, support machines and more from a central office location. That helps minimize unproductive machine wait time and maximize equipment usage on site, particularly during busy shift change periods.

In addition, fleet management tools can help mine managers better plan equipment maintenance, ensuring they’re sending machines and trucks to the shop for regular preventive maintenance on schedule and keeping unscheduled downtime to a minimum.

These systems can assist with fuel management as well, allowing miners to prevent time lost to fueling backups or trucks running out of fuel.

The second challenge, production monitoring, is another area where fleet management technologies are proving beneficial for surface mines. By providing real-time visibility to machine cycle time, payload, loading performance and other key operational parameters, these systems help operators review and improve their own performance for example, making sure their trucks are loaded just to capacity, not over or under.

Plus, mine managers can use fleet management tools to set production targets and compare them to actual performance for individual machines and operators, groups of machines, specific sites or entire fleets. That allows for timely changes to improve loading performance and increase payload predictability. Miners can identify operators who need additional training and even run scenarios to determine the effect of operational changes before implementation.

The final challenge, material management, is about getting the right material to the right location as quickly and safely as possible. Mistakes can be costly; for example, consider the cost of a load of coal being dumped in the waste pile.

Fortunately, by monitoring material movement and alerting operators and planners to misroutes, fleet management technologies help ensure operators use the proper haul routes, identify the correct load and dump locations, and deposit the right material in the right place. And since these systems are capable of tracking 1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 32

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 equipment location, miners can use them to analyze dump movement and haul road congestion as well making changes as needed to keep their mining operations running safely and at peak performance.

One of the leading fleet management systems on the market today is CatŽ MineStar Fleet. With the ability to monitor an entire equipment fleet, as well as the operators and support vehicles on site, Fleet allows managers to precisely monitor nearly every aspect of their equipment’s operation providing detailed insight into operator and equipment status and performance at all times.

By managing and tracking equipment and giving managers detailed feedback, Fleet can help reduce costs and increase efficiency for an improved mining operation from start to finish.

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015

Mpokoto Project Update Armadale Capital Plc 2015 Armadale Capital Plc (‘Armadale’ or ‘the Company’) Mpokoto Project Update Armadale, the AIM quoted investment company focused on natural resources projects in Africa, is pleased to provide a positive update on its Mpokoto Gold Project (‘Mpokoto’ or the ‘Project’) in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo and outline its development plans for 2015 as it targets commercial production in H1 2016.

and fresh ore. Following the recent round of drilling focused on the near surface material testwork has commenced to verify the previous testwork as well as further confirm the design of the initial plant.

Project construction targeted to commence in H2 2015, subject to project financing well financed to plan for the construction phase following US$2.73 mln flexible funding agreement with Overview Bergen Global Opportunity Fund, Drilling programme for Q1 2015 now being LP. The Company has commencfinalised with the intention of upgrading the curr- ed discussions with a number of ent Total Mineral Indicated and Inferred Resource groups concerning certain of 678,000oz gold (‘Au’) which itself represents a aspects of the project developm78% increase from 380,000oz Au resource when ent including earthmoving contrProject was acquired in November 2013. actors, equipment suppliers as well as other service providers Definitive Feasibility Study to be published within Southern Africa and the in Q1 2015 anticipated to confirm the robust fun- DRC. At the same time the group damentals demonstrated in October 2014 has begun the process of sourciExpanded Scoping Study whichestimated a ng the requisite human resource post-tax net present value (‘NPV’) of US$55.3m the Project will require to develop. based upon a discount rate of 8% and a gold price of US$1,250/oz. The Feasibility Study, Mining Licences secured to which will be conducted by Bara Consulting and support project development graCSA Global, is expected to lead to the declarati- nted four Mining Licences in on of a maiden Mineral Reserve. The group Nov-ember 2014 valid for an remains committed to ensuring that all-in sustai- initial term of 30 years from 30 ning costs of less than $700/oz continued to be September 2014. The Project achieved. has strong support at local, regional and state levels and the Metallurgical testwork to be conducted in group will continue to strengthen 2015 with the objective of further enhancing the these relationships as it enters low cost gravity separation process targeted for construction phase. Justin Lewis, Mpokoto which as demonstrated excellent reco- Director of Armadale, said, veries of 84% available from transitional and “When we acquired Mpokoto 1st MINING DRC-ZAMBIA 34

FIRST MINING DRC ZAMBIA 2015 14 months ago we set out an ambitious development schedule targeting commercial production in the near term to translate the mineralised potential of Mpokoto into tangible shareholder value.

This has resulted in the completion of a number of major value enhancing milestones which have defined the Project as a robust gold development project with attractive economic fundamentals and a NPV of US$55.3m based upon a discount rate of 8% and a gold price of US$1,250/oz. As part of this effort we have increased the Project’s JORC resource through targeted drill work three times, which has led to a Current Total Mineral Resource of 678,000oz Au. We remain focused on continuing our drilling efforts, when the wet season has finished, to upgrade this further, and look forward to updating shareholders on these developments in Q1 2015.

In conjunction with improving the resource potential of the Project we have also established a strong understanding of the Project’s metallurgy. This has proven that Mpokoto is amenable to gravity separation, with excellent recoveries of 84% available from transitional and fresh ore, which will positively impact costs and maximise operating margins. Going forward, we will continue to enhance the metallurgical potential of the Project, with a particular focus on increasing the recovery of gold from the shallower oxide ore.

“With a defined pathway to production secured, I am delighted with the progress we have achieved at Mpokoto. I believe that 2015 will be a year of immense opportunity for the Company as we continue to unlock the Project’s inherent value; key milestones to look out for this year include the completion of our DFS and the start of Project construction, as we aim to commence commercial production in H1 2016. We look forward to providing updates on these developments in due course.

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TECHNOLOGY ROUNDUP Underground Automation: Reducing Time For Shift Changes When it comes to productivity in an underground mine, uptime is everything. Parts wear out, engines need overhauling and operators need rest. Machines can only produce when they’re running and even the most reliable, well-built underground mining equipment has to stop for a shift change.

Underground mining automation systems like Cat® MineStar Command can drastically reduce how long this time-consuming (and therefore costly) process takes every day. With these systems, operators can control load-haul-dump vehicles from a single remote location, removing the need for a complete underground shift change.

Using a remote facility with ergonomic, familiar controls also reduces the amount of time spent training operators and operator fatigue. The Command suite of on-board computers, cameras, lasers and operator station software autonomously steers the vehicle during haulage, reducing damage to machines from contact with walls. A shift change is as simple as one operator taking another’s place in the mining control room, instead of the entire mine coming to a halt while operators enter the work zone.

Increased machine automation also allows an operator to control multiple mining machines, maximizing production and simplifying your schedule. With fewer operators entering and leaving the area, a shift change can be accomplished quickly and safely without anyone needing to go underground. Faster mining shift changes improve mine uptime and increase productivity while keeping operators safer than ever.

Enabling Safety, Productivity And Efficiency Underground Safety is the primary concern for every mining operation, and accounting for all personnel on a mine site at any given moment can be a challenge. Nowhere is that more true than in longwall coal mining operations. Technologies are changing the way mines are facing those challenges by accounting for everyone who works in and around the face of the mine. Camera systems monitor the working face Locating personnel in remote locations and provide a realtime look at the progress of the operation.

Mines are also using Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tagging systems to identify general location and information of tagged workers at the face. These technologies work with the longwall system to tell it how to react to tagged personnel on site based on job roles and ensure workers are a safe distance away before advancing the coal face.

Technology is also the reason many mines are able to enhance safety and increase production at the same time. Semiautonomous and tele-remote technologies enable the operation of load-haul-dump (LHD) mining equipment without human operators on the machines. This type of technology has made its home in underground mines all over the world, keeping miners out of hazardous environments. But safety isn't the only benefit to using these technologies in underground applications. Mining companies are experiencing a number of added benefits from autonomous LHD systems; including increased productivity, higher equipment utilization and less machine damage. Some mines are even experiencing speed-efficiency increases, which lead to shorter cycle times and production increases of up to 25% using autonomous technologies. Overall, autonomous technologies are allowing mines to increase production while keeping their operators out of harm’s way and that alone gives mine operation managers peace of mind for planning the future of their operation.

How Asset Tagging Can Reduce Costs And Increase Productivity An asset tagging program helps to increase an organisation’s productivity and reduce service costs by providing an effective way to keep track of office equipment, technology and other items a company owns.

Furthermore, when done well, it has the potential to save an organisation millions of dollars.

The Asset Tagging Process

An asset tagging program does not need to be complicated. It can be as straightforward as placing an asset label on company equipment and logging its location in a dedicated, asset management database. Assets are normally identified with a sequential number, barcode, colour code, department code or cost centre code. Recorded information can include the item ID number, who the equipment was issued to, where it should be located, when it was last serviced, or is due for its next service, its cost and associated cost centre, as well as other features such as restrictions on its movement and licensing and warranty details.

Tags can also include company branding, service and repair contact details and warning messages A well-implemented and managed asset tagging program has a number of wide-reaching benefits for an organisation, including: Reducing costs (minimising the theft, loss or breakdown of equipment); Increasing productivity (by ensuring equipment is regularly serviced and available as needed); Gaining an accurate overview of corporate assets; More accurate asset tracking; Logging employee responsibility for an asset.

Organisations that want to better understand where hardware expenditure is ending up need to know where a piece of equipment is located and who has responsibility for it. Asset tagging can answer crucial inventory management questions such as: Where are our assets?

Who uses our assets?

How many assets do we have?

By adding a common identifier to each asset, its usage and service history can be monitored to reduce replacement and repair costs, and its location becomes immediately easier to track. Asset tags can also be used to control access to sensitive parts of equipment. For example, an asset tag placed across the body of a laptop computer, where the hard drive cover meets the casing, will immediately enable you to tell if someone has attempted to remove the drive, and thereby possibly sensitive information, as the tag will be visibly broken. Furthermore, ongoing reporting and monitoring will further drive an asset tagging program’s effectiveness.

Deployment can be streamlined, saving an organisation time and reducing further risk of loss or theft of valuable equipment.

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Who is Responsible for an Asset Tagging Program?

Implementing an asset tagging program can be a labour-intensive process that reaches across multiple departments and requires significant resources. Proper management from a senior manager such as the Finance Director, IT Director or Facilities Manager is needed to ensure it is completed effectively. It is, therefore, vitally important to plan an asset tagging program carefully. As with any process undertaken within a business, thought and planning at an early stage can throw up ideas and suggestions on how best to move the project forward.

Organisations should initially assess which assets require marking and the most appropriate method of marking to be used. This will be determined by cost factors, moral hazards (such as the temptation to steal) and the physical properties of each class of item. Start by considering a number of questions when defining your equipment groups to identify those items that should be included in your asset tagging program and those that should not.

For instance, you should weigh the effort of asset tagging, reporting and inspecting items against replacement costs, servicing and maintenance, the likelihood of theft, the cost to the company of downtime when an item cannot be used, the cost of retaining over rental periods, and who has access to the item at any given time.

You might also want to consider starting your asset tagging program with new equipment, rather than existing assets, to save time and alleviate any hidden costs that must be factored into the programs, such as significant human resources and the ongoing maintenance required to maintain a fully functioning, effective asset management system.

What Assets Should be Tagged?

It’s common for need to be driven by function when determining which of an organisation’s assets should be tagged. For example: The IT department may want to tag assets such as PCs, laptops and tablets; Items that require regular maintenance may need to be marked to indicate their next service date; High-value equipment that has a history of going missing may need to be marked to prevent future losses.

While potentially every item in an organisation can be uniquely numbered and entered into a database, it’s quite likely this would create a procedural and bureaucratic nightmare.

A better way to manage a large number of assets is to begin by placing them into ‘asset groups’ that define their features and usage. Common groups include: Fixed IT equipment Portable IT equipment High value items Business critical equipment Temporary assignment Leased or rented New or old.

In fact, there is no limit to the amount of asset groups you can create and the more specific your groups, the better.

What Tag Options are Right for my Organisation?

There is a huge range of asset tagging solutions currently available

on the market, from simple adhesive labels to radio frequency identification. Determining which one will best suit your organisational eeds will depend upon your program objectives.

For instance: If your aim is to reduce inventory stocktake times, barcoded asset tags, a portable bar-code reader and supporting software are your best choice.

If you want to reduce service call out fees for damage or breakdowns, asset tags that prevent access are required, as well as regular reporting on items due for service checks.

If the goal is to prevent employee theft, your tagging choice should be as permanent as possible and be able to be checked regularly. RFID tags can tell you if an asset is being taken out of the building.

Establishing your organisation’s expected outcomes in the planning stage can easily identify the right processes, products and reporting requirements. Regardless of your chosen method, asset tags must be: Tamper-resistant and tamper-evident. That means that they cannot be removed and replaced and will indicate any attempt to do so; Highly-visible and identifiable as an asset tag; Identifiable to an individual item, cost centre, service period or other reporting mechanism.

Adhesive asset labels are commonly used on IT equipment and high-value electrical goods. They act as a physical barrier to internal components as well as containing service and warranty information. This can help to prevent damage or unauthorised access as well as reduce service costs. Larger items, or those exposed to the elements, will be marked with a plastic or metal asset tag. These tags are pulled tightly around power cords or anchor points and contain similar content to labels. Such assets can also be directly marked or permanently etched with an appropriate identifier.

In recent years, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags have begun to emerge as an alternative, if expensive, solution. This is essentially a repurposing of the technology that allows employees to access restricted areas with identity cards, or for automatically billing motorists through toll ways . RFIDs are used in the manufacturing industry to track progress of goods during production as, unlike a bar code, the tag doesn’t need to be within line of sight of the reader and can be embedded within the tracked equipment/object. They’ve also been used to track pharmaceuticals and livestock. RFIDs require an infrastructure that’s capable of reading tags and recording the information stored on them. As the relative costs of such infrastructure implementation are high, widespread use of RFID technology in asset tagging has been less popular.

Measuring an Asset Tagging Program’s Effectiveness.

As mentioned above, once an asset tagging program has been put in place, ongoing reporting and inspection requirements are essential for measuring its continued effectiveness. The finance department, under the supervision of the Finance Director, normally undertakes responsibility for this activity .Periodic reports are typically prepared to highlight any equipment that requires service or maintenance. Other reports include spot checks, loss/ replacements, asset location, licence or lease renewal and employee-leaving checklists. Whatever approach you decide to use, it’s important to note that asset tagging can be a big commitment in terms of time, human resources and financial outlay.

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New 5 Year Long Life Oxygen Sensor Oldham is pleased to announce that its CTX 300 gas detector now receives a new long life Oxygen sensor.

The new design is lead free and has an operational life of five years. The range is from 0 to 30% vol. O2 and the sensor operates from -40째 to 50째C continuously allowing new opportunities in low temperature applications.

www.oldhamgas.com

SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC OPENS NEW OPERATION IN EAST AFRICA NAIROBI, Kenya- Schneider Electric, a multinational electrical products manufacturer with operations in more than 100 countries, has acquired longtime local manufacturing partner Power Technics Ltd. The acquisition follows Schneider Electric’s strategy to increase its local footprint in East Africa and on the continent, and continue to align to customers’ needs with the creation of Schneider Electric Kenya.

Commenting on the deal, Chairman and CEO, Schneider Electric, Jean-Pascal Tricoire, said that the company is very keen on boosting its production to capitalise on emerging opportunities in the wider East African region.

“As a global company, following this acquisition, we would like to bring in topnotch technology, best-practices and energy automation solutions. Kenya is the ideal place for us to establish our main manufacturing hub for the East African region,” said Tricoire.

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The company, based in Kenya with subsidiaries in Uganda and Tanzania, has been Schneider Electric’s exclusive partner in East Africa for decades.

Power Technics’ state of the art production tools will help Schneider Electric provide its customers with locally manufactured qualitative electric products, adapted for the African market, as well as complex and sensitive equipment, like low voltage switchboards and medium voltage switchgears for industrial companies.

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