May 29, 2018 There may be hope for the mining industry yet. Picture: Shutterstock The mining sector is dragging itself into the digital age to rescue itself from years of bloodletting. The commodity boom years camouflaged all manner of inefficiencies that are only now being addressed. When the cash was pumping, there was little incentive […]
Read MoreJune 12, 2017 Unforgiving underground mining conditions prompted management at Two Rivers Platinum mine to replace its traditional load haul dumpers fleet with hydrostatic machines, writes Leon Louw. Two Rivers Platinum (TRP) mine officially started producing platinum in 2007. Trail mining got underway at the mine three years earlier and today, the mine churns out […]
Read MoreMay 16, 2017 With fuel and energy costs rising, and mining companies looking for more environmentally friendly solutions, it might just be the right time to go electric, writes Leon Louw. The popularity of electric and hybrid engines is growing across all sectors, not just automotive. In underground mining, the debate surrounding electric, diesel-driven and […]
Read MoreJune 20, 2018 File picture: Supplied Johannesburg – During his early years as a miner in South Africa, Joas Mahanuque spent six hours a day on his knees drilling for Impala Platinum Holdings. The dust-filled tunnels half a mile underground were too low for him to stand, and temperatures reached 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius). […]
Read MoreJune 13, 2018 With the fuel price soaring and government tightening health and safety screws, now is the time for underground mines to go electric, writes Leon Louw. It’s not a new conversation: diesel versus electric, or electric versus hybrid. Debates about the pros and cons of using electric or diesel driven equipment (or a […]
Read More