Inside Mining Resourceful Mining 2022 by 3S Media

RESOURCEFUL MINING

VOLUME 15 NO. 02

Spot the Dog

M AY 2 0 2 2

Climate Change

An Agile Mobile Robot

Time to Act Now

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Hydrogen-powered Haulage

ON At Grootegeluk Coal Mine SITE ISSN 1999-8872 • R55.00 (incl. VAT)

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RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

CONTENTS FRONT MATTER Editor’s Comment...........................................................................................................................2 Foreword.............................................................................................................................................3 ON-SITE Inside Grootegeluk coal mine..................................................................................................6 INDUSTRY INSIGHT Closing the loop – liquid storage solutions for every step of the water reuse cycle...........................................................................................................10 Business with purpose and an ESG focus...................................................................... 13 Workforce health is key to your bottom line.............................................................. 15 DBSA at the forefront of green financing...................................................................... 16 A full-service infrastructure solution for the mining sector................................. 17 ESG Managing ESG crucial for Africa’s mining future......................................................... 14 Reducing carbon emissions in mining............................................................................... 18 6X: A simple radar formula for better processes..................................................... 19 Addressing climate change in the mining industry.................................................... 21 TECHNOLOGY An unusual canine spotted at Mining Indaba...............................................................26 Open innovation in mining.....................................................................................................30 Building capacity and reliability in mining materials handling ............................34

TRANSPORT, EQUIPMENT & LOGISTICS Bridgestone Mining Solutions store moves to Kathu mining town.................37 Stationary battery basics: jars and straps.......................................................................38 Meet the world’s lightest 510 t haulage truck..............................................................40 HYDROGEN Over a century of hydrogen compression experience..........................................44 AEC’s inaugural Hydrogen Summit scheduled for 2022.......................................47 RESOURCEFUL MINING

VOLUME 15 NO. 02

Spot the Dog

M AY 2 0 2 2

Climate Change

An Agile Mobile Robot

Time to Act Now

HISTORY IN THE MAKING

Hydrogen-powered Haulage

ON THE COVER Get in touch with Inside Mining’s sales team to sponsor the upcoming issue of the magazine. Contact Chilomia Van Wijk (+27 11 233 2627/ Chilomia.VanWijk@3smedia.co.za) or Amanda De Beer

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(+27 11 233 2612/Amanda.DeBeer@3smedia.co.za).

47 1

EDITOR’S COMMENT

We came, we saw, we

conquered!

rmed with hard copies of our vaccination certificates and registration barcodes, we managed to successfully collect our badges without any hassle. After a few minor delays, things were back on track and we hurriedly made our way to the main stage. Rushing to our destination, it felt like me and my colleague, Xan, were part of an episode of The Amazing Race.

Four days, over 35 600 steps and lots of excitement. That pretty much sums up my four days at Mining Indaba 2022 in Cape Town on 9 to 12 May 2022. Xan Moeketsi (left) and Dineo Phoshoko on the final day at Mining Indaba

EDITOR Dineo Phoshoko (dineo.phoshoko@3smedia.co.za) HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister CHIEF SUB-EDITOR Tristan Snijders PRODUCTION & CLIENT LIAISON MANAGER Antois-Leigh Nepgen GROUP SALES MANAGER Chilomia Van Wijk PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jacqueline Modise DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Nomsa Masina DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham BOOKKEEPER Tonya Hebenton COVER IMAGE Anglo American

Time to execute We made it just in time and managed to get to the main stage before proceedings started. So far, everything was going according to plan despite a little glitch here and there. Now it was time to get to work. Over the next four days, a few things were on my to-do list: sharing instant updates with the Mining News audience via social media, jotting down notes for stories, as well as taking pictures and videos. In addition, we were also executing video interviews for clients, organising a venue for interviews, and liaising with PR and the Inside Mining team back in Joburg to finalise unconfirmed interviews. At one point, in the middle of a speech by President Ramaphosa, I had to confirm and organise a time for another video interview and let Xan know all at the same time. Thankfully, the unobtrusive nature of WhatsApp was my saving grace here. Time also had to be allocated to attending pre-planned sessions where possible; I had to find time to walk the floor, make contacts and keep an eye on any interesting booths and developments. And, of course, I had to take every opportunity to do a bit of marketing as well, detailing our 360-degree content marketing solutions to prospective clients. I mean, if you don’t market yourself, who will?

SUBSCRIPTIONS subs@3smedia.co.za ADVERTISING SALES Amanda De Beer Tel: +27 (0)72 600 9323 / +27 (0)87 802 5466 Email: amanda.debeer@3smedia.co.za PUBLISHER Jacques Breytenbach 3S Media Production Park, 83 Heidelberg Road, City Deep, Johannesburg South, 2136 PO Box 92026, Norwood 2117 Tel: +27 (0)11 233 2600 www.3smedia.co.za

In-between all the above, there were a few social engagements with acquaintances in the industry. And when the day was over, sleep seemed a luxurious, well-deserved treat. Then, rinse and repeat!

The point of it all With all said and done, there are two important takeaways from Mining Indaba 2022. First, Africa continues to remain a major player in the global mining space. With all the challenges the continent faces, Mining Indaba proved once again that there is still a huge appetite for mining in Africa. Investment in exploration, licensing, regulatory frameworks, artisanal mining, and the responsible sourcing of minerals are a few of the many challenges that need to be addressed for mining to flourish on the continent. Conferences such as Mining Indaba create much-needed platforms to address various challenges and find a way forward. Second, teamwork makes the dream work. Although cliché, it is the truth. Had it not been for the great team of individuals at 3S Media, this trip would have been a complete flop. While Xan and I were slaving away in Cape Town, our colleagues back in Joburg were equally hard at work keeping the home fires burning in our absence. I feel like I can’t say thank you enough. A special thanks to Xan as well. It was her first Mining Indaba and she did an outstanding job! We’ll soon be sharing some of the awesome content inspired by the conference with our audience. But until then, enjoy this issue of Inside Mining.

Novus Holdings is a Level 2 Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Contributor, with 125% recognised procurement recognition. View our BBBEE scorecard here: https://novus.holdings/sustainability/transformation ISSN 1999-8872 Inside Mining. © Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. All material herein Inside Mining is copyright protected and may not be reproduced either in whole or in part without the prior written permission of the publisher. The views of the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher.

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RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

FOREWORD

a critical resource for South Africa Mineral of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe presented the ministerial keynote address at the 2022 PGMs Industry Day. His address highlighted South Africa’s potential to capitalise on its PGMs resources to develop the hydrogen economy. Here is an extract of his address.

Minister Gwede Mantashe remains optimistic about South Africa’s PGMs industry (Credit: Mining Indaba)

he platinum industry, like other mineral sectors, was not immune to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. It fell by 18% in 2020 following the hard lockdown measures and recovered in 2021 when the restrictions were eased. In April 2021, the sector saw a 276% increase in production and 476% in year-on-year sales compared to April 2019. This resulted from restored demand in the automotive, industrial and jewellery sectors, increased commodity prices that performed above preCovid-19 levels, and stimulus packages implemented by developed economies. South Africa, as the world’s largest producer, is the key contributor towards

In April 2021, the sector saw a 276% increase in production and 476% in year-on-year sales compared to April 2019. This resulted from restored demand in the automotive, industrial and jewellery sectors, increased commodity prices that performed above pre-Covid-19 levels, and stimulus packages implemented by developed economies. South Africa, as the world’s largest producer, is the key contributor towards growth in world supply, with an increase in output of 26% in 2021.” 3

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RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

FOREWORD growth in world supply, with an increase in output of 26% in 2021. Given the economic sanctions surrounding Russia, close attention needs to be paid to the global palladium supply. Norilsk-Talnakh contains 46% of palladium containing deposits, whereas the Bushveld Igneous Complex contains 39%, and the remainder is balanced by Great Dyke Zim deposits, among others. Therefore, supply disruption in these regions affects the price of the metal.

PGMs significance for South Africa The PGMs sector continues to play a significant role in the country’s economic, financial and social needs by contributing – on average – 41% and 37% to total mineral revenue and employment. The new global dispensation of green energy offers South Africa a rare and tremendous opportunity to become a global leader in the production of hydrogen, as well as fuel cells. This is primarily because South Africa holds nearly 80% of the world’s platinum reserves. It is the leading global supplier of primary mined PGMs, accounting for approximately 80% and 40% of the world’s platinum and palladium supplies, respectively. About 80% of global demand for PGMs comes from the automotive industry, as components for emissions control from internal combustion engines, with other uses emanating from the jewellery (2%), investment (11%) and general industrial (7%) demand. Implementation of tighter BS6 Emission norms, which came into effect on 1 April 2021, are expected to drive up usage and consequent prices of these rare metals. Undoubtedly, the future PGMs demand will largely be driven more by the implementation of tighter emissions legislation, which will boost platinum use in autocatalytic converters in the short to medium term. In this context, the PGMs commodities are poised to make a significant contribution to domestic and global economies. They provide our country with a comparative advantage, thereby enabling South Africa to benefit in the trade of these commodities. South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley The commissioning of the Hydrogen Valley Feasibility Study Report saw a successful public-private partnership across national departments, the Economic Development departments of Limpopo, Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces, Anglo Platinum, Bambili and Engie towards the establishment of the Hydrogen Valley South Africa (HySA). According to global trends, the demand for platinum in hydrogen-fuelled, cell-powered vehicles is expected to increase. Government has announced plans to establish a Platinum Valley project that will be built as a new industrial

cluster for South Africa. We must support the conversion of truck diesel engines into hydrogen-powered vehicles, which was initiated by Anglo American Platinum. This will enhance demand not only for PGMs but also the technologies to be championed. South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley will identify stable and established project opportunities for kick-starting hydrogen initiatives in promising hubs, with the aim of boosting economic growth and job creation. This in turn is set to spur the development of circular industries, increasing local platinum demand, and reducing its carbon footprint. The industrial corridor project is planned to start in a PGMs mining area in Limpopo, including the Limpopo Province Science and Technology Park, and continue through the Johannesburg-to-Durban corridor (O.R. Tambo International Airport to King Shaka International Airport). These initiatives are poised to be trend-setters in the application of PGMs as a green source of energy. This requires bold leadership on our part as government and as the private sector.

Mineral beneficiation For mineral beneficiation to thrive in our country, the PGMs industry must champion the implementation of our Beneficiation Strategy. Although the PGMs business has been doing well before and during the commodity boom, scrap/recycled metals has been a growing business for years. This has affected how primary producers of PGMs plan for their production – accordingly, scrap being one of the demand drivers in the PGM business. As the industry, you should unpack the potentials of the PGMs industry and share insights on how we can collaboratively resolve challenges encountered. Bottlenecks existing in the legislative environment, trade policies and the various support required to kick-start the hydrogen production and fuel cell industries must be resolved. The department is ready to support measures that will boost international investment and ultimately our Economic Reconstruction and Recovery programme.

ON-SITE

Prior to entering the mine, all vehicles have to undergo mandatory brake testing

Inside

GROOTEGELUK COAL MINE Dineo Phoshoko attended a media tour at Exxaro’s Grootegeluk mine in Lephalale, Limpopo. The aim of the tour was to show the fruits of the company’s R20 billion pledge at the 2019 Investment Drive.

rootegeluk is the world’s largest coal beneficiation complex operating from a single open pit. With more than 3 500 employees, it is considered Exxaro’s flagship mine and located within the Waterberg Coalfield.

During the tour, the media were shown key points of the mine including the mine pit, rapid load-out station and an overview of the beneficiation complex. In addition to the mine, the tour also included a visit to the on-site clinic.

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

ON-SITE

ROM to GG7/8 Plants

ROM to In-pit Crushers Total Ex-Pit tonnes 90 Mt p.a Over / Interburden 30 Mt p.a Run of Mine 60 Mt p.a

Plant Discard to Upper & Lower Backfill

Backfill Preparation Upper and Lower Systems @ 7,600tph

Backfill Sealing

ROM to Plant Tipping Bins

Mining takes place in a westerly direction and has a surface area 1 200 hectares. In terms of size, the mine is 3 km wide and 5 km long

The Grootegeluk mine pit is made up of 13 benches and is 12 m deep. The highest bench is 18 m high

GROOTEGELUK COAL MINE

ON-SITE The rapid load-out station features a 3 500 storage capacity silo and as well as an automated system. The station is able to load a 100-wagon train within four hours

Grootegeluk has a fleet of 60 trucks. The biggest has a capacity of 250 tonnes

Grootegeluk’s Marapong Occupational Health Centre provides healthcare services to mine employees as well as the greater Marapong community

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

ON-SITE

The station is flexible and able to load off multiple products across all the stockpiles from the plant, including semi-soft coking coal and metallurgical coal

Grootegeluk mine supplies nearby power stations with coal, including Eskom’s Matimba Power Station

The healthcare facility also has a lab where Covid-19 tests are conducted The beneficiation complex has nine processing plants, which are able to beneficiate semi-soft coking coal, thermal coal and metallurgical coal

Mine stockpiles include a million tonnes of thermal coal, 160 000 tonnes of semi-soft coking coal, and under 120 000 tonnes of metallurgical coal

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

CLOSING THE LOOP – liquid storage solutions for every step of the water reuse cycle In recognising that water is a finite resource, all industries and consumers need to implement responsible water management practices. 10

esponsible water management practices should not merely be a tick-box exercise to meet targets and benchmarks, but a means of protecting the environment and ensuring future sustainability and economic development. South Africa is a water-scarce country (the 30th driest in the world) and the mining sector is estimated to consume 5% of South Africa’s water resources. While mining operations require large volumes of water, mines have typically adopted measures such as closed-

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

INDUSTRY INSIGHT The first SBS mining installation was completed in 1999, supplying a potable water storage tank at a coal mine in Ogies, in Nkangala District Municipality, Mpumalanga, South Africa. Over the past two decades, the company is proud to have supplied many liquid storage solutions to mines across South Africa, into Africa and further afield, and has worked with many top mining companies to deliver effective water and wastewater processing and storage solutions. As with any industry, various factors need to be taken into consideration when planning a mine water system to maximise the gains achieved. In the mining sector, these include, but are not limited to, the following:

SBS has installed tanks on mine sites for over 23 years

circuit water cycling to minimise the quantities used. In many such instances, water losses from evaporation or other causes are the only reason for the addition of ‘new water’ to the circuit. Where mines do not require potable water for operations, reuse of water from the domestic sector through partial treatment of sewage further drives down water consumption. Creating an effective water demand management and processing solution on a mine site requires planning and the establishment of growth parameters as well as requirements for the system.

System requirements for fresh or process water and water sources • Will water used in the system be freshwater from a municipal supply? Will it require desalination? Or will it be sourced from a nearby dam, borehole, or aquifer? • Will wastewater be suitable for some or all processes? • Is an elevated solution required to increase water pressure delivery? SBS offers elevated, standard and engineered solutions that can be custom-designed to fit the specific requirements of a mine or community, or both. • Will potable water be required, and will the system need to supply only the mine, or will it be of benefit to the local community too? • Will water be required for the mine ecosystem, as well as birdlife and flora? SBS solutions include dam liners and the company can work with designers to create effective on-site solutions. SBS Tanks have been designed and developed for use in all sectors from mining, manufacturing, bulk municipal supply, rainwater harvesting and water conservation to commercial, industrial and property off-grid resource supply and management. The local SBS Tank manufacturing facility is ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 quality and health and safety compliant and SANS 10160 accredited. All SBS Tank installations are project managed and delivered by the SBS Group to exacting SBS standards, developed over the past two decades, to leave a lasting legacy. As a Level 2 BBBEE company, SBS Solutions SA believes in solutions that build for better, working with communities, the commercial sector and municipalities to assist with the effective delivery if its mandate, ‘Water for All’. Space limitations and capacity requirements Factors to consider here include:

INDUSTRY INSIGHT ENERGY • Will the water processing plant required on-site need to maximise space, utilising vertical space? • Are open-top tank or reservoir solutions required? These will typically require more space to build. • Or does the system require a closed top to minimise evaporation? • What capacities will be required at each stage of the system? SBS Tank products and solutions are adaptable to meet both system and site requirements. Tanks can be built on a limited footprint, expanding vertically to maximise capacity with 11 or more rings where required. This allows for maximum site usage efficiency. With a range of around 500 sizes and capacities from 7 000 litres to 4.4 million litres, SBS Tanks are suited to every stage of the process for liquid, water or effluent storage.

SBS Tanks offers a variety of water demand management and processing solutions

Processing stages Important questions to consider are: • How many steps will the processing of water in the closed circuit require? • What is the interconnectivity requirement of the system? The specified system needs to be designed to fit the purpose and be able to store the liquids throughout the process. SBS can assist in this process, with the company’s in-house engineering team working with mine engineers to choose the most suitable solution considering the requirements every step of the way. Environmental conditions and storage requirements Factors to consider in terms of on-site environmental conditions and storage requirements include: • Is the mine in a region that experiences extreme weather conditions or are there other environmental influences of concern? • What will be stored within the tank structure and does this liquid have a corrosive nature? Will on-site conditions impact the exterior of the tank structure? The SBS Tanks Cyclonic Range is rated for regions with a high incidence of meteorological hazards, including tropical storms, hurricanes and other high-velocity events. They are designed to withstand winds of up to 240 km/h and to accommodate seismic movement. With a history of servicing the mining sector since 1999, the robust design of SBS Tanks can handle the conditions on highly demanding mine sites. Liners or bladders

used inside the tank structure can be selected to suit the nature of the liquids stored within. These protect the tank structure from corrosion caused by chemical exposure. SBS Tanks typically have a minimum life expectancy of 65 years depending on on-site conditions, with liners carrying a 10year conditional warranty.

Installation and commissioning turnaround time The construction of concrete water reservoirs on-site requires access roads, increasing delivery time and costs. Water is required during the construction process, which also affects costs. SBS Tanks can be installed on a sand bed or a ring beam depending on the capacity. They take a matter of days to install and can be commissioned immediately. The modular nature of the tanks means that they can be installed in even the most remote locations and do not require heavy equipment on-site or an access road for components to be transported. The UN anticipates that demand for water will outstrip supply by 2030. Many opportunities exist to increase wateruse efficiency in all sectors and there is considerable scope for further implementation in the mining sector. As South Africa and the wider continent grow and develop, water usage will increase, and efficiencies need to be put in place to better manage resources. In acknowledging this, South Africa’s National Water Act (No. 36 of 1998) recommends a responsible approach to water management to contribute to prosperity, encouraging all consumers to adopt measures that drive water conservation and reduced demand. As a trusted water and liquid storage solutions supplier to the mining industry for over 23 years, SBS Tanks will continue to work hand in hand with mines and mining engineers to offer a range of custom-designed systems to improve water-use efficiency and reduce the water requirements of the sector – through the delivery of modular and scalable solutions. CONTACT For more information, contact Cherin or Andre at info@sbstanks.co.za Telephone: +27 (0)860 482 657 Website: www.sbstanks.com Social media platforms: Facebook: www.facebook.com/sbstanks LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/sbstanks

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

Business with purpose and an ESG focus In 2022, the Vedanta Resources board approved a R7 billion investment towards the expansion of Gamsberg mine in South Africa’s Northern Cape province.

he investment is not only a much-needed boost for the industry and economy, but it also shows Vedanta’s commitment to doing business with a purpose in the Northern Cape. The expansion will see the mine double up its production capacity and realise its vision to produce ‘green zinc’ – a significant move founded on their ESG strategy. Vedanta is also planning to be an ESG leader in the natural resources sector and has committed to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050 or sooner. The company has pledged US$5 billion (R80 billion) over the next 10 years to accelerate the transition to net-zero operations. As a part of its evolved strategy, the company has revised its mission statement to ‘Transforming for Good', to make a meaningful difference to society at large. Vedanta’s three ESG pillars – Transforming communities, Transforming the planet, and Transforming the workplace – are what drive the company’s motto of doing business with a purpose. Priya Agarwal Hebbar, non-executive director at Vedanta Resources, was in attendance at the mining indaba and gave a keynote speech that explored the crucial role mining plays in driving economies, while also stressing that it can’t be at the expense of the environment, communities or compliance. She believes that, as companies gear towards good implementation of their ESG strategies, the poor reputation that mining has will slowly change towards a more positive one, which bodes well for the industry at large. Speaking to Inside Mining, she further expanded on the following:

Using technology to enhance ESG Agarwal believes that the kind of ‘invasiveness’ mining used to cause many years ago no longer takes place today due to modernised this progress. The industry has capitalised on technology to address environmental and safety-related matters in mining. Responsible mining not only benefits the environment, but also creates jobs for many people as well. “Technologies have changed, and I think events like the Indaba help us meet other individuals we can collaborate with to help us further technological advancements in mining. We can share our technology – share our learnings – to ensure that we continue to mine responsibly while attaining economic growth,” she says.

Technologies have changed, and I think events like the Indaba help us meet other individuals we can collaborate with to help us further technological advancements in mining.”

Prioritising people, the planet and communities The mineral resources sector in countries such as South Africa and India is one of the most effective levers in helping to eradicate poverty and improve lives and livelihoods. This is why Vedanta’s three pillars have a solid focus on ensuring that the communities in which the company operates are taken care of in terms of skills development, education, healthcare and more. “Events like these are effective because we get to share our ideas and learn a lot from each other. I think the power is in collaboration when it comes to ESG initiatives,” she concludes.

www.vedantaresources.com 13

ESG

Managing ESG crucial for Africa’s mining future

hile there is an understanding of what these terms mean individually, the ability to implement them in an integrated manner across the organisational footprint has been found wanting. No sector is feeling this pressure to change and adapt to increased environmental and sustainability demands more than mining. Fortunately, the continent has Environmental, social and seen virtually every mining house governance (ESG) has embedding ESG at every layer of their value chain. For this to be emerged as one of the mines need to have clear most important acronyms effective, plans in place that integrate all in business today. aspects of ESG. “The willingness to change is one thing. But when it comes to the practicalities of ESG, that is when the challenges start materialising. Mining houses must therefore have an economically viable plan that can help transform everything from risk management and investor relations through to supply chain management, on-the-ground operations and mine closures,” says Sean Doel, MD: Environmental, WSP in Africa. For example, while focusing on broader climate change risk mitigation measures is important, mines first need to look at aspects like water management and impacts on the communities in which they operate to make a demonstratable difference. By addressing things on a micro-level, the mine can better identify ways of managing scarce water and land resources while mitigating flood risks due to shifting rainfall patterns linked to climate change. “The pressure is on mines to deliver on their ESG mandate not only while operations are running, but also if they need to shut down. Mining houses must therefore meet increasingly stringent social and environmental objectives

when it comes to managing mine closures sustainably and ensure they leave communities with usable land once operations cease,” says Doel.

Macro view Balancing the need for local sustainability with the broader scope of delivering on strategic objectives means mines must remain cognisant of all associated environmental issues resulting from climate change. For instance, extreme precipitation can result in flood damage to infrastructure. It can also give rise to mine waste residues, which can have significant consequences for the local communications as well as the reputation of the mining houses. All such scenarios must be accounted for in mine planning as well as continual changes made in the operating environment. “Flowing from here, indirect impacts such as the health and safety of personnel on-site or surrounding communities, legal liability, livelihoods of dependent communities, and reputational consequences are all adding to an increasingly complex list of ESG requirements. Delivering on this while still managing profitability becomes the fundamental issue that mines across Africa must deal with,” says Ralph Heath, MD: Earth & Environment, WSP in Africa. Heath believes that because mines must have a clear understanding of health and safety, compliance and ethics, and the linkage to the mining business itself, the need to deliver on the ESG mandate becomes critical. “Ultimately, it is as much about planning for sustainability as it is about ensuring that the practical components can be enforceable at a ground level. ESG is about more than a box-ticking exercise, but something that needs to permeate all aspects of mining operations if its difference is to be felt across the continent,” concludes Heath.

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

WORKFORCE HEALTH IS KEY TO YOUR BOTTOM LINE One thing the recent pandemic has taught us all is that there is a direct correlation between health matters, productivity and economic growth.

he more laborious the task, the greater the need to pay attention to healthcare. With mining in South Africa still being very labour intensive and strenuous, healthcare should be prioritised to improve productivity. A healthy, happy workforce leads to a healthy bottom line and that win-win is the goal for healthcare providers in the mining industry. Phakamisa Healthy Living is one such partner that has achieved this balance for mines over the last two decades. In 2002, a group of medical doctors developed costeffective, high-quality, South African multivitamins for the mining industry. The brand is well known in many mines across the country. Today, these multivitamins are also in all the leading pharmacies and outlets across the country. The proven approach of a healthy breakfast to kick-start the day and daily multivitamins has made them extremely popular for many years now. South Africa is home to some of the world’s deepest underground mines, with hot and humid environments. The conditions are physically demanding and fatigue compromises individuals’ immune system. This is where Phakamisa saw a gap and stepped in. When they did, mines saw a marked improvement in workers’ health. Phakamisa to the rescue At the heart of the Phakamisa Healthy Living solution are specific high-grade nutritional products that assist mine employees in maintaining their energy levels. These energy-rich meals are ready to consume, tasty and easy to prepare. Mineworkers have given their input and feedback on the products’ performance and taste. Although Phakamisa’s range of high-quality nutritional products is manufactured specifically for the mining industry, companies from various other industries have demanded the same great-tasting and nutritious meals. They can be found in many retail outlets. The full range of products includes multivitamins, mineral tablets and mid-shift meals. For the last two decades, Phakamisa products have been tried and tested in the mining industry and the results speak for themselves. According to Frank Sullivan,

director, Phakamisa, the company’s nutritional products are cost-efficient and have ample nutrients that boost the immune system and increase productivity. He highlights that a workforce with a strong immune system is less likely to be absent from work due to viral diseases such as flu. Now more than ever, it is strategically smart to boost the immune systems of all employees. At a cost of less than R20 per worker per month for quality multivitamin and mineral tablets, TRY IT! it’s a clear win-win for the mine. Throw in breakfast and shift meals for good measure, For your mine’s trial offer of and this investment in employees is not Phakamisa multivitamins, minerals and meals, contact Carel only great for all workers but also for the Nel at +27 (0)83 342 4146 company bottom line. or carel@phakamisara.co.za.

Going the extra mile In addition to supplying nutritional products, Phakamisa is growing its involvement in mining communities. The company is establishing a wellness centre in Rustenburg. Sullivan says, “The wellness centre’s main aim is to offer basic medical services and equip mine employees, their families and the community with the necessary knowledge to lead an even healthier lifestyle.” Phakamisa also addresses other community challenges such as hunger and malnutrition and has donated to NGOs including the current disaster relief programme in KwaZulu-Natal.

Phakamisa products boost the immune system of mine employees working in physically demanding environments

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

at the forefront of green financing Renewable energy, decarbonisation and climate change are among the many factors that impact on transitioning to a green economy. Sustainable and affordable financing options are needed to successfully make this evolution a reality.

he Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has rapidly advanced to become one of the crucial catalysts in the transition to a green economy. The DBSA works across sub-Saharan Africa to promote economic and social development, by sourcing and providing largely infrastructure finance. Climate change has become increasingly important and, as such, one of its priority focus areas is climate finance. According to Olympus Manthata, head: Climate and Environmental Finance, DBSA, the ability to mobilise climate finance at scale requires innovative approaches such as the Climate Finance Facility (CFF).

Paris Agreement In 2015, more than 190 countries adopted the Paris Agreement. According to the UN, the agreement includes commitments from all countries to reduce their carbon emissions and work together to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. South Africa is part of the agreement and, as such, companies from various industries are required to make the necessary changes to help the country reach its targets. Mining companies in South Africa and Africa have responded positively to transitioning to a green economy by outlining specific policies, strategies and targets to reduce their carbon footprint

and address other environmental issues. These measures have resulted in major players from various sectors such as gold, coal and PGMs establishing multimillion-rand projects directed at decarbonisation, renewable energy and climate change, among others. Financing has been identified as a major stumbling block for planned projects to materialise. As such, sustainable and affordable financing is required. As a result, DBSA brought about its CFF climaterelated lending facility, which is a first in Africa and based on a ‘green banking’ model.

Climate Finance Facility According to Manthata, the CFF uses a blended finance approach, which essentially combines public with private finance, to address market constraints and fill market gaps. These funds are for private projects that have potential but cannot currently attract market-rate capital at scale without credit enhancement. “We bridge this gap and catalyse private funding by co-funding alongside developmental and private sector financial institutions, with the aim to achieve a 1:5 leverage,” Manthata explains. The initial debt funding of R2 billion in use by the DBSA is a rand-denominated facility and directed purely at co-funding private sector projects in South Africa, Eswatini, Lesotho and Namibia – countries in the common monetary union. It brings credit enhancement products in the form of first-loss or subordinated funding and tenor extension of up to 15 years, combined with concessional funding provided by the UN’s Green Climate Fund. The Minerals Council South Africa fully supports initiatives aimed at unlocking the green economy. It is working on its Net Zero 2050 Action Plan and pathway towards achieving the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. More projects can be expected in future, which are, of course, going to need financing.

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

A full-service infrastructure solution for the mining sector Stefanutti Stocks is one of South Africa’s leading listed construction groups with the capability to deliver a range of projects of any scale, both in South Africa and neighbouring countries.

s a Level 1 BBBEE Contributor with a Grade 9 rating from the South African Construction Industry Development Board, Stefanutti Stocks has an unlimited tender capability. The group undertakes contracts for a multitude of clients across the built environment (into sub-Saharan Africa), including for the mining, transport, water, power, industrial, petrochemical, and construction sectors. Stefanutti Stocks’ professional teams work in close partnership with the group’s clients and consultants, to develop innovative solutions that address projectspecific requirements. Its broad spectrum of expertise also means that it has the capability and capacity to offer a single point of accountability on any scale of multidisciplinary infrastructure development, effectively removing the interface risk from the client’s domain.

Stefanutti Stocks provided bulk earthworks and civil construction services for the extension of the existing calcine disposal facility and the construction of a new return water dam for Bushveld Vanchem

Diverse multidisciplinary contracting partner Stefanutti Stocks’ strength lies in its diversity and the group has been very successful in strategically positioning itself in the mining industry, as a multidisciplinary contracting partner of choice. Its offering spans both greenfield and brownfield mining infrastructure projects, including roads and earthworks, civils, geotechnical, mechanical, and electrical and instrumentation installation services.

Furthermore, Stefanutti Stocks offers the mining sector economical concrete repair, rehabilitation and maintenance strategies, and implements marketleading technologies to ensure that existing and ageing infrastructure assets stay in service beyond their intended lifespan. Its capabilities in the mining services sphere cover materials handling in operational mining and processing environments, as well as tailings management and hydraulic remining services. Stefanutti Stocks has executed numerous large-scale, multimillion-rand mining infrastructure construction projects, including greenfield construction of two slimes dams and civil infrastructure for Assmang Limited’s Black Rock Mine, which saw the participation of various company disciplines, including Roads & Earthworks, Civils, Building, and Geotechnical. The group’s premier project portfolio also includes the three phases of construction of the Mareesburg tailings services facility at Anglo American Platinum’s Mototolo Concentrator project in Steelpoort, Mpumalanga. These projects included the participation of the Roads & Earthworks, Civils, and Geotechnical disciplines. Other mining projects include the civils contracts for Rustenburg Platinum Mines’ Copper Circuit Debottlenecking Project; the first phase of the Ivanplats Headgear for the Platreef Mine Shaft 2 Project; bulk earthworks and civil construction for the FerroBank Calcine Disposal Facility for Bushveld Vanchem; and the construction of a tailings storage facility for Glencore at its Boshoek smelter near Rustenburg. Stefanutti Stocks will also be leveraging its multidisciplinary service offering at recently awarded mining and mining infrastructure construction projects for Anglo American’s Buffer Dam at its flagship Mogalakwena mining complex; the roads and terraces required for the Two Rivers Merensky Project near Steelpoort; as well as for the civil works for the SO2, Abatement and Smelter Expansion Project for Zimplats near Selous, Zimbabwe. Its Geotechnical Discipline is undertaking the geotechnical scope and lateral support walls, in joint venture, at Anglo American’s Der Brochen Shaft South Project.

ESG

Reducing carbon emissions in mining Energy-intensive industries, such as the mining and minerals sector, are under pressure from governments, investors and society to reduce carbon emissions, even as demand for these minerals grows.

ith most industry players’ commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, it is crucial that the mining industry is very deliberate about how it meets the energy needs of its operations, and how it decarbonises. Speaking to customers on the sidelines of this year’s Mining Indaba conference in Cape Town, Oluwatoyin Abegunde, executive: Gas Power at GE, said, “The complementary strength of gas and renewables plays a critical role in delivering lower carbon, and more reliable electrical power generation. As sub-Saharan Africa balances the need for more access to power, along with the push towards more sustainable energy sources, the accelerated and strategic deployment of renewables and gas power together can reduce carbon emissions quickly.” GE has been collaborating with energy stakeholders to deploy innovative technologies tailored to respond to the needs of the mining sector. In Botswana, GE gas turbines are providing Orapa diamond mine’s 90 MW turbine power plant facility with reliable power, as well as supplementing the country’s energy needs. In Nigeria, GE’s gas turbine technology is supporting Dangote Cement in Obajana located in North Central Nigeria, to reduce unplanned downtime,

improve operational efficiency and become energy self-sufficient. “Adding renewables as quickly as Africa can afford to, while also switching significant coal or diesel generation to gas, will be required to help address climate change with the required pace and scale,” said Abegunde. “In Africa, where historically diesel and heavy fuel oil (HFO) have dominated the power generation landscape, GE’s technology offers a reliable, cost-effective and sustainable pathway for reducing carbon emissions for industry players in the mining and metals, plastic, paper and pulp, and chemicals industries, among others.”

Reducing the carbon footprint to meet sustainability goals The mining industry is keenly focused on sustainability goals, and it is imperative that the power generation industry achieves that objective. That means, in part, lowering reliance on carbonheavy fuels like coal, diesel and HFO. As one of the world’s largest manufacturers and suppliers of gas turbine technology, GE Gas Power offers a wide array of equipment options and models to help meet the most challenging energy requirements. Thermal hybrid solutions, for example, improve energy security, reliability and sustainability for captive power generation for industries, including mines. Thermal hybrid applications, involving the interfaced operation of a thermal asset with a renewable and/or an energy storage asset, are expanding the possibilities of electricity generation. GE’s aeroderivative gas turbines are the ideal solution for mining operations, as they are lightweight with a smaller footprint and lower carbon emissions, provide high cycle elasticity and ensure shorter downtime than competing technologies. Aeroderivative gas turbines can also be used in thermal hybrids for a variety of industrial applications like mining and metals.

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

ESG

6X:

A simple radar formula for better processes

The VEGAPULS 6X is a new radar sensor that can be used in every conceivable level application.

he times when users had to choose the right level measuring instrument from a multitude of different ones are now history. Traditionally, the search for a suitable radar level sensor begins by asking which frequency would be best for the specific application, or by determining the properties of the medium, the temperature ranges involved, and the process fittings required. Until now, choosing an instrument was a laborious task, but VEGA is now completely transforming the process with its new VEGAPULS 6X. According to Florian Burgert, product manager, VEGA, it’s not the sensor that counts, but what the users can achieve with it in their individual processes. “Just knowing that they’ve chosen the best possible measurement solution and that they’ll reach their goal faster with it makes a big difference in their everyday operations,” he explains.

Over a million instruments in use worldwide The success story of today’s world market leader in radar level measurement began 30 years ago; ever since, VEGA’s sensors have optimised millions of industrial processes. The story includes milestones such as the world’s first twowire radar instrument and the first 80 GHz radar sensor for liquids on the market. Behind this success are many people who share a common passion: “At VEGA, we don’t do a hundred different things – we concentrate on what we do best: radar,” says product manager Jürgen Skowaisa.

The ultimate purpose of VEGAPULS 6X is maximum simplification. It is the one sensor that can handle any application

All-round protection The new VEGAPULS 6X offers the best that is technically feasible today: a self-diagnosis system that immediately detects damage or interference that ensures significantly higher availability and safety; it has new radar-chip technology, with expanded application possibilities and simpler operation. In addition to SIL certification, the matter of cybersecurity has also been fully taken into account. This takes the form of compliance with security standard IEC 62443-4-2, which specifies the strictest requirements for secure communication and access control. The value lies in the best application Level sensors should make it easier for users to monitor their industrial processes. The ultimate purpose of VEGAPULS 6X is maximum simplification. It is the one sensor that can handle any application. In the future, the customer will no longer have to worry about the technology, frequency or instrument version. Even setup and commissioning have been reduced to a minimum, requiring just a few clicks and basic application parameters. In many cases, all application-specific settings can be made in the VEGAPULS 6X before it leaves the factory. Mount, connect, done: it couldn’t get any simpler.

WHEN WE INVEST IN INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS THAT ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE, WE BEND THE ARC OF HISTORY TOWARDS SHARED PROSPERITY The DBSA’s Climate Finance Facility (CFF) is dedicated to increasing climate related investment in Southern Africa by playing a catalytic role using a blended finance approach. The CFF will use its debt capital, co-funded by the Green Climate Fund, to fill market gaps and target green infrastructure projects in the mining and private sector. This is part of our commitment towards the mitigation and adaptation to climate change, promoting a greener economy and driving sustainability in the mining sector. We are DBSA. Building Africa’s Prosperity www.dbsa.org • +27 11 313 3911

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

ESG

Addressing climate change in the mining industry Like other industries, mining has a crucial role to play in mitigating the impacts of climate change. Dineo Phoshoko speaks to Tycho Möncks, managing director and partner at Boston Consulting Group Johannesburg, to discusses climate change in the context of mining.

How does mining contribute to climate change? TM On an emissions-per-GDP basis, South Africa (as a country, across all industries) ranks among the top 20 carbon-intensive economies globally – primarily due to grid electricity that has a high carbon intensity. This obviously then also has implications on the carbon intensity of South African mining operations, as processing and refining are highly energy intensive. However, mining companies are already pursuing paths to lower their carbon footprint.

In April 2022, KwaZulu-Natal was hit by heavy rains and resultant flooding that claimed the lives of more than 400 people and caused major damage in parts of the province, providing a stark reminder of the harsh consequences of climate change.

Tycho has been with BCG since 2007 and has many years of on-site, hands-on experience

What risks are most elevated as a result of climate change? The carbon-intensive nature of mining in Major infrastructure damage was caused by the KZN floods in April 2022

ESG

South Africa and the country’s vulnerability to climate-related events create a unique set of risks. • Trade risk: The South African economy will face mounting trade pressure as key trade partners implement low-carbon commitments. It is essential to consider how South Africa’s competitiveness in global markets will be affected if key trading partners take steps to protect their net-zero commitments and enable their net-zero carbon growth trajectories. • Reduced demand: Two of the four most important minerals in South Africa’s commodity footprint are at risk: thermal coal and platinum group metals (PGMs) – including

platinum, palladium and rhodium. However, the uptake of clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies will become major drivers of new demand and shift value pools in commodity markets to other commodities such as lithium, nickel and manganese. What is the mining industry in South Africa actively doing to address climate change and what more can be done? Even though climate change presents challenges for South African mining companies, there is an opportunity for the companies to become more resilient. Most mining companies have attempted to address climate change

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

ESG The true impact of climate change is far from certain. As such, companies’ climateconscious, scenario-based strategy needs to be adaptable to a range of possible scenarios. By running scenarios and simulations, mining companies can gauge the various implications for the company’s portfolio and build effective response strategies both for the near term and looking further into the future. The more diverse their options for rebalancing their portfolio and minimising negative exposure, the better. How have other countries dealt with climate change in mining? An example of how a country has dealt with climate change in mining comes from South America. Water shortages increased capex and the risk of stranded mining assets, resulting in Chile becoming the first country to require mines to use desalinated water. Mines that did not invest in desalination experienced interruptions in operations due to water shortages. Building resilience against the physical risk of local climate change will be critical for mining companies in South Africa. Additionally, seven of South Africa’s key export markets have all set net-zero targets, including the EU, USA, UK, China, Japan and South Korea. As more countries and companies set ambitious decarbonisation targets, a significant shift in commodity value pools begins to materialise, which will have significant business impact for South African mining players.

by enhancing energy efficiency, securing water supplies, and reorganising portfolios to exit commodities that negatively impact the environment (most notably coal). Several companies are also deploying large-scale efforts for renewable self-generation and storage of electricity (or have vested plans in place to do so in the near future); others are exploring alternative powertrains (e.g. Anglo American Platinum deploying hydrogen-based truck fleets). To build an uncertainty advantage around climate change risk, mining executives can also focus on two key priorities: developing a climate-conscious, scenario-based business strategy, and climate-proofing their operations.

Who are the important stakeholders to include in discussions about climate change in mining? Climate responses will need to be coordinated across the industry, and with the support of regulators and stakeholders that include employees and local communities. Implementing measures to address climate challenges will require all stakeholders to collaborate diligently and remove any barriers to enable the change needed, including regulators increasing self-generation caps, for example. By working together, the various stakeholders can shape a greener mining industry in South Africa – and one that is more competitive on the global stage. What does policy and regulation say about climate change in South Africa’s mining industry? Do you think it is effective? The mining sector in South Africa has

ESG maintained that a clearer and more predictable policy and regulatory environment is required to attract investment in increased exploration and decarbonisation. Policies and policy initiatives that should be aligned with international best practices to enable sector decarbonisation include: the regulation of carbon-offset initiatives; the Carbon Tax Act (No. 15 of 2019) – to incentivise switches to green beneficiation processes, such as green steel production; the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (No. 39 of 2004); the draft Climate Change Bill (2018); and the Mining Charter III. If the existing structural issues are overcome, an enabling policy environment is developed with a clear path towards decarbonised operations, and the production of clean commodities and technologies exists, South Africa’s mining sector could become a prime destination for global long-term investments in mining and contribute to a just energy transition in South Africa. Furthermore, to address their scope 1 (those from managed operations, including mines, processing and power) and scope 2 emissions (those from third-party providers that supply, for example, electricity or steam), mining companies have six main levers at their disposal – energy efficiency, fuel switching, renewable power, green hydrogen, methane capture, and carbon capture – and should try to work on several simultaneously. For South African mining companies, reducing scope 2 emissions (electricity, heat and steam from third-party suppliers) will be vital to any emissions reduction programme, as ~73% of scope 1 and 2 emissions in South African mining are from the electricity supply. Deploying renewable energy either in a fully off-grid system or utilising a hybrid renewable and grid system would lead to cumulative 2020-2050 emissions savings of between 197 Mt CO₂e (29%) for a hybrid renewable and grid supply system to 466 Mt CO₂e (67%) for a fully off-grid supply. Given the existing electricity tariff structure and the increase of the self-generation cap to 100 MW, a promising business case emerges towards a hybrid or off-grid supply. Many mining companies hope that regulators will intensify their efforts to ease rules that currently make it difficult to invest in renewables. Regulators have recently taken steps in this direction, but more needs to be done. For example, South African mining lost between R7 billion to R12 billion of production due to load-shedding in 2019, with these intermittent

blackouts anticipated to continue. Privatising generation, either through self-generation or independent third-party generation, is the key to mitigating this risk. The government should further ease the regulatory burden and process barriers with regard to self-generation. This will allow mining companies to achieve stable production and more predictable prices for electricity. Mining companies in South Africa have announced renewable generation totalling ~6 GW, indicating that the industry sees both the cost and environmental benefits of a selfgeneration strategy. Regulators and shareholders have a role to play in supporting companies in their efforts to tackle climate change issues. But make no mistake, the bulk of the responsibility lies with mining executives. What lessons can be learnt from climate change in the mining industry? Climate change in the mining industry has an influential impact on South Africa’s competitiveness in global markets; the South African economy will face mounting trade pressure as key trade partners implement lowcarbon commitments. Additionally, South Africa is a semi-arid country and a global average temperature increase of 1.5°C translates to a 3°C increase in Southern Africa. Models show this could lead to more variability in rainfall and an increased risk of extreme weather events. Mining companies will need to adapt to these physical changes in their operating environment and along the value chain. Mining infrastructure is vulnerable to physical risks from climate change. Water shortages would increase capex as well as the risk of stranded mining assets and interruptions in operations due to water shortages. Building resilience against the physical risk of local climate change will be critical for local mining players. According to BCG’s Smart Multiple analysis, mining companies that have been early movers in addressing climate change – that is, those in the top quintile of emissions reduction performance – have valuations that are, on average, 20% greater than those of their peers in the bottom quintile. To build an uncertainty advantage around climate change risk, mining executives should focus on two key priorities: developing a climate-conscious, scenariobased business strategy and climate-proofing their operations.

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Boston Dynamics’ Spot Enterprise robot stole the show at Mining Indaba 2022, where it illustrated how technology can be used to address various issues in the mining industry.

An unusual canine spotted at Mining Indaba The robotic dog was a major attraction at Mining Indaba 2022

pot Enterprise is an agile mobile robot designed to navigate all types of terrain, allowing organisations to automate routine inspection tasks, capture data securely and safely, and drive streamlined operations in complex and dangerous environments. This new development is equipped with Maestro’s industrial internet of things (IIoT) gas sensor, which can be operated on mine sites to detect hazardous gases like carbon monoxide, without putting mining and ventilation teams in danger. Teams will easily

be able to add different gas sensors on to Maestro’s connected Zephyr Air Quality Station, capturing critical environmental data to proactively identify gas or temperature concerns. “We are excited to share our new best friend Spot and its amazing capabilities with the delegates of Mining Indaba and the global mining industry. In the spirit of technological collaboration, we have assembled the world’s best mining technologies to be on the stand with us to share and conceptualise end-to-end solutions for maximum impact for our mining clients,” said Jamie van Schoor, CEO of Dwyka Mining Services. During Mining Indaba, various experiments were done using a series of partner payloads. A number of devices can be attached to Spot to extend the robot’s ability to capture and process data, acting as remote sensing devices that allow Spot to hear, see and smell in a virtual capacity. As part of Spot’s introduction to the mining fraternity, delegates walked a mile with Spot from the V&A Waterfront to the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) to benefit the NSPCA. This 1.6 km walk started at Nobel Square in the V&A harbour, where Spot was sent on his way by Nobel prize winners like Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, streaming live content all the way to the CTICC. On-board processing capabilities Using the Spot Enterprise on-board processing capabilities, the data is shared over Wi-Fi. Gas and temperature sensor readings are captured while the robot is in operation and displayed in real time via the MaestroLink application. With the addition of a SLAM scanning unit sensor, like the Emesent Hovermap, readings can be saved with precise coordinates in a high-fidelity point cloud that can be exported and examined in a variety of mining software packages. “Spot is an amazing platform with almost unlimited applications. The ability to get live environmental monitoring data ‘on the go’ by extending our remote-sensing capability to ‘smell’ for hazardous

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

TECHNOLOGY

gas detection from our new robot dog is very exciting,” said Rethabile Letlala, operations director of Dwyka Mining Services. Hazardous gases that accumulate underground are an invisible threat to mining teams who often don’t know they are in danger until it’s too late. This gas build-up is created through the exposed strata, blasting, daily ‘mucking’ and even runaway battery fires on critical machinery. Traditionally, gas levels are measured by the ventilation system at the return air raises or wearable sensors donned by miners. While this fixed infrastructure has saved countless lives, mobile autonomous inspection by aerial and ground robots of strategic areas before re-entry or in emergency situations is the next step to complete real-time coverage. With South Africa having many of the world’s deepest and hottest mines, the adoption of innovative solutions for ventilation, occupational health and environmental hazards and the use of proactive visualisation automation platforms are paramount for industry sustainability. “The established client base of Maestro Digital Mine environmental sensors will allow us to make the technology mobile for broader applications. We’re very excited about this integration with Maestro Digital Mine as a future partner payload for

Boston Dynamics’ Spot Enterprise solution and look forward to continually improving worker safety for whole-of-mine deployment with our new best friend Spot,” said Van Schoor. “Collaborating with our mud-in-boots partner, Dwyka Mining Services – who are always pushing the envelope with technology integration with pioneering brands like Boston Dynamics – is in turn pushing us to innovate and collaborate with our core purpose of enhancing lives by the pursuit of productivity and safety excellence,” said Michael Gribbons, CEO and co-founder of Maestro Digital Mine. “This relationship will open up immediate opportunities to Dwyka Mining Services and Maestro in Africa and extend mobile environmental monitoring to our current installations at over 170 mines in 38 countries globally using our patented, Edge-based IIoT sensor technologies once the solution is fully embedded.” “We are excited about extracting value from ‘no-go’ and ‘fly-low’ mining areas typical at the majority of narrow reef mining operations in Southern Africa where the use of enterprise GPS-denied drones becomes limited. The Spot Enterprise package allows us to access confined spaces and this information could be used to undertake remote gas inspections so that we can accelerate re-entry

The Spot Enterprise robot dog during the 1.6 km walk from the V&A Waterfront to the CTICC

TECHNOLOGY As a ground robotic platform, Spot Enterprise can be used to send different payloads – devices that can be attached to Spot – to extract mission-critical data from the required location. “These are normally the most challenging environments [from which] to extract data.” The agile robotic dog is able to navigate through different terrain, including loose ground, rocks and slippery underfloor footing.

to target, getting ore to surface sooner without comprising safety,” commented Van Schoor. The adoption of underground mining technology is linked closely with the extent of mine-wide wireless connectivity available up to the working face. Generally referred to as the last mile – the underground section from a level access to the blast face – this area is a complex space in which to deliver robust wireless coverage. Plexus PowerNet delivers a high-speed, low-latency digital communication network that provides PoE+ power to wireless access points (WAPs), cameras and any other IP-based device. The system eliminates the need for costly outside fibre-optic contractors and can be installed and maintained by any internal tradesperson. With global success as a last-mile solution to connect mission-critical assets, robotic dogs are the next connected device to be connected as we race to the face. Solving problems beyond human capabilities Speaking to Inside Mining, Van Schoor explains that a robot dog is a great innovation, as is can solve problems that many humans cannot. “It allows us to access no-go areas. These no-go areas are the kinds of environments that we wouldn’t want to put humans into, either because there are environmental issues like gas and temperature, or because of unsupported areas in an underground mine.” He adds that such areas are common places for incidents resulting in injuries/fatalities. “Spot thrives in these environments because it is able to handle tough conditions in very dark, dusty and dangerous environments.”

Additional capabilities Spot Enterprise has other applications such as gas monitoring on a mobile platform and acoustic sensing devices (in partnership with Fluke) that pick up faint decibels such as the hiss of a compressed-air pipe leak. There are also opportunities for the robotic dog to contribute to drilling and blasting by reducing the travelling time in this area. Van Schoor explains that travelling to the working area of a deep underground mine can take one to three hours. “Once the blast happens, it takes one to three hours to flush this mine from its blast gases.” He believes that Spot Enterprise could add value by potentially saving up two hours a day from each blast, which equates to 40 hours a week. “Extracting 40 hours of remote sensing capability to have a better idea of not only the blast performance, but the safer working conditions of the most valuable assets, humans, is something that we should be prioritising.” There was a lot of excitement around Spot at Mining Indaba, notes Van Schoor. “The team could see how much excitement and happiness it added to the general population of Cape Town.” The team expects that the excitement can transcend into business value through the correct assessment of unique user requirements and ensuring that Spot is equipped to handle and measure the right kinds of data to better navigate accurate decisions in a timely fashion. “The basis of short-interval control is the practice where mining companies are able to make better decisions faster based on more timely information. We believe Spot is going to be able to address this by being able to auto-walk from underground locations, thereby reducing the downtime of travelling time, as well as equipping it with advanced sensing capabilities to deliver information to humans for more proactive decision-making from the surface,” Van Schoor concludes. With Spot’s intervention in drilling and blasting, mine workers will not only operate in a safe environment, but also redirect resources to ensure that they can complete the task to avoid instances of a lost blast, which is costly. Be it before, during or after a shift, workers will be able to operate in a safe environment.

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TECHNOLOGY

OPEN INNOVATION IN MINING COOi Studios has made a point of driving open innovation (OI) in mining – supported by an Exxaro Resources case study launched at the 2022 Mining Indaba.

Technology and innovation are key enablers of Exxaro’s digital strategy

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

TECHNOLOGY

nnovation has been critical to the survival of many businesses across various sectors including mining. However, businesses have also experienced challenges that have hindered them from reaping the rewards of their innovation investment, which has in turn led to a diminished incentive to spend on innovation efforts. “The unfavourable new economic climate leaves business leaders with no choice but to identify rapid and more cost-effective ways to innovate,” explains Sandiso Sibisi, founder and director, COOi Studios. In South Africa, research, development and innovation (RDI) expenditure decreased in 2018/19 for the first time since 2009/10, as reported by the Department of Science and Innovation. The identification of collaboration-intensive research and development (R&D) projects, such as the internet of things for increased safety and productivity, should be prioritised in mining given the regression in mining safety reported December 2021 by the Minerals Council South Africa. OI enables mine companies to accelerate their digital transformation journey and provides access to innovative ideas outside their normal sphere. In so doing, mines can rapidly implement the latest innovations, saving them time and money while driving a new culture of innovation. “OI has proven itself plausible in other sectors – it would be foolish for it to not be in the business strategy

of mines looking to accelerate their digital transformation,” Sibisi says. Different types of innovation Closed innovation solves business-related challenges using internal resources, knowledge and expertise. Typical R&D functionalities are often classified into this approach to innovation. The organisation has complete control over the innovation process, and this would result in owning the developed intellectual property, where applicable. Closed innovation by default has high patent costs, slow innovation processes due to lengthy managerial approval processes, and limited market share as it delivers uniform benefits to the consumers with no competitive advantage – in turn, leading to fewer benefits for shareholders and the market. OI is an innovation management model that promotes collaboration with people and organisations outside the company. The term was first coined by Henry Chesborough, a Berkeley professor, to describe the belief that firms should use external as well as internal ideas, paths and capabilities to develop and market their technology. The idea is this: if knowledge that exists outside the organisation could be useful by sharing risks and rewards, the partners would be able to develop groundbreaking innovations, faster. There are different forms of OI, namely outside-in, insideout and coupled OI. Outside-in OI draws knowledge from

HOW OI UNLOCKS VALUE IN MINING

TECHNOLOGY Once digital transformation became successfully embedded within Exxaro, the Innovation team focused on delivering purpose-driven innovation. In the initial phase, they studied how innovation is successfully driven in different organisations beyond mining companies on a global and local scale. The team discovered that OI provided an alternate vehicle to solving business problems and challenges, which could add immense value to the organisation. Linking OI to Exxaro’s broader organisational strategy was key and a decision was made to develop a plan on how OI could be implemented to address various business challenges. Three months of dedicated desktop research was completed to understand and internally substantiate the decision to test OI. One of the biggest challenges encountered in the process was socialising the idea of OI with key stakeholders.

OI assists companies in accelerating digital transformation

outside the organisation to improve the organisation’s own innovation performance. Inside-out OI looks for possibilities to share already available in-house knowledge with the external environment in a way that adds value to the organisation, including out-licensing and transfer of rights. Coupled OI is a combination of the two previously mentioned approaches. It is often narrowed down to joint development of new knowledge through collaborative partnerships where partners share their existing intellectual property to create new joint ownership on intellectual assets. Case study Exxaro Resources is no stranger to innovation in the mining sector. Belfast Coal, one of Exxaro’s operations, is a first-ofits-kind digital mine located in Mpumalanga. A digitally connected mine, Belfast illustrated how digitalisation had progressed in the mining industry. The mine further pushed boundaries towards real-time decision-making and productivity improvement through remote monitoring and the tracking of all devices and performance data. During the case study, COOi Studios worked closely with Elaine Hattingh, manager: Innovation Planning and Execution, Exxaro, to get a better understanding of the company’s experience with OI. The initial focus of the Innovation Department was to support the organisation’s digital transformation journey. This was done in many pockets throughout business, with one example being the deployment of intelligent automation to support improving certain business processes. An example of where it was successfully applied was within operator equipment licensing, where a bot supported improving process efficiency. The solution has since been scaled, with a new iteration of the solution currently in process.

IO benefits and building the ecosystem Technology and innovation were identified as key enablers to Exxaro’s digital strategy, with innovation being recognised as essential to the company’s success. During the case study, two main benefits were identified. The first was for innovation to support Exxaro’s decarbonisation aspirations. The Decarbonisation Project Management Office, in collaboration with the Innovation Management team, is investigating innovative technologies aimed at decarbonising Exxaro’s operations. The second benefit was enabling access to an ecosystem of digital disruptors. To access truly disruptive and innovative solutions in support of Exxaro’s decarbonisation journey, the company is collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders through partnerships within the global innovation ecosystem. According to Exxaro, there are three potential OI compartments giving access to three distinct ecosystems. The first ecosystem includes institutions such as universities, the CSIR and innovation hubs. Experts also include individuals who have been working in a specific sector for a long period of time but are not necessarily associated with a research institution. Second, there are publicly open ecosystems that allow challenges to be posted openly on innovation platforms and promoted on social media for anyone to pitch a potential solution. Lastly, there is the privately open ecosystem, which is a curated ecosystem of companies with specific knowledge, skills and expertise. Commenting on Exxaro’s experience of OI thus far, Hattingh says, “In a world of distributed and decentralised knowledge, we – as large corporates – can no longer rely solely on internal expertise. Instead, we should acknowledge the value that participants from outside our industry can add in achieving our strategic goals.”

GO DIGITAL. GAIN MOMENTUM.

Efficient and integrated mining requires smart and sustainable solutions. Digitalization has a critical role to play in decarbonizing mining — a key focus for most major and midtier miners at present. Both digitalization and electrification will be key in creating more sustainable business practices. We now have a huge advantage in our offering with a full range of solutions for mission-critical mining applications like conveyors and grinding mills. In addition to providing the software and technologies for their automation and digitalization, we also provide the hardware. For us at Siemens Mining, these are a central component of our portfolio going forward. We are working with multiple external partners to extend our portfolio and to drive the digitalization of the mining industry together. For more information, visit www.siemens.co.za 011 652 2000

Building capacity and reliability in mining materials handling Digital insights are delivering step changes in the efficiency of materials handling operations through integrated processes and proactive maintenance services.

igitalisation will play a major role in the future of materials handling in mining. It will not only be key in delivering mines to the next level of efficiency, but will also initiate changes in the industrial landscape going forward. Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO at Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa, discussed the trends taking place with materials handling operations. “We already see a clear trend of process integration through applying digital technologies vertically and horizontally,” she says. “This delivers complete integration through all the technical hierarchies, from the field level up to enterprise resource planning (ERP), as well as complete integration in plant life-cycle management, from design up to operations. This improvement will make significant opex and capex savings possible and also open up new ways of production management. For instance, by integrating different kinds of simulation technologies, a beneficiation process can be tested and even fine-tuned before production starts.” The benefits can also extend across the value chain. For example, using digital insights, production management can be conducted end-to-end based on the market needs and price realisation possibilities; the digitalisation journey in mining is just beginning. Dall’Omo points out that digitalisation also has a critical role to play in decarbonising mining — a key focus for most major

and mid-tier miners currently. “Both digitalisation and electrification will be key in creating more sustainable business practices,” she says. “Therefore, for us at Siemens Large Drives Mining, these themes are a central component of our portfolio going forward. We are working with multiple external partners to extend our portfolio and to drive the digitalisation of the mining industry together. It’s an agile and fast developing area of the market, which requires openness and collaboration.” Siemens: integrated expertise for digital mines The challenges and opportunities associated with digitalisation are unique to each client and each mine site. Every company has different needs that require appropriate offerings. According to Dall’Omo, Siemens is able to assist customers who are in their infancy with their digital journey, by encouraging them to build a path towards integrated digital solutions. “For customers who are already in the implementation phase, we are able to offer a full suite of products and services, including engineering services based around functional requirements, and architecture design based on our multiple solutions. Complete software development can also be offered on a case by-case basis,” she explains. Siemens has various solutions for various applications within materials handling. For electrification, there is the innovative SIMINE solutions for mills, conveyors, mobile mining, trolley truck systems and mine hoists. There are also products and solutions for automation systems, which are customised especially for the mining industry. In partnership with MineSense, Siemens also introduced the latest developments in digitalisation. This enables the determination of ore characteristics in real time along conveying systems as well as material and quality management systems.

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

TECHNOLOGY SIMINE Digital Twin expands Among the solutions planned for implementation in 2022 is the Siemens Digital Twin for mining processes. While this has been available for grinding mills for some time, the solution has been extended to incorporate the transportation and crushing portions of the process as well. Dall’Omo explains that the integration of these processes will deliver the next level of operational improvements for mine operators. Artificial intelligence, simulation and interaction with the user (e.g. in order to store and reuse operational experiences) are just a few of the features that are now included in the SIMINE Digital Twin. Dan-Niculae Fodor, head: Minerals Portfolio Management and R&D, Siemens, is leading the development of the technology. “This year, we plan to focus on integrating the major mining processes, which are transportation, crushing and grinding,” he says. “This includes the optimisation of complex mining pit-to-stockyard systems or even just simple belt conveyors. The pilot application, which will start being implemented during 2022 at a mine in the Americas, includes trucks for the first stage of transportation from the pit to the primary crusher, as well as a conveyor line with more than 10 conveyors for the further transport to stockyard.” While grinding mills are complex and their optimisation in isolation can deliver benefits, to realise a step change in production performance and keep downtime to an absolute minimum (both planned and unplanned) requires a process-level approach.

“We’re taking the experiences that we gained with our MES manufacturing execution platform that we developed about seven years ago and applying it to build out our Digital Twin offering for mining,” Fodor explains. “IoT-enabled tools, such as asset health analytics for mills, which help mines reduce their costs and improve the reliability of their equipment, are high on our clients’ agenda at the moment, especially given current high metal prices. Remote operating capabilities are also important in tackling personnel access and travel restrictions resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. These customer requests are some of the major factors that have guided us in developing our latest solutions.” The beauty of working across multiple sectors – including mining, infrastructure and transport – is that Siemens can draw upon and integrate its own expertise to create enhanced solutions and technologies for clients in each of its divisions. Dall’Omo further adds that Siemens now has a huge advantage through offering a full range of solutions for mission-critical mining applications like conveyors and grinding mills. “In addition to providing the software and technologies for automation and digitalisation, we also provide the hardware. Combining our know-how in both areas is incredibly powerful,” she concludes. At Siemens, we want to become a partner to all stakeholders to support them towards a more sustainable economy, by creating sustainable value. It is thereby our highest priority to take leadership towards decarbonisation and responsible business practices as a company and be the technology leader in addressing our customers’ ESG goals and more particular climate change ambitions. In line with the Siemens Carbon Neutral Programme, we have committed ourselves to turn our operations carbon-neutral by 2030. Our goal is clear: all Siemens production facilities and buildings worldwide are to achieve a net zero-carbon footprint by then. This programme does not only benefit humanity and the environment, but also comes with sustainable economic advantages for our company.

www.siemens.com/mining 35

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

TRANSPORT, EQUIPMENT & LOGISTICS

Bridgestone Mining Solutions store moves to Kathu mining town

Earlier this year, Bridgestone Southern Africa (BSAF) relocated its Bridgestone Mining Solutions store within the Northern Cape, from Postmasburg to the mining town of Kathu.

he store’s new site offers Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, such as iTrack 2 and Toolbox, digital systems that ensure tyre safety and efficient usage management, on top of traditional tyre fitment offerings, making it the flagship store in the Mining Solutions network. “This relocation brings us closer to our mining clients in the region, so we can provide them with an enhanced service,” says Anton Wessels, commercial sales director at Bridgestone Southern Africa. Wessels further explains that the iTrack 2 is a specialised technology that is a game changer for tyre safety, and ensures the efficient use of tyres, while maximising productivity for mining clients. In addition to moving closer to existing mining customers and new potential customers (including Mokala Mine and East Manganese, to name a few) – and thus reducing the distance for customers and improving service times – Bridgestone is also looking to enhance the working environment for employees and provide a better customer experience. Furthermore, it hopes to increase

its service offering (including wheel alignment for passenger vehicles) to the general public and customers from the mining industry. Mining solutions store The Bridgestone Mining Solutions flagship store in Kathu seeks to be a trusted single-source supplier of integrated tyre management technologies and solutions, all built on a global heritage of off-the-road tyre performance and innovation. The R10 million investment in the new store is an operation of 15 highly skilled individuals, which is set to increase to 20 over the coming year, with a recruitment drive focused on wheel alignment technicians and tyre repair centre employees. “Over the past year, we saw record demand and prices for gold, platinum, iron ore and even coal, with the industry exceeding expectations,” Wessels explains. “With the economy coming out of a global pandemic, we anticipate even more demand, even as economies transition away from fossil fuels. This move will require resources that will come from resource-rich countries like South Africa.” During various levels of lockdown, mines had to reduce their production output and operated at a lower capacity. Since South Africa gradually moved from lockdown alert level 5 to 1, mines have been ramping up their production. “They will rely on service providers such as Bridgestone to deliver even better service offerings timeously, in order to ensure greater levels of productivity and reduced downtime,” Wessels concludes.

Bridgestone’s new site includes digital systems that ensure tyre safety and efficient usage management

TRANSPORT, EQUIPMENT & LOGISTICS

Stationary Battery Basics:

Jars & Straps Stationary batteries are used constantly while in operation and until depleted, or until the job is done, and then recharged after use

There is so much terminology related to stationary batteries that it’s hard to know what everything means. So, what’s the difference between jars and straps?

ines have a heavy reliance on different types of vehicles used on-site. These include trucks, loaders, bakkies and haulage vehicles, to name a few. Most of these require a battery to function. It therefore becomes important to understand the basics of a battery, as this can influence the overall maintenance of mine vehicles. Let’s look at some different battery types to understand more. Stationary batteries Transportation batteries function as start/stop batteries and the primary discharge occurs when the vehicle is started. After that, it spends the rest of the drive time recharging. Motive power batteries do not operate this way. Instead of only being used to start the machinery, there is a continual discharge. Stationary batteries are used constantly while in

operation and until depleted, or until the job is done, and then recharged after use. What is a jar? A stationary battery jar is a container that holds the cell or group of cells and electrolytes. It is also commonly referred to as a battery case or cell case. Jars are typically made out of some kind of thermoplastic substance. However, hard rubber is sometimes used as well. If the battery contains nickel-cadmium cells, the jar may even be made from steel. Vented lead-acid batteries normally have transparent jars to allow for plate and sediment inspection. What is a strap? A stationary battery strap is a component in a cell that joins plates of like polarity in parallel. It is an electrical conductor that is made of copper. It typically has a lead or tin plating for lead-acid cells. Nickel-cadmium cells require a different connector. They are typically made with nickel-, cadmium-, tin-plated copper, or even steel bar. Occasionally, the strap may be insulated with copper wire or lead (with or without a copper insert) for lead-acid batteries, depending on the manufacturer’s specifications.

Supply chain solutions provider committed to safety and community Scrupulously observing the highest standards in safety and environmental practice, specialist logistics services group Unitrans has established itself as a leading service provider to the mining sector. “Safety is deeply ingrained in our day-to-day operations,” says Kobus Burger, Operations Executive: Mining Division. “We understand the importance mining houses place on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and as a supplier to the industry we are not just obliged, but committed to, meeting and exceeding these targets.” At Unitrans, there is a firm belief in the power of doing. “We have a responsibility towards our customers, our employees, as well as the communities we operate in, to do our utmost towards sustainability, the environment and safety,” says Burger. “These principles guide us in all of our operations.” A safe workplace is a sound business At Unitrans, a proactive approach is taken to safety, especially in the mining environment with its stringent rules and regulations. Training is critical to a safer workplace, says Johan Swanepoel, SHERQ Manager for the Mining Business Unit. “With our in-house training facilities, it is an ongoing activity in our company that supports our culture of safety and ensures a capable workforce, armed with the necessary knowledge and skillset.” The company is committed to the development of its employees and career development is part of the training focus.

A Unitrans female machine operator, on-site and ready to take on the day. “Many of our employees started their careers as general workers and, through our training programme, have upskilled to machine operators and even team leaders.” According to Swanepoel, a wide range of safety protocols are in place to ensure safer operations. “Our vehicles and equipment are equipped with systems such as DriveCam and Drive Alert. Since the introduction of these technologies, we have seen a steady decline of incidents. This has been the case for both on-road and on-mine operations within the Mining Business Unit which includes road-going trucks, as well as heavy off-road mining equipment,” he says. The company is also intent on developing new talent. Its diesel mechanic internship is one example of its ongoing investment in skills development. The current intake has also shown the company’s commitment to gender equality, with four of the five interns being women. Community development For Unitrans it is important to invest in the local economies and talent pools they are operational in. The company is known for hiring from the communities where their operations are based and up to 98% of staff are from the areas where operations are in. According to Burger, more women are being employed across the business - despite mining and logistics traditionally being considered maledominated industries. The company’s ongoing commitment not only to its staff and the communities that it operates in, but also its ongoing focus on safety and the environment, has led to it recently being nominated for the Chairman’s Award of an international mining house, an accolade that is testament to its purpose-driven culture.

Unitrans diesel mechanic interns featuring two women on the internship programme.

w w w. u n i t r a n s . c o . z a +27 21 762 0061

TRANSPORT, EQUIPMENT & LOGISTICS

Meet the world’s lightest 510 t haulage truck Anglo American’s Mogalakwena platinum mine was a hive of activity during the launch of a prototype of the world’s largest hydrogenpowered mine haul truck.

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

TRANSPORT, EQUIPMENT & LOGISTICS

he historical event was attended by several Anglo American executives, partners who worked on the project, and government representatives including President Cyril Ramaphosa and Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe. The 2 MW hydrogen-battery hybrid truck – generating more power than its diesel predecessor and capable of carrying a 290 t payload – is part of Anglo American’s nuGen Zero Emission Haulage Solution (ZEHS). nuGen provides a fully integrated green hydrogen system, consisting of production, fuelling and haulage system, with green hydrogen to be produced at the mine site. nuGen is part of FutureSmart Mining Anglo American’s innovation-led approach to sustainable mining – which brings together technology and digitalisation to drive sustainability outcomes, including a commitment to carbon-neutrality across all operations by 2040. Reducing carbon footprint The truck has been designed to emit only water vapour, making it ideal for reducing carbon emissions on-site. “As a signatory to the Paris Agreement, South Africa is committed to take the necessary actions to transition our economy along a low-carbon, climateresilient, inclusive path,” said Ramaphosa during at the launch. In his opening address at Mining Indaba, Mantashe noted that global targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions entail transitioning away from pollution-emitting combustion engines to greener alternatives that utilise electric or hydrogen fuel cell technologies. “The catalytic convertors that vehicle manufacturers use to reduce or neutralise harmful pollutants from exhaust emissions require PGM metals,” Mantashe said. According to Natascha Viljoen, CEO of Anglo American Platinum, PGMs play an essential catalytic role in many clean-air technologies, including related to hydrogen production and hydrogenfuelled transportation. “By converting our fleet of haul trucks at Mogalakwena to run on hydrogen – a process that we foresee will be done by 2030 – we will cut our carbon emissions by 20% a year at Mogalakwena alone.

President Cyril Ramaphosa got first-hand experience of the hydrogen powered truck during the launch

“The truck has also proved how the mining industry and PGMs specifically can help address societal challenges such as climate change, but also close to my heart is local economic development – closely linked to [a] just transition,” she said. The company also has a sustainable mine plan target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2040. “With diesel emissions from our haul truck fleet accounting for 10-15% of our total scope 1 emissions, this is an important step on our pathway to carbon neutral operations by 2040,” said Duncan Wanblad, CEO of Anglo American. “The mining industry was playing a considerable role in helping the world decarbonise, both through our own emissions footprint and the metals and minerals that we produce that are critical The launch of the nuGen truck to low-carbon energy and transport systems,” is truly remarkable, and it is a huge Wanblad added. milestone on our journey as a country He further explained that towards creating an industry but also in coming years, the mining an economy that is more sustainable, giant planned to convert or replace its current fleet of more innovative and resourceful.” diesel-powered trucks with – President Cyril Ramaphosa the zero-emission haulage system, fuelled with green hydrogen. “If this pilot is successful, we could remove up to 80% of diesel emissions at our open pit mines by rolling this technology across our global fleet.” South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley On the main stage on the first day of Mining

TRANSPORT, EQUIPMENT & LOGISTICS FOLLOW THE LINK Follow this link to see the journey of the nuGen truck from start to finish: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRDcs3FCvP8.

Crunching the numbers of the nuGen ZEHS

510 TONNES

99.97%

800 KW

Fully laden weight of nuGen ZEHS hydrogen-powered ultra-class mine haul truck

Pure hydrogen generated by our 3.5 MW alkaline electrolyser, which produces 700 Nm3 an hour, treated and compressed to 30 bar

1.2 MWH

900 000 LITRES

Size of the battery pack designed, built and tested for the nuGen ZEHS hydrogen-powered ultra-class mine haul truck

Amount of diesel consumed by one haul truck each year

Power generated by the multiple fuel cell modules parallel on the nuGen ZEHS hydrogenpowered ultra-class mine haul truck. Working with suppliers, a software solution has been designed and implemented to safely manage the power and energy between the fuel cells, batteries and vehicle drivetrain

140 MW

800 KG

3.5 KG PER MINUTE

Energy to be generated by hydrogen production, storage and refuelling complex at Mogalakwena that incorporates the largest electrolyser in Africa and a solar PV field to support the 24-hour operation of the nuGen

Nominal on-site storage capacity for hydrogen compressed to 550 bar and stored at 500 bar

Maximum flow rate of hydrogen when it is sub-cooled to -20°C

80% Potential reduction of on-site diesel emissions through the full implementation of nuGen

Indaba, Mantashe proudly shared the groundbreaking innovation with delegates from all over the world. “We unveiled a prototype of the largest world’s hydrogen-powered mine haul truck – nuGen – at the Anglo American Mogalakwena PGMs mine in Limpopo. This is one of the first projects of South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley – an industrial cluster that brings various hydrogen applications to form an integrated hydrogen ecosystem.” The Hydrogen Valley is expected to fast-track the development of a hydrogen economy. Mantashe explained that minerals of the future that Africa has in abundance hold great potential for the continent and can be used in the development of a hydrogen economy. In South Africa, the Department of Science and Innovation along with the South African National Development Institute – in partnership with Anglo American, Bambili Energy and Engie – are looking into opportunities to create this Hydrogen Valley. The proposed area will stretch approximately 835 km from the PGM-rich Bushveld geological area in Limpopo province, along the industrial and commercial corridor to Johannesburg and to the South Coast at Durban. The nuGen ZEHS is one of the first projects for South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley. “The launch of the nuGen truck is truly remarkable, and it is a huge milestone on our journey as a country towards creating an industry but also an economy that is more sustainable, more innovative and resourceful,” Ramaphosa said. He added that the launch of the truck signified the arrival of the hydrogen economy for South Africa. A feasibility study for South Africa’s Hydrogen Valley published in October 2021 identifies three hubs – Johannesburg, extending to Rustenburg and Pretoria; Durban, encompassing the city itself and Richards Bay; and Limpopo province centred around Anglo American’s Mogalakwena PGMs mine – with a fundamental role to play in integrating hydrogen into South Africa’s economy, and in establishing South Africa and its abundant renewable energy resources as a strategically important centre for green hydrogen production. Nine key pilot projects have also been identified across these hubs and are recommended to be prioritised by developers. They span the transport, industrial and construction sectors. “What we are launching here today is not merely an impressive piece of machinery; it is the genesis of an entire ecosystem powered by hydrogen. Our objective is to be the real hub of the green hydrogen production. That is the destination we are moving to,” Ramaphosa added. “I think this is a symbol of something far greater: it is an expression of South Africa’s untapped potential for a hydrogen future powered by clean and renewable energy,” concluded Wanblad.

8TH ANNUAL EDITION

1 - 2 JUNE 2022 www.juniorindaba.com

FOR EXPLORERS, DEVELOPERS & INVESTORS IN JUNIOR MINING Resources 4 Africa is pleased to announce the 8th edition of its annual Junior Indaba taking place on 1st and 2nd June 2022 as both an in-person and an online event. A popular meeting place for junior miners, the Junior Indaba is enjoyed by all for its incisive, informative and frank discussions tackling the challenges and opportunities for exploration and junior mining companies in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa. Topics that will be discussed include: •

Global economic and geopolitical environment and impact on junior mining

•

Outlook for commodities: how are commodity prices faring in 2022 and what will this mean for juniors?

•

What sources of finance are available and how can juniors access these?

•

How do we revive exploration in South Africa and reach the 5% target of global exploration spend in 5 years?

•

How can government policy and regulation be reformed to promote junior mining and exploration?

•

What lessons can be learned from successful junior miners who are already operating in SA and beyond?

•

What are the opportunities for juniors in the energy transition and demand for strategic metals?

Mining Industry Partners:

Sponsor:

For more information please contact, Carina Willemse: Tel: +27 (0) 61 421 9492 Email: carina@resources4africa.com or Stuart Alderson-Smith: Email: stuart@resources4africa.com The 2022 Junior Indaba, for explorers, developers and investors in junior mining, is brought to you by Resources 4 Africa, the organisers of the Joburg Indaba.

HYDROGEN

Howden is a leading global provider of mission-critical air and gas handling products. Based in Glasgow, Scotland, Howden boasts a proud heritage of over 160 years as a world-class application engineering and manufacturing company.

Howden supplied three hydrogen compressors to Hypower for the world’s largest hydrogen refuelling station in Beijing, China

Over a century of hydrogen compression experience

owden manufactures highly engineered fans, compressors, heat exchangers, steam turbines, and other air and gas handling equipment, while providing service and support to customers around the world in highly diversified end-markets and geographies. The company has served the South African market for 70 years, providing mine ventilation and cooling solutions, as well as fans and air heaters to the power generation industry, and compressors and furnace solutions to general industry. Its gas cleaning solutions for flue gas pollution control are used on mine processing plants, power stations and furnaces at industrial plants.

With over 100 years of experience in hydrogen compression, Howden is recognised as a global leader in this area. Compression technologies are a key component across the hydrogen value chain and assist in accelerating an international energy transition. Howden has delivered reliable hydrogen compression solutions to several industry-leading projects around the world and is at the forefront of the space. Its successful projects include the first ever green steel project in Sweden and the world’s largest hydrogen compression solution in Kuwait. Howden’s reputation as a trusted expert is demonstrated by its application expertise, portfolio of renowned

RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

HYDROGEN

Howden reciprocating compressors for hydrogen

product brands, and extensive installed base of reliable technologies. Howden technologies can handle and optimise hydrogen across the value chain – from production to storage, distribution, transmission and end use in refuelling stations and power-to-X applications, among others. Multiple applications Other hydrogen applications to which Howden technologies are suited are pipelines, hydrogen bottle filling, green fuels (e-fuels), green steel and hydrogen liquefaction. Howden’s global reputation is built on its leading product brands. It is home to the most important brands in its field, including reciprocating (diaphragm and piston) and rotary (screw) technologies. Howden compressor technology brands such as Burton Corblin and Thomassen are installed worldwide and deliver to API standards that guide traditional processes in refinery, chemical and industrial premises. Both diaphragm and reciprocating technology are vital in all gas processing. This includes hydrogen in the mobility, industry and energy sectors through the production, distribution, storage and utilisation phases, where safety is paramount.

Addressing industry challenges Howden equipment and specialist teams address customers’ challenges in their industry. The total cost of ownership of operations is minimised through a focus on the full life cycle. Howden works closely with its customers to engineer the right compression solution for their processes and is focused on helping customers increase their air and gas handling efficiency and effectiveness, enabling them to make sustainable improvements in their environmental impact. A key part of the global energy transition is the decarbonisation of transport, with hydrogen offering an important pathway for heavy vehicles and long-distance mobility. Howden compression solutions have been deployed in a large number of hydrogen refuelling stations across the globe, including the world’s largest hydrogen refuelling station, located in China. With demonstrable project experience, Howden can offer engineeredto-order or off-the-shelf solutions that can be deployed at scale, supporting the fast development of station networks.

Equipment for the world’s largest hydrogen compression solution in Kuwait

A containerised diaphragm compressor from Howden

CONTACT For more information, email enquiries@howden.co.za Telephone: +27 (0)11 240 4000 Website: www.howden.com Social media platforms: Facebook: www.facebook.com/grouphowden LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/howden Twitter: www.twitter.com/grouphowden

WEBINAR

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MiningNews webinars will host thought-provoking discussions aimed at ﬁnding solutions to the challenges faced by the mining industry. Our webinars will feature panelists from various areas of the mining sector, all of whom are subject-matter experts in their ﬁeld. Topics discussed in the webinars will provide audiences with insight into industry challenges and how these might be resolved or turned into business opportunities. To maximise audience participation, viewers will be able to interact with our panelists by posing questions and providing feedback through live polling and Q&As.

ENQUIRE: Chilomia Van Wijk t +27 (0)11 233 2600 c +27 (0)83 963 1240 e Chilomia.VanWijk@3smedia.co.za @3SMiningNews

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RESOURCEFUL MINING ISSUE | 2022

HYDROGEN

The African Energy Chamber (AEC) is delighted to announce the launch of the Hydrogen Summit, which will debut at the AEC’s annual conference, African Energy Week (AEW) 2022, taking place from 18 to 21 October 2022, in Cape Town, South Africa.

AEC’s inaugural Hydrogen Summit scheduled for 2022

EW 2022’s Hydrogen Summit will be headlined by industry leaders and executives from both the public and private sectors in Africa’s top, and prospective, hydrogen markets. The Hydrogen Summit will be beneficial to the African continent as it seeks to improve and expand its hydrogen production and use, as well as exports to meet growing energy demand. By leveraging their vast wind and solar energy potential, African countries, including South Africa and Egypt, have the ability to play a leading role in green hydrogen production. Their hydrogen outputs can be used to diversify the energy mix, address renewable energy fluctuations to provide baseload power using clean capacity, decarbonise transportation, and the heating and cooling of buildings while achieving 2050’s zero-emission economies goal. Hydrogen development in Africa The launch of the Hydrogen Summit at AEW 2022 comes at a time African countries are starting to embark on production and infrastructure development initiatives. For instance, the South African government has, through the department

of Higher Education and Science and Innovation, launched the country’s Hydrogen Society Roadmap to ensure skills development, job creation and the development of infrastructure to prepare the South African economy for an influx in hydrogen use – a move that would help decarbonise energy-intensive industries such as steel production. The Roadmap is expected to create 20 000 new jobs during the first years of its implementation, helping the South African economy recover from the impact of the pandemic. Similarly, Uganda’s government, through its Rural Electrification Agency, has kick-started a joint initiative with Belgian firm Tiger Power to construct hydrogenbattery systems for storing renewable energy used to power rural consumers when most needed. “The Hydrogen Summit at AEW 2022 will present an opportunity for African leaders to

NJ Ayuk, executive chairman of the AEC

HYDROGEN translate policy into reality, and for those that have not yet developed hydrogen gas roadmaps and policies to learn from their African counterparts,” comments NJ Ayuk, executive chairman of the AEC. Meanwhile, in Egypt, Welsh-based energy firm H-2 Industries has partnered with the General Authority for Suez Canal Economic Zone to develop a 1 GW waste-to-hydrogen facility. This facility has the capacity to convert 4 million tonnes of organic waste per year into green hydrogen, promoting the circular economy model and diversifying the North African state’s energy portfolio. The hydrogen produced will be used to meet local demand and exported to international markets including Europe, further boosting the country’s export economy. Recently, Namibia has also made significant progress towards green hydrogen expansion. In November 2021, the Namibian government selected Hyphen Hydrogen Energy as its preferred bidder for a US$9.4 billion (R150 billion) green hydrogen project in the Tsau//Khaeb National Park. The project is set to produce approximately 300 000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually and will position Namibia as a globally competitive green hydrogen economy. “All forms of hydrogen will help Africa achieve energy resilience and even help other regions such as Europe – currently facing soaring energy prices due to inadequate gas reserves – to meet reliability goals. But what Africa needs is adequate funding and the right policy frameworks in place. This is

what the Hydrogen Summit at AEW 2022 will be about,” Ayuk adds. Green hydrogen challenges Despite the push to transition to green hydrogen, blue and grey hydrogen markets are expected to remain competitive, as gas will continue to provide a much-needed source to meet energy demand as the transition to renewables intensifies. South Africa’s Sasol is one of the leaders within the blue and grey hydrogen sectors in Africa, with the stateowned firm exporting hydrogen to meet demand in the EU, South Korea and Japan. With Africa seeking to maximise the potential of hydrogen to address energy poverty, energy affordability and access, and decarbonisation and reliability, a number of challenges such as the lack of hydrogen infrastructure and capital are hindering market expansion. AEW 2022 aims to address these challenges, featuring high-level discussions around policy development and enactment, challenges hindering hydrogen take-off, as well as capital attraction and its allocation towards the hydrogen sector of energy markets. These discussions will pave the way for the installation of hydrogen production, storage and transportation infrastructure, as well as increase the demand for hydrogen. Through securing the right investments, Africa will expand its hydrogen market and has the ability to help other regions meet demand for the resource.

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Inside Mining Resourceful Mining 2022

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