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EDITORIAL
Head of Editorial: Jack Salter jack.salter@outpb.com
Deputy Head of Editorial: Lucy Pilgrim lucy.pilgrim@outpb.com
Welcome to our 112th edition of Africa Outlook magazine.
South Africa (SA) is responsible for more than 70 percent of the world’s chrome reserves.
Located in the country’s Bushveld Igneous Complex, which is renowned for its abundance of chrome ore, is Bauba Resources (Pty) Ltd (Bauba).
The diversified mining and exploration company is ideally positioned to prosper as a burgeoning producer of the sought-after resource, which is known for its involvement in the production of stainless steel and therefore accounts for a large percentage of SA’s GDP as a key export.
“Bauba is primarily focused within SA. As such, we have a strong understanding of the local landscape – it’s a case of sticking to our niche and what we know,” outlines Managing Director, Jonathan Knowlden.
An industry stalwart, Fraser Alexander has provided customised solutions to the mining sector for over a century.
The proudly Black-owned South African group provides outsourced services and related infrastructure to move, manage, and add value to minerals, waste, and water.
“Whilst we primarily focus on tailings management, over the years, we have diversified into many other services, including construction, material handling, transportation, mineral processing, water treatment, and more,” shares Lourens De Koning, COO.
Zambian Breweries is equally proud to work with small-scale and direct farmers to grow natural ingredients such as cassava, barley, and sorghum.
The company depends on high-quality agricultural crops to produce the best beers and support the livelihoods of farming communities across the country.
“We have a programme that helps organise the small-scale farmers into cooperatives, buy from them at a fair price, and provide agricultural inputs such as better-performing varieties, fertilisers, and technical extension services support,” informs Country Director, Thais Cavinatto.
Similarly, we have also cultivated the continent to produce exclusive corporate stories from Nguvu Mining, Orica EMEA, WCE Consulting Engineers, and more.
We hope that you enjoy your read.
Jack Salter Head
of Editorial, Outlook Publishing
Telling
72 Fraser Alexander
Transforming Mine Waste into Societal, Environmental, and Economic Value
Providing customised solutions to the mining industry
90 SPH Kundalila
Harnessing Historical Heritage
Experts in opencast mining, crushing, and screening
96 Orica EMEA
Sustainably Mobilising the Earth’s Resources
Innovative and sustainable solutions across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
FOOD & BEVERAGE
122 Zambian Breweries
Cheers to Zambian Beers
Raising a toast to beloved local beverages
CONSTRUCTION
130 WCE Consulting Engineers
Multidisciplinary Masters
World-class consulting and engineering
MANUFACTURING
138 Milkor
Pioneers in Protective Provisions
Visionary turnkey defence solutions
UK BOOSTS NIGERIAN COCOA
MAJOR NIGERIAN AGRIBUSINESS and manufacturing group Johnvents has received a sizeable investment bonus from the UK’s development finance institution, British International Investment.
The USD$40.5 million donation is expected to more than double Johnvents’ cocoa processing capacity to 30,000 metric tonnes per annum.
Given that the majority of Nigeria’s
cocoa output currently stems from small-scale farmers, the investment is hoped to enhance the industry as it continues on an upward trend as one of the nation’s biggest non-oil exporters.
The funding will enable Johnvents to increase its output by upgrading machinery, supporting both the company and Nigeria in achieving their ambitious cocoa targets.
HEALTHCARE
TRUMP’S POLICIES HALT HIV VACCINE DISCOVERY
US PRESIDENT DONALD
Trump’s decision to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has halted the development of a potential HIV vaccine in South Africa. Scientists at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, were expecting to receive the results immanently.
The first round of vaccine tests on rabbits looked promising but remained inconclusive. Therefore, lab technicians tweaked the vaccine before sending it off for new preclinical tests.
However, Trump’s recent decision meant that the development scheme used to set up the HIV vaccine trials, which was entirely funded by a USD$45 million USAID investment, has been jeopardised.
MADICA, A COMPREHENSIVE investment programme for start-ups in Africa, has recently released the latest list of burgeoning businesses embarking on its 18-month development programme.
Featuring a USD$200,000 investment package alongside a tailored curriculum, the programme
includes two fully funded trips to immerse participating company founders in key local and global ecosystems, including Cape Town (South Africa) and London (UK).
Organisations newly enrolled on the programme this year include digital healthcare start-up Medikea, artificial intelligence (AI) health assistant Motherbeing, electric transportation company Pixii Motors, and cutting-edge AI voice solutions provider ToumAI.
BOUGOUNI LITHIUM PROJECT PRODUCES FIRST SPODUMENE CONCENTRATE
KODAL MINERALS’ FLAGSHIP mine site, the Bougouni Lithium Project, has produced its first trace of spodumene concentrate, which will be used to produce lithium.
The mineral was produced during the commissioning phase of the dense media separation (DMS) processing plant, achieved by adding pegmatite ore into the processing circuit.
The concentrate has a lithium oxide (Li2O) grade of 5.53, a promising development at the early stages of
SHELL FACES BACKLASH FROM NIGER DELTA COMMUNITIES
ON THURSDAY 13TH February, Nigeria’s Bille and Ogale communities brought a trial against oil giant, Shell, over claims of ongoing oil pollution in their local area.
The trial, which will be heard until Friday 7th March in London’s High Court, is a pivotal moment in the
the project.
This breakthrough was achieved ahead of schedule and has sparked the ramp-up phase of the DMS processing plant. As such, the mining and processing operation at the site has now commenced round-the-clock.
communities’ fight against Shell since they began campaigning in 2015. One of the fundamental disputes concerns the right to a clean and healthy environment under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).
Shell says it has no legal responsibility for the chronic pollution caused by its subsidiary, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd (SPDC), in the Niger Delta and has so far offered no compensation.
AGRICULTURE
RESEARCH TO IMPROVE SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK OPPORTUNITIES
A RECENT STUDY published in peer-reviewed research journal, Nature Genetics, reveals how harnessing recent advancements in genomic technologies and breeding programmes could improve sustainable livestock opportunities in Africa.
Supported by the African Animal Breeding Network (AABNet), the research paper explores how these efforts could boost food security and improve rural livelihoods across the continent.
An international team led by the Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH) developed the study, with Professor Mizeck Chagunda, Director of CTLGH and co-author of the paper, noting the importance of improving agriculture and livestock opportunities at a time of population growth and a changing climate.
TECHNOLOGY
MOBILE DATA PRICE HIKE IN NIGERIA
AIRTEL, NIGERIA’S SECONDLARGEST telecommunications (telecoms) provider, has revised its pricing structure and implemented a tariff adjustment of up to 50 percent for customers.
The price alteration sees customers paying more for calls, text messages, and internet usage and aligns with ongoing and escalating concerns over operational costs for utilities.
Whilst the company has yet to issue an official statement, the move underscores a broader push amongst telecoms operators for a tariff review to alleviate the impacts of inflation, foreign exchange volatility, and the rising cost of network expansion.
OIL & GAS
Harnessing the Power of Black Soldier Flies for Africa’s Agricultural Future
GBlack soldier flies are an unassuming insect with the potential to revolutionise African agriculture, writes Maya Zaken, co-Founder of Philafeed
Writer: Maya Zaken, co-Founder, Philafeed
rowing up, my grandmother would visit us and spend all her time in the kitchen.
She cooked tirelessly, filling our plates before we even realised we were hungry. It made me uncomfortable. One night, I asked my aunt why my grandmother did this.
“When I was growing up, food was scarce,” my aunt told me. “Bread was a luxury. This is how I show love.”
This was the first time I truly felt the true weight of food inequality – how could my grandmother grow up with so little whilst I had so much?
The second time I had that feeling was whilst volunteering in Kya Sands, South Africa. Week in and week out, we collected money to buy food and
handed it out to children as they lined up in front of us.
One Sunday, as I handed out food, I looked beyond the kids and saw an empty, littered field. It hit me – this land could be feeding them. This was the moment when I began thinking about food systems in Africa.
I had no background in agriculture, so I threw myself into learning about it. With the climate crisis raging, circular solutions to agriculture came up again and again.
That’s when I came across the black soldier fly.
TRANSFORMING FOOD WASTE
I found that these ominously named flies weren’t pests. They didn’t eat as
adults, didn’t spread disease, and only laid eggs near organic waste.
Their real (agricultural) magic starts at the larvae stage, as these voracious juveniles consume food waste at an astonishing rate, converting it into two invaluable resources.
First, their excrement, known as “frass”, is a nutrient-rich organic fertiliser that improves soil health. Second, the larvae themselves, packed with up to 42 percent protein and essential amino acids, offer a sustainable, high-quality alternative to conventional animal feed.
The black solider fly transforms food waste into not one but two powerful agricultural resources and can help cure some of the hidden
costs of our environment-taxing food systems.
Africa’s demand for animal feed is surging. According to the Global Feed Survey 2020, the continent required 43.7 million tonnes of animal feed, a figure set to rise sharply due to population growth and increasing meat consumption.
However, conventional feed production has severe ecological consequences. Industrial feed farming depletes soil, destroys biodiversity, and contributes to deforestation, particularly for soy plantations. Overfishing exacerbates the crisis, as wild fish stocks are drained to produce fishmeal, a primary ingredient in livestock feed.
Meanwhile, food waste remains an immense, underutilised resource. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that one-third of all food produced globally –approximately 1.3 billion tonnes – is wasted each year, contributing to methane emissions that are 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Black soldier fly farming presents a unique opportunity to transform this waste into a regenerative agricultural asset and offers ways to help cure and aid these pressing, existential issues for African farming.
The insect could solve food waste, animal feed, and soil health – all at once.
ADOPTING CIRCULAR SOLUTIONS
The question then became – how do we integrate black soldier flies in a way that drives the greatest systemic change?
seven to 10 days.
The key lies in deploying decentralised, modular rearing units directly on farms. These units are low-cost, off-grid compatible, and adaptable to diverse farming environments, making them particularly well-suited for Africa’s predominantly smallholder farming sector.
By placing black soldier fly farming containers on-site, farmers can harvest larvae and feed them directly to livestock, eliminating the carbonintensive processes of transport, processing, and packaging, typically the most significant cost barriers in feed production.
The resulting closed-loop system enhances productivity whilst reducing reliance on costly imported feeds, synthetic fertilisers, and waste disposal infrastructure.
As momentum builds around sustainable agriculture, there has been a surge in interest for small-scale and decentralised operations. Luckily for Africa, smallholder farms make up the majority of agricultural production.
With more recognition of the power of localised waste-to-resource solutions, there’s a unique opportunity for African farmers to harness the potential of black soldier flies.
60 percent of sub-Saharan Africa’s population is engaged in agriculture; smallholder farms therefore form the backbone of the continent’s food production.
Yet, these farmers often face systemic challenges, including limited access to modern technologies, fertilisers, and infrastructure.
By adopting circular solutions such as black soldier fly farming, they can overcome these hurdles, enhancing food security, soil health, and economic resilience.
The economic case is compelling. A study published in Nature Food in 2021 found that insect-based protein production requires up to 98 percent less land and emits 75 percent fewer
greenhouse gases (GHGs) than traditional livestock farming.
By integrating black soldier flies, African farmers can diversify their revenue streams, reduce waste, and boost farm productivity.
Circular solutions can also help overcome challenges like limited access to modern technologies, fertilisers, and infrastructure, creating more efficient, sustainable farms that support resilient, regenerative food systems for people, soil, and communities.
The future of food isn’t about scaling bigger – it’s about scaling smarter. By embedding solutions where they’re needed most and breaking free from wasteful supply chains, we can transform agriculture from mere production to full regeneration.
And the best part? It’s already happening.
ABOUT THE EXPERT
Maya Zaken is an entrepreneur and sustainability consultant focused on creating circular solutions that promote positive environmental and social impact.
As the co-Founder of Philafeed and part of beVisioneers: The MercedesBenz Fellowship, Zaken has developed innovative systems to tackle food waste and provide sustainable animal feed while regenerating soil health.
TASTE THE ESSENCE OF
Celebrating the richness of African culture whilst sharing the joy of memorable moments, Afrique Vodka brings a taste of Africa to the world. Jayne Doherty and Beverley Annan-Forson, co-Founders of the company, tell us more about their journey, passion, and plans for an inclusive, delicious future
Writer: Lauren Kania
Born out of a shared vision to redefine the premium spirits category with a fresh, African perspective, Afrique Vodka is more than just a luxurious drink crafted with meticulous attention to detail – it is a brand that captures and pays homage to the essence of the continent’s rich and diverse landscapes.
“As Black female founders, we were determined to break into an industry that has traditionally been dominated by a narrow set of voices,” opens Janye Doherty, co-Founder.
“Our journey was about more than creating a great product – it was about challenging norms and opening doors for underrepresented communities in the business world.”
Through the combination of creative instincts and a commitment to excellence, Doherty and fellow co-Founder Beverley Annan-Forson have built a brand that not only makes a statement on the shelf but also serves as a beacon of empowerment and innovation.
With a story that weaves together resilience, a bold vision, and a passion for paving the way for future generations of entrepreneurs, Afrique Vodka is invoking a cultural reset when it comes to how people perceive African dynamism and heritage in the spirits industry.
Having always had a passion for hospitality and storytelling, Doherty’s career began in marketing and communications, where she discovered how food and drink brought people together.
“Over the years, I’ve worked in various areas of the hospitality industry, which only deepened my fascination with creating memorable experiences around a table or a well-crafted cocktail. Ultimately, the food and beverage industry is an ever-evolving canvas allowing for endless creativity and innovation,” she impassions.
Annan-Forson, who started out in childcare, is driven by the positive impact one can make on the world. Whether through supporting children’s development or expressing her creativity in new ways across different sectors, she thrives on bringing people together, regardless of age or background.
“As a vodka enthusiast myself, it felt natural to channel my creativity into crafting a drink that not only delivers exceptional taste but also tells a story, creating memorable experiences for those who enjoy it,” she informs.
“I am incredibly proud to be part of
this change through the creation of Afrique Vodka, a brand that embodies variation, culture, and connection.”
CELEBRATING AFRICAN CULTURE
As a premium spirits brand that celebrates African heritage through innovative flavour profiles and impeccable quality, Afrique Vodka’s
range includes standout variants designed to evoke the vibrant spirit of the continent.
Based in the UK, the brand’s products are currently featured in select high-end venues, speciality retailers, and at events. The company is continuing to expand its presence both locally and internationally whilst appealing to a range of clients, from
discerning cocktail enthusiasts to industry professionals seeking a blend of authenticity and dynamism.
“At Afrique Vodka, our differentiation lies in our deep connection to African heritage and dedication to innovative flavour combinations that you won’t find anywhere else. Every bottle is a celebration of our roots, designed to capture the essence and vibrancy of Africa,” explains Annan-Forson.
Beyond its unique taste profiles, the brand is committed to quality and storytelling, ensuring every sip is an experience that transports the drinker to the heart of Africa.
Additionally, the vodka is crafted from sugar beet instead of the typical wheat base, which not only imparts a distinctive, clean flavour but also renders the product naturally gluten-free.
This blend of cultural authenticity, cutting-edge mixology, and healthconscious production truly serves to set Afrique Vodka apart.
“Our mission is to share the beauty, resilience, and exuberance of African culture with the world. Every bottle is a testament to the rich tapestry of our heritage crafted to evoke joy, celebration, and unity,” prides Doherty.
“AT AFRIQUE VODKA, OUR DIFFERENTIATION LIES IN OUR DEEP CONNECTION TO AFRICAN HERITAGE AND DEDICATION TO INNOVATIVE FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS THAT YOU WON’T FIND ANYWHERE ELSE. EVERY BOTTLE IS A CELEBRATION OF OUR ROOTS, DESIGNED TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE AND VIBRANCY OF AFRICA”
Alongside Afrique Vodka’s dedication to constant innovation and growth, the company is deeply committed to giving back.
It does so by donating a portion of its profits each year to farmers, supporting agriculture in countries across Africa where the company sources its extracts.
This commitment not only empowers local communities but also helps preserve the authenticity and sustainability of the ingredients.
“We believe success should go hand-in-hand with social impact, which is why corporate social responsibility (CSR) is at the heart of our brand,” enlightens Annan-Forson.
Recognising the vital role agriculture plays in sustaining communities and economies, a percentage of Afrique Vodka’s profits is dedicated to supporting foundations that empower farmers, enhance sustainable farming practices, and improve food security.
By investing in these initiatives, the company aims to create long-term change, ensuring those at the core of food and beverage production have the resources and opportunities to thrive.
“For us, Afrique Vodka is more than just a premium spirit – it’s a brand with a purpose. Every bottle sold contributes to a greater mission of fostering growth, sustainability, and empowerment in the communities
“OUR
JOURNEY WAS ABOUT MORE THAN CREATING A GREAT PRODUCT – IT WAS ABOUT CHALLENGING NORMS AND OPENING DOORS FOR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES IN THE BUSINESS WORLD”
– JAYNE DOHERTY, CO-FOUNDER, AFRIQUE VODKA
that matter most,” highlights Doherty.
As the brand continues to look ahead, it is prioritising expanding into new markets, both domestically and internationally, with a specific focus on entering countries such as Ghana and Nigeria.
Equally, it aims to strengthen its distribution channels, launch new flavour innovations, and increase
brand visibility through strategic partnerships and events whilst further investing in CSR initiatives to make a lasting impact in its communities.
“We hope our story can inspire other aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women and people of colour, to pursue their passions despite the obstacles,” concludes Annan-Forson.
AFRIQUE VODKA’S UNIQUE FLAVOURS
AFRIQUE VODKA’S NEWEST PROJECTS AND COLLABORATIONS
• Signature cocktail series – The brand recently launched a series of signature cocktails that have been met with overwhelming enthusiasm by both customers and mixologists. This project showcases the versatility of Afrique Vodka and provides a platform for creative collaborations with top bartenders.
• Exclusive pop-up events – The company has been actively participating in exclusive pop-up events and celebrity collaborations. These events have allowed the brand to engage directly with its audience, gather real-time feedback, and refine its brand experience.
• Digital storytelling campaign –Afrique Vodka is rolling out a new digital campaign focused on the narrative behind the company, highlighting its heritage, the artistry of its product development, and the empowering journey of its founders. This project builds a deeper connection with consumers and amplifies the brand’s unique story.
TAKING ROOT
As the very real threat of desertification looms over much of North Africa as a result of extreme climate change and drought, the Great Green Wall emerges as a living symbol of hope spanning the width of the continent, regenerating land for the benefit of local communities
Writer: Lily Sawyer
In recent years, much of North Africa has seen the quality of arable land significantly decline due to poor management and the impacts of climate change.
One area particularly affected is the Sahel region, situated at the southern edge of the Sahara Desert, which often finds itself battling severe drought.
Meanwhile, a lack of food and ongoing conflict due to dwindling natural resources have led to mass migration, leaving the region
ROOT
trees and developing land-based strategies.
PARTICIPATING COUNTRIES
depleted.
National and regional leaders have therefore come together in the hope of reversing this trend, uniting under the banner of the Great Green Wall (GGW) initiative, launched in 2007 by the African Union.
Spanning 8,000 kilometres across the entire width of the continent, from Senegal to Somalia, the African-led initiative seeks to return life to the Sahel region’s degraded landscapes by planting
An unprecedented and ambitious project, GGW seeks to provide food security and employment for local communities, addressing widely felt concerns surrounding climate change, drought, famine, conflict, and migration.
Currently around 15 percent complete, once finished, the wall will be the Earth’s largest living structure – three times the size of the Great Barrier Reef.
KEY OBJECTIVES
To allow each participating country to address land degradation and climate change from their own local perspectives, GGW uses an integrated landscape approach that promotes biodiversity and regreening, providing both environmental and social benefits.
11 countries across the Sahel and Sahara Desert regions are officially participating in GGW, comprising the Pan-African Agency of the Great Green Wall (PAGGW):
• Djibouti
• Eritrea
• Ethiopia
• Sudan
• Chad
• Niger
• Nigeria
• Mali
• Burkina Faso
• Mauritania
• Senegal
BENEFITS OF GGW – AT A GLANCE
Transforming the lives of millions, GGW is growing more than just trees - it’s growing:
• A new world wonder spanning the width of Africa
• Fertile land for farming and agriculture
• A symbol of hope against poverty
• Food and water security to address widespread hunger and thirst
• Health and well-being for those in poverty
• Gender equity by offering new opportunities for women
• Sustainable energy to power communities
• Green jobs to provide income
• Economic opportunities for small businesses
• A reason to remain in the region, breaking the cycle of migration
• Sustainable consumption patterns to protect the natural environment
• Resilience to climate change
• A symbol of peace in the face of war and displacement
• A symbol of interfaith harmony across the continent
• Strategic partnerships to bolster rural development
By developing local land, soil quality can be enhanced to promote greater crop yields and, in turn, improve the quality of life for communities.
This method provides the necessary momentum to tackle the threat of desertification and degradation of natural ecosystems whilst providing alternative livelihood opportunities for local people.
The specific objectives at the heart of the GGW initiative are to restore 100 million hectares of currently degraded land, sequester 250 million tonnes of carbon, and create 10 million jobs in rural areas.
This will eventually lead to improvements in food security for 20 million people across the Sahel and Sahara Desert regions, supporting the millions of people living in these communities.
Meanwhile, the project also intends to provide 10 million smallholder farmers with access to climateresilient agricultural technologies as part of its key objectives.
ADDRESSING UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
In 2015, UN member states developed a set of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) as part of the organisation’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, an urgent call to action to improve worldwide health and education, reduce inequality, spur economic growth, and, most importantly, tackle climate change.
By growing GGW across the southern edge of the Sahara Desert – one of the poorest regions on the planet impacted by extreme climates – the initiative contributes to an impressive 15 of the 17 UN SDGs including supporting zero hunger, climate action, affordable and clean energy, and reduced inequalities, amongst many others.
As such, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) has initiated a campaign to raise awareness of GGW in the hope of delivering the project’s goals by 2030.
The campaign has so far promoted awareness of the initiative across public spheres, government policy
debates, and media with a view to inspiring long-term public and private investment.
Thus, as emphasised in UNCCD’s campaign, global support for GGW as a compelling symbol of hope and unity in the face of climate change, migration, and resource-driven conflict becomes increasingly important if the future of many North African communities is to be sustained.
CONNECTING CRAFTSMANSHIP WITH A KALEIDOSCOPIC CULTURE
The mass-manufactured African souvenir industry and traditional handicraft sector are increasingly converging, as many tourists opt for cheap replicas of the continent’s historic heritage over authentic originals. We illuminate the impact on local communities and how empowerment is key to preserving traditional practices
Writer: Rachel Carr
Craftsmanship in Africa spans several millennia, with early civilisations creating tools, pottery, textiles, and jewellery using locally available materials such as clay, wood, metal, and plant fibres.
The arrival of European colonisers in the late 19th century led to a decline in production as industrialisation took hold.
However, in the mid-20th century, a resurgence of traditional crafting methods emerged alongside a rise in independence across the continent. This revival highlighted the importance of national identity symbols, such as colours, patterns, and animal representation, for economic development and cultural pride.
As a result, craft cooperatives and initiatives were established to empower artisans, particularly women. Today, African craft traditions continue to evolve in response to global trends and demands, merging original techniques with contemporary designs to appeal to both local and international markets. The rise of e-commerce has further expanded their reach, enabling artists to showcase their products to a global audience.
However, the threat of massproduced imitations poses challenges, with many artisans now focusing on the sustainable and ethical sourcing of their materials alongside adhering to fair trade
principles. This approach helps them make positive contributions to their communities.
Souvenirs have always been closely linked to tourism, especially in countries steeped in cultural heritage. In Africa, the industry has rapidly evolved with a shift towards convenience that has encouraged the mass production of items such as colourful Maasai jewellery, masks, and ebony carvings.
However, the introduction of inauthentic travel trinkets means
that hand-crafted artefacts, made with skill and precision, are losing their historical significance. In an increasingly globalised world with a booming travel industry, souvenir manufacturing thrives.
TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGIES
Ancient African art is highly valued for its decorative and aesthetic qualities and utilitarian uses; therefore, master craftsmen and women held a special status in society where their skills and
expertise were revered.
As an expression of storytelling, these artefacts reflect the rituals and beliefs of various regions and tribes. Different techniques and materials were used, resulting in diverse styles influenced significantly by trade routes and cultural exchanges.
The artistic processes involved in creating cultural crafts require skill as well as an understanding of patterns and symbolism. Intricate techniques such as detailed carving, unique textiles, and complex pottery making
have been passed down through generations, often accompanied by rituals and storytelling, further enriching the overall experience.
Preserving these techniques is vital for maintaining cultural identity and continuity within communities, as many African art forms, such as masks and sculptures, are deeply intertwined with spiritual and religious significance.
Vibrant African beadwork has made a global impact on the fashion and tourism industries, featuring a wide range of traditional techniques from stringing and sewing to looms. The integration of technology has enhanced the process by allowing for custom designs with digital tools, whilst online platforms provide a marketplace for artisans to showcase and sell their work to a broader audience.
Each region and tribe in Africa has unique styles, patterns, and meanings associated with beadwork, serving various functions from social status indicators to fulfilling ceremonial roles. For example, the Zulu people of South Africa (SA) are renowned for their geometrical patterns.
Tourism is crucial to the economic impact of beadwork as travellers seek souvenirs. In places like the
HANDICRAFT AND SOUVENIR INDUSTRY OVERVIEW
• Mass-manufactured souvenirs are a multi-billion-dollar industry, but the handicraft sector also plays a vital role, contributing to five percent of African GDP each year.
• Tourism textiles is one of Africa’s main industries.
• Nigeria’s craft industry is currently underdeveloped despite the rich history of the Benin Bronzes, Adire fabrics of the Yoruba, and the intricate beadwork of the Igbos.
Masai Mara in Kenya and cultural villages in SA, visitors can witness artisans at work and directly purchase authentic items, enhancing cultural understanding and boosting the local economy.
However, one challenge African beadwork artists face is the prevalence of imitation and massproduced merchandise.
Cheap, factory-made replicas flood the market, affecting the income of artists, undermining the value and authenticity of handmade items, and diluting the cultural significance of the craft.
ETHICS AND EMPOWERMENT
Supporting local artisans goes beyond mere purchases; it empowers African communities, promotes economic independence, and enables rural-based female entrepreneurs to foster sustainable livelihoods.
Community groups, such as SATUBO, help with skills and training to improve the quality of life for young people and vulnerable members of society.
SATUBO consists of women from the Samburu, Turkana, and Borana tribes in Northern Kenya who face challenges caused by a lack of education, poverty, and limited
REGIONAL CRAFTS
NORTH AFRICA – Carpet weaving, leatherwork, and embroidery.
SOUTH AFRICA – Beadwork, pottery, and leatherwork.
EAST AFRICA – Beadwork, wood carving, and basketry.
WEST AFRICA – Textiles, beadwork, and weaving.
access to employment opportunities. It was established to empower women and promote sustainable rural development.
In a joint project, SATUBO handcrafted decorations for UK supermarket chain Waitrose, sold as part of Valentine’s Day floral bouquets.
Collaborating with talented groups and individuals not only promotes fair wages but also supports local craftsmanship by prioritising traditional techniques over mass
manufacturing, helping preserve cultural heritage. Additionally, the focus on skills development enables artisans to compete effectively in the global market.
To ensure genuinely authentic African products, sourcing materials is rooted in practices that prioritise community impact. Each product is carefully crafted from high-quality, hand-selected materials, including animal skin and horns sourced in accordance with government regulations.
Artisans also utilise upcycled materials, which helps to reduce waste and contributes to a sustainable future. In contrast, mass-produced products overexploit natural resources, leading to environmental damage.
Tourists found in possession of harmful souvenirs, such as coral or botanical samples, have severe penalties imposed on them by local governments.
CULTURE AND CORPORATE COMMODITIES
The history of craft traditions remains an essential component of Africa’s cultural heritage and economic landscape, continuing to adapt and thrive.
Unfortunately, many tourist traps sell items manufactured in bulk from countries outside of Africa and falsely label them as locally made, misleading visitors seeking authenticity.
Factory-produced souvenirs negatively affect artisans’ livelihoods and diminish the storytelling aspect integral to African art and craft. Many tourists unknowingly purchase these cheap replicas, undermining locals who create handcrafted goods.
When tourism revenue is diverted from communities, it can lead to
economic instability as authentic artisans struggle to compete in a market flooded with massmanufactured souvenirs. Additionally, there are environmental concerns regarding the long-term impact on ecosystems and wildlife, especially in regions where natural resources are already under threat.
Exploitation is also a significant issue when companies copy the work of local artisans without providing compensation, primarily due to a lack of legal protection for the
unique designs created by these craftspeople.
Decorative masks and colourful jewellery produced in factories often demonstrate cultural appropriation as companies profit from African heritage, symbolism, designs, and techniques without truly understanding or honouring their origins.
Furthermore, cultural appropriation creates economic disparities, particularly when large organisations benefit from the sale of replicas,
reducing art to mere trinkets.
Sacrificing quality for cost results in the items lacking durability, causing disappointment for consumers expecting meaningful keepsakes.
There is a growing awareness of the importance of ethical tourism, which encourages travellers to engage directly with artisans and seek handcrafted items from cooperatives in order to support the local economies and help preserve the rich cultural heritage that African art and craft represent.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY
Moving away from international imports with a renewed focus on local manufacturing the Medical Technology Master Plan, we explore the ways in which the South African technology sector is delivering globally competitive, accessible, and Africa-relevant
manufacturing and African medical Africa-relevant offerings
South Africa’s (SA) medical technology (MedTech) industry stands as one of the largest in the continent, yet it has been historically characterised by major dependency on imports from Europe and the US.
Projected to have a revenue of ZAR29.6 billion by the end of 2025, the sector is turning a corner, driven by the introduction of the Medical Technology Master Plan (MEDTECH Master Plan) published in May 2024, which hopes to boost the country’s local MedTech manufacturing capabilities, generate employment, and stimulate access for patients to locally produced technologies in SA and the continent over the next five years.
Indeed, the plan aligns with the government’s continued commitment to delivering more effective healthcare nationwide, as it correlates with the aims of the National Health Insurance (NHI) Act 20 of 2023, which seeks to grant universal access to quality healthcare for all South Africans.
Additionally, the MEDTECH Master Plan represents a push towards local manufacturing and the contributions of small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which will, in turn, expand the nation’s employment opportunities by over 1,000 jobs, increase the need for domestic products and a skilled workforce, and strengthen the sovereignty of African health systems.
The MEDTECH Master Plan also promotes the country’s international competitiveness, as the increased productivity will supply global markets, cementing SA as a key player in the MedTech landscape.
Going forwards, SA’s MedTech industry hopes to welcome the efficiencies of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI) into the fold, advancing healthcare offerings and remaining up-to-date and internationally competitive.
THE MEDTECH MASTER PLAN’S STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
• Grow a proficient and competitive MedTech industry over the next three years, with a special focus on small business development, which will supply domestic and international markets.
• Reduce SA’s trade deficit by five percent over the next five years.
• Generate employment and build productive and technical skills with the aim of creating 1,000 new jobs over the next three years.
• To digitise and use AI to enable proficient regulatory processes.
SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INTERVIEW:
Tanya Vogt, Executive Officer of the South African Medical Technology Industry Association (SAMED), provides an update on how the sector and the wider healthcare landscape have evolved since we last spoke to the organisation 18 months ago
Comprising a membership of manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers, ranging from small businesses to large corporations, SAMED has diligently represented the South African MedTech sector for 40 years. As well as advocating for the industry to government and international markets, the association helps tackle extensive challenges.
Most recently, SAMED has been helping steer the direction of the MEDTECH Master Plan in support of its members and the local MedTech manufacturing sector.
Africa Outlook (AO): Firstly, how has SAMED has grown since we last spoke to the association in August 2023?
Tanya Vogt, Executive Officer (TV): We have seen an increase in the number of companies joining SAMED, particularly small and to medium-sized black-owned companies.
In SA, we have a piece of legislation called Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE), which was implemented at the dawn of democracy to boost the economy and ensure people who were previously disadvantaged can benefit from it, so that’s been quite exciting.
We are seeing smaller companies, primarily distributors and wholesalers of MedTech, join the association.
AO: How has the delivery of patient care and the MedTech sector in SA evolved over the last 18 months?
TV: We have two healthcare sectors in SA - a public sector and a private sector. There have been challenges on both sides.
For the MedTech sector, a key and ongoing challenge is the extent of government debt. In the public sector, we are still seeing rising debt owed to our member companies across a number of provinces over a long-term period. There are some provinces that are doing a bit better than others, but that continues to be something that SAMED is focusing on with the provincial departments of health, National Treasury, and National Department of Health to draw attention to the matter and ensure the sustainability of the sector to keep up with patient needs and improve patient outcomes.
In the private sector, due to SA’s political nuances, we are also seeing the exchange rate improve, which can be somewhat attributed to the creation of the Government of National Unity (GNU) after last year’s elections.
As the majority of MedTech is imported into the country and continent more broadly, an improvement in the exchange rate impacts the profitability of our members.
However, we are also seeing a concerted push by funders – in our case, the medical schemes and private sector procurers – for healthcare providers to reduce costs as they want to make sure they can provide the best quality and most affordable care but still make a profit to ensure business sustainability.
So, although we are seeing a squeeze on margins, I would say that the MedTech market in sub-Saharan Africa is still profitable and seeing growth. Our government, as well as the private sector, are keen to embrace innovation in the sector.
Medical devices that utilise AI, robotics, and digital healthcare are also on the rise. It might not be as embraced compared to what’s happening in the US or Europe, but
we are certainly seeing more procurers talking about these types of innovations and the need for them to transform healthcare and bring about efficiency.
Elsewhere, our NHI Act was finally passed, and although there has been resistance to it by many stakeholders, we are starting to see the National Department of Health begin to implement aspects of the act that will, in time, transform the healthcare system.
We have also heard that work is going to be started on the development of an essential equipment list, which will include medical devices and in vitro diagnostics (IVDs). This will form the basis of package services and products procured under the NHI Act.
I’m aware of increasing economic opportunities, particularly in the countries surrounding SA, which include ease of trade and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement that many of the continent’s countries have signed up to.
Although the required processes and systems have not yet been formulated and implemented, there is a greater awareness that African countries can work with one another, easing trade and the cost of doing business, including the much-needed strengthening of cross-border regulatory approval and standardisation practices which are of significant material impact on suppliers. We support the greater focus being given to buying and producing locally.
SAMED conference
AO: A key part of the industry’s future centres around the South African government’s recently announced MEDTECH Master Plan. How do you think this will aid the sector’s development?
TV: SA’s government and the MedTech industry recently adopted the MEDTECH Master Plan, and we have a project manager who is supporting its implementation.
The goal is to grow and boost the local manufacturing MedTech sector. How do we grow the existing local manufacturing industry, which is quite small in comparison to the number of imports? How do we ensure that, as a country and health system, we are not totally dependent on imported MedTech products?
SA previously had a very strong and thriving local manufacturing sector in MedTech, but over the years, because of the cost of doing business, it became increasingly uncompetitive compared to international imports.
The challenge with that is when you are so focused on exclusively importing and distributing, you don’t develop the skills that you need in order to innovate, manufacture, and encourage R&D. Suppliers and company representatives tend to focus more on marketing and sales compliance, rather than the ongoing need to localise and sustain technical engineering skills and sharing of knowledge. So, by boosting the local industry, we will be developing a foundation of people who are more technically skilled in quality manufacturing, regulatory compliance, relevant MedTech solutions for our burden of disease, and innovation that drives momentum forwards. If the country is to succeed at being a manufacturing hub for MedTech, we can’t just produce for local consumption; we now also need an export market. If you’re going to export out of SA, you need to be aware of the regulatory
“BY BOOSTING THE LOCAL INDUSTRY, WE WILL BE DEVELOPING A FOUNDATION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MORE TECHNICALLY SKILLED IN QUALITY MANUFACTURING, REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, RELEVANT MEDTECH SOLUTIONS FOR OUR BURDEN OF DISEASE, AND INNOVATION THAT DRIVES MOMENTUM FORWARDS”
– TANYA VOGT, EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
requirements and be able to meet them. Therefore, I think this is a wonderful opportunity to encourage the growth of skills, knowledge, and experience that are authentic and organic within the context of national and continental health and socioeconomic goals.
SA has quite an interesting legacy of some very innovative MedTech. We were the first country to conduct a heart transplant, for example. More recently, SA developed a 3D titanium ear implant, so there are a number of innovations that have come about that I think we can be really proud of. African communities and health systems, including the MedTech sector, have played a key role in the R&D, regulatory, and market access processes related to continental and global solutions that can tackle epidemics and environmental determinants of health like HIV, tuberculosis, antimicrobial resistance, and climate change.
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X-ray Modalities
General X-rays
General x-rays are used when we take one single image of an anatomy (body part). We acquire the image by using a certain exposure for each anatomy. General x-rays are usually the first line of medical imaging when querying most diagnoses.
Fluoroscopy
Fluoroscopy uses radiation to capture live images, like a video which can be recorded. This procedure requires contract media which is a liquid that highlights the pathway into which it is inserted. Images are then taken as the contract media moves through those structures and any abnormalities can be seen.
Computer Tomography
Also known as a CT scan. It is usually the second or third modality used to further investigate a diagnosis that is in query or even to follow up and monitor a diagnosis. It provides more detail than a general x-ray because the x-ray tube rotates 360 degrees and provides cross sectional images.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Also known as an MRI. This imaging uses magnets and radio waves to form images. It provides better detail in terms of di erentiating between tissues in the body, however, it is time consuming and patients with pacemakers and implanted devices cannot do it.
Mammography
It is used to analyse and diagnose breast cancer. It uses low radiation and has high sensitivity, meaning it can detect abnormalities - improved contrast, reduced motion, reduced scatter and improved muscle visualisation.
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“THE PLAN IS GOING TO FOCUS A LOT ON HOW TO CREATE AN ECOSYSTEM THAT IS VERY CONDUCIVE TO GROWING LOCAL MANUFACTURERS AND HOW WE GET GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE SECTORS TO GIVE PREFERENCE TO LOCALLY MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS”
– TANYA VOGT, EXECUTIVE OFFICER, SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
On top of this, the African MedTech market is different; there are nuances you won’t find anywhere else. Disease burden, for example, varies across the continent, and even sometimes within countries, compared to what you would find in Europe or the US. The climate and people’s physiologies are also different. Therefore, there are many nuances that aren’t taken into account when importing MedTech products, so there can sometimes be a mismatch.
When you start developing, innovating, and producing locally, it supports an ecosystem that you don’t find in imported products developed in a different continent. In some African countries, limited infrastructure, vast rural areas, and a lack of available clean water points towards nuances of our continent that I think will spearhead
innovative health solutions, which I don’t think would have happened if there weren’t those differences.
We are also seeing innovations in the use of digital technologies. Drones, for example, are being used to deliver medical devices and pharmaceuticals to outlying communities where it is potentially very difficult for people to travel to a health facility.
We are also seeing remote monitoring and the need to store products at a particular temperature. In a country where you don’t necessarily have all those temperature control facilities, how do you innovate to work around that? So, I think there are exciting times ahead of us.
AO: In what ways will the association support its members to meet the objectives of the MEDTECH Master Plan?
TV: We will be playing a key role in helping to drive the plan. We are supporting it through funding and participating in the steering committee that will be responsible for management and implementation. Consequently, we will play an active role in the required structures.
Part of our added value is that we keep our members in the loop. This includes giving our members the opportunity to share information, provide their inputs, and gather data, which is pertinent to influencing policies, projects, and incentives.
Overall, we will have a driving role in facilitation, collaboration, and information sharing.
SAMED members at conference
AO: How do you think the MEDTECH Master Plan will help SAMED achieve its future goals, particularly regarding access to industry innovation and environmental, social, and governance practices (ESG)?
TV: SAMED has just embarked on a project to lead women inclusion and empowerment within the industry.
Our Women Empowerment Index tracks and strengthens gender representation in what was traditionally a male-led environment. SAMED’s Data with Integrity platform is a tool to gather our members’ data, through which we can track their progress compared to the aggregate. We would like to see stakeholders participating in the MEDTECH Master Plan embrace this so that it’s not just SAMED members who are involved.
One of the metrics we are measuring through the Women Empowerment Index is around female ownership, development, and renumeration, particularly amongst young women who face specific challenges regarding access to education, healthcare, and employment. Each of those three key pillars has its own sub-metrics that companies are weighted and scored on overtime so that, as an organisation, they can then identify areas for improvement.
In terms of environmental practices, we still have a way to go. There is some legislation that has been passed around waste management, but I think there is still more to do. The plan is going to focus a lot on how to create an ecosystem that is very conducive to growing local manufacturers and how we get government and private sectors to give preference to locally manufactured products. It would also be good for the private and public sectors to provide incentives that are developed specifically for MedTech, as well as introducing subsidisation and standards around manufacturing that are aligned with ESG principles and sustainable development goals (SDGs).
In terms of the development of innovative Medtech, I think there’s a lot that needs to be done for the sector to be in everyone’s best interests. We need to find a system that not only grows the local economy but allows for imports and innovative MedTech products and knowledge to continue to find their way to market and patients – and inspire future solutions.
The MEDTECH Master Plan is also going to provide a lot of data that, up until now, we didn’t have on hand to enable us to make key decisions and implement projects. It will also bring together all the healthcare parties so that we don’t work in silos. It’s not just the trade association that’s now trying to engage in Medtech matters; the role of our industry in healthcare delivery and economic development has been recognised, which enables the government, regulators, and a whole host of other stakeholders to work together towards a common vision, and I think that’s where the plan’s strength lies.
AO: Last time we spoke, you mentioned SAMED’s Data with Integrity initiative. Has the association reached any of the objectives it set out for this?
TV: We have continued to develop the Data with Integrity platform and use it for our Women Empowerment Index and to help curb the extent of government debt. We do have some other data that we’ve used it for, such as the submissions to our regulator, the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), on ISO 13485 readiness, which will become a mandatory requirement for medical device companies in SA by April 2025. Regardless of whether you’re a manufacturer or distributor, companies will need ISO 13485 certification in place in order to apply for or renew their current licence.
We’ve also used the Data with Integrity platform to gather information on employment equity and labourrelated statistics for submissions to government ministries.
AO: Finally, how do you see the MedTech industry and delivery of patient care in SA evolving over the next decade?
TV: I think it’s going to become more scientific and datadriven, evolving into a greater value-based and evidencebased system. There is also going to be a greater focus and expectation on procurers, healthcare providers, and suppliers of healthcare products to put evidence behind and track their progress and success. The trajectory that we have been on so far is unaffordable. SA’s private market funded by medical schemes is growing, but at a very low rate, and that’s not sustainable.
Private healthcare is also becoming more expensive and is in need of review to see how we can bring access to healthcare to more people at an affordable price. Under the NHI Act, there are going to be some major changes around how healthcare is delivered and possibly even practiced. I’ve already seen some alternative communitybased models; you have these pockets of service and delivery where it’s no longer just a GP on their own, but a GP, a physiotherapist, and a dietician. So, professionals are more allied and have formed a consortium to provide healthcare in a less fragmented and more cost-efficient and patient-oriented manner.
MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION samed.org.za
SOUTH AFRICAN
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With a strong commitment to low-cost mining, robust shareholder returns, resilience, and care for its local environment and communities, Bauba Resources (Pty) Ltd emerges as a mining company with a difference. Jonathan Knowlden, Managing Director, discusses the company’s recent activities against the backdrop of a continuously fluctuating South African socioeconomic landscape
Writer: Lily Sawyer | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold
TELLING A NEW STORY ABOUT MINING
Responsible for more than 70 percent of the world’s chrome reserves, South Africa (SA) has historically been recognised as a key player in the global mining industry.
Located in the Bushveld Igneous Complex (Bushveld Complex), which is renowned for its abundance of chrome ore, Bauba Resources (Pty) Ltd (Bauba) is a diversified mining and exploration company ideally positioned to prosper as a burgeoning producer of the sought-after mineral. This abundant resource is known for its involvement in the production of stainless steel, accounting for a large percentage of the country’s GDP as a key export. However, despite the
chrome industry’s crucial contribution to SA’s economy, the journey from mine to market has not been without its challenges.
Amongst others, some of these challenges include rival community groups, sometimes violent and activist movements that have caused turbulence for the company’s operations, alongside delayed licensing that resulted in postponed production.
Meanwhile, a dysfunctional supply chain and electricity supply issues, such as loadshedding and planned power outages caused by the ongoing energy crisis, have caused further challenges for both Bauba and the wider industry.
Despite the challenges, the company believes there are abundant opportunities in the region and remains optimistic about the future.
“Bauba is primarily focused within SA. As such, we have a strong understanding of the local landscape – it’s a case of sticking to our niche and what we know,” introduces Jonathan Knowlden, Managing Director.
Whilst the company is a junior miner, perhaps without the clout or resources of bigger, more established mining companies in the region such as Samancor and Glencore, Bauba is well-placed to succeed with Knowlden at the helm.
MINING
“In my view, SA still has secure tenure, political stability, and limited unknowns,” he reflects.
Optimism is returning to the region with the new Government of National Unity (GNU), which has made progress by negotiating a break in loadshedding and reduced pressures from business forums and construction mafias threatening potential extortion.
“Prior to last year’s elections, I was concerned that the construction
mafia model was expanding and diversifying beyond the construction industry and into mining. This has taken a step backwards and I have not seen this materialise,” Knowlden comments.
All this perceived pessimism has so far deterred external investors, creating opportunities for Bauba to thrive due to its glass-half-full mentality and ability to navigate the continuously evolving landscape.
AFRICA OUTLOOK: HOW DO YOU SEE THE RECENT PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSNET FREIGHT RAIL (TFR) IMPROVING TRANSPORT LINKS FOR YOUR KEY COMMODITIES AND EXPORTS, ESPECIALLY CHROME ORE?
Jonathan Knowlden, Managing Director: “Before I get too excited about TFR, I would like to see some tangible action beyond just words.
“Whilst Bauba has a rail siding at our Kookfontein operation, just 500 metres (m) from the plant, it is not currently in use. Instead, we are having to truck some of our product as far as Maputo, as opposed to Durban or Richards Bay, because of TFR challenges.
“Trucking our product to Maputo instead of Durban adds an additional ZAR250 per tonne in landside costs. If we were able to transport out of our existing Kookfontein siding via TFR, our cost savings would be in the region of ZAR20 million per month.”
A BRIEF HISTORY
Incorporated in 1986, and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) in September 2010, Bauba began as a platinum exploration company known as Bauba Platinum Limited.
The company initially benefitted from the 2008 platinum boom in SA, driven by rising demand for the material from the automotive industry amongst other factors.
“Together with the Bapedi Nation, Bauba Platinum Limited was granted significant deep-level platinum exploration rights in the Bushveld Complex which, at the time, carried significant value,” Knowlden reveals.
However, the market crashed later that year, which meant deep level platinum mining was no longer as attractive a prospect to investors. To this day, the market has not recovered to anywhere near the levels of 2008.
Meanwhile, sentiment towards the wider SA investment climate continued to sour. With the development of Bauba Platinum Limited’s platinum project stalling as value continued to diminish, the company had no choice but to seek an alternative cash-generating business.
As many of the organisation’s board and shareholders at the time were experienced chrome miners, Bauba Platinum Limited decided to pivot into mining chrome ore. In terms of geology, the Bushveld Complex’s chrome resources were right beside its platinum group metal (PGM) resources, which made for a straightforward transition.
In 2015, the company finalised a transaction acquiring the Moeijelijk Chrome Mine (Moeijelijk), consolidating its transition into the sector. With its high-grade deposit and limited life of mine, Moeijelijk presented the perfect catalyst for chrome exploration activities.
“We wanted to build on the success of Moeijelijk and have used it as a springboard to hunt for further opencast chrome opportunities,” he informs us.
In 2019, Bauba Platinum Limited officially changed its name to Bauba Resources Limited in keeping with its new agenda.
DEVELOPING KOOKFONTEIN
Building on its initial success in chrome mining, Bauba’s operations have since expanded exponentially. Today, it has established and operates two mines, Moeijelijk and the Kookfontein Chrome Project (Kookfontein), with a third, the Naboom Chrome Project (Naboom), currently underway.
Kookfontein is a large opencast primary chrome ore mine that has been in production since October 2021. Today, it predominantly mines Middle Group (MG) chrome ore seams that contain significant values
of chrome and PGMs. Located near Rustenburg in the North West province, Kookfontein is a shallow resource with a low strip rate that translates into a low mining cost.
“Whilst awaiting licensing for the MG chromitite reefs, which are primarily mined for chrome but also yield PGMs as a by-product, we initiated limited opencast extraction of the Upper Group 2 (UG2) chromite reef at Kookfontein. The UG2 is a chromitite reef extensively mined in the Bushveld Complex, known for its high PGM concentrations, with chrome recovered as a by-product. This allowed us to capitalise on strong PGM prices at the time whilst making use of the available chrome production.” Knowlden explains.
Unlike UG2 ore processing, chrome is the main commodity in MG and Lower Group (LG) chromitite reefs and PGMs are secondary. In practical terms, UG2 PGM mining drives the economics, and chrome recovery is a beneficial by-product, helping offset costs.
The MG chrome seams licences were subsequently granted in April 2023, with mining of the seams commencing in mid-2023.
A year later, Kookfontein’s mineral resource measured 35.3 million tonnes (mt) at a chromium oxide (Cr2O3) grade of 29.32 percent, and 1.39 grams per tonne (g/t) of platinum, palladium, rhodium, and gold (4E PGM).
Today, with an operational 80 kilotonnes per month (ktpm) chrome spiral wash plant, complete with an associated crushing circuit and tailings storage facility (TSF) producing metallurgical chrome concentrate, Kookfontein primarily exports chrome to China to be used in stainless steel production.
In addition, the construction of a PGM flotation plant is currently underway, with planned commissioning to commence in Q2 2025. The plant has a throughput design of 30 ktpm with an expected future production of 1,500 ounces (oz) of 4E PGM per month.
CONNECTING GLOBAL MARKETS TO AFRICAN COMMODITIES
Pelagic Resources (Pelagic) has secured a meaningful position in the Southern Africa mining community, supported by robust management, middle and back-office functions in Singapore, and a best-in-class marketing team in China.
Established in 2016, the Pelagic Resources Group is a global physical commodity merchant focused on the origination, financing, and transformation of raw materials required as inputs into specialist steel manufacturing, grid scale battery, and electric vehicle (EV) related industries.
The company enjoys broad support from a variety of partnerships it has successfully developed over the years with an internationally diverse range of suppliers, banks, international trading companies, state owned enterprises and end users.
Today, Pelagic not only offers principal origination of physical commodities for its end use customers, but it also offers end users and traders, via an integrated platform, the opportunity to virtually extend their existing infrastructure to efficiently access African markets, supply chains and financing solutions for the movement of goods from source to marketplace.
DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE
Pelagic hires the ‘right talent’ so it can deliver the best service. As such, the company looks for people with a range of backgrounds, including industrial distribution management, business and finance supply chain, operations, sales, and marketing.
Above all, it seeks people with high energy, enthusiasm, a passion to challenge how things are done, and the
confidence and aptitude to improve them.
“We maintain access to real-time information and unique insights into the critical industrial production part of the commodity value chain, thereby understanding potential market demands and structuring trade and product flow accordingly.”
ORIGINATION
Originating physical commodities and products from its diverse supplier base in Africa, Pelagic provides full supply chain solutions, delivering products to global end use markets.
Via the company’s physical presence in sourcing and end use markets, it maintains access to real-time insights into a strategic industrial value chain, allowing Pelagic to manage risk and ensure timely delivery of cargos to its entire customer base.
EXPERTS IN INVESTMENT
Pelagic specialises in origination, development, and execution of natural resource targets as proprietary asset development strategies or as co-investment projects with its operating partners. At present the company has dedicated investment vehicles focused on the allocation of risk capital to investment projects. The overall focus is on providing debt and equity solutions to strategic resource owners where Pelagic can add value both as an investment partner and supply chain solution provider.
• The company undertakes risk managed, discovery, development, and mining of commercially viable
concentrations of minerals and metals.
• Pelagic focuses on acquiring mispriced upstream real asset opportunities that require low capex and offer high margins with low technical risk.
TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS
Pelagic has developed a successful track record deploying equity and debt facilities into mine development and operating assets. The company’s global presence and expert market knowledge allow it to develop direct relationships with miners and producers globally and to source metals proactively and cost effectively.
This enviable track record of success includes:
• Funding of principal acquisitions and development of greenfield resource projects.
• Co-investment of proprietary equity alongside operating partners.
• Deployment of development finance to miners for expansion of existing operations.
• Structured trade and working capital solutions for existing and new mining operations.
GLOBAL LOCATIONS
Pelagic’s global footprint makes it an agile player to interact between high-growth supply and demand regions. Pelagic now has offices based in strategic locations (South Africa, Mauritius, Singapore, China, and Zimbabwe) where its bulk materials are sourced, financed, and consumed by endusers.
“These PGMs will be produced from the credits in our tailings, only carrying an additional processing cost and will, therefore, add significant value to our operation,” he insights.
So far, Bauba has invested significant upfront capital of around ZAR820 million into Kookfontein, which includes funding the TSF, PGM flotation plant, chrome plant, opening of the pit, and other infrastructure. This operation will generate benefits for the remaining life of mine, which is currently approximated to be Q1 2035.
LEVERAGING SUCCESS
Initially established in 2015 as an opencast mine, followed by the development of an underground operation that commenced in 2018, Moeijelijk is located south of Polokwane in the Limpopo province on the northeastern limb of the Bushveld Complex.
Delivering chrome concentrate globally from its wash plant, Moeijelijk’s focus is on producing speciality grade concentrates such as foundry sand, chemical grade concentrates of more than 46
“WE’RE NOT ONLY FOSTERING ETHICAL GOVERNANCE BUT ALSO MAKING A MEANINGFUL IMPACT TO THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE”
– JONATHAN KNOWLDEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BAUBA RESOURCES (PTY) LTD
percent Cr2O3, and metallurgical grade concentrates of more than 44 percent Cr2O3 – each of which attract pricing premiums when compared to traditional MG and UG2 metallurgical concentrates.
Originally commencing as a conventional stoping mine with mechanised development, underground mining at Moeijelijk has recently transitioned to a fully mechanised bord and pillar mining method. This facilitates the mining of full Lower Grade 6 (LG6) and LG6A chromite layers, with ore being transported to the surface via an underground conveyor system.
A third future mine, Naboom, was recently acquired from Minmetals for a purchase price of ZAR100 million.
Located 55 kilometres (km) south of Polokwane, Naboom has significant opencast resources with high grades of 31.1mt at a Cr2O3 grade of 35.63 percent and 1.99g/t 4E PGMs. Thick MG0 to MG4 seams are also present at this site, and the planned opencast pit is approximately three km in length and 200m in width.
“This project has a much higher grade of ore than Kookfontein but lower planned opencast tonnages. Following the success of Kookfontein, we are excited about the future prospects of this new venture,” Knowlden excites.
Whilst there is an underground resource present at Naboom, this is not something the company currently plans to develop.
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“We have also just been awarded a water use license, which was previously preventing mining from commencing. As a result, we are now planning our site establishment, which we are excited about,” he adds.
Overall, including mining contractors, Bauba’s headcount for its Kookfontein, Moeijelijk, and head office sites amounts to around 1,900 – a number that is only set to increase as Naboom progresses, positively impacting local job creation.
BAUBA’S 10-YEAR VISION
With the success of its business, Bauba has achieved an ambitious 10-year target set in 2018 to have three primary chrome operations focusing on co-product revenue generated from both chrome and PGMs.
“Each of these projects needed to be capital-light and developed in phases with a short payback to manage our limited capital,” Knowlden discloses.
At the time, SA’s monopoly on global chrome ore had seen it supply over 80 percent of Chinese imports, the world’s most dominant consumer of the material, which was an attractive prospect for Bauba.
As an industry that was invulnerable to international competition, chrome, therefore, presented natural, long-term economic security for the company against ongoing inefficiencies in the region’s supply chain and from the Electricity Supply Commission (Eskom).
“We have also targeted opencast primary chrome ore resources as our niche, as this model doesn’t fit the investment criteria of the bigger miners,” he adds.
When Bauba initially set out to achieve its 10-year vision, it was owned by shareholders with limited funding.
Thus, to grow the business beyond Moeijelijk, which it had acquired in 2015, the company recognised that
“IN MY VIEW, SA STILL HAS SECURE TENURE, POLITICAL STABILITY, AND LIMITED UNKNOWNS”
– JONATHAN KNOWLDEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BAUBA RESOURCES (PTY) LTD
strategic shareholders with capacity to provide the requisite support were required.
Pelagic Resources (Pelagic) was the first strategic shareholder, followed by leading SA infrastructure development and construction materials supply group, Raubex Group Limited (Raubex), which emerged as the ideal candidate.
Listed on the JSE, Raubex has become a strategic shareholder for Bauba since the acquisition was completed in 2022.
“Without Raubex and Pelagic we wouldn’t have made such solid progress towards our 10-year vision,” Knowlden reflects.
The company’s next steps
towards achieving these targets are to complete the PGM plant at Kookfontein before developing Naboom in a similar way, with plans to implement a chrome spiral wash plant, PGM flotation plant, and TSF.
“We will leverage the close proximity of our Moeijelijk and Naboom operations by processing Moeijelijk’s rich tailings at the Naboom facility,” he details.
Today, Bauba’s combined mineral resources across its assets stands at 71mt of chrome with a Cr2O3 grade of 32.86 percent and 1.67g/t 4E PGM – a massive leap from the 6mt of Moeijelijk LG6 at 42 percent Cr2O3 and no recognised PGM resources in 2018.
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– Various Sizes (Low and High Chrome)
Container Laboratories Lead and Dust Extraction Systems
On/Off Site Metallurgical Test Work
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Laboratory Equipment and Consumables
BAUBA’S CORE VALUES
SAFETY – With safety as a priority, the company maintains that all injuries are preventable.
INTEGRITY – By carrying out its promises and always acknowledging any mistakes, Bauba ensures it remains fair and honest and does what is right.
PERFORMANCE – The company remains focused on delivering on time, within budget, and generating revenue whilst expanding and increasing efficiency.
RESPECT – By driving its people towards one shared vision and focus, and relying on each other’s strengths, Bauba treats people with respect and dignity.
AGILITY – Flexible and responsive, the company acts fast.
“We still think there are a lot more opportunities, but we must first bed down what we have before acquiring any further projects,” Knowlden notes.
TELLING A NEW STORY
At the heart of Bauba’s operations lies a profound commitment to the communities it serves. Indeed, the company strives to do things differently through a more entrepreneurial, harmonious, and inclusive approach, seeking to establish an empowering and fulfilling work environment for its people.
“Our approach goes beyond mere compliance, and this is demonstrated across our projects where we ensure that the local community has meaningful participation,” Knowlden tells us.
At Kookfontein, for example, the Royal Bafokeng Nation (RBN), a Setswana-speaking traditional community and quasi-municipality, is a 26 percent shareholder. Meanwhile, Moeijelijk is 26 percent owned by the Bapedi Nation, and at Naboom, the Mphahlele Community Development
Trust is an 18 percent shareholder.
“Our approach is very different from having one or two key broadbased black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) industrialist shareholders at holding company level, and lower participation at the operating level,” he prides.
Bauba recognises that local procurement and employee development are not just checkbox exercises. In this way, when commencing a project, the company identifies all possible community spending that can be done locally and pushes for this where feasible.
“For instance, at Kookfontein, approximately 50 percent of our spend is local, whilst on the personnel side, about 75 percent of our job roles are filled by members of the local community.”
From an agility standpoint, when Bauba acquired Kookfontein in 2021, it was a greenfield project with limited explored resources and low grades. Since then, the company has extensively drilled the mine, growing the resource from 10.5mt at 26.1
“OUR APPROACH GOES BEYOND MERE COMPLIANCE, AND THIS IS DEMONSTRATED ACROSS OUR PROJECTS WHERE WE ENSURE THAT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY HAS MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION”
– JONATHAN KNOWLDEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BAUBA RESOURCES (PTY) LTD
BAUBA’S BUSINESS FOCUS, VISION, AND STRATEGY
BUSINESS FOCUS – Create value from its chrome operations and continue the exploration, evaluation, and development of Bauba’s platinum project.
VISION – Continue to expand and diversify.
STRATEGY – Reward its shareholders, employees, and local communities by delivering low-cost, high-return natural resources. The company seeks to achieve this through its efficient and responsible mining practices.
percent Cr2O3 and 1.17g/t 4E PGM to 35.3mt and 29.3 percent Cr2O3 in just three years.
In this same period, Bauba has also constructed and commissioned the chrome plant and TSF, mined 3.3mt of chrome ore, and is imminently due to commission the PGM flotation plant at Kookfontein. Therefore, since 2021 it has achieved mine exploration and development that would usually take 10+ years.
As a result of the company’s success and proven efficiency at Kookfontein, the development strategy employed there will also be applied at Naboom.
“Our dedication to these initiatives is rooted in a genuine desire to make a substantial difference to our communities to continue telling a new story about mining,” Knowlden elaborates.
SUSTAINABLE AND INCORRUPTIBLE
Bauba is committed to a robust corporate governance structure that extends beyond mere regulatory compliance.
“This embodies our core values of safety, performance, agility, integrity, and respect,” Knowlden sets out.
As such, the company’s values are not only the foundation of its operations but also integral to the ethical code of conduct expected of its personnel, directors, and contractors.
“This code is fundamental in cultivating a culture of integrity, which has been instrumental in driving our ongoing success and growth,” he prides.
In terms of Bauba’s sustainable practices, its strategy is grounded in
Finding Treasure in Mine Tailings: Unlocking Hidden Value
For the past two decades, Tailing Technology has been at the forefront of tailings recovery, refining and perfecting methods that not only enhance recovery rates but also drive higher outputs while maintaining a low-cost approach.
Tailings, often considered as discarded waste after the mining process, holds significant untapped potential. These materials, which are typically seen as waste, offer the most affordable ounces that can be recovered before final tailings deposition. By unlocking this potential, Tailing Technology has transformed the concept of waste into an opportunity for both financial growth and operational efficiency.
The mining industry faces numerous challenges, with one of the most pressing being the volatility of commodity prices. Forecasted commodity prices often fail to outpace inflation of operational costs. As a result, many mining operations face the grim prospect of operating at a loss unless they find ways to reduce costs or improve unit efficiencies. This is where tailings recovery can play a vital role. By focusing on ounces that are already accessible on the surface, mining companies can improve operational efficiencies, reduce the cost per ounce of production, and ultimately boost profitability. Accessing ounces from tailings offers long-term future sustainability.
Tailing Technology has made tremendous strides since inception, with significant advancements in the processes used to extract valuable metals from waste material. From concept development to design, construction, and ultimately PGM ounce production, tailings recovery has become a well-established and crucial part of the mining landscape. Tailing Technology has been the pioneers in developing metallurgical processes of PGM (platinum group metal) recoveries from low-grade material since 2002, recovering from both PGM and Chrome Producers. By combining operational expertise with cutting-edge technology and equipment, Tailing Technology has been able to design and construct highly efficient, fit-for-purpose plants that focus on recovering historically difficult-to-recover materials. The key to these successes lies in the use of Tailing Technology’s own high-energy flotation processes, combined with innovative operational philosophies.
The development and operation of these plants are built on a longterm commitment to success. Tailing Technology utilizes its proprietary technology, engineering, and operational inputs to create systems that deliver results. This commitment is exemplified by the partnership with Bauba at the Kookfontein Mine, where Tailing Technology has been involved in a significant PGM recovery project. The collaboration leverages Tailing Technology’s special expertise in tailings recovery technology, helping Bauba unlock additional value from tailings that were previously thought to be too difficult to process. Diversifying income streams is key to ensuring long-term stability, sustainability, and growth.
By developing dual revenue channels from independent commodities such as chrome and PGM ounces, mining companies can reduce their reliance on any single market or product. As the global demand for minerals continues to rise and accessible resources become more constrained, innovations like tailings recovery offer a pathway to more sustainable and profitable mining practices.
Tailing Technology’s vision is to offer the best service in Mineral Processing, and to build and foster excellent relationships with our clients and suppliers through excellence and service. We continually strive for improvement in the mineral processing field, by floatation development and process optimisation. Our aim is to exceed the client’s safety, quality and financial goals by unlocking this value.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
A diversified mining and exploration company, Bauba is fully compliant with the equity requirements of the South African government’s Mining Charter, embracing the spirit and transformation intent of the Minerals and Petroleum Resources Development Act (MPRDA) and the associated BBB-EE Charter.
Meanwhile, the company’s contractors are required to strictly adhere to health, safety, and environmental (HSE) regulations guided by a policy that is aligned with occupational health and mining legislation requirements, driving Bauba’s goal of zero harm to employees, contractors, and local communities.
With the above factors in mind, Moeijelijk has been fatality-free for three years, whilst Kookfontein has been fatality-free for three and a half years.
The company’s exploration and mining sites are rehabilitated by contractors in strict accordance with robust legislation and standards set out by Bauba itself. As such, the company takes full responsibility for the mine’s rehabilitation activities, with rollover mining planned wherever possible.
a commitment to ethical employment practices that advocate for human rights, employee training, and workplace health and safety.
“We uphold anti-corruption initiatives, respect for property rights, and sustainability throughout our supply chain,” Knowlden outlines.
The company’s anti-corruption initiatives come in the form of a whistleblowing policy that provides the necessary channels to report unsafe, unethical, or unlawful conduct.
This initiative is managed by an independent third party and provides a safe and confidential way for employees to report such conduct.
As such, Bauba’s dedication to upholding SA’s constitution and Bill of Rights is evident through its code of ethics.
CULTIVATING MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS AND INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES
In terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR), Bauba recognises the importance of giving back to the communities in which
it operates, and prides itself on bolstering local businesses by forming partnerships with small and blackowned enterprises.
This is demonstrated through Bauba’s focus on prioritising implementation of its commitments in terms of the Social and Labour Plan (SLP), applicable to each of its projects, and several of the company’s impactful initiatives which focus on key areas including education, leadership development, sustainable projects, health awareness, and stakeholder engagement.
As part of Bauba’s stakeholder engagement plans, which seek to cultivate meaningful relationships with local people, community-based liaison officers are often deployed to provide residents of the area with information and updates about the company’s activities and new developments.
“We’re not only fostering ethical governance but also making a meaningful impact to the communities we serve,” Knowlden informs.
AFRICA OUTLOOK: COULD YOU EXPLAIN HOW IMPORTANT PARTNERS, SUPPLIERS, AND CONTRACTORS, SUCH AS PELAGIC, ARE TO THE COMPANY?
Jonathan Knowlden, Managing Director: “Bauba is solely reliant on partners, suppliers, and contractors. We only have around 104 personnel employed by Bauba; the rest is fulfilled by contractors. The strategy since our inception has been to conduct operations through outsourced service providers as they are specialists in their field and could probably do a better job than ourselves – if we are careful in finding the right partner.
“As such, our opencast mining, underground mining, processing, logistics, and marketing are all carried out by outsourced service providers.
“Pelagic has been our marketing partner since inception. The company provided us with a pre-pay of ZAR30 million in December 2016, which financed the kickstart of Moeijelijk. It also provided a ZAR50 million loan to assist with funding the purchase price for Kookfontein before Raubex became a strategic shareholder.”
As such, Bauba continues to invest in projects that benefit the entire community rather than just individuals.
Moreover, the company believes in the importance of providing sustainable social development projects related to its mining and exploration activities as well as platforms for open dialogue with local residents.
“A sound grasp of the community’s needs and concerns enables us to respond appropriately,” he asserts.
Projects that Bauba has invested in over 2024, benefitting the community and totalling around ZAR4.8 million, include:
1. Upgrading the Lefaragathle pump station to supply running water to the Lefaragathle Village.
2. Supporting local farmers by supplying a water point and water for their cattle through erected water tanks, windmills, water troughs, a crusher pen, and kraals, as well as fencing the area.
3. A bee-keeping project was successfully established with 10 community members from Phokeng, including an appointed business coach who is also from the community. This project will produce honey during the peak spring season for the boutique market and beauty and skin care products during the winter season. One year has been completed, with a second about to commence.
4. IT equipment such as laptops, projectors, whiteboards, furniture, and Clearview perimeter fencing of approximately two km around both Lefaragathle and Bobuantswa Primary schools have been donated to the local community.
Further, Bauba recognises that those with disabilities can often face significant barriers to employment in SA due to social misconception. Last year, 7.5 percent of South Africans
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Our equipment is optimized to its full potential and constantly monitored via service records, to ensure that all equipment is maintained at a level of absolute professionalism and reliability.
were reportedly living with disabilities, yet only one percent of them were employed.
With a deep belief in the prospective of every individual, the company is empowering potential employees through ‘learnerships’ to bridge the gap between finishing school and finding meaningful employment for disabled young people.
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE
Through the learnership initiative, the company recently sponsored 12 learners with disabilities who are now enrolled in a one-year Generic Management National Qualifications Framework (NQF) Level 4 training programme.
Six of the learners will be supported by the Moeijelijk mine and an additional six by Kookfontein, each earning an accredited qualification
Bauba’s social development goals encompass a wide range of initiatives aimed at promoting well-being, environmental sustainability, and community development. These include ensuring a healthy workforce, managing water resources sustainably, prioritising local employment, conserving ecosystems through responsible mining practices, promoting peaceful societies, and focusing on sustainable development for all stakeholders.
These efforts demonstrate a commitment to creating a positive impact on both the environment and the communities in which it operates.
and gaining invaluable work experience. By engaging closely with its stakeholders, Bauba continues to demonstrate its core values and commitment to diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility in the workforce.
In addition to the above, through the SLP, Bauba has supported local community members with:
• Seven bursaries, which are in progress.
• Portable skills training for 264 community members, which includes welding, paving, entrepreneurship, computer literacy, first aid, and mining equipment operators.
• 134 local community members receiving adult education training (AET).
• 21 learnerships in diesel mechanics, electronics, and boiler making.
• 13 internships in a range of fields, including mining engineering, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, geology, safety, occupational health, and finance.
• 26 mentorships whereby Bauba interns and employees are mentored by qualified advisors.
• Enterprise and supplier development of two local companies and two suppliers over a 12-month period in a training and mentorship programme.
INVESTING IN COMMUNITIES
Elsewhere, as part of its corporate social investment (CSI) efforts, Bauba recently donated 460 school bags to Grade 1 learners across its two mining communities.
Students from Matianyane and Mogale primary schools around the Moeijelijk mine received school bags, as did learners from Buanja, Lefaragatlhe, Kgale, Tumagole, and Matlhware primary schools around the Kookfontein mine.
In addition, Bauba collaborated with local company, Ofitlhile Maintenance and Engineering (Ofitlhile), on an initiative that facilitated the
“BAUBA IS PRIMARILY FOCUSED WITHIN SA. AS SUCH, WE HAVE A STRONG UNDERSTANDING OF THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE - IT’S A CASE OF STICKING TO OUR NICHE AND WHAT WE KNOW”
–
JONATHAN KNOWLDEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR, BAUBA RESOURCES (PTY) LTD
donation of school shoes across local mining communities, with regional councillors providing the company with lists of beneficiaries to reach those in need.
In collaboration with Ofitlhile’s Managing Director, Collen Mokotedi, 60 children from Lefaragatlhe and Saron primary schools were gifted new shoes, providing more than just footwear to underprivileged children, but highlighting the critical work that must be undertaken to address the needs of young learners.
Bauba realises that developing children in its local communities is of utmost importance and has donated various school resources as well as sponsored 31 teachers to attend early childhood development (ECD) training.
Going forwards, Bauba will continue to prioritise community and social outreach work within its available resources and expand on the initiatives aimed at developing the mining communities as it strives to continue to inspire positive change.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
In terms of its operational aspirations, Bauba’s executives and management team, who have extensive mining and exploration knowledge and possess the technical and functional skills necessary to manage such projects, continue to grow the company by identifying and developing further mining opportunities.
“We have been targeting opencast chrome ore projects and resources for years,” Knowlden acknowledges. With most of the opencast chrome
ore resources in SA being recently depleted, the industry has witnessed chrome miners being pushed towards underground mining, which is more costly and capital intensive and expected to continue in coming years.
“Our business will therefore be positively positioned on the cost curve since we are a predominately opencast mining company,” he divulges.
Bauba has also been targeting resources that will provide commodity diversification from chrome and generate co-product revenue from PGMs. Both Naboom and Kookfontein have high in-situ PGM grades, with the former’s in-situ grade being 1.99g/t 4E.
“PGM prices are currently low but are bound to recover. When they do, we will benefit from this,” Knowlden confidently concludes.
CAngela List, Founder and CEO of Nguvu Mining, details the group’s advantageous acquisitional history and exciting future developments that will solidify its position at the forefront of West Africa’s mining landscape
Writer: Lucy Pilgrim | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold
urrently, Africa’s mining industry thrives with potential as significant advancements in technology and sustainability make it an increasingly exciting environment to work in.
Namely, innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and data analytics are revolutionising mining operations, making them safer and more efficient.
Additionally, businesses are adopting eco-friendly practices, including renewable energy projects, to reduce their environmental impact and enhance productivity.
The industry’s upward trajectory also presents opportunities for economic development, job creation, and mining innovation across the continent. Examples include the Kibali gold mine in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Newmont’s Ahafo mine in the Sefwi Volcanic Belt and Gold Fields’ Tarka and Damang mines in the Ashanti Belt, Ghana.
These projects have bought community development to the fore by building schools, health centres, and roads, alongside providing scholarships and vocational training to Indigenes.
Therefore, whilst the industry faces challenges such as regulatory hurdles and environmental concerns, collaboration between governments, companies, and communities is helping to drive sustainable growth.
“Africa is poised to become a global leader in mining with rich mineral resources,” introduces Angela List, Founder and CEO of Nguvu Mining (Nguvu), which has grown over the last nine years to become a distinguished mining conglomerate and a formidable force in the region’s mining sector.
POWERFUL ACQUISITIONS
Historically, Nguvu’s strategic acquisitions have not only enabled its position as one of the largest and
Angela List
most attractive mining investment opportunities in the West African subregion, but strengthened it.
“Over the years, we’ve acquired high-value assets and companies, enhancing our production capacity and providing us with the opportunity to integrate advanced technologies and best practices into our operations,” List informs.
At the forefront of its diverse portfolio is Adamus Resources Limited (Adamus), whose Nzema gold mine project was the first mine to be acquired in Q4 2016.
Two years later, the company acquired Segala Mining, expanding its presence further across West Africa to Mali. In 2019, Nguvu went a step further when it purchased Société des Mines du Liptako (SML) and its mining project, a significant venture in Niger.
The following year, the company’s operational footprint expanded with the acquisition of Northern Ashanti
Mines (Northern Ashanti), based in Konongo, Ghana.
These two notable acquisitions have given the company the opportunity to incorporate cutting-edge technologies, such as automation and AI, into its future operations.
More recently, Nguvu’s geographical expanse reached Burkino Faso, home to the company’s Poura Resources gold project.
Acquired in 2021, this mine is in its advanced stages and expected to commence production towards the end of 2025.
On top of this, Nguvu also controls smaller projects such as the Ankamu gold project in the Central Region of Ghana and JB Precision Engineering in Tarkwa in the Western Region of the country.
The company is additionally expanding its horizons with exploration projects in Ivory Coast
and Guinea, making it a powerful force in the region’s mining field.
This is reflected by the unparalleled and highly impressive amounts of gold recovered, produced, and sold across its four sites, totalling a staggering 250,000 ounces of gold per year.
“By continuously identifying and acquiring valuable assets, Nguvu strives to stay ahead of industry trends, delivering value to our stakeholders and maintaining our position as a trusted player in the mining sector,” List prides.
INDUSTRY-LEADING POSITION
Nguvu’s leading position is driven by its bold response to the needs of both the company and industry.
“Our proactive approach to growth and innovation helps us to remain a preferred partner for investment,” List elaborates.
The SML project in Niger, for instance, represents a key step
“OUR PROACTIVE APPROACH TO GROWTH AND INNOVATION HELPS US TO REMAIN A PREFERRED PARTNER FOR INVESTMENT”
– ANGELA LIST, FOUNDER AND CEO,
NGUVU MINING
in Nguvu’s growth strategy. The continuous development of the site will significantly expand the company’s production capacity, enabling it to meet the increasing demand for minerals.
Conversely, Nguvu faces considerable challenges in the project’s development, such as Niger’s recent security circumstances, which have posed significant difficulties in mobilising the necessary equipment and parts.
“The need for military escorts often results in operational delays. This situation discourages transporters whilst those willing to take the risk are charging higher fees to compensate for potential issues,” List explains.
Despite these obstacles, the company remains committed to overcoming them through strategic planning and collaboration with local authorities.
AFRICA OUTLOOK: AS THE FOUNDER OF NGUVU, WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU OVERCOME TO ESTABLISH THE COMPANY AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO WOMEN HOPING TO ENTER THE INDUSTRY?
Angela List, Founder and CEO: “Starting Nguvu came with its fair share of challenges, from securing initial funding to navigating the complexities of the mining industry.
“I vividly remember the early days, which were filled with uncertainty but also immense determination. However, perseverance, a clear vision, and dedicated team helped us overcome these obstacles.
“To women aspiring to enter the industry, my advice is to remain resilient and confident. The mining industry can be demanding, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Seek out mentors, build a strong network, and never hesitate to push boundaries.
“Your unique perspective and skills are invaluable assets to the industry. Remember, every challenge you face is an opportunity to grow and make a lasting impact.”
MULTI-ROCK
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide a stone-stop, tailor-made service of the highest standard to existing and prospective clients. Through committed management and well-motivated staff, we can continue to be a progressive and innovative organization in the industry. Our goal is to minimize the impact on the environment and to prevent injuries, illness, and harm to our employees, clients, communities, the environment and all others who could be affected by those activities.
Our Vision
Our three-fold core values of honesty, integrity and service excellence creates lasting results that ensures our clients supersede their project requirement and goals, on time, on budget, with the highest level of quality, We are extremely client-focused and provide quality products and services. We pride ourselves on the ability to deliver on time with the highest level of quality as we run 24/7 operation. This sets us apart from our competition as we run a solution-oriented operation that meets with our client’s budget and timeline.
Our Core Values
Going above and beyond our client’s expectations with excellent service delivery and ensuring customer satisfaction by providing quality workmanship, meticulous attention to all safety requirements and being on time with all projects entrusted to us.
SPECIALISED SERVICES, AND TOTAL MINING SOLUTIONS:
UNDERGROUND SERVICES:
• Underground constructions and production
• Specialized secondary supports
• Ventilation management
• Labour hire
• Piping installations and management
• Longwall relocation
• Dewatering management
SURFACE MINING SERVICES:
• Load and Haul
• Plant maintenance works
• Sand blasting and general painting works
• Piping Installations
• Drainage works, site levellings and Reclamation
• Top soil removal and clearing
• Building constructions works
• Corrosion control management
MINING & MARINE OFFSHORE SUPPLIES:
• Offshore & marine
• Lifting and materials handlings
• Fasteners and fixings
• Welding
• Paint, Accessories, Survey equipment, packaging
• Abrasives and conveyors
• Hardware and steels
• Construction
• Water treatment
• Storage
• Safety Equipment and laboratory equipment
• Plumbing, Valves, gauges, Gland packing
• Gaskets, water, instrumentation, filters
• Hoses and fittings
• Hose Reels, pump and lubrications
• Tools-hand and power
• Cleaning, Janitorial and Gardening
• Automotive
• Mining Specialty Equipment
• Power transmission
• Electrical and cables
• Pipe and Tube fittings
• Furniture and White Goods
• Drilling bits, Consumables and accessories
MEET THE TEAM:
All of our staff have / are able to:
• A deep understanding of the mining industry in Ghana, including its regulations, safety standards, and best practices.
• The ability to design effective training programs tailored to the specific needs and challenges of the mining industry.
• Skill in identifying the training needs of employees and the organization as a whole.
• Create training materials and curricula that align with industry requirements and objectives.
• Develop engaging and effective training materials, including multimedia and e-learning resources.
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills for delivering training programs to diverse groups of employees.
• Ability to measure the effectiveness of training programs through assessments, surveys, and evaluations.
• Understand and respecting the cultural diversity within the mining workforce in Ghana.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to convey technical information and concepts clearly.
• Build positive relationships with employees, supervisors, and other stakeholders.
• A deep understanding of mining operations and the specific skills and knowledge required in the industry.
Nguvu strongly believes that its staff are its greatest asset, empowering employees through continuous training and development programmes, providing opportunities for career advancement, and recognising their contributions through various reward initiatives.
“We are committed to fostering a supportive environment that values diversity and inclusion. Our open communication channels ensure every employee feels heard and valued, contributing to a collaborative and motivated workforce,” List enthuses.
Indeed, the company takes pride in creating an environment where its workforce can thrive both personally and professionally. By continuously investing in staff growth and celebrating their achievements, Nguvu not only builds a strong team but also retains talent and expertise.
“Our staff’s dedication and hard work are the cornerstone of our success, and we are honoured to have such a talented and passionate team.”
“By addressing these challenges and successfully developing the SML project, we aim to set a new benchmark for operational excellence and resilience in the mining industry,” she urges.
Therefore, the SML project not only positions Nguvu for future growth but also highlights its dedication to navigating complex environments to achieve its goals.
Elsewhere, the company has a number of additional projects that underscore its commitment to innovation and operational excellence.
One notable project is the Northern Ashanti plant refurbishment, upgrading it to a capacity of 2,000 tonnes per hour. This will enhance Nguvu’s efficiency and allow it to meet and exceed its production targets.
The company also greatly anticipates the development of a sulphide plant at Adamus’ Nzema gold mine project, located in the Western Region of Ghana. Plans are already in place for the plant to complement the existing oxide processing facility, enabling the full potential of its ore deposits to be exploited.
Thus, by tapping into previously undeveloped sulphide deposits, Nguvu can significantly increase its production capabilities and resource utilisation.
“These projects not only add immense value to our operations but also create jobs and support economic growth in the regions where we operate.”
PURPOSEFUL AND INNOVATIVE SUPPLIERS
A trusted partner since the commencement of its operations, Nguvu’s recent investment in Liebherr construction machinery marks a significant milestone.
By incorporating Liebherr’s advanced equipment, the company has enhanced its operational
Geosystems Consulting Limited (Geosystems) provide consultancy services to mining and civil construction companies as well as private estate developers in the areas of Geotechnical and Geo-environmental engineering, Environmental and Social Impacts Assessments, and management of civil constructions projects including roads, bridges, buildings, dams, tailings dams, etc.
Geosystems has a mix of experienced Engineers, Sociologists and Scientists supported by enterprising Technicians.
SOME KEY PROJECTS EXECUTED BY GEOSYSTEMS
Construction management and QA/QC services for Adamus Resources Limited’s expansion and extension of the Tailings Storage Facility, TSF Stage 8 – Phase 1 and 2, since January 2022
EIS for Asante Gold Chirano Limited Tailings Storage Facility 3; 2024 – Date
ESIA for the Ahafo North Project Tailings Storage Facility; 2018 to 2021
· 2022 Sedimentation Pond Design for Adamus Resources Limited
· EOR Services for TSF, Perseus Mining Limited (PML), 2023
EOR Services for TSF, Adamus Resources Limited (ARL), 2024
· 2021 - Date Environmental Audit of AngloGold Ashanti (Ghana) Limited STSF and BIOX TSF
Our Competence covers but is not limited to:
• Geotechnical Engineering
• Earthworks And QA/QC for Earthworks
• Environmental Impact Assessments
• Tailings Dam Design and Construction
• Environmental And Safety Audits of Tailings Dams
• Preparation Of EMPs
• Structural and Building Condition Survey
• Drainage Structures Design
• Boreholes and Piezometer Installation
• Bathymetric Surveys of Tailings Dams
• Pit Geotechnics
• Mine Closure and Reclamation of Mined-Out Areas
efficiency, safety, and productivity. Moreover, the investment aligns with Nguvu’s commitment to sustainable and innovative mining practices and positions it advantageously for future growth.
Indeed, Liebherr’s machinery is renowned for its reliability and performance, and integrating this state-of-the-art equipment allows the company to set new industry benchmarks.
The improved precision and automation capabilities afforded by the equipment enable Nguvu to optimise its resource extraction and reduce its environmental impact.
Additionally, the equipment’s enhanced safety features provide a safer working environment for employees, reinforcing Nguvu’s commitment to staff well-being.
“BY CONTINUOUSLY IDENTIFYING AND ACQUIRING VALUABLE ASSETS, NGUVU STRIVES TO STAY AHEAD OF INDUSTRY TRENDS, DELIVERING VALUE TO OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND MAINTAINING OUR POSITION AS A TRUSTED PLAYER IN THE MINING SECTOR”
– ANGELA LIST, FOUNDER AND CEO, NGUVU MINING
“Whilst we anticipate potential challenges, Nguvu and Libeherr are committed to working together to identify and address any issues, ensuring the smooth integration and operation of machinery.
“This strategic move reflects our dedication to staying ahead of the curve and delivering superior value to
our stakeholders,” List reflects.
The recent investment is a demonstration of how Nguvu’s supply chain operations are purposefully designed to be efficient and responsive. Indeed, the company uses a combination of centralised and decentralised procurement to achieve the best results.
The former is handled at group level in situations where leveraging economies of scale, strategic sourcing, and standardisation provide significant benefits.
This approach ensures cost savings, consistency, and regulatory compliance, whilst also allowing the company to consolidate large purchases, secure better terms, and negotiate long-term contracts, fostering integrity and accountability throughout the business.
Furthermore, Nguvu’s centralised procurement is an instrumental component of the company’s commitment to regulations concerning anti-money laundering, countering the financing of terrorism (CFT), and targeted financial sanctions (TSF).
“By centralising our procurement
processes, we ensure that our activities are free from financial crimes and align with global financial standards,” List points out.
Equally important to the company is the fact that it can help support local suppliers by providing them with consistent business opportunities, which fosters positive relationships and contributes to the local economy.
This commitment to social responsibility guarantees reliable supply chains that benefit both Nguvu’s operations and the communities it serves.
DIGGING DEEP FOR ESG
A dedication to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices is at the heart of Nguvu.
From an environmental perspective, the company is focused
on sustainable mining practices, reducing waste, and minimising its carbon footprint through renewable energy initiatives.
Through the Poura Resources gold project in Burkina Faso and the SML project in Niger, for example, the company aims to implement ecofriendly practices and invest in local communities.
At the forefront of Nguvu’s sustainable mining practices is the expansion of its solar energy capacity. This endeavour involves installing solar panels across its sites to harness renewable energy, which will significantly reduce the company’s carbon footprint and operational costs whilst also representing its steadfast dedication to sustainability.
Equally, Nguvu has several impactful corporate social
responsibility (CSR) projects, including the Nkroful Agricultural Senior High School project that supports practical learning for students as well as the raising of poultry and cultivation of fish and crops.
Moreover, by purchasing these products, the company supplies high-quality protein for its workforce alongside supporting local education and creating a sustainable source of income for the community.
Other initiatives include Nguvu’s Women’s Training and Employment project that empowers local women by educating them in detergent
and soap making, creating a market for their products and fostering entrepreneurship.
In addition, the company is planning a mechanised agriculture project to provide alternative livelihoods and protect the environment.
“In terms of governance, we uphold the highest standards of transparency, ethics, and accountability, and comply with AML, CFT, and TSF regulations,” List points out.
“Our ESG initiatives reflect our commitment to creating long-term value for our stakeholders and positively impacting society and the environment.”
STRATEGIC GROWTH
Going forwards, Nguvu’s key priorities for the coming year include a strategic focus on growth, sustainability, and innovation.
For instance, the company aims to expand its production capacity by advancing the SML, Poura Resources, and Segala Mining projects across West Africa.
On top of this, Nguvu aims to complete the ongoing plant upgrade works at Northern Ashanti, whilst also advancing a sulphide plant at Adamus’ Nzema gold mine project.
“Enhancing operational efficiency is a top priority, and we are committed
to integrating advanced technologies such as automation and AI, alongside investing in high-quality machinery to improve safety and productivity,” List adds.
Sustainability also remains at the core of the company’s future operations as it strives to implement eco-friendly practices, renewable energy initiatives, and responsible waste management across all projects.
Nguvu’s realms of support also extend to community development initiatives, which include building schools, health centres, and infrastructure, as well as providing
scholarships and vocational training to create positive socioeconomic impacts.
“We are also focused on addressing operational challenges, such as security concerns, through strategic planning and collaboration with local authorities,” she highlights.
Exploring purpose-driven acquisitions and partnerships will enable Nguvu to diversify its portfolio and enhance capabilities.
Lastly, the company strongly believes in investing in its workforce by providing continuous training and development opportunities that are critical for its success.
“By focusing on these areas, Nguvu aims to drive growth, innovation, and deliver exceptional value to stakeholders, positioning us for continued success in the industry,” List concludes.
Tel: +233 53 100 6616
https://nguvumining.com/
TRANSFORMING MINE WASTE INTO SOCIETAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND
Providing customised solutions to the mining industry for over a century, Fraser Alexander is a global partner adding value to mining, waste, and infrastructure through smart solutions. We speak to Lourens De Koning, COO, about the company’s extensive history and plans for a sustainable future
Writer: Lauren Kania | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold
Having provided customised solutions to the mining sector since 1912, Fraser Alexander is an industry stalwart, passionate about helping its clients avoid daily disruptions, maximise production, and enhance the entire value chain.
A trusted mining services partner, the company has worked diligently to develop a reputation for reliability, innovation, managing risk, and creating sustainable success with its clients, even during changing times. Founded over a century ago as the first tailings deposition service provider in the Witwatersrand region, South Africa (SA), to use cocopans to remove tailings from processing plants, the company has
grown to become an industry leader that prioritises a safe, disruption-free day.
Today, Fraser Alexander is proud to be a fully Black-owned and South African group, expanding its innovative business across the world and offering outsourced services and related infrastructure to move, manage, and add value to minerals, waste, and water.
“Whilst we primarily focus on tailings management, over the years, we have diversified into many other services, including construction, material handling, transportation, mineral processing, water treatment, and more,” introduces Lourens De Koning, COO.
FRASER ALEXANDER AT A GLANCE
• 100 percent Black-owned
• Founded 113 years ago
• Services two-thirds of the outsourced market across Africa
• Only contractor insured
• Experienced support team of approximately 3,000
• Services 80 percent of the outsourced coal processing sector
• Operations spanning 200 sites across two continents
The company’s impressive growth and service offerings are exemplified by its rapid expansion across the African continent in countries like Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),
alongside current operations in South America, all whilst seeking opportunities to spread its footprint even further in regions such as Central Asia, North America, and Australia.
“We’re looking to establish Fraser
Alexander as a true localised business in each country where we operate. Therefore, our clientele focus and expansion strategy are based on building a sustainable business in those regions,” elaborates De Koning. Having held the position of COO
Fraser Alexander RSA
for eight years, De Koning plays a key role in shaping the company’s operational strategy and ensuring it thrives as a primary player in the mining services industry.
With over 22 years of experience in civil and geotechnical
engineering, collaborative project execution, leadership, and executive management, he is South Africanborn and raised, and found his passion for the industry whilst studying civil engineering at the University of Pretoria.
“Working in the mining sector, understanding the client base, decrypting the economics, and working to expand the business across a large industry is what makes this career exciting,” he impassions.
TRANSFORMING THE INDUSTRY
Currently, the mining industry is facing a variety of challenges due to environmental and climate change pressures, turbulent geopolitics, rapid technological changes, and a global maintenance skills shortage.
However, this does not intimidate nor dull the excitement that Fraser Alexander experiences when looking at the future of the international sector.
“The mining industry is invigorating, often because of the challenges we face. At the moment, we are dealing with the legacy issues of mining and a
lack of investment in the sector across Africa,” details De Koning.
“The sector is putting a lot of effort into redefining the future of mining and how it could become more environmentally friendly, ultimately doing away with the legacies of the past.”
Whilst it is important to recognise the necessary changes industries must go through in order to encourage a sustainable future, it would be a crucial mistake to overlook the importance mining has on the current economy and daily lifestyle of individuals and businesses across the globe.
Specifically, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the mining sector in SA stepped in to stimulate the national economy and provide assistance throughout the unprecedented event.
“The evident care for people and operations, as well as the commitment to the continuity of the economy, was remarkable during this time. It showcases how important these sectors are to society,” imparts De Koning.
MINING OUTLOOK: CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT FRASER ALEXANDER’S FOCUS ON LOCAL EMPLOYMENT?
Lourens De Koning, COO: “Localisation is extremely important. Wherever we operate, we employ within a 50-kilometre radius as much as possible and go through an entire upskilling process.
“We do a lot of training, including safety, basic, skilled, and certified training. We have quite a large training department focusing on providing local development and bringing people through the ranks for significant career growth.
“In Africa, we’re highlighting in-country skills development, looking at local management and upskilling locals into head office support and operations.
“We are supported by the South African management team, with a predominantly localised team in each country, from senior management level right down to ground-level operations, all in an effort to embrace new cultures and build a long-term sustainable business.
“We’re very proud of the diversity of our business in South Africa and globally - our employees represent different cultures, genders, regions, and generations.”
Fraser Alexander is working to differentiate itself from the competition through various means, one of which is its values, consisting of excellence, innovation, integrity, care, and teamwork, which underpin all that it stands for.
“We work hard to ensure our values are something everyone is aligned with throughout our business. During recruitment, we ensure the people who join fit our culture of determination and success,” he specifies.
The company guarantees this mindset by providing its employees with regimented training, no matter the department. It emphasises upskilling people and transferring knowledge throughout the business
prepared for whatever challenges the
mechanisation alongside its vast
“We started with a team full of engineers. Now we have data analysts, computer specialists, and others who help us maintain our position at the top of the industry,” expands De Koning.
Digital Value Assurance for a Technology Future
Wielding the power of technology to provide you with the top digital advisory services, Singularity Data Solutions is here to transform your business and help you successfully navigate a technological future with confidence.
As a specialist organisation based in South Africa that focuses on utilising technological advances to the fullest to help your business thrive, we offer services including digital strategy definition, digital advisory services, solution architecture, solution delivery, and a Centre of Excellence establishment and operation. Our value lies in our ability to orchestrate technology to create value by using disruptive concepts and technologies to your advantage.
Equally, we assist various organisations in setting up and transitioning into digitally mature businesses through strategic, tactical, and operating model design whilst remaining deliveryfocused on all engagements.
Through our many years of collective experience, Singularity Data Solutions has formulated a homegrown digital maturity framework that evaluates strategy, people, processes, technology, and data management capabilities in a business.
WHY CHOOSE SINGULARITY DATA SOLUTIONS?
With a grand vision of being internationally known as a digital transformation specialist who leverages innovative thinking in order to continuously improve client’s value proposition, Singularity Data Solutions is unapologetic in our climb towards the top of the industry.
We stand by our mission statement of being a long-term partner to our clients by leveraging data to provide operational, tactical, and strategic value across their various organisations.
The company works to achieve this in a variety of manners. This includes standardising the technology landscape and driving a cost-saving and revenue-generating culture across IT and digital implementation, providing a reference architecture blueprint to increase speed on the selection and execution of digital solutions, and offering a prioritisation and feasibility framework for digital solutions selection and roll-out.
Additionally, Singularity Data Solutions works to improve stakeholder communication and support digital solution roll-out, align existing and new IT and digital projects to meet business aspirations, and create a sustainable digital implementation and operations function.
WHAT DOES SINGULARITY DATA SOLUTIONS OFFER?
What makes Singularity Data Solutions the optimum partner for your technology solutions?
We are internally focused, prioritising being efficiency-driven whilst promoting cost reduction and organisational optimisation alongside offering support with internal processes, HR, finance, and supply chain.
We are also externally focused, ensuring our team emphasises a customer-first attitude whilst providing market differentiation, revenue, and market growth for products, services, and innovation.
Additionally, we are risk-focused, highlighting the importance of asset risk, workforce risk, and customer risk, allowing us to provide reliable and top-quality assistance with asset management, workforce management, and safety, health, environment, and quality (SHEQ) management.
Overall, the services we provide for our clients at Singularity Data Solutions include digital advisory, solution architecture, network assessment, technology optimisation, and solution delivery. You can be confident in your company’s digital assessment and transformation when partnering with Singularity Data Solutions, where we wield the power of people and technology to optimise your solutions and maximise your technology investments!
CLIENT REFERENCE
“In 2015, Fraser Alexander first developed its Technical and Operational Risk Assessment system, TORAS - featuring a comprehensive tailings risk management methodology. TORAS serves as an internal monitoring tool and integration platform allowing Fraser Alexander to monitor and manage operational risk effectively with features such as data validation protocols, automated triggers and notifications, and auditability.
Singularity Data Solutions partnered with Fraser Alexander to transform TORAS into an advanced tailings risk management platform. Compliant with global standards like the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management, TORAS integrates IoT, drone technology, and third-party systems to automate data collection and deliver comprehensive operational risk insights. Featuring a dataportal, automated alerts, and workflow tools, it enhances transparency and efficiency. Singularity’s expertise in strategy, sustainable solutions, and cost-efficient development, combined with Fraser Alexander’s tailings management depth, ensures practical, cuttingedge implementation. TORAS now sets the benchmark for innovation and accountability in mining.”
INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION
Over the course of its longestablished history, Fraser Alexander has situated itself as the largest tailing and mine waste management company of its kind, gaining a reputation for transforming mine waste into societal, environmental, and economic value.
“This achievement was something built over a long period of time. Starting in SA, we were the first company to assist clients in building these tailing facilities, which are some of the largest manmade structures in the world,” explains De Koning.
Having dominated the South African market, the company was able to expand further, both in terms of its service offerings and the countries and regions it was present in.
In 1994, the Merriespruit tailings dam failed, resulting in wide-scale destruction that forced the industry to reevaluate its tailings management and engineering procedures. Fraser Alexander was at the forefront of this redesign, not only as a service provider but also as a leader in many of the technical and R&D fronts, which served to further distinguish its ability to innovate and remain an industry frontrunner.
“This allowed us to work with international clients and strengthen our company name by further contributing to the industry,” insights De Koning.
Evidently, Fraser Alexander’s vast expertise has asserted its reputation for excellence, showcasing its hardearned experience in retreating and re-mining in a manner that prevents the possibility of any future failures.
As the company continues to look towards another century of success, it is prioritising expansion and operational excellence throughout 2025, working to ensure Fraser Alexander remains on top during a volatile period for the sector.
“We are seeking to optimise current operations and capitalise on the
“WE’RE LOOKING TO ESTABLISH FRASER ALEXANDER AS A TRUE LOCALISED BUSINESS IN EACH COUNTRY WHERE WE OPERATE. THEREFORE, OUR CLIENTELE FOCUS AND EXPANSION STRATEGY ARE BASED ON BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS IN THOSE REGIONS”
– LOURENS DE KONING, COO, FRASER ALEXANDER
opportunities we have been working on for a long time to advance them to realisation,” informs De Koning.
Specifically, the company is looking to expand further into South America and the African region in addition to embarking upon the
utilisation of brownfields as a means of development.
It is doing so by mechanising operations specific to these regions and actively upskilling its people to be ready for the new environments and unique challenges they each pose.
Fraser Alexander LATAM
ADVANCED VALVE AND PUMP SOLUTIONS
At Paltech, being a leading South African OEM of advanced valve solutions is a point of pride. Our flagship products, the PAL-T High-Performance Single Eccentric Butterfly Valve and the Transformer Radiator Isolation Valve, are engineered to meet the rigorous demands of various industries.
ADVANCED VALVE SOLUTIONS
Durability, compact design, and high-pressure, high-temperature efficiency make the PAL-T valve ideal for critical applications in power generation, chemical processing, food and beverage,
Manufactured in a wide range of standard and exotic materials for corrosion resistance against various aggressive chemicals, acids,
PAL-T Single / Double Eccentric Butterfly Valve: Durability, compact design, and high-pressure, high-temperature efficiency make the PAL-T valve ideal for critical applications in power generation, chemical processing, food and beverage, mining, and utilities. Manufactured in a wide range of standard and exotic materials for corrosion resistance against various aggressive chemicals, acids, alkalis, and gasses.
Valve instrumentation
As the sole OEM official distributor of Schneider automation instrumentation in the Sub-Saharan African region, Paltech offers a select range of Schneider products and instrumentation, ensuring customers have access to a comprehensive portfolio of world-class solutions for their automation and energy management needs.
ADVANCED PUMP SOLUTIONS
Transformer Valve:
Our locally manufactured aluminium transformer valves are specifically designed for transformer cooling oil applications, ensuring utmost reliability and safety. These valves have undergone rigorous testing at multiple power stations, underscoring our unwavering commitment to quality.
Additionally, our comprehensive range of valves, includes:
• Flanged Slurry Sleeve: A bullet design, with a closed-frame design for non-spillage to the atmosphere when the liner is ruptured.
• Pinch Valve: A low-maintenance, cost-effective solution with no internal moving parts in contact with the fluid. A split-body design for easy seal replacement.
• Wafer Slim Swing Check Valve: A non-return valve with a slim face-to-face design for restricted pipe space availability.
• Flanged Diaphragm Non-Return Valve: A non-return valve with a diaphragm to prevent water hammering.
• Diaphragm Flanged Foot Valve: A soft-closure design to eliminate water hammering. Minimal internal spares and an easily replaceable seal kit.
• Through our distribution partnership with the MESON GROUP, we offer a comprehensive range of valves, including those for marine applications, ensuring we have the perfect solution for your needs.
Our locally manufactured aluminium transformer valves are specifically designed for transformer cooling oil applications, ensuring utmost reliability and safety. These valves have undergone rigorous testing at multiple power stations, underscoring our unwavering commitment to quality.
Expert Maintenance Services
Paltech offers comprehensive in-house maintenance services to optimise the performance and lifespan of your valves and pumps. Our skilled technicians provide:
•Inspection
•Repair
•Calibration
•Overhaul
Partnering with Paltech offers a cost-effective solution for expert maintenance, extending equipment lifespan, and minimising downtime.
Commitment to Quality - Where Innovation Meets Compliance and Reliability
Holding the requisite ISO and industry-specific certifications, Paltech delivers solutions that enhance operational efficiency whilst adhering to stringent industry standards.
To learn more about our advanced valve and pump solutions, contact us:
NXTGEN
NxtGen is central to Fraser Alexander’s success, integrating advanced technologies and providing essential operational support for efficient project execution.
The department leads project development, aligning with industry standards and sustainability goals. With a skilled team, NxtGen combines expertise from across Fraser Alexander’s operations to deliver effective solutions, improve efficiency, and mitigate risks, ensuring successful project outcomes.
REVOLUTIONISING TAILINGS MANAGEMENT
Innovations and mechanisation in mining
Fraser Alexander’s initiatives in tailings reprocessing, repurposing, and mechanisation are setting new benchmarks in the mining industry. By leveraging innovative technologies like the Supermag, Remotely Operated Mining Units (ROMUs®), and Self-Propelled Cyclone Units (SPCUs®), Fraser Alexander is not only improving operational efficiency but also contributing to a more sustainable and environmentally responsible mining sector.
With NxtGen driving crosspollination and operational excellence, the company is well positioned to lead the industry into a new era of innovation and sustainability.
Reprocessing of iron ore TSFs to recover more iron
Fraser Alexander is actively pursuing innovative ways to recover more value in the form of ferrous minerals from existing tailings storage facilities (TSFs) whilst also considering alternative final tailings uses and disposal methods.
The upgrade process needs to
“NXTGEN IS THE HUB OF INNOVATION AT FRASER ALEXANDER”
– LOURENS DE KONING, COO, FRASER ALEXANDER
take the low-grade tailings and concentrate the particles with high ferrous content to achieve a saleable product. Fraser Alexander is working with one of its partners to run pilotscale trials on the upgradeability of ferrous minerals from ultrafine ores. These trials incorporate an innovative technology that reduces power consumption and the cost of processing whilst maintaining the effectiveness of the process.
Another benefit of this reprocessing is that due to the high volume of tailings that are bonded to the valuable ferrous minerals, there is a reduction in the volume of tailings that need to be re-deposited, which
means a smaller TSF. The company is also exploring alternative drier disposal methods for the final tailings.
Repurposing of tailings
In addition to reprocessing, Fraser Alexander, through its NxtGen division, is examining opportunities for the recovery of valuable minerals and to repurpose the remaining “barren” tailings.
Traditionally, not all minerals were recovered during the initial processing due to financial and operational constraints.
However, with evolving market demands and technological advances, new methods are being developed
ROMUs®
to extract additional minerals from existing tailings and alternative uses for the remaining milled silicas are being considered.
By extracting more from an existing tailings facility, it is possible to reduce the environmental impacts and facilitate the construction of the replacement TSF in line with the Global Industry Standard on Tailings Management (GISTM).
Ongoing mechanisation and technological advancements
Fraser Alexander continues to push the boundaries of mechanisation in mining, focusing on reducing labourintensive tasks and enhancing safety. This includes the development of new mining units, automated systems, and innovative solutions for tailings management. The ongoing mechanisation and innovation in mining technology not only improve operational efficiency but also significantly reduce human error, labour costs, and workplace injuries.
Fraser Alexander has developed ROMUs®, a remotely controlled, track-mounted hydro mining unit. These units are equipped with high-definition cameras and high-speed controls, allowing operators to manage them from a centralised control room. This reduces the need for on-site personnel and enhances safety.
SPCUs®
These units are designed for high-tonnage cyclone facilities and provide mechanised solutions for tailings deposition. Fraser Alexander’s collaboration with Anglo American is focused on refining the SPCU® design to enable the use of Hydraulic Dewatered Stack (HDS) deposition strategies for TSFs to create internal drainage paths for improved stability.
Automated boom screen for trash cleaning
Fraser Alexander has also developed a fully automated boom screen, which removes debris from slurry launders, minimising the risk of fatigue and people-related safety. The automated system can be controlled remotely by ROMU® operators, reducing labour and enhancing site safety.
FRASER ALEXANDER SERVICE OFFERINGS
HYDRAULIC MINING AND REMINING
FRASER ALEXANDER USES PROPRIETARY ROMUS® FOR THIS TYPE OF MINING – THIS COMPLETELY REMOVES THE OPERATOR FROM THE MINING AREA
The company’s state-of-the-art hydraulic mining and remining equipment guarantees the opportunity to capitalise on tailings in a safe and effective manner.
Solutions include the funding of the plants with contracting models such as BOOM (build, own, operate, and maintain) and BOOT (build, own, operate, and transfer) or the design and construction of clientfunded plants that Fraser Alexander can operate and maintain.
TREATMENT
WATER TREATMENT AND BEST-FIT TECHNOLOGY AVAILABLE
We get the best value for you through aim is to uplevel your facility to be releasing it into the environment, and self-sufficiency.
Solutions include the funding of the such as BOOM and BOOT or the design funded plants that Fraser Alexander
TREATMENT MINERAL PROCESSING
MANAGEMENT USING THE AVAILABLE
through our various offerings and our perfectly capable of reusing water, and making water drinkable for the plants with contracting models design and construction of clientAlexander can operate and maintain.
FRASER ALEXANDER IS THE LARGEST INDEPENDENT OWNER AND OPERATOR OF MINERAL PROCESSING PLANTS IN SA
The Fraser Alexander Mineral Processing Team utilises proprietary maintenance tactics to ensure best-in-class engineering availability.
Solutions include the funding of the plants with contracting models such as BOOM and BOOT or the design and construction of clientfunded plants that Fraser Alexander can operate and maintain.
MATERIALS HANDLING AND LOAD AND HAUL
FRASER ALEXANDER CIRCULATES MATERIALS EFFECTIVELY AND SAFELY THROUGHOUT OPERATIONS, LIKE CLOCKWORK.
The company offers world-class handling equipment to move any type of material to where it is needed.
Its handling solutions are tailored to customers’ specific needs, ensuring effective and safe circulation of materials throughout their operations.
• Discard handling: Load, haul, level, and compact
• Stock: Stockyard management – reclaiming and building
• Topsoil: Strip and stockpile, reclaim and level
• Waste dumps: Load and haul
REHABILITATION
RESTORING THE ENVIRONMENT TO BE SELF-SUSTAINABLE AGAIN.
• Fraser Alexander has undertaken an extensive number of mine rehabilitation projects in a variety of environments.
• Services include shaping, landscaping, hydro seeding, and grassing.
• Rehabilitation and post-closure monitoring lend themselves to long-term local community jobs and business opportunities.
• Fraser Alexander can design rehabilitation projects to ensure inclusion and training of local people and to facilitate long-term opportunities for them.
“It’s about affordability, patience, and building long-term sustainable growth in these areas whilst remaining focused on the rich history and successful business we have been maintaining across the African continent,” decrees De Koning. Additionally, the company has created the NxtGen Fraser Alexander Team in order to cement its authority over innovation and ingenuity in mining. This team consists of industry titans with over 25 years of experience who are collectively looking at what the future of mining entails. Its exploration of the industry includes questions about what the circular economy looks like and how the company should position itself to be relevant in future markets. All of these factors serve to ensure Fraser Alexander remains at the forefront and participates internationally in the sector.
TAILINGS OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
FRASER ALEXANDER HAS MORE EXPERIENCE IN MANAGING CONTRACTOR IN THE WORLD.
• The company’s operational procedures and processes are well established, continuously improved.
• Over 100 years of operational experience.
• Solutions include thickeners, density control systems, and filter presses
• Fraser Alexander works with its clients to develop bespoke dry tailings
• Fraser Alexander manages over 200 million tonnes of tailings per year geographies, characteristics, deposition methodologies, facility design conditions (arid to subtropical).
• Fraser Alexander continuously invests in R&D on new deposition methodologies, and working together with clients, consultants and universities to research
MANAGING TAILINGS THAN ANY OTHER established, tried and tested, and presses and paste thickeners. tailings solutions.
year across a wide range commodities, design profiles, and a variety of site methodologies, specialised equipment, research and trial new ,industry solutions.
BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE
Fraser Alexander recognises the crucial need for action and compliance regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives that companies must engage in to better the world.
The organisation is committed to building a sustainable future, aptly demonstrated through its superb track record in safety, employing and developing local talent, and minimising environmental impacts for the benefit of all.
Considerable effort goes into ensuring Fraser Alexander is a responsible environmental steward and mitigates any potential impacts that may arise from the functions it performs at mining sites.
“We’ve observed in many instances that we’re doing good and leaving
2025 MRD301 course dates
a better future behind in the places where we operate,” notes De Koning.
“We’re keeping operations safe, preventing spillages into the environment and communities, and providing jobs and economic stimulation to the regions where we work.”
“We also offer Mining Residue Training (MRD301) to our clients and everyone operating in the mining industry to ensure that we all act responsibly in the building, management, and closure of tailings facilities”
The company strives to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the communities that surround its business activities. This is accomplished by increasing the capabilities of community-based small, medium, and micro-enterprises (SMMEs) as potential or existing suppliers, partners, and host clients.
- Live session 2: 8th August 2025
Ultimately, Fraser Alexander aims to encourage the economic independence of local regions both now and in the future.
“We’ve taken on the responsibility of addressing localisation through community upliftment, employment, and developing surrounding businesses. It’s a part of our DNA and culture to positively engage within the regions around our operations,” details De Koning.
“The company always looks for any environmental and social upliftment we can bring as it is a high priority for us.”
Additionally, Fraser Alexander is creating a positive legacy through programmes that focus on local education, healthcare, upskilling employees, and reducing its mining footprint wherever possible.
“We believe that these initiatives and programmes demonstrate to the industry and our clients that we will be around long into the future,” concludes De Koning.
As the South African leader of turnkey mining solutions, SPH Kundalila has become an influential titan of this vast industry. We speak to Graeme Campbell, Managing Director, about the company’s exceptional staff, fleet, and range of game-changing services
Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold
HARNESSING HISTORICAL HERITAGE
The industry of medium-sized open cast mining, primary crushing, and materials handling in South Africa (SA) continues to shine as an exciting and dynamic sector to be involved in.
Across the vast African continent, there are several trends and developments that make it an immensely promising field.
Firstly, the demand for efficient and cost-effective mining solutions is driving innovation and
technological advancement.
Companies such as SPH Kundalila (SPH) are at the forefront of this trend, utilising advanced equipment and technologies to enhance productivity and reduce operational costs.
For example, SPH employs medium-capacity equipment, proven and robust options in excavators, and articulated dump trucks and mobile crushers, which ensure efficient and reliable operations.
Another significant development
sweeping the industry is a focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility. In this way, mining companies are increasingly adopting practices that minimise environmental impact and promote site rehabilitation.
As such, SPH is committed to minimising the environmental impact of its operations, a factor which is becoming more important as regulations tighten across the entire mining industry.
Additionally, there is a growing emphasis on safety and workforce development, as many companies are investing in training and upskilling their employees to ensure high safety standards and greater operational excellence.
SPH’s commitment to safety is evident in its comprehensive health, safety, and environmental (HSE) policies, which aim to ensure that workers return home safely and in good health after each shift.
Moreover, the industry is seeing increased collaboration and partnerships with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to access the latest machinery and technology, enhancing operational efficiency and the capacity to manage large-scale projects.
In summary, the medium-sized open cast mining, primary crushing, and materials handling industry in SA is
vibrant and full of opportunities.
The focus on technological advancement, sustainability, safety, and strategic partnerships makes it an exciting place to work, meaning companies like SPH remain wellpositioned to capitalise on these trends and drive the industry forwards.
FROM LOADER TO LEADER
SPH has been a cornerstone of the South African mining sector since its inception in 1969 and became a subsidiary of Raubex Group in 2007.
Over the past 55 years, the company has grown from modest beginnings with just one front-end loader to becoming a respected industry leader with a comprehensive range of services at its disposal.
“Our journey has been marked by our continuous innovation, dedication to quality, and resolute commitment to safety and sustainability,” reflects
Graeme Campbell, Managing Director.
“The company was founded in Saldanha Bay, a port city in the Western Cape, and has since expanded its operations in provinces across SA, including the Northern Cape, North West, Gauteng, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo,” he sets out.
The success of SPH is rooted in the experience of its team, which adds up to an incredible 258 years of service amongst the executive committee alone, a wealth of experience that has been instrumental in driving the company’s growth and ensuring its continued prosperity in such a competitive industry.
EMPOWERMENT THROUGH TRAINING
At SPH, empowering staff and recognising their valuable contributions is central to the company’s organisational culture.
In this way, SPH places a strong emphasis on continuous skills development and training.
“We have implemented a comprehensive training programme that ensures our employees are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles,” Campbell explains.
This includes courses for office staff to improve administrative expertise, communication techniques, and computer skills, as well as specialised training programmes for floor staff focused on machinery operation, safety training and protocols, and first aid certification.
“We also operate an apprenticeship course at our workshops, aiming to empower individuals with the skills and knowledge essential for success in the modern workforce.
“This programme integrates
SPH’S STRATEGIC PRIORITIES
• EXPANDING FOOTPRINT ACROSS AFRICA – SPH is committed to broadening its presence across the African continent. This expansion involves entering new markets such as Ivory Coast and Namibia, where the company aims to establish a strong operational base and secure new revenue streams.
• ENHANCING OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY THROUGH TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS – The company is focused on leveraging the latest technological innovations to enhance operational efficiency.
• MAINTAINING HIGH SAFETY STANDARDS – Safety remains a top priority for SPH as the company is dedicated to achieving zero fatalities and reducing high potential incidents (HPIs) and medical treatment cases (MTCs). This involves the continuous upskilling of HSE personnel, enforcing critical controls, and promoting leading indicator reporting.
• COMMITTING TO SUSTAINABILITY iNITIATIVES – SPH is deeply committed to minimising its environmental impact through various sustainability initiatives. This includes site rehabilitation projects and exploring innovative technologies to reduce carbon emissions. These efforts align with the company’s broader strategy to transition to lower carbon technologies whilst maintaining high performance levels.
• EMPOWERING EMPLOYEES THROUGH CONTINUOUS UPSKILLING – The company places a strong emphasis on the continuous development and empowerment of its employees. Comprehensive training programmes and apprenticeship courses ensure that all staff are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in their roles.
• GUARANTEED UPTIME – Ensuring high levels of operational uptime is crucial for maintaining client satisfaction and achieving business objectives.
“MY GOAL IS TO BUILD ON THIS LEGACY OF SUCCESS WITH MY TEAM, DRIVING THE COMPANY FORWARDS AND CONTINUING ITS GROWTH TRAJECTORY”
–
GRAEME CAMPBELL, MANAGING DIRECTOR, SPH KUNDALILA
theoretical learning with practical hands-on experience, providing participants with a comprehensive understanding of their chosen field,” he expands.
By continuously investing in its employees’ development, SPH creates a motivated and skilled workforce that is better equipped to meet its customers’ evolving needs, ultimately leading to higher levels of satisfaction and success.
Recognition of employee contributions, meanwhile, is undoubtedly another important aspect of SPH’s culture.
The company regularly awards long-service certificates to those who have demonstrated dedication and commitment to the company, acknowledging their hard work and a sense of pride and belonging within the organisation.
CELEBRATING A MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY
The company’s 55-year anniversary is
a testament to SPH’s ability to adapt and thrive in a dynamic industry.
“This proud milestone highlights the company’s resilience and its capacity to evolve alongside changing market demands and technological advancements. It is not just a celebration of the past but also a reaffirmation of SPH’s commitment to future growth and excellence,” Campbell shares.
Building an impressive and wellrespected legacy over five decades has instilled a deep sense of pride amongst the company’s employees and stakeholders, whilst its longstanding reputation for reliability, efficiency, and high standards has earned SPH the trust of major mining houses and clients across SA.
This trust is built on a foundation of consistent performance, ethical conduct, and a strong safety culture.
“The 55-year anniversary also underscores our role in shaping the mining industry’s landscape. By continuously investing in
advanced technology, fostering a culture of safety, and prioritising environmental sustainability, SPH has set benchmarks for others to follow,” he adds.
Moreover, the company’s legacy is not just about its achievements but the positive impact it has had on the communities and environments in which it operates.
“My goal is to build on this legacy of success with my team, driving the company forwards and continuing its growth trajectory. Together, we aim to take SPH from strength to strength, ensuring that we remain a leader in our industry,” Campbell concludes proudly.
Tel: +27 22 714 1281
matthew.p@sphgroup.co.za www.sphkundalila.co.za
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SUSTAINABLY MOBILISING THE EARTH’S RESOURCES
Across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Orica is at the forefront of innovation, technology, and sustainability in the mining and infrastructure sectors. Victor Morales, Vice President of EMEA Mining, digs deep into developments across the region
Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Eddie Clinton
The story of one of the world’s leading mining and infrastructure solutions providers began more than 150 years ago.
Founded in June 1874 as a supplier of explosives to the Victorian goldfields in Australia, Orica proudly
celebrated its sesquicentenary last year, an exciting milestone for the company.
This extensive heritage is a testament to Orica’s resilience, adaptability, and ability to thrive in a constantly evolving business landscape.
Its 150-year journey has also been one of transformation, as the company originally started out as Jones, Scott and Co. before it was bought by Nobel.
The organisation then went on to merge with Brunner Mond and Co., the United Alkali Company, and the British
RESOURCES
Dyestuffs Corporation to form Imperial Chemical Industries Plc (ICI Plc).
In 1928, Imperial Chemical Industries of Australia and New Zealand (ICI ANZ) was incorporated to acquire and coordinate the Australasian interests of ICI Plc, later becoming ICI Australia in 1971.
When ICI Plc divested its major shareholding in ICI Australia in 1997, a new independent Australasian company was formed, known since February 1998 as Orica.
The acquisition of ICI Plc’s global explosives interests began Orica’s transformation into a global business,
one that has maintained its proud traditions of leadership, innovation, quality, and safety.
Orica has also grown to become one of the leading publicly-owned companies listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) over the course of 150 years.
Throughout 2024, the business recognised its landmark anniversary together with its people, partners, customers, and communities globally whilst taking the opportunity to reflect on its proud history and look towards the bright future of this iconic organisation.
A DYNAMIC AND DIVERSE REGION
Today, Orica employs a community of more than 12,500 engineers, scientists, technologists, operators, business specialists, and on-site crew around the world, supporting customers in surface and underground mines, quarries, construction, and oil and gas operations.
The business operates in over 100 countries worldwide, including numerous sites across the EMEA region, an extensive area that is incredibly dynamic and diverse with
unique cultures and a wide range of mining commodities and segments.
The company’s commitment to excellence in the EMEA mining sector is unwavering as it is a key region within Orica’s global operations, with a diverse talent pool of approximately 2,000 staff members dedicated to delivering value and the best customer experience.
“We serve around 1,500 customers, ranging from large mining corporations to small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in quarrying, construction, and infrastructure,” outlines Victor Morales, Vice President of EMEA Mining at Orica.
“What makes EMEA particularly inspiring is the opportunity to collaborate with talented individuals from across this vast and multicultural region, combining diversity, innovation, and meaningful contributions to the mining industry’s future.”
Orica’s solutions extend beyond
blasting and integrate seamlessly into the entire value chain, from geological exploration and blast design to ore processing and addressing geotechnical challenges.
This comprehensive approach enables the company to support mining and infrastructure projects with innovative technologies and tailored services that drive efficiency and sustainability.
“Our talented teams thrive in challenging environments, developing and implementing unique solutions that address the entire value chain,” Morales acclaims.
Equally important is Orica’s dedication to creating value not only for customers, but also for the communities where it operates.
This holistic approach, powered by local expertise and cuttingedge technologies, reinforces the company’s position in EMEA as a global leader in mining and infrastructure solutions.
SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS
Sustainability continues to be a core focus of the industry as organisations work to decarbonise their operations and supply chains.
Areas such as Africa, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Southern and Eastern Europe are growing fast and rapidly evolving to play a pivotal role in supporting the global energy transition.
Demand for copper, nickel, and other future-facing commodities remains strong as the energy transition gains momentum. However, with the push towards a lower-carbon economy, there is expected to be a decline in thermal coal, which is crucial for meeting the energy needs of developing countries.
Sustainability is a key strategic component and integral to operations in EMEA and globally at Orica, whose purpose is to sustainably mobilise the earth’s resources and ambition is to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
“My interest in mining grew as I recognised its critical role in supporting global sustainability, providing essential raw materials for the energy transition and critical minerals that are vital for modern society,” reflects Morales.
The company delivers smart, safe, and sustainable solutions for customers working in complex operating environments, playing its part in addressing climate challenges and supporting local communities.
Championing a more environmentally-friendly industry, responsibly managing its impact on society, and supporting the fair transition to a net zero economy is fundamental to Orica’s decisionmaking and the way it runs the business.
Indeed, sustainability is embedded in the company’s policies, business strategy, and practices as it pursues new opportunities, delivers on its commitments, and improves its performance.
AFRICA OUTLOOK: HOW HAVE ORICA’S LONG-STANDING SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIPS HELPED TO NAVIGATE INDUSTRY DISRUPTION?
Victor Morales, Vice President of EMEA Mining:
“In response to recent global geopolitical challenges, Orica has focused on building robust and resilient supply chains to remain a reliable partner for our customers.
“We have successfully navigated disruptions in the supply of critical raw materials, ensuring our operations continue seamlessly across EMEA and globally. Our strong relationships with key suppliers, freight forwarders, and logistics partners play a crucial role in maintaining the reliability of our services.
“This resilience, combined with our strategic partnerships, is a key differentiator that allows us to deliver consistent value to our customers, even in challenging environments.”
“ORICA IS SET APART BY ITS PEOPLE, COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION, AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES, ALL FOCUSED ON DELIVERING EXCEPTIONAL VALUE TO CUSTOMERS AND STAKEHOLDERS”
– VICTOR MORALES, VICE PRESIDENT OF EMEA MINING, ORICA
Guided by its sustainability strategy, which is informed by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Orica collaborates with customers and other stakeholders to find solutions to the industry’s biggest challenges and move together towards a lower-carbon future.
Along with proactively engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders in EMEA and around the world, Orica undertakes periodic materiality assessments to understand the topics that matter most to them and inform its strategy, public sustainability targets, and external reporting.
The company is focused on mobilising the materials, metals, and minerals required to help the global economy grow and transition to net zero emissions, advancing technology and innovation across the value chain and accelerating its decarbonisation commitments.
ESSENTIAL MATERIALS
Orica is committed to securing the supply of critical raw materials for the mining industry, with the safe and reliable supply of ammonium nitrate (AN) another key component of its offering.
“As one of the world’s leading producers of AN for technical use, we operate five production facilities worldwide,” confirms Morales.
“We are also one of the main buyers of AN for technical use, especially for our operations in EMEA and Latin America, where we have long-term agreements to secure steady supply to our operations.”
In EMEA, Orica recently partnered with Fertiberia to execute the first blast using low-carbon technical ammonium nitrate (TAN) in June 2024 at the Canteras de Santullán quarry in Spain.
This innovative product, made with renewable hydrogen, marks a milestone in reducing the carbon footprint of blasting and mining operations, providing a more sustainable solution compared to conventional TAN.
The blast signifies a further step
towards the decarbonisation of mining, a crucial sector for the energy transition due to its role in extracting copper and other essential industrial minerals, as it marked the first industrial-scale use of a sustainable, low-carbon explosive product.
Alongside AN, Orica also invests in the production of various essential materials such as sodium cyanide and other critical resources.
“This ongoing investment strategy ensures we can meet the growing demands of our customers whilst supporting the industry’s long-term sustainability,” Morales emphasises.
INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
The new mining and infrastructure projects driving the EMEA region evidently have a great focus on sustainability and efficiency, supported by the introduction of forward-thinking technologies.
“We continue to innovate with groundbreaking solutions designed to enhance efficiency, safety, and sustainability in mining operations,” Morales states.
Orica has long been at the forefront of innovation in mining and infrastructure, helping to shape the industry through leading digital and automated technologies to create safer and more productive outcomes for customers.
Continuous innovation led by talented people and fuelled by collaboration with customers and industry and research partners to solve shared challenges has been at the heart of the company’s success over the past 150 years.
Innovation at Orica is defined by its pioneering spirit and key to addressing the significant
“WHAT MAKES EMEA PARTICULARLY INSPIRING IS THE OPPORTUNITY TO COLLABORATE WITH TALENTED INDIVIDUALS FROM ACROSS THIS VAST AND MULTICULTURAL REGION, COMBINING DIVERSITY, INNOVATION, AND MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE MINING INDUSTRY’S FUTURE”
– VICTOR MORALES, VICE PRESIDENT OF EMEA MINING, ORICA
global challenges faced by the mining industry, including sustainability, safety, efficiency, resource depletion, and social responsibility.
Finding ways to address these is therefore essential for the sustainable growth and development of the industry.
Committed to continuous
technological investment, the company’s vision is to transform how drilling and blasting are used to unlock mining value.
“Our innovations reflect Orica’s dedication to providing cutting-edge, value-driven solutions for the evolving needs of the mining industry,” prides Morales.
SAS LOGISTICS SERVING THROUGH SAFETY
Founded in 2006, SAS Logistics has become one of Tanzania’s leading logistics and transport companies, o ering innovative and reliable solutions. Initially, the company started with only 9 trucks, branching out from parent company, S.A. Said & Co. Ltd, which was established in the 1970s by the late Seif Abdallah Said. The company’s name, SAS Logistics, honours his legacy in the transport industry.
SAS Logistics’ success story is rooted in the vision of its CEO, Mr. Salim Seif Elbusaidy, the eldest son of Seif Abdallah Said. With wisdom and a brilliant strategy, Mr. Elbusaidy saw the opportunity to build a sustainable company that would o er top-tier logistics and transport services. Under his leadership, SAS Logistics has grown from a small operation to one of the most respected logistics providers in the country, now owning a eet of 250 trucks with capacities ranging from 3 to 30 tonnes.
At the core of SAS Logistics is its guiding principle, ‘Serving Through Safety ’ The company prioritises safety in all aspects of its operations, from the transportation of goods to the maintenance of its eet. Whether transporting dangerous goods such as ammonium nitrate or providing general cargo transport, SAS Logistics ensures that all operations are executed with the highest safety standards. This commitment is also re ected in the continuous training of its drivers and technicians to adhere to safety protocols.
To meet the country’s growing
demand for logistics services, SAS Logistics has strategically positioned its warehouse facilities in key locations across Tanzania. In Kahama, located near some of the country’s richest mining areas, the warehouse serves as a critical hub for materials and equipment used in the mining sector. This location allows the company to efficiently support the mining industry by providing timely and secure storage and transportation solutions.
Tanga, another key port city, is home to a second SAS Logistics warehouse. Situated close to important trade routes, the Tanga warehouse supports both import and export activities, further enhancing the company’s ability to
o er exible logistics solutions for various industries, including mining and manufacturing.
These strategically located warehouses allow SAS Logistics to o er comprehensive logistics solutions tailored to the needs of its clients. Whether it’s transporting goods to and from the mining regions or facilitating the smooth ow of trade through the ports, the company’s logistics network plays a crucial role in supporting Tanzania’s economy. Over the years, SAS Logistics has expanded its operations beyond transport to o er a range of services, including customs clearance, freight forwarding, and the specialised handling of dangerous goods. The company’s growth has been driven by its
customer satisfaction and its ability to adapt to the changing needs of the logistics industry. SAS Logistics continues to invest in modern technology and eet management systems to enhance e ciency and maintain the highest safety standards.
SAS Logistics is also committed to sustainability. The company imple ments green logistics practices to reduce its environmental impact, such as optimising routes to reduce fuel consumption and adopting eco-friendly packaging materials. These e orts align with global sustainability goals whilst maintaining operational e ciency.
In addition to its environmental initiatives, SAS Logistics embraces innovation by integrating advanced eet management technologies and real-time tracking systems. This enables the company to provide clients with up-to-date information about their shipments, ensuring transparency and improving the overall customer experience.
The company’s dedication to safety extends to its handling of hazardous materials, such as ammonium nitrate, where stringent safety protocols and industry regulations are strictly followed. SAS Logistics’ fleet is equipped with the latest safety features, and its drivers are welltrained to manage hazardous goods safely.
From industry, a veteranled specialize transport,
Your Trusted Partner for Safe and Reliable Transport Solutions
its roots in 2006, SAS Logistics has become a leader in Tanzania’s logistics industry, setting the standard for safe, efficient, and customer-centric services. With veteranled team boasting over 65 years of combined experience, we specialize in handling complex logistics needs, including dangerous goods transport, freight forwarding, and customized warehousing solutions. Why Partner SAS Logistics?
Industry Expertise: Decades of experience across diverse industries, including mining and energy, to meet unique logistical needs with precision. End-to-End Services: Comprehensive solutions from road, air, and sea freight to specialized warehousing and customs clearance, o ering seamless support every step of the way.
Safety Commitment: Certi ed to handle hazardous materials with rigorous safety protocols, ensuring secure and compliant transportation.
Strategic Locations: Facilities in Dar es Salaam, Kahama, and Tanga for optimal regional market access, streamlining logistics throughout East Africa.
Competitive Pricing: Delivering high-quality service at competitive rates to maximize value for your logistics investment.
Timely Delivery: Committed to on-time delivery, keeping your supply chain moving e ciently and reliably.
heart of everything we do. The company has built a strong reputation for reliability and exibility, o ering customised logistics solutions for businesses of all sizes. Whether working with multinational corporations or smaller local enterprises, SAS Logistics takes the time to understand the unique needs of each client and tailors its services to exceed their expectations. With a strong presence at key border points in Tanzania and neighbouring countries like Zambia, SAS Logistics facilitates smooth cross-border transportation and ensures compliance with international shipping regulations. This expertise in customs procedures and regulations helps eliminate delays and ensures e cient delivery across borders. SAS Logistics’ commitment to safety, sustainability, and customer service has earned it a reputation as a reliable partner for businesses across Tanzania. As the company continues to grow, it remains focused on providing innovative, cost-e ective logistics solutions that meet the evolving needs of the industry. Guided by the legacy of Seif Abdallah Said and the leadership of Mr. Salim Seif Elbusaidy, SAS Logistics is wellpositioned for a future of continued success. With a eet of modern vehicles, cutting-edge technology, and strategically located facilities, SAS Logistics is ready to tackle the logistics challenges of tomorrow whilst staying true to its commitment to serving through safety.
Join the many satisfied clients who rely on us for secure and timely delivery. Discover the SAS Logistics advantage—where your business goals drive our commitment to excellence.
In EMEA, the company has technology centres located in Gyttorp, Sweden and Troisdorf, Germany that specialise in nonelectric (NE) initiation and electronic blasting systems (EBS), respectively.
These two regional sites complement Orica’s global technology centres in Australia, the US, Canada, and Singapore, as well as its Centre for Innovation and Collaboration in Chile.
CIRCULAR SOLUTIONS
Orica is in a unique position to leverage its expertise in technology to create solutions that deliver positive socioeconomic and environmental contributions to customers and
ORICA EMEA LOCATIONS
EUROPE – Belgium, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, UK
MIDDLE EAST – United Arab Emirates (UAE)
AFRICA – Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Mozambique, Namibia, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia
communities around the world through its business activities.
For example, the company is reducing environmental footprints by offering more sustainable solutions such as Exel™ Neo, which was launched in September 2023 and represents another step towards the company’s purpose.
The world’s first series of leadfree NE detonators, Exel™ Neo uses unique, proven non-primary explosives detonator (NPED) technology for the safe and reliable initiation of explosives.
“Exel™ Neo offers reliable and robust lead-free detonators for operations in challenging conditions,” Morales tells us.
The Preferred Partner for Containerised Hot Water Boiler Systems in Africa’s Mining Sector
For over a decade, Combustion Technology has been the trusted supplier for Orica Africa, delivering cutting-edge mobile Steam and Water Heating Systems designed specifically for the manufacturing of explosives and blasting systems. This long-standing partnership highlights Combustion Technology’s expertise in providing reliable, energy-efficient, and innovative solutions tailored to meet the unique demands of Africa’s dynamic mining sector.
Geographical Reach and Legacy
With offices in Cape Town and Johannesburg, as well as an extensive dealer network, Combustion Technology services clients across Africa and the Indian Ocean islands. With over 38 years of experience, the company’s world-class products and technical expertise have driven its consistent growth and leadership in the mining sector.
Partnering for a Sustainable Future
The partnership with Orica Africa exemplifies Combustion Technology’s commitment to sustainability and innovation. By providing state-of-theart systems that enable efficient on-site manufacturing of explosives, the company helps mining clients mobilise the earth’s resources responsibly.
Why Choose Combustion Technology?
• Proven Expertise: Decades of experience in the heating and combustion industry.
• Custom Solutions: Tailored systems designed for rugged mining environments.
• Comprehensive Support: A dedicated team offering 24/7 service.
• Global Brands: Exclusive partnerships with world-class manufacturers.
Energy-Efficient Solutions for Challenging Environments
Combustion Technology takes pride in producing containerised hot water boiler systems that are not only reliable but also optimised for quick and seamless on-site deployment. Every system is designed to be “plug and play” and pre-tested for hassle-free commissioning. These features are critical for mining operations, where efficiency and uptime are paramount.
The ability to overcome harsh environmental conditions and operate in abrasive site settings has been central to Combustion Technology’s success. Through continuous innovation and customization, the company ensures its systems meet the highest standards of performance, durability, and sustainability.
Each containerised unit includes:
• A boiler and burner
• Fuel and water tanks
• Electrical panel
• Pump and pipework
This user-friendly Water Treatment System design takes approximately one month to complete and is fully transportable for easy shipment to site locations.
Expert Support and 24/7 Service
A critical factor in Combustion Technology’s success is its dedicated team of engineers and project experts who provide 24/7 support to mining sites across Africa. This hands-on approach guarantees smooth operations and builds long-term client trust.
World-Class Products and Exclusive Partnerships
Combustion Technology proudly represents leading global brands, including:
• Autoflame Combustion Management Systems
• Limpsfield Burners
• Riello Burners
• Unical Boilers
• I.VAR Industry Boilers
• Cannon Bono Energia Industrial Boilers
These premium products form the foundation of Combustion Technology’s solutions, enabling the company to deliver professional service. From pre-sales energy analysis and installations to after-sales service and spare parts support, the company ensures clients receive a professional and seamless experience.
• Geographical Reach: Operations spanning Africa and beyond.
• Effortless Setup: Plug-and-play systems for minimal disruption.
Looking Ahead
Combustion Technology remains committed to its partnership with Orica Africa, supporting the mining sector with innovative and sustainable solutions. With its proven track record and dedication to client satisfaction, Combustion Technology continues to set the standard for containerised hot water boiler systems across Africa.
LtR: Jonathan Louw (Combustion Technology), Roann Naicker (Orica), Riaan van Biljon (Combustion Technology), Dumisani Khosa (Orica) and Dale Lottering (Combustion Technology)
Orica does not use lead or lead components in the manufacturing or production of Exel™ Neo detonators, but rather a safer and more sustainable lead-free formulation in Gyttorp, creating more eco-friendly products whilst maintaining the performance of its premium Exel™ range.
Exel™ Neo detonators are designed for use in civil infrastructure, as well as surface and underground mining operations.
The technology is manufactured close to Orica’s customer base in Europe and is currently available in the EMEA region.
The first Exel™ Neo detonators were shipped from its state-of-theart Swedish production facility in November 2023 to address the need for more sustainable initiation systems in the market.
Orica’s NE manufacturing and
supply network is expanding, with capability and capacity uplifts at a number of sites.
New equipment and processes have solidified multiple export hubs, improving the safety, efficiency, reliability, and security of shipping components to the company’s assembly plants.
AUTOMATED PROCESSING
Along with Exel™ Neo, Orica is also lowering environmental footprints through solutions such as Cyclo™, an automated processing system that enables used oil from heavy machinery to be recycled directly on-site and transformed into raw materials.
Tailoring Your Travel
At Malabar Business Travel, we specialise in crafting exceptional travel experiences across the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Our commitment to customising seamless international and domestic journeys reflects our unwavering dedication to quality and professionalism.
Since our establishment in 2003, we have offered comprehensive travel solutions that prioritise high-quality customer care and meticulous attention to detail. As a leading travel management company, we guarantee a top-notch journey filled with unparalleled services.
Begin your adventure in our VIP lounge at Luano International Airport, where our friendly professionals handle all your administrative tasks, allowing you to relax and enjoy the journey ahead.
EVERY STEP OF THE WAY
We believe in the power of personalised travel. No matter your preferences, we strive to make each moment unforgettable. As your trusted travel partner, we prioritise environmental sustainability and provide guidance throughout your journey. Join us at Malabar Business Travel as we redefine travel experiences that leave a lasting impression. We aim to unlock possibilities and create remarkable memories whilst ensuring your travel plans align perfectly with your desires. Our commitment goes beyond traditional travel services; we focus on building strong relationships with our clients and partners.
AN ENVIRONMENTAL ENDEAVOUR
Traveling with Malabar Business Travel means exploring the extraordinary while embracing our mission of ethical practices. Guided by transparency and sustainability, we are dedicated to responsible travel that benefits both communities and ecosystems.
Let’s explore the wonders of the world together while leaving a positive impact on the destinations we visit. We believe sustainable travel enriches our experiences and fosters a deeper connection with the places we discover.
Malabar Business Travel: +243 815 995 588 info@malabar-group.com www.malabar-group.com
Seamless Service
Our dedication to excellence is reflected in the seamless services we offer, designed to ease your travel experience:
• Car Rentals: Enjoy the freedom of exploring your destination comfortably and conveniently.
• Airport Protocol Service: Experience hassle-free travel with fast-track immigration and customs clearance.
• Hotel Reservations: Secure faultless accommodation, both nationally and internationally.
• Administration Handling Benefit: Seamless operations, from logistics coordination to administrative support.
• Visa Assistance: Receive expert guidance for all your visa needs.
• 24/7 Customer Support: Our team is committed to exceptional service, providing round-the-clock assistance for your convenience.
ORICA VALUES –AT A GLANCE
The company works as one team and is always guided by its values. As a purpose-led, responsible business, how value is delivered for customers, communities, and other stakeholders is as important as what is delivered.
SAFETY – The most important thing is that everyone at Orica returns home safely every day.
RESPECT – Care for each other, customers, communities, and the environment builds trusted relationships.
TOGETHER – Collaboration makes Orica better, individually and collectively.
INTEGRITY – The company is open, honest, and does what is right.
EXCELLENCE – Orica takes accountability for its business and delivers outstanding results.
“TOGETHER, ORICA’S INNOVATIONS IMPROVE SAFETY, EFFICIENCY, SUSTAINABILITY, AND OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY IN MINING ENVIRONMENTS”
– VICTOR MORALES, VICE PRESIDENT OF EMEA MINING, ORICA
The proven technology offers efficient processing and quality output that matches the standard required for the manufacturing of emulsion explosives.
Designed to support remote operations where Orica’s site-based emulsion plants are available, Cyclo™ delivers several environmental and commercial benefits for surface metal and coal mining.
For example, up to 1,000 litres (L) of used oil can be processed per hour by the fully containerised and automated system, associated used oil disposal costs and risks can be lowered, whilst annual diesel consumption in the production of bulk explosives can be reduced by up to an estimated 800,000L per site.
Cyclo™ additionally reduces logistical risks as it removes the need for off-site disposal and
truck movements through local communities and ensures finished product quality is maintained to the standard required for bulk emulsion explosives manufacturing.
Other environmental benefits are delivered by reducing heavy vehicle movements through local communities and thereby minimising the carbon emissions they cause.
In the EMEA region, Cyclo™ units are currently installed across several customer sites in Africa. Elsewhere, there are installations in Asia, Oceania, and Latin America, with a version to suit arctic conditions also being developed for Canada, China, and Mongolia.
Thus, Cyclo™ is an example of how the company is constantly looking for ways to reduce the carbon footprint of its customers whilst creating value for stakeholders.
We. Give Electronics a Shape.
For over three decades, we have been designing and manufacturing custom electronic systems for industrial clients worldwide, thriving in the Ruhr region’s industrial hub. Our team focuses on developing solutions precisely tailored to our customers’ requirements.
As a service-driven organisation, our sole focus is on delivering quality and reliability. From concept creation to production, we cover the entire electronics life cycle, integrating external specialists for advanced mechanical components, certifications, and high-volume manufacturing.
Whether prototyping or crafting small-series systems, our expertise ensures solutions that withstand demanding conditions such as high temperatures, vibrations, and electromagnetic interference, whilst meeting thermal management, high precision, and performance requirements.
From initial design to ongoing product support, we remain a steadfast partner, delivering comprehensive development and manufacturing services with cost optimisation at every stage.
Let’s shape the future together - delivering complete electronics solutions, from design to product life cycle support, tailored to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
“Orica’s premium emulsifier technology enhances the quality and stability of bulk explosives whilst significantly reducing the carbon footprint of production processes, showcasing our commitment to sustainability,” Morales affirms.
ADVANCING SAFETY
Rapid technological advancements that are reshaping the mining and infrastructure landscape are also propelling the industry towards safer practices.
New technologies are transforming safety in the mining industry by reducing human exposure to hazardous conditions, monitoring geotechnical challenges, and enhancing precision in operations.
Orica, whose approach begins with ensuring it conducts business responsibly and prioritising the safety of people, customers, and communities, helps to improve safety and productivity with smart technologies such as WebGen™ and Avatel™.
The world’s first truly wireless initiating system, WebGen™ was launched by Orica in early 2017 and
completely eliminates the need for downlines and connecting wires in surface mining.
Underground, the system communicates through rocks, air, and water to initiate blasts safely and reliably, removing people from harm’s way, and enables new mining methods and blasting techniques to increase productivity and reduce blasting costs.
“WebGen™ allows for remote blasting, eliminating the need for workers to enter dangerous zones,” notes Morales.
Avatel™, meanwhile, is a semiautomated charging solution that eliminates the need to handle initiating systems or manually load blast holes.
The first-of-its-kind innovation enables a single operator to prepare the development face and complete the entire charging cycle from within the safety of an enclosed roll-over protective structure (ROPS) and falling object protective structure (FOPS) cabin.
Thus, Avatel™ represents a step change in safe and productive development charging through
advanced mechanisation, automation, and digitalisation.
As well as improving accuracy in blast execution, the technology reduces the exposure of workers to hazardous environments.
“Avatel™ enhances underground mining safety by combining precision with automation, minimising human involvement in high-risk areas,” Morales elaborates.
SHAPING THE FUTURE
Other Orica technologies improving safety and productivity include 4D™, a revolutionary bulk explosives system that supports surface and underground blasting operations and can be tailored instantaneously to suit varying geologies and hole conditions for the desired blast outcomes.
Enabled by Orica’s proprietary emulsion chemistry and smart technologies, operations using 4D™ can achieve accurate, automated, and efficient energy control.
On the surface, one of the key benefits of 4D™ is the technology’s augered and pumped loading methods for improved efficiency in explosives delivery.
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The company is dealing with general supplies of mining equipment, hardware stores, recruitment agency, stationeries, alluminium glass, timber and its products and other agricultural products.
Surface operations also enjoy reduced drill and blast costs through the application of greater energy, optimised fragmentation, improved productivity and wall control, lowered fume risks, and much more.
Underground, 4D™ enables instantaneous energy control, automation and repeatability, maximised orebody recovery, and sustainable blasting practices.
“4D™ is a revolutionary bulk explosives technology that allows the real-time customisation of blast energy, optimising safety, productivity, and resource efficiency whilst minimising environmental impact,” Morales details.
Next Gen ShotPlus™, meanwhile, is shaping the future of drill and blast by enabling users to assess the impact of engineering decisions and design the highest-value blast for any situation.
This groundbreaking innovation combines high-performance visualisation, best-in-class design tools, and modelling capabilities to
predict blast movement, damage, and vibration, leading drill and blast into a new era.
Engineers can also share the outcomes of these predictive models with multiple stakeholders, allowing for collaborative assessment of the
ORICA’S PURPOSE, VISION, AND STRATEGY
PURPOSE – To sustainably mobilise the earth’s resources.
VISION – To be the world’s leading mining and infrastructure solutions company.
STRATEGY – To deliver solutions and technologies that drive productivity for customers across the globe. Orica’s strategy is centred on three key pillars – optimising its operations, delivering smarter solutions, and partnering for progress.
highest-value blast designs in the context of the entire mining value chain.
Launched in September 2024, Next Gen ShotPlus™ therefore empowers drill and blast engineers to move beyond descriptive designs.
“NextGen ShotPlus™ redefines blast design and visualisation, offering advanced 3D modelling and simulation capabilities,” highlights Morales.
“It allows customers to optimise blast outcomes, streamline planning, and enhance operational efficiency.”
EBS EXPANSION
Then there’s Orica’s market-leading GroundProbe radars, which support the control of wall movements across mining operations worldwide, and i-kon™ III, the most sophisticated EBS on the market.
Reliable even in harsh conditions, i-kon™ III helps customers to achieve their blasting goals and enhances productivity through faster
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deployment and setup for both small and large-scale blasting.
“Our i-kon™ III EBS provides unparalleled accuracy and control, reducing the risks associated with misfires,” adds Morales.
Orica’s EBS manufacturing and supply network has been actively expanding worldwide, with new plants and equipment strategically deployed in all major regions, including EMEA, to enhance the company’s proximity to customers.
As a result, Orica has grown from two EBS manufacturing sites globally to six, significantly bolstering its EBS capacity and subsequently enhancing the company’s responsiveness to customer demands, ensuring a more robust supply chain.
Following the successful introduction of the Exel™ Neo range, with early adopters reaping the benefits, Orica is expanding its leadfree NPED technology to manufacture EBS Neo, its first lead-free EBS at its Gyttorp plant.
This is the first time Orica’s EBS are being manufactured at its state-ofthe-art facility in Sweden, bolstering supply security and optimisation.
The Gyttorp plant will initially be used to assemble Orica’s standard EBS detonators and will subsequently be used to assemble the lead-free EBS range based on NPED technology.
Like the Exel™ Neo range, EBS Neo is free of any Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) according to the EU’s regulation on the registration, evaluation, authorisation, and restriction of chemicals (REACH).
Both product lines also comply with the EU’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) Directive beyond the current deadline of April 2025 and will help customers meet their own environmental, social, and governance (ESG) compliance targets.
Customer trials of EBS Neo got underway in 2024 ahead of market launch, as the company continues to explore how it can use innovative
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With more than 30 years of experience, TEUP provides tailored solutions to optimise and automate production processes.
technologies to help achieve their ESG goals.
INVESTMENT IN COMMUNITIES
Alongside ESG, Orica is deeply committed to corporate social responsibility (CSR) with a strong focus on community engagement.
Indeed, in 2024, the company invested USD$4 million into communities globally, which puts Orica on track to exceed its corporate community investment goal of USD$15 million by the end of FY25. CSR projects across EMEA include promoting diversity and providing local talent opportunities, such as supporting women in technical roles in Africa and aiding social equality efforts.
Vulnerable African communities are also assisted by Orica through efforts such as combatting human trafficking in Tanzania, developing schools for
children in Zambia, providing medical support in Ghana, and ensuring access to clean water in remote areas of the continent.
“These efforts reflect our ongoing dedication to creating meaningful social impact,” Morales informs us.
As well as investing in communities, Orica’s success is equally built on continuous investment in developing its people.
“We are an innovative, technologydriven company, so having the best talent is crucial – not only for driving innovation, but also fostering resilience, commitment, and a focus on generating value for all stakeholders,” he enthuses.
This dedication to continuous improvement and ability to adapt in challenging environments are key attributes of Orica’s team, which ultimately enables it to deliver exceptional and lasting value to
customers and communities.
STRATEGIC ACQUISITIONS
Likewise, the company continues to invest in strategic acquisitions to enhance its offerings and expand its global footprint.
These acquisitions also further broaden Orica’s business and create global opportunities amongst new customers and industries in diverse locations.
For example, in February 2024, the company acquired Cyanco, a US-based leader in manufacturing and distributing sodium cyanide, primarily serving the gold mining industries in the US, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, and Africa.
The acquisition has enhanced the safety and reliability of Orica’s systems and processes, improved security of supply through global supply optimisation, and
expanded the company’s portfolio of technologies and services to differentiate its speciality mining chemicals offering.
It has also more than doubled Orica’s existing sodium cyanide production capacity to approximately 240 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) courtesy of Cyanco’s two manufacturing plants in Nevada and Texas.
A couple of months prior, the company expanded its digital solutions portfolio by acquiring Terra Insights, a leading provider of innovative sensors and data delivery technology for geotechnical, structural, and geospatial monitoring in mining and infrastructure.
Terra Insights adds additional products and capabilities across these two value chains, allowing Orica to provide a more complete offering.
“The acquisition of Terra Insights
strengthens our capabilities in geotechnical monitoring and geological solutions, creating opportunities in the civil infrastructure environment and energy industries,” Morales acknowledges.
These acquisitions reflect Orica’s commitment to expanding beyond traditional blasting services and developing integrated, added-value technologies.
“We remain focused on identifying and investing in new technologies that drive efficiency and sustainability in mining and infrastructure operations.”
Other priorities for the year ahead include delivering greater value for customers, communities, and stakeholders.
Orica aims to support customers in achieving their sustainability goals in 2025, particularly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, advancing the energy transition
through future-facing commodities or critical minerals, and enhancing operational reliability and productivity.
“We are excited by the growth of key markets such as the copper belts in Africa and Central Asia, gold belts across Africa, mining growth in the Middle East, and major infrastructure projects in Southern Europe and the Middle East,” shares Morales.
“Our focus remains on being the preferred partner in these regions, driving sustainable growth for our customers,” he concludes.
With a proud history of supplying spare parts, printing services to various sectors for over a is a company driven by customer satisfaction
Headquartered in Lubumbashi, Haut-Katanga, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Muche Graphique’s offerings are wideranging.
The company supplies spare parts to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), alongside safety equipment, printing services, chemical products, and laboratory equipment to other clients.
Founded on innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit, Muche Graphique has recruited a dynamic and qualified team that is experienced in their respective fields and able to meet the market’s evolving needs. Underpinned by over ten years of industry experience, the company has gained the trust of several large companies in Grand Katanga, consistently meeting their supply and equipment needs. On leader intends relationships vision service fair FIRST-CLASS Muche its all services, throughout project and Offering quality way, and company satisfaction reputation
Products Prices
parts, safety equipment, and decade, Muche Graphique
satisfaction and service excellence
On a mission to be a progressive leader in its field, Muche Graphique intends to build strong, lasting relationships with its clients, with a vision to offer exceptional customer service and top-quality products at a fair price.
FIRST-CLASS SERVICES
Muche Graphique prides itself on ability to provide customers with the requisite information on its services, remaining in communication throughout the execution of each project due to its diligent monitoring and communication department.
Offering each of its customers quality assurance every step of the way, deeply personalised service, and a results-oriented attitude, the company ensures total customer satisfaction – a key factor of its reputation for excellence.
MUCHE GRAPHIQUE’S SERVICES
SPARE PARTS
Genuine lubricants spare parts for trucks and machines: Volvo, Caterpillar, Sinotruck Howo, Shacman, Foton, Auman, Isuzu, and Faw, Man. For compressors and pumps: Atlas Copco, Balma, Abca, Almig, Alup, Airman, Vaccumpump, Bosch, Bowie, Napco, Wilden, Becker, etc.
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
Offering long-term safety solutions, Muche Graphique’s safety equipment and engineering experts are on hand to guide customers.
To ensure consistently high health, safety, and environmental (HSE) standards, the company has established strong partnerships with some of the best manufacturers.
As always, Muche Graphique offers the best products at even better prices. This includes safety equipment supplies and signage for both residential and commercial use.
Deep-rooted trust and reliability between Muche Graphique, its customers, and its partners are also of the utmost importance. By prioritising long-term satisfaction over immediate success, the company proudly centres everything it does around customer fulfilment.
Innovating to stay ahead of the curve, Muche Graphique seeks to continuously improve its services. It encourages the creativity of its employees, utilising progressive technical innovations to think outside the box, benefitting its customers.
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Spare Parts
PRINTING
With over a decade of experience in printing and utilising various professional machines, Muche Graphique is an ideal partner for companies to work with.
Its clients range from small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to large groups throughout the Greater Katanga region, demonstrating its wide-reaching capabilities.
Regardless of volume, size, or quantity, the company prints on all types of media, offering a complete suite of services – from design to printing and delivery.
Muche Graphique even goes as far as to provide manuscripts of digital files provided by clients upon request.
RELATED SERVICES
Chemicals and laboratory equipment –
Comprising various lab materials, chemical products, and mining blasting materials such as installation of argon gas lines, acetylene, and nitrous.
Muche Graphique Brand Spare Parts:
AN INDEPENDENT SUPPLIER
Proud to be an independent supplier, Muche Graphique enjoys freedom in decision-making. This freedom is largely based on its financial independence, acquired over many years of operation thanks good management.
Seeking to obtain maximum quality across all its activities, the company’s ambition is to always keep its promises and continue to contribute to the success of its customers.
achieve this, Muche Graphique regularly invests in modernising its production tools.
Personal Protective Equipment
CONTACT:
DR Congo
128, Avenue Kasa”i, Quartier Makutano, Commune et ville de Lubumbashi
Thais Cavinatto, Country Director, raises a toast to Zambian Breweries’ beloved beer brands and its efforts to help local farmers, combat illicit consumption, and grow the business sustainably
Writer: Jack Salter | Project Manager: Ben Weaver
Beer is always fun to talk about. We have very exciting products that everyone loves, bringing happiness and cheers to people’s lives.”
Sparked by a true passion for the art of crafting beer, Zambian Breweries blends tradition, creativity, and sustainability to produce an unmatched, award-winning selection of beverages.
It is the biggest brewery in Zambia, with over 95 percent market share, and one of the largest consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies in the country.
Over 800 members of staff are employed across two breweries in Lusaka, the capital, and Ndola, the third largest city in Zambia in terms of size and population.
“We’re the only brewery in Zambia that has its own brewing facilities, whereas all our competitors import their products,” continues Thais Cavinatto, Country Director at Zambian Breweries.
“Unlike other breweries in Zambia, we’re the only one that is actually
producing beloved beer brands and generating jobs, so we’re truly ingrained in the country.”
LOCAL BREWER
As part of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewing company, Zambian Breweries offers established brands such as Corona, Budweiser, and Stella Artois alongside its beloved local favourites.
These include Mosi, an iconic national symbol and the most popular beer in Zambia, and Eagle, which was launched in 2017 and is made from locally-sourced cassava, a nuttyflavoured root vegetable, providing a boost for the country’s agriculture sector.
Using cassava grown by smallscale farmers in Luapula Province, the drink’s growing market share is likely to help make agriculture one of the major contributors to Zambian GDP.
As a local brewer, the company depends on high-quality agricultural crops to produce the best beers and support the livelihoods of farming communities across Zambia.
Thais Cavinatto, Country Director (centre-right)
It therefore proudly works with over 2,000 direct farmers in Luapula Province to grow natural ingredients, including cassava and sorghum, whilst barley is largely grown in Central Zambia in the Mkushi farming block.
“We have a programme that helps organise the small-scale farmers into cooperatives, buy from them at a fair price, and provide agricultural inputs such as better-performing varieties, fertilisers, and technical extension services support,” Cavinatto informs us.
“We’re not just here to produce and sell beer – we help farmers harvest cassava to provide a high-quality and wide range of products for our consumers to choose from.”
In Lusaka, Zambian Breweries recently undertook an expansion project and added the capacity to brew innovative beers made with locally-sourced raw materials.
“BEER IS ALWAYS FUN TO TALK ABOUT. WE HAVE VERY EXCITING PRODUCTS THAT EVERYONE LOVES, BRINGING HAPPINESS AND CHEERS TO PEOPLE’S LIVES”
– THAIS CAVINATTO, COUNTRY DIRECTOR, ZAMBIAN BREWERIES
The USD$100 million project completed in 2023 also included efficiency and safety improvements and has created new jobs in the community.
“We didn’t have a demand problem – we had a supply one. We’re lucky to have products that are loved by consumers who wanted to buy more than we had to offer, so we decided to invest in our Lusaka brewery,” outlines Cavinatto.
“We invested to ensure we could optimise our production with a brand new, super-efficient line and guarantee we had sufficient supply. As a result, we had volume growth of over seven percent in 2024.”
COMBATTING ILLICIT CONSUMPTION
Another important project for Zambian Breweries, in partnership with the government, concerns the illicit consumption of alcohol.
70 percent of the alcohol consumed in Zambia is illicit, which negatively impacts government taxation, retailer
AFRICA OUTLOOK: WHAT MADE YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH AB INBEV?
Thais Cavinatto, Country Director: “I fell in love with the culture of the company. Meritocracy is something that has always made my eye shine, and the ability we have to grow our careers at our own pace at AB InBev really made my decision to join 10 years ago easier.
“I have also met phenomenal people with the ability to change to different scopes, roles, and countries.”
margins, and, worst of all, people’s health – “illicit alcohol kills,” Cavinatto cautions.
Innovation in brewing continues to drive Zambian Breweries forward.
In September 2024, the company launched Eagle Extra - a cassavabased beer with eight percent alcohol - offering consumers a high-quality product crafted through rigorous brewing standards and regulations.
“By choosing Eagle Extra, consumers can enjoy a beer that meets strict quality processes,” she emphasises.
Commercially, the success of Eagle Extra will further strengthen Zambian Breweries’ market share in the affordable beer segment.
WATER QUALITY AND FOOD SECURITY
Since 2018, the company has partnered with WWF to secure improved water quality in the Kafue Basin.
As water is a key ingredient in beer production and a critical resource, Zambian Breweries optimises all water use at its plants. At the Ndola
brewery, it even pumps clean water from the Itawa Springs to nearby communities.
“Infrastructure has been put in place to pump water from the springs to a reservoir, which then reticulates into the communities,” explains Cavinatto.
“We’ve built kiosks in those communities to make sure people don’t, for instance, go to the springs to do their laundry.”
In Lusaka’s George Compound, a highly water-stressed area, Zambian Breweries has also installed boreholes and piping to pump clean and safe water to local people.
Zambian Breweries has also teamed up with the World Food Programme (WFP) to drive food security in drought-exposed communities in Southern Zambia.
“We’ve had droughts over the past year, predominantly in the south where our sorghum is grown, so in order to improve food security, we’re helping farmers in the area to grow resilient varieties,” Cavinatto tells us.
It is therefore working with the
Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI) to develop sorghum that is more resistant to climate change.
These are then given to the farmers, who are taught by Zambian Breweries how to prepare the land, manage the crop, and ultimately generate commercial value.
RESILIENCE IN CHALLENGING TIMES
However, the droughts, coupled with other domestic challenges related to raw material imports, load shedding, and the depreciation of the Zambian kwacha, meant the company had to find creative ways to stay on top of things.
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“We have a lot of challenges in Africa, not just in the brewing industry, that we need to understand to make the business profitable and sustainable. When you hire the right people with the right mindset, you can build a team that is excited
and engaged to grow,” recognises Cavinatto.
“We are consistently growing our products, increasing access to new points of sale, and updating our technology and systems to drive future sales through e-commerce.
This is something AB InBev has done in many countries, including South Africa, Tanzania, and Uganda, so we want to do that in Zambia,” she concludes.
“2024 was the year of change, and this year will be about making sure all the new changes and processes we implemented will give us the expected results. We’re on the right path and excited by what we see ahead of us –now it’s time to accelerate.”
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As manufacturing organisations worldwide confront unprecedented change, embracing technological innovations and incorporating critical environmental sustainability agendas, now more than ever is the time to showcase the strides being taken in this dynamic sector.
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Discover exclusive content distributed through its website, online magazine, social media campaigns and digital dispatches, delivered straight to your inbox with a bi-weekly newsletter.
Through these compelling media channels, Manufacturing Outlook will continue to foreground the movers and shakers of the industry.
To participate as a featured company and join us in this exciting endeavour, contact one of our Project Managers today.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY MASTERS
WCE Consulting Engineers aspires to be the leading and preferred multidisciplinary consulting and engineering company in Namibia and across the broader African region. We hear more about the burgeoning business from Managing Director, Victor Rieger
Writer: Ed Budds | Project Manager: Andrew Marjoram
With a modest population of approximately three million, the equivalent of just four people per square kilometre, Namibia is considered the least populated country in Africa.
The nation is vast, and providing infrastructure is challenging due to the limited financial resources associated with the small population.
However, Namibia has overcome these obstacles and developed one of the continent’s best road infrastructure systems, which is continuously being expanded and upgraded. With continued investment in infrastructure, Namibian engineers and contractors have access to abundant opportunities.
With further developments in oil and gas, green hydrogen, and mining, to name just a few, Namibia is set for growth across the board.
One company thriving amongst this national upturn is WCE Consulting Engineers (WCE).
“Compared to other African countries I have travelled to, I believe Namibia has a strong local engineering and contractor fraternity, capable of completing almost any
Above: First National Bank (FNB) Windhoek building.
Left: Kranzberg-Tsuneb Railway. Centre-left: Namibia Training Authority (NTA) Keetmanshoopscaffolding around. Left
large: Second slurry seal being applied on one of the bitumen roads at Oshakati North dormitory building. Centre-left below: Bank Windhoek Capricorn building (EDGE certified)
- recycled air filters used for lighting shades. Farleft below: Supplying fabricated parts for the Deepsea Bollsta oil rig
AFRICA OUTLOOK: HOW WERE YOU FIRST INTRODUCED TO THE INDUSTRY?
Victor Rieger, Managing Director: “My father was a contractor, and from an early age, I accompanied him to projects during school holidays. This early exposure ignited my passion for engineering and inspired me to pursue a career where I could contribute to infrastructure development – an essential driver of economic growth in the region.
“I completed my studies at the University of Johannesburg in 1997 and started my career at Stocks & Stocks. My first role was as a site engineer on the Bafokeng Sports Palace near Rustenburg, which later became a 2010 FIFA World Cup venue.
“In 1999, I was given an opportunity to work on a water reclamation plant project in Windhoek, Namibia, and moved there with my wife. Upon completing the project, I joined WCE in 2000 to gain design experience and work towards professional registration. 25 years later, we are still in Windhoek, which has become our home.
“My journey in engineering began with a deep-seated passion for problem-solving and a desire to contribute meaningfully to infrastructure development. Over the years, I have been fortunate to work on diverse projects that have shaped my understanding of the industry and honed my leadership ability. My career path has been driven by a commitment to excellence and innovation, ultimately leading me to my current role as Managing Director of WCE.”
infrastructure development project from start to finish,” introduces Victor Rieger, Managing Director.
“We are not reliant on external engineers from other countries other than those that are very specialised.
“However, there is growing concern amongst local contractors that projects are increasingly being taken up by foreign companies, and the Construction Industries Federation of Namibia (CIF) is continuously lobbying for the interests of local businesses to ensure sustainability for the Namibian construction industry,” he elaborates.
In this way, Africa’s engineering and construction landscape finds itself at a pivotal moment, as the rapid urbanisation of low-income earners represents a challenge to the government in providing serviced land on which people can construct housing.
Due to limited finances and regulatory constraints, providing serviced land in the major urban centres remains a problem. Despite this, should the partnership of government and industry prove successful in solving the financing and regulatory challenges, there will be excellent opportunities for engineers and contractors in this sector, which, in turn, will significantly impact people’s livelihoods.
“In response to these hurdles, the sector remains dynamic and rewarding. Notably, there is an increasing emphasis on sustainable practices, digital transformation, and capacity building, reshaping how projects are conceived and executed. This requires continuous industry adaptation to remain valid and competitive,” Rieger tells us.
50 YEARS OF SUCCESS
WCE is a multidisciplinary engineering consultancy that delivers high-quality solutions to complex engineering problems.
Established in 1977, the company
“LOOKING AHEAD, WE PLAN TO FOCUS ON EXPANDING OUR FOOTPRINT, ENHANCING SERVICE DELIVERY, AND EMBRACING DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION”
– VICTOR RIEGER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, WCE CONSULTING ENGINEERS
will soon celebrate 50 years in the African engineering industry as a proud Namibian-owned business.
Today, WCE provides a swathe of civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, transport engineering, and project management services.
“We are headquartered in Windhoek, Namibia, and have additional offices in Walvis Bay, Ongwediva, Otjiwarongo, and Lüderitz to ensure we provide costeffective services throughout the entire nation,” Rieger states.
“Our team is comprised of highly skilled professionals who are committed to excellence and integrity and cater to a diverse client
base, including government entities, private sector stakeholders, and international partners.”
Currently, WCE focuses on large transportation projects such as railway lines, airports, harbour structures, and national roads. This is supported by the company’s civil department, which develops large water infrastructure projects, including reservoirs, water purification plants, and water distribution schemes.
This arm of the business also works on sewer infrastructure, including pump stations and sewer treatment works. The civil department also specialises in the servicing of land throughout Namibia.
Left: Southern African Customs Union (SACU) building. Left below: Auasblick highway extension. Right: Independence building. Right above: Culverts (Kranzberg-Tsumeb Railway)
Over 40 years of combined EXCo experience in geotechnical engineering
Firstly, could you provide some insight into Dolomite Geotechnical Services? What does the company do, and what facilities does it have?
Dolomite Geotechnical Consultants is a 100 percent Namibian-owned and controlled geotechnical engineering consulting firm. Our executive team possesses over 40 years of combined EXCo experience in geotechnical engineering and quality assurance in civil engineering projects. Our mission is to establish ourselves as a preeminent and reliable partner, providing geotechnical services in Namibia and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Our primary service offerings encompass geotechnical investigations, centre line material surveys, borrow pit prospecting, hydrogeological investigations, process and acceptance control, research and construction material design, and other related services. Our clientele encompasses industries such as roads, railways, aviation, and building infrastructure developments. We possess three fully operational geotechnical engineering facilities, strategically situated in Keetmanshoop, Otjwarongo, and Ongwediva. Additionally, we have a project management office located in Windhoek. Our operations provide flexibility to establish mobile or site geotechnical laboratories to cater to the specific requirements of our clients.
We are committed to training and employing local talent and fostering skills development in Namibia. Our mentorship programme is designed to facilitate the transfer of knowledge from engineers to technicians and from industry
experts to our engineers. This ensures that we possess upto-date knowledge in the latest trends and problem-solving methodologies in geotechnical engineering.
Does the company use any innovative or cutting-edge equipment?
Our facilities adhere to prescribed international best practice geotechnical engineering standards. We also subscribe to effective quality control systems in compliance with the requirements of SANAS, TMH, SABS, SABITA, and ASTM. Our facilities are also equipped with state-of-theart geotechnical equipment to ensure timely, efficient, and reliable quality assurance, such as nuclear gauge devices for determining compaction densities (Troxler), a concrete cube press machine, a concrete reinforcement cover detector machine, a California Bearing Ratio (CBR) press machine, DCP devices, a core drilling machine, a dosimeter, etc. We employ advanced software and data management systems for site auditing, reporting, and quality assurance.
Our quality management process ensures the accuracy, reliability, and compliance of all testing and reporting activities. Each project commences with customised protocols that adhere to industry standards, supported by a stringent QA/QC system, regular equipment calibration, and comprehensive documentation. Multi-tier review procedures and internal audits facilitate the maintenance of high standards, whilst ongoing training for field and laboratory technicians ensures that our methodologies remain aligned with contemporary advancements. This rigorous approach facilitates the provision of precise, timely data that supports project success and client confidence.
“We firmly believe in the realisation of Namibia’s development aspirations.”
Our approach to continuous improvement and adaptability emphasises staying responsive to evolving project requirements and industry best practices. We conduct regular project evaluations and gather client feedback to identify areas for improvement, ensuring that each phase of our work aligns with current demands. By implementing adaptive workflows and embracing new technologies as they become available, we optimise our processes for efficiency and accuracy. Furthermore, our team participates in ongoing training and development, empowering them to implement innovative techniques and solutions tailored to each project’s unique challenges. This proactive approach enables us to deliver consistently high-quality results that meet both immediate and future project needs.
When and how was Dolomite Geotechnical Services established?
Dolomite Geotechnical Services was conceived in 2013 but officially launched in 2020. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic during this time, we opened our doors with unwavering determination to establish ourselves as a significant player in the geotechnical engineering industry of Namibia.
Due to limited funding and the high cost of specialised machinery to operate our operations, we commenced with only one lean facility in Ongwediva. The initial setup phase presented unique challenges, but through unwavering perseverance, we successfully expanded to two additional facilities in Keetmanshoop and Otjiwarongo, and established a project management office in Windhoek within less than four years.
Whilst we perceive geotechnical engineering as an entrepreneurial opportunity, our primary motivation is to contribute to the infrastructure development and knowledge base enhancement of our nation, thereby alleviating poverty through employment creation. What type of projects has the company previously worked on? Looking ahead, are there any upcoming projects or investments you would like to pay special mention to?
Our team has been involved in a diverse range of projects, encompassing geotechnical investigations, borrow prospecting, centre line surveys, research, and materials design. We have also conducted quality assurance testing of construction materials, including soils, gravels, bitumen, aggregates, and concrete. These projects have been
undertaken in various sectors, such as roads, railways, civil structures, and electrical infrastructure.
In the near future, we are partnering with Windhoek Consulting Engineers (WCE) to provide specialised laboratory services for the railway transport infrastructure improvement project spanning approximately 400 kilometres between Kranzberg and Tsumeb. Additionally, we are considering investing in advanced equipment to enhance our hydrogeology and drilling capabilities. Furthermore, we are exploring opportunities to expand our services to neighbouring countries within the SADC region. Our objective is to establish strategic partnerships and collaborations with consulting, construction, and educational institutions to ensure the achievement of highquality project outcomes.
What is Dolomite Geotechnical Services primary objective?
Our primary objective is to establish ourselves as a leading partner in geotechnical engineering services. We aspire to deliver efficient, timely, and reliable high-quality results to our clients. Additionally, we are committed to addressing unemployment and poverty through job creation initiatives within the communities where our operations are situated. We firmly believe in the realisation of Namibia’s development aspirations and have strategically positioned ourselves to contribute to the value chain that supports the construction and maintenance of quality infrastructure, ensuring value for money.
WCE has four pillars for job creation initiatives to ensure a sustainable influx of engineers and enable continued growth.
• Firstly, WCE provides bursaries to young Namibians across various sectors, not only engineers. The company also needs accountants, human resources (HR), IT, and administrative personnel.
• Secondly, WCE has a strong training programme offering one-year contracts to graduates. At the end of this, the company offers permanent positions to the best candidates.
• Thirdly, the company appoints Namibians where it requires a specific skill set. Although WCE encourages juniors to grow within the organisation, it also appoints experienced engineers, especially given the current growth phase.
• Fourthly, if WCE has a project that requires a unique skillset for a short duration, it will appoint employees on a contract basis. For example, it has recently contracted small Namibian engineering companies to provide teams to work on site supervision contracts for a new railway line.
Leveraging these four pillars, WCE believes it can secure the required resources and sustainably to create better opportunities and employment for Namibians.
“OUR TEAM IS COMPRISED OF HIGHLY SKILLED PROFESSIONALS WHO ARE COMMITTED TO EXCELLENCE AND INTEGRITY AND CATER TO A DIVERSE CLIENT BASE, INCLUDING GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, PRIVATE SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS, AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS”
– VICTOR RIEGER, MANAGING DIRECTOR, WCE CONSULTING ENGINEERS
“Elsewhere, our structural department is essentially our marketing team due to its showcase of impressive high-rise buildings, large distribution centres, warehousing, bridges, and other structural design work.”
Finally, this is complemented by the mechanical and electrical departments that do all mechanical and electrical designs for WCE’s buildings. As divisions in their own right, they encompass electrical distribution networks, renewable energy, heating, cooling, and various other specialised mechanical works.
Pulling everything together is the company’s project management
office, where all disciplines are pulled together to ensure successful projects.
REDEFINING EXPECTATIONS
To date, WCE has developed a tried
its deep knowledge of the Namibian market, alongside its network of service providers and industry leaders throughout many sectors of the economy, which it leverages to support client projects.
“Suppose a client has an opportunity that they want to explore. In that case, we can assemble a team of people or organisations from across all sectors required to enable the project and, therefore, not be
limited to solely our engineering input,” he explains.
In addition, WCE leverages the latest technology and is currently exploring new and more efficient business methods, such as integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).
and tested client-centric approach and is committed to providing industry-leading engineering services with a proudly Namibian team.
“Above all else, we ensure that we understand the client’s needs before we begin a project to ensure that it is delivered in line with their expectations,” Rieger acclaims.
Currently, the company is also focused on enabling projects through
“Looking ahead, we plan to focus on expanding our footprint, enhancing service delivery, and embracing digital transformation. We also aim to strengthen our capabilities in emerging engineering trends, exploring new market opportunities such as oil and gas as well as green hydrogen.”
Elsewhere, WCE believes there is a high probability that the Namibian oil and gas sector could rapidly expand should one of the major national companies start developing their oilfields.
“We are positioning ourselves to be the preferred local partner for foreign companies being established in Namibia and are also upskilling our employees to participate in the future oil and gas work designed and constructed in Namibia by Namibians,” Rieger finishes optimistically.
Cutting-edge technologies and an experienced and visionary team enable Milkor to offer turnkey defence solutions for air, land, and sea. We detail the company’s advanced capabilities and commitment to the aerospace and military manufacturing sector
Defence manufacturing in South Africa (SA) boasts a notable history of innovation and a robust commitment to delivering high-quality solutions for domestic and international markets.
The industry has experienced significant evolution, particularly since the 1980s, which was characterised by a key milestone – the groundbreaking
development of the 40-millimetre (mm) Multiple Grenade Launcher (MGL) by Milkor in 1981.
Milkor’s MGL was revolutionary as it was the first of its kind to be designed, developed, and manufactured entirely in SA, paving the way for the country’s independent defence production capabilities. This achievement laid a solid foundation for Milkor, which subsequently expanded its operations and emerged as a reliable manufacturer and supplier for the global defence sector.
Today, the company services military and law enforcement agencies in over 56 countries, establishing a strong international reputation.
Milkor’s commitment to ongoing R&D underpins its innovative approach, allowing it to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market. This strategy is aligned with the company’s vision of becoming a leader in the global military industry through continuing innovation, leveraging advanced technology, and setting
new benchmarks for performance and reliability.
Milkor’s commitment to excellence is reflected in its cutting-edge advancements, enabling the company to manufacture high-quality weaponry suitable for a diverse range of applications.
This includes less lethal options designed for crowd control and law enforcement scenarios, as well as a portfolio of low to medium-velocity ammunition for various military operations.
Such expertise positions Milkor as a crucial player in SA’s defence manufacturing sector, significantly enhancing its reputation on the international stage whilst contributing to the country’s strategic self-reliance and defence capabilities.
VISIONARY DEFENCE DEVELOPMENT
In 1983, just three years after the innovative Milkor MGL debuted, the South African Defence Force acknowledged its significant capabilities and placed a notable order for the Y2 model.
Featuring the ability to fire multiple grenades in rapid succession, this remarkable weapon system has successfully served various military operations and law enforcement engagements for over 30 years, reflecting its robustness and adaptability in diverse combat environments.
The company’s commitment to
continuous improvement has led to the development of an expansive portfolio of 40mm grenade launchers, including well-regarded models such as the MK1S and MK1L.
In addition, Milkor has introduced specialised weapons, notably the Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) designed for attachment to standard-issue rifles, the Stopper Convertible, the SuperSix Multi-Range Grenade Launcher (MRGL), and the Multiple Anti-Riot (MAR) launcher developed explicitly for crowd control and non-lethal applications.
In response to the evolving challenges within the defence industry, Milkor underwent a strategic realignment in 2015 that allowed it to seize new opportunities, resulting in substantial investments aimed at transforming the company into a fullspectrum turnkey defence supplier.
and sea domains, with a strong emphasis on customisation to meet the specific operational demands of each client, thereby enhancing overall effectiveness.
Driven by an unwavering pursuit of technological innovation, Milkor has strategically positioned itself globally by establishing branches in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, with two regional offices in SA. This international footprint empowers Milkor to respond quickly to client needs and deliver superior products and services on a global scale, solidifying its position as an industry leader in the evercompetitive defence sector.
COMPREHENSIVE CYBER SOLUTIONS
In today’s interconnected and datadriven world, organisations face a relentless wave of cyber threats from attackers equipped with advanced tools and techniques, continuously
searching for vulnerabilities to exploit. Intelligent networking and security solutions are therefore essential to safeguard critical assets, and Milkor offers extensive cybersecurity expertise to protect digital resources.
Central to the company’s strategy is zero trust architecture, a security
MILKOR’S SYSTEMS
model that assumes nothing is safe by default and thoroughly checks every access request and interaction.
Milkor adheres to globally recognised best practices, including National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) 2.0 guidelines,
• AIR – The Milkor 380 has been independently developed to integrate a wide range of specifications into its intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) system capabilities. The company can provide turnkey unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) solutions according to user requirements and offers multiple fixed-wing platforms fully equipped for tactical surveillance and opportunistic engagement.
• LAND – The BushCat, Vanguard, and Frontier 4x4 all have blast and ballistic protection.
• SEA – The Milkor Inshore Patrol Craft (IPC) is designed, engineered, and manufactured with after-sales service for naval and commercial requirements. Speed, strength, safety, and comfortability are all key elements that guarantee mission success, which makes the IPC a formidable maritime vessel.
• WEAPONS – Milkor constantly works on new weapon concept designs and product enhancements to ensure that it can provide cutting-edge technology.
ensuring robust solutions.
The company is dedicated to defending digital environments against ever-evolving cyber threats, providing reliable protection in an increasingly hazardous online landscape.
In addition to cybersecurity, the company offers innovative technological solutions such as the Milkor 380, a versatile airborne platform designed for surveillance, reconnaissance, and opportunistic engagement missions. With a wide variety of payload options, it functions as a guardian of the skies, capable of conducting extendedrange and long-endurance missions.
The integration of world-class optical equipment into the Milkor 380 allows for real-time, highdefinition, infrared, and multispectral video and data acquisition transmitted to remote receivers. The platform also includes technologies such as Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar (iSAR) for maritime monitoring.
MILKOR CYBER CAPABILITIES
Active system design
• Network architecture by qualified Cisco Certified Internetwork Experts (CCIEs)
• Zero trust network provision
• Network isolation and multi-layer protection
• Petabyte-scale data centre implementation
• Localised cloud solutions
• Physical file transfer protection
Passive infrastructure
• Communication integration by qualified Cisco Certified Network Associates (CCNAs)
Milkor’s range of armoured land solutions is built for the most demanding environments, delivering all-terrain performance, superior protection, and the power needed to complete any mission.
For instance, the BushCat is an armoured personnel carrier (APC) that redefines all-terrain capability, providing unmatched performance and protection in the most demanding situations.
Engineered for versatility, it offers various configurations to meet any operational requirement, ensuring seamless adaptation to mission needs. The BushCat’s modular design also allows easy customisation, making it a cost-effective solution for large-scale deployments.
The APC is versatile and resilient, designed to thrive in challenging environments, and comes in multiple variants, including an infantry fighting vehicle, armoured personnel carrier, border patrol vehicle, military field ambulance, and command vehicle, offering unmatched adaptability for diverse mission profiles.
Engineered to conquer steep gradients, deep waters, and rugged terrains, the BushCat combines power, endurance, and advanced protection to ensure reliable performance in any operational scenario.
Another APC, the Vanguard, is a highly specialised mine-resistant ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle designed to ensure mission effectiveness, troop safety, and high performance.
The Vanguard features exceptional protection, high payload integration capacity, and superior all-terrain performance. It is prepared to tackle various operational requirements with multiple vehicle variants available.
Rigid and dependable, the Vanguard excels in the most challenging conditions and provides the same multiple configurations as the BushCat, delivering exceptional versatility for various missions.
Designed to navigate steep inclines,
deep water crossings, and challenging terrains, it combines strength, durability, and advanced protection to ensure reliable performance in any operational environment.
NEW FRONTIERS
The Frontier 4x4, meanwhile, is a light tactical vehicle designed for quick response, mission effectiveness, and troop safety.
Its capabilities range from security operations to protected reconnaissance and engagement in hostile situations. Built to handle diverse mission requirements, it offers world-class off-road mobility and advanced technology, ensuring adaptability to the ever-changing battlefield.
With a modular and agile structure, the Frontier 4x4 is optimised for high-performance operations in demanding environments and designed to integrate various
payloads tailored to specific mission needs. The vehicle is also equipped with advanced protection capabilities, providing a comprehensive solution for tactical operations.
The three vehicles were released in 2024, with additional new product lines planned this year. Continually seeking to improve its technology and efficiency, Milkor hopes to double its production capabilities within the next five years.
Furthermore, as one of the world’s top 10 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) manufacturers, after producing the largest on the African continent, the company’s future includes new UAV production for various military operations, with some already in the testing phase.
With these ambitious plans, Milkor is securing its place in the industry, demonstrating a longevity that reflects the durability of its defence solutions.
To round off each issue, we ask our contributing business leaders for their views on the same question
How do you create motivation for yourself and your team?
Victor Rieger Managing Director, WCE Consulting Engineers
“As Managing Director, I am blessed to have great business partners and be surrounded by a wonderful and talented team, which enables us to move forwards collectively, deliver complex engineering projects to meet client expectations, and thereby ensure they will continue using WCE as their preferred engineering firm well into the future.”
Thais Cavinatto Country Director, Zambian Breweries
“We need to have a clear path forwards and a focus on where we want to get in the next 10 years. But, most importantly, we need to enjoy the journey. That's what I tell my team and that's how I motivate myself as well.
“Another thing that motivates me and the team is that you can no longer operate in silos. The world is dynamic
and things are always happening, so it doesn’t work if you operate in silos. What I always try to build is a very collaborative team with integrated targets.
“Ownership and resilience are very important. Being owners of what you're doing and being resilient in diverse and dynamic moments gives us the foundation to get to where we are.”
Lourens De Koning COO, Fraser Alexander
“We're currently going through a rapid evolution, and as a mining services provider, we can't afford to lag. You have to be leading the way with your clients and must set the standards across the business.
“That creates a lot of excitement as employees see a bright future for businesses that recognise these aspects and are a part of this evolution. As much as it comes with some difficulty, it creates opportunity and excitement.
“Over the last four years, the level of skill we’ve attracted to the business in our historic operations and future expansion has been remarkable.
“We have the opportunity to extract excellent talent who want to join the business because they see what we stand for, what our purpose is, what our values are, and the future opportunities within the organisation.
“That is something that excites us and gives us hope for the future. We also do a lot of work around engaging with our employees, giving them feedback on how we perceive the market, how we see the industry moving, why are we driving certain initiatives, and how that is evolving.
“Even though we're going through industry ups and downs, we find ourselves in a very exciting space to look at differentiated expansion going forwards, which will put us in a good position for the future.”
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Consulting firm in business law tax and customs
JCW is a legal and tax consultancy firm.
JCW has been assisting several mining companies in the exploration and exploitation phases for several years.
In addition to mining companies, JCW also assists mining subcontracting companies.
We are based in Côte d’Ivoire. However, we also operate in Burkina Faso, Mali, Guinea Conakry, Niger, and the Democratic Republic of Congo through our local partners.
For the past 10 years, JCW has been an active member of the Groupement Professionnel des Miniers de Côte d’Ivoire (GPMCI).
We provide advice and support in the areas of business law, taxation and customs.
Our firm stands out for:
• The diverse experience of our managers.
• The youth and dynamism of our team.
• Expertise in the variety and complexity of the work we do.
