A lawyer’s hot take on mining indaba 2023

The two most asked questions each year among stakeholders in the mining and natural resources sector are “Are you going to Mining Indaba next year?” and “Is it worth it?” Warren Beech, CEO of Beech Veltman Incorporated, answers these questions.

Ihave been extremely fortunate to attend Mining Indaba over many years, and my response is always an enthusiastic “Yes!” to both these questions. I always encourage attendance by legal practitioners even though it may not seem that Mining Indaba is aimed at lawyers.

Naturally there are costs involved in attending the Indaba, and some may wonder if there’s a good return on the investment of attending in the form of instructions received and work generated. In my view, for lawyers this should not be the criteria that is applied to determine whether participation and attendance has been successful.

For me, it is more about meeting up with existing clients, networking and relationship building, meeting new stakeholders in the mining and natural resources sector, attending keynote addresses and panel discussions, and assessing whether the themes and trends that are being discussed are aligned with our commitment to providing holistic, practical, implementable advice to our clients in this sector.

To achieve this commitment, we must always anticipate the themes and trends that will affect our clients’ business in the short- to medium term and, as always, listening to other stakeholders in the mining and natural resources sector – including legal practitioners – provides a multi-faceted, diverse view which adds perspective. The keynote addresses and panel discussions in 2023 will again be focused on themes and trends which have had a direct impact on the mining and natural resources sector over the past few years, and which will continue to do so in the near future. Some of the key issues affecting the sector in recent years include cyclical demand and price volatility, supply chain and infrastructure constraints, acceleration of innovation to address these challenges as a result of factors such as the pandemic, geopolitical instability as a result of military action (for example, in Mozambique and other countries in Africa and, of course, the Russia-Ukraine war), the focus on the Just Transition, decarbonisation generally, and compliance with the Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) principles.

Each of these themes will be addressed at Mining Indaba 2023 in some form or another. It is vital for legal practitioners to understand the changing landscape and how this has, and will, affect legislative frameworks. Providing advice to clients in the mining and natural resources sector without understanding the landscape and challenge, often means the advice is legalistic in nature and may not be business-orientated or practical.

Each of these themes and trends have featured strongly in the work that Beech Veltman has done over the last two to three years, including commercial transactions, compliance, mergers and acquisitions, health, safety and the environment, and the increased demand for in-house training to avoid adverse consequences from non-compliance.

Other key themes and trends that have featured strongly in our work over the last year, and which must be discussed and debated, include the regularisation of artisanal and small-scale mining which is often carried out illegally, and the increased demand from communities in and around mines for jobs, service provider opportunities and infrastructure development. All of these elements have a significant impact on investment decisions, both in respect of new mines and existing mining operations.

Mining Indaba remains an important event for various reasons, including its focus on the broader African mining and natural resources sector, and the range of delegates that attend the indaba. These include regulators, executives, governments, investors, representatives of the junior mining sector (many of which are empowered companies) and representatives from the larger trade unions.

Lawyers have an important role to play in the various discussions and debates at the indaba and, afterwards, to make sure that the key messages are communicated as broadly as possible. (Mining Indaba)

Confidence and competence – the keys to unlocking the potential of women in mining

Simone Naicker, the Senior Metallurgical Engineer at Exxaro Resources, discussed her experience as a woman in the mining sector and three steps companies could take in 2023 to build confidence in their workforce.

There has been keen focus by companies, employees, and governing bodies to welcome more women into the mining workforce. According to the Women in Mining in South AfricaFact Sheet, published by the Minerals Council of South Africa, the number of women working in the mining sector has increased significantly – from 11 400 in 2002 to around 54 100 in 2018.

In 2018 women represented 12% of the mining labour force, and this positive trajectory has continued to date. As an engineer, I often find myself conducting risk analyses and implementing control measures to limit exposure to risk – the topic of women in mining being no exception. Key risks to the workforce include the need to reduce personal insecurity, imposter syndrome and a lack of confidence. Often, the spotlight is shone on women who have the innate confidence to be successful in any industry anyway, mining included. Simone-Naicker-(4).jpg

How do we cater for and upskill women who are less sure of themselves and what is the risk if we do not? The risk, if we do not build the confidence of new employees entering the mining space is massive. If the industry creates opportunities for women without building their confidence, we will have an influx of competent, but ‘not-confident’ individuals, who meet all criteria but have a fatal flaw – insecurity. The problem with an insecure workforce is that it is not trusting and is typically defensive, which is damaging to company culture and team effectiveness.

How can we ensure that women who may need the support are enabled to build their confidence to lead, impact, and excel in the mining industry? Here are 3 steps companies could take in 2023 to build confidence in their workforce:

Allocation of an internal senior mentor operating within the same functional area. As a young woman I have learned so much from my internal mentors in metallurgical engineering. Hearing experienced views on challenges I am facing has not only aided in resolving challenges, but has developed my ability to think problems through. It gives me confidence to know that I am developing along the right path.

Experiential learning and acting opportunities

Humans learn by doing – that is just how we work. When I first arrived on the mines after university, it was quite intimidating seeing the scale at which production took place – the differing technology, the number of people. I can honestly share that it was through picking up a hose pipe and washing the plant floor that I gained an understanding of how dense magnetite really is. It is one thing to read the density value of 5.17 g/cm3 but to truly understand, one must do. Acting in roles across the value chain support your understanding of the business and allows one to maximise their impact.

Soft skills courses on self-leadership

Publicly leading teams towards achieving production success is heralded and awarded by many. Leading oneself in the quiet of our minds – not so much. Nobody is there to give us the credit or encourage us toward the right neural pathways and so we need to have the right tools in our toolboxes to manage ourselves. Courses that teach employees how will offer great value to the individual and as a result, their teams, and the company they work for.

Simone Naicker, the Senior Metallurgical Engineer at Exxaro Resources

Developing the confidence of our competent workforce will unlock our superpowers. I have seen that confident women in the workplace are absolute powerhouses. It is however important to distinguish between confidence and arrogance. Confidence is believing in yourself. Arrogance is telling others you’re better than they are. Confidence inspires, arrogance destroys. I would add to that confidence is the ability to say that you do not know the answer but are willing to learn. As a confident person, you understand that your self-worth is inherent and is not tied to being right or proving that you are more learned. As such, you are free to search for the best solution to the problem, you are more willing to collaborate and share ideas.

As a young woman in mining, looking ahead, my vision for the ideal woman in mining is someone humble enough to know that they do not always have all the answers. Women who are competent and confident enough to think it through, collaborate and innovate towards the best solution. The future is exciting and full of opportunities, all we can do is work on being the best version of ourselves.

Mining Indaba takes place in a few weeks time, join the entire value chain from 6-9 February to be part of this essential moment in the African mining investment calendar. (Mining Indaba)

Magna Tyres returns to Mining Indaba Show with their latest OTR Tyre portfolio

The latest OTR tyre products will be displayed on the Magna Tyres stand

Mining Indaba Show, the world’s largest mining show will be returning to Cape Town at the International Convention Centre from the 6th to 9th February 2023 to continue its domination in staging a prestigious trade event for the global mining industry over the past three decades.

Dutch OTR tyre manufacturer Magna Tyres will be returning for the fifth time as exhibitors to this highly important show for the future of African mining. The team of Magna Tyres South Africa will be present at the stand as well as members from the executive team from head office.

Magna Tyres South Africa Managing Director, Robert-Jan Geurink says: “For Magna Tyres South Africa this impending show represents the perfect opportunity to once again reconnect and meet up with important and key decision makers in the mining industry. Not just in South Africa but around the world. At the same time the show will give us yet another platform to visibly showcase Magna Tyres as the fastest growing second tier OTR tyre producer in the industry.”

Magna Tyres South Africa’s ultimate objective at the 2023 event will be to attract and capture new long term business partnerships for the future. Taking centre-stage on the Magna Tyres stand will be the company’s most popular tyre product – the Magna MA60 in size 800/80R29 along with the all-new underground mining range which will be making its debut at the show.

The Magna MA60 is a specially developed 60-ton articulated dump truck tyre pattern operating in a variety of demanding mining and quarry applications. Its non-directional widespread design features a unique wide footprint giving maximum surface contact and outstanding machine stability plus exceptional self-cleaning Robert-Jan adds, “There is no doubt that the Mining Indaba Show is the most significant event in South Africa as far as the mining industry is concerned. Therefore, taking part in the event gives Magna Tyres an important opportunity to further enhance its position as one of the most significant and leading providers of quality tyres for the mining industry.”

For further information about Magna Tyres comprehensive product base call +31 416 675 220 or email info@ magnatyres.com

OTR tyre market on positive trajectory as mining sector rebounds

The global OTR tire market is projected to surpass USD 31 billion by 2025, on account of growing OTR vehicle sales, increasing OTR vehicle fleet size and steadily rising OTR tire prices.

In North America, the mining industry is rebounding, with demand for coal and construction metals on the upswing.

In Africa, rising industrialization and the booming mining industry is fueling demand for tires especially mine tyres.

Other factors driving African tire market growth include the demand for specially designed tires that can withstand severe conditions in mines with decreased heat buildup inside the tire, lower fuel consumption, higher efficiency, optimized operator comfort, and prolonged service life, all of which create a growing demand for tires from the mining sector.

In an interview mid last year, Bridgestone Southern Africa off-the-road business segment manager Nathan Fouche observed that there was a steady global demand for certain product categories for example the 63-inch Ultra tyres for opencast mining and this meant that mines are finding themselves with low tyre inventories on their sites. Largest demand is expected from customers operating in the Copperbelt – Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo – and the coal sector.

But the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine have caused supply chain disruptions. And OTR tyre manufacturing can take time. As such, the need to increase tyre life cannot be gainsaid on the part of customers.

Understanding the site conditions is key as this would assist in recommending changes to improve tyre longevity and conducting physical load studies.

These studies involve weighing loaded vehicles to ensure that the correct tyre pressures are being used to increase productivity without decreasing tyre life.

Bridgestone for example has an innovative technology dubbed TreadStat which monitors each tyre across its full life cycle from the time it enters inventory, covering mounting inspections, rotation management and repairs and disposal. It allows mines to monitor, optimise and report on the condition and productivity of all their tyres and rims regardless of the organisation’s size or location.

When choosing the right tire, there are a number of factors that come into play, including the terrain you are working on, the type of vehicle you are using and the work that you’re doing. Finding the right OTR tires can ensure that you can get the job done, even in the most challenging environments. Rock pattern tyre tread for instance is designed to be used in rocky environments and prevent cuts and punctures to tires caused by sharp rocks. It has a large ground contact area to provide maximum resistance against wear and tear, ideal for use in areas such as quarries or in construction. The rock pattern is available in deep and extra deep tread depth.

Traction pattern on the other hand is useful on rough terrains where gaining traction is a priority. The tread pattern helps to provide stability of rough surfaces and allows machinery to gain traction. While Block pattern are ideal for transport applications. This pattern allows for a reduced and uniform wear, and guarantees stability, comfort and protection from impacts. It is designed for use on hard and rocky surfaces like gravel and rock.

In modern operations, selection of the actual tyre type is not really related to region and mine type. Focus is on haul speed, distance, weight the tyre is hauling, temperatures and haul road conditions. Most tyre sizes are used consistently throughout the world, but tyre compounds – whether wear-resistant, heat-resistant or – can differ greatly from one mine to the next. A coal mine hauling 1 km round trips on rocky, curvy haul roads would likely need a wear-resistant tyre compound, whereas another coal mine hauling 10 km round trips at higher speeds would be better off with a heatresistant compound. Tyres in mining are mostly sitespecific, which is why the major suppliers recommend conducting regular Tonne-Kilometres Per Hour or Ton-Miles Per Hour)TMPH/TKPH studies before purchase decisions are made.

Ribbed pattern tyres are designed to provide stability on loose soil and sandy terrain. The optimized rib tread design offers floatation and directional stability, specially designed for low pressure operations.

And the tyre industry is witnessing major technological advancement.

Some of the most exciting loader tire innovations have been focusing on changing profiles to wider tires and larger rim diameters. We’re seeing sizes like the 875/65R29 moving 29.5R25s aside. You have get got five more inches of width and a shorter sidewall that gives you better torque delivery, better braking and more stability. That all contributes to greater productivity for the operator.

Airless OTR Tire

Airless off-the-road (OTR) tire are a new type of airless (semi-solid) tire, designed specifically for heavy duty industrial machines, agricultural and construction vehicles. The airless tires are a maintenance-free OTR tire, which provides exceptional tread life, soft-cushioned ride, and durability, enhancing operator comfort and machine transmission life

Modern technologies have also allowed tyres are becoming more intelligent as they continue to become connected. Intelligent tires are a new concept that tell useful information about your tire including traction, tread wear, load, and temperature through a small sensor. The smart tires allow continuous connectivity and real-time data sharing, which ensure safe end-result and cost-efficient mobility and maximized uptime.

Need Tyres & Rims for your equipment, OTR Tyres (OTR Australia) can keep you moving

In April 2022 OTR Tyres acquired the Titan Australia operations rebranding it as OTR Australia, leading the way in the design, development and sales of the toughest and most durable wheels/rims, axles & tyres for the mining, construction, industrial & agricultural market segments.

Headquartered in Perth, Western Australia with over 40 years of experience within the tyre & rim industry, the Australia based company services both local and international customers with personalised & friendly service coupled with the added value of product knowledge within the tyre & rim industry. A business built on the core values of integrity, customer service and getting the job done safely, the OTR Tyre family consists of a growing team of tyre technicians, technical support, sales and administration support staff, all committed to offering the best experience to every customer.

Their collective passion for providing great customer service begins with taking the time to get to know you and your business, your individual needs and matching specific requirements with the right tyres, wheels/rims and service at the right price, constantly striving to be a company that delivers outstanding service and products.

OTR Tyres have excellent longstanding relationships with all major tyre manufacturers across the globe, allowing direct factory access to all product categories. They have the capacity to ensure the continuous supply of competitively priced tyres across all categories, from budget to premium brands, supplying earthmover, agricultural, truck, bus and light vehicle tyres to blue chip mining, civil contracting, road transport & agricultural industries, through dealers and directly with end users.

To support their customer base, OTR maintain a healthy inventory of new and used earthmover tyres of critical sizes and have readily available stock of truck, bus, agriculture, industrial and light vehicle tyres for all applications. OTR Tyres also stocks an extensive range of quality part-worn earthmover tyres which offers a commercial advantage, particularly in preparing machinery for sale or simply required to match with existing tyres in service.

OTR Tyres is also a leading supplier of ‘Off the Road’ wheels & rims for the mining, construction, industrial and agricultural market segments. OTR Tyres stocks a complete range of new and certified wheels, rims & components, from 6” to 63”, and if they don’t have it in stock they can custom design, manufacture and deliver a product solution for your fleet. Whether you’re looking for standard OEM wheels or rims, Quick Change Double Gutter, OVM product for your mining fleet or looking for a specific custom design product that “solves an operational problem”, then talk to the team at OTR. Their dedicated sales & technical support personnel can discuss your requirements and offer you the right product for your application.

OTR also carry effective solutions for improved safety with products such as tyre/wheel stands, transport frames, stud pushers and more. These innovations improve your site efficiencies as well as improve operator safety.

OTR Tyres understand your fleet is critical to your business, and it all starts with the tyres and wheels. Their specialized sales & technical teams are available to provide customers with advice on tyre & rim selection for any application, with assistance in planning.

OTR Tyres can source and ship to anywhere in Africa. Get in touch with OTR Tyres today to find out how they can support you by visiting www.otrtyres.com or calling +618 9250 8949

The biggest range of OTR tyres for the Mining, Industrial & Construction sectors

OTR supply earthmover, agricultural, truck, bus and light vehicle tyres and rims to blue chip mining, civil contracting, road transport companies agricultural dealerships and end users and can source and ship to anywhere in Africa.

We maintain a healthy inventory of new and used earthmover tyres of critical sizes and have readily available stock of truck, bus, agriculture, industrial and light vehicle tyres for all applications.

SALES PHONE +618 9250 8949

For any enquiries please visit www.otrtyres.com

TOMRA Mining to present its unique complete diamond recovery solution at Mining Indaba 2023

TOMRA Mining will showcase its sensor-based ore sorting solutions on Booth M30-7 at the Mining Indaba 2023 exhibition, which will be held in Cape Town, South Africa, from 6-9 February. Of particular interest will be its latest innovation in diamond recovery, the COM XRT 300 /FR sorter, a unique newgeneration machine that has the potential to revolutionise diamond flowsheets. Kai Bartram, Global Sales Director, Corné de Jager, Global Segment Manager Diamonds, and Helga van Lochem, Area Sales Manager will be available to discuss with visitors to the show the benefits of TOMRA’s portfolio of sorting solutions for the diamonds, metals and industrial minerals industry, as well as the advantages of its advanced digital products and services, like the TOMRA INSIGHT cloud-based platform.

Helga van Lochem said: “As one of the most important events where decisionmakers in the mining industry come together, Mining Indaba will offer us a perfect opportunity to discuss our latest value-adding technologies. They will be able to get an understanding of how our sorting solutions, coupled with our collaborative approach and after-sales support, can benefit mining operations, improving their efficiency, profitability and environmental performance.”

A trusted sensor-based sorting partner since 1993, today TOMRA Mining has more than 200 machines in operation across the world. As a growing number of mining companies become aware of the huge potential of sorting technologies in processing plants of all sizes, TOMRA is spearheading the increasingly widespread adoption of sensor-based sorting in the industry.

Kai Bartram commented: “Our sorting technologies effectively address key issues that mining companies face, such as decreasing average ore grades and rising energy costs. Not only do we offer a complete solution, unique in the market, for diamond recovery, but we have proven that our sensor-based ore sorting technologies are extremely effective in a wide variety of applications such as chrome, manganese, gold, lead and zinc.

Corné de Jager_Diamond Segment Manager at TOMRA Mining Helga van Lochem_Area Sales Manager

There is a big untapped potential for our technologies in mining and so far we have only scratched the surface. Our excellent results show that we are on the right track and we have ambitious objectives of growth for TOMRA Mining.”

TOMRA COM XRT 300 /FR: TOMRA’s revolutionary diamond Final Recovery solution

The TOMRA COM XRT 300 /FR is a new generation machine and an industry first in diamond sorting. It uses the company’s proprietary ultra-high-resolution sensor, advanced new image processing and high-precision ejector valve system to produce an ultra-high diamond-by-weight concentrate with an exceptionally low yield. The sorter offers 100% diamond detection within the specified size fraction and > 99% guaranteed diamond recovery with appropriate feed material preparation. It is also a dry process that doesn’t require water or chemical reagents.

“Our Final Recovery sorter has the potential to revolutionise diamond flowsheets,” stated Corné de Jager. “This user-friendly, compact and easyto-operate sorter offers higher efficiency and better grade, with fewer sorting

Kai Bartram_Global Sales Director TOMRA Mining

stages and a smaller footprint. It reduces complexity and operational costs.”

The TOMRA COM XRT 300 /FR completes TOMRA’s complete partnered diamond recovery solution, which covers the entire process, from Bulk Concentration to Final Recovery and Sort House applications. “We are now able to offer our customers a full XRT solution to sort +2-100mm particles: our bulk concentration sorters for +4-100mm particles and the COM XRT 300 /FR in its Final Recovery, Sort House or smallcapacity exploration applications for +232mm particles,” adds Corné de Jager.

A strong base in South Africa to provide all-round support

TOMRA Mining operates from its regional Headquarters in Johannesburg, providing support to customers across Sub-Saharan African countries. The site includes a warehouse to ensure fast parts availability, and a Test Center where the company runs demonstrations, tests and training programs for the customers. TOMRA also offers on-site service level agreements – which can be tailored to the individual customer’s specific requirements – to ensure the availability, capacity and recovery performance of the sorting machines. In addition, TOMRA is able to provide remote assistance using its digital tools: TOMRA VPN Remote Assist, TOMRA Insight, and its Augmented Reality tool TOMRA Visual Assist.

Stable Policy Attracting Mining Investment, says FQM

A key finding of the survey was that from 2021 to the first half of 2022, Zambia recorded a net outflow of FDI liability mainly attributed to debt repayments in the mining sector.

Inflows, however, were recorded from Canada, Australia, South Africa, Mauritius, the United States of America, the Cayman Islands, Sweden and China. Zambia’s FDI liability stocks continued to be dominated by mining investments from Canada, Switzerland, Australia, China and the United Kingdom.

The net outflows reported in 2021 were due, in part, to the instability that characterised mining policy in the prior regime.

Zambia’s stable and consistent policies have sparked a resurgence in direct foreign investment, according to the nation’s largest mining company, First Quantum Minerals (FQM).

“We’re now responding to the incentives, stability and consistency of policy. Mines can now seek capital whether it’s self-generated or from the wider international financial institutions,” said FQM’s Kansanshi Mining Corporate Affairs Manager Kyansenga Chitoshi, speaking on a panel of multi-industry representatives at a dissemination workshop on the key findings of the government’s 2022 Foreign Private Investment & Investor Perspective Survey.

The survey is released by the Balance of Payments Statistical Committee, comprised of the Bank of Zambia, the Zambia Statistics Agency, the Zambia Development Agency and other member institutions.

The main objective of the survey is to understand the magnitude, types and direction of foreign private capital liabilities and assets.

“In 2021, global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows recovered strongly to prepandemic levels, rising by 64.0 per cent to about US$1.6 trillion. However, Africa accounted for a small proportion, US$83.0 billion or 5.2 per cent, of the total global FDI flows,” said Bank of Zambia Governor and Guest of Honour Dr Denny Kalyalya in his opening remarks.

A pertinent issue, the governor guided, was for the country to determine what made other parts of the world preferred investment destinations to Africa. According to Zambia Chamber of Mines CEO Mr Sokwani Chilembo, the prioritisation of strengthening a company’s balance sheet through debt repayment or distribution of dividends as opposed to reinvestment was a result of investor insecurity brought on by unpredictable policies. This was the unfortunate position that many players in the mining sector found themselves in during the period under study.

“We have competitors in the same space. We have other countries looking for large multinationals and foreign investors to put their money into development projects or mining projects in their jurisdictions. FQM has had a wonderful growth story with various different operations [but] aside from acquiring the asset, there is a significant investment that has to go in order for you to viably continue to mine,” elaborated Mrs Chitoshi.

Having announced a colossal investment of US$1.35bn earlier this year and officially breaking ground at the new Enterprise Nickel Mine, First Quantum Minerals has proven to be among the investors that have found renewed confidence in Zambia’s business climate. “There is a great amount of optimism and belief in the stability of the country,” she concluded.

Clamping with profile

Increasing efficiency through automated set-up processes: Due to a sharp increase in the variety of products, modern press shops are now more than ever faced with the challenge of carrying out tool changes or system set-ups as smoothly as possible. The set-up time naturally plays a key role in terms of productivity. Current gripper rail couplings (profile rail couplings) can make a significant contribution here to increasing the economy and safety of the systems.

Today’s coupling systems have to be light, extremely stiff and self-locking. In addition, they must be able to be monitored electrically and operated as intuitively as possible. In doing so, they can avoid the disadvantages of electromechanical or hydraulic clamping systems. Hydraulic systems require extra supply lines and pump systems and are maintenance-intensive. Electromechanical versions, on the other hand, have other disadvantages. They add significantly to the overall weight of the couplers and can be a problem during power outages. Due to the high gear ratio, loosening the clutch parts can be difficult.

JAKOB Antriebstechnik offers profile rail couplings that can be easily used in connection with all standard profile rails. They are attached either directly or using adapter plates to existing profile rails from various manufacturers and are therefore also ideal for retrofits. The separation to the interchangeable busbar can take place both in the vertical (PKV series) and horizontal (PKH series) direction. The patented, powerboosting wedge clamping mechanism easily closes a joint gap of up to 5mm between the active and passive parts. This clamping kinematics ensures high rigidity and precision of the connection. The generation of the clamping force is guaranteed by an electrical clamping status query and a minimum clamping force in the event of a pressure drop.

The types PKH and PKV can be adapted to all common gripper rail profiles. In addition to the pneumaticautomatic variant, there is also a manual-mechanical version of the clutch systems in the portfolio. These are conventionally fixed with a screw. For the manual application of clamping force, they have a double-thread drive, which actuates the clamping piston. The clutches automatically close even five millimeter wide gaps between the active and passive parts and are electrically queried. It is installed in the gripper rails either directly or using simple adapter plates. In addition, energy couplings can be attached to the automatic systems. ‘With the closing process, these create the electrical and pneumatic connection to the interchangeable rail.’ The advantages are obvious: The pneumatic solution TYPE PKH-P or PKV-P is light and, like hydraulic systems, independent of power failures, but requires little maintenance and is economical like couplings with an electric drive. In use, the gripper couplings ensure significantly shorter set-up times - and thus increase the productivity of the entire system.

PKV – design features:

The coupling consists of a passive and an active part made of tempered steel. The clamping force is generated in the active part by an axially displaceable locking bolt and a mechanical clamping gear. This structure enables high clamping forces and high dynamic rigidity to be achieved with a low mass. A vertical lifting stroke “K” (see data sheet) is required for changing the tool.

The PKV series is designed for vertical coupling operations, available both as a fully automatic pneumatically operated version PKV-P and as a series PKV-M with simple manual operation.

PKH – design features:

The PKH series corresponds to the PKV series, but is designed for horizontal clamping processes. It is also available in a pneumatic version (PKH-P) and a manual version (PKH-M).

PKP – design features: The PKP series is a vertical linear coupler with manual operation. The clamping process is achieved by tightening a screw. The production from aluminum makes the series more cost-effective.

PVH M

The profile rail coupling PVH-M is designed for horizontal coupling with high precision and rigidity. It is tensioned and released manually.

A ‘mirror finish’ gives local specialist

spray painter the edge - Inspires renewed focus on industrial nitrogen offering

Compressed nitrogen offers significant advantages over traditional spray-painting delivery mechanisms. Within this context, Nitralife - a local pioneer in the manufacture and supply of industrial nitrogen generation equipment since 1996 - is expanding its Nitraspray nitrogen generator offering, and repositioning it within Nitralife’s nitrogen generation solutions portfolio.

Managing Director Tom Sowry explains: “Inspired by a recent customer win, we will be placing a renewed focus on Nitraspray, our application which uses nitrogen for spray painting to excellent effect.”

Nitralife introduced its NitraSpray generator in 2018, specifically designed for professional spray painting in many different sectors, and offering a spray painting delivery mechanism which is consistent and reliable, resulting in a superior paint transfer.

Mirror finish for spray-on chrome

Sowry explains that a recent customer win proved to be the catalyst for this revised approach. He clarifies: “Pretoriabased specialist company Hydro & Chrome is involved in hydrographic dipping and painting. One of their offerings is a turnkey spray-on chrome solution. This is not a paint - but is applied in a similar manner - and includes a layer of pure silver metal. This achieves a mirror finish in a variety of applications, such as interior and exterior automotive parts and motorcycles, mags or rims. Since the customer began making use of our Nitraspray solution, they have found that the quality of the spray has vastly improved, allowing for a perfect ‘mirror’ finish. They have been delighted with the results, and have found enormous value through the improved quality of the finish.”

Sowry notes that compressed nitrogen is inert, clean and without any moisture and contaminants. These properties allow for a superior finish over air-based spray painting, with a reduction in overspray.

Celia Rocha, Director at Hydro & Chrome, adds: “We have been renting a Nitraspray generator from Nitralife since mid-2021. We use the nitrogen for the spray-on chrome preparation process,

and certainly it gives a wonderfully superior finish and quality. The nitrogen is a much cleaner, drier gas - with no dust particles in it - and this provides a much smoother and cleaner finish.”

Saving time – and money

While quality and an excellent finish are particular advantages of using nitrogen for spray painting, it can also allow for time-saving and improved productivity, notes Sowry.

“For example, when working with chrome as our customer Hydro & Chrome does, the job would need to be redone if it was spoiled by a flawed finish, taking both additional time and materials. This is now far less likely when using compressed nitrogen,” Sowry points out.

Rocha concurs: “Our productivity has also improved because the drying time is less, and we are not required to sand and polish thereafter. In addition, Nitralife’s service has been exemplary, with consistently impeccable turnaround times. We are really happy - both with Nitralife and the capabilities of the Nitraspray.”

Given the right conditions - such as a large paint volume of just one colour, Sowry explains that some Nitraspray customers have noted a paint savings of between 10 to 15 percent, when compared to paint costs when using compressed air:

“This is because, with compressed nitrogen, you can spray at low pressures and therefore use less paint, which is a useful value-add in this day and age, where cost reduction is always a driving factor for our customers.”

Repositioning Nitraspray

Currently, notes Sowry, Nitralife operates three main divisions, namely Nitralife, offering nitrogen generators for passenger, commercial trucking and mining vehicle tyre inflation; Nitracut, which offers nitrogen generators for laser cutting and industrial applications; and Nitraspray, which offers nitrogen generators for use in spray painting processes.

“Moving forward,” he says, “Nitraspray will be positioned – with a renewed focus - within our Nitralife industrial and foodgrade solutions portfolio. We have seen a massive increase in demand from the general industrial, pharmaceutical and food-grade modified atmospheric packaging (‘MAP’) markets, so this makes good strategic sense.

Continuous development and expansion Sowry clarifies that Nitralife, while operating in a unique niche market, is always looking at ways and means to improve and develop its nitrogen applications and expertise, which has led to excellent business growth over the past few years.

“Ours is not the same business as it was five years ago. We have grown exponentially, given the breadth and depth of the applications for our range of nitrogen generators,” he enthuses.

“We have therefore expanded our solutions across more markets, including into the metal fabrication, pharmaceutical, chemical, manufacturing, mining, transport and the food and beverage sectors. We have amassed substantial experience, and are able to fine-tune our market offering beyond simply supplying nitrogen generation. We pride ourselves on meeting our customers’ bespoke requirements - including technical maintenance and advice, and in-line nitrogen purity monitoring tools. We are better equipped every year to handle new industries and come up with technical innovations. Our growth has been within application development and expertise rather than needing to expand geographically, enabling continuous improvement of our solutions and service to customers.”

“We are very excited, against an increased awareness of and demand for our nitrogen generator solutions, to bring a renewed focus on our industrial and food-grade offering – including Nitraspray - and promote its key advantages to these local sectors,” he concludes.

Orica and Epiroc Fire World’s First Semi-Automated, Wireless Development Blast With Avatel™ At Kittilä Mine

Orica (ORI:ASX) and Epiroc, in partnership with Agnico Eagle Mines Limited have successfully commenced live blasting with Avatel™ – the world’s first semi-automated wireless underground development charging solution at Agnico Eagle’s Kittilä mine in Finland. The milestone brings to life an industry-driven concept that dramatically improves safety at the face, which is one of the highest risk activities in underground mining today.

Avatel™ at the face charging

The award-winning innovation enables a single operator to prepare and wirelessly complete a full charging cycle from the safety of an enclosed cabin while offering the best available blast outcomes through the integration of Orica and Epiroc’s flagship digital, automation and blasting technologies. The first successful blast was loaded and fired on 22 November 2022, comprising 61 Orica WebGen™ 200 Dev wireless primers and 295 kilograms of Orica’s Subtek™ bulk emulsion loaded to a development face at the Kittilä mine.

Celebrating the significant milestone, Orica Chief Technology Officer Angus Melbourne said: “Together with Epiroc and Agnico Eagle we are extremely proud of the team in creating a solution that keeps people out of harm’s way during what is considered one of the highest risk activities for underground miners around the globe.

“With Avatel, we can now effectively manage risk for the people who spend the most time every shift directly exposed to hazards at the development face while delivering all of the blast optimisation benefits that Orica’s flagship technologies bring. The combination of digital, automation and wireless blasting technologies and by partnering with customers and peers, we can continue to solve the industry’s biggest challenges across safety, productivity and sustainability, together.”

Sami Niiranen, President for Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “This is a true milestone achieved for our industry where Epiroc in partnership with Orica have led the way to safer underground operation. By building on our recognised solutions and advanced Rig Control System, Avatel paves the way to safe productivity for the mining industry.”

The first commercial implementation of Avatel™ will take place at Newcrest’s Cadia Valley Operations from December 2022.

For more information, visit orica.com/ Avatel