Tru-Trac, a proudly South African manufacturer of conveyor solutions, has been awarded Exporter of the Year 2025 by the South African Capital Equipment Export Council (SACEEC), recognising the company’s engineering excellence, product innovation and strong performance in global markets. The award was announced recently at a SACEEC ceremony, underscoring the company’s growing reputation as a world class OEM with deep local roots.

According to Jonathan Rogoff, CEO at Tru-Trac, the accolade reflects the commitment of its engineering and production teams as well as the strength of its international distributor network which provides critical on-the-ground support to customers across multiple countries and continents.

“For us, this award is a powerful affirmation of our strategy,” Rogoff notes. “It recognises the dedication of our people, the loyalty of our global partners and the trust placed in us by customers around the world.”

As a local manufacturer, Tru-Trac has remained at the forefront of conveyor technology by incorporating the latest engineering developments into its product range, supported by continuous research and development. Close communication with customers is a cornerstone of this process, ensuring that solutions are tailored to real-world site conditions and operational challenges.

AfriSam’s Roadstab Cement continues to play a vital role in strengthening the country’s road infrastructure. As a purpose-designed stabilising cement, it provides engineers and contractors with a dependable high performance solution for improving the strength, durability and longevity of road layers – particularly in challenging local conditions.

Engineered for Performance and Reliability

Developed specifically for road construction applications, AfriSam Roadstab Cement enhances the performance of in-situ materials used in base and sub-base layers. The result is a stable platform with superior load bearing capacity and improved resistance to deformation, ensuring that roads can withstand high traffic volumes and harsh climatic conditions.

According to AfriSam’s Cementitious Executive, Vishal Aniruth, AfriSam Roadstab Cement has been formulated to meet the exacting demands of road layer stabilisation. “It provides superior strength gain and reduced shrinkage cracking, ensuring that the stabilised base layers performs optimally over the road’s design life.”

The International Zinc Association (IZA) Africa is reinforcing the importance of zinc galvanizing technology in mitigating corrosion, a natural process that compromises the integrity of steel structures and components across South Africa particularly at the coast.

Extractive metallurgy transforms mineral ores into usable pure metals such as iron, zinc, aluminium and tin, but corrosion drives metals back toward their original mineral state when exposed to oxygen and other environments. Galvanizing with zinc provides a proven solution by applying a metallurgically bonded zinc coating to steel surfaces.

“Hot dip galvanized coatings provide both barrier protection and sacrificial cathodic protection,” explains Simon Norton, Director, IZA Africa. “The zinc forms a dense, adherent series of iron-zinc alloys with the steel substrate, ensuring that zinc preferentially corrodes in aggressive environments, thereby extending the service life of the underlying steel.”

Solid fuels such as coal and biomass (for example, wood chips) are both cost-effective and readily available fuel source options. However, both come with unique benefits and challenges says specialist steam and boiler operations maintenance and service provider, Associated Energy Services (AES).

Once fed into a furnace, solid fuel takes time to ignite. Conversely, liquid or gaseous fuel allows for almost immediate ignition: “The response of liquid- or gas-fueled boilers to any changes in steam demand is rapid. With solid fuels, there is a delay in the response of the boiler to ramp up adequately and meet the new demand,” explains AES Operations Director Ray Lund.

“With biomass – where moisture content can fluctuate between 20% and 55% – the response is even slower than coal, as it takes time to drive off extra moisture before ignition,” he adds.

Within 24 hours, ABB mobilised a cross-functional response team from its Longmeadow facility in Johannesburg led by Jan van Zyl, Product Line Manager Primary Switchgear and Manie Jooste, Product Line Manager Secondary Switchgear. “We knew the stakes were high, not just for production but for safety and continuity. Our team came together quickly to design, build and deliver a solution that could get Tumela Mine back online fast,” said van Zyl.

Two key substations were identified for urgent recovery which housed both primary air-insulated and secondary gas-insulated switchgears. With extensive damage and no time for standard manufacturing lead times, ABB and Valterra Platinum worked together to fast-track a solution. ABB developed and delivered an accelerated 10-week production and commissioning plan to replace the damaged switchgear.

Thanks to seamless coordination, Factory Acceptance Testing was completed ahead of schedule, and ABB’s Electrification Service team was swiftly deployed to install and commission the new UniGear ZS1 primary air-insulated and SafePlus secondary gas-insulated switchgears, bringing operations back online within the planned timeframe. “Our switchgears are user-friendly and offers efficiency, reduced maintenance cost as well as a seamless integration with smart grid systems,” said Jooste.

A model for emergency engineering

This extraordinary effort not only brought Tumela Mine back online ahead of schedule, but also set a new benchmark for rapid engineering response under crisis conditions. The collaboration demonstrated the power of agility, precision and partnership in overcoming operational adversity.

“The Tumela Mine recovery is a powerful example of how ABB supports customers not just with technology, but with people who show up, solve problems and deliver results when it matters most. The entire project was executed without a single safety incident or lost-time injury, reinforcing our team’s commitment to putting safety first,” said Oliver Morton, Project Manager, ABB South Africa Electrification Service.

DRDGOLD’s ERGO operations continue as normal after strike action scheduled for yesterday was called off.

The National Union of Mineworks (NUM) and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) issued a 48-hour strike notice to the tailings retreatment company earlier this week. The dispute is over wages and profit sharing and remains unresolved.

The United Association of South Africa (UASA) accepted and signed the wage agreement on behalf of its members on Friday, 12 December 2025.

DRDGOLD reiterates that its offer “is fair, competitive and sustainable. The offer delivers meaningful improvements to employee remuneration, is well above current inflation, aligned with, or higher than, recent wage agreements concluded in the gold sector, and preserves the company’s ability to reinvest in the long-term sustainability of the ERGO operations.

Glencore Technology announces AssetCare, a new division that evolves their aftermarket offering with a reinforced commitment to delivering expanded end-to-end lifecycle support for clients across the globe.

For more than 40 years, Glencore Technology has established themselves as world-leading providers of innovative solutions for the mining industry. Behind each successful commissioning is a dedicated aftermarket team focused on maximising uptime, reliability, and efficiency long after the technology is installed.

“It’s not enough to simply install the technology; real value comes from building long-term partnerships with every client,” said Jarryd Wilkes, Director of AssetCare. “The new AssetCare division reinforces our commitment to providing ongoing support and ensuring the high performance that our clients, and the mining industry as a whole, expect from our technologies.”

Clients will continue to receive the same trusted expertise, now supported by three core pillars: genuine spare parts, global support and performance optimisation.

Harmony has selected Metso to deliver the key equipment for its Eva Copper Mine Project in Queensland, Australia. The Eva Copper Mine Project is the first greenfield copper concentrator of this scale in the region in over a decade and is critical to Australia’s supply of future-facing metals. The order value of approximately EUR 55 million has been booked in Minerals segment’s 2025 third-quarter orders received.

“We are extremely proud to have been chosen by Harmony. From initial sample test work at our Perth Technology Centre to optimizing the equipment selection, it’s been a pleasure to collaborate with Harmony on this project. Even more exciting is the long-term partnership to ensure successful equipment delivery and lowest total cost of ownership during operations.” said Kai Rönnberg, Vice President, Minerals, Asia Pacific.

Frontrunner technologies with comprehensive service capabilities 

Metso equipment delivery includes a gearless Premier™ SAG mill with 24MW of installed power and a Premier™ twin pinion ball mill with 18MW of power, both ordered with mill linings and spares. For pebble crushing, Harmony has selected two MP800 cone crushers, known for their industry-leading performance and reliability in this arduous duty. The Eva Copper flotation circuit will consist of 15 Metso TankCell® flotation cells and a Vertimill® VTM3000. A Metso Courier® 6X SL slurry analyzer will provide real time assaying of copper and other elements in the slurry. A Metso PSI 500i Particle Size Analyzer coupled with Metso MillSense™ will enable fast on-line analysis of grinding performance.

In order to conduct inspections in tight spaces, such as Boilers, Vessels, Tanks and Structures, scaffolding or rope access is recommended. However, this can be a time-consuming and costly exercise. Besides, there is the risk of exposing personnel assigned for inspections to hazards.

Alternatively, using its Elios technology, Steinmüller Africa offers autonomous inspections in areas where GPS signals cannot be picked, and eliminates the use of scaffolding or Rope Access. It has clientele in diverse sectors across Africa.

By Jimmy Swira

Ideally, mines expect the drone services they procure for safety and maintenance, inspections, and post-incident investigations in all environments to operate smoothly: delivering data as and when needed. However, the reality is different: frustratingly, most GPS-guided drones on the market fall short in complex, confined, and dangerous spaces – particularly around buildings, structures, and other landmarks – not delivering at all.

This is a problem that Steinmüller Africa has ensured that its Elios technology addresses, as two of the company’s technical team, Fanie Smuts and Carel van Aswegen, assure mining operations.

Challenges with GPS-guided drones

To underline the relevance of Steinmüller’s Elios technology, first demonstrate the challenges with GPS-guided drones when deployed in tight spaces. Van Aswegen: “When inspecting certain mining areas for safety and maintenance purposes, particularly where there are buildings, structures, and others, the GPS signal cannot be picked. The loss of signal has significant implications: the drones would then not be able to locate its current position. This could result in the loss or damage of the drone.”

Steinmüller’s Elios Drone Solution

In addressing this challenge, Steinmüller’s Elios drone solution does not make use of GPS coordinates as a navigation tool. Instead, it employs an optimised radio frequency, FlyAware SLAM Engine, and LiDAR mapping software to track and see surroundings, as well as for its autonomous ‘Return to Home’ function.

Enabled by a Wide Range of Features

Smuts points out that the Elios drone is able to function effectively in such a challenging environment due to the wide range of features and technologies it incorporates. Specifically, these include but are not isolated to:

• Built-in: Visual inspection payload
• Add-Ons: UT, Surveying, RAD, Flammable Gas Sensor
• LiDAR-based Stabilization
• Live Situational Awareness
• Location-Tagged Data
• Collision-Resilient
• Confined Space Access
• GPS-Denied Flights
• 4K Camera (Built-In):
  • Sensor: 12.3 MP, 1/2.3″ CMOS
  • Video Resolution: 4K / 30 fps
  • GSD Resolution: Up to 0.18 mm/pix
  • Focal Lens: 2.71 mm
  • FOV: 180° Tiltable Camera Pod
• Thermal Radiometric Camera:
  • Sensor: Lepton 3.5 FLIR
  • Resolution: 160 x 120
  • Accuracy: ±5°C or ±5%
  • Frame Rate: 9 fps
  • Thermal Sensitivity: ≤50 mK T
• Lighting System:
  • Light Output: 16,000 Lumens
  • Modes: Normal, Dustproof Lighting, Oblique Lighting
• Surveying Payload (Add-On):
  • Sensor: Configuration Ouster OS0 128 Beams REV 7
  • Accuracy: From 0.1% Drift
  • Precision: 1σ +/- 6 mm, 2σ +/- 12 mm
  • Range: Up to 100 m
  • Scanning Rate: 1.3 M pts/sec
  • Photon Sensitivity: 10x
  • Handheld Functionality
• In Post-Processing:
  • Software: FARO Connect (Partner Solution)
  • Features: Data Alignment, Georeferencing, Point Cloud Filtering
  • Export Formats: LAZ, LAS, E57

A Wide Scope of Services

Using this revolutionary technology, Steinmüller Africa currently offers confined space inspections for areas where scaffolding or rope access would be required. This is in Boilers, Vessels, Tanks and Structures.

Worth mentioning, the drone can be flown in areas where a permit for entry is not yet issued, meaning time for inspections is significantly reduced. This makes it up to the task, stresses van Aswegen:

“The drone cuts cost and time significantly.”

Steinmüller is always eager to increase the scope of solutions offered to clients. Currently, it is busy working with software that is compatible with the drone software, in aim to provide services like stock yard measurements and detailed 3D mapping of components to be able to measure location deviations, etc.