Rokbak, a manufacturer of off-highway articulated haulers that are used in mining, quarrying, and construction applications around the world, has said that its latest products are designed keeping sustainability in mind

The company said that it has a commitment to minimising its ecological footprint and its sustainability goals showcase a dedication to environmental stewardship in the heavy machinery industry.

As part of the Volvo Group, Rokbak is aligned to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Specific aims include a 30% reduction in CO₂ by 2030, a 50% factory operations emission reduction by the same year and becoming net-zero by 2040. These incentives have influenced the design of Rokbak trucks, the daily operation of the Rokbak Motherwell factory and a strict adherence to the Rokbak sustainability roadmap.

Reducing impact on the environment has seen Rokbak employ strategies stemming from fuel consumption analysis, examining alternative fuels, extending maintenance cycles and lessening maintenance consumables. Furthermore, this research and development in sustainability has led to the reduction of total cost of ownership (TCO) for Rokbak customers.

The largest running expense for a machine is gasoline, and the Rokbak RA30 and RA40 EU Stage V engines result in up to 7% less fuel usage than the old EU Stage IV engines. This essentially translates to fewer environmental impact and cheaper running expenses. Both the lean burning engines and the verified low fuel consumption of Rokbak’s articulated transporters. The RA40 delivers a class-leading 6,000 hours between gearbox fluid changes, while the RA30 gives an astounding 4,000 hours.

The hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a fuel that enables clients to ‘quick-hit’ their own net-zero objectives, is compatible with the RA30 and RA40. HVO is a paraffinic bio-based diesel fuel made from various vegetable oils (waste cooking oil, rapeseed oil, palm oil, etc.) or animal fats. It is sometimes referred to as ‘Renewable Diesel’ or ‘Green Diesel.’ Although HVO shares many of the same chemical and physical characteristics as diesel, its composition is distinct from diesel and its low carbon content appeals to those looking for a sustainable fuel alternative. It is a cutting-edge method for producing premium bio-based diesel fuels without sacrificing fuel logistics, engines, exhaust aftertreatment systems, or exhaust pollutants. On a well-to-wheel study, HVO can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90%.

Longer intervals between regular maintenance and infrequent fluid and part replacements result in less waste being dumped in landfills. Customers can stay on top of the vehicle with the use of maintenance and malfunction notifications, which also let them know when the unit has to be serviced again. Aside from enhancing sustainability measures and lowering TCO, buying components in advance and securing manpower boosts operational efficiency.

“When the customer buys a Rokbak hauler, they are acquiring a hauler that has been developed with sustainability in mind,” said Charlie Urquhart, Rokbak’s product manager. “It is a hauler that has been manufactured on a site powered by green energy and redirects waste away from landfill.”

The Rokbak plant is now entirely powered by green energy. 95% of produced garbage is now diverted away from landfill as part of efforts to become accredited for a zero-waste-to-landfill policy.

“We are creating significant steppingstones towards a sustainable future,” said Urquhart. “And this not only results in less waste being generated, but also benefits the Rokbak customer’s wallet.”

Investment Monitor analysis finds that foreign direct investment (FDI) into mines – and oil and gas projects – across the African continent is expected to rise in 2023, following a sluggish 2022.

The materials miners are interested in are those needed to make batteries and battery components for electric vehicles (EVs), but demand risks outpacing supply, and shortages of materials are expected by 2025, according to GlobalData analysis.

“Generally, there is currently either a shortfall of transition metals, or expected to be one in the coming years,” says David Kurtz, the director of mining and construction at GlobalData. “For some commodities such as lithium, cobalt and nickel, while supply and demand are quite balanced at the moment, as demand for EV batteries continues to rise, demand will quickly outstrip supply in the second half of the decade.”

Africa has some of the largest deposits of nickel, cobalt, graphite and lithium on Earth and is expected to produce 40,000 tonnes (t) of lithium this year. By 2030, that number is expected to climb to 497,000t.

There are, however, challenges to operating in Africa.

“Broadly, most of the easy-to-mine deposits have been, or are being, mined and so miners are increasingly having to go deeper and into more remote locations, which brings about safety and security risks,” Kurtz says. “Political instability and corruption also pose risks for miners in [certain locations in] Africa, along with challenges over regulations, which may be unclear.”

Despite this, the continent is well-positioned to help meet global demand for transition materials and investors have taken steps to begin exploration.

There has been greater exploration for graphite, lithium and rare earth minerals that will likely benefit established producers, as well as smaller mining markets like Côte d’Ivoire, Mozambique and Namibia, which will also present attractive opportunities for investors, analysis from risk consultancy ControlRisks finds.

Exploration under way in Namibia

Of these smaller mining markets, Namibia offers a functional political environment and low security risks, which foreign companies are most eager for.

Namibia historically ranks among the best countries in Africa in terms of security on Fraser Institute rankings, making it a more attractive jurisdiction compared with other countries on the continent.

“Namibia has a stable political and policy environment which is expected to lead to significant growth in investment in the coming years,” Kurtz says.

According to GlobalData, there are 135 mines in Namibia, most of them in the exploration stage, signalling high interest from mining companies.

“We have investors applying every day for permits and visas,” says Nangula Uaandja, CEO and chairperson of the Namibia Investment Promotion & Development Board.

The country’s work to maintain peace and security, put in place legislation and create an environment attractive to investors is paying dividends. Miners are optimistic about what lies below the Namibian desert soil and are encouraged by the stable environment.

“I believe the Namibian mining sector is underexplored, and there are opportunities for Namibia to play an increasing role in the green transition,” says Anthony Viljoen, the South African CEO of Andrada Mining, which operates exploration projects across Africa, including in Namibia. “They have tin, which is the glue that holds the whole green transition together now,” Viljoen says. “There is lithium, cobalt, nickel… it is all farmed there in relative abundance. The size of the deposits is off the charts.”

From mine to market

With the progress made in terms of regulatory and political stability, Namibia still has room to improve its attractiveness as an investment jurisdiction. For example, the country ranks 104^th for ease of doing business, but Uaandja says the government has made improving this ranking a priority.

The country is determined to attract investment across the value chain, increasing beneficiation within its borders and across the continent. Though home to 30% of the world’s mineral deposits, 70% of mined minerals are exported.

“In terms of Agenda 2063, African leaders have realised that we have natural resources, but they are all being exported to other countries,” says Uaandja.

“There are significant opportunities for refineries in Africa, particularly in terms of the minerals that are mined on the continent, and this provides significant benefits for those who take up the first-mover advantages.”

From exploration to extraction and refining, Uaandja says there are many opportunities for companies. Namibia is also investing in vocational training in recognition that skilled labour is essential to develop the country’s nascent manufacturing sector. By 2050, according to the UN, Africa is projected to have the largest working age population in the world, with birth rates falling in other regions globally.

“Namibia is the best destination in Africa to invest in,” Andrada’s Viljoen says. “It is not perfect, but it is as close as you can get.”

Cobre Ltd has kicked off a collaborative airborne gravity gradient (AGG) survey with neighbour Sandfire Resources, covering a large portion of the Kalahari Copper Belt (KCB), including Cobre’s Ngami Copper Project, Kitlanya West and Kitlanya East (KITE) Projects.

Notably, the results are expected to provide valuable information on KCB basin architecture and the location of sub-basins, margins and controlling structures where copper-silver mineralisation may be targeted.

The survey will complement results from the recently completed 5,000-metre diamond drilling, ongoing soil sampling, and aircore and reverse circulation drill programs, providing valuable additional data for area and target prioritisation at Kitlanya West and Ngami Projects.

Furthermore, AGG results may also help in the detection of copper-silver bearing trap sites analogous to Sandfire’s neighbouring T3 and A4 deposits at KITE, providing new targets for drill testing.

Significant insights

Cobre CEO Adam Wooldridge said: “We are pleased to announce that the AGG survey, in collaboration with Sandfire, is finally underway. These results are expected to provide significant insights into our understanding of the regional controls for copper distribution in the KCB.

“They will also provide a new targeting tool to complement our other datasets. The deliverables from this survey are expected to be highly complementary to the results from our ongoing aircore, reverse circulation drilling and soil sampling programs at KITW as well as providing further context for the distribution of copper-silver grades at NCP.

“Additionally, the results over the KITE project will be particularly interesting given its proximity to the T3 deposit and potential for hosting similar styles of deposit.”

Survey background

Gravity data is routinely used for mapping sedimentary basins where it provides a cost-effective method for modelling the basin architecture, often key to understanding the distribution of sedimentary copper deposits.

This is demonstrated in the historical regional ground gravity data over the north-eastern portion of the KCB where correlations are evident between the margins of gravity lows and known copper-silver deposits.

The higher resolution AGG is expected to build on these correlations, identifying further priority sites for copper-silver deposits as well as providing important structural information and potentially identifying trap-site targets where mineralisation may be economically upgraded.

Ivanhoe Mines, a diversified miner with a 26-year history in the African mining sector, is aiming to enhance the sustainability goals of the group and its flagship Kamoa-Kakula copper complex in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The company plans to utilize hydropower potential and abundant sunshine to decarbonize the mining industry, while also exploring various options to increase alternative power solutions. Ivanhoe has obtained approval for environmental and social impact assessment amendments for Kamoa-Kakula’s Phase 3, while it awaits the same for its Platreef project in South Africa. The latter is expecting to receive power from a 5 MVA solar power plant before year-end, and evaluating other power options.

The company has also completed a greenhouse gas alternatives analysis for Kamoa-Kakula and implemented GHG emissions programs to reduce emissions. Additionally, the company has established a biodiversity project nursery and an apiary as sanctuaries for pollinators, promoting natural habitation and plant diversity.

To meet local procurement obligations, Ivanhoe has implemented targeted enterprise and supplier development programs, which have supported seven informal enterprises and 41 formal enterprises. Additionally, eight opportunities have been exclusively earmarked for local community suppliers.

The company is also building the Kamoa Centre of Excellence to create a sustainable and community-focused higher learning environment.

The community development initiatives of Ivanhoe have provided communities with valuable infrastructure, as well as supported local businesses and established value chains in the areas around the mining complexes. These initiatives also include investments in sustainable agriculture and farming, early childhood education, and gender equality.

Technology within the world of trucking is advancing at breakneck speed. Never before have so many driver assistance systems been on offer, while connectivity and lower fuel consumption are being demanded by transport operators. Furthermore, legislators and transport operators alike agree: the truck of the future must be CO₂-free.

MAN is meeting – and even exceeding – many of these demands, with its innovative and environmentally friendly product range. And that’s precisely what visitors to the 2023 MAN Trucknology Festival came to see at the MAN Truck Forum and neighbouring test track: trucks, vans, and body solutions that all set new benchmarks within their segments.

According to Jan Aichinger, managing director of MAN Automotive South Africa, more than 7,000 festival guests from all over the world travelled to this year’s MAN Trucknology Festival. “We invited customers, body manufacturers, and members of the ‘Trucker’s World by MAN’ driver community to the exclusive event to experience around 220 trucks, vans, and body solutions first-hand,” he reveals. “All segments – from distribution and long-distance transport, construction, food, and heavy haulage to municipal and fire services – were represented across the tonnage range from 3.5 to 250 tonnes.”

Visitors were able to learn on site about sustainable and intelligent transport solutions from MAN Truck & Bus and its approximately 75 partners, including Continental, Fliegl Trailer, Humbaur, Kögel, Krone, Liebherr, Schmitz Cargobull, and Würth. “They also received detailed first-hand information on MAN Services & Solutions and current trends in the transport industry like zero emissions, digitalisation, and automation – the state of play and MAN’s contribution,” explains Aichinger.

The Togolese Minister for the Maritime Economy, Fisheries and Coastal Protection, Mr Kokou Edem Tengue, has just announced some excellent news on his social networks: the arrival at the Port of Lomé of the new tugboat promised by Boluda, a multinational company specialising in tugboats.

The new tug represents a major step forward for the Port Autonome de Lomé, and will help to increase the port’s capacity and boost its competitiveness in the region.

The official naming ceremony for the new tug is scheduled for September.

The announcement of the arrival of this new tugboat was made by Mr Antonio Bordils Montero, CEO of the multinational BOLUDA, to Minister Tengue during a meeting held on Tuesday 16 May 2023.