Bruce Montiea

https://staging1.creamermedia.com/

Bruce Montiea

Bruce Montiea is a Creamer Media Writer for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.

Tel: +2711 622 3744

Scholarship of teaching and learning in higher education under spotlight

22nd July 2016 Advancing teaching innovation and research excellence in higher education will be the focus of this year’s Annual Teaching & Learning in Higher Education Conference. The conference, in its tenth year, is an international gathering of academics and researchers that will be held at the Southern Sun... →

Rail maintenance designer preserves investment in SA

26th February 2016 Despite challenges, such as uncertain future business prospects, in the South African rail industry, heavy on-track maintenance machinery designer and manufacturer Plasser South Africa maintains a constant investment programme. The programme includes maintaining a suitable number of heavy... →

Government rail network targets global recognition by 2019

26th February 2016 The country’s rail infrastructure networks are set to receive significant boosts in investment, owing to government’s target of having the fifth-largest railway network in the world by 2019, says professional services firm WSP|Parsons Brinckerhoff. WSP|Parsons Brinkerhoff Africa infrastructure... →

PASSENGER RAIL IMPROVEMENTS There has been significant movement to improve and increase passenger rail capacity in South Africa owing to PRASA's rolling-stock upgrade projects

Sustainable transport key to economy

26th February 2016 A well-functioning economy starts with putting in place a good transport infrastructure before any other primary infrastructure development, says professional services firm KPMG global infrastructure major projects advisory head De Buys Scott. “The leverage potential of a well-developed and... →

SA company keeps abreast of pantograph technology

26th February 2016 South Africa-based engineering company Pamodzi Unique Engineering has signed a technical agreement with international pantograph manufacturers to remain up to date with the latest pantograph technology. The company has been supplying State-owned heavy haul freight rail company Transnet Freight... →

Consistent efficiency and safety improvements key for rail industry

26th February 2016 To ensure a safer and more efficient rail network, railway engineering company Wictra Holdings says consistent improvements in materials and safety procedures are needed. →

Local rifle manufacturing multibeneficial for economy

19th February 2016 Precision rifles designer and manufacturer Truvelo believes that manufacturing its rifles locally encourages foreign currency influx and alleviates unemployment. “We contribute to job creation and skills development by offering training to our staff and, as the majority of our products are... →

PRECISION Truvelo’s rifles are lightweight, adjustable and accurate

Cooling solution benefits outdoor industrial processes

5th February 2016 Companies operating in hot and harsh environments are benefiting from Germany-headquartered engineering electronic instruments protection company Intertec’s active cooling solution for small outdoor electronics and instrumentation equipment. Intertec commercial director Hans Geiger tells... →

FULLPROOF The MULTICOOL 1100 cooler does not get affected by rain and dust

Australian coolers suitable for SA environment

5th February 2016 Owing to the hot and dry conditions in South Africa, evaporative cooling company Air-Dale Engineering notes that the Cool Breeze evaporative coolers are well-suited for local use, as these conditions are prevalent in most parts of the country. The company has been importing the coolers from... →

Photo by Bloomberg
SCORCHING Cool Breeze evaporative coolers are suitable for South Africa’s hot and dry conditions as they have been built for the Australian outback, which is also hot and dry

Restricted mainstream energy supply leads to LPG growth

29th January 2016 Shortcomings in sustainable energy supply from State-owned power utility Eskom are regarded as a big contributor to the substantial growth of the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market, says gas equipment company African Gas Equipment MD Andries Henning. →

Plastics industry expects 300 delegates at conference in March

29th January 2016 Industry association Plastics SA expects about 300 role-players and decision-makers to attend its Second Plastics Industry Conference, themed The Triple Bottom Line and the Plastics Industry, to be held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, in Nasrec, on March 16. →

Conference to address water woes in Africa

29th January 2016 Water use and preservation will be a strong focus for the sixteenth African Utility Week and Clean Power Africa conference and trade exhibition that will be held on May 17 to 19 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. →

Event puts planning in the spotlight

29th January 2016 Along with the discussions and debates expected from the planning fraternity, special focus on planning as a career path, as well as creating special exposure to planning for university-level students and high school learners, will be the highlights for this year’s South African Planning... →

Photo by Bloomberg
PLANNING PROFESSIONALS The Planning Africa Conference aims to attract more than 500 delegates

Need for manufacturing of biofuel-fired boilers steadily increasing

22nd January 2016 Owing to the price of biofuels becoming more competitive than that of traditional fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, the need for biofuel-fired boilers is steadily increasing, says Cape Town-based industrial boilers manufacturer John Thompson divisional technical manager Etienne de Villiers. →

COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL John Thompson carries out tests on a variety of biofuels, including torrefied biomass owing to growing demand for a cleaner and sustainable environment

Recycled oil refined for use as fuel in furnace burners

22nd January 2016 Recycling and refining recycled oil into fuel for furnace burners is a cost- effective solution and encourages recycling, says energy and fuel burning company Technoburn sales and marketing manager David Louch. →

BURNING REUSED OIL Technoburn encourages the use of recycled furnace oil for use in industrial burners and boilers

Platinum major eyes clean power expansion opportunities

11th December 2015 Platinum miner Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) could increase the capacity of clean power production at its Waterval smelting complex in Rustenburg, in the North West, which might result in an investment similar to the new R150-million Eternity Power Thermal Harvesting plant to create cleaner... →

POWER PLATINUM PROJECT Anglo American Platinum is supplementing its energy demands through an Eternity Power Thermal Harvesting plant

Maintenance stressed when facing tough market

11th December 2015 With the platinum sector currently battling because of low platinum prices, miners are forced to deal with tight budget constraints and are, therefore, unwilling or unable to spend money on attending to problems, such as the maintenance or replacement of transfer points, says specialist transfer... →

Photo by Bloomberg
VOLATILE MARKET STRUGGLES Platinum miners lucky enough to continue their operations are finding it difficult to obtain capital to maintain their projects

Iron-ore project among the ‘highest quality, lowest cost’ in Africa

4th December 2015 Iron-ore developer Core Mining’s Avima iron-ore project, in the Republic of Congo, is the most significant project in the Central Africa region, says company spokesperson Lauren Austin-Harvey. “The project is significant, as high-grade iron-ore is continuous over a 40 km strike, with a... →

TRANSFERABLE SKILLS Core Mining intends to ensure that the Avima iron-ore project provides jobs and skills training for the local communities

Major producer trying to save costs amid lower iron-ore price

4th December 2015 The iron-ore sector is facing challenging times and the declining market is likely to continue having a significant impact on business, says iron ore supplier Kumba Iron Ore corporate communications manager Nikki Wetzlar. “No one has clear visibility on how low the prices will go and when they... →

COST CUTTING Some of the initiatives that Kumba has implemented to reduce controllable costs include reconfiguring its mines, such as Sishen, to save costs in all operational areas

Company expects increased demand for grate kiln, eyes Africa

4th December 2015 Next year might see increased demand for the grate kiln systems, used for iron-ore pelletising, produced by Hong Kong-based machinery and technical services company Mallchine, says company GM Cathy Zhang. She tells Mining Weekly that the company has noticed a climb in the number of visitors to... →

Photo by Bloomberg
IRON-ORE BALLS Pelletising is the most suitable steelmaking process when using iron-ore with a low iron content

3D blasting method achieves safe and effective results

20th November 2015 Stereo photogrammetry has proven its value in the mining industry as an easy and cost-effective way to profile rock faces for blast design and characterisation, says blast engineering and consulting firm RA McClure (RAM) president Robert McClure. McClure stated this at explosives supply chain... →

PROFILING ROCK FACES Photogrammetric reconstruction recovers three-dimensional information using at least two photos showing the same part of a scene, such as a rock surface, from different angles

New blasting company MD to focus on customer engagement

20th November 2015 A continuous focus on customers to better understand their requirements and include their voice in in-house decision-making processes will be the main strategy of newly appointed explosives supply chain company BME MD Joseph Keenan. “In the early days of my role, I have had the opportunity to... →

WIDELY USED TECHNOLOGY BME’s AXXIS electronic detonators are used across Africa and other mining markets such as Australia and Colombia

Mines must consider postblast fume problems

20th November 2015 Mines should try to create conditions that reduce the risk of toxic-fume production during blasting, says business consulting service company Kilmorie Consulting. The company notes that, in most cases, fumes emanating from the use of explosives are nontoxic; however, an understanding of the... →

Photo by Bloomberg
CAUTION NEEDED The potential for postblast fume problems has to be taken into consideration at managerial level so that clear direction on fume minimisation can be provided to all staff

Solid foundation key to running a successful wine farm

13th November 2015 Undertaking a comprehensive soil and climate research project before establishing a wine farm is necessary to limit risk when dealing with the unpredictability of nature, including climate change and soil condition, says Karusa Premium Wines & Craft Brewery winemaker and brew master Jacques... →

FAMILY AFFAIR Karusa is a family-operated and -managed wine and fruit farm, which has the benefit of there being much greater concern and effort regarding efficiency and productivity

Room for growth of craft beer market in SA

13th November 2015 Despite craft beer sales accounting for only a fraction of the South African beer market, there is still significant room for growth in the market as consumers become more educated about craft beer, says Jack Black Brewing Company marketing coordinator Frans van Staden. He tells Engineering News... →

AN ACQUIRED TASTE Awareness about craft beer is growing rapidly throughout South Africa

Brewing by-product put to good use

13th November 2015 While most breweries dispose of any waste produced through their brewing processes by selling it to livestock farmers – or buying their own livestock to feed their waste to – Boksburg-based brewery Just Brewing Company donates its waste to a local park and petting zoo, which use it as feed for... →

DISTILLATION PROCESS Brewing produces waste that can be reused

Consumer education imperative for growth of craft beer in SA

13th November 2015 For craft beer to grow in popularity in South Africa, consumer education is important, as it will ensure that craft beer is on every restaurant’s menu, says Hate City Brewing Company. Consumer advocates, such as beer and food reviewers, can also help weed out breweries that are not producing... →

INTRODUCING NEW TASTES Hate City Brewing Company is concentrating on bringing beer types to South Africa that are not commonly available

Green Wine Awards renew focus on sustainable winemaking

13th November 2015 This year’s Nedbank Green Wine Awards, which took place last month in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, re-emphasised the industry’s imperative to produce local wine in an environment-friendly manner. With this in mind, this year’s award for Best Farming Practices – which was bestowed on Wildekrans... →

BEST FARMING PRACTICES This year’s award for Best Farming Practices in the Nedbank Green Wine Awards went to Wildekrans Boutique Wine Estate, situated in the town of Botrivier, in the Western Cape

Brewery brings beer to wine-prominent area

13th November 2015 Being the first brewery to open in the Western Cape’s Worcester region, at the Klipbokkop Mountain Reserve, has benefited local brewery Mountain Brewing Company (MBco) significantly, as it is now able to access an “untouched” natural spring situated 600 m from the brewery, says Klipbokkop... →

ADDING LAGER VARIETY MBco’s Loadshed Lager was borne out of the brewery’s realisation that South Africa comprises mostly lager drinkers

Company to launch underground mining machines

30th October 2015 Ultralow-profile mining machinery and equipment supplier Centre For Machine Technology and Innovation (CMTI Consulting) will launch two underground mining machines next month. CMTI Consulting MD Danie Burger says the machines are still being developed and will be delivered to gold miner Sibanye... →

NEW MINING CONCEPT Most of the parts used to develop the Centre For Machine Technology and Innovation’s underground mining machines were produced locally

Mechanised support solution enhances safety

30th October 2015 Safety in the mining industry has to be the number one priority if South Africa is to be a world-class and globally competitive destination for mining investment, says underground safety support manufacturer M and J Mining shareholder Kuseni Dlamini. “Safety is and always will be critical in... →

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS Last year’s mining industry strikes turned out to be a major cornerstone in the development of M and J Mining

Mining sector looking to automation to increase profits

30th October 2015 Automation is becoming one of the leading focus points to increase profits in the mining sector, says automated robotic solutions company Robotic Innovations (RI) co-owner Marlyn Mostert. She says industrial robots can enable mines to run more efficiently and safely, as they are designed to... →

DEPENDABLE Industrial robots can enable mines to run more efficiently and safely

CCS can decrease CTL CO2 emissions

23rd October 2015 The 30-million tons a year of concentrated carbon dioxide (CO2) released by the South African synthetic fuel industry can effectively be reduced through the carbon capture and storage (CCS) process, says South African National Energy Development Institute cleaner fossil fuel use senior manager... →

Photo by Bloomberg
LIMITING DAMAGE The carbon capture and storage process helps with decreasing the amount of carbon dioxide released through the coal-to-liquids process

SA’s liquid-fuels economy to be sustained for next 40 years

23rd October 2015 The coal-to-liquids (CTL) industry is going to be a core part of South Africa’s liquid-fuels economy for the next 40 years, says global management consulting firm AT Kearney principal Martin Sprott. He says the country’s CTL industry is centred on energy and chemicals group Sasol's CTL plant in... →

Photo by Sasol
FUEL SOURCE Sasol is at the forefront of liquid fuel production

African mining requires lightweight tools

16th October 2015 Lightweight and field-portable devices are the most suitable for African mining conditions, as they enable exploration teams to easily navigate the mostly rough terrain, says field-portable ultraviolet, visible and near infrared spectrometer designer and manufacturer Spectral Evolution. The... →

Photo by Bloomberg
END PRODUCT Yttrium is a heavy rare earth element used to make metal alloys

Exploration company expands projects

16th October 2015 The Benin government’s award of exploration rights to mineralised tantalum and gem bearing pegmatites to multi-commodity mining and natural resource company Premier African Minerals, in April, supports the company’s strategy of expanding its exploration projects, Premier says. “The mining... →

FIELDWORK A first code compliant resource estimate for eluvial columbo-tantalite showings at the Toumi artisanal mining site is planned for spring next year

Phosphate project to get under way

16th October 2015 The prefeasibility study at mineral exploration and development company Montero Mining and Exploration’s phosphate project, in Saldanha Bay, Western Cape, is expected to start soon, with the goal of completion in 2016, after which, if positive, the project will go into a bankable feasibility... →

Company launches ERP system for explorers

16th October 2015 Business improvement and technology company Barnstone will, at the end of this month, release its Barnstone Exploration Solution enterprise resource planning (ERP) system aimed at enabling exploration companies to run their operations effectively and efficiently, exploration and mining... →

Photo by Bloomberg
RECOGNISED EFFICIENCY The Barnstone Exploration Solution is a full-blown SAP system for junior and midtier exploration companies

Company updates exploration technology

16th October 2015 Mining software, hardware and services provider Maptek updated its I-Site 8200 three-dimensional laser scanning technology in August. The technology allows for fast and accurate data capturing and analysis in exploration projects, says Maptek I-Site Africa regional manager Elton du Plessis. Since... →

MINERAL EXPLORATION The I-Site 8200 technology enables fast and accurate data capturing and analysis in exploration projects

Obtaining approvals a challenge for mine development

16th October 2015 Obtaining the necessary statutory permitting approvals and licences to operate in a timely and cost-effective manner is a major challenge to mine development in South Africa, says multicommodity exploration company White Rivers Exploration (WRE) executive director Refilwe Monageng. He says the... →

PROSPECTING White Rivers Exploration is in a joint venture with Harmony Gold to explore and develop the Beisa prospect

Preventing material build-up and spillage key to well-performing transfer point

2nd October 2015 Preventing excessive material build-up and spillage is a necessity for a well-performing transfer point, as blockages and plugging can lead to a process line running below capacity, or even being stopped completely, says simulation software and services company DEM Solutions. “Spillage of... →

EFFECTIVE CONVEYOR EDEM BulkSim software was developed specifically for conveyor transfer equipment design

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