The global market for quartz has been growing steadily and this trend is set to continue, demanding increasingly high purity levels.

This demand comes from different industries, which have varying requirements, so that the most precise mineral sorting is needed. This can be achieved with sensor- based color and laser sorting technologies – applied individually or in combination – as Jens Michael Bergmann, Global Segment Manager Industrial Minerals and Carolina Vargas Area Sales Manager Europe, India and Rest of the World at TOMRA Mining explain.

A growing demand for markets with different requirements

The quartz market is forecast to continue to grow at an annual rate of around 4% in the next 5 years driven by a variety of factors. Quartz serves different industries which have a variety of uses for the mineral – and hence varying requirements. One of the main sectors is that of engineered stone for use in the production of kitchen countertops, for example. High-quality white quartz is in very high demand for this application for its extreme resistance to acids, stains and damage, as well as its appealing look. It is also seen as an environmentally sustainable choice because of its abundance in nature and the fact that it can be engineered with minimal waste.

The other key market for quartz is the metallurgical industry, as it is the best source for silicon metal and polysilicon, the semiconductor at the heart of electronics, which is also used for other products, such as photovoltaic cells. The applications in the energy sector, as the world moves toward more sustainable sources such as solar and wind, are driving an increase in the demand for high-purity quartz which is an essential component in solar panels.

A resources sector attempting to traverse the challenging landscape from exploration to production is increasingly faced with mining data every bit as critical as the minerals being targeted.

Amid geopolitical tensions, rising ESG demands and the gap between price forecasts and market reality, the ability to make the right decision at the right time is paramount. With a fundamental need for resource companies to replace diminishing reserves – and new discoveries likely to be under cover, at depth and more complex in structure – the industry faces challenges on multiple fronts.

Global consultants Deloitte, in its Tracking the Trends 2024 report, said the mining and metals industry finds itself at the centre of a complex matrix of challenges and opportunities, expectations, and demands.

Capturing, analysing, and acting on data are themes running through its 10 trends of 2024. Similarly, consultants EY in its 2024 assessment of risks and opportunities said business leaders anticipated a surge of investment in data and technology, driven by demand across the business for digital solutions to reduce costs and improve productivity, safety and ESG outcomes.

Nigeria has recently taken a significant step in its ongoing efforts to reform the mining sector by inaugurating 350 new operatives into its mining marshals. This move underscores the federal government’s dedication to combating illegal mining and improving the operational effectiveness of the mining sector.

With the addition of these 350 new operatives, the total number of mining marshals deployed nationwide now stands at 2,570. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) headquarters during a Passing Out Parade. Dr. Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mary Ogbe.

Dr. Alake commended the collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Ministry of Interior. He specifically acknowledged the contributions of Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo and the NSCDC in addressing the challenges posed by illegal mining activities.

Reforming the mining sector

Dr. Alake highlighted the achievements of the mining marshals. He noted that their efforts have notably reduced illegal mineral haulage and the activities of unlicensed operators across the country. The initiative to strengthen the mining marshals began with the inauguration of the first batch of 2,220 operatives. Since then, significant progress has been made, including the arrest of over 200 illegal mining suspects, with 133 prosecutions currently in progress. Additionally, confiscated illegally mined minerals have been forfeited to the federal government.

In bulk materials handling applications, the uncontrolled discharge from conventional chutes can lead to increased maintenance and replacement costs, as well as decreased productivity.

Recognising these challenges, companies around the world, both large and small, have adopted Weba Chute Systems, a choice which represents a shift towards greater efficiency and less downtime. Mark Baller, CEO of Weba Chute Systems, explains that there is a growing consensus across the globe that incorporating custom-engineered transfer chutes is paramount.

“There are still some that overlook the significance of transfer points that are engineered for specific application requirements, ranking them below screens, crushers or feeders in the process hierarchy. Baller points out a critical misconception that undermines operational efficiency: the notion that initial savings from inexpensive inferior chutes outweigh long term costs.” This approach is flawed, “he argues,” “as it inevitably leads to higher operational expenditure due to frequent maintenance, and in some cases unscheduled downtime.”

Highlighting the benefits of custom-designed solutions, Baller notes, “Proper initial design significantly lowers maintenance needs, improves material transfer, extends conveyor belt lifespan and boosts throughput. Moreover, our chutes are engineered to minimise environmental impact, reducing airborne dust and enhancing workplace health and safety.”

HPE Africa’s newly launched Hyundai HX380L Series crawler excavators – which are classified in the medium to large category – are now available locally.

“These robust machines – already hard at work in tough African conditions – have impressive performance features that are welcomed in demanding industries, like mining, quarrying, construction and civil engineering,” says Ross Collard, Managing Director, HPE Africa – exclusive distributors for Hyundai Construction Equipment in Southern Africa. “Our new HX380L excavators, which offer net power ratings of 224 kW at 1 650 rpm, set a new benchmark for fuel economy. This efficiency not only translates to significant cost savings for operators, but also minimises environmental impact, aligning with Hyundai’s commitment to sustainability in every aspect of its business.

“Intensive field testing of HX380L excavators in tough conditions shows impressive performance. Whether digging, loading or lifting, the opinion of operators is that the HX Series – with an operating weight of up to 40 320 kg – excels in terms of efficiency, control, reduced downtime and maximum output.

“In addition, through new hydraulic system enhancements, these excavators deliver faster cycle speeds, resulting in enhanced productivity and efficiency on site. Notable advancements over the Hyundai 9A series include up to 10 times greater fuel efficiency during truck loading and levelling, up to five times faster during tuck loading and four times faster during levelling

Developed by local pump and dredging expert IPR, the SlurrySucker dredging system recently provided the ideal solution for getting the emergency water dams at a Gauteng wastewater treatment plant back to optimal condition.

Warren Spann, Business Development Manager at IPR, explains that the emergency dams had filled with sludge over time, and were presenting an operational risk to the plant. Dredging the dams with hydraulic excavators was not effective for a number of reasons, and the manual removal of sludge in trucks caused environmental challenges. The dams are vital sources of additional water for the treatment plant during times when insufficient volumes are flowing into the facility.

“IPR was contracted to conduct the dredging of these emergency water dams, and we put our new generation SlurrySucker Maxi onto the job,” says Spann. “This powerful dredging system is equipped with three Toyo K30 heavy-duty submersible slurry pumps, and was able to remove 50 dry tonnes per hour.”

Importantly, these specialised heavy duty 22kW Toyo pumps are capable of dealing with the wide variety of solids that accompany the wastewater to the plant including rags, nappies and even pillows. The pumps’ capacity allowed them to pump the sludge through 450 metres of pipeline on this contract, without the need for inline boosting.

Leading construction materials company, AfriSam, recently completed a significant upgrade to the Hillary Community Park in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, transforming it into a vibrant and family-friendly recreational space. This initiative is part of AfriSam’s ongoing commitment to corporate social responsibility and enhancing the quality of life in the communities in which it operates.

The upgraded park now boasts a range of new amenities and features that cater to the diverse needs of families and individuals alike. AfriSam installed a sturdy fence around the park, ensuring the safety and security of visitors. In addition, the company undertook extensive garden maintenance, revitalising the park’s green spaces and creating a serene environment for relaxation and leisure activities.

One of the highlights of the upgrade is the addition of picnic tables and chairs, providing families with a comfortable and inviting space to enjoy outdoor meals and gatherings. These new seating areas are strategically placed throughout the park, offering scenic views and fostering a sense of community engagement.

Recognising the importance of physical fitness, AfriSam also introduced a range of outdoor gym equipment to the park. These state-of-the-art facilities cater to individuals of all ages and fitness levels, encouraging active lifestyles and promoting overall wellbeing. The new equipment includes cardio machines, strength-training apparatus and stretching areas, enabling visitors to engage in a variety of exercises and workouts.

For over 60 years, Steinmüller Africa has been a leading steam and high-pressure piping expert. The company leverages its extensive experience and in-house design and engineering to provide customised industrial shell and tube heat exchangers for sub-Saharan Africa’s oil & gas industry. The industry uses industrial heat exchangers for preheating, heating, steam generation, crude oil cooling, oil refining, and heat transfer.

Steinmüller Africa offers a comprehensive range of thermal, heat, sizing, and mass transfer services tailored to the oil & gas industry. Its expertise includes pressure drop analysis and vibration design, ensuring that its heat exchanger solutions meet the stringent demands of oil & gas operations. Its commitment to specialised services, optimum performance, technological advancement, and sustainability make it the ideal partner for oil & gas plants.

Industrial heat exchangers play an important role in improving the operational efficiency and safety of oil & gas processing plants. Their primary function is to transfer heat from one medium to another without the fluids coming into contact with each other. This process is necessary to maintain optimal thermal conditions, improve energy efficiency, minimise operational costs, and decrease environmental impact by facilitating efficient heat transfer.

Steinmüller Africa designs and fabricates turnkey industrial shell and tube heaters at its state-of-the-art facilities in Pretoria West and Sasolburg. To deliver world-class services, the company designs, manufactures, and installs industrial heat exchangers that meet the Heat Exchange Institute (HEI) and the Tubular Exchanger Manufacturers Association (TEMA) stringent design codes. The company also meets various health and safety standards such as SANS, BS, ASE, EN, and API.

Andrada Mining has purchased TOMRA XRT sorters as part of its expansion plans at the flagship Uis Mine in Namibia. The sorters feature TOMRA’s latest innovation launched earlier this year at the Mining Indaba exhibition: the groundbreaking OBTAIN™ software that leverages Deep Learning to bring single-particle precision to high-throughput particle sorting.

Andrada Mining, the African technology metals mining company, owns the open-pit Uis tin mine, which represents one of the largest tin reserves in Namibia. It is in the course of implementing expansion plans at the mine, which include introducing a pre-concentrating circuit of ore sorters with the aim of increasing tin concentrate from 1,500 to 2,600 tpa. It has purchased TOMRA COM Tertiary XRT sorters for the ore sorting pre-concentration circuit in the dry process section of the plant, expecting to increase the tin content of the feed to the wet processing plant by 50%.

A COM Tertiary XRT 1200 will be dedicated to the coarse size fraction. For the small particle sizes, two COM Tertiary XRT Fines sorters are equipped with the high-resolution TS100C ejection module, which delivers high precision in high-capacity applications. The module uses 90% less compressed air to eject the particles, reducing energy consumption dramatically and consequently significantly cutting operating costs while delivering a high-quality product.

These XRT sorters feature TOMRA’s groundbreaking AI-powered OBTAIN™ software which leverages Deep Learning to deliver single-particle precision in high-throughput ore sorting – an industry first. It uses a Neuronal Network to identify the properties of each particle accurately and independently of the sorter’s capacity, achieving unparalleled precision and reliability in detection and ejection. In addition to enhancing the sorters’ performance, taking capacity, quality and recovery to a new level, OBTAIN™ will provide Andrada Mining with a wealth of detailed and accurate data, which will help them optimize the process with better-informed decision-making.

With South Africa’s winter season on its way, many concrete users will know that slower curing times could derail their contract or production schedules, but accelerating admixtures – or accelerators – are available to solve this challenge.

With the country’s generally temperate climate, it is easy to forget that many provinces and neighbouring Lesotho regularly experience sub-zero temperatures, points out Hannes Engelbrecht, Concrete Business Unit Director for Domestic and Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) at CHRYSO Southern Africa. Temperatures do not even need to reach freezing point; the concrete hydration process slows down steadily as temperature drops and actually stops when it goes below about 5 degrees Celsius.

A significant amount of current concrete construction – especially for wind turbine bases and foundations for solar photovoltaic infrastructure – is, in fact, taking place in provinces like the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape where temperatures fluctuate widely. Efficient stripping time of formwork is crucial in allowing these projects to meet their stringent deadlines to complete construction and start delivering renewable energy.

Precast products

“Low temperatures create a range of problems for contractors and concrete product manufacturers,” says Engelbrecht. “Most projects in today’s world need to be delivered on a fast track basis, so there is no room for slow concrete curing to hold up the schedule. Similar constraints apply in the manufacture of precast products, where production must simply keep up with customer orders and delivery deadlines.”