Donald Makhafola

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Donald Makhafola

Donald Makhafola is a Creamer Media Reporter for Engineering News and Mining Weekly.

Tel: +2711 622 3744

MOD gets approval for new exploration project

19th October 2018 Australian-listed copper exploration and development company MOD Resources has received approval from the Department of Environmental Affairs in Botswana to drill within a 700 km2 area in the northern section of the T20 dome complex. The approval is subject to the standard four-week public review... →

New coupling provides easy pipe joining solution

12th October 2018 Ongoing water shortages relating to insufficient and aging infrastructure and lack of proper maintenance in South Africa and Africa, make mechanical pipe-joining systems manufacturer Victaulic’s safe, efficient and cost-effective pipe joining solution, which eliminates hazardous welding and... →

JOINING SOLUTION Victaulic's plain end solutions pipe couplings, fittings and connectors technology are easy to install

R&D provides solutions for water management problems

12th October 2018 Constant research and development (R&D) has been key to the growth and success of 34-year-old industrial agitator and specialised mixing-equipment for water and wastewater treatment company, Mixtec, says the company’s sales and project manager Rudi Swanepoel. The Mixtec global group of... →

HIGH-QUALITY Mixtec is known for producing mixers to the latest international standards and quality controls

Engineering firm acquires valve test bench

12th October 2018 Mpumalanga-based wholly black-owned mechanical engineering company Brimis Engineering will procure a pressure relief valve test bench by the end of this month to test more than 90% of all installed safety valves currently in use in South Africa. Global valve test and repair equipment supplier... →

MOEKETSI MPOTU Brimis Engineering has the technical capability to repair, test and certify critical application safety valves in line with the Pressure Equipment Regulations

Metso Megaliner improves safety, reduces downtime

5th October 2018 Global industrial equipment and services offering company Metso has proven that its Megaliner mill lining system can result in a drastic reduction in downtime and improved safety in mining operations. The Megaliner was developed by Metso in 2012, and expanded in 2013 to include a liner... →

FAST AND EFFECTIVE Megaliner uses fewer and larger parts improving safety, with faster installations

New application to assist in selecting correct screening systems

5th October 2018 Global project management and manufacturing solutions company Trelleborg’s applied technologies operation launched the Scandura aperture size selector application (Scandura app) in May. The app is designed to support Scandura screening systems, which are used to classify and screen materials... →

Manufacturer focuses on developing larger vibrating screening equipment

5th October 2018 Screening machines are becoming larger and heavier because the ongoing trend in the mining industry globally is to increase tonnage output while maintaining efficiency, said original-equipment supplier and manufacturer of custom-designed vibrating equipment Kwatani CEO Kim Schoepflin at Electra... →

BEAST Kwatani chose South African national rugby player Tendai 'Beast' Mtawarira as its brand ambassador for these larger screen machines

Company opens new office to increase its footprint

5th October 2018 Screening and vibrating equipment solutions and services provider Aury Africa has opened a new office near eMalahleni to significantly extend its presence in the Mpumalanga coalfields region. Aury Africa has subsequently entered into supply contracts with significant players in the area. →

EXPANSION Aury Africa has opened a new office near eMalahleni in Mpumalanga

Fuel cell parts manufacturer ready to commission plant

21st September 2018 Fuel cell components manufacturer Isondo Precious Metals (IPM) hopes to commission its platinum-containing membrane electrode assembly (MEA) manufacturing plant in the upcoming months, pending the finalisation of the balance of funding. The state-of-the-art MEA manufacturing technology plant from... →

FUEL CELL COMPONENT Isondo Precious Metals wants to localise and grow the entire value chain for the membrane electrode assembly manufacturing

Africa needs to invest in fuel cell technology

21st September 2018 Countries are recognising the value and future impact that fuel cells and hydrogen technologies will provide. Now is the time for Africa to join this global movement and invest in the fuel cell future, says Washington-based global advocacy organisation Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association... →

POWER SUPPLY South African government could legislate the use of fuel cell mini-grid systems to electrify rural communities

Manufacturer ready to commission plant

21st September 2018 Fuel cell components manufacturer Isondo Precious Metals (IPM) hopes to commission its platinum-containing membrane electrode assembly (MEA) manufacturing plant in the upcoming months, pending the finalisation of the balance of funding. The state-of-the-art MEA manufacturing technology plant from... →

FUEL CELL COMPONENT Isondo Precious Metals wants to localise and grow the entire value chain for the membrane electrode assembly manufacturing

SAIW receives robot welding system for training

7th September 2018 South Africa-based Japanese automation and robotic company Yaskawa Southern Africa is handing over a complete robot welding system to the Southern African Institute of Welding (SAIW) for its new robot-welding training programme. The programme comprises the training of robotic-welding operators,... →

Photo by Dylan Slater
SKILLS DEVELOPMENT Yaskawa Southern Africa will train the Southern African Institute of Welding's trainers, who, in turn, will train people in robot welding

Ageing platinum mines need new technology

24th August 2018 There are few greenfield platinum mines or expansions in Africa, with most of the existing large-scale mines on the continent having been in operation for more than a decade. To ensure that the ageing mines continue to perform optimally, miners need to apply new technology to effectively enhance... →

CUSTOM-DESIGN Kwatani provides clients with enhanced equipment designed to fit into their existing infrastructure without being modified

Platinum producer optimistic about Limpopo project

24th August 2018 Platinum producer Ivanplats, a subsidiary of Canadian mining company Ivanhoe Mines, is focusing on bringing its Tier 1 Platreef project, in Limpopo, into production in 2022, says Ivanplats VP and executive head of projects Gerick Mouton. The mine will produce platinum, palladium, rhodium, nickel,... →

PHASED PROGRESSION Ivanplats' primary objective is to reach steady-state production of four-million tons a year in Phase 1 of the Platreef project

Microsurfacing system cost effective, environment friendly

17th August 2018 Bituminous binders and slurries for road-surfacing specialist manufacturer and applicator Colas South Africa completed 700 000 m² of road reseal for Mogale City local municipality, including several roads in the Krugersdorp Nature Reserve, over the past three years. For the project, which... →

ENVIRONMENT-FRIENDLY The Colas South Africa team applying Colmat L microsurfacing in the Krugersdorp Nature Reserve

Investors looking for viable infrastructure projects in Africa

17th August 2018 There is investor appetite for well-structured infrastructure projects on the continent, but investors need clarity from governments on regulations and the various projects earmarked for development, says specialist banking company Investec Bank head of power and infrastructure finance... →

INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE Investec Bank is considering investment in renewable energy, water desalination and treatment projects, transportation infrastructure and speciality buildings

Wave of innovation for infrastructure development

17th August 2018 With business spend in Africa predicted to grow from $2.6-trillion in 2015 to $3.5-trillion by 2025, wholly black-owned construction group Concor Construction believes that this trend will redefine urban areas and cities, triggering the need for rapid infrastructure development and services.... →

COLLABORATION Concor Construction wants to work with governments and municipalities to meet their mandates for infrastructure delivery

Expediting infrastructure development to address rapid urbanisation

17th August 2018 With increasing urbanisation and technological advancement in African countries, the need for more robust and sophisticated infrastructure to support and sustain this growth is essential, says global engineering consultancy firm SRK Consulting partner and principal civil engineer James Morris.... →

Photo by Bloomberg
URBANISATION There is a need for robust and sophisticated infrastructure to support and sustain increasing urbanisation in Africa

Need for engineers amid infrastructure delivery challenges

17th August 2018 Amid basic service delivery challenges, such as housing, water, transport infrastructure and energy, there is a desperate need for engineers in the country, says association for consulting engineering firms Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) president Neresh Pather. He says efforts should... →

NERESH PATHER AND CHRIS CAMPBELL Consulting Engineers South Africa is encouraging partnerships among its member companies, in the form of joint ventures, to benefit in respect of growth and skills transfer

Australia remains competitive in drillhole technology use

10th August 2018 Australia is often regarded as the battleground for new technologies, and is well recognised as an early adopter, says Australia-based supplier of drill-hole navigation and measurement equipment Axis Mining Technology director Paul Wilkie. “Following the post-boom gloom, we are now seeing... →

DRILLING SOLUTION Mining and drilling companies regard Axis' high-end north-seeking Champ Gyro technology as essential for their drilling projects

Increased exploration spend boosts services demand

10th August 2018 Mining activities and the number of exploration projects in Australia have been steadily increasing since 2017, and this has, subsequently, resulted in an increased demand for South African airborne geophysics technology provider Spectrem Air’s services, says Spectrem Air GM Louis Polomé.... →

INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION Spectrem Air is focused on international projects, especially in Australia, where exploration spend is steadily increasing

Greenfield exploration essential to Australia

10th August 2018 Greenfield exploration expenditure in Australia has declined in absolute terms and as a share of total exploration expenditure over the past decade; this must be reversed to attract greater mining investment and continue receiving the economic benefits derived from mining, says association for... →

Photo by Bloomberg
MINING LIMITATION Australia's mining sector is constrained by over-regulation, red tape and duplicated environmental laws across most jurisdictions

Mining should bolster environmental, social sustainability

10th August 2018 The Australian mining industry’s challenges pertain to environmentally sustainable practices, rather than community sustainability, which is the case in the African mining industry, says global engineering consulting firm Aurecon Brisbane technical director Andrew Keith. “However, in places such... →

Photo by Bloomberg
COOPERATION CONSCIOUSNESS Many mining companies now recognise the benefits of proactive early engagement with their affected communities

Australian gold exploration progressing

10th August 2018 Exploration and development company West Wits Mining’s (WWI’s) Australian projects, which show similarity to South Africa’s Witwatersrand (Wits) gold deposits, plans to leverage its geology team’s experience of South Africa’s Wits basin to rapidly understand the geology of its two Pilbara assets... →

SMALL-SCALE MINING West Wits Mining is expecting to start its mining operations at the Tambina project before the end of this year

Hydraulic trash pumps suitable for mining conditions

10th August 2018 Australian pump specialist Aussie Pump Industries has noted a significant increase in the use of hydraulic drive trash pumps, which eliminates the use of internal combustion engines, says Australian pump specialist Aussie Pumps Industries chief engineer John Hales. “Our trash pumps can be adapted... →

JOHN HALES Our trash pumps can be adapted for hydraulic drive, making them suitable for handling solids

Proactive measures needed to mitigate fire incidents in mining

27th July 2018 Fire incidents in mining operations occur every day because of poor maintenance and components that have reached the end of their life span, says environmental solutions company I-CAT fire division head Andro Gibhard. However, he says vehicles catching fire – the most common fire incident in... →

FIRE PREVENTION Mining companies can put preventative measures in place, such as a good maintenance regime, to prevent fire damage

SA needs passive fire protection

27th July 2018 Safety in mining is a high priority in South Africa, and the country needs to adopt stricter regulations regarding passive fire protection systems, says global technologies company Hilti South Africa mining, business development manager Hector Cerdio. More awareness should also be created... →

FIRESTOP BARRIER Hilti South Africa was awarded new contracts this year to provide passive fire protection solutions, including the firestop, for several South African mining majors

More than 300 delegates expected

27th July 2018 The Southern Africa Readymix Association (Sarma), The Concrete Institute (TCI), the Concrete Society of Southern Africa (CSSA) and the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA) are looking forward to hosting more than 300 delegates at this year’s The Concrete Conference (TCC), which will take... →

JOHAN VAN WYK Sarma is conducting this year's market size survey and is expecting it to be released in August

Company meets stringent fire and explosives safety requirements

27th July 2018 The increasing demand for strict fire and explosion protection in the hazardous areas of mining has led specialist manufacturer and designer of flameproof diesel engine systems Elgin Flameproofing to introduce the new Elgin 112TR tow tractor model for underground coal mining applications. The... →

MODIFIED The newly modified Elgin 112TR flameproofed tractor was officially launched in May

Community project receives Saice honours

20th July 2018 The eThekwini municipality’s Provision of Water and Sanitation to Informal Settlements project was awarded the 2018 South Africa Institute of Civil Engineering (Saice) Durban region award for the most outstanding civil engineering achievement in the category of community-based projects last... →

COMMUNITY PROJECT The Bosch Projects team worked closely with the eThekwini municipality to secure the supply of potable water and a basic sanitation service in KwaZulu-Natal

New technology can optimise project management

20th July 2018 To ensure that capital projects are delivered on time, project management teams need to be proactive in using the latest tools and technology, says global advisory firm Deloitte Africa director consulting and Africa infrastructure and capital projects leader Mahendra Dedasaniya. “The capital... →

MAHENDRA DEDASANIYA The capital projects industry has historically underinvested in technology and it has been resistant to change

S African project managers require business competencies

20th July 2018 In the early stages of a project management career, some professionals have a lack of understanding of the link between business strategy and projects, and with this, the acumen to know what business information emanating from the project is useful to extract, interpret and provide to the... →

Photo by Bloomberg
PROJECT MANAGERS Project Management South Africa members are currently undergoing assessment on the designations that require a review of the competencies associated with project management

Installation of water metering system complete

6th July 2018 Utility management company Bosch Munitech in March completed the design and installation of a metering and monitoring system to manage water consumption for the Lower Berg River Irrigation Board, in the Western Cape. The company was appointed last year in November to install the Krohne Waterflux... →

COMPLIANT The Krohne Waterflux electromagnetic flow meter is a low maintenance water meter which meets stringent potable water standards designed for bidirectional flow measurement

S Africa wastewater facilities in disrepair

6th July 2018 Half of South Africa’s water infrastructure is in disrepair and it will take significant financial investment, and political will, to restore it, according to the Institute for Security Studies (ISS). “Our research indicates that what is needed is investment in basic infrastructure such as fixing... →

WASTEWATER South Africa can increase the amount of wastewater treated, to boost water supply

Cheap valve imports taking over the local market

6th July 2018 Amid ageing water infrastructure, the South African Valve and Actuator Manufacturers Association (Savama) laments the substantially cheaper and poor-quality Chinese valves and associated products that find their way onto the local market. “In the current market, we find that price supersedes... →

New tech, investments can reduce water crisis

6th July 2018 New technologies for water and wastewater treatment plants, as well as investments in ecological infrastructure, could reduce the risks of water pollution and failure of critical water supply infrastructure in the country, says global engineering and infrastructure advisory firm Aurecon South... →

Photo by Bloomberg
COLLABORATIVE MANAGEMENT South Africa is depending on a complex and technically challenging bulk-water supply which requires a high level of expertise and coordination

Repairing of ageing water infrastructure can increase supply

6th July 2018 Amid ageing water infrastructure in most developed areas in South Africa, engineering advisory firm WSP technical director water, transport and infrastructure Africa Arnaud Malan says there is a need to adopt more sustainable approaches to managing available water through smarter water governance... →

WATER SCARCE South Africa needs to adopt more sustainable approaches to managing available water through smarter water governance stewardship

Technology required to increase SA gold output

29th June 2018 South Africa has great potential for gold mining, but increasing mining depth, high production costs and long lead-times have resulted in gold production declining markedly over the past three decades, despite extensive remaining mineral resources, says market development organisation for the... →

Photo by Creamer Media
LOW OUTPUT South African gold production has declined, from being the top in the world in 1970 to the seventh position in 2018

Aachen technology increases throughput, gold recovery

29th June 2018 Mineral processing technology provider Maelgwyn Mineral Services Africa (MMSA) has developed its Aachen High Shear Reactor technology to such an extent that it has emerged as a key component in hydrometallurgical processes for several leading gold mining companies in Africa, says MMSA business... →

GOLD PROCESSING Maelgwyn Mineral Services Africa's Aachen oxidation technology has emerged as a key component in hydrometallurgical processes for several gold producers

Stonewall Resources to start mining in Mpumalanga in 2019

29th June 2018 Australian gold producer Stonewall Resources plans to restart gold production in the fourth quarter of 2019 at the Theta Hill and Vaalhoek mines, near the towns of Pilgrims Rest and Sabie respectively, in Mpumalanga. The mines form part of Stonewall’s fully permitted Transvaal Gold Mining Estate... →

GEORGE JENKINS Stonewall Resources expects its mineral resource to continue increasing through further reviews of other local mines in the company's portfolio

Rham Equipment wants to improve safety and efficiency using IoT

22nd June 2018 South African manufacturer of specialised mining and hydraulic equipment Rham Equipment is investing in advanced technology to ease equipment maintenance, where real-time data will be measured and used to make better decisions. Rham Equipment capital sales manager Francois van der Merwe says the... →

TECHNOLOGY OBJECTIVE Rham Equipment's advanced technology will only monitor the engine and production data, but will also give feedback on machine health

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