2 minute read
FRONT MATTER
EDITOR’S COMMENT
Advertisement
It is almost a year and half since the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Not only have many of us learnt to live with the virus in the ‘new normal’, but it has also driven us to become resourceful across all aspects of our lives.
Mining companies have, of course, also had to become resourceful when it comes to their operations. Even prior to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, miners have often found themselves in a position where they’ve had to make the most of the resources at their disposal. Mining is as much about being resourceful as it is about the mineral resources. In a world where some of the resources critical to a mine’s efficient and successful operation are scarce, the mining fraternity is having to think out of the box to find ways to use their resources sparingly or find additional sources of scarce resources.
Rising above the challenges
Like other industries across various sectors, the mining industry also faces numerous challenges that have a direct impact on operations. The sector has, however, demonstrated its ability to remain progressive, despite the challenges. Looking at electricity supply, mines are exploring alternative energy as additional sources of power to curb the ever-increasing costs of electricity. In South Africa’s case, mine operations have had to bear the brunt of power cuts due to electricity supply shortages. The silver lining in this situation is that the country’s power challenges have opened doors for discussions about mining companies becoming independent power producers (IPPs). As IPPs, mines will be authorised to generate their own electricity for consumption.
There are ongoing discussions about regulatory challenges and increasing the cap on the amount of electricity IPPs can produced. Speaking at the Energy and Mines Africa Virtual Summit held in May, Roger Baxter, CEO of Minerals Council South Africa, suggested increasing the cap to 50 MW – a gesture that would ease some of the pressure experienced by power utility Eskom.
When it comes to mining equipment, common challenges are wear and tear, downtime, and safety. To address these and other challenges, equipment manufacturers are producing machines with smart safety features and are gearing them to operate for longer periods in harsh mining environments.
There are many more examples that demonstrate the resourcefulness of the mining industry. Covid-19 has inevitably created much uncertainty across industries globally, and this has clearly affected the mining industry. With no knowledge of what other challenges lie ahead for the mining industry, one thing can be said with some certainty: when the going gets tough, miners get resourceful. Dineo
